Get up and go
Grovetown festival
A planning meeting for the Grovetown Heritage Festival will be at 3 p.m. today at the Grovetown Museum. All interested in organizing the festival are encouraged to attend. For more information, call 863-4576.
Chamber after hours
Columbia County's bi-monthly after-hours networking session, Success Columbia County Style, will be 5-7 p.m. Monday at Jones Creek Golf Club, 777 Jones Creek Drive, Evans. Reservations are requested. For information call 651-0018.
Open house
The Augusta Seventh-Day Adventist School, 4299 Wheeler Road, will hold an Open House for all current and prospective students 5-7 p.m. Monday. The school is located between Flowing Wells and Belair roads on the campus of the Augusta First Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
For more information, contact the school at 651-0491.
Drama presentation
The Bob Jones University Truth in Action drama team will appear 7 p.m. Thursday at Westside Baptist Church, 261 Flowing Wells Road. For information call 868-5982.
Kindergarten preview
A preview for parents of students entering kindergarten next year at Stevens Creek Elementary will be 6-7 p.m. Thursday. For more information, call Susan Hadden, 868-3705.
Blood drive
The Fifth Annual Columbia County Emergency Management Agency Winter Blood Drive with the Shepeard Community Blood Center will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The drive will be at the Columbia County Government Center Auditorium (Building A), on Ronald Reagan Drive in Evans.
All donors will be treated to Mot's barbecue and will receive a special National Volunteer Blood Donor Month T-shirt. For more information, contact Pam Tucker at 868-3303 or email ptucker@co.columbia.ga.us.
Ministry anniversary
The Gospel Water Branch Baptist Church Pastor's Support Ministry will have an anniversary celebration at 10:45 a.m. today , with Minister James Brunson as the speaker. For more information call 860-7091.
Retired educators
The Columbia County Retired Educators will meet at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Gibbs Library. Guest speaker will be Kathy Mills of Senior Friends. For information, call Helen Morris at 863-7949.
Tax service
Joseph Fournier has opened Accent Tax Service, offering "house calls" and traditional tax services to Columbia County residents and others. For information, call 877-1040.
Preview service
Mosaic United Methodist Church, a new congregation forming in Evans, will hold a preview service at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 1 in the former Barksdale's building on Washington Road in Evans, across from Wal-Mart. Regular services will begin at 11 a.m. Feb. 22 at the Evans High School theater. For information, call Rev. Carolyn Moore at 877-6468, or visit www.mosaicumc.org.
Democrats meet
The Columbia County Democratic Party will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at Columbia County Government Center Building A, Evans. Lewis Blanchard, a Republican candidate for sheriff, will be the guest speaker. For more information, call 868-0959.
Tax assistance
Basic tax assistance will be available under the AARP Tax Assistance for the Elderly Program on a first-come, first-served basis from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting Feb. 3 and continuing each Tuesday through April 13 at Gibbs Memorial Library, 326 North Belair Road, Evans. Participants should bring a copy of their previous year's tax return.
Brown Bag luncheon
The Augusta Museum of History's Brown Bag History Series for Feb. 4 will feature Dr. Albert C. Goodyear, who will discuss the Topper Site: An Ice-Age Human Occupation of the Savannah River. The session begins at noon, and reservations are required. Call 722-8454.
GOP rally
Ralph Reed, Southeastern chairman for the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign, will be the featured speaker at a rally to support President Bush at 11 a.m. Feb. 7 at Greenbrier High School. The rally will be in conjunction with Republican Party precinct meetings, the first step leading to the national GOP convention. Registration for precinct meetings will open at 9 a.m., and meetings will begin at 10 a.m. For information, call party Chairman Lee Muns at 267-3499.
Harlem gala
The Harlem High School Drama Department will hold a Highland Fling Gala 7-10 p.m. Feb. 12 at the St. Andrews Ballroom at West Lake Country Club.
A reception will begin at 7 p.m. with a cash bar, and dinner will be at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 or $450 for corporate tables of 10 seats. Entertainment will be provided by The Scotland Troupe and the CSRA Finest Artists.
Harlem High's Drama Department is raising money for its trip to the Scotland Fringe Festival in August. For ticket information, contact Roy Lewis at 556-5980 or rlewis@ccboe.net by Feb. 2.
Plant sale
The Junior League of Augusta is holding a plant sale, with flats, hanging baskets, potted plants and containers. The deadline for ordering is Feb. 25. All proceeds benefit projects of the Junior League, including the Arts Reading Program, Day Shelter for Homeless Children, ACE Awards and Habitat for Humanity. For more information, call 736-0033.
Boogie Bash
The Augusta Red Cross will hold the 10th Boot Scoot Boogie Bash at 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at Savannah Rapids Pavilion. The evening will include a steak dinner, silent and live auctions and a raffle for a Club Car vehicle and John Deere Riding Lawn Mower.
Tickets cost $50 per person or $500 for a table of 10. Corporate tables are available. For more information, call the Red Cross office at 724-8483.
School council
The North Harlem Elementary School Council will hold its monthly meeting at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 9 in the media center. For information, call 556-5995.
Gardening program
The Columbia County Extension Service's Gardening at Lunch program will be 12:10-12:45 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Columbia County Government Complex Auditorium in Evans. Extension Agent Charles Phillips will present a seminar on starting vegetables and flowers from seeds.
Finance seminar
Financing Your Future, a financial management session sponsored be the Lakeside High School Family Career and Community Leaders of America, will be from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Feb. 12 in the Lakeside High gym.
Woody Merry will be the guest speaker. It is free, but space is limited. To sign up call 650-9959.
Valentine's workshop
A Valentine's workshop, Valentine's After Hours, with story time, crafts, activities and games will be 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at Gibbs Memorial Library, 326 North Belair Road, Evans. The workshop is free, but registration is required. Call 863-1946 for information.
'Red Hot' show
Stage III, Columbia County's theater company, will present Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers in a 7 p.m. dinner theater Feb. 27-29, and a 3 p.m. matinee March 1, at the Augusta Jewish Community Center in Evans. For information, call 228-3636.
Academy open house
Evans Christian Academy will hold an open house for prospective new students and their families 7-8 p.m. Feb. 17 at In Focus Church, 562 Old Evans Road. For information, call 284-9598.
Auto auction
The Salvation Army will hold an auction of donated vehicles starting 10 a.m. Feb. 7, with previews Feb. 5 and 6 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information, call 826-7933.
Hearing support
Augusta's chapter of SHHH, Self Help for the Hard of Hearing, will meet 5:30 p.m. Feb. 16 for a program featuring Louise Zelski of Phonak Corp., discussing Micro-Link and other devices for listening assistance. The meeting will be held in Room 100 of the Adult Education Building of First Baptist Church of Augusta, 3500 Walton Way. For more information, call Dave Welter at 738-2796.
Book discussion
The Augusta Museum of History and the Augusta Public Library are sponsoring a new history book discussion group. The first book for study is Robert E. Lee by Roy Blount Jr. Tom Sutherland will lead discussions of the book 11 a.m. Feb. 10 at the museum, and 11 a.m. Feb. 24 at Augusta's main library. For more information, call 722-8454.
Vendors wanted
Harlem's third annual Trash to Treasure Market will be 8 a.m. to noon March 6 in the vacant lot beside Harlem United Methodist Church, on Georgia Highway 78 near the traffic signal. Call 556-0401 to reserve a free space.
Horse auction
Horses and horse equipment are being sought for the 10th annual Georgia Junior National 4-H Club Horse Benefit Auction Sale. The Feb. 28 event, at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, Ga., is cosponsored by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service and benefits Georgia 4-H programs. For information, call (706) 542-9092.
Law academy
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office will hold a Citizen's Law Enforcement Academy, beginning March 4.
Participants will be given an insight to the everyday operations of the sheriff's office as well as firearms training, which will include live fire at the sheriff's office shooting range.
The free course is offered every Thursday evening between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. for nine weeks, and is open to Columbia County residents at least 18 years of age.
For information call the Sheriff's Office Community Services Division at 541-2856.
Golf tourney
The Alzheimer's Association Augusta Regional Office will hold its annual golf tournament March 22 at The River Golf Club with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. For information, call 731-9060.
Tax office open
The Columbia County property tax division of the Tax Commissioner's Office is now open in its new Evans location.
The office moved from Appling to Building C of the Columbia County Government Complex, 630 Ronald Reagan Drive. The office's Appling location, 1959 Appling-Harlem Highway, is now open on Tuesdays only.
The Appling office's phone number is 541-1808, and the new Evans phone number is 261-8299.
Chorale auditions
The Augusta Children's Chorale, with training and performance choirs for singers in grades 3-8, will fill a limited number of openings this spring for the chorale's 2004-05 season that begins in August. Call the ACC office at 826-4718 for an audition appointment.
Amnesty meets
Amnesty International meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 3501 Walton Way. For more information, call 863-4270.
Advocate training
The Court Appointed Special Advocate program of Child Enrichment Inc. is seeking volunteers at least 21 years old to advocate for abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system.
Volunteers need no experience, and will be provided with specialized training. For more information, call 737-4631.
Dinner concert
The Augusta Symphony will present its annual Encore Chamber Series Dinner Concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Radisson Riverfront Hotel Augusta. Single tickets cost $55. For more information, call 826-4705.
Benefit concert
George Winston will perform at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 at West Acres Baptist Church, 555 Gibbs Road, Evans, in a benefit for Golden Harvest Food Bank. Tickets cost $20, and a food drive will be conducted with the concert. For more information, call 736-1199, ext. 208.
Girls Inc. info
An information session for Girls Inc. will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Girls Inc. office, 1919 Watkins St. in Augusta. For more information, call 733-2512.
MDO trial
The Church of the Most Holy Trinity, 720 Telfair St., Augusta, is offering a free trial of its Mother's Day Out and preschool program from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 26 for children who are walking age through age 4. For more information, call Cheryl Weinand, 228-4887.
Opera performance
The Augusta Opera will present Johann Strauss' comic opera Die Fledermaus at 8 p.m. Jan. 29 and 31, and 3 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Imperial Theater. An opera chat will be presented one hour before each performance. For information, call 826-4710.
Empty Bowl
The Augusta Jewish Community Center, 898 Weinberger Way, will hold the annual Empty Bowl luncheon 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 22. The event, a fund-raiser for Golden Harvest Food Bank and the AJCC, features pottery bowls made by art students at local schools. Visitors purchase a bowl and sample food from area restaurants, bakeries and caterers. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $5 for children 5 and younger, and are available at Golden Harvest or the AJCC. For more information, call 736-1199.
Parents sought
Foster and adoptive parents are being sought for Columbia and Richmond County children. For more information on the program, call Christina Ruetz in Columbia County at 541-1640, or Rosalyn Boyd in Richmond County, 721-7171.
Happy Tails adoption
Happy Tails Rescue will hold pet adoptions each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 4-6 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., at Superpetz on Bobby Jones Expressway in Martinez. For more information, call 863-5310.
AJCC classes
Classes for children and adults in art, nature, kindermusik, Spanish, yoga and karate are being offered at the Augusta Jewish Community Center, 898 Weinberger Way, Evans. For more information, call 228-3636.
Farm loans
Loans to socially disadvantaged applicants are available from the Farm Service Agency for applicants to buy and operate family size farms and ranches. For information, contact the Louisville, Ga., Farm Loan Office at (478) 625-7771, extension 102.
Purple Hearts
The CSRA chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart meets on the third Saturday of each month at 3856 Leigh St., Martinez. For more information, call 731-7210.
Depression, bipolar support
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance meets the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in Room 105 of the Walton Building at First Baptist Church of Augusta, 3500 Wheeler Road. For more information, call 722-0010.
Cell-phone recycling
Metro Augusta and Columbia County Clean and Beautiful are collecting old cell phones for recycling. Phones may be dropped off at the Columbia County landfill, Richmond County landfill, Savannah Rapids Pavilion, Evans Government Complex, Augusta-Richmond County Municipal Building, Publix on Washington Road in Augusta, and at the Clean and Beautiful office at 418 Greene St., Augusta.
For more information, call 261-4390.
Mining scholarship
Applications are being accepted for the Georgia Mining Federation's $500 scholarship, which will be awarded to a student at Evans High School. The deadline for applications is Feb. 28. For more information, call Jenny Maas, (478) 757-1211.
Six Flags tickets
Half-price Six Flags coupons are available from the Columbia County 4H office in the Savannah Rapids Pavilion, 3300 B Evans to Locks Road, Martinez. For more information, call 868-3413.
Children's ringers
The Augusta Children's Ringers, a handbell and choirchime for children in grades 3-6, meets 4-6 p.m. Thursdays at the Westside Baptist Church Educational Building, 261 Flowing Wells Road. For more information, call 306-5247.
Newcomers Club
The Augusta Newcomers Club helps new residents acclimate and make friends by offering a variety of activities, including lunch and a movie, dinner groups, bowling, golf and games. Monthly coffees for prospective members are the first Tuesday of each month. To attend or for further information, call Rickie Reinhardt at 650-3941, or Ruth Pearl at 650-1400.
Tree orders
The Georgia Forestry Commission is taking orders for tree seedlings. For information, call the Columbia County Forestry Unit at 556-3962.
Fire safety review
The Columbia County Unit of the Georgia Forestry Commission is offering free advice to county residents on whether their home is danger from brush or woods fire. Call 556-3962 for more information.
SCORE advice
The Service Corps of Retired Executives provides counseling and mentoring to business people who are starting up a new business or expanding an ongoing business. Volunteer counselors are retired executives. Affiliated with the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE is a nonprofit, public-service organization. There is never a charge for services. To contact SCORE's Augusta office, call 793-9998, Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon.
McDuffie Friends
McDuffie County Friends of Animals' Adopt-A-Pet Days are each Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at SuperPetz on Bobby Jones Expressway in Martinez. To see pets that are available, call 556-9090 or go to petfinder.com, and go to the Dearing, Ga., section
Senior activities
The Bessie Thomas Community Center, 5913 Euchee Creek Drive, Grovetown, offers daily events for 55 and over residents of Columbia County including Bingo on Tuesday and Thursday, ceramics and other arts and crafts, trivia, devotionals and field trips. Transportation to and from the center is provided by the county's Rural Transportation Department. Call in advance to schedule the ride. All rides and center activities, not including trips, are free. For more information or to request transportation, call 556-0308.
Foster volunteers
Community volunteers are needed to become advocates for children who are found by the court to be abused and/or neglected, and to assist at the Kids Restart visitation center, 508 Broad St. For more information, call 828-0180.
Harlem day care
The Harlem Neighborhood Development Daycare Academy, a nonprofit organization helping low-income families get financial assistance for day care, is accepting new pupils.
The program is from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at the center at 280 West Forrest St., Harlem. Children age 6 weeks to 12 years are eligible. Activities include field trips, computer classes, games, movies and more.
For more information, call the Rev. Melvin Adams at 556-0209.
Scholarships available
Applications are being sought for 2004 graduates seeking scholarships to attend Georgia's military colleges. Students are nominated from each of Georgia's U.S. congressional districts, and are nominated by state senators in those districts. For more information, call the state Senate office at 1 (800) 282-5803.
Recycling available
The following Columbia County elementary schools have newspaper and magazine recycling bins for public use: South Columbia, Grovetown, Bel Air, Evans, Riverside, Brookwood, North Columbia, North Harlem and Stevens Creek elementary schools, and Evans High School.
Recycling bins also are at Wesley United Methodist Church on North Belair Road, Marvin United Methodist Church on Wheeler Road, St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church on Pleasant Home Road and at Savannah Rapids Pavilion.
Aluminum can recycling centers, to benefit the Southeastern Firefighters Burn Foundation, are located at Martinez Fire Department station 2 on Gibbs Road, Station 3 on Furys Ferry Road and Station 4 on Oakley-Pirkle Road.
For more recycling information, contact Metro Augusta Clean and Beautiful, 261-4390.
New cookbook
Stevens Creek Elementary School's first cookbook, A Spoonful of Excellence, is available for sale. The book is compiled from more than 400 recipes submitted by the staff members and families, and costs $13. For more information, call Susan Proctor, 863-2489.