Current events

Open house

Knology will hold an open house 5-7 p.m. today in celebration of its fifth year in Augusta. Food and prizes will be offered. The offices are located at 3714 Wheeler Road.

Food festival

The American Breast Cancer Association will hold a tribute to mothers' food festival 7-10 p.m. Friday at Savannah Rapids Pavilion, with food and desserts from area restaurants, music, dancing and silent auction. For information, call 860-8127.

Harlem musical

Harlem High School Drama will present the musical comedy Babes in Arms at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. May 15 at the school. For information, call 556-5980.

Asthma screenings

The Neighborhood Improvement Project Inc. will hold asthma screening tests and education for children, teens and adults 1-5 p.m. Thursday at the Harlem Library, 375 N. Louisville St. Tests are free but reservations are needed. For information call Yvonne Rivers, 790-4440, extension 115.

Gardening at lunch

The Columbia County Extension Service's monthly Gardening at Lunch seminar will be 12:10 p.m. today. Extension Agent Charles Phillips will discuss perennials. For information, call 868-3413.

Choral concert

The Columbia County Choral Society will present "Favorite Jewels: Hymns, Anthems and Spirituals," 7:30 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church of Evans. For information, call 650-8901.

Prayer rally

A Stand for Jesus Prayer Rally will be 10 a.m. May 22 at Fellowship Baptist Church on Robinson Avenue in Grovetown. For information, call 294-4649.

Israel Experience

The Augusta Jewish Community Center's Israel Experience will be 1-4 p.m. Sunday at the AJCC, 898 Weinberger Way off Furys Ferry Road near Riverside Middle School. The event provides games, activities and information about Israel. For information, call 228-3636.

Spring Challenge

The Signal Corps Regimental Association will hold its 12th annual Spring Challenge 10k run 8 a.m. Saturday. A 1-mile fun run/walk for children will be at 7:30 a.m. For information call 791-4063.

Appling bazaar

Vendor spaces are available for the country bazaar to be presented by the North Columbia Fire and Rescue Ladies Auxiliary June 12, at the fire station on Columbia Road next to the quarry in Appling. For information, call 541-0268, or 541-1580.

Writers meet

CSRA Writers will meet 6:30 p.m. Monday at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 1336 Augusta West Parkway. Writers needing a support group are invited to attend and bring eight copies of a manuscript to be critiqued. For information, call 738-4114.

Asian-Pacific program

The Asian Pacific American Heritage Command Program at Fort Gordon will be 1:30 p.m. Monday in Alexander Hall on Chamberlain Avenue. Guest speaker is Dr. Madhavi Martin, a research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. For information, call 791-6001.

Gospel celebration

His Own will present a gospel anniversary celebration with special guests The King Sisters and The Christianaires, along with Rev. Philip Dunston and the Friendship Baptist Church Mass Choir of Appling. The event will be 6 p.m. May 22 at Friendly Church of God in Christ, 1115 Carrie St., Augusta. For information call 267-5099.

NAACP program

The Augusta Branch of the NAACP will hold Brown vs. Board of Education: 50 Years, Promise or Progress, 11 a.m. May 23 at New Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, 3237 Deans Bridge Road, Augusta. The Rev. Dr. James A Hogan Sr. will be the keynote speaker. For information, call 798-7797, or 793-2871.

Senior fashions

Senior Friends auxiliary of Doctors Hospital is sponsoring Fashion Extravaganza 2 p.m. May 25 at Savannah Rapids Pavilion. Members of Senior Friends will model beach wear, casual clothes and dressy clothes for women and men. Reservations are required, and costs is $5. For information, call 651-6716.

Bird fund-raiser

Feathered Friends Forever Rescue/Refuge Inc. will hold its annual open house and fund-raising barbecue 1 p.m. May 29 and throughout the Memorial Day weekend at the tropical parrot refuge, 2547 Misty Road in Appling. The event includes barbecue, live music, horseback riding, fishing, child and adult games, tropical bird feeding, a silent auction and raffle.

Tickets are a $10 donation, which includes barbecue and raffle ticket. For more information, call 541-9316.

Arts camp

Registration is available for the Columbia County Arts Inc. Summer Arts Camp, to be held June 7-11 at Lewiston Elementary School. For information, call 228-1666.

Wee Can Ski

The Medical College of Georgia Children's Medical Center will hold a Wee Can Ski program for children with special needs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 5 at the Fort Gordon Recreation Area.

The program is offered free to children from ages 5 to 18 who are physically and medically challenged. To donate time, share resources or register a child for the event, call 721-1188.

Girl Scout camps

Girl Scouts' summer camps at Camp Tanglewood will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 7-11 and June 28-July 2. There are also other summer programs taking place during the summer at Camp Tanglewood, including overnight camps for girls age 6-17. For information, call 774-0505.

Rape counseling

Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services offers group counseling to victims of rape, sexual assault and childhood abuse. All services are free. For information, call 724-5200.

Students sought

Rotary District 6910, which covers most of north Georgia, is interviewing youths interested in attending high school overseas for a year as part of an international exchange program. Local families also are being sought to house incoming students. For information, call Jim Heaney at (706) 495-7601.

Ringers camp

A music camp is being offered during the summer in coordination with the Augusta Children's Ringers, for children entering 3rd-7th grades.

The camp will be held at the Westside Baptist Church's Educational Building at 261 Flowing Wells Road during four different sessions June 14 through July 29. The camp involves singing, ringing of handchimes and handbells and musical games. Enrollment is limited. Call 306-5247 or e-mail augustaringers@juno.com for a brochure.

Diabetic screenings

Free diabetic retinopathy screenings will be offered 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 19 at the Harlem/Grovetown Health Department, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 25 at the Evans Health Department. The screenings will be conducted by MCG Health System, Emory Eye Center and the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Reunion planned

A family reunion is being planned for June 11-13 in Macon for descendants of James M. and Frances Rumney Royal of Athens. For information, write S.W. Jackson, 6937 Goodall Mill Road, Macon, Ga., 31216, or e-mail swj2001@bellsouth.net.

Church yard sale

Table rentals are available for the Martinez United Methodist Church yard sale, which will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 22 at the church, 3614 Washington Road. For information, call 863-6541.

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 information, call 868-3413.

Deputy training

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office will sponsor a Basic Peace Officer course through the East Georgia Regional Police Academy for anyone interested in becoming a reserve deputy. The cost of the training is $2,850, and the HOPE grant may be available.

Participants must meet all qualifications required to be a law enforcement officer in Georgia, including being at least 18 years of age, having a high school diploma or equivalent, and no prior criminal record. Participants are subject to an extensive background investigation.

Classes begin June 1. For more information, contact the Columbia County Sheriff's Office at 541-2856 or the East Georgia Regional Police Academy at (706) 592-1518.

Class reunion

The Richmond Academy classes of 1963 and 1964 will hold their reunion May 14 and 15. For information, call 860-2110 or 667-8591.

Gospelfest

The 7th Annual CSRA Gospelfest will be 5 p.m. May 22 at the Jesse Norman Amphitheater. Booth spaces are available for organizations. For information, call 951-4479.

ACE Awards

The Junior League of Augusta is accepting applications for the 2004-05 ACE Awards, which support and enrich classroom curriculum. Each recipient receives up to $500 for his or her project. The deadline is June 11. For information, call 736-0033.

Hot Southern Night

The American Red Cross Hot Southern Night concert will be June 19 at Lake Olmstead Stadium, featuring Gary Allan and special guest the Marshall Tucker Band. For information, call 278-4849.

Donations needed

The Harlem High School Drama Department continues to seek donations to fund its trip to the Scotland Fringe Festival in August. For information, contact Roy Lewis at 556-5980 or rlewis@ccboe.net.

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 (800) 282-5803.

Donations sought

Riverfront Marine Detachment 1132 of the Marine Corps League is seeking donations of items to be handed out to Iraqi school children by Marine Corps units. For information, call Paul Brewer, 849-6632.

Class reunion

Hephzibah High School's class of 1984 is seeking class members for a 20-year reunion this fall. For information, contact Thomas Self at 592-4634, or Kim Edgar Stripling at 278-1001.

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.

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.