Get Up & Go
Harlem Christmas
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The seventh annual Christmas in the Heart of Downtown Harlem will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, with craft and food vendors and live entertainment. The city's Christmas parade will be at 11 a.m.
Christmas concert
The Ball Brothers and Roy Webb will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday at Jones Creek Baptist Church, 4106 Colben Blvd., in Evans. Call (706) 863-5131, or go to www.jonescreekbaptist.org.
Dance show
The Augusta West Dance Guild will present It's the Night Before Christmas at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre at Augusta State University. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for children and seniors, with a $1 discount for toy donations to Toys for Tots. Call (706) 860-0998.
Art and wine
The Augusta Jewish Community Center, 898 Weinberger Way, off Furys Ferry Road in Evans, will hold an art auction and wine tasting at 6 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $25. Call (706) 228-3636.
Toy, coat drives
Columbia County Democratic Party is holding toy and coat drives during December. New, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots will be collected from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Martinez Walmart, and Dec. 19 at the Gateway Walmart near Grovetown. A coat drive will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Dec. 19 at the Gateway Walmart. Call Floyd Everett at (706) 825-8314.
Aquinas test
Aquinas High School will hold placement testing for eighth-graders seeking 2010-11 admission 8:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday. Call (706) 736-5516.
Christian dances
Augusta Christian Singles sponsors dances from 7-11 p.m. Saturdays at the Ballroom Dance Center, 525 Grand Slam Drive, Evans, off Evans to Locks Road. Admission is $8 for members, $10 for guests. Call Theresa Thigpen at (706) 863-9262.
'Gift to Jesus'
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, 4921 Columbia Road, will present Santa's Gift to Jesus, a story about the true meaning of Christmas, at 2 p.m. Sunday in the sanctuary. Admission is free, and an offering will be taken for a needy family. Call Meledy Kise at (706) 294-7913.
Hanukkah dinner
The Augusta Jewish Community Center, 898 Weinberger Way, off Furys Ferry Road in Evans, will hold its annual Hanukkah latke dinner at 6 p.m. Sunday. The cost is $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 4-12, with a $45 family maximum. Participants should bring menorahs and candles, or call if one is needed. Call (706) 228-3636.
Alzheimer's group
An Alzheimer's caregiver support group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday each month at Brandon Wilde. Call (706) 854-3519.
Hearing loss
The Hearing Loss Association of Augusta meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday each month at Room 100 of the Adult Building of First Baptist Church of Augusta. Call Debbie Rish at (706) 650-2496, or e-mail hlaag.rish@yahoo.com.
Heating aid
Columbia County residents who meet income qualifications are eligible to apply for $350 in federally funded energy assistance. Applications will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 17-18 at Grovetown United Methodist Church, 266 E. Robinson Ave. Bring copies of Social Security cards for all members of the household, proof of income for everyone older than 18, a copy of the most recent heating bill and a photo ID.
Tree recycling
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will accept real Christmas trees for recycling as fish habitat from Dec. 18 through Jan. 5 at Riverside Middle School on Furys Ferry Road in Evans. Call 1 (800) 533-3478.
Fundraiser
A fundraiser for Cliff Tilton, who needs a kidney transplant, will be held 7-11 p.m. Dec. 18 at the IBEW Banquet Hall, 1250 Reynolds St. Call (706) 860-6245.
Perdue speaks
Gov. Sonny Perdue will speak at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 18 at the Augusta Marriott Hotel & Suites at a luncheon sponsored by Leadership Augusta. Tickets cost $27. For reservations, call (706) 821-1300, or e-mail nshaefer@augusta gausa.com.
Musical staged
Musical Theater Workshops will present All I Really Need to Know I Learned by Being in a Bad Play , and Ever After, A Musical at 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Greenbrier High School auditorium. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $5 for students and children. Call (706) 231-1759.
Christmas concert
Creative Impressions will present its annual Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 22 at the Augusta State University Maxwell Performing Arts Theater. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $10 for students and are available at the theater box office. Call (706) 951-4239.
Candlelight service
A community candlelight service will be held 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 23 at the Columbia County Amphitheater, followed by group caroling. For information, go to www.mosaicumc.org.
Shoe donations
Area podiatrists are collecting shoes for the homeless through Dec. 30 at any area podiatrist's office. Call Dr. Kent Kronowski at (706) 724-0586.
Female veterans
The Women's Veterans Club is seeking new members. The group meets at 11 a.m. the first Saturday of each month at Ryan's Family Steakhouse, 208 Bobby Jones Expressway, Martinez. Dues are $24 per year. Call Garnet Brickey at (706) 210-7331, or April Starks at (706) 868-5601.
Book club
Harlem Library will hold an organizational meeting for an adult book club at 2 p.m. Jan 13. Call Amanda at (706) 556-9795.
Green school
North Harlem Elementary is seeking donations of empty printer cartridges and used cell phones for a recycling project. Items may be dropped off at the school on Fairview Drive or at Etc. of Harlem on Louisville Road. Call the school at (706) 556-5995.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available to family members of Georgia Farm Bureau members who intend to attend a school in the University System of Georgia or Berry College and study in agricultural or related fields. The deadline for applications is Feb. 26. Call the Columbia County office at (706) 556-6258, or go to www.gfb.org.
Dresses sought
Formally Yours, a high school student's program to collect prom gowns for students in need, is seeking donations of prom dresses. Donations may be taken to any location of Tudor's Cleaners or to Coach Dave's Barber Shop in Harlem. For information, e-mail formallyyours10@yahoo.com.
Craft classes
Craft and art classes, including quilting, crocheting and pottery, are being offered at Etc, 212 N. Louisville St., Harlem. Payment in advance is required to reserve space. Call (706) 556-8000, or e-mail etc212@att.net.
Catholic renewal
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, 4921 Columbia Road, will offer a six-week program, Awakening Faith, for inactive or marginally active Catholics to reconnect to their faith. The program begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5 in meeting room 3 of the parish life building. Call (706) 364-9289, or e-mail cleanetta@knology.net.
Dulcimer jam
Mistletoe State Park's annual mountain dulcimer jam will be held 6-9 p.m. Jan. 16, and 9-11 a.m. Jan. 17-18. Cost is $5 parking fee. Call (706) 541-0321.
Crisis training
Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services at University Hospital will conduct volunteer training Jan. 21-25. Call (706) 774-2746, or e-mail volunteerrcsas@uh.org.
Red Cross bash
The Augusta Red Cross 16th annual Boot Scoot Boogie Bash will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at Savannah Rapids Pavilion. Call (706) 724-8481, or go to www.arcaug.org.
Volunteers sought
The Grovetown Senior Center is seeking volunteer, licensed drivers with their own vehicles to deliver meals to shut-ins in the Grovetown area. Call (706) 210-8699.
Volunteers wanted
Regency Hospice is seeking volunteers. Training is provided. Call Nancy Browning at (706) 868-4422.
Dulcimer lessons
The Garden City Dulcimer Club is offering free dulcimer lessons. Call (706) 868-0120.
Pet adoptions
Happy Tails Rescue holds pet adoptions from 1-4 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday at Tractor Supply, 596 Bobby Jones Expressway. Call (706) 955-0438.
Leah High search
The Columbia County Historical Society is seeking photos, information and artifacts related to the former Leah High School for inclusion in a historical display. Call Gary or Nancy Blanchard at (706) 541-0043.
Seniors sought
Senior citizens ages 60-older are being sought to work 20 hours per week to help children read. Positions receive an hourly stipend and mileage reimbursement. Call Jackie Kennedy at the Senior Citizens Council at (706) 868-0120.
Donations sought
Dropped Stitches, a group at Washington Commons that knits blankets for hospitals and soldiers, is seeking donations of yarn from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily at the retirement community on Washington Commons Drive off Washington Road across from Club Car. Call Holley Howard at (706) 860-0402.
WWII vets sought
The Augusta-Richmond County Historical Society is seeking veterans of World War II for videotape interviews as part of the veterans history project. Volunteers to conduct the interviews also are needed. Call (706) 738-8242.
TOPS group
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), a non-profit weight-loss support group, meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at Grovetown United Methodist Church, 206 E. Robinson Ave. Call (706) 863-0726.
Recycling
Drop-off containers for plastics recycling, newspapers, office paper and cardboard are now available at the Columbia County Government Complex.
Rotary meets
The Columbia County West Rotary Club meets at 12:15 p.m. each Tuesday at Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church on Columbia Road at Lewiston Road. Call Richard Swann at (706) 868-3559.
Hope Soap
Hope Soap, a private, non-profit agency that collects toiletries and packages and distributes them to area shelters, has collection sites in the community. Donations, particularly of personal-sized items from hotels, may be brought to The Columbia County News-Times , in the Publix shopping center on Washington Road, Evans, and Wild Birds Unlimited, West Town Shopping Center, Martinez.
Help needed
Volunteers are needed to help staff the gift shop and book sales area at the Columbia County Library in Evans. Call Barbara Williams at (706) 863-8760.
Pilot Club
Pilot Club International is organizing a new club in the area. Call Elizabeth Copeland at (706) 955-7205.
Seat inspection
Safe Kids of East Central Georgia will provide a child safety seat inspection by appointment at the Columbia County Sheriff's Office Substation, Ronald Reagan Drive at Town Center Drive, Evans, on the second Wednesday of each month. For an appointment, call (706) 541-3970.
Nature clubs
Reed Creek Park's Young Naturalist after-school clubs for grades K-2 and 3-5 meet once each month. Call (706) 210-4027.
Marine group
A new Marine Corps Motorcycle Association is forming in the Augusta area and is seeking members. The organization will support Marine Corps efforts in the Aiken-Augusta area, including Toys for Tots, the Wounded Warrior program and the Fisher House. Call Paul Brewer at (706) 854-1036, or e-mail usmc1008@bellsouth.net.
Coast Guard Auxiliary meets
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at El Valle Mexican Restaurant in the West Town shopping center in Martinez. Call John VanOsdol at (864) 391-2170.
Outreach shop
Harlem's Hands Up Outreach Ministries thrift shop, at 110 S. Hicks St., is open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday-Friday each week, with free bread available. Donations of clothing, housewares, school supplies and other items also are welcome. Call (706) 556-2259.
Bible study
The Rosemount Association holds a Bible study each Wednesday at noon at the Rosemount Association Building on Burks Mountain Road in Appling. Call Rev. Alice Dunn at (706) 863-0413.
Optimists meet
The Martinez-Evans Optimist Club meets at noon each Thursday at the Jones Creek Clubhouse. Call (706) 830-5730.
Volunteers needed
Golden Harvest Food Bank is seeking volunteers to help sort donations in the warehouse. Call (706) 736-1199.
Volunteers sought
Safe Kids East Central Georgia is seeking volunteers to help with events, such as car seat and bicycle checks, and to lead ongoing programs that teach safety to children and teens. Training is provided. Call (706) 721-7606.
Volunteers needed
Volunteer opportunities are available at the Columbia County Library in Evans. Call Jessica Thompson at (706) 863-1946, or e-mail jthompson@columbiacountyga.gov.
Literacy sessions
The Columbia County Library holds tutoring sessions for adults interested in improving their reading skills. Call (706) 863-1946.
Clothes closet
The Marvin United Methodist Church Clothes Closet, at the church at Wheeler and Belair Roads, is open each Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Donations are accepted on the first day of each month from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Members wanted
New members are being sought for the MCG Children's Medical Center Red Wagon Society to plan fund-raisers, volunteer at special events and play with children who are patients at the center. Membership costs $50 per year. Call (706) 721-4004.
Hospital classes
Doctors Hospital offers a variety of classes each month. For information on all classes, call (706) 651-2450, or go to www.doctors-hospital.net.
Grief support
Portsbridge Hospice holds a free grief support group at 6 p.m. every other Tuesday at the hospice, located at 1365 Interstate Parkway in Augusta. Call Chaplain Paul Richardson, (706) 860-7374.
Drivers needed
The American Cancer Society's Augusta chapter is seeking volunteer drivers for its Road to Recovery program, which provides transportation to cancer patients. Call (706) 731-9900.
Fire information
The Georgia Forestry Commission, Columbia County Unit, offers advice to all Columbia County residents on whether their home is in line of fire from brush or wild land fires. Call (706) 556-3962.
Rape counseling
Rape Crisis and Sexual Assault Services offers group counseling to victims of rape, sexual assault and childhood abuse. All services are free. Call (706) 724-5200.
Rotary meets
The Rotary Club of Columbia County meets at 7 a.m. Wednesdays at the Brandon Wilde Clubhouse. Call president Lee Clark, (706) 863-2000.
Augusta striders
Augusta Striders is seeking members. Members enjoy group runs, newsletters, monthly meetings and more. For information, visit www.augustastriders.com.
Cancer support group
The MCG Breast Cancer Support Group meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the mammography area, MCG Breast Health Services, first floor, MCG Medical Center. Call (706) 721-0246 or (706) 721-1466.
NAMI meeting
The Augusta Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill meets at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church on Walton Way. Call (706) 432-0021.
Diabetic network
The JDFR Family Network is available to families of children with Type 1 diabetes. Call (706) 733-2034.
SCORE advice
The Service Corps of Retired Executives, SCORE, provides counseling and mentoring to business people who are starting up or expanding a business. There is no charge for services. Call 9 a.m. to noon Monday-Friday, (706) 793-9998.
Foster homes sought
Georgia SAFE Therapeutic Foster Care is seeking foster homes for at-risk children and teens. Call (706) 210-3435.
Harvest help
Golden Harvest Food Bank is seeking volunteer groups of 10-20 people, ages 13 and up, for Saturday help in sorting donated products. For information or to reserve a time, call Laurie Harmon at (706) 736-1199, ext. 208.
Parents sought
Foster and adoptive parents are being sought for children living in Columbia and Richmond counties. For more information on the program, call Christina Ruetz in Columbia County at (706) 541-1640 or Rosalyn Boyd in Richmond County at (706) 721-7171.
Happy Tails adoption
Happy Tails Rescue holds pet adoptions each Saturday from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., and 4-6 p.m., and Sundays 1-4 p.m., at Superpetz on Bobby Jones Expressway in Martinez. For more information, call (706) 863-5310.