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COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE RIVER VALLEY & OZARK AREA

TODAY Sherry Robinson Book Signing

CONWAY — Sherry Robinson, the author of Blessed, will give a book signing at 2 p.m. at the Faulkner County Library. Blessed tells the story of Grayson Armstrong’s vision for a dying church that has everyone in small-town Mercy, Kentucky, talking. Robinson is vice provost and a professor of English at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, specializing in Southern American and Appalachian literature. All library events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 3277482 or email nancy@fcl.org.

WEDNESDAY

Sterling Scholars Speaker Series

FAIRFIELD BAY — As part of the Sterling Scholars Speaker Series, Christopher Koy will speak from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Fireside Room of the Indian Hills Golf Club. Koy will present a program on Charles Alexander Eastman, a Santee Dakota physician educated at Boston University, a writer, a national lecturer and a reformer. The event is free and open to the public. Purchase of lunch is optional. The series, co-sponsored by the Fairfield Bay Rotary Club, takes place the first Wednesday of each month.

SATURDAY

Mount Nebo Chicken Fry DARDANELLE — The Mount Nebo Chicken Fry — Pickin’, Chicken & Politickin’ — will take place Aug. 10 at Mount Nebo State Park. Tyson’s award-winning chicken dinners will be served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $7 for adults and $4 for ages 12 and younger. Diane Berry and a Little bit of Nashville will perform at 11:30 a.m., followed by Flat Broke and Lonesome from 1-3 p.m. An ice cream social, with local and state politicians, will be at 4:30 p.m. at the small pavilion. Other events include a Chicken Fry 10K; softball, Baggo and horseshoe tournaments; bocce ball; log sawing and wood splitting; and disk golf. For more information, call Stacey Daughtrey at (479) 229-3328 or visit the event’s Facebook page.

Leroy & Yvette McClure Book Signing CONWAY — Leroy and Yvette McClure will have a book signing at 2 p.m. at the Faulkner County Library. The McClures are the authors of Why Sammy Still Can’t Read, which provides various low-cost design and delivery models to foster a culture of reading in schools and organizations. All library events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.

ONGOING

Fairfield Bay TOPS Meetings FAIRFIELD BAY — The TOPS Arkansas 0612 chapter (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets each Thursday in the Conference Room of the Hart Center, 134 Hillview Drive, behind the Senor Center of Fairfield Bay. Weigh-ins begin at 8:30 a.m., and support meetings, emphasizing weight loss and healthy living, will start at approximately 9:30-10:30 a.m. Visitors and prospective members may attend their first meeting free. The cost to join is an annual fee of $32 for national dues and $3 per month chapter dues. For more information, call Patty at (501) 253-3790 or Jeannie at (501) 253-3824.

Downtown Conway Farmers’ and Crafts Market CONWAY — The Downtown Conway Farmers’ and Crafts Market, 718 Parkway St., is open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October, also on Tuesdays and Thursdays, June through September, when products are available. All items sold are grown or created by local vendors, including produce, honey, meats, eggs, jams and jellies, baked goods, handmade crafts and more. See the organization’s Facebook page for vendor specifics.

Faulkner County Tea Party Luncheons CONWAY — The Faulkner County Tea Party has weekly luncheons from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at Larry’s Pizza, 1068 Markham St. Check the group’s Facebook page for scheduled speakers. All are welcome to attend.

Painting Class FAIRFIELD BAY — Jim Tindall’s painting class will meet with a new subject from 10 a.m. to noon every Tuesday at the Fairfield Bay Community Education Center, 130 Village Lane, Suite 5E. Each class costs $45, and all materials are provided. The center also offers Tindall’s once-a-month evening class from 5:30-8, with dates to be announced. For more information, call the center at (501) 884-4440 or visit its Facebook page.

Heber Springs TOPS Meetings HEBER SPRINGS — TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets each Monday at the Church of the Nazarene, Eighth and Quitman streets. Weigh-in begins at 7:30 a.m., and a support meeting emphasizing weight loss and healthy living takes place from 9:30-11 a.m. Prospective members are welcome to attend. Enter the church through the back entrance. For more information, call Geneva Earles at (501) 827-1243 or Janiece Brierly at (501) 250-5087.

Conway TOPS Meetings CONWAY — TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets each Tuesday at Peace Lutheran Church, at the corner of Donaghey Avenue and Dave Ward Drive. Weigh-in begins at 9:15 a.m., and a support meeting emphasizing weight loss and healthy living takes place from 10-11 a.m. Prospective members are welcome to attend. Enter the church from Donaghey Avenue. For more information, call Peggy at (501) 514-0823 or Sandy at (501) 329-0558.

Neighbor’s Table RUSSELLVILLE — Neighbor’s Table is a free meal from noon to 1 p.m. every Saturday at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 501 S. Phoenix Ave. The doors open at 11:30 a.m. with free coffee. All are welcome to attend. Neighbor’s Table also sends home sack lunches with guests. All Saints’ has a Loaves and Fishes Ministry, which accepts Sundaymorning offerings of nonperishable food and toiletries, to be distributed at Neighbor’s Table. For more information, call (479) 968-3622.

Humane Society Benefit Bingo GREENBRIER — Bingo, sponsored by the Humane Society of Faulkner County, is played every third Friday at the Melton Cotton City Event Center, 5 Lois Lane. Pregames start at 5:30 p.m., with full games at 6:30. Proceeds benefit the Sloan-Swindel Spay and Neuter Memorial Fund. For more information, email rescuethestrays@yahoo.com.

Bluegrass Music Night HEBER SPRINGS — Heber Springs Christian Church, 1101 N. Broadway St., offers a bluegrass music night from 6:30-8:30 every Tuesday. Musicians are invited to participate. Free coffee is available. For more information, call the church at (501) 362-2389.

Yoga Class at the Library CONWAY — Danny Mize, a registered yoga instructor, teaches a yoga class at

7 p.m. Thursdays at the Faulkner County Library. Yoga practitioners of all skill levels are welcome to attend. All library programs are free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (501) 327-7482 or email nancy@fcl.org.

Faulkner County Coin Club Meetings CONWAY — The Faulkner County Coin Club meets the second Tuesday of each month at the Ola and John Hawks Senior Wellness and Activity Center, 705 E. Siebenmorgen Road. The 5 p.m. dinner is optional, and a $6 donation is suggested for those 60 and younger. A fellowship time takes place from 5:30-7 p.m. with educational speakers, show-and-tell, news and door prizes. For more information, call (501) 514-0785.

VFW Tuesday Night Bingo QUITMAN — Tuesday Night Bingo takes place each week at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1295 Bee Branch Road. Doors open at 5:30 for bonanzas, and regular play starts at 6:30 p.m. Food is available. For more information, call (501) 362-9979.

American Legion Friday Night Bingo HEBER SPRINGS — Friday Night Bingo takes place each week at the American Legion Hall, 49 Park Road. Doors open at 5:30 for bonanzas, and regular play starts at 6:30. For more information, call (501) 362-9979.

UPCOMING

M.J. Hickey Pool Closing RUSSELLVILLE — The M.J. Hickey Pool will be closing for the season. The last day to swim will be Aug. 11. For more information, call the pool at (479) 857-7401.

Spaghetti Supper and Bake Sale ST. VINCENT — Knights of Columbus Council 10908 in St. Vincent, 9 miles north of Morrilton on Arkansas 95, will sponsor its annual spaghetti and meatball supper at 5 p.m. Aug. 17. Green beans, coleslaw and dessert will also be available. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5 to 12. Children ages 4 and younger may eat free. Adult take-out meals will be $10 each. There will be a bake sale to raise money for the Knights of Columbus Persons With Disabilities Fund. For more information, call (501) 354-4854.

Selling to the Government RUSSELLVILLE — The Arkansas Tech Small Business and Technology Development Center and the Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center will present Selling to the Government from 9:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 14 at Arkansas Tech University. Attendees will learn about government contract types, state and federal procurement processes, and how to register a business to sell products or services to the government. There is no fee to attend, but registration is required by calling (479) 356-2067 by Aug. 13.

Watercolor Class RUSSELLVILLE — The River Valley Arts Center, 1001 E. B St., will offer a watercolor class from 1-3 pm. Wednesdays, Aug. 14 to Sept. 18, with instructor Valerie Finley, who comes from California and teaches techniques in watercolors for beginners and experts alike. The class fee is $75 for Arts Center members or $100 for nonmembers. For more information or to register for the class, call (479) 968-2452 or stop by the Arts Center.

Oil/Acrylic Class RUSSELLVILLE — The River Valley Arts Center, 1001 E. B St., will offer an oil/acrylic class from 6-9 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 15 to Sept. 19, with instructor Lisa Jones. The class fee is $75 for Arts Center members or $100 for nonmembers. For more information or to reserve a spot in the class, call (479) 968-2452 or stop by the Arts Center.

Pottery Classes RUSSELLVILLE — The River Valley Arts Center, 1001 E. B St., will offer pottery classes on Mondays, Aug. 19 to Oct. 7, with instructor Winston Taylor. Seasoned potters will meet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and beginning potters from 6-9 p.m. The class fee is $200 for Arts Center members or $225 for nonmembers, plus a $25 clay supply fee. For more information or to sign up for the class, call (479) 968-2452 or stop by the Arts Center.

Carroll Roberson Program HOUSTON — Evangelist Carroll Roberson will present a special program of music and ministry at 6 p.m. Aug. 30 at Renewal Ranch in Perry County. Tickets for the event, which includes a meal, are $50 each or $250 for a table of eight. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Bryce McGhee at (501) 733-4263 or email marketing@renewalranch.net.

To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, River Valley & Ozark Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203; fax to (501) 378-3500; or email to rvonews@arkansasonline.com. The deadline for calendaritem submissions is noon Tuesday.