this week’s EVENTS

Editor’s note: Many events have been canceled or postponed due to concern about the coronavirus.

TUESDAY Women With a Purpose Meetings

FAIRFIELD BAY — Beginning Tuesday, Women With a Purpose will meet at 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at the Marina. Attendees will board a couple of members’boats and head onto the lake for an evening of fun and fellowship. Participants are asked to bring a jacket and a snack/finger food to share, and it’s BYOB. In case of inclement weather, the group will meet at the Cool Pool Sports Grill.

Russellville Poet’s Podcast Performance

RUSSELLVILLE — Artist and poet Jeannie Rodriguez of Russellville, who writes under her given name, Dexta, has released a chapbook of 15 love poems titled“Waiting to Breathe.”Rodriguez will read several selections from her chapbook on Tuesday’s segment of“The Queen Silvy Show”at 11 a.m., and it will be broadcast through a Youtube channel named after the show. Rodriguez also has a poem included in the newly released“The 2020 Poetry Anthology,”available on Amazon, and her artwork was chosen as the cover. For more information or to buy her chapbook, email dextarodriguez@gmail.com or visit the Facebook page“Waiting to Breathe.”

SATURDAY Master Gardeners Plant Sale

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Van Buren County Master Gardeners will have a plant sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ed Leamon Park, 381 Dave Creek Parkway. This event will be a plant sale only — no vendors.

Women With a Purpose Road Trip

FAIRFIELD BAY — A Women With a Purpose Road trip — Girls, Growlers and Giggles — will take place Saturday. Join the group for a day at Gravity Brew Works in Big Flat. Participants will meet at 11 a.m. at the Fairfield Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, 365 Dave Creek Parkway, and carpool to the destination. Bring finger foods to share for lunch and your own beverage. The group will have a picnic in the beer garden and take a tour of the brewery.

Makers Market

HEBER SPRINGS — The Makers Market — featuring artisans, crafters and farmers — will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Cleburne County Courthouse lawn.

For more information, call or text (501) 206-9866, or follow the event on Facebook.

ONGOING New Art Exhibit

CLINTON — A new art exhibit — titled Hello World, Goodbye Covid! — has been hung in the halls at Ozark Health Medical Center. About 30 paintings by seven members of the North Central Arkansas Artist League are displayed in two exhibits: one upstairs near the cafeteria and one downstairs in the outpatient wing. The exhibits are open to the public during regular hours, with all works available for purchase at the hospital’s gift shop. A portion of each sale will go to the Hospital Auxiliary for its projects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention restrictions are still in place for the hospital, including wearing masks and getting temperature checks.

Community Outreach Online Classes

Baptist Health Community Outreach will offer free online health and wellness classes in May. Access the following courses through Google Meet: Women’s Health Month Nutrition Presentation at 10 a.m. May 17; Cooking With Community Outreach at 5:30 p.m. May 20; Safety Baby Shower at 5:30 p.m. May 27; and a Diabetes Support Group at 5:30 p.m. May 27. For a complete schedule, visit baptist-health.com/ community-outreach.

Neighbor’s Table

RUSSELLVILLE — Neighbor’s Table offers a free meal every Saturday at All Saints’Episcopal Church, 501 S. Phoenix Ave. The meal is takeout only and can be picked up

from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All are welcome. For more information, call (479) 968-3622.

Veterans Food Pantry

NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The Veterans Villages Helping Hand Program Food Pantry,

8325 MacArthur Drive, serves all veterans, as well as activeduty, Guard and Reserve service members and their families, in Faulkner and Perry counties. The food pantry will be open from 8 a.m. to noon every other Wednesday, including May 19. The Veterans Villages of America Program also helps with unemployment, health care and housing for veterans and service members. For more information, contact Mark Diggs at (501) 442-1237 or mark@ diggsandassociates.com, or visit www.veteransvillages ofamerica.org.

Food Pantry and Thrift Store

MORRILTON — The Conway County Care Center’s food pantry, at 108 W. Broadway, is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Residents of Conway County may visit the pantry once a month to take home free supplemental food, regardless of household income. The center also operates a thrift store, where clothes and household items are available at a low cost, or free when there is an immediate need. For more information, to volunteer or to make donations, visit www. conwaycountycarecenter.com.

Cleburne County Cares Food Pantry

HEBER SPRINGS — The Cleburne County Cares Food Pantry, 2016 Arkansas 25 Bypass, is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Those who need food are asked to call ahead at (501) 362-8486 so the pantry can have the items ready for pickup.

Fairfield Bay Rotary Meetings

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Rotary meets at noon every Wednesday, with lunch at 11:30 a.m., in the Fireside Room at the Little Red Restaurant at Indian Hills, 337 Snead Drive. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Arkansas Department of Health guidelines will be followed.

UPCOMING Readers Group

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Readers Group meets at 10 a.m. the third Friday of the month at the Fairfield Bay Library. No membership is required, and all are welcome to join the discussion. The book for May 21 is“The Giver of Stars,” by Jojo Moyes. Attendees are required to wear masks. For more information, call the library at (501) 884-4930.

Ozark Health Foundation 3G Event

CLINTON — The Ozark Health Foundation 3G Event, an evening filled with food, live entertainment, dancing, raffle items and more, will take place from 6-10 p.m. May 22 at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds. The band Whistling Dixie will perform. Adult tickets are $45 in advance or $50 at the gate.

Yacht Club Scavenger Hunt

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Yacht Club will have a scavenger hunt from 3-5 p.m. May 23 at the Fairfield Bay Marina, 4350 Arkansas 330 S., in the Van Buren Recreation Area. The group will have dinner at the marina at 5 p.m.

Cupcakes and Characters

FAIRFIELD BAY — Cupcakes and Characters will take place from 10 a.m. to noon May 29 at the Fairfield Bay Area Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center,

365 Dave Creek Parkway. All are invited to have a cupcake and refreshments and have pictures taken with as many characters as desired. This event is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted for Shirley, Westside and Clinton Elementary Schools; the Fairfield Bay Animal Protection League; the Van Buren County Literacy Council; and the Fairfield Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber Cupcake Wars

FAIRFIELD BAY — The Fairfield Bay Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Cupcake War competition, open to all ages, on May 29 in conjunction with Cupcakes and Characters. Each participant must provide 26 cupcakes to be judged. The winner will receive $50, and there is no entry fee. Cupcakes will be judged on appearance, taste and whether they are decorated to pair up with one of the event’s characters, including Merida from“Brave”; Dorothy from“The Wizard of Oz”; The Grinch; Cruella de Vil from“101 Dalmatians”;“Star Wars characters; Pocahontas; Belle from“Beauty and the Beast”; Spider-Man; and Elsa from“Frozen.”Proceeds from the event will benefit local schools and nonprofits. To be a contestant or to donate two dozen cupcakes, contact Jackie at (501) 884-3324 or email ffbdirector@gmail.com.

Springfest

HEBER SPRINGS — Springfest will take place in downtown Heber Springs, starting at noon June 11 and running all day June 12. The event will include an Arts & Crafts Show, festival food, live music and other entertainment. For more information, visit revivehebersprings@gmail.com.