This week’s EVENTS

TODAY White River Wonderland

BATESVILLE — White River Wonderland will be open from 5 p.m. to midnight at Riverside Park for the last night of the season. The event includes a display that features millions of lights, a Ferris wheel, selfies with Santa, ice skating, White River Express train rides and carriage rides. Admission is free. The light show can be viewed from a car or by walking on illuminated trails throughout the park. For more information, visit whiteriverwonderland.com.

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ‘Steel Magnolias’ Auditions

NEWPORT — The Jackson County Community Theater will conduct auditions from 6-8 p.m Wednesday and Thursday for its production of “Steel Magnolias.” Auditionees are asked to arrive at First United Methodist Church, 217 Laurel St., with their own audition material and be prepared to read from the play’s script. This is not a musical; participants do not need to know how to sing. Performances for “Steel Magnolias” will be March 11-13 at the new Jane Parnell Performing Arts Hall on Front Street in downtown Newport. For more information, contact David Norris at (870) 351-4392.

ONGOING

Volunteer Opportunities

SEARCY — The Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce has multiple committees that need more members, including the following: Workforce Development/ Education, Government Affairs, Leadership Searcy (must be a graduate of Leadership Searcy), the Ambassador Committee, the Banquet Committee, the Chairman’s Memorial Golf Tournament Committee, the Shop Local Committee and the Small-Business Committee. Anyone who wants to serve on a committee or pursue other volunteer opportunities in the Searcy area may email scc@searcychamber.com or call (501) 268-2458.

Single Parent Scholarship Fund Applications

SEARCY — The White County Single Parent Scholarship Fund Inc. is accepting applications for spring 2022 scholarships. WCSPSF Inc. awards scholarships to White County single parents who have minor children and are pursuing postsecondary education in order to achieve skilled employment. Applicants may view and print the application at www.aspsf.org. Mail the completed application to Box 8325, Searcy, AR 72145 by Friday. For more information or to receive a mailed application, contact Executive Director Dan Newsom at wcspsf.inc@gmail.com or call (501) 230-2414.

Ozark Folk School Spring Classes

MOUNTAIN VIEW — Ozark Folk Center State Park will offer a variety of classes in crafts such as knife making, broom making, blacksmithing, weaving, cheese making, letterpress printing, soap making, pottery and more during the Spring Ozark Folk School in March. These classes are for students ages 16 and older. Registration is open. For a complete list of classes, registration deadlines and class fees, visit www.ozarkfolkcenter.com, or call (870) 269-3854 for more information.

Reading at the Ridge

NEWARK — The Cedar Ridge School District is conducting a “child find” to locate children who have turned 5 but are not yet in school so the district can give free books to children in the district from their 5th birthday until their first day of kindergarten. The aim of the program is to help build each child’s at-home library and love for books. For more information, call Cedar Ridge Elementary School at (870) 201-2577.

Colors & Coffee

BATESVILLE — The Independence County Library, 267 E. Main St., will offer Colors & Coffee, an adult meetup, from 10-11 a.m. Tuesdays. All adults are invited for a relaxing hour of coloring and coffee. For more

information, call the library at (870) 793-8814.

Mindfulness Mondays

BATESVILLE — The Independence County Library, 267 E. Main St., will offer Mindfulness Mondays for teens ages 13 to 19 from 4-5 p.m. each Monday. The event will include a guided meditation and mindful snacks. Beginners are encouraged to attend. Yoga mats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, or participants can bring their own. For more information, call the library at (870) 793-8814.

Walk With a Doc

BATESVILLE — Everyone is invited to take a step toward better health by participating in a free 60-minute Walk With a Doc at 10 a.m. the third Saturday of every month. Meet in the Batesville Rec Center parking lot, across from the lake. For more information, visit www.walkwithadoc.org/ why-walk.

UPCOMING

Harding University Spring Lecture Series

SEARCY — As part of its spring Distinguished Lecture Series, the Harding University American Studies Institute will host NCAA champion and Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow at 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 18 and Harvard professor, bestselling author and The Atlantic columnist Arthur Brooks at 7:30 p.m. March 31 in Benson Auditorium on Harding’s campus. These events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit harding.edu/asi or call (501) 279-4497.

The Basics of Spanish

BATESVILLE — The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville Community Education will offer The Basics of Spanish from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays from Jan. 31 to March 14. Participants will gain proper and practical knowledge for listening to and speaking the Spanish language. The class fee is $99. Register at uaccb.coursestorm. com by Jan. 17.

Microsoft Excel

NEWPORT — Arkansas State University-Newport will offer Microsoft Excel from 3-6 p.m. Feb. 15 and 16 at Tech Depot, 425 Front St. This course teaches formatting, alignment, indenting and merging cells. The class fee is $175. Intermediate Microsoft Excel will take place March 8-10. This course covers grids, IF Statements, insert or move columns and rows. The cost is $175. ASU-Newport also offers courses for leadership, safety and manufacturing. For more information, contact Sharon Wilson at (870) 680-8743 or sharon_wilson@asun.edu.

To submit an item for the Calendar of Events, mail information to Calendar of Events, Three Rivers Edition, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR, 72203; send faxes to (501) 378-3500; or email trnews@arkansasonline.com. The deadline for calendar-item submissions is noon Tuesday.