COMMUNITY CALENDAR

SATURDAY

Southern Cruisers riding club, Rome chapter, will host its annual Cruisin’ for St. Jude benefit for the children’s hospital on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Easy Living Yamaha & Polaris, 3120 Martha Berry Highway. Registration is $30 for rider and passenger and starts at 9 a.m. for the 11 a.m. escorted ride. Music, food, door prizes and auction activities also will be set up on site.

SUNDAY

“Jazz on the Lawn” has been canceled. The event was scheduled for Oct. 4 at Cosmopolitan UMC, 101 Fincher St. in Cave Spring.

Local churches will come together for a drive-in worship service to mark World Communion Sunday, Oct. 4, at 10 a.m. at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds, 1400 MLK Jr. Blvd. Bring your own elements. Use the Church Street entrance.

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church,

42 Ash St., will have its annual Blessing of the Animals on the church lawn on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 4:30 p.m. Bring animals properly leashed or crated. For more information call 706-506-1241.

UPCOMING

NAMI Rome is hosting the annual candlelight ceremony in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Town Green in downtown Rome. Jennifer Ayers Moore, sister of Nathaniel Ayers, the subject of the movie “The Soloist,” will speak about mental illness in her family. Call 706-506-5010 for additional information.

The NWGa Center For Independent Living monthly (Virtual) Access Collaborative will be 2- 4 p. m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, featuring Claudia Hamilton of Harmless Initiative Partner. For the Zoom meeting link, contact Christina Holtzclaw at choltzclaw@nwgacil.org or at 628-246-1825.

The American Red Cross is holding blood drives in Rome on Oct. 7, from 3- 7 p. m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1941 Shorter Ave.; and on Oct. 22 from 2-7 p.m. at the office at 112 John Maddox Drive. Donors will receive a free COVID- 19 antibody test. Go to redcrossblood.org or call 1- 800- REDCROSS to schedule an appointment. Walk-in donors will be accepted when possible.