MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Saturday, Dec. 26
The Walker County Landfill, located at 5120 N. Marble Top Road in Chickamauga, will offer a “Free Recycling Day” for residents from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 26. The following items will be accepted: Penned mail and greeting cards, paper egg cartons, paperboard boxes, No. 1-7 plastic bottles and jugs, plastic lids and caps (do not flatten), file folders, blueprints, plastic bags, cans (do not crush), magazines, brochures, catalogs, white or pastel office paper, clean balled aluminum foil (2” or larger), pie pans, newspapers and inserts (no bags), phone books, loose metal jar lids and steel bottle caps, corrugated cardboard and paper bags, paper milk/juice cartons (no foil pouches, do not flatten), paperback books and shredded paper. Natural/organic Christmas trees will also be accepted for free Dec. 26-31, provided they do not contain any lights or decorations. Walker County provides free recycling year-round at the landfill for a limited number of materials. “Free Recycling Day” spreads awareness in the community about this service.
Catoosa County residents who recycle their natural Christmas trees at designated locations are eligible to get free mulch, thanks to a partnership between the Catoosa County Public Works Department and the University of Georgia Extension Office in Ringgold. “Let the magic of the Christmas season continue giving throughout the year,” said Catoosa County UGA Extension Office Agriculture & Natural Resource Agent Julia Willingham. “Recycling trees reduces waste in our landfill and provides a natural resource to help gardens and yards thrive in the next growing season.” Beginning Dec. 26 and continuing through Jan. 10, residents can bring their natural Christmas trees with all the decorations removed to either of two locations for recycling: in the field across from Boynton Elementary School at 3938 Boynton Drive and at the end of the parking lot at Jack Mattox Park at 941 Pine Grove Road. Free mulch will be available at both locations from Jan. 11 through March 31, or as long as supplies last, only to Catoosa County residents who recycled their Christmas trees. “Two green thumbs up for our partnership with the UGA Extension Office and the opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of keeping Catoosa County clean,” said Catoosa County Public Works Director Buster Brown. “The more Christmas trees we recycle, the more free mulch we can provide to our participating neighbors for the spring.”
Monday, Jan. 4
The Obedience Club of Chattanooga‘ s next session of Obedience, Rally, Agility, and Canine Good Citizen classes for puppies and dogs will begin on Monday, Jan. 4. Sign up online or come to open house at 1:30 p.m. to register on Sunday, Jan. 3, and orientation for classes from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Bring your dog’s current shot records, including Bordetella. Please, no dogs at registration/orientation unless you plan to take the Canine Good Citizen Test, which costs $15. Immediately after orientation there will be demonstrations of obedience, rally obedience, and beginner agility on the agility field, as well as the Canine Good Citizen Test. Don’t forget to bring current shot records, including Bordetella, and $15. To sign up for classes or for more information about classes, visit the club’s website at occclub.org or call 423-463-0288.
Wednesday, Jan. 13
Walker County tax commissioner locations in Rock Spring and Fairview will be closed to the public several days in midJanuary while the state of Georgia updates its motor vehicle registration system. “We are having to close to the public because statewide there will be no ability to process tag and title transactions,” said Carolyn Walker, Walker County tax commissioner. The Rock Spring office at 122 Ga. Highway 95 will close Wednesday, Jan. 13, and reopen Tuesday, Jan. 19. The Fairview office at 2012 McFarland Gap Road has been closed since Nov. 10 due to COVID-19 and will remain closed through the update.
GENERAL
♦ COOKBOOK North Georgia Animal Alliance has put together a cookbook, “Recipes to the Rescue,” to sell as a fundraiser for the animal rescue group. In addition to 200 recipes, including four for dog and cat treats and a few for homemade cleaning agents, NGAA’S cookbook, which sells for $12, features 20 pages of cooking tips and hints and information about the organization and its work. To learn more about “Recipes to the Rescue” and North Georgia Animal Alliance, visit https://www.northgeorgiaanimalalliance.org/home. html. You can also email ngaa.animals@gmail.com or call 796-937-2287. NGAA is on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/northGeorgiaanimalalliance.
♦ CLUB The Kiwanis Club of Fort Oglethorpe was chartered in 1954 and is Catoosa County’s oldest service club. The club meets each Friday at noon at Park Place Restaurant. To learn more about Kiwanis contact Club President Chris MCKeever at 706-861-2860 or visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ groups/ftoglethorpekiwanis.
♦ MEETINGS Chickamauga & Chattanooga Civil War Roundtable meets monthly to discuss the complex history of the Civil War and Reconstruction period. Meetings are the first Thursday each month at 7 p.m. Zoom meetings for now. Reputable historians/authors for each meeting. Email address: cccwrtable@ gmail.com. Facebook group: Chickamauga & Chattanooga Civil War Roundtable Group.
♦ CHURCH Lafayette Presbyterian Church will continue services at 2 p.m. on Sundays online. The services may be viewed on Facebook Live or on Zoom. There are no activities in the building due to health concerns. A recording of the service is posted on Youtube and on the church Facebook page to be viewed later: https://www.facebook. com/lafayette-presbyterianChurch-116541731703616/. Everyone is invited. The church is not closed, just meeting in a different way. Prayer requests can be sent from the website: https://www.facebook. com/lafayette-presbyterianChurch-116541731703616/. Pastor Clay Gunter and the elders are available as needed.
♦ MEETINGS Catoosa County Democratic Party generally meets the third Thursday each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Graysville voting precinct. For more information contact C. Griffith by email at cagdemocrat@ gmail.com.
♦ MEETINGS Catoosa County Historical Society meets every second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Old Stone Church, Highway 41, in Ringgold. The Old Stone Church is also open for tours Friday-sunday, from 1-5 p.m. For more information, call 706-935-5232.
♦ MEETINGS
Georgia Transparency Coalition
meets the third Thursday of each month. Location and guest speakers announced on our Facebook page each month. GTC is a non-partisan watchdog group committed to fostering transparency, accountability, accessibility, integrity and the highest ethical standards in government, politics and law. Open to interested residents in Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties. For information email Georgiatransparencycoalition@gmail. com or call Dean Kelley at 706-866-4656.
♦ LOSE WEIGHT TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. at Harbor Lights Baptist Church, 600 Crane St., Lafayette. Have fun while losing those extra pounds. Call 423-432-0520 for details.
♦ MEETINGS Chickamauga American Legion Post 217 meets the first Saturday each month at 8 a.m. at West 14th Street in Chickamauga.
♦ MEETINGS Southern Lit Book Club meets at Caffeine Addicts, 7819 Nashville Street in Ringgold, the last Tuesday each month at 6 p.m. For more information, call Donna Greeson at 706-935-2810.
♦ CHURCH Join Foster Mill Drive Baptist Church in Lafayette for worship. Sunday school is at 10 a.m., with classes for all ages. Morning worship service is at 11 a.m. Sunday night worship is at 6 p.m. Wednesday night worship is at 7 p.m. For more information, call 423-667-4521.
♦ MEETINGS The American Legion, Lafayette Post 339 meets on the third Monday of each month. The meeting is held at 6 p.m. in the Wardlaw-bible meeting room at the Lafayette-walker County Public Library. This meeting is open to active and prospective members of The American Legion and their guests.
♦ CHURCH Lee’s Chapel Community Church located at 3253 Catoosa Parkway, Tunnel Hill, holds Sunday services at 2 p.m.
♦ MEETINGS The Seniors and Friends of Fort Oglethorpe group meets each Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Constitution Hall on Forrest Road. This all-volunteer group offers games, crafts, blood pressure/blood sugar check, bingo and refreshments. For information or transportation to a meeting, call Karon Parker at 423595-7109 or Taire Pulver at 423-227-7720.
♦ MEETINGS The Catoosa County Democratic Party generally meets the third Thursday each month at 6:30 p.m. For more information contact Cathy Griffith by email at cagdemocrat@ gmail.com.
♦ MEETING The Catoosa County Historical Society meets every second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Old Stone Church, Highway 41, in Ringgold. The Old Stone Church is also open for tours FridaySunday, from 1-5 p.m. For more information, call 706935-5232.