HOMETOWN EVENTS

Civic Center open house and ribbon cutting

An open house and ribbon cutting will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the newly renovated Gravette civic center. The regularly scheduled city council committee of the whole meeting will take place afterward at 6 p.m.

Springtown Christian Fellowship Church having open house

Springtown Christian Fellowship Church is having an open house at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14. All are invited to come for hot dogs and fellowship. The church is located at 17700 W. Arkansas Highway 12, in Springtown.

Gentry fall cleanup set for Saturday and Sunday

Fall cleanup is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 13 and 14 in Gentry. There will be roll-off dumpsters provided at 410 W. Main Street, and a tree giveaway with six different species available. Recycling trailers for cardboard, paper, plastic, tire and electronic waste will be located at 413 W. Main Street. In addition, one large, bulky item per week may be placed curbside with regular trash pickup. Leaf and limb pickup will be scheduled at a later date.

Sharing and Caring taking applications in Decatur

The Sharing and Caring of Benton County organization will be in Decatur taking applications for assistance for the upcoming 2018 holiday season. Applications will be taken in person in the community room at Decatur City Hall on Oct. 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. For more information on the Sharing and Caring application process, go to sharingandcaringkids.com or call 479-657-6884.

Gentry’s State Police drivers’ testing site closing

The Arkansas State Police will conduct its last driver’s test at the Gentry Public Library on Friday, Oct. 12. The last written test will be at 11 a.m., and no road or skills tests will be given that day. After many years in Gentry, this drivers’ testing location is being moved to Prairie Grove in the Courts Building next to the Police Department.

Free tree giveaway

Free trees will be given away from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at Old Town Park in Gravette thanks to a donation from the Walton Family Foundation. Trees are limited to two per household, and residents must bring proof that they live within the city limits. Trees are given out on a first come, first served basis.

Gravette firefighters promote Down Syndrome Awareness

Members of the Gravette Fire Department are recognizing October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month by wearing specially made blue Down Syndrome Awareness shirts. The shirts are also available for the public to purchase. All proceeds will go to the Down Syndrome Awareness Connection of NWA.

Miss Octoberfest Pageants set

The Miss Octoberfest Pageants will be held Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Gentry High School Auditorium. They are sponsored by the Gentry Junior High Cheerleaders. The pageant is open to any and all participants, with age divisions from 0 months to 18 years of age, including divisions for boys from 0 months to 6 years of age. It is not required that participants be residents of Gentry. Applications will be available online at gentrypioneers.com website and contain information regarding times and fees. Deadline for applications is Oct. 15. For more information, contact Tahmara Coones at tcoones@gentrypioneers.com.

Gravette flu shot clinic

A flu shot clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Billy V. Hall Senior Activity and Fitness Center, 1870 Limekiln Road in Gravette. Participants wishing to get a flu shot must sign up in advance. A Medicare card is required or payment at the time of vaccination. Call 479-7875950 for information or to sign up.

Gentry blood drive

The American Red Cross has scheduled a blood drive from 1 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the McKee Foods Bakery Store, 105 Arkansas Highway 59, in Gentry. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

Baked potato supper

A baked potato supper will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at the Billy V. Hall Senior Activity and Fitness Center, 1870 Limekiln Road in Gravette. Meals include a baked potato with toppings, dessert and a beverage for $8. Takeouts are available. All proceeds go to the Center’s Meals on Wheels program.

Hat and glove giveaway planned in Decatur

Fellowship Full Gospel Church in Decatur will have a hat and glove giveaway from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Decatur Train Depot as a way to help keep the community warm this winter. Hats and gloves will be available for men and women, as well as children and teenagers. The only requirement to receive a hat or pair of gloves is to show up at the designated time and place.

TOPS meet in Gentry

Gentry TOPS AR113, a non-profit group which promotes healthy weight loss, meets every Monday at the First Christian Church Fellowship Room, Second and Giles, with a weigh in at 2:15 p.m. and the meeting at 3 p.m. There is a small fee to join but the first meeting is free.

First Baptist Food Pantry open in Decatur

First Baptist Church, located at 213 E. Roller Avenue in Decatur, holds a community food pantry on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. For more information, contact the church at 479-7523514.

Decatur UMC Pantry open first, third Thursdays

The Decatur United Methodist Church Food Pantry is open the first and third Thursday evening of each month from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and offers food boxes to Decatur residents. All that is needed is a valid identification, a utility bill or piece of mail showing an address in the 72722 ZIP code area. Also available is a USDA commodity program to residents of Decatur and other communities without a commodity program. The commodity program requires income information. For more information, stop by the church during food pantry hours.

White Cane Day

The Gravette Lions Club will hold its annual White Cane Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. Tables will be set up at CV’s Family Foods and at Gravette Dollar General, where members will be accepting donations for their sight conservation work. All contributions are appreciated.