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COMMUNITY EVENTS IN THE THREE RIVERS AREA

TODAY Community Thanksgiving Worship Service

BATESVILLE — The Community Thanksgiving Worship Service, hosted by members of the Batesville Area Ministry Alliance, will take place at 6 p.m. at the Batesville Community Center. The Lyon College Gospel Choir will perform, as well as groups and individuals from several churches. All are invited to attend and bring nonperishable food items to be distributed by Batesville Help and Hope. An offering will be taken to support the work of the ministerial alliance.

MONDAY

Artists’ Alley

CABOT — Youth ages 12 to 18 are invited to Artists’ Alley at 5 p.m. at the Cabot Public Library. Different art media will be available, such as paints, Perler beads, pencils, sewing materials and more.

FRIDAY

Fill the Truck

BEEBE — The Fill the Truck Toy & Coat Drive will kick off from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the Beebe Walmart Supercenter. New toys, coats and monetary donations will be accepted through Dec. 1. Donations will go to the Beebe Angel Tree Program to assist families in during the holiday season. Collection boxes will be inside Walmart. Donations will also be accepted through Dec. 15 at Merle Norman Beebe, First Security Bank, Golf Realty, Hometown Dreamers, Beebe City Hall, Anytime Fitness and Total Erosion Control. For more information, call City Hall at (501) 882-8117 or the Beebe Chamber at (501) 882-8135.

Green Friday POCAHONTAS — All are invited to help turn Black Friday into Green Friday by visiting Davidsonville Historic State Park, 8047 Arkansas 166 S., from

8 a.m. to 5 p.m to spend some time outdoors. Visitors can hike a trail, explore the exhibits and chat with park staff about the many outdoor adventures Arkansas has to offer. The park will provide freshly made popcorn and deals on a variety of park merchandise at the park gift store, including apparel bundles, as well as and hiking staff and medallion combinations. For details on specific items or more information, call

(870) 892-4708.

FRIDAY  DEC. 26

A Very Melba Christmas BATESVILLE — The fourth annual A Very Melba Christmas, presented by the Melba Theater, with the assistance of local business partners, will show classic Christmas films on the big screen. The series consists of 12 movies with 18 showings, beginning Friday with White Christmas at 7 p.m. and running through Dec. 26. For more information, visit www.melbatheater.org or the Melba Theater’s Facebook page, or call (870) 569-8002.

SATURDAY

Small Business Saturday and Tree Lighting BATESVILLE — Merchants of downtown Batesville will host Small Business Saturday as an alternative to Black Friday shopping. The stores will have sales and promotions throughout the day, and the Batesville Area Arts Council will be available to wrap presents. Activities will include Morley Family Magic from 11 a.m. to noon, Story Time With Snow White from 1-2 p.m, Pictures with Santa from 3-5 p.m., the Batesville Christmas treelighting ceremony at 5 p.m. in the Citizens Bank Pocket Park and a free showing of Christmas Vacation at 7 p.m. at the Melba Theater.

ONGOING

Friends Foundation Membership Drive BATESVILLE — The Independence County Library Friends Foundation is conducting a membership drive through Saturday to help offset the costs of operating the library. Members who join in November will receive a free Friends Foundation shirt. Dues are $25 for an individual, $50 for a family, $100 for a corporate membership or $500 for a lifetime membership. For more information, call Terri Walden at (870) 307-7856.

Mountain View

GED Classes

MOUNTAIN VIEW — GED classes take place at Ozarka College in Mountain View from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Evening classes are available from 4:30-7:30 Mondays. Instruction is provided in math, writing skills, reading comprehension and refresher skills for college prep, military preparedness or employability, with an instructor for one-onone assistance. For more information, call (870) 368-2051.

Melbourne GED Classes MELBOURNE — GED classes are offered at Ozarka College in Melbourne from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Instruction is provided in math, writing skills, reading comprehension and refresher skills for college prep, military preparedness or employability. An instructor is available for one-on-one assistance. For more information, call (870) 368-2051.

Fairfield Bay

TOPS Meetings

FAIRFIELD BAY — The TOPS Arkansas 0612 chapter (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets each Thursday in the Conference Room of the Hart Center, 134 Hillview Drive, behind the Senor Center of Fairfield Bay. Weigh-ins begin at 8:30 a.m., and support meetings start from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Visitors and prospective members may attend their first meeting free. The cost to join is an annual fee of $32 for national dues and $3 per month chapter dues. For more information, call Patty at (501) 253-3790 or Jeannie at (501) 253-3824.

Ash Flat Senior Center Activities

ASH FLAT — The Ash Flat Senior Life Center invites residents of Ash Flat and surrounding areas to the following weekly events: bingo from 9-10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays; card games, board games and painting from 9-10:30 a.m. Thursdays; and exercise classes from 10-10:30 a.m. Thursdays. Coffee, cookies and more are available throughout the week. Visit the senior center, and sign up for $3 meals served at 11:30 a.m. For more information, including travel arrangements, call Veronica Fortich at (870) 994-2174.

Painting Class

FAIRFIELD BAY — Jim Tindall’s painting class meets with a new subject from 10 a.m. to noon every Tuesday at the Fairfield Bay Community Education Center, 130 Village Lane, Suite 5E. Each class costs $45, and all materials are provided. For more information, call the center at (501) 884-4440 or visit the center’s Facebook page.

Heber Springs TOPS Meetings

HEBER SPRINGS — TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets each Monday at the Church of the Nazarene, Eighth and Quitman streets. Weigh-in begins at 7:30 a.m., and a support meeting takes place from 9:30-11 a.m. Prospective

members are welcome to attend. Enter the church through the back entrance. For more information, call Geneva Earles at (501) 827-1243 or Janiece Brierly at (501) 250-5087.

Searcy Lions Club SEARCY — The Searcy Lions Club meets at noon every Tuesday on the second floor of the Heritage Building at Harding University. The Lions Club raises funds for eye care and eyeglasses for White County residents who otherwise could not afford such care. New members are always welcome. For more information, visit the Searcy Lions Club on Facebook.

VFW Tuesday Night Bingo

QUITMAN — Tuesday Night Bingo takes place each week at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1295 Bee Branch Road. Doors open at 5:30 for bonanzas, and regular play starts at 6:30 p.m. Food is available. For more information, call

(501) 362-9979.

American Legion Friday Night Bingo

HEBER SPRINGS — Friday Night Bingo takes place each week at the American Legion Hall, 49 Park Road. Doors open at 5:30 for bonanzas, and regular play starts at 6:30 p.m. Food is available. For more information, call (501) 362-9979.

Cabot Lions Club Meetings

CABOT — The Cabot Lions Club meets at noon the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at Colton’s Steak House & Grill, 195 Northport Drive. All are invited to the meetings.

Free Brown-Bag Lunch CABOT — The Mount Tabor United Methodist Church Women of Cabot serve a free brown-bag lunch at 11 a.m. each Thursday at the church, 4100 Arkansas 89 S. All are welcome. To volunteer or make a donation, call (501) 843-3797.

Bluegrass Music Night HEBER SPRINGS — Heber Springs Christian Church, 1101 N. Broadway St., offers a bluegrass music night from 6:30-8:30 every Tuesday. Musicians are invited to participate. Free coffee is available. For more information, call the church at (501) 362-2389.

Beebe Kiwanis Club Meetings

BEEBE — The Beebe Kiwanis Club meets at noon the first

and third Thursdays of each month in the Stephens Room of the Student Center at Arkansas State UniversityBeebe. Kiwanis is a volunteer organization with the mission of helping youth in the community. For more information, call Flo Fitch at (501) 230-2890 or Debra Crisco at (501) 454-3505.

Civitan Meetings

CABOT — Civitan meets at 6 p.m. the first and third Mondays of the month at First

Security Bank in downtown Cabot. Civitan is an organization that provides training and support for people with developmental disabilities.

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.