MARK YOUR CALENDAR
FRIDAY, MAY 12 Lakeview-fort Oglethorpe High School’s 20th annual Spring Art Show,
which opened May 9 at the school, continues through Friday, May 12. The event is the show/sale of student work. Students have submitted works on paper and canvas in graphite, ink, pastel, charcoal and watercolor. Works range from $5-$50. Come vote for your favorite artwork and help support the school’s budding, local artists. All sales go to the students. Purchased works may be picked up on Friday, May 12. The Art Extractor, pottery wheel demos, blown-glass demo, and student stained glass examples can be experienced to show you a sample of the school’s Open Studio classes held in the fall and winter. It’s going to be an experience for the whole family. Your attendance promotes the importance of the arts to the next generation of creatives. Local artist-judges this year are Janice Kennedy, Jason Clark and Tim Beard.
SATURDAY, MAY 13
Catoosa County, in partnership with VCA Catoosa Animal Hospital, will hold a
rabies clinic for cats and dogs
on Saturday, May 13, from 1-3 p.m. at VCA Catoosa Animal Hospital at 3150 Boynton Drive in Ringgold. Rabies shots and registration will cost $15 per animal. Rabies vaccinations for non-catoosa County residents will be $10 per pet. A senior citizen discount will waive the $5 registration. State and county law requires all dogs and cats more than 90 days old to be vaccinated and registered annually.
Sons of Confederate Veterans will hold a barbecue
from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, on Robin Road (by the old slaughterhouse) in Ringgold. For more information, call Terry Cain at 423-637-8239.
SATURDAY, MAY 20 Chickamauga Lions Club’s 49th annual Down Home Days Festival & Craft Show
will be held Saturday, May 20, in downtown Chickamauga. It will feature live entertainment, kids’ zone, and craft and food vendors. Admission is free. Rain date Saturday, May 27. For more information, email chickamaugalions@gmail.com.
Center Post Community Center will present
Levi, Luke and Robby Hopkins in concert
on Saturday, May 20, beginning at 7 p.m. Concessions will be available for purchase. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Center Post Community Center is located at 8125 Ga. Highway 337 in Lafayette, Ga. Levi and Luke Hopkins are twin boys enrolled in the eighth grade at Lafayette Middle School. They have been playing guitar and singing since they were about two years of age. They have played at venues in Gatlinburg, 1890s Days in Ringgold, and at the Honeybee Festival in LaFayette. Their father, Robby Hopkins, will be accompanying them during their concert. Robby is a country music singer/songwriter and has opened for several country music artists, including Travis Tritt, Craig Morgan, Aaron Tippin and others.
FRIDAY, MAY 26 Ringgold’s 1890 Days Jamboree,
a free familyfriendly street festival, will be held downtown on Friday, May 26, from 6-10 p.m., and on Saturday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The event features food, arts, and crafts vendors, live music on multiple stages, parade, classic car show, and on Saturday night a fireworks display. For more information or for a parade application, go to 1890sdays.com.
The Catoosa County and Walker County sheriff’s offices are asking for the public’s support in the annual Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, which will take place this year on Friday, May 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sheriff’s office that collects the most blood will be declared the winner and awarded a plaque from Blood Assurance. To schedule your appointment to support Catoosa County: bloodassurance.org/catoosa. To schedule your appointment to support Walker County: bloodassurance.org/walker. The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office is located at 5842 U.S. Highway 41 in Ringgold, Ga. The Walker County Sheriff’s Office is located at 105 South Duke Street in Lafayette, Ga. To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids — avoiding caffeine — and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.
THURSDAY, JUNE 1
Thrive Farm, at 150 Ken Visage Lane in Lafayette, Ga., will hold a ribboncutting on Thursday, June 1, from 3-4 p.m. The public is invited to join the farm, and the Catoosa and Dalton Counties’ Chambers of Commerce for a triple ribboncutting. There will be live music, farm tours, and local farm-to-table snacks from the Walker County Farmers Market. To reserve a spot, go to https://bit.ly/3nihblz.
SATURDAY, JUNE 3 Lafayette’s Honeybee Festival,
a full day of music, food and fun for the whole family, will be held downtown on Saturday, June 3, beginning at 9 a.m. Country music stars Matt Stell and Drake Milligan will headline the event, with performances on the Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union Main Stage. Several local musicians will open for them. Music will grace the festival all day on numerous stages throughout the city. The festival will also include vendors, barbecue competition, steak competition, Honey Show (to show off artwork, confections, and sweets), bicycle ride, beauty pageant, car show, and kids’ zone (jumping inflatables, wall climbing, sandlots, and face painting, to name a few activities). For more information, go to www.myhoneybeefestival.com.
SUNDAY, JUNE 25 Gospel Jubilee at First Lafayette Baptist Church,
201 N. Main Street, on Sunday, June 25, at 3 p.m., featuring Pastor Marcellus Barnes and The Voices of Triumph with Elder Donna Mclin, Mistress of Ceremony. Also: The Suttle Family, First LaFayette Baptist’s Praise and Worship Group, the choirs of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist, Cove Road Church of God and a community choir directed by Dr. Kisha Thomas. Vince Stalling and Willie Davis, program chairs. Fundraising event sponsored by the WCAAHAA Inc. to benefit the Walker County African American Multicultural Community Park. $15 until June 20, $20 after June 20. Tickets: http://www. walkercountyafricanamerican.com or pick up from: The Walker County African American Museum, 309 N. Main St., Lafayette, Stacey Suttle, Kisha Thomas, William Nelson, Wilma Nelson, Robert Marsh, Alma Benton, Stan Porter, Jackie Mcgintis, Beverly Foster, Gail Ware, Alice Coven, Vince Stalling, Willie Davis, Eddie Foster Sr. or Shirley White.
GENERAL Camp New Dawn, located in Mclemore Cove in Walker County, is seeking hires and volunteers for this summer.
Opportunities include cabin (airconditioned) counselors, camp nurse, lifeguard and co-program director for those finishing high School or older. Teens 16-18 may enroll in the Servant Adventure Leadership program as support staff and be eligible to attend Cove Adventure Camp at no charge. Other volunteer positions for adults are available in the kitchen and assisting with activities. The camp celebrates 25 years of providing a great overnight or day camp experience for children 6-18 in 2023. Please go to www.campnewdawnga.org for more information and applications.
Walker County African American Museum and Cultural Center
features graphic and interactive exhibits highlighting the history and culture of African Americans of the Lookout Mountain Judicial District with emphasis on Walker County but includes Catoosa, Chattooga and Dade counties. Located at 309 N. Main St. in Lafayette, the center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Closed: Mondays and Tuesday, the first weekend of each month, 1-2 p.m. for lunch and holidays. Museum phone: 706670-1165, email: wcaahaa@ yahoo.com; website: www. walkercountyafricanamerican.com; like on Facebook at Walker County, Georgia African American Museum and Memorial Park (https:// www.facebook.com/walkercountygeorgiaafricanamericanmuseumandpark).
The
NWGA Baptist Food Pantry is open
on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until noon at Second Baptist Church, 500 West Main Street, Lafayette.
Lookout Mountain CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) needs volunteers
to advocate for the best interest of the abused and neglected children of Catoosa, Dade, Walker and Chattooga counties who are in foster care. CASA volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the juvenile court judges. For more information, email Annice Goodwin at lookoutmtncasa@gmail.com or call 423402-0843.
The
Friends of the Gordon-lee Mansion offers tours of the mansion
in Chickamauga from Memorial Day to Labor Day, each Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $5 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under. Proceeds benefit the Friends 501c3 group to improve and enhance the mansion. For more information, visit www.friendsofthegordonleemansion.org or call 423-488-0861.
The local board of
EFSP (Emergency Food Shelter Program) of Walker County
consists of nonprofit agencies within Walker County that work toward assisting Individuals and Families With Children with Food, Shelter, Household Assistance, Counseling, and much more. EFSP of Walker County is part of the national board of EFSP in Virginia. Any agency within Walker County desiring to be a part of the local board to receive federal funds please contact Tanya Nave at 706996-8150 or Denise Jackson at 404-234-7211.
The
Rossville Downtown Development Authority
generally meets the first Tuesday each month at 8 a.m. at the Rossville Public Library.
The
Catoosa County Democratic Party
generally meets the third Thursday each month at 6:30 p.m. For more information, go to www.catoosadems.org or contact Greg Bentley at Gbentley61@gmail.com.
Open Bible Full Gospel Church,
2803 Ga. Highway 151 in Lafayette, invites the public to worship on Sundays: Sunday school at 10 a.m., morning service at 11 a.m., and night service at 5 p.m.
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.