HOMETOWN EVENTS

WESTSIDE — Decatur Winter Concert

The Decatur High School Band will be holding a Winter Concert at 7 p.m., Dec. 14, in the High School Cafeteria. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Sulphur Springs Christmas Celebration

The Sulphur Springs 24th annual Christmas Celebration, with a progressive dinner, caroling and candlelight Christmas program is set for Saturday, Dec. 4, beginning with a Christmas Parade at the city park at 5 p.m. Following the parade, there will be caroling through town with stops at local churches to enjoy a progressive dinner. The evening will conclude with a Christmas program, candlelight service and delicious desserts at the Shiloh Auditorium at 8 p.m. Anyone wishing to donate food or money for Christmas baskets for the needy may drop off donations at the Sulphur Springs City Hall. For more information, contact Abigail Rogers, Christmas program chairperson, at 298-3750.

Gravette School Dance

The Gravette Middle School Ambassadors and SOTM (Students of the Month) are hosting a Winter Wonderland Dance at the Gravette Civic Center on Friday, Dec. 10. The Middle School students’ dance will be from 6-8 p.m. The High School students’ dance will be from 8-11 p.m. Students may dress formal, but formal dress is not required. Admission is $5 per student. Pizza and drinks will be available for an additional charge. One free single or group picture will be available. Additional pictures will be available for a small fee. For more information, contact Roger or Janna Sharp at 787-4193.

OCH Angel Tree and Coat Drive

Ozarks Community Hospital in Gravette has an Angel Tree in the hospital lobby again this year to benefit children from the Gravette Upper Elementary and their siblings. People may stop by and select their angels. All wishes and donations need to be returned to the OCH office by Monday, Dec. 13. The hospital is also conducting a coat drive, and new and gently used coats (in all sizes) are needed. It is requested they also be delivered to the hospital front office by Dec. 13. For more information, contact Jayna Cardetti at 344-6464.

New Bible Study

The Gentry Church of God (Holiness) is holding a new Christmas Bible study: “Advent of the Savior.” Those who participate receive a free book. The studies are at 7 p.m. on Wednesday nights through Dec. 22. The church is located just north of the Gentry police station, at 104 North Collins. For more information, call 787-5787.

Address Markers Service Project

Joseph Allen, as a part of his Eagle Scout project, is putting up green address signs for Gravette-area residents. The signs make it possible for emergency responders to quickly locate an address when dispatched to an emergency there. The signs can be attached to mailboxes or other permanent locations. Allen is offering to place the signs for a $10 donation to cover costs of the sign and materials. To contact Allen or learn more about the project, call 531-1676 or e-mail [email protected].

Maysville Church Food Baskets

Maysville Missionary Baptist Church is preparing food baskets available for the holidays. To reserve one, please call 787-6510 by Friday, Dec. 3. If no answer, leave message. The baskets will be available for pick up at the church, located north of Maysville on Highway 43, on Sunday, Dec. 19, between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m.

Christmas Bazaar

The Decatur United Methodist Church will host its annual Christmas Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 3. Soup and sandwiches will be served. Canned food items may be brought to support the church’s food pantry and to receive a free dessert. There will be craft booths, a gift-galore area and bake sale. All proceeds go to local charities. For more information, contact Timmie Owens at 752-8166.

Community Christmas Dinner

The town of Highfill will be holding its annual Community Christmas Dinner at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Highfill Community Building. The dinner will be potluck. Items are being collected for the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter. For more information, call the town hall at 736-5711.

Maysville Hog Fry and Pie Auction

The Maysville Volunteer Fire Department is inviting the community to come to the fire station for a hog fry and pie auction beginning at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4. Cost for the dinners is $10. Dwayne Craig will auction off pies following the dinner. All proceeds will benefit the Maysville Fire Department.

Piano concert

Jerry Lange, piano artist, will be in concert at the Gentry Seventh-day Adventist Church at 3 p.m. on Dec. 4. The concert is blended with an orchestra sound track and DVD projection featuring old-time favorite hymns and gospel arrangements in a new contemporary setting entitled, “Christ and Creation.” Gravette Christmas Parade

The Gravette Christmas Parade will be held at noon on Dec. 11. The parade line up starts at 11:30 a.m. on Charlotte Street. There will be free pictures with Santa and sweet treats following the parade at the Bank of Gravett. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras.

Decatur Christmas Parade

The Decatur Christmas Parade will be held at 6 p.m., Dec. 10, with a theme of “A Country Christmas.” Lineup will begin at 5:15 p.m. at the city hall. School or nonprofit organizations will be awarded $200 for the best float and $100 for second place. After the parade, children can visitSanta and Mrs. Santa in the Decatur Fire Station for free pictures. The Decatur General Store will be open late to provide shelter from the cold and refreshments as part of a customer appreciation night.

Gentry Christmas Parade

The Gentry Christmas Parade will be held at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11, with a theme of “A Storybook Christmas.” The parade will begin at Curran Feed Store and travel west down Main Street. Santa will be visiting with children from 3 to 6 p.m., on Dec. 11, in the Gentry Chamber of Commerce lobby. Photos with Santa are encouraged if parents wish to bring their own cameras.

Decatur Home Decorating Contest

The Decatur Chamber of Commerce is holding a Christmas light decorating contest and will be awarding prize money to the top two homes. Homes within Decatur city limits will be judged the week of Dec. 10. The first-place home will be awarded $50 in “Decatur Dollars” to be spent at any Decatur business. The second-place home will be awarded $25 in “Decatur Dollars.” Feed a Homebound Senior Drive

The Billy V. Hall Senior Activity Center in Gravette is holding a feed a homebound senior drive until the end of December. Donations of $3 can feed a homebound senior for a day, $15 for a week, $30 for two weeks, $45 for three weeks and $60 forfour weeks through the Meals on Wheels program. With some seniors forced to cancel meals because they can’t afford them, donations are needed to keep the meals coming to those homebound seniors who need them. To make a donation, or for more information on the Meals on Wheels program, call 787-5950.

Old Computers Needed

The Gentry Lions Club is collecting and refurbishing older computers and laptops and giving them to students in need of a computer. Older computers and laptops - up to about 10 years old - are being accepted. Hard drives are reformatted and a lighter Linux-based operating system and programs are installed. For more information or to donate a used computer to the Lions Club, contact Randy Moll at 233-0081.

Collecting Old Car Batteries

The Gravette FFA Chapter is asking the community to donate old car batteries for recycling. Car batteries can be dropped off at the Agriculture Department, behind the Gravette High School. Proceeds earned by the local FFA in recycling the batteries will be used to fund future student scholarships. For more information, call 787-4194.

Gentry Limb Pickup Day

A curbside limb pickup with Gentry’s city limits has been set for one day only on Dec. 6. Limbs must be placed curbside and not left in the alley.The contracted service will make one pass only, so limbs must be curbside prior to the pickup.

Gentry Lions Club

The Gentry Lions Club meets from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. The club is now meeting in the Gentry Public Library’s community room. Visitors are always welcome.

VFW Meetings

The Gentry/Decatur VFW Post meets on the first Tuesday of each month - at 7:00 p.m. New members and guests are welcome. The facility is 3 miles east of Decatur on Arkansas Highway 102, right on Tilly’s Hill Road, and the first building on the right.

Singing Services

Monthly singing services at Falling Springs Church are held at 7 p.m., the first Friday of each month. The church is located northwest of Gentry and west of Decatur on Falling Springs Road.

Address Markers

Gentry Fire Department has reflective address markers available to help responders locate a home or apartment quickly in the event of an emergency. The reflective address markers are only $10 and are made to last for years. For more information, call 228-0694. The signs are also available from the Highfill Volunteer Fire Department. Those in the Highfill Fire District may obtain the signs for $10 by calling 736-5711 or stopping at the Highfill City Hall.