HOMETOWN EVENTS

WESTSIDE — Back to School Blessings

Victory Missionary Baptist Church in Gentry will be handing out school supplies to area children on Saturday, Aug. 6, from 8 a.m. until noon, or until supplies run out. The church is located at 1120 E. Main Street, behind the Dollar General Store in Gentry. Students must be accompanied by an adult. Supply Giveaway

First Christian Church of Gentry will be having its 2011 school supply giveaway for students in grades kindergarten through grade 12 needing assistance with the costs of a new school year. The event will be on Tuesday, Aug. 2, and Wednesday, Aug. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church (Second and Giles). If any additional supplies remain after the two scheduled nights, another giveaway will be held Wednesday, Aug. 10. The events will include food, fellowship and fun. For questions, call 736-8669.

School Kickoff Party

A back-to-school kickoff party will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Aug. 13, at the Decatur United Methodist Church. There will be games, music and pizza. There will also be prizes, backpacks filled with school supplies. For more information on attending or donating, please call Peggy Beal at 752-3233 or Russ Hall at 366-5429.

GMS Open House

Sixth grade open house at Gentry Middle School will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 3, at the Middle School campus.

Class of ‘56 Reunion

The Gravette High School Class of 1956 will hold its 55-year reunion at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 12, at the Berean Ministry building, 303 Birmingham, S.E., in Gravette. For more information, call Colleen (Foster) Dickinson at 787-6285.

Class of ‘71 Reunion

The Gravette High School Class of 1971 will hold its 40-year reunion from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13, in the banquet room of the Gallery Cafe in Decatur. Classmates are requested to meet at 9 a.m. Saturday morning at the Gravette Civic Center to ride in the annual Gravette Days parade. For information, contact Virgil Jasper at 236-5939, or Kathryn Ramirez at 640-1741.

Gravette Library Book Sale

A book sale will continue throughout the month of August at the Gravette Public Library, 407 Charlotte Street SE, in Gravette. Hardback books are on sale for only 25 cents and paperback books may be purchased for 10 cents - a real bargain.

Blood Collection Drives

Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will hold a blood collection drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, at R&R Solutions, 501 First Avenue, N.W., in Gravette. Another blood drive will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, at the Ozarks Community Hospital, 1101 S.W. Jackson in Gravette. There is a particular need for Apositive and O-negative blood types at this time. Donors of all types are always needed to meet the 275 donations required every day to supply 37 area hospitals.

Youth Football Registration

The Boys and Girls Club of Western Benton County is accepting registrations for youth flag football in Gravette. Registration continues through Friday, Aug. 5, at the Gravette Boys and Girls Club between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cost of registration is $35 for the sport and $20 for a 2011 membership for children who are not current club members. The flag football league is sponsored by the NFL and is a coed league for students, kindergarten through third grade. For more information, call Stephen Johnston at 524-4174 or email him at [email protected].

BBQ Meals Benefit Seniors

The Billy V. Hall Senior Center in Gravette will be selling barbecued sandwiches and meals at 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, at Pop Allum Park, to benefit the Senior Center and its Meals on Wheels Program. A barbecued sandwich meal with baked beans and chips will be available for $5 or an a la carte sandwich for $3. The center provides Meals on Wheels throughout the area, including Decatur, Sulphur Springs and Gravette, and is supported by fundraisers.

GED Classes Resume

GED classes will resume at the Gravette Public Library, 407 Charlotte Street SE, on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Classes will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. each Tuesday. Class members must be at least 18 years old and needing a GED. No pre-registration is required. Just show up at 5 p.m. Aug. 23, to be enrolled.

Gravette Kiwanis

The Gravette Kiwanis Club holds breakfast meetings at 7 a.m. each Friday, at the cafeteria in Ozarks Community Hospital. Guests are welcome.

HIPPY Enrollment

Home Instruction for Parents or Pre-school Youngsters is taking enrollments for free in-home instruction for pre-school children to those who qualify. The program provides 9-10 books and 30 weekly lessons for children, ages 3 or 4, to help prepare them for kindergarten. To enroll or receive more information, contact the HIPPY office, 549-9046, or instructor Tawny Donell at 224-6473 or 544-1114.

Summer Reading

Summer Reading at the Gentry Public Library is on Thursdays from 4 to 5 p.m. and continues through Aug. 4. For more information, contact the Gentry Public Library at 736-2054.

Decatur Food Bank

Living Water Ministries in Decatur announced it will open a food bank each Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 1148 Highway 102 West in Decatur. Anyone who needs assistance is welcome. All that is required is an identification (a photo ID is preferred) and current address. For information, contact Larry Long, 549-5645, or Janet Long, 524-2848.

Area Men’s Breakfast

The Decatur United Methodist Church has a men’s breakfast the second Saturday of each month, beginning at 8 a.m., at the Gallery Cafe in Decatur. All area men are invited to join the group for good food and Christian fellowship.

Emergency Help

Families in Gravette School District wishing to apply for emergency help with food or utilities may make application from 9 to 11 a.m., Tuesday through Friday, at the Main Street Care and Share store in Gravette.

Mt. Zion Singing

Regular singing will be held at Mt. Zion Church at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Saturday of each month.

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 northwestof Gentry and west of Decatur on Falling Springs Road. Decatur Food Pantry

The Decatur United Methodist Church offers a food pantry program and a commodity food program for residents in Decatur on the first and third Thursday of every month, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Men's Fellowship

First Baptist Church of Gentry has a monthly Men's Fellowship Gathering on the third Saturday of each month at 8 a.m. All men are encouraged to come for the food and fellowship. Guests are welcome. For more information, contact Madden Waits at 736-5009.

VFW Meetings

Decatur VFW Post 9834 meets on the first Tuesday of each month - at 7:30 p.m. New members and guests are welcome. The facility is three miles east of Decatur on Arkansas Highway 102, right on Tilly’s Hill Road, and the first building on the right.

Gentry Senior Center

Gentry Senior Activity Center, at 121 East Main Street (just east of the Gentry Public Library) is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Meals and rides to the center and activities are available Monday through Friday by calling Jackie Bader, the center’s manager, at 736-0378. Van routes are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday - Gentry, Highfill and Springtown; and Tuesday and Friday - Gentry and Decatur.

Gravette Senior Center

The Billy V. Hall Senior Activity Center, at 1870 Limekiln Road, is open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Many activities are scheduled and lunch is served every weekday. For information on hot homedelivered meals for Gravette, Decatur and Sulphur Springs, frozen home-delivered meals for Maysville home-bound seniors or other services the center offers, call Mary Kay Kelley, director, at 787-5950.