WESTSIDE — Decatur Colors Day

Decatur High School basketball colors day and seniors’ night are planned for the evening of Feb. 4. The games against Mountainburg will begin at 6 p.m. and the coronation ceremony will be held beforehand. The senior night ceremony will be held between the boys’ and girls’ games.

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Local Blood Drives

Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will hold blood drives on Feb. 7 in Gentry and Decatur. CBCO will be at the Arvest Bank branch in Gentry from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and in Decatur at the Decatur Medi Clinic from 2 to 5 p.m. CBCO will also hold a blood drive at R & R Solutions, 601 First Ave. NW, in Gravette, next Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eligibility requirements include weighing at least 110 pounds, being in general good health and presenting required identification. CBCO has issued a code yellow alert for types A-negative and O-negative blood.

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Gentry Ball Sign-ups

Gentry Youth Organization will be holding signups for baseball, softball and T-ball from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Carl Gym on Main Street in Gentry, and again from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the concession stand at the ball park on Main Street in Gentry. The cost is $40 per child and can be paid by check, cash or money order. Scholarships are available and scholarship questions may be directed to Cathy Beach at 790-8750.

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Spaghetti Dinner

On Sunday, Feb. 6, the Middle School Ambassadors and Students of the Month are hosting a Spaghetti Dinner at the Gravette Arvest Bank from 11:30 to 2 p.m. Everyone is invited! To-go meals will be prepared and ready for those who can’t stay. If the weather prevents the fundraiser on Feb. 6, it will be held on Sunday, Feb. 20. Lunch - for $5 - includes dessert and drink. Gift items will be available for purchase. All proceeds go toward the New York City summer reward trip. For more information, please contact Roger or Janna Sharp at 787-4193.

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Vegetarian Potluck

Decatur Health Club's monthly vegetarian potluck is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 13, at the Red Building, 790 E. Roller Ave., Decatur. One doesn’t have to be a vegetarian to come; just bring a favorite vegetarian dish with a recipe on a card to share. Ann-Marie Scott, RN, will be the guest speaker, presenting, "A Healthy Balance.” The community is invited to join the club for an afternoon of good food, new friends and vital information.

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Care and Share Closings

Care and Share in Gravette announces that when Gravette Public Schools are closed due to weather conditions, the Care and Share store will also be closed. Regular hours for Care and Share are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday of each week.

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Knitting and Crocheting Group

Busy Hands Knitting & Crochet Group will hold meetings. Men and women of all ages are invited - children under 13 need to be accompanied by an adult. The group is emphasizing making items for charities. Free lessons are available. The group meets in Decatur the second and fourth Thursday of each month, starting on Feb. 25. For more information, call Sheri at 752-8555.

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Science Night at Decatur

Science night at Decatur Northside Elementary School has been rescheduled to Feb. 7. It will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. in the elementary school cafeteria. It was postponed last week because of the snow.

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Chair Exercise Program

The Gentry Senior Activity Center started a free chair exercise program called PEPPI (Peer Exercise Program Promotes Independence) at 1 p.m.on Tuesday. The program consists of stretching, strengthening and balance. It is designed to help prevent falls, to gain strength and flexibility in the limbs and to gain independence. The class is open to anyone, age 60 or above, and his or her spouse (regardless of age). For more information, call 736-0378.

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Audubon Field Trip

Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip at Eagle Watch Nature Trail in Gentry on Saturday, Feb. 5. The EWNT field trip will be led by Terry Stanfill, manager of the EWNT, and guided by Joe Neal, one of Arkansas' leading birders and a retired biologist for the National Forest Service and the author of a recently-published book, "Birds of Northwest Arkansas." Neal is also curator of bird records for Arkansas Audubon Society and field trip leader for NWAAS. The field trip will begin in the parking area at 9 a.m. and move to the observation deck. Bald eagles, red-headed woodpeckers and more are likely to be seen. Spotting scopes or binoculars are suggested. NWAAS field trips are free and open to the public. Membership in NWAAS is not a requirement, nor is it necessary to be an experienced birder.

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Gravette Project Prom Tickets

Gravette’s Project Prom Committee is taking orders for Gravette Lions T-shirts. Raffle tickets will be sold for a $100 gift card to be given away on senior night, Feb. 4. Both items will be available at home basketball games. Project Prom is an afterprom event sponsored by parents. Questions about Project Prom may be directed to Peggy Galyean at 640-0536 or Kelly Britton at 787-6495.

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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. 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.

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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.

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Gentry Senior Activity 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 areMonday, Wednesday and Thursday - Gentry, Highfill and Springtown; and Tuesday and Friday - Gentry and Decatur.

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Gravette Senior Activity 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. The Center is one of seven operated by the Office of Human Concern, Inc. in partnership with the Area Agency on Aging of NW Arkansas and United Way of NW Arkansas. Many activities are scheduled and lunch is served every weekday. For information on hot home-delivered meals for Gravette, Decatur and Sulphur Springs, frozen home-delivered meals for Maysville homebound seniors or other services the center offers, call Mary Kay Kelley, director, at 787-5950.

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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.

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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 moreinformation, 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.

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Decatur Assembly of God Van Service

Van service is available to children and adults who need transportation to Sunday morning and evening church services and Wednesday evening services at the Assembly of God Church in Decatur. For more information, contact Stacy Brooks at 790-7171.

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Gentry Awards Banquet

Gentry Chamber of Commerce is currently taking nominations for 2010 community awards. The honors will be presented at the Gentry Community Awards Night, Feb. 24, at the Wooden Spoon Restaurant in Gentry. Lifetime Achievement awards will be presented at that time also. Nominations are being accepted now for Organization of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Pioneer of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Business Person of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Honorees. Send nominations with the reasons for the nomination to: Awards, Gentry Chamber, P.O. Box 642, Gentry, AR 72734. Deadline for nominations has been extended to Feb. 7. Tickets to the banquet are available by contacting the Gentry Chamber office at 736-2358.

Community News, Pages 3 on 02/02/2011