HOMETOWN EVENTS

Red Cross Blood Drive

The American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive at the Gravette High School this Thursday, Nov. 10, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. All donors will receive a Red Cross T-shirt.

Prayer for Persecuted

The Gentry Church of God (Holiness) will be holding a special service to observe the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. This is a time to remember persecuted Christians around the world. The church is located just north of the Gentry police station, at 104 North Collins. For more information, please contact Pastor Dan at 626-831-2942.

Gentry Limb Pickup

Tree limbs - no more than 8 feet long and no more than 8 inches in diameter - may be stacked curbside in Gentry for pickup on the week of Nov. 14. Once the contractor has made the rounds he will not be required to go back and pick up anything that was not out by the 14th.

Benefit Chili Supper

A chili supper and silent auction to benefit the “Pennies for Pounds” fundraiser for cancer patient Gina Keller will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., Nov. 11, at the Decatur Community Building. The event will include a silent auction and chili, dessert and drink for $5. Silent auction donations are being sought. For more information, call Cathy Pound at 586-0588.

UMC 'The Journey'

Study Series

The public is invited to attend a DVD-based study of the significance of the events of Jesus’ birth, starting at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, at the Gravette United Methodist Church. The five-session series, “The Journey, Walking the Road to Bethlehem,” will be held five Sunday evenings at the church, located at Second and Akron in Gravette. For information, contact Pastor Phil Sturdy at 787-5000.

Jolly Good Times Club

The monthly meeting of the Jolly Good Times Club will be held Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Billy V. Hall Senior Center. Members will gather at 10:15 in the sitting room. Betty Howard will give the program, then the group will join in the Senior Center Thanksgiving dinner. Visitors and new members are always welcome.

GMS Thanksgiving Lunch

A Parent/Student Thanksgiving Lunch will be held in the Gravette Middle School cafeteria at 11 a.m. on Nov. 22. Reservations are requested.

Decatur Booster Club Pancake Breakfast

The Decatur High School Booster club will be holding a fundraising pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., Nov. 12, in the high school cafeteria. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased from athletes in advance or at the door.

Math in Focus

Math in Focus (Singapore Math) Parent University will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 14, at the Gentry Intermediate School. This "Parent Night" is for all parents of students in kindergarten through the 5th grade. Parents will receive exposure to strategies, pictorial models, games and key features of this new mathematics program adopted by the Gentry School District. Free child care will be provided for parents in attendance. Please call the Intermediate office at 736-2252 to reserve a spot for child care.

REMAY Meeting

A REMAY (Restoration of Maysville) meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the Maysville Community Building. New officers will be elected and decisions will be made on playground equipment.

Girl Scout Food Drive

Girl Scout Troop 5497 is holding a Thanksgiving food drive until Nov. 20. Drop boxes will be set up at First Christian Church, Ozarks Community Hospital and the Gravette OCH Clinic. The Girl Scouts will also setup a booth outside Walmart in Gravette from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 12, to collect food donations. Donations will go to the Feed My Sheep Food Pantry and the Care and Share Thanksgiving food boxes. For more information, contact Nancy Jones or Meredith Bramel, troop leaders.

Food for Book Fines

Gravette Public Library will accept canned food in lieu of overdue book fines during the month of November. All items will be donated to the Feed My Sheep food pantry. For information, call 787-6955.

Library Chili Dinner

The Gravette Public Library will hold a chili dinner fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Arvest Bank community room. Dine-in or carryout meals of chili, crackers, dessert and bottled water will be available for $5. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the library, Arvest Bank or the Bank of Gravett. All proceeds will help fund library programs and services. For further information, call the library at 787-6955.

Life Skills Workshop

A Life Skills Workshop for students at Gravette High School will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, at the GHS Commons. Business professionals from Northwest Arkansas will be present to provide students withinformation. The GHS Parent-Teacher Organization is sponsoring the workshop. It is expected to conclude by 3 p.m.

League Directors Meeting

The Gravette Summer Baseball/Softball League Board of Directors will meet at 1 p.m., Nov. 13, at the Gravette Branch Arvest conference room. This will be an election meeting for officers’ positions which have been vacated or whose terms have ended. The public is welcome and invited to attend. For information, contact Tony Kildow, 787-0250.

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.

Decatur Food Bank

Living Water Ministries in Decatur opens its food bank every other Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 1148 Highway 102 West in Decatur. The next open date for the pantry will be Nov. 11. 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/ Pie Auction and Cake Walk

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. The church will hold its annual pie auction and cake walk at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12.

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 ofGentry 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 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 Christmas Parade

The annual Gentry Christmas Parade will be held Dec. 10 on Main Street. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and travel from the east end of Main Street by the railroad tracks to the west end (and the northeast corner of the city park). There will be awards for the best theme, best lighting, best music and best overall. The theme for this year’s parade is “A Stars and Stripes Christmas.” There is no entry fee or pre-registration for the parade. The Gentry Chamber of Commerce will also host an open house and treats with Santa from 4 to 6 p.m. that afternoon in the Gentry Chamber of Commerce Building, 212 East Main. Children are invited to talk to Santa and receive a bag of treats.