NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — The Decatur Assembly of God will hold its Second Annual Celebrate America festivities at 7 p.m., July 3, on the DAG campus. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Festivities will include games for kids and food. The highlight of the evening will be the Celebrate America Fireworks Show, presented by DAG Creative. Celebrate America is open to the community.

Decatur Summer Meal Program

Free summer meals will be available for children 18 and under at the Decatur Community Building to help fill the gap while school is out. Summer meals will be available from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday,July 2 through July 27. No registration or identification are required. For more information, call 1-888-4KID4AR or visit dhs.arkansas.gov/dccece/ snp.

4th of July Avenue of Flags

The Avenue of Flags will be flown in Hillcrest Cemetery in Gravette on Independence Day, Wednesday, July 4. The flags will be raised at 8 a.m. and will be lowered at 5 p.m. The public is invited to assist, according to J.R. Gibbs, adjutant of John E. Tracy American Legion Post 25.

Cornerstone Baptist VBS

Cornerstone Baptist Church, at 24550 Floyd Moore Road in Cherokee City, will be holding Vacation Bible School, Thursday, June 28 through Tuesday, July 3, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The theme is "Sonrise National Park," and the program is for children 3 through youth. On Tuesday, July 3, the program will conclude with a family night with all kinds of fun activities planned, including a cookout and fireworks. Everyone is invited. Call the church for more information at 736-1213.

Jolly Good Times Club

The monthly meeting of the Jolly Good Times Club will be held Wednesday, June 27, at the Billy V. Hall Senior Activity Center. Members will gather at 10:15 a.m. in the sitting room. The potluck meal will feature sandwich makin’s by Mary, chips and dip from Susan and dessert by Betty. Susan Holland will give the program. Visitors and new members are always welcome.

Health, Safety Fair

Ozarks Community Hospital in Gravette will hold a free Health and Safety Fair from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, at the hospital. The event will include giveaways, activities and free health screenings,including blood pressure checks, pulse oximetry, blood sugar checks, height/weight checks and scoliosis screenings. Light snacks will also be provided in the cafeteria. Contact Morgan Black, OCH communications coordinator, 344-6464, for more information.

Assembly of God Revival

First Assembly of God Church, on Hwy. 72 west of Gravette, is holding revival services through June 27 with evangelists Greg and Karen Summers of Sapulpa, Okla. Service time Wednesday night is 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Jack Deaton is pastor of the church.

Sulphur Pancake Breakfast

An “all you can eat” pancake breakfast will be held Saturday, June 29, at the Shiloh Dining Room in Sulphur Springs. Serving will be from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Cost for adults is $7; for seniors 66 and above, $5; children 3 to 12 years, $5; and ages 2 and under eat free. Sponsored by SSSEI, Sulphur Springs Special Events, Inc., all proceeds will go to benefit the less fortunate.

Gravette Pee Wee Cheerleader Camp

Pee Wee cheer camp sign-ups will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 30, at the Gravette Upper Elementary parking lot and again from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 5, at the same location. Cheer camp is open to girls from pre-K through sixth grade. Camp cost of $25 per girl includes a T-shirt. Anyone with questions should call Maria Holloway, 936-0687. Northwest Arkansas Camp Meeting

The annual Northwest Arkansas Camp Meeting is being held through July 1 in the learning center of Gravette Holiness Bible School. Evangelist Robert Thompson, Jr., pastor of Mt. Zion Church of God (Holiness) in Ava, Mo., is the speaker. Ben and Sue Colburn will be singing.There are two main services daily, at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. The 10:30 children’s services will begin June 27. A special service for youth will run concurrent to the 10:30 service. The public is invited. Anyone having questions may call 787-7312.

Southern Gospel Concert

Gloryland, a traditional Southern Gospel group, will be performing in concert at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 1, at the First Baptist Church, 13512 W. Hwy. 72, in Hiwasse. The group will be sharing God’s message of love through uplifting gospel music. For information, call 870-476-5132 or email gloryland_quartet@ yahoo.com.

Decatur Barbecue Performers

The Decatur Chamber of Commerce is inviting local entertainers to perform during the daytime hours of the Decatur Barbecue on Aug. 4. Those who would like to perform - sing, dance or play an instrument - during the barbecue are asked to contact Decatur Chamber of Commerce president David Flynt at 466-9797.

PonyDotz

PonyDotz is an organization for children and young people to learn about horses and have fun together. Programs will include youth trail rides, confidence-building games, learning the basics of horsemanship, water play and lunch. Participation and meals are free and youth are not required to have their own horse to be involved. For more information, visit www.ponydotz.org or call 752-3582.

Gravette VBS

The Heritage Baptist Church is holding a “Mission Possible” Vacation Bible School from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., June 25-29, at the Heritage Baptist Church. The program isfor children, kindergarten through fifth grade, and will include Bible stories, crafts, snacks and games. For more information, call 787-7165.

NWA Riding Club

NWA Riding Club play days are held every other week at the Luca Don Equestrian Center, 4.5 miles west of Gentry. Events include western pleasure, pole bending, flag races, barrel racing and speed races for all ages of riders, with an emphasis on kid-friendly family fun. The club also hosts trail rides, camp outs and an annual awards banquet. New members are welcome. For more information, call 712-266-6006 or visit www.nwaridingclub. org.

Decatur Summer Reading

The Iva Jane Peek Library’s summer reading program is under way from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Mondays. The program includes story reading, a craft project and a snack for children ages 6-11. Parents and community members are welcome tovolunteer. The library will also host a reading contest for children ages 6-7, 8-9 and 10-11. The child in each age group who reads the most books between June 1 and July 31 will win a Barnes & Noble gift card, and all children who participate will be rewarded with a party on Aug. 7. For more information, call the library at 752-READ (7323).

Gentry Summer Reading

Gentry Library‘s summer reading program will continue through July 26, with a big blowout party at the end. The program is on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10 to 11 a.m. The Tuesday program is for children ages 4-8, and the Thursday program is for ages 9-12. Some of the things scheduled include Lynn Sciumbato from Morning Star Wildlife Rehab Center, ArkansasCenter for Space & Planet Sciences, crafts and lots of fun. Stop by the library and register today!

Puppet Show

White House Puppet Ministry will be performing at First Baptist Church in Colcord, Okla., on July 1. Singing will be from 6:30 to 7 p.m. The puppet show will be from 7 to 8 p.m. All are welcome.

Decatur Swimming Pool

The Decatur swimming pool is open for the season. Regular pool hours are 1 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call city hall at 752-3912.

Gravette Churches VBS

Vacation Bible School will be held from 6 to 8:15 p.m. July 23-26 at First Christian Church in Gravette for ages 4 years to 5th grade. The theme is “Everything Is Possible With God.” First Christian Church, Church of Christ and the Methodist Church will hold this VBS jointly.

Community Literacy Program

The Decatur and Gravette Community Literacy Program is in need of volunteer tutors. Volunteers work two to three hours a week, and the program provides all training and materials. There is no need for tutors to speak any language other than English. For more information, call 787-8200.

Tired Iron of the Ozarks

Regular meetings of the Tired Iron of the Ozarks are held at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Tired Iron clubhouse located at the club’s show grounds on Taylor Orchard Road southwest of Gentry. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, July 17.

Gravette American Legion

Gravette American Legion Post 20 meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center. All vets are encouraged to attend. The next meeting is July 17.

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.

Gentry Farmers’ Market

Gentry’s farmers’ market is open on Mondays and Thursdays, beginning at 8 a.m., at the south side of the Gentry City Park (outside the wooden fence and along the circle drive). The market is open, free of fees, to all vendors who abide by the market’s rules (available at the Gentry City Hall or Gentry Chamber of Commerce office). Items which may be sold at the market include fresh produce, plants and flowers, baked goods, jellies, jams, preserves, eggs, other non-commercial food items and handmade crafts.

GHS Alumni Reunion

The Gentry High School Alumni Reunion will be held at 7 p.m., Sept. 1, in the Gentry High School/ Middle School Cafeteria. The Alumni Association was founded by Lemuel Cripps to honor all past GHS attendees and graduates by raising and granting scholarship funds to future Gentry Alumni. A fund has been established at Arvest Bank, P.O. Box 189, Gentry 72724. The cost per person attending the banquet will be $20.Part will go to cover the dinner and the remainder to the perpetual scholarship fund. Reservations need to be made by Aug. 1. For more information, contact Berta Carl Norris 736-2269, bjnorris_2000@ yahoo.com; Martha Johnson Walker, 524-6344, [email protected]; or Wanda Shankles Meyer, 736-8738, [email protected].

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 Care and Share Specialty Shop, 103 Huntington Street S.E., on Hwy. 59 south in Gravette.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.

Decatur Food Pantry

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

Men's Fellowship

First Baptist Church of Gentry has a monthly Men's Fellowship Gathering at 8 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month.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 at 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. 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.

News, Pages 2 on 06/27/2012