HOMETOWN EVENTS

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Decatur High

The Decatur High School athletics department is looking for volunteers to help with junior and senior high athletic events. Anyone interested can call athletic director John Unger at 318-518-5337.

Poker Trail Ride

The NWA Riding Club will hold a Poker Ride at noon, Sept. 16, at the Wedington Wildlife Management Area. Each rider will receive a playing card at five different stops along the trail. At the end of the ride, the person with the best poker hand will win $50. There is no charge to participate in the trail ride or the poker ride. For more information, visit www.nwaridingclub.org.

Decatur School Board

Decatur School Board’s next meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 24, one week later than usual. School board meetings are held at 7 p.m., in the district’s professional development room.

First Annual Alumni Game

The Gentry Pioneers boys’ basketball team will be holding an alumni basketball game for all Gentry Alumni. It will be played at the High School gym on Oct. 27 from 12 noon until whenever finished. The cost will be $25, which will include a T-shirt and a BBQ lunch. For more information, please contact Coach Price at [email protected] or go to the school website to print off a registration form.

Hiwasse AWANA Club

First Baptist Church in Hiwasse announces AWANA Clubs started Wednesday, August 29, and continue each Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. All are welcome. The program will serve children in three age groups: Cubbies (3 and 4), Sparks (K-3rd grade) and Truth and Training (4th - 6th grade). Nightly activities include food, singing, counsel time, handbook time, game time and individual achievement awards. There is no charge. Bus pick-up is available. For information call 270-0127.

AWANA Begins

AWANA is a new children’s ministry that will begin at Heritage Baptist Church on Sept. 5. AWANA is a children’s club for kindergarten through fifth grade. The club meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. each Wednesday at Heritage Baptist Church, 307 4th Ave SE, Gravette. The club engages children in game time, singing, Bible stories and the memorization of Bible verses. All children are welcome. A light dinner will be served between 6 and 6:30 p.m. each night for children who may need it. For more information, contact Heritage Baptist Church at 787-6782 or stop by and register your child today.

Patch the Pirate Club

Patch the Pirate Club meets weekly during the school year at the Berean Ministries building, one block south of Kindley Park. Gayla Hendren and Hope Duke are the instructors. All children, kindergarten through sixth grade, are invited to join the fun. The club focuses on teaching Bible lessons and music, along with games, crafts, special events, water games, awards and more throughout the year. For more information or a ride, call Hope at 787-5628.

HIPPY Enrollement

HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) is now enrolling 3 and 4 year olds. HIPPY is a 30-week school-readiness, parentinvolvement program for parents of 3 and 4 year olds. Supplies, books and lessons are delivered to your home on a weekly basis. A home-based educator works with the parent, who in turn works with the child about 15 minutes per day. This process has proven successful in Arkansas for over 25 years. HIPPY is funded by the state and local school districts, so there is no cost. Once a month there is group play time to allow the children to meet other children their age. Preschoolers must be 3 by August 1. Enrolling is easy but space is limited. Translators are available in the Decatur and Gravette area. Call teacher Tawny Donell, 344-6010, or call the Siloam Springs office, 549-9046, and leave phone number, child’s name and birthday.

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).

Gravette Farmers’ Market

The Gravette Farmers’ Market is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays at Old Town Park, 110 Park Drive, through November, with lots of locally grown produce and handmade crafts. For more info contact Gravette City Hall, 787-5368. Gravette GED Classes

GED classes meet Monday and Tuesday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Gravette PublicLibrary. The classes are provided by the NWACC adult education program, which also administers the official GED test at the Center in Rogers. Classes will continue on the above scheduled days from Aug. 20 to Dec. 14. For information, call the library at 787-6955.

Kiwanis-Sponsored Bow Raffle

As a part of its fundraising activities to benefit programs serving children in the local communities, the Gravette Kiwanis Club will be awarding a Diamond Dead Eye Compound Bow by Bowtech. The bow, donated by Hook, Line & Sinker at Bentonville, is valued at $699 and will be given away Oct. 19 during a Lions football game. Tickets are $5, or three for $10, and are available at many local businesses.

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.

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-friendlyfamily 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. Tops Meetings

Tops, a national organization to help people take off pounds sensibly, meets each Monday at the First Christian Church in Gentry, on N. Second and Giles. Weighin begins at 3:15 p.m., with the meeting following at 4:15. For more information, write to Tops, 10340 N. Hwy. 59, Gravette, AR 72736.

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, Sept. 18.

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 Sept. 18.

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.

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 theCare 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 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. Emerson Electric Reunion

An employee reunion for those who worked at Emerson Electric Motor Company in Rogers will be held from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 9, at the Lake Avalon Park Pavilion in Bella Vista. The plant, which was in business for more than 35 years, closed in 2001.