Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011

Community Notes

How to choose a college

A free workshop on choosing a college is scheduled from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Southeast Regional Library, 908 Seventh Ave., Garner. Brooke Daly of Advantage College Planning will conduct the workshop.

Newcomers to meet

The Newcomers Club of Raleigh will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Jan. 6, at the J.J. Crowder Masonic Lodge, 9920 Falls of Neuse Road, Raleigh. To learn more, visit newcomersclubraleigh.org.

Pageants in Clayton

The 2012 Miss Capital City and Miss Capital City's Outstanding Teen pageants are scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at The Clayton Center, 111 E. Second Street, Clayton. For more information, call 553-1737.

Arboretum seminar

Landscape with Herbs, a seminar with Tim Elliot, is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the mobile unit at the Johnston Community College Arboretum, 1240 E. Market St., Smithfield. The cost is $15.

Cooking with Herbs

A workshop with arboretum director Lin Frye, is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, in the arboretum's brick building. The cost is $25. For more information about either workshop, call 209-2052.

GriefShare at Shiloh

GriefShare, a grief support group, will begin its next round of meetings on Jan. 11 at Shiloh Baptist Church, 3414 N. Shiloh Road in the Cleveland community. The group will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays through April 4. A nursery and children's programs are available upon request. For more information, call Lee Smith at 553-3319, Ext. 202, or visit shilohgarner.org.

GriefShare at First Baptist

GriefShare, a 13-week seminar and support group, will meet from 6 to 7:45 p.m. Wednesdays, starting Jan. 11, in Room 224 at First Baptist Church, 202 S. Fourth St., Smithfield. The support group will explore the journey of grief through video, a workbook, discussion time and the Bible. The cost for the workbook is $15. For more information, call the church office at 934-9771.

Volunteers needed

The United Way of the Greater Triangle is seeking 50 volunteers in Johnston County to take part in the annual Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day of Service. The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at Pizazz Thrift Store, 132 E. Main St. in Clayton. Volunteers will sort diapers, new underwear, gently used and new clothes and nonperishable food items for the needy in Johnston County. Volunteers who register at volunteer.truist.com/triangle/volunteer/ will receive an MLK Day of Service T-shirt and lunch provided by Smithfield's Chick-fil-A. For more information, call Lacie Lindstaedt at 463-1367.

Festival in Smithfield

A multicultural holiday festival is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Family Life Center, 909 E. Lee St., Smithfield. The festival will celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day with entertainment, food and gifts for children. Admission is free. For more information, call Dennis Holmes at 989-8441.

Master Gardener volunteer training

Training to become a Master Gardener volunteer will begin Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Johnston County Agricultural Center, 2736 N.C. 210, Smithfield. The training will meet from 6 to 8:45 p.m. Wednesdays through April 18. The cost is $100. For an application, call 989-5380 or e-mail shawn_banks@ncsu.edu.

The training will cover a wide range of gardening topics, including plant biology, plant identification, propagation, landscape maintenance and design, and pest identification and control, and a few other gardening topics.

Sleep-apnea support

A sleep-apnea support group will meet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, in the Rotary Room at the Clayton Center, 111 E. Second St., Clayton. The topic for the evening is "Sleep Your Way to a Thinner You." CPAP specialists will be on hand to showcase the latest equipment and to provide educational resources. For more information or to attend, call 870-8600 or email donna@activehealthcar.com.

Stop smoking

A stop-smoking class will meet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 26 at the Johnston County Public Health Department, 517 N. Bright Leaf Blvd, Smithfield. For more information, call Kimetha Elliott at 989-5200.

Registration open for MS walks

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has opened registration for next year's walks in Raleigh and Goldsboro.

The Triangle walk is scheduled for Saturday, March 31, at the RBC Center in Raleigh. The Goldsboro walk will take place Saturday, April 21, in Herman Park.

Walk MS, an annual fundraiser for more than 20 years, is an opportunity for the community to support the estimated 5,400 people living with multiple sclerosis in Eastern North Carolina. Sixty percent of all the money raised will go toward programs, services and advocacy for Eastern N.C. residents. The rest will support national research to find the cause and cure of MS.

In addition to one- and three-mile walks, the events will feature live entertainment, food vendors and kids' activities.

For more information, or to register, visit WalkingForMS.org or call 1-800-FIGHT-MS.

Scrabble Club

The Johnston County Scrabble Club meets from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays at Orchard House Booksellers, 117 N. Third St., Smithfield. Play is free.