Sunday, Jan. 01, 2012

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.

Holiday Wrap-Up recycling program

Wake County residents have an alternative to throwing holiday waste in the trash: recycling it. The Holiday Wrap-Up recycling program will be available from Monday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Jan. 15. Residents can take recyclable holiday materials to the following addresses: 10505 Old Stage Road, Raleigh; 6000 Old Smithfield Road, Apex; 3600 Yates Mill Pond Road, Raleigh; 9008 Deponie Drive, Raleigh; and 5101 Wendell Blvd., Wendell.

Each location will accept Christmas trees (remove ornaments, tinsel, lights, etc.), wrapping paper (excluding foil and bows), holiday greeting cards, corrugated cardboard, chipboard (i.e., cereal boxes, paper roll tubes, etc.), SBS Board (i.e., shirt and gift boxes), magazines and catalogs. Convenience centers are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day of the week.

The following county parks will be accepting Christmas trees only from 8 a.m. to sunset: Blue Jay Point County Park, 3200 Pleasant Union Church Road, Raleigh; Harris Lake County Park: 2112 County Park Drive, New Hill; and Lake Crabtree County Park: 1400 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville.

The recycled trees are chipped and used as ground cover and to create trails throughout county parks.

For tips on how to reduce holiday waste, or for more information about Holiday Wrap-Up, call 856-7400 or visit wakegov.com.

Senior citizen bingo

Bingo play for older adults is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, at McDonald's, 335 U.S. 70 East, Selma. Play is free, with prizes awarded. For more information, call 975-1411.

Senior day trip

The Selma Parks and Recreation Department invites older adults to travel to Greensboro Feb. 14 for dinner and a show at The Barn Dinner Theatre. The show is "Sing Hallelujah." The cost is $65 and includes transportation, dinner and the performance. The trip will leave the Selma train depot at 11 a.m. and return at 7 p.m. Register by Friday, Jan. 13, by calling 975-1411.

King Day celebration

A Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at St. Peter's Church of Christ Disciples of Christ, 1011 Massey St., Smithfield. C.R. Edwards, pastor of First Baptist Church in Fayetteville, will speak, and the Johnston African American Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance will present the Bishop F.J. Matthews Memorial Distinguished Service Award. For more information, call Dr. J. B. Woodhouse at 965-6760.

Retirees to meet

The Johnston County chapter of Active and Retired Federal Employees will meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Golden Corral on East Market Street near Interstate 95 in Smithfield.

Luncheon for women

The Chamber Women's Business Network will hold its luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at Hinnant Family Vineyards & Winery, 826 Pine Level-Micro Road, Pine Level. The topic is "Changing with Challenges: How Women are Successful at It." Hear successful women share how they have navigated life and work and survived and thrived - from starting a family to starting a business to starting over. Lunch will be served, vendors will sell products, and door prizes will be given away. Tickets are $22 before Jan. 6 and $25 after that. The cost for vendors is $60 and includes one ticket and one six-foot table with tablecloth and chair. To purchase tickets, visit smithfieldselma.com, call Kelly Wallace at 934-9166 or email kwallace@smithfieldselma.com.

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 workshops

"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 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 a MLK Day of Service T-shirt and lunch provided by Smithfield's Chick-fil-A. For more information, call Lacie Lindstaedt at 463-1367.

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@activehealthcaer.com.

Blood drive

A blood drive is scheduled from noon to 4:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, at the Johnston Medical Mall on North Bright Leaf Boulevard in Smithfield. For an appointment, call Kim Thompson at 938-7736.

For new parents

Johnston Health will offer childbirth and Lamaze classes Jan. 7 and 14. The first Saturday session is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the second is from 8 a.m. to noon. Both will be in Room 1404B of the Johnston Medical Mall on North Bright Leaf Boulevard in Smithfield. The cost is $80 per couple. To register, call 938-7736.

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 to 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.

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, pest identification and control, and a few other gardening topics.

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.

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.