Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012

Community Notes

Newcomer breakfast at senior center

A breakfast for newcomers to Garner is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, Jan. 27, at the Garner Senior Center, 205 E. Garner Road. The morning will offer tours of the center and an overview of upcoming events. The meal is free. To attend, call 779-0122.

Citizens' Police Academy

The Citizens' Police Academy in Garner is accepting applications for the next academy, which will run from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays from Feb. 28 through May. 1. Learn how the police department works, meet officers who work in the community and learn more about what it means to be a police officer in Garner. The goal of this academy is to build relationships between officers and the community through better understanding of police jobs and functions. It is designed also to provide a forum for feedback and suggestions for improvement. The academy is for Garner residents ages 18 and older with no felony or misdemeanor convictions within the last year. To register, visit garnernc.gov/Departments/Police/CitizensAcademy.aspx.

Personal budgeting

The Wake County Cooperative Extension Service will offer a personal budgeting seminar from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 26. Learn about your personal spending triggers, distinguish between your needs and wants, and begin to build a personal budget that will guide you to achieve your financial goals. The cost is $10. To register, email Lauren Goodwin at lauren.goodwin@wakegov.com.

Pork, chicken plates

The Garner Optimist Club will serve plates of barbecued pork and chicken from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, at the clubhouse, 2110 Vandora Springs Road, Garner. Takeout will be available.

Hopekids Preschool open houses

Hopekids Preschool will hold open houses at 10 a.m. Feb. 1 and Feb. 8 in the lobby of Newhope Church, 2967 Benson Road, Garner. Hopekids Garner is a half-day Christian preschool program. For more information, visit newhopenc.org and click on children/hopekids preschool; email hopekidsgarner@newhopenc.org; or call 779-6687.

Pancake supper

A pancake and sausage supper is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, at Johnson Memorial Church on N.C. 50, two miles south of McGee's Crossroads. The cost is $7, with takeout available. Proceeds will go to the Johnston County Relay for Life. For more information, call the church at 894-3688 or Alice Honeycutt at 894-4443.

NAACP seeks volunteers

The Johnston County NAACP is seeking volunteers for get-out-the-vote campaigns this year. To learn more, call 285-9654 or email pr@jcncnaaco.info.

Breakfast to benefit Kenly museum

A breakfast to benefit the Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly is scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday, Feb. 3, in the Holshouser Building on the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The cost is $20 per person. For reservations or for more information, call the museum at 284-3431 or email gayle@tobaccofarmlifemuseum.org.

Blood drive

A blood drive is scheduled from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the Benson Area Medical Center, 3333 N.C. 242 North, Benson. All donors will be eligible to win a pair of airline tickets, and all will receive an American Red Cross soup bowl and spoon with recipe. For an appointment, call 894-4261 or 632-0783.

Cornhole tournament

A cornhole tournament is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, in the Princeton High School gym. Proceeds will go to Cub Scout Pack 23. The cost is $40 and includes two event T-shirts and entry into the winner-take-all, double-elimination tournament. Hot dogs and other concessions will be available. For more information, call Tracy Price at 273-6423 or email tprice45@nc.rr.com.

AARP tax help

The AARP is returning to Smithfield this year to prepare tax returns for older adults and low-income taxpayers. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, tax preparers will be at the Community and Senior Services office, 1363 W. Market St., Smithfield. The service starts Feb. 3 and ends April 13. Filers should bring their Social Security or Medicare cards and last year's tax returns. To schedule an appointment, call 934-6066.

Flapjack fundraiser

A pancake breakfast to benefit the Johnston County Mental Health Association is scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at Applebee's, 1260 N. Bright Leaf Blvd., Smithfield. For tickets, call Marie Dodson at 934-0311.

Antiques Evening

An Antiques Evening is scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at the Princeton Public Library, 101 Dr. Donnie H. Jones Jr. Blvd., Princeton. Bring one item for a nonbinding evaluation by Albert Kensac of Treasury Antiques in Selma. Admission is $10. For more information or to purchase a ticket, call 965-3627.

Clayton Steakhouse to host luncheon

A luncheon to benefit the Johnston County Partnership for Children will be held Monday, Jan. 30, at the Clayton Steakhouse, 307 E. Main St., Clayton. Seatings will be at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The menu choices are rib-eye steak sandwich, grilled chicken sandwich or chicken salad on an herb roll or bed of greens. The sandwich comes with roasted potatoes, french fries or side salad. All menu selections include tea or water and a slice of homemade cake.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the Partnership for Children of Johnston County offices in Selma and Clayton, at the Clayton Steakhouse or by calling 202-0002. Tickets will not be available the day of the event.

For more information, visit www.pfcjc.org or call 202-0002.

4-H club seeks members

The Clover Roots 4-H Club is looking for home-schooled children ages 5-10 who would like to join. The club meets at 2 p.m. Thursdays, once or twice a month, in the Rock Pillar Road area. Last year, meeting topics included culture, seashells, building a slip-and-slide out of recycled materials, incubating and hatching chicken eggs, tie-and-dye, a polygraph demonstration and fishing. For more information or to join, call Teresa Byrd at 989-5380.

Daddy-Daughter Dance

The 15th annual Daddy Daughter Dance, for dads and daughters ages 3-14, is scheduled from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at the Smithfield Recreation and Aquatics Center, 600 Booker Dairy Road, Smithfield. The cost is $45 for Smithfield residents and $50 for nonresidents. The cost includes entertainment, appetizers and a photo. Reservations must be made and paid by Feb. 10. For more information, call 934-2148.

Clothing drive

Reins From Above will hold a clothing drive later this month. Drop-off dates and sites are Jan. 28 at Element Salon on McLemore Road in the Cleveland community, Jan. 27 at Annie V's Florist on Barbour Street in Clayton and anytime at Reins From Above on N.C. 42 near Kenly. Reins From Above is seeking donations of clothing, linens and curtains. For more information, visit reinsfromabove.org.

Grant writer needed

The Johnston County Animal Protection League is seeking a volunteer who has grant-writing experience. For an application, or for more information, visit jcapl.org or email webmaster@jcapl.org.

Registration open for MS walks

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has opened registration for this 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.

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.