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Community Briefs

From staff reports

Published: February 11, 2009

McDowell County Partnership for Children & Families will hold its annual "Eat Out For Early Education" fund-raiser on Tuesday, April 14. Local restaurants interested in participating by donating a portion of their sales are asked to call 659-2462 by no later than Friday, Feb. 27. Proceeds will go toward raising awareness of the importance of early education, and to benefit the Partnership's Foundation Fund.

Volunteers are needed for God's Country Free Medical Clinic, which will begin providing care in early March. Ap[placations can be picked up at the outreach center located in Lady Marion Plaza. For more information, call 659-9615.

McDowell County Schools Head Start Policy Council will meet Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sugar Hill Center.

A mandatory meeting for McDowell County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council will be held Thursday at 10 a.m. in the boardroom of the school district's Central Office building.

Sheriff Dudley Greene will hold a community meeting at Ashford-North Cove Community Center Thursday at 7 p.m. Members of the community are urged to meet with him about their concerns, needs and ideas.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Order of the Confederate Rose will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday at Little Siena. For more information, call 659-6377.

The Dysarstville Community Club will meet Friday at 6:30 p.m. A potluck of fancy finger foods will be served.

The McDowell County Senior Center will hold a Valentine's Dance on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the McDowell Senior Center. The dance will feature Terry McKinney and Friends, and is for all ages. For tickets, call 652-8953, ext. 315.

Montford Cove Community Center will have an all-you-can-eat breakfast Saturday from 7 to 10 a.m. Cost is $6. Follow Sugar Hill Road south to Montford Cove Road. Turn left on Wilkerson Way at the community center sign.

McDowell County Animal Outreach will sponsor its annual Valentine's dance, dessert and silent auction on Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. at the National Guard Armory. Tickets are $7 for singles, $10 per couple, $3 for students 10 years and younger, and pets are free. There will be live music, karaoke, a best-dressed pet contest, raffles, and more. For more information or tickets, call 527-3755 or 460-3451.

The following classes are being offered at MACA for February: beginner basket-weaving Feb. 17-19 from noon to 4 p.m. at Old Fort Depot; intermediate basket-weaving Tuesday, Feb. 24 and Wednesday, Feb. 25 from noon to 4 p.m. at Old Fort Depot; beginner to intermediate guitar lessons starting Tuesday, Feb. 24 from 10 to 11 a.m. and running for weeks, at MACA. For more information and pricing, call 652-8610.

Healing Hearts Small Animal Rescue will hold a meeting to plan their new shelter facility on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Little World Daycare, located in Old Fort on North Railroad Street. After the discussion there will be a talk on "What to do when encountering a sick or wounded animal." For more information, call 668-7766 between 6 a.m. and noon.

The McDowell County Public Library in Marion will have a special guest speaker on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 12:30 p.m., in honor of Black History Month. Dr. Fleming El-Amin of Winston-Salem will be speaking on challenges facing the black community.

College scholarships are now available through the N.C. Extension and Community Association for 2009. High school seniors or adult students are encouraged to apply. For more information or to receive an application, call 652-7874. Deadline is March 1.

Glenwood Ruritan Club is offering two $500 scholarships for any full-time college student or soon-to-be as of fall 2009. Students need to live within the Glenwood Fire District. Those interested must complete a grant application, and a one-page essay describing future plans. Applications can be picked up in the guidance counselor offices of McDowell High, Marion Christian Academy, New Manna Christian School, and McDowell Tech. Applications must be returned by no later than March 20, and can be returned to 1749 Old Hwy. 221 South, Marion, NC 28752.

God's Country Free Medical Clinic will begin to provide free medical care to uninsured or underinsured people in McDowell County in early March. If you would like to volunteer your time and talents toward improving the health of our community, please pick up an application at the God's Country Outreach Store in the Lady Marian Plaza and return it as soon as possible to the store. For more information, call 659-9615.

The McDowell High Class of 1999 is planning a 10-year reunion. If you are a graduate and plan on attending, e-mail mcdowellreunion99@gmail.com.

A reunion for anyone who attended Marion High, formerly located on West Court Street, will be held June 27 at the National Guard Armory. Anyone who hasn't received a mailed notification is asked to contact Leon Daniel at (757) 867-4929 or by e-mail at rldaniel@cox.net.
Helping Hands Thrift Store needs donations of resale items. Clothing, furniture, housewares or any other goods are greatly appreciated. All proceeds go to benefit Hospice. Drop offs may be made during regular store hours; every day but Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 659-1474.
Anyone interested in joining a support group for thyroid cancer patients, as well as their families and caregivers, is asked to call Terri Gates at 724-4849 or e-mail her at tlgates@verizon.net. A thyroid cancer survivor, Gates wants to hold positive, informal sessions.
The Reiki Healing Circle group will meet every third Wednesday of the month at Open Hands Natural Healing Center, located at 76 South Main St. The session will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, call 527-2563 or 442-3314.
Mysticism, Mythology and Magic is seeking free thinkers for a discussion group. To join, call 527-7839.
The Bear Clan Medicine Lodge will meet on the second and fourth Sunday of each month at the Old Fort library, located on Mitchell Street. For more information, contact lavonneemery@yahoo.com or call 803-7269.

Anyone interested in joining the newly formed Young Democrats group may do so by calling Joel at 460-0791.
Money is available to serve children 3 to 5 years old in need of assistance with dental care. Applications are available from the McDowell Partnership for Children & Families, located at 70 N. Main St. in Marion. Funding is limited. For more information, call 659-2462.
Children in the community who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect need a caring adult to look out for their best interests while in the court system. To find out how you can become a Guardian ad Litem, call 652-4632.
Al-Anon, a support group for families and friends of alcoholics and/or drug users, meets each Wednesday at 8 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church parish house, 339 S. Main St. Teens welcome. For more information, call 652-0088.

A Narcotics Anonymous group meets every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 to 9 p.m. and an Alcoholics Anonymous group meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon to 1 p.m. Both groups meet at the Hut of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church on West Court Street.

A McDowell County Alzheimer's support group will meet on the first Tuesday of each month at the McDowell Senior Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, call (828) 254-7363.

Local information and services are now available at the Web site www.mcdowellinfo.com. Included are a calendar of events and Web listings for the arts, business support services, education, healthcare, local government, McDowell County facts, public support systems and tourism.

If you or someone you know is a veteran of World War II and currently living in McDowell County, the McDowell County veterans services officer requests you submit a letter with your name, address and phone number for a registry to be made of all survivors. Information will remain private. Information may be submitted to CVSO, 100 Spaulding Road, Marion, NC 28752.

The Marion group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 8 to 9 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal parish house located at 339 S. Main St.

The McDowell News has hundreds of old photos from its archives that are now available to the public. These photos are from 1985 to 2000 and include sports events, group photos and random shots of people and places throughout McDowell. You can buy three photos for $1. All money collected will go toward the Newspapers in Education campaign. You can stop by the office at 136 Logan St. and look through the pictures published in our newspapers throughout the years.

McDowell County Animal Shelter has applications for adoption dogs that have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated and completed an eight-week obedience training class issued by the N.C. Division of Prisons. The adoption fee is $150. For more information, call 652-6643.

HOPE, Helping Other People Excel, a nonprofit organization for mentally and physically handicapped people, is looking for donations of money or time to start an activity center. For more information, call 652-5917.