Published: November 19, 2009 04:29 pm      

Calendar of Events

Pink Ladies Needed!

Are you looking for a place to share your talents? Do you enjoy meaningful conversation with a good friend? How ‘bout a good book?

Then We Want You!! Suwannee Health Care and Rehab Center is looking for volunteers to start a Ladies Auxiliary.

Call Lynn Brannon, Activities Director at 386-362-7860 or 386-590-2961.



Talent Search

Do you sing or play and instrument? Do you act or dance? Do you like to read or spend time with a friend in wonderful conversation?

WE WANT YOU! Suwannee Health Care & Rehab Center is looking for your talent for our residents. Dinner for two - $45; One night at the Beach - $125; One hour volunteering to make memories that last forever - PRICELESS!

Call: Lynn Brannon, Activities Director 386-362-7860 or 386-590-2961.



Head Start/Early Head Start early enrollment

Suwannee Valley 4Cs Head Start/Early Head Start is accepting applications for children from birth to age 5. Head Start/Early Head Start is a FREE comprehensive early childhood education program that includes health, dental, nutrition and VPK services to eligible children/families.

Centers are located in Suwannee, Hamilton, Lafayette and Columbia counties. Parents bring proof of income and child’s age to register.

For more information call 386-754-2222.



Customers needed!

Dairy Queen of Live Oak will host Dairy Queen Benefit Night the second Tuesday of every month from 6-8 p.m. to help buy books for Suwannee Middle School.



Donations needed!

Suwannee County Environmental Watchdogs, a non-profit organization, seeks donations for yard sale merchandise. Info: Sandy, 386-364-8020.



Register now!

Descendants of Calhoun family plan reunion in 2009

Descendants of the late Sarah Calhoun, Eva Calhoun and Thomas Calhoun are invited to a family reunion to be held in 2009. Info: misstheresamartin@yahoo.com or predop@aol.com.



Coffee with your councilman

City Councilman for District 4 Mark Stewart invites his constituents to “Coffee with your Councilman” at JAVA JAX located in the Publix shopping center.

Come and meet with him on the second Tuesday of each month from 7 a.m. till 8:30 a.m. This will be a time to get to know each other and discuss current issues and citizen concerns.



CJBAT tests

Monday – Thursday

Monday – Thursday at 5 p.m. (by appointment): CJBAT (Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Test) at NFCC Testing Center (Bldg. #16), Madison. CJBAT is required for acceptance into Corrections & Law Enforcement programs. Photo ID required. Pre-registration & scheduling time and date are required. To register please call 850-973-9451.



College Placement Tests

Monday – Thursday

Monday – Thursday at 5 p.m. (by appointment): College Placement Test (CPT), NFCC Testing Center (Bldg. #16), 5 p.m., Madison. Register in NFCC Student Services 24 hours before test. For information please call 850-973-9451.



TABE tests

Monday – Thursday

Monday – Thursday at 5 p.m. (by appointment): TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) at NFCC Testing Center (Bldg. #16), Madison. TABE is required for acceptance into vocational/technical programs. Photo ID required. Pre-registration & scheduling time & date are required. To register please call 850-973-9451.



Sheriff, commissioner at Whistle Stop

The Wellborn Neighborhood Watch would like to welcome our members, friends and neighbors of our community of Wellborn to “Meet and Greet” your sheriff, Tony Cameron, and our county commissioner, Billy Maxwell, at the Whistle Stop Café and Deli for free coffee and sweets.

This will give us all a personal and face-to-face meeting with those who have such a great bearing on the running of our community. They will answer any question that you have pertaining to each of their jobs and we hope to have a good turn out from our community.

This will be held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at the “Whistle Stop Café in the middle of our town of Wellborn.

Please try to come and bring a friend or two or three!

Remember, folks, this is free to all our community!



Greater Visions Support Group

Addiction Support Group: Greater Visions faith-based addictions support group meets at the Grace Manor Restaurant. Meetings are held on Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m. This group provides spiritual and emotional support in a non-judgmental setting. Come experience the freedom from addictions that is found in Christ.

Greater Visions is an outreach of Christ Central-Live Oak. For more information contact 208-1345.



Suwannee County Republican Executive Committee to meet

The Suwannee County Republican Executive Committee meets in the council chambers of Live Oak City Hall at 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month. If the first Thursday is the first day of the month, the meeting will be held on the following Thursday.

Each meeting has a guest speaker or current issues will be discussed. All are welcome to attend. For more information call Chairman Carl Meece at 386-776-1444.



Branford TOPS meeting changes locations

We now meet every Tuesday at L & M Scrapbooking located at 105 SW Suwannee Ave. in Branford.

Weigh-in begins at 4:30 p.m. Meeting starts at 5.

For more information please contact Donna Hardin at 386-590-2333.

"Take Off Pounds Sensibly."



SREC seeking

location in Branford

Suwannee River Economic Council, Inc., a non-profit organization is seeking a location in the Branford area that could be used to serve meals to persons 60 years of age or older.

Any business, organization or church that has space available and would be interested in assisting in this much needed service to the elderly population of Branford, should contact Bruce Evans, Senior Center Director, at 362-1164 or Janis Owen, Director of Client Services, at 362-4115, ext. 240.



Toys for Kids+

'We really need your help'

By Roger L. Burnside

Toys for Kids+ really needs your help. Christmas is a time of joy and celebration; unfortunately there are many children in the Branford area that will be missing the joy of receiving Christmas presents. We are in need of toys, clothes and in some cases, food for these children.

With the economy the way it is right now we are experiencing more requests than in past years. No donation is too small, if you can just provide one toy, a box of food, a winter coat or shoes it will be greatly appreciated.

Anyone interested in helping us with this project can take their donations to the Branford Health Department. You may also call Karen at the Branford Health Department at 386-935-1133 or Roger Burnside at 386-935-3343. Should you know of a child in need you may also call these numbers.

Over the years the folks in the Branford area have brought a lot of joy to the area's children and their families, for this we thank each and every one of you. The smiles and appreciation the children express each year make this project a blessing to all.



Suwannee Valley collects gifts for Samaritan's Purse

Through Operation Christmas Child, the world's largest Christmas project, Suwannee Valley residents are packing shoe box gifts for children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty. Please, drop off your filled shoe boxes at any of the Suwannee Valley Operation Christmas Child's twelve well-located drop off centers throughout Baker, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor Counties. These centers have been placed for your convenience so you can drop off filled shoe box gifts for suffering children. For more information about location of Relay Centers plus days/hours open, please call 1-800-409-1665 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org. Nov. 16-23.



TOPS is here for you

Anyone interested in learning more about nutrition, portion control, and exercise while having fun is cordially invited to come join our TOPS group. TOPS is nonprofit, noncommercial and affordable. TOPS# FL. 662 meets weekly on Thursday mornings at the First Advent Christian Church in Live Oak.

We start our weigh in at 8 a.m., and the meeting begins at 9 a.m. - 10.

For more information please call Elaine at (386) 364-5537. We all make New Year’s resolutions about watching our weight. If you are in need of a good support system to help you make our New Years resolution come true, please come join us for informative programs and fun. Hope to see you soon.



Community Thanksgiving Service

Nov. 23

The annual Community Thanksgiving Service will be held on Monday, November 23, at the Ebenezer AME Church at 7 p.m. The church is located at 411 Parshley Street with parking across the church at the Paul Langford football stadium.

Pastor Wayne Godsmark, Christ Central Ministry, will be the speaker, and music will be led by a praise team composed of members from congregations in our community. The Ebenezer Choir will serve as the foundation of a Community Choir that will provide special music during the Thanksgiving Service. If you are interested in being part of the choir, practice will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, November 17, at Ebenezer AME Church.

Pastors from seven other congregations will be participating in the Thanksgiving service. The Suwannee County Ministers Alliance and the Suwannee County Pastor’s Prayer Fellowship, sponsor this annual opportunity for our community to thank God for all of his blessings.

There will be a canned food offering for Love Inc. as well as a cash offering. Americans have been thanking God for His blessings dating back to Virginia in 1607 and New England in 1620. Our first president, George Washington, proclaimed our first National Thanksgiving in 1789. Following this 1789 day of Thanksgiving, the various states rather than the President generally proclaim observances. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation making the last Thursday of November a National Day of Thanksgiving. In 1941, Congress established the fourth Thursday of November as an annual day of Thanksgiving.

The pastors of our community invited everyone to join us in this Thanksgiving worship. For additional information, contact Pastor Ray Kelley at 209-1614 or liveoakchristian@windstream.net.



You’re invited!

Nov. 29

The Jackson/Mackey Missionary Society of New Bethlehem A.M.E. Church of New Bethlehem A.M.E. Church, McAlpin, invites you to fellowship with us at our fifth Sunday Worship service on Sunday, November 29, at 11 a.m.

Mrs. Sheryl Daniels will be the speaker. Rev. Johnnie Merrick, pastor, and Sis. Mae Devoe Fields, Missionary president.



Seasonal flu vaccines available to eligible veterans

Through Jan. 29

In an effort to reduce the impact of the seasonal flu and connected illness, enrolled/eligible veterans may obtain a seasonal flu vaccination through Jan. 29 at the Lake City VA Medical Center.

This is an especially challenging influenza season this year. Many people suffer severe consequences from the flu. It is very important for every veteran to get his or her flu shot. The flu shot is the only measure of protection from the influenza virus.



Suwannee Middle School Softball Boosters fundraiser

Dec. 4

The Suwannee Middle School Softball Boosters are having a BBQ chicken dinner fundraiser on Friday, Dec. 4, starting at 11 a.m. in the Cheek and Scott parking lot.

Dinners include: BBQ chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, bread, and dessert for $5.

For more information contact Coach Jeff Smith at 386-590-1059.



SHS SAC meeting postponed

Postponed to Dec. 10

The Suwannee High School SAC meeting that was scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 12, has been postponed to Thursday, Dec. 10, due to conflicts in the SHS calendar.



Live Oak Artist Guild invites you to our Annual Holiday Celebration

Dec. 11

The Live Oak Artists Guild invites you to our Annual Holiday Celebration December 11, 2009 1-8 p.m. Meet the artists from 5-8 p.m.

Browse our Holiday Gift Shop, sample our artists favorite festive treats. Enjoy inspirational and unique art works.

There will be live holiday music and Enchanted Christmas tree forest.



Mrs. Vickers' class yard sale

Dec. 12

Mrs. Vickers' class is taking donations for their upcoming yard sale on Saturday Dec. 12. Pickups are available. For more information please call 647-4047 or 344-2993.



Suwannee High Class of 1980

The Suwannee High Class of 1980 is planning their 30 year class reunion. If you were a member, had a child, sibling or relative as part of the graduating class, please email your name (maiden and married), address, phone number and email address to shsclass1980@yahoo.com. Or call 386-362-6309 to leave a message.

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the reunion.