Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009

Free health seminars

The Carolina Forest Senior Health Center will sponsor three seminars and two screenings in April. The center is at 199 Village Center Blvd, near the intersection of River Oaks and International Drive in Carolina Forest.

A free hearing screening will be from 2-4 p.m. April 2.

A free blood pressure screening will be 2-4 p.m. April 7.

-James Graham Jr. will speak at 2 p.m. April 15 about different types of addictions. Graham will discuss behavior associated with different addictions as well as treatment.

Bunions, fungal toe nails and other foot care topics will be discussed at 10 a.m. April 21. Podiatrist Joseph Menn will talk about prevention and treatment of foot problems.

Geriatric specialist Romeo Nillas will talk about health maintenance for seniors at 10 a.m. April 29. Nillas will discuss osteoporosis, immunizations and appropriate screenings for older adults.

All events are free and open to the public. Call 236-5700 to register or to receive more information.

Ladies fellowship

Celebration Presbyterian Church, located at 2300 Carolina Forest Blvd, will hold its next Ladies Fellowship at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Please bring a sandwich cut in quarters to put on the community plate to share.

There will be a guest speaker who will talk about stress.

Please bring individually wrapped Easter candy (no chocolate, please) and plastic eggs to be used at the Easter Egg-Stravaganza from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 4 at the church. The event is open to the public.

Festival vendors sought

Applications are being accepted for arts and crafts vendors and food vendors for the annual Sun Fun and Beach, Boogie & BBQ festivals.

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its 58th Sun Fun Festival June 5-6 and fourth Beach, Boogie & BBQ Festival Sept. 4-5.

Both festivals will be in Grand Park across from The Market Common on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Festival events are free and family-friendly, and include concerts and other activities.

Online applications are available for both festivals at SunFunFestival.com. The deadline to submit completed applications is April 15. Space is limited.

Free pet vaccines

Local veterinarian Muhammad Bajwa, owner of Best Friends Animal Hospital, is holding a free vaccination clinic for pet owners who have fallen on hard times from 9 a.m. to noon April 5 at Best Friends Animal Hospital, 854 E. Jason Blvd., Myrtle Beach (across U.S. 17 Bypass from The Sun News, north of the intersection of U.S. 501 and the bypass).

The purpose of the clinic is to provide free distemper and rabies vaccines to dogs and cats.

Volunteers are needed to help out during the clinic with greeting, registration, data entry and other non-medical duties.

For more information, call the Best Friends Animal Hospital at 839-7387.

Sweetie Pie tickets

Tickets are on sale for the annual Grand Strand Humane Society Sweetie-Pie Beauty Pageant Fundraiser.

The event is at 6 p.m. April 9 at Revolutions Nightclub at Broadway at the Beach.

Tickets are $50. Hors doeuvres will be served, and a cash bar will be available.

Tickets are available at the shelter, 3241 Mr. Joe White Avenue, Myrtle Beach: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Tickets also may be ordered by calling 445-2909 or 918-4913.

Sweetie-Pie is a beauty pageant in which prominent local businessmen dress like women and compete in evening gown and talent competitions in the hopes of being crowned Miss Sweetie-Pie 2009. The contestant that raises the most money will be crowned Miss Congeniality.

Artists, crafters wanted

Artists and crafters are sought to participate in Conway's 23rd Annual Rivertown Music & Arts Festival on May 2 in downtown Conway. There will be music, art and a variety of food. A few spots for booths still remain. Spaces are 10 by 10 and the fee is $50. Tents are required for every booth.

For more information and an application, contact Conway Main Street at 248-6260 or mainstreet@sccoast.net.

Application deadline is April 3.

Academy open house

The Academy for the Arts, Science, and Technology is holding an open house from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday for prospective students and their parents. Come learn about the nine career majors and academics we offer to Horry County Schools' juniors and seniors.

Visit the school on the Web at http://aast.horrycountyschools.net/ or call 903-8460.

Black Water yard sale

Black Water Middle School is holding its first annual yard sale Saturday in the school parking lot, rain or shine. Tables are available for $20. Funds raised will be used to buy items for the school per a teachers' wish list.

Contact Renee at avon@sccoast.com or the school for information.

Also, the school's National Junior Beta Club has kicked off its Relay for Life project. The club has set a fundraising goal and will participate in the relay April 17 in Conway. If the club reaches its goal, the women teachers will dress up in prom-type outfits for a day. (After reaching the Polar Plunge goal, the men teachers dressed as women for a day.)

Spring Fling

Ocean Bay Elementary School is holding its annual Spring Fling from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday to give students and the community a chance to have fun for two good causes: interactive whiteboards for classrooms and funds for the annual three-day trip to Washington, D.C., for fifth-graders.

Also, the school recently launched OBE Coast Guard, a program that matches volunteers - retirees, parents, others - with two to three children for tutoring.

You can volunteer an hour a week or even an hour an month.

School registration

Horry County Schools is holding registration for the 4-year-old child development class, kindergarten and first grade March 30-April 3 at each elementary school.

You must bring your child's immunization record, birth certificate, social security card and proof of residency (a current bill for phone, water or other utility service).

If you are unsure what school you need to go to, call 488-6712.

Wildlife club meeting

The Carolina Forest chapter of the Wildlife Action group would like to remind you of three events:

The Waccamaw Riversweep, on March 28. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Conway marina. Refreshments will be offered following the cleanup at about noon. Call 349-4007.

Horry County Chapter Pioneer Youth Day event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 4. Kids age 8 to 18 will learn about gun safety and compete for prizes. Lunch is free. Call 997-5613.

Carolina Forest Chapter Earth Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 18 at the Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology. Loving the Earth Trailers will be on display. The event is free and open to the public.

CFHS plant sale

Carolina Forest High School offers its FFA spring plant sale in the school greenhouse (behind the school and athletic fields off Postal Way).

8 a.m.-5 p.m. April 4 & 11

9 a.m. -5 p.m. April 6, 8 & 10

Before and after school in April upon request.

Prices | single plant cell, $.50; flats, $8; hanging baskets, $7; gallon containers, $2-$4; 2-inch pots, $.75.

Plant selection | Flowers, vegetables, herbs, some woody ornamentals.

Call: 236-7997 Ext. 63054.

The school also offers its 2009 Spring Gardening Series: The Everlasting Garden, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 24 through April 16. The sessions are either in the horticulture classroom at the school or at local nurseries.

For more information, call Harry DuBose at 236-7997, ext 63054, or e-mail at hdubose@horrycountyschools.net or Cathy Smith, 357-4691, or e-mail at cathysmith@sc.rr.com.

Run in the Forest

The first-ever Run in the Forest 5K and 10K foot races will be April 18. Start time is 7 a.m. behind Fitness Edge next to the Kroger shopping center, Carolina Forest Boulevard. Cost is $30 per person, and the deadline to register is April 11.

To register, go to www.cfcommunitycenter.org or stop by the Carolina Forest Community Center, 1381 Carolina Forest Blvd.

To get more information or to be a sponsor, call Brody Hillman at 903-4681.

CFES fundraiser

Carolina Forest Elementary School is raising money for the March of Dimes.

The school is selling March of Dimes T-shirts for $5 and guesses on the M&Ms jar for 50 cents. The student who correctly guesses the number of M&Ms wins a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart. The school encourages students to bring in their change for the March of Dimes through April. The classroom that collects the most money receives a pizza party.

Golf fundraiser

The Rotary Club of Carolina Forest Sunrise on Sunday is holding the Annual Family Mini Golf Tournament Fundraiser, which is open to the public. Send an e-mail to the Rotary through its Web site: www.carolinaforestrotary

.org/contact.html.