Lake City Community Planner for Dec. 2

Charter school meetings

The Lake City College Preparatory Academy, a free public charter school, and Dr. Deloris Brown have scheduled the following dates for upcoming meetings concerning the new school coming to Lake City:

• 6 p.m. Thursday
  
• 1 p.m. Dec. 10
  
• 1 p.m. Dec. 16
  
• 1 p.m. Jan. 6
  
• 6 p.m. Jan. 7

All meetings will be held in the Lake City College Preparatory Academy’s office, at 107 S. Acline St. in Lake City. For information, call (843) 374-9029.

Winterpalooza

ScienceSouth will hold Winterpalooza on Saturday. Children can enjoy hands-on, minds-on holiday science activities that aim to be fun and educational. They’ll decorate their own wrapping paper, make chromatography greeting cards and even see it snow inside. The cost is $15 per child, which includes a special seasonal snack.

Winterpalooza is for children ages 5-12 and runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the ScienceSouth Pavilion at Freedom Florence. Register your child at www.sciencesouth.org or call (843) 679-5353 for assistance.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots drop off points are at Dollar General, McDonald’s, Bi-Lo and Food Lion stores. Please donate a new unwrapped toy.

Safe Sitter courses

Safe Kids Florence, led by McLeod Health, will host a series of Safe Sitter courses for girls and boys ages 11 to 13. The courses will take place from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the McLeod Medical Plaza Classroom.

Upcoming dates are as follows:

• Dec. 18 (register by Friday)
  
• Jan. 12 (register by Dec. 28)
  
• Feb. 12 (register by Jan. 28)
  
• March 30 (register by March 16)

S.C. Holiday Market

The National Bean Market Museum, at 111 Henry St. in Lake City, will hold the S.C. Holiday Market from Friday through Sunday. For more information, call Sherri Moore at the Museum Gift Shop at (843) 374-1500.

Christmas parades

The Lake City Christmas Parade will be at 6 p.m. Friday. For information, call (843) 374-8611.

The Town of Olanta Beautification Committee will hold a Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting ceremony on Dec. 19. The parade begins at 3:30 p.m. with the tree lighting to follow. Floats will be available for rent from Kirby Float Company. For more information or an application for the parade, call Debbie Floyd at (843) 396-9282.

‘Messiah’

“Messiah” by G.F. Handel will be presented by The Florence Symphony Orchestra with a concert choir composed of singers from Florence First Presbyterian Church, Lake City First Baptist Church, Lake City United Methodist Church, Lake City Presbyterian Church and Hebron Independent Church. The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Florence Civic Center. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children.

Gospel concert, dinner

The Carolina Academy baseball team will hold a gospel concert and dinner fundraiser starting at 6 p.m. Jan. 16 in The Carolina Academy gym.

Musical group The Bluebirds will perform, and the meal will be a barbecue chicken dinner. The cost is $8 per person, which includes a meal, or $6 per person for the concert only.

For information and tickets, call Sherri Moore at the Museum Gift Shop at (843) 374-1500.

Volunteers needed

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) of Williamsburg County will hold an informational session at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the DPA/E-911 Building on Brooks Street in Kingstree. CERT is recruiting motivated and dedicated individuals to volunteer to become part of an organization that will be activated during emergencies. For information, call the county’s Disaster Preparedness Agency at (843) 354-3860.

Coker Christmas Baseball Camp

The 2009 Coker College Christmas Baseball Camp will take place from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 18 and from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 19-20.

The cost is $55 per player. A pitching and hitting camp will be held for ages 6 to 17.

Each player will receive a camp T-shirt and coaching and instruction by coach Dave Schmotzer and his staff. All players should bring their own bats and gloves to camp; all other equipment will be provided.

Contact Schmotzer at (843) 383-8105 or dschmotzer@coker.edu for more information or to register.

Visit cokercobras.com for the latest news and info on Cobras athletics.

Discount book market

The OM Ships Discount Book Market in Florence is open for Christmas shopping from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

OM Ships International, a nonprofit Christian charity organization with a local office at 781 St. Andrews Road, sponsors the Book Market, which is located at 131 Pamplico Highway at Coles Crossroads, just off the intersection of South Irby Street and Pamplico Highway.

The main attraction will be low-cost Bibles in many versions, Christian books on many topics, educational books, business books and especially books for children. Also housed in this facility is OM Ships’ internet book ministry, as well as the shipping and receiving department of the Literature Division that supplies Doulos and Logos Hope, the ocean-going “Book Ships” of this unique global ministry.

All proceeds from the OM Ships Discount Book Market go toward development of a permanent OM Ships Ministry Center in Florence, as the ministry’s book distribution facilities have now been moved from Georgia to Florence.

Gospel Sing at the Beach

A Gospel Sing at the Beach event will take place at 7 p.m. Friday at Myrtle Beach High School. The concert will feature The McKameys from Clinton, Tenn.; The McDonald Sisters from Fayetteville N.C.; and Rabon Sisters from Conway. For tickets or sponsorship information, call (843) 385-1523 or (843) 340-7927.

Disabilities foundation

Florence County Disabilities Foundation is in need of sponsors for this year’s “Making a Difference at Christmas” project for individuals with disabilities and special needs from Florence County who are in need of gifts this Christmas.

Any business, corporation, church, civic group or other interested organization throughout Florence County is encouraged to participate.

Names and suggested gift items have been submitted by social workers of the Florence County Disabilities and Special Needs Board for those individuals who do not have families or have families in financial need. Gifts may be purchased, or you may submit a donation and volunteers from the foundation will purchase the gift by Dec. 15.

Anyone wishing to participate may stop by a location of one of the project’s sponsors — of which a full list will be released later — and select an envelope from one of the trees to help make Christmas brighter for an individual with disabilities.

Cards representing packages are also being offered at many of these locations for a donation of $1 or more. These donations will be used to assist with purchasing gifts and gift wrap for the “Making a Difference at Christmas” project.

For more information, call the foundation at (843) 374-2641 or (843) 662-4021.

‘The American Soldier’

“The American Soldier — A Photographic Tribute,” an exhibition of 116 photographs from the Civil War to the war in Iraq, will be on view until Feb. 2 at Florence Civic Center in Florence.

The 116 enlarged photographs in this exhibition cover the United States at war during the Civil War, Spanish-American War, Boxer Rebellion, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War and Afghanistan as well as in the streets of Baghdad.

WTC Hemingway classes

Williamsburg Technical College will offer English Literature II and Western Civilization to 1689, a freshman-level history course, during the spring semester at the Hemingway Public Library.

The English course (ENG 206) will be taught by Charles DeMay on Tuesday evenings from 6-9 p.m. The history course (HIS 101) will meet on Mondays from 6-9 p.m. under the leadership of Alan Harrelson. Both courses are part of the South Carolina university transfer agreement.

Students interested in taking the courses should apply now at Williamsburg Technical College. Once all paperwork is complete, they can avoid long lines by registering through Dec. 3. Open registration is from 3-8 p.m. Jan. 6 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 7. Spring classes begin Jan. 11.

For more information, call (843) 355-4133 or e-mail chandlerm@wiltech.edu.

FMU events

• Francis Marion University’s Observatory will hold public viewing sessions from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. The sessions require clear skies; call (843) 661-1355 to check on weather conditions. Admission is free. For information, call (843) 661-1441.
  
• The Francis Marion University String Ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Kassab Recital Hall of the Hyman Fine Arts Center. Admission is free. For information, call (843) 661-1385.
  
• Francis Marion University’s Concert Choir and Cut Time Show Choir will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Kassab Recital Hall of the Hyman Fine Arts Center. Admission is free. For information, call (843) 661-1385.
  
• Francis Marion University’s Art Gallery Series will present student works by FMU Ceramics Classes Monday through Dec. 19. The free exhibit may be viewed between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Hyman Fine Arts Center. For information, call (843) 661-1385.
  
• Francis Marion University will host the Pee Dee Regional High School Mathematics Tournament between 9:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Tuesday in the Chapman Auditorium of the McNair Science Building. For information, call (843) 661-1220.
  
• Francis Marion University’s fall commencement exercises will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 19 in the Smith University Center. For information, call (843) 661-1220.
  
• Francis Marion University will close for the holiday break at the end of business hours Dec. 22. Offices will reopen Jan. 4. For information, call (843) 661-1220.

‘The Christmas Star’

Francis Marion University’s Dooley Planetarium will present “The Christmas Star” at 3 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20 on the second floor of the Cauthen Educational Media Center. Admission is free. For information, call (843) 661-1441.

‘Smackdown & ECW Live’

World Wrestling Entertainment will present “Smackdown & ECW Live” at 5 p.m. Jan. 17 at Florence Civic Center in Florence.

The following WWE Superstars are scheduled to appear: The Undertaker, Batista, Chris Jericho, CM Punk, Christian, Matt Hardy, William Regal, R-Truth, Cryme Tyme, Tommy Dreamer, Shelton Benjamin, The Hart Dynasty, Vance Archer, Zack Ryder, Jimmy Yang, Drew McIntyre, Mickie James, Michelle McCool and others.

During the matches, The Undertaker will face “The Animal” Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship, Christian and William Regal will face off for the ECW Championship, and R-Truth will face Chris Jericho in a Smackdown Challenge Match.

Tickets are on sale; prices are $60, $40, $30, $20 and $15. They are available at the Florence Civic Center box office, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by phone at (800) 745-3000

Miniature art competition

The Florence Museum of Art, Science and History invites artists to submit work for the 21st Annual Miniature Art Competition, presented by The Friends of the Florence Museum.

Each work cannot exceed four inches by five inches, and artists are allowed to submit two works for a single $15 registration fee. The first-place award will be $300, with the other awards given on a descending scale to four honorable mentions at $65 each. One artist will receive the Ann Finch Award, given specifically to a work done in watercolor.

Also this year, concurrent with the exhibit, the Friends will be hosting the second annual Holiday Art House. This event will be a temporary retail space in the museum where regional artists and authors will have items for sale for Christmas. All items will be priced at $50 and under. A prospectus for interested artists is available for download at www.florencemusuem.org.

For information, call (843) 662-3351.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Tuesday through Saturday and 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Narconon

No matter where you are or what day it is, if your loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol, get them into an effective substance abuse treatment program as soon as possible. For information on the drug and alcohol rehabilitation program at Narconon Arrowhead, call (800) 468-6933 or visit www.stopaddiction.com. Narconon offers free counseling, assessments and referrals to more than 11,000 centers nationwide.

Farmers market

The Lake City Farmers Market will hold the following scheduled activities:

• First Saturday of every month — yard sales
  
• Second and fourth Saturdays of every month — bake sales
  
• Third Saturday of every month — barter days

If you are a nonprofit organization or group and need to do a fundraiser, please contact the National Bean Market Museum office to participate in any of the above activities. If you participate in the yard sales for profit, a $5 fee is required for joining the yard sale group.

On barter days, there is no charge for the public to bring items to the market to trade with others who participate (the farmers market is not included in barter days).

For more information, call Sherri Moore at (843) 374-1500.