Community Planner for Nov. 11

Lake City Veterans Day service

The Wilbur Jones Post 73 of The American Legion, along with Post 3412 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Chapter 71 of the Disabled American Veterans, will hold a Veterans Day Service at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Lake City.

The event will take place at the former National Guard Armory, which is now under the management of the Lake City Recreation Department and is located at 131 Calhoun St.

The Lake City High School Band and Ensemble as well as the JROTC Honor Guard will participate in this ceremony to honor and remember veterans of military service. The public is invited.

The theme this year will be on flag etiquette and how we should care for and proudly exhibit the symbol of our country.

Armistice Day, which was been celebrated on Nov. 11 since 1918, was changed by law to Veterans Day. Originally marking the cessation of hostilities in World War I, the day now commemorates the services of those who fought in all wars.

If you have any questions, please contact Jim Haynes, adjutant of American Legion Wilbur Jones Post 73, at (843) 687-6231.

‘The American Soldier’

“The American Soldier — A Photographic Tribute,” an exhibition of 116 photographs from the Civil War to the war in Iraq, will open to the public at 9 a.m. today Florence Civic Center of Florence.

The display will be on view until Feb. 2.

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.

Hartsville Chamber Ensemble
The Lake City Concert Series will present the Hartsville Chamber Ensemble in concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Lake City Presbyterian Church. The church is located at 301 E. Main Street in Lake City. Admission to this concert is by season ticket; tickets at the door are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children younger than 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

‘Incident at Mars Bluff’

“Incident at Mars Bluff,” a documentary about the time a nuclear bomb was dropped in Florence County, will be screened at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library, at 509 S. Dargan St. in Florence.

The program will air on S.C. ETV at 9 p.m. Nov. 19.

Another screening will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Nickelodeon Theatre, at 937 Main St. in Columbia.

The screenings will be followed by a question-and-answer session with producer and director Matt Burrows.

The Columbia event is a benefit screening for both the Nickelodeon and ETV, and tickets cost $15. This event will include a screening of “Displaced: The Unexpected Fallout from the Cold War,” a documentary from the “Southern Lens” series. “Displaced” will air at 10 p.m. Nov. 19.

Rotary Thanksgiving

The Lake City Rotary Club on Nov. 20 will hold a Thanksgiving program to celebrate the club’s 80th anniversary. All Rotarians are invited, as well as former Rotary members, widows of Rotarians, former Lions Club members and anyone who has been involved in civic organizations. The event will start at noon at Prosser’s Restaurant.

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.

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 Nov. 16-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.

Festival of Trees

The Festival of Trees is scheduled through Friday, Nov. 20 and the public is invited to view the decorative displays in The Parade of Trees in the McLeod Medical Plaza, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees, holiday wreaths, miniature trees, mantle pieces and centerpieces will transform the McLeod Medical Plaza into a magical winter wonderland during the 2009 Festival of Trees, a holiday event benefiting the McLeod Children’s Hospital.

‘Bridles and Boats’

ScienceSouth and the Francis Marion Trail Commission will co-sponsor “Revolutionary Era Transportation: Bridles and Boats” from 2-4 p.m. on Nov. 21. The event is funded by the Humanities Council of South Carolina at the ScienceSouth Pavilion at Freedom Florence. Attendees can meet the Marsh Tacky horses, learn about the Brown's Ferry Vessel and sample food of the era. The event is free and open to the public.

Olanta Christmas Parade

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.

FMU events

• Francis Marion University’s Observatory will hold public viewing sessions from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 20 and Dec. 4. The sessions require clear skies; call (843) 661-1355 to check on weather conditions. Admission is free. For information, call (843) 661-1441.
  
• Francis Marion University is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday Nov. 26 and 27. Classes resume Nov. 30. For information, call (843) 661-1220.
  
• Francis Marion University on Nov. 21 will hold an open house for prospective students and their families. For registration and information, call (843) 661-1231.
  
• The Francis Marion University String Ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 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. Dec. 6 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 Dec. 7-19. 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. Dec. 8 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. Nov. 22 and Dec. 13 and 20 on the second floor of the Cauthen Educational Media Center. Admission is free. For information, call (843) 661-1441.

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

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.