Lake City Community Planner for Nov. 4

Hospice memorial

Winyah Community Hospice Care, an Amedisys Company, will hold its Annual Memorial Service Thursday at 6:30 pm in Lake City Pentecostal Holiness Church, at 608 S. Ron McNair Blvd. in Lake City.

A reception in the social hall will follow immediately after the event.

Winyah Community Hospice Care is located at 217 Dozier Blvd., Suite 200, in Florence.

For more information, call (877) 656-0820.

Billie Hardee Home

Billie Hardee Home for Boys will have a yard sale from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at 1133 Timmonsville Highway, Darlington. For information, call Dianne Dennis at (843) 393-8600, ext. 308.

Weight Watchers

The Lake City Community Hospital will offer Weight Watchers classes at 11:30 a.m. beginning today. A five-week program is $49, and a 10-week program is $98. For information, call (843) 382-9827.

Fundraiser banquet

Faith & Hope Intervention Program will hold A Black Tie Affair Fundraiser Banquet at 7 p.m. Nov. 14 in Lake City Pentecostal Holiness Church Recreation Center with speaker Maimie Harris. Donations are $15. For information, call Paula Morris at (843) 598-2236.

Food gift certificates

Senior Citizens Association will be distributing $25 food gift certificates to people who are unemployed or underemployed in Florence County.

The certificates must be used for food only, with no cash returned, and are to be used at a local designated vendor. The association is in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist individuals who are facing hardship and financial difficulty at this time. 

Qualifications for receiving the food gift certificates are:

• 50 years of age and older
• Picture ID
• Proof of age
• Live in Florence County
• Proof of income of $500 or less
• One gift certificate per household
• Unemployed or underemployed

Applications will be available at the Leatherman Senior Center, at 600 Senior Way in Florence, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Monday. Completed applications must be returned by 1 p.m. Tuesday. No applications will be accepted after that date and time. The association has a limited number of food gift certificates.

For additional information, call the Senior Citizens Association at (843) 669-6761.

Olanta Christmas Parade

The Olanta Beautification Committee will sponsor a Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 19 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.

Governor’s School for arts, humanities

The South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, in Greenville, is accepting applications for its 2010 summer programs and the 2010-11 residential high school.

Applications are available online at http://www.scgsah.org/section/admissions or by contacting the Office of Enrollment and Outreach at (864) 282-3713. Applications may also be requested via email at .

All applications must be postmarked by Jan. 8. Regional auditions will be held in February 2010. The locations and dates are as follows:

• Greenville: Feb. 6, Governor’s School campus
• Charleston: Feb. 13, College of Charleston
• Columbia: Feb. 20, Columbia College

The South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities is a statewide public residential high school for emerging artists. The nine-month residential high school program offers rigorous academics and pre-professional training in one of five arts areas: creative writing, dance, drama, music or visual arts. Summer programs are offered in each of the art areas.

High school sophomores may apply to the residential high school. Students interested in the dance program may also apply in grades eight or nine to attend the residential high school.

Summer programs include:

• Discovery: A two-week program in creative writing, drama, music or visual arts for rising ninth-grade students. Apply in the eigth grade.
• Academy: A two-week program in creative writing, drama, music or visual arts for rising 10th-grade students. Apply in the ninth grade.
• Summer Dance: A five-week program in ballet and modern dance for rising seventh- through 12th-grade students. Apply in grades six through 11.

For more information, call the school’s Office of Enrollment and Outreach at (864) 282-3713.

Fiction, poetry festival

Four nationally known and best-selling authors and poets will visit Francis Marion University for the Pee Dee Fiction and Poetry Festival from Thursday through Saturday. The three-day event is free and open to the public. The event will celebrate and promote literature and reading with renowned authors Dorothy Allison, Joseph Millar, Jayne Anne Phillips and Natasha Trethewey. There will be readings, lectures and panel discussions with programs for mature audiences as well as opportunities for book signings. In addition, attendees can see screenings of films “Bastard out of Carolina” and “Cavedweller,” based on novels by Allison.

FMU Observatory

Francis Marion University’s Observatory will hold a public viewing session from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 20. The session requires clear skies; call (843) 661-1355 to check on weather conditions. Admission is free. For information, call (843) 661-1441.

FMU Thanksgiving break

Francis Marion University is closed for the Thanksgiving holiday Nov. 26 and 27.  Classes resume Nov. 30. For information, call (843) 661-1220.

FMU open house

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 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.

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 http://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.