Johnston County WIC Program Do you have a child under the age of 5? Are you pregnant or breastfeeding a baby? Then, the Johnston County WIC Program may benefit you. The WIC Program provides: healthy foods, health related referrals, nutrition education, and breastfeeding support and information. To Be Eligible: Applicants must live in Johnston County, meet income guidelines, and have an identified nutrition/medical risk factor. For more information about WIC in your area, visit the Johnston County website at: www.johnstonnc.com/health; visit the Johnston County Health Department* at: 517 N. Brightleaf Boulevard, Smithfield, NC 27577; or call (919) 989-5255. *This institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider.

More at Four program accepting applications Applications for the Partnership for Children of Johnston County’s More at Four Program are now available. More at Four is a no cost pre-kindergarten program for 4 year olds that provides high quality early education to enhance kindergarten readiness. To qualify for the programs, Johnston County families must meet income guidelines and children must turn 4 by August 31, 2010 (born between October 17, 2005 and August 31, 2006). Children meeting the most risk factors will be given priority for placement. The program is NOT first come, first served. Applications can be downloaded at www.pfcjc.org, stop by the Partnership office at 1406-A S. Pollock St in Selma or call (919) 202-0002. Pre-scheduled appointments to submit completed applications will be available from Feb. 23 - April 30.

Curves Food Drive for Harbor, Inc. Curves of Cleveland is accepting food donations during March for Harbor, Inc. Harbor, Inc., located in Johnston County, provides shelter and assistance to victims of domestic and sexual violence. Curves will also waive their service fee for donors wishing to join. For more info call (919) 661-9646.

Upcoming events at Johnston Health Advanced Life Support classes Want to learn pediatric advanced life support or need to re-certify in advanced life support? A PALS class will be offered from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. on March 24 & 25 in the medical mall auditorium. To pre-register, call 938-7736. The fee is $200 and includes materials. Diabetes class Want to learn how to better manage your diabetes? A class for outpatients will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 23 in room 1404B of the medical mall. Participants must have orders from their doctors to attend and must contact the hospital’s scheduling department for an appointment. Insurance will be filed. Diabetes Alert Day Get your blood sugar checked during a free screening from 7:30 till 9:30 a.m. on March 30 in front of the mall auditorium.

Tots and Tales Tots and Tales is an ongoing event, held the second Thursday (Clayton) and Friday (Selma) of every month. Tots and Tales is a Literacy Program for Families with young Children featuring special guest readers from the community. Explore the wonders of reading with your children through a creative experience with literature, crafts and songs in the Partnership for Children’s Early Learning Resource Center! In Clayton, 918 Hwy 42. W. on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m.; and in Selma, 1406-A S. Pollock St. on the 2nd Friday of each month at 10:30 a.m. Call 202-0002 or visit www.pfcjc.org for more information.

Pine Straw Sales to support Camp Agape Purchase a 2.3 cubic foot bale of long leaf, clean Pine Straw and help support Camp Agape, a Christian summer camp for children south of Fuquay-Varina. On Saturday, March 20 pine straw will be on sale for $5 a bale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 2100 Buffaloe Rd, Garner. Proceeds will be donated to the Camp to support scholarships for local children as well as for maintenance and improvement of the facilities. There will be free delivery in the Garner area on orders of 15 or more bales. Customers purchasing fewer than 15 bales may pick up on site or have it delivered for an additional $5 fee. Weekday sales and deliveries are available from March 15-19 by appointment only. If you wish to pre-order or have questions, leave a message at (919) 986-0960. Lord of Life Lutheran Church is next to Lake Bensen where Buffaloe Road dead-ends at Aversboro Road.

Introduction to Real Estate Investing This free workshop will be held Thursday, March 18 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Registration begins at 6 p.m. Workshop will be held at: 900 Ridgefield Drive Suite 90, Raleigh, NC 27609. Are you wondering if you should take advantage of this awesome buyer's market? YES! You can still get Investor loans in today's market! Come learn about how and what is negotiable in this market, what has changed, and how to locate and evaluate properties in terms of return on investment potential. We will talk about 1031 exchanges, how to put together a strategy/plan that allows you to use Real Estate to produce multiple income streams and help you retire within your desired timeframe...Questions and answers segment. Workshop taught by industry professionals Jim Morton and Amy Bonis, Certified Mortgage Planner. Please join us for this Free workshop. Preregistration required. You can register on line at www.amybonis.com or call Annie Sanders at (919) 747-7935. Call today, seating is limited!

Clayton Teen Fest Clayton Teen Fest 2010, a Christian youth conference and festival for teenagers, will be held Saturday, March 20 at 4 p.m. at the Clayton Civitan Football Field. This festival is the brainchild and senior project of student Jordan Wing. There will be music, bands, speakers, entertainment, dramas, testimonies, games and a lot of rides.

Spring Fashion Runway Event Looking for an afternoon full of Fun and Fashion? Spring Fashion Runway Event March 20 ~ 2 p.m. Hosted by “The Shoppes on Main” 212 S. Main Street, downtown Fuquay-Varina The fashion show will feature the new Spring and Summer children’s lines from Sweet Treat Boutique, a local children’s clothing designer. The Preteen & Teen designs will also make their debut at this event! Open to the public at no charge, this is the perfect event to find that special item for a little princess in your life while browsing the 11 unique stores that offer everything from handcrafted gifts to gourmet foods. For more information visit sweettreatboutique.com

Red Cross Blood Drive at Mount Zion UMC On Sunday, March 21, there will be a Red Cross Blood Drive at Mount Zion United Methodist Church from 12:15-4:45 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. For appointments go online to www.membersforlife.org/cbsr/schedule click on “search by sponsor” and enter sponsor code “1310” or call Sandy Wise at 894-2203. All presenting donors are automatically entered in a drawing to win a $1,000 Gift Card! Mount Zion is located at 15772 NC 50 N, ¼ mile south of the intersection of Hwy 50 and Hwy 42. Mount Zion welcomes visitors to its fellowship! For additional information, please contact the church office at 772-8415 or e-mail info@mountzion-umc.org Additional information about Mount Zion can be found at www.mountzion-umc.org.

Call to vendors The Johnston County Arts Council, in partnership with Johnston Community College Arboretum, will hold our first Celebrate the Earth Festival on the JCC Arboretum campus in Smithfield. We are excited about having this high-visibility area available for our celebration. We are asking for your support in participation, without which we would not be able to present this exciting event for our community. Please note: There is NO charge for participation in this countywide event. The festival encompasses several exciting events including the Annual Plant Sale-A-Bration hosted by JCC Arboretum and the kick-off event for Johnston County Reads. Johnston County Reads will focus on the environmental novel, Silent Spring by Rachael Carson. In keeping with the environmental theme, Celebrate the Earth will focus on local environmental issues and solutions. You don’t want to miss out on this great opportunity to showcase yourself. A vendor registration form may be downloaded from our website at: www.johnstoncountyarts.org. For more information, please contact Zilphia Adcock at (919) 553-1930 or info@johnstoncountyarts.org. Registration deadline is March 22.

Spring Premier Horse Show Immediately following the first day of spring comes the 17th Annual Raleigh Spring Premier Horse Show, which begins on March 25. When the weather starts to get warm and the flowers begin to bloom, it is a great time to show horses. There is no better place to be this time of year than here in Raleigh, enjoying the beautiful horses. Early indications show that a large number of American Saddlebred horses, Hackney ponies, Roadster horses and ponies, and Morgan horses will be here to compete for awards and prize money. It is even more important for a horse to be the top in its class and receive the blue ribbon and trophy under the spotlight. Admission and parking are free, and at each performance there will be drawings for the general public to win a prize. All you have to do is put your name on a ticket and drop it in the box. Drawings will be held on the following dates and times: March 25 and 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 6-9 p.m. and March 27, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., 6-9 p.m. Prizes will be announced at the beginning of each performance. There is no cost to enter the drawings, all you have to do is be present and sign up. We are interested in having spectators at the show to cheer the horses on. They love the noise of the crowd, and the riders and owners love to have people watching. Who knows? You might be riding a horse at the next show.

Hope Church Spring Festival Hope Church is holding its Second Annual Spring Festival Saturday, March 27 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Clayton Middle School on Guy Road, Clayton. There will be something for everyone including games, rides, food and crafts vendors. They are also conducting a canned and boxed food drive to benefit Clayton Area Ministries. This is a FREE event, except for food and beverages. Bring a friend! For additional information contact Gary Capps (910) 262-0872 or Dorothy Lemay (919) 413-6353. See photos of last year's event at www.hopechurchclayton.org.

The American Legion Post 116 Easter Egg Hunt The American Legion Post 116 in Fuquay-Varina will be having their annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday March 27at 11 a.m. This event is open to the public for kids ages 1 through 12. There will be live chicks and a bunny for all to see. The Easter Bunny will be giving out candy and eager to have your picture taken with him. Easter tattoos will be applied to all who wants them (even Mom and Dad)! There will be a raffle for some BIG stuffed animals, too! If you have any questions please contact Diane Yager at 557-5316.

Support JCAPL for a free family portrait Receive a free 8 x 10 professional portrait when you help the Johnston County Animal Protection League. A local professional photographer will be on hand Sunday, March 28. Include the entire family in your photo, including your pets, and choose from fashionable backgrounds and props and free digital skin retouching for family. Limited appointments are available, so call Gloria at (919) 422-6002 to schedule your appointment today! One $15 donation (entire $15 goes to JCAPL) covers as many people and pets as you would like to include in your photo session. We must limit one donation and one complimentary portrait per household.

Christian Adoption Services Informational Meeting Christian Adoption Services, Inc., a 30 year old fully licensed and accredited NC non-profit adoption agency, will be holding a free domestic and international adoption informational meeting on Tuesday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m., at Hope Cafe, 201 Tryon Road, Raleigh, NC. Please call (704) 847-0038 or email CAS@christianadopt.org to register.

Public speaking contest to be held March 31 at JCC The Johnston County Middle College High School and Early College Academy are holding a public speaking contest on Wednesday, March 31. The contest is open to all students enrolled in the Johnston County Middle College High School and Early College Academy. The contest will be held from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. in the Wilson Building Conference Room on the JCC main campus in Smithfield. Contestants are required to submit their speech outline by March 24 to Jane Robbins, public speaking instructor, at P.O. Box 2350, Smithfield, N.C., 27577-2350. Topics must pay tribute to a person, organization, or event in our community. Speeches are required to be no less than four minutes and no more than five minutes in length. Subjects must be introduced clearly by following one main idea that is developed with supporting material. The speech should be adapted to the audience though clear examples and vivid use of language. For more information, please contact Jane Robbins at (919) 209-2197 or at jkrobbins@johnstoncc.edu.

Easter events at Mt. Zion UMC Mt. Zion United Methodist Church invites you to attend: Good Friday Service on April 2 at 7 p.m.; Easter Sunday Services on April 4: 7 a.m. Outside Sunrise Service followed by a light breakfast in fellowship hall. 8:30 a.m. Easter Cantata Service 10 a.m. Sunday School 11 a.m. Easter Cantata Service 5 p.m. A special Easter edition of our weekly family interactive worship service We extend an invitation to you to come to our Good Friday Service, and our Easter Services. We will be viewing “The Passion of the Christ” at our Good Friday Worship Service. This year’s Easter Cantata is “I Know My Redeemer Lives” and will be presented at the 8:30 & 11 a.m. Worship Services. There will also be a children’s Easter celebration, “All-Around Easter,” on Saturday, April 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be faith based discovery stations set up for children and their families, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt and lunch. Mount Zion is located at 15772 NC 50 N, 1/4 mile south of the Hwy. 42 / Hwy. 50 intersection. Mount Zion welcomes visitors to its fellowship. For additional information, please contact the church office or e-mail info@mountzion-umc.org. Additional information about Mount Zion can be found at www.mountzion-umc.org.

Apex Golf Tournament Apex Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Golf Tournament on Tuesday, April 20 at Crooked Creek Golf Club. The registration deadline is April 13. To register or for more information, contact the Apex Chamber of Commerce at (919) 362-6456 or visit us at www.apexchamber.com

Life Decisions Coalition to host educational workshop Life Decisions Coalition of Wake County, an organization promoting advance care planning in the community through outreach and education, plans to host “The Circle of Life: Living Fully in the Midst of Illness, Stress and Transition” on Friday, April 16 at Hospice of Wake County. Sponsors include Hospice of Wake County, Duke HomeCare and Hospice, and Brown-Wynne and Mitchell Funeral Homes. The workshop, which begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 1:30 p.m., will include topics such as “Living with an Illness,” “Planning Ahead: Advance Directives – What Are Those Forms and How Do I Document My Healthcare Wishes?,” “There’s Comfort Food and Then There’s…Artificial Nutrition and Hydration,” and from keynote speaker Dr. Barnsley Brown: “Stress…Burnout…Help Me…Beat It!” In addition, a representative from North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall’s office will speak on the importance of advance directives. Following the workshop, staff will be available from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. to help guests complete forms for living will and healthcare power of attorney. Guests are encouraged to bring their own forms or can download from www.sosnc.com. Pre-registration is required for this event. To register, go to www.hospiceofwake.org, click on “news” and “calendar.” Cost per guest is $10 (includes materials and lunch; non-refundable). Life Decisions Coalition of Wake County is an organization promoting advance care planning in the community through outreach and education. The Coalition was started at the request of Hospice of Wake County, which is located at 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607. Our mission is to help people understand the importance of having early and ongoing conversations about future health and medical care needs so end-of-life wishes will be honored. For more information, go to www.hospiceofwake.org/ldcw or call Darcy Dye at (919) 828-0890.

Walk through History The Living Well Partnership of Johnston County is inviting you to participate in a “Walk through History” which will be held Saturday, April 17. The “Walk Through History” is a non-competitive, family friendly, 5k (3.2 mile) walk through historic and downtown Smithfield. Participation is free and this not a fundraiser. This initiative is one of the many ways the Living Well Partnership is addressing Adult and Childhood Obesity. The Partnership encourages all groups to pre-register. The groups who pre register may have a chance to win have a chance to win t-shirts, pedometers, or water bottles. There will also be additional games and activities for children to participate in including parachute and jump rope. Registration will take place at Centenary United Methodist Church starting at 8 a.m. The walk will begin at 8:30 a.m. To register please call the Health Education Section at (919) 989-5200.

Arts Council Announces Call to Artists for The Johnston County Arts Council announces a call to artists for the First Annual Johnston County Arts and Food Festival scheduled for April 30, 2010. Artists must live in Johnston County or be affiliated with a Johnston County Arts Organization. A prospectus is may be downloaded from our website at: www.johnstoncountyarts.org. For more information, please contact Zilphia Adcock at (919) 553-1930 or info@johnstoncountarts.org. Postmark Deadline: April 3. 25 local artists will receive a complimentary ticket to the event as guests of the Johnston County Arts Council and cash prizes will be awarded by juror: 1st place - $200; 2nd place - $100 and 3rd place - $50. People’s Choice will be awarded based on votes received at the Arts and Food Festival on April 30. If there are any questions concerning the juried show or to purchase additional tickets please contact Zilphia Adcock at (919) 553-1930 or info@johnstoncountyarts.org.

Overeaters Anonymous meets every Tuesday OA is not just about weight loss, gain or maintenance; or obesity or diets. It addresses physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. It is not a religious organization and does not promote any particular diet. If you want to stop your compulsive eating, welcome to Overeaters Anonymous. Overeaters Anonymous meets on Tuesdays from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Sovereign King Church, 110 Donmoor Ct. in Garner. Rotating format: Speaker, Big Book, OA/AA 12&12, Traditions and OA stories out of Lifeline. Driving Directions: From Raleigh on 70: Turn left on Mechanical at light (just before Lowes), left onto Donmoor. From Garner on 70: Turn right on McCormick, left on Mechanical, right on Donmoor. Contacts: Dale M. (919) 630-2592 or Liz V. (919) 661-0183. For more information, visit the group’s web site at www.triangleoa.org.

AWANA program at Mt. Herman Mt. Herman Christian Church, located at 8925 White Oak Road, Garner, NC 27529 has an AWANA program for children aged 3 years through 8th grade every Sunday night from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Join us if you are looking for an excellent Bible-based activity for your children. We will not meet on March 14 or April 4. Safe-child policies in place.

TUREMC  Bible Study The Upper Room Experience Ministry Church will be holding a weekly bible study on Fridays at 7 p.m. We will be studying and discussing the Scriptures about end times through the DVD series "What in the world is going on? by Dr. David Jeremiah. If you have any questions please call us at (919) 550-9627 or visit turemc.org for more information.

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