Local Notes

Courtesy Photo “Mother Nature,” portrayed by Diane Gately of Rogers, will read to children ages 3 to 6 at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area near Rogers. The theme for June will be “Butterflies.” The monthly story times are free. Information: 789-5000.
Courtesy Photo “Mother Nature,” portrayed by Diane Gately of Rogers, will read to children ages 3 to 6 at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area near Rogers. The theme for June will be “Butterflies.” The monthly story times are free. Information: 789-5000.

VA hospital

seeks volunteers

The Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks is seeking volunteers for the 28th annual National Veterans Golden Age Games which will be hosted by VHSO on the University of Arkansas campus from June 28 to July 2.

They are looking for volunteers for events, as well as airport greeters, public affairs and more. Those interested can go to www.veteransgoldenagegames.va.gov/ for more information or call the NVGAG office at (479) 443-4301, Ext. 66190.

Driver safety

topic Thursday

An AARP driver safety class will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Fayetteville Senior Activity and Wellness Center, 945 S. College Ave.

Designed for drivers older than 55, there are no tests, but participants receive an automobile insurance discount for three years. Cost is $20 or $15 for AARP members.

Enrollment: (479) 621-3089.

Brain games

set Saturday

LearningRx-Bentonville is holding a Brain Ninja Games event from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Orchards Park.

The free event will be an entertaining but low-pressure environment to flex mental muscles with an afternoon of cognitive competitions, such as:

• The Brain Bee: a backwards spelling bee

• The Deck-athlon: speed sorting specially designed cards

• Noggin Art: complete art tasks on your head

• Memory Marathon: how many words can you remember?

• Tangramathon: recreate the tangram formations

• Speed Stack Cups: fastest time to create the pattern wins

• Memory Math Sprint: a fun multitasking math challenge

Other events will include fueling up on healthy brain food and learning about the cool capabilities of the brain. Toys from the Smart Mom's Toy Box will be available for all ages to play with. Inferno Fitness and Martial Arts will be there with demonstrations.

All games, snacks and prizes are free. Walk-ins are welcome, but pre-registration is requested.

Information/registration: (479) 715-6870 or [email protected].

Cooper takes

artists to Italy

NorthWest Arkansas Community College art instructor Carol Cooper will lead a two-week watercolor workshop in Italy this summer, and students who attend can receive college credit.

The workshop, titled "The Multi-Media Experience in Italy," will be July 8-22 at La Romita, a 300-year-old monastery that has been transformed into an art school. Participants will be working in watercolor but also will study sketching and mixed media.

Participants wishing to obtain college credit can seek a course substitution upon their return. The course can be substituted for Introduction to Watercolor or Advanced Water Color.

Cost is $3,790, which includes all ground transportation, meals, lodging and instruction. Airfare is separate, and the flight will leave July 7 and arrive in Rome on July 8. The class is for students 18 and older.

Information: www.laromita.org or (855) 476-6482, [email protected].

Entrepreneur

speaks Sept. 16

Olympic champion and entrepreneur Sanya Richards-Ross will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2014 Northwest Arkansas Business Women's Conference Sept. 16. The conference is coordinated by the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce and is held at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers.

Richards-Ross is the fastest American woman in history at 400 meters. She became the first American woman in 28 years and only the second in history to be crowned Olympic Champion over 400m at the 2012 Games in London. She is a four-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion in track and field.

Tickets are $116 until Aug. 1.

Information: nwabusinesswomensconference.com.

Writing school

offers workshop

A half-day writing for storytelling workshop titled "Tales on the Rails" will be offered on an Arkansas & Missouri train car from 1 to 4 p.m. June 22.

From the creator and producer of the award-winning storytelling show "Tales from the South," Paula Martin Morell will discuss how stories are built, what makes a story interesting and accessible, and the importance of sharing stories.

The event is sponsored by the Village Writing School.

The workshop will take place on a train car at First and Poplar streets in Rogers. A one-hour train ride, departing at 1 p.m., is included in the workshop. Preregistration is required and class size is limited.

Cost for the half-day workshop is $35.

Registration: villagewritingschool.com.

Information: [email protected] or (479) 292-3665.

Watershed

offers camps

The magic of summertime returns to Northwest Arkansas with the Illinois River Watershed Partnership's summer camp programs for youth.

The free, active learning one-day camps are for children ages 8 to 12.

• Art and Nature Camp

Art and Nature Camp is held at the 32-acre Watershed Sanctuary in Cave Springs. Campers will participate in art projects that showcase the beauty of the Illinois River Watershed. Camp is June 16-20 and July 7-11.

Registration: http://www.irwp.org/events/art-and-nature-camp/.

• Watershed Camp for Kids

Watershed Camp for Kids consists of fun, fully supervised activities including, Watershed Mania games, geo-caching, bug kicking, water-quality monitoring and nature hikes. The experience gives kids the opportunity to learn about their local watershed, wetlands and wildlife. Camp is June 23-27 and July 21-25.

Registration: http://www.irwp.org/events/watershed-camp-3/.

Children may attend one day of Art and Nature Camp and one day of Watershed Camp. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Campers should wear clothes and shoes suitable for outdoor exploration.

Day camps are from 9 a.m. to noon. Check-in is at the Watershed Learning Center at 221 S. Main St., in Cave Springs.

Information: [email protected] or (479) 220-8194.

Library system

offers programs

The Washington County Library System will present six weeks of programs in their 2014 FIZZ! BOOM! READ! summer reading program. From June 16 through July 24, children will become citizen scientists as they learn to observe and record the natural world around them. As part of these summer activities, there will be free concerts, guest speakers and science presentations provided for the entire family. Contact your library for specific dates for these events.

Programs for kids in kindergarten through fourth grade will be held at these libraries:

• Farmington Public Library: Mondays at 10 a.m.

• West Fork Public Library: Mondays at 1 p.m.

• Elkins Public Library: Tuesdays at 10 a.m.

• Greenland Branch Library: Tuesdays at 1 p.m.

• Lincoln Public Library: Wednesdays at 10 a.m.

• Prairie Grove Public Library: Wednesdays at 1 p.m.

• Winslow Branch Library: Thursdays at 10: a.m.

Workshops for children in grades five and up will also be presented at participating libraries June 9-13 and July 28-Aug. 1. The first workshop, "Finding Fine-Feathered Friends," will be an introduction to bird-watching. Learning to identify birds and their calls will be the focus of this workshop. In the second workshop, "Mystery Solved!," participants will use science to find solutions to mysteries in nature. What can we learn about animals from their tracks? Why are all the honeybees disappearing, and what can we do to help?

Seating is limited and registration for these workshops is required. Contact your library to register and for information on dates/times for these workshops.

Beer making

taught at library

The Fayetteville Public Library will host a beer making workshop at 2 p.m. Saturday as part of the Explore Your Senses adult learning series. Bruce McCain from Home Brewery will facilitate this class as participants learn about the beer making process and discover tips for creating the perfect ale. No registration is required; all Explore Your Senses workshops are free and open to the public.

After the demonstration, the group will venture up to West Mountain Brewing Company at Tiny Tim's Pizza on the square and enjoy a cloned sample of what was brewed in class. One ounce samples are 25 cents and four ounce samples are $1. Enjoy a $4 flight of samples of the FPL Ale along with some of West Mountain Brewing Company's other craft beers.

Additional Explore Your Senses classes:

• June 21 at 1 p.m.: Local ornithologist Joe Neal will explore birding basics for birds common to the region and also discuss the Breeding Bird Survey on the Buffalo National River.

• July 9 at 6 p.m.: Creativity and the Song Inside of You, Adult Songwriting Workshop with Joe Crookston, who will also perform at 7 p.m. July 11 at the library. Join New York folk musician and Roots Festival performer for a special songwriting workshop. Crookston addresses what it means to be creative. A concert featuring music written by Crookston and students from his songwriting classes will be held at 6:30 p.m. July 10.

• July 21 at 6:30 p.m.: Join Judy Smith, outreach and education coordinator from the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, for a scentsational experience. She will have a variety of herbs and plants from the garden for participants to explore and enjoy. Attendees may plant an herb to take home. She will also have free passes for admission to the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks.

• July 26 at 1 p.m.: Ozark Natural Foods will present basic information on the raw foods movement and demonstrate tasty recipes that anyone can try.

• July 30 at 6:30 p.m.: Getting in Touch with Your Inner Senses: Meditation Workshop will teach participants how to calm their mind and focus attention inward in order to reduce stress. While covering the theory, history and methods of meditation, patrons will also participate in a breathing exercise that will demonstrate one form of meditation practice.

Information: (479) 856-7000.

Red Cross

seeks blood

The American Red Cross will hold blood drives at the following locations:

• Rogers: 1 to 5 p.m. June 19, Center for Nonprofits, 1200 W. Walnut St., Suite 3100

• Springdale: 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. June 25, Jones Center, 922 E. Emma Ave.

• Springdale: noon to 4 p.m. June 25, BNSF Logistics, 4700 S. Thompson St.

Information/appointments: redcrossblood.org or (800) RED CROSS or (800-733-2767).

Blood Center

seeks donors

Community Blood Center of the Ozarks will hold blood drives at the following locations:

• Bella Vista: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, First United Methodist Church, 20 Boyce Drive

• Bella Vista: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Bella Vista Community Church, 75 E. Lancashire Blvd.

• Bentonville: noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, PRGX, 211 SE 34th St.

• Bentonville: 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Benton County Administration, 215 E. Central Ave.

• Bentonville: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, St. Stephen Church, 1300 NE J St.

• Berryville: 8 a.m. to noon Friday, Ducommun Incorporated, 810 Champlin Ave.

• Green Forest: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Tyson of Green Forest, 601 Tyson Drive

• Lowell: 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Central States, 302 Jane Place

• Pea Ridge: 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Arvest Bank, 132 N. Curtis Ave.

• Rogers: 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, First United Methodist Church, 307 W. Elm St.

• Springdale: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Shelter Insurance, 5225 W. Sunset Ave.

Information: www.cbco.org or (800) 280-5337.

Send news about local events, lectures, classes, charity fundraisers and other community news to [email protected]. Deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday for Sunday publication.

NAN Profiles on 06/08/2014

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