West Alabama Mental Health Center will be selling Poinsettias for the Christmas Season. The plants are available in red or white and cost is $8 for a 6-inch plant; $10 for a 6-1/2-inch plant; $15 for an 8-inch plant or $20 for a 10-inch plant. If you would like to purchase a poinsettia for the Christmas season, please provide your name, address, phone number, number of plants, size and color to a member of the West Alabama Mental Health Center staff. WAMHC is a 501-C3 organization. All donations are tax deductible.

Marengo Academy season basketball tickets are now on sale at the elementary school and high school. The cost is $30 per fan. This will gain admission to all home regular season games, excluding all tournaments. Home games will start at 4 p.m. starting with Junior Varsity Girls, Junior Varsity Boys, Varsity Girls and Varsity Boys.

December 13

Demopolis Masonic Lodge #49 will hold their Annual Member Family Christmas Party at the Masonic Lodge Hall on Highway 80 East at 6:30 p.m. Contact Eddie Willingham for more information.

December 14

Alabama State Nurses Association District 6 will meet Dec. 14 at 7. They will meet at the Demopolis Public Library.

C.E.U.s available.

December 16

Volunteer Community Resident (VCR) will be having a Christmas Talent Show at the Demopolis Civic Center Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. To be a contestant, call Jennifer at 289-5260, Terrie at 289-7151 or Aleicia at 289-1331.

December 25

C.T.O., Inc. will conduct it’s 13th Annual Christmas Feeding and Give A Child A Wish Project on Sat., Dec. 25. This is one of our major fund raising projects, and we solicit your support in this endeavor. Your donations will enable us to prepare and deliver Christmas Dinners to 500 people and give toys to approximately 250 giftless children on Christmas Day. Toys will be given out on Sun., Dec. 19. Please help us by making a charitable donation to our Christmas Feeding and Give A Child A Wish Project.

February 25, 2005

Two rivers arts council presents a Springer Theater production of Cotton Patch Gospel, at 7 p.m., Feb. 25, 2005, at the Old Main Street School.

Ongoing

The Volunteer Community Resident (VCR) group meets every Thursday at 5:15 p.m. The VCR is a non-profit organization that captures the minds of youth and adults by educating them about Christ. If you like to sing, praise, dance or read poetry, join VCR by attending the meetings at the Hope Hill Center on East Pettus Street across from the Hilltop Circle. Parents who want more information or children who need a ride, call 289-5260 or 289-7151.

The Lower Gainesville Road Volunteer Fire Department is selling reflective mailbox and house markers that are highly visible, fade resistant and pre-drilled holes. Please call (205) 372-2146. Order from Lower Gainesville Road VFD, 2170 County Road 129, Boligee, Ala., 35443. Make checks payable to: Lower Gainesville Road VFD.

The Weather Alert Sirens will be tested the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the City of Demopolis and at 9 a.m. outside the city, if weather permits. u To volunteer your time to help others, contact SouthernCare Hospice at 275-CARE or toll free (888) 641-6126.

Comfort Care Hospice will be offering a volunteer orientation program. Those interested in helping others should call 289-2106 or (888) 737-9931.

Hospice South of Demopolis is seeking volunteers to make a difference in the lives of others. Call (800) 528-9253 for more information.

Church calendar

December 9

Grove Hill Baptist Church will present to the community its "Life of Christ Drive-Through" celebrating various events in the life of Jesus Christ in 14 live scenes. Come join us at 140 South Church Street in Grove Hill, Alabama on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 9 and 10 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. and experience accounts from the Bible brought to life before you. You can tune your car radio to a special station as you drive through the scenes and enjoy holiday music and messages as more than 200 characters and animals portray the Christmas story and so much more. The "Life of Christ Drive-Through" is a ministry of Grove Hill Baptist Church and is free to all who attend. For more information, contact Grove Hill Baptist Church at (251) 275-3238. (Event will cancel in case of rain)

December 12

The Children’s Choir of Gallion Baptist Church will present Angel Alert! on Sunday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m. in the Family Life Center. In Angel Alert! the choir is made up of angels who are waiting to be told when they get to go to earth and make the grand announcement of Jesus’ birth. As they wait for the call, they review God’s faithfulness through His promises and some of the prophecies about our Savior’s birth.

Everyone is invited to come and share as our "angels" sing about Jesus, our Savior. Gallion Baptist Church is located on Highway 80 approximately 8 miles east of Demopolis.

Christmas Concert with Greg Crowe, Andy Phillips and Mark Patterson, Sunday, Dec. 12 at 6 pm. Everyone is invited to attend this concert at Fairhaven Baptist Church at 1504 Cardinal St. in Demopolis, 289-0172. A love offering will be taken.

The music ministry of First Baptist Church of Demopolis presents: "A Call to the Manger" on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. at 109 S. Strawberry St., 289-0473.

Everyone is welcome.

December 19

Gallion Baptist Church Adult Choir will present a Christmas musical, Emmanuel, on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m. in the church sanctuary. Everyone is invited to come celebrate the birth of Jesus with Gallion Baptist Church. Bill Baker is the music director and the Rev. Timothy Davis is pastor.

Gallion Baptist Church is located approximately 8 miles east of Demopolis, on Highway 80.

Ongoing

The Hope Hill Sunday school discuss class will be every Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Hope Hill Center on East Pettus Street.

u Brother Freddie Charleston of the Nazareth of Galilee Baptist Church will host the Sunday school discussing class. His topic will be Creating a New Covenant. If you would like to attend, the discussing is held every Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Hope Hill District.

If you would like to host a Sunday school discussion, please call Sister Terrie P. Charleston at 289-7151; the Hope Hill District, Rev. Sid Rowser, Sr.-moderator.

Many people have family members who once attended and are buried at the Old Spring Hill Methodist Church. The cost of upkeep is very high. Many of our older, loyal benefactors have died. This has resulted in a lack of funds, which have been donated. Please enable us to have the funds needed to ensure that the proper maintenance of the property continues. Remember many of your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and other relatives once attended the church and are buried here. Please send donations to Old Spring Hill Methodist Church and Cemetery, c/o Ruth Allen, 885 County Road One, Gallion, Ala., 36742. Services at the church are on the first and third Sunday of every month at 5 p.m.

The James B. Rogers Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study meets each Friday at 7 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church’s Parish house for food and fellowship. All men in the community are invited to attend. For more information, call 289-3363.

Bible Class is held at the Greater New Hope Baptist Church in Demopolis every Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Prayer Meeting and Bible Study Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Eastern Star Baptist Church.

Around Town calendar

Life After Loss meets the first Monday of each month in the Activity Center of the First Baptist Church of Demopolis at 7 p.m. If you have experienced loss of a loved one, a job, health or any loss these meetings are designed to help you. The meetings are free and confidential. For more information, call (334) 289-1709 or 289-0780.

December 10

The Greater Greensboro Chamber of Commerce announces activities for the Christmas season. On Friday, Dec. 10, businesses downtown will have Christmas Open House from 5-8 p.m. Santa Claus will be downtown at Outsidein and will also be available for pictures with children.

December 11

The Greensboro Christmas Parade will begin at 11 a.m. at Piggly Wiggly. The parade will travel to Main Street and turn left onto Tuscaloosa Street and left again onto State Street. The parade will disburse somewhere in the area of NAPA Auto Parts and Jimmy’s Food Mart. Our local National Guard unit has been selected to be our Grand Marshall group. Businesses, churches, schools, and clubs are encouraged to participate. Floats, decorated vehicles, antique vehicles, golf carts, and horses are welcomed. If you have any questions, will you contact Anne Bailey at Sledge Hardware at 624-8455 or Janice Day at J&J Jewelry and Gift Shop at 624-7103.

You’re invited to The Singing Christmas Tree Saturday night, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday night, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, 1203 W. Pushmataha Street in Butler.

Admission is Free.

December 12

Get your tickets now for the MLT Christmas Tour of Homes. This tour will include the Swain Home, the Broome Home and the Roberts’ Home and possibly a fourth home. Tickets for this event are $20 and may be purchased at the MLT Box Office between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday-Friday, or call for more information, (601) 482-6371.

The Magnolia Grove Foundation sponsors a holiday open house on Sunday, Dec. 12, from 1-3 p.m. at Magnolia Grove in Greensboro. This year’s theme, "Christmas in 1950," features the house in vintage decorations.

Local clubs will embellish the historic house museum and provide refreshments. Musical entertainment and a children’s activity is also planned. Magnolia Grove is located at 1002 Hobson Street in Greensboro’s histoic district. For more information, call (334) 624-8618.

January 15

Meridian Little Theatre’s Youth Division will be presenting a production of "Alice in Wonderland" on Jan. 15-16, 2005 for the general public at Meridian Little Theatre in Meridian, Miss.

Call (601) 482-6371.

Ongoing

The Demopolis Historic Preservation Commission meets the first Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. in City Hall. The public is invited to attend.

The Pilot Club of Demopolis meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the First Christian Church. If a holiday falls on that date, the meetings are held on the third Monday.