Loca Notes

Last updated Thursday, November 6, 2008 9:07 PM CST in Our Town

By THE MORNING NEWS

Hospital Auxiliary Hosts Sale

A Christmas Preview Sale, sponsored by the volunteer auxiliary gift shop of Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville, will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday in classrooms A and B at the hospital, 3000 Medical Center Parkway, Bentonville. Mastercard, Visa, employee deduction, cash or check will be accepted.

Information: 855-6625 or ckdeck@cox.net

Testing Offered Saturday Morning

ROGERS -- Adult students wanting to take the General Educational Development tests will have additional scheduling options in November.

The Adult Education program at NorthWest Arkansas Community College will offer Saturday testing this Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

To take the official GED test, students must first pass the GED practice tests. Seating is limited. Students must register in advance for the test administration.

The Adult Education Center will also be open from 8 a.m.to 1 p.m. Saturday to enroll new students.

Staff also will be administering the Test of Adult Basic Education for students enrolling in GED classes.

Ben Aldama, dean of Adult Education, and Lynn Stanberry, chief GED examiner, said the Saturday hours are being offered to provide additional access for adults who work during the week, or who have to drive from western Benton County.

The Adult Education Program offers free instruction in GED Preparation and English As A Second Language throughout the week. Morning, afternoon and evening classes are available. The Adult Education Center is located at 2800 N. Second St., Rogers.

Off-site classes are offered in Rogers, Bentonville, Gentry, and Siloam Springs.

Information: 986-6934.

Women's Connection Slates Meeting

FAYETTEVILLE -- The Women's Connection invites area ladies to the annual Country Fair luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, at the Clarion Inn, 1255 S. Shiloh Drive in Fayetteville. Proceeds go to provide for the needs of Village Missionaries.

Shop for crafts, baked goods, white elephants and bid on special items in our silent auction. Speaker is Steve August from Tulsa, Okla., "who found true fulfillment when his world came crashing down."

Cost for the luncheon is $12. Drop-ins are welcome.

Nursery reservations: 251-1419 or 549-7360.

Bake Auction Slated Nov. 23

Sulphur Springs Special Events, a nonprofit group, will hold its third annual bake auction at 3 p.m. Nov. 23 in the old school gym.

All proceeds will go for gifts and food for local needy families.

Group Explains Adoption Option

BENTONVILLE -- Great Wall China Adoption will host a free event for those considering adopting from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. today at Panera Bread Co., 201 S.W. 14th St.

Participants will learn more about China's orphaned children, about China's eligibility requirements and overcoming fears of the home study process. They also will meet some of the families with their children who have already completed their Chinese adoption.

Registration: ww.gwca.org/events/workshops/view?2160.

Information: www.gwca.org or call (888) GW-FAMILY, holly.ar@gwca.org or 273-7727.

Additional workshop locations, dates, and times are also listed at: www.gwca.org/events/workshops.

UA Clinic Demonstrates Speech Devices

The University of Arkansas Speech and Hearing Clinic will hold an open house at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the clinic at 410 Arkansas Ave. in Fayetteville to demonstrate alternative and augmentative communication devices that can help those who have lost the power of speech.

The open house is co-sponsored by the local chapter of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association. The devices can help people with ALS, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and problems resulting from a stroke.

Reservations are required to be sure that patients and their caregivers receive individual attention at the open house.

Reservations: bshadde@uark.edu or 575-4509.

Driving Courses Offered This Month

Two driver safety courses are planned in November.

The Community Church of Bella Vista, 75 E. Lancashire Blvd., is sponsoring an AARP Driver Safety Class from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday.

Designed for drivers aged 50 and over, the class will explain the changes that occur in vision, hearing and reaction time as people age and provide useful driving safety tips for handling these changes. Participants can qualify for a discount on automobile insurance upon completion of the class. A materials fee of $10 is payable at the class.

Class size is restricted.

Information: 855-1126 or 855-7954.

• A one-day AARP Mature Driving Course will be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Fayetteville Public Library, 401 W. Mountain.

The course is designed for the needs of older drivers to refine existing driving skills and learn about age-related changes that may affect their safety. No tests are given, and AARP membership is not required. A completion certificate will be issued and participants may be eligible for insurance premium discounts. Course fee is $10, payable to AARP and includes the updated workbook.

Registration: 521-3067.

Hospice Will Be Topic Of Seminar

BELLA VISTA -- The Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education Elder LifePhases -- Bella Vista will sponsor a seminar, "Reflections on End of Life Care." led by Dr. Steven L. Thomason.

Topics of discussion will include comfort care, as well as hospice care for individuals at end of life. The free program is slated for 1 to 2 p.m. Friday at Highlands Crossing Community Center (downstairs classroom) 1801 Forest Hills Blvd., Bella Vista.

Information: 876-2335, 751-3043 or (888) 866-8991.

Blood Center Slates Drives

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks sponsors the following blood drives:

• Bentonville -- 8 a.m. to noon Monday, Harps Food Store, 110 Midtown Center

• Bentonville -- 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, Benton County Sheriff's Office, 1300 S.W. 14th St.

• Bentonville -- 9 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Benton County Courthouse, 215 E. Central Ave.

• Bentonville -- 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, NorthWest Arkansas Community College, 1 College Drive

• Berryville -- 9 a.m. to noon Friday, Tyson of Berryville, 110 W. Freeman

• Berryville -- 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Wal-Mart Supercenter, 1000 W. Trimble

• Elkins -- 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Elkins High School, 349 Center

• Elm Springs -- 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Elm Springs United Methodist Church, 110 School St.

• Fayetteville -- 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Living Faith Church, 1351 Morningside Drive

• Fayetteville -- 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, First Baptist Church, 20 E. Dickson St.

• Green Forest -- 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Green Forest High School, 800 Phillips Ave.

• Rogers -- 8 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Crossland Construction, 1800 South 52nd

• Rogers -- 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Harris McHaney Realtors, 809 S. 52nd

• Rogers -- 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Rogers Public Library, 711 S. Dixieland Road

• Rogers -- 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Rogers Police Station, 1905 S. Dixieland

• Siloam Springs -- Noon to 6 p.m. Monday, John Brown University, 2000 W. University

• Springdale -- 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jones Center for Families, 922 Emma Ave.

Donations also are accepted from noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Saturday of the month, at the Springdale Donor Center, 3503 S. Thompson St.; or from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Bentonville Donor Center, 1400 S.E. Walton Blvd.

Marriage Seminar Slated Friday, Saturday

NWA Healthy Marriages, a community service of the Center for Relationship Enrichment, will offer the "I Choose Us: Growing a Passionate Marriage" seminar from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The event will be held at John Q. Hammons Convention Center at the Embassy Suites, 3303 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, in Rogers. The cost of workshop is $35 per couple and reservations are required.

The two-day seminar will help equip married couples with eight hours of marriage enrichment education. Couples will leave this event with a personal couples' assessment report and a discussion guide for ongoing couple interaction.

CRE recently finished the second year of a five-year, $2.7 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families, to support research and development of healthy marriages in Northwest Arkansas. The grant covers most of the cost of the seminar, which would otherwise cost more than $200 per couple.

Couples can register for the event online at www.nwamarriages.com, or by calling 524-7444.

The Center for Relationship Enrichment at John Brown University was founded in 1998. The center's mission is to educate, equip and enrich people for developing healthy relationships through consulting, education, enrichment, resources, research and assessment.

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