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PAGE 12A
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2106
Social News
Commerce library
announces summer
reading program
Summer reading programs this year at the Commerce Pub
lic Library are for all ages: children, teens and adults. Every
one is invited to sign up and begin reading for fun and prizes.
Children will enjoy starting their journey through the
library by putting their names on a shoe at the starting line for
a virtual Olympic marathon race. Once they read 10 books
or read for five hours, they will move to Level 1 where they’re
running through the City of Brazil, then off for a cross country
adventure, next stop Carnival, then over to the Sambodromo
track. Finally, the super readers will end up at the finish line.
Special Programs
This Summer
• Free lunches for children from ages 1 to 18 will be pro
vided by the Seamless Summer Nutrition Program at noon
in the Memorial Garden every Monday through Friday all
summer long.
• Apples to Zebras, a watercolor class sponsored by the
Georgia Museum of Art, will be held on Saturday, June 4,
from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This hands-on watercolor creativity
class is recommended for ages 6 to 14. Participants should
wear old clothes, and registration is advised. Call the library
at 706-335-5946.
•Young Adults can sign up for Get Ready, Get Set...GO!
on Wednesday, June 8, at 2 p.m. The timer will start and all
Young Adults (11-18) will have two hours to pick a pile of
used, unwanted items and work with a partner in their age
range to create some form of art. The library will assign a
partner to any participants who haven’t signed up as a team.
City of Commerce representatives will be the judges for first,
second and third-place winners.
•Aaron Antonich, with Throwing Stuff, will entertain all
ages on Thursday, June 9, at 11 a.m., with high-throwing jug
gling and lots of audience participation. This will be held in
the garden, if weather permits.
• Fitness Friday continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all sum
mer long. Children can earn buttons for their lanyards by
checking out various sporting equipment to use in the garden
area.
• A summer edition of the Kids Reading Club will be held
on Friday, June 10, from 1 to 2 p.m. Children will discuss the
high-action Tiki and Ronde Barber books. Library manager
Angel Tuggle strives to make reading fun through discussion,
crafts and fun snacks.
• Adults are invited to participate in the adult summer read
ing program by signing up at the circulation desk. There will
be raffle prizes, a signup gift for the first 100 participants, and
summer events. One such event is a visit from local author
Chloe Sanguine. This new author will be at the library on
Thursday, June 9, at 6 p.m. to share her book “The Destiny
Ring: A Story of Pine Mountain.”
• The second of the library’s financial series will be held
on Tuesday, June 7, at 5:30 p.m. Jared Arrant, with Edward
Jones, will discuss The Entrepreneurial Equation: making
the most of your business. This seminar will focus on ways to
build and protect ar business. Refreshments will be provided.
Children’s Programs
• Fitness Fridays -10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the summer
• Apples To Zebras Watercolors - Saturday, June 4, at 11
a.m.
• Kidsercize - Wednesday, June 8, at 10:30 a.m.
•YA Be the Butcher, the Baker, or Whatever You Want
Maker! - Wednesday June 8, at 2 p.m.
• Juggling in the Garden with Aaron Antonich -Thursday,
June 9, at 11 a.m.
• Magic Card Play for Teens - Thursday, June 9, from 4 to
6 p.m.
• Chess Club - Thursday, June 9, at 6 p.m.
• Baby & Me - Friday, June 10, at 10:30 a.m.
• Kids Book Club - Friday, June 10, at 4 p.m.
Adult Programs
• ESL class - Saturday, June 4, at 11 a.m.
• Adult coloring - Saturday, June 4, at 1 p.m.
• Yoga - Monday, June 6, at 6 p.m.
• Adult Writers - Tuesday, June 7, at 10 a.m.
•The Entrepreneurial Equation - Tuesday, June 7, at 5:30
p.m.
• Local Author Event - Thursday, June 9, at 6 p.m.
Summer programs
planned at Banks
County library
The summer reading program is underway at the Banks
County Public Library and special events are lined up in June
and July.
The program will be held May 23 through July 30. Students
will receive prizes for reading.
Special programs planned include the following:
• June 6, pint sized petting zoo.
• June 13, Barry Stewart Mann, storyteller.
• June 20, edible science with Keisha Lambert.
• June 27, Fiddlin’ Dan, storyteller.
• July 11, Keith Karnock, magician.
• July 18, Cliff Patton, ventriloquist.
• July 25, meet a llama and other special guests.
These programs will be held at 2 p.m. at the Banks County
Primary School gym.
OTHER PROGRAMS
Several other family programs are planned at the library this
summer, including the following:
•June 18, 2 p.m., Skippy Jon Jones visits the library for
“food, fun and pictures.”
• June 23, 2 p.m., Smithgall Wood Outreach with “creepy
crawlies.”
•July 16, 2 p.m., design your own race car (register in
advance for this program).
•July 19, 5:30 p.m., Smithgall Wood Outreach with animal
adaptions.
Benefit concert at Hurricane Shoals planned
The first annual “Jam in
the Park,” a free benefit
concert for the Shriners
Children’s Hospital will
be held from 11 a.m. to 8
p.m. on Saturday June 4,
at Hurricane Shoals Park
Amphitheater, located
at 416 Hurricane Shoals
Road, Maysville.
The host will be musi
cian Don Myers, who will
present music from the
1950s and 1960s. Others to
be featured will be: Hokie
Sloan (Waylon Jennings
tribute); Richard Griffith
(country); Holly Michelle
Johnson (class country/
rock); Steven Van (Travis
Tritt tribute); Steve McKee
(country/variety); and Tri
County Blend Band (blue-
grass).
All proceeds and dona
tions will go directly to the
Shriners Children’s Hospi
tal. Refreshments will be
for sale by the Shriners
during the event.
The Tri-County Shrine
Club, Hoschton, will spon
sor the event. Donations
may also be made by call
ing Lonnie Mahan at 770-
503-5959.
Art activities planned at Banks Co. library
“Art with Mrs. Whitney”
programs are planned
this summer at the Banks
County Public Library.
Art activities for ages 5
to 12 will be held on the
following dates:
•June 14, Mason jar
decoupage.
• June 28, flower pot
paintings.
•July 26, magnetic
frames.
The programs will be
held at the library at 3 p.m.
Activities for ages 13 and
up will be held on the fol
lowing dates:
•June 3, painting.
• June 17, Mason jar
decoupage.
• July 15, loom bracelets.
• July 29, button frame.
The programs will be
held at the library at 3 p.m.
Space is limited. Call
706-677-3164 to reserve a
seat.
Volunteer opportunities available in area
To be listed in the volun
teer column, send informa
tion to AngieEditor@aol.com
or mail it to: Angela Gary,
The Banks County News,
P.O. Box 920, Homer, Ga.
30547.
The following are volun
teer opportunities in Banks
County and the surrounding
area:
• Banks County Head
Start & Pre-K: various oppor
tunities to volunteers will be
available in the upcoming
school year. Please contact
Jan Bertrang or Kristy Ayers
at 706-677-2963.
•Banks County Commu
nity Emergency Response
Team is seeking volunteer
participants. For more infor
mation, check out the web
site at www.bankscert.org or
call the Banks County EMA
Office at 706-677-3401.
•The Banks County Lit
eracy Council needs volun
teers to work on projects,
help distribute books and
materials, help with cleri
cal work, and other similar
work. For more information,
contact Mellisa Dalton at 706-
677-3693 and Lisa Prescott at
the Adult Learning Center at
706-6774302.
•Piedmont CASA volun
teers speak for children who
are in foster care. For more
information, call the CASA
office at 706-387-6375.
• The Banks County Adult
Literacy Center is seeking
volunteer teachers. They
especially need math tutors,
including the areas of intro
ductory algebra, geometry
and Algebra I. Tutors are
needed on Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. For
more information, call 706-
6774302.
•Civil Air Patrol: cadets,
ages sixth grade through
18 years old, participate
in search and rescue mis
sions and learn how to fly
airplanes. Senior members
teach cadets and students at
middle and high schools and
can also work with emergen
cy services. Contact Luther
McCoy, 706-677-1490.
•Adult learning center at
Lanier Technical College sat
ellite campus 706-335-1931.
•Hope Resource Center:
crisis pregnancy support
center, 706-367-5304.
•Action: help package
and distribute food to low-in-
come families and the elder
ly, 706-367-9599.
• Christian Outreach Food
Bank: work in warehouse,
335-6084.
• Girl Scouts: needs troop
leaders, assistant leaders,
trainers and recruiters. Call
Terri Bear, 706-548-7297.
• Boy Scouts of America,
Northeast Georgia Council:
volunteers need to be troop
leaders and assistants, 706-
548-1435.
•AIDS Coalition of North
east Georgia: help with infor
mation line, office support,
the buddy program and
helping hands, 706-542-2437.
•American Red Cross,
East Georgia Chapter: needs
help with disaster relief and
blood drives and needs first
aid and CPR instructors, 706-
353-1645.
•American Cancer Soci
ety: assistance with special
events, 706-5494893.
•American Heart Associ
ation: assistance with special
events, 706-549-0939.
• Children’s Advocacy
Center: assist with clerical
work in office, provide child
care during various group
meetings and solicit dona
tions of snacks, drinks, paper
products and various chil
dren’s items. Tina Gmbbs,
director, 770-868-1900.
• Peace Place: various
opportunities at the shelter
for battered women and
their children, Marilyn, 770-
307-3633.
• Our Daily Bread: Athens
urban ministry soup kitchen,
706-353-6647.
•Sandy Creek Park: sev
eral volunteer opportunities,
including monthly hikes and
canoeing trips to pick up
trash. The park also needs
volunteers to supervise chil
dren during the monthly
special programs and events
the park offers. Sandy Creek
Park has volunteer opportu
nities available for anyone
willing to do office work or
help with publications. Con
tact the park at 706-613-3615.
•Athens Area Humane
Society: help with special
events and hands-on work
in the shelter, Lisa Klein, 706-
353-CATS (2287).
• Community Connection
of Northeast Georgia: work
on information research
and database and directory
updating, 706-353-1313.
• Special Olympics: needs
assistance for athletic events,
Kathy Smith, 706-54&-3550.
• State Botanical Gar
dens of Georgia: needs
tour guides, people to greet
guests and work in the gift
shop, greenhouse and at
special events, 706-542-6195.
• Athens Regional Medical
Center: help at information
desk, in admissions, at the
gift shop, mailroom and at
special events, 706-3543510.
• St. Mary’s Hospital:
help at information desk, in
admissions, at the gift shop
and at the mailroom, 706-
3543169.
•Athens Area Homeless
Shelter: assist with preparing
and serving meals, child
care, and the shelter is also
in need of drivers with a
truck, 706-3540423.
•Salvation Army: assist
with preparing and serving
meals, help in thrift shop
and at special events held in
December, 706-543-5350.
• St. Mary’s Hospice:
needs volunteers to provide
additional support and assis
tance to terminally ill patients
and their families, Geneva
Burton, 706-355-7711.
• Friends of the Arbo
retum, State Arboretum of
Georgia/Thompson Mills
Forest, Braselton, seeks
volunteers to help maintain
trails through the forest and
to help with educational
programs, Warnell School of
Forest Recourses, University
of Georgia, 706-542-2686.
• VistaCare: volunteer
to assist and participate in
the nurturing of the physi
cal, spiritual and emotional
well-being of patients and
their families, 767 Oglethorpe
Ave., Athens, Kathy Branch,
877-228-9888.
• Georgia Museum of Arts:
needs tour guides, museum
shop assistance and assis
tance with the summer art
outreach program, 706-542-
0450.
American Red Cross seeks blood donors
The American Red
Cross urges blood and
platelet donors to choose
their day to give and help
ensure blood is available
for patients all summer
long during its annual
summer awareness cam
paign.
“Many Americans cel
ebrated the unofficial
start to summer this past
Memorial Day weekend,
but seasonal activities that
bring joy to so many can
also lead to a shortage of
blood and platelet dona
tions when regular donors
become busy,” said Donna
M. Morrissey director of
national partnerships for
the Red Cross Biomedical
Services. “Patients don’t
get a summer holiday
from needing lifesaving
blood and platelet dona
tions and are counting on
generous volunteers to
help maintain a sufficient
supply this summer.”
For more information
and to make an appoint
ment to donate, down
load the American Red
Cross Blood Donor App,
visit redcrossblood.org
or call 1-800-RED CROSS
(1-800-733-2767). Donors
of all blood types are
needed. A blood donor
card or driver’s license or
two other forms of iden
tification are required at
check-in. Individuals who
are 17 years of age (16
with parental consent in
some states), weigh at
least 110 pounds and are
in generally good health
may be eligible to donate
blood. High school stu-
Town and Gown to present '9 to 5'
Town and Gown Players
will present the next Main
Stage show of their 63rd
season, 9 to 5 The Musical,
June 10-26.
Tickets are $10 to $18
and are available online.
“Based on the seminal
1980 hit movie and set in
the late 1970s, this rollick
ing adaptation finds three
female employees teaming
up to take control of their
office as they learn there
is nothing they cannot do,
even against a sexist, ego
tistical boss,” organizers
said.
Performances will run
three weekends and be
held June 10, 11, 16, 17, 18,
24 and 25 at 8 p.m. and
June 12,19 and 26 at 2 p.m.
at the Athens Communi
ty Theatre. Tickets are $18
for adults; $15 for students,
seniors, and Town and
Gown members; and $10
for students and Town &
Gown members on Thurs
day.
Tickets may be pur
chased by calling 706-208-
8696 or online at www.
showclix.com/event/ nine-
tofiveattownandgown
Athens Community The
atre, home of the Town &
Gown Players, is located at
115 Grady Avenue, Athens,
Georgia. For more infor
mation, call 706-208-TOWN
(8696) or visit the website
at www.townandgownplay-
ers.org
dents and other donors
18 years of age and young
er also have to meet cer
tain height and weight
requirements.
Headmaster’s
Corner
by
Steve Cummings
SAD DAY FOR CLARKE
SCHOOLS - State school su
perintendent Richard Woods re
cently told Georgia schools they
are NOT required to comply
with the Obama administration’s
directive on use of bathrooms
for transgender students. Dr.
Woods correctly concluded that
the bathroom directive “violates,
misinterprets and moves to re
write established U.S. law.”
Unfortunately, Clarke
County school officials have
chosen to ignore Dr. Woods.
Instead of following common
sense, the laws of nature,
and established U.S. law, the
Clarke County school district
will allow boys who have “cho
sen” to be girls to use girls’
bathrooms and girls’ locker
rooms. It’s beyond shocking.
For those in the Clarke Coun
ty school system, maybe it’s time
to look for a different school.
ATHENS
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
“Affordable Quality Education Since 1970"
K3-12TH CALL (706) 549-7586
www.athenschristian.com