COMMUNITY NOTES may be submitted for non-profit, civic or churchrelated events and published free of charge as space is available in the Courier Journal. All properly submitted Community Notes which are dated will be posted weekly at www.courierjournal.net. Visit our website for the complete list. Community Notes must be submitted in writing by noon Friday for consideration in the following week’s issue. Fax to 256-760-9618; mail to 1828 Darby Drive, Florence, AL 35630; bring in person; email to editor@courierjournal.net; or submit on our website at www.courierjournal.net.

The Kilby Child Development Center will accept applications for the 2012- 13 Alabama Office of School Readiness Pre-Kindergarten Class Jan.10-Feb. 9. Registration is open to children who will be 4 years old by Sept. 1. To register, parents or guardians must bring a copy of the child’s original birth certificate, a copy of the Social Security card, up-to-date blue slip or certificate of immunization, and proof of Alabama residency. The Pre-K class requires regular school day attendance for all participants. Fees are $25/week in addition to lunch charges of about $45 a month. Class selection is based on promotion and a lottery system. The drawing is open to the community and will take place at the Kilby Child Development Center, Feb. 10, 2pm. The Pre-K program is contingent on funding from the Alabama Office of School Readiness. Registration will take place at the Kilby Child Development Center, 609 N. Pine Street, Mon.-Fri., noon-3pm. For more information, call 256-765-4244.

NAMI Shoals Educational Meeting, 749 Thompson St., Suite A, Florence, Tues., Jan. 24, 7pm. Presenter Ronald Larson, PhD, USAF retired-employed by the VA. Topic is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Questions and answers to follow. Call 256-765-2081 or 256-710-3021 for more information.

The Cloverdale RSVP will have Mr. John Henry and his therapy dog, “Fluffy”, from the Hospice of the Tennessee Valley, for their January program. The January 24 covered dish luncheon will take place in the Community Center at 11:30am. All Senior Adults are invited to attend this interesting program.

The Lauderdale County Extension Office, located at 802 Veterans Drive in Florence, (next to the coliseum), will have a series of parenting classes from 2-4pm on Wednesdays, January 25, February 1,and February 8. The topics covered are : Ages and Stages of Development and Family Relationships; Discipline & Setting Limits; Communication, Stress Management & Conflict Resolution. Register by calling 256-766-6223.

Non-profits, Businesses and Entrepreneurs, need to improve your fiscal skills? Need to update your fiscal database? Then choose and save the date, January 25 or 26 for QuickBooks, Made to Order. Training will be at First Unitied Methodist Church, 415 N. Seminary St., Florence from 8am-5pm, cost is $130 per person. A fully charged laptop is recommended. Reserve your space, seating is limited. More information contact Karen Jarmon at 256- 766-8220 or email kyjarmon@bellsouth.net. Sponsored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Alabama.

Florence Parks & Recreation Department/Senior Center presents The Sounds of Country Band each Thursday at the Florence Senior Center 7-9:30pm. Dance Nights are January 26 and February 2. Tickets are $4 each. You do not have to be a senior to enjoy our dances. Food Nights will be 4 times a year in 2012: March 1, June 7, September 6 and December 6. For more information, please contact the center at 256-760-6420 or fdavis@florenceal.org.

The Shoals Chamber of Commerce and The Shoals Economic Development Authority invite you to attend Shoals Energy Efficiency Workshop and Lunch Thursday, January 26, 11:30am-1pm at Marriott Shoals Conference Center. Topics for discussion: TVA EnergyRight® Solutions for Business; AlabamaSAVES; Alabama E3; Alabama Retiree Technical Advisory Group (ARTAG). Lunch provided by TVA and Shoals Area Power Distributors. 256-764-4661 or shoals@shoalschamber.com.

Autism Support Group Meeting, Thurs., Jan. 26, 10am-noon, Florence Public Library. For more information, please contact Bridget Anderson Hodges at 256-767-6414.

The Shoals Audubon Society will meet at 7pm, Thursday, Feb. 2, in the Conference Room of the Florence Public Library. George Petty will have a program on Bhutan. The public is invited.

Breakfast at the Lexington Senior Center, January 28, 6:30am until 9am. We will be serving eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, gravy, chocolate gravy, jellies, and hot biscuits.

LifeSouth Community Blood Center Blood Drives: Offices at ECM Center, 205 Marengo St. Florence, 256-765-7038. Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-3pm, Sunday, 1-5pm. Keller Center, 1208 S Jackson Hwy, Sheffield. 256-383- 3535. Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Tuesday, January 24, 9am – 4pm, Heritage Christian University, 3625 Helton Dr., Florence Wednesday, January 25, 7:30am – 4pm, Brooks High School, 4300 Hwy 72, Killen Thursday, January 26, 7am – 5pm, ECM Hospital, 205 Marengo St., Florence Friday, January 27, 11am – 7pm, Wal- Mart, 517 W Avalon Ave., Muscle Shoals Saturday, January 28, 10am – 4pm, Liberty Tax Service, 318 Woodward Ave., Muscle Shoals Sunday, January 29, 8am – 1pm, Grace Episcopal Church, 103 Darby Ave., Sheffield Monday, January 30, 8am – 3pm, Southern Care, 410 S Wilson Dam Rd., Muscle Shoals Tuesday, January 31, 9am – 4pm, Anderson Elementary School, 201 Bayles St., Anderson

Underwood Fire Department Fish and Chicken Fry, Sat., Jan. 28, 2-7pm. Adults $10; Children 8 and under $5. Price includes drink and all fixings. We also have carry outs. Thanks for your business every 4th Saturday.

Fourth Saturday breakfast at the Zip City Community Center, January 28, 6:30 to 9am. Menu includes eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits, gravies, grits, juice, and coffee. Adults $5; children under 12-$3. Proceeds used for center expenses. Everyone is invited.

Barnett Band & Company, Jan. 28, 7-10pm, West Side Village Community Center, Hwy. 99-Owens Community. Admission is $4. All ages are welcome. No smoking, drugs, or alcohol permitted. Bring finger foods to share. For more information, call 256-771-0586.

The Calverymen will be in concert at the Goodsprings Missionary Baptist Church, 12901 Highway 72, Rogersville, Sun., Jan. 29, 6:30pm. There will be no admission but a love offering will be accepted. Everyone is invited to attend.

The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area Meetings will take place at the Turner-Surles Building 107, 702 Sycamore St., Decatur, Jan. 30, 4pm; or at the Muscle Shoals City Hall, 2010 Avalon Ave., Jan. 31, 4pm. These meetings will discuss public inventories and assessments and the economic and market analysis which has been gathered by the planning team.

Dorcas Give-Away Day, (an outreach program of Highland Park Church of Christ), Tues., Jan. 31, 9am-noon, at the Samaritan House, 602 Geneva Avenue, Muscle Shoals. Bring your own bag. The food pantry will be closed for inventory this day.

Learn to be a Mixed Martial Arts Ultimate Fighter! Sheffield Rec. Center will be sponsoring new classes starting January 2012 on Thursday nights from 6-8pm. Sign up now, limited spaces. Sensei Joey Plunk, former Military Combat Instructor at Pensacola Naval Air Station and a team of mixed martial art specialists will be teaching this intense course. Call to sign up today at 256-386-5615.

Effective February 6, The Florence Social Security Office, 203 S. Walnut St., Florence, will be open from 9am-3:30pm. The new phone number is 855-884-3407. (Our toll free service is still available from 7am-7pm at 1-800-772- 1213). Internet service is available 24/7 at www.socialsecurity.gov. Applications for Retirement, Survivors and Disability benefits can be filed online. The Florence Office services Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin & Marion Counties.

Bake and Soup Sale, 9am-1pm, Sat., Feb. 11, at the St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 1900 Darby Drive, Florence. Proceeds to be used for local community charities.

The Georgia and Alabama Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is holding an on-site training session for volunteers Feb. 4, 11am-2pm, at the Holiday Inn Research Park, 5903 University Drive, Huntsville. The mission of the Foundation is to grant wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Volunteers serve as liaisons between the wish families and the coordinators throughout the entire process. They help the child every step of the way including determining the child’s wish, filling out paperwork with the family, and planning and granting the wish. Those interested in participating must be at least 21 years old, attend a new volunteer orientation training session via web-conferencing, complete a volunteer application (which includes a background check and personal references), attend a Wish Granting training session, and sign up for a particular wish to help make it happen. Space is limited, so everyone must register in advance. There is no cost to attend the training. For more information or to register, contact Deirdre Trevett at 770-916-9474, ext. 14, or email her at dtrevett@ga-al.wish.org. For more information on the Make a Wish Foundation, visit www.ga-al.wish.org.

Quilting Fans are invited to the Quilt Show sponsored primarily by the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library January 26-February 5. The Quilt Show will feature creations by 88 year-old local artist, Lillian Marlow of Killen. The public will have an opportunity to enjoy viewing several of her creations during the library’s Quilt Show, along with winning submissions from other quilters in our area. Winners of the quilting competition will be announced on Thursday, January 26 at 6pm.

Co-sponsored by Thread Fabric Store in Tuscumbia and Signature Studios, an advertising agency in Florence, this event which will be used as a fundraiser for the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.

For more information, contact Jennifer Butler Keeton at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, 256-764-6564, ext. 28. Or call Angela Bailey at Signature Studios, 256-766-5595 or 256-810-4264.

CELEBRATE 25! The St. Joseph School Foundation is celebrating 25 years of success in support of Catholic Education in the Shoals. All Alumni, Families, and Friends of St. Joseph School are invited to attend a Steak Dinner on Sat. Feb. 4 at 7pm in the school gym. Dinner will be followed by an evening of fun and games including a reverse raffle drawing for up to $1000 in cash prizes. Win a Kindle Fire, Hotel Getaway, and other great prizes. Tickets are $25 per person. Available at St. Joseph School office as well as parish offices of St. Joseph, St. Michael’s, and Our Lady of the Shoals. Buy a block of ten tickets to reserve a table.

Clothes Give Away, Feb. 2, 8 to 10am, at the Care Center, First Baptist Church, Killen.

Space Rocks!: Hands-on NASA Event, Sat., Feb. 4, 11am–2pm, Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. Become a space explorer by stopping by for this library program, which features a NASA kit of hands-on activities about meteorites, craters, and the solar system! The event is appropriate for all ages and is sponsored by the Shoals Astronomy Club. Call 256-764-6564, ext. 28, for more information.

A Political Forum for candidates seeking the office of Lauderdale County Superintendent of Education, Tues., Feb. 7, 6pm, at Rogers High School cafeteria, Greenhill. This event is sponsored by the Lauderdale County Education Association.The public is invited to attend.

The Healing Place is celebrating its 10th Anniversary on Thursday, Feb. 2. Open House will be from 9-4. Drop by for light refreshments to see the new facility at 2409 Wildwood Street, Muscle Shoals. For more information, call 256-383-7133.

Loving Locals 2012 will be an event for local artists, designers, crafters and authors. Arts/Crafts group on Friday, Feb. 10 from 5-8pm and authors on Sat., Feb. 11 from 11am-2pm at Cold Water Books, downtown Tuscumbia.

Florence Parks and Recreation Department is conducting registration for a Youth Softball for girls’ ages 5-14 years old through February 18 at the Florence Sports Complex and the Florence Lauderdale Coliseum. There will be a late registration from Feb. 19 thru Feb. 24. Age Control Date is Jan. 1, 2012. Registration can be done Monday through Friday, 8am through 5pm. There will be Saturday registration at the SportsPlex on February 11 & 18 from 9am to 12pm. Registration fee is $25. Late registration fee is $35. For more information, contact David Dolan or Nicole Lambert at 256-760-6628.

NAMI Shoals vs. the Internationally- Acclaimed Harlem Ambassadors will be at the Florence/Lauderdale Coliseum, Fri., Feb. 10, 7pm; doors will open at 6:30pm. Advance tickets: Students/ Seniors $5; Adults $8; Kids 4 and under free. At the Door: Students/Seniors $7; Adults $10. Call 256-765-2081, 256- 710-4664 for Advance tickets. www.harlemambassadors.com