Guidelines for Submitting your Church/Community Announcements
These are free as long as there are no personal messages and the event is not being charged for (love offerings do not count). Please keep the announcement to one paragraph with who is presenting the event, what the event is, date, time, where it will be held and contact information. Email them to scrjmedia@yahoo.com. We can not take anything over the phone due to company policy.
Holiday deadlines for 2026: Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Memorial Day, May 25. We will have a late deadline for Tuesday morning, May 26 By NOON for the May 28th edition. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Independence Day Friday, July 3. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Labor Day, Sept. 8. We will have a late deadline for Tuesday, Sept. 9 for the Sept. 11 edition. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Thanksgiving Nov. 23-27. We have to submit the paper early due to the printing company being closed for the holidays. Deadline for the Thanksgiving edition is Friday morning, Nov. 20. Santa Letters are due first Friday in December, Dec. 4. Ads for the Santa Letter edition are due Dec. 11. Both Christmas and New Year’s deadlines are Friday, Dec. 18. We have to submit both papers early due to the printing company being closed for the holidays. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed Dec. 21-Jan. 3 for the holidays.
Harvest Ministries
Harvest Ministries located in Cromwell Al, will be open Wed. April 29, 8 a.m. -1 p.m. Free clothes, shoes, household items and much more.
IVVetts Present Confident Beginnings
A free seminar for new and expecting parents with free baby supplies on June 6 at 10 a.m. at 1453 East 4th St., York. Pre-register to reserve your seat by calling or texting 731-343-3925. Yolanda Fredrickson is the featured speaker and a certified childbirth educator since 2017. Sponsored by IV Vets and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Community Health Fair
Join us for a Community Health Fair at Bethlehem Religious Center, Epes, on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. for information and screenings on the following topics: arthritis and pain, blood pressure, diabetes, heart health ,nutrition and exercise, opioid awareness, mental health awareness, autism awareness, community resources. For additional details, contact Joyce Lowery at 205-499-8105.
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
The DEA holds two National Prescription Drug Take Back Days each year. Find out how to properly dispose of your old or unused prescription medicines and why it is important to do this by checking out our blog post: tinyurl.com/mum5vtmw.
York Clean-Up Day
The City of York is organizing a community wide cleanup to take place on May 16. Times and locations to be announced. Join us as we work together to keep our city clean, safe, and beautiful. Supplies will be provided. Community service hours available. www.cityofyorkal.org
Shelton Singers Spring Concert
Shelton State Community College’s Shelton Singers will present their spring concert on Tues., April 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Alabama Power Foundation Recital Hall on the College’s Martin Campus. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend. Under the direction of Dr. J. F. Mark Brown, the Singers will share selections related to the evening’s title and theme, Wind, Rain, and Stars. To learn more about Shelton State Fine Arts, visit sheltonstate.edu/finearts.
National Library Week Celebration at Hightower Memorial Library
April 19–25, Come celebrate National Library Week with us at Hightower Memorial Library, 583 Fourth Ave. York, as we welcome you to explore our new facility and all the wonderful resources available to you.! Sign up for a FREE Library Card. Register for our Summer Reading Program June 1–30. Receive free books and treats. Enjoy a warm, welcoming space for reading, learning, and connection. Check out your favorite books. We Appreciate Our Patrons! At Hightower Memorial Library, we are committed to providing the very best in service, programs, and community support. During this special week, we celebrate YOU—our valued patrons! We invite you to visit, explore, and make the library part of your everyday life. We can’t wait to see you! Edna Williams, Glenda James and Glenda Evans-Librarians.
National Day of Prayer
National Day of Prayer for the Sumter County Area will take place on Thurs., May 7, at noon with a prayer walk downtown Livingston from the Bored Well next to the Courthouse Square and moving to different sites as we pray over these seven mountains of Influence. We are believing that every place where the sole of our feet tread upon, God has given us to possess the land all for his kingdom. We are asking all residents, businesses, local leaders, pastors, governmental and city officials to join with us as we commemorate seventy five years of praying for America and eigh years of prayer going forth here in Livingston. We are asking all to come out and support this event as we bring glory to God over these mountains of Influence. Our Theme this year is: “Glorify God among the Nations. Seeking Him in all Generations,” 1st Chronicles 16:24 NASB. Let us come together as a unified body with one goal, and that is to pray as God has instructed us to. Please wear comfortable walking shoes if you plan on joining us in the walk.
Community Garden Volunteers Needed at the Coleman Center For the Arts Garden
Help us grow our garden and expand our garden programs. Our garden is open to the public; we are happy to collaborate with community groups, churches, and schools to provide garden programming. Email us at info@colemanarts.org for more information, or to sign up as a volunteer.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
If you or someone you know is struggling to cope emotionally this holiday season, reach out. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support via phone or chat for people in distress, resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Visit 988lifeline.org for more.
Community Prayer
Community Prayer for the Sumter County area will be held every 1st Thursday of each month at noon for one hour at the Bored Well, the Courthouse Square, Livingston. We’re asking all residents, businesses, local leaders, pastors, governmental and city officials to join us as we come together as a community to pray. Submitted by Min. Leola Washington, Volunteer Coordinator for NDPTF, Sumter County.
School Events
Hightower Memorial Library Summer Reading Program June 1–30
Registration is open now until May 1. See you at the library.
Applications Open for Statewide Youth Arts Collective
Beginning April 9, Amp Up Arts will open applications for the Youth Arts Collective (YAC), a statewide student leadership program designed to engage and empower high school students across Alabama. The Youth Arts Collective will bring together students who are passionate about the arts and interested in strengthening arts education within their schools and communities. Participants will collaborate with peers from across the state, develop leadership skills, and work alongside mentors from Alabama’s arts community. The program is open to students entering grades 9 through 12. Participants can expect to commit approximately four to six hours per month. Applications will remain open through April 30. Students can apply online at: bit.ly/YACarts Educators and community leaders are encouraged to share this opportunity with students who have an interest in the arts, regardless of prior coursework or experience. For more information about the Youth Arts Collective, please visit ampuparts.org or contact Amp Up Arts at info@AmpUpArts.org.
West Alabama Winds
Shelton State Community College’s Concert Band, West Alabama Winds, will perform their spring concert on Monday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bean-Brown Theatre on the College’s Martin Campus. Concert admission is free, and all are invited to attend. Under the primary direction of Dr. Elijah Pugh, the ensemble’s spring concert will feature guest conductors, Alan Blackshear and Donna Blethen. Shelton State’s largest instrumental ensemble, West Alabama Winds, is comprised of both student and community members and plays traditional and modern selections from the wind band repertoire. For more information, contact Lillian Wesley at 205.391.2399 or lwesley@sheltonstate.edu.
UA Preview: This Week at The University of Alabama
| April 20, 2026 📰 BEST BETS Gift to Capstone College of Nursing Aims to Generate Growth The Bedford Falls Foundation-Donor Advised Fund is investing $1.5 million over five years to The University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing to support in-state student scholarships and programs. Why This Matters: This landmark gift from the Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF will provide the College with around 60 scholarships annually for in-state, undergraduate nursing students and support student success initiatives. For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu. Turning Tragedy into Transformative Research As Alabama approaches the 15th anniversary of the April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak, three UA professors are turning tragedy into transformative research aimed at making communities like Tuscaloosa safer and more resilient. Why This Matters: Shaped by personal experiences with devastating severe weather, researchers like Dr. Shane Crawford, who as a UA student witnessed the April 27 aftermath, are improving disaster preparedness, response and resilience — applying those lessons to help protect lives today and in the future. For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at jessica.nelson@ua.edu. Bama Blitz Collects More Than 1,500 Gifts UA raised more than $1 million in gifts during its ninth annual giving days, Bama Blitz. Why This Matters: This year’s campaign, Bama in Bloom, celebrated the many ways charitable giving helps students grow both personally and professionally at the Capstone, highlighting a variety of funds and passion-driven projects across campus. UA supporters made 1,586 gifts during the crowdfunded, social media-driven campaign. For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu. UA Summer Camps Provide Enriching Opportunities From creative writing and visual arts to engineering, communication and college readiness, UA offers a wide range of academic-focused summer camps for students of all ages. Why This Matters: These programs give students hands-on learning experiences, a chance to explore future majors and careers, and an opportunity to experience life on UA’s campus. 📅 EVENTS Entrepreneur Resource Groups April 21; The EDGE #SICKMOVES Dance Alabama! Concert April 25; The English Building |