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 [email protected]. The front office is closed due to COVID-19. We can not take anything over the phone due to company policy.
2024 Upcoming Holiday deadlines: SCRJ will be closed for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2 and has a late deadline for Tues., Sept. 3 before noon. SCRJ will be closed for Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11 and has a late deadline for Tues., Nov. 12 before noon. Deadline for Thanksgiving is Friday, Nov. 22. SCRJ will be closed for Thanksgiving week and will reopen Monday, Dec. 2. Santa Letters deadline is Friday, Dec. 6. Deadline for the Christmas ads for the Christmas/Santa Letter Edition 12-18-24 is Friday, Dec. 13. These are special editions that must be sent in early to the printers. New Year’s Edition 12-26-24 & 1-2-25 is Friday, Dec. 19. We have to submit both papers early due to the printing company being closed for the holidays.
What You Need to Know to Keep Your Flocks Healthy
To learn more about protecting your flock from contracting a disease that can infect poultry, please register to attend this training by calling the Sumter County Extension Office at 205-652-9501. Event will be Wed., July 24, at 6-7 p.m. at ALFA Enviromental Training Building, 316 Bartum St., Livingston.
Alabama Black Belt Landscapes Pilot Project
The Alabama NRCS, Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee and Alabama Wildlife Federation are launching the Alabama Black Belt Landscapes Pilot Project! Applications for EQIP funding open until Aug. 21 to restore and enhance Black Belt Prairie ecosystems for improved biodiversity, habitat, and carbon sequestration. Conservation efforts include: Removing woody encroachment, treating invasive species, reintroducing fire to revive native seedbanks, planting native trees, grasses, forbs, and shrubs, implementing prescribed grazing. Eligible counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, and Wilcox. Apply now through ACT NOW! Find your local USDA Service Center at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov.
Union Chapel C. M. E. Church Homecoming
Union Chapel C. M. E. Church annual Homecoming is Sun., July 28, at 11:30 a.m. Rev.Terry Anderson is guest speaker. Rev. Joyce McCoy is church pastor.
July’s Grow More, Give More Harvest of the Month is Watermelon
Find growing instructions as well as yummy recipes that use watermelon at https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/lawn-garden/july-grow-more-give-more-harvest-of-the-month Find growing instructions as well as yummy recipes “Live Well Alabama’s Melon and Mint,” and “University of Delaware Extension’s Watermelon Salsa.”
Harvest Ministries
Harvest Ministries, located at 6815 Co. Rd., 32, Lisman, will be open on Wed., July 31, 8 a.m. -1 p.m. Free clothes, children clothes, shoes, household items, and much, much more.
Alabama DHR Announces Final Round of Child Care Stability Grants
The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) announces the final round of grants supporting child care providers through a temporary federal grant program. Starting Mon., July 15, DHR will be accepting applications for Child Care Stability grants, meant to reinforce the child care industry in Alabama. Aug. 12 is the final day to apply. Award amounts will be determined based on the total number of children served by the facility or home, the number of qualifying applicants, and the availability of funds. DHR wants to ensure all the remaining grant funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act are utilized before Sept. 30. Grant funds are used for necessary expenditures such as employee pay, facility maintenance, purchases of classroom materials, cleaning supplies and meals. Funds can also be used to offer tuition relief to families. To qualify, providers must be licensed and operating in good standing with DHR at the time they apply and receive a grant. They must also remain in operation for at least one year after a grant is awarded. Applications and other important information will be available at dhr.alabama.gov/child-care.
Oak Grove Baptist Church Anniversary and Homecoming
Oak Grove Baptist Church Anniversary and Homecoming program will be held on Sunday, July 28, at 2 p.m on Sumter 23, Coatopa. Guest Minister will be Rev. John E. Johnson, pastor of John the Baptist Church, Ward.
Making Your School Greenhouse Work for You
Join us for a deeper dive in greenhouse management strategies designed for educators Tues., July 30, 2-4 p.m.. This free two hour online class, led by Dr. Jeremy Pickens, will provide an overview of the following topics: Plant propagation techniques, automated irrigation system management strategies, choosing the right fertilizer, pest management strategies, and more. This online class has been approved for two professional development hours with the Alabama State Dept. of Education. To register online, please visit https://www.aces.edu/go/4295 For more information contact Bethany O’Rear 205-612-9524, [email protected]. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is an equal opportunity educator, employer, and provider. If you need a reasonable accommodation or language access services, contact the instructor three weeks before the class.
“Trees4AL” – Tree Planting Grant Opens for Applications
The Alabama Forestry Commission, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service announces the opening of “Trees4AL,” a match-free, tree planting grant with awards ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 for disadvantaged areas in Alabama. This grant is part of Alabama’s total allocation of $750,000 over four years from the $1.5 billion dollar investment in urban and community forestry through the Inflation Reduction Act. Those eligible to apply are local governments, non-profit organizations (charitable organizations) meeting section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, tribal entities, and educational institutions. The request for applications (RFA) opened on Monday, July 1 and closes on Friday, August 23, 2024, at 5:00 pm CDT. Funds MUST be used in Alabama for DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES as identified at the time of application by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) which may be found at https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/en/. The RFA can be found at forestry.alabama.gov, under the “manage” tab and the “Urban Program Overview” drop down, which describes the grant information in detail.Projects meeting the grant criteria qualify for the matching funds waiver and awardees will be fully reimbursed for the tree planting. Indirect costs may also be included and up to 20% of the grant’s total value may be applied to administrative costs. Limited site preparation and concrete removal is allowed. This is a rare opportunity to increase an area’s tree canopy, providing shade, cleaning air and water, improving aesthetics and generating a positive economic impact at a very low cost. Please contact Dale Dickens, the Urban Forestry Coordinator for the Alabama Forestry Commission, at [email protected] or (334) 467-7971 with any questions or comments.
Oak Grove Baptist Church Annual Revival
Oak Grove Baptist Church annual Revival is July 29-31, at 6:30 p.m. each night. Rev. George Hale, pastor of Central Chapel Primitive Baptist Church, Boyd, will be our guest minister.
Men’s Day at Grants Chapel
Sun., July 28, Men’s Day will be observed at Grants Chapel along with the morning worship service. Everyone is invited.
Men and Women Day at Mt. Powell Baptist Church
Men and Women Day will be observed at Mt. Powell Baptist Church on Sun., July 28, along with the morning worship service. Everyone is invited. Rev. Wesley Winston is church pastor.
Meet and Greet
The Republican Women of Sumter County invite you to meet the Republican candidate for Congress from District 7. Dr. Robin Litaker will address the needs of our county and state. She advocates for conservative education reform. Join us at the Moon House on Thurs., July 25, from 4-6 p.m.. Everyone is invited.
2024 Southeastern Hay Contest
This contest is open to any hay or baleage producer from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma (east of I-35), South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (east of I-35), or Virginia. Entries must be postmarked by August 30, 2024. Winners will be notified by October 1, 2024. The awards will be presented at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA on October 15, 2024. Category: 1. Warm Season Per Grass Hay, 2. Alfalfa Hay, 3. Other Legume Hay, 4. Cool Season Per Grass Hay, 5. Legume+Grass Mixed Hay:_% Legume (estimated), 6. Cool Season Annual Grass Hay, 7. Warm Season Annual Grass Hay, 8. Grass Baleage, 9. Legume Baleage. Submit your #hay or #baleage sample today to one of our NINE categories! For more information, visit https://site.caes.uga.edu/sehaycontest. Entries must be postmarked by Aug. 30.
Governor Ivey Invites Alabama Students to Join for Her Summer Reading Challenge
Governor Kay Ivey invited Alabama students to join her for her Summer Reading Challenge, encouraging children to include reading in their summer activities. Governor Ivey’s Summer Reading Challenge, May 21- July 31, is open to Alabama students. Whether receiving public, private or home school instruction, rising students in grades K through 8th for the 2024-25 school year are invited to join. To participate, grade-eligible students may write a letter to Governor Ivey, sharing what their preferred summer reading book was and why it was their favorite, whether it be assigned summer reading novels or books of choice. In addition to the written portion of the letter, students must include their name, grade they are entering and school he or she attends. All letters to Governor Ivey should be addressed and mailed to: Governor Kay Ivey, Attn: Governor Ivey’s Summer Reading Challenge, 600 Dexter Ave., Montgomery, AL 36130. At launch of the challenge, Governor Ivey offered her encouragement to students. Parents and teachers, you can even get in on the action by showing Governor Ivey what Alabama’s young learners are reading by sharing to Instagram and tweeting the governor at @GovernorKayIvey, using the hashtags #GKIsReadingChallenge.
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
Sumter County Public Schools to Give Away Free School Supplies
The Sumter County School System will provide free school supplies to students of all ages in the district. Stay tuned for details about distribute dates and procedures on Facebook. For more information you can call 205-652-9605, or visit www.sumter.k12.al.us.
Know a senior who just graduated but hasn’t completed their FAFSA?
Share this incredible scholarship opportunity with them! Students who complete a FAFSA between July 1 and Aug. 15 ,are eligible to enter. Find more details at getschooled.com/financial-aid-completion-scholarship.
| UA Preview: This Week at The University of Alabama Alabama Business Hall of Fame Seven Alabama leaders, including Nick Saban, will be inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Birmingham Nov. 14. Why This Matters: The Alabama Business Hall of Fame, housed at the Culverhouse College of Business at The University of Alabama, honors, preserves and perpetuates the names and outstanding accomplishments of business personalities who have brought recognition to the state of Alabama. AssistAL Program for Small Businesses With funding from the U.S. Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative, the Alabama Small Business Development Center at The University of Alabama launched the AssistAL program to significantly increase its capacity for technical assistance in the form of advising and training to help business owners get the capital they need. Why This Matters: The program, through assistance from the SSBCI, will assist underserved and rural communities, veterans and others who may face unique challenges in securing loan or equity investment funding. Students Hike Spain’s Camino de Santiago This summer, a group of 10 UA students hiked over 230 miles in 27 days from St. Jean Pied du Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain, along the famous Camino de Santiago, a route traveled by pilgrims since the ninth century. Why This Matters: Guided by history professors Drs. Margaret Peacock and Juan Ponce Vazquez, these students were immersed in multiple cultures as they were challenged both intellectually and physically. 💬 CURRENT COMMENT Jay Waters, a senior instructor in the College of Communication and Information Sciences, is available to discuss the process and thinking behind brands spending premium dollars on advertisement and sponsorships during the Olympic games. 📅 EVENTS Sports Art Day July 27; Paul W. Bryant Museum |