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 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.
Community Prayer
Community prayer for the Sumter County area will be held on Thurs., Nov. 7, at noon for one hour at the Bored Well in the Courthouse Square in Livingston. We are asking all residents, businesses, local leaders, pastors, governmental and city officials to join us as we come together as a community to pray in unity.
CCA and UA Nonprofit & Entrepreneur Clinic Present “The Business of Art”
The Coleman Center in collaboration with the University of Alabama’s Nonprofit & Entrepreneur Clinic present “The Business of Art,” a free community workshop facilitated by UA Law Professors and Student Attorneys Nov. 12 at Coleman Center for the Arts 211 Broad St., York, 5-7 p.m.. This interactive session will cover Intellectual Property (trademarks, copyright law), Entity Formation (creating a DBA, LLC, or nonprofit), License/Agreements (contracts, artist agreements), Artificial Intelligence and more!
Boyd Community Veterans Day Program
The Boyd community will be celebrating their annual Veterans Day Program on Sat.y, Nov. 9, beginning with a parade at 11 a m. and a program in park following immediately after. The public is invited.
Sumter County Community In Action Coalition Presents Strengthening Families Program at the Livingston Community Center
The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is a family skills training intervention that provides Children’s Life Skills, Parenting Life Skills, and Family Life Skills sessions to strengthen parenting and family functioning 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 28. Families Served: Sumter County will serve families with children 5-17 years old. Childcare will be provided for children 11 and younger. No charge to participate. Agenda: 1. The program begins with a healthy home cooked meal where parents and children sit together, eat, talk and enjoy without the interruption of telephones and televisions and social media! 2. Parents and children meet separately for one hour to participate in the parenting skills and children’s life skills classes. Childcare for younger children and tutoring. 3. Participants complete a fourteen session weekly program. For additional information please contact Eleanor James, Coordinator/ Facilitator 205-499-9566 or [email protected]. Futher details provided at registration. Volunteers needed who love working with people. Enjoy dinner and promotional prizes. Topics: appreciationg family members, goals and objectives, communication for better relationships family meetings, problem solving, empathy giving and following directions, relationships, family values, managing anger, and more.
Hear Here Alabama
If you are 18 years of age or older the Hear Here Alabama project with the University of Alabama would like to invite you to participate in a research study. The study will help to increase access to hearing healthcare in rural areas of Alabama. As part of the study, you will be given a free hearing screening and be asked questions about your health. Testing will take place at: University Medical Center, 711 N Washington St, Livingston, Tues., Oct. 29. from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The study will take about 30 minutes to complete. For completing the study, you will be given a gift card. For more information or to make an appointment call 205‐348‐4265.
Harvest Ministries
Harvest Ministries, 6815 County Road 32, Lisman, will be open on Wed., Oct. 30, 8 a.m. -1 p.m. Free clothes, children clothes, shoes, household items, and much more.
City of York Veterans Day Bike Ride
Join us and our community partners for a special Veterans Day Bike Ride through the City of York starting at the old York Drug Store/ New City Hall! The day begins with a STEM workshop at 9 a.m. and a presentation to veterans at 11 a.m. The bike ride pushes off at 1 p.m. and culminates with a community celebration at 3 p.m.
City of Livingston Halloween or Fall Decoration Contest
Calling all businesses and residents. We want to see your wonderful yard displays and decorations this season, Halloween or fall. Judging for Halloween displays will be between Oct. 28-30 and for Fall Harvest displays will be between Nov. 6-8. Businesses and residents can be judged for both.
Livingston and Siloam Fire & Rescue
Present Pipeline Safety Classes
Livingston and Siloam Fire & Rescue has teamed up to offer two pipeline safety classes on Nov. 14 at 9-noon and Nov. 18 6-9 p.m. for all fire, rescue, emergency personnel, police, ambulance, utility, city and county personnel in the west Alabama area at the Livingston Community Center 101 Country Club Rd., Livingston. Please RSVP by Nov. 12, and/or if there are any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Dennis Bragg at 205-377-2789.
Veterans Day Program
Tuscaloosa Memorial Park
Join us on Monday, Nov. 11, at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Park for our annual Veterans Day Ceremony as we honor the brave men and women who have served our country. This year, we are proud to feature keynote speaker Capt. Chad Fleming, a U. S. Army veteran, Tuscaloosa native, and Patriot Tour speaker. Capt. Fleming, a retired Army Ranger who helped rescue “Lone Survivor” Marcus Luttrell, will share his inspiring story. This event will be held rain or shine, with alternate weather plans communicated via our website and social media.
Community Foundation of West Alabama Community Grants
The Community Foundation of West Alabama offers two grant cycles in the fall. Applications for these are available at the website www.thecfwa.org. The Community Grants are available to 501(c)3 organizations. The Educational Grants are available to classroom teachers. Applications must be postmarked no later than Nov. 1. The mission of the local Community Foundation is to promote charitable giving for present and future generations. The mission is fulfilled by helping donors achieve their charitable and financial goals through services that facilitate charitable giving, by providing responsible and professional financial management and by distributing earnings from investments according to donor intent and community needs.
Santa For Seniors
Christmas… the most wonderful time of the year! But not for everyone. Many needy seniors never experience the joys of Christmas. Help change this by partnering with the ATRC Aging to sponsor a senior for the 6th Annual Santa for Seniors service project. Seniors are available to adopt between Oct. 1-Nov. 15. To sponsor a senior, go to the Santa for Seniors page on our website, www.atrcaging.com, where you will find non-identifying information about needy seniors within the 10-county region along with a list of items requested. You can sponsor seniors with a click or make a monetary donation through PayPal. According to Director Delia Brand, “While children are the beneficiaries of many holiday programs, people often don’t think about the isolated and lonely seniors who need to be remembered as well during this season. We hope you’ll help bring a smile to a needy senior this Christmas season.” ATRC Case Staff have chosen the neediest seniors in the area as Santa for Seniors recipients. Many are low-income, homebound and alone. Most of the requests are for everyday items such as cleaning supplies, bed linens, adult diapers, and other basic necessities. For more information call (334) 682-5206 or 888-617-0500.
Join Us for the At Home
Beekeeping Series! 🐝
Calling all beekeepers! Our online series is back, offering educational information and updates on timely beekeeping topics. Attend meetings from the comfort of your home using your computer or mobile device. Each session includes a Q&A segment for all your beekeeping questions. Our next session is on July 30th! Don’t miss out. For more information, visit: https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/bees-pollinators/at-home-beekeeping-series/ Dates and Topics: Oct. 29 Hot Topics in Beekeeping, Amy Vu, University of Florida; Nov. 19 Breeding for Varroa-Resistant Honeybees, Frank Rinkevich, United States Department of Agriculture. 2025 Dates and Topics: Jan. 28 Coming Out of Winter, David Tarpy, North Carolina State University; Feb. 25 Honeybee Nutrition, Priya Chakrabarti Basu, Mississippi State University; March 25 Colony Losses in the United States of America, Geoff Williams, Auburn University; April 29 Honeybee Nest Architecture, Michael Smith, Auburn University. Recordings from this series are available for only two weeks after each session on the Lawrence County Alabama Extension Office Facebook page. For more information on the “At Home Beekeeping Series,” contact Allyson Shabel at [email protected].
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
York West End Trunk or Treat and Breast Cancer Awareness Walk
Family and community members, come out and help us make these events successful while putting a smile on our students’ faces and making priceless memories! Fri., Oct. 25 there will be a Breast Cancer Awareness walk at York West End Jr. High. Parents are welcome to participate. “Pink out Friday,” students please wear pink shirts with uniform bottoms. See https://www.facebook.com/yorkwestend for times. Oct. 31 York West End presents Trunk or Treat. Students may wear costumes. Sign up to bring your trunk. For more information call 205-392-5901. See https://www.facebook.com/yorkwestend for times.
UCS & UWA Campus School Fall Festival
Fall Festval will be Oct. 28 at McConnel Field 5-7 p.m. See University Charter School’s Facebook page for details and deadlines for the pumpkin contest.
Apply to receive a $500 classroom grant
CHS Inc provides $500 grants each year to prek – 12th grade general education teachers whose classroom projects use agricultural concepts to teach reading, writing, math, nutrition, science, and/or social studies. Learn more and apply by visiting: https://agclassroom.org/teacher/grants/ Proposals are due Nov. 15.
‘Share Your Smile With Alabama’ Photo Contest Returns for 2025
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Oral Health Office is excited to announce the eighth annual “Share Your Smile with Alabama” statewide photo contest. This competition is a great opportunity for Alabama parents and guardians to showcase their child’s smile. This contest is open to children living in Alabama who are third grade students, or children 8 to 10 years of age who are homeschooled. For official rules and application form: www.alabamapublichealth.gov/oralhealth/contest.html
UA to Hold Fall 2024 Commencement Dec. 14
The University of Alabama will hold fall commencement with two ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 14, at Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus. 8:30 a.m.: Capstone College of Nursing; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Community Health Sciences; College of Human Environmental Sciences; School of Social Work. Noon: College of Communication and Information Sciences; College of Education; College of Engineering; Culverhouse College of Business; School of Law. More information, including live and recorded webcast details, an interactive campus map, parking information and fast facts about the 2024 spring class can be found on UA’s commencement website. Commencement information can be heard on UA’s radio station, 92.5 FM.
Apply to receive a $500 classroom grant
CHS Inc provides $500 grants each year to prek – 12th grade general education teachers whose classroom projects use agricultural concepts to teach reading, writing, math, nutrition, science, and/or social studies. Learn more and apply by visiting: https://agclassroom.org/teacher/grants/ Proposals are due Nov. 15.
UA Preview: This Week at The University of Alabama Oct. 28, 2024 📰 BEST BETS Historic Fundraising Year The University of Alabama has achieved another record-breaking year in fundraising for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, with more than $261 million in charitable gifts and pledges from over 60,000 donors. Why This Matters: This year eclipsed the $226 million mark set in 2023 by 15% and has helped propel The Rising Tide 2.0 capital campaign past 90% of its $1.8 billion goal. UA is in the ninth year of this comprehensive, 10-year campaign to elevate all areas of campus — from student scholarships and faculty research to campus facilities and athletics. For more information contact Alex House at [email protected]. Mourning and Grieving Practices of the Past The Gorgas House Museum and Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion invite visitors to step inside some of the oldest historic homes in Tuscaloosa and learn about the sociocultural expectations and practices of mourning and grieving after the Civil War and the greater Victorian Era Oct. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. Why This Matters: The free event features a joint exhibit titled, “Mourning Matters: Grieving and Etiquette in the Antebellum South and Further.” Visitors will learn about the history of mourning and hear firsthand about the ghosts that haunt Tuscaloosa. For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson at [email protected]. Discover Creepy Cryptids, Fantastic Fossils UA Museums will host its annual Haunting at the Museum Oct. 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The free, family-friendly and all-ages event open to the public will be held at both the Alabama Museum of Natural History and Gorgas House Museum. Why This Matters: The Alabama Museum of Natural History will feature, “The Haunting at the Museum: Creepy Cryptids & Fantastic Fossils,” an educational program inviting guests to explore paleontology past and present, the colors of chemistry, the importance of invertebrates and the wonders of boo-tanicals. For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson at [email protected]. Trunk-or-Treat with Capstone Learning Academy Media are invited to the Capstone Learning Academy for its first trunk-or-treat Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, contact Samantha Patton at 659-216-2990. Honoring Communicators The College of Communication and Information Sciences recently recognized four distinguished professionals for their exceptional contributions to the fields of communication and library and information science. Why This Matters: The 23rd class of C&IS Hall of Fame honorees includes Dr. Elizabeth Aversa, a leader in library and information sciences; Robert “Bob” Cohn, an award-winning journalist and founder of global public relations firm Cohn & Wolfe (now Burson); Dr. Jesse Lewis, newspaper publisher and founder of Alabama’s first Black-owned advertising agency; and Christi Parsons, former White House correspondent and mentor to the next generation of journalists. Social Work Leader Recognized The School of Social Work recently honored James Slaughter, retired deputy commissioner for field administration of the Alabama Department of Human Resources, as its 2024 hall of fame inductee. Why This Matters: Throughout his career, Slaughter demonstrated unwavering dedication to both his clients and colleagues. He was not only a mentor to aspiring social workers but also a catalyst for transformative change within the Alabama Department of Human Resources. 📅 EVENTS Trick or Treat on Sorority Row Oct. 28; Sorority Row Light Up the Night Oct. 28; The UA Quad Fossil Day: Why Dinosaurs? Nov. 2; Alabama Museum of Natural History Diwali (Festival of Lights) Nov. 7; UA Student Center Ballroom and Heritage Roomut the ghosts that haunt Tuscaloosa. For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson at [email protected]. Supporting National Security The University of Alabama’s Global Water Security Center will receive $11.5 million in funding over the next two years from the U.S. Department of Defense to enhance its crucial work that supports national security. Why This Matters: The funds will support the center’s analysis of global environmental factors affecting politics and security by helping inform key DOD decision makers. For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at [email protected]. Celebrating Future Legends UA will hold fall commencement with two ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 14, at Coleman Coliseum. Why This Matters: About 2,000 are expected to graduate, with about 1,600 of those participating in these ceremonies. Each year, UA awards around 9,000 degrees, with graduates infusing the state and nation’s workforce with highly educated talent. For more information, contact Alex House at [email protected]. 💬 CURRENT COMMENT Dr. Hamed Moftakhari, associate director of the Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research, can discuss coastal hydrology and sea level rise during this active hurricane season. 📅 EVENTS Halloween Extravaganza Oct. 21; Hank Crisp Indoor Facility Haunted Tours of the Gorgas House Museum Oct. 22-24; Gorgas House Museum Fossil Day: Why Dinosaurs? Nov. 2; Alabama Museum of Natural Historys on everything from clothing to home décor. Why This Matters: BUY for RISE is the school’s second-largest fundraiser of the year. Money raised helps fund the school’s programs. For more information, contact Rosemary Klein at [email protected]. Celebrating Future Legends UA will hold fall commencement with two ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 14, at Coleman Coliseum. Why This Matters: About 2,000 are expected to graduate, with about 1,600 of those participating in these ceremonies. Each year, UA awards around 9,000 degrees, with graduates infusing the state and nation’s workforce with highly educated talent. For more information, contact Alex House at [email protected]. Fighting Food Insecurity The 31st annual Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive kicked off Oct. 4 at UA. The drive runs through Nov. 21 and results will be announced the following day. Why This Matters: The Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive aims to raise awareness about food insecurity while collecting donations for the West Alabama Food Bank. According to Feeding America, one in six people, including one in four children, struggle with food insecurity in Alabama. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne at [email protected]. Upcycling Waste In a recently awarded grant project led by UA, researchers will upcycle agricultural and industrial waste into affordable and greener construction materials. Why This Matters: Many rural and poor communities grapple with the intersection of a changing climate and industrial waste. The NET technology proposed has the potential to help remove hazardous materials and generate new jobs and revenue while also contributing to the global effort to reduce carbon emissions. For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at [email protected]. 💬 CURRENT COMMENT Dr. Hamed Moftakhari, associate director of the Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research, can discuss coastal hydrology and sea level rise during this active hurricane season. 📅 EVENTS An Evening with Ander Monson Oct. 16; Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center Historic Halloween Oct. 19; The Gorgas House Museum Halloween Extravaganza Oct. 21; Hank Crisp Indoor Facilityation, contact Jennifer Brady at [email protected]. Upcycling Waste In a recently awarded grant project led by UA, researchers will upcycle agricultural and industrial waste into affordable and greener construction materials. Why This Matters: Many rural and poor communities grapple with the intersection of a changing climate and industrial waste. The NET technology proposed has the potential to help remove hazardous materials and generate new jobs and revenue while also contributing to the global effort to reduce carbon emissions. For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at [email protected]. Inspiring Storytellers The College of Communication and Information Sciences unveiled the Holle Center for Communication Arts, an incubator and collaborative space for modern storytelling. Why This Matters: The work of the Holle Center is guided by a commitment to advance narratives through innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement and creative co-operation. The center, located on the fourth floor of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium adjacent to the Digital Media Center, features a collaboratory for digital storytelling that includes a podcast studio, editing workspace and cyclorama — a panoramic, cylindrical backdrop for filming. For more information, contact Alex House at [email protected]. Understanding Drought Impacts In a recently published study, UA researchers at the Center for Complex Hydrosystems Research conducted a comprehensive analysis to determine the impact of drought on hydropower generation during the 18-year period and identify the relative vulnerability of each state to drought. Why This Matters: Researchers found a considerable decline in hydroelectric power between 2003 and 2020 at a cost of an estimated $28 billion to the sector nationwide. Hydropower facilities not only lost out on revenue, but the energy deficit then had to be purchased from other utilities. For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at [email protected]. 📅 EVENTS Fiction Collective Two 50th Anniversary Reading Oct. 7; Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center |