Benefits

The Carthage Fire Fighters Assoc. is having a portrait fund drive for the next several weeks. Families will be contacted by phone and asked to make a pledge. Families that pledge will receive a 10x13 portrait. Proceeds help pay for updated equipment.

The Sandhills Area Land Trust (SALT) will host a “Clean Up of Highway 690“ (the Vass Road) on Saturday, May 31 from 9:30 a.m. until noon. Conservation volunteers may contact Jacob Tennis at salt_ncvolunteers@mindspring.com or call 315-5996. Lunch will be provided.

Sandhill Harley-Davidson hosts its first annual Motorcycle Poker Run and Blood Drive on Saturday, June 14 at 9 a.m. at Aberdeen Lake Recreation Area, U.S. Hwy 1. Proceeds benefit the American Red Cross Moore County Chapter. Call 692-8571 for more information.

Education/Adult

Volunteer Opportunity-Training for Volunteer Respite Caregivers of Older Adults will be held on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the FirstHealth Conference Center. Respite caregivers-men, women, and couples-are advocates for caregivers and companions for house-bound people over 60. No hands-on nursing care. For information and registration call Department of Aging at 947-2881.

Education/Youth

Moore County’s elementary schools are now registering children for kindergarten if they are five years of age on or before Oct. 16. Children entering school for the first time must have a physical examination and immunizations. For more information, contact Elaine Tucker at 947-2976.

Union Pines High School offers a summer day camp (K-6 grade) June 2–July 25, Monday–Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., except for July 4. Activities include sports skill building, academic enrichment, crafts, games, and field trips. Call 947-5511 or visit mcs.k12.nc.us/up for registration materials.

M.O.M. Playgroup. New mothers of children under the age of one are invited to the Mothers of Moore playgroup every other Wednesday at 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Please bring some toys and a playmate for your infant. M.O.M is not affiliated with any religious, fraternal or other organizations. It is solely a group organized to help mothers find friendships, support and encouragement. For details contact Christine Dandeneau, 295-2940.

Cyber Ed. Children’s Center offers a Saturday night out program every first Saturday. Times are 6-10 p.m., ages 3-11, cost $6 hr./$8 hr. for two children. Call for reservations at 246-2211. Information is available about other programs including after-school care, classes.

Sylvan Learning Center is offering free educational deficit screenings on Tuesday mornings. Call for an appointment at 944-0555.

Health

Sandhills Zen Group offers free Zen meditation classes at the center at 150 Merry Mock Hill Road in Southern Pines, which is off of Connecticut Avenue. Registration is encouraged. There is no religious affiliation necessary to participate in the stress-relieving therapy of Zen meditation. Call 695-7851 or log on at www.literary.org/sandhillszen.

Yoga & Massage in the Sandhills hosts various classes each month including Satsung, Belly Dancing and more. Information: 692-5593.

Flourish in Southern Pines offers Yoga classes. For more information, call 693-1553.

n Aberdeen Parks & Recreation

Information or registration is available by calling Jo Anne, 944-5902.

Tai Chi classes are held at the Aberdeen Lake Park building each Monday and/or Wednesday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. with Master Lee as the instructor. Cost is $30 per month for one class per week and $50 per month for two classes per week.

Stretch and tone classes for seniors only are held on Monday and Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. in the Aberdeen Lake building. No fees.

Chair exercise classes are held on Monday and Thursday mornings at 11 a.m. in the Aberdeen Lake building. No fees.

n Carolina Performing Arts

The center is located at 670 SW Broad St, Southern Pines. These programs are part of the Arts in Well Being curriculum. Call 695-7898 for details.

Tai Chi Classes. Offered Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. with Lee Holbrook, Tai Chi master, instructor.

Pilates Classes. Offered Monday and Wednesday mornings with Bobbie Miller, certified instructor.

Lectures

The Ruth Pauley Lecture Series

May 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Owens Auditorium at Sandhills Community College noted Middle East expert Dr. Charles Kimball, chairman of the Department of Theology at Wake Forest University, will discuss “Islam and World Peace: When Religion Becomes Evil.”

n Sunset Series

Powell Funeral Home, 160 E. New Hampshire Ave., has organized a series of casual get togethers the second Wednesday of every month at 3 p.m. Free. Info: (910) 692-6161

June 11 — Estate Planning

July 9 — Advance Funeral Planning

Aug. 13 — Crime Awareness

Sept. 10 — Fire Safety

Oct. 8 — Cooking for One

Nov. 12 — Veterans Issues

Dec. 10 — Understanding Computers

Library Programs

County Libraries

BOOKMOBILE: Bookmobile service is scheduled throughout the county.

CARD CATALOG: The card catalog for the county library is available online at: www.204.211.56.212.

Dial-a-Story : The Robbins library is host to the Dial-a-Story program. Stories are available from a machine by phone for young children. Dial 948-3322 for a new story every day.

n The Moore County Library is located at 101 Saunders St. in Carthage. For more information about the library or its programs, call 947-5335.

STORYTIME: Pre-school storytime is each Monday at 10:30 a.m.

n Page Library is located in Aberdeen at 101 N. Poplar and Main. The branch is open Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. Phone 944-1200.

n The Pinebluff Library is located at 305 E.Baltimore and Currant. The branch is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and is open the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Phone 281-3004.

n The Robbins Area Library is located at 161 E. Magnolia off Middleton behind Tar Heel Drug. This branch is open Tuesday-Saturday with evening hours on Tuesday. Phone 948-4000.

n The Vass Library is located on Seaboard Street near the Vass Post Office. The library opens Tuesday from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m.-1p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Phone: 245-2200. Every first Wednesday of the month, the VL has a storytime for children at 10:30 a.m.

Given Memorial Library

Given Memorial Library is located in downtown Pinehurst. Call (910) 295-6022 for more info.

DONATIONS NEEDED — The library welcomes your donation of books you no longer want for the semi-annual book fairs to raise money for the library. Drop off is at the library any time during library hours. No Readers Digests or magazines, please. Questions? Call 295-6022

A free Summer Reading Program, “Art, Exercise and Animals,” for children ages 4-11, will be held each Friday in June at 3 p.m. To register call Pat Williams at 295-4243 or Katherine Stevenson at 295-4023.

June 6: Exercise. Mrs. Robbie Harter will introduce yoga for children to you. Please dress appropriately.

June 13: Animals. Ranger Kim Hyre will tell you about the animals at Weymouth Woods Nature Preserve.

June 20: Art. Cari Dreyer will show you how to have more fun with your drawing and your art work.

June 27: Exercise and Strength. Strongman John Brookfield will demonstrate his very special feats of strength.

Southern Pines Library

The Southern Pines Public Library is located at 170 W. Connecticut Ave. and is open Monday–Thursday 10 a.m–7 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sun. 2–5 p.m. The catalog and other information about the library are available at www.sppl.net. Call for information at 692-8235.

Each time you check out an item in May you may enter a drawing for several gift certificates to local garden supply stores, courtesy of Friends of SPPL.

Red Cross

For information about any American Red Cross Moore County Chapter event, call 692-8571.

Bloodmobile

n Thursday, May 22 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the Moore County Employees, Methodist Men’s Club and Carthage Women’s Club host a blood drive at the Agriculture Center on Pinehurst Avenue in Carthage. Appointments, call Dee Ann Purvis at 947-6362.

Reunion Notices

Jackson Springs School will hold its reunion at the old school building, ½-mile north of Jackson Springs on Mill Road, on Saturday, May 24, 1-3 p.m., registration at 10:30 a.m.

Berkley High School will hold its 13th bi-annual reunion June 28-29 at various area locations. The cost is $60 by June 1 and $65 thereafter. Send fee to: BHSAA, P.O. Box 1242, Aberdeen, NC 28315. Contact Chairperson Leatha Ferebee at 944-9726 for more information.

Pinecrest High School Class of 1983 will hold its 20-year reunion on Saturday, Sept. 27, at Woodlake Country Club in Vass with a DJ, hors dourves, cash bar, and door. The cost is $40 per person. Register with www.classmates.com or email Kitty Hopkins Watkins at Kitty@pinehurst.net.

Pinecrest High School Class of 1973 is planning a reunion for later this year. The organizers would like to find as many classmates as possible. Call 947-2902 or put information about yourself on www.myclassmates.com.

North Moore High School Class of 1972 is planning a Reunion. If you are a graduate and are interested in planning a reunion, Please call Brenda at 464-2529.

Support Groups

The Sandhills monthly Alzheimer’s Support Group meets at Alterra Sterling House, 101 Brucewood Rd., Southern Pines, on the second Wednesday of each month at noon. Info/Reservations: 695-1277.

The Moore County Alzheimer Support Group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Bethesda Presbyterian Church, Route 1, Aberdeen. For further information, call (336) 877-9332, (800) 888-6671, or 692-0232.

Moore County Department of Aging sponsors “Grand-Parents Raising Grandchildren,” a monthly information and support meeting from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Carthage Library. Come early for refreshments. Call 947-2881 for information and registration for the following event:

June 11: Speaker-Barbara Stender, Family Caregiver Specialist, on Caregiver Burnout: Signs, Prevention, Cures.

A Support group for family members of those serving in the military or who have been deployed meets monthly at First Baptist Church, Southern Pines. Childcare is provided. Call 692-8750 for childcare reservations. Info: 235-4465

Co-dependents Anonymous meets each Monday from 7-8 p.m. at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, Conference Room C. The meeting is non-smoking. Info: Jill at 235-0545.

Fibromyalgia Support Group meets once a month on the second Tuesday at the FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital Outpatient Conference Room in Pinehurst. The meetings begin at 7 p.m. Information: 281-3175.

Over Eaters Anonymous meets each Thursday at 8 p.m. at Bethesda Presbyterian Church at fellowship hall entrance in Aberdeen.For information please call Aileen at 295-1840.

Recovery Inc., a mental health, self-help program, meets each Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. at Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church. People from all walks of life attend these free meetings to face emotional problems, symptoms and fears. Information: call 947-1640.

The Sandhills Ostomy Association sponsors an ostomy support group which meets the first Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. at the FirstHealth Conference Center at Moore Regional Hospital, Pinehurst. Non-members are welcome to attend. For information call 695-1554 or 295-2819.

Sexual Assault Support Group - Friend to Friend, the domestic violence and rape crisis center in Moore County is forming a weekly support group for survivors of sexual assault. Attendance is free of charge. Info: 947-3333. Friend to Friend is a United Way Agency.

The Silent /Signing Supper Group invites persons with hearing loss and/or signs fluently to join its meeting on the first Monday of each month starting at 6 p.m. at Golden Corral, Aberdeen. Contact Robin Homesley at 947-2342, ext. 279, or rhomesley@hotmail.com.

The 12-step program Set Free meets at Calvary Chapel of the Sandhills, 201 West South Street in Aberdeen at 7 p.m. on Sundays. Set Free is a fellowship of men and women who are recovering from behaviors that have affected their lives. Call 944-2477 for more information.