ARTS
BK Productions presents “A Chorus Line!” April 24-May 17 at the Cumming Playhouse. Audition will be held Feb. 5, 6 and 7 at the Brannon Heard House, 111 Pilgrim Mill Road. We are looking for triple threats (singers, dancers and actors ages 18-45). Call Kathy Russell if you have any questions or for an audition time at (678) 455-6110.
CIVIC CLUBS
The Kiwanis Club of Cumming meets at noon each Wednesday at Golden Corral on Market Place Boulevard. For more information, go online at www.cummingkiwanis.org or call Mike Burns at (404) 771-6582.
The Cumming Civitan Club meets at 11:45 a.m. the first and third Thursday of each month at the Golden Corral on Market Place Boulevard. For more information, call Susie Wortham at (678) 771-8909.
The Forsyth-Cumming Optimist Club meets at 7 a.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at Northside Hospital-Forsyth, Bennett Training Room, 1400 Building. Breakfast is served and each time the group has a speaker. For more information, go online at www.forsythcummingoptimistclub.com.
The Forsyth County Lions Club meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Golden Corral on Market Place Boulevard. For more information, call (770) 887-1609 or go online at www.forsythcountylions.org.
The Rotary Club of Johns Creek meets at 12:15 p.m. every Monday at Johns Creek Baptist Church, 6910 McGinnis Ferry Road.
North Forsyth 400 Rotary Club meets at noon every Tuesday at Coal Mountain Park Community Center, 3560 Setting Down Road. For more information, contact Clayton Rhoads, membership chairman, at (678) 513-1864.
DONATIONS
Treat the Troops Southern Style, which provides comfort foods for our deployed soldiers, will have packing events at 7 p.m. Feb. 26, April 23, June 25, Sept. 24 and Nov. 19, at the VFW Post 9143, 1045 Dahlonega Hwy., Cumming. Please bring homemade cookies (six per twist-tie baggie), candy, individual servings of packable food, travel-size toiletries and letters or cards of appreciation. Tax-deductible postage donations are needed. For more information, email lktjones@bellsouth.net, or go online at www.treatthetroops.org.
Cumming Home Ministries Thrift Store invites you to bring in donations of all kinds to its new location. Come see the expanded space in the old National Guard building, 429 Canton Road, across the street from the Ingles shopping center. CHM helps men with transitional housing. Donations will directly help those in your community. Call (470) 239-3423 for furniture pick-up, or stop by the store from 10-5:30 Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call (678) 456-5544 or visit www.cumminghomeministries.org.
Helping Hands Thrift Store, 523 Veterans Memorial Blvd., serves Forsyth County residents who are in need of financial assistance for rent and utilities. They also support the community by having a Day of Giving for food and personal items. Donations of household items, food, clothing and furniture are needed. The store in Cumming is open seven days a week. For more information or to schedule a pickup, call (404) 545-5721 or (678) 341-8075.
PIER Thrift and Consignment Center is accepting lightly used items from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays at 5185 Browns Bridge Road. For more information, go online at www.pierfoundation.org.
EDUCATION
WFHS PTO is pleased to announce that J.Tom Morgan will be speaking at 7 p.m Feb. 11 in the West Forsyth High School Auditorium, 4155 Drew Road, Cumming, 30040. He will be speaking about the information in his book “Ignorance is No Defense: A Teenager's Guide to Georgia Law.” He is a highly respected former prosecutor and experienced trial lawyer. He will talk about real-life examples and explain how GA laws affect our teenagers.
AARP driver safety class will be from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 14 at Northside Hospital-Forsyth, Bennett Education Center. Participants may receive an insurance discount. Cost is $20 with a $5 discount for AARP members. Bring a sack lunch or use the hospital cafeteria. Coffee will be provided. To reserve a spot, call Ralph Szweda at (770) 343-9500.
AARP tax assistance will be available for seniors from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday through April 14. We will meet at the Central Park Forsyth County Recreational Center, 2300 Keith Bridge Road. Assistance will also be available, by appointment only, on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Call (770) 744-2549 to make an appointment. Bring last year’s tax return and any documents indicating wages and all 1099 forms for interest/dividend income, social security, pensions, IRA/401k distributions, etc. Current Social Security cards and correct birth dates are required for all taxpayers and dependents included in the tax return and photo ID for you and your spouse, if filing jointly. Tax preparations are free.
Lanier Technical College Adult Education: If you need to get the GED, we encourage you to come to our center and let us help you get started. The hours are 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday. Registration for the preparation classes will be on Mondays and Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Call (770) 781-6987 to make and appointment. Registration will take about 2 ½ hours. The center is at 3140 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Bldg. A, Room 250. Classes are free. For more information, call (770) 781-6987 or email eglenn@laniertech.edu or mbond@laniertech.edu. Identification is required for registration.
The P.R.I.D.E. program will offer a free, two-hour course from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 20 designed to help parents and their future drivers ages 14-16, on learner’s permits, learn what they need to do during the 40 hours of supervised practice driving time. Classes are held at the Forsyth County Public Safety Training Center, 3520 Settingdown Road, Cumming. To register, call (770) 886-2800, Ext. 3328, or email dashaw@forsythco.com.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI FDL, holds free support group meetings on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. A Family Support Group meets for adult family members or friends (ages 18 and older) of a loved one living with mental illness. A Connections Support Group meets for adults ages 18 or older with a mental health diagnosis. Individuals with a diagnosis must be stable and dedicated to the recovery process. Both support groups meet on Thursday evenings at the Cumming Senior Center, 595 Dahlonega Hwy., next to the Cumming library. For information about NAMI Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin, visit www.namifdl.org or call Linda Fitzwater at 678-947-6156.
FUNDRAISERS
CASA of Forsyth County Inc. will hold its Sixth Annual 5K Run/Walk and 1K Fun Run on Feb. 21. The event will be held at Fowler Park, located at the corner of Hwy. 9 and Castleberry Road in south Forsyth County. The Peachtree Road Race qualifier course will spill out onto the Big Creek Greenway and is a flat, fast course, perfect for the serious runner, families and everyone in between. Entry fees for the Superhero 5K Run/Walk are $25 for individuals before Feb. 5 and $35 after Feb. 5. Fees for the 1K Fun Run are $10 each in advance and $15 after Feb. 5. New for this year participants can sign up as teams with five or more runners and receive a $5 discount per runner. For more information, to register or to find out how to sponsor this event, please visit the CASA website at www.forsythcountycasa.org or call
(770) 886-4082.
A ping pong tournament in support of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta will be held Feb. 7 at Norman’s Landing Restaurant, 365 Peachtree Pkwy.. For more information, call the restaurant at (770) 886-0100.
A fishing tournament in support of Fuller Center for Housing will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 14 at Little Hall Ramp. Register at Norman’s Landing Restaurant, 365 Peachtree Pkwy or at www.normanslanding.com . For more information, call the restaurant at (770) 886-0100.
A ping pong tournament in support of Autism for Forsyth County will be held at 7 p.m. March 24 (singles) and March 25 (doubles) at Norman’s Landing Restaurant, 365 Peachtree Pkwy. Cost is $20 per person and includes a T-shirt. For more information, call the restaurant at (770) 886-0100.
LEISURE
Sawnee Amateur Radio Association meets every second Monday at 7 p.m. at IHOP in Cumming on Market Place Boulevard. For more information, visit www.sawneeradio.com or email info@sawneeradio.com.
There is a bridge game at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Fowler Park. The cost is $10 per game. For more information, call Terry Parkerson at (678) 324-7097.
Age Well Forsyth will have bingo games every third Friday night as a fundraiser for the senior centers through Nov. 21. For more information, call the Forsyth County Senior Center at (770) 781-2178.
The Humane Society of Forsyth County No-Kill Shelter holds adoption events for cats and dogs at noon every Saturday and Sunday at Petco on Market Place Boulevard in Cumming. Cat adoptions are also held at Rucker on Keith Bridge R oad. Please check the adoption and event calendar on the HSFC website for confirmed dates, times and locations. The calendar also includes information about HSFC rabies/microchip clinics, volunteer orientation sessions, general membership meetings and other events. Vist www.forsythpets.org for more information.
The Sounds of Sawnee Concert Band is looking for musicians to join. There are no auditions and no dues. The group rehearses from 7:30-9:30 p.m. every Monday at First Baptist Church of Cumming, 1597 Sawnee Drive. For more information, go online at www.soundsofsawnee.com or call Harold at (770) 889-0866.
The Piecemakers Quilt Guild meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1125 Bettis-Tribble Gap Road, Cumming. To learn more about the guild visit www.piecemakersga.net. The goal is educating and promoting the art of quilting. All quilters are welcome. For more information, call Jill Schneider (770) 889-0710.
MEETINGS
The Forsyth County Women’s Club will have its monthly luncheon at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at Windermere Golf Club, 5000 Davis Love Drive. Luncheons are on the third Thursday of each month. Cost is $22. For more information, call Johanna Morgan at (678) 525-9309 or jlmorgan1960@gmail.com or visit www.forsythcountywomensclub.net .
DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Chestatee River Chapter DAR meets the second Sunday of each month at 3 p.m. in the Bennett Education Center, 1400 Building, Northside Forsyth Hospital, Cumming. For more information, call (678) 513-6127.
Toastmasters of Forsyth County meets at 6:45 pm on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Midway United Methodist Church. Guests welcome. For more information visit www.forsythcounty.toastmastersclubs.org.
VOLUNTEER
The Forsyth County Animal Shelter is looking for volunteers for dog walkers, cat cuddlers and groomers. Those interested in volunteering should visit the shelter to complete a volunteer application Form. The shelter is off of Ga. 400 at 4065 County Way in northern Forsyth County. For details on the many volunteer opportunities available and the general requirements for volunteers visit www.forsythco.com/animalshelter or contact Jeanie Curphey at (678) 965-7188 or jcurphey@forsythco.com.
United Way of Forsyth County and AARP is looking for volunteers to help seniors and other taxpayers with their tax preparation for free at Forsyth County Central Park. Volunteers prepare tax returns, greet program users and ensure things run smoothly at locations throughout Georgia and nationwide. Sign up to train for the 2015 tax season at aarp.org/taxvolunteer or www.AARP.org/taxaide.
Feed the Hungry Forsyth regularly needs volunteers to pickup and deliver food to community food pantries and to assist with community can good drives. For more information, call (678) 807-9120 or visit volunteer@feedforsyth.org.
PIER Thrift and Consignment Center, 5185 Browns Bridge Road, is in need of volunteers from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. The store is a nonprofit group that trains and employs adults with disabilities. For more information, go online at www.pierfoundation.org.
Forsyth County Senior Services is looking for volunteers for Alzheimer's disease respite care. The service is for those with the disease or other types of dementia. The Sunshine Club meets from 11:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Friday at Forsyth County Senior Services, 595 Dahlonega Hwy. Volunteers assist staff with activities including games, music, crafts and exercise. For more information, call Jim Yarbrough at (770) 781-2178.
Hands On Forsyth is seeking volunteers for its many opportunities in Forsyth County. For more information, go online at www.handsonforsyth.org or call Kerry or Sean at (770) 205-1701.
Ongoing Events
Toastmasters of Forsyth County meets at 6:45 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday of the month at Midway United Methodist Church, 5025 Atlanta Hwy. Guests are always welcome. For more information, go online at www.forsythtoastmasters.org.
The 82ndAirborne Division Association is looking for members who have served in the military and are airborne qualified. For more information, call Gary Weller at (678) 943-1935.
The Cumming Sunset Quilters is open to anyone interested in joining them at 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month in Northside Hospital-Forsyth’s Building 1400. For more information, call (770) 889-9471.
The Forsyth County Beekeepers Club meets at 6:30 p.m. every fourth Thursday of the month at the Sawnee Mountain Preserve off Spot Road. Anyone is invited to attend and learn more. For more information, go online at www.forsythbeekeepersclub.org or contact Palmer Hafner at pshpride@comcast.net or (678) 315-5111.
The Cumming Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. the second Tuesday of every month at Cumming Baptist Church in the fireside room, 115 Church St. For more information, call (770) 844-7061.
Navigators Toastmasters meets at 7:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at St. Brendan’s Spiritual Life Center off Shiloh Road. For more information, call (404) 597-7612 or e-mail paxtonfinancial@bellsouth.net.
Baby Boomers of Cumming and North Fulton is a group of married couples who enjoy social activities like dinner, theater, trivia and more. For more information, e-mail boomercouples@gmail.com.
The Toastmasters Community Voice invites guests to learn how to effectively communicate in a business, family or social environment. It meets from 6:45-8 p.m. Mondays at the Holiday Inn Express meeting room off Ga. 400’s Exit 14. Visitors are always welcome. For more information, go online at http://communityvoice.freetoasthost.com.
Forsyth Pipe and Drum is a group of bagpipers and drummers looking for additional members. The group performs a number of annual shows, including a 9/11 tribute, the Christmas parade and St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Savannah. For more information, call Tony Chapman at (770) 359-9873.
Garden of Empowerment, a nonprofit organization with the purpose of empowering separated, divorced and widowed women to move forward with their lives, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. For more information, go online at www.gardenofempowerment.org.
FairTax Forsyth meets the last Monday of the month at the Golden Corral in Cumming. Dinner and social time will be from 6-7 p.m., with the meeting from 7-8:15 p.m. For more information, call Dave Andrews at (404) 510-2306.
The North Georgia Barbershop Singers is a member of the Barbershop Harmony Society and has grown to 33 men who love to sing. The group welcomes new members to visit from 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1125 Bettis Tribble Gap Road.
Hand-Me-Rounds Thrift Shop, 102 Buford Dam Road, is a drop-off point for the American Cancer Society Wig Drive. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, call Ginny Nunnally at (770) 316-4612.
The Humane Society of Forsyth County No-Kill Shelter Thrift Store, 168 Tri-County Plaza, is open and accepting donations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. The thrift store has a variety of items for sale, often marked down over time. For more information, visit www.forsythpets.org or call (770) 889-1365, Ext. 8.
The Holistic Moms Network meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Land of a Thousand Hills Coffeehouse, 5095 Post Road, with informational speakers, yoga groups, and play groups for mothers interested in holistic health and green living. For more information, e-mail Ann Linke at holisticmomforsyth@yahoo.com, or visit www.holisticmoms.org.
The Sounds of Sawnee Community Band rehearses from 7:30-9:30 p.m. every Monday evening at First Baptist Church of Cumming, 1597 Sawnee Drive. All players are welcome. There are no auditions and no dues. All band instruments and all ages are welcome. In January we will be beginning rehearsals for the Celtic concert March 12-13. For more information, go online at www.soundsofsawnee.com or call Garth at (770) 205-6000.
Newborns in Need Cumming chapter meets from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month at Deer Creek Shores Presbyterian Church, 7620 Lanier Drive. Men and women who can sew, knit, crochet or just cut out and stack fabric are wanted to participate. The group makes various baby items for premature newborns and families in economic need. Donations of money or supplies are also accepted and are tax-deductible. For more information, contact Marlene Baker at (770) 781-8303.
Stitches from the Heart needs volunteers to knit, crochet or quilt blankets, little sweaters and hats for babies in need. These items are donated to hospitals all over the country. Patterns available. Donated yarn for seniors also appreciated. Call (877) 985-9212 or go online at www.stitchesfromtheheart.org.
The Piecemakers Quilt Guild has its monthly business meeting the second Tuesday of each month; the Sewcialbee is the fourth Tuesday. Both meetings are at 12:30 p.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1125 Bettis-Tribble Gap Road. Membership is open to all interested in quilting.
The Forsyth County CERT, Community Emergency Response Team, is looking for volunteers who would like to learn how they can help the community in an emergency. Classes will be held Thursday evenings. Class participants will learn how to help themselves, their families and their communities during times of crisis. For more information, call Chuck Stoudt at (404) 520-9100 or e-mail chuckstoudt@yahoo.com.
Free community classes from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesdays are at North Lanier Baptist Church, 829 Atlanta Hwy. Classes are scheduled conveniently at the same time as our Awana Club for children. Classes include quilting, "GriefShare," "First Place weight loss," "He Speaks to Me" and "Hope & Help for the Single Mom." For more information or to register, call (770) 781-5433 or go online at www.northlanier.org.
Venturing Crew 39 combines high adventure activities with character development and life skills for those ages 14 to 21. The outdoor group is sponsored by the Cumming Kiwanis Club. For more information, call Carol at (678) 575-4852.
The Cumming Kiwanis Club, a community service organization serving the needs of children in the community, meets at noon the first through third Wednesdays of each month and at 6 p.m. the fourth Thursday at the Kiwanis Building, 417 Pilgrim Mill Road. All meetings and events are open to the public. Join them for lunch or dinner and a variety of guest speakers each week. For more information, go online at www.cummingkiwanis.org or call (770) 713-0502.
Lanier Jaycees, the U.S. Junior Chamber Forsyth County Chapter, is an organization of motivated and ambitious young professionals who develop management and professional skills through community projects. All professionals ages 21-39 can join at noon the first Tuesday of each month at United Community Bank, 1015 Buford Hwy. For more information, call Bert Durand at (706) 974-8754.
Free food for those in need will be provided from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the fourth Monday of every month at Freedom Tabernacle, 2160 Freedom Pkwy.
The Place of Forsyth County provides a weekly Wednesday noon meal and a monthly senior luncheon in Forsyth County. (The luncheons supplement their surplus and food pantry.) Sponsors are needed. The organization's objective is to ensure that no one in the community goes hungry. Call Sandy at (770) 887-1098, Ext. 225, to reserve a luncheon date.
Angel's Closet Inc. is a free clothing boutique for women, children and young men. It has clothes in all sizes and is open Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Angel's Closet is on the second floor of the Juvenile Justice Center at 875 Lanier 400. Volunteers and donations are needed. Appointments only, no drop-offs please. For more information, call (770) 489-8000.
Hope for the Hungry distributes food through Concord Baptist Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every fourth Thursday of each month in the Family Life Center. Please call the church office at (770) 887-9482 for more information.
Forsyth County Sheriff's Office Citizens' Law Enforcement Academy is a free, nine-week course that meets from 7-10 p.m. on consecutive Mondays. The academy is open to all Forsyth County residents, employees and business owners and provides students with hands-on training and law enforcement knowledge. The course is run by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, and all instructors in this program are Forsyth County Sheriff's Office employees. Applications can be downloaded at www.forsythsheriff.org and mailed to Deputy Courtney Spriggs, (770) 205-4547.
The Happy Knotters is a group that makes fleece blankets for newly admitted hospice patients. It meets from 9 a.m.-noon the fourth Saturday of every month. Anyone interested in fellowship, laughter and a worthy cause is invited to join. No sewing experience is necessary. Donations are also accepted to help cover expenses of materials. Contact the Rev. Kathie Stasko at (770) 887-2900, Ext. 224, or kstasko@cfumcga.com to join the group or for more information.
The Forsyth Amateur Radio Technical Society meets at noon every Thursday at Lenny's Sub shop next to PetSmart. All amateur radio operators and people interested in amateur radio are invited. For information, call Jerry Adams at W4PX at (678) 831-0110.
Atlanta Woodturners Guild meets from 7-9 p.m. the third Wednesday of every month at Woodcraft Store, 1085 Holcomb Bridge Road. Call David Martin at (770) 891-1686 or visit www.atlantawoodturnersguild.org for more information.
The Forsyth County Rug Hookers meets from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. two Fridays a month at the Sharon Forks branch of the Forsyth County Public Library. Bring a lunch. For specific dates, call Elaine Zimney at (770) 781-5255.