Oct. 8
— The campaign to elect Ashley Trivette, candidate for Bladen County Board of Commissioners in District 3, will host a Meet the Candidate Cookout at the Tar Heel Community Building at 5 p.m. The public is invited.
— Bladen County Animal Control’s one-year and three-year rabies shot program for dogs and cats scheduled for today has been postponed to a later date (TBA).
— A benefit bike ride and plate sale will be held for baby Joseph Thomas “J.T.” Higgs, who is diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphomablastic leukemia, at the National Guard Armory in Elizabethtown. Registration for bikers is 9 to 10:45 a.m.; kick-stands up at 1 p.m.. Cost is $20 for a single rider and $25 for double rider (meal included). The Boston butt plate sale is $7. There will be a 50-50 drawing, raffle, auction, cake walk, door prizes and shirts for sale. Trophies will be awarded for Best in Bike, Best Female Biker and Best Male Biker. For information, call Christie Merritt and 910-874-6720; Elvis Blackmon at 910-973-1227; Courtney Dorsett at 910-759-9099; or Polly Guy Smith at 910-874-1161.
— Join a park ranger for a hike through the bay forest at Jones Lake State Park and “discover” why this environment is unique. Discussion on the hike will include the flora and fauna of the forest, and why Carolina Bays are important. Participants should meet at the Visitor Center at 2 p.m. for this program. Please bring bug spray, water, and hiking shoes. This event is free of charge and is open to the general public. Contact the park office at 910-588-4550 with any questions.
— The E-Town Ramp Massacre, a skateboarding competition, will take place at the Elizabethtown Skate Park fron noon until 7 p.m.
— A BBQ plate sale to benefit Carolina Crossroads will take place at the Bladenboro Historical Building and the Bladen Baptist Association. Plates will consist of BBQ, baked beans, and slaw. Call 874-0364 for times.
— A yard sale will be held at Fellowship Bible Church in Elizabethtown at 7:30 a.m.
— The N.C. Grape Festival will take place at Lu Mil Vineyard from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. A community yard sale, open to anyone with prior registration, a grape stomping competition, and entertainment on Doc’s Deck are part of the day’s festivities.
Oct. 11
— The Bladen Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors will meet at 8 a.m. in the small auditorium at the Powell-Melvin Agricultural Center, located at 450 Smith Circle in Elizabethtown. For additional information call 910-862-3179, Opt. 3.
— The Bladen County Public Library will be hosting the free BCC seminar How to Start/Expand a Cleaning Service from 2:30 until 4:30 p.m. at the 111 N. Cypress Street location in Elizabethtown.
— The free business seminar Intro to Quickbooks for Business – Part 2 is scheduled for 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. at the East Arcadia Center.
Oct. 12
— The annual fish fry for the Bladen County Shriners will be held from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. at the Food Lion in Elizabethtown and at Bo’s in Bladenboro. $8
Oct. 13
— The Bladen Community College Foundation will hold its annual fall fundraiser, “Seafood & Sunset,” at Camp Clearwater in White Lake starting at 6 p.m. For information and reservations, call 910-879-5519.
Oct. 15
— The Elizabethtown Branch of Bladen County Public Library will host its annual Kids Halloween Party 11 a.m. to noon. Come dressed for tricks and treats. Call to register by Oct. 13 at 910-862-6990.
— The Crazy Fun 5K Color Run & Walk will be held at the Bladen County Industrial Park in Elizabethtown starting at 9 a.m. Raceday registration at 7:30 a.m. Child fee is $15, adult fee is $20. Proceeds benefit United Way of Bladen County.
— Join a park ranger for a hike through the bay forest at Jones Lake State Park and “discover” why this environment is unique. Discussion on the hike will include the flora and fauna of the forest, and why Carolina Bays are important. Participants should meet at the Visitor Center at 10 a.m. for this program. Please bring bug spray, water, and hiking shoes. This event is free of charge and is open to the general public. Contact the park office at 910-588-4550 with any questions.
— Relay for Life will host its annual breakfast at the Lisbon Courthouse at White Plains Road and Lisbon Road from 6-11 a.m. Guests may dine in, take out, call for delivery (minimum five plates), or call ahead for pickup. They ask that for large orders, a day’s notice be given. 910-991-6325 or 910-316-8408
— A wrestling show will be held at the Elizabethtown National Guard Armory at 7:30 p.m. hosted by the Operation Save Foundation. Tickets are $10-$12 and proceeds are used for breast cancer awareness.
— Faith based organizations and non-profits will be interested in these free Saturday seminars. The Business Side of Operating a Faith Based Organization is offered from 8:30 until 10:30 a.m. on the BCC main campus in building 2, room 207. It will be immediately followed by Parliamentary Procedure Made Easy, scheduled from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
— Bladen County Division on Aging will host the Medicare Part D annual election priod through Dec. 7, Mondays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (by appointment only). Additional days are Oct. 19 and Nov. 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (by appointment only). Call Carol Mitchell, MA SHIIP coordinator, at 910-872-6331.
Oct. 20
— The Harmony Hall Plantation Village general membership will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Municipal Building on West Broad Street. The public is invited.
Oct. 22
— The West Bladen Branch NAACP will meet at 10 a.m. at 1360 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Elizabethtown to prepare for the upcoming election of new officers. All members are urged to attend.
Oct. 23
— Join a ranger and learn about the geological mysteries of the Carolina Bays. Formation theories, and the natural communities associated with Carolina Bays will be discussed. Participants should meet at the Park Visitor center at 2 p.m. This event is free of charge and open to the general public. If you have any questions, please call the park office at 910-588-4550.
Oct. 24
— Preparing Your Perfect Pitch, a free smal business seminar, is scheduled for 2-4 p.m. in Building 2, Room 207, on the main campus of BCC.
— Bridger Memorial Library will host a Halloween party, craft time, story time and movie time from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Come dressed in costume.
Oct. 25
— The Clarkton Branch of the Bladen County Public Library will host a Halloween party, craft time, story time and movie time from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Come dressed in costume.
Oct. 28
— The Carolina Caledonian Festival will take place Friday through Sunday at Lu Mil vineyard. The festival aims to celebrate the Highland Scot heritage and will include street performers, a one-of-a-kind show, dancing, highland games, craft and food vendors, music, storytelling, parades, family reunions, trick-or-treating, and cricket and fiddling competitions. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in 18th century attire. More information, including a schedule of events, can be found at www.caledonianfest.com.
— Bladenboro’s annual Beast Fest will be held Oct. 28 from 6-10 p.m. and Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Activities include street dancing, kiddie rides, a fun run, live entertainemnt, craft and food vendors, and a car show.
Oct. 29
— Come join us at Jones Lake State Park on Halloween for fun and games from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will be having costume contests, hayrides, lots of games, crafts, animal exhibits and more! Tickets will be sold for the game participation, hayride and food. Lots of prizes! Come dressed in your costume and have some fall fun in the park with us on Halloween! Please call 910-588-4550 to pre-register or if you have any questions.
— The Carolina Caledonian Festival will take place Friday through Sunday at Lu Mil vineyard. The festival aims to celebrate the Highland Scot heritage and will include street performers, a one-of-a-kind show, dancing, highland games, craft and food vendors, music, storytelling, parades, family reunions, trick-or-treating, and cricket and fiddling competitions. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in 18th century attire. More information, including a schedule of events, can be found at www.caledonianfest.com.
— Bladenboro’s annual Beast Fest will be held Oct. 28-29 with street dancing, kiddie rides, a fun run, live entertainemnt, craft and food vendors, and a car show.
— Tar Heel High School classes of 1967-1970 will hold a reunion at Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery at 6 p.m.
Oct. 31
— Ghost stories and N.C. legends will be told in the Student Resource Center at Bladen Community College from noon until 1 p.m.
— Deadline for entries for the story writing contest hosted by WBLA and the Bladen County Library. Entries may be hand delivered to the library or postmarked with today’s date and mailed to the library at P.O. Box 1419, Elizabethtown.
Nov. 1
— The Bladen County Nickels for Know-How Referendum will be held with two polling places established — at the Cooperative Extension Office located at Powell Melvin Ag Center on Smith Circle Drive in Elizabethtown and Bladenboro Hardware located at 203 Main St. in Bladenboro. For information on the referendum, call the County Extension Office at 910-862-4591.
Nov. 4
— WBLA’s “Giddie’s Story Time” will host winners from its story writing contest at 8 a.m.
Nov. 5
— Walk for a cure. Relay for Life will hold a Community Walk for Cancer from 8- 10 a.m. After the walk, hot fish sandwich and hot dogs will be served. For more details, call 910-316-8408 or 910-991-6325.
Nov. 11
A steak plate sale to benefit Cody Clark will be held at the Elizabethtown Church of God from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. $10 plates include steak, baked potato, salad, roll, and dessert. Eat in or take out.
Nov. 12
— An auction, 50/50 raffle, and BBQ plate sale will be held at the blueberry shed of Carter Farms on U.S. Hwy. 701 N. from 10:30 a.m. until supplies run out. Proceeds benefit cancer victim Bryan Jernigan. 876-1148 or 391-8051
Nov. 26
— The West Bladen Branch NAACP will meet at 10 a.m. at 1360 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Elizabethtown to hold election of new officers. All members are urged to attend.
— A class reunion for Clarkton School 1923-1992 graduates will take place at the Clarkton Entertainment Center at 2 p.m.
— Festival of Lights at Lu Mil begins.
Dec. 2
— Ivan Parker, world-renown singer, will be in concert from 7-9 p.m. at White Oak Baptist Church’s gymnasium. Tickets are $10 and may be obtained from the church office.
Dec. 3
— Bladenboro Christmas Parade
Feb. 4
— Relay for Life will hold its 2nd annual formal Valentine Cancer Gala with big door prizes, your bag, entertainment, a live DJ, great food, and more. Tickets are $35 per person and will go on sale in October. The gala will take place at 6 p.m. at the National Guard Armory in Elizabethtown. For more information, call 910-991-6325, 910-316-8408, or 910-879-6665.
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Ongoing
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— The Elizabethtown Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at 1 p.m. at Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery.
— The Bladenboro Rotary Club meets every Monday night at 6:30 p.m. at the Bladenboro Community Building.
— Families First, Inc. is now located at 103 East Broad Street, Elizabethtown. They will be holding Parenting Classes each Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
— The Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy’s Board of Trustees meet every second Saturday at noon at The Paul R. Brown Building on Martin Luther King Drive in Elizabethtown. All meetings are open to the public.
— The disabled veterans of Bladen County will meet the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the VFW building in Elizabethtown. For more information contact David Brown at 910-740-6312.
— Now is a great time to plan your wedding or renew your vows at Harmony Hall Plantation Village. You may decide the amount you wish to give as a donation in lieu of a rental fee. For more information on how to book your wedding at Harmony Hall Plantation Village, call Henry Larock at 910-866-4113.
— Flashback-Community Life through the Lens of Mack Munn will have an exhibit of his work at Bladen Community College’s East Arcadia campus. The exhibit is sponsored by Graham Chapel AME Zion Church and the Lower Bladen Columbus Historical Society. Exhibit hours are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. For special group tours call LBCHS at 910-685-6735.
— The American Legion Post No. 404 of Elizabethtown are asking everyone that have worn or aged U.S. flags to please bring them to the Elizabethtown Municipal Building. A used mailbox is located near the front entrance of the municipal building. The American Legion will properly dispose of them on Flag Day which is June 14.
— Narconon would like to remind families that the use of addicting drugs is on the rise, take steps to protect your family from drug use. If you know anyone who is struggling with drug addiction get them the help they need. Call for a free brochure on the signs of addiction for all drugs. Narconon also offers free screenings and referrals. 800-431-1754 or DrugAbuseSolution.com
— I Am Inc. in conjunction with God’s Garden of Paradise is offering limited amounts of free meals and haircuts on a monthly basis. For more information or participating locations go to Glenda’s Just Desserts and Lunch Counter located at 315 Martin Luther King Drive, Elizabethtown or Barbers Inn (Shaw Wood, manager) located at 410 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Elizabethtown.
— The Baltimore Center Head Start is accepting applications for children who will be 3 to 4 years of age by Aug. 31. Applications for children with special needs are also being accepted. Children will be transported to and from home by bus. Applicants need to bring with them: a birth certificate, shot record, Social Security numbers of all family members in the household, directions to home, mailing and physical address, verification of income, WIC verification and health insurance information. For more information contact the Baltimore Head Start Center, 2100 S. Elwell Ferry Road, Council, or call 910-669-2536.
— Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 8062, meets on the third Saturday of each month at 3 p.m. at the VFW building located at 109 Hill Street, Elizabethtown. All veterans who served in a foreign war are welcomed for membership.
— The Bladen County Military Museum meets on the last Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. on the second floor of the Bladenboro Historical Society Building located at 818 S. Main Street, Bladenboro. All veterans are welcomed for membership.
—The Cape Fear Farmer’s Market welcomes craft vendors to sell their crafts every Saturday. For more information contact Sarah Baysden at 910-862-2066.
— Every Sunday, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Harmony Hall Plantation in White Oak, will be various activities and events on the grounds, as well as tours of the 1760s plantation home of Col. James Richardson and the outbuildings. All activities, tours and demonstrations are free — a donation is always welcome. For information, call Henry Larock at 910-866-4113.
— Woodmen of the World Lodge No. 262 meet on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
— Low-income families who want to get their pets spayed or neutered at A Shelter Friend’s monthly low-income clinic can call 645-2297 for information and sign-up. Volunteers who wish to help with this worthwhile program are also encouraged to call.
— The Bladen County Health Department WIC office is now open during lunch hours (noon to 1 p.m.). Regular WIC department hours are as follows: Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. for ALL SERVICES; Friday 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. for certification and re-certification; Pickups are available daily from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information contact 910-872-6218 or 910-872-6219.
— Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Monday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Cape Fear Bladen County Hospital hospital cafeteria in Elizabethtown. Anonymity will be respected. For more information, contact Jim Lane at 910-433-2276.
— Grandparents and kinship caregiver’s raising grandchildren support group meets every third Wednesday of the month at the Bladen County Division on Aging located at 608 McLeod Street, Elizabethtown. For more information, call 910-872-6334.
— Dublin First Baptist Church Child Development Center is enrolling children ages 2-4 in the half-day program. The program uses the A Beka curriculum. For more information or to enroll call 862-2277 or 876-0419.
— The Bladen County Youth Focus Project will meet every second Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. at the Paul R. Brown Building on Martin Luther King Boulevard, Elizabethtown. All interested persons are welcome to attend.
— Bladenboro Visual Arts Council presents a lifetime collection of art by artist Sam Pait and other artists in the Art Gallery. Some of the art will be for sale. The Bladenboro Visual Arts Gallery is open on Saturday and Sunday from 2 until 4 p.m. and by appointment during the week from 10 a.m. until noon. The art gallery is located in the Bladenboro Historical Building at 818 South Main St.
—The Bladen County Amateur Radio Society meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Bladen County Courthouse in Elizabethtown Room G7 at 7 p.m. The public with or without an amateur radio license are welcome to attend.
— The Elizabethtown-White Area Lake Chamber of Commerce meets every second Tuesday at the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market in Elizabethtown at noon.
— The Garland Lodge 1511 of the Woodmen of the World Insurance Society meets the first Friday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Ammon community building. Members and guests are welcome.
— A military monument has been constructed by the Bladen County Military Museum on a brick patio at 818 S. Main St., Bladenboro. Bricks may still be purchased and are $100 each. The bricks honor all branches of service beginning with the Revolutionary War. For more information, call 863-4707.
— Bladen County Habitat for Humanity meets at 9 am. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church.
—The Woodmen of The World Lodge 208 meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Woodmen of the World Lodge on Whiteville Hwy. Meal will be served.
— The Kelly Historical Society meets on a quarterly basis on the third Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. at the Kelly Museum. For more information, call 910-763-6966.
— The Bladen County Chapter of the NAACP will meet the third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in the Focus Building on Martin Luther King Drive in Elizabethtown.
— The Elizabethtown Kiwanis meet the first and third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market in Elizabethtown.
— Cape Fear Masonic Lodge No. 300 Prince Hall Free & Accepted meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays following the the first and third Sunday of each month at 702 Martin Luther King Drive, Elizabethtown.
— There is a free taxidermy class located at 601 Main Street in Tar Heel for students, the handicapped, and anyone disabled. Please contact David Monroe at 910-585-1739.