Coming Up 1-25-12

CBCC area blood drives this month
The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas will hold these public blood drives this month:
• Jan. 27, 1:30-5:30 p.m., Lowes Home Improvement, 181 Fort Mill Highway (S.C. 160)
• Jan. 28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Helping Hands of Baxter Village, Village Hall, Fort Mill
u Jan. 30, 3-7 p.m., Morrison Family YMCA at Ballantyne, 9405 Bryant Farms Road, Charlotte
• Jan. 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., York Tech, 452 Anderson Road, Rock Hill, free T-shirt for donors
• Jan. 31, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., York Tech, 452 Anderson Road, Rock Hill, free T-shirt for donors
More public drives can be found at www.cbcc.us. CBCC’s donation center at 4447 South Blvd., Charlotte, is open Tuesday-Saturday. Call (704) 972-4700 for details.

Dress for Elyse prom dress sale Saturday
The annual Dress for Elyse event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in the Bradley Building at the University of South Carolina Lancaster. There will be all sizes and styles of gently used and new formal dresses, including prom, cocktail and pageant dresses at affordable prices.
Elyse Rebecca Hardin died in a car accident at the age of 15. Dress for Elyse was created as a community event to honor her memory. All proceeds benefit the Elyse Rebecca Hardin Foundation and the Elyse Rebecca Hardin Scholarship program at USCL.

Alzheimer’s support group to meet
An Alzheimer’s support group will meet at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, at Mackey Family Practice, 1025 W. Meeting St., Suite 200, Lancaster. For details, call (803) 285-7414.

United Way offers garden spots
The United Way of Lancaster County seeks participants for the Lancaster County Community Garden. Garden sites are near Springdale Recreation Complex, 260 S. Plantation Road, Lancaster, and seeds and plants will be provided free for participants.
Deadline to sign up for spots is Monday, Jan. 30. Applications are available at Springdale Recreation Complex and the United Way of Lancaster County office, 109 S. Wylie St., Lancaster.
For details, call (803) 283-8923 or e-mail garden@uwaylcsc.org.

Sheriff’s office offers personal safety class
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office will hold a free personal safety class from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the Indian Land High School gymnasium
The class, which is open to the public, will include personal safety tips, safety plans, firearms safety and self-defense laws and techniques.
For details, call (803) 313-2156 or (803) 313-2148.

Council on Aging offering class
The Lancaster County Council on Aging will hold beginning word processing classes from 10 to 11 a.m. Feb. 1, at the Prime Time for Seniors Center, 309 S. Plantation Road, Lancaster. The cost is $20. For details, call (803) 285-6956, ext. 10.

AARP offers free tax preparation help
The AARP Tax Aide program will offer free tax return preparation and e-filing for the elderly and low- to moderate-income earners at these locations:
• Fort Mill Public Library, 1818 Second Baxter Crossing, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 7 through April 17. For details, call Tracy Olinger at (803) 547-7894 or Lonnie Shrine at (803) 547-7196.
• Lancaster County Community Center, 508 E. Barr St., Lancaster, from 1 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays from Feb. 1 through April 17. For details, call Verma Blakney at (803) 285-9847.
Participants should bring last year’s return; Social Security cards for yourself and all dependents; photo ID; all 2011 W-2s and 1099s; property tax information; interest income statements; all necessary receipts; and a blank check with your name, routing and account number, if you want your refund to be direct deposited.
There is no age limit and you do not need to be a member of AARP to participate in the program.

Wildlife rehab group offers classes
The Animal Rehabilitators of the Carolinas (ARC) is offering a two-day class for new volunteers from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 4 and 1 to 7 p.m. Feb 5.
ARC is a nonprofit group dedicated to the care and release of orphaned and injured wildlife within a 50-mile radius of Charlotte. Volunteers rehabilitate wildlife out of their homes. No previous experience is necessary, but volunteers must be at least 18 years old and complete the training.
The class includes two days of training, a manual and first-year membership with ARC for $50. Classes cover basic care and feeding of wildlife and species-specific information.
To sign up, call (704) 551-9500 and leave a message. To learn more about ARC or how to help wildlife, visit www.arcwildlife.org.

Keep Lancaster warm by donating coats, blankets
The Lancaster Rotary and Breakfast Rotary clubs are taking donations of gently used coats and new blankets now through Feb. 9. The drop off points are Covenant Baptist Church, 165 Craig Manor Road; The Lancaster News, 701 N. White St.; and the Leroy Springs Fairway Room, 1840 Springs Club Drive (Lancaster Golf Club), all in Lancaster. Items collected will be distributed through Christian Services, Jackie’s Place, Lancaster Outreach Project and Family Promise of Lancaster.

Library offers adult computer classes
During February, the Del Webb Library at Indian Land, 7641 Charlotte Highway, will offer computer classes for adults for $10. Classes are designed to help individuals improve their job skills.
Microsoft Word will be offered Feb. 6. Beginning Microsoft Excel will be offered Feb. 9 and Intermediate Excel on Feb. 10. Microsoft PowerPoint will be offered Feb. 17. Each class will meet from 2 to 5 p.m.
Maximum class size is 10. Reservation forms are available at the front desk of the library. For details, e-mail delwebblibrary@yahoo.com or call (803) 548-9260.

Library offers preschool storytimes
The Del Webb Library at Indian Land, 7641 Charlotte Highway, holds three preschool storytimes for ages 3 to 5. Wonderful Wednesdays are at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. every Wednesday and Terrific Tuesdays are at 6 p.m. the third Tuesday of each month (same program as Wednesday storytime). For details, call (803) 548-9260.

Sun City artist’s work on display this month
Sun City Carolina Lakes artist Barbara Naughton’s watercolor paintings are on display this month at the Springs House, 201 W. Gay St. Lancaster. The public is invited to the free exhibit. For details, call (803) 285-7451, www.lccarts.net or lccadebbie@comporium.net.

‘Breakfast for the Brain’ on Thursdays
The Lancaster County Council on Aging will hold “Breakfast for the Brain” from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays through May 24. The class will help participants improve their memory, think more clearly and have a more positive attitude. Cost is $10. For details, call (803) 285-6956.

Wednesday senior health workshops
The Lancaster County Council on Aging will hold a workshop, “Introducing Better Choices, Better Health,” for people with ongoing health conditions, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. each Wednesday at the Prime Time for Seniors Center, 309 S. Plantation Road, Lancaster. To register, call (803) 285-6956.

Golf and Rotary clubs collect items for kids
Carolina Lakes Golf Club and the Indian Land Rotary Club are collecting food, paper and toiletry donations for the Rock Hill Children’s Attention Home and the Lancaster Children’s Home.
Indian Land residents may drop off canned goods, paper products or toiletry items in the lobby of Carolina Lakes Golf Club, where there is a collection container.

Health department offers flu shots
The Lancaster County Health Department is offering flu shots. This year, DHEC is contracting with VAXCARE to provide the vaccines. The company can bill selected insurance companies, along with Medicare Part B. Cost is $25 for the flu shot or $30 for the flu mist. To make an appointment, call (803) 286-9948.

Editor’s note: We welcome your submissions. To submit information for Coming Up, send it to Carolina Gateway at P.O. Box 640, Lancaster, SC 29721, fax it to (803) 283-8969 or e-mail it to cgnews@thelancasternews.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday for the next week’s paper.