Share blankets, coats with others -at Rock Hill Galleria drop-off point

By From staff reports - The Herald

Operation Help One Another and the Rock Hill Galleria will be sponsoring a blanket and coat drive during the month of February. The daily drop-off location for coats and blankets will be Showmars, in the Galleria's food court.

Saturday drop-off locations are at the food court entrance and the mall entrance located between JC Penney and Wal-Mart. For more details, call Allison Cleveland at 803-324-1711 or Sherman Porterfield at 803-980-4357.

Friday is deadline for garden symposium

The Master Gardeners of York County will host the fourth annual Joy of Gardening Symposium on Feb. 21 at the Baxter Hood Center in Rock Hill. The theme is Greening Your Garden.

Master gardener Joe Lamp'l, host of ETV's "Garden Smart" program, will be the keynote speaker. His talk will be followed by three breakout sessions consisting of nine different classes so participants can design their day.

Preregistration is required by Friday.

Presenters include Paul Thompson, a horticulture agent with the Clemson Extension Service, retired extension agent Henry Nunnery, Duane Clere, a specialist at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden near Belmont, N.C., and Andy Cabe from Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden in Columbia.

The $40 fee includes a buffet luncheon. A variety of vendors will be present and numerous door prizes will be awarded. Classes will be offered on lawn care, an all-season garden, soil improvement, outdoor lighting, vegetable gardening, butterfly gardening and more.

The event will begin with registration at 8 a.m., and the last session will begin at 2:45 p.m. More information and the preregistration form are available at the Web site, www.mastergardenerofyorkcounty. org, or by telephoning 803-324-9777.

Fort Mill Art Guild opens new home

The Art Mill, 213 Main St., Fort Mill, will host a grand opening gala from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday. The mill is the gallery, classroom and home of the Fort Mill Art Guild.

The following artists will be showing their work: Ben and Beth Andrews, Marcia Kort Buike, Virginia L. Dauth, Bob Doster, Brenda Marshall and Sybil Mitchell.

Music, food and refreshments will be served. Linda Headrick will be drawing caricatures. Donations for the guild will be taken throughout the night.

Church benefits include fish fry, chocolate festival

These fundraisers are planned:

• Grace Ministries, 1511 Mount Holly Road, Rock Hill, will host a fish fry and bake sale from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. A flounder, shrimp or chicken strip plate will cost $10 for adults and $6 for a child 10 or younger. A combo flounder and shrimp plate will cost $11 adults and $7 for a child 10 or younger. Plates includes French fries, hush puppies, slaw and onion rings. To-go boxes are available. Eat-in boxes include tea or lemonade. For more information, call 803-324-5921 or e-mail graceministry98@netscape.net.

• Epiphany Lutheran Church, 2370 W. Main St., Rock Hill, will host a chocolate festival from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event includes Chocolate Coffee Café with free chocolate coffee, cupcakes and decorating for kids 10 and younger, a chocolate fountain, chocolate chili and a decadent chocolate bake sale. For details, call 803-324-8877.

Local meetings include NAACP, seniors

These groups plan meetings:

• The executive board of the Western York County branch NAACP will meet at 6 p.m. today at Wesley United Methodist Church, with a general members meeting at 6:30 p.m. For details, contact Wanda Simril at 803-684-6200 or Steve Love at 803-684-7124.

• The senior OWLS Club, sponsored by Rock Hill Parks, Recreation and Tourism, will meet at 11:30 a.m. today at the Mayflower Restaurant in Rock Hill. The group is open to those who are 55 or older and there is no charge. Contact Carolyn Snyder at 803-329-5626 for details.

• The Emmett Scott class of 1958 will meet at 4 p.m. Saturday at Flint Hill Baptist Church. For details, call Rosetta Smith at 329-1836 or Louise Robinson at 324-4933.

• The next meeting of the Catawba River Art Guild will be 10 a.m. Feb. 12 at the Center for the Arts on Main Street in downtown Rock Hill. Speaker will be Jack Bolin. Details, visit www.catawbariverartguild or call 803-802-2497.

CHM events include gala, McCelvey program

The Culture and Heritage Museums will host these programs:

• The 2009 Gala will be at the Museum of York County from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday. The Fantasy Band will provide music and Tom Ron's Catering & Consulting will provide food. Proceeds benefit CHM's programs and exhibits. The cost is $150 per person for members and $175 for non-members. Sponsorships are available. For ticket and sponsorship information, contact Michelle DiEduardo at mdieduardo@chmuseums.org or 803-329-2121, ext. 113.

• McCelvey Center, 212 E. Jefferson St., York, will host a free program on Dividing the Carolinas from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Saturday. Participants can learn how the boundary between the Carolinas was ultimately determined. Details, 803-684-3948.

York Montessori program has parent orientation

The York school district will host a parent orientation for the Montessori program at Hunter Street Elementary School at 6 p.m. today. This is for parents of children who live in the Hunter Street attendance area. Children should be turning 4 or 5 on or before Sept. 1. Registration will be through Feb. 13. Details, call Kim Ramsey at 803-684-1926.

Valentine pageant open to boys, girls

The Plaza Hotel on Carowinds Boulevard will host a Valentine beauty pageant of Beautiful Girls and Handsome Boys of the Carolinas on Feb. 14. The event is open to girls and boys of all ages. No pageant attire is needed. Details, e-mail beautifulgirlsboys@yahoo.com or call Sandy at 803-207-0181 or Tracy at 803-554-5219.