The Fort Mill Community Playhouse 2013 season kickoff party, “A Tribute to Andy Griffith,” will be 7 p.m. Saturday at the playhouse, 615 Banks St. The free event will include monologues by local actor Toby Atwood, refreshments, a live auction featuring Alice Baker and Ken Bickett and an introduction to the upcoming season.

Season memberships will be available. The first production is “Hallelujah Girls,” directed by Jack Stevenson, running Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 28-March 3.

For information, contact Susan Benfield at sbenfield@comporium.net or call Fort Mill Community Playhouse at 803-984-6100

Special events

• The Brotherhood Ministry of Boyd Hill Baptist Church will host a Children’s Valentine’s Ball from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 2 at the family life center, 315 Glenn St., Rock Hill. Dress code is red and white with no tennis shoes, T-shirts or jeans. Refreshments will be served. The event is free.

Fundraisers

• To celebrate National Heart Month in February and launch the Heart2Heart Foundation an inaugural Heart Gala will be Feb. 14 in the Palmetto Room at Old Town Bistro, Main Street, Rock Hill.

The gala is presented by Piedmont Medical Center Heart & Vascular Center and will feature a wine tasting by CHL Wines, a heart-healthy dinner by Old Town Bistro, live music by The Tim Hartis Group, dancing, a silent auction and a complimentary Valentine photograph.

Tickets are available online at TheHeart2HeartFoundation.org as well as at Old Town Bistro. Sponsorships are available for reserved tables and seating. Proceeds will help fund the foundation’s community outreach programs, educational materials and healthy heart assessments. For information, contact Sheila Caldwell at 803-524-5671.

• The sixth annual Super Bowl Party and Silent Auction benefiting The Haven Men’s Shelter will be Feb. 3 at the Magnolia Room at Laurel Creek. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. There will be an open bar, oysters, burgers and hot dogs. Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. For information or tickets contact Toni Elliott at 803-328-0052.

•  Sterling Lodge No. 344 and Living Beauty Temple No. 709 will host a Super Bowl party for charity 4 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Elks Home, 1644 Ogden Road, Rock Hill. Buffet served at halftime. Donations: $5.

•  Friends of the York County Library book sale will be Thursday-Saturday at the Old Town Market Hall, 121 Caldwell St., Rock Hill.

Thousands of books will be sold at $2 per inch. Videos, DVDs, and audiobooks also will be available. Opening night for Friends members is 5-8 p.m. Thursday.

Memberships will be available at the door for $10 for individuals and $25 for families.

The sale is open to the public 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. All books will be half price on Saturday.

Catawba Caucus elections

Candidates interested in advocating for senior adults in Chester, Lancaster, Union or York County must file with the Catawba Area Agency on Aging. Catawba Caucus elections will be in March.

The completed filing form, petition and $10 fee must be returned to Catawba AAA by Feb. 8. Election packets are available from Catawba AAA at 803-329-9670 or toll-free 800-662-8330.

Elected representatives will help develop recommendations for legislation and programs that affect South Carolina senior adults and present the ideas to the General Assembly and the Governor.

For information, visit scsilverhairedleg.org/Default.aspx. For information on the regional Catawba Caucus, contact Myrna Hamilton at 803-802-2231.

Workshops

The Chester County Department of Emergency Management will conduct a Basic and Advanced Severe Weather/Storm Spotter training class in cooperation with the National Weather Service of Greenville-Spartanburg from 1-5 p.m. Feb. 14 in the Council Room of the Carlisle Roddey Government Complex; 1476 J.A. Cochran Bypass.

This training will give individuals a working knowledge of severe weather. The free event is open to the public.

To sign up, email jrevis@chestercounty.org by Feb. 8 or call 803-377-4632. Class size is limited.

• Area residents who need assistance getting registered for the free identity protection program due to the recent South Carolina Department of Revenue cyber security breach can attend drop-in sessions Jan. 28-31 at any York County Library. Extra computers and staff to assist will be available for online registrations.

The state recommends that anyone who has filed a South Carolina tax return since 1998 sign up for identity theft protection offered by the state through Experian.

The schedule is:

Libraries in Rock Hill, Fort Mill and York, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Jan. 28-Jan. 31

Clover, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Jan. 28 and 29, 2-8 p.m. Jan. 30 and 10a.m.-noon and 6-8 Jan. 31. p.m.

Lake Wylie, 10 a.m.-noon and 6-8p.m. Jan. 28, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Jan. 29, 6-8 p.m. Jan. 30, and 10 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Jan. 31.

Meetings

• The York Soil and Water Conservation District commissioners will meet 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at USDA Service Center, 1460 E. Alexander Love Highway, York. Open to the public. For information, contact Barbara O’Connell, district coordinator at 803-684-3137 ext. 101.

•  GPS Conservatives for Action PAC will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Beef O' Brady's in Baxter Village, Fort Mill. Chad Connelly, chairman SC GOP, will speak. Discussion will center on York County GOP reorganization of precincts. Dinner and drinks can be purchased.

• The York County Education Association will hold an S.C. Legislative meet and greet night, 6-8 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Flexible Learning Center Cyber Café. 1234 Flint St. Ext., Rock Hill. Open to the public.

• The Rock Hill branch of the NAACP general meeting will be 5 p.m. Jan. 27 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 902 Crawford Road. For information, contact Sandra Oborokumo at 803-325-2855.

• The York County Board of Disabilities and Special Needs will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in the agency’s Administration Building, 7900 Park Place Road in the East York Industrial Park, off S.C. 5 in York.

Clubs

•  Clover Woman’s Club will meet Feb. 14 at Clover School District Administration Building, 604 Bethel St. Judy Reed of Chicos will speak on accessories. Bring canned goods, such as peanut butter or mac and cheese, for the “Pack the Back” project. For information, call Rita Dulin at 803-222-5799.

• The Vintage Club dinner meeting for residents of Tega Cay will be 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Phil Glennon Community Center. Cocktails begin at 6:15 p.m. A classical singer will entertain. For membership information, call Julia Rietz at 803-396-0203 or email jewelsr@comporium.net.

Classes

• The Arts Council of Chester County will host a Glass Fusion adult art class with artist Jennifer Haynie from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at 123 Main St.

Participants can create a fused 7-inch glass bowl or suncatcher/trivet. Completed pieces will be fired at ClayEscape studio and available for pick up by Feb. 12.

Cost is $40 for council members and $42 for non members. Supplies and firing are included. Cash or check is preferred. Registration deadline is Jan. 30. BYOB and refreshments are welcome but optional.

To register, call the Arts Council at 803-581-2030 or email artschester@truvista.net.

•  AARP Driver Safety Program will be offered for ages 26 and older from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 29 at the York County Library in York. Participants will receive their certificates that may reduce their insurance rate on collision and liability coverage.

Open to the public. Cost for AARP members is $12 and $14 for non-members. Registration is requested. For information, contact Gerald Kemp Jr. at 803-684-9512 or Donald Hunt at 803-329-4405.

• The Shepherd’s Center Adventures in Learning winter session will be 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Mondays, Jan. 28-March 4, at Oakland Baptist Church, 1067 Oakland Ave., Rock Hill.

Classes open with Bible study at 9 a.m. with Judi Dorman with registration and opening assembly after. First-period classes at 9:45 a.m. include creative writing with Charlotte Hallberg, bridge with Ray Zieverink, current events with Ed FitzGerald, disappearing crafts with Peggy Angel.

Second-period classes begin at 10:40 a.m. repeating creative writing and bridge along with Tai Chi with Casey Blanks and “Rock Hill Past, Present and Future” with Lee Miller.

Creative Stew for all participants begins at 11:40. Topics include: skin rejuvenation, Dr. Chris Crawford; How Education has Changed, with Rock Hill District 3 board member Walter Brown; Open Your Eyes, Dr. Chris Crawford; dental decision, Drs. Bill Culp, Alexander Culp and Charles Culp and Our Own Creative Writers.

Registration is $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For information, call the office at 803-328-1343.

•  Watercolor class with Joan Carlson will be 10 a.m.-noon Mondays Feb. 11-March 18 at Fewell Park Recreation Center, 1204 Alexander Road, Rock Hill. Cost is $54. Call the center at 803-329-5645 to check availability and get a supply list. Register at the center from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

Oratorical contest

• The Clover Optimist Club is seeking applicants for its oratorical scholarship program, which will be 10 a.m. April 13 at the Clover club. The topic is “Why my voice is important.”

The speech contest is open to any student who is younger than 19 by Dec. 31 and has not graduated from high school or the equivalent may enter. Interested students may pick up an application from the Clover High School counselors or get one from the Clover Optimist Club.

Entrants must submit a speech on this pre-assigned topic. There are three levels to the contest. Club winners, including two boys and two girls, will advance to the second level, the zone contest.

The zone contest will be 10 a.m. April 27 at the club. One boy and one girl will advance to the third level, the district contest.

The district contest will be 10 a.m. May 11 in Columbia. Two winners, one boy and one girl, will each receive a $2,500 scholarship.

Entrants need to fill out an application, submit a copy of their speech and provide a copy of their birth certificate.

For details, contact Josie Skinnell at 803-684-2008 or email her at sknnll@aol.com.

Support groups

•  Alateen meets 8-9 p.m. Thursdays at Zoar Road Club, 14701 Thomas Road, Charlotte, behind Zoar Road United Methodist Church. Meetings are for two age groups: ages 6-12 and ages 13 and older. For information, call Lisa at 803-547-2124 or Sandy at 704-904-7834. Members only.

•  Al-Anon meets 8 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays and 10:15 a.m. Wednesdays at the Serenity Club, 209 Grayson Road, Rock Hill.

•  Rock Hill Gamblers Anonymous meets 7:15 p.m. Thursdays at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1830 Celanese Road.

• The Brain Injury Support Group meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, 1795 Frank Gaston Blvd., Rock Hill. The support group is for individuals who have sustained a traumatic brain injury, an acquired brain injury or a stroke and their caregivers.

For information, contact the Brain Injury Association of South Carolina at 803-731-9823 or email sherry.gregor@homeinstead.com.

•  Chapter 289 of Mended Hearts Inc. will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Doctor’s Dining Room at Piedmont Medical Center. Pharmacist Larry Meeks will speak.

Volunteers

• The York County Council on Aging needs volunteers to help deliver meals to home-bound seniors in Rock Hill, York, Fort Mill and Clover in York County, and in Chester, Great Falls and Edgemoor in Chester County.

Those who would like to sign up to deliver meals or have questions should contact the center where they’d like to volunteer. Volunteers deliver a hot, nutritious lunch, but also provide a brief period of companionship. Below is contact information for the Centers in need of volunteers:

To volunteer contact Paula Adams at 803-328-0197, ext. 302 in Rock Hill, Elaine Kershaw at 803-684-6115 in York, Billie Haney at 803-547-6184 in Fort Mill, Tonya Begley at 803-222-9286 in Clover, Marsha Locke at 803-385-6109 in Chester, Mary Colvin at 803-482-4196 in Fort Lawn and Betty McCurry at 803-789-5420 in Edgemoor.

Reunions

• The Rock Hill High School class of 1954 meeting will be 12:30 p.m. Thursday at Golden Corral, Anderson Road, Rock Hill.

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Send Community News items to communitynews@heraldonline.com or to 132 W. Main St., Rock Hill, SC 29730. Deadline for Thursday column is 5 p.m. Monday. Deadline for Sunday column is 5 p.m. Wednesday.