Fun things to do abound in York, Lancaster and Chester counties

Special events

▪ Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in York will host his 10th annual Lighted Village and Model Train display, 4-8 p.m. Tuesday-Dec. 30 in the John A. Farris Fellowship Hall, 323 N. Congress St. The display includes Pastor Charles Aurand’s 1959 Lionel train, a replica of the 1958 Lionel “girls pink train set,” a Southern Railroad Crescent Train and a Santa Fe Railroad passenger train. Lighted villages, including set once sold by Lionel, complete the display. Admission is a canned food item for PATH and Tender Hearts. Light refreshments served.

▪ Camp High Hopes, led by Coach Jerry and Dorothy Seale, will host a free holiday dinner and toy and grocery giveaway, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday at Clover AME Zion Church, 750 Kings Mountain Highway. Clover and Liberty Hill AME Zion and Nazareth and Boyd Hill Baptist churches are co-sponsors. Open to the community.

▪ VFW Post 3746 annual Christmas dance, 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday at the VFW Post, West Main Street, Rock Hill. Tickets: $15, single and $25, couples. Proceeds to the Crawford Road Post building fund.

▪ Community Blood Center of the Carolinas and Park Ridge Baptist Church will host a blood drive, 3-7 p.m. Dec. 28 at the church, 5099 Trotter Ridge Court, Rock Hill, in honor of 2-year-old Austin Blackwell of Rock Hill. Austin was diagnosed with liver cancer Nov. 14. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged. Call 803-366-3313 or visit ncdonor.com and enter sponsor code TeamAustin to make an appointment.

▪ Western York County of the NAACP annual Jubilee Day, 10 a.m. Jan. 1 at Mount Zion A.M.E. Zion Church, 4307 South S.C. 97, Hickory Grove. The Rev. Frankie L. Smith, pastor of Mount Zion, will speak at the celebration of the Emancipation of African slaves.

▪ Bethel United Methodist Church Soup Kitchen opens 11:30 a.m. Jan. 4 at the church on Curtis Avenue. Open to the community. Donations accepted. The kitchen is open each Thursday through March.

▪ York County Opioid 2018 Summit, sponsored by All on Board Coalition, 2:30-5 p.m. Jan. 25 at tMagnolia Room at Laurel Creek. Eric Bedingfield, a former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, will speak. He lost is son to an overdose in 2015. Details: bnorwood@allonboard.org or 803-493-6950.

▪ Early-bird registration is open for the annual Joy of Gardening Symposium, Feb. 24, at the Gateway Conference Center in Richburg. Allan Armitage, professor of horticulture emeritus from the University of Georgia and noted author/speaker, will discuss “Naked Ladies and Forget-Me-Nots: Tales from the Garden.” Early registration, which includes lunch, is $55. After Dec. 31, the cost is $65. Details: symposium.yorkmg.org/registration. To pay by mail, make checks payable to, Master Gardeners of York County, and send to: 11079 Caroline Acres Road, Fort Mill, SC 29707.

Fundraisers

▪ The sixth annual Joe Davis 5K and 10K Run for Recovery, 8 a.m. Jan. 6 at Walter Elisha Park, Fort Mill. Davis died from an accidental drug overdose and his family started the annual race. Register at joedavisrun.com. To be a sponsor, contact mhanna@keystoneyork.org. Proceeds to Keystone Substance Abuse Services.

Volunteers

▪ Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem Program volunteer training begins Jan. 8 online. Class training is Jan. 16, 23 and 30 and Feb. 2 and 13 at 454 Anderson Road, Rock Hill. Afternoon and evening classes are available. The 30-hour training is free. Volunteers must be 21 years old, and pass background and reference checks. Details: gal.sc.gov.

▪ Providence Care, a geriatric wellness system that offers pallitive and hospice care, that serves York, Chester and Lancaster is in need of volunteers for companionship, pet therapy, office work, light housekeeping and other services. Detail: 803-818-6955 or Dhoward@Providencecanhelp.com.

York County libraries

▪ All York County libraries will be closed Saturday-Tuesday for the Christmas holiday and Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day.

Meetings

▪ Western York County branch of the NAACP, 6 p.m. Thursday at Wesley United Methodist Church. Details: 803-684-6200.

Clinics

▪ US Soccer Referee entry level training and certification, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 7 at the Hilton Garden in Rock Hill. Online preregistration is required at screferees.gameofficials.net. Referee candidates over 14 enroll in Course 22663, the Grade 8 class. Referee candidates between ages 11 and 13 enroll in Course 22664, the Grade 9 class. The cost is $80. Details: delaneys@comporium.net or 803-230-0582.

Reunions

▪ Former students of Hillcrest Elementary School, 6 p.m. Jan. 5 at Tabernacle AME Zion Church, 250 Old Friendship Road, Rock Hill.

Classes

▪ The National Alliance on Mental Health-Piedmont Tri County will have an 11-week Family-to-Family education program beginning 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, 421 Oakland Ave., Rock Hill. The series of free classes is for caregivers and provides basic education about brain disorders and well as how to improved the lives of families with loved one living with mental illness. Class size limited to 20. Registration is required at namiptc@gmail.com or 803-610-8174.

▪ The following classes will be offered at Fewell Park Recreation Center. Register, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays at the center, 1204 Alexander Road or at cityofrockhill.com/PRT. Pre-registration is required. Details: 803-329-5645.

Beginner Watercolor, 10 a.m.-noon Mondays, Jan. 22-Feb. 26. Instructor: Herb Dumaresq. Cost: $54

Advanced/ Intermediate Watercolor, 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays, Jan. 16-Feb. 20. Instructor: Herb Dumaresq. Cost: $54

Knitting, 10:30 a.m.-noon Wednesdays, Jan. 3-Feb. 21. Instructor: Lisa Galloway. Cost: $54.

Acrylics for Everyone, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 11-Feb. 15. Instructor: Brad Sabelli. Cost: $54.

Portrait Drawing, 10 a.m.-noon Fridays, Jan. 12-Feb. 16. Instructor: Brad Sabelli. Cost: $54.

Yoga, 10-11 Mondays with Whitney Carter. On-going class; pre-registration not required. Cost: $15 per class.

This story was originally published December 20, 2017 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Fun things to do abound in York, Lancaster and Chester counties."