Friday December 13
Toy, coat drive coming to an end
The holiday toy and coat drive sponsored by Steven Smith and Tallahatchie County Alliance Inc. will draw to a close Friday, Dec. 13. Still being sought are toys and new and gently used coats for children in Tallahatchie County. For details, call 662-645-1560.
Christmas lighting contest planned
Charleston’s Magnolia Garden Club is sponsoring the annual Christmas lighting contest. Judging will be Friday, Dec. 13, starting at 5:30 p.m., in the following categories:
» Best doors and windows
» Best religious
» Best overall
Criteria for judging include proportion, scale and color contrast.
“Show us your holiday spirit,” urged the club’s contest chairman, Flora Vance.
Saturday December 14
Robert Neal Food Pantry to be open
The Robert Neal Food Pantry at Calvary Chapel of Parchman will distribute food on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9-11 a.m. Clients are asked to bring their own box to carry food. Anyone who is new, or anyone who is picking up boxes for more than one family, should come at 10:45 a.m. The pantry, which serves western Tallahatchie and northern Sunflower counties, usually distributes food on the third Saturday each month, but the December date was moved up to accommodate the church’s busy holiday schedule.
Charleston Christmas parade set
The city of Charleston’s annual Christmas parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, starting at 3 p.m. The theme is “A White Christmas, A King Was Born.”
Churches, schools, clubs and others are invited to enter floats or other entries. There is no charge to participate.
Lineup will begin at 1 p.m. adjacent to the former National Guard armory. Judging will occur during lineup. Trophies will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners.
Oakland Christmas parade on tap
The Oakland Christmas parade will be conducted Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m. There is no entry fee, and all churches, businesses, factories, schools, social clubs, groups and individuals are encouraged to participate.
Booth space is available for $20. Participants must bring their own tent and table.
If interested in participating in the parade, contact Stephanie Patterson at 662-934-4671 (email stpatter14@gmail.com), Vera Walls at 662-709-0440 (email v.walls10@gmail.com), Sharonda Jones at 662-589-0040 (email jonessharonda69@yahoo.com) or Marzet Bland at 662-647-7750.
Tree-lighting ceremony scheduled
A ceremony to light the community Christmas tree will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, at 5 p.m., in the courtyard at Charleston City Hall. Carols will be sung. All are invited to attend.
Sunday December 15
Old St. Mark will honor Christian
Old St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church invites the public to help honor their musician, James Christian, during a special appreciation service on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. All choirs and musical groups also are invited, noted church pastor, the Rev. Norman Small.
Usher federation tells of meeting
The Mt. Moriah Usher Federation will meet Sunday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m., at the district building in Coffeeville. President Reginal Baskin urges all ushers to come and share in this event.
Wednesday December 18
Seniors to gather at Tutwiler center
Senior citizens are invited to gather at the Tutwiler Community Education Center on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m., for singing, games, fellowship, bingo, a December birthday celebration and lunch. For details or to arrange for a ride, call Genether Spurlock at 345-8393.
Saturday December 21
Faith Food Pantry tells distribution
Faith Food Pantry at Faith Baptist Church near Charleston will distribute food on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The pantry, which serves east Tallahatchie families, distributes on the third Saturday each month.
Due to parking limitations, Faith Food Pantry will serve families whose last names begin with A-H from 10-11 a.m. From 11 a.m. to noon, families whose last names begin with I-Q will be served. Family names beginning with R-Z will be served from noon to 1. Clients are asked to bring their own carry-out box.
Clients who are unable to pick up their own food may designate a person to pick up their box. However, to avoid fraud, those picking up the food must (1) be the person designated on the back of the client’s form, (2) bring an ID to prove they are the designated person and (3) bring an ID of the client to demonstrate that they were sent by the client.
All persons who are new, are picking up for themselves and another person, or who come in a group, should not come until noon. This is due to insufficient parking and seating.
NCDO Christmas party scheduled
The Charleston chapter of the National Charleston Day Organization will host its annual Christmas party Saturday, Dec. 21, starting at 7 p.m. at the Charleston Day Center, David Alford Memorial Road, Charleston.
Tickets are on sale for $10. Admission at the door is also $10. Food, music and door prizes will be a part of the festivities.
“The organization extends an invitation to all to come share this event with us as we show love, peace, good will in the spirit of the season,” noted spokesperson Gwen Dailey.
For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Bennie Paige at 662-752-9249 or Zelma Joiner at 662-619-0109.
Sunday December 22
Frierson Chapel Christmas event set
Frierson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church will conduct their annual Christmas program on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 11:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend this special presentation.
Mt. Pisgah plans Christmas musical
The Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church choir will present the Christmas musical, “Messiah, Heaven’s Glory,” on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 6 p.m. All are invited to attend.
“This musical tells the story of a baby born long ago in Bethlehem who would change the world,” noted publicist Tammy Dees.
A time of food and fellowship will conclude the service. The church is located at 1079 Mt. Pisgah Road, Enid.
Tuesday December 24
Christmas Eve service set at Faith
The annual Christmas Eve communion service at Faith Baptist Church, 30028 Highway 32 E., Charleston, will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 24. Everyone is welcome, and clients of the Faith Food Pantry are especially encouraged and invited to attend.
Sumner sets Christmas Eve fireworks
The annual Christmas Eve fireworks display will be held in Sumner starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 24. The show will be designed and executed by Pyro Shows.
The display can be best viewed from the streets along Cassidy Bayou north of the bridge in Sumner. The bridge will be closed to traffic from 6:45 p.m. until after the show.
Regulations require that the public be a certain distance from the bridge. Everyone is asked to look for the markers and to remain outside of the marked area.
The show is financed by private contributions and is sponsored by the Sumner Volunteer Fire Department.
Sunday December 29
Frierson plans praise, worship event
Frierson Chapel Missionary Baptist Church of Brazil will host a “Praise and Worship Explosion” program on Sunday, Dec. 29, starting at noon. Guest speaker will be evangelist Gladys Thomas of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, Parchman. All are invited.
Miscellany
Madeline Miller honored at Hinds
Hinds Community College in Raymond recently honored students named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Community and Junior Colleges.”
Among those honored students was Madeline Miller of Cascilla.
To receive the honor, students are nominated by faculty or staff based upon their academic excellence, leadership, citizenship and service to the college and/or the community as well as participation in extracurricular activities.
Sun-Sentinel seeks letters to Santa
The Sun-Sentinel is accepting children’s letters to Santa Claus. All letters will be published in the newspaper’s special Dec. 26 Christmas keepsake edition.
The deadline for receipt of Santa letters is noon on Thursday, Dec. 19.
Letters may be mailed to Letters to Santa, The Sun-Sentinel, P.O. Box 250, Charleston, MS 38921. They also may be faxed to 662-647-3830, emailed to clay@charlestonsun.net or dropped into the special box on the counter at the newspaper office at 149 Court Square.
Please make sure your child’s name, age and the city/community in which he or she lives is clearly written on the letter so that Santa will know just who it is from!
The Sun-Sentinel does not charge for printing letters to Santa, but parents or grandparents may wish to include a photo of their child for publication for a small fee. For details, call 662-647-8462.
City sponsors decorations contest
The city of Charleston’s second annual “Dress Your Business” contest invites business owners in the city to decorate the exterior their business for the Christmas season.
There is no cost to participate, but registration at City Hall is required. Only those businesses which have registered, thereby expressing a desire to participate in the contest, will be judged on Dec. 27.
First-, second- and third-place trophies will be awarded in each of three categories for Best Door, Best Window and Best Tree.
For more information, contact Charleston City Hall at 647-5841.
Resource families sought for children
The Tallahatchie County Department of Human Services is seeking local residents willing to become resource parents to care for foster children under DHS care.
Resource parents accept foster children into their homes, providing them with a nurturing and structured environment, love and discipline.
For more information, call Gwendolyn D. Shannon, resource specialist with the Mississippi Department of Human Services, at 647-2202.
Free civil legal assistance available
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services provides free legal assistance to low-income residents of North Mississippi needing representation on civil legal matters such as bankruptcy, housing, education, taxes, family law, public benefits and domestic violence issues.
Application for services can be made by calling 1-800-498-1804 Monday through Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Application can also be made online at www.nmrls.com or www.mslegalservices.org.
Tallahatchie Notes free to the public
“Tallahatchie Notes” is a free community bulletin board service offered by The Sun-Sentinel. Announcements of upcoming local events and news briefs are welcome.
The deadline for receipt of information for “Tallahatchie Notes” is each Friday at noon.
All submissions may be edited.
Items may be hand-delivered to The Sun-Sentinel office at 149 South Court Square in Charleston; mailed to P.O. Box 250, Charleston, MS 38921; faxed to 662-647-3830; or emailed to clay@charlestonsun.net.
Include a contact name and phone number in case additional information is needed.
Report local littering, vandalism
Eyewitness accounts of littering and road sign vandalism/theft in Tallahatchie County may be reported to 647-7711 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., seven days per week. If there is no answer, leave a message as to the exact location of the dump site or sign vandalism or theft, the date and time called and your name and telephone number. Someone will contact you.
Correction or clarification
None.
To report the need for the correction or clarification of any item that appears in print in The Sun-Sentinel and/or on the online sites at www.facebook.com/TheSunSentinel, Twitter or at www.tallahatchienews.ms, call the newspaper office at 662-647-8462 and ask for the editor, or email clay@charlestonsun.net.
