Today

• 8:30 a.m.-noon — Free customer service training seminar in the Great Southern Room in Webb Hall on the campus of Meridian Community College. To register, call (601) 693-1306.

• 8:45 a.m.-1 p.m. — Blood drive at Clarkdale High School. Look for the bloodmobile. Call United Blood Services, (601) 482-2482.

• 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — National Alcohol Screening Day at Weems LifeCare, 1415 College Drive. Free and confidential. Call (601) 483-4821.

• 11 a.m. — Open house at East Mississippi Boys and Girls Club, 1717 45th Ave. The public is invited. Call (601) 482-2544.

• Noon — Make-A-Wish volunteer meeting on the sixth floor at Rush Foundation Hospital. Lunch provided. Call Brenda, (601) 483-8144.

• 12:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. — The Dale Earnhardt No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet show car will be on display at Nelson Hall Chevrolet, 1811 S. Frontage Road in Meridian. Call (601) 693-4411.

• 1 p.m. — Queen City Duplicate Bridge Club meets at the Senior Citizens Building, 3200 33rd Ave. This is an open meeting and everyone is invited. Call (601) 527-2107.

• 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. — Blood drive at Wal-Mart Supercenter off South Frontage Road. Look for the bloodmobile. Call United Blood Services, (601) 482-2482.

• 6 p.m. — Meridian chapter of Mississippi Valley State University Alumni Association meets at the Council of Organizations Building, 814 45th Ave. Call (601) 485-2217.

• 6:30 p.m.-until — American Legion Post 125 will hold its monthly meeting at the Larry E. Elliott Chateau building on Highway 80 West. Call (601) 483-2688.

• 6:30 p.m. — Marine Corps League, Jerry Wentworth Det. 1101 and the Ladies Auxiliary, will meet at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building on Highway 80 West. Call James Mitchell at (601) 482-7575 or Preston Pearson at (601) 693-4940.

• 6:30 p.m. — Promises of Hope Cancer Support Group will meet at Collinsville First Church of God, Highway 19 North. Call Meridian Oncology at (601) 696-4624, Barbara Willard at (601)986-2011 or Charlotte Vincent at (601) 986-8833.

• 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. — Grief Counseling and Homicide/Suicide support group will meet at Wesley House Community Center, 1520 Eighth Ave. Call (601) 485-4736.

• 6:30 p.m. — Gold Wing Road Riders Association will meet for a biweekly dinner ride at Trucker’s Supply, 519 Highway 19 North off Interstate 20. Call Lydia, (601) 483-5727.



Friday, April 7

• 7 a.m.- 3 p.m. — Saints John Lodge 507 will host a pancake day at the lodge building. Call Ken Johnson, (601) 482-1279.

• 1:30 p.m. — East Central Mississippi Retired Educators Association will meet at the Seniors Citizens Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Refreshments at 1:30 p.m.; meeting at 2 p.m. Call June Estes, (601) 693-8430.

• 4 p.m.-6 p.m. — Oakland Heights United Methodist Church Crafty Ole Ladies Gift Shop will be open for Easter gifts and crafts. The church is on Highway 19 North across from Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus. Call (601) 485-5262.

• 6:45 a.m.-8:15 a.m. — Fourth annual Mayor’s Leadership Prayer Breakfast in the Family Life Center of St. Patrick Catholic Church, 2614 Seventh St. Guest speakers will be former 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Charles Pickering of Laurel and Neddie Winters, executive director of Mission Mississippi. Tickets are $20. Call (601) 693-1332 or visit missionmeridian@aol.com.

• 11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Weems Community Mental Health Center will hold its annual chicken fry at 1415 College Drive. The cost is $6 per plate. Delivery available for 10 or more plates. All proceeds benefit Relay for Life. Call (601) 483-4821 or fax order to (601) 485-0223.



Saturday, April 8

• 6:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Andrew Chapel Masonic Lodge 151’s pancake breakfast at the lodge building, 9198 Hillview Drive. All-you-can-eat for $4. Call (601) 681-8369.

• 8 a.m.-noon — Oakland Heights United Methodist Church Crafty Ole Ladies Gift Shop will be open for Easter gifts and crafts. The church is on Highway 19 North across from Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus. Call (601) 485-5262.

• 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. — Bob Ross Oil Painting Technique Workshop with Cecelia McCormick at the Senior Citizens Center, 3300 32nd Ave. The cost is $55; registration is required. Call (601) 485-1812.

• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. — Bill Hughes Computer Genealogy class meets at the Senior Citizens Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Call (601) 482-0843.

• 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Collinsville Lions Club will serve pulled-pork plates at Piggly Wiggly in Collinsville. Plates are $5. Call (601) 626-8495.

• 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — Kids’ Day celebration at the Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library, 2517 Seventh St. This is to complete National Library Week. Hot dogs and fun. Call (601) 693-6771.

• 10 a.m. — The Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 79 will sponsor a public education program on child predators at the post building on Old Highway 80 West. Speakers include Ginger Stevens of Wesley House, Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department and Edna Clark, who maintains Lauderdale County’s sex-offender registry. Call (601) 693-4587.

• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Collage/watercolor workshop with artist Pat Kent at the Senior Citizens Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Participants must register and pick up supply list. Call (601) 485-1812.

• 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. — Marvin Weir and the Good Timers will perform at the Senior Citizens Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Call Barbara Wells, (601) 485-1812.

• 6 p.m. — Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Omicron Beta Omega Chapter and the Service to All Mankind Foundation will present “Fashionetta 2006: To Capture a Vision Fair,” at McCain Theater on the campus of Meridian Community College. Call Gail Lynch, (601) 482-4647.



Sunday, April 9

• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — The Mississippi Writers Guild will honor historic Mississippi writers at the Mississippi Welcome Center, three miles northeast of Meridian. Call (601) 632-1142.



Monday, April 10

• 1 p.m. — Queen City Duplicate Bridge Club meets at the Senior Citizens Building, 3200 33rd Ave. This is an open meeting and everyone invited. Call (601) 527-2107.

• 2 p.m., 7 p.m. — Day 1 of East Mississippi Community College’s annual Pine Grove Festival. Art exhibit and reception in Stennis Hall, 2 p.m.; Concert Choir and Reflections performance in Stennis Auditorium. 7 p.m. For information, call (662) 476-5066.

• 6:30 p.m. — The Doll Collectors group will meet at the Meridian Senior Citizens Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Call (601) 485-1812.



Tuesday, April 11

• 10 a.m., 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m. — Day 2 of East Mississippi Community College’s annual Pine Grove Festival. Silk painting with Denise Dengler behind the Administration Building, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; crawfish boil beside volleyball court, entertainment by stage band, 5 p.m.; concert band in Stennis Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. For information, call (662) 476-5066.

• 10:30 a.m. — Todder Time, a free story program for children ages 2-3, at the Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library, 2517 Seventh St. Call (601) 693-6771.

• 4 p.m. — Meridian Civil Service Commission meets in the first-floor conference room at City Hall. Call Gloria Kirby, (601) 485-1931.

• 6 p.m. — First Place Weight Loss registration at Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church, 5025 Zero Road in Meridian. Call Carol Hosch, (601) 483-7016.

To submit an event to Community Calendar, call Stephanie Denham at (601) 693-1551, ext. 3303, or e-mail sdenham@themeridianstar.com. Announcements may also be submitted by fax, (601) 485-1275.