Today

• All day — Belk Department Store, 1350 Bonita Lakes Circle in the Bonita Lakes Mall will hold a “Gift It From the Heart” event. Customers who donate a minimum $1 to The Salvation Army will receive a discount shopping ticket for a 20 percent discount on regular-priced items in the store. Call Letia Jo Horne, (601) 483-2355.

• 9 a.m.-noon — Mississippi Department of Health will be giving flu shots at the Meridian Senior Citizen Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Bring your Medicare and Social Security card. There will be a $27 charge for those not covered by Medicaid or Medicare. Call (601) 482-3171.



Thursday, Dec. 7

• All day — Belk Department Store, 1350 Bonita Lakes Circle in the Bonita Lakes Mall will hold a “Gift It From the Heart” event. Customers who donate a minimum $1 to The Salvation Army will receive a discount shopping ticket for a 20 percent discount on regular-priced items in the store. Call Letia Jo Horne, (601) 483-2355.

• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. — Trees of Christmas at Merrehope, 905 Martin Luther King Drive. Ticket prices range from $3 to $10. Call (601) 483-8439.

• Noon-1 p.m. — Make-A-Wish’s monthly meeting in Rush Foundation Hospital’s sixth-floor conference room. Lunch will be provided. New volunteers welcome. Call (601) 483-8144.

• 1 p.m. — Queen City Duplicate Bridge Club will meet at the Meridian Senior Citizen Center, 3300 32nd Ave. All duplicate bridge players are welcome. Call Mary, (601) 527-2107.

• 3 p.m. — Cancer Patient Benevolent Fund Christmas Tribute in honor, or in memory, of your loved one. The tribute will be held at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center Cancer Center’s lobby. For more information, or to purchase an ornament, call (601) 485-5081.

• 4 p.m.-6 p.m. — Join The Meridian Star for Letters to Santa at John O’Neil Johnson Toyota, on Highway 39 North. Children may write their letters and wish lists to Santa and enjoy refreshments by Popeye’s, Little Caesar’s and Pepsi. Visit with Popeye, Little Caesar and the Grinch, courtesy of Baptist Home Medical. Call Jeremy Campbell, (601) 693-1551.

• 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. — Clarkdale Baseball Annual Tour of Homes, sponsored by the Clarkdale Baseball Booster Club. Cost is $10. Call Clarkdale School, (601) 693-4463.

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

• 6 p.m. — The quarterly board meeting of the Community of Hope Tutoring Program will be held at the Jubilee Mennonite Church, 812 28th Ave. Afterward, at 7 p.m., the children will perform a “Christmas Celebration” program. Call (601) 693-3952.

• 6:30 p.m. — GrassRootz meeting at SideTrack Coffee House, formerly Montana’s Restaurant, on Front Street. This is an informational meeting about the group. Call (601) 693-0746.

• 6:30 p.m. — Noxubee County Christmas parade in downtown Macon. This year’s theme, “A Christmas to Remember.” Call (601) 726-4456.

• 7 p.m. — The Meridian Community College Concert Choir will present “Simple Gifts,” an evening of Christmas music and traditional choral literature in the Emma McCain Theater. Also performing will be EnCore and Dimensions and the MCC High School Chorus. Admission is free. Call (601) 484-8648.

• 7 p.m. — Highland Baptist Church presents its annual “Singing Christmas Tree.” The church is at 3400 27th St. Free admission, but reservations are required due to demand. For tickets and information, call (601) 482-0191.

• 7 p.m. — The Ac’cents, East Central Community College’s show choir, will present its fall concert at the Vickers Fine Arts Center Auditorium in Decatur. Admission is free. Call Vicki Blaylock toll-free at (601) 462-3222, ext. 225.

• 8 p.m. — Meridian Little Theatre presents “The Foreigner” at the playhouse on Highway 39 North in Meridian. For tickets, call the box office at (601) 482-6371.



Friday, Dec. 8

• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. — Trees of Christmas at Merrehope, 905 Martin Luther King Drive. Ticket prices range from $3 to $10. Call (601) 483-8439.

• 7 a.m.-3 p.m. — Meridian Scottish Rite Bodies will sponsor its annual pancake fund-raiser. Plates are $4; proceeds will benefit special projects. The event will be at the Meridian Masonic Center, 2300 11th St. Call (601) 693-1465.

• 11 a.m. — Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus Fall Commencement Ceremony at the MSU Riley Center, 2200 Fifth St. Call Linda Butler, (601) 484-0111.

• 7 p.m. — Highland Baptist Church presents its annual “Singing Christmas Tree.” The church is at 3400 27th St. Free admission, but reservations are required due to demand. For tickets and information, call (601) 482-0191.

• 8 p.m. — Meridian Little Theatre presents “The Foreigner” at the playhouse on Highway 39 North in Meridian. For tickets, call the box office at (601) 482-6371.



Saturday, Dec. 9

• 9 a.m.-5 p.m. — Trees of Christmas at Merrehope, 905 Martin Luther King Drive. Ticket prices range from $3 to $10. Call (601) 483-8439.

• 9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Bob Ross style painting workshop taught by Cecelia McCormick will be held at the Meridian Senior Citizen Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Call (601) 485-1812.

• 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. — Highland Baptist Church presents its annual “Singing Christmas Tree.” The church is at 3400 27th St. Free admission, but reservations are required due to demand. For tickets and information, call (601) 482-0191.

• 4 p.m.-9 p.m. — Marvin Weir and the Good Timers will hold a Christmas party at the Senior Citizen Center, 3300 32nd Ave. Door prizes, gifts and a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Call Marvin Weir, (601) 938-8801.

• 5 p.m.-7 p.m. — “Christmas @ Clarkdale: Festival of Lights” at Clarkdale Attendance Center, 7000 Highway 145. Trees will be decorated by students reflecting the holiday traditions of the countries they have studied. Students will also sing Christmas songs. Concessions, silent auction, pictures with Santa. For information, call the school at (601) 693-4463.

• 6 p.m. — Tots and Teens Fashion Show, Little Miss Zeta, Zeta Princess and Miss Blue Revue Pageant at the Council of Organizations building, 814 45th Ave. Sponsored by Delta Nu Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Admission is a can of non-perishable food to be donated to LOVE’s Kitchen. Call (601) 483-8106.

• 6 p.m.-9 p.m. — The Meridian Museum of Art presents its “Museum Membership Gala” at the museum, 628 25th Ave. Free admission. Call (601) 693-1501 or e-mail MeridianMuseum@aol.com.

• 6 p.m.-8 p.m. — Lake Ross Collins Annual Christmas Luminaries at Lake Ross Collins in Collinsville. Call Laurie Williams, (601) 626-0122.

• 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. — Broadmoor Baptist Church will hold its eighth annual Christmas Drive-Through Nativity. No admission, free hot chocolate. The church is at 5426 Highway 39 North, just north of Hardee’s. Call Stephanie Holifield, (601) 626-0068.

• 8 p.m. — Meridian Little Theatre presents “The Foreigner” at the playhouse on Highway 39 North in Meridian. For tickets, call the box office at (601) 482-6371.

• 8 p.m.-midnight — American Legion Post No. 89 will host a Christmas dance at the post building on Highway 15 in Decatur. Tickets are $7 at the door. Call (601) 683-3266 or (601) 683-2338.



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.