Editor’s Note: At press time, the following events and meetings were known to be still scheduled. Organizers or appropriate officials are encouraged to contact Sandra Hope at shope@pbcommercial.com to make additions or changes.
Friday, Dec. 17
SEARK hosts fall graduation
The 2021 fall commencement for Southeast Arkansas College will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, at SEARK@SEABROOK Recreation Center, 6808 Hazel St. The ceremony will be attended by students and staff in-person and it will be live streamed for family and friends to view, according to a news release. Covid-19 protocols will be in place and everyone will be required to wear masks. Details: https://www.seark.edu.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Beginning Friday, Dec. 17
Silver Gloves boxing set at Pine Bluff
Gloves Not Guns will present the Region 6 USA Amateur Boxing Arkansas State Silver Gloves tournament at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The event will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and 1 p.m. Dec. 18. The doors will open an hour before the events, according to the newsletter from the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for youth and free for children 5 and younger. Sponsors include ExplorePineBluff.com, The Corvette Brothers, Aisha’s and USA Boxing. Details: Coach Albert Brewer, (870) 329-3875.
ASC sets Charlie Brown Christmas and Seussified Christmas Carol
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., will host a holiday double: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “A Seussified Christmas Carol.” Performances are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 17-18, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19. Tickets are $13 for ASC members and seniors, $10 for students, and $18 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased at artssciencecenter.tix.com, by calling (870) 536-3375, or in person at ASC, 701 S. Main St. Details: asc701.org.
Library hosts events
The Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Main Library, 600 S. Main St., will host holiday and other events for all ages, according to the news release. For adults, BookEnds Book Club will be held Friday, Dec. 17, from 1-2 p.m. Participants will be reading/discussing Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache novels. Book signing with Glinda Courtney-Foots and Linda Courtney-Weathers, authors of My Long Lost Love, will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Collaborative Winter Art Mosaic will be on Monday, Dec. 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sugar Cookie Decorating will take place Tuesday, Dec. 21, from 1-3 p.m. Q-Tip Snowflake creations will take place Wednesday, Dec. 22, from 2-3 p.m. Video Game Tournament: Tekken 7 and Injustice 2 will be held Tuesday, Dec. 28, from 2-6 p.m. The tournament is open to all ages, however, children under 13 must have parental consent. In-person registration is preferred or people can register online. Details: (870) 534-4802 or http://www.pineblufflibrary.org.
Through Friday, Dec. 17
Centers seek holiday donations for senior citizens
The community is asked to be Santa to a senior citizen. Donations are being accepted through Dec. 17 at all Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas Senior Centers for people to give gifts for seniors, according to a news release. Donation boxes will be set up at all centers. Gifts will be wrapped and distributed Dec. 18. Examples would be throws, socks, hats, gloves, scarfs. Details: Lauren Bland, (870) 543-6337.
Junior Leadership applications available
The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2022 Junior Leadership Pine Bluff Class. The program for high school students runs January through May, from 4-6 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Applications are due Dec. 17. “Do you know a high school junior who aspires to make a difference in their community? A student eager to examine community issues and strengthen their leadership skills? Applications are now available for the 2022 Class of Junior Leadership Pine Bluff,” according to the Chamber newsletter. Details: jennifer@jeffersoncountyalliance.com.
Saturday, Dec. 18
Newbirth Church to give away coats, winter items
Newbirth Baptist Church, 401 E. Fifth Ave., will host its Share the Warmth Giveaway from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. They will hand out coats, hats, gloves, and scarves to those who attend the event. Details: (870) 536-3231.
Christmas giveaway includes home
Tracy Shavers Ministries will host its seventh annual Christmas giveaway which includes a home, rent free, as for as long as the recipient lives. The giveaway will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 18 at the former Dollarway High School, 4900 Dollarway Road. Registration for the home will begin at 8:30 a.m. Applicants must be 18 or older and must meet all requirements, according to organizer Tracy Shavers. The ministry will also give away cash, clothes, shoes, toys, food, household supplies, and other items. Children must be present to receive gifts. Masks are required.
New Community pantry to give food baskets
New Community Church, 321 N. Birch St., will give out Christmas baskets from its food pantry Saturday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. until the food is gone. The community is invited to attend, according to a news release.
Delta food bank to give away foods
The Delta Network Food Bank, #11 Portea Drive, will hold its annual food giveaway in a drive-thru setting from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. Tyson Foods will donate a truckload of chicken to the effort. Chicken will be distributed to each registered household and registration forms will be available on site, according to a news release. Participants are asked to remain in their vehicles. At the convention center, vehicles will enter parking lot D from Missouri Street and 10th Avenue. Vehicles will circle around and exit out of the parking lot and follow the traffic directors’ instructions. Details: (870) 536-2424.
Summit announces Christmas concert
Summit Baptist Church, 901 Ridgway Road, will host a Christmas concert and the community is invited to attend. The Summit Soundz Celebration Band will present its annual Christmas concert 6 p.m. Dec. 18. This band includes high school and college students from Jefferson County as well as area band directors. The concert is free.
Gospel artist to present youth concert
Gospel recording artist Dedric Jones will present Psalms for the Little Ones Music Project Volume 1 debut concert at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Trinity Church of God in Christ, 800 S. Catalpa St. Area youth will present the concert. All parents and young people are invited to attend, Jones said in a news release. Psalms for the Little Ones, Volume 1, is a collection of Bible verses, Bible lessons, songs, and activities such as coloring pages, crossword puzzles, dot-to-dot puzzles, word search puzzles, crafts, physical activities, music videos, and much more. It’s geared toward children 3-12.
Sunday, Dec. 19
Eighth Avenue observes women’s day
Eighth Avenue Missionary Baptist Church, 1200 W. Eighth Ave., will present its annual women’s day service at 11 a.m. Sunday. The guest speaker will be Margaret Gatson of Barraque Street Missionary Baptist Church. The community is invited to attend in person, on Facebook Live or by Instagram.
Amos Chapel presents Christmas program
Amos Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, 1307 W. 16th Ave., invites everyone to worship with them at 11 a.m. Sunday. The youth department will present its annual Christmas program. The guest saxophonist will be Darnell Cannward. Patrice Emerson and Tasha Woods are youth leaders and the Rev. Robert Willis Jr. is pastor. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) safety guidelines are in effect every Sunday.
Monday, Dec. 20
St. James to give away food Dec. 20
St. James United Methodist Church, 900 University Drive, will host a holiday food distribution in partnership with the Arkansas Food Bank from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 20. The distribution is open to the community and should serve 200 households, according to a news release.
House of Bread to give away food
House of Bread Deliverance Church, 500 S. Main St., will give out food boxes on Monday, Dec. 20, from 1-2 p.m. or until all boxes are gone, according to a news release. Masks and other safety protocols still be in effect due to the pandemic. New clients must have their ID/driver’s license and a bill that shows their address and name. Current clients with the food pantry will only need their ID. Also, all clients must complete a new intake form to receive a box Jan. 17.
Caregivers Alzheimer’s supporters to meet online
The Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas will host their virtual Caregivers Alzheimer’s Support Group meeting at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 20, on Zoom. The topic will be Journey Through Alzheimer’s Disease and it will help people understand the challenges Alzheimer’s has on daily life, according to a news release. Nicole Bates, director of education at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) South Central Center on Aging at Pine Bluff, will guide participants through a virtual reality about the disease. UAMS will also give away five Christmas baskets. Participants must attend the Zoom meeting for a chance to win. The link to the Zoom meeting is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/92467500571?pwd=UnA1bnNsUm1hTG5NbUhhVkVua0ZXZz09. The meeting ID is 924 6750 0571 and passcode is 6300. To call, dial 1 346 248 7799 and use the meeting ID. Details: Carolyn Ferguson at Area Agency, (870) 543-6309.
Tuesday, Dec. 21
Christmas parade set for nursing, assisted living residents
A drive-thru Christmas parade will be held for the assisted living and nursing home residents near south Hazel Street from 3:30-4:45 p.m. Dec. 21. The line up will be in the car wash parking lot off Hazel Street and Ridgway Road at 3 p.m., according to a news release from spokesman Dee Clay. All of the residents will receive gift bags and pizza compliments of supporters. Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. will lead the parade. Other participants include City Council Member Ivan Whitfield, Santa Claus, sheriff’s office officials, Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services Department, Stacia Star Star Dancers, Pine Bluff Corvette Brothers, gospel singers Kendrick Williams Jr. and Keenon Coleman and Heart 2 Heart Youth Ministry. Details: (870) 872-2361.
Wednesday, Dec. 22
Pine Bluff Commercial sets church news deadline
Church news is printed in The Commercial on Friday. The deadline to submit church announcements is noon Wednesday. Pastors, ministers or others interested in writing for the Devotional Page may also submit columns for consideration. Column writers should have connections to Southeast Arkansas. Articles should be submitted by email to shope@pbcommercial.com. Details: (870) 534-3400, ext. 5.
Through Friday, Dec. 24
Firefighters host Holiday Santa Run
The Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services Department will make its annual Holiday Santa Run throughout Pine Bluff from approximately 5-8 p.m. daily through Dec. 24. As precautions against covid-19, social distancing and masks will be required, according to a news release. Fire department personnel and Carrington Electric Co. of Pine Bluff decorated a reserve fire truck with Christmas lights and with assistance from Stereo Junction, a sound system is used to play Christmas music as they drive through the neighborhoods. Details: Pine Bluff Fire and Emergency Services, (870) 730-2048, on Facebook or www.pineblufffire.com.
Beginning Monday, Dec. 27
St. John hosts virtual VBS
St. John AME Church will host a Virtual Winter Vacation Bible School via Zoom from 5-6:30 p.m. Dec. 27-29 for all age groups (preK to adults). Registration is free. Early registrants will be eligible to win a prize in the drawing Nov. 30, the day early bird registration ends. The winner will be notified by phone. Regular registration will be Dec. 1-19. The public is invited to participate. Registration is available at https://www.stjohnamepinebluff.org. The speakers will be Shaquille Ingram, Ayanna Williams and Brae McDonald. The Rev. Cecil L. Williams Jr. is the pastor. Sheryl Kearney is the Christian Education director. Details: mskearney@msn.com.
Through Friday, Dec. 31
Enchanted Land open
The Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends is open Regional Park from 6-9 nightly through Dec. 31. Known as the state’s largest drive-through of holiday lights, the exhibit usually has more than 120 displays, many that are animated. Admission is free.
JCCSI offers free exams in December
Jefferson Comprehensive Care System Inc. (JCCSI) will provide free primary care exams throughout December at three area clinics, according to a news release. To commemorate World Aids Day, JCCSI in partnership with the Pine Bluff Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, will provide free exams through Dec. 31 at these sites: Pine Bluff Clinic, 1101 S. Tennessee St., (870) 543-2380. Altheimer Clinic, 309 S. Edine, Altheimer, (870) 766-8411. Redfield Clinic, 100 Evening Sunset Valley, Redfield, (501) 397-2261. An HIV blood test will be included in the visit. The exams are for adults 18 and older. Appointments must be made in advance by calling the clinics and asking for the “Delta World AIDS Day” appointment.
Saturday, Jan. 8
Reception, Coon Supper set at Gillett
The 10th annual “Berry Pre-Coon Supper Reception” will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Berry Farm Shop at Gillett followed by the 78th Gillett Coon Supper at the Gillett School Gymnasium at 6:30 p.m., according to a news release. Both events benefit non-profits. The pre-supper reception tickets are $40 each. Sponsorships are available to be a Berry Good Host for $1,000 and a Berry Good Friend for $500. The coon supper tickets are $30 and may be purchased by contacting Larry Bauer at (870) 830-4002. All tickets will be available for purchase at the door. Details: Becky Barnes Campbell at (501) 912-7560, Gabe Holmstrom at (479) 409-3329 or Facebook.
Through Monday, Jan. 17
UAPB accepts youth entires for snack recipe contest
Pine Bluff youth, ages 5-18, are invited to submit original snack recipes for the 2022 Snack Recipe Contest. Entries must be received by Jan. 17. The event is sponsored by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Programs, according to a news release. Recipe judging will be based on originality, creativity and nutritional value. The first-place prize is a $100 gift card, the second-place prize is a $75 gift card, and the third-place prize is a $50 gift card. Each entrant is required to fill out an entry form and must submit the original recipe and a photo by email to Teresa Henson, Extension specialist-nutrition outreach coordinator, at hensont@uapb.edu or to Teki Hunt, Extension specialist-director of 4-H Youth Development Programs, at huntjimenezt@uapb.edu. For entry forms or details, contact Henson or Hunt.
Thursday, Jan. 20
Free health screenings set
A free community-wide health screening event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center. The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation in partnership with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas Minority Health Commission, the city of Pine Bluff, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will participate in the event, according to a news release. The minority health commission will provide various screenings including those for blood pressure, glucose, A1C, cholesterol, BMI (Body mass index), oxygen/pulse and HIV. The prostate cancer foundation will provide a non-invasive blood test for the prostate specific antigen (PSA).
Beginning Saturday, Jan. 22
SEA concert group hosts performances
The Southeast Arkansas Concert Association 2021-22 season returns to live events at the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) Fine Arts Center. The association will host Tuba Skinny on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. and the Little Mermaid, the annual musical, will be held March 7-12 with 13 shows at the center. Details: https://searkconcert.org or Facebook.
Through Monday, Jan. 24, 2022
Applications for 2022 Governor’s School open
Student applications are open for the 2022 Arkansas Governor’s School. The deadline to apply is Jan. 24. Arkansas Tech University at Russellville will host the 43rd AGS July 5 through Aug. 1, according to a news release. AGS serves approximately 400 students during the summer before their senior year in high school. Eligible students interested in attending should inquire with their school counselors about the nomination process. Information is also available at www.atu.edu/ags by sending an e-mail to ags@atu.edu.
Saturday, Jan. 29
City to host New Year’s cleanup
The community is invited to participate in the Pine Bluff 2022 New Year Community Cleanup from 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 29. Participants should meet at the Martin Luther King Jr. Park at 8 a.m. to receive supplies and sign up for clean-up sites. Volunteers will also need to provide their own transportation to the sites throughout the city. The cleanup is an effort to start the new year out right with a cleaner city, according to a news release. Details: mayor’s office, (870) 730-2004.
Through Saturday, Jan. 29
ASC hosts exhibition Beyond Labels | Más Allá De Las Etiquetas
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas is hosting “Beyond Labels | Más Allá De Las Etiquetas by Virmarie DePoyster,” a portrait exhibition. DePoyster is a bilingual Puerto Rican artist interested in bringing communities together through art. This exhibition will run through Jan. 29.
Underway
Salvation Army Auxiliary hosts fundraiser
The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary won’t hold its annual Christmas Luncheon and Festival of Tables, but will accept donations for the local Salvation Army, which provides food, shelter, socialization opportunities, spiritual enrichment and other services. The festivities were canceled in 2020-21 because of covid-19, according to a news release. Checks should be made payable to the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and delivered to the Salvation Army Corps headquarters at 501 E. 12th Ave. or mailed to Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, P.O. Box 8209, Pine Bluff, AR, 71611. Details: Salvation Army, (870) 534-0504.
Covid-19 vaccines, testing available
The Arkansas Department of Health, various pharmacies and healthcare providers offer the covid-19 vaccine, tests and other information about coronavirus. Details: Call the Arkansas Department of Health at (800) 985-6030, visit the website at healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/covid-19-vaccination-plan or contact area medical professionals, according to spokesmen.
Thursday, Feb. 3
Chamber hosts annual dinner
The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce will host its annual dinner at 6 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Pine Bluff Country Club and the guest speaker will be former White Hall Coach Bobby Bolding, according to the Chamber newsletter. The community is invited to attend the annual dinner. Tickets are $60 each. For details or to become a sponsor, emails should be sent to Jennifer Kline, interim Chamber director, at jennifer@jeffersoncountyalliance.com.
Thursday, Feb. 10
Waterfowler Hall of Fame postpones ceremony
The Arkansas Waterfowler Hall of Fame will host its induction ceremony at 6 p.m. Feb. 10 at Chenal Country Club at Little Rock. The event benefits the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie at Stuttgart, which houses the Hall of Fame. The ceremony will highlight honorees from the classes of 2020 and 2021, according to a news release. Details: grandprairiemuseum.com or waterfowlerhof.com.
Friday, Feb. 11
Alphas to host Valentine fundraising gala
The Delta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and the Southeast Arkansas Jewel Foundation (SEAJF) annual Valentine Scholarship Fundraiser gala will be held at 7:06 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The community is invited to attend. The colors will be all black with a touch of gold. This fundraiser will include a catered meal by First Class Catering/James Rice and dancing, according to a news release. Organizers will follow guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Individual tickets are $40 each or a table of 10 for $400. Sponsorships are: Jewel level $5,000; Yellow Rose level $2,500; Old Gold level $1,000; and Black level $400. Donations to the SEAJF are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Checks should be payable by Feb. 4 to the Southeast Arkansas Jewel Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization, or Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., P.O. Box 3159, Pine Bluff, AR 71611. Details: Gregory Murray at (870) 550-4281.
Saturday, Feb. 19
Jefferson Regional Foundation sets ball
Jefferson Regional Foundation is planning the Winter Wonderland Ball 2022 for Feb. 19. The event will feature live entertainment, according to the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce newsletter. Tickets are $250. For ticket and sponsorship information, interested people may contact Laura Beth Shaner, foundation development officer, at (870) 541-7210.
Friday, March 4
Ag Hall of Fame plans ceremony
The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame rescheduled its induction ceremony from Aug. 20 due to safety concerns surrounding the increase in covid-19 cases in Arkansas. The induction ceremony is now scheduled for March 4, 2022, according to a news release. The new class includes: Long-time ag educator Joe Don Greenwood of Hermitage; Andrew Wargo III of Watson, farm manager for the 15,000-acre Baxter Land Co. for more than 50 years; the late Russell Roy Reynolds, director of the U.S. Forest Service Crossett Experimental Forest for 34 years; retired Cooperative Extension Service Director Rick Cartwright of Fayetteville; former Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach of Manila; and Mark Waldrip of Moro, founder of Armor Seed Co. Details: www.arfb.com.
Through Saturday, March 5
‘Deeply Rooted: A Glimpse into Southern Lifestyle’ exhibit open
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, 701 S. Main St., will host “Deeply Rooted: A Glimpse into Southern Lifestyle,” an exhibition featuring work from its permanent collection, through March 5, according to a news release. The exhibit was curated by Torri Richardson, the center’s curatorial intern and 2021 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. This exhibition will show southern lifestyle from various viewpoints.
Tension and Protection exhibit open
The Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas will showcase an exhibit, “Tension and Protection: Textile Work by Suzannah Schreckhise” in the International Paper Gallery through March 5, according to a news release. This exhibition features Schreckhise’s textile work, combining her crochet series and her ongoing mask series, “Breath.” Schreckhise is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Fayetteville.
Through Sunday, May 1
Ministry group seeks applicants for free home repairs
Ozark Mission Project (OMP), a non-profit ministry of the United Methodist Church (UMC,) will conduct free minor home repairs for people in need in the summer of 2022. Projects include painting, yard work, building wheelchair ramps or making other minor repairs. People who need this assistance should submit an application for the free projects. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2022, according to a news release. The group will be stationed at Pine Bluff at First United Methodist Church and work projects July 18-21. Applications and details can be found at ozarkmissionproject.org.
Thursday, May 5
Chamber to host Business Expo
The Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce rescheduled its Business Expo for May 5, 2022. Because of rising covid infections, the Chamber postponed the expo that was previously set for Aug. 19, 2021. Due to the fact the expo was postponed as a precautionary measure, the Chamber is reserving participants’ booth payments and/or sponsorships for the 2022 event and holding their spots for them, according to the Chamber newsletter. Details: Jennifer Kline at the Chamber, (870) 535-0110 or jennifer@jeffersoncountyalliance.com.
Weekdays
Neighbor to Neighbor open 5 days a week
Neighbor to Neighbor, 1419 S. Pine St., has reopened five days a week. The agency will be open Monday through Friday from 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m. For the sake of safety, Neighbor to Neighbor will continue serving to-go lunches at the door from noon to 1 p.m. and are available to anyone who is hungry. Masks are required to enter the building and hand sanitizer will be available at the door, according to a news release. New clients or those seeking assistance with bills or medications should call (870) 534-2883 for an appointment.
Tuesdays
Unity Christian Fellowship offers free financial classes
Unity Christian Fellowship Church (UCFC), 2712 S. Bay St., invites the community to its free Small Business and Personal Financial Education classes at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Recent subjects included “The Importance of Having a Financial Plan” and “Financial Literacy,” according to Stuff in the Bluff website. “You cannot afford to miss out on these life-changing classes. We are practicing social distancing and will have hand sanitizer wipes available,” according to the site. Anthony Armstrong is the senior pastor. Details: unitychristianfellowship@live.com or (870) 329-1182.