Actress to attend mother’s birthday
Pine Bluff native and Hollywood actress Rhonda Bankston will be in Pine Bluff today celebrating the 90th birthday of her mother, Ovella M. Bankston.
The celebration will take place from 6-7 p.m. today at the Wilma Anderson Building. Refreshments, music and dancing will occur from 8-11 p.m. Music will be provided by Rick Compton and The Hour of Power Band, according to a news release.
Rhonda Bankston is also a singer, entrepreneur and chief executive officer of Bankston Boutique. She frequently garnered lead and featured roles as a mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister due to her caring, nurturing being, according to her bio.
Her mother demonstrated over the years that education was vital to raising her daughter and her two sons at their home on Missouri Street in Pine Bluff.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The actress attended elementary school at St. Peter’s Catholic School. She graduated in the top 10 percent of her class at Pine Bluff High School and graduated with honors at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. She then went on to graduate from Jefferson School of Nursing.
Bankston has appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show on the “Hold That Note Segment”; on a You Tube video: Forever Valentine Charlie Wilson; on The Steve Harvey Show; and in a Super Bowl Sleep Number commercial.
For details or to confirm attendance to the celebration, email Babygirlbankston@yahoo.com or rbb1991@yahoo.com.
Breath of Life youth service set
Breath of Life Church, 1313 S Pine St., will have its monthly youth services at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The speaker will be Anjelica Culclager Evans. The community is invited to attend.
Evans has been principal at College Station Elementary School for three years. She served 10 years as a teacher and three years as an instructional coach.
She is a 2006 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education. She also has a Master of Arts degree in teaching, according to a news release.
She’s also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. where she’s served as chairperson of Empowering Our Families.
A member of Full Counsel Church, Evans is a servant leader and believes that if Jesus can serve others, then she can too.
Evans is a native of Pine Bluff, a wife and mother as well as daughter of Shade Culclager Jr. and the late Annie Pearl Culclager.
Department plans youth fire camp
The Pine Bluff Fire & Emergency Services Department will conduct a free Junior Fire Camp from June 10-14. Sessions will be held Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Detective Kevin D. Collins Center (old public library) in the civic center. Registration is required.
Monday through Thursday snacks and lunch are provided. Friday is Fun Day and awards. The camp is designed for boys and girls ages 13-15 to experience what it’s like to be a firefighter as well as learn about fire safety.
The Junior Fire Camp will be a fun and informative introduction to the firefighting profession while assisting with team building skills. The camp is taught by PBFD firefighters and features hands-on activities and interactive learning sessions, according to a news release.
Students will learn about fire department organization, 9-1-1 dispatch, structure fire suppression tactics, truck operations, basic first aid and hands only CPR, as well as tours of the local fire stations and other city entities.
Camp space limited to the first 15 eligible applicants. Mandatory registration and liability waivers are required of parents. Camp shirts will be provided and sunscreen encouraged.
Applications may be picked up at Fire Station #1, 200 E. Eighth Ave., at the civic center. Details: www.pineblufffire.com or Lt. Larry Murray at (870) 730-2048.
Area Agency tells menu
Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas is serving lunches from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays at the senior centers. Next week’s menu includes:
Monday — The senior centers will be closed Memorial Day. Southeast Arkansas Transportation (SEAT) will still be running for dialysis and cancer patients.
Tuesday — Baked chicken, corn salad, broccoli, cake with glaze, and milk.
Wednesday — Baked ham, holiday sweet potatoes, green beans, wheat roll, fruited Jell-O, and milk.
Thursday — Swiss steak with gravy, cubed potatoes, peas and carrots, bread, fruit and milk.
Friday — Tuna salad, broccoli slaw, tomato wedges, lite lemon cheese cake, and milk.
Details: Strachota Senior Center, (870) 543-6323.
Rhonda Bankston