Garden plots for rent at Deer Run Park

Brown County Parks and Recreation has community garden plots available to rent for the 2016 growing season at Deer Run Park.

For more information or to reserve a spot, call 812-988-5522.

BCHS 1966 alumni sought for 50th reunion

Organizers of a June Brown County High School 50th alumni banquet are seeking help in finding 1966 alumni.

With information, email John Jones at [email protected].

Restaurants help BCJHS history team

To help the Brown County Junior High School We the People team raise money to travel to the national competition in Washington, D.C., several restaurants will contribute a portion of sales on certain dates. Coupons, flyers and tokens are available on Facebook by searching for “We the People Brown County Junior High and High School.”

Offers are as follows:

• Tuesday, Feb. 23, Applebee’s at the College Mall in Bloomington will donate 15 percent of the check (excluding tax and tip) when a flyer is presented to the server while dining.
• All day, Tuesday, March 1, Casa del Sol, 101 E. Washington St., will donate 40 percent of the guest bill (excluding alcoholic beverages and carry-out) with the coupon.
• From 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, March 9 and 16, McDonald’s restaurant, 501 State Road 46 East, will serve all-you-can-eat pancake dinners when the coupon is presented.
• All day Friday, March 4, Salt Creek Golf Retreat’s 19th Hole Sports Bar, 2359 State Road 46 East, will donate 20 percent of the check (excluding alcohol), no coupon required.
• From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, Big Woods Pizzeria, 44 N. Van Buren, and Big Woods Brewery, 60 Molly’s Lane, will donate 15 percent of food purchases (drinks excluded) when accompanied by the coupon/token.

Friday night services offered during Lent

Beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, St. Agnes Catholic Church, 1008 McLary Road, will conduct penance services and Stations of the Cross every Friday in Lent.

For more information, call the church at 812-988-2778.

Speaker planned at Gnaw Bone church

GNAW BONE — Country Gospel Church, 5181 State Road 46 East, at 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, guest Pastor Lee Maggard will speak on his insight into God’s word from his perspective as a blind man.

For more information, call the church at 812-988-4714.

Family history workshop offered at library

From 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, the Brown County Public Library will be the site of a free genealogy workshop.

“Family History: How do I start, or where do I go from here?” is for beginners and/or those already working on family histories and have questions about how to continue. It will be in Room B downstairs.

For more information, call the library at 812-988-2850.

Program for caregivers to the mentally ill

BLOOMINGTON — The National Alliance on Mental Illness-Greater Bloomington Area is accepting registration through Thursday, Feb. 25 for Family-to-Family, a free program for family caregivers of people with severe mental illnesses.

Classes will run from 7 to 9:30 p.m. for 12 Tuesdays, March 1 through May 24 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2120 N. Fee Lane. There will be no class April 5.

“Family members can become confused and overwhelmed when a loved one is mentally ill,” said Jill Bolte Taylor, member of the affiliate. “This program helps families to better understand what is going on with their loved one’s brain, what they can do to support their family member, how to navigate local resources, as well as what they can do to take care of themselves.”

For more information or to register, call the class teachers, Laura Jesseph at 812-333-0341 or Joanne Shaver at 812-837-9642 or email [email protected] or [email protected].

We the People to serve chicken dinner

From 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, Brown County High School will host a chicken dinner and silent auction to benefit the We the People class of 2015-2016.

The dinner from 5 to 6:30 p.m. includes fried chicken, green beans with bacon and onions, garlic-Parmesan mashed potatoes, Hawaiian roll, dessert and drink for $10 per person at the door.

The silent auction, from 5 to 7 p.m., includes a John Mellencamp autographed guitar.

For more information, visit WethePeopleBrownCountyJuniorHighandHighSchool Facebook page.

Locals needed to volunteer at syrup festival

Volunteers are needed for the National Maple Syrup Festival, March 5 to 6. They will receive admission to the pancake breakfast at the Brown County High School, two tickets to the festival and a free shuttle to the park.

Volunteer jobs include setup, tear-down, shuttle loading/parking, front gates, information booth, merchandise booth, maple hike leader, festival activities and park tour guide. Shifts are Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.; and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Fill out the form at browncounty.com/maple-volunteers or e-mail the volunteer coordinator at [email protected].

Maple Syrup Festival events to span three weekends

The weekend before the National Maple Syrup Festival, Tap the Town will take place Saturday, Feb. 27, at Creekside Retreat, officially kicking off Brown County’s maple festivities.

Guests can tap a maple tree, visit Hinkle-Garton Farmstead and take part in a maple sugaring program with brunch beginning at 11 a.m. Participants receive sap production updates on their tree. The event costs $125 per couple or $150 for a group of four. Visit browncounty.com/national-maple-syrup-festival.

The festival itself will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 5, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at Brown County State Park. Weekend admission is $10; children 6 and younger get in for free. Festival-goers can park in town and board a motorcoach for a park tour ending at festival gates. Minimal parking will be available in the park.

At the park, guests can learn the basics of making maple syrup. Kids can test their sugar-making skills during Sugaring for Small Folks, an interactive experience of the sap-to-syrup process. They also can try the Maple Syrup Heist Challenge Course.

Festivities include guided hikes to identify maple trees.

For a fee, festival-goers can try a variety of syrup samples produced in multiple states. Guests can create a serving tray and souvenir by branding a piece of wood.

Maple-related merchandise, a beer and wine garden, live acoustic music, and food will be available in a heated tent. Abe Martin Lodge will feature a cooking competition using maple recipes Saturday.

Tickets can be purchased at the festival gate, in the Visitors Center downtown, or online at browncounty.com/national-maple-syrup-festival.

Chris Cakes will serve all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts from 8 to 11 a.m. March 5 and 6 at Brown County High School. Tickets are $8 per adult and $5 per child ages 3 to 18, or $30 per family. Children 2 and younger eat free. Tickets are available online at browncounty.com/national-maple-syrup-festival or can be purchased at the door.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, attendees of Indiana Maple Weekend will be able to see how trees are tapped, how sap gets to the sugar house, and how it becomes maple syrup and other maple products.

For more information, visit facebook.com/IndianaMapleWeekend or browncounty.com/national-maple-syrup-festival or call 812-988-7303.

Learn how to administer lifesaving drug

Members of the Indiana Naloxone Project will give free Naloxone training Saturday, March 5 at the Brown County Community Foundation’s Howard Hughes Community Building, 209 N. Van Buren St., lower level.

Naloxone counteracts a narcotics overdose. Participants will learn how to recognize an overdose and administer this medicine. All ages are welcome.

The class will take place sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.; the exact time is to be determined.

For more information, email [email protected].

Preservation society to meet in March

The Peaceful Valley Heritage Preservation Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, in a lower-level meeting room of the Brown County Community Foundation, 209 N. Van Buren St.

All are welcome. The organization serves to recognize and preserve historic, cultural and natural resources of Brown County. Meetings are the second Tuesday of each month.

For more information, call 812-988-2377.

Church breakfast free to community

HAMBLEN TWP. — Sprunica Baptist Church, 3902 Sprunica Road, will serve a free community breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, March 12.

Served the second Saturday of each month, the menu includes biscuits and gravy, rolls, eggs and more.

Read to dogs at the library

Children and adults are welcome to visit the Brown County Public Library, 205 N. Locust Lane, from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 13, for Sit, Stay, Read!

The program features three certified therapy dogs and good listeners, Mocha, Daisy June and George.

No registration is required for the drop-in program, underwritten by Friends of the Library and made possible in partnership with the Brown County Humane Society.

For more information, call the library at 812-988-2850.

Chamber organizing fraud prevention class

In conjunction with National Consumer Protection Week, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller will present “Hang Up On Scams,” a fraud prevention workshop, at 6 p.m. Monday, March 14 at Creekside Retreat, State Road 46 East.

Hosted by the Brown County Chamber of Commerce, the workshop will provide information on avoiding scams and identity theft. It will last about 90 minutes.

Environmental groups join forces for meeting

The Brown County Soil and Water Conservation District, in conjunction with the Brown County Native Woodlands Project, will conduct its 63rd annual meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, at the History Center, 90 E. Gould St.

The agenda includes guest speaker, Diana Biddle, who is a county commissioner and local historian; supervisor election; and other items.

A variety of soups and desserts will be served.

Tickets are $5 prior to the event or $8 at the door. Children 5 and younger are admitted for free.

For more information/tickets, stop by the district office, 802 Memorial Dr. at the fairgrounds, call 812-988-2211, or email [email protected].

Fire deparment’s annual yard sale planned

HELMSBURG — From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 19, Jackson Township Fire Department, 4831 Helmsburg Road, will host its annual community yard sale and breakfast.

A 10- by 5-foot booth space is available for $20. For more information, call Cathy Perkins at 317-532-7536.

Tea shop offers class on oils for health

Sweetea’s Tea Shop, 225 S. Van Buren St., Suite C. in Coachlight Square, will offer a free class on the health benefits of oils, vitamins and tea at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 19.

The class will include some free samples of teas and oils. For more information or reservations, call 812-988-6515.

Residents can apply for storm shelter funds

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has opened a program to aid Indiana residents who wish to construct and install a severe weather safe room in their home.

Up to 53 applicants will be reimbursed for up to 75 percent of eligible costs, up to $4,500. Funding is provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Questions can be directed to the IDHS Mitigation staff at [email protected].

Food managers certification class offered

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday and Tuesday, April 11 and 12, a food manager certification class will be taught in the second-floor Salmon Room of the County Office Building, 201 N. Locust Lane. The Monday session will end at 12:30 p.m. and the Tuesday session will finish at 2:30 p.m.

All businesses serving food, except nonprofits, are required to have a certified food manager on staff. Certification is good for five years.

The class costs $125, which includes the book and test. The book should be picked up at the health department to study in advance. To take the test only, the cost is $50.

For more information, reservations or to pick up the book, call the health department at 812-988-2255 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.

Benefit for backpack program honors superintendent

A spring benefit concert honoring David Shaffer, retiring superintendent for Brown County Schools, and benefiting the Brown County Weekend Backpacks Program is slated from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 29, at the Brown County High School auditorium.

Students, staff and any local residents can participate in the free event, which will need volunteer workers and musicians. The concert will focus on classical music, but all music genres are welcome.

Donations will be accepted at the door, with all proceeds to benefit the BCWB program. Operating throughout the school year, BCWB provides meals for at-risk students in the Brown County school system. The goal: “No child deserves to go to bed hungry.”

To help with the concert, call coordinator Clara Stanley at 312-310-3617 or email her at [email protected].