ABATE planning charity motorcycle ride

ABATE of Brown County is organizing a charity motorcycle ride through Brown County Saturday, Aug. 20. The ride, benefiting Special Olympics, will start and end at the Brown County Inn.

Check-in is from 9 to 11 a.m. The ride leaves at 11 and will return around 2 p.m.

The cost is $20 per person or $25 per couple on the same bike.

Kids also can participate; a free “tiny tots” ride on small motorcycles will take place at 1 p.m. Free hotdogs also will be served.

For more information, call Mark Thomas at 812-327-8656.

Children’s history program to be taught Aug. 20

The Brown County Historical Society is offering Hands on History to show children ages 8 to 12 what pioneer children would have experienced. Topics include cooking, gardening, games, music and dance, quilting, weaving and spinning, weather lore and map reading.

Remaining program dates are Thursdays, Sept. 22 and Oct. 20, and Saturday, Aug. 20. All are from 1 to 4 p.m. at the History Center and Pioneer Village, 90 E. Gould St.

A $5 fee is charged. For a registration form, visit browncountyhistorycenter.org or call 812-988-2899.

Nonprofits can apply for emergency program grant

Brown County nonprofits are invited to apply for a share of $3,800 in federal funding to benefit emergency food and shelter programs.

A board of local service agencies will determine how it will be distributed. In the past, money has gone to The Salvation Army, Turning Point and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

The deadline to apply is Friday, Aug. 26.

A written request of funds is required. It must include the agency’s name, address, contact person, phone number, federal I.D. number, roster of board memers, amount of funding requested and program area such as food, rent or utilities. Each organization must also apply for a DUNS number to track how federal grant money is allocated.

For information, call local Chairperson Linda Welty at 812-988-6636.

Fruitdale firefighters conducting fish fry

BEAN BLOSSOM — The Fruitdale Volunteer Fire Department will have its next fish fry and bazaar from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 at the station, 5200 State Road 135 North.

In addition to Alaskan pollock fish, volunteers serve “tenderloin sandwiches as big as your head,” desserts, baked beans, coleslaw and sweet tea. Donations are accepted to support the fire department.

A bazaar with vendors of various items will be set up at the station for diners to shop.

Watermelon festival to aid student feeding program

Brown County Weekend Backpacks will host their second annual Watermelon Festival from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Village Green at Main and Jefferson streets.

It will include seed spitting, games, a watermelon carving contest, watermelon eating and a silent auction.

Proceeds support the backpack program, which sends food home from school with needy Brown County children each weekend.

For watermelon carving contest information, email Gloria Berryman at [email protected].

‘I Love My Church’ series continues downtown

In August, Patrick Glasser, senior minister of Nashville Christian Church, 160 S. Van Buren St., began a a five-week sermon series titled, “I Love My Church.” “During these five weeks, our goal is to build a stronger church for Nashville through community, service, giving and sharing,” he said.

Services are at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sundays though Sept. 4. All are welcome.

For more information, visit nashvillechristianchurch.org or call 812-988-2889.

Dogs can take a swim at state park pool

From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, the Brown County State Park pool, off State Road 46 East, will be open for swimming to well-behaved dogs with current vaccinations, one dog per person.

The park gate fee applies.

Dogs must be leashed when not in the pool and have current vaccine documentation.

To register for one day, bring a bag of Purina Dog food plus $20 per dog to the Brown County Humane Society; without food, bring $25 for onsite registration.

Vendors sought for BucCornEar fundraiser

HELMSBURG — Jackson Township firefighters have planned the fifth annual BucCornEar Festival at the fire station, 4831 Helmsburg Road, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24.

Vendor applications are available by contacting the fire department at 812-988-6201, [email protected], facebook.com/buccornear, or at the fire station.

Bring applications to the fire station or send them, with checks payable to Jackson Township Fire Department, to BucCornEar Festival, c/o Jackson Township Fire Dept., P.O. Box 610, Nashville, IN 47448. Applications received after Saturday, Sept. 10, will be charged a $10 late fee.

Admission is free. The event includes food and games for a donation, a pirate village and gauntlet, bucket brigade, pirate costume contest, walk-the-plank, Plink-o, ring toss, pirate hook fishing, corn shucking, popcorn, a car show, a burning house fire demo, and a live power line safety demo by SCI-REMC.

Sprunica 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, Sept. 10.

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

Preservation society to meet in September

The Peaceful Valley Heritage Preservation Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, 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.

Pioneer Women’s Club sets quilt show date

The Brown County Historical Society Quilt Show, presented by the Pioneer Women’s Club, will be Friday through Sunday, Sept. 16 to 18.

It will feature more than 100 quilts at the Brown County History Center, 90 E. Gould St. Show hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and until 3 p.m. Sunday.

Quilts can be entered in nine categories. To enter, visit browncountyhistorycenter.org or call 812-988-2899.

To see the show, admission is $6 per person; children 10 and younger are admitted free. A cafe, music by local artists and demonstrations in weaving, spinning and hand quilting will be provided.

Other features include quilting supply vendors, scissor/knife sharpening and a gift shop. Chances to win a club-created raffle quilt are $1 each. The drawing will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18.

Vendors sought for rock, mineral show

Brown County Rock & Mineral Club members are seeking quality vendors of rocks, minerals, gems and jewelry for a rock and mineral show/swap, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Brown County History Center, 90 E. Gould St.

For more information, visit browncountyrock.webs.com or facebook.com/pages/Brown-County-Rock-and-Mineral-Club.

Free program on Medicare at the library

From 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, “Know Your Medicare Health Plan Options” will be offered in a lower-level meeting room of the Brown County Public Library, 205 Locust Lane.

Sarah Eder will present the free program focused on understanding Medicare supplemental and Medicare Advantage plans. She will answer questions.

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

Swap meet, flea market planned at fairgrounds

From 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, the Brown County Antique Machinery Association’s swap meet and flea market will take place at the Brown County 4-H Fairgrounds. Admission is free. For more information, visit bcama.net.

History Center bazaar spaces available

The second annual Abe Martin Village Bazaar, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, will take place at the Brown County History Center, 90 E. Gould St. Items will include ceramics, original art, gifts, handcrafted items, antiques and more.

Sellers can get a table and two chairs per 10-foot space for $30. To reserve space, contact Gloria at 812-988-4465 or [email protected].