Mar 18 Monday
The sixth annual Festival of Trees fundraiser for Christian Action Ministries will be held November 3 through December 3 at the Branson Landing to help with food shortages for Taney County residents.
The storefront will be open 12 pm to 6 pm, Sunday through Thursday and 10 am to 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays at Suite 216 on the Landing. The annual fundraiser offers visitors and community members a Christmas wonderland full of creatively decorated trees, wreaths and Christmas décor.
Area businesses, churches, civic groups and individuals partner with the food pantry by sponsoring a tree or wreath. Hundreds of items will be on display for purchase. The public will also be able to vote on the People’s Choice tree again this year.
Christian Action Ministries has served to combat food insecurity in Taney County since 1984. Each year, more than 40,000 individual cases of assistance are recorded – meaning nearly 500,000 meals provided in the more than two million pounds of food distributed. The food pantries are funded by donations from individuals, churches, and businesses in the community, and staffed by the dozens of volunteers who contribute their time and talents to serve their neighbors.
Bring a little sparkle and shine to your space with these coasters. Recommended for grades 7-12. No registration required.
Whether you've only heard about the game, or played hundreds of times, there is space for you in this adventure. Recommended for grades 7-12. No registration required.
Mar 19 Tuesday
Artwork by area elementary students will take the spotlight during the 23rd annual Art Around Town exhibit. The event is set for March 19-28 on the mezzanine at the West Plains Civic Center, 110 St. Louis St., in West Plains. It is sponsored by Missouri State University-West Plains’ University/Community Programs (U/CP) Department and the West Plains Council on the Arts.
This free event will feature two- and three-dimensional pieces by children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. The artists will represent the following school districts: Alton, Bakersfield, Dora, Fairview, Gainesville, Glenwood, Howell Valley, Junction Hill, Koshkonong, Lutie, Mtn. View-Birch Tree, Richards, Thayer, West Plains and Willow Springs. Each school can display up to 30 pieces of artwork in the exhibit, organizers said.
The exhibition also will include an awards ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24, in the civic center lobby, followed by a reception to honor the artists. Artwork will be available for viewing on the mezzanine level. The works will be juried by artists from the region, organizers said.
Area residents are invited to view the pieces during regular civic center hours, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
For more information about Art Around Town, call the U/CP Department at 417-255-7966 or visit wp.missouristate.edu/ucp/theater.htm.
Registration is underway for adults to attend Internet Basics from 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, March 19, in the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library Computer Training Center, 397 E. Central St.
Learn how to navigate the internet using your browser's menus and toolbars. Access websites by typing in a web address or using search engines. Learn how to change your home page and add a website to your favorites. *Note: The elevator from the basement to the 2nd floor is not operational. Please contact the library prior to a program if you need special accommodation.
For more information on this free program, or to register, visit programs.thelibrary.org/event/9768578 or call 417-837-5011.
Get ready to explore and create! What can you make with cardboard tubes during this interactive, hands-on workspace? Recommended for grades 7-12. No registration required.
Morel mushrooms taste good and hunting them provides an excellent reason for a walk in the woods when spring is blooming. But there are more mushroom types than morels to be found, cooked, and enjoyed. Learn which mushrooms to pick and which to avoid when the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) offers a free virtual Midwest Mushrooms class from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19.
No prior experience hunting mushrooms is necessary. This online class will help newcomers get started. But it will also help experienced mushroom hunters learn more about morels and all types of mushrooms. Alix Daniel, MDC native landscape specialist and a mushroom expert from the Missouri Mycological Society, will provide mushroom hunting tips. Daniel will discuss various mushroom species and where to find guides to help with identification. There will be a question-and-answer session available to participants after the presentation.
Midwest Mushrooms is open to participants ages 12 and older. Registration is required. To register, visit http://short.mdc.mo.gov/48c.
Mar 20 Wednesday
Adults are invited to attend Exploring Genealogy at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 20, in the Library Center auditorium, 4653 S. Campbell Ave.
The Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution are the two leading lineage societies in the United States and share a mutual mission of education and preservation of the historical significance of the Declaration of Independence, the War of the Revolution, and the consequent United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. Steve Perkins, chapter genealogist for the Ozark Mountain Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, will discuss the application process, required documents and point to sources where a prospective applicant can search for a possible patriot. This program is sponsored by the Ozarks Genealogical Society.
For more information on this free program call 417-882-0714.