Community Calendar

Habitat for Humanity will host Revved Up for Habitat: Car Club Happy Hour on October 2 at VL Classics.

Connect with fellow enthusiasts, and learn how you and your car club can partner with Habitat for Humanity to help build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter.

This casual, come-and-go event is a chance to peek “under the hood” of Habitat for Humanity, discover ways to get involved, and sign your club up for a volunteer build day.

The Girls Scouts of the Missouri Heartland will host the Step Right Up! Service Unit Carnival October 2 for Girl Scouts and potential future Girl Scout.

https://www.girlscoutsmoheartland.org/en/sf-events-repository/2025/--step-right-up--service-unit-carnival--.html

Drury University's Theatre Department will present The Wolf and its Shadows October 1-4 at the Wilhoit Theatre.

7:30 p.m. (Saturday matinee at 2 p.m., followed by regular show at 7:30)

In the forest at night, Wolf and Dog encounter stories from around the world, contrasting wolf images in legend and nature. Traveling toward Dog's home, where Wolf intends to seek employment, the two meet a hunter, a priest, and a shepherd, each of whom spins a tale of the evil wolf's foolishness and greed. Wolf responds with very different stories of her own. By dawn, she and Dog understand the high price of freedom. With respect for one another, they choose their separate ways.

The Wolf and Its Shadows by Sandra Fenichel Asher, directed by student, Morgan Ivision.

Tickets available at the box office: (417)-873-7255

Watershed will host its monthly meeting at Dock 66 at Fellows Lake. The meeting will be Chautauqua style, which means the meeting is YOU. Bring an update, a poem or a story to share. The meeting will also include the National Weather Service's quarterly update.

A pancake and sausage breakfast will be served. Bring a camp chair.

Drury University's Theatre Department will present The Wolf and its Shadows October 1-4 at the Wilhoit Theatre.

7:30 p.m. (Saturday matinee at 2 p.m., followed by regular show at 7:30)

In the forest at night, Wolf and Dog encounter stories from around the world, contrasting wolf images in legend and nature. Traveling toward Dog's home, where Wolf intends to seek employment, the two meet a hunter, a priest, and a shepherd, each of whom spins a tale of the evil wolf's foolishness and greed. Wolf responds with very different stories of her own. By dawn, she and Dog understand the high price of freedom. With respect for one another, they choose their separate ways.

The Wolf and Its Shadows by Sandra Fenichel Asher, directed by student, Morgan Ivision.

Tickets available at the box office: (417)-873-7255

Springfield Environmental Services will host the Reuse Rally October 4 at the Hammons Field parking lot as an effort to keep usable items out of the landfill.

Residents can bring usable and recyclable items to the Reuse Rally where participating vendors and non-profits will accept a wide-range of donation for reuse or recycling including:

• Appliances
• Clothing and shoes (must be in usable condition)
• Electronics
• Eyeglasses
• Furniture and household items (must be in usable condition)
• Paper shredding
• Scrap metal
• Tires
• Toys, bikes, and sporting goods (must be in usable condition)
• Other items may be added

Vendors reserve the right to refuse items. The following will not be accepted: batteries, commercial or hazardous waste, construction and demolition debris. Fencing must be free of vegetation and gas cylinders must have the valve removed.

https://www.cleangreensgf.com/reuserally/

Walk the Watershed: Field Day on the Greenway will be held on October 4 at the Galloway Creek Greenway Trail. Hosted by the James River Basin Partnership, this free family-friendly event invites local residents, landowners, educators, and students to explore how we can all help protect our streams.

Through hands-on stations like creek critter sampling, native plant demos, a stormwater challenge game, and a fun-filled Kids Zone, participants will learn about nonpoint source pollution, stream health, and conservation practices. Complete the Learning Loop Passport Challenge to win prizes.

The Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association Art Committee and Woodland Heights Creatives will host the Moon City Fall Festival on October 4 at Historic Lafayette Park.

The outdoor event will showcase a wide range of local creativity, featuring handmade arts and crafts.

In recognition of World Animal Day and in commemoration of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, All Saints Anglican Church will host a blessing of the animals October 4 with a cookout afterward.

A brief liturgy of blessing will be said beginning at 10:00 am. Pets of all kinds are welcome, but must be on a leash, contained and controlled by their humans at all times.

This is the time of year when monarch butterflies are migrating through Missouri to their wintering grounds in central Mexico. That means that now is a good time to learn more about these beneficial pollinators.

People can learn more about these beautiful butterflies, the migration they make, and the benefits they provide at the Oct. 4 Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) program, Insects: Monarchs and More. This free event takes place from 10-11 a.m. at MDC’s Springfield Conservation Nature Center and is suggested for ages 10 and older. The nature center is located at 4601 S. Nature Center Way. People can register at:

https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/211808

The importance of having monarch butterflies around is about much more than seeing pretty butterflies in flower gardens. Studies have shown that the financial benefits provided to U.S. citizens by the pollination activities of butterflies and other insects can be measured in the billions of dollars.

Just as impressive, but much more mysterious, are the annual autumn migrations monarchs make to central Mexico. No monarch makes the trip more than once (the butterflies live about a year), yet migrating monarchs end up at the same location year after year. MDC Volunteer Naturalist Dana Tideman will discuss theories about the annual monarch migration and will also talk about this butterfly’s life cycle and what plants provide good habitat for these colorful butterflies during the time they’re in Missouri. Tideman will also discuss how to tag monarchs to assist with the research being done on this fascinating insect.

People wanting more information about this program or other upcoming events MDC’s Springfield Conservation Nature Center can call 417-888-4237. People can also call this number to get signed up for text alerts and e-mail bulletins about upcoming programs at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center and other nearby MDC facilities.