May
The Etowah County Commission is requesting proposals for the implementation of Energy Efficiency Improvements within a countywide Energy Conservation Program. The intent of this Request for Proposal (RFP/Q) is to solicit qualification proposals from Interested Parties that describe their capabilities to identify, design, install, maintain, monitor and arrange financing of a large-scale, comprehensive energy-conservation program that includes the services listed in this proposal. Respondents may pick up the RFP/Q Specification Packet at the County Commission Office located at 800 Forrest Avenue, first floor suite 113 Gadsden, Ala., 35901. Proposals shall be due by 2 p.m. on May 16, 2017. Additional information pertaining to this solicitation can be obtained through Ms. Sherrie Kelley, County Executive, by email at sykelley@etowahcounty.org.
12 Etowah County Schools present Disney’s Mulan Jr. 7 p.m. in the Biddle Auditorium at Southside High School. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for adults.
13 Gadsden letter carriers and rural carriers are joining forces with Campbell Soup Company to “Stamp Out Hunger.” Gadsden residents are encouraged to leave a bag of non-perishable food items next to their mailboxes on May 13. Local letter carriers will collect these donations and deliver them to the Etowah County Food Bank.
13 Advanced Disposal will have open-top containers available at the corner of Leeth Gap and Sardis Road; the intersection of Highway 278 and Highway 132; the Whorton Bend Fire Department; and Gaston High School. These sites are for the use of citizens in unincorporated areas of Etowah County.
13 The Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society will meet at Nichols Memorial Library at 10 a.m. The program will be presented on “The Lost State of Franklin.” Following the American Revolution, frontier settlers west of the Appalachian Mountains founded their own government. They named their new territory as the State of Franklin. If you had ancestors that came from North Carolina, Virginia, or East Tennessee, this program may help you understand how and why they migrated. For additional information, e-mail neagslib@comcast.net or call 256-677-3144 or 256-706-3262.
18 Forgotten Alabama author of Glenn Willis will present a slide show at the Attalla Public Library at 12 p.m. For more information, call 256-538-9266.
19 An AARP Smart Driver class will be held at the Gadsden Public Library from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. with a break for lunch. The course costs $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Cost includes the course and a guidebook. The class may also be audited for free. To register, call 256-549-4699, ext. 120.
19 The Etowah County Development Committee for District 30 will hold a special meeting at 11 a.m. in the commission chamber to make amendments to the Apr. 5 meeting. No new applications will be accepted at this meeting.
27 The Neely Henry Lake Association and Greater Gadsden will sponsor the inaugural Memorial Day Boat Parade on Neely Henry Lake. The parade assembly area will be in the waters in close proximity to Rainbow Landing on the Coosa River. Boats will assemble prior to 1 p.m. and depart at 1 p.m. and follow the lead boats south to the Broughton Springs area and then reverse course and head upriver to Gadsden’s Coosa Landing/Riverfront Park. After passing under the railroad bridge, the parade will be considered over and boats may disburse and continue on their own course. Boaters are encouraged to decorate their boats in red, white and blue themes and/or use other decorations to demonstrate Memorial Day spirit. There is no entry fee. Please contact Randy Elrod at 256-490-5959 to sign up or to request more information.
Ongoing Announcements
Registration for the Alabama Bass Trail 2018 fishing tournament will open to the public on Aug. 15. Anglers who fished all five events in their respective divisions will be given a priority entry period from Aug. 1 – 14. Division tournaments will begin in February 2018. For more information, call 855-934-7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.
The Gadsden State Alumni Association is selling personalized commemorative bricks to be placed in the new renovated courtyard of the George Wallace Drive campus. Proceeds will go towards student scholarships. For more information, visit gadsdenstate.edu/brickcampaign.
Gadsden State’s Salon & Spa Management program is accepting appointments for customers each Monday and Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the cosmetology building on the East Broad campus. Haircuts are offered free of charge; hair, skin and nail care services are available at a discounted price.
Gadsden State offers free adult education courses in GED and ACCUPLACER preparation, non-traditional high school diploma option, and English as a second language. For more information, visit gadsdenstate.edu/adult_education/class-locations.
The teen and children’s departments of the Gadsden Public Library will be collecting gently-used clothing throughout July for a back-to-school clothing sale at the end of July. Donations may be brought to the circulation desk. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 122.
The Beautiful Rainbow Café will be closed from May 29 – June 2 for summer break.
First Class Pre-K is now accepting applications for the 2017 – 2018 school year. Enrollment is open to children four years of age who are residents of Alabama. Acceptance is decided through a random selection process. For more information, visit www.children.alabama.gov.
The Etowah County Young Democrats is a group of 19 – 40 year old young adults who believe in progressive ideals and work to train volunteers, advocate for issues and elect Democrats in Etowah County. The ECYD meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. For more information, visit etowahyoungdems.org.
The Alabama Head Injury Foundation hosts monthly support group meetings for traumatic brain injury survivors and their families on the second Friday of each month from 12 – 2 p.m. at the Elliott Community Center located at 2829 West Meighan Boulevard in Gadsden. Lunch is provided.
Head Start and Early Head Start are now enrolling. Children must be four years old on or before Sept. 1 to enroll in Head Start. To apply, please bring the child’s birth certificate, social security card and immunization records, as well as a copy of Medicaid records and income verification. For more information, call 256-546-7766. Head Start and Early Head Start are part of a collaborative effort to serve and support children with severe disabilities.
SouthernCare is seeking volunteers ages 18 and up to provide companionship to those living with life-limiting conditions in Northeast Alabama. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a part of the SouthernCare volunteer team, please contact Heather Attaway at 256-546-5566 or hattaway@curohs.com.
The Blue Devil Spirit Club meets the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m. at Cracker Barrel in Attalla. The meeting is open to any Etowah High School graduate.
Need help managind diabetes? Join the monthly diabetes support group. The group meets on the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m. in the 500 building of Gadsden Regional Medical Center. Learn from and share with others. The group is facilitated by certified diabetes educator Ethelyn Brown, RN.
A support group for people suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and their care partners meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 12 p.m. in First Baptist Church of Gadsden’s Family Life Center. Participants are welcome to bring their own food to each meeting. For more information, call Judi Drew at 205-919-6992 or email parkinsonsgroup.gadsden@gmail.com.
Volunteer today with Habitat for Humanity. Break through barriers and see one another as real people and partners. You can make a difference in your community. For more information, call 256-543-1898 or visit www.gadsdenhabitat.com.
The Gadsden Job Corps is currently seeking young women 16 – 24 years old for free career training in welding, CNA, culinary arts, security, carpentry, pharmacy science, automotive repair and more. To receive information on the next orientation scheduled in your area, contact admissions counselor Brenda Miller at 256-543-2336, ext. 11.
The Gadsden Public Library is offering Beanstack, an online portal that offers free, personalized recommendations for books, apps, events and more. The service is powered by children’s curation company Zoobean and gives the library access to a database using over 1,600 tags. Each week, a book in the library’s collection and a relevant program or event at the library will be suggested. For more information, contact the Children’s Department at 256-549-4699.
LifeSouth Community Blood Centers are currently looking for blood donors. Give so others can live and help meet the needs of local hospitals. By giving now, you can help prevent a critical blood shortage in our community. It’s easy, it’s quick and the investment of just a few minutes can make a lifesaving difference for patients in need. Donate blood today and become tomorrow’s lifesaver. For more information, visit www.lifesouth.org.
The Life Choice Hospice program, which serves Gadsden and surrounding areas, is currently seeking volunteers to provide comfort and support to patients in need of end-of-life care. The mission of Life Choice is to enhance quality of life by addressing physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. Volunteers provide companionship and dignity to members of the community facing life-limiting illness. All volunteers will receive specialty training on many aspects of hospice care and can choose to dedicate as little as two hours per month to as much as six hours a week. For more information, visit compassushealthcare.com or call 256-782-3560.
Do you have a child with a suspected handicapping condition between the ages of 3 – 21 within the Gadsden City School System? Call the Gadsden City Board of Education, Special Education Dept. at 256-549-2914. Testing is available in the following areas: autism, deafness/blindness, developmental delay, emotional disability, intellectual disability, specific learning disabilities, orthopedic impairment, speech and language impairment, traumatic brain injury and other health impairments.
Browse the new GPL Readers’ Advisory lists found at the Gadsden Public Library or online at www.gadsdenlibrary.org. Compiled through research by GPL staff members, these extensive lists, consist of a collection of stories organized by genre.
Narconon would like to remind families that the use of addicting drugs is on the rise. If you know anyone struggling with drug addiction, get them the help they need. Call for a free brochure on the signs of addiction for all drugs. Narconon also offers free screenings and referrals. Call 800-431-1754 or visit DrugAbuseSolution.com.
Nichols Memorial Library in Gadsden is open every Thursday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. for family history research. The library contains genealogical information and family files from Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and other states. Military records and Native American research books are also available. For more information, contact Leon Young at 256-547-8477 or Harold Batie at 256-492-2739.
If you are interested in becoming a Friend of the Gadsden Public Library, stop by the Friends of the Library Bookstore and pick up an application. Membership levels include Individual, Student (with valid student ID only) or Senior (age 65 or older), Family, “Best Friends” (fine-free until expiration), Sponsor and Corporate. Memberships expire Dec. 31. For additional information, please contact Judy Bacon at 256-549-4699, ext. 121.
Mental Health America of Etowah County offers stress and anger management classes on Mondays at 6 p.m. at the Family Success Center located at 821 East Broad Street.
Mental Health America of Etowah County hosts domestic violence prevention classes on Mondays at 7 p.m. at the Family Success Center in Gadsden. This program is designed to help participants change destructive and violent behavioral patterns and to foster healthy attitudes through information, intervention and involvment. The cost for the six-week course is $80. Call 256-547-6888 for directions.
Mental Health America of Etowah County hosts parenting classes on Wednesdays from 5 – 6 p.m. at the Family Success Center in Gadsden. This program is designed to give parents practical skills that can be used immediately. The cost for the six-week course is $80. Call 256-547-6888 for directions.
Free GED classes are held at Gadsden State at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more information, call 256-549-8698.
Military veterans in Etowah County and surrounding areas are invited to take advantage of the Gadsden State Community College Veterans Upward Bound Program at the Ayers and Wallace Drive campuses. Enrollment at Gadsden State or any other college or university is not required. Veterans Upward Bound is a TRIO program funded by the United States Department of Education. For more information call 256-549-8286 or 256-549-8328, or email vub@gadsdenstate.edu.
Jesus Christ founded the Catholic Church in the year 33, but who established the other 25,000 churches? Visit Catholic Studies on Thursday afternoons from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. in the Knights of Columbus Hall located at 223 South Third Street in Gadsden. For more information, call John Larkins at 256-485-2029 or Bob Roberts at 256-393-5840.
Gadsden Regional Hospice located at 301 South 4th Street in Gadsden hosts a grief support group/bereavement management class every Tuesday at 2 p.m. For more information, call 256-538-7460.
Artifacts and pictures from Norris High School are being sought, as well as pictures of historic Attalla landmarks. Contact Rev. Preston Nix at 256-305-9730 or Mrs. Henley at 205-390-1335 for more information.
The Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society and the Alabama City Historical Society are in the process of publishing a book on Clayton Cemetery and are interested in obtaining any history on the cemetery and those buried there. Anyone with information or donations may contact 256-504-1485, 256-490-4683 or 256-490-5286.
Greater Gadsden Speakers is dedicated to helping its members become confident and excellent communicators and leaders in an encouraging and fun environment. The Toastmasters Club can help you to improve your communication skills and build solid leadership skills. The club meets every Thursday at the Coosa Valley YMCA from 7 – 8 p.m. in the Activity Room. For more information, contact Phil Swindall at 256-504-4198. Guests are always welcome to visit as many times as they wish.
The National Alliance of Mental Illness Center in Gadsden meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Gadsden. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Join us for our monthly meeting and discover how we can help each other in our community.
Do you have a family member or a friend with a disability? If so, sign up for the Disability Advocacy Network e-mail list to show your support for a family member or friend through The Arc’s national movement. You will receive reliable updates about upcoming state and federal legislative decisions so you can take action as an informed advocate. The future of your family member or friend with an intellectual/developmental disability will be built on the foundation of how their services and supports are structured and funded. Please visit www.thearcofal.org to subscribe.
What’s going on at the Gadsden Public Library?
May
12 The Teen Zone will host an after-school Make & Take session at 3:30 p.m. Participants will make paper flowers for Mother’s Day. For more information, contact 256-549-4699, ext. 122 or brittany@gadsdenlibrary.org.
13 The children’s department will hold a special story time in connection with the Vietnam War Moving Wall. Children will be read to from The Wall by Eve Bunting. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 118.
16 The Alabama City branch holds Story Time each Tuesday at 10 a.m. This week’s story is I Am Not Going to Get Up Today! by Dr. Suess. For more information, call 256-549-4688.
16 The East Gadsden branch holds Tiny Tot Time each Tuesday from 3 – 4 p.m. This week’s story is Tomorrow on the Rocky Pond by Lynn Rieser. This program is geared toward children 5 years old and under. For more information, contact 256-549-4691 or lashunda@gadsdenlibrary.org.
16 The GPL Grows Children’s Garden Club meets each Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in the courtyard. This week’s topic is onions. Plan accordingly for seasonal temperatures and remember sunglasses, sunhats, sunscreen and water. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 118.
17 The Alabama City branch will host a jewelry-making circle from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Participants are asked to bring their own supplies. For more information, call 256-549-4688.
17 Microsoft Excel will be held in the computer classroom from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Computer Basics for the Beginner is a prerequisite. Classes are free of charge, but a $5 returnable deposit is required to reserve a seat. A library card is needed to enroll. For more information, email craig@gadsdenlibrary.org or call 256-549-4699, ext. 120.
17 The Teen Book Club will meet at 3:30 p.m. This month’s theme is the military. For more information, contact 256-549-4699, ext. 122 or brittany@gadsdenlibrary.org.
18 The children’s department holds Story Time each Thursday at 10 a.m. This week’s story is Five Little Piggies by David Martin. This program is geared toward children ages 18 months – 5 years. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 118.
18 The Young at Heart Coloring Club will meet in the Lena Martin Room at 2 p.m. Coloring sheets, colored pencils and markers will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 120.
18 The Teen Helping Hands club will meet at 3:30 p.m. to make cat toys for the Humane Society. For more information, contact 256-549-4699, ext. 122 or cristina@gadsdenlibrary.org.
18 The Stars Fell on Alabama film series continues at the Pitman Theatre at 6 p.m. Brown bags and coolers are welcome. For more information and to find out what movie will be shown, call 256-547-8696. The series is held in collaboration with the University of Alabama’s Gadsden Center and Downtown Gadsden, Inc.
20 The chess club will meet in the Lena Martin Room at 10 a.m. All skill levels are welcome. For more information, email craig@gadsdenlibrary.org or call 256-549-4699, ext. 120.
23 The Alabama City branch holds story time each Tuesday at 10 a.m. This week’s story is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. For more information, call 256-549-4688.
23 The East Gadsden branch holds Tiny Tot Time each Tuesday from 3 – 4 p.m. This week’s story is Spunky Little Monkey by Bill Martin, Jr. and Michael Sampson. This program is geared toward children 5 years old and under. For more information, contact 256-549-4691 or lashunda@gadsdenlibrary.org.
23 The GPL Grows Children’s Garden Club meets each Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in the courtyard. This week’s topic is cilantro. Plan accordingly for seasonal temperatures and remember sunglasses, sunhats, sunscreen and water. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 118.
Ongoing Announcements
The Friends of the GPL Bookstore is open for business. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Want to meet new people, make new friends, and contribute to the library? We are always looking for new members and volunteers to help in the bookstore. Stop in any time we are open or call Paulette at 256-549-4699 ext. 123.
The Teen Robotics Program is open to youths ages 11 – 16 who are interested in exploring technology through robotics. Participants will learn about the basics of robots meeting National Science Standards, be a part of a team that will build a robotic arm and help complete challenges with the team’s robot. For more information and to register, call 256-549-4699, ext. 122 (Teen Zone) or ext. 118 (children’s department).
The children’s department is hosting the Reading Without Walls challenge. Children can participate by reading a book about a character who does not look or live like them, reading a book about a topic that is new to them, or reading a book in a format that is new to them (e.g. a chapter book, a graphic novel, or a book in verse). For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 118.
The Teen Zone hosts Game Night Mondays at 4:30 p.m. Board games, video games and card games will be available. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 122.
The Teen Zone hosts Movie Night each Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Popcorn and drinks are provided. For more information, call 256-549-4699, ext. 122.
The Gadsden Oral History Project is now scheduling appointments for interviews. Join the library in its ongoing effort to preserve the history of Gadsden and Etowah County by sharing your stories. For more information and to schedule an interview, call 256-549-4699, ext. 120.
The Alabama City branch hosts Stitching Time each Wednesday from 2 – 4 p.m. All types of stitching pastimes and skill levels are welcome. For more information, call 256-549-4688.
The Alabama City branch hosts Movie Screenings each Thursday at 10 a.m. Movies are chosen based on popular request. Popcorn and drinks are provided. For more information, call 256-549-4688.
The East Gadsden branch holds a Beginners’ Crochet Circle each Monday from 1 – 3 p.m. Participants are asked to bring their own hook and yarn. For more information, call 256-549-4691 or email lashunda@gadsdenlibrary.org.
The East Gadsden branch hosts a Sewing School each Wednesday from 1 – 3 p.m. Participants must be over 18 to register and are asked to bring their own pattern and supplies. Registration is required. For more information, call 256-549-4691.