Tuesday, Feb. 12

COMMUNITY · The LaFayette-Walker County Public Library will have their Ready to Read Story Time on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 10:30 a.m. This program prepares children for school with books, songs, games and activities.

COMMUNITY · The Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce announces that Elite Title will hold a 10-year celebration from 1-5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 2561 Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe.

COMMUNITY · Baby Care & Safety will be offered from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, at Erlanger at Hutcheson (Women’s Center) in Fort Oglethorpe. With times changing and discharge occurring earlier, “Baby Care” provides you with helpful items on caring for your baby at home. This class will help you plan and prepare for a safe home environment. Registration is free if mother is delivering at Hutcheson or $5 if delivering at another location. Call Erlanger’s HealthLink at (423) 788-LINK (5465) to register.

COMMUNITY · Rock Spring Athletic Association will hold Baseball and Softball sign ups every Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Feb. 16, at Rock Spring Elementary School. For ages are 3-12.

COMMUNITY · LaFayette Parks and Recreation Department will offer line dance lessons for beginners and advanced students Mondays and Tuesdays at the Max Stoker facility. Learn the two-step, the cha cha, waltz, mumbo and salsa. No partner needed. For more information, contact Vicky Jones at 706-639-5401.

COMMUNITY · The Tennessee Small Business Development Center will offer a series of QuickBooks classes during the year at 100 Cherokee Boulevard, Chattanooga. QuickBooks set-up and for beginners classes will begin Tuesday, Feb. 12. QuickBooks set-up is from 8 a.m.-noon and QuickBooks for beginners is from 1-5 p.m. The cost is $95 for each class, and is due prior to the day of class. Class size is limited to 10. To register call 423-756-8668.

CHURCH · Lyerly United Methodist Church is selling cookbooks for $10 each. They can be purchased from any church member, or at Pine Ridge Outdoor Supply in Lyerly, or by sending $10 (plus $2.00 shipping and handling) to Lyerly United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 152, Lyerly, GA 30730, and a church cookbook will be mailed to you. For more information, call Jo Ann Mitchell at 706-895-2636.

COMMUNITY · Entries in the annual DNR “Give Wildlife a Chance” poster contest must be postmarked by Wednesday, March 27. This year’s theme is “Everyone can be a citizen scientist.” The contest is open to kindergarten through fifth-grade students in public and private schools and homeschool groups. Participants enter at the local school level with drawings that depict their observations of Georgia’s native nongame animals and plants. Visit georgiawildlife.com/PosterContest or botgarden.uga.edu for more information.

COMMUNITY · The first Wash Me Pink Color Run to benefit Susan G. Komen will be held Saturday, March 9. The 5K color run course begins at 9 a.m. at 1104 Redwine Cove, in Dalton. Registration is from 7 a.m.-8:45 a.m. Color washers will douse participants with Komen color at the color stations strategically placed throughout the course. Parking passes cost $5 if pre-purchased and $10 at the venue, and are required for each car. Visit washmepink.com.

Wednesday, Feb. 13

CHURCH · Ash Wednesday worship will be held at Boynton United Methodist Church on Wednesday, Feb. 13. A 30-minute service at noon offers Holy Communion, imposition of ashes, prayer and a short message. A 45-minute service at 6:45 p.m. offers music, Holy Communion, imposition of ashes, and sermon. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a period of reflection and penance referred to as Lent. The service is open to all in the community. For more information, BoyntonUMC.org or call 706-866-2626. Boynton United Methodist is at 4246 Boynton Drive in Ringgold, two miles west of I-75, south of Battlefield Parkway at Pine Grove and Boynton.

ENTERTAINMENT · This year’s Berry College Korean Lunar New Year Experience features festive food and a speech by Ret. Commanding Gen. Larry Ellis, who served in South Korea. The program starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.13, in the Krannert ballroom at Berry College in Rome. Sample Korean appetizers, meet Korean exchange students and enjoy New Year traditions while hearing a Berry student’s experience studying in Korea. Guest speaker Ellis served with the United Nations Command in South Korea and received the Korean Defense Service Medal and Korean Cheonsu Medal. He also devised an initial response to the September 11 terrorist attacks, led deployment of combat forces to Afghanistan and retired as a four-star general. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Laura McRaney at lmcraney@berry.edu or 706-233-4065.

COMMUNITY · The "Possibilities: Siskin Hospital Celebrates Life Beyond Disability" luncheon will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 13, from 11:30 a.m.- 1p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center and will feature guest speaker Trisha Meili. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Sandy Howell at (423) 634 -1208 or showell@siskinrehab.org.

CHURCH · Elizabeth Terrace Baptist Church, 600 Mohawk Street, Rossville, will hold its 24th Annual Faith Promise Missions Conference from Feb. 13-17. Conference preacher will be Missionary Tom Lancaster. Each service will feature a different missionary presenting their field of service. Services on weeknights will begin at 7 p.m. Sunday services will begin with Sunday School at 9:45 a.m., morning worship at 10:50 a.m., and Sunday evening worship at 6 p.m. There will be no Saturday night service. Pastor George Pinion and the members extend a cordial invitation to the public to attend. A nursery will be provided.

COMMUNITY · Seniors and Friends of Fort Oglethorpe meet from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, at Constitution Hall on Forrest Road in Fort Oglethorpe, for games, crafts, refreshments and blood pressure and blood sugar checks. For information or transportation, call Peggy Stanfield at 706-866-1369.

COMMUNITY · LaFayette Parks and Recreation Department will offer zumba classes Wednesdays at the Max Stoker facility from 5:30-6:30 p.m. For more information, call Gabriel Dudley at 423-413-0958.

Thursday, Feb. 14

COMMUNITY · Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park is seeking public comment on its amended general management plan. The plan changes provide guidance for making informed decisions about the future of park resource conditions and visitor experiences within the Lookout Mountain Battlefield unit of the park. The National Park Service has developed two preliminary alternative management concepts for the battlefield for public review, comment, suggestions, and advice. The preliminary alternatives and proposed changes to management zoning for Lookout Mountain can be viewed at: www.parkplanning.nps.gov/chch. Comments can be submitted electronically through the website between Feb. 8 and April 8. The park will host an open house on Feb. 28, from 3:30-7 p.m. at the St. Elmo Fire Hall, 4501 St. Elmo Avenue, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The purpose of the open house is for the National Park Service to describe alternatives and hear your ideas, concerns and thoughts about this special place. Formal presentations will be at 4: and 6 p.m. Comment forms will be available at the open house.

COMMUNITY · The Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities Region One Planning Board will hold a public forum from 2-4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at the Ball Ground Public Library, 435 Old Canton Road in Ball Ground. Call 706-802-5272 or 800-646-7721 for more information.

COMMUNITY · United Way’s Center for Non-profits (CNP) will offer an Intro to Foundation Directory seminar from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 14. The CNP is a regional repository of the Foundation Center's online database of 92,000 grant makers and 1.3 million grant records. Learn how to access and use this database in your own grant research. This session is free but registration is required. Most sessions are offered at 630 Market Street, unless otherwise noted. To learn more, call Sara Collier at (423) 752-0329 or emailsaracollier@cnpchatt.org. You can also go and register online at www.cnpchatt.org and see the rest of the workshops scheduled through March of 2013.

ENTERTAINMENT · The Berry College Theatre Company presents “The Colored Museum,” opening Thursday, Feb. 14. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-16 and Feb. 21– 23, and at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 and 24 in the E.H. Young Theatre on campus (in Rome). Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. The play contains graphic language and is not suitable for children. For more information or reservations call 706-236-2263 or email Richard Bristow at rbristow@berry.edu.

COMMUNITY · The Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce will host a “Morning Mingle” at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 14, at 2632 Battlefield Parkway in Fort Oglethorpe.

COMMUNITY · Berry College accounting students will offer free tax assistance, to families and individuals with moderate levels of income. VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) is designed by the IRS to assist families to complete their annual tax returns free of charge. This marks the fourth year that Berry has offered the student-operated program. Through VITA, students acquire firsthand experience with tax preparation and client relationships in addition to continuously researching and getting familiar with changing tax laws. To make an appointment, email freetaxes@berry.edu or call (706) 236-2233. Hours of operation are Fridays from 3-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 11a.m.- 4 p.m. in the Campbell School of Business, Room 109.