FYI 1-15-23

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. events

• Humanitarian Day of giving and service will be held through Jan. 16. Items such as canned goods, toiletries, scarves, hats, gloves and blankets can be dropped from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Osage Centre and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Shawnee Park Center.
• The 33rd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. community day will be held at 6 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 15 at St. James AME Church. The Rev. Dinah Tatman will be the keynote speaker. She is an ordained itenerate deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and serves as pastor at St. John AME Church in Kennett, Missouri.
• The 38th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast will be held at 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16 at the Shawnee Park Center. The guest speaker will be Pastor Novella Harris.
• The 21st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian luncheon will be held at noon Monday, Jan. 16 at the Shawnee Park Center. The guest speaker will be Pastor William Byrd Jr., pastor of Greater Dimension Church. The Dr. C. John Ritter Humanitarian award will be presented at the event. Prayers for our nation will be held at 11:45 a.m. before the luncheon. For more information or to email your reservation, contact Debra Mitchell-Braxton at mitchellbraxtond@capetigers.com.

Euchre Tournament planned

A euchre tournament will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 at St. Ambrose Parish Center in Chaffee, Missouri. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. Food will be available. For more information, call Donna Hess at (573) 450-0065.

Volunteer fair to be held

A volunteer fair will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 at The Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau. There are more than 40 not-for-profit organizations in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area in need of volunteers. This is your chance to select which organization you would like to volunteer for.

Writers guild to meet

The Heartland Writers Guild will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 at The Steck House at 206 East Washington Street in Jackson. Anyone who is interested in writing and getting published is encouraged to attend.

Chili and stew supper to be held

A chili and stew supper will be held from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 at St. John's United Church of Christ in Fruitland. The menu includes all-you-can-eat chili and stew, hot dogs, pie drink and more.

Benefit held for Rotary club

T-Ravs Restaurant in Jackson will donate 10% of sales to the Rotary Club of Southeast Missouri from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 17. The club must be mentioned to the server for the donation.

Cape Girardeau Public Library events

• Let's walk tween books: Roughing it will be held virtually from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7. There's lots to love in survivalist books for kids, whether it's a serious battle for survival or a fun experiment embarked on deliberately. Ms. Sharon will share stories featuring kids making shelters, learning to start fires and more. Join Ms. Sharon via Facebook live.
• Toddler time will be held from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan 19 and 26. This interactive storytime introduces toddlers to books, reading and language through stories, songs and activities. Learn fun ways to build the early literacy skills children need to learn to read.
• Hygge night will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20. Join library staff members for a night in to learn about the word "hygge," which means comfort and coziness. After a short discussion about how Danish and Norwegian people create warmth during the winter with food, people and decor, you can create a wood keychain that reflects the simplicity and natural beauty of hygge-living. Registration is required at capelibrary.org/calendar.
• Science rocks: Let it snow will held virtually from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. No snow? No problem. Mrs. Hicks is back with science experiments featuring instant snow. Join her via Facebook. Register to reserve a kit, one per family: capelibrary.org/calendar.

Riverside Regional Library events

• Coffee and conversation will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Scott City branch. Stop in and enjoy some coffee and get to know other library patrons.
• The crochet group will meet at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Scott City branch. If you need assistance with a crochet project or want to learn to crochet, stop by the library.
• Adult coloring will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 at the Benton, Missouri, branch. Get out of the house and let your creative side show.
• Craft hour will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Oran, Missouri, branch. You'll make seasonal winter crafts.
• Story time will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20 at the Jackson branch.
• A sewing circle will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 at the Benton branch. Gather to make progress on your projects or get suggestions on your sewing projects.
• Crafting will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Scott City branch. Join Renae as she shows how to make a macrame plant holder. Contact the Scott City branch to sign up.

Mobile food pantry to be held

A mobile food pantry for residents of Bollinger County will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 17 at Patton Outreach Church. Please bring a photo ID or piece of mail to show proof of residence. The food pantry is made available through a partnership between Southeast Missouri Food Bank and the church.

Conservation Nature Center events

• Wonderful woodpeckers will be held virtually from noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18. Woodpeckers are most visible during the winter months, fliting and flying through the forest in search of food and shelter. You might also hear them drumming or chattering throughout the day. Missouri is home to seven different types of woodpeckers. Join nature center staff for a beginner's guide to each species that calls Missouri home.
• Be your own bike mechanic will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20. Get your bike ready for spring weather. This program will teach you new skills and help you save money by teaching you the basics of bike maintenance and repair. You will get hands on and learn to fix a flat, adjust brakes and get you shifting more smoothly. No prior experience is necessary. Demonstration bikes and tools will be provided. Please wear clothing which you don't mind getting dirty.
• Tree walk: Winter tree ID will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. Expand your skills beyond leaf identification and discover what other features may be used to identify tree species native to Missouri. Test your skills and learn forestry tidbits in this fun, interactive hike. The hike will take place outside on Ridgetop Trail behind the nature center so please dress accordingly. This program is limited to 20 participants for ages 8 years old and older.
• Winter family fun will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. Are you and your family suffering from cabin fever? Head outside to the nature center where you will have several family-friendly outdoor activities. Enjoy a walk through the woods, practice animal tracking, build a shelter, taste outdoor cooking and much more.

Moms Demand Action to hold kick-off meeting

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America will hold a kick-off meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Join them as you look back at all the organization accomplished in 2022 and set goals and objectives for the year ahead. With gun violence now the leading cause of death for American children, make 2023 the year you join the movement to demand action. All are welcome. RSVP at act.everytown.org/event/moms-demand-action-event/50745/signup/

Bootheel Bluegrass Festival to be held

The Bootheel Bluegrass Festival will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, from 2 and 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 and from 1 and 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 21 at Bavarian Halle in Fruitland. Thursday night will be gospel night with local favorites, The Gipson Family and Kentucky Just Us. The "Old-Fashioned Revival Hour with Sawyer Gipson" will also be featured. Friday's shows will feature several more bands including The Farnum Family from Branson, Missouri, The Gordons from Southern Illinois and Highway 65 from Springfield, Missouri. Saturday's shows will featured additional bands of Riverbend from Alton, Illinois, the Finley River Boys and Bull Harman and Friends. Vendors will be on site with many crafts and handmade items as well as baked goods. For more information, you can visit bootheelbluegrass.com or call Bull Harman at (314) 368-4418 or Tammy Harman at (314) 779-6800.

SEMO Bible Science Fellowship to meet

The Ice Age: Real and Recent --SEMO Bible Science Fellowship will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan 19 at Cape Girardeau Public Library. Dr. Jake Hebert explains the scientific evidence that shows while secular science fails to explain the Ice Age, the Bible provides real answers. Also, learn how the assumption of millions of years is built into secular dating methods and how circular reasoning is used to make sure the dates match evolution's "story."

Opera is planned at River Campus

"The Bat's Revenge" opera will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22 at Bedell Performance Hall. Southeast Missouri State University's Opera Theatre will present this Hollywood adaptation of the story "Die Fledermaus" featuring Johann Strauss's best tunes. It will be performed in English with supertitles and orchestra. Tickets are available at rivercampus.org or by calling (573) 651-2265.

Youth sports banquet to be held

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Foundation will hold a celebration of youth sports awards banquet from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at the Osage Centre. Awards will be presented to the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Departments' youth sports leagues and Cape Youth Tackle Football. The program includes a silent auction, catered dinner, guest speaker, audio/visual presentation and awards ceremony. Tickets may be purchased at the Arena Building or the Osage Centre. For more information, go to cityofcape.org/sportsbanquet.

Free community meal to be held

Burfordville Baptist Church will have its free month community meal from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. Come out, enjoy a free meal and fellowship with friends and family.

Journey cancer gala planned

SoutheastHEALTH Foundation will host its annual Journey Gala at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21 at Drury Plaza Conference Center. Guests will enjoy an elegant "Evening in the Alps," along with a gourmet dinner, charity auctions and dancing to live music by Queens Boulevard from St. Louis. This is a cocktail attire, black tie optional event. It benefits the SoutheastHEALTH Cancer Care Fund, which makes the cancer journey less stressful for those in need of urgent assistance during the course of their treatment. Serving as co-chairs are Missy Janzow, Sarah Crocker and Vickie Moon. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit sehfondation.org/gala.