<b>Group provides free meal on Christmas Day </b>

Plant the Seed Ministry is having its second annual free Community Christmas Meal on Wednesday, December 25 at the Atlantic Inn, 2249 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you would like to donate or volunteer, call Joy Kircher at 843-575-2200.

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<b>Helena House holds Christmas Eve service </b>

A community celebration of Christ’s birth will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 7 p.m. when the Rev. Ted Crandall of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church will celebrate Christmas Eve service at Helena House Assisted Living in Port Royal. The public is invited to attend this special evening of fellowship, Scripture readings and Christmas caroling. This Christian service is free and all are welcome. Helena House is located at 1624 Paris Ave., Port Royal, SC 29935. For more information, call Pastor Crandall at 843-379-3081.

<b>Church choirs present a Christmas Cantata
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Port Royal United Methodist Church choirs will present a Cantata on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24 at 5 p.m. It is called  “A Night for Dancing” by Hal Hopson. The members of the children’s choir will portray manger animals in a live nativity scene. The church is located at 16th and Columbia streets in Port Royal. Margaret M. Bukkosy is Director of Music.  The community is invited. Call 843-524-2005 for more information.

<b>Donate unused medical equipment this holiday </b>

Are you clearing out clutter to make more space for holiday treasures? If you have any gently used medical equipment that is no longer in use, please consider donating it to the Lending Room. The Lending Room is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) charitable organization that lends gently used medical equipment to individuals regardless of income, age or insurance status. It aims to connect those who need medical equipment with unwanted items that would otherwise collect dust in an attic or be discarded. Operating in Beaufort since 1961, the organization accepts and loans medical equipment in good condition such as walkers, canes, crutches, shower chairs, bedside commodes and wheelchairs. Other types of medical equipment will be considered. To arrange to donate or borrow items, please contact the Lending Room at 843-524-2554. The pick-up/drop-off location is at Helena House Assisted Living at 1624 Paris Ave., Port Royal, SC 29935, across the street from the Port Royal Post Office. Arrangements to drop off large items must be made in advance.

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<b>Alzheimer’s group gives support to caretakers  </b>

Is Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or increased confusion affecting someone you love? To help, Alzheimer’s Family Services of Greater Beaufort offers guidance, information and support to family members and caregivers. An all-gender support group meeting is held on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m. On the second and fourth Mondays of the month from 10:30-11:30 a.m., a men’s support group meets to discuss the particular challenges men face in caring for their wives and female loved ones affected by the disease. The meetings are free and open to the public. The meetings are held at Helena House Assisted Living at 1624 Paris Avenue in Port Royal. For more information, please call 843-521-9190.

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<b>Sign up for free nutrition, fitness classes  </b>

Attend free Nutrition Classes every Tuesday at 1 or 6:30 p.m.  Learn all about the benefits of eating healthier, the types of foods to eat to maximize your metabolism and build lean muscle mass and what to do for your overall healthy lifestyle. Free fitness classes are being held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:15 p.m. It’s a great opportunity to work out with a group of like-minded people, have lots of FUN and get the group support you need to keep going so you can reach your goals. Participants of both classes receive a free Wellness Evaluation, your own Personal Coach, nutrition education and group support. They meet at WebsNutrition, 129 Burton Hill Road, Beaufort, next to Domino’s Pizza. For more information, contact Margie at 843-592-5109 or Melody at 843-844-7309. Spaces are limited and fill up quickly.

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<b>Sign up for Master Gardener training class </b>

Beaufort County Clemson University Extension Service is taking applications for the 2014 Master Gardener training classes. The cost is $300 and scholarships are available. The Beaufort class begins January 7 and will be held weekly at the County Extension office on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. Contact Laura Lee Rose at 843-255-606, ext.117, or lrose@clemson.edu.

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<b>FWDG continues annual coat drive </b>

FWDG, a local furniture store, is once again partnering with HELP of Beaufort, Bluffton Self Help and the Deep Well Project on Hilton Head Island to host its 23rd annual coat drive. Over the past two decades, the event has shared more than 41,000 gently used coats with Beaufort County families, ensuring donations help local residents.

“We are constantly amazed at the outpouring of community support for our coat drive,” said Larry Mark, owner of FWDG. “But we still need people to spread the word, because even after 23 years we still find people who don’t know there’s another option to throwing away their old coats.”

Jackets, coats and sweaters can be dropped off at the following location sites through December 31:

• FWDG:

745 Robert Smalls Parkway, Beaufort

• Carolina Stamper:

203 Carteret Street, Beaufort.

And theses BB&amp;T Bank Branches:

• 1 Kemmerlin Drive, Lady’s Island

• 905 Port Republic Street, Beaufort.

For more information, please contact Larry Mark at 843-524-8695 or by e-mail at lmark@fwdgonline.com or visit online at www.fwdgonline.com.

<b>Sessions focus on positive gospel message  </b>

Do you feel overwhelmed by all the commercialism surrounding the celebration of Christmas? Do you want to start the New Year with a more positive attitude toward the future? If so, please join Simon Kiser and others from Community Bible Church, on Friday, Dec. 20, as he presents Billy Graham’s “My Hope America,” a series of videos designed to present the gospel in a clear and concise way. Two sessions will be offered. The first session will be shown at 1 p.m. The second session will be shown at 3 p.m. This uplifting event will be held at Helena House Assisted Living and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Helena House is located at 1624 Paris Avenue in Port Royal (directly across the street from the Port Royal Post Office). For more information, contact Simon Kiser at phone (803) 239-6920 or by e-mail at simonakiser@gmail.com.

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<b>Apply, attend training as Hope Haven volunteer   </b>

Hope Haven of the Lowcountry, the Rape Crisis and Children’s Advocacy Center is accepting applications for volunteers and interns to attend the January/February 2014 Hope Haven volunteer training. Hope Haven volunteers serve as hospital advocates to child and adult survivors of sexual assault, and are also trained to answer crisis calls from the 24-hour hotline. Experts in law enforcement, counseling, and the medical field will present information regarding working with sexual assault victims. The 25-hour training also includes multi-media presentations, group discussions and role plays to equip volunteers with the skills necessary to help victims in crisis situations. Training will be held January 27, January 29, January 31, February 4, February 6, and February 8. The weekday sessions will be from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the Saturday session from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.  All six sessions must be attended for crisis intervention volunteers to be fully trained. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, please call Christine Smith at 843-524-2256.

<b>Speaker to discuss marriage, annulments </b>

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Annulments Presentation, Q/A, discussion: What can enable the Catholic Church to declare that a previous marriage is invalid, and null? Valerie Maxineau, JCL Director/Moderator of the Tribunal Chancery/Judge, Diocese of Charleston will be at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 70 Lady’s Island Dr., Beaufort, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014, from 10 a.m. to noon. This presentation is open to persons: Divorced or marrying a divorced person, Catholics married outside the church, and all who are interested. Contact Theresa Pulliam at 524-2604, pulliamins@hargray.com or Deborah Richard at 575-3742, deborahm@catholic.org.
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