Group forum focuses on exercise and Parkinson’s
Improve your life while living with Parkinson’s Disease by attending a group forum focused on the benefits of exercise and clinical research on Saturday, Jan. 19, at the Callawassie Island Clubhouse beginning at 11 a.m. The featured speaker will be renowned movement disorder specialist Dr. Christina Vaughn of MUSC in Charleston. The event is open to anyone who is living with Parkinson’s Disease or who is a caregiver or has a loved one suffering from Parkinson’s. The meeting is sponsored by the coalition of the Beaufort County Parkinson’s Disease Support Groups. Pre-registration is highly recommended. Call 843 505-0175 or e-mail adrienne@hargray.com.

Sea Island Quilters to meet, have workshop
The Sea Island Quilters will meet on Thursday, January 17 at Praise Assembly 800 Parris Island Gateway at 6 p.m.. There will be a Three Techniques workshop on Saturday, January 26 from 9-4 at the Carteret Street United Methodist Church. Space is limited for the workshop. For details contact Char Lane at 910-880-0690 or Dianne DeWitt 843-379-3353.

Exchange Club to host Flapjack Fundraiser
The Exchange Club of Beaufort will host Flapjack Fundraiser to be held on Saturday, January 19 at Applebee’s Restaurant in Beaufort. Tickets are only $7 each. For more information, call Angel Flewelling at 525-0102 or visit  www.facebook.com/ApplebeesBeaufortSC.

5K Resolution Run will be on Dataw Island
The 2nd Annual “Resolution Run/Walk 5K” benefiting LowCountry Habitat for Humanity will take place on Saturday, January 19 at 10 a.m. at Marina Drive on Dataw Island. Participants will have a fast, flat course and may choose to run, walk or stroll. Awards will be given to finishers in eight separate categories. Registration is $30 per person and all proceeds benefit LowCountry Habitat. For more information or to register, please call the Habitat office at 843-522-3500 or email info@lowcountryhabitat.org.

Don’t miss annual stress reduction presentation
The 5th Annual Mid-Year Stress Reduction presentation is for anyone who needs a boost to make it through the second half of the fiscal/school year. Featuring “Coach” Nate Myers, with Williamsburg County Alcohol &amp; Drug Department “one funny man &amp; storyteller.” The theme is “Get in The Game Are you a Player or Spectator?” The presentation will be Thursday, Jan. 17, at USCB Performing Arts Center on Carteret Street, Beaufort, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. This free event is cosponsored by the Collaborative Organization of Services for Youth (COSY) and Beaufort County Alcohol &amp; Drug Abuse Dept. To pre-register, please call Paula at 843-521-3150.

Public seminar tackles losing weight in new year
The Leadership Beaufort Alumni Association with support from Harbour Health Insurance Solutions will  be hosting a public seminar on Thursday, Jan. 17 for those interested in losing weight, exercising, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet for 2013 and beyond. The program, titled “Weight Loss: Weigh Your Options” will feature at least five types of weight loss methods and plans that are offered by area medical professionals and health organizations. Attendees will learn there are multiple and sometimes conflicting strategies for tackling a popular New Year’s resolution and will be able to hear from the experts on their respective thoughts and plans for dieting, exercise, and healthy lifestyles. The event will be held at the Holiday Inn at 2225 Boundary Street in Beaufort. A reception will start at 5:30 p.m. in the hotel lounge followed by the presentations at 6 p.m. The event is free and is open to the public.

Public invited to CODA annual meeting at TCL
CODA — Citizens Opposed to Domestic Abuse – will hold its annual meeting January 17 at 5:30 PM at the Technical College of the Lowcountry, Building #23. The public is invited to attend. In addition to providing details on the services it provided during 2012, the meeting will feature CODA client Mary Ann Moore who will speak about how domestic abuse affected her life, how she dealt with it and how CODA helped her through this situation. CODA has been providing an array of services to victims of intimate partner abuse and their children in Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper counties for more than 25 years.  In 2012 alone, CODA provided emergency shelter to 75 women and 93 children and outreach services such as counseling, case management, legal assistance, and transitional housing to nearly 500 survivors and their children. Visit www.codalowcountry.org for details.

Help clean up the St. Helena Market
The second St. Helena Market Clean Up Day will be held Saturday, Jan. 19 at 8:30 a.m. at 507 Sea Island Parkway, St. Helena, SC  29920. Don’t forget to bring your work gloves. Please call The Open Land Trust at 843-521-2175.

The Sand Bar celebrates presidential inauguration
Inauguration Celebration will be Monday, January 21, 7 p.m. at The Sand Bar Grill, 41 Robert Smalls Pkwy, Beaufort (next to the Plaza Movie Theatre).  $20 tickets include an appetizers buffet, a beer or soft drink, and a 2013 Presidential Inauguration souvenir. Wine and mixed drinks will be available at the bar. The Sand Bar has 13 televisions to watch the Inaugural Balls and celebrations in D.C. Info or to RSVP: 522-1992. Sponsored by the Democratic Women of Beaufort.

Association of University Women meet
The Beaufort Branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW) will meet on Tuesday, January 22 at 6 p.m. in Bldg 22 at TCL. Guest speaker Grace Cordial, Historical Resource Coordinator for the Beaufort County Library, will discuss “The Carolina Room and the Beaufort District Collection.” All members are urged to attend and to bring a friend. For details contact Dr. Diana Steele at 522-2796 or steele.diana@comcast.net.

Take part in year round fishing tournament
The 2013 Year Round Fishing Tournament began January 1. Captain Frank Gibson of the Beaufort Sportfishing &amp; Diving Club and Rion Salley, manager of the Port Royal Landing Marina, cleared the board for the 2012 series. The various categories for over 28 species of fish are as follows: Male Angler, Female Angler, Youth Angler (17 and under) and 10 x 10 (ages 10 and under.) All species must be caught while fishing in a boat and must be weighed at Port Royal Landing Marina. They can be transported by boat or vehicle. The Tournament Committee will follow the guidelines specified by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and South Carolina DNR rules and regulations. For additional details, contact Captain Frank Gibson at 843-522-2020 and/or Port Royal Landing Marina at 843-525-6664.

BHS Green Booster Club holds oyster roast
The Beaufort High School Big Green Booster Club will hold its annual oyster roast fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 5 to 10 p.m. at Live Oaks Park in Port Royal. Tickets are $25 each or $40 per couple. All proceeds go to support Beaufort High School athletic programs.  Ticket price includes oysters, hot dogs, beer and wine. There will a silent auction as well as live entertainment by Mark Bonds.  Tickets will be available at the event or call Jonolyn Ferreri at 843-986-4093 or Benji Hill at 843-986-7169.

Learn about Audubon during free lecture
John James Audubon’s “Birds of America” is great American art and the gifted artist was an ambitious adventurer and natural scientist. Come hear our guest, curator/educator Ron Roth of USCB, an insightful expert on Audubon’s life, art and work in the Lowcountry on Thursday, Jan. 24, Fripp Island’s Community Centre, 7 p.m.. Presentation is free and free gate pass for visitors. Meet and greet at 6 p.m., please bring plate of nibbles to share. Contact pete.richards@comcast.net or 843-441-2153, visit www.islc.net/audubon.

Beaufort Town Center hosts Family Fun Day
Beaufort Town Center is pleased to announce the Winter Carnival at Family Fun Day at Center Stage on January 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Fun Day is a great way to bring families together for a few hours of free fun. The Winter Carnival will have many exciting activities and prizes for the kids. Tux the Clown will create balloon art and we will have carnival games to test your skills. Activities will include a Radio Remote from 104.9 The Surf, inflatable kids’ games, food sampling from Moes Southwest Grill, Jimmy John’s, Rosie O’Grady’s, Amata Thai Fusion and The Irish Rose Bistro &amp; Pub. Also, gift certificates and gift baskets have been donated by New Spring Chiropractic, Best Nails and many restaurants. Beaufort Town Center businesses are joining forces to sponsor these monthly events to provide a safe outlet for families to have fun.

CAPA to hold annual meeting at City Hall
Bernie Kole, president of the Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA), announces the organization’s 2013 Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Beaufort City Hall, 1911 Boundary Street. The meeting will include elections for board of directors and officers, recognition of volunteers and staff, an update on the state of child abuse and the release of the 2012 Annual Report. The agency will showcase its programs prior to the meeting. The public is encouraged to attend. For more information, call the CAPA Outreach Office at 843.524.4350 or email capa714@earthlink.net. Visit www.capabeaufort.org.

TOPS weight loss has new meeting times
Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) Chapter SC 0296, Beaufort has changed its meeting times. The group now meet in Faith Lutheran Church’s Fellowship Hall at 1812 Boundary Street, every Friday morning.  Weigh in from 9:30-9:45 a.m. and a short meeting until 10:30 a.m. TOPS Chapter  SC 0109 still meets at the Family YMCA on 1801 Richmond Ave on Thursday night with weigh in at 6:30 and meeting at 7 p.m. TOPS is a nonprofit organization that promotes the health and welfare of its members by the singular means of collective group stimulus. Visit www.tops.org or call TOPS 1-800-932-8677 or Helga at 379-3081.