Community Calendar

Published 7:00 am Monday, March 27, 2023

Free tax help

• The AARP Foundation, along with locally trained volunteers, is offering free in-person tax assistance through its Tax-Aide program. You can make appointments now at https://tinyurl.com/tax-aidelibrary (at the Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library for Tuesday and Friday appointments through April 14; call (706) 620-0203 for an appointment.) and at https://tiny.one/tax-aidegaston (at the Mack Gaston Community Center for Saturday appointments April 15; call (706) 397-7053 for an appointment). Appointments can be made for in-person tax preparation which requires a one-time appointment of approximately one hour. Taxpayers should stop by the library or the community center to pick up a packet of forms needed to complete their tax return. AARP provides free personal income tax counseling and tax preparation for middle- to low-income taxpayers with special attention to those 50 years of age and older.

Monday

• Dalton State College Counseling offers a class on Mental Health First Aid Training at the Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library at 5 p.m. This class teaches about mental health resources, how to detect symptoms of depression in your loved ones and how to become certified in mental health first aid.

• The Dalton-Varnell-Whitfield County Planning Commission meets at 6 p.m. in the meeting room of the county courthouse, 205 N. Selvidge St. The meeting will be livestreamed on the county Facebook page and YouTube channel.

• The NAACP Dalton-Whitfield Chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Mack Gaston Community Center. The meetings are open to the public. Community support and ideas are welcome.

Tuesday

• The Dalton Public Safety Commission meets at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St.

• The city of Dalton Employee Pension Plan board of trustees meet at 3 p.m. at City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St.

• The Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library offers a free TnT Treats: Sweet and Savory Kabobs program at 4:30 p.m. for tweens and teens.

Wednesday

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

• Chattanooga musician Benjamin Van Winkle, a cellist and composer, performs his eclectic music, including music for cello, piano, vocals and guitar with looping electronics, at Dalton State College in the Goodroe Auditorium beginning at 7:30 p.m. This concert is free and open to the public. More information about Van Winkle and his music can be found on his website, https://benvanwinklemusic.com.

Thursday-Saturday

• The Whitfield-Murray Historical Society holds its spring rummage sale at Crown Garden and Archives, 715 Chattanooga Ave., on Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thursday

• The Whitfield County Senior Center holds a Bonus Bingo Game at 10:30 a.m. with sponsor Jennifer Dixon of Senior Solutions. For more information, call (706) 278-3700.

Friday

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

Saturday

• Volunteers are needed to help build a new Dalton State College hiking trail for workdays on this date and April 21. The workdays begin at 8 a.m. and end at noon. Volunteers meet at the Big Rock Trail kiosk. Gloves and tools are provided. The work is strenuous (but fun!), and volunteers should be capable of hiking 30 minutes up the ridge to the work site. For more information, email John Lugthart at jlugthart@daltonstate.edu.

• The Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library hosts its annual Author Fest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., celebrating authors, artists, books and literacy. Join in the fun with more than 35 authors and artists in attendance, books for all ages, fiction, nonfiction, and multiple genres such as action-adventure, Christian, fantasy, historical, romance, science fiction and more. There will also be discussion panels. Author Fest is for the whole family. There will be a Kids Corner filled with fun, free activities and crafts. At 1 p.m. the library will have an egg hunt, and all participants will get to pick out a free book. See the library’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and its website (ngrl.org) for the most up-to-date information on all of its events.

 • The Friends of the Library book sale is at the Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library, 310 Cappes St., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. enjoy a day of archaeology-themed activities at the Chief Vann House. Stay tuned to Friends of the Chief Vann House on Facebook and Gastateparks.org/chiefvannhouse for updates on guest hosts and activities. All activities and demonstrations are included in admission, $6 per person. The historic site is at 82 Highway 225 N. in Chatsworth. The phone number is (706) 695-2598 and the email address is vann_house_park@dnr.ga.gov.

April 3

• The Dalton City Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St.

April 4

• The Murray County Extension Office hosts an educational class on “Home Composting.” Please register in advance by the Monday, April 3, to ensure there are enough handouts. Call Murray County Extension at (706) 695-3031 or email bljack@uga.edu to register.

April 5

• The Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce presents an Economic Outlook Breakfast at the Dalton Convention Center at 8:30 a.m. Doors open at 8 and the buffet line will begin serving at 8:15. Tickets are $35 for chamber members and $50 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased by March 31. The keynote speaker is Roger Tutterow, Henssler Financial Endowed Chair, director of the Econometric Center and professor of economics at Kennesaw State University. To purchase tickets, go to daltonchamber.org/events or call (706) 278-7373.

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

April 7

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

April 8

• There will be a work day at Dunagan Cemetery on Dunagan Road in Rocky Face starting at 8 a.m. Volunteers are advised to dress for yard work and requested to bring tools, such as weed eaters, mowers, grass shears, rakes, hoes and wheelbarrows.

April 10

• The Whitfield County Board of Education has a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by a meeting at 6:30 at the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy, 2300 Maddox Chapel Road N.E. The meetings are open to the public.

April 10-13

• The Spring Plant Sale at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) is held. The sale begins Monday, April 10, at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. The sale continues Tuesday, April 11, through Thursday, April 13, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or until plants sell out. Purchases may be made with cash or check. The sale is a way for GNTC to contribute to the community while giving horticulture students real-world experience and an opportunity to display their work. All proceeds benefit the horticulture program at GNTC. Prices are all 10-inch hanging baskets $12 each, all 6-inch pots $5 each, Kimberly ferns $10 each, all four packs $5 each and all flats $32 each. The sale is at the greenhouses across from GNTC’s Floyd County Campus, next to the Woodlee Building.

April 11

• The Dalton Junior High School school council meets from 1 to 2 p.m.

April 12

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

• The Creative Arts Guild at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton offers a Culinary Arts class titled “For Peeps Sake” from 6 to 9 p.m. Feeling “BAAAD” about Easter cuisine? Learn how to elevate your menu without the “sheep” thrills. You’ll be so stuffed it’s not even “bunny” and you will leave with the confidence to serve “EGGcellent” fare to dye for. The class is for ages 18 and up. The cost is $70 per student. For more information, visit www.creativeartsguild.org or the Guild’s Facebook page or call (706) 278-0168.

April 13

• The City Park School school council meets in the conference room at 11:30 a.m.

• The Salvation Army telethon to raise funds to send children to summer camp is from 7 to 9 p.m on WDNN. Call (706) 278-3966 or visit 1109 N. Thornton Ave. in Dalton to make your donation early. To donate online, visit the Donate to Dalton Youth Camp Campaign (salvationarmygeorgia.org).

April 14

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

April 15

• Park Day, the American Battlefield Trust’s annual hands-on preservation event, is this day. Several events are planned. At Rocky Face Ridge Park (2209 Crow Valley Road) starting at 11 a.m., the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) hosts a scavenger hunt. Local Boy Scouts spearhead a trail cleanup, with volunteers picking up trash and debris. The event concludes with a mountain bike race. Another cleanup is planned at the Dalton Confederate Cemetery at 9 a.m. Volunteers are asked to meet by the Memorial Wall. Tasks include clearing brush, landscaping and trash removal. Attendees are asked to bring gloves, rakes and other yard tools. The Confederate Cemetery is on the east side of West Hill Cemetery near the chapel. There is a Park Day event at the Prater’s Mill Historic Site near Varnell at 8 a.m. Participants should meet on the mill porch. Planned activities include clearing brush, landscaping, painting, planting, trail maintenance, trash removal and general cleaning of buildings. Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, shovels and rakes. There is a Park Day cleanup at the Resaca Confederate Cemetery on Confederate Cemetery Road starting at 9 a.m.

• The Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library hosts representatives from area colleges from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for outreach and access to career and learning opportunities for high school students considering higher education, as well as adult learners interested in starting or returning to college studies. The colleges are Dalton State College, Georgia Highlands College, Kennesaw State University, the University of North Georgia and the University of West Georgia. Representatives from the Georgia Student Finance Commission, Georgia Department of Human Services and the Financial Planning Association of Georgia will attend to answer questions and provide information on financial planning, financial aid, scholarships and grants. The Financial Planning Association hosts an education session, “Budgeting 101,” at 11 a.m. College Day at the Library is not just for prospective students. It’s a family day, too, and an opportunity to explore the resources public libraries offer. There are tables for attendees to learn more about resources such as GALILEO, Georgia’s virtual library, and the Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. There are games and activities, and the Friends of the Library and volunteers will hand out free hamburgers, hot dogs, refreshments and snacks. All proceeds from sales and donations go to the library.

• The Dalton-Whitfield NAACP holds a Community Awareness Day from noon to 3 p.m at the Mack Gaston Community Center pavilion. The day promotes health, education, voting, volunteering and socialization and features health, education and community resources.

• The free Model Train Expo is at the Chatsworth Depot featuring model trains of various scales and including a couple of ride-on trains. Vendors expected to be on site include those offering train-themed embroidered children’s clothing, railroad artwork and model trains/accessories of all scales. A model train set will be raffled. Tickets are $2 each or three for $5 and can be purchased at the event or in advance from the Crown Archives, the Murray County Clerk of Court office, Pat’s Antiques or from depot committee members. The 1905 L&N Railroad Depot is at 219 N. First Ave. and is open from noon to 5 p.m. The 1960 SCL Caboose behind the depot will also be open during the same hours. The adjacent Wright Hotel will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. to give visitors one last opportunity to view the Tennga exhibit. The Section Foreman’s House, in the corner of the city park, will be open to again showcase its collection of early 20th century furnishings and photographs with local connections. Donations are always appreciated.

April 17

• The Dalton Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority meets at 4 p.m. at Dalton City Hall (300 W. Waugh St.) in Council Chambers.

• The Dalton City Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St.

April 19

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

April 21

• Volunteers are needed to help build a new Dalton State College hiking trail for a workday. The workday begins at 8 a.m. and end at noon. Volunteers meet at the Big Rock Trail kiosk. Gloves and tools are provided. The work is strenuous (but fun!), and volunteers should be capable of hiking 30 minutes up the ridge to the work site. For more information, email John Lugthart at jlugthart@daltonstate.edu.

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

April 21, May 19

• The Creative Arts Guild at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton hosts workshops titled “Expressive Painting in Acrylics (Intermediate and Advanced)” led by Bradley Wilson. The cost is $40 per workshop. In this course, students practice the methods of expressive acrylic painting while exploring a variety of subject matter and receiving instructor feedback on their work. This class is especially geared toward those with some acrylic painting experience (sorry, not suitable for beginners). Approaching painting as play is emphasized while focusing on solid technique and other important skills. Students re given monthly challenges for painting projects to work on at home and bring in for critique. Students provide their own materials. The workshops are offered April 21 and May 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You need to register for each workshop separately. For more information about this free event, visit www.creativeartsguild.org or the Guild’s Facebook page or call (706) 278-0168.

April 24

• The NAACP Dalton-Whitfield Chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. at the Mack C. Gaston Community Center. The meetings are open to the public. Community support and ideas are welcomed.

April 26

• The Emery Center, an African-American heritage and cultural center, is open for tours at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. Tours can be booked by appointment on other days of the week. The center is at 110 W. Emery St. Call the Emery Center at (706) 277-7633 or (706) 280-7695 for reservations.

• The Whitfield County Senior Center hosts Bonus Bingo with sponsor Jennifer Dixon at 10:30 a.m. If you need more information, call the senior center at (706) 278-3700.

April 27

• The Brookwood School school council meets at noon.

April 28

• The historic Blunt House is open for tours every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by request other days. The home is at 506 S. Thornton Ave.

April 29

• The 23rd annual Spring Place Ruritan Club Golf Tournament is scheduled for this day at Indian Trace Golf Course. Proceeds support the club’s numerous service projects in Murray County. The shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m. The tournament is a four-man select shot event with space for up to 25 teams. The cost is $60 per person. Prizes will be awarded. The really big award is $10,000 courtesy of Chatsworth Ford for a hole in one on hole 18. Mulligans are $5 each for up to two per golfer. Range balls are extra. Seniors (age 70 and up) play from the red tees and have their own longest drive prize on hole 17. There is a free barbecue lunch with homemade desserts for all participants at the awards ceremony at the end of the tournament. If weather forces the postponement of the tournament, the rain date is May 20. For more information, call Chuck Smith at (706) 264-3968 or Vicki Bramblett at (706) 581-3959. Hole sponsorships are available for $150 each.

• The Creative Arts Guild, at 520 W. Waugh St. in Dalton, holds its annual Spring for the Arts at 11 a.m. The event raises funds needed to support the Guild’s Arts in Education programs and the partnership between the Guild and the O.N. Jonas Foundation. The event will include an outdoor champagne brunch in the Robert T. Webb Sculpture Garden on what is International Sculpture Day. it will include a three-course brunch, docent guided tours of the Sculpture Garden and live music. There will be a raffle with gift and travel packages from local and regional businesses as well as a cork pull. For tickets, visit www.creativeartsguild.org or the Guild’s Facebook page or call (706) 278-0168.