Community Calendar

Published 7:00 am Saturday, December 16, 2023

Saturday

• Dalton’s Greater Works hosts a free toy “store” for children in need starting at 9 a.m. that is first-come, first-served for custodial parents. Children are asked not to attend. Parents must show a photo ID, and can get up to three toys. Dalton’s Greater Works is at 1001 S. Thornton Ave.

Saturday-Sunday

• For more than 30 years “The Nutcracker” ballet has been a tradition during the holiday season for the Northwest Georgia region. “Nutcracker 2023,” presented by the Dalton Arts Project, features more than 300 local and guest performers for performances Friday, Dec. 15, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 16, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 17, at 2 p.m. at the Colonnade theater, 264 Catoosa Circle in Ringgold. Tickets are $23 and are available online at catoosacolonnade.com. Call the Dalton Arts Project at (706) 529-5664 for more information.

Saturday-Monday

• The NAACP has a Christmas tree decoration competition going on at the Mack Gaston Community Center in Dalton. The trees are all up and decorated and the public is invited to visit the lobby of Mack Gaston to see the trees and vote for their favorite. Voting is open from now until Monday, Dec. 18, at 6:30 p.m.

Monday

• The Benton MacKaye Trail Association sponsors a moderate 5-mile hike in the Ocoee area on the Rhododendron Trail to Chestnut Mountain Trail to Bear Paw Loop and return. Hike leader: Ralph Collinson. For more information, email hikeleaderRC@bmtamail.org.

• The Board of Water, Light and Sinking Fund Commissioners, which governs Dalton Utilities, meets at 2 p.m. in the Dalton Utilities boardroom.

• The Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Authority meets at 4 p.m. in Dalton City Hall, 300 W. Waugh St., in the council chambers.

• The Dalton-Whitfield County Public Library offers a free Kids Library Lab: Light Up Cards from 4 to 5 p.m. Create a card with a simple circuit that lights up. For 1st-5th grade.

Tuesday

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

• The Varnell mayor and council meet at 6 p.m. at City Hall. For more information, call (706) 694-8800.

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.

Thursday

• The Whitfield County Senior Center for the first time will host Papa Sway who will play guitar and sing. Papa Sway will perform from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. This special entertainment moment is sponsored by Tapestry Hospice. This program is free and open to the public. For more information, please call the center at (706) 278-3700.

• The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the proposed 2024 budget at 6 p.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room in the courthouse.

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.

Dec. 27

• 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.

Dec. 29

• 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.

Dec. 30

• Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s Annual Bring One for the Chipper event is this day. Recycle your live, natural, undecorated Christmas tree, your used electronic devices and cardboard at the Home Depot at 875 Shugart Road. From 9 a.m. to noon volunteers will be on-site to collect your natural trees and electronics for recycling. There will be a second drop-off site for trees only at Edwards Park, also from 9 a.m. to noon. There is no charge for trees and most electronics. The only fee is a $10 fee for CRT, or cathode ray tube, television sets and computer monitors. Please remove all ornaments and the base from your trees. Electronics will be sent to a third-party recycler. Volunteers will not be removing any data. Please make sure you wipe the data from laptops, phones, etc., before dropping off. Participants have their pick of seed packets while supplies last. For more information or if you want to volunteer, call (706) 278-5001 or visit Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful online: http://www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org.

Jan. 1

• A free guided First Day Hike at the Prater’s Mill Historic Site is at 3 p.m. Start the year right with a refreshing 1 1/2-mile hike on the Norma Gordon Nature Loop through the Prater’s Mill Nature Preserve. The hike includes identification of native flora and fauna and features the wildlife viewing platforms recently added. This easy to moderate walk is considered great for both children and adults. The event will also feature the official opening of an Eagle Scout project by David Daniell, a senior at Dalton High School. Meet on the porch of the mill at 3 p.m. Attendees are advised to bring water and binoculars and to wear sturdy shoes. The Prater’s Mill Historic Site is at 5845 Ga. Highway 2. For more information: info@pratersmill.org.

Jan. 3

• The Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy and Phoenix have a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

Jan. 8

• The Whitfield County Board of Education has a work session at 5:30 p.m. followed by a meeting at 6:30 at the central office, 1306 S. Thornton Ave. The meetings are open to the public.

Jan. 9

• The Tunnel Hill budget is expected to be adopted at a public meeting at City Hall (201 G. Vaughn Parkway) at 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 13

• Southeast Whitfield High School has a school council meeting at 11:30 a.m.

Jan. 16

• Valley Point Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

Jan. 20

• The 4-H County Project Achievement Speech Contest is at Dalton State College, Browning Hall. The 4th-6th-graders will present their 3-5 minute speech in their respective category. Speech times will be assigned and start at 10 a.m. with awards presented at 2 p.m. There is no cost. Register at https://forms.gle/XrBKt1KvYa375PbK6.

Jan. 20 and Feb. 17

• Daughters of the American Revolution-certified genealogist Jennifer Harvey returns for two winter workshops on Saturday, Jan. 20, and Saturday, Feb. 17. Beginner and intermediate researchers will attend the January workshop. Researchers who are further along in their research but have hit a wall will attend the February workshop. Each workshop will begin at 9 a.m. and last until 2:30 p.m. with a 30-minute lunch. Sack lunches will be available for $7, or participants may bring a lunch. Classes will meet at the Crown Gardens & Archives, 715 Chattanooga Ave. in Dalton. To reserve a spot, call (706) 278-0217 or come by the Archives. The cost is $40 for one day or $70 for both days. Checks may be mailed to the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society, P.O. Box 6180, Dalton, GA 30722-6180.

Jan. 21

• The Georgia Historical Society has named the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society the Affiliate Chapter of the Year. The award will be presented at a meeting at 2:30 p.m. at the old Spring Place Methodist Church.

Jan. 23

• Cohutta Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

• Tunnel Hill Elementary School has a school council meeting at 3 p.m.

Jan. 24

• Southeast Whitfield High School has a school council meeting at 7:30 a.m.

• Antioch Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

Jan. 26

• Westside Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

Jan. 31

• North Whitfield Middle School has a school council meeting at 7:30 a.m.

• New Hope Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

Feb. 7

• New Hope Middle School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

• Eastside Elementary School has a school council meeting at 3:30 p.m.

Feb. 8

• Pleasant Grove Elementary School has a school council meeting at 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 13

• Cedar Ridge Elementary School has a school council meeting at 7 a.m.

• Northwest Whitfield High School has a school council meeting at 7:45 a.m.

Feb. 21

• The Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy and Phoenix have a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

Feb. 28

• Varnell Elementary School has a school council meeting at 7 a.m.

• Beaverdale Elementary School has a school council meeting at 11 a.m.

March 12

• North Whitfield Middle School has a school council meeting at 7:30 a.m.

March 19

• Eastside Elementary School has a school council meeting at 3:30 p.m.

March 20

• Westside Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

• The Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy and Phoenix have a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

March 21

• Valley Point Middle School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

March 26

• New Hope Middle School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

• Cohutta Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

• Tunnel Hill Elementary School has a school council meeting at 12:15 p.m.

April 10

• Varnell Elementary School has a school council meeting at 7 a.m.

• New Hope Elementary School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

April 16

• Northwest Whitfield High School has a school council meeting at 7:45 a.m.

April 17

• The Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy and Phoenix have a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

April 19

• Beaverdale Elementary School has a school council meeting at 5:15 p.m.

April 23

• Cedar Ridge Elementary School has a school council meeting at 3:30 p.m.

May 2

• Pleasant Grove Elementary School has a school council meeting at 5:30 p.m.

May 3

• Eastbrook Middle School has a school council meeting at 8 a.m.

May 6

• Dug Gap Elementary School has a school council meeting at 2:50 p.m.

May 15

• The Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy and Phoenix have a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.

June 19

• The Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy and Phoenix have a school council meeting at 8:30 a.m.