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Saturday, Dec. 1

Windsor Christmas Parade: Lineup will begin at 3 p.m. at the Farmers Bank on Shirley Drive. The event starts at 4 p.m. going from the bank to Church Street and ending on North Court Street. Afterward, floats should proceed to the Windsor Christian Church parking lot on North Court Street. The tree lighting will be at approximately 4:45 p.m. beside the gazebo in the Willie Garris Park next to the library. Handicap parking will in the Duke Street parking lot across from the library. To participate in the parade, call 242-4288.

Artisans Market: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., shop for the holidays in one place. Artisans and crafters will feature quilts, warm handwoven wearable art, local authors and books, oil and watercolor paintings, herbal soaps, stained-glass creations, handcrafted and repurposed furniture, forged metal art, silver jewelry, handcrafted pens, knit and crochet home goods, folk art, pottery, carved and turned wood, handcrafted knives, handmade brooms, metal art and Native American crafts. This will be at Gallery 1606, 18001 Southampton Parkway in Capron, corner of Route 58 and Main Street. No fee for admission or parking. Reservations are required for free vendor space. For information, email gallery1606@gmail.com, or call 434 658-4454.

New hours at St. Luke’s: New days of operation for Historic St. Luke’s Church and Museum are Tuesdays through Saturdays from Feb. 1-Dec. 31. Hours remain at 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Access to all of the cemeteries and grounds will remain between sunrise and sunset daily. If you have a private group of 10 people of more and wish to schedule a guided tour on Sunday or Monday, call to make an advance reservation. For questions or comments, call director Todd Balance at 407-8829.

Christmas Night at the Tavern: In conjunction with “Nostalgic Christmas” in Courtland, the Mahone’s Tavern and Museum will host “Christmas Night at the Tavern” from 5 to 7 p.m. Come and experience the feel of Christmas in the early days at the local tavern of Old Jerusalem, the county seat of Southampton. The tavern is at 22341 Main St., across from the Southampton County Courthouse and Sheriff’s Office.

Community Tree Lighting: Come see Santa light the Wakefield town tree at 6 p.m. outside the Wakefield Foundation, 100 Wilson Ave. The free program, which lasts to 7:30 p.m., includes a visit with the jolly old elf, refreshments and a holiday craft. Mrs. Claus and the Snow Princess will also be there to meet guests. Also, Merphi the Clown will be here to make a balloon art.

 

Saturday, Dec. 8

Old-Fashioned Country Breakfast: This will be served from 7 to 10 a.m. by the Smithfield Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8545, 223 Washington St., across from the library and YMCA. The menu features scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, biscuits, gravy, hash browns, corn bread, fried salt spot and mixed fruit. Coffee and juice are included with a $7 donation. Omelet to order is an additional $2. Children age 6-12 are $4 and children under 6 eat free. All proceeds go to support the many activities and programs of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8545 in Smithfield.

The Polar Express: How about something different for the holidays — a drive-in movie? “The Polar Express” will be shown at the Isle of Wight County Fairgrounds, Heritage Park in Windsor, at 4 p.m. The event is free and sponsored by Isle of Wight County Parks and Recreation.

Make-and-Take Workshop: One-hour sessions begin at noon in The Arts Center@319 (319 Main St., downtown Smithfield.) All materials provided. Instructors: Stephanie Faleski and Juliette Marshall. Make your own sock snowman or penguin holiday decoration. Customize as you like, can be created with or without sewing. Ages 10 through adult. Younger children may participate if a parent assists. Cost is $25 per person. Advance registration preferred, but walk-ins accepted, space permitting. To sign up, call 357-7707 or e-mail info@smithfieldarts.org.

 

Sunday, Dec. 9

IOW Historical Society: The Isle of Wight County Historical Society will have a meeting at 2 p.m. in the Ruritan Club, 17011 Courthouse Highway, Windsor. The guest speaker will be Dr. Randolph Turner, retired archaeologist, Virginia Department of Historic Resources will provide a presentation, “Richard Randolph Turner of Shoal Bay — Civil War Patriot or War Criminal?” For more information, go to iwchs.com or email Carolyn A. Keen at vahistorichouse@aol.com.

History lecture: The Isle of Wight County Historical Society will host Dr. Randolph Turner, a retired archaeologist with the Virginia Dept. of Historic Resources. He’ll speak on the topic, “Richard Randolph Turner of Shoal Bay — Civil War Patriot or War Criminal?” This will be in the Isle of Wight Ruritan Clubhouse, 17011 Courthouse Highway, directly across from the Isle of Wight Courthouse complex. The program starts at 2 p.m. For directions or details, visit www.isleofwightruritan.org or the Facebook page. For added information, contact Carolyn A. Keen at vahistorichouses@aol.com.

PDCCC food drive: The annual Paul D. Camp Community College Foodbank Committee’s food drive is underway to help students with food insecurities. The committee is collecting canned tuna in water; canned stews and soups; canned vegetables and fruits; peanut butter; crackers; protein and granola bars; bagged nuts and seeds; oatmeal and other cereal; shelf stable milk substitutes; dried fruits; and applesauce until Dec. 14 at College Success Coach Program office, 120C on the Franklin Campus, and 112D on the Hobbs Suffolk Campus. For more information, contact Dr. Sandra Walker, swalker@pdc.edu.

 

Tuesday, Dec. 11

Blood drive: AARP Windsor Chapter No.. 5309, the Woman’s Club of Windsor and the Windsor Ruritan Club will sponsor a Red Cross blood drive from 2 to 6 p.m. in the Windsor Ruritan Clubhouse, 14 Community Drive, Windsor. All donors will receive a free American Red Cross T-shirt. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org and enter: WindsorComm to schedule an appointment.

PDCCC Bring a Friend Day: Paul D. Camp Community College’s center in Smithfield will hold this free “lunch and learn” type event from noon to 2 p.m. It is intended as a one-stop session to enroll for Spring 2019 classes. Prospective students should bring official high school or college transcripts for the on-site evaluations. Registration is not required but is recommended. To register or for more information, call 925-6340. The college’s center in Smithfield is located on the second floor of the Blackwater Regional Library, 253 James St.

 

Thursday, Dec. 13

Small business consultations: Jim Carroll of the Small Business Development Center will be offering free one-hour consultations for small business owners and prospectives at Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce offices at 100 Main St., Smithfield, from 9 a.m. to noon. For appointments call: 357-3502 or email dcampbell@theisle.org.

 

Friday, Dec. 14

PDCCC food drive: The annual Paul D. Camp Community College Foodbank Committee’s food drive is underway to help students with food insecurities. The committee is collecting canned tuna in water; canned stews and soups; canned vegetables and fruits; peanut butter; crackers; protein and granola bars; bagged nuts and seeds; oatmeal and other cereal; shelf stable milk substitutes; dried fruits; and applesauce at College Success Coach Program office, 120C on the Franklin Campus, and 112D on the Hobbs Suffolk Campus. For more information, contact Dr. Sandra Walker, swalker@pdc.edu.

PDCCC board meeting: The Paul D. Camp Community College Local College Board will meet at 5 p.m., in the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront, 100 E. Constance Road.