Happenings: Events, activities and community announcements

Email announcements at least two weeks in advance to community@reflector.com for publication in The Standard and The Daily Reflector.

Star Party

The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences at Contentnea Creek, 949 Contentnea Lane, Grifton, will host a North Carolina Science Festival Statewide Star Party event from 7-10 p.m. April 5. The event will include planetarium shows, hands-on-activities, a 16-inch telescope, along with smaller telescopes will be available for use in the observatory, with a focus on the planet Jupiter and the Orion Nebula. Visit atimeforscience.com or facebook.com/atimeforscience.

Campfire Cookout

The Boy Scouts of America East Carolina Council will hold its Campfire Cookout from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, at The Cotton Barn, 942 Laurie Ellis Road, Winterville. The event will feature food, an outdoorsman auction and gun raffle, entertainment, and campfire cooking demos. Purchase tickets at https://e.givesmart.com/events/Byg/. Proceeds benefit Scout programing.

Sunrise Service

The Winterville Ministerial Alliance will sponsor Easter Sunrise Services at 6 a.m. Sunday, March 31, at Haddocks Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, 1548 Ivy Road, Winterville. The sermon will be delivered by Rev. C.E. Cunningham of Mount Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church.

Golf event

The Autism Charity Golf Tournament will take place Friday, April 19, at Farmville Country Club, 3457 Bynum Drive. The event will include door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, and prizes for the longest putt, a hole in one and closest to the pin. Team registration is $400; individual is $120. An Autastic Dream, Farrior and Sons Inc. and the golf club are hosting the event to support autism families and establish a sensory center in Farmville. Call 558-3321.

Autastic Extravaganza

The fourth annual Autastic Extravaganza, an autism acceptance event, will take place at 2 p.m. April 20 at the Babe Ruth Baseball Field, 4240 W. Horne Ave., Farmville. The event will feature an acceptance walk, food, face painting, inflatable games, raffles, vendors a DJ and dancing. Register at www.anautasticdream.com/event. Call 558-3321 or email info@autasticdream.com.

Renaissance Fair

The 2024 ENC Renaissance Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 13-14 at the Lenoir County Fairgrounds, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Kinston. Tickets can be purchased at encrenfaire.com. Daily tickets are $25 and weekend tickets are $40. A Royal Dinner and Parlay Under the Stars will take place at 7:30 p.m. April 13. Tickets can be purchased at www.encrenfaire.com and they are $50.

Arthritis exercise program

Registration for the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program continues through April 1 at the Greene County Senior Center, 104 Greenridge Road, Snow Hill. Sessions are held Tuesdays starting April 2 and include health education, warm-up, range of motion/strengthening exercises and a relaxation routine. Classes can be taken standing and/or sitting in a chair. The low-impact group will start at 9:30 a.m. and the higher-impact group will start at 10 a.m. Participants who attend 12 out of 18 sessions will receive a certificate of completion. Participants must be at least 60 and live in Greene County. Classes are free, but contributions are welcomed. Call 252-747-5436 to register or email instructor Renate Harper at renate.harper@greenecountync.gov.

Senior Tai Chi program

Registration for the Tai Chi for Arthritis/Fall Prevention program continues through April 1 at the Greene County Senior Center, 104 Greenridge Road, Snow Hill. Space is limited so register soon. Classes are at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays starting April 3. Instructors are Sharon Harrison and Emmanuelle Quenum. Participants who attend 16 out of 20 classes will receive a certificate of completion. Participants must be at least 60 and live in Greene County. Classes are free but contributions are welcomed. To register, or for more information, call 252-747-5434 or email sharon.harrison@greenecountync.gov or renate.harper@greenecountync.gov.

Health Talks

Health Talks with Jennifer Lane, health educator with the Greene County Department of Public Health, are 11 a.m. every third Thursday at the Greene County Senior Center, 104 Greeneridge Road. They are free and open to Greene County Residents. Call 252-747-5436.

Farmville Senior Council

The Farmville Senior Council, which has been a nonprofit since 1979, meets the third Wednesday of the month at the Farmville Public Library, 4276 W. Church St., Farmville. Meetings start at 1 p.m. either in-person or via zoom. For more information or to attend on line send an email to farmvilleseniorcouncil@gmail.com.

Garden tours

Visit the Pitt County Arboretum from noon to 1 p.m. on the second Friday of each month at noon for a fun and educational garden tour experience. The Northside Plant Walks utilize the arboretum and the Northside Walking Trail to tell a unique story about our plants with each tour. Attendance is free but visitors should pre-register for each event at pitt.ces.ncsu.edu/the-pitt-county-arboretum/northside-plant-walks/. Planned walks include:

April 12: Aromatic Additions for your Landscape

May 10: Plants With Historic or Cultural Significance

June 14: Container Garden Plants that Make a Splash

July 12: Plants that are Edible and Ornamental

Aug. 9: Drought Defying Darlings for Dry Gardens

Sept. 13: Landscape Plants with Medicinal Value

Oct. 11: Better Late than Never: Fall Landscape Standouts

Nov. 8: Berries, Twigs, and other Unappreciated Attributes

NCGrads2Work

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center is hosting three Pharma NCGrads2Work Scholarship information sessions for senior high school students and their parents. The program in partnership with Pitt County Schools, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Catalent Pharmaceuticals aims to offer pathway to full-time employment with area pharmaceutical companies. Applications are due in April. To attend a session contact the career development coordinator at any Pitt County high school or Monica Lassiter with the North Carolina Biotechnology Center at monica_lassiter@ncbiotech.org.

Farmworker Donation Drive

Amexcan is sponsoring a donation drive for farmworkers through mid-July. Pitt County Cooperative Extension, 403 Government Circle, Greenville, is a drop-off site. Items needed are long-sleeve shirts, gloves and hygiene items. Call 902-1709 for more information.

Fall prevention

The N.C. Center for Health & Wellness and the North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition are hosting Steps to Age Well: Cultivating a Falls Prevention Culture from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, at Eastern AHEC, 2600 W. Arlington Blvd., Greenville. The event will feature a message from sports broadcaster Debbie Antonelli, fall-prevention activities, a tai chi demonstration, breakfast and vendors and resources. Cost is $10. To register or for more information, call 847-6670.

Plant sale

The Pitt County Master Gardeners and the Pitt County County Arboretum will host a plant sale from 10 a.m. to noon May 18 at the arboretum, 403 Government Circle, Greenville. The event will take place rain or shine. Purchases can be made with cash or check only. A preview sale for Friends of the Arboretum will begin at 9 a.m. Friends memberships can be purchased at the gate.

Hospice volunteers

3HC is seeking volunteers for its hospice program. Volunteers provide support to caregivers, offer companionship to patients and take part in meaningful activities. They also can offer spiritual support, administrative and clerical support, take part in special events and fundraising activities and assist the Wings Program for Grieving Children or the Veterans to Veteran program. Residents of Greene, Pitt, Beaufort or Lenoir counties who would like to spend time with patients and their families in need can email volunteer coordinator Nena Ellis at nellis@3hc.org.

Vaccines

The Greene County Department of Public Health is offering COVID vaccines Monday through Friday by appointment for people 6 months and older. To schedule, call 747-8181. If you receive Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina, North Carolina State Health Plan or Medicaid, bring your card. Medicare not accepted at this time. Vaccines are $140 for self-pay individuals but are free at most pharmacies. Flu shots also are available by appointment.

The Pitt County Health Department, 201 Government Circle, Greenville, is providing free flu and COVID19 vaccines for adults who have no health insurance or whose insurance doesn’t cover all vaccination costs. The vaccinations are being provided though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Bridge Access program. Call 902-2449 to make an appointment.

Give Blood

The American Red Cross Donation Center, 700 Cromwell Drive, is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday. Visit www.redcross.org or call 758-1140 or 1-800-733-2767 to make appointments at the center or at blood drives coming up at the following locations.

Animal adoptions

The Humane Society of Eastern Carolina, 3520 Tupper Drive, is open by appointment only from 1-5 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Visit hsecarolina.org or email HSECgeneral@gmail.com for an adoption application, which must be approved before an appointment is scheduled. Call 413-7247. The organization always is in need of foster families provide temporary care for kittens, puppies, dogs, and cats. Visit hsecarolina.org/become-a-foster.

Pitt County Animal Services, 4550 County Home Road, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays by appointment only for adoptions. No owner surrenders are available. Call 902-1725. Visit petango.com/pittshelter to view animals available for adoption. Animal services offers several volunteer opportunities including dog walking, doggie day out and reading buddy programs. Visit pittcountync.gov/153/Animal-Services

The Greene County Animal Shelter, 1985 N.C. 903 North, Snow Hill, is open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Call 253-2237 for questions about adoptions and lost pets and visit facebook.com/ greenecountyanimal services. Call to schedule appointment for rabies vaccinations and for animal control issues. Call 747-8000 for after hours animal control.

Family Chess Club

The Family Chess Club meets from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Apt To Learn, 650 E. Fire Tower Road, Suite B, Winterville. Chess lectures will be from 6-7 p.m. Chess sets are provided. All levels of players are welcome. The club is an affiliate of the United States Chess Federation and conducts sanctioned chess tournaments on occasion. Direct any questions to President Jerry Skinner, (252) 209-4148 or email howlandbakerjarvis@yahoo.com.