Community Calendar

Ongoing

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: After more than a year long hiatus, Preschool Storytime has resumed at the Wetumpka Public Library.

The first story time was held on Friday, May 14, and will take place every Friday at the library at 10 a.m.

ECLECTIC TOWN

COUNCIL MEETINGS: Eclectic Town Council meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at Town Hall. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. with work sessions taking place prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Dr. M. L. Fielder Municipal Building, 145 Main Street.

NAACP MEETINGS: The Elmore County Branch No. 5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday (executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center at 200 North Lancaster St. in Wetumpka.

LIVING WORD: You belong here. You and your family are always welcome here. We are located at 1826 Kowaliga Road Eclectic, across from the Dollar General. Call 334-492-0777 for more information.

OPEN MIC: The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts an open mic jam session from 7 to 9 p.m. every second Friday of the month at 560 Highway 9 in Equality. There is no charge but donations are welcome as they keep the center running. Bring a snack or finger food to share during the intermission.

RED HILL COMMUNITY CLUB MEETINGS: Red Hill Community Club Meetings are held every second Monday of the month. Join the Red Hill Historical Preservation Association in the auditorium of the Old Red Hill School, located off state Route 229 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss upcoming events.

MOUNT HEBRON CHURCH OF CHRIST: Come join us at 4530 Mt. Hebron Road in Eclectic. Our Sunday school begins at 9 a.m. followed by worship service at 10:30. There is also a Wednesday night Bible study at 7 p.m. For more information call Pastor Edwin Walker at 334541-2025

LUNCH AND LEARN: Lunch and learn Tuesdays with Kelly are scheduled at the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery at 124 Company Street in Wetumpka from noon to 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. For more information, visit www.thekelly. org.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY GRACE POINT: Celebrate Recovery meets at Grace Point Community Church at 78223 Tallassee Highway in Wetumpka each Tuesday at 6:15 people who farming appeals to.

“I think it appeals to people, not everybody though,” Pate said. “Some people want to live in the city and go to the ballet. But there are people who want to raise their children in the rural community.”

But Alabama Ag Credit started this year participating in the JumpStart program helping those in agriculture with some free money.

“This is our first time to do this,” Alabama Ag Credit CEO Doug Thiessen said. “Giving away money is something we like to do everyday but we usually make you sign a piece of paper that you are going to pay it back. Today we don’t. Today we are giving it away.”

But the free money of the JumpStart program is to help those just getting their start in agriculture.

“It’s focused on beginning farmers,” Thiessen said. “How to get people excited about agriculture, entering a rural lifestyle that some of us are getting older and may not be around too much longer. But there needs to be other people coming into this. That is what this is all about.”

Alabama Ag Credit had more than 50 applications for a chance at one of five $10,000 grants for newcomer farmers or soon to be farmers.

“They had to have started their business in the past two years or in the coming year,” Thiessen said. “Their purpose had to be for something we would typically loan money for, agriculture, put a down payment on a piece of land or equipment, something.”

Alabama Ag Credit made the applicants take part in