• Movies on Madison at The Museum of Natural Sciences is moving inside tonight due to the weather. Raya and the Last Dragon will be shown starting at 8 p.m., but be sure to get there at 7 for dinosaur and dragon activities.
The program is a partnership between the Columbus Council of North Carolina Reading Association, the Columbus County Arts Council, and Columbus County Smart Start.
Movies on Madison are free, and no registration is required. Refreshments will be available for sale.
• Columbus County Community Farmer’s Market will host a Back-to-School Day and Family Health Festival Saturday, Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Crossroads Church and the Columbus Baptist Association have partnered with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office, Whiteville Fire Department, and Whiteville Rescue.
Columbus Regional Healthcare will distribute health information and goodies to the public. There will also be a free backpack giveaway.
The Farmers Market is located at 132 Government Complex Drive in Whiteville.
• St. James Missionary Baptist Church will be hosting the Back-to-School Community Bash with a school supply giveaway sponsored by the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs. The event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 5-8 p.m. There will be a gaga pit, waterslide, corn hole game, egg toss, and a sack race for children of all ages to enjoy. The church is located at 3245 Old North East Road.
• The Columbus Baptist Association will hold a community back-to-school prayer gathering on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 3:30 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church located at 201 South Thompson Street in Whiteville.
Rev. Barry Swain will be bringing a special message for the children, and at the conclusion of the gathering, the CBA will be praying over students and staff as they returned to school for the 2022-2023 school year.
• Columbus County will be seeing two new faces at the sheriff’s office. Christopher Coleman and was sworn in as a detention officer, and Taylor Hammonds has joined the department as a deputy.
• The Latter House Ministries will host a Back to School Fun Day on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 1-5 p.m. There will be games, slides, food and more. The church is located at 99 Bertha Drive in Riegelwood.
• Healing Hearts is offering rapid COVID-19 testing at two locations in Whiteville. The organization’s main office, located at 426 Lee Street, will be open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays by appointment only.
An outside clinic will be available for testing, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., beside the Urgent Care at 614 J.K. Powell Boulevard. Home visits are available for the elderly and those without transportation.
Call 910.207.7834 for more information.
• Deputy Paul Carrano met Junior Deputy Gage and K-9 Tuffy at Dunkin Donuts in Whiteville recently.
Deputy Carrano purchased Junior Deputy Gage a doughnut in celebration of the unofficial “Give a Deputy a Doughnut Day”.
Junior Deputy Gage and K-9 Tuffy enjoyed their treat but had to leave for a special assignment at an unspecified location.
• The Whiteville Fun Factory will be holding a kid’s night out end of summer party on Friday, Aug. 26, from 6-9 p.m. There will be pizza, arts and crafts, a movie, and more. Parents don’t have to stay and are invited to drop off their children at the factory. The cost is $25 per child, and preregistration is required due to limited spots. The deadline Aug. 24. Call 910.207.6136 to sign your child up for this event.
• Columbus County Emergency Services will host their first ever Public Safety Day on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the fairgrounds. The opening ceremony is scheduled to begin promptly at the start of the event.
First responders throughout the area will be present and holding live demonstrations such as emergency extrication, hazmat scene response, and special operations. Members of the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office will be in attendance, and Animal Protective Services will be holding an adopt-a-thon for those interested in meeting their new furry best friend.
The Columbus County Fairgrounds are located at 886 Prison Camp Road in Whiteville. For more information about the Public Safety Day, check out the Columbus County Emergency Services Facebook page.
• Tickets are now on sale for the Taste of Tabor. The annual dinner for the North Carolina Yam Festival will be held at Sunnyfield Equestrian Farm this year. Martha Hardwick will cater the meal, and entertainment will be provided by the Thomas Road Band. The dinner is Oct. 20, but always sells out early. Contact any festival volunteer or go to their website for more information.
The GOOD NEWS is featured every Saturday morning on WTXY, and throughout the week under the GOOD NEWS tab at z2j.c7e.myftpupload.com. Email crystalfaircloth@columbuscounty.newswith your church announcements, fundraisers, yard sales, club news, community celebrations, or just plain happy stories. There is no charge for publicizing your events.
