The summer may be coming to an end, but there are still plenty of events to keep the little ones occupied before school starts back in full swing. Take advantage of the community days and supply giveaways in and around Columbus County. Be sure log onto www.columbuscountynews.com for absolutely free to catch up on any news you’ve missed this week. Get your news delivered every morning to your inbox before your coffee ever hits your cup by signing up for our daily newsletter.
Sylvia Pinyan is known for saving lives and comforting families in her 30 plus years as an EMT in Columbus County. Her fellow first responders are coming together Saturday to help the community return the favor. Pinyan has been seriously ill for an extended period of time, and Nakina Fire and Rescue is holding two ‘Fill the Boot’ drives Saturday to assist Pinyan and her family. Volunteers will be accepting donations at the Old Dock and Nakina Dollar General stores between 9 a.m. and noon. The stores are located at 25 Dock Road, and 16015 Swamp Fox Highway East.
Brown Street Station in Chadbourn will also be open every second Saturday of the month for the Main Street Market. Live entertainment and vendors will be there from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. for the public to enjoy. The next selling day will be this Saturday, Aug. 12. The venue is located at 202 North Brown Street. For more information about vendors opportunities, call 910.477.8080.
Some local little beauty queens will be selling lemonade for a good cause on Saturday, Aug. 12, at Pierce and Company in Hallsboro. Aniston Mclamb, Brodi Martin, Paisley Watts, Emma Hines, and Isabella Perez will be raising money to support St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
The ‘Picnic with the Principal’ event had a big show of support at Hallsboro Artesia Elementary School. Students and their families came out to meet Principal Kalee Hill and enjoy a hotdog supper. The school will have open house on Aug. 24 from 5-7 p.m.
Mt. Sinai Holiness Church will be holding Back-to-School Fun Day on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 4-7 p.m. There will be lots of games, kiddie pools, waterslides, shaved ice, and food at the free events. The church can be found at 6690 Old Lake Road in Bolton.
The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher and N.C. Sea Grant will be hosting the Aquatic Wild workshop on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Participants in the 6-hour workshop will receive one criteria credit with the Aquatic K-12 Curriculum and an activity guide. The guide contains field investigations, In Step with STEM activity extensions, connections to wildlife careers, new activities on fish conservation and angling, and an increased focus on outdoor activities. Project Wild materials will be provided free of charge by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. If interested, contact Gail Lemiec at 910.772.0500 or Erika Young at 919.513.1145. The aquarium is located at 900 Loggerhead Road in Kure Beach. 
Bladen County Library celebrated a special little guy this week. Gage Mcqueen read 1,000 books before starting kindergarten and was given a certificate, sports equipment, and other goodies for his accomplishment.
The town of Bolton will have Community Day on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Goshen Medical Center. Free school supplies will be given away to the first 100 kids, and there will be free sports exams, cardiac screenings, and much more. Goshen is located at 213 Ninth Street in Bolton.
There are only 4 Sundays left for the Lakeside Ministry for the summer of 2023. Services will run every Sunday through Labor Day at 9 a.m. at the Lake Waccamaw campground pavilion. This Sunday, Aug. 13, the speaker will be Jeremy Simmons.
As schools across Columbus County ramp up to open their doors for the 2023-2024 academic year, the Columbus Baptist Association is putting out a call to volunteers to help with the Backpack Buddies ministry. The first packing party will be on Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. The purpose of the ministry is to help feed at risk children over the weekend who may not have a meal again until they return to school on Monday. The backpacks are sent home on Friday afternoons with the kids. The event will be held at the CBA located at 208 South Thompson Street in Whiteville. Backpacking parties are held each month during the school year. 
The food pantry at Abundant Life Assembly of God will be open on Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10-11:30 a.m. The church is located at 5384 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville. The ministry is also accepting donations of dried and canned goods and personal hygiene products. Their website is https://www.loc8nearme.com/north-carolina/whiteville/abundant-life-assembly-of-god/7681067/.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Animal Protective Services will be back once again this summer for their annual Family Fur Day. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 19, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Columbus County Fairgrounds. This is the facility’s second year hosting the celebration. APS will not be hosting a rabies vaccination clinic at Family Fur Day this time, but instead, they will be focusing on getting the animals currently housed at the shelter adopted. Adoption fees will be half price at the event. Dog adoptions will be $67.50, and the fees for a cat will be $37.50. The price includes vaccines, dewormer, and a spay/neuter voucher.
Families and their pets are invited to come out and enjoy other activities during the outing. Bouncy houses, food trucks, and games will be set up and animals will be available for meet and greets while searching for their furever homes. For more information about Family Fur Day, call APS at 910.641.3945 or stop by the facility Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Columbus County Fairgrounds can be found at 866 Prison Camp Road in Whiteville. 
The Columbus County Cooperative Extension is offering a baking class for kids. The youngsters ages 8-15 will be learning how to make chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and royal icing on Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the extension office at 45 Government Complex Drive in Whiteville. Registration must be completed online at http://v2.4honline.com, and fees must be paid at the facility before a spot can be secured. For instructions or more information about the baking class, call 910.640.6605.
There will be a ribbon cutting for the new Tabor City School on Thursday, Aug. 24. The $3 million facility will consolidate 550 students from both elementary and middle grades on Aug. 28 when Columbus County begins their 2023-2024 academic year.
Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue in Fair Bluff will have another workday this month on Aug. 26 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. You must be 18 years old or older to use tools and climb ladders. If you would like to volunteer at Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue, find out more information, make a donation, or become a sponsor, you can contact Rhonda Billeaud, co-chairman for Shizzy’s, by phone at 910.840.1886. You can also send her an email at rhondabilleaud@shizzyswildcatrescue.org. The full summer schedule for Shizzy’s can be found here.
Fair Bluff has announced they will have their first ever Saturday Community Market. The market will be every Saturday, weather permitting, at Riverside Drive in front of the Riverwalk starting at 8 a.m. Farmers, crafters, yard sellers, flea marketers, and vendors are invited to peddle wares like baked goods, canned goods, produce, flowers, crafts, and new and used items on market days. Set-up will begin at 7:30 a.m. and spots are $10 each. Participants must provide their own table, chairs, tents, and booth equipment. For more information, call Lou Horne at 910.833.4772.
The Milk B4 Meat outreach ministry will be presenting ‘Night of Praise’ on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 6-10 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Park of America. Several local churches will bring their praise teams and leaders for a night of unity and worship. To find out more, message the Milk B4 Meat organization via Facebook. The park is located at 6354 James B. White Highway South in Whiteville.
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