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Community Briefs 5/25/23

Posted 5/25/23

Jacksonville Jazz Festival hits stage this weekend JACKSONVILLE – Downtown streets and the Thrasher-Horne Center will be filled with drinks, food and, of course, music during this …

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Community Briefs 5/25/23


Posted

Jacksonville Jazz Festival hits stage this weekend
JACKSONVILLE – Downtown streets and the Thrasher-Horne Center will be filled with drinks, food and, of course, music during this weekend’s Jacksonville Jazz Festival.
The eight-day festival will include the All-Starz Dance Studio Recital and Company Showcase at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and Rick Springfield in concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, both at Thrasher-Horne.
Other events include Jumbo Shrimp games at 121 Financial Ballpark, jazz shows from 4-11 p.m. from Friday-through-Sunday and the Memorial Day Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Wall adjacent to TIAA Bank field from 8-10 a.m. on Monday.
Some of the featured musicians will include David Sanborn, Chaka Khan, Wyton Marsalis, Let’s Ride Jazz Band, Paris Winningham and The Pride, Eddie Palmieri, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Ron Carter’s Foursight Quartet, Carmen Lundy, Eric Roberson with Jeff Bradshaw, Cece Teneal, LPT, Ulysses Owens Jr., Generation Y, U.S. Army Ambassadors Jazztet, Pieces of a Dream, Marcus Miller, Larry Carlton, Shawn Pfaffman, The Big Band, Linda Cole and Joshua Bowlus, Shemekia Copeland, Samaa Joey and Charlie Wilson. The complete schedule can be found at jacksonvillejazzfest.com.

Memorial Day ceremony
returns to Magnolia Cemetery
ORANGE PARK – The Town will remember fallen service members during its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 29.
The event will be at the Veterans Memorial near the front entrance at 9 a.m.
The public is encouraged to honor and remember fallen soldiers.
Clay PAL hosting free
cheerleading camp on June 3
ORANGE PARK – Need something to cheer about? Then plan on sending your daughter to the free Clay Athletic League cheerleading camp on June 3 at Walter Odum Park. Registration isn’t required. Just show up at 9 a.m. at 450 Parkwood Dr. and plan on learning about jumps, chants, basic tumbling and beginner stunts. The camp is open to anyone between 4-14 (as of July 31).
Girls can wear T-shirts, gym shorts or laggings. No crop tops will be allowed. Everyone is encouraged to bring plenty of water.

Friends of GCS Library to meet on May 30 at Magnolia Point
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The Friends of the Green Cove Springs Library will have their general meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30, at the Magnolia Point Golf Club. All members and people interested in becoming new members are invited. Tell the guard at the main gate that you’re attending the Friends of the Library meeting, and they’ll direct you to the club.

Boater Skip Day to set sail on June 2 at Bayard Point
FLEMING ISLAND – Work on your best sick day excuses now to be ready for Boater Skip Day on June 2, south of the Shands Bridge on the St. Johns River.
The unofficial holiday where people play hooky and spend the day on the sandbar. According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, last year’s event attracted as many as 300 boats.
While there’s no official start time, most boats will start setting anchor about 9 a.m.

Teens can work out for free this summer at Planet Fitness
CLAY COUNTY – Starting May 15, teens 14-to-17 years old can work out at Planet Fitness for free during the summer.
In addition, the company will be giving away $200,000 in scholarships.
There are three Planet Fitness clubs in Clay County – 1980 Wells Road and 700 Blanding Boulevard, both in Orange Park, and 1514 County Road 220 on Fleming Island.

Winn-Dixie shoppers can earn $20 in groceries by getting vaccines
CLAY COUNTY – Seven Winn-Dixie stores in the county are offering $20 in free groceries if they receive two vaccinations on the same day at their in-store pharmacies to further encourage customers and their families to get up to date on routine vaccinations. Winn-Dixie’s trained pharmacists can administer a variety of recommended vaccines to help keep communities healthy and safe while traveling during the summer months with friends and loved ones.
In accordance with recently updated CDC and FDA guidelines1, SEG is now administering additional COVID-19 bivalent mRNA doses for those who qualify. Customers are encouraged to talk to their pharmacists if they have any questions regarding an additional bivalent mRNA dose.
To receive the free grocery offer, customers can walk up to a Winn-Dixie in-store pharmacy or make an appointment online to get two vaccines of their choice on the same day to receive a voucher for $20 in free grocerie2. These include more than 15 vaccine options such as pneumonia, meningitis, shingles, Tdap and COVID-19 doses.
The offer is available through June 30.
For more information on available vaccinations, visit winndixie.com/pharmacy/vaccines.

Paranormal Cirque III to set up tent at Orange Park Mall
ORANGE PARK – Slow down so you can take it all in, but if you scare easily, you might want to run when the Paranormal Cirque comes to the Orange Park Mall from May 25-28.
Under the Clown Castle, the back and big red top tent, acrobats of the air, illusionists, freaks, mysterious creatures and all the elements that make one think of a “normal” circus but that of ordinary have very little.
A new show with breathtaking implications always poised between fun and those most uninhibited fear that will transport you to a dark world inhabited by creatures with incredible circus art abilities.
A crazy yet fun fusion between circus, theater and cabaret in perfect harmony with the evolution of a show that brings you back to when we dream – when we had nightmares and fantasies.
A parent must accompany children between 13 and 17 years old. Nobody younger than 13 will be allowed to the show.
Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on May 25 and 26; 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on May 27; and 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on May 28.
For tickets, visit paranormalcirque.com or by calling (941) 704-8572.

Active, retired federal employees to meet monthly
ORANGE PARK – As the only organization dedicated to the general welfare of all federal workers and retirees, the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees delivers valuable guidance, timely resources and powerful advocacy.
Clay County Chapter 141 meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Orange Park Library at 2054 Plainfield Ave. at 12:30 p.m. Each gathering consists of a short business meeting and a presentation.
Since NARFE’s founding in 1921, the association’s mission has been to defend and advance America’s civil servants earned pay and benefits. Today, NARFE’S team of professional lobbyists continues to work tirelessly on behalf of the federal community. Supported by grassroots advocates, NARFE is a leading voice in Washington and across the country, although often unknown to our active and retired local civil servants and postal personnel.
Federal benefits and retirement plans are unique, complex and subject to change. NARFE provides federal workers and retirees with the precise, reliable and accessible counsel they need to make critical decisions and gain confidence in a secure future.

Mission of the Dirt Road offering free showers
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – Adults can sign up for free showers on Tuesdays and Fridays at the Mission of the Dirt Road, 7790 State Road 100.
Adults can utilize the services from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Families with children can get free showers on Tuesdays from 4-6 p.m. Showers are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Residents are required to sign up during the day of the shower. To make a reservation, call or text (601) 568-3473.

Thrasher-Horne: Show memorabilia on sale to fund future shows
ORANGE PARK –Signed posters, flyers and banners from recent acts at the Thrasher-Horne Center are on sale at the center’s box office at 483 College Dr. in Orange Park.
The money will go to the Thrasher-Horne Center Annual Fund to provide financial assistance for future programs.
Included in the items are items from the shows by Rumours, Always Patsy, Elvis, Craig Morgan, comedian Bill Engvall, Diamond Rio, Electric Light Orchestra Experience, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Pete the Cat, Ricky Nelson Remembered, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Young Irelanders, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, 1964, Dragons and Mythical Beasts, Brass Transit, Champions of Magic, Sara Evans and Melissa Etheridge.
Items range from $5 to $50, and they can only be picked up at the center.
The center also is selling tickets and gift certificates for upcoming shows
For more information, call (904) 276-6815 or visit thcenter.org.

Shred For Good: Challenge Enterprises offers shredding drop-off
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Shred for Good hosts Residential Shred Drop-Off events for the benefit of individuals that don’t have an ongoing need for regular shredding service. During the drop-off events every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon, participants may deposit their sensitive documents in secure and locked bins at 3530 Enterprise Way in Green Cove Springs. The bins are then securely transported to the Shred for Good facility, where it is destroyed.
After a six-month shutdown for the pandemic, Shred for Good rolled out a rebooted Residential Shred Drop Off Program in October 2020. On the first day, 92 households were able to destroy 5,116 pounds of sensitive materials in just two hours. Each one of these events is focused on convenience for the consumer and streamlined processes for the staff.
Residential consumers now follow the signs to the drop zone, complete a short form, donate and drive away without ever having to leave their vehicle. Both the form and donation have been made available online in advance to save time.
The average household drops off about 55 pounds and donates $14 a visit. Considering that most drop-off shred sites charge more than 50 cents a pound, the Shred for Good’s Residential Shred Drop-Off Program at $.26/pound is a cost-effective alternative for the community it serves.
Business and Commercial customers, please call (904) 252-9786 to schedule a pickup using one of our secure bins.

Clay County eager to fill several job openings
CLAY COUNTY – The Board of County Commissioners is looking for a few good people – make that a lot of good people.
The county posted several job openings, including animal control officer, building inspector, deputy director of engineering, engineering specialist, equipment operator, firefighter/EMT, grants administration analyst, grounds maintenance technician, HVAC technician, kennel attendant, laborer, permit services technician, veterans’ services officer and 4-H young development extension agent (apply through the University of Florida).
For more information, click the Career Opportunities tab on the county’s website, www.claycountygov.com.