Operation Santa Cause hosting poker runs ahead of Christmas

CLAY COUNTY – Christmas may be more than three months away, but for Operation Santa Cause it’s never too early to start its preparation.
The nonprofit group will host its Ride with Santa Poker Run on Sunday at American Legion Post 250 in Middleburg, Howlin Wolf Bar in Melrose and Boogerville Hideout in Green Cove Springs at 10 a.m.
The ride will raise money to provide toys for children of Florida National Guard and Gold Star families. EXIT Realty Corp. International and EXIT Realty will match funds up to $5,000.
Santa will be at the American Legion offering rides from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while a vendor fair is scheduled for Boogerville.
The cost is $20 for each ridere and $10 for a passenger. Registraion starts at 9 a.m. and kick stands will go up at 10 a.m.
Food, vendors and live music will be at all three locations.
Prizes will be awarded for the best and worst hands, as well as a 50-50 drawing. For more information, contact Jeanne Scholl at (904) 945-4142 or at jeannescholl@gmailcom.

Baptist Medical Center Clay hosting job fair on Oct. 19
FLEMING ISLAND – Now that the Baptist Medical Center Clay is closer to its grand opening, the hospital is in need of employees.
The new 100-bed, six-floor, 300,000 square foot hospital is expected to bring about 700 new jobs to Clay County. To fill those vacancies, the hospital will host several job fairs.
The next hiring event will be on Oct. 19 from 2-6 p.m. at 2310 Village Square Pkwy. on Fleming Island.
For more information, email Bryce.mcgibeny@bmcjax.com.

Charlotte Mabry to perform at Penney Farms on Sept. 25
PENNEY FARMS – On Sunday, Sept. 25, Charlotte Mabry, former Principal Percussionist, with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra will perform her popular concert, “An Evening of 20th and 21st Century Music.” The performance will start at 7 p.m. With a Master’s in Music from the University of Illinois, she moved to Florida, in 1978, and was hired by JSO. Her concerts blend music, texts, movement and video. The concert will be held at Penney Memorial Church, 4465 Poling Blvd. in Penney Farms. The concert is free and on-street parking is available in the area around the church.

After-school programs
underway at Augusta Savage Museum and Mentoring Center
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Although classes already have started, officials at the Augusta Savage Museum and Mentoring Center are still accepting students for its after-school programs.
Classes include Art Workshop with Barbara Cornett on Thursdays (through Dec. 15), Introduction in Dance by Leslee Bryan on Tuesdays (through May 25), Dress for Success by Felecia Hampshire on Thursdays (through Nov. 10), Reading Tutoring by Cynthia Reese on Wednesdays (through November), Math Tutoring by Lucy Conrad on Tuesdays or Thursdays (through May), Counselor Tammy Rowson on Tuesdays, Dance by La’Farrah Davis on Mondays (through May 25).
More classes may be added to accommodate enrollment. For required registration forms, visit greencovesprings.com/AugustaSavageMuseumandMentoring Center.

OP Historical Society accepting
essays for Veterans Day
ORANGE PARK – The Historical Society of Orange Park will accept essays from Clay County students for its annual Veterans Day recognition.
There are three grade categories – fourth-through-sixth, seventh and eighth and ninth-through-12.
All entries should concentrate on the importance of celebrating Veterans Day and how veterans have made an impact in their neighborhoods, lives and towns.
The theme for the younger category is “Why are veterans special,” while seventh- and eighth-grade students will focus on “Write about an American who served in the U.S. military who inspires you” and the older division’s category will be “Why are the words ‘Duty, Honor, Country’ important today?
Winners will receive $50 (fourth-through-sixth), $75 (seventh and eighth) and $100 (ninth-through-12). For more information, visit ophistory.org.
Entries should be sent to info@ophistory.org and must be received by the Historical Society by Sept. 30. Winners will be announced on Oct. 28.

Free interior design class offered on Sept. 29
ORANGE PARK – sntHOME Silver Needle & Thread Home will host an interior design-home decorating and lifestyle event on Sept. 29 in Suite 31 at Wells Crossing on Wells Road.
The event is open and free to the public.
The program will offer motivation and inspiration for ideas to refresh, design, update or change the perspective of a room. Experts from a variety of fields will share their industry developments and updates.
Attendees will be introduced to resources to make them more at ease with changing the décor with confidence.
To sign up, visit snthome.com/events.

Boxer Weaver, wrestler Koko B. Ware coming to Soul Food Festival
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Weaver and WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Koko B. Ware will make appearances at this year’s Green Cove Springs Soul Food and Music Festival on Oct. 1.
The annual event will be at Vera Francis Hall Park, 1503 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. from noon to 7 p.m.
Weaver and Ware will meet residents from noon to 3 p.m.
The festival was established by a group of community volunteers called BATCOP – Breaking Away The Cycle of Pain” in 2002. The event now draws up to 5,000 attendees each year.
In addition to Weaver and Ware, there will be an assortment of food vendors, as well as dancing, children’s activities, entertainment and contests. For parade or vendor applications, visit greencovesprings.com/soul-food-festival, and for more information, visit www.gcssoulfood.net.
For advance tickets, contact statealertevents@gmail.com or call (904) 609-9363.

Clay Soil and Water Conservation District looking for supervisors
CLAY COUNTY – The Clay Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking people who wish to consider serving as Supervisors effective January 2023.
Supervisors are elected serving two-to-four years each term, but the two unfilled seats shall be appointed by the other three Supervisors according to State Statutes.
After the passing of Senate Bill 1078, the District is seeking anybody who is an eligible voter residing in Clay County and meets one of the following: actively engaged in, or retired after 10 years of being engaged in, agriculture as defined in Florida Statutes 570.02; employed by an agricultural producer; own, lease, or actively employed on land classified as agriculture under Florida Statutes 193.461.

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. To save even more time, both the form and donation have been made available in advance online.
The average household drops off about 55 pounds and donates $14 a visit. Considering that most drop-off shred sites charge more than $.50 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.

Thrasher-Horne puts show memorabilia on sale
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 programing.
Included in the items are items from Aaron Lewis, comedian Bill Engvall, The Highwaymen, Electric Light Orchestra Experience, LeAnn Rimes, the Oak Ridge Boys, Michael W. Smith, Pete the Cat, Ricky Nelson Remembered and The Young Irelanders.
Items range from $25 to $100, and they can only be picked up at the center.
For more information, call (904) 276-6815 or visit thcenter.org.


Clay County looking 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.