Calendar

Road to Recovery

Are you a cancer patient? Do you need a ride to and from your treatment sessions? A lack of transportation should not be the reason why cancer patients do not receive the life-saving cancer treatment they need. The American Cancer Society offers their Road to Recovery program to help transport cancer patients to and from their treatment. The Society has a toll-free number that you may call, and an operator will put you in touch with local volunteers that give cancer patients without personal transportation rides to and from their cancer treatment sessions. Give them a call at 1-800- ACS-2345.

Bereavement Support Group

Welcome to a community bereavement support group. A place to share your thoughts and feelings and grow together with others who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

First Thursday of every month

Where: United Community Bank, Community Room, Blairsville, Georgia

When: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.,

Third Thursday of every month

Where: Bank of Blairsville, Community Room, Blairsville, Georgia

When: 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Facilitator: Suzanne Repp, LCSW

The group is presented by Regency Hospice.

It is free of charge. Please call 1-800-577-8791 or 706-896-1251 for any further information.

GWRRA meets

Chapter J of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA) meets the fourth Saturday of each month at Daniel's Steakhouse, Hiawassee, GA. We eat at 11 AM followed by the meeting at 12:00 during which rides and other activities are announced and discussed.

We encourage current members of the GWRRA and anyone interested in becoming a member to join us. All motorcyclists are welcome and we look forward to seeing participants from other chapters. There are great rides coming up and we hope many of you will join us.

For further information, contact Chapter Director, June Gottlieb, 706-896-7403

Tri-State Business Women

Formerly known as Business Women of Blairsville, the Tri-State Business Women is an organization of entrepreneurial women in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee who own and operate their own businesses and are a positive force in the community. Their vision and mission is to support one another in continuing success through networking and marketing.

If you are a woman in business in the area, there is a place for you to receive support, gain leads, and spread the word about your practice or business in the area.

Meetings are held every Tuesday of the month at 8 a.m. at Cook's Restaurant in Blairsville. For more information, please contact Susanne Johnson, President, at 706-781-1678 or Cathy Wheeler at 706-781-1050.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group

Prostate Cancer Support Group- 3rd Monday of every month from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at The Cancer Treatment Center Auditorium, 750 Deep South Road, Blairsville.

Blairsville Parkinson's Disease support group

Our group meets at 3 p.m. on the 2nd Wednesday of each month in the conference room of the Union County Public Library. For further information contact Paula Wilde at (706) 745- 6594 or Peter and Helen Schultze at (706) 745- 9171. The Experimental Aircraft Association

The Experimental Aircraft Association - local tri-state EAA Chapter #1211 meets the third Thursday, 7 p.m. of each month at Blairsville airport. For more information, contact Jim Olson at 828- 557-2446.

Alcoholics Anonymous

Blairsville group meets every Monday and Wednesday night at 8 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. at the Mountain Presbyterian Church on Hwy. 515. For more information call 706-994-4462.

T.O.P.S.

TOPS (Take Pounds Off Sensibly) wants you to make your own kind of music meeting place: Church of Christ. Time weigh in 5:00; meeting starts at 5:30. Join in the fun and get in the the music mood. Come and see what it's all about. For more information, call Trisha 706-781-5190, or Sandy at 706-745-1607.

Men's Morning Coffee Group

Regency Hospice announces Men's Morning Coffee Group at Mary Ann's Restaurant.

For men who have a lost spouse, partner, or experienced other losses and would like to share with other men, please join us on Tuesday at 10 a.m. We meet the first and third Tuesday morning of each month.

For more information call Suzanne Repp, Bereavement Counselor at Regency Hospice in Hiawassee, Ga., at 800-577-8791.

Ga. Mtn. Writers Club

We meet 10 a.m. to noon the second Wednesday of the month at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church on the Young Harris Highway.

We have no membership dues or elected officers and meet to share our writings and provide helpful criticism, inspiration, motivation and encouragement to each other.

Everyone is welcome. You do not have to be a writer - just visit and enjoy listening to readings and discussion. You will be entertained - and maybe acquire a new interest.

Call for information: Larry Casey at 781-6636 or Ellie Dobson at 745-0678.

Attention HAMs and wannabe HAMs

North Georgia Tri-State A.R.C. (Amateur Radio Club) meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Branan Lodge in Blairsville. All of our meetings are open to the public.

For more information about joining the Club or becoming a HAM, call Don Deyton at 706-781- 6665.

Knights of Columbus, North Georgia Council

Knights of Columbus, North Georgia Council, monthly meeting is on the second Thursday of the month and meets 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Blairsville. All active members are invited to attend the meeting and social hour.

School Prayer Group

On Mondays from 8:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., the Community Room at the Bank of Blairsville is open for Christians willing to join together in earnest prayer for our community's public, private and home schools. Drip in as your schedule permits.

"Pour out your heart like water

before the face of the Lord. Lift

your hands toward Him for the life

of your young children."

Lamentations 2:19 Call Mitzi Brumley at 706-745-9175 for more information.

Winter Storytime

From December until May there is a new time at the Union County Library for Storytime with Linda M. Foster. Each Monday at 12 Noon, all ages are welcome! Please join us starting December 3. Call 706-745-7491 for more information.

New Cancer Support Group

At the United Community Bank in Hayesville, N.C. Patients, families and friends are all welcome to attend. United Community Bank is located at the corner of Hwy. 64 and Hwy. 69. Meeting time is 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The group will meet twice a month (on the 2nd and 4th Mondays). For more information, please call Janet Curns evenings at 828-389-0295.

MOAA

The Blue Ridge Mountains Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) meets the third Monday of each month at various area restaurants. All active duty, retired and reserve military and public health service officers are invited to attend.

For information please contact one of the following individuals, in North Carolina: Jim Ferrell at 828- 835-9203 and in Georgia: Jim Reynolds at 706-379-6601.

Union County Republican Party

Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Union County Library in Blairsville. For more info visit website at www.uniongop.org

Bereavement Support Group- TCF

Bereavement support group for parents that have lost a child. TCF Chapter meets at the Blairsville Library on the fourth Thursday of the month from 7:30- 9:00 p.m. Contact information Kathy Malone 770-826-8052.

Narcotics Anonymous Weekly Meetings List

Mondays - 7 p.m. 12-Step meeting at Union County Annex Building located at 71 Hospital Street. This is an open meeting. Union County Anti-Drug Coalition

Tuesdays - 4 p.m. Open discussion meeting at Towns County Avita Community Partners. Meet at 1100 Jack Dayton Circle, Young Harris, Ga.

Tuesdays - 7 p.m. Discussion meeting at Union County Annex Building & New Hope Counseling at 71 Hospital St.

Wednesdays - 6 p.m. Open discussion meeting at Union County Avita Community Partners. 41 Hospital St., Suite 100, Blairsville.

Fridays - 8 p.m. Open discussion meeting at Union County Annex & New Hope Counseling, 71 Hospital St.

All the meetings are open & anyone can attend. For more information regarding any of these meetings, please call 706-897- 9775, 706-896-6263 or 706-745- 4066.

Bagpipe Instruction

The Appalachian Saint Andrew's Pipes and Drums bagpipe band is offering free instruction to all who want to learn how to play the Great Highland Bagpipe or learn Regimental Drumming. The band meets each Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon in the Parish Hall of Saint Clare's Episcopal Church for instruction and practice. For further information, please call 706-835-9071 or 706-745-3526.

Business Expo

The Tri-State Business Women, a non-profit organization composed of female business owners in this area, is sponsoring a Business Expo at North Georgia Technical College (Blairsville campus) on Saturday, May 17. This Expo will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will showcase businesses from all over this area. Admission to this event will be free to the public.

If you are interested in having a booth at the Expo, please contact Cathy Wheeler at The Vacuum Store at 706-781-1050. Exhibitors are encouraged to pass out information, collect lead lists, give away door prizes and even sell products. Booths are $100, which includes tables and chairs, electricity and an extensive advertising campaign advertising your presence there. The money raised from this project will go toward funding guest speakers and education seminars for small businesses in this area.

Vendors needed for Spring Festival

Sell your crafts, antiques, garage sale items and more; Saturday, May 24 (Memorial Day Saturday) in the parking lots of Blue Ridge Methodist Church, downtown Blue Ridge (across from the park). 10x12 booth for $50+10%.

Space is limited so call today! Contact: Pat Hanson at 706-632- 8102 or e-mail: mphanson@tds.net for more info.

Downtown Development Authority of Blairsville

Public Notice of meeting date changes. The Downtown Development Authority of Blairsville has changed the date of the remaining board meetings for 2008. They will hold the monthly board meetings on the 1st Thursday of each month. All meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Downtown Development Authority office, 100 Hospital St. (Hunt- 2008 Summer Tennis Camps Dates Announced!

Camp 1: June 16-19 Camp 2: July 28-31

Both camps are intended for players of ALL levels and will include instruction, games, match play, and more! Kids will be instructed by Coach Alli Hillman, along with the help of collegiate tennis players. Each camp will last from 8:30am-12:30pm, Mon-Thur. Camps will be held at Young Harris College. For more information or to receive a registration form, contact Alli Hillman at 706-897-6103 or email ahillman@yhc.edu.

Mountain High Hikers Schedule

Mountain High Hikers schedule tow hikes each Tuesday, occasionally specialty hike, and regular trail maintaining trips- all in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina and Georgia.

Check the web site: MountainHighHikers.org for schedule and meeting locations or call 828-389-8240 for information.

Tip to raise funds

The youth group from Antioch Baptist Church will be serving you at Cook's Country Kitchen. The kids and volunteer adults are asking for your support as they raise money to help underprivileged families and children this summer on a missions trip that will take them to Nashville, Tenn.

Please come to Cook's on May 16 from 4 p.m. until close to support this missions trip.

Kiwanis Club of Blairsville

The Kiwanis Club of Blairsville is dedicated to serving and supporting young people in the immediate area around Blairsville through numerous projects. The Kiwanis Club meets at the Cobb's Mill restaurant in Blairsville at 12:00 Noon each Monday. Come join in the fun with us. For more information, contact President Charlie Krick at (706)781-6793.

Chamber of Commerce Spring Meeting

The Blairsville Union County Chamber of Commerce will hold its Spring Membership Meeting on Monday, May 19, 2008 at 12:00 pm. The luncheon meeting will take place at North Georgia Technical College Conference Center. This event provides the perfect vehicle for the Chamber to maintain productive lines of communication with the membership. The speaker for this meeting is Glen Wilkins, Public Affairs Representative for Wal-Mart.

The 2008 Spring Membership Meeting is open to all Chamber Members and is sponsored by Wal- Mart.

Castaway Critters Pet Rescue - Annual Yard Sale

Lots of everything, Saturday, May 17 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Bitter Creek Market and Woodpecker - 5024 Young Harris Hwy., Blairsville.

Proceeds from the yard sale will assist in the spay-neuter program for cats and dogs. We are a no kill shelter.

To donate household items call 706-745-1216.

Democratic Party Rally

The Democratic Committee of the Ninth Congressional District is holding a rally on Saturday, May 17 in Blue Ridge, Ga. The Old Timers' Homecoming Day will kick off at 12 noon at Pete's Pavilion on Hwy 5, one mile north of Hwy 515 (turn right at McDonald's.) Five dollars will get you beans, greens and all the fixins! Michael Thurmond, Commissioner of Labor, will be the Master of Ceremonies. Come and meet the U.S. Senate candidates and also Dr. Jeff Scott, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives for the Ninth Congressional District. For more information, please contact Nelson Thomas at 706-835-5203.

Benefit Rummage and Bake Sale May 17

The United Methodist Women of Sharp Memorial United Methodist Church in Young Harris, GA, are sponsoring a Rummage and Bake Sale on Saturday, May 17, from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the UMW mission emphasis project for this year - the support of a children's orphanage in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan. Come and see what treasures you can find! Sharp Memorial UMC is located on Highway 76/515, at the entrance to Young Harris College.

DAV

The Disabled American Veterans meet monthly on the second Monday of each month at noon in the Old Nursing Home, Room 116, in Blairsville. Please join them.

Handbell Ringers Perform Again on May 16 & 18

The Brasstown Ringers will be performing at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 16 at All Saints Lutheran Church in Blairsville, and at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 18 at Copperhill Methodist Church in Copperhill, Tenn. All are welcome to attend.