1communityannouncements

Funding Available for Organic Producers
Alabama farmers transitioning to organic agriculture or those who are certified organic have
the opportunity to receive assistance for applying conservation practices through the
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative. Applications are being
accepted through March 12. While this is a continuous signup, applications for 2010 funding
must be received by the cut-off date.
To be eligible for EQIP organic assistance, producers are required to develop and carry out an
Organic System Plan. Approved applicants may receive up to $20,000 per year not to exceed
$80,000 in a 6 year period.
Interested producers should visit their nearest USDA Service Center to determine eligibility.
Individuals are not eligible for EQIP until they have completed the Farm Bill eligibility
requirements. Contact your local NRCS or Farm Service Agency Office to begin this process.
NRCS field offices are listed in the telephone directory under U.S. Department of Agriculture or
on-line at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov.
Community Foundation Grant Applications Available
The Community Foundation of West Alabama announces its Spring Grant Cycle. Grant
applications for the community grants are available for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations only.
Applications must be postmarked no later than April 1. Those interested are encouraged to
download the grant applications from our website at www.thecfwa.org or you may call the
CFWA office at 366-0698.
Boy Scout Membership Campaign for Sumter County
The 2010 Boy Scout membership campaign for Sumter County is in process and there will be a
banquet for those contributing to the campaign on March 16 at 6 p.m. The banquet will be held
at the Bell Conference Center at UWA. The guest speaker will be the UWA head football coach
Bobby Wallace.
Anyone that would like to attend the banquet and has not made a pledge to the scout
campaign can call a member committee member and pledge a minimum of $35.00 per person
to attend the dinner. Contact any of the following membership committee: Jimmy Collins 652-
6909, Tommy Bryan 652-9636, Fred Walburn 499-3915, Johnny Meadows 652-2350, Allen
Tartt 652-7323, Grant Buck 652-9694, Dr. Richard Holland 652-3527. All reservations must be
made by March 6.
Livingston First Baptist Church Kids Musical
All children of grades 1-6 are invited to participate in a new musical that leaders have begun at
Livingston First Baptist Church. Kids may come at 4 p.m. to practice and be involved in
activities geared toward learning script and lively songs of "Truth Works," by Nan and Dennis
Allen. The musical is centered around sports scenarios and the choices that kids have to
make in everyday situations. At 5 p.m. the learning changes to Bible skills classes. Snacks will
be served. There is also a class for Kindergarten children. If transportation to these events is
needed, you may call the church office at 652-2261 during the week.
SBA EIDL Deadline Approaching
The U.S. Small Business Administration reminds small businesses affected by the excessive
rains and flooding the began in March 2009 in Barbour, Henry, Houston and Russell counties
in Alabama of the March 22 deadline to file applications for loan assistance. The SBA’s
Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, with loan amounts up to $2 million with a 4 percent
interest rate for businesses and 3 percent for non-profit organizations, is available to entities
that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster.
Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible
farm-related and nonfarm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this
disaster.
The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its
financial resources. Terms can be up to 30 years based on each applicant’s financial
condition. These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts
payable, and other expenses that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred. The
loans are not intended to replace lost sales or profits.
Disaster loan information and application forms may be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer
Service Center 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) Monday through
Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.
gov. Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA’s Web site at www.sba.
gov/services/disasterassistance. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small
Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort
Worth, TX 76155.
Those affected by the disaster may apply for disaster loans from SBA’s secure Web site at
https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.
Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than March 22.
T-Ball Registration
Monday, March 22, 5:30 p.m. at the Livingston Civic Center. Cost is $35.00 per child (includes
cap, jersey, trophy, and end of year party). Ages 3-5. Head coaches are needed. If interested
in coaching please attend meeting for further discussion.
First Presbyterian Church of Livingston Commemorative Inscription
The First Presbyterian Church of Livingston is offering the opportunity to place an inscribed
paver to commemorate loved ones in the pavilion area of our future playground development.
The projected completion date of this project is the summer of 2010. Order forms are available
at the church or you may call (205) 652-2550 to have a form mailed to you. All orders must be
received by Sunday, March 21.
Alabama State Spelling Bee
The Alabama State Spelling Bee will be held Saturday, March 6th at Oak Mountain High School
in Hoover from 12- 4 p.m. There will be 59 students competing in the Bee, including
representatives from fifty-eight schools from across the state. The winner of the State Spelling
Bee will represent Alabama in the national competition in Washington on May 31- June 6, which
will be broadcast live on the ABC Television Network.
YWE Read Across America “Grab a Hat, Read with the Cat!”
Make a donation: We are asking each homeroom teacher to coordinate a fundraising activity
in their classroom. The class that collects the most money will be given a book voucher to
purchase books from the book fair.
Grandparents Day Out! We will invite all grandparents to come out to the book fair and buy a
book for their grand child/children on Wednesday, March 10. The class that has the most
grandparents to come and buy from the fair will be given a prize.
Book Fair-March 8-12 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Teachers dress as a book character. Coordinate this activity with your class. You may choose
a story and have your class portray the story through dress.
Parade of the characters- 11:15 a.m. around the campus- stop at the library for pictures.
Decorate Halls, Doors, Classrooms--“Make it Seuss on the Hill”!
We have all sorts of teaching ideas, books and activities for Read across America. Check at
your library!
Christian Valley Baptist Church Annual Spring Revival
The membership of Christian Valley Baptist Church is inviting everyone to come out and
worship with us at our Annual Spring Revival starting at 7 p.m. Sunday night March 7 and
continuing nightly at the same time through Wednesday night March 10. Our guest preacher
will be Pastor Allen Atkins from the Fairhaven Baptist Church. Our membership would like to
invite everyone to attend and then join us after each service for a time of snacks and
fellowship!
2nd Annual Panola Community Hayride & Family Fun Day
Come out to the Panola Community Center on Claude Jackson Road in Panola March 20
beginning at 10 a.m. for the second annual Panola Community Hayride and Family Fun Day.
There will be free food, hay rides, horse back rides, 4-wheelers, tractor rides and fun!
Sponcered by the Tri-County Trial Riders.
RHC presents The Dixie Swim Club
The Alabama Rural Heritage Center will present "The Dixie Swim Club" on the Gallery Stage
March 5 and 6 at 7 p.m. and a Matinee on March 7 at 2:30 p.m. The Dixie Swim Club is a story
about five southern women whose friendships began years ago on their college swim team.
These unforgettable women rely on each other to get through the challenges that life flings at
them in this hilarious and touching comedy.   Tickets are $12.00 and seating is limited so you
are encouraged to pre-purchase your tickets by calling 334-627-3388 or 334-627-3434.
Art and Gardens at Coleman Centers First Saturday
Come to the Coleman Center for 1st Saturday on March 6 from 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. Activities will
include Saturday Art Club events with Garland Farwell and a meeting of the Coleman Center’s
Garden Club with Suzanne Hagood. All events are free and open to the public! Please come
out and join the fun! For more information contact the Coleman Center for the Arts, 205-392-
2005, colemancenter@gmail.com.
Tablescapes Event Coming Again to Livingston
At least 15 local and area individuals or groups plan to provide tablescapes this year at
Livingston First Baptist Church on March 14. Since the event last year was so well attended
(over 100 came), groups met recently to decide on planning this year’s luncheon. The meal will
be catered, LFBC youth will serve and a special inspirational Women’s speaker and humorist
will come to encourage the attendees. Special music will be provided by Janice Poole of
Emelle. Theme for this year is “Treasures of the Heart,” and the tables will be decorated to
suggest scripture verse thoughts. Tickets are $10 and are available from the group members
who are providing tablescapes or from Muriel Powell 652.7500 at the Bigbee Baptist
Associational Office. One may also secure information from Lenora Hamrick at 652.2429 or
Mary Alice Snider at 652.7853.
Individuals from area communities and churches, from Cuba to Eutaw, Alabama are working on
table decorations. The planners are excited about this spring gathering and want to invite all
area women to put the date on their calenders: March 14 at 12:45 p.m. A nursery for young
children or babies will be provided.
The Story of a Tree
The Sumter County Fine Arts Council will present “The Story of a Tree” on Thursday, March 4
at 7:30 p.m. in Bibb Graves Auditorium on the University of West Alabama campus. “The Story
of a Tree” tells of a child brought to America for slavery. Rather than endure bondage, she
asks an ancestor to help transform her into a tree, thereby gaining her freedom.
Admission to the performance is free to SCFAC members and UWA students with student
identification. Tickets may be purchased at the door. General admission is $10 for adults and
$2 for students.
The Sumter County Fine Arts Council receives support from the Alabama State Council on the
Arts, from the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency), from the University of West
Alabama, and from other agencies, businesses and individuals. For further information on the
Sumter County Fine Arts Council, please visit www.scfac.uwa.edu.
UWA Offers Free Income Tax Preparation Through April 15
The University of West Alabama and the Greene/Sumter Enterprise Community, Inc. are
offering free income tax help until April 15 through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Program, sponsored by the IRS.
Through this program, UWA students and faculty will interview clients and prepare individual
state and federal income tax returns at no charge. VITA is designed to help individuals with
disabilities or with a low or limited income, as well as non-English speaking and elderly
taxpayers.
The VITA clinic will offer income tax return preparation services Mondays from 2-4 p.m.,
Wednesdays from noon-2 p.m., and Thursdays from 2-6 p.m. until April 15. Assistance is also
available by appointment. The VITA clinic is in Wallace Hall room 214 on the UWA campus.
Taxpayers should bring social security cards for themselves and their dependents, W-2 and
1099 forms, information for other income or deductions and credits, and a copy of last year’s
tax return when they visit the VITA clinic.
For more information or to make an appointment, please contact the VITA clinic at 205-652-
3846, 205-392-1166 or vita@uwa.edu.
Sumter County Soil & Water Conservation District Accepting Applications for Scholarship
The Sumter County Soil & Water Conservation District is now accepting applications for a
$500.00 scholarship sponsored by the Alabama Conservation District Employees Association.
Applicant must be a U. S. citizen, high school senior, and living in the State of Alabama.
Applications may be picked up at the District office located in the Federal Building, Room 202,
in Livingston. Deadline to receive completed applications in the District office is March 5,
2010. For more information, please contact Mandee Carrier at (205) 652-7521 or 652-6781..
Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District Poster and Essay Contests
The Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District will be sponsoring an essay contest
for all 7th – 12th grade students in Sumter County. The topic for this year is “Conservation
Habits = Healthy Habitats.” Each essay must include the youth’s name, address, grade,
school, and county, and be 300 – 500 words in length.
Winners in the senior level (10th – 12th) will receive $100 for first place, $75 for second place,
and $50 for third place. Junior level winners (7th – 9th) will receive $50 for first place, $35 for
second place, and $25 for third place. The deadline for the essays to be submitted is April 2.
For more information on the essay contest and a copy of the guidelines, please contact
Mandee Carrier at 652-7521.
The Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District is sponsoring a poster contest for
Kindergarten – Sixth Grade students in Sumter County. The topic for this year is
“Conservation Habits = Healthy Habitats.”
Poster paper will be provided to students who would like to participate in this contest. Groups
are divided as follows: Kindergarten – First Grade, Second – Third Grade, and Fourth – Sixth
Grade. The winner from each group will receive a $75 gift certificate from Wal-Mart, which will
be used to purchase supplies for his/her class.
The teacher of the winner will select the supplies for the class. In addition, the winner will
receive $25 from the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District.
All posters must be turned in by April 2. For more information on the poster contest and a
copy of the guidelines, please contact Mandee Carrier at 652-7521.