Guidelines for Best Bets

Best Bets items may be submitted up to two weeks in advance and are subject to editing. Items must be received by 1 p.m. to run the following day. Items must be submitted via e-mail or U.S. Postal Service. All submissions must be typed and may be e-mailed to newsroom@itemonline.com. Handwritten submissions will seldom be accepted.

Best Bets announcements are for non-profit and community groups wishing to announce a specific event. We will not run submissions which do not fit the guidelines of Best Bets not mentioned here. Best Bets is based on space availability. We do not guarantee that any announcement will run every day, or on any specific day. Questions regarding Best Bets should be directed to Lindsey Vaculin at (936) 295-5407 ext. 3052, or Jay Ermis at (936) 295-5407 ext. 3025.



ANNOUNCEMENTS



HEARTS accepting cars HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas is still accepting cars (running or not) as a donation. Tax receipts will be given. These proceeds will help defray the cost of furnishing the new museum. Call (936) 295-5959 for more information.



Senior hot meals Come join the Senior Center of Walker County at the New Waverly Public Library in the Community Room every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for games and a hot meal. This is for senior adults age 60 and older. Donations gladly accepted. For more information, call the Senior Center at (936) 295-6151.   



Volunteers needed The Senior Center/ Meals-on-Wheels of Walker County needs volunteers to provide the next meal “so no senior goes hungry.” Volunteers are needed to assist with answering phones, meal service, activities at the center and deliver home meals. For more information, contact Barbara McGilberry at (936) 295-6151.



Dance Classes Free dance classes for seniors are offered every Thursday from 6-7 p.m. in SHSU Dance Studio 104 (AB III). The only requirement is that you be AARP age or older. No experience is expected and partners are not necessary. Come for an educational and amusing evening of dance, exercise, and fellowship. The Prime Time Dancers are supported in part by the Huntsville Arts Commission, the SHSU Dance Program and the City of Huntsville. For information, call Dr. Cindy Gratz at (936) 294-1311.



Accepting flags The American Legion Post No. 95 in Huntsville, located at 1919 Industrial Dr., is always accepting worn or damaged American flags. If you have an American flag that is in need of disposal please drop it off in our patriotically painted mailbox and we will be sure that it is disposed of properly. The mailbox is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for drop-offs. For more information, contact the Legion at (936) 291-0129 after 4 p.m.  



Celebrate Recovery Celebrate Recovery meets every Monday night at 7 p.m. Come join the Christ-centered, 12-step recovery group each Monday night at Huntsville Community Church, 2514 Sam Houston Ave. Men and women with addictions of any kind are invited, family members also welcome. Contact John or Donna at (936) 291-0975.



Project After Prom needs volunteers Project after Prom 2010 has begun and is looking for parent volunteers. Huntsville High School senior parents interested in being involved with Project After Prom 2010 please send your information to ProjectafterProm2010@live.com.



Mother’s Day Out Huntsville Pentecostal Church sponsors Mother’s Day Out every Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call (936) 662-1996 for more information.



Bridge Players Every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Carriage Inn will host bridge for anyone interested. If you are a bridge player or if you are already in a bridge group, call James at (936) 295-0600. Refreshments will be provided and prizes will be given.



Swing Dance Club A West Coast Swing Dance club meets every Tuesday from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the Jolly Fox in Huntsville. Call Mel at (936) 577-9860 for more information.



Angel Food Ministries Looking for a way to stretch your grocery dollar. Angel Food Ministries can help. You can feed a family of four for $4.30 a day. Angel Food Ministries offers great quality food at reduced prices, you get about $60-$70 worth of food for $31. There is a different menu every month. The food box includes fresh meats, like steaks, ground beef and chicken, you get vegetables and usually some type of pasta, a dozen eggs and a dessert. There are also monthly specials of steak boxes, chicken boxes, and fruit and vegetable boxes. There are no qualifications to purchase a box and no limit. You can get a copy of the current menu at the Huntsville Church of Christ Web site huntsvillecoc.com or at the building or at angelfoodministries.com. For more information, contact the Huntsville Church of Christ, Mike Ewing at (936) 436-9061 or (936) 577-4897 or the church office at (9360 295-3884.



Green Acres Green Acres of Huntsville would like to thank everyone who donated TVs. They are now looking for VCRs and DVD players to be donated along with any DVD or VHS movies. Please contact Larry Bilicki, maintenance director, or Cynthia Thomas, activity director, at (936) 295-6313. If possible, please drop items off at 1302 Nottingham, located off of Lake Road.



Free tax preparation Free income tax preparation by IRS certified volunteers from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday beginning Feb. 1 at the First Baptist Church, 1229 J Street, use 13th Street entrance. Call (936) 291-3441 for more information.



Lions Club Flag Project The Huntsville Lions Club will hold its 2010 Flag Project once again. Your contribution of $25 will help insure that the U.S. and Texas flags will be on display in downtown Huntsville 13 times throughout the year. Please mail donations to: 2010 Flag Project, Huntsville Lions Club, P.O. Box 67, Huntsville, TX 77342.



Rodeo Houston tickets The Walker County Area Go Texan has tickets available for sale on a first-come basis to Toby Keith on March 12, Friday, at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This is Walker County Night, the cost of tickets are $20 each. Tickets are also available for Crawfish Boil May 8 for $250 for a table of 10 or $30 for individual tickets. You can contact Jamie Batten at (936) 577-2308.



New Library Hours The Huntsville Public Library has announced its new operating hours effective Jan. 30. Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.



Open Studio The Wynne Home Arts Center will have open ceramic studio hours on Fridays until the end of February. The studio is equipped with a pottery wheel, kiln, tools and work tables. Clay will be available for purchase. The studio will be open from 2-7 p.m. with Galen Weise. Come by and get creative at the Wynne Home Arts Center. For more information, call (936) 291-5424.



YMCA Spring Soccer The Huntsville Family YMCA is now registering for our Spring Soccer League. Children must be 3-12 years old as of Jan. 1, 2010. Financial assistance is available for families that qualify. For more information please contact the Huntsville Family YMCA at (936) 295-8009.



HCT Volunteers Needed Huntsville Community Theatre relies on volunteers to continue its tradition of success. Several volunteers are needed now. Opportunities include acting, set construction, painting, wardrobe, props, stage management, and technical operations. Ushers and house managers are needed for every performance throughout the year. For information on how you can help HCT continue it's mission to provide reasonably priced live theater to Huntsville and the surrounding community please call (936) 291-7933.



Free counseling The Dr. Jack S. Staggs Counseling Clinic offers free counseling to individuals, couples, families, and children age 3 and older. The only requirement of the client is to continue therapy for an extended period of time. The counseling sessions are conducted by students in the graduate program and are supervised by counseling faculty. Special services offered by the clinic include play therapy for children and sand tray therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. Appointment hours are Monday through Thursday from 5-7 p.m. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the clinic at (936) 294-1121.



Black History Month Huntsville Memorial Hospital will be honoring Black History month in the month of February. Every Thursday soul food will be served in the cafeteria. The public is invited. You may call 291-4201 for information on what is being served, or you may pick up a menu in the cafeteria for that particular week.



EVENTS



Habitat for Humanity concert The Walker County Habitat for Humanity has scheduled a Valentine’s Day Concert on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the First Baptist Church. The concert will feature three local choirs: The Huntsville Community Senior Adult Choir directed by Harley Rex, the Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church choir under the leadership of Donial Williams, and the Huntsville Men’s Choir conducted by Norman Ward. There is no admission to the concert, free will offering will be accepted. Proceeds will go to Habitat. For more information, contact Harley Rex at (936) 295-2090.



Camellia Garden Tour A Camellia Garden Tour is being sponsored by the Coushatta Camellia Society on Sunday from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. at the homes of Morris and Jan Waller, 1623 River Oaks in Elkins Lake and Don and Jenny Marcotte, 11 Whippoorwill Drive in Huntsville. Representatives will conduct a tour of blooming plants, explain camellia culture, and offer a few plants for sale. The public is invited.



Genealogical Society Lock-In The Huntsville Public Library and Walker County Genealogical Society will host the annual Winter Lock-In on Sunday from 12:30-6 p.m. at the library, 1216 14th Street. The Lock-In will feature a special presentation from HEARTS Veterans Museum co-founder Charlotte Oleinik at 2 p.m., who will share her Veterans Museum knowledge, including how to investigate the military history of a loved one or ancestor. All computers will be available for research and members of the Society will be on hand to assist. Refreshments will be provided by Walker County Genealogical Society. The lock-in is free to all attendees. To register for the lock-in or for more information, go by the Huntsville Public Library or call (936) 291-5472 and ask for Denise.



WC Historical Commission The Walker County Historical Commission will meet Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Gibbs-Powell Home Museum, located at 1228 11th St. in Huntsville. The speaker will be Ben White, Web Society Vice President, who will speak about the purpose and history of the Web Society, SHSU students dedicated to history. Updates on the upcoming March 2 Texas Independence Day and General Sam Houston Birthday events at Oakwood Cemetery will also be discussed. All are welcome.



Blood Drive The Education Service Center, Region VI, 3332 Montgomery Road will host a blood drive on Monday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Montgomery Room.  Donors must be at least 17 years of age and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds or 16 years of age, weigh 122 pounds, and have parental consent.  Photo ID will be required.  More than 1,000 units of blood are needed daily; each unit can help as many as three people so your donation is needed and greatly appreciated. T-shirts will be available.  To make an appointment, please register on-line at http://www.eblooddrive.org or call 295-0278 or 661-5867.



Empty Bowls Soup Luncheon Huntsville’s Promise is hosting a soup luncheon at the Wynne Home Arts Center on Tuesday to raise funds for the three Walker County food banks and for the International Rescue Committee that is participating in relief efforts for the current crisis in Haiti. There is no charge for lunch, but donations are encouraged. Luncheon guests may assign their donations to the option of their choice, local food banks or Haiti relief or a combination of both. In addition to soup and bread, luncheon guests will receive a bowl that is to serve as a reminder that every day there are empty bowls somewhere in the world. A special selection of bowls are available by silent auction. Visit Wynne Home to see these lovely bowls and place your bid. The community is invited to begin selecting their bowls and making donations starting Feb. 2, which is when the bowls will go on display at Wynne Home. Contact Tamara Chasteen at (936) 661-1779 or woollady@hotmail.com for more information.



Fat Tuesday Knights of Columbus St. Thomas Council No. 7153 will host its annual Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) Chicken and Sausage Gumbo on Tuesday from 4:30-7 p.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Church at 1323 16th Street. Cost is donations only. For more information, contact Rory Losack at (936) 581-2458 or Fred Guillory at (936) 661-6633.



Booster Club meeting The February Booster Club Meeting has been moved to Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Field House. Nominations and elections of officers will take place at the next two meetings.



Valentine Round-up The Huntsville Christian Women’s Club invites you to its Valentine Round-Up luncheon on Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Elkins Lake Clubhouse in Huntsville. This is a guest luncheon, so gather up your husband or a friend and join us for lunch and fun. Bo Grounds will be guest singer. Cavender’s Boot City will show us the latest styles in boots, hats and accessories. Guest speakers will be Terry and Debbie Jo Holland. They own and operate a cattle ranch. He was a professional bull rider and competed in rodeos in the U.S. and across Canada, and he instructs bull riders. She is a graduate of A&M;, a mom, a ranch hand and manages their business (Mighty Bucky). The cost of the luncheon is $13 inclusive. For reservations and complimentary child care, call Terri at (936) 295-2030 on or before Feb. 15. Please honor your reservations. Huntsville CWC is sponsored by Stonecroft Ministries.



New Waverly Library public meeting The New Waverly Public Library Board of Directors will hold an open meeting to answer questions concerning USDA financial assistance for which the board has applied on Thursday. The assistance is need for the library to install a platform chair lift to the seconed floor.  This will enable the library to open this area to the public as we will be ADA compliant. The meeting will be held in the Community Room of the library beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25.  The public is encouraged to attend.



Metabolism Help Curves in Huntsville will be having a free hour session on Metabolism on Thursday at 1 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call the club at (936) 295-3900. This class is open to all.

 

‘Ondine’ The Sam Houston State University Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Ondine,” written by Jean Giraudoux and adapted by Maurice Valency, Feb. 17-20 at 8 p.m. each evening with a 2 p.m. matinee on Feb. 20. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for SHSU students and senior citizens. Group rates are available. Children under the age of three will not be admitted. For more information, call the University Theatre Center box office at (936) 294-1339.



Preschool Story Hour at the Library The Huntsville Public Library hosts Story Hour every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. This complimentary program promotes emergent reading skills for preschool aged children. Story Hour includes stories, songs, dance and finger plays and concludes with a craft activity. The theme for Feb. 18 will be “Stories by Jackie Urbanovic.” For more information visit the Library’s Web site at myhuntsvillelibrary.com or call the Library at (936) 291-5472.



Project After Prom There will be a Project After Prom meeting for all parents of HHS seniors, Class of 2010. This will be your chance to find out information and sign up to help. Parent support is crucial in a successful after Prom. The meeting will be held in the high school auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m. For more information, you may e-mail projectafterprom2010@live.com or contact Laura Nesselrode at (936) 661-6525. 



Chili Lunch fundraiser Forrest Masonic Lodge will have a Chili Lunch Fundraiser at the Masonic Temple, 1030 12th Street, on Friday, Feb. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $6. Carry-outs will be available. Funds raised from this event go to support the Lodge's Scholarship and Building Funds.



Hand Embroidery Group The Hand Embroidery Group of Huntsville will hold its monthly meeting on Feb. 20. There will be periodic demonstrations of different embroidery and examples and instructions for various stiches. Please come and enjoy the information and company. Anyone interested in hand embroidery is invited to attend and become and active memner. For more information, contact E.J. Williams at (936) 291-6821.



Soldier Care Packages Carriage Inn along with The Walker County Chamber of Commerce, Marie and Sam Martinez, the HEARTS Museum and the Huntsville Lions Club will be working together to help our soldiers in the line of duty with care packages. You can go to to http://operationmilitarypride.org/packages.html to find out what items are needed. This events will be taking place on Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Carriage Inn, located at 2805 Lake Road. Marie Martinez will be the speaker and we will be having refreshments for everyone. Goods will be accepted every day up until the 20th. You can do a drop off at Carriage Inn, The Chamber, or the HEARTS Museum. Funds to send each package at $10.95 per every box shipped will also be accepted. Items needed are instant coffee, slim jim's, baby wipes, razors, shampoo, body soap, dental floss, breath mints and puzzle. Contact James Rodriguez at (936) 295-0600 or jrodriguez@retliv.com.



Project Prom New Waverly Project Prom is having a fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 20, starting at 9 a.m. There will be a car wash at the Waverly Self Storage and Car Wash located on FM 150 in New Waverly. There will also be a barbecue sandwich and bake sale, along with a garage sale. Anyone with donations for the garage sale can contact new.waverly@yahoo.com.



LULAC fundraiser The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) will be hosting the Seventh Annual LULAC Community Amigo Award and Scholarship Fundraiser on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Goree Recreation Center on Highway 75 South. Advance tickets are $20 and $25 at the door. For additional information, contact John Escobedo at (936) 295-0223.



New Waverly Project Prom Fundraiser New Waverly Project Prom will hold a car wash, barbecue and bake sale on Saturday, Feb. 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers needed for carwash and donations needed for bake sale. It will be at the Waverly Self Storage and Car Wash located on FM 150 West in New Waverly. Call Paula at (936) 581-2842 or e-mail new.waverly@yahoo.com with questions.



Chili and Bean Cook-off American Legion Post and Auxiliary Unit No. 618 will sponsor its annual Kool Kat’s Chili and Bean Cook-off on Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. The event  will also include a raffle, silent auction and cake walk. Proceeds will benefit the programs for the special kids of WISD. The public is welcome to attend and or enter the cook-off to be held at the Post located 1/2 mile east of Willis on Highway 1097. Call (936) 856-5224 for more information.



Birthday celebration The Board of Directors and Officers of the Samuel Walker Houston Museum and Cultural Center, the local and national chapters of the National Alumni Association of Sam Houston High School will hold a public reception, exhibits, and silent auction in celebration of Samuel Walker Houston’ s birthday, the institution’s founder. The events will take place in the auditorium of The Samuel Walker Houston Museum and Cultural Center, 1604 10th Street from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21. Special guests will be all African-American veterans in Walker County who served in the Armed Forces. The public is invited to join. Local veterans should call Dr. Naomi W. Ledé to inform her of plans to attend this special tribute to them. Call (936) 291-9781.



Fritz to speak at luncheon The Huntsville-Walker County Chamber of Commerce invites you to the first Chamber Lunch and Learn Series for 2010 on Monday, Feb. 22, featuring Sam Houston State University’s new Head Football Coach Willie Fritz. The luncheon will be held at 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Region VI Education Service Center located on 3332 Montgomery Road. Early seating will begin at 11:30. Tickets are $15 and reservations are required by Tuesday, Feb. 16, and can be made by calling the Chamber at (936) 295-8113. The luncheon is open to the public; you do not have to be a chamber member to attend but registration is required. The luncheon will provide an opportunity for Mr. Fritz to be introduced to the Huntsville community and to share his plans and goals for Sam Houston State University’s football department.



Celebration Women’s Ministry Meeting The Huntsville chapter of Celebration Women’s Ministry meets Monday, Feb. 22, from 6-8 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church social hall. After a light meal, local speaker and author Gwynne Johnson will present the evening’s message, “Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.” Preschool child care is provided. There is no charge for the meal or child care. All women are welcome.



Metabolism Help Curves in Huntsville will be having a free hour session on Metabolism on Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call the club at (936) 295-3900. This class is open to all.



Weight management free class Curves in Huntsville will be having a free class to help people learn more about their most researched weight management plan. Curves Phase I & II will be Feb. 22 from 6-7:30 p.m. For more information, call the club at (936) 295-3900. This class is open to all.



‘World’s Healthiest Vegetables’ Huntsville Public Library is pleased to host Darnell Schreiber’s presentation “The World’s Healthiest Vegetables Grown in Free Soil” – a hands-on experience combined with a slide show – in City Hall’s Council Chambers at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23. Schreiber, a Walker County Master Gardener, is a retired lifelong educator who continues sharing her teaching talents with audiences ranging from Pre-K to adult. She created the presentation based on Texas A&M;’s recommendations for vegetables best grown in Walker County together with nutritional information from Dr. Jonny Bowden’s best seller The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. Registration is required. Please call the Huntsville Public Library at (936) 291-5472 to register or ask for Denise for more information.



WCFA Prince/Princess Contest Registration WCFA Prince and Princess Contest Registration for the 2010 Walker County Fair will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 23, from 4-6 p.m. at the Walker County Fairgrounds main building. All paperwork and a $25 entry fee will be due at this time. The contest is open to girls in grades Pre-K (age 4 by Sept. 1, 2009) through 2nd grade and boys in Pre-K (age 4 by Sept. 1, 2009) through 1st grade. The application/rules can be downloaded from the fair website under the contest menu at www.walkercountyfair.com. The contest will be held Friday, March 26, 2010, at 6 p.m. at the fairgrounds.



Piney Woods Gem and Mineral Society The Piney Woods Gem and Mineral Society will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. at the Carriage Inn, located at 2805 Lake Road in Huntsville. All who are interested in the earth sciences, rocks, minerals, fossils, artifacts, and the lapidary arts are invited to attend. Presentations, discussions, and activities for family members of all ages will be offered. Education, show-and-tell, door prizes, raffles, and refreshments will be at every meeting. For more information, e-mail KDF@TexasRockhound.net, call Kevin at (936) 594-9876 or visit the website at www.pwgms.org.



Preschool Story Hour at the Library The Huntsville Public Library hosts Story Hour every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. This complimentary program promotes emergent reading skills for preschool aged children. Story Hour includes stories, songs, dance and finger plays and concludes with a craft activity. The theme for Feb. 25 will be “Stories by Laura Numeroff.” For more information visit the Library’s Web site at myhuntsvillelibrary.com or call the Library at (936) 291-5472.



Abilene Christian chorus The Abilene Christian University A Cappella Chorus, under the direction of Dr. Sean Pullen, will be touring the Houston area on February 27-March 2.  They will giving a concert at the Huntsville Church of Christ on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m. The concert will include sacred a cappella music of a variety of styles. All are welcome and admission is free.



Friends of the NRA Friends of the NRA will hold its banquet on March 2 at the Veterans Conference Center in Huntsville. For information on tickets or sponsor tables, call Tommie at (936) 577-6119 or Tolbert at (936) 661-5571.



Spring Sprouting for Children The Huntsville Public Library will host the Walker County Master Gardeners on Wednesday, March 17 at 2 p.m. The Master Gardeners will lend their expertise to the “Spring Sprouting” program recommended for elementary- aged children. Activities include a story time, a lesson about plant propagation and will conclude with an outdoor planting activity. For more information please call Kim Mason, Children’s Coordinator, at (936) 291-5910.



Pancake Breakfast The Willis Eastern Star No. 1017 will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser on April 10 from 8-11 a.m. at the Willis Community Center, 109 Mink St. Donation of $6 for adult and $3 for children.

 

Class of ‘75 reunion Celebrating 35 years, Class of ‘75 – A Season for Change will be held at the Goree Club House on May 29, 2010, from 5-10 p.m. Contact Archie and Gwen Grigsby (Gwenzella Kittrell) at (936) 295-0763 or (936) 662-1092. E-mail ggrigsby@hotmail.com.