Community Events Send your community briefs to the Nassau County Record at editor@nassaucountyrecord.com, or drop them off by the office at 617317 Brandies Avenue, Callahan. Coming Up (as of July 3) -- -- --Library closures The Nassau County Public Library System will be closed for the July Fourth holiday as follows: The Yulee and Hilliard branches will be closed Friday. The Bryceville, Callahan and Fernandina Beach branches will be closed Saturday. Book drops will remain open at all branches. -- -- --Fourth of July festivities Hilliard's annual Fourth of July Celebration begins at 5 p.m. Saturday. Various food items will be sold and live entertainment will be provided. Fireworks begin at nightfall. No alcoholic beverages, glass containers or ATVs permitted. -- -- --SMRMC meeting The next meeting of the St. Marys River Management Committee will be Monday at 7 p.m. at the County Building on Mickler Street in Callahan. Committee members meet beforehand for dinner and subcommittee discussion at Cedar River Seafood at 6 p.m. Anyone who is interested is welcome. -- -- --Quit smoking Quit Smoking Now! brought to you by the Nassau County Health Department and AHEC, is a five-week class designed to help you beat the addiction to tobacco. Classes begin Monday from 6-7:30 p.m. in lunchroom number two at Baptist Medical Center, 1250 South 18th St., Fernandina Beach. For more information or to register, call Jennifer Emmons at 904-548-1867 or e-mail jennifer_emmons@doh.state.fl.us. -- -- --Master gardeners wanted People interested in the Master Gardener volunteer program may pick up an application at the Yulee Extension office or complete the application online. Please call to be sure someone is at the office. The fee for the Master Gardener training program is $85. Training is August through October, every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Sessions alternate between Duval and Nassau counties. Applications are due Wednesday. Additional information, including an application, is viewable at http://nassau.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/mgnassau.html.\ -- -- --Waterwise landscaping The Nassau County Watershed Action Volunteer Program and Nassau County Extension are teaming up to offer a free program on Florida water-wise landscaping and stormwater pond maintenance July 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the James S. Page Governmental Complex, Conference Room A, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee. For information, call 904-225-5613 or 904-548-1116 or e-mail wavnassau@sjrwmd.com or rljordi@ufl.edu. -- -- --Youth sought Callahan songwriter "Mrs. Kate" Carpenter seeks six talented young singers to record vocal tracks on her ninth CD, "Passport to Power." Boys and girls, ages 7-11, who love to sing and can carry a tune well are urged to audition Aug. 15. Vocal team members will attend several Saturday practice sessions in Callahan and record tracks in the studio in Jacksonville during the month of November. Parents of interested children should e-mail MrsKateC@aol.com. Complete information and application forms are posted at www.MrsKate.com. -- -- --Time for Tots continues Though Time for Tots has been suspended at the Callahan and Hilliard locations during summer break, it will continue through the summer at the Bryceville Library Branch every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. -- -- --Youth assistance available The Northeast Florida Community Action Agency, Inc. is holding youth program enrollment for children age 8-17. The youth program strives to help low income children have the same opportunities other children have by striving to improve physical health and nutrition, social and emotional development and academic performance. It also helps youth learn to avoid risk-taking behavior. Call 904-261-0801, ext. 205, for more information. The NFCAA is located inside the Peck Building in Fernandina Beach. -- -- --Concerned Citizens The Concerned Citizens of Hilliard meet the fourth Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Lil Al's Restaurant. -- -- --Support for the abused Micah's Place offers support groups for victims and survivors of domestic violence every Monday at 7 p.m. Call 879-6270 for the location and other information. Micah's Place needs volunteers to answer calls to its 24-hour hotline for victims of domestic abuse. Volunteers are required to complete a 30-hour curriculum. Computer skills and previous crisis intervention or domestic violence experience is helpful but not required. For more information, call Brandy Bateman at 225-9979. The organization is also accepting new books for its Books Change Lives Library. Donations should be new copies of books that have made significant changes on the lives of those donating them. Children's books are most needed.Those in need can call the hotline at 1-800-500-1119 or 225-9979. Micah's Place Westside Auxiliary meets on the first Monday each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Callahan Lions Club. For more information, call 904-225-3110. Those interested in learning more about domestic violence and Micah's Place services are invited to attend a one-hour orientation, held the fourth Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Call 904-491-6364, ext. 102 for directions and more information. Micah's Place operates The Purple Dove Resale Shop, 1002 South 14th St., Fernandina Beach, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Donations can be brought during store hours or call for Tuesday pickup for larger items. For more information, call the Purple Dove at 904-261-5227. -- -- --Masons meet The Callahan Masonic Lodge No. 32 F. & A.M. meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m. The lodge is located on Frank Brookins Drive, behind Callahan Town Hall. For more information, call John Page at 879-7082, or go online at www.mastermason.com/callahan32/. -- -- --Seeking volunteers The Hilliard office of the Barnabas Center is looking for additional volunteers. The office is located at 15879 CR 108, and is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you are interested in learning more about Barnabas Center and the role of volunteers, contact Waldo Romero at 845-4999 during open hours. Nassau county residents in need of assistance can call toll free at 888-261-1986 to set an appointment for the Hilliard office. -- -- --Callahan Lions Club The Callahan Lions Club hosts new member meetings and dinners at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. For more information, call 879-3034. -- -- --Humane Society The Humane Society of Nassau County has many animals ready for adoption, and is also accepting donations of paper towels, warm blankets and food. The facility is located on Florida A1A in Yulee, across from the driver's license bureau. For more information, call 225-8000. -- -- --Masonic lodge The Callahan Masonic Lodge #32 F. & A.M. meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m. For more information, call 879-7082. -- -- --Alcoholics Anonymous The Callahan Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 45035 Oglivie Road, Ste. 4 in Callahan. Meetings are Monday-Friday; 8 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 7 to 8 p.m. For more information and meeting locations, call 879-4071. -- -- --Geneological Society The West Nassau Geneological Society meets the second Monday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at the Callahan Depot. Meetings include guest speakers and discussions about geneological research. -- -- --Bryceville Community Club The Bryceville Community Club meets the third Tuesday of each month for a pot luck luncheon and program at the Bryceville Community Hall at 7280 Motes Road. If you are a newcomer to Bryceville, this is a wonderful way to meet your neighbors and learn about our town. We hope to see you at our next meeting. -- -- --Weight loss group TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly), is a weight-loss support group that meets every Thursday night. Weigh-ins are at 6 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7. The meetings are held at the County Building, 45397 Mickler Street in Callahan. -- -- --Support group The Alzheimer's/Dimentia Support Group for Nassau County meets the third Tuesday of each month at 1:30 at the Council on Aging, South 18th Street, Fernandina Beach. No preregistration is required. For more information, call Ann Smith at 261-0701. -- -- --Food distribution Gleaner's Dispatch will hold a food distribution each Monday from 2-4 p.m. at the Northeast Florida Fairgrounds. -- -- --Be a mentor Take Stock in Children encourages anyone interested in learning more about mentoring at our local schools or sponsoring a student scholarship to call Jody Mackle at 321-2434. -- -- --Circle of Friends Circle of Friends, a support group for home-schooling families in Hilliard, Bryceville, Callahan and Folkston, Ga., meets regularly to offer encouragement, fun, fellowship and a monthly mom's night out. Park days, field trips and other events are also offered. Call 845-3491 for more information. -- -- --Free HIV tests Healing BALM of Northeast Florida Inc. regularly offers free, confidential HIV tests. Testing will be available at the Solid Rock Church of God by Faith, 86138 Palm Tree Drive in Yulee, and at the Healing BALM office, 850426 US 17 in Yulee. -- -- --Friends seeking new members The Friends of the Callahan Library are seeking new members. The group meets every other month on Saturday morning. For more information, call Louise Banks, Friends president, at 879-3434. -- -- --AA meetings AA meetings are held at Greater Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church in Callahan Monday through Thursday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 7 p.m. The last Sunday meeting each month includes a meal and a speaker. For more information, call 879-4071. -- -- --Republican meetings The Westside Republican Club of Nassau County meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Republican satellite office on Third Street in Hilliard. -- -- --Historical society The West Nassau Historical Society meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Callahan Depot. Come and learn about your community history or share your stories with us. For meeting information, call 879-4846. -- -- --NC Jail library donations Sheriff Tommy Seagraves has set aside space for an inmate library at the Nassau County Jail, to be open to inmates to use three times a week. The Friends of the Library have gathered about 500 books and magazines. Friends cannot accept hardcover books and screen all donations to ensure they are appropriate for the jail library. To donate, call Flora Swanson at 261-0446 or Jan Smith at 261-3677. -- -- --FCAT help Florida Virtual School's online FCAT prep courses are designed to prepare students for the eighth and 10th grade FCAT tests. In partnership with the Florida Learning Alliance, these courses assist students in developing critical thinking, problem solving and test-taking skills essential for success on the FCAT and in other academic and vocational endeavors. In addition, it is a super opportunity for parents and students to learn about the online learning environment. This course is not offered during the school day. However, this is an enrichment program above and beyond the classroom. Anyone with Internet access can log on to the site. In addition to preparing for the FCAT, students can also take high school courses via the site. For additional information, log on at http://www.flvs.net or call your child's guidance counselor. -- -- --Parental access At www.edline.com, parents can now access their children's grades, class schedules, classroom assignments and much more. A letter was sent home with every student that gave the parent a username and password. The letter explained how to access Edline accounts and provided activation codes. Anyone with questions, or in need of an activation code account, can contact the guidance counselors at area schools. -- -- --More FCAT help Check out the FCAT Explorer Web site to help students prepare for the FCAT. The Web address is www.fcatexplorer.com. Students who use this resource regularly show dramatic improvement in reading, math and science. Students who are familiar with the site already have login and password information. Parents can also get their child's student account information by calling the toll free customer service number located on the FCAT Explorer homepage. -- -- --Church Briefs --Gray Gables Baptist Church hosts a game night for senior adults each Tuesday at 7 p.m. All seniors are invited. Bring snacks. --Cafe Nexus is a Friday night spot for folks 18 and up. Enjoy good caffeinated beverages and see some great bands and comedians without all the smoke and booze. The cafe is located in the basement underneath Memorial United Methodist Church's sanctuary at the corner of Sixth and Centre streets in Fernandina Beach. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8. Admission is free. --The Bridge Family Worship Center is currently meeting on Saturday nights at 6 p.m. at Yulee Middle School. The church features a modern expression of worship, relevant Biblical messages, and a positive atmosphere where everyone is welcome, especially those without a church home. Duane and Melonie Erickson are the pastors. For information about The Bridge, call 881-5673 or visit thebridgeflorida.com. --Mothers of Preschool Students (MOPS) meets the third Thursday of each month at First Baptist Church in Callahan at 9:30 a.m., with a nursery provided. For more information, call 879-0873 or 879-2172. --The Promise Land Church, serving the Hispanic community and more, holds a worship service on Sundays from 7:30-9 p.m. at the River Center, 720 S. Eighth St. Wednesday Bible study is held from 7:30-9 p.m. at the Hope House, corner of Ninth and Date streets. Both the services and the Bible study are conducted in Spanish. All are welcome. For information, call (904) 349-2595. --Youth 12 years old and up are invited to "The Rock" on Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. at The Lighthouse radio station in St. Marys, Ga. The night features praise and worship and teaching from the Word of God. Food is provided after the Bible study. If you can't be there, listen in on the radio at FM 89.3. On Friday nights at 7 p.m., the station hosts HEBrews, a ministry for young adults 18-30 years old. The night features fellowship with acoustic music, Bible study and a light dinner, as well as flavored cappuccinos in a Christian cafe environment. On Saturday nights, the station is the place to be for single and married adults 30 years old and up. Saturday Night Alive begins at 6 p.m., and features great food, fellowship and Bible study. For more information on these and other events at The Lighthouse, call the station at 912-882-8930. The station is located at 5465 Hwy. 40 East in St. Marys.