— Meetings

-- MTA Board — The Mountain Transit Authority board of directors will meet Wednesday, March 13 at 5 p.m. at the MTA offices in Summersville. The meeting is open to the public.

-- SCD Board — The Southern Conservation District Board will hold its monthly board meeting on March 14 at the SCD Building, 463 Ragland Road, Beckley, at 9:45 a.m. The agenda will be posted at the SCD office. For any questions concerning the above mentioned meeting, please call 304-253-0261.

-- Fayette County Commission — The Fayette County Commission will meet Friday, March 8 — regular meeting, 9 a.m., budget elected officials; Friday, March 15 — 9 a.m., budget work session; Friday, March 22 — regular meeting, 9 a.m., budget, in the Fayette County Commission chambers of the Fayette County Courthouse. The meetings are open to the public.

-- Board of Education — The Fayette County Board of Education will meet as follows: regular meeting — Monday, March 18, BOE office, 6 p.m.; and special meeting (Local School Improvement Council Meadow Bridge area schools) — Monday, March 25, Meadow Bridge High School, 6 p.m.

-- Oak Hill Lions Club — The Oak Hill Lions Club meets each Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Scout Cabin, City Park, Oak Hill. For more information, call 304-574-2836.

-- Multiple Sclerosis Support Group — A Multiple Sclerosis support group meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at The Place on Temple View Drive, Beckley, behind the United Methodist Temple. For more information, call Jane Trail at 304-573-0346.

-- Cancer Support Group — The Fayette County Cancer Support Group meets the first Monday of each month (excluding holidays, then meetings are held the second Monday) from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Summit at Hidden Valley, 438 23rd Street, Oak Hill (next to Hidden Valley Nursing Home). Call Ann Perry at 304-465-1224.

-- Nar-Anon Support Meeting — Nar-Anon support meetings are held each Friday at 6:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Oak Hill. For more info, call Vicki at 304-222-0284.

-- Nimble Thimbles — Nimble Thimbles Quilt Guild meets from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the second Tuesday every month at the American Legion in Fayetteville. Bring something to work on or show off.

-- Al-Anon — Al-Anon meets every Monday night at 8 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 345 Kelly Avenue, Oak Hill.  For more information, call 465-1523.

-- AIM — Ansted Improvement Motivators Inc. meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Ansted Methodist Church. Teenagers to golden-agers are invited to join. Do you have a couple of hours to donate to help your town? Join the hard-working people who are putting Ansted on the map as a wonderful place to live, play and visit. This can only be done with your help.

-- American Legion — LaFayette Post 149 of the American Legion meets each third Monday at 7:30 p.m. and hosts Bingo every Tuesday and Saturday at 5 p.m.

-- MH Housing Authority Board — The regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Mount Hope Housing Authority is scheduled the third Tuesday of every month at 2 p.m. in the community room, Midtown Terrace, Mount Hope. Business discussed will include approval of minutes, approval of disbursements, and whatever business comes before the board.

-- Scouts — The Oak Hill Boy Scout Troop 1335 meets each Monday at 7 p.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. New members are being accepted. For more information, contact Scoutmaster Randy Dolin at 304-465-5087.

-- Humane Society — The New River Humane Society holds its regular meetings the second Tuesday of each month at Chico’s Restaurante, 2027 E. Main Street, Oak Hill, at 6:30 p.m. NRHS is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and welfare of animals. The public is welcome. Come support your local humane society and animal shelter. For more information, call 304-465-5062.



Announcements

-- First Responders Get Together — The Fayette-Nicholas Chapter of the American Red Cross West Virginia Region will host a “Thank You First Responders Get Together” for Fayette County first responders during the American Red Cross blood drive on Monday, March 11 at the Lewis Community Building in Oak Hill. The “meet and greet” will be at 4 p.m. and the “thank you” presentation will be at 4:30 p.m. Thank you, Fayette County first responders — volunteer and paid — for everything you do for our county.

-- HFT Auditions — Auditions for PANACHE to be held will be held at the Historic Fayette Theater in Fayetteville on Tuesday, March 12, at 6 p.m. This is a second season show and some roles have been precast. There are two roles available for men only. One male role is for a character in his 40s and the other is a male in his 20s. You do not need a prepared piece to audition, the director will provide one for you. Show dates are April 26, 27, May 3, 4, with a matinee on May 5. The show is directed by Jan Neal.

-- Red Cross Month — March is Red Cross Month and the American Red Cross Fayette-Nicholas Chapter would like to say “thank you” to all those who support us. Your support enables us to provide help and hope to those who need our assistance. If you would like to make a donation, volunteer, or give blood; contact your local Fayette-Nicholas Chapter at 304-469-4636. Together we can save a life.

-- ARC Blood Drives — The following blood drives are scheduled in the area this month: March 11 — Lewis Community Building, Oak Hill, 12 to 6 p.m.; March 12 — Sunday Road Baptist Church, Hico, 12 to 6 p.m.; March 18 — Crossroads Mall, Mount Hope, 2 to 6 p.m.; March 18 — St. John’s Catholic Church, Summersville, 12 to 6 p.m.; March 19 — Midland Trail High School, Hico, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; March 22 — Oak Hill High School, Oak Hill, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and March 28 — Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also, walk-ins are welcome at the Inez O’Brien Donor Center in Beckley each Wednesday from 12 to 6 p.m. If you have any questions about blood drives, feel free to call 540-580-3908 or e-mail scott.hill2@redcross.org.

-- Basketball Tournament — The Clay County High School sophomore class will host the annual 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament, March 16. Teams must have at least 3 players and no more than 6 players. All teams must be registered no later than March 8. For more information, please contact Amy Nichols at 304-632-0220.

-- WUFC Food Distribution — Attention all seniors and veterans. Women United for Christ (WUFC), an outreach of Lochgelly Baptist Church, is sponsoring a food distribution program for those individuals who meet certain guidelines. The program is intended to especially help those who have excessive prescription costs each month which cut into their food budget. Distribution will be made every third Saturday of the month at the church, and is made on a first-come, first-served basis. Please provide proof of income and medical expenses. To see if you qualify, please call Margaret or Jo at 304-469-8709 and leave your number and return phone number.



Places to Go/Things to Do

-- St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Theater — On Saturday evening, March 16, Hawks Nest State Park will present an evening of American Irish songs and stories, performed by West Virginia’s “Bard of Education,” actor and musician, Mick Souter. This will include numerous sing-alongs and performances on a wide array of instruments, including banjo, fiddle, auto harp, guitar, dulcimer and mandolin. The show will be interspersed with humorous and historically-based tales that set-up the songs while adding an intriguing touch of Irish color to the evening. Since this is presented as a dinner theater, the food service at Hawks Nest will prepare a sumptuous feast of Irish culinary favorites to complement the evening, delight the senses and charm the palate of even the most discriminating Irishman. For more information on the performance or reservations, call 304-658-5212 or visit hawksnestsp.com.

-- Healthy Eating — Lunch and Learn on March 12 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in the second floor education room at Montgomery General Hospital, Montgomery. Join Alice Lockman, FNP-BC,CDE, for “Primary Colors: The More You Eat, The Better You Feel.”

-- Concert — Ivy & Stone is pleased to present Sweet Potato Pie, an all-female band with a classy blend of bluegrass, country and gospel music mixed together in a style called “sweet grass,” in performance Saturday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. at Nicholas County High School. Tickets are available in advance in Summersville at Soundwaves Music, Summersville Public Library, and at all First Community Bank branches, by e-mail at ivyandstone@frontier.com or by calling 304- 872-4228 (leave a message). Advance sale tickets are $12 for adults and $9 for students and senior citizens.  Tickets will be $3 more at the door on the night of the performance.

-- Bean Dinners — The Fayetteville United Methodist Church will host monthly bean dinners for the winter and spring. Each month through May, on the third Wednesday of the month, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the church will serve beans, cole slaw, cornbread, dessert and a drink for a suggested donation of $6. Take out is available by ordering at the church or calling 304-574-0187 in advance to have your order ready. The proceeds from this event help support various missions the church participates in throughout the community and the state. Don’t forget to mark the following dates on your calendar: March 20, April 17 and May 15.



Schools

-- Pre-school Enrollment — Mountain View Christian School in Hilltop currently is enrolling 3- and 4-year-old pre-schoolers for the 2013-14 school year. For more information, call 304-465-0502.



Fundraisers

-- Fish Dinner — The annual Lenten fish dinner at the Saints Peter & Paul School cafeteria will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. each Friday of Lent: March 8, 15, and 22. Meal costs are as follows: flounder, $8; combo, $10; and shrimp, $9. Children’s meals are $5. Dinners include baked potato, baked beans, slaw, dessert, bread and drink. Children can choose from a smaller portion of fish or cheese pizza. Dine-in or carry out. All proceeds benefit Saints Peter & Paul Catholic School.