Wednesday, Oct. 17

COMMUNITY · The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) will help a private staffing company, Omnisource, fill more than 50 jobs for workers in LaFayette and metro Chattanooga. The recruitment will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17, in the Community Room at the LaFayette Housing Authority, 300 South Oak Street in LaFayette.

The company will be recruiting forklift operators and SAP inventory clerks with at least a year’s experience and parts pullers with at least six months experience, along with entry-level packers and laborers. Salaries will depend on positions and experience. For more information, contact Cathy Toles at the LaFayette Career Center at (706) 638-5525, or e-mail cathy.toles@gdol.ga.gov.

COMMUNITY · First and second place winners in the 2012 Best of Walker contest, sponsored by the Walker County Chamber of Commerce and the Walker County Messenger, will be notified via letter on or before Oct. 20. Winners will be recognized during the Best of Walker dinner on Nov. 15 at the Walker County Civic Center. All winners will be required to register online for the event, and the public is invited. To register, visit walkercochamber.com/bestofwalker2012.htm. For more information, call the chamber at 706-375-7702.

COMMUNITY · Walker County Farm Bureau is collecting monetary donations until Friday, Nov. 16, for the Georgia Food Bank Association and its seven food bank affiliates to help Georgians in need. Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at the WCFB office, 101 South Cherokee Street in LaFayette. For more information, call 706-638-3237.

COMMUNITY · The Blood Assurance Bloodmobile will be at LaFayette First Baptist Church from 3-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17. Call 706-638-3727 to sign up to donate blood. Donors will receive a T-shirt and may be eligible to register for a monthly drawing of a $500 grocery gift card.

GOVERNMENT · The Planning Commission for the City of LaFayette will meet at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 17, at LaFayette City Hall, 207 South Duke Street.

COMMUNITY · A sleep disorders screening will be offered from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Erlanger East (Gunbarrel Road in Chattanooga). Registration is required. Call (423) 778-LINK (5465) to register.

COMMUNITY · A metabolic and bariatric surgery seminar will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Erlanger East (Gunbarrel Road in Chattanooga). Area residents who are overweight and /or with health problems related to obesity are invited to learn more about the Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center at Erlanger. It is a free seminar and registration is required. Call Erlanger’s HealthLink at (423) 778-LINK (5465) to register.

COMMUNITY · Seniors and Friends of Fort Oglethorpe meet from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, at Constitution Hall on Forrest Road in Fort Oglethorpe, for games, crafts, refreshments and blood pressure and blood sugar checks. For information or transportation, call Peggy Stanfield at 706-866-1369.

CHURCH · Hannah House is a benevolence service free to the community and is sponsored by Rock Spring Baptist Church. New and gently used clothing and shoes of all sizes, kitchen items and linens are available as well as small and large appliances and furniture when available. For more information, Linda or Mike Hill at 706-764-2079 or 423-718-0868.

COMMUNITY · The Catoosa County Republican Party has opened a Romney/Ryan 2012 Headquarters in Ringgold, at 20 Legion Street on the corner next to Richards Restaurant behind the Catoosa County Courthouse. Hours are from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Yard signs and bumper stickers for the candidates, including Tom Graves for Congress, are available. Visit catoosacountygop.com for more information.

COMMUNITY · The Walker County Health Department offers flu vaccinations to children and adults on a walk-in basis. The department is at 603 Villanow Street in LaFayette. The cost is $20. Cash, check, credit and debit cards, Medicare, Medicaid, PeachCare, Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance and state employee United Healthcare and CIGNA insurance are accepted. Walk-in hours are 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m. and 12:30-4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 8 a.m.-11 a.m. and 12:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday.

COMMUNITY · The Georgia Winery is inviting its customers to help support the fight against Breast Cancer. During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), Georgia Winery will donate $1 per bottle for each “Pretty in Pink” sparkling wine sold to the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center at Memorial Hospital.

Thursday, Oct. 18

COMMUNITY · Lauren Eckman, the 2013 Georgia Teacher of the Year, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in McAllister Hall auditorium at Berry College in Rome.

COMMUNITY · The Mid-South Band will perform a benefit concert to help save the Rossville Public Library at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Walker County Civic Center in Rock Spring. Tickets cost $10 per person. Tickets are available at all branches of the Cherokee Regional Library System (LaFayette, Rossville, Chickamauga and Trenton), the Walker County Commissioner’s Office, Community Natinal Bank branches or at the door the night of the concert. For more information, call Darla Chambliss at 706-638-8311 or email dchambliss@chrl.org.

COMMUNITY · The LaFayette High School Homecoming Parade will be held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 18, beginning and ending in the Sixth Grade Academy parking lot. Any organization, school, church or civic group that is interested in participating should come by the LHS office and pick up an entry form. No four-wheelers, horses, go-carts or political advertisements allowed. Only entries that are registered at the high school will be allowed in the parade.

COMMUNITY · Dalton State College, in conjunction with the Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center, Hamilton Medical Center, and Georgia Mountain Health Services, will host a one-day conference for health educators Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Holiday Inn and Suites Conference Center in Dalton. Cost is $99 and includes lunch and Continuing Medical Education credits and Continuing Education Units for physicians and other healthcare professionals. To register, go to http://excellenceinhealthcareeducation.eventbrite.com. For more information, call 706-272-4410 or email ngwalker@daltonstate.edu.

COMMUNITY · The Friends of the Chickamauga Public Library will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18. Plans will be finalized for the Enchanted Evening event.

COMMUNITY · A diabetes education class will be offered from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at Erlanger Chattanooga Lifestyle Center in Chattanooga. This class will explore ways to manage diabetes. Call 778-9400 for more information on physician referral and insurance reimbursement.

COMMUNITY · The Chickamauga Public Library will hold a “Ready to R.E.A.D.” storytime program at 10 a.m. Thursdays, Oct. 18 and 25.

COMMUNITY · The Civic Arts League, Inc. of Chattanooga will hold an art exhibit titled “Heritage” to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the “Battle of Ringgold” from Thursday, Oct. 18, through Friday, Nov. 9, at Ringgold Art & Frame Gallery, 7825 Nashville Street, in Ringgold. For more information call 706-935-2844.

Friday, Oct. 19

ENTERTAINMENT · “The Odd Couple” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 and 20, and at 1 p.m. Oct. 20, at The Colonnade, 264 Catoosa Circle, in Ringgold. Tickets cost $11 for adults, $9 for seniors (age 55 and older), $9 for students, and $8 for groups of 15 or more. Call 706-935-9000, for more information or visit colonnadecenter.org.

ENTERTAINMENT · Blowing Screams Farm will present the haunts Forest of Fear and GhostRide starting at dark every Friday and Saturday night in October. Admission is $25 for both haunts. Due to the intense nature of these attractions, parental discretion is advised. Address is Blowing Springs Farm (by day) at 271 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone. Visit blowingscreamsfarm.com for more information.

ENTERTAINMENT · Dreadhaven is the town haunted at this season’s Ruby Falls Haunted Cavern. This nationally-ranked haunt is open every Friday through Sunday until Oct. 28, and Wednesday, Oct. 31. Special ticket discounts are offered right now by purchasing them online at hauntedcavern.com.

ENTERTAINMENT · Lake WinnepeSPOOKah opens it ghostly gates on Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27, from 6-11 p.m. Gate admission, unlimited rides and all special Halloween attractions are included in a $24 admittance fee. A youth/senior ride pass for ages 1 and 2 and 65 and older is $10. For more information, visit us at www.lakewinnie.com or call 1-877-LAKEWIN.

COMMUNITY · A Mystery Dog Ranch - Haunted Ranch and Hayride will be held to benefit Hozho Therapeutic Equestrian Services at 975 Wooten Road, in Ringgold. Gates open at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19 and Saturday, Oct 20, and Friday, Oct 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27. Cost is $10 per person for the Haunted House and Haunted Hayride.

COMMUNITY · An indoor yard sale will be held from 2-5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, and from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at the LaFayette Senior Center, 636 South Main Street (Recreation Center entrance), in LaFayette.

COMMUNITY · Deadline to register for The 2012 Miss Catoosa County Pageant is Friday, Oct. 19. The pageant will be held Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Colonnade. The pageant is open to junior and senior girls from Ringgold High School, Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe High School and Heritage High School. Registration packets are available at the schools and at http://rhstigergirls.weebly.com/.

COMMUNITY · The sixth annual Domestic Violence Conference will be held Friday, Oct. 19, at Dalton State College. Sponsors include the Conasauga Family Violence Alliance, Dalton State College Department of Social Work, the Georgia Commission on Family Violence, the Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center, Inc., the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Amedisys. Cost to attend is $35 and includes lunch for those who register before Oct. 17; after that date the cost rises to $45 and does not include lunch. To register visit http://dvconferencedsc.eventbrite.com. For more information, call 706-270-5130.