Submissions to the community calendar need to be in writing and arrive or be brought into The Mount Airy News office by 5 p.m. Tuesday for the event to be in Sunday’s newspaper. The calendar runs each Sunday. Be sure to include the full name and address of the event; the time, day and date of the event; and a contact phone number in case our staff has any questions. Information may be mailed to: The Mount Airy News, 319 N. Renfro St., Mount Airy, NC 27030; faxed to 789-2816; or emailed to mtacalendar@civitasmedia.com.

Jan. 25

• The Beulah Ruritan Club will have a spaghetti supper benefit to help with burial expenses for Monroe Flippen from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Cost is donations only. Following the meal, Sounds Now and Then will perform at 7:30 p.m. with admission fee of $5.

Jan. 26

• A Longaberger and 31 bingo benefit is scheduled at the Surry Shrine Club, 1029 Westlake Drive, Mount Airy, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and bingo at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $20 for bingo tickets and coverall game cards are $3 each or two for $5. There will be 20 baskets to win, as well as door prizes, raffle tickets and a chance to win a custom-made corn hole set. There will be concessions. Proceeds will benefit local Elks charities, Surry Children’s Home, veterans hospital and more. For more information, call Jessie Spencer at 710-3141 or Marty Dunbar at 325-9348.

• The annual Robert Burns dinner will be held at Trio Restaurant, 247 City Hall St., Mount Airy, sponsored by the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. It is an evening of dinner, toasts, entertainment and regaling about the life of Scotland’s Poet Laureate, Robert Burns. Traditional Scottish foods will be served. Tickets are $50 and include a toast. Reservations must be made by Jan. 23. Call Nancy Davis at the museum at 786-4478, ext. 229.

Feb. 2

• Meadowview Middle School Boosters will host Sabika jewelry bingo at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. There will be 20 games, door prizes, raffle and a coverall game, and concessions will be served.

Feb. 5

• Mike Wiley will speak on “Brown v. Board of Education: Over 50 years later” at 7 p.m. on the third floor of the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Feb. 8

• A spaghetti lunch and dinner will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bannertown Volunteer Fire Department’s Holly Springs station to raise money for Canaan Land Children’s Home. Advanced tickets are being sold, and tickets will be sold at the door. Cost is $6 for spaghetti, tossed salad, bread and dessert. There will be local deliveries for lunch. To order for an office, call 719-0258.

• Holy Angels Catholic Church’s Columbiettes will host the annual Mardi Gras Party for those 18 years and older from 6 to 10 p.m. There will be door prizes and a 50/50 raffle, as well as dinner, music and dancing. Costumes are optional. Dinner includes gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya and New Orleans King Cake. Tickets cost $10 in advance and $13 at the door, and proceeds benefit the Columbiettes and their community projects. For more information, call Adreann Belle at 710-1481 or Marge Johnson at 655-9056.

Feb. 13

• The third annual African-American Read-In hosted by the Plaid Cloth Literary Society will be held at noon in the second floor conference room of the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. To participate, a person needs to select works written by an African American and be prepared to read a poem or an excerpt from a book. Listeners also are welcome.

Feb. 20

• A meeting of the Carroll County (Va.) School Board will be held at 2:30 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the Carroll County Governmental Complex. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the report from the AdvancedEd External Review Team.

Feb. 22

• The annual Shepherd’s House dinner and entertainment event will be held at 6 p.m. featuring music by Mediocre Bad Guys at Cross Creek Country Club, Mount Airy. Cost for the dinner and entertainment is $35 per person. In addition, a drawdown for $10,000 will be held with tickets costing $100 each, and ticketholders do not have to be present to win. Also, a Wildflowers quilt made and donated by Karen Springthorpe will be raffled with tickets costing $5 each. For tickets, call The Shepherd’s House at 786-1420, Claudia Bryant at 786-4200, Berta Glenn Springthorpe at 789-5033, Traci Hamilton at 755-8832 or Rhonda Crossingham at 687-0944.

March 16

• A hot dog benefit will be held for Susie Danley from noon to 6 p.m. at Antioch Baptist Church to help with surgery expenses due to Danley not having insurance. Cost is $5 a plate.

Series events

• Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less programs will be held at Rockford Elementary School, Dobson, every Monday at 3:45 p.m. from now through April 29. The program fee is $10. Call 401-8025 to register by Jan. 4. Sponsored by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, the program will explore behaviors that help participants achieve and maintain a health weight, identify strategies to help participants eat smart and move more and show participants how living mindfully can help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) classes will be held Jan. 22, 24 and 29 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension office in Dobson. To receive a certificate, all three classes must be attended. For more information or to register, call 401-8025.

• The Arts Council of the Twin Counties, Galax, Va., will sponsor an exhibit of art inspired by Jack London’s “Call of the Wild.” The arts council will display anything inspired by the work or depicting the landscape and/or wildlife of the Blue Ridge Mountains from Feb. 1-24 at the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts. Visitors to the school will vote on their favorite work in two categories: artists 18 and under and artists 19 and above. Winners will be announced at a reception at the school on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. Works for exhibit should be dropped off Jan. 28 through Feb. 7.

• The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is hosting Beginners Genealogy classes on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. from Feb. 12 through March 12. The course, taught by Esther Johnson, will be a five-part series designed for the individual who is interested in researching a family tree. The first two classes will be in the museum’s second floor classroom. The third class will be at the Surry County Register of Deeds office in Dobson, and the fourth class will be held at The Carlos Surratt Genealogy Room at Surry Community College in Dobson. The final class will be back at the museum. Museum members can attend for free, and for nonmembers, there is a $5 fee per class. Annual memberships to the museum can be purchased for $25 for seniors and students or $35 for individuals. There is a 25 student limit for the series. For more information or to register, contact Amy Snyder at 786-4478, ext. 227, or aesnyder@northcarolinamuseum.org.

Ongoing music events

• The Lowgap Community Center hosts a jam session the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

• Open Jam is held every Friday at 7 p.m. at the Willis Gap Community Center, 144 The Hollow Road, Ararat, Va. For more information, call Mary Dellenback Hill at (276) 251-9906.

• Lambsburg Community Center, Lambsburg, Va., hosts Friday Night Jam each week from 7 to 10 p.m. Refreshments are served, and there is a playground and walking trail at the facility. For more information, call 648-2078 or email pwberrier@gmail.com or visit www.lambsburgcommunitycenter.org.

• Jam sessions will be held every Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Willis Gap Community Center. Jammers of all skill levels are invited to attend. Enjoy a night of fun, food, friends and fellowship while hearing bluegrass, old-time, country and gospel music. Admission is free.

• The Beulah Ruritan Club hosts bands most Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. On Jan. 26, the Dennis Tolbert Band will be playing. For more information on the music schedule and activities of the club, visit the group’s Facebook page, Beulah Ruritan Club.

• Voice of the Blue Ridge is held every third Saturday at the Downtown Cinema Theatre, 142 N. Main St., Mount Airy. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 or free with a 2011 SAC Season Pass and children 12 and younger free. For more information, contact the Surry Arts Council at 786-7998.

• The Surry Arts Council presents clogging workshops and classes taught by Samantha Wilhelmi. These clogging lessons are perfect for all ages and dance abilities, from beginner to advanced. Workshops will be held before the monthly Old-Time Dances in the Old-Time Music Hall, below the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, 218 Rockford St., from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The workshop is free with the purchase of a dance ticket. The dance starts at 7 p.m. and admission is $5. Popular old-time dance band The Slate Mountain Ramblers will provide the music for the dance. The Old-Time Dance and Clogging Workshop are held on the first Saturday of every month. Also, Wilhelmi is teaching clogging classes every Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Surry Arts Council dance room. This class is perfect for all beginners as well as more advanced students, and all ages are welcome. The cost of the class is $25 a month. For more information, call the Surry Arts Council at 786-7998 or visit www.surryarts.org.

Ongoing kids activities

• The Dobson Community Library, 113 S. Crutchfield St., has storytime each Wednesday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. They read a book, do a craft, color, sing and dance and have fun while learning. Those attending should feel free to stay longer and play with the toys and children’s computer.

• Join the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History at 10 a.m. for the first Friday of every month in fun and fantasy. Explore history and nature through books, activities and more. This program is free and is intended for preschool-age children.

Support Groups

• The 2012 Twelve Oaks Alzheimer’s Support Group meets the second Wednesday of each month from 4 to 5 p.m. for the public.

• GriefShare is a bi-weekly support group for people grieving the death of someone. Learn valuable information that will help. The program is held at Calvary Baptist Church, 416 S. Franklin Road, Mount Airy, at 6:15 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month. For more information, call 786-4778.

• Mother’s Community Connection is for parents with concerns in education, discipline and family fun. Learn about nutrition, healthy living, raising a family on a budget and more. Group sessions are held every Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Surry SCAN. For more information, call Heather Hunter at 789-0111 ext. 221.

• Meetings will be held each Thursday at Bojangles from 6 to 8 p.m. for those healing from a broken marriage.

• S.M.I.L.E. (Senior Monthly Informative Luncheon Event) is a covered-dish luncheon, followed by a brief learning information session, games (such as bingo) and activities. It is a time of fellowship for all. It is held the second Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Pilot Mountain Senior Center and the third Thursday of each month at noon at the Surry County Senior Center, Mount Airy. Call the Senior Center at 786-6155, ext. 225, with questions.

Ongoing veterans events

• VFW Post 2019 will meet the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Veterans Park.

• The Marine Corps League of Surry County Detachment 1322 meets the second Tuesday of each month at First Baptist Church of Mount Airy at 7 p.m. All former Marines and FMF Navy corpsmen/chaplains are welcome. Call Todd Abbott at 320-4044 for more information.

• Mount Airy American Legion Post 123 and Ladies Auxiliary meets the second Tuesday of each month. Refreshments are served at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 7 p.m. For more information, call 755-3231.

• Disabled American Veterans holds monthly meetings every third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the DAV office, 767 W. Lebanon St., Mount Airy, at Veterans Park. For more information, call 789-0328.

• The American Legion Riders have monthly meetings the last Tuesday of each month at Veterans Park. For more information, call Gary Willard at 345-7388.

• Pilot Mountain VFW and Ladies Auxiliary members meet the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the VFW Post Home on N.C. 268. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. and is followed by finger food.

Club meetings

• The N.A.A.C.P. meets every third Sunday of the month at Spencer Funeral Home.

• The Surry County Beekeepers Association meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the North Carolina Cooperative Extension office in Dobson. For more information, call 352-5751.

• The Siloam Extension and Community Association Club meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Siloam Baptist Church for a program and fellowship. For more information, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 401-8025.

• Dobson Coupon Club meets every Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Dobson Community Library, 113 S. Crutchfield St., Dobson, in the Joseph P. Badgett room. Participants can bring coupons for trading, get free gifts and learn to save money from experienced couponers.

• The Busy Bee Extension and Community Association Club meets the first Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. for a program and fellowship. For more information, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 401-8025.

• The Salem Fork Extension and Community Association Club meets the second Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. at Sue’s Restaurant in Dobson for a program and fellowship. For more information, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 401-8025.

• The White Sulphur Springs Extension and Community Association Club meets the second Tuesday of each month at 1 p.m. at the North Main Church of Christ for a program and fellowship. For more information, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 401-8025.

• The Beulah Extension and Community Association Club meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Beulah Ruritan Building for a program and fellowship. For more information, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 401-8025.

• The Photography Club meets on the third Tuesday of every month. Each meeting will have a brief presentation, addressing areas in which the group members have expressed an interest. Following the discussion, there will be an opportunity for questions on the presentation or other topics. There also will be time to show photographs. Email to be placed on the email list for meeting information and topics, Robert Merritt at merritt.rob@gmail.com or Hobart Jones at summersetva@aol.com, or call Hobart Jones at 710-0139. Meetings take place in the downstairs classroom of the Andy Griffith Playhouse at 7 p.m.

• The Plaid Cloth Literary Society meets every second Wednesday of the month at noon to share the love of reading in the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History on the second floor in the library. Light refreshments are served. Call the museum at 786-4478 for more information.

• Copeland Seniors meet the second Wednesday of each month at the Copeland Ruritan Building, across from Copeland School, at 10:30 a.m. followed by a covered-dish meal.

• The Dobson Early Birds Extension and Community Association Club meets the third Wednesday of each month at 11 a.m. for a program and fellowship. For more information, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 401-8025.

• The Kiwanis Club of Mount Airy meets the first and third Thursday of the month at Golden Corral, 2226 Rockford St., Mount Airy. The meal starts at 5:30 p.m., with meeting at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Bruce Arnold, president, at 719-0063.

• New MOMS (Mothers of Many Seasons) Ministry, open to area ladies and their children, starts Thursday. The group meets the first and third Thursdays monthly from 9 to 11 a.m. at Salem Baptist Church, 430 Rockford Road, Dobson. For more information, contact momsministrysbc@gmail.com or 374-4419.

• The Pilot Mountain Achievers Extension and Community Association Club meets the third Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the Armfield Civic Center for a program and fellowship. For more information, call the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 401-8025.

• The Wings of Glory Christian Bikers Ministry will meet the first Friday night of each month at the Lantern in Dobson at 6 p.m. For more information, call Tommy Freeman at 648-1566.

Ongoing events

• Free Pilates classes are offered Mondays at 9:30 a.m. at Fountain of Life Family Worship Center and Thursdays at 4 p.m. at Jones Resource Center. For more information, email creech.sherry@yahoo.com.

• The Lambsburg Community Center will host GED classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings with Sandra Sharp. All students are eligible to attend no matter where they live. For more information, call Sandra Sharp at (276) 236-9221 and Phillip Berrier at 648-2078. (The class will be only be taught if there is enough interest.)

• American Legion Post 123 will have bingo on Thursdays at Veterans Memorial Park. Doors open at 5 p.m. Early bird games start at 6 p.m. The grill will be open and will have hamburgers, hot dogs, snacks and drinks for sale.

• The Dan River Farmers Market, Dan River Park, Ararat, Va., will be held every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

• Dobson Rescue Squad Bingo will be held every Saturday. Doors will open at 5 p.m. Early bingo will begin at 6 p.m. with regular packs at 7 p.m. Concessions will be available. All proceeds benefit the rescue squad to assist in daily operations.