WALKAMERICA, GRADY’S B-DAY ON TAP THIS WEEK

BY THE COMMERCIAL STAFF

The WalkAmerica benefit for March of Dimes will be held and the city of Grady will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

On Saturday, the March of Dimes will hold WalkAmerica, its biggest fund-raiser of the year, to raise money and awareness of premature births.

Jefferson Regional Medical Center invites the public to walk at the Civitan Playground at Regional Park. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the walk begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Every year, half a million babies in the nation are born prematurely. One in 8 babies is born premature or with low birthweight (in 1980 it was about 1 in 12). Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death and many lifelong disabilities. The funds raised in WalkAmerica support research that saves babies’ lives.

For details about becoming a walker, call Pat Johnson, WalkAmerica chairman, at 543-4227.

In Southeast Arkansas, the Grady Centennial will be celebrated Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the old Grady High School on Main Street at Grady. There will be a museum of antiques on display at the school and food will be served by Hardin Farms.

Also during the event, Rick Joslin the author of “Bayou Country” will be selling and signing the illustrated history of Southeast Arkansas, which was published by The Commercial.

This week will also feature the 2007 All-You-Can-Eat Community Barbecue Fest/Contest on Friday and Saturday sponsored by Novel T’s Custom Ad Specialty Gallery and Arkansas Regional Organ Recovery Agency.

The fest will be held at Regional Park, the Pine Bluff Convention Center and the new Price Hall Masonic Lodge. The event will also feature the Robert Evans championship barbecue contest.

Details: Call 534-0233 or visit online at www.BarBQueFest.com.

Other events this week include:

  • The Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility Commission meeting at 8:45 a.m. today at the agency’s office on Ohio Street.

  • The Pine Bluff Retirement Board will meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the mayor’s conference room.

  • The Pine Bluff Convention Center’s finance committee meeting will be held at noon Tuesday in the center’s general conference room. The center’s Civic Auditorium Complex and the Advertising and Tourist Promotion commissions will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the center’s Sadler room.

  • A public hearing will be held to receive public comments about the transportation needs for disabled people, senior citizens and low-income people. Transportation to the hearing will be provided free by Pine Bluff Transit. The hearing will be held April 24 between 4-6 p.m. at the Pine Bluff City Council Chambers, 200 E. Eighth Ave.

  • The Pine Bluff School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesdat at the Jordan-Chanay Administrative Center, 1215 W. Pullen St.

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