The 2001 "Relay for Life" Fight Against Cancer will held in May this year at Sam Smith Stadium on the Forrest City High School campus.
The 12-hour event will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, May 11, and end at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 12.
The Relay for Life Walk-A-Thon will salute cancer survivors, those currently battling cancer and those who have lost the fight with cancer.
Each year, the Relay planning committee seeks out individuals who are willing to work as team leaders along with organizations willing to become corporate sponsors in the fight against cancer. Each team has 10 members, and each member is encouraged to collect $100 each.
Corporate sponsors are asked to make a donation from one of the following categories: $500 corporate donation - company name printed on t-shirts worn by Walk-A-Thon members, a $250 corporate donation - banner on platform with company name and a corporate donation of $150 - company name printed on t-shirts worn by Walk-A-Thon members, a $250 corporate donation - banner on platform with company name and a corporate donation of $150 - sponsors' names read hourly from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
During the Walk-A-Thon, luminary bags are placed around the track and candles are lit at dusk. The luminary ceremony honors cancer victims.
Team members and survivors walk around the football stadium throughout the night to symbolize a united effort against the disease. Walkers camp out during the evening and throughout the night, some will be walking, others may be eating, sleeping or just enjoying music and visiting with friends from tent to tent.
To form a team, or become a member on an existing team, contact Wilma Thomason, in charge of team recruitment, at 630-1187. To walk the cancer survivor's victory lap, call Mary Ann Stipe at 633-4523. Those wishing to make donations may mail a check to Debbie Jones, treasurer, State Farm Insurance, 803 North Washington Street, Forrest City, AR 72335.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce is making plans for its annual banquet.
This year's event is scheduled for Thursday, April 19, at the Forrest City Civic Center. The theme for this year's event is "2001 - Focus on Forrest City."
"That is why we will not be having a special guest speaker from out of town this year," said Niki Jones, Chamber Director of Community Relations. "We want to focus on Forrest City and what the chamber has done this past year and our future goals," Jones said.
According to Jones, the chamber banquet is being held a little later this year than years past. "State Representative Danny Ferguson, who is also Executive Director of the chamber is in the legislative session at this time. We are hoping he will be through by April 19," she said. Ferguson is expected to provide a legislative update at the banquet.
Ferguson was appointed to the joint budget committee this year, and recently introduced a bill to build a fine arts center on the East Arkansas Community College campus.
Jones said the chamber's new website will be introduced at the banquet. "We are very excited about our new website," she said. "It will have all new updated information and a member directory that is user-friendly. The web site is not on line as of yet, but will be up real soon," said Jones. The new address will be www.forrestcitychamber.com."
The St. Francis County Farm Family of the year, the Steven Bernard family of Hughes, will be honored at the banquet. Former and future chamber officers will also be recognized, according to Jones.
Tickets for the event are available at the Chamber. "About 300 people came to last year's banquet, and it was one of most successful banquets ever. We are hoping this year's banquet will be even more successful. A lot has happened in Forrest City and with the chamber. We have had such a growth spurt and want to continue growing," said Jones.
Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling the chamber at 633-1651. Tickets are $15 per person or $200 for a corporate sponsorship of eight. Dinner is scheduled to be served at 6:30 p.m.
By CRYSTAL HOLLIS
T-H Staff Writer
Layoffs and cutbacks due to the market decline of many top networking and microprocessing manufacturers may affect employment possibilities for local students.
Students in the Cisco Networking Systems programs at Forrest City High School and East Arkansas Community College take classes with the hope of one day landing a job in networking. However, Cisco recently announced it will be laying off thousands of its full time employees with the possibility of more layoffs in the future.
Students of the training classes should not be concerned about finding a job upon completion of certification, according to David Pendergrass, Cisco Networking Systems instructor at EACC.
"We train our students to work for a computer network or a company that uses a network, no matter who makes them," said Pendergrass. "We are telling them there is a deficiency in Cisco 'trained' personnel, not just Cisco personnel," he added.
The cuts are due to Cisco's stock price plunging from above $80 last March to just $20.81 on the NASDAQ Stock Market this quarter.
In light of this, Pendergrass said the students can still expect to find jobs. "When our students finish with the CCNA program, Cisco Certified Networking Associates, they can expect to become network managers, technical advisors or be qualified for any other networking-technical trained job with other companies, besides Cisco," Pendergrass said.
In honor of National Agriculture Week, the St. Francis County Farm Bureau Women's Committee and Miss St. Francis County Rice Natalie Howton will be reading at the Forrest City Public Library tonight at 7.
Refreshments will be served and agriculture related activity sheets and soybean crayons will be provided for each child.
The Forrest City City Council will meet in regular session Tuesday, March 20, at 7 p.m. in city hall.
Items on the agenda include bid openings for baseball uniforms, third reading of an ordinance to define purchasing procedures, and second reading of an ordinance prohibiting dogs except on the owner's premises or on a leash.
Also on the agenda is discussion of an ordinance to forbid trucks in residential areas, and a discussion of an ordinance to annex some land. There will also be discussion of a contract with Pepsi for the city sports complex.
Also on Tuesday, the St. Francis County Museum Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the museum.
The St. Francis County Quorum Court will meet at 7 p.m. at the courthouse. Justices will discuss ordinances and also hear concerns from a citizen.
School board meetings originally planned for tonight in Forrest City and Palestine have been postponed to Monday, March 26, due to spring breaks.