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If you have any information for the Community Calendar, please email it to justin.schuver@bogalusadailynews.com.

 

Student art is museum exhibit

In the month of April, the Varnado Store Museum is featuring student art from all over the parish. This year, art was received from 10 different schools, for a total of 333 pieces. The art has been judged by an artist from St. Tammany Parish, and he stated his amazement with the art talent in Washington Parish. The art is judged by grade categories from K-5, 6-8, and 9-12, with first, second and third prizes, as well as honorable mentions being awarded. All visitors are asked to vote for a favorite piece as a People’s Choice award that will also be given at the end of the show. Each visitor is allowed to vote one time during each visit to the show. The museum is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

 

Testing for home-schooled students

All third-12th grade home-schooled students are invited to participate in the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP), which will be administered in Washington Parish schools beginning in April. If you are planning to enroll your student in a Washington Parish school for the 2021-22 school year, it is recommended that your student take the LEAP now rather than testing later for enrollment. All students are welcome to test, even if you plan to continue home-schooling during the 2021-22 school year. Please contact the school in your district before Wednesday, April 7, if your student will participate in LEAP this spring.

 

Community garden fence painting

There will be a community garden fence painting at the Franklinton branch library on Friday, April 9, from 9 a.m. until noon. Volunteers are needed. For more information, call 985-839-7855.

 

YMCA chicken plate fund-raiser

The Bogalusa YMCA will be having a smoked chicken plate fund-raiser on Tuesday, April 13. Pick-up will be available from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and the plates can be picked up at Nothing But Tha Smoke food stand, located at 424 Superior Ave. in Bogalusa. The cost is $10 each.

 

Washington Parish Republican Women

The Washington Parish Republican Women will hold their monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 14, at 11:30 a.m. at Maria’s Restaurant on Austin Street. The business meeting will begin at noon. District Attorney Warren Montgomery will be the guest speaker. Social distancing requirements will continue.

 

Clear warrants in Washington Parish

Got traffic or misdemeanor warrants? Missed a court date? Work with community organizations and District Attorney Warren Montgomery to clear your warrants in Washington Parish. This event will be Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Washington Parish Fairgrounds in Franklinton. Pre-registration is required. You can apply online at www.graenow.com or by calling one of these numbers: 318-269-8403 (Anza), 985-241-0037 (Dana), or 985-809-8394 (leave a message for call back). This program does not apply to charges involving a victim or property damage. Participants in the warrant clinic will not be arrested.

 

Yoga and meditation classes

Riverstone Gallery and Holistic Art Center, located at 415 S. Columbia St., offers a variety of yoga classes throughout the week. Tuesdays is “Gentle Yoga” at noon — this is perfect for beginners, seniors or anyone who wants to take it slow. Tuesdays also has “Yoga Flow” at 6 p.m. — this class focuses on the breath, and is slow to moderately paced. Thursdays is “Meditation Yoga” for all ages and abilities. Saturdays is “Gentle Yoga” at 11 a.m. — an easy-going pace, with a focus on flexibility and relaxation. Classes are $12 each, or purchase a four-class pass for $40. For more information, call 985-516-6919, or message the center on Facebook.

 

COVID-19 vaccines available

Rural Behavioral Health Services, located at 59448 Highway 10 W. in Bogalusa, has COVID-19 vaccines. Call 985-732-0253 for appointments. Walk-ins welcome. To receive your vaccine, bring a photo ID, proof of insurance (if applicable) and know your date of birth. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until noon and 12:30 p.m. until 4 p.m.

 

Public wi-fi locations

The Washington Parish Library System recently acquired state funding to boost their existing public wi-fi in order to further assist the students of Washington Parish who must do class work virtually. The signal at each branch has been strengthened considerably and usage is unlimited by any number of people. Each branch also has Hot Spots to check out to patrons who have limited access to internet at home or live in rural areas with little internet access. For more information, contact any branch: Bogalusa at 985-735-1961, Franklinton at 985-839-7805, Enon at 985-839-9385 or Thomas at 985-848-7061.

 

Montalbano Patriotic Award scholarship

Applications are available for the Montalbano Patriotic Award and can be picked up at the parish offices of Annunciation Catholic Church in Bogalusa and Holy Family Catholic Church in Franklinton. All graduating high school seniors who are members of either of these parishes are eligible to apply. The application/resume must include a small picture, and a 300-word, double-spaced essay titled, “What it Means to be a Catholic American.” The purpose of this essay and application is to highlight the applicant’s patriotism and Catholicism. Letters of recommendation may also be included. Deadline for the packet to be turned in to the respective church offices is Friday, April 16. This award is sponsored by the Father Hubert Bordenave Assembly Patriotic Degree in memory of Frank and Ignatius Montalbano for their dedicated service to the Catholic faith and the Knights of Columbus. There will be two one-time awards of $250 each, one going to a member of Annunciation Parish and one to a member of Holy Family Parish.

 

Bogalusa Help Center

Bogalusa Help Center, the local food bank, is now a drive-through operation located at 350 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. It is open from 8 a.m. until noon every Wednesday (except the fifth Wednesday of a month), providing food to those in need in our community. Since partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank/USDA, and with generous donations from our community, BHC now distributes 35 to 40 pounds of food to each client each month, serving over 400 families each month. These distributions include canned goods, meat, dry beans, peanut butter, fresh fruit and vegetables, and more. New clients can apply each week. They must provide the following to determine qualification: name of head of the household; driver’s license or ID; address; number of persons in the household and ages; and SNAP or SSI printout, or proof of income of all in the household. Donations are always very much needed and are very much appreciated. For more information, BHC may be reached at 985-735-6404 every Wednesday.