Black Tie Bingo and Veterans Day festivities fill Fort Smith calendar

It is nearly November, and the Fort Smith region is set to celebrate art, veterans and more. The coming weeks will include a reception at the Center for Art & Education, the "Greenwood at War" event, Black Tie Bingo, Chaffee Crossing's Veterans Parade, and the Hall of Honor Banquet for the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs.

Center for Art & Education Reception
The Center for Art & Education in Van Buren will debut its end of year exhibit with an opening reception on Nov. 2. The November/December show will feature the pastels of Julie Mayser and pottery of Rebecca Dunn.

Mayser's "Visual Meditations" show and Dunn's "The Nature of Clay" exhibit will be on display in CAE's Main Gallery. "Fusion Four," a collection of works by four contemporary fiber artists from Arkansas, will show in the Studio Gallery.

The reception will be held at CAE from 1 to 4 p.m.  Beverages and light hors d’oeuvres will be served. The reception is free and open to the public. The exhibits will remain on display through December 19. For more information, call Owen Shackelford at 474-7767.

Greenwood at War
The Bell Park Foundation will celebrate some of the nation's greatest heroes with  its WWII tribute event, "Greenwood At War," on Nov. 2. Hosted at the Ed Wilkinson Pavilion in Greenwood's Bell Park, the evening will include a panel of local World War II veterans and wives of veterans.

Topics discussed will extend from personal accounts from the war front, to a history of how the war changed the home front in Greenwood. In addition to hearing first-hand details by WWII veterans, guests will enjoy an "all-American" meal of freshly grilled hamburgers, sides and apple pie. Entertainment will be provided by the Greenwood High School Choir who will sing patriotic songs from the era.

"Greenwood at War" will begin at 6 p.m., following Bell Park's 10th annual Fall Festival. Individual tickets are $20. Interested participants are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Tickets are available at the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, Walters & Gaston Law Firm, Osborn Insurance Agency, Johnson Dermatology, First National Bank, BancorpSouth, Farmers Bank, Arvest Bank and the Dressing Room located at 9 North Main Street in Greenwood.

Black Tie Bingo
BINGO! The Fort Smith Public Library Endowment Trust will host its seventh annual Black Tie Bingo on Nov. 8. The annual gaming gala will include a night of gourmet food and drinks, live music and rounds of prize Bingo.

Festivities will get underway at 7 p.m. with a cocktail hour that will include fine wines, spirits and heavy hors d'oeuvres. The Don Bailey Jazz Ensemble will also perform.
Formal dinner will follow at 7:45 p.m. Guests will then have the chance to win big in the premier Bingo event, with several  prizes up for grabs. KFSM TV-5's Daren Bobb will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. The evening will conclude with coffee and liqueurs.

The gala will be held at the Main Branch of the Fort Smith Public Library, located at 3201 Rogers Avenue. Individual tickets for the gala are $125 and include Bingo cards. Reserved tables for eight are also available for $950. Attire is black tie optional. To RSVP, call 783-0229.

Chaffee Crossing Veteran's Day Parade
Chaffee Crossing will pay tribute to local service men and women with its third annual Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 8.

The parade will honor veterans from all military branches. Floats from local schools, non-profits, and other organizations will be featured. Staging of parade participants (floats, walkers, motorcycles, cars, etc.) will take place between 10-11:30 a.m. on Ellis St., Fort Chaffee Blvd. and Collier St. There is no fee participate. The parade will begin marching at 12 p.m.

A Fall Festival will be held following the parade in the Chaffee Crossing Historic District. The festival will feature great family fun, as well as informational booths for military personnel.

Admission to the parade and festival are free, and the general public is invited to attend. For more information, call 434-6774.

Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs Hall of Fame Banquet
Seven individuals and one service organization will be honored on Nov. 10 at the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs annual Hall of Fame Banquet.

Hosted at the Holiday Inn in Fort Smith, the banquet will recognize the efforts of the eight 2014 inductees. Honorees include Dr. Cole Goodman, Jim Atwell, Phil Hatcher and Jim Hamilton. Legacy inductees who will be honored posthumously include: Henry Armstrong, Arthur “Shifty” Davis, and Herman Udouj. The Ladies Auxiliary, a former Club service organization, will also be inducted.

The Hall of Fame Banquet will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. Table sponsors, with reserved seating for 10, are available for $350 and corporate sponsorships for $750. To RSVP or for more information, call Jerry Glidewell at 782-7093.