Community Calendar

A DeKalb County Neighbors Helping Neighbors Blood Assurance Drive will be Monday, July 18 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the County Complex. The blood drive will be on the mobile in the parking lot next to the highway at the Complex. All donors will receive a “Home Run Donor” t-shirt. To schedule an appointment, go to Bloodassurance.org/dekalbneighbors or contact Jimmy Poss at 615-464-7426 or jimposs72@yahoo.com. Please remember to EAT A GOOD MEAL, avoid energy drinks,  drink additional water and bring your ID. Blood Assurance is the SOLE blood provider for our local hospitals. Save time on your donation by answering your health questions the day of the drive prior to arriving. Download “bloodassurance.org/quickscreen” onto your phone. This will save you 10 minutes on the mobile.

The Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree & Crafts Festival is celebrating their 51 years on July 1-2, 2022, on the courthouse square in downtown Smithville, Tennessee. The two-day event is home to the National Competition for Country Musician Beginners, while being named the ‘Official Jamboree & Crafts Festival of the State of Tennessee.’ The festival is free to the public, while musicians, singers and dancers can pay a nominal fee to compete in multiple bluegrass, gospel, and dance categories. All events are inclusive and handicap accessible.

Have you wanted to learn how to can your own food at home? The University of Tennessee Extension office will be holding two canning classes in July. The classes will be taught by Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent April Martin. Water Bath Canning class will be July 12 from 10 – 3 at the DeKalb County Complex in the Commercial Kitchen. Water bath canning is used for high acid foods such as fruits, tomatoes, jams/jellies, and pickled foods. Cost is $30 and includes lunch and all supplies. Payment is due at the UT Extension office located in the DeKalb County Complex by July 11. A minimum of 4 people is required to hold the class. Pressure Canning class will be July 27 from 10 – 3 at the DeKalb County Complex in the Commercial Kitchen. Pressure canning is used for low acid foods such as vegetables, meats, and soups. Cost is $30 and includes lunch and all supplies. Payment is due at the UT Extension office located in the DeKalb County Complex by July 25. A minimum of 4 people is required to hold the class. For more information contact UT Extension at 615-597-4945 or email April Martin at amartin3@utk.edu

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting a Sobriety Checkpoint on July 1^st on State Route 56 in DeKalb County.  Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and injures 305,000 others every year in the United States. Troopers will evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment. Troopers will target those who operate a vehicle while impaired and take corrective actions for other violations observed while ensuring the protection of all motorists.  The Tennessee Highway Patrol recognizes that sobriety checkpoints are highly visible and effective tools in the battle against impaired driving.

The DeKalb County Fair returns for its annual weeklong run Monday through Saturday, July 11-16. With the theme “Hometown Heroes This Fair is For You in 2022″, the 166th edition will feature another fun filled week of rides by B&K Carnival and many crowd pleasing activities and events including the Demolition Derby, ATV/Motorcycle Racing, Super Truck & Tractor Pull, the Lip Sync Battle, Pageants, Car Show, Grill-Off and Ice Cream Contest, Poultry, Cattle, Goat, and Pet Show, Hay Decorating, and much more. Cash drawings will be held each night. This year’s fair is dedicated to “Hometown Heroes”. The 2022 DeKalb County Fair Premium Book is now available. http://www.dekalbcountyfairtn.com/premium_book. Non-perishable items for display in the Kenneth Sandlin Center will be accepted on Saturday July 2 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and on Saturday July 9 for perishable entries from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The schedule of Fair events each night. www.dekalbcountyfairtn.com/

The City of Smithville will begin its summer schedule for sanitation pickup on Monday, June 20. The new starting time will be 6 a.m.

The regular 911 meeting will be June 28 at 5:30 pm at the DeKalb County 911 Building

New West Point Free Will Baptist Church will have Vacation Bible School  "Under the  Stars" July 9 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. for ages 3-12. Pre-register by texting or calling 615-464-7963 by July 2.

The 24th Annual Fiddler 5K and One Mile Fun Run, sponsored by Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County will be Saturday, July 2. All proceeds from the race are used in building another Habitat for Humanity home in DeKalb County. The race on Saturday, July 2 will begin promptly at 7:00 a.m. RAIN OR SHINE on Church Street in front of the First Baptist Life Enrichment Center, Smithville. The race ends on Church Street in front of Love-Cantrell Funeral Home. The Fiddler 5K is a qualifying race for the Run the Cumberland Medal Series of Races. Anybody who is interested in participating either in the one-mile fun run or the 5K may go to www.fiddler5k.com where you’ll find all the details and a link to online registration.