By Jo Ellis
news@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. —
Looking ahead to the coming week, you can fill your calendar with several entertaining events taking place in Carthage.
First off, the McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital Auxiliary is holding a “Membership Coffee Clutch” on Wednesday, and you’re invited. The name plays on combining the familiar “coffee klatch” with a special showing and sale of purses, clutches, scarves and accessories from the auxiliary’s Pink Rose Gift Shop.
I’ve seen the collection and can assure you there will be a plentiful array of cute, sassy, whimsical, bling and even “serious” type purses, all reasonably priced, to catch your eye. Almost every size, color and style of purse you can imagine will be included, along with wallets, hair decorations and colorful scarves.
Shopping, eating and socializing with friends, all at the same time. What could be better?
The membership coffee is an annual affair to sign up members who want to promote the auxiliary’s goal of raising funds for projects benefiting McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital. You may sign up as an inactive member for $10 a year or as an active member for $5.
The Villages at Rollins Creek will be the setting for the event, which will run from 10 a.m. to noon. Refreshments, all prepared from recipes in the auxiliary’s new cookbook, “Petals & Peppercorns,” will be served. The cookbook also will be available for sale.
If you want your pick of the purses, you might want to be there right at 10 a.m. You may call 417-359-2657 for more details and to RSVP.
Also on Wednesday, keep your eye out for the Model T tour cars that will be traveling through town and stopping by Powers Museum for a look at the new Lee and Grant exhibit.
Other Lee and Grant programs scheduled in the next few days include a presentation on “Generals as Presidents” by Steven Wagner, Missouri Southern State University professor. The program will be held Thursday night at Powers Museum; doors open at 6:30 p.m.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12, retired MSSU professor Virginia Laas will present “The Blair Family and Their Insights on Lee, Grant and Lincoln.” The Blairs were prominent Jasper County residents. Also, about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, the museum is expecting classic and vintage cars from the Route 66 Association of Missouri motorcade to stop for a quick tour of the Lee and Grant exhibit.
Giving a broader perspective to the military roles of Lee and Grant, Lyle Sparkman, president of the Missouri Archaeological Society, will present “Civil War Archaeology at Pea Ridge Battlefield.” The program will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at the Carthage Library.
This Friday and Saturday, the 33rd annual Midwest Gathering of the Artists will take place at Carthage Memorial Hall, 407 S. Garrison Ave. The format is a little different this year. The show will run only two days, and the auction and awards program have been moved to Saturday night instead of Friday.
Admission to the show will be free from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. The show then will close until 6 p.m. to allow Memorial Hall to be set up for the wine and hors d’oeuvres reception, to be followed by the awards presentation and art auction. There is a $20 admission charge for the evening program.
Thirty-one artists will participate. Most have exhibited in previous shows. The three new artists are Justin Hale and Margie Moss, both of Joplin, and Thomas Holt, of Wasola.
For tickets and reservations to the awards session and art auction, and for further details about the show, people may contact Sandy Higgins at 417-358-7163 or e-mail her at 1artangel@suddenlink.net.
