Annual Halloween parade and costume contest planned
The City of New Smyrna Beach will hold its 35th annual Halloween parade and costume contest at 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31.
The parade will start at the parking lot on Orange Avenue just north of Canal Street.
All participants are encouraged to be there by 3:30 p.m.
The parade will go east on Canal Street to the Chamber of Commerce parking lot for the judging of the costume contest.
All costumes judged must be original costumes.
Age groups for the costume contest are as follows: 4 years and younger, 5 to7 years, 8 to 11 years, 12 to 17 years, and 18 and older and group award.
There will be a first through fourth place and recycling award in each age category.
Low-cost pet shot clinic planned
A low-cost pet shot clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, Sunday, Nov. 1, at Riverside Park, 105 Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach.
Proceeds will benefit Concerned Citizens for Animal Welfare.
For more information, call (386) 316-8105 or (386) 852-2737 or visit www.ccfaw.org.
High school selling coupon books
New Smyrna Beach High School is selling coupon books.
The Smart Book, sponsored by Island Life Magazine and supported by New Smyrna Beach High School Principal Dr. Carol Anne Kelley, is a community value book with coupons and discounts worth more than $5,000.
The book sells for $30, with 50 percent of each sale going directly to the school.
The books can be purchased at New Smyrna Beach High School and at many of the participating merchant locations.
For more information, call (386) 689-3932.
Pet adoption event slated
Paws in the park adoption event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 1, at Riverside Park, 105 Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach.
Participants should bring pet food donations for local shelters.
There will be a Halloween "Pet Pawrade" at 2 p.m.
Prizes will be given for pet and owner costumes, best trick and more.
Raffle tickets will be $3 or 4 for $10.
There will be free T-shirt for the first 15 registered for the Pawrade.
Registration cost $10.
For more information, e-mail bherrick@cfl.rr.com.
Friendship force meeting scheduled
The Friendship Force of East Central Florida will be holding its next meeting at 6 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2, at Coronado Community United Methodist Church, New Smyrna Beach.
There will be a covered dish dinner followed by a program and business meeting.
For more information, call (386) 428-9455.
Golf league scheduled
The Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce will hold a golf league at 5 p.m. each Monday in November at Hidden Lake Golf Club.
Cost is $20 each week.
For more information, call (386) 428-2449.
Golf tournament planned
The New Smyrna Beach High School Showdolls will hold its charity golf tournament and silent auction on Saturday, Nov 14, at Hidden Lakes Golf Course.
Silent auction items will include spa treatments, salon packages, hotel stays, fishing trips, autographed memorabilia, vacations, fine dining gift certificates, golf outings, artwork, Showdolls passes and many more.
For more information about the golf tournament or silent auction, call (386) 314-9886 or (386) 427-4138.
Driver safety class offered
The Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons will hold a driver safety class from 9 a.m. to Noon, Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 2 and 3, at Coronado United Methodist Church, 201 S. Peninsula Ave., New Smyrna Beach.
The cost is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non- members.
Reservations with instructors are required.
For more information, call (386) 427-7373.
Respite program offered
The Council on Aging offers caregivers of people 60 years old and older with dementia and other disorders a break from the task of caregiving.
The senior will participate in supervised activities while the caregivers have time to themselves.
The program is held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Wednesday at Coronado United Methodist Church in New Smyrna Beach.
A caregiver support group is held at 9:15 a.m. the third Wednesday of each month at the church.
For more information, call (386) 253-4700, Ext. 204.
Cruise club seeking new members
The Halifax Cruise Club is offering new and season boat owners a six-month free membership to the club.
Members meet each month, except December, at a different restaurant for a cruise to an in-state destination.
For more information, call (386) 882-4902 or (386) 852-2620.
Libraries offer online service to help students improve test scores
Students can get online help to improve their SAT, ACT and PSAT scores through ePrep, a new service added to the Volusia County Public Library system's database.
With ePrep, students take timed practice tests, have them graded online and then watch a video review. The service tracks student progress, guides remedial efforts, and encourages vocabulary building. Parents can track student progress non-intrusively.
Recorded Books will host four video seminars that give an overview of ePrep. Topics included in the 45-minute seminars include creating user accounts, setting up calendars and parent accounts, using ePrep's features, and best practices for studying for the SAT and ACT.
The seminars and ePrep can be accessed at all 16-library branches or from home or school through the library's Web site, www.volusialibrary.org. A valid library card is required for ePrep, but not for the seminars.
For more information, visit www.ePrep.com.