Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry announces that its third annual Stop Hunger, Feed Hope dinner-auction-fundraiser to combat hunger will be held Friday, Oct. 18, at the Wake Forest Presbyterian Church on Capital Boulevard. Tri-Area wants to raise $75,000 to increase its capacity and to enable them to add fresh foods like eggs, fruits and vegetables to the non-perishable items it loads into bags for the 750-plus families – 2,400 people – it helps each month. Volunteers distribute about 12 tons of food a month. Tri-Area is a partner agency with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, but most of its donations come from individuals, churches, civic organizations and local businesses like Food Lion, Lowes Foods, Aldi and Panera Bread, and those are mostly canned and dry goods. Tri-Area is a non-profit volunteer organization with 501(c)3 tax status. #

The Wake Forest Police Department will host Operation Medicine Drop Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside the ground floor meeting room of the Wake Forest Town Hall at 301 South Brooks Street. The room is most easily accessed by Town Hall’s Taylor Street entrance. The Wake Forest Police Department offers Operation Medicine Drop as a prescription and over-the-counter medication take-back initiative that promotes proper medication disposal. By providing a safe and secure way for people to get rid of unwanted pills, tablets and other medications, Operation Medicine Drop helps prevent accidental poisonings and drug abuse, while also protecting local rivers and streams. The service is free, anonymous and no questions will be asked. Participants can help law enforcement officials properly identify and sort the medications by disposing expired, unused or unwanted medicine in its original container with the drug label intact. All the medications collected during

Area residents are invited to enjoy the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows of autumn while also learning about native trees during two Fall Foliage Tours on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Urban Forestry Coordinator Luke Devores will offer the free, one-hour tours at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Parents and children of all ages are welcome, and no registration is required. Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to meet at the information kiosk located adjacent to the Joyner Park parking lot. In the event of rain, the Fall Foliage Tours may be rescheduled. #

The Rockin’ the Forest music series continues with the popular beach band, The Catalinas, on Friday, Nov. 8. The concert gets underway at 7:30 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre for the Arts at 405 South Brooks Street. The Catalinas were inducted into the Beach Music Hall of Fame in 1995, followed by the NC Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Best known for their classic hit, “Summertime’s Callin’ Me, The Catalinas spotlight their musical roots by performing music by groups such as Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gay, Huey Smith, The Falcons, The Del Vikings, The Gladiolas, Ray Charles and more. Advance tickets are $15 each plus tax and selling fast. Tickets can be purchased online with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit card at www.wakeforestrencen.org/tickets-events<http://www.wakeforestrencen.org/tickets-events>. Advance tickets may also be purchased with cash, check or credit card at the Renaissance Centre Box Office,

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department is set to implement an important part of its recently updated fees and charges policy by requiring non-Wake Forest residents to pay a fee to obtain a Recreation Card (Rec Card). Both residents and non-residents ages 11 and older must have a Rec Card to use the amenities offered at parks and rec facilities, including the Joyner Park Community Center and Flaherty Park Community Center. Although Rec Cards are free for Wake Forest residents, the following fees now apply for people who live outside the Wake Forest town limits and do not pay Wake Forest property taxes: Individual, $25; Family, $50; Drop-in fee, $5. For both residents and non-residents, there is a $5 replacement fee for lost or stolen cards. To obtain a Rec Card you must first create an online profile at http://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/recdeskportal/. Then, visit the Flaherty Park Community Center at 1226