The Town of Wake Forest and the Historic Preservation Commission are partnering with the Wake Forest Historical Museum to host the “It’s a Wonderful Wake Forest” Historic Holiday Festival on Saturday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature free walking tours of the local Wake Forest Historic District every 30 minutes between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Each will last approximately 90 minutes and begin and end at the Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 North Main Street. Led by town staff, as well as current and former members of the Historic Preservation Commission, the tours will include areas throughout the local historic district. Along the way, each group will discuss the developmental and architectural history of the area, along with the significant men and women who lived in the homes. Tours will be conducted from the public right-of-way and will not include the interior of individual homes. Pre-registration

The Town of Wake Forest is pleased to announce the relaunch of “Engage Wake Forest” – a comprehensive community engagement platform where citizens can engage, collaborate, and provide feedback on Town programs and initiatives. Developed by Bang the Table, the site is available at https://engagewakeforest.org/. The goal of Engage Wake Forest is to encourage area residents to learn about Town initiatives, ask questions, and participate in the planning process for a variety of projects. Along the way, the Town will post surveys, polls, and forums to generate new ideas and solicit feedback. The interactive platform allows Wake Forest to communicate important messages without the distraction of off-topic or uncivil comments, said Communications & Public Affairs Director Bill Crabtree. “Through Engage Wake Forest, we can share information and solicit citizen input without having an open, public debate whenever someone wants to complain for the sake of complaining,” Crabtree said. “Engage Wake Forest

The Walter E. Cole American Legion Post 187 will celebrate Veterans’ Day with a community ceremony at the Wake Forest Veterans Memorial located on the grounds of the Heritage Golf Club at 11 a.m. Thursday November 11, 2021. The Veterans’ Memorial is located at 1250 Heritage Club Avenue, Wake Forest.  Ample signage along major roads throughout greater Wake Forest provides direction to the Veterans’ Memorial. As our nation honors the over 23 million living veterans from the Greatest Generation to the Latest Generation, let us never forget the awesome debt of their endeavors. No government commission or single dollar amount can adequately re-pay what has been given by all during our nation’s history through their blood, service and sacrifice. Please join the Wake Forest community and veterans as we display the honor and respect due these gallant and brave warriors. For more information contact Rich Heroux, (919) 494-2707 or email Rheroux1@nc.rr.com. #

On Thursday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day, a food distribution will be held at Friendship Chapel Baptist Church on Friendship Chapel Road off South Main Street from 9 a.m. until all the food is distributed. The distribution is hosted by the Christian Faith Assembly Community Church in partnership with the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. First Come, First Served! The distribution is drive-thru only and it is limited to one box per family. The trunk of the car must be open and clean for the volunteers to place the box in the trunk. The same is true of the beds of pickup trucks. #

The Koinonia Foundation invites the public to help neighbors in crisis by participating, sponsoring or donating to its second Pace for Grace 5K Race. Koinonia is a nondenominational Christian 501(c)(3) that provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that address human needs not adequately funded, as well as one-time emergency benevolent assistance to individuals and families in need in Wake Forest, Rolesville and Youngsville. In June, Koinonia gave $22,000 in grants to eight local charitable organizations. Runners and walkers of all ages can support Koinonia by participating in its virtual 5K on or before the weekend of Nov. 12-14, 2021, and sponsors and donors can contribute before Nov. 14. “As a virtual event, our Pace for Grace 5K Race gives participants flexibility in choosing how they wish to experience the event, and when and how they want to run or walk it,” said Holden McLemore, Koinonia Foundation Board member and race coordinator. “However, you don’t have to be a

Make plans now to help us ring in the holiday season and launch our annual donation drive during the inaugural Wake Forest Cares Holiday Kickoff on Saturday, Nov. 13. Presented by the Wake Forest Mayor and Board of Commissioners, this free family-friendly celebration is scheduled from 1 to 7 p.m. in downtown Wake Forest. Promising fun-filled activities for both children and adults, our Holiday Kickoff will feature an artificial ice-skating rink in the Depot Parking Lot, 110 S. White St., award-winning ice carvers, roaming street performers, including an Ice Princess Stilt-Walker and Jack Frost Juggler, and a variety of performances from 1 to 4 p.m. in Centennial Plaza, 301 S. Brooks St. A high-energy concert by ACE Party Band along South White Street from 4 to 7 p.m., and a dazzling 10-minute Holiday Laser Light Show at the conclusion of the performance will offer a fitting climax to the day’s festivities. Food and refreshments

The Wake Forest Fire Department is seeking dedicated volunteers to join its family of firefighters.  The WFFD is a combination department which means both career staff and volunteers are needed to operate. Although volunteers do not earn a salary, they are an integral part of the department’s community protection efforts and may receive a stipend per shift depending on their qualifications. As a result, serious, dedicated men and women are needed.  Responsibilities of volunteer firefighters include fighting fires, providing medical aid, assisting at emergency scenes, participating in training, and providing administrative support. Both certified and non-certified candidates are eligible, and there are no residency requirements, but volunteers must be willing to commit a minimum of 24 hours of duty crew each month. For more information, or to complete a volunteer application, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/fire/fire-department-jobs. #

Updated October 13, 2021 and partly based on the Wake Forest Planning Department’s September monthly report of plans under review as well as the town manager’s report. Plans under review at the Wake Forest Planning Department During September E. Carroll Joyner submitted the plan for the development of the former Wake Forest Country Club to the Wake Forest Planning Department. The plan calls for 249 single-family lots and 137 townhouse lots. The plan is not yet on the active development map in the planning department so many details are not yet available. No date has been set for the public hearing before the planning board and town board. Also there were the additions of three infrastructure improvements connected with the Kinsley subdivision on both sides of North Main Street. Those improvements are the widening of North Main, off-site water line extension and the extension of the Richland Creek sewer to

The Town of Wake Forest and the Local Government Federal Credit Union will celebrate “America Recycles Day” on Monday, Nov. 15, by co-sponsoring a drive-thru paper shredding event. Free and open to the public, the shred event will take place rain or shine in the parking lot of the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., from noon to 6 p.m. – or until the two paper shredding trucks are full. The occasion will offer area residents and businesses the opportunity to protect themselves from identity theft and dispose of confidential documents in an environmentally responsible manner. All paper will be shredded on-site, then recycled. Participants are urged to help reduce contamination by removing all non-paper materials in advance, such as plastic binders, plastic folders and metal tabs. In addition, items that can damage the equipment will not be accepted, such as wet or moist paper, hanging file folders,

From November 22 to December 5, the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will host a Virtual Bass Fishing Tournament for ages 13 and older and a Virtual Youth Fishing Tournament for ages 12 and under. Over this two-week period, local anglers are encouraged to visit any public fishery in Wake or Franklin County to try and catch the biggest fish. Participants in the Youth Fishing Tournament may catch any species of fish, while anglers in the Bass Fishing Tournament will be limited to bass only. Online registration for both tournaments is available through Thursday, Nov. 4, at  https://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/Community/Home. The cost to participate is $10 for the bass tournament and $5 for the youth tourney. Participants in the bass tourney will receive a fishing scale to be used in the competition, while contestants in the youth tournament will receive an “Early Fisherman” packet. Fishing scales and “Early Fisherman” packets