The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will host its first Diwali Festival on Saturday, Nov. 2. Free and open to everyone, the event is scheduled from noon-3 p.m. at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Diwali is India’s biggest and most cherished festival of the year. Known as the “Festival of Lights,” Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil, showcasing the indomitable human spirit. Immerse yourself in the joyous atmosphere with enchanting music and vibrant dance performances. Explore hands–on crafts, experience a henna tattoo, and savor a variety of Indian culinary delights. Join us as we unite in the spirit of Diwali – a celebration for everyone to enjoy! For more information, contact PRCR Events Coordinator Suja Jacob at 919-556-7063 or sjacob@wakeforestnc.gov. ####

Wake Forest Lions Club is holding its Annual Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday October 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the American Legion Hall located at 225 E Holding Avenue. Ticket prices are $12 for adults and $8 for children 4-12, and free for children under 3 years of age. Dine in or Take Out! Funds raised are used for our KidSight USA Vision Program which provides FREE vision screening for children. Tickets are available at the door or for presale by calling Lion Glenda Grant @ 919-306-4430  or Lion Glenn Day @ 919-539-3706. ###

The Wake Forest Woman’s Club is sponsoring its 4th Scholarship Poinsettia Fundraiser during the month of October. Proceeds will support a Continuing Education Scholarship awarded to a graduating Wake Forest area student. The beautiful red poinsettias with green foil container covers are locally grown by Homewood Nursery and will be available for pickup in Wake Forest on Tuesday, December 3, 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Wake Forest Baptist Church Sanctuary parking lot, 107 E. South Avenue, Wake Forest. Only preordered plants will be available at pickup. No sales that day. The plants are 6 1/2″ pots, 16-20″ tall, with six to eight blooms per plant and are offered for sale at $20.00 each. To order and pay for your plant, please visit www.wake-forest-womans-club.com The Wake Forest Woman’s Club works to strengthen the community and enhance the lives of others through volunteer service. ###

The Wake Forest Police Department is partnering with Wegmans for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 2024 Fall Drug Take Back Initiative on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Wegmans, 11051 Ligon Mill Road. Weather permitting, the drop-off area will be situated just outside the Wegmans main entrance facing Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass. The October 26 Drug Take Back is a prescription and over-the-counter medication take-back initiative that promotes proper medication disposal. By providing a safe, convenient, and responsible way for people to dispose of unwanted pills, tablets, and other medications, the event 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 onsite personnel properly identify and sort the medications by disposing expired, unused, or unwanted medicine in their original containers with the drug labels intact. All the medications

Where else can you run with 2,000 of your closest friends, exercise before the biggest meal of the year AND help 1,000 kids at the same time? This family-friendly Thanksgiving Day event is a great way to support the community. The Wake Forest Boys & Girls Club receives 100% of the proceeds. Over the years, Gobbler’s Run has donated more than $850,000! The 3.1-mile loop is an easy stroll through downtown and historic Wake Forest. Push your kids or bring your dog – strollers and pets are welcome. Registration is easy. Kids 5 & under are free! You’ll get a race T-shirt and be able to eat more turkey without the guilt! To register, or for more info, visit www.gobblersrun.com. See you on Turkey Day! Some information about the club, which is on South Wingate Street behind Wake Forest Elementary Street. Cat Redd, who organized the first Gobbler’s Run in

After over 30 years, management of the Wake Forest Historic Home Tour is transitioning from the Wake Forest Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) back to the Wake Forest Woman’s Club. The Woman’s Club introduced the Historic Home Tour in the 1980s and later partnered with the HPC to co-host the event. In the decades that followed, the holiday tour has become a beloved community event offered every other year. All was well until 2020 when the tour was canceled due to COVID. According to Senior Planner for Historic Preservation Michelle Michael, the pandemic ushered in a new era for the event marked by a drastic decline in the number of property owners willing to showcase their homes. “COVID changed the way the community interacts in many ways but especially when it comes to people opening their private homes to the public,” said Michael. “People simply aren’t as open to inviting 2,000

The Wake Forest Police Department is accepting monetary donations through Saturday, Nov. 23, as part of its 18th Annual Turkey Drive. Area residents can support this worthy cause by submitting online donations at http://bit.ly/WFPDTurkeyDrive.  Cash and checks written to the Wake Forest Police Department are also accepted. Anyone wishing to contribute cash or check to this year’s Turkey Drive should contact Officer K. Abshire at kabshire@wakeforestnc.gov. All monetary donations will be used to purchase additional turkeys.  On Saturday, Nov. 23, the Police Department will accept monetary donations and donations of frozen turkeys at the WFPD Substation, 225 S. Taylor St., from 9 a.m. until noon. Police officers and staff will then distribute the turkeys while they last on Monday, Nov. 25, from 8-11 a.m., at the Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry, 149 E. Holding Ave.  ###

If you’re looking for a “hauntingly” good time this fall, then don’t miss the Spirits of Wake Forest ghost walk in downtown Wake Forest. Now in its fifth year, Spirits of Wake Forest is presented by Wake Forest Downtown (WFD), Inc., in partnership with Firebox Theatre Company. Downtown Wake Forest’s buildings and sidewalks have seen well over 100 years of history, and they have some spooky stories to tell! Join WFD, Inc. and Firebox Theatre Company’s incredible cast of storytellers to learn about the tragic train wrecks, frightening folklore, and restless spirits that make up just a small piece of downtown’s haunted history. These tours will be offered on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, from September 26 through October 31, according to the following schedule: Tickets are $20 each and go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 10 a.m. at https://bit.ly/SpiritsofWF. Please note: Tickets are non-refundable/non-transferable and must be purchased in advance. Tours

Below is a list of groups – and if your group is not included and should be – please send a note with the information to cwpelosi@aol.com. If the information about your group is wrong or out of date, please send a note with the corrections to that same email address. Aren’t we lucky to have so many groups that benefit our town and its residents? Last updated on July 1, 2023. *American Legion Post 187 meets the second Thursday at 7 p.m. in the American Legion Hall at 225 East Holding Avenue. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. and costs $5. For information and membership, call Commander Doug Doster at 1-603-660-6948. *American Heritage Girls (AHG) meets at 6:30 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church on Rogers Road on the second and fourth Thursdays. Get in touch with Amy Minor at chrisnamy34@hotmail.com or see the website, www.hopelutheranwf.org. *The General James Moore