Wreaths Across America ceremony to be held Saturday

Clarendon School District One will conduct free vision, hearing, speech and developmental screenings as part of a child find effort to identify students ages 3-5, who may need special education services and are not enrolled in a public school. Screenings will be conducted from 9 a.m. to noon at the Summerton Early Childhood Center, 8 South St., Summerton, on the following Tuesdays: Jan. 8, 2019; Feb. 12, 2019; March 12, 2019; April 9, 2019; and May 14, 2019. Call Robert Collar at (803) 574-2117.

Jingle with the Arts, presented by Sumter Civic Dance Company and the Sumter High School Show Choir, will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14, and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. Tickets available at the Patriot Hall box office or online at www.freedschool.com.

The Evening Optimist Club will host Breakfast with Santa from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Sonic Drive-In, 2022 McCrays Mill Road. Regular breakfast items will be available for purchase with a special pancake breakfast also available. Be sure to bring your camera. Pictures with Santa are free, but donations to the Optimist International Foundation are welcomed.

The Sumter Police Department's Cram-A-Cruiser Toy Drive will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Walmart, 1283 Broad St. Call (803) 436-2700 for more information.

The 5th Annual Christmas Shopping Expo will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the M.H. Newton Family Life Center, 415 Manning Ave. There will be more than 50 vendors to shop with at this event.

The annual Wreaths Across America ceremony, sponsored by the Sumter Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 15, at Sumter Cemetery, 700 W. Oakland Ave., to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of our fallen heroes, those currently serving and our U.S. military veterans. Staff Sgt. Charles L. Raymond III, former U.S. Army Ranger, Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient, will speak. All attendees will have the opportunity to hang a wreath on the cemetery fence. Contact Capt. Denise Owen at owenmom@aol.com or (912) 656-3966.

The Voorhees College Alumni Chapter (Sumter) will meet at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Sumter County Library. Contact Joan Coaxum at jcoaxum@hotmail.com with any questions.

The Carolina Backcountry Christmas will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Sumter County Museum, 122 N. Washington St. Call (803) 775-0908.

The South Carolina Chapter of Scotts Branch Alumni Association will meet at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Eagles Nest, 1 Larry King Highway, Summerton.

The Lincoln High School Preservation Alumni Association will meet at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 26 Council St. For information, call the alumni office 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Mondays or Wednesdays at (803) 773-0444.

Do you enjoy knitting, crocheting, embroidery, cross stitch or any other sewing hobby? Join the Knit and Stitch Sewing Group from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the Wesmark Branch of the Sumter County Library, 180 W. Wesmark Blvd.

The Carolina Coin Club will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the Parks and Recreation Department, 155 Haynsworth St. The group meets on the third Tuesday of each month and visitors are always welcome. Call (803) 775-8840 for details.

The South Carolina Education Association (Sumter) will meet at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at Willie Sue's. Call Brenda at (803) 469-6588 for information.

The film "Jack Frost" will be presented at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at the Wesmark Branch of the Sumter County Library, 180 W. Wesmark Blvd.