Fundraiser to benefit Melrose Public Library
MELROSE – The Melrose Library Association presents a Private Camellia Garden Day and Camellia Plant Sale hosted by top American Camellia Exhibitors Chuck and Bev Ritter.
On Jan. 29 from noon until 4 p.m., come enjoy some amazing camellia blooms and great company on a private camellia tour day. There will be demonstrations and handouts presented by camellia experts, complete with camellia gardening tips, a plant sale, silent auction and a cookie and valentine sale. All proceeds benefit the Melrose Public Library.
Admission is $5 per person. For more information, call (352) 316-5681.

Search on for World War II War Brides
ORANGE PARK – Clay County residents who were married to a U.S. military service member during World War II are encouraged to join a group that meets monthly in Orange Park.
Joan Jones of Keystone Heights organizes the WWII War Brides group and fears many from that era are dying.
“We, are losing our members very fast these days, but of course we are from the ‘Greatest Generation’ 1940s and so many of us are in our 80s and 90s,” Jones said. “However, I do know that there are still some of us around that could be members of our NE Florida Chapter.”
The group will meet Jan. 21 at noon at the Orange Buffet restaurant, 475 Blanding Blvd. for what Jones says is “no meetings, just talk.”
For more information contact Joan Jones, (904) 894-8411.

Author to discuss “Civil War & Clay County”
PENNEY FARMS – The author who wrote “An Early History of Clay County- A Wilderness That Could Be Tamed” is presenting a program on the Civil War at the January meeting of the Penney Farms Historical Society.
Author Kevin Hooper will discuss “Clay County and the Civil War,” a presentation gleaned from 20 years of researching and writing about the history of Clay County. His articles have appeared in a variety of academic and general history publications and he is recognized as an excellent account of Clay County history and a wonderful resource for historians and students, alike.
The presentation will be held in the Penney Farms Town Hall, 4100 Clark Ave. at 7 p.m. on Jan. 19.
Free and open to the public.

Anne Frank exhibit comes to Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville’s Museum of Science and History is bringing the traveling Anne Frank exhibit to Jacksonville as part of its Voices of Hope community initiative. The exhibit will run from Jan. 13 to Feb. 12 and for the first time in MOSH’s 70-year history, museum admission will be free so as many people as possible can see the exhibit.
To support this exhibit, San Marco BookStore is partnering with MOSH in several ways:
Each Thursday during the exhibit, San Marco Books will host readings of children’s Holocaust books at our bookstore. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Jan. 12 at 4 p.m. Reading from the Diary of Anne Frank
Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. Reading from Night by Elie Wiesel
Jan. 26 at 4 p.m. Reading from Hana’s Suitcase by Karen Levine
Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. Reading from Run, Boy, Run by Uri Orlev
Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. Reading from The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyer
Jan. 28 at 7 p.m., MOSH is hosting author James Grymes, author of Violins of Hope. Grymes will be interviewing Amnon Weinstein who has restored more than 30 Holocaust-era violins. A summary of the book is below.
One of the highlights of this exhibit will be on Jan. 28 when the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra will feature 16 of the restored Holocaust violins at 8 p.m. The Violins of Hope book will also be available that evening.

University of North Florida Camp Composition Aids Local School Students
JACKSONVILLE – Clay County students who may be struggling with writing are invited to a camp at the College of Education and Human Services at the University of North Florida.
The annual Camp Composition is a writing camp to aid fourth- through 11th-graders to earn higher Florida Standards Assessments English language arts and writing scores. It will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning Saturday, Jan. 21, and running through Saturday, Feb. 25, in Tom and Betty Petway Hall, Building 57, on the UNF campus.
Camp Composition will be led by local lead area teachers who specialize in writing instruction in grades four through 11. These teachers will work with specific writing teams and will provide weekly feedback to each individual student. Stress-reduction strategies will also be taught to students by an expert.
Camp orientation is from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday. Jan. 20, in Tom and Betty Petway Hall, Room 1100A, where the camp schedule and room assignments will be shared with participants. A completed form and registration fee of $240 is required; space is limited. Scholarships will be offered on a limited basis to students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and/or attend a Title 1 school. These students would attend at no cost. Confirmation from the school is required, and a reduced fee is also available for siblings. No refunds will be offered after Friday, Jan. 13.
For more information, visit http://www.unf.edu/coehs/celt/Camp_Composition.aspx or contact Dr. Christine L. Weber, UNF associate professor in the Department of Childhood Education, Literacy and TESOL, at (904) 620-1754 or at cweber@unf.edu.

Marines slate January training exercise for Clay County
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – If Clay County residents see a little more military presence in the Green Cove Springs area later this month, there’s a good reason.
The United States Marine Corps’ 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit will have a Composite Training Unit Exercise in the Green Cove area from Jan. 20 to 23.
This training exercise is a normal pre-deployment activity performed by each US Navy Carrier Strike Group, along with embarked Marines and battle group aircraft.
The expectation is that the event will have minimal impact on residents.
As well, organizers have planned for 911 calls, related to helicopter activity especially.
They have provided the following script to 911 operators.
“Marines and Sailors of the Expeditionary Operations Training Group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., are conducting COMPTU Exercise at the Avon Park and Green Cove Springs, FL, from January 20-23, 2017.
“The training is essential to the MEU’s preparation for its deployment next year. It has been coordinated through federal, state, county and city agencies and officials, including the FBI, the FAA and local police departments.”
A.G. Gancarski
FloridaPolitics.com