Local residents have already lined up to offer unwanted fruit from their home citrus trees for the Citrus Harvest for the Hungry from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30 – and Feeding Northeast Florida (FNEFL) needs about 500 volunteers to collect all the fruit.

FNEFL, which partners with The Society of St. Andrews on the project, hopes to rescue 30,000 pounds of fresh citrus that would otherwise be lost and distribute it to more than 180 partner food pantries in 17 Northeast Florida counties.

To volunteer to help pick the fruit, people should call 904-830-4379 or they can register online at www.feedingnefl.com/volunteer. Volunteers will meet at the following locations:

Southside/Beaches – Chets Creek Church, 4420 Hodges Blvd.

Mandarin – Mandarin Presbyterian Church, 12001 Mandarin Rd.

San Marco/Baymeadows – Baymeadows Baptist Church, 4826 Baymeadows Rd.

Arlington – Bethany Ministries, 8800 Arlington Expressway

Westside – Feeding Northeast Florida, 1116 Edgewood Ave. North

Inaugural Book It 5K presented by Krista Fracke Jacksonville Real Estate Company and Zaxby’s Family Fun Run. Proceeds benefit the Jacksonville Public Library’s Summer Learning program (purchase of books, prizes and marketing space for the program)

When: Sunday, January 31 8:30am (5K) 9:45am (Fun Run)

Where: The Avenues Mall Food Court Entrance

Tickets: fun4firstcoastkids.com; discounted tickets for kids in the fun run ($15)

All 5K participants will receive a race medal and t-shirt

Prize baskets for the top overall female AND male winner will include:

-$50 Avenues Mall Gift Card

-Greens fees and cart for 18 holes of golf at Deer Creek Country Club

-Passes to The Edge Rock Gym

-Prize pack from Flomotion, local clothing company.

-Gift basket from Woody’s BBQ.

-Gift basket from Jersey Mike’s

All fun run participants will receive:

-Race Medal

-Top winners will receive passes to The Edge Rock Gym!

-Skate Station Funworks Mandarin/Orange Park pass to skate!

-Jumperz Fun Center pass to jump!

-Pump It Up pass to jump!

-Rebounderz Pass to jump!

-First 25 runners receive Sweet Frog Jax Beach visors!

SouthPaw (Jax Suns mascot), the Shark Attack Dancers and some of the players from the Jacksonville Giants will be at the event to whoop it up!

More details at http://fun4firstcoastkids.com/Blog/book-it-jax-5k-and-family-fun-run

Anne Akiko Meyers is one of today’s most sought-after violinists. She is celebrated around the world for her passionate performances, purity of sound and deeply poetic interpretations. Ms Meyers has maintained an extensive touring schedule for nearly 30 years, regularly performing in recital and as guest soloist with the world’s foremost orchestras. She also is a best-selling recording artist, having released 32 albums.

For complete Festival information and to purchase tickets, go to www.aicmf.com.

Free, but RSVP required, www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org

Imagine being afraid to drink your water, take a bath, fish, or farm. Toxic coal ash stored across Florida poses exactly these risks. Communities are successfully pushing for clean-up in other southeastern states and we’re hosting an event in Jacksonville to help with these efforts.

St. John’s RIverkeeper is partnering with Northeast Florida Sierra Club, Earthjustice, The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and Working Films to bring Coal Ash Stories, a documentary that highlights how coal ash is hurting people and communities, to Jacksonville. Four short films are focused on coal ash, public health concerns, related policy, and ways that communities are responding. A panel will follow the presentation that includes the filmmaker and local speakers. Come learn about the issues, talk with your neighbors, and find out how you can help protect your community. Register online for this free event at www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org.

Regular Meeting, Q&A time, Plant Exchange

Topic: Lawn Care for All Seasons

Speaker: Mike Pelachke, Owner, Integrity Lawn & Ornamental Lawn Care

Subject:      Lawn Care for All Seasons

Speaker:      Mike Pelachke, Owner, Integrity Lawn & Ornamental Service

Contact: Donn Elliott, [email protected]

Twin Hearts Meditation with Falguni Shah, This meditation was developed by Master Choa Kok Sui and is an advanced meditation technique aimed at achieving illumination or universal consciousness. “Meditation on Twin Hearts is one of the most powerful meditation tools for spiritual development. It is a true gift from the Great Ones.” – Master Choa Kok Sui. Seventh Wonder Day Spa is very proud to offer this free service to bring a more positive awareness and harmony to the community. 4236 St. Johns Avenue, Jacksonville, FL, 32210, (904)381-8686.

This program is for children birth to 5 years with an adult caregiver. The program includes stories, books, finger plays, nursery rhymes, and songs that promote language development, vocabulary building and comprehension.
Arts & Crafts or Open Play following program. Early literacy toys ranging from building blocks to dinosaurs will be made available.

Call (904) 858-2907 for more information.

The Happy Hound Dog Resorts Social Hour — Every Wednesday, 7-9pm, no charge, only need to provide vaccination records, otherwise free to use and socialize your dog(s). 4603 Shirley Avenue, (904) 800-8800

Hashrocket software developers host Coffee and Code in Riverside at 7:30 a.m. each Thursday at Bold Bean Coffee Roasters, 869 Stockton St. Suite 1-2 in Riverside.  Free to attend. For information, call Shaun Hubbard at 904-339-7047 or RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/jax-code-and-coffee/.