A thrift sale to raise funds for the Maysville Baptist youth group’s camp expenses will be held Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the original Maysville Baptist fellowship hall, 13327 W. James Anderson Hwy. in Buckingham Court House. This sale was previously held on West Third Street in Farmville and offers many wonderful items while supporting a good cause.

Spreading God’s Gifts is holding a dinner and concert at the VFW Hall on Route 60 on Saturday at 5 p.m. Smokey Wilson will be singing at 6 p.m. Donations are requested. Call (434) 983-2269 for more information.

The Buckingham County TRIAD meets the second Wednesday each month at 1:30 p.m. at the Buckingham County Social Services conference room. A cooperative effort of law enforcement agencies and senior citizen organizations, TRIAD is focused on reducing crimes against some of our most vulnerable citizens — our senior citizens. Members of the community are invited to attend the next TRIAD meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

The Beulah M. Wiley Fitness Center of the Central VA Community Health Center, 25892 N. James Madison Hwy., New Canton, continues its “Fall into Fitness” program until Nov. 19. The raffle continues so you can still participate. Yoga classes are Wednesdays at 5 p.m. New Tai Chi classes are at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and Nov. 15. Free gym use days are Saturday, Nov. 12 and Monday, Nov. 14, and the Toddlers on the Move group meets Friday, Nov. 11 and 18 at 11 a.m. Please also consider donating some canned goods to the Food Bank to help the local community. A box is located in the lobby if you wish to donate. For more information call, (434) 581-3271, extension 10601.

There will be a free Farm Energy Management Workshop Friday, Dec. 2 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (lunch included) at Longwood University’s Environmental Education Center. This workshop will be about farm energy management practices and technologies and will feature Dennis Brothers, of Auburn University’s National Poultry Education Center. Brothers will present information on LED lighting and on best practices for generator maintenance. The content will be oriented toward poultry farms. The session will also feature representatives from USDA as well as a Technical Service Provider discussing USDA farm energy programs. Registration is required, so please call the Prince Edward Extension Office at (434) 392-4246.

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers targeted farm ownership and farm operating loans to assist beginning farmers, ranchers and underserved applicants. Underserved is defined as applicants whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as a group without regard to their individual qualities. For farm loan program purposes, targeted underserved groups are women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan natives, Hispanics, Asians and Pacific Islanders. For more information on FSA’s loan programs and guidelines visit www.fsa.usda.gov/farmloans.

JANET MILLER is a writer, painter and retired educator. Her email address is: janet.miller@farmvilleherald.com.