Local digest

By Staff
LIFE organization
holding fund-raiser
Living Independence For Everyone has opened a satellite office in Meridian. LIFE is a non-profit organization that helps individuals with disabilities. Their budget is supported by donations and fund-raisers. On July 4, they will hold a raffle for a mink coat and an oak daybed. Tickets are $1. For information, call the local LIFE office at 485-7999 or visit them at 2440 North Hills St.
American Business Women to hold meeting
The Pinnacle Chapter of the American Business Women's Association will hold a meeting March 27 at Western Sizzlin' Restaurant, 1100 N. Frontage Road. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
Robbie Hales of The Liberty Shop will put present a "Spring Fling." Members and guests should order their dinner as they arrive. The waitresses will serve dinner at 6 p.m. Hales has put several outfits together to give the working woman a first-hand preview of spring fashions.
Guests are welcome. For more information, call Dot Davidson at 644-3592 or 485-4942, or Pattie Robinson at 583-7518 or 581-8613.
Camp Wheez-Away taking applications
Baptist Health Systems is partnering with the American Lung Association and the Mississippi Asthma Collaborative to sponsor the third annual "Camp Wheez-Away" for children ages 8-13.
Set for July 30-Aug.3 at Camp Wesley Pines in Gallman, the camp will offer children a total summer camp experience in a beautiful setting. Physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other health professionals will provide supervision and help with medical needs.
Registration for Camp Wheez-Away 2001 is now open, and scholarships are available. Potential attendees must be referred by a physician. Space is limited. To apply or to get more information, contact Tom Kearns at the American Lung Association of Mississippi at (800) 737-5453 or e-mail tkearns@alams.org.
AARP offers free
tax advice
Senior citizens have access to free tax advice every Tuesday and Friday until April 15. AARP volunteers will be available every Tuesday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library. Volunteers will also be available every Friday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Highway 19 North Trustmark National Bank.
Nurses to hold
convention in Meridian
The Mississippi Licensed Practical Nurses Association will hold its 31st annual state convention April 25-27 at the Howard Johnson Inn. Registration for the convention will be at 8 a.m. on April 25, and the convention will begin at 9 a.m. with three full days of professional workshops, business sessions and fellowship.
Eleven contact hours for continuing education are planned, 10 of which may be used to satisfy the semi-annual CE requirement for the IV Certified LPNs.
For more information, call Jim or Mae Blackledge, (601) 763-5151; Opal Ezell, (601) 833-1360 or Emily Garner, (662) 566-4611.
Homestead exemption deadline nears
The deadline to file for homestead exemption is March 30. The following criteria must be met to be eligible to receive homestead exemption tax benefits:
Be a legal resident of Mississippi;
Own and occupy the property as of Jan. 1, 2001;
Purchase Mississippi license plates for all vehicles owned; and
Comply with Mississippi income tax requirements.
To apply for homestead exemption visit the tax assessor's office at the Lauderdale County Courthouse. For information, call 482-9779.
NOTE: If there have been no changes made, and you do not qualify for any additional exemptions, there is no need to reapply.
Poetry contest deadline April 30
The International Library of Poetry has announced that $58,000 in prizes will be awarded this year in the International Open Poetry Contest. Poets from the Meridian area are welcome to enter. The entry is free and the deadline is April 30. To enter, send one original poem, any subject and any style, to: The International Library of Poetry, Suite 19910, 1 Poetry Plaza, Owings Mills, MD 21117. The poem should be 20 lines or less and the poet's name and address should appear on the top of the page. Entries may also be entered online at www.poetry.com.