Hope Civitans started their celebration of Civitan Awareness by handing out "goodie bags" during the pre-solar-eclipse "Solar Shopping" event on Saturday, April 6, in downtown Hope. The bags included a few snacks with celestial names, such as Moon Pie, Milky Way, and Starburst. The bags were given out to local individuals who volunteered their Saturday to make the event enjoyable. Club members chose this act of service in place of the Business After Hours they have hosted in previous years.

Civitans concluded their observance of Civitan Awareness Month by joining the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Campaign during the city-wide pickup on Saturday, April 27. Club members picked up 17 bags of litter on sections of Hervey, Grady, and Cherry Streets.

Hope Civitans endeavor to complete a project each month. The Civitan year begins each October and this year's events have included participation in the Downtown Network's "Taste of Hope" event, a float focusing on local female veterans in the Veteran's Day Parade, Christmas gifts for children in need, honoring Special Education professionals, celebrating local clergy, and the club's annual St. Patrick's Day dance for Rainbow of Challenges, in keeping with Civitan's emphasis on service to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

Upcoming activities include presentation of the Hope Civitan Club scholarship this month and a garage sale at the Hub in downtown Hope on June 1. The annual garage sale proceeds go toward the yearly scholarship.

The Hope Civitan Club meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday each month at Dos Loco Gringos Restaurant. Interested individuals are invited to attend a meeting or to contact any Hope Civitan. Officers are President Mona Still, Treasurer Debbie Hines, Secretary and President-elect Twyla Pruden, and Directors Eva Morehead, Kim Smith, Bonnie Anderson, Amber Mackey, and Judy Flowers.

Photo captions:

Hope Civitans passed out "goodie bags" to local workers during Solar Shopping prior to the recent solar eclipse.

Hope Civitans are pictured with the 17 bags of litter they picked up during the city-wide cleanup day. From left, they are Eva Morehead, her granddaughter Stephanie Atkinson, Debbie Hines, Kim Smith, Twyla Pruden, and Mona Still. Not pictured is Bonnie Anderson.