Bikes & Strikes
Smoopy’s Vintage Bicycles will host Bikes & Strikes II on Sept. 10 from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. The Jake Leg Stompers, The Loudermilks, J.D. Byrider & the Mid-South Situation and Singlemothers will all perform, and the event will include a BMX freestyle contest, a game area featuring cornhole, ping pong, darts, hula hoops and more.

Yancopads, Eightinch.com, Porkchop BMX, S&M, Fit Bike, Lexco Antique Archeology, Neutral Skate Shop, MOAB and other businesses will be on hand giving out door prizes.

Fall Garden Extravaganza
The Rutherford County Master Gardeners present its Fall Garden Extravaganza on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at the Lane Agri Park Farmers Market Building, 315 John Rice Blvd.
Speakers will cover topics including using and preserving your homegrown vegetables, landscape designing with native plants, practical vegetable gardening and resourceful living.
The event features live demonstrations and plants, garden items and concessions for sale.
For more information and a full schedule, visit mastergardeners-rc.org or e-mail mastergardeners.rc@gmail.com.

Remembering the Civil War
To begin a five-year commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, Linebaugh Public Library will host a special exhibit and speaker each September. The Stones River Battlefield will provide the September 2011 exhibit held in the library’s second floor reading room, focusing on the war’s beginning. It will be available for viewing throughout the month.

Lee Ann Newton, the CEO of Uncle Sam’s Heroes and co-author of Beneath the Shadows, a Civil War fiction, is also editor and narrator of the Civil War memoir Serving Uncle Sam in the 50th Ohio, published in May 2011. She will be the guest speaker on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 2–4 p.m., speaking on the causes of the Civil War and signing her book.

Linebaugh Public Library is located at 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro. For more information, call (615) 893-4131 or visit linebaugh.org.

A Challenge to Walk
Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation challenges Murfreesboro to get in better shape by participating in the Gateway Challenge. Prizes will be given to registered participants who walk 30 days, 40 days and 50 days by Nov. 2. Group walks are on Wednesdays at the Gateway Island. There is no fee to participate, but a registration form must be filled out and submitted in order to be eligible for prizes.

Those taking the challenge must walk at least 30 minutes each day for 30, 40 or 50 days and turn in their tally card by Nov. 2 to be eligible for prizes and certificates.

For more information, call Melinda Tate (615) 893-2141 or e-mail mtate@murfreesborotn.gov.

Learn the Artist’s Way
The Artist’s Way creativity workshop will be held Mondays, Sept. 12–Dec. 12, from 5:30-7 p.m. with Cindy Phiffer facilitating.

The Artist’s Way is a 13-week creativity workshop developed by Julia Cameron, a journalist/author/composer. It is based on the belief that all creativity comes from a higher power that can be tapped endlessly.

“Those who fully participate are changed in powerful ways,” Phiffer said. “Creativity is God’s gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.”

For more information, call (615) 893-4117 or e-mail cindyphiffer@att.net.

Cough up Some Money for Animals
On the Fifth Day animal sanctuary is currently holding a “Hairball” fundraiser, asking groomers and salons to get patrons to “cough up” a donation when they check out. Donations will go towards feeding the animals, supplying monthly flea and heartworm preventatives and other needs. Jessica Jones at the Hair Doctor in Smyrna and Lox in Murfreesboro immediately stepped up and are currently collecting donations.

On the Fifth Day will always be community-driven with the animals living cage-free. The highest goal will be to have no more homeless animals through education for all ages, spaying or neutering every animal and finding quality homes for them, and creating more foster homes.

For more information, visit onthefifthday.org or call (615) 233-5398.

Golf Tourney for Discovery Center
The fifth annual John Hassmiller Memorial Golf Tournament at Indian Hills Golf Club on Sept. 16, will benefit the Discovery Center and the Murfreesboro, LaVergne and Smyrna Food Banks.

The format is a four-man scramble; individual players are welcome. Tee-off is at 1 p.m. Cost is $100 per player or $400 for a team and includes golf, lunch, prizes and a silent auction.

For more information or sponsorship opportunities, contact Wesley Shannon at (615) 287-7304 or ShannonWesle@bfusa.com. Entry forms can be downloaded at discoverycenteronline.org/golf.html.

Give to the Red Kettle
Vendors will offer shoppers a unique experience while supporting non-profits at the Salvation Army’s fourth annual Red Kettle Craft Fair, Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1137 W. Main St., Murfreesboro.

For more information, e-mail redkettlecraftfair@gmail.com.

“Boxcar Millionaire” to Speak to RutherfordCABLE
Business leader Tom Black, author of The Boxcar Millionaire, will address members and guests at RutherfordCABLE’s 7 a.m. breakfast meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Stones River Country Club in Murfreesboro.

Tom Black has inspired readers and audiences with his rags-to-riches story. His road to success in business began with a job in college, when he worked for The Southwestern Company of Nashville selling books door-to-door; he quickly became a sales manager. Subsequently, Black worked for FISI*Madison Financial, where he developed his division’s sales from less than $1 million to more than $350 million. Black left FISI*Madison to start Private Business, Inc. During his tenure as CEO, Private Business became the leading provider of accounts receivable programs for community banks and their commercial customers. Black took the company public and served on its board for several years before he and a partner purchased Bancsource, Inc., which now serves 3,000 banks in 49 states.

To register for the event, visit RutherfordCABLE.org or contact Brenda Bruce at (615) 504-0000.