IN BRIEF: Gainesville chamber mixer May 25

The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly mixer May 25 at the Gainesville Depot.

The Morton Museum of Cooke County will host the May Chamber mixer with light refreshments and cocktails while attendees network and learn more about local history. The event runs 5-7 p.m. at the depot, 605 E. California St.

This event is open to the public and is free to attend. Those planning to come can anticipate needing to bring business cards for networking purposes.

The chamber mixer is on the fourth Thursday of each month. Email jshumate@gainesvillecofc.com for more information.

Galatians on the bill at First Baptist

The sermon this Sunday at First Baptist-Gainesville will come from Galatians 4 entitled "Heirs." The first service is in the Summit 9-10 a.m., a contemporary service with music led by Travis Tudor. The more traditional service runs 10-11 a.m. in the sanctuary with music led by Alan Schantz. Children's Church is available during the early service.

The church has Sunday School classes available for all ages, offered in the Annex 10-11 a.m. each Sunday morning and led by Daniel Jones.

Vacation Bible School runs June 19-23, 9 a.m.-noon each day. You may sign up on line and get ready to have a great time. Corni Kordi and our children's leaders have a wonderful time planned for children who have finished kindergarten through fifth grade.

Downard-Fairplains Community Club market June 3

Downard-Fairplains Community Club is hosting a Maker's Market Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Handicrafted goods of all kinds will be for sale -- jams, preserves, quilts paintings, pottery, soap, metal art, woodcrafts, embroidery, baked goods and much more. The Extension Education Club will offer lemonade, sandwiches and dessert.

Call Leslie Cheaney for more information at 940-727-8294. The market is located at 54 CR 276 in Gainesville (five miles south on Old Denton Road, FM 2071).

Library closed Memorial Day weekend

The Cooke County Library will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday — on Saturday, May 27 through Monday, May 29. It will open at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30 with regular hours.

Patrons can still access eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, magazines and music by visiting http://cookecountylibrary.org/. Click the “eLibrary” tab, and then click on the eBooks, Downloadable Audiobooks, eMagazines, Languages and Music headers to learn more details on each of these services.

Cooking Well with Herbs

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension will offer a class on cooking with herbs for healthy blood pressure.

Using herbs and spices in cooking can improve both taste and nutrition while cutting back on salt, fat and sugar.

Participants will receive a cookbook with recipes and tips on using herbs and spices in the kitchen, along with tips on reducing sodium intake.

The class will be Tuesday, June 13 from 9:30 a.m. to noon at First Christian Church at 401 N. Dixon St. in Gainesville. The cost of the class is $10.

Register by June 16 at cooke.agrilife.org/events or by calling 940-668-5412.

Safe Sitter

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host a Safe Sitter course for young teens, grades six through eight. Through this course, students will learn about safety skills, life and business skills, first aid and choking rescue, child care skills and more. More than 600,0000 young teens have graduated from the medically accurate program which teachers how, why and where injuries happen so they can be prevented.

The course provides hands-on practice in lifesaving techniques to young teens who are home alone, watching younger siblings or babysitting so they are equipped with the skills and confidence to act in an emergency. They learn basic first aid and infant and child choking rescue. Students also receive instruction on how a child’s age affects how to care for them, how to prevent problem behavior and how to run their own babysitting business.

Students who graduate from a Safe Sitter course receive a completion card demonstrating that they know how to use their skills in situations they encounter.

The course will be June 15 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Cooke County Extension Office at 301 S. Chestnut St. in Gainesville. The cost of the class is $45, which includes all course materials and must be paid in advance. The deadline to register is June 1. Call 940-668-5412 for more information.

Preserving the Harvest Canning Workshop

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension is hosting a hands-on canning workshop. The goal is to make canned goods and gain confidence knowing participants can safely and effectively preserve nature’s bounty.

Get food preservation questions answered with reliable research-based information. Each participant will receive hands-on instruction on safe canning of jams, jellies, pickles and salsa. Participants will also receive safe, approved recipes and jars of finished product to take home.

The course will be June 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at First Christian Church at 401 N. Dixon St. The cost is $30 per person and lunch will be provided. Registration is due by May 31. Register at cooke.agrilife.org or by calling 940-668-5412. For more information, please contact County Extension Agent Angel Neu and the previous phone number or a adneu@tamu.edu.