Around the Block

Ceramic exhibit

Points of Departure: Vessel Forms from the State Art Collection, an exhibition of contemporary South Carolina ceramic artwork, will be on display Tuesday through Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Aiken Center for the Arts, 122 Laurens St. S.W., Aiken.

The exhibition is free. Normal hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15. For more information, call (803) 641-9094.

Heavenly shows

The holiday planetarium program 'Tis the Season will be shown at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Dupont Planetarium at the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center at the University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Parkway.

Tickets cost $4.50 for adults, $3.50 for ages 62 and older and $2.50 for students through high school.

For more information, call (803) 641-3654.

Club gets social

The Town and Country Club of Aiken will meet Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Etherredge Center at the University of South Carolina Aiken, 471 University Parkway.

Social time will begin at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will start at 10 a.m. Pianist Mac Frampton will perform. Members and their guests are welcome.

For more information, call (803) 642-5332.

Funds applications

Applications are being accepted for the 2009 St. Joseph Foundation Grants Program.

Applicants must be nonprofit charitable organizations and may apply for funding of programs only in the following areas: health services education, medical uninsured, medical underinsured, hospice and homeless.

Applications must be submitted to The Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area by 11 a.m. Tuesday.

For a complete list of criteria or for more information, call (706) 724-1314 or visit www.cfcsra.org.

Want money?

The City of Aiken State Accommodations Tax Committee is accepting funding requests for tourism-related projects that will take place July 1 through June 30, 2010.

State accommodation tax grants are available for qualifying nonprofit or government organizations. Interested organizations should contact the Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department for a handbook and application. Applications are available at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, 1700 Whiskey Road, and online at www.aiken.net.

Applications must be received by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11.

For more information, contact Lisa Hall at the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department at (803) 642-7650 or lhall@cityofaikensc.gov.

Honoring youths

The Augusta Chronicle is accepting nominations for Community Counts Youth of the Month.

This award recognizes students of good academic standing who possess special talents in the arts, athletics or other areas. Youths who volunteer in their school, church or community also are worthy of nomination.

The child selected as Youth of the Month will be highlighted in an article in The Chronicle . A banquet will be held next summer to honor all 12 recipients of the award and their family members.

Nominees must be ages 8 to 18 and residents of the Aiken-Augusta area at the time of entry.

Nomination forms are available online at augustachronicle.com/communitycounts.

For more information, call (706) 823-3223 or e-mail sarah.owen@augustachronicle.com.