FLOYD COUNTY — FMH offering gift of massage

Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services is offering a unique, stress-freeing gift for the holidays — gift certificates for massages, by nationally certified and licensed massage therapists, which can be used at Floyd Memorial’s Massage Therapy Program, at Rehabilitation Services, 1700 State St., New Albany.

Gift buying, gift giving, baking, holiday parties, shorter days and longer nights — the holiday season does not always bring joy and cheer but often a huge dose of stress. Massage therapy is well known for its relaxation and stress reduction benefits, but it also offers power healing from pain, stiffness and injuries.

It also can help control blood pressure and boost immunity. Massages rejuvenates the body by releasing endorphins which are natural painkillers and increasing the number of cells in the body that help protect us against illness and disease. In addition, massage therapy improves circulation, which increases the blood flow through the body and can help lower one’s heart rate and blood pressure.

Gift certificates are available for $35 for 30 minutes or $60 for an hour and a therapist will assist clients in choosing the best massage for them, either Swedish, deep tissue or sports injury massages.

Call Floyd Memorial’s Rehabilitation Services at 812-948-7416 for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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Annual MLK dinner Jan. 13

The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. and the New Albany-Floyd County Education Association will host the 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 13 at Northside Christian Church, 4407 Charlestown Road, New Albany.

Keynote speaker will be F. Bruce Williams, senior pastor of Bates Memorial Baptist Church in Louisville. The Hazelwood Middle School Choir, under the direction of Shaune Rebilas, will perform.

Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance by Jan. 7.

Contact Maggie Short at 812-542-2133 for tickets or more information.

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New Albany holiday ornament available

Develop New Albany, the City’s nonprofit, Main Street organization, has announced the availability of a solid pewter holiday ornament featuring the newly rehabilitated Calumet Club on Spring Street.

The building is the fourth in an annual series of landmark buildings in New Albany to be featured in the upcoming years. Previous ornaments include the River City Winery/Baer Building, the YMCA- Floyd County branch, and the Kaiser Tobacco Building. The new ornament and past ornaments are available at Destinations Booksellers, The Gallery on Pearl, Strandz & Threadz, and Thorpe Woodworks. Proceeds benefit downtown revitalization activities of Develop New Albany.

Cost of each ornament is $15.

Contact Develop New Albany at 812-941-0018 or e-mail board@developna.org for more information.

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AARP Tax-Aide seeks volunteers

The AARP Tax-Aide Program has a great need for volunteers to provide free tax preparation and counseling in Southern Indiana, with free training beginning Jan. 2.

The program will be operating sites in Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott and Washington Counties. Volunteers are needed to prepare income tax returns, provide computer support, or act as receptionists. Free training will be provided. Volunteers may contribute just four hours a week, February through April 15. All ages are welcome.

Call Jack 812-207-4140 or Ed 812-246-0899 to register or for more information.

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IUS hosts College Goal Sunday

Financial aid professionals will be volunteering around Indiana to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday at 2 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Hoosier Room at University Center North at Indiana University Southeast, 4201 Grant Line Road, New Albany.

The free program is designed to assist Indiana students seeking undergraduate admission to a college or technical school in 2011 in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, loans and scholarships at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide and must be filed by March 10.

Completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes perceived to be complicated and time consuming. In one afternoon at College Goal Sunday, students and their families can get free help and file the form online. To make filing the FAFSA easier, volunteers walk through the form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions.

Students should attend with their parents or guardians and bring their parents’ completed 2010 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2010 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year should bring their income information.

Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2010 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2010 income and benefits information. Students and parents need to apply for their U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Numbers at pin.ed.gov before coming to the event.

Also, students attending College Goal Sunday will qualify for a chance to win an educational a $1,000 scholarship for each of the 39 sites in Indiana. Call 800-992-2076 for more information.

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