A barbecue benefit fundraiser will be held Friday, May 29, at the Carthage Rescue Squad Building located at 108 Bruce Street between the hours of 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. for Brenda Lee Stutts.

Stutts, a Carthage native, has been hospitalized since March 16, at North Carolina Baptist Hospital, undergoing treatment for acute leukemia. Stutts has served Moore County and surrounding areas for the past 20 years as a nurse at FirstHealth Moore Regional and as a Carthage Rescue Squad volunteer.

Barbecue plates will be sold for $7 each, and baked goods will also be available for purchase.

The band, House Call, will provide live entertainment beginning at 4 p.m.

For information prior to the event, call 715-1280.

Health and Fitness Day

The Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Department will hold annual National Senior Health and Fitness Day Wednesday, May 27, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Memorial Park.

"We will be hosting several events, which include shuffleboard, bocce ball, hillbilly golf, molkky, etc., " says Rynet Oxendine.

"We will provide refreshments and water to all participants. All participants will receive a gift bag filled with informational brochures and prizes."

To register, call Rynet Oxendine at 692-7376.

Pancake Breakfast

On Saturday, May 23, the Rotary Club of Pinehurst will sponsor its seventh annual Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast at The Village Chapel from 8 a.m. to noon.

The event is held each year to honor those who served and are now serving in the military around the world. Proceeds from the event will go to the Marine Corps League Toys for Tots program, the American Red Cross Moore County Chapter and the Pinehurst Rotary Foundation.

"You'll enjoy hot pancakes and sausage, a variety of juices, delicious fruit, fresh coffee and friendly table service provided by Rotarians, Marines and the Red Cross," says a spokesman. "Bring the family and bring the neighbors. You'll have great fun and enjoy a great community atmosphere. Bring a toy for the Toys for Tots and get an extra pancake."

The cost is $6 per person.

For more information, contact Dave Berger, Rotary Club of Pinehurst, at (910) 315-7575.

Meet the Author

Lise Funderburg, author of "Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home," will be at The Country Bookshop, in Southern Pines, at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.

For information, call 692-3211.

Nature Events

A bird walk will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 23, at Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve, and a "Herp Hike" at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 24.

For information, call 692-2167.