The Soldier Show, produced and performed by soldiers including one from Fort Stewart this year, wrapped up its Fort Stewart gigs Thursday, but hits Hunter Army Airfield next week.
Staff Sgt. Patricia Isaac with the 188th Infantry Brigade, a tenant unit on Fort Stewart, is singing with the show this year.
It will be in the Hunter Fitness Center on Hunter AAF at 7 p.m. on June 6. The show is free and open to all.

Popular dance class returns
The ballroom dance class, sponsored by Georgia Southern University’s Continuing Education Center, is back by popular demand. “Swing, Waltz, Foxtrot and Latin Dances” will begin Saturday. Open to beginners and experienced dancers, the class will meet from 7-8 p.m. in the Campus Activity Room at College Plaza on Fair Road in Statesboro. The class will meet every Friday evening through July 13, except for the week of the Fourth of July, when there will be no class. Advance registration and payment is required for this non-credit short course, which costs $49 per person. To sign up, visit http://ceps.georgiasouthern.edu/conted or call (912) 681-5551.

Country concert
Chris Cagle puts on a concert at the Swainsboro City Auditorium, at 532 W. Church Street. Performance is at 8 p.m. June 8. VIP tickets are $35, reserved seating $26. Tickets can be ordered by phone, charge by calling (912) 682-9007.

Jazz in the Park line up
Here is the line up for the remainder of the Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association the 18th season of its popular summer series, Jazz in the Park.
The open-air concerts are throughout the summer, on six Sunday evenings at high tide (for maximum breeze and comfort) at 7 p.m. at the St. Simons Lighthouse lawn.  Every year, thousands of people bring chairs or blankets to relax on the lawn, picnic suppers, and enjoy some of the best musicians the Southeast has to offer.
June 24: The Savannah Stompers Dixieland Jazz Band. From our neighbor city to the north comes this foot-stomping, hand-clapping evening of classic jazz tunes from the early part of the last century in the style of New Orleans Dixieland, St. Louis and Chicago standards, and 1940s West Coast Revival repertoire.
July 15: Sam Rodriguez Latin Jazz. Back again after his sizzling Jazz in the Park performance last year, this distinct musical personality is one of the top percussionists of his generation, recognized for his strong and creative imagination and fresh, new sound. Once again, Jazz in the Park audiences will thrill to the Latin beat.
July 29: Grogus. The hot Afro-Cuban Caribbean fusion sounds of this Athens-based ensemble create music that typically brings audiences to their feet.  The diverse influences range from Tito Puente to Duke Ellington.
Aug. 26: Kelly-Scott Jazz Quintet. Another hugely popular act from last year with a team of expert musicians under the direction of hot trumpeter J.B. Scott playing traditional jazz from swing to mellow, and featuring the beautiful voice of Lisa Kelly.
Sept. 23: Martha Bassett. Here’s a refreshing new addition to Jazz in the Park, an acclaimed North Carolina musician and her band offering a flavorful menu of sultry Southern swing. Acoustic and dance sets nestle together for poignant storytelling originals and slinky standards.
Admission to Jazz in the Park is $10 per person; ages 6-12 are $5 and kids under 6 get in free. Season passes can get you in all five remaining shows for $40. Passes can be purchased by phone with credit card at (912) 262-6934; or on line through GIAHA’s Web site, www.goldenislesarts.org, click on Jazz in the Park on left navigation frame, then follow the links to the GIAHA shopping page. For more information, email GIAHA at info@goldenislesarts.org or call 912-262-6934.

Fishing derby
The Fort Stewart MWR fishing derby is from 7 a.m. to noon on June 9. It is at Pond 30, off Highway 119 North, a little north of Highway 144.
There will be facing and rock painting, crafts, informational displays and more, as well as the fishing.
For more information, visit www.stewart.army.mil or call Chris Dent at 435-8205.

Walk your socks off
Two interpretative hiking trails are now open at Moody Forest Natural Area near Baxley.
The five-mile trail system was dedicated earlier this month.
The two-mile Altamaha River Trail leads hikers through the floodplain forest, with a cathedral of massive cypress and gum trees and opportunities to spot herons, wood ducks, turtles and an array of songbirds. The three-mile Upland Loop Trail traverses a mosaic of landscapes with an abundance of wildlife, from the diverse longleaf pine and wiregrass communities to the mature dense floodplain.
“These trails have been carefully designed to provide day hikers with an opportunity to explore some of Georgia’s rare and declining habitats, most important habitat types for an optimum nature experience,” said Alison McGee, southeast Georgia conservation manager for The Nature Conservancy.
Supporting the only known old-growth longleaf pine-blackjack oak community in North America, the 4,500-acre Moody Forest Natural Area is managed jointly by The Nature Conservancy and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division. The two entities have been workingworked together since 2001 to restore and protect the biological diversity of the area, while providing educational and recreational opportunities, such as hiking and managed hunting.
“These hiking trails are an integral step in our management public outreach plan at Moody Forest,” said Shan Cammack, a wildlife biologistn ecologist with the Georgia DNRWRD. “We are excited to offer visitors an opportunity to experience this historic landscape and to enjoy one of Georgia’s most diverse natural areas.”

Museum exhibit online
NEW YORK — The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has launched a new online exhibit that explores the theme of freedom in American history.
The exhibit, “Freedom: A History of US,” was developed by the Gilder Lehrman Institute and the Meserve-Kunhardt Collection. It was inspired by the 10-volume series, “Freedom: A History of US,” by Joy Hakim and includes rare historic documents and artifacts that focus on key issues of freedom in American history from the founding era and the anti-slavery movement, to the Civil War and the 20th century.
Highlights include a unique copy of the South Carolina printing of the Declaration of Independence; a draft of the Constitution (which begins “We the People of the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island...”); a final version of the Constitution (which, of course, begins “We, the people of the United States...”); and a handmade abolitionist flag from Ohio used by supporters of John Brown.
The exhibit is divided into five sections, The Founding Era 1776-1796, 19th Century 1800-1860’s, Civil War 1860-1865, Emancipation 1863-1865, and Epilogue.
“Freedom: A History of US” can be viewed at www.gilderlehrman.org.

Sing your heart out
The Greater Georgia Choral Chapter is looking for people who love gospel music and who want to do more than just listen to it.
An affiliate of the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, GGCC is a member of the Southeast Region and offers an opportunity for adults and youth to grow in the ministry of gospel music.
Groups and individuals are welcome and can contact Wilma Gregg, president, or Andre Gregg, youth coordinator, at 368-4185.

Ballroom dancing
Free ballroom dancing lessons are being offered at Club Stewart the first Wednesday of every month from 7-9 p.m. by the Moon River Dancers Assoc. in Savannah. It is for soldiers and their families. Couples and singles welcome. No registration required, just show up and learn. Call 767-8609, for information.
Also, if you’re into ballroom dancing and don’t mind the drive, the Seaside Dance Association in St. Simons Island has dances every Tuesday and Thursday through the summer at Blanche’s Courtyard starting at 7 p.m.
Also, the association hosts a dance on the last Sunday of each month at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, in the grand dining room. Instruction starts at 5:15 p.m. and seating for the dinner and dance starts at 6 p.m.
For more information, call (912) 634-9527 or e-mail, SeasideDance@bellsouth.net.

Chess, anyone?
Adults and children alike are invited to play chess in the Statesboro Mall every Sunday, from 3-5 pm. Chess in the Mall is hosted by the Ogeechee River Scholastic Chess Association (ORSCA) and school chess clubs throughout Bulloch County. Info is at http://chess85.tripod.com or e-mailing j-lutz@enia.net or by calling (912) 764-9770.
Also, Robert Lott is trying to stir interest in the game around Hinesville. If you’re interested in playing, and possibly forming a club, call 980-4937.

Doing Savannah
Activities sponsored by the Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs include these ongoing events:
Every first Friday of the month
First Friday for Folk Music: Savannah Folk Music Society, 7:30 p.m. at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, free.
First Friday for the Arts: 6:30-8:30 p.m. at City Market Center, Upstairs, Jefferson & West St. Julian Streets, free. Call (912) 232-7731.
Every first Saturday of the month
Adult and youth basic ballroom dance classes, by Moon River Dancers: 1-3 p.m. at W. Broad Street YMCA, 1110 May St. Admission is $3 per person. Call (912) 925-7416 or visit www.savannahusabda.org.
Every third Wednesday of the month
Open Mic Poetry Night: Signup at 7:45 p.m., Gallery Espresso, 6 East Liberty St. Call 912-233-5348.
Saturdays and Sundays
Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Foundation: 1-5 p.m. on Saturdays from and 1-4 p.m. on Sundays, 207 E. Charlton Street on Lafayette Square. Born in Savannah in 1925, writer Mary Flannery O’Connor lived in a Charlton Street house until 1938. Today, it is maintained partly as a memorial to her and partly as a literary center for Savannah. Literary activities are held at various times from October-May, free. Call (912) 233-6014.
Every Sunday
Oldie Goldies Sunday: 4-8 p.m. at the American Legion Post 500, 1716 Montgomery St. Call 912-925-7116.
The Reel Savannah Film Group: 7 p.m, Sunday evenings at the Lucas Theatre. Tickets, which are $6, are available an hour before showtime.