There is a special meeting coming up in East Bend, and the mayor has invited residents to attend this informative session.

East Bend Mayor Stewart Maples attended the Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce meeting Tuesday, and before it got started, he talked about recent happenings in East Bend.

“Nothing has been finalized, but we are looking at a new water source, a new grocery store, and we are looking for a new library,” he said. The water source will be a line coming up from the river, he said, and water will come from King and its treatment plant on the river. We will have a meeting the second Monday night in August.”

That meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. with Project Engineer Randy Darden unveiling the preliminary engineering study. “That will give us some idea of the cost,” Maples said.

A grocery store may be on the horizon.

“We are hoping. We don’t know for sure,” he said. “But we are hoping, and if that does pan out, I think a family drug store might be coming too.” The mayor is optimistic about the town’s future.

“It’s a small town atmosphere as much as anything,” he said of its charm. “Three things I like, good weather, good people and good cooks. The ladies know how to cook who are there.”

Hugh J. Quinn, executive director of the American Red Cross Northwest N.C. Chapter, said, “We are doing blood drives throughout the summer, and we encourage people to donate.” The organization responds during fires, and it has a trailer here for a shelter if needed.

“We have volunteers in the county who will respond with the bigger fires,” he said. His chapter serves Davie, Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin counties. There will be a blood drive Aug. 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Yadkin Center of Surry Community College and Aug. 11 at the Yadkin County YMCA from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Chamber members learned about a silent auction and hot dog lunch sale set for Friday, Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Yadkin County Senior Center.

There will be hot dogs, chips, dessert and drinks for $5 with all proceeds going to the center. Call 679-3596. Bid items will include a porcelain doll, a 1992 tanker toy truck, jewelry, a crystal vase, handmade baskets, cookbooks, a leaf blower by Craftsman and a pocketbook.

Mark Rumley, assistant superintendent and executive director for personnel for Yadkin County Schools, talked about a reading program which is about to finish up.

“It’s a Superintendent’s District Initiative,” he said. It was based on the number of children who were not reading above grade level after third grade.

“The contest gets more and more difficult for them,” he said. The K-3 initiative uses Appalachian State as a university partner.

“We are seeing some good results already after a year,” he said. “It’s a homegrown program almost you could say. It’s a summer clinic and will finish up Thursday.”