Compiled by SALLY ANN SHURMUR

Star-Tribune staff writer

An appreciation gathering in Douglas this evening and a message from a retired Chief of Chaplains highlights this weekend's activities in central Wyoming.

There are three separate offerings this weekend for music fans, ranging from a concert featuring numerous handbell choirs this afternoon and a percussion concert this evening to a string concert on Sunday afternoon.

Here is a brief summary of weekend activities, as provided to the newspaper.

The Christian Motorcyclists Association will have monthly breakfast at Dori Lou's on Hat Six Rd. at 9 a.m. All motorcyclists are welcome. For more information, call Dave at 797-3194 or Katie, 265-0396.

The Friends of the Library's 38th annual spring Book Sale is open today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with bag day; shoppers can fill a grocery sack for either $1 or $2, depending on which room the items are in.

The Wyoming Spring Ring is this weekend in Casper, with handbell choirs expected from First United Methodist, Shepherd of Hills Presbyterian, Highland Park Community churches, the Casper community group, Phoenix Ringers, as well as Sundance, Cheyenne, and Loveland, Colo. Cathy Moklebust is the guest conductor.

The Wyoming Spring Ring is an event sponsored by the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, and a free-will offering will be accepted at the concert to which the public is welcome at 1:30 p.m., in the auditorium of the Frontier Middle School.

There is a sports card show at Behind The Glass located at Sunrise Shopping Center, 4230 S. Poplar St. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with 22 tables filled with sports items from various vendors.

The Wyoming Cavalry will be signing autographs from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and the Casper Ghosts with mascot, Hobart, also are expected.

Drawings will be approximately every 30 minutes and you must be present to win.

A deployment party for the 39 Converse County guardsmen preparing to deploy will be held at 6 p.m., at the Plains Complex, 628 E. Richards St., in Douglas. All are welcome to attend to wish them well and enjoy food, entertainment and door prizes. Donations are welcome and appreciated. For more information, call Sandy at 358-5508 or Gail, 358-2024.

CASA of Natrona County hosts the 2009 Celebrity Serve Masquerade Dinner, Unmasking Child Abuse at the Casper Events Center, starting at 6 p.m. The event will include a live auction, a silent auction and a dessert auction, in addition to a fully catered dinner served by many well-known local celebrities. All guests are asked to wear masks and they will be available to buy at the check-in table. Tickets are available for $60 each or two for $100.

The Casper Elks host the Inaugural Banquet and Ball with cocktails at 6:30 p.m.; dinner in the dining room at 7 p.m. Dance to the music of Reasonable Doubt at 8 p.m. Reservations are required and may be made in the Club Lounge. Dress is business casual. For information, call 234-4839.

The Casper Children s Theatre is presenting their production of A Year with Frog and Toad today at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 5 at 2 p.m. at the Children s Theatre, 138 S. Kimball in the Commissary Mall. The Not Ready for Bedtime Players (ages 8-11) will perform the classic piece. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.

Two Casper College percussion students will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. in Durham Hall, located in the Aley Fine Arts Center.

According to Terry Gunderson, Matt Doctor and Dallas Thompson will celebrate their impending graduation by presenting a recital of percussion music. Doctor and Thompson are both set to receive an A.F.A degree in instrumental music performance in May. The percussion concert is free and open to the public.

On Sunday, Col. (Ret.) David Peterson will be speaking in Casper at 11 a.m., at First Southern Baptist Church, 2555 E. 2nd St. His address will focus on the question of why the United States gets involved in areas like Afghanistan and Iraq. Everyone in the community, especially local soldiers, is invited to attend this free lecture. Peterson enjoyed a long and successful career with the United States Army. In November 1965 he entered active duty as a chaplain. He served two terms in Vietnam and later served as the Senior Military Chaplain during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He retired from active duty in 1995. After retirement, he served as the executive director of the Presbyterian Denomination, where one of his duties was to endorse Chaplains for the military. Peterson hopes to inspire local soldiers and their families with a message of hope and courage for their upcoming deployment. Having been deployed several times himself, (from the jungles of Vietnam,

to the deserts of Iraq) he has a personal and meaningful message to impart to today s soldiers. Refreshments and a time to meet and visit with Peterson will occur after the service.

The Casper Chamber Music Society presents the Equinox Trio at 4 p.m., at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church. Admission is $8 adults; $6 seniors; $2 students.

The trio consists of Casper College faculty members Jennifer Cowell and Gary DePaolo and NCSD strings instructor Christine Dunbar. For more information, call 237-0778.