Support groups

The Tamaqua area has a number of support groups to help people with different types of addiction.Alcoholics Anonymous has multiple weekly meetings at two locations. St. John's Lutheran Church, Pine and Mauch Chunk Streets, has meetings at 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. Meetings are also held at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; 10 a.m. on Fridays and 7:30 p.m. on Sundays at St. John XXIII Parish Center, 266 W. Broad St.Narcotics Anonymous meetings are held at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Tamaqua Salvation army, 105 W. Broad St.Nar-Anon Family Support Group meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, at First United Methodist Church, 124 W. Broad St.Santa visitSanta Claus will be at the American Hose Company, Mauch Chunk Street, at noon on Christmas Eve to provide children with a last-minute opportunity to share their Christmas wishes.Every child will receive a treat.Tamaqua seniorsThe Tamaqua Senior Citizens met Dec. 15 with 45 members in attendance. President Melody Weicker conducted the business session and the chaplain provided an inspirational reading, "The Priceless Gift of Christmas."John Fredericks, Nancy Hess and Pearl Davis were added to the sick list. Birthday wishes were extended to Lillian Tomsho, Lois Millet, Anna Mae Yushinsky, Grace Sakusky, Ted Krell, Jean Machamer, Joan Camerini, Joe D, Doris Brobst and Pat Brown.Brown bag lunches will begin on Dec. 29.The Dec. 22 meeting has been canceled. Also, with the winter months looming, members are reminded that if conditions call for schools to be closed on a meeting day, that day's meeting will be canceled.The group is open to anyone 55 or older. Meetings are held at 1 p.m. Thursdays, at the Tamaqua YMCA, 1201 E. Broad St.Calvary EvangelicalThe Rev. Phillip Sabas will officiate at the 9 a.m. worship service this Christmas Sunday in Calvary Evangelical Methodist Church in the Lewistown Valley.Evening prayer services are canceled for the next two weeks.Bethany ECThe Rev. Kevin Roberts will officiate at the 3, 7 and 11 p.m. worship services on Christmas Eve in Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church.Christmas Day service is at 10 a.m.Activities for next week include: Wednesday, Tamaqua Youth Ministry meets at 6:30 p.m.; Thursday, worship team practices at 7 p.m., worship leaders meet at 8 p.m.Contact Kathy Kunkel at 570-668-1250 or

kkunkel@tnonline.com. Contact the Times News at 800-443-0377 or

tneditor@tnonline.com.