VBS volunteers

Effort UMC Vacation Bible School volunteers are asked to attend a meeting beginning at 6 tonight and being held in Friendship Hall.Clearance paperwork is required for being a part of VBS.Eldred SupervisorsThe Board of Supervisors of Eldred Township will meet at 7:30 tonight at the municipal building in Saylorsburg.Home AssociationThe West End Home Association holds its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month. That meeting is set for 7:30 tonight at the American Legion Post 927 on Fairgrounds Road in Gilbert. All Post 927 members are welcome to attend.Mission mealThe West End Mission meal will again be served form 4:40 to 5:45 p.m. Thursday at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Gilbert.Star timePlans are set for Mountain Bike Day on Saturday at the West End Regional Park, on Evergreen Hollow Road, Brodheadsville. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. There are more than 6 miles of trails ready to ride.This year something new has been added: single track trails.Refreshments and giveaways for those attending are planned.Eric Peterson from Peterson's Ski and Cycle is scheduled to give a free clinic and answer biking questions. Anyone needing to rent a bike can rent from Peterson's by calling 570-646-9223. However, call in advance as there are no plans at this time to have extra bikes at the park. Trails range from beginner to expert, with the emphasis being on the beginner and intermediate trails.All participants must wear helmets. More information is available at

www.weposc.org. One can also check the Facebook page, WEPOSC.Kids, families, beginners to experts, all are welcome.PANDA meetsEffort UMC's PANDA Youth Group will meet at 7 p.m. Friday.Middlecreek weekendMiddlecreek Christian Church is holding its free weekend of music, food, ministry, fun and much more Friday through Sunday.The entire weekend is free, including all entertainment, food, games, crafts and beverages.To help with costs, love offerings will be accepted any time during the event. People are invited to camp for the entire weekend with their own camping gear or just come for the day.Friday night begins with dinner at 5 p.m. followed by music from Jordan River Ramblers and SWIM. Then, a movie under the stars with a campfire Bible study will follow to conclude the day.Saturday starts at noon with lunch, and music starts at 1 p.m. with William Doney, Grace Notes Big Band, Joey O and more. Throughout the day there will be numerous games to play and enjoy. Dinner will include a pig roast and, following dinner, a speaker and more music from One Word and Think of 3. The day will close with another campfire Bible study.Sunday begins at 9 a.m. with breakfast and a closing worship service starting at 10:30 a.m.For more information contact Middlecreek Christian Church at 570-629-4066 or

www.middlecreekchurch.org or follow on Facebook and Twitter @Fusion_Weekend.Man Up BreakfastThe Pleasant Valley Assembly of God Church is slated to have a Man Up Breakfast from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday.For more information, contact the church at 570-992-6799.Save a lifeThe West End Park & Open Space Commission is offering a CPR and First Aid Training class from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Chestnuthill Park Building, on Route 715, Brodheadsville.Hands-on training will be by a certified American Heart Association professional.Attendees learn the basics of first aid and how to respond to emergencies involving choking, breathing and cardiac issues. There is a fee.Training is certified and accepted by scouting, youth groups and child-care providers. Registration at 570-992-9733 or

bkozen@weposc.org.Knit & CrochetZion Lutheran Church in Brodheadsville Knit & Crochet group will gather at 1 p.m. in the Parish Hall to do their creative work for others.Newcomers are welcome.Musical benefitThe Garden of Giving in McMichaels was the beneficiary of a concert by Ruth Kochera and a group of artists at St. John's Lutheran Church of Stroudsburg.The Garden of Giving is now open 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and the office is open Tuesday through Friday. Board member Carolyn Jones is giving a series of special presentations with companion planting on Saturday, composting on Sept. 2 and winter preparation on Oct. 7.There is still a need for a CPA, and many volunteer opportunities in both the garden and the office. For more information on any event or on how to help at The Garden of Giving call 570-402-1282 or email

gardenofgiving@gmail.com.Deadline SundayThe West End Park and Open Space Commission is having a Paint in the Park event at the Chestnuthill park building, on Route 715 in Brodheadsville from 1-4 p.m. Aug. 13.Canvas, art supplies and professional instruction are included in the price per person amount. Register at

www.ccreationscrafts.weebly.com or call 570-730-9887 Registration must be prepaid by this Sunday.The event will benefit the West End Park.Responders recognitionEffort UMC's pavilion will be in use Sunday for the Southern Connection Emergency Responders recognition.Lecture seriesAt 6:30

p.m.Aug. 9, Peter Kern will present a lecture on the solar eclipse at the Heritage Center in Brodheadsville. All lecture series events are free and open to the public; however, space is limited, therefore preregistration is required.Call the Heritage Center at 570-402-1906 or the library at 570-992-7934 for more information or to reserve a seat at this interesting event.WEPOSC meetingThe West End Park and Open Space Commission will meet at 6:30

p.m.Aug. 9 at the Chestnuthill Park Building on Route 715 in Brodheadsville.Effort UMC VBSVacation Bible School at Effort UMC will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon from Monday through theAug. 11 each day. The theme is: Maker Fun Factory, Created by God, Built for a Purpose.For more information about VBS contact Deb Audett at:

daudett@ptd.net or Kimberly Kurtz through the church office at 570-629-1890.Blood driveCornerstone Community Church on Polk Township Road in Kresgeville is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive from 1-6

p.m.Aug. 16. At this drive donors can give blood and Power Red.Princess visitAt 1

p.m.Aug. 16, Princess Belle will be visiting the Western Pocono Community Library in Brodheadsville to wrap up the Summer Reading Program at the library. It is open to all ages.OnAug. 15 andAug. 17 there will be no programs for the Summer Reading Program.For more information about the special programming or Summer Reading Program. call the library at 570-992-7934.Chicken barbecueThe Effort United Methodist Church on Merwinsburg Road off Route 115 in Effort will be having its semiannual chicken barbecue dinner from 1 to 7

p.m.Aug. 19.This event was started in 1974 and is still going strong. This dinner is such a great event and the menu hasn't changed in 42 years. The spring event sold out.To avoid this, extra chicken halves are being ordered and the church will be selling prepaid tickets guaranteeing a meal. Contact the church office at 570-629-1890, ext. 104, for cost information and to purchase a prepaid ticket.Takeout orders only from 1 p.m. Dining in begins at 3 p.m.The menu again consists of a roasted chicken half, a baked potato, corn on the cob and choice of the secret recipe creamed cabbage (coleslaw) or applesauce. The meal also comes with a split top roll, whipped butter, homemade desserts, and choice of coffee, tea or lemonade.The church is air-conditioned and handicap accessible. For more information call the church at 570-629-1890.Contact Adele Argot at 717-933-4028 or

arargot3@verizon.net. Contact the Times News at 800-443-0377 or

tneditor@tnonline.com.