Mass schedule

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church Mass schedule for today and Thursday is Mass will be offered 5 p.m. today and 12:10 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday.

The office is closed.

Blood drive today

Cornerstone Community Church, on Polk Township Road in Kresgeville, is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive today from 1 to 6 p.m.

Protect veterans

Mrs. Bush’s Personal Care Homes Inc. in Kunkletown will be hosting a free presentation, Operation Protect Veterans, by AARP at 6 p.m. today.

This presentation discusses scams directed toward veterans and how to identify them. It will provide resources to verify them, and how to obtain legitimate information about guaranteed service benefits.

Additionally, materials from the fraud watch network and PA Banking and Securities will be available. Each attendee will receive an AARP Watchdog Alert Handbook, along with a hard copy PowerPoint handout.

Any questions can be directed to Carrie Shafer, ADC, Community Life Director at 610-381-1009.

WEPOSC meeting

The West End Park and Open Space Commission is scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. today at the Chestnuthill Township Park.

Legion Auxiliary

The American Legion Auxiliary is slated to meet at 7 p.m. today at the Legion Post home in Gilbert.

For more information, call Pat Froncek at 570-242-0497.

Sub vets meet

Due to the West End Fair and the group’s attendance there, the Submarine Veterans meeting, usually on the third Wednesday of the month, will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Wilson Fisher American Legion, Post 413, Old Route 940, in Pocono Pines.

Submarine veterans from all eras are encouraged to join and to visit the group at the West End Fair.

For additional information and directions, visit http://poconosubvets.org or call 610-681-2606.

Silver Sneakers

The Western Pocono Community Library hosts Silver Sneakers exercise classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. People interested in the classes should check with their health insurance company to see if they qualify for Silver Sneakers programs.

Contact Carmela Heard at 610-681-6315 or cheard@ptd.net for more information. Classes include: Basic Stretch, Strength Conditioning and Cardio.

Hot dog time

The West End Volunteer Fire Company is holding a hot dog sale at Kinsley’s ShopRite from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

The stand will be located in the parking lot.

WELL meeting

West End Little League is holding its open meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Chestnuthill Township Park in Brodheadsville.

Chestnuthill Seniors

On Friday the Chestnuthill Seniors will have Tai chi at 9:30 a.m. The lunch choices are pasta and vegetable salad, three-bean salad, an orange and a whole wheat roll and an orange for the light meal, and garlic broccoli & shells, diced carrots, red cabbage, and pineapple tidbits for the regular meal to choose from.

Next Wednesday, all county senior groups will meet at the Chestnuthill Center, with lunch served at 11:30 a.m. and then a trip to the West End Fair.

Their lunch choices are chicken Caesar salad, potato salad, plum whole wheat roll and pudding for the light meal and pierogies, green peas, broccoli and cauliflower, and tropical fruit for the regular meal.

Backpack blessing

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church will have a time of backpack blessing at all Masses on Friday and Saturday. Children from preschool to 12th grade are invited to bring their backpacks to Mass and receive a special blessing and a gift from the parish family as they get ready to begin the new school year.

Post cleanup

The West End Memorial American Legion Post 927, Gilbert, is having its monthly cleanup Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon. It’s a mulching party. No tools have to be brought, just willing hands and arms.

Clothing swap

The Pleasant Valley School District clothing swap will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Pleasant Valley Elementary School cafeteria.

Artists reception

Monroe County Conservation District’s Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center will hold an artist reception for Mariana Russo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Her theme is Abstraction of Nature. She primarily works with wood, old kitchen cabinet doors, old windows, acrylics, a wood burner, real leaves and real flowers.

Russo also likes to explore all kinds of materials such as flower pots, wood stains and mirrors to create her paintings’ rich texture and color. The exhibit continues through Aug. 30.

For more information, call the Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center at 570-629-3061 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and most Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information on other programs offered, visit the website at www.mcconservation.org.

Saturday matinee

The Western Pocono Community will show family-friendly movies in the Community Room of the Library at 1 p.m. every Saturday. Popcorn and water are available for purchase. Children under 10 years must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call the library at 570-992-7934.

LAMA meeting

The Pocono Chapter of LAMA will meet at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Legion Post Home in Gilbert.

West End Fair begins

The West End Fair begins Sunday at noon. An ecumenical service will be held at 3 p.m.

Lioness meet

The Western Pocono Lioness Club will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Zion Lutheran Church in Brodheadsville.

The club’s scholarship winner will be the speaker. The upcoming candle sale fundraiser will begin, with Yankee Candle brochures available that evening.

Socks, gloves, mittens, caps are the items needed by the Salvation Army, so the club is seeking members’ or friends’ donations as they collect them to bring to the August meeting.

PVHS orientation

PVHS ninth grade/new student orientation is on the calendar for 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Finding the classroom for those students is scheduled for 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday. Find your classroom times for other grades are scheduled for Thursday, according to the school calendar.

Valor meeting

The monthly meeting of the Valor Peer to Peer meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Legion Post Home 927 in Gilbert. It is open to all Post and non-Post veterans and families.

For more information, contact Lippincott at 570-242-0810.

Happy collection

The mission project of the Vacation Bible School at St. Matthew’s UCC, with children’s offerings and adult donations equaled one llama for $150, one goat for $120 and three flocks of chickens for $20, each to be sent somewhere in the world where there is a need through Heifer Project International.

As those animals have offspring, more families will be helped.

Free concert

The free summer concert series continues at the Chestnuthill Township Park in Brodheadsville with the Bandana Brothers at 6 p.m. Aug. 25.

The four-piece band consists of rhythm guitar, lead and bass guitars, percussion with influences from an abundance of genres such as folk, jazz, classic rock and popular tunes. They will be playing originals and covers by artists such as Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Old Crow, Maroon 5, Allman Brothers, Neil Young, Doobie Brothers and more.

There will be free ice cream for everyone.

For more information, call Bernie Kozen at 570-992-9733 or go to www.weposc.org.

Golf tournament

Monroe County Habitat for Humanity holds its 23rd annual golf tournament and dinner on Friday at Great Bear Golf Club in East Stroudsburg.

To learn more about registration and sponsorship options, call the office at 570-216-4390 or email the director, Kellie Kemmerer.

Free dinner

Zion Lutheran Church in Brodheadsville is serving a free community dinner from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21.

Celebration ahead

The PVEN will celebrate its one-year anniversary of being in the new facility on Sept. 25 at Mountain Springs Lake Resort in Reeders.

For particulars about attending, go to PVEN.net.

RSVPs are due by Sept. 3.

Church flea market

St. Peter’s UMC in Saylorsburg has announced its September flea market being held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 7 with a rain date of Sept. 14.
The church will offer lunch fare, beverages and baked items for hungry vendors and bargain shoppers. Call 570-992-6930 to reserve a spot to sell those extras that someone else is just waiting to purchase and take home.

Stargazing trip

Monroe County Conservation District’s Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center has announced a stargazing trip to Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County, known for its darkest skies. The trip is from Sept. 27-29.

The trip coincides with one of the Dark Sky Park’s annual star parties — a multi-day astronomy festival with lots of knowledgeable folks on hand to educate the public about one of the most endangered natural resources — a truly dark night sky.

Space is limited to 12 people.

For more information, including costs, call 570-629-3061 or visit www.mcconservation.org.

Contact Adele Argot at 717-933-4028 or arargot3@verizon.net. Contact the Times News at 800-443-0377 or tneditor@tnonline.com.