Correspondent’s note: After many weeks, I am back online and am most thankful for all the folks helping me to get back into your homes.

Open houses

A Pleasant Valley High School open house will be held from 5-7 p.m. today.

An open house for the Bears Academy also will be held at the same time and place, according to the district calendar.

Practice tonight

Effort UMC is holding practice for the Praise Music Worship Team tonight from 6-8 p.m. Instruments should be brought along.

School supplies

The Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network is seeking help in collecting school supplies such as pencils, pens spiral notebooks and toothpaste.

People can donate to the PVEN or give their gifts to participating churches.

Nature walk

Salem-St. Paul Lutheran Church, Kresgeville, will go a’walking at the Nature Park at the West End Regional Park in Brodheadsville at 11 a.m. Saturday.

On Sunday, the church will hold its Funday Rally.

Pavilion concert

Effort UMC has announced its last Community Concert for this season. It will be held Saturday and feature Regina Sayles.

A light dinner begins the event at 5:30 p.m. The music will go from 6-7:30 p.m., rain or shine.

People should bring their own lawn chairs.

Golf outing

The Msgr. Connel A. McHugh Council 7141 Knights of Columbus will host its 15th annual Fr. McCawley Golf Outing on Saturday at Glen Brook Golf Club, Stroudsburg.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. Tee time is 9 a.m.

For more information, call J. Blundetto at 570-807-7973.

Grove worship

St. Matthew’s ECC Church, Kunkletown, will hold is final summer worship in the grove at 9 a.m. Sunday.

The Joyful Noise offering will benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Fellowship breakfast

From 9:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday, Effort UMC will hold its Fellowship Breakfast. It is free-will offering event.

St. John’s events

The Ladies Auxiliary of St. John’s Lutheran Church will meet at noon Sunday. All are advised to bring a lunch. All women of St. John’s are welcome to attend.

The collecting of nonperishable foods for the Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network and Valor continues.

The group is also continuing to collect ShopRite and Weis grocery receipts, which can be placed the bucket by the church office.

Folks who ordered hoagies from St. John’s are reminded that the hoagies will be available Sept. 18.

Voucher pickup

Folks can still apply to the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program if they meet certain requirements: “Older adults must be 60 years of age or older (or turn 60 by 12/31/2026), reside in Monroe County, and have a gross income at or below $29,526 for a single individual and $40,034 for a married couple.”

The Loder Center (62 Analomink St. in East Stroudsburg, second floor) will continue to accept applications and give out vouchers until Sept. 30, but only on Wednesdays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mailed application are not being accepted.

Anyone unable to go to the office can send someone else, as long as that person has a proxy form signed by the sender and the person who will be picking up the vouchers. Proxy forms are available online, at the Monroe County Area Agency on Aging Office and at the Loder Center.

For more information, call 570-420-3735

Celebrating arts

The 48th annual Celebration the Arts Festival in Delaware Water Gap begins on Saturday and continues through Sunday. It starts at noon both days, but at 10 a.m. Sunday there will be free jazz church service by the Church of the Mountain on the main stage, followed by various musicians and groups of musicians.

For more information on the event, visit https://cotajazz.org/.

Soup sale

Effort UMC has announced its first soup sale for the season. Offered are chicken corn chowder and “Piggy” (cabbage, hamburger and tomato base). The sale runs through Sept. 23 and has a pickup date of Sunday, Sept. 27, after each service. Order forms are on the church Welcome Center.

BP screening

Chestnuthill Senior Center will welcome Rachel Wydra for its next blood pressure screening at 10 a.m. Sept. 30.