Blood drive

Cornerstone Community Church on Polk Township Road in Kresgeville is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive from 1-6 p.m. today.Lenten servicesSalem UCC in Gilbert will host the five-church combined Lenten service tonight.The service includes: 6 to 6:45 p.m., simple soup dinner; 6:30 p.m., choir rehearsal; and the worship service at 7 p.m.In case of inclement weather, check Channel 13, WSBG or WVPO for service cancellation information.Effort UMC holds a Lenten study at 5:30 p.m., the Lenten worship service at 7 p.m. and a supper in between.Zion Lutheran has a 6 p.m. Lenten supper and Bible study and a Lenten worship service at 7:30 p.m.Mission mealThe West End Mission Meal for those in need takes place from 4:40 to 5:45 p.m. Thursday at Our Lady Queen of Peace church in Gilbert.Seniors menuThe Chestnuthill Seniors meeting at Zion Lutheran Church in Brodheadsville can order chicken Marsala for Friday's gathering and turkey and dumplings for April 5.Call the site manager by 11 a.m. the day before at 570-242-6770 or 570-420-3735.Deadline FridayPBS KIDS is having a writers' contest. All children, kindergarten through third grade, are eligible. Winners will have their story published online at wvia.org/education.Deadline for entries is this Friday. Entry forms are available at Western Pocono Community Library. For more information, visit

www.wvia.org/education.CWU meetsChurch Women United will hold a meeting at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Hughes Library, Ninth and Chipperfield Drive, Stroudsburg. A state project CWU for 2017 will be to bring nutritious snacks for children to the March meeting or to May Friendship Day that be held on May 12 at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in East Stroudsburg.These will be given to area organizations.Board gamesSaturdays are game days at the Western Pocono Community Library in Brodheadsville. Patrons can play a variety of board games available for adults and children from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.ScholarshipThe late Suzanne Anderson of Effort left a bequest for the Pocono Arts Council. The council is now offering two $500 scholarships for graduating seniors in music and visual art who plan to continue their art education at the college level. The scholarships are available thanks to a bequest by longtime local art supporter Suzanne Anderson. Deadline for applying is Friday.Further information and applications are available by calling 570-476-4460 or emailing

laura@poconoarts.org.PIC meetsPride in Chestnuthill will be at work Saturday for a township cleanup day. Members gather at 8 a.m. New team leaders include: Matt Klein, Nancy Gehr and Kathy Getz. Additional volunteers are welcome.For what is involved go to www.chestnuthilltwp-pa.gov/pride-in-chestnuthill.Hunter courseThe Pennsylvania Game Commission is offering a Hunter-Trapper Education course, being sponsored by Indian Mountain Rod and Gun Club at its site on Route 534 in Kresgeville from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.Register online at

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us.The minimum registration age is 11. there is required online study before attendance. Certification earned is required by Pennsylvania law for all first-time hunters. Lunches will be available at course for a nominal fee.Refer questions to contact instructor Gary Dobrinsky at

A1hunter@ptd.net.Spaghetti dinnerThe Southern Pocono Mission Connexion, of which Effort UMC is a part, is hosting a spaghetti dinner from 4-7 p.m. Saturday, at the Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department on Route 715 in Reeders. All proceeds of this dinner will go toward paying for the firefighter/EMT Appreciation Day that will be held this summer. For more information call Effort UMC at 570-629-1890.Mission auctionEffort UMC's Mission Outreach auction will be held, beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday. Auctioneers will be Pastor Robin Fisher and Mark Wells. Food and snacks, desserts and coffee will be available throughout the evening. All proceeds from the auction are earmarked for local, national and international missions.Last year's auction touched many lives, both here and abroad.All auction items are donated by parishioners and friends ranging from theme baskets, jewelry, gift cards to a restaurant or department store, handcrafted items, paintings to baked goods, services and more.For more information call the church office 570-629-1890 or Pat at 610-681-4967.SAL meetsThe Sons of the American Legion will meet at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Legion Post home in Gilbert.Easter flowersMany churches already have their respective gifts of flowers and plants taken care of. However, at McMichaels UMC, parishioners and friends are asked to sign up on the flower sheet if they plan on bringing an Easter plant/flower in to help decorate the church by this Sunday. Plants must be brought in by April 9 or 16.The worship service is at 9:30 a.m.Easter cantataA joint chorus from Effort UMC and St. Matthew's UCC in Kunkletown will present a cantata, "Grace that Amazes," three times, beginning this week.The schedule calls for its presentation this Sunday at 9 a.m. at St. Matthew's in Kunkletown and at 1:30 p.m., Getz Personal Care Home in Jonas.On Palm Sunday, April 9, it will be presented at 11 a.m. at Effort United Methodist Church.Penance serviceDuring Lent local parishes of the Monroe Deanery of the Roman Catholic Church offer additional opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This includes a short prayer service with readings and songs followed by individual confessions with priests stationed throughout the church. All are welcome.This Sunday at 4 p.m., Our Lady Queen of Peace will host such a service.Center activitiesThe Eldred Township Community Center has some ongoing activities. They include: a jam session every Monday at noon and a children's reading hour the second and fourth Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to noon.Upcoming is an art show free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2

p.m.April 8. It will have the works of local artists on display.The Community Thrift Store is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.Drop-off days are Wednesday and Thursday only.Also at the Community Center on Saturday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mary Dolan is back with her popular stained-glass classes, five classes, all supplies included. For more information, including costs, contact Mary at

yelwbkrd@ptd.net or call 570-732-3710 to register.The second session of the Saturday stained-glass class will be from 10 to 11:30

a.m.April 8.Ross supervisorsSupervisors of Ross Township meet at 7 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the Ross Township Municipal Building on Anchorage Road in Saylorsburg.Chestnuthill supersThe board of supervisors for Chestnuthill Township will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, at the municipal building in Brodheadsville.Ladies Golf LeagueMembers of The Indian Mountain Golf League in Kresgeville will kick off their 2017 season with an orientation/dinner meeting at 6

p.m.April 5, at Cherry's Family Restaurant in Kresgeville.Ladies of all handicaps are invited to join this friendly, noncompetitive nine-hole golf league which meets Thursday afternoon at 3:45 p.m. League play begins on May 4 with practice rounds on April 13, 20 and 27.Contact Pat at 610-681-4967 or

pamack05@ptd.net or Kathi at 610-852-2105 or

kcwolter@ptd.net for more information.Reservations for the April 5 dinner is suggested.Yarn donationsThe Prayer Shawl Ministry of Our Lady Queen of Peace can use donations of yarn. Donations may be brought to the Teen Room in the Atrium.Eldred meetingA bridge over Chapple Creek on Silver Spring Boulevard in Eldred Township is slated to be replaced.At the April 5 board of supervisors meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the municipal building in Kunkletown, Timothy Bolden of Gibson Thomas Engineering, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's consulting engineers, will be present to discuss the project, road closure, detours and other related information.Anyone who will be affected or is interested should attend the meeting.Contact Adele Argot at 717-933-4028 or

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

tneditor@tnonline.com.