West End news for Jan. 15, 2020

Soup sale

Effort UMC is having a homemade soup sale, including bacon corn chowder and homestyle chicken rice, now. Orders will be accepted through today. Pickup is set for Sunday.

Contact the church at 570-629-1890 for more information.

Blood drive

There is an American Red Cross blood drive today at the Kunkletown Firehouse from noon to 5 p.m.

On Friday one can donate at the Blakeslee Community Center on Route 115.

Free dinner

Zion Lutheran Church, Brodheadsville, is again offering a free community dinner this week. It will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. today.

Legion Auxiliary

The monthly meeting of the Legion Auxiliary will be held tonight at 6 p.m. for the executive committee and at 7 p.m. for the main meeting.

For information, one can call Hill at 570-582-5270.

Eldred leadership

The Eldred Township Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet at 7 tonight.

The next Planning Commission meeting will be at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Both meet at the Eldred Township municipal building on Kunkletown Road in Kunkletown.

The Eldred Township Community Center Committee will hold its regular meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 3 p.m. at the Eldred Township Community Center at 516 Kunkletown Road in Kunkletown.

PVMS PTO

The Pleasant Valley Middle School PTO is on the calendar for 9 a.m. Thursday.

Zion Seniors

The first meeting of the year for Zion Seniors will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in Zion’s Parish Hall. Attendees are reminded to bring a sandwich and dues for the year. Beverages are provided.

Orphan ministry

The Orphan Ministry meeting at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church has been moved from Jan. 23 to Jan. 16 at 1:30 p.m. in the Cafe.

Lions meet

The Western Pocono Lions Club will meet Thursday at Cherry’s on Route 209 in Kresgeville. The board will meet at 6 p.m. and the members can begin to order off the menu at 6:30 p.m. The dinner meeting is to begin at 7 p.m.

Little League meets

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

Chestnuthill Seniors

Meeting again at 9 a.m. Friday, the Chestnuthill Seniors can look forward to their activity being Rummi Kub.

The light lunch is listed as Caesar salad, chickpea salad, mandarin oranges, whole wheat roll, yogurt.

The regular lunch includes stuffed shells, spinach, green peas, whole grain dinner roll and a banana.

Next Wednesday’s activity is arts and crafts.

The light lunch is chef salad, orzo salad, apple, whole wheat crackers and juice.

The regular lunch is slated to be chicken tenders, broccoli, snap peas, sliced peaches, whole wheat bread.

Attendees are reminded to call for their menu selection at 570-242-6770 or 570-420-3735 by 11 a.m. the day before.

Bingo night

The West End Park and Open Space Commission is hosting a bingo night at the Chestnuthill Township Park building in Brodheadsville from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday.

It will include door prizes, specials, pull tabs and refreshments. The menu includes chili, hot dogs, pizza, soft pretzels and more.

For more information, including costs, call 570-992-9733.

Maple sugaring

Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center has announced a Maple Sugaring for the Beginner program set for Saturday.

Roger Spotts will lead this two-hour workshop beginning at 10 a.m. at Kettle Creek on backyard maple sugaring.

January is the time to get ready for the sugaring season as folks get set to tap trees in mid-February. The indoor program will include general information on making syrup, and a review of the equipment necessary to make syrup in your backyard.

Preregistration suggested. There is a cost for nonmembers, while center members are free.

Council welcome

St. Matthew’s UCC, Kunkletown welcomed new council members and thanks those who have served the past three years. Beginning their service time are: Shirley Brotzman, Jennie Rose Serfass, Dora Tartar, Renee Keiper, Gabrielle Bentley.

Thanked for their service time are: Pat Martin, Penny Hawk, Jeanie Anewalt, Dean Zacharias and Tony Palermo.

Holiday closures

Polk Township will be closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Offices will reopen on Tuesday.

Zion Lutheran Church office will be closed also.

PVES PTO

The Pleasant Valley Elementary School PTO will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

PAWC meeting

The next meeting of the Aquashicola/Pohopoco Watershed Conservancy will be at 7 p.m., Tuesday, at Polk Municipal Building in Kresgeville. The public is welcome.

Chestnuthill meeting

The Board of Supervisors for Chestnuthill Township is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the municipal building on Route 715 in Brodheadsville.

Special service

A community service of Prayer for Christian Unity will be held at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Gilbert, at 10 a.m. Jan. 23. The theme is Unusual Kindness. The church will provide a luncheon. Various area denominations will be involved in the service.

Suicide prevention

Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church in Brodheadsville is hosting a neighborhood meeting on Suicide Prevention from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 23 titled “We are Not Alone: What to Look for and Where to get Help.” The snow date is Feb. 6.

Resource tables available from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

The church is located at 150 Pilgrim Way, Brodheadsville, next to the Western Pocono Community Library.

To RSVP with number of attendees, call 570-992-0158.

Eagle Watch trip

Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center has announced eagle watch field trips, an Environmental Educator to the upper Delaware River in search of our national symbol, the Bald Eagle, on Jan. 24 or Feb. 5.

For costs, and other details, 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.

Preregistration and payment required one week in advance. Seating is limited. Refunds will be given only if notification is made at least one week in advance.

Strombolies

The REACH mission team at Effort UMC is taking orders for their handmade strombolies through Jan. 25. Funds realized will benefit the mission trip to Littlestown. For more information, call the church at 570-629-1890.

Farmer appreciation

The Penn State Cooperative Extension and the Monroe County Conservation District are again partnering to sponsor a Farmer’s Appreciation Banquet for Monroe County area farm families. The event is planned for Feb. 1 at the Polk Township Fire Hall in Kresgeville. A family style meal will be served by the Polk Township Ladies Auxiliary.

The banquet will provide door prizes, giveaways, games and live entertainment. The Monroe County Conservation District will also recognize the Conservation Cooperator of the Year, an award that has been recognized for over three decades.

There is a cost for tickets, which must be purchased in advance and are available at the Monroe County Conservation District at 8050 Running Valley Road, Stroudsburg PA 18360 during the regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by calling the office at 570-629-3060.

Souper Sunday

Effort UMC will be celebrating Souper Sunday again in conjunction with Super Bowl.

Each year the church’s Missions Team and Supplemental Food Resource Center (food pantry) sponsors the appropriately named Souper Bowl.

There will be have soup pots in the narthex for donations of canned goods such as canned fruit, canned pasta, canned vegetables, canned sauces, etc. and nonperishables.

And back by popular demand, there will also be a little competition involving the teams who will be playing in this year’s Super Bowl.

Each soup pot will have a team name so folks can vote for the favorite by placing a donation in that particular pot. Those donations should be in by Feb. 2.

Tree of Heaven

The Monroe County Conservation District is offering assistance in the year 2020 for Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) removal. The removal of these plants is part of the district’s program to reduce the number of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species that was first introduced to Pennsylvania in 2014.

While this pest doesn’t bite or sting, it can be very damaging to agriculture, and has the potential to be a nuisance when allowed to reach high population densities.

The Tree of Heaven is the preferred habitat of the spotted lanternfly. Removing this plant helps limit food and habitat resources for the lanternflies.

If you believe you have tree of heaven on your property and would like assistance with removal, complete the Assistance Request form found on mcconservation.org/spotted-lanternfly.html. The form must be submitted to MCCD by Feb 14.

Anyone with questions may contact the district at 570-629-3060 or at afmccd@ptd.net.

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