West End news for Jan. 9, 2019

Christmas cards

A woman working with children at Effort UMC is requesting old Christmas cards. She plans on using them for an arts and crafts projects with the youngsters.

Anyone having cards may bring them to the church.

Christmas social

The Western Pocono Women’s Club hosted a festive Christmas social at the Jonas Getz Personal Care home in December.

Everyone enjoyed a treat of homemade cookies and punch, followed by trivia and a Christmas tree craft that was a big hit with all the residents.

The group has decided to do this once a month and will begin that tradition this month.

Blood drives

This Friday, in neighboring Jackson Township, at the fire hall in Reeders, the American Red Cross is holding a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m.

On Saturday, there is one at the Pocono Township firehouse in Tannersville from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and next Wednesday, from noon to 5 p.m., it is the Kunkletown firehouse which is hosting an American Red Cross drive.

Family Fun Night

The Pleasant Valley Elementary school PTO is hosting a family fun night Friday.

PVEN distributions

The Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network will be doing two distributions at 9 a.m. Friday. They are clothing distribution and food pantry choice distribution.

Families using the PVEN for distributions are asked to call 570-992-3136 24 hours ahead to reserve a time slot on distribution days.

Flying rocket craft

The West End & Open Space Commission is holding a rocket blast Friday beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m. Participants will make a straw and paper rocket. Then the makers can test their skills at seeing how high their creation will fly with a puff of air, as well as if each flyer can aim it into the Black Hole.

This is a free event. Call 570-992-9733 for more information.

Pantry open

The Effort UMC Supplemental Food Resource Center will be open from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday.

Drop-off requests

Salem UCC, Gilbert, has a used clothing drop-off. A locally owned company, a member of the Better Business Bureau, owns it.

The company’s mission is to get usable clothing to people who can use it here in the USA and in third-world countries. It reimburses site-sponsoring entities a percentage of the company’s income.

Items accepted are all clothing, shoes, sneakers, belts, purses, blankets, sheets, pillowcases, drapes and stuffed toys.

No rags, fabric scraps, toys or household goods are accepted. When people donate them, it costs money to dispose of them, and that does not help the church or the company.

Donors are asked to put their donations in plastic bags to help keep donations clean and dry.

Fellowship breakfast

Effort UMC will hold its Fellowship Breakfast from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Free will offerings will be accepted.

All proceeds go into the Capitol Improvement fund for the building needs of the church.

Legion Riders

The Riders monthly meeting will take place at Post 927 in Gilbert Sunday beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Contact Everett Shaver at everett.shaver@yahoo.com for more information.

Yearly report

From Chief Don Zipp of the West End Volunteer Fire Company comes the tally for the past 12 months of services rendered by the company’s volunteers.

Although this past year saw an 18 percent drop in total number of calls from last year, the volunteers did respond to 424 incidents.

The breakdown includes: 61 structure fires, 16 vehicle fires, 14 brush fires, 10 other fires, 137 automatic alarms, 94 MVAs, 21 OIC calls, 8 HAZMAT, 1 public assist, 5 smoke investigations, 10 medicals, 8 fire police, 18 utility emergencies, 13 CO alarms, 4 technical rescues, 3 burn complaints and 1 search.

Tree sponsorships

The Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center is once again promoting its Sponsor-A-Maple Tree program. Sponsoring a tree by family, company, etc. helps Monroe County students.

The tree sponsorship includes many benefits: receipt of a Certificate of Sponsorship, a map of the sugarbush showing the location of the tree, a pint of pure maple syrup from the Sugarbush and free admission for up to four people to the Annual Public Maple Sugaring Day on March 7. Sponsoring a maple tree makes a great birthday or holiday gift as well.

Book fair

The Pleasant Valley Intermediate School PTO book fair will be ongoing from Monday through Friday, beginning Jan. 13.

SAL meeting

The Sons of the American Legion will meet at 7 p.m. Monday. Call Nugent at 917-217-1387 for more information.

All Sports Club

Pleasant Valley’s All Sports Club will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the high school library.

Diversity Task Force

The Pleasant Valley School District Diversity Task Force is to meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the District office in Brodheadsville.

Knit & Crochet

Zion Lutheran’s Knit & Crochet group will be in session Tuesday, beginning at 1 p.m. Newcomers are welcome.

OTOH meeting

Operation: Touch of Home is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the American Legion Post Home 927 in Gilbert.

Successful dinner

The Western Pocono Lions Club hosted its first pork and sauerkraut dinner on New Year’s Day.

Many diners said they would come next year if the club held one again.

The reaction of the officers and those who were at work preparing it at 6 a.m. that day is that it is a very strong possibility.

Pat Buccieri, club president, says that it was great success and gives credit for Lion Millie Hawkey bringing the idea for the dinner to the club.

Lion MiIlie, of Kunkletown, concurs that the day was a great success and says there will surely be another dinner.

Club treasurer, Joanne Rush, of Saylorsburg, agrees that the day was a big success and Jon Evans, of Blakeslee, one of the 6 a.m. duty cooks and club secretary shares that for him the dinner was one of the most enjoyable events of the year for him, adding it is gratifying to see the community supporting the people in the community who need help, through the Lions.

Free dinner

Zion Lutheran Church, Brodheadsville, is again offering a free community dinner this coming week. It will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 15.

Legion Auxiliary

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

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

Volunteer opportunity

VITA stands for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and is a volunteer-supported program that helps people with annual household incomes of up to $56,000 prepare and electronically file their federal, state and local tax returns at no cost.

Pocono United Way is currently looking for tax preparers and site coordinators for the 2020 tax season. All training is provided, and individuals will come out of the training being a certified IRS Volunteer Tax Preparer.

To learn more about volunteering contact Lucas at 570-261-8027 or email Lucas@PoconoUnitedWay.org.

Soup sale

Effort UMC is having a homemade soup sale, including bacon corn chowder and homestyle chicken rice, now. Orders will be accepted through Jan. 15. Pickup is set for Jan. 19.

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

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