KEYSTONE CLIPS Program teaches how to compost

Penn State Cooperative Extension is looking for Mercer County residents interested in learning the basics of composting.
The extension service is even offering a free backyard composting bin to people who participate in a composting forum. The first 200 people who register for the program will get the free bins.
Participants can choose any of three different times: 10 to 11:30 a.m. or 4 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 10 and 1:30 to 3 p.m. Oct. 19. All three sessions will be at the Mercer County 4-H Park exhibit building on U.S. Route 19, 1.5 miles north of Mercer.
Participants can register by calling the extension office at (724) 662-3141 or by writing to Composting Workshop, P.O. Box 530, Mercer, Pa. 16137.
Collection drive
The Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce Civic Committee is sponsoring a food and school-supplies drive now through Oct. 31.
Food items will be given to Loaves & amp; Fishes, Sharing Shed and the United Methodist Church Lunch Program.
School supplies will be distributed through Loaves & amp; Fishes and the Sharing Shed.
People can drop off nonperishable food and school-supply items at the Corner Kitchen, Courthouse Square Dry Goods, The Gallery, Mercer Mercantile & amp; Soda Shoppe, Oakes Hardware, Otter Creek Store, Pizza Joe's, Shannon's Kandy Kitchen, Walt's, the Chamber of Commerce and the Mercer Area Library.
School supplies also can be dropped off at the Free Methodist Church.
Campus-community awards
The Florence E. MacKenzie Campus-Community Award Committee in Grove City is seeking nominees for its 2002 honors.
The award recognizes two people each year, one from Grove City College and one from the surrounding community, who have made significant efforts to improve the "town-gown" relationship.
It's named after the late Florence E. MacKenzie, wife of Dr. Charles S. MacKenzie, former president of Grove City College.
Nominations should include a letter stating why the nominee should be considered and should be sent to Julie McConnell, Campus-Community Awards, Grove City College, Box 507, 200 Campus Drive, Grove City, Pa. 16127, by Oct. 4.
Wheelchair accessibility
Allied Coordinated Transportation Services Inc. in New Castle received a $105,840 grant to defray the cost of wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
The money, distributed by PennDOT's Bureau of Public Transportation, will provide 80 percent of the cost of new wheelchair-accessible small transit vehicles and communication equipment to provide transportation for senior citizens and those with disabilities, said state Rep. Chris Sainato of New Castle, D-9th.
Water-quality grants
Grants are available to those who want to work on improving Pennsylvania's water quality, according to Pa. state Rep. Chris Sainato of New Castle, D-9th.
The grants from the Pennsylvania Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini Project must be used to promote the message that "We All Live Downstream" by stimulating interest in water quality, showing the value of soil and nutrient-saving practices and encouraging farmers, homeowners and others to take action to reduce pollution and improve water quality.
Those interested in the grants must apply by May 15 by calling (717) 545-8878.
XCONTRIBUTORS: Harold Gwin of the Sharon Bureau and Laure Cioffi of the New Castle Bureau.