Children’s choir sings at nursing home

Children’s choir sings at nursing home

ROCK Children’s Choir (Raising Our Commitment to Cancer Kids), based in Austintown, will perform Dec. 24 at 2 p.m. at Briarwood Nursing Home on Route 46 in Mineral Ridge. The group is comprised of survivors, siblings and those touched by cancer ages 3-17. The nursing home invited the choir as entertainment for its family and resident party. The choir, directed by Brenda Rider, performs at events in a five-county area, including at as many Relay For Life events as possible.

Shopping on a budget

Salvation Army Thrift Store in Austin Center, Mahoning Avenue, Austintown, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. A variety of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and bric-a-brac is available at bargain prices.

Hi-Ya for hunger

Members, students and families of Master Park Martial Arts and members of Bodyworks Women’s Health and Fitness Center are fighting local hunger by raising funds for local charity organizations.

They need your help. Anyone donating $50 or more for the Hi-Ya for Hunger campaign campaign will receive one month of martial arts training at Master Park Martial Arts and 100 percent of your donation will go to the local Salvation Army.

Donations will be accepted at Bodywork’s Women’s Health and Fitness Center and Master Park Martial Arts at 5511 Silica Rd. in Austintown. For more information, contact at Master Park at 330-965-9000 or e-mail masterpark@masterpark.com.

Afghans for sale

The Austintown Historical Society has for immediate purchase the historic Austintown afghan. Colors are cranberry red and cream, Williamsburg blue and cream, and hunter’s green and cream. Also available are the Cat’s Meow collectibles, which cost from $12 to $15 each. All proceeds benefit the Austintown Historical Society. For information call 330-792-1129.

Life is a weaving

Linda Anne Marie Bertanzetti’s will be at the Weller Gallery at Fellowship Riverside Garden’s in Mill Creek Park to demonstrate hand weaving from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday and Dec. 27 and Jan. 3.

Pajamarama at Austintown public library

On Monday, the Austintown branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will be hosting a pajamarama. Families can come dressed in their best pajama wear and listen to holiday stories. It is for children of all ages and begins at 6:30p.m.

Fun Time for 4s and 5s at the library

On Tuesday, the Austintown branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will host a morning of learning and fun for children ages four and five. This event includes developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help the children become successful readers. The fun starts at 10 a.m.

Candle sales help AIDS foundation

Macy’s department store is teaming up with the Elton John AIDS Foundation for a holiday fundraiser.

Limited edition holiday-scented candles will be sold for $25 at Macy’s nationwide and through macys.com. Proceeds will benefit EJAF’s grant-making initiatives and help bring effective HIV prevention programing to people who are the most at-risk and vulnerable to HIV infection.

Book drive benefits children’s hospital

Barnes and Noble Booksellers, in the Shops at Boardman Park, is sponsoring a holiday book drive to benefit Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley. Customers may purchase children’s books now through Jan. 1.

The books will be donated to local children through the hospital’s Reach Out and Read and in-patient book cart programs. The store will have a bin for the donated books located near its check-out counter. The book drive targets children up to age 6.

Additionally, volunteers from Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley will be providing free gift wrapping at Barnes and Noble.

Although the service is free, donations are welcome and all proceeds will benefit Akron Children’s Hospital’s Mahoning Valley services. Volunteers will be at Barnes and Noble on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

DSAV creates holiday fun at Mill Creek Park

The Down Syndrome Association of the Valley will once again decorate a holiday tree as part of the Winter Celebration 2009, “Home for the Holidays,” at Fellows Riverside Gardens. The DSAV tree is one of the 40 decorated tress on display in the beautiful gardens.

Last year, more than 28,000 people attended the Winter Celebration. Visitors can view the holiday decorations at Riverside Gardens from through Jan. 3.

Gardens by Candlelight

Fellows Riverside Gardens will host a wintry walk in celebration of the holiday season Wednesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The scene will include lights and luminarias as well as music, cocoa, and sugar cookies at the Davis Center. Bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the housing programs at the YWCA of Youngstown.

Bring your sleds and snowboards

The Metroparks Sled Hill is now open. Facilities include a lighted sledding area, a hobbit hill for children 48 inches and under, outdoor warming fire with seating and wind shield, snow-making machine, and a warming house with indoor seating, fireplace, snack bar, and vending machines. Sled Hill is located at Wick Recreation Area McCollum Road Youngstown, Ohio 44509. It’s open from December to February, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The warming house is open Monday through Friday 3-9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday hours for the hill and warming house are from noon to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call 330-740-7114.

Make-A-Wish event at the mall

The Make-A-Wish Foundation will sponsor a children’s holiday activity event today 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mall concourse area near Sears. Children may decorate Wish Star ornaments and write letters to Santa.

Deer tracks in Bear Swamp

Look for signs of wildlife coping with nature’s transition from autumn to winter on a two-mile hike through Bear Swamp on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Hikers should meet for this slow paced hike at Deerpath Drive off Hitchcock Road. The hike will be moderately difficult.

On Dec. 27, join Bill Whitehouse for a similar walk on an easy rated 1.5 mile hike along West and East Golf Drive. The walk is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Hikers should meet at the Golf Course overflow parking lot on West Golf Drive.

Winter solstice candlelight walk

Ford Nature Center is celebrating the arrival of winter with a candlelight walk through time on Monday from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The hike is easy rated and a half-mile long. Participants must register by Sunday by calling the Ford Nature Center 330-740-7116.

Yoga in the gardens

A beginner level yoga class will be taught by Heidi Suraci at Fellows Riverside Garden from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Dec. 29. Students should bring a mat and small blanket. The cost for the class is $10. For more information, call 330-740-7116.

Cross country skiing offered at MetroParks areas

Skiing is permitted during daylight hours and is dependent on natural snowfall. Skiing is offered at these areas, Mill Creek Golf Course (on marked course), par 3 golf course, East golf hike/bike trail, East Cohasset hike/bike trail, Chestnut Hill Drive, Calvary Run Drive, MetroParks Bikeway.

Reserve space now

Starting Jan. 4, Boardman Township Park will be accepting reservations for its indoor meeting room, open-air pavilions, and Boardman’s most prominent historical landmark, St. James Meeting House, which is one of the area’s most popular facilities for weddings.

The park accepts reservations one year in advance, therefore, starting Jan. 4, reservations will be accepted for dates still available/open in the year 2010, and for any date in the year 2011. However, the first two weeks of January are set aside for Boardman residents only. Boardman residents also receive a discount on the reservation fees for the facilities. Because of the popularity of the park, it is important to make a reservation as soon as possible. Over the past 60 years, “The Green Oasis” has been home to many weddings, graduation parties, baby showers, as well as business meetings and family picnics.

Reservations can be made by calling the park office at 330-726-8105, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Reservation requests may also be submitted via the park’s Web site at www.boardmanpark.com