Our Town briefs

Canned good collection

The Adult Education Medical Assistant Program at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center is having a community outreach drive for the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley. Items needed include canned foods, first-aid items and toiletries.

Drop-off locations are at the MCCTC on Palmyra Road in Canfield, Wedgewood Pizza on South Avenue in Boardman, Austintown Surgery Center on North Canfield-Niles Road and Walgreen’s Pharmacy on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown.

Spinners to meet

The Canfield Spinning Group will meet the first Monday of every month at the Canfield Fairgrounds at 7 p.m.

Beginners through very advanced are welcome to attend this fun and informal fiber spinning group. For information, contact Barb Moff at 330-774-7703.

Hot chocolate tasting

The Friends of the Library is sponsoring a hot chocolate tasting from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Visitors can warm themselves with a variety of Hot chocolates and then vote on their favorite. The results will be posted online.

Identify unwrapped candy

Identify popular candy bars that have lost their wrappers at the Canfield Public Library during library hours in January. The Friends of Library are sponsoring the activity, and prizes will be awarded.

Swimmers serve pancakes

The Canfield High School swimming and diving team will host its annual pancake breakfast Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Tickets are $6 per adult and $4 for children ages 3-10. Swim team members are selling tickets.

Bonding With Babies and Books at the library

The Canfield public library will host Baby Brilliant: Bonding With Babies and Books on Monday at 10 a.m.

The program features developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays, and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. For infants from 6 to 23 months. This program is also available for toddlers ages 2 and 3, Tales and Talks for 2s and 3s, on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Deadline for Canfield senior pictures

Senior pictures for the 2010 Canfield yearbook are due by Jan. 22. The pictures must be vertical and can be submitted digitally on disc or emailed as 300-resolution jpegs to Canf_ppg@access-K12.org. Please include senior pictures and the student’s name in the subject field.

MCCTC hosts community open house

The Mahoning County Career and Technical Center marks the completion of construction with a dedication and open house Sunday at 2 p.m.

Self-guided and student-lead tours of the new facility will be available to the public from 2:45-4:30 p.m.

For more than a year, MCCTC has undergone construction and renovation of the campus.

The $14 million construction project included rebuilding the destroyed wing of the building and constructing the 35,000 square foot addition that links the school’s main campus with the agriculture building. This area includes the new Joyce E. Brooks Conference Center, a new restaurant, multimedia classrooms, Culinary Arts classrooms, Adult Education offices and classrooms, Board of Education offices and the Superintendent’s office.

In addition to the dedication ceremonies, MCCTC is planning a special luncheon this spring for neighborhoods surrounding the Career Center in appreciation for their patience during the construction phase.

For information, contact Jacqueline Kuffel at 330-729-4120.

Fun Time for 4’s and 5’s

The Canfield Public Library is hosting Fun Time for 4’s and 5’s at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday’s in January.

The program provides developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhyme, finger plays and other activities for children age four to five and will help children become successful readers.

Guess “N” Go

The Friends of the Library are sponsoring Guess “N” Go - Do You Know? at the Canfield Public Library during library hours from Monday to Jan. 16. Children grade K-6 can guess the number of items in a jar. Closest guess wins.

Tales to Tails

Readers of all levels and abilities are welcome to sign up to read to registered therapy dogs at the Canfield Public Library at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 25. The program helps develop reading skills, promote confidence and encourages a love of reading. Readers may bring their own book and must register by calling 330-533-5631.

Volunteers needed for Polar Bear Jump

The American Cancer Society is looking for volunteers to help plan and organize the Polar Bear Jump. The date and location for the event have not been confirmed. It will most likely take place on a Saturday afternoon between January and March at a frozen lake or pond. The Polar Bear Jump gives people of all ages the opportunity to jump into the water of a frozen lake or pond after the ice is cut away. Participants are asked to raise $25 each to be used for the fight against cancer.

To get involved, contact La Dawn Whitman, income development coordinator of the American Cancer Society at 888-227-6446 ext. 2204 or e-mail her at lawdawn.whitman@cancer.org

Library closed Jan. 18 for MLK holiday

All public libraries in Mahoning County will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Learn how to grow your business

Your library has had a mission to the business community from its early history. On Jan. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the main branch of the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County learn how to grow your business by attending the Business & Investment Center Tour for Entrepreneurs.

Join a librarian from Main Library’s Information Services Department to view print and electronic sources that can be useful from business start-up and beyond. Tour the Business & Investment Center and start your business research. Call 330-744-8636 and press 2 after the prompt to register.