Austintown briefs

Austintown Alumni Association raffle fundraiser

The Austintown Alumni Association is sponsoring its annual raffle fundraiser. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. First prize is $500, second prize is a basket of local merchant gift certificates and third prize is a dinner for two at Rachel’s Restaurant.

Tickets can be purchased prior to the Austintown Hall of Fame Game on Friday under the Hall of Fame tent or by calling Shirley Smith at 330-505-0349.

Austintown Alumni Association grants scholarships

The Austintown Alumni Association recently awarded seven $500 scholarships to graduating Fitch seniors. The recipients were Jacob Eynon, Brenna Gessler, Sarah Guerrier, Molly Kohler, John Phaw, Alex Sofranko and Eryanne Aft.

The association’s goal is to raise money for scholarships awarded to graduating Fitch seniors, to provide mini grants to Austintown classroom teachers and to provide a link for Fitch alumni.

School board adds four new teachers

The Austintown board of education welcomed four new teachers Monday at its regular monthly meeting.

Amanda Nims, Dana Elias, Sarah Whitten and Amanda Schrader will be paid $29,737 a year.

The board approved the hiring of Nims as an elementary technology teacher at Lynn Kirk Elementary, Elias and Whitten as third-grade teachers at Watson Elementary and Schrader as an intervention specialist at Fitch High School. All have bachelor’s degrees from Youngstown State University. Schrader has one year’s experience, and the others have none.

Pancake breakfast and bake sale

Austintown Community Church, 242 S. Canfield Niles Road, will host a pancake breakfast and bake sale on Oct. 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 5 to 12. All proceeds benefit the Relay for Life of Austintown.

For more information, contact Jennifer Arden at 888-227-6446, extension 2217 or jennifer.arden@cancer.org.

AFHS Class of 1981 reunion

The Austintown Fitch High School Class of 1981 will host its 30th class reunion on Nov. 25 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish center hall, 4500 Norquest Blvd., Austintown.

For more information, contact Betty Labozan Leone at 330-533-0037 or Chris Fire Luknis at 330-270-3515 or email AFHS81reunion@yahoo.com. Also visit “AFHS class of 1981” on Facebook.

First Night Youngstown seeks volunteers

First Night Youngstown is seeking volunteers to help at this year’s event. Volunteers typically work a three-hour shift and serve as admission button checkers and greeters, bus greeters, venue site inspectors, sellers of admission buttons and more.

The event is from 4:30 p.m. to midnight. Volunteers receive a $5 food voucher to be used the evening of the event and will be invited to an appreciation party in 2012.

First Night Youngstown is a family-friendly, alcohol-free New Year’s celebration of the arts. For more information or to volunteer, call 330-744-9966 or email infofirstnightyoungstown@netzero.net.

Saxton Club Chinese auction tomorrow

The Saxton Club’s Chinese auction will be tomorrow from 2 to 4 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m. The cost is $5 per person and includes a sheet of bidding tickets, door prize entry and refreshments.

The auction includes gift cards and special baskets. The auction benefits a scholarship fund for those who wish to attend Youngstown State University.

The Saxton Club is located at 710 South Meridian Road.

Pittsburgh ‘Rivers Casino’ bus trip

The Boardman Rotary Relay for Life team is sponsoring a bus trip to Rivers Casino on Nov. 12. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

The cost of the trip is $30 and you receive $15 in free play, plus a $5 food voucher. Seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The bus will leave from behind St. Nicholas Hall in Struthers at 11 a.m. and return at 7 p.m.

Make checks payable to “Jingle Bell Run” and mail to Jeff Janci, 3170 Highland Ave, Poland, OH 44514. For more information, call Jeff at 330-519-6822.

Fall fashion preview tomorrow

The Network Council of Mahoning Valley of ABWA will sponsor its 22nd annual Fall Fashion Preview tomorrow at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman. The doors will open at 12:30 p.m. and lunch will be at 2 p.m.

Cody of Shooting Start, Nashville, will be the entertainment for the evening. There will also be a raffle of a 32-inch flat screen TV, Split the Pot and a Chinese auction.

Tickets are available for $25 per person until Sept. 15 by calling Shirley Pappagallo at 330-207-9779.

Become a global family – host an exchange student

Welcome an AFS Intercultural Programs high school student into your home for a school year or semester from one of 90 countries. All you need to do is provide a bed and meals for your student and share your life. Exchange students study in high schools and are eager to experience what it’s like to live in America.

Local AFS volunteers will support host families throughout the experience. Families are accepted year-round. For information, visit www.afsusa.org/hostfamily, call 800-876-2377 or email terri.windsor@afsusa.org.

Client Appreciation Day is today

The Mahoning Valley Veterinary Centre is hosting Client Appreciation Day today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with food, games and prizes.

Music at noon programs resume at YSU

Youngstown State University Dana School of Music, in collaboration with the Butler Institute of American Art, presents Music at Noon performances. Performances are each Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. at the Butler Institute of American Art. The concerts are free and open to the public and parking is free at the Butler. Concerts conclude Dec. 7 and will resume again in the January.

The performances for the month of September are Dana Flute Studio Recital (Sept. 21) and Jazz Combos (Sept. 28).

For more information, call the Dana School of Music at 330-941-3636. For a complete calendar of events, visit http://web.ysu.edu/fpa.

Volunteer opportunities available for American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is currently looking for volunteers to help its Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk successful once again this year. In 2010, approximately 8,280 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in Ohio alone. For women coping with this disease, hope starts here with the American Cancer Society. This year’s event will take place on Oct. 2 at the Canfield Fairgrounds. The three mile, non-competitive walk raises money for breast cancer research, education, advocacy and patient services in your community.

The American Cancer Society needs volunteers to help for the day of the event.

For more information, to volunteer, or to walk in the event, contact your American Cancer Society at 888.227.6446 extension 2223 or visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline.

Vendors wanted for craft show

The second annual St. Nicholas Craft Show is looking for vendors for its show on Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tables are $25. Stop by the church office, 764 Fifth Street, to pick up an application.

For more information, call the church office at 330-755-9819 or Jeff Janci at 330-519-6822.

Trumbull Memorial Hospital School of Nursing

The 24th annual Alumni Luncheon for the Trumbull Memorial Hospital School of Nursing will be Oct. 1 at The Center at Brittany Place, 336 Vienna Avenue (Route 46), Niles.

All nursing school alumni are invited to attend. Any alumni who did not receive an invitation and would like to attend may request an invitation by calling Martha Laurie at 330-799-7406. The deadline for reservations is Friday.

Mickey Schuster Scholarship spaghetti dinner set

Bethel Lutheran Church, located at 425 Crestview Dr., in Boardman will host its semiannual Mickey Schuster Scholarship Spaghetti Dinner today from 4 to 7 p.m. Cost is $6.50 for adults and $3 for children under 12.

Tickets are available at the door or by calling the church office at 330-758-5745. The dinner includes salad, bread, pasta with meatballs, dessert and drink. Takeouts are available.

All proceeds go to the Mickey Schuster Scholarship Fund and are distributed each year to college students at Bethel.

Austintown resident magna cum laude

Nichola Yacovone, son of Lorraine and Jordan Yacovone, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Akron with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. Yacovone, a resident of Austintown, is employed by the Smuckers Co. in Orville, Ohio.

Church to sell pierogies by the dozen

St. Anne Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church, located at 4310 Kirk Road, will be selling pierogies by the dozen every Friday for $5. To order, call 330-799-0084 Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon or Fridays 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Orders can be picked up Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Class of 1986 reunion

The Austinown Fitch High School Class of 1986 will hold its 25th Reunion Tailgate Party on Friday at the 2011 Homecoming Game at Fitch Stadium. The game will be followed by a social event at a local establishment to be announced later.

For more information, visit the Facebook group /www.facebook.com/groups/AFHS1986class/ or email afhs1986@zoominternet.net.

Practice for Michael Jackson’s Thriller

If you love Michael Jackson, love to dance or just love Halloween, this is event is for you! Dance practice for Michael Jackson’s Thriller will be every Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Petco in Boardman.

Local participants will join with dancers around the world, simultaneously performing the Thriller dance for charity on Oct. 29.

For more information visit http://ThrillTheWorldYoungstown.com.

Retrouvaille weekend

If your marriage has grown cold and uncaring, Retrouvaille (Help Our Marriage) has helped thousands of couples heal their marriages. The next program is Oct. 21 at Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center. There’s limited space, so please call early.

For confidential information on our Youngstown diocese program call 330-979-7787 or visit www.retrouvaille.org.

Win tickets to Disney show

Enter a contest to win four vouchers for the Oct. 28 performance of “Phineas and Ferb: The Best Live Tour Ever.” To enter, visit any branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, fill out an entry form and write a paragraph explaining why you like Phineas and Ferb. The contest runs through Oct. 14. Drawings will take place Oct. 15 at each branch. The library will notify winners.

Library helps toddlers become readers

The Austintown branch of Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will host “Baby Brilliant: Tales and Talk” for 2 and 3-year-olds on Wednesday at 10 a.m. The program includes developmentally-appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help toddlers become successful readers. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Library helps babies bond with books

The Austintown branch of Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will host “ Baby Brilliant: Bonding with Babies and Books for Lapsitters” for children who are not walking independently on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. This event will be followed by “Baby Brilliant: Bonding with Babies and Books for Walkers” for children who are walking independently at 11 a.m.

Both programs include 20 minutes of language enrichment with rhymes, songs and stories, followed by free play time. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Austintown Senior Center book club

The Austintown Senior Center invites members of the community, 60 and older, to participate in a book club meeting once a month at the center. The club has recently read books such as “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini and “ Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell.

The center also hosts a general discussion group meeting every Friday at 10 a.m. The general discussion group covers topics including current affairs, travel through the United States and Europe and personal reminiscences of positive influence in our lives. For more information regarding these two groups, call 330-953-1416.

Library calls all travelers

The Austintown branch of Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will host “Calling All Travelers” on Monday at 6:30 p.m. The program will include family entertainment featuring “Top Reader” awards, games, stories and treats.

Library hosts Family Night Capades

The Austintown branch of Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will host “Family Night Capades” on Monday at 6:30 p.m. The event is for children of all ages and will include stories, music, science and games. Library hosts Fun Times

The Austintown branch of Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will host “Fun Times” for children 4 and 5 on Wednesday at 11 a.m. The program will include developmentally-appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help children become successful readers. Children must be accompanied by an adult.