Poland briefs

Kosko named to President’s List

Steven Kosko was recently named to the Presidents List and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship for his achievement of 4.0 for the fall semester. The Presidents List is for students earning a 4.0 on a 4.0 scale. Kosko is a freshman engineering student at West Virginia University. He is double majoring in aerospace and mechanical engineering. He is a graduate of Poland Seminary class of 2011 and is the son of John and Tammy Kosko of Poland.

Appugliese named to Dean’s List

Devyn Appugliese, a sophomore in the McAnulty College of Liberal Arts, has been named to the Fall 2011 Dean’s List at Duquesne University. She is the daughter of Marcia A. Greening of Poland and a 2010 Cardinal Mooney graduate.

The Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who have maintained at least a 3.5 grade-point-average on a 4.0 scale, with no grade lower than a “C.”

Fracking event set

An open informational event to raise community awareness about fracking will be held on Thursday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Holy Family Parish Hall, 2729 Center Road.

Speakers include Dr. Jeffrey Dick of Youngstown State University, Dr. Jill Kriesky of University of Pittsburgh and local public health officials. Free cookies will be provided. For more information, visit www.polandohiofracking.com.

Benefit dinner

A benefit spaghetti dinner will be served tomorrow at Calvary Baptist Church, 1463 Shields Road, from 2 to 7 p.m. in memory of Mary Rose Rosen who passed away March 14 after losing her battle with cancer.

Dinner will include spaghetti and meatballs, Italian bread, salad, beverage and dessert. Tickets are $8 for adults or $15 for a couple and $3 for children under 12. There will also be a Chinese auction and a 50/50 drawing. All proceeds will go toward paying outstanding medical bills incurred during Rosen’s care.

Take a trip to Wheeling Downs Racetrack

The 2012 Pink Ribbon Classic committee is sponsoring a bus trip to Wheeling Downs Racetrack and Casino on May 19. The bus will leave from Fab Limo on Connecticut Ave. in Austintown at 9 a.m. and will depart from Wheeling Downs at 5 p.m. The cost is $30 per person and each player will be give $25 in free play.

All proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Send registration and checks to: Pink Ribbon Golf Classic, c/o Nancy Felton, American Cancer Society, 525 N. Broad Street, Canfield, OH 44406.

Welcome baby animals at MetroParks Farm

The MetroParks will host an animal baby shower on April 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the MetroParks Farm. Families are invited to see the arrival of lambs, goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits and more. There will be cake a punch while supplies last.

MetroParks presents Children’s Book Festival

The Children’s Book Festival: Plant the Seed to Read will be held on April 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fellows Riverside Gardens. The event will be a day of fun for children and their families together enjoying authors, illustrators, book characters, storytellers and many activities for children.

Bring your camera to be photographed with Curious George or the animals from the Akron Zoo. Admission is free.

Enjoy an Easter buffet

Fellows Riverside Gardens will host an Easter Buffet on April 8 at 12, 2 and 4 p.m. catered by Georgetown. Afterward take a springtime walk in the Gardens. For reservations and prices call the Garden Caf at 330-740-7074.

Boardman foot health seminar to cover ankle arthritis

Ankle and Foot Care Centers is sponsoring a seminar covering two common podiatric conditions — ankle arthritis and gout — in Boardman on Monday. It will feature local physicians Dr. Lawrence A. DiDomenico and Dr. David Regule.

DiDomenico, a podiatric physician at Ankle and Foot Care Centers, will address the warning signs, symptoms and the range of treatment options available for ankle arthritis sufferers, up to and including total ankle replacement.

Regule, a Boardman rheumatologist, will share information about the causes of gout, myths about the condition and how to manage and treat it, if diagnosed.

The 90-minute seminar is free and open to the public. Preregistration is required and light refreshments will be available. Call 330-758-6226, ext. 204, to register and receive further meeting details.

Poland raffle raises equipment funds

The Poland concert bands and Jazz Ensemble are in need of updated equipment and sound system. To defray the cost, the band is sponsoring raffle fundraiser.

Each band member in grades seven through 12 will sell at least five raffle tickets. The proceeds will be used to purchase updated equipment for the bands. The cost of each ticket is $20 and will be entered into a weekly drawing. Weekly drawings for $100 will be held, with a $200 drawing on May 2 and a $500 drawing on May 16. Anyone interested in purchasing a raffle ticket can e-mail terriwindsor@gmail.com or contact Mr. Olesko, or a band member.

ABWA honors Almasy

The Tri-Gold Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association honored Doris Almasy at its March 8 business meeting by naming her as the chapter’s 2012-2013 Women of the Year.

Almasy is a 23-year member of ABWA and has chaired membership, program and hospitality committees and is currently serving as membership and scrapbook chairperson. She was an active volunteer during the District V Spring Conference held in Youngstown.

Almasy supports and participates in the chapter fundraisers and goodwill activities. She is a retired Registered Surgical Nurse who still works per diem for Northside Hospital.

YMCA hosts annual Good Friday breakfast

The YMCA of Youngstown will host its annual Good Friday Breakfast and Service on April 6 at the Central YMCA. A gourmet breakfast buffet prepared by Jorgine’s Deli will be served at 7:15 a.m. with the service delivered by Pastor Gary Koerth of Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church, beginning promptly at 8 a.m. in the community gym. The event will conclude at 8:45 a.m.

Individual tickets at $10 and reservations for tables of eight at $75 may be purchased by contacting Patty Tchoryk at 330-742-4781.

Due to large attendance in previous years, early registration is suggested. For more information, visit www.YoungstownYMCA.org.

The Central YMCA is located in downtown Youngstown on the corner of Commerce and Champion Streets.

Salon at MCCTC offers afternoon appointments

The Cosmetology students at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center are currently offering afternoon hours to the public at their salon. Afternoon appointments are available starting at noon.

All services are performed by students under the supervision of their instructor and prices start at just $6. Services include haircuts, hairstyles, perms, relaxers, facials, hair removal, hair color and manicures. The salon will be open now until May by appointment only.

To make an appointment, call Linda Tomko at 330-729-4000, ext. 1309.

Bonding with Babies and Books

The Poland library will host Baby Brilliant: Bonding with Babies and Books for babies 6-23 months on Wednesday at 10 a.m. The program will include developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader. Children must be accompanies by an adult.

Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s

The Poland library will hosts Baby Brilliant: Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. The program will include developmentally-appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help children, ages 2-3, become successful readers.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Fun Time for 4s and 5s

The Poland library will host Fun Time for 4s and 5s on Thursday at 1 p.m. The program will include developmentally-appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help children, ages 4-5, become successful readers.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Trim a tree at the library

The Poland library invites children of all ages to decorate an ornament for the all-season tree during library hours through the month of March.

Create a sky craft

The Poland library invites school-aged children to make art on a string to swing from the sky above the librarian’s desk. The crafts will be available to make during library hours through the month of March.

Discuss books at the library

The Poland library will host a leadership book discussion on Tuesday at 8 a.m. Discussion on the last five chapters of the “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell. To register call 330-740-6086.

Jam in your pajamas

The Poland library will host Pajama Jam: Sleepy-Time Fun for the Family on Monday from 6:30 to 7 p.m. The whole family is invited to put on pajamas and come to the library for stories and more fun.

Screen your blood pressure

The Poland library will host a blood pressure screening provided by the Mahoning Chapter of the American Red Cross. The screening will be on Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m.

Breakfast Botany: The Willow Family set

Start your morning with a brisk garden walk and breakfast on Friday from 8:30 to 10 a.m. After the walk, a light breakfast will be served in Garden Cafe as you learn about the willow plant family. Call Fellows Riverside Gardens to register.

The cost is $7 for residents and $9 for non-residents.

Express yourself at writing workshop

Join Karen Schubert in writing about meaningful, everyday experiences on Wednesday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The workshop will explore various writing styles. All levels of experience are welcome. Bring a page or two of writing to share.

Cost is $10. Call Fellows Riverside Gardens to register.

Kick off the photo exhibit

The Photo Exhibit Kickoff for The Keystone Elk will be tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Bob Coggeshall has been shooting Pennsylvania elk (with a camera!) for half a decade. From your chair, travel with Bob across the border and look into the lives of “Wapiti,” reintroduced from Yellowstone stock 1913-1926.

Audubon Society/Mahoning Valley event set

Ellen Speicher will present “Gardening With Native Plants” on Tuesday at the MetroParks Farm. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m.; program begins at 7 p.m. For more information, call 1-888-846-8851.

Energize with yoga

Fellows Riverside Gardens is hosting yoga classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays during March. Classes will be 9:30-11 a.m. and 5:30-7 p.m. A blend of energizing yoga styles will help you keep a healthy outlook. Students at all levels are welcome. Bring a mat and small blanket. Call Fellows Riverside Gardens for information.

The cost is $10 per class.

Partake in T’ai Chi at the gardens

Fellows Riverside Gardens is hosting T’ai Chi Step One on Wednesday from 12 to 1 p.m. Ease stress, improve health and increase vitality. Join Marie Lew in warm-ups, breathing exercises and selected movements from a classic Chen T’ai Chi form. Call Fellows Riverside Gardens for information.

The cost is $10.

Create spring bouquets

Fellows Riverside Gardens invites preschoolers ages 3-5 to welcome spring on Thursday and Friday from 1 to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Participants will enjoy a story and snack before decorating a vase and arranging fresh flowers to take home. Call Fellows Riverside Gardens to register.

The cost is $6 for residents and $8 for non-residents.

Register for Children’s Summer Vegetable Gardening Program

Fellows Riverside Gardens invites to register for Children’s Summer Vegetable Garden Program from now through Saturday. This hands-on gardening program is for children who have completed second grade. Each child will tend a 3’ x 10’ garden throughout the summer at the MetroParks Farm in Canfield. Horticulture activities add to the fun. For more information and to register, call Fellows Riverside Gardens.

The cost is $85 for residents and $95 for non-residents.

Colonial Dames Chapter to meet in Canfield

The Tjaatje DeWitt Chapter of the National Society Colonial Dames of the Seventeenth Century meets now in Canfield. Tjaatje DeWitt was the young Dutch ancestor of our Organizing President Kathryn VanBauknecht. The Indians captured Tjaatje and after being rescued by her Dutch countryman many months later and many miles from home, she lived to become a wife and mother.

Currently made up of 27 members from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties, the chapter was first chartered Oct. 6, 1982 in Columbiana County and met in Salem, Ohio. As time passed and membership lessened due to lack of interest, the chapter moved to Canfield and is now constantly growing in numbers again.

Colonial Dames meets four times a year at A La Cart Catering in Canfield. Each meeting contains an organized program by a speaker on our American History along with business and a brunch. The first meeting this year is April 14 and the topic is “The One Room Schoolhouse”.

Anyone interested in joining Colonial Dames can contact cabg3@zoominternet.net.

Mahoning Chapter of NSDAR resumes after break

The Mahoning Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution resumed meetings on Feb. 13 at A La Cart Catering in Canfield after a break for the holidays. Their was Tim Seman, librarian of the main branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. Seman spoke on the “Introduction to Genealogical Research”. Using his own family, he introduced us to the many avenues of research that are available to us today. A program and celebration of the 120th Anniversary of our chapter in 2013 was discussed and a committee formed. The 225th Anniversary of the Constitution falls this year during Constitution week in September.

Prospective members are invited to join us at the meeting the second Monday of each month except July, August and January at A La Cart Catering in Canfield.

Support the Seidita family

The Seidita Family Benefit will be on May 6 from 12 to 4 p.m. at St. Matthias Church, 2800 Shady Run Road.

The cost is $10 and includes chicken, pasta and more. The event will include a 50/50 drawing, a chance auction and a bake sale. Prizes include a 50” television, $300 and $100.

Come support Carl and Lucy Seidita of Boardman who are both battling cancer and have been unable to work. The Seidita family is facing an enormous burden and need the help of their friends, family and community.

For tickets, donations and more information call Gary Frank at 330-651-8778 or Jim Higham at 330-942-6647.

Curves hosts food drive

Curves 14th annual food drive is now under way. Each club, including Curves clubs in the Youngstown area, is asking its members to donate bags of non-perishable food or cash throughout the month of March to support area community food banks. In addition, Curves clubs in the Youngstown area will waive the joining fee for new members who bring in a bag of non-perishable food or donate $30 to their local food bank from Monday through tomorrow.

Search for Easter eggs at the park

The MetroParks is hosting an Easter extravaganza on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the Wick Recreation Area. The event will include an egg hunt and an appearance by the Easter bunny. Children 2-10 can join the scramble for candy and prizes and adults can compete in the Raw Egg Toss. Be sure to arrive early enough to find the age group area for your child before the start time.

Search for Spring Salamanders

The MetroParks will be searching for large spotted salamanders during a walk on Saturday at 8 p.m. During late winter or early spring, large spotted salamanders briefly leave their underground haunts and gather in woodland pools to mate. Hikers will look to see if they can catch them in the act. Boots and flashlights are recommended.

Meet at the end of Laurel Hill Drive, located off Herbert Road west of MetroParks Bikeway crossing. Difficulty rating, one and a half miles.

Call Ford Nature Center to register by March 31, 5 p.m.

MetroParks plans wellness walks

The MetroParks will host a health and wellness walk on Wednesday at 9 a.m. Meet at main Golf Course overflow parking lot. Easy rating, one or three miles.

The recreation hikes are generally fast-paced and focus on exercising in the outdoors.