Austintown Community Briefs

Poland boy scout troop 44’s spaghetti dinner

Join Boy Scout Troop 44 for their 22nd Annual all you can eat spaghetti dinner Feb. 23 from 12-5 p.m. in Fellowship Hall at Poland Presbyterian Church, located at 2 Poland Manor. Prepared and served by the members of the troop, this dinner costs $7 for adults and $3.50 for children 12 and under. Carry-out dinners will be available. Tickets can be purchased in advance from any troop 44 member or at the door. Troop 44 meets every Monday at 7 p.m. on the third floor of Poland Presbyterian Church. For more information about the troop and its activities, contact Martin LaRue at 330-550-5797.

Feb. 16 is pork-kraut dinner

The Youngstown Saxon Club, located at 710 S. Meridian Road, will host its next pork-kraut dinner on Feb. 16 from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The price of $8.75 for adults and $5 for children includes desserts and coffee, tea or pop. The public is welcome and take-outs will be available.

Torch Club dinner to be Feb. 17

Donald Butler will be the guest speaker at the Youngstown Chapter of International Torch Clubs dinner-discussion meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 17. The title of his talk is “Lighting For the 21th Century and Two Inventors Responsible For It.” The meeting will be in Kilcawley Center, Bresnahan Rooms I and II, on the campus of Youngstown State University.

The public is invited to attend. Dinner for nonmembers is $20. Call 330-757-4148 for reservations.

For more information on the Youngstown Chapter of International Torch Clubs, call 330-792-7351.

Spaghetti dinner benefit to be March 9

A spaghetti dinner benefit will be offered on March 9 for Mark Sorrentino at Immaculate Heart of Mary Hall, located at 4500 Norquest Blvd. in Austintown from noon until 5 p.m. There will be a 50/50 and

Spend a morning in Kindergarten

Parents of children eligible to start Kindergarten for the 2014-2015 school year are invited to spend a morning in Kindergarten Feb. 21 at St. Joseph and Immaculate Heart of Mary School, located at 4470 Northquest Blvd from 9:30-11:00 a.m. Children and parents will be able to meet teachers and experience the general set-up of the Kindergarten classroom. Children will be engaged in a variety of activities, including a trip to the art room, while parents have an opportunity to learn more about the program. Call 330-799-1944 to schedule your child.

Pasta dinner fundraiser

Come to Austintown Middle School Feb. 23 from 12-4 p.m. to help raise money for Larry Ortz’s double lung transplant surgery. There will be a basket raffle. Tickets are available for a donation of $10. Children ages six and under are free. For more information, contact Mark Cole at 330-720-0381 or Angie Mix at 330-4020683.

Austintown Council of PTAs seeking past presidents

The Austintown Council of PTAs is looking for past presidents of all PTA units in Austintown. Past presidents who have not been contacted by the council in the last couple of years should contact Kelly Phillips at 330-270-2669.

Martinelli makes Dean’s List

Haley Martinelli was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2013 semester at the University of Mount Union. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must have completed at least 12 credit hours of traditionally graded coursework while achieving a grade point average of 3.550 or better with no grade below a B.

Walsh names Durina to Dean’s List

Emily Durina was among the 735 students from Walsh University who were named to Walsh University’s Fall 2013 Dean’s List

Students named to Dean’s List

Austintown residents, Amanda Lee Callahan, Alana Louise Callahan, Rebecca Lynn Leonard and Kayla B. Smith, were among the 315 students from Thiel College who were named to the fall 2013 Dean’s List. A Thiel College student must attain a grade point average of 3.40 on a 4.0 scale while being enrolled full time to be eligible for the Dean’s List.

Spring craft show to be May 17

TOPS 2191 in Austintown will be hosting a spring craft show on May 17 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Wickliffe Presbyterian Church, located at 45 Idlewood Ave. They are taking requests for vendors. Tables run $20 each and space is limited. Call 330-774-1803 for details.

Support group to meet

The Mahoning Valley Fibromyalgia Support Group will meet on Feb. 19 from 7-8:30 p.m at Bethel Lutheran Church, located at 425 Crestview Dr. in Boardman.

Anyone juggling daily living with a chronic, invisible disease is welcome to join in the discussion.

St. Vincent de Paul Society fundraiser

The St. Vincent de Paul society of Mahoning county will be hosting their annual winter wonderland gala fundraiser Feb. 15 at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with hors d’ourves and cocktails. There will be a cash bar.

More than $3,000 in cash and prizes will be given away. There will be silent and Chinese auctions as well as entertainment by Fast Freddie of 93.3. Tickets are $50 and are available at mahoningsvdp.com or by calling Brian J. Antal at 330-690-8435.

Students named to Dean’s List

Rosalie Sepesy and Emily Wirtz made Ashland University’s Fall 2013 Dean’s List. To be eligible for this honor, a student must be enrolled full time and achieve at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

Gamblers Anonymous to meet

Gamblers Anonymous, a 12-Step fellowship of compulsive gamblers who want to recover from their gambling addictions, will meet twice this week in the Youngstown-Warren area. A GA meeting is offered every Friday at Westminster Church, located at 119 Stadium Drive, and another is offered every Sunday at Christ Church Presbyterian, located at 3425 Hopkins Road in Cornersburg. Both meetings begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. and last about 1-1/2 hours. Those who believe gambling has affected any part of their lives are urged to attend. For more information, please call 330-505-5060.

Yellow Creek Park concert

Come to Yellow Creek Park Feb. 13 from 7-8:30 p.m. for an evening of music with the Mahoning Valley Button Box Club.

Twice loved book sale

Peruse the tables in the Antonucci Horticulture Library at Fellows Riverside Gardens throughout February from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. (closed Mondays) for books on gardening, cooking, and nature. There will also be garden magazines for sale. Donations of related used books are appreciated at any time. All proceeds benefit the Antonucci Horticulture Library.

Wintertime tea

Come to Fellows Riverside Gardens Feb. 23 from 2-4 p.m. for an afternoon of tea. There will be fruit-laced treats, savories, sounds of the tropics, and of course tea. All proceeds benefit the Antonucci Horticulture Library. Registration is required. $30 fee.

Annual winter garden seminar

Join Fellows Riverside Gardens Feb. 15 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m (sign-in begins at 8 a.m.) for the annual winter garden seminar. Garden experts will take you through the steps in planning and plant selection to create an ever-changing landscape that can last for the entire year.

For more information and to register, go to the Winter Seminar page at www.mgcy.org/ or call John Kolar at 330-545-2266. Registration is required. Fee: $40; $50 after February 8. Presented by the Men’s Garden Club of Youngstown.

Orchid clinic

Join Dave Miller and Jackie Land at Fellows Riverside Gardens Feb. 19 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. to learn how to repot your orchid. Bring any problem orchids you may have and they will help you get them back on track. Receive an orchid to repot in class and take home. Orchid bark mix will be available for sale for a nominal cost. Registration required. Fee: $20; FFRG member $15.

Pilates basics

Come to Fellows Riverside Gardens Feb. 3, 10, 17, and 24 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. to work on toning, shaping, core strength, alignment, and breathing with Angela Lubonovich. Bring a mat and water. The fee is $10 per class.

Yoga in the gardens

Join Marina Perdos every Tuesday and Thursday in February from 9:30-11 a.m. and Karres Cvetkovich every Tuesday and Thursday in February from 5:30-7 p.m. for a blend of yoga styles. All levels are welcome. Bring a mat and small blanket. The fee is $10 per class.

T’ai Chi in the gardens

Join Marie Lew every Wednesday in February from 12-1 p.m. in warm-ups, breathing exercises and selected movements from a classic Chen T’ai Chi form. The fee is $10 per class.

Pilates sculpt

Join Angela Lubonovich every Wednesday in February from 6:30-7:30 p.m. to be guided in using hand weights to tone the body with an emphasis on core strength and control. Bring a mat, water and two-pound weights if you have them. The fee is $10 per class.

Introduction to essential oils

Join Marina Perdos Feb. 28 at Fellows Riverside Gardens from 2-3:30 p.m. to learn how to easily incorporate the healing properties of essential oils into your daily life. You will have the opportunity to experiment and will be able to take your custom blends home. Registration required. Fee: $39; FFRG member $30.

Sounds of winter

Come to Mill Creek Park Feb. 16 from 2-4 p.m. to listen to the sounds of nature as you walk along the Mindy Henning Trail. Chickadees, woodpeckers, and maybe even a hawk may break the silence. Meet at MetroParks Farm. Moderate rating, two miles.

A sign of spring?

Meet at Scholl Recreation Area Feb. 23 from 2-4 p.m. for a hike to find the first wildflower of 2014. Moderate rating with some hills, approximately two miles.

Health and wellness walks

Coffee with the birds

Join Jeff Harvey of Wild Birds Unlimited at Ford Nature Center Feb. 15 from 8-9:30 a.m. to watch birds at the feeders during The Great Backyard Bird Count. Coffee provided; please bring your favorite mug. Space is limited, so call to register by Feb. 14 for a 45-minute session (8–8:45 a.m. or 8:45–9:30 a.m.).

Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley

Come to MetroParks Farm Feb. 25 from 7-8 p.m. to learn about the bugs you find in your yard and the ones the birds love to eat. Presented by Dr. Bill Snyder of The Ohio State University’s Extension Service. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m.; program begins at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Puppy love

Take a brisk walk with your canine companion Feb. 16 from 11-12:30 p.m. around Mill Creek Golf Course. Walk on the cart paths, then retire to the historic Fieldhouse for hot drinks, cookies and treats. Each dog will receive a Valentine. Animal Charity will be on hand with some of their adoptable dogs. Easy rating, one or two miles, depending on the weather. Meet on the porch at Mill Creek Golf Course. Free. Bring along an item to donate to Animal Charity. Large blankets, dry puppy and dog food, dog collars and leashes, rawhides, dog toys and treats, air freshener, plastic baggies, plastic totes with lids, rubbing alcohol and disinfectant spray would be appreciated.

March in to the sky

The Mahoning Valley Astronomical Society and MetroParks’ Recreation Department invite you to a star party at MetroParks Farm March 1 from 7-10 p.m. View the night sky through high powered telescopes. Galaxies, star clusters, double stars, nebulae and Jupiter will be in sight during this observation session. The star viewing will be followed be a brief presentation at McMahon Hall to discuss and learn about the objects viewed through the telescopes. A celestial children’s craft and refreshments will be provided. Sky viewing is weather-dependent.

Light, shadow and a jukebox

Come to the Weller Gallery Jan. 17 - March 23 to experience the watercolor work of local artist Don Wright whose botanical work plays on light and shadow. The exhibit will have a jukebox.

Jewels of winter

Join the Davis Center Tuesdays Feb. 1 - March 16 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. to observe orchids on display. Bring your camera, there will be plenty of flowers around the lobby to photograph.

Nature photography exhibit

Come to Ford Nature Center Tuesdays through Sundays Feb. 22-March 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the annual nature photography exhibit. Entries will be accepted from Feb. 1-9. Applications will be available to download at http://www.millcreekmetroparks.org/visit/things-to-do/nature-photography-exhibit/.

Through the lens

Come see at the evolution of photography during the Melnick Museum’s 2014 exhibit Through the Lens. The exhibit will display a rare collection of glass negatives and acetate film negatives produced by two local photographers, which chronicle scenes of Mill Creek Park from 1907 through 1926. In addition to park scenes, several portrait negatives of the period will also be on display. The photographs be on display until Dec. of 2014.

Informational sessions at the Adult Career Center

Adults interested in enrolling in career certification programs this year at the Adult Career Center Mahoning County Career and Technical Center are invited to attend one of several free informational sessions offered this winter at MCCTC. Informational sessions are free to attend and include career investigation as well as reading, math and language assessments. There will be a chance to tour the building, meet instructors and learn about financial aid opportunities. Upcoming informational sessions will be offered Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. and March 11 at 6 p.m. All sessions will take place at the Adult Career Center MCCTC, located at 7300 North Palmyra Road in Canfield. For more information or to register to attend, call the Adult Career Center at 330-729-4100.

Gamblers Anonymous to meet

Gamblers Anonymous, a 12-Step fellowship of compulsive gamblers who want to recover from their gambling addictions, will meet twice this week in the Youngstown-Warren area. A GA meeting will be offered Friday at Westminster Church, located at 119 Stadium Drive, and another will be offered Sunday at Christ Church Presbyterian, located at 3425 Hopkins Road, (in Cornersburg). Both meetings begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. and last about 1-1/2 hours. Those who believe gambling has affected any part of their lives are urged to attend. For more information, call 330-505-5060.

Torch Club to offer essay contest

The Youngstown Torch Club, a local dinner/discussion/debate organization, which meets monthly on the campus of YSU, is offering a $1,000 essay scholarship competition, open to any current YSU student.

Students may submit a paper previously written for any college course, or an original work, on any subject or topic of interest. Papers are requested to be 800-1000 words and deadline for submission is March 1.

Remit paper to: tcopeland@neo.rr.com or send to Dr. Tom Copeland, 313 N. Belle Vista Ave. Youngstown 44509.

For more information, visit Youngstown TORCH Club on Facebook.

Free tax preparation and electronic filing for qualifying individuals

The Austintown library will again provide locations for free tax preparation and electronic filing for seniors and those (at any age) with low to moderate income on Wednesdays from 9-2:30 p.m. beginning the week of Feb. 11.

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free tax help for taxpayers who qualify. All sites are staffed by volunteers who have been trained and certified by the IRS. TCE sites staffed by AARP volunteers.

Volunteers will provide counseling on eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Find out if you qualify at www.irs.gov/eitc or call 1-800-TAX-1040. Call 330-793-0579 to make an appointment.

How to buy and sell on eBay

Join the Austintown library Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. to learn how to set up an eBay account, use PayPal for transactions, and buy or sell items on eBay. Register by calling 330-744-8636 and asking for the branch by name.

Book club

Come to the Austintown library Feb. 19 from 6-7 p.m to hear what others are reading and share your favorite books, or just come to join the discussion.

Friends of the Austintown library program and meeting

Join the Austintown library Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. to hear guest speaker Jessica Borza, Executive Director of the Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition, an industry-led group formed recently to address manufacturing skills shortages, provide an overview of the organization, explain why the shortages exist, and discuss careers with current demand and forecasted growth. Borza will describe efforts to increase awareness about these career opportunities within the region and how they are working with education and training providers to create program alignment along manufacturing career pathways. There will be a brief meeting following the presentation.

The centennial of the RMS Titanic’s Maiden Voyage

Join local historian Paul Rohrbaugh at the Austintown library Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. to learn what is myth and what is history in the legend of this sailing. No reservations needed.

Nook for beginners

Bring your Nook to the library Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. and learn how to download eBooks from the library’s digital catalog on the website. Don’t forget your Adobe ID and email information. Space is limited. Call 330-744-8636 and ask for the branch by name to register.

Would you rather

Come to the Austintown library throughout February to answer some “would you rather” questions and make up your own. Come back each month to see if the library used your questions to stump other people. This event is for teens in grades 7-12.

Basic computer class

Come to the Austintown library Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. to learn basic computer skills. Space is limited to three. Call 330-744-8636 and ask for the branch by name.

Xbox at the library

Come to the Austintown library Feb. 17 from 1-3 p.m. to play brand new Xbox games on the big screen. For tweens and teens grades 5-12.

Rainbow Loom bracelets

Children in grades 4 and up are invited to register for the Austintown library’s Rainbow Loom craft programs Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. Each session is limited to the first 12 tweens and teens who sign up. Beginners will be walked through the single pattern bracelet, but templates will be provided for loomers with more experience. To register, call 330-744-8636 or sign up online at http://www.libraryvisit.org/programs.aspx. Warning: Rainbow Loom kits contain small rubber bands and sharp points.

Winter Olympics trivia

Join the Austintown library throughout February and correctly answer three questions about the winter Olympics to receive a small prize. A librarian can help you navigate the Encyclopedia of the Winter Olympics to help you find the answers. For school-age children.

Snow and symmetry

Join the Austintown library Feb. 27 at 6:30 p.m. to learn how snow crystals form. Explore symmetry by observing snowflake photographs captured by Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley in the 1890s and by participating in games and other hands on activities. For children in grades 1-6.

Gotta move storytime

Join the Austintown library every Thursday in February at 10 a.m. for a variety of musical and movement activities that stimulate brain development and motivate language learning. Act out stories and rhymes, sing and dance and talk and play. For children ages 2-5 who are accompanied by a caregiver.

Fun time for 4s and 5s

Join the Austintown library every Wednesday in February at 11:30 a.m. for 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.

Tales and talk for 2s and 3s

Join the Austintown library every Wednesday in February at 10 a.m. for 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.

Bonding with babies and books

Caregivers and their little ones who are 6 to 23 months are invited to join the Austintown library every Tuesday in February at 10 a.m. for 20 minutes of language enrichment, including rhymes, songs and stories followed by time to play and socialize. Children must be accompanied by an adult.