Poland Community Briefs

Quilt group to meet

That Quilt Group I Belong To will host its April meeting on April 21 at 7 p.m. at Fair Park in Canfield. The facility will be available from 1-5 p.m. for those wishing to work on charity quilts. Doors will reopen at 6:30 p.m. for the regular meeting. The topic of the meeting will be “Buttons and Bows Challenge.” Those who pledged to complete a project using the “Buttons and Bows” theme will bring their finished projects to display. That Quilt Group I Belong To meets monthly, on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m at Fair Park in Canfield, with a few exceptions. The quilt guild is open to all quilters in the Mahoning Valley, at all skill levels. For additional information, contact president Ginger Mangie at 330-702-0532.

Holy Family Seniors Club to meet April 20

The Holy Family Seniors Club will meet on April 20,at 11:30 a.m. at the Holy Family Parish Hall, 2729 Center Rd., Poland for a brief business meeting followed by lunch, bingo or card game and a relaxing afternoon with friends. Prina Carano and Loretta Bodnark will be hostesses for the April meeting and are planning a Spring theme. Contact Laurie Fox with any questions, 330-536-8850.

International Torch Clubs meeting and dinner set for April 20

Club member Trudy G. Mason will portray “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (Margaret Tobin Brown 1867-1932) at the Youngstown Chapter of International Torch Clubs dinner-discussion meeting at 6 p.m. on April 20. 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. Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. and a lecture at 7 p.m. Attending only the lecture is free of charge. Dinner for nonmembers is $20. Call 330-757-4148 for reservations. For club information, call 330-792-7351

Pork-kraut dinner to be April 19

The Youngstown Saxon Club, located at 710 S. Meridian Road, will host its next pork-kraut dinner on April 19 from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The price of $9.50 for adults and $5 for children includes dessert and coffee, tea, or soda. The public is welcome and take-outs will be available.

National Gardens Public Day

Help raise awareness and join Fellows Riverside Gardens May 8 and 9 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. for the National Public Gardens Day annual celebration. Visitors will find many activities to enjoy throughout the day.

A night out at the gardens

Join Fellows Riverside Gardens for a new take on a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens on May 19 or 20 at 5:30 p.m. This will be a “shop ‘til you drop” experience featuring new merchandise at the Shop in the Gardens. Sip on wine and taste the samplings from David Armstrong’s Cater2U. Also visit with unique vendors and enter to win raffle prizes. Call for reservations. The cost is $30.

Frogs in the preserve

Listen to sounds of frogs at Mill Creek Preserve from 8:30-10 p.m. on May 1. Bring boots and flashlights for this moderate 1.5 mile walk. Call FNC for details.

Bluebells galore and more

See the beauties of spring at Poland woods (off of Route 170 in Poland) on May 3 from 2-4 p.m. for this easy two mile walk. Call FNC for details.

Two township traipse

Come to MetroParks Bikeway, Kird Road Trailhead on May 16 from 2-4:30 p.m. for this moderate-difficult five mile walk. Prepare for possible muddy conditions. Call FNC for details.

The peeping continues...

Catch, watch and release frogs at Vickers Nature Preserve on May 22 at 8:30-10 p.m. Bring boots and flashlights for this easy one mile walk. Call FNC for details.

Poland Historical Society meeting set for April 21

The next meeting of the Poland Historical Society is on April 21 at the Little Red Schoolhouse on the corner of Struthers Road and Center Road (Route 224) at 6 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., the program will be presented by Barbara Stacy and Larry Bartos, former Poland Seminary High School teachers. Together, they will discuss the changes they’ve seen within the school system during their 40 year teaching careers. Call Laurie Fox with any questions, 330-536-8850.

Buckeye Girls State

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 737 Lake Post will sponsor two juniors from Jackson-Milton High School and two juniors from Western Reserve High School to attend the 69th annual session of Buckeye Girls State at the University of Mount Union. They will be among 900 girls participating in the session, which begins on June 14 and ends June 20. Local delegates are Adriana Italiano, Coutney Macphee, Lauren Falasca and Kalina Wisnienski.

Gotta move story time

For children ages 2-5 who are accompanied by a caregiver. Join the Poland library for a variety of musical and movement activities that appeal to the “young and restless,” stimulate brain development and motivate language learning. Adults and kids: get ready to act out stories and rhymes, sing and dance and talk and play on May 18 at 6:30 p.m.

Fun Time for 4s and 5s

Join the Poland library for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 4-5) become a successful reader on May 7, 21 and 28 at 1 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Tales and talk for 2s and 3s

Join the Poland library for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 2-3) become a successful reader at 10:30 a.m. on May 7, 14 and 21. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Women in touch: aging and brain health

Learn how to keep your brain fit despite growing older during Women in Touch Spring 2015. Kathleen McCulloh, director of sister services for the Sisters of the Humility of Mary in Villa Maria, Pa., will present “How to Age and Not Get Old: Keeping Your Brain Fit.” She will discuss the normal aging process, how to maintain brain health and mental exercises. Women in Touch will take place April 28 from 5-7 p.m. at Mr. Anthony’s, located at 7440 South Ave. in Boardman, and May 7 at Leo’s Ristorante, located at 7042 E. Market St. in Warren. The cost is $18 including dinner. Reservations are required. For information or reservations, call 330-480-3070.

Knowing, identifying and controlling invasive plants program

Audubon Society/Mahoning Valley invites the public to ‘Knowing, Identifying and Controlling Invasive Plants,’ a program presented by Eric Barrett of OSU Extension. Become a first detector to help control invasive plants and encourage others to stop planting and cultivating these plants. This program will take place on April 28 from 7–8 p.m. at the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm on Route 46 in Canfield. All are welcome. Call Wild Birds Unlimited at 330-629-2473 for details.

North Course at Mill Creek Golf course now open

The North Course of the Mill Creek Golf Course is open for the season effective April 6. The Donald Ross-designed championship Mill Creek Golf Course is located at 1 West Golf Drive in Boardman. The South Course at the Mill Creek Golf Course will open at a later date. The Course may close at any point due to inclement weather. Call 330-740-7112 for the status of the course. For more information about the Mill Creek Golf Course or to make a tee time, visit millcreekmetroparks.org.

Pink Ribbon Golf Classic set for July 13

The annual Pink Ribbon Golf Classic will take place at Youngstown Country Club on July 13. All proceeds from this event will go directly to the American Cancer Society. The 18 hole scramble will be followed by lunch and a Chinese auction and raffle.

Bonding with babies and books

This event is for caregivers and their little ones who are 6-23 months old. There will be twenty minutes of language enrichment including rhymes, songs and stories, followed by time to play and socialize at the Poland library at 10 a.m. on May 6, 13, 20 and 27. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Annual forest stream cleanup set for April 18

The Annual Poland Municipal Forest Stream CleanUp and Garlic Mustard Pull will be on April 18 from 9 a.m until noon. Take the College Street entrance to Poland Municipal Forest. All volunteers are welcome and appreciated.

For more information, email Poland Forest Board member Beth Queen at sbcmqueen@zoominternet.net.

Simply Slavic call for vendors

The fifth annual Simply Slavic festival will be on June 20 from 12-11 p.m. on Federal Plaza East. Organizers are seeking authentically Slavic retail, craft, fine art and food vendors for its marketplace and food tents. Simply Slavic has vending space for 15 food vendors and 10 marketplace vendors who will provide a variety of Slavic merchandise and foods for patrons during the festival. The confirmation deadline for previous vendors is April 15. Applications from new vendors will be accepted after this date, but questions are welcome at any time. For more information, contact info@simplyslavic.org or call at 330-509-0754.

Gamblers Anonymous

Gamblers Anonymous, a 12-Step fellowship of compulsive gamblers who want to recover from their gambling addictions. A GA meeting is offered every Friday at Westminster Church, located at 119 Stadium Drive in Boardman, and another is offered every Sunday at Christ Church Presbyterian, located at 3425 Hopkins Road in Youngstown (in Cornersburg). Both meetings will 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.

Master gardener gathering

Master gardeners from any program are welcome to join this spring gathering of plants, food and fun at Fellows Riverside Gardens on April 22 at 6-8 p.m.

Botanical mornings

Explore the budding spring at Fellows Riverside Gardens with Lynn Zocolo on April 24 from 9-10 a.m. Register and pay by April 22. The cost is $5 per person.

T’ai Chi step one in the gardens

Join Fellows Riverside Gardens for an afternoon of breathing and movements to ease stress and improve health on April 22 and 29 from noon-1 p.m. The cost is $10 per class.

Yoga in the gardens

Enjoy yoga that will help keep a healthy outlook. Bring a mat and a small blanket to Fellows Riverside Gardens on April 21, 23, 28 and 30 at 9:30-11 a.m. or 5:30-7 p.m. The cost is $10 per class.

Meditation and mindfulness

Explore mindfulness methods with Karress Cvetkovich at Fellows Riverside Gardens on April 19 from 10:30 a.m. until noon. Register and pay by April 17 for $15 per person. Drop-ins will pay $18.

The Ursuline Center announces 2015 Guided Labyrinth Walk Schedule

The Ursuline Center, located at 4280 Shields Road, has announced its 2015 Guided Labyrinth Walk schedule. All persons of faith are invited to participate in these free events. Walks generally take 20-30 minutes. This year’s first guided walk is April 19 at 2 p.m. and offers an additional feature. The event starts with a presentation on the “Spirituality of Labyrinths” in The Ursuline Center, then moves outdoors for a walk celebrating the Earth. The complete list of walks is as follows: April 19 at 2 p.m. - Celebrating the Earth; May 12 at 6:30 p.m. - Celebrating Motherhood; June 9 at 6:30 p.m. - Celebrating Fatherhood; July 14 at 6:30 p.m. - Celebrating Families; Aug. 11 at 6:30 p.m. - Welcoming the Stranger; Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. - Celebrating Peace; and Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. - Celebrating the Feast of St. Francis, Showing Solidarity with the Poor.

Friends Specialty at the Garden Caf opens at Fellows Riverside Gardens

Friends Specialty at the Garden Caf in Mill Creek MetroParks Fellows Riverside Gardens has officially opened for business. The Garden Caf has been refreshed and newly updated and will offer an eclectic selection of teas, locally roasted coffee, a locally sourced lunch menu, desserts and other libations all served with a complimentary view of stunning Lake Glacier. The Caf is open to the public from Tuesday through Sunday during the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. for pastries, coffee and tea. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. For more information or questions, contact Mill Creek MetroParks at 330-702-3000.

Plant the seed to read a book

Fellows Riverside Gardens will be hosting the ninth annual Children’s Book Festival on April 18 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Authors will be featured along with illustrators, book characters, storytellers and hands on activities for children to enjoy. All ages are welcome.

Farm Tours

There will be guided tractor wagon tours of the farm of MetroParks with tours starting each half hour on April 19 and 26 from 1-4 p.m. Barns will be open to visit with the animals. Donations will be accepted. There is a $1 craft fee.

Contra dance at Pioneer Pavilion

Join the fun of Contra Dance at Pioneer Pavilion in MillCreek Metroparks at 7-10 p.m. on April 18. Beginners and veterans are welcome to join in on this British Isles folk dance. The cost is $7 for the class. Call FNC for Details.

Let’s dance

Dance the Waltz, Fox Trot, Tango and more with half hour dance lessons from 6-9 p.m. on April 21 at McMahon Hall at the MetroParks Farm. Singles and couples are welcome. The cost is $5 per person.

Sprout Club: animals and plants

Ages 3-5 are welcome to explore the way animals need plants on April 23 from 1-2 p.m. A snack and craft will be included at Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek MetroParks. Space is limited. Register and pay $7 by April 21.

Audubon Society Mahoning Valley

Eric Barrett of the OSU Extension will present, “Knowing, Identifying and Controlling Invasive Plants” at MetroParks Farm on April 28 from 7-8 p.m.

Pop-Up Library at Park Vista of Youngstown

This event is in conjunction with a Mahoning Valley Lifelong Institute program and will be at Park Vista on April 21 from 1-2 p.m. The Pop-Up Library goes out into the community to serve you. Stop by and check out library materials, sign up for a library card, or learn about digital resources and branch services. For information or to inquire about a Pop-Up Library at your event, visit http://www.libraryvisit.org/popuplibrary.

Smart money gotta guess

Use your estimation skills to figure out how many items are in a jar. If you have the closest guess for your age level, you’ll receive a piggy bank. This event is for pre-kindergarten to grade 6 at the Poland library during normal library hours in the month of April.

Bonding with babies and books

This event is for caregivers and their little ones who are 6-23 months. There will be twenty minutes of language enrichment including rhymes, songs, and stories, followed by time to play and socialize every Wednesday in April at 10 a.m. at the Poland library. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s

Join the Poland library on every Thursday in April at 10:30 a.m. for developmentally appropriate book, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 2-3) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Fun Time for 4s and 5s

Join the Poland library on April 23 and 30 at 1 p.m. for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, and finger plays, and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Gotta move story time

For children ages 2-5 who are accompanied by a caregiver. Join the Poland library on April 27 at 6:30 p.m. for a variety of musical and movement activities that appeal to the “young and restless,” stimulate brain development and motivate language learning. Adults and children, get ready to act out stories and rhymes, sing and dance, and talk and play.

Lego my library

Meet and enjoy creating Lego designs at the Poland library on April 21 from 6-7 p.m. Legos will be provided. This event is for children, age 6 and up.

Trim a tree for April

Decorate an ornament for the Poland library’s all-season tree. This event is for children of all ages during normal library hours in the month of April.

Youngstown playhouse

The Youngstown Playhouse will present Family Night with the Poland library. Enjoy a sample of the production “Fiddler on the Roof.” This event is for the whole family to enjoy at on April 30 at 6:30 p.m.

Be a super sitter

Already a babysitter or planning on babysitting sometime soon? Want to improve your skills and have an edge as you apply for jobs? Join the Poland library on April 25 at 11 a.m. and discuss baby brain development, wonderful books, rhymes and songs you can share and fun crafts and other activities you can use to keep the children entertained. You’ll leave with your own babysitter survival kit filled with rhymes, crafts and other ideas. This program is for informational purposes only and is not a certified program. Registration is required. To register, stop by the Poland library or call 330-744-8636 and ask for the Poland library. This event is for ages 11-18.

Poland Teen Advisory Board (TAB) meeting

Join the Poland area TAB (Teen Advisory Board) on April 29 at 6:30 p.m. Help plan and support teen activities at the library. Meet new people and have fun. Snacks will be provided. This event is for teens in grades 7-12.

Bottle cap creations and other cool crafts

Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 at 6 p.m. by making cool crafts out of bottle caps and other recycled materials at the Poland library. This event is for grades 4-12.

Starry night

View the beauty of the night sky through high powered telescopes with the Mahoning Valley Astronomical Society at MetroParks Farm. The event will take place on April 17 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Sky viewing is weather dependent. The rain check date will be April 24. Call FNC for details.

Daffodil weekend

Discover the delights of daffodil’s at Fellows Riverside Gardens. See more than 200 species on display during a guided walk from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on April 25 and 26. Take a stroll through Daffodil Meadow and participate in the Daffodil Show that highlights the diversity and beauty of daffodils.

Plant the seed to read a book

Fellows Riverside Gardens will be hosting the ninth annual Children’s Book Festival on April 18 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Authors will be featured along with illustrators, book characters, storytellers and hands on activities for children to enjoy. All ages are welcome.

TeenXTreme blackout poetry contest

April is National Poetry Month, so here’s your chance to indulge in some “creative destruction” and express your inner poet. Create a poem by eliminating-blacking out-the words you don’t want from newspaper and magazine articles (or book pages) that the Austintown library provides. Three winners will be chosen from entries throughout the county and awarded cash prizes. Talk to a librarian for details. This event is for teens in grades 7-12 during the month of April.

Wednesdays at the WOW!

Join OH WOW! every Wednesday afternoon from 4-5:30 p.m. and explore the InspireWorks Lab. Details can be found at www.ohwowkids.org.

Second Saturdays (member only hours)

Join WOW! Pals before the museum opens to the public for member only hours in the month of April on the second Saturday of each month 9-10 a.m. starting on April 11. Get exclusive access to the museum and help WOW! Pals test new exhibit and program ideas.

Grandparents explore for free

Bring your grandparent(s) to OH WOW! the last Wednesday of each month from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on April 29 for free grandparent admission with the purchase of at least one child admission.

Weather tools

Make your own tools to take home and observe the weather with at OH WOW from 12-1 p.m. on April 18. Learn what meteorologists watch for with this fun workshop for ages 6 and up. Limited spots are availale. Pre-registration is required.

Wacky weather tricks

Join OH WOW and use some hands-on demonstrations to help understand how the Earth’s weather works on April 25 from 12-1 p.m. All ages are welcome and pre-registration is suggested.

Women Artists art exhibition

The YWCA Women Artists: A Celebration! Annual Art Exhibition showcases works by local, regional and national women artists, age 18 and older. Entry forms are available by calling 330-746-6361, ext. 102 or at ywca.org/youngstown. They are due no later than March 30. Artists may enter a maximum of five entries. There is a nonrefundable fee of $10 per entry or $45 for five entries. Entry is by CD only. This year’s juror is Susan Talbot-Stanaway, former director of the Zanesville Museum of Art, Zanesville. A preview party for the show will take place from 7-9 p.m. on June 20, at the YWCA. Proceeds from the art show benefit the YWCA Housing Programs.

Nomination accepted for Children’s Advocate Awards

Nominations are now being accepted for the annual Children’s Advocate Awards presented by Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley. The purpose of these awards is to recognize individuals and organizations throughout the Mahoning Valley who exhibit the spirit of caring and who work to make a difference in the lives of the children of the communities we serve. Honorees will be recognized at the Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley “Champions for our Valley’s Children” Celebration Dinner on May 12 at The Lake Club. Consider nominating a special individual, group or organization for the Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley Children’s Advocate Award. The deadline for submission is March 16. Details regarding eligibility and criteria, as well as a nomination form are available at https://www.akronchildrens.org/cms/event/champions-valleys-children/children_s_advocate_award_nomination_form_2015.pdf