Canfield Community Briefs

Tales and talk for 2s and 3s

Join MetroParks Farm for developmentally appropriate books, 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. Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s will take place on Dec. 9, 16, 23 and 30 at 10 a.m.

Bonding with babies and books

Bonding with Babies and Books is for caregivers and their little ones who are 6-23 months. MetroParks Farm will host 20 minutes of language enrichment including rhymes, songs and stories, followed by time to play and socialize. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This event will take place Dec. 21 at 10 a.m.

Koins for Kids drive in Canfield

Elementary students in Canfield are hoping to win a Handel’s Ice Cream Party again. The students are participating in the Handel’s Koins for Kids Campaign to benefit Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley. The schools will be accepting donations through Dec. 11. The schools will be competing against other Mahoning County schools to try to raise the most money per student. The winning school receives an ice cream party.

Racing toward a cure

More than 1.6 million Americans suffer from Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Many individuals with these diseases, jointly known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD, suffer in silence due to potential embarrassment and alienation. Chris Thomas has suffered with ulcerative colitis since he was 23 years old and knows how horrible this disease can be. Thomas will complete the Ironman Arizona 70.3 on Oct. 16, 2016, to raise funds and awareness for research leading to improved treatment options and cures for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

MCCTC’s horticulture Holiday Open House

The horticulture program at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center is having a holiday open house through Dec. 16. Come out to purchase all your holiday needs. There will be a large assortment of beautiful silk wreaths and arrangements available in many styles and colors. Fresh mixed pine and spruce wreaths, as well as fresh table centerpieces, are also available. Don’t forget about Poinsettias. The floral shop has six and a half and seven and a half red poinsettias available from $8.50. The floral shop and greenhouse are open for business Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. If you have any questions or need to place an order, call 330-729-4000, ext. 1671, or stop in at the MCCTC Floral Shop.

Boardman Poland Junior Women’s League to meet Dec. 7

The annual Christmas Social of the Boardman Poland Junior Women’s League will be on Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. at Nicolinni’s Restaurant, located at 1247 Boardman Poland Road in Boardman. Officers for the 2016 year will be installed at a candlelight ceremony. Members are to bring their wrapped and tagged donations for a selected family in need. The Boardman Poland Junior Women’s League is open to all women 18 and up, residing in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties who are interested in friendship, fun and community involvement. The group’s mission is to provide a creative outlet for women interested in providing community service in areas of arts, conservation, education, home life, international affairs and public affairs. Women interested in joining or receiving more information can contact Membership Chairwomen Nina Lowery at 330-506-9473 or Sperry Rongone at 330-770-3880.

Friendly Squares to host monthly dance

Niles Friendly Squares monthly dance will take place on Dec. 12 from 7:30-10 p.m., at Niles Senior SCOPE Center, located at 14 E. State St. in Niles. For additional information, call Gene Hammond at 330-534-4426 or 330-506-3370.

Area chapter receives national 4-Star Level of Excellence Award

The Mahoning and Shenango Valleys Chapter (MSVC) of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) received a 4-Star Level of Excellence (LOE) Award on Oct. 31 at the MOAA National General Meeting in Orlando, Fla. by General Tony Robertson, USAF, Ret., MOAA’s chairman of the board. Receiving the LOE Award was Colonel Dick Calta, USAF, MSVC board member. MSVC, one of seven MOAA chapters in Ohio Council of Chapters and one of over 400 chapters of MOAA nationwide. Four-star streamers were given out to 114 chapters or councils. Five-star streamers were given to 165 chapters or councils. The criteria for award of LOE was based on maintain active chapter programs, tracking legislative issues and supporting military and veteran activities. This is the second straight year that the chapter has won the award after receiving their charter in 2012. The Mahoning and Shenango Valleys Chapter are made up of active, reserve/guard, retired and former military officers in Mahoning, Columbiana and Trumbull Counties in Ohio, and Lawrence and Mercer County in Pennsylvania. Their next activity will be the chapter Christmas Party where donated wrapped gifts are auction to benefit the aid assistance program administered by the Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council.

Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue

The Ohio Naturopathic Wellness Center in Boardman will be hosting a free natural health seminar titled, “Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue: Putting the Pieces Back Together” on Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. In this seminar, you will learn about the causes and therapeutic options to recover from these chronic and debilitating health issues. Dr. Ted Suzelis, ND, and Valentina Khoury Dubasik, ND, LAc, will parse the truth from the hype to help you find a road map to recovery. The seminar will take place at the Ohio Naturopathic Wellness Center, located at at 755 Boardman-Canfield Road, Suite D3 (Southbridge West Complex). For more information or to reserve your seat call, 330-729-1350 or go to OhioND.com. The seminar is free, but RSVP is required.

Launchpad learning tablets for children

The Library is now offering Playaway Launchpad learning tablets for children. They are currently available for checkout by checkout on Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County adult full-service library cards at Main library and the Austintown, Boardman, Newport and Poland branches. Playaway Launchpads are designed just for children and are pre-loaded with high-quality, ad-free apps that are both fun and educational. For more information, visit www.libraryvisit.org.

Downloadable magazines and newspapers

Magazines and newspapers are now available on the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County website through the Digital Catalog and Download Center powered by Overdrive. The magazines and newspapers are available for digital checkout and can be read on a Nook or Nook app on smartphones and tablets. Magazines from Zinio are no longer available through the library. For more information, visit www.libraryvisit.org.

Gathering Place to host senior day

The Gathering Place at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, located at 550 North Broad Street in Canfield, will host a Senior Day event on Dec. 14 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The program will begin promptly at 11 a.m. and will include lunch provided by The Woodlands. This event will feature the Canfield High School Musical Group presenting “A Christmas Program.” If you are planning to attend the event, RSVP to 330-533-3531, 330-533-6045 or lordoflife550@sbcglobal.net by Dec. 11.

Helping Hands has new discount options

Helping Hands Closet at Western Reserve United Methodist Church, located at 4580 Canfield Road in Canfield, is offering new discounts for a limited time. Bring a friend (new to HHC) and both of you will receive an additional 10 percent off your purchase. Right now, you can also receive up to 50 percent off certain items in the large inventory for babies to teens. Ladies coats are currently 50 percent off, as well. Many items are “new with tags” and are great options for gifting. Helping Hands is open each Tuesday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Gathering Place to meet Dec. 14

There will be a Gathering Place event on Dec. 14 beginning at 11 a.m. at Lord of Life Church, located at 50 N. Broad St. in Canfield. The program will be the Canfield High School Musical Group presenting a Christmas program and lunch will be provided by the Woodlands. This is a free community outreach social event offered to all senior citizens. It takes place on the second Monday of every month. Different games and activities are offered each month. For more information, call the church at 330-533-3531.

Library closings for the holiday season

All libraries in the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County system will be closed on the following dates for the holidays: Dec. 24 and 25, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

YWCA of Youngstown receives grant from Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley

YWCA of Youngstown received a $6,500 Ohio Benefit Bank Tax Assistance Capacity Building Grant from Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley. The grant will allow the YWCA to continue assisting members of the community with free filing of income tax returns and other benefits. In 2015, the YWCA has assisted 146 clients through the Ohio Benefit Bank.

The Bistro at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center open to the public

Student-operated restaurant, The Bistro at Mahoning County Career Technical Center, is open for lunch hours to the public. The Bistro will be open Tuesdays-Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. for dine-in or carry out through the winter. The Bistro is run by students enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center. This gives students the chance to gain experience in all facets of working in the restaurant industry, from working as kitchen staff, line cooks and the Sous Chef to waiting tables and hosting. The Bistro schedule is as follows: Dec. 1-3, 8-10; Jan. 5-7, 13, 14, 20, 21. The restaurant will also be open in February and March with dates being announced soon. Call the restaurant for more information or to make a reservation.

Giant Eagle Foundation awards grant to Second Harvest Food Bank

The Giant Eagle Foundation awarded Second Harvest Food Bank $10,000 to be used to help feed families in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

Summer Kent State graduates

Kent State University awarded nearly 1,700 degrees, with more than 350 accompanying institutional honors, and including 833 bachelor’s degrees, 414 master’s degrees, 65 doctoral degrees, 344 associate degrees and 16 educational specialist degrees during during the 2015 Summer Commencement ceremony. Local graduates include Tracy D’Andrea with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of Nursing; Sarah Davis with a Master of Education from the College of Education, Health and Human Services; Thomas Harrington with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences; Kelly Logan-Fusco with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of Nursing; Ashlee Michael with a Master of Education from the College of Education, Health and Human Services; and Megan Mihalik with a Master of Science from the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

Gamblers Anonymous meetings

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 Gamblers Anonymous meeting takes place every Friday at Westminster Church, located at 119 Stadium Drive in Boardman, and another takes place 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 one and a half hours. Those who believe gambling has affected any part of their lives are urged to attend.

14th International Exhibition of Botanical Art and Illustration

The Hunt Institute of Pittsburgh brings the work of 35 botanical documentation artists from around the world to the Weller Gallery at Fellows Riverside Garden. The exhibit will run through Jan. 10 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Bits and Pieces of Our History

Through December, the Melnick Museum at Fellows Riverside Gardens will showcase the Bits and Pieces of Our History exhibit, which takes a look at the very early years of Mill Creek Park. The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Bits and pieces of history

Take a look at Mill Creek Park throughout the early years at Fellows Riverside Gardens-Melnick Museum now through December from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.