Boardman Community Briefs

Boardman High School to host Winter Orchestra Festival

The award-winning Boardman High School Symphony, Chamber and Classical Orchestras will present the annual Winter Orchestra Festival on Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Boardman Performing Arts Center. The concert will feature assorted orchestral pieces, classic holiday favorites and a special solo performance by senior Vince Huzicka. Admission is a $3 donation for adults, and a $1 donation for students. Pre-schoolers and senior citizens are admitted free of charge. The Boardman Orchestra program is under the direction of Michele Prokop, Bill Amendol and Tim Tuite.

Bethel Lutheran to receive the International Peace Light

On Dec. 13 during the 11 a.m. St. Lucia Celebration and Children’s Christmas Pageant, Boy Scouts from Boardman will deliver the International Peace Light to Bethel Lutheran Church located at 425 Crestview Dr. in Boardman and transfer the Peace Light flame to the church. The church is hosting the International Peace Light and making it available to the public for the holidays Mondays to Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. each day by coming to the church office through Dec. 23 and once again on Dec. 29 and 30. Windproof candles or lanterns are good tools to take home the light, but are not provided, so please bring them with you to receive the flame. Contact the church office with any questions at 330-758-5745.

Bethel Lutheran to host Christmas Contata

Bethel Lutheran Church, located at 425 Crestview Drive in Boardman (next to West Boulevard Elementary School) will present a Christmas Contata “Come and Worship” on Dec. 20 at 10 a.m.

A fellowship hour will precede the service at 9 a.m. Cookies and punch will be served.

Senior Fun Day

Seniors, come out to Boardman Park from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Dec. 17 and enjoy some wonderful activities.

Exercising, crafts, blood pressure screening, lunch and bingo will take place in the Lariccia Family Community Center. The cost is $1. To RSVP, call 330-965-0482. Senior Fun Day is sponsored by Sunrise Assisted Living, Senior Independence and Boardman Park.

Santa’s Calling

Boardman Park will be assisting Santa with a direct line from the North Pole to the community on Dec. 15 and 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. Parents who would like their children, ages 3-8, to receive a phone call from Santa can pick up a form at the Boardman Park Office or it can be downloaded from www.boardmanpark.com. Completed forms should be returned to the Park Office, located at 375 Boardman-Poland Road, or faxed to 330-726-4562. The deadline is Dec. 14. Since this is a busy time for Santa, he will only have time for one phone call to each family. It’s very important you are home during your scheduled time. There is no fee for the phone call.

Elegant String Quartet Holiday Concert

Enjoy this free concert of Holiday favorites played with elegance and grace at the Boardman Park on Dec. 12 from 5-6:30 p.m. Come add a touch of class to your holiday by listening to the sounds of warmth and tradition. The concert will take place in the St. James Meeting House which will be lavished with handmade decorations created by the Holborn Herb Growers Guild.

Winter Wonderland

Boardman Park has been transformed into a Winter Wonderland for the holidays and you won’t want to miss their holiday light display. Tune your car radio to 88.9 as you enter the park to enjoy several light displays synchronized to a variety of traditional Christmas songs, as well as family favorites. Enjoy a military tribute featuring the songs “Santa’s Silent Night” and “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” along with several new displays. The synchronized display, which consists of a huge 25-foot lighted tree, an American flag, four singing Christmas trees and many more, is located on and around the Maag Outdoor Theatre. With more than 30 minutes of music to enjoy, visitors are encouraged to park across from the light show in the Maag Outdoor Theatre parking lot to enjoy the entire show so as not to block traffic on the park drive. The entire Holiday light display is free and open to the public from 5-10 p.m. every evening until Jan. 9. For more information, contact the Park Office at 330-726-8107 or visit www.boardmanpark.com.

Home Mortgage moves branch in Boardman

Home Mortgage, a direct residential real estate lender, announced the moving of a branch office in Boardman. The Boardman branch has been in Boardman since they were established in 1948. The Boardman office, which officially moved to the new location on Nov. 25, is located at 1240 Boardman Canfield Road, Suite 4C. Branch manager Ryan Cuffle will be joined by loan officer Mark Chuey, loan officer Phoebe Horvath, loan officer Jimmy Ament, loan officer Mark “Skip” Weber, loan officer Becky Stephens, loan officer Jeri Blackburn, loan officer Randall King, loan officer Amy Shaw-Moody, loan officer and underwriter Jill Jacubec, and processors Mary Jo Kollat and Mary Ann Pollock.

Fifth annual Holiday Concert of Giving to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank

The Youngstown Area Community Concert Band and Stambaugh Chorus will host the fifth annual Holiday Concert of Giving to raise money to feed hungry families in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties on Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at Stambaugh Auditorium. Admission is a cash donation to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. You can also make an additional donation in the upper lobby to win a chance to conduct “Sleigh Ride” on stage with the Youngstown Area Community Concert Band. For every $1 given at the concert, the Food Bank can distribute $11 worth of food to families that need it most this holiday season. Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, a member of Feeding America, provides food to those in need in the tri-county area through 148 programs provided by hunger-relief organizations, which include church pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, shelters for battered women and after-school programs. In 2014, the Food Bank distributed 9.5 million pounds of food, including 2 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables in the tri-county area. For more information on the Food Bank, visit www.mahoningvalleysecondharvest.org or call 330-792-5522.

‘Celebrate Short Fiction Day’ at Barnes and Noble

If you love short stories, join short story author Nancy Christie and other area writers at the “Celebrate Short Fiction” Day event, scheduled for Dec. 21 from 6-9 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, located at 381 Boardman-Poland Road. Those interested in participating can reach Christie via email to nancy@nancychristie.com. A list of current readers and details about the event can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/CSFD2015.

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.

Tales and talk for 2s and 3s

Join the Boardman library 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. Tales and Talk for 2s and 3s will take place on Dec. 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. The Boardman library will host twenty 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. 15, 22 and 29 at 10 a.m.

I Read YA book club

This event is for adult fans of Young Adult Literature from ages 18-118 this book club is for you. Join the Boardman library at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 to talk about why you like YA. This month they will be discussing The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Couponing and smart saving tips

Join the Boardman library at 10 a.m. on Dec. 12 for an informative session on couponing and many other ways to save money! Be prepared to share your tips with others. To register, call 330-744-8636 and ask for Information Services or register online using the events calendar.

Holiday workshop

For the entire day of Dec. 12, the Boardman library will be transformed into a DIY holiday workshop with numerous crafts, ornaments or gifts for kids to make and take. This workshop is for children of all ages; those under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.

All about yarn

Bring in your crochet, knitting, plastic canvas, or “anything with yarn” project and learn from one another at the Boardman library at 11 a.m. on Dec. 14. Participants are encouraged to bring all yarn UFOs (unfinished objects).

Check into chess

Join the Boardman library as they play chess at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 13. If you would like to learn to play, they’ll be happy to teach you. All ages are invited to play chess.

ID the candy

How well do you know the insides of your candy bars? Ten candy cross-sections will be on display at the Boardman library during regular library hours in December. Correctly identify all ten, and you’ll be eligible to win king-sized versions. This event is for teens in grades 7-12.

Night Owl story time

Join the Boardman library at 6 p.m. on Dec. 15, 22 and 29 for Night Owl Story Time, an evening story time for children ages 3-5. Each child must be accompanied by an adult in this 30 minute program featuring finger plays, stories and a craft activity.

Armor up for Abbey

Abbey Lipinsky, a former Boardman student, is battling a rare form of children’s cancer called clear cell sarcoma. Many fundraising efforts are underway including a T-shirt. As a school, Boardman will be soliciting items for gift baskets from Robinwood staff and families for a Dec. 13 spaghetti dinner at St. Charles Church.

Dealing with stress through mindfulness

Learn what causes stress, what you can do to reduce it, how mindfulness plays into the equation and simple exercises to do at work or at home at the Boardman library at 6 p.m. on Dec. 17. Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Julie Lenyk will demonstrate how mindfulness and simple techniques like breathing can start to reduce the stress and strain of the holiday season. This event is co-sponsored by Meridian Healthcare. Reservations are needed. This event is for adults.

Doctor Who and Sherlock program – WhoLock

Calling all Whovians and Sherlockians! Come celebrate Christmas like a “Doctor” at the Poland library at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 17 - make sure your holidays are “Sherlocked.” This program is for anyone who has ever wanted to visit 221B Baker Street or take a ride in the TARDIS. There will be themed crafts, activities, games and prizes. This event is for teens and adults only.

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.

Playaway 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.

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: 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 Chelsea Billock, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Arts and Sciences; Ashley Haladay, Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science from the College of Arts and Sciences; Katherine Hartman with a Master of Architecture from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design; April Hill with a Master of Education from the College of Education, Health and Human Services; Whitney Joy with a Master of Public Administration from the College of Arts and Sciences; William Klein with a Master of Music from the College of the Arts; Michael Kohuth with an Associate of Arts; Jennifer Leyko, Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences Technology; Samantha McMahon with a Master of Education from the College of Education, Health and Human Services; Brianna Prusak with an Associate of Arts; Jacqueline Shaffer with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of Nursing; and Nancy Wolfgang with a Doctor of Philosophy from the College of the Arts.

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.

Bits and pieces of Mill Creek Park

Now though December 2015, visit the exhibit at Fellows Riverside Gardens-Melnick Museum that takes a look at the very early years of Mill Creek Park. The exhibit is open everyday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.