Canfield Community Briefs

Fun time for 4s and 5s

Join the MetroParks Farm library at 10 a.m. on Dec. 22 for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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.

Tales and talk for 2s and 3s

Join MetroParks Farm 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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.