Canfield Community Briefs

Ung named CVMS spelling champ

The annual Canfield Village Middle School Spelling Bee took place on Dec. 21. Special congratulations to fifth-grade champion Grace Min, sixth-grade champion Jacob Johnson, seventh-grade champion Maggie Carrier, eighth-grade champion Sydney Kinkade and school champion Alexis Ung. Ung will represent the district in the annual Vindicator Spelling Bee on March 12 at Youngstown State University.

Tales and talk for 2s and 3s

Join MetroParks Farm at 10 a.m. on Jan. 6 and 13 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.

Gotta Move story time

Children ages 2-5 who are accompanied by a caregiver can join MetroParks Farm at 10 a.m. on Jan. 12 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.

Chicken dinner to be Jan. 7

Western Reserve United Methodist Church, located at 4580 Canfield Road in Canfield, is having a drive through chicken dinner on Jan. 7 from 4 p.m. until it is sold out. The cost is $8 and the menu will include stuffed chicken breast, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and a brownie.

Fun time for 4s and 5s

Join MetroParks Farm at 10 a.m. on Jan. 5 for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (ages 4-5) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

CHS swim and dive team annual Pancake Breakfast

The Canfield High School swim and dive team will host its annual Pancake Breakfast on Jan. 10 in the Canfield High School Cafeteria from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or from any CHS swimmer, diver or booster parents. The cost is $6.50 for adults and $4 for children. Take-out breakfasts are also available for purchase. The breakfast includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee, milk and orange juice. Proceeds benefit the Canfield High School swim and dive team program. Money raised supports coach salaries, pool rental fees, meet entry fees, equipment, team suits, the team banquet and awards, after-meet meals and special busing to the NEAC conference championship meet. The Canfield High School Swim and Dive Team Boosters organize the event and take over the high school kitchen to prepare the breakfast. Members of the swim and dive team take shifts bussing tables, selling raffle tickets and making sure that everyone has enough to eat. The Canfield swim and dive team is coached by Brian Stahl, with Ron Navarra serving as the dive coach. The team’s meets take place at Beeghly Natatorium, at Youngstown State University. For more information about the team, check out its website at www.canfieldswimming.com.

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 takes place every Friday at Westminster Church, located at 119 Stadium Drive in Boardman, and every Sunday at Christ Church Presbyterian, located at 3425 Hopkins Road in Youngstown (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.

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.

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.

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.