Boardman Community Briefs

Mahoning Valley Poets to meet

Mahoning Valley Poets will meet at Tequila Jalisco restaurant, located at 538 East Main Street in Canfield, from 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 16. Participants are urged to arrive before 6 p.m. to order food. Anyone who writes poetry is welcome to attend. Participants are encouraged to bring samples of their poetry to share with others.

Local church to host turkey dinner fundraiser

The Western Reserve United Methodist Church will host a traditional turkey dinner fundraiser on Nov. 21 from 4-5:30 p.m. The cost is $10 for adults, $6 for children ages 5-12 and free for children younger than 5-years-old. For tickets, call 330-792-5805. Funds raised from this event will go toward getting a prosthetic leg for a 12-year-old child.

Gift wrapping fundraiser

The Friends of Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County will be doing gift wrapping at the Boardman Barnes and Noble throughout the day on Dec. 4. There will be a special “Polar Express” story time that evening. Purchases made at Barnes and Noble that day will benefit the Friends of the PLYMC. Be sure to mention that your purchase is for the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County at the cash register; you can pick up a flyer at your local PLYMC library.

Senior Fun Day

Seniors, come out to Boardman Park and enjoy some activities on Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. 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 Shepherd of the Valley, Senior Independence and Boardman Park.

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.

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.

Doctor Who and Sherlock program

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.

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.

Download 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 receives grant from Second Harvest Food Bank

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.

Monthly square dance

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

Pork-Kraut dinner set for Nov. 15

The Youngstown Saxon Club, located at 710 S. Meridian Road, will host its next Pork-Kraut dinner on Sunday, Nov. 15, 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 pop. The public is welcome and take-outs will be available.

Men’s night out to focus on prostate health

International Torch Club to meet

Club member Professor Lowell Satre is this month’s speaker at the Youngstown Chapter of International Torch Clubs dinner-discussion meeting at 6 p.m. on Nov. 16. His paper will be “The Great War 100 Years Later.” 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 the 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.

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

Student-operated restaurant, The Bistro at Mahoning County Career Technical Center, will open for lunch hours to the public beginning Nov. 11. 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: Nov. 11, 12, 17-19; 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.

November Bites and Bits at Tyler History Center

The Mahoning Valley Historical Society’s next Bites and Bits of History Lunch Program is Nov. 19 at noon at the Tyler Mahoning Valley History Center, located at 325 West Federal Street in downtown Youngstown. Traci Manning, MVHS Curator of Education will speak on the Underground Railroad. The story of the Underground Railroad is a history filled with myth, intrigue and legend. Beyond those tales, though, lies truth about of the most trying times in our nation’s history. Learn about the local impact of this network of people and locations, and discover the Mahoning Valley’s role in helping people find freedom. This month’s lecture is presented in partnership with the Mahoning Valley Lifelong Learning Institute at Park Vista. Daily parking is available for $2 in the lot on the west side of the History Center. Overture restaurant at the DeYor offers a $6 Bites and Bits lunch special, call 330-744-9900 to place your order. Visit www.mahoninghistory.org for the monthly listing of topics and speakers, or call 330-743-2589 for more information.

Mercy Health Youngstown, formerly Humility of Mary Health Partners, Man Up Mahoning Valley and Yellow Brick Place will host an informative night out for men (and women) Nov. 18 at Yellow Brick Place, located at 2959 Canfield Road, Suite 10. Featured speakers are Dr. Dan Ricchiuti, a urologist at NEO Urology Associates, and prostate cancer survivor Steve Burbrink. Following their presentations, Ricchiuti and Burbrink will answer questions and refreshments will be served. The event takes place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For information, call 234-228-9550 or 330-480-3181.

Stitch a holiday angel

The November meeting of TQGIBT – That Quilt Group I Belong To – will feature member Ginger Mangie teaching her pattern, Belly Button Door Knob Angel. The kit for this “Make It Take It” project is $10, including the jingle bells. Participants are asked to bring basic sewing supplies, including needles, pins and scissors to cut threads. As always, guests are welcome – but if you are interested in stitching your own angel, call Ginger at 330-702-0532 to order a precut kit. Members are also encouraged to bring their quilt-themed Christmas ornaments to this meeting to decorate the tree at Fellows Riverside Gardens. Plan on joining members from 1–5 p.m. for an afternoon of independent sewing. Bring your machine to work on unfinished projects, or work on hand stitching. The fellowship will continue with dinner at the Broad Street Diner before the scheduled meeting. TQGIBT meets at Fair Park in Canfield on the third Tuesday of each month, with some exceptions. Doors open at 6 p.m. TQGIBT is open to all quilters in the Mahoning Valley, at all skill levels. For information on membership, contact president Helen Lewis at HMLrutgers@icloud.com or by calling 330-286-3966.

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.

Fitness fun story time

Join the Boardman library at 10 a.m. on Nov. 18 for stories and activities selected from the Eat, Play, Grow program. Prizes and snacks will be given. This event is for children ages 2-5 and is sponsored by the Mahoning Valley Kids Coalition.

Bonding with babies and books

Caregivers and their little ones who are 6-23 months can come to the Boardman library at 10 a.m. on Nov. 17 and 24 for 20 minutes of language enrichment including rhymes, songs and stories, followed by time to play and socialize.

It’s 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 Nov. 20. Participants are encouraged to bring all yarn UFOs (unfinished objects).

Check into chess

Join the Boardman library as they play chess on Nov. 22 at 1:30 p.m. If you would like to learn to play, they’ll be happy to teach you.

Thanksgiving holiday closing Nov. 26

All libraries in the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County (PLYMC) system will be closed for Thanksgiving on Nov. 26.

Yoga family story time

The Boardman library will host Yoga Family Story Time at 6 p.m. on Nov. 17. The event is an evening story time paired with yoga poses, breathing exercises and imaginative play. All participants will want to wear comfy clothes and bring a yoga mat or beach towel. The program will last 45 minutes. This event is for the whole family.

Sensory story time

Join the Boardman library at 10 a.m. on Nov. 28 for a family story time for children of all ages with a sensory focus. This program is designed for children with different needs, including those with Autism, speech/language delays, cognitive impairments, AD/HD and other special needs and challenges. Enjoy books, music and sensory stations with a schedule board and double visuals. Children must attend with an adult. Registration is required. Call 330-744-8636 and ask for Boardman library. Sensory story time is for preschool and school-age children.

Night Owl story time

Join the Boardman library at 6 p.m. on Nov. 24 for 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.

Now You Know: youth and social media

Learn which apps and social media outlets can be harmful to youth at the Boardman library at 6 p.m. on Nov. 19. This is part of the “Now You Know!” series presented by Meridian HealthCare, in partnership with the Library. Reservations are needed and can be made by calling 330-744-8636. For information about the program, contact Renee at 330-259-8623. This program is for adults.

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.