Canfield Community Briefs

Western Reserve Knitting Guild to meet

The Western Reserve Knitting Guild will host a members and guest cookie exchange at the Austintown library community room on Dec. 6 from 1-4 p.m. Members and guests are asked to bring four dozen or more cookies to exchange. You will leave the event with the same amount of cookies you bring, but in a different variety. A program on knitting around a glass ornament by B’ewe’tiful Knits from Clarion, Pa. will be presented. Bring sock/fingering weight yarn, size 2 double pointed needles, beading needles and 6 mm beads. The glass ornament ball will be provided. You do not have to participate in both events. Register for this event at the guild’s email address no later than Dec. 2. Non-members and guests are welcome to join them, but there will be a $10 fee for the ornament program and you are to also bring your own supplies as listed. The library is not sponsoring or participating in this event. For more information on this event, joining the Western Reserve Knitting Guild or donating yarn for charity work, contact the organization at wrkg.ohio@gmail.com.

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.

Man Up Mahoning Valley Offers Prostate Exams

Man Up Mahoning Valley, NEO Urology, Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley and Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church will provide free prostate cancer screenings Dec. 1 for men 40-years-old and older. Screenings consist of a digital rectal exam and prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood draw and will take place 5-7 p.m. at Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church, located at 1812 Oak Hill Ave. Dinner will be provided to all men taking part. This event is open to the public but registration is required. To register, call 330-480-3181.

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.

Chicken dinner to be Dec. 3

Western Reserve United Methodist Church, located at 4580 Canfield Road in Canfield, is having the drive through chicken dinner on Dec. 3 from 4 p.m. until sold out. The cost is $8 and the menu includes stuffed chicken breast, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans and a brownie.

Chili cook off

The Youngstown Shrine Club will be hosting its annual Ray Dudik Memorial Chili Cook-off on Nov. 28. This indoor event will be before and during the Ohio State against Michigan college football game. The public is invited to this event in the club’s indoor hall at 1735 W. South Range Road (Route #165) in North Lima. There will be door prizes, food (Chili recipes for the tasting and judging), refreshments, fun and of course the best football rivalry in the country - OSU vs. UM. You are encouraged to bring your favorite chili recipe for tasting and judging. Tickets are only $25 and can be purchased at the door or in advance from Jim Hazlett, 330-533-1847. Doors open two hours before kickoff.

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.

Christmas events at DQ

Chistmas celebrations are in full swing for Dairy Queen. Stop by the Cornersburg DQ, located at 3555 S. Meridian Road, on Dec. 4 or the Austintown DQ, located at 146 N Canfield Niles Road, on Dec. 11. Santa arrives by fire truck at 5 p.m. He is bringing his best behaved reindeer with him from 5-8 p.m. Participants can pet the reindeer. The DQ will provide free pictures with Santa and Curly the Cone. Santa has treats for the children. Live Christmas music will be provided by local schools.

Canfield senior class craft how

The 27th Annual Canfield High School Senior Class Craft Show will take place on Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the high school. There will be 200 different and unique vendors setting up shop. Students from the class of 2016 will be assisting with the event from set up to parking to clean up. Parking and admission are free. There are two overflow parking lots at the middle school and St. Michael’s Church. In addition to the craft show, there are concessions and a Chinese Auction. For more information, contact Anthony Holben, Senior Class Advisor, at 330-533-5507 ext. 2007.

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: 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.