Austintown Community Briefs

Strengthening Families Program continues

The Strengthening Families Program will continue at Austintown Middle School starting again on May 17 at 5 p.m. This program, sponsored by The Mahoning County Family and Children First Council and Ohio Children’s Trust Fund, is geared towards Austintown students ages 10-14 along with their parents. The program will focus on increasing family communication skills, preventing problem behaviors, showing love while setting limits, etc. Families will have dinner together from 5-5:30 p.m., then students and their parents will participate in the program from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For a full list of program topics, visit www.austintownschools.org, click on the “Schools” tab and go to the AMS page. Free childcare will also be available for younger children while parents and teens are participating in the program.

Animal shelter seeks donations

West Side Cats is seeking donations of gently used baby clothes for its fundraisers. The organization appreciates any help the community can give it in helping to improve the lives of its cats and kittens.

West Side Cats to have garage sale fundraiser

West Side Cats will be hosting a garage sale fundraiser on May 14 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at their location at 2217 Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown. All proceeds benefit the West Side Cats Shelter. They will also have a table of cat toys, T-shirts, bottled water and more to purchase, also funding the shelter.

Kindergarten registration for the Austintown Local School district

Kindergarten registration will continue at the Austintown Local School District. Anyone interested in registering their child for 2016-2017 school year may do so at the Austintown Early Learning Center (AELC) on Evelyn Road. Call 330-797-3900 ext. 1551 to schedule an appointment. Registration packets are also available at the AELC or can be found on www.austintownlocalschools.org by clicking the “Registration & Open Enrollment” tab under “Departments.”

Open enrollment for Austintown Local School district

Registration for Open Enrollment will continue for the 2016-2017 school year at the Austintown Early Learning Center (AELC) on Evelyn Road. Only new students in grades Kindergarten through ninth-grade will be accepted for the upcoming school year. Call 330-797-3900 ext. 1551 to make an appointment. Registration applications can be picked up at the AELC or are available online at www.austintownlocalschools.org under the “ Registration & Open Enrollment” tab under “Departments.”

Torch Club to meet on May 16

Club member Marian L. Wilson will deliver the talk at the Youngstown Chapter of International Torch Clubs dinner-discussion meeting at 7 p.m. on May 16. Her topic will be “1963: Reflections Through the Eyes of a Ten-Year Old African-American Girl.” 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.

Local shipping store provides flowers for Memorial Day

Send It Packin’ is supplying carnations before Memorial Day to place in cemeteries to honor fallen soldiers. Located at 4496 Mahoning Ave, owner Tracy Schott will have flowers for the holiday available to the public. May 28 will host the event to commemorate all who have fought. Schott intends to bring awareness to the real reason the public celebrates Memorial Day. As a small business owner and family member of those who have served, she understands the importance of this holiday. Send It Packin’ will provide free flowers to place on the grave of a veteran at your local cemetery. She encourages any one to take a flower to place on a grave, even if they do not know any one who has passed serving. Send It Packin’ is limited to 250 flowers, so this service is only available while supplies last. Send It Packin’ has partnered with The Memorial Day Flowers Foundation, a non-profit organization that partners with companies to place flowers on the graves of veterans for Memorial Day.

Supper at the corner

Smith Corners United Methodist Church, located at 3000 S. Canfield Niles Road, will host a free super on May 19 from 4:30-6 p.m. Donations are accepted to help continue this free monthly community outreach program.

Friendly Squares to host monthly dance

The Niles Friendly Squares will host its monthly square dance on May 14 from 7:30-10 p.m. at the 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.

Free breakfast hosted by local church

On May 14, Smith Corners United Methodist Church located at 3000 S. Canfield Niles Road will host a free pancake, sausage and egg breakfast. The church will open doors at 9 a.m. and the event will run until 11 a.m. Donations are accepted and proceeds will go to World Service Projects.

Smart Choice Food program

Smith Corners United Methodist Church, located at 3000 S. Canfield Niles Road is a member of the Smart Choice Food program. The program provides special value boxes of meats, pastas or childrens meals, as well as “On the Go” meals for those who have no time to cook full meals. These meals are diabetic friendly. The food can be ordered online at www.smartchoicefoods.com with a credit card or by calling Judy at 330-793-8898 with cash or money orders payments.

Pink Ribbon Golf Classic

The annual Pink Ribbon Golf Classic will be hosted at the Avalon Lakes Golf and Country Club on July 18. The cost is $110 per golfer. All proceeds from this event will go directly to the American Cancer Society. The 18 hole four-person scramble will be followed by lunch and a Chinese auction and raffle. Registration and continental breakfast begin at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. For further details, contact Donna Mowrey at 330-207-9630 or Ginny Johnston at 330-219-9092.

Parent-child program for incoming kindergarten students

Austintown Elementary School will host two parent-child programs in June packed with kindergarten readiness activities for the incoming students. One session will focus on reading while the other session will focus on math. The sessions will take place from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the elementary school. Participants will learn games to build foundational kindergarten skills and will receive material to use at home throughout the summer. Children will also have the opportunity to eat complimentary breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria. Due to space restrictions only one adult per student may attend. For more information on program dates and how to register, visit www.austintownschools.org and click the “Schools” tab to find the “AES” page.

Italian Fest scholarship available

Applications for the 2016 Youngstown State University Scholarship from The Greater Youngstown Italian Fest are now available by contacting Deborah Mottle at mottlesmurals@gmail.com or applications may be retrieved from http://www.youngstownitalianfest.org/. Applicants must attend Youngstown State University and be of Italian descent in order to be eligible. Deadline for applicants is June 7.

Friends of the Austintown library program and meeting

James Cossler, Director of the Youngstown Business Incubator, will present at this event for adults on May 23 at 10 a.m.

DQ sip-n-paint

Sip an Artic Rush, a shake or an Orange Julius while you paint your Dairy Queen cake. Celebrate Mom and Dad by creating an edible masterpiece. June 8 (the day before Father’s Day) Dairy Queen will be hosting a Sip-N-Paint with qualified DQ Cake decorators assisting. Make your cake colorful and fun - add sprinkles, gel icing, ribbon and candy. Place an Edible Image on your cake for an added touch. The Cornersburg Dairy Queen, located at 3555 S. Meridian Road, will host its event from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. For details, call the location at 330-799-5295. The Austintown Dairy Queen, located at 241 E. Park Ave., will host its event from 4-7 p.m. For details, call the location at 330-892-6100.

Fundraiser for Austintown Night Out

Austintown Night Out will be hosting its second annual Celebrity Server Fundraiser at BW3 Resturant in the Austintown Plaza, located at 6000 Mahoning Ave., on May 25 from 6-9 p.m. Special celebrity servers will be former Austintown Township Trustee Lisa Oles and current Trustee Jim Davis. All tips received by the servers, as well as 15 percent of the night sales, will be donated to the Night Out event. Coupons are required to turn in for the 15 percent donation and can be found on the Austintown Night Out Facebook page, by emailing Austintownnightout@gmail.com or by calling 330-774-1803.

Austintown Night Out to be Aug. 2

Austintown Night Out will be hosted on Aug. 2, from 5-9 p.m. at Austintown Township Park. There will be police cars, fire trucks and ambulances for children to explore, as well as a bounce house, face painting, clowns, games and live music. There will be a visit by Frozen’s Queen Elsa and Anna, and Captain Jack Sparrow. Night Out is an event that occurs nationally on the first Tuesday in August by police departments and block watches promoting cooperation and understanding between safety forces and the citizens. This will be the fourth year for Austintown’s event. The event is free and open to the public.

Saxon flea market

The Saxon Club will host its Flea Market every Tuesday through October (weather permitting). The Flea Maket starts at 8 a.m. (vendors can set up early) and ends at 2 p.m. Large spaces are provided for $5 per space. A variety of items will be available such as household goods, books, tools and collectables. Refreshments are available. The Saxon Club is located at 710 S. Meridian Road, on the west side of Youngstown.

Socrates Philosophy Group

Sponsored by the Friends of PLYMC. If you love philosophy and want to discuss philosophical topics, join this group. Program is open to the public. This event is for adults at the Austintown library on May 16 at 6:30 p.m.

Coupon swap at the library

Do you have coupons you don’t need or need coupons you don’t have? Drop in during Austintown library hours in May to stretch your shopping dollars by swapping coupons. This event is for adults.

Blood Drive by the Mahoning Chapter of the American Red Cross

There will be a blood drive to proudly serve the needs of St. Elizabeth Hospital. For appointments, call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). This event is for adults at the Austintown library on May 28 from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. and May 31 from 1-6 p.m.

Page Turners book club

Love books? Looking for a good read? Hear what others are reading and share your favorite read, or just come in and join the fun. This event is for adults at the Austintown library on May 18 at 6 p.m.

First annual West Side Cats Father’s Day raffle

West Side cats will be hosting a Father’s Day raffle featuring a 48 inch Insignia LED TV. The drawing will be on June 18, and proceeds will be used for the group’s spay and neuter program. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. You can purchase your tickets beginning next week through any volunteer or at the shelter. West Side Cats is located at 2217 Mahoning Avenue in Youngstown. Call 330-792-4228 for details.

Library closings

All libraries in the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County system will be closed on May 29 and May 30.

GA 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 another takes place every Sunday at Christ Church Presbyterian, located at 3425 Hopkins Road in Youngstown (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.

MCCTC opens Summer Camp registration

The Mahoning County Career and Technical Center is giving students the chance to explore new careers this summer with its annual Summer Camp on June 20-22. This year’s camp offers students the opportunity to learn more about exciting career fields through fun, hands-on projects. Programs offered this year are Exercise Science, Culinary, Cosmetology, Mechanical Engineering, Truck and Diesel Mechanics and Welding and Auto Technology. MCCTC Summer Camp takes place every summer and is open to students in grades 6-8. For more information or to register a child, visit www.mahoningctc.com.

Playtime at your library

Prepare for Kindergarten through play. The librarian will read a story and have fun with developmentally appropriate games and activities that parents can do with your child to help them get ready for Kindergarten. This event is for 2-6 year-olds. All children must be accompanied by an adult to this one hour program. Join the Austintown library on May 26 at 10 a.m.

Pre-Kindergarten story time

This program is for 4- and 5-year-olds to help develop pre-literacy and kindergarten readiness skills. The library will use books, stories, rhymes, music, movement and crafts to help your child get ready for kindergarten. Join the Austintown library on Wednesdays in May at 11:30 a.m.

Bonding with babies and books

This event is for caregivers and their little ones who are 6-23 months. There will be twenty minutes of language enrichment including rhymes, songs and stories, followed by time to play and socialize. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Join the Austintown library on Tuesdays in May at 10 a.m.

Tales and talk for 2’s and 3’s

Join the Austintown library on Wednesdays in May at 10 a.m. for developmentally appropriate books, songs, rhymes, finger plays and other activities that will help your child (2-3 year-olds) become a successful reader. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Gotta move story time

This event is for children ages 2-5 who are accompanied by a caregiver. Join the library 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, talk and play. Go to the Austintown library on May 19 at 10 a.m. for this event.

Grab and go craft for May

Make a craft to take home. Children of all ages are welcome during Austintown library hours.

Take a guess

Guess the number of items in the jar. Closest guess wins a small prize. This event is for the family at the Austintown library during open hours.

Tales to tails

Read to a therapy dog from Pet Partners at the library. Bring your own book, or the library will find one for you. Registration is required. Space is limited. Register online or by calling 330-744-8636 and ask for the Austintown library. This event is open to school-age children on May 28 at 11 a.m.

Tween Scene movie club

Join the club for snacks and a craft while discussing some of the coolest movies you’ve “scene” and decide on what the club should watch next. This event is for tweens ages 8-12. This event will be hosted at the Austintown library on May 19 at 6 p.m.

“Hangry” birds

Set ‘em up, knock ‘em down and feed your inner HANGRY...featuring a life-sized Angry Birds game and cookie station. This event is for grades 5-12 at the Austintown library on May 16 at 6 p.m.

Art with Andrea

Join the Austintown library on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. for this art class as professionals guide you through a monthly project and help you work through your own art. Call 330-744-8636 to register. This event is for teens and adults.

Scrapbooking club

Scrapbook a page and share your scrapbooking ideas. Paper and supplies provided. This event is for teens and adults at the Austintown library on May 13 at 11 a.m.

Stained glass votive holders

Learn to make a stained glass votive candle holder. Registration is required. This event is for adults at the Austintown library at 6 p.m. on May 26.

Saturday movie matinee

Join the Austintown library on May 21 at 2:30 p.m. for a Saturday Movie Matinee. Bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy during the movie. Children age 7 years and younger must be with an adult. Movie will be a newly released DVD rated PG-13 to G.

Social media overload

Learn about social media, the most popular sites, their uses and how you might benefit from using them. This event is for adults at the Austintown library on May 27 at 11 a.m.

Chapter Chat book club

Love books? Come to the Chapter Chat Book Club to read and discuss a book together. Each month will be a new genre. The book this month is Stephen King’s “The Tommyknockers.” This event is for adults at the Austintown library on May 23 at 6 p.m.

Get “golf ready”

Learn everything you’ll need to play golf in just a few lessons. PGA pros will show you ways to play by combining fun, friends and fitness. Each session will focus on various golf skills. Mix and match clinics available. One day clinic - $25, any two clinics - $45, any three clinics - $60 and any seven clinics - $100. Dates for the program vary through Aug. 17.

In the forest

The work of realist painter Jason Floyd Lewis relishes the natural beauty of uninhabited places. The Wellers Gallery at Fellows Riverside Gardens will feature this artwork until June 12.

Mahoning Valley walk benefiting JDRF

Take steps to help the Junvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) progressively remove the impact of type 1 diabetes from people’s lives. By joining a team or making a donation to JDRF, you’ll raise money to help fund critical research. The walk will be on May 21 at the Watts Center of Youngstown State University. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. Register at http://www2.jdrf.org/mahoningvalleywalk. For more information, contact Timothy Styranec at 330-533-5306 or by email at tmstyranec@zoominternet.net.

Have your pet featured in a calendar

West Side Cats is having a pet photography contest. For each $1 you pay, you can submit one photo of your favorite pet. Each vote will be an additional $1 fee which can be paid through PayPal at: Westsidecats@yahoo.com or dropped off at the shelter, located at 2217 Mahoning Ave. The top 12 winners will have their pets photo featured on a month of the new calendar and receive a calendar of their own. There will also be a grand prize for the pet with the most votes. Calendars will be sold after the contest ends. The photography contest will end on May 30 (Memorial Day). For more information, visit the Facebook page “West Side Cats Photography Contest.”

Favorite cookie

Vote on your favorite cookie each time you come to the library. The cookie with the most votes at the end of the month will be featured at the Hangry Bird’s party in May. This event is for grades 5-12 at the Austintown library during open hours.

Join a Relay for Life team

If you are interested in joining a team, visit the Relay for Life website at http://relayforlife.org/austintown. Attend one of the up-coming meetings at the American Cancer Society office in Canfield. Meeting date is May 26.

Austintown Relay for Life

On June 4, Austintown will host its annual Relay For Life event at the Austintown Elementary School parking lot from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. During those 12 hours participants will be celebrating, remembering and fighting back against cancer. Opening ceremonies will be followed immediately by a survivor lap. Lunch will be provided for survivors and caregivers. The event will include a variety of activities. Help the community reach the fundraising goal of $90,000.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Festival 5k run

The Immaculate Heat of Mary Festival 5k has been an annual event in the Youngstown area for over thirty years. The event will take place on June 9 at 7 p.m. Entry fees are $13 in advance and $15 on race day. In order to receive a shirt, mail in advance entry fee by May 22. Registration for the event will begin at 5 p.m. in front of the entrance to the school. Refreshments will be served to runners. Proceeding the adult run will be a free children’s run for sixth-grade and under. All children must be registered and have their form signed by a parent or legal guardian who must be present at the time of the race. Register online at https://runsignp.com/Race/OH/Austintown/IHMFestival5K or call Bob at 330-360-4876 for details.

Sprout Club meeting

Join the Sprout Club at Fellows Riverside Gardens this spring to learn about the amazing world of plants with topics that include: pizza plants, moss pets and herbs. Each class will include an activity and snack. Attend all three classes and receive a plant-related prize. Class will be from 1-2 p.m. on May 19. The deadline for registration has passed.

Austintown Local School district announces open enrollment 2016-2017

The Austintown Local School district will have statewide open enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year. Applications will be accepted for the students in grades kindergarten through ninth-grade, and they can be downloaded on the Austintown Local Schools website. In order to be accepted for open enrollment, completed applications must be submitted online. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Any students living in the state of Ohio and entering grades kindergarten through ninth are eligible. One application must be completed for each student. Call the registration office if any additional information is needed at 330-797-3900, ext. 1516.

Advanced Master Gardener series

This series, led by Ellen Speicher, will focus on pruning, plant names and fall gardening. The event will be hosted by Fellows Riverside Gardens on June 11 and Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. The deadline for registration has passed.

America’s Schoolmaster exhibit

The Early Days of William Holmes McGuffey will be on display in the Melnick Museum at Fellows Riverside Gardens from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Learn more about the early days of McGuffey and his boyhood homestead, located in Coitsville and now known as the McGuffey Wildlife Preserve. The exhibit will be open though January 2017.