Wyoming Valley
Luzerne County Head Start Inc. is conducting its 34th annual merit-based, competitive scholarship program for former Head Start students graduating from high school in June 2021 and continuing their education. To date, the Luzerne County Head Start Alumni Scholarship Program has awarded 272 scholarships totaling $275,250. The scholarships are provided through private sponsors including local businesses, charitable foundations and other community organizations. Applications are now being accepted. To download the application, go to Luzerne County Head Start’s website: lchs.hsweb.org. Applications should be filled out and emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Luzerne County Head Start, Inc., 23 Beekman St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702, attn: Lindsey Fredericks, community advocate. For information, contact Lindsey Fredericks, community advocate, Luzerne County Head Start Inc., 570-829-6231 or email [email protected]. Application deadline is 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29. Luzerne County Head Start provides early childhood education and comprehensive services to qualified children age birth through 5 and their families in Luzerne and Wyoming counties.
The 42 Rotary Clubs of District 7410, which support and help fund community projects in all or part of 10 counties in northeast Pennsylvania, are sponsoring a virtual silent auction online starting Monday, Feb. 1, and culminating at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 14, with numerous donated items up for bid throughout the process. Visit Trellis.org/RotaryAuction to see the variety of items up for bid. Participation from the public is welcome.
West Side
First Reformed Church, 33 Willow St., Plymouth, will hold a pre-order only soup sale from 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 6. Pre-order by calling 570-709-2149. Cost is $7 per quart, and $4 per pint. Selections include beef stew, broccoli and cheese, chicken soup, chili, white clam chowder, ham and bean, piggie, and vegetable beef. Event is take out only.
Swoyersville residents are reminded the 2021 recycling stickers are currently available for purchase. The deadline to purchase the 2021 recycling sticker is Feb. 28. Cost is $25. Stickers can be purchased at the Swoyersville Borough Building from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; Rich’s Service Station, 655 Main St., and Hospodar’s Garage, 260 Shoemaker St., during their normal business hours. Residents can also mail in payment with a self-addressed, stamped envelope included to the Swoyersville Borough Building, 675 Main St., Swoyersville. There will also be mailboxes at the front and rear of the borough building. Residents can place a payment there, check or money order only, no cash, but must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the payment.
Officials of the Pittston Memorial Library have been been working on several initiatives that relate to the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren( GRG) demographic in the Pocono-Northeast. A grant program from the AllOne Foundation includes several activities that are important to serving the GRG community, including a new website established several months ago to meet the needs of GRG families. The website is grgnepa.org, and includes information that can benefit regional GRG families. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania started the hotline, Kin Connector, in the state, which facilitates opportunities to engage in efforts to meet the needs of GRG families. The All One Foundation grant program will also help expand the number of support groups in the region, publish a directory of services for GRG families, expand the number of coalition participants, organize and hold at least five focus group meetings to extend the role of the coaliation, use a new brochure to market the work of the coalition and extend information about GRG families in the region, prepare news releases for print and electronic media, and more. For information on GRG, contact Howard Grossman, 570-262-3443 or email [email protected].
Al-Anon meets at 7 p.m. every Thursday at the Brick United Methodist Church, Foote Avenue, Duryea. This is a 12 step program for friends and relatives of addicts and alcoholics. There are no dues or fees. All are welcome.
Back Mountain
The Back Mountain Food Pantry is open and continues to serve residents of the Dallas and Lake-Lehman school districts. The Back Mountain Food Pantry works in conjunction with CEO and the Weinberg Food Bank. The food pantry is located in the lower level of the Trucksville Methodist Church Educational Building, Knob Road, Trucksville. Call 570-696-2917 for information. Donations of nonperishable food may be dropped off at Hilbert’s Tractor Store in Dallas, Cook’s Pharmacy in Shavertown, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Dallas during regular business hours. Persons interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact the pantry.
Wyoming area
West Pittston Borough residents are advised of changes to the recycling pickup. Recyclables will now be picked up on Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday’s pickup includes both sides of Montgomery Avenue south to the Exeter line, and Thursday’s pickup will be the remainder of the town.
