The Stroller, April 1, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley

Send cancellations to The Stroller

The Stroller will publish news of cancellations and events that will still occur in the upcoming days.

If your non-profit has to cancel or change an event or is helping members of the public, please send information to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com.

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Send information of charitable events to The Stroller

Is your company or organization making or collecting equipment for health professionals? Is your club or church going to sponsor a community blood drive?

The Stroller will publish information about community drives and collections at Triblive.com. Send information to vndnews@tribweb.com.

Small Acts of Kindness

Don and Dolly Peck of New Kensington would like to thank Russell Waltz for his thoughtfulness regarding their well-being and needs.

Send a short, one-paragraph note highlighting someone and how they helped you or brightened your day with your name and town/township to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com.

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North Apollo VFD accepting donations

North Apollo Volunteer Fire Department is seeking donations of N95 masks, hand soap, hand sanitizer and medical gloves to protect members as they respond to calls.

To make arrangements to contribute, call 724-422-0337 or message their Facebook page at facebook.com/NAVFD170/.

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Community blood drive planned April 11 in New Kensington

A community blood drive will be from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 11 in the social hall of United Presbyterian Church of New Kensington, 601 Fifth Ave.

All donors must make an appointment. No walk-ins will be accepted due to social distancing requirements.

To make an appointment, call 800-733-3767 or visit redcrossblood.org and use the sponsor code tupcnk.

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PATH food bags for children to be distributed in Leechburg

PATH program weekend food bags for Leechburg Area School District students may be picked up from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays or 9 to 11 a.m. Fridays at the office entrance of Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church, 271 Main St., Leechburg.

For questions, call the church at 724-845-1901.

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Rep. Petrarca and staff continue to provide services

State Rep. Joseph Petrarca and his staff will continue to provide services to residents remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Petrarca’s district includes Parks Township, Apollo, Leechburg, Saltsburg, Bell, Washington Township, Avonmore, East Vandergrift, Hyde Park, Oklahoma Borough, Vandergrift and West Leechburg.

Residents can contact staff members at the following offices, emails and telephone numbers:

• Harrisburg, Kristen Bernard at kbernard@pahouse.net, 717-787-5142

• Derry, Gina Scheller at gscheller@pahouse.net, 724-694-5298

• Vandergrift, Jillian Olszewski at jolszewski@pahouse.net, and Leslie Ziemianski at lziemianski@pahouse.net, 724-567-6982

Additional resources are available visiting his website here: https://www.pahouse.com/Petrarca/News/?id=113189.

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Cancellations

All events listed below are canceled unless otherwise noted:

Apollo

Thursday: Apollo Area Historical Society meeting is cancelled. The museum will remain closed until at least May 2. The Society has rescheduled the April 5 program about trolleys to be at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at the WCTU Building, 317 N. Second St.

Arnold

Thursdays: Services at Arnold Towers are canceled.

Arnold United Methodist Church: All meetings, activities and services are canceled.

Brackenridge

• The borough office is closed to the public, but is accepting telephone calls during normal business hours. Payments will be accepted by mail or through the mail slot. The Easter Egg Hunt is cancelled.

Buffalo Township

• Nar-Anon meetings at Generations House of Worship are canceled. Details: Laurie, 724-895-3385

Butler

Butler Lions Club has canceled the April membership and board meetings and the following events: the April 18 Adopt-A-Highway, the sausage sale and Mother’s Day rose sale. Membership meetings are tentatively scheduled to resume May 5.

Cheswick

April 11: The Cheswick-Springdale Lions Club Easter Egg hunt is canceled. Monthly club meetings are canceled.

Fawn

Saturday: The Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Center United Methodist Church is canceled.

Fox Chapel

April 14: The Fox Chapel Area Branch of The American Association of University Women meeting

Gilpin

The nut roll bake sale at Christ the King Parish is postponed and will be rescheduled.

Harrison

• Allegheny Valley Association of Churches office is closed. Anyone who needs assistance can call 724-226-0606. Tax appointments will be rescheduled.

Saturday: The Harrison Township Easter egg hunt

Tuesday: The Highlands Relay for Life meeting is canceled. The May 2 Night at the Races is postponed possibly until September.

April 25: The Earth Day Clean-up is postponed.

Leechburg

Leechburg Recycling Center is closed. There will be no pick-ups or drop-offs until further notice. No materials should be dropped off in front of the recycling center gate.

First United Methodist Church: worship services are canceled until further notice.

April 9: The Leechburg Public Library Board meeting is canceled.

Friday: The fish fries at Leechburg Volunteer Fire Department are canceled for the rest of the season.

Mondays: The GriefShare group sessions at First Evangelical Lutheran Church are postponed and will be rescheduled.

Lower Burrell

• The City of Lower Burrell Egg Hunt

• Entertainment and events at the Veterans of Foreign Wars are canceled and the club is closed.

Bethesda Evangelical Lutheran Church: is closed for all activities and services.

New Kensington

Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church has canceled all Sunday services and church activities. Food bank service for April is canceled.

St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church is closed for all services, fundraisers and activities.

Mondays, Tuesday and Saturdays: The Community Clothes Closet will be closed.

Thursday: New Kensington Hill Neighborhood Watch will not meet.

Fridays: The vegan Lenten lunches at St. George Orthodox Church are canceled.

Parks Township

May 2: Parks Township Sportsman’s Association has canceled the Kids Fishing Day.

Penn Hills 

Saturday: The annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the William McKinley Citizens Center

Plum

Plum Community Center is closed and all events canceled. Meals on Wheels will continue as scheduled. Those over 60 who are food insecure or rely on the daily lunch can continue to pick up Congregant Lunch provided by the county on a take-out basis only. Pick-ups will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Lunches must be ordered a day in advance by calling 412-795-2330.

Oakmont

Riverview Community Action Corp. is closed for all activities except home delivered meals. Questions: 412-828-1062

Saxonburg

Monday: The GFWC Saxonburg District Woman’s Club meeting and the board meeting

South Buffalo

Friday: The South Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department Fish Fry is canceled.

Tarentum

• BridgePoint Church: Activities at the church, including the grief support group, and the children’s food and fun event are canceled. A live stream of the Sunday church service will be on Facebook Live.

• Saturday: The Rabies Clinic at Summit Hose Company is canceled, and will be rescheduled in the fall.

April 14: The Produce to People distribution is canceled. The food bank at Allegheny Valley Association of churches will be open from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday. Food will be bagged in advance.

• Tarentum Eagles is closed.

• Tarentum Elks Lodge is closed. Entertainment, bingo and the May 2 cash bash are canceled.

• Veterans of Foreign Wars is closed and there will be no Friday night bar bingo.

• The Heritage Museum will be closed to visitors until further notice. Details: AKVHS.org or 724-224-7666

Vandergrift

St. Gertrude Church spaghetti dinners are canceled until further notice.

Vandergrift Public Library: the due date for all materials that have been checked out has been extended to April 13. If you log into your online account and notice an item with a different due date, please contact the library. The Book Drop is closed. Keep all materials until the library reopens. Tax forms have now been placed into the Little Free Library since the library is closed. AARP Tax Appointments have been postponed and representatives will contact clients directly who have an upcoming appointment.

April 21: The Miss Freddye and Musicians in Unity concert at the Casino Theater is canceled. For refunds, call 724-567-5049 if paid by cash or check. Credit card refunds will be issued to your card.

Washington Township

Sunday: The Spring Swap meet at Washington Township Volunteer Fire Hall is canceled. All hall rentals are postponed.

April 18: The Star Party planned by the Amateur Astronomy Association of Pittsburgh is canceled.

West Deer

Sunday: The Easter Egg Hunt planned by the township Parks and Recreation Board is canceled.

East Union Presbyterian Church: all services and activities are canceled, except for West Deer Food Bank and Meals To Go distributions.