The Stroller, April 24, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley

Did your neighbor call and check on you, or bring a mask or groceries? The Stroller wants to recognize those around us who are performing small acts of kindness for others during this stressful time.

Send a short, one-paragraph note highlighting someone and how they helped you, your family or your organization to The Stroller at vndnews@tribweb.com.

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Donations being accepted for Freeport Food Bank

Donations to benefit the Freeport Food Bank can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily in the fellowship hall at St. Mary Church, 608 High St., Freeport.

Items needed most include cleaning products, personal care items and non-perishable food.

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Presbyterian SeniorCare Network welcomes greetings for residents

Times are tough for all of us, but especially for those in personal care homes and assisted living facilities who can’t see their families.

Presbyterian SeniorCare Network has started a new program, Rays of Sunshine, to allow members of the public to send an encouraging note or card to residents of their facilities.

To specify a specific resident or facility, please include a note with your greeting.

For the Oakmont campus, including The Willows, Westminster Place and Woodside Place, send greetings to:

Presbyterian SeniorCare Network
c/o Rays of Sunshine
1215 Hulton Road
Oakmont PA 15139

For Longwood at Oakmont, send cards to:

Longwood at Oakmont
c/o Rays of Sunshine
500 Route 909
Verona PA 15147

All submissions will be reviewed by Presbyterian SeniorCare Network for content before being passed out to residents.

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Goodwill offering no-contact donation process

Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania has opened no-contact, self-service donation areas at each of their local stores.

No-contact areas were developed to allow the public to make donations while still observing social distance guidelines and were approved by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

To donate, drive up to a self-service area and place items in the specially marked bins or donations areas. A QR code that can be scanned will be posted at the site to request a donation receipt.

Local locations are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and located at 1306 Pittsburgh St., Cheswick; 4612 William Penn Highway, Murrysville; and 4005 Freeport Road, Natrona Heights, Harrison.

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Armstrong public defender applications available online

Applications for the services of the Armstrong County Public Defender are now online and applications can be mailed, faxed or returned by email, according to Chief Public Defender Chuck Pascal.

Applications can be accessed by clicking here.

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Donations for local veterans being accepted at Natrona Heights VFW

Natrona Heights Veterans of Foreign Wars is collecting non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies and personal care products for local veterans.

Contributions can be dropped off in the pavilion located behind the post at 894 Veterans Lane, Harrison.

Purchases for donation can be made online at Walmart.com. When checking out, select the pickup store as the Natrona Heights location and list Joe Musco as the alternate pickup person. Include his cell number: 724-443-6829.

For questions, call Musco at 724-443-6829 or Heather at 724-980-6572.

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Calendar

Apollo-Ridge School District

Monday: Apollo-Ridge School Board will conduct the regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. online via Zoom. To join the meeting, visit Zoom.us or call 646-558-8656 and use the meeting ID 983-2782-9377 and password 732306. Phone toll charges may apply.

Harrison

Harrison Township Water Authority has begun to flush water hydrants in the township. The project will take several weeks. Customers may experience low pressure and should test water before doing laundry or making coffee because it may be discolored. Details: call the authority at 724-226-2500, ext. 2.

Plum School District

Wednesday: Plum School Board will meet at 7 p.m. online. Instructions for how to join the meeting electronically will be posted 24 hours before the meeting at pbsd.net/meetingagendaandminutes.aspx.

Springdale

Through May 8: Springdale Borough will conduct the hydrant flushing program. Customers may experience discoloration of water and should test water before doing laundry or making coffee. If the discoloration persists for a long period of time, call the water department at 724-274-9414.

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Cancellations and changes

Allegheny Township

May 17: The free Fishing Derby at Northmoreland Park that was planned by the Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and Recreation is canceled, as are all park facility reservations for April and May.

Apollo

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

Arnold

Recycling collection has been suspended until further notice. All garbage and recycling items can be placed out for the garbage crew to collect. All items must be in a bag and tied up. No loose items will be picked up.

Thursdays: Worship services at Arnold Towers are canceled.

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

Bell

June 20: The craft and vendor fair planned at Bell Township Volunteer Fire Hall is 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.

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.

Freeport

May 25: The Freeport Memorial Day observance is canceled.

Harrison 

May 16: The Touch A Truck event is canceled.

June 20: The Burtner House Strawberry Festival is canceled. Burtner House Restoration Society meetings are canceled until further notice.

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

Indiana Township

June 6: The annual Rural Ridge Community Reunion is canceled.

Leechburg

May 9: The borough cleanup day is postponed and may be rescheduled. The borough crew will not pick up lawn waste because the roll off boxes used to put the waste in are not available at this time.

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.

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

Lower Burrell

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

May 9: The Burrellton Garden Club May Mart is canceled.

May 16: The Animal Protectors Hearts for Strays luncheon at Hill Crest Country Club is canceled.

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

McCandless

Sunday: The Allegheny Health Network Esophageal Cancer Awareness 5K Walk and Run that was to begin at the North Park Boat House is canceled.

New Kensington

May 3: The Ladies Afternoon Tea planned at Knead Community Café is postponed and will be rescheduled. Tickets already purchased and sponsorships will be honored on the new date. Ticket holders who want a refund should call Paula at 878-847-7997.

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.

Parks Township

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

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

May 21: The Mingle On Main event is canceled.

Springdale

Springdale High School Alumni Association meetings are suspended until further notice. The Monte Carlo night planned for April 25 has been rescheduled to Oct. 3.

Sept. 12: Springdale Volunteer Fire Department has rescheduled the May Cash Bash to be Sept. 12. Current tickets will be honored in September and the Progressive 50/50 will be drawn. Please hold on to your tickets. The fire department thanks you for your understanding and support and urges everyone to stay safe.

Sept. 13: The Spring Fling Craft and Vendor fair planned for March 29 has been rescheduled to be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 13 in the borough building gymnasium, 325 School St. Vendor applications are available at springdaleborough.com or by emailing springdaleboro@hotmail.com

Springdale Township

May 8: The Bingo Bash planned by Allegheny Valley Volunteer Fire Co. is postponed. Tickets will be honored when the event is rescheduled. Refunds will be issued to those who can’t attend when it is rescheduled. The fire company thanks you for your understanding.

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.

• 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

May 9: The Age of Aquarius show planned at the Casino Theater has been rescheduled to be at 2 p.m. Aug. 30 at the theater. Tickets already purchased will be honored in August. For refunds, email jlo129@live.com.

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. 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.

West Deer

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

Sitting at home all day, many of us are asking ourselves how we can help others during this pandemic. Read The Stroller daily for announcements of how everyone can ease the pressure and stress of others, even while maintaining social distancing. Information for The Stroller should be emailed to vndnews@tribweb.com.