The Stroller, April 25, 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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New Kensington to resume recycling collection Monday

The City of New Kensington will resume curbside pick up of recyclables starting Monday.

Residents should follow these guidelines:

• If someone in your household has been sick, is quarantined or has tested positive for COVID-19, please hold your recycling at home for 14 days before placing it at the curb.

• Do not place items that may be contaminated at the curb. Protect yourself, your neighbors and your community.

City officials would like to thank residents for their patience during the temporary disruption of service.

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Emergency food available at New Kensington Salvation Army

The Salvation Army in New Kensington is distributing food to residents through its pantry at 1101 Fifth Ave., New Kensington.

Anyone in need should ring the bell to the door by the parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and food will be given out safely. Appointments are encouraged.

Donations of non-perishable food can be taken to the pantry during the same hours. To make an appointment and for details, call 724-335-7221.

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Vandergrift Veterans of Foreign Wars collecting for needy veterans

Vandergrift Veterans of Foreign Wars is accepting donations of non-perishable food items, personal hygiene productions and grocery store gift cards for project Pa. Serves.

Donations can be dropped into the bin between the entry way doors. The outer door is unlocked.

Veterans in need can sign up for the program by calling 1-855-838-7744.

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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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Free Tele-CareGivers program offered by Concordia

Lutheran Ministries is accepting new clients and volunteers for its free service called Tele-CareGivers.

Volunteers make brief daily telephone calls from 8 to 10 a.m. weekdays to individuals and make sure that they can answer the phone, and then have a brief chat.

The average client is someone who is homebound or elderly, ill or disabled, is typically awake and functioning by 8:30 a.m. and understands that the volunteer has other people to call and can only speak with them for a few minutes per day. Clients can begin and end the service at any time.

Volunteers are someone who doesn’t usually leave home before 10 a.m., has a good telephone demeanor, enjoys talking to people and is able to recognize if a client is having a problem, then react appropriately to their training.

The program conducts routine background checks on all potential volunteers and each volunteer is then assigned one or two clients. If a volunteer can’t reach a client, they call the Tele-Caregivers staff, who takes over from there.

For information on how to volunteer or take advantage of this free program, call Ellen Milich at 724-352-6260.

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Redemption Church distributing free care packages

Redemption Church in Lower Burrell is providing free care packages of non-perishable food, toiletries and everyday use items to anyone in need.

Bags will be delivered by request. To request a package, call or text 724-680-0460 or email fred@redemptionpa.org.

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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.

Harmar

Thursday: Harmar Township Zoning Hearing Board will hold a public hearing via Zoom at 7 p.m. to consider a dimensional variance request from SP IV Harmar LL. Instructions for joining the meeting will be posted at least 24 hours before the meeting at the township website, harmartownship-pa.gov/.

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 sausage sale and Mother’s Day rose sale.

Freeport

May 25: The Freeport Memorial Day observance is canceled.

Lower Burrell

Monday: The Lower Burrell Parks Commission meeting 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.