The Stroller, Feb. 15, 2023: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley

Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number.

Seminar about veterans’ benefits set Saturday in Vandergrift

A free informational session for veterans with the Pittsburgh area American Legion Veterans Service Officer Steven Schott will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Vandergrift American Legion, 304 Custer Ave.

Topics will include how to file a VA claim, service-connected disabilities, pensions and dependency indemnity compensation. Updates will be available on the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT) Act of 2002 regarding burn pit legislation and Agent Orange.

Night at the races to aid police dog medical fund

A night at the races to benefit the medical expenses of Armstrong County Sheriff police dog Blak will be Feb. 25 at Kittanning Township Firehall, 13126 Route 422.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and races start at 7. General admission is $15; admission with a horse is $25, and includes food, beverages and mixers. There will be a basket raffle. For tickets, call 724-548-3277.

To make a donations, send a check made out to Armstrong County Sheriff K9 Fund to Armstrong County Sheriff’s Office, 500 E. Market St., Kittanning PA 16201. Blak has served the county for the past seven years and had back surgery recently.

Plum Meals On Wheels seeking volunteer drivers, packers

Plum Community Center is seeking volunteers to help with its Meals On Wheels program.

Help is needed Fridays from 8 to 9:30 a.m. to pack bags for local homebound seniors. Drivers are wanted from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays to distribute the meals. For details, contact Samantha at 412-744-4861 or slamorte@plumboro.com.

Calendar

Allegheny Township

Friday: Alle-Kiski Day Quilters and Sewers will meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Allegheny Township municipal building, 136 Community Building Road. Bring your project. No dues or fees. Free parking, lighting, tables and electrical outlets available. Bring a lunch and drinks. The group meets the first and third Friday of each month. Details: Pat, 724-601-3089.

Apollo

Today: A card party will be at 6:30 p.m. at St. James Parish activity center, 109 Owens View Drive. Groups of four players will be arranged. Games will include 500, bridge, cinch, pinochle, canasta or a game of your choice. A cash kitchen will be open and there will be table prizes and two 50-50 drawings. Admission: $5. Details: Linda, 724-882-8776.

Today: Apollo Memorial Library will host a family board game night from 5 to 7 p.m. at the library, 219 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Bring your game or play one of the library’s. Drop in anytime from 5 to 7 p.m. Details: 724-478-4214.

Wednesdays and Saturdays: Apollo Area Historical Society Museum, 317 N. Second St., is closed for the season. Visits are available by appointment. Appointments: 724-478-2849 or 724-212-9255.

Today: Apollo Hose Co. No. 2 will host bingo at 7 p.m. at the firehall, 325 N. Fourth St. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. There will be specials and wish jars. Details: 724-478-4831.

May 20: Apollo Events Committee is accepting reservations from vendors and food trucks for its annual May Daze celebration set for noon to 6 p.m. in Apollo Plaza. Cost: vendors, $25; food trucks, $50. Flea market spaces are available for $10. Rain date: May 21.

Arnold

Friday: St. Vladimir Church, 1610 Kenneth Ave., is accepting orders for its pierogi sale. Varieties: potato or sauerkraut. Pickup: 12:30 to 4 p.m. Fridays in the church social hall. Cost: $12 per dozen. Orders: 724-339-9257, 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Brackenridge

Today: Al-Anon will meet at 8 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 847 10th Ave. The group offers help and hope for families and friends of alcoholics.

Thursday: Bingo will begin at 7:15 p.m. at the American Legion, 845 First Ave.

Thursday: The Allegheny Valley Salvation Army and Community Center offers free grab and go lunches from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in parking lot at the center, 917 Brackenridge Ave. Free grocery items from Walmart and Aldi will be available. Everyone welcome.

Feb. 25: The American Legion Auxiliary will sponsor a soup cook-off from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the post, 845 First Ave. Bring your best soup in a slow cooker or roaster by 12:30 p.m., and your recipe if you wish to share it. Soup will be sold as a fundraiser for the auxiliary, takeout or dine in. Prizes will be awarded at 3 p.m. to the top three soups, as voted by people sampling. Public welcome to sample, vote and purchase soup. Entrant registration required. Details and registration: Anita, 412-860-6351.

Freeport

Today: The Thrift Store Clothing Ministry at Freeport United Methodist Church, 211 Fourth St., will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. All items are free, but donations will be accepted. Items available include clothing of all sizes, bedding and window items. Donations of clothing, shoes and boots welcome. Donations must be laundered and free from pet hair. Handicap accessible. Details: 724-295-3095.

March 2: St. Mary Mother of God Church will offer the free ALPHA program at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays for 12 weeks beginning March 2 at the church, 608 High St. The program will explore life, faith and meaning. There is no requirement to be a Catholic or Christian to attend. There will be a meal, a video presentation and a discussion each week. Details and reservations: stmaryfreeport.com.

Gilpin

Thursday: Gilpin Volunteer Fire Department will host bingo at 7:15 p.m. at the firehall, 113 Firehall Road.

Harrison

Today: Allegheny Valley Association of Churches Food Bank will be open from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at 1913 Freeport Road, Natrona Heights. Food bank participants can receive food allotments twice per month. Those who are not yet registered should come from 3 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Details and alternate times: 724-226-0606, ext. 10.

Today: Faith Lutheran Church, 1500 Broadview Blvd., will host a Becky’s Closet community clothing store from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church. Clothing available at very low cost. Donations welcome during this time.

Today: The Agape Thrift Shop at Grace United Methodist Church, 1333 Freeport Road, will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. Clean winter clothing in all sizes is needed. Bring donations on Wednesday or leave them on the front porch. Do not place donations in the blue bins behind the church.

Friday: Natrona Heights Veterans of Foreign Wars will have bingo at 7 p.m. at the post, 894 Veterans Lane. Doors open at 6 p.m., and there will be specials, a 50/50 raffle and final game jackpot.

Feb. 22: The Kitchen Sink Book Club at Community Library of Allegheny Valley will meet at 6 p.m. at the library, 1522 Broadview Blvd. The selection will be, “Carnegie’s Maid,” by Marie Benedict. Copies are available at the circulation desk. Details: 724-226-3491.

March 11: A comedy and magic show with dinner will be at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 894 Veterans Drive. Doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6. The show featuring Michael Misko will begin at 8 p.m. There will be a cash bar, pull tabs and a 50-50 raffle. Cost: $35. Tickets: Deb, 412-298-6175, or Michelle, 724-889-7136.

Jefferson

Thursday: Bingo will be at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion, 754 N. Pike Road. Doors open at 5 p.m. Under new management with higher payouts. The kitchen will be open. Proceeds benefit post and auxiliary projects.

Leechburg

Thursday: The free genealogy group at Leechburg Area Museum and Historical Society will meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the museum, 118 First St. Basic computer skills required. Ancestry.com and Newspaper.com are available. Details: Judy, 724-681-9154.

Thursday: A New Path Al-Anon Family Group, a free, confidential program for anyone whose life has been affected by someone else’s drinking, will meet at 7 p.m. online for the winter months. Details: tinyurl.com/yp6hd8zn.

New Kensington

Thursday: New Kensington Eagles Auxiliary Bingo will be at 7 p.m. at the aerie, 2134 Freeport Road. Doors open at 5 p.m. The kitchen will be open. Public welcome. Details: 724-448-7403.

Thursdays: The Secular Organization for Sobriety/Save Our Selves (SOS), a support group for people recovering from alcohol and drug abuse, will meet at 7 p.m. at Lost Dreams Awakening Recovery Community Center, 408 Eighth St. Details: 724-556-0737.

Saturday: The Community Clothes Closet, 1129 Kenneth Ave., will be open from noon to 2 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Items available include clothing for all members of the family, shoes and linens. First-time customers receive 15 free items. Winter clothing donations are welcome during business hours.

Feb. 24: Arnold Volunteer Engine No. 2 will host a night of wine or beer cupcake pairings from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Eagles, 2134 Freeport Road. Cost: $20, includes four cupcakes from Cora Lee Cupcakes and four 4-ounce beers from local breweries or four 4-ounce wines from Pa. and New York wineries. Advance tickets required by Feb. 17; no tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets: square.link/u/HmH18HQi.

Oakmont  

Today : Oakmont Carnegie Library will host a story time for children age 3 to 5 with their caregiver from 10:30 to 11 a.m. at the library, 700 Allegheny River Blvd. The theme will be winter sports. Each child will receive a themed craft bag to take home. Reservations recommended. Reservations: visit the calendar section at oakmontlibrary.org.

O’Hara

Today: Fox Chapel Area High School will host a Vitalant community blood drive from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the high school large group instruction room, 611 Field Club Road. Appointments recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Must be at least 16 years old. Appointments: visit donateblood.centralbloodbank.org and use group code HS010025 or contact Rachel Machen at 412-209-7000.

Parks

Thursday: Parks Township Sportsman Club Association will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the club, 1111 Shipman Road. New members welcome.

Springdale 

Feb. 22: The Wacky Wednesday program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade will meet at 6 p.m. at Springdale Free Public Library, 331 School St. The evening will be a movie night featuring the film, “The Princess and the Frog,” rated G. Registration required. Registration: 724-274-9729.

Tarentum

Today: The Elks will host bingo at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge, 219 E. Sixth Ave. The kitchen is open to the public from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Menu: elks644.org/elks-kitchen-1. Orders: 724-226-1644 by 8:15 p.m.

Thursday: The free diaper bank at Highlands Family Center, 415 E. Fourth Ave., will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. One distribution per child per month is available. Details: 724-224-9006.

Weekdays: Free food and hygiene items are available at Highlands Family Center, 415 E. Fourth Ave., suite 12. Hours: noon to 8 p.m. Mondays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Details: 724-224-9006.

Vandergrift

February: Vandergrift Public Library, 128C Washington Ave., will have a $3 per bag book sale through the end of February at the library. Bags will be provided. Audio books, DVDs and puzzles are excluded from the bag sale and will be sold buy one, get one free.

March 31: Vandergrift Public Library is raffling a quilt made and donated by library patron Jane Strohm to benefit the library. Cost: $1 each; 5 for 10; and $10 for 25 tickets. The drawing will be March 31. Cash, check or PayPal accepted. Details and a photo of the quilt: Vandergriftpubliclibrary.org. Tickets: stop in at the library, 128C Washington Ave.

Washington Township

Today: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 6 p.m. at Union Presbyterian Church, 656 Route 380.

Friday: Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company will have bingo at 7 p.m. at the firehall, 4078 Route 66. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and sales start at 6 p.m. Free coffee. The kitchen will be open. Players must be at least 18 or accompanied by an adult.

West Deer

Wednesdays: Good Samaritan Hospice, a mission of Concordia Lutheran Ministries, will host a grief support group from 4 to 5 p.m. March 1 to 29 at Highpointe at Rebecca, 1871 Highpointe Lane. A virtual group will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Fridays March 3 to 31. Reservations required by Feb. 24. . Reservations: Brittany Foy, 800-720-2557, ext. 4428.