n Elizabethville: The Upper Dauphin Area School District welcomed several new staff members for the 2012-13 school year, including: Jennifer Unverdorben, first grade; Renee Forney, part-time nurse; Brittany Foor, elementary reading specialist teacher; Danielle Schiavoni, middle school social studies teacher; Tricia Britton, middle school science teacher; Sara Bowman, elementary art teacher; Blake Dutweiler, middle school technology education teacher, and John Rosselli, food service manager, Nutrition Inc. Several staff members have assumed new roles. Mary Bateman has been named business manager and board secretary, replacing Daniel Frake, who returned to the classroom as a middle school computer technology teacher. Bateman had served as payroll clerk/administrative secretary to the business manager. Brenda Bingaman assumed duties as payroll clerk/administrative secretary to the business manager and newly hired Sherry Morgan serves as the district office secretary. Bingaman previously served as the district office secretary. Danielle Schiavoni has assumed duties as head coach of the girls' soccer team while Blake Dutweiler serves as an assistant football coach. R.J. Gilgore has been named head coach of the junior high girls' basketball team and Brent Bell was promoted to head football coach after many years of services as an assistant. Meal prices for the 2012-13 school year are as folows: High school/middle school lunch, $2.10; elementary lunch, $1.85; adult lunch, $3.15; breakfast districtwide, $1.05; adult breakfast, $1.60.
n Kaska: The Kaska Fire Company's annual car show and Chinese auction will begin at noon Oct. 6 and run throughout the day. Registration will be from noon to 3 p.m. with awards at 6 p.m. There will be live music and refreshments plus fireworks at dusk.
n Orwigsburg: The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce is planning to "recognize, honor and thank" U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-17, for his "20 years of service to Schuylkill County and his congressional district." The event is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Schuylkill Country Club, 877 W. Market St. The cost, $25 per person, includes hors d'oeuvres, pasta station, carving station and beverage tickets. Reservations are required. To RSVP or for more information, call the chamber office at 570-622-1942 or, toll-free, 800-755-1942.
n Schuylkill Haven: A health and wellness fair - free and open to the public - will be held at Penn State Schuylkill campus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday. Among the vendors will be the American Cancer Society, Barnes & Noble book store, Child and Family Support Services, Zen Yoga Studio and the Schuylkill Racquet Club. The event will include blood pressure screenings, balance testing, yoga, healthy dating, sexual assault and suicide prevention. Parking will be available in the student lot to the left of University Drive. For more information, contact CeCe Boran, R.N., at 570-385-6248 or via email at cmb21@psu.edu.
n Tamaqua: The Tamaqua Area School District, Tamaqua Elementary PTO and West Penn Elementary PTO have partnered with the National Character Education Foundation to host Jon Pritikin, founder of "Feel the Power," a program that addresses bullying and peer pressure. Presentations are scheduled as follows: 9 a.m. Tamaqua Elementary, 10:30 a.m. West Penn Elementary, 1 p.m. West Penn Elementary on Monday; 8 a.m. Tamaqua Middle School, 10 a.m. Rush Elementary, 1 p.m. Rush Elementary on Tuesday. Pritikin, one of the world's strongest men, according to a district press release, will address students on the benefits of good character and will share his "compelling and adventurous story" of how he overcame a speech problem, childhood hardships and being bullied. He will encourage students to be kind to each other and warn them about the harm bullying and disrespecting each other can bring. He will also engage in feats of strength such as bending metal pipes and rolling up frying pans like burritos, for which he is listed in the "2009 Guinness Book of World Records." For more information on the foundation, go to its website at www.ncef.net.