n Ashland: Members of the Ashland Area Rotary Club have been informed about several activities, including the annual Giving Thanks Dinner held Nov. 10 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. The club provided a Thanksgiving-style dinner with all the trimmings to about 75 people who may not have had the opportunity to experience the traditional holiday dinner. Members thanked Rotarian Jill Moeller for coordinating the event, Sister Elizabeth Keely and the Friends of St. Joseph for helping and Sandy Miller for roasting the turkeys. They also thanked Wegmans Distribution Center, Highridge Industrial Park, for its contribution. Rotary District Governor Jim Eberly has challenged each club in District 7360 to sponsor at least one Shelter Box during this Rotary year. The Ashland club has sponsored shelter boxes in the past and the goal is to provide another one this year. Members are being encouraged to donate to the cause before Friday. Fudge for the club's sale was made in the kitchen at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Plans are being made for a trip to see Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble's production of "A Christmas Carol" at 3 p.m. Sunday. The cost is $20 per person and $15 for senior citizens. Attendees will carpool to the event. After the show, dinner will be an option at a restaurant in the Bloomsburg area. A club Christmas party is planned for 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Mineshaft Café, Ashland. It will feature a family-style dinner. The cost is $20 per person for the full-course meal. Also, all attendees are to bring a wrapped $5 gift to be used in the exchange game. Reservations are required by Wednesday by contacting President Frank Birster. The Ashland club was chartered on June 3, 1938, and plans for the 75th anniversary dinner to be held on June 2, 2013, are being considered. Regular meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. every Wednesdays at the Mineshaft Café. Due to the holidays, there will be no meetings Dec. 26 and Jan. 2.
n Eckley: Eckley Miners' Village will hold its annual children's Christmas program from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2. In a press release, Eckley's Karen Esak said children will enjoy an afternoon of Christmas cheer with story-telling, arts and crafts, a wagon tour of the village and a visit from St. Nicholas. The program is suggested for children ages 5 to 12. There are admission fees and reservations are required by Wednesday. For reservations or additional information, call 570-636-2070.
n Shenandoah: Food donations are still needed at the offices of parishes, which provide packages of groceries and diapers to local people in need. Donations of nonperishable food items can be deposited in any of the Catholic churches on weekends, in boxes provided in the foyers/vestibules. Examples of useful items include tuna, Spam, canned meats, powdered milk, peanut butter and jelly, cereal and similar fare. The offices of parishes are at 129 S. Jardin St. and 108 W. Cherry St. They serve Annunciation BVM, St. George, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Mary Magdalen, St. Stanislaus, St. Stephen and St. Casimir Roman Catholic parishes.
n Shenandoah: Organizers Bill Cuff, Desiree Alsvan, Sara and Jeff Maksimik and Mark Mikita are planning for the Santa Trot 2012, to be held Dec. 15. According to Betty Ann Bugden, secretary of the Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce, the trotters will share proceeds from the trot with the chamber and another group. To participate in the trot, tickets are required and a few remain available. Anyone wanting tickets should contact any of the organizers, Bugden said. The trot involves the safe visiting of local bars/taverns by the group.
n Tamaqua: The Black Diamond Writers' Network will stage a roundtable discussion regarding 2013 writing goals from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 15 and the Tamaqua Public Library, 30 S. Railroad St. Network spokeswoman Kathy Ruff said the discussion will help writers "whittle away at the projects close to your heart." A holiday get-together will follow the event. For more information about the Black Diamond Writers' Network, call Ruff at 570-645-3059 or visit the Tamaqua Public Library website at www.tamaquapubliclibrary.com.