n Coaldale: Christ the Redeemer Church, 151 Third St., will offer free meals to the public on Thursday. The church also offered such meals Dec. 18 and 20. For more information, call Pastor Marie Terry at 570-645-6121.
n Coaldale: Guests from the Tamaqua Community Arts Center performed Christmas carols Dec. 17 during a meeting of the Panther Valley Women's Club at the Viennese Villa Restaurant. Anyone with an interest in local civic activities, helping fellow citizens joining the club should contact Kathy at 570-645-5758 or Karen at 570-645-3507 for more information. People must be 18 or older to join.
n Schuylkill Haven: A "Souper Saturday" is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Meck Knitting Mill building, 101 W. Main St. It's a soup-cooking contest and folks should bring their best homemade soup for tasting to kick off Souper Bowl weekend. The public will decide who is the best cook. Shops at the Meck site include Loafers' Glory and 12 other boutiques. For more information, call 570-385-2700 or email to info@loafersglorypa.com.
n Schuylkill Haven: A concert by the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Feb. 17 at Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 252 Dock St. For more information, call 570-943-2558 or go online to www.gabrielensemble.org. The public is welcome to attend.
n Shenandoah: The revitalization group Downtown Shenandoah Inc., 116 N. Main St., has resumed its monthly soup sale fundraisers, with the next sales set for Jan. 10 and Feb. 14. A variety of soups will be available and everyone is welcome to participate. The all-day sales will be held the second Thursday of the month into the spring. To order in advance, call 570-462-2060. Proceeds are used for DSI's ongoing downtown revitalization effort.
n Summit Hill: American Legion Post 316 sponsored a children's Christmas party on Dec. 15 at the post. Santa was on hand to greet youngsters and gave a Christmas stocking to each child. Youngsters also enjoyed hot dogs and soda.
n Tamaqua: The music department of the Tamaqua Area Middle School recently staged its annual holiday music program in the school auditorium. The Sixth-Grade Band, directed by Marsha Rodgers, performed during the show as did the Middle School General Chorus and the Middle School Select Chorus under the direction of John Buglio. Accompanists included Hannah Betz, Cailyn Joseph, Sirra Petrucci and Faith Roberts.
n Tamaqua: People who have thought about publishing their own local or regional publications, newsletters or e-zines will be interested in attending the Jan. 19 gathering of the Black Diamond Writers Network set for 10 a.m. to noon in the Tamaqua Public Library, 30 S. Railroad St. In a release, network spokeswoman Kathy Ruff said the featured speaker will be Kimberly S. Noel, editor of Lifestyles Over 50. A certified senior advisor and owner of Spectrum Senior Consultants, Noel will "share her story about how she transformed her experience and talent into a regional magazine designed for older adults," Ruff said in the release. Noel's college studies in journalism and media led her to work at WMGH/WLSH radio stations, Tamaqua and Lansford, and later in marketing for malls and nursing homes. She has been involved with many organizations over the years including local chambers of commerce, RSVP, Schuylkill Elder Abuse Prevention Alliance Inc. and the American Cancer Society. The Jan. 19 meeting will be followed by a critique session for those interested in sharing some of their work. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more about the network, call Ruff at 570-645-3059 or visit the Tamaqua Public Library website www.tamaquapubliclibrary.com. The network is a nonprofit organization.