n Fountain Springs: "Peace on Earth," the Christmas program by students of Trinity Academy in the Father Walter J.Ciszek Education Center, Shenandoah, will be performed at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the former Cardinal Brennan High School Fieldhouse. The presentation will feature children in preschool through eighth grade and the public is urged to attend. There is no admission charge, but goodwill donations will be accepted. The concession stand will be open at 5:30 p.m. for the purchase of food and refreshments prior to the presentation.
n McAdoo: Keystone Fire Company No. 1 will hold a food sale from noon to 6 p.m. today at the firehouse, Grant and Hancock streets. The cost of plain pizza is $8 per pan. Available toppings include bacon, sausage, pepperoni, sweet peppers and mushrooms at $1 extra per topping. Also available are steak-and-cheese pizza at $12 per pan and chicken cheese and steak and cheese hoagies at $5 each. To order for pickup or delivery, call the firehouse at 570-929-1696.
n McAdoo: Officers of the McAdoo Community Civic Association - Matt Capulich, Robert Kasarda, Theresa Gronsky and Mary Labert - recently thanked VFW Post 6708 for its donation to the Litchko, Saxon and Hinkle families in memory of the former chief, Joseph Litchko Jr., to the Christmas lighting fund. Litchko was always a supporter of the McAdoo Community Civic Association, which is accepting contributions for the fund. There are still several streets where volunteers are needed to pass out envelopes. The streets are in Kelayres and include First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth streets and North Street. Anyone who lives on any of those streets and can pass out the envelopes to neighbors should contact Theresa at 570-929-3043 or Mary at 570-929-3658.
n Pine Grove: In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, the Pine Grove Area High School Guidance Department will host a free financial aid night for students and families from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the high school auditorium. Parents and students will learn what they need to do to apply for all types of financial aid, including completing the FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid - which is required to qualify for most student aid programs such as the Pennsylvania State Grant, Federal Pell Grant, institutional awards and low-cost federal student and parent loans. Participants will also be briefed on Pennsylvania-specific aid programs as well as the importance of searching out free money awards like scholarships to help pay for education costs.
n Shenandoah: The Shenandoah Valley Chapter of the National Honor Society is continuing its effort to assist families of American service personnel by participating in the Coups for Troops program. According to a release, the idea was conceived by a stay-at-home mom who tried to stretch her family budget by couponing. Encouraged by the savings and being a strong supporter of the military, she decided to embark on a similar program that would benefit families of American service personnel who are deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations around the world. In the release, honor society co-advisers Rebecca Tite and Judi Ashford said students from Shenandoah Valley are asking the public to assist them by donating product coupons, even expired coupons, which they will send to military families for worldwide distribution. Various retailers and overseas commissaries have agreed to honor all current and expired coupons to enable these families to get basic necessities at more affordable prices. Coupons can be given to any SV student or dropped off at the Shenandoah Area Public Library, 15 W. Washington St.; the downtown center of the revitalization group Downtown Shenandoah Inc., 116 N. Main St.; Catizone's Barber Shop in the Capitol Theater Building, North Main Street, or the Shenandoah Valley High School Library. The supplemental coupons that appear in The Republican-Herald and Standard-Speaker are the types needed for the program as well as coupons from magazines and other publications, according to the release. For more information about the project contact Tite at titer@svbluedevils.org or call 462-1957 or log onto www.coupsfortroops.com Shipment will be made prior to Christmas so the collection deadline is Monday.