COMMUNITY DIGEST: March 20, 2025

Greater Hazleton Area

Hazleton Area Garden Club meeting: 6 p.m. Thursday, March 20. Hazle Twp. Commons Building. Garden Club members Raffael Billet and Ross Graham will discuss the upcoming “Tea Time in Paris” on Sept. 21 at Sand Springs, Drums. The design for the evening is “Don’t Stifel the Eiffel,” an NGC Creative Line Design. Horticulture I: Forced Bulbs, Horticulture II: Forced Branch from 12 inches to a maximum of 30 inches, Horticulture III: Anything Special.  Workshop for  April: NGC Tubular Design by President Barbara Grosso.

Cranberry Quilt Guild meeting: 6 p.m. Monday, March 24. Faith United Church of Christ, 21 Faith Drive, Hazle Twp. Annual dues can be paid. Winter projects for members included comfort teddy bears that will be donated to first responders for children experiencing trauma, and bingo squares; these items should be brought to the March meeting. Other projects are in the works and will reach fruition in April; upcoming activities to be discussed. The first meeting will entail a budget review for 2025 and a planned update to the guild by-laws. Show and tell will be held along with the monthly fat quarter raffle. March color is green.

Hazleton Academy of Arts and Humanities Student Exhibition: March 28 to 30. Hayden Family Center for the Arts, 31 W. Broad St., Hazleton. Opening reception, 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 28. For information, visit www.hazletonartleague.org or call 570-455-3333.

Victims Resource Center’s 40th Annual Geranium Sale: Order deadline, Friday, April 25; pickup, May 6 in Tunkhannock, May 7 in Wilkes-Barre, and May 8 in Lehighton. Red or pink, $5. Benefits services for victims of crime and prevention efforts throughout Luzerne, Wyoming and Carbon counties. To order, visit www.vrcnepa.org. Orders of 25 or more plants to one location can be delivered at no cost. For information, contact 570-823-0766, ext. 107, or geraniums@vrcnepa.org.

United Way of Greater Hazleton hosts Bingo Bonanza: Doors open 1 p.m.; games, 2 p.m. Sunday, April 27. Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. Gift card prizes, 20 games, four specials, refreshments and more. Tickets, $25 in advance; $30 at the door. Sponsorship opportunities available; call Sheryl at 570-455-9515, ext. 205. To purchase tickets, visit www.unitedwayhazleton.org.

Mother’s Day Luncheon for Bereaved Mothers: Registration, 9:30 a.m.; event, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 3. Sand Spring Golf Country Club, Drums. Hot buffet style lunch. Guest speaker, Megan Velo-Zorzi, Psy.D., M.Ed. of Red Bird Metal Health. Tickets, $40; advance sales only. To RSVP, contact Jacquie st 570-262-3793 or email nepalovemom@gmail.com. Mothers invited to display a cherished item on the remembrance table. This event is designed for women who have experienced the loss of a child. Grandmothers, sisters and other female friends welcome; we are unable to accommodate children.

Barnesville

Ryan Twp. Fire Co. Auxiliary’s roast beef dinner: Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 23. Tickets, $12. See any member for tickets; takeout only.

Beaver Meadows

Annual palm cross sale: Order deadline, Sunday, March 30. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Second Street, Beaver Meadows. Handmade by the parishioners of St. Paul’s, available in either Roman, $13; or Byzantine, $17; for door or cemetery. Dimensions are 25 inches high and 14 inches wide; smaller crosses available. To order, contact Jennifer Barnasevitch at 570-956-5980 or saintpaulslutheranchurch@outlook.com.

Conyngham

Willing Workers ministry’s spring fair: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29. Christ Lutheran Church, 467 Main St., Conyngham. Crafters/vendors, crafts, indoor yard sale, lottery tree raffle, bake sale and homemade soups and food. All welcome.

Conyngham Crime Watch meeting: 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 7. Conyngham Borough Building. All members and residents invited to attend. Guest speaker, Luzerne County District Attorney Samuel Sanguedolce.

Easter crystals sale: Order deadline, March 30; pickup, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 12. Christ Church United Church of Christ, back of the church, 460 Main St., Conyngham. Cost, $14 a box. To order, call Barb at 570-788-3246.

Lenten lunch and devotions: noon, every Wednesday during Lent. Conyngham United Methodist Church, 411 Main Street, Conyngham. Cost, $5; includes soup, bread, dessert and drink. Area clergy will be doing the devotions each week; Pat Derr will provide music.

Freeland/Jeddo

Chili cook-off: 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 23. Jeddo Stars Athletic Association. Benefits the Freeland YMCA. Contestants must arrive at noon with their chili hot and in a crockpot. Cost, $15 to enter or taste. Live entertainment by Tom Molinaro, tricky Trays and 50/50 raffles. For information, call 570-636-1676.

Freeland Fire Department hoagie sale: Order deadline, Tuesday, March 25; pickup, Sunday, March 30. Plain, onions, sweet peppers or the works. Cost, $5. Place orders with any firefighter or by calling the station at 570-636-3244. Deliveries available.

Freeland American Legion Post 473 Auxiliary meeting: Thursday, April 10. Post home.

Freeland Senior Citizens meeting: RSVP by Friday, April 11; meeting, after luncheon meal, Monday, April 14. Nutrition Center. Attendees are asked to wear spring colors. To RSVP, call Joan at 570-636-3080.

Hazle Twp.

Friends of Sal Merola Benefit: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 29. Pardeesville Playground, Hazle Twp. Rain or shine. Tricky tray raffle baskets, 50/50 drawing, food and homemade soups in the concession stand served by the Pardeesville Playground Association. All proceeds will benefit the Merola family to help with funeral and medical expenses. Benefit organizers are accepting donations of themed tricky tray raffle baskets, gift cards, gift certificates or cash. Donations may be made until Friday, March 28. To donate, call or text Joyce at 570-956-6354, Dolores at 570-233-5249 or Janine at 570-578-8505.

Hazle Twp. Recreation Committee sponsors free children’s Easter egg hunt: Noon, Saturday, April 12. Community Park, Hazle Twp. For children ages 10 and younger. Bring a camera for pictures with the Easter Bunny. Treat bags for participating children while supplies last.

Hazleton

Free monthly luncheon: 11 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 22. St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 621 N. Vine St., Hazleton.

Lenten food sale: Order deadline, March 23; pickup, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 28. Most Precious Blood Church basement, Fourth Street entrance, Hazleton. Potato cakes, $1; potato soup, $9 per quart; pasta fagioli, $10 per quart. To order, call Carol at 570-956-6201 or Maureen at 570-401-4596.

Easter Paska and roll sale: Order deadline, Sunday, March 30. St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 74 N. Laurel St., Hazleton. Nut, poppyseed, poppy raisin, apricot and apple rolls, $14. Plain paska, $8; raisin paskas, $9. To order, call 570-455-5554; slowly and clearly state your name, phone number and order. You will receive a return call to verify the order and set up a pick-up date.

Pasty bake: Order deadline, Saturday, April 5; pickup, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12. Mission Life Church,  Poplar and Juniper streets, Hazleton. Cost, $12. To order, call Ruth at 570-599-5860, Stephanie at 570-956-1499 or Grace at 570-233-3714.

Free community lunch: Noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 6. Community Bible Fellowship Church, 458 W. Spruce St., Hazleton. Breaded fish, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and more. Open to anyone in the Hazleton area. For information, visit www.cbfhazleton.com or email meal@cbfhazleton.com.

Easter food sale: Order deadline, March 30; pickup, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 12. Most Precious Blood Church basement, Fourth Street entrance, Hazleton. Cavatelli, $5 per pound; manicotti, $12 a dozen; meatballs, $12 a dozen; tomato sauce, $10 per quart; crystals, $12 for 11 ounce box; viscotti, Italian cheese cookies, $10 a dozen. To order, call Carol at 570-956-6201 or Maureen at 570-401-4596.

Easter bake sale: Order deadline, 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 9; pickup, 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, April 2 and 9, and Fridays, April 4 and 11; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 12. Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish at St. Joseph Church (use Sixth Street door), 604 N. Laurel St., Hazleton. Rolls (nut, poppyseed, poppyseed with raisin, apricot, lemon, raspberry and prune), $14; plain bread $5; raisin bread $5.50; crescent rolls, $5.50 per dozen; small cabbage pies, $7; small paska, $7.50; large paska, $8; small raisin paska, $8.50; large raisin paska, $9; frozen potato pierogi, $14 for two dozen. Order by calling Loretta at 570-497-4100 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, the rectory at 570-454-0881 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, or the church basement at 570-454-9084 from 6 to 9 p.m. March 31 to April 3 and 7 to 9. Leave phone number.

Lenten pierogi and haluski sale: Noon to 3 p.m. or sell out, Wednesday, April 9. St. John the Baptist Polish National Catholic Church parish hall, 748 N. Church St., Hazleton. Pierogi: Potato and cheese, potato/cheese/jalepeno, $9 a dozen; cabbage, $10 a dozen; prune, $9 a dozen. Haluski, $10 per quart. In-person sale only.

Drive-thru Lenten dinner: Pickup, 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, April 11. Holy Rosary Parish, 240 S. Poplar St., Hazleton. Menu includes baked fish, macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes, green beans, coleslaw and dessert. Cost, $15 for an adult dinner; $7 for a child’s dinner (under 12 years old). New this year, one quart of macaroni and cheese, $8. For information or to order, call Linda at 570-454-5864.

Annual Lenten dinner: 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 11. Christ Lutheran Church, Hazleton. Preorders only; eat-in or takeout. Menu includes baked haddock/cod, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, stewed tomatoes, cole slaw, dinner rolls and dessert. Cost, $12 adults; $6 children. To order, call Angela at 570-751-6717.

Willow Foundation’s Heartwood Center holds spring cleaning drive: Mondays in March, April, and May. Center, 100 S. Wyoming St., Hazleton. Drop off donations of cleaning products from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays. For information, visit https://willow-foundation.org/heartwood-center.

McAdoo

McAdoo Lions adopt-a-flag program: Flags hung throughout McAdoo and Kline Twp. from Memorial Day to Sept. 11. Cost, $25. Contact Mary Labert at 570-929-3658.

Mountain Top

Homemade Easter candy sale: Order deadline Sunday, March 30; pickup, Saturday, April 12. St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Mountain Top. Raspberry Crunch (white chocolate/raspberry crunch candy) and almond pretzel bark (dark milk chocolate/ sprinkled with almonds and pretzels). Cost, $8 per 1-pound box. To order, contact stmartin.mountaintop@ gmail.com or 570-868-5358.

Nuremberg/Weston

Emmanuel Lutheran Church hosts spaghetti dinner: 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 22. Nuremberg-Weston Volunteer Fire Company, 459 Hazle Street, Weston. Tickets available at the door; $15 adults; $6 children ages 5-12; free for children 4 and under. Takeouts available. All proceeds benefit the church’s 150th anniversary celebration. For information, call 570-384-2221, or on the day of the dinner, call 570-384-3518.

Food sale: Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, March 28. Nuremberg-Weston Vol. Fire Co., 459 Hazle St., Weston. Homemade potato cakes, $1 each; homemade macaroni and cheese, $5; and homemade New England clam chowder, $8 per quart. To preorder, contact Rhonda at 570-384-3913.

Shenandoah

Takeout-only Lenten dinners: pickup, 4 to 6 p.m. April 4. Former Trinity Academy, Father Walter J. Ciszek Education Center, 233 W. Cherry St., Shenandoah. Choice of devil crab, fish or chicken fingers (for youngsters) meals. Cost, $10; payment needed when orders are placed. For information, email info@dmparish.com or call the parish office at 570-462-1968.

Sugarloaf

Ticket auction: Doors open 11:30 a.m.; drawing 2 p.m. Sunday March 23. Sugarloaf Fire Hall. Food available. Benefits Sugarloaf Fire Company.

Ham and dandelion dinner: 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 12. Black Creek United Methodist Church, 158 Golf Course Road, Sugarloaf. Eat-in or take out. Ham, dandelion with hot bacon dressing, potatoes, gravy, vegetable, pickled beets, applesauce, dessert and drink. Tickets must be purchased in advance; adults, $15; children age 10 and younger, $7. For tickets, contact 570-384-4087, 570-751-3426 or blackcreekumc158@gmail.com or visit https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/9794278.

Weatherly

Lenten meal of beer-battered cod: Order deadline, Wednesday, March 26; pickup, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 28. Lehigh and Lausanne Rural Vol Fire Company, 390 S. Lehigh Gorge Drive, Weatherly. Cod with french fries or macaroni and cheese. Cost, $12. Also available, homemade macaroni and cheese, $4.50 per pint; haluski, $4.50 per pint or $8 per quart. Unbaked pizza, $12 plain, $14 extra cheese or mushroom. To order, call 484-464-5438.

Homemade Easter egg sale: Order deadline, Sunday, March 30; pickup, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 11. Weatherly Centenary United Methodist Church social room. Coconut cream, peanut roll, butter cream, assorted, milk or dark chocolate peanut butter, $14 for one pound. No special orders. To order, call Ruth at 570-427-8173, Phyllis at 570-427-4305, Stephanie at 570-582-5507, Wayne at 570-582-5154 or Donna at 570-427-4094. At Evergreen Apartments, see Georgeann.

Weatherly Wrecker Booster Club arranging Hometown Hero banners: Order deadline, Tuesday, April 1. F the 2025 through 2028 seasons. Renewals will have first chance. Any new applicants will go on waiting list based on availability. Contact Cindy via call or text at 570-401-9516 or cbaade@pa.metrocast.net.

Royal Bakery roll and paska bread sale: Order deadline, Sunday, April 6. pickup, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, April 11. Weatherly Centenary United Methodist Church social room. Nut, poppyseed, cheese, apricot or prune, $18. Paska bread, 9 inches round, plain or with raisins, $12. To order, call Ruth at 570-427-8173, Phyllis at 570-427-4305, Stephanie at 570-582-5507, Wayne at 570-582-5154 or Donna at 570-427-4094. At Evergreen Apartments, see Georgeann.

Easter egg sale: Order deadline, Thursday, April 10; pickup, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 15 and Thursday, April 17; noon to 4 p.m. Friday, April 18; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 19. Lehigh and Lausanne Rural Volunteer Fire Company, 390 S. Lehigh Gorge Drive, Weatherly. Milk chocolate coated; peanut butter or coconut cream; $1.50.

Annual spring raffle: 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 11. Citizens’ Fire Company 1, 107 Spring St, Weatherly. Tricky tray raffle. Early viewing for tricky trays, 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 10 and starting at noon Friday, April 11.

West Hazleton

Lenten food sale: 3 to 6 p.m. or sell out Friday, April 4. Holy Name of Jesus Parish Hall, 217 W. Green St., West Hazleton. Potato cakes, $1; haluski, $4 per pint or $8 per quart.

Live performances

Nuremberg Community Players present “Are You Being Served?”: 7 p.m. Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22; Sunday, 3 p.m. March 23. Nuremberg Community Players Theater, 283 Hazle St., Nuremberg. Mature situations and language. Tickets, $15; to RSVP, call 877-718-7894.

Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts presents “Cabaret”: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, March 21-23 and 28-30, J.J. Ferrara Center, 212 W. Broad St., Hazleton. For tickets, visit www.ptpashows.org or the box office an hour before showtime.

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