The Stroller, Dec. 5, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley

Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number.

Tarentum to sponsor holiday light decorating contest

Tarentum Recreation Board is sponsoring a holiday light decorating contest for homes and businesses in the borough.

Categories are Car Stopper, Most Traditional and Most Colorful and winners will be selected in both business and home categories. To participate, email a photo of your decorated home or business with your name, address and phone number tarentummagazine@gmail.com by Dec. 12. Winners will be notified by phone Dec. 17 and receive a lawn sign and special prize. For questions, call Carrie at 724-448-1470.

Contributions needed for homeless veterans’ project

Local veterans’ charity Five Forces is collecting personal items for the Homeless Heroes Stocking Project.

The Project works with the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania to supply stockings for Christmas to more than 2,500 homeless veterans in our area. Items needed include full-size shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste; wash cloths, soap, plastic toothbrush and soap holders, socks, gloves, draw-string backpacks and $10 gift cards to Walmart or Giant Eagle.

Donations will be accepted during operating hours at Sports Performance + Spine, 140 Market St., and Hebron Lutheran Church, 201 Main St., both in Leechburg; Little Owls Learning Center, 493 Route 66, Gilpin; and Meyers RV Sales of Pittsburgh, 4616 Route 66, Washington Township.

Free holiday hams and potatoes to be given out

Allegheny-Kiski Health Foundation and Cook Vandergrift will distribute free hams with potatoes from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Dec 14 at a drive-thru at the Cook facility, 1186 Montgomery Lane, Parks.

Reservations are required by Wednesday. One hundred hams with bags of potatoes will be given out. To register and for details, call 724-845-8621, ext. 332221.

Calendar

Apollo

Tuesday: The Rather Be Reading Book Club for adults at Apollo Memorial Library will meet at 6 p.m. at the library, 219 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Details and membership information: tinyurl.com/yc8c335t.

Wednesday: Apollo Memorial Library will host a family board game night from 5 to 7 p.m. at the library, 219 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Bring your game or play one of the library’s. Drop in anytime from 5 to 7 p.m. Details: 724-478-4214.

Wednesday: Apollo Hose Co. No. 2 will have bingo at 7 p.m. at the firehall, 325 N. Fourth St. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. There will be specials and wish jars. Details: 724-478-4831.

Wednesdays and Saturdays: Apollo Area Historical Society Museum, 317 N. Second St., is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations of paper towels, stamps, envelopes, cleaning supplies, copy paper and trash bags are welcome. Details: ApolloPAHistory@gmail.com.

Arnold

Friday: St. Vladimir Church, 1610 Kenneth Ave., is accepting orders for its pierogi sale. Varieties: potato or sauerkraut. Pickup: 12:30 to 4 p.m. Fridays in the church social hall. Cost: $12 per dozen. Orders: 724-339-9257, 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Brackenridge

Wednesday: Al-Anon will meet at 8 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 847 10th Ave. The group offers help and hope for families and friends of alcoholics.

Dec. 15: Allegheny Health and Physical Medicine and Trinity United Methodist Church will have a Vitalant blood drive and Christmas cookie party from 1 to 6 p.m. at the medical office, 825 Freeport Road. Details: 724-224-2224 or dspale@alleghenyhealth.com.

East Vandergrift 

Tuesday: Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish is selling tickets for a St. Nicholas Day raffle. Winning numbers will be the first drawn Pennsylvania Daily Pick 3 numbers at noon and 7 p.m. on St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6. Winners will each receive $1,000, a $100 gift certificate to The Central Restaurant in Apollo and a $100 gift certificate to Naser Foods in Oklahoma Borough. Cost: $10, includes two numbers. Tickets: Deborah, 724-859-3186 and in the parish office.

Freeport

Wednesday: The Thrift Store Clothing Ministry at Freeport United Methodist Church, 211 Fourth St., will be open from noon to 3 p.m. All items are free, but donations will be accepted. Items available include clothing of all sizes, bedding and window items. Donations of fall and winter clothing, shoes and boots welcome. Donations must be laundered and free from pet hair. Handicap accessible. Details: 724-295-3095.

Harrison 

Tuesday: Allegheny Valley Hospital Auxiliary will have a Jewelry by Linda fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the hospital cafeteria conference room. Cost: necklaces, $10; bracelets and earrings, $5 or five for $20. All items are handmade locally. Cash and checks accepted.

Wednesday: Allegheny Valley Association of Churches Food Bank will be open from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at 1913 Freeport Road, Natrona Heights. Food bank participants can receive food allotments twice per month. Those who are not yet registered should come from 3 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Details and alternate times: 724-226-0606, ext. 10.

Wednesday: The Agape Thrift Shop at Grace United Methodist Church, 1333 Freeport Road, will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. Clean winter clothing in all sizes is needed. Masks optional. Bring donations on Wednesday or leave them on the front porch. Do not place donations in the blue bins behind the church.

Jefferson

Thursday: Bingo will be at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion, 754 N. Pike Road. Doors open at 5 p.m. Under new management with higher payouts. The kitchen will be open. Proceeds benefit post and auxiliary projects.

Leechburg

Thursday: A New Path Al-Anon Family Group, a free, confidential program for anyone whose life has been affected by someone else’s drinking, will meet at 7 p.m. in First United Methodist Church, 251 Main St.

New Kensington

Thursday: New Kensington Eagles Auxiliary Bingo will be at 7 p.m. at the aerie, 2134 Freeport Road. Doors open at 5 p.m. The kitchen will be open. Public welcome. Details: 724-448-7403.

Thursdays: The Secular Organization for Sobriety/Save Our Selves (SOS), a support group for people recovering from alcohol and drug abuse, will meet at 7 p.m. at Lost Dreams Awakening Recovery Community Center, 408 Eighth St. Details: 724-556-0737.

Oakmont

Tuesdays: Taking Pounds Off Sensibly (TOPS) meets at 6 p.m. at Oakmont United Methodist Church, 419 Maryland Ave. Monthly dues: $5; first meeting is free. Details: vrevilla@pointpark.edu.

Plum

Saturday: The Masterworks Concert Chorale will present a holiday concert at 7:30 p.m. at Unity Community Church, 215 Unity Trestle Road. Admission: $15; students, $10; 10 and younger, free. Tickets: 412-874-7514.

Saxonburg

Dec. 14: An American Red Cross Blood community blood drive will be from noon to 5:30 p.m. at Saxonburg Veterans of Foreign Wars, 572 W. Main St. Appointments: 800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org.

Tarentum  

Wednesdays: Central Presbyterian Church, 305 Allegheny St. will have an Advent Bible study Dec. 7 and 14 at the church. A community friendship meal will be served at 6 p.m. and the Bible study will be afterward. Details: 724-224-9220.

Wednesday: The Elks will host bingo at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge, 219 E. Sixth Ave. The kitchen is open to the public from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Menu: elks644.org/elks-kitchen-1. Orders: 724-226-1644 by 8:15 p.m.

Weekdays: Free food and hygiene items are available at Highlands Family Center, 415 E. Fourth Ave., suite 12. Hours: noon to 8 p.m. Mondays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Details: 724-224-9006.

Upper Burrell

Dec. 24: Upper Burrell Volunteer Fire Department and Vigilant Hose Company of Portvue are selling tickets for a $15,000 Christmas Cash Giveaway. Cost: $20 per ticket, includes eight numbers. The winning number will be taken from the 7 p.m. Dec. 24 Pennsylvania Pick 4 number. Details and tickets: ubvfc11training@gmail.com.

Vandergrift

Thursdays and Fridays: Victorian Vandergrift Museum and Historical Society will feature a display of photographs and memorabilia from Parks Township through Dec. 16 at the museum, 84 Sherman Ave. Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. Details: 724-568-1990.

Washington Township

Wednesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 6 p.m. at Union Presbyterian Church, 656 Route 380.

Friday: Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company will have bingo at 7 p.m. at the firehall, 4078 Route 66. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and sales start at 6 p.m. Free coffee. The kitchen will be open. Players must be at least 18 or accompanied by an adult.