October 5

WING NIGHT, Wed., October 5, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Kirkwood Elks Lodge.

October 6

PIZZA NIGHT & Open Mic Country, Thurs., October 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Kirkwood Elks Lodge.

October 7

DINNER, Fri., October 7, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Kirkwood Elks Lodge.

October 8

SPAGHETTI DINNER, Sat., October 8, 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Knights of Columbus, Great Bend, Council 356, Main & Kilrow Sts.

DAVID WATKINS concert, Sat., October 8, 7:00 p.m. at Susky UM Church.

October 9

ATA REGISTERED SHOOT, October 9, 9:00 a.m. at Hallstead-Great Bend Rod & Gun Club. Fee. For info call 570-432-0101.

October 13

BAG LADIES LUNCHEON, Thurs., October 13, noon at Starrucca Baptist social rooms. Donation plus item for food pantry.

MEETING: Civil War Round Table, October 13, 7:00 p.m. at Daddow-Isaacs American Legion, Dallas.

October 14

SPAGHETTI SUPPER, Fri., October 14, 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Lawsville Grange Hall. Eat in or take out.

October 15

HARVEST DINNER, Sat., October 15, 3:30 p.m. takeouts, 4:30 p.m. serving at East Ararat UM Church.

TURKEY SUPPER, Sat., October 15, 4:30 p.m. at New Milford UM Church. Eat in or take out.

October 16

PANCAKE BREAKFAST, Sun., October 16, 8:00-11:00 a.m. at Thompson Fire Company. All welcome.

ATA REGISTERED SHOOT, October 16, 9:00 a.m. at Hallstead-Great Bend Rod & Gun Club. Fee, for info call 570-432-0101.

October 19

MOMMY & ME STORY TIME, beginning Wed., October 19, 9:30 a.m. at Susky Branch Library. Ages 2+, register at library.

Monday, October 10: spaghetti w/ meat sauce, garden salad, Italian green beans, lemon sorbet, parmesan cheese, salad dressing.

Tuesday, October 11: bbq chicken, cream of mushroom soup, oven roasted potatoes, ww dinner roll, crackers, peaches and cream.

Wednesday, October 12: roast pork, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, grain bread, crackers, pear, apple juice.

Thursday, October 13: roast beef, sautéed brussel sprouts w/bacon & onions, buttered noodles, grain dinner roll, gingersnap pumpkin pudding parfait.

Friday, October 14: honey glazed turkey, roasted sweet potatoes, glazed beets, bread stuffing, ww bread, apple cranberry crisp.

The “stars” will come out Friday, October 21 at Susquehanna Community Elementary School and families are invited take part. Susquehanna County CARES (Childcare, Agencies, Resources and Educational Services) has teamed up several organizations for its fifth annual “Night of STARS.”

The free event begins at 6:30 p.m. and features WNEP-TV Star Julie Sidoni, Star Children’s Author Irene Breznak and star gazing experts from Kopernik Observatory. There will be information about Pennsylvania’s quality early learning initiatives such as Pre-K Counts, Keystone STARS and Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children.

This fun filled evening of storytelling, demonstrations and prizes is free, but limited to the first 40 families with children ages 3-8. Advance registration by October 14 is required. To reserve your seat, call Susquehanna County CARES at (570) 465-5040.

The Susquehanna County Commissioners announce the Courthouse will be closed on Monday, October 10 in observance of Columbus Day. All court related offices will be available.

Jo-Ellen and Michael Greene run a small Red Poll beef cattle farm in Thompson Township. Since 2003, the Greene’s have raised Red Poll Cattle, a dual-purpose breed that can be raised for both beef and dairy production, on their 100-plus acre “Upland Lawn Farm.” The breed’s quiet dispositions and naturally polled characteristic made them a perfect choice for rotational grazing where ease of handling is desired. Many Red Poll still carry the ability to be used in a dairy operation, either crossed with other dairy breeds, or on their own. The milk is high in protein and butterfat, making it especially good for cheese. Mr. & Mrs. Greene took an old dairy farm that may have soon vanished into the landscape and resurrected the buildings and the fields, with sweat equity, determination, advice and assistance from neighbors and with the aid of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS supplied some financial and technical assistance that helped to permanently fence in several pastures for rotational grazing, install a solar powered watering system for their upper pastures and build an improved animal trail and walkway. They installed interior fencing paddocks, a water level control device on a small pond, some subsurface water drainage, surface water control and an improved barnyard heavy use area system with their own funds.

Mr. and Mrs. Greene began their career as farmers with two goals in mind: to bring Red Poll cattle back to the Northeastern United States and to raise grass-fed beef. They are well on their way because of the help of neighbors and organizations like Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). They enjoy being a small operation and plan on staying that way.

A walk through the pastures, with the landowners and technical and agronomic experts from PASA and NRCS, will explain how and why they do things the way they do. See firsthand how Upland Lawn Farm cares for their Red Poll Cattle and manages soil and forage. Visitors will learn about: planned grazing of beef cattle; natural bug control; improving forage and pasture quality; Red Poll Cattle; and the solar watering system.

The Greene’s will share information about the many innovations and improvements they have done since bringing Red Poll Cattle to their farm. The Pasture walk will run from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on October 18. The free educational event is sponsored by Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA).

All local grazers should plan to attend, no reservations are needed. Any questions or for further information, contact Ain Welmon, District Conservationist for Susquehanna County at (570) 278-1011 extension 3 or 103.

The Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna/Tioga County Area Agency on Aging APPRISE Program is taking appointments for one on one counseling sessions to assist the Medicare beneficiary during the Medicare Open Enrollment period, which is earlier this year, running from October 15 to December 7.

In these counseling sessions, trained staff and volunteers will help the beneficiary better understand the Medicare system, will facilitate prescription drug searches and explain the various Medicare Advantage Plans available in your county, as the plans are county specific.

The APPRISE program is mandated by congress to help the Medicare beneficiary better understand the complexities of the system and to better enable the beneficiary to make educated decisions about their health and prescription drug coverage. The BSST Area Agency on Aging does not promote any specific plan nor endorse any specific insurance agents.

“Due to the Affordable Care Act, Medicare Advantage and prescription drug benefits are stronger than ever, and beneficiaries will continue to have access to a range of affordable products.” CMS is encouraging beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans to review their current health and drug plan coverage for any changes their plans may be making for 2012 to make sure that their current plan will still meet their personal and specific needs or the make changes as needs and choices demand.

Staff and volunteers are available in all four counties of the BSST Area Agency on Aging on varied days. To schedule an appointment with your local Area Agency on Aging APPRISE representative, call: Bradford and Sullivan County, 1-800-982-4346 or 570-265-6121; Susquehanna County 1-800-634-3746 or 570-278-3751; Tioga County 1-800-822-6793 or 570-723-0935.

TOWANDA - Local residents in Sullivan or Susquehanna counties who are in need of assistance with state-government related issues can visit the satellite office hours of Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) on Wednesdays in October.

“From assisting residents with applications for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program to helping cut through red tape with state government, my staff is available in Lawton and Laporte so that people do not have to travel into Bradford County for service,” Pickett said.

In Susquehanna County, staff will be available from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month - October 12 and 26. The office is located on State Route 706 at Flynn’s Consignment Shop in Lawton. The site was formerly Cavallaro’s grocery store.

Likewise, Sullivan County residents can visit Pickett’s satellite office at the Sullivan County Courthouse in Laporte on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on October 5 and 19.

Pickett operates her main full-time offices at 321 Main St., Towanda, phone (570) 265-3124 and 106 West Packer Ave., Sayre, phone (570) 888-9011. More information is available 24 hours a day on Pickett’s website at RepPickett.com.

The Susquehanna Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) is changing the focus of where money raised at its October 8 fundraiser will be used.

Susquehanna Branch Secretary Bob Wagner states, "the members of the Board of Directors have decided to donate the majority of the funds that are raised at this event to area groups or an organization that is assisting the people who have been hit hard by the most recent flood events. We felt that the massive destruction and the real needs of the people in our area should come ahead of our original projects. Our original intent for any profits was to use them for youth scholarships to Wildlife leadership camps and fund projects that improve wildlife habitat improvement of various State Game Lands. We will figure out another way to fund those projects."

The October 8 dinner/dance fundraiser is being held at the Waymart Hotel from 4 to 8 p.m. Kevin Urian of Waymart, who is serving as the Branch's Co-Chairman of “The Whitetail Rut and Strut Dinner & Dance,” states "this fundraiser combines 4 hours of music from a well known Northeast Pennsylvania band Hillbilly D'Luxwith the Waymart Hotel's BBQ dinner in an opportunity for all who attend to know that their monies are being donated to a worthy cause and to have an enjoyable afternoon/evening."

The event will be outdoors at the pavilions which are roofed; there will also be a bonfire when evening arrives. Information on tickets is available from Kevin Urian, 570-575-0806; Jim Dovin, 650-5967; Ed Grasavage, 570-267-4246; Bob Wagner, 278-9363; or other members of the Susquehanna Branch of QDMA.