December 9

SPAGHETTI SUPPER, Fri., December 9, 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Lawsville Grange Hall. Eat in or take out.

December 10

THE BELL CHOIR, Sat., December 10, 7:00 p.m. at Susky UM Church. Refreshments, love offering.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA, December 10, 9:00 a.m. - noon at Lawton Senior Center.

December 10

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING, December 10, 7:00 p.m. at South Gibson UM Church. Carols to follow by Endless Mountains Children’s choir, refreshments. All welcome.

December 16

SPAGHETTI DINNER, Fri., December 16, 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Halstead-Great Bend Rod & Gun Club. All you can eat.

December 17

SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS: concert & buffet dinner, Sat., December 17, 5:30 p.m. at Clifford Fire Hall. Fee + unwrapped toy for Toys 4 Tots. Reservations required, call 222-3331 or 222-4159.

COOKIE WALK and gift wrapping, December 17, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Clifford UM Church.

December 18

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA, December 18, 8:00 a.m. - noon at Greenfield Vol. Fire Hall.

BREAKFAST with Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus, Sun., December 18, 8:00 a.m. - noon at St. Mark’s Parish Hall, New Milford. All you can eat, bring camera for pictures.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST with Santa, Sun., December 18, 8:00-11:00 a.m. at Thompson Hose Company.

Monday, December 12: roast beef, sautéed brussel sprouts w/bacon & onions, buttered noodles, grain dinner roll, gingersnap pumpkin pudding parfait.

Tuesday, December 13: Centers are closed for staff meeting.

Wednesday, December 14: hamburger, carrot salad, dilled potato salad, ww sandwich roll, chunky applesauce, chocolate chip cookie.

Thursday, December 15: Christmas dinner - chicken cordon bleu, green bean casserole, golden potato casserole, dinner roll, peppermint pudding parfait, fruit juice.

Friday, December 16: crabcake, steamed green and wax beans, boiled new potatoes w/parsley, ww sandwich roll, spice cake.

Since 2008, Penn State Extension has produced a booklet called “A Guide to Farm Products” which is a directory of family farms, farmers markets, vegetable and honey producers, Community Supported Agriculture farms (CSA's), u-pick farms, Christmas tree growers, restaurants, grocers, and other businesses that sell locally grown farm products within Susquehanna County.

This widely-popular guide is updated annually and so far includes over 40 local businesses. Penn State Extension would like to extend the offer for your “farm” to be included. The piece will include a short description of the farm or business along with products available and hours of operation, if open to the public and its location on a map of the county. The guides are placed throughout the county and will also available on the Penn State Extension website. This is an opportunity to advertise your business for free.

Today’s consumer is increasingly looking to buy farm products directly from the grower. When buying directly from local farmers and shopping and dining at those businesses which support local farmers, consumers are getting the freshest, best tasting food, contributing to a strong local economy and helping preserve our landscape. It is the hope of those gathering the information that shoppers will make a connection with healthy fresh food, their neighbor farmers who grow it and those markets and businesses that support them by using locally grown food.

Susquehanna County has a number farm stands, farm markets, orchards and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms where residents can purchase fresh produce. Please help Penn State Extension in compiling this guide by calling 278-1158 or emailing susquehannaext@psu.edu and requesting a network form and map marking your location. You can mail the completed forms back by January 31, 2012. Penn State Extension is planning on having the booklet published by early spring.

The Endless Mountains Children’s Choir will present a very special holiday concert on Saturday, December 10 at the South Gibson United Methodist Church. Dr. Christine Plonski-Sezer, founder and artistic director of the choir, has invited a very special guest to attend this year’s concert, Mr. John Reynolds.

Mr. Reynolds, who resides in New Milford, composes various types of music. The choir will debut three of his compositions at the concert, “The Promise of Christmas,” “Once Upon a Christmas Eve” (arr. Paul Meglathery), and “The Small Yellow Candle” (lyrics John Reynolds, music/arr. Paul Meglathery). It is very unique for the children to have a composer “in residence” be part of their musical experience. One of the choir members, Peter Maloney was even able to interview Mr. Reynolds in preparation for his senior project.

This year there will be a community tree lighting at 7:00 p.m. outside the church. Some holiday music will be sung by everyone and immediately following the tree lighting, the choir will present the holiday concert, “Joy-Peace-Love.” The choir will take you on a musical journey to various countries by performing carols in the native languages of those countries such as: “Stille Nacht” (Germany), “Noel Nouvelet” (France), “Gesu Bambino” (Italy), “Luliejze Jesu” (Poland), “Deck the Halls” (England), “Veni, Veni Emmanuel” (Latin Chant), “Lo! How A Rose Er’ Blooming” (Germany), “White Christmas” (America), “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” (America), “Carol of the Bells” (Ukrania), and the Trans Siberian Orchestra arrangement of the “Cannon in D.” These are not all of the selections the choir will perform for your listening enjoyment - please come to hear them all! The music of the concert will incorporate the message of joy, peace and love throughout the evening. All are invited to come and share the wonderful message of the holiday season.

The Choir is dedicating this holiday concert to a very special person - Mr. Gary Gray, who recently passed away. Mr. Gray so loved the choir. He not only supported the children in so many ways, but he was always so proud of them and all of their musical accomplishments.

Susquehanna Community High School will host a free financial aid night on December, 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium. District high school students and their parents are encouraged to attend this informative session to get a better understanding of the student aid process and how best to begin planning to fund their higher education. This would be beneficial for parents who have students in grades 10-12.

A student aid expert from PHEAA will be available to provide information and answer questions.

Parents and students will learn what they need to do, to apply for all types of financial aid, including completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), 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 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.

Families with questions about the financial aid night should contact Susquehanna Community High School at 853-4921.

Laura Ackley, a resident of Susquehanna County, recently founded a charity in her father’s honor. Her father, Thomas Ackley, was a long time resident and business owner in the Susquehanna and Hallstead area and passed away from cancer in 2008. Since he was an avid supporter of Laura’s music and active community member, she wanted to find a way to give back in her father’s honor. In June of 2011, Laura started Giving hARTS charity which utilizes the arts to positively impact worthy causes in our community. It’s impact is three fold, it provides artistic events for the community to enjoy, it offers a space for artists and musicians to participate and promote their work, and events are held to raise awareness and funding for individuals and groups in need in our community.

Giving hARTS will hold their kick-off event, a Christmas arts and talents show, on December 10 at the Mt. View Elementary School gym. The show will benefit the Adopt An Angel program, which reaches out to children in need and grants them their Christmas wishes by responding to their letters to Santa. The show will feature local crafters, artists, performances by the Windwood Hill Dance Academy, musicians, and attendees can have their caricature drawn. There will also be 50/50 raffles, a bake sale, and a visit from Santa where kids can get their picture taken. All are welcome, it is sure to be a fun event for the whole family. For more information please visit www.givingharts.org.

TOWANDA - Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) is reminding eligible residents that the deadline for the 2010 Property Tax/Rent Rebate is Dec. 31, and her staff can assist applicants during her satellite office hours in December.

“My staff can assist with a number of state inquiries and applications; however, it’s important to remind everyone that time is running short for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate program,” Pickett said. “Applications are available through my district offices, our satellite locations in Susquehanna and Sullivan counties, and on my website at RepPickett.com.”

In Susquehanna County, staff will be available from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month, December 14. 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 third Wednesday of the month, December 21, from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

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.