October 19

BLOOD TESTING: Sat., Oct. 19, AMBA Blood Testing Program sponsored by the Hallstead-Great Bend Civic Club at American Legion, Rt. 7, Hallstead, PA. 6:00 – 10:00 am. Tests other than the regular panel require Doctors note. There is a fee for these tests. Call 1-800-234-8888 Monday – Friday 8:30 – 5:00 for a appt.

October 21, 22, 23

FREE COATS: Mon., Oct. 21 – Wed., Oct. 23, Free Coats For The Community, St. Marks Episcopal Church, New Milford.

October 25 & 26

FREE COATS: Fri., Oct. 25, 10:00 – 3:00 pm, Sat., Oct. 26, 9:00 – 1:00 pm, Free Warm Winter Coats, Christ Church, 1107 West Main Street, Susquehanna.

Mon., Oct. 21: cheese lasagna roll up, italian green beans, italian wedding soup, italian bread, orange sherbet.

Tues., Oct. 22: herbed chicken, steamed spinach, roasted potatoes, ww dinner roll, banana.

Wed., Oct. 23: roast turkey w/gravy, sweet potatoes, stuffing, brussel sprouts, biscuit, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce.

Thur., Oct. 24: roast beef w/gravy, red skinned potatoes, mashed cauliflower, ww dinner roll, fruit & yogurt.

Fri., Oct. 25: baked spaghetti, lentil soup, mixed green salad, italian bread, pears.

The Susquehanna County Reads Committee is busy planning a delicious dinner to celebrate its one county – one book program, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic: “The Hobbit.”

Susquehanna County has been busy participating in “Hobbit” activities this month as part of the program. The fun kicked off with a “Hobbit Hike” at Salt Springs State Park and was followed by a literary panel and traditional British food tasting on Thursday, October 10th at St. Mark’s Hall in New Milford. WPEL’s AM 800 station is airing the first six chapters of the book, read by local community members. Many other great activities are planned during the month of October such as a kids’ craft and movie day at the County Literacy Office and a showing of the 2012 film, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” at the Montrose Theatre. The final event of the Susquehanna County Reads program is a Gala Finale Hobbit Dinner at the Stonebridge Inn in Union Dale on Saturday, October 26th from 6pm – 9pm.

With live music and a Reader’s theatre performance, the Gala Finale is an event you will not want to miss. The chef at the Stonebridge Inn is preparing a meal fit for a Hobbit. This event is open only to Susquehanna County Reads participants. Paid reservations are required. Members of the Susquehanna County Reads program are asked to reserve their seat for the dinner at their local library by October 19th. Tickets are available and there is a cost.

Register at your local library in Susquehanna County to partake in the Hobbit Gala Finale dinner as well as any of the other excellent events taking place during the month of October. You can also register for the County Reads program at your local library. Contact the Susquehanna County Library for more details at 570-278-1881.

It’s Sunday morning at St. Paul’s Parish Hall in Starrucca. Though services haven’t been held here for a few years, this church is far from silent. The Saint Martin’s Players, a colorful theater group founded by Christopher Lake, buzz about the building, working hard on their next production, “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

The Players have put on fourteen productions since first starting in 2005. These plays were held outside or in the downstairs hall of St. Martin’s in North Jackson. As the organization grew over the years, and more and more people attended the shows, seating became an issue. The group got permission to use the more spacious St. Paul’s, and they’ve already been putting it to good use. To whip the building into play-perfect shape, renovations and general cleanup needed to be done. The cast and family members of the cast have volunteered many days to help with these restorations. Besides fixing ceiling issues, the front door had to be replaced, and passages in the back needed to be opened so the members could operate the stage and have a changing room. The bathrooms and front lobby have been painted, lighting fixtures switched, and yard maintenance completed.

“Arsenic and Old Lace” was written in 1939 by American playwright Joseph Kesselring, but became best known through the film adaptation starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra. It revolves around Mortimer Brewster and his unique family: Aunt Abby, Aunt Martha, and ominous brother Jonathan. When Jonathan returns to the Brewster home, the loveable, yet kooky aunts need to keep their secrets from him, but they don’t realize he has his own skeletons in his closet. Without revealing too much of the plot, Mortimer has to try and solve the unusual family dilemma in this dark comedy.

Lake’s Saint Martin’s Players have been an inspiration for other organizations to follow suit. They’ve been tested by the diocese to see the benefits of turning over closed churches into something constructive like a theater. “So they’re seeing how successful we are, even though we’re very small as a parish,” said Lake, “There are many people in the community who are involved in the productions that are not members of St. John’s, St. Lawrence, or St. Martin’s. We take everyone who’s interested with helping in theater.”

Not only does this organization give the community entertaining and lively performances, but it also donates one-third of its profit. Over the years, The Saint Martin’s Players have given $12,000 to local charities. For this production, the money is going to the Thompson and Susquehanna fire companies that take care of Starrucca.

This new location not only offers more seating, but also provides a worry-free environment. The cast doesn’t have to deal with the hassles of a teardown setup or inclement weather—which has been problematic in the past. “There’s less stress. St. Paul’s is a better space for what we’re doing,” said Lake.

Jimmy Stewart, one of the many handymen on set, will play the part of Mortimer. He’s been involved with The Saint Martin’s Players since the beginning. Besides playing the main character in this classic, he’s done the sound since the first show, and he also works on lighting and stage production with Lake. Sue Lee, who will play the role of Aunt Martha, has also been a member of The Players since its founding. When she was in high school, she played the role of the opposite aunt but wanted to switch it up for this performance. Mary Beth Zincone will take on Aunt Abby’s role, to which Lee quipped, “It’s very close to real life because the crazy aunts are playing the crazy aunts.”

John Freitag, another handyman in the crew, will play the comical Teddy Brewster. “He’s the nice crazy one,” said John as he worked on lighting. “I like Teddy, I think it’s a fun character.” Freitag also commented on the benefits of having this group in the community, “The organization is growing—we’ve evolved it. And there’s a lot of comradery.”

To see the talented Saint Martin’s Players in “Aresenic and Old Lace,” come to St. Paul’s in Starrucca on the 18th and 19th of October at 7:00pm and the 20th of October at 2:00pm. VIP seating is available, which also grants tickets to Lake’s next show, “Blue Lemonade,” and an invite to the reception after the October 19 performance.