June 26

SUPPER: Thur., June 26, Chicken & Biscuit Supper, Starrucca Baptist Social Rooms, 5:00 pm, Public Welcome.

July 4

JULY 4th FESTIVITIES: Fri., July 4, Thompson Hose Co., Parade 11:30, Line-Up at 11:00, Music by Mace In Dixon 12:00 – 4:00pm, Music by Keystone Jukebox 5:00 – 10:00pm, Chicken BBQ 11:00am, Beer/Clam Tent, variety of other foods, icecream all day long, Bingo and other games, Giant Fireworks Display 10:00pm. Crafter spots available. Any questions call 570-442-1107.

July 5

YARD SALES: Sat., July 5, Yard Sales throughout Starrucca.

FESTIVAL: Sat., July 5, 9:00 – 2:00, Shehawken Festival, Starrucca, Deli and Bake Sale, handmade craft items, homemade goodies.

July 6

BREAKFAST: Sun., July 6, Sunday Breakfast with American Legion Post 86, 8:00 – 11:00 am, Eat in or take out. Eggs, bacon, sausage, white or wheat toast, French toast, pancakes, home fries, coffee, tea, juice. Watch for our monthly special.

Mon., June 30: thyme baked chicken, creamy potatoes, peas & pearls onions, ww roll, mixed berry crisp.

Tues., July 1: hot dog, baked beans, roasted potato wedges, ww roll, watermelon.

Wed., July 2:  roast pork, sweet potatoes, green beans, ww roll, pineapple.

Thurs., July 3: roast beef w/gravy, mashed potatoes, peas & pearl onions, ww roll, oreo pudding.

Fri., July 4: Centers Closed Independence Day.

Uplifting family fun is planned as Dimock Campmeeting opens for the summer season with a concert on July 6 and an open house on July 12.

On Sunday, July 6, Saline, a Christian rock and modern worship band, will entertain visitors to the camp grounds with a concert beginning at 6pm. Formed in Central Pennsylvania, the members of Saline bring different musical backgrounds and styles to merge them into a sound that is infectiously original and melodically appealing to the young and the young at heart. They have shared the stage with national recording artists Lincoln Brewster, Apologetix, Paige Armstrong, Everlife, and many others.

There is no charge for the concert, however a free-will offering will be accepted.

Saturday, July 12, will be a day of celebration, as Dimock Campmeeting hosts an open house event that everyone is invited to.

The open house festivities run from 11am to 3pm at the campmeeting grounds on Campground Road, just off Route 29 in Dimock. The whole family will enjoy themselves, regardless of age, with a variety of activities including face painting/balloons, Damian the Magician with a live show at 2pm, and children’s games including the Black Tie Event Photo Booth.

Throughout the day, the Christian Motorcycle Association will be showing off their wheels and talk about what they’re all about. The Gideon Society of Susquehanna County will be greeting guests. Youth for Christ of Susquehanna County will be on hand to answer questions about their organization. There will also be lots of giveaways going on throughout the day.

Gospel band Susquehanna Jamcrackers will bring sweet music to your ears to help set the mood of this festive day. No party would be complete without food, which will be free for all to enjoy including a hot dog bar and ice cream sundae bar.

There is no admission fee, but non-perishable food donations are being accepted and will benefit the local food pantry.

The Dimock Campmeeting traces its roots back to 1875 when a decision was made by several Methodist Episcopal congregations in the region to create "a permanent camp meeting ground" in the then Wyalusing District of the Methodist Church. Its purposes were spiritual revival and evangelization as the "plain gospel" was proclaimed and taught. It was reported that 7,000 persons were present the first night of the camp meeting-style preaching gathering. The camp meeting was chartered on August 15, 1877.

Today, Dimock Camp Meeting hosts seasonal Sunday evening services. Sunday evening services begin on July 6 and the season ends on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. All services begin at 6pm and are followed by refreshments in the dining hall. Please note that the service time has changed. All services begin at 6pm, not 7pm as it has always been in the past.

Services are non-denominational and each program is different. There are many popular singing groups from the area, favorite "return" preachers, other speakers sharing the many types of ministry they are involved with in their communities and churches.

Read the Transcript for announcements and check out www.DimockCampMeeting.org for updated information.

The Association also has a cottage available for use by pastors, lay leaders and other families for a donation.

For more information, contact Linda at 570-589-1641.

With their needle-like, iridescent bodies, four gossamer wings, enormous eyes, and distinctive flight patterns, dragonflies are a familiar sight around ponds and streams at this time of year. Because these swift, beautiful insects lay their eggs under water and feed near it, the Florence Shelly Preserve, a diverse 400-acre protected wetlands area just outside Thompson, PA, is an ideal place to observe them.

On Saturday, June 28 at 10:00 a.m., Professor Nick Donnelly, retired Professor of Geology at SUNY Binghamton and one of the world's leading experts on dragonflies, will host a walk at the preserve to identify dragonflies and discuss their habits. There are approximately sixty to seventy different species of the insect in the preserve, and participants will learn to distinguish among them, and to recognize dragonfly larva.

Professor Donnelly, who is himself credited with the discovery of fifty dragonfly species worldwide, will also discuss what he calls “the outstanding flying abilities” of these insects. “Dragonflies handle their wings unlike any other insect,” he says. “Each of their four wings moves independently of the others, and they can rotate them like a helicopter.”

According to Professor Donnelly, this is the prime time of year for seeing dragonflies.

The author of numerous papers on dragonflies and the editor of the publication of the Dragonfly Society of the Americas, Professor Donnelly has studied the insects in South America, southeast Asia, and the Pacific.

The Florence Shelly Preserve is located one mile north of Thompson on Route 171. There is a small parking lot opposite Stack Road. The walk is scheduled to last two hours. Participants are urged to wear waterproof shoes, since we’ll be walking in a wetland. Note that the trail is uneven, with spots that are rocky and wet. No reservations are required and the walk is free of charge. For more information call Trebbe Johnson at 570-396-0293.

The Rail-Trail Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania will hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, June 26th at the Rail-Trail office in Union Dale. Cables Deli will prepare a dinner.  Dinner is available at 6 PM with the meeting following at 7:00 PM. All are welcome. Discussed will be trail and bridge improvement plans and the list of upcoming trail programs and activities. Call the office for details or questions, 570-679-9300.