The Stroller, April 7, 2025: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
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5K race and vendor fair to aid three shelters
The Together For A Cause 5K and vendor fair will be April 27 at Pittsburgh Brewing Company, 150 Ferry St., in the Creighton section of East Deer.
Check-in for the race will begin at 8 a.m. and the race will start at 9 a.m. Food trucks and craft vendors will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds will benefit shelters from three counties: Helping All Victims in Need (HAVIN) in Armstrong County, the Alle-Kiski HOPE Center in Allegheny County and Victim Outreach Intervention Center (VOICe) in Butler County.
Entrance fee is $25. Those who register by April 14 will receive an event T-shirt. Sponsorship opportunities are available. To register for the race and for more information, visit voicebutlercounty.org/april5k.html.
Concordia speakers bureau offers presentations
The Concordia Lutheran Ministries Speakers Bureau has senior-care professionals available to speak to organizations and community groups free of charge.
Topics available include fall prevention, chronic disease management, senior nutrition, senior living, advance directives, end of life decision making, health and wellness, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease education, nutrition for a healthy lifestyle and more. A full list of topics is available.
For details, contact Cheryl Aughton at 724-487-4656 or caughton@concordialm.org.
Calendar
Apollo
Wednesday: Apollo Hose Company 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.
Thursday: Apollo Memorial Library, 219 N. Pennsylvania Ave., is accepting donations for its book sale through Thursday. Items that will be accepted include gently used books and DVDs. No VHS tapes, magazines cassette tapes, encyclopedias, CDs or books that are damaged, dusty, moldy or have a musty or smoky smell, please. Bring donations inside the library.
Apollo/East Vandergrift
May 14: St. James and Our Lady, Queen of Peace parishes will sponsor a bus trip to Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The bus will leave at 9 a.m. from the St. James parking lot, 109 Owens View Drive. The group will be at the casino for five hours. Must be 21. Cost: $30, includes $20 in free play. State-issued photo ID required to receive free play. Reservations required. Reservations: 724-478-4958.
Arnold
Tuesday: Free dinner will be served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at The Tomb, 1821 Fifth Ave.
Friday: St. Vladimir Church, 1610 Kenneth Ave., is accepting orders for its pierogi sale. Varieties: potato or sauerkraut, $14 per dozen, $16. Pickup: 12:30 to 4 p.m. Friday in the church social hall. This will be the last sale till September. Orders: 724-339-9257, 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
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.
Freeport
Wednesdays: The Blessing Closet, formerly known as the Thrift Store Ministry, at Freeport United Methodist Church, 211 Fourth St., will be open from 11 a.m. 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 clothing, shoes and boots welcome; must be laundered and free from smoke and pet hair. Wheelchair accessible. Details: 724-295-3095.
Harrison
Tuesdays: Community Library of Allegheny Valley will host a story time for children age 3 to 5 at 10 a.m. at the library, 1522 Broadview Blvd. No reservations required. Details: 724-226-3491.
Wednesday: The Agape Thrift Shop at Grace United Methodist Church, 1333 Freeport Road, will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. Clean clothing in all sizes is needed. No housewares or bedding please. Bring donations on Wednesday or leave them on the front porch. Do not place donations in the blue bins behind the church.
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. The Sparrow’s Nest clothing and home goods ministry will be open from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Details and alternate times: 724-226-0606, ext. 10.
Wednesday: The Becky’s Closet community clothing store at Faith Lutheran Church, 1500 Broadview Blvd., will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church. Cost: adult tops and bottoms, 50 cents; children’s clothing, 25 cents. Please bring small bills and your own bags. Donations welcome during these hours. Everyone welcome.
April 10: Community Library of Allegheny Valley will host a talk with author Yvonne Valasek Jungle at 6 p.m. at the library, 1522 Broadview Blvd. Born and raised in Brackenridge, Jungle will discuss her book about her mother, Caroline Valasek, “Karolina: A Story of Faith, Survival and Love.” Reservations required. Reservations: alleghenyvalleylibrary.org.
Jefferson Township
Tuesday: Concordia at Cabot sponsors a free monthly caregiver support group at 2 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month in the Lund Care Center private dining room, 134 Marwood Road. Use Entrance 4. Anyone who cares for a loved one with a physical problem or diminished reasoning skills at home is welcome. Details: Stefanie Dietrich, 724-352-1571, ext. 8271.
Kiski Township
Tuesday: The diaper pantry at Spring Church Lutheran Church, 3623 Lutheran Church Road, will distribute diapers from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the church. Recipients must register in advance. First-time recipients must provide their own ID, the child’s birth certificate and a current WIC or SNAP card. Registration: 724-478-1528.
May 3: Boy Scout Troop 589 is accepting applications for a yard sale planned at Spring Church Sportsman’s Club, 1956 Route 56. Individuals, families and vendors welcome. Cost: yard sale spaces, indoors, $15, outside; $10; vendors and crafters, $25. Spaces are 8-feet wide. Bring your own table and chairs. Reservations: checks made payable to Troop 589 should be sent to Carrie Shank, Troop 589, 1134 Old State Road, Apollo PA 15613. Questions: Tracy Boop, 724-420-6758, or Carrie Shank, 724-448-9639 or cjshank@comcast.net.
Lower Burrell
Tuesday: Allegheny Valley League of Artists will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the community room of Peoples Library, 3052 Wachter Ave. Anyone who is at least 18 years old and is interested in all types of art is welcome. The group works to promote art interests by supporting artists through workshops, exhibitions and programs.
Tuesday: Burrellton Garden Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Grace Community Presbyterian Church, 2751 Grant St. New members welcome. Details: 724-335-3353.
Tuesday: Redemption Church, 3400 Garvers Ferry Road, will offer a GriefShare support group from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the church. No reservations required. This is the last session of the series.
Wednesday: A free DivorceCare support group will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Redemption Church, 3400 Garvers Ferry Road. No reservations required. This is the last meeting of the series. Details: 724-766-6405.
Lower Burrell/New Kensington
April 26: Peoples Library is selling tickets for a lottery ticket raffle. The winner will receive $400 worth of Pennsylvania Lottery instant tickets. The drawing will be at the April 26 library luncheon at Knead Community Café. Cost: $5 each or three for $10. Winner need not be present. Tickets: stop in at either library location.
McCandless
Wednesday: The Sealarks Women’s Group will meet at 1 p.m. at Memorial Park Church, 8800 Peebles Road. The program is the FBI by Brook Riordan. The group provides Christian fellowship and social activity for women who are widowed, divorced or never married. New members welcome. Details and reservations: Edie, 412-487-7194.
New Kensington
Tuesday: A representative from PA CareerLink will be available from 10 a.m. to noon in the office of state Rep. Jill Cooper, 356 Freeport St., suite 100. Services available will include resume and job search help, assistance navigating the Pa. CareerLink website, registering for workshops and interviewing techniques.
Tuesday: Alle-Kiski Valley Center for Active Adults will sponsor a bingo at 12:30 p.m. at the center, 1039 Third Ave. Please arrive by 11:45 a.m. There will be 18 regular games that pay $10 each, five specials that pay $15 each, two jackpot games and one quickie game. Payouts change according to attendance. Public welcome. Details: 724-335-8597.
Wednesday: Peoples Library, 880 Barnes St., will offer Puzzles for Grownups at 1 p.m. Details: 724-339-1021.
April 17: An American Red Cross community blood drive will be from noon to 5 p.m. at the Wesley Family Services Wellness Center, 1045 Fourth Ave. Appointments: 800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org and search with code Wesley FS.
April 19 to Oct. 25: The Downtown New Kensington Farmers Market is accepting vendor applications for this year’s market season that will run from mid-April through mid October on Fifth Avenue. Local vendors who sell fresh local produce, meat, poultry, dairy products, juice, cheese, bread and baked goods welcome. Details: Meredith, 412-719-8845 or downtownnkmarkets@gmail.com.
May 10: Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley is accepting basket donations and supplies to make baskets for its annual spring luncheon planned at Knead Community Café. Details: jperin@animalprotectors.net.
Oakmont
Tuesdays: Taking Pounds Off Sensibly (TOPS) meets at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave. Private weigh-ins will be from 5:45 to 6:10 p.m. and the meeting will be afterward. The first meeting is free. Details: 412-828-3854 or jmjkwj@gmail.com.
Plum
Tuesdays: The Plum Food Pantry, 81 Sandune Drive, distributes free food from 5 to 6:30 p.m. the first three Tuesdays of each month. Details: 724-327-0367.
Saxonburg
Wednesday: Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company will sell takeout fish and chicken dinners from 4 to 6 p.m. or until sold out at the firehall ballroom, 210 Horne Ave. Menu: fish or chicken, baked potato or fries, green beans, coleslaw, roll and cake, $15; oyster dinner, market price; extra piece of fish, $6; extra coleslaw, $1. Orders: 724-352-9948 after 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Wednesday: The Elks will host bingo at 6:30 p.m. at the lodge, 219 E. Sixth Ave. Doors open at 5 p.m. The kitchen will be open. Cost: $15 per packet. There is an ATM on site. Orders: 724-226-1644 by 8:15 p.m.
Wednesdays and Saturdays: The Alle-Kiski Valley Historical Society, 224 E. Seventh Ave., is open from noon to 3 p.m. and other times by appointment. Details: 724-224-7666.
Tarentum
Tuesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet from 7 to 8 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church, 305 Allegheny St.
Vandergrift
Wednesday: Vandergrift Public Library will host Toddler Time for children 4 and younger at 11 a.m. at the library, 128C Washington Ave. Reservations required. Reservations: 724-568-2212.
Washington Township
Tuesdays and Thursdays: The Blessing Closet at Union Presbyterian Church will be open by appointment from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays at the church, 656 Route 380. Items available include paper products, cleaning supplies, feminine hygiene products and pet supplies. Appointments: 724-337-3042.
Wednesday: Poke Run Presbyterian Church will host its free monthly Soup for the Soul luncheon at noon at the church, 1091 Poke Run Church Road. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Details: 724-327-5563.
Wednesday: Alcoholics Anonymous will meet at 6 p.m. at Union Presbyterian Church, 656 Route 380.