January 10, 2007 Release

Slate Belt Heritage Center Holding Monthly Historic Presentation

The Slate Belt Heritage Center will hold their monthly historic presentation on Thursday, January 11 at 7 PM. The speaker for the evening will be David Palmer who will lecture on the preservation of the Lime Kilns in the Slate Belt Area. The Slate Belt Heritage Center is located at 30 North First Street in Bangor, and is handicap accessible. For more information, please call Karen Brewer at 610.588.8615 or Janet Miller at 610.588.3434 or visit www.slatebeltheritage.com.

Friends of Bangor Public Library to Discuss “Moon Tiger”

The Friends of the Bangor Public Library’s book discussion group will meet Tuesday, January 16 from 7 PM to 8 PM. The group will discuss Penelope Lively’s Booker Prize winning “Moon Tiger.” The Friends of the Bangor Public Library’s Book Discussion Group is open to the public. Any interested in joining the club may stop by the Bangor Public Library and place their name on the signup sheet. For more information on the club, call Sherry Darr at 610.588.7316.

Bangor Elks Lodge All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast

The Bangor Elks Lodge #1106 will hold a monthly all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet the second Sunday of each month. The first breakfast will be held Sunday, January 14 from 8 AM to 1 PM. The cost is $6.50 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-12. Children under age 6 eat free. The Bangor Elks is located at 120 Broadway in Bangor.

Martins-Jacoby Watershed Plan Holding Kickoff Meeting

The Martins-Jacoby Watershed Association (MJWA) is leading a comprehensive watershed-based study for northeastern Northampton County. The Association has planned a project kick-off meeting at 7 PM on Thursday, January 11 in the Slater Room of the Bangor Area School District Administrative Office. The purpose of the meeting is to provide information about the project and to receive input about the watershed plan.

The greater watershed area is approximately 102 square miles and is entirely within Northampton County. The project area includes all of the Upper Mt. Bethel, Lower Mt. Bethel, and Washington Townships and portions of Plainfield and Forks Townships. Also included are the Boroughs of Bangor, East Bangor, Pen Argyl, Portland, and Roseto. The watershed area contains a number of cultural, recreational, and ecological features including the Kittatinny Ridge, the Appalachian Trail, and many natural areas of statewide significance. The watershed plan is the first crucial step toward implementing projects on the ground for natural and cultural resource protection and enhancement in northeastern Northampton County.

Slate Belt Chamber Installs 2007 Directors

The Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce recently installed its 2007 directors. One year directors include Rosemary Albert, Charles Niclaus, Adolph Marth, Dianne Shippers, Daniel Paolini, Jewel Williamson-Burns, Jeff Baskin, and Nadine Moyer. Two year directors include David Dent, Paul Donovan, Frank Russo, Patti Guarry, Fred Curcio, Kathy Weiss, and Victor Rodite.

Pen Argyl Area High School Public Service Announcement

Pen Argyl Area High School would like to make the public aware that companies and groups which solicit funds through the selling of advertising for the sponsoring of school district athletic schedules, souvenirs, spirit items, or similar promotions are often neither affiliated with, nor authorized to work on behalf of the school district. Products and services of this nature often either duplicate current offerings or are of little benefit to the school district. Any person, group or business that has been contacted for items of this nature should contact the school’s administration office prior to committing resources to such projects. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the school’s programs should contact the school district at 610.863.1293, extension 1.

Bangor School Ski and Snowboard Club Postponed

Bangor Area School District’s Ski and Snowboard Club has been postponed to Wednesday, January 24 due to the warm weather. The school asks that questions are directed to a building representative, not Camelback.

More Than 100 Participate in Families First 5K Race

More than 100 people participated in the 4th annual 5-K Race and One Mile Fun Walk on October 14 to benefit Families First. The fastest overall male winner of the 5-K Race was Ricky Snyder with a time of 18.52 and the fastest overall female winner was Bethany Febbo with a time of 24.36. Both winners were awarded medals and gift certificates from Aardvark SportsShop. Wegman’s donated water and Families First provided homemade baked goods, bananas, bagels, hot chocolate and coffee.

Families First extends a heartfelt thank you to all who volunteered their time, donated baked good and door prizes, and sponsored this community event:

Sponsors of the 5-K Race were: Premiere & Corporate Sponsor – Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Logo Sponsors – Applebee’s, Brown Daub in Wind Gap, Pen Argyl Area School District, Merchants National Bank, Green Knight Economic Development Corporation, and Slate Belt Communities That Care.

Name Sponsors – Aardvark Sports Shop, Alpine Meats, Amin Heart Associates, Bangor Podiatry, Bangor Straight Chiropractic, Brian Witmer Agency, State Farm Insurance, Capitol Auto Parts, The Chandler Estates, Detzi’s Tavern, Donna Pipher - Mary Kay Consultant, God’s Love Nursery School, Gordon’s Notary Service, Guerro & Ruggiero Funeral Home, Huth Insurance, In Memory of Lisa Hoppe, J & R’s Smokehouse, Jen’s Odds –N-Ends, Lookout Fire Company No. 1, MSCF/Community Counseling Services, The Nutritional First Group, Opperman Dental Associates, Paula Dahlenburg - Avon Representative, Pen Argyl Parent Teachers Association, Pen Argyl Pizza, Pinebrook Services for Children & Youth, R.C. Guarry & Associates, Inc. Reimer Brothers, Sabatino Insurance Agency, St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Door Prizes were contributed by Capitol Ace Hardware, Cramer’s, Donna Pipher - Mary Kay Consultant, Instant Replay Sporting Goods, New Elements Salon & Day Spa, Pizza Joe’s, Applebee’s, Feel Well Massage, Aardvark Sports Shop and Paula Dahlenburg – Avon Representative.

Thanks also to Phil Giaquinto, Race Committee Chair, and committee members/volunteers: Jeff Baskin, Linda Cesare, Marie Coscia, Paula Dahlenburg, Kim Farnack, Trish Fritz, Loraine Johnson, Lisa Kusek, David Mutton, Gina Perin, Becky Rader, Marjorie Reagan, Bonnie Richardson, Sandy Shriver, Rev. C. Frank Terhune and Jewel Williamson-Burns.

Serving Pen Argyl School District residents, Families First provides mentoring, advocacy, parenting classes, employment assistance, housing resources and health insurance assistance. If you need assistance or would like to be a mentor or volunteer, contact Frank Jones, Director, at Jones.Frank@penargylsd.org or 610-863-3688.

Attend a Bangor Block Watch Meeting

The Bangor Block Watch meets at 7 PM on the first and third Tuesday of the month at the Slate Belt Heritage Center located at 30 North First Street in Bangor. The next meeting is planned for Tuesday, January 16. For more information, call 610.588.7028.

Lookout Fire Company Thanks Residents

Lookout Fire Company No. 1 thanks the residents of Pen Argyl in their support of the annual food drive. They delivered two truckloads of canned food to the Pen Argyl Salvation Army last month.

Bangor Babe Ruth Baseball Sign Ups

Bangor Babe Ruth Baseball is signing up children for the 2007 season. Any child living in the Bangor Area School District, born prior to May 1, 1994 and on or after May 1, 1991 is eligible. Bangor will have two teams, one consisting of 13 year-olds and the second consisting of 14 and 15 year-olds. Contact Wally Smith at 610.588.0410 to sign up or with any questions.

Slate Belt-Nazareth Baptist Church Holding Family Conference

The Slate Belt-Nazareth Baptist Church is holding Family Conference 2007 on Friday and Saturday, January 12 and 13. The conference will be held from 7 to 9 PM at the church. The speaker for the evening will be Fred Jacoby who will lecture on marital issues. The Slate Belt-Nazareth Baptist Church is located at 1620 Church Road in Pen Argyl. For more information, call 610.863.9274.

American Cancer Society Holding Daffodil Kick Off Breakfast

The Daffodil Days Kick Off Breakfast will be held on January 16 at the Best Western Hotel located on Route 512 in Bethlehem. The breakfast brings together sponsors, pre sale coordinators, drivers, packers and direct sale coordinators. At the breakfast the new items for 2007 are introduced, and all the information for the upcoming Daffodil Days campaign is discussed.

This year honorary chair Scott Fainor, President and CEO of KNBT, will address the attendees. Many of the attendees have been working on the yearly Daffodil Days Campaigns for over 20 years. Again this year the top Daffodil pre sales company will be honored and awarded with a certificate.

The 2007 Daffodil Days campaign is pleased to be offering the bunch of 10 Daffodils for $8, the newly designed clear etched vase with a bunch of daffodils for $15 and the newest member of the Boyds Bear Family, designed exclusively for the American Cancer Society, Hugh R. Hope with a bunch of daffodils for $25.

The goal for the 2007 campaign, in the Lehigh Valley, is $305,000, and with the participation of all of our friends in the Lehigh Valley we can reach this goal. The deadline for pre sale orders is February 16 and daffodils will be available at direct sale sites from March 21 through March 25.

For more information, contact Rosemarie at the American Cancer Society at 610.921.2329, ext 3109 or rmurphy@cancer.org.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

K of C Free Throw Competition at Holy Family Gym

The Knights of Columbus will be holding a free throw competition at the Holy Family School Gym on Sunday, January 14. The competition is open to kids ages 10-14 and will be held from 12:30 to 3 PM. Winners of each age group will advance to the district completion scheduled for Sunday, February 4 at Holy Family.

Plainfield Fire Company Bloodmobile Site

PLAINFIELD TWP- Plainfield Volunteer Fire Company is a weekly bloodmobile site. Blood drive hours are every Thursday from 3 PM to 7:30 PM and every other Tuesday from 3 PM to 7:30 PM. The Plainfield Fire Company is located at 6480 Sullivan Trail. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at this site and nearby areas, visit www.GiveAPint.org or call 800-223-6667.

Blue Mountain Antique Gas & Steam Engine Assoc. Annual Snow Show

Blue Mountain Antique Gas & Steam Engine Association will hold its annual Snow Show from 8 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, January 20 at the Jacktown Community Center located on Bangor-Richmond Road in Bangor. The event will be one of the first shows of 2007 on the east coast and will feature a variety of gas engine displays. Those who donate an empty soup can are eligible to receive free Hobo Stew. Other food will be on sale and a bon fire is planned. For more information, call 610.588.6900.

Slate Belt & Nazareth Chambers Holding Winter Wonderland Mixers

The Slate Belt Chamber of Commerce and Nazareth Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring the Winter Wonderland Mixer which will be hosted by The Hampton Inn and Schwann’s Home Delivery on Thursday, January 18. The event will be held from 5 to 7 PM at the Hampton Inn in Easton. Those wishing to attend should RSVP to either chamber by Monday, January 15.

Knights of Columbus Holding 200 Club Drawing

The Knights of Columbus regular meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 23 and will include the 200 Club Drawing. The election of the Home Association Officers will be taking place at this meeting. Members are encouraged to attend the 7:30 PM meeting at Council Home.

NCC Offering Shelter/Rescue Dog Classes

Teach your newly adopted dog to be polite and well-mannered with Northampton Community College's Basic Skills for the
Shelter/Rescue Dog class. Held at the Northampton County SPCA in Easton, the class will help you teach your dog simple commands using positive reinforcement, as well as how to strengthen the bond between you, your dog and his new family. The class also covers care, feeding and equipment basics.

This class is offered Jan. 8-22 from 6-6:45 p.m., or Jan. 15-29 from 7-7:45 p.m. Class fee is $25. Bring a flat collar or fitted head halter, a six-foot leash, and toys or food for rewards. If these dates won't work for you, don't give up, call 610-861-4172 to schedule a mutually convenient time.

Visit www.northampton.edu for a complete course description and/or to register for the class online. To register over the telephone using a credit card, call NCC toll-free at 1-877-543-0998.

Waggin’ Tails Offering Basic Healing For Animals Class

The purpose of this class is to learn how to assist animals with their health and well being by becoming a channel of healing energy, expanding your awareness of energy flow, learning to balance energy patterns, reading physical energy in the aura; long distance healing and basic massage techniques. These fun, informative classes will change how you see and relate to your animal companions while giving you the tools to change for the better not only their lives but your own. This is a series of six 1 1/2 hour classes beginning at 7 PM on Monday, January 15 at the Waggin' Tails office on Rt. 209 in Brodheadsville. The cost of each class is $20 with a portion of the proceeds go to Waggin' Tails Pet Rescue to benefit homeless and abandoned animals. The class is presented by Vyolet, an animal communicator, healer and veterinary technician who has written several articles on the subject which are available on the Living Spirit Website, http://www.thelivingspirit.info/Vyolet.html. For more information, or to register contact Vyolet at
dogstarenergycenter@yahoo.com or 570.619.6016.

Klecknersville Rangers Ladies Auxiliary All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast

The Klecknersville Rangers Ladies Auxiliary is holding an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 8 AM to 12 PM on Sunday, January 21 at the Klecknersville Fire Hall. The menu consists of pancakes, sausage, bacon, ham, eggs, French toast, hash browns, and much more. The cost is $6 for adults and $3.50 for children ages 5-12. Children under age 5 eat free. Klecknersville Rangers Volunteer Fire Hall is located at 2718 Mountain View Drive in Moore Township. For more information, call 610.837.0307.

Lehigh Valley EDC Holding Annual Meeting

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation will hold its annual meeting from 4:30 to 7:30 PM on Thursday, January 26. The meeting will be held in Lehigh University’s Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem. The guest speaker for the evening will be Leslie Sayoko Parks. Call 610.266.6775 or visit www.lehighvalley.org for more information.

4-H Tree Seedling Sale Underway

The Northampton County 4-H program is once again sponsoring their annual tree seedling sale. This sale benefits the 4-H program in the county, supporting various programs such as camp, round up, achievement banquet, and the clubs in general. The pick up date for the trees is Saturday, April 28, 2007, at the pick-up locations.

The trees offered this year are Scotch Pine, Eastern White Pine, Colorado Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce, Douglas Fir, Concolor Fir, Sugar Maple, Red Oak, White Flowering Dogwood, European Mountain Ash, American Arborvitae, and Canadian Hemlock. These are offered in bundles of 10 per type. Prices start at $9 per bundle and go down to $6 per bundle, depending on the amount ordered.

The sale runs from now until March 10, 2007; orders received after that date will be filled on the availability of trees. The orders can be picked up at the following locations: The Northampton County 4-H Center at 777 Bushkill Center Rd., Nazareth; Ace Hardware in Capital Plaza on Rte. 512, Bangor; Mel’s Market on Rte. 248 in Pennsville; the Neighbor’s Home & Garden Center in Hellertown, and the Farm Bureau in Tatamy. Each of these pick up points will have order forms available. More order forms have been distributed around the county at other locations. If you are unable to obtain an order form, please call the Northampton County Extension Office, weekdays between 8 AM and 4 PM, at 6610-746-1970, ext. 0, to request an order form. All orders must be prepaid.

The 4-H program is open to all youths ages 8-18 years and offers over 150 hands-on projects. Anyone interested in obtaining more information on the 4-H program, in general, is asked to call Leisel Dreisbach, at the 4-H offices, at 610-746-1970, ext. 4.

Civic Theater Featuring “Vinegar Tom”

Lust, blame and violence.... This is what is on the minds of Civic Theatre of Allentown's Resident Company.

This year's Company, four young theatre professionals from across the country, is the first to have undertaken the task of producing a full-scale production. They have selected Caryl Churchill's "Vinegar Tom," an acclaimed drama about morality and betrayal set against the backdrop of 17th Century witchcraft hysteria.

The play tells the story of two farm women -- young and sexually independent Alice Noakes and her outcast mother, Joan -- who are accused of witchcraft by vengeful neighbors looking for ways to justify their misfortune.

"The thing that is so powerful about 'Vinegar Tom' to me is the contemporary feel and the universality of the subject matter," says resident Noah Herman, who directs the production. "The story is about people who cannot take responsibility for their own actions, and so they look for people to scapegoat. Whether we like to admit it or not, the behavior in 'Vinegar Tom' is recognizable in all of us -- which gives the play a humanity that I really love."

Herman recently graduated from Muhlenberg College, where he directed several projects, including the award-winning mainstage production "Lebensraum."

Herman is joined by fellow Resident Company members Jennifer Pors, Caitlin McCown and Sarahlynn Svoboda. Although Civic's professional staff provides some guidance, the residents have assumed almost all of the production responsibilities themselves. In addition to performing in the show, Pors is designing costumes and serving as musical director; McCown is designing the set, and Svoboda serves as marketing and publicity coordinator and dramaturg.

Now in its fourth year, the Resident Company program gives young theater professionals an opportunity to spend eight months working in a professionally staffed theater company. They serve as an integral part of the company, perform in Civic productions, and work with the professional staff to learn the craft and business of theater.

The "Vinegar Tom" cast also includes Lehigh Valley actors JoAnn Wilchek Basist, Mike Febbo, Melissa Haas, Ryan Hill, Kristen Sgarro and Patricia Welle. Civic’s assistant technical director, Lea Anello, is the production stage manager and lighting designer.

"Vinegar Tom" plays Friday, January 19, through Sunday, January 21. Performances are at 8 PM on Friday and Saturday, and at 2 PM on Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens. "Vinegar Tom" contains adult themes and language and is recommended for mature audiences.

Performances are in Civic’s Theatre 514 Black Box Theatre located at 514 N. 19th Street in Allentown. Call (610) 432-8943 or visit www.civictheatre.com for tickets and information.