Jade Heasley

It’s time to start thinking about Christmas, and here in our little town that means thinking about the Montgomery Christmas Committee.

For decades, this wonderful organization has worked tirelessly to provide Christmas Dinner boxes for all ages as well as brand new toys to children in households that may need a little extra help to ensure that Christmas is truly merry.

This year the Christmas Committee has a Facebook page and an email address. They can still be contacted by phone as well.

The Christmas Committee accepts checks to help pay for the food in the Christmas Dinner boxes. The Committee will be thanking people who send checks by name on Facebook, but they will also allow givers to choose to not have their name featured on Facebook. So if you want to give and remain anonymous, please contact them via email at montgomerychristmasbox@gmail.com, or by phone at 570-854-4807, or 570-547-1254. Checks can be made out to the Montgomery Christmas Committee and mailed to either of the following two addresses: Virginia Hill, Attn: Montgomery Christmas Committee, 133 Hills Lane, Montgomery, PA 17752, or to Jennifer Oiler Gruver, Attn: Montgomery Christmas Committee, 531 Cemetery Hill Road, Montgomery, PA, 17752.

Toys for Tots boxes are in the following places in and around Montgomery: Surplus Outlet, Dollar General, Clinton Township Office, Journey Bank, Thad’s Place, Hulsizer Chevrolet, The Montgomery Area Historical Society, Milly’s, Montgomery Borough Office, Valley Rehabilitation, Montgomery Post Office, Station House, American Legion Post #251, Jersey Shore Bank, Springs Window Fashions, Amazon, VT Hackney, Construction Specialties, and Kopper’s. You can use the boxes to drop off new toys as well as donations of batteries, tape, and wrapping paper. The Toys for Tots boxes will be picked up on Dec. 12, so please be sure to make your donations before then. Toys are collected for ages infant through teen.

If you would like to sign up to receive a Christmas Dinner Box or toys for your children, the list will open on Friday, Nov. 29. You can email the committee or contact Jennifer Gruver at 570-854-4807. Please note that the list doesn’t carry over from one year to the next, so please be sure to register for this year if you want a dinner box and/or toys for children. To sign up for toys, the committee needs the following information: Name of adult or caregiver, phone number, address, the total number of people in the household and if they are adults or children, and the gender and age of each child who need gifts. Please note that gifts can’t be provided for nieces, nephews, or grandchildren, except in cases where the adult is the child’s legal guardian.

To find them on Facebook, please search Montgomery Christmas Committee.

Announcements

and Events

• Thursday, Nov. 14 — There will be two distributions at the Footprints of Montgomery Food Pantry, one from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and another from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. An Asthma Management Education program will be given from 10 a.m. to noon. The pantry will also be visited by state Rep. Jamie Flick. New clients are welcome and should bring proof of residency within the Montgomery Area School District. The pantry is located at 71 Bower Street Ext. • The library will have Busy Builders from 4 to 5 p.m. This activity group is for school-aged children to enjoy challenges with building toys.

• Friday, Nov. 15 — The Oak Grove Community Center will have a visit from the James V. Brown Storymobile from noon to 1 p.m. The Storymobile is filled with library books for children from infancy through age 6. • Patrons are invited to the library to make a koala bear craft from recycled CDs from 4 to 5 p.m.

• Saturday, Nov. 16 — A free Community Lunch will be held at the Clinton Baptist Church from noon to 2 p.m. Eat in or take out. • There will be a Thanksgiving Dinner at the library at 5 p.m. Guests are requested to provide a covered dish for the group. • Trivia Night will be held at the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Company social hall. Cash prizes will be given to the top two teams. All ages are welcome to play and teams can have up to six players. The doors will open at 6 p.m. Drinks and food will be sold from the bar and kitchen (no outside beverages or food is allowed). The game begins at 7 p.m.

• Monday, Nov. 17 — The Footprints of Montgomery will receive donations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All food donations are welcome and appreciated. Currently they are most in need of spaghetti sauce, pancake mix and syrup.

• Tuesday, Nov. 18 and Wednesday, Nov. 19 — Virtuoso will present “From Broadway to Penn” at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. These free admission shows will offer seating on a first come, first served basis. Donations will be accepted.

• Tuesday, Nov. 18 — The library will have a learning activity about Germany from 4 to 5 .pm. There will be a German Alpine Hat craft.

• Wednesday, Nov. 20 — Book Buddies will be held at the library at 10:30 a.m. This group is for small children to enjoy a story and a craft. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

• Thursday, Nov. 21 — The library will have Video Game Night from 4 to 5 p.m. Patrons will be able to play Wii games.

• Friday, Nov. 22 — The library’s Sitch Social Group will meet at the library at 2 p.m. This group is for people to come and socialize as they knit or crochet. All skill levels are welcome. • The library will have a learning activity about Germany from 4 to 5 p.m. There will be a Walnut Baby craft activity.

• Saturday, Nov. 23 — The Adam Room Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

THOT — “Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” -Booker T. Washington