FIREWORKS MEAL

It’s time once again for the Chicken and Waffles Dinner that is held to raise funds to buy the fireworks for the Orviston Festival. The meal will be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 3:30-6 p.m., at the Beech Creek Fire Company social hall. The cost will be $12 for anyone nine years of age and older, and those eight years and younger can eat for a donation of your choice.

The meal includes chicken and waffles, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, desserts and drinks.

Tickets are available at the door or by calling Brenda at 570-660-5283 or Wes at 570-502-2034.

We hope everyone comes out to support the fireworks meal. The more money that is raised, the better the fireworks display will be. Anyone who has been to the Orviston Festival the past few years can attest to the amazing fireworks display put on to end the annual celebration.

BENEFIT FOR MIKE

A benefit is planned for Mike Neff at The Golden Axe in Lock Haven on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Mike has been off work since June due to liver failure and he finally was able to receive a liver transplant operation at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md., just before Thanksgiving in November. Mike must travel to the follow-up appointments from the surgery every 10 days in Baltimore, a more than four hour drive.

Please join us in helping to ease the financial burden for Mike and his family by attending or donating to the event.

On Feb. 21, there will be a Scottish Doubles Pool tourney with registration at 11 a.m. The tournament starts at noon and the cost is $30 per team.

Other activities during the day will include a 50/50 drawing, Cornhole and Dart competitions, Axe throwing, a basket raffle and food and drinks. All proceeds from the event will go directly to Mike to help with his daily living expenses and travel costs.

Here’s how you can help! Donations are needed, whether they be baskets and prizes for the raffle, food and drink donations or gas cards and money to help Mike during his frequent trips to Baltimore and with medications.

Your support would mean the world to Mike and his wife, Lori.

To donate food or raffle baskets, please contact Lori at 570-502-1827 or Josie at 570-660-0988.

WING NIGHT

Citizen’s Hook and Ladder Company in Milesburg will have another Wing Night on Saturday, March 7, from 5-7 p.m. Wings are $12 a dozen with side orders of fries at $4. Bone-in or boneless wings are offered in seven different flavors. Come early because they sell out fast! Proceeds benefit the fire company.

There was a good turnout at the first Wing Night last week. The fire company apologizes for those who may have been charged $5 instead of $4 for their side order of fries. This error was not intentional and will be made right with those who are worried about the $1 at the March 7 Wing Night.

We have to remember that our first responders are volunteering a lot of their time and energy responding when there’s an emergency, and they need our financial support, not complaints about a $1 overcharge.

SHOE DRIVE

Marsh Creek Brethren in Christ Church will be collecting shoes again this year for the Gospel Tide’s “Your Soles for Their Souls” collection campaign. The Shoe Drive is underway and will continue until March 1.

Last year the Tide received 7,500 pairs of shoes. The goal this year is to collect 10,000 pairs. We’re hoping that other churches, businesses or individuals will search their closets and shoe racks and donate to the campaign.

Our church coordinator is Bonnie Young, who is willing to pick up shoes locally or arrange for convenient pick-up in the community, ranging from Bellefonte to Lock Haven and all the little towns in between. We have congregation members living in Bellefonte, Julian, Milesburg, Blanchard, Howard, Lamar and Lock Haven who would be able to help with collection efforts as well. Folks can call Bonnie at 570-962-2665 for pick-up or to schedule drop offs at her home in Beech Creek.

All sizes of shoes, sneakers, boots and sandals need to be new or only gently worn. Shoe strings need to be included, and it’s best to tie the pair together using the shoe strings so they don’t get separated in shipment.

This is the fifth year the Marsh Creek BIC Church has collected shoes to support Gospel Tide, and thanks to the community support we’ve exceeded our goal each year.

UPCOMING EVENTS

— Howard United Methodist Church will have a soup sale and luncheon on Thursday, Feb. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the church fellowship hall. A sit-down meal that includes soup, salad, a roll, piece of pie and beverage is $10. Quarts of soup for take-out are $9 each and can be pre-ordered by calling Patti at 814-625-2182.

— Beech Creek Wesleyan Church will have the free Mobile Food Pantry at the church on Feb. 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone may come and receive food. There is no application to complete and no income requirements or questions. This distribution is being administered by the New Love Center in Jersey Shore.

The food distribution will be held on the third Thursday of the month at the church,, 217 Main St., Beech Creek.

— Howard United Methodist Church will have a free food distribution on Friday, Feb. 20, beginning at 5 p.m. Please do not line up until after 4 p.m. Line-up is in the area of Rothrock Street (by the borough building) and back Spearing Street. Please do not block driveways so that homeowners can get home from work without any problems.

At 5 p.m. a church representative will release 10 cars at a time to travel to the church to get their food. From Rothrock Street, you would make a left onto Black Street, then a right onto Grove Street and go straight to the church. For more info, call Patti at 814-625-2182.

— Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club will have a Breakfast Benefit at the Clubhouse on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 7-11 a.m. An all you can eat hardy breakfast will cost just $10 for those 13 years and older. Meals for children ages 6-12 are just $6 each. Younger kiddos eat free. The clubhouse is located at 84 Harley Drive, Lock Haven, in the Woolrich area.

SVBTMC uses the monthly breakfasts to generate funds that are then donated to those in our community who are in need.

The March breakfast benefit will be on March 21 from 7-11 a.m., and in addition to the big breakfast there will be a basket raffle and 50/50 drawing to help Mike Neff who is recovering from liver transplant surgery. Mike hasn’t been able to work for more than six months now. Winners need not be present to win.

Please consider making a basket up or providing some sort of prize (gift cards to local stores, gas stations or restaurants are always nice) for the basket raffle to help Mike and his family through this difficult time. Baskets can be dropped off at the SVBTMC prior to the raffle or call 570-502-1827 for basket pickup.

— Wingate Faith Church will have a meal and fellowship time at the church on Friday, Feb. 27, from 4-6:30 p.m. Take a break from cooking and come enjoy a chicken and waffles meal with mashed potatoes, desserts and drinks. The cost will be $12 for adults and $6 for those ages 6-12 years. Younger kiddos get to eat free! Wingate Faith Church is located at 111 Runville Road, Bellefonte, which is directly behind the Sheetz store in Wingate, and next to Wingate Elementary. Everyone is invited! Call Janette at 814-883-0893 for more info.

— Cheer Club will be held on Thursday, March 5, at noon, at the Friendship Community Center in Beech Creek. Anyone 55+ years or older is invited to attend Cheer Club. Bring a covered dish to share for the noon meal.

SCOUTING FUNDRAISER

Pleasant Gap Scout Troop 66 is holding a Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser on Saturday, March 7, from 6-8 p.m., at the Pleasant Gap American Legion, 435 S. Main St., Pleasant Gap, Pa. The meal will consist of spaghetti with meatballs, tossed salad, garlic toast, and dessert for $10. Both sit-down meals and take-outs are available.

Funds from this dinner will be used by Troop 66 during their Scouting trip this summer to Philmont Ranch in New Mexico. Your donation will help to cover the cost of the Scout’s travel expenses and gear needed for this fabulous adventure.

For more info on Troop 66 or the spaghetti dinner please call 814-404-5432.

LIONS NEWS

Milesburg Lions Club holds a weekly Bingo every Thursday night at the Milesburg Community Center. Doors open at 5 p.m. and Bingo starts at 6:45 p.m.

Howard Area Lions will have their food distribution on Feb. 16 at the food bank headquarters at the former Beech Creek Elementary. Food distribution is from noon to 3 p.m., but come as early as you can so that the Lions don’t have to be out in the cold any longer than necessary. Bring a sturdy box with you since the large boxes are used each month during food bank distributions.

Howard Area Lions Bingo will be held on Feb. 26 at the Beech Creek Fire Company social hall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and Bingo starts at 6:30 p.m.

SWEETHEART DINNER

Howard Area Lions invite you to bring your sweetheart or a friend to their Sweetheart Dinner tomorrow at the Howard fire hall.

The weather is to be nice and sunny, with temperatures in the 40’s, so this dinner will be a way for you to shake off those winter blues and see folks you haven’t seen all winter.

The meal is free to all seniors age 60 and older and is a way that the local Lions club gives back to the community.

The sit down meal begins at noon, but if you want a good seat and time to fellowship with those attending, then you’ll want to come early to mingle.

The Lions will have raffle tickets on sale during the dinner as well, so bring a few dollars to participate in those drawings.

Proceeds from the Sweetheart Raffle are what helps to pay the rent on the food bank headquarters in Beech Creek.

FIRE NEWS

— Sugar Valley Fire Company is having a Valentine’s Day Wedding Meal Buffet tomorrow, Feb. 14, from 3-6:30 p.m. The Sweetheart Dinner will feature roasted chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed celery, coleslaw, noodles, pies, donuts and ice cream and drinks. The cost is $20 for adults and $12 for children ages 6-12 years. Younger children can eat for free. Take-out meals will also be available. Two buffet lines will serve you better so you can sit down to enjoy your delicious meal with your loved ones. Call 570-725-3017 for more info.

— Millheim Fire Company will be having an Amish Wedding Dinner on Saturday, March 7, from 3:30-7 p.m., at the fire station. The traditional wedding supper is being prepared by the members of the Penns Valley Amish community. Adult meals will be $20 and children ages 6-12 will cost $8. Take outs are available for $20, too. Cash or check only, credit cards are not accepted.

— Millheim Fire Company has their gun raffle chances for sale so ask a fireman if you’re interested. The raffle will be held on April 11, 2026. Tickets are $10 each or 3/$20. There are 25 prizes to be won including guns, cash, a Yeti cooler, binoculars and range finders.

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Howard Happenings is written and compiled by Tammy Coakley who can be reached by email at tammysue0115@gmail.com or by telephone at 814-625-2684.