HOOTY WHO DAY

Pathway to Christ Church will be holding their annual Hooty Who Day at the church at noon today. The public is invited to bring their cowbells, whistles and any noise makers to help scare away winter. This is just a fun way to let winter know that we’re done having it and we want nicer weather and springtime temperatures to take over.

Those driving by the folks participating in Hooty Who Day at the intersection near the church are encouraged to honk their horns to help scare away winter!

MILESBURG EGGS

Milesburg Museum and Historical Society is selling their homemade Easter eggs again this year.

The eggs are $10 a dozen and are ready for pick-up. The museum is open on Wednesday afternoon from noon to 3 p.m. As weather permits, sales may also be conducted at the post office on Saturdays.

The museum uses the Easter egg sale to help with expenses and upkeep of the building.

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 tomorrow, 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.

Keep in mind that once you’re finished with your meal, if you could kindly get up so that those still waiting in line can take a seat to enjoy their meal, that would be greatly appreciated. We don’t want to rush anyone off, but others waiting in line have purchased meal tickets as well.

BENEFIT FOR MIKE

A benefit is planned for Mike Neff at The Golden Axe in Lock Haven tomorrow, Feb. 21, starting at 11 a.m.

Mike has had some recent setbacks and has been hospitalized twice so far this month, but we are hoping that he can be at The Golden Axe to thank everyone for their donations and support. In early February, Mike had a check-up at John Hopkins in Baltimore, but there were some complications and he had to stay for surgery with a stint to be put into his new liver. Doctors are continuing to closely monitor his medical condition and overall well-being since the liver transplant was done in late November.

Taking the costly anti-rejection medicines and trying to manage his diabetes at the same time is taking a stressful toll on Mike and his wife, Lori, so your help in easing the financial burden would be certainly appreciated. Adding to their stress is the fact that he hasn’t received any disability income yet after more than 6 months of waiting and hoping.

Tomorrow at The Golden Axe 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 towards helping Mike and Lori with their needs and travel costs for the check-ups in Baltimore that he has to go to every 10 days.

Donations are still being accepted, 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 Lori.

To donate raffle baskets, please contact Lori at 570-502-1827 or Josie at 570-660-0988, or drop them off at The Golden Axe tonight or tomorrow morning before noon.

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 well 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.

WINTER FESTIVAL

Walker Township Park & Rec Board is holding a Winter Festival on Saturday, Feb. 28, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Walker Township Park, 816 Nittany Valley Drive, Bellefonte. All are welcome to come out and enjoy some winter fun!

During the festival you will have the opportunity to meet and greet a sled dog team, learn about animals in winter from the Game Commission and participate in a Discovery Space Winter STEM activity. Weather permitting (THINK SNOW) you can build a snowman, make snow angels and castles, participate in snow painting, play snow games and participate in a sensory scavenger hunt while you enjoy free hot chocolate and cookies.

For more info feel free to call Leah at 814-360-3099.

UPCOMING EVENTS

— Howard United Methodist Church will have a free food distribution this afternoon, 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.

— Bald Eagle United Presbyterian Church in Mill Hall will be having a homemade pot pie sale on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 1-3 p.m. The ham pot pie is $10 a quart. To guarantee you get, it’s best to pre-order by calling the church office at 570-726-4112. Walk-in sales will be accommodated until the pot pie is all gone. Pot pie comes in freezable containers, so you can get a few extra quarts to have on hand.

— Country Jam at the Yearick Center in Howard will be held on Sunday, Feb. 22, from 2-6 p.m. This is an afternoon of free music for anyone wanting to attend. If you play an instrument, bring it along and play along with the bands that are there, or you can sit back and relax to the toe-tappin’ and hand-clappin’ tunes played.

Those attending should bring a snack or covered dish to share and a few dollars to drop in the hat to benefit the fire company.

Country Jam is held on the fourth Sunday afternoon of the month and is hosted by The Back Porch String Band.

— Liberty Township Sportsmen’s Association will hold a Turkey shoot on Sunday, Feb. 22. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and shooting starts at 9:30 a.m. Turkey shoots are held the last Sunday of each month. There are entry fees and shooters should bring their own eye and ear protection. The club is located at 1140 Marsh Creek Road, Howard. Visit their website for more info at www,libertysportsmen.com

Walk-in registration for the LTSA’s Annual Coyote Hunt that’s scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28, through Sunday, March 2, will be handled at the club house on Sunday, too. Check the website for entry fees, rules, flea market vendor details and more info.

— 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 and an unwrapped item for the Chinese auction game.

— Centre Ballroom Dance will sponsor a ballroom dance on Sunday, March 8, from 2-5 p.m., at Lambert Hall in Bellefonte. Cost is $10/person and bring a snack to share. For more info. call/text Rod at 717 543 8348.

— Beech Creek Wesleyan Church will have the free Mobile Food Pantry at the church on March 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone may come and receive food. 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.

— Nittany Valley Amish Benefit Dinner will be held on March 28 in Hublersburg at the Walker Township Fire Company station, 125 Firehouse Lane, Howard. This is an Amish Wedding Meal that is served from 12-7 p.m. I’ll have more info as the event draws closer, but menu details and pricing are available on the Nittany-Valley-Benefit-Dinner Facebook page. Reservations can be made by calling Sylvia at (814) 810-7959 or Dorothy at (814) 810-8664.

— The Penns Valley FFA and the Penns Valley Young Farmers will be hosting a Donkey Basketball game on Friday, April 24. The PV Rams will take on the Little Lions from State College. Doors at the Penns Valley High School New Gym will open at 6 p.m. and the game starts at 7 p.m. I’ll get ticket information for you once it’s provided to me.

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.

Eight scouts along with Scoutmaster Matt Coll and Assistant Scoutmasters, Marc Burns and Brent Smith, are all very excited for the opportunity to make the trip to New Mexico. The troop will be leaving Pleasant Gap on June 8 and will be doing a 12-day backpacking trip that will cover 60-70 miles of trails in the rugged wilderness terrain of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at Philmont Scout Reservation before returning home on June 25.

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 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.

Howard Area Food Bank distribution next month will be on March 2 and March 16 at the food bank headquarters at the former Beech Creek Elementary. Food distribution is from noon to 3 p.m. Bring a large, sturdy box with you.

Howard Area Lions were glad to see those come out to their annual Sweetheart Dinner held last Saturday at the Yearick Center. Close to 200 were there to partake of the free meal that was catered by Patti Long. Troop 353’s scouts were also there dishing up food for the dinner guests.

FIRE NEWS

— Centre Hall Fire Company’s First Friday of the Month Bingo will be held on March 6.

Doors and the kitchen open at 5:30 p.m. The Early Bird games begin at 6:30 p.m. and regular Bingo starts at 7 p.m. Each month through May, the fire company has chosen a “bonus organization” to help during their First Friday Bingos. The March 6 Bingo will help the Penns Valley Indoor Majorettes.

— Citizen’s Hook and Ladder Company in Milesburg will have 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.

— 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.