CLOTHING BANK

The Light of the World Clothing Bank will be open this afternoon, March 6, from 2:30 to 5 p.m., at St. John’s United Church of Christ, 145 W. Linn St., Bellefonte.

Clothing in all sizes, coats, shoes, bedding and more are available. Everything is free, but if you’d like you can provide a donation for the church.

The Clothing Bank will not be open on Good Friday in April, and the dates for May are being adjusted to coincide with the Bellefonte Community-wide Yard Sale dates.

For questions or additional information, call the church office at 814-355-9072. Weather cancellation updates, check the church website at www.bellefonteucc.com.

EGG HUNTS

Wingate Faith Church is having an Easter Egg Hunt at the church on Saturday, April 4, at 11 a.m. The egg hunt is for children ages toddler through fifth grade. Great prizes will be given away! Bring your basket or bucket to collect eggs with you!

The church is located at 111 Runville Road, Bellefonte, which is behind the Sheetz store in Wingate and beside Wingate Elementary. For more info., call Janette at 814-883-0893.

The Bellefonte Community Easter Egg Hunt is on Saturday, April 4, at Talleyrand Park. The egg hunt is held rain, snow or sunshine, so bring the kiddos out for it. The egg hunt begins at 2 p.m. There are sponsors set up in the park at 1 p.m. and many are giving away free items. There are also games, crafts and refreshments. The Easter Bunny arrives at 1 p.m. and roams the park grounds with other costumed characters to greet the children.

The egg hunt is for all kids ages 12 and younger, and there is a section roped off to accommodate children who have special needs. There are 15,000 colorful eggs filled with candy and some have a coupon inside indicating that you’ve won a special prize at the Bunny Shack. Prizes include many donated Easter baskets, bicycles or something even better!

To donate candy, baskets or other prizes or to sign-up as a sponsor, please contact Mary McMurtrie by email at marym9109@yahoo.com or call her at 814-574-3240. To sign-up for a special needs accommodation for your child send an email to Mary’s email or to egghuntbellefonte23@gmail.com

Thanks to Historic Bellefonte, Inc. and the many businesses, clubs, churches, fire companies and volunteers, the Bellefonte Community Easter Egg Hunt is free and fun for everyone!

CEMETERY CLEAN-UP

It’s time for clean-ups at local cemeteries, so if you can help that would be great! If you can’t help, but want to keep decorations that are on grave-sites, you might want to visit the cemetery to retrieve those items before the clean-ups are held.

Jacksonville Cemetery clean-up will be on Saturday, March 14, starting at 9 a.m. A rain date of Saturday, March 21, starting at 9 a.m. has also been scheduled. Many hands make light work, so we’d like to have some volunteers come out and help to remove old and faded decorations from the graves.

Please refrain from placing new decorations at the cemetery until after the clean-up has been completed.

BREAKFAST BENEFIT

A breakfast benefit will be held at the Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club on Saturday, March 21, to help Mike Neff.

Mike was literally just a few days away from death when he received a liver from a person who had died in Texas, and underwent a liver transplant operation in November at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. His doctors are continuing to monitor his progress and stress that the first year following the transplant is a critical time, especially making sure that his body doesn’t reject the new liver. There have also been some complications with managing his diabetes.

Mike hasn’t been able to work since last June, and he still hasn’t yet received any disability benefits. Needless to say, it has been a very stressful time for Mike and his wife, Lori.

Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club is having a breakfast on March 21 from 7-11 a.m. The all you can eat, hardy breakfast is just $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 6-12 years. Younger kiddos get to eat free.

The SVBTMC offers a breakfast each month so the club can help people in the community who are going through some critical hardships.

The SWBTMC gave Mike a gas card earlier this year to help with his travel expenses to Maryland. Mike has to go every 10 days to see his doctors at John Hopkins Hospital to monitor the liver function and to make sure that his body isn’t rejecting the life-saving organ.

During the breakfast hours, Mike’s family and friends will have a basket raffle and 50/50 raffle to raise money to help with Mike’s living expenses.

Baskets are needed to bring in more funds to help Mike and Lori as they presently do not have any income at all. You can make up a nice basket, provide gift cards or gift certificates (gift cards to local stores, gas stations or restaurants are always nice) or donate a larger valued item for the special raffle that is also being planned.

Donations can be made by calling Lori at 570-502-1827 or Josie at 570-660-0988 for local pick-up, or you can drop them off at the SVBTM Clubhouse before the event. Family and friends will be at the club from 5-9 p.m. the evening before the benefit to accept donations and prizes and to set up for the event.

We hope you will tell your family and friends to come to the breakfast and to participate in the raffles to help Mike out!

SVBTMC is located at 84 Harley Drive, (Woolrich), Lock Haven.

UPCOMING EVENTS

— Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 8. Don’t forget to “spring your clocks ahead one hour” before going to bed on Saturday night. This is also a great time to replace the battery in your smoke alarms to make sure they continue to work.

— 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.

— The Howard Winter Festival will be held on Saturday, March 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This Winter Festival benefits the Scouting America Pack and Troop 353 of Howard. Both boys and girls are involved with the scouting program in Howard.

This year the Cookie Crawl tin features a winter scene of the Eagle Iron Works at Curtin Village. The tins are $25 and can be pre-ordered and picked up at the park’s gazebo the day of the festival.

The festival features a variety of food vendors and about 40 craft and public service vendors have signed up so far. A bounce house obstacle course and lots of games run by the scouts, face painting, a petting zoo and more will make this event fun for the whole family! This year there will be a DJ in addition to the Mennonite choir performing at 1 p.m. You won’t want to miss the Father-Scout Cake Bake auction, with all proceeds going to our local scouts! To pre-order a cookie tin, or for additional information, call Patti at 814-625-2182.

— Beech Creek Wesleyan Church will have the free Mobile Food Pantry at the church on Thursday, 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.

— Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club will have a Breakfast Benefit at the Clubhouse on Saturday, March 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.

In addition to the big breakfast on March 21, there will be a basket raffle and 50/50 drawing to help Mike Neff who is recovering from liver transplant surgery. Winners need not be present to win.

You can stop by the SVBTMC on Friday evening to preview the baskets that have been donated and enter the raffle if you aren’t able to be at the breakfast on Saturday morning.

— The Sneaker Bank at the Milesburg United Methodist Church will be open on March 21 from 9-11 a.m. Sneakers are provided for children who live in the BEA and Bellefonte School District areas.

— The Back Porch String Band will have their Country Jam on Sunday, March 22, from 2-6 p.m., at the Yearick Center/Howard fire hall. Country Jam is held the fourth Sunday afternoon of each month except in December.

The afternoon of music is free, and those attending should bring a snack to share with others there. A hat is passed for you to contribute a few dollars to thank the Howard Fire Company for allowing the folks to gather there for Country Jam each month.

If you play an instrument bring it along and join in the fun! For more info call Connie at 814-625-2724.

— On Friday, March 27, you’re invited to a Brinner at Wingate Faith Church. From 4-6:30 p.m. you can enjoy a “Breakfast for Dinner” meal featuring pancakes, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, fruit salad and drinks. Adult meals will be $12 and $6 for student’s meals. Those under age six get to eat free! If you are celebrating a March birthday, then your meal is Free! (with ID confirmation!)

— 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.

— Milesburg Food Bank is open on Tuesday, April 7, from 1-3 p.m. This food distribution is held the first Tuesday of each month at the Milesburg Presbyterian Church.

— 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 Food Bank will be on 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 Bingo will be held on March 12 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 Lions Club has gained four new members. John and Robin Lyons and Carl and Joyce Nyman will be sworn in at the club’s next meeting. The club is open to both men and women and we’re excited about the new members who have a willingness to serve their community. If you would like to join, please ask a Lion for a membership application today!

Help the Lions with their ongoing fundraising efforts by buying Weis and Giant gift cards. The Lions have the gift cards and usually they are sold at Lions Club functions, or you can contact Lion Lloyd Rhoades to make arrangements to buy the gift cards directly from him. You can use the $20 gift cards when shopping for your own groceries or use them as a last minute gift idea for someone else. If the Lions sell $1,000 in gift cards then they receive a small percentage of the sales. Lion Lloyd can be contacted at 814-355-1776.

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 and Color Guard to get to the TOB Indoor Championships in Wildwood, N.J. The students have been working hard to perfect their routines and are really looking forward to their trip. For every Early Bird packet you buy $2 will be donated to the students along with 100% of the raffle proceeds! Come out and play Bingo and help our local school students with their adventure!

— 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.

— Sugar Valley Fire Company is having an All you can eat Seafood Buffet on Saturday, March 14, from 3-6:30 p.m., at the fire station. The price for an adult meal is $25 and kids ages 6-12 meals will cost $13. Younger kiddos eat for free. The menu includes Boom Boom, Deep fried breaded and Old Bay Shrimps, lemon pepper fish, clam strips, scallops, stewed tomatoes, mac and cheese, chicken fingers, fries and coleslaw. There will be two lines to keep things moving right along. Meals are available to eat in or take-outs.

— 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.