BAZAAR & EGG HUNTS

— Howard Christian Church is having an Easter Bazaar on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be Easter flowers, gift baskets, crafts, food and more at this bazaar. Homemade ham pot pie will be sold for $10 a quart and can be picked up at the bazaar. Preorders MUST be phoned or texted to Sheri at 814-876-2910 before March 24. Also for sale will be homemade donuts, whoopie pies and peanut butter eggs.

Proceeds from the bazaar will help the church with their local outreach in helping those in need.

— 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.

— Howard’s Community Easter Egg Hunt will be on Saturday, April 4, at 2 p.m., at Howard Community Park. Come meet and get your photo taken with the Easter Bunny. Prizes will be awarded!

— 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-UPS

Since the weather is getting nice, 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 begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow, March 14. A rain date of Saturday, March 21, starting at 9 a.m., has also been scheduled (if needed).

Schencks Cemetery Association in Howard Township, Centre County, wants to remind patrons that old and worn decorations must be removed from graves by March 28. Those wishing to keep Christmas decorations must also have them removed by that date.

Please refrain from placing new or Easter decorations at the cemeteries until after the respective clean-ups have been completed.

EASTER EGGS

The Milesburg Museum still has dozens of homemade Easter eggs for sale to raise funds for the upkeep and needs at the museum. The Easter eggs are $10 for a dozen and are available in the flavors of peanut butter, coconut and coconut with dark chocolate. The eggs are sold at the museum on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and on nice weather days in front of the Milesburg post office.

If you can’t make it to the museum or miss them at the post office, you can call Don Peters at 814-404-4021 or Cheryl Sharer at 814-404-8365 and they can meet you for egg sales while supplies last.

BREAKFAST

& BASKET BENEFIT

More baskets are needed for the benefit that will be held for Mike Neff at the Susquehanna Valley Big Twins Motorcycle Club on Saturday, March 21. Please donate a basket or prize that will help!

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 854 Harley Drive, (Woolrich), Lock Haven.

SCOUTS FESTIVAL

The Howard Winter Festival will be held tomorrow, 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. You’ll get your tin and a list of the vendors that you can visit to get your cookies for in the tin.

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, a Children’s Bingo 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 nearly 50 children involved with scouting, there should be lots of cakes for the auction, with all proceeds going to our local scouts! There will be a fishing raffle, a money raffle and the vendor basket raffle set to kick off around 3:45 p.m. Winners need not be present to win! Arrangements for picking up prizes can be coordinated.

Howard bricks are also going to be sold during the Winter Festival. They are $20 each and will be available at the Gazebo. To pre-order a cookie tin, or for additional information on the festival or the Howard Scouts, call Patti at 814-625-2182.

UPCOMING EVENTS

— 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.

— 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.

— Logan Grange # 109 will have a Drive-thru Soup Sale on Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. until noon (or until all sold out), at the Grange Hall at 122 N. Main St., Pleasant Gap.

The soup will be $9 per quart and comes in the flavors of chicken corn noodle and cheddar and broccoli along with ham pot pie.

Preorders are suggested to guarantee that you get, and can be done by calling 814-360-5756, by sending a private message on their Facebook page or by sending an email to logangrange109@gmail.com. Walk-in sales will be accommodated until sold out!

Mark your calendar that the Logan Grange’s soup sale next month will be on April 18.

— 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.

— The Light of the World Clothing Bank will not be open in April since it would fall on Good Friday. The Clothing Bank 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 or check the church website at www.bellefonteucc.com.

— 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.

— Food distribution will be on April 9, from 4-6 p.m., at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 216 McAllister St., Bellefonte. There aren’t any income guidelines but a few questions are asked for those attending for the first time. Normally the distribution is held on the first Thursday of each month, but since April 2 falls within Holy Week this year, the distribution is being moved. For more info on these food distributions, call Leilani “Loni” at 814-548-7835.

— Centre Ballroom will be sponsoring a dance on Sunday, April 12, from 2-5 p.m., at Lambert Hall in Bellefonte. The cost is $10/person. Zupe will tinkle the ivories during this dance. Those attending should bring a snack to share. For more info, text Rod at 717-543-8348

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 distribution 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. Distribution is for folks who live in the Lions Club’s servicing area which includes Howard Borough and the townships of Boggs, Curtin, Liberty, Marion and Walker in Centre County and Beech Creek Borough and Beech Creek Township in Clinton County.

The Lions Food Bank provided food to 123 families, 227 people, during the month of February.

Howard Area Lions Bingo will be held on March 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 Lions Club has lost a dedicated member. Lion Dwayne Haines passed away on Feb. 26 at his home with his loved ones near. Lion Dwayne served the local Lions club in a variety of ways over the years. He was the club’s treasurer for many years and was always loyal in attending club meetings and helping at functions.

My sympathy is extended to Dwayne’s wife, Darla. My sympathy is also expressed to Brenda, Trent and Kierstan Heizman and to Nena and Chuck Rider. (Brenda and Nena are Dwayne and Darla’s daughters, in case you didn’t know.)

Lion Dwayne will certainly be missed, not only by his family, but by his many Lions club friends and others! A moment of silence was held at Lions Bingo to honor his life and his memory.

FIRE NEWS

— Sugar Valley Fire Company is having an All you can eat Seafood Buffet tomorrow, 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.

— Logan Fire Company #1 in Bellefonte is having their 2026 Rip Ticket Event on Saturday, March 21, from 4-8 p.m., at The Shop, 129 Snyder Brook Lane, Bellefonte. Tickets are $20 and are available by calling Connie at 814-625-2724 or Bobbi at 814-777-5775. Must be 21 or older with an ID to attend.

— Centre Hall Fire Company will have a Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, March 28, from 8-11 a.m. Come enjoy breakfast with your family and the Easter Bunny. Meals are $8 for those 13 and older; $5 for ages 7-12 and free for the little ones.

Bring your camera for photos with the Easter Bunny.

Potter Township Parks and Recreation will also be sponsoring an Easter Egg Hunt during the breakfast, too! Thousands of eggs will be filled for the hunt. Bring a basket or bucket with you to gather eggs in.

— Citizen’s Hook and Ladder Company in Milesburg will have Wing Night on Saturday, April 5, from 5-7 p.m. This is the last scheduled Wing Night for 2026, so you won’t want to miss it! 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.

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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.