n Ashland: The Ashland Area Community Choir will perform a spring concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at Zion Reformed United Church of Christ, 2400 Centre St. The group is under the direction of Bruce McCormick and accompanied by Betty Chappel. Freewill offerings will be accepted to support the group.
n Barnesville: Naturalist Robin Tracey will lead a hike on the Crow, Lake and new Roc Loop trails at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Tuscarora State Park. The hike is seven miles and rated moderate to difficult. The trails cross over two creeks and runs parallel to the lake. Hikers will meet in the Crow Trail parking lot of Tuscarora Mountain Road. Dogs are welcome, but they must be leashed and get along with other pets and people. For more information, call Robin at 570-467-2506 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
n Fountain Springs: The Butler Township supervisors, during a recent special meeting, accepted the low bid from KPI Technology, Elysburg, for engineering and design services for a road project. KPI’s bid was one of four bids opened at the township’s March 15 meeting for rehabilitation along Wildcat Road near Girardville. The project includes paving and improving drainage. KPI submitted the low bid of $7,200. At the March meeting, the decision to award the contract was tabled pending review by township solicitor Christopher Riedlinger. Supervisors Chairman David Kessler said a special meeting would be called to award the contract.
n Pine Grove: Schuylkill County Youth Field Day, sponsored by the Schuylkill County Sportsmen’s Association Inc., will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 14 at the Friedensburg Fish and Game Club, 169 Stone Mountain Road. The event is free for all participants, featuring outdoor activities such as archery, fishing, trap shooting, canoeing, trapping and turkey calling. A parents must accompany the child and register in advance online at www.register-ed.com/event/view/61124. There will also be a free meal for all participants. For more information, call 570-739-2085.
n Port Carbon: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and Port Carbon Citizens Committee will hold a yard, food and bake sale from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church, Pike Street. Proceeds benefit church cemetery grass cutting and community events.
n Pottsville: A paint party and Chinese auction to benefit a Pottsville Area teacher with cancer will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. May 6 at the D.H.H. Lengel Middle School, 1541 Laurel Blvd. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. People will paint a mason jar portrait to benefit Jackie Mitchell or “pop in to roam our basket raffle section,” organizers said in the release. To buy tickets, log onto www.createdbystudio.com/events or call 570-617-8035.
n Pottsville: Kris Guers of the Schuylkill Health Alliance recently updated members of the Pottsville Rotary Club on the Schuylkill Health system and its partnership the Lehigh Valley Health Network. According to the Rotary Bulletin, Guers said the arrangement is a merger and not a purchase, because no funds were exchanged and as non-profit 501(c)3s, Lehigh Valley just assumed Schuylkill Health’s assets and debts. Although nothing can happen pending government approval, Guers said Lehigh Valley was chosen as the best of seven potential partners for Schuylkill Health, and while there was no wrong choice, Lehigh Valley offered the most growth potential and benefits for Schuylkill County. Guers said she expects acute care to remain in the East Campus (formerly Good Samaritan, while the South Campus (formerly Pottsville Hospital) will be mainly for outpatient and occupational services, among other things. Both campuses will maintain their emergency rooms for the time being.
n Shenandoah: An American Red Cross blood drive will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday in Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish’s St. Stephen Hall, Main and Oak streets. The hall is accessible to the handicapped. People 17 and older (16 with parental consent), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health are urged to donate blood. For more information or to arrange for an appointment, call 800-733-2767.