n Mahanoy City: The Mahanoy Area Food Pantry is open from 3 to 5 p.m. the third Sunday of each even month with an additional one on the third Sunday in November, at First United Methodist Church, 400 E. Mahanoy Ave., according to the site contact, Greg Reser, who can be reached at 570-462-2322.
n Pottsville: The Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau is planning its first tourism expo to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 7 at Fairlane Village mall. With events such as the Schuylkill County Fair, Great Pottsville Cruise, Greater Pottsville Winter Carnival, Sweet Arrow Lake County Park excursions, Shenandoah Kielbasi Festival, Shenandoah Sesquicentennial celebration in August, Minersville Spirit Day and blowout traditional annual celebrations in Tamaqua plus a wide range of hunting and nature opportunities, tourism adds greatly to the county’s economy. During the expo, tourism members will hand out literature and speak with people about local tourism and events. The expo is free to the public and will feature about 100 exhibitors offering information on outdoor recreation and camping, wineries, lodging, historical attractions, museums and other attractions. For more information, call 570-622-7700 or visit www.schuylkill.org.
n Pottsville: American Cancer Society Relay for Life Team MargaRelaVille will sponsor a Chinese auction and vendor show from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 14 and 15 at Fairlane Village mall. Patrons also will be able to take chances on prizes. All proceeds will benefit the ACS Relay for Life. For more information, call 570-290-8362.
n Shenandoah: American Legion Anthony P. Damato “Medal of Honor” Post 792 is accepting lottery tickets, gift certificates and monetary donations for the post’s ongoing basket raffle. Donations are needed by April 8, according to a post release. The basket winner will be picked on Shenandoah Heritage Day, Aug. 27. Donations can be mailed to the post, 116 N. Main St., Shenandoah, PA 17976 or can be picked up by calling Gordon Slater at 570-527-9653 or Gino Monahan at 570-590-5441. All proceeds will be used to help with the post’s community projects.
n Tamaqua: A paint & sip with art ’n’ vino will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 12 in a “Silent Place” sponsored by Sherry Dental and April 13 “Blue Butterfly” at the Tamaqua Community Art Center, 125 Pine St. The cost is $40 per person, which includes all supplies. For more information, call 570-668-1192 or visit www.TamaquaArts.org.
n Tamaqua: Former Shenandoah resident Lester Hirsch will be featured in concert at 7 p.m. April 16 at the Tamaqua Community Art Center, 125 Pine St. Hirsch, according to a center press release, is an award-winning songwriter and Grammy nominee. He also is a guitarist, singer and poet. Tickets are $10 each. For tickets or more information, call 570-668-1192.
n Tamaqua: The locally based Victorian Highwheelers received one of the top honors during Scranton’s 55th St. Patrick’s Day Parade seen before and estimated crowd of 140,000 and a live television audience. The highwheelers received the Edmund J. Casey Historical Theme Memorial Award in the 10-division parade. The award was presented at the reviewing stand during the course of the parade by the St. Patrick’s Parade Association of Lackawanna County, according to a release. The Victorian Highwheelers is an educational nonprofit that had its start 15 years ago at a Tamaqua Heritage Festival. Group members operate 1880s riding machines, examples of the world’s first bicycles. Members are Dan Horengic and Darlene Straub, Coal Township; Don Shoup, Pen Argyl; John Poponiak, Shamokin; Don Serfass, Tamaqua; and Eric Frantz, Danville. The group has made appearances at historical events, museums and landmarks including the Philadelphia Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, Victorian Days, Belvidere, New Jersey, the Thomas Edison Celebration in Sunbury, Eckley Miners Village and for Shenandoah Heritage Day as well as for other special events in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey.