By Maria CascarioThis is our 18th year,

Karen Campanaro said, speaking of the Relay For Lifes Merchants Bank Walkers team. We were in the Relay the first year and were still going strong. The team is comprised

of approximately 20 employees, friends and family members.The Relay for Life will

take place May 16th and May 17th from 10am to 10am at Bangor Memorial Park. On Saturday, May 16th the opening ceremony will begin at 10am. followed by the Purple Glove Dance at 11am. At 3pm there will be a Parade of Teams, speakers at 4pm and the Survivors Dinner at 5pm. The Luminaria Ceremony is at 9pm and Sunday at

9am is the Closing ceremony.The walkers are

sponsoring a raffle for a homemade quilt. The price is $2 per ticket or three for $5. Tickets can be purchased at any Merchants Bank branch throughout the month of April until May 15th. The winning ticket will be announced May 17th. There is still time to

register a team for therelay, sign up survivors or purchase a luminary.Im looking forward

to being part of this event once again. Its hard work, but morethan worthwhile to give cancer patients morebirthdays, said Karen.Bob Weber is

chairperson of the event and Cheryl Haas, is theACS representative.

The Blue Valley Farm Show now has applications available for their 2015-16 school year scholar-ship. The scholarship is available to any student who is or has been a member of Northamp-ton County 4-H Clubs. Two $500 scholarships will be awarded. Appli-cations must be submit-ted no later than March 31st. Winners will be presented during the farm show in August.

For more information, call Audrey Koehler at 610-498-3389.The Slater Family

Network is offering a $2,000 scholarship for a graduating Bangor Area High School senior who plans to attend a trade or voca-tional school or college. The scholarship is awarded to a student who is involved in com-munity service. The $1,000 912 scholar-ship in memory of

Denny Strouse, offered by family and friends through the Slater Family Network is also now available. Applica-tions are in the high school guidance office, Slater Family Network office or on the school districts website under SFN. Both applications are due in the Slater Family Network office no later than May 1st. For information call the office at 610-599-7019.The Bangor Womens

Club (GFWC) Schol-arship Program for seniors at Bangor, Pius X and Faith Christian High schools are now available for students at each school's guidance office. The club has funds for three scholar-ships. Students inter-ested in applying must submit their completed applications by April 15th. The Pen Argyl High

School Class of 1965 is planning their 50th reunion. The class is in need of addresses for Thomas Caponigro, Kim Edwards, Brenda Lockhart Becker, Jody Miller, Linda Smith, Thomas Snyder, Rich-ard Walizer, Walter Weaver, Gary Wilson and Carol Werner Miller. If you have any information about them, please contact Judy Piper at 610-863-6326 or judithpiper65 @gmail.com.Leck Veterinary

Hospital is in need of blanket donations to help pets in need.

Please drop off dona-tions to 115 West Penn-sylvania Avenue, Rt. 512 in Pen Argyl.Hope UCC Food

Pantry is in great need of donations. Items include any kind of drinks (in plastic bottles) or drink mixes, such as Kool-aid, lemonade and iced tea; and all canned fruits and canned meats (ham, tuna, chicken, spam, sardines, canned stew, chili). All dona-tions can be dropped off Monday through Thurs-day, 8am to 1pm. All monetary donations may be paid to Hope United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 425, Wind Gap, PA 18091.Congratulations to

Katie LaBar for making Deans list at Ohio State University for the fall semester. She ended the semester with a 3.8 GPA and is majoring in psychology with a minor in crimi-nology. Katie is the grandaughter of Bonnie and Ronald LaBar, and the great-granddaughter of Patricia Cruver all of Bangor. Congratulations to

Paige Tinney of Pen Argyl, who will repre-sent Duquesne Univer-sity as the societys vice president of mar-keting; American Marketing Association vice president and Inter-national Collegiate Sales Competition role play competitor at the University of Pittsburgh's 2015 Berg Cup Competition.

Adult Non Fiction: Browning, Marie: Cast-ing For Crafters; Korea Reborn: A Grateful Nation Honors War Veterans For 60 Years Of Growth; Yang, Thay Perfect Paper Planes.Young Adult Fiction:

Kehret, Peg: Stolen Children; Stiefvater, Maggie: Shiver; Watson, Jude: Premoni-tions.Junior Fiction:

Bryant, Ann: Billie And The Parent Plan; White,

E.B.: Charlottes Web.Junior Non Fiction:

Harper, Charise Mericle: Imaginative Inventions. Audio Books Fiction:

Koontz, Dean: Breath-less; Koontz, Dean: Relentless; Vachss, Andrew: Flood.DVDs: American

Hustle; Angels In America; DomesticDisturbance; The 40 Year Old Virgin; Black,Red, White And Screwed; Road To Perdi-tion.

Birthday wishes are sent to Nicholas VanDusen, March 27th; Rachael Kramer and Rebecca Manzi, March 29th; and Ken-neth Yeisley who will be turning 90 on March 30th.Best Wishes are sent

to Duke of Dukes Sporting Goods for a full and speedy recov-ery.Dont miss entering

our annual Easter coloring contest! All entries must be recieved to our office no later than Friday, March 27th by noon.Our annual pet photo

contest ends this week! Please get your entriesin no later than March 27th by noon. Winners will be published in theApril 1st edition. No lateentries will be accepted.Please email entries to thepresspetsPA@gmail.com.We love hearing from

you! Send us yourbirthdays, anniversa-ries, birth announce-ments and other tidbits of information to:

The PRESS1 Broadway

Bangor, PA 18013thepressmail@

gmail.comLike Us on Facebook!

On April 2nd, at 7pm, Faith United Presbyte-rian Church will be holding its annual Upper Room service. Begin-ning at 6pm, a simple supper of soup, crackers, and dessert will be served prior to service. The service will begin at 7pm, as worshippers gather in the sanctuary where the main focus will be on the commu-nion table and the 12

empty chairs arranged in a circle with prayers led by a mother and father. Through the reading of scripture, the events of the first supper in the upper room unfold. Reverend Ruth Ann

Christopher, who is presiding, explains, The high point of the service is when 12 people at a time are ushered to the twelve

chairs to receive com-munion. The result is a deeply moving and truly meaningful expe-rience. The community is

invited to experience this very special service. No reserva-tions are needed to attend the optional supper portion of the program.Easter services at

Faith United Presbyte-

rian Church will be held on Sunday, April 5th at 10an. Directions to the church are available at faithunited.net. Also, follow Faith United Presbyterian Church on Facebook.

When Trinity Evan-gelical Lutheran Church in Bangor found itself without a minister in late Novem-ber 2014, conventional wisdom suggested that it would likely take a year or more to find a replacement for Pastor Franklin Stinner who left the church after 20 years in the pulpit. Fortunately for Trinity, Larry Laine, a Virginia pastor, answered the call. Laine has an impressive and varied resume in and out of the church, which includes 22 years as the owner/operator of a highly successful finan-cial planning company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. All of which begs the

question: How does a pastor from Virginia with roots in Iowa find a church in a small town in Pennsylvania?The connection

here...is my daughter who lives here, Laine says.Since there were no

opportunities to his liking in Virginia, his daughter suggested that

he come to the Slate Belt and look for a church. A few phone calls later, Pastor Laine had an invitation to meet with the church council at Trinity. Fast forward a few months and Pastor Laine has moved to the Slate Belt and is now a permanent fixture at the church on Fourth Street and Broadway in Bangor.Although he has only

been here for a short time, it's easy to under-stand that he is a true

people person. I like to be out there

talking to people, he said. God gave me the skill to listen and key in on people. Part of that skill was

honed through his expe-rience in clinical pasto-ral education. This was an opportunity to work with troubled people and then analyze how well he handled the situation and how he could improve his listening and communication skills.

Using that skill set and past experience in the church, Pastor Laine is excited to help Trinity rebound from the loss of their former pastor.My concern here is to

build a healthy congre-gation, he said. Healthy means health relationships, healthy activities, things that are positive and exciting to be at, and a place where people want to come. Over and over he

expresses his concern for the people of the church. Church is basically

people who worship God and learn to love one another, Pastor Laine sais. You've got to know people, you've got to get connected, I see my goal as getting people internally more connected and at the same time, calling on everyone, even those who are [only loosely] connected.Pastor Laine is married

to his wife of 46 years, Diane. They have three daughters, Karin, Ingrid and Britta, and five grandchildren.

E. Bangor Vol. Fire Co. Basket Bingo: March 27th, 6pm. For tickets, call 610-588-5996.

Eastern Star Region 12B Caravan for Cancer Indoor Flea Market: March 28th, 8am-2pm. Prosperity Lodge, 520 Easton Rd., Reigelsville. Vendors welcome. FMI, call 610-588-0036.

Bingo Fundraiser for Repairs to Church: March 28th, food at 5:30pm, bingo at 7pm. Salem UCC of Moore-stown, 2218 Commu-nity Dr., Bath.

Mt. Bethel Fire Co.

Ladies Auxiliary 20th Annual Craft Show: March 28th, 9am-3pm. Fire hall, Rt. 611, Mt. Bethel. Free admission. FMI, call 570-897-5308 or 570-234-6505.

Portland Lodge #311 F&AM Community Egg Hunt: March 28th, 2pm. Portland baseball field, Division St., Portland. Open to children 10 & younger

Boomer's Angels Rescue Meet & Greet: March 29th, 11am-2pm. Rt. 209, Brod-headsville. FMI, visit boomersangels.com or email boomersangels @gmail.com.

E. Bangor UMCC Baked Ziti Dinner: March 29th, 4-6pm.

136 W. Central Ave., Rt. 512, E. Bangor. FMI, call 610-588-4453 or visit ebumc.org.

Pet Pictures w/ Safe Haven Easter Bunny: March 29th, 11am-5pm. Sit, Stay N Play, 1501 N. 5th St., Strouds-burg. FMI, visit SafeHavenPa.org or email SafeHaven @epix.net.

Monroe Animal League Monthly Meet-ing: March 31st, 7pm. Eastern Monroe Co. Library, Rt. 611/N. 9th St., Stroudsburg. FMI, visit www.monroe animals.org, www. facebook.com/monroeanimal.league, or call the office, 10am-2pm Tues-Fri, at 570-421-7775 or all other times at 570-476-8444.

Kirkridge All Fools Day Dinner: April 1st, 6pm. Kirkridge Turning Point Dining Room. Fees apply, BYOB. Reserve online at kirkridge.org or call 610-588-1793. Vegetar-ian options avail. if requested.

D e l a w a r e - L e h i g h Amateur Radio Club Meeting: April 2nd, 7:30pm. Bethlehem Twp Comm. Center, 2900 Farmersville Rd.,

Bethlehem. FMI visit, dlarc.org, email ke3aw @arrl.net or call 610-432-8286.

Cub Scout Pack 34 Spaghetti Dinner: April 3rd, 4-8pm. Grace UMC, 404 E. Maountain Ave., Pen Argyl.

Rummage Sale: April 3rd & 4th, 8am-1pm. Plainfield Riding Club, 1053 State Park Rd., Wind Gap. FMI, call 610-863-4547.

Second Ward Fire Co. 78th Annual Easter Egg Hunt: April 4th, 1pm. The Christensen residence, Blue Ridge Ave., Bangor. Open to children 12 and younger.

Washington Twp. Vol. Fire Co. Ladies Auxil-iary Bake Sale & Easter Egg Hunt: April 4th, 9-11am. Recre-ational Fields, Rt. 191. FMI, call Shirley at 484-661-7187.

Lookout Fire Co #1 Pen Argyl Easter Egg Hunt: April 4th, 11am. Weona Park. Ages 0-10. 50/50, raffles and bake sale.

Upper Mt. Bethel Twp. Recreation Annual Easter Egg Hunt: April 4th, 11am. Mt. Bethel Fire Hall, 2341 N. Dela-ware Dr., Mt. Bethel.

Ackermanville UMC Choir presents Come, Touch the Robe Easter Cantata by Pepper Choplin: April 5th, 10am. Sunday April 12th, 7pm. 1410 Acker-manville Road Bangor. FMI, visit www. ackermanvilleumc.org.

Bangor High Rise Tenant Asso. Casino Bus Trip: April 6th. 8:45am. Departure from Bangor High Rise, return at 5pm. FMI, call Betty at 610-599-0146.

(NAPSI)Hunger and food insecurity are significant health issues for older Americans.Thats an issue under-

scored by two recent studies commissioned by AARP Foundation, according to the Foundations president, Lisa Marsh Ryerson.Among the key

findings: Hunger and food

insecurity are health issues for older Ameri-cans. Roughly one in 10 older adults struggles to put food on the table every day. Plus, data shows that food insecu-rity and poor health go hand in hand. Chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and depression are more prevalent among the food insecure.Research also indicates

this relationship between hunger and health can easily become a vicious cycle, as low-income seniors have to spend more on their health care and thus have even fewer

financial resources to spend on food. The youngest old

are the worst off. The statistics show that food insecurity is highest among those aged 50 to 59, and indeed that the numbers are even higher for those in their 40s.Ryerson believes this

demonstrates that there is something systemi-cally wrong with how nutritious food reaches those at the lowest end of the economic spec-

trum, and that Band-Aid approachesas neces-sary as they are to meet immediate needsare not solving the root of these problems. With the size of the 50+ popu-lation growing every year, its a problem that needs attention right away. Many older adults

dont make good nutri-tion choices. The study from AARP Foundation reveals that many older Americans may misun-

derstand dietary recom-mendations and find food labeling a mystery.In addition, its

common for older adults to not have access to nutritious food, espe-cially if they live in urban areas, where they sometimes have to shop for food at places like convenience marts and drugstores.Ryerson says the Foun-

dation is convinced its

new strategy of working with those at each step throughout the food supply chain will reap major rewards in improving the nutri-tional quality of food available to the food insecure and ultimately enable these individuals to live happier, healthier lives. To learn more or to obtain a copy of the study, visit www. aarpfoundation.org.

(NewsUSA) - Between the thrilling proposal and the pre-wedding whirlwind, setting the date, finding the perfect wedding dress, planning the honeymoon, weddings should feel joyous and romantic.But after the wedding,

couples should enjoy their newly wedded bliss not panic about digging themselves out

of debt.According to the Asso-

ciation for Wedding Professionals Interna-tional, the average wedding costs between $18,000 and $21,000.In these difficult

economic times, couples might need to minimize the cost of their wedding, but brides on budgets do not need to whittle their guest list

from 200 to 10.What eats up wedding

cash? Wedding recep-tions usually account for half of a wedding's cost. Dinner and drinks add up, especially if couples pay for a full or open bar. To save money on the bubbly, couples should nix the mixed drinks. Soon-to-be-marrieds can serve champagne during the toast, then offer beer and wine for the rest of the evening. For dinner, couples

should think outside the catering-company box. Local restaurants might make better deals. Classy catering can come from unexpected places.Boston Market restau-

rants provide full-service catering options with elegant entres like roasted sirloin, turkey or rotisserie chicken, and a selection of gourmet sides. The cost? From $14.99 to $21.99 a head.After the reception,

photography and videography are the second largest budget-breakers. Couples can hire a photographer and videographer for the ceremony, then leave reception photographs to friends, family and digital cameras.Bides and grooms can

opt for MP3 playlists, customized CDs and speaker rentals over pricey bands.Finally, hiring a

wedding coordinator can save time, manage stress and get better deals.So, here's a toast to

tweaking old traditions to make a dream wedding financially attainable and to save enough money for a long, relaxing honey-moon. Cheers!

(NewsUSA) - In between the guest list, the flowers and the perfect three-tier cake, it can be hard to find time to shop for your wedding rings. How-ever, it is important to remember that most of the wedding details are fleeting and gone after a few hours of enjoyment, while your rings are enjoyed forever. So, whether you are having a smaller gathering or a more traditional affair, this important to-do on your event checklist should not be over-looked, especially since your rings mark your commitment to one another and will last a lifetime.Jewelry and style

expert Michael O'Connor has a few tips that are sure to help you find matrimonial bliss when it comes to ring selection:-Create a budget.

There are many details to consider when plan-ning a wedding that can quickly drain your budget. It is important to set aside money for a lifelong symbol like your wedding bands. Not sure how much to budget? Consider that in

2006, couples spent an average of $2,079 on wedding bands, accord-ing to the CN American Wedding Study. And since the age-old rule for purchasing an engagement ring is to spend two months salary, plan to spend one month's salary for the two wedding bands. Check out the "Budget Calculator" at www.TheKnot.com.-Shop together. It is a

good idea to shop for rings together. In fact, 80 percent of couples do, which isn't a surprise since your rings, which don't have to match, should reflect your personal styles and tastes.-Plan ahead. Don't wait

until the last minute to go shopping for your wedding bands, they're simply too important. Plan to start shopping for your rings six months prior to your "I do's." Not only do you need time to research and shop, but you also need to allot time for custom orders, sizing and engraving.-Invest in quality.

Because you want your ring to last a lifetime, it is important to put

thought into the quality of metal you choose. Platinum 950 is the most durable precious metal and will last a lifetime. It's 30 times more rare than gold, and for wedding bands set with diamonds, its natu-ral whiteness will ensure the diamonds sparkle and stay secure. It is no wonder that Hollywood's A-list designers such as Tacori, DeBeers, Ritani and Kwiat are all choos-ing Platinum in their designs. But don't worry, you don't have to be a star to own a Plati-num ring. Platinum engagement and wedding rings are avail-able for a wide variety of budgets -; making it an affordable luxury. Some resources that offer popular price points include Lieber-farb, Scott Kay and Blue Nile. "As the ultimate metal, Platinum's unmatched durability and beauty make it a top pick among designers and 81 percent of brides," said Michael O'Connor.For more information,

visit www.engagement guide.com and www. preciousplatinum.com.

(NAPSI)If youre considering putting your home on the market in the coming months, there are a few tips you should follow.House sales generally

peak around June and July, with many fami-lies beginning their home search in the spring, in hopes of settling into their new home in time for the next school year.Its wise to work with a

Realtor. According to a survey from the National Association of Realtors, 88 percent of recent homesellers used an agent. A Realtor can provide expert advice and counsel on the selling process, includ-

ing listing your house on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), market-ing it to prospective buyers and accepting offers and negotiating on your behalf. To find a Realtor nearby, go to www.realtor.com/realestateagents.Know your neighbor-

hood when setting your asking price. Realtors have real insights in the markets where they do business. A Realtor is your best source for accurate, up-to-date information and compa-rable properties to help you determine a com-petitive listing price for your home. He or she will give you an idea of how long homes are

staying on the market and at what price theyre selling. While its important to get the best possible deal for your home, a Realtor will help you under-stand the importance of pricing your house appropriately. Overpric-ing your home could lead to it staying on the market too long-compelling you to com-promise on the asking price or terms.Decide on how to

market your home. Given the mass amounts of information available today to consumers, the days of just placing an ad in your local newspa-per and putting a For Sale sign in front of

your yard are over. A Realtor can place your listing on the MLS and work with you to decide other ways to market your home. Marketing your listing on a popular real estate website such as realtor.com will ensure your listing is generating the most eyeballs from interested buyers.If youre looking to

sell your home as quickly and easily as possible, you could use the real insights youll get having a Realtor help you through the process of finding interested buyers and eventually closing the deal.

( N A P S I ) P r i c i n g your home for sale is one of life's major financial decisions. What's too little, what's too much? When researching selling a house or condo, consumers often anxiously turn to the Internet, neighbors and Realtors to come up

with a good estimate. But is it the right price?The National Associa-

tion of Realtors reports that over 15 percent of

home sales are delayed, renegotiated or canceled due to home appraisals falling short of the contract price. To get the best value from your home, here are tips to look out for. Online house

estimates can vary widely and are often based on incorrect square footage and lot size. Banks approve loans

based on an accurate appraisal, not a "guess-timate." Home improvements

and updated cosmetics make the difference in what a buyer will pay. It's smart to stage

your home; buyers want to see themselves, not you, living there.To receive the true

value for their property, sellers and Realtors can get a pre-appraisal report before pricing a home. A certified appraiser measures, inspects and studies the local comparable market activity so that sellers get the most accurate price and feel confident to move forward in selling their home.For more information

on pre-appraisal reports, go to Housefax.com or call (877) 598-6634.

Hello, fellow readers! One of the plants my

colleague Marty and I touted in our recent talk at the Springfest Garden Show on Deer Resistant Plants was ornamental rhubarb. Artie stumped us when he asked for the botanical name. Rheum, pronounced ree'um, is the genus of rhubarb, but what species is the ornamental kind? Good question! After researching further, I dont have a definitive answer. Rheum palmatum is

commonly known as Chinese rhubarb (maybe also ornamental rhubarb?) and is not edible. Rheum rhabar-barum is considered the edible kind (also known as R. rhaponticum) and is commonly referred to as wild rhubarb in the U.S. and garden rhubarb elsewhere. You can see why common names for plants are confusing. Rheum rhabarbarums

leaf stalks are edible, but the leaf blades contain oxalic acid, which is toxic to both deer and humans. The leaves impart cathartic and laxative proper-ties, according to Wiki-pedia. In Mary words,

the leaves trigger anoverdose of Ex-Laxeffect.Edible rhubarb can be

attractive in a garden,but its the ornamental,not-edible kind thatmakes a dramatic,almost prehistoric-looking focal point inyour garden. One of thefavored and most color-ful is Rheum palmatumvar tanguticum. Grow-ing almost six-feet highand three-feet wide,their huge, pointy edgedleaves unfurl bronzy-red, then turn green ontop and dark burgundyunderneath. They bloomfunky spikes of reddishpink flowers on tallmaroon stalks insummer. Come fall, theleaves shift to red for adramatic ending untilnext year. Just as theedible kind, ornamentalrhubarb are perennial,returning every year.Rheum Ace of Heartsis a popular smallerornamental rhubarb,about three-feet tall andwide. Rhubarb is generally

purchased as crowns ordivisions and are bestplanted in early springwhen still dormant.They can be tough tofind locally, but areavailable mail-order oronline. They thrive inhumus-rich, moist soiland like partial shade tofull sun, but appreciateif their roots are keptcool with mulch as theydetest extreme heat. CAUTION: Ornamen-

tal rhubarb is harmful ifeaten! And that goes foryou, too, deer; thoughsome deer seem toignore the warning labelfrom time to time.Maybe theyre using itfor medicinal purposes? Garden dilemmas? askmarystone.com

Ciao Amici ,Growing up in the

butcher shop we knew by the time Palm Sunday arrived it surely was spring. The weather was warming and Grandmom was planning the garden. On Palm Sunday,

while the Sunday Gravy was being made, in the background they would watch the service from Rome. The most moving Palm Sunday observance takes place in Rome, Italy. The Pope is carried in St. Peters Chair on the

shoulders of eight men and blesses the palms to all who are assembled in St. Peters Basilica. A procession of worship-ers with their palms in hand, march from St. Peters Square through the Basilica, which symbolizes the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. You will also see many worshipers holding branches of olive trees, as they are symbols of peace. As the proces-sion ends in the Basilica, Holy Mass is then said. I remember after serving Mass while I was walking down Garibaldi Avenue to the butcher shop how the whole town had the aroma of a giant meat-ball in tomato gravy. Grandpop and Dad

would be preparing the Ravu, [the meatballs, sausage, braciole and the specialty cuts that butchers would have like lamb shank, veal shoulder, pork skin braciole and more.] Grandmom and Mom would be at the kitchen table with the large

wooden board, rolling pin and Spro lune [wheel cutter] making the homemade palms. The stage was being set for our Palm Sunday dinner. Here Josie, Grandpop would say, Have a meatball right out of the frying pan, this will hold you over until we eat. A little later, like most children, I would ask if it is time to eat yet, he would say, :Grab some bread from the table and I will spoon some ravu on it for you. Then the palm pasta was thrown in the water and everything was ready. We gathered around the table enjoy-ing our food, family and life along with the realization that we were truly blessed. Domenica delle Palme

del pensiero; la vita piena di alti e bassi. Gloria a Dio durante gli alti e piena fiducia in Lui durante le vicissitudini Palm Sunday's

Thought; Life is full of ups and downs. Glorify God during the ups and fully trust in Him during

the downs. Con cordiali saluti, Joe My book, Growing up

in the Butcher Shop is available at the shop or on our web page, JDefrancoandDaughters.com. To receive menu specials and our news-letter, join our mailing

list at our web page under mailing list. Send us your Roseto stories, recipes and comments to portipasto@epix.net or call, 610-588-6991. Store hours are 7am to 7pm, seven days a week with catering available anytime or by appoint-ment.

On Good Friday, April 3rd, Hopesprings Community of Faith will be the site of a multisensory art exhibit. Featured will be the 11 stations of the cross prominently displayed throughout the building done by 11 artists. The artists come from the Lehigh

Valley and beyond. Each station will show-case a piece of original artwork coupled with other works of expres-sion; the pairing of the artwork with poetry, music, videos, readings or interpretative dance will serve to enhance the viewer's pleasure and experience of view-

ing. There will be such a

variety of talent show-cased at this event. We feel honored and excited to be able to share such works of art with our neighbors, says Pamela Stopfer, project orga-nizer. The community is

invited to experience

this exclusive, multisen-sory event in the SlateBelt. One of the things we

love to do atHopesprings is serve thecommunity. In fact, it'spart of our mission love God, love people.When we can celebratethe joy of Easter with thecommunity throughevents like this, wellthat's just fantastic, saidJonathan Almanzar, leadpastor at Hopesprings.There is no cost

involved to the public,but space is very limited.In the past, this eventhas sold out veryquickly, so anyone inter-ested is urged to actquickly! There are only200 tickets available forthe event and eachvisitor must have aticket to gain admissionto the event. Free nurs-ery care will be avail-able for those attendingwith small children. Ifthe demand warrants it,a second show may beadded but there is noguarantee. Reserve yourspot as soon as possible.Tickets can be ordered

by email at info@hopespringscommunity.org,by phone, at 855-INFO-HOPE, or inperson on Sunday morn-ings during gatherings atHopesprings.Hors d'oeuvres and

refreshments will beserved starting at 7pmon April 3rd. The artexhibit will commenceat approximately7:30pm. The church islocated at 301 MarketStreet in Bangor.

The 78th Annual Second Ward Easter Egg Hunt will be held on April 4th at 1pm at the home of Michael and Karyn Christensen, Blue Ridge Ave. in Bangor. Children ages 12 and younger are invited to participate in the egg hunt. Prizes will be awarded to each age group.The Easter Chick

will make his appear-

ance again this year by fire truck. Anyone who wishes to

donate colored hard-boiled eggs for the hunt should deliver them to

Heards Meat Market byApril 3rd. The event isco-sponsored by theSecond Ward Fire Com-pany and Ladies Auxil-liary. Refreshments willbe provided, and theevent is rain or shine. Second Ward would

like to extend theirgratitude to the Chris-tensen family for allow-ing them to use theiryard to carry on thislocal tradition.

By Jennifer LivelyWhether you bet on

sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, or slotsin a casino or onlineproblem gam-bling can strain relation-ships, interfere with work and lead to finan-cial catastrophe. You may even do things you never thought you would, like stealing money to gamble or pay your debts. You may think you cant stop, but with the right help you

can overcome a gam-bling problem or any other addiction and regain control of your life. The first step is recognizing and acknowledging the problem. Gambling addiction,

also known as compul-sive gambling, is a type of impulse-control disorder and a process addiction. Compulsive gamblers cant control the impulse to gamble, even when they know

their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the conse-quences. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether theyre up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Gamblers can have a

problem, even if they are not totally out of control. Just like other types of addiction, problem gam-bling is any gambling

behavior that disrupts or causes unmanageability in your life. If yourepreoccupied with gam-bling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite serious conse-quences, you have agambling problem. Formore information,contact the friendlypeople at A Clean Slate, 100 S. 1st Street in Bangor. Stop in or call 610-452-9348.

St. Lukes University Health Network has agreed to lease just under 200,000 sq. ft. of office space in a build-ing located at 1110 American Parkway, Allentown. The Hanover Township, Lehigh County site is most familiar as the former Agere campus.The regions largest

health care provider will consolidate the St. Lukes Physicians Group, and the finance, legal, marketing and IT departments and othersalmost 1,000 employeesunder one roof, which will create cost-cutting efficiencies that will enhance production. The number of employees will not change.The move will begin

around June or July and continue into 2016.The St. Lukes offices

will occupy 200,000

square feet on the second and third floors of the left side of the building. Part of the first floor that is perfectly wired for the task, will be a training site for the new com-puter system, Epic, that is scheduled to go live in the near future. The site is the newest

addition to St. Lukes network that include more than 215 loca-tions comprising six hospitals, a medical school, 10 clinics and health centers, home care and hospice, walk-in care centers, diagnostic treatment centers, three health and fitness centers and more.Were proud of all of

our progress including most recent Truven 100 Top Hospital award that celebrates the hard work behind our success. All of these elements continue to position St. Lukes as the regions leading provider of health care at lower costs.

Community Services for Childrens Head Start/Early Head Start of the Lehigh Valley is the newest Program of Excellence designee recognized by the National Head Start Association (NHSA). This designation is earned only by the top performers and leaders in Head Start and Early Head Start. These programs consistently demonstrate excellence in program manage-ment and service performance, exemplify best practices and develop innovative techniques for address-ing vital issues in Head Start and Early Head Start.Head Start of the

Lehigh Valley is thefirst program to earnthis distinction in themid-Atlantic and North-eastern US. There areonly 10 other suchprograms nationwideout of 1000 Head Startorganizations. Head Start of the

Lehigh Valley iscelebrating 50 years in2015, having started asa summer program inEaston in 1965. Today,the program enrolls1220 children across theLehigh Valley, prenatalto age five. HeadStart/Early Head Startprepares the poorestchildren to succeed inkindergarten andengages parents tosupport their childslearning.

A Women on Target Instructional Shooting Clinic, a program from the Women of NRA hosted by Blue Ridge Cherry Valley (BRCV), will be held on April 18th, rain or shine at the club located at 2178 Smith Road, in Sciota. There is four clinic

sessions available. They are 9am; 10:30am; 12:30pm and 2pm. The event is open to all women ages 10 and older. You must be at least 10 years of age for

rifle and shotgun and at least 14 years of age for rifle, shotgun and pistol. There is a course fee

which includes an orien-tation and safety brief-ing, eye and ear protec-tion, ammunition,

targets and use of firearms. The course will be

taught by a volunteer team of BRCV Range members, all NRA certi-fied instructors. Anyone under the age of 18 must

be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Visit brcvrodgun.org

for more information about the club and this program. Preregistration is required and will be accepted through April 4th. Registration forms can be downloaded from our website and mailed along with the registra-tion check to the name and address indicated on the form.The BRCV meets at the

club the last Friday of every month at 7pm.

House Appropriations Chairman Bill Adolph (R-Delaware) unveiled a new website, www. TaxpayersThatPay.com, to help taxpayers fully understand the impact of Gov. Tom Wolfs proposed tax increases. TaxpayersthatPay.com shows how much in new personal income and sales taxes taxpay-ers in each school district will pay and compares that amount to the funds proposed to go back to district taxpayers under Wolfs property tax shift plan. Gov. Wolf has

proposed massive tax increases and is trying to get taxpayers to buy into his bait-and-switch plan by dangling the carrot of property tax relief. Unfortunately, the governor has only been telling taxpayers how much property tax and rent relief his plan sends back to their districts. He is not talking about where that money is coming from, and that needs to be a part of the discus-sion said Chairman Adolph. Gov. Wolfs plan

raises over $8 billion in

new taxes when fully implemented and only redistributes $3.6 billion of the new taxes to local property owners and renters. The plan is fundamentally flawed, added Chair-man Adolph.Wolfs proposed

budget spends a record $33.8 billion and repre-sents a 16 percent increase in spending over last year. To support such massive spending increases, the governor proposes a 40 percent sales tax increase by raising the rate and removing exemptions that currently exist on a number of goods and services. Wolf also proposes an increase of 21 percent to the states Personal Income Tax. In fiscal year 2016-17, all of Gov. Wolfs new taxes are expected to raise an additional $8 billion from PA taxpay-ers.Chairman Adolph is

encouraging all PA taxpayers to visit TaxPayersThatPay.com to get a comprehensive look at how they will be impacted under this plan.