Be sure to read the Westside Messenger to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood! To submit events and announcements to this section, e-mail information to westside@columbusmessenger.com.
Paper recycling program
Parkview United Methodist Church’s paper recycling program is beginning its fifth year. Newspapers, junk mail, catalogs, and more can be dropped in the green and yellow recycling bins in the church’s parking lot, at 344 S. Algonquin Ave. No cardboard or telephone books.
PTSC exercise programs
The Prairie Township Senior Center hosts excercise programs free of costs throughout the week. The schedule is as follows:
Mondays – 10 a.m., Low Impact Aerobics
Tuesdays – 9:30 a.m., Gentle Stretchers
Wednesdays – 10 a.m., Conditioning Exercise
Fridays – 10 a.m., Gentle Stretchers
These programs are provided through a grant from Mt. Carmel hospital. For additional information, call 878-5110.
Committee members needed
The Greater Hilltop Area Commission seeks community members to serve on various committees for the 2007-2008 commission term. Committee members do not have to be members of the full commission. Interested persons can learn about the commission and get more information online at www.TheGHAC.com.
Awana Clubs
Awana Clubs for boys and girls, from three-years-old to sixth grade. These clubs meet on Wednesdays, from 6:45-8:30 p.m., at Briggs Road Baptist Church, 3231 Briggs Road. Call 272-7430 for more information.
12 Step Recovery program
Friends Worship Center, 3030 Clime Rd., will host “12 Step Recovery: Celebrate Recovery” for all addictions including co-dependency every Thursday from 7-9 p.m. Come early, stay late for fellowship. For more information, call 279-1892 or 395-6309.
Ladies Auxiliary
Plans are underway to form a Ladies Auxiliary Group at AM VETS Post 300. All post members are asked to participate in this open enrollment. All women that are related to a Post 300 member (grandmother, mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt) are encouraged to join and support our military families. Please contact the Post Commander, Barbara Megoloff, at 614-276-8083 for more information. Remember, all good deeds start with the family.
Help your child read
The Columbus Speech and Hearing Center is hosting, “Helping Your Child Learn to Read: What Parents Need to Know,” free information sessions for parents of children in kindergarten and first grade.
All sessions are from 7-8 p.m. Locations and dates of the sessions are as follows:
•Jan. 16 – Hilliard Library, 4772 Cemetery Road, Hilliard
•Jan. 23 – Westerville Library, 126 S. State St., Westerville
For more information contact Marianne LaRosa at the Columbus Speech and Hearing Center, 263-5151.
Exercise for seniors
Seniors are invited to exercise on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 55 Pasadena Ave. Men and women aged 50 to 90 and up have exercised at the facility since 2001. The instructor leads each session with warm-ups, play balls, resistance bands, hand weights, some low-impact aerobics and balance activities. Each participant can adapt the routine to his/her comfort level. The cost is $35 for each eight-week session. Call the instructor, Lori Vazquez, at 989-4595 with questions.
Rock on Sullivant
Rock on Sullivant is an after school program sponsored by the Westside Free Store Ministries, 3030 Sullivant Ave. Qualified adult and high school volunteers will be present to help, teach and mentor students on Wednesdays after school until 6 p.m. This program begins Jan. 16 and is free of cost. For more information and to receive required registration information, call 351-5480.
GriefShare seminar
GriefShare seminar and support group (for those grieving the loss of a loved one) will meet at Cypress Wesleyan Church, 377 Alton-Darby Creek Road, each Sunday at 6 p.m. beginning Jan. 13 and continuing through April 6. For more information or to register, call Debbie Brisentine at the church office, 878-8192, ext. 238. There is also children’s programming available each Sunday for infants through high school age – some require pre-registration so ask about that when you call. Log on to www.griefshare.org or www.cypressonline.net for more information.
DivorceCare seminar
DivorceCare recovery seminar and support group will meet at Cypress Wesleyan Church, 377 Alton-Darby Creek Road, each Sunday at 6 p.m. beginning Jan. 13 and continuing through April 6. There will also be one session held the morning of Saturday, Feb. 2. For more information or to register, call Debbie Brisentine at the church office, 878-8192, ext. 238. There is also children’s programming available each Sunday for infants through high school age – some require pre-registration so ask about that when you call. You can also check out the DivorceCare Web site, www.divorcecare.org or the church Web site, www.cypressonline.net, for more information.
Free AARP help
Dodge Senior Center, 667 Sullivant Ave., is offering free AARP help on Thursdays Jan 31. through April 10 by appointment. Call Dodge at 645-3176 to schedule. Appointment times are 9, 10 and 11 a.m., as well as 12 noon. Bring your copy of last year’s tax forms and any other necessary information.
All Member’s Reception
Dodge Senior Center’s All Members Reception is Friday Jan. 18 at 1 p.m. There will be no cost and no reservation is needed. Mike Stanley, professional gutarist, will preform. Light refreshments will be provided. The center is located at 667 Sullivant Ave.
Dodge offers new class
Dodge Senior Center, 667 Sullivant Ave., is offering a new class – Easy to Make Blankets. Just cut and tie. We will make both regular and children size blankets. All children blankets made will be donated to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Join Rae Anne Nutter on Thursdays from 1-2:30 p.m.
VFW Post 6065
VFW Post 6065 will hold their meetings on the third Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. Meetings last about one hour and are held at the Prairie Township Senior Center, 4656 West Broad St. Those interested in getting involved or volunteering time should attend a meeting. The Ladies Auxilary meets at 6:30 p.m. The motivations of the VFW are patriotic, historical, and educational. They strive to perpetuate the memory and history of thier dead, and to assist their widows and orphans. Call Will Davis at 309-0171 for further information.
St. Paul Benefit Bank
The Benefit Bank at St. Paul Lutheran Church will have trained people available on Thursdays from 2-4 p.m. and every other Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon to assist individuals through the initial paperwork to receive the following services:
•Food Stamps
•Healthy Start/Healthy Families
•Title 20 Child Care Subsidies
•Ohio Works First
•Medicare Savings program
•HELP (Home Energy Assistance Program)
•Voter Registration
The program will start Thursday, Jan. 3 and Saturday, Jan. 5. The church is located at 55 Pasadena Ave., just west of Doctor’s Hospital. Call 878-4715 for more information.
Help available at NDCC
Are you in the midst of a life transition? New Directions Career Center (NDCC), a non-profit, United Way agency, offers individuals support to enter or re-enter the work force – regardless of their ability to pay. Their licensed counselors take a holistic, individualized approach to seminars and workshops focusing on career building techniques with the ultimate goal of achieving financial independence though fulfilling employment. Additionally, the four week, New Directions class is designed exclusively for women re-entering the workforce after a death, divorce, addiction, depression, etc. Placement services are available to program graduates.
For more information on programs, services, or scholarships contact Meredith Kitts at 849-0028.
Free clothing and lunch
New Hope Church, 3060 W. Broad St., will provide free womens, mens and some children’s clothing Jan. 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free lunch will also be provided. All are welcome. This is a monthly event. Read the Westside Messenger for information on future dates.
Valleyview open council seat
The Village of Valleyview Council is currently accepting resumes for an open council seat that was not filled in the last election. The term of the seat is from Jan. 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2012. Send or drop off all resumes to Village Hall by Jan. 28.
In your resume, list all qualifications and reason for seeking the position.
Note: All applicants must be a resident of the Village to be considered.
SWAC meeting notice
The Southwest Area Commission meets on the third Wednesday of each month. The date for the January meeting is Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. at the New Horizons United Methodist Church, 1665 Harrisburg Pike. The agenda will include discussion about COTA bus routes and the working committee appointments for the area plan.
Check our Web site, www.columbusswac.org, for additional information about the commission. The commission welcomes the involvement of area residents.
The commission boundaries are the Scioto River on the east, I-270 on the south, the railroad tracks west of Harrisburg Pike on the west, Mound Street to Mt. Calvary to Greenlawn Avenue on the north. The commission can be contacted through our Web site, or by phone at 562-4728.
Amity Road EC pancake breakfast
Amity Road Evangelical Church, located at 435 Amity Road in Galloway, will be doing a fundraiser at the church on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. We will be serving pancakes, link sausage and beverages for a great low cost of $4 per person or $15 for a family of four.
Amity Road is located just east of West Jefferson. For more information, you may contact the church at 878-5174 or e-mail amityroadchurch@yahoo.com.
Fund-raising vendor fair
The South-Western City Schools District Council of PTA’s is hosting the 6th annual fund-raising vendor fair.
The event will take place in the commons at Westland High School, located at 146 Galloway Road, in Galloway, on Feb. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon. Fund raising vendors will be showcasing products available for fund raisers for spring and fall. The event is open to the public. The council is inviting all PTA/PTSA’s, booster groups, trip advisors, and school staff.
For more information, contact Diane Walker at 276-8828.
CCHS music competition
The Central Crossing High School Instrumental Music Department has announced their 6th annual “Indoor Winterguard and Drumline MEPA Competition” to be held at CCHS on February 2-3. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. -10 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. -5 p.m. This competition will host over 130 different performing units from across Ohio and adjacent states. Each day will have its own awards ceremony as there are actually two separate competitions. The contest will be open to the public with admission at the door. Adults aged 19-61 will be charged $8 all day, youths 7-18 are $7 and under 6 are free. Questions may be directed to Justin Hibbitt, assistant director of bands at CCHS, by calling 801-6543 or e-mailing Justin.hibbitt@swcs.us. or by visitng the Web site, www.centralcrossingband.org.
Merry Tuba Christmas
In mid December, the tuba section of the Franklin Heights High School band participated in the annual Merry Tuba Christmas.
The band members were Leslie Lenihan, Kenneth Simmons, Heather Simmons and Thomas Cloward. This year’s event took place at Capital University, with two evening performances.
More than 200 tubas, baritones and euphoniums performed a selection of Christmas carols.
Free manicures/pedicures
The January LICF MOPS (Mothers Of PreSchoolers) meeting will feature free manicures and pedicures. The meeting will be held Jan. 16 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. After a light breakfast, each mom will be treated to a free manicure and/or pedicure, including scrub and hot wax. Each Mom should bring a bath towel, utensils if she has them (clippers, scissors, etc.) and her own nail polish if she wants a particular color.
Meanwhile, their children will enjoy stories, crafts, and snacks in their own MOPPETS program, and babies will be well-cared for in the nursery.
The LICF MOPS group meets in the New Life Nazarene Church located at 2020 State Route 142 NE, West Jefferson. It’s not too late to join, but call Pam at 853-2532 or Lois at 878-3535 so they can plan for you.
Busy Bee Playtime
Busy Bee Playtime is held every Thursday morning from 10 a.m. to noon at Sharon Mennonite Church in Plain City. Busy Bee Playtime is held in the church’s fellowship hall, where there is room for children ages 0-5 to play and fellowship together. It is a chance for the children to play while the adults watch over them and also visit with each other. Near the end of the playtime, we have a short circle time to sing songs together.
All children need to be accompanied by a parent, grandparent, or caregiver. There is no cost. You are welcome to come late or leave early since this is an “open gym” format. The program runs through the end of May. The church is located at 7675 Amity Pike in Plain City. For more information, e-mail busybees@sharonmennonite.org or call the church at 614-873-8290.
