Pizza sale

McMichaels UMC is having a pizza sale, cheese pizza only. Orders must be in by Thursday by calling Martha at 570-992-6742. Pickup is from 8:30 to 11 a.m. May 23.

The church has a Sunday worship service on Facebook at 9:30 a.m. each week.

Previous weeks are still available as well.

Chestnuthill supers

The Chestnuthill Township board of supervisors meeting slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday has been canceled.

Quiet Valley plant sale

Monroe County’s living historical farm museum has announced its annual plant sale of robust heirloom garden plants with a change.

The in-house grown with organic practices must be ordered now for pickup on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 23 and May 24.

Preorders for members began this past Monday and today for nonmembers.

One can call 570-992-6161 or 570-992-9587 for orders and payment will be taken, preferably by credit card.

All orders must be placed no later than May 21.

This year, sales and pickup will take place with social distancing measures enacted.

Those picking up orders are to remain in their vehicles and staff will bring orders to them.

A list of available plants and prices is at http://tiny.cc/qyplantsale.

Lions Club news

The Western Pocono Lions Club has canceled all its meetings until further notice.

However, the board of directors met in April via telephone conference call to handle some club business.

The club leadership has voted and informed members via recent communications that the club dues for the coming year for a member or a couple be donated to any nonprofit of the Lions choice.

As of the latest report received, so far eight members have made their donations and the recipients are: Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network (PVEN), $226; Monroe County Meals on Wheels, $200; Geisinger Foundation, $80; and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, $60 for the COVID-19 relief fund, for a total of $566.

The officers presented for the 2020-21 year are: Nick Hawkey, president; Patricia Buccieri, vice president; Jon Evans, secretary; Joanne Rush, treasurer; Linda Hinton, Lion Tamer; Jeff Hinton, Tail Twister; and Chris Sweeney and Marvin Aylsworth, board of directors.

For any additional information about the club one can call Rush at 610-381-3759 or Evans at 570-445-9457.

PVEN collecting

The Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network is now collecting items for this summer’s Back-to-School Extravaganza.

Last year PVEN outfitted 162 students and the need will most likely be greater this year.

The network is looking for the following items for students ages 5-18, for both boys and girls: new socks, black and white; new underwear, boxer briefs for boys and young men; new school supplies and backpacks, pencils are not needed as there are already plenty on hand; new school sneakers, black or white; new or gently used school uniforms.

This year volunteers would like to also include toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and body wash.

Donors are asked to bring donations to the PVEN.

Anyone with questions can call 570-992-3136.

Hoagie sale

McMichaels UMC is having a hoagie sale, with orders due by May 29 to Pastor Ed at 610-597-1030. Orders can be picked up curbside at the church on June 5.

Eldred news

From Eldred Township come several items, including that due to the Monroe County Waste Authority not yet being reopened, the electronics recycling program is on hold. The township will reopen once it is possible.

However, the township Public Works Department is back in full operation so the gate is open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. for brush disposal. Normally residents are asked to stop in the office and sign the register, but for now they may drive around back.

Also, the county and the township have extended the property tax discount period until Aug. 31, and the base period until Dec. 31. All payments must be mailed or processed by credit card online at: https://www.eldredtaxcollector.com/

No in-person payments will be accepted until the office reopens, with no date set yet.

Township offices are not currently open to the public but the staff is working, some days from home, so patience is requested. However, the township is accepting and processing permit applications of all types. Most are available on the township website, www.eldredtwp.org.

Calls are being answered and forwarded as necessary.

With meetings scheduled on the May 20 and May 21, staff is working to arrange virtual meetings with public participation available by phone. The meetings have not yet been confirmed and may be postponed. Once more information is on hand and the township secretary will be sending out instructions with meeting phone number and ID. This will also be posted on the door so everyone has access to the information.

N95 Mask project

Residents in Ross, Polk, Jackson, Eldred, Chestnuthill and Hamilton townships have volunteered to cut and sew N-95 mask covers.

Each township has a point person who is helping to coordinate this effort.

They are: Silvia and Bill Gethen, Chestnuthill Township; Renee Miller, Jackson Township; Donna Mikol, Eldred Township; Linda and Butch Kresge, Ross Township; Rebecca Tippett, Polk Township, and Brenda Kline, Hamilton Township.

The township coordinators have begun the process of gathering the necessary supplies and are developing a distribution method for the finished masks.

The finished mask covers will be provided to local hospitals, including Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono and St. Luke’s Monroe Campus.

Funds that are raised are needed to purchase supplies including fabric, elastic and thread, as well as for providing transport and delivery of supplies and the finished product.

Randy Detrick is the organizer for the GoFundMe fundraiser now underway.

Join in at https://www.gofundme.com/f/n95-mask-cover-project.

Cleanup scrubbed

The spring cleanup in Ross Township, previously set for this Friday and Saturday, has been postponed. No new date has been announced.

Polk Township

The Polk Township Supervisors are slated to meet at 7 p.m. Monday. That meeting is open to the public but attendees must wear a mask.

Blood drives

The American Red Cross has scheduled several blood drives in the area. Appointments are needed. Schedule online or call 800-RED-Cross.

Among the locations at the time are: Eastern Monroe Public Library, May 20, scheduling for Power Red; Faith Lutheran Church, Blakeslee, May 26; Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, June 3.

PVEN distribution

All food distribution at the Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network is by drive-thru after setting up an appointment as per usual at 570-992-3136.

The PVEN’s Clothing Closet is closed until further notice in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Rebate extension

Via the Monroe County Seniors’ Express Times comes word that the tax/rent rebate deadline has been extended.

The program benefits “eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.”

For more details or help, contact the Monroe County Area Agency on Aging office in Stroudsburg at 570-420-3735 or toll-free 1-800-498-0330.

Contact Adele Argot at 717-933-4028 or arargot3@verizon.net. Contact the Times News at 800-443-0377 or tneditor@tnonline.com.