MaryAnn McKibben Dana

Clarendon Coat Closet

This October will be the eighth year for the Clarendon Trinity United Methodist Church providing new winter coats to children in the Sheffield attendance area. This ministry is a way of assisting those who may be facing some difficult times going into the winter season. Coats will be distributed in our fellowship hall from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. Anyone with questions may call the church office at (814) 723-5435 and leave a message along with your name and phone number.

Allegheny Outdoor Club

It is that time again to plan activities for October, November and December. The Allegheny Outdoor Club will meet at First Lutheran Church at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26. Enter from the parking lot. All are welcome. Bring ideas for more activities.

Class breakfast

The men of the Warren High School class of 1951 will meet for breakfast at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Peppermill.

Alohomora! A Magical Festival

Alohomora! A Magical Festival will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, at Liberty Street and Second Ave. in Warren.

The celebration will include live entertainment, enchanted vendors, and an array of magical activities for adults and children, including a free presentation of “magical creatures” by the Erie Zoo.

The festival’s core mission is to promote the joy of reading and a portion of the proceeds will benefit literacy programs throughout the region.

Entry into the festival grounds is free. For a listing of magical activities and classes, go to alohomorafestival.com or Alohomora! A Magical Festival on Facebook.

Lottsville Heritage Day

The 14th Annual Lottsville Heritage Day will be held on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Freehold Township grounds in Lottsville. There will be activities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A chicken BBQ will be available beginning at 11:30 a.m.at a cost of $10. Other food is also available. There will be Amish donuts and other baked goods for sale. An ice-cream vendor will also attend this year.

There will be horse-drawn wagon rides at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.

At 1 p.m., there will be a live auction of new items, craft items, gift certificates, food items, theme baskets, and lots of other items. Candy Ransom of Chase Auctions will be the auctioneer.

There also will be vendors selling various products.

There are historical displays featuring items from the past and many, many pictures. The Heritage Committee received this past year a new collection of pictures of Lottsville happenings from a lady in California.

Everyone is also invited to visit the new Lottsville Community Memorial which was dedicated at last year’s Heritage Day. The memorial honors Lottsville’s founder Harmones Lott and Freehold Township deceased veterans. About 24 new engraved bricks and granite blocks have been added in 2019. The memorial will be decked with flowers provided by JB Nursery and Greenhouse and the Heritage Committee.

Everyone is invited to help celebrate Lottsville’s heritage.

Guest preacher

You are invited to First Presbyterian Church of Warren on Saturday, Sept. 21, to hear guest preacher and leader MaryAnn McKibben Dana during the Stated Presbytery Meeting starting at 10 a.m.

By combining scripture, psychology, and pop culture, MaryAnn will be speaking on how we discern on our purpose as church communities, how we embrace change, and how the tools of improving can lead to vibrant ministry.

MaryAnn McKibben Dana has led dozens of groups as they learn to live deeper, more faithful, and creative lives.

The Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana is a writer, free-range pastor, speaker, improviser, and professional coach living in the Washington DC area.

Audubon roadside cleanup

You can help nature and Audubon Community Nature Center (ACNC) by volunteering to collect trash along Route 62 on Saturday morning, Oct. 5.

Every little piece of trash makes a difference when it comes to keeping nature healthy.

This is your opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and good company and be part of this twice-yearly endeavor to make our community a little cleaner.

Rain or shine, volunteers meet at the Nature Center at 8:30 a.m., divide into teams, gear up with gloves and orange safety vests, then ride in the van to various sections of Route 62 cared for by ACNC.

Orange trash bags are filled with roadside refuse, then workers return to the Nature Center at noon.

Snacks are provided for breaks and afterward. Volunteers are welcome to enjoy the Nature Center exhibits, visit with Liberty the Bald Eagle, or hike the trails after their work is done.

Volunteers ages 12 to 18 are welcome as long as accompanied by an adult.

Participants are reminded to wear closed-toed shoes and dress for the weather. You can bring your own gloves if you have them, but Audubon has plenty to lend.

It helps with planning if you can make reservations by calling (716) 569-2345 during business hours or registering online by going to AudubonCNC.org/Programs and clicking through “Current Schedule.”

Audubon Community Nature Center is located at 1600 Riverside Road, one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown, N.Y., and Warren.

To learn more about Audubon and its many programs, call (716) 569-2345 during business hours or visit the Programs page at AudubonCNC.org.

‘Truth About Beavers’

Did you know that beavers are the second-largest rodents in the world and that they were nearly completely eradicated from New York State in the early 1800s?

Audubon Community Nature Center has had beavers popping up all over their property, with lodges and dams built near the trails as well as in the swamps.

At Audubon’s First Friday Lunch Bunch on October 4, you can learn about how beavers have made a comeback and the many benefits they provide.

Jennifer Pettit’s “The Truth About Beavers” will include beaver biology, as well as the history of beaver management in New York and how landowners can manage beaver on their property.

Pettit is a wildlife biologist and the sportsmen education coordinator for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Region 9, serving Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties. She is responsible for managing furbearer and small game mammal populations in the region.

Bring a brown bag lunch to share afterward and enjoy the company of the presenters and fellow participants.

The fee for attending First Friday is $8 or $6 for Nature Center members. Walk-ins are welcome. Registrations are accepted through Thursday, September 5, by calling (716) 569-2345 during business hours or going online to AudubonCNC.org/Programs and clicking “Current Schedule.”