The history of the Hawley Silk Mill

HAWLEY, PA — Tony Waldron, Pike County commissioner, will be the guest speaker at the Shohola Railroad and Historical Society (SRHS) meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 6.

Waldron, a part-owner of the silk mill, will discuss its history.

There is no charge to attend. Refreshments will follow.

Also open at the time of the meeting is the new SRHS museum room in the Shohola Township building at 159 Twin Lakes Rd. The museum is open during the day whenever the township building is open. Call the township for hours at 570/559-7394.

For more information on the SRHS, visit their Facebook page at Shohola Railroad & Historical Society.

Foster a furry robot friend

PIKE COUNTY, PA — Tizzie and Trudy are looking for people to love them. And they don’t require much care.

The Pike Area Agency on Aging calls it a “foster program with the intent to adopt.” It’s a pilot program and the adoptees are Tizzie and Trudy, robot cats and dogs. (You can choose your own name once you bring a robot home.)

The program provides a safe and easy alternative for  live furry companions, a spokesperson for Pike Aging said. The robots purr or bark, lie around (like real cats!) or wag their tails.

There is no fee.

If you are interested, contact Pike Aging by March 31 and let the group know whether you would prefer a cat or a dog. The phone number is 570/775-5550 ext. 1304 or you can email jedel@pikepa.org.

If you are interested in and are able to care for a live furry companion, contact the Pike County Humane Society at 570/296-7654.

Conservation conversations, courtesy of the DHC

ONLINE — The Delaware Highlands Conservancy (DHC) will present “Conservation Conversations,” a no-cost Zoom workshop  beginning at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 24.

Join the DHC’s Trey Talley and Kaylan Hubbard, land protection coordinators, to learn about the DHC and how it can help you protect your land. Attendees will learn about conservation values and what a conservation easement is, the steps and costs associated with protecting a piece of land with a conservation easement and the potential financial benefits for landowners.

A Q&A will follow the brief presentation.

There is no charge and registration is required. Zoom details will be sent to registrants.

The DHC works with landowners and communities to protect the natural heritage and quality of life of the Upper Delaware River region. For more information about the organization, call 570/226-3164 or 845/583-1010 or visit DelawareHighlands.org.

To register, visit DelawareHighlands.org or call 570/226-3164 ext. 3.

Women should lead economically too

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The theme for Women’s History Month this year focuses on women’s role in healing and hope. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) head Isabella Casillas Guzman reminded everyone that women own businesses too.   

“I honor our incredible women in caregiving and healthcare and think of all the women entrepreneurs across sectors who have, for generations, lifted up their children, their families and their communities with their creativity, ingenuity and commitment to the common good,” she said.

“At the SBA, we’re committed to supporting our women entrepreneurs who held our nation together throughout the pandemic and, today, are helping to drive our historic economic growth.”

Casillas Guzman pointed out that networking for women-owned businesses is available through the SBA, “so they can take advantage of market growth opportunities to build resilient businesses.”

Their Women’s Business Center Network has placed centers at historically Black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions, she said.

“The path of entrepreneurship has opened doors and provided opportunity and financial independence for strong, visionary women throughout American history,” Casillas Guzman said.  

For more information about the SBA, visit sba.gov.

Women and Girls Foundation celebrates Women’s Herstory Month with new podcast

PENNSYLVANIA — The Women and Girls Foundation (WGF) is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a new podcast series, “Blazing a Trail with Ifrah Faiz.”

Faiz, Pakistan’s first female paratrooper from the general-duty pilot branch, is from Peshawar. The podcast will feature stories of pioneering Pakistani women.

The WGF will also announce community grant recipients. The nonprofit is focused on achieving equality for Pennsylvania women and girls and is engaged in statewide programming and policy work.

The podcast features notable women pioneers, such as the founder of the women’s movement in Pakistan, the first female neurosurgeon from Pakistan, the founder of the country’s first anti-colorism campaign, the first transgender model in Pakistan and more.

“Blazing a Trail” is shown on WGF’s YouTube channel. The grant recipients are being recognized on social media throughout the month.

For more information about WGF, visit wgfpa.org.

WMH cuts Saturday COVID-19 testing hours

HONESDALE, PA — Wayne Memorial Hospital (WMH) has cut back the hours at its COVID-19 testing site in Honesdale. It no longer offers testing on Saturdays.  

Testing will still be offered Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The change is in response to the continuing decrease in coronavirus cases throughout the area, along with the availability of home-testing kits.

There is no out-of-pocket cost; however, a prescription is required.

The WMH COVID-19 testing site is a drive-through post located at the Stourbridge Professional Complex on Route 6 and Maple Avenue. For more information visit wmh.org.

River Rep Arts announces spring classes

CALLICOON, NY — Starting in April, the River Rep arts program will launch its spring courses.

Kids and adults can take online or in-person classes in the arts. In-person classes are held at the Delaware Youth Center in Callicoon.

Classes begin April 3.

The instructors include Kazzrie Jaxen, Benjamin Dizdarević, Amanda McCormick, Paul Peditto, Jennifer Reddish, Lana Bernberg and River Rep artistic director Christopher Peditto.

There are courses in acting, dancing, nonfiction writing, film editing, Nei Kung instruction and more. The full class schedule is at riverrep.org/classes.

River Rep describes itself as “founded on the belief that theater and the arts are essential to the fabric of our lives and play a critical role in its well-being,” and plans to offer workshops in underserved communities in the Upper Delaware region.  

For more information, visit the River Rep Arts Center website at www.riverrep.org.

Gardeners wanted

PIKE COUNTY, PA — The Penn State extension is looking for people who garden, who want to learn more and who want to share what they know.

If you’re interested, you can apply for the master-gardener basic classes. The classes begin this October, will conclude in April  2023 and include topics such as botany, plant propagation, soil health and fertilizer management, composting, safe control of pests and much more.

The training fee is $200 and includes the Penn State Extension master gardener manual, training supplies and webinars. Financial aid may be available.  

Applications are accepted through June 15.

There is an interview to see if the master gardener program is the right choice for the applicant.

Email the completed application to std5215@psu.edu or send it to Penn State  Extension Master Gardeners, 514 Broad St., Milford, PA 18337.

For additional information about the master gardener program or for an application, visit extension.psu.edu.

For information about Pike County’s training program call Sue Detrick, 570/420-7012, or  Mandy Cespedes at 570/296-3400, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Email the staff at pikemg@psu.edu.  

Stone soup cooking at Farm Arts

NARROWSBURG, NY — Farm Arts Collective will present its play “Stone Soup Cooking Class” at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 19 at the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance building, 37 Main St.

A musical about cooking and food, it “makes cooking seasonal vegetables accessible for kids and adults,” according to a release. The audience will get to taste the dishes at the end of the show and take the recipes home too.

Stone Soup Cooking Class is currently on tour in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The performance was developed and premiered at Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre in Hurleyville, NY.

Register for the March 19 show at delawarevalleyartsalliance.org.

For more information, visit farmartscollective.org.

Celtic songs in Hawley

HAWLEY, PA — The Foundation for Harmony Presents is holding an evening of Celtic music at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 25,  in the Boiler Room at the Hawley Silk Mill.

The concert showcases Celtic fiddler Tony DeMarco and guitarist/bouzouki player/singer Alan Murray.

DiMarco, noted Harmony Presents creative director Jill Carletti, was recently dubbed the “Tradfather” of Sligo fiddling by the New York Times.

Murray is from Scotland and has played and toured around the world.

The Silk Mill is located at 8 Silk Mill Dr.

Masking is optional and proof of vaccination is not required for this event.

Tickets cost $22 each and can be purchased at harmonyinthewoods.org. Tickets may also be available at the door.

Harmony in the Woods is a project of the nonprofit Foundation for Harmony Presents. To learn more about upcoming events, visit harmonyinthewoods.org.