Octorara townlively.com
NOVEMBER 13, 2024
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXXIV • NO 37
On the path to Eagle: Scout collects pet food for SPCA BY FRANCINE FULTON
Faith Dopirak is the new director of the Parkesburg Free Library.
Parkesburg Free Library welcomes new director
“I
t is a beautiful library. It is light and airy, and I could tell that it was a ver y community-oriented place just from when you first walk in,” said Faith Dopirak, the new director of Parkesburg Free Library when describing her first visit to the library, adding, “The staff was all very friendly.” Dopirak replaces long-time library director Tom Knecht, who retired in 2023. After interviewing with the library board, she was named director in August. “I was the children’s librarian at the Oxford Library until 2019. I was there for two years,” she explained. “In between there and
here, I was a stay-at-home mom for a few years.” A graduate of Avon Grove High School, Dopirak received a degree in fashion design and English from Albright College. She earned a master’s degree in library and information science from Clarion University, now known as PennWest Clarion. Dopirak said that she plans to continue the library’s successful programming and add new activities as well. The library currently offers a Chess Club on Tuesdays, with groups that meet at 12:30 p.m. and at 4:15 p.m.; Story Hour, which is offered on Wednesdays at 10 a.m.; Kids Craft & Story Time, offered on Thursdays at noon; a Mystery
Book Club, which meets on the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m.; and a knitting club, which meets on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. “There are really great programs here. The Chess Club is very well attended on Tuesdays, and we have a knitting group and a Mystery Book Club that has been well attended for many years,” said Dopirak. “I have started a new story time. There was already story time on Wednesdays that was put together in conjunction with the (Octorara) Primar y Learning Center. I do the story time on Thursdays now. As a previous children’s librarian, I could jump right into the children’s programming.”
See Eagle Scout pg 4 SPCA.
Holiday toy drive underway BY FRANCINE FULTON
In preparation for the Christmas on Main event in Parkesburg, the Parkesburg Action Committee (PAC), in conjunction with local businesses, is sponsoring its third annual holiday toy drive. Area residents are asked to drop off new, unwrapped toys during business hours at Flowers in Bloom, 213 Main St., Parkesburg. Toys will be accepted through Monday, Dec. 2. PAC member Tina O’Connor
noted residents also have the option to donate a toy by visiting giving trees that will be placed later this month at Spring House Spirits, 217 Main St., Parkesburg, and the Grocer y Outlet, 110 W. First Ave., Parkesburg. “A tree will be put up at Spring House Spirits and the Grocery Outlet. Each ornament will include a suggestion for a toy or a child’s need,” noted O’Connor. “The community can take an ornament off the tree, purchase that item, and return the unwrapped item to Flowers in Bloom by Dec. 2.”
See Parkesburg Free Library pg 3
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BY FRANCINE FULTON
For a young man working on acquiring the rank of Eagle Scout who loves cats and dogs, there is no better community service project than one that benefits animals in need. For his required Eagle Scout project, Raul “Bubba” Laguna, a member of Parkesburg Troop 135, held a pet food drive for the Brandywine Valley SPCA. Laguna, 17, a senior at Avon Grove Charter School, collected food at Tractor Supply in Parkesburg and at Pet Supplies Plus in Avondale for three consecutive Sundays - Oct. 27, Nov. 3 and Nov. 10 - from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Shoppers were offered a list of items most needed by the SPCA as they entered the stores, and Laguna collected donations Scout candidate Raul as shoppers exited the stores. Eagle “Bubba” Laguna held a pet food During the collection drives, he drive for the Brandywine Valley
See Toy drive pg 2
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