ThisWeek Community Newspapers

As director Ruth Krumm and volunteers search out a new home for the Johnstown-Northridge Food Pantry, she took a moment to reflect on the past year and the families served by the outreach ministry.

In 2006, the pantry served more than 900 area children in 378 families in the two school districts. There were four months when the pantry served more than 50 families. So far, 50 families in January received non-perishable food items and many were presented with a gift certificate to Krogers for items not on the pantry's shelves.

"These numbers don't reflect the 100 families that received holiday gift baskets at Christmas and Thanksgiving," Ruth said. "We assist those who are recently laid off, can't make ends meet during the month and many others who struggle financially."

The pantry people are grateful to the area businesses and churches that donate canned food items throughout the year.

But for many years, the biggest donors to the pantry have been in grades K-12. Each October, Johnstown and Northridge schools compete to see which class can bring in the most food items. Last year, a new record was set with more than 52,000 food items brought to the pantry.

The event is sponsored by the Johnstown Knights of Columbus, which provides pizza parties for the winning class and a plaque for the winning high school.

Currently, the pantry faces a tough decision. The Church of Ascension will not be able to house the pantry in its new building, so the search is on for a new home. "We have several different places to view for a new home," Ruth said. "One of them looks very promising, but we will need assistance moving regardless where or when we move."

But for now, she is focused on the pantry's immediate needs -- specifically, for spaghetti sauce and canned fruit. Donations can be dropped off in the basement of the Church of Ascension.

Since the news that Brookside Materials/Kurtz Brothers has offered to have the historic Captain Scott House house sit on its property, the phone calls have been pouring in.

Several businesses have stepped up to offer in-kind services including excavation, basement and foundation design services as well as landscaping according to Donna Herring, secretary of the Alexandria Community Council. The council is spearheading the effort to save the house. Donations of foundation materials are needed including cement, blocks and labor.

Fund-raisers are in the works. The campaign is donation driven since no funds from the village of Alexandria are being used. ODOT gave the house to the village, but has no funds to relocate the home.

The Friends of the Captain Scott House Committee has been working to save the historic house. A campaign has begun to raise about $80,000 before March 16 to get the house moved. A committee meeting is set for tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m. at the Alex UMC for anyone interested.

Donations are tax-deductible and should be made payable to the Alexandria Community Council and sent to P.O Box 234, Alexandria 43001.

Whether you are a beginning or experienced knitter, Patty Priddy welcomes you to the knitting circle that has formed at the Alexandria Library. The group meets the third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the library.

Beginners need to bring $12 as well as 11 needles and worsted weight yarn. Novelty yarn is not recommended for learning. Advanced knitters are invited to join with their current projects.

The next class will be March 17.

The Works Museum in Newark will offer a Glass Lovers' Tour on Saturday, March 3. A private bus will transport participants from Newark to Dublin and Columbus for an afternoon and evening of art-glass viewing.

The bus will depart from The Works at 2:30 p.m. and travel to the home of Dublin art-glass collectors Mark and Marcia Emerson at 3:30 p.m. After touring the Emerson collection, the tour will continue to the Hawk Galleries to attend the opening reception for glass artist Dante Marioni. At 7 p.m. the bus will depart for the return trip to Newark, arriving at about 8 p.m. at The Works.

Tickets are $40 for Works' members and $50 for non-members. Deadline to register is Feb. 28. For more information or to register, call The Works at 349-9277.

Mark can be reached at Markjweiner@ earthlink.net.