Community calendar

Jan. 31

Kutztown Strong Photography Contest: for Kutztown Area Middle School & Kutztown Area High School Students. Categories include Black & White, Landscapes, Friendship). Prizes from local businesses will be awarded thanks to the generosity of Thrivent Financial. Send your entry, name and contact information, as well as your category for each photo to kutztownstrong@gmail.com. All entries are due by 11:59 on Jan. 31.

Jan. 31

Groundhog Day for Youth Virtual Event: The Pennsylvania German Zammelaaf hosts a virtual Grundsau Daag fer Yunge (Groundhog Day for Youth) event on its Facebook page. Learn about the Pennsylvania German (Dutch) language and Groundhog Day traditions. Download games, crafts, activity sheets and a video about Groundhog Day. Go to the PA German Zammelaaf Facebook page beginning Jan. 31. This is the second annual Groundhog Day celebration. Due to COVID concerns, an in-person event is not possible this year. For more information, contact zammelaaf@gmail.com.

Feb. 3 to March 24

Introduction to Beekeeping Classes: Wednesdays Feb. 3 to March 24 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. via

Zoom. Hosted by Lehigh Valley Beekeepers Association, weekly topics include honeybee biology, hives and hardware, setting up the hive, “A Year in the Life of a Beekeeper,” legalities of beekeeping, pests and diseases, the Joy of Honey and other hive products, and a trip to the club’s apiary in late March. Instructors are all seasoned beekeepers and members of the association. Course fee of $50 per household includes emailed course materials and log-in information. Register at lehighvalleybeekeepers.org.

Feb. 3

Power of Attorney – What You Need to Know: 4 p.m. Berks Encore virtual presentation by William Blumer, certified elder law attorney, and Katie Rex, Berks Encore Care + Aging Life Care Manager. Hear about guardianship, power of attorney and other important elder law issues. Sign up by calling 484577-4243 or email becareplus@ berksencore.org.

Feb. 7

Leesport Area Historical Society Open House: 1 to 4 p.m. The museum resides in the former West Leesport 4-room school house built in 1858at 128Main Street, Leesport. See area and regional artifacts including a classroom circa 1940s and a Quaker Marriage Certificate predating the Declaration of Independence.

Until March 8

Pa Dutch Chicken Pot Pie Fundraiser in Bally: Pre-orders now until March 8. $8per quart. Order now, pay upon pickup. Drive-thru pick up is March 27 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bally Community Pool, 411Chestnut St., Bally. Order at https://ballyrec.org/potpie or call 484-2415490. Dutch style chicken pot pie, handmade locally. Proceeds benefit Bally Community Pool and Park. Limited quantity of 600quarts will be made so order early. Last year was sold out. Sponsored by the Bally Area Recreational Development Society.

Kutztown Community Library

Miss Lacie’s Story Time: Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Hear stories, sing songs, and see friends! Zoom link at kutztownlibrary.org.

Miss Taylor’s Story Time: Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Hear stories, sing songs, and see friends! Zoom link at kutztownlibrary.org.

Boyertown Community Library

Miller-Keystone Blood Drive: Feb. 8 at 1 to 6 p.m. Appointment required. Schedule online at giveapint.org or by calling 1-800-223-6667. Registration in the lower level of the library. Book Sale & Donation Acceptance Day: Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Friends of BCL will hold a book sale and donation acceptance day. There are books available to purchase for all ages! Masks and social distancing required. The sale is held in the lower level of the library.

StoryWalk® in the Library (all ages): Feb. 1-27, while the weather is cold outside, enjoy a StoryWalk® in the library. The book for February is “Mr. Goat’s Valentine” by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. The StoryWalk® will be set up in the children’s area. On your way out pick up a craft at the desk to do at home. Geared towards preschool aged children and their caregivers, but all are welcome to enjoy!

Smile Bingo (ages 3-12): Feb. 1-28 Find, read, do or eat these items to earn bingo! Pick up a sheet at the library or download & print from this link - bit. ly/3sBuI57

Craft Packs (Adults, Teens, Kids): Check our Facebook Page or call 610-369-0496 to find out which crafts are available. Beanstack Reading Challenges (Adults 18+, Teens 12-17 & Kids 5-11): Find monthly reading challenges and activities. Beanstack allows you to log your reading and activities, at home and on the go using the Beanstack Tracker app (search for it in your mobile device’s app store and download to use). Register on Beanstack at berkslibraries.beanstack.org.

Literatour Berks

Author presentation events: presented by Exeter Community Library in cooperation with the Jewish Federation of Reading/ Berks and the Sinking Spring Library.

Feb. 1: 7 p.m. author presentation via Zoom “Hannah’s War” by Jan Eliasberg. To register, visit www.readingjewishcommunity.org/home/literatour. Feb. 7: 4 p.m. children’s author presentation via Zoom “Such a Library - A Yiddish Folktale Re-Imagined” by Jill Ross Nadler. To register, visit www. readingjewishcommunity.org/ home/literatour.

Feb. 23: 7 p.m. author presentation via Zoom “Imra Stern and the Racial Paradox of South African Modern Art - Audacities of Color” by LaNitra M. Berger. To register, visit www.readingjewishcommunity.org/home/ literatour.

Exeter Community Library

Baby Lapsits via Zoom: Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. (Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23) Email Laura Carson at lauracarson05@gmail.com by 5 p.m. the Monday before to get the Zoom link.

Children’s Story Time via

Zoom: Thursdays at 10 a.m. (Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25) Email Laura Kauffman at sxtchild@berks.lib.pa.us by 5 p.m. the Wednesday before to get the Zoom link.

School-aged Grab & Go Book & Craft Kits (for kindergarten through 6th grade): pickup Feb. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while supplies last.

Book Bundles for kids: Not sure what to get for your kids from the library since you can’t browse by yourself right now? Fill out the Google Form (link located on the Kids page of the library website) and let our librarians choose a bundle of books for your kids based on their interests. www.berkslibraries.org/branch/exeter/kids Book Bundles for adults: Not sure what to get from the library for yourself? Let our librarians choose for you based on your interests. Link to the form can be found at www.berkslibraries. org/branch/exeter/adults. 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten: is still ongoing and now there’s an app. Forms can be requested and returned by email to lauracarson05@gmail.com. Link to the app can be found on the Kids page of the library website at www.berkslibraries. org/branch/exeter/kids.

Submit events

Send event listings to lmitchell@berksmontnews.com about 2 weeks in advance.