The fifth annual Western Salisbury Fire Department Community Day will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 21 at Green Acres Park. There will be games, food, fire station tours and fire extinguisher training. Bring the whole family for a few hours of fun and support our local firefighters at the same time.

Since the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 was last week, it brought to my mind the importance of our first responders and how we should support them in any way we can. I hope to see you there.

I want to update everyone on the instrument donations coming in. So far, we have had two trumpets, one French horn and one clarinet donated. Keep them coming everyone. Contact Monica Deeb at mdeeb@stsd to make a donation.

I need to apologize for having the picture day dates incorrect in my last column. The correct picture day for Salisbury High School is Sept. 19.

There is a school board meeting 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at the administration building.

The Devonshire Drop-off is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 21, Oct. 1 and Oct. 5.

Sept. 20 is an early dismissal day for all schools in the Salisbury Township School District. SHS and Salisbury Middle School are dismissed 12:15 p.m., while Western Salisbury Elementary School and Harry S Truman Elementary School dismiss 1 p.m. There is nothing like getting out of school early on a Friday to make the weekend seem even sweeter. Enjoy!

Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church will observe Harvest Home during services Sept. 22. The congregation is collecting fresh fruit and vegetables for the Harvest Home display along with canned goods to be added to the display, then given to the Allentown Ecumenical Food Bank. Bring all donations to the church by 11 a.m. Sept. 21. Services are 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Sept. 21.

Mid-marking for SHS and SMS is Sept. 27. Can you believe we are almost halfway through the first quarter already?

Also on Sept. 27, the Interact Club is hosting a Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome. The walk will take place at SMS during ninth period or around 2:15 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Eastern Pa. Down Syndrome Center of Trexlertown.

In two weeks some of the best vocalists from schools in Lehigh County will come together at SHS for the Lehigh County Chorus Festival. This festival returns to Salisbury for the first time in 15 years and will be led by guest conductor Dr. Paula Zerkle from Moravian College.

The concert performance is open to the public: 2 p.m. Sept. 28. Tickets will be available at the door; however, there is a discount for advanced purchase. Contact Rachel Reinecke rreinecke@stsd.org for more information.

The A+ school program at Giant Food Stores allows you to earn cash for your schools every time you shop at Giant between Oct. 6 and March 22, 2014. Go to www.giantfoodstores.com/aplus/SchoolDesignationLogin.html to designate which school you want your funds to benefit. It is free and easy, but you have to sign up every year. Salisbury Middle School, Western Salisbury Elementary and Harry S Truman all participate in the program. Everybody buys groceries, so here is your chance to help out your schools without having to purchase anything extra.

The Salisbury football second annual booster club car show will be held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 12. For questions or to register, call 484-357-3385.

I would just like to say how much I enjoyed going to the open houses at SHS and SMS. It is nice to put faces with names of teachers who are new to my children and to reconnect with the teachers at the middle school who are now getting the last of the Foehrkolb boys. They are probably wondering the same thing that I am: How do three kids who grew up in the same house, turn out so completely different. The world will never know.

I also find it interesting to see what students are in my sons' classes, whether they be different or the same ones from year to year. But my favorite part is touching base with fellow parents as we reconnect after not seeing each other since possibly last year's open house. We walk up and down the same halls as our kids, waving, saying "Hi" and this year, looking for someone who should be there and isn't.

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss