Northampton: Friendly Fifties to hold picnic
St. John’s Friendly Fifties will hold its annual summer picnic, rain or shine, noon-5 p.m. July 11 at the 26th Street Playground. Tickets must be purchased.
The group’s next regular meeting is Sept. 12.
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Northampton AARP Chapter 3915 will meet July 13 at Northampton Banquet and Event Center, 1601 Laubach Ave.
Doors open noon. Refreshments and entertainment will be provided.
Those interested in bus trips are asked to call Sharon at 610-262-9182.
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Nazareth Pallet will hold a Miller-Keystone blood drive 1-4:30 p.m. July 14 at its 800 Held Drive facility.
July is Safety Month, and event organizers have planned an afternoon of speakers and demonstrations on the topic.
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Northampton Area Food Bank will be holding its annual Christmas in July food drive at Redner’s Warehouse Market, Held Drive, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 16 and 17.
Food bank donations decrease in the summer months with schools being closed, clubs not meeting and families on vacations. However, usage does not decrease, and the food bank is in need of donations.
Volunteers will have lists of needed foods available at the doors to the market.
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The Joe Sommer Memorial Benefit will be held noon-8 p.m. July 24, rain or shine, at Tri-Boro Sportsmen Club, 21st and Canal streets.
Sommer was killed May 25. A 1985 graduate of Northampton High School, he continued his Konkrete Kids pride as a wrestling coach and mentor to many children.
The event is being organized by Lehigh Valley Community Benefit, of which Sommer was a part since the group’s start in 2010.
There is a fee to attend the benefit. Children 12 and under will be admitted at no cost.
A nonstop, escorted motorcycle ride, hosted by Pocono Harley Davidson, will kick off the event.
Highlights of the day include live entertainment by Social Call and Trick Stacy, face painting by Dazzling Doodles, a photo booth by Say Cheese and a performance by Huffy the Clown.
Proceeds from the event will be used as a wrestling scholarship in Sommers’ name as well as toward various Lehigh Valley charities.
For more information, visit facebook.com/lehighvalleycommunitybenefit.
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