SANTA BREAKFAST: Heidelberg Union Church, 5187 Irvin Road, Slatington, will host a free Build a Breakfast with Santa event at 10 a.m. Dec. 12. Families can enjoy breakfast, crafts and photo opportunities with Santa. Attendees are encouraged to bring donations of personal care items or canned foods for the community. Reservations are requested by Dec. 5 by calling the church office or visiting the church’s Facebook page.

BLOOM BENEFIT: Bloom for Women will host its fourth annual Freedom Benefit Dinner 6 p.m. Oct. 22 at Lehigh University’s Iacocca Center. The fundraiser will support the Easton-based nonprofit’s mission of helping survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation through residential programs, survivor services and employment opportunities.

The keynote speaker will be Becca Stevens, founder and president of Thistle Farms, a Nashville organization that helps women survivors heal and rebuild their lives. Bloom is a sister community of Thistle Farms.

Funds raised from the event will support Bloom’s continuum of care and workforce development programs for survivors in the Lehigh Valley. For information about attending or supporting the event, contact Karen Higgins, marketing manager, at 484-686-0262 or visit Bloom for Women.

FLU SHOTS: Jefferson Health will provide free drive-through influenza vaccinations for adults and children ages 6 months and older during two clinics in the Lehigh Valley in November. The clinics will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 7, at Dorney Park, and Nov. 8, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hecktown Oaks.

LITTER CONTEST: Pennsylvania amateur photographers have until Oct. 31 to enter the 2026 Gene Capaldi Lens on Litter Photo Contest, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Resources Council. The statewide contest awards prizes of up to $500 in four categories: adult, student, adult before-and-after and student before-and-after. Photos must be taken in Pennsylvania and highlight the impact of litter on communities, wildlife, public health or the environment. Contest details and online submission information are available through the Pennsylvania Resources Council.

VETERAN’S DAY: The Northwestern Lehigh Veterans Memorial Committee will hold its annual Veterans Day gathering from 4 to 8 p.m. Nov. 11, at Eight Oaks Farm Distillery, 7189 Route 309, New Tripoli.

The event is moving indoors this year after several years of cold and unpredictable weather at its former location, Ontelaunee Park. Organizers said the new venue will provide a more comfortable setting for local veterans, friends and neighbors.

The evening will feature live music by Chris Noll, along with food and drinks from Eight Oaks’ fall menu. More information is available at https://nwlehighvetsmemorial.org.

HOAGIE SALE: Christ’s Church at Lowhill, 4695 Lowhill Church Road, New Tripoli, will be accepting orders until Oct. 18 for their R&K pretzel sandwich and sub sale. Pretzel sandwiches available in chicken breast with Pepper jack cheese, Italian, ham and cheese, ham and Swiss, turkey and cheese, roast beef and cheese, sweet Lebanon bologna and cheese, all cheese, chicken, egg, and tuna salad. Subs available in spicy Italian with onions and peppers, Italian, ham, turkey, roast beef, American, with or without onions. Twelve-inch whole grain roll with turkey and cheese with onion or all cheese and onion. Pick up will be on Oct. 28 at the church. To place an order call Bev at 610-390-9380 or Heather at 610-703-5697.

COMMUNITY MEAL: Shared Abundance Community Meal, 5-6:30 p.m., Oct. 22, New Jerusalem Zion UCC, 1456 Krumsville Road, Route 737, (across from Greenwich Elementary School), Krumsville. This free meal is open to everyone in the community. Please join us to share in the bounty of God’s blessings. Hosted by the Local Shared Outreach group. For more information, call 610-756-6892.

GALLERY OPENING: The Weisenberg Township Community Center has opened a gallery dedicated to showcasing the talents of local artists. Currently on display is The Northwestern Lehigh Artists’ Showcase, an amazing collection of paintings created by artists from the Northwestern Lehigh community. The showcase will be on display through Oct. 27. A new display will be curated every three months and calls for art will be placed to search for new art. Located at 9331 Lyon Valley Road, New Tripoli, the gallery can be viewed by the public Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. For more information on the art gallery and participating in displays, contact Valerie Schramak at vschramak@yahoo.com.

HALLOWEEN EVENT: Heidelberg Union Church will be co-hosting a Trunk or Treat event with the Germansville Fire Company again this year 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Set up will take place 2:30 - 3:15 p.m. Decorated cars are needed to make this a successful community event. Contact the church office at 610-767-4740.

SPAGHETTI DINNER: Morgenland Church, 3120 Weidasville Road, Orefield, will be holding an all-you-can-eat spaghetti and meatball dinner 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 7. Take out is also available. Tickets are available at the door. Handicap accessible at end of church, lower level. For information, call 610-395-0067.

HAWK MOUNTAIN

MIGRATION SEASON: Visitors can experience Hawk Mountain Sanctuary’s annual Autumn Migration Hawkwatch until Dec. 15. Staff and volunteers will monitor the southbound raptor migration from the North Lookout, where visitors can see hawks, vultures, ospreys, bald eagles and other birds of prey. An average of 16,000 raptors pass over the sanctuary each fall. The season also features free lectures, weekend programs, guided walks and workshops. The Autumn Lecture Series includes a Nov. 14 program covering local hawkwatch history, wildlife, bird conservation and the benefits of connecting with nature. Trail fees for nonmembers are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for children ages 6-12. Children 5 and younger and Hawk Mountain members are admitted free. For information and the full event schedule, visit hawkmountain.org.

LEHIGH GAP

TRAIL RUN: The 15th running of the Lehigh Gap Nature Center “More or Less 10K Trail Run and 2-Mile Scamper” will take place on Oct. 24. The 2-mile scamper starts at 9 a.m. and the 10K trail run will be held at 9:30 a.m. All proceeds from the event help to support LGNC! This project was completed in partnership with the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc. To register or for more information, go to https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=139659.

GUIDED HIKE: Get outside and take a hike with LGNC 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 17. National Take A Hike Day was established on Nov. 17, 1965, to celebrate and recognize nature here in the US. Head outside and enjoy your local trails, or join LGNC for their guided hike. You’ll be invited to learn about the history and ecology of the Refuge while being out hiking through those exact areas! To register for this event, go to https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/national-take-a-hike-day-guided-hike.

ECOLOGY CLUB: Children ages 9 and older are invited to meet at the Osprey House, 8844 Paint Mill Road, Slatington. Ecology Club meetings take place the first Wednesday of each month throughout the school year from 4:15-5:15 p.m. but dates are subject to change.

Check out our 2026-2027 schedule: Nov. 4, Dec. 2, Jan. 6, 2027, Feb. 3, March 3, April 7, May 5 and June 2, Participation is free to all LGNC members and their families. No registration is required and you may join in at any time. Not a member, go to https://lgnc-101687.square.site/ to become a member. Email riley.davenport@lgnc.org if you have any questions.

SENIORS GROUP: Lehigh Gap Nature Center, 8844 Paint Mill Road, Slatington, has a new group for nature-minded seniors. The sessions will be held in the Great Hall at the Osprey House on the second Monday of each month from 9-10:30 a.m.

NATURE ART: Members are invited to join LGNC the second Wednesday of each month 10 a.m. to noon for a Drop-In Studio. Bring a personal art project to work on (all mediums are welcome) and enjoy conversation with fellow local artists. The Nature in Art Club is a free benefit of a Lehigh Gap Nature Center membership. The Drop-in Studio is free to attend and registration is not required. For questions, email the LGNC at mail@lgnc.org or call 610-760-8889.

FITNESS TOGETHER: Penn State Extension is offering Lifelong Improvements through Fitness Together, or LIFT, classes for adults 40 and older who want to improve strength, flexibility and overall fitness. The eight-or 12-week programs meet twice weekly for one-hour sessions and include strength exercises, warm-ups, cool-downs and basic nutrition information. Classes are offered at various locations through mid-December. The cost is $60 for eight weeks and $90 for 12 weeks. Some insurance plans may provide reimbursement for participants with at least 80% attendance. Registration dates vary by location. For information and registration, visit the Penn State Extension website and search for LIFT.

FOSTER CARE: The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania Children’s Services announces the launch of a new Short-Term Foster Care Program that provides safe, loving homes for children who require temporary care. No prior experience is required, just a willingness to provide a nurturing and supportive environment for children in need for days or weeks. For more information, contact Emily at 610-821-7706 or emily.anthony@use.salvationarmy.org.

NEWS WELCOME: The Northwestern Press welcomes student news, business accomplishments and details about your organization’s events and accomplishments. To have your news published, send information about the event and photos to gtaylor@tnonline.com. Photos should be sent high resolution with captions that list everyone in the photo from left to right, front to back. You can also send news about upcoming events. Please send two weeks ahead of time if possible, though we make every attempt to get last minute information published. Be sure to include a contact phone number in case we have any questions.