Save-driving course to be offered
"Seniors for Safe Driving," a highway-safety education program for people 5 and older, will be sponsored by St. Andrews Village and Armstrong County Memorial Hospital, East Franklin. The program is an opportunity for senior citizens to become safer drivers and reduce their automobile-insurance premiums. Pennsylvania law mandates that all drivers 55 and older receive a minimum 5 percent discount on their automobile insurance premium for three years upon completion of this course.
This seven-hour class is divided into two 3 1/2-hour sessions and will feature audio and visual aids with night-vision testing. There is no written exam or behind-the-wheel testing.
Class times, dates and locations are: 8:30 a.m. to noon April 20 and 21 at Armstrong County Memorial Hospital, One Nolte Drive, Kittanning; and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 23 and 24 and April 27 and 28 at St. Andrews Village, 1155 Indian Springs Road, Indiana.
For information and to register, call 800-559-4880. Register online at www.seniorsforsafedriving.com or www.sfsd-pa.com.; or mail to Seniors for Safe Driving, P.O. Box 213, Butler, Pa. 16003. Class sizes are limited.
Public hearing set for March 30
The Armstrong-Indiana Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program will conduct a public hearing on its 2007-08 Mental Health Plan at 10 a.m. March 30 at the Armsdale Administration Building, 124 Armsdale Road, Kittanning.
The mental-health plan will be available before the public hearing, and inquiries to review the document may be made by contacting the MH/MR office.
Hospital auxiliary to have book fair
The Armstrong County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor an "Ultimate Book Fair" featuring a mix of award-winning children's books, inspirational books, cookbooks, hobby interest books and much more. The fair will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 30 and 31 in Conference Room 1 behind the hospital cafeteria on the second floor.
IUP offers spring basic-rescue course
The Division of Emergency Services Training at Indiana University of Pennsylvania will offer its 2006 Spring Basic Vehicle Rescue course starting in April. The 52-hour course will prepare fire, rescue and emergency medical personnel to learn, through with classroom and field instruction, to perform a safe and efficient vehicle rescue operation. The course will be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy. Any student who meets course requirements will be certified as a Basic Vehicle Rescue Technician.
Students must be 18 by the first day of class. The class will be offered at the Indiana County WAW Fire Academy from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. April 24 and 26, May 1, 3, 8 and 10 and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 6, 7 and 13. Cost is $110. Students will be expected to provide protective clothing and equipment (helmet, coat, pants or approved extrication coveralls, gloves and eye protection) for field sessions. Class size will be limited to 30.
Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis, with a $50 nonrefundable registration fee, which must be received no later than April 14. The balance of $60 will be payable in full April 24. Checks should be made payable to IUP. Late registration will be accepted if space is available, however all registrations received after April 14 will be charged a $25 late fee.
For details, call 724-357-4052.
Red Cross sponsors classes, blood drives
The American Red Cross will offer a workplace training class from 6 to 10 p.m. March 28 and 29 at 433 Butler Road, Kittanning.
For more information, call 724- 543-1392.
Classes that will be scheduled on request include lifeguard management, baby-sitting and adult child and infant automated external defibrillation. To make arrangements call the Armstrong County Chapter of the American Red Cross at the above number.
The American Red Cross blood drives for March are: 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, former Holy Trinity School, 1008 Sixth Ave., Ford City; , 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, United Methodist Church, 211 Fourth St., Freeport.
Blood pressure readings scheduled
Monthly free blood pressure readings have been scheduled by the Visiting Nurses Association:
Tomorrow: 10 to 10:30 a.m., VNA Office Ford City, 1410 Fifth Ave., Ford City.
Wednesday: 10 to 10:30 a.m., Balcony Towers Hi-Rise, 301 S. McKean St., Kittanning; 10:30 to 11 a.m., Garden Towers Hi-Rise, 280 S. McKean St., Kittanning; 11 to 11:30 a.m., No. 1 Hi-Rise Armstrong Court, 100 N. Grant Ave., Kittanning; 11:30 a.m. to noon, The Salvation Army Building, 205 S. Jefferson, Kittanning; 1 to 1:30 p.m., Rural Valley fire hall, Rural Valley; 2 to 2:30 p.m., Marion Center Bank, Dayton.
VNA seeks volunteers to provide companionship
The Visiting Nurses Association Hospice of Western Pennsylvania is seeking people to volunteer to sit with terminally ill patients and their families. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old. Required training and materials are provided free. Training will be offered Wednesday in Butler. Attendance in all classes in mandatory to become a certified hospice volunteer. Call Cassie Naron at 724-431-3502 or 800-245-3042, ext. 502, or e-mail cnaron@vna.com.
Grief support group meets tomorrow
Weathering Grief, an ongoing, monthly grief-support group, will meet from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Armstrong County Health Center Adult Day Care Center, 265 S. McKean St., Kittanning. This meeting is open to anyone in the community who has lost a loved one through death. There is no fee. Meetings are the third Tuesday monthly. The event is sponsored by VNA Hospice, Western Pennsylvania. For more information, call Jolene at 1-800-245-3042 or 724-431-3520.
Power wheelchairs are available
The Senior Wheels USA Program makes available power wheelchairs available to qualified senior citizens and qualified permanently disabled people at no cost.
The power wheelchairs are provided to those who no longer can walk or self-propel a manual wheelchair and who meet guidelines of the program. No deposit is required.
Anyone who needs the equipment for in-home use can 800-246-6010 for more information.
