PUPPET SHOW SET AT LIBRARIES: An ''Out of this World Puppet Show'' will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the Liberty Branch Library, 415 Churchill Hubbard Road, and at 2 p.m. Thursday at Howland Branch Library, 9095 East Market St. The youth services staff will perform a spacey puppet show.
HABITAT SEEKS PROPERTY DONATIONS: Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County is seeking donations of vacant properties on which they can build new construction homes. HFHMC builds two to four new homes each year and donations of property help to reduce the cost of construction. Donations of land may be tax deductible. For information, email hfhmc@sbcglobal.net or call 330-743-7244, Ext. 301.
CAR EVENT SET AT CENTER: A car cruise and business showcase will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Austintown Senior Center, 100 Westchester Drive. More than 25 vendors are expected. Cost is $25, with proceeds benefiting the center. The event will include a health fair, prize giveaways, Chinese auction and music.
GRANT RECEIVED BY GROUP: The Pay It Forward award ceremony took place at Inspiring Minds in Warren in May, during which $2,000 was awarded to a regional nonprofit organization. The grant will fund the organization's "On My Own" summer program, which will teach under-represented high school students the life skills needed to adapt to the college life and / or living on their own.
Now in its third year, the Pay It Forward Initiative has awarded more than $29,000 to organizations and participating students have performed more than 3,000 hours of community service.
UNITED WAY EXPANDS SCHOOL PROGRAM: The GM Foundation, the joint leadership team of the Lordstown Complex, recently presented a $15,000 Plant City grant to the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley's Success By 6 program, which will help expand the Success By 6 program into Niles and LaBrae schools in Trumbull County.
Success By 6 was implemented to better prepare children for kindergarten. In 2011, approximately 500 children experienced the program that includes 60 hours of instruction and kindergarten readiness from a certified teacher in the building where the child will attend classes in the fall.
BEAUTIFICATION EFFORT RECRUITS VOLUNTEERS: The Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District actively recruited local volunteers for cleanups this spring as part of "Keep America Beautiful." This year, the district recruited 9,000 local volunteers who helped clean up litter and beautified their communities.
The Great American Cleanup is the country's largest community improvement movement with volunteers helping with waste reduction, recycling, beatification and community greening. Volunteers included schools, scouts, neighborhood groups and community officials.