Jefferson Baseball

The Jefferson High School Baseball Boosters will hold their next monthly meeting on Monday, April 7th, 7pm at the High School cafeteria. The public is welcome to attend.

Friends in Action

Friends in Action of the Eastern Panhandle (FIAEP), a nonprofit that helps low income families through mentoring, education, and support, will hold a volunteer-mentor training session in April.  The sessions are three hours each, 6:00–9:00 pm, Thursdays April 3 and 10 at the Otterbein Methodist Church, 549 North Queen Street in Martinsburg. For information, FIAEP, 876-8500 or email Teresa Warnick at twarnick@fiaep.org.

At the Shepherdstown Library

Gretchen Moran Laskas, April 10. The award-winning writer will discuss two of her books. From 2:45 to 3:30 pm Laskas will discuss The Miner’s Daughter, which describes the hardships endured by a gifted 16-year-old girl in a coal mining camp in the 1930s. From 4 to 5 pm the Friends of the Shepherdstown Library Book Club (FOSL) will host a discussion of The Midwife’s Tale, set in influenza-ravaged, pre-World War I Appalachia. Both novels are available from the Shepherdstown Library.

Left of the Bank, April 11. FOSL will host its popular evening showcasing the talents of local musicians and poets. See What’s On for details.

Pig Out on Reading. During National Library Week children who vote for their favorite storybook pig character between April 14 and 19 will receive a prize and a bookmark.

Puppet Tales, April 19. Award-winning West Virginia storyteller Susanna “Granny Sue” Holstein will entertains children age three and older, 10:30 am in the War Memorial Building. www.grannysu.blogspot.com.

FOSL Book Sale, April 25–27.

Gently used books for children and adults, Friday through Sunday. For information on these April events, call the Library at (304) 876-2783.

S.U. Fiction Competition

Shepherd University’s West Virginia Fiction Writers Competition is open to anyone living or attending school in West Virginia. Any original, unpublished work of fiction between 500 and 2,500 words will be accepted until May 1. The winning story will be selected by the 2008 writer-in-residence Adriana Trigiani, author of the Big Stone Gap trilogy and other best-selling works. Submissions should be accompanied by the submission form found at www.shepherd.edu/ahwirweb/new_writers.html. For questions, Dr. Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt, at sshurbut@shepherd.edu or Ethan Fischer at ffischer@shepherd.edu, or call (304) 876-5220.

Men’s Club Ponders Park Protection

The Shepherdstown Men’s Club, which operates the War Memorial Building in Shepherdstown for community use, is investigating long-term preservation strategies for Morgan’s Grove Park. The club has owned the 20-acre park since 1961, and currently leases the land to the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Commission, which runs eight parks in the county. Despite the lease, the Men’s Club pays an annual fee to the county to operate the facility. The land is not protected by covenants or a conservation easement, a fact that fueled community concern recently when a member of the club board announced publicly that the park could be sold for development. The club seeks members interested in helping with the upkeep and maintenance of the War Memorial Building and Morgan’s Grove Park, and who are interested in preserving the park as community open space.

Free Events at Harmony

Harmony Healing Arts Center will offer a free week of classes to March 31 to April 5 to celebrate its second anniversary. Classes for all ages and experience levels that explore a variety of yoga techniques and more. All events will take place at Harmony Healing Arts Center, 207 East New St. (near the corner of Princess St.), Shepherdstown. No registration is necessary for free events. For information, JiJi (304) 283-6188 or Judy (304) 876-6918, or www.ssyoga.org.

Audubon News

Upcoming events sponsored by Potomac Valley Audubon Society.

Patuxent Refuge Field Trip, April 5. Patuxent’s 12,841 acres support diverse wildlife in forest, meadow, and wetland habitats. The field trip will last from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. Activities include a guided 45-minute tram tour, a one-hour bird walk, and a herpetology walk led by a naturalist. Register in advance: Clark Dixon at (304) 725-9634 or dixonconsultants@aol.com.

Snake Expert Speaks at Meeting, April 9. The PVAS April meeting will feature a presentation by W.H. Martin, an expert on timber rattlesnakes. One of two venomous snakes in our area,  the timber rattlesnake is found throughout the Eastern Panhandle. The program is free. 7 pm, April 9, at National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) on Shepherd Grade Road, just north of Shepherdstown, Room 151 Instructional West.

5-K Race, April 26. The annual “This Race is for the Birds!” on the campus of the NCTC, to be held rain or shine, features a 5-kilometer run and walk. Runners can pre-register at www.active.com or by mail. For information and registration form, see www.potomacaudubon.org