Across the area

Blair Concert Chorale to kick off season

The Blair Concert Chorale will open its 2025-26 season with music of the Beatles and some others from the era that’s now 50 years old.

The season-opener is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 14th Street and 12th Avenue, Altoona.

The concert is sponsored by Kooman and Associates and a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

The Blair Concert Chorale is under the direction of Chris Bartley, instructor of music at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg and conductor of the Pitt-Greensburg Chorale and Chamber Singers.

General admission tickets, available at Thompson’s Pharmacies (Chestnut Avenue and Hollidaysburg), through Eventbrite, and at the door are $20 for adults and $10 for students.

Season tickets at $50 for adults and $25 for students are also available. Tickets for the concert and the season can be purchased through Eventbrite or by emailing

BlairConcertChorale@gmail.com

Groups invited for Veterans Day parade

Area veterans groups are invited to participate in this year’s Veterans Day parade on Nov. 11 in downtown Altoona.

Non-veterans groups also are welcome.

Line-up is at 10 a.m. at the parking lots near Stevens Funeral Home on Eighth Avenue. Parade step off will be at 10:30 a.m. There will be a service downtown following the parade at 11th Avenue and 14th Street.

For details and to sign up, send a letter to Mike McDonough, 1720 Annapolis Drive, Altoona, PA 16602; email micmac42649@aol.com or call 814-329-8472.

‘Dine to Donate Night’ to aid museum

A Quaint Corner Children’s Museum will benefit from a “Dine to Donate Night” from 3 to 10 p.m. Tuesday,

Oct. 7, at Texas Roadhouse in Altoona.

Those who present a flyer will be giving 10 percent of their purchase to the museum. It is good for dine-in or take-out purchases. Flyers are available at the museum.

PASR to meet Tuesday at US Hotel

The Blair County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees (PASR) meets at 11:30 a.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. The group welcomes new members who have been employed by local school districts or Intermediate Units and are now retired.

The Oct. 7 meeting will be held at the US Hotel in Hollidaysburg. Members must make reservations and pay in advance. Monetary donations will be collected for the local PASR Scholarship.

Country Traditions to perform Oct. 11

The Alum Bank Community Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary will host the band Country Traditions from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11.

Admission is $5 per person. The kitchen opens at 5 p.m.

It is a smoke- and alcohol-free atmosphere.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/AlumBankFireCompanyAux.

Carve Away Hunger set for Oct. 18

The second annual Carve Away Hunger Family Event will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Cresson Township Veterans Park.

This event is sponsored by the Mainline Trailblazers Troop 814 to raise awareness of hunger.

It will include a scavenger hunt, a pumpkin carving contest, games, basket raffle, vendors and more.

Nonperishable items will be collected for the two local food pantries.

The event is free to attend.

For more information, contact Lori Shaw at 814-207-0437 or LoriRDA@AOL.com.

Ballroom dance to be held Oct. 12

Centre Ballroom will have a dance from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, at Lambert Hall, Bellefonte.

Cost is $10 per person. Those attending are asked to take a snack to share.

Pancake, sausage breakfast set Oct. 12

The Men’s Club of St. Mary and St. Michael in Hollidaysburg will hold an all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 12, at the St. Michael’s Church hall, 301 Spruce St., Hollidaysburg.

Donation is $6 for adults and $3 for children 12 and younger. Proceeds will benefit upcoming service projects. Drinks and a pancake topping bar are included.

Craft, bake, soup, book sale is Oct. 25

The Alum Bank Fire Company’s annual craft show/bake sale/soup sale/book sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Alum Bank Firehall near the intersection of Routes 56 and 96 across from Pleasantville Industrial Park. Admission is free.

Homemade soups available for purchase are vegetable beef, ham and bean, stuffed pepper and beef noodle.

To order soups, call 814-839-2970.

The Halloween parade will begin at 7 p.m. wity lineup at 6 p.m. All proceeds benefit Alum Bank Fire Company.

State retirees elect new officers

The Pennsylvania Association of Retired State Employees, Blair, Bedford, Huntingdon Chapter 1-10, met Sept. 22 at the American Legion Social Hall, Hollidaysburg.

Sharon Dell, president, and Theresa Vaughn, director, reported on the PARSE Governing Board September meeting. Annual dues remain at $20, mileage reimbursement is 70 cents per mile and the website will be improved with larger text.

Information was also provided concerning health and other insurance for the coming year. The central region vice president is Joan Materness.

The following were elected to chapter offices: Sharon Dell, president, Lou Gresik, vice president, James Dell, secretary, Sherry Montgomery, treasurer; and Theresa Vaughn, Rose Launi, Eva Howell, Victor Ballash and Joan Ballash, directors.

All retired state employees are invited to join PARSE.

For information, contact James Dell at 814-793-0060 or jcdell@centurylink.net.