See what events are happening in your neighborhood.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at St. Bart’s
St. Bartholomew Church, 5600 Jackson St., will host a St. Patrick’s Day extravaganza on Saturday, March 17, from 7 p.m. to midnight in the church hall.
The evening will include a buffet, beer and DJ. It’s also BYOB. Guests must be at least 21.
Tickets cost $35. Call 215–831–1224. ••
Registration at Maternity BVM
Maternity BVM School, 9322 Old Bustleton Ave, will host its annual registration for the 2018/19 school year on Wednesday, March 14, and Thursday, March 15, from 9 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The school invites new families who are interested in registering their children to attend the registration.
For information, go to maternitybvm.net or call 215–908–3329. ••
Book review and lunch at Randi’s
Irene Reiter will conduct a book review centered around the novel The Two Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman at Randi’s Restaurant, 1619 Grant Ave., on Tuesday, March 20, at 11:30 a.m. The public is invited.
The book review and discussion is a benefit for RSVP Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization that engages adults, 55 years and older, in voluntary service using their skills, talents and experience to respond to community needs and calls for help.
The event includes a luncheon featuring a chicken salad platter, or tuna or chicken parm sandwich, a beverage and an ice cream dessert.
Cost is $25 per person. For reservations and further information, call RSVP Philadelphia at 267–345–7787. ••
John Birch Society meeting on Tuesday
The John Birch Society will meet on Tuesday, March 20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Holmesburg Recreation Center, at Rhawn and Ditman streets.
A movie, Katanga: The Untold Story (of U.N. Betrayal), will be shown.
Refreshments will be served.
The motto of the John Birch Society is “Less Government, More Responsibility and — With God’s Help — A Better World.” ••
Palm making at Our Lady of Consolation
Our Lady of Consolation, 7051 Tulip St. in Tacony, will continue its tradition of making palm starting Monday, March 19, through Thursday, March 22, from 1 to 8 p.m. Participants will learn palm weaving and braiding. Palm will be sold in the church basement after upcoming Masses.
The Mass schedule is Saturday, March 24, at 5 p.m.; and Sunday, March 25, at 8 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
For information, call 215–435–2871. ••
Edison alumni luncheon on March 14
The Thomas A. Edison High School Alumni & Friends Association will hold a luncheon on Wednesday, March 14, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Pub 2900, at 2900 Street Road in Bensalem.
Lunch is free, and graduates are welcome to bring a friend. There will be golf shirts, membership cards and memorabilia.
The social will raise funds for student book awards.
Call/text 215–588–9717 or email [email protected] ••
Killer of bin Laden to speak
The Michael Strange Foundation will hold a fundraiser on Saturday, April 21, from 7 to 11 p.m. at Spring Mill Country Club & Manor, 171 Jacksonville Road in Ivyland.
The speakers will be Rob O’Neill, who killed Osama bin Laden; U.S. Navy SEAL Thomas “Drago” Dzieran; and Vietnam War veteran and radio host Joe Griffies.
The evening will include dinner and an open bar.
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Strange was killed in eastern Afghanistan in 2011. He was among 38 killed when their Chinook helicopter was shot down by insurgents using a rocket-propelled grenade.
Strange, 25, grew up on the 6100 block of Algard St. in Wissinoming and graduated from St. Bartholomew Elementary School and North Catholic High School. He signed up for the military in August 2004, two months after graduating from North Catholic. He was deployed once to Iraq and three times to Afghanistan, and was engaged to be married.
Tickets cost $100, and proceeds benefit the Michael Strange Foundation, which provides support and services to families of fallen service members.
Call 215–983–4470 or visit americanheroesnight.ticketbud.com ••
Trip to Sands Casino is March 18
Holy Innocents Catholic Church is sponsoring a trip to the Sands Casino in Bethlehem on Sunday, March 18.
A bus will depart from L Street and Hunting Park Avenue at 9 a.m. and will arrive back at 5 p.m. The cost is $35, and includes $25 in slot play. To reserve a seat, call 215–535–2740. ••
Workshops on apprenticeships
State Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-179th dist.) will host two workshops designed to educate people on apprenticeship opportunities with local industries.
Sessions will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays, March 15 and 29. The site will be Dawkins’ district office at 4667 Paul St.
The workshops will provide information and overviews of local labor unions’ apprenticeship application and testing process. Members from local unions also will be in attendance to offer information and answer questions.
To RSVP, call 215–744–7901. ••
Fundraiser for war memorial
A beef-and-beer benefit will be held for the planned Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial on Saturday, March 31, from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory, 2700 Southampton Road.
Tickets cost $35. The evening will include raffles, baskets and music.
Proceeds will go toward the construction of a memorial to honor the 288 men and women from Pennsylvania killed in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Global War on Terrorism since 2001.
The site will be in the waterfront area of Penn’s Landing, just yards away from the Korean and Vietnam war memorials.
For tickets, call Tim Wynn at 267–591–3314 or visit tickettailor.com/events/pagwotmemorial
To make a tax-deductible donation, send checks to PA GWOT Memorial, P.O. Box 14554, Philadelphia, PA 19115.
For information, go to gwotmemorial.org or visit the PA Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial Beef and Beer Benefit page on Facebook. ••
Murder mystery at Shaare Shamayim
Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, will host the interactive murder mystery Charlie’s Angels of Death on Sunday, March 18, at 2 p.m.
The cost is $36 per person. Light fare will be served.
For tickets, call the synagogue at 215–677–1600. ••
Bariatric session at Nazareth on Friday
On Friday, March 16, Nazareth Hospital will host a free, community bariatric information session, where participants can meet a bariatric surgeon and learn about surgery options and support services.
The session will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in Nazareth Hospital’s DiBello Conference Room, located at 2601 Holme Ave.
To register or for more information, call 1–855-LESS-YOU or visit mercyhealth.org ••
Food sampling for charity on April 7
Feast of Justice will hold its annual A Taste of Hope fundraiser at St. Dominic’s Marian Hall, 8532 Frankford Ave., on Saturday, April 7, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The event will include a sampling of foods from local vendors and a gift basket raffle.
Tickets are available at $25 for adults and $10 for children under 10.
Ticket price includes dinner and beer/wine/soda.
Tickets are available by calling 215–268–3510, Ext. 2. ••
Al-Anon moves to Jefferson Torresdale
The Mayfair/Holmesburg Al-Anon will now meet on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital’s Mansion House Building, 10800 Knights Road.
The group had met at St. Katherine of Siena. ••
Driscoll honors the Irish
State Rep. Mike Driscoll (D-173rd dist.) has introduced H.R. 706, designating March 2018 as “Irish-American Heritage Month” in Pennsylvania.
“Since the founding of this great nation, American citizens of Irish descent have been responsible for many significant contributions both within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States. Today, they continue to thrive and excel in many spheres of human endeavor, from academia to business and beyond,” Driscoll said.
Irish heritage has been celebrated in Philadelphia since at least 1771, when the city’s first St. Patrick’s Day Parade took place. Scranton hosts the second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country.
“As a proud Irish-American myself, it is an honor to co-sponsor a resolution recognizing the impact Irish-Americans have been making since before our country’s founding. Thank you to my co-sponsors for their show of support and for extending their best wishes to the Irish community with House Resolution 706,” Driscoll said.
The resolution’s co-sponsors include Reps. Marty Flynn, Kevin Boyle and Tim Hennessey. ••
Father Judge to present musical
The Father Judge High School theater arts department till present four performances of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the school auditorium, 3301 Solly Ave.
Show times are 7 p.m. on March 22–24 and 2 p.m. on March 25, Doors open a half-hour before the show.
Tickets cost $8 in advance or $12 at the door ($10 for senior citizens and kids under 12).
Call 215–338–9494, Ext. 1128. ••
Designer bag bingo at St. Dom’s
Aid For Friends will sponsor Designer Purse Bingo on Sunday, April 8, at St. Dominic’s Marian Hall, 8532 Frankford Ave.
The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. and is open to people 21 and older. Doors open at noon.
The cost is $30 in advance and $35 at the door, and includes 12 game, beer wall and mystery box raffles, gift baskets, snacks, beer, wine, soda, coffee and tea.
Call 215–464–2224. ••
Dave Bautista at Comic Con
Dave Bautista, who played Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014 and in last summer’s blockbuster sequel, will make a return to Wizard World Comic Con at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on May 19.
Bautista, a former pro wrestler whose film career has also included a role in Spectre, will greet fans, sign autographs, pose for photo ops and conduct an interactive question-and-answer session. In addition, he appeared on screen last year in Blade Runner 2049. He has numerous films scheduled for 2018 release, including Avengers: Infinity War.
Wizard World Comic Con events bring together fans of all ages to celebrate the best in movies, television, gaming, live entertainment, comics, sci-fi, graphic novels, toys, original art, collectibles, contests and more.
The local show will take place from May 17–20. Kids 10 and under will be admitted for free with a paid adult.
For more information, visit wizardworld.com ••
Services for veterans on April 20
State Rep. Thomas Murt (R-152nd dist.) will host the Disabled American Veterans’ van at his district office, 19 S. York Road in Hatboro, on Friday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
DAV officers will be available to educate disabled veterans and their families on specific veterans’ benefits and services, and assist with the completion of required applications. Veterans are asked to bring their claim number, Social Security number, a photo ID and DD-214.
There is no need for an appointment. Walk-ins will be accepted.
For questions about this event, contact Murt’s district office at 215–674–3755. ••
