Community News

St. Benedict Church will present Rev. Peter Karalus, pastor of Epiphany Parish in North Collins, who will discuss, "What Being Catholic Means to Me." The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6 at St. Benedict Church, corner of Main Street and Eggert Road, Amherst. A discussion will following, including the topics: bereavement, divorce and separation, annulments, coping with cancer, prayer and going back to church. For information, call 834-1041.

The Arts Council in Buffalo and Erie County named the awardees of its 2008 Decentralization Program Grants, including the Amherst Symphony Orchestra and People Inc. The total for all 30 grants was more than $55,000.

Kathleen Rizzo Young of Getzville has been named chairwoman of Mount St. Mary Academy's annual Chrysalis dinner auction. The event, themed "Mount-aritaville II - Back to the Beach," is set for Saturday, April 5 at Mount St. Mary's, 3756 Delaware Ave., Kenmore. Rizzo Young, class of 1977, is senior vice president of community development at HSBC-North America.

Joan White of Amherst was named the Women Associates of the Buffalo Power Squadron's 2007 winner of the Florence Adams Memorial Award. Winner of the Ida Smither Foundress Award was Sara Strnad, past skipper, and winner of the Distinguished Member Award was Patsy Dean. The squadron will hold its annual general meeting at 6 p.m. March 13 in Tonawanda Island Launch Club. Joan Weichmann of Amherst is chairwoman of the event.

St. John's Lutheran Home for Children recently installed its 2008 officers: Donald "Mike" Heckerman, treasurer; Ronald A. Peters, president; Joan Runckel, vice president, of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Eggertsville; Judy Polowy, recording secretary; and Bill Dannebrock, financial secretary, of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Williamsville.