LYNDORA — SS. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Arbor Street will host a homemade Christmas cookie sale beginning at 9 a.m. Friday. The sale will end when cookies are sold out.

GIBSONIA — St. Barnabas Charities will offer free dinners on Christmas at the two nursing homes operated by St. Barnabas Health System.The dinners will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Barnabas Nursing Home, 5827 Meridian Road, Gibsonia, and at Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas, 85 Charity Place, Valencia.Reservations are requested but not mandatory.Call St. Barnabas Nursing Home at 724-443-0700 or Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas at 724-625-4000.

HARRISVILLE — The Autumn Grove Care Center on Route 8 is seeking participants for the Presents for Patients program in which volunteers buy holiday gifts and visit a nursing home patient.Wish lists are provided for each resident.To adopt a patient, call Nancy at 724-735-4224, Ext. 18.

HARRISBURG — Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit foundation striving to retain nurses in Pennsylvania, is offering scholarship funds to be used for the spring semester of 2007.Application deadline is Jan. 31.For information or to download an application, log on to www.nightingaleawards.org or call 717-909-0350.

HARMONY — Historic Harmony Inc. will host its 12th annual Giving Tree program this season at the Harmony Museum on Mercer Street.To participate in the program, individuals and businesses place a red bow on the tree for every $10 donated to the museum.Tax-deductible donations may be sent to Giving Tree, Box 524, Harmony, PA 16037.For more information, call Kathy Luek at 724-452-7341 or 888-821-4822.

The Butler County Historical Society announces its annual holiday catalog is available to those seeking gifts.The catalog features more than 70 books on local history. A mailed copy can be requested by calling 724-283-8116 or sending an e-mail to bchissoc@zoominternet.net.

EAST BRADY — The East Brady Heights senior living community, 421 Kellys Way, is offering hot lunches for $4 to those 52 and older.Takeouts are available for an extra 25 cents.Meals are served at 11:30 a.m. every day except Sunday, when meals are served at noon.For information, call 724-526-5736.Notices, in writing, of festivals, fundraising events, newly elected officers and other news from clubs and nonprofit groups should be sent to the Focus department one week in advance of the event.