VISUAL ART SCHOLAR- SHIPS — Applications are now available for visual art scholarships provided by the Allentown Village Society for Erie County high school students entering college in fall 2012.

The applications are available from local high school art teachers and high school guidance offices, by contacting the Allentown Village Society directly at 881-4269, or by downloading an application at www.allentownartfestival.com/scholarships.htm.

A minimum of four senior high school student art scholarships will be given out in 2012. These scholarships will be given in the amount of at least $1,000 each year, intended for the first two years of full-time enrollment in a visual art study program.

Two scholarships will also be awarded this year to college sophomores majoring in the visual fine arts at either Daemen College or Buffalo State College. The recipients will be chosen by each college, respectively, and funds awarded are to be used for the recipient’s junior and senior years of study.

Information about the scholarships is available through the fine arts departments of Daemen and Buffalo State. In 2013, students from Empire State College, the University at Buffalo and Villa Maria College will be eligible for the scholarships.

In addition, the society is calling for entries for the annual Allentown Art Festival poster contest, due on March 31. Several prizes will be awarded to winners, with a top prize of $1,000 given to the artist with the winning entry.

Details on the poster contest can be found at http://www.allentownartfestival.com/ AVS12_ color.pdf.

ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION — If you join the Arbor Day Foundation during the month of February, you will receive 10 free Colorado blue spruce trees to plant when the weather breaks.

The 10 free trees are part of the nonprofit foundation's Trees for America campaign.

The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting, between March 1 and May 31, with enclosed planting instructions. The 6- to 12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow, or they will be replaced free of charge.

Arbor Day Foundation members also receive a subscription to the foundation’s bimonthly publication, Arbor Day, and The Tree Book, which contains information about tree planting and care.

To become a member of the foundation and receive the free trees, send a $10 contribution to Ten Free Colorado Blue Spruce Trees, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE, 68410, by Feb. 29, or visit arborday.org/February.

GET YOUR FISH — The observance of Lent begins Feb. 22, and with it come numerous fish fry dinners sponsored by churches and community groups. The Bee will publish a list of these Lenten fish dinners, which can be kept for reference in the weeks ahead, in the Feb. 15 and 16 editions. We will not publish fish fry announcements after that week.

The deadline to submit fish fry listings will be 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10. Paid advertisements for these events will be accepted at any time.

For advertising information, call 204-4937.