A representative of the United Scioto Senior Activities Inc. Scioto County Multipurpose Senior Citizens Center will take applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the U.S.S.A. Inc. Senior Center, 117-119 Market St. Also HEAP applications will be taken from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at W. Gordon Ryan Branch of the Portsmouth Public Library, 103 Ohio 728, Lucasville.

Applicants should bring proof of income and Social Security numbers for all household members, as well as the last paid fuel bill. Golden Buckeye Card applications also will be taken.

In-home assistance is available for those who are unable to make application at a sign-up site. Call the Senior Center at (740) 354-6672 to arrange a home visit. Applications also may be obtained at local banks and bank branches, the Senior Center, the Scioto County Community Action Organization and its Senior Nutrition sites. Assistance is available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Senior Center, 117 Market St.

Emergency assistance is available only through the Scioto County Community Action Organization.

SSU donates books

Shawnee State University will be donating books to children from Even Start and Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs SSU Children's Learning Center at the Stone Soup Project from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Micklethwaite Banquet Hall in the University Center.

About 70 children will be attending the Stone Soup Project at SSU. The first group will come at 10 a.m. and the second group will arrive at 11 a.m. Shawnee students will read to the children and serve them soup.

First Book Scioto County and SSU Clark Memorial Library have donated books for the children to keep.

The soup will be prepared and served by SSU students enrolled in Dr. Carl Hilgarth's Reflections on Community Involvement class. Sodexho has donated the bowls, spoons and napkins for the event and First Book will be providing the bottled water.