Pet Connection Programs Inc., a maternity and special care shelter for dogs and cats located in Marilla, will hold a chicken barbecue and basket auction from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, in the Variety Club Banquet Hall, 6114 Broadway, Lancaster.

Dinners are take-out only and will include a half chicken from BW’s Barbecue plus a cream corn bake, mashed potatoes with gravy, homemade noodle salad, roll and dessert. The cost for the chicken dinner is just $10 per person.

The basket auction will feature more than 150 items, and all proceeds will benefit the homeless shelter animals at Pet Connection Programs Inc., located at 12935 Williston Road, Marilla.

Pet Connection’s popular “Doggy Bags” and “Tabby Totes” filled with treats and surprises will also be available for purchase at the event.

To help in the fight against hunger this Hunger Action Month, National Grid announced $12,500 in donations to ten food banks and hunger relief organizations throughout the eight counties of Western New York.

Recipient organizations included: Food Bank of Western New York, Friends of the Night People (Buffalo), Buffalo City Mission, St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy (Buffalo), Heart Love and Soul Food Pantry (Niagara Falls), North Tonawanda Inter-Church Food Pantry, Rural Ministries “Friendly Kitchen” (Dunkirk), Community Action (Salamanca), United Way of Orleans/Albion Christ Community Kitchen (Albion) and United Way of Genesee County.

As the U.S. prepares for the national election in November, the historical legacy of past presidents will be explored by renowned scholars at a forum on the American presidency scheduled from 1 to 6 p.m. Oct. 1 in Daemen College’s Wick Campus Center.

“The People’s Forum on the American Presidency” will feature experts who will discuss the presidential eras of Thomas Jefferson, Grover Cleveland, Warren Harding, and Woodrow Wilson, and their historical connection with today’s political landscape. The forum, which will include an exhibit of presidential memorabilia featuring a range of campaigns and presidencies, will also offer attendees the unique opportunity to engage in direct discussion with one of four noted historians during the break-out phase of the event.