Monroeville area: Pancake breakfast, International Women's meeting, Concordia fall festival

Email news briefs and event listings to pvarine@triblive.com or bpoole@triblive.com.

Q&A with community leaders

The Gathering Place will host a speaking and fellowship event at 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Triveni Center, 275 Center Road, Monroeville.

Pastors Ray and Renaid Almgren invite the community to learn and engage in a question-and-answer session with community leaders Judge Cheryl Allen and Dr. James Hayes about policies and legislation that impact citizens in Pennsylvania and the nation.

Light refreshments will be served.

Fall Festival at Concordia

Concordia of Monroeville will host its 10th annual fall festival from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sept. 27.

The afternoon will include live music, a balloon artist, petting zoo, complimentary refreshments and open house tours. There is no cost to attend and the festival is open to the public.

It will be at Concordia of Monroeville, 4363 Northern Pike.

For more, see ConcordiaLM.org.

Jazz program

Join Ron Bickel for jazz performances from 7 to 8 p.m. Sept. 30 at Monroeville Public Library’s Gallery Space.

Bickel will provide commentary and explanation about the jazz tunes and styles played.

An adjunct professor of piano at Duquesne University, Bickel has had a long and varied career as a professional pianist. He’s played at premier venues of Pittsburgh, including Heinz Hall, Benedum Center, Carnegie Music Hall, Syria Mosque and Stanley Theater.

Bickel has performed with Mel Torme, Rodney Dangerfield, Michel LeGrande, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Liberace, The Skyliners, Billy Eckstine, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Little Anthony and the Imperials and many more.

This in-person, all-ages event is for jazz lovers and those unfamiliar with it. No RSVP is required.

The library is at 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard in Monroeville.

Trivia Night at the library

Friends of the Monroeville Public Library will host Trivia Night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the library. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets go on sale Oct. 3 for this after-hours, age 21 and over event.

A cash prize of $100 will be given for the first place team and $50 for second place.

Light refreshments and beverages are included in the ticket price. There will be a bake sale. Tickets for raffle baskets and a 50/50 drawing will be available for purchase.

For more information on ticket pricing, table options and to purchase tickets, visit the circulation desk or monroevillelibrary.org.

The library is at 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard in Monroeville.

International Women’s Club meets

The International Women’s Club will meet at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 4 at Cross Roads Presbyterian Church in Monroeville.

The featured guest will be motivational speaker Rob Oliver, who will share his journey to develop a full and meaningful life after an injury in his 20s left him paralyzed from the waist down. A Q&A session will follow the meeting.

All women from the community are invited to attend. The church is at 2310 Haymaker Road in Monroeville.

Fall craft festival

Plum Mason Lodge 799 will host its second annual fall craft festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 5 at the lodge, 9521 Saltsburg Road in Plum.

There is no cost to attend. For information about vendor spaces, call 412-916-5835 or email mrdarts@verizon.net.

Tips on self-publishing

Monroeville author Leslie Savisky will host a talk on self-publishing at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Monroeville Public Library.

Savisky is a freelance writer for the Times Express and Pittsburgh Parent magazine, and is the author of three self-published novels.

She will discuss her personal writing journey, an overview of Amazon Kindle’s Direct Publishing and IngramSpark, helpful website and apps, marketing your books and gaining exposure as an independent author, and the pros and cons of self-publishing.

Registration is recommended by calling 412-372-0500, ext. 122 or emailing littlec2@einetwork.net.

The library is at 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard in Monroeville.

Pancake breakfast

Garden City United Methodist Church will host a pancake breakfast and bake sale from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 26.

The all-you-can-eat breakfast costs $9 for adults and $4 for children ages 4-12. Children under 3 years old are free.

The church is at 500 Laurel Drive in Monroeville.