Murrysville area: Holiday events, American Legion scholarships, 'Parents Night Out', more

Holiday happenings

The following is a list of holiday-related events happening in the Star’s coverage area. Email events to pvarine@triblive.com.

• Franklin Regional Middle School seventh and eighth grade chorus holiday concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at the middle school’s Little Theater, 4660 Old William Penn Highway in Murrysville.

• Hot chocolate hike, 10 a.m. Dec. 17 at the McGinnis Reserve near the intersection of Hunter Drive and Wallace Road in Murrysville. The hike will cover 2-3 miles. Participants should dress appropriately for a winter hike that includes some slopes and may require stepping over fallen trees. For more, or to register, see MurrysvillePArecreation.com or call 724-327-3200, ext. 131.

• Franklin Regional Intermediate School fourth and fifth grade strings winter concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at the intermediate school’s Creativity Center, 4125 Sardis Road in Murrysville.

• Christmas caroling with the Masterworks Concert Chorale, 2-3 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Carpenter Log House at Boyce Park, 721 Pierson Run Road in Plum. There is no cost to attend, and visitors can tour the log house and visit with Santa.

• Third annual Delmont “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” parade, downtown, 4 p.m. Dec. 18.

Following the parade, children can visit with Santa at 5 p.m. at the Delmont Public Library, 75 School St., where he will give out toys and there will complimentary hot chocolate, cookies and a craft project. For more details, call the borough office at 724-468-4422.

Monthly meetings will be combined

The Franklin Regional school board will combine its voting and nonvoting meetings in 2023.

The board voted unanimously to combine the monthly committee-of-the-whole and voting sessions into a single meeting.

The committee meetings are typically when the majority of board discussions have been held.

“Sometimes you need to get more information before voting, and this gives us a very tight timef rame without a second meeting,” Director Bill Yant said.

Director Scott Weinman said the board can always table an agenda item if members need more time to deliberate or more information to make a decision.

Director Mark Kozlosky stressed that the single-­meeting format is not set in stone.

“If we find that it’s becoming an issue, we can go back to the old format,” he said.

The board’s session also included its annual reorganization, with Directors Herb Yingling and Kevin Kurimsky nominated and confirmed as president and vice president, respectively.

The board’s 2023 meetings will be at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23, Feb. 13, March 20, April 3, May 8, June 19, Aug. 14, Sept. 18, Oct. 9, Nov. 20 and Dec. 4.

‘Blue Christmas’ service planned

Union Presbyterian Church will host a “Blue Christmas: The Longest Night” service at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 21, the evening of the winter solstice.

The service is designed for those who have lost a loved one and will include music, scripture, prayers and a candle lighting.

The church is at 656 Route 380 in Washington Township.

Scholarships available through American Legion

The Pennsylvania American Legion is accepting submissions for its 2023 PA Oratorical Program Contest, which awards annual scholarships of $7,500 (first place), $5,000 (second) and $4,000 (third). This year’s contest will take place Jan. 5 and is open to students in grades 9-12 in public, private, parochial, charter/cyber and online schools as well as home-schooled students.

Students wishing to participate must notify their local hometown Legion post by Dec. 20. Rules and regulations are posted at PA-Legion.com under “student programs.”

• Applications are being accepted for the Legion’s 2023 PA American Legion Essay Contest, which will award three scholarships totaling $9,000. The contest is open to students in grades 9-12 in public, private, parochial, charter/cyber and online schools as well as home-schooled students.

Participants must submit essays to their local Legion post by Jan. 9.

• An additional essay contest is open to students in grades 6-8. Those essays are due by Feb. 5.

For more information, email District 31 Oratorical Chair Jim Drnjevich at jgdrnjevich@aol.com.

‘Parents Night Out’ supports basketball

Parents can enjoy a child-free evening from 6-9 p.m. Dec. 16 with Franklin Regional’s “Parents Night Out.”

Parents can drop off children in grades 2-5 at the main gym at Franklin Regional Senior High School, 3200 School Road in Murrysville for an evening of games, activities, snacks, music and basketball hosted by the Lady Panthers basketball team. Participants should bring their own basketball and refillable water bottle.

The cost is $20 per child and all proceeds will support the girls’ basketball program.

For more, or a participation form, email chris@sadoski.org.

Murrysville library programs

• Dungeons & Dragons group meets at 2 p.m. Dec. 17.

The library will be closed Dec. 24 and 31.

All programs are heldat the library, 4130 Sardis Road in Murrysville. Register online at MurrysvilleLibrary.org.

Public meeting dates

The following meetings are open to the public:

• Murrysville council, 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at the municipal building, 4100 Sardis Road. Meetings are broadcast on Comcast local access Channel 19 and livestreamed at Murrysville.com. An agenda is also available in advance at Murrysville.com.

• Export council, 6:30 p.m., Jan. 3 at the borough building, 5821 Washington Ave. An agenda is available in advance at ExportPennsylvania.com.

• Delmont council, 7 p.m., Jan. 10 at the borough building, 77 Greensburg St. An agenda is available in advance at DelmontBoro.com.

• Franklin Regional school board, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Murrysville municipal building, 4100 Sardis Road. Meetings are broadcast on Comcast local access Channel 19 and livestreamed at Murrysville.com. An agenda is available in advance at Go.boarddocs.com/pa/frrg/Board.nsf.