In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of Dec. 9, 2024

Deadline looms for Santa letters, holiday lights contest

Penn Hills Parks & Recreation has these remaining holiday events for the community:

• Letters to Santa: Drop off your letters through Dec. 19 at Penn Hills Library. You also can mail them to 102 Duff Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 or email them to santa@pennhillspa.gov. Please include a return address.

• Christmas Lights Display Contest: To enter your home, call 412-798-2147 or email jscaglione@pennhillspa.gov. Judging will take place Dec. 17-19. Prizes will be awarded for the best decorated home.

Santa to roll with Rosedale firefighters

Santa once again is enlisting the help of Rosedale’s firefighters to check up on residents, young and old, before he makes his rounds on Christmas Eve.

He will be riding on a fire truck through Rosedale neighborhoods starting at 8 a.m. Dec. 21 through the afternoon.

Gather the little ones and wave hello!

Church to serve free meal on Christmas

Christ the Divine Church in Monroeville is offering a free meal for anyone in need of some food and companionship on Christmas Day.

The Dec. 25 dinner will be served in the Lourdes Center, 245 Azalea Drive, Monroeville, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. or until the food runs out.

Cheerleaders collecting shoes during holiday mingle event

The Hebron Community Center, 10460 Frankstown Road, is organizing a Very Merry Market & Mingle from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 14.

The community is invited to puruse a variety of vendors offering handmade crafts, gifts and festive items for the holiday season.

There also will be food trucks and live entertainment.

The Penn Hills cheerleaders will be on-site during the event to collect donations and gently used shoes. The shoes will be given a second life by those in need through microenterprise. Proceeds will support the Cheerleading Booster Association and the Hebron Community Center.

Free microchip clinic open to Penn Hills, Verona residents

Pawsitive Voice, a local coalition pushing for improved animal control practices in Penn Hills, will hold a free microchip clinic from noon to 5 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Steel Goat Marketplace, 200 Jefferson Road.

The clinic is only for dogs weighing 10 pounds or more. There will be 100 microchips available.

To secure a time slot, email pawsitivevoice@gmail.com.

Participants must bring a driver’s license or piece of mail showing Penn Hills or Verona residency.

Library highlights upcoming offerings

The Penn Hills Library, 1037 Stotler Road, offers a variety of programs for all ages. Note the library will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas . For a complete list of offerings, visit pennhillslibrary.org. To register for any of the programs, visit the website and click on the events tab to view an interactive calendar. The following teen programs do not require registration. Here are some upcoming highlights:

CHILDREN

• Fandom Art … Squishmallow Painting (ages 6-11): 5 to 5:45 p.m. Dec. 12. This month’s art project will be painting Squishmallows.

• Squonking in the Library … Part 2 (ages 6-11): 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16. Squonkers Lindsay Herring and Mia Taylor will dive into the world or Rube Goldberg machines. Participants will learn how to harness the flow of energy using everyday objects to create quirky, complex contraptions with chain reactions.

• STEAM Lab … Confetti Cannons (ages 6-11): 5 to 5:45 p.m. Dec. 19. Participants will build their own confetti cannons, just in time for New Year’s Eve.

• Open Play (infant to age 5): 10:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 21. Caregivers will have a chance to socialize while the little ones enjoy playtime with music and toys. Registration is not required.

• KidzStix Cardio Drumming (ages 6-11): 4:30 to 5 p.m. Dec. 23. Join this upbeat drumming program that combines exercise, dancing and fun with drums led by certified instructor Coleen Bortz.

TEENS (grades 6-12)

• Mini Snowglobe Ornaments: 3:30 to 5 p.m. Dec. 16. Stop by and create a mini winter wonderland as a gift for loved ones or to decorate your home.

• Last-Minute Gifts: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 17. Don’t know what to get your loved ones? Stop by and help use up our leftover craft supplies to make one-of-a-kind gifts.

• Teen Cuisine: 3:30 to 5 p.m. Dec. 18. Learn kitchen basics and make a delicious treat.

• Teen Makerspace … Ceramics: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 19. Join us every week in December to experiment with a different piece of technology. This week, you can explore ceramics.

ADULTS

• Renaissance City Choir: 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12. Join us for a lively holiday concert performed by Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ choir.

• Graphic Novel Book Club: 11 a.m. to noon Dec. 14. Open to fans of graphic novels and to folks who want to give the books a try. The December selection is “Four Gathered on Christmas Eve” by Eric Powell, whose work continues the Victorian tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve. A limited number of copies are available at the front desk.

• Accessible Crafts … Tiny Pine Cone Trees: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Dec. 18. This craft program is open to patrons of all abilities. No registration is required. Mark your calendars: The Dec. 18 craft will be tiny pine cone trees.

• Board Game Night: 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 18. Play one of our board games or bring your own.

ALL AGES

• Kwanzaa Celebration: 1 to 2 p.m. Dec. 14. Celebrate Kwanzaa with Yamoussa Camara and Camara Drum and Dance, who will present an afternoon of West African music and dance from Guinea. Registration is required.

• Diapers and Books Giveaway: 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 18. Free diapers and menstrual products will be distributed during the library’s Community Fridge restock. Visit them in the cafe to learn more and to receive items to take home.

American Legion scholarships open to students in grades 6-12

The Pennsylvania American Legion is taking entries for its annual essay contest. Winners will receive $3,500, $3,000 or $2,500 scholarships.

The contest is open to students in multiple categories: grades 6-12. Students can be from public, private, parochial, cyber/charter or homeschooled.

Students must submit their essay by mail or hand delivery to their local American Legion post by Jan. 8 for those in grades 9-12, and by Feb. 5 for those in grades 6-8. Complete rules and regulations are available at PA-legion.com/programs/student-and-youth/essay-program or by emailing wareagles79@hotmail.com.

The Legion also hosts an oratorical contest with scholarships offering $7,500, $5,000 and $4,000. That contest is open to those in grades 9-12. More information is available at legion.org/oratorical or by emailing jgdrnjevich@aol.com.

Firefighters selling 2025 lottery calendars

The Rosedale and North Bessemer volunteer fire departments are selling 2025 lottery calendars.

The calendars are $30 each and have winners every night.

They make excellent holiday gifts.

For details on how to purchase, call the Rosedale station’s nonemergency number at 412-793-1224 or North Bessemer’s at 412-793-1840.

Heating assistance available to low-income households

Thousands of eligible customers miss out on bill assistance by not applying for federal grants. With the winter season approaching, many income-eligible customers remain unaware of programs that can significantly reduce their energy bill.

Peoples Natural Gas, an essential utilities company, encourages its customers to take advantage of available resources to help offset winter heating costs.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), is now open for the 2024-25 heating season. LIHEAP is a federally funded assistance program that provides grants to eligible low-income households to help pay for heating costs. Grants start at $200 and may be higher based on income and the number of people living in the home.

To qualify for a LIHEAP grant, customers must have a total gross household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Customers do not have to be on public assistance or have an unpaid heating bill. LIHEAP is open to renters and homeowners. To learn more about the income limits and to apply, visit https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dhs.html, click on Services in the menu and search for LIHEAP.

In addition to LIHEAP, Peoples offers programs to help make energy-saving home improvements that reduce long-term costs. If you or someone you know needs assistance, call 1-800-400-WARM (9276) or visit peoples-gas.com/help to learn more.

Food pantry open second Saturdays

The Young Black Motivated Kings & Queens: De’Avry A. Thomas Community Center offers a free food pantry from 9:30 a.m. to noon every second Saturday of the month at the center, 7300 Ridgeview Ave.

The next distribution will be Dec. 14.

The pantry, in remembrance of Cynthia Stotts, serves anyone in need of assistance, such as families facing food insecurity, individuals experiencing financial hardship, seniors on fixed incomes and students in need.

In addition to free food distribution, the center offers confidential services, volunteer opportunities and referrals to additional community resources.

To help the center’s mission, people are encouraged to volunteer their time or skills, spread the word about the pantry and support the center through monetary contributions.

For details, contact Keonna Rawlings, food pantry manager, at keonna@ybmkq.org.

For more information about the community-based organization, visit ybmkq.org.

Blood donors sought

The American Red Cross and Vitalant are encouraging prospective blood donors to step up now that cold weather is here.

Donations of all blood types are crucial year-round, especially type O, the most frequently transfused blood type. O-negative blood can be given to patients of any blood type, while O-positive can help most patients.

To find a Red Cross location near you and to learn more about blood donation, including eligibility information, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Vitalant, which operates about 115 donation centers nationwide, is thanking donors who give blood, platelets or plasma through Dec. 20 with a $10 gift card as part of its Donor Rewards Program. Donors also will be entered for a chance to win one of five $5,000 gift cards.

Vitalant’s Pittsburgh Fox Chapel Donation Center at One Alexander Center, Suite 207, 2585 Freeport Road, regularly schedules collection dates, including these upcoming one: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dec. 13-15, 17 and 20 and noon to 7 p.m. Dec. 17.

To make an appointment and find other locations, visit vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).

Group offers support for weight loss

All are welcome to join the men and women at Oakmont TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) who are learning how to lose weight.

With in-person meetings, rewards, support and encouragement, we gain knowledge of healthy eating and exercise.

You may visit with no obligation Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave. in Oakmont. Weigh-in is private followed by a brief business meeting, sharing time, and educational program all ending by 7:15.

Municipal, school district meetings viewable online

Want to stay informed about the municipality and school district you live in and the decisions made by people you elect to office?

Both entities livestream their meetings online.

• Penn Hills Council livestreams its monthly meetings on YouTube @PennHills TVONLINE. Past livestreams of meetings also are available to view. Check them out at youtube.com/@PennHillsTVONLINE/featured.

• The Penn Hills School District livestreams monthly meetings on its website at www.phsd.org/school-board/live-stream-and-video-archive. Past meetings also are available. Among the videos are the school board’s regular public voting meetings, HR/Policy and Finance Committee meetings, and Athletic Advisory, Safety/Buildings & Grounds and Curriculum Committee meetings.

Anti-litter award program offered for kids

Environmental nonprofit Keep America Beautiful is seeking entries from children in kindergarten through sixth grade for its Litter Hawk Youth Award Program.

Children are asked to complete a project sharing their hope, optimism and concerns about litter and inspire others through art, words or video.

The theme for the contest is “Join the Greatest American Cleanup! Show us how you can keep your community litter-free for America’s 250th birthday.”

Children in kindergarten through grade 4 can create a poster; those in grade 5 are asked to write an essay; and those in grade 6 can create a video.

The deadline to participate is Jan. 31. Winners will be announced in April as part of an awards ceremony at the state Capitol building in Harrisburg.

For an entry form, go to KeepPABeautiful.org/grants-awards/awards/litter-hawk, email slarson@keeppabeautiful.org or call 724-836-4121, ext. 104.

Students sought for charity’s leadership program

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is seeking participants for its “Student Visionaries of the Year” program, where local student teams undergo a seven-week leadership program to raise awareness and funding for blood cancer patients and their families and build professional skills.

Teams are tasked with organizing fundraisers and other events for the benefit of the society.

For details, visit LLSstudentvisionaries.org or email erica.gribbin@lls.org.

Free books available monthly for kids through age 5

Children who reside in the 15235 ZIP code are eligible to receive free books every month until their 5th birthday through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in conjunction with Reading Ready Pittsburgh.

The program, which aims to inspire a love of reading, is open to all children within the city of Pittsburgh and 18 ZIP codes in the Mon Valley area.

Each month, a new, carefully selected book will be mailed in your child’s name directly to your home. The first book is always the classic “The Little Engine That Could.”

For details about the program and to enroll your child, visit readingreadypittsburgh.org/DPIL.

Cub Scout Pack 817 seeks members

Cub Scout Pack 817 is looking for new members.

Boys and girls in grades K-5 are welcome to see what the fun is all about. Pack 817 meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday, September through May, at the Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department, 5806 Verona Road.

Cub Scouts offers members many opportunities to try new things, provide service to others, build confidence, develop leadership skills and make new friends.

Members of Pack 817 participate in pinewood derby races, crafts and cooking, Cubmobile challenges, rocket launches, camping and more. There also are summer activities.

For more information about Pack 817, contact Cubmaster Randy Ford at 412-852-5840 or pack817.verona@gmail.com.

Rotary offering need-based scholarships

The Bob Williams Rotary Memorial Scholarship Program is accepting applications from current high school seniors and GED students for 2024-25.

This year, eight need-based scholarships at $5,000 each will be awarded.

The scholarships are open to students in Allegheny and Beaver counties, as well as those attending New Kensington- Arnold, Kiski Area and Burrell Area high schools and The Kiski School in Westmoreland County. Vocational students, GED students and those attending parochial, charter and private schools also are eligible.

Students must have a 2.5 or higher grade-point average and must complete an essay highlighting their community/school service.

Complete application and criteria materials are available on the website of Rotary District 7305 at rotarydistrict7305.org/scholarships.php or from area high school counselors.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 28. Applications postmarked after that date will not be accepted.

For details, email Dr. Robert Arbuckle, chairperson of the scholarship committee, at rarbuckl@yahoo.com.

Assistance available for veterans, spouses

State Rep. Joe McAndrew’s office, 77 Universal Road, Suite 1, in Penn Hills provides free assistance to veterans and their spouses from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the last Wednesday of every month.

A veteran service officer from the American Legion will be on hand to help with a variety of needs, including compensation and pension claims, education benefits, enrollment in the VA health care system, burial and survivor benefits, state benefits, and obtaining military personnel and medical records.

There are limited appointments available for August. To make an appointment, call 412-793-2448.

McAndrew’s 32nd District covers Oakmont, Penn Hills, Plum and Verona.

Free clothing available

Mt. Hope Community Church, 12106 Frankstown Road, operates a free Clothesline to people in need from 10 a.m. to noon every Thursday.

Parking is available behind the church, and there is a bus stop nearby at Frankstown Road and Parkridge Drive.

Clothing for women, men and children of all ages is available, as well as some shoes and accessories.

Bags are provided, but visitors also are encouraged to bring their own.

The church also is accepting and loaning gently used children’s books.

For details, call 412-793-0227 or visit mthopepcusa.org/youth-ministries.

Station seeks firefighters, junior members

The Verona Volunteer Fire Company is accepting applictions for active firefighters as well as junior members 16 and 17 years of age.

Interested individuals can stop by the fire station, 465 Parker St., from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays.

Training is provided through the Allegheny County Fire Academy.