In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of Jan. 1, 2024
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Council holds reorganization meeting
Penn Hills Council met Jan. 2 to swear in Shawn Kerestus and Alan Waldron and to appoint a deputy mayor. Councilwoman Catherine Sapp received the unanimous nod, returning to a role she held from 2018 to 2022. She replaces outgoing Councilman Frank Pecora.
The Penn Hills Zoning Hearing Board meeting previously scheduled for Jan. 24 has been canceled.
An announcement on the municipality’s website said the meeting would not be rescheduled this month.
MLK jazz tribute set at library
Local jazz musician Calvin Stemley will perform at 1 p.m. Jan. 13 in the community room of Penn Hills Library in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who once said “Jazz speaks for life.”
Stemley will showcase hits from King’s era. Registration is required.
To register, call the library at 412-775-4700 or sign up at pennhills.librarycalendar.com/event/mlk-jazz-tribute-272.
The library is at 1037 Stotler Road.
Registration open for spring softball
Registration is underway for the Penn Hills Girls Softball Association’s spring season through March 15. Those who register by Jan. 31 will receive a 20% discount.
Five teams are forming: 8 and under (coach pitch), $85; 10 and under, 12 and under, 15 and under, and 18 and under, each $125. All ages are as of Sept. 1, 2023.
The 8-and-under team includes the option of a refundable concession fee of $30 for family members who help out at the concession stand; all other teams include the option of a $40 refundable concession fee.
Registration includes a full uniform. Open gym practices begin in February. Games for the spring season start at the end of April.
For new players, a copy of a birth certificate is required and can be emailed to phgsapghpa@gmail.com.
Early bird registration is being accepted through Jan. 31. To receive the 20% discount, use EARLYBIRD when registering online at http://phsoftball.com.
Tickets available for purse bash
The Penn Hills Girls Softball Association is organizing a purse bash from noon to 3 p.m. March 16 at Penn Hills Fire Hall No. 7, 125 Universal Road.
Tickets, which are $50 in advance or $60 at the door, include admission to the event, food, wine, beer, nonalcoholic beverages and multiple chances to win designer handbags. Participants must be 21 or older to attend.
Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the first raffle starts at noon. Winners will be drawn every 15 minutes. Ticket-holders do not need not be present to win.
Additional raffles will be available, including ones for “pick of the table,” 50-50, auction baskets, a mystery bundle and lottery tree.
Space is limited to 250 people, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. A limited number of reserved tables for up to eight guests is available for an additional $50.
For details or to purchase a ticket or reserve a table, call Marquitta Gray at 412-877-2301, Robin Brown at 412-443-5600 and Tiera Hempfiled at 412-225-9218.
Holy Family Parish Christmas brunch a rousing success
Holy Family Parish continued its 10-year tradition of celebrating Christmas with a morning brunch Dec. 25 at St. Joseph Church in Verona and Our Lady of Joy in Plum.
The Christmas brunch was started as a way to ensure that no one would be alone at Christmas and that those who are homebound would receive a Christmas meal.
More than 140 guests were treated to brunch and cookies made by the bakers in the parish’s cookie ministry. An additional 78 meals were delivered to those unable to attend in person.
Guests also were entertained by a visit from Santa, gifts and holiday music. Prizes were given out including candy, blankets, slippers, ornaments and gift certificates were given out.
More than 115 volunteers from all of the Holy Family Parish churches, along with a few volunteers from other local churches, participated by taking reservations, delivering flyers, decorating, cooking, baking, serving, organizing, greeting, socializing, shuttling guests, directing traffic, cleaning up, providing entertainment, and packaging and delivering meals.
The Christmas brunch was supported by generous donations of certificates, candy, pastries, blankets, slippers, ornaments and cookies. Because of abundant provisions, after all were served, the remaining food and goodies were shared with the Jubilee Kitchen in Pittsburgh and Riverview Community Action Corp.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly meets Tuesday evenings
The Oakmont TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) chapter, a support group to help those struggling with weight loss, meets Tuesday evenings at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave. in Oakmont. Meetings begin with a private weigh-in between 5:45 and 6:10 p.m.
There is a brief business meeting and sharing of the participants’ week and offering of support for one another. A program follows to educate participants on the benefits of healthy eating and exercise.
The organization’s Oakmont chapter has been meeting weekly for nearly 60 years.
Anyone interested in joining the group can attend a meeting and decide if TOPS is right for them. For details, call 412-828-3854 or email jmjkwj@gmail.com.