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Free Christmas dinner in Monroeville
Christ the Divine Church, 245 Azalea Drive, Monroeville, will host a free Christmas Day dinner in their Lourdes Center this year.
Dinner begins at 12:30 and will continue until 3 p.m., or until the supply of food is exhausted. Everyone from the area is welcome to attend.
Police receive state grant
The Pitcairn Police Department recently received a $65,000 state grant which will be used to purchase a new police vehicle.
Route 22 restrictions begin for gas line work
Gas line installation work will require single-lane closures on Route 22 between Alpine Village Drive and McClure/Cavitt roads through early January.
Crews from Peoples Natural Gas will perform the work.
Restrictions will be in place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
New Year’s ball drop at noon
For those who who don’t want to stay up until midnight, the Monroeville Public Library will host a ball drop at noon on Dec. 31 inside the Monroeville Mall, 200 Mall Circle Drive.
This free, all-ages New Year’s Eve celebration will be held on the mall’s lower level in front of Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Festivities start at 11:30 a.m. and will include a raffle, party hats and horn blowers, while supplies last. At noon, a disco ball will be lowered so families can ring in the new year together.
For questions, email Alice Rathjen at rathjena@monroevillelibrary.org or call the library at 412.372.0500.
Holy Family Parish offering free brunch
Holy Family Parish in Oakmont, Penn Hills, Plum and Verona again will be hosting a free brunch on Christmas Day.
Everyone from the surrounding area is welcome to attend.
The brunch will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at two parish locations:
• St. Joseph Church Hall, 825 Second St., Verona
• Our Lady of Joy Church Hall, 2000 O’Block Road, Plum
Reservations are required by Dec. 23 by calling Noreen at 412-296-1709 or Dave at 412-932-5531 or by emailing sos@holyfamilypgh.org.
Everyone also is welcome to join Mass on Christmas Day at any of the churches in Holy Family Parish, especially at 9:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Church and 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Joy.
For details, call Holy Family Parish at 412-793-4511 or visit online at www.holyfamilypgh.org.
Upcoming library programs
The Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Boulevard, will host the following programs:
• English as a Second Language conversation group, 7 p.m. Jan. 2. Meet other English learners for conversational practice, to ask and answer questions on seasonal topics and learn new vocabulary. Registration is requested but not required.
• Classic film night, 6 p.m. Jan. 6 with a showing of “The Third Man,” written by novelist Graham Greene and set during World War II in Allied-occupied Vienna. No registration required.
• Money management presentation, 6-8:30 p.m. Jan. 14 with Regina Carmine from the Allegheny County Financial Empowerment Center. She will discuss tracking your income and expenses, budgeting, the importance of saving and more. No registration required.
• Dealing with osteoarthritis, 2-3:30 p.m. Jan. 15 with staff from Alliance Physical Therapy. Learn about the progressive breakdown of joint surfaces, chronic inflammation and more. No registration required.
• First-time home buyer seminar, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 with representatives from S&T Bank and Century 21 Frontier Realty. Registration is required.
For more information, or to register for a program, call the library at 412-372-0500 or visit MonroevilleLibrary.org.
American Legion scholarships
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 home-schooled.
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.
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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 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).
To make an appointment and find locations, visit vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant app or call 877-258-4825.
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.