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.
Holiday cheer in works for municipality
Penn Hills Parks & Recreation is planning a variety of holiday events for the community:
• Holiday Lights Cruise: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Penn Hills Government Center, 102 Duff Road. There will be a drive-thru lights display and a visit from Santa. Treat bags will be provided, but registration is required. To register, call 412-798-2147. Attendees are encouraged to bring an unopened and unwrapped toy donation for a chance to win a $100 gift card.
• Letters to Santa: Drop off your letters Dec. 1-19 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.
• Lunch With Santa, two sessions: 11 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Rolling Hills Church, 120 Gernert Drive. Join us for a visit from Santa, arts and crafts and a pizza lunch. Space is limited. To register, call 412-798-2147.
• 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.
Evening with Grinch open to families
Steel Goat Marketplace, 200 Jefferson Road, is hosting a free evening of holiday festivities with the Grinch from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6.
Families are invited to participate in photos with the Grinch, a scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes, holiday treats, craft stations and more.
Reservations are requested.
To make a reservation, visit steelgoatmarket.com/project/grinch-at-the-goat.
Pizza luncheon planned with Santa
If the Grinch is too much of a holiday grump, swing by the Steel Goat Marketplace, 220 Jefferson Road, and meet Santa from noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 7.
Families are invited to a Slice With Santa, featuring pizza, holiday crafts, letters to Santa and photos with the jolly old elf.
The event is free, but donations are appreciated.
Reservations are requested so Santa can bring enough pizza.
To make a reservation, visit steelgoatmarket.com/project/slice-with-santa.
Break out your ugliest sweater for Rotary bingo fundraiser
The Penn Hills Rotary is planning its annual Ugly Sweater Bingo on Dec. 6 at Universal Banquet Hall, 2240 Main St. in Penn Hills.
Doors open at 6 p.m., and bingo will start at 7.
Prizes will be awarded for the best — ahem, worst — dressed.
Tickets are $25 each and can be reserved in advance at pennhillsrotary.org/purchase or at the door.
Tickets include six cards for each game, soft drinks and cookies. Extra cards, tickets for special games and a 50-50 will be available for purchase during the event.
Beer, wine and light snacks also will be available to purchase.
Everyone who brings a donation of pet supplies to benefit a local animal shelter will receive a free bingo card.
Supplies sought include any brand of dog or cat food, pet toys, creamy peanut butter (without xylitol), canned pumpkin, canned chicken and uncooked white rice.
PALS plans Christmas gathering Dec. 4
The Plum Area Ladies Society (PALS) will celebrate Christmas at its Dec. 4 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at the Plum Community Center.
The service project involves helping homeless adults by donating gently-worn coats, new hats, gloves, scarves and socks.
Members will exchange gifts following a holiday-themed spread. Each member should bring a wrapped gift valued at $15.
PALS is a service/social organization open to women from Plum, Penn Hills, Monroeville and the surrounding communities.
Newcomers are welcome to attend a meeting, which are held at 6:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month from September through April at Plum Community Center.
For details, call Mary Lou Spohn-Meyers, PALS president, at 724 327-8265.
Rosedale to host Breakfast With Santa on Dec. 7
The Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department and Rosedale Civic Association are sponsoring a Breakfast With Santa from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 7 at the station, 5806 Verona Road.
The cost is $5 per person and free for kids 12 and younger.
Library highlights upcoming offerings
The Penn Hills Library, 1037 Stotler Road, offers a variety of programs for all ages. Note the library is closed on Thanksgiving Day. For a complete list of offerings, visit pennhillslibrary.org. To register for any of the following programs, visit the website and click on the events tab to view an interactive calendar. Here are some upcoming highlights:
CHILDREN
• STEAM Lab … Coding Robots (ages 6-11): 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30. Children will learn how to code robots and complete various robot challenge courses. Registration is required.
• Maker Lab … Clay Sculpting Tools (ages 6-11): 1 to 2 p.m. Nov. 30. Participants will learn how to use different machines and supplies to create something completely new. Registration is required.
• Craft & Crawl (infant to age 5): 10:30 to 11 a.m. Dec. 2. The library will provide supplies for your little one to create a masterpiece.
• Mother Goose on the Loose (infant to age 5): 10:30 to 11 a.m. Dec. 3 and Dec. 7. Mother Goose is an early literacy program that supports your child’s development through stories, songs, rhymes, movement and more. Designed for young children and their caregivers.
• STEAM Lab … Chilly Science (ages 6-11): 5 to 5:45 p.m. Dec. 5. Join us for some cool winter-themed science experiments.
TEENS
• Make Your Own Stickers (grades 6-12): 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 2. Participants will get to design their own stickers. To sign up for text reminders for all teen programs, text TEENSPH to 412-240-6540.
• Decorate a Mug (grades 6-12): 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Teens will decorate their own custom mug.
• Winter Wonderland Book Nooks (grades 6-12): 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 4. Celebrate winter with a one-of-a-kind decoration for your shelf or desk.
• Teen Makerspace … 3D Pens (grades 6-12): 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 5. Join us every week in December to experiment with a different piece of technology. This week, you can try your hand at 3D pens. Mark your calendars: The Dec. 12 gathering will feature a heat press and iron-on designs.
• Holiday Party (grades 6-12): 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6. Join us after hours to kick off the holiday season with food, a White Elephant gift exchange and more.
ADULTS
• Better Read Than Dead Book Club: 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 5. This month’s selection is “Eileen” by Ottessa Moshfegh. Moshfegh’s 2015 work, her first novel, won the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for debut fiction and was adapted into a film in 2023. 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.
• Renaissance City Choir: 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12. Join us for a lively holiday concert performed by Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA choir.
ALL AGES
•A Christmas Carol … Live Storytelling:6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 2. Gather the family for a live retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” which was first published in 1843. Registration is required.
•Holiday Bell Choir:6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 5. A bell choir will perform some holiday classics. Registration is required.
• Bald Eagle and Family: 6 to 7 p.m. Dec. 9. The plant manager of U.S. Steel’s Irvine Plant in West Miffline will present a talk about the bald eagles that have nested at the plant for the past few years. He will discuss their nesting habits and share news about their fledglings. All ages are welcome to learn about our national bird.
Fall/winter activities planned for children
Penn Hills Parks & Recreation has a few more events for kids on its fall and winter schedule.
Space is limited for the following events, and registration is required.
All events take place at Rolling Hills Church, 120 Gernert Drive.
• Kids Painting and Craft: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11
• Kids in the Kitchen: 10 to 11 a.m. Nov. 16 and Dec. 14
To register, call the recreation department at 412-798-2147.
Holiday bingo boasts $1,000 jackpot
Penn Hills Volunteer Fire Company No. 7 is teaming up with Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans for a Christmas Bingo with a $1,000 jackpot Dec. 7 at the station, 125 Universal Road.
Doors will open at 4 p.m. and bingo starts at 5:30.
Tickts are $20 and include six cards per game, with 20 regular games. Special bingo games will be sold separately.
Anyone who brings an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots will receive a bingo card for an exclusive game.
There will be a 50-50 and other raffles. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, and alcohol will be available to guests 21 and older with a photo ID.
Tickets must be purchased for entry.
To purchase tickets, call 412-247-1892 or visit the station’s website at phvfd227.store and click on the bingo link.
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.
Gently used, new toys available for families in need
Play It Forward Pittsburgh is a gently used children’s toy drive that helps families struggling to provide toys for their children during the holiday season.
Now in its 14th year, it collects gently used or new toys, games, electronics, sports equipment, bicycles and movies (DVDs only) and offers them for free to families in need.
Recipients must sign up to get on the list to receive items. They can choose from a prepackaged holiday box filled by volunteers based on the family’s wishlist or choose to shop in person with a designated time slot. Sign ups, which are on a first-come, first-served based, began Nov. 18 and can be done online by clicking the link at http://www.playitforwardpittsburgh.com/receive-toys.html.
The organization strives to provide a maximum of three items per child. The total toy limit per family is 15 items, one big ticket item if available and one new toy if available. Recipients must wear a face mask when picking up items. Recipients also must be able to transport the items without volunteer assistance from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15222; recipients can bring other people with them to help carry items.
Holiday boxes will be available for pick-up from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 13; shopping in person will take place Dec. 14 in a designated time slot. Pick-up and shopping both take place at the convention center.
Holiday market and mingle event set Dec. 14
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.
Vendors, food trucks and entertainers who would like to partner with the Hebron Community Center are encouraged to register at online at https://tinyurl.com/ybu5s6hc.
Garden club fundraiser to feature bluegrass band
The Penn Hebron Garden Club, 237 Jefferson Road, is hosting a fundraiser evening of bluegrass featuring the Sweaty Already String Band from 8 to 10 p.m. Dec. 6.
Snacks will be available for purchase. Patrons 21 and older are invited bring their own alcohol.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, if available. To purchase a ticket, stop by any Wednesday night Penn Hills Coffeehouse event at the club or contact Lisa Martinez at jkittyroo@gmail.com or Howard Davidson at bachblue@aol.com.
The site has limited parking; once that lot is full, additional parking is available at the nearby Penn Hills Senior Center.
Blood donors sought
The American Red Cross and Vitalant are encouraging prospective blood donors to step up as colder weather sets in.
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).
As an incentive through Dec. 8, the Red Cross is offering two pairs of custom “Friends” socks for those who donate, while supplies last, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. It’s been 30 years since the iconic show first aired, and the Red Cross is asking donors to gather their friends and make a blood or platelet donation. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Friends.
Vitalant, which operates about 115 donation centers nationwide, is thanking donors who give blood, platelets or plasma through Dec. 1 with a chance to win one of three $10,000 giveaways. In addition, everyone who gives during Thanksgiving week from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 will receive a $20 gift card of their choice through Vitalant’s donor rewards program.
Vitalant’s Pittsburgh Fox Chapel Donation Center at One Alexander Center, Suite 207, 2585 Freeport Road, has several upcoming collection dates: noon to 7 p.m. Nov. 26, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nov. 29-30 and Dec. 1.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Class of 1984 to gather in November
The Penn Hills High School Class of 1984 is celebrating its 40th reunion in November.
Members are invited to mark the occasion from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Comfort Inn & Suites RIDC, 180 Gamma Drive in O’Hara.
The cost is $58 per person and includes a buffet dinner and two drink tickets.
The itinerary includes cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 7, dancing until 11 and a karaoke afterparty from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the hotel bar.
Tickets can be purchased via Venmo at https://venmo.com/u/Kristy-McGowan-1 through Kristy (McGill) McGowan.
For attendees who prefer to stay at the hotel, a block of rooms with king-size beds have been reserved for $87 a night. The hotel offers free breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, and has an indoor heated pool that’s open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. To reserve a room, call the hotel at 412-963-0600 and ask for the Penn Hills High School 40th reunion rate.
For questions, email ph84reunion@gmail.com or visit the Penn Hills Class of 1984 Facebook page.
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.