Free Community Meal on Jan. 5 open to all
Everyone is welcome to ring in the new year with a free Community Meal from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 5 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1719 Mt. Royal Blvd., Shaler.
Enjoy “no-peek” chicken, rice, desserts, fun and fellowship.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church serves free meals on the first Monday of each month. The next one after January’s meal will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 2.
For details, visit belc.org or call the church office at 412-486-0550.
Community invited to candlelight service
Glenshaw Presbyterian Church, 300 Glenn Ave. in Shaler, invites the community to experience its moving candlelight Christmas Eve service at 8 p.m. Dec. 24.
Did you know that the practice of using candles in religious ceremonies dates back to ancient times?
Long before the tradition of the Christmas Eve candlelight services began, early Christians were lighting candles as a powerful sign of hope. Drawing from Jewish traditions where lamps were lit during sacred rituals, Christians embraced the light as a way to symbolize Jesus Christ, the “Light of the World,” who would dispel darkness and bring salvation to humanity.
Today’s candlelight service on Christmas Eve still symbolizes hope and respresents the light of Christ in a world of darkness.
It often begins in a darkened or softly lit room, showing the world’s darkness before the arrival of Christ. It begins with the lighting of a single candle, representing the birth of Jesus, the one who came to illuminate the world. As the service progresses, this initial light is passed from person to person, gradually filling the room with warmth and brightness.
Reserve plans Santa luncheon
Reserve is hosting a Lunch With Santa at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 13 at the township building, 33 Lonsdale St.
Lunch and presents will be provided for the children, and Santa will provide some extra cheer.
To register, visit reservetwp.com/events.
Roving DUI patrol yields 2 arrests, 44 citations, 77 warnings
The North Hills DUI Task Force organized a DUI detail on Nov. 21 in conjunction with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Checkpoint Strike Force.
The task force conducted a roving DUI patrol along various roads in Aspinwall, Blawnox, Etna, Hampton, Indiana Township, O’Hara, Richland, Shaler and West Deer.
Officers stopped 94 vehicles for various traffic violations, and two individuals were given a field sobriety test and subsequently arrested for DUI.
There were 44 citations and 77 warnings issued for various vehicle code violations.
This is the 29th year for the North Hills DUI Task Force. To date, 268 checkpoints/roving patrols have been conducted, and 2,294 individuals were tested for DUI, resulting in 1,082 arrests.
The task force consists of officers from Aspinwall, Blawnox, Etna, Franklin Park, Hampton, Indiana Township, McCandless, Millvale, Northern Regional, O’Hara, Reserve, Ross, Shaler, West Deer and West View.
Gardeners reap 500-plus pounds of produce for pantry
Volunteers with the Etna Community Garden provided more than 500 pounds of fresh produce for the Bread of Life Food Pantry this past growing season.
Pantry organizers thanked the volunteers in a Facebook post.
The pantry, located at 94 Locust St. in Calvert Memorial Presbyterian Church, serves numerous individuals and families facing food insecurity in Etna and Shaler.
According to its website, in 2024 alone, pantry staff and volunteers served 3,236 shoppers, provided 1,547 families with food and basic necessities and distributed 395 boxes of goods to seniors 60 and older on limited incomes.
The pantry welcomes volunteers and donations of food. Monetary donations can be made at breadoflifeetna.org/donate.
Salons collecting coats, hoodies for district children
Elan Elle Hair Co. and Salon Luna are collecting new and gently used coats and hoodies — in children’s through adult sizes — through Dec. 12.
All items are being donated to families in need in the Shaler Area School District.
There is an especially high demand for hoodies for teens.
Items can be dropped off at Elan Elle Hair Co., 1003 Mt. Royal Blvd., or Salon Luna, 2905 Mt. Royal Blvd. Both sites are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
Hygge New Year event marking 10 years
Abeille Voyante Tea Co. and Millvale Food Energy Hub are hosting the 10th annual Hygge New Year: A Choose Your Own Adventure Wellness Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 10 throughout Millvale.
The Hygge New Year, with the tagline “New Year, Same You,” started in 2017 as a way to encourage people to embrace themselves, their wellness and the new year.
Participants are invited to wander the town of Millvale while indulging in mini wellness sessions.
People are welcome to take a class, learn something new, try something they’ve always wanted to try but didn’t want to commit to, or visit a favorite practitioner for a “tune up.”
Activities in previous years included yoga, breath work workshops, reiki, acupuncture, sound healing with meditation, tea tasting, kombucha making, facials, a knitting circle and a variety of vendors selling wares.
Details about the 2026 event will be shared online as they become available.
Drive-in holiday laser show planned in North Park
Allegheny County Parks is hosting a one-of-a-kind drive-in Holiday Laser Show from Dec. 17-23 at the pool parking lot in North Park.
The 40-minute light show will be synchronized to holiday music.
Showtimes are offered at 6:30, 8 and 9:30 p.m.
Tickets cost $30 per vehicle, and all sales are final. Each ticket, which will be issued via QR code, is nonrefundable and cannot be exchanged for another date or time.
To purchase a ticket, visit alleghenycounty.us/Parks-and-Events/Special-Events/Holiday-Laser-Show.
In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, participants will be notified via email. Updates also will be posted on the Allegheny County Parks Facebook page.
Outreach seeks donations to help people with winter utilities
During the winter months, North Hills Community Outreach provides assistance in paying the heating and electric bills of more than 500 vulnerable seniors, disabled adults and families.
On average, 1 in 5 households is forced to forgo, or have to reduce food, medicine and other necessities, to pay a utility bill.
To help, donations can be made at nhco.org/donate.
For details, call NHCO’s staff accountant, Lin Kostura, at 412-487-6316, option 1 then ext. 3131.
Personalized bricks being sold for bathhouse walkway
The new bathhouse at the Crawford Swimming Pool in Shaler is set to open on Memorial Day weekend next year, and township officials are inviting the public to cement their legacy with the project.
Included in the construction plan is a brick walkway along the bathhouse.
The township is offering the opportunity for people to purchase a personalized brick for the project.
The cost is $125 per brick; each measures 4 inches by 8 inches by 2⅜ inches.
It includes up to three lines with 16 characters, all caps, on each line.
Orders must be placed by Jan. 31.
To order, visit shaler.org.
For questions, contact the township office at 412-486-9700.
Journalism scholarship open to W.Pa. students
The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania is accepting applications for its 20th annual Bob Fryer Memorial Scholarship ($5,000) along with the club’s annual $2,500 for aspiring journalists.
The awards are designed to encourage outstanding undergraduate journalism students in print, broadcasting and multimedia. Candidates must be sophomores or juniors enrolled in an accredited college or university in one of Western Pennsylvania’s 29 counties, which include Allegheny, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Butler.
Applications are available at WesternPApressclub.org or by calling 412-281-7778.
Winners will be awarded at the club’s annual Golden Quills awards dinner.
AARP seeking tax-prep aides
The AARP Foundation is seeking volunteers to be trained for its tax aide program, the nation’s largest free volunteer-based tax preparation program.
Volunteers can be trained as tax return preparers or as client facilitators. Anyone interested in volunteering can call 724-374-3780.
For details, visit AARPfoundation.org/taxaide.
Animal Friends needs pet food
Animal Friends is in need of food for dogs, cats and rabbits.
Donations benefit the shelter’s homeless animals as well as the hungry pets whose owners are clients of Animal Friends’ Chow Wagon Pet Food Pantry and Meals on Wheels partners.
Visit thinkingoutsidethecage.org/get-involved/wish-list for links to Animal Friends’ Amazon Wish List, Chewy Wish List, Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank and Kuranda Bed Wish List. Purchases made on those sites can be delivered directly to Animal Friends.
Donations of unopened pet food also can be dropped off in the grey donation bins in the lobby of Animal Friends, 562 Camp Horne Road, Ohio Township.
If a tax receipt is needed for in-kind donations made through the online Wish Lists, contact Animal Friends’ development team at 412-847-7051 or development@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.
Singles welcome to join Association of University People
The Association of University People invites singles 50 and older who are four-year college graduates to join them for activities and to meet new people. Activities include spring/summer picnics, monthly dinners, a book group, Scrabble, meeting up at wineries and local outdoor concerts.
Those interested can attend three activities as guests before joining.
For details about AUP or to become a member, call and leave a message at 412-353-9088 or email aupsingles@gmail.com.
To have your news or event listed, email editor Marje Horvath at mhorvath@triblive.com.