Garden club to explore hibernation
“Nature’s Early Risers” will be the topic of Longvue Acres Garden Club’s program on Feb. 24.
Allegheny Land Trust’s education associate, Sara Klingensmith, will explain why some animals wake up from hibernation earlier than others and what the benefits are to nature’s lightest sleepers.
The program will begin at 7:45 p.m. in Northmont United Presbyterian Church, 8169 Perry Highway, McCandless.
Programs take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month and are free and open to the public.
For details, email longvueacresgardenclub1950@gmail.com.
Community invited to barbecue benefiting NHCO
Memorial Park Church, 8800 Peebles Road, McCandless, will host its third annual Community BBQ from noon to 2 p.m. April 12.
Proceeds will benefit North Hills Community Outreach’s programs and services.
The event provides an opportunity for everyone to gather with neighbors for food, fun and togetherness. There will be kid-friendly activities, bounce houses, music, prizes and more.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for children 4 to 10 and free for children 3 and younger.
People also can donate a ticket that can be offered to the families who use the services of North Hills Community Outreach.
Tickets can be purchased online at nhco.org/bbq.
North Hills Community Outreach addresses the needs of people in crisis, hardship and poverty in Northern Allegheny County. To learn more about the organization, visit nhco.org.
Workshop to address ending hunger
The annual Southwest Pennsylvania Bread for the World Team is hosting its 2026 Hunger Advocacy Workshop, “Rising to the Challenge,” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 14 at the Kearns Spirituality Center, 9000 Babcock Blvd., McCandless.
Hosted by the Sisters of Divine Providence, the workshop is free to attend and open to representatives from area churches.
With food insecurity on the rise and federal and global nutrition programs at risk, attendees will learn how Christians can rise to the challenge of ending hunger in their neighborhoods, across the commonwealth, in our country and around the world.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding will discuss the impact of HR 1 (“the Big, Beautiful Bill”) on hunger in the state. The Rev. Heather Taylor, managing director of Bread for the World, will share the organization’s strategies for advocacy and key legislative priorities.
A panel of local experts will explore the shape of hunger in our own neighborhoods, with presentations by Lisa Scales, president and CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank; Ann Sanders, director of Public Benefits Policy & Programs at Just Harvest; and Dawn Plummer, director of the Pennsylvania Food Policy Council.
Registration starts at 9 a.m., and the workshop will conclude at 1 p.m. with an optional free lunch to follow.
To register, visit bit.ly/bread2026.
Free wellness program open to adult cancer patients, survivors
Registration is open through Feb. 23 for the next cohort of LIVESTRONG at the Baierl Family YMCA, 2565 Nicholson Road, Franklin Park.
LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is more than an exercise program, it is a way for adult cancer patients and survivors to connect with one another and experience total wellness in mind, body and spirit. The initiative strives to help people regain their strength, build endurance and improve their overall health.
This 12-week program is free for all participants and can be accessed by anyone in the community, not just YMCA members.
For details on how to apply for the program, visit pittsburghymca.org/ylivestrong.
Registration open for Senior Softball
Senior Softball registration is underway for the Northern Allegheny County Senior Softball League for 2026.
This competitive, slow-pitch Senior Softball league is comprised of 20 teams, 280 members and three age divisions — 50-plus, 62-plus and 71-plus.
Tryout evaluations are held from March to April. Games are played from May to August, primarily at the North Park Senior Softball Complex at the lodge in North Park.
For details and to sign up, visit nacssl.com or email danharri811@yahoo.com.
La Roche’s Literary Society offers free talk with author
The La Roche University Literary Society invites the community a free presentation at 7 p.m. in the Ryan Room of the Zappala Campus Center on La Roche’s campus, 9000 Babcock Blvd., McCandless.
On March 27, writer and poet Bethany Jarmul will present “A Literary Life: Cultivating Curiosity Amidst the Chaos,” a reflective exploration of why literature and curiosity matter in a world full of noise and distraction.
Drawing on her experiences as an Appalachian author whose writing has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, Jarmul’s talk will invite audiences to consider how reading, writing and creative inquiry can sustain meaning and insight amid life’s uncertainties. In her acclaimed work — including the poetry collection “Lightning Is a Mother” — she blends lyrical observation with thoughtful engagement on identity, place and the transformative power of literary imagination.
The Literary Society, initiated at La Roche in the early 1980s, serves as a forum for scholarship and discussion on literature and related issues. Its presentations continue the Society’s tradition of offering opportunities for dialogue, learning and inspiration.
For details, contact Sister Rita Yeasted at 412-536-1216 or rita.yeasted@laroche.edu.
Pysanky workshop set at Town Hall
McCandless is offering a pysanky workshop from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 28 at Town Hall, 9955 Grubbs Road.
Members of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Carnegie will teach the ancient art of “writing” in hot wax to create authentic Ukrainian Easter eggs.
The class is limited to 25 people, and participants must be 12 and older; children must be accompanied by an adult.
Eggs and all materials will be provided.
The cost is $45 for residents and $50 for nonresidents.
To sign up, visit secure.rec1.com/PA/mccandless-pa/catalog. You must have an account to register.
Networking group for women to gather April 16
Networking with Purpose: Inspired Women Paying it Forward North meets quarterly at the Doubletree by Hilton, 910 Sheraton Drive, Marshall.
The next business meeting and vendors will be from 6 to 7 p.m. April 16, with registration taking place at 5:30 p.m.
In just one hour each quarter, the group of nine chapters collectively raises more than $40,000 for women’s nonprofits locally and globally, with just a $100 quarterly commitment to vote and nominate.
The group aims to create space for women who have more in their lives to take action on behalf of women who have less.
For details, call Debra Dion Krischke at 724-935-6100 or visit InspiredWomen.com.
Lecture to explore Depreciation Lands Museum
The McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center, 830 Aufman Lane, will host a free lecture on the Depreciation Lands Museum from 7 to 9 p.m. March 19.
Seating is limited to 42 attendees.
The Depreciation Lands Museum is an outdoor living history museum located in Hampton. Created in 1973, it strives to preserve and interpret the early years of European settlement in the Depreciation Lands, land set aside in Western Pennsylvania by the state in 1783 to compensate its soldiers for their service in the Revolutionary War.
The monthly lectures, held every third Thursday, cover various local history topics and are open to all ages.
Registration is required at secure.rec1.com/PA/mccandless-pa/catalog. You must have an account to register.
Donations are welcome to help support the center’s programming and mission.
Mark your calendars: For April’s lecture, author Brady Cryzter will discuss the triumphs and tragedies of the National Road, America’s first highway that connected the Alleghenies to the Western frontier. His new book, “The National Road: George Washington and America’s First Highway West,” will be available for purchase.
Franklin Park seeks laborer, supervisor of activity center
Franklin Park has several job openings, including a for full-time laborer for the Public Works Department and a part-time facility supervisor of the Blueberry Hill Park Activity Center.
Job opportunities and application links are posted on the borough’s website at franklinparkborough.us/348/Job-Opportunities.
A Public Works laborer is needed to perform a range of construction, maintenance and repair activities related to roadways, storm sewer systems, municipal buildings and other public infrastructure. The position supports the daily operations of the Public Works Department and contributes directly to the safety, appearance and functionality of borough facilities and rights-of-way. To apply, send a resume to Superintendent of Public Works, Borough of Franklin Park, 2344 W. Ingomar Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 or email it to gbucuren@franklinparkborough.us. The position will remain open until filled by a qualified applicant.
The part-time position at the Blueberry Hill Park Activity Center involves opening and closing the facility and minor janitorial duties. It requires weekend and evening work, a Pennsylvania driver’s license and clearances. Interested candidates should download, complete and return an employment application to the Recreation Program Director, 2344 W. Ingomar Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237.