For many Plum residents, Lelulo’s Pizzeria is known for its active social media presence and community engagement.

During the covid-19 pandemic, owner Patyn McCune provided free lunches for several local children. Since then, she’s also helped with clothing and Easter basket drives, opened a food pantry during last year’s lapse in SNAP benefits and offered free meals to first responders and electrical lineworkers.

“My mission is to help really anyone who I can,” she said.

And on Sunday, McCune cried on the jumbotron at PPG Paints Arena as she was recognized for her efforts during the Pittsburgh Penguins match-up against the Carolina Hurricanes.

She was awarded a $25,000 grant by Washington County-based 84 Lumber in collaboration with the Penguins. The “EmpowerHER Grant” recognizes women-owned businesses in the Pittsburgh region that contribute to their communities.

84 Lumber, which provides the funds for the grants, started the program with the Penguins in 2021 as part of a partnership called LIFT, or Leading and Inspiring Females to Thrive.

Amy Smiley, 84 Lumber’s vice president for marketing, said the grants are an effort to give back to the community and support women in business. The building materials giant has been run by a woman, Maggie Hardy, since 1992.

“It goes beyond what’s happening on the ice,” said Bernadette Provost, a Penguins marketing manager.

Each year, the company collects nominations from the public before a panel of 84 Lumber and Penguins officials narrow down the pool to three semi-finalists. The public can then weigh in via an online ballot to select the winner.

Smiley said the panel selected the finalists from more than 700 nominations this year. The other finalists were Oakmont’s Brick House Chic Boutique and Grove City’s K-9 Confections.

McCune ultimately garnered more than 5,000 votes, she said.

After she won, McCune said she was completely overwhelmed.

“I cried for about 20 minutes,” she said.

The Plum resident said she plans to put some of the money aside and pay off some business debt. But she’ll also use the funds to take a weekend vacation “somewhere warm.”

Support from customers before and after the she won has been constant, McCune said.

“All the customers were saying, ‘You’re going to win this,’” she said.

McCune said she didn’t grow up a sports fan, and Sunday was only the second time she’d been to a Penguins game.

But walking out with $25,000, she said she plans to return to the arena soon.