January 2020 Issue of Northern Connection

January 2020

CONNECTING YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR 21 YEARS

Vincentian Academy Celebrating Alumni

Also... 2020 Education Guide • 20 Trivia • January Happenings Healthy You for the New Year

www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

January

Features 10 Business Spotlight: Cameron Professional Services Group Janice Lane Palko

2020 Education Guide 9

A Place to Grow Learning Center Creates a Love of Learning and Precious Memories Janice Lane Palko

12 Cover Story: Vincentian Academy Celebrating Alumni Janice Lane Palko

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14 Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today!

16 St. Gregory Catholic School 17 Is Your Child Struggling? It May Not Be Their Fault 18 Fields of Learning: The Shady Side Academy Farm 20 2020 Education Guide Directory 22 School Movers & Shakers 23 Nurture Feeding and Communication Support, LLC

Health & Wellness

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24 Healthy You for the New Year With No Resoultions Belinda Burchick

28 Fit Families: Sit Up Straight!

Joella Baker

30 Solevo Wellness January 2020 Events 30 Personal Care Medical Associates

Your Home 33 Michelle Bushée, Realtor

Janice Lane Palko

Senior Living 36 Anthology of McCandless Senior Living

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37 Happenings for Seniors

Advertorials 7

Get Your “ING” Back: Peripheral Neuropathy Sufferers Have Hope Dr. Shawn Richey

In Every Issue...

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From the Publisher

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Movers & Shakers

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Mover & Shaker of the Month: Shelby Petonak Paula Green

Marion Piotrowski

11 From the Editor: Rerouting 34 Facts from the Farm

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Janice Lane Palko

Ron Eichner

38 Support Our Troops: North Allegheny Students Preserve the Korean War Memorial Paula Green 40 January 2020 Happenings 44 Trivia Connection: Trivia 20

Paula Green

www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

Happy New Year and Welcome to the January Issue of Northern Connection Magazine!

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hope you had a wonderful Christmas season, and I wish you a Happy, Healthy New Year!

In this issue we are proud to feature the 21st annual Education Guide. We are fortunate to live in an area that offers so many education options, and Northern Connection magazine features an education section every month. We work closely with the schools so that we can help them promote their accomplishments—not only academically but also the students as they grow and become successful leaders in the community and beyond. The cover story highlights Vincentian Academy as they feature some of the distinguished alumni that have graduated throughout the years.

These alumni have gone on to be very successful men and women who contribute so “The person who much to their communities. As a Vincentian says it cannot be Academy alumna, I am very proud to share done should not the positive impact that Vincentian Academy interrupt the person has had over the past 87 years!

It’s hard to believe we are in the year of that is doing it.”

2020!

This month’s Trivia has something Chinese Proverb to do with “20.” Check it out and see if you know the answers to these questions.

With the New Year upon us, be sure to read the article “Healthy You for the New Year.” It helps us to realize that we need to take care of ourselves first.

Enjoy reading all of our special features along with our regular monthly columns. We are proud to be entering our 21st year of publishing Northern Connection magazine. We look forward to another year of connecting you to the community. Thank you for your support, and together, we continue to make our community an outstanding place to live and work. n

NORTHERN CONNECTION P.O. Box 722, Wexford, PA 15090-0722

Phone: 724-940-2444 Fax: 724-940-2447 Email: ncmagazine@northernconnectionmag.com www.northernconnectionmag.com

President & Publisher

Marion Swanson Piotrowski Executive Editor

Janice Lane Palko Laura Arnold laura@northernconnectionmag.com

Managing Editor/ Public Relations Coordinator

Paula M. Green Marketing & Account Executive and Office Coordinator

Laura Lyn Arnold Marketing & Account Executive

Mary L. Simpson Mary Simpson marysimpson@northernconnectionmag.com

Design & Production

Kostilnik & Assoc., Inc. Web Master

Swanson Publishing Company Core Writers

Janice Lane Palko ncmagazine@northernconnectionmag.com

Joella Baker Belinda Burchick Ron Eichner Paula M. Green Janice Lane Palko Marianne Reid Anderson Kelly Smith Distribution

Linda Watkins Lori Palmer Paula Green ncmagazine@northernconnectionmag.com

Keep in touch with Northern Connection on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest

Northern Connection is published twelve times a year by Swanson Publishing Co., Inc. (P.O. Box 722, Wexford, PA 15090-0722, 724-940-2444) and is distributed free of charge to the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh. Subscription can be purchased from the publisher at $25 for one year.

The mission of the Swanson Publishing Co., Inc. is to connect the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh by publishing the area’s finest community publication, Northern Connection. The publication is dedicated to the people, communities, educational, religious, travel, and recreational needs of the area.

The contents of Northern Connection magazine may not be reproduced or copied in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Northern Connection magazine reserves the right to refuse editorial or advertisements that do not meet the standards of this publication.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Movers & Shakers Jeffrey C. Astbury, MD, FASE, FACC, FASA, MSBE, MSEE, CSAS, CSNS, received the 2019 Distinguished Alumnus Award in Physics from Edinboro University.

He received his B.A. in Physics from Edinboro University. Dr. Astbury is the Vice Chairman for Cardiovascular Services and the Director of Perioperative Echocardiography, Department of Anesthesiology, Butler Health System.

The multidisciplinary TAVR team recently treated their 100th patient with the innovative, minimally-invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure. Heritage Valley Beaver is one of only five hospitals in Southwestern Pennsylvania to offer the revolutionary procedure.

Two UPMC hospitals were named Top Hospitals nationally by The Leapfrog Group. UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh was named a Top Children’s Hospital, and UPMC Northwest was named a Top Rural Hospital.

Vincentian announced that Schenley Gardens, a personal care senior community located on Bigelow Boulevard in North Oakland, has officially received a full and unrestricted license to operate from the state Department of Human Services.

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St. Margaret Foundation announced $624,681 in grants for 2020 in alignment with the organization’s strategic priorities of: 1) Patient Access, 2) Patient Education and 3) Patient Experience.

The Young Peoples Orchestra (YPO), part of Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO) have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City on March 31.

With the help of Clearview Federal Credit Union, Helping Hands of Centerpoint in Monaca, was able to provide over 10,000 meals and 500 bags to residents in eight area school districts through the holiday season. Clearview awarded Helping Hands, which assists homeless and food insecure members of the community, $2,500 on behalf of Natalie Shoop, longtime Helping Hands volunteer, and 2019 Joseph C. Cirelli Award winner.

Beyond Spots & Dots earned two awards at the American Marketing Association Awards. They won the 2019 Travel Marketing Marketer of the Year and the Non-Profit Marketer of the Year.

Carnegie Science Center has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums.

The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber elected seven Directors to its Board. Incumbents include: Gary Basilone, Andrew Chiapusio and Mark Prentice. New leaders are: Bruce Conley, Lisa Hunt, Calvin Sales, and Valerie Wieloch (Belz).

Get Your “ING” Back Peripheral Neuropathy Sufferers Have HOPE

Announcing Our Newest Location!

Dr. Shawn Richey has restored the lives of thousands of peripheral neuropathy sufferers.

Carla S. walkING to watch my grandson’s soccer game!

Michael walkING again

Gretchen B. sleepING again

Peripheral Neuropathy occurs when nerves are damaged or

destroyed and can’t send messages to the muscles, skin and other parts of the body.

Peripheral nerves go from the brain and spinal cord to the arms, hands, legs and feet.

When damage to the nerves takes place, numbness and pain in these areas may occur.

A specialized treatment protocol utilizing brand new technologies is available at the Neuropathy Treatment Centers of PGH. It includes the combination of very specific, non invasive, FDA approved and painless treatments that are designed to heal rather than just deal with the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.

Dr. Shawn’s SUPERVISED, MONITORED and IN OFFICE program has a 90 percent satisfaction rate. With the experience of seeing over 3000 patients, he is able to tailor a specific and successful treatment plan for each individual to provide maximum results.

1385 Washington Rd., Suite 100, Washington, PA 15301 Across from the Meadows

Marla C. balancING again

Pat H. wearING shoes again

For a FREE Consultation, contact Dr. Shawn Richey at (724) 940-9000 and your appointment will be made at the location that is most convenient for you. To learn more, visit marydancedin.com.

Three Locations:

Peripheral Neuropathy symptoms can include: Sharp Pains or Cramps in the Feet or Legs Burning Pain in the Legs, Feet or Hands Extreme Sensitivity to Touch Loss of Balance or Coordination Feelings of Walking on Pins and Needles Weakness in the Arms and Legs Numbness and Tingling or Pain in the Toes, Feet, Hands, Arms and Fingers Dependency on Medications If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, don’t wait till they get worse. Call today to schedule your FREE consultation.

Debra B. sleepING again

Sewickley 2591 Wexford-Bayne Rd, Suite 207

Latrobe 1901 Ligonier Street

Washington, Pa

Neuropathy Treatment Centers of PGH

1385 Washington Rd., Suite 100

MaryDancedIn.com (724) 940-9000

Visit us on Facebook under Neuropathy Treatment Centers of PGH and join our private support group

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Mover & Shaker of the Month

Shelby Petonak Founder of the Pillows for Patients program

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By Paula Green

ine-Richland senior Shelby Petonak, 17, finds comfort in helping breast cancer patients. In the late summer of 2017, Shelby’s mom, Wendy, was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. The news devastated her tight-knit family.

Wendy was treated at Allegheny Health Network’s Cancer Institute. “Between my dad (Joe), siblings (Joey and Nate), the Pine-Richland cheerleading families and the doctors and nurses at AHN, my mom had a reliable support team to help her recover.

There was one object that helped to support her physically after surgery: a heart-shaped pillow. It is

designed specifically for mastectomy patients,” said Shelby.

“The Axillapilla® by Masthead® comfortably supports the axilla (underarm) and other sensitive areas post-surgery and helps to relieve underarm pressure so breast cancer survivors can relax their arms without pain or wear a seatbelt comfortably during a long car ride. These pillows are something functional that patients can use and make the whole process a little easier and a little more comforting,” Shelby said.

Shelby wanted breast cancer patients who recently had a mastectomy to have one of these pillows. She felt they would also benefit as much as her mother did. With that in mind, Shelby founded the Patients for Pillows program. She raises the necessary funds so that the pillows can be purchased for the patients. The AHN’s nurse navigator then distributes them.

When she started her fundraising quest, Shelby was seeking to raise $3,000. “I achieved that goal in two and a half weeks thanks to the generous donations of friends, family and people in my community,” Shelby said. The majority of the funds were raised during football games this past season and online.

Shelby’s fundraising initiative has been so well received that she decided to raise the bar and has set a higher target. “My goal is now $30,000 to fund the program for three years. I have currently raised over $7, 000,” Shelby said.

To donate to AHN’s Pillows for Patients, visit https://give.everydayhero.com/us/pillows-for-patients.

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A Place to Grow Learning Center Creates a Love of Learning and Precious Memories

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By Janice Lane Palko

ince its founding in 2001, A Place to Grow Learning Center has been providing quality childcare for children ages twelve-weeks to five years. Located at 1331 Freeport Road in O’Hara Township, A Place to Grow’s vision is to create a love of learning and a lifetime of memories.

Dana Cupples is the owner of A Place to Grow and has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Clarion University and a Special Education Degree from Duquesne University.

Prior to opening A Place to Grow, she taught for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. She, as well as the rest of her staff including directors Nicole Bush and Terry DeMoss, have education degrees and experience in caring for and teaching young children.

Classrooms at A Place Grow are bright, cheerful and inspire children to explore, play and learn. A Place to Grow also has a safe, secure environment and uses video surveillance and security cameras both inside and outside of the building. “We have installed ProCare, a specialized childcare software that utilizes biometric ID scanning which allows convenient and secure checkin and check-out,” said Ms. Bush. “We have a kiosk in front of the building, and parents sign their children in and out, by scanning their fingerprints.” The software also allows A Place to Grow to track attendance, revenue and assist with all day-to-day operations.

Parents sing A Place to Grow’s praises as the numerous testimonials on their website reveal.

A Place to Grow is always looking for educators who share its vision of creating an environment where children develop a love for learning while creating a lifetime of memories.

For more information, on A Place to Grow Learning Center, visit the website at: www.aplacetogrow.net. 412-963-1222 n

Join our Team!

We are looking for great teachers to join the A Place to Grow team!

Call for more information!

www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Cameron Professional Services Group

By Janice Lane Palko

“We have real-life experiences because we’ve worked in the areas we serve. Our experience goes beyond knowledge; we’ve lived it,” said Francine B. Cameron, President and CEO of Cameron Professional Services Group (CPSG).

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ameron Professional Services Group, located at 1901 Centre Avenue, not far from PPG Paints Arena, provides Accounting, Auditing, Bookkeeping, Tax Preparation and Community Development services for not-for-profits and for-profit organizations and government agencies. CPSG has recently celebrated its ninth year in business.

“We are a very experienced and diverse Certified Public Accountants and Consultants firm. Our staff has worked in the following industries: public accounting, banking, financial services, housing development, economic development and local and national government.

Mrs. Cameron is a Certified

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Public Accountant and has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Duquesne University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business.

CPSG offers a wide array of professional services: accounting,

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financial statement preparation and analysis, fiscal assessment, community development and staff training. CPSG also provides auditing services such as annual audits, compilations and reviews.

Tax returns preparation services incudes: 1040, 1120, 1120S, 1065 and 990. In addition, CPSG offer a host of bookkeeping services such as accounts payable tracking, accounts receivable recording, revenue, grants & donations monitoring, financial statement preparation and QuickBooks training.

CPSG provides expertise across the State of Pennsylvania and offers a free, 30-minute consultation (location: CPSG’s offices or video conference).

CPSG’s staff is committed to providing quality customer service.

“Our mission is to be that trusted financial advisor for our client,” said Mrs. Cameron.

If you need accounting, auditing, bookkeeping, tax preparation and community development assistance, contact CPSG by calling (412) 251-0607 x101 or by emailing professional@ cameronpsg.com. For more information, visit CPSG’s website at: www.cameronpsg.com. n

From the Editor

Rerouting

By Janice Lane Palko

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our life is heading down one path, and then suddenly, in an instant, it all changes.” Those words were uttered by a former St. Benedict Academy classmate of mine over the holidays when she came to Pittsburgh from Florida for a visit after not seeing each other for 43 years. Sadly, she was forced to leave our high school back in 1976 when her mother suddenly died during our junior year. Several other classmates and I were able to reconnect with our friend after finding her on Facebook.

If you use a GPS to navigate, I’m sure you’ve had this experience at some time. You plug in a destination, follow the prompts, and then maybe miss a turn or take a shortcut not recognized by the app, and you find yourself heading in a direction plotted by the GPS. The app usually flashes a “Rerouting . . .” message and tries to reorient you toward your final destination.

Life can be like that GPS. There were nine of us who were able to meet with our long-lost classmate, and as we sat around the dining room table in another friend’s home, we caught our friend up on our lives, and she told us about hers.

And as I looked at these women that I’ve known since we were 14, I couldn’t help but take stock of where our paths of life had led us over the decades. Two of the nine had battled and beaten cancer. Rerouting . . . Two had been divorced. Rerouting. . . One had suffered the death of a child. Rerouting. . . One had had a husband and two sons deployed during the war in Afghanistan. Rerouting . . .

Two had recently lost parents to Alzheimer’s. Rerouting . . .

Though all of us had suffered some sort of loss or faced some sort of difficulty since we last saw our friend in 1976, every one of us turned out to be a responsible member of society. We were loving wives, moms, and, for three of us, now grandmothers as well as being teachers, accountants, chefs, nurses, etc. None of us, after our lives had gone off course, remained lost for very long. Each had rerouted and plowed ahead with her life.

But the larger question is: Where were we rerouting to?

Where were we all heading? Although no one there stated it implicitly during our conversation, I knew that faith still played an important part in all of our lives. Sometimes I think that when you’re aiming for a Divine destination, it’s easier to reroute when life throws you off course.

You may not be a person of faith; if not, I still urge you think of what you want your destination to be. Where are you heading? What is your lodestar? What are you going to chart your course to? Everyone needs a destination so that when you are forced to reroute, and you will during sometime in your life, you can still find your way. If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you ever going to get there? n www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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Margaret Gambol Bash

Niceta Bradburn, M.D.

Dr. Mary Joan Willard

Dr. Bridget Chufo

Lori Cardille

Vincentian Academy Celebrating Alumni

By Janice Lane Palko

I think the success of any school can be measured by the contribution the alumni make to our national life – John F. Kennedy

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school may possess state-of-the art facilities, a highly qualified staff, a rigorous curriculum and the most sought-after extracurricular activities and award-winning sports teams, but if that school does not graduate students who go on to lead moral, productive lives, then all those school features are for naught.

Vincentian Academy (VA) has all those qualities, and it delivers on molding graduates who are prepared to make a difference in the world.

“Vincentian Academy has a long-standing tradition of educating the ‘whole’ student. Though we are very diligent in making certain that our students have the most rigorous academic preparation possible, we understand that the spiritual formation and character development is what is needed most in our society. Vincentian

n Margaret Gambol Bash

Class of 1963 Registered Nurse & Volunteer Project Hope & VA Hospital After earning a BSN from The Ohio State University, Margaret served as a nurse in Cleveland, Phoenix, and Chicago while also serving two tours of duty with Project HOPE on the Good Ship HOPE at Kingston, Jamaica, and Natal, Brazil. She obtained a master’s degree in Education from Ashland College and became a school nurse and continued her dedication to volunteering. Among her many endeavors was traveling with Rotary International for the Children of the Dump project in Nicaragua and helping the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Belize to build “Pittsburgh House.”

Margaret volunteered at Carl Stokes VA Hospital in Cleveland where she devel-

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Academy prides itself on producing outstanding global citizens,” said Rita Canton, Principal and Head of School, Vincentian Academy.

Located in McCandless Township, Vincentian Academy, a co-ed Catholic high school, is in its 87th year of educating students and preparing them to be tomorrow’s leaders. VA is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, and as such the students at VA also follow the example set by those sisters by making the most of their God-given talents and strive to bring the love of Christ into the world.

Below are the biographies of just some of the Vincentian Academy graduates making their mark in the world.

oped an intensive program to stimulate brain-injured and physically incapacitated veterans. The program was recognized by the Ohio Veterans’ Administration for its “Best Practices.”

...................................................... n Niceta Bradburn, M.D.

Class of 1967 Medical Director, Women & Children Service Lines St. Vincent Health Niceta received her undergraduate degree from Butler University and a Doctor of Medicine from the Indiana University School of Medicine. For the last 30 years, she has served in an evergrowing role at St. Vincent Health in Indianapolis, where she retired as the Medical Director for the Women and Children Services Line at Peyton Manning

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Children’s Hospital, part of the St. Vincent Health System. She has been honored numerous times for her work including receiving the Irving Rosenbaum Award, which recognizes individual contributions to the welfare of children in Indiana as well as the Patient Safety Hero Award from the Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety.

...................................................... n Dr. Mary Joan Willard Class of 1968 Executive Director National Telecommuting Institute, Inc.

Trained and educated as a clinical psychologist, M.J. has three projects that have captured her talent and passion.

The first, Helping Hands is a nonprofit she founded which trains capuchin mon-

Rogal

Mike Geiger

keys to serve as aides for people who are quadriplegics. This project was the subject of a 60 Minutes story. The second is the National Telecommuting Institute, another nonprofit that trains and places people with physical disabilities into telework jobs. NTI places 500 people a year in customer service or tech support jobs, enabling them to work from their homes.

Lastly, TakeCharge is an organization that provides people with severe disabilities a subsidized path for returning to work.

TakeCharge is used by more than 15,000 people with disabilities to help them become financially independent.

...................................................... n Dr. Bridget Chufo

Class of 1970 President & Owner – Dr. Chufo’s Weight Loss & Wellness Center For more than 30 years, Bridget Chufo, PhD, RN, has been a leader in the nutrition and weight-loss industry. For her efforts, she was recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s Top 50 Women in Business in 2002 and was named Woman of the Year by The American Biological Institute and its Board of International Research in 2005. She also received the Pittsburgh Business Times Ethics Award in the Small Company Category in 2006 and is listed in the Top 2,000 Notable American Women in the Second Edition of the American Biographical Institute. She began her career as a cardiac care nurse and continues to care for the community taking an active role with the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech and The Hearing Center of Children’s Hospital.

She has also worked with The American Liver Foundation and is on the Board of Regents at La Roche University.

...................................................... n Lori Cardille Rogal Class of 1972 Actress

An award-winning actress, Lori earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University and among her many acting credits, she appeared on Broadway with Jessica Tandy and Glenda Jackson in Rose. She also played recurring roles on The Edge of Night and Ryan’s Hope. For her work in George Romero’s classic Day of the Dead, she

John Iaquinta

Lance Chimka

received the best actress award from France’s Cinema du Fantastique and Spain’s Sitges Film Festival. She is the author of the book, I’m Going to Tell, which helps people to understand the trauma of child sexual abuse and how to heal from it. For her work to remove the stigma attached to depression, she was nominated for the St. Francis Hospital Courage to Come Back Award. She has also worked with Forbes Hospice and is an accomplished photographer.

...................................................... n Mike Geiger

Class of 1995 Owner – Big Plan Group After graduating from Duquesne University, Mike relocated to Florida to develop and sell products in the mobile phone industry. He eventually came back to Pittsburgh where he and fellow alum John Iaquinta founded Big Plan Group, which has opened seven Moe’s Southwest Grills in the Pittsburgh area, creating more than 200 jobs in the region. In 2015, the company committed to partnering with North Huntington based Beverly’s Birthdays to supply all the food needed to serve over 5,000 people annually in the nonprofit’s mission of providing a birthday party for the children in our region who are experiencing homelessness and a family crisis.

...................................................... n John Iaquinta

Class of 1996 Owner – Big Plan Group After graduating from Vincentian, John attended the PA Culinary Institute, capitalizing on his interest in food, which began when he was 14 and worked as a dishwasher in a restaurant. After working in some of the most respected kitchens in Pittsburgh, he was named an Executive Chef at the age of 23. In 2005, he opened his first Moe’s Southwest Grill in Cranberry Township.

Today, he and his business partner, Mike Geiger, also a Vincentian Academy alumnus, operate seven Moe’s locations in the area as well as owning/managing their Commercial Real Estate company, Double Down Real Estate. Together they partner with Beverly’s Birthdays, an organization that provides birthday celebrations for children experiencing homelessness.

Marissa Muth

n Lance Chimka

Class of 1998 Director – Allegheny County Economic Development Lance currently serves as Allegheny County’s Economic Development Director, where his mission is to ensure regional economic competitiveness and build vibrant neighborhoods. He works with community leaders, elected officials, businesses, nonprofits and philanthropies, marshaling resources to finance business expansion, upgrade infrastructure, conduct land use and transportation planning, develop commercial and industrial real estate, redevelop brownfields and build affordable housing in Allegheny County. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance from The Catholic University of American and an M.S. in public policy and management from Carnegie Mellon University.

He also served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Turkmenistan from 2002-2005.

...................................................... n Marissa Muth

Class of 2016 2020 Wolstein Society Inductee Case Western Reserve University Marissa was recently inducted into the Wolstein Society at Case Western Reserve University, which recognizes outstanding undergraduate students in their senior year who represent the spirit of enterprise as demonstrated by leadership, scholarship, community service and professional will. She is a senior accounting and finance double major who will graduate in May and will receive her Master of Accountancy in December 2020. She has received a job offer from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

To learn more about Vincentian Academy, visit the website at: www. vincentianacademy.org. n

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N O RT H E R N C O N N E C T I O N

EDUCATI N GUIDE 2020 Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today!

Oakland Catholic Partners with Outdoor Odyssey Leadership Academy

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eadership development is integral to the OC educational experience - even when school is not in session! Thanks to the newly established Leadership Fund, 10 rising Oakland Catholic Juniors participated in the pilot of a partnership between Oakland Catholic High School and Outdoor Odyssey in June.

Established in 1998 on 500 acres in the Laurel Highlands, Outdoor Odyssey provides a unique wilderness experience that incorporates leadership skills,

high adventure and team building into a week-long curriculum. Graduates of this Leadership Academy then cultivate their new skills by mentoring peers and younger students the following school year.

Ten rising Juniors accepted the invitation to represent Oakland Catholic, stepping up to the challenges presented with great success. For one week in June, they faced adversities and obstacles, pushed themselves far outside their comfort zones and managed

the group dynamics that every leader must face as she figures out curve balls thrown in her direction, while maintaining a positive attitude and encouraging those around her. Chaperoned by English teacher Jane Jeffries, OCHS’08,

with assistance from President Mary Claire Kasunic, Principal Marisa Greco, and School Counselors Elyse Lanzendorfer and Angela Orbin, the group took on physical challenges such as a high ropes course, a tower climb, zipline escape, a strenuous hike in the rain with camping gear and spelunking in Bear Cave. The young women engaged daily in leadership discussion sessions, debriefing conversations after challenges and motivational strategizing. Based on leadership principles that apply to everyday work, life and relationships, the ultimate goal of this high adventure experience is to build confidence while instilling ideas on how to become a more effective leader.

The individual is definitely a focus, but the program also prioritizes team via communication, trust, cooperation and the acceptance of all members.

Oakland Catholic looks forward to sending another cohort of OC Leaders to Outdoor Odyssey next June! n

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EDUCATI N GUIDE 2020

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St. Gregory Catholic School

ervice, leadership, and faith are all qualities embodied by eighthgrade students at St.Gregory Catholic School. Each year eighth-grade students under the guidance of Erika Barlow, a former student and current social studies teacher, visit Passavant Community’s Newhaven Court no less than six times. Newhaven Court is a personal care and assisted living home located in Zelienople. Now a longstanding tradition, Barlow visited Newhaven Court while she was a student at St. Gregory Catholic School. She was eager to bring the project back to life for her own students, sharing the fundamentals and community-oriented spirit instilled from her earliest visits.

During the visits, students easily converse with the residents and are eager to learn about their lives. What appears on the surface to be a large generational gap is always quickly filled as students learn how the sacrifices of yesterday relate to the lives that they enjoy today. One resident, Andrew Szakelyhidi, served during WWII and loves to quiz the students on their knowledge of the war and share his story of service. Although several decades may separate them, the relationship formed between the students and the residents of Passavant Community’s Newhaven Court appeared to be ubiquitous.

In addition to participating in a Thanksgiving meal, students provide activities such as Bingo and a yearly Easter egg hunt. This Advent season, students have been diligently gathering and wrapping presents to be delivered to the residents. It would be fair to say that students look forward to each visit and are eager to bring the joy of the holidays into the lives of others. n

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Is Your Child Struggling?

It May Not Be Their Fault

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ith the first semester of the school year winding down, students and parents are beginning to reevaluate whether their current school is meeting their needs. While brick-and-mortar schools work for many families, there are a number of reasons that the traditional learning environment becomes inadequate in its ability to meet a student’s needs.

Agora Cyber Charter School, a tuition-free public school with year-round enrollment, offers an educational option for students who need to make the change to learn in a new environment — one that allows them to receive a more personalized education.

In many cases, a student is not to blame when they are struggling in school. From being bullied, to lack of consistent instruction, to the inevitable distractions, to learning in an over-crowded classroom — a student’s sub-par schooling environment often suppresses their desire to learn. If your child has endured any of these avoidable problems, now is the time to make the switch to a cyber school, which are being embraced across the state as necessary options.

Agora’s multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) identifies specific student needs and matches them with appropriate strategies. Each student is given individualized attention and a curriculum that works for their specific learning style, giving them the best possible chance for success. At this point in the school year, many students are realizing that their grades may impede their ability to accumulate the necessary credits to advance. With twenty school counselors, math and reading specialists and programs geared towards remediation through advanced learning, no matter the grade, Agora focuses on school success and life after high school.

After years of perfecting cyber education, Agora’s distractionfree, supportive environment meets the student at their level and ensures that they are equipped to live up to their true potential — socially, academically, and personally. n www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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EDUCATI N GUIDE 2020 School Spotlight

Fields of Learning: The Shady Side Academy Farm Sustainability education and outdoor learning come alive at Shady Side Academy through its unique SSA Farm program, which includes gardens on all four campuses that provide interdisciplinary, experiential learning opportunities.

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he SSA Farm includes a large 40x100-foot garden at the Senior School and raised garden beds at the Middle, Junior and Country Day Schools. Three of the campuses have egg-laying hens. Together, the gardens yield more than 600 pounds of organic produce annually, which is sold at the Fox Chapel Farmers Market and used by SSA’s cafeterias, bringing the farm-to-table concept directly to students’ lunch trays.

“The goal is for students to develop a curiosity and appreciation for the outdoors,” says Director of SSA Farms Anna Sekine. “The more you

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learn about where your food comes from, and all the steps that it takes to get to your plate, the more it opens your mind.”

Sekine oversees the gardens and works with faculty to integrate the farm into the PK-12 curriculum.

She also oversees the Fox Chapel Farmers Market, held weekly on the Senior School campus from JuneOctober.

At the Senior School (grades 9-12), environmental science classes do soil testing and examine industrial and sustainable agriculture. Health classes utilize farm produce in a nutrition unit, learning about nutrient density and food access. Students can choose PE Farm as their fall or spring athletics option to earn credit working on the farm, and can serve as farmers market managers each summer, learning management, marketing and community relations skills.

Middle School students (grades 6-8) can choose Farm as their spring activity option or join the Ecology Committee to help tend the eight raised garden beds and native pollinator garden – or join the Chicken Committee to care for the hens.

Science classes study the role of decomposers and pollinators in the food system and learn about sustainable growing practices, native and invasive plant species and plant biology.

SSA Country Day School in Fox Chapel (PK-5) has a U-shaped raised garden bed filled with herbs, flowers and tomatoes. Students start seedlings in the science lab, plant them in the garden and harvest vegetables for salads and salsa. They learn about soil, composting and insects, visiting the Senior School farm across the street to observe how bees aid in pollination, and how chickens provide nutrients and insect control. At SSA Junior School in Point Breeze (PK-5), students help tend five raised garden beds and hens, while science classes study plant life cycles, beneficial insects, nutrient cycling and taking food from seed to plate.

Sekine sees the SSA Farm as a valuable learning tool. “The farm is a powerful educational instrument,” she says. “Through gardening, students learn how to be responsible caretakers for their environments. They also develop patience, teamwork and a sense of ownership. It’s truly a field of learning.”

Visit www.ShadySideAcademy.org/SSAFarm to learn more. Or call the Admissions Office at 412-968-3180 to schedule a personal tour or register for winter admissions testing. n

EDUCATI N GUIDE 2020 2020 Education Guide Directory Agora Cyber Charter School www.Agora.com (844) 462-4672

A Place to Grow Learning Center

www.alphaschool.org (412) 366-4455

A.W. Beattie Career Center

www.qchs.org (724) 869-2188

Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care

www.royaloaksch.com (412) 487-1668

www.aplacetogrowlearningcenter.com (412) 963-7000 www.beattietech.com (412) 847-1900

www.kiddieacademy.com/ cranberrytownship (724) 452-9898 www.kiddieacademy.com/wexford (724) 935-9898

North Hills Regional Catholic Elementary Schools

www.nhrces.org • Blessed Francis Seelos Academy (724) 935-1152 • Blessed Trinity Academy (412) 486-7611 • Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy (412) 781-7927 • Holy Cross Academy (412) 364-7171 • St. James School (412) 741-6650

Oakland Catholic

www.OaklandCatholic.org (412) 682-6633

PA Cyber

www.pacyber.org (888) 722-9237

Penn State Beaver

www.beaver.psu.edu/ce/youth (724) 773-3700

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Providence Heights Alpha School

JANUARY 2020 | www.northernconnectionmag.com

Quigley Catholic High School Royal Oak Nursery School & Kindergarten

Saint Joseph High School

www.saintjosephhs.com (724) 224-5552

Shady Side Academy

www.shadysideacademy.org (412) 968-3000

St. Gregory

www.stgregzelie.org (724) 452-9731

Studio 19 Dance Complex Facebook/Instagram: @ studio19dancecomplex (724) 779-0019

TenderCare

www.earlyeducationpros.org Wexford: (724) 934-0411 Hampton: (412) 486-5510 Cranberry: (724) 772-0598

Vincentian Academy

www.Vincentianacademy.org (412) 364-1616

EDUCATI N GUIDE 2020

School Movers & Shakers Shady Side Academy

Model European Union. Two of their students, Samuel Everson and Sabrina Knox won the outstanding position paper for their room at the conference.

St. Joseph Newsweek announced its ranking of the top 5,000 STEM high schools in America for 2020, honoring excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. The national news magazine ranked Shady Side Academy as the best STEM high school in the Pittsburgh area and No. 6 in Pennsylvania.

Aquinas Academy The Aquinas Academy Model EU club competed at the University of Pittsburgh at the High School

Saint Joseph High School senior Ethan Schroeder received his Ethan Boy Scout of America Eagle Award Schroeder recently. Ethan refurbished the social hall for Bridgepoint Church in Tarentum.

Seneca Valley Three Seneca Valley students won awards at Slippery Rock University’s (SRU) 2019 Regional High School Art Exhibition. Seniors Kelsey Gianfancesco, Corin Trejchel and Victoria Lydon earned three of the five awards presented during the exhibit reception on Nov. 21.

The Seneca Valley Academic Decathlon Team placed first in a regional Academic Decathlon Competition, held at Collegiate Academy on Dec. 7.

Mars Area Blair Gerlach, Mars Area High School Girls Varsity Soccer Team head coach, was named 2019 Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association (PSCA) Coach of the Year.

Blair Gerlach

Two Mars Area School District students were named Navigating Teen Life Ambassadors for UPMC Children’s Julia Isabella McCarty Rossi Community Pediatrics (CCP).

Senior Julia McCarty and seventh-grader Isabella Rossi are among 26 teen ambassadors who have been working to promote health and wellness among teens in the Pittsburgh Region via UPMC CCP’s Navigating Teen Life program.

Mars Area High School Girls Varsity Soccer Team earned the 2019 PIAA Class 3A Girls Soccer Championship, defeating the Villa Joseph Marie Jems 1-0 in final game of the competition on Nov. 16.

Fox Chapel Fox Chapel Area High School senior Rajeev Godse has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2020 class of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program.

Rajeev is one of 1,928 high school Rajeev seniors from across the nation (and Godse one of 80 from Pennsylvania) to be chosen as a semifinalist from more than 93,000 applicants.

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Two Fox Chapel Area High School students were named winners in the annual Wadsworth Grizzly Classic Forensic Tournament. Rajeev Godse and Jackson Romero advanced to the quarterfinal elimination round placing them in the top eight in the tournament.

Three Fox Chapel Area High School students won awards at the 39th Annual University of Virginia High School Model United Nations Conference. The winners were - Jackson Romero, Antoinette Faucher and Omar Shalaby.

Five Fox Chapel Area High School students were selected to perform with the 2019 Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 1 Honors Band. The students chosen were Janise Kim, Nathaniel Kisslinger, Jacob Rendall, Anzu Sekikawa and Joey Wang.

The Fox Chapel Area Board of School Directors held its annual reorganization meeting December 3. Somer Obernauer Jr. was elected president, Marybeth Dadd was chosen as vice president, Edith L. Cook, Ph.D., was selected as the assistant secretary and Eric G. Hamilton was elected treasurer.

BC3 Butler County Community College’s efforts to increase the quality of life in its communities were recognized by Butler County Human Services, which presented BC3 with its 2019 Collaborator of the Year Award.

CCAC

Allegheny County Council honored recent graduates of the Community College of Allegheny County FireVEST scholarship program. The honorees were - Tanner Bock, Joseph Figueroa, Alexander Green, Tyler Hilliard, Mark Loya, David Moore, Jacob Poznik, Sean Ronick, Shelby Snyir, Harrison Tinney, Daniel Vaughn and Kaitlyn Wichelmann.

Nurture Feeding and Communication Support, LLC

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urture Feeding and Communication Support, LLC provides occupational, feeding/swallowing and speech therapy to children, birth to 21 years in Western Pennsylvania. Nurture is also an Early Intervention Provider with Achieva. These services are provided in your home or daycare, so skills are naturally learned in the child’s familiar environment. We can help if your child is struggling with food, having difficulty with bottle feeding/spoon feeding, gagging/coughing/choking with foods, limited foods in diet and tube feeding. Our occupational therapists are trained to help with sensory needs, difficulty writing, using utensils and other self-help needs.

The speech therapists with Nurture can help children communicate if struggling with expressive or receptive language disorders, articulation/sound errors, augmentative communication, stuttering and other communication needs. We are happy to announce we will provide physical therapy in 2020. Check us out at www.nurturemykids.com.

Send us an email or give us a call at 412-708-2080 or info@nurturesupport.com. Remember, when natural skills are difficult, we help nurture them in your home. We hope to hear from you! n

www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

Healthy You for the New Year With No Resolutions

By Belinda Burchick

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et’s admit it, a New Year’s resolution just adds to the never-ending “To Do” list. Unfortunately, by the time February hits, more than 80% of us will fail to achieve our New Year’s resolution. There is a considerable number of people who start the year feeling like failures. Not the best way to achieve a fulfilled and accomplished year.

Our lives are so busy managing all of the roles we have to fill, which ultimately leads to unhealthy practices. All year long, I bet most of the To Do’s are based on what you do for others leaving you with no time left for yourself. No wonder you cannot keep your resolution, especially if it is for you and your health.

Let’s make this simple. Turn your resolution into a “Theme.”

For 2020, I suggest the Theme is “Healthy You.” For the reasoning, think of the flight attendant instructions,

“Put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.” A Healthy You gives you the energy to help and care for others.

Being healthier can be as simple as being kind to yourself and doing your best.

If you want to get technical, then here you go; ask yourself a question, “Does this go with my 2020 Theme, Healthy You?” If the answer is “no,” don’t do it. However, if you are having a bad day, and a piece of chocolate is the answer to make you feel better, go for it.

Start with something achievable, and that doesn’t require extra time. One example is to Breathe on Purpose.

Here’s how: At any time and anywhere in your day, slowly take a deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly through your nose or small opening in your mouth. Try to do this multiple times through your day, and you will be amazed at how well you will feel.

If you want to go for a walk or do any physical activity, remember doing it even once in 2020 is in line with your Theme. Yay! Just enjoy that moment. Unless you are ready to commit, don’t say, “I am going to do this every Monday.”

Always remember, to make a new behavior become automatic, it takes commitment and at least 60 days.

Let’s learn from the ancient philosophy of how important the balance of the Mind-Body-Soul can be to make a Healthy You. Disease occurs when these three life elements are not in harmony. Life can give you energy if you keep the “mind” and “body” Active. And for the “soul,” you just need to Breathe and preserve your Spark. If you follow this simple approach, then you are well on your way to a Complete You. Always keep reminding yourself, “You are an essential part of this life and to those around you.”

I need this as much as you do for 2020. Are you with me?

Cheers to a Healthy You! n

Belinda Burchick, RPh, BPharm, has focused her career on geriatric pharmacy and automated dispensing systems to promote patient safety and improve health outcomes. For the last 10 years, she has served as Chief Pharmacy Officer (CPO) for a long-term care pharmacy, servicing the geriatric population in nursing homes, assisted living, independent living, and the senior day programs, such as, Pennsylvania’s LIFE programs and the PACE programs in multiple states.

Belinda oversees the pharmacy operations in three pharmacies, located in Denver, Philadelphia and headquarters in Pittsburgh.

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

Sit Up Straight!

By Joella Baker As a coach, I am always focused on body position in my athletes. My good friend Dr. Edwin Amrhein at the Evolve Wellness Center in Zelienople focuses on sitting up straight and having good posture. He reminds his patients to lengthen their spine and make their necks long. His voice continues to stay in my head as I remind myself to stand up straight or sit up straight or when I watch my athletes run, lift weights, bike or swim.

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s I coach my athletes, I want to focus on the things that will keep them healthy and training and racing. I’m learning more and more about the importance of good posture and spine alignment. The thing is, we all need to focus on good posture. If you’re like me, you were probably reminded daily by your mom or grandma to sit up straight, don’t slouch. They cared because it just looks better to sit up straight. They didn’t know that it was also helping your back and spine to stay healthier.

Why is good posture so important and how can it make you healthier?

According to Harvard Health Publishing, “good posture is important to balance: by standing up straight, you center your weight over your feet. This also helps you maintain correct form while exercising, which results in fewer injuries and greater gains.”

Even if you are not an athlete, good posture is important. It pays to have good balance. Simple tasks like walking across the floor, rising from a chair, going up and down stairs, carrying groceries require balance and good posture can help.

A Few Advantages of a Proper Posture include: • Proper alignment of both bones and joints so that the muscles are being used properly.

• A decrease in friction at the joints, which could lead to long-term problems.

• Lessens stress over the ligament muscles that are responsible for keeping the joints of the spine intact, and therefore aids in preventing back and muscular pain.

• Good posture will enable muscles to

coordinate in a more-efficient manner; that means you will use less energy and reduce muscle fatigue. This will allow you to take on more tasks or do activities for a longer period of time.

• Lowering the chances of getting back aches or having spinal issues.

• The fact you will look more confident and enhances your overall appearance.

What do you need to maintain good posture?

• Flexible muscles. Having a good range of motion will help you in making sure you can maintain good posture regularly.

• Properly functioning joints. This again goes back to range of motion and body movement. The ability to move your body will allow you to hold proper posture without getting tired.

• Strong core muscles. To hold good posture, you must be able to engage your core muscles so you can support the strong body position.

• Strong back muscles that support the spine.

• Holding proper posture throughout the day when you’re seated, standing, driving and working out. That means sitting up straight, standing up straight with shoulders back and down and core engaged and lying and sleeping properly. Try to not sleep on your stomach and have a good mattress.

There you go—a few tips on maintaining good posture in the new year and how it can make you healthier. You should think of good posture as being as important as nutrition and exercise to staying healthy. In fact, another benefit to good posture is better digestion. Remember, when your spin is happy, the rest of your body is happier too.

Happy New Year everyone! n

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

JANUARY 2020 EVENTS Thursday, January 2 • 11-4

Dr. Anand Certification event PCMA Advanced Pain Medicine and Wellness Cente One Adams Place 310 Seven Fields Boulevard, Suite 130 Mars, PA 16046

Thursday, January 9 • 4-7 Solevo will have a table at the PCMA grand opening

Saturday, January 11 • 8a-9p Healthy Prevention Wellness Expo

Sunday, January 12 • 12-4p

Thursday, January 23 • 11-4

Washington Crown Center Washington, PA

Dr. Anand Certification event PCMA Advanced Pain Medicine and Wellness Center One Adams Place 310 Seven Fields Boulevard, Suite 130 Mars, PA 16046

Thursday, January 16 • 11-4

Dr. Anand Certification event PCMA Advanced Pain Medicine and Wellness Center One Adams Place 310 Seven Fields Boulevard, Suite 130 Mars, PA 16046

Tuesday, January 21 • 1-6

Dr. Folgueras Certification event Community Room 5600 Forward Avenue Squirrel Hill, PA

Thursday, January 30 • 11-4

Dr. Anand Certification event PCMA Advanced Pain Medicine and Wellness Center One Adams Place 310 Seven Fields Boulevard, Suite 130 Mars, PA 16046

Personal Care Medical Associates (PCMA)

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t’s hard to be your best when you are in pain. At Personal Care Medical Associates (PCMA) at PCMA Advanced Pain Medicine and Wellness Center, they help you to feel and look your best. PCMA provides safe, effective, customized care for their patient’s individual needs.

Recently opened at One Adams Place, 310 Seven Fields Boulevard in Seven Fields, PCMA can help those suffering with back and neck pain, osteoporosis, compression fractures, phantom limb pain, neuropathy, osteoarthritis, migraines/headaches and post-laminectomy syndrome.

They treat patients with innovative technology and deliver the most advanced minimally invasive, therapeutic and diagnostic services to restore their patient’s function, relieve pain and regain independence. Their team of providers and interventional pain specialists in their stateof-the-art facility brings quality care close to home. A personalized plan of care is developed for each patient and includes personalized, individual evaluations, customized treatments, multimodal approach to pain management and the use of modern technology and advanced procedures.

PCMA also offers aesthetic services such as Botox, dermal fillers, PRP, stem cell therapy and more. They are happy to accept new patients. For more information, call (724) 741-0633 or info@pcmanetwork.com. n

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YOUR HOME

Business Spotlight

Michelle Bushée, Realtor

By Janice Lane Palko

“I transitioned from working in the legal industry into real estate in 2014. My legal background gives my clients an extra lens on all the documents involved in buying and selling a home. It is a huge asset for my clients.” said Michelle Bushée, Realtor, with Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty.

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life-long resident of the North Hills, Michelle attended La Roche University, majoring in Law and Psychology, and she also holds a Master Paralegal Certification from Duquesne University’s Law School.

Until 2014, she worked at a large downtown law firm, handling the adoptions of children in foster care. She transitioned to real estate at the urging of colleagues who observed that she loved people and loved helping them. “Having a law background has enabled me to protect my client’s liability and their finances, in a way that others without my knowledge and experience could,” said Michelle, who is the mother of three grown children.

A full-time realtor, Michelle handles both residential and commercial properties. “Pittsburgh has become the ‘Silicon Valley of the East’ with all the tech companies moving into the area, and they are bringing in talent from around the world,” said Michelle.

The Sotheby’s brand in one of the most recognized luxury brands worldwide. “I believe everyone, regardless of their price point, deserves to have the exact same luxury experience when buying or selling a home.

Price should not dictate the level of service.”

She also loves helping first-time homebuyers. “I’m finding that I’m getting lots of referrals from buyers who are my children’s age. I take care of them as if they were my own kids,” said Michelle.

Her expertise is not limited to the North Hills. “I tell people that I have a magic car, and if I put gas into it, it will cross a bridge or go through a tunnel. As a fourth generation Pittsburgher, I go where my clients need me.”

Contact Michelle at (412) 585-2451 (mobile) or mbushee@piattsir.com n www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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N C F E AT U R E

Facts from the Farm

By Ron Eichner

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i, folks! Each new calendar year many make resolutions to do something in their lives differently, whether they resolve to learn a new skill, lose some weight, spend more time with loved ones or improve their health.

Well, if you want to improve your health, you must eat nutritionally smart. The foods consumed have to be grown or raised in a nutritionally smart way! Fruits, vegetables, grains, eggs, meats and the milk many consume today are not what they used to be as proven by laboratory tests over the years. Farming practices have changed substantially over the last several generations, and our soil is alarmingly being depleted of the nutrients essential to good health.

Even though they may look exactly alike, one vegetable may be vastly different nutritionally than another vegetable of the same type based on where and how it was grown. One stick of butter may not be the same as another stick of butter, based on what the cow that provided the milk to make that butter ate in the field. The truth is that our foods vary

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enormously in values, and it starts with how farmers grow their crops and take care of their livestock.

When you get down to it, it all starts in the soil. Modern intensive agriculture methods have stripped increasing amounts of nutrients from the soils in which most foods farmers grow or where the livestock graze. The expanded uses of synthetic fertilizers and lime only add a limited range of nutrients to the soil, usually nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and/or sulphur. However, when you have a naturally fortified livestock feed program, it reflects how crops have been grown for thousands of years. By God’s design, livestock utilize 65% of their nutritional consumption, so 35% of the natural nutrients are in their manure. Spreading the livestock manure on the fields in which the crops are grown add many much-needed nutrients that were stripped from the soil after a season of growing. Adding manure to the soil is one way to support nutritionally sustainable agriculture.

When you have a chance, take a few minutes and google U.S. Senate Document #264, a multi-page Congressional document from 1936. In a nutshell, this document says that our soils are being depleted of essential nutrients necessary for raising crops that are nutrient dense and important to a good diet. Our agricultural schools have, unfortunately, been educating our farmers to focus on growth yield and production, and what has been overlooked are the nutritional values of the crops grown. When you lack essential minerals and trace elements in your diet, you can’t absorb all the vitamins in your foods. Minerals are vital to human and animal metabolism. Plants and animals cannot benefit if essential minerals are not present in the soil in which crops are grown, which then affects your health based on your diet.

Since I can’t cover all aspects of this topic in one column, I hope to address some of these issues over the next few months with opinions and facts.

It has been our farm family model for generations to focus on growing seasonal vegetables and raising chickens, eggs, and turkeys that offer optimal nutritional benefits. Please feel free to stop by Eichner’s Whole Farm at 285 Richard Road in Wexford and get the “rest of the story!” n

Karen J. Anspaugh Attorney at Law

Adrienne Abstract & Closing Company 4499 Mount Royal Blvd Allison Park, PA 15101 Mobile: 231-668-1934 karen@adrienneclosings.com www.AdrienneClosings.com Adrienne Abstract & Closing Company

www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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SENIOR LIVING

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Anthology of McCandless Senior Living

nthology of McCandless combines the best in accommodations, care, culinary and community experiences. Our residences include top-of-the-line amenities and floor plans to suit your lifestyle. We feature thoughtfully designed spaces that invite you to gather with friends and family. Our professional in-house chefs prepare gourmet meals from scratch, while our caregivers provide, compassionate, personalized care with a focus on getting to know you and your family. And, because no story is written alone, we provide a dynamic social calendar that empowers you to build new friendships and explore new passions. We’re honored to be part of your unique life story as you continue to write it every day.

From sophisticated accommodations to programs involving high-tech, high-touch care, we’ve set the new standard in senior living. Explore our Personal Care and Memory Care options at Anthology of McCandless today. Limited Time Only, Save up to $7,500! CALL 412-336-8371 AnthologySeniorLiving.com n

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Happenings for Seniors Collections North Hills Community Outreach is collecting safety items for seniors. For details, visit nhco.org or call Cathy, at (412) 307-0069 x3313.

Health & Wellness Free Services for Seniors through North Hills

Community Outreach. Help with rides to medical appts., grocery stores, yard work. Call Cathy at (412) 3070069 ext. 3313 or Kerry at (412) 449-0151 to schedule an in-home registration visit.

Healthy Start Café, 8:45 a.m., every Mon & Thurs, St.

John Lutheran Church of Highland, 311 Cumberland Rd. Presented by Lutheran SeniorLife & St. John Lutheran Church of Highland. Call (412) 364-1606 or (412) 3071797.

North Hill Community Outreach provides Safety Checks for Seniors. Interested seniors who reside in northern Allegheny County should email Cathy at clpschirer@nhco.org or call (412) 307-0069 x3313.

Pennsylvania consumers are encouraged to sign up for a text alert system through his Bureau of Consumer Protection to raise their awareness on how to avoid becoming a scam victim. For info, visit https://www. attorneygeneral.gov/consumer-alerts/

Meals on Wheels Aspinwall Meals on Wheels provides homecooked,

Senior Meetings Cranberry Township 55+ Club meets at 1 p.m., the

2nd Tues., of the month in the Cranberry Municipal Center. The club features activities, social events and local trips. For info, call Bill at (724) 776-1933.

Friends and Fun 55+ Singles meet at 7 p.m., every

1st Friday, at St. Ferdinand’s, Rochester Rd., Cranberry Twp., Oldenski Hall, Upper Room. Call (724) 816-2159.

Friendship Groups for Visually Impaired, Men’s Group meets every Weds. 1-3:15 p.m., Knitting & Crocheting Circle meets every Weds., 1-3:15 p.m., Monthly Meeting 2nd Thurs. from 1:15-3:15 p.m., The Lunch Bunch meets 4th Thurs. from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., The Talking Book Club meets 1st Mon., 1-2:30 p.m., at Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church, Sangree Rd., Ross. Call (724) 444-0064.

Primetimers, noon, first Thurs of the month, Christ

Church Grove Farm, Ohio Twp. Call (412) 741-4900 or visit http://www.ccgf.org.

Social Groups Amazing Singles, for singles in the Pittsburgh region, visit, http://www.amazingsingles.com/pittsburgh.html.

AUP Club, have fun & meet new people with the

Association of University People/AUP. We are looking for single, 4-year college graduates over 50 to join us for monthly dinners, meet at various social spots, gatherings and Scrabble. For info, call (412) 734-8445 or visit us at www.aupsinglespittsburgh.org.

home-delivered meals to the elderly, homebound and disabled. Services Blawnox, Aspinwall, Fox Chapel, Sharpsburg and O’Hara. Call (412) 820-8350.

Catholic Alumni Club of Pittsburgh, has dances,

McKnight Meals on Wheels provides home-delivered

Visit Pittsburgh Events & Festivals lists upcoming

meals to the elderly, homebound and disabled. Services Ross Twp., Berkeley Hills, Swan Acres, McCandless, Shaler & Hampton Townships. Call (412) 487-4088.

retreats and plays various sports and other great events.

Visit their website www.cacpittsburgh.org/. events for singles, kids, and married folks. It enlightens Pittsburghers on dining, shopping and recreational events. Go to www.visitpittsburgh.com/events-festivals.

Medical North Hills Community Outreach offers free medication safety screenings for seniors living in northern Allegheny County, north of the city of Pittsburgh. For details contact, Cathy at (412) 307-0069, ext. 3313.

Spiritual 2nd Act, ages 55+, 10 a.m.-noon, 2nd Thur. thru May

14, Wexford, lobby, Orchard Hill. Fosters spiritual growth thru music, inspirational speakers & outreach projects.

For info, visit orchardhillchurch.com.

Support Groups

UPMC Senior Communities offers independent living & personal care. For details, call 1-800-324-5523.

patients. Call (412) 367-3685.

Lighthouse Foundation is looking for volunteers to help in the food pantry for prep and packing, distribution, & greeters. For details, contact Lee Ann at (724)5865554.

Neighborly Gnomes assist seniors with disabilities with North Hills Community Outreach needs volunteer dis-

Alzheimer’s Support Group, 10 a.m., 1st Monday

of each month, St. Catherine of Sweden Parish, 2554 Wildwood Rd. Call Suzie, at (724) 799-7049.

patchers for their senior shuttles. For info, contact Kerry at kkmulhern@nhco.org or (412) 449-0151.

North Hills Community Outreach urgently needs vol-

Bereavement Support Group (for Widows/Widowers

over 50), 1-2:30 p.m., 2nd & 4th Wed., St. Sebastian, Haber Hall. To register, call (412) 366-1300.

unteers in the upper Route 28 corridor to help seniors.

Visit http://nhco.org/volunteer-opportunities/volunteerhelp-seniors/. For details, call Kerry, (412) 449-0151 or kkmulhern@nhco.org.

Home Instead Senior Care® has a program to help

Pittsburgh OASIS Intergenerational Tutor Program is

families in Northwest Allegheny County manage the challenges of Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Free training is available at HelpForAlzheimersFamilies.com.

Paramount Senior Living at Cranberry Alzheimer’s Affiliated Support Group meets 2 p.m., the last Friday.

Contact Pam, at (724) 779-5020.

seeking volunteers (50+) to tutor in Pittsburgh Public, Wilkinsburg and Woodland Hills School Districts in grade K-4. Trainings held at 411 Seventh Ave., Suite 525 (Duquesne Light Building) downtown Pittsburgh.

Training, materials & clearances are provided. For info or to register, call 412) 393-7648 or email jdspehar@ oasisnet.org.

Ursuline Services’ Checks and Balances program

Trips St. Alexis Over 50 Club Trip: Seneca Niagara Three

Senior Facilities

Hope Hospice is looking for volunteers to visit Hospice

yard tasks. Visit NeedsbyNeighborhood.org.

North Country Meal on Wheels provides home-

delivered meals to the elderly, homebound & disabled.

Services Marshall, Pine, Richland, Bradford Woods, Franklin Park, parts of McCandless, West Deer, Cranberry, Adams, Seven Fields, Mars & Valencia. Call (724) 935-1877.

Volunteer Opportunities

Casino Trip, Mar. 25-27, $285 PP DBL Occup; $420, PP Single Occup. Down payment $150 by Jan. 10, remainder due Feb. 10. For detail, call Dave at (412) 366-3789.

assists those who have difficulty with financial affairs.

Register at (412) 224-4700 x113 or ktobin@ursulinesupport.org.

www.northernconnectionmag.com | JANUARY 2020

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SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

North Allegheny Students Preserve the Korean War Memorial

By Paula Green

The Korean War Memorial is located on North Shore Drive in Pittsburgh, situated between Heinz Field and PNC Park and was dedicated on July 27, 1999. The memorial honors the brave service members who gallantly fought in this war, which ran from 1950-1953.

Yuri Jang and Daniel Shin with Congressman Mike Doyle

Daniel Shin and Alex Malfregeot with Korean War veterans in front of the memorial.

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our North Allegheny School District students are committed to maintaining the upkeep of the monument. Every Saturday, Vedha Avali, Yuri Jang, Daniel Shin and Alex Malfregeot clean the memorial grounds. Vedha and Yuri are sophomores at North Allegheny Intermediate; Daniel is a junior and Alex is a senior at North Allegheny High School.

“As a Korean-American, I knew loosely the history of the war bearing my country’s namesake. I realized the memories of those who passed away in the war still live on in the veterans who survived. I am thankful for these brave heroes because, without them, my parents would have never come to America, and I would never have the opportunities I have today,” Daniel said.

“I enjoy cleaning up the war memorial to show my gratitude. It is important to carry on the soldiers’ legacy, so their hard work will never be limited to an inscription on a granite wall. This extends further than just the Korean War. From World War I to the Vietnam War, the brave hearts who have served should be commemorated for their heroic deeds on and off the battlefield,” added Daniel.

“I clean the memorial because I do not want the people who sacrificed so much in the war to be forgotten. It is important to pay respect to those who served. The Korean War is sometimes overlooked, but it was fought just as hard, was just as demanding as any other war our forefathers fought, and they ask for little in return, only our respect,” Alex remarked.

“Many veterans fought courageously and strongly in the Korean War, and their courage needs to be remembered. Since the Korean War is often seen as a smaller conflict that is overshadowed by the Cold War, light needs to be brought to the struggles and triumphs of the veterans who fought for us. Keeping the memorial beautiful and clean is important for memorializing the Korean War, and I am glad I can help do this and give back to the community while honoring the veterans who fought for our country,” Vedha said.

“As a young Korean teenager, I did not pay much attention to my heritage in the past. I was living in the United States, living in the moment. As I got older, I realized how wrong I was,” said Yuri.

“I learned of an amazing opportunity that helped improve the environment and built relationships with Korean War veterans. By cleaning the Korean War Memorial, it keeps it beautiful for people to visit and remember. We do this every Saturday morning to keep it in pristine condition. I want everyone to experience the heart of the veterans through a beautiful memorial. It is not possible to force someone to care, but it is in my control to keep the memorial clean and try to bring people together with the memory of the war and the veterans who served,” Yuri added.

Last summer, Congressman Mike Doyle honored the students for their community service with the Korean War Memorial. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto will honor the foursome on January 10. n Sources: http://www.kwva.org/memorials/pa/p_mem_pa.htm

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Arts & Entertainment Legacy Theatres shows: The Skyliners, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Mar. 21; Tribute to John Denver with Ted Vigil, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Apr. 11, 700 Cumberland Woods Dr., McCandless. Visit http://www.thelegacylineup.com/productions.

Bereavement Support Addiction Bereavement Support Group Beyond Bridge to Hope, 7-8:30 p.m., 2nd Wed., of every month, Cumberland Woods Village Chapel, McCandless Twp. Free of charge, no registration is necessary. Call (412) 748-5120.

Bereavement Support Group in the

North Hills, 10-11:30 a.m., 2nd & 4th Thurs. of each month, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1965 Ferguson Rd., Allison Park. To register, call (724) 3346600.

Grief Support Group for widows and

widowers over fifty, 2:30 p.m., 2nd & 4th Wed., of the month, St. Sebastian Parish, 311 Siebert Rd. Visit http://www. saintsebastianparish.org/

Pittsburgh L.A.M.P.S. is for those

grieving the loss of a child – includes miscarriages, still birth and prematurity.

Meetings held 7:30 p.m., 1st Tues of the month, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Cumberland Rd., McCandless. Contact Laurie.Jackson@lifeaftermps.org.

Cancer Support Brain Tumor Group, 4:30-6:30 p.m.,

3rd Thurs., Wexford. Visit www.cancercaring.org.

Breast Cancer Support Groups, 5:30-7 p.m., 3rd Mon., AGH Hospital; 7-8:30 p.m.,1st & 3rd Weds, UPMC Passavant Cranberry; 6-7:30 p.m., 2nd & 4th Wed., AHN Health & Wellness Pavilion.

Free & open to cancer patients & caregivers over 18, no students. Sponsored by the Cancer Caring Center. Register at (412) 622-1212.

Cancer Caregivers Support Group,

6-7:30 p.m., the 3rd Tues, in the North Hills. Visit www.cancercaring.org.

Cancer Caring Center free exercise

programs for cancer patients, 8:30-9:30 p.m. every Wed., Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA; 9:30-10:30 a.m., every Sat., Sewickley YMCA. Registration is required, call (412) 622-1212.

Cancer Support Groups at Our Clubhouse, 6:30-8 p.m., 1st Tues,

Breast Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer Groups; 6-8 p.m., 2nd Tues, Multiple Myeloma; 6-8 p.m., 3rd Tues, Living Life with Metastatic Breast Cancer; 6:30-8 p.m., 2nd Thurs., Pancreatic Cancer Group, 2816 Smallman St., Pgh. Call (412) 338-1919 to register.

Gentle Yoga Cancer Support, 5:45-

6:45 p.m., 3rd Mon., North Hills. Visit www.cancercaring.org.

General Cancer Center Support Groups, 6:30-8 p.m., 2nd & 4th Weds, UPMC Passavant Cranberry. Free & open to cancer patients & caregivers over 18, no students. Sponsored by the Cancer Caring Center. Register at (412) 622-1212.

Metastatic Cancer Support Group,

5-6:30 p.m., 1st Thur. of each month, UPMC Passavant Hospital-McCandless.

For cancer patients and survivors with metastatic disease. Caregivers are welcomed. No cost to attend. Led by Wendy Myers, MSW, LSW. Free parking & light refreshments. Sponsored by the Cancer Caring Center. Register at (412) 622-1212.

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National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) “Teal Hearts Network” meets

6-8 p.m., the 3rd Monday of every month at the Cancer Caring Center.

This network group is for ovarian cancer survivors. Visit http://ovarian.org/component/events/event/483.

Young Adult Cancer Group, 5:30-7

p.m., 4th Tues, North Hills. Visit www. cancercaring.org.

Colleges & Universities Butler County Community College (BC3) free certificate program provides training for entry-level health care jobs.

Email kelly.mckissick@bc3.edu or call (724) 287-8711, ext. 8171.

La Roche University has launched Pennsylvania’s first prelicensure master’s program in nursing. Classes

begin May 11. For info and to apply, visit laroche.edu/elmsn.

Community Depreciation Lands Museum Events:

Young Ladies’ Doll Tea, 2-3 p.m., Jan. 26; Gunn Klass, Tues 6:30-9:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 4; History Lesson on George Washington, 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 19; Weaving Classes, Beginners, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mar. 7 & Harness Looms, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mar. 21; Orientation of New Costumed Interpreters, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Mar. 29, Spinning Class, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Apr. 18. Visit dlmuseum.org or call (412) 486-0563.

Counseling Ask the Attorney sessions for low-

income families, free legal consultation for noncriminal issues for families in need at North Hills Community Outreach locations at 7 p.m. the 3rd Wed of each month (except Dec.), NHCO Allison Park. Preregister by contacting Jackie at jmboggs@nhco.org or (412) 4083830 x3217.

Ask the Financial Advisor, free second opinions on 401Ks, social security & other financial related matters. Contact Kevin, at klingenfelser@cfnmail.com or (412) 605-7900.

Dancing Events

Health & Wellness

Ballroom Dancing, 7-8 p.m., begin-

First Place 4 Health is a Christian

Country Knight Line Dancers host a

Parkinson’s Exercise programs are

Oldies Dance with Golden Oldies D.J. Marty Tack, 7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.,

Revelations Fitness® Fusion (cardio,

ners; 8-10:30 p.m., social, 1st, 3rd & 5th Fridays at Wexford Gym. Sponsored

by Orchard Hill Church. For details, visit orchardhillchurch.com. line dance 7-10:30 p.m. every Wed., in St. Athanasius Hall, cost $5 per person.

Call, Janine (412) 931-6971 or janine. beley@gmail.com.

Jan. 18, S.S. Peter & Paul’s Ukrainian Hall, 10 Arbor St., Lyndora. Songs from the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s, $9 admission.

Snacks, coffee & tea provided. B.Y.O.B. Dance 3rd Saturday of each month.

Open to the public. Info, Marty (724) 283-1867.

Saturday Singles Dance, ages 40+,

8-12 p.m., Jan. 11, First Dance & Social Event of 2020; 8-12 p.m., Jan. 25, Oldies Dance Party. Free Dance Lesson 7:30 p.m. Dance Line (724) 316-5029, email dancetonight09@aol.com, visit www.dancetonight.weebly.com.

Environmental Western Pennsylvania Mushroom Club meetings, 7 p.m., Tues., Mar. 17,

Apr. 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15, Oct. 20 & Nov. 17, at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville Rd. Meetings are free.

For info, email: cs4wpmc@gmail.com or visit wpamushroomclub.org.

Fundraisers Used Books, CDs and DVDs Sale. Friday, Feb. 21, and Saturday,

Feb. 22, at St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church, 2365 McAleer Rd., corner of Rochester Rd. in Franklin Park. For hours and other info, visit www.stbrendans.org or call (412) 364-5974.

Gardening Greybrooke Garden Club meeting, 9:30 a.m., Jan. 15, in the Fellowship Hall of Parkwood United Presbyterian Church, 4289 Mt. Royal Boulevard, Hampton Township. Guests are welcome. For info contact, Karen at (412) 366-2096.

Longvue Acres Garden Club free

program, Gardening for Butterflies, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 28, Northmont United Presbyterian Church, 8169 Perry Hwy., McCandless.Features Penn State Master Gardener, Dianne Machesney. For info, contact longvueacresgardenclub1950@ gmail.com.

Bible-based weight loss group that meets 6:15-7:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 536 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue. Call (412) 487-4819. available at the Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford. For details, visit http://www. oxfordathleticclub.com/knocking-outparkinsons-with-the-newest-programsat-oxford/ or call (724) 933-1911. strength & flexibility) classes, 9:30 a.m., Mon; 6:30 p.m., Thurs., 2 p.m., Sundays, Get Moving for those with special needs, Woodland Valley Church, Mars; 6:30 p.m., Tues., Revelations Fitness® Fusion, North Way Christian Community. Contact heather.simplynatural@gmail.com.

Tai Chi, 2-3 p.m., Jan. 9-May 21,

Wexford Gym. Sponsored by Orchard Hill Church. For details, visit orchardhillchurch.com.

Library Northland Library, Tips for Creating

Habits When You Have ADHD, 6:30 p.m., Jan. 9; Plant-Centered Diet, 7 p.m., Jan. 23; New Choices Career Development Classes, 9:30 a.m., Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24, Mar. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30; 100 Things to do in Pittsburgh Before You Die, 7 p.m., Jan. 30. Visit www. northlandlibrary.org or (412) 366-8100.

Moms Single Moms CARE Group facilitated

by Anchorpoint Ministry, meets 6-8 p.m., 1st & 3rd Weds., at Heritage Presbyterian Church, 2262 Rochester Rd. Call Anchorpoint, at (412) 3661300.

S.P.I.N. For Single Moms: 6-7:30 p.m., 4th Monday of the Month in Bellevue.

Call (412) 366-1300.

Networking Amity Lodge #45 affiliated with Italian Sons & Daughters of America is welcoming new members. Meetings are held the 2nd Sunday of the month with a social & refreshments. Call Joanne at (724) 443-8303.

AmSpirit Cranberry Twp., Referral Based Networking Chapter meets

7:15 a.m. every Wed. at the North Park Lounge in Cranberry Twp. Contact: Mike Hall at rentit@general-rental-center.com or (724) 612-7844.

AmSpirit Business Link McCandless, Referral Based Networking Chapter

Young Adult Connect, (college age thru

AmSpirit Pittsburgh North Chapter, Referral Based Networking Chapter

Opportunities

meets noon every Wed. at the Wildwood Golf Club, Sample Road, Allison Park.

Contact: Stephen Deal at stephendeal@ pghdeal.org or (724) 493-3292.

meets 8:00 a.m. every Thurs. at the Sports Grille Cranberry Twp. Contact: Dan Novakovich at novakovich@zoominternet.net or 724-309-2553.

AmSpirit Wexford, Referral Based Networking Chapter meets 8:15 a.m.

every Wed. at Walnut Grill, Wexford.

Contact: Jen O’Donnell at jnodonnell86@yahoo.com or (724) 809-6647.

Butler County Chamber Coffee Club

meeting, 11:30 a.m., Jan. 15, The Intersection of Progress, Regional Learning Alliance in Cranberry; 6-8 p.m., Jan. 22, Butler County Young Professionals Join with The Young Lawyers Division of the Butler County Bar Association, Lyndora Hotel. For info, email Jennifer@ButlerCountyChamber. com or call (724) 283-2222.

Western PA Professional Business Association Network Breakfast, 7:15 a.m., Tuesdays, King’s Restaurant, Rt. 8, Gibsonia. Call Mary Ann, at (724) 935-2221 or www.wpabusiness.com.

early 30s), 7-8:30 p.m., 3rd Monday, thru May, Wexford Room (201) at Orchard Hills Church. For details visit, orchardhillchurch.com.

ESL Conversation Friends, teaches

everyday language skills to immigrants, meets at 10 a.m. Tues. & Thurs. & 7 p.m. Weds. at St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church, 2365 McAleer Rd., in Franklin Park. New students & volunteers are welcome. Visit www.stbrendans.org or call (412) 364-5974.

Outreach Donate your vehicle to NHCO’s Transportation Assistance program.

Free pickup or towing and hassle-free donation process. For details, visit nhco. org/donate/donate-car or (412) 4083830 x3225.

Knitters needed to join the Busy Hands Group at The Olive Branch Fair Trade Store and Missions. The group

meets 9:15-11:15 a.m., 1st & 3rd Monday of the month, at 11160 Perry Highway in Wexford. Bring your needles!

For info, call (724) 799-8700.

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Nativity Lutheran Church, 4517 Mt.

Royal Blvd. in Allison Park is a donation site for non-perishable groceries for North Hills Community Outreach for its three food pantries. Drop-off hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit, www.nativitylutheranchurch15101.org.

North Hills Community Outreach’s Pathways program offers goal-setting

help for those who are struggling. Call Abby at North Boroughs (412) 3070069; Nicole in Millvale (412) 408-3830 or Shela in McKees Rocks (412) 3311685 x233.

North Hills Food Bank, 10 a.m.-1:45

p.m. every Tues & Thurs, rear parking lot of Hiland Presbyterian Church, 845 Perry Highway. Call, (412) 366-7477 or www.northhillsfoodbank.com. Donations always welcome.

Ridgewood Food Pantry, open every

Tue. 5-7 p.m. & every Wed. 2-6 p.m., 335 Center Ave. Pgh. Street parking available. Helping the West View Community Call Judy at (412) 9311313.

UPMC Passavant Auxiliary Membership Opportunities, are

you looking for an opportunity for social interaction with other dedicated people in support of UPMC Passavant McCandless and Cranberry? Then join UPMC Passavant Auxiliary’s tradition of caring. The Auxiliary meets the 2nd Monday of each month (Sept.-June) at 10 a.m. Contact Alice at (412) 7486640 or burkea2@ph.upmc.edu.

Presentations & Seminars Fox Chapel Area Affiliate of the AAUW seminar: The Wonder Women of World War II, 9:30 a.m., Jan. 14, Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church. Speakers: Todd DePastino, of the Veterans Breakfast Club & Judy Parsons, WWII code breaker. Free & open to the public.

Races & Walks Brendan’s Boots, the hiking group of

St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church, hits the trail every three weeks. The group meets at 10 a.m. & each hike is followed by

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lunch at a restaurant. For details, visit stbrendans.org or call (412) 364-5974.

Shows North Pittsburgh Quilters Guild Quilt Show, April 24-26, the Ross Township

Community Center. The theme is “Log Cabin Fever.” Over 100 quilts displayed and a variety of vendors. For details on the show or becoming a member, visit www.NPQG.org.

Social Great Fellowship Social Club, meeting

noon, 2nd Sat. each month in Wexford, Bella Frutteto, 2602 Brandt School Rd., 15090. Live music, Dixieland, Jazz, & Eclectic sounds. $25 entertainment with a choice from Bella Frutetto’s special events menu. All are welcome! Cash bar opens at 11:30 a.m. Call (267) 838-5622.

Man Night, 7-9 p.m. 1st Wed., of

every month, thru Orchard Hill Church.

Locations vary. For details, email jhaldeman@orchardhillchurch.com.

Mosaic Singles Community (40+),

a Christian Family-based community at Orchard Hill. Visit www.orchardhillchurch.com/adults.

Support Groups Alcoholics Anonymous, 7 a.m.,

Tues., at St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church, 2365 McAleer Rd., in Franklin Park. For info, visit www.stbrendans. org or call (412) 364-5974.

Amputee Support Group, 4-5:30 p.m., 3rd Wed. of every month, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Sewickley, 3rd Floor Boardroom, 303 Camp Meeting Rd., Sewickley. For info, call Michelle at (412) 749-2388.

Brain Injury & Stroke Support Group,

noon-1:15 p.m., 3rd Weds., HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, Sewickley, 3rd Floor Board Room. For info, call Michelle at (412) 749-2388.

Brain Injury Support Group, Mind

Matters, 7-9 p.m., every 3rd Thurs., of the month, Butler Memorial Hospital, East Brady St. in the Dimmick Center.

Call (724) 283-6666.

Brain Tumor Support Group, 6:30-8

p.m., 3rd Thurs., AHN Health & Wellness Pavilion. Free & open to cancer patients & caregivers over 18, no students.

Sponsored by the Cancer Caring Center.

Register at (412) 622-1212.

Bridge to Hope, 7 p.m., every Wed.,

of the month, Passavant Hospital Conference Center, at Cumberland Woods Village, McCandless Twp. For drug & alcohol addiction. Visit bridge2hope.org, or call (412) 748-5120. bridge2hope.org.

Compulsive Eaters Anonymous, 11

a.m., Tues., Prayer Room of Memorial Park Church, 8800 Peebles Rd., McCandless. For info, call Jane at (412) 951-9517.

Lupus Foundation meetings, 7-8:30

p.m., every 3rd Tues, UPMC Passavant Hospital, 9100 Babcock Blvd., Donor Hall. Call (412) 261-5886 or ccallen92@aol.com.

Overeaters Anonymous, 7 p.m., Weds,

Pennsylvania Community-Based Programs Awarded VA Grants to

Support Disabled Veterans in Adaptive Sports at Slippery Rock University. Visit www.va.gov/adaptivesports.

Sgt. Joseph D. Caskey American Legion Post 80 has scholarships and camps available for students in grades 9-12. For details, visit www.Pa-legion.com.

VA Butler Healthcare Flu Vaccination Clinics to Veterans at the main cam-

pus, Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, and other community locations this fall. For a list of date and times, call (724) 287-4781 or 1-800-362-8262.

VA Butler Healthcare’s Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Program now offers Veterans the

opportunity to work one-on-one with a personal trainer in its Wellness Center at the Abie Abraham VA Health Care Center. For info, visit https://www.butler. va.gov/services/Health_and_Wellness. asp or call, 878-271-6484.

at St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church, 2365 McAleer Rd., in Franklin Park. For info, visit www.stbrendans.org or call (412) 951-9157.

Veterans Breakfast Club Meetings,

Parkinson’s Support Group, 10

Veterans Discover HOPE Here-Career,

a.m., 1st Tues of each month, Rose E. Schneider YMCA. For details, contact Dale at (724) 591-8121 or d.reckless@ mrsphysicaltherapy.com.

Parkinson’s Support Group, 1-2:30

p.m., last Wed of each month, HealthSouth Harmarville, 320 Guys Run Rd. Contact Jessica, at (412) 828-1300 x7710.

Recovery for Parents of Addicts: 6 Steps to Sanity, 6:30-8 p.m., Thurs.,

at Orchard Hill. For info, www.orchardhillchurch.com. No meeting Nov. 28, Dec. 26.

Stroke Support Group, 1-2:30 p.m.,

once a month on Weds., HealthSouth Harmarville, 320 Guys Run Rd., For info, contact Valerie at (412) 826-2784 or valerie.bucek@healthsouth.com.

Under One Roof helps people who are

housing extended family members under their roof. Anyone who is experiencing the challenges of extended family living is provided support & advice. For info, contact St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church at www.stbrendans.org or (412) 6352312.

Veterans North Pittsburgh Quilts of Valor meets

7-9 p.m., 2nd Mon., of the month, Quilt Company, Middle Rd., Allison Park. Call (412) 487-9532 or www.qovf.org.

held every month throughout the Pittsburgh region. For details, visit http:// veteransbreakfastclub.com/.

3rd Wed., 6:30-8:45 p.m., Cranberry Twp., Municipal Building, 2525 Rochester Rd., Cranberry Twp. Free.

Call (724) 779-8323, discoverhopehere@gmail.com or www.discoverhopehere.com.

Veterans Fitness Classes 5 Days

a week, 4:30-5:30 p.m., VA Butler Healthcare Auditorium (bldg. 1), 325 New Castle Rd., Butler. Visit www.prevention.va.gov/B_Physically_ Active.asp.

Veteran HOPE, support group for

women Veterans recovering from mental illness, meet 6-8 p.m., every Tues., VA Butler Healthcare, Room 217WS, Building 1. Call (724) 996—8892 or (724) 285-2756 or butlerva.gov.

Veterans’ Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Support Group, 10 a.m., Fridays, VA Butler Healthcare. Call 800-3628262 ext. 2498.

“Veteran X” mental health & sub-

stance abuse recovery program for vets meets 6 p.m., every Mon., at VA Butler Healthcare, Room 213, East South (ES), 325 N. Castle Rd., Butler. Visit http:// www.butler.va.gov/.

Volunteer Opportunities American Cancer Society is looking for volunteers to drive cancer patients who are undergoing treatments to & from their appts. Call (412) 919-1100 or emailsharon.stalter@cancer.org.

ESL Conversation Friends, which

teaches everyday language skills to immigrants meets at 10 a.m., Tues. & Thurs., and 7 p.m. Weds, at St. Brendan’s Episcopal Church, 2365 McAleer Rd., Franklin Park. New students & volunteer tutors are welcome.

Visit stbrendans.org or (412) 364-5974.

Hope Hospice is looking for volunteers for their patients. Volunteers

don’t necessarily have the time, just have the heart! Call (412) 367-3685.

Lighthouse Foundation is looking for

individuals or groups to do local food donation pick-ups, help with food pantry distributions & special projects, and office assistant work. For details, call (724) 586-5554.

Mission Vision needs volunteers to

help with Provide vision–Give hope.

Call (724) 553-3114 or www.missionvision.org.

Seeking hospice volunteers... if you

can find the time to sit with hospice patients, we would love to have you. Call Bethany Hospice, at (412) 921-2209.

Tutoring volunteers needed for

Anchorpoint’s Tutoring Mentoring Program. For details, call (412) 3661300 x123.

Volunteers needed at The Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh, 282 Sarah

Street on the Southside. Help make a difference in the lives of those with intellectual disabilities. Call (412) 381-0277 or www.EmmausPgh.org.

UPMC Passavant Auxiliary Membership Opportunities

A

re you looking for a stimulating opportunity for social interaction with other dedicated people in support of our community hospitals—UPMC Passavant McCandless and Cranberry? Then join UPMC Passavant Auxiliary’s tradition of caring. The Auxiliary meets at 10 a.m., the 2nd Monday of each month (Sept. through June). New members are welcome. For information, contact Deanna Cline at (412) 748-6640 or clined3@upmc.edu. For information about UPMC Passavant Auxiliary, go to http://www.passavanthospitalfoundation. org/how-can-i-help/auxiliary. n

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TRIVIA CONNECTION

Trivia 20

By Paula Green

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Since we’ve analyzed one of our even numbers, we must now delve into this numerical query. Get set to multiply those brain cells, because it’s time to get a little trivial. . .

1. Which television network aired the show 20/20?

2. Popular dance dress worn by ladies during the “Roaring Twenties.”

3. He served as the 20th U.S. President from March 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881.

4. What is the 20th element on the periodic table?

5. The American Film Institute listed this 1975 movie as the number 20 movie of all time. It won Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

6. Who sang the song 20 Days and 20 Nights?

7. Super Bowl XX was held on January 26, 1986. Which two teams played?

8. This alternative rock band was formed in Orlando, Florida. It consists of Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook.

9. Which American motion-picture studio brought Marilyn Monroe to stardom in the 1950s?

10. Who is featured on the $20 bill?

11. Located in the southeast, this was the 20th state admitted to the Union.

12. Which NFL quarterback is highlighted on the cover of Madden NFL 20?

13. This zodiac sign begins on April 20 and ends on May 20.

14. Name the NASCAR driver who sported the number 20 on his Home Depot car.

15. Take 20 and times it by 1,000 to get the name of this famous aquatic film.

Sources: https://www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com/famous-people-in-the-1920s. html, https://www.phrasemix.com/phrases/hindsight-is-20-20, https://wikipedia. com, https://waxandtracks.blogspot.com/2014/11/20-songs-with-twenty-in-title. html, https://www.reference.com/math/interesting-number-20-6efdfeab66db3c29, https://astrostyle.com/zodiac-sign-dates/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twentieth_ Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution Answers: 1. ABC 2. Flapper 3. James Garfield 4. calcium 5. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 6. Elvis Presley 7. Bears & Patriots (Bears won 46-10) 8. Matchbox 20 9. 20th Century Fox 10. Andrew Jackson 11. Mississippi 12. Patrick Mahomes 1 3. Taurus 14. Tony Stewart 15. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

A

nother decade has come and gone. It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago was the Y2K craze. In honor of the 2020 New Year, we’re going to highlight memorable 20s. There is a newsmagazine TV show called 20/20. The program’s name derives from the “20/20” measurement of visual acuity.

Musician George Benson sang a song called 20/20. There is a common saying, “Hindsight is 20/20.” It means it’s easy for one to be knowledgeable about an event after it has happened. A group of twenty is known as “a score.”

The decade of the 1920s was referred to as the “Roaring Twenties.” Some famous folks during this era included – aviator Charles Lindbergh, boxer Jack Dempsey, gangster Al Capone, entertainers Josephine Baker and Al Jolson, scientist, scientist Albert Einstein and writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Some Pittsburgh sports players donned the number 20. In baseball, Pirates great, Pie Traynor was the team’s third baseman from 1920 to 1935. NHL hockey player, Luc Robitaille wore the number 20 when he played for the Penguins from 1994-1995. Steeler’s running back Rocky Bleier won four Super Bowl Championships when he wore that number.

Speaking of running, U.S. Route 20 runs a massive stretch of highway; it spans from the Pacific Northwest all the way to New England.

Interstate 20 (I20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. It’s 1,535 miles and begins near Kent, Texas, I-10 and goes to Florence, South Carolina, at I-95.

Interestingly, the number “20” is it’s the maximum number of moves to solve all possible positions of a Rubik’s Cube. Twenty is referred to as “God’s Number.” There is a colorful arcade/puzzle game called Twenty. It starts at 5, looks easy until 10, gets fiendish at 15 and challenges you to get to 20. The Ancient Mayans used the number “20” as the base for their numeral system.

This year, we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day on January 20. Another special commemoration is June 20, which is the first day of summer. In Roman numerals, the number 20 is represented as XX. The Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution moved the beginning and ending of the terms of the president and vice president from March 4 to January 20, and of members of Congress from March 4 to January 3. It also has provisions that determine what is to be done when there is no president-elect.