‘Hoppy’ Easter
Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park combined the secular with the sacred during its annual Easter Eggstravaganza last week. According to the church’s event planning director Jessica Gilman of Peters Township, the event has always been free to the public. “We want the community to come in and be able to go around, see the Easter Bunny, enjoy an egg hunt and hopefully see Jesus as love through all of us.”
More than 400 children and 500 adults and caregivers hopped down a bunny trail that led to a visit with the Easter Bunny as well as an encounter with baby llamas, kid goats and lambs.
Children collected colored eggs in pastel baskets and exchanged them for delicious treats. Among the stops along the trail was an encounter with Pat Miller. The church’s congregational care pastor explained the story of Jesus Christ’s passion, death and triumph over the death through the use of Resurrection Eggs. Each egg contained an object that told a segment of the saga. In addition to a sand art station, where children created colorful crosses, there was a play room where kids could toss bean bags into a bunny’s mouth, balance an egg on a spoon and receive Easter-themed temporary tattoos.
Making a pledge
Introduction of polio vaccine 70 years ago changed lives
By Brad Hundt Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
Advertisements for freezers, lounge chairs and remedies for itching, gas and constipation were on the fifth page of Uniontown’s Evening Standard on April 16, 1952, which was a Wednesday. As they scanned the page, readers were also greeted with a listing of admissions and discharges at Fayette County hospitals and news of a band concert at German High School.
There was also a dispatch from the Associated Press in the middle of the page that carried the headline “Discovery Points to End of Polio.”
The story, written by Howard W. Blakeslee, the agency’s science writer, outlined how researchers at Johns Hopkins and Yale universities discovered that polio “strikes first in our blood instead of our nerves” and that “there is a possibility that a vaccine can be made” that would prevent the viral disease that had bedevilled humankind since at least the days of ancient Egypt.
Almost three years to the day after the article appeared, on April 12, 1955, readers of the Evening Standard were greeted with an urgent headline displayed across the newspaper’s front page: “Salk Polio Vaccine Gets Approval.”
A subhead below the headline said a vaccine had been found to be safe and effective
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dr. Jonas Salk holds test tubes at a Pittsburgh laboratory.
in “exhaustive tests,” and that Dr. Jonas Salk, the researcher and virologist who developed the vaccine, believed it would offer “complete triumph over polio terror.”
It did.
The overwhelming majority of people alive in the world today were born after the polio vaccine was introduced, so have no recollection of how the fear of polio once cast a shadow on everyday life.
“Every time one of us kids came down with something, there was always the thought that it was polio and life as we’d
By Brad Hundt Staff writer
MT. LEBANON – The late author Paul Auster once said that libraries are “places apart” and “sanctuaries of pure thought.”
And the Board of Trustees at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library has declared that it is a “book sanctuary.”
Robyn Vittek, the library’s director, said it is the only library in Pennsylvania to make itself a book sanctuary, which means it will, according to the resolution approved by the library board, “pledge to collect and protect endangered books that meet the standards of the library’s collection policy.” As a book sanctuary, the resolution stated, it will also “carry out its mission in providing a forum to exchange ideas through conversations and programs about intellectual freedom and related topics.”
Declaring the library a book sanctuary is simply a way to underscore that “libraries are for everyone,” Vittek explained, and “simply asserting our essential services will not change.”
The Rev. Noah Evans, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, presides over a service at Washington Elementary School, 100 years to the day of the parish’s first service, held at that school.
OF THE
Centennial celebrations
Trio of Lebo churches mark 100th anniversary
By Paul Paterra Staff writer ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
This is a special year for three churches located just a half-mile apart on Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1066 Washington Road; Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church, 975 Washington Road, and Southminster Pres-
byterian Church, 799 Washington Road, each are in the midst of marking 100 years as a parish.
The Liberty Tunnels opened in 1924, offering a quicker route to the South Hills and sparking new development and growth. Between 1920 and 1930, the population in Mt. Lebanon grew 500% –from 2,258 to 13,403. Residents were seeking places to
worship and churches began to crop up in the area.
St. Paul’s Episcopal
On Dec. 21, 1924, the new St. Paul’s Episcopal congregation held its first service at Washington Elementary School, the church’s place of worship for its first five years. To mark that occasion, the church held a service at that
Finley, Hayden and Lottie Snee from Bethel Park hold up the yellow eggs they discovered on the lawn.
Ariah Sebroski, 2, from New Eagle, is uncertain about sitting on the Easter Bunny’s lap until her sister, Brynn, joined. Sebroski also attended the Easter egg hunt with her mother, Deanne, and her friends, Isabella, 5, and William Marmie, 7, from Monongahela.
Izabella and Elizabeth Wargula of Bethel Park listen as Pat Miller explains the “Greatest Story Ever Told” through the use of Resurrection Eggs.
ABOVE: The Wauthier family from Bethel Park feeds the baby animals at the petting zoo. LEFT: Jiselle Clark, 4, and Jennifer Jackson of Castle Shannon hunt for pink eggs.
Photos by Eleanor Bailey/ The Almanac
location, 100 years to the day, on Dec. 21, 2024.
“It was an amazing service to be back in that place where we worshiped for the first time,” said the Rev. Noah Evans, church rector. “It was a wonderful service on a very, very cold morning at a busy time of year. It was great to have people gathered in the Washington Elementary School that day. We had readers and participants who spanned the generations. It was an amazing celebration, which was a kickoff of celebrating our 100th year.”
A series of presentations about the church’s history took place in January and February, and celebrations continued during Holy Week.
A capital campaign is being held throughout the year to help fund a number of projects at the church, such as overhauling the 30-year-old elevator, improvements to the kitchen, installing a permanent ramp to enter the worship space, continued restoration of stained-glass, updates to the electronics of the pipe organ and the sound system and bathroom renovations.
As of April 14, the campaign had raised $870,700.
St. Paul’s is the largest Episcopal church in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, with more than 1,800 parishioners. Evans said in the last eight years, the congregation has grown by more than 40%.
Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran
In January 1925, 25 people met to worship in Washington Elementary School to form the Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church congregation. Several months later, on April 26, 1925, 183 charter members founded the separate Mt. Lebanon Presbyterian Church.
The two denominations remained separate entities until combining in 1958, with a church constructed at its current location and called Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran.
Also, the church’s typical rally held the Sunday after Labor Day will focus on the church’s centennial celebration and an All-Saints Sunday service will honor parishioners who have passed away.
“We’ll evoke more of the saints of the past 100 years because we believe in the sainthood of all believers,” Trivilino said. “We’re all saints in God’s eyes, not just the names of those who have passed in the last 12 months but also the prior 100 years.”
A two-day celebration is set for May 17 and 18 to mark the centennial of the church of about 820 members, some of whom are the fourth generation of their family to be members.
There will be a dinner at the St. Clair Country Club May 17, followed by a special Sunday service the next day in which former staff and pastors will be invited to participate.
“People had a chance to hear about things they didn’t remember or ever knew,” said Walton, a member of the church since 1977. “We traditionally have a few Tuesday night dinners and program events during the year.”
A Tuesday night dinner planned for October will feature recipes from past cookbooks “from the old days.”
Another program will look into the future of the church.
A book that details the church’s history will be updated to include the last 25 years, which Walton hopes will be available to distribute during the celebration in May.
Walton said a number of people who grew up in the church have gone on to become ministers or have gone into the ministry as a second career, including her daughter, Diane Walton Hendricks, who is a minister in Clifton, Va. Her daughter will be coming back to serve as a guest preacher in July.
“We’ve invited a number of those people back once a month, beginning last year,” Walton said.
Joint event
“It’s a congregation with people from all walks of life and a diverse congregation with people from all over the South Hills,” Evans said. “It’s a lively, vibrant and active place that is welcoming and accepting of all people, and is passionate about the way we serve the needs of the community.”
“We’re really pleased and feel blessed to have had 100 years so we’re going to celebrate that,” said Alan Trivilino, a church member since 1985 and chair of the 100th anniversary committee. “We’re doing it in a way to make us want to look forward as well. We’ll celebrate the blessing we’ve had, but continue to be a source for the Lord’s work going into the future.”
There also are plans by the church to honor the women of the past century.
Southminster Presbyterian Church
“We’ve invited back a number of previous associate pastors,” explained Carol Walton, chair of the Southminster anniversary committee. “They’re going to be participating in the service in various ways. Hopefully, we’ll have a nice turnout. Part of that service will be to recognize those who have been a member of the church for at least 50 years.”
Walton said there are at least 60 people who have been members of the church for that long.
Polio
FROM PAGE A1
known it was over,” said Paul Carson, an East Finley Township resident. “There was a huge amount of anxiety wiped out by vaccines.”
Seventy years ago, before those vaccines reached the public, there were close to 58,000 cases of polio in the United States every year. In 1952, the year the Evening Standard reported on the potential of a polio vaccine, 3,000 people died in an outbreak in the United States, the worst outbreak in the country’s history.
But by 1957, after the introduction of the vaccine, the number of cases plummeted to just 5,600. And four years after that, there were fewer than 200. By 1969, not a single death from polio was reported in the U.S. Around the world, polio cases have dropped by 99% since 1988 thanks to efforts to get people vaccinated. Polio is now endemic in just Pakistan and Afghanistan.
When Salk died in 1995, The New York Times said his vaccine “changed medical history, preventing many thousands of cases of crippling illness and saving thousands of lives. In the United States, the vaccine soon ended the yearly threat of epidemics and the toll of paralysis and death.”
What exactly is polio?
The word polio is itself shorthand for poliomyelitis, a virus that is highly infectious. A headache, fever and sore throat can develop for those who come down with the disease, with death and paralysis occurring in the most severe cases. Sometimes, for those who came down with polio in the years before the
In June, there will be a celebratory dinner at a local country club.
vaccine gained a foothold, the paralysis would be so acute that they would have to spend their days in mechanical respirators that came to be called iron lungs because the muscles responsible for breathing had become paralyzed.
Many well-known figures born before the development of the polio vaccine were diagnosed with it, including “Godfather” director Francis Ford Coppola, who was bedridden for a year, and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, who had a weakened left hand as a result. A decade before he became the U.S. president in 1932, Franklin Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio. Roosevelt was eventually able to resume his career, becoming governor of New York in 1928 before being elected to the White House four times. The public was aware that Roosevelt had been afflicted with polio, but the president and his handlers worked assiduously to downplay Roosevelt’s infirmities – he was almost never seen in a wheelchair –and the reporters and photographers who covered the chief executive never took photos of him walking with assistance at public events.
After Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio, it was suspected that he caught it when he made a summertime visit to a Boy Scout camp in New York. Polio tended to spread in the summer and fall before the vaccine, and the warm weather months came to be called “polio season.” Before and during polio season, newspapers would routinely run feature articles on how individuals and families could stay safe during that time.
An editorial headlined “The Polio Season” was in the July 17, 1952, edition of Canonsburg’s Daily Notes newspaper.
The congregation that would become Southminster Presbyterian Church was organized with 183 founding members on April 26, 1925. In 1928, the Southminster Presbyterian Church sanctuary was constructed at its current location at 799 Washington Road.
Centennial activities began in October and November with dinners followed by skits depicting the history of the church. Skits depicting the next 50 years of the parish took place earlier this year.
The three churches will host a joint ecumenical event from 2 to 4:30 p.m. June 29, and will also offer a chance to tour each of the facilities.
“People will be able to come in and learn a little bit of the history, the architecture and why things are the way they are,” Trivilino said.
“We’re excited to join together in an ecumenical fashion and give people a chance to come and learn about us and enjoy three different architectural styles, three different commissions, just celebrating the community of faith that we have down here.”
“We’re going to have the churches open,” Walton added. “There will be people at each one to give mini tours or talk about the features of the church and give a little bit of the history.” Trio
It noted that an outbreak had occurred in Texas, and that “the people of the nation can help medical science win the battle against infantile paralysis by not being panicky when the killer strikes…”
It continued, “Besides remaining calm, there are some precautionary measures that should be taken when polio strikes a community. Get plenty of rest, avoid over-fatigue, eat fresh foods, avoid crowds, prevent children from using the same eating or drinking utensils or washcloths, watch for sore throat, upset stomach and tenderness and stiffness in the neck and back.”
It also reminded readers, “Follow your doctor’s advice about nose and throat operations and teeth extractions during polio season.”
Outside of polio season, fundraising to prevent polio and to assist those who were confronting it became a regular part of the calendar. Six months after its editorial on polio season, The Daily Notes had a front page story, “Whistles Will Herald Start of Mothers’ March on Polio.”
It reported how, on Jan. 28, 1953, factory whistles, church bells and sirens would sound in Canonsburg to kick off an annual fundraising drive for the March of Dimes, which Roosevelt founded and was initially established to combat polio.
Committees were established in Canonsburg and other communities throughout the country to coordinate the fundraisers. Residents were told to leave their porch lights on for a “porchlight parade” if they wanted a volunteer to come to their doors to collect a donation.
“When the sirens are sounded, each family is asked
to signify its willingness to give by switching on the porchlight,” the Daily Notes story stated. “To the mother whose responsibility it is to call, it will act as a welcoming beacon, a request for her to stop and pick up a contribution to the fight against polio.”
But even while families in the early 1950s were trying to find ways to protect themselves from polio, Salk was at work on a vaccine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He was scrutinizing the different types of polio viruses and trying to come up with a vaccine. He used formaldehyde to kill off a poliovirus growing in kidney tissue taken from monkeys. Salk believed that a killed version of the virus could be used in a vaccine to spur the human body to deploy antibodies against a polio virus without actually causing the disease.
Salk tested the vaccine on himself and his family and almost 2 million children before it was determined “safe,” “effective,” “potent,” and “a brilliant victory over the disease.”
Those are the words The Daily Herald in Monongahela used to describe the breakthrough in its April 12, 1955, edition. The newspaper also reported that inoculations of children in public and parochial schools would begin as soon as the federal government signed off on the vaccine and supplies were made available.
“Consent slips for inoculation of local first and second graders will be sent home with students today,” a report in the newspaper said.
Within days, The Morning Herald in Uniontown was reporting that the vaccine would first be administered in Fayette County on April 27 or April 28, and that Dr. A.E. Wright, the county’s medical
director, was overseeing the effort. It also reported on a delay of vaccine shipments coming to Pennsylvania because inspections had been held up.
One Washington County boy played a particularly crucial role in the vaccine’s development.
Blood from Jimmy Sarkett, who hailed from Daisytown, was used by Salk because he had the rarest type of polio virus after contracting it in 1950.
Sarkett, who died in 2017, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in 2005 that Salk was “quiet, a very nice man.”
On the last day of April 1955, Sarkett and Joan Long, a 19-year-old from McMurray who also had polio, were among the honorees in a New York City Loyalty Day parade sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. They were sent to the parade as Salk’s representatives, and also had tea with New York Gov. Averell Harriman and were the king and queen at an evening dance.
“While impressed with the honors heaped on them, the youngsters were equally wide-eyed at the festivities at the dance,” according to Monongahela’s Daily Herald.
“It has been reliably reported that Jimmy developed a keen appreciation of the charm of Vera Allen, popular movie actress, and Joan capitulated to the personality of singer Eddie Fisher, entertainer at the dance.”
The success of the vaccine may have lifted a burden from the shoulders of many families, but polio didn’t entirely fade away in the region. The Daily Courier in Connellsville ran a wire story in its Jan. 29, 1957, edition about concerns that the rate of polio vaccinations among teenagers and young adults was lagging. Despite widespread inocu -
lation of children, the report said that only 1 in 6 adults between the age of 20 and 35 had gotten the three-shot polio regimen. The same month, the newspaper carried a story on how Pennsylvania doctors were combating “public apathy” about the vaccine.
Two years later, a polio vaccine clinic happened in Uniontown in order to get more shots in more arms. The Evening Standard’s July 15, 1959, edition said the clinic, which was at Uniontown Hospital’s Annette Home for Nurses, was designed “to serve persons who, for one reason or another, have been unable to get their first polio shot.”
Later that year, a vaccine clinic was set for Perry Township in Fayette County. Connellsville’s Daily Courier put a story on the clinic next to a report that a city resident had been diagnosed with polio. It reported that Kenneth A. Steindl’s right leg was paralyzed, “and paralysis is starting in the left leg.”
“He reportedly had received no polio inoculations,” the story noted.
Steindl died in October 1959, and because he died of an infectious disease, there were no viewings of his body at a funeral home. Pennsylvania’s Department of Health also decreed that his funeral services were to be “strictly private.”
Still, as time went on, fewer and fewer stories like Stendl’s appeared in the pages of the Daily Courier and other newspapers. On April 14, 1965, 10 years after the introduction of the polio vaccine, the Daily Courier carried a small item about Salk and his contention that the “really tough battles against disease lie ahead.” Salk said, “The easy ones have been solved.”
LUTHERAN: COURTESY OF ALAN TRIVILINO; SOUTHMINSTER: COURTESY OF SOUTHMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN
ABOVE LEFT: Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
ABOVE RIGHT: Southminster Presbyterian is in its centennial year.
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This is a legitimate offer of out-of-season goods that must be sold in the next 4 weeks.
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JED is the agent for sales and installation of these special units.
JED also offers an Energy Reduction Guarantee with each of these systems which states:
“You’ll save twenty-five percent over your old central system during the first year, or we will write you a check for the difference.”
This Public Notice Offering may not be used with other offers. There are no other systems available at this price once the allotment has been sold.
To reserve one of these brand-new air conditioning and heating systems, please call JED at 724-379-9220 or 412-384-2844 today. You can have your home measured and be quoted a completed price immediately. There will be no obligation to buy. Simply call 724-379-9220 or 412-384-2844 for a free survey.
The library board approved the resolution at its February meeting. Though it appears to be the first in Pennsylvania to declare itself a book sanctuary, Mt. Lebanon Public Library is joining a nationwide effort that started in September 2022 when the Chicago Public Library and the City of Chicago declared themselves book sanctuaries. Libraries in Seattle, Dayton, Ohio, Hoboken, N.J., and Arlington, Va., have since followed suit. Individuals can also declare their own libraries to be book sanctuaries, with a digital toolkit being made available at booksanctuary.org.
The book sanctuary movement was launched to counter the increasing number of challenges to and complaints about books in public libraries. As part of National Library Week last week, the American Library Association reported
that 72% of attempts to remove books from public or school libraries came from an assortment of governmen-
tal entities, elected officials, administrators and pressure groups, with 21% coming from parents or individual
patrons. Most of the books targeted dealt with race or sexuality.
Patrons of Mt. Lebanon Public Library still have the right to express misgivings about anything in the library’s collection, but, according to the resolution the library board approved, the library “will not condone removal of any materials from the collection” that meet its collection development policy.
The library is selling T-shirts, stickers and pins to promote its “book sanctuary” designation.
The response from the Mt. Lebanon community to the library being declared a book sanctuary has been “100% positive,” Vittek said.
“What we’re really doing is saying we believe in the First Amendment and a patron’s right to choose the information that is important to them,” she added.
Additional information about the library’s book sanctuary resolution can be found at https://mtlebanonlibrary. org/706/Book-Sanctuary.
Peters Township council approves $1.8 million road maintenance contract
By Jon Andreassi
million for maintenance including paving, resurfacing and resealing more than five miles of township roads.
“(Mele and Mele) are the contractor that has provid-
ed paving for us the last few years. We are pleased that they’re the low bidder. The other thing that I would note is that this number is substantially lower than we thought it would be,” said Township Manager Paul Lauer. Council also approved a couple of purchases at Monday’s meeting. Officials voted unanimously to approve the $186,591 purchase of a tractor and a boom mower. Lauer explained that the township’s current equipment is old and needs to be replaced. Council also approved $272,847 for the purchase and installation of a new playground at Elm Grove Park. According to Lauer, the playground will be in place by the end of June.
COURTESY OF MT. LEBANON MUNICIPALITY
A wall at Mt. Lebanon Public Library offering information about its status as a book sanctuary
Beyond Survival Ministries expanding to Washington
By Paul Paterra Staff writer ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
Beyond Survival Ministries continues its growth in Washington County with a new center in the city of Washington.
The nonprofit organization has had its headquarters in McMurray since 2006 and has another center in Lawrence. A new facility opened April 1 at 382 West Chestnut St., Suite 107.
“We’re really excited to be breaking into Washington,” said Sarah Kapis, director of Beyond Survival Ministries. “We know the need is great there with people suffering from many different things.”
Kapis, a North Strabane resident who was raised in Canonsburg, said the ministry worked in the city in conjunction with the Lemoyne Center on a couple of occasions and realized the need for a center in Washington.
“We heard so many stories from women who told us they were hurting or broken and needed someone to walk with them on the journey of healing,” she said. “They wanted a solid, faith-based opportunity to do that, and that’s what we provide. We saw the need when we did these outreach events. We prayed about it and there was an opportunity to rent some space. It’s a perfect location for us because it’s
kind of tucked away. Most of what we do are confidential services. We like the privacy that it offers.”
The director of the Washington location is Peters Township resident Dedi Kramer, who has been instrumental in the ministry’s prayer teams and a leader in the teen ministry. She also is a certified mental health and teen mental health coach.
“She is just wonderful,” Kapis said of Kramer. “She has been a staple of Beyond Survival Ministries for decades. She has grown through the ranks, grown in her leadership positions throughout the many years she has been with us.”
The ministry’s belief is that God’s word, combined with the love of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, can render a transformative change that people cannot achieve on their own.
“We help men and women who have gone through different types of trauma in their life, things that have caused them to be stuck in their process of healing,” Kapis said. “We offer different services, ministries and counseling to help them get past the pain of the past so they can walk in freedom and wholeness.”
Evangelist Sue Willis founded the ministry to work with sexual abuse victims. Beyond Survival Ministries is
best known for A Time to Heal Beyond Survival, a faith-based curriculum that has been around for about two decades and is targeted for those who have gone through sexual abuse, rape or are victims of human trafficking.
“We have a specific curriculum for them to walk them through the healing process,” Kapis said. “When those kinds of things happen in your life it can really hold you captive in life in general. We just want to come alongside these women and men and help them get back on their feet.”
Throughout its years of service, there came a realization that there are victims of other traumatic episodes who needed help and Beyond Survival Ministries’ outreach expanded.
Kapis, who has served as director for about two-and-ahalf years, said Beyond Survival Ministries also will be offering a 12-week program called Trauma Reboot to help those who have suffered a trauma outside of rape or sexual abuse.
“That’s what we’re all about,” she said. “Our mis-
sion is restoring hope and transforming lives. That’s what we want to do as we come into Washington County. We’re just looking to get the word out and help people
to walk in wholeness.”
Kapis said the hope is to eventually offer a grief share program for those who are in mourning over the loss of a loved one.
Preparing for the new
Beyond
Survival Ministries center in the city of Washington are, from left, Sarah Kapis, director; Sue Willis, founder/ executive director, and Dedi Kramer, director of Beyond Survival Ministries Washington.
“A lot of people are mourning different things in their lives they haven’t been able to get over,” she said. “That’s a service we’re looking to incorporate as well.”
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COURTESY OF SARAH KAPIS
PT’s McGarrity grabs Almanac MVP honors for wrestling Standout grappler
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor
ebailey@thealmanac.net
Nicholas McGarrity of Peters Township is making progress. In his first two scholastic seasons on the mats, the sophomore has improved by leaps and bounds.
After placing sixth as a freshman in the PIAA championships, McGarrity moved up three slots and finished third in the state.
McGarrity also gained improved prominence in the awards department. He had gone from Rookie Of the Year to Most Valuable Grappler on The Almanac’s annual allstar wrestling team.
The Almanac wrestling all-star team is selected with the help of the area coaches in the readership area. They are asked to nominate team members that deserve recognition and supply supporting data, including records. A wrestler is then selected in each weight classification. Final picks in each weight are based on where the wrestler finished the competitive season, regardless of record.
McGarrity topped all area grapplers by finishing the highest in the ultimate competition, the PIAA championships held at the Giant Center in Hershey. McGarrity took home the bronze medal in the 107-pound weight class.
While a state title was his goal, McGarrity rebounded from a 4-2 setback in the semifinals against Northampton’s Brayden Wenrich to secure his spot on the podium with major decisions against Tommy Gretz from Connellsville, 11-3, and Sam Culp from Read Land in the consolation bouts.
McGarrity’s success this season was based on two factors. The first was his freshman year and the second was a drop in weight, moving from 114 to 107.
“It was in the back of my head that I could drop and be even more dominant,” he said. “Especially coming back at the same weight class as last year when I had so much success.
“I feel like wrestling at 107 is much better for me,” he added. Over two years, McGarrity has enjoyed tremendous success. He owns an overall record of 87-9.
He posted a 44-5 mark this year, complete with sectional, WPIAL and regional titles. As a freshman, McGarrity was 43-4. He also won sectional, district and regional crowns before going 3-2 in the PIAA tournament to finish sixth in the state.
Century Club
Four members of the Almanac wrestling all-star team entered the Century Club this winter. They gained admission to the distinguished group by recording their 100th career victory during their senior season.
Talan Mizenko from South Fayette finished with 103 career wins. He posted a 38-10 this season and accumulated medals in three regular-season tournaments (third at Chartiers-Houston, runner-up at TRICADA, and fourth at the Allegheny County championships) before embarking on the season-ending individual wrestle-offs.
After earning runner-up acclaim in the Southern section, Mizenko finished fifth in the WPIAL champion -
ships at 139. His third-place showing in the western regional gained him a berth in the PIAA state tournament.
“Talan’s leadership is one by example,” said South Fayette mat boss Richard Chaussard. “He never said much but was one of the hardest workers in the room. His teammates responded to his hard work.”
Ethan Higgins was the leader on the Bethel Park squad. He helped the Black Hawks to back-to-back section banners and appearances in the WPIAL team tournament, finishing fourth as a junior and reaching the quarterfinals this year.
Individually, Higgins compiled a 127-52 record that featured 60 pins. This winter he posted a 44-11 mark in the 145 weight classification.
Higgins was a bronze medalist at the Allegheny County championships as well as the WPIAL and Western Regional tournaments. He was the Southern sectional runner-up. A PIAA qualifier, he was 2-2 at the state championships.
USC track welcomes first adaptive athlete
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor
Upper St. Clair welcomed its first adaptive athlete to the track team this spring.
The Fort Couch Middle School eighth grader Holden Schwamberger competed in his first meet at Bethel Park High School.
“We are very excited to have our first ever middle school adaptive track athlete competing at a meet,” Gordon Mathews, assistant principal, said. “According to all of our research, he may be the first ever in a Pennsylvania middle school to compete, at least in western Pennsylvania.”
Holden, who uses a racing wheelchair, competes in the 100 and 200-meter events.
“There are set state standards for middle school athletes in wheelchairs, so Holden will be trying to beat those standards at the meets,” said Jennifer Cramer, who is a teacher and assistant athletic coordinator at Fort Couch. “We are not anticipating that he will get to race against anyone this year, but hopeful that other adaptive athletes will have the
courage that Holden has to try something new.”
Acquiring the racing wheelchair was made possible through Rise
Again, a nonprofit organization that helps to establish adaptive track and field programs in middle and high schools across Pennsylvania. The organization was founded by the Brown family, whose son Alex was one of the first high school adaptive track athletes in Pennsylvania.
A 2024 graduate of North Catholic High School, Alex is now a member of the University of Alabama Para Track & Field Team.
In addition to track, Holden plays on the Mighty Penguins sled hockey team and Steel City Swish junior wheelchair basketball team. Adjusting to the racing wheelchair has been challenging, as its positioning differs from a basketball wheelchair or a sled for hockey. However, his biggest challenge has been overcoming nerves.
“The hardest thing about learning to race is being the first one to do it at Fort Couch,” Holden said. “You have to be brave to be able to compete by yourself.”
participant as well. Both earned Almanac all-star distinction with McGarrity claiming the top honor as Most Valuable Grappler.
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor
ebailey@thealmanac.net
Sadie Tomczyk of Upper St. Clair showcased her speed on a national stage at the New Balance Indoor Nationals held recently in Boston.
The Upper St. Clair High School junior earned her spot at the prestigious meet by meeting the competition standards in both the 60-meter and 200-meter dash events. Racing against some of the top high school athletes in the country, she ended her indoor track season with a personal record and a Top 15 ranking in Pennsylvania.
“It was an amazing experience,” Tomczyk said. “It felt so cool to run on the same track as the Olympians and the top high school athletes in the country.”
For Tomczyk, running is more than just competition— it’s an escape.
“I like running because it takes my mind off everything around me,” she said. “I can focus on myself without outside stressors bothering me.”
With the indoor season behind her, Tomczyk has turned her attention to the outdoor track and field season. Last spring, she proved herself as one of the top sprinters in the region, earning three medals at the WPIAL Championships: second place in the 200-meter dash; third place in the 100-meter dash; and second place in the 4x100 relay. This spring, she has her sights set even higher.
Maya Bhandari of Upper St. Clair won a Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling title during the state championships held in Harrisburg. Bhandari captured the 51-pound weight class by winning five straight matches. With her victory, Bhandari becomes Upper St. Clair’s first-ever female PJW State champion.
A week earlier, Bhandari earned a silver medal at 50 pounds in the female 7-8 age group at the Keystone State Championships held at Penn State University’s Bryce Jordan Center. Bhandari is in her second season of wrestling. During her rookie year, she placed second at the PJW tournament and third at the Keystone state meet. The daughter of Atul Bhan-
and Kristen Schneck is a third-grade student at Streams Elementary.
Sadie Tomczyk
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Nicholas McGarrity wraps up an opponent en route to another victory on the mats. The Peters Township sophomore raised his career record to 87-9 overall. This winter, he captured his second section, district and regional titles to go along with a third-place finish in the PIAA championships.
Nicholas McGarrity (right) poses with Peters Township teammate Darius McMillon after a successful tournament showing. McGarrity was a section, district and regional champion for the second year in a row before bringing home a bronze medal in the state championships. McMillon was a PIAA
dari
Maya Bhandari
Schwamberger
SEE MEET PAGE B2
Renovated Peterswood Park field to be named after Maize
By John Sacco For the Observer Reporter newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Joe Maize did a lot for Peters Township High School baseball.
Now, Peters Township is doing something for Maize.
The district and township will honor Maize, the former longtime Indians baseball coach, by naming the renovated field at Peterswood Park, where the high school has called home for many years, after him.
Brian Geyer, Peters Township athletic director, called Maize recently and asked him to join him in his office. It was at that meeting the Geyer informed Maize of the district’s and township intentions.
“I was speechless and humbled,” Maize said of him being told about the honor. “It is obviously a great honor and it’s pretty special.”
Maize led the Indians to a pair of WPIAL championships (2007 and 2008), two PIAA silver medals (2004 and 2005), eight section titles and 17 WPIAL and five state playoff appearances.
Maize finished his spectacular career with a record of 422-241 record (.637 winning percentage).
In addition to his long tenure as baseball coach, Maize was the Indians’ athletic director for many years, and he coached a variety of sports at Peters Township. He also taught physical education and driver education.
Maize is a graduate of Waynesburg Central High School.
The field will be named Joe Maize Field.
Geyer had planned to honor Maize in some way after Maize retired as baseball coach after the 2019 season.
Initially, COVID got in the way and time just passed.
“They started an ambitious project at Peterswood Park to upgrade the facilities,” Geyer
said. “Our baseball coach, Rocky Plassio, came to me and said what if we named the revitalized field after Joe?
He got us thinking about that agreement we had with Joe to honor him in 2020.”
Said Plassio: “I just thought the opportunity with the field to finally bring honoring Joe to fruition was great timing. I consider Joe a good friend and I always admired him.
“Admittedly, I’ll tell you it’s not easy to follow him. Whenever I got the job, I kind of felt like I was in a shadow.”
Peters Township and the township council gave their approvals.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Dave Brooks, director of parks and recreation for Peters Township. “I’ve got to meet Joe a couple times and we’ve had some conversations in my short period of time here. I really enjoyed talking to him about the history of the program and where it started.
“It was the vote by the parks and recreation board to move it forward to the township and council. We took it to the meeting, presented Rocky’s email and his information. Joe has been a great steward for the township and for the school district for a long time.”
Brooks said the project is “a little more than $1 million. Headed there was an initial grant of $650,000 and then another for $500,000.
Artificial turf will be placed in the infield while natural grass will remain in the outfield. Some new drainage will also be included in the new look. Brooks said new dugouts and a new press box will also be in place. Brooks added there will be a new walkway around the field and a new backstop “more like a PNC Park look,” he added.
“It’s a cleaner look, more of a college setting,” Brooks said.
Weather has hindered progress and it is not known when the field will be ready for play. In the meantime, the Indians will play home games at Washington & Jefferson College’s Ross Memorial Park.
And Maize will be honored when play can begin.
“I think I’ve was blessed with kids who loved the game of baseball,” Maize said. “They were committed and I think that’s a reason for the success. I think we always emphasized respect for the game and respect for one another, themselves and families. And I was blessed with tremendous coaches.”
ALMANAC WRESTLING ALL-STARS
Most Valuable Grappler: Nicholas McGarrity, Peters Township
HONORABLE MENTION: Colton Fisher (23-13), Seth Miller (27-13), Aden Stout (31-13), Ian Bucheli (30-17), Michael Gibson (30-15) – Bethel Park; Michael Lawrence (25-4) – Chartiers Valley; Cole Gibbons (33-13), Jonathan Emma (24-9), Ben Mares (20-13) – Mt. Lebanon; A.J McGarrity (25-15), Parker Nave (33-13), Colton Stocker (22-17), Zack Stromock (30-18) – Peters Township; Brock Dennison (30-11), Peter Leventis (27-11), Luke Dunlap (38-11) – South Fayette; Alex Tucker (16-17), Matteo Amorosa (16-8), Kurt Baran (17-9), George Drutis (18-9), Derek Worstell (3112), Bryce Catanzaro (28-9), Alex Zevallos (24-16) – Upper St. Clair Rookie of the Year: Cooper Knorr, Chartiers Valley 24-10
WRESTLERS TO WATCH: Spencer
Darius McMillon was another successful Peters Township grappler. The senior, who will play football at Wheeling University, racked up 132 career wins in 162 bouts. He recorded 68 career falls.
This winter, he dominated the 152-pound weight class, posting a 53-9 record.
A two-time section champion, including this season, McMillon placed third in the WPIAL and fourth in the Western Regional to qualify for the PIAA championships. A two-time state participant, he did not place, withdrawing due to an injury. Injuries also prevented him from participating in the postseason as a junior.
At Mt. Lebanon, Ben Lloyd dominated the heavyweight class. For his career, he was 104-64 overall with 56 falls and one state tournament appearance. He finished 33-15 this season. After earning runner-up laurels in section, he placed seventh in the WPIAL.
“I am beyond proud of Ben and the work he put in over his time on the team,” said Mt. Lebanon head coach Marc Allemang. “He came in as an undersized freshman who only won 10 matches and just continued to get better each season. Ben had a great career and he will do well in everything he does.
Lloyd will continue his career at Gannon University.
Lebo adds 2
Two additional Lebo grapplers joined Lloyd on the allstar list.
Devin McCauley wrapped up his career with a championship at the Southern sectional. At 172 pounds, he finished 27-16 this season. He added eighth place in the WPIAL championships.
Track
FROM PAGE B1
Spring track is popular among Fort Couch Middle School students. Approximately 125 seventh and eighth graders participate, representing nearly 20% of the student body.
“Holden is a very active eighth grade student at Fort Couch, so trying track was a natural fit,” Cramer said. “Sports at Fort Couch are a great way for every kid to be connected to the school. We don’t cut anyone, and offer intramural options for kids that are less competitive in many sports.”
For Holden’s parents, Beth Anne and Chris Schwamberger, watching their son participate in a school sport has been a rewarding experience.
Meet
FROM PAGE B1
“My goals are to finish first in the 100 and 200 at WPIALs,” Tomczyk said. “I would also love to medal at the state championship.”
(25-11),
MCGARRITY TOPPED ALL AREA GRAPPLERS BY FINISHING THE HIGHEST IN THE ULTIMATE COMPETITION, THE PIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD AT THE GIANT CENTER IN HERSHEY. MCGARRITY TOOK HOME THE BRONZE MEDAL IN THE 107-POUND WEIGHT CLASS.
A sophomore, Evan Sala managed a 20-7 record. He finished runner-up in the section and secured sixth place in the WPIAL championships. He wrestled three matches in the Western Regional.
“This was a breakout season for Evan,” said Allemang. “He was injured a good portion of last year so he was never really able to get in a rhythm.
“Evan had a productive off season and came into this year with purpose and it showed in his wrestling throughout the season. Being able to get through the competition of the WPIAL and move through to the regional tournament will be valuable experience for him next year.”
BP adds 3
While Maksim Miller and Hunter Goelz graduate this June, Pierce Reinhart has a bright future ahead on the mats at Bethel Park. The trio join Higgins on the all-star list.
Reinhart is a talented sophomore, having amassed a 30-11 record this winter. At 121, he captured an Allegheny County championship, a bronze medal in the sectional and a seventh-place showing at the WPIAL championships.
Miller won 19 matches. He finished fifth at 160 during the Southern sectional.
Goelz posted a 29-16 record. A fourth-place medalist
“He’s able to practice nearly every day and compete much more often, versus his adaptive sports where he has to drive an hour just to get to practice once or twice a week and travel across state lines just to compete,” Mrs. Schwamberger said. “We love watching him compete at all his sports, but the opportunity to be with his school friends is really special.” Athletics and activities offer an opportunity to build and nurture connections between and among students, teachers and the greater school community.
“Kids in middle school need to feel connected to someone so by offering different sports programs they have a chance to meet other kids and connect with them on a different level. Kids also get a chance to connect with an adult, often a teacher, in a different way,”
The WPIAL track and field championships are held at Slippery Rock University and the PIAA finals are set for Shippensburg University. Dates are May 14 for the district meet and May 23-24 for the state competition. Tomczyk is already burning up the track. During the TST-
at the county championships, Goelz went on to grab runner-up honors in the section. He added seventh place at the WPIAL championships at 215.
CV gets 3
Chartiers Valley placed three grapplers on the Almanac all-star list, including claiming newcomer of the year laurels. Cooper Knorr earned Almanac Rookie of the Year recognition after a standout freshman year. He posted a 24-10 record, complete with 10 falls and a pair of tech falls. He finished fifth in the Southern sectional at 107 pounds. Meanwhile, Logan Connolly earned honors at 133. For the second year in a row, he racked up 30 victories. This winter, the senior compiled a 30-11 record. He qualified for the WPIAL championships by placing fourth in the sectional.
Connolly finished his career with a 90-50 overall record At 189, Howard Clellen posted an 18-16 mark, complete with 12 falls. The senior secured sixth place in the sectional.
USC with 1
Alisher Abdurakhmanov of Upper St. Clair rounds out the list of Almanac wrestling all-stars. The junior won 15 matches. He finished fifth at 114 during the sectional and qualified for the WPIAL championships.
Cramer said. “This is also true for our adaptive kids, and track is the only middle school sport we offer that can include adaptive athletes alongside able-bodied athletes. The Schwambergers have been touched by the support Holden has received.
“From coaches to teachers and staff members and teammates, it has taken a lot of preparation and planning and extra learning for Holden to be included in track this year, and everyone has been so excited to learn and help however they can,” Mrs. Schwamberger said. “This is why we love Upper St. Clair so much – our kid has been welcomed and supported since day one, and it means so much to us and to Holden.”
Fort Couch Middle School will hold Clairton and Peters Township at 4 p.m. April 28 at the high school stadium.
CA Outdoor Championships held April 12 at West Mifflin stadium, she won the 100 meters in 12.44 seconds as well as the 200 dash in 25.29. Tomczyk won both of those events in 12.33 and 25.41 respectively during the P3R Rust Buster Invitational held at USC to kick off the season.
Hills
Luca Coury (21-17)– Upper St. Clair Coach of the Year: Tyler Nauman, Bethel Park
ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
The renovated high school baseball field at Peterswood Park will be named Joe Maize Field, in honor of the former coach who guided Peters Township to 422 wins and four WPIAL championships.
Upper St. Clair medals at Science Olympiad
Upper St. Clair High School
students finished in the top five of five different events at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Science Olympiad Regional Tournament, held recently at PennWest California University.
Upper St. Clair students won medals in the following events:
■ Jamie Barrett and Yuhong Shi, second in Write
It Do It
■ Ian Dvorin, Aaron Jiang and Priyaharshini Sivakumar, fourth in Codebusters
■ Rohan Inampudi and Aaron Jiang, fifth in Robot Tour
■ Rohan Inampudi, Aaron Jiang and Priyaharshini Siva-
kumar, fifth in Experimental Design
■ Yuhong Shi and Maria Alfredson-Themudo, fifth in Geologic Mapping In total, 11 USC students participated in the regional competition that included 19 school districts. The Pennsylvania Science Olympiad is composed of six geographical regions. Upper St. Clair competes in the Southwest Region, which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Regional winners advanced to the state tournament, to be held at Penn State Altoona.
USC students excel at German Day
Upper St. Clair High School students earned first, second and third places at the 25th annual Three Rivers German Day event held recently at Washington & Jefferson College. Gosia Romek, Sophie Einfeldt, Olivia Fuscaldo, Sal Crawford, Kaia Petrick, Nishma Ghimire, Jillian Paoly, Mark Torres and Stephen Li finished first in the Drama division. Pictured, Olivia Fuscaldo’s painting earned second place, and Sophie Einfeldt’s drawing placed third in the Art category. German Day is an event for high schools around the region to come together to showcase their language ability, cultural knowledge, and creativity. Approximately 400 students from western Pennsylvania and West Virginia participate each year.
what’s happening
CHORUS
The Pittsburgh Youth Chorus will perform Under One Sky at 4 p.m. April 27 at South Fayette High School. The singers offer a musical journey stretching from the sounds of Renaissance England and post-colonial South Africa to the textures of today’s neoclassical composers and the harmonies of American country music. Visit pittsburghyouthchorus.salsalabs.org to order tickets.
TEA PARTY
A Mother’s Day Tea will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. May 10 in the Neville House parlour at the Woodville Plantation, 1375 Washington Pike. In addition to the spread of sandwiches and sweets, Melissa Makofske, RN-BC, will present on The Colonial Midwife.
Tickets are $25 per person. Reservations are required as seating is limited.
Visit www.woodville-experience.org/events to order tickets or call 412-221-0348 for details.
JOB FAIR
A free job fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 at the Bethel Park Community Center, 5151 Park Ave. Over 600 full-time, part-time and seasonal positions will be available from more than 30 employers. Space is still available for employers. Visit www.bethelparkpa.gov/jobfair to reserve a table or for more information on the event.
BP CHAMBER
The Bethel Park Chamber of Commerce conducts a networking event the second Thursday of every month. The group meets from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Dunkin Donuts on South Park Road. Coffee and donuts are free. Register at www.bpchamber. org.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Upper St. Clair students raise cards to show how much money they raised during their all-night U-THON. Proceeds benefit the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Upper St. Clair raises funds through U-THON
Upper St. Clair High School students raised $38,467.42 through its all-night U-THON. U-THON was held in partnership with the Pitt Dance Marathon benefitting the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Nearly 200 students participated in the eight-hour dance marathon, which also included games, activities and food. The event was coordinated by the Student Council with oversight from Brooke Tarcson, head of student activities. Student leaders included Ryan LaRocco, Ben Seewald, Emma Toosi, Anderson Ploeger, Brady Bernard, Jack Yurcich,
Ava Kasper, John Tripodes, Carly Shontz and Nate Stohl.
This marked USC’s fourth THON event. The first event, held in 2017, raised $17,531. The event went on to raise $41,098 and $58,477 in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The 2025 U-THON is the school’s first since the pandemic and the first for the school’s current student body.
Community support included corporate sponsors, food donations from parents and community members, and numerous individual donations through the online donor drive.
Sophia Iorio
The chamber will hold a vendor fair from noon to 5 p.m. May 3 at the South Park Community Center. Tables are available for $35. Home-based businesses, in particular, can promote their products. Visit bpchamber. org for more details.
RESALE
A children’s resale event will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 2 and from 8 a.m. to noon May 3 at Christ United Methodist Church, located at 44 Highland Rd. Visit christumc.net/resale to be a consignor or for more information.
BOOK SALE
The Friends of the South Park Township Library will hold a book sale from 6 to 8 p.m. April 24, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 25 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 26 at the community center located at 2575 Brownsville Road. Saturday is a fill-a-bag with books for $5. Novels, children’s books, cookbooks will be among the selection of books for sale. Donations for the sale will be collected from April 7-22.
CRAFTS SHOW
The Young Entrepreneur art and craft fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 at Independence Middle School, located at 2807 Bethel Church Road in Bethel Park. In addition to arts and crafts there will be baked goods, food, drinks and raffles. Admission is free.
A craft and vendor show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 26 at Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3104 West Liberty Avenue in Dormont. Enter via Park Boulevard. There will be raffle items, 50/50, Attic treasures which helps support the community cupboard, along with many
vendors and crafters. Call 412-531-9363 or 412-9567513 for more details or email bethany-dormont@ verizon.net/.
VENDOR FAIR
The Scott Township Public Library is hosting a vendor fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 26 at the Scott Township municipal building. In addition to various vendors, there will be food trucks and raffles. Admission is free.
HOLY HOUR
Divine Mercy Sunday will be celebrated April 27 at Holy Child Church, part of Corpus Christi Parish, located at 212 Station St. in Bridgeville. A Holy Hour with prayers, procession with the Blessed Sacrament, and benediction will start at noon. Call 412276-3374 for more details.
PT REC
The Peters Township recreation center is offering the following programs:
■ Family Feud Night from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 30. All ages can attend this family event designed to quiz clans on how well they really know their relatives. Fee is $1 ($2 nonmembers). Registration required.
■ Tiny Tots Gym Time from 1 to 3 p.m. the first and third Friday of every month. Children 5 and under participate in unstructured playtime with a variety of toys, balls and soft play features. Parents must remain on site and supervise their children. Fee is $5 ($8 nonmembers).
Senior luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. May 14 at Shelter 4 in Peterswood Park. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided but guests should bring a covered dish or dessert to share. Tracy Lee Simmons will entertain on the ukulele. Admission is free.
■ April Showers from 10 to 11 a.m. or 2 to 3 p.m. April 24 for ages 3 to 5. Fee is $5 ($8 nonmembers) per child. Participants play rain puddle games and make springtime crafts.
■ Summer camps begin as early as June 6. Children up to age 12 can sign up for creative writing, dance, theater, chess and cooking camps. Fees vary.
■ Session 3 classes are accepting registration. Signups for one-day programs have also begun. Classes begin in May.
Visit www.peterstownship. org to register or stop at the recreation center, 700 Meredith Drive. For more details, call 724-942-5000.
SAFE DRIVE
A Seniors For Safe Driving event will be held from 1:30 to 5 p.m. April 23 at the JCC of South Hills, located at 345 Kane Boulevard, or from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 14 at the Bethel Park Schoolhouse Arts and History Center, 2600 South Park Road. Ages 55 and older can attend this PennDOT-approved driver improvement course that will refresh driving skills and knowledge of the rules of the road. There is no testing or behind-the-wheel driving. Participants can receive a multi-year discount of no less than 5% on auto insurance.
Visit www.SeniorsForSafeDriving.com to register online or call 1-800-559-4880 or 724-283-0245 to sign up.
WROC EVENTS
The Westminster Recreation and Outreach Center offers the following at Westminster Presbyterian Church, located at 2040 Washington Road in Upper St. Clair:
■ Gentle Yoga from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Fridays beginning April 25. Fee is $63.
■ Cardio Strength Fusion from 8 to 9 a.m. beginning May 2. Fees are $56 for Mondays and Wednesdays and $64 for Fridays.
■ Zumba from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays; 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Saturdays in May and June. Drop in fee is $10.
■ Barre Sculpt, which fuses ballet, yoga and Pilates, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays beginning May 6. Fee is $64.
■ Stronger Bones/Better Balance from 10:10 to 11:10 a.m. Tuesdays beginning May 6. Fee is $56.
■ Flow Yoga from 9 to 10 a.m. beginning May 6. Classes are offered Tuesday and Thursday. Fee is $56.
■ Cardio Drumming from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. Fridays beginning May 9. Visit wroc.westminster-church.org to register or more details or call 412-8356630.
GENEALOGY
The Mt. Lebanon Genealogy Society will meet between 1 and 3 p.m. April 28 in the audio-visual room of the Mt. Lebanon Library.
Dennis Wodzinski, Director of the Archives & Records Center for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, will advise on how to use sacramental records to document family history and detail information and records available to genealogists and researchers from Catholic Archival Collections, with an emphasis on the collection held by the diocese. New members can attend. Email: malcolm. andrews1949@gmail.com for more information.
COLLEGE CLUB
The College Club of Carnegie will meet May 3 at Scoglio’s Restaurant, Pine Bridge Commons, Suite
Sophia Iorio has been awarded Gannon University’s Presidential Scholarship, a four-year full-tuition award valued at nearly $170,000.
The Bethel Park High School senior plans to enroll in the Erie university’s five-year Physician Assistant program. She was among 75 students who competed for the scholarship.
Up to eight students were awarded full-tuition scholarships based on their performance in a multi-stage competition that included an essay, an art project, and an in-person interview.
“It was an intense but rewarding experience,” said Iorio, who carries a 4.4 weighted GPA.
For the essay portion, Iorio wrote about her cousin, Liz Shirley, a practicing PA who played a significant role in her upbringing and inspired her to pursue the profession. Her art project, a collage featuring Pittsburgh’s iconic yellow bridges, symbolized the pillars of her character in alignment with Gannon’s mission statement.
As she prepares for college, Iorio hopes to return to her hometown to practice as a PA. Reflecting on the journey, she emphasized how the combination of her interview and art project helped set her apart. “I think those were a big deal,” she said. “That artwork is worth $170,000 – I’m definitely framing it.”
102, 1580 McLaughlin Run Road. A social starts at 11:30 a.m. A luncheon will be served at noon. “Kentucky Derby Daze” is the theme of the meeting. A 50/50 raffle will be held to benefit the scholarship fund program. Women with post-secondary education can attend. Call 412-279-4458 for further information or membership.
ART MARKET
South Arts Pittsburgh is hosting a two-day market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 3 and 4 at the Schoolhouse Arts & History Center, 2600 South Park Road in Bethel Park. This event includes an artists’ market with local vendors displaying/selling their works throughout the first floor, and South Arts members’ artwork for sale in one of the classrooms of the historic schoolhouse. Artwork and photos are framed and ready to hang. Jewelry, cards and matted prints are also available. Cash, checks or credit cards accepted. There will also be a silent auction. Reginald’s Coffee will be open to purchase coffee/tea. Visit www.southartspittsburgh.org for dates for future shows. Call 412-327-1180 or email southartspitt@gmail.com with further questions.
PET FUN
The Cinco de Meow Cat Adoption Fiesta will be held from noon to 3 p.m. May 3 at Pet Supplies Plus, located in the South Park Shops. Participants can speed up the adoption process by filling out an application before the event by visiting angelridgeanimalrescue.org/adopt-a-cat.
Bailey’s Cat Haven is open for adoptions from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and from noon to 3 p.m. Sundays. Email baileyscathaven@ gmail.com to schedule a visit or for more details about the adoption fiesta.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Upper St. Clair students who participated in the regional science Olympiad tournament