Feb 8, 2017 12 min read

Childcare

Preschool story hour

St. Elizabeth Elementary School, Baldwin, will hold a Preschool Story Hour from 1 to 2 p.m. Feb. 16, for any child age 3 or older (and potty-trained). The event will include a story followed by activities with middle school students from St. Elizabeth’s. Children can be dropped off after signing in with one of the preschool teachers. Email slydon@st-elizabeth.org with questions.

Preschool registration

Registration for the 2017-18 school year at Mushroom Family Learning Center, an independent, secular, nonprofit preschool at 1900 Cochran Road on the Scott Twp./Mt. Lebanon border, is underway. Parents and caregivers can receive registration information and schedule tours of the school by calling director Joan Harrison at 412-531-1225. Mushroom Family Learning Center offers half-day preschool classes for children ages 2 through 6 including a supplementary class for kindergarteners and other enrichment programs, plus a month-long summer camp. There is also a “Little Sprouts” parent/caregiver-and-child class for children 18 months and older. For more information, visit mushroomfamily.org.

CLUBS

USC Coutrie

Upper St. Clair Coutrie will meet at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 9 at Valley Brook Country Club, McMurray. Lunch will be served at noon. This month’s meeting will include a wine tasting program. Cost is $33 for members and $38 for non-members. For reservations, call Jean McCormick at 724-745-4206.

Alpha Omega Master

Alpha Omega Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority will hold its annual Valentine’s celebration on Feb. 11 with brunch at The Carvery. For more information, call Ellen at 412-831-2066.

SH Women’s Club

The South Hills Women’s Club will meet at 8 p.m. Feb. 13 at at Vanadium Woods, Scott. Guest speaker Vince Mariotti, a docent from the Clemente Museum, will speak. Guests welcome. For more information, call Lorraine at 412-276-5762.

Women’s Business Network

The McMurray Chapter of the Women’s Business Network will meet at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 15 at the Bowling Alley at the Meadows, Racetrack Road, Washington. Meeting agenda includes: self-marketing, a business presentation by an individual member or table topic discussion, and networking. For more information, call Tommi Calabria at 724-825-7818. Visit www.wbninc.com to learn more.

CRAFT/Vendor Show

Vendors needed

Vendors are needed for a craft vendor show set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 6 at Brentwood Presbyterian Church, located on Brownsville Road. For more information, call 412-337-1011 or email marlajo4@comcast.net.

FUNDRAISER

Children’s fundraiser

Family First Chiropractic, McMurray, will be collecting donations for The Children’s Chiropractic Center’s “Oklahaven” Annual Fundraiser “Have-A-Heart,” which runs through Feb. 14. Adopt a Heart by making a contribution and placing your name on the heart. Oklahaven, a nonprofit 501 (C)(3) based in Oklahoma City, Okla., continues its 55-year history of hope and healing through private donations without state, federal or United Way funding. To find out more or to make a donation, visit www.chiropractic4kids.com or send to: Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center, 4500 N. Meridian, Oklahoma City, OK 73112.

HAPPENINGS

Dinner for a Dollar

Community of Christ, Bethel Park, will hold Dinner for a Dollar from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 9. The menu will include spaghetti, bread and rolls, garden salad and desserts. Donations of $1 per person or $3 per family are humbly accepted, but not required. No reservations are needed. No take out will be available. The church is located on South Park Road, between Drake Road and Sunset Drive. For more information, or to volunteer to set up for the dinner on Feb. 8 or serve dinner on Feb. 9, call Debbie at 412-833-6357.

Family bingo night

St. Valentine Church, Bethel Park, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with Family Bingo Night. The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 10 in Frawley Hall. Admission is free. The concession stand will be stocked with snacks and drinks. Bingo cards are $1 each (four chances to win). This is an all-ages event.

Auditions

Auditions will be held Feb. 11 for the children’s play “Aladdin” at the studios of the Carnegie Performing Arts Center, located on East Main Street in Carnegie. Ages 5-12 audition at 10 a.m. and ages 13 and up audition at 11 a.m. Performances will be at the Andrew Carnegie Music Hall in Carnegie during the month of April. Rehearsals will take place on Saturday mornings. For more information, call 412-279-8887 or visit www.carnegieperformingartscenter.com.

Free tours

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation offers free tours at the Old Allegheny County Jail Museum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Feb. 13 and 27 (closed Feb. 20 for Presidents Day). Arrive by 12:30 p.m. to see and hear everything. Reservations not required.

Preschool program

RSVP by Feb. 14 for Peters Township Parks and Recreation’s February Fun preschool program set for 10 to 11 a.m. Feb. 16 at the Rec Center located on Meredith Drive in Venetia, for children ages 3 to 5 years. Celebrate all things February with a variety of hands-on activities. Preregistration is required at the Rec Center or online at www.peterstownship.com. Instruction and materials provided by the Peters Township Parks and Recreation staff. Cost is $5 for members and $8 for non-members (per child).

Megillah & Martinis

RSVP by Feb. 15 for the 2nd Annual South Hills Jewish Comedy Night “Megillah & Martinis,” which will be held March 11 at Chabad of the South Hills, Mt. Lebanon. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served. There will be an interactive, kid-friendly Megillah Reading at 8 p.m. Renowned comedian ventriloquist John Pizzi will perform at 8:30 for adults, while there will be a separate, free program for kids. Cost is $12 per person if reservation and payment is made before Feb. 15. Cost is $18 per person after Feb. 15. For more information and to RSVP, visit www.chabadsh.com, email mussie@chabadsh.com or call 412-344-2424.

Networking event

Peters Township Chamber of Commerce will hold an after-hours networking from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at ManorCare Health Services, McMurray. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and beverages. Cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members and at the door. To register, visit ptcoc.org.

HEALTH

ESSENTIAL OILS

Learn about doTERRA’s CPTG Essential Oils at free workshops/classes held at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at The Physical Therapy Center, Bethel Park. Upcoming workshops/classes include: Emotional Well Being with Essential Oils; Heart Health with Essential Oils. Registration/RSVP requested by contacting Deb Bosco at 724-713-6217 or bosco.deb@gmail.com.

LIBRARIES

Andrew carnegie

• 2nd Saturday Civil War Lecture, 1 to 2 p.m. Feb. 11. Kathleen Logothetis Thompson will present “To the Breaking Point: the Toll of War on the Civil War Soldier.” Free.

• Listen Locally Downstairs with Jessica Lee & Company, 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 15. Tickets will be available at the door. Visit the website for more details.

For more, visit www.carnegiecarnegie.org or call 412-276-3456.

BETHEL PARK

• Ancestry Library, 2:30 p.m. Feb. 13. Learn how to use the free database available to patrons of the library. Register.

• Social Security Plus: Strategies to Maximize Your Social Security Benefits, 6 p.m. Feb. 15. Register.

• Practice SAT Test, 10 a.m. Feb. 11, presented by Omega Learning Center. Free. Limited space available. Call the library to register.

• Sweet and Sour Valentine’s Day, 7 p.m. Feb. 13, for grades 7 and up. Make a candle, create your own Valentine’s Day scratch-off card, play games and win prizes. Register.

• Valentine’s Day Storytime, 11 a.m. Feb. 14, for ages 2-6 with a caregiver. Read Valentine’s Day stories, sing songs, make a special valentine for someone you love and decorate heart-shaped cookies. Wear red or pink. Register.

• Holiday Origami Club, 7 p.m. Feb. 14, for grades 2-4. Register.

For more information, visit www.bethelparklibrary.org. Register at 412-835-2207.

CASTLE SHANNON

• Valentine’s Day Program, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 14, for ages 2-10. Stories, a craft and snack.

• Tail-Waggin’ Tutors, 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 14. Each child will have the opportunity to read to a special doggie tutor. Register.

• Monthly Book Discussion Group, 7 p.m. Feb. 13, in the lower level of the library. Discuss “The Supreme Macaroni Company” by Adriana Trigiani.

For more information, visit www.castleshannonlibrary.org.

FRANK SARRIS

• Winter Craft Fest, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 11. Browse and shop a variety of local craft vendors. Enjoy food and drink at the Library Café. Proceeds benefit the library’s family programs.

• Nonfiction Book Club, 2 p.m. Feb. 13. Discuss “Hot, Flat and Crowded” by Thomas L. Friedman. Light refreshments will be served. New members welcome.

• Ping Pong Night, 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13, for adults of all ages. Appropriate for beginners as well as advanced players.

• Genealogy Workshop, 2 p.m. Feb. 14. Ken Britten of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Genealogy Society will discuss using clues to continue your research. Registration required.

• Adult Coloring Club, 3 p.m. Feb. 16. Bring your own supplies or use the library’s. Refreshments available.

• Paint & Sip, 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 16. Paint a winter wonderland while enjoying light bites and wine. Fee of $10 must be paid at the time of registration. Sign up early as a minimum of six participants is needed to hold this event (space for 12). In the event of inclement weather, a make-up class will be held one week later, on Thursday at the same time.

For more information, visit franksarrislibrary.org. Register at 724-745-1308.

Mt. Lebanon

• Career Branding and Your Resume, 4 p.m. Feb. 9. Create a resume that reflects your brand and highlights your value. The class also will cover what format changes are necessary for your resume to be successfully scanned by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Registration required at gyoung@cdcpgh.org or by calling 412-586-3723.

• PJ Storytime, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9, for families with children ages 3 to 6. An interactive story time that includes creative activities. Wearing pjs is optional, but highly encouraged.

• Game Day @ The Library, 1 p.m. Feb. 12. Play new and classic games in the children’s library.

• President Ulysses S. Grant, 7 p.m. Feb. 15. Gettysburg resident Kenneth Serfass returns to the library at President U.S. Grant to present his living history talk about our 18th president. Co-sponsored by the library and the Historical Society of Mount Lebanon.

For more information, visit www.mtlebanonlibrary.org.

PETERS TOWNSHIP

The PBS KIDS Writers Contest, set for 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 19, at the Peters Township Public Library, is designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The Youth Services Department is partnering with WQED to host this event, which encourages students in kindergarten through fifth grade to write and illustrate their own original masterpiece for the chance to win prizes. During the program, children will write a story, make revisions, create illustrations and prepare to submit them to the Writers Contest. Registration is requested by emailing programs@ptlibrary.org, calling 724-941-9430 ext. 3, or at the Youth Services Desk at the library. For more information, visit www.wqed.org/education/writers-contest/enter.

For more, visit www.ptlibrary.org. To register, email programs@ptlibrary.org or call 724-941-9430 ext. 1.

SCOTT

• Adult Color Time, 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 10. Supplies provided.

• Valentine Cards, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 12, for ages 5-12. Register.

• Conversation Salon for Adults, 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 13. The topics will include “Should there be limits on immigration?” and “Should policies differ between immigrants and refugees?”

• Cooking Club for Adults, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15. Swap recipes, talk food and do taste testing. This month, make and taste garlic chicken pasta. Register.

• Battle of the Books (BoB) Tips & Tricks (second meeting), for BoB managers and team members, 7 p.m. Feb. 15. A fun, monthly meeting to study techniques and ways to prepare for the BoB. This month, learn what to expect when you walk into “The Battle,” and participate in a mock Battle. Email Sherry Small at smalls@einetwork.net to register for meetings or with questions.

• Book Discussion for Adults, 3 to 4 p.m. Feb. 16. Discuss “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith.

For more information, visit www.scottlibrary.org. Register online or call 412-429-5380.

UPPER ST. CLAIR

• Winter Birds and the Great Backyard Bird Count with Gabi Hughes of the Audubon Society of Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Feb. 9 in the multipurpose room. Learn about local birds: their feeding habits, binocular use, basic bird identification, and how to do the count. Open to adults and families with school-aged children. Register.

• History Night with facilitators Glenn Flickinger and Scott Moore, 7 p.m. Feb. 13 in the library multipurpose room. Topic: The Strategic Bombings of World War II. Registration requested.

For more, visit www.twpusc.org. Register online or call 412-835-5540.

WORKSHOPS/CLASSES

Educational event

Ruth Jane Martin, a certified Law of Attraction life coach, will present Live Your Dream 2017 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 11 in the meeting room at Panera Bread, located in The Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. This is an educational event for those looking to achieve personal success. Tickets are $20 per person. For tickets and more information, visit Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-your-dreams-2017-tickets-31292374334?aff=efbeventtix.

Home remodeling/repair

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation offers Workshop: Exterior Woodwork Maintenance and Repair from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Landmarks Preservation Resource Center, located on Rebecca Avenue in Wilkinsburg. Learn the products and techniques needed to maintain and repair the exterior woodwork of a historic building. The workshop is free to PHLF members and $10 for non-members (cash, check or credit card at the door). On street, free parking is available. For more information and reservations, call 412-471-5808 ext. 527 or email marylu@phlf.org.

Photo organizing

Sip ‘N Sort Photo Organizing Workshop will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at Frank Sarris Public Library. Lisa Webster of Grand Scale Video Productions will teach you to organize your photos using the ABC method, and how to preserve your photos for generations. Participants should bring a box of old photos to organize and 15 of your favorite photos to be scanned. Light bites provided. Fee of $25 includes a starter photo-organizing box.

Rec Center classes

Peters Township Parks and Recreation offers a variety of classes, including: Line Dancing, HIIT 8 (high intensity interval training), Cardio Jam, PiYo Live Express, HappyFeet “Story Time with a Soccer Ball,” Youth Athletic Development and more. Registration for November/December classes is available online at www.peterstownship.com.

Zumba

WROC at Westminster Presbyterian Church offers ZUMBA classes from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Saturdays. Drop-in for $6 per class. For more information, visit wroc.westminster-church.org or call 412-835-6630.