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Peters Township salon holding fundraiser for victim of hammer attack

By Jon Andreassi staff Writer jandreassi@observer-Reporter.Com 3 min read
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While Jennifer Pardini continues to recover from a violent assault, her coworkers are pulling together to raise money for her medical costs.

Fireside Beauty Bar in Peters Township will host “Pups and Pints for Jen Pardini” at the baseball fields in Peterswood Park on Aug. 6. The event, planned for 1 to 6 p.m., will feature live music, food trucks, beer and wine slushies.

“We felt pretty helpless, because there is not much we can really do for her at this point,” said Laurie Brain, owner of Fireside Beauty Bar, where Pardini worked as an esthetician. “We threw all of our energy, what we weren’t sending to Jen, of course, into this fundraiser for her and her family.”

Pardini, of Peters Township, was attacked with a hammer in the early morning of July 8, suffering a traumatic brain injury, broken jaw and skull fracture. Her ex-boyfriend is facing charges.

Pardini was flown to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment, and has since been released from the ICU.

Performing at the fundraiser from 1 to 3 p.m. will be Pittsburgh band Local Buzz, followed by Scott Blasey of The Clarks.

“I reached out to (Blasey). I just thought he was such an icon in the community, and everybody loves him,” Brain said.

Brain said they originally planned to hold the fundraiser at Fireside Beauty Bar.

“We figured we could have it where Jen worked, for sentimental reasons,” Brain said.

At Monday night’s council meeting, Peters Township Manager Paul Lauer said that he and police Chief Doug Grimes visited Brain at her business and suggested that Peterswood Park would better accommodate the event.

“She had concerns about being able to get this on to her site, and being able to do it safely,” Lauer said. “We had suggested … that a better site to handle this might be the parking areas that surround the ballfields, as well as the grass areas on either side.”

Brain said the township has donated the space for the fundraiser.

“The township has been amazing. The cops have been amazing. The fire department, they’re donating all the tables and chairs,” said Brain, adding that she already has monetary donations rolling in. “I’m literally speechless every day.”

The event will also feature a raffle and Chinese auction. Brain said anyone interested can stop at Fireside Beauty Bar at 504 Venetia Road to enter a raffle.

Attendees with dogs are welcome to bring their four-legged companions. There will be a “pupsicle” vendor and a puppy photo booth. Brain hopes that Pardini’s goldendoodle, Riley, will be a special guest.

“That’s her little angel, and we hope she will be able to attend,” Brain said.

Brain hopes that the fundraiser can continue into the future with a broader goal.

“We’re actually hoping to have it once a year for domestic violence,” Brain said.

William Oberschelp, 28, of Peters Township, was arrested for the assault at a Bethel Park apartment complex the evening of July 8. He allegedly confessed to the attack when speaking with police.

According to the criminal complaint, Oberschelp said he took an Uber to Pardini’s home on Thompsonville Road, where the assault occurred.

Peters police charged Oberschelp with multiple felonies, including attempted homicide. He is being held in the Washington County jail without bond, and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 10.

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