Sharpsburg to host public safety event in October as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Social worker interns with the Sharpsburg police are organizing an event to raise awareness about stranger safety, fraud and scams, domestic violence and more.

Slippery Rock University master’s degree students Mary Bauer of Richland Township and Kirsten Giovengo of Ohio Township have planned their inaugural Community Safety and Awareness event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 7 at the borough office, 1611 Main St.

Sharpsburg police, firefighters and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office are expected to be involved.

People can get information about various resources for the aforementioned topics. Pamphlets and handouts and children’s materials also will be available.

“We have a little bit of everyone coming together and sharing ways that we can be safe,” Giovengo said. “It gives (the public) a chance to come in and meet us and meet other people that are going to help keep them safe within the community.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States, according to statistics from the nonprofit National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

The coalition reports one in four women and one in seven men have been victims of severe physical violence.

Other statistics, including information on how not to become a victim, can be found at ncadv.org.

“If there’s someone who is currently struggling with domestic violence, we’re here to inform them of some ways maybe they can get out of that situation,” Giovengo said. “For others, we’re just helping them avoid getting into that in the first place as much as we can.”

Firefighters will be on hand to talk about fire safety and have some junior firefighter hats and materials for children.

The interns started their work in Sharpsburg on Aug. 22.

“It’s been really nice,” Giovengo said about the borough. “We’ve definitely gotten to meet a lot of people, and we’re already working with some members of the public. We’re definitely starting to get used to things here and getting to know everyone.”

The event is free and open to everyone. No registration is required.

Mayor Brittany Reno said she is proud to have borough first responders support the interns’ initiative and believes it will benefit everyone.

“I’m very excited to see our wonderful police social work interns stepping up to organize such a helpful event for our community members,” Reno said. “Some of our local families have unmet needs or know someone else who could use a hand, and we want to do everything that we can to connect them with the resources that are out there for Sharpsburgers.

“My hope is that this will be just the start of a series of community events that happen at different times and days at various spots around the community to accommodate our residents’ schedules.”

For more information about the event and other social resources, email kgiovengo@sharpsburgborough.com or mbauer@sharpsburgborough.com.