Irwin will plant trees
Irwin Borough will spruce up Dan Rose Park and the Second Street and Fifth Street parking lots.
Irwin Council approved spending up to $2,500 to purchase shrubs, trees and plants for Dan Rose Park on Main Street and the two parking lots.
Chicken barbecue
The Manor Lions Club will host a chicken barbecue on May 10.
The event will begin at 11 a.m. and continue until food runs out. It will be held in the Roberts Roofing parking lot along Manor-Harrison City Road, across the street from the Manor American Legion.
Meals will cost $12 and include a half a chicken, applesauce, a roll, a cookie and a drink. All proceeds will benefit the Lions Club’s charitable efforts.
Trip planned to W.Va.
A bus trip and train ride are planned by the North Huntingdon AARP Senior Citizens for June 17-19.
The bus will leave St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church at 9:30 a.m. June 17 and arrive in Elkins, West Virginia, around 4 p.m. Participants will see a dinner show that evening.
A scenic train ride will take place June 18 and 19.
The price is $855 per person for double occupancy and $1,040 for a single room. The price includes two nights’ accommodations, two dinner shows, and two train rides.
To register, contact Janet Tatters at 412-841-8451.
Art League workshops
The Norwin Art League has opened registration for a series of community workshops scheduled for May. The sessions, held at 305 Main St., cover a range of mediums including paper art, fiber arts and watercolor.
The following workshops are being offered:
Beginner Crochet: May 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Designed for ages 10 and up, participants will learn to create an amigurumi octopus keychain. The fee is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. The deadline to register is May 11. For questions, contact Heather at 724-433-4869.
Ink and Wash Watercolor: May 16 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. This adult workshop (18+) explores the combination of ink and watercolor techniques. No prior experience is required. The cost is $40 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Registration closes May 14. For additional information, contact connect@StellarisCreativeStudio.com.
Space is limited for all sessions to ensure individual instruction. Participants must preregister and submit payment via norwinartleague.com.
Homeowner repairs
The nonprofit Carpenter’s Apprentice, a group of volunteers from Norwin and Harrison City area churches who help make repairs to homes of residents in need, is planning a spring fix-up weekend May 15-17.
The organization is seeking volunteers to donate their time and talent toward projects for that weekend. It is also looking for community members, churches and pastors to refer homeowners in need.
Anyone referred to the organization for assistance will be contacted, and a site surveyor will be assigned to speak with the homeowner to determine their needs and decide if the project fits the volunteers’ capabilities. A financial needs assessment also will be conducted by the site surveyor.
Those living within 30 minutes of the Norwin School District — North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin — are eligible to be considered for a home repair.
The Carpenter’s Apprentice was created in 2008 to provide essential repairs to homes to ensure residents can live in a safe and secure environment.
Those who want to volunteer, apply for assistance or refer someone in need can visit the organization’s website at thecarpentersapprentice.org.
Bushy Run market
Bushy Run Battlefield in Penn Township will host its annual spring tea on May 9.
The event will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in the museum, 1253 Bushy Run Road. Visitors can enjoy tea and appetizers while participating in the battlefield’s’s educational programming.
Bushy Run also will host its next market day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 23.
Vendors will sell items such as baked goods, bagged coffee, sourdough bread, honey, crochet decor, candles, soaps, 3D prints, wood carvings, art, photography, jewelry, plants and flowers. The market takes place once a month from April through September at the battlefield. Additional dates for the season include June 27, July 25, Aug. 22 and Sept. 26.
Those interested in becoming a vendor for an upcoming market can contact market@bushyrunbattlefield.com.
Battle of Lake Erie presentation
Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society will host speaker Ed Bolla on May 20 for a presentation on the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie.
Bolla, who also is a reenactor, has extensively studied Erie history and is a docent with the Erie Maritime Museum, which is the home port of the U.S. Brig Niagara and features exhibits on the battle.
It will take place at 6 p.m. at the battlefield, 1253 Bushy Run Road in Penn Township.
For more, call 724-527-5584 or see BushyRunBattlefield.com.
Greensburg Civic Theatre
The Greensburg Civic Theatre will perform “Prescription: Murder” May 15 to 17 at the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, 951 Old Salem Road in Greensburg.
The play, which inspired the 1970s TV show “Columbo,” tells the story of a psychiatrist and his mistress who hatch a plot to murder his wife. The Civic Theatre, in its 74th season, will perform the play at 8 p.m. May 15 and 16, as well as 2 p.m. May 17.
To buy tickets in advance, visit gctheatre.org.
Festival, poker run
The Westmoreland Heritage Trail is hosting its annual festival and poker run fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6 at the B-Y park in Trafford.
The event, which raises money for trail maintenance and improvements, will be held rain or shine.
Each participant will stop at five checkpoints along the trail and choose a playing card from the deck. At the end of the event, each participant will have a complete poker hand. The best hands will receive a grand prize for first, second and third place.
This is not a race. Participants can choose a 10-mile bicycle ride or a 4-mile (round trip) run/walk/jog to the card stations. Everyone can adjust the distance they go according to their own needs.
Early registration before May 15 is $25 and includes a 2026 event T-shirt. Registration on the day of the event is $30, with shirts available while supplies last.
Registration will begin at 9 a.m., followed by a Blessing of the Bikes at 9:30. Bicyclists will start at 9:45 a.m., and walkers will start at 10. All players must return their poker hand by 11:30 a.m. to the registration table. Awards and raffles will be distributed at noon.
There will be music, activities for kids, basket raffles, food vendors, beer and new Westmoreland Heritage Trail membership discounts.
For details, visit westmorelandheritagetrail.com and follow Westmoreland Heritage Trail on social media.
To become a sponsor or to donate a basket for the raffle, contact whtpr2017@gmail.com.
Monthly lyme disease support group
The PA Lyme Resource Network will host a monthly Lyme disease support group meeting.
Meetings will take place on the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Blvd.
The next meeting will be held May 12. For more, see PAlyme.org.
Suicide prevention training
Penn State Extension is offering free webinars on evidence-based training aimed at saving lives and reducing suicidal behaviors.
Participants can choose from one of the following two-hour training sessions, each held from 1 to 3 p.m., on May 19, June 16, July 21 and Aug. 25.
Penn State Extension educators will lead the QPR Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention training. “Question, Persuade and Refer,” which was developed by the QPR Institute, teaches participants how to recognize the warning signs of suicide, how to offer hope to someone in need and how to get help.
Designed for all people, regardless of profession, who are concerned about helping others, QPR is an emergency mental health intervention intended to interrupt a crisis and direct someone to proper care. Attendees will discuss potential scenarios and engage in active listening and persuasion techniques.
Penn State Extension offers the seminar free of charge, but participants must register by 11:59 p.m. the day before the event to receive the link to access the webinar. The recording link will not be available after the webinar.
Continuing education credits are available.
For details and to register, visit the Penn State Extension website at extension.psu.edu/qpr-gatekeeper-suicide-prevention-training-webinar or call 1-877-345-0691.
Help with heating bills
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) provides cash grants to help Pennsylvania families pay their heating bills.
Through May 8, low-income residents who need assistance paying for their heating bill can apply for a one-time grant of $200 to $1,000 that will be applied directly to their utility provider.
Funding is limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
The link to apply is pa.gov/services/dhs/apply-for-the-low-income-home-energy-assistance-program-liheap.
To qualify for LIHEAP in Pennsylvania, you must meet income requirements, which are set based on household size. Renters and homeowners are eligible for benefits. You do not need to be on another public assistance program or have unpaid heating bills to qualify.
If you are experiencing an emergency related to your household’s heat, such as broken equipment, or facing utility service termination, you might be eligible to receive additional funds through a crisis grant.
To check your eligibility for LIHEAP and crisis grants, visit peoples-gas.com/help or call 1-800-400-9276.
New members sought
The Association of University People invites potential new members to join them at an event.
The association welcomes singles aged 50 and older, who are four-year college graduates, to join them for activities and to meet new people. Activities include picnics, monthly dinners, a book group and meetups at local concerts and wineries.
For more, call 412-353-9088 or email AUPsingles@gmail.com.
