Penn Hills sisters team up to clean up Shannon Heights neighborhood

Picking up litter in the Shannon Heights neighborhood is a typical routine for two Penn Hills sisters.

During the clean-ups, Bette DiCocco and her sister Marie Facchiano find cigarette butts, plastic bottles, fastfood bags, shoes and other litter. The two began the daily cleaning routine in May.

“We want to make sure where we live looks nicer and try to be positive about Penn Hills,” DiCocco said, adding that Shannon Heights was not like this 15 to 20 years ago.

That’s partly because Art Kercher and Vince Gasparro formed the Shannon Heights Civic Association in 1999. The neighborhood came together to purchase a new sign identifying the area. Over time, residents took turns taking care of the landscape around the sign.

DiCocco said after the two men passed away, the area eventually became unkempt. She and her sister want to revitalize the association.

“Maybe our effort will rub off on other folks and set an example to help improve the neighborhood,” Facchiano said.

DiCocco reached out to John Petrucci, president of the Rosedale Civic Association, for advice. When he heard about the sisters’ efforts through a Facebook post, he was delighted to hear about another neighborhood initiative.

“I think it is a great idea,” he said. “I wish every part of Penn Hills would do the same.”

The Rosedale Civic Association was formed in March 2020 consisting of longtime Rosedale residents and aims to enhance the quality of life in the area.

DiCocco and Facchiano want to do the same thing for Shannon Heights.

They have tried to recruit members, but have only managed to get 10 residents to donate so far. The funds helped with getting the landscape around the sign taken care of. Facchiano said they used weed killer, laid mulch and planted flowers.

They also plan to paint the sign to make it more modern.

“This is just in the beginning stages. We want to get people involved, but I don’t know how far we will take it,” DiCocco said.

The sisters take time several days a week to take care of the sign. Both sisters water the flowers and use a spray to keep deer away from them. Rocks have been added around the sign to help make it pop.

Facchiano said since they pass the sign frequently, both of them have a jug of water in their trunks so they are able to easily water the flowers.

“We want this place to represent how the community does with Penn Hills pride,” DiCocco said.

Anyone interested in forming a Shannon Heights Civic Association can email DiCocco at betstet523@gmail.com.