INSIDE! Official Newsletter Page 12 Coraopolis Community Development Update Awards recognize Coraopolis Difference Makers Page 26 PLUS: Serving Coraopolis and Neville Island communities of Cornell School District. One of four editions serving 17 airport area communities. Cornell Edition Volume 3, Number 13 Winter 2021 www.awmagazine.com FREE Direct Mail Community Publication Allegheny West M agazineWinter 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 34 • Allegheny West Magazine • Winter 2021Cornell Edition Winter 2021 ~ Volume 3, Number 13 Columns { } Contents Locally Sourced - Around Your Town - Legislative Update - 8 11 38 - - - - - 8 9 12 19 26 Allegheny West Magazine-Cornell Edition is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer, four issues a year, Hughey Publications, LLC, P. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057. Mailed and distributed free to residents and businesses in Coraopolis, Neville Island and Cornell School District. Extra copies available at municipal offices, schools, libraries, stores, advertisers, hotels, and businesses. Available by mail subscription for $15 annually. Story ideas welcomed. Community events and announcements from non-profit groups must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publishing date. Announcements are limited to 30 words and must include a contact phone number. Reproduction of any artwork, photographs, or copy prepared by Allegheny West Magazine is strictly prohibited without written consent of Hughey Publications LLC. Copyright 1999-2021 Allegheny West Magazine. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed by contributors and/or advertisers are the responsibility of the contributors and not those of the publisher of Allegheny West Magazine. P. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057 Phone: 724.673.3161 E-Mail: info@awmagazine.com www.awmagazine.com WE PROUDLY SPONSOR AND SUPPORT: A variety of community, school, and nonprofit organizations in our coverage areas of Cornell, Moon, Montour, and West Allegheny. We are committed to recycling our used and left- over products. We encourage our readers to be responsible and dispose of this magazine when finished enjoying it. Consider passing it along to someone else, or placing it in your neighborhood recycling bins. Thank you in advance for doing your part for our earth. Hughey Publications, LLC also publishes the West Allegheny Edition of Allegheny West Magazine, the Montour Edition of Allegheny West Magazine, and the Moon Edition of Alleghney West Magazine. MEMBER Allegheny West Magazine - Cornell Edition, is an all positive, good news publication mailed free into the homes and businesses of the Cornell School District communities of Coraopolis and Neville Island to connect communities, promote people, heighten awareness about the richness of the airport region, and build pride in the western suburbs of Allegheny County. Allegheny West Magazine Doug Hughey Jill Bordo Pat Jennette Jocelyn Grecko Sarah Kizina www.ddswebdesign.com Pat Jennette Dear Readers, I’d like to start this message by thanking all of the Cornell Elementary students who once again submitted artwork to this year’s elementary holiday coloring contest. We asked students to design the cover of our December holiday edition and they did not disappoint. We chose one for our cover and printed the rest on page 19. In this edition as well, we’re bringing you our rundown of holiday events taking place across our coverage areas this holiday season. It’s a great feeling to see many of these events taking place again after so many were canceled last year due to COVID-19. That would seem to indicate that we are heading in the right direction with regards to this pandemic. Read more on page 26. On page 12, read the latest news coming out of Cornell School District, including how the district is utilizing several new grants, how homecoming activities returned this year, how teachers are utilizing technology in the classroom and a rundown of this year’s winter sports teams. Then check out news from our readers starting on page 8. Look for our next edition in February. Until then, I hope you have a memorable and safe holiday season. Doug Hughey, Publisher/Editor From the Publisher Cornell Elementary sixth-grader Vanessa Bosetti created this drawing for Allegheny West Magazine’s holiday coloring contest. Each year, we ask elementary students to create the cover of our December edition and we choose one submission for our cover. We liked Vanessa’s composition, shading and overall tone. There were a number of great submissions, however, so we’ve printed the rest on page 19. Thank you, Cornell Elementary students! Winter 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 5 Coraopolis Community Development Update Awards recognize Coraopolis Difference Makers Cornell Today Holiday Coloring Contest Holiday GuideHeritage Valley Health Heritage Valley Health 6 • Allegheny West Magazine • Winter 2021Heritage Valley Health Heritage Valley Health Winter 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 7%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Coraopolis Community Development Update Feeding the community The Coraopolis Food Pantry, which is operated by the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation, has served thousands of people this year. From January of 2021 through mid-October, 8,077 individuals and 2,473 families have reserved food from the pantry. In all, 576 volunteers have lent their time to ensure people in the community don’t go hungry. At the same time, the CCDC has continued to operate its snack pack program, which provides supplemental nutrition to school-aged children during out-of-school time. Since September, the program has served 130 children and distributed 1,170 packs thanks to help from 30 volunteers. The CCDC is currently collecting the following items for its Snack Pack program: Nutri-grain bars, Go-Go Squeeze Yogurt and Goldfish crackers. Donations can be dropped off at Emma Jean’s Relics at 930 5th Avenue, Tiffany Battaglini Insurance at 1108 5th Avenue and the CCDC Garden House at 411 Broadway Street in the front porch bin. Want to host a food drive this holiday? If you or your group/business is interested in hosting a food drive over the holidays to benefit the food pantry, contact Amy Cavicchia at amycavicchia@corycdc.org or leave a message at (412) 329-8247. Volunteers needed Looking to be part of the team? Then look no further! The CCDC is looking for volunteers for the following positions: 1. Delivery drivers: must utilize their own vehicles, have car insurance and be able to lift more than 25 pounds. Drivers are needed two Sundays per month at 10 a.m. 2. Service prep: pack grocery bags for distributions two Sundays per month from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 3. Food distribution: distribute food to cars as they drive up from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. two Sundays per month. 4. Snack pack packers: pack 130 bags of snacks every Thursday morning while school is in session. 5. Snack pack inventory: take inventory on a monthly basis at the snack pack pantry. Will work closely with the executive director to keep track of food and stock shelves when needed. CONTENT SUBMITTED Art Walk shows off local artists The rainy weather on Oct. 16 couldn’t dull the shine of local artwork at the Coraopolis Fall Festival & Art Walk. The CCDC partnered with 25 businesses in the Coraopolis business district and local art groups, including West Hills Art League, Beaver County Artists, Cranberry Artist Network and Pittsburgh Society of Artists, to offer art on display and for sale inside local businesses. Gilberti Fine Art Studio & Gallery hosted the exhibition opening of the Pittsburgh Pastel Artists League’s “Pure Brilliance.” Mill Street hosted live music by James Claytor’s Power of Three, food trucks, and a Trunk-or-Treat organized by Coraopolis Youth Creations. Parking lots on 5th Avenue featured crafters, artisans and touch-a-truck opportunities for kids by the Coraopolis VFD and Sunbelt Rentals. Special thanks to the CCDC’s sponsor, ServiceLink. A great day of fall fun was had by all. Coraopolis businesses opened their store windows and spaces for area artists to show their work Oct. 16. From top is Emily Glass at D&O Winery, Kenaisha Tench at Essex Salon and Joan Pun at Fit-4-Life. NOW HIRING! O ces located in Robinson Twp. & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time job opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional. Call to schedule your interview! No Fees! 8 • Allegheny West Magazine • Winter 2021%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Clearview Federal Credit Union fought hunger during Hunger Action Month in September by supporting Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. The credit union’s efforts included donating $6,000 and over 550 pounds of food collected in local communities. Clearview also raised $543 by selling t-shirts to support Hunger Action Month in Pittsburgh and staff volunteered 150 hours at local food pantries. During two team volunteering days at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Clearview’s executive leadership team and marketing department AVPs donated their time as well. The bank’s volunteer hours resulted in the packing of 2,600 boxes of food and the total funds raised will help provide over 30,000 meals to the southwestern Pennsylvania region through the food bank. “Hunger Action Month is a time to bring awareness for and take actions to address hunger in the community,” said Jennifer Zgurich, director of corporate and community giving at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “Clearview Federal Credit Union is an incredible partner in addressing the needs of our neighbors facing hunger. The actions they took during Hunger Action Month have made a significant difference for our community.” The month-long effort was inspired by the growing number of people facing food insecurity in the region. It was also a continued part of Clearview’s partnership with the food bank. Clearview will continue to raise funds for the food bank through the end of 2021 via its online donation platform and shirt sales. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Food Bank. Our Hunger Action Month initiative was a collaboration from our staff, the Food Bank, and the communities that we serve. I am proud of this effort from our team here at Clearview as it brought so many people together to help people enjoy a better life,” said Ron Celaschi, President and CEO of Clearview. Clearview helps provide over 30,000 meals during Hunger Action Month The Clearview FCU Executive Leadership Team and AVPs volunteered at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. At center is Ron Celaschi, Clearview president and CEO. Allegheny County Councilman Tom Baker once again recognized individuals throughout District 1 with Difference Maker awards this past September. The awards annually recognize individuals who have made an impact on their community. Among the 19 individuals chosen this year, three were people who have left impacts on the Coraopolis community. They were Coraopolis Borough Mayor Shawn Reed; Cara Mason, director of economic development for the Coraopolis Development Corporation; and music teacher Bryan Sable. The three were recognized at an awards ceremony held at The Hangar in Moon Township on Sept. 21. “It has been an amazing honor of the last eight years getting to know so many amazing community champions through serving on county council,” said Baker. “Hosting our Annual District 1 Town Halls and honoring our District 1 Difference Makers has been such a wonderful experience. I am so proud to have played a small role in recognizing people that are making such a big difference in our communities in District 1.” Each awardee was nominated by an individual in the community. Sable’s nomination notes his part-time work as the musical director at the Coraopolis United Methodist Church and his volunteer work with the CCDC. In addition to helping in the community garden and delivering food for the food pantry, Sable has led drives resulting in the collection of 5,000 boxes of various food items for the pantry. Mason’s nomination cites her extensive outreach efforts in the Coraopolis business community. She has also been critical to organizing community efforts in the borough, including the Second Saturdays events that take place throughout the summer. As well, she serves as a mentor through a cooperative effort between Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Cornell School District. Reed is a founding member of the CCDC. He is also project chairman of the Coraopolis Train Station Project, which aims to convert the Coraopolis Train Station into a multi-use community events space, and founded the Coraopolis Downtown Restoration and Management Team. Though he will not be seeking a second term as mayor, he plans to remain very active in the Coraopolis community. “He’s done so much good through his service as mayor but has also transformed a community for the better in so many ways,” said Baker, who nominated Reed. “His volunteer service and efforts are remarkable. He will be missed as mayor but the difference he continues to make is remarkable.” CONTENT SUBMITTED ABOVE: Allegheny County Councilman Tom Baker recognizes Coraopolis Borough Mayor Shawn Reed with a Difference Maker Award. They are pictured with Joe Kulik, attending on behalf of state Rep. Anita Kulik. BELOW: Baker presents Bryan Sable, who is pictured with Amy Cavicchia, CCDC director, with the same award. Baker presents Cara Mason, CCDC director of economic development, with her award. Difference Maker Awards recognize those impacting Coraopolis community Winter 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 9Next >