pigs – and groceries – fly on penn avenue · 2014. 6. 27. · construction of a one-story...

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PAIDPITTSBURGH, PAPermit No. 2403

A Publication of The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Serving Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, East Liberty,Lawrenceville and Stanton Heights Since 1975

Volume 39, Number 7

JULY 2014

See Groceries | page 9

Anti-Poverty Program toLaunch in East LibertyBy Taia Pandolfi The Bulletin

East Liberty – According to East Liberty Development, Inc.(ELDI), poverty levels remain around 30 percent in East Liberty,despite increased development. Predicted to launch in July, a 6

See page 6

Career ConnectionsSchool ClosesBy Taia PandolfiThe Bulletin

Lawrenceville – After a two-year fight between the PittsburghPublic Schools board and Career Connections Charter HighSchool, a rejection of CCCHS’s most recent appeal closed the 5

See page 5

Pigs – and Groceries – Flyon Penn Avenue

By Paula MartinacThe Bulletin

ABOVE: Volunteers planted flower boxes at 30 homes throughout Lawrenceville as part of theLawrenceville Greenscapes Initiative. Read story on page 2. Photo by Rebekkah Ranallo.

ABOVE: Store Manager George Bianchi (second from left), County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Aggie Brose of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation and Rev.Ricky Burgess presided over the ribbon cutting for the Bottom Dollar grocery store on Penn Avenue. Read the full story at right. Photo by Paula Martinac.

Penn Avenue – Early on the clear, chillymorning of June 5, hundreds of peoplewaited patiently in line to be the firstshoppers at the much-anticipated grandopening of Bottom Dollar at 5200 PennAve. – the corridor’s first grocery since1987.

The line for entry to the discountgrocery store – whose branding includesa flying piggy bank – snaked down Pennand around the corner to South AtlanticAvenue, almost reaching Coral Street atone point.

“I love groceries, so I’ll be moving in,”quipped Rev. Ricky Burgess, City Councilmember for District 9. He was joined atthe 7:40 a.m. ribbon cutting by CountyExecutive Rich Fitzgerald, City Councilmember for District 7 Deborah Gross,and City Chief Operations Officer GuyCosta and Community Affairs ManagerGrant Gittlen, who represented MayorBill Peduto.

Shoppers reportedly started lining upas early as 3:30 a.m., bringing chairs so

2 | The Bulletin | JULY 2014

.NEWSBRIEFS.Community Group Plants Flower Boxes

Lawrenceville – On Saturday, May 17, neighborhood volunteers planted flowers andherbs in 60 planter boxes at 30 Lawrenceville homes that are ineligible for street treesfrom the TreeVitalize program.

The Garden Club of Allegheny County generously provided funding to make thisprogram possible, free of charge to homeowners. Lawrenceville United, whose missionincludes neighborhood greening and beautification, was a founding partner of the initia-tive.

Known as the Lawrenceville Greenscapes Initiative (LGI), the project was born whensix Lawrenceville Tree Tenders grew frustrated with the growing list of denied requestsfor street trees. While more than 700 trees have been planted in Lawrenceville throughTreeVitalize, factors such as monolithic curbs, narrow sidewalks and conflicts with utilitylines make hundreds of homes in the neighborhood ineligible for trees through thatprogram.

LGI volunteers worked for months researching best practices, gathering feedbackfrom Lawrenceville United and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, writing fundingproposals and assessing each denied property. The flower boxes are now installed andplanted with a variety of beautiful flowers and herbs in all three wards of Lawrenceville.

Due to high demand, LGI has created a waiting list of homeowners seeking flowersboxes for next year’s program; the group is pursuing additional revenue to sustain theinitiative in coming years.

If you live in Lawrenceville and are interested in receiving a flower box, please sendan email to [email protected] to have your name added to thewaiting list. Those who are ineligible for street trees will receive priority. – RebekkahRanallo, Lawrenceville Greenscapes Initiative

Babyland Hearing Postponed

Penn Avenue – The partnership that purchased the former Babyland properties in 2012will have to wait another month to present its case to the city’s Zoning Board of Adjust-ment in support of the construction of an AutoZone retail store at the corner of Pennand South Negley avenues.

The zoning board’s chair, Alice Mitinger, granted a continuance at a June 5 hearingat the request of John Axtell, a Friendship resident and attorney. Axtell told the boardthat the developers had yet to meet with any of the community organizations in thearea, who he said are concerned about the proposed project.

Axtell said that the organizations he’s spoken with would prefer to have legal counselrepresenting them now that the property owner, 5542 Penn LP, has retained JonathanLitman, a Downtown attorney. Litman, after conferring with representatives from thelimited partnership, did not object to the continuance.

The zoning board is being asked to grant five variances that would permit theconstruction of a one-story masonry building with 15 parking spaces at 5534-42 PennAve. The demolition of the old Babyland building, along with the razing of two buildingson the opposite side of an existing parking lot, is being proposed in order to accommo-date the new auto parts store. A 7,200-square-foot store would occupy the corner, muchas the vacant Babyland storeroom does today.

Community groups representing Garfield, Friendship, East Liberty and HighlandPark all had representatives in attendance.

The zoning board has rescheduled the hearing, which is open to the public, for July17 at 10:10 a.m. in a first-floor conference room at 200 Ross St., Downtown. – RickSwartz, Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

3JULY 2014 | The Bulletin |

The deadline for the August issue is Tuesday, July 15.

Editorial and Advertising Offices • 5149 Penn Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 15224412.441.6915 • (Fax) 412.441.6956 • [email protected] Circulation • 21,000 Copies • 18,000 Mailed • 3,000 DroppedStaff • Sarah Burke and Paula Martinac, Editors • Taia Pandolfi, Editorial Intern •Martin Pochapin, Advertising • Taia Pandolfi and Rick Swartz, Proofreading • MaryAnne Stevanus, Bookkeeper • Trib Total Media, Printing & Mailing • CISP, Distribution Board Meetings are held by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation on the secondMonday of each month at 7 p.m. at 5321 Penn Ave. and are open to the public.The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher.The Bulletin is made possible in part by funding from PNC Bank, Dollar Bank, TheHeinz Endowments and Allegheny Valley Bank.

www.bloomfield-garfield.org © 2014 by Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Volume 39, Number 7

Serving Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, East Liberty, Lawrenceville and StantonHeights Since 1975 with the mission of reporting on activities affecting those communitiesand offering an opportunity for residents to express opinions and exchange ideas.

A Publication of Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Garfield – Old-timers in the East Endmight remember the site as the locationof a longtime Gulf gas station and garage.But latecomers probably have known thelot at Penn and North Negley avenuesonly as a spot where mounds ofconstruction debris and materials haveappeared from time to time behind achain-link fence.

On June 12, the city’s zoning boardheard an appeal from the lot’s owners,Monro Muffler, Inc., asking the city towaive the requirement that any storage ofthis type be permitted only if it’s withina structure already situated on the site.Monro did not send a representative tothe hearing, preferring that the currenttenant of the property, W. G. Tomko, Inc.,a general contractor out of Finleyville,Pa., make the case for the waiver.

The board heard testimony fromTomko’s representative, Shaun Rohland,that the firm has been using the lot inrecent months to help with storage ofdebris and materials originating fromprojects elsewhere in the city. Rohlandsaid the company was unaware that thelot lacked a valid occupancy permit forsuch a use. He was unable to estimatehow long Tomko intended to use the lotfor this purpose, other than to say, “Itwould depend on what other contracts inthe city might be awarded to us.”

East Liberty – The Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center (ENEC) hosted a megajob fair on June 5 at Eastminster Presbyterian Church on North Highland Avenue.Eighty-plus employers sent 180 staff members to connect with a record number of job-seekers – 1,712 people, by ENEC’s count, jammed the church’s two social halls. About40 volunteers staffed the event, helping people register and find their way around.

Employers at the job fair represented banks, training programs, retail stores, health-care organizations, social services, food service, labor organizations and more. The eventalso featured one hour of early access for veterans, youths in foster care and people withcriminal background issues who needed extra assistance with applications.

“Now there’s all the follow-up with employers and job-seekers,” said Rick Flanagan,manager of ENEC, to determine the outcomes of the event. Photo by Paula Martinac.

Job Fair Breaks Records

Penn-Negley Site Goes Before Zoning By Joe Reuben

Bulletin Contributor

School Proposes Garfield ExpansionBy Taia PandolfiThe Bulletin

Garfield – In early May, the Environ-mental Charter School (ECS) submitted aproposal to Pittsburgh Public Schools(PPS) for an expansion into the formerFort Pitt and Letsche schools in the neigh-borhoods of Garfield and the Hill District,respectively. If this proposal is approvedECS will add a high school at the Letschesite and a K-8 at Fort Pitt. ECS already hasa K-3 in the Park Place neighborhood anda 5-8 in Regent Square.

Although ECS considered a number ofspaces before formalizing the proposal,Nikole Sheaffer, ECS’s director of innova-tion and development, said that the FortPitt site offers a unique combination oflocation and purpose. The school admin-istration is examining ways to renovate thebuilding to make it more environmentallyfriendly, but intends to reuse as much ofthe original structure as possible. Thestrong interest of residents in Garfield inhaving a school at the site was anothermotivating factor, Sheaffer said.

“We want to develop active, engagedcitizens by teaching students how their

choices can impact the world aroundthem,” she said. “We are hoping to grad-uate seekers, critical thinkers andthoughtful innovators.” Scheaffer addedthat by working in partnership withcommunity organizations, local agricul-ture hubs and businesses, ECS plans tobuild mutually beneficial relationshipsthat enhance the neighborhood.

On June 23, PPS held a public hearingon ECS’s proposed expansion. Bob Jones,a co-founder of Garfield Youth Sportswho attended and spoke in favor of theproposal, said that the responses weresplit down the middle. He voiced hishope that, were the proposal to succeed,Garfield families would act quickly.

“I would hope if [ECS] come[s] toGarfield that folks would flood the appli-cation process and increase opportunitiesfor our young people,” he said.

In a letter to parents, city council andthe mayor’s office, Jon McCann, theschool’s chief executive officer, high-

Thank you! The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation would like to acknowledge its main corporate partners, PNC Bank, Dollar Bank and Allegheny Valley Bank. Thanks also to BNY Mellon, First Niagara Bank,

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See School Expansion | page 11

John Axtell, a Friendship resident, toldthe zoning board that the zoning code“was clear in the protection that it is tryingto afford neighborhood commercialdistricts” by requiring the presence of astructure for storage of such materials. Hequestioned whether Monro as the appel-lant had shown a compelling reason whyit should be granted any relief from thisrequirement, “given the prominence of thesite at a major city intersection.”

Rick Swartz of the Bloomfield-GarfieldCorporation (BGC) said it was likely thatMonro would seek to lease the lot forstorage “for the long term, because thecompany (Monro) told us previously it hasno plans to erect a structure on the prop-erty.” Swartz speculated after the hearingthat the company’s reluctance to developthe property stems from “their desire notto block the view of their auto repairfacility on Penn, behind the lot in ques-tion, from Negley Avenue or for thosetraveling west on Penn from East Liberty.”

Aggie Brose, the BGC’s deputy director,told the zoning board that “it was not untilthe BGC and residents brought it to theattention of the city’s Bureau of BuildingInspection that any action was taken bythe city to enforce the applicable sectionsof the zoning code.” A decision on Monro’sappeal should be forthcoming from theboard by mid-July. t


August Bulletin Deadline = July 15

Busy Beaver to Open in LawrencevilleBy Taia PandolfiThe Bulletin

Goodwill Offers Electronics RecyclingBy David Tobiczyk

Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania

Lawrenceville – After being vacant for thepast five years, the former Giant Eagle onPlummer Street will reopen as a BusyBeaver home improvement outlet inSeptember.

Steven Derr, Busy Beaver’s marketingdirector, said the location is “an almost-perfect fit” for the Pittsburgh-based store,both for its ample space and desirablelocation in the East End.

The 22,000-square-foot building willrequire a few renovations, but Derrstressed the company’s commitment tomaking the location a friendly neighbor-hood place that will do credit toLawrenceville.

In partnership with the LawrencevilleCorporation and Lawrenceville United,Busy Beaver is developing ways to inte-grate itself into the community byconducting surveys of residents to ascer-tain which products and services wouldbe most desirable.

Lauren Byrne of Lawrenceville Unitedhighlighted Busy Beaver’s interest in“meeting with community organizationsto talk about how they can be a goodneighbor and be a neighborhood-servingbusiness.”

Byrne said the feedback from residentsof the neighborhood has been positive.“It’s something they can walk to that willbe accessible and affordable,” she said.“Most of the neighborhood is prettyexcited about it.”

The community survey is being distrib-uted via the Lawrenceville Corporationand Lawrenceville United throughout theneighborhood.

The survey is available athttps://www.surveymonkey.com/Beaver-LVSurvey. By completing the survey, eachrespondent will be registered in a drawingfor a $50 Busy Beaver gift card.

Lawrenceville – For nearly 100 years,Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvaniahas been a reuse pioneer. Most people arefamiliar with the agency’s practice ofcollecting clothing and household itemsfor resale in Goodwill stores. Morerecently, however, Goodwill startedcollecting computers and other electronicsfor resale and recycling.

Goodwill SWPA became the first Good-will in the nation to establish a formalcomputer recycling program in 1995,when Carnegie Mellon University donatedits inventory of used computers andprovided technicians to help launch theComputer Recycling Center (CRC). Theagency’s involvement in computer recy-cling grew significantly in 2006 through acommercial partnership with Dell Inc.called Reconnect Pittsburgh. The Recon-nect Pittsburgh alliance is acomprehensive computer recovery, reuseand environmentally responsible recyclingprogram that combines Goodwill’s dona-tion infrastructure with the recyclingexperience and resources of Dell.

With the recent passing of Pennsyl-vania’s Covered Device Recycling Act,which requires that certain electronicitems be recycled and bars them fromlandfills and other disposal facilities,Goodwill’s CRC has become an even moreimportant service for consumers.

To provide a better outlet forLawrenceville area residents, Goodwillwill be holding a Community ElectronicsCollection Day on July 19 from 10 a.m. to2 p.m. at the agency’s Workforce Develop-ment Center in Lawrenceville. The facilityis located at 118 52nd St., and Goodwillwill accept donations of computers, moni-tors, printers, fax machines, cellphones,digital cameras, adapters or microwaves.Anyone dropping off items will receive a

donation receipt for tax purposes. Unfor-tunately, Goodwill is not able to accepttelevisions.

Donated equipment is taken to theCRC in Goodwill’s Workforce Develop-ment Center, which processes thousandsof donated computers annually. Somedonated computers are refurbished to besold at Goodwill’s ComputerWorks storeat 125 51st St. in Lawrenceville, and someare “de-manufactured” to remove valu-able components and precious metals tobe sold as salvage materials. Anythingthat cannot be reused is disposed of in anenvironmentally responsible manner.

Although Goodwill SWPA and Dellare not responsible or liable for personaldata or hard drives, newer computershave the hard drives wiped exceedingDepartment of Defense standards, andthe hard drives of older computers aredestroyed. A number of free services areavailable online to completely erase harddrives if individuals wish to do so beforedonating.

“We greatly appreciate computer dona-tions because they generate dollars forGoodwill’s job training and educationprograms,” said Bora Caliskan, directorof operations at Goodwill SWPA.“Computers become part of the ‘Good-to-Go’ computer packages, sold at theComputerWorks store, or are recycled. Itis free, safe, easy and environmentallyresponsible to donate your computer toGoodwill.”

If donors are unable to come on July19, computers and other electronics canbe dropped off at any Goodwill SWPAstore during regular store hours. Storelocations can be found at www.goodwill-swpa.org/goodwill-stores. t

See Busy Beaver | page 11

ABOVE: In September, Busy Beaver will open a new store in Lawrenceville. Photo by Paula Martinac.


school at the end of this term.

The PPS board declined to renew theschool’s charter in 2012, but CCCHSappealed to the Commonwealth Court ofPennsylvania in the hopes of receiving anextension of its charter.

“I think public education in Pittsburghis diminished by our school closing,” saidTim McElhone, the chief executiveofficer of CCCHS. “This is a mistake.”

In the opinion filed May 19, Judge DanPellegrini cited a number of academicand administrative reasons for hisfinding in favor of PPS. Pellegriniaffirmed PPS’s argument that CCCHSfailed to uphold its charter by altering itsstated academic structure, classes offeredand commitment to placing each studentin the internship program.

McElhone expressed his regret at thejudge’s decision. “I’m stunned that theissues with our charter were enough toclose the school,” he said.

CCCHS had 280 students in grades 9through 12 who live in different areas ofthe city. Students who did not graduatethis year will likely be funneled back intotheir respective feeder schools in thepublic school system for the upcomingyear, as the magnet and charter schoolapplication process is already closed. Theformer students of CCCHS are in the

following feeder patterns: UPrep,Allderdice, Perry, Brashear, Carrick andWestinghouse.

Parents have the option of signing theirchildren up for waiting lists at charter andmagnet schools, as other families in thePPS system have done. CCCHS studentswill not receive preference in waiting lists,however. Openings remain in Brashear,Obama (which has a language proficiencyrequirement), Perry and UPrep.

Local charter schools have sent CCCHSstudents information about the applica-tion process for future reference. After thejudge’s decision was handed down, theteachers and administrative personnel atCCCHS supported the students as theyconsidered their options, McElhone said.Once summer began, however, thoseresources were not available to students asthe school was formally closed.

The apparent issues of communicationbetween PPS and CCCHS have left theplans for transitioning students muddled.“It’s primarily [PPS’s] responsibility tofigure out the transition process,” McEl-hone stressed. “We [had] to close out theschool and the organization. We’re notreally in the position to deal with[students’ plans for next year].” He saidthat PPS and CCCHS will not work

Career Connections from page 1

See Career Connections | page 12

Garfield Community Farm Expands

Garfield – Garfield Community Farm has experienced a great season of growth andexpansion since last season when the bioshelter greenhouse was built, according tofounder John Creasy. During the fall of 2013 the farm hosted its first class on “OrganicAgriculture and Permaculture” through the Saxifrage School on Penn Avenue. Thanksto this class and many volunteers, the farm was able to implement the design of a newgarden space around the bioshelter (see photo). The farm is now growing more vegeta-bles and fruits than ever before, says Creasy, and is offering the permaculture class twicea year, incorporating hands-on learning, design work and classroom time.

The farm also expanded its mission to other parts of the world. Through the OpenDoor Church, where Creasy is associate pastor, Creasy and his family were sent to workwith friends and partners in mission in Mexico. For six weeks the Creasy family workedin Mexico City on a small vertical garden; in El Huizachal, where they began imple-menting ideas for food-forest production; and at an orphanage where self-sufficiencyand communal dependence are goals for the children. Photo courtesy of John Creasy.


Anti-Poverty from page 1

chapter of the national anti-povertyprogram Circles USA will promote collab-oration across socioeconomic classes tofight generational poverty in the neigh-borhood.

The local chapter will be organized andmaintained by ELDI, Open HandMinistries, Repair the World: Pittsburghand East End Cooperative Ministries(EECM).

The structure of Circles relies on theinvolvement of both lower-income andmiddle-to-higher-income families toeffectively combat poverty; it pairs lower-income families (“leaders”) with twomiddle-to-higher-income families(“allies”) to create a strong network ofsupport.

Allies focus on developing leaders’budgeting, education opportunities andworkforce skills to give them the tools theyneed to lift themselves out of poverty.

“It’s not about an immediate shift,” saidKellie Wild of EECM. “We want people tolearn to make sustainable, long-termchanges in their lives.”

Leaders and allies are expected to meetin person and be available for each otherto ensure that their goals are completedover a two-year period.

Although the program has general goalsfor each family – stability, self-sufficiencyand advancement, among others – morespecific goals are set by matched leadersand allies according to their needs.

Another goal of the program is to seeleaders eventually become allies oncethey have reached a desirable level ofstability and social connectivity throughthe program.

The one-on-one structure of Circlesensures that leaders have access to thesocial capital and connections of theirally counterparts.

Social isolation – a byproduct ofeconomic segregation in housing andlack of access to, or influence on,community institutions – is a maindriving factor in generational poverty,according to Melnyk.

Families that do not enjoy access tothese networks tend to see that divisioncontinue through generations.

By creating bridges between lowerincome families and these institutionsand resources, Melnyk said, Circles aimsto bring together the diverse communityof East Liberty through more equitableaccess to its opportunities.

“Circles is trying to enhance connec-tions, build relationships across racialand socioeconomic lines and create abroader network base that is close topeople in the neighborhood,” said ZackBlock, director of Repair the World: Pitts-burgh.

Before families are paired, however,both leaders and allies must go througha training period to prove their commit-ment to the program.

ABOVE: Volunteers, staff, board members and partners of Open Hand Ministries pose at a housededication event last November. Open Hand Ministries is working with ELDI and other organizationsin East Liberty on an upcoming anti-poverty initiative. Photo by John Colombo Photography.

See Anti-Poverty | page 13

What’s Up with Penn Reconstruction?By Ed JonesL.R. Kimball

Penn Avenue – Most of the undergrounddrainage issues affecting the PennAvenue reconstruction project havefinally been resolved, with the exceptionof a few inlets at the intersections.

This past March, the contractor finallystarted roadway construction along thenorthern side of Penn Avenue, includingremoval of the existing asphalt pavementand pouring of the new concrete pave-ment and curbs.

At the end of April, the block west ofMathilda Street was completed, and thecontractor is currently removing existingpavement on the northern side of theblocks between Mathilda andWinebiddle streets. Before the newconcrete pavement and curbs areinstalled, underground utility lines needto be lowered so they do not interferewith the new roadway base. In this stageof reconstruction, lanes have been delin-eated in order to keep pedestrian andvehicular traffic open to all the busi-nesses.

After the final block east of EvalineStreet on the northern side of PennAvenue is completed, the contractor will

start Stage 2 of the project, which is thereconstruction of the northern sidewalkin the same area. The streetscaping (trees,benches, etc.) and lighting will also becompleted for the northern side duringthis stage.

In Stage 3, the construction team willmove to do the roadway construction forthe south side of Penn while the inboundtraffic will use the newly constructedinbound-traffic and parking lanes.Finally, in Stage 4, the sidewalk along thesouthern side of Penn will be completedalong with the new traffic signals,streetscaping and lighting.

Currently, Aggie Brose of Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation is working withPittsburgh Public Schools to revise drop-off locations in the project to help ensurethe safety of the students. Brose stated thatthe team has been working towardaddressing all concerns from the commu-nity as they come in.

If you have questions or concernsduring reconstruction, call Aaron Pick-ering, field manager, at 412-292-7265 orAggie Brose, Bloomfield-Garfield Corpo-ration, at 412-441-6950 ext.15. t


NeighborhoodFOCUS

ABOVE: Volunteers plant flowers at Arsenal Park in Lawrenceville. Alongside familymembers, school staff and community groups, 170 students participated in a serviceday at the park on May 29. Photo courtesy of Lawrenceville United.

Students RevitalizeHistoric ParkYouths learn about Arsenal Park’s history, help shape its futureBy Dave Breingan Lawrenceville United

Lawrenceville – The students at Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5 and Arsenal 6-8 arefortunate to have historic, nine-acre Arsenal Park as their closest neighbor. The earlychildhood classrooms can be found regularly on its playground, the elementaryschool has its annual field day in the park, and middle school students use the parkto have science concepts like erosion brought to life.

On May 29, 170 Arsenal students – alongside family members, school staff andlocal community groups – spent some of their school day beautifying the parkthrough the Love Your Block program, a partnership of the City of Pittsburgh’sservePGH initiative and the Home Depot Foundation to revitalize Pittsburgh blockby block. The children planted hundreds of flowers at the main entrances with repre-sentatives from the Home Depot, Friends of Arsenal Park and Lawrenceville United.Students also picked up litter, some of which was recycled into banners bearing theslogans “Arsenal Pride” and “Arsenal Cares.”

“There was too much littering,” said seventh grader Asha Salim. “We even founda shoe. But it was awesome to see the banner from the different materials.”

The day also included educational activities with local community groups. TreePittsburgh led students on an environmental scavenger hunt through the park, whileother students created bird feeders with MGR Youth Empowerment, an organiza-tion that started an environmental justice club this year at the middle school.

During a presentation next to the powder magazine, which is one of the oldeststanding buildings in Pittsburgh, Tom Powers of the Lawrenceville HistoricalSociety spoke to the youths about the arsenal that gave the park and school theirnames.

“That’s really cool how the school is named after the arsenal,” said sixth grader

Miciah Stowers. “Under the park there’s probably still gunpowder and bombs.”

Not only did students learn about Arsenal Park’s past, but they also got a chanceto imagine its future with MKSK, the landscape architecture firm recently hired totake community input and create a master plan for the park. On top of maps of thegrounds, kids worked with their parents and teachers to redesign the space byconstructing models out of various materials.

“We made ‘Arsenal Wonderland,’ with an arcade, a pool, a place where people caneat, everything,” said Tammy Hess, a resident who participated alongside her grand-children.

The service day was planned by Arsenal parents connected to PEP Rally, a pilotprogram housed at Lawrenceville United that aims to empower parents tostrengthen and support neighborhood public schools.

“The whole idea was to teach kids to have pride in their school and in theircommunity,” said Tina Russell, an Arsenal parent and Lawrenceville resident whofirst came up with the idea for the event. “I was delighted to see how well the Arsenalstudents responded.”

“It was...inspiring to seethe students get so

excited about service.”

ABOVE: An “Arsenal Pride” banner was createdfrom recycled litter collected by students. Photocourtesy of Lawrenceville United.

LEFT: Flowers brighten the Arsenal Park en-trance. Photo courtesy of Lawrenceville United.

Continued on page 9


they could relax while they waited to getone of the 250 gift cards Bottom Dollargave away as an opening-day promotion.The cards were valued between $5 and$250, and customers did not know whichamount they had scored until theychecked out. Within 30 minutes ofopening, the gift cards had all beendistributed.

At the opening ceremony, StoreManager George Bianchi said that BottomDollar is “excited to be joining thecommunity” and that “giving back is whatwe do.” He then presented a check for$1,500 in products to each of twononprofits, Sojourner House and MercyBehavioral Health Renaissance Center,both located on Penn Avenue. The dona-tions are geared to helping residents of thetwo facilities learn about healthy eating,Bianchi said.

“I get to go to a lot of ribbon cuttings,”noted County Executive Fitzgerald, whogrew up in the neighborhood and remem-bers his mother shopping at the GiantEagle that once occupied the BottomDollar site. “But there is nothing morespecial than being here today. Garfield isback.”

Aggie Brose, deputy director of theBloomfield-Garfield Corporation,beamed, “You can just call me MissBottom Dollar today.” She thanked thecommunity, noting that “this store wouldnot be here without you.”

Rev. Burgess told the crowd that whenhe saw the line for the store, it remindedhim of the “children of Israel crossing theRed Sea;” the store, he said, is “a miracle.”He credited Brose with being “a visionary… This store’s here because she loves thiscommunity.” Then he joked that he wouldrace people to the cookie aisle.

As a result of a job fair hosted by BottomDollar and the Eastside NeighborhoodEmployment Center in early April, 53local people were offered staff positions inthe new store. “You’re going to see yourneighbors working inside,” Brose toldthose in attendance.

According to Pamela Clark, the trainingmanager for Bottom Dollar in Philadel-phia and Pittsburgh, the Philadelphia teamhelped train the staff for the Penn Avenuestore. “And we’re ready to go,” she told TheBulletin proudly, just minutes before thestore opened for business. “It’s going to bea great day.” t

Groceries from page 1

ABOVE: The first 250 customers at Bottom Dollar’s grand opening received gift cards valued at $5 to$250. Photo by Paula Martinac.

Students Revitalize continued

The parents organized the day in partnership with a team from Public Allies Pitts-burgh.

“It was wonderful to work on something that empowers students to take owner-ship of their community, and inspiring to see the students get so excited aboutservice,” said Clara Kim, a Public Ally who led a group of students through the activ-ities.

Other groups like the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and Pittsburgh Arsenal 6-8’s Male Social Leadership Group pitched in to help shape what the day wouldbecome.

“The Arsenal Park service day exemplified the community spirit of Lawrencevilleresidents and students,” said Kevin Boyle, coordinator of the Love Your Blockprogram. “I was lucky enough to witness the hard work of students, parents andvolunteers not only in beautifying Arsenal Park, but also in recognizing its historicaland environmental significance.”

The event fit well with existing efforts at Arsenal to connect students to thecommunity and to service. A class at the middle school was recognized recently byMayor William Peduto at servePGH’s “Beautify Our ‘Burgh” sign unveiling forprevious work cleaning up litter, and elementary students in the 21st Century After-school Program part icipate in monthly volunteer activities like singing to seniors.

“Civic engagement is so important to our neighborhoods,” said Lauren Byrne,executive director at Lawrenceville United. “We’re very lucky to have administrationand teachers at Arsenal who share those values and prepare kids to be leaders intheir community.” t


Garfield Native Honored with National AwardBy Taia PandolfiThe Bulletin

Garfield – Kenya Boswell, a Garfield nativeand the newly promoted vice president ofthe BNY Mellon Foundation of South-western Pennsylvania, has beenrecognized by the Harlem YMCA as a“Black Achiever in Industry.” The award,which was given in March of this year,honors achievements in corporate leader-ship and community work.

Although Boswell initially planned towork in the medical field, halfway throughstudying at the University of Pittsburghshe was presented with an opportunity toexperience community development first-hand. “It wasn’t until a summer job withthe Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation(BGC) that I became interested in

community work,” she said. “It was myfirst experience with a community organ-ization, and an opportunity for me to openmy eyes to that kind of work.”

“We’re very proud of how far Kenya hascome,” said Rick Flanagan, director ofyouth development at the BGC.

After graduation, Boswell said, sheconsidered applying to the University ofPittsburgh’s physical therapy program,unsure of where to take her interest incommunity advocacy. “I didn’t know at thetime that you could make a career out ofsocial work and community work,” shesaid.

A community-outreach and youth-

education position withthe Carnegie ScienceCenter changed her mindabout the viability ofcommunity work as acareer, and she spent thenext five years workingthere. Two years into hertime with the sciencecenter, Boswell decided topursue a master’s degreein nonprofit managementat Robert Morris Univer-sity. The program is partof the School of Businessand emphasizes the finan-cial aspects of nonprofitwork. Boswell focused onfinancial models withinthe nonprofit world andtheir comparative sustain-ability.

Boswell took this expe-rience to a position at the BNY MellonFoundation, where she became the chari-table giving manager for the SouthwesternPennsylvania region. “The company reallyrewards hard work and dedication,” shesaid. Her promotion to vice presidentearlier this year came as “a total surprise”to Boswell, who said she feels empoweredto continue her work with communitydevelopment and supporting localnonprofits.

The award from the Harlem YMCAcame as another surprise. “I felt like I wonan Oscar,” she said. “This is what I wantedto do for a living, so getting this recogni-tion is very meaningful to me. I feel like Ineed to work even harder now.”

In addition to her many responsibilitieswith the foundation, Boswell has served asa board member for a number of Pitts-burgh organizations, including A+Schools, WQED, Three Rivers WorkforceInvestment Board Youth Policy Counciland Pitt’s Institute of Politics WorkforceDevelopment Committee. She alsoreturned to the BGC as the secretary of theboard from 2000 to 2007, just a few yearsafter she had worked there during college.“BGC is a stepping-stone for young peopleto get into the professional world,” saidAggie Brose, deputy director of the BGC.

Through her position in the BNYMellon Foundation, Boswell has worked

intimately with the Powering PotentialPathways Program, which was devel-oped in partnership with othercommunity organizations in order toprovide food, clothing, energy andhousing assistance, and access to jobtraining, education and employment toyoung people in need. “I’m proud thatour company made an investment inthis area,” Boswell said. “It’s not glitzy ora big splashy photo op. We really want todemonstrate change at the communitylevel.”

Her workload includes examining thefinancial sustainability of the founda-tion’s programs, solidifying relationshipswith community partners, overseeingvolunteer opportunities for BNY Mellonemployees and supporting localnonprofits to create sustainable change.

“My job is making sure that we arecreating the biggest impact that we canwith our resources,” she said. “The mostrewarding part is being able to demon-strate the impact of our work not justthrough money but with our commit-ment and partnerships with nonprofits,and our direct involvement with thecommunity itself.” t

ABOVE: BNY Mellon Foundation Vice Presi-dent Kenya Boswell got her start in communitywork with the Bloomfield-Garfield Corpora-tion. Photo courtesy of Kenya Boswell.

“Like” the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporationon Facebook for the latest neighborhood information and community photos.


Lawrenceville – The ninth annual “DooDah Days: The Stephen Foster Music andHeritage Festival” kicks off Saturday, July12, at 11 a.m. at the Butler Street entranceto Allegheny Cemetery and runs until 4p.m.. This internationally acclaimed eventhonors Pittsburgh’s most belovedcomposer with family-friendly entertain-ment.

Sponsored by the Allegheny CemeteryHistorical Association and theLawrenceville Historical Society (LHS),the event include four free concerts, a newtrolley tour of Allegheny Cemetery, horse-drawn carriage rides, food andre-enactors. The master of ceremonies forthe event will be Dan Simkins, presidentof the Lawrenceville Historical Society.

The schedule for this year’s free musicalconcerts on the cemetery lawn includesSteel City Ukuleles at 11:15 a.m., HomeFront at 12:30 p.m., Hey Mavis at 1:45 p.m.and Harpers Ferry Minstrels at 3 p.m.

LHS member Tim Neff and his docentswill provide a new trolley tour of thecemetery. This narrated tour will high-light many of the otherwise forgottenhistorical and architectural aspects ofAllegheny Cemetery. There will be amodest charge for the trolley and carriagerides.

Because 2014 commemorates the 200thanniversary of the founding ofLawrenceville, LHS has issued acommemorative coin, priced at $15 each.Only 200 coins have been issued and willbe sold at Doo Dah Days to help offset thecost of the festival.

This year also marks the bicentennial ofthe Allegheny Arsenal, which served themilitary from 1814 until 1926. To cele-brate this event local plein-air painter RonDonoughe created a beautiful anniversary

painting of an autumn scene at thehistoric Allegheny Arsenal gatehouse.Only 200 signed and numbered printswill be issued. Prints will be available intwo (approximate) sizes: 17-by-23 inchesand 11-by-17 inches.

In addition, to honor the 150thanniversary of the death of StephenFoster, LHS and the Arsenal Cider Houseat 300 39 St. have issued a limited editionof 150 wine growler bottles. The emptyone-liter growlers are destined to be acollector’s item and are labeled “HardTimes,” after Foster’s song “Hard Times(Come Again No More).” With a pictureof a weeping Stephen Foster, the labelincludes lyrics from the song: “Let uspause in life’s pleasures and count itsmany tears.” t

Doo Dah Days Offers New AttractionsBy James Wudarczyk

Lawrenceville Historical Society

ABOVE: Limited-edition wine growlers will beavailable at this year’s Doo Dah Days. Photocourtesy of Arsenal Cider House.

School Expansion from page 3

Busy Beaver from page 4

lighted the positive feedback theproposal has received, citing 461 lettersof support, 273 intent-to-enroll forms,and 895 petition signatures that accom-panied the proposal. At this point,however, it is largely in the hands of theboard to decide what will happen to theproposed expansion, according toSheaffer.

The PPS Education Committee willdiscuss the proposal at a review meetingon July 16 at 5:30 p.m. The board willthen vote on July 23 at 7 p.m.

Sheaffer stressed the importance oftaking the promotional process slowlyuntil the board votes. “We’re putting ourtoes in,” she said. “As much as we want tobe working in [Garfield], it’s not ourdecision. We don’t want to get folks tooinvolved in the process before we knowif the board will vote it up or down.”

If the PPS board votes in favor of theexpansion, ECS will move forward with itsplan to involve community members andorganizations with the implementation ofthe proposal.

There are currently 26 children from theBloomfield, Garfield and Friendship areaand 17 from Lawrenceville who attendECS, and Sheaffer voiced her hope thatthese numbers might grow as the neigh-borhood becomes more involved with thepotential expansion into the Fort Pitt site.

The expansion would not only meet thehigh demand of local families – the schoolhas had a long waiting list each year – butwould also reintroduce a school environ-ment to Garfield, one Sheaffer said wouldbe committed to building a strong andlasting relationship with the neighbor-hood and its organizations. t

The building’s size and locationaccommodate ample parking and spacefor an outside yard, which will allowBusy Beaver to carry its normal productmix with a few expanded assortments,such as bicycle accessories, flooring,snack food, tool rental, awnings, doorlocks and security, Derr said.

Busy Beaver is also interested in hiringlocally and “would love very much formost of the staff to be residents ofLawrenceville and the surroundingcommunities,” Derr said.

He added that Busy Beaver hascommitted to working with the EastsideNeighborhood Employment Center inorder to recruit employees and inform

residents of hiring opportunities.

In addition to working with theseneighborhood organizations, Busy Beaverwill partner with Tree Pittsburgh in orderto create some green space on the prop-erty.

The company currently has 14 stores inthe tri-state area and has been operatingin the Pittsburgh region for more than 50years. In preparation for the Septemberopening of its Lawrenceville store, BusyBeaver is now accepting job applicationsat www.busybeaver.com/careers/apply.

The store is open to feedback from resi-dents and interested parties [email protected] and 412-423-2812. t


Perry Senior Serves as Role ModelBy Dave Breingan

Lawrenceville United

Lawrenceville – At the 21st Century After-school Program at Pittsburgh ArsenalPreK-5, a group of elementary studentscrowds around Tori Epps, a graduatingsenior at Pittsburgh Perry TraditionalAcademy and a staff member at the after-school program. She’s sharing pictures ofthe dress she plans to wear to prom, andthe kids are enamored. They pepper herwith questions about the dress and herhair. One student even asks Tori if she cancome to the high school prom, too.

For Nancy Walker, coordinator of theafterschool program, the question comesas no surprise. Over the course of theschool year, Walker said, she has witnessedEpps develop into more than just a tutor;she has become an integral staff memberand a positive mentor to the students.

“She is a nice person, and she has a goodattitude,” said Kylie Harris, a fourth graderin the afterschool program. “She’s special.”

A motivated Junior Reserve Officers'Training Corps (JROTC) trainee withcollege and career ambitions, Epps is astrong role model to the elementary

students, despite a history of personalchallenges that she has had to overcome.Raised in foster homes and adoptivefamilies, Epps said she does not look backfondly on most of her childhood homelife and recalls a string of social workerswho were disengaged or absent.

Yet she has found support in otherplaces. For making it this far, she creditsstaff at the Three Rivers Youth grouphome where she has lived for the lastseveral years, as well as having older girlsto look up to. One older girl inspired herto join the JROTC program at Perry, andEpps said the training there has made abig impact on her as well.

“They keep pushing and pushing you,”Epps said. “They don’t ever want you togive up.”

Among the tight-knit staff at the 21stCentury Afterschool Program at Arsenal,Epps found a love for working with chil-dren and another support group thatprovided a sense of family. Epps was apart of a team that was dedicated toworking hard and focusing on the bestinterest of children.

Epps’ employment was funded by apartnership between the Three RiversWorkforce Investment Board and theBloomfield-Garfield Corporation (BGC).After navigating the college applicationand enrollment process with the help ofErin Heryford, youth program coordi-nator at the BGC, Epps is bound forEdinboro College next year. She said sheplans to become a social worker “becauseI would like to help kids get the help Ididn’t get.”

For children who want to achieve whatshe has, Epps’ advice is simple: “Don’tever give up.” t

Career Connections from page 5together over the summer to help studentsand parents figure out their options, enrolland prepare for the 2014-2015 school year.Once the school closed, it fell to PPS totake the lead.

On Thursday, June 12, PPS hosted ameeting for parents and students atUniversity Preparatory School in the HillDistrict for potential new students in theupcoming year. According to RickFlanagan, Youth Development Director ofthe Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, atiny contingent of the students fromCCCHS was represented at the meeting.

CCCHS had offered a dual-enrollmentprogram, which provided students withthe option of being enrolled in high schoolwhile taking Community College ofAllegheny County or La Roche Collegeclasses as well. “It just won’t be available tostudents anymore,” said McElhone. “[PPS]used to have [a dual-enrollment program]but that was dropped a few years ago. Theoption is going to be gone.” The CCCHSstudents who were registered for the dual-enrollment program for the 2014-2015year will drop out of those classes.

It remains unclear how credits willtransfer as students enroll in their newschools for the fall, particularly thosecredits obtained through the dual enroll-ment program. Dara Ware Allen, assistantsuperintendent of student support servicesfor the Pittsburgh Board of Education,said that the individual counselors at each

school would determine credit transferal.She gave no further details about thatprocess.

Although a few community organiza-tions and individuals have suggested thatPPS hold a public meeting to informparents of how they should move forward,no such meeting has been planned.

There are no hard deadlines for regis-tering students for public school in the fall,but Allen stressed the importance ofenrolling as soon as possible to ensurestudents a spot in their feeder school.Graduated seniors who are behind oncredits should be aware that they are ableto attend a PPS-run summer school atAllderdice for all feeder high schools.

The Pittsburgh Public School websitehouses information about enrolling in thepublic school system under “Neighbor-hood School Enrollment.” Parents mustprovide a number of required documents,including evidence of child’s date of birth,immunization records and proof of resi-dence, in order to complete the process.

The parent hotline is available duringthe summer at 412-622-7920 and [email protected]. Registration canalso be completed at the SummerWelcome Center in the Office of SupportServices, Room 440 of 341 S. BellefieldAve.

To contact PPS directly, Dara WareAllen can be reached at 412-622-3950. t

ABOVE: Tori Epps builds strong relationshipswith students at Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5.Photo by Nancy Walker.


Youths Spin into SummerBy Shannon Hussey

MGR Youth Empowerment

Lawrenceville – For most young people,the end of May signals rest and relaxationas the school year comes to a close. Forthose involved in MGR Youth Empow-erment’s “Positive Spin” youth cyclingprogram, this time of year means themost work – and fun.

MGR Youth Empowerment providesin-school and after-school art, health andenvironmental-justice programs toyouths in underserved schools in thePittsburgh public school system. In thePositive Spin program, participants learnabout bicycle safety, mechanics andadvocacy, as well as ways to live an active,healthy lifestyle. During the school year,students go on several biking trips in andaround their communities in order toprepare for a culminating summerexcursion.

During the last weekend of May, 23students from Pittsburgh Arsenal 6-8and Schiller 6-8 spent two days at River’sEdge Campground in Connellsville, Pa.While there, the students were given theopportunity to bike 24- and 44-milesections of the Great Allegheny Passagetrail.

The Great Allegheny Passage, a 335-mile walking and bicycling path,connects Western Pennsylvania to Wash-ington, D.C. Abundant natural features –winding rivers, shaded valleys, trees andwildflowers – surround the trail,enabling the young riders to experienceand appreciate nature in ways notpossible in an urban environment.

The trip rewards the year-long effortsof the students by challenging them to

The training focuses on dispellingmyths about poverty, learning to develophealthy relationships between leaders andallies, and giving both groups the tools toeffectively combat poverty.

Once training is completed, the familieswill move into weekly Circle-wide gather-ings, where they are matched by theCircles coaches based on their interestsand similarities to other families.

These larger meetings focus on commu-nity issues that affect everyone, such ashousing and transportation.

To be part of the national organization,interested communities must apply formembership and pay an annual fee to usethe Circles framework and materials.

Circles coordinators and coaches mustgo through Hands on Training conductedby the national organization to ensure thatthe program is carried out in full.

Once this is completed, the trainedcoordinators and coaches implement theprogram in their local chapter.

Block said that as the East Libertychapter of Circles launches, ELDI, OpenHand Ministries, Repair the World: Pitts-

burgh and EECM will bring their ownstrengths and resources to the table.

With connections to different groupsof interest in the East Liberty community,each organization has the potential torecruit leaders and allies for Circles.

“In order to be a successful organiza-tion we need to be able to collaborate,”Block said. “We’ve partnered with like-minded organizations to help ensure thesuccess of this program.”

The local chapter has already receivedsome interest from families in the neigh-borhood, but further recruitment andpromotion will take place before theprogram launches.

Melnyk said they have also discussedopening a few more Circles groups in2015, offering the possibility ofexpanding it to other neighborhoods inPittsburgh.

For more information about theprogram, please contact Ted Melnyk ofELDI at [email protected] orAkirah Robinson of Open HandMinistries at [email protected]. t

Anti-Poverty from page 6

use the skills they have cultivated in Posi-tive Spin. Completing either of the trailsections serves as a major accomplishmentfor the young riders, as it is the longestride they will take within the program.

In addition to the trail rides, the youthswere given a traditional camping experi-ence – sleeping outdoors in tents, roastings’mores by a fire and enjoying time in thesun. “This is the most fun I have ever had,”one student said.

Several volunteers from BraddockYouth Project, a job and skills trainingprogram for young adults, assisted thePositive Spin staff during trail rides andcamping activities to ensure the trip was asuccess. Volunteers from the AmeriCorpsprogram facilitated the load-in and returnof bicycles from storage and preparationof supplies.

Kindred Cycles, a Lawrenceville-basedbicycle shop, also supported the effort.Prior to the trip, expert mechanics atKindred Cycles helped repair the fleet ofbicycles used by the students during theschool year so they would be in top condi-tion for use on the trails.

The students appeared to have had sucha good experience that they passed arounda petition to stay at the campsite for threedays instead of two. Active HealthProgram Coordinator Julie Mallis said,“The youth came together as a collectiveand used their advocacy skills to try andextend their trip. Although we were notable to grant their petition due to logistics,it was an admirable effort to see them puttheir ideas into action.” t

ABOVE: Students explore the Great Allegheny Passage on bicycles. The trip was part of MGR YouthEmpowerment’s Positive Spin program. Photo courtesy of the Braddock Youth Project.


ClassesLocalEventsFundraisersAnnouncements BOARD

The Bulletin Board publishes listings of volunteer opportunities, free or low-cost eventsand classes, fundraising events and services that are of particular interest to our neighbor-hoods. Listings published on a space-available basis; we cannot guarantee placement. Announcements for the August issue are due Tuesday, July 15, via email to [email protected].

Sorry, we do not accept listings by phone.

July 2

EAST LIBERTY

Music/Audio WorkshopThe Labs @ CLP is a place for teenagers to learnand create. Every first week of the month, we focuson music and audio production at The Labs.Aspiring musicians, singers, rappers, DJs andpodcasters of all skill levels are welcome to exploretheir interests. Open to students from grades 6 to12. Runs from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Carnegie Libraryof Pittsburgh – East Liberty branch, 130 S. Whit-field St. Call 412-363-8232 or [email protected] for more informa-tion.

July 3

GARFIELD

Art Exhibit“Blind Intersections: Another Series of FalseLeads” is an art exhibit that will open at the IrmaFreeman Center for Imagination, located at 5006Penn Ave., from 7 to 10 p.m. This is a Stadium-trash group exhibit, meaning that it was curatedby Pittsburgh underground music veteran TeeGlitter. The Emily Rogers Band will beperforming, and there will be a reading by TeeGlitter.

EAST LIBERTY

Open LabThe teen-only Open Lab period gives you somespace to work on whatever creative and/or techproject you like. Need help? Ask a mentor in TheLabs. Open to students from grades 6 to 12. Runsfrom 4 to 6 p.m. at the Carnegie Library of Pitts-burgh – East Liberty, 130 S. Whitfield St. Call412-363-8232 or visit [email protected] for more information.

July 5

BLOOMFIELD

Saturday MarketThis outdoor community farmer’s market takesplace every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. throughNovember 1 at the West Penn Hospital parking lotlocated at 5050 Liberty Avenue. July programmingincludes music by Brad Yoder on July 5 and BikeDay on July 26, with cooking demonstrations,mini exercise classes, health screenings, and nutri-tion and healthy living information every week. Anew Family Support Tent will be provided by theAllegheny Health Network, featuring a changingstation and two seats for breast- or bottle-feedingcaregivers. The Allegheny Health Network willalso give away four Pirates tickets at each market.

Call 412-708-1277 or visitwww.bloomfieldnow.com for details. Upcomingdates include:July 12, 19 and 26.

July 6

GARFIELD

Old-Time Gospel MusicalThe Morningside Church of God in Christ, locatedat 5173 Dearborn St., will host a multi-choir musicalevent at 3:30 p.m. Presented by the Young WomenChristian Counsel and Pastor Elder Lamont B.Shields, this event will feature The King of KingsChoir, Evangelist Earlene Smith, The MorningsideCombined Choir, and Sister Tammy Womack,among others. Come out to enjoy your favoritegospel tunes.

July 7

EAST LIBERTY

SAT/ACT Study ClubTeens: It’s hard to make space and time to study,especially if you’re doing it on your own. Come tothe Test Prep Study Club and learn about test-takingstrategies. Take advantage of experienced tutors,library resources and apps. Every Tuesday from 10to 11 a.m. at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh –East Liberty, 130 S. Whitfield St. Runs throughAugust 26. Call 412-363-8232 or [email protected] for more informa-tion.

July 9

EAST LIBERTY

Installation Art WorkshopTeens: Explore the library in a way you have neverbefore imagined with the Mattress Factory. Createhappenings, installations and unexpected art thatwe will install in the library. Four free sessions July9, 16, 23 and 30 from 4 to 7 p.m. Beginners arewelcome and equipment is provided. Space islimited and registration is required. Sign up now atCarnegie Library of Pittsburgh – East Liberty, 130S. Whitfield St. Call 412-363-8232 or visit [email protected] for more informationabout the event.

July 11

EAST LIBERTY

Comics Making ClubTeens: Do you enjoy reading manga, comics andgraphic novels? Want to learn how to make yourown or hone your skills? Join a free comics club atCarnegie Library of Pittsburgh – East Liberty, 130

S. Whitefield St. on Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m. throughAugust 15. Call 412-363-8232 or [email protected] for more informa-tion.

July 12

GARFIELD

Youth RallyThe Morningside Church of God in Christ at 5173Dearborn St. will host an outdoor Youth Rally from11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be face painting, games,mimes, dancing, singing, open mic and speakers.Come, bring your friends, have fun and be blessed.Refreshments will be served. Contact Elder LamontB. Shields, Pastor, at 412-361-9865 for more infor-mation.

July 13

LAWRENCEVILLE

Night Gallery Art BashThe Night Gallery is an urban art space inLawrenceville at 4936 50th St. From 1 to 10 p.m.Pittsburgh’s most exclusive horror and undergroundartists will be showing their works for one day only.Free food and live music will be available after 4 p.m.Event is open to all ages. There will be no drinksserved at the event, so BYOB. Call Cheryl at 412-915-9254 for more information about the artists andthe venue.

July 14

LAWRENCEVILLE

Super Science CampThe Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Lawrenceville,279 Fisk St., is bringing a 5-day science camp tostudents entering grades 1 through 5 in the fall.Explore different types of science through fun activ-ities and challenging hands-on experiments thatdemonstrate the importance of science andencourage critical and creative thinking. Suppliesprovided. Registration is required for all five days.Please call 412-682-3668 for more information. Thecamp runs through July 18.

July 16

GARFIELD

Bank RecruitmentFirst Commonwealth Bank will be recruiting from11 a.m. to noon at the Eastside NeighborhoodEmployment Center, 5321 Penn Ave. Whether youare looking to start a new career or you are aseasoned worker in the banking industry, FirstCommonwealth is seeking enthusiastic candidates.Learn more about requirements and eligibility at therecruitment session. To register, call 412-362-8580.

HIGHLAND PARK

Summer Family YogaTwo family-friendly yoga classes will be offered atThe Union Project, 801 N. Negley Ave. The class forkids ages 5-11 will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and

the class for kids and teens will be from 11 a.m. to12 p.m. Parents/caregivers are encouraged to partic-ipate with their children. Donation-based class fee(recommended $5-15 per person). Please bring ayoga mat to class and arrive 10-15 minutes prior toclass start time. Classes are taught by therapeuticyoga instructor, Ali Popivchak, RYT. Please feel freeto email Ali with questions prior to class [email protected]

July 17

LAWRENCEVILLE

Speaking PittsburgheseThe Lawrenceville Historical Society will host Dr.Barbara Johnstone, author of the recently publishedbook “Speaking Pittsburghese.” Unlike many of thecampy books on the subject, Dr. Johnstone, aprofessor of Rhetoric and Linguistics at CarnegieMellon University, will deliver a serious address onhow our unique speech pattern developed. Thelecture takes place at Canterbury Place, McVeyAuditorium, 310 Fisk St., at 7 p.m. and is free andopen to the public. No reservations required.

July 19

EAST LIBERTY

Talking PermacultureCome to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – EastLiberty at 130 S. Whitfield St. to hear a talk fromJohn Creasy of Garfield Community Farm from 11a.m. to 12 p.m. to learn about permaculture. Youwill leave this workshop with practical solutions tobasic gardening questions, ideas for sustainableliving and inspiration to continue experimentingwith permaculture. Call 412-363-8232 or visit [email protected] for more information.

GARFIELD

Dance Community DayLos Sabrosos Dance Company, located at 4909 PennAve., is bringing Garfield a community day with avariety of dance classes for $1 each. Zumba at 3 p.m.,Salsa at 4 p.m., Cha-Cha at 5 p.m. and Bachata at 6p.m. Call 412-465-0290 for more information.

July 20

GARFIELD

Annual Women’s DayThe Morningside Church of God in Christ, locatedat 5173 Dearborn St, will host the Annual Women’sDay at 3:30 p.m. Dinner will be served in FellowshipHall following morning service. For informationcontact Evangelist Mary Shields at 412-361-9865.

July 21

LAWRENCEVILLE

Imagination Builders:LegosChildren and caregivers are invited to use theirimagination to build Lego structures. Building


& ServicesVolunteer

Opportunitiesblocks are more than fun toys; they are valuableeducational and creative tools. Join us for thisfamily program for children of all ages. Call theCarnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Lawrenceville,279 Fisk St., at 412-682-3668 for more informa-tion.

July 22

GARFIELD

AARP Recruitment EventAARP WorkSearch program is holding a recruit-ment event from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the EastsideNeighborhood Employment Center, 5321 PennAve. To qualify you must be 55 or older, unem-ployed, an Allegheny County resident, and lowincome. To determine eligibility you must bringthe following: PA ID or PA driver’s license, SocialSecurity card, resume, void check or direct depositauthorization and documents showing past 12months of income, including spouse. (Examples:wages, SNAP, SSI, SSDI, unemployment benefits,pension, last pay stub for 2013 & 2014, veteran’sdisability, etc.). Documents can be copied on site.To register, call 412-362-8580.

August 2

LAWRENCEVILLE

Flea MarketNew Bethel Baptist Church at 221 43rd St. will hosta flea market and vendor’s market place from 8a.m. to 2 p.m. Barbecue and sweet potato pies willbe available. Vendors should contact CatherineCurry at 412-441-5968 for more information.

August 4

EAST LIBERTY

VBS- Crossroads ChurchKids can feel weird, different, or even lost in acrowd, but there is a place for every child at Vaca-tion Bible School. This year, August 4 through 8from 6 to 9 p.m. the Crossroads Church EastLiberty Campus is offering a community-wideVBS for children from Kindergarten through fifthgrade. Our VBS is free to all attendees and comeswith only one expectation: that you have a lot offun. Space is limited so register early at www.cross-roadsumc.org/eastliberty-vbs or call412-363-2222.

August 6

EAST LIBERTY

DJ WorkshopHip-Hop on L.O.C.K. will teach teens how to jumpon the wheels of steel and learn to DJ. Workshopruns from 4 to 7 p.m. and is free. Beginnerswelcome. Equipment is provided. Space is limitedand registration is required. Sign up now to secureyour spot for this awesome opportunity atCarnegie Library of Pittsburgh – East Liberty, 130S. Whitfield St. Call 412-363-8232 or visit [email protected] for more informationand to register.

August 13

EAST LIBERTY

Magic of ElectronsThe Labs @ CLP is a place for teenagers to learn andcreate. This free workshop with TechShop will coverthe basics of electronics. Each student will learn howto solder and build his or her own POV (Persistenceof Vision) Kit. It runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Beginnerswelcome. Equipment is provided. Space is limitedand registration is required. Sign up now atCarnegie Library of Pittsburgh – East Libertybranch, 130 S. Whitfield St. Call 412-363-8232 orvisit [email protected] for more infor-mation.

Further Out

GARFIELD

SAT Prep ScholarshipsLooking for free SAT help? Neighbors in Need isoffering five scholarships for Pittsburgh U Prep’ssummer intensive course. For more information,and to apply, visit ninpittsburgh.com/satprep orcontact [email protected]

Garfield Rebels ReunionTo celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1964 unde-feated championship season of the Garfield Rebels,a youth football team, Jim Kohler – who playedoffense that year – is organizing a reunion to be heldin October, 2014. The event is open to former teammembers and their families as well as anyone whofondly remembers the team. If you have informa-tion about team members and their whereabouts,or if you’d like to attend the reunion, contact Kohlerat 412-853-1895.

LAWRENCEVILLE

Call for HousesThe annual Lawrenceville Hospitality House Tourwill be held on Sunday, October 5 from 12 to 5 p.m.The House Tour Planning Committee is seekingneighborhood “labors of love” to feature on thisyear’s tour. If you reside in the 6th, 9th or 10th wardsof Lawrenceville and are interested in participatingor getting more information please visit our websiteat www.lha15201.org or contact Kate at 412-621-2573 or [email protected].

Garfield – On May 24, Magee Hospital of UPMC hosted a workshop for children atKincaid Community Garden on how to make and enjoy healthy snacks. Chris Vitsas,dietary director at Magee, led the workshop, which about 10 children attended.

The workshop came about when Garfield Community Action Team (GCAT) volun-teer Minette Vaccariello, who works for UPMC, entered a contest at work, submittingan essay on why she likes to volunteer and where she spends her volunteer hours.

“I wrote about Kincaid Community Garden, and it was selected as a winning volun-teer project for UPMC,” Vaccariello wrote in an email to The Bulletin. “As a winner, Icould select a volunteer event of my choice, and UPMC would recruit volunteers toparticipate in volunteering at that event.”

Vaccariello teamed up with Judy Focareta, coordinator of environmental health initia-tives at Magee, to create an outreach event for kids at the Kincaid Street garden.

The children who attended the workshop learned how to make an easy snack called“ants on a log” – peanut butter and raisins in celery sticks. Photo by James Souder.

Learning about Healthy Snacking

Thill Recognized for Serving Children

Garfield – On May 29, Leah Thill with Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience(PULSE) won a United Way of Allegheny County “Be There” Award for her work in thecommunity – specifically for her work in getting youths involved in the KincaidCommunity Garden and bringing the Little Free Library to Garfield. A part of UnitedWay’s countywide school attendance campaign, the “Be There Awards: CelebratingAdults Who Show Up for Kids,” is an effort to recognize those community membersand educators who have gone above and beyond in their support of children across thecounty. In the photo, Thill received her award in the category of community volunteerfrom Bob Nelkin, resident and CPO of United Way of Allegheny County. Photo courtesyof Kathryn Vargas.

Classifieds

A Hauling Job?We clear basements, yards, garages,

attics, estates

Fast, Reliable, Reasonable

Also demolition work, minor repairs,grass cutting, salvage credit.

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In Memoriam: Bertha NesserThe Bloomfield-Garfield Corporationmourns the passing of Bertha Nesser, 43,former lead site coordinator for 21stCentury Pittsburgh LEARNS, an after-school program of NeighborhoodLearning Alliance and the BGC. Nesserpassed away peacefully on May 22, 2014,surrounded by her family and herboyfriend. A native of Uniontown andgraduate of St. Vincent College in Latrobe,Nesser led the afterschool program atPittsburgh Fort Pitt Elementary School forfour years. At the time of her death, shewas living in Scottdale, Pa., and pursuinga master’s degree in education from Cali-fornia University of Pennsylvania. ABOVE: Bertha Nesser with students at Fort

Pitt Elementary in late 2007. Photo by PaulaMartinac

Changes Afoot at The BulletinBy Bill Cornell

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Garfield – As Bloomfield-GarfieldCorporation board president, I sat downto talk with Paula Martinac and SarahBurke to mark Martinac’s leaving herposition as The Bulletin’s editor afterseven years and Burke’s joining the BGCstaff as her replacement.

Bill Cornell: Paula, you’ve made hugecontributions to the BGC and TheBulletin during your time with us. Whatis taking you away from Pittsburgh?

Paula Martinac: My partner got a greatjob at the University of North Carolinain Charlotte, so I’ll be an academicspouse for a while. I’ll be doing somefreelance writing and teaching a coupleof classes at UNC next spring, but I’lltake my time to figure out what I reallywant to do next.

BC: Looking back on your time withThe Bulletin, what stands out to you?

PM: Probably the biggest thing is themost recent – the opening of the BottomDollar store. I am so glad that I was stillhere to cover opening day, to see thatlong line of people down two blocks, allthe happy faces. I’ve been covering thatstory for almost three years, all the backand forth – will we get the store or are wegoing to lose it? So to see it open hasbeen wonderful.

BC: So if you were doing my job andasking you questions, what would youask yourself?

PM: I’d ask what has been the best partof my job. And I’d answer by saying it’sall the people I’ve met. I’ve talked to so

many people I would never have met anyother way. Before I started with the BGCI was a freelance writer working alone outof my office on the third floor of myhouse. You can get pretty weird workingby yourself so much.

BC: And what you are proudest of?

PM: The redesign of The Bulletin. ThePPND [now Neighborhood Allies] grantto redesign The Bulletin was so important.I am really proud of that. The Bulletin hasbecome a real newspaper, and an amazingnumber of people read it and talk about it.I love it when people tell me how much

they enjoy it.

BC: And so, Sarah, would you introduceyourself to the community by sayingsomething about what excites you aboutyour new job?

Sarah Burke: I’ve been living in Pitts-burgh for less than a year, so I’m mostexcited about the opportunity to meetpeople and build relationships. I love howThe Bulletin gives the community a voice,and my first priority is to keep it goingstrong. Since Paula’s position was part-time and mine is full-time, I’ll have moreof an opportunity to strengthen the BGC’s

social media presence and start an e-newsletter. I’ll also be working 10 hoursper week at the Neighborhood LearningAlliance, so I’m looking forward tolearning more about both organizationsand helping them share their stories. Asan added bonus, my new office is rightdown the street from my house. I couldn’task for a better commute.

BC: What were you doing before themove here?

SB: Most recently, I earned my master’sdegree in creative writing and environ-ment from Iowa State University. WhileI was there, I worked as a communica-tions assistant for Iowa State’s College ofHuman Sciences; as a freelance writer forthe Women, Food and AgricultureNetwork; and as managing editor forFlyway: Journal of Writing and Environ-ment. After moving t o Pittsburgh, Istarted a communications internship atLawrenceville United and discoveredhow much I enjoyed working for a small,busy, community-based nonprofit. WhenI saw this job opening at the BGC itsounded like the perfect fit.

BC: And what’s your first impression ofthe BGC?

SB: I admire the work the BGC is doing,and the staff and board members I’ve metso far are great people. There is so muchenergy and commitment here. I know it’sa place that will grow with me and allowme to learn new skills and wear a lot ofhats. I don’t think I’ll ever be bored.

PM: I guarantee you won’t be bored. t

ABOVE: Paula Martinac served as editor of TheBulletin for seven years. She’ll be moving toNorth Carolina with her partner this summer.Photo by John Colombo Photography.

ABOVE: Sarah Burke is joining the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation staff as communicationsand marketing manager, and as editor of TheBulletin. Photo by Paula Martinac.