Youngwood, PA:  In January the Westmoreland County Community College Alumni Association held a very successful fundraiser at Hoss's Steak & Sea House in Greensburg.  Many of the Alumni members, faculty, staff, friends and family attended which helped to make the event a success, and we greatly appreciate your help.

Because of the wonderful response, Hoss's has welcomed us as a Hoss's Fundraising Partner and issued us a Challenge. If we can raise $1,200 or more in sales for a single event date, Hoss’s will donate 25% of our sales to the Alumni Association. This is a great opportunity for the Alumni Association as well as a fun time for everyone.  

The date of the challenge is Friday, March 26, 2010. Just bring your family and friends out to Hoss’s any time during the day or evening and enjoy a delicious meal.  It is as simple as that!

When ordering, please present this voucher to your server to make sure the Alumni Association gets credit.

The WCCC Alumni Association appreciates your help in meeting this challenge, and we wish to thank each and every one of you for your support.

3/4

Greensburg, PA:  Give daffodils. Give hope. Help support the American Cancer Society Daffodil Days in Westmoreland County during its 37th year. Fresh daffodils will be available for a donation of $10 for a bunch of 10 flowers at Westmoreland Mall, Excela Health hospitals, and a number of area stores from March 18th through the 21st.

Birthdays R. Hope, the sixth in a special BoydsT Bear collection designed exclusively for the American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days Bear and a BunchT, can be ordered for a donation of $25.

Funds raised support the American Cancer Society's research, education, advocacy, and service programs.

For more information, call 724-834-9081 or visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=278155310967.

3/4

Charleroi, PA:  Two structures built by General Industries (GI) have been honored by VP Buildings, one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of metal building systems.

The highly competitive Hall of Fame Awards are presented annually to Authorized VP Builders for outstanding integration of building systems, products, and design.

This year, GI received awards for two buildings. The Mid-Atlantic Sports Cars dealership, located in Morgantown, WV, won the Hall of Fame award for the “Automobile” Category and the “Best of” Category. The dealership is owned by Mid Atlantic, LLC and consists of a 6,500 square foot, one-story new construction, pre-engineered VP Building. Omni Associates-Architects were the architects for the project.

Paladin Professional Center, located in Mt. Pleasant, PA, won the Hall of Fame award for the “Office” Category. The Center is owned by Vale Vista Associates and is a 43,000 square foot, two-story office building.

“We truly value our relationship with VP Buildings who have been constructing VP Buildings since 1979,” said Don Ivill, President of General Industries. “We are honored to receive these awards and will continue to strive for excellence with each structure we build.”

About General Industries
We commit to providing the most streamlined construction and real estate experiences. Every detail has been carefully taken into consideration, and General Industries team members immerse themselves in your project every step of the way. The planning, construction or management of any business facility is a major undertaking. At General Industries, we do everything necessary to make the process as completely seamless as possible. We have developed innovative systems to maintain client satisfaction while minimizing doubts and concerns, including build-to-own or lease-to-own options. We will keep you informed every step of the way, and welcome your input as the project progresses. We make it our responsibility to get the job done right. For more information, please visit www.genindustries.com.

3/4

Greensburg, PA:  Students at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg have challenged members of the faculty and staff to a basketball game to raise funds for Arc of Westmoreland. The game will be held Tuesday, March 23, at 8:30 p.m. in Chambers Gymnasium. Pitt-Greensburg students will be asked to donate $1 at the door and all others will be asked for a $2 donation to enter the game.

Men's Basketball Coach Jeromy Yetter will coach the faculty and staff team, which is hoping for a repeat of last year's victory. Expected to play are Patrick Ross, sports information director; Dr. Matthew Luderer, assistant professor of Chemistry; Dr. Todd Brown, assistant professor of Physics; Anthony Berich, director of Athletics; Dr. Timothy Savisky, assistant professor of Biology; Dr. Gary Hart, instructor of Mathematics; Troy Ross, coordinator of Housing and Residence Life; Jason Giran, assistant Men's Basketball coach; and Cody Hartzler, assistant Men's Basketball coach.
Women's Basketball Coach Carol Gelet will coach the student team. Students who participate on the men's and women's basketball teams will serve as referees for the game.

Kendra Sims, director of housing and residence life, will choreograph a half-time dance routine to be performed by members of the Student Services staff.

This is the second year that the event is being sponsored by the Student Government Association (SGA). Each year, SGA plans a variety of events and activities to raise funds for a selected charity. The student representatives have made a conscious decision to support local charities in order to benefit Westmoreland County. A car wash is also planned for Monday, April 12 (weather permitting). Last year, SGA raised $1,128 through the charity basketball game and the sale of several items, including "Sixth Man"
T-shirts and Bruiser the Bobcat Beanie Babies.

Founded in 1963, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is a publicly assisted, four-year, liberal arts college in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Pitt-Greensburg offers 23 baccalaureate degree programs, including a new Spanish major and a new Secondary Education major, as well as 19 minors, and numerous pre-professional options. Fifteen percent of Pitt-Greensburg's full-time faculty-the highest percentage of any University of Pittsburgh campus-have received the prestigious University-wide Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award.

3/2

Greensburg, PA:  The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg recently announced the dates and topics for Quest 2010: Finding Your Future Summer Camp. This is the second year the program will be available to high school students interested in exploring career options during one-day seminars.

Sponsored by the Offices of Career Services and Admissions, the seminars will include hands-on career activities, featured speakers, and career information. Career Horizons: A Regional Career Education Partnership for Westmoreland and Fayette Counties under the Private Industry Council and the Westmoreland Fayette Workforce Investment Board is the primary sponsor of the camp.

The camps are open to any student entering grades nine through 11 in the fall of 2010. Each program will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.  Students may register for one day or for the complete program. A registration fee of $25 per day is required and includes lunch and snacks.

To register, call 724-838-8040 or visit www.greensburg.pitt.edu/quest.  Registration is required, and space is limited. Deadline for registration is Friday, June 11, at 5 p.m.

Camp scholarships are also available. To apply, students are required to submit a 100-200 word statement about what they hope to gain by attending Quest 2010: Finding Your Future at the time of registration.

Two types of camps will be offered. The first, Discovery 101, is designed for the student who is still exploring and will include activities, interest assessments, and several panel presentations by professionals speaking about a wide range of careers. Discovery 101 will be offered Tuesday, June 22.

The second camp, Pathways to Professions, will feature one-day themed seminars designed for the student with an interest in a particular career area, including:
• Monday, June 28  – Engineering and Math; • Tuesday, June 29 – The Legal System; • Wednesday, June 30  – Education and Other Helping Professions; • Thursday, July 1 – Health Care.

As part of the Pathways to Professions program, in addition to the activities and panels, the Office of Academic Advising will discuss the education necessary to pursue a career in the particular field. 

Founded in 1963, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is a publicly assisted, four-year, liberal arts college in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pitt-Greensburg offers 22 baccalaureate degree programs, including a new major in Spanish, 19 minors, and numerous pre-professional options.  Fifteen percent of Pitt-Greensburg’s full-time faculty—the highest percentage of any University of Pittsburgh campus—have received the prestigious University-wide Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

3/1

Greensburg, PA:  Sam’s Club has announced an incentive offer available to all Westmoreland Chamber members.  Employees and members will receive a $10 Sam’s Club Gift Card when signing up for a new Sam’s Club Membership or when renewing an existing membership by May 10th.   Sam’s Club members enjoy terrific savings on merchandise, services, and more! 

Advantage Membership:  for $40, you’ll receive exceptional values every day on essentials, services and more for your home and family.  Membership includes one card for your and one for a household member over 18 years of age, as well as full shopping privileges at more than 600 Club locations nationwide.

Sam’s Club Plus Membership:  For $100, you’ll receive all the benefits of Advantage Membership, plus additional savings on services and automatic enrollment in eValues (learn more at samsclub.com/evalues).

100% satisfaction guaranteed on membership!  If you are ever dissatisfied, we’ll refund your Membership fee in full!

To become a member, bring this offer along with proof of employment or affiliation to the Member Services Desk of your local Sam’s Club.  Upon payment, you will receive a $10 Sam’s Club Gift Card. 

3/1

Greensburg, PA: The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg has extended the deadline for submitting entries to its First Annual High School Media Competition.  Students in grades 9 through 12 who reside in or attend school in Westmoreland County are invited to submit a video between five and 10 minutes in length on the topic of "The Unity of Difference." Prizes are $500 for first place, $300 for second place, and $200 for third place.

The contest is sponsored Pitt-Greensburg's President's Advisory Committee on Diversity Affairs, which defines diversity to include peoples of all racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, as well as all genders, abilities, ages, and sexual orientations.

All submissions should be sent to Dr. Lipika Mazumdar; Chair, Diversity Committee; 130 Powers Hall; University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg,  150 Finoli Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601. Submissions must be postmarked by February 26. Audience viewing, voting, and awards presentations are scheduled for Thursday, March 18, in Village Hall at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

Videos must be on a CD and be able to be viewed using Windows Media Player.
Submissions may be either documentary and/or narrative in style. Students may work individually or as a team with up to four members. Included with each submission should be the title (also printed on the CD), contestant(s) name(s), school and class standing(s), age(s), and a short one to three sentence description of the submission. Visit www.greensburg.pitt.edu for more information.

Submissions will be judged on the night of the event by the audience in attendance. Pitt-Greensburg reserves the right to discontinue the competition in the event of too few submissions. Pitt-Greensburg also reserves the right to pre-screen all submissions prior to the official showing in order to remove videos that do not meet the criteria listed above or to narrow the number of videos in the event of a large number of submissions.

2/22

Greensburg, PA: The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will offer "The Sun, the Solar System, and the Science Grade 8 Assessment Anchors," a two-day, hands-on workshop for middle school science teachers that will prepare them for the Grade 8 Science Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). This workshop is offered as part of Pitt-Greensburg's Institute for Continued Learning.

The program will run March 12 and March 13 at Pitt-Greensburg's Smith Hall and includes: March 12 - "Investigating a Scaled Solar System" and "Understanding Eclipses and Viewing the Sun Safely"; and March 13 - "Simulating Fusion."

The workshop offers a series of inquiry-based, hands-on activities especially created or adapted for implementation in the middle school science classroom. The course is directly linked to appropriate Pennsylvania Science Grade 8 Assessment Anchors. Additional information is available at www.greensburg.pitt.edu/about/icl.

Registration is limited and will close March 1. The fee for this three-day workshop is $200 per person, which includes lunch and Act 48 credit. In addition to the time devoted to workshop activities, out of class assignments must be completed for the participant to qualify for 20 Act 48 hours. To register, contact Linda Morlacci, at 724-836-9892 or by email at llm33@pitt.edu.

The Institute for Continued Learning (ICL) at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg provides both formal class instruction for personal enhancement as well as academic or continuing professional education (CPE) through credit and non-credit classes and discussion sessions for adults interested in lifelong learning and cultural and professional enrichment.

Founded in 1963, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is a publicly assisted, four-year, liberal arts college in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pitt-Greensburg offers 22 baccalaureate degree programs, including a new major in Spanish, 19 minors, and numerous pre-professional options. Fifteen percent of Pitt-Greensburg's full-time faculty-the highest percentage of any University of Pittsburgh campus-have received the prestigious University-wide Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award.

2/22

Greensburg, PA:   Stop Into SPITFIRE GRILLE Every Friday for Our Lenten Features. 
 
Enjoy our Daily Specials Featuring the Area’s Freshest Seafood and Local Ingredients,
Uniquely Created and Prepared by Chef Greg.   
 
Friday, February 19th: 

* Soup - Seafood Chowder

* Sushi - Salmon, Jalapeno, Mango, Crispy Onion

* Pizza - Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Anchovies, Roasted Garlic

* Catch - Sauteed Baramundi served over Jasmine Rice with Ginger Roasted Carrots & Mango Chutney

* Feature - Grilled Shrimp served over Roasted Potato Medley with Sauteed Zucchini and Tomato - Basil Beurre Blanc

 * Pasta:  Penne with Scallops, Spinach, Pine Nuts, Mascarpone Cheese & Cream
 
Enjoy LIVE MUSIC every Friday night at Zo Zo’s Martini Bar.  This Friday, listen to “Smitty and Raz.” Fantastic music and great drink specials are offered from 9pm – midnight.

Log onto www.spitfiregreensburg.com for a list of all Upcoming Events.    

Spitfire Grille is located at 1517 Broad Street, in Greensburg.  724-850-4676.

2/19

Greensburg, PA:  The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will continue its 2009-2010 La Cultura Lecture Series with several events scheduled throughout the spring 2010 semester. The events planned seek to provide an understanding of Brazilian Culture. The series opened this fall with a presentation by Dr. George Reid Andrews on race in Brazil. All of the events below are open to the public at no charge.

The spring program will celebrate "Carnaval" on Tuesday, February 16, at 6 p.m. in Village Hall. This annual festival, which takes its name from the Portuguese "carnelevare" (to remove meat), is held 40 days before Easter. It is the most well-known Brazilian holiday. Traditional Brazilian food and entertainment will be part of the event.

Peter Kornbluh will present "Secrets of State: Brazil, Human Rights, and the Regional Role of a Latin American World Power" on Tuesday, March 2, at 7 p.m. in the Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center. Kornbluh is director of the Chile Documentation Project and the Cuba Documentation Project at the National Security Archive, a public interest research center located at George Washington University. He played a large role in the campaign to declassify government documents, via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), relating to the history of the US Government's support for the Pinochet dictatorship. He is the author of several books, including "The Pinochet File: A Declassified Dossier on Atrocity and Accountability" (New Press). He also is a frequent contributor to "The Nation."

Lilly Abreu, Brazilian soprano and jazz vocalist, will present "The Many Faces of Brazilian Jazz" on Monday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary Lou Campana Chapel and Lecture Center. During this lecture/demonstration, the audience will have the opportunity to learn samba steps, as well as ask questions to Abreu and band members Eric Susoeff, Dwayne Dolphin, and Tom Wendt. This event is sponsored by Pitt-Greensburg's International Academic Village.

Andrew E. Franz, an assistant professor at Pitt-Greensburg, will present "Environmental Crime in Brazil" on Monday, April 5, at 7 p.m. in Village Hall. Franz, who holds a JD from Tulane University, teaches courses in Criminology, American System of Justice, Environmental Crime, Comparative Criminal Justice Systems, Violent Crime, Organized Crime, Crime Law and Public Policy, Capstone, and Constitutional Law. He also is a pre-law advisor at Pitt-Greensburg.

2/16

Pittsburgh, PA: IQ Inc. was selected as the winner for the 9th Annual Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award in the Small Business Category (less than 250 employees) by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals.

The Pittsburgh Business Ethics Awards honors local companies who demonstrate “a firm commitment to ethical practices in their day-to-day operations, philosophies and response to crises and challenges”. The award was presented by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Services Professionals, along with the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh, at an awards luncheon at the Omni William Penn Hotel.

For more information about the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Awards please visit the Society of Financial Service Professionals, Pittsburgh Chapter website.

Barbara VanKirk established IQ Inc. in 1994 to provide expert consulting, staffing, project management and software engineering services to companies with Information Technology and software needs. IQ Inc. is a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) through the Port Authority of Allegheny County. IQ Inc. continues to benefit from steady growth and success under Barbara’s leadership and celebrated its 15th year in business in October 2008. To learn more about IQ Inc. and our services please visit www.IQ-Inc.com.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please contact Jaclyn Livengood at 724.327.3441 or e-mail Jackie@IQ-Inc.com.

2/17

Greensburg, PA:  Direct from New York City, Westmoreland Cultural Trust presents the exuberant musical theater masterpiece The Pirates of Penzance on Friday, March 19 at 7:30 PM at The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman Street, Greensburg PA.  This New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players production is your chance to get carried away by Pirates.  Join the band of swashbuckling buccaneers, bumbling British bobbies, frolicsome Victorian maidens, and the delightfully dotty “model of a modern Major-General” for a rollicking romp over the rocky coast of Cornwall.  Adult tickets are available for $26 and $38, Youth 18 & under $13, $19 through The Palace Theatre Box Office at 724-836-8000, or order online: www.thepalacetheatre.org

The Pirates of Penzance, directed and conducted by Albert Bergeret with choreography by Bill Fabris, is performed in its original format with a cast of 23 and a 17-piece orchestra.  The rich sounds of full orchestra, chorus, and legitimate vocal soloists resonate with classic elegance and power while the company’s vibrancy, energy and contemporary sense of humor keep the show alive and exciting to a modern audience.  The Pirates of Penzance - they’ll steal your heart away!

The Pirates of Penzance was first performed at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on December 31, 1879.  It was the only Gilbert & Sullivan operetta to have its world premiere in the United States and it has remained popular both here and throughout the English speaking world ever since.  Gilbert’s wit (always incisive but never vicious or dated) and Sullivan’s memorable score (including the original tune from which “Hail, hail the gang’s all here” is drawn) are among the most valuable treasures of musical theater history.

Patter songs are a Gilbert & Sullivan trademark and Pirates features the most famous of them all, “I am the very model of a modern Major-General.”  This jaunty tune has been cleverly set to different words countless times (Tom Lehrer’s element song a notable example) and used in commercials to sell everything from Campbells soup to Handi-wipes, cars, newspapers and other items.  Pirates also contains some of Gilbert’s most famous lyrics such as the often used quotation “a policeman’s lot is not a happy one” from the act two lament of the diffident “men in blue”.  Other highlights of the show include “For I am a Pirate King”, the pirates’ “Here’s a first rate opportunity”, the policemen’s “When the foeman bears his steel” and Mabel’s show stopping coloratura aria “Poor wand’ring one.”

To describe Pirates as a romp is surely no exaggeration.  It’s representation of naivetéé, romance, and sentiment - all mixed with wit and sophisticated verbal by play - leaves the audience and performers alike with a giddy sense of joy that is timeless.  The plot centers on the dilemma of young Frederic who, as a child, was mistakenly apprenticed to the pirates until his twenty first birthday.  Since he was born in leap year on February 29, he is honor bound to remain a pirate until the distant date of 1940, despite his moral objection to piracy.  Helping Frederic to deal with this unusual predicament are the brash Pirate King, Ruth - the pirate maid-of-all-work, romantic Mabel, and the delightfully stuffy Major-General Stanley. 

2/17

Greensburg, PA:  Westmoreland Cultural Trust presents the driving Celtic rhythms of Gaelic Storm, in concert on Wednesday, March 10 at 7:30 PM at The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman Street, Greensburg PA.  Tickets are available for $17, $21, and $25 through The Palace Theatre Box Office at 724-836-8000, or order online: www.thepalacetheatre.org

Gaelic Storm continue to broaden the musical horizons of the Celtic music genre by creating compelling originals and fresh arrangements steeped in Irish traditional melody and acoustic instrumentation combined with their unique blend of world rhythms.  Gaelic Storm’s illustrious career now spans over a decade and highlights include a mini-documentary on Cinemax, six Billboard Chart topping albums, a DVD, a song placement on two EA Sports Games and an appearance in the blockbuster film Titanic.  Gaelic Storm has sold out numerous clubs and performing arts centers around the country and has played to tens of thousands of people.

Gaelic Storm seventh album titled What’s The Rumpus was released in July 2008 with a stellar debut at #1 on the Billboard World Album Chart, #1 on the iTunes World Album Chart and #5 on the Billboard Internet Album Chart.  The What’s The Rumpus captures the contagious energy of Gaelic Storm’s renowned live performances. Channeling the rowdy communal feel of an Irish pub on raucous sing-alongs, driving pipe sets and spirited fiddle tunes. The album was recorded at The Zone recording studio in Austin, Texas.
 
Touring aggressively and playing over 125 dates a year, Gaelic Storm pushes their popularity beyond the World music genre and into the mainstream music consciousness. Gaelic Storm has been a recurrent favorite on The Rock Boat since 2004 along with mainstream rock bands such as Cowboy Mouth, Tonic, Sister Hazel, and Marc Broussard and has set a new Rock Boat CD sales record. Gaelic Storm broke the attendance record previously held by Alan Jackson at the Albuquerque, NM Bio-Park and they continue to headline some of the largest Celtic and Folk festivals in the world including Festival Interceltique in Lorient, Brittany, the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, and Dublin Irish Festival. Remarkably, the band has headlined the largest U.S. Irish Festival, Milwaukee Irish Fest, for 6 straight years, and has become an exception to the festival’s usual policy of not inviting artists to perform in consecutive years. 

Since their self-titled first album, which reached #5 on Billboard's World Music Chart in 1998, Gaelic Storm continues to thunder onto stages around the world and climb to the top of the Billboard Charts.  The band’s sixth studio album Bring Yer Wellies (Lost Again Records/2006) debuted at #2 on the Billboard World Chart, #16 on the Internet Sales Chart and #31 on the Independent Album Chart. Gaelic Storm’s fifth album How Are We Getting Home? (Lost Again Records/2004) debuted at #3 on the Billboard World Music Charts and #10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and re-entered the September 2005 World Albums Chart at #3.  Their previous four albums (Higher Octave Records/Virgin-EMI) have all charted high on the Billboard World Music Chart, including reaching the #2 position on three different occasions.

Gaelic Storm released their first live concert DVD “Live In Chicago” in 2006. Taped on September 14, 2005 before a packed audience of raving fans at the House of Blues in Chicago, the 2-hour video captures the trademark energetic performance and enthusiastic audience interaction that make the band a front-runner in the Celtic music genre today.

On St. Patrick's Day, 1996, co-founders Patrick Murphy of Cork City, Ireland (vocals, piano, accordion, spoons, harmonica) and New Yorker Steve Wehmeyer (bodhran, vocals, didgeridoo) officially joined forces with Steve Twigger of Coventry, England (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki), at O'Brien's pub in Santa Monica, California. Although Steve Wehmeyer no longer tours or records with Gaelic Storm, he continues to co-write with the band carrying on their endearing chemistry with each new record.  Their first performance was such a hit that the crowd refused to let them off the stage for the next act. In 1997, Gaelic Storm was catapulted out of their formative pub haunts by an appearance in the blockbuster film Titanic. Cast as the "party band" in the steerage scene, they landed the part while still drinking pints and playing weekly at O'Brien's.  After the film’s release, the band was met by huge crowds on their first tour. However, they still pride themselves on remaining as accessible as ever and sharing “a pint” with fans whenever possible.

Gaelic Storm also includes: Ryan Lacey, on drums and world percussion (graduated twice from the Los Angeles Music Academy, once for hands and once for sticks), Pete Purvis of Merrickville, Ontario on uilleann pipes, tin whistle, deger pipes and highland pipes (a Grade 1 piper who toured with award winning pipe bands including the Braemar Pipe Band and played at 2000 Sydney Olympics) and the newest member of the band Jessie Burns on fiddle (originally from Suffolk, England, now living in Colorado).

2/17