Lily Oppenheimer, Mt. Lebanon Class of 2014, was recognized by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for an article she wrote for WABE News in Atlanta, Georgia. Her article, A Weekend Of Outrage, Atlanta’s Police Department Shaken Over Shooting Death Of Rayshard Brooks, won a 2021 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award. In this story, Oppenheimer covers the aftermath of a police shooting, from the protests that ensued to the Atlanta Police Department’s response. The article won the Hard News category for Region 13 Large Market Radio, which covers Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since 1971, RTDNA has honored excellence in electronic journalism through the Edward R. Murrow Award. “I’m incredibly humbled and grateful,” Oppenheimer said in a tweet. “ A short time ago, when I was freelancing in Miami for [WLRN Public Media] and working two jobs to chase after my career, winning a Murrow seemed next to impossible.” Oppenheimer credits her mentors in Miami and Atlanta with her development. Her article will move on to the National Edward R. Murrow Awards, which will be announced this summer. You can read her award-winning piece at www.wabe.org [1].
Julia Hagins is the recipient of this year’s Mt. Lebanon Artists’ Market Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship, sponsored by the Mt. Lebanon Partnership, is awarded to a Mt. Lebanon resident who is graduating from high school and will be studying art in college. Hagins will be attending the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.
Mt. Lebanon Junior Women’s Club has announced its latest grant recipients. The organization, now in its 53rd year, awarded a $1,300 grant to South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) and $850 to Bethlehem Haven. Both grant recipients were selected for their tremendous efforts in helping their community, especially during such a difficult year.
SHIM’s mission is to mobilize community resources and implement sustainable programs that compassionately help our neighbors meet basic needs, achieve self-sufficiency and build community.
Bethlehem Haven works to provide a continuum of care for homeless individuals that leads toward self-sufficiency.
The club also awarded a $500 scholarship to Mt. Lebanon High School seniors MacKenzie Ridge and Avery Tandon.
DIABETES CARE AT THE PINES The Pines of Mount Lebanon [2] senior community has added a Compass Center for Diabetes Excellence at its Washington Road location. The program offers residents 24/7 support and education from a team trained in diabetes management, diabetes-friendly meal options and fitness and healthy weight management programs. Other benefits include continuous glucose monitoring that doesn’t involve finger-stick testing and individualized health plans, which provide goals and motivation for residents as they try to achieve better wellness.
DRIVE TO HOPE Join Mt. Lebanon Relay for Life for a drive-through luminaria event, 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday, July 31, in the upper parking lot of Mt. Lebanon High School. Listen to a live broadcast on your car radio and enjoy memories of past Relay events on a large video screen.
Food trucks will be part of the event, located in the Commissioners’ Lot above Mt. Lebanon Park, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The lineup includes trucks from Totopo, Betsy’s Ice Cream, Milk & Honey, Nothing Bundt Cakes, with more late additions possible.
Relay for Life raises money for the American Cancer Society. Visit www.Relayforlife.org/DrivetoHope [3] to order luminaria in memory of a loved one lost, in honor of a survivor or caregiver, or in support of someone battling now.
If you can’t make it to the drive-through event, here’s another way to help: Relay for Life will be collecting supplies for the Cancer Society’s Hope Lodges, which serve as a home away from home for patients and caregivers who must live away from home while in treatment. The society has 31 Hope Lodges located all across the country. Collection kicks off at the Mt. Lebanon Police Association’s Classic Car Show, July 11, on Washington Road. Beginning the next day and going through July 30, collection boxes will be available at the Public Safety Center, 555 Washington Road, and at Medical Rescue headquarters, 315 Cypress Way. The final spot to fill the truck will be located within the food truck area at the July 31 event. In-demand items include laundry room and cleaning supplies, toiletries, postage stamps, sandwich bags, paper plates, plastic wrap and aluminum foil and gift cards for grocery and department stores. See a complete list here [3].
RESPECT THE FLAG Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 284 held a retirement ceremony in Bird Park for more than 300 U.S. flags, deemed to no longer be in condition to be displayed.
According to the United States Flag Code, “when a flag is so tattered that it no longer fits to serve as a symbol of the United States, it should be destroyed in a dignified manner, preferably by burning.”
Before the scouts burn the old flags, they cut them into pieces, taking care not to cut the blue field of stars, since that represents the unity of the 50 states. Once the flag remnants and fire are ready, the scouts perform their ceremony and maintain a vigil over the fire until all traces of the flag remnants are destroyed. Then, the fire is extinguished and the ashes are buried. The burial can be completed with a moment of silence while a bugler plays taps.
The flags were collected from dropboxes at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Mt. Lebanon Cemetery.