MyWork Initiative

The Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department partnered with the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to fill some summer job slots and give some high school students a chance to get some real-world work experience.

The MyWork initiative, launched in 2016, connects high school students who have disabilities with local municipalities. 

Assistant recreation director Tim Ishman worked with six students at the recreation center, and five more worked with golf course manager Colin Agster. 

“They were a great group of young people and an absolute pleasure to work with,” said Agster. “Each of them worked very hard and learned a lot during their time here.” 

Job site coordinator C.J. Ziegler supervised the group that worked at the recreation center. A senior early childhood education major at Geneva College, Ziegler had good things to say about his charges. 

“They came in every day; when they finished a task, they sought out more work to do, it’s a good way to get initiated into the work force.”

This was Kathryn Weiblinger’s second summer with MyWork. She found the experience rewarding overall. 

“It was good, but weeding wasn’t my favorite. It can get really annoying.”

VETERANS DAY Mt. Lebanon will observe Veterans Day with a service at 4 p.m., Friday, November 10, at the Veterans Memorial on Cedar Boulevard. Commissioner Steve Silverman will deliver opening remarks, followed by an invocation from Pastor Brian Snyder of Bower Hill Community Church. Mt. Lebanon High School’s Triple Trio will perform the national anthem and God Bless America, and the keynote speaker is Stephen Wells, U.S. Air Force.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Following a lovely and, we’re hoping, peaceful  Thanksgiving dinner, do you really want to nerve yourself up to do battle at the malls and lose all that Thanksgiving mojo fighting over children’s playthings? Why not give Black Friday a rest and do Small Business Saturday instead?  

Since 2010, small local businesses have benefited from Small Business Saturday, always the Saturday after Thanksgiving, as shoppers avoid the big-box mayhem to find one-of-a-kind gift items from local shops. 

Look for Small Business Saturday specials from local businesses on Saturday, November 25. The malls will be just fine, we promise.

GEARING UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS At 7 p.m., Thursday, December 7, Beverly Road will celebrate Beverly Brite Nite with carolers, extended shopping hours, a visit from Santa and more holiday fun. Then, from noon to 5 on Saturday, December 9, come over to Washington Road for the Mt. Lebanon Winter Market and Holiday Celebration. Music, crafts, a scavenger hunt, a truly impressive display from the South Hills Model Railroad Club and, of course, Santa. The Clearview Common Christmas tree lights up at 5.

The Winter Market and Holiday Celebration is the successor to Lebo Light Night, when last year’s Vibrant Uptown streetscape construction forced Mt. Lebanon to cancel Light Night, which typically occurred on the third Thursday in November, and come up with an alternate plan for a holiday celebration. The result was a much expanded Winter Market, which was so well received that the Partnership decided to use it as a replacement for Light Night, further extending the event’s hours from three to five.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION The Mt. Lebanon Historic Preservation Board will host a presentation by Teresa Duff, director and chief conservator at Lineage Historic Preservation Service, at 7 p.m., Tuesday, December 5, at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library. 

The field of historic preservation aims to strike a balance between future development and preserving the past. The presentation will touch on the history and development of architectural conservation, highlighting the salient principles of the preservation field exemplified through a range of projects. 

Duff specializes in the preservation of architecture, public art and monuments, historic landscapes such as cemeteries, murals, as well as historic interiors and architectural finishes. Her work includes the restoration of the Vanka murals at St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church, restoration of the outdoor sculptures at Hartwood Acres and paint and terra cotta restoration at Heinz Hall.