In brief: Sewickley Valley Historical society talk, SHARP seminar and more around Quaker Valley area
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Sewickley Valley Historical Society
Join the Sewickley Valley Historical Society at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 when it welcomes author and professor Pat Farabaugh, who will present “Disastrous Floods and the Demise of Steel in Johnstown.”
Johnstown is synonymous with floodwaters and steel. When the city was decimated by a flood of biblical proportions in 1889, it was considered one of the worst natural disasters in American history and gained global attention. Sadly, that deluge was only the first of three major floods to claim lives and wreak havoc in the region. The destruction in the wake of the St. Patrick’s Day flood in 1936 was the impetus for groundbreaking federal and local flood control measures. Multiple dam failures, including the Laurel Run Dam in July 1977, left a flooded Johnstown with a failing steel industry in ruins. Pat Farabaugh charts the harrowing history of Johnstown’s great floods and the effects on its economic lifeblood.
The event is free and open to the public. Participants can join in person at the Old Sewickley Post Office or on Zoom. Additional information can be found at sewickleyhistory.org
Best-In-State
John (Jay) Sofranko, managing director and financial advisor at UBS Wealth Management USA in Sewickley, has once again been named to the Forbes/SHOOK Research Best-In-State Wealth Advisor list for 2022. Sofranko has consistently been acknowledged as a top advisor in Pennsylvania by Forbes/SHOOK Research since 2018. After graduating from Allegheny College in 2002 with dual degrees in economics and political science, Sofranko dove into his career in wealth management at UBS, where he has been an advisor for 18 years.
SHARP seminar
Leet Police Department will host a seminar on SHARP, sexual harassment and rape prevention training, at 6 p.m. Oct. 19 at the township building, 194 Ambridge Ave.
It is free and open to the public. Topics include workplace harassment, public attacks and identified behaviors.
Contact Officer Ron Wilson at 412-266-6142 or email rwilson@leettwp.org for more information.
Quaker Valley Fire Safety Fair
Quaker Valley Fire Safety Fair will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 15 on Broad Street between Beaver and Thorn. There will be fire trucks, emergency vehicles, fire prevention education, kid-friendly activities, food trucks and more. The free event is sponsored by Quaker Valley Fire Safety (Cochran Hose, Leetsdale, Big Sewickley Creek, Fair Oaks, and Aleppo fire departments).
For more information, search “Quaker Valley Fire Safety Fair” on Facebook.com.
Sip & Savor
Fern Hollow Nature Center and Sustainable Sewickley will host members of Plant-Based Pittsburgh for a presentation, cooking demonstration and tasting from 1-2:30 p.m. Oct. 22. Attendees will learn what a plant-based diet is, why it’s important for environmental sustainability, suggestions on how to adopt plant-centered eating and more. Cost is $25 per person and includes beverages, food tasting and a copy of Sally Lipsky’s book. For more information or tickets, call 412-741-6136 or visit fhnc.org.
Tull Family Theater
The Theater offers options to “get in the spirit” every week in October (mostly Thursdays) with:
Oct. 6 — “Beetlejuice” with Michael Keaton
Oct. 13 — “Nosferatu” with renowned jazz pianist Tom Roberts providing the score to the silent German classic
Oct. 20 — “Silence of the Lambs,” with its Pittsburgh location history
Oct. 22 — “E.T.,” the all ages favorite, on a Saturday morning
Oct. 27 — “A Nightmare on Elm Street”
For tickets or a complete schedule, visit thetullfamily theater.org.
Senior Men’s Club
An affiliate of the Sewickley Valley YMCA, the Senior Men’s Club speaker on Oct. 7 will be Len Barcousky discussing Presidential visits to the region. Upcoming speakers include Tom Waseleski discussing Homestead as a mill town on Oct. 14; Dawn Keezer of the Pittsburgh Film Office on Oct. 21; and Bob Ferguson talking about the electric power grid backup on Oct. 28. For more information, visit smensclub.org or Facebook.com/smensclub.
Business Connection
The Greater Pittsburgh Business Connection, a referral group of business professionals, will meet Oct. 12 at Eat’n Park on Route 60 in Robinson for breakfast from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. Speakers will be Dave Dauer of Dauer Power and Rich Coyner of Minuteman Press. To attend, become a member or for more information, visit gpbc-pgh.org or call 412-364-6446, ext. 302.
14th Annual Ole 5K
TASH’s 14th Annual Ole 5K will take place at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 at the Harmar Grove Pavilion in North Park. TASH is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that has worked in Oaxaca, Mexico, since 1998. It aims to bridge the community of Pittsburgh with the people in Mexico. Pete Noll, a 1992 graduate of Quaker Valley High School, has lived in Oaxaca for the past 20 years, but comes back several times a year. Together with his team, they are organizing the 14th annual Olé 5k Benefit race to support The Anna Seethaler Hospital and other local nonprofits.
At the conclusion of the Olé 5K Benefit race, there will be a Mexican buffet, Oaxaca-grown organic coffee, smoothies, 50-50 raffle, music, and an awards ceremony.
For more information, visit tashinc.org.
Turkey Trot registration open
The Sewickley Turkey Trot that brings the community together on Thanksgiving morning is back, and registration is open. Whether you’re a seasoned runner, a first-timer, or just looking for a fun family walk to start Thanksgiving, the Sewickley Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk is perfect. Register online at bit.ly/SewickleyTurkey Trot2022, because Turkey Trot T-shirts will only be guaranteed if you register by Nov. 1.
The Turkey Trot is a joint project of the Heritage Valley Health System Foundation and the Sewickley Valley YMCA. Proceeds benefit the Faith in Action program at the Sewickley Valley YMCA.