Category Archives: For a Good Cause

Raffle for 2 Tickets to Pens Game 5 to Support Surgical Elective Fellows from Zimbabwe

Pens Tickets for Game 5 Raffle

2 tickets to Game 5, Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday, May 21st at 3 PM.
The seats are in Section 105, Row Q, Seats 3 and 4. 2 Lexus Club passes will also be included.
Raffle tickets are $30/each – purchase online via Eventbrite page.
Benefits Zimbabwean Surgical Elective Fellows Program in Pittsburgh.
- Not only Zimbabwean surgical fellows, but WOMEN surgical fellows. There are only 108 registered surgeons in Zimbabwe. Of those, only 6 are women! We could help add 33% more women surgeons in Zimbabwe after one year.
Raffle will be drawn on Saturday, May 20 at 8am. Online ticket sales close before at 6am.

I received an email about this raffle from a dear friend who is a hockey fan and a dedicated Pittsburgh citizen who has introduced me to some of the more interesting Pittsburgh traditions.

The Penguins Hockey team plays at the PPG Paints Arena, just 1.5 miles away in Oakland is the Magree-Womens Research Institue. You are probably familiar with Magee Womens Hospital. If you were born in Pittsburgh, there is a good chance you were born in Magee Womens Hospital. What I did not know until recently is that the Magee-Womens Research Institute, located right across the street from the hospital is the largest independent research institute in the U.S. devoted exclusively to women’s health.

I think this raffle highlights a unique thing about Pittsburgh. Where else in the US could you find a world class hockey team and world class medical research existing in the same 2 square miles, with passionate fans who support both. I love the idea of bringing together playoff hockey, surgical residents from Zimbabwe and the Magee Women’s Research Institute.

All monies raised for the Raffle will go to support the Zimbabwean Surgical Elective Fellows Program in Pittsburgh. This project was started by Mandela Fellow, Annete Bongiwe Moyo, who is a doctor training in surgery in Zimbabwe. Her dream is to bring 2 female Zimbabwean Medical Students to Pittsburgh to gain exposure to the cutting edge of surgery in the US and to support the participation of women in surgery in Zimbabwe. Of the 108 registered surgeons in Zimbabwe, only 6 are women, even though 33% of students in medical school are women. This program is hoping to get more women interested and exposed to surgical disciplines. Annete hopes to grow the number of students taking part in the program in future years. Help support this very worthy cause and outstanding individual. She will make you proud.

All funds will be donated to the Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation to administer for this program. The Drawing will be at Noon on Saturday, May 20th.

Raffle tickets are $30 and can be purchased on this Eventbright page. Help spread the word by inviting your friends to the Facebook event for the raffle.

Here is a message from Annete on the importance of supporting this program:

If you would like to support the Zimbabwean Surgical Elective Fellows Program, you can make a contribution directly to Magee-Womens Research Institute.

Big Heart Trivia! Free Trivia Night at Wigle Whiskey

Most Monday nights, Wigle Whiskey hosts Batnam Nights, where they open their tasting room to a different Pittsburgh area non-profit and donate a portion of the proceeds to the organization. This Monday night the Batnam night will be a Valentine’s trivia night to benefit a local historic preservation effort.

On Monday, February 13, 2017, Friends of Albright is hosting a special trivia night at Wigle Whiskey in the strip district – Big Heart Trivia. Friends of Albright, which I helped to establish in 2014, is a group of community members that has been working to preserve and re-purpose the Albright Church Building in Bloomfield into a community space.

The trivia night is named after a note card found in the church archives, this evening will offer a chance to learn more about the effort to save the Albright United Methodist church and a chance to meet some of the folks who are involved with Pittsburgh historic preservation.

Trivia night will be hosted by Dave Mansueto who runs the popular weekly quiz night at Brillobox each Wednesday.

The event is free to attend, drinks will be available for purchase and there will be food provided.

Learn more about the history of this 110 year old church and study up for the trivia by reading the East Liberty Valley Historic Society’s article Albright United Methodist Church building here.

Big Heart Trivia at Wigle Whiskey

DATE: Monday, February 13, 2017

TIME: 6-9pm

6pm – doors open, grab a drink
7pm – trivia starts

COST: FREE
RSVP: here. Invite your friends on Facebook here.

Looking for more historic preservation events in Pittsburgh?

Be sure to join the Pittsburgh Historic Preservation MeetUp group and the Pittsburgh Historic Preservation Facebook group.

Save the date! March 23 is the Saving Sacred Spaces Summit at the Priory Hotel. The Young Preservationist Association is teaming up with the national non-profit Partners for Sacred Spaces for a deeper look at how to preserve and reuse religious structures.

Win 2 Tickets to Stanley Cup Game 5!

One of the hidden gems of summer in Pittsburgh for those who are Italian or who want to be Italian is the annual Feast of Saint Anthony Festival, which is happening this weekend in the Strip District. Follow the Pittsburgh Feast of St. Anthony Facebook page for more details.

I just spoke with one of the organizers for the annual Feast of Saint Anthony Festival. They are raffling off two tickets to the Stanley Cup Game 5 here in Pittsburgh on Thursday, June 9. They have sold less than 50 raffle tickets, so your odds of winning 2 seats to the hockey game are pretty good. All proceeds from the hockey ticket raffle benefit the annual Feast of Stain Anthony Festival, a 501c3 organization that plans the annual festival and works to promote Italian culture in Pittsburgh.

Raffle tickets are $50 and can be purchased online here. Winner will be selected on Thursday, June 9, 2016 at 1pm.

Enter to win (2) tickets to the Penguins June 9th NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Game (5) vs the San Jose Sharks. Seats are Section 105, Row Q- they are amazing seats in the corner of the side where the Pens shoot twice.

Winner will be determined by a Parish Priest and retired Federal Judge picking a random winner (recorded on video to be made available to all entrants) at 1 pm on 6/9. Corresponding entry will win (2) tickets to that night’s playoff game. We will immediately email the winner to to get you the tickets before that night’s game.

Click here for more information and to purchase raffle tickets.

Happy Hour This Wednesday to Support the Women’s Center & Shelter

The Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh in a constant Catch-22. It needs to promote itself and its services to people in the community, but also needs to be discreet and protect the privacy of clients.

Last year WC&S answered more than 5,000 hotline calls, provided legal advocacy for nearly 4,000 clients, and sheltered more than 500 women and children.

But the WC&S also had to turn away 755 women and children last year. They consider turning away victims of intimate partner violence unacceptable. When their beds are full, they always try and find alternate arrangements. However, that’s not always possible.

WC&S is in the middle of a capital campaign to renovate and expand its facilities. The campaign is called Shelter From The Storm, and it needs your support. The goal of expanding their facilities is to ensure they provide sanctuary for those here in the Pittsburgh area who need it.

To get the word out, the WC&S is hosting a happy hour this Wednesday, March 30, at Olive or Twist. The goal is to inform new Pittsburghers and young professionals about what they do and what services they provide to women and children in the area. You can buy tickets at the door or in advance here.