Donora Historical Society announced the following events. Read more...

Rep. Bud Cook (R-Washington/Fayette) joined with the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Fayette Country Cultural Trust and Bentworth School District in organizing today’s 2018 Rural Arts Collaborative (RAC) Spring Institute.

Held at Bentworth High School, the purpose of this event was to share RAC project experiences, themes and project outcomes. It also served as a forum for artists, teachers, principals, superintendents and local government officials to share their stories about how the project has successfully impacted their students academically, socially, emotionally and in their respective communities.

“Today, we are celebrating the success of the Rural Arts Collaborative Education Project and RAC consortium in giving our students the benefit of a professional, hands-on arts education experience, while at the same time, helping to beautify their communities with public art,” said Cook. “Due to the generous financial support of the Benedum Foundation, the cost for implementing these outstanding residential artist education programs for taxpayers is absolutely zero. Again, I would personally like to thank the Benedum Foundation for generously investing to improve our region’s quality of life and supplementing our efforts to attract both employers and employees to the 49th Legislative District.”

The Benedum Foundation is dedicated to encouraging human development through strategically placed charitable resources in Southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Over the years the foundation has authorized grants of more than $410 million.

To date, the RAC project has successfully infused project-based learning into the arts curriculum in 15 school districts, serving more than 4,000 students, including Beth Center, Bentworth, Brownsville, Frazier and Ringgold located in the 49th Legislative District. Local communities benefiting from this program are Beallsville, Cokeburg, Donora, Ellsworth, Marianna and Monongahela.

Each artist residency is either a full semester or academic year placement, working with a lead art teacher or a team of lead teachers in those residencies which prefer a cross-curricular approach. The RAC teaching artists use a project based learning approach, requiring a capstone outcome in the form of a public art piece that can be installed, or a performance or video to create some lasting form of art that will be part of the students, school and community in some way.

The Auxiliary of Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc. is sponsoring its annual Strawberry Festival on Friday, June 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of Monongahela Valley Hospital.

Lunch & Learn

OSPTA Ice Cream Social

Tuesday, June 5

12:30 p.m. · Activity Hall

Speaker: “Happy Feet”

Free to the community · RSVP in the business office or online by June 1

The Healing Power of Nature

Tuesday, June 26 · 12:30 p.m. · Activity Hall

Speaker: Georgette Vougias

Join a former national park ranger turned health coach as we explore the incredible effects that nature has on our health and happiness

Free to the community · RSVP in the business office or online by June 22

Bus Trips

Rivers Casino School Bus Trip

Thursday, June 7

9 a.m. - pickup at the Charleroi Chamber parking lot (next to Valley Vending)

3 p.m. - depart Rivers Casino

Bring your driver’s license

Cost: $20 per person (bus bonus $15 free play; $5 food voucher)

Open to the community · RSVP in the business office or online by June 4

Phipps Conservatory Coach Bus Trip

Tuesday, June 12

9 a.m. - pickup at the Charleroi Chamber parking lot (next to Valley Vending)

10 a.m. - guided tour of the Center for Sustainable Landscapes

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. - lunch at Phipps Café (not included with the cost) and time to shop in the gift shop

12:30 p.m. Summer flower show (unguided)

2 p.m. - depart Phipps

*This trip involves a lot of walking; wear comfortable shoes.

Cost: $45 per person

Open to the community · RSVP in the business office or online by June 1