Open House
MARCH 28—Virtuous Academy will host an Open House from 6-8 p.m. at One Library Place, Duquesne. Interested guests will be able to meet staff and administrators, along with information about financial assistance. For more information, call 412-896-6701 or visit www.virtuousacademy.org.
Diabetes Management/Screenings
MARCH 30—UPMC East will host its “Advances in Diabetes Management and General Health Screenings” program from 7-11 a.m. at the UPMC East Conference Center, 2775 Mosside Blvd., Monroeville. Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about diabetes and will be able to participate in a general health screening and more. Health coaches will also be available. For more information, call 1-866-737-0910.
Egg Hunt
MARCH 30—The Carnegie Museum of Natural History will host its 7th Annual “Egg-cellent” Egg Hunt from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Children 12 and under will have the opportunity to participate in a scavenger hunt, interact with nature experts and more. For more information, call 412-662-3131 or visit www.carnegiemnh.org.
Health & Wellness Fair
MARCH 30—The Pittsburgh Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs Inc. will host its Health & Wellness Fair from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 2720 Webster Ave., Hill District. Attendees will receive important information, meet health specialists, receive free screenings and learn about healthy living. The event is free and open to the public.
Legacy Awards Luncheon
MARCH 30—The Rankin, Mon Valley and Pittsburgh Section of the National Council of Negro Women will host the 4th Annual Legacy Awards Luncheon from 12-3 p.m. at Hosanna House, 807 Wallace Ave., Wilkinsburg. The theme is “Women United: Activate the Legacy.” Honorees will be Jean Bryant, Alma Speed Fox, Beatrice Morrison Melo Myers and Mary Savage. Shirley Moore Smeal will be the guest speaker and Sabrina Saunders will be the mistress of ceremonies. For more information, call Flora Jackson at 412-351-2885.
Gun Violence Forum
APRIL 2—The Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee will host “Stop the Killing: A Forum on Ending Gun Violence” from 7-9 p.m. at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Ave., East Liberty. The forum will feature local, state and federal leaders; community members; and experts on gun violence. Attendees will have the opportunity to contribute, learn about and get involved with issues affecting gun violence. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Deborah Fidel at 412-605-0816 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Health & Awareness Brunch
APRIL 6—Enhanced Creativity and the Lupus Foundation will host the Health & Awareness Brunch from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, 4215 5th Ave., Oakland. The brunch will include guest speakers, a day of pampering, delicious food and more. The event benefits the Lupus Foundation. For more information, email Rae Coleman at ­enhancedcreativity2009 @gmail.com.

About 48 hours ago I watched a “bride to be” do something very smart. She picked up her bridal gown from Something Borrowed Boutique in Bloomfield. This caught my attention because she actually rented the dress.

When her wedding is over she is going to bring the dress back. It was a beautiful gown with a tulle skirt and a beaded bodice.

Something Borrowed Boutique is a gown rental salon located at 4707 Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield. You can rent wedding gowns, dresses for bridesmaids, mother of the bride, special occasion gowns and flower girl dresses.

How many weddings have you been in and didn’t know what to do with the dress after the wedding was over?

Something Borrowed solves so many issues. No need to save that dress and hope that you can wear again and hope the other bridesmaids don’t show up at the same affair. You can have that beautiful wedding gown or special occasion dress at a fraction of what it would cost to buy it.

If you have watched any episode of “Say Yes To the Dress” you have witnessed brides pay between $3,000 to $10,000 for a dress that will be worn for one day. No longer do you have to rent a dress over the internet. Stop by Something Borrowed Boutique and try it on before you rent it.

by Desiree S. Coleman

Special from the St. Louis American

You meet the perfect person. You go out on a few dates. Instantly, they are elevated to “boo status” and you think that you’ve finally found “the one.” Things are going great until you do a little digging and some soul-searching.

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS—From left: Michelle Outcalt; Juel Smith; Kiya Tomlin, Leadership Achievement award winner; Rufus Burnett Jr.; Florence Saint-Jean with Chuck Cooper III. (Photos by Rossano P. Stewart)

The Chuck Cooper Foundation awarded its first scholarships in higher education to honor the legacy of Chuck Cooper, the first African-American drafted into the NBA, who afterward leveraged his graduate work into a career of public service. The five students receiving the scholarships were recognized at a luncheon, Feb. 22, along with Mike and Kiya Tomlin, the recipients of the third annual Career Achievement in Leadership, Diversity and Community Service Award.
As a Duquesne University student athlete, Cooper was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1950. After a six-year NBA career, he went on to earn a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota in 1961. He began his public service as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Pittsburgh, and then with Pittsburgh National Bank, the predecessor to PNC Bank. He worked as the bank’s Urban Affairs Officer, spearheading affirmative action programs and community development projects.
“Mike and Kiya Tomlin have done outstanding work in our community and are great stewards of Chuck Cooper’s legacy,” said Sy Holzer, Western Pennsylvania regional president, PNC Bank, the presenting sponsor of the Chuck Cooper luncheon. “Chuck was a talented leader and role model in all aspects in his life. PNC supports the Cooper Foundation’s mission as it awards its first scholarships to deserving graduate level students in the region.”
In addition, PNC provided a $5,000 scholarship which the Cooper Foundation awarded to Rufus Burnett, Jr. for study at the McAnulty Graduate School of Liberal Arts at Duquesne University. Additional scholarship winners for study at Duquesne are:
•Juel Smith, $3,000, School of Education Instructional Technology and Leadership
•Florence St. Jean, $1,000, School of Education
•Michelle Outcalt, $1,000, School of Leadership and Professional Advancement
•Candice Aston, $1,000, PhD in Philosophy
“We are extremely proud to award scholarships to these five highly deserving students,” said Chuck Cooper III, president of the Chuck Cooper Foundation and son of the late professional athlete. “This group exemplifies the type of dedication to academic excellence and community service that my father was so passionate about throughout his life. Helping these students to further their academic careers in order to achieve their professional goals is at the heart of the mission of the Cooper Foundation.”
Additional sponsors include Pittsburgh Steelers, UPMC Health Plan and Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC.
PNC’s support for the Chuck Cooper Foundation is the centerpiece of its Black History Month celebration in Pittsburgh. “Diversity is a core value at PNC,” said PNC’s Holzer. “Recognizing national history and heritage month celebrations help to acknowledge the many contributions of the diverse customers and communities where employees work and live.”