ZELIENOPLE, Pa. – Nov. 9, 2020 At a time when it may be more important than ever, Home Instead’s^® seasonal favorite Be A Santa to a Senior returns stronger than ever with new options for community participation.

Program coordinators evaluated the important holiday program and made adjustments with the safety of donors, seniors and volunteers in mind. With seniors in Beaver and Butler counties more isolated than ever because of concerns due to the virus, this year, for the first time in the local program’s 10-year history, Home Instead is teaming up with Amazon Business, to create a contactless gift-giving experience for volunteers and recipients. The new Amazon Business collaboration will provide the same holiday cheer to local seniors while also prioritizing the safety and wellness of all who are involved.

“The Be a Santa to a Senior program brings so much joy to seniors in our community,” said Brendan Kenny, owner of the Zelienople Home Instead office. “We’ve all felt isolated at some point during the pandemic, but seniors are especially at risk of feeling isolated and a simple gift can show them that we are thinking of them. And that’s more important this year than ever.”

 Be a Santa to a Senior relies on the generous support of community members and volunteers, as well as area businesses, nonprofit organizations, and retailers across Beaver and Butler counties.

It’s easy to help. Members of the community can visit BeASantatoaSenior.com and enter their zip code to view Wish Lists for local seniors in the area which are available on Amazon Business through December 11. A personalized greeting can be included with the gift which will be safely delivered to the senior.

“We need the community’s help more than ever to make sure our seniors feel connected this year,” said Kenny. “With all that’s happened this year, we knew we had to find a way to reach those seniors with some holiday cheer, and we are grateful for the community’s support.”

Since the program’s creation in 2003, Be a Santa to a Senior^® has provided approximately 2.1 million gifts and brightened the season for more than 750,000 deserving seniors nationwide. With adjustments, Home Instead will be able to continue the annual gift-giving program while following social distancing and safety precautions during COVID-19.

For more information about the program, visit BeaSantatoaSenior.com or call 724-452-6691.

For ideas and inspiration around helping seniors in your community, visit ReadytoCare.com.

Collection event to incorporate advance registration and new fee structure

The Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) will host a household chemical collection event in Beaver County on Saturday, October 10, to provide Pennsylvania residents with an opportunity to safely and cost effectively dispose of common chemicals such as cleaners, paints, stains and varnishes, batteries, motor oil and pesticides.

The next PRC household chemical collection will take place on Saturday, October 10, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Bradys Run Park Recycling Center. 

At this event, PRC will incorporate safety measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including a new fee structure and an advance registration system required by the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

“This year PRC has introduced new procedures including advance registration and a new fee structure to reduce the number of interactions occurring between event participants and staff to promote safety during the current COVID-19 outbreak,” according to Sarah Alessio Shea, PRC Collection Events Manager.

A $20 fee will cover the cost of disposing up to 10 gallons/50 pounds of aerosol cans, automotive fluids, chemistry sets, gasoline and kerosene, household cleaners, mercury thermometers, paint products, pesticides/garden chemicals, photo chemicals and pool chemicals.  Oversized loads will be subject to a fee of $20 per additional 10 gallons/50 pounds at the discretion of on-site staff.  Participants will also pay $12 per fire extinguisher and $15 per pound of liquid mercury.

“New safety measures enable PRC to offer a nearly contactless event,” said Shea.  “All PRC staff members in attendance adhere to the most current safety protocols issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and local health authorities, which includes the wearing of face masks.”

Participants at collection events must adhere to the following guidelines: 1) register online in advance 2) place all items in car truck or truck bed 3) wear a mask when speaking with on-site personnel 4) remain in vehicle at all times 5) bring exact change or check payable to PRC 6) visit PRC’s website for updates before attending the event.

Participants must register in advance at www.prc.org/HHWregistration.

For information concerning PRC’s complete 2020 schedule of collection events, visit www.prc.org or call 412-488-7452 or 724-770-2064.

Safely dispose of common household chemicals at Beaver County’s hazardous materials collection at the Brady’s Run Park Recycling Center on October 10 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.  Advance registration for the event is required.

Acceptable items include aerosol cans, automotive fluids, batteries, chemistry sets, compact fluorescent bulbs, gasoline and kerosene, household cleaners, mercury, paint products, pesticides and herbicides, photo chemicals, pool chemicals, and smoke detectors.

Additional details, fees, and items not accepted are available at www.prc.org or by calling (724) 770-2064.

Pittsburgh, PA – Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens invites couples to a very special virtual date night of cooking along with Café Phipps’ own Chef Amy Reed. Friday, Sept. 25 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., each couple will get the opportunity to connect and create a delicious meal together as Phipps’ highly-skilled Chef Amy demonstrates all of the techniques and tricks participants need to whip up a four-course gourmet meal from the comfort of their own home. This dinner includes an easy to make appetizer, a fresh seasonal salad, a delicious seafood entree and a smooth chocolate fondue for dessert.

Participants can upgrade their packages to receive extra goodies from Phipps! The packages include:

Date Night – Class Only | $50 per couple
Receive a detailed shopping list, an exclusive recipe created by Chef Amy Reed and a Zoom meeting link to learn tips and tricks and cook along with our chef.

Date Night – Grocery Pick Up and Class | $100 per couple
Sit back and relax as we do the shopping for you! Phipps staff will source the freshest local ingredients for your meal, including a delicious drink mixture to add to any alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage. Come to Phipps for a contact-less pickup of your groceries brought to you in a Phipps tote bag. Plus, receive Phipps wine glasses.

Date Night – Full Package | $150 per couple
Our full package includes the groceries you will need for class, drink mix, tote bag and wine glasses, plus a little love from Phipps. The full package will include a locally-made growing candle, three sustainable dishcloths and bees wrap for your food storage needs (a Phipps gift shop favorite).
For more information on Virtual Date Night or to register for this event, visit phipps.conservatory.org/VirtualDateNight