In brief: Thanksgiving dinner, holiday events and more in Sewickley area

Holidays at Cochran Hose

Cochran Hose Company’s annual Toys for Tots drive is officially underway. There are three ways to donate new, unwrapped toys this holiday season: Drop off your toy at The Ultimate Pastry Shop, Fun Buy the Pound, Mediterra Cafe, or Coffee Village during regular business hours before Dec. 7; at the fire truck on Beaver Street during Sewickley Light Up Night on Dec. 6; or bring your toy to Cochran Hose Company’s annual Santa at the Station event on Dec. 8.

Cochran Hose Company will be hosting its annual Santa at the Station event on Dec. 8 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the station (601 Thorn St.). There will be crafts, snacks, fire safety resources, fire truck rides, and of course, Santa! This is a free event, but new and unwrapped toys will be collected for the Toys for Tots drive.

Hard to recycle event

Sewickley Hills Borough, in partnership with Junkluggers of Pittsburgh, is inviting the community to a free public event aimed at helping residents responsibly dispose of hard-to-recycle items while supporting a great cause. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 16 at the Sewickley Hills Borough building, 349 Magee Road. It offers a perfect opportunity to clear out your home, basement, or garage of small appliances, printers, computers, laptops, VCRs, wires, metal and anything with a plug.

In addition to recycling, participants are encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food items — such as peanut butter, jelly, cereal, and crackers — to support the YMCA’s Quaker Valley Food to Families Project. This initiative helps provide essential food supplies to local families facing food insecurity.

Attendees will also enjoy complimentary drinks and light breakfast items.

For more information, contact Sewickley Hills Borough at 412-741-4891.

Thanksgiving Day dinner

Coraopolis United Methodist Church will hold its 12th Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner on Nov. 28 from 1to 3 p.m. This year’s dinner will offer dine-in seating in the church’s renovated dining hall, located at 1205 Ridge Ave. in Coraopolis. Menu items include turkey, homemade mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberries and dessert.

The dinner is free and all are welcome from the West Hills community. No reservations are required. To learn about volunteering, email [email protected] or call 412-264-3727.

Networking event

BNI Village Connections will host an in-person business networking meeting at the Walter J. Brannon Community Center on Dec. 7 from 7:30-9 a.m. All business professionals are welcome to attend. For more information, call 412-908-1388.

Luminaria fundraiser

Boy Scouts from Sewickley Troop 243 are continuing the tradition of selling luminaria kits for the holiday season. Each kit contains 10 five-inch candles, 10 white paper bags and a bag of sand, with delivery to local homes on Dec. 14. The price is $14/kit, by check or PayPal. Orders will be taken through Dec. 9. Proceeds will fund camping and safety equipment, transportation and scholarships for local scouts. To support this fundraiser, email [email protected] or call/text Jennifer Nastasi at 708-829-8734.

Sewickley Men’s Club

The topic of the Sewickley Men’s Club, an affiliate of the Sewickley Valley YMCA, will be concert pianist Mariana Lupinacci on Nov. 15. Gershwin by the University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. Phil Atteberry will be featured on Nov. 22. There will not be a speaker on Nov. 29 because of Thanksgiving.

For more information, visit smensclub.org or Facebook.com/smensclub.

Business Connection

Greater Pittsburgh Business Connection, a referral group of business professionals, will meet at the Eat’n Park on Route 60 in Robinson Township for breakfast from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. Nov. 20. Speakers will be Jim Stossel of LPL Financial and Bernie Slutiak of Insurance Consultants of Pittsburgh. To attend or become a member, or for more information, visit gpbc-pgh.org or call 412-364-6446, ext. 302.

To have your event or information listed in our briefs section, email Katie Green at [email protected].