CHRISTMAS CONCERTS
Bellevue -- The Church of the Assumption, 45 N. Sprague Ave., will hold a Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, featuring the adult and children's choirs, accompanied by an orchestra. Reception will follow; donations will be accepted.
Sewickley -- Carols from several countries will be sung during a service of lessons and carols at 4 p.m. Sunday at The Presbyterian Church, 414 Grant St. Adult and high school singing and handbell choirs will perform. Call 412-741-4550, ext. 205.
Evans City -- Crestview Community Church PCUSA, 210 Kline Ave., will present the Christmas cantata "A Carol to the King" at 7 p.m. Sunday. The church's bell choir will perform; also, there will be a children's program. Refreshments will follow. Call 724-538-8559.
McCandless -- The choirs and orchestra of Memorial Park Presbyterian Church, 8800 Peebles Road, will perform Handel's "Messiah" at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Call 412-364-9492.
Richland -- First Presbyterian Church of Bakerstown, Route 8 at Heckert Road, will hold a Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Sunday. The church's Chancel Choir, Praise Band, Bakerstown Bells, Joyful Noise Children's Choir and Joyful Noise Bell Ringers will perform. Free. Child care will be available. Call 724-443-1555.
Mars -- Mars Area School District will present the following holiday concerts in the high school's new auditorium: high school chorus at 6:30 p.m. Monday; eighth-grade band and high school band at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; sixth-grade chorus and band concert at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday; eighth-grade chorus and seventh-grade band and chorus at 6:30 p.m. next Thursday; and elementary chorus and band concert at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19. Free admission.
Muddy Creek -- Students in grades 7-12 at Portersville Christian School, 343 E. Portersville Road, will perform in a holiday concert at 7 p.m. Monday. Pupils in kindergarten through sixth grade will perform at 7 p.m. next Thursday. Free admission. Call 724-368-8787.
Leetsdale/Osborne -- Quaker Valley Middle School/High School Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the high school auditorium, 625 Beaver St. Osborne Elementary School holiday concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the multipurpose room, 1414 Beaver Road, Osborne. Edgeworth Elementary School concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. next Thursday in the Osborne multipurpose room. Quaker Valley Middle School chorus concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 in the high school auditorium. All performances are free.
Areawide -- Opera Theater of Pittsburgh will perform "Amahl and the Night Visitors" at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sewickley Academy, 315 Academy Ave., Edgeworth; at 8 p.m. Dec. 16 at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, 384 Fox Chapel Road, Fox Chapel; and at 8 p.m. Dec. 17 and 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at Heinz Chapel, Bellefield Avenue, Oakland. Tickets prices vary by location, call 412-394-3353 for the Heinz Chapel and Sewickley Academy shows or 412-963-8243 for the Fox Chapel show.
Pine -- The Pine-Richland High School Chorus will present a winter concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the high school auditorium, 700 Warrendale Road. Free admission.
Shaler -- The Performing Arts Alliance of Shaler Area will sponsor a holiday pops concert with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23 in Shaler Area Intermediate School, 1810 Mount Royal Blvd. Admission is $12. Proceeds will benefit the scholarships and grants of the alliance. To order tickets or for more information, call 412-486-1433.
DONATIONS
Ross -- Pittsburgh Power softball organization will hold a food drive Sunday at the Shop 'n Save in North Hills Village, McKnight Road, to benefit North Hills Community Outreach. Call 724-873-4455.
Middlesex -- Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts at Glade Run United Presbyterian Church are collecting unwrapped toys for the Toys for Tots program and canned goods to benefit needy families in Butler County. Bring donations to the church, 1091 Pittsburgh Road, at 7 p.m. Tuesday. For more information, call 724-898-3503.
FUND-RAISERS
Mars -- Mars and Pine-Richland High school basketball teams will face off in the St. Barnabas Roundball Classic to raise money for St. Barnabas Health System Saturday at Mars Area Senior High School gymnasium, 520 Route 228. Junior varsity game begins at 6 p.m.; varsity game begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for students. Call 724-444-5530.
Richland -- Kean Theatre, Washington Place, 5847 Meridian Road, will host casino nights, with blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and slot machines beginning at 6 p.m. Dec. 16 and 17. Admission is free; gaming chips are $1 each and a cash bar will be available. Let's Be Frank, a Frank Sinatra tribute, will follow at 9 p.m. each night. Tickets for the tribute are $36 and can be purchased by calling 724-444-5326. Proceeds will benefit the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund.
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
Evans City -- Today is the deadline for reservations to attend an authentic celebration of Christmas as it was observed on the upper Ohio frontier, just after the end of the American Revolution. Dr. Carl Robertson of the Providence Plantation Foundation will host festivities from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at 300 Textor Hill Road. The program will feature period entertainment, dramatic presentations, music, refreshments and more. Cost is $5. Call 724-538-8818 or 412-731-3935 for more information.
Butler -- Nixon United Methodist Church, 334 Airport Road, will offer a Nativity display that can be viewed from your vehicle from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Actors and animals will depict nine scenes. Donate canned goods or money to benefit the South Central Butler County Food Bank. For more information, call 724-586-7372.
Tarentum -- Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society's annual train display will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the museum, 7th and Lock Street. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children 11 and younger. Children can have a photo taken with Santa Claus from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 17. Collectible Nativities and raffle tickets for model trains will be sold. For more information, call 724-224-7666.
North Side -- Brown Chapel AME Church, 1400 Boyle St., will hold a Christmas play, featuring music, mime, dance, live animals and more, at 7 p.m. Dec. 16. Also enjoy African drumming by Enyimnyam. Seating is limited; receive free tickets by calling 412-471-4332 or 412-321-2240.
Cranberry -- Dutilh United Methodist Church, 1270 Dutilh Road, will hold an Advent program for children age 3 through fifth-graders from 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 17. There will be songs, crafts, games and more. Admission is $5. Nursery care will be available for a $5 fee per each child. Reservations due Wednesday; call 724-776-1094.
Hampton -- Chelsea's Place, a Christian coffeehouse, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1965 Ferguson Road, will hold a live Nativity from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17. Chelsealee Steals and Mike Adams will perform at a Christmas celebration from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy beverages, desserts and finger foods. Admission is $5. For more information, call 412-486-7006.
LIBRARIES
McCandless -- School-aged children can make holiday gifts from 7 to 8 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 16 and 23 during Crafty Elf workshops at Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Road. Cost for materials is $3 per person. To register, call 412-366-8100.
Avalon -- Bring 5 to 10 photos to make a holiday scrapbook at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Avalon Public Library, 317 S. Home Ave. Registration is required; call 412-761-2288.
MEETINGS
Mars -- The MOMS Club of Cranberry South, a support group for at-home mothers, will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Fountain Park Church, Route 228 at Castle Creek Road. Call Kim at 724-741-2054.
O'Hara -- The SeniorNet Computer Club will meet from 10:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday at Lauri Ann West Memorial Library, 1220 Powers Run Road. For more information, call 412-828-9520, ext. 15.
Richland -- The Gibsonia/Mars MOMS Club, a support group for at-home mothers, will meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Bakerstown United Methodist Church, Route 8 at Dickey Road. Call Trish at 724-449-9241.
Shaler -- Bauerstown AARP 2490 will meet at noon Tuesday at Bauerstown volunteer fire hall, Wible Run Road.
Ohio Township -- Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association will hold a breakfast networking meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Christ Church at Grove Farm, 249 Duff Road. Free. Call Cece Miller at 412-968-0727.
SENIORS
Richland -- Northern Tier Library, 4015 Dickey Road, will host an Elderhostel conversation salon for those 55 and older. Current events and social/cultural issues will be discussed from 1 to 3 p.m. today and on the second Thursday of every month. Free. To register, call 412-422-2060, ext. 234.
Areawide -- A Vincentian Collaborative Services compliance officer will talk about the Medicare Part D program from 3 to 4 p.m. Monday at the Vincentian Regency, 9939 Babcock Blvd., McCandless and from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Vincentian Home, 111 Perrymont Road, McCandless. A question and answer session will follow. Free; reservations required. Call 412-630-9980.
SINGLES
Areawide -- Sophisticated Singles will hold a Christmas party and dance at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 16 in Green Tree Holiday Inn. Admission is $8. Call 412-572-5259.
Ohio Township -- Christ Church at Grove Farm's Singles at the Grove will hold a Denim and Diamonds candlelight Christmas dinner for singles at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at the church's barn on Duff Road. Tickets are $17.50 and include a catered dinner, musical entertainment and more. Bring a $3 gift for the gift exchange. For more information, call 412-741-9262 or 412-367-2439.
SPECIAL INTEREST
Pine -- Discounted ski tickets for Seven Springs can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the municipal building, 230 Pearce Mill Road. Tickets that can be used from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays or from 1 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays through Fridays are $28. Tickets that can be used from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. nightly are $20. For more information, call 724-625-1591.
Fox Chapel -- Children ages 6 to 11 can explore trails, play games and more during winter nature camp from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 29-30 at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville Road. Fee is $50 for members, $65 for others. Reservations are required; call 412-963-6100.
SPORTS
Marshall -- The Pittsburgh North Stars, a traveling baseball organization, will hold player tryouts for the 2006 season. For more information, call 724-935-6630.
SUPPORT
Shaler -- Family Hospice and Palliative Care will hold a free bereavement group meeting from 1 to 3 p.m. next Thursday in Glenshaw Presbyterian Church, 300 Glenn Ave. Call 412-578-3666.
Winfield -- Shepherd's Place, a Christian, 12-step support and recovery program for those struggling with addiction meets weekly at 7 p.m. Tuesdays in Cabot United Methodist Church, 707 Winfield Road. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Family members and friends welcomed. Call 724-352-2074 or 724-352-2777 for more information.
To include your event in the Bulletin Board, send description of activity, time(s), date(s), location, cost and registration details, plus a contact person's name and daytime telephone number to Alyson Rodriguez, PG North, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222. Fax items to 412-263-1877 or e-mail to arodriguez@post-gazette.com. Information must be received two to three weeks before publication.
First Published: December 8, 2005, 5:00 a.m.
