IN Murrysville Spring 2018 | Page 55

In its third season , the Farmhouse Kids ’ Club for children ages 3-12 was sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank and Drs . Abraham and Gill Pediatric Dentists and Orthodontists . 528 children visited the Farmhouse Kids ’ Club 1059 times this summer , receiving 1014 tokens over 13 sessions . Being free to join , members participated in weekly activities such as produce sampling , scavenger hunts , flower planting , meeting live animals and more , consequently earning a wooden token worth $ 2.00 that could be spent with any of the Market vendors . The coin program at the Farmhouse Kids ’ Club was again well-received by both the families and vendors , as it teaches money-management and healthy eating habits , and generated $ 1922.00 in revenue to our vendors ! The Market will operate for its fifth season in 2018 !
Murrysville Community Park hosted 5 local bands and thousands of guests at our first Concert in the Park in August ! Delicious food vendors , community interest groups , games and activities filled the day , which was complete with a fabulous fireworks display provided by the Yant-Turner Family Fireworks Team ! Thank you to all who attended and especially our sponsors who made the event possible . We are looking forward to our second annual Concert event in 2018 !
The 5th annual PA Hometown Hero Walk team of supporters travelled 2.6 miles from the Veterans ’ Memorial at Murrysville Community Park on Wiestertown Road to Hills Church Road , ending at Rivertowne Brewery , to support our Pennsylvania Veterans in need . This year ’ s Walk had a close-to-home feel as the organization was able to provide a home in Trafford to 35-year-old Marine Corps veteran Eric Seitz , a Penn Hills native who served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom and in Iraq . The home was donated by Kirk Rettger of Choice Auto Sales , Murrysville . Funds raised by the organization remain in Pennsylvania to support local veterans in need . Details on the 2018 PA Hometown Hero Walk in Murrysville will be available soon , join us !
More than 30 chili recipes prepared by amateur cooks and local restaurants were sampled at the 10th annual ChiliOktoberfest , held in conjunction with the Murrysville-Export Rotary . Rivertowne beverages , hot dogs , the Jenkins and Crum band , cornhole , and kids ’ activities were enjoyed by more than 350 hungry guests WHILE cash prizes were awarded to 1st and 2nd place in each category . Mark your calendar for next year ’ s Chili Octoberfest , the hottest event in town !
The Christmas and holiday season was celebrated December 1 at Night of Lights at Town Square and 1st United Methodist Church . Mild temperatures brought record setting attendance for our gingerbread contest , performing groups , visits with Santa and St . Nicholas , the Historical Society ’ s toy display , holiday stories , games and activities and , of course , delicious cookies and hot chocolate ! This event grows each year and it wouldn ’ t be a favorite without all of our businesses and organizations who participate to provide entertainment throughout the evening . Thank you to everyone !
The local business community and many individuals are continually supportive of our Department ’ s events and programs by providing sponsorships to ensure their longevity and cost-effectiveness for participants . Thank you just isn ’ t enough , but , thank you !
Recreation Programs :
Summer Recreation Programs remain popular , garnering 604 registrations for more than 50 programs for participants ages pre-K through adult . Programs

Department of Recreation

included : Safety City , Superhero Science Camp , Girls ’ and Boys ’ Basketball Camps , Pioneer Living Camp , Fencing , Home Landscape Series with Plum Line Nursery , Minecraft , Ready-Set-Run 5K camp , Learn to Draw , Wildlife Explorers , the Playground Program and more . 59 children registered for the Playground Program and visited 415 times to five different parks over seven weeks . Guest presenters , animal demonstrations and fun games and activities were all included this year ! The program is offered for four hours each day for $ 5.00 per visit and no pre-registration is required . It ’ s a great way to have safe , supervised fun with friends in the summer !
Firetrucks , police cars , ambulances , school buses and big-wheel bicycles all came together to teach our youngest residents about citizen safety at our Safety Town program for children ages 4-8 . Participants had the chance to meet our real local heroes , see their vehicles , ride on a school bus and ride big-wheels in our “ town ” to learn about stop lights and traffic signs . Five camp days in our Safety City surely made them our safest young citizens !
Our bi-annual program guide , which includes details and registration information for all of our upcoming programs and events , is published in April and September and is available on our website , www . murrysvilleparecreation . com and is also mailed through the Penn Franklin newspaper . Copies are always available at our municipal offices .
Be an MVP !:
The Murrysville Volunteer Program offers a volunteer matchmaking program to increase volunteer awareness and engagement in both community and municipal roles and to establish a robust volunteer force to strengthen our community spirit and strength . Through this program volunteers and service organizations can connect both on the municipal website , http :// murrysville . com / volunteer-in-murrysville / and on the program ’ s Facebook page , Murrysville Volunteer Program . Service organizations can share an immediate or ongoing need for volunteers while interested volunteers can find just the right organization with which to be involved . Volunteering can be fun and rewarding and does not have to become another full time job ; an hour can make a world of difference ; try it today ! For more information , contact the Recreation Department at 724-327-2100 ext . 115 .
Department Information :

Information regarding Murrysville Recreation Department Programs and Events can be found by visiting http :// murrysvilleparecreation . com / , in the Penn-Franklin Newspaper in our bi-annual supplement , or on Facebook at Murrysville Recreation Department . We can also be reached by phone during normal working hours at 724-327-2100 ext . 131 or ext . 115 . urrysville MUNICIPALITY OF MURRYSVILLE NEWS

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