IN Sewickley Fall 2017 | Page 10

WHAT’S NEWS IN SEWICKLEY FALL FUN AT SEWICKLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Which word best describes October at the Sewickley United Methodist Church? Amplified? Maximized? Energized? The sun-blessed pumpkin patch that spills across the church lawn might suggest adjectives such as tranquil and traditional, while the haunted house that fills the old basement summons descriptions such as chilling and thrilling, unexpected and unrelenting. The folks at SUMC, located beneath the clock tower at the corner of Broad and Thorn streets, prefer engaging—as church family and friends, neighbors, classmates, teammates and visitors share the opportunities October provides. The pumpkin patch will launch Sept. 30 when a truck with hundreds of pumpkins arrives from a Navajo enterprise in New Mexico. Fifty or more people will unload it, bucket-brigade style. The fruit may be as small as a baseball, or weigh as much as a Little Leaguer. Wander along the straw paths to find one that fits. The patch will be open each day through Halloween: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and after the 11 a.m. service on Sundays. The haunted house will be open to visitors from 7 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 20 and 21, and Oct. 27 and 28. The church basement will host a rummage sale on Nov. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. and Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to noon, and its description leans more toward tranquil and traditional, with a hint of unexpected! ROSE YMCA BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING PROGRAM The Million Hearts campaign was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2012 with the goal of preventing one million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. As part of this effort to prevent cardiovascular disease, the Y-USA designed a program to reduce participants’ 8 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Sewickley STATE CHAMPS: SEWICKLEY ACADEMY BOYS TENNIS TEAM Congratulations to Sewickley Academy’s State Champion Boys Tennis Team! The team defeated District 3 champion Lancaster Country Day School 5 to 0 on Saturday, May 20, at Hershey Racquet Club. Sewickley was led by seniors Luke Ross, Sam Sauter and Ryan Gex at one, two and three singles. Junior Will Nocito and freshman Arjan Bedi comprised the first doubles teams, and senior Neil Rana and junior Dylan Parda comprised the second doubles team. The Panthers finished the season undefeated and did not lose an individual match throughout the WPIAL and PIAA tournaments. The victory secured Sewickley Academy’s place in history as the first WPIAL school to win a PIAA repeat and the only WPIAL team to win three titles (2017, 2016 and 2006). Visit sewickley.org to learn more about Sewickley Academy’s Athletic Program and tradition of excellence. Way to go, Panthers! blood pressure based on the successful “Check It, Change It” research study. The YMCA’s Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program supports adults with high blood pressure in developing the habit of self-monitoring blood pressure and understanding the role nutrition plays in pressure management through personalized support. The BPSM evidence-based program is a four-month program designed to help adults with high blood pressure develop the habit of routine blood pressure monitoring. The goals of the program are: 1) Reduce blood pressure. 2) Develop new skills for managing blood pressure. 3) Gain the ability to identify and control triggers that raise blood pressure. 4) Increase confidence in adopting healthier eating habits. Heart Healthy ambassadors from the YMCA will take participants’ blood pressure during face-to-face meetings and will train participants to take their own blood pressure accurately using the American Heart Association ABCD protocol. In addition, the YMCA will offer a nutrition education seminar each month. For more information, email the Healthy Living Director at the Rose Family YMCA in Cranberry Township at [email protected]. n