IN Chartiers Valley Spring 2014 | Page 9

Each year this event has grown and keeps growing. Grace Community Church simply wants to be a "Church Caring for the Community." It has several community events throughout the year such as: Community Easter Egg Hunt, Community Civil Service Appreciation Sunday, Community Open House Sunday, Community Fall Festival, and Community Christmas Dinner. Grace Community Church also operates the Community Outreach Center in Bridgeville, which provides free: health screenings, coats, food boxes, diapers and personal hygiene items. Sunday morning worship time is 10:45 a.m. For more information about the Community Easter Egg Hunt please go to gracechurchpgh.org or call the church office at 412.221.9000. We look forward to seeing you and your family! NO VETERAN DIES ALONE PROGRAM SHOWS ULTIMATE CARE AT TIME OF PASSING As part of the recently launched No Veteran Dies Alone (NVDA) Program, volunteers give “the most precious gift,” according to VA Pittsburgh Chaplain Alan Morris – their presence to veterans who may not have anyone to be with them in their final hour. Volunteers can speak, read or hold the hand of a veteran and be a comfort to him/her. They are on call when needed and often stay longer than required – because they want to. Susan Rogers of O’Hara and George Coppola of Collier are two volunteers who graduated from the first class of NVDA training in August. Since then, they have been on two vigils each with dying patients. Coppola, a Vietnam Veteran, has extensive hospice experience with his mother and other loved ones in his life. He’s also known other Veterans who died alone and wants to prevent that from happening to anyone else. Rogers has a 92-year-old World War Two Veteran father who lives in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She knows that if unable to be at his bedside should the time come, she’d like somebody to be there. Those who want to be on the NVDA team must first become registered VA Pittsburgh volunteers and train in the hospice or palliative care functions at the hospital before receiving additional NVDA training. All interested candidates will be evaluated through Chaplain Alan Morris, BCC, who can be reached at: [email protected] or by calling 412.822.1861. SMITH TO OPEN SATELLITE OFFICE IN SOUTH PARK TO SERVE SOUTH HILLS RESIDENTS State Senator Matt Smith today announced that he will open a satellite office in South Park to serve constituents in the township and nearby communities. “The South Park office will provide another convenient option for constituents of the South Hills,” Smith said. “By partnering with the township, we will be able to assist area residents at a familiar and accessible location.” Smith’s satellite office is located in the Administrative Building of the South Park Municipal Complex at 2675 Brownsville Road. Staff will be available to assist constituents from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month beginning February 26. Smith said he and his staff will assist constituents with services like processing driver and vehicle services, providing assistance with state applications and forms, learning the status or obtaining copies of legislation, or addressing issues with any state agency. “We can be the one-stop-shop for constituents facing difficulty with any state government-related issue,” Smith added. “We’ll work to provide answers to questions and connect constituents with state programs and services.” Smith has full-time district offices in Mt. Lebanon (319 Castle Shannon Blvd.), and Moon Township (1009 Beaver Grade Road, Suite 230). They are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. His Peters Township satellite office, located in the Peters Township Municipal Building (610 East McMurray Road), is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ■ Chartiers Valley | Spring 2014 | icmags.com 7