WHAT’ S NEWS IN GREENSBURG-SALEM
BLACKBURN CENTER PARTICIPATES IN ALLSTATE FOUNDATION PURPLE PURSE CHALLENGE
Blackburn Center was one of 250 nonprofit domestic violence organizations across the country chosen to compete for up to $ 100,000 in grant money as a part of The Allstate Foundation’ s Purple Purse Challenge, which kicked off Sept. 28. The Challenge, an annual competition hosted on CrowdRise, is a public fundraising and awareness campaign that coincides with October’ s Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
This was the first time Blackburn Center had competed in the Challenge, which last year raised nearly $ 3.1 million for 161 domestic violence organizations throughout the United States.
Blackburn Center is standing together with the community to end domestic and sexual violence and other crimes. It is doing this by supporting each individual who has been touched by violence, and by welcoming all in the community who share in the vision of a world free from gender violence and other types of crime to join the agency in this mission. Blackburn Center provides services for people whose lives have been impacted by violence and crime, and actively advocates for the changes needed in our communities to end this violence.
“ This was a great opportunity for Blackburn Center to reach a new group of people in the community who are interested in supporting our services for victims of domestic violence,” says Ann Emmerling, Executive Director of Blackburn Center.“ For the thousands of victims of violence who turn to Blackburn for help and healing each year, the Challenge
provides the resources needed to sustain these services.”
In its sixth year, the Purple Purse Challenge provides an opportunity for organizations that support domestic violence survivors to increase their donor base and push for vital funds. One hundred percent of proceeds went toward nonprofits that provide life-changing financial empowerment services to help domestic violence survivors build safer lives for themselves and their families.
The Purple Purse Challenge is part of The Allstate Foundation’ s Purple Purse program, which aims to help end domestic violence and financial abuse through financial empowerment. Now in its 12th year, the program has propelled more than 800,000 victims on the path to safety and security, and has invested more than $ 50 million to empower women to break free from abuse through life-changing financial education, job training, readiness, and small business programs for survivors.
For more information about Blackburn Center and The Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Challenge, visit blackburncenter. org or crowdrise. com.
ABOUT THE ALLSTATE FOUNDATION:
Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation( NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people’ s well-being and prosperity. With a focus on building financial independence for domestic violence survivors, empowering youth, and celebrating the charitable community involvement of Allstate agency owners and employees, The Allstate Foundation works to bring out the good in people’ s lives. For more information, visit AllstateFoundation. org.
Brandon Ridenour
WESTMORELAND SYMPHONY PRESENTS 48TH SEASON OPENING NIGHT
The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra presented the first concert of its 48th season on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, beginning at 7:30 p. m.
The concert opened with Rossini’ s triumphant“ William Tell Overture,” followed by Brandon Ridenour on trumpet performing Aleksandr Arutiunian’ s Armenian-inspired“ Trumpet Concerto.” The evening concluded with“ Dvorak’ s Symphony No. 8.”
A graduate of The Juilliard School and an alumnus of Carnegie Hall’ s Ensemble ACJW, Ridenour is a winner of the 2014 CAG Victor Elmaleh Competition as well as the 2006 International Trumpet Guild solo competition and a recipient of the Morton Gould ASCAP Young Composer Award. He has recorded three solo albums; the latest release is“ Fantasies and Fairy Tales,” which features his own virtuosic arrangements of classical masterworks for trumpet and piano.
At the age of 20, Ridenour became the youngest member ever to join the iconic Canadian Brass, a position he held for seven years. While with the group, he played in
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