Thursday, July 18, 2013

Everyday Cooking with Essential Oils

Ruthi Bosco, local author of Everyday Cooking With Essential Oils, will visit the Peters Township Public Library on Wednesday, July 24 from 7-8:30 p.m. Explore the art of aromatherapy and essential oils with a twist by learning how to incorporate essential oils into everyday cooking. Samples of recipes using Wild Orange and Basil Essential Oils will be provided, and all participants will receive a sample of the energizing Wild Orange Essential Oil in the purest grade possible. Copies of the cookbook will be available for signing and purchase after the program. Register to attend this program online or call 724-941-9430.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Geopolitics of Energy discussed as part of International Program Series

The Peters Township Public Library welcomes former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia James C. Clad to discuss “The Geopolitics Of Energy” on Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the library. This program is offered in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh’s International Program Series. Register to attend online, at the library’s circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430.

Since the industrial revolution, the geopolitics of energy have been a key factor in global prosperity and security. Each shift in global energy patterns has ushered in changes in international politics. With the ever-growing global thirst for energy, the nexus between international security, politics, and energy is as important as ever.

Transportation systems – particularly in the United States – have become largely reliant on oil, so disruption of oil markets can bring a great power to a standstill. Access to energy is critical to sustaining growth in emerging economies such as China and India – not only to lift millions out of poverty, but to keep pace with burgeoning populations. Failure to deliver on the hope of greater prosperity could unravel even authoritarian regimes, and even more so democratic ones, as populations become more educated and demanding.

How do countries shape their grand strategies to meet their energy needs? What are the consequences of a shift away from petroleum-based energy markets? And, will a new energy order alter global politics in fundamental ways? Managing the transition to a new energy future will be one of the greatest challenges that the global community will face in the coming decades.

James C. Clad serves as a consultant to energy and investment firms and is the Distinguished Research Fellow at the National Defense University where he mentors defense and security officials from the Maghreb, the Near East, Turkey, the Gulf, and South Asia. From 2007 to 2009, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Clad was Senior Counselor/Director for Middle Eastern Affairs for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and, before that, served as Senior Counselor for Policy and Donor Coordination at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Before entering the U.S. government in 2002, Mr. Clad held the Henry Luce Foundation Professorship in South and Southeast Asian Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and, concurrently, was Director for Asia-Pacific Energy for Cambridge Energy Research Associates. Mr. Clad’s career has concentrated on Asian risk issues, cross-border energy and infrastructure projects, U.S. national security challenges in Asia and — after 2002 — on working with business families in the Middle East.

McMurray Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 764 generously provides support for the International Program Series hosted by Peters Township Public Library in partnership with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Hekima Place volunteer to discuss her experiences

“If you educate a boy, you will get an educated man. But when you educate a girl, you educate a community.” This is the philosophy of Kate Fletcher, founder of Hekima Place, a home in Kenya for girls orphaned primarily by HIV/AIDS.

At “My Journey to Hekima Place,” you will hear an inspirational story from Lorraine Bridy, Volunteer Coordinator from Hekima Place, on Wednesday, June 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the Peters Township Public Library. Lorraine is a resident of Mt. Lebanon where she lives with her husband. She will discuss the founding of the orphanage, her decision to volunteer there, the facts about HIV/AIDS orphans in Africa, and her experiences with the children. Through videos Lorraine has recorded at Hekima Place, the audience will be able to personally meet some of the children.

Lorraine's presentation will conclude with a recorded interview of Pittsburgh native Kate Fletcher, who founded Hekima Place in 2005. The home, located in Kiserian, Kenya, outside Nairobi, opened with just 10 girls but has grown to 60 children. The girls are given a loving, faith-based home with nutritious meals, health care, and, most important, an education to enable them to succeed on their own once their schooling is completed.

Register to attend this program by online or call 724.941.9430.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Author Talk: "Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front" with Todd DePastino

Peters Township Public Library and Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Park Post 764 are cosponsoring a talk with author Todd DePastino on "Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front" on Thursday, May 9 from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the library.

At this special tribute to all veterans, DePastino will discuss the great World War II cartoonist Bill Mauldin, an army infantry sergeant who rocketed to fame at age twenty-two with his wildly popular feature "Up Front." Week after week, Mauldin defied army censors, German artillery, and General George Patton's pledge to throw him in jail for insubordination to deliver his grim depictions of war to "Stars and Stripes" and hundreds of homefront newspapers. There, readers followed the stories of Willie and Joe, two wise-cracking 'dogfaces' whose mud-caked uniforms and pidgin of army slang and slum dialect bore eloquent witness to the world of combat and the men who lived - and died -
in it.

Register to attend this free program online or call 724.941.9430. A book signing and reception will follow the program. Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front by Todd DePastino will be available for purchase at the special event price of $10.

DePastino has written three other books and has a Ph.D. in American History from Yale University. He teaches at Waynesburg University where in 2008 he won the Lucas-Hathaway Award for Teaching Excellence. He is collaborating with Wind and Stars Production Group to write and co-produce a documentary film on Bill Mauldin to be aired on public television in 2015. Todd DePastino is founder and executive director of the Veterans Breakfast Club, a non-profit dedicated to sharing veterans’ stories with the public. Over 1,500 people have participated in the Veterans Breakfast Club’s programs and activities over the past two years.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Affordable Care Act discussed at our library

To help the community get a better understanding of upcoming changes to their health care, the League of Women Voters of Washington County, the Peters Township Chamber of Commerce, and the Peters Township Public Library will host “The Affordable Care Act at a Glance” on Saturday, April 20 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the library.

Through a panel discussion format, this program about the Affordable Care Act will provide basic information about the parts of the law that will take effect in 2014 and explain the new way that individuals, families, and small businesses will be able to get health insurance. Whether you are uninsured or currently have coverage, you will learn how to explore your new options for insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Small business owners can hear a recap of provisions already in effect, the impact of future provisions, and the actions needed to maintain compliance. Learn more about “Exchanges” – organizations where individuals and small businesses will be able to purchase health insurance.

The panelists for the discussion include:
• Jerry M. Bonenberger, Senior Account Executive at BABB, Inc.
• Patricia Raffaele, Vice President, Advocacy & Communications at the Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania State Senator Matt Smith, representative of the 37th Senatorial District

Register for this free program by emailing programs@ptlibrary.org, visit the library circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430. Light refreshments will be provided. This program is offered as part of National Library Week and is in accord with the library’s motto of “Providing Resources to Lifelong Learners.”

Sunday, March 24, 2013

12th Annual Tast of the Township Friday, April 19

With over 20 restaurants participating to date, this year’s Taste of the Township promises to be an evening full of delicious food, live entertainment, and auction items with proceeds to benefit the Peters Township Public Library. The event will be held on Friday, April 19 from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. at Valley Brook Country Club.

This is the twelfth year for the annual fundraiser, which showcases food samples from nearby restaurants and offers hundreds of choice items for silent bidding or Chinese auction. Live music will be provided by Lucarelli Jazz. Tickets are available at the Peters Township Public Library’s circulation desk for $50 per person cash or check made out to “TOT Friends of the Library.”

Participating restaurants to do include:
Arlecchino Ristorante
Atria's Restaurant & Tavern
Bella Sera
Bethel Bakery
Calabria's at Frosty Valley
Cambria Suites Reflect Bistro & Bar
The Capstone Grill
Center Plate
Cookies by Susan
Dinner Tyme
Edible Arrangements
Firehouse Subs
Franco's Trattoria
Freddie's II and Catering
Giant Eagle
Grande Italian Restaurant
Juniper Grill
Merante Brothers Market
Open German Italian Flair
Panera BreadTable Lakeside
Texas Roadhouse
and a sampling of Asian Cuisine from Bean Curd, Benichopsticks, China Express, Hunan Inn and Sesame Inn.

Also offered for sale at the event will be the library’s new R.E.A.D. Cookbook (RECIPES: ENTICING AND DELICIOUS!) which includes 225 recipes from the library board, library staff, volunteers, club members and Friends of the Library. The cookbook is priced at $10.

There are also sponsorship opportunities available including Corporate Benefactors, Table Sponsors, and Program Sponsors. For more information, contact Taste of the Township Chairperson Harry Verlato at 724-942-0396 or the library at 724-941-9430. All donations are tax deductible.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Celebrate Natl. Library Week with Homemade Music in Pennsylvania

Visitors to the Peters Township Public Library on Sunday, April 14 at 2:00 p.m. will be invited to sing songs, play homemade musical instruments and explore Pennsylvania’s past as they kick off the library’s National Library Week celebration.

The library will host Paula Purnell, an award-winning performer and educator, who will demonstrate a host of musical instruments while sharing songs from Pennsylvania’s past in “Homemade Music in Pennsylvania.” This program for the entire family invites audience to members bring along a sturdy plastic water/soda bottle to create your own personal instrument. A reception will follow the program.

Paula Purnell is an educator and musician from Greensburg, PA. She is cofounder of Sense of Place Learning, an affiliate partner of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. She also teaches education courses at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Paula has released six albums of original music, including two Parent’s Choice award-winning children’s albums. Her band, the NewLanders, performs songs by and about the people of Western Pennsylvania. Register to attend this free program online, visit the circulation desk, or call 724-941-9430.

This presentation is a program of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The PHC, a nonprofit organization inspires individuals to enjoy and share a life of learning.