Armstrong "In The Loop Podcast"

This week's episode is historic! For the first time ever we have 3 professional sports legends joining us to talk about the wonderful organization Christian Sports International and the upcoming "For The Kids" Celebrity Golf Classic.

Our guests for this episode are: former Pittsburgh Pirate and Atlanta Brave Sid Bream, Four time Super Bowl Winner with the Pittsburgh Steelers Jon Kolb and former Pittsburgh Steeler Offensive Lineman Craig Wolfley. Sid and Jon have spent many years helping CSI with their Celebrity Golf Classic. We hear from both on CSI and what the organization means to them!

We turn our attention to the "For The Kids" Celebrity Golf Classic on May 15th at the Treesdale Country Club in Gibsonia, PA. Former Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves player Sid Bream and four time Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Champion Jon Kolb, cordially invite you to play in Christian Sports International's 22nd Annual "for the kids" Celebrity Golf Classic on Monday, May 15, 2023. Come join them and many of their friends for a great day of playing golf at the famous Treesdale Golf & Country Club in Gibsonia, PA.
Christian Sports International (CSI) is very pleased to announce that the guest speaker for its upcoming 22nd annual celebrity golf outing will be former Pittsburgh offensive lineman and current Steeler radio analyst, Craig Wolfley.Wolfley, a 12-year NFL veteran, played his first ten seasons in a Steeler uniform before finishing his career with Minnesota in 1991. For his success in the trenches, he was selected in 2000 as a member of the Steelers All-Century Team. Off the field, "Wolf" is recognized for his generous and spirited volunteer work with local non-profit organizations like CSI. As a public speaker, he delivers the positive messages of hope and faith to his audiences.
Craig shares with us his excitement and part of his message for those attending on May 15th.

We end the episode hearing from Sid, Jon and Craig about the other missions important to their lives as they're involved in many organizations.

To register to golf, become a sponsor, or to learn more about the event: https://christian-sports-golf.perfectgolfevent.com/

Follow CSI on Social Media:
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/teamcsi2
Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/christiansportsintl/
YouTube-https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjqPQE_ez5G99GStUiEONw

Special thanks to Sid, Jon and Craig for giving up their time to join us! 

We're excited about this week's episode as we welcome back Tim Kramer, VITA Program Coordinator for Center for Community Resources. Tax season is upon us and the race to file by April 18th, 2023 is quickly approaching. 

Tim starts off the episode by explaining what is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. The VITA program provides free income tax preparation services to any person or family with an annual income under $50,000. IRS certified volunteers help prepare your taxes for free and residents are receiving their refund in as little as 9 days. No Fees. No service charges. No loan interest! 

Interested people receive a screening for qualification guidelines, schedule an appointment and get free, professional tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers. 

To get started, call: 724-431-3767

Tax Preparation is available at these five locations:
-Clearview Mall
-Slipper Rock University's Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator
-Cranberry Township Municipal Center
-Harvest Community Church
-St. Luke's Lutheran School


For more information, check out Center for Community Resources website: https://ccrinfo.org/services/community-supports/vita-tax-preparation-program-2/#:~:text=Call%20the%20VITA%20Appointment%20Line,begins%20on%20January%2018th%2C%202023.&text=Check%20it%20out%20on%20the%20map.


Special Thanks to Tim Kramer for joining us! 

HEY YINZ GUYS!!! We have such a treat for all of our listeners this week as we have two very special guests to talk about YINZERCON. Don Spagnolo, owner of Re-Mixxd & creator of YINZERCON, and Nick Bartley, Host of Hunting Nostalgia, join us to talk about the first-ever YINZERCON.

Nick kicks off the episode by talking about the newest season of Hunting Nostalgia. There are great episodes coming up and Nick shares some of the guests that viewers will not want to miss. Catch all episodes on Hunting Nostalgia's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@huntingnostalgia/videos

This first-of-its-kind event will be held on Saturday, April 15th, from 11am-6pm at the Re-Mixxd by Steel City Galleries retail store located:
Amcel Center
236 Finley Road
2nd Floor-Suite 28
Belle Vernon PA 15012

-What is YINZERCON? It's a celebration of all things Western Pennsylvania. The people, the food, the lingo, the warmth, the unapologetic pride in their hometowns that people from this area have and spread with them around the world.
-Who is YINZERCON? It's all of us, me and you and all our friends, and it's some of Western PA's biggest and best-known celebrities and brands.
-Why is YINZERCON? Because a Yinzer thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to have a bunch of everything and everyone we love together at one time?" Plus, you have to admit, the name makes you smile

Confirmed guests for YINZERCON:
-KDKA Meteorologist Mary Ours
-KDKA Reporter and Belle Vernon Grad Erica Mokay
-Kathy Svilar "The Shop N Save Lady"
-93.7  The Fan Morning Show's Dorin Dickerson
-93.7 The Fan PM Producer Donny Football
-Joe Wos Cartoonist and Emmy Award Winning Host of Cartoon Academy
-Pittsburgh Steelers 3x Super Bowl Champion John Banaszak
-Nick Bartley host of Hunting Nostalgia
-Pennsylvania Motor Speedway
-Pittsburgh Iron Man
-Robert Wholey Co. Iconic Strip District Seafood Market
-Ekernally Yours Gourmet Popcorn
-Vinnie Candelore Influencer-Artist
-The Burgh Bus
-Pittsburgh Thor
-Yinza Steel City's Wrestling Hero
-Comicsburgh
-Broom Pittsburgh Based Band
***And many more!

Tickets start at $25 and you receive that back on a Re-Mixxed gift card to use in-store!
To purchase tickets or to learn more about YINZERCON: https://steelcitygalleries.com/

There will be a special YINZERCON Signature Series on Saturday, April 1st featuring WTAE's Sally Wiggin and Guy Junker. Free to attend and will be a great way to prepare for YINZERCON 2 weeks later!
For more details on YINZERCON Signature Series check out Re-Mixxd by Steel City Galleries Social Media:
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/steelcitygalleries/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steelcitygalleries/
 

We look forward to the first ever YINZERCON and can't thank Don enough for spending time with us promoting this wonderful event! 

This week we are proud to have with us Candace Kantz, President of The Andrew Effect. The Andrew Effect is a relatively new non-profit in the area and they are already helping thousands of children in Butler County by providing high-quality toys & activities that engage children thru STEAM Education, gross & fine motor skills, problem-solving, nurturing social/emotional well-being, and thru high-quality age-appropriate books. 

We start off the episode by learning about the mission of the Andrew Effect, serving Butler County children, the number of children they've served already, and much more!

To date, The Andrew Effect has served 1,361 children and counting with over 3,000 toys & games that have all been generously donated. 

If you would like to learn more information or to get involved:
-Website- https://www.theandreweffect.org/
-Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/TheAndrewEffect/
-Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/theandreweffect/
-Email- [email protected]
-Phone- 724-272-6699

We greatly appreciate Candace joining us! 

We're excited to talk about one of our favorite yearly events this week, the Zelienople Rotary Club's Shamrock Shuffle. Kathy Corcoran, Zelienople Rotary Club, and Joella Baker, Race Director & owner of Get Fit Families, join us to talk about this year's Shamrock Shuffle.

The Shamrock Shuffle is an annual event to benefit the Zelienople Rotary Club. There are 13.1, 5K and 1 mile race options. Athletes have the option to run 1 race, 2 races, or compete in the triple challenge and run all 3 races in all three races (16.1 miles).

• The hilly half marathon will have Jell-O Shots at the top of Textor Hill for those 21 and older.
• The 5K and 1 mile races are family-friendly events on Western PA rolling hills.
• Race Date:
  • Saturday, March 25, 2023
• Distances:
  • Half Marathon
  • 5k Run & Walk
  • 1 Mile Family Run & Walk
• Location:
  Grace Church of Harmony
  538 Main Street Harmony, PA  16037

• Packet Pick-up:
  • Date: Friday, March 24, 2023
  • Time: 4-6 p.m.
  • Location:
    Grace Church of Harmony 
    538 Main Street Harmony, PA  16037
• OR
  • Date: Saturday, March 25, 2023
  • Time: 6 a.m.
  • Location: Grace Church of Harmony
    538 Main Street Harmony, PA  16037

Packet Pick-up |     6 a.m.
    Half Marathon |     7:30 a.m.
    5k Run & Walk |     10:15 a.m.
    1 Mile Family Run & Walk |     11 a.m.
    Awards |     11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
       (approx.)
    St. Patrick’s Day Festivities |    Following the event

For more information please contact Joella Baker: [email protected]

To register for any of the Shamrock Shuffle Races: https://www.trisignup.com/Race/PA/Harmony/ShamrockShuffleZeienopleRotary

Special Thanks to Kathy and Joella for joining us this week! 

This week's episode features one of the best programs in Butler County, Leadership Butler County! Shanea Clancy and Cody Slater, participants of the 2022-23 class, to discuss their upcoming fundraising events for their class projects.

Leadership Butler County has been strong for 25 years and remains a unique, nine-month program that educates class members on various local issues and topics. A special strength of this program, which seeks individuals who represent a cross-section of the Butler County community, is the diversity of its class members. Each year, the class consists of individuals from the private, public, and non-profit sectors. These men and women are active in business, labor, education, the professions, the arts, religion, human services, health care, and other backgrounds.

Shanea and Cody talk to us about the 3 projects that their class is undertaking and the different fundraisers that they'll be hosting this year to fund the projects. The biggest fundraiser is the annual Murder Mystery Dinner that will be held on April 1st. For more information or to buy tickets: https://butlercountychamber.com/event/8th-annual-murder-mystery-fundraiser-dial-m-for-mother/?fbclid=IwAR1VQZPNfxgARFzKxXuMAIvpjhY3bhOXWbM1IDXVp-MnigYQ-V1qaru9sAQ

To stay up to date on this year's class or more information on additional fundraisers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeadershipButlerCounty
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadership-butler-county/

Special Thanks to Shanea and Cody for joining us! 

This week delivers one of our favorite episodes we've recorded for In The Loop. We are joined by Ken Clowes, Community Leadership Initiatives Center Assistant for BC3. Ken has a tremendous amount of knowledge in the mental health and substance abuse field. We dive into a lot of topics that you'll want to hear Ken explain in much more detail!

 Ken is an engaging speaker who has done a TEDx Talk in Youngstown, spoken for the Butler County Chamber of Commerce’s Youth Leadership Development program, and Butler County Criminal Advisory Board’s “Faces of Addiction”. In addition to speaking, Ken is also on the governing board of a “Hope is Dope”, a collaborative NPO with Vision Ministries and organizes ‘endorphin-producing’ events for people in recovery as a part of Butler Community College’s community initiative of the same name. Ken is an advocate for people in recovery from substance abuse. Having found a way to overcome his own struggles and reach his full potential, he now seeks to prevent young people from following a similar path and works to empower them to maximize their own potential, as well as helping others who may be struggling to recover from their own addictions. 

We recommend checking out Ken's Tedx Talk: https://youtu.be/uvoLIcahcsI

We spend time learning more about Hope is Dope and Ken's work with Steve Treu to bring this initiative to BC3 & local communities. To learn more about Hope is Dope and the different series that are being offered: http://bc3.edu/hope

Ken also reminds us about his involvement in the BC3 Personal Empowerment Training that kicks off for the Recovery Community on February 28th. For more information and to register: https://bc3.edu/about/community-leadership/personal-empowerment-training.html

Special Thanks to Ken for joining us and we look forward to having him on for a future episode! 

This week's episode features Kathy Morrissey, Director of the Pine-Richland High School Musical! Kathy is so excited to announce that the 2023 production will be "Elf The Musical." 

Pine-Richland High School will have performances open to the public on March 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th. Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.pinerichland.org/musical

Kathy gives us a great run down of how the musical and movie are a tad different, why people should come see the show, her favorite parts during rehearsal, and a full list of the cast & crew.

We can't wait to see this wonderful production of "Elf The Musical!"


Special thanks to Kathy Morrissey for joining us!

February is here and what a way to kick off the month as we have our first school district musical to promote! This week we're honored to have Michael Marra, Director, and Jessica Kavanagh, Co-Producer, from the Seneca Valley All-School Musical!

We start the show off by learning that this year's production will be Disney's Mary Poppins on March 2nd-5th. All performances are held at the Seneca Valley Intermediate High School Auditorium. Evening performances begin at 7:00pm and matinee performances begin at 2:00pm. 
To purchase tickets online: http://senecavalleytheater.com/all-school-musical/

Michael and Jessica give our listeners a wonderful overview of the magic that they're working with the cast and crew to bring to life. There may even be a certain character flying around!!! Listen to find out more!

Michael and Jessica share with us some of their favorite parts of the show as well as watching the cast turn into their on-stage. We have an entire rundown of the leads for this year's production! 

We hope that you will come out to support the Seneca Valley students in this year's All-School Musical!


Special Thanks to Michael and Jessica for joining us! 

We're excited to have back Tricia Pritchard, Director of Community Employment Development at Butler County Community College and host of Butler Buzz, as she's joining us to talk about her new position at BC3 & the new Personal Empowerment Training that is currently being offered to the community.

We kick off the episode talking about the Butler Buzz and how 2022 was for Tricia. She reminisces about her favorite memories and guests from 2022. One, in particular, is the Blackwood Arts in Harrisville, PA.  https://www.blackwoodarts.org/home Please check out their website to learn more and hear all about the amazing experience Tricia had with the organization in the episode!

The rest of the episode we focus on Tricia's new role as Director of Community Employment Development and the Personal Empowerment Training course that she has created for the community.
"Personal Empowerment Training is for all human beings. It allows everyone to respect and honor the inherent value within ourselves and for each other. Rooted in emotional intelligence, participants will learn 40 concepts such as beliefs, self-esteem, empathy, active listening, and managing conflict. This 24-hour cohort-based learning
experience incorporates high levels of activity and engagement. Participants will experience increased knowledge, practice, and application that encourage new perspectives and habits. The common theme for this program is building HOPE for one's future."

The Spring 2023 training registration is now open thru February 14th. Classes begin on February 21st. The cost is $450 per person and is limited to 20 participants. 

There is also a version of the Personal Empowerment Training for Butler County Recovery Community. No fee but space is limited! Register by February 24th and classes will begin on February 28th.

To register:
Dina Fricke
724-287-8711 ext. 8421
[email protected]


To learn more about the program:
Tricia Pritchard
724-287-8711 ext. 8281
[email protected] 

Website: https://bc3.edu/about/community-leadership/personal-empowerment-training.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bc3workforce

Special thanks to Tricia Pritchard for joining us and sharing all of her knowledge on this amazing program!