CDC ROCKS: YOUR NEWS
Discover the Sto-Rox Community...
March 14, 2014

Spring is in the air!

 ...And it's much needed after this polar vortex of a winter. Although we still might have a few cold days to come, the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation is predicting a forecast of exciting events, downtown developments and community cheer. There are big things going on in the Rocks and, as always, we're thrilled to share them with you! 
The Parkway Theater: A Key Piece to Cultural Expansion in Sto-Rox

 

It's plain to see that Greater McKees Rocks is looking up. Thanks in part to state funding, local and national projects, and determined community members, this post-industrial town has an encouraging future; and with the completion of the Father Ryan Arts Center in 2008, the opening of Dargate Galleries in 2010 and the Roxian Theatre currently being redeveloped, this future promises to include a thriving arts and culture district. The Parkway Theater is now a key piece to completing this cultural expansion. Read More

Community Member of the Month: Kayla Bowyer, Amachi Pittsburgh

New to the borough of McKees Rocks, Kayla Bowyer brings a sense of leadership, determination and heart that is sure to make residents proud to call her a neighbor. This young woman was strongly recommended for a feature in this month's newsletter, and after hearing her story and accomplishments, the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation is utterly grateful for the introduction.

Read More 

McKees Rocks CDC Announces the Second Annual FEASTival!

  

 On June 28, 2014 the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation (MRCDC) is thrilled to host the second annual FEASTival (www.eatfeastival.com)! 


The FEASTival is a summertime public event that celebrates food and community with the Greater Pittsburgh Area by bringing food trucks, live entertainment, and other vendors to the borough of McKees Rocks for a day of family-friendly fun. The FEASTival debuted in 2013 as an experimental pop-up event to generate interest in the revitalization of the McKees Rocks downtown area, and to provide Pittsburgh area food trucks a setting that was affordable and free from the restrictions that the City of Pittsburgh had recently imposed.


In its pilot year, the FEASTival saw over 500 attendees without substantial publicizing. The event was so popular that all original vendors sold out and made a verbal commitment to return this year. 


The MRCDC is now accepting applications for vendors, musicians, sponsors, and volunteers! Please consider being a part of the FEASTival to help the MRCDC promote the positive growth and potential of our community, as well as to promote your own business. For further information, please visit www.eatfeastival.com  

Artwork by Courtney Aniol
The Arts in McKees Rocks

Looking for something new and exciting to do?

The Father Ryan Arts Center, Dead Horse Cantina and Parkway Theater will host several trendy events this February!


Terrance Austin Presents: The Showdown
Thursday, March 27, 2014 at 8:00pm

Jazz Generations
Monday, April 7, 2014 at 6:00pm

Visit the McKees Rocks Historical Society and check out:

Remember McKees Rocks Breakfast
Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 9:00am
 
McKees Rocks History Hike
Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 1:00pm 
 
Stop by the Dead Horse Cantina for:
 
Gourmet Sunday Breakfast
Every Sunday from 7:00am - 1:00pm


Taris Vrcek & McKees Rocks Featured on 

Next Pittsburgh: Remaking McKees Rocks


Photo by Rob Larson
Our community's comeback story has been featured on the front page of the launch of NextPittsburgh.com.   This online magazine is the new project of Tracy Certo, founder of Pop City, and is geared to highlight emerging stories in the Pittsburgh region!  As you can imagine, PopCity gained a tremendous following over the past seven years, so this venture was highly anticipated.  It's a great honor for us to be featured so prominently at the launch.  We've already gotten many great responses from it.  Feel free to spread the word!!!

Read full story here.
The Parkway Theater: A Key to Cultural Expansion in Sto-RoxParkway

 

It's plain to see that Greater McKees Rocks is looking up. Thanks in part to state funding, local and national projects, and determined community members, this post-industrial town has an encouraging future; and with the completion of the Father Ryan Arts Center in 2008, the opening of Dargate Galleries in 2010 and the Roxian Theatre currently being redeveloped, this future promises to include a thriving arts and culture district. The Parkway Theater is now a key piece to completing this cultural expansion.

 

Located on Broadway Avenue in Stowe Township, the Parkway Theater opened its doors in the early 1920's as a one-screen movie theater. Over time, the venue periodically changed ownership and served different purposes to the community.  In 2009, MRCDC  began working on a deal that would enable local filmmaker Aaron Stubna to bring his vision to the Parkway.   After efforts stalled and it appeared the deal would fall apart, MRCDC Executive Director Taris Vrcek stepped in and invested personal funds to enable the acquisition to move forward.  "I spent a lot of my childhood at the Parkway, and I believed in Aaron's vision for the Parkway that could make it an exciting venue again and catalyst for development on Broadway.  It had to happen." The sale was completed in November 2011, and this charismatic theater was given another chance at sharing cinematic grandeur with Greater Pittsburgh.

 

The Parkway Theater is a pending non-profit organization that was made possible through a grant with the Sprout Fund. Exemplifying its deep roots and importance to the Sto-Rox community, 50 local volunteers completed the original demolition. People wanted "to get their hands dirty and be a part of the rebuilding process," said Stubna, who has renovated the building to feature a cafe in the front (open Monday through Wednesday, 8:00am - 11:00am) and a 75-seat screening room in the back.   Future plans call for a renovated screening room and lobby caf� that will also function as a wine and taps restaurant in the evenings.

 

Boasting a broad selection of classic films, the Parkway has pulled in fans from Robinson to Greensburg. Among the most popular of the Parkway's events are the Annual Pre-Oscar Fundraiser Gala and Stooge-Fest. While it's been clear that people are willing to travel for a timeless movie, Aaron's preference to local filmmakers is what makes this venue unique. In early February, the Parkway showcased an interactive viewing and Q&A with the director and cast member of Kultur Shock, an indie thriller created by a Pittsburgh filmmaker. An amateur filmmaker himself, Stubna's true goal for the theater is to support and celebrate local artists. "This is your place, we promote you" (Stubna).

 

The Parkway provides its customers a one-of-a kind viewing experience. The welcoming atmosphere, accented with the comforts of home, leaves a lasting impression that is sure to convert any moviegoer into a regular. Thanks to Aaron Stubna, the Parkway Theater truly embodies the essence of Pittsburgh: a place where you feel at home and celebrate your neighbors with honor and support.

 

Join the Parkway Theater for beer, snacks and a movie on:

 

March 15, 2014

6:30pm Django

8:15pm Sukiyaki Western Django

 

March 30, 2014: Celebrating Opening Day of Baseball

11:30am The Sandlot

1:15pm Major League

3:15pm Bill Durham

5:15pm The Fan

 

Tickets range from $3-$5

 

Interested in working with, or having your film shown at, the Parkway Theater? Aaron can be contacted at lincolnbarber@yahoo.com or visit the Parkway Facebook Page



Article by Caitlin Hazelton 
Community Member of the Month: 
Kayla Bowyer, Amachi Pittsburghcommunitymember

 

New to the borough of McKees Rocks, Kayla Bowyer brings a sense of leadership, determination and heart that is sure to make residents proud to call her a neighbor. This young woman was strongly recommended for a feature in this month's newsletter, and after hearing her story and accomplishments, the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation is utterly grateful for the introduction.

 

Ms. Bowyer graduated Carlow University in 2011 and was selected for Public Allies as a "young leader to impact Pittsburgh's neighborhoods" (www.publicallies.org) soon thereafter. As an Ally, Bowyer was paired with Amachi Pittsburgh (www.amachipgh.org), a faith-based nonprofit where she works as a full time employee today. Amachi Pittsburgh, which is located in Station Square, provides services to children and families impacted by parental incarceration.

 

Amachi offers three programs to the families of Allegheny County aimed at supporting both parents and children from the period of incarceration through period of release. One-on-one mentoring is available to children aged 4-18 who currently have incarcerated parents. Family strengthening and unification programs are held for parents who are scheduled for release from the Allegheny Jail. Adults are able to enroll and sign up to engage in community events that are free to families. The third program, Amachi Ambassadors, is a youth leadership and advocacy development series directed at teens.

 

Bowyer coordinates the Amachi Ambassadors where leadership is developed by giving teens a platform to share their stories, raising awareness about this population and their needs. Amachi Ambassadors introduces youth to leadership and advocacy development by holding a focus group to openly discuss and identify the challenges that they face. The next step is a partnership with the Hear Me Project (Carnegie Mellon University) where they receive media training and learn to produce audio recordings. The teens record a question and response series to share their message with incarcerated parents. These recordings are often paired with a visual representation of their words and used at the jail to teach parents about impact and Amachi services. Amachi Ambassadors essentially gives children a public voice to advocate change.

 

Kayla's experience with Amachi has been an opportunity to give back to the program that guided her as a youth. When Bowyer was 14, her aunt recommended that she become a mentee at Amachi. She was paired with her mentor Yolanda for three years, who played a big sister-type role in her life and still keeps in contact with her today. Kayla reflects on her time as an Amachi youth as being a positive experience, and surely one that shaped the woman she's grown to be. When she originally interviewed with the Executive Director, who remembered her from all those years ago, a photo of Kayla and Yolanda was still hanging on the wall. Although it was never her plan to return as an employee, Kayla describes working there as the perfect way to give back to the community.

 

Bowyer is a gleaming success story that we can only assume Amachi Pittsburgh is proud to share. The positive impact that they've made is further demonstrated through following up with former mentees. 

"A recent evaluation of our mentoring program conducted by the University of Pittsburgh affirms the effectiveness of the Amachi model. An assessment of a sample group of 50 former mentees (now adults) found that only 4--or 8%--fell prey to the criminal justice system. This figure is in stark contrast to that of the US Deparment of Justice, which estimates that 70% of children with an incarcerated parent will follow that parent's footsteps. Amachi Pittsburgh's evaluation contributes to its success story by highlighting the organization's capacity to involve children, families and community volunteers in programming that elicits long-term positive outcomes." 

-Amachi Pittsburgh 

 

Kayla Bowyer left the CDC with a lingering comment that seems to perfectly illustrate her passion. "I love helping people and families that need additional support, no matter what organization I work for, that's where I see myself."

 

Kayla, we are so excited to see strides that you make for both yourself and the City of Pittsburgh. On behalf of McKees Rocks, I can confidently say we are proud to call you a neighbor.  

 

 

Are you interested in being a part of Amachi Pittsburgh? Amachi is always looking for new mentees and volunteers! If you'd to make a referral, please speak with the family first.  Visit www.amachipgh.org

 

 

Article by Caitlin Hazelton

CMU Students Survey the Community
 
Pittsburgh winters are typically some of the coldest in the contiguous United States. High winds, low temperatures and snow force residents to search for ways to stay warm.In December of 2013 Carnegie Mellon University students Yi Cao, Kranthi Nekkalapudi, Shivani Shrivastava and Prerana Thapar completed a study on the residents of the McKees Rocks Community. Their Executive Summary is as follows: 

"During the term of fall 2013, our consulting team from Carnegie Mellon Heinz College joined with the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation and Focus on Renewal groups to conduct a pilot study regarding intelligence collection. We focused on three main objectives which included creating a well-designed survey, mapping implementation strategies, and finally assessing answers in order to lay a groundwork for potential future projects. This report contains information on our work leading up to the implantation of the surveys and a very thorough assessment of all data we were able to receive. Our conclusions cover recommendations on how surveys stylistically can be improved and tailored particularly for McKees Rocks. We've also outlined suggestions on how to address the complaints, wishes, and opinions of the residents of the township. We found that overall survey collection and implementation had a high level of success and the prospect of future projects that focus on learning more about the opinions and perspectives of the CDC and FOR ventures is very promising." 

Through this project, the CMU students found a need for better communication between the residents and the community's leaders and businesses. While results did vary among demographics, a common affinity to increase arts based activities and increase advertising for community opportunities seemed to span all age groups. Perhaps the most surprising information was the strong preference to be informed by mail rather than email and social networking. 

To see the full study and survey graphs please visit our archive. 
McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation Presents:

FREE Home Buying Workshop
We'll show you how you can own your own home, including information about:
 

Credit counseling and restoration programs

Grant money for closing costs

Affordable mortgage and down payment options

Programs to help public housing residents, section 8 tenants and renters

Your free credit report including an evaluation


Monday, April 21, 2014 at 6:00pm
Father Ryan Arts Center
420 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136

To register, please call
Maribeth Taylor
412-331-9900
mbtaylor@mckeesrocks.com
www.mckeesrocks.com


Sponsored by Dollar Bank

The Feinstein Foundation Partners with Focus on Renewal's Emergency Food Pantry

 

 

All food and financial donations to Focus On Renewal's (FOR) Emergency Food Pantry in March and April will be matched by the Feinstein Foundation.

 

For the 17th consecutive year, Alan Shawn Feinstein, a Rhode Island philanthropist, will divide $1 million among hunger-fighting agencies nationwide. Cash, checks and food (valued at $1.00 per item or pound) qualify.

 

 

Greg Quinlan, Executive Director of Focus On Renewal, said, "Our generous supporters love the Feinstein challenge. Nothing motivates our caring community more than knowing that every gift will be matched. Now that the pantries in public housing are closed and there's less money for families from food stamps, the need at Focus on Renewal is greater than ever. We're lucky to once again have the support of Feinstein Foundation in helping to fill our shelves." 

 

To make a financial donation, mark "Feinstein" on the memo line of a check and mail to Focus On Renewal, 701 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136. Individuals wishing to donate non-perishable items can drop off items at Focus On Renewal's Community Center at 701 Chartiers Avenue in McKees Rocks during regular hours: Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Chris Crytzer at 412-771-6460 x 305 or ccrytzer@forstorox.org

What is #BeliefRocks?

We believe...

We believe in the good of McKees Rocks: the rich history on which it was built, the camaraderie with which our people have grown, and the promising future that lies ahead.

...and we want everyone else to believe as well!

#BeliefRocks is a movement of McKees Rocks supporters that are working to enhance and promote this community.   

It's simple...

Just tag #BeliefRocks on social media sites so we can share with others the great things that happen here.

Join the movement,
promote the change,
be a part of the success.

#BeliefRocks
Thank you for taking the time to learn about McKees Rocks. This newsletter stands as the voice of the community, so if you ever have questions, feedback, ideas, or comments, please don't hesitate to contact us. 

Cheers,
McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation
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McKees Rocks, PA 15136

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McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation
chazelton@mckeesrocks.com | http://www.mckeesrocks.com
611 Chartiers Avenue
McKees Rocks, PA 15136

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