60 Years

A year ago, my friends Rosanne and Martie Saunders and I were attending the great Bruce Springsteen concert at the Consol Energy Center.  Our 59th birthdays were approaching, and I jokingly said, wouldn't it be great to get Bruce and the E Street Band to come to Pittsburgh to help us celebrate our 60th birthdays.

One thing led to another, and we began to consider using our big "zero" birthday not just as a celebration for us, but as a fundraiser for Sisters Place.  Both Rosanne and I had served on the Board of Directors of Sisters Place, and hold it in high esteem.

For those of you who don't know about Sisters Place, it is an initiative of the many Catholic women's religious communities in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, founded in 1997.  The not-for-profit organization provides supportive housing to single parents and their children, in the city of Clairton.  Sisters Place leases over two dozen townhomes in Clairton, and works with the parents (mostly moms) to complete their education, address any addiction problems they may have, give them healthy parenting skills, and put them on a pathway to having and holding a job.  Sisters Place also works with the children, to make sure they get a good education.

Well, we had to ditch the "bring Bruce to Pittsburgh" idea.  He is on tour in South America.   So we moved to the concept of a "60s for 60" party to benefit Sisters Place -- and to help Rosanne and I celebrate this milestone in our lives.  It will be held on Friday, October 25, at the John Paul I Pastoral Center in St. Juan Diego Parish, 201 9th Street, in Sharpsburg.  We are grateful to pastor Michael Decewicz for sharing this fine hall with us free of charge, and for the assistance of the parish staff.  Doors open at 5 pm, appetizers at 6, dinner at 7, and fun events at 8.  (No tickets will be available at the door.  Please let us know you are coming by October 18, so we can plan accordingly.)  

In the spirit of the 1960s, we will be serving food from that crazy decade.  We encourage guests to dress in costume representing the 1960s (prizes will be rewarded for the best!).  And we are suggesting a donation to Sisters Place of $60 per person, or some multiple.  (If you give $600 to Sisters Place for the party, we'll put your name above Rosanne and my name on the door.  If you give $1,666, we'll sing your favorite 60s song from the stage.  If you give $6,000 we'll come to pick you up for the party in a 1969 "Flower Power" Volkswagen Beetle.  If you give $6 million to Sisters Place, I will personally guarantee we'll rename the organization after you.)

If you are up enjoying a great celebration, contact fundraising director Melissa or executive director Sister Mary at 412-233-3903.  Make checks payable to "Sisters Place."  All donations tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.  (Rosanne asked me to put that sentence in, because she's a conscientious lawyer.)  And I hope that the clients of Sisters Place benefit greatly from our 1960s birthday party.