Ag educator honored
Harrisburg The Pennsylvania FFA Association recently named Robert Born of Greensboro its Agriscience Teacher of the Year. As the Pennsylvania teacher of the year, he is eligible to compete for national distinction. In July, the National FFA Organization will select four finalists from state applicants to compete for the title of Agriscience Teacher of the Year. Each finalist will receive a $1,500 grant to purchase agriscience equipment for his or her school and a $500 cash award. If chosen, Born will travel to interview for the honor in Indianapolis, Ind., during the 2010 national FFA convention, Oct. 20 – 23.
Winning agriscience teachers represent the top in their field, creating innovative programs in food, environmental, animal, plant, soil and mechanical/engineering sciences. They help to ensure students are able to succeed in today’s competitive, technologically advanced world.
The Agriscience Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by PotashCorp as a special project of the National FFA Foundation.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 507,763 student members, all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture, as part of 7,439 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
For more information, go online to www.ffa.org or www.paffa.state.pa.us.
Uniontown Restaurant enhances charity work
Pasta Lorenzo has enhanced its community improvement program by committing to help non-profit and school groups in Fayette County raise money for their causes.
Since opening two years ago, the restaurant has supported many sports teams, school functions and benefits by giving out 1,000 gift certificates.
Pasta Lorenzo has instituted several fundraising opportunities tailored toward raising money. These programs will utilize Pasta Lorenzo to enhance fundraising capabilities.
Included in these activities will be the use of the restaurant site for car washes, giving at cost the restaurant’s Italian hoagies for fundraisers, discounts on its Sicilian pizza to groups that have snack bars and do food for resale and promoting tip night where a group waits tables, donating tips to their cause.
Chef Joe Carei, owner, said the restaurant will do its best to fill any request from 501(c)3 non profits, a school group or one affiliated with a charter. Not all requests will be filled. Circumstances may not permit Pasta Lorenzo to be able to help out at certain times or because the demand is too great, Carei said. Pasta Lorenzo also reserves the right to deem what is a community fundraiser, and what is not.
For more information, call 724-437-4440 and ask for Keith Wilson or Chef Joe.
Penn Hills Selling to government meeting topic
California University of Pennsylvania’s Government Agency Coordination Office (GACO) is hosting “Doing Business with General Services Administration (GSA)” seminar from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Comfort Inn Conference Center, 699 Rodi Road, Penn Hills.
The GSA is the federal government’s business manager, buyer, real estate developer, IT solutions provider and telecommunications manager. Through GSA’s Federal Supply Schedules businesses have the opportunity to sell products and services to federal agencies. GSA schedules cover a variety of products and services that include office supplies, computer systems, furniture, cleaning equipment and supplies, graphic design, landscaping, engineering and accounting.
Helena Koch, small business utilization officer, U.S. General Services Administration will provide information on doing business with GSA, identifying the appropriate schedule, the basics of preparing and submitting your bid and marketing to the government. This seminar is free but registration is requested. To register, call Kate Glodek at 412-237-6098 or e-mail gacopso@earthlink.net.
Harrisburg Grant program opens
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is accepting applications through the state’s $6 million alternative fuel incentive grant program, or AFIG, for homegrown fuel projects throughout Pennsylvania.
Applications must be submitted via the Environmental eGrant system at www.grants.dcnr.state.pa.us. Paper applications will not be accepted. The deadline to submit applications is 4 p.m. Aug. 27. For more information on AFIG and to view the program guidelines, go online to www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: Alternative Fuels. Questions regarding the grant program and applications may be directed to the DEP Grant Center by calling 717-705-5400, or by e-mailing epafiginfo@state.pa.us. Eligible proposals may include projects that use or produce biofuels, alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles, or that deploy fuel-saving technology in the transportation sector. Projects may include retrofitting fleet vehicles to operate on alternative fuels, purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle, installing fleet refueling equipment for alternative fuel vehicles, or supporting next-phase advanced research, development and training.
Successful projects will be market-driven, create jobs, and spur economic development within the state.
School districts, municipal authorities, political subdivisions, nonprofit entities, corporations, and limited liability companies or partnerships incorporated or registered in Pennsylvania are eligible to apply.