Originally posted in May 2021
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
On May 1st, Etna’s local Superhero, Tom Hill, ran an ultra-marathon within the borough’s borders to raise money for the Bread of Life Food Pantry. Tom ran a similar race last year when the Pittsburgh Marathon was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. When he realized that the race would be held virtually for the second year in a row, he upped the ante. This year, he almost doubled his mileage and made it an ultra-marathon, completing a full 50 miles within our one square mile municipality. With the underlying mission of raising awareness about food insecurity and also to serve as a fundraiser, Tom's run amazingly raised $1,307.07! Not all superheroes wear capes, but this one actually does, and he continues to use his powers for the good of our community.
On the same morning, ordinary citizens gathered along Route 8 to plant six trees along the highway to help with air quality, stormwater management, and traffic calming. The volunteers were assisted by Tree Pittsburgh and the Etna Public Works department, who prepared the sidewalks for the tree beds. Following the Route 8 planting, four more trees were installed along Pine Street outside of the Etna pool. The trees are all part of an air quality grant awarded to Etna Borough in 2019 by the Allegheny County Health Department to increase the tree canopy in Etna. Dozens of trees have been planted to date, with a few more planting days planned to close out the grant. Thank you to all who participated!