Hits & Misses

This is one of our favorite times of the year as it begins to look a lot like Christmas throughout the Mon Valley. Belle Vernon and Donora both held celebrations Friday night to welcome the holiday season, and many more area communities have similar events planned in the coming days. While these events all share a common purpose, they also reflect the unique traditions of each town. In addition, the Zombek Family Christmas Light Display begins tonight in Elizabeth Township. This spectacular collection of lights is accompanied by a 20-minute show and visits from a few famous mascots, along with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The event benefits a good cause, as proceeds go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Christmas is only 26 days away, and the Valley is getting into the spirit. While we’re on the topic of the holidays, please consider making a donation to our Christmas Cheer Club. This charitable effort, which has been a tradition at the Mon Valley Independent since we opened in 2016, dates back to the former Valley Independent. The toys we collect are given to the Salvation Army to be distributed to children on Christmas morning. Toys can be dropped off at our 1719 Grand Blvd. location during office hours, which are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Anyone who brings a toy into the office can have their picture taken to be included on one of our Christmas Cheer photo pages. For all the shoppers who support Small Business Saturday, which is held each year on the Saturday following Thanksgiving to encourage consumers to buy gifts from stores in their local communities. The observance dates back to 2010, which it was launched by American Express to aid small businesses who had been impacted by the Great Recession. The growth of online commerce over the past 15 years has created an even more challenging environment for local merchants, but Small Business Saturday — and the spirit behind it — have remained in place. We encourage all our readers to check their gift lists twice and see what they can buy from Mon Valley shops to help the local economy.