Howard Hanna Simon to host annual Chow Chow fundraiser

The 26th annual event will be held at the Clubhouse Grille at Cedarbrook Golf Course on Friday.

Howard Hanna Simon Real Estate will celebrate its 26th annual Chow Chow Luncheon fundraiser this Friday to support the Children’s Free Care Fund at Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital.

Tom Simon, owner of Howard Hanna Simon Real Estate in Rostraver Township, said they’re excited to continue serving the Mon Valley community for another year. Simon explained the idea to start the luncheon originated in the 1990s.

“In 1997, we joined the Howard Hanna company, and Howard Hanna had a tradition of raising money for the Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh,” Simon said. “Since we’re here, we have a local hospital in our community. We started to fund raise in 1997 for Mon Valley Hospital, which is now Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital.”

Simon said they started small by holding potluck luncheons at their office and charging a fee.

The event has continued to grow over the years, and is now held at the Clubhouse Grille at Cedarbrook Golf Course, 215 state Route 981 in Rostraver Township.

This year’s luncheon is set for noon to 3 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $20 per person and will be available for purchase at the door.

The event will feature food, auctions, raffles and a bake sale.

Simon said the luncheon has become an annual tradition for many before the holidays.

“We’ve been doing it for so long that people look forward to it and they call us for tickets,” he said. “We just get the word out, and we’ve been doing it for so many years now that people know about it and they look forward to it, and if we don’t reach out to them, they reach out to us.”

Simon added that they will also be accepting donations of warm clothing items such as hats, scarves, gloves and other similar items. Those who donate warm clothes will have the chance to win a prize.

Simon said in the past they’ve had over 200 people attend the luncheon and that they’ve raised more than $225,900.

“We created a Children’s Free Care fund, where if a child comes to the local hospital and they don’t have insurance, or they need some type of assistance, this money is given,” Simon said, “We give money to take care of that.”

Simon said he has a team of 43 agents who all help put the event together, which includes going out into the community and soliciting donations for the luncheon. Simon added that this year’s Chow Chow fundraiser chairman is Mary Joe Popp, and co-chair is Danielle Yerkey.

“I would like to thank Mary Joe Popp and Danielle Yerkey and the whole Howard Hanna Simon team for all the hard work and efforts that they put into this,” he said. “And I would like to thank the community for not only donating, but participating in this event to make it happen.”