Christmas Luminaria Sales to Raise Funds to Buy Former Pittsburgh Cut Flower Land

A Christmas luminaria fundraiser launches this weekend to help the community raise $140,000 for the purchase of the former Pittsburgh Cut Flower property in Richland Township.

The Orchard Park Neighborhood Association will sell the luminaria kits at a sales table at Wal-Mart from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The store is located on Route 8 (William Flynn Highway) in Gibsonia.

Luminarias—candles in white bags—often line sidewalks and walkways as Christmas decorations.

OPNA organized the fundraiser after the nonprofit Allegheny Land Trust challenged the community to raise 10 percent of the $1.4 million needed to purchase the 180-acre tract on Bakerstown Road.

Allegheny Land Trust has a contract to buy the property and plans to turn it into a solar wind farm and green space. 

The goal of the fundraiser is to sell 500 luminaria kits from November to mid- December.

All of the proceeds will go to Allegheny Land Trust because the cost of the kits is underwritten by several local businesses: Pasquinelli Erie Insurance Agency, Bakerstown Feed and Garden Center, and Krebs Chrysler Jeep Dodge. 

The luminaria kits are available in two sizes:

• $10 for eight 15-hour candles and eight white paper bags,
• $20 for 20 candles and bags. 

After this weekend's sales, kits will be available at two locations:

• Weischedel Florist and Greenhouses on Route 910 during regular business hours.  
• Richland Township Municipal Building during business hours Monday through Friday.

Several local churches have also agreed to support the project with announcements in church communications and by posting order forms in fellowship areas. 

Order forms will be collected at the end of November and kits distributed on the first two Sundays in December. Any congregation interested in participating is asked to contact the Orchard Park Neighborhood Association at 724-444-6314.

Luminaria kits may be ordered by mail using the form available on the OPNA website, www.orchardparkneighborhood.info, or online with PayPal at the Allegheny Land Trust website, www.alleghenylandtrust.org.