Christianpalooza Creator is Finalist for Citizen of the Year Award

Maria Vondas, of Brookline, is a finalist for Direct Energy’s Citizen of the Year award for her work with Christianpalooza, which honors her son.

A Brookline woman’s efforts to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation are being recognized in a big way. Maria Vondas is a finalist for Direct Energy’s Citizen of the Year Award. Her friends nominated her because of her work with Christianpalooza, an annual festival she created in memory of her son, Christian, to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Vondas said she didn’t know anything about the nomination until she got a call from the organization notifying her she is one of five finalists. “I was in shock. I had no idea,” she said. “I was just amazed that my friends were so kind to nominate me, and even more surprised that I was one of the five finalists.” She won’t know if she won until March 30, the night of a recognition …

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Discounted 'Taste of Brookline' Tickets Available

Discounted tickets available until tomorrow!

Fish Frys in Dormont, Brookline, Beechview 2013

There are dozens of fish frys in the South Hills during Lent. Here are the most local ones!

'Taste of Brookline' Tickets on Sale Now

The Taste of Brookline event is back and you can get discounted tickets, starting today.

When the first Taste of Brookline event was held last year organizers expected it to be a hit, but even they were surprised at hearing such high demand for a second one. Tickets are on sale now for this year's Taste of Brookline, which features a bigger venue, and likely more vendors. "We are very excited," said Stephanie Miller, Taste of Brookline Co-Chair and a Brookline community volunteer. "I think people really saw the value in it last year, and with the construction about to happen this will be a great way for the businesses to let people know they're still open." Miller said eight businesses already have committed to the event. Pitaland, Cannon Coffee, Vinnie’s Pretzel Shoppe and Brookline Pub are returning. Scoops on the Boulevard …

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'Christianpalooza' Raises $11,746 for Make-A-Wish

An event held each year in memory of a local boy will fund three Make-A-Wish trips.

Maria Vondas and her family have a goal each year they hold Christianpalooza in Brookline: raise enough money to fund Make-A-Wish Foundation dreams for two children. This year, they raised $11,746—almost $4,000 more than the goal they set for this year, and enough to fund Make-A-Wish dreams for three children. Christianpalooza started as a way for the Brookline family to celebrate and honor their oldest son, Christian Connelly, who died in 2011 at age 9. The third annual event was held at Resurrection Church in Brookline in November, and the family presented the funds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation just before Christmas. Each Make-A-Wish dream, on average, costs $3,900. To read more about Christianpalooza and the family's work with the Make…

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Maria Vondas Connelly

11:45 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Denise, Thank you so much for your kind words! Congratulations on all of your amazing success - 1800 wishes, wow! May David's memory be eternal through all of your incredible work also. How did you find this story? I am honored that you took the time to read it and comment on it. Knowing that I have international support means so much to me. Thank you for everything, especially for helping …   more ›

Christianpalooza, Happy Hour and Calling All Artists This Weekend

Dormont-Brookline Patch readers added some weekend events to the event calendar. See what they added.

What are you doing this weekend? Church outing? Festival? Car wash fundraiser? If it's open to the public, you can add it to the Dormont-Brookline Patch calendar—for free. Some readers already are using this feature. Check out what's happing this weekend, courtesy of our readers: Check out the Event Calendar for lots of other local events. Post your own—and after the event, don't forget to post your photos in our Pics & Clips Gallery! Questions? Email local editor Erin Faulk at erin.faulk@patch.com. Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on Facebook and Twitter. For more news, sign up for our email Newsletter.

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Christianpalooza Remembers Local Boy, Brings Hope to Others

Christianpalooza is this Saturday, Nov. 3, at Resurrection Church in Brookline.

On Christian Connelly’s ninth birthday, he and his family went to Disney World. With Universal Studios, Magic Kingdom, Epcot and more at his finger tips, it was a week his mother, Maria Vondas, called “perfect.” The Brookline family took the trip, funded by the Make-a-Wish Foundation, one year after Christian was diagnosed with brain cancer. Vondas thinks about the trip all the time, especially during Christianpalooza, an annual event her family holds to raise money for other families to have their own Make-a-Wish experience. This year, Christianpalooza is Saturday, Nov. 3 at Resurrection Church in Brookline. “Even if it was just that one week, we got to go away and forget about the doctors, forget about the diagnosis," said Vondas. "It …

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Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Workers Laid Off

The diocese is funded by a share of collections from its parishes—including churches in Brookline and Beechview.

Twenty-five full-time positions and eight part-time jobs were eliminated, Bishop David Zubik announced Thursday.  A diocesan spokesman said $1 million had been saved by 15 employees who retired, resigned or were reassigned, WTAE reports. Zubik said the decisions weren't easy, but were done with "professionalism, precision and care."  "And with the clear understanding that we are first and foremost a church, not a corporation trying to build an attractive bottom line," he said.  Income is projected to be $21 million this year—the diocesan budget for 2011-2012 was $23.2 million.  The diocese is funded by a share of collections from its parishes—including Resurrection Church and St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Brookline, and St. Catherine…

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