The Westmoreland Cultural Trust (WCT), in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg (150 Finoli Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601), will unveil its 12th pair of wings at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
Part of Pitt-Greensburg’s Wingstravaganza, the event will include the unveiling of the Wings Across Westmoreland installation at the Chambers Hall Rock Garden. The celebration will continue at 11:45 a.m. in the Bobcat (Chambers Hall), where attendees can enjoy chicken or breaded cauliflower wings, make a gift to the Pitt-Greensburg student funds for Pitt Day of Giving and take on our Hot Ones-styled Wingstravaganza Hot Sauce and Trivia Challenge—an opportunity to taste-test five hot sauces specially developed by Chartwells Dining Service.
“Our wings incorporate important landmarks, logos, and organizations that showcase the people and history of the surrounding community that supports it,” noted Ari Burke, Event and Program specialist for WCT.
“I can think of no better way to honor Pitt-Greensburg than to present them with wings that were created and manufactured by local artists and businesses,” said Teresa Baughman, interim CEO of Westmoreland Cultural Trust. Baughman shared that the newest wings were created by artist Patrick Mahoney, with sign fabrication and installation by Jeannette, PA-based Fejes Signs.
“The Pitt-Greensburg campus community looks forward to having its own Wings Across Westmoreland installation on campus,” said Robert Gregerson, PhD, president of Pitt-Greensburg. “We expect our ‘Wings’ to become an important part of campus tradition as students and their families take photos on important occasions, like First-Year Move-In Day or Commencement. We also look forward to welcoming the community to our campus to take their own selfies with our ‘Wings.’”
The Pitt-Greensburg Wings feature iconic campus images, including the pedestrian bridge that connects both sides of campus, as well as architectural highlights from campus buildings. Bruiser the Bobcat, Pitt-Greensburg’s mascot, is also featured in his bronze stature form and his game-day form. The five campus presidents are listed, as is the 60th anniversary slogan, “From 1963—Celebration our Past–Forging our Future—Creating Opportunities.”
“Visitors will enjoy matching the artwork with the real campus counter-parts,” said Gregerson. “It’s really an interesting interpretation of our campus and its history.”
Having launched in 2018 and now in its sixth year, Wings Across Westmoreland was inspired by artwork in WCT’s Art in the Alley, located between The Palace Theatre and the Union Trust Building on North Main Street in Greensburg, PA. WCT incubator artist Patrick Mahoney created a pair of wings featuring iconic imagery of the city, including The Palace Theatre and the county courthouse.
Often regarded as a popular selfie spot, the wings gained social media notoriety over the years, via the hashtag #WCTWings. This popularity inspired WCT to create a set of wings in other Westmoreland County locations to add beauty and art to the area, as well as to highlight what makes each spot unique.
In addition to Pitt-Greensburg, Westmoreland Cultural Trust has installed 11 wing locations throughout the Westmoreland County region, with their 13th set slated to go up in New Kensington, PA, in the coming months.
Current wing locations include Greensburg (Art in the Alley), Overly’s Country Christmas, Jeannette (Sobel’s Obscure Brewing), Ligonier (Town Hall), Mount Pleasant (Library), Trafford (Municipal Building), Vandergrift (Casino Theatre), Youngwood (Five Star Trail), Smithton (Borough Building), Irwin (The Lamp Theatre), and West Newton (Municipal Building). More Wings Across Westmoreland information can be found at: www.thepalacetheatre.org/westmoreland-cultural-trust/wings/.
About Westmoreland Cultural Trust:
Westmoreland Cultural Trust (WCT) is a Greensburg, PA-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to stimulate cultural and economic development in the Westmoreland County region, to promote the performing arts; and to preserve and enhance the region’s assets for the benefit of the community. More information about WCT can be found at: www.westmorelandculturaltrust.org
About Pitt-Greensburg:
Founded in 1963, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is a publicly assisted, four-year, liberal arts college in southwestern Pennsylvania. Pitt-Greensburg offers 31 baccalaureate degree programs, including new majors in data analytics, nursing, and healthcare management, as well as 31 minors and four certificate programs. With nearly 1,400 students, more than 10,000 alumni, and faculty and staff numbering 260, Pitt-Greensburg provides a vibrant, diverse community that is a dynamic model of a 21st-century liberal arts education. As part of the University of Pittsburgh system, Pitt-Greensburg offers the resources of a world-renowned university combined with the individualized and immersive experiences of a small liberal arts college. Creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit permeate the campus and extend into its many collaborative projects with the Westmoreland County community. Nestled in Pennsylvania’s beautiful Laurel Highlands, the campus is surrounded by the region’s outdoor recreation venues and rich history. It is a five-minute drive from uptown Greensburg and less than an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh.