'Festivus'-themed event brings local leaders together at Greensburg Hempfield library

It’s a holiday for the rest of us — and for the small businesses and local organizations of Greensburg.

Representatives from both groups were among those gathered in the upper meeting room of the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library for a “Festivus”-themed networking mixer event on Dec. 13.

The gathering was inspired by the fictional secular holiday featured in a 1997 “Seinfeld” episode. As an alternative to the pressures and commercialism of the Christmas season, “Festivus” is celebrated on Dec. 23 and includes a dinner, an unadorned aluminum pole, practices such as the “airing of grievances” and “feats of strength,” and the labeling of easily explainable events as “Festivus miracles.”

It’s the first time that the library has held a networking gathering. Library staff members Kim Tuscan and Jill Cullen envisioned the event as a way to liven up the library for adults and strengthen connections with local businesses.

“People have an idea of what the library should feel like, but we’re fun,” Kim Tuscan said. “We just wanted to do something that would help business owners and would also allow us to connect with them.”

“(We want) people to think of the library to come, not just old and stuffy, but a great place to come and meet people and connect,” Cullen said. “We are trying to get people who maybe don’t usually come to the library. Businesspeople are maybe here, they work, and they go home, but they don’t think to use the library all of the time.”

At the event, attendees munched on snacks and had a chance to make Seinfeld-themed buttons on a button-maker machine.

As a twist on traditions from the show, they brought food bank donations to place under the trademark Festivus metal pole, and could “air their grievances” to enter a raffle for a gift package of “regifted” books.

The gathering was sponsored by the Greensburg Business and Professional Association and Greensburg Community Development Corporation.

“We have multiple nonprofits in the area — the museum, the (Westmoreland Cultural) trust and the library — and even though they’re not the brick-and-mortar retailers that we generally are comprised of, bringing them in is essential to community events,” said Elsie Lampl of GCDC.

Attendees had the chance to mingle and talk with other local business owners and nonprofit representatives.

“I was hoping to just connect with businesses and local people around here that could either help me start to find grants, or continue to keep the ball rolling,” said Alison Cox of Inclusive Connections, who often partners with the library. “I think it’s just to network and connect with people that you might not connect with normally. I think it was a great idea for the library to do that.”

Dottie Buchanan with the Westmoreland County Transit Authority also attended. She’s a fan of the library’s events.

“We take riders to all of these businesses, so it’s good to get to know the business owners,” she said.

Gene James of SummerSounds said that the Greensburg Community Development Corporation’s involvement drew him to the event.

“I love the library — I was on the board here for years, and I live within walking distance,” he said.

Bethany Skwara of Chroma Studios said she likes supporting the library’s events, and was “really enthusiastic about the theme” as a Gen X Seinfeld fan.

“The women that work here at the library are fabulous — I am always excited to come to anything they throw,” she said.

Jim Graham of Graham Insurance Group was glad for the chance to check out the library.

“It’s a beautiful building, I hardly ever get the chance to come out here,” he said. “To be here in a business event, I think it’s a great opportunity to come out.”