'Uncommon' weekend of service projects pairs Murrysville church with Greater Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity
If you're traveling through the region this weekend, you're likely to see a few folks here and there wearing shirts that say "Uncommon."
Ironically, with more than 1,000 of them out and about, they'll probably be a common sight, as Murrysville-based Cornerstone Ministries sends church volunteers to perform large-scale community service as part of its ninth annual Uncommon Service Weekend.
Inspired by former Steeler and Super-Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy's book " Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance ," the Uncommon Weekend began in 2009.
"This year we have more than 1,100 volunteers working on more than 13 projects in 31 different communities," stated Uncommon Coordinator Kathi Labra. "We are a big church and we want to bless local communities by filling needs that individuals or groups might not have the resources or the manpower to do themselves."
This year will see an addition in the form of a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh . Cornerstone and Habitat volunteers will make repairs to eight homes in Pittsburgh's Homewood and Larimer neighborhoods.
"Together, we're able to leverage greater resources to effect some positive change in the community. Singularly, we can do a lot, but together, we can do a lot more," said Habitat President Howard Slaughter Jr. of Penn Hills.
Slaughter said the partnership is a benefit to both groups, as well as the residents whose homes will be repaired.
"When you bring together organizations like Habitat and a ministry like Cornerstone that's been focused on this work every year, it makes things go that much better," Slaughter said. "And it's really critically important that we have a partnership where urban and suburban communities are working together."
For more on the Uncommon Weekend, see Cornerstone's website .
Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-2862, pvarine@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MurrysvilleStar.
