< PreviousCAround Your Town Around Your Town An old strip mine isn’t exactly the kind of place one would think people would flock to in order to enjoy world-class gardens and plant life. Yet just outside of Oakdale in western Allegheny County, one such regional attraction built on a reclaimed strip mine called the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden has been drawing visitors for the past six years. The PBG sits on 60 acres of land that was once surface mined for coal, but has been reclaimed and converted into a sprawling park, complete with a lotus pond, a meadow and a multitude of gardens. The venue has also played host to numerous events over the years, including weddings that it hosts out of a converted barn on garden property called the Davidson Events Center. On April 1, the PBG unveiled one of its most ambitious projects to date: a 7,500 square-foot, $10.5 million welcome center. The modern building sits back a bit from Pinkerton Run Road, on a slope at the edge of the tree line not far from the Davidson Event Center. Walking inside, visitors get a view through the story-high windows of the tree canopy just outside. When visitors come to the PBG, they will now enter through the building, where there is a welcome desk, a gift shop and a new café called the Canopy Café. The dining area features both indoor and outdoor tables, with about 100 seats in total. The café is open for lunch on days the PBG is open and dinner hours could be coming in the future. “It really helps us provide an improved visitor experience,” says Keith Kaiser, executive director of the PBG, about the welcome center. “It lets us see who is there and help them through their visit and see them on their way out.” An equally important yet less grand feature that also opened alongside the welcome center is a new parking lot that the PBG has cleverly called its auto garden. The lot expands parking at the garden by 63 new spaces, more than doubling its old capacity. Before, parking was limited to about 54 cars, says Kaiser, which would overflow during busy events. The new welcome center also features a gathering area called the Zappala Woodland Room with seating and wall space for rotating art exhibits. Currently, the PBG is showing work by Pittsburgh- based artist Atticus Adams. The pieces consist of screens that have been formed and painted to resemble large hydrangea petals. Also inside the welcome center is a large meeting room that can be partitioned off into two smaller rooms. The room spills out onto an enclosed outdoor patio with a water feature. Kaiser says that the garden is utilizing the rooms for its own educational programming and leasing them out for meetings and corporate events. Both sides of the room are equipped with digital projectors and magnetic walls that are marker-friendly. Like many organizations and businesses, Kaiser says the PBG took a financial hit during COVID-19, losing upwards of 40% of its event revenue. However, he says that the garden also saw a 44% uptick in admissions in 2020, as people were looking for more safe things to do close to home. Just as the PBG was seeing that surge in new visitors, it opened its new sensory garden and some children’s play installations that are located on the slope above the welcome center. “The timing couldn’t have been any better,” Kaiser says about those areas opening. “That was exactly when people wanted to get outside.” The fact that the PBG is also an outdoor events venue has helped it rebound following COVID-19. Currently, Kaiser says the garden has about 80 weddings planned for this year. Now that the PBG’s welcome desk has moved from its old location out of the Davidson Event Center, wedding parties will be able to utilize the entire building. Kaiser says the downstairs, where the welcome center was formerly located, will now be utilized as a groom suite. Coming up in June, the PBG will be hosting an outdoor installation exhibit by Toronto-based landscape designer Gary Smith near its lotus pond area. Kaiser says the interactive piece, which is titled “Carbon Cycle and Earth Art Exhibit,” is inspired by the history of mining on the PBG site. In the future, Kaiser says the PBG is looking forward to planning some additional projects, though nothing quite as large-scale as the welcome center. One area he says they are eyeing is the lotus pond, which could see some significant improvements in the coming years. Though he wouldn’t go into detail, he says about the pond that, “It’s really in its infancy. There’s a future there that’s going to be expanded.” For more about the PBG, including ticketing and information, visit pittsburghbotanicgarden.org. The garden also lists regular kids’ programs, gardening seminars, and health and wellness programs online. Some upcoming programs are listed on page 43. Hours through Oct. 31 are Tuesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday- Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., and Friday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Canopy Café is currently open on the same days as the garden, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., with a special lunch menu served 11 a.m.-2 p.m. PBG opens new visitor’s center STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY Visitors to the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden will now enter the garden through its new welcome center. Just inside the center is the Zappala Woodland Room (top two photos) and a new cafe (bottom photo). 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2021CAround Your Town Around Your Town In 1964, Robert Inches and his wife, Faye, opened up a small business selling flowers in Moon Township. As time passed, the couple expanded into trees and residential landscaping. Then, in the 1970s, their youngest son, Randy, joined his parents in the business and expanded it further into a garden center. Today, Inches Nursery - which is still located in Moon Township - is a full-service garden center and nursery that also offers landscaping and hardscaping supplies and services, including patios and retaining walls. The business is located at the corner of Flaugherty Run Road and Stoops Ferry Road. This spring marks the business’ 57th of helping locals dress up their yards and remodel their outside living areas. It’s been quite a journey for Randy, who now runs the business with his son, Ryan, daughter, Katie, and Inches’ garden center manager, Sharon Pegher. Inches’ long-time landscape architect Bill Merow, meanwhile, has become the mastermind behind all of Inches’ residential and commercial landscape designs. Merow works diligently with clients to make sure every detail is perfect, down to each and every plant he chooses. From homes, to schools, to retail stores and hospitals, his and Inches’ work can be seen throughout western Pennsylvania, including at Rivers Casino. Unlike at the box store, customers visiting Inches can get personalized, expert input on a wide variety of landscaping, hardscaping and gardening supplies. The business is a regional distributor for R. I. Lampus hardscaping products and offers a wide variety of plants and trees. Many of its trees are grown from seedlings at the family’s farm in Independence Township. Inches Nursery celebrating 57 years STORY AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED TOP: Inches Nursery has been in the area since 1964. ABOVE: Among the nursery’s offerings are flowering magnolia trees. Inches Nursery also sells (above) flowering dogwood trees and potted annuals and perennials; (below) native redbud trees and birches; and perennial columbine. Inches’ tree nursery (bottom) offers many tree varieties for different landscapes. “We pride ourselves on being able to provide quality and diversity with our inventory, whether they are home grown or locally sourced from neighboring nurseries and growers,” says Ryan. Pegher, meanwhile, is available to provide advice for any landscape application. “Sharon is a walking encyclopedia of plants, trees and flowers,” says Ryan. “She is well-versed in our extensive collection of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, shrubs and trees.” At the garden center, customers can find unique gifts and décor for any outside oasis, including stone statuaries, wind spinners, solar lights, fountains and birdbaths. Inches also has a section for lawn maintenance and care, and sells bulk materials such as mulch and topsoil. Delivery is available to many surrounding areas. Inches has been fortunate to have grown the way it has over the years and the business is grateful to the community that has spurred that growth. As everyone who runs Inches also lives in the area, the business has found a number of ways to give back to the community. Each year, the business sponsors a number of Moon Township youth leagues, such as the Moon Area Soccer Association and Moon Area Baseball League. It also participates in school fundraisers and staff appreciation endeavors for teachers. In downtown Coraopolis, Inches designed, supplied and installed the landscaping for the war memorial outside Keith-Holmes VFW Post 402. Inches also hosts several customer appreciation events at its garden center throughout the year that benefit local charities. Check www.inchesnursery.com for future events. “We have a strong belief in community, as most of us are raising our families here, also,” says Ryan. “It’s important to be able to give back and we are involved in the township in many ways. We are proud and honored to have remained a staple in the area and look forward to seeing the community again this year!” For more, visit www.inchesnursery.com, call (724) 457-7236, or visit them at 1005 Stoops Ferry Road in Moon Township. May/June 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 11% New in Town New in Town A lot of people experiencing pain have sought out Renee Swasey over the years. Since 1994, Swasey has been a massage therapist and, in July of 2013, she opened her own massage therapy clinic, Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage, in Imperial. Some of the people who come to Swasey are suffering from pain, including some who have been through car accidents. Others come to her in order to find ways to maintain their health. Athletes, students and professionals have come to her in order to help their bodies recover from injuries and excel in their athletic performance. Through massage, therapists help muscles heal by encouraging blood flow back into damaged tissue. Unlike drugs, which only treat the pain caused by damaged tissue, massage therapy naturally treats the source of the pain by helping the body to heal. Sometimes muscle pain is caused by injuries. Other times, poor muscle balance leads to one group of muscles overcompensating for another. Massage therapy helps treat pulled muscles and chronically inflamed tendons before more damage occurs. “We continue to learn and apply various techniques and modalities to re-educate muscles for quick recovery and lasting stability,” says Swasey. Recently, Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage opened its first satellite office in Kennedy Township. Its new office is located in Mongiovi Commons at 190 Bilmar Drive, not far from Rosedale Technical School. The clinic is offering customized massages to meet each person’s goals. Hot stones and massage cupping are options during the session, depending on therapist training. The clinic is offering medical massage and accepting most motor vehicle accidents with a physician’s prescription. “My desire has always been to provide a place that focuses on how massage is not just a luxury but a necessity for health, wellness and pain relief,” says Swasey. “My goal was to have a team of therapists whose passion is to help people relieve pain and improve health as well as educate and provide the community and surrounding communities of natural options to improve health.” To that end, Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage has expanded its services over the years to help its clients identify and naturally address other causes of inflammation and pain. Swasey’s clinic now offers food inflammation testing; microcirculation treatments to increase blood flow at the capillary level; supplements that help nourish, rebuild and repair the body; and thermography. The business has also partnered with other area health-related professionals and businesses to create a referral system that helps people navigate their health choices. As of 2021, Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage has five massage therapists and two office staff at its Imperial location. Two therapists will be available at the new Kennedy location. Without these dedicated professionals, Swasey says, opening of the satellite office would not have been possible. Swasey has taught massage at both the college and trade school levels. She also has lectured publicly on the health and quality of life benefits achieved through muscle therapy and massage. In 1997, Swasey married her husband, Scott. The two have a son and daughter. “My life verse is Proverbs 3:5-6, because when I do things my way, it never works out, but when I leave it all to God, I see a miracle unfold in each day and give Him the glory and not myself,” she says. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.” Massage therapy practice expands to serve Kennedy and Robinson STORY AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED Renee Swasey (pictured above) outside Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage in Imperial) recently expanded her practice to its newest location in Kennedy Township (pictured below). Marta Kentsalo, a massage therapist with Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage, applies two different massage methods while working with a client. At left, she uses hot stones while at right she uses cupping. Allegheny Muscle Therapy & Massage’s new Kennedy office is located at 190 Bilmar Avenue. To schedule an appointment, call (724) 695-5300. Visit them online at alleghenymuscle.massagetherapy.com. 12 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2021y > Learning Curves Learning Curves BY MICHELE P. CONTI Michele P. Conti is an estate planning and elder law attorney. Conti attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Oxford University and Duquesne University School of Law. She received her LL.M. in taxation from Villanova University. This past year was a year like no other for many of us. Who would have expected that we would experience a pandemic, homeschooling and a global shutdown? Even though we practiced social distancing, one common factor stands out amongst our clients - an influx of pet adoption. Anyone who knows me understands my love of all animals. If I could help in the rescue of every misplaced, abused and lonely pet, I would. That’s why I am an advocate of rescuing and a staunch supporter of Bridge to Home Animal Rescue - a local animal rescue located in Eighty-Four, Pennsylvania. BTHAR is a non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to helping homeless, unwanted and discarded dogs. Their goal, as stated on their website, bridgetohome84.org, is to help dogs find their forever home. Without a facility, their dogs are kept in volunteer foster family’s homes until the perfect home is found. A recent Facebook post by BTHAR’s president, Tracey Crompton, caught my attention. It was accompanied by a photo of an elderly Schnauzer named Mabel with an all-to-familiar story about owners who had recently passed away, and their children dumping her at a kill shelter in Ohio. She wasn’t sick. She wasn’t ill-tempered. She was simply a burden that her owner’s family no longer wanted to be bothered with. I look at animals similarly as to how I view my clients and their common concerns with growing older. We are all cute and cuddly in infancy. Then we grow and exhibit our rebellious teenage years. We age and mature only to slow down in time to enjoy our golden years. Commonly, our golden years are fraught with concern about whether we have become a burden to our families. Will our loved ones still visit and call since oftentimes we forget the story we told them last time we spoke? Will they still love us if we have an accident and make a mess of things? I listen to clients whose stories aren’t all too dissimilar from the last. Will my kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews who were once so close and familiar throw them away simply for aging and slowing down? In Mabel’s case, that cute puppy her owners fell in love with, will she be forgotten upon their death? Fortunately for Mabel, she was saved. Let’s face it - there is no protection from euthanasia for older dogs like Mabel once they are deserted. A few months without interest, sometimes a few days, and the older shelter dog becomes another heartbreaking statistic of pets who’ve outlived their cuddliness. As Tracey posted not so long ago, “Dogs die in kill shelters. Nice dogs. Young dogs. And even pure bred dogs. The dogs I foster come into my life and I put everything into finding them the best home. Not just for today but for ten years down the road until they die…If you are old and want a puppy please reconsider it unless you have a plan. Check out an age-appropriate dog for you.” At the very least, have a plan and make sure it’s one that we can ensure will be executed. Don’t assume your children won’t take your pet to a shelter. I bet this thought never crossed Mabel’s folks’ minds. What can be done? Put in place a simple estate plan with thoughtful provisions and parameters that are legally enforceable. If there’s anything I’ve learned as a lawyer, it’s that your loved ones often surprise you in death. The ones I heard would always do the right thing and are good kids have oftentimes acted in ways that would surprise and disappoint a parent. If you adore your pet and want to make sure that it is taken care of when you are no longer here or unable to provide the proper care, we can help you. We can draw up a plan to guarantee that your pet isn’t deserted and continues to receive the love that we all deserve. For more about Bridge to Home Animal Rescue, visit www. bridgetohome84.org. Pets should also be part of estate planning 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2021lLegislative Update Legislative Update State Rep. Anita Kulik State Rep. Anita Kulik represents Pennsylvania’s 45th District. Her office is located at 1350 Fifth Avenue in Coraopolis. She can be reached at (412) 264-4260. Visit her online at www.pahouse.com/Kulik. Most anniversaries are met with either great joy or reverence. Others are even met with sorrow. Marking milestones in our lives and society is commonplace, whether those milestones are good or bad. We know that there are things we want to remember and there are things that we should never forget. On September 11, 2021, we will mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. There have only been a few instances where we have suffered a foreign attack on our nation’s soil. For many of us, the 9/11 attacks were the first time we witnessed such a national emergency. Not too many of us can recall the last world war or the many sacrifices people made on the battlefield and on the home front. Both events brought us together mostly because of the seriousness of the situations and our sense of patriotism. Those who have come before us were willing to sacrifice, doing without or doing with rationing. For a long time, there was no sense of “normal.” We have now marked the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a year since our homes, towns, states, nation - and the entire world - shut down. No place on Earth was left untouched by the virus. To be truthful, most of us never saw this lasting as long as it has, and it is truly hard to believe that it has been over one year. But we are surely seeing that light of hope that the end is near. Vaccines are plentiful now, but we cannot expect vaccinations to definitively end the virus. We must continue to heed the advice of medical experts. We should get vaccinated and we should continue all the safe practices that have saved so many lives. It is also time to start looking back on how we handled the pandemic. Whether on a personal, family or government level, it is always good to review and build on our experiences. During the pandemic, many questions and challenges were raised. Voters will have their chance to decide whether to change the way emergency declarations are handled by the state government. A question on the primary ballot will decide if the Governor’s authority to declare emergencies will remain as is or give some of the authority to the Legislature. I have spoken with many constituents on this issue, and it is clear that opinions are divided. Please remember that this question is one of several that you may be voting on, and I hope you will take the time to learn about the issues being presented. The Legislature has continued its efforts to address concerns surrounding the pandemic. I recently joined my colleagues in passing a bill out of the House that would make sure that our loved ones in longterm care have a family member designated as a caregiver in times of emergency declarations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, residents in long-term care facilities were shut off from their family and loved ones. While this was understandable at the beginning of the pandemic when we were trying to figure things out, the prolonged absence of family connections has seriously affected everyone involved. Being left without family visits has left so many with physical and mental health problems. If this bill passes into law, a resident will have at least one person from their family act as a caregiver with access to the facility. The matters I have discussed here are just a couple of the many examples of changes that will be debated as we fine tune our methods of handling emergencies. This will more than likely not be the last pandemic our world will face. For whatever emergency, pandemic or other issue we face, we must realize that the lessons we learn now will certainly help those who face the next one. Surely mistakes were made, but a lot of good and correct decisions were also made - whether how we handled our personal lives, our family situations, our businesses, or even our government. The good things we did, and the missteps we made, will act as lessons for our future. State Sen. Devlin Robinson As the senator for the 37th District, which includes parts of Allegheny and Washington counties, I know our region and its employers play a key role in driving the state’s prosperity. Senate leadership has entrusted me with membership on four prominent committees: Appropriations, Local Government, Labor & Industry and Community, Economic & Recreational Development. These assignments position me - and by extension our community and its employers - to play a key role in how we move the Commonwealth’s economy, workforce and neighborhoods forward. A native of southwestern Pennsylvania, I was raised in the Brookline neighborhood of Pittsburgh and understand the important role businesses play in our local communities. In Harrisburg, I will work to enact policies that create an environment for job growth while meeting the core responsibilities of government. Often, legislative priorities are determined by current events - especially in times such as these. My number-one priority this session is economic recovery and future stability in the aftermath of COVID-19. I will work to find ways to maximize the use of existing state resources to help struggling businesses and find new sources of revenue moving forward. I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get the state back to work. The unprecedented number of workers idled by the pandemic shows how deeply this coronavirus impacted Pennsylvania families. Our focus must continue to be on rebuilding Pennsylvania in the wake of this deadly virus and the resulting statewide closures of our economy. Overcoming the severe impact of the pandemic on Pennsylvania’s economy will not be easy. I hope to bring a fresh perspective to Harrisburg, emphasizing that through continued fiscal responsibility and controlled spending, we can balance the 2021-2022 budget. I have opened a district office in Bethel Park at 1700 N. Highland Road, Suite 307. I will also be opening an office in Robinson Township in April. My office phone number is 412-785-3070. My office can assist with property tax/rent rebates, birth and death certificates, vehicle registrations, titles, copies of legislation and much more. I look forward to representing the 37th Senatorial District as we continue to move the region and the Commonwealth forward. May/June 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 15y > Learning CurvesLearning Curves SUBMITTED BY GEORGE G. HESS, D.P.T, C.O.M.T Shoulder pain: the top five common causes Are you living with pain in your shoulders? Shoulder pain is a nuisance, but not an uncommon one. An estimated 4.5 million people in the U.S. visit a doctor or physical therapist for shoulder pain each year. There are several different reasons you may be experiencing shoulder pain. Here’s a run-down on why your shoulders may be hurting - and what you can do about it. 1. Rotator Cuff Tendonitis Because of its important job and the stress placed on it, your rotator cuff is very susceptible to injury. One common type of rotator cuff injury is rotator cuff tendonitis. Tendonitis simply means inflammation and swelling of tendons - the tissue that connects muscle to bone. There are several reasons rotator cuff tendons may become inflamed, including repetitive movements, sports injuries, aging and poor posture. Many people suffer from shoulder tendonitis because of movements required by their jobs. Symptoms include swelling and pain, particularly in the front of the shoulder. Fortunately, physical therapy is a very effective treatment for rotator cuff tendonitis. 2. Rotator Cuff Tear Another type of rotator cuff injury is a rotator cuff tear. This tear is often caused by an injury or aging. Symptoms of a rotator cuff tear include weakness and pain in the shoulder. If the tear was caused by a traumatic injury, this pain can sometimes be severe. In most cases, physical therapy and other conservative approaches can help heal a rotator cuff tear. In some severe cases, surgery may be necessary. 3. Bursitis A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that cushions the areas around many types of joints. Bursitis occurs when a bursa becomes inflamed. According to the Mayo Clinic, bursitis normally occurs because of repetitive movements, or because of pressure put on the bursa for long periods of time. Shoulder bursitis symptoms include achiness in the joint, pain with movement and swelling. Rest, icing, physical therapy and other conservative treatments usually help to alleviate bursitis pain. 4. Arthritis Arthritis is joint pain caused by joint inflammation. There are several types of arthritis, the most common of which are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In the U.S., arthritis is the leading cause of disability, with an estimated 50 million adults suffering from the condition. Arthritis is more common in older adults, females and those with a family history of the condition. Symptoms of arthritis in the shoulder include pain that gets worse with activity and limited range of motion. Arthritis responds well to physical therapy and exercise. 5. Labral Tear A tissue called a labrum helps to cushion your shoulder socket. This tissue can become torn, causing shoulder pain. Reasons for a labral tear include traumatic and overuse injury. Symptoms may include a popping sensation followed by aching and pain. Your shoulder may feel like it is catching on something when you try to move it. What can you do about shoulder pain? If you’re experiencing shoulder pain that doesn’t go away on its own, you should schedule an appointment with a physical therapist or doctor. All of these common causes of shoulder pain can greatly benefit from an individualized physical therapy plan. Additionally, over- the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can help to decrease inflammation. Conservative approaches to treating shoulder pain are often the most effective. In some severe cases, surgery or injections may become necessary, but these measures should only be taken as a last resort. A well-trained physical therapist like the shoulder pain experts at Hess Physical Therapy can distinguish between these types of shoulder pain and create a treatment plan for you. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call any of our Hess Physical Therapy locations or refer to our website for further contact information. Our locations: Kennedy: (412)-771-1055; Crafton: (412)-458-3445; Allison Park: (412)-487-2787. Visit us online at hesspt.com. First, a word about shoulder anatomy.... To understand why your shoulders hurt, it helps to know a little bit about your shoulders’ anatomy. Shoulder joints give you a wide range of motion, but this can also make them susceptible to injury. Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint, with the ball part located on the humerus bone and the socket part on the scapula bone. Each shoulder also has a collarbone called a clavicle. Surrounding and supporting your shoulder bones are several muscles and tendons called the rotator cuff. 16 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2021May 2021 Milestone Anniversaries Welcome New Members! burkeMichael+ CDI Office Technologies Giffin Bookkeeping Inches Nursery The RiP Group 25 years Allegheny Medical Integrated Health Services 20 years Ambridge Regional Distribution & Manufacturing Center Fraport USA, Inc. John Daley/Family Wealth Management Group, LLC / Lincoln Financial Advisors 15 years The Gateway Engineers, Inc. 10 years Sherwin-Williams/Moon Township Gerard Plumbing and Heating, Inc. 5 years Penn State Beaver - Continuing Education/Workforce Development Hampton Inn & Suites Pittsburgh Airport South-Settlers Ridge 850 Beaver Grade Rd. Suite 101 Moon Twp., PA 15108 412-264-6270 | paacc.com #PAACC Follow Us!! Plan Your Next Getaway! No membership required! For more information about any of our trips or to register, please call Michelle Kreutzer at 412-203-0257. Best of the AmalfiCoast & Rome Includes: RT Air from PIT, hotels, Meals, Day Trips, Local English Speaking Guides, Transportation, and so much more! March 15 - 22, 2022 | Early Bird Pricing- $3,199 Free Informational Meeting: May 25, 2021 For more information on this cost saving program, please contact Michelle Kreutzer at 412-264-6270. 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2021Chamber Link Chamber Link Between sky-rocketing drug prices, climbing copays and increasing deductibles, patients are paying more in out-of- pocket costs than ever before. As the burden of healthcare shifts to the consumer, over 250 million Americans - whether they are insured, under-insured or uninsured - are affected by the price of prescription medications in the U.S. every year. The Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce has historically found ways to offer valuable cost-saving services to assist our members. Now, thanks to a new partnership with Clever RX, the chamber is offering a prescription drug cost-reduction program to anyone in the airport corridor who would like to utilize it. This free-of-charge plan was built to empower and engage healthcare professionals with the goal of driving down prescription drug costs, and it’s already making a difference. Clever RX is on a mission to increase patient prescription compliance, reduce claims and improve the overall health and wealth of Americans. It allows the user, regardless of health plan, to search for their prescription at the lowest price, the closest location, and/or at their preferred pharmacy. Clever RX CEO and founder Jim Prendergast says, “We are on a mission to educate the millions of Americans in need that there is a better, more affordable way to access your prescription medications. You aren’t stuck going to the same pharmacy and paying an outrageous price. You have options just by changing your consumer behavior.” To help get these prescription savings options into consumers’ hands, Clever RX offers its Clever RX app and website to users for free via partners throughout the U.S. With over 55,000 FDA-approved medications, of which 40% are under $10, the user simply searches for their prescription and shows the voucher to the pharmacist. Clever RX is accepted at over 80,000 pharmacies nationwide. The voucher can be shown directly in the app, texted to a phone, emailed, or printed. Beating the average health plan 80% of the time, consumers using Clever RX are saving thousands of dollars each year. Clever RX is also one of the very few pharmacy savings programs that aid in the nation’s fight against the opioid epidemic. Clever RX complies with the Drug Utilization Review for strict Opioid Safety edits. Clever RX and the PAACC believe in sharing the savings forward. This program can be shared with friends, family, and more. One share with three people can lead to another three people and, before you know it, they’ve reached over 250 million Americans in need. If you are interested in participating in this free-of-charge, non-insurance related program, call us at (412) 264-6270. We will be glad to send you a membership card today. What do you have to lose? New partnership passes along prescription drug savings to airport community BY CHRIS HECK, CEO, PAACC May/June 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >