Pie for The Palace a sweet ending for Westmoreland Cultural Trust gala

When the Westmoreland Cultural Trust throws its annual Party at The Palace, they go all out.

So when organizers added a pie-in-the-face finale to this year’s event, they went all out for that, too.

No chintzy shaving cream in a pie tin for this group. These pies had graham cracker crusts, chocolate filling and mounds of whipped cream.

Seven people, including this reporter, agreed to take a chance on getting a pie facial at the gala, presented virtually on Saturday night in response to the pandemic.

Community members were invited to make donations to Pie for The Palace, with the top three money earners getting the pie.

After a night of entertainment including live and recorded music and magic, bidding on artworks and gift baskets, it was time for the finale.

Joining me live on stage were Peg Colosimo, Party at The Palace committee chair; John Noble, Greensburg attorney, actor and Westmoreland Night of the Stars founder; Tracy Roddy, City of Greensburg parking/meter enforcement officer; and Derek Woods, musician and front man for Derek Woods Band, who also performed during the event.

Participating via Zoom were Darren Achtzehn, director of food services at Seton Hill University; and Chris Bartley, music director and instructor of music at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

Apparently, there weren’t too many disgruntled scofflaws seeking revenge on the meter lady. Seton Hill students must be happy with campus food, too. Reviews must have been good for the music man.

And I must not have upset anyone lately with anything I’ve written.

Roddy, Achtzehn, Woods and I kept our clothes and faces clean.

Colosimo was the first to get pied, with her husband, Pete Colosimo, very gently doing the honors. Her fans donated $190.

Bartley raked in $225 and hit himself with a pie at home.

Noble far outpaced the competition by bringing in $615. Wearing a pink tuxedo jacket and covered in pie slung by Trust CEO April Kopas, he slipped into his “almost Sinatra” persona and belted out, “I did it pie way!”

Noble said it was actually the second time he’d been pied on The Palace stage, the first time being a stealth attack during a Westmoreland Night of the Stars performance by Penn-Trafford High School students.