It's the season for giving thanks, and may we make a practical -- perhaps life-saving -- suggestion about a really meaningful way to do so?

If you're over the age of 18 and willing to be on-call at least seven evenings per month, the American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter needs you -- desperately.

The agency needs many new volunteers to help in disasters, such as house fires and floods, and to help their neighbors with essential needs such as food, clothing and shelter.

The local chapter responds to a disaster an average of nearly once per day, and once every three days in the rural counties south of Pittsburgh.

However, in Fayette, Greene and Washington counties, the chapter has a critically low number of volunteers available.

The Red Cross is holding its Southern County Disaster Volunteer Drive now through Nov. 10, when a volunteer orientation is scheduled for Red Cross locations in Uniontown, Washington and Waynesburg.

Remember, St. Luke said: For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required.

And speaking of the busy holiday season, many groups and individuals are calling us to get publicity for their holiday events, everything from craft shows to casting calls for living Nativity scenes.

Please send pertinent details -- no, you do not have to be Will Shakespeare, just bare-bones details -- and a contact phone number to suburbanliving@post-gazette.com. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way with help from Uncle Sam. Send snail mail to our bulletin board at Southscape, 34 Blvd of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222.

We'll take it from there. No phone calls, please.

Soup's on, and so is the music at the Bulgarian Cultural Center, in West Homestead. Soup sega, a tasty tradition in which 14 varieties of soups are for sale, starts this week. Soup's on 9 a.m. to noon Saturday and 10 to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The cultural group also sponsors dancing at the "Vecherinka," a dance party at 9 p.m. Nov. 21. At 7 p.m. that night a folk group will stage annual performance at Carnegie Library Music Hall, in Homestead.

For more, call 412-461-6188.

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