By Lou Corsaro

Point Park University students are piggy-backing on Penguins fever to benefit Northside Common Ministries.

A Penguins big-screen watch party – dubbed Pucks N’ Gloves – will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, in 200 Lawrence Hall at Point Park. The event, which is open to the public, will offer games, food, music and prizes, along with playing the Penguins game on a big-screen television.

Any attendee bringing gently used denim or gloves as a donation will be entered into a drawing to win tickets to a future Penguins game.

Students organizing the event are involved in Point Park’s Wood Street Communications, a nonprofit initiative within the School of Communication that assists nonprofits with their communications services.

“We were drawn to Northside Common Ministries because of its mission to provide shelter and a food pantry to the homeless community in Pittsburgh,” said Emily Miller, one of the students organizing the event.

Camille Downing, an instructor in the School of Communication, said the students have been working hard all semester in teams to fully develop and market the event.

Jay Poliziani, executive director of Northside Common Ministries, said the nonprofit group is excited to work with the students.

“It is a great opportunity to get the word out about the life-changing work that happens here to a wider and younger audience,” he said. “With our small staff, we always struggle to find the time to tell the stories of the homeless men like Bob, who went from sleeping under bridges to a soft bed in a new apartment. We have good stories happening here every day.”

For more information on Northside Common Ministries, go to www.facebook.com/NCMinistries1.