Zipcar Waives Sign-Up Fee for GlobalPittsburgh Members; Offers Discounts on Annual Fees & Hourly Rates. Another Reason to Join GlobalPittsburgh Today!

Zipcar is waiving its sign-up fee for GlobalPittsburgh members and offering discounted hourly rates for Zipcar's shared vehicle service. Use a Zipcar for offsite business trips or personal errands anytime you want. Zipcar operates in Pittsburgh and dozens of cities across North America. Your Zipcar membership is also good in Canada, Austria, France, Spain, United Kingdom and Turkey!

SPECIAL DISCOUNTED WEEKDAY RATES for Pittsburgh:
·         No Application Fee (normally $25)
·         Discounted Annual Fee (just $35 a year, normally $70)
Discounted Hourly Rate:  Starting at $9.75 (normally $11.75)
Business Day Rate (7am-7pm):  $59
24-Hour Day Rate:  $69
Overnight promotion: Monday through Thursday 6:00pm to 8:30am: $29

All rates include gas, insurance, and 180 miles/day ($0.45/mile thereafter) for a $35 annual membership fee. These special rates cover all vehicles except BMWs, cargo vans, and Cadillacs. Weekend rates vary depending on length of reservation.

This offer is available to paid members of GlobalPittsburgh, including hosts. If you're already a member of GlobalPittsburgh, or have any questions, please contact Nadya Kessler at 412-392-4513 or at nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.

If you're not a GlobalPittsburgh member, you can also call Nadya at the number above to register by phone, and she can give you details of how to get the Zipcar membership and discounts. Membership in GlobalPittsburgh costs $50 per year for individuals, families and graduate students, and $40 per year for undergraduate students. CLICK HERE to sign up online.

To Sign Up for Zipcar:
Go to the Zipcar website using this link: http://members.zipcar.com/globalpgh2015

If you  have any questions or problems related to your Zipcar account, contact Zipcar’s Richard Shelley directly at 412-288-2563 ext. 20505 or rshelley@zipcar.com, and he can apply the free set-up promotion. Sign up takes about 5 minutes. You’ll need your driver’s license and credit or debit card. After you are approved, your Zipcard will arrive at your billing address in 5-7 days. You can also pick-up your Zipcard at the local Pittsburgh office at 429 Forbes Ave suite 110 Pittsburgh PA 15219.

How it Works:
Once you’ve received your Zipcard in the mail, simply make a reservation online and use your Zipcard to access the reserved vehicle.  Invoices are online and updated after each reservation (click on “my stuff” then “my bill” to view your invoice).  Your company or personal credit card will be charged after the end of each reservation.

Already a Zipcar member?  Call or email Richard Shelley at 412-288-2563 ext. 20505 or rshelley@zipcar.com and your account can be upgraded to reflect the GlobalPittsburgh discounts.

International drivers can take their driver's license test using a Zipcar. For more information, go to http://members.zipcar.com/en-CA/apply/foreign-drivers.
If you have a driver's license issued outside of the US or Canada, you will need to provide the following documents after you have registered for Zipcar (see above):
1.     Completed "Driving and Accident Declaration" which can be downloaded at http://www.zipcar.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/driver_declaration_north_america_v1.pdf
2.     A copy of your driver’s license
3.     A copy of the photo page of your passport
Please email your documents to records@zipcar.com to ensure the timely processing of your Zipcar application.

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Long-Time GlobalPittsburgh Supporter Herbert Soltman Honored for Many Years of Volunteer Service by Global Ties U.S.

Long-time GlobalPittsburgh supporter Herbert Soltman has been honored for his many years of volunteer service by Global Ties U.S., the national citizen diplomacy organization of which GlobalPittsburgh (formerly Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors) is a charter member.

As a volunteer for more than 50 years, Soltman has hosted an estimated 400 international exchange participants from over 70 countries for dinner and other activities, such as attending Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games.

Soltman, who was described as "the embodiment of a community champion and citizen diplomat" by Gail Shrott, Director of GlobalPittsburgh's International Leaders Program, received the 2015 Lorinne Emery Award for Volunteer Service from Global Ties U.S. at a ceremony May 1 in Washington, D.C.

Herb Soltman receives his
award for volunteer service
in Washington, D.C.

The Lorinne Emery Award for Volunteer Service is given to recognize a Global Ties U.S. community-based organization volunteer who demonstrates exemplary dedication to citizen diplomacy as well as outstanding volunteer spirit.

"When Herb and his family became hospitality hosts in 1962, he filled his dining room with laughter and lively discussions whenever he brought together international guests and local friends," Shrott wrote in her nomination letter. "To this day, he can vividly describe his family's first international dinner guest."

It is loyal volunteers like Herb Soltman who enable GlobalPittsburgh to carry out its work connecting the Pittsburgh region with the world, said GlobalPittsburgh Board Chair John Hindman.

"We are eternally grateful to Herb for the determination and true Pittsburgh spirit that he has brought to his work and to this organization," Hindman said. "It is impossible to measure the value of the good deeds he has done and the positive impact he has made."

Global Ties U.S. President Jennifer Clinton, Ph.D., called Soltman a “consummate citizen diplomat.”

“The one-on-one connections he has made throughout his service as a volunteer have shattered stereotypes and helped build the relationships that lead us to a more peaceful and prosperous world,” she said. “It is thanks to individuals like Herb, who selflessly donate their time, talent, and treasure, that we are able to welcome visitors to our communities and show them who Americans truly are.”

When Soltman retired in 2003, he accelerated his efforts to make international visitors feel welcome in Pittsburgh. For the next decade, he devoted 15-20 hours per month welcoming international guests at the airport and providing personalized tours of Pittsburgh.

Two incidents in particular underscore his exceptional efforts on behalf of our organization. In October 2003, he worked tirelessly to ensure that Milica Kadic Akovic, a participant in the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) from the University of Montenegro, received much-needed medical attention after he realized that she was in acute pain after he drove her to a professional meeting.

Soltman stayed with the visitor and her interpreter from morning until evening, driving her to a hospital for treatment and to secure medications and prescribed supplies. His act of kindness will forever have a positive effect on Ms. Akovic's view of Americans.

Additionally, in 2009, when Japanese IVLP participant Masahide Tanaka suffered minor injuries at a Pittsburgh Pirates ballgame attempting to catch a baseball hit by Chicago Cubs' player Kosuke Fukudome, also from Japan, Soltman saved the day.

He leveraged his baseball contacts to secure a ball signed by Fukudome from a scout for the Cubs. That ball was shipped to Mr. Tanaka in Japan. Soltman successfully transformed a disagreeable experience into a treasured memory of the kindness of an American volunteer.

Global Ties U.S. is a network of over 100 nonprofit organizations across 44 states and 13 countries that connect leaders in U.S. communities with leaders from all around the world. Together these organizations help shape U.S. foreign relations by opening avenues for increased understanding and greater cooperation, security and prosperity. Learn more at www.GlobalTiesUS.org.

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GlobalPittsburgh International Barbecue Coming June 20 at Bayardstown Social Club, Celebrating Shared Culture of Grilled Foods Around the World. Win Airline Tickets!

Every culture enjoys a tradition of grilling foods, usually meats, over an open fire, often at a time of celebration or fellowship. And while these traditions may have different names and different twists in Asian, African, Middle Eastern, European, Latin and certainly American cultures, the concept is the same, and it has come to be known as barbecue.

The first ever GlobalPittsburgh International Barbecue will be held Saturday, June 20, 2015 at Bayardstown Social Club in the Strip District, bringing together people who enjoy eating these grilled foods with the people and cultures who prepare them in a way that will recognize, celebrate and enlighten the entire community about this shared experience.

The goal of the event is to highlight and celebrate the common themes that unite people who may come from different countries or speak different languages but who share this common experience in a way that encourages cultural awareness and understanding, diversity and inclusion, and ultimately acceptance and embracing of those different from ourselves.

Attendees will be able to sample grilled foods provided by vendors and food trucks. In addition, everyone attending will be automatically entered in a drawing for two round-trip tickets to Europe or throughout North America on Delta Airlines, as well as for other great prizes.

Tickets, which include coupons for food samples, are $30 for current paid GlobalPittsburgh members, $40 for non-members, and $10 for children ages 5-10. Admission is free for children 4 and under. Prices go up after June 1. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets now.

Six sampling passes to six different food vendors representing international barbecue for adults and two sampling passes for children 5-12. Smaller children will not be getting sampling passes with their free admission but their parents could certainly share their grilled foods. Additional sampling passes will be available to purchase at the event.

The event will be held in an outdoor space that can accommodate 200-250 people, food vendors, food trucks, a safe area for grilling, bands and DJs, craft vendors and cultural performances.

For more information, please contact Nadya Kessler at 412-392-4513 or nkessler@globalpittsburgh.org.

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