A Scottdale woman who is opening an after-school program at an Irwin church next week is hoping to instill a greater appreciation of art in children while spreading her late son’s love of creativity.
Antonette Dues, a retired Connellsville Area art teacher, will begin the program from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 1 and continue subsequent Wednesdays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 612 Chestnut St.
She calls it the Tajz Mahal Maker Space, in memory of her late son, Tajz Dues, who loved the arts. He died at age 28 in June 2018 of a severe asthma attack while working at Penn Residential, a New Stanton-based company.
Dues created the Tajz’s Hope Foundation, with the intention of offering a broad arts program. Her son worked with people at Penn Residential who had intellectual and developmental disabilities, and “he always was trying to find a way where they (living in the residential…
