NORTH PITTSBURGH PAST FINDERS IN THE COMMUNITY

Here are some ways that NPPF helps our Community

  • NPPF loves educating people in our community about the hobby of metal detecting.  On Sunday, July 13, 2024, one of our members performed a presentation in Monroeville Community Park for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Summer picnic.  The program was informative, educational, and concluded with a hands-on demonstration on using the metal detector around the picnic shelter.  
  • While NPPF hopes to never need to be used by the law enforcement community, we are here to help if needed!  We started 2024 off by sending letters to our local police departments, notifying them of our metal detecting skills and capabilities.  With a large membership base throughout Allegheny County and surrounding areas, our members are available to assist in locating metal objects in cases. We only locate the items and then inform the authorities, so the scene is not compromised. A few of our members assisted the Butler County police in a murder case back in 2011.
  • A church Pastor in Apollo, PA reached out to NPPF asking us to help locate a time capsule that is rumored to be buried but they do not have record of the location.  We did not have luck with our first attempt, but we are working with the church and the community to get more information and will continue our efforts in the future.
  • A woman recently inherited a property that was the site of the Union Baptist Church of Swissvale from the 1930s through the 1970s.  The old church building is still standing.   NPPF is working with her to detect the property in hopes of saving history.  Our club is honored to help the community have a tangible piece of their past. 
  • Community has no boundaries.  When a woman reached out to NPPF asking to help locate a sentimental earring that she lost on a trail, we knew we had to help, even though she was almost 2 hours from Pittsburgh.  NPPF reached out online to a few metal detecting groups closer to that trail, and people jumped on the offer to help!  Her earring was found which made her very happy, which in return made the metal detecting community happy.  
  • Even when NPPF is not contacted to find an item, members try to locate the owners when they can.  One of our members while out detecting, located a target that he knew was special when he read a special and unique engraving on a pendant. He posted on social media, and the owner of the pendant was found, and reunited with a piece of her that could never be replaced. 
  • A woman contacted NPPF in May of 2023, asking for help locating her Father's wedding band that he just lost while mowing the lawn. After an hour of searching, our member was going over a section of the lawn for the 2nd time, and was able to find and return the wedding band.  Seeing the happy face of the owners when we locate lost memories, is priceless!
  • In 2023, North Pittsburgh Past Finders (also known as NPPF ) teamed up with the Shaler North Hills Library and held a presentation called "Finding the Past Through Metal Detecting".  Members Jim and Katelynn discussed the basics of metal detecting, the guidelines, and shared local artifacts, giving more knowledge to the library patrons that borrow the library's metal detector.
  • In 2021, NPPF helped train members of the Allegheny County Crime Scene Unit on the use of metal detectors and how they can help with their jobs. Click here to download the Allegheny County 2021 Highlights Report 
  • Saving a piece of the North Side Police Force history when it was a separate city (1840-1907): NPPF member detected and then donated an Allegheny City Police Badge to the Allegheny City Society:   https://alleghenycity.org/
  • The Shaler North Hills Library reached out to NPPF to help them with their Metal Detector Lending Program.  We created a "Tip Sheet" and "How To" document and will perform a training in the Spring on proper metal detecting techniques including cutting plugs, filling holes, and other important information Click here to see the NPPF Metal Detecting Brochure for the library
  • Looking for a ring lost in November 2021, lots of area to cover.
  • While renovating their local gym, contractors dropped a lot of construction staples on a turf soccer field.  The owner contacted North Pittsburgh Past Finders Metal Detecting Club to see if we could locate the staples so they could safely begin to use the turf.  This was a unique experience since using a metal detecting indoors is difficult.  However, we came in, detected, and the gym is going to begin using the turf again.​

    SERVICE REQUEST FORM:   Contact NPPF today! If it is metal, we can help.