Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services Brings the Community Together for First Luau in Cecil Township
Tuika’s Polynesian Island Magic performing at Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services. Live music and teaching the crowd authentic hula dancing.
One week ago, more than 135 people gathered at Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services in Cecil Township for an evening of Polynesian entertainment, food, dancing, fire knives and community fun.
When I purchased Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services from my dad in 2025, one of my goals was to find more ways to bring people into our funeral home for reasons other than loss.
Funeral homes are an important part of a community during some of life's hardest moments. But I also believe we can be part of the good days. The celebrations. The laughter. The moments when neighbors simply get together and enjoy one another.
That's exactly what happened at our first Coleman-Taylor Community Luau.
More Than 135 People Gathered in Cecil Township
Going into the event, I truly had no idea what to expect.
The weather had been unpredictable all week, and this was the first time we had ever attempted an event like this. We hoped people would come, bring their chairs and spend the evening with us.
They did.
More than 135 people filled the grounds of Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services, and the turnout was more than we could have imagined.
We welcomed familiar faces and met plenty of new ones, with neighbors joining us from Cecil, Muse, Canonsburg, South Fayette, Lawrence, Southview and McDonald, along with guests who traveled much farther to be part of the evening.
Some came from New Kensington and St. Marys, Pennsylvania, and even Zanesville, Ohio.
Seeing people from the communities we serve alongside friends who traveled hours to support us made the night even more special.
Polynesian Dancing, Fire Knives and Plenty of Audience Participation
The evening featured Polynesian entertainment from Tuika's Polynesian Island Magic, including traditional dancing, live entertainment and fire-knife dancing.
But this wasn't a show where everyone just sat back and watched.
Guests were invited to come up and become part of the show themselves. The women were called up first to learn some of the dances, followed by the men, and it quickly became one of the funniest and most memorable parts of the evening.
There was plenty of cheering, laughing and maybe a few dance moves that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
We were also joined by Hibachi Lou Food Truck and Passiflora Springs Winery, giving everyone a chance to grab something to eat or drink while enjoying the show.
A Special Samoan Connection for Our Family
The luau also had a very personal meaning for our family.
My husband, Chris, is Samoan and grew up performing in luaus alongside his dad.
But he hadn't fire-knife danced in 23 years.
That changed at the Coleman-Taylor Community Luau.
Chris picked up the fire knife again and joined the performers in front of more than 135 of our friends, family members and neighbors.
Watching him perform again and getting to share a piece of his Samoan culture with our community made an already special night one that our family will never forget.
Putting the "Fun" Back in Funeral
Throughout the evening, several people told us we were "putting the fun back in funeral."
We laughed, but there's actually something behind that phrase that means a lot to me.
Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services has been serving families since 1936. For 90 years, families have trusted this funeral home during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
That responsibility will always come first.
But I also want our neighbors to know who we are before the day comes when they need a funeral director.
I want Coleman-Taylor to be more than a building you only associate with death. I want it to be a familiar place in the community, run by people you know, people you've talked to, laughed with and hopefully learned to trust.
Whether your family has lived in Cecil Township for generations, you're raising your family in Canonsburg or South Fayette, or you call one of our surrounding communities home, we want you to feel like you're our neighbor.
Because you are.
Could the Coleman-Taylor Community Luau Become an Annual Tradition?
Based on the response we've received, we certainly hope so.
People stayed, laughed, danced, met new people and told us how much fun they had. Some traveled two and even three hours to attend.
What started as a slightly crazy idea turned into an evening with more than 135 people gathered together in the parking lot of a funeral home.
And somehow, it worked.
To everyone from Cecil Township and our surrounding communities who came, helped, performed, ate, danced, laughed or simply spent the evening with us, thank you.
You made our first Coleman-Taylor Community Luau more successful than we ever imagined.
We think we might have started something. 🌺
Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services
3378 Millers Run Road
Cecil, PA 15321
724-745-9510
