LAUREL MOUNTAIN
POST
The Great Butterfly Migration
School Days, School Days, Dear Old Golden Rule Days Girl Scouts: Changing the World for 100 Years History, Heroines & Horses of Western Pennsylvania Passing Over: A Different Kind of Documentary FREE – Autumn 2012
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Inspiration®
It Takes a Village – Even the Idiot! Truth be told, I’ve played the village idiot more than my fair share of times: • I smashed in the side of my SUV on my dad’s iron mail box – not once, but twice. • I actually drove around town with my purse on the trunk of my car until someone stopped me. • I’ve lost count of my trips to the emergency room for accidents involving sharp objects or bad choices. • It only took me 20 years to marry my best friend – everyone could see it but me. • I often push very hard on all doors clearly marked PULL. (yes, Midvale School for the Gifted is my favorite Far Side cartoon)
set out to find people to create it. Ruthie Richardson had never written anything before – Briana just thought that Ruthie told great stories and had a fun personality, so asked her to try and write some things down. Could we capture her witty charm on the printed page? And so we went from there with all of our writers. We looked for real people with unique perspectives or areas of expertise who could tell stories in
And that is just a short highlight reel from my ongoing career in the absurd. But from all these mishaps comes a world of insight. With the exception of the mailbox vs SUV problem, I always learn from my mistakes. They also take me in different directions than those I had carefully mapped out. It’s never a straight line, but a ridiculous winding path with glorious discoveries along the way. We’ve all heard the expression, “if it had been a snake, it would have bitten you.” It often takes missteps to discover those things right in front of our noses no matter how bright and shiny they are. We tend to waste much of our time looking for the faraway spectacular or uncommon without realizing how interesting and wonderful the simple things around us already are. Perspective is a powerful thing. The Laurel Mountain Post started out as one thing, and ended up another. We are proud of our writers, none of whom started out as writers. Back when we began our journey, Briana Tomack and I talked about the kind of content we wanted in the magazine, and Every Story Begins At Home.
seemingly smallest contributions have become the most impactful. It takes a lot of people, doing several little things, to create each issue of the Laurel Mountain Post. We get our ideas from silly Facebook posts, footnotes, casual gossip, and chance introductions. Our treasures are never marked with a simple “X,” though one with wacky polka dots would surely be meant for us! For all of my bylines, I wish I could thank those people in the twisted degrees of separation who are responsible for those ideas. I am a quiet person who listens a lot – looking for all the good things hidden or obscured among all the bad. I want to tell the inspiring stories, not the destructive ones. I value the original voices, no matter how colloquial or unrefined. The clown is much more interesting to me than the prince. Take some time and get to know people a little better, especially ones you usually don’t see as “your type.”
ways they had not been told before. We didn’t know what was going to happen, and we weren’t afraid to get going without a map or instructions. We filled our box of chocolates with a varied cast of characters and never looked back. I value the contribution of each and every one of our writers, as well as the hundreds of other people who have helped in countless ways. Some of the
Consider supporting some of the small projects like Kiva, Kickstarter and Little Free Libraries. Or maybe now is the time to get involved with larger organizations like United Way, the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County or the American Red Cross where your individual contributions combine with others to make a big difference. Don’t forget to shop locally on Small Business Saturdays and every day. These unique, small town shops and services are our community, and many of them support the Laurel Mountain Post with their advertisements. I hope you enjoy our newest issue of the Laurel Mountain Post. It’s full of those little things that make our lives in western Pennsylvania worth so much more. – Cathi Gerhard, Editor Autumn 2012 - 1
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LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
http://laurelmountainpost.wordpress.com
Welcome to the Rest of the Stories . . . Our print edition of the Laurel Mountain Post is published four times a year (May, August, November, and February). A lot happens in on our pages, but even more happens the rest of the year. This blog site allows us to add weekly content to pass the time in between print issues, include content we can’t fit into the printed magazine, and create new flexibility that only the digital age can provide: when researching our print articles, we find tons of material on the internet that we wish we could share – and now we can – by adding links to our blog pages.
Down on the Farm
Logal Blogosphere
Cathi Gerhard and Gregory Susa publish the Laurel Mountain Post from Fairview Farm, an estate-winery in the making, located in Derry. Many of their articles cover topics such as gardening, arts & crafts, DIY, country living, pets, and other day-in-the-life conversations that take place down on the farm. They do a ton of research on these topics and provide links to some of the great resources they find online.
Here are just some of the local writers you’ll discover as we press our favorite posts from their blog sites:
Ruthie Richardson’s Memory Lane
We are pop culture junkies!In this section we’ll be talking about movies, television, fashion, art and trends – the things that make life more interesting every day. Our staff will cover a variety of topics, with the same tastes found in our print magazine. We hope you enjoy the recomended flavors as much as we do – email us with suggestions!
Dear Diary, I have so many wonderful memories of so many things from the "Small Town America' I grew up in. When I think back on those days, I realize that I see things through rose colored glasses; and I wouldn't have it any other way. I also remember writing about many of these events in my safely locked, little pink diary.I kept that diary in my nightstand drawer, it's little gold key hidden in my jewelry box. I was very vigilant, and remembered to add an entry every night before I went to sleep. How I wish I would have saved that diary, along with all my other childhood treasures, but alas, it is gone forever. That said, I hope to re-create some of those entries here in my new blog, for both of us to enjoy.
Every Story Begins At Home.
The Soda Fountain: Serving Up Scoops of Pop Culture
Travelli McFarland Yes, Travelli McFarland is a nom de plume. We like to imagine that cats have a lot to say about the things they observe in our human lives. It’s also fun to pretend that they have voices much like Maggie Smith, Betty White, Paul Lynde, Brett Somers, Robin Williams and Helen Mirren, to name a few. Travelli McFarland has been fashioned into an odd combination of them all, and is busy working on short stories with a playful, omniscient narrative voice.
• Hayley Chemski-Horwat, MSN CRNA, Certified Fitness Trainer is the co-owner of Building Bodeez Fitness Center, located at 154 Pandora Rd in Derry, as well as a full-time Nurse Anesthetist with the University of Pittsburgh Physicians, currently based at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Fox Chapel, PA. Hayley offers a wealth of fitness and health knowledge, serving as the Group Fitness Coordinator and Wellness Programs Director at Build-ing Bodeez. Hayley recognizes the marriage of fitness with healthy living and disease risk prevention, and offers suggestions for holistic wellbeing through her blog. www.buildingbodeez.net • Elizabeth Srsic is a senior in the Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Art Education. She is a volunteer tutor with the Kids Read program and a lifelong girl scout. She also co-authors a feminist blog with Joanna McQuade called Geekalitarian, which addresses media respresentations of women in popular culture. Their popular blog has recently been linked by CNN! http://geekalitarian.wordpress.com Here’s hoping you enjoy reading our online content – we have a blast putting it all together. Be sure to spread the word on your own social media outlets! Autumn 2012 - 3
MEMORY LANE by Ruthie Richardson
School Days, School Days, Dear Old Golden Rule Days It’s back to school time again, even though the corporate headquarters at Rite Aid tried to convince us to shop for those supplies a little earlier than now, like on Memorial Day. But now the back to school season has arrived for real, and the sledgehammer of reality is crashing down on all of those lazy little late sleepers with sunburned noses and skinned, summer-time knees. I smile as I remember my own back to school adventures and the excitement the start of autumn always held for me. As I recall, my school-year necessities were a little different from those of today’s students. I always got a brand new pencil box that contained several #2 yellow pencils, a little eraser, and a ruler. I never could figure out what I was supposed to do with that ruler, but one came in every pencil case. I also got a new book bag and every few years, a new lunch box. I marvel when I think about how different the world of education is today compared to the ‘olden days’ of my youth. Modern day kids need a back-pack that holds enough stuff to survive a monthlong trek through Europe, and they all seem to have various electronic gadgets, half of which I don’t even know what they are. I felt lucky that I had an AM transistor radio with a long cord attached to one little earphone, and it certainly was not allowed to go to school with me. Our phones were two cans with a string holding them together, and we ‘texted’ on little scraps of paper we passed to each other in class while praying the teacher wouldn’t catch us. The only laptop I can remember was my grandma Stewart’s, and she would tell me wonderful stories while I sat on it. 4 - Autumn 2012
I didn’t go to kindergarten; I don’t think they even had kindergarten in 1953. I started my education as a first grader at my neighborhood school, West Derry. I love the tradition in my family that both of my parents also went to first grade there in 1928 and 1929, and to finish that wonderful continuity, my mom joined me when I took my daughter, Nicole, to her first day of first grade in 1976, at that same grand old building, West Derry School. Three generations of first graders at the same school building, I bet that doesn’t happen very often any more.
West Derry School in her glory days.
Come the beginning of September, our neighborhood saw the smiling faces of our exhausted moms waving goodbye to us from their porches. I’m sure they were thankfully observing the slow-moving procession of freshly scrubbed, surly-faced kids, marching, in their new school shoes, up the path towards the forced incarceration of their prison of higher learning, West Derry School. Way back in 1954, on my own first day of first grade I, too, started down that well-worn path, the one that led not only to that old yellow brick build-
ing, but also to my education. I must admit, I started school with great anticipation. The adventure of all those new experiences called to me, and I was ready to learn. Of course those were the early days of my education, and I had yet to hear the words algebra … or Shakespeare. In those ‘olden’ days, if you were within walking distance (and I wish I knew how many miles were considered ‘walking distance’ back then) you didn’t get the option of riding the bus. We were called ‘walkers’, and walk we did, sometimes four times a day since we went home for lunch when the weather was nice. There were little paths all around the school; our short cuts that led to all our little neighborhoods. I remember how proud I felt to be joining the older kids who were heading to school every morning and racing home in the afternoon, down all of those paths. Come 3:00, we were like ants on an anthill, running in every direction. Our school consisted of first through 7th grade, so there were kids of all ages, and lots of brothers and sisters and cousins, since most families in those days lived in the same neighborhoods. When the first day of school finally arrived for me, I’m sure my mom had me dressed in a fancy new frilly, outfit with brand new shoes. Alas, I have no recollection of what I may have been wearing. I hadn’t developed any fashion awareness yet. The only thing I knew about my clothes was the three different and distinct categories of them. The first category was “Good” clothes. These were reserved for church, Sunday school or visiting the funeral parlor. My mom insisted mine LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
were always fancy, ruffled, chiffon dresses with lots of crinoline slips, paired with black patent leather Mary Jane’s. When I wore those dresses I was also taught to act accordingly – no running around like a ‘wild indian,’ always sitting properly with my ankles crossed, and generally behaving like a lady. I was allowed the occasional spin that made those big full skirts flare out. I loved doing that, and the bottoms of my patent leather shoes were smooth and perfect for spinning. Occasionally I was allowed to temporarily downgrade one of these fancy outfits to the next lower category – “School” clothes, but only on picture day when Mr. Deglau would be there. And if I wore one of my ‘good’ outfits on picture day, I knew to sit quietly all day, to stay off of the playground, and to eat my lunch very carefully. School clothes were changed the minute my brother and I got home from school. We would come through the door and go straight up to our rooms to change into that last, lowly category – “Play” clothes. Woe be the kid who stopped on the way home from school to play in the ‘crick’ in his school clothes. That folly would surely risk the wrath of mom if she spied you out the kitchen window or saw your telltale muddy knees and wet shoes. I can still hear my mom’s raised voice at the back door calling to us, “You kids get in here this minute and get your play clothes on!” My play clothes were usually the previous year’s school clothes, or outfits the older neighborhood girls had grown out of, and their moms had handed down to me. They were very functional, although pretty short on fashion; most had been mended or had the telltale Clorox white spot where a stain had stubbornly refused to come out. A new pair of shoes was always on the agenda for each new school year, along with a few dresses, skirts and the occasional jumper. No slacks for girls; it just wasn’t done. We could wear our snow pants if the weather was cold and snowy, but only over our dresses, and they had to be hung in the cloakroom along with our other ‘wraps.’ I can still remember the teacher telling us at the end of the day to collect our wraps from the cloakroom before the bell rang. Our Every Story Begins At Home.
Fancy dress from the 'Good Clothes' for picture day: CAREFUL!
lunch boxes were also lined up on the bench, below the coat hooks. Mine was the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans brand, and I sure wish I still had it! I never used the thermos that came with my lunchbox. Mom would send money with me to school each week in a little brown envelope, for the Bergman’s milkman. Every day, late morning, the big Bergman’s truck would pull up to the side door of the school and the driver would deliver metal crates of milk to each classroom door. At lunchtime, we would all go into the hall to retrieve our lunch boxes and whatever beverage selection our moms had written on our envelope: white milk, chocolate milk, or orange drink. I was never allowed to get the orange drink; my mom thought it was as bad as pop. After lunch, those empty bottles would go back into the Bergman’s crate for the milkman to collect later in the afternoon, and take them back to the factory for washing and refilling for the next day’s lunch. We recycled before it was fashionable. I remember those school days so well. Each morning would begin with the chaos of all those young voices, laughing and talking, and all those students scurrying down the wide hallways to our classrooms. After we had taken our seats and quieted down, the teacher would face the flag and tell us to please stand for the Pledge. We would all rise, quietly and respectfully, stand at atten-
tion with our hands over our hearts, look to Old Glory, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by bowing our heads for The Lord’s Prayer and then we would all sing My Country ‘Tis Of Thee. The teacher would tell us to take our seats, and we would begin the day’s lessons. We didn’t exchange classes; we had the same teacher for all of our subjects. I remember our Dick and Jane Readers, and how exciting it was to see what adventure lay ahead for them and what lessons they, and we, would learn. We had workbooks, too, but we weren’t allowed to write in them. Our teacher would pass sheets of yellow, lined paper to each row and we would write the answers there. The next set of students would be using those workbooks as well – more recycling. I remember the teacher cutting those yellow sheets of paper in half in the back of the room, and I remember the whooshing sound that her big paper cutter made. A half sheet of paper meant we would be having a spelling test. We would number the page, 1 through 10, and spell out the words that we had learned at home, with a bonus word for extra credit. And I remember how we loved to pass those freshly printed sheets of mimeographed pages over our shoulders, and how good the ink always smelled. I suppose it’s been found to be toxic by now, along with the white paste we all tasted. Maybe that explains what’s wrong with all of us today! There were other smells from that old building that were memorable too, the freshly oiled wooden floors, the smoke from the old hand-fired coal furnace, and our chalky hands from being at the blackboard. And who could forget the smell of the pine/disinfectant saw dust that the janitor would sprinkle when someone threw up. Sorry! I just had to say it. I remember music class, and the chalk holder with five brackets that held the chalk so the teacher could draw even lines for the notes, and banging the erasers together to get the chalk dust out. And I recall our art class and folding the accordion legs on my construction paper pumpkins that the continued on page 6
Autumn 2012 - 5
West Derry Teachers: Top Row - Miss Bergman (hiding her ruler) Mrs. McAteer, Mrs. Igo, Mr Cribbs, Mr. Rupert. Bottom Row - Mrs. Edmunds (who signed my report card), Miss Ackerman, Mrs. Midlam, Mrs. Demine, Mrs. Deglau.
teacher would hang on the windows at Halloween. And I remember writing class, with the teacher melodically telling us, “Round, round, ready write.” We had to hold our pencils so they pointed over our shoulders, and our pointer finger could not point at the knuckle; that finger had to lie against
the pencil. Remember? No bird perches! And I remember the Weekly Reader and report card day, and the dread it would cause in the pit of my stomach. I remember the little phrase at the bottom, underneath our grades – Ruth Parrish has been – and the three choices – Promoted to, Assigned to, or
Report card, grade page - "I was 'PROMOTED'!" 6 - Autumn 2012
the most dreaded one of all, RETAINED IN … which meant you failed, and would not be moving on to the next grade with all of your classmates. You were held back, until you passed all of the subjects. They would even hold you back two years in a row if necessary, I remember a boy that it happened to. If my teachers, especially from gradeschool in good old West Derry, could be magically transported into a classroom in today’s school district, I’m sure they would faint, and then promptly quit. And the junior and senior high teachers, well, let’s just say I can think of several who would be hauled out by the longarm of the law. Like the old song says, those good old golden rule days at West Derry School taught us the basics: Readin’, Ritin’, and Rithmatic, and they were certainly taught to the tune of the hickory stick. The motto in those days was ‘spare the rod and spoil the child,’ and boys as well as girls got a good swat with the paddle if any teacher thought we deserved it. And, good Lord, if the teacher sent you to the principal’s office, you knew a paddling was your only fate. The only thing you could pray for was that your parents never found out. Paddles were displayed proudly in the classrooms; a little visual deterrent I guess. Miss Bergman used a wooden ruler to whack us across the knuckles for any infraction. I guess she had finally found a use for the one she got in her pencil case. We learned, penmanship and reading, spelling and math. We learned the history of our world, and all of the world’s geography, along with discovering the joys found in drawing and singing. But we also learned valuable lessons about life in those dusty old classrooms. We learned to pay attention when someone was speaking, that there was a time and place to run and shout and play, and that the classroom was not that place. We had the choice of sitting down and being quiet or getting the paddle. We learned to complete our work or suffer the consequences, and to honor our flag and our country. I have grand memories of my days at West Derry School, and from the other schools I attended along the course of my education. I am thankful LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Ligonier Valley YMCA 110 West Church Street Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.7580 | 724.238.3619 (f) www.ligonierymca.org
for all the lessons I learned from all of my teachers in the good old Derry Area School District. Although Delfino Calvo wrote these words way back in 1955, for our high school’s Alma Mater, they convey my feelings for my first school, as well as my last. And they stand as true for me today as they must have been for him the day he penned them:
Derry AreaHigh Blessed Be The Tie May Thy Glorious Name Ever Live In Fame May Thy Teachings Never Die We Will Always Be Closely Bound To Thee Through The Joys And Tears We Will Have No Fears
2nd Annual Fundraising Car Show & Truck Show
Sunday, August 26, 2012 Stahlstown Flax Scutching Grounds on Route 711 Show will be held from 12pm-5pm, Registration 12pm-3pm Entry Fee $10
www.kidsonhorses.org (724)593-8121
4th Annual Fundraising Lunch & Trap Shoot
Friday, October 12, 2012 Pike Run Country Club
Nickers ‘N Neighs Therapeutic Riding Center provides a variety of equine services to individuals with a wide range of disabilities. These disabilities include, but are not limited to, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida, pervasive developmental delay, autism, non-verbal disorders, visual and hearing impairment, and developmental and learning disabilities. Special Thanks to Silver Star Stables for their continued support.
For Derry Area High
Ruthie loves to share memories with you. Email her at: Ruth-Elaine@comcast.net, look for her on Facebook, or join our LMP online community to read her new blog! Every Story Begins At Home.
Laurel Mountain Post-style stories, links and photos EVERY DAY
www.facebook.com/laurelmountainpost Autumn 2012 - 7
EDITORS’ CHOICE COMMUNITY AWARDS Local Favorites Chosen by the Staff of the Laurel Mountain Post
Best Toffee: Naughty Toffee in Ligonier. I have never really been a toffee fan, it always seemed to stick in my teeth and lost it’s crunch in the slightest exposure to humidity; but, this toffee does neither of those two things! They make it on site and offer it in milk & dark chocolate. The dark is hands down the best. There are other candies also available such as the green apple flavored Army men and curry chocolate cashews. Best Pillow: Comfort Revolution Hydraluxe tm contour gel memory foam. I was in Costco and happened to see a pillow that was covered on one side with blue gel nodules and comprised of memory foam. The sign above it read, “cooling gel draws heat away from your body.” As soon as I put my hand on the gel I could feel the delightful cooling effect. I tossed two in the cart and couldn’t wait for bed that night. I am pleased to report that it lives up to every expectation I had! Also comes with a 5 year warranty! After praising the pillow, four of our friends have purchased them after trying ours out for just a few minutes, and are equally impressed. Best Bowl Covers: Charles Viancin ~ Paris. Available at Amica in Ligonier. These re-useable silicone covers come in three sizes and can go in the freezer, fridge or oven! Not only practical they are very attractive, we keep ours hanging on the pot rack when not in use. I chose the lilly pad but there is also a sunflower version. When placed on the bowl the seal is so tight you can pick up the bowl and it’s contents by the center of the cover, truly amazing. Best Butcher: Lou at the Robinson Costco. The only Costco in the area that has Prime NY strip steaks and Plume de Veau veal scallopini & chops. I know it’s not exactly next door but certainly worth the trip. Although usually available Lou will order for you to ensure that it’s there when you arrive; if you order enough volume you can even get a case price, not that the $15/# is by any means expensive. Best Vacuum: I-Robot pet vac. I admit I was skeptical at first; after using this machine I can’t imagine life without it. It does an absolutely amazing job, even getting under our hot water base board heating! There will never be another dust bunny under the bed either. We set it to run every day while we’re at work. Simply empty the bin when you get home & periodically clean the brushes then sit back and enjoy your perfectly clean environment. – The Ligonier Chef Best Variety Store: Sugar Bear’s in Derry. Not only do you get to browse the old 5 & 10 from your childhood, but they have something old, something new, and some of the most eclectic items you can ever imagine. It's pretty much like an old general store. Best Hardware Store: Petroskey’s in Latrobe. An old-time hardware store with a huge amount of stuff. No matter how obscure, they seem to find what you are looking, even if they only have one in stock.
8 - Autumn 2012
Best Deck: Black & Gold Grill in Loyalhanna. They have a huge fish sandwich, too, and Michele, the owner has an herb garden in boxes around the patio that she will share with you, cut fresh while you are having dinner. And I love the black and gold pepper plants growing out there, nice touch for a Pittsburgh themed place. Best Produce Stand: Durika’s in New Derry on Rt. 982. I love her stuff, and they even have their own home made fudge. All locallygrown! – Ruthie & Doug Richardson Best Wine Under $10: Rex Goliath - Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir. We’ve been accused of being wine snobs (though not as much as the Ligonier Chef), but our favorite everyday wines are these three reliable bottles. Available at your local Pennsylvania Wine & Spirits store. Best Chinese Food: China Garden - Take Out in Lincoln Road Shopping Center, Latrobe. They also have a great lunch buffet! Peking Garden - Dining Room & Sushi - Eastgate Plaza in Greensburg. It’s one of our favorite places for dinner out! Best Italian Hoagie: Rosalie Jioio’s in Ligonier. A mountain of meat and cheese piled on an entire loaf of toasted bread, it makes a great newlywed dinner for two! Best Summer Farm Shoes: Keen Sandals for men and women. Better than any flip-flop, the Portico style sandal with a rubber closed toe with breathable upper/fabric straps is the best summer farm shoe we’ve ever seen. Still going strong and looking sharp after the first hard-working year. Available through Eddie Bauer and other online retailers, as well as DSW warehouse stores. Best Addictive TV Series: Midsomer Murders. We can’t get enough of Inspector Barnaby and the crazy, quirky residents of small English villages. We are still working our way through all 15 seasons, with more to come from Bentley Productions and iTV. Available on DVD and streaming video from Netflix and Amazon. – Cathi Gerhard & Gregory Susa Best Body Wash: Amazing Grace Shower Gel by Philosophy has an amazing fragrance and always makes me feel extra clean. It also reduces stress! Available at Sephora in Greensburg JCPenny, Ulta, some Macy’s stores, and online at www.philosphy.com – Megan Fuller ***** The above recommendations are honest kudos from the staff of the Laurel Mountain Post. We do not trade product endorsements for paid advertisements. In many cases, our ad sales and articles result from us contacting businesses we really like - and telling them so! The Laurel Mountain Post maintains high standards of editorial credibility with our endorsements. These are simply our opinions, however, and we can hold no responsibility for your personal experiences with these products or services.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
http://www.kiva.org/team/laurel_mountain_post
Readers may remember a few issues ago there was an article about Kiva.org. Laurel Mountain Post staff thought it would be a great idea to get more involved with Kiva, and some of us have personal lending accounts. We recently opened an account specifically for the Laurel Mountain Post and created a lending team so we (staff and readers) can all work together helping people around the world. In each issue we will focus on a country or geographic area in which Kiva has lending partners, we will be lending to entrepreneurs and we invite readers to join our team and do the same! In case you missed the previous article, or just as a reminder, here is a little bit of background on Kiva.org: Kiva.org is a 501(c) (3) micro-lending organization founded in November 2005 with field partner agencies all over the world. Kiva connects regular folks like you and me with entrepreneurs in third world countries (and in the U.S. too) who need loans to help them improve their businesses and standards of living. The loans range from around $100 up to a couple thousand ($10,000 in the U.S.). The great thing is that lenders only need $25 to participate! When you go to Kiva.org you get to see the real people who are asking for loans and read a little about them. Then, if you want to help, you join together with a group of other lenders and fund the loan. The entrepreneurs and the field partner agencies can post updates and each month your part of the loan payment is deposited back in your Kiva account.It’s a simple process and getting to learn a little about how people make a living in other places is fun.
• always feeling welcomed • ease of getting adjusted • the weather • samosas (this is an Indian food; its presence in Kenya is due to the coun-try’s history of Indian immigration) • chapati bread (same as above) • The Karen Blixen Museum (she wrote the book Out of Africa, which was turned into movie with the same name. • The Giraffe Centre in Nairobi (http://giraffecenter.org/) • The Nairobi National Museum • the great migration (usually in May and December when the animals move – a great time for safari) Okay, I don’t know about you, reader, but I am ready to schedule a safari to see the great migration! Of course, my friend is practical too and pointed out that as much as she loves Kenya, the country has gone through some turmoil. In particular, it endured a very bloody round of postelection violence (2007/2008). This is not new for Kenya, but the intensity and viciousness of 2007 was. Something she loves about the people is the courage that some have exhibited in going forward. They have faced the problem head on and are harnessing their resources to ensure that the elections in March 2013 will be peaceful. Non-governmental groups are doing some extraordinary work to make this happen. So, with some luck and some
critical outside support, March 2013 will be peaceful. As I write, there are 299 Kenyan entrepreneurs listed on Kiva.org. The businesses run the gamut from agriculture to grocery to retail to transportation. Most of the loans currently listed are for less than $1000. With a gross national income of $780/year it is easy to imagine that a loan of around $1000 could really make a difference in the business opportunities and standard of living for many in this country. Hopefully, micro-lending will assist the courageous and resilient Kenyans to continue to work towards peaceful elections. I also asked my friend to do a quick compare and contrast between a city in Kenya (she picked Nairobi) and Pittsburgh. Nairobi: mild weather year round Pittsburgh: hot and humid in the summer Nairobi: the hub of east Africa Pittsburgh: a quieter town Nairobi/Central province: lots of green in the surrounding areas Pittsburgh/ Laurel Mountains: same Please join our lending team and see how just a little can make a big difference in people’s lives around the world!
– Megan Fuller, Contributing Editor
Let’s Visit Kenya! For some reason, Kenya popped into my mind as a great place to begin our LMP/ Kiva.org adventure. Sadly, I don’t personally know much about Kenya–except that they have great coffee–Kenya beans from Starbucks definitely are one of my top picks. I also remember from college that Kenya is the place where Louis Leakey, the famous archaeologist, found some extremely ancient hominid bones in Olduvai Gorge-but college was 20 years ago and my memory is lacking. Luckily, my awesome and super well-travelled friend has been to Kenya so I asked her to share a little about it. She loves Kenya. It was difficult for her to narrow down her favorite things about the country because there are so many wonderful things from which to choose. Here is a list of a few that she mentioned: Every Story Begins At Home.
Consolata Akyini, Kenya A loan of $150 helped Consolata to buy seeds and vegetables to sell. Autumn 2012 - 9
Little Free Libraries! As a book lover and community builder (and my kids would probably say “cheapo”) there’s hardly a place I like better than a library. So when I heard on the radio a few months ago about these tiny little libraries popping up in people’s front yards I was enchanted. What a great idea! Sharing books with friends and neighbors gives people a meeting point along with opportunity to connect—like a water cooler at work. The gentleman who came up with the idea wanted to honor his mother, a former teacher and avid reader, so he set up a little box in his yard filled with books for anyone to take. His neighbors seemed to love the idea and it took off. The idea is simple “take a book-leave a book”, so the
inventory is constantly changing and neighbors can visit again and again. And the little library boxes are so dang cute and clever! People are using all sorts of containers, doll houses, mini barns, newspaper machines, old trunks – anything that will hold a stash of books and keep the rain out. The mission of Little Free Libraries is to foster “a sense of community, reading for children, literacy for adults and libraries around the world.” To promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide. To build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity, and wisdom across generations. To build more than 2,510 libraries around the world – more than Andrew Carnegie!
So far it has been pretty successful as there are thousands of Little Free Libraries around the globe but there is always room for growth. In Western PA there are only three Little Free Libraries listed on the web site: one in Smicksburg, one in Johnstown, and one in Altoona. I have already added making a cute box to my husband’s honey-do list (sure I could make it myself but then why would I need him? LOL) and I eagerly await installation. http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/index.html – Megan Fuller, Contributing Editor
LAUREL MOUNTAIN
POST
Office Mailing Address: Laurel Mountain Post | PO Box 332 | Ligonier, PA 15658 Editorial Office: Located at Fairview Farm | 189 Fairview Lane | Derry, PA 15627 Advertising Office: Located at Equine Chic | 100 E. Main Street | Ligonier, PA 15658
Cathi Gerhard - Editor • Gregory Susa - Publisher Jason Ament - Managing Editor & Advertising Sales Director Megan Fuller - Editorial Consultant Carol Gerhard - Copy Editor • Scott Sinemus - The Ligonier Chef Elizabeth Srsic - Art & Education • Ruthie Richardson - Memory Lane Mark Rullo - What’s Cooking in Fitness • Granny Earth - Healing With Weeds Brian Mishler - Home Study • Cindy Parker - Three Pennies Bruce & Ellen Henderson - Features & Photography Joe Jerich - Features & Photography • Eric Pensenstadler - Video
Subscriber Information
Print subscriptions will once again be available for $20/year, and will arrive via 1st Class US Mail. We’ve had some issues with slow bulk mail deliveries in the past, so we plan to stuff envelopes and lick stamps from now on! You will receive a copy of each quarterly print edition along with subscriber-only coupons from local businesses in appreciation of your support! Please send a check with your name and mailing address to: Laurel Mountain Post Subscriptions PO Box 332 • Ligonier, PA 15658 (include email address for online access code)
Bloggers: Elizabeth Srsic, Joanna McQuade, Ruthie Richardson, Hayley Chemski, Cathi Gerhard , Megan Fuller Distribution Team: Doug Richardson, Heather Haines, Bob Raho, Robin Shields, Beverly Struble, Jack Wilson, Jason Ament, Cathi Gerhard, Gregory Susa The Laurel Mountain Post is an independent, quarterly publication produced at Fairview Farm in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. 724-537-6845 • www.Laurel Mountain Post.com
10 - Autumn 2012
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Joanne Grace Hartman, MT A massage relaxes muscles, easing and soothing your aches and pains. It rejuvenates – restoring balance to our body and being, making us better for all the things life throws our way.
220B West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 Phone: 724-858-6271
Latrobe Animal Clinic 5767B Route 981 Latrobe, PA 15650 724-539-8531 Ben Helman, DVM Winry Hughes, Fairview Farm
www.LatrobeAnimalClinic.com 724-238-9273 • 412-951-5579 • Fully Insured (PA046680)
TOP: Jim “Red” Buscaglio (Greensburg) Cruising in Haiti. BOTTOM: Mario Mignogna (North Huntingdon) First time at the beach – on the Boardwalk in Ocean City, MD.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Autumn 2012 - 11
Girls Scouts
Changing the World for 100 Years When the general public hears the term ‘Girl Scouts,’ images of sinfully delicious, sometimes chocolate-covered, cookies come to mind. When someone who has been involved in Girl Scouts hears that term, memories of friendships new and old, the skills learned, the sense of empowerment and positive self-esteem come flooding into memory. I am not sure what first inspired me to join Girl Scouts back in 1998. I
be shaped as an adult member and camp counselor? As a girl member in my troop, I was able to pursue different interests and show off my achievements through badges. Anyone could look at my vest and know that I was a girl who could use power tools, cook, and express myself creatively. The patches on the back were symbols of my participation and leadership in large-scale events.
Article author, Elizabeth Srsic (right), drawing caricatures of campers that answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
honestly cannot remember what first planted that idea in my third-grade mind or what expectations I held going into my first year. How could I have known what an influence this would be to my young life —or even how my character would continue to 12 - Autumn 2012
When my troop reached the Cadette level of Girl Scouting we received our first real taste of leadership. Our troop was put in charge of planning the Camporee for our entire service unit. An example of a service unit would be Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania,
which spans every county from Erie to Bedford. The Camporee is a weekend event where all of the troops from your service unit get together and participate in activities. Although I was not part of GSWPA (I lived in North Carolina at the time and was part of Pines of Carolina), the responsibility was still very large and very exciting. The role I played in my troop when planning and executing those weekend events is very similar to the job position of Program Coordinator I now hold at Camp Conshatawba, one of their summer resident camps in Summerhill, PA. After attending a job fair at IUP on a whim, I received the opportunity to work for the same institution that helped mold me in my youth. Over the course of this summer I was reminded of the importance of Girl Scouts. The girls who come to camp forge new friendships, gain confidence through new challenges and experiences (like climbing then zip-lining off our 25 ft rock wall!), and learn to work in a group. They are also encouraged to plan the activities they wish to participate in and set rules and standards for their behavior and treatment of their fellow girls. One of the biggest affirmations of everything we try to facilitate at camp came from one group of girls during an adventure camp. There were four girls who were in the same troop, one girl with special needs, and two others who were the oldest and the youngest girls in the group. At first everyone became friends, then tension began to develop between the girl with special needs and the rest. However, before I or one of the other counselors could intervene, one girl took the others aside and explained to them that they all needed to be more patient and understanding. From that same group of girls, there was one from the troop that was really withdrawn and shy. By the end of that camp, she was laughing, joking, and instigating during card games. One of her friends on the last day told her it was amazing that she LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
opened up so much during one week of camp —especially since they had all been in a troop together for years. When I joined Girl Scouts you had to be a member of a troop to participate in the program. Now, there are a variety of opportunities, called Pathways:
Troop
Experience the Power of WE Girls within the same grade level and school district meet regularly (weekly, monthly), pooling their resources for a group experience. But if your nearest troop is too far away to make a regular meeting commitment, you can also register your daughter as an independent Girl Scout, and she can have access to all the same material, events, and camps as those girls who are able to be in a troop.
Camp Like A Girl Any Way You Want
Resident camps are camps that the girls attend for 2 – 5 nights and live that classic camp experience. If you don’t think your daughter is ready to spend that time away from home, she can also register for our day camps and enjoy the same quality programing and fun one day at a time. All camp opportunities are listed in each issue of S’MORE Magazine and posted on the council website (www.gswpa.org)
Travel
Expand Your Horizons There are also travel opportunities where your daughter can get together with other Girl Scouts and either go on an extended road trip, travel abroad, or go on day adventures in your local area. These once -in-a-lifetime trips are made possible for all girls through proceeds earned from the fall MagNut Sale program and Girl Scout cookie program. All travel programs are are listed in S’MORE Magazine and posted in the Girls section on the council website (www.gswpa.org). continued on page 32 Every Story Begins At Home.
Autumn 2012 - 13
ASK GRANNY EARTH Healing with Weeds
I’ve been reading about a plant called “Autumn Olive” and its ability to heal cancer and heart disease. Do you know anything about this plant? Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellate) is a bushy, deciduous (sheds its leaves annually) shrub, which grows to heights of between 3 and 16 feet, and is found growing along roadsides, pastures and fields in a wide range of soils, including poor soil. Its ability to thrive in poor soil is due to its nitrogenfixing root nodules. It doesn’t thrive in wet sites or deep forests. Being first introduced to the United States from east Asia in the 1830’s and planted in Eastern and central United States for re-vegetation of disturbed areas as an ornamental, Autumn Olive is now considered to be an “invasive species” in many areas from Maine to Virginia and as far west as Wisconsin. This is due to several reasons:
1. Its berries are eaten by birds and dispersed 2.It thrives in poor soil 3.It re-sprouts vigorously after cutting or burning The leaves of Autumn are 1–3 inches long and 1–1 ½ inches wide, alternate and oval to lanceolate (narrow and tapering at each end) and untoothed. The underside of the dark green leaf is covered with silver-white scales. It flowers in May with small, light yellow flowers, giving way to cranberry tasting fruit (juicy red berries) in September and October. Although this fruit is edible and abundant, it was reported to be of little use until just recently when it was discovered to be an excellent source of
lycopene. Lycopene has generated a lot of interest lately as a possible deterrent to heart disease, and cancers of the prostate, cervix and gastrointestinal tract (Judy McBride; Agricultural Research Service, USDA, jmcbride@ars.usda.gov). Lycopene is the phytochemical that is found in tomatoes and tomato products, which plays an important role in the prevention of disease, especially certain cancers, such as prostate cancer, and heart disease. This is, because lycopene is one of the most potent and effective dietary antioxidants known at this time (Monthly Research Updates: www.lycoene.org). Autumn Olive berries contain the same carotenoids as tomatoes: lycoene, beta carotene and lutein. Scientists have found that ounce for ounce, Autumn Olive berries are 15 to 18 times richer in lycopene than tomatoes. Beverly Clevidence, who runs the U S Dept. of Agriculture’s Phytonutrient Laboratory stated that, “It’s rare to see lycopene in anything that’s not tomato-based. I was surprised to find such a high lycopene content in the Autumn Olive berry.” www.HoustonChronicle.com Seventy-some years young, and following my life-long passion, which is natural healing and teaching others about weed medicine, I believe that we each must do what we can to get back to Nature. In making your own weed medicine, you’re going to be going out looking and identifying certain weeds that grow around youyou’ll be outdoors, in the sunshine and fresh air- getting back to Nature. Maybe you’ll start growing your own weeds- turning your backyard into a weed garden! Granny Earth has a bachelor’s in Psychology from California University of Pennsylvania (which she earned at age 59), and both a masters and doctorate from Clayton College of Natural Health. Visit her website www.grannyearth.com!
“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.” – A.A. Milne 14 - Autumn 2012
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Call for Submissions The Laurel Mountain Post is looking for creative writing and article proposals. All local writers are invited to submit original (never before published) works for consideration. Prose and poetry should not exceed 2500 words; longer stories will be serialized if selected for publication. Suggestions for articles should include the who-what-where, and especially WHY it would interest our readers. No sales copy will be accepted – we are looking for legitimate , local feature topics. Submissions will be read by a multidisplinaryteam of editors, so please be patient regarding our decision once you receive a confirmation receipt. It takes a while for our editorial board members to read through your manuscripts and make their recommendations. We are truly looking forward to hearing new ideas and reading your work!
Westmoreland County Historical Society Honors
Complete guidelines are available on our website: www.LaurelMountainPost.com
Arnold Palmer
The Westmoreland County Historical Society is pleased to honor the legacy of Westmoreland County’s own Arnold Palmer at an event hosted at Rizzo’s Malabar Inn Sunday, August 12 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Mr. Palmer’s contributions to the history and development of Westmoreland County are numerous and multifaceted. He has made lasting contributions to the medical, educational, economic, and recreational life of Westmoreland County. The popularity of golf as a leisure activity grew among county residents as we watched Arnold dominate professional golf for a generation with a charm and gusto familiar to those who grew up with him. Lisa Hays, executive director of the Westmoreland County Historical Society, points out that “While Mr. Palmer can fairly be considered a national treasure, he has honored his hometown community by maintaining a presence and commitment to the quality of life in Westmoreland County. And we want to honor him in return.” Reservations are required and limited for this special event with a donation of $125 per person. Contact the Westmoreland County Historical Society at 724-532-1935 x 15. Proceeds benefit the Westmoreland County Historical Society, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to acquiring and managing resources related to the history of Westmoreland County and using these resources to encourage a diverse audience to make connections to the past, develop an understanding of the present, and provide direction for the future.
Every Story Begins At Home.
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Autumn 2012 - 15
Please Support Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited Westmoreland Day of Giving Wednesday, October 3 Mark your calendar and support Westmoreland County’s Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited during the Westmoreland Day of Giving 2012. During the 24-hour period from midnight to midnight Wednesday, October 3 all donations made to the Chapter will be matched by a pro-rated portion of funds from the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County! Your donation made this way will have a greater impact, as well as being tax deductible. It’s easy to do. Just go online to www.WestmorelandGives.org then search for the Forbes Trail Chapter and follow the simple instructions. Donations must be made by credit/debit card. The Forbes Trail Chapter of Trout Unlimited was founded in 1973 bringing cold water conservation to Westmoreland County Pennsylvania. FTTU has been involved with stream restoration since the early 1970’s after a highway by-pass construction project and Hurricane Agnes devastated Loyalhanna Creek. In the early 1980’s Forbes Trail in partnership with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Loyalhanna Watershed Association, began an aggressive stream improvement project on the Delayed Harvest section of Loyalhanna Creek. Over the course of two decades, our chapter constructed approximately fifteen fish habitat devices, stabilized over 300 yards of stream bank and positioned over 600 tons of stone. FTTU was awarded the Golden Trout Award by TU National for our efforts on Loyalhanna Creek. More recently the chapter has worked in the Linn Run watershed and was named Westmoreland County Conservation Club of the Year in 2003. In addition to our conservation work, FTTU strives to be a positive force in the community through our youth group and partnerships with other area organizations.
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Print Subscribers will receive monthly coupons via US Mail along with their quarterly magazine for $20 It’s our way of saying “THANKS!” for sponsoring this community publication. Your subscriptions and business advertisements support this magazine and fund marketing opportunities for non profit organizations in the community.
www.forbestrailtu.org 16 - Autumn 2012
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
WHAT’S COOKING IN FITNESS by Mark Rullo (MS, CSCS, MES) and Julie Martson
What to Think of the New Weight Loss Pills: Have Our Prayers Been Answered? There has been a lot of buzz lately about the FDA’s approval of two prescription medications that have been developed to help treat obesity. There is no question that the medical community has a desire to help overweight and obese individuals in their weight loss goals. However, there is still a huge question that looms over these approvals: Which begs the question are Belviq and Qsymia worth taking? According to study results reported in the FDA’s announcement, participants of both studies took the medications in combination with a reduced calorie diet and exercise (hmm, wondering why they didn’t just do that without the medication). After a year of diet, exercise, and medication (yes, that isn’t a typo – 1 year, 12 months), Belviq users saw an average of 3.0 - 3.7% weight loss and forty-seven of participants lost 5% of their body weight in one year. Whereas; Qysmia which can be prescribed in two doses, utilized two separate groups for their study to compare the dosage effect. Like the Belviq participants, Qysmia participants also were on a diet and exercise plan, and after a year, there was an average weight loss of 6.7% for the lower dose of the drug, and 8.9% for the higher dose. While these results may seem significant at first, let’s see what these announced percentage results actually translate to using a 300 pound individual. For example: • If our participant is 300 pounds and took Belviq, they would lose between 11.1 pounds and 15 pounds in one year. That’s a monthly average of .9-1.25 pounds a month (The fat is just melting away!) Every Story Begins At Home.
• Where with Qysmia, our 300pound participant would lose 20.1 pounds in a year on the lower dose; on the (more expensive) higher dose this participant would see a 26.7 pound weight loss. This translates to a monthly average of 1.7-2.2 pound weight loss. (Holy Cow Batman! We may have a winner with this one!). I think I will have to pinch myself to get myself out of this dream/ nightmare. Based off of this information, I can take a pill AND still have to adjust my lifestyle by incorporating both diet and exercise (which I was hoping the pill would help me not have to do) and only see those results. Oops, I forgot to mention, this drug more likely will be an out-of-the pocket expense (not covered by insurance). Most people who are overweight or obese and weigh in at 300 pounds and start a diet and exercise plan can typically lose 1-2 pounds a week on a slow week! So why are they getting excited about .9 to 2.2 lbs in a month by adding a costly and potentially risky pill? Regardless of the cost associated; either out of the pocket or via insurance. The scariest part of these drugs are the potential side effects, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, dry mouth, constipation, an increase in heart rate, tingling of the hands and feet, insomnia, and altered taste sensation. Additionally it was noted; women of child-bearing age who would be prescribed Qysmia also need to take a pregnancy test before starting the medication and every month while they are on it, and should use contraception to avoid pregnancy complications. What about the long-term potential side effects. How many times
has a drug been approved then later had to be pulled. The FDA doesn’t know the long term effects of this drug. Both manufacturers are still compiling data on their respective medications. We do know that people who engage in regular exercise see a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. Levels of the bad kind of cholesterol – LDL – decrease while the good kind – HDL – often increase. Medication cannot replace what exercise does for the human body. We are built to move, so it is important that we make movement a priority. The good news, there is another way! It doesn’t have to be complicated because weight loss is rather simple. One pound of fat is 3500 calories. If you can reduce your intake of calories to create a deficit of 3500 calories you will lose one pound – without even changing your activity level. As an Exercise Physiologist, I wish it was more complicated so that maybe I would be viewed as a “Rocket Scientist”; however it is simple math! For example, replacing one 20 ounce bottle of regular Pepsi (250 calories each) every day for 28 days would add up to create a calorie deficit of 7,000 calories, which is equivalent to losing 2 pounds in 28 days. In a year, that would be 26 pounds. Now if you don’t drink soda, you should get the picture here of a need to be accountable to the caloric cost of what goes in your month to make the appropriate adjustments. Add a quick 30 minute walk (least effective mode of exercise when it comes to weight loss) over those 28 days, and you’ll see a 6,300 calorie deficit, which would be another 1.8 continued on page 18
Autumn 2012 - 17
continued from page 17
pounds. Add it together for a month, and our 300 pound exerciser has just lost 3.8 pounds in 28 days. In a year, this person could lose an estimated 45 pounds or 15% of their starting weight as compared to the 3 to 9% range of weight loss by paying for a drug that may have side effects. Here at My Fitness Kitchen®, we put a huge emphasis on nutrition and exercise. We have a specific hier-archy for Fat Loss. Our members are given the support they need to improve their eating habits, and they are welcomed into a movement based community with emphasis stressed toward helping increase their body’s ability to shed fat when not exercising. Healthy eating habits and exercise should be the prescription for individuals struggling with their weight. It is “easier” to take a pill, but wouldn’t you rather know what you’re putting into your body and understand how to move it to create the body you want? If you are not convinced the hierarchy I referenced isn’t simpler and more effective than the pharmaceutical pill route, we have numerous success stories of individuals who lost the weight without medication. These individuals have even used this hierarchy of fat loss to escape the burden of other medications associated with being overweight / obese. We also have those who were able to avoid invasive bari-atric surgery and the long recovery from such a surgery. So why would you take a potentially harmful medication in the place of an all-natural solution to a health condition? Instead, ask your medical practitioner to write a prescription that
follows the hierarchy for fat loss which would include starting with your own metabolic (caloric) formula based on your age, gender, height, body composition and how often you move (exercise). Good news about following this hierarchy in its order of effectiveness: it works even if you do not exercise. If you have any questions regarding our position of these weight loss pills or our alternative “hierarchy of fat loss” plan of action; please feel free to contact any of our fitness professionals here at the “Kitchen.” When contacting us, mention the Laurel Mountain Post and receive a FREE Personal Diagnostic Assessment which will include your own personal metabolic formula “recipe” and one month access to our on-line supportive nutrition coaching resource. About My Fitness Kitchen® www.myfitnesskitchen.com 724-879-8523 Something far from your traditional, intimidating gym, My Fitness Kitchen® is where weight loss is made simple. Located in Latrobe 30 plaza, My Fitness Kitchen® is truly Where Fitness & Nutrition Come Together. From the moment you enter My Fitness Kitchen® regardless of your age, fitness level or experience, it’s all about “You”. The supportive staff, welcoming atmosphere, and friendly members combine to create the most unique and comfortable environment for your fitness and weight management success. Whether it is Fitness, Nutrition or both, you can be confident My Fitness Kitchen® is the solution to a healthier you. About the authors: Mark J. Rullo, MS, CSCS, MES Mark Rullo is an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Medical Exercise Specialist, certified Golf Fitness Instructor and the owner and creator of My Fitness Kitchen® Julie Marston - Julie Marston is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and group fitness instructor with a passion for overall wellness and health with a degree in exercise science and health. Her specialty is weight loss, and she has worked with clients of all ages.
11th Annual
BOCCE NEL GIARDINO
Bocce nel Giardino celebrates its 11th Anniversary this year on August 25 at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center! This annual event is a rain-or-shine fundraiser for Westmoreland Cultural Trust and will include a buffet dinner by Rizzo’s Malabar Inn, elaborate dessert bar, and silent auction featuring fabulous items such as two round trip airline tickets to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The single-elimination bocce tournament begins at 5:30 p.m. and tickets for general admission and bocce playing can be purchased by calling Westmoreland Cultural Trust at 724-836-1123 or mmcguire @wctrust.net. TEAM PLAY LIMITED! RESERVE EARLY! $50 per person to attend $25 per person to play bocce (lawn bowling). Two member teams (Limited to 64 teams) We’d like to thank our generous sponsors for making this year’s Bocce nel Giardino possible: Our primary sponsor, First Commonwealth Bank, Aaron’s Rug Care, AMCOM/Xerox, Dollar Bank, Francis R. Johns D.M.D., M.D., McDowell Associates Insurance, Private Wealth Advisors, and S & T Bank. Westmoreland Cultural Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to stimulate cultural and economic development in the WestmorelandCounty region. We promote the performing arts; we preserve and enhance our region’s assets for the benefit of the community. Greensburg Garden & Civic Center is located at 951 Old Salem Road, Greensburg. Westmoreland Cultural Trust manages the facility for the City of Greensburg.
18 - Autumn 2012
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
LIGONIER VALLEY RAIL ROAD MUSEUM At the restored Darlington Station
Sharing the 75-year history of railroading in Ligonier Valley
Compass Inn M useum Museum
Wednesday thru Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
August 118 8 & 119 9 – Living History – Log Hewing & Pit Sawing featuring Matt Stein; Col. Proctor Militia Company encampment August 118 8–Y ard S ale (field behind Compass Inn Museum) Yard Sale September 1 – Blacksmith E Evvent featuring 15 PAABA blacksmiths
3032 Idlewild Hill, Ligonier, PA www.lvrra.org 724-238-7819 ─ lvrra@verizon.net
October 26-28 – Haunted Halloween Event 1382 Route 30, Laughlintown, 3 miles east of Ligonier 724-238-4983 • www.compassinn.com Events sponsored by Ligonier Valley Historical Society
When Autumn Leaves Start to Fall One of the things I saved, and managed to keep track of all these years, is my leaf collection from seventh grade. Thinking back on that assignment, it was the bane of every new junior high student – like an inititation ritual designed to introduce us to our first real reasearch project and the many yet to come as we officially became “big” kids. The charge was to collect 20-some different leaf specimens from the list provided, with instructions to add 5-10 more of your choosing. Then we pressed the leaves into a scrapbook along typed notecards identifying their scientific data. Leaf: the photosynthetic food manufacturing organ of the plants Blade: thin green portion of leaf may vary in shape and size from species to species but is always distinctive for each species. The blade is strengthened by a network of veins, which are really vascular bundles entering from the stem. In addition to strengthening the blade, the veins carry water, dissolved minerals, and food materials between the leaf and stem. Petiole: the stock of the leaf Node: a growing region of the stem from which leaves, branches, or flowers develop. Some leaves have no petiole. The blade is fastened directly to the stem. Leaf venation: 1. Palmate: several large veins branch out from the tip of the petiole, in much the same way your fingers extend from the palm of your hand Every Story Begins At Home.
2. Pinnate: midrib (large vein) extensive the center of the blade from petiole to leaf tip. Smaller veins branch from the midrib and run to the margins. Resembles the structure of a feather. 3. Parallel: several large veins running parallel from the base to the tip of the leaf. (Grasses, lilies, Iris)
Leaf types: 1. Simple leaf: when blade of leaf is in one piece 2. Compound leaf: when blade is divided into two or more parts. Each part is called a leaflet. Palmately compound: leaflets radiate from a common point Pinnately compound: leaflets arranged opposite or alternate one another on sides of single midrib
I will never forget these components in the identification of plants and trees. This was one of those lessons that stuck. Maybe it’s because it took us out of the classroom and into our backyards on a hilarious scavenger hunt through town. Some of the more rare trees became famous landmarks to which we made pilgrimages. We treated other leaves like baseball cards – I had a supply of horse chestnut and catalpa I used to trade for white ash, elm and red maple, and the elusive American Linden. We worked together like a great machine, and I believe everyone took some individual pride in their completed collections. I still love mine. I think about going back to school each fall with a whispy fondness every time I look at it. I’ve even used it several times to identify trees I couldn’t quite recall, but knew were part of that scrapbook. I hope the kids in seventh grade are still making the leaf collections. Thank you, Mr. Gelsdorf, for a wonderful and meaningful assignment. My apologizes are sent from all of us for whining and complaining as we struggled to complete it. You have no idea how many of us kept those books and think of them dearly.
– Cathi Gerhard For all the Derry Area Junior High 7th graders who made leaf collections in Mr. Gelsdorf’s science classes. Autumn 2012 - 19
THE LIGONIER CHEF by Scott Sinemus
Tomato . . . To-mah-to; Don’t Call the Whole Thing Off! I found some very tasty tomatoes at the Ligonier Country Market this past weekend. What is it about the taste of the first vine ripened tomato of the season that makes everyone so happy? Everyone scrambles to have the first ones and then in just a few short weeks there are so many that no one knows what to do with them. Not planting so many plants is a good start unless of course you plan on processing them via freezing, canning or sauce. I personally loathe canning nearly anything. I will however can things that I can’t find already made such as roasted pickled beets, real piccalilly, wild grape juice, etc. My father loves canning! He’s canned virtually everything from soup to meat. I grew up with my grandmother canning all summer long. It was like a sweatshop factory on canning days at her house, we were tired and cranky at the end of the day. However, going into the basement and pulling out a quart of tomato gravy for the homemade bread when the snow was flying outside seemed to make all the work and effort worth it. Similar to myself, Granny never wrote or possibly even read a recipe when she was cooking. You used what you had and improvised for anything lacking. I googled “tomato gravy recipes” and found it very interesting that it seems to be predominantly a southern thing that is more akin to regular gravy than the thick and chunky ‘stew’ that comes to my mind. So I took my Granny’s concept and applied a few French Classical methods to boost the levels of flavor and still enjoy it with nothing more than a loaf of homemade bread when we’re snowed in. That being said seared 20 - Autumn 2012
sausages are a perfect protein addition to make it a more rounded meal.
Tomato Gravy a la “Granny” for each person dining: • At least two tomatoes – peeled, seeded & large dice • ½ of a large sweet onion – large dice • 1 sweet red and or green pepper – large dice • 2 cloves of garlic – roughly chopped • Fresh thyme, parsley, basil and oregano to taste • Olive oil and butter for sautéing • Salt & pepper to taste • Red or white wine, stock or water (optional)
In a large skillet over medium high heat combine the olive oil & butter; when the butter begins to brown and loses all of its moisture add the onions and the garlic; sauté until caramelized, remove to bowl. If the fond on the bottom of the skillet begins to brown too much, deglaze with wine, stock or water. Return skillet to heat, add more oil and butter; when butter browns add
the peppers; when the peppers are also caramelized return the onions, add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Wine, stock or water may also be added before reduction. Cook at a simmer until reduced by at least half. If you’re having seared sausages add them at the beginning of the reduction. Enjoy with warm crusty bread. I appreciate the work involved as much as the finished product. I always make it a point to check out the canned goods at the local fairs. The attention to detail in placement of some of the vegetables is nothing short of artwork. My friend, Minerva, is probably the only person I know that cans more than my father. Her jelly is some of the most flavorful and clear jelly I’ve ever had. Of course she notes how messy and involved it is with each straining; but again, the end really does justify the means. Her elderberry jelly is the best the planet has ever seen. The procedure for canning still involves cooking the product, so the fresh raw flavor will always be lacking; that‘s why I often opt for freezing. If you’re an avid canner, my suggestion is to do something different with your tomatoes. Don’t be one of the old curmudgeons who refuses to ever deviate from a recipe because Grandma always did it that way. For instance: roast the tomatoes in the oven or on the grill before canning. It will be unique and something that you can’t buy already made in the store. Cutting the tomatoes in half with the cut side down on a baking sheet coated with olive oil also makes removing the skins a breeze after they’ve roasted. The moisture loss that occurs with roasting also compounds the flavor, making this a win/win situation. Ask anyone that cans, and LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
more than likely they will say the worst part is blanching and peeling. I’ve always thought that peaches were the most problematic fruit to prepare for canning, but I have never tried roasting them. One thing definitely worth noting is the necessity of proper procedure when canning. The importance of sterilizing and proper handling cannot be stressed enough. Even highly acidic foods like tomatoes can harbor thermophilic bacteria that don’t die in the boiling water. Boiling water bath canning involves packing jars with food, completely covering the jars with water, heating the water to boiling (212 degrees Fahrenheit (F), 100 degrees Celsius (C)), and processing for 5 to 85 minutes, depending on the food product, style of pack, and jar size. Boiling removes the oxygen remaining in the jar, which helps to form a tight seal between the lid and the rim. The heat used for this method of canning is sufficient to kill vegetative bacterial cells found in the food. Only high-acid food with a pH of 4.6 or less can be processed
using the boiling water bath method. This is because high-acid foods prevent the growth of spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can’t be killed by boiling. Foods with a pH more than 4.6 allow the spores to grow. If spores of C. botulinum are allowed to grow, toxin will form, and consumption of C. botulinum toxin is deadly. Symptoms from the consumption of this toxin develop within six hours to 10 days and include double and blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, and muscle weakness. Paralysis of breathing muscles can cause a person to stop breathing and die unless mechanical ventilation is provided. Individuals with any of these symptoms should seek immediate medical assistance. General Boiling Water Bath Processing Steps Once the jars are properly packed and closed, and the processing time has been correctly selected, process as follows:
•
Allow water in canner to reach a rolling boil. Maintain a separate pot of boiling water should additional water be needed to cover jars during processing. • Place jars in canning rack, far enough apart so that water can easily circulate around each jar, then place rack in boiling water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. • Begin timing for processing as soon as the water returns to a rolling boil. Maintain the water level 1 to 2 inches over the tops of the jars when boiling. • After the processing time is completed, remove hot jars and place then on a towel or rack to cool. Keep jars out of drafts. Do not turn jars upside down. • Once the jars have cooled — 12-24 hours after processing — check the seal of each jar. If a jar is not sealed, refrigerate and reprocess within 24 hours or refrigerate and consume within three days. Scott Sinemus is a Chef with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Pennsylvania Institute for Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. He’s continued his education with classes from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and The Greenbrier; and has travelled internationally in search of authentic cuisine.
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Every Story Begins At Home.
Autumn 2012 - 21
DOWN ON THE FARM by Cathi Gerhard & Gregory Susa
“Scratch a Dog, and You’ll Find a Permanent Job” – Franklin P. Jones This column didn’t begin as a story Both dogs enjoy berry picking in great double sided seat from Gardenabout our dogs. It was just supposed to the fields with us. It’s a good opportuer’s Supply for sitting or kneeling that be an article about our spring and sumnity to go on a walk, and they also get Greg’s mom, Alice, got to help with mer projects: building a raised bed garto practice their protective skills by Cathi’s back). The dogs must think we den and the long hours spent tending rooting out critters like snakes, mice are prime prey up there for thieves who to it and berry picking in between. But and other icky things that might be hidmight suddenly appear to steal our when I started taking notes on our “ading in the bushes. Our black raspberry valuable garden treasures. Once we ventures,” it seemed the have finished work for dogs always played imthe day and collected portant roles. And that’s our harvest, the dogs how it is with working escort us back to the dogs – especially down house and await their on the farm. rewards – peanut butWe “inherited” our ter dog biscuits! dog Bandit when we We had been ordertook over the family ing some really nice allfarm because my sister natural biscuits from a moved to town – not a bakery in Connecticut good environment for called Nature’s Animals. an old farm dog. Part They are nice to have on pitbull and part Little hand in storage, but the Rascals-style mutt, she thought of preservatives is fiercely protective of in the dogs’ food, as well her family (those who as our own, led to some live on the farm) and her special recipe research. My husband, Greg, with our loyal farm dogs, home (the acreage surTogether with approval Bandit (left, night shift) and Bianca (right, day shift). rounding us). This can from Dr. Ben Helman at be problematic with the Latrobe Animal Clinic, neighbors and their pets because Bancrop was huge this June, and we picked we developed our own formula, and the dit has a singular definition of an inseveral quarts every day for freezing, dogs love them! They look a lot like our truder. On the other hand, it makes her desserts and jam. While out in the moms’ peanut butter cookies, but taste an excellent night watchman who also fields, we noted that berry bushes growa bit less sweet. manages vermin control. She avidly ing on the north side of a shaded fence We’ve printed our favorite summer hunts groundhogs, raccoons, rats, and row were bigger, sweeter and juicier recipes from Fairview Farm at right, other small game that can be a menace than those from the south side: good and hope you enjoy them. Everything on the farm. information to record in our garden is easy to make with a short list of natuBianca is our Australian Cattle dog journal, a handy book we started to ral ingredients, most of which can be who was born to herd animals. Sadly, keep this year. found locally – giving them all a rewe do not have cows, sheep or other Also contained in those pages are gional, fresh-from-the-farm flavor dislivestock yet. If you’ve ever heard the diagrams for each raised bed planting, tinctive to western Pennsylvania! phrase “trying to herd cats,” you’ll unphotos of the crops in progress, and Best friends, but never quite college sweethearts, derstand how some of Bianca’s days are more notes on soil conditions, probGreg and Cathi finally married 20 years later. spent around the house and barn. She lems and harvest. The dogs tend to Together they own and operate Fairview Farm in Derry Township, now an estate winery in the just wants everyone to be in a small, stand guard at each end of the garden making, “managed” by two peculiar black cats manageable group – and stay within like two sphynx statues while Cathi and two devoted dogs. sight at all times. writes, sitting on the garden bench (a 22 - Autumn 2012
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits 2-1/4 cups rolled oats 1-1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup honey 1 egg 1 teaspoon baking powder Combine all ingredients to form a soft dough. Spoon by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet. May press dough down with fork to flatten cookies. Bake at 3500 for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack and storage in airtight container for approximately two weeks. Makes about three dozen cookies, 85 calories each.
Midsummer Berry Jam 3 cups black raspberries 1 cup blackberries 7 cups sugar 1 pouch liquid pectin (3 oz) 1 TBL butter Smash berries in saucepan using potato masher. Leave chunky. In saucepan, combine berries with sugar and bring to a boil. Add pectin; bring to a boil and continue for one minute while stirring. Fill sterile jars and water bath process for canned preservation.
Curry Pickles 24 cucumbers (3-inches) 1/2 cup pickling salt 8 cups water 2 -1/2 cups sugar 2 cups vinegar 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 tablespoon celery seed 1 teaspoon curry powder Soak cut pickle slices in water/salt brine overnight or at least 5 hours. Rinse and place in large pot. Combine other ingredients and bring to boil; pour over cucumbers; heat to boiling. Fill sterile jars and water bath process for canned preservation.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Autumn 2012 - 23
History, Heroines & Horses of Western Pennsylvania
It’s no secret that the staff of the Laurel Mountain Post likes to read. Most of us have eccelectic tastes in books, music, art, theater – we love the creative genres! Sadly, we never seem to have enough time in our busy lives, both professionally and privately, to actually enjoy these activities very often. Our editorial office receives many review copies of books from marketers and publishing houses, and we have a hard job choosing which ones we will read. The books you see mentioned in an issue of LMP catch our attention for various reasons: local authors, regional subject matter, historical value, good writing, attractive covers, relativity to farms and rural life, horses (since our managing editor owns Equine Chic in Ligonier), other popular reviews and recommendations, and nostaligia – to name several. Once in a while, a book shows up that has it all. Last April we received a review copy of “Waterproof: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood” by Judith Redline Coopey. Heavy into final preparations for our Spring issue of LMP, it was set aside until May. After the release of our “comeback issue,” I took some time to relax and settled in with the new book. I’ve complained about not being able to read many novels while resting so much due to my severe back problems – I often fall asleep while reading, and have to constantly back-track or start over. But this spring, I peeked into Coopey’s turn-of-the-century Johnstown and never wanted to leave. Good writing and great story-telling combined with historical fact and fictional setting to create a book lover’s dream world, leaving me sad and lost when there were no more pages to turn. Fortunately, I soon discovered that Coopey had published another book called “Redfield Farm,” about Quakers and the Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania. Two days later I was once again deep into the story, visiting the past on horseback by way of small, familiar towns across western Pennsylvania. The Laurel Mountain Post is delighted to introduce you to my new favorite author with this interview, and we encourage you to come meet her during Ft. Ligonier Days in October. (see box page 26) – Cathi Gerhard
Describe your Pennsylvania roots. I was born the youngest of eight in Altoona, a hill strewn railroad town at the foot of the Alleghenies in western Pennsylvania. Even though I was a city kid in my early years, I grew up close to nature — my first memories are of climbing hills, running down hills, wondering what was on the other side of hills. But rivers played an even greater part in my young life. We had a cottage on the Raystown River near Huntingdon where we 24 - Autumn 2012
spent our summers until I was eleven. That river lives in my heart. We moved to the country, a place called Fox Hollow, near Williamsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1953. What a place to grow up! Fox Run, the Juniata River, Tussey Mountain, the quarry hole. Nineteen-fifties Americana at its best. The writing spark hit me at about eleven — I remember telling my teacher that I wanted to be a “lady that writes books.” I can’t say I set the world on fire, but I did write a lot in high school. Plays, a newspaper column, short stories, an essay now and then. I set my sights on journalism, but I was destined for an entirely different kind of writing.
garnered honors at the writing conferences I attended, all part of learning to believe in myself. Now I’m retired from teaching and busier than I’ve ever been. When I left teaching in 2004, I decided it was now or never. Put up or shut up. Write or go home. I decided to write. And I’m still writing, and writing, and writing. Seems like it’s the only thing to do. Are some of your characters based on real people – past or present? Some of them are – like Ann’s sister Rachael and her family. These were based on my own great grandmother, who moved to Altoona from Bedford and lived there until she died in childbirth in 1862. But none of the major characters are based on real people except for the fact that a writer can’t escape her own experience. In Waterproof, one of the characters, Laura, bears some resemblance to a friend I once knew, but she’s very different, so while she’s a copy, she’s not a carbon copy. Your books contain many strong female characters – is that intentional?
Judith Redline Coopey I won a scholarship to Penn State — best thing that ever happened to me — and found myself looking at teaching as a way of giving back some of the gifts my teachers, especially those at Williamsburg High School, gave me. Writing seemed like such an iffy prospect. So I became a teacher — history was the only logical choice — and set out to seek my fortune. History and writing fit together like tea and toast, so I was comfortable with my choices. My fortune included a husband, two children, teaching and not much time for writing. I worked in some, though, and saw my byline here and there. In Wisconsin Trails, Scholastic Newstime; A Wisconsin Anthology; The World of Owen Gromme; Herkimers, Holsteins and Cheese. It wasn’t much, but it kept me believing I could. I
That is no accident. I am a strong female character myself, and I advocate for girls to grow up with strong female role models. I’m a feminist in the sense that I think of men and women as equals, with neither dominating the other. I think this is the meaning of mutual respect, and I believe it is necessary for strong, lasting relationships. What is your favorite historical period? The nineteenth century. It is full of exciting and rapid developments. The Industrial Revolution, westward expansion, the conflict over slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Indian Wars. Wow! What a century! What sort of genealogy research do you do? I’ve been interested in genealogy for about 40 years, and I’ve learned a great deal about my family history. I’m a serious genealogist, which means I can document every piece of history I unearth, and I can’t respect anything less. I would say I’m a semiprofessional genealogist – trained in the LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
scholarly techniques, but not ready to call myself a pro. Every family has a history, and every family’s history interests me, so I do genealogical research for family and friends, and I love it when it ends up in my writing. Has your research on family histories ever turned up dark secerets that become good ideas for plots in your novels? Sure. As human beings, we all have our secret and not so secret adventures. I’ve
found a few good stories and some fascinating mysteries. Much of my writing is loosely based on family history. I just wish I knew more about my own family history – every genealogist has a brick wall – but I could write several novels based on what I already know. Blend serious historical research with your own family history and you’ll get a story every time. How long does it take to write a book? It’s hard to answer that question because I don’t work on one thing at a time. I may be researching for one book while putting the finishing touches on another. Research can take years, and the writer needs to know when to put the brakes on and get to the writing. The plot usually comes out of the research, and writing the first draft is usually the quickest part. But that’s only the beginning because revision can take much longer than the first draft. That’s because you know the characters and the story, but you still have to polish and elaborate. Roughly, I would say it takes me two to three years to write a book. What are your favorite books and characters?
Ann Redfield is destined to follow her brother Jesse through life – two years behind him – all the way. Jesse is a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and Ann follows him there as well. Quakers filled with a conviction as hard as Pennsylvania limestone that slavery is an abomination to be resisted with any means available, the Redfield brother and sister lie, sneak, masquerade and defy their way past would-be enforcers of the hated Fugitive Slave Law. Their activities inevitably lead to complicated relationships when Jesse returns from a run with a deadly fever, accompanied by a fugitive, Josiah, who is also sick and close to death. Ann nurses both back to health. But precious time is lost, and Josiah, too weak for winter travel, stays on at Redfield Farm. Ann becomes his teacher, friend and confidant. When grave disappointment disrupts her life, Ann turns to Josiah for comfort, and comfort leads to intimacy. The result, both poignant and inspiring, leads to a life long devotion to one another and their cause. INDI Best, INDI Publishing Group - August 2010 280 pages/trade paperback
Every Story Begins At Home.
Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all time favorite characters. She reminds me of me as a little girl. I also love Huckleberry Finn. He’s one of the most memorable characters for me, and Mark Twain was masterful at disguising a serious theme in the seemingly typical adventures of a 19th century boy on the Mississippi. I like John Steinbeck and find many of his characters memorable, especially the Cannery Row gang. Lee Smith has created more than one strong female character, but my favorite of hers is Ivy Rowe in Fair and Tender Ladies. I love to read, so I could go on forever about this. What are your favorite characters from Waterproof and Redfield Farm? I like them all – they’re like your children – but I guess I have to like Ann Redfield more than most. She’s a far better person than I could ever be. I also like Abby. I think I knew her once. In Waterproof, I like Laura. She’s got spunk! I also like Katya because she has good common sense and she works hard to make a life in a new country. Strong women!
Fifty years after an earthen dam broke and sent a thirty foot wall of raging destruction down on the city of Johnstown, PA, Pamela McRae looks back on the tragedy with new perspective. When the flood hit, it wiped out Pam’s fondest hopes, taking her fiancé and her brother’s lives and her mother’s sanity, and within a year her father walked away, leaving his daughter—now the sole support of her mother—to cope with poverty and loneliness. The arrival of Katya, a poor Hungarian girl running away from an arranged marriage, finally gives Pam the chance she needs to get back into the world; Katya can care for her mother, and Pam can go to work for the Johnstown Clarion as a society reporter. Then Davy Hughes, Pam’s fiancé before the flood, reappears and, instead of being the answer to her prayers, further complicates her life. Someone is seeking revenge on the owners of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, the Pittsburgh millionaires who owned the failed dam, and Pam is afraid Davy has something to do with it. Redfield Books - May 2012 266 pages/trade paperback
Give us a preview of your forthcoming novel, Looking For Jane. It starts out in Johnstown about a year after the flood (1890). It’s about a girl who’s a foundling, left at a convent as a baby. She has a cleft palate and as a result her face is disfigured by seriously crooked teeth. Her name is Nell, and her mother’s name was Jane. That’s all she knows. A change in continued on page 26
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continued from page 25
her circumstances leads her to run away, and a chance encounter with a dime novel convinces her that her real mother is Calamity Jane, heroine of the west. She sets off down river in search of her mother and along the way she meets up with a whole cast of strange, wonderful, frightening and unique characters. It takes a while to get beyond western Pennsylvania, so places like Blairsville, Pittsburgh and Sewickley figure in the story. It’s a coming of age novel, a quest and a love story. I hope to bring it out about a year from now. We all have our favorite spots throughout Pennsylvania. What are some of yours? I love the whole state. I grew up in Blair and Huntingdon counties, so the Raystown River, the Juniata River, Williamsburg, Blair Four, Fox Hollow all hold a special place in my heart. But my genealogical and literary research has broadened my knowledge, and I marvel at its beauty and the wildness still to be experienced.
Meet the Author at Ft. Ligonier Days! The Laurel Mountain Post is Hosting
History, Heroines & Horses
of Western Pennsylvania at Second Chapter Books on East Main St. Friday, October 12 from 2 - 5 pm and at Equine Chic on the Diamond Saturday, October 13 from 1 - 4 pm Stop in to meet author Judith Redline Coopey. She’ll be in these stores to talk about and sign copies of her books Waterproof and Redline Farm – both historical novels set in western Pennsylvania. We loved the books and can’t wait to meet her!
Pennsylvania is a beautiful, varied and marvelous state that continues to fascinate and enlighten. William Penn received the rarest of gifts from Charles II, almost heaven. When I drive around the state, I breathe it in and hold it in my consciousness until the next time. I’ve traveled a lot, lived in a lot of places, so I know. Pennsylvanians are blessed. www.judithredlinecoopey.com Books available through Amazon.com
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LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
I recently saw an article extolling the virtues of natural gas as an abundant, inexpensive and domestically produced automotive fuel.
Is this going to be the automotive fuel of the future
It is difficult to say which of the growing number of fuel options will power the cars of the future. But natural gas, given its domestic abundance, low price and lesser carbon footprint, is certainly a contender, at least as far as researchers at the federally funded Argonne National Laboratory are concerned. Some of the same engineers there who developed the batteries now used in electric cars have been tasked with improving natural gas powered engine technologies, thanks to anticipated consumer demand for vehicles powered by something cheaper and greener than gasoline but without the hassles of other alternative fuels. “Our conclusion is that natural gas as a transportation fuel has both adequate abundance and cost advantages that make a strong case to focus interest in the technology as a real game changer in U.S. energy security,” Mike Duoba, an engineer at Argonne’s Transportation Technology Research and Development Center outside of Chicago, told the Talking Points Memo news blog. “In terms of consumer ownership and use costs, the case to make a switch from current fuels to compressed natural gas (CNG) is much more compelling than for other alternative fuels like ethanol and electricity.” Given this promise—in addition to a February 2012 Department of Energy announcement of a $30 million competition aimed at finding ways “to harness our abundant supplies of domestic natural gas for vehicles”— Duoba and his colleague have been ramping up vehicle systems analysis and engine research and testing around CNG as a way to wean ourselves off of foreign fuel sources. Their goal is to improve the efficiency of the CNG combustion process so that it can fit into a new line of engines that can run on gasoline or Every Story Begins At Home.
CNG equally as well, giving consumers the flexibility of choice without any trade-offs. Duoba thinks such a vehicle would have significant consumer appeal, especially in light of sluggish sales of the latest round of electric vehicles from the major automakers.
?
nologies have been successful at reducing the environmental impact (criteria pollution) over the decades,” Duoba wrote. “To the extent that consumption of foreign petroleum has not been reduced to acceptable levels, this could be viewed as the principal motivation.”
Federally-funded researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory are trying to improve the efficiency of natural gas powered engines, spurred by anticipated consumer demand for fuel that is cheaper and greener than gasoline and without the hassles of other alternative fuels. Pictured: a natural gas-powered Honda Civic at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. © LA Wad, courtesy Flickr
“At least for some time, compared to plug-in vehicle batteries, CNG storage offers lower weight, higher energy storage and lower costs—as well as faster refueling/recharging.” And while CNG vehicles would generate emissions from their tailpipes, the Argonne team believes that their overall emissions footprint would be smaller than that of an electric vehicle drawing power from the fossil-fuel-based electric grid. But to Duoba the appeal of CNG is more about reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil sources than on saving the planet. “Various tech-
But CNG faces the same major hurdle to becoming widely accepted as any other challenger to gasoline as king of the road: a lack of refueling stations. Whatever does finally unseat gasoline will no doubt have to have a system for refueling that rivals the convenience we’ve come to expect from our corner gas stations. CONTACTS: Argonne Center, www.transportation .anl.gov. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine .com). Send questions to: earthtalk @emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.
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The Debris of Summer by Nancy A. Clark Picture it: A sultry morning in late August; and a small squadron of parents and students, armed with mops, brooms and buckets of water, climbs the highest hill in a rural SW Pennsylvania hamlet. Their mission: to reclaim an academic battlefield held captive by thorny bramble bushes, and to clear away the debris of summer from a vintage one-room schoolhouse. The tableau was a typical one in the 1940’s and 50’s. When the shimmering air was punctuated by the passionate pleas of love-starved cicadas, and kids were wont to squeeze out the last sweet drops of summer, many residents of my small village set out to resuscitate our “hall of ivy” before the start of a new school year. There was a job for each member of this volunteer army – from whacking the weeds that surrounded the foursquare, red-shingled schoolhouse to “oiling” the interior plank floor. The commander-in-chief of our ragtag militia – the same amazing woman who, from September through May, broadened the vistas for 50+ students stretched out over eight grades – drew up the battle lines and issued assignments concordant with our capabilities. She did so with confident authority… and a generous supply of fried chicken, homemade ginger cookies and lemonade. The adults and the more ablebodied students in our ranks were assigned to crack open and then wash the windows – inside and out. They mowed the playground, and swept away creepy critters and cobwebs from the outhouses. They refilled ink bottles, stabilized the blue and white ceramic water jug, unpacked textbooks and tackled a myriad of sundry jobs best left to experienced veterans. The youngest soldiers tucked boxes of crayons, writing tablets and Mead composition notebooks onto each student’s desk shelf. They also counted paste pots and glue bottles, lined the 28 - Autumn 2012
blackboard trays with chalk and sorted board game pieces. The members of this unit took many breaks and were often seen playing in the sandbox, testing the bounciness of balls or catching 40 winks. The remainder of the infantry polished desks, sharpened pencils, alphabetized the library cupboard and assisted our commander with taping yards of Peterson penmanship writing
samples on the institutional-gray walls, centering them between the faded portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Unless there were major capital issues that required the skills of carpenters or “engineers” – i.e., replacing an outhouse door, restringing the ropes on the flagpole, rebuilding the ash box inside our mammoth coal furnace, etc., our home-away-from-home was made ready in one day; and no children were injured in this field operation.
All this preparation for The First Day of School was also a preview of what was expected of the students who would volunteer for maintenance duty every Friday afternoon of the school year. We had our assignments: my favorite was that of “oiling the floor” a job so easy, even a kid could do it. The process used a shredded non-toxic (I think) compound stored in a cardboard barrel tucked next to the coat-rack in the back of the room. The spongy compound smelled like wall-paper cleaner and looked like green eraser crumbs – on steroids. Until I was tall enough to do it myself, one of the “big kids” scooped the “crumblies” out of the container and into a bucket for me. Instructions for using the cleaner were clearly stated: (1) Sprinkle “crumbs” onto floor surface. (2) Wait five minutes for product to penetrate dust/dirt. (3) Sweep. It was like magic to me to see the light-green colored crumbs darken to a deep cocoa brown as they absorbed miniscule dust and dirt particles. When the crumbs were swept away, the grain of the worn oak floorboards appeared in 3-D, and the surface was left with an “oiled” luster. I took great pride and satisfaction in my efforts to produce radiant results, even though everyone else simply walked all over it. Housekeeping was not a credited class in our primitive system, but I wouldn’t trade the discipline – or the memory of oiling the floor – for all the iPads in China. Caring for our second home taught us priceless lessons in organization, respect, patience, cooperation and teamwork…prime character traits for any man’s army; wouldn’t you agree? Nancy Clark and husband, Tom, rejoice in 50 years of marriage, three children and three grandchildren. She dabbles in freelance and memoir writing when she isn’t baking, knitting, reading or building a jigsaw puzzle.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
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The award-winning film, Passing Over, seen on PBS stations in the late 90's, is preparing to find a renewed life in digital format on DVD and download, making the film widely available to schools and the public. Co-producer, co-writer and narrator Chris Ceraso has started a Kickstarter campaign to raise the final leg of their entirely independent financing efforts. With a little better than 75% of the funds raised and 15 days to go at press time, the $6,000 goal is well within reach, but a few more generous backers are needed to hit the mark by August 12, or none of the pledged funds will be collected as per Kickstarter policy. Join this project and pledge today at Kickstarter.org.
Assembled from film shot over four decades ago, Passing Over is a lyrical portrait of the first generation of Italian American immigrants who came to Pennsylvania's Allegheny Valley at the turn of the twentieth century. A close up look at the daily lives of "The Old People" blends with contemporary reflections on the nature of memory and the passing of time to create a different kind of documentary film. Twenty-five years in the making, the film was originally shot in the early 1970s using the filmmaker’s grandparents and young cousin as the central characters. It started out as a day-inthe-life portrait of the immigrants from Northern Italy, a rural community of farmers and tradesmen living in Leechburg and Vandergrift. They didn’t know what it was then, so the project was shelved. Ceraso and his brother, Michael, took another look at their footage in the mid 1990’s, and were shocked by the nature of how we remember things. Time had added another lens to the film – one of perspective. “We were looking back at a way of life and a community of people that, with the passing of the years, had faded completely from the American landscape.” Every Story Begins At Home.
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Passing Over
Going digital with an award-winning time capsule about Italian immigrants in rural Pennsylvania in the 1970’s, a by-gone culture The people portrayed on film had, nearly a century ago, transplanted their entire culture from their northern Italian homeland, and now their lifestyles had vanished. All that remained was memory, represented here in a collection of carefully framed and richly detailed black and white images. A ghostly, kinetic photo album come to life, Passing Over calls us to live for a while in another time and place.
Filmmakers Chris Ceraso (left) and Michael Ceraso (right).
“It was so moving. It brought back so many memories. That was my family up there. It was everyone’s family up there.” —Charlotte Colavin, stage, film and TV actress (“Law and Order,” “The West Wing”) “I can’t believe [the filmmakers] had the foresight to take these pictures when they did. It’s absolutely incredible.” —William Balash, M.D., internist, Allegheny Valley Hospital “It’s totally original, unlike any film I’ve ever seen. It was a gift. I felt like I spent my time with these magnificent old actors, but they were real people.” —Donald Berman, stage film and tv actor (“Sex and the City,” “The Greeks.”) “It’s wonderful the way the audience is asked to just watch and live with these people. It’s brilliant filmmaking, and very brave. And it makes you think so much about the idea of documentary film—the staging of history.” —Guy Lancaster, documentary film writer and researcher
Theresa & James Ferrando, grandparents of the filmmakers and the subject of the documentrary film Passing Over. Autumn 2012 - 29
From the Top Announces 2012-2013 National Radio Taping Tour:
Greensburg’s Palace Theatre Will Host in October
From the Top with host Christopher O’Riley, the preeminent showcase for young musicians, announces its 20122013 National Tour dates for recording its popular NPR radio program. The tour includes concert events at From the Top’s home base at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall and cities from Beijing, China to Athens, Georgia to Sacramento, California. Regionally, the show will be at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg, PA, on Sunday, Octo-
ber 21 at 3 PM, presented by Westmoreland Cultural Trust and Seton Hill University. Broadcast on nearly 250 stations nationwide to an audience of more than 700,000 listeners each week, From the Top celebrates the amazing performances and captivating stories of America’s best pre-college classical musicians. Considered one of the most popular weekly classical music programs on public radio, the show has
Popular NPR Series Hosted by Christopher O’Riley Celebrates Young Musicians in Communities from Boston to Beijing.
Sunday, October 21, 2012 The Palace Theatre in Greensburg, Pennsylvania Presented by Westmoreland Cultural Trust and Seton Hill University Tickets on sale July 20: Adults $28; Students age 18 & under $18 724-836-8000 or www.ThePalaceTheatre.org
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been described by the Boston Globe as, “an entertaining, accessible and inspirational mix of outstanding musical performances, informal interviews, skits and games; the show is a celebration of extraordinary musicians who happen to be teenagers leading fairly normal lives.” This season, From the Top will also award more than $200,000 in scholarships to select performers on the radio show through its Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award. Since 2005, this program has awarded more than $1.6 million to pre-collegiate musicians with financial need to support their musical development. Beyond the radio show, From the Top’s Center for the Development of Arts Leaders helps young musicians take their music beyond the concert hall to diverse audiences in school and community settings across the country. For over a decade, From the Top has been the preeminent showcase for America’s best young musicians. Through award-winning NPR and PBS programs, online media, a national tour of live events, scholarship and education programs, From the Top shares the stories and performances of pre-collegiate musicians with millions. From the Top prepares young musicians to connect with audiences, serve as positive role models, and give back to their communities. These performers inspire the pursuit of excellence and encourage participation in the arts as an integral part of a vibrant and civil society. From the Top is an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Boston. Learn more at www.fromthetop.org. From the Top's radio program is made possible through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. It is also supported through the generous contributions of individuals and institutions as well as public radio stations. From the Top is an independent non-profit organization headquartered in Boston. From 4the Top’s founding partners are New England Conservatory and WGBH. LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Loyalhanna
HOMESTUDY by Brian Mishler
by Amy Yanity
Spare this summer her bones showing solid and gray she runs through the Highlands: Laughlintown all the way down through Ligonier and Latrobe I love how she curves and bends lends herself to Mountain Laurel and Mayapple a hush of gnats here blue dragonfly there. And where have my footsteps gone? My steady poise on flat rocks moss and fallen maple and those cool-lifted crayfish mottled in October shadow and drowned in June sun? She keeps these and lets them run fifty miles from Laurel Ridge snow past the dam and over causeways past the fire pits at Chestnut Ridge cutting through the Hollow all shadowed green and sunlight graced pushing ice melt and leaf smoke trout and silt and bass pine and limestone slate and mist and clay she has swirled all to eddies only to release sprung from under smooth rounded stone at Rolling Rock and pulsing live and wild to meet Conemaugh, Kiskiminitas, Allegheny: an old friend she is sliding a hand to my shoulder drawing me down to cool thin riffles and deep pools to think always of her ever the same in change and true to her name. Amy Yanity is a writer currently living in Ligonier, PA. She has taught at the University of Pittsburgh, Seton Hill University and Westmoreland County Community College. Amy currently produces the Words in Process Reading Series for Allegory Gallery in Ligonier, and her work has been published in various literary magazines and journals.
Every Story Begins At Home.
The Key to a Dry Basement Over the course of 18 years in home inspection, and I would presume most any career, one has the opportunity to witness many, shall we say “anomalies.” Home Inspection in particular provides one with a view into people’s lives seldom seen. Some tragic, such as doors with fist holes in them, some comical, the odd “toy” left out for all to see, and many perplexing; espec-ially when it comes to do it yourself repairs; electrical repairs run the gamut from confusing to outright dangerous, drain pluming run uphill, and a wide variety of other such things that leads me always to encourage folks to hire competent professionals. One of the most vexing issues seen during home inspection that crosses all social, economic and construction quality boundaries is damp basements. The most pervasive myth is that basements were always intended to be dry. However, if we reflect back to the time of our founders, pioneers who built log cabins with their own hands, if they had a “basement” at all, it was more likely to be a hand-dug dirt crawlspace, little more (and usually much less.) than 5 feet high (the average American male was 5’4" tall). The foundation was constructed of loose field stone, intended only to keep the logs off the soil, and not much else. While the next several decades saw improvements, this method of construction was predominant into the 1920’s, and the area below a home was referred to as a “cellar” - damp and musty. The only things you kept in your cellar were canned goods and bad kids. Varieties of clay tile, wood, cinder and concrete block were used and experimented with from the ‘20s to 60’s around which time, poured cement foundations came on the scene, and now we have all manner of foundation materials; pre-cast concrete, Styrofoam with cement poured inside, straw, and the list goes on. Regardless of the material used, the key to a dry basement is drainage.
Hopefully when the home was constructed adequate drainage was correctly installed. One important component of basement drainage is – the roof, specifically, the gutters and downspouts. They should be adequately sized, and the downspouts should take the water away from the house at least six
feet. On a smallish 2,000 square foot roof, one inch of rain will deliver 6000 gallons of water to the gutters! Keeping this system clean and clear is an important and often overlooked maintenance function. If a portion of this system gets clogged, the trapped water will freeze, and the expansion of the ice will pop the seams apart. This problem will only progress until the system needs replacement which is an expensive proposition. Once the leaves have stopped falling, and before the snow does, have your gutters professionally cleaned (falling off a roof doesn’t hurt, it’s the sudden stop at the end!) and don’t forget the downspouts! Nobody likes to spend on things they can’t see, but what you’ll enjoy is a dry(er) basement. Brian Mishler is an 18-year veteran of home inspection and is a past president of PRO-ASHI, the local chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors. You can get more information about home inspection at www.pro-ashi.com
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continued from page 13
Series
Connect Your Interest and Goals GSWPA also offers educational series for girls to expand their knowledge of a particular subject or area of interest. Topics range from science, math and technology to literacy, fitness, career exploration, leadership and service. Series Pathway postings are availble in S’MORE and the website (Events Calendar and Join Us tabs).
Event
Looking for S’more Fun? Girl Scouts and their families can participate in hundreds of local and regional events each year – designed to inspire new interests and skills. Past themes have included: sign language, jazzercise, self defense, computer animation, gingerbread houses, engineering challenges, photography, and attending sporting events as a group. Parents, siblings and friends are always welcome to join in! A complete list can be found in S’MORE and the website events calendar.
Join In
From Here You Can Go Anywhere Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania serves over 35,000 in 27 counties, building courage, confidence and character in girls who make the world a better place. Contact GSWPA by calling 1-800-248-3355 x 1402 or visit www.gswpa.org. About Girl Scouts Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls with 3.2 million girl and adult members worldwide. Girl Scouts is the leading authority on girls’ healthy development, and builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The organization serves girls from every corner of the United States and its territories. Girl Scouts of the USA also serves American girls and their classmates attending American or international schools overseas in 90 countries. For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect, or donate to Girl Scouts, call (800) GSUSA 4 U or visit www.girlscouts.org.
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2012 Declared Year of the Girl In a move designed to focus national attention on girls and the issues they face, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) has declared 2012 the Year of the Girl: a celebration of girls, recognition of their leadership potential, and a commitment to creating a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals in support of balanced leadership in the workplace and in communities across the country. The announcement comes as GSUSA assumes new leadership under CEO Anna Maria Chávez and prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2012, using this important moment in its history to launch a major initiative to change the landscape for girls and young women. The initiative, which also includes the largest fundraising and advocacy campaign dedicated to girls’ issues in the nation’s history, will be formally announced in January and will extend well beyond the Year of the Girl in 2012. “The Year of the Girl is only a beginning,” said GSUSA Chief Executive Officer Anna Maria Chávez. “We can’t transform American leadership in a year, but we can transform expectations in a year. We can transform awareness in a year. We can set in motion a generational change, and make certain that a baby girl born in 2012 will experience her life in a new and vastly different world. Only Girl Scouts, with its scale and time-honored place in society, can launch this initiative. If not us, who? If not now, when? When girls succeed, so does society. We know that together, we can get her there.” This declaration serves as the foundation for Girl Scouts’ broader, multiyear, multipronged effort to break down societal barriers that hinder girls from leading and achieving success in everything from technology and science to business and industry. During the Year of the Girl, local Girl Scout offices nationwide will mix celebrations of the organization’s 100 years as the premier leadership experience for girls with efforts to create a sense of urgency around girls’ issues. “Girl Scouts is at the forefront of building girl leaders, GSUSA National President Connie L. Lindsey said. “We embrace the opportunity we have to develop the next generation and future generations of leaders that understand the interconnectedness of the global community. Our girls will understand that they matter. And when they dream their future, they see a world of shared leadership: where the values of courage, confidence, and character really do make the world a better place.”
Presidential Medal of Freedom Awarded Posthumously to the Girl Scout Founder, Juliette Gordon Low On May 20, 2012, The White House announced that President Obama is posthumously awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the founder of Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low. The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, recognizes individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” “Juliette Gordon Low was a visionary, whose legacy lives on in the 59 million American women who have participated in Girl Scouting at some point in their lives,” said Patricia Burkart, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania. “She believed that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually, and in founding Girl Scouts in 1912, she made an indelible and enduring contribution to the lives of girls and to our nation. It is so fitting that during our 100th anniversary year, Juliette should be honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.” From the beginning, Girl Scouts has insisted on being a voice for all girls. Juliette Gordon Low’s first 18 Girl Scouts included girls from influential Savannah families, and girls from the Female Orphan Asylum and Congregation Mickve Israel. As early as 1917, the first African American troops were established, as well as troops for disabled girls. One of the earliest Latina troops was formed in 1922, Girl Scout troops supported Japanese American girls in internment camps in the 1940s, and by the 1950s, Girl Scouts was leading the charge to fully integrate all of its troops. In 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called Girl Scouts “a force for desegregation.” Low’s exemplary life, work, and legacy have received many forms of recognition in the past. In 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed a bill authorizing a stamp in honor of Low. On October 28, 1979, Low was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and on December 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill naming a new federal building in Savannah in honor of her—the second federal building in history to be named after a woman. Additionally, a bust of Low is displayed in the state capitol of Georgia. In receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Low joins the ranks of Frances Hesselbein, who in 1998 was awarded the medal for her work with Girl Scouts of the USA. Hesselbein served as Girl Scout CEO and is credited with increasing minority membership and establishing the Daisy Scout program for the youngest girls accepted into Girl Scouts.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
History of Scottdale and Everson in New Local Book
Local authors team up with historical society to tell story through images The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is Around Scottdale and Everson from local authors Paul E. Eckman and Tom Zwierzelewski, with the Scottdale Historical Society. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by. Prior to the Great Depression, coal mines and coke ovens made Scottdale the wealthiest community in Westmoreland County. Once part of a region that was known as the world’s largest producer of metallurgical coke, the area’s prosperity created a thriving business district on the road to Pittsburgh, lined Chestnut Street with elegant Victorian mansions, and provided a home for a baseball farm team affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. Immigrants from Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean joined earlier Scotch Irish and German settlers to create a rich cultural heritage. Around Scottdale and Everson celebrates this ethnic diversity. Pictured within are views of early homesteads, coke ovens, mills, and places where residents lived, shopped, worshiped, and played, including Lake Forest Park and the YMCA. Although recent economic growth shifted to nearby interstate highways, Scottdale and Everson occupy a strategic gateway to the Laurel Highlands, which promises to attract new immigrants preferring to live near open spaces and in neighborhoods without strangers. Highlights of Around Scottdale and Everson:
Local history authors, Paul Eckman (l) and Tom Zwierzelewski (r)
Every Story Begins At Home.
• The book represents the collective effort of more than 100 citizens from Scottdale and Everson. • The publication highlights the ethnic diversity of the population through pictures of schools, churches and other community groups.
Around Scottdale and Everson by Paul E. Eckman, Tom Zwierzelewski with the Scottdale Historical Society Images of America Series Price: $21.99 128 pages/ softcover Available: August 6, 2012
• Former residents who excelled in sports, entertainment, religion and education are featured in the book. About the Authors Paul Eckman attended St. John the Baptist grade school in Scottdale and Immaculate Conception High School in Connellsville. He earned degrees at St. Vincent College and Duquesne University. After pursuing other post graduate studies at the University of Kentucky, he taught at Rutgers University, and subsequently held numerous local government positions in the State of New Jersey, where he currently resides.
Eddie Eckman, the author’s father, was a barber in Everson who collected pictures of the area. Eckman inherited the collection, and always wanted to share the images with others in memory of his parents and the community that shaped his values. Arcadia Publishing and the Scottdale Historical Society provided a venue and support for realizing this aspiration. Eckman believes that the book will generate a renewed commitment and appreciation regarding the special people and places around Scottdale and Everson that remain cherished memories for all those who dared to cross Jacobs Creek. Tom Zwierzelewski attended grade school in Alverton and graduated from Southmorland High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where he developed a lifelong interest in historic preservation. Zwierzelewski has been a resident of Scottdale for more than 30 years, and is the current president of the historical society. Under his leadership, the society restored the Peter Loucks residence on Chestnut Street to its 1880 Victorian style, and created historical exhibits in public institutions throughout the area. Zwierzelewski is a regular contributor to the Scottdale Independent Observer on the heritage of the community. Zwierzelewski believes that the book will provide future support for the mission of the Scottdale Historical Society by preserving the unique history of the region for current and future generations. Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or (888) -313-2665. Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.
Autumn 2012 - 33
THREE PENNIES by Cindy Blonk Parker
Hungry Hearts Agnes had three pennies. She also had a dream of doing something significant with her life. But how on earth was she going to realize her dreams with only three pennies? What could she do with so little? Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu felt called to ministry as a young girl and went through ministerial training in Ireland and India. When she graduated from her training her heart was “on fire” with a burning passion to serve God and love people. One day she approached her superiors and announced, “I have three pennies and a dream from God to build an orphanage.” Her superiors could not believe what they were hearing! After laughing at her, they said, “You can’t build an orphanage with three pennies. With three pennies you can’t do anything.” Agnes just smiled and replyed, “I know. But with God and three pennies I can do anything!” For 50 years this woman worked among the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India. We know Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu as Mother Teresa. The first time I heard this story my heart grew hungry. Hungry for that message of hope Mother Theresa so whole heartily believed in. I graduated from Penn State University with a B.A. in General Arts and Sciences. (I know you’re thinking, what a waste-what can you do with that degree!) Well, I started out in engineering (my Dad’s brilliant idea) and then switched to Communications, after that didn’t work out I tried Hotel and Restaurant Management (my sister’s major) which led to Journalism. After my father reminded me that he was only paying for four years of college, I still didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I had accumulated enough credits and so Penn State allowed me to graduate with a degree 34 - Autumn 2012
that would use these assorted credits. I guess I wasn’t the only one to graduate without figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. In addition to that degree, I had HOPE. Hope that I could make a difference in the world. Hope that I could help others. Hope that led me to Texas. After graduation, my new husband and I moved down to the suburbs of Dallas, Texas to live with my parents while our new home was being built. I was working as an assistant manager for TJ Maxx when I happened upon an ad in the paper looking for people interested in teaching. The Dallas Independent School District was hiring teachers and the only requirement was a four year degree, in anything! I took my BA in General Arts and Sciences down to their administrative offices and signed up, along with 5,000 other people who had read the ad, all hoping to teach. Next came the weeding out process: basic skills tests, interview after interview, sometimes one-on-one, sometimes in front of a panel of interviewers, more tests. And then finally the answer I’d been hoping forthey’d selected me for the program! I was one of 50 who started a master’s program in Education and I was assigned a month of student teaching. A year after that first application, I had my very own classroom at Thomas C. Marsh Middle School teaching Reading to eighth graders. The school’s population was comprised of 1/3 African American students, 1/3 Spanish students and 1/ 3 Caucasian students from all walks of life, but with one thing in common: none of them could read very well. And because of this deficiency that had been told that they would never amount to much in life and most of them had given
up on life. Most of my new students had no hope. I couldn’t blame them, really, most of the kids came from one parent households, and didn’t have much. In a society that places such value on things, they had none. After being told for years that they wouldn’t amount to much, they entered my class believing what they were told. And then I met Marcus: a sixteen year old African American student who had been held back and so he was still in the eighth grade. He had gotten in trouble over the summer for lighting a police car on fire and was generally thought of as a trouble maker, so none of the other teachers wanted him in their classroom. I said I’d take him. He was so quiet and never gave me a problem in class! One day I asked the class who wanted to read aloud. Marcus tentatively raised his hand and although I was a bit surprised, I called on him. He began to read the sentences out loud, skipping over most of the words while reading the smaller three letter words. The class was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, there was no snickering, or laughing, the kids were all afraid of Marcus. He couldn’t read, I remember thinking to myself, maybe that’s why he gets into trouble! I asked Marcus to stay after class for a few minutes, which he did and I asked him if he thought his mother would allow him to stay after school for some extra tutoring. His gaze shifted to the window and he told me that after basketball practice was over he usually caught the bus home and waited outside for his mother. “What do you mean you wait outside?” “I’m not allowed inside the apartment until momma and the ladies are finished with their business.” LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
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I remember thinking, “I can’t believe he just explained to me that his mother was a madam and ran her business from their apartment!” I hope my expression didn’t express the horror that I felt during his confession. I think I just said, “So you have some extra time on your hands then?” He nodded. We met every day after basketball practice and before long Marcus was reading, and not only reading but comprehending what he was reading. No longer shy around teachers, he was able to look them in the eye when spoken to and answer in polite sentences. He no longer bullied kids but rescued other kids who were being bullied. Hope blossomed within him and it was miraculous to behold. A few months later, I assigned a special lesson. The assignment was called “Making a Difference” and each person was given the opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone else by writing a letter to someone who had made a difference in his or her life. Every Story Begins At Home.
After the letter was written they were to give it to the recipient or to me and I would mail it. (I was trying to teach my students that even though they were young, they were powerful and could make a difference simply though a letter.) The response to those letters was overwhelming. Word got out that I had assigned the letters. Teachers stopped me in the halls after they received their letters to thank me. They were hugging students and crying and day after day someone would share how much their letter meant to them. The students in my class shared story after story of people’s responses to their letters. The kids couldn’t believe that something as simple as a letter had such a profound impact. Hope is like that, you see—it doesn’t just cheer you up, it moves you to action. Like Agnes and her three pennies. I still have my letter: Dear Ms. DeAngelo,
I don’t know how to thank you for spending time with me, especially when no one else wanted to. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough to say for teaching me how to read but I don’t know what else to say. I will never forget you and the difference you made in my life. You gave me hope. Love, Marcus. I am praying that you haven’t run out of hope for your journey. Blessings. ***** Cindy Parker came to the United Church of Christ by way of the Presbyterian Church. A life-long Presbyterian, she jokes that she was “predestined to become UCC!” Currently called as the Pastor and Teacher of Christ Church UCC in Latrobe, PA and St. John’s UCC in Darlingtoon; she, her husband Larry and three daughters enjoy traveling all over the world! Cindy also serves as a Spiritual Director for the Three Rivers Walk to Emmaus retreats and was part of the team that brought the Kairos Outside Ministry to Pennsylvania. Kairos (which means special time in Greek) is a prison ministry for women whose lives have been impacted by incarceration. Cindy completed her undergraduate studies at Penn State and her MDiv. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary along with a year- long internship at Family Hospice and Palliative Care. She enjoys traveling, reading, baking, and photographing her daughters.
Autumn 2012 - 35
Antiques on the Diamond
- Saturday, August 25 (8 am - 3 pm)
Golf Outing • August 17 (Reg - 11, Lunch, 11:30, Shotgun, 12:30) Ft. Ligonier Days
- October 12-14 (weekend of history, crafts, food, entertainment)
Scarecrow Contest - October 20-31 (vote for your favorite scarecrow!)
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Autumn 2012 - 37
AUTUMN COMMUNITY CALENDAR Take Time to Sit and Watch the Leaves Turn . . .
Through December 28 Craft Friday Johnstown Children’s Museum Rt. 56 & 7th Ave. Johnstown 814.539.1889 A different craft every week at the Johnstown Children’s Museum! Presented at about 2:30; suitable for kids aged 4 and up. www.jaha.org Through August 31 SummerSounds Greensburg’s Concerts in the Park St. Clair Park 241 Tollgate Hill Rd. Greensburg 724.838.4323 SummerSounds is a free series of exciting and interesting concerts under the stars in Greensburg’s downtown St. Clair Park. Emphasizing high standards of contemporary musicianship in a family atmosphere, this series has been called “the best outdoor music series in Western PA.” Dine at one of our fine restaurants or pack a dinner if you wish ... then stretch out on your blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the tunes. Best of all the price is right: FREE! And so is our parking! We want you to have a great evening in our downtown cultural district! All Shows are 7:00 to about 9:30 p.m. every Friday in June, July and August. We hope to see you at the park! http://summersounds.com/index.html Through August 26, “Kara Ruth Snyder: Inward Morning” exhibition Frank L. Melega Art Museum 69 Market St. Brownsville 724.785.9331 Kara Snyder, an emerging artist, creator of powerful and exhilarating abstract paintings. “Kara is the best abstract artist I have seen in a long, long time” said museum director Patrick Daugherty. An inspiring and determined artist who is also legally blind. www.melegaartmuseum.org Through September 2 Sunday Night Summer Concert Series Downtown Connellsville 507 S. Pittsburgh St. Connellsville 724.320.6392 | www.fayettetrust.org Through September 1 Farmers & Artists Market Downtown Connellsville 507 S. Pittsburgh St. | 724.320.6392 Farmers & Artists Market takes place on Saturdays from 8-12. www.fayettetrust.org/ August 2-5 Annual Antique Tractor Show Stoystown, PA | www.stoystownlions.org | 814-341-9593 August 3 The Stroll Ligonier, 5-9PM Stroll into the fabulous 50s with music and classic cars on the diamond. 38 - Autumn 2012
August 3, 1773 First lawyer, Francis Dade admitted to Westmoreland County Bar August 5, 1763 Battle of Bushy Run Three British Regiments, led by Col. Henry Bouquet, defeated several Native American nations of the Ohio Valley. The British victory relieved a siege of Fort Pitt and was the turning point in Pontiac’s Rebellion. August 3-5 Ameriserv Flood City Music Festival Johnstown, PA | www.floodcitymusic.com The AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival is a four-stage, three-day celebration of American roots music attracting thousands of enthusiastic music fans to Johnstown, Pennsylvania every summer. Headliners for the Aug. 3-5 festival include Dr. John & the Lower 911, Del McCoury Band, The Smithereens, Steve Royal Southern Brotherhood and many more! 2012 winning t-shirt designs by: John Wilk, left (Whitehall) Sean McCauley, right (Johnstown
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
August 4-5 Keystone Craft Show & Community Days Keystone State Park, 1150 Keystone State Park Rd in Derry | 724-668-2939 The Keystone State Park Friends Group, a non-profit organization, would like to invite you to participate in Community Days and Craft show at Pavilion # 1. There will be crafts, food, baked goods and entertainment. This show will be held rain or shine! Entertainment includes train rides, firetrucks, Antique cars, American Indian programs (Storytelling), disc golf, fishing derby, disc jockey and more! 10 am to 6 pm. Vendors still needed – contact Pam 724-6682566 or kpnature@nb.net August 7, 1882 Seton Hill College founded August 7-11 Mountain Area Fair Farmington VF Dept Fairgrounds Elliotsville Rd. Farmington 724.329.5513 | www.mtareafair.com/ August 10, 1786 Second Westmoreland County Courthouse completed After Hanna’s Town was attacked and destroyed, the town never fully recovered, and the county seat was permanently established in Newtown (later Greensburg) in 1786. August 11-12 Brigade of the American Revolution Fort Ligonier | 200 S. Market St. in Ligonier, PA | 724-238-9701 www.fortligonier.com 18th Century living history demonstrations, encampment and tactical exercises.
DERRY RAILROAD DAYS
Back on Track 2012 Hobo Picnic Thursday Evening, September 20 at 6:00 pm Live Music • Campfire • Hobo Stew • Cookie & Drink
Railroad Days F estival Festival Saturday, September 23: 10 am - 7:30 pm 10 am Parade • Food • Crafts • Entertainment Sunday, September 23: Noon - 5 pm Food • Crafts • Entertainment
www.DerryRailroadDays.com
August 12 Antiques & Collectibles Market Historic Hanna’s Town 809 Forbes Trail Rd. Greensburg 724.532.1935 | hannastown.org | 7:30 AM - 1 PM August 12 August Fun Fest at Cedar Creek Park Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County Parks & Recreation Along with great music and great shows, August Fun Fest has carnival rides, pony rides, kiddie train ride and a petting zoo. Ride all day long for $4.00. Also included is musical entertainment with The Vogues! August 12 Lammas Day Festival Derry Area Historical Society, Fulton House in New Derry 1 PM | www.derryhistory.org | 724-694-8808 Planned activities include a blessing of the fields by the Rev. Stephen West attired in an early America cope, a traditional Lammas Day corn feast, featuring local grown corn on the cob, tasty food and lemonade. Visitors can watch a blacksmith work his trade, and children can try their hand at churning butter and making corn husk dolls. Please join us for a special Lammas Day bonfire to celebrate this Celtic festival. August 14 Butterfly Release 951 Old Salem Road, Greensburg, PA Greensburg Garden Center is hosting a free program and butterfly release featuring Rick Mikula, “The Butterfly Guy.”Want your own personal butterfly to release? Butterflies can be reserved for $6 by calling (724.837.0245) or e-mailing (ggc951@live.com) the Greensburg Garden Center. Program begins at 1 pm followed by the butterfly release. Doors open at noon! Every Story Begins At Home.
August 17 - 25 Westmoreland County Fair Admission price is $7 and includes parking, amusement rides, admission to all commercial and agricultural exhibits, and judging exhibitions. Grandstand Arena events are NOT INCLUDED. www.westmorelandfair.com Each year millions of visitors attend Pennsylvania State Fairs because of the quality of exhibits, products, competitions, educational opportunities, and the exciting range of entertainment Fairs have to offer. Westmoreland Fair prides itself in showcasing Pennsylvania’s Number One Industry – Agriculture. The Westmoreland Fair celebrates its 58th anniversary in 2012. At the very beginning, which was the year of 1954, the Fair was held at Idlewild Park, located in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. At that time the Fair lasted only three days and was attended primarily by 4-H exhibitors, their families and by people who just happened to be attending the amusement park. By 1957 there was a need to grow and the Fair’s charter members purchased a 170 acre farm near the village of Mutual. That first year, organizers built a veritable tent city to accommodate all the exhibits and animals. Over the years the Fair’s Board of Directors focused efforts on adding permanent buildings to house a growing fair. Today, there are 20 buildings including barns, pavilions, and small arena – complete with stage. In 1990 the fair constructed a new Peoples Natural Gas Grandstand Arena complete with roof and with seats for 5,600 and room to expand audiences to more than 8,000. Autumn 2012 - 39
Westmoreland Fairgrounds is the site of other attractions throughout the year including: the Labor Day Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Colonial Festival, past Rolling Rock Town Fair Concerts, auctions, livestock shows, car shows, demolition derbies, rodeos, the Westmoreland Rib & Wing Festival as well as antique shows, gun shows, horse shows, Motocross racing, and the magical Overly’s Country Christmas light display from November through January August 17, 2012 Family Friday Historic Hanna’s Town 809 Forbes Trail Rd. Greensburg 724-532-1935 “Who Do We Think We Are?” – activities for children and parents to explore and discover family histories and genealogy. www.hannastown.org August 18 and Septmber 1 Craft Day for the Kids Keystone State Park, Beach House | 1 PM | 724-668-2939 Children are welcome to join us at the beach house for Craft Day, which will be held until 4 p.m. Parents are welcome to assist their children with making crafts. Sponsored by Friends of Keystone State Park and Keystone State Park. August 18-19 Living History Weekend Compass Inn Museum | US 30 Laughlintown, PA | 724-238-4983 www.compassinn.com History comes alive as skilled craftsmen demonstrate a variety of 18th and 19th century skills and crafts. See a blacksmith (below) or bobbin lace maker at work. Help dip candles, or try your hand at weaving. Watch soap making or open hearth cooking. (Crafts vary daily.)
August 18, 2012 Laurel Highlands Garlic Festival Faranda Farm 1171 Penn Ave. Hollsopple 814.479.7109 Come Celebrate the Miracle of Garlic -”The Stinking Rose!” 10 AM - 5 PM FESTIVAL INCLUDES: • Live entertainment • Homemade food • Guest Chefs & Lots of Garlic • Llamas • Hay rides • Play area • FREE parking ADMISSION: $5, Child 12 & Under $2, Children Under 2 - FREE. www.farandafarm.net/ August 18, 2012 Keystone Movie Night Beach House Area 1150 Keystone Park Rd. Derry 724.688.2939 Gather the family and join us for a movie! Tonight’s feature - Shrek Starts at 8:30 PM August 20, 1867 Donegal incorporated August 24, 1781 Lochry’s Defeat Col. Archibald Lochry and his force of just over 100 men from Westmoreland County were defeated along the Ohio River (near confluence with Great Miami River) by Native Americans. They were on their way to meet Gen. George Rogers Clark’s force to attack Fort Detroit in an effort to stop British-supported Indian raids. All Lochry’s men were either killed or captured. August 25 Antiques on the Diamond Over 50 antique dealers located around the Diamond in Ligonier. 8 AM - 3 PM. www.visitligonier.com August 25, 2012 Twilight Tour Fallingwater 1491 Mill Run Rd. Mill Run 724.329.8501 http://www.fallingwater.org/ August 25, 2012- September 30, 2012 Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival 112 Renaissance Ln. West Newton 724.872.1670 AUGUST 25-26 SEPTEMBER 1-2-3, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30 Saturday, Sunday and Labor Day Only! 10:30am - 6:30pm Rain or Shine / No Pets FREE PARKING http://www.pittsburghrenfest.com/ August 26 - September 1 150th Annual Indiana County Fair www.indianacountyfair.com | Admission price $8 The Indiana County Fair shall promote the growth and improvement of agriculture sciences; educate and provide for the exchange of information between the producers and consumer of food, fiber and energy; and educate and provide a venue for the exchange of agricultural sciences among governmental agencies, local businesses and non-profit organizations. August 28, 2012 Latrobe Farmer’s Market Latrobe Memorial Stadium 816 Ligonier St. Latrobe 724.805.0112
The Ligonier Valley Historical Society will be hosting the Pittsburgh Area Artist Blacksmiths Association (PAABA) at Compass Inn Museum in Laughlintown on September 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Located in the Latrobe Memorial Stadium parking lot, the Latrobe Farmers’ Market will be open from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. every Tuesday from June 5 through the end of October. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to this weekly community event, and enjoy farm fresh produce, delicious food, unique crafts, and more! www.latroberevitalization.org LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
August 31, 1818 Arthur St. Clair died Arthur St. Clair was vital in the establishment of Westmoreland County by the Penn Proprietary government in 1773. He served as the first prothonatary of Westmoreland County. He rose to the rank of Major General in the Continental Army. He served as President of Congress under the Articles of Confederation and as the first governor of the Northwest Territory. August 31, 1952 Last run of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road September 1 - December 1 Bud Gibbons Exhibition Frank L. Melega Art Museum 69 Market St. Brownsville 724.785.9331 Award winning Bud Gibbons, known for his bold representational paintings, a virtuoso of the brush. Mr. Gibbons is a Professor of Art at Penn State. http://melegaartmuseum.org/Frank_L_Melega_Art_Museum/ Future_Exhibitions.html September 1, 2012 24th Annual Music in the Mountains Ohiopyle State Park Ohiopyle 724.329.8591 Don’t miss musical entertainment, interpretative park programming, arts & crafts vendors, food vendors, a spaghetti dinner at the Ohiopyle Community Center and fireworks Saturday night! http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/ohiopyle/ index.htm September 1, 1869 New Florence incorporated September 1, 1932 First Sears store in Westmoreland County opens in downtown Greensburg Sears opened in 1932 at 101 North Main Street and remained at that location for 30 years. Today the building houses professional offices.
North Main Street, Greensburg - collection of Westmoreland County Historical Society
Every Story Begins At Home.
September 2, 1958 Penn State opens the New Kensington Campus September 2, 1791 Thomas Hamilton named first postmaster of Greensburg Greensburg became the thirteenth post office in Pennsylvania and the second west of the mountains, August 5, 1791, three years after Pittsburgh. Nearly a month after its official establishment, postmaster Thomas Hamilton was appointed. (from A Bicentennial History of the City of Greensburg by Robert Van Atta. 1999) September 3, 1794 Whiskey insurrectionists besiege Drum House in Greensburg September 2-3 Labor Day Celebration - Northmoreland Park This is a two-day extravaganza including carnival amusement rides, Greenfield Farm pony rides and petting zoo, and Rainbow Express train rides! Ride all day for $3. Also features an Arts and Crafts festival, giant flea market and the Tom Thumb Circus. Other attractions will be Tom Breiding (Folk Music, Monday), Earl Schriver’s Birds of Prey, Labor Day speakers program, delicious food & refreshments as well as live music both days! 11 AM start. September 5, 2012 - September 9, 2012 Farmers &Threshermens Jubilee Rt. 281 New Centerville 814.926.3142 The Farmers & Threshermens Jubilee has crafts, a quilt show, steam engines, tractors, entertainment and truck-tractor pulls. For more details, visit the website! http://www.ncrvfc.com/ September 7, 2012 – September 9, 2012 Mountain Craft Days Somerset Historical Center 10649 Somerset Pk. Somerset 814.445.6077 The Somerset Historical Center will host the 43rd Annual Mountain Craft Days folk festival on September 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Over 125 craft artisans, musicians, and entertainers will be on hand to interpret the rich frontier heritage of southwestern Pennsylvania. Mountain Craft Days was founded in 1970 to preserve and interpret the wonderful historic craft and trades heritage of Somerset County, and with over 100 booths and a dozen outdoor performance sites located within walking distance of each other in gentle meadows and along wooded paths a wonderful mix of historical demonstrations, music and food is available for visitors to enjoy. The event is held rain or shine. Follow directional signs to free parking. General admission is $7.00 for adults; children 6-17 are $4.00, and children under 5 are free of charge. http://www.somersethistoricalcenter.org/ September 8 Unity Township Heritage Day The fourth annual Unity Township Heritage Day will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2012, from 12 to 7 p.m., at the Unity Township Municipal Building. The free, day-long festival will include a variety of fun-filled activities for all ages, as well as delicious food, crafters and vendors. Festival events include the annual Battle of the Barrel, VFD displays, historical memorabilia display, basket raffle and more. Kids will enjoy face painting, inflatable rides, pony rides, Mr. Bill’s Petting Zoo, GlitterDot & Dapper, Dan Kuniak Magic & Illusion and other fun activities. Entertainment will include a live radio broadcast by Marko Polka from 12 to 3 p.m. and Life of Brian from 4 to 7 p.m. For more information, call 724-539-2546 or visit www.unitytownship.org.
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September 9 Antiques & Collectibles Market Historic Hanna’s Town 809 Forbes Trail Rd. Greensburg 724.532.1935 | hannastown.org | 7:30 AM - 1 PM September 11, 1794 Eighty whiskey insurgents from Greensburg and Hempfield Township granted amnesty
commission from the state legislature. His war service was notable, particularly in challenging supply problems. Highly regarded by George Washington, Greene became a close friend of the commander-in-chief. At war’s end, grateful Georgians gave him a plantation near Savannah, but he died shortly thereafter.
September 11 Made in Westmoreland Westmoreland County Historical Society LIbrary | 362 Sand Hill Rd Greensburg | 724-532-1935 | 7-8:30 PM This is the second in a series featuring products made in Westmoreland County. This program features Millstein Glass (1943 Jeannete) and Behrenberg Glass (1924-Delmont). A display of Millstein Glass candy containers will be featured. September 14, 2012- September 15, 2012 Appalachian Festival Frostburg State University 101 Braddock Rd. Frostburg, MD 724.603.3151 | www.frostburg.edu/events/afestival/ Music, Culture, History, Environment, Music, Hands On Traditions, Storytelling, and lots of activities for kids. It’s all at the Appalachian Festival—Free September 18, 1969 Westmoreland County acquires Old Hanna’s Town site Hannastown Farm - c. 1930 The Steel family from Ireland first settled in America in 1772 when Hanna’s Town, consisting of just a few log houses, was about to become the first county seat of the first county wholly west of the Alleghenies. In 1826 John Steel purchased the Robert Hanna Farm of more than 300 acres on which were the remains of the Hanna’sTown settlement which had been destroyed by Native Americans and British soldiers in July 1782. John moved to this property in 1835, and it was the homestead of that branch of the Steel family for one and a half centuries. Upon John’s death in 1860, the Hanna Farm was inherited by his son William, who had just married Sarah Jane Brown. The acreage was developed by William into two principal farms, the Hannastown Farm (where the lovely mansion house was erected in 1866) and the Hannastown Courthouse Farm. William and Sarah Steel had 11 children. Their first-born son was John Byers Steel (1861-1920), who would inherit the Hanna’s Town Courthouse Farm upon his father’s death. He married Madge Montgomery in 1909 and about 1910 built the impressive 3-story gabled residence on the Forbes Road as a comfortable gentleman’s farmhouse and a convenient retreat for his growing family. Their only son, William (b. 1915) inherited the house and farm, and it was his daughter-in-law, Sarah Jamison Steel, who deeded the property and house to Westmoreland County in 1969. September 19, 1786 “Newton” renamed “Greensburg,” in honor of General Nathanael Greene from Robert Van Atta’s Bicentennial History of the City of Greensburg: [Ironically] General Greene never visited the area. A Rhode Island native, he was active in iron foundry operation and as a state legislator there. Denied officer status in a militia company he helped organize, he served as a private, then in 1775 received a brigadier general’s 42 - Autumn 2012
General Nathanael Greene September 20 Hobo Picnic Derry Station Railroad Heritage Park beside the Caboose Museum & Gift Shop in downtown Derry. The Derry Railroad Days Committee will cook and serve free “hobo stew” to the community, free musical entertainment by Dark Shadow, campfire and stories. www.derryarea.net/events.html September 21, 2012 – September 22, 2012 Chili Cook Off Benner’s Meadow Run Campground 315 Nelson Rd. Farmington 724.329.4097 http://www.bennersmeadowrun.com/ September 21, 2012 – September 23, 2012 Scottdale Fall Festival Scottdale Scottdale 724.887.8220 The Scottdale Fall Festival is a three day outdoor festival. Enjoy ethnic food, live entertainment, and shop our homemade crafts. http://www.scottdalefallfestival.org/ September 22, 2012 54th Annual Ligonier Highland Games Idlewild Park Ligonier 814.931.4714 Follow the skirl of bagpipes to beautiful Ligonier for the annual gathering of the Clans. Join more than 5000 people at the Ligonier Highland Games and experience exciting competitions in: * piping, fiddling, and drumming * athletic events such as tossing the caber and the Scottish hammer throw * Highland dancing and Scottish country dancing, as well as the timeless tradition of Gaelic Mod. Shop for Celtic wares including pottery, jewelry, tartans, Scottish food, and, of course, kilts! Visit the Clan tents to explore the history and genealogy of Scotland’s families. Enjoy the Children’s Games, the Massed Bands (hundreds of pipers and drummers at once!), Scottishbreed dog exhibits, and Celtic performers from all over the world! http://www.ligonierhighlandgames.org/ September 22-23 Derry Railroad Days Parade, Food Booths, Craft Sales, Informational Displays, 50/50 Drawing, Civil War Encampment, Pony Pals Pony Rides, Hay Wagon Rides, Trackless Train Rides, Railroad Museum and Gift Shop, Derry LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Borough Fireman’s Museum, Juvenile Junction, Train Display – Trinity Lutheran Church,
September 26, 1958 President Eisenhower seals the “Century Chain” at Fort Ligonier
First Commonwealth Bank entertainment stage: Saturday 11:00 Derry Area Midget Cheerleaders 11:15 Diamond Dolls noon Zumba by Building Bodeez 1:00 Angel Blue and the Profits 2:00 Rick Struzzi 3:00 The Zoo 4:00 Alibi for Sunday 5:00 Dallas Marks Band Sunday 12:00 The Relics 2:00 Me & My Neighbor 3:00 Phinna http://www.derryrailroaddays.com/ September 22, 2012 – September 23, 2012 Berlin Whiskey Rebellion Vine St. in Berlin | 814.267.6299 Join us for our 19th Annual Whiskey Rebellion Heritage Festival in beautiful Berlin, Pennsylvania! Despite the name, our celebration is alcohol-free which makes it a wonderful family-friendly festival. Throughout both days, there will be historical demonstrations, wood carvers, re-enactors and fun for kids of all ages and admission is free! www.berlinwhiskeyrebellionheritagefestival.com September 23, 1789 Unity Township formed out of Mount Pleasant Township September 23, 1812 Greensburg Rifle Company left to join William H. Harrison from Robert Van Atta’s Bicentennial History of the City of Greensburg: “War brought an increase in activity in 1812. The Greensburg Rifles were among the first units to volunteer, even before the actual declaration. . . As early as a month before Congress declared war on England, June 18, the Greensburg Rifles had been sharpening military skills in anticipation. . . The Rifles were alerted in early September. . . and a few days later, orders were received. . . Officers, in addition to Captain [John] Alexander, were Lieutenant Christian Drum and Ensign Peter Drum. . . ‘as fine a set of men as ever handled a rifle,’ a local newspaper said, the company marched to Pittsburgh and boarded a riverboat to Cincinnati on September 23, 1812. From there, they proceeded to Indiana . . . They joined Governor (with the rank of General) William Henry Harrison’s Northwestern Army. Its objective was destruction of Indian towns on the Mississinewa River, a Wabash tributary.” September 24, 1788 Allegheny County formed out of part of Westmoreland County
Every Story Begins At Home.
The Century Chain www.the-visitor-center.com/pages/Fort-Ligonier President Dwight D. Eisenhower, seen by 30,000 in Ligonier on September 26, 1958 climaxed his visit with a public address on this site. He sealed into the Century Chain the open Bicentennial Line using an ax from the Fort’s artifacts. The President then signed a scroll commemorating the occasion. The Century Chain’s links are similar to but slightly larger than the great chain spanning the Hudson River at West Point during the American Revolution. The Century Chain includes iron smelted at one of the old iron furnaces in Ligonier Valley. September 28, 2012 – October 27, 2012 Huston’s Haunted Hollow 126 Woodland Rd. Rockwood 814.926.3133 Huston’s Haunted Hollow is a thrilling, haunted attraction that includes: Haunted Farmhouse - 3D — Your heart pounds and your palms begin to sweat as you enter a “new dimension” in fright. Prepare yourself for a hair-raising interactive experience as you encounter the “Mad Doctor”, “Mr. Spots”, “Claustromania” and “Vertigo”. This is a high startle, graphic experience with strobes, fog and dark foreboding passageways - Not recommended for the timid or very young. www.hauntedhollow.net/ October 1, 1773 Westmoreland County’s first election The election was held at Robert Hanna’s house. Results of the election: • John Proctor - Sheriff • Joseph Beeler, James Smith, and James Cavett - County Commissioners • James Kinkaid and William Harrison - Coroners All were sworn into office by Arthur St. Clair. The commissioners proceeded at once to adjust debts and levy a county tax.
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October 3, 1876 Madison incorporated The borough of Madison had a population of 479 according to the US Census Bureau estimate in July 2009. October 3, 1955 First combined issue of Tribune-Review Two newspapers - The Greensburg Daily Tribune and the Greensburg Morning Review - combined to form the Greensburg Tribune Review. October 4, 2012 – October 27, 2012 Night at the Zoo Living Treasures Wild Animal Park 288 Rt. 711 Jones Mills 724.593.8300 Observe the wild and interesting behaviors of our animals at night! Thursday-Saturday nights in October www.funindonegal.com October 5, 2012 – October 7, 2012 Confluence PumpkinFest Confluence Town Park Confluence 814.395.5242 Don’t miss the awesome food, craft vendors and live music! www.confluencepumpkinfest.org/ October 5, 2012 - October 6, 2012 Springs Folk Festival 1711 Springs Rd. Springs 814.442.4594 Over 100 juried craftsmen at work - Antique farm equipment displayed - PA Dutch food - Music all day - Hayrides - Historical Pageant - Experience how our forefathers worked and played. 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Friday & Saturday - Rated best in the area by Cumberland Times-News. Admission: Adults $5.00; 6-18 $2.00; Under 5 free; Grp Rates http://www.springspa.org/ October 6, 2012 – October 7, 2012 Autumnfest Seven Springs Mountain Resort 777 Waterwheel Dr. Seven Springs 800.452.2223 http://7springs.com/page/category.detail/nav/5517/Events.htm October 7, 1918 Greensburg suffers its first death from the great flu epidemic. The first death at Greensburg occurred on Oct. 7 when a high school student passed away. By Oct. 21, there was an area casket shortage, and Youngwood and Latrobe were cited as hard-hit. A week later, there were 2,000 cases of flu in Greensburg and 1,000 in Monessen. Read more: Flu epidemic hit region hard in 1918 Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http:// www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/ specialreports/s_534954.html#ixzz1ZsGugSri October 9, 1813 County-wide celebration and light-up night held for Perry’s victory on Lake Erie. October 9, 1934 First running of Rolling Rock Steeplechase Races It was in 1934 that philanthropist Richard King Mellon, an avid fox hunter and sportsman, decided to bring the steeplechase meet to Ligonier.
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Fort Ligonier Days Parade
“It was during one of the Great Depression’s worst years that Richard K. Mellon devised a way to satisfy his keen sporting instincts and also to enhance the economy of his hometown and raise money for charity,” according to a private Mellon family history. Read more: Thrill of the chase - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ s_158134.html#ixzz1ZsIO6NGe http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ s_158134.html October 12, 2012 Classic Film Series-Young Frankenstein State Theatre Center for the Arts 27 E. Main St. Uniontown 724.439.1360 Adults $5, Seniors/Students $3 If you’re missing the State Theatre Classic Film Series, you’re missing out! Come see some of the greatest films ever made on the big screen at the State. Our series makes a great girls/guys night out, the best date night and a great place to go with friends and family! www.statetheatre.info/classic-film-series
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
October 12-14 Fort Ligonier Days Commemorates the battle of Fort Ligonier fought October 12, 1758. Join us as we celebrate with approximately 150 arts and crafts booths, food booths around the diamond, antique window displays, sidewalk sales, live entertainment, and a variety of activities. www.visitligonier.com October 13, 2012 Rocktoberfest Nemacolin Woodlands Resort 1001 Lafayette Dr. Farmington 866.386.6957 | www.nemacolin.com Do you hear that? Sounds like the tapping of a snare drum, or maybe it is the strumming of an electric guitar or maybe it is just the rocking excitement as we launch a NEW event for 2012! RocktoberFest will take place on the Nemacolin Airstrip (closer to CaddyShack Restaurant) and parking will be available on opposite end of Airstrip and at the Adventure Center. Family friendly activities all day to include: Corn Hole, Bounce House, Horse Shoes, Chair Massages and more! General Admission: $5 Per Person - Price includes Event amenities listed below, unless otherwise noted. October 14, 1644 William Penn Born William Penn was born on October 14, 1644 in London, England. He founded the Province of Pennsylvania, the British Colony that became the State of Pennsylvania. He died on July 30, 1718 in Ruscombe, England, having been forced back to England by financial problems. In 1984, by an Act of Congress, Ronald Reagan declared him and his second wife Hannah to be honorary citizens of the United States. October 19 Hobgoblin Hike - Twin Lakes Park This free one-half mile guided hike is recommended for ages 8 and over and is sponsored by Westmoreland County Parks and Recreation. Volunteers age 16 and over are needed. Please call 724-8303950 if interested. 7 PM October 20-31 Scarecow Contest Vote for your favorite scarecrow in Ligonier! October 24, 1854 Cornerstone for Westmoreland County’s fourth courthouse was laid.
STAR OF THE WEST Westmoreland County Historical Society www.starofthewest.org The Westmoreland County Historical Society is an educational organization dedicated to acquiring and managing resources related to the history of Westmoreland County and using these resources to encourage a diverse audience to make connections to the past, develop an understanding of the present, and provide direction for the future. The Westmoreland County Historical Society pursues its mission by · maintaining a 5,000 volume non-circulating research library of genealogical and local, county, and regional materials · documenting and managing a 700,000 item archives collection · managing an historic site, Historic Hanna’s Town · conducting programs at Historic Hanna’s Town and maintaining its archaeological collection of over 1 million artifacts · managing a curatorial collection · providing educational materials via outreach to schools and teachers · conducting adult, children, and family programs on a broad range of historical topics · publishing a tri-annual journal Westmoreland History and other occasional publications · providing research services related to genealogy and county history The Westmoreland County Historical Society is dedicated to advancing its mission by forming collaborations and partnerships with other public and private organizations that share the Society’s philosophy and mission. We work to promote interest and knowledge of our area’s past and cultural heritage in order to instill in our county’s citizens a sense of pride in local history which may act as a foundation for future success. Governed by a policy-making Board of Directors, the Society’s day-to-day operation is the responsibility of a full-time Executive Director. The Society’s work is carried out by a fulltime Education Coordinator, a library assistant, seasonal employees, and volunteers. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission recognize WCHS as the official county historical society. We are supported in part by a grant from the Westmoreland County Commissioners.
CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS: Please send complete event information, including a descriptive paragraph and artwork for consideration to: Calendar Editor, Laurel Mountain Post PO Box 332 Ligonier, PA 15658 or calendar@laurelmountainpost.com
The Fourth Courthouse The county’s fourth courthouse was completed in 1856. It fronted on West Pittsburgh Street and was built in the Greek revival style popular at this time. Every Story Begins At Home.
Family-friendly, cultural, and nonprofit events and abbreviated material take precedence when print space is a consideration. We will do our best to also add your complete listing to our indexed online calendar and tag it with appropriate categories. Like our Facebook page to see your events shared and publicized using other social media such as Pinterest, Twitter and Foursquare! Autumn 2012 - 45
WORDS Jan Kinney 3/27/06 I like words. I like them short; I like them long; I like them in a funny song. I like them in A big commotion. I like them here, And at the ocean. I see them here; I see them there; I see them on My underwear. I see them up; I see them down; I see them on The streets of town. I hear them sing; I see them dance; I see them on My brother’s pants. I play with words; I make them rhyme, I make them jump; I make them climb. I make them run. I make them stop. Sometimes they land With a kerplop! They make me happy; They make me wiggle. And if they’re silly, I start to giggle. I LIKE WORDS. Jan Kinney is a former high school librarian and currently a professional storyteller rostered with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. She has always had a love affair with words, their sounds and meanings. She lives in Altoona,with her husband, Jim, two rescued greyhounds and a badly spoiled German Shepherd.
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The Great
Butterfly Migration As pictured on our cover, and around your own garden, you’ve probably noticed beautiful monarch butteflies feasting on flowers this time of year. Did you know they are getting ready for their annual long trip south? Monarch butterflies are not able to survive the cold winters of most of the United States so they migrate south and west each autumn to escape the cold weather. The monarch migration usually starts in about October of each year, but can start earlier if the weather turns cold sooner than that. The monarch butterflies will spend their winter hibernation in Mexico and some parts of Southern California where it is warm all year long. If the monarch lives in the Eastern states, usually east of the Rocky Mountains, it will migrate to Mexico and hibernate in oyamel fir trees. If the monarch butterfly lives west of the Rocky Mountains, then it will hibernate in and around Pacific Grove, California in eucalyptus trees. Monarch butterflies use the very same trees each and every year when they migrate, which seems odd because they aren’t the same butterflies that were there last year. These are the new fourth generation of monarch butterflies, so how do they know which trees are the right ones to hibernate in? Monarch butterflies are the only insect that migrates to a warmer climate that is 2,500 miles away each year. The Monarch butterfly migrates for 2 reasons. They can not withstand freezing weather in the northern and central continental climates in the winter. Also, the larval food plants do not grow in their winter overwintering sites, so the spring generation must fly back north to places where the plants are plentiful. By planting a butterfly garden with all of the right kinds of plants and flowers that butterflies love to feed on and lay eggs on, you will certainly have a yard full of butterflies throughout the growing season. Butterfly gardens can be any size - a window box, part of your landscaped yard, or even a wild untended area on your property. Creating a butterfly garden should start with some serious research to learn which kinds of butterflies are native to your area. The Butterfly Site has a detailed list of species
found in Pennsylvania, along with information on the native plants upon which they feed. It’s a great reference for planning next year’s garden! Make a list of all of the different kinds of butterflies you would like to attract, and then learn which flowers and plants they both feed on and lay eggs on. All of the plants will certainly be native to your area and therefore easy to grow with the right conditions and care. Adult butterflies will visit for a longer period if they find plants to lay their eggs on. These are called ‘Host Plants.’ Because tiny caterpillars cannot travel far to find their own food, the female butterfly locates and lays her eggs on only the type of plant that the caterpillar can use as food. Most species of caterpillars are particular about the type of plants they can eat. If the egg was not placed on the correct plant, the caterpillar hatching from that egg will not survive. Many gardeners do not like to see plants in their gardens that have been chewed on by bugs. To avoid this, you may want to locate your butterfly host plants in areas that are not highly visible, but still a short distance from the butterfly nectar plants. If you do not provide host plants, you will have fewer butterflies. You can add some butterfly garden accessories like a Butterfly House, which has slots the ideal size for keeping birds out while giving butterflies protection from the wind and weather, and are beautiful garden decorations. You could offer an additional nectar source close by to supplement your flowers. By providing both the food and shelter butterflies need you can prolong the butterfly’s stay in your garden and draw in others. Once you have designed and started your butterfly garden, you can be proud that you have made a habitat for butterflies in your own yard, which helps with the conservation of the many species of quickly disappearing butterflies today. You will certainly want to place your favorite outdoor furniture near so that you can enjoy all of your visitors day after day. Research provided by: http://www.Monarch-Butterfly.com http://www.TheButterflySite.com
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
LAUREL MOUNTAIN
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Autumn 2012 - 47
END NOTES by Cathi Gerhard
Kittens Make Everything Better The idea for this column came from a video on YouTube – a commercial for Sauza Blue Tequila. It shows a hunky fireman explaining how to make a margarita while being the perfect friend to a woman. His sidekick is an adorable kitten, and he softly remarks, “sidenote, kittens make everything better.” Yes, it is a perfect commercial for women. And though I laughed a lot while watching the video, that phrase about kittens stuck with me. A few weeks later, I received a frantic phone call from my mum. My aunt (who lives just down the road from me) had discovered a kitten in her woodpile, with no trace of the mother or the rest of the litter. Almost everyone in their house is allergic to cats, so they desperately appealed to me for help. It was late, and I was cranky, so I sent my daughter down the lane to fetch the little orphan and put it in the barn for the night. Having firmly stated that I only needed two cats in the house, my plan was to add it to the mouse patrol on the farm, made up of all the other strays we have taken in. The next day I went out to the barn to check on it, and instantly changed my mind. The cutest creature I have ever seen sat on a stone wall staring up at me with big, beautiful eyes and adorable white mittens. Brightly striped like an ocelot, the mackerel brown tabby was no more than a month old. She was unlike any of our typical neighborhood breeds of ginger, black and siamese – making her parentage seem even more the mystery. The crazy cat lady inside of me took over, and I brought her straight into the house for a bath, though she was somehow already prefectly groomed and clean. For the next several days, she was with me constantly – short of a baby sling, I carried her everywhere or kept 48 - Autumn 2012
her next to me during all my routine periods of bedrest for my back problems. It would take a few weeks for the other two housecats to get used to the newcomer, so I had to protect her. I called my son, who was on vacation at the time, and gave him naming rights. What he came back with was “Winry Hughes,” from two of his favorite anime characters. Then he informed me her offical title was “Professor Winry Hughes Alphonse Whiskers Magee,” or “Professor Whiskers” for short. That’s quite a moniker!
Winry Hughes
Alphonse Whiskers McGee (Professor Whiskers)
During our early bonding period, I noticed a slight limp and a bump at the top of her right leg. A quick trip to Dr. Ben, the veterinarian, revealed that little Winry Hughes had a broken hip. We made a perfect pair – the lady with the broken back and the kitten with a
broken hip. More long days of bedrest followed for us both. Earlier this summer, I felt my old depression over back troubles slipping into my psyche. I thought that accepting my situation was enough, forgetting that I still had to constantly find new and better ways to deal with the increasing pain and decreasing mobility. I also began to notice the strain of the past two years on my family and circle of caregivers and assistants. Guilt and self-pity were right around the corner once more. But then this little kitten showed up instead. She distracted me and kept me company. I could help her, when there were so many ways in which I couldn’t help myself. Winry Hughes became my little buddy – just like the kitten my dad had when he was going through chemo. He decided to bring in a fluffy, ginger kitten into the house, and named him Buddy. That cat grew up on my dad’s lap, bringing him immeasurable comfort during his final days. Buddy now lives happily outside again among the mouse patrol, but visits me a few minutes every day for a good pet and scratch. Winry Hughes has completely recovered from her broken hip, and entertains me with her kitten playfulness. She still naps with me every afternoon, but also likes to play on my desk while I work, taking self-portraits with my iphone, jumping on the computer keyboard and rolling around on my papers. We do a lot of proofreading with the Laurel Mountain Post – but if you find any odd typos this time, I’m going to have to blame Winry Hughes: she’s just trying to make everything better. EDITOR’S NOTE: I’ve linked to the YouTube video on our website; you can also search for it with the phrase “Sauza Tequila - make it with a fireman.” LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
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Fort Ligonier Days OCTOBER 12-14, 2012
• One of the American Bus Association’s
“Top100 Events in America” • Over 150 crafters and food and entertainment throughout the weekend! • Saturday morning parade featuring dozens of marching units, floats, historic units, the Quantico Marine Corps Band and the
Penn State Blue Band!
A Premier Outdoor Fall Festival
In the Beautiful Ligonier Valley
• Mount Vernon’s George Washington at Fort Ligonier on Friday afternoon. • Battle and artillery demonstrations at Fort Ligonier Saturday and Sunday. Ligonier, Pennsylvania
• Spectacular fall foliage, located in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands !
For additional information on the schedule of activities and lodging:
724.238.4200 www.fortligonierdays.com