LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Happy Holidays! And Let Us Thank Him, For Our Food! Tech Talk: Gift Buying Guide Always Upper Crust All About Gingerbread Catching the WASP “Flew”
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 Every Story Begins At Home.
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November/December 2009 - 1
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For Horse, Home & You
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LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
W NOV/DEC 2009
(Volume VI, Issue 6)
The Laurel Mountain Post is a bimonthly publication designed to focus on the people, places and events from the heart of western Pennsylvania. We print stories about real people and their daily lives; feature local merchants, craftsmen and professionals; present short pieces of art & literature; and never lose sight of what makes this area a great place to call home. Most of our writers are not professional reporters, but accomplished local practitioners with years of experience in their respective fields who bring credibility and personality to every article. In October 2006, the BBC News quoted us as “the voice of Pennsylvania.”
Laurel Mountain Post P.O. Box 227 Latrobe, PA 15650
724-537-6845 Cathi Gerhard Editor & Publisher
Michelle M. Schultz Business Manager
Barbara M. Neill Features Editor/Advertising Sales Director
Carol A.Gerhard Administrative Assistant/Copy Editor
Elizabeth Srsic Art & Layout Editor THANKS TO: Our writers, as well as those who help out behind the scenes: Heather Haines, Chris Kantorik, Pat Kintigh, Doug Richardson, Briana Tomack, Robert Williams and Devin Winklosky. Proud members of the Latrobe, Ligonier, Mountain Laurel, and Somerset Chambers of Commerce; and Somerset, Inc. Special thanks to our advertisers for supporting this community publication!
www.LaurelMountainPost.com
“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.” – Peg Bracken
elcome . . . MOUNTAIN VIEWS Cathi Gerhard
Visions of Organic Sugarplums My son, Robert, had been asking me lately, “When are you going to write about me again?” It’s almost as if he knew that soon he would become a major player in my expository inspirations. Currently undergoing continuous diagnosis and treatment for a developing liver condition and set of related complications, our little corner of the local world has changed a lot the past few months. My son can barely eat these days; success only seems to come when he sticks to bland, unprocessed food. You know, the kind I’ve written about many times in the past. The things our grandparents ate before the “food scientists” came up with new and cheaper ways to “feed” us and cater to our evolving, fast-paced lifestyles. While I grew up eating mostly food that was grown on our family farm, I was one of the first to say a little junk can’t hurt. But it turns out that our bodies, a little more with each generation, are slowly being poisoned by things that are not natural. The word “organic” is used a lot, and is a term that is often misunderstood. My favorite definition is as follows: ORGANIC: developing in a manner analogous to the natural growth and evolution characteristic of living organisms; arising as a natural outgrowth.
Our distribution of 15,000 reaches beyond Westmoreland County into the neighboring counties of Allegheny, Washington, Armstrong, Bedford, Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Fayette. Every day, more and more readers and advertisers across western Pennsylvania are discovering the Laurel Mountain Post.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
For me it has led to a consideration of what is natural and what is not; what is real, and what is false. Litterally, I was hard-pressed to find
one cereal in the grocery store (even in the “organic aisle”) that was not processed at some point by a manmade chemical. It turns out that there are a lot of whole-grains out there, but most all of them contain soy lecithin – a sludgy waste product
extracted from the bean by soaking it in the chemical hexane and then bleaching it with peroxide! It is used today as an emulsifier, which keeps water and fats from separating in processed food, as well as extends its shelf life. Somehow it feels a whole lot safer and more appealing to just grow some oats myself and grind it up in a bowl with fresh milk from my own cow. I’m not out to condemn the food industry (just yet). But doing the
research makes me stop and think about how much we trade for the sake of our “modern” convenience. Knowledge and experience come to mind first, followed by many more precious things. Most of us don’t even know what we are eating, let alone how to make it ourselves. My son has truly enjoyed our recent cooking experiments together. We’ve grown, harvested and prepared several fresh foods which allow him to eat without health reprecussion. If not for the flexible schedule that is the nature of my job, most of these things would not be possible. But I am responsible for the difficult life choices that led me here. I’ve done a lot of re-thinking about the goals for my life; and realized that the simpler, the more organic my choices, the more happiness that follows. There are no cheap, quick fixes to yield satisfying results. Often they lead to even bigger problems. One lie begets even more lies; the more we want, the more complicated and harried our life becomes. Which brings us to the holiday season. I encourage you to stop and listen to a Christmas song or carol, not simply play it in the background while you rush to tend many other things. Visit with your friends and family. Read the book; don’t just watch the movie. Take the time to experience the joys of the natural world, instead of looking for more ways to replace them with something false, ultimately much less satisfying, and often void of any “nutritional” value.
November/December 2009 - 3
“And I had but one penny in the world. Thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread.” (William Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost) Gingerbread . . . it’s a cookie AND a cake. The perfect culinary creation and tradition, dating back to 16th century Europe. In some places it was a crisp wafer (“snap”), in others it was a thick and dark bread. No matter how you sliced it, gingerbread was usually molded into shapes or stamped with a mold and dusted with white sugar. Introduced by the returning Crusaders who brought back spices from the East, ginger was found to have a preservative effect on baked goods. The term gingerbread comes from the Latin “zingiber,” which means preserved ginger. In French, it is often translated as “pain d’epices (spice bread). The Germans call it “lebkuchen,” which was first made by an exclusive guild of master bakers called the Lebkuchler. While in Shropshire, UK, the town of Market Drayton proudly decrees itself the “home of gingerbread” on its welcome sign, Nuremberg, Germany became known as the “Gingerbread capital” of the world. The city attracted many fine craftsmen of all trades, resulting in a tradition of elegantly carved molds for making intricately decorated gingerbread cakes. During the 19th century, gingerbread ex-
perienced a romanticized expansion. The Bothers Grimm wrote a fairy tale about Hansel and Gretel who were abandoned in the woods by destitute parents, and found a fantastic house made entirely from gingerbread and candy. It was the Germans who brought these baking concepts of figure cutting, houses covered with icing snow on their roofs and festive Christmas cookie shapes to America, settling in Pennsylvania. Inspired by the traditions of my home state and ethnicity, I once decorated a Christmas tree entirely with sugar and gingerbread cookies. My son, Robert, turned one year old a few weeks before Christmas in 1999. A burgeoning toddler who put everything he found into his mouth, I was terrified by a mother’s fearful thoughts he would pull down the tree and eat glass or plastic. So my daughter, Elizabeth (who was nine at the time), and I spent a week together baking and decorating our collection of cookies (and plenty of replacements for later). Robert enjoyed his safe and festive self-service snack bar that year. Gingerbread traditions gave us a memory to preserve and treasure for years to come! – Cathi Gerhard
Gingerbread Mix in a Jar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 cup packed brown sugar • Mix 2 cups of the flour with the baking soda and baking powder. • Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour with the ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. • In a 1 quart, wide mouth canning jar, layer the ingredients starting with the flour and baking powder mixture, then the brown sugar, and finally the flour and spice mixture. • Pack firmly between layers. Attach a card to the jar with the following directions: GINGERBREAD COOKIES 1. Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to blend together. Mix in 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine, 3/4 cup molasses, and 1 slightly beaten egg. Dough will be very stiff, so you may need to use your hands. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 3. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. 4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven. Decorate as desired.
Where Can I Buy the Laurel Mountain Post? We’ve been busy consolidating our distribution system the past two months, and are adding new locations every day. With our conversion from free to a paid publication (only $1), many of our outlets are no longer available. You will continue to find us in your favorite local retail locations (look for posters in their windows or check our website, www.laurelmountainpost.com for a current list). Libraries, schools, and senior center will still receive complimentary copies. And medical offices are now on our subscription list for waiting room copies (look for us the next time your doctor is running late with appointments). The best way to make sure you don’t miss an issue is to become a subscriber.
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We’ve worked out the kinks, and now our magazine arrives in homes a few days after printing is complete. Save money and time looking for the latest issue by completing a subscription form on page 23, or consider a holiday gift subscription as described on page 27. Online options are now also available. There you will find additional content accessible only to subscribers. Choose the best option for you (online only OR print/ online combo). We need your support as well as that of our advertisers to continue bringing you our original, local content. It’s been a wonderful five years, and we look forward to many more together with you!
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
READER RECIPES Favorite Holiday Treats from Neighborhood Kitchens Spicy Pumpkin Bars 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1/4 cup sugar 4 eggs 2 15-oz cans pumpkin
Sweet Dreams Makes about 6 dozen
2 cups flour (sifted) 4 tsp baking powder 1-1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1-1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar 1 egg, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans 1 cup powdered sugar
Cream together shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in pumpkin. Sift together dry ingredients. Gradually stir into creamed mixture. Bake at 350o for 30 minutes or until it tests done. Cool and spread with cream cheese icing; sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Makes 32 bars. CREAM CHEESE ICING 1-3 oz package softened cream cheese 1 TBL butter 1-2 TBL milk
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar pinch of salt – from the kitchen of Margaret Davis
Gingerbread Apple Martini 1 oz gingerbread syrup 2 oz apple rum 2 oz apple juice splash of lemon juice 4 TBL graham crackers crumbs 1/2 cup simple syrup apple slice Dip rim of martini glass into simple syrup, followed by graham cracker crumbs. Mix gingerbread syrup, rum, apple juice, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker over ice. Garnish with an apple slice.
Caramels 1 cup butter or margarine 2 cups clear, white karo 2 cups sugar 2 cans sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp vanilla
Add remaining milk to flour. When smooth, add to syrup mixture. Return to heat and boil until 240o on candy thermometer (stirring constantly). Add vanilla and blend carefully.
– A Davis Family Favorite
Apricot Coconut Balls 1 1/2 C. dried apricots, ground or diced 2 C. moist shredded coconut 2/3 C. sweetened condensed milk confectioners sugar
Every Story Begins At Home.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets. Break off small pieces of dough; roll between palms into 1-inch rounds. Dredge rounds in powdered sugar. Arrange rounds on prepared sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets. Transfer to racks, or place on newspaper pages (about 5 pages deep) which have been covered with sheets of paper towel; this helps to keep cookies a bit soft. Store in airtight container after cookies have completely cooled. – from the kitchen of Lee Ann Lyons Hrycaj
Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add karo and sugar. Boil 5 minutes over medium heat. Remove. Stirring constantly, add 1 1/2 cans milk.
Pour onto buttered jelly roll pan and cool. Cut into squares with a buttered, sharp knife. Wrap pieces in wax paper.
From the Cookbook of Ruthie’s Mom “She would wrap the dough in wax paper and leave it in the fridge, cutting off just enough for a little batch for our lunches and baking them fresh. Lasted up to a week if refrigerated.”
Lightly grease cookie sheets. Cream buttter using electric mixer. Beat in brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Blend into butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Refrigerate until firm. (Can be prepared one day ahead.)
Blend together apricots and coconut in a large mixing bow. Stir in condensed milk. Shape into balls and roll in confectioners sugar. Refrigerate. Makes 2 dozen. – A Lyons Family Favorite
Fruit Bars 2 1 1 2 1
eggs 1/2 cup sugar can fruit cocktail, undrained 1/4 cups flour 1/2 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/3 cup coconut 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Grease and flour bottom of 15x10x1 pan. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl at high speed until light and fluffly. Add fruit cocktail, flour, salt, soda, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Spread in pan, sprinkle with coconut and nuts. bake at 350o for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. While hot, drizzle with glaze. Cut into bars. GLAZE 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup butter 1/2 tsp vanilla
Combine all ingredients except nuts in saucepan. Boil two minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in nuts. – from the kitchen of Aunt Vernie (LaVerne Jobe)
Please turn the page for The Ligonier Chef’s Pie Crust Recipe >>>
Share your recipes with us: editor@LaurelMountainPost.com or PO Box 227, Latrobe PA 15650
November/December 2009 - 5
SALES ASSOCIATE, RECS/ASR
THE LIGONIER CHEF Scott Sinemus
Always Upper Crust Cosmetic & Family Dentistry CEREC: 1-Appointment Crowns/Inlays
Frank G. Novak, Jr. DMD 483 Frye Farm Road Greensburg, PA 15601 724-537-2337 Day, Evening & Saturday Appointments
Heather & Bob Kuban 136 East Main Street Ligonier, Pa 15658 724-238-2930
6 - November/December 2009
I have always been asked how I make my piecrust, especially at this time of the year with the holidays coming up. So many people I talk to seem to have a problem making a tender easy to work with pie shell. I have been using the same proportions my grandmother used from the recipe on her old Tupperware mat to roll the dough out on. The only difference is I use a Cuisinart to blend them together instead of a hand held pastry blender. There are all kinds of contraptions from rings placed on the ends of the rolling pin to guarantee even thickness to rolling pins filled with ice water to keep the dough chilled. Although I do love my French rolling pin, more often than not I simply use the old fashioned wooden rolling pin with the red handles nearly everyone has in their kitchen. Certain pies, like pecan have specific crusts, which I don’t substitute; but for nearly any savory, fruit pie or quiche I use my standard recipe. I find it extremely easy to work with and it’s always flaky and tender. I also usually make a double recipe even if I only need one crust at the time. Tightly wrapped the crust will last several days in the fridge and if you don’t make another pie or a top crust for a chicken or beef pot pie with it making the cinnamon sugar “snail” cookies is a very fine option. Although I don’t use the mat with the recipe on it to roll the dough out on anymore (I use a marble slab or my free standing Boos block) the rolling method is still the same. Use plenty of flour underneath the crust so it will move accordingly and won’t stick, and always starting in the middle of the dough circle and pushing back and forth. Rolling in a combined + and X pattern will ensure that your dough retains it’s circle shape. Aside from the dough being too wet or too dry, misshapen crust is the most
common complaint I hear. By always starting in the center, rolling in the patterns and regularly lifting the dough to ensure there’s flour underneath and it’s not sticking you should have no problem.
Pie Crust • • • •
2 cups all purpose flour 2/3 cups very cold unsalted butter* cut into small pieces 1tsp finely ground sea salt 6 TBL very cold water • Combine the flour and the salt in the bowl of the Cuisinart and pulse a few times • Add the pieces of butter and pulse several times until the mixture resembles course sand • Turn the processor on continuous and slowly add the water. Once all the water has been added stop the processor and begin to pulse until the dough just begins to form a ball in the machine. • Remove the ball of dough and incorporate any pieces. Then divide dough in half and shape into flat circles about an inch thick. Wrap tightly with wax paper or plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 min in the fridge. Allowing the dough to rest is absolutely essential to keep your dough from shrinking back from every stroke of the rolling pin. *I use Plugra since it has low moisture content
Try to approach your crust without the stigma that it’s a difficult procedure especially since it’s not. I hope that your holidays are everything and more you wish for. 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.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” Many Pennsylvanians are experiencing hard times. We are closing in on 9% unemployment and there are currently 34,999 foreclosures statewide. We hear about our neighbor’s hardships in the news every day. It is true that over 1.3 million of us are now living in poverty, but luckily, we live in a caring community where there are agencies, with helpful staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous donors that provide a safety net for those in need. As individuals and citizens we all have a responsibility to make our community a better place to live. Contributing to a non-profit organization is one important way to fulfill this responsibility. Giving can take many forms: inkind donations, volunteering time and professional skills, and monetary donations all fill critical needs of non-profits in general. The term “in-kind donation” just means “stuff.” Non-profits need all kinds of stuff so they can operate. They need stuff for their clients, such as: food, diapers, business clothes, hygiene products, dog food, school supplies, back packs, books, furniture, jackets, gas cards, dishes, toys, etc. They need stuff for staff members, like: paper, computers, printers, faxes, desks, chairs, ink, pens, binders, pencil holders, etc. They need stuff for special events: food, drinks, prizes, and probably a hundred other things depending on the event. When you make an in-kind donation you are keeping administrative and programmatic cost down, which allows the nonprofit to serve more clients and better fulfill their mission (and you get clean out your closets too!). Volunteering can also come in many forms. Sometimes agencies have special projects for which they need groups of volunteers to complete a specific task; usually the project can be completed within a few hours or a day, like painting a house or filling emergency food bags. These types of projects are generally one time deals that do not require much commitment. Many agencies need volunteers with clerical, professional or specialized skills. Filing or data entry assistance allows staff members to perform other work, and many agencies could use specialized or professional skills like: graphic design, IT, accounting, marketing, copy editing, construction, management, etc. Volunteer opportunities like these usually require a little more commitment: perhaps working regularly on a weekly or monthly basis, or being “on-call.” Other times agencies need very committed volunteers who will work regular shifts on a weekly basis. At these agencies volunteers are critical for operation and often function as staff members. When you volunteer, not only are you keeping administrative and staffing costs down, you become an advocate for the agency and can promote its mission to both potential clients and other donors. Monetary donations are pretty selfexplanatory. Just like any business, government or household, non-profits need money in order to operate. There are overhead costs that may include: office/warehouse space, office “stuff,” items for clients, and staffing (do-gooders need to make a living too!). Cash donations allow the organization to fill the greatest need in real time. For example, a food bank might have two pallets of tomato sauce and no pasta. With a
Every Story Begins At Home.
cash donation they can go and get the pasta and be able to feed more families. Remember too, that food banks and other non-profits as well often have greater buying power than the rest of us. Manufacturers often give them discounts and they might belong to associations that purchase in bulk. So the $1 that you spend in the grocery store can buy one pound of pasta but the $1 the food bank spends might buy 5 pounds. You do not have to donate a large amount of money to have an impact, many people making small donations can do just as much good (or more) as one large grant. In fact, non-profits depend on these many small donors to provide a solid base of support. When you donate cash the non-profit can use it to fulfill its most immediate needs and they can be used as tax deductions so they benefit the giver as well. No matter what your economic circumstances or your skills there is an opportunity for you to fulfill your social responsibility and contribute to a local non-profit. There are many to choose from and none of us (individuals or organizations) are able to solve every problem so choose one or two issues that are close to your heart (mine are hunger and literacy) and find some organizations that work on those issues. Take some time to get to know the organizations, visit their web sites, call and talk to the staff, request a tour, see if they have any one shot volunteer opportunities you can join or any special events you can attend.
– written by Megan S. Fuller
Starting points for finding giving opportunities: United Way of Westmoreland County www.unitedway4u.org Westmoreland Community Action www.who-inc.org Special Olympics-Westmoreland County www.westspol.org Westmoreland County Food Bank www.westmorelandfoodbank.org Laurel Area Faith in Action www.laurelfia.org Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity www.centralwestmorelandhfh.org Action For Animals Humane Society www.afa.petfinder.org ***** Megan S. Fuller, an Applied Cognitive Anthropologist with Postmodern Tendencies, grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and graduated from IUP in 1991. She moved west and got an MA from UNLV in 1996 and is currently the Resource Development Associate for Desert Mission Programs in Phoenix, AZ. She looks forward to living in the beautiful mountains of Western PA again very soon. The statistics sited in the 1st paragraph are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Realty Trac and Community Action Association of Pennsylvania. Title quote fom Winston Churchill.
November/December 2009 - 7
DERRY REMEMBRANCES Ruth Richardson
. . . And Let Us Thank Him, For Our Food! Isn’t it amazing how many of our holiday traditions revolve around food? While we love to decorate our porches and windows, and look forward to digging out that little themed sweater or broach, nothing says ‘autumn’ quite like the smell of freshly baked apple pie or roasting chestnuts. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the cookies, and just try to imagine Easter without the colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, and bubbling brown sugar glazed ham. The holidays give us the opportunity to revel in all of our handed down recipes, and savor the tasty treats of our childhoods, especially the ones that are reserved for that singular special time of year. What good would Halloween be without the candy corn and popcorn balls? And if we didn’t serve the traditional stuffed Thanksgiving bird with all the trimmings, would we even give those poor pilgrims a single thought? A lot of food has been uniquely bound in my memories to a specific season or holiday. For example, try to imagine how strange a candy cane would taste in June, or a marshmallow peep in November – it just isn’t done. From the required serving of pork and sour kraut on New Years Day (that would assure good luck for the upcoming year), to the heart shaped Whitman’s samplers we exchange in February; foods have woven themselves into the fabric of my memories. Unfortunately, I find that as I grow older, many of the foods that I cherished as a kid have become more and more forbidden. Either there are too many calories, or there’s too much sugar. If it’s not bad for my cholesterol, the sodium count is too high. And let’s not forget, the dreaded GERD. Why is it that everyone I know has some form of acid reflux problem? What the heck happened to us? I can’t have too much garlic now or I roll around in misery all night. And as for coffee later than dinnertime, forget it. Half a cup and I will be watching reruns on Retro TV or how to create ‘curb appeal’ until the wee hours. It seems to me that a lot of the food I grew up with has little in common with the ‘sensible’ stuff I consume today. My little town of Derry was a pretty ethnically diverse place. At least we represented most of the European and eastern European countries. My ancestors were mostly of German, English, and Irish decent. Since both of my grandmas were taught to cook by their German mothers, that culture is where most of our recipes came from, and that meant we had dumplings in a lot of recipes and homemade noodles on the side. And my dad loved the tradition of fried pon haus, (or scrapple) for breakfast, but I was never a fan. My grandma Stewart (her maiden name was Schrock) was Pennsylvania Dutch, and she liked to drop rivels (little dough balls) into her homemade soup. My motherin-law was Italian, so my husband, Doug, grew up with the all those
8 - November/December 2009
wonderful dishes. I had girlfriends whose lineage was Lithuanian, Czechoslovakian, Polish and Hungarian, who affectionately called themselves “hunkies.” The term was never offensive to them, as a matter of fact, they were proud of their heritage and that nickname helped to define some of the most wonderful dishes of all – what we referred to as “hunky food.” They taught me to love gnocchi and pierogies, haluski, and kolache. From the Italian moms, I learned to savor all those pasta dishes, smothered in their homemade tomato sauce, or gravy as they called it. We were fortunate to grow up in a ‘melting pot’ town that allowed us to explore so many cultural dishes, and learn to appreciate the diverse delicacies
delicious. Come Thanksgiving Day, our kitchen table would groan under the weight of all those homemade dishes. We usually ate around 1:00 in the afternoon, which gave us plenty of time to squeeze in another meal before bedtime. I remember my mom’s homemade pumpkin pies, and my brother squirting the accompanying Reddi Whip in my mouth until it almost squirted out my nose. ( I must confess that I’ve been know to do this to other unsuspecting victims throughout the years.) Everything else was made from scratch. We didn’t have pre-made stuffing, and I don’t think there was such a thing as canned gravy. The only thing canned that my mom served was the cranberry sauce. My grandma, Huldy was
Another homemade birthday cake in mom’s little kitchen.
that were created in all those ethnic kitchens. As I think about the recipes, from all those foreign places, the one common thread seemed to be their relatively inexpensive ingredients. No one had much money in my neighborhood, and I’m sure our ancestors had even less money in the far- off lands they left behind to give us a better life in America. Their lack of money certainly had no bearing on the end result of those culinary masterpieces. The creativity of those old-fashioned cooks and their lack of funds only led to the imaginative recipes that produced some of the most delicious dishes in the world. Thanksgiving is the one holiday I can think of that is devoted entirely to ‘The Meal.’ Sometimes we even try to fast a little in the days leading up to it, just to make more room for the gluttony we know will take place. When I was a kid, my mom would order her turkey from McBroom’s Turkey Farm in Derry. These birds were as fresh as you could get, locally-raised, and melt in your mouth
in charge of the noodles. She would make them early in the morning, cut and dry them on a linen tea towel, and simmer them in turkey broth until they were they were perfectly cooked. No holiday meal at my house was ever complete without the big steaming bowl of “Huldy’s Noodles”, and that is still the rule at my house today. While daddy carved the bird, Mom would drop a huge chunk of creamery butter on top of the mountain of mashed potatoes she had created with the old hand masher. There was no margarine at my house, or “crummy Oleo,” as my dad called it, and no 2% or skim milk, either. The only skim milk we had was when my brother and I would accidentally (on purpose) ‘skim’ all the cream off the top of the Bergman’s bottle before our mom caught us. It was yummy but that little theft always got us in trouble, since the so-called ‘milk’ that was left in the bottle wasn’t fit to drink. I guess skim milk hadn’t been invented yet. The long weekend after Thanksgiving was great, because the
fridge was filled with all those wonderful leftovers. Mom usually made fancy Jell-O desserts and side dishes for holidays, and the relatives would bring homemade rolls or cookies, and we would make short work of it all in those next few days. The rest of the year we didn’t have many snacks in the house, at least not the kinds of snacks I have in my pantry today. There was usually a bowl of apples on the table, or a box of graham crackers for dunking, but no chips, candy or ‘junk,’ as my mom called it. I think it had less to do with our dietary needs and more to do with her grocery budget. I remember watching TV in the evening and peeling a potato, cutting it in wedges, and sprinkling it with salt. It was a delicious snack, and so was the Jiffy Pop popcorn she would occasionally buy. We loved watching the foil lid uncurl and puff up as we jiggled that flimsy little pan on the burner. When our birthdays rolled around, we never had a storebought birthday cake. And our cakes weren’t from a cake mix, either. My mom didn’t believe in such things, at least not until years later. On our birthdays, we knew to play outside, and if we stayed inside, we knew not to run in the house. Running or jumping would cause that cake in the oven to ‘fall,’ a disaster that would assure you a butt warming. Baking cakes in the fifties was a serious and time-consuming business, and my mom wouldn’t have thought twice about giving the birthday girl a good swat for ruining one of her culinary triumphs. Sometimes the birthday cakes were served with ice cream, and not just any old store bought ice cream. We made it ourselves, and it was as time consuming as the cake. Our ice cream churn was not electric, which meant you had to hand crank it until the ice cream ‘set.’ My brother and I were assigned the churning task; we took turns and we were very diligent – for the first 10 minutes. That’s when the whining about our arms falling off would begin. I can remember daddy lifting the paddles out of the container after the ice cream was ‘cured’ and how that creamy frozen concoction would have us clapping our hands. I can still recall the delightful texture, not to mention the rich taste of it, served on a little paper birthday plate with a big slice of mom’s ‘scratch’ red devils food cake covered in her cooked and whipped frosting. My mom cooked every day, all three meals. I think all of our moms did. I only remember eating out in a restaurant one or two times a year, if that. When daddy came home from work at Derry Westinghouse, we would all gather around the table for the ‘evening meal’, and there were no excuses for not being there. Our evening meal was served around 4:00 and it was called supper, not dinner. Dinner was served at noon, right after the Westinghouse noon whistle blew and daddy would pull into
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
The “Parrish/Stewart/Richardson/Santarelli multi-national cooking guide”
the driveway. In the warmer weather of spring and fall, my brother and I would ‘hoof it’ from West Derry School and also come home for lunch. Those lunches were usually some re-worked version of a previous evenings offering. And if we didn’t like whatever dish my mom had created for us, we were allowed to sit there until we did like it. My mom was very creative with leftovers, and nothing was ever wasted. And she baked bread – big beautiful loaves of golden-brown, crusty bread, and huge sugar-sprinkled apple dumplings. My dad loved her apple dumplings so much that he insisted they be served as our entrée - a request that the whole family loved. Mom would serve them still warm from the oven in her big soup bowls, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar. As a final touch she would drizzle them with warm milk. For breakfast, we were allowed to choose our favorite cereal at the grocery store, but mom preferred us having pancakes, eggs, or something warm and hearty, and she always had her big iron skillet (with a generous dollop of melting lard) on the stove in the morning, ready to whip up our requests. Some mornings she served us fresh baked muffins, warm from the oven. Occasionally, when we were in high school, Tony, the Schaller’s Bakery man, would show up at our front door with his big delivery truck first thing in the morning. He would be
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carrying a tray filled with a grand selection of pastries and mom would allow us to choose a stillwarm cinnamon or maple roll, a glazed donut, or cherry turnover. Lunch during the school year during the 1950’s was whatever your mom packed in your lunchbox. You either brought it with you, or walked home for lunch. There were no cafeterias. My first lunchbox was a Roy Rogers/Dale Evans model. (I saw one offered on eBay not long ago for $200.00 – figures, mine is long gone). My favorite lunch time sandwich was Basciano’s chipped ham with a big squirt of French’s yellow mustard. Mom wrapped it in wax paper, and included a piece of whatever fruit was in season; usually and apple or banana. Imported fruit was never on the menu at my house, we never enjoyed peaches in February, only in July when the local ones were ripe. Mom always added a little something sweet in our lunch boxes, too. She was a great baker, so homemade cookies were available at my house a lot. I also loved Hostess Snowballs, and Banana Flips, not to mention the Hostess chocolate cupcakes with vanilla filling and a white icing squiggle on the top. A special treat was when mom would stop at Ziegler’s bakery and get us those flaky lady locks, covered with powdered sugar. Although my lunchbox came with a matching Roy Rogers thermos, I never used it. Instead, I took milk money to school with me in a little yellow envelope with my name on it. It cost 26 cents a week, if I remember correctly. The Bergman’s milkman would leave a metal milk crate outside of each classroom door filled with little chocolate and white milk bottles. At lunchtime, we would run out into the hall, get our milk and a straw and take it back to our desks where we ate. The milk bottles were sealed with a cardboard cap. Every day before I could take even one sip of my chocolate milk, I had to tear off the end of my straw paper and blow into the straw to shoot the rest of that paper at my neighbor. After lunch, we would deposit our empty bottles back in the metal box and the milkman would collect them in the afternoon, take them back to Bergman’s, have them refilled, and do it all over again the next day. We recycled before it was stylish. Take a note, milk companies! West Derry School also had a little ‘store’ outside the principal, Mr. Cribbs, office, where penny candy or chips could be purchased to take outside after finishing lunch. I can still remember buying Turkish Taffy (banana was my favorite), Necco Wafers, and candy cigarettes that we would pretend to smoke on the playground. The extra penny in your pocket would get you an Atomic Fire Ball. Just thinking about what one of those would do to my digestive tract today gives me the shivers! My brother liked Sen Sen’s, but I could never get used to that licorice/ soapy taste. In high school, my friends and I discovered a wonderful new invention – “Fast Food”. We were now free to eat as many burgers, fries, and shakes as we could afford on our meager allowances or parttime job salaries, and what mom didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt her. I remember the onion rings at Eat’N’Park in Greensburg, and how no others have ever tasted as good. I also remember my catholic girlfriends having to fast on Fridays, and waiting until the stroke of midnight so they could order a burger since at 12:00 it was officially Saturday. And I remember the first Christmas I was dating my husband, when I was introduced to his Italian mother, Yolanda’s, homemade Pizzelles. She made them one at a time using the engraved pizzelle iron that her mother had brought with her on the boat from Italy through Ellis Island in the early 1900’s. And I remember the first taste of a Torrone at her house, and the delicate flavor of that Italian almond nougat candy. Each piece came in its own beautifully illustrated individual little box. That treat has become a Christmas tradition at our house, and at my daughter’s house in San Francisco, as well. My dog-eared hand-written old recipe book is a pretty amalgamated record of all of the family recipes.
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Every Story Begins At Home.
November/December 2009 - 9
No En An v. rol nu 15 lm al – en De t i c. s 31 .
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LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
EARTH TALK
®
Questions & Answers About Our Environment I am considering upgrading some older appliances in my home. Where can I find information on which models are the most energy efficient? There has never been a better time to upgrade some of those older creaky appliances that are gobbling up much more energy (or water) than they need to in your home. Fortunately, most of the sifting-through to find the best values has already been done for you. The first thing to do when shopping for new equipment is to look for models emblazoned with the blue EnergyStar logo. This helps you zero in on those models that have been determined by the federal government— EnergyStar is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy—to be at least 10 to 25 percent more energy-efficient (and often much more) than conventional models. For dishwashers, for example, EnergyStar qualified models use 31 percent less energy and 33 percent less water than conventional machines while performing as well as or better, according to EnergyStar. With clothes washers, EnergyStar models can cut energy use by over a third and water use by half. EnergyStar-rated refrigerators will cut electrical use in half, compared to older machines made before 1993. With air conditioners, the savings is there, too, though at a more modest 10 percent over conventional models. EnergyStar, which began in 1992 and first evaluated only computers and monitors, is a great jumping off point for evaluating everything from major appliances to home heating and cooling, lighting, home electronics, office equipment and more. The EPA recently
extended the label to cover new homes and commercial and industrial buildings. After first zeroing in on EnergyStar models, be sure to check out the accompanying yellow EnergyGuide sticker, which gets down to the nitty-gritty and estimates how much energy the appliance uses, compares its energy use to similar products and lists approximate annual operating costs. EnergyGuide labels also appear on appliances not EnergyStar compliant. Visit the EnergyStar website (address below) and immerse yourself. Another way to help sort through the thousands of appliances out there that are EnergyStarcompliant is by checking out the Consumers Union (publisher of Consumer Reports magazine) free Greener Choices website, which compares a wide range of merchandise according to their relative environmental impact. Greener Choices provides detailed information on dishwashers, washers and dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners. Each appliance is assessed in comparison to other models via the website’s Green Buying Guides, which can help consumers decide how green they should go. It also offers up a series of calculators to determine the energy use of your current appliances, new or old. By providing the efficiency and price of various models, the site helps consumers decide how much green “bang” they want for a specific amount of bucks. CONTACTS: Energy Star, www.energystar.gov; Greener Choices, www.greenerchoices.org. SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk®, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/ archives.php. EarthTalk® is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/ earthtalkbook.
Medieval English Christmas banquets often had twelve different courses. Between each one, sugar statues of the Three Wise Men and Holy Family (called subtleties) were placed on the table to be eaten as dessert.
Every Story Begins At Home.
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I guess you could refer to it as a Parrish/ Stewart/Richardson/Santarelli multi-national cooking guide. All of the traditions and recipes I have accumulated are stored there. Some of them were dictated to me by my grandma, as she created an heirloom dish while I watched. Her recipes weren’t written down anywhere; she learned them as a child, from watching and doing. But I made a point of working with her to measure them out, write them down, and save them. And now I can pass them on to my granddaughter, Riley, and she can add them to her own cookbook. I know they will be lovingly stored, side by side with all the traditions and dishes from her daddy’s side of the family; all those new ones I am just learning to appreciate, from the golden fried potato latkes to the matzo balls and brisket. I hope she will learn to appreciate not only the grand celebrations that have been handed down from all her ancestors, but also all the simple joys of life. I wish her the satisfaction of gathering around the dinner table with the ones she loves, to laugh at the tall tales and all the old stories… and to remember. I hope I can help paint a picture of some of her adoring grandmas, the ones she will never know, who could have taught her so much in all those warm little kitchens that were filled with wonderful food, and wisdom, and most of all, love. Ruth loves to share memories with you. Email her at: Ruth-Elaine@comcast.net or look for her on Facebook!
November/December 2009 - 11
REPARTEE FOR TWO Barbara M. Neill
Catching the WASP “Flew”
WWII WASP Florence G. Shutsy-Reynolds & Documentary Film Maker Andrea Niapas Her legacy is one of friendship and generosity and her passion to share the history of the WASP is contagious. (from Simply Shutsy with text by WWII WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish & Nancy Parrish, daughter of Deanie Parrish) Friendships are based on many foundations. Florence Shutsy-Reynolds, an octogenarian from Connellsville, and fifty-something Ligonier resident Andrea Niapas have formed a bond that might appear to be based on thin air, but is, in truth, rooted in solid ground. Both are possessed of a love of aviation, a zest for life, an inquisitive mind, an optimistic outlook and a strong sense of purpose. The women first crossed paths in the late 1990s, when Andrea was involved in one of her many aviation research projects. Andrea, a documentary film maker, and I recently lunched with WWII WASP Shutsy (pronounced Shootsy) and her good friend John Marsh at DeNunzios’s Italian Chophouse, a Latrobe area restaurant with a flight line view of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. John’s mother, Marie Barrett Marsh, was a WASP from Warren OH who was posthumously inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame following her death in 1997. John is a member of the Wingtip-to-Wingtip Association (formerly known as KOW or Kids of WASP) an organization made up of children of WASP. FYI: Since the WASP acronym is already plural, the letter “s” will not be added when referring to more than one member of the organization. Shutsy is full of vim, vigor and vital statistics, so the topics of conversation at our luncheon were many and varied. She and John had just returned from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, a week-long celebration of aviation, so they had much to tell about that annual Wisconsin event. Also discussed was the bill President Obama had recently signed into law awarding the WASP of WWII the Congressional Gold Medal. When I asked Shutsy what types of aircraft she flew during the war, the high flier replied, “Anything I could get my hands on!” A woman who generates enough positive energy to be classified as a force field, Shutsy was enthusiastically
12 - November/December 2009
greeted by lunching patrons who were both old friends and guests who simply wanted to meet her. Particularly impressive was a visit to our table by Colonel Sam Bass, a pilot who was visiting the airfield that day with his B17 to take part in Westmoreland Wings & Wheels 2009 being held at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. Sam was so pleased to make Shutsy’s acquaintance that he requested a photo with her and invited our party to tour his aircraft – where we unexpectedly ran into a cousin of Shutsy’s! In the early 1940s Florence Shutsy was a patriotic young woman from Fayette County with stars in her eyes and wings on her mind. She had yearned to earn a pilot’s license since she was 7 years old and in 1941 she got her wish. As 1 of 5 candidates who were
Florence G. Shutsy: WWII WASP on the move!
awarded flight scholarships in the Civilian Pilot Training Program, she received her flight instruction at the Connellsville Airport and by the end of the summer she was a licensed pilot. When America entered World II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December
of 1941, women were not permitted to be military pilots. However, by 1942 the commander of the USAAF (precursor to the USAF) General “Hap” Arnold decided to sanction an experimental program that was christened Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). There was no shortage of American females interested in gaining WASP status with 25,000 applying for duty. Only 1830 were accepted for flight training and of these approximately 1100 eventually earned their wings. One of them was Connellsville’s Florence G. Shutsy, the girl who had always tried to live by her father’s oft-repeated words, “Honor is your first consideration.” When the enlistment age of 21 was lowered to 18½, Shutsy traveled to Sweetwater, TX to become one of the first women in American history to fly military aircraft. WASP were trained by the USAAF in exactly the same manner as their male counterparts. The conditions at Avenger Field were not for the faint of heart. Intense heat, wind and sand were standard issue; an occasional rattlesnake in the cockpit a distinct possibility. When the 7-month training period was completed, the WASP were sent to one of 120 US air bases. Shutsy was sent to Merced Army Base in CA to serve as an AT-6 and BT13 engineering test pilot. Led by Director Jackie Cochran, the WASP relieved male pilots for combat while towing targets for anti-aircraft artillery practice, testing planes, instructing male pilots and ferrying combat aircraft from factories to military bases within the US. By the time the group was disbanded on December 20, 1944 the women had racked up some impressive numbers. They had delivered 12,650 aircraft of 78 different types and covered 60 million miles during operational flights. A smaller but very significant figure was 38: the number of WASP who died during the course of duty. During their tenure the women who wore the Santiago blue were not considered to be members of the military.* Therefore, when a pilot died, she was sent home at the expense of her family without military honors. Flags were not permitted at the gravesite and no recognition was given for her war efforts. This oversight has now been addressed by Chaplain CPT Jeffrey W.
Clemens of the US Army. As a result of his efforts (with the assistance of several WASP, including Shutsy Reynolds) Operation Celestial Flight is providing personalized bronze flag holders for the graves of the fallen WASP, families and local veteran organizations are being contacted and memorial services scheduled. After the war Shutsy took a position as a Chief Dispatcher for the USAAF in Winston-Salem, NC, but after 2 years decided to relocate to Alaska where she worked for Army Air Communications Service, Air Rescue Service and became a member of the AAF Reserve. While en route to Alaska she met Lyle Reynolds, who was heading to a job in the Panama Canal Zone, on a blind date. To make a “lock” story short, they eventually married and spent 16 years in the Canal Zone. Here Shutsy gained several more titles: silversmith, lapidarist, silk screener and airbrush artist. These talents she later put to use as the owner of a custom jewelry shop and as Chairman of the WASP WWII Stores. Among her many creations are the reproduced silver WASP wings and the official flag of the WASP. Although Shutsy is now retired, she is as active at 86 as a woman half her age as she prepares to receive her Congressional Medal of Honor within the next several months. Andrea Niapas is an East Pittsburgh native who has had aviation in her blood from an early age. Since her father was an accountant in the USAF, she lived on and off military bases in PA, NY, MA and Okinawa, Japan during her formative years. She attended high school in Newberg, NY when her Dad was stationed at Stewart Air Force base, a military site where American POWs were brought during the Vietnam era. After graduating from Carlow College (now Carlow University), Andrea had an early career in fraud account investigation. Today she is a researcher, writer and documentary film maker favoring subjects concerned with aviation, black history, women’s studies and crime. In her films she attempts to combine education and entertainment while addressing dramatic conflicts. Andrea has produced a number of docudramas including the aviation films The Helen Richey Story: The Pride of McKeesport, which premiered at the McKeesport Heritage Center in 2006, and Close to Closure: The Amelia Earhart Mystery, which was screened at the 2007 Amelia Earhart Festival in Atchison, KS as part of a 70th anniversary tribute to Earhart’s final flight. Andrea is an expert at flushing out the most obscure information. When she and Shutsy Reynolds first met, she had no idea how her “bird-dogging” skills
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
would be put to use in the new millennium. Thanks to Andrea and the efforts of a small group of dedicated Americans all of the WASP who died in WWII have now been accounted for. ***** BMN: After sharing an afternoon with you and Shutsy, it seemed to me that destiny brought the two of you together. AN: While researching my documentary Close to Closure, I met two pilots, Bob Downes and Jan Bollinger, who mentioned a local woman who flew for the WASP during WWII. They thought the world of Shutsy Reynolds and encouraged me to contact her, as she is a limitless source of aviation knowledge. I called her as soon as I returned home and to my surprise she was willing to talk to me. It took a while to finally sit down with her since she was busy going to air shows and attending various meetings, but when I did I struck “silver.” (Andrea is referring to the silver wings worn by the WASP.) Does destiny play a role in meeting such individuals? I say, of course, it does. Each person represents another star that illuminates your journey. Shutsy Reynolds is definitely one of my guiding lights. BMN: The thank you notes that you received for your interest and efforts concerning Operation Celestial Flight are tangible proof that Americans want to see history kept alive. Can you trace for us the paths you followed to achieve your ends? AN: Shutsy told me of Operation Celestial Flight and her desire to locate the remaining unknown resting places and/ or families of the WASP who lost their lives in WWII. With a booklet she handed me entitled “In Memoriam” I set out to accomplish my mission: Find These Pilots. The booklet biography for each pilot did list her hometown. However, with a 67year gap much of the information I needed, especially for locating the next of kin, was very difficult to obtain. Many of the gals relocated after high school and college and some of those institutions do not exist today. Cemetery records assisted greatly, but there were many
deceased WASP who were not recorded in plots near or around their hometowns.
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I contacted historical societies, local airports, aviation museums and state buildings that honor WWII heroes hoping they would have something that might help me with my searches. Everyone expressed such enthusiasm and in many cases I informed them of their hometown heroes. I also received follow-up phone calls, cards and letters of thanks. Several local newspapers even ran stories about their fallen WASP.
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BMN: How would you characterize Shutsy Reynolds?
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AN: To me Shutsy Reynolds is a treasure. When you listen to her tell her stories, you feel like you’re sitting right next to her in the cock pit during one of her transports or watching a BT-13 coming in for a landing. She’ll tell you about the successes, as well as the washouts. She experienced aviation history as world history was being made in the 1940s. The opportunities to talk to individuals like Shutsy are becoming fewer and further between.
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This columnist has also had the opportunity to speak with Shutsy Reynolds and would like to share the resulting conversation with our readers. BMN: Many were inclined to dismiss you and your fellow female pilots as less than qualified and second class. How did you handle this inequity? SR: I faced more harassment while a student in the Civilian Pilot Training Program than at any time in the WASP. There were no problems while undergoing training at Avenger Field as the instructors were most supportive and wanted each trainee to graduate. Once assigned after graduation, there were always the sniping male remarks, usually of a personal nature. These I ignored, deciding that such individuals lacked self confidence in their own flying abilities. After awhile, things settled down and the male pilots let us carry out our flying assignments without comment.
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BMN: You very much admired the multitalented aviatrix pioneer and WASP Director Jackie Cochran (1910-1980). What attributes did you share? SR: Cochran was a very determined and strongly driven individual and these characteristics I greatly admired in her. But, although I feel I am also determined and work hard toward any selected goal, my drive to succeed falls way short of Cochran’s. I believe each WASP shared many of Cochran’s characteristics. We loved our country and flying; we were independent, argumentative and determined. BMN: To whom, or what, do you attribute your independent nature?
Silversmith Shutsy at work.
SR: To my upbringing and parental guidance. My parents wanted their children to think for themselves, and with that attitude came independence. My sister and I were treated as equals with my brothers and not as second-
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Every Story Begins At Home.
November/December 2009 - 13
quest to reproduce all of the early (1943) class wings. Individual WASP loaned me their original wings, so I could make a mold of each and cast them in sterling silver. Later, the WASP board authorized me to reproduce the official WASP wing.
G. Shutsy-Reynolds. Does it seem so to you? SR: Yes, I think so. I always thought this verse conveyed the true expression of what flying is all about. *****
My reproduced wings have traveled far and near, one into space. Colonel Eileen Collins wanted WASP wings that were never worn before and chose a set of mine. BMN: Where is your uniform of Santiago blue today?
Andrea Niapas and Shutsy Reynolds photographed by the columnist at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in August 2009.
continued from page 13
class citizens. Also, I guess you could
say it was in our genes to be independent. BMN: Your late husband Lyle was very supportive of your endeavors and even joined you in one of them. Tell us about your jewelry-making partnership. SR: Silverwork interest came as a result of an interest in the lapidary
NORAD(NorthAmericanAerospaceDefense Command)isresponsibleforhandlingtheair defense of the North America continent. But it has also been tracking Santa’s movements on Christmas Eve for the past 50 years. The tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955, when a local Sears, Roebuck and Co. store ran a newspaper ad urging children to make a phone call on Christmas Eve and talk to Santa Claus. Thephonenumberwasmisprintedand, instead of reaching Santa, youngsters found themselves talking with Air Force Col. Harry Shoup of the Continental Air Defense CommandatCheyenneMountaininColorado. Rather than hanging up, Shoup and his troops answered every child’s call that night with a report of Santa’s location. CONAD personnel kept up the practice until1958,whenNORADwasformedandtookover Santa-tracking duties. Visit www.noradsanta.org beginning beginning December 1 to learn more!
14 - November/December 2009
arts. Semi-precious rocks were constantly being dredged and deposited on the beaches. At one point in time we inlaid Canal Zone slabs into a 15-foot wooden cross, which still hangs in the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in the Republic of Panama. Employed by the USAF as the one-girl office force in the middle of the Panama Air Depot, I spent my lunch hours visiting the various maintenance shops where the personnel were only too eager to teach me their crafts, which included welding, silver soldering, cable repair, airbrushing and finishing of metals. Every 18 months we flew back to the states with a one week layover in Mexico. The craftsmen in some of the silver shops in Tosco were only too willing to explain and teach their silver craft to us “gringos.” Upon retirement and return to the states in 1968, we opened a custom jewelry shop, a hobby that quickly developed into a business. In 1986, I was appointed Chair of the WASP WWII Stores where all this previous experience was put to use. BMN: The silver WASP wings that you reproduced have certainly had a lot of air time – one pair even made it into space and back. How in the world did that “out of this world” occurrence come to pass? SR: My interest in wings came right after I took over WASP WWII Stores. A young woman approached me with the sad tale of her mother – a WASP who had graduated in one of the 1943 classes, died and was buried in her uniform, insignia and wings. The daughter wanted to buy the wings, but since they were unavailable I offered to reproduce them for her. This started me on a
SR: Approximately eight years ago I donated my original WASP uniform to the Lone Star Museum in Galveston, TX. Then along came Hurricane Ike and the museum was swamped. The uniform, my class book and some other documents were lost or destroyed. Before I donated my uniform, I wore it at the Connellsville Canteen Memorial Dedication in 1994. I have always felt that the speech I gave that day to commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the Canteen’s opening was the best speech I have ever given. The uniform that I now wear is a reproduction, a modified USAF. BMN: The Congressional Gold Medal that you and your fellow WASP will soon receive is a long time coming. Was it worth the wait? SR: Yes, certainly, it’s worth the wait. But, the waiting period is between the time the president signed the bill and the presentation of the medal. We never expected the recognition of our service. After all, 65 years have passed, so I don’t consider those years as a “waiting time.” BMN: Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings.** I can’t help but think that these words from the poem “High Flight” that you memorized so long ago would in the distant future be a fitting epitaph for Florence
Andrea Niapas and I have definitely caught the WASP bug and this is one epidemic the CDC won’t be providing a vaccine for. We’re simply going to have to rely on our friend Shutsy Reynolds to provide us with a little aeromedical attention, so we can keep on “flying the friendly skies” with her. Congratulations and Happy Veterans Day to Shutsy Reynolds and the remaining 200+ WASP of WW! ***** *Due to the efforts of Bruce Arnold (the son of General Hap Arnold) and support of Senator Barry Goldwater, himself a WWII ferry pilot, the WASP now have full veteran status. **”High Flight” was written by aviator and poet John Gillespie Magee, Jr., a member of the family whose name graces Magee-Women’s Hospital of UPMC. An American pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Magee lost his life in England at the age of 19 while flying his Spitfire VZ-H just 4 days following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Andrea Niapas is available to speak on The Women of the Golden Age of Aviation at public engagements. Contact her at 724-238-6257. To purchase a copy of The Helen Richey Story: The Pride of McKeesport visit mckheritage@yahoo.com. Email Shutsy Reynolds at shutsy@earthlink.net. You can read more about Florence G. Shutsy-Reynolds in County Chronicles (Volumes I, II and the soon to be available V) by Ceane O’Hanlon-Lincoln. Contact Ceane at 724-626-1817 or ceane@ zoominternet.net. For more information about WASP of WWII visit www.wingsacrossamerica.us.
20th Annual Festival of Lights at the 123-year-old Warden Mansion Corner of Church & Walnut Streets, Mt. Pleasant, PA
Tour this National Register of Historic Places home decorated for the holidays and filled with Christmas trees available for purchase.
Saturday, Nov. 28 - 1:30 - 9 pm Sunday, Nov. 29 - 1:30 - 9 pm Thursday, Dec. 3 - 7 - 9 pm Friday, Dec. 4 - 1:30 - 9 pm Saturday, Dec. 5 - 1:30 - 9 pm Sunday, Dec. 6 - 12 Noon - 4 pm
Admission is $4 per person; under 12 admitted free. Sponsored by Braddock Trail Chapter DAR
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Jerry D. Felton Physical Therapist
integrating traditional and alternative physical therapy services
Convenient, Flexible Appointment Times! 425 Frye Farm Rd Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone: (724) 537-0700 www.JerryDFeltonPT.com
Don’t miss an issue of the
Laurel Mountain Post Home delivery available for only $15 per year!
TOY SOLDIER GALLERY
We will be having a ReStore Warehouse Sale on the 1st Saturday of each month fr om 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p .m from p.m .m.. We have new and used doors, windows, sink bowls, lighting fixtures, appliances, etc. Our warehouse is located on Seventeenth Street and Penn Avenue, in West Jeannette. Also, we are now accepting donations for the ReStore Warehouse. We are looking for any donations (except for clothing), however, we can refuse donations if they are not salvageable. The preference is that donations should be dropped off at the ReStore, but we can do a pick up for a small gas donation ($25). Volunteers are always needed to help at the ReStore Warehouse. If you like bargains and working with the public, then the ReStore Warehouse is the place for you. Directions to the warehouse can be found at http://www.centralwestmorelandhfh.org/ Directions.htm. If you have any questions, please contact us at 724-523-0308 or email us at ReStore@CWHFH.org.
www.centralwestmorelandhfh.org
West Overton Village Dec 5-6 & 11-12 : Homestead Christmas Tours
109 West Overton Rd • Scottdale, PA 15683 • (724) 887-7910 www.westovertonvillage.org Contact West Overton Museums for information about how you can be the recipient of a Complimentary Holiday Dinner for 8 at the Homestead!
Every Story Begins At Home.
November/December 2009 - 15
Please Don’t Park Your Autogiro Here by Patty A. Wilson
Suppose that you’re tooling along in your new vehicle and having a fine old time. You make it to town in plenty of time for your appointment, but you can’t find any parking places. Finally, in exasperation, you spy a spot where you can drop your vehicle in just as pretty as could be. You park the vehicle and get out only to be faced by an angry man who says, “Please don’t park your autogiro here.” Autogiro? What the heck is that? Well, the story of the autogiro could have revolutionized the world if only the Great Depression had not happened at the same time as the development of this amazing invention here in Pennsylvania. Harold Pitcairn was the youngest heir to a steel fortune in Pittsburgh, but Harold was not a listless playboy like so many young men born to wealth. Harold was an inquiring man with an inventive imagination, a great interest in science and aviation, and the wealth needed to make his interests work for him.
Indiana County Christmas Tree Growers Association Start a family holiday tradition Visit a Christmas Tree Farm Choose and cut your own live tree Enjoy our tree farm festivals Ride a horse-drawn wagon or hayride Buy a unique holiday gift Smell the fresh scent of pine Explore the winter beauty of our county
www.christmastreecapital.com Christmas Tree Capital of the World Since 1956
16 - November/December 2009
In 1927 young Pitcairn, who had long been flying airplanes, began to manufacture his own planes for county fair exhibits. He made a bit of money at this venture, and he purchased a landing field near Philadelphia. In that same year Pitcairn filed a bid for a contract to carry mail at the cost of $3.00 per pound. From this single contract, Pitcairn managed to pick up government contracts for a 595 mile route linking Miami and Atlanta. This became known as the eastern route or airline and from that beginning Eastern Airlines was born. The parent company Pitcairn Aviation moved on to other projects. Pitcairn heard of an inventor in Spain named Juan De La Cierva who had been working on the design for a strange hybrid craft that was part car and part plane and part hover craft. The idea intrigued Pitcairn and he traveled to Spain to find La Cierva and learn about this aviation miracle. Pitcairn and La Cierva worked to perfect the design and this strange craft came to America. It was a seven-day wonder to the aviation world, and famed female aviator Amelia Earhart came to Pennsylvania to test fly this wonderful invention. She was among the staunchest supporters of the autogiro. Pitcairn had visions of knocking the automobile out of its place as king of transportation for the masses. Pitcairn wanted there to be an autogiro in every garage and driveway in the country. The idea sounds farfetched today, but in that wide open industrial era where oddities such as automobiles had been embraced and flying was a modern wonder, the idea of an autogiro was not so fanciful. The autogiro offered the best of both worlds. You could fly it to wherever you were going and then get out, secure the rotors and drive right up to your house or over to the grocery store. It was an interesting idea. Unfortunately for Pitcairn, his dream came at a time when the world was plunging into a depression. The cost for an autogiro would start out at $12,000—much more than the Ford Motor cars. The dream that Pitcairn had would never be realized. There would not be a day when an autogiro would be in every garage. However, the military did find that they had an interest in the autogiro. The autogiro became the forerunner of the helicopter. And Harold Pitcairn was honored by President Herbert Hoover for his “significant contribution to aviation.”
SENIOR MOMENTS Area Residents Share the Facts of Life
Arthur “Roy” Fleming Hometown Today: Indiana, PA
Parents: Kenneth and Mabel Fleming
Birthplace: Armstrong Township, PA
Siblings: 8 brothers, 2 sisters
High School Alma Mater & Graduation Year: Indiana High Class of 1941 College Alma Mater & Graduation Year: Penn State, Animal Husbandry Short Course, 1941 Military Service: PFC US Army (World War II) - Purple Heart Recipient Spouse & Year of Marriage: Married Mary Jane Wilson in 1946 (Mary Jane passed away in February, 2009.) Children and Grandchildren: 4 Sons, 10 Grandchildren, 7 Great Grandchildren Vocations: Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation, McCreary Tire & Rubber, Gas Station owner/operator Shelocta PA, Dairy Herd Improvement Technician, Dairy Farmer, Beef Cattle Farmer, Builder, Owner & Operator of 2 Mobile Home Parks, Mobile Home Dealer, Armstrong Twp Supervisor, Christmas Tree Grower (I planted my first seedling in 1946. This agricultural adventure became my passion and soon turned into a full-time job known as Fleming’s Christmas Tree Farms. Today I am retired, but two of my sons, J.D. and Randy, have chosen to stay in the tree business. Sons Don and Larry have taken over the mobile home park and added a lawn service business.) Positions Held: President & Vice President PA Christmas Tree Growers Association President Indiana County Christmas Tree Growers Association, President Indiana Kiwanis Club, President Greenwood Cemetery Association, President Indiana County Tourist Bureau Past and Present Affiliations: Co-Founder of Shelocta Sportsman Club, Organizer of Indiana County Queen Evergreen Program, Organizer of Indiana County Candlestick Tour, Member Indiana County Extension Board, Member Indiana County Fair Board, Life Member Indiana VFW Avocations: Gardening and traveling Favorite Charitable Causes: VNA (Visiting Nurse Association) and Relay for Life Favorite Quote: Plan for the future. Hidden Talents: Square Dancing Role Model or Mentor: My Dad Best Lesson Learned: Work hard, treat your friends right and be kind to your wife Most Memorable Accomplishment: Helping to build and landscape Curry Run Church Future Aspiration: Spending time with my family and friends
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Safe Baking
Christmas Tree Farms LLC
by Brian Mishler
Perhaps it’s an occupational hazard, but often warnings of potential calamity come across my e-mail. When they do, I check their accuracy and thank goodness for the miracle of the web, especially the likes of snopes.com, and google. There have been purported dangers of cell phone batteries exploding, (only in cases where the battery was not that of the phone manufacturer, but a cheap Chinese knockoff) the ever-present internet scams, and whatever sitting president is going to do to take away my liberties, etc. It seemed curious when a warning came along about “exploding” Pyrex®. Pyrex, the “oven-safe” glass ware has been around for generations used in millions of homes, for countless holiday gatherings. Upon a cursory check, it seems there might be some merit to the issue raised; that Pyrex can “explode” when used. So often we take the things in our daily life for granted; the furnace will heat our home, the stove will do its job so that we may cook, the kids will clean their rooms… o.k. maybe not everything. This is the reason why I often encourage proactive maintenance, rather than re-active repair of our homes. Anyway, this bakeware that most if not all of us grew up with, and are so familiar with, seems to have a flaw. The e-mail, as most of them are, was quite inflammatory: “Sylvia opened the oven door and the Pyrex® dish had shattered into a million pieces...” Upon further internet investigation, it turns out that most of these complaints arise from moving these dishes from one place to another, usually resulting in a rapid temperature change. For instance, taking it out of the freezer, and putting it in an oven, or moving it from the oven to a counter to cool. Every Story Begins At Home.
Some reports state that the glassware was in the oven or otherwise being used within the manufacture’s guideline when it broke. Hmmmmm…. The consumer product safety commission (CPSC) has nothing on their website www.cpsc.gov regarding Pyrex® bakeware, but there are some cookwares on there you may want to check out for yourself!!
Pyrex has this to say: “The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the federal agency charged with protecting consumers, maintains a database of injury reports to identify potentially hazardous products, and these records do not indicate any safety issue with glass bakeware. (Author: “cookware” is a different story!) There has never been a recall of PYREX glass bakeware…. A very small number of consumers have reported to World Kitchen that their PYREX® glass bakeware unexpectedly broke. Breakage can occur when any brand of glass bakeware is subjected to severe temperature changes or other misuse that our Safety & Usage Instructions specifically warn against.” So what is going on? When a material; glass, metal, etc. is heated, it
expands. As materials cool, it transmits heat to the surrounding air, (or water) and surfaces it is touching. When one surface of metal cools faster than another, i.e. the bottom resting on a cold countertop, the metal being “soft” may twist, or warp, even slightly, so as not to be noticed by the naked eye. Same can be said when it is rapidly heated, as in taking it from freezer to oven. Glass, being brittle does not take so kindly to twisting or warping. When glass heats or cools unevenly a thermal “plane” is formed where the different temperatures meet. For instance if we take a hot glass bakeware and set it on a cool counter, the walls of the dish will remain hotter than the bottom. Where the two surfaces meet (at the corner) there will be a significant temperature (thermal) differential. The glass at this point will be stressed; sometimes it will break, or it may just weaken at this point. Then we do it again the next time we cook, weakening it further. The dish may or may not survive this repeated weakening before we throw it out from old age or it may “explode”; the force of the thermal differential enough to violently break the surfaces apart. So while glass bakeware may be “oven safe” or “freezer safe” it is probably not freezer to oven safe, or vice versa. Use all your cookwares in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and replace older pieces as minute damage may be present. If you do not have a copy of the use and care instructions, they are available for Pyrex® at www.pyrexware.com.
1803 Fleming Rd Indiana, PA 15702 724-463-0570 www.FlemingsChristmasTrees.com Cut your ow1n or pick a fresh cut tree Gift Shop • Horse-drawn wagon rides
Gregg VanHorn’s Christmas Tree Farm 5601 Highway 954 North Creekside, PA 15732 724-463-8201
OPEN 7 DAYS!
Owner Gregg VanHorn (ICCTGA President)
724-465-8848 724-349-2789 1099 Poulos Road Indiana, Pennsylvania 15701
The tallest living Christmas tree is believed to be the 122-foot, 91-year-old Douglas fir in the town of Woodinville, Washington.
Johnston Nurseries 4842 Chambersville Rd. Creekside,Pa. 15732
724-463-8456
Christmas Trees • Wholesale/Retail • U-Cut Trees
“Real Trees Make Scents”
E-MAR ACRES TREE FARM wholesale • retail • spruce • pine • fir
724-639-3610 or 639-3823 Growers Outlet and Maps located at The All American Barber Shop
Brian Mishler is a 15-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
222 Point Street in Saltsburg CHOOSE & CUT BY APPOINTMENT 1 Mile Off Rt. 286 on Nowrytown Rd. (look for signs)
Ron & Margie Mancabelli, Owners November/December 2009 - 17
Historic Hanna’s Town Museum Shop to Hold Open House and Book Signing The Westmoreland County Historical Society’s Museum Shop at Historic Hanna’s Town will hold its annual Holiday Open House on Thursday, November 12, 2009 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Shop is at 809 Forbes Trail Road, Greensburg. This year, the event will include an appearance by author Dave Hurst who will be on hand to discuss and sign copies of his new book Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains: The First Frontier. Published in 2009 by History Press, the book explores the fascinating history of the region. Copies of his book will be available for sale.
Mountain Laurel Chamber of Commerce Proudly Presents: Annual Parade of Trees Friday, December 4th thru Sunday, December 13th 10am to 4pm Donegal Village Shoppes, Second floor of Collection by Mary, Adjacent to the chamber office, 3782 State Rt. 31, Donegal, PA Celebrate the “Spirit of Christmas” by viewing beautifully decorated Christmas trees by area businesses. This year’s event will be sponsored by Somerset Trust Company, Rustic Lodge Furniture and Out of the Fire Café. According to MLCC Executive Director, Kris Enberg this goodwill event is held to raise money for charity and to promote local business. We will be increasing the amount of days to view the trees to cover two weekends. Please take this opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the mountains and the creatively decorated trees while helping friends in our own neighborhood with donations to your favorite Charity or the Local Food Bank.
The work of various craftspeople will be featured this season. • Fraktur prints and clocks by Marta Urban • Quilted pieces by Priscilla Richardson • Carved feather pins by Joe Moyar • Broken china jewelry by Susan Eger • Turned wood bowls and wine stoppers by Don Jones • Redware pottery by various artists including Joel Huntley, Sue Skinner, and Joe Jostes. • Handblown glassware by Hale Farm • Wooden toys by Matt Stein • Thomas Hooper and Woodbury pewter Colonial era beverages – warm wassail and cool rum punch — will be served in Hanna’s Tavern along with savory snacks. Hot tea and sweets will be served in the Shop. Candle-lit lanterns will light the path for visitors as they enjoy the historic surroundings and the festive atmosphere. The Historic Hanna’s Town Shop will also be open on various Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m during the season: November 14 and 21, December 5, 12, and 19.
Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains: The First Frontier By Dave Hurst Bands of Iroquois, the ill-fated General Braddock and Gilded Age tycoons have all roamed Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains. The rough peaks and dense woods of the Alleghenies were the nation’s first barrier to westward expansion. From frontier skirmishes and daring escapes along the Underground Railroad to the triumphs and tragedies of the Industrial Revolution, local journalist Dave Hurst explores the fascinating history and distinctive culture of the region. He regales readers with tales of fly-fishing, bold outdoorsmen, the legend of Johnny Appleseed and the origins of the banana split to capture the essence of Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains. Dave Hurst is a veteran journalist who has been promoting heritage tourism in the region for many years. For five years he was the Editor for Westsylvania, a regional heritage, lifestyle and travel magazine published by the Westsylvania Heritage Corporation. Dave has written for other local publications such as the Tribune-Democrat in Johnstown, and he currently writes a regional heritage column published in five southwestern Pennsylvania newspapers. He is also a member of the Johnstown Area Heritage Association. The History Press, Inc. ISBN: 978-1-59629-724-1 • Paperback • 128 pages • $19.99 • History • August 2009
18 - November/December 2009
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
THE SODA FOUNTAIN A Scoop of Pop Culture
Mad Men: The Cherry on Your Sunday There are many opinions as to what makes Mad Men the best series on television. And, as usual, Don Draper says it best: Success is related to standing out, not fitting in. When AMC decided to launch its first drama series, it didn’t dip its toe into the water timidly; it dove in headfirst and, thankfully, it didn’t tank. In fact, guided by the able instruction of creator Matthew Weiner, the cable network has done the equivalent of winning the gold medals of Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz combined. Finishing its third season on Sunday, November 8 at 10:00 pm, Mad Men just keeps paddling along in the pop culture fast lane. (The show’s casual pace is maddeningly deceptive for while it may initially seem as if there isn’t much to savor, upon reflection, Mad Men offers the palate more rich flavors and exotic toppings than a Serendipity 3 “Golden Opulence” ice cream sundae.*) Poised between conformist culture and counterculture, Mad Men is a period piece with far-reaching relevance. The series title is the term Madison Avenue advertising swells coined for themselves in the late 1950s; the hub of the show’s action is Sterling Cooper, a prestigious, though fictional, NYC ad agency. Set at the start of the 1960s, an extraordinary time in the histories of both America and advertising, opportunities are plentiful. (It’s America – pick a job and become the person who does it. Bobbie Barrett.) But, panoptic optimism has been tempered by the Cuban missile crisis, the mysterious demise of Marilyn Monroe and, by the time this season’s Thanksgiving turkey is carved, the mind-shattering death of a president. The first three seasons have shown us a world where gentlemen still wear fedoras and remove them in the presence of a lady; women are admired for their ultra-curvaceous figures, table-setting and belly-filling abilities; children don’t yet rule the roost and the memorable melodies of Broadway musicals still hold sway over Manhattan. On the other hand everyone smokes and drinks to excess, including pregnant women; men need women for the obvious reasons, but seldom fathom or care what women need; girdle-and-garter-bound women struggle to find fulfillment and feel constrained no matter what decisions
Every Story Begins At Home.
they make; children are seen and heard, but often ignored; and white men regularly condescend to and denigrate “Negroes,” thinking nothing of blackening a face to sing a “darkie” ditty on Kentucky Derby Day. (We know what Uncle Walter would say about all that.) Thanks to Weiner’s meticulous insistence on authenticity, anyone who lived during the 60s experiences a Telstar-like blast time after time watching Mad Men. You really do have to love a show where parents sleep in a Hollywood bed with tufted headboard; a mother blots her lipstick with a tissue, puts butter on her child’s burn and is only concerned about the condition of her clothing when a dry cleaning bag is used as a plaything; a father has his little girl mix the Bloody Marys for the adults; a grandfather allows his young granddaughter to drive a car and children watch Make Room for Daddy and catch lightning bugs for their evening’s amusement. However, lest you think this simulated reality zone is awash in sappy nostalgia, wait just a New York minute. The era’s prevailing identity politics of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, age and sexual orientation are faithfully depicted. As you would expect, everything is politically incorrect by today’s standards; but at least we are in on the ironies. Timely literary and entertainment industry influences (e.g. the works of Frank O’Hara and David Ogilvy, Ayn Rand and Betty Friedan; Hollywood’s The Apartment and Lover Come Back, the prestigious CBS drama The Defenders and Broadway’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) are woven seamlessly into the scripts with winning results. (It’s primetime; please prepare. Lane Pryce.) Success is a famously difficult task-master. But, the teams working behind the scenes of MM are up to the challenge of maintaining this paradigm of peerless programming in an age of pedestrian piffle and are just as deserving of credit as are the more high-profile actors. Weiner and Kater Gordan recently took home Emmys as proof of the continuing excellence of the show’s writing. Casting, production design, cinematography, lighting, hairstyling and makeup all deserve a mention in Weiner’s magnum opus. The costuming
department headed by Janie Bryant is particularly outstanding and its work continues to influence current fashion trends. (Brooks Brothers just brought out a series-endorsed limited-edition Mad Men suit and pencil skirts haven’t made such a mark for decades.) The edgy and film noir-ish theme, A Beautiful Mine by RJD2, and David Carbonara’s composed music and arrangements are as eagerly anticipated by devoted Maddicts as are the standards heard each week. The Season 3 marketing tagline – The World’s Gone Mad – has proven to be prescient. When you consider the profusion of Mini-Me commercial spots, merchandising campaigns, critiques and online conversations cropping up on the media landscape, the show and its denizens cannot be far from the thoughts of the madding crowd. Dialing it back has never been so forward-thinking in today’s Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Mad Men World.
The Guys and Dolls of Mad Men (Like the Bordeaux grape, may we all get better with time. Lane Pryce) The players of Mad Men have won, and been nominated for, numerous awards in multiple categories. In both 2008 and 2009 they took home Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series and Golden Globes for Best Television Drama Series. The Screen Actors Guild bestowed the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series award upon them in 2008 and Jon Hamm earned the Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Television Actor the same year.
The Couple Limit your exposure. Don Draper/Dick Whitman (Jon Hamm) To be darkly dashing, debonair, devious, and all but devoid of a conscience is a dangerous combination in any man, but in Don Draper it is undeniably criminal. The classy Creative Director of Sterling Cooper is not your classic central character. Not hero, anti-hero or villain, but, nevertheless, the most selfpossessed screen persona in existence today bar none. (If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.) Neither young nor old, he’s a man in his prime who women
want, men want to be and he continually struggles to comprehend. (I have been watching my life. It’s right there. I keep scratching at it, trying to get into it. I can’t.) Don observes the niceties in his daily encounters, but somehow manages to skip the subtleties of interpersonal relationships; his intrapersonal existence is far more intriguing and existential. (I keep going to a lot of places and ending up somewhere I’ve already been). An empathetic tendency when dealing with his children, compliments of his own fragmented childhood, is a welcome break from the many adult disconnects. Jon Hamm photographs so very well and for that may all the sins of Mr. Draper and Mr. Whitman be forgiven. I just want everything to be perfect. Betty Draper (January Jones) Weiner claims, “January just knew who this woman (Betty) was,” while Ms. Jones has been quoted as saying, “She’s a mystery to me.” Is it any wonder that Don’s missus is confused? If her husband is grace under pressure, she is Grace Kelly in a pressure cooker. This contradictory woman is particularly prickly with her own children, yet disconcertingly indulgent with the neighbor’s troubled son. Whether Ms. Jones is on autopilot or a consummate scene stealer, she is simply the most stunning blonde to grace any screen since, well…Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco.
The Partners Do I need to remind you of the finite nature of life? Roger Sterling (John Slattery) Forever doling out cyanide-laced bon mots with his cocktails is the silverhaired, silver-tongued Top Cat of Sterling Cooper: Roger Sterling. He is one of those scamps you simply cannot get enough of, but might not want to fall for. John Slattery is positively peachy in a plum role. FYI: Roger’s first wife Mona is also Slattery’s off-screen wife, Talia Balsam (daughter of Martin), who was formerly George Clooney’s only one and only. Beware the non-conformist. Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) continued on page 20
November/December 2009 - 19
continued from page 19
Every office has its kook, and germaphobe Bertram Cooper gets the nod at SC. Shoeless Bert Cooper may seem zenned-out in his Japanesestyle office hung with pricey Rothko, but he is a far more sagacious judge of human behavior than the majority of his employees realize. Robert Morse was, of course, the star of the previously-mentioned How to Succeed…, a 1961 multi-award-winning Broadway smash turned 1967 Hollywood hit. The man knows this drill; he lived it. A priceless piece of casting to be sure.
The Wannabes Why can’t I have anything good all at once? Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) Pete is such an ass, but just as you think he can’t get any more obnoxious he has a “Kartheisis” and you want to give him a hug for his adorable rendition of the Charleston with wife Trudy. Full of ambition, swagger and tactless faux pas, he also has unresolved issues with parents – dead and alive. Kartheiser is a quirky actor who defies description, intentionally and well.
20 - November/December 2009
You have everything, and so much of it. Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) to Don Draper Peggy Olson is a total enigma to every able-bodied and addle-pated man in the offices of mid-20th-century Sterling Cooper (with the possible exception of Don, who generally has at least a semblance of a clue about the opposite sex) and is totally understood by any 21st-century woman who can draw a breath. In her checks, plaids and polka dots she is a blue-Peter Pancollar woman with vast reserves of creativity, but whose potential is not yet fully realized. At odds with family, church and a male-dominated profession, she’s got her work cut out for her wherever she turns. I’ll put my money on some sort of more intimate connection with Don before MM goes away for good. Elisabeth’s upbringing was filled with music, so that might account for her natural instincts.
The Colleagues The juiciest gazelle is the easiest to catch. Ken Cosgrove (Aaron Staton) Ken is a glass-half-full kind of guy with the ability to succeed at many things. He is the Senior VP in Charge of Accounts, a published writer and a very big thorn in Mr. Campbell’s scrawny side.
Draper? Who knows anything about that guy? No ones ever lifted that rock. He could be Batman for all we know. Harry Crane (Rich Sommer) Harry happens to be the Mad Man in precisely the right place at the right time. The bow-tied and bespectacled Television Department head couldn’t have planned it better, since TV became the medium of choice during the era. Too bad he frequently miscalculates. Advertising, if anything, helps bring on change. Paul Kinsey (Michael Gladis) This bearded guitar-strumming fellow tries just a little too hard to be the voice of the Beat Generation at SC amid the vapors of his cannabis. If he gets a little more face-time, maybe Paul will have an out-of-focus epiphany. (If he does, he’d better write it down.)
MIA MM Breakfast without orange juice is a hell of a long day. Fred Rumsen (Joel Murray) Ostensibly on a six month leave for alcohol-fueled naughtiness and negligence, Freddy may never be returning to SC. He didn’t age well in the steamy climate of the 60s
advertising industry, but he was fun till he had his melt down. Everybody’s got a price. Salvatore Romano (Bryan Batt) Unlike Harry, Sal is surely in the wrong place at the wrong time and suffering silently for it. A likeable man, it’s a pity the talented Art Director can’t paint himself out of the closet he inhabits. Sal just got the shaft at SC for doing the right thing. Mr. Batt has since made an appearance as Delia’s new tuxedoed love interest on Ghost Whisperer. Now there’s a transformation. Sometimes when people get what they want they realize how limited their goals were. Joan Holloway Harris (Christina Hendricks) This tigress with the Titian tresses has a tongue as sharp as a scalpel and a heart as big as her very ample chest. Joanie’s Marilyn-esque presence is sorely missed wherever she isn’t, since she really knows how to work it in whatever situation she finds herself. She married an idiot savant Doc, so her relationship with former lover Roger must be starting to look idyllic in retrospect. And they do have that tongue thing in common. continued from page 21
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
WHAT’S COOKING IN FITNESS Mark J. Rullo, MS, CSCS, MES
’tis the Season for Movement and Portion Control During this issue some of the most challenging holidays we will face in terms of managing our weight are Thanksgiving and Christmas. For many people, the months of November and December are where we creep on the extra weight. With this period of the year being such a challenge for many to minimize weight gain it is no wonder we have such a surge in New Year resolution’s to lose weight. Weight management regardless of the season is rather simple. It is a basic formula of calories consumed (eaten) vs. calories expended (burn). For example a 135 pound female who spends most of the day sitting and exercises 5 times per week or doesn’t exercise but performs continuous light activity most of the day should expect to expend (burn) 1,506 calories every day. If this individual wanted to get through the holiday season and maintain her weight, she would need to make sure she didn’t consume more than 1,506 calories each day. Knowledge is power, and this couldn’t be truer when it comes to weight management. Although the above formula is simple, where the simplicity becomes complex is when we try to quantify exactly how many calories we have consumed or more particular how many calories we have expended (burn) throughout the day. Technology has made huge strides in simplifying the process for one to monitor this energy balance formula. We now have the ability to monitor our activity by wearing a simple armband.The armband then calculates your caloric expenditure for the day so that you have visible knowledge of where you are for the day. This technology of having information of caloric expenditure makes weight management very simple. Using that same female above for example, if for instance she was planning on attending a holiday party, where she would be consuming extra calories, now she will know how much more activity through the day she will need to perform to balance the equation so not to tip the equation of taking in more calories than she is expending and not gain any weight. The same is true is if she has not had an active day and her caloric expenditure is low. Knowing she will not have the extra calories to burn, she can make proactive decisions on what she will and will not eat while at the party so not to gain weight. I recognize not everyone will want or have access to this type of advance technology in weight management. For those individuals who are curious, please feel free to contact me at My
Every Story Begins At Home.
Fitness Kitchen®; however for most others, below are two simple tips to best keep your energy formula balanced through the holidays the “old-school” way without cutting-edge technology. Keep Moving: Whether you belong to a fitness center or not, the bottom line is the more you move the more calories you will expend. Designate 30 – 60 minutes a day to being more active. To many this may sound like a lot of time; however it is only 2.1% to 4.2% of your entire week. Compared to the 16.6% (28 hours/week) average American spends sitting on their butt watching TV, this little extra investment of your time isn’t much to ask to invest in your most prized possession – your health. Whether it is walking around your neighborhood, keeping your house clean or a structural exercise program you will benefit from the extra calories expended. Portion Control: In a nutshell, whatever you do eat, keep it to the size of your fist or deck of cards. One of our four fundamental principles of supportive nutrition that precede portion control is eating frequency. One of the keys to being able to eat in the right portion and be able to not still feel as if you are starving is eating frequency. Therefore you will want to eat something every 3 – 4 hours so that when presented with the opportunity to over indulge you will be less likely to. It is no different than going grocery shopping on a full stomach so not to over purchase then it is to eat something prior to going to a holiday party so not to over eat. Also it is important to note when out at holiday parties, not to compare volume of food consumed by others thinking you can eat the same amount even if you are just as active as they are. Body size, more particular body composition difference plays a major role with this. Individuals who have more lean body mass will more likely have the ability to consume more calories because they will burn more calories from the activities they have done all day as compared to a person who did the exact same activities but has lesser amount of Lean Body Mass. In addition to moving more, eating frequently and controlling the portion size over the holidays to manage your weight below are a few other tips for the holiday season: • Be Realistic: If you are currently overweight and want to lose weight, this is not the time to do it. Maintenance of your present weight
is a big enough challenge during the holiday season. Don’t set yourself up for failure by making unrealistic goals for yourself. • Advance Planning: If you know you will be going to a party or special occasion over the holidays plan accordingly. Try to be more active on those days to leave you more room if you would happen to overeat. Be more cautious of what you will be eating throughout the day as well to give you extra room in the energy equation. Think about where you will be, who you will be with, what foods will be available, what foods are really special to you (that you really want to eat) vs. those that you could probably do without, what are your personal triggers to overeat and how can you minimize them. Once you’ve thought about all of these things, make a plan of action. It’s much easier to deal with a difficult social eating situation if you’ve already planned for it. • Select “Better Bad Choices”: There are plenty of low fat and low calorie substitutes that are amazingly tasty. Try using applesauce in place of oil in your favorite holiday breads; use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs; try plain nonfat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. There are plenty of resources available, both on-line and in magazines that are full of reduced calorie and reduced fat holiday recipes. • Maintain Perspective: One day of being active and eating healthy will not make you and one day of being a slug and eating poorly will not break you relative to your weight management goals. However many days of poor eating and low activity will break you and many days of being active and eating healthy will MAKE YOU MORE HEALTHY. If you would happen to overindulge at a holiday get-together, don’t stress about, rather learn from it and put it behind you and then return to your eating plan the next day and focus on what you can control? Mark Rullo is an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Medical Exercise Specialist, certified Golf Fitness Instructor and owner of My Fitness Kitchen® www.myfitnesskitchen.com 724-879-8523. Something far from your traditional, intimidating gym, My Fitness Kitchen® in Latrobe 30 plaza is Where Fitness & Nutrition Come Together. From the moment you enter My Fitness Kitchen® regardless of your fitness level 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 success. Whether it is Fitness, Nutrition or both, you can be confident My Fitness Kitchen® is the solution to a healthier you!
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She’ll be back. Christina is a former Goth Girl gone Mad. As was stated at the onset, there is little agreement about why the series gels so well. Ultimately, Mad Men is what ice cream sundaes are all about: It makes your heart hurt. Don Draper *The Golden Opulence Sundae was created to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of NYC’s Serendipity 3 in 2004. A truly decadent dessert, this cool confection was topped with sweetened Grand Passion Caviar and priced at $1000. – Barbara M. Neill
Christmas became a national holiday in America on June, 26, 1870. *** If you received all of the gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” you would receive 364 presents. *** Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red-and-green plant from Mexico to America in 1828. *** Rudolph, “the most famous reindeer of all,” was the product of Robert L. May’s imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store. *** The Christmas season begins at sundown on 24th December and lasts through sundown on the 5th January. For that reason, this season is also known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. *** In 1958 the #1 song on Christmas Day was ‘The Chipmunk Song’ by David Seville (Ross Bagdasarian) as sung by Alvin, Simon & Theodore (the Three Chipmunks). No other Christmas song has ever been #1 in the U.S. on Christmas Day. *** The word ‘X-Mas’ is derived from Greek, because in Greek, ‘X’ symbolizes Christ.
November/December 2009 - 21
FRIENDS AND HEROES Honoring Our Neighbors Serving in the United States Military
America’s Heroes Come in All Shapes & Guises Place kicker Jeff Reed wasn’t the only Pittsburgh Steeler who scored heroic points during the first week of the NFL season. Former Steeler Rocky Bleier enlisted the aid of fellow backfield buddy Franco Harris and a number of the other Steeler alumni to help raise funds for Golf Supports Our Troops at a golf outing held at the Pittsburgh Field Club on the eighth anniversary of 9/11. A charity founded by avid golf enthusiast and humble American patriot Brian Coleman, the organization provides golf equipment for wounded and disabled veterans who have returned home as well as active troops of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Coleman retired from the graphic arts industry and for a time ran a collectible golf products business that produced framed collections of golf markers from around the world. After several years he decided he wanted to contribute in some way to the war effort. Originally hoping to help existing organizations such as Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and Homes for Our Troops, Coleman eventually settled upon a plan to become more directly involved in the rehabilitation of the thousands of soldiers coming back home wounded and disabled. His non-profit charity, Golf Supports Our Troops, has provided equipment for rehab centers, military medical centers (including
the Walter Reed Army Medical Center) and over 35 VA hospitals. The swing trainers they make available are especially useful for improving rotational skills, balance and dexterity. Golf equipment affords not only physical therapy, but mental and recreational therapy as well. As an aide in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, golf facilitates improved concentration and anxiety reduction. After receiving an email from a soldier in Iraq who had happened upon the charity’s website, the founder sent Golf Supports Our Troops overseas. The combined military troops were planning a golf day at the driving range they had created in Baghdad. The young man made a request for several golf marker collections that might be used as prizes. Coleman called the soldier and subsequently shipped 150 sets of military golf markers to be given as welcome gifts for event participants and a dozen “Hawaiian Open” sets to be used as prizes. Since then driving net systems, golf balls and over 11,000 golf clubs have been contributed for use by active duty troops during offduty time. Another GSOT project is the creation of a Golf Memorial commemorating every soldier who has died in the Iraq and Afghanistan. The memorial is a series of 4’ by 5’ framed panels each con-
Josh Maloney, former Marine and hand transplant recipient (left) and Dr. Andrew Lee, UPMC surgeon.
22 - November/December 2009
taining the names and dates of death of 300 fallen heroes. Gold-plated golf ball markers bearing the official seal of the deceased soldier's service branch are also included.
Participants in the " Hawaiian Open," which was so christened because the troops in Baghdad wore Hawaiian print shirts for the competition.
Bright and early on the morning after Pittsburgh’s victory over the Tennessee Titans (thanks to Reed’s game-winning field goal in nail-biting overtime) Steeler alums took to the course. Sharing a day of golf and good company with Bleier, Harris and the charity event participants were past team members Steve Avery, Jerome Bettis, Craig Bingham, Mel Blount, Ron Coder, Robin Cole, Jeff Hartings, Dick Hoak, Tony Jeter, Todd Kalis, Louis Lipps and Mike Wagner. A luncheon, emceed by Pittsburgh area humorist and longtime Dapper Dan banquet speaker Jim Meston, followed. The affair was capped by a visit from Dr. Andrew Lee of UPMC and former Marine Josh Maloney. Maloney, an Iraqi vet from Bethel Park who lost his right hand in a military training accident, is the first UPMC hand transplant recipient (only the sixth in the nation) and also the first patient to be treated with Pittsburgh Protocol, an immune modulation therapy that aims to reduce the risk associated with toxic antirejection drugs. His 11-hour ground-breaking surgery was performed by a team led by Dr. Lee on March 14th and his ongoing therapy and progress are being monitored closely by UPMC. Teamwork is a concept Brian Coleman values highly. Born and bred in New Jersey he is a NY Giants fan, but maintains that the Steelers are now definitely #2 on
his NFL list. Latrobe luminary Arnold Palmer has long been a Coleman favorite and not only for his golfing ability. Arnie and fellow golf greats Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson have all graciously helped the GSOT cause, signing autographs and giving encouragement. A legend and hero of another sort, Clint Eastwood, is also committed to the Iraqi War veterans. The host of the Clint Eastwood Golf Tournament and founder of Tehama Golf Club near Carmel, CA, Eastwood is a huge fan of Golf Supports Our Troops. Working together, individuals such as these and scores of others are immeasurably bettering the lives of those men and women who have given so much for America. When congratulated on his humanistic endeavor the genial and well-spoken Coleman told the LMP, “People have often asked me if this organization is a success or not. I tell them if we can improve the life of one soldier, I’ll be happy. I know we’ve affected the lives of a lot more than one, so in my mind we’re already far beyond what I ever imagined we would be. When I see the faces of these guys and the appreciation they show, I feel this is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. Compared to their sacrifices, running a golf tournament is no sacrifice. We’ll continue to do whatever we can for my heroes.” Find out more about Golf Supports Our Troops at www.golfsupportsourtrooops.org. – Story and Pittsburgh golf event photos by Barbara M. Neill
Dapper event coordinator Rocky Bleier.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
SHOPS AROUND THE CORNER Getting To Know Unique Local Businesses and the People Behind Them
Poetry in a Bottle: Hazuza’s Greenhouse & Winery
Gregory Hazuza has been making wine for family and friends for years. After winning ribbons at amateur wine competitions such as the Westmorland County Fair, his hobby became a business venture. Greg and fiancee Cynthia Helinski formed their winery, Greenhouse Winery llc. The sales and tasting room is located at 10828 RilltonGuffey Road Sewickley Township, Westmoreland County, PA adjacent to Hazuza’s Greenhouse.
Hazuza’s Greenhouse is a family business owned and operated by George Hazuza and his wife of 50 years, Betty. They started the business 50 years ago as an Evergreen Nursery. Though they no longer sell any trees or shrubs, the business has evolved and grown into a thriving retail greenhouse operation with over 30,000 square feet of greenhouses! They grow a very large variety of flowers, bedding plants and vegetable plants for the spring gardeners, including over two dozen varieties of peppers and tomatoes, and a full selection of cool crops and herbs. Their perennial selection boasts over 100 varieties, and seasonal/ holiday flowers include Easter flowers (Hyacinths, Tulips, Chrysan-themums, and Lilies) fall Garden Mums, and beautiful Poinsettias in many colors and pot sizes in time for Christmas. The Hazuzas grow most of their plants themselves from seeds or cuttings, working all winter sowing and growing in time for the spring planting season. They are best known for their huge selection of beautiful Hanging Baskets, Combination Baskets, and mixed Patio Planters that are in full bloom just in time for Mothers Day. George and Betty are still very active in the day-to-day operation of the
BoyGirlBoyGirl Designs Boy Girl Boy Girl Designs is a small home-based business made up of a mother and a daughter who love to paint. We are self taught artists who previously worked with acrylics on wood. Our work has been sold in galleries, boutiques, and by commission. Now we are painting on fabric. We see each piece of clothing as a blank canvas ready to be turned into wearable art. Since we each have a different style of painting there is something to suit just about anyone's taste. But we both love polka dots! THE CLOTHING: Quality and softness are a priority. Our line features reinforced snaps,soft needle double rib bindings and flat lock seams. They can go through many washings and still look great. We prefer combed ring spun cotton or cotton jersey because they feel super soft on your skin.The clothing is stitched with all cotton thread so when they are dyed there is no white stitching showing. A little more expensive but well worth it because the finished piece looks super. All clothing is pre-shrunk.Wash cold, inside out and line dry for best results. Most moms tell me they wash them on warm in the machine and tumble dry and they
Every Story Begins At Home.
business as are three of their four children. Sharon Primus, Debbie Lightner and Greg Hazuza all work there year round as well as other seasonal and full time employees. After 30 years in the business, son Greg was feeling a little burned out and made the decision to branch out. Three years ago, with lots of encouragement from friends and family, he and his fiance, Cynthia Helinski, started Greenhouse Winery. Combining his experience nurturing plants with a love of winemaking, he’s been creating poetry in a bottle and winning medals ever since. But it’s his customer’s comments that mean more to him than bronze, silver or gold: “It’s a job full of satisfaction,” he explained. “I feel great pride every time someone tells me how much they enjoy the wine. Most jobs are thankless.” It took only a year to start up the business. Rather than grow his own grapes, however, he eliminated the enormous overhead costs of processing by establishing a partnership with a winery in Erie. They process their fruit into the juice that goes into his wines. Local suppliers like Soergal Orchards in Wexford supply apples for special blends that add a little holiday spice to his extensive collection.
A trip to the Greenhouse tasting room is well worth the drive to Rillton, just off the beaten path near North Huntingdon. There you’ll find a cozy bar just off from an elegantly decorated greenhouse garden room available for special functions and happy hour events. Visitors are welcome to sample up to six varieties of wine from a detailed menu explaining each choice. There’s no need for a sommelier’s guide here – the family is friendly and fun, making the “art of wine” easy to enjoy for everyone, beginner to expert. You’ll leave with some favorite tastes you can’t find anywhere else. Greenhouse Wines are currently only available for purchase direct from their retail location, and are served at Seven Springs Resort as well as the Colonial Grill in Irwin. Expansion is planned for 2010, however, to meet the demand for Greg’s unique and tasty local wines. Within the year he hopes to double production – a great way to celebrate the family business’ golden anniversary! 10828 Guffey-Rillton Road, Rillton, PA 15678 (724) 446 5000 • www.greenhousewinery.com Saturdays in December 10am - 6pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday 12- 6pm Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years
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are fine. Crystals cannot go in the dryer, though. DYES AND PAINTS:All of our dyes and paints are professinal grade, safe and non-toxic. The colors and designs are permanent by heat setting. They can survive many washings and still remain vibrant and colorful. WHY I LOVE HAND DYING: I prefer hand dying in small batches. It’s a little labor intensive and my water bill has sky rocketed but I can’t stop. The colors are just too fabulous. There is a depth, warmth and intensity that I can’t find in mass produced clothing...and I get to watch The Food Network for hours and hours. MATERIALS AND DESIGNS: We use a variety of methods. We use silk screens, wood blocks, applique, stencils, stamps and paint free hand. We paint our own screens and hand carve our stamps and wood blocks. I am a big fan of wood blocks because of the irregularities in the print. They give the clothing a real hand made look. The painted clothing has a “painterly” look... just like a canvas. Our website is boygirlboygirldesign.etsy.com
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November/December 2009 - 23
TECH TALK Bob Appleby
Gift Buying Guide This is always my favorite article to write because it appeals to the gadget fiend that is much a part of me. You will be able to look at a range from $15 to $500, so you will have a wide variety of choices. There are some items that I currently use and others that I feel are just really neat and fit a specific need. So let’s get started. iTunes Gift Card ($15-$100) Although I hate giving gift cards as gifts, those of us that use iPhones, iPods and iTouches will really appreciate a gift card for the iTunes Store. Especially if you own an iTouch or iPhone you will find yourself constantly looking for new applications. I am constantly hitting the store for all sorts of programs. Many people use it for purchasing music or their favorite TV shows and movies. So help your geeky students and family members out with a little technology directed money, they will love you for it. Audible.com ($14.95/month) I have been using audible.com audio book service for over 9 years. If you are
and avid book consumer and you have time to fill while commuting, cutting grass or other activities, this subscription service could be the perfect gift for you. There are four plans to choose from. You can pick from a 1 or 2 book/month plan $14.95 and $22.95/month respectively or a yearly subscription that provides you with either 12 or 24 credits that you can use at your leisure. These cost $149.95 and $229.95 respectively. The monthly plans allow up to 6 rollover credits and the annual plans allow up to 12 rollover credits. Once you choose the books you can listen to them on your computer, on many smart phones, mp3 players and GPS devices or you can burn them to CDs and play them on any CD player. If you decide to cancel the subscription the books you have purchased to that point are yours to keep forever. Go to www.audible.com to sign up. Digital Picture Frames ($49-$299) I hate the cost of printing pictures so I seldom do. Luckily I have many devices that I can show off my latest photos. Besides using free online photo galleries like Picaso or Flickr, or paid
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LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST P.O. Box 227 • Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650 24 - November/December 2009
galleries like SmugMug, I like to have electronic picture frames strategically placed to show off my current photos. There are so many frames to choose from you will want to do some research to find the one that meets your needs. This is a great gift for family members to load up their kid’s pictures for grandma and grandpa to look at. Setting it up to give you a varied slide show can give you hours of viewing pleasure. You can reload the picture frame easily using memory flash cards. I keep several on hand so when I go to my Mother in Law’s house I can replace her current set with a new one quickly and easily. Multi-charge Device - chargepod ($39.95) If you are like me you have many devices that seem to need to be charged almost every night and I am always searching for the charger and a spare outlet. Well you can clear that mess up by getting a chargepod value pack. Chargepod is a 6-way charging device that allows you to charge multiple cell phones, PDAs, headsets, and most other mobile electronics with a single power cord. Just pick out the manufacturer-specific adapters for your devices and throw away the dozens of power cords and wall warts that are cluttering your office and home. Chargepod uses voltage regulator technology and interchangeable power adapters to safely charge all of your mobile devices regardless of manufacturer or model. The chargepod value pack includes the ac adapter, charge pod, carrying case and one miniUSB connector cable. Additional device cables can be ordered separately for around $9.95 each to match your specific device needs. A charger adapter is also available for $19.95. This is a great solution to help you minimize the number of charges for your vacation packing. It will greatly decrease the number of adapters that you will need to pack to recharge all of your phones and other gadgets. Roku ($99.99) The Roku box is an add-on unit for your TV that gives you access to NetFlix Streaming and Amazon Movie Rentals through the Internet. For just $8.99/ month, you can get a Netflix Subscription, which gives one DVD at a time mailed to you, and you will also have internet access to thousands of movies and TV shows through their instant streaming internet access. Netflix has this service through the Microsoft XBOX as well but if you don’t want the gaming side, this is an inexpensive option. Now if they can come to terms with HULU so that you can stream their content, we won’t need cable or satellite TV at all!
Chargepod: six-way charging device.
Verizon MiFi ($99.99) If you are like me you are lost without Internet access and this device is a great way to connect up to 5 devices any where you have Verizon Mobile Service. It has a USB port to connect it directly to your device, is battery operated and very, very small. Supports VPN connections and connects through Verizon’s 3G network. It comes with a wall charger, USB connection cable, and a protective pouch. You will need to make your best deal with Verizon for your data plan. Windows 7 ($99-$299) I would be remiss if I didn’t include Windows 7 with its happening midOctober. See last month’s article for the reasons to upgrade and the differences between all the different versions to help you pick the right one. The updates that are included in Windows 7 will greatly enhance your computing experience over Vista and even Windows XP.
The Roku box is an add-on unit for your TV that gives you access to NetFlix Streaming and Amazon Movie Rentals through the Internet.
InMotion Classic iPod/iPhone Compact Speaker System ($149) If you want to add speakers to your iPhone/iPod/iTouch or other media player device this portable speaker system Could be what you are looking for. With a built in battery that will last up to 4 hours on a single charge,
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
you can be mobile or plug into any power outlet in the house to fill the room with music, stories from your audible.com purchases or other audio. You can quickly expand your listening pleasure and charge your Apple devices at the same time while they are plugged into the speakers. If you want more robust sound, take a look at their larger speaker products for more choices. ZUNE HD + Zune Pass ($220-$290+$14.99/mo) or Apple iTouch ($149-$399)
USB port and play any of the content on your ZUNE. The Sony Playstation 3 is the least expensive way for you to add BlueRay HD Movies to your Home Entertainment system. If you are heavily invested in Microsoft Technology, I would definitely lean towards the XBOX 360. If you really want BlueRay HD Movies you can’t beat the price and the added capabilities of the Sony Playstation 3.
If you have an avid book reader in your house this may be a great gift for them.
Are you a music buff that would like to listen to new music all the time but don’t want the expense of buying every new CD just to test listen to see if you like the music? The Zune HD and Zune Pass might be just the thing for you. The Zune Pass cost $14.99 per month, allows you purchase 10 songs per month that are yours to keep forever, and allows access 10’s of thousands of songs for free use on your Zune or Desktop PC for as long as you maintain your subscription. This is a great way to sample new music, acquire ones that you like and to build on your library. Built mostly around multimedia it doesn’t have the applications available to it like the Apple iTouch and iPhone do that makes these devices so popular.
B. P. Insurance, Inc. Brian E Panichelle Panichelle_Agency@nwagent.com 3720 Rt 711 Suite 9 Ligonier, PA 15658-5004 (In Ligonier Valley Mini-Mall ) (724) 238-2148
Flip Video Camcorder ($199.99) This little device has revolutionized the ability to jump into HiDef video recording. It is easily small enough to slip into your pocket. The Flip Video offers around 120 minutes of recording time at 1280x720 resolution. Other features include Ultra low-light sensitivity, video format support for H.264, AAC, and MP4, fixed focus 1.5m to infinity, 2x zoom, 2 inch LCD screen, rechargeable battery pack through USB connection with up to 2.5 hours use between charges. So, if you want an easy to use lightweight video camcorder, then the Flip might be just the thing for you! Kindle ($259) If you have an avid book reader in your house this may be a great gift for them. The price has just dropped which makes it a little more affordable but it is still pretty high for a casual user. It has wireless access to Amazons Book Store and holds up to 1,500 books at one time. No backlight means that you have to have light in the room to read it but it works well both inside and outside in full sunlight. Battery life is great, about 4 days with wireless on and up to 2 weeks with the wireless off. Most new books are being published in this format as well and are usually available at a reduced price when compared to hardcover pricing. It uses WiFi when available to down load books and also supports listening to Audible books from Audible.com. If you own an iPhone you can share your books between both devices and even send PDF documents through email to this device as well. Amazon currently advertises the availability of over 350,000 books, newspapers and magazines. You can assign up to 6 Kindle devices to one account which allows you to share access to your entire book purchase library with all your family members. XBOX 360 or Playstation 3 ($299) More than just game machines these boxes can now provide other kinds of entertainment as well. The Microsoft XBOX 360 allows you to have a DVD player and online content available on your High Definition Big Screen TV. You can also be connected to your home network and provide access to all your computer-stored music, videos, and other content. If you have a Zune you can plug it into the XBOX’s front
Every Story Begins At Home.
Named Best Hot Fudge Sundae by The Ligonier Chef!
Netbooks ($249-$499) You already have a desktop computer but you want the flexibility to roam around the house or have a computer on the road. A netbook might be a low cost alternative to buying a full size notebook computer to make you mobile. There are so many to choose from but the one that I really like right now is Acer’s Aspire One with an 11.6 inch screen. One of the problems I have with the smaller screen netbooks is that the screen is too short for some application dialog box windows so you can’t work these applications at all on these machines. Another complaint is the downsized keyboard you will find on the 10.1 inch models; this one sports a full size soft key keyboard, impressive battery life, about 8 hours, and 160gb hard drive capacity. I would suggest replacing the 1GB memory chip with a 2GB and possibly reloading with Windows 7 when it comes out as well. Well that should it for this article. As always you are welcome to contact me with any questions, comments or suggestions for future articles. Have a lovely and safe Holiday Season! Bob Appleby is a partner at Computer Connections which is located in Greensburg, PA. He has been working with computers and technology in some capacity since 1973 and has been with his partner, Jude Daigle, at Computer Connections for over 28 years. Be sure to visit http:// BobsTechTalk.com for all sorts of technology news and reviews and visit our website at: http://www.localsupport.com.
AWE-some Fun For all K-6 Kids! Join DAPAGE for a mind expansion workshop especially designed for students in grades K-6. Cool Chemistry with the Carnegie Science Center Friday, Nov. 20, 2009 6pm Caldwell Memorial Library Classrooms
Our AWEsome workshops will be held every third
weekend from September to April. Local mentors will offer their talents to inspire young minds with an insatiable desire to learn more about the world around them.
Classes are held on the Derry Area HS/MS campus. Students from all districts are welcome! AWESOME WEEKEND EXPLORATIONS
BE IN AWE! Class fee: $25/student Register at the Rec Board Office or contact the DARB at 724-694-1416 or Kelly Tatone at KTatone@gmail.com or 724-694-5550 for more information.
November/December 2009 - 25
HOLIDAY 2009 COMMUNITY CALENDAR Friday, November 6 @ 7 p.m. Murder in the Library: The Case of the Loaded Librarian Ligonier Valley Library, 120 W. Main St., Tickets are $20 and may be purchased at the library or by calling 724-238-6451. Friday, November 6 @ 8 p.m. Elko Concerts presents Tesla The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg . Tickets are $25 & $32.50 and may be purchased by calling 724-836-8000. Friday, November 6 & Saturday, November 7 @ 10:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.; Sunday, November 8 @ noon—5:00 p.m. Smicksburg Old Fashioned Country Christmas Open House 138 E. Kittanning St., Rt. 954, Smicksburg Sample refreshments, wine tasting, and Christmas baked goods. For information, call 814-257-0192 or visit www.smicksburg.net. Saturday, November 7 @ 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. Wooden Rake Workshop Somerset Historical Center, 10649 Somerset Pike.Learn how to make a historical wooden rake. Cost is $45. To register, call 814-445-6077. Saturday, November 7 @ 9:00 a.m. Ohiopyle State Park Volunteer Clean-Up Ohiopyle State Park Office, 124 Main St., Spend the day cleaning the environment. For information, visit www.friendsofohiopyle.info. Saturday, November 7 @ 10:00 a.m. Documentary and Talk “Out of the Ground” Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve, @ St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe. Any McAllister will show his documentary on the iron and steel industries. For info, call 724-537-5284. Saturday, November 7 @ 1:00 p.m.—3:00 p.m. Creation Prepares for Winter Scavenger Hunt Creekside Pavilion, end of Harrison Ave., Latrobe. For ages 5 to 9. Fees are $5 for Latrobe residents and $7 for non-residents. For more information, call 724-537-4331. Saturdays & Sundays, November 7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 & 22 @ 3:00—7:00 p.m. Harvest Candlelight Tours Compass Inn Museum, 1382 Route 30 E., Laughlintown . Guided tour of the inn. For information, call 724-238-4983. Saturday, November 7 @ 8:00 p.m. Afiara String Quartet Carey Performing Arts Center, St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe. Admission is $15. For tickets, call 724-805-2565. Saturday, November 7 @ 8:00 p.m. River City Brass Band presents American Classics The Palace Theatre, 21 Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $24, $26, & $31 with a $2 discount for seniors and students. For information, call 1-800-292-7222 Monday, November 9 @ 6:30 p.m. With True Affection, Millie B., A Story of Friendship and God’s Grace Adams Memorial Library, 1112 Ligonier St., Latrobe. Leigh Lowden discusses her recently published book. To register, call 724-539-1972. Tuesday, November 10 @ 6:00 p.m. Life at Compass Inn Caldwell Memorial Library, Derry Area High School, 988 N. Chestnut St. Ext., Derry Jim Koontz, Inn Keeper at Compass Inn Museum, reenacts life in the 1820’s using period clothing and language. For information and to register, call 724-694-5765 Wednesday, November 11 @ 5:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m. Holiday American Marketplace: Preview Shopping Event Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg
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20% off all purchases at the gift shop this evening only. Complimentary gift-wrapping and free refreshments. For information, call 724837-1500 x41 Friday, November 13 @ 9:15 a.m. Digital Cameras—Level 2 YWCA of Westmoreland County, 424 N. Main St., Greensburg. Learn how to take pictures with your digital camera. Fee is $30 for members; $35 for non-members. For information and to register, call 724-834-9390. Friday—Sunday, November 13—15 Christmas Open House Mt. Pleasant Old General Store, 1060 Countryside Plaza. For information, call 724547-7112 or visit www.oldgeneralstore.com Friday, November 15 @ 5:00 p.m. Lovin’ Downtown Every Second Downtown Indiana . Enjoy free parking and store sales while watching artists and musicians in the town. For information, call 724-463-6110 or visit www.downtownindiana.org. Friday, November 13 @ 8:00 p.m. Elko Concerts presents Sinbad The Palace Theatre, 21 Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $30 & $35 and may be purchased by calling724-836-8000 Saturday, November 14 & Sunday, November 15 @ 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Annual Holiday Open House Dillweed Bed & Breakfast, Dilltown Free admission. For information, call 814-4466465 or visit www.dillweedline.com Saturday, November 14 @ 4:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m. Sunset Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s House on Kentuck Knob, 723 Kentuck Rd., Chalk Hill $100 tour with hors d’oeuvres. For reservations, call 724-329-1901. Sunday, November 15 Fall Craft Show St. Mary’s Dome, Route 982, Bradenville Area crafters interested in displaying their wares should contact Cathy at 724-423-7140. Sunday, November 15 @ 7:30 p.m. Jigu! Thunder Drums of China Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 450 Schoolhouse Rd. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased by calling 800-846-2787. Monday, November 16 @ 7:30 p.m. Travelogue: Inside the Tuscan Hills Greensburg-Salem High School, 1 Academy Hills Place, Greensburg. Free. For information, call 724-834-0126. Tuesday, November 17 @ 9:00 a.m.—8:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Rivers Casino Coach Day Trip Departs from Latrobe Memorial Stadium, Chestnut St. Ext. & Irving Ave. Coach trip costs $25. Must be registered by November 9. For information, call 724-537-4331 Wednesday, November 18 @ 10:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m. Tiny Wonder Time: Now You See Me, Now You Don’t Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve @ St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe. For children aged 2 to 4. To register, call 724-537-5284. Thursday, November 19 @ 5:00 p.m.—10:00 p.m. Holiday Light-Up Night Historic Downtown Irwin, 321 Main St. For information, call 724-296-8074 Thursday, November 19—Saturday, November 21 @ 7:30 p.m. Pitt Greensburg Theatre Company presents the Duchess of Malfi Ferguson Theatre, Finoli Drive, Pitt Greensburg Campus. For tickets, call 724-836-7483. Thursday, November 19 @ 8:00 p.m. The Wizard of Oz Fisher Auditorium, Indiana University of PA. For tickets and information, call 724-357-7553 or visit www.Onstageatiup.com
Thursday, November 19 Westmoreland Jazz Society: The Phoenix Jazz Project Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by calling 724-837-1500 x27
Friday, November 27 @ 5:00 p.m. Downtown Indiana Light Up Night Indiana Courthouse. Enjoy roasting marshmallows, doing crafts and welcoming Santa. For information, call 724-463-6110 or visit www.downtownindiana.org.
Friday, November 20 @ 9:15 a.m. Digital Cameras—Level 3 YWCA of Westmoreland County, 424 N. Main St., Greensburg. Learn how to download your digital pictures onto a computer to email them or burn them onto a CD. Fee is $30 for members; $35 for non-members. For information and to register, call 724-834-9390.
Friday, November 27 @ 5:30 p.m. Ligonier Light-Up Night Town Hall. Holiday festivities include caroling, snacks and Santa’s arrival by horse-drawn carriage. For information, call 724-238-4200.
Friday, November 20 @ 6:00 p.m. AWE presents the Carnegie Science Center Workshop for Kids Derry Area School District campus, 94 N. Chestnut St. Ext. For students in any district, grades K—6. Registration fee is $25 and may be made by calling 724-694-1416 or 724-694-5550. Friday, November 20 @ 5:30 p.m.—8:00 p.m. It’s a Wonderful Life Festival Jimmy Stewart Museum, Downtown Indiana Free admission to the museum. Watch the making of It’s a Wonderful Life and a parade through the streets. For information, call 724463-6110 or visit www.downtownindiana.org. Friday, November 20—Sunday, January 17 Holiday Toy Exhibition Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg. 724-837-1500 x27 Friday, November 20—Thursday, December 31 Overly’s Country Christmas Westmoreland Fairgrounds, 116 Blue Ribbon Lane, Greensburg. 800-968-3759 Friday & Saturday, November 20-21 @ 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, November 22 @ 2:00 p.m. Stage Right presents A Christmas Carol The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $22 & $18 for adults and $18 & $12 for students. 724-836-8000 Saturday, November 21 @ 8:00 p.m. Smokey Joe’s Café State Theater, 27 E. Main St., Uniontown Tickets are $36, $32 & $28. Purchase by calling 724-439-1360 or 1-800-397-2554. Sunday, November 22 @ 11:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m. Sunday Brunch at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Kentuck Knob Kentuck Knob, 723 Kentuck Rd., Chalk Hill Tickets are $100. Reservations, 724-329-1901 Wednesday, November 26 @ 12:15 pm—12:45 pm Nature Walk Wednesdays Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve @ St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe To register, call 724-537-5284. Wednesday, November 25—Monday, January 4 Tree Decorating Display Four Points by Sheraton, 100 Sheraton Drive, Route 30, Greensburg. Vote for your favorite tree. For information, call 724-832-6821. Thursday, November 26 @ 9:30 a.m. 15th Annual Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk Latrobe Memorial Stadium, Chestnut St. Ext. & Irving Ave. Pre-register for $17 by November 16. Race day fee is $22. 724-537-4331. Thursday, November 26 @ 11:00 a.m.—8:00 p.m. Thanksgiving Dinner at Seven Springs Resort Slopeside Dining Room and Convention Hall, Seven Springs Resort, 777 Waterwheel Drive, Adults $24.95, children 12-8 $14.95, children 7-4 $8.95, children under 4 are free. For info or reservations, call 1-800-452-2223 x 6000. Thursday, November 26—Sunday, November 29 @ 5:30 p.m.—10:00 p.m. Festival of Lights Blue Spruce Park, off PA Rte. 110, Ernest (Indiana County) $8.00/car or $1/person for vans or buses with more than 12 persons. Call 724-463-8636 or visit www.indianacountyparks.org. Friday, November 27 @ 12:00 p.m.—4:00 p.m. Imagine Nation Day Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg. Free family fun while touring the museum. 724-837-1500 x19
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays from November 27 – December 20 and Sunday, December 27: Fridays @ 5:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays @ 2:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m. Nemacolin Castle Christmas Tour Nemacolin Castle, 100 Front St., Brownsville Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children. Purchase by calling724-785-6882. Friday, November 27 @ 10:00 a.m. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $8 & 9 and may be purchased by calling 724-836-8000 Saturdays & Sundays , November 28 & 29, December 5 & 6, December 12 & 13 @ 3:00 p.m.—7 p.m. Christmas Candlelight Tours Compass Inn Museum, 1382 Route 30 East, Laughlintown. Tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for children. Purchased by calling 724-238-4983 Saturday, November 28 @ 10:00 a.m. Ligonier Christmas Country Market Ramada Inn, 126 W. Loyalhanna St., Ligonier www.ligoniercountrymarket.com Saturday, November 28 @ 6:00 p.m. Christmas Theater Production featuring the Rockwood Players Rockwood Mill Shoppes & Opera House, 450 W. Main St., Rockwood. 814-926-4546 Monday, November 30—Thursday, December 17 5th Annual Christmas Wreath Decorating Contest Adams Memorial Library, 1112 Ligonier St., Latrobe. Tickets for voting for wreaths are 3 for $10. For information, call 724-539-1972. Tuesday, December 1 @ 6:00 p.m. The Indian Capture of Jacob Nicely Caldwell Memorial Library, Derry Area High School, 988 N. Chestnut St. Ext., Derry Ronald Nicely discusses his book and explains how to use DNA in genealogical research. For information and to register, call 724-694-5765. Tuesdays & Wednesdays, December 1 & 2, 8 & 9 @ 6:00 p.m. Using Internet and Email YWCA of Westmoreland County, 424 N. Main St., Greensburg. Fee is $60. For information and to register, call 724-834-9390. Wednesday, December 2 @ 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. Latshaw Productions presents The Lee Greenwood Christmas Show The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $30, $40, & $50 and may be purchased by calling 724-836-8000 or visiting www.thepalacetheatre.org Wednesdays, December 2 & 9 @ 9:15 a.m. Holiday Crafts YWCA of Westmoreland County, 424 N. Main St., Greensburg. Create your own cards, magnets, calendars, etc. Fee is $40. For information and to register, call 724-834-9390. Thursday, December 3—Sunday, December 6 @ 5:30 p.m.—10:00 p.m. Festival of Lights Blue Spruce Park, off PA Rte. 110, Ernest (Indiana County).$8.00/car or $1/person for vans or buses with more than 12 persons. For information, call 724-463-8636 or visit www.indianacountyparks.org. Thursday, December 3—Saturday, December 5 @ 8:00 p.m. & Sunday, December 6 @ 2:00 p.m. The Merry Widow Waller Hall Mainstage, IUP Performing Arts Center, 403 S. Eleventh St., Indiana University of PA campus. Tickets are $15, 724-357-2547.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Friday, December 4 @ 8:00 p.m. A Rockin Holiday Doo-Wop Celebration State Theater, 27 E. Main St., Uniontown Tickets are $36, $32 & $28. Purchase by calling 724-439-1360 or 1-800-397-2554. Friday, December 4 @ 8:00 p.m. Latshaw Productions presents The Manhattan Transfer Christmas Show The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $45, $55, $65, & $75 and may be purchased by calling 724-836-8000 or visiting www.thepalacetheatre.org Friday, December 4 @ 8:00 p.m. Ran Dank, Piano Carey Performing Arts Center, St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe. Admission is $15. For tickets, call 724-805-2565. Friday, December 4 & Saturday, December 5 @ 7:00 p.m.; Sunday, December 6 @ 1:00 p.m. The Parlor Players present Christmas Stories Dillweed Bed & Breakfast, Dilltown Cost is $16 for dessert and show. For tickets, call 814-446-6485 or visit www.dillweedline.com Saturday, December 5 @ 10:00 a.m. Brunch with St. Nicholas Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve @ St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe Fee: $10. To register, call 724-537-5284. Saturday, December 5 @ 4:00 p.m. Holiday Bliss Progressive Dinner Polymath Park Resort, 1 Usonian Drive, Acme Commute by horse-drawn carriage among the historic houses in the park while enjoying a four-course gourmet dinner. Dinner is $115. For reservations, call 877-833-7829 or visit www.polymathpark.com. Saturday, December 5 @ 8:00 p.m. River City Band presents The Bells of Christmas The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $24, $26 & $31 with a $2 discount for seniors and students. For tickets, call 1-800-262-7222 Sundays, December 6, 13 & 20 @ 11:00 a.m.— 4:00 p.m. Brunch with Santa Green Gables Restaurant, Rte. 985 N., Jennerstown. Up to 2 kids under 12 eat free with an adult meal purchase. 814-629-9201. Sunday, December 6 @ 12 p.m. Ligonier Town Wide Open House Enjoy the lights on the diamond as you explore the holiday-themed town by horse-drawn carriage. For information, call 724-238-4200. Tuesday, December 8 @ 7:30 p.m. B. E. Taylor Christmas Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 450 Schoolhouse Rd. Tickets are $28 for adults, $26 for seniors, and $10 for students. For tickets and information, call 814-269-7200 or 1-800-846-2787. Tuesday, December 8 @ 8:00 p.m. Annie Fisher Auditorium, Indiana University of PA. For tickets and information, call 724-357-7553 or visit www.onstageatiup.com Wednesday, December 9 @ 6:00 p.m. Holiday Traditions Around the World with Main Street Music Unity Township Library, 156 Beatty County Road, Latrobe. To register, call 724-532-1840. Wednesday, December 9 @ 7:00 p.m. Stress-Free Holidays: Intro to Tai Chi and Qi Dong YWCA of Greensburg, 424 N. Main St., Cost is $12. To register, call 724-834-9390. Thursday, December 10—Friday, January 1 @ 5:30 p.m.—10:00 p.m. Festival of Lights Blue Spruce Park, off PA Rte. 110, Ernest (Indiana County) $8.00/car or $1/person for vans or buses with more than 12 persons. For information, call 724-463-8636 or visit www.indianacountyparks.org.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Thursday, December 10 @ 7:30 p.m. American Idols Stars for the Holidays Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 450 Schoolhouse Rd. Tickets are $35 for adults, $33 for seniors, and $10 for students. For tickets and information, call 814-269-7200 or 1-800-846-2787. Friday, December 11 @ 5:00 p.m. Lovin’ Downtown Every Second Downtown Indiana Enjoy free parking and store sales while watching artists and musicians in the town. For information, call 724-463-6110 or visit www.downtownindiana.org. Saturday, December 12 @6-9 p.m. An Affair with Lincoln Benefits the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor. Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Ligonier Reservations are necessary; call 724-238-9030. Saturday, December 12 @ 3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. & Sunday, December 13 @ 3:00 p.m. Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra and Laurel Ballet presents The Nutcracker Ballet The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. For tickets and information, call 724-836-8000 or visit www.thepalacetheatre.org Saturday, December 12 @ 6:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m. An Affair with Lincoln Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Rte. 711 S., Ligonier. For tickets, call 724-238-9030. Saturday, December 12 @ 8:00 p.m. The Saint Vincent Camerata: Lessons and Carols for Christmas St. Vincent Archabbey Basilica, St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe. Tickets are $10. For information, call 724-805-2579. Sunday, December 13 @ 2:30 p.m. A St. Vincent College Christmas St. Vincent Archabbey Basilica, St. Vincent College, Route 981, Latrobe. Tickets are $10. For information, call 724-805-2579. Wednesday, December 16 @ 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm Latshaw Productions presents A Christmas Spectacular The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $20, $25 & $30. For tickets and information, call 724-836-8000 or visit www.thepalacetheatre.org Thursday—Saturday, December 17—19 @ 8:00 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, December 19 & 20 @ 2:00 p.m. Westmoreland Cultural Trust presents Sister’s Christmas Catechism Greensburg Garden and Civics Center, 951 Old Salem Road. Tickets are $28. For information, call 724-836-8000 Thursday, December 17 Westmoreland Jazz Society: Trio Bravo Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg. Tickets are $15 for adults and $3 for students and may be purchased by calling 724-837-1500 x 27. Saturday, December 19 @ 8:00 p.m. Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra presents Home for the Holidays The Palace Theatre, 21 W. Otterman St., Greensburg. Tickets are $9, $18, $25 & $37. For tickets and information, call 724-837-1500 or visit www.thepalacetheatre.org Saturday, December 19 @ 8:00 p.m. A Radio “Holly” Days State Theater, 27 E. Main St., Uniontown Tickets are $34, $30 & $26. Purchase by calling 724-439-1360 or 1-800-397-2554. Sunday, December 27 @ 11:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m. Sunday Brunch at Frank Lloyd Wright’s House on Kentuck Knob 723 Kentuck Rd., Chalk Hill. Tickets are $100/ person. For reservations, call 724-329-1901 or visit www.kentuckknob.com Thursday, December 31 A Countryside Countdown Green Gables Restaurant and Huddleston Court, 7712 Somerset Pike, Jennerstown Five-course dinner menu for $50/person. For tickets and information, 814-629-9201.
Order A Gift Subscription to the Laurel Mountain Post At only $15 per year, the Laurel Mountain Post magazine makes a great stocking stuffer or gift idea – especially for loved ones far from our PA home. Order online at www.LaurelMountainPost.com or mail this form along with payment to (LMP, PO Box 227 Latrobe, PA 15650), and we’ll send you a gift card to wrap up in time for Christmas!
TO: ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________
FROM: ____________________________ ____________________________ ____________________________
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Compost Bin / Rain Barrel Holiday Pre-Sale Looking for that unique Christmas gift? Give the gift of a healthy environment. A compost bin or a rain barrel will remind your loved one of you long after the wrapping paper has been recycled and the Christmas tree has been chipped into mulch. Westmoreland Cleanways is holding a truckload sale of compost bins and rain barrels on Saturday, March 27, at the GreenForge Building on Donohoe Road, Greensburg. Bins will be sold on a first-come, first served basis. Past sales have sold out quickly. DON'T TAKE THAT CHANCE! ORDER your bins now and receive a gift certificate in time for holiday giftgiving, AND reserve your bins for the March 27 sale. Receive a one-year in-
dividual membership in Westmoreland Cleanways with each order; OR, pass along your one-year individual membership as part of your gift! Current individual memberships will be extended for one year; family, business, or municipal members will receive $5 off the following year's renewal. Redemption certificates (one per unit) will be mailed to customers with an envelope suitable for gift-giving. For complete information about this offer, including ordering information, bin specifications, and the truckload sale, visit www.westmorelandclean ways.org, or call 724-836-4129. Thank you for your support of Westmoreland Cleanways. Have a wonderful Christmas season!
November/December 2009 - 27
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Outsteppin’ the Competition:
Pennsylvania Students Take 14.8 Million Steps to Win On October 26, 2009, The Humana Foundation, philanthropic arm of health-benefits company Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), honored 100 Western Pennsylvania students representing five schools in U.S. Representative Jason Altmire’s congressional district (PA-4) who walked a combined 14.8 million steps to win first place in The American Horsepower Challenge. Those steps, equal to approximately 5,600 miles, mean the students burned more than 250,000 calories during the four-week challenge! The reward for their efforts is a $5,000 gift to each school for support of wellness activities The American Horsepower Challenge is a unique exercise/video-game program intended to increase kids’ activity to improve their health. Nearly 1,600 students in 20 U.S. Congressional districts participated in the
challenge, which ended in May. Twenty members of Congress served as honorary participants. U.S. Representative Jason Altmire walked nearly 84,000 steps to support his district’s school students in the challenge. “I am incredibly proud that the students in my district won this national competition,” said U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04). “These kids excelled in making exercise a part of their daily routine. When you add it all up, they walked the roundtrip distance from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. nearly fifteen times – a truly remarkable result. I hope that this competition was only the first step these children will take towards living a long and healthy life.” The 1,585 students and 20 Congress members who participated in the challenge walked a combined 132 million
steps – or just more than 50,000 miles – that’s two trips around the Earth! Collectively, the participants burned 2.25 million calories or about 10,000 chocolate bars. If all those miles walked had been driven in a car, the carbon emissions would be equal to 22.1 metric tons. “With a focus on children’s health and wellness, The Humana Foundation seeks opportunities to encourage young people to be more active,” said Virginia Kelly Judd, executive director of The Humana Foundation. “We’re delighted with the results of The American Horsepower Challenge program and congratulate all the outstanding participants for walking more than 132 million steps in four weeks.” The five participating schools in Rep. Altmire’s district will each receive a $5,000 grant from The Humana Foundation
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Deadline for January-February 2010 edition is December 20. Representative Jason Altmire (third from right) beams as Franklin Regional Middle School teacher Bill Besser and students Hannah Markley, Tim Mastovich, Nick Roperti, Jordan Kestler, Annie Painter and Jackie Cepicka accept a $5,000 grant from The Humana Foundation for winning The American Horsepower Challenge.
28 - November/December 2009
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
for winning the challenge. Students at the five schools increased their activity an average of 32 percent during the challenge. The schools are: • Midland Elementary/Middle School (Midland, PA) • Hopewell Memorial Junior High School (Aliquippa, PA) • Beaver Falls Middle School (Beaver Falls, PA) • Deer Lakes Middle School (Russellton, PA) • Franklin Regional Middle School (Murrysville, PA) Here is the official order of finish in the challenge: Win – Students in Rep. Jason Altmire (PA-4) district – 141,731 average steps per student Place – Students in Sen. Mel Martinez (FL) district – 130,126 average steps per student Show – Students in Rep. John Shadegg (AZ-3) district – 105,852 average steps per student The American Horsepower Challenge is part of a trend known as “active gaming” that incorporates real-world movement into video games. For example, this program translated actual physical activity (steps walked) into an online race. Each student wore smart pedometers, called Actipeds, on their shoes to monitor their daily activity for four weeks. The steps were wirelessly uploaded to www.horsepowergame.com during the challenge. The Games for Health unit of Humana’s Innovation Center created the game and challenge. ABOUT THE HUMANA FOUNDATION The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc., one of the nation’s lea0ding health-benefits companies. The Foundation is located in Louisville, Ky., the site of Humana’s corporate headquarters. The Foundation’s mission is to support charitable activities that promote healthy lives and healthy communities. About Humana Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 10.3 million medical members and 6.8 million specialty members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals. Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com
Every Story Begins At Home.
Nina and Pinta Land in Pittsburgh PITTSBURGH, PA. — On Wednesday November 4th, the ‘Pinta’ and the ‘Nina’, replicas of Columbus’ ships will opened in Pittsburgh. The ships will be docked at the North Shore River Front Park, North shore Dr. between Heinz stadium and P and C Park, until their departure early Monday morning November 16th. The ‘Nina’ was built completely by hand and without the use of power tools, and was called by Archaeology magazine “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.” The craftsmanship of construction and the details in the rigging make it a truly fascinating visit back to the Age of Discovery. The ‘Nina’ was used in the production of the film ‘1492’ starring Gerard Depardieu and directed by Ridley Scott. The ‘Pinta’ was recently built in Brazil to accompany the ‘Nina’ on all of her travels. She is a larger version of the archetypal caravel and offers larger deck space for walk-aboard tours and has a 900 sq. ft. main salon down below to view slide shows of the ships’ construction. The Pinta is available for private parties while in port. Both ships will be touring together as a new and enhanced ‘sailing museum’ for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the ‘Caravel’, a Portuguese ship used by Columbus and many early explorers to discover the world. While in port, the general public is invited to visit the ships for walk-aboard self-guided tours. The prices are $7.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors and $5.00 for children. Children 4 and under are Free. The ship is open every day from 9:00 – 5:00 p.m. No reservations necessary. Teachers or groups wishing to schedule a 30 minute guided tour with a crew member should call the ship directly at 787 672 2152. Minimum of 15. $4.00 per person. Visit our website at www.thenina.com for additional information.
A Family-Owned and Operated Provider of Delicious Pennsylvania Table Wines that are sure to please every palate Complimentary Tastings Daily Large Groups by Appointment 638 Turner Drive • Blairsville, PA 724-459-0132 Hours of Operation: Wednesday - Saturday, 12 PM - 6 PM Sunday, 1-6 PM. Closed all Major Holidays
Visit our website for more information on upcoming special events! We are now taking orders for holiday gift baskets and custom-labeled wine bottles.
We invite you to visit Walnut Hill Winery, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the tasteful atmosphere. Treat yourself to complimentary samplings of our flavorful wines created by Al McClinton, one of the owners. We host private happy hours!
November/December 2009 - 29
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724-834-2020 BOOK YOUR PARTIES EARLY! SEE OUR SALADS AT NATURE’S WAY MARKET WWW.EARNESTGOURMET.COM
A unique menu of Seasonal and Fresh Foods made daily Cafe Room available for Lunch, Takeout or After Hours Gathering Hors D’oeuvre to Full Course Meals prepared to your request Weekdays: Mon-Fri 8:30-3:00; Sat-Sun: Catering/Pick-Up • Mastercard/Visa Accepted
The Greening of Keystone During 2009 The Friends of Keystone State Park, park staff, and numerous volunteers have planted native trees and shrubs throughout the park. The plantings will serve various functions in the park from: providing shade for future generations of park visitors to increasing privacy between campsites; lowering the water temperature in tributaries and the main lake to easing erosion and increasing rain infiltration. The majority of the plantings from this year can be seen around the beach area and along the new 2.2 mile trail that encircles the lake at Keystone State Park. The plantings at the beach have allowed the park to help control the resident goose population from accessing and soiling the grassy area and sand near the swimming area. These plantings have also assisted in retaining the sand and other sediments from being washed into the lake during periods of heavy rain. The plantings in the main picnic area will help to break-up the large, seldom used grassy areas along with controlling the rain run-off and making the area more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The trees in this area will also serve as the next generation of shade tree for picnickers as the older mature trees reach their full maturity. Additional plantings can also be found along various tributaries coming into the lake. These plantings will assist in stream bank stabilization, thus decreasing the amount of sediment that is washed into Keystone Lake. The total number of trees and shrubs planted during 2009 reached 102 and
cost $5,007.00. This is the third year that Keystone State Park has taken this proactive approach at improving the resource at Keystone. Without these plantings the tree canopy at Keystone would have only one age class leaving the park with little shade and erosion control should all the trees reach their terminal maturity at the same time frame. Financial support for portions of this project were provided by the Dominion Foundation which is dedicated to the economic, physical and social health of the communities served by Dominion companies. The Friends of Keystone State Park were successful in obtaining a grant through a program that was administered by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in commitment to its core mission of conserving Pennsylvania’s diverse ecosystems through science-based strategy, leadership and collaboration. If you would like to help with the tree planting program at Keystone State Park the park can be contacted at 724.668.2939. If you would like to make monetary donations for this program, donations can be made through the Friends of Keystone State Park, PPFF by calling 724.668.2566 or mailing donations to 1150 Keystone Park Road, Derry, PA 15627. If you choose to make a donation please note that the donation is intended for tree plantings. This way the Friends of Keystone know how the donations is to be spent. Should you like to become a member of the Friends of Keystone please call the park’s Environmental Education Specialist, Pam McQuistian, at 724.668.2566.
Hanna Insurance Agency Weathering the storms of life with you . . . since 1959! John Hanna, Owner
PHONE: (724) 537-5140 • FAX: (724) 537-0687 www.hannainsuranceagency.us 30 - November/December 2009
Action for Animals Action For Animals Humane Society was founded in 1983 to shelter and provide care for abused, abandoned and stray dogs and cats of Westmoreland County. Governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, we house no fewer than 125 animals on any given day while adopting animals into responsible homes and vigorously promoting the spaying and neutering of all pets to eliminate the cruelty of animal overpopulation. We are a 501c3 non-profit, non-government funded, no-kill shelter that keeps animals free from the threat of unwarranted euthanasia. AFA HS is the oldest animal shelter in the county and has been matching people and pets for over 25 years! In addition to the rescue and adoption of almost 1,000 animals each year, we also provide a low cost spay/neuter program, humane agent and education programs, free board to animals of domestic violence victims, volunteer opportunities and are a first response disaster relief team member. With no paid executive director, more of your donation dollars go toward direct animal care. Please come see your donations at work and visit our animals in our beautiful facilities which include Tigre Pavillion (our cageless open-air cattery), Blessed’s dog park and walking paths, private visitation rooms, or outdoor covered play areas. Volunteer We have many opportunities for you to make a difference in the animal welfare world. There’s so much you can do at the shelter. You can walk the dogs, cuddle or play with our animals. And there’s always work to do at the shelter, you can give our hardworking shelter staff a hand with the many chores that need done daily. Don’t forget about our fundraisers and rabies clinics, we can always use your help. Our volunteer program is starting to grow and this has made a huge difference in our animals. One volunteer says, “There was a time when I was the only volunteer at the shelter on Sundays (about 6 yrs. ago), but now we have at least 6 or 7 that day and the positive affect it has on the animals is remarkable.” There are a couple of dogs in particular who have benefited tremendously by people spending a little extra time with them - taking them for a long walk or just spending time in a visitation room or play yard with them. You will never in your life feel better about yourself after you have done something good for a shelter animal. An hour of your time one day a week is ALL it takes! We offer volunteer orientations for new volunteers: 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month at 2:00 pm. Please call Amanda at the shelter (724-539-2544) to schedule your volunteer orientation ahead of time. Please remember, volunteers MUST be at least 18 years of age. We always need help at our fundraising events. Can you sell some tickets, work our Cash Bash or Auction, help out at the Walk, our Ft. Ligonier Days booth, a rabies clinic or pet fair off site? We have lots of opportunities for
you to help the animals of AFA. You can help out at one or several events, we need your help! PLEASE join our events list by emailing the board (afahsboard @aol.com). We will send periodic emails out about upcoming events and where we need help, it’s that easy! Very rewarding and only takes a few hours of your time but makes a world of difference. 2010 Calendar Tickets Beginning January 1, 2010, cash prizes awarded each day based on the evening daily #. The calendar ticket is a convenient magnet that you can place right on your refridgerator. Mail a $25 donation per ticket to AFA CALENDAR TICKET, P.O. BOX 814, LATROBE PA 15650 or email (afahsboard @aol.com) us for additional details. AFA Cookbook Our first-ever cookbook is ready!!! This cookbook contains almost 500 delicious recipes. They costs $12 (plus tax) each and will be perfect for holiday gift-giving. You can purchase your copy(ies) at the shelter or contact Laura at 724-850-8802 or email. All proceeds will benefit the homeless animals at the shelter. Would You Like To Be An Angel? Action For Animals Humane Society houses close to 150 animals every month. Each animal requires vaccinations, deworming, grooming, food, supplies, and sometimes monthly medication. As you can imagine, the cost of caring for each animal is substantial and Action receives NO funding from any government agency because of our no-kill mission. Therefore, we established the “Angels Program”. For a donation ($10.00 minimum) each month, you will provide for food, supplies and the initial vaccination and deworming of a very deserving animal in need. This donation, over time, also helps to defray the cost of veterinary services for spaying and neutering. Each month you will receive a shelter update and a picture and description of your foster pet. So please, earn your wings and join our program today. If you would like to participate, please call our shelter, send an email (afahsboard @aol.com) with your name and full mailing address, and we’ll be sure to send you the necessary form. Our Wish List The following is a list of items that we could really use. You can drop any of these items off at the shelter. Thank you for your generosity! • Office Supplies: White and Colored Copy Paper, Business Size White Envelopes, Scissors, Staplers and Staples, Lexmark Print Cartridges (20 Color & 70 Black.) • Cleaning Supplies: Paper Towels, Clorox Germicidal Bleach, Dishwashing Liquid, Brooms and Dustpans, Laundry Detergent. • Money: Our most recent need for monies is for medical supplies. This would include, but not be limited to: New surgical tools to help theinjured animals that come to us, Medicine to treat our hurt and sickshelter animals, Vaccines for the animals.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Indiana County, PA START A FAMILY TRADITION
Experience The Festival of Lights at Blue Spruce Park Ride a horse drawn wagon through fields of evergreens to find that ‘perfect tree’ Winter is truly “A Wonderful Life” in Indiana County, PA
Stop By Our Visitor Center or Call Us For Your Complimentary Visitor Guide
INDIANA COUNTY TOURIST BUREAU 2334 Oakland Avenue – Indiana Mall – Indiana, PA 15701 1-877-7INDIANA – WWW.VISITINDIANACOUNTYPA.ORG
Every Story Begins At Home.
November/December 2009 - 31
This season, make Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort & Conference Center your home for the holidays. Join us for our Thanksgiving Day Buffet, Breakfast with Santa and New Year’s Eve Gala. Relax at our beautiful Chestnut Ridge Spa & Salon. Unwind for a long weekend at our on-site Hampton Inn & Suites. It’s all yours to enjoy, and so much more. For more information and to book your holiday party, call 724-459-7191 today. Or visit chestnutridgeresort.com. Come home for the holidays.
132 Pine Ridge Road • Blairsville, Pa 15717 Route 22 at the Indiana Exit