Connellsville Crossroads Magazine Fall 2020

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IN THIS ISSUE

C onnellsville Crossroads

Fall 2020

ON THE COVER

The cover photo of Crawford Avenue was taken on Friday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m.

Crawford Avenue usually sees 20,000 cars daily, and on a Friday at lunch time it is usually filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Contents

2 In Memory of Tom Rusnack - Karen Hechler 4-5 Historic Braddock’s Crossing - Karen Hechler 6-7 Mechanics Day Parade - Daniel Cocks 8-9 Tackling COVID in Pennsylvania & Connellsville - Daniel Cocks 10-12 “Cutie” Edward McHugh - David Geary Ph.D. & William Morris 13-15 125th Anniversary St. John’s Catholic Church - Stephanie & Antoinette Kostelnik 16-17 Actors on MacBeth - Jeff Monahan 18-19 Lujack & Woodruff Memorial Monument - Frank Jacobansky 20 Achievement in the Arts Awardees 2020 - Daniel Cocks 21-23 Downtown Connellsville Photo Contest - Daniel Cocks 24 Neighborhood Partnership Program Partners

A Tribute to Tom Rusnack

Just a few days ago I got a call requesting some Connellsville historical information that I was not sure about. The first thought that jumped into my head was, “You need to call Tom, he will know the answer.” Then I remembered that Tom is gone, he died in February this year. Tom loved Connellsville. He knew a great deal about Connellsville history; he had a great collection of Connellsville photographs and postcards, and a very enviable assortment of all kinds of Connellsville memorabilia.

Tom was also very involved in the current life of Connellsville. He had been serving, for years, as a consultant on the committee that plans each copy of Connellsville Crossroads magazine. Tom served on the Board of the Wesley Health Center. Because of his interest in Connellsville history, he was a member of the Connellsville Area Historical Society and had served on the Board of Directors for years. He also served the Society as our Webmaster, setting up the first website for the Historical Society.

Serving in the United States Army was another of his accomplishments. Tom had membership in VFW Post 21 and the American Legion Post 301. He also was a Third Degree member of the Father John Burns Council 18 of the Knights of Columbus in Connellsville.

by Karen Hechler My first introduction to Tom came through his lovely wife, Shirley, who I knew from church. Tom loved his “girls.” That would be Shirley, his wife, and his three step-daughters: Angie, Sue and Lisa. And then there were the grandchildren! I remember his “World’s Best Grandfather” sweatshirt that he wore with pride. A favorite place for Tom and Shirley was the “Cottage” which the family owned in Maryland. It was a great place to escape to for family retreats. Tom was often mowing the property in Maryland.

Tom is greatly missed by many people and organizations. And my sources of information about Connellsville are not quite as varied as they once were. Being missed in a positive way, is a sign of a life well lived. Tom was an outstanding citizen of Connellsville who was always willing to share his knowledge with those seeking to know more about our city’s history. I know that I miss his knowledge and his willingness to share what it took a lifetime for him to learn.

C onnellsville Crossroads Fayette County Cultural Trust Volume 12, No. 3• Fall 2020 X Executive Director Daniel Cocks President J. Michael Edwards Vice President Karen Hechler Treasurer Bryan Kisiel Board Members Gerry Browell John Coleman Mary Dreliszak Vicki McWilliams Lori Omatick Graphic Designer Daniel Cocks

The Fayette County Cultural Trust takes pride in the strong bonds in the community we serve and we are committed to supporting and helping all members of Fayette County as they participate in and contribute to our common life. I invite you to read the Fayette County Cultural Trust’s letter on diversity, equity and inclusion on our updated website: www.fayettetrust.org/about.

Due to COVID-19 we have been set back in the operations of the Connellsville Canteen and our educational programming. Please be safe and we hope to be back up and running soon. Through the Trust’s Downtown Connellsville program we are offering businesses in the downtown area up to $100 to recover COVID-19 expenses.

The Connellsville Crossroads magazine is moving forward with interesting articles which may spark some memories or keep those who moved away informed of what is happening in our region. We are proud of this publication and the fall 2020 issue marks our 46th.

On Thursday, November 12th from 8 am until 8 pm, the Cultural Trust will be participating in Fayette Gives (www.fayettegives.org). This is an opportunity to have your contributions matched. We hope we can count on you to contribute. www.FayetteTrust.org J. Michael Edwards President www.DowntownConnellsville.org Fayette County Cultural Trust www.ConnellsvilleCanteen.org www.fayettetrust.org www.RuralArtsCollaborative.org

Connellsville Crossroads Editor S. Joy Lewis X Subscription orders may be placed on-line at www.FayetteTrust.org/ Connellsville-Crossroads.html.

Or in person at the Connellsville Canteen, 131 W. Crawford Ave., Connellsville, PA 15425 Or by phone, 724-603-2093.

X Connellsville Crossroads magazine is published quarterly (March, June, September, December) by the Fayette County Cultural Trust, 139 W. Crawford Ave., Connellsville, PA 15425.

The official registration and financial information of Fayette County Cultural Trust, Inc. (EIN 65-1283985) may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-(800)-732-0999.

Registration does not imply endorsement.

S. Joy Lewis

Connellsville Crossroads Editor

Several years ago I was told at an event by Senator Pat Stefano, President of the company that prints Crossroads, how amazed he was that our staff and writers continue to develop new and interesting content for the magazine. At that time it had been produced for seven or eight years.

Fast forward to today, and Stefanos Printing, in business since 1958, is closed. We never thought we’d outlast our printer!

Starting with the winter issue of Crossroads we will be featuring a series of articles about Mark Twain and Mon Valley Boats by local historian and author Cassandra Vivian.

We still welcome your ideas for stories that showcase Connellsville’s unique history. Please contact me at susan.joy.lewis@gmail. com or 724-603-3691 with your ideas.

One of the Fayette County Cultural Trust’s initiatives is a Downtown Connellsville program. Please check out our new web site at: www.DowntownConnellsville.org 3

The Fayette County Cultural Trust is a fiscal agent for the Rural Arts Collaborative program. For more information please visit us at: www.RuralArtsCollaborative.org

WHEN YOU SEE THOSE THREE FLAGS FLYING OVER MEMORIAL BRIDGE...

AND GEORGE WASHINGTON VISITS CRAWFORD ON THE YOUGHIOGHENY

by Karen Hechler demonstrations of manufacturing or crafts of the time period, the late 18th century. They interacted with the public and enjoyed the spirited conversations of the interested visitors. Box lunches prepared by Keedy’s Pizzeria were for sale, and everyone was invited to enjoy a Happy Birthday cupcake provided by the Historical Society. Grateful thanks go out to Somerset Trust, Kisiel & Associates, Keedy’s Pizzeria, and Karen Hechler for their sponsorship of this event.

The appeal of this location right along the Youghiogheny did not go unnoticed as more soldiers and settlers followed Braddock into the land beyond the Appalachians. Colonel William Crawford traveled through this area with the General John Forbes expedition in 1758, and he eventually chose to settle his family here in 1767.

The family settled near the water for ease of access for daily use and convenience in transportation; the military had also opened a road to Fort Pitt, which had replaced Fort Duquesne. People were interested in acquiring land and establishing businesses like gristmills and early iron furnaces.

People coming through the area became acquainted with the Crawford family. Some settled down in the area and a small community took shape. The Crawford home became well known because the owner, who was a surveyor by trade, a civil servant, and a land agent, had a hospitable and dynamic personality. People often stopped at the Crawford homestead which he had named Spring Garden. According to the Centennial History of the Borough of Connellsville, 1806-1906, Colonel Crawford entertained the governor of Virginia at his humble home and also his boyhood friend, George Washington.

People today love to attend celebrations and festivals.

So, it is certain that such activities were also popular in the past. Recently, Marilyn Weaver gave me a book entitled Wrestling with George and Other Tales of Western Pennsylvania by Miles S. Richards. In one of the stories, the author mentioned that George Washington was a guest at the Crawford home during the month of October, 1770. His visit took place exactly 250 years ago right here where our annual Braddock’s Crossing is celebrated.

The trip is mentioned in Washington’s journal. It was a business venture because Crawford was Washington’s

When you see those three flags: the American flag, the British Union Jack, and the French Fleur de Lis, flying over Memorial Bridge in Connellsville in June and early July, you know that something historical is going on at Crawford’s Cabin the last full weekend in June.

That weekend, for the last 17 years, has been set aside to remember that English Major General Edward Braddock led his troops across the Youghiogheny River at Stewart’s Crossing (now Connellsville), on the march to capture the French fort, Duquesne, at the forks of the Ohio River, on June 29-30, 1755. This was during the French and Indian War as it was called here in the British Colonies.

This year, 2020, the Connellsville Historical Society held an abbreviated event celebrating only on Saturday, June 27, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected events all over the country. The Connellsville Historical Society is celebrating our 50th anniversary as an organization this year; we were fortunate to have an impressive Opening Ceremony with the American flag being raised by a Charter Member of the Connellsville Historical Society, Samuel (Art) Nicholson. Other Charter Members in attendance were: Barbara Keefer, Tony Keefer, and Karen Hechler. The National Anthem was performed

by Todd Reagan, vocalist and Ben Haines, percussion. Guest speaker Brady Crytzer spoke on British Imperialism in North America. He said that General Braddock would be pleased that English is still spoken in our country. Councilman Ethan Keedy welcomed people to Connellsville. State Senator Pat Stefano offered comments and presented the Historical Society with a Senate Citation in honor of our 50th year. Fayette County Commissioner Vince Vicites also offered comments on the importance of this celebration.

Several reenactors, some in costume, provided 4

people showed up at the Crawford home. Even in 1770, five years before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, George Washington was well-known from his French and Indian War days. People were anxious to meet him in person. According to the stories of the event, there was fiddle music and dancing, and we all know that Washington was an accomplished dancer. He supposedly cracked walnuts between his knuckles, and then there was wrestling. Can you imagine, the local big shots wanting to show this Virginia gentleman and war hero, how wrestling was done on the frontier! At first, Washington refused, but still a man of vigor, he obliged the local talent. The author says that Washington disposed of several opponents one of whom was laid up in bed for several days. What a story, and it supposedly happened right here on land now owned by the Connellsville Historical Society.

George Washington passed through what is now Connellsville several times. He stayed close to where Crawford’s Cabin sits today. He knew William Crawford well. I contacted a local national wrestling champion, Jarrod King, to ask him about frontier wrestling and how it was the same and different from today’s sport. This is a study in progress. Maybe, someday, we could have a fall festival on the Yough highlighting frontier wrestling. That might be fun and attract tourists. Can we find an interested sponsor?

land agent in this region. At the time, Washington was about 38 years old. I would imagine that he was a healthy specimen of a man who spent much time out of doors and in the saddle.

According to the story, not everything was business.

It so happened that there was some type of fall festival happening at Crawford’s property. And that event attracted a group of local people. I can only image that once their crops were harvested and the weather was still mild, people were eager to join together and be involved in some social activities before winter set in. Washington’s journal of this trip to the frontier does not include an entry about the festivities at the Crawford homestead. The author, Miles Richards, says the story was told by Crawford’s daughter, Mrs. Margaret Crawford Steyer, many years later (I am unsure of a William Crawford daughter named Margaret). I decided to contact Dr. David Preston, nationally known historian on this time period, to see if he had knowledge of this event since he has done extensive research on George Washington’s early life. His response to my question concerning the possibility of this event was, “I think it best to raise Washington’s activities as a possibility, but we can’t say definitely without direct evidence. We know that he was a social person, loved dancing, and of course would have been entertained by friends wherever he went.”

According to author Richards, Mrs. Steyer said many

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Connellsville Order of United American Mechanics - Organized Sept 2, 1877

by Daniel Cocks

Connellsville’s Mechanics Day Parade July 4, 1891

The Order of United American Mechanics grew out of the resentment many native-born American workers in Philadelphia felt toward foreigners during the depression of the mid 1840s. As many American workers were laid off poor German immigrants were allegedly taking their jobs at lower wages. In late 1844 a group of workers met in a series of conferences and decided to use their influence to secure the employment of American born workers and make purchases from Americans, rather than immigrants.

Unlike other Nativist societies that sprang up in the 1840s and 1850s, the OUAM was able to survive the Civil War. By 1896 there were State Councils in twenty-one states and the order had 60,000 members. They offered sickness and death benefits, along the lines of those offered by contemporary groups like the Odd Fellows and Red Men, starting in October 1845. By 1896 the group was paying out funeral benefits of $300, supervised by the local Councils. The insurance department was under the control of the National Council and an Advisory Board and paid out up to $1000. Both programs were

paid out from an assessment of those who wished to avail themselves of this aspect of membership. Despite its name, the group never acted as a trade union or took a part in labor disputes. Indeed, its membership became less working class as it attracted people from diverse social and economic backgrounds.

In 1853 the OUAM created the Junior Order of United American Mechanics as a youth auxiliary. This group would eventually become more popular than the OUAM itself and became an independent adult organization in 1885.

A female auxiliary, the Daughters of Liberty, began as a local club to assist members of the Columbia Council in Meriden, Connecticut in January 1875. Other local Councils sprang up across Connecticut, as well as New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. By 1896 there were 30,000 members of the Daughters of Liberty. Membership was restricted to native-born, white American women aged sixteen or over, and to male members of the Order of United American Mechanics.

In 1887 the order created the Loyal Legion of the Or6

of United American Mechanics as an “uniformed division” which participated in drill and sword exercises and had a ritual of its own which was said to be derived from similar groups within the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Foresters, themselves supposedly derived from the Masonic Knights Templar.

The ritual and symbology of the group was said to be heavily influenced by that of the Freemasons. Of the twenty-five original founders, four were Freemasons and four other delegates were eventually raised to the Craft.

The emblem of the order incorporated the square and compass with an arm and hammer in the middle.

The Order of United Mechanics sprang up to challenge the disruptions caused by the protracted, violent strike of 1891. A member of this secret beneficial association had to be native-born American, of good moral character, believe in a supreme being, favor the public school system, oppose the union of church and state, and be capable of earning a living.

J. F. Norcross and J.R. Balsley, of Connellsville, sat on the order’s local financial committee, which organized a parade of its membership on July 4, 1891. The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad made arrangements for two special trains for the transportation of American Mechanics to Connellsville for this event, because it was estimated that it would bring in thousands of members and interested people. One of the trains ran from Belle Vernon and points on the Monongahela River and another from McKeesport.

The Monongahela Valley Republican reported on April 30, 1891, “We think the American Mechanics made no mistake in locating their Fourth of July blow out at Connellsville. When it comes to square out, up and down, real hospitality, the kind that takes the stranger in and makes him “feel bully” for a month, grand good fellowship, here’s my heart and here’s my hand kind of fraternity, Connellsville is away up head, and strictly in it. When you go to Connellsville, go empty and thirsty, there will be no aching voids on the return trip. Connellsville knows how, and knowing acts! It is worth a dollar and forty seven cents to see the pretty girls who will be there waiting and willing. Connellsville has no grasshoppers on it. It is a boss town.”

The Connellsville Weekly Courier announced, “The biggest fourth in the history of the town promised by American Mechanics, The Red Flag of the Socialists recently displayed in the Coke regions stirs the blood of the OUAM’s... They are anxious to show the foreign rabble who rally under it how well American labor loves the American Flag.”

J. R. Balsley, one of the order’s most active members,

gave a Memorial Day speech denouncing the troublemakers. “We are sorry that there is in our land today an element of discontent, but when we know that this class is made up of the scum of foreign nations and a few weak minded of our own land, there need to be little to fear from this quarter. These men would not be satisfied with any laws that human skill could enact. If it was possible for them to enter heaven, they would at once want to change the ruling of the divine master.”

The weather in Connellsville on July 4th, 1891 was overcast and it rained heavily. That did not stop the parade. The grand procession formed at 10:45 am and marched from Pittsburgh Street to Main (now Crawford Avenue), Main to First Street, New Haven; First Street to Meason; Meason Street to Sixth Street to Main; Main Street to Water, Connellsville, Water Street to Peach; Peach Street to Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh Street to Main; Main Street to Prospect; Prospect Street to Grave; Grave Street to Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh Street to Riverview Park, where the procession passed in review, afterwards to be dismissed for dinner.

Over 4000 Mechanics were in the parade, besides over 30 bands of music. The decorations were on a scale of grandeur seldom ever witnessed in Western Pennsylvania. The streets were spanned with many beautiful arches, while all business houses and private residences along the route of the procession were decked in a manner so beautiful and artistic that any attempt to describe them would be in vain. The city skating rink “Victoria Rink” was used as a workshop, where the ladies of the town assembled to make festoons, and wreaths of evergreens. The members of the Junior Order United American Mechanics at Ohio Pyle donated a car load of evergreens for the decorations.

The headquarters of the Chief Marshal was at City Hall. The other divisions headquarters were; First Division, Hotel Marietta; Second Division, Smith House; Third Division, Yough House. The divisions were known as red, white and blue flags, with numbers 1, 2, 3, representing the number of the division.

Staff Officers and Division Commanders wore dark suits, regulation hats with cord and tassel, gauntlet gloves, sword and belt. Aides wore dark suits with soft felt hats, white gloves and badges on left breast corresponding to color of flag of their respective division.

Over time, the OUAM abandoned its Nativist politics and became a standard insurance society, even dropping the word “Order” from its name to become just the “United American Mechanics.” This organization was eventually absorbed by its former youth affiliate, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.

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Pennsylvania and Connellsville Fight COVID - 19 As of August 4, 2020, Fayette County, Pennsylvania had 423 confirmed cases and 4 deaths due to the COVID – 19 Virus.

COVID-19 is the name given by the World Health Organization (WHO) on February 11, 2020 to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. It started in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and has since spread worldwide. COVID-19 is an acronym that stands for coronavirus disease of 2019.

On March 6, the Governor, Tom Wolf, reported Pennsylvania’s first two confirmed cases of COVID – 19 in Delaware County and Wayne County. Both cases were related to travel. On March 9, four new cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 10. On March 10, two new cases were confirmed, bringing the total to 12. On March 13, Governor Wolf announced that all Pennsylvania schools would be closed for at least two weeks.

By March 17, there were ninety-six cases in the state; more than half of them were in the Philadelphia area with Montgomery County having the highest number. On March 18, the department of health reported the state’s first death related to the virus, a patient at St. Luke’s Fountain Hill campus in Northampton County.

On March 13th there were as many as 133 cases in the state. On March 19, Governor Wolf ordered a statewide shutdown of all “non-life sustaining businesses,” with enforcement of this order going into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, March 21. The PA Department of Education canceled all statewide assessments including the PSSA testing, Keystone Exams, and the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA) for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. On March 21, the Department of Health announced the state’s second death, in Allegheny County, as well as 103 new cases. On March 22, 273 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 644. On March 28, the Governor issued a stay-at-home order for Beaver, Butler, Westmoreland, Centre, and Washington Counties, announcing 533 new cases, bringing the statewide total to 2,751. The highest rise in cases was in Philadelphia County. On April 1, Governor Wolf extended the stayat-home order across the entire state effective that evening at 8:00 p.m. On April 3, the governor asked Pennsylvanians to wear cloth face coverings in public. On April 9, Governor Wolf officially ordered the closing of all Pennsylvania schools through the end of the academic school year.

In Connellsville, all “non-essential” businesses were shut down. This included hairdressers, barbers, clothing shops, secondhand stores, antique shops, dentists, gyms,

by Daniel Cocks

insurance agencies, museums and others organizations.

The Connellsville Carnegie Free Library closed its doors and extended its book return dates. Banks closed their lobbies to customers and operated with drive-through business only. Large gatherings were prohibited for safety reasons and most churches turned to online services, but some held services in their parking lots. The Post Office put up plexiglass to protect employees and customers purchasing stamps and mailing packages. They also put tape down on the floor to keep people in line six feet apart.

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Connellsville city government was open, but City Hall was closed to the public. City council meetings were closed to the public for the first time in history, but aired on You Tube for the public to view in the convenience of their homes. Connellsville closed its city parks and padlocked the playgrounds to keep people from gathering in groups. The parks were eventually opened back up, but social distancing was still the rule of the parks.

Highlands Hospital has put in place precautions for its staff like wearing masks, social distancing and gloves.

They are continuing their day-to-day operations, but are not handling anyone affected by the virus. The main contact for patients in Fayette County is the Uniontown Hospital. On May 4th Highlands Hospital, partnered with Atlantic Diagnostic Laboratory, started to offer COVID-19 Antibody Testing at their John Murtha Wellness Center at a cost of $45.00. This testing only lasted a very short time.

In Connellsville, businesses were taking precautions.

Martin’s Supermarket adjusted their hours, reserving the first hour for those who were the most vulnerable, the elderly. They have instituted social distancing measures which include single entrance and exits, one-way shopping aisles, and proper distancing at checkout lines. They marked aisles with arrows on the floor to tell shoppers which direction to go. Plexiglass was installed at the registers as a shield between customers and employees.

They also offered “contactless shopping options” through their mobile apps, which gave customers the ability to place deli orders, refill prescriptions and even scan groceries while they shop. They also monitored the number of customers who may be in the store at one time and limited shopping to just one member of the household at a time.

On May 8th Gov. Wolf announced that Fayette County would go into the Yellow Phase on May 15. These restrictions were relaxed on June 5th when Fayette County moved into the Green Phase.

Some of the restaurants in Connellsville began to selling grocery items. Keedy’s Pizzeria opened an online grocery store selling essential items at cost and offered delivery services. Ethan Keedy, the owner, held fundraising efforts and donated money to the local fire departments and hospital. Wavie & Janes also dove more heavily into the grocery business and offered free home deliveries of food and meals. Other restaurants in Connellsville that offered take out only included Clubhouse Pizza, O’Donnell’s, Fox’s Pizza, Double Dragon, Zia Maria and Ruvo’s Italian Restaurant. These restrictions were lifted when restaurants were allowed to dedicate 25% of their total occupancy to indoor and outdoor seating.

Top Photo: This photo of Crawford Avenue was taken on Friday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m. Crawford Avenue usually sees 20,000 cars daily, and on a Friday at lunch time it is usually filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic. The stayat-home orders kept most off of the streets.

Bottom Photo: A sign inside Martin’s Grocery Store in Connellsville directs shoppers to observe a 6-foot distance from others.

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Connellsville’s “Cutie” - Local actor’s living legacy touched millions

by David L. Geary, Ph.D., and William R. Morris When Edward McHugh, 73, died in Los Angeles in 1935, many young motion picture stars attended his funeral. Yet McHugh had nothing to do with motion pictures.

Among those stars he was a legend from years of grueling travels appearing in vaudeville shows and plays that paid little, from which those young stars made transitions to

sheriff who shut down the show. The tonic was homemade gin.

At 23, Cutie agreed to stand-in for a sick “fortune teller” at the annual Catholic church bazaar. Soon he was raising more money than all other events combined. He had sworn bazaar leaders to secrecy and wore an elaborate disguise. No one recognized him. He greeted people by their names, and knew something about each.

A pretty, 17-year old Irish-born girl named Catherine “Kitty” Curry wandered in, and the fortune teller told her, “You will marry a man named Cutie.”

Shortly thereafter, Cutie was in a mess with a pregnant girl with a shotgun-wielding father. He was sure he wasn’t the father, but got permission to take Kitty for a buggy ride. On the outskirts of town, she asked where they were going.

“Uniontown,” he replied. “We’re going to get married.”

And so, they did. License in hand, they were married in Connellsville’s Immaculate Conception Church.

In those days traveling vaudeville shows were the only entertainment, and Connellsville usually had four onehigher-paid motion pictures and fame. night stand shows a week. Cutie applied for each, and McHugh probably appeared in more than 5,000 perusually got hired to handle props — until one show asked formances over 60 years. He held the record for starring him to join the company for a few dollars a week. One the longest in the same play, Human Hearts, for 17 years vaudeville company led to another, but it was unsteady all over the U.S. work. Cutie kept returning to Connellsville. He could He also raised an unrivaled, famous acting family. always get work in-between as an iron moulder or barIn 1870, McHugh, age 8, made his acting debut in a tender. township school play south of Connellsville in Sitka (now By 1897, he and Catherine had four children (Jim, Morrell). A woman in the audience gushed, “Now ain’t Nora, Matt and Ed Jr.), and they were appearing on local that cute!” and the nickname “Cutie” stuck for life. stages. Cutie had managed summer entertainment starHis father, James, who came to Connellsville in 1858, ring his family at Soisson Park, with its lake at the end of was superintendent of the Sitka Mine. He was badly South Pittsburgh Street. injured in a mine explosion that killed several in 1875.

Connellsville was too far from Pittsburgh for more He quit and moved the family back to Connellsville. He acting, and Cutie still had to rely on his iron work. The managed properties he owned, and his wife Susan was family moved to Homestead and its filthy enclave hastily a seamstress on Brimstone Corner. They were buried in built by the Carnegie Steel Company to house strikeOld St. Joseph’s Cemetery. breakers. The McHughs lived in near poverty, surviving Cutie liked being the center of attention. At 15, he be- on $8 a week in a sin-ridden town. But they occasionally gan calling square dances and had his own first stage pro- returned to Connellsville to perform in sold-out opera duction, Cutie’s Big Five Minstrels. Cutie became an iron houses to encore after encore. moulder, but also began a small, popular acting company Cutie soon became a regular actor, on-the-road for that performed in areas surrounding Connellsville. The weeks at a time in winters, and working at the iron company’s plays always ended with Cutie changing into a foundry in summers. He had signed on to star in the nice suit and selling a tonic named Nervogestine. melodrama Human Hearts, a traveling role that would Sales were brisk all over the area until he sold a bottle propel him years later to Broadway in another play, to a preacher in Indian Head. The preacher called the Street Scene.

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Each time Cutie had to go on the road, which was often, he would hug Catherine and say, “Sweet Kitty, don’t ever leave me.” That’s how he announced he was leaving.

Catherine and Cutie had two more children, Frank and Kitty. Catherine and the children were also on the acting road, in many different plays for many different companies. Early in the new century, the older children began to start their own acting careers, and the younger ones would soon follow. All six became actors like their parents.

Cutie was an alcoholic, but a lovable one. Too old to serve in World War I, Cutie quit the theater to work in a Pittsburgh munitions factory, but sadly found there was no drinking on the job. Somehow, he prevented a massive explosion. Cutie turned down a big reward, but saw an answer to his prayers. “All I would like,” he said, “is

permission to bring in a half pint of whiskey every night.”

The answer was no, but the family was unconvinced as Cutie stayed on at the plant for many months with no complaint.

In 1921, Cutie, Catherine and several of their children appeared in the Dixie Theater in Uniontown as part of a tour. But Cutie’s contracts had begun to slow. In 1925 he signed on for one last role — a successful money-making barker at Kennywood Park. He had seen it grow from Kenny’s Grove, a place young men went for Sunday beer picnics, to a first-class amusement park.

He and Catherine then retired to Uniontown, near Catherine’s relatives. But three children were now Hollywood successes, and they beckoned their parents to join them. Cutie and Catherine liked visiting movie sets to watch their children act.

In Los Angeles Cutie quickly began to decline, and lost sight in one eye.

From his hospital bed, he wrote his many friends in Connellsville through a long letter published on the front page of The Daily Courier. He wrote, “I have never found any place where I had as much pleasure as I did in Connellsville when I was a boy. They are my sweet memories. God, I wish I could go over it all again.”

Catherine would sit with him daily.

She softly sang Irish songs to him. One morning he was restless, talked about Human Hearts, and told her what a fine actress she was.

He asked her to hug him. And then he said his final words, “Sweet Kitty, don’t ever leave me.”

So ended the life of a Connellsville entertainer who gave the gift of acting to his wife and their six children who brought joy to millions through their work on stage, radio, motion pictures and television.

The Daily Courier - 1897 - Ad in 1897 for summer entertainment in Connellsville, arranged by “Cutie” McHugh, 34, and starring himself and his wife, 28, and children Jim, 11, and Nora, 9. Too young to perform are Ed, Jr., 5, and Matt, 3.

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At age seven, played a girl, Grace, in Human Hearts, but hated wearing a blonde wig, frilly dresses and especially lace panties the part required. One night the laughs were coming in all the wrong places and Cutie rushed to investigate. Matt had taken off the panties and as he skipped about the stage, it was very apparent to the audience that Grace was no girl. __________ Frank McHugh On stage as a child, became a local star at age 10.

Appeared in six Broadway shows and 175 films, radio programs and television shows. Known for co-starring in Going My Way (1944) with Bing Crosby which won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture.

A close friend of famed actor James Cagney, appeared in 11 Cagney films, more than any other actor. Also appeared alongside many other stars, including John Wayne, Errol Flynn, Marilyn Monroe, Red Skelton and Elvis Presley. Traveled the U.S. during World War II with 20 other major stars to raise money for the war effort.

Formed his own company to entertain troops overseas.

When he transitioned to radio and television, had recurring roles on The Lucille Ball Show and The Bing Crosby Show. __________ Kitty McHugh On stage as a child at four years old; as a teen, received rave reviews in newspapers. A prolific actor. For example, appeared with her mother, Matt and Frank in 12 plays in just the summer of 1915. Performed on Broadway in Street Scene with her father and brother Matt and by herself in Two Seconds. Best known for her impressive scene-stealing role as a waitress in The Grapes of Wrath (1940) starring Henry Fonda. During World War II, she and her husband, actor Ned Glass, entertained soldiers in Europe and the Pacific.

Appeared in more than 60 films with such stars as Burt Lancaster, Lana Turner, Shirley Temple and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Ended her career with The Three Stooges in slapstick comedies. __________ * The authors thank Frank McHugh’s son and his wife, the late Peter and Patricia McHugh, for graciously providing materials used in this article.

Jim McHugh On stage as a child touring with the family. Formed the Virginia Duncan Players named for his actress-wife, appeared over 16 years in plays in Chicago and the Midwest with his father and brother Ed Jr. With brother Frank, starred in a patriotic play during World War I that toured 22 cities in the U.S and Canada. Died suddenly from natural causes in a theater dressing room. __________ Nora McHugh On stage as a child, toured with the family in Human Hearts. Unhappily married into poverty, taught two daughters stage acting to make needed money. Died, age 36, giving birth to her sixth child in Detroit. __________ Ed McHugh Jr. On stage as a child, acted with the family for years.

World War I soldier, entertained troops in France. Became stage manager for 23 years for one of history’s greatest actresses, Ethel Barrymore. Had ended auditions for one of her plays when a young wanna-be actor gave him a letter of recommendation from Ed’s mother. Ed found him speaking too loud and overacting. He worked with him for two days, teaching him to speak softly and underact, then hired him. That actor then underplayed his roles for his whole career and won two Academy Awards from nine nominations — a record.

His name? Spencer Tracy. __________ Matt McHugh On stage as a child, a full-fledged actor by age 14.

Appeared on Broadway and in more than 200 motion picture films, including alongside Jimmy Stewart, Bob Hope, Fred MacMurray, Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Bing Crosby and Laurel and Hardy.

James Cagney, right, with “his old friend, Frankie McHugh,” in The Roaring Twenties (1939) as described

by Cagney at his 1974 Hollywood award ceremony.

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Connellsville’s St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church Celebrates 125 Years 1895-2020

by Stephanie and Antoinette Kostelnik, lifetime members Chairs, Fundraising, Anniversary and Finance Councils

their own parishes and built St. Rita, the former Holy Trinity and St. Emory churches in Connellsville.

Their first building located on North 7th Street in the borough of New Haven, PA was purchased from a disbanded United Brethren congregation (in 1909 New Haven was annexed to the city of Connellsville). It was evident from the beginning that the building was too small to accommodate the number of persons who came to attend services so a decision was made to build a larger church. The old church was sold to the Polish Catholics and became Holy Trinity Church in 1903.

Construction of the new church, the present house of worship, located at 908 W. Crawford Avenue, was begun in 1898 and completed in 1899 at an approximate cost of $14,000. It was equipped with three altars, three bells, a pipe organ, and had a capacity of 533 persons. The basement contained classrooms for a school. The church was blessed by Rev. Abbot Nepomucene Jaeger, O.S.B., of Chicago, Illinois on November 26, 1900. Two company houses were moved from an abandoned mining location Early in the 20th century, Connellsville was recognized as being the Coke Capital of the world. At the same to the church property, joined together, remodeled, and time immigrants of Slavic descent from Central and East- used as a rectory.

Land for a cemetery on DeWitt Avenue in Brookvale ern Europe flooded into the Connellsville region to settle.

They worked hard for their livelihood in coal mines, coke off West Crawford Avenue was purchased in 1895 for $1,000. It currently covers eight acres. Buried there ovens, and on railroads. These Slovak immigrants from are seven priests: Father Raymond Wider, the first pasSpis and Saris provinces of Slovakia, part of the Austritor (who died of pneumonia two years before the new an-Hungarian Empire, inherited their Christianity from the Slav Apostles Sts. Cyril and Methodius. Their love of church was built), Fathers Michael Stanzel, Stephen Simko, Stanislaus Moravek, Edward Hudacek, Joseph Fronek God and the Catholic Church caused them to look for a priest who understood their language and culture so they and Thomas Kalasky.

In 1924 a school and convent were built for $54,824. could have their own house of worship.

On November 1, 1891, men were chosen to go to Pittsburgh to Bishop Phelan with a petition for permission to establish a parish. A Slovak priest was not available so on December 27, 1891 a group of men established the Society of St. John the Evangelist which was attached to the first Slovak Union of the United States (Jednota).

Reverend Raymond Wider, president of the First Catholic Slovak Union, petitioned Bishop Phelan for a priest, and Reverend Wider was assigned the parish on September 19, 1895. Slovak and other ethnic groups including Poles, Hungarians, Croatians, Lithuanians, Czechs and Italians within a radius of 20 miles registered and became members of the first parish community. Later the Poles, Italians and Hungarians would organize and establish 13

War II began in 1941. Pastoral activities of the parish practically ceased in the parish. One hundred eighty-two parishioners served in the US Armed Forces. Thirteen lost their lives.

Father Moravek was succeeded by Father Joseph Bednarik who served as pastor from 1955 until his death of an apparent heart attack in May of 1963. Following Father Joseph Gaydosik’s one-year assignment, Father George Bjalobok was assigned as pastor on June 4, 1964.

During his twelve-year pastorate, new pews were installed and the bells were repaired and electrified. With the closing of the school, the convent was renovated and used as a rectory. The old rectory was razed and the vacant area was made into a parking lot. Father Bjalobok resigned his pastorate due to illness and died October 30, 1977.

Father Thomas Kaslasky was assigned pastor March 2, 1977. During his pastorate a complete renovation and liturgical updating of the church took place. Under his leadership organizational activities which parishioners shared and enjoyed in the past were gradually revived after being nonexistent during the previous ten years.

A cemetery chapel was built, renovations were made to the rectory to accommodate his handicap from a double leg amputation, and a handicap ramp was added to the church. He remained pastor until his death on July 17, 1984.

The school was staffed by four Vincentian Sisters of Charity from Perrysville, PA. They began teaching grades 1 - 8 on September 1, 1925. A total of 184 students were enrolled the first year. Due to a decline in enrollment and in the interest of economy, the school was consolidated with six other parish schools to form Conn-Area Catholic in 1966. Classes at St. John’s were discontinued in 1968; the building was abandoned and demolished in September 1979.

During the pastorate of Father Stanislaus Moravek, who served from 1918-1954, historical events of the immediate area and the country had a direct effect on the lives of the parishioners and general welfare of the parish.

A coal strike in 1922, coupled with a steady decline in coal and coke production in the region, caused many parishioners to move and resettle in other industrial areas where jobs were available. From 1919 - 1929 the family enrollment declined from 345 to 221. The stock market crash in 1929 and the depression that followed had an adverse affect on the economic well-being of the parish. Money for maintenance and repair of the church and buildings was unavailable. The initiative and determination of parishioners caused them to take action to preserve the church and school. Skilled laborers pooled their talents, volunteered their services, and made repairs when needed at little or no cost to the parish.

Drastic changes in parish life took place when World

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Father Leonard Stoviak was then appointed as pastor.

He began what would be the beginning of an extensive renovation project. The stained-glass windows were completely refurbished during his two years as pastor. A deck and fenced-in yard were also added to the rectory.

In November of 1986 Father Stoviak was transferred and Father Andrew J. Charnoki became pastor. He continued to reduce the window restoration debt, serving as pastor until his retirement in May 1989.

Father Richard Curci was appointed as pastor and served for 3 years with Father Michael Bienia in residence. During this time, he continued the extensive remodeling project which included new lighting, air conditioning, sound system, carpeting, oak trim around windows, and statues refurbished. In June of 1992, Father Curci was transferred and Father Paul Lisik was named pastor.

Father Lisik continued the renovation projects with a complete remodel of the social hall kitchen, wiring the garage, and entered into a contract to replace the roof and steeple on the church which wasn’t completed until June of 1996. However, in June of 1995 Father Lisik was transferred, and Father John Butler was assigned as the new pastor.

In 1999 the parishioners recognized the need to install a ramp into the social hall to make it handicap accessible. After raising the funds, the project was completed in the summer of 2003. Father Butler remained as pastor until January 2006 and Father Ron Cyktor was assigned and served through 2009. At this time the Diocese of Greensburg decided to partner the three Connellsville parishes (St. John, St. Rita, and Immaculate Conception).

Father Joseph Bonafed was assigned in July of 2009 and remained pastor and administrator through March 2012.

Father Dennis Boguez was also in residence at St. John

during this time.

Father Bob Lubic was then assigned as pastor with Father Gerry Juarez and Father Dan Ulishney serving as parochial vicars. During Fr. Bob’s time the social hall floor was replaced along with new lighting and painting.

He was instrumental in getting all the Catholic parishes (St. Aloysius, Immaculate Conception, St. John, and St. Rita) to work together as the Catholic Community of Connellsville.

In November of 2019, Father Paul Lisik was once again assigned pastor to the Catholic Community of Connellsville with Father Dan Carr and Father Julius Capongpongan serving as parochial vicars. 25 years ago, Father Paul was transferred during the planning of St. John’s 100th Anniversary and he now returns to help celebrate the 125th Anniversary.

In July of 2019, St. John’s 125th Anniversary Committee began planning events for a yearlong celebration.

Sets of commemorative glasses and Christmas ornaments were ordered and some are still available for purchase.

On September 29th a chicken dinner was held followed by a Slovak Food Sale on December 7th and a complimentary breakfast was served after Mass on December 27th (St. John the Evangelist’s Feast Day). During the Lenten season in March, 2020, guest speakers spoke on topics dealing with social problems in today’s world.

However, all planned events thereafter were cancelled due to the rigid COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions on social distancing. The Summer Festival planned for August 2nd is tentatively being replaced with a Silent Festival and take-out chicken dinner. The 125th Anniversary dinner and Mass to be celebrated by Bishop Malesic is scheduled for September 19th, 2020. However, the method by which it will be celebrated will depend on COVID-19 restrictions in place at that time.

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ACTORS ON MAC - WHOOPS...THE SCOTTISH PLAY When I was a student at Connellsville Area High School, our English teacher, Miss Griffin, halted our classes so that we could study Creative Dramatics.

Those six weeks changed me from a painfully shy and insecure kid into someone who could get up in front of people and perform material that I’d written. It was the first time in my life that I felt I was doing something meaningful. I felt free. Miss Griffin had set me on a course to be a professional actor and screenwriter, and my life has been filled with many wonderful experiences because of it. The show, Actors On, is my small attempt to pay some of that forward.

One of Miss Griffin’s projects was for us to memorize a passage from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and I fell in love with the play. What makes’ Shakespeare’s work so enduring is its timelessness. His tragic heroes are depicted as “the perfect man who has one fatal flaw.” With Othello, it’s jealousy. With Hamlet, indecisiveness. Macbeth, the man, is filled with “the milk of human kindness,” but... he’s ambitious. And the danger of unchecked ambition is one of the lessons his story teaches us.

Often Shakespeare is taught in schools by students reading the text aloud without understanding all of what’s being said. I wanted to do something about that.

Roman Polanski directed a film of Macbeth shortly after his wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by the Mason Family. Polanski must have been in a terrible emotional state at the time, but that fit perfectly with Shakespeare’s darkest, bloodiest, and scariest play. I’ve always thought that if his film was shown to students, instead of groaning over archaic language, they would not only understand the plot, but have the chance to experience the inner lives of the characters more fully.

My company didn’t have the resources for a full production of Macbeth, but I thought that might be a good thing. Instead of rehearsing for weeks and revealing a polished performance, maybe it would be more educational to show professional actors in rehearsal for the show. Students could learn along with the actors by seeing them work on the material, struggle with classical language, figure out themes and character motivations, and discuss various interpretations of the play.

by Jeff Monahan

So with a generous gift from the Fayette County Cultural Trust, we set out to make an educational series called ACTORS ON, and to use Macbeth as our Pilot episode.

Jacob Hoyson directed, Stefano Ceccarelli filmed, and Tanya Dovidovskaya produced with me. Without their tireless dedication, the show wouldn’t have been possible.

We shot at WQED and PCTV Studios in Pittsburgh, and took the show back to its roots in Connellsville at the Porter Theatre and East Park.

ACTORS ON: MACBETH runs just over an hour and contains scenes and monologues from many of the play’s various characters, Q&A discussions, and even a lesson from stage combat expert, Michael Petyak, on sword fighting.

Joanna Pickering as LADY MACBETH

Joanna Pickering and Jeff Monahan as the Macbeths

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Our host is Alan Stanford, former Director of the Gate Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, and presently Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Irish and Classic Theater. Alan’s insightful commentary illuminates performances from some of the region’s finest professional actors.

Four actors interpreted the role of Lady Macbeth; Gayle Pazerski from Pittsburgh, Rachel Moles and Hritsu Sharma, from Nepal, and British actor, Joanna Pickering, who came in from New York to be part of the show.

Others in from New York were Susan Jeffries and Simona DeFeo. The cast also includes local actors Ken Bolden, Matt Henderson, Tim McGeever, Patrick Conner, Daina Griffith, Joanna Lowe, Freya Saxon and John Amplas.

We intend to market ACTORS ON to various outlets, including PBS and Netflix, and to make it available to schools nationwide as part of an educational enrichment program. If funded, future shows will include plays by Tennessee Williams, Chekov, Beckett, Strindberg, Ibsen, Shakespeare (of course), and special episodes on Comedy, Tragedy, Musicals, the History of Theater, Creating Local Community Theater, Method Acting, and more.

We hope to be able to raise funding from the shows to mount full productions of the plays themselves, and to offer in-school workshops for students of all ages to encourage a love of learning about life through dramatic literature.

An interesting aspect of Macbeth is that the play is said to be cursed, and one shouldn’t say the title out loud while in a theater. Therefore we actors refer to it as “the Scottish Play.” During our shoot, I went to Kathmandu, Nepal to teach a class. While in the village of Chitlang, we filmed students doing bits from the play, and since I wasn’t technically in a theater, I was saying the name of the show quite a lot. While I was coming down the mountain after the shoot, I broke my leg. Apparently, I still have a lot to learn.

Shooting Macbeth - from Connellsville to Kathmandu

Studio Rehersal Jeff Monahan

To contribute to future episodes of ACTORS ON or to learn more, contact Jeff at www.72ndstfilms.com Daina Griffith, Freya Saxon and Joanna Lowe as the witches 17

Like ACTORS ON on Facebook, and stay with us for the latest news on our release!

HOMETOWN SPORTS HEROES Granite Monument Dedicated Every town has its heroes. When I was growing up, at the entrance to my high school football stadium, South Allegheny, there was a large sign which said “Home of College Football All-Americans Lou Kusserow and Richie Lucas.” Today these names are almost forgotten, but they created a sense of awe for me when I saw it. I can also recall Youngwood once having a sign which proudly boasted, “Birthplace of George Blanda,” who was a star pro football player.

Connellsville also has its athletic heroes. The most famous certainly are John Woodruff, winner of the Olympic Gold Medal for the 800-meter race in 1936, and Johnny Lujack, who won college football’s Heisman Trophy in 1947.

When my sons were going through high school in Connellsville in the 2000’s, I was the announcer at the home varsity soccer games. Before each game I would give the story of the Olympic Oak at the north end of the stadium and the Lujack Training Facility at the southeast corner. I would explain to the spectators why these men were important to our town, and how historic the stadium was because of them. After fairly detailed research, I found that Connellsville is the only town in the United States that boasts both a Heisman Trophy Winner and an Olympic Gold Medalist in track. I wondered why there was such little recognition at the stadium for these two men. I also discovered that the Olympic Oak was one of only three that are documented to be alive in this country. Mr. Woodruff was given an oak sapling at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, as were all the Gold Medal winners at that Olympics. Besides the three in this country, there are only a handful of Olympic Oaks world-wide that are still alive out of the original 130 saplings awarded.

In November 2016 I approached the superintendent of Connellsville Area School District about placing a plaque at the stadium for these two men. He was very receptive to the idea, and gave me permission to develop a plan. From the start it was my goal to not have the city or the school district pay for any of the project. The plan originally called for a fairly small bronze plaque located along one of the fences. I met with Joe Sandzimier of Sandzimier Memorials, who had done similar work for many local towns. After kicking around the idea for several weeks, we decided that, considering the stature of these two men, a large granite memorial would be more appropriate.

An ad hoc committee was formed to work out design and fundraising ideas. The committee consisted of Connellsville citizens who have always been generous with their time, talents and money for local projects. Members

by Frank Jacobyansky

were John Coleman, Dr. John Ellis, Dr. Rick Grimaldi, John Malone, Joe Sandzimier, Judge John Wagner, Chuck Watson, and myself. We also decided that, along with the memorial, we wanted to set up a fund for the continuing maintenance of the Olympic Oak. The tree had not been properly trimmed since 2003.

In January 2019 the Connellsville Lions Club invited me to speak at one of their meetings. They had heard about the project and wanted more information. They took an immediate interest in the project and provided me with seed money. More importantly, they spread the word through the local business community that this would indeed be an asset to Connellsville. Mr. Malone was incredibly helpful in securing a grant from the Laurel Highlands Visitors’ Bureau. The University of Pittsburgh, Mr. Woodruff ’s alma mater, also gave a very generous donation. Local businesses and individuals made up the difference and enabled us to finish our fundraising in June 2019. A complete list of donors appears at the end of this article.

As a direct result of our initial fundraising, in February 2019 we were able to have Bartlett Tree Specialists, who had last trimmed the tree, perform badly-needed maintenance on the Olympic Oak. Their arborist, Matt Murphy, said that the tree was in very good shape, and had the potential to live several hundred years. It is hoped that regular maintenance will preserve the tree so that future generations will enjoy its beauty and be aware of its historical significance.

After many wording changes and the selection of appropriate images, the design of the monument was finalized in early summer of 2019. Four photographs of each of the two men, at various stages of their lives, were selected, and brief biographies of their lives and achievements were written. Facts were checked and verified. For instance, in many of Mr. Lujack’s internet biographies it is stated that he was a four-sport letterman in high school. We were able to find a copy of his high school yearbook, and discovered that Connellsville did not have a baseball team when he attended. He was in fact a threesport letterman. He was also said to have been valedictorian of his high school class. One of his classmates, Art McGann, provided me with their high school graduation program. Mr. Lujack did speak at the graduation, but was not listed as the valedictorian. Mr. Lujack’s daughter was contacted, and she confirmed through Mr. Lujack that he was indeed the valedictorian. Mr. Woodruff ’s information was easier to document. In 2018 he was part of the inaugural class for the University of Pittsburgh’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Pitt’s associate sports information director, 18

Ernest Borghetti, was very helpful in confirming Mr. Woodruff ’s information. Woodruff ’s Olympic Gold Medal is prominently displayed in Pitt’s Hillman Library, and he is one of only three Olympic Gold Medalists from Pitt.

The university is very proud to have him as an alumnus.

Once the information was confirmed, and the grammar meticulously corrected, the final design was approved by the Connellsville Area School Board. Fabrication was supervised by Sandzimier Memorials of Scottdale. South African jet-black granite was selected, as it has less striations that other types of granite. The pictures and biographies were laser-etched into the granite by Adams Granite Company of Vermont. It was determined that the best site for the memorial would be directly inside the turnstiles at the stadium, where anyone entering would immediately see it. With the help of the maintenance staff of Connellsville Area High School, a footer was poured at the selected site. On November 5th, 2019, almost three years after the initiation of the project, Sandzimier Memorials placed the memorial at Falcon Stadium.

Donors: Laurel Highlands Visitor’s Bureau University of Pittsburgh Bailey Machine Company John and Susan Coleman Mid Penn Bank C. Harper Chevrolet Connellsville Walmart Stone and Company Connellsville Lions Club Bud Murphy’s Armstrong House Financial Services Colebrook Chocolate Company Fayette County Cultural Trust Marilyn Y. Kiefer Foundation 20 Club John Woodruff Committee Gerald and Judy Browell Lewis and Delores Taylor Jim and Stephanie Stefano Carmine Molinaro George and Eleanor Bailey Sam and Joan Emanuel Dr. Frank and Nancy Jacobyansky Thomas Rusnack Chuck and Anne Watson Dr. John and Candy Ellis

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Fayette County 6th Annual Achievement in the Arts Albert Gallatin High School

Taylor Tubbs - Music Adam Drabish - Theatre Emily Rosie - Visual Arts

The Fayette County Achievement in the Arts mission is to recognize, reward and encourage the advancement and achievement in music, theater and visual arts among high school students in Fayette County. This initiative is a partnership between the Fayette County Cultural Trust and area ROTARY Organizations. Schools in Fayette County, Pennsylvania include: Albert Gallatin High School Brownsville Area High School Connellsville Area High School Frazier High School Geibel Catholic Junior - Senior High School Laurel Highlands High School Uniontown High School

Brownsville Area High School Delaney Harvey - Music Andrew Havens - Theatre Cameron Walters - Visual Arts

Connellsville Area High School Joshua Brady - Music Bobby McLuckey - Theatre Berra Larkin - Visual Arts

The Fayette County Cultural Trust & area Rotary groups would like to wish these students well. Due to COVID-19 we presented the students with their awards. The ceremony this year was not held.

Frazier High School

Emily Patch - Music Briana Broadwater - Theatre Sophia Wolinski - Visual Arts

Thank you to this year’s sponsors!

Geibel Catholic Junior-Senior High School Echo Shaffer - Music Ryan Rusko - Theatre Lauren Tomasko - Visual Arts

Laurel Highlands High School Lauren Sperry - Music Zachary Spolan - Theatre Gabrielle Cummings - Visual Arts

Uniontown Area High School Emily Parker - Music Cooper Waligura - Theatre Danielle Jones - Visual Arts

House Financial Services

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On April 1st, Downtown Connellsville sponsored a photo contest to get people out and about photographing the city. Over the course of 8 weeks over 100 photos were submitted. Each week a winner was chosen and given a $25 gift check to a downtown business. $225 was given out duing the 8 week course and two $25 gift checks were awarded the grand prize winner.

Week 2 April 26 - May 2 I love the businesses located in downtown Connellsville!

Winner: Domenic Firestone Gift Check - Paint Room

Week 1 April 19 - April 25 I love the history of downtown Connellsville!

This week’s winner wanted to remain anonymous and wanted his gift check to go to someone who was just recently unemployed.

Gift Check - Clubhouse Pizza

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Week 3 May 3 - May 9 Downtown Connellsville has a positive vibe!

Winner: Seanna Kessier Gift Check: Kickstand Kitchen

Week 4 May 10 - May 16 I love the Youghiogheny River that runs through Connellsville!

Winner: Tie - Kelly Umble - Nathan Norman Gift Check: Zia Maria Bakery -O’Donnell’s Pub

Week 5 May 17 - May 23 I love our downtown Connellsville buildings!

Winner: Bryn Enoch Gift Check: Ruvo’s Italian Restaurant

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Week 6 May 24 - May 30 I love Connellsville!

Winner: Bryn Enoch Gift Check: Fox’s Pizza

Week 7 May 31 - June 6 I love our Connellsville Carnegie Free Library Winner: Seanna Kessler Gift Check: Keedy’s Pizza

Week 8 June 7 - June 13 I love Connellsville’s public art scene!

Winner: Seanna Kessler Gift Check: Youghiogheny Holistic Living

Grand prize winner: Nathan Norman Gift Checks: Wavie & Janes Demuth’s Florist

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to our Neighborhood Partnership Program sponsors!

The Partnership is funded through the Pennsylvania Neighborhood Assistance Program, which is a tax credit program offered through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The program offers tax credits of 80% against applicable Pennsylvania business taxes to businesses who commit at least $50,000 per year for over 5 years and up to 10 years for an approved program.

The 2020 U.S. Census will determine congressional representation, inform hundreds of billions in federal funding every year, and provide data that will impact communities for the next decade. Your participation in the U.S. Census is very important.

www.my2020Census.gov