October 2021 GreeneScene Magazine

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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FEATURES 4

I LOVE THIS PLACE

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GREENESCENE OF THE PAST

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COUNTY CONVERSATIONS

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SHINING THE LIGHT

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PUBLIC SERVICE PROFILE

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COOL AT SCHOOL

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GOING GREENE

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GREENE ARTIFACTS

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GOOD NEWS IN GREENE

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MESSAGE BOARD

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HOMETOWN HERITAGE

Corbly Family Reunion Corbly Baptist Church

Housing & Family Resources

John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church Cornerstone Genealogical Society

Pollinator Gardens at Carmichaels School District Ghostly Greene & The Martin Mausoleum A museum mystery

Awards & acknowledgements within our community Community announcements and opportunities A snapshot of Greene County sports

EXTRAS 9

GNOME SWEET GNOME

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THE DENNY HOUSE

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LOCAL RESCUES MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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GET IN THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT

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SEARCHING FOR BIGFOOT

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GHOST STORIES & WINE

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WHAT LURKS IN GREENE?

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A HAUNTING HOBBY

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FANGTASTIC FICTION & FILM

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A DESIRE TO CREATE

Read about last month’s GreeneScene contest location The dynamic Denny duo

Local rescues working in our area to keep animals safe With these spooky southwestern PA locations Fayette County Pennsylvania Bigfoot Research Project Attend a spook and sip at the Flenniken Library Kevin Paul’s second book about the paranormal in Greene Outsider Paranormal shares advice on ghost investigation Spraggs resident Michelle Bowser’s books and film work WV native Gary Vincent on filming, writing, and working in Greene County.

Front Cover Photo By BRIDGET VERNON of Waynesburg, PA

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GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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I Love this P l a ce

t was a fine day for a 250th anniversary get together at John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church in Garards Fort. For the 20-some descendants of Reverend Corbly and his three wives – Abigail, Elizabeth and Nancy – who came on August 29, it was a chance to not only make up for the Corbly Family Reunion missed in 2020, but join with regular churchgoers to celebrate 250 years in the land of Goshen that their patriarch brought forth in 1771 when he founded the church that now bears his name.

Sunday service was packed with parishioners and descendants who then posed outside like the gathering of 1914 when a Baptist revival filled the front steps and the photographer had to climb on a ladder to get everybody in. Today, it was Twisted Lens taking the shot that will be added to scrap books, uploaded, and shared with cousins on every branch of the Corbly family tree.

This far-flung family reunion has been returning to Garards Fort every last Sunday in June since 1932 but early summer COVID-19 worries pushed the date to the edge of fall. The schedule of events remained traditional - a 9am service followed by presentations of all things Corbly starting at 11am. Anniversary plaques and proclamations presented by county, state and federal representatives lay on tables in the decorated church basement, along with Corbly history that Deacon Dave Reid and others had on display.

Lunch was a delicious stuffed croissant brown bag affair catered by Corbly descendants, and the big anniversary cake and coffee made guests linger to reminisce some more.

For Helena Morris Hurst of Gold River, California, who won the prize for coming the furthest, this was her long anticipated first visit. “I saw the Corbly website a few years ago and found out I’m a descendent of Abigail.” After retiring, Hurst thought about attending for years, but was stymied by COVID-19 in 2020. That made her make up her mind to “definitely come this year.

I told my husband I was going and here I am! I’m leaving on Tuesday so I’ve had almost a week to explore where my ancestors are from. I’m starting to feel like I belong here.”

Her first visit to Cornerstone Genealogy in Waynesburg helped her find not just one local cousin to welcome her into the family, but two.

Genealogical Society president David Cressey put Hurst in touch with Cornerstone volunteer Kathy Morris Miller and her husband Bill Miller who live on the Morris family Bicentennial farm in Fordyce. “Helena and I are related on the Morris side back to when Abigail’s daughter Margaret married George Morris. Bill is a descendant of John and Abigail and also third wife Nancy, so the three of us are cousins,” Kathy explained later when I called to make sure I was getting it right.

“Don’t worry about it. Bill says the best thing to say is we’re cousins!”

At the reunion, Helena told me “I spent all

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afternoon Saturday with Kathy and Bill doing our family tree. I’ve been to the historical society in Washington too. This has been a wonderful experience, I’ve learned so much about my roots here.”

There were Corbly family books charting the genealogical details of the three wives written by Don Corbly to browse during the reunion.

These books are also in the stacks at Cornerstone where volunteers like Kathy Morris Miller can help newbies track down ancestors of the many families that pioneered the Western Frontier.

As lunch lingered, the finer points of lineage mingled with happy exchanges between kith and kin spending quality time together while the next gen scooted around tables with two-year-old Weston Knight from Windsor Heights WV, winner of this year’s door prize for being the youngest Corbly here.

Things wrapped up when Lena Hawkins Galing auctioned off her traditional whisky cake, a cheerful shout out to the rebellion that got the good Reverend in such hot water in 1794.

Before bidding in the Baptist basement, Lena assured the crowd that alcohol bakes out leaving nothing but flavor and boiling the sugar and whisky drench before pouring it over the finished cake has the same affect. Nevertheless, this year’s winning bid brought in a hefty pledge of Federal dollars.

Descendants finished out the afternoon visiting the stations of the historic family cross – Garards Fort Cemetery with its monument to the Corbly family, a quiet walk to the ravine where the marker to the massacre stands, then a short drive to the Corbly homestead, just over the hill from the cemetery to contemplate the distance through the forest where the family took its fateful shortcut to the log cabin meeting house by Garard’s fort on May 10, 1782.

I caught up with a cluster of cousins standing together at the John Corbly family monument, surrounded by mossy stones and crowned with a spectacular view of the hills around Garards Fort. Helena Morris Hurst was there, along with Bill Miller, Terry Hickman of Parrish Florida who is retired and travels around the country researching his genealogy and Jeff and Cathy Shull of Clarmont Indiana, who are keepers of the original Corbly bible.

I asked them to get as close as COVID-19 allowed and saved their smiling faces for the collective Corbly scrapbook.

And to round out the list of this year’s door prize winners for oldest and who came the shortest distance, it was 81 year old Ted Cree of Garards Fort who drives his sports car to Corbly Church on Sunday and Aleita Hall, who lives just down the road.

See you next year!

THE CORBLY FAMILY REUNION 2021

By Colleen Nelson

Attendees of the Corbly Family Reunion held at the John Corbly Memorial Baptist church.

Helena Morris Hurst, Bill Miller, Terry Hickman, Jeff and Cathy Shull at the Corbly family monument.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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G reen e Sce n e of the Pa st

f you look closely at this old photograph of John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church you’ll see some of the changes the 20th century had already brought to Garard’s Fort by 1914 when this Baptist revival was snapped for posterity. Although the pre-Revolutionary garrison that would become a town had yet to lose its apostrophe – that would happen when road signs were assigned in the 1920s – horseless carriages had already arrived, seen here parked to the left of the church, with horses politely ignoring them on the right.

A stone monument dedicated in 1963 to the John Corbly family marks the spot in Garards Fort Cemetery where the log meeting house once stood. A second log Goshen Church was built behind the present church that sits around the bend from the cemetery.

It was replaced in 1843 by a brick building that was rebuilt in 1868 and remodeled in 1902 to include the beautiful façade you see today.

The church changed its name to John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church in 1907 in honor of the firebrand preacher who brought the Baptist faith to the Muddy Creek and Whitely Creek settlements in the late 1760s.

When the first meetinghouse was built in April 1771, Corbly farmed land nearby and

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preached there on Sunday when he wasn’t ministering at Muddy Creek – now Carmichaels.

The American Revolution was still on and displaced tribal fighters were raiding frontier settlements when Reverend Corbly and his family were ambushed on their way to church on May 10, 1782. He and oldest son John survived but second wife Elizabeth and three younger children were scalped and killed that day. Two years later Corbly would marry Nancy Lynn, father eight more children and continue to preach for free until his congregation grew large enough to pay him with bushels of wheat, corn and rye – and the occasional shilling or pence.

Corbly’s full throated support of the “Liberty and no excise!” Whisky Rebellion of 1791 was understandable - President Washington had just passed America’s first tax to help pay for the Revolution. The caveat – it could only be paid in Federal dollars.

Cash strapped farmers with little or no access to a market economy beyond bartering, were unwilling or unable to pay the tax.

Tensions grew, tax collectors were tarred and feathered – or worse – and farmers became militiamen once more. It was an open, but short-lived rebellion against the “Federalists.”

C o r bly’s fire and brimstone words made him a ringleader, and when Federal troops arrived in 1794 to quell a revolution that had quietly evap orated, he and 150 other “seditionists” were rounded up and marched to Philadelphia to stand trial. These rebel settlers were tried, convicted, then pardoned by President Washington in a bid to unify a new nation. According to the plaque that stands at the entrance to Garards Fort Cemetery, after returning home ”Rev. John Corbly (1833-1803) retired here and remained active in the ministry.”

By Colleen Nelson

Reverend Corbly preached at Goshen Church until 1802 and in his lifetime, helped “plant” more than 30 Baptist churches in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia - which would become West Virginia in 1863 during the Civil War.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

County Conversations GREENE COUNTY HUMAN & SOCIAL SERVICES

HOUSING & FAMILY RESOURCES

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re you or someone you know experiencing homelessness? Have you slept in a vehicle, outside or shelter recently? Are you unable to heat your home safely due to not having the funds for fuel?

If so, it’s time to reach out to the Greene County Housing & Family Resource department. The department is part of the Western Regional Housing Advisory Board (RHAB) and the One by One - Ending Homelessness in Western PA movement.

The department has access to many different streams of housing funds that assist those in need of a home. The funds utilized are for individuals and families to get them back on their feet and become self-sustaining.

Their programs serve persons at risk of homelessness, homeless persons, persons with behavioral health issues, low-income families/individuals, families involved with Children & Youth, persons with special needs, seniors, youth in transition, persons involved in the criminal justice system, and veterans.

“People come to us with all types of situations and our staff take the time to really listen. Before you become homeless or one of your main utilities is disconnected due to nonpayment, please call us to see if we can help,” says Amy Switalski, Housing & Family Resources director. “If we cannot help, we will find you other resources that are available so that you can receive the help you need.”

We also work with many other agencies in the community to try

and serve our clients.”

Those in need of the department’s program should visit the office or call 724-8525276 during the hours of operation or calling 724-800-417-9460 after hours so that a Coordinated Assessment can be completed.

Once the assessment is complete, clients have access to referrals to ALL homelessness assistance programs within a 20-county region.

If you are experiencing homelessness, dial 211 for help. FMI on the Housing & Family Resources department, call 724-8525276 or visit www.co.greene.pa.us.

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Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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hen it comes to shining the light, nothing beats a sunny couple of days in mid-September on the banks of Whitely Creek.

That’s where I found some happy members of John Corbly Memorial Baptist Church on September 18, doing some real time shucking and grinning behind their booth at the White Covered Bridge Festival. Corn husks and a pot of boiling water were a sure sign that festival goers would soon be eating fresh corn on a stick dripping with butter or forking into a walking taco as they took in the sights, shopped the crafts or listened to live music – most of it gospel - that filled the air through the weekend.

“We’ve been coming here since the beginning. First we just came on Sunday to hold service. Now we do that and everything else, ” Deacon Dave Reid told me. His booth was filled with a jaw dropping collection of rare artifacts hardly seen outside of magazines or behind glass in museums – original handmade 18th century rifles, Greensboro and Hamilton stone glazed pottery, pistols and memorabilia. “I know the men who made these rifles and who they apprenticed to.”

He pointed to a crock. “This was made by an ancestor of mine who was a potter in Rices Landing.”

Other churches were here to pray and play in the great outdoors as well. Fordyce Methodist was selling hot dogs, hot sausage and ghost pops; Mt Pleasant UMC had a tasty menu that included root beer floats and apple dumplings with ice cream and Mapletown Methodist was on hand to make breakfast for festival volunteers. And every table under ev-

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By Colleen Nelson ery tent and canopy where people sat to eat and escape the sun had plastic sleeved thank you lists naming the 30 plus patrons of this year’s event.

Longtime volunteer Nancy Zalor told me that back in the 1990s the festival happened sporadically but when it did it offered up good gospel music to visitors during the Washington/Greene Covered Bridge Festival.

“One year I brought a pony and cart and gave rides and the next year we decided to do that too.”

By 1998 the community was onboard for the long haul and the festival became a yearly celebration, halting only for the aftermath of 9/11, hurricanes Ivan (2008) and Gordon (2018) and COVID-19 (2020). The county took note and in 2008 the old queenpost bridge built in 1919 was refurbished to last “another 90 years.”

Back at the Corbly Church booth, Pastor Gary Whipkey and wife Jill arrived to help.

He would be holding Sunday services tomorrow morning on the chrysanthemum studded stage for everyone who had slept over as reenactors and those who came early to get ready for a last day of wagon rides, Civil War battles, gospel music and hours of happy camaraderie in the sun and shadow of another perfect day.

Any other time of the year, Corbly Church members are busy doing missions, holding work parties to keep the church repaired, having bible study on Wednesdays, hosting the yearly Corbly Family Reunion - and planning for next year’s festival on the banks of Whitley Creek. You’re welcome to join them.

Don’t Do It Alone!

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

Gnome Sweet Gnome T o quote Bruce Garrabrandt, “creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.” This quote easily applies to Angela Schamp and her Gnome Tree. If you’d like to see the unofficial “Clarksville mascot” take a drive down North Street and you can’t miss the Gnome Tree on Center Street.

Angela had a large, old maple tree in her yard. Cicadas damaged it and it needed to be cut down. What happened next is a wonderful example of making lemonade when life gives you lemons. As she saw the tree coming down, it brought out her creative side. Angela knew she had to do something fun with what remained of the tree.

Her favorite color is purple, so she wanted to start by painting the entire tree purple. She bought a bunch of spray paint and painted it. Soon after, a friend of hers was at her house working on the roof. While they worked, Angela had an idea to build a roof for her tree. The roof is the only part of the entire tree that Angela outsourced, and every other detail is her own work. The roof was very large and her friend and his son carried the roof up to top the tree.

Angela started to add fun little details to the tree. She created doors, windows and a mushroom and painted them to add to her display. She had the inspired idea to create a tire swing from her deceased father’s motorcycle tire.

The idea to make this dead tree into a Gnome Tree was entirely Angela’s idea. She said she didn’t even know what it would become when she started out. After Angela painted the tree and added some fun details, her friend showed up one

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

day with a couple of gnomes.

She gave them to Angela and said, “Use your imagination,” and it led to the Gnome Tree.

After all her hard work last year, Angela had to start over when she noticed the bark peeling on the tree. She scraped off all the bark and repainted the tree peach by hand. She painted the entire front of the tree with a paintbrush. She added solar lights so the tree lights up at night. It was a lot more work this year, but the time investment paid off. The tree is very detailed

By Michelle Church this year and even the windows are hand painted.

She says, Angela said that kids love it, especially her grandkids. Children are so enamored “go big, or with the tree that they think they can step inside. The children go gnome!” also believe the gnomes are real and that they are just sleeping.

Angela already has a plan for some new additions to the tree next year. A color change is also in the works; she will be Work being completed on the changing the tree’s color from peach to chartreuse next year.

Gnome Tree to give it a roof.

The Gnome Tree and Angela’s story are an inspiration for us all. Instead of seeing a dead tree, Angela saw a blank canvas.

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Public Service Profile

By Sierra Medina

CORNERSTONE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

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he Cornerstone Genealogical So- part of their holdings is their obituary secciety (CGS), an all-volunteer non- tion. CGS’s database holds over 160,000 profit organization located on 144 E. obituaries.

Greene Street in Waynesburg, has reopened “We have had someone go through to the public by appointment only Monday newspapers going back to the 1860s and through Friday from 1-4 p.m., including create an index of all of the obituaries or tours of the restored Log Courthouse at- mentions of death, which is of course what tached to the CGS building. The library is genealogy is all about,” he said. asking that visitors wear masks and abide by The library obtains most of its materisocial distancing guidelines. als from those who donate their family hisSince 1975 CGS has been, “dedicated tories, such as the over 100 scrapbooks highto preserving the documented history of lighting families and Greene County history.

Greene County Pennsylvania, especially as The attached Log Courthouse from it relates to the early families, to cooperate 1797 was renovated and utilized as a meetwith and encourage those presently engaged ing space on various topics on the second in the field of genealogy, to offer assistance Tuesday of every month, excluding Decemto anyone locally or in other areas, and to ber. These meetings had been put on hold compile, collect and make available all pos- due to the pandemic but are expected to resible records relating to Greene County sume in 2022.

Pennsylvania and the Upper Ohio Valley,” The Cornerstone Genealogical Sociaccording to their website. ety relies on members to fund their efforts.

CGS provides an extensive repository Staff members are not salaried, so income of local history, available in the form of goes towards paying utilities. The library rephotographs, letters, Bibles, diaries, maps, ceives income from selling books, charging tax records, newspapers, scrapbooks, and for printing, with the bulk of their revenue microfilm, etc. Information comes not just coming from paid membership fees. from Greene County, but from neighborCressey said that the library also reing counties and states such as Washing- ceives donations as well as, “Generous beton County, Fayette County, Mononga- quests from people in their wills.” hela County, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, If you are interested in becoming a Maryland, etc. member, or just stopping by to immerse President of the CGS, Dave Cressey yourself in Greene County history, call 724explained that although everything is docu- 627-5653 to book your appointment. mented online now, this library holds vast amounts of material that is not available on the internet, making the society necessary for those looking to learn more specifics about their ancestry.

Cressey said it is because of that necessity that he gets to meet people from states away that trace their ancestry back to Greene County.

“We had someone in here from Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago. Being in this relatively unpopulated area, in this little town of Waynesburg, you meet people from all over the country,” Cressey said. “So that’s a lot of fun and usually they’re very impressed with what we have.”

Dave Cressey, president of Cornerstone Genealogical Cressey said one integral Society, welcomes visitors back to the library.

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GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

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he Carmichaels Area Native Plant Greenhouse project provides excellent learning opportunities for Carmichaels’ students and benefits the community through a variety of partnerships. The main intent of the project is growing and planting trees and pollinator plants to restore and improve habitat. Growing from that idea, the school has partnered with other businesses and groups in the community to create pollinator habitats, garden plants, and more throughout the surrounding area.

Around the school, pollinator habitats were added, with habitats now located behind the high school gym, outside the cafeteria courtyard, and outside the high school office. All the habitats are planted with pollinator plants grown from seen in the greenhouse. They plan to plant additional pollinator plants in more habitat locations during the fall, as well as planting a new batch in the greenhouse in preparation for spring planting.

Teacher Megan Patton and her sixthgrade team of students organized the Seedlings for Students project through the Pennsylvania Game Commission. After receiving two thousand trees, the sixth-grade students and kindergarten students worked together

OCTOBER 2021

Co o l at Sc h oo l

CARMICHAELS AREA HIGH SCHOOL to plant trees along the school’s nature trail.

Each preschool kindergarten and graduating senior received trees to plant in their backyards, also. Mrs. Patton also worked with Jose Taracido, who also supplied seeds for the pollinator habitats, to plant pollinator pots in the greenhouse.

Other projects included a partnership with the food bank by providing garden plants planted by students, tree planting with the Izaak Walton League at the Game Lands, working with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to plant trees at Rebecca Trigger’s property through the Greene County Conservation Districts GRACE Program, completing FarmBot, and planting trees and pollinator habits in various locations in Pennsylvania, including Wana B Park and Ryerson Station State Park.

Those involved would like to offer a special thank you to those utilizing the greenhouse for various projects and partnerships.

“We are certainly indebted to the Community Foundation EITC grant committee and Bettie Stammerjohn, along with Toyota Tapestry grant, among other funding sources,” Willis adds.

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

They would also like to acknowledge the support and dedication provided by David Franks, Carl Sanner, John Krysack, Dave Demniak, Gary Syrek, Bob Kowalewski, and all of the maintenance team, along with Lew May and Frank Lukacs, who originally constructed the greenhouse, and greenhouse manager Emily Capule. They all have The pollinator projects at Carmichaels involved played a vital role in the construcelementary middle, and high school students tion, renovation, upkeep and working together. maintenance of this unique project. Fred Clark Nursery supported the project by supplying soil, plants, and expertise for the multiple projects.

The school is looking for additional partnerships that benefit both the community and students. If you are interested in partnering with them, please reach out to Kevin Willis at Carmichaels Area Pollinator habitats like these help local pollinators flourish.

High School.

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G o in g G re e n e

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GHOSTLY GREENE & THE MARTIN MAUSOLEUM

n North Morris Street in Waynesburg, just north of Waynesburg University, lies Greenmount Cemetery.

Established in 1853, and one of the largest cemeteries in the county, Greenmount is “home” to many of the notable and prominent residents of Waynesburg and the surrounding communities.

No doubt, many stories are recollected by residents and historians as they stroll through Greenmount and look over the worn white marble headstones that mark the burial locations of so many people that lived here. Each grave is the culmination of a life, and luckily, many of these lives can be recounted in the annals of Greene County history, through books published on this region over the years and in records held at repositories such as Cornerstone Genealogical Society and the Greene County Historical Society.

Perhaps the most famous “resident” of Greenmount Cemetery is Edward Martin. Martin was born on September 18, 1879 at Ten Mile in Washington County to Joseph and Hannah (Bristor) Martin. Edward Martin spent a great portion of his life associated with the 110th Pennsylvania Infantry and the 28th Infantry Division where he would move up through the ranks and become a Major General. He would spend his later years in politics, serving as the 32nd Governor of Pennsylvania from 1943 through 1947 and as a United States Senator from 1947 through 1959. Edward departed this life on March 19, 1967 and was laid to rest in Greenmount Cemetery in a plot where his parents and many of his relatives also were buried.

Not too distant from the humble marker erected to the memory of Edward Martin and his wife Charity can be found a modest granite mausoleum built in the old Roman Doric style. Across the lintel stone of the portico an inscription reads: “J. T. & J. J. Martin” thus marking this as the tomb of Joseph Thomas Martin (father of Edward) and James John Martin, a brother of Joseph. Though striking in its simplicity, when you approach the doors of the mausoleum, you see a bright flash of color. In the back wall, illuminating the interior is a beautiful stained-glass window that contains a colored image of Martha (Moor) Martin, mother of Joseph Martin and grandmother of Governor Edward Martin.

Martha Moor Martin was born on October 21, 1819, two hundred and two years ago this month. She was the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Schackleton) Moor and the wife of John McMyrtre Martin. Martha died on September 18, 1880. Martha’s sons, Joseph and James bought the lot in Greenmount Cemetery, where the mausoleum now stands on July 18, 1924, very soon after the sudden death of Joseph’s daughter Maud on July 12, 1924. Construction of the mausoleum began shortly thereafter. In commemoration of their dearly departed mother, Joseph and James had the stained-glass window created and installed in the mausoleum. Once the structure was completed, Martha’s body was exhumed and reinterred in one of the upper most sections of the tomb.

The stained-glass window, and its infamous portrait of Martha (Moor) Martin has not gone unnoticed in local lore.

In the image, her eyes seem to follow those who are near the mausoleum and in the area of the immediately adjacent graves. In the fall, particularly around Halloween time, younger folks can often be found playing games of hide and go

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By Matthew Cumberledge

A photo of Martha Moor Martin from the GCHS Archives.

seek and tag on the grounds of Greenmount, oftentimes using the Martin mausoleum as a base. Some view the image of Martha as a figure of protection, watching over the graves of her loved ones, while others found her a frightful figure, one to be avoided.

Local legend tells us that Martha keeps a watchful vigil for her husband, John M. Martin. Just a few months after her death in 1880, Martha’s husband John remarried a woman twenty years his junior and raised another family. Originally, Martha was buried in Amity, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and when John passed in 1903, he would be buried beside her. However, when John and Martha’s sons completed the mausoleum in Greenmount, they would bring their mother Martha there, along with their sister, and Martha’s parents. John M. Martin was left behind, eternally separated from his first wife and the mother of his oldest children.

Is Martha perhaps upset at her husband marrying so soon after her death? Or does she long to be reunited with the husband she has been separated from for nearly a century? Either way, her watchful gaze has been captivating visitors to the Martin mausoleum for a very long time.

Or is there another reason for her ever vigilant stare? In the archives of the Greene County Historical Society, in the Martin Collection, can be found a photograph of Martha (Moor) Martin, the very photo that was the inspiration used to design the stained-glass window in the mausoleum. In this photo you can easily see that Martha has an eye condition that causes one eye to wander. When her image was recreated for the stained-glass window, this eye condition was preserved in the colored glass image.

Yet for nearly a century, Martha’s visage has been gazing upon those who happen upon the Martin family tomb in Greenmount Cemetery. The nature of her gaze, and how it seemingly follows visitors, may in part be due to a condition she had in life, but perhaps… just perhaps, her watchful gaze is still looking over her family in the tomb and nearby graves and looking for her husband John who lay lonely in a grave in Amity, PA.

Stained glass window of Martha (Moor) Martin.

The Martin Mausoleum in Greenmount Cemetery.

The grave of Edward Martin.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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The Dynamic Denny Duo

By Colleen Nelson

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The Denny House h e composition with the best of them and o l d - became an accomplished pianist and comworld poser. elegance Her work can be found not only at The of The Denny House owes a lot to the life Denny House but several universities, inand times of two of the three “Denny girls” cluding Waynesburg University where she who went abroad to leave their mark on the was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor world and returned home to share what of Humane Letters in 1954. they found as lovers of the arts, especially It would take the melodious baby sister music.

Helen, born in 1896, to connect the dots of Father Eleazor Luce, a successful busi- education and the arts with the fire of love. nessman from the oil boom days of the Helen found teachers to turn her natural 1890s, could provide his girls all the advan- talents into a rich soprano, noted for its contages of education and financial security trol, intelligence and understanding. Helen they would need to succeed in a 20th century would perform in operas and on Westingworld. Middle sister Josephine would travel house Radio, singing faultlessly in three lanabroad like her sisters. guages and toured with She would be content Defeo Grand Opera to stay single, become a Company. Family hismath teacher and return tory tells us that operhome to Waynesburg to agoer Willis George teach “her little lambs” Howard was so smitat Waynesburg High ten that he divorced his School while continuing wife to be with Helen. to do good work in the Helen Denny community she grew Howard continued up in. singing and taught muNot so Mary and sic in Chicago for the Helen. For them the rest of her career. Sisworld beyond Waynester Mary became part burg was waiting to be of the Chicago scene explored and the advenwhen she accepted an tures they had would invitation from Helen make Denny House the to attend a ball and met Edwardian time capsule the recently widowed you see today.

Charles Weaver who Mary Denny Weaver When E.L Denny had made his fortune died suddenly from in the meat packing inpneumonia in 1910, dustry.

Mary was 19 and was Mr. Weaver was perusing degrees in happy to marry Mary art and music from and adopt the Denny Waynesburg Colfamily as his own and lege. She stayed home share his wealth with through World War I them. with her mother and Mary and Helen younger sisters and continued traveling served as secretary of abroad, finding art and the Red Cross. Then antique treasures to off to Europe, per buy and when widowed her mother’s wishes, brought their collecto study at the Royal tions with them to their Academy of Music in family home on 145 W. London and the AmeriHigh Street. can School of Music in Fontainebleau, France.

Helen Denny Howard Mary studied music

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GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

A Fairytale Wedding at The Denny House Surround yourself with old world elegance without a passport. One of Waynesburg’s most prestigious residence has been lovingly brought back to life, and more importantly is available for your special occasion. Keeping in mind the Denny’s love of the arts, the home appears now as if they never left with special attention paid to the rooms look of yesteryear but updated to reflect todays attention to comfort. Create your own history at the Downtown Abbey at the Denny House where memories are made.

The Historic Denny House is the only venue where you can have all your fairytale wedding dreams encapsulated under one roof. The Denny House offers nothing but the best to our clients on their special day with a captivating wedding ceremony held inside the home. Afterwards, a charming reception held in the Rustic/Chic Eli Denny Carriage House that will hold 125 guests, fully equipped with 60” round tables, chairs, china and glass place settings, flatware, buffet set-up and gorgeous antique chandeliers.

The Carriage house extend into the courtyard where you can sit on the largecovered porches that overlook a beautifully manicured yard.

Not only can you have the perfect ceremony and reception, but you can also experience the perfect wedding night as the Denny House offers 4 elegantly decorated bedrooms with a full kitchen that has a beautiful veranda overlooking Waynesburg University’s Martin Hall and Nathaniel Greene on top of the County Courthouse. In addition, Denny House offers breakfast the following morning to all guests who stayed overnight to top off an exquisite event you’ll always remember.

Prior to your wedding, get ready with your bridesmaids in our spa room, complete with a vanity for hair and make-up and your choice of champagne or mimosas served to the bride and bridesmaids. Groom and Groomsman will enjoy their own space to get ready in the Carriage House with beverages served to all. The Denny House also offers an outside wine room to mingle with guests, a piano player, valet parking for guests upon arrival and clean-up services after your day is concluded.

Prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience when you have your wedding or event at the Historical Denny House in Waynesburg, Pa. For a tour or to book an event call 724-557-1159.

A Successful 20th Year!

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ith a warm day in the high 70s predicted, the 20th Annual 50s Fest & Car Cruise was presented, as always, on the 2nd Saturday of September, September 11, in downtown Waynesburg.

Around 160 classic and hot rod vehicles were registered and over the six-hour time frame, hundreds of spectators turned out for the event, which is coordinated by Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful, Inc. Each year the committee honors the driver of the vehicle that traveled the most miles to get to the cruise with a prize supplied by sponsors WANB Radio & GreeneScene Community Magazine. Dave Matthews won the furthest traveled award this year - traveling 260 miles from Stevens, Pennsylvania in his 1938 Ford Coupe.

Another champion for the day, Connie Loughman was the winner of the 50/50 drawing, taking home $201 cash.

“It was a great day for the event and

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

a beautiful day to be outside,” says Danielle Nyland, Co-Chairperson of WP&B’s 50s Fest Committee. “The committee continued many of the precautions from last year into this year to ensure a safe and fun time for our participants, and it was fantastic to be able to move back to High Street. It was a wonderful turnout for our twentieth year!”

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Gre e ne Art ifacts

By Matthew Cumberledge, GCHS Executive Director

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A MUSEUM MYSTERY

here is no greater thrill for a historian than wandering through a museum, browsing through collections, and finding objects, and then wondering about their stories, learning things about local and regional history, and solving mysteries. I think it safe to say that anyone interested in history and genealogy has a bit of detective in them.

The Greene County Historical Society Museum is a place that comes with many mysteries. The grand old building that the museum is housed in, the County Poor Farm, is a mystery all to itself: who lived here, what did they do, how did they die?

Oh, the stories that could be told if these walls could talk!

But mysteries can come in other forms as well. In such a building, known to be remarkably haunted, many strange things take place on a regular basis. Footsteps are often heard, occasionally an apparition can be seen, doors open and close on their own, and lights turn on and off; objects move on occasion as well.

Prior to COVID-19, and hopefully again in the future, the Greene County Historical Society Museum has hosted an event, typically near to Halloween called Spirits of the Night.

Visitors are welcomed into the museum, often through the “dungeon,” an area in the basement where inmates with emotional disorders and violent tendencies were housed.

This area is usually set up as a haunted house portion of the event, with grim décor and actors there to provide a scare.

One of our favorite props to use in the dungeon is a doll, inspired by Linda Blair’s portrayal of Regan McNeil in The Exorcist. The doll permanently lives in the dungeon, usually resting in a baby stroller and occasionally seated in a chair (as seen in the back of the photo) scaring staff and visitors at the GCHS Museum all year long. The doll has been found moved

over night, in different positions and areas throughout the dungeon. Most recently, however… the doll has disappeared!

It is unknown, yet, where our favorite Halloween prop has gone, but staff and volunteers at the Greene County Historical Society are certain she will show up again – when she is ready. The spirits at the museum are often very playful and like a good prank from time to time, and no doubt, when we least expect it, we will come in the morning, and she’ll be sitting in a chair in one of the offices or propped up by one of the doors waiting to scare the daylights out of us!

There is always good fun to be had at the Greene County Historical Society Museum! Join us for our 50th Annual Harvest Festival on October 9 and 10 and on October 30 we’ll be hosting our very first Mystery at the Museum! Mystery at the Museum is an escape room style adventure where patrons will have to find clues and navigate their way through the Halls of the old County Almshouse! Keep an eye out for more information on Mystery at the Museum and Harvest Festival on our Facebook Page and Website, and we hope to see you soon!

Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, WV.

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GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

Benedum Fine Arts Gallery Hosts Guest Artists

The Waynesburg University Department of Fine Arts will host an art show Monday, Sept. 13, through Friday, Oct. 8, featuring special guest artist Janna Arnold in collaboration with Dig Devine.

The exhibition will be held in the Benedum Fine Arts Gallery and open with a reception Monday, Sept. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Admission to the exhibit and reception are free, and the public is cordially invited to attend.

“The collaboration between Janna Arnold, a ceramic artist based in McKees Rocks and a graduate of Carlow University, and Dig Devine celebrates the intersection between striking functional ceramics and repurposed industrial sculpture,” said Emily Wiedner, director of the Benedum Fine Arts Gallery.

The two artists began their artistic jour-

ney together during quarantine and have continued to support one another since then.

This exhibition portrays their story of isolation and collaboration as they continue to uplift each other’s visions.

“When viewing this exhibition, I hope students can see that art does not have to be an individual activity. I hope they see the value of working with peers and sharing creative passions with one another,” Wiedner said.

The Benedum Fine Arts Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In compliance with the Keep Waynesburg Well Plan, all guests are asked to wear a mask when attending the exhibition. FMI, contact Wiedner at emily.wiedner@waynesburg.edu.

State Garden Club Meeting Held

Due to Covid restrictions, the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania’s (GCFP) District X Annual Meeting was held outdoors on September 8, 2021 at the Lions Club Community Park Jaycee Pavilion in Waynesburg.

Nine clubs were represented with 68 members attending.

District X Director, Kay Bair, recognized District X Board Members, State Board Members, and National Board Members in attendance. Members stood to welcome GCFP First Vice –President, Leeanna Ryba.

A delicious lunch was provided by Back Bay Catering after which Haddie Weber, Program Chair, introduced Martha Alexander who is a member of the Great Meadows Garden Club, a Master Gardener, and a former biology teacher. She shared with us a program titled “The Mysteries of Hydrangeas”.

Reports were presented by nine garden clubs and after each presentation, Roxanne Huss, gave the following clubs their Daffodil, Laurel, and Tulip awards.

• Garden Club of Munhall - Daffodils – 3, Laurels – 6, and Tulips – 8 • Giant Oaks Garden Club - Daffodils 2, Laurels – 4, and Tulips – 2 • Great Meadows Garden Club - Laurels – 3 • Green Gardeners Club

OCTOBER 2021

• Martha Washington Garden Club - Daffodils -3, Laurels – 20, Tulips – 3 • Pleasant Hills Garden Club - Daffodils – 3, Tulips – 10 • Town and Country GC - Laurels – 6, Tulips – 1 • Uniontown Garden Club - Daffodils – 1, Laurels – 7, Tulips - 3 • Valley Garden Club - Daffodils – 1, Laurels – 1, Tulips – 2 In addition, these prestigious awards for individuals were presented: • Butterfly Award – Christine Lentz of Great Meadows Garden Club • Perennial Bloom Award – Patty Feden of Pleasant Hills Garden Club • Exceptional Horticulturist Award – Ralph Nicholson of Town and Country Garden Club • Attendance Award of $25 - Town and Country Garden Club with 11 members present out of their 18 members.

District X Director, Kay Bair announced a Perennial Plant Sale scheduled for September 25th, at 8 AM, at Point Lookout of Summit Mountain. Angie Raitano, from Valley Garden Club, said to reserve, April 26, 2022, for a Wildflower Walk at Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Farmington, PA.

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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Take & Make Crafts are Back at Flenniken Library So, what are take-&-make craft kits?

Once a week there will be a kit available to pickup at the library with most of the supplies that you will need and instructions on how to make the art or craft project.

The library provides as much of the supplies for the crafts as possible in the kits, but sometimes you may need to provide some small things of your own, such as scissors, a glue stick, or a marker, etc.

Written instructions for the craft will be included with each kit and on top of that there will be a video posted on the library’s Facebook page for you to watch and follow along with as well!

The craft kits are made with kids in mind, but all ages are welcome to do the crafts!

October crafts include: cat collage,

October 1 at the Greene County Fairgrounds from 9am to 2pm. Code: C5300102 October 11 at the EQT REC Center from 9am to 2pm. Code: HS010243 November 9 at the Stover Campus Center from 10am to 3pm. Code: CU21 craft stick monsters, paper plate candy corn December 5 at the Greene County Fairgrounds from 11am to 5pm. Code: garland, and Halloween yarn ghosts. NoC5300102 vember crafts include: woodland animals To schedule your lifesaving appointment, visit DonateBlood.CentralBloodBank.org painting, cubism autumn tree, and paper plate pumpkin pie. December crafts in- and then: Choose Donor Login if you have donated with Vitalant or Central Blood Bank previclude: paper roll gingerbread man, Christmas sweater collage, and paper weave ously or choose New Donor if you have not.

At the “Schedule Your Appointment Today” screen, scroll down on the far right scroll Christmas tree. bar and enter group code to schedule your donation. You can also call 412-209-700 to schedule your appointment.

Rabies Clinic to be Held

abusive situation at home, Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA can help.

We offer safe housing, counseling, legal advocacy, and other programs for anyone who does not feel safe at home.

FREE COUNSELING PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO HELP SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTHWESTERN PA: Everyone deserves a safe and healthy relationship that is free from violence. If you are in an unhealthy relationship, and you want to talk to someone about it, Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA can help. We offer counseling and virtual support groups that you can participate in from the privacy of your own home.

All services are free and completely confidential. FMI, visit peacefromdv.org, or call our 24-hour hotline at 800-791-4000.

Caregivers Support Group The Caregivers Support Group meets in the library of First Baptist Church (303 W. High Street, Waynesburg) on the second Tuesday of each month at 7pm. Anyone who is caring for a family member or friend at home or is responsible for a resident of a nursing or personal care home is invited to participate. If you are in interested in any facet of care giving, the group is available to help in anyway they are able.

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A rabies clinic will be held on October 3 from 11am to 3pm at Catnip Acres, located at 175 Wade Street in Waynesburg. The event is open to everyone and no appointment is needed. Please bring cats in carriers and dogs on leashes.

Vaccinations available include: Rabies (dog/cat) $5, Microchip (dog/cat) $20, Distemper (dogs) $10, Distemper/Lepto (dogs) $10, Lyme (dogs) $20, Bordetella (dogs) $10, Lyme/ heartworm test (dogs) $10, Distemper/Leukemia (cats) $10, Leukemia/Aids Test (cats) $20.

Domestic Violence Prevention & Services Available DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FREE TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS: Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA offers virtual and inperson school programs that teach problem solving, conflict resolution, and healthy relationship skills. Learning these skills helps prevent domestic violence in our communities. Our programs are designed for every age starting in Kindergarten through high school. To schedule a free program for your school, call us at 724-223-5477.

FREE AND CONFIDENTIAL SERVICES AVAILABLE TO HELP SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTHWESTERN PA: Domestic violence was an epidemic before COVID-19, but the added isolation and stress has made the problem even worse. If you are facing an

Local Blood Drive Opportunities

The Helping House

The Carmichaels Area School District has new opportunities for school age (K-12) students. Through grant funding and the generosity of the community, the school was able to obtain a house located at 29 Wood Street in Nemacolin. This house is called The Helping House and will be available for students to visit for socializa-

tion, homework help, and a free, hot dinner.

Staff will help with homework, projects, and STEAM activities. Video games, computers, and board games will also be on site for socialization. Open House will be on October 4 from 4:30-6:30pm. Applications to sign up will be available and the house will be open starting October 5.

Greene River Trail Run Returns

The Greene River Trail Run will be held on October 9. The race was previously called the Dock to Lock Run. It will be a 5K out-and-back starting at the Rices Landing Lock Wall. Registration is from 7:30 – 8:30 am and the race begins at 9:00.

The pre-registration fee is $18 if paid before September 23. The fee is $20 on race day.

Runners must be pre-registered to receive a t-shirt. The event sponsors include: Community Bank, Waynesburg University, First Federal Savings and Loan, Baily Insurance, Waynesburg Milling, and the Rices Landing Fire Department and Borough.

FMI contact the Recreation Office at 724-852-5323.

WINNERS

Dawn Speelman. Answers: 1. Hot Mops Cleaning 2. Compassionate Certification Centers 3. Kathryn’s Victorian Venue 4. Haunted Hills Estates Scream Park 5. White Covered Bridge Festival 6. Wayne Lumber Supply 7. Braden Run Animal Hospital 8. Greene County Fairgrounds 9. Liberty Tree Service 10. Rivers of Steel

Mountaineer Comic-Con: Mike Kelley (answer: p. 44) $25 Gift Certificates: Eugene Bright, Steve Corcoran, Barry Balchak, John Beattie GreeneScene Contest: Rose Cwierz Business Spotlight Trivia Museum Tix:

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

Neonatal team member at EVERY delivery. whs.org

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

WHS Care Center for Family Birth and Women’s Health

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OCTOBER 2021

MONDAY Christmas Tree Extravaganza, Senior Monday

Friends Sharing Grief 12

Harvest Festival, 11 Kickerz Fest

Flashlight Drags 25

Friends Sharing Grief 26

Friends Sharing Grief 19

Salvation Army Fall Flea Market, 5 Friends Sharing Grief

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Flea Market, 1 Christmas Tree Extravaganza, Flenniken Book Club, Essentials Education

TUESDAY

Flea Market 27

Flea Market, 20 Bigfoot Talk

Flea Market, 13 Reading Competition Meeting

Salvation Army Fall Flea Market, 6 Flea Market

Friends & Authors Evening 28

Farmers Market 21

Farmers Market 14

Salvation Army Fall Flea Market, 7 Farmers Market

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Ghost Stories w/Alan Irvine 29

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Bowlby Book Club 15

Salvation Army Fall Flea Market, 8 CFGC 20th Anniversary Dinner

Tales of Fright, 30 Roller Skating

Cosmic Bingo, 23 Roller Skating

Bluegrass Bands Together 16 Against Domestic Violence, Roller Skating, Family Fall Fest

Salvation Army Fall Flea Market, 9 Roller Skating, Kickerz Fest

Flea Market, Roller Skating, Mystery at the Museum

Flea Market, Cricut Class, Snapshots & Superstitions w/ Kevin Paul, Roller Skating

Flea Market, Puzzle Contest Roller Skating

Flea Market, Harvest Festival, Roller Skating, Kickerz Fest

Flea Market, APRIL FOOLS DAY 1 Archery Eve, 2 Fall Fest, Festival, featured in our West Pennsylvania Balloon Roller Skating West Pennsylvania Balloon Festival, Roller Skating calendar &

THURSDAY

WIN $50!

NEW YEAR’S DAY 1 Christmas Tree Extravaganza, Bowlby Holiday Open House Be

WEDNESDAY

Want more events? Visit greenescenemagazine.com’s online event calendar!

West Pennsylvania Balloon 4 Festival

Grace Bradmon of Rices Landing scenic fall day.

Christmas Open House

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Bowlby Book Club

Reading Competition Meeting 4pm @Bowlby Library. Bowlby Team welcomes elementary, middle & high school students to join the team. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

Harvest Festival 10am-5pm 10/09-10 @GCHS Museum. Reenactments, vendors, food, tours, and more. FMI, visit greenecountyhistory.org.

Kickerz Fest 10/08-10 @Kickerz Bar & Grill. Bands each day, VIP parking available.

Featuring Saving Abel. 21+. Tix available on outhousetickets.com.

Community Foundation of Greene County 20th Anniversary Celebration 5:30pm @Valley View Farm Venue. Reception at 5:30pm with light music and wine tasting and a program at 7pm. Individual tickets are $30 each. FMI: Call 724-627-2010 or email cfgcpa@gmail.com.

Farmers Market 10am–2pm @Downtown Waynesburg, every Wednesday until October.

Friends Sharing Grief 6pm @Bowlby Library. Every Monday. Support group for those that have suffered a loss. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

Salvation Army Fall Flea Market 9am-2pm@ Salvation Army Service Center, Waynesburg. All proceeds support Project Bundle Up. FMI 724-852-1479.

Fall Fest 3-9pm @McClellandtown VFC. Music, food, drinks, and car cruise.

Flea Market 7am–2pm @ Greene Co. Fairgrounds. Every Tuesday & Saturday.

Roller Skating 7-10pm @ Mon View Roller Rink, every Friday & Saturday. Cost: $7. FMI 724-852-5323.

West PA Balloon Festival 5-9p 10/01-03 @Greene County Airport. Vendors, food, and activities, rides, with hot air balloons. Order tix online at balloonglowtour.com.

Archery Eve 9am-9pm @ KJ’s Pro Archery. Music, food, challenges, and savings! FMI, 724-966-9144.

Ghost Stories w/ Alan Irvine 6pm @Flenniken Library. Ghost stories and wine. $20. 21+ only. FMI, 724966-5263.

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Mystery at the Museum 6pm-12am @GCHS Museum. Guests must be 18 years or older and will need a cell phone with internet & QR reader capabilities. Vendors also. Visit greenecountyhistory.org FMI.

Tales of Fright 6-7pm @Bowlby Library. Ghost stories and haunted mansion tour. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

Friends & Authors Evening 6-8pm @Bowlby Library. Celebrate local authors. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

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Flashlight Drags 12pm @Greene County Airport. Open at 12pm, races at 2pm. FMI, flashlightdrags.com.

Snapshots & Superstitions w/Kevin Paul 1pm @Flenniken Library. Presentation about paranormal, followed by book signing. FMI, 724-966-5263.

Cricut Class 10:30am @Bowlby Library. Explaining & demonstrating the Cricut. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

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Bigfoot Talk 6pm @Flenniken Library. Presentation about Bigfoot. FMI, 724-966-5263.

19 Cosmic Bingo 7pm @Bowlby Library. Bingo in the blacklights. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

Puzzle Contest 9:30am-12:30pm @Bowlby Library. Put together a 500 piece puzzle in three hours or less, in a team of two. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

Family Fall Fest 6-8pm @Bowlby Library. Autumn themed crafts & games, and showing Charlie Brown & The Great Pumpkin. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

Bluegrass Bands Together Against Domestic Violence 5pm @Greene County Fairgrounds. Music, food trucks, raffles, and more. Music starts at 6pm. Tix are available on Eventbrite. All proceeds benefit DVSSP.

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5:30pm @Bowlby Library. FMI, call 724-627-9776.

A s the air gets crisper and the leaves change color and fall, autumn festival season gets into full gear in Greene County. One of the staples of fall activities is the annual Harvest Festival at the Greene County Historical Society Museum. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the much-loved weekend full of of history, music, food, re-enactments and more. It’s the perfect October weekend activity for the whole family!

The 2021 Harvest Festival will be held on October 9 and 10 this year from 10am to 5pm. The event features artisan vendors recreating homespun crafts such as woodworking, art, photography, crafts, jewelry, soap, candles and more. Live demonstrations will be held throughout the day and the all-day live performances are sure to entertain. A variety of food will be available.

“We are extremely excited to announce our 50th Annual Harvest Festival. Even though we are continuing to navigate through the COVID-19 pan-

demic, we are still working to bring a revival to the Historical Society’s staple event,” says Matt Cumberledge, GCHS Executive Director. “The event will be filled with reenactments, demonstrations, vendors and, as always, there will be many new improvements and renovations to the museum itself. We look forward to seeing you there!”

Reenactments will be held during the weekend and there will be camps set up across the grounds, with demonstrations that reflect the daily and military life of those during the Colonial and Civil War eras. Visit the Civil War encampment and get a glimpse of military life in the 19th century – don’t miss the skirmishes! Or visit the Native American encampment and learn about Native American life. The 52-room museum will also be open for tours. Cost this year is by donation. FMI, visit greenecountyhistory.org or call 724-627-3204.

Sponsored by

LABOR DAY PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT

Intentional Walks

By Bret Moore

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A Sports Hodge-Podge

ventually, all columnists occasionally find themselves without a topic when facing a deadline. In such cases, my father always relied on the old hodge-podge of interesting things that never seemed to fit a traditional column. This month I will be implementing one more life lesson from him.

For the sixth consecutive year, the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys were the most valuable franchise in professional sports. When Forbes released its 2021 list of the most valuable sports teams, they were at the top with a value of $5.7 billion. The rest of the top ten included: the New York Yankees: $5.25 billion, the New York Knicks: $5 billion, Barcelona: $4.76 billion, Real Madrid: $4.75 billion, the Golden State Warriors: $4.7 billion, Los Angeles Lakers: $4.6 billion, the New England Patriots: $4.4 billion, the New York Giants: $4.3 billion, and Bayern Munich: $4.21 billion.

The team’s value is determined by factors such as overall revenue and the stadium/arena/ field deal. The list recognizes the Steelers as one of the most successful franchises in the world, and not just because of their six Lombardi Trophies. They are ranked number 32 despite playing in one of the smallest markets for professional teams. The Black and Gold is valued at $3 billion. The Pirates are somehow valued at $1.2 billion and the Penguins are worth $650 million.

To put the $3 billion Steeler value in historical context, Art Rooney paid just $2,500 for the NFL franchise fee when he founded the Pittsburgh Pirate Football Team in 1933. There is some dispute about the legend he won the licensing fee after hitting a long-shot parlay at the horse track. However, he definitely used his gambling winnings to fund operations after he signed college star and future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron “Wizard” White for the exorbitant sum of $15,000 in 1938. Rooney had won over $330,000 at the track during a hot streak in 1937.

In a completely unrelated topic, I love the

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color and pageantry of college football. What true college fan doesn’t look forward to the Disneyesque color clash of uniforms when the cardinal and gold of USC takes on the sky blue and California poppy gold of UCLA. However, I assume most local Penn State fans are happy the Nittany Lions switched to their traditional navy and white colors from their original pink and black uniforms. Although the school does embrace its roots with occasional pink and black throwback uniforms, it just wouldn’t be as intimidating to opponents having a pinkout. Apparently, the school changed the colors in 1890 when the baseball team started getting teased and heckled on the road for their sartorial choice. In addition, the pink faded quickly under the washing techniques of the day, leaving a boring black and white jersey.

Locally, Waynesburg College baseball teams wore Klondike Gold and purple in the first years of the school’s athletic program. However, by the turn of the 20th century the teams had switched to the current orange and black.

According to a speech given by Prexie Stewart in the 1920s, the colors had been chosen because so many of the young men in the school’s earliest days went on to Princeton for their seminary work after graduation. The Princeton Tigers were obviously represented by orange and black colors. However, I’m unsure of how and why the seemingly incongruous Yellow Jacket nickname was chosen after the colors were already official.

Thank goodness the University has returned to its traditional orange hue. The ill-conceived experiment with the hideous Tennessee Orange in the 1990s is behind us. The foray into the Texas Burnt Orange of the early 2000s was less egregious, but it still wasn’t Waynesburg Orange. I hope the good old orange is here to stay, so as not to peel away our traditions. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

The local pickleball association held Thompson and Jeanie Ainsworth, John a tournament over Labor Day weekend West and Elaine Johnson, Tim to raise money for lights at Veterans Neil and Carol Howser Memorial Park. The event drew players Mixed Doubles Level 3.5: Doc from throughout the tri-state area and Mendelson and Carrie Bond, Al Gill and raised $3,000 for the project. Winners Delia Part, Mark and Gaylene Eckleberry included: Mixed Doubles Level 4: Ron HeadDAY ONE (gold, silver, bronze) lee and Lynn Bazzoli, Vinnie DeMarco Men’s Level 3 - Under 50: Hunter and Debbie Burlas, Kevin Dunkle and and Chase Werthman, Buddy and Mike Gina DeCola-Bottone Rose, Mark Throckmorton and Scott Cree Men’s Level 3 - 50 & Over: Joe Lefkay and Joe Mercinek, Ben Hill and Pat Kyne, Kevin Bortnyik and Ken Guity Men’s Level 3.5: Dave Werthman and Rob Klan, Herb Watson and Gerry Gasperini, Bill Davis and Dave Powell Women’s Level 3: Karen Headlee and Payden Eckleberry, ChrisWinners of the Level 3 Labor Day Pickleball Tournament were tina Wunderlich and Lori Hunter and Chase Werthman. They are flanked by silver medalLawrence, Carol Howser ists Buddy and Mike Rose and bronze medalists Mark Throckand Donna Clarke morton and Scott Cree.

Level 3.5: Lynn Bazolli and Hai Ming Kim, Angie Oliverio and Debbie Burlas, Kelly White and Gina DeColaBottone DAY TWO (gold, silver, bronze) Mixed Doubles Level 3 - Under 50: Cody Wells and Payden Eckleberry, Chase Werthman and Haley Summerfield, Melinda Ford and Mark Throckmorton Iron Senergy donated to the Labor Day Pickleball Tournament: Mixed Doubles Pictured are Jeremy Rafferty (Iron Senergy), Ron Headlee and Level 3 - 50 & Over: Herb Mike White)

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

Dressing for The Gun “Every girl’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man.” - ZZ Top

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las, I will never be accused of being that guy. My daughter tells me that I only have three looks, “dressy”, “coachy” and “tactical.” My wife is less flattering and says I mostly resemble an offduty mall guard. I like BDU (battle dress uniform) shorts and in cold weather switch to the long pants version. They come in seventeen shades of khaki, my signature color.

I also liven things up with the occasional splash of black. I tell myself that black is slimming… I know, I know. Deep down, I’m not buying it either but black does hide guns well. And that, my friends, is what dressing for the gun is all about.

Dressing for the gun is about lessening the profile of a concealed carry weapon. It is a combination of holster choice, layering, color and style. Sounds technical? Not really. There are several outfits that scream, “I am carrying a concealed weapon!” BDU’s, photography/safari vests suggest just that, as do NRA emblazoned gear, United States Constitution gear, back the blue gear, and shirts with sayings like, “I will give up my gun when they pry it from my cold, dead hands!” Nothing against any of those fashion statements. I own several but they make it easier to spot the winner in a game of guess who’s carrying a concealed weapon during a bank robbery attempt.

Concealing a weapon starts with a good holster choice. I will cover that topic in the months to come, but a good holster does a couple of things. First off, it provides a secure platform that retains your weapon. It is stable and retains the weapon, even when you wind up rolling around on the ground in a scuffle or upside down in an automobile accident. Secondly, it keeps your weapon near in proximity to your body, so it doesn’t protrude (see print) against the cover garment. A good holster is comfortable. How you dress is the rest of the equation in concealing a firearm.

The location on body in which you carry your CCW (concealed carry weapon) has a lot to do with how well you can conceal said weapon. The three o’clock/right hip position for a right-handed shooter is probably best combination for comfort and access to one’s handgun. However, it is one of the more difficult locations to conceal. Put a

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

fleece or Carhartt vest over it and voila, instant concealment! Buy that same vest in a tall version and you get another inch or two of fabric to conceal the piece. Untucked/unbuttoned shirts are a great way to cover and conceal your weapon. Plaids, prints, etc. will help break up the outline of your weapon while carrying. A good belt is nearly as important as a good holster.

Move the gun to the appendix position and a simple t-shirt will act as a cover garment, nicely. If you are wearing mesh athletic shorts and a t-shirt in the summer, an elastic belly band holster works great for concealment. A full-size pistol with a spare magazine can be carried in a belly band without a great deal of difficulty. The smaller the gun, the easier to conceal.

Leg holsters are less noticeable than many other holster forms but are tougher from which to draw. Leg holsters are not comfortable to run in, however. Pocket holsters are hard to detect but again, made for smaller sized weapons. The pockets of my beloved BDU’s will accommodate a midsized pistol or revolver nicely and at the same time, keep the gun handy. Small automatics fit in both front and rear pockets of jeans and mimic the wallet on the right or left cheek of the buttocks.

Dressing for the gun may include having to go to the old standby, “the fanny pack.” Yes, I said it. It’s out there. Fanny Pack. Not wearing elastic waist jeans yet?

You may not want to judge too harshly or too quickly. There are some fanny packs worth looking at.

While I have mentioned previously that I don’t care for a satchel (man purse) I have taken to carrying one when all other options are exhausted. My cardinal rule for the man purse is that it never comes off my body. It is never unattended when worn.

Sports coats, a sweater tied around the waist, or a baggy sweatshirt with (tactical) spandex tights are other ways to conceal.

Your imagination is the only limit. Good luck and good concealment.

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BOY OF THE MONTH

T

Last year as a freshman. A.J. Vanata lettered in football, basketball and baseball. This year, he is starting at linebacker and fullback for the Maples’ football team. He was named All-County in both football and baseball, where he led the team in homeruns.

Off the field, A.J maintains a 3.8 GPA and enjoys lifting weights, fishing and hunting.

MAPLE MEMORIES

he Maples started a short-lived golf team in 1991. The school started another team in 2001 under coach Buzzy Corazzi. That year, Jenna Petrick was the first girl to hit the links

for the Maples. By 2004, they won 10 matches, finished second in the section, and qualified for the team playoffs. They were led by WPIAL qualifiers Joel Kovach and Zach Cumberledge.

Mekenzie Reda is the daughter of Brian and Tina Reda of Carmichaels. She is a four-year volleyball and softball letter-winner and a 2-year letter-winner in basketball. She was named All-County in softball her freshman season, and she has been active with travel teams the past three years. She is serving as secretary of the Senior Class of 2022. Other scholastic clubs including National Honor Society, Future Teachers of America, Envirothon, Student Council, and SAAD. Mekenzie plans on furthering her education at a university majoring in Dental Hygiene.

GIRL OF THE MONTH

I

RETRO ROCKET

n 1960, Jefferson-Morgan and Waynesburg ended their football series that had begun in 1934. Jefferson wanted the game to be the first of the season, but Waynesburg insisted it be played as the last game. Waynesburg would

not have been able to play until the second weekend in November because their conference schedule was longer. They felt such a late date would interfere with wrestling and basketball practices. The series would not resume for 15 years.

Elijah Smith of Carmichaels pressures Waynesburg quarterback Jacob Stephenson during the Mike’s 54-33 victory.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Penich.

CARMICHAELS CHRONICLES

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BOY OF THE MONTH

Elijah Smith is the son of Sarah Penich and Jason Smith of Carmichaels. He is a two-way lineman for the Mike’s football team this year. Eli enjoys fishing and spending time with family and friends.

He is currently taking EMT classes and plans on joining the military after graduation.

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he Mikes had an incredible group of young men play big-time college football in the 1960s. The list included Larry Hribal, who played at Notre Dame. Bob Orlosky and Fred Stuvek both played at Navy, where Stuvek was the MVP of the Army/Navy game).

Joe Lencewicz and James Stewart played at Rutgers and Princeton, respectively., Frank Cerqueuira (CoCaptain) and Joe Burvan (4.8 yards per carry) starred at Ball State. Bill Groves and Joe Taffoni both played at WVU, before Taffoni transferred to Tennessee -Martin. He was named to the All-Mountaineer Team of the

1960s and was named Second Team All-American at Tennessee-Martin before going on to a successful NFL career.

Finally, Terry Jackson was also pursued by several Division I schools; however, he ended up at Yale. He started at guard during the famous 29-29 tie with Harvard in 1968. The Crimson made a miraculous lastminute comeback, scoring 16 points in the final 42 seconds to tie the game.

The significance of the moral victory inspired the Harvard Crimson newspaper to print the famous headline, “Harvard Beats Yale, 29–29.” That headline was later used as the title for a 2008 documentary about the game.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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BOY OF THE MONTH

A

Breydon Woods is the son of Brandi and Derek Woods. He is a sophomore member of the Raiders’ football and track and field teams. In the classroom, he maintains a 4.0 grade point average.

In his free time, he enjoys watching football and hanging out with friends.

RAIDER RECALL

lthough t h e y were the second smallest school in the WPIAL, the Mount Morris High School Blackhawks finished 2-6-2 in 1961.

Interestingly, one of the victories was against a powerful Pt. Marion team by a score of 13-12. Their other win

ended Valley High School’s 18-game win streak. After that season, Bob Kennedy and Wayne Kiger received Honorable Mention on the Class B All-WPIAL Team. Mt. Morris merged with Waynesburg for the 1962-63 school year, resulting in Waynesburg moving to Class A.

Lucy Pulkownik is the daughter of Bill and Michelle Pulkownik of Waynesburg. She is two-year starter on the soccer team. The sophomore is also a member of the softball team. She maintains a 3.8 GPA and serves as treasurer of her class. Her activities include student council, elementary school tutoring, and Spanish Club. Lucy enjoys traveling and adventure. Her favorite class is World Cultures.

GIRL OF THE MONTH

COUNTY FOOTBALL RACES (reported as of 9/14/21)

PASSING W. Whipkey (WG) J. Stephenson (WC) C. Jones (JM) A.J. Vanatta (M)

Yards 293 232 130 118

TDs 3 3 2 2

RUSHING B. Woods (WC) L. Stevenson (M) C. Brady (WG) A.J. Vanatta (M)

466 398 284 105

RECEIVING N. Orndoff (WG) T. Zupper (WC) C. Fowler (JM) B. Evans (M) L. Stevenson (M) N. Jones (WC) N. Kirby (WC)

205 132 88 55 46 41 39

TOUCHDOWNS L. Stevenson (M) 6 B. Woods (WC) 5 A.J. Vanatta (M) 2 N. Orndoff (WG) 2 T. Zupper (WC) 2 Tied with one: C. Fowler and B. Barnhart (JM), C. Brady (WG), J. Stephenson and N. Kirby (WC)

BOY OF THE MONTH

A

PIONEER PAST

fter a career at California State College, Marvin Watson played semi-pro football for Pittsburgh Valley Ironmen in the Atlantic Coast Football League in 1964. They played their home games at Duquesne

High School. The following year, he played for the Pennsylvania Mustangs of the North American Football League, who played at Charleroi and Washington High Schools. He had been a key member of the Pioneers’ undefeated teams of the late 1950s.

Nash Bloom is the son of Jake and Connie Bloom of Graysville. He competes in cross country, wrestling, and track. Last year in his sophomore season, he was a sectional place-winner and advanced to the WPIAL tournament. The junior is a member of the marching band, where he is the percussion captain. He is also a member of the West Greene Choir.

Sophia Plock is the daughter of James and Shawn Plock of Rogersville. She was named All-County for the Pioneers’ WPIAL qualifying volleyball team.

Sophia also participates in club volleyball and is a member of the Fiber Arts Club. Her school accomplishments include being a member of the National Honor Society and serving as president of the Science Club.

GIRL OF THE MONTH 26

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

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• GreeneScene Community Magazine

27

Local Rescue Organizations Make a Real Difference

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hough October is the official Adopt a Shelter Dog month sponsored by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), every month presents an opportunity to open your home to a shelter animal.

Each year, “[a]pproximately 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year,” the ASPCA shares. And although those numbers are on the decline from the 7.2 million animals estimated to be entering in shelters a decade ago, the number is still high. Almost a million of those animals will be euthanized before finding a loving home. Happily, about 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted annually.

In Greene County and surrounding areas, a small number of shelters and rescues are working with rescued animals. These groups – the Greene County Humane Society, Catnip Acres, Teddy Bear Care, and Two Ladies Four Paws – are dedicated to finding homes and companionship for shelter pets, reducing the number of feral animals, and saving neglected and mistreated animals.

Other animal rescue efforts in the area include Save A Horse, which is dedicated to providing horses a safe place to spend the remainder of their lives.

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Most of the rescues and organizations are facing a shared crisis – lack of volunteers.

Rescues rely on volunteers to assist with fundraising, animal, care, fostering and more.

“On top of the rescue and clinic, our humane officers’ calls have increased 80% in the last few months, as we are doing 90% of the humane calls in Greene,” Tanya, a volunteer with Catnip Acres says. “We have taken in dogs, rabbits, turtles, guinea pigs, and much more, on top of cats. We desperately need fosters to house these animals that are outside of our scope of rescue.”

And the number of kittens to be cared for outnumbers the total homes they have for fostering: “We need more fosters to be able to continue taking in kittens. We cannot do it all alone,” says Tanya.

Because the work is often hard and dirty, new volunteers are hard to come by. ”A lot of people see those sad posts or commercials and change the channel or keep scrolling,” says Kate Sears from Two Ladies Four Paws.

“Even if you can’t adopt or foster, you can volunteer, donate and educate.”

The hardest part of attracting new volunteers is reaching the younger generations.

These younger generations are integral to the longevity of nonprofits like Catnip Acres.

As older volunteers become unable to assist, younger volunteers can step up and continue the nonprofit’s work. Volunteering with local rescues can take many forms: fundraising, accounting, animal care, socializing and more.

Another mutual problem is funding.

Thanks to COVID-19, most rescues have been unable to have the fundraising events they rely on to stay open. Most rescues run on donations, although grants are sometimes available to help with operating costs. Donations from the public are always welcome and no donation is too small. Without the money raised through donations, the rescues will have to shut their doors. Many of the rescues are forced to use a large portion of their founder’s personal funds to maintain operations. “As a nonprofit, we have to fight for donors’ attention,” says Kate.

Added fundraising issues tie back to the first problem - volunteers. Because rescues operate with a limited number of volunteers, those volunteers have their hands full with humane calls and basic operations. They are left with no time to work on fundraising or hold events. Volunteers willing to assist with fundraising are just as important to those that provide animal care.

An additional problem that Catnip frequently sees is ignorance. Overpopulation is a serious problem affecting many Greene County towns. Catnip continues to educate the community on the benefits of spaying and neutering their pets, and it often seems that no one listens. This year has been especially hard for them with an influx of kittens. “This past year, not one of the free clinics were at capacity or even close. The community did not take advantage of this at all,” Tanya says. “[People] are angry at rescues for not being

By Danielle Nyland

able to take in anymore because they didn’t do their part to curb this issue.”

Before starting Catnip Acres, Carol Pultorak worked as a volunteer for the Humane Society and quickly became aware of the number of cats euthanized due to lack of space and increasing numbers. She became determined to minimize the number of cats euthanized and “find a way to spay and neuter every cat in Greene County.” The nonprofit was officially created in April 2007 and began to provide a high volume of high-quality, low-cost sterilizations. Through sterilization and vaccination, Catnip Acres decreases population, thereby decreasing animal abuse, neglect, disease, and overcrowding shelters.

The public is an integral part in reducing overpopulation. The rescues do not have the manpower to be everywhere, completing all the aspects to help prevent overpopulation.

Community members can trap and bring in feral animals to be spayed or neutered or can adopt nearby strays and provide them a safe home indoors. Community involvement also helps minimize costs for the rescues: “It is crucial that we have the financial support of this county to continue doing the essential work that seems endless. Catnip Acres provides a great service to this community, and we all love what we do. We have the ability to enhance the health and well-being of Greene County’s animals, but only with the help of this county.” “[D]oing rescue work is so rewarding. It is hard, rescue takes a toll on you physically, but more so emotionally. However, the good outweighs the bad in every way. To save a life that has no voice in this world is a gratifying job,” says Tanya.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

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• GreeneScene Community Magazine

29

Get in the Halloween Spirit!

With These Spooky Southwestern PA Locations

GCHS Museum

A

s writer Kevin Paul has brought to readers’ attention, Greene County has a rich paranormal history that ranges from sasquatch sightings, to spirits, flying creatures, and alien encounters. We’ve compiled a list of locations in Greene and surrounding areas for a little bit of paranormal exploration.

Greene County Historical Society Museum, Waynesburg – Recently highlighted in an episode of the Travel Channel’s Destination Fear, the museum was once the county’s almshouse. Before becoming an almshouse, the property was owned by a local family. The county poor and mentally ill were homed in the building and its additions, and for many years were under the care of William Cage. He was known for his cruelty and inhumane treatment of the people for whom he was supposed to care. It is believed that more than a thousand people have died on the property.

Various paranormal phenomena has been reported by visitors, paranormal investigators, and employees of the museum. Footsteps, items moving, sounds, and eerie feelings have been reported If you want to experience the museum for yourself, visit their upcoming Harvest Festival. FMI, greenecountyhistory.org.

Horseshoe Bend, Rices Landing –Along the mighty Monongahela, sits the town of Rices Landing and Pumpkin Run Park. Besides being known for its history and scenery, the area is also notorious for its resident ghost. The legend of Stovepipe has taken many forms over the years, but the basic premise remains the same; a young man loses his head to a grisly accident, leaving his ghostly form to haunt the woods of Rices Landing. There are multiple origin stories for the specter: a boy killed while crossing the railroad tracks at night, a man murdered by a jealous husband, a union activist executed by mine owners, a boy having a bicycle accident, a teenager wrecking his car while driving around Horseshoe Bend.

Whatever the story, the ghost is said to be without a head, often with a piece of stovepipe in place of the missing head, and sometimes carrying a light.

Whatever the origin story, there’s only one way to test out the legend. Gather your courage, take a trip out to Horseshoe Bend on one of those very dark and rainy nights and call for him by yelling, “Stovepipe, Stovepipe, Stovepipe! I’ve found your head!” You just might be surprised by what shows up – better keep your head!

Crow Rock, Richhill Township – Because of it’s tragic backstory, Crow Rock is thought be part of Greene County’s haunted history. On May 1, 1791, four of the Crow sisters were walking along the banks of the nearby creek, when they were brutally attacked by a group of Indians and a renegade white man referred to as Spicer. One sister survived the attack and

30

Nemacolin Castle

went home for help. Of the other sisters attacked, two died in the attack, and one died three days later. The original location of the large rock said to have hidden the attackers is now under water. The rock with the sister’s names and year engraved was moved to a new location. A memorial plaque sits nearby.

Paranormal activity in the area includes spectral figures of Native Americans, the apparition of a little girl, disembodied screams, and lights or glowing orbs in the trees. Those visiting the site have encountered phantom scratches, hair pulling, and other strange sights and sounds.

Hartley Inn, Carmichaels – The building that would become the Hartley Inn was built in 1847 on the southeast corner of Carmichaels town square. The property was purchased by Noah Minor Hartley in 1901; he then moved his family into town and began running the hotel. After Noah’s death, the Hartley Inn was sold and it passed through multiple hands; during these years, the Inn received extensive remodeling that converted the lower floor into a restaurant, bar, and kitchen. In 1938, the Hartley Inn returned to the Hartley family when Matilda Hartley Clevenger bought the property.

The property exchanged hands a few more times, and, in 1999, Karen Romah and her husband Phillip became full owners.

An unknown man has appeared to multiple employees in different areas of the Inn, disembodied voices that are impersonations of Hartley Inn employees, strange puffs of air, and moving objects.

A long part of Carmichaels’ history, the Hartley Inn continues to offer delicious food at reasonable prices to the community. Head over to the always popular Sunday brunch buffet – you never know who may show up to visit! FMI, visit www.facebook.com/hartleyinn.

Nemacolin Castle, Brownsville – Nemacolin Castle is located alongside the Monongahela River in Brownsville. The castle, once known as Bowman’s Castle was built around a trading post near the site of Fort Burd. The trading post was built in the mid-to-later 1780s; in the 1790s, Jacob Bowman began the construction of the castle. Jacob and his wife were the first of three generations of Bowmans to live in the castle.

Each generation living there continued to build and make renovations to the castle. Years after the last Bowman descendent died, the castle was purchased by the castle and began operating it as a museum.

The castle is said to be the home to almost a dozen ghosts, both benevolent and malevolent. These ghosts include women, children, an old man, a dog, and something in the basement. Reported activities include apparitions, disembodied footsteps, strange lights, and more. The castle was featured on the Biography Channel’s My Ghost Story in a 2011 episode called “The Phantasmagorical Castle”. The castle offers

Paci’s Lounge & Dining Room

guided tours, ghost tours and ghost hunts. FMI, visit www. nemacolincastle.net.

Paci’s Lounge & Dining Room, Brownsville – In the 1820s, Paci’s Lounge & Dining Room was a stagecoach stop.

The current restaurant sits in what was once the stables and the nearby private home was once an inn. In 1937, Jack Kupp bought the stable and created a dining place called Cuppie’s.

Tony Paci purchased the dining spot in 1962. The restaurant has continued to remain in the family and is now in its thirdgeneration of family ownership.

Paci’s Lounge was featured on the Biography Channel’s My Ghost Story in a 2010 episode called “Spirits of a Stage Coach Stop”. Paranormal phenomena experienced by employees and visitors includes a shadow man, uneasy feelings, orbs, and moving objects. The former inn nearby has also had various paranormal activity.

While they don’t offer ghost-specific activities, they do offer a delicious menu with some ghostly specials, including wings, soup, and pastas, made from their unique ghost sauce.

FMI, visit www.pacisdiningroom.com.

Friendship Hill, Point Marion — The historic home of Albert Gallatin, built in 1789 and called Friendship Hill, is situated just outside of Point Marion. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of Albert’s wife, Sophie. Less than a year after the couple had moved to their new home in western Pennsylvania, Sophie died; there is no official cause of death, but the stories often said that she died from loneliness or a broken heart due to Albert’s absences. Sophie was buried on the property.

Rumor has it that a later homeowner may have relocated her grave, but there is no official record of this. However, the story says that the grave was moved, and during that process some of Sophie’s bones were lost. Sophie’s presence manifests in her former home as disembodied footsteps, pillars of cold air, and a family dog that barked at nothing the eye could see. FMI on Friendship Hill, visit www.nps.gov/frhi/index.htm.

The Gates of Hell, Uniontown – At the start of an old, overgrown driveway branching off Tent Church Road, sits a metal gate painted blue. Behind it, the remnants of an even older wrought -iron gate guard the driveway. This innocuous blue farm gate is said to be the “Gates of Hell.” Long ago, a farmhouse sat at the end of the long driveway. Legend says, a man killed his wife in the house, lit the house on fire, and then killed himself. Before the gates were put into place, strange activity occurred at the remains of the house and barn. Once the gates were installed, activity began to be reported from those that spent time near them. Phenomena includes voices crying or talking, growling sounds, echoing laughter, strange lights, a shadow figure, faces in the fog, and a mysterious black dog.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

31

Searching for Bigfoot O n a rainy September evening, I met up with a group of local Bigfoot researchers at a nearby gas station.

The group of gentlemen have a passion for investigating Bigfoot and other supernatural activity. They spend numerous days each month either out in the woods researching and gathering evidence, investigating sightings, presenting information to local organizations, or holding meetings. Their members come from a variety of backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common – a curiosity in the paranormal.

Fred Saluga, the Fayette County Pennsylvania Bigfoot Research Project director, has been involved with the paranormal for about 50 years, with an interest going back to when he was a police officer. While investigating a burglary, he experienced some strange activity and noises. From that incident, Fred’s interest grew, and he became actively involved in Bigfoot investigation. He now teaches multiple courses at Westmoreland Community College about cryptozoology, UFOs, and conspiracy theories. In addition to his role as the project’s director, Fred currently serves as the West Virginia MUFON director and the PA MUFON assistant director.

Stephen Cox took one of Fred’s conspiracy theory courses at a local college, and then his other classes: “That was about four years ago, and I’ve been going everywhere he goes since.” He lives about two hours away from the area but travels here approximately once a month to attend the meetings or other events.

Bob Scholz became interested in the paranormal about 15 years ago. He had completed various investigations on properties in the area. He joined the Bigfoot project about three years ago and has been an active member in the group. He organizes the project’s events throughout the year and is an admin for the project’s Facebook group. “I’m disabled, and I like doing it because it lets me get

32

out and do something.”

Greg Kotyuha has been interested in the paranormal since he was a child. In 1968, he became aware of the book On the Track of the Sasquatch by John Willison Green and, “I was instantly interested.”

An informal gathering of the original group researchers was held for the first time in September 2013 and in 2015 they began to have official meetings and investigations. The group heads out to the field as often as they can, in small groups. They’ve recently headed out about three times in the past three weeks, with further upcoming outings planned.

While none of the members have come face to face with a sasquatch, most members have experienced something otherworldly. Some have encountered strange structures in the woods or heard eerie cries; others have seen trees shaken or had rocks thrown at them.

“Every time the group goes out, we learn something,” Fred says.

The members of the project come from all over the area. Locally, they have about 50 to 60 members, but their social media reach goes further – their online membership numbers more than 1,800 strong, with members from all over the country. From the original group, Fred and Greg are the last two of the four original researchers; others in the group are older and find it more difficult to head out on investigations. The group is trying to reach a new generation of researchers to carry on their work and help with investigations.

Monthly meetings of the group are held on the third Tuesdays at 6pm at various locations in Fayette County. The meetings are open to the public; old and new members, as well as those interested in Bigfoot, are welcome to attend. Membership in the group is free, and there are no dues or added responsibilities. Approximately every other meeting features a guest speaker. “We try to keep it interesting for everyone,” Fred says. “We’re

By Danielle Nyland

The group prepares for a presentation at the Fredericktown Public Library.

open to anyone that wants to attend and you don’t have to be a member to be there.”

And you don’t have to be solely interested in Bigfoot. Other paranormal topics are covered at meetings and presentations: “Cryptids, ghosts, aliens, it’s the same tree different branch,” Fred says. “They are often seen together.”

Throughout the year, the group gives presentations to local libraries. Additionally, the group also holds approximately three paranormal events open to the public. The first each year is their Bigfoot Symposium at the Morrell Volunteer Fire Department in Dunbar. In late summer, they hold an additional Bigfoot event – Bigfoot Day – in the Patsy Hillman Park in Brownsville. During the fall, they return to the Morrell VFD for an UFO Expo. Next year they hope to add two additional conferences, one in Ohio Pyle and another in Bullskin Township. All events include free admission to the public and feature speakers involved in the paranormal, cryptozoology, and UFOs. All proceeds from the event from vendors are donated to the location they are held.

This year’s UFO Expo will be held on Sunday, November 7 from 10am to 5pm. Fea-

tured speakers include Fred, James Krug (PA Section Director for MUFON), John Ventre (former PA MUFON Director), Ed Kelemen (paranormal investigator and author), and Brian Seech (founder of Center for Cryptozoological Studies).

Fred and other members will be giving presentations at Flenniken Public Library in both October and November. FMI, visit their Facebook group “Fayette County Pennsylvania Bigfoot Research Project” or call Fred Saluga at 304-564-7176.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

Ghost Stories & Wine Masontown, PA 724-583-2680 724-583-2685 amedisys.com

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

at Flenniken

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re you ready for an evening out, full of delightfully spooky stories, delicious wine and snacks? Then stop at Flenniken Library and reserve a spot at their upcoming October event. Storyteller Alan Irvine is returning to the library on the evening of October 28 from 7-9pm sharing stories that perfectly capture the Halloween mood.

On that fall evening, Alan will share ghost stories for adults, while attendees enjoy wine and light appetizers. The rest of the evening is a great time to mingle with the rest of the attendees and talk.

“Alan has shared his unique style of storytelling with visitors at the Flenniken Library in the past,” says Nicole Mitchell, director of the Flenniken Library. “We’re glad to have him back for another spooky – but not too spooky – night of ghost stories.”

Alan Irvine is a Pittsburgh-area storyteller who has been spinning yarns for more than 35 years. He first began telling stories while working as a camp counselor in Louisiana, sharing stories for the kids at camp in cabins, around bonfires, and during camping trips. He eventually expanded his ghost stories and humourous tales to include folktales and legends of the world, Irish and Celtic folktales and legends, stories of King Arthur, Shakespeare, Greek myths, holiday stories, and nonfiction tales of Pennsylvania history.

Alan performs his tales at festivals, libraries, schools, and on walking tours of Pittsburgh. He has presented his ghost stories for adults at the Flenniken Library previously and is a favorite storyteller.

The event is for ages 21 and over.

Tickets are $20/person. The library will be closed for the private event, so only those with tickets will be able to attend. To purchase tickets, visit the library at 102 E. George Street in Carmichaels or call 724966-5263.

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A

By Danielle Nyland

few years ago, Haunted Hills and Hollows: What Lurks in Greene County, Pennsylvania by authors Rosemary Ellen Guiley and Kevin Paul, declared Greene County the most haunted county in America.

Greene County is so haunted that the book has spawned a sequel, written by Kevin Paul.

Kevin, a Greene County native, grew up hearing local folklore and stories from his grandparents. When Kevin was about ten years old, he read an article about Mothman in the paper that terrified him. The story left a lasting impression and sparked an interest in the paranormal. Kevin has experienced the paranormal in his life in many ways, including shadow people and apports (an apport is the paranormal movement of an item from one place to another).

Kevin’s first book was published in 2018, and continues to do well. It’s selling in approximately 26 countries and receiving mostly positive feedback. “I thought I’d get a lot of negative feedback, but I didn’t,” says Kevin. “[The book’s] got legs. The sales have continued steadily, and it’s never taken a nosedive.”

The sequel, Haunted Hills and Hollows: Still Lurking in Greene County, Pennsylvania, will release this autumn. Kevin originally hoped to have the book out in 2019, but his co-author Rosemary died that year, then COVID-19 hit in early 2020, and the book was put on the backburner. Kevin has worked diligently throughout 2021 writing and preparing the book for print.

The second book will feature new local stories, as well as revisit some stories disclosed by eyewitnesses in the first book. A chapter will delve deeper into the paranormal activity at the Greene County Historical Society, and another

new chapter will share some of Kevin’s personal paranormal experiences, told for the first time with the public. “I’ve always been hesitant to share my personal stories with the paranormal without resorting to pseudonyms. The experience from the first book has made more open about it.”

In addition to his books, Kevin is active at paranormal conventions, and gives talks about the paranormal to organizations and schools. He’s lining up some talks to be held at local libraries and hopes to use his own paranormal conventions to benefit local nonprofits. Kevin started his own convention, SWPA HauntedCon, in 2019. The third HauntedCon will be held in March 2022 and will benefit Flenniken Public Library. He has plans to introduce a second paranormal convention to be held in early summer 2022.

Kevin is also creating a self-guided tour of paranormal locations in Greene County and creating a series of vlogs about accessible paranormal sites in Greene County. As a member of the tourism board, Kevin believes strongly in bringing visitors to the area: “It might be a niche market, but if we can get people to come in to see, why not do so? Visitors coming in for the weekend will help revenue for local businesses and lodging.”

If you would like your own copy of Haunted Hills and Hollows, contact Kevin at hauntedgc@yahoo.com. Paperback and digital copies are also available online at Amazon.

Kevin’s upcoming appearances include WV CASE Paranormal Expo at Cheat Lake on October 9, and the GCHS Harvest Festival in Waynesburg on October 10. A presentation and book signing will be held at the Flenniken Library on October 23.

Kevin Paul has written two books on the paranormal and gives presentations around the tri-state area.

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GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

A Haunting Hobby

T

he supernatural raises many questions and their sirens’ calls often prompt individuals to seek answers. Damon Keys and Fred Tennant of Outsider Paranormal are seekers. Their interest in the paranormal was sparked by individual experiences each had when younger. In 2011, the cousins investigated Hill View Manor in New Castle and, after their experience there, formed their own investigation team.

With a decade of experience behind them, the duo often helps those interested in investigating the paranormal and willingly shares advice.

“The first thing that you should ask yourself is, ‘Why are you doing this?’ What piqued your interest?” Damon says. “Is it spiritual, or did you have an experience? After you have that understanding, you can go deeper with investigation.”

Do your research. Before heading out to a new location, research is imperative. Research the history of the location, using both local resources and digital. Once you’ve completed your research, take time before your investigation to visit the location in the daylight to become aware of any safety issues.

Before heading out to the location, get permission to be there.

“We often go to the genealogical society [in Waynesburg] for research. They have a great group of ladies that are amazingly helpful,” Fred recommends.

Be prepared. “The biggest thing is preparedness. If you are not prepared, danger can come from many places,” Damon says. Have your equipment ready and bring backups.

Basic equipment needed for most investigations includes a flashlight, digital recorder, and camera. Before leaving, make sure that you have everything you will need. Dress appropriately for the weather and location. Keep protection, safety, and survival supplies with you, especially if out in the woods.

Have an open mind. When investigating the paranormal, it’s important to be open to what you encounter. Avoid preconceived notions of what you think will happen – negative or positive – and be involved in the experience. Don’t go in with unrealistic expectations, either. “You need to be open to endless possibilities because you’re investigating the unknown,” Damon says. “Remember that it’s not exactly like what you see on TV.” Your personal experiences outweigh anything you might capture. “Your eyes and ears are your best equipment,” Fred says. “You have that personal experience, and you know it happened. It doesn’t matter what others might say.”

Remember safety, both physical and spiritual. Safety is

724-852-2273 OCTOBER 2021

By Danielle Nyland

one of the biggest things to consider when dealing with the unknown. When investigating, consider the energy you are putting out, and what could happen if it reaches the wrong audience. Unless you are a trained professional, it’s best to avoid activities, such as Ouija board sessions, conjuring, and seances, to summon spirits. “You can get yourself in a lot of trouble if you just go out looking for something,” Damon says. “Be aware of your dangers.”

Don’t investigate while under the influence; this opens yourself up to various dangers and your results can’t be trusted. Use caution while Fred Tennant prepares Outsider Paranormal’s equipment prior to an investigation. investigating, especially in the dark. Always be aware of your surroundings to prevent After each investigation, close out your session. Closing accidents. Avoid going on an investigation alone and make the session helps keep your mind at ease and prevent things sure that at least one person not on your team knows where from following you from the location. you will be. “Maintain good communication with your team Ask others. The best thing anyone interested in paranormembers if you decide to split up while on a investigation,” mal investigation can do is to talk to others that do it. Other Fred suggests. paranormal investigators can be found online, and most are “And if you have a bad feeling, go with it,” Damon adds. willing to assist those interested in exploration. Outsider “Trust your instincts.”

Paranormal is open to working with those interested in inCommit resources. “The more time you put into it, vestigation. the better you’ll be,” the duo agrees. After each investigation, If you have experienced something that is outside of your you’ll need to dedicate time to go over the film, recordings, comfort, reach out to professionals that can assist, whether it and photos taken during the investigation. Initially, the cost is a more experienced investigator, a religious leader, officials, for paranormal investigation can be low, but it can become or mental health help. And remember – paranormal investicostly – especially with additional equipment. If you’re willing gation is not for everybody. to commit the time, many pieces of equipment can be built by “We do it to have fun, but we also do it to help your team to save money. people. That’s our main goal – to help people,” Be respectful. When on an investigation, be courteous Fred says. “It’s a fun hobby. It gives me someand talk to everyone – both the living and spiritual – with re- thing to do.” If you would like to reach out spect. Don’t yell or provoke things that you don’t understand to Outsider Paranormal with questions, visit to encourage more activity. Avoid leaving messes and clean their Facebook @Outsider Paranormal. up after yourself.

SeniorLIFEPA.com

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

35

Fangtastic Fiction& Film

By Danielle Nyland

Michelle is an author and actress working in Greene County.

H

alloween was always my favorite holiday,” shares Michelle Bowser. “When I was younger, Wayne Township had a Halloween party, and it was so much fun.

I looked forward to it every year.”

Michelle is a local author and actress born and raised in Spraggs and has lived in Greene County much of her life, with a brief exception to attend California University. Michelle always enjoyed writing, and her mother, a teacher at Spraggs elementary, encouraged her. Outside influences like her love of Halloween, Elvira, science fiction and fantasy novels, and heavy metal combined with her passion for writing and she has penned multiple Bizarro novellas and short stories.

Michelle’s first book, Don’t Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk, was created from her on-the-job experiences at a small local hotel. “It was quite an experience. And it was the kind of thing where I said, ‘I’m going to write a book about this someday,” Michelle laughs. “I know most people say that, but I actually did! I took notes while I was there, and later I would pull the notebook out of the drawer and look at it, and remember each story, and then get so mad and slam the drawer shut. Finally, one day I took the notebook out of the drawer, and I laughed instead of getting mad, and I knew that I could finally write it.”

The people in Michelle’s writers group encouraged her to publish the book, and she originally self-published and made it available on Kindle through Amazon about a decade ago.

After reading an excerpt from Desk Clerk at an open mic night in Fairmont, Michelle connected with Gary Vincent, the owner of a small publishing company. She sent him a manuscript for her second novel, The Hags of Black County, and has been working with Burning Bulb Publishing ever since.

And then Gary persuaded Michelle to jump into another artistic endeavor – acting. While working with John Russo on My Uncle John is a Zombie, Gary called Michelle and persuaded her to join the project. “I was in a play in second grade

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versatile, going from writing, to acting, to reading for audiobooks and more. “If you do the same thing all the time, it gets r e petitive. You have to break away and do different stuff. If you do different things, when you go back to what you did before, it’s fresh again.”

When asked if she has some advice for new writers, Michelle says, “Don’t listen to writer advice. Just write!” And if you’re not sure about self-publishing or working with a publisher, she encourages you to work with a small publisher and not get lost in the overMichelle in My Uncle John is a Zombie, filmed locally. saturated world of self-publishing.

Michelle is currently writing and is hopin Spraggs Elementary. That was the extent of my acting. I was ing to publish something next year. Michelle’s book catalog a nervous wreck,” Michelle says. includes Don’t Yell at The Damn Desk Clerk, The Hags of Black She worked through the nervousness and a small role County, Nuke Punk, and A Gross Miscellany, available for sale in the movie, in addition to assisting behind the scenes and in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook form on burningbulborganizing local locations to shoot the film. Her cousin Alex publishing.com and Amazon. Her work can also be found in Shields filled a larger role in the movie, and other relatives had two additional short story anthologies: Spooky Tales Volume 1 small roles in that film and subsequent others. Parts of the and David J. Fairhead Presents Fiends of the Flesh. You can also movie were filmed at her aunt and uncle’s property in Spraggs find her on Facebook @authormichellebowser.

– Shields Herb & Flower Farm and Demesne Winery.

“It’s rewarding making people laugh – or scream!” MiFilming in Greene County was enjoyable, Michelle says. chelle says, “If they do that, then I did my job.”

It brought fewer interruptions due to other people and surroundings, and with much of the filming being on private property, less of a need for filming permits.

Michelle got another chance to dive into acting with a starring role when her Desk Clerk book was turned into a film into 2019 with the Help of Gary. Getting to star in the movie based on her experiences was cathartic. “I hated that job so much and I felt like I had wasted two years of my life. This was a good way to get those years back. It was like I was getting all those years back.”

In addition to her roles in My Uncle John is a Zombie and Desk Clerk, Michelle played a major character in the remake of John Russo’s Midnight, filmed around Waynesburg, Spraggs, Blacksville, and Bridgeport, WV. “It was fun to play evil Cynthia. It’s sometimes fun to be the bad guy!”

Michelle is artistically GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

Legal Lessons With Seamon Law Offices

WHEN YOUR LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT DOES NOT CONTROL YOUR ESTATE

R

ecently I met with a family who was grieving their father that they had lost after a long illness. Their father wanted to keep things simple and private, so he chose to write his own last will and testament without the aid of an attorney. His decision resulted in a mess for his family to deal with after his death because although his will was valid and was entered into probate, it did not properly specify some of his decisions.

Sadly, this family now had additional and unexpected emotions of frustration and guilt to deal with in addition to their expected grief. They were frustrated that their father left such a mess for them especially knowing that it could potentially heighten the risk of disagreement among the children. Plus, they felt guilty for being frustrated with their father. Unfortunately, I did not have a satisfactory answer for the family as I attempted to help them. This scenario plays out quite often.

When a last will and testament is lacking, the testator (the deceased person the will belonged to) usually did not know they were leaving a mess behind; rather, the issues surface after their death when their executor is trying to enter the will into probate and settle the estate. When there is an issue with the will, the state’s default statutes may be required to resolve issues, or the will may be held completely invalid, or result in litigation. Each of these outcomes are likely to cause a family rift, be much more expensive

OCTOBER 2021

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

to resolve, and probably will not be the outcome the decedent intended.

I once had a family contact me whose mother wrote her own last will and testament which clearly indicated her life insurance and retirement accounts would be split evenly among her four children, but the actual beneficiary designation on those assets only named her youngest daughter.

That daughter helped her mother quite a bit, so she felt entitled to that money and it was legally her money. In retrospect, we do not know what the mother’s true intentions were.

Attorneys are trained to assist their clients to achieve their goals and to spot issues that need special consideration. In today’s world where things are more complicated than ever, estate planning attorneys have furthered their training and knowledge for the benefit of their clients on those specific estate issues. If that mother had worked with an estate planning attorney, the attorney would likely have brought that conflict to her attention to be resolved prior to her death.

To make sure you do not leave a mess behind when it comes to your estate, take an actionable step toward your peace of mind by contacting an attorney. If it is difficult to find the time to call, many offices, including Seamon Law Offices, will let you submit a request to schedule through their website or to schedule a call to get the process started.

Remember, it is never too early to plan!

37

A Desire to Create

I

’m a person that appreciates the imagination,” Gary Lee Vincent says. Gary is a West Virginia native, born in Clarksburg and growing up in a small West Virginia town. While in high school, his interest in music led to becoming a musician and he’s released three albums, each reflecting different genre. Gary’s eventual career in Information Technology provided a respectable profession but it didn’t allow him much creativity. Needing a creative outlet and wanting to write some edgy stories, he launched Burning Bulb Publishing in 2009.

“It’s a really hard process for an unknown author to get published by one of the traditional large trade publishers. Many try the route of going through a vanity press tied to a bigger publisher in hopes of getting to the big one. Rather than trying to compete with the traditional publishing model or creating a printing company (such as the vanity presses), I created what is basically a writer’s cooperative to help authors. The group of authors reviews the books and provides oversight and help with commercial appeal.”

Gary began by publishing a few nonfiction books about real estate and information technology. In 2010, Gary’s coworker Rich Bottles Jr. wanted to create an edgier line of horror. They agreed that each of their books should be set in West Virginia. Gary’s book, Darkened Hills, was a reimagining of ‘Salem’s Lot, set in Salem, WV, and Rich wrote Lumberjacked. Both were released at the West Virginia Book Fest that fall. Darkened Hills was named Foreword Review’s book of the year for horror. The series eventually expanded into six books and built a dedicated fan base.

Around 2011, Gary met John Russo and George Kosana while representing Burning Bulb’s books at the Pittsburgh Film Festival.

John was the co-author of the Night of the Living Dead (NOTLD) screenplay and is a published author with a legacy of best-selling novels; George Kosana acted in NOTLD. Gary ‘s goal was to attract writers for a horror anthology, The Big Book of Bizarro, and approached John and George. They both submitted a story for the anthology. “I was kind of fanboying at the time, that we got Jack [Russo] to submit a story,” he laughs.

A few years later, Gary ran into John at another local convention, HorrorRealm.

John asked if he was still publishing, Gary confirmed, and John shared that he had a historical thriller called Dealey Plaza his current publisher didn’t want as, “it didn’t have any zombies in it.” Gary agreed to publish Dealey Plaza and it eventually became Burning Bulb’s first audiobook. Gary had just finished his third Darkened series book, and he and John agreed to begin touring together. Burning Bulb would also look at John’s catalog and publish some of his out-of-print books.

At a convention where no one was buying any books, Gary mentioned that it seemed pointless to be there, since everyone just wanted posters signed. John suggested that Gary should become an actor so that he could have posters to sign. Although Gary had no experience in film, he told John, “If you write a screenplay, I’ll produce it, we’ll cast ourselves in it, and make our own movie.”

Just a couple weeks later, John sent Gary a screenplay for My Uncle John is a Zombie. “I couldn’t believe it. He called my bluff,” Gary says. “Here’s this brilliant writer wanting to make this goofball movie. It was so ridiculous, but it was fun. I didn’t know at the time, but it would lead me down a very different path.”

Because Gary had no filmmaking expe-

Gary inspects the camera prior to filming a high-speed chase scene in Green County between Kirby and Spraggs.

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By Danielle Nyland

rience, he began volunteering to help others with their movies to learn as much as possible. “I was applying for extra parts, acting roles, and sponsoring movies as a producer, just to be on set and learn the craft so that I would know something about producing a movie when the cameras rolled for ours.”

In December 2015, they filmed the movie. The premise? A zombie from NOTLD has spent the past 40 years hidden with his family and has become rehabilitated, and after being discovered becomes famous. The movie filmed, in Pittsburgh, Evans City and in Greene County, with some Greene County actors, like Michelle Bowser and Alex Shields.

In the original NOTLD, there is a scene

Crew sets up for a complex multi-character action scene in Midnight.

in Evans City Cemetery with a 1968 Pontiac LeMans. For the film, they wanted to have Gary’s character drive the same car, but the owner of the original car said no. “Michelle [Bowser] found a guy in Waynesburg, John Riggi, with a 1968 LeMans that he agreed to let us use.” Gary remembers. “I drove the same route through the Evans City Cemetery for our movie like was done during NOTLD, and while filming that scene the car caught on fire several times and we had to keep putting it out. But it was such a cool scene,” Gary says with a laugh. “That same day one of the bystanders in the distance was Tom Savini. It was surreal.”

Greene County native Carly Riggi airbrushing actress Jeanne Wesson into “Mama Barns” for a scene in Midnight.

GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021

Gary as “Oscar” on the set of My Uncle John is a Zombie with the 1968 LeMans.

The movie took two years to get a distributor. Gary continued to act to gain credentials to help sell the movie. He has now worked on over 100 films and television projects, including landing small roles in major shows and movies, like Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, and Black Panther. “I found that I genuinely liked filmmaking, and it became this really cool hobby. I began treating it like a career, and I was applying for about 30 roles a month to land one role. One became two, and then three, and it kept going.”

Gary had met Michelle Bowser before her work on Uncle John and published her memoir, Don’t Yell at the Damn Desk Clerk.

He suggested turning her Desk Clerk novel into an audiobook and, “As I heard her act it out vocally for the audiobook, I saw the movie come together in my head,” and they filmed it in 2019.

John shared with Gary that he had been trying to get his film Midnight remade for decades. “I told him that I was willing to make it if he was willing to let me try, so he agreed, coming onboard as executive producer of the remake.”

For Midnight, Gary and his crew once again turned to Greene County. They needed a good location and decided to set the film on Michelle’s father’s farm near Spraggs.

Michelle plays the central baddie, Cynthia Barnes, who runs a satanic cult. Local talent (look for a cameo by Leigh Shields!) was used again, and other Greene County locations like Shields Demesne Winery and ClayBattelle High School can be seen in the film.

“We even filmed a chase scene filmed along Spraggs Road, that cuts up by the mine that goes through Kirby.”

Gary’s film work has taken him all over North America and Central America. When asked what he enjoys the most when working in film, Gary says he enjoys acting the best.

“Acting is another way to create and you can take on another person’s life for the time that you are in the role. One day you can be a federal agent, another day a teacher, and another

OCTOBER 2021

Gary with George Kosana (Sheriff McClelland) in My Uncle John is a Zombie.

Gary with Midnight lead actress Brennan Bobbish and legendary horror icon and writer John A. Russo

a monster.”

One of the most rewarding things Gary has experienced was on a project called Godsend, about a homeless man with a head injury befriended by a dog. The group showed the movie to a group of approximately 200 to 300 homeless people at a mission/church, and during the showing, DVDs were given away, and a plate was passed around for donations.

At the end of the presentation, a massive jar of change had been donated with more than $700 of change inside.

“I was humbled by the warm response that we got from the group. I was speechless.

I realized that we made something that struck a chord with that group. That night they got to see their life on the screen and they like someone understood them. [The change] was like a biblical miracle with the fish. It drove home that I might be on to something,” Gary says. “So many of them came to us afterwards and said how much it meant to them. That was one of those moments I will always remember as a filmmaker.”

“I believe that the force behind things that makes life enjoyable is the creative imagination. Burning Bulb’s logo is a light bulb lighting up, reflecting a person’s bright idea.

The thought was that if the light bulb going off in your head shines bright enough, it will reach the rest of the world.”

“Pursue [your dreams]. Do not let the negative opinions of others dissuade your dreams,” Gary recommends to others. “Ignore them. Do your thing. Make your art.

And be respectful enough of the work to make it good.”

Gary’s most recent projects include Shoulder Down, a body builder documentary that he is working on in Canada, and two films: Faded Memories, a horror comedy, and the just-released Strange Friends filmed in Tucson AZ; Strange Friends has a sequel in the works to be filmed locally. FMI, visit www.garyvincent.com or www.BurningBulbProductions.com.

• GreeneScene Community Magazine

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GreeneScene Community Magazine •

OCTOBER 2021