April/May 2014 - GreeneSaver

APRIL / MAY 2014

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APRIL / MAY 2014

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he Rotary Club of Waynesburg recently announced that they are accepting submissions of art work for the Rotary District 7330 Fourth Annual World Peace Art Contest. Through this contest the Rotary hopes to raise awareness about their efforts towards spreading goodwill and promoting peace throughout the world.

The club level contest is open to any Greene County middle school student (grades 6, 7 and 8). Students may be attending one of the five public school districts in the County, or be attending a private school, or be homeschooled, but they must be in a middle school class, and be between 11 - 14 years old.

Participation in the contest is completely free, with no entry fee. Entries must be original and submitted on white 8½ x 11 paper, poster board or canvas. Students may use pencils, crayons, markers, watercolor, acrylic etc. No computer generated images will be accepted. Please – only one entry per student. Please write in ink the participant’s full name and school name on the back of all art work entries. Paperclip entry forms to art work. Please, do not staple. All art work accompanied by completed entry forms must be received by May 1, 2014.

The winners of the club level contest (1st through 3rd place) will be awarded cash prizes. The club level first place entry will advance to the district level where the District Level winners will be chosen. Additional cash prizes will be awarded to the top three entries at this level. The top three entries at the District Level will also be used to produce a set of Rotary occasional cards, which will later be sold in support for Rotary’s work to promote World Peace.

For more information and Entry Forms, please contact your middle school art teacher, or contact Mr. Robert Baily, Baily Insurance and Coldwell Banker Real Estate at 55 S. Washington St, PO Box 1070 Waynesburg, PA 15370, or by phone at (724) 627-6121.

GreeneScene by Adam Bland

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Building Dreams

by Regis Whetzel

here’s a saying that one can often find on rustic, handpainted wall signs sold at craft fairs; it goes, “A house is built from wood and beams, a home is built from hopes and dreams.” Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has been effectively combining all of these elements to help thousands of low-income families find new hope in the form of affordable housing, building or repairing more than 800,000 homes and serving more than 4 million people all over the world.

Habitat for Humanity’s Collegiate Challenge alternative break program is celebrating its 25th anniversary this spring.

The program, which invites students to spend one week working with Habitat affiliates to build homes and improve communities, was started in 1989. Since then, more than 230,000 college- and high school-aged students have volunteered during their spring break to help build or rehabilitate homes, donating nearly $24 million to Habitat affiliates.

Across the U.S., 178 Habitat affiliates are hosting spring break groups in 2014. The groups will donate more than $1.5 million to Habitat for Humanity to help build homes and improve communities.

In Greene County, three different groups of students, from Boston College, in Massachusetts, Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, and Fordham University, in New York City, took part in the challenge, giving up their spring break to be of service to a community that they don’t even call “home.”

Under the guidance of construction supervisor, Steve Stanko, the 7-person team from Fordham is doing more than assisting in the renovation of a house—whether they realize it or not, they’re receiving an education.

It would be easy for Steve to simply issue commands; the students who volunteer don’t necessarily have reason to expect otherwise. As he stands at a kitchen island stacked with cleaning supplies, towels, power tools, and pipes, he instead poses a question to Cara McDavitt, of Portland, Oregon, and A.J. Quiray, from New Jersey. “If I need to cut this off and have it L-R, Steve Stanko gives a lesson in drain plumbing to A.J. Quiray and Cara McDivitt be straight, how would I do that?”

The students ponder for just a few seconds before Cara says, “You could wrap tape around it to make sure it cut in a straight line...?” So goes the ongoing installation of a laundry room at a cozy house in Jefferson, Habitat for Humanity’s latest project in Greene County.

With such a sharp contrast between the unstoppable metropolis of New York City and the slower-paced “rurality” of Greene County, it would be easy to assume that these urbane young college students might be antsy to return home after just a couple of days of hard work on the Habitat for Humanity site. Speaking with them, though, and hearing the gratitude and enthusiasm they express paints quite a different picture.

Asked about the contrast of settings, A.J. says, “I Love it—I’ve never seen a farm, before.”

Cara chimes in, “It’s beautiful. It’s the most welcoming community I’ve ever encountered.” She continues, “We went to Pittsburgh one day, and the (Carnegie) Science Center there, then yesterday we went to an alpaca farm. Tonight we have dinner at the church we’re staying at, and Monday we went to someone’s house and had dinner. There’s a fish fry by the Knights of Columbus, Friday night, so we have a number of different people who are really excited to host us and feed us—it’s just so great!”

Two other small teams are hard at work painting what will soon become brightly sunlit bedrooms, as the entire group works in concert to achieve all that they can before going back to Fordham on Saturday.

Grace Mineo-Marinello, from New Orleans, and Robert Moore, from Connecticut make up “team one,” with Robert manning a roller to work on walls, while Grace is nearer the floor, with a brush. “I like doing the really detailed cutting in,” she offers, “which is just going for the edges, and doing the spaces the big roller can’t do.”

Grace is a Habitat “veteran,” having visited Greene County to work on a project last year, also. It’s no accident that she made a return visit; “We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive experience,” she affirms, adding, “I don’t want to leave, ever.”

Robert shares her sentiment: “It’s great—we love the people.

It’s different from the city, but it’s a good-different. It’s good to get Every year, Habitat for Humanity draws hundreds of students just like these, and thousands of other volunteers from across the away from what we’re familiar with, and everyone here is really country, to further the work of providing decent, affordable housing to those in need. As well-known as the organization is, there are nice.” still a few pieces of misinformation that can “leach into the system.” It’s worth taking a moment to dispel these falsehoods.

Across the hallway, Shannon Donovan, of Bronx, NY, Alyssa Myth: Habitat for Humanity gives houses away to poor people.

Cusick, of Staten Island, NY, and Jeremy Yenko, from Verona, NJ Fact: Habitat for Humanity offers homeownership opportunities to families who are unable to obtain conventional house financengage in spirited conversation while painting walls and triming.

Generally, this includes those whose income is 30 to 50 percent of the area’s median income. In most cases, prospective Habitat work. Their feelings closely mirror those of their companions. “It’s homeowner families make a $500 down payment. Additionally, they contribute 300 to 500 hours of “sweat equity” on the construction really nice,” says Alyssa, speaking of her experiences in Greene of their home or someone else’s home. Because Habitat houses are built using donations of land, material and labor, mortgage payCounty; “we’re definitely enjoying it.” ments are kept affordable.

Jeremy agrees, sharing a thought heard before, “The people Myth: Habitat houses reduce a neighborhood’s property values. here are just so welcoming.”

Fact: Housing studies show affordable housing has no adverse effect on neighborhood property values. In fact, Habitat houses Shannon sums up the group’s opinions well: “I feel like we have proven to increase property values and local government tax income. know our neighbors (in New York), but just enough to wave.

Myth: Habitat homeowners are on welfare.

Here, we went to dinner at someone’s house, and neighbors were Fact: While some Habitat homeowners receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children, many more are working people. Typithere, and it seemed like they were family. Then we found out that cally their annual income is less than half the local median income in their community. most of them weren’t even related, so it was really cool to see that.”

Myth: Habitat homes are constructed using sub-standard practices and materials.

To learn more, donate, or volunteer to serve your communiFact: Habitat homes are built and inspected to conform to all applicable building codes and in addition are built to DOE Energy ty by becoming part of Habitat for Humanity, call 724-852-2598, Star® specifications. While Habitat homes are modest and simple, they are built with quality material and rigorous energy standards. email kdavin@greenecountyhabitat.net, or visit www.greenecountyhabitat.net.

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, e ! e Y Y r r a He Hea D

uring their regular March meeting, Greene County Commissioners proclaimed the week of March 16-24, 2014, 4-H Week. The proclamation recognizes 4-H (Head, Heart, Hands and Health), a community-based youth development organization with the goal of engaging young people in leadership, citizenship and life skills. More than 6 million youth participate in the program nationwide, and members focus on animal and plant growth and care, natural resource management, ecology and the environment, science, technology, engineering and math.

Locally, the Greene County 4-H has more than 180 active youth and more than 30 adult volunteers.

The program is conducted through Penn State CoopPictured, from L. to R.: Commissioner Chuck Morerative Extension. For more information, visit http:// ris; Christina Becker, 4-H Extension Educator for greene.extension.psu.edu.

Greene County; Commissioner Archie Trader; Greene At that same meeting, Commissioners proCounty 4-H members Alexus and Ryan Grecoe of claimed the month of March 2014 American Red Lone Pine; and Commissioner Blair Zimmerman.

Cross Month. The proclamation acknowledges the Red Cross, a humanitarian organization dedicated to providing disaster relief, emergency assistance, education and outreach. As part of the proclamation, the Red Cross asks all Americans to help carry out its lifesaving mission with a donation of time, money or blood.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania chapter of the Red Cross recently opened a new field office in Greene County through a partnership with Greene County United Way. “We’ve been trying to grow the L. to R.: Commissioner Chuck Morris; Red Cross volRed Cross presence in Greene County for the past unteer Barb Wise; Commissioner Archie Trader; Red two years or so,” said Red Cross volunteer Mark CarlCross volunteers Hayley Finley and Mark Carlson; and Commissioner Blair Zimmerman. son, noting that the field office has made alliances with various agencies and organizations to increase its number of volunteers and shelters in the county. The county’s Disaster Action Team (DAT) has grown to 15-20 volunteers able to respond to fires or other emergencies, Carlson said.

During their regular April meeting, the commissioners proclaimed April 13-19 as National Library Week. The proclamation recognizes libraries for helping to change lives in their communities, campuses and schools by providing resources and services to meet community needs. County residents L to R., Commissioner Archie Trader; Sarah Matthews, Bowlby are encouraged to visit a local library and board chair; Kathy McClure, Bowlby Library director; Comtake advantage of all the resources available. missioner Chuck Morris; Therese Barry, Greene County Library As part of National Library Week, System administrator; Mark Carlson, GCLS board chair and Therese Barry, Greene County Library SysBowlby board member; Jill Peth, GCLS outreach coordinator; tem administrator, announced that Bowlby John Areford and Tara Kinsell, Flenniken board members; and Flenniken libraries will offer a “Fine Commissioner Blair Zimmerman; and Jessica Miller, Flenniken Library director.

Free Week” during which any fines on overdue materials will be forgiven. The libraries are also participating in “Geek the Library,” a national awareness campaign designed to highlight the vital role of public libraries.

Also, April 2014 was proclaimed Child Abuse Prevention Month. The proclamation acknowledges that child abuse is the leading cause of out-of-home placements in Greene County, and encourages the community to help protect children from physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

Stacey Courtwright, Children and Youth Services administrator, thanked the commissioners for their support and reported that in 2013, CYS responded L. to R., Commissioner Archie Trader; Commissioner to 699 abuse cases involving 527 families and 1,032 Chuck Morris; Stacey Courtwright, CYS administrachildren. In 2014 to date, CYS has responded to 193 tor; Commissioner Blair Zimmerman; and Karen abuse cases involving 173 families and 301 children.

Bennett, human services administrator.

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Teacher Returns to His Roots—Literally!

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elen Barbor, Scholarship Chairman of the Town and Country Garden Club, recently welcomed Kevin Willis, the club’s first scholarship recipient (1991). He has been a teacher at Carmichaels Area High School for 18 years, and sponsors the school’s “Envirothon,” nature trail and greenhouse.

Willis presented the many aspects of The Greenhouse Project at Carmichaels Area High School, which recently completed construction of a 24-foot x 48-foot greenhouse as part of a Nature Plant Restoration Project. The greenhouse has automatic watering, evaporative cooling and heating systems, soil sterilizer, fertilizer injection, a seedling propagation table with heating pads, a 4 valve connector manifold and several tables, bins, hanging plant rails, and a sink.

The primary goal for this project is to propagate native plant species in the greenhouse to demonstrate the restoration of a local ecosystem with native vegetation. With this goal comes educating both the school and community about the importance of planting natives.

The Green House Project will involve students in some phases of the following steps: researching the invasive species threat; designing an ecosystem restoration plan based on available research; propagate the native species in the greenhouse; implementation of the plan to re-vegetate the area with the propagating natives; and publishing the project to educate the public about the value, diversity, and environmental importance of these native plants

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used in the project.

Willis stated that other teachers are beginning to utilize the greenhouse facility to raise plants for the Carmichaels Community Garden. Fred Morecraft and Zoie Chambers are very excited about the involvement of their sixth grade and Life Skills students, respectively.

The students are currently monitoring over 700 oak seedlings, 100 pure American Chestnut seedlings, and 250 perennials along with a variety of other plants.

Willis presented the club with an oak seedling for future planting.

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— RESPI-CENTER — I

t’s a unique challenge that many must face at some point in life: when the need exists for some degree of assistance with daily living activities, yet the desire for personal freedom is of utmost importance, how can a healthy balance be struck? Respi-Center Personal Care Home of Waynesburg offers an ideal solution.

Able to serve people of all ages, Respi-Center offers assistance with daily needs, while allowing residents to be as independent as possible. Their friendly and caring staff is state-certified in medication administration, CPR, first aid and diabetic care training, along with several hours of mandatory annual training.

A family-owned and operated business, Respi-Center makes sure that people feel at home, offering family-style, home cooked meals, along with fun activities like bingo, dart-ball, and crafts, as well as movie nights, concerts, and church services. To further create the feeling of home, residents are encouraged to bring items of their own furniture, are free to drive their own cars, and can come and go as they please, as long as their personal circumstances will allow.

Respi-Center offers a wide variety of services to people of all age groups, with all levels of need. Current residents range in age from 31 to 100 years old, with some needing minimal assistance, while others have reached a stage of life where hospice care is required. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy are also available.

The process of transitioning from living fully on one’s own to any kind of “assisted” facility can be stressful, not only for those who are making the shift, but also for the family members who are inevitably concerned as to whether or not they’re “doing the right thing.” Respi-Center helps to ease minds and hearts by being a truly “personal” personal care home and giving the family the peace of mind of knowing their loved one is eating properly, getting the proper medication and being cared for 24 hours a day. A familyoriented facility that offers both private and semi-private rooms, guests of Respi-Center are free to pursue all the activities they enjoy, while also being offered new opportunities to learn and socialize.

A “community garden” exists on-site, where those who love to work the earth can grow flowers and vegetables for their own use; in addition, a large garden maintained off-site by the family that owns and operates Respi-Center will be offering an abundance of fresh, home-grown tomatoes and cucumbers, come harvest-time.

Everyone needs a little help at some point in their lives; if your needs, or those of a loved one include personalized, dedicated, consistent care, while still maintaining the quality of life we all desire, RespiCenter of Waynesburg stands ready to be of service as a place you can call “home.”

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hen you’re fortunate enough to find an expert on a subject, oftentimes the best thing you can do is just stand back and let that expert do the talking. Whether or not Justin Golsky would be willing to call himself an “expert” when it comes to some very specific training for those seeking to enter the gas and oil industry, his wealth of knowledge speaks for itself.

An industrial arts/tech-ed teacher at Waynesburg Central High School with over a decade of experience in various aspects of the industry, Justin claims the title of “Central Greene’s in-house safety trainer for [the] PEC (Petroleum Education Council),” adding, “I have to do credit updates every year, so there’s extra work on my end, but I can teach it to any student within the school, no age limits or anything like that.”

Having taught a “Natural Resources” class of his own design for five years, Last year, Justin completed the PEC’s “SafeLand USA” training regimen, an extensive curriculum covering a staggering amount of safety and preparedness training. He had a revelation. Says Justin, “Sitting through the training, I thought, ‘Well, this is exactly what I’m teaching in my classes; why can’t I become a PEC instructor?’” This is just what he did; what does this instructor-certification mean for his students?

“It’s [PEC/SafeLand training] almost required by everybody, now. It’s either ‘OSHA 10’ [training] or equivalent, and this is the equivalency. But for BP, and Chevron, those types of ‘big operators,’ this is mandatory to be on their site.” He continued, “It’s like your Social Security card, your ‘passport’ to the oilfield.

It stores your information, stores what certifications you have.” Justin credits Annette Vietmeyer and Andrew Corfont of the Tri-County Oil & Gas Expo Committee for making his SafeLand training possible. “I contacted Annette Vietmeyer at the main office, and she and Andrew were very receptive, said, ‘Whatever it takes, go get your training.’”

Aside from being a requirement of the industry, what does Justin’s SafeLand class provide to students?

“It’s a basic orientation for these kids. It covers hazards, behavior-based safety programs, safe driving; it teaches them how to use a fire extinguisher properly, [working in] confined space, working at heights.

But then we’re also tying in the ‘offshore module,’ so these students will have their certification to go offshore.” Justin adds, “They also get Safety and Environmental Management [training], and a Terrorism Response certification, so they have a whole bunch of stuff to throw at an employer, to show that they’re trying, and that they know a little bit about the industry.”

In addition, the class exposes students to some of the “real world” situations they’ll encounter: “I would say the biggest thing is it gets their attitude in check before they go and work for the oil and gas people. It lets them know that they’re going to work 12, 15, 16, 17 hours a day; it tells them that they have to be drug free; it tells them that they can’t carry guns and contraband. This is serious, and they don’t mess around with it, and it’s been good. They [the students] have taken it from ‘just another elective,’ to, ‘Hey, I can get a job with this…’”

Of course, all the training in the world would be rather useless without practical application. When asked, “What is the next step for students who receive their SafeLand/PEC certification,” Justin’s certainty is rock-solid.

“The next step is right into the field,” he affirms. “What they should do is get online and start searching. PIOGA (Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association) has a site, and there are hundreds of jobs listed. LinkedIn is a great thing for these kids; I try to get them to get a LinkedIn profile, because that’s where everybody in the industry is at. If you want a job, you go on LinkedIn, and [you] can follow right up with the ‘bigwigs’ of the big companies.”

Building on this success, Justin is ready to expand. “We’re trying to get into an adult course, too. We opened our doors to an adult training program, so if there would be adults who need this, on weekends, evenings, whatever; our doors are open for that.

To learn more about adult or high school SafeLand USA training, Justin can be contacted by email at jgolsky@cgsd.org.

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Desiree

In Memory of T

By Regis Whetzel

here are few things harder in this lifetime than losing someone that you love.

More hurtful, still, is when it feels like that person was taken “before their time.” When the life of your 16 year-old child is claimed by an accident that was, in all likelihood, entirely preventable, it could cause more pain and rage than a person could bear. It would take great strength and courage to transform those emotions into something that truly honors the memory of the person lost, striving to educate people to make sure that no other parent has to suffer that same way.

Jackie Kerr has to call forth that strength every day. On October 1st, 2008, her daughter, Desiree, lost her life in a traffic accident caused by a distracted driver who was text messaging while driving. “Desiree had caught a ride to school that morning, usually followed by a call home to let me know she was there,” Jackie recalls. “That morning, running late, she didn’t call. I called her, knowing I wouldn’t get an answer, but that she would call me back. She did, telling me she was safe in school. She said, ‘I love you, mommy’; I said, ‘I love you more,’ and, laughing, she said, ‘But I love you the most.’ I told my daughter I loved her, and goodbye; the last thing I was ever to say to her.”

Jackie remembers Desiree as someone who was “always smiling and happy, always wanting to help others and always seeing the best in a person. Because of kids being uneducated on the dangers of texting and driving, our world came to an end.” For this reason, Jackie is dedicated to speaking to groups of students in area schools, warning them of the dangers of distracted driving.

Furthermore, Jackie has established the “Desiree Chantal Brosovich Scholarship Fund,” which provides scholarships to West Greene seniors, where Desiree attended school. A Memorial Bike Run fundraiser is being held on May 17 at 11am at Waynesburg VFW Post 4793. Dinner will be held from noon to 5pm, and the cost for riders is just $15.

T-shirts will also be available for $15, and all proceeds to go the “Desiree Chantal Brosovich Scholarship Fund.” For more information or to register, call Jackie Kerr at 724-435-7805.

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American Red Cross Celebrates its

NEW OFFICE

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Red Cross staff members and volunteers officially open their office in the Greene County United Way headquarters.

ires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes; for anyone who has ever experienced the impact of these or a host of other disasters, nothing short of time and a great deal of work can truly remedy the situation and bring life back to normal. For over 130 years, though, the American Red Cross has worked to provide aid, comfort, shelter, emergency provisions and numerous other services to victims of disaster, natural or man-made. Perhaps as significant as these practical considerations, the presence of the American Red Cross represents the presence of hope in time of desperate need.

Thanks to the generosity of the United Way of Greene County, the American Red Cross has a new headquarters in Waynesburg to expand services to area residents. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house recently took place at the new Red Cross office, providing an opportunity for the Red Cross and the community to get to know each other better. Volunteers and Red Cross staff were on hand to answer questions, provide valuable information about Red Cross programs and services, and encourage people to get involved and be “Red Cross Ready.”

“We are very grateful to the United Way of Greene County and their Executive Director, Barbara Wise, for providing the office space for the Red Cross,” said Patricia Waldinger, chief executive officer of the Western Pennsylvania Region of the American Red Cross. “This new office will strengthen our presence in Greene County, and give us a platform from which to continue to expand services to local residents.”

In addition to their disaster services, the Red Cross offers educational programs to prepare individuals to respond to emergencies, conducts preparedness activities to help communities prepare for disasters, and supports military members and their families, among other services. In this spirit, 75 Waynesburg University students recently volunteered to help the Red Cross spread the word about its new Smoke Alarm Fire Education (“SAFE”) pilot program, canvassing over 2200 homes and businesses throughout the area.

“We’re really excited to have a base of operations in Greene County,” stated Kevin Brown, Acting Communications Officer for the Western PA region, Red Cross volunteer Mark Carlson points out numerous concluding, “It’s only going to grow from here.” emergency shelter locations across the county.

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Kings and Queens, All…

Catch a Rising Star!

The Pennsylvania Commission for Women recently announced the recipients of the 2014 Hannah Penn Leadership Awards at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.

The awards, named in honor of Hannah Callowhill Penn, recognize Pennsylvania women who have been outstanding mentors and role models through their leadership, service and commitment to empowering women and girls.

Hannah Kirby is the recipient of the Rising Star Award, which recognizes a female role model between the ages of 16-29 whose leadership and service improves the lives of women and girls in Pennsylvania and inspires them to achieve their dreams. Hannah is the daughter of Barbara Kirby and the late James Kirby, and a 2006 graduate of Waynesburg Central High School. She is a Gannon University alumna, having earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 2010 and an M.B.A. in 2011. She is currently employed by LORD Corporation as a Senior Quality Engineer. As a Gannon University National Alumni Board director, she participates in the board’s Mentoring Achievement Program and numerous other outreach programs that help young girls explore careers in science, technology and math.

She is active in her community with Tesla, her therapy dog, and visits at-risk girls and young women who are victims of domestic violence through Therapy Dogs United. She also spends time with grieving children as a volunteer at Highmark’s Caring Place. Pictured below, Hannah Kirby, with Governor and Mrs. Tom Corbett.

Students in the West Greene School District will be donating 313 crocheted tiaras and crowns to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Students and staff wanted to think of a way to give back to a hospital that has dedicated itself to helping children. The idea came about after a second grade student at Springhill-Freeport Elementary School was diagnosed with Stage IV Wilm’s Tumor. Wilm’s Tumor is a kidney cancer that primarily affects children. The donation will be made in her honor. Students and staff would like to thank the wonderful people who put their crocheting talents to good use. As tiaras and crowns were received by the school, each student at Springhill-Freeport got to add rhinestones and bling to make them even more special. Their goal was 100, and the students were thrilled to triple that number!

Seated: Shelby Barnhart L to R: 1st grader Nicholas Dixon, 2nd grader Shelby Bierce, 4th grader Michael Dixon, 5th grader Haley Phillips, 3rd grader Mackenzie Wise and Kindergartener Courtney Main

Cub Scouts RUN!!! Or walk; S’up to you, really…

The Greene County Department of Recreation will host the 2014 Dock to Lock 5K Run/Walk beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 10, along the Greene River Trail. Participants can sign up for the race at a preregistration rate of $18 by Friday, April 25, or pay a $20 registration fee on the day of the race.

Race-day registration and packet pick-up will begin at 7:15 a.m. at the Rices Landing Fire Hall in Rices Landing. At 8:30 a.m., participants will be bussed to the starting line of the Greene River Trail at the Greene Cove Yacht Club in Millsboro, Pa. The race will be timed by SERJ Racing Services of Uniontown.

Following the race, a reception will be held at the Rices Landing Fire Hall. Awards will be given for the top three male and female runners and walkers overall, as well as the top three male and female runners and walkers in various age categories. Refreshments and a random drawing for prizes will also be held.

Proceeds from Dock to Lock benefit Department of Recreation programs, such as the summer Day Camp program, which offers free activities for county children ages 5 to 15. This year, Day Camp will be held June 16 through July 25 at various locations across the county. Sponsors of this year’s Dock to Lock include the Greene County Commissioners, First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County, First Student, Logan Law Office, Rices Landing Volunteer Fire Department, Road ID, Wal-Mart, Waynesburg Milling and Waynesburg University.

To download a race entry form, visit www.co.greene.pa.us. For more information, call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323.

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Cub Scout Pack 1280 held their monthly pack meeting recently at the first Baptist Church in Waynesburg. The March meeting’s theme emphasized one of Scoutings 12 Core Values: Compassion. The “Scouting for Food Drive” was also kicked off.

Guest speaker Linda Keller discussed and answered questions about her experiences as a person with disabilities. Pack 1280 meets weekly in Waynesburg and provides programming to boys in 1st - 5th grade.

To learn more, visit: www.scouting.org/scoutsource/cubscouts.aspx

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GreeneScene by Shelly Koss Courtwright

New Cardiology Procedures at SRMC

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ichael Brown, MD is now performing two new procedures at Southwest Regional Medical Center. The first is venous ablation, a procedure used to treat venous insufficiency and the second is pacemaker insertion. Venous ablation is a minimally invasive outpatient treatment performed using ultrasound guidance and is often covered by insurance plans.

Venous insufficiency often causes varicose veins. The condition is caused by damage to the veins and valves, which leads to improper blood flow to the legs. The result is often blue, sometimes bulging, veins.

Patients may also experience swelling in the lower leg and ankle, dull pain, restless legs and, in the most severe cases, ulcers.

Chronic venous disorders of the legs are quite common. Varicose veins affect one out of two people age 50 and older, and 20 to 25 percent of all adults. Varicose veins can be caused by many factors including age, genetics, leg injury, lifestyle, occupation, obesity or prolonged sitting. Venous ablation is performed on an outpatient basis at the cardiovascular care center on the third floor of Southwest Regional Medical Center.

The second procedure now offered by Dr. Brown is pacemaker insertion. Pacemaker insertion is recommended by doctors for a number of reasons. The most common reasons are bradycardia and heart block. Bradycardia is a slower than normal heartbeat, while heart block is a problem with the heart’s electrical system. Placing a pacemaker requires minor surgery. The surgery will be performed on the fifth floor in the surgical services department. Follow up services for pacemakers are also offered at the SRMC Cardiovascular Care Center, located on the third floor of the hospital.

The SRMC Cardiovascular Care Center also offers enhanced diagnostic and treatment capabilities to aid in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Cardiology services encompass stress testing, complete pacemaker insertion and follow-up, coronary CT angiograms, holter monitor application and analysis, EKGs, stress echo testing, echocardiograms, venous ablation, carotid dopplers, arterial dopplers and venous dopplers.

Anyone who would like to learn more about these procedures can call 724-627-2605.

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GreeneScene by Samuel Crowe

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Clipper

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“Keep On Clipping!”

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Wanna Play?

Grange Month Proclaimed

The Jefferson Pirates baseball team (Washington/Greene Adult Baseball League) is looking for players. You must be 25 years of age or older. Games are on Sundays starting in May. If you’re interested or want more info, call 724-322-0353 or email wvu1@hotmail.com.

Greene County Commissioners proclaimed the month of April 2014 Grange Month during their April 17 regular meeting. The proclamation recognizes the Grange organization as a beacon of citizenship and civility since its founding in 1867. The Grange values social interaction, educational efforts, leadership and growth, and service and hometown roots.

“We have a long history of service to the community,” said Marty Dinsmore, Pomona Grange master/president, noting that Granges have helped bring electricity and mail delivery to rural areas in the county and are working on Wi-Fi access.

Plant Some Springtime Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Fayette County will host a Perennial Plant Sale on Saturday, May 10, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Fayette County Fairgrounds in the 4-H Youth Building. Again this year, there will be a lecture and demonstration by a Penn State Master Gardener at 10:30 am.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, preorder of Oglevee geraniums and hanging baskets are being taken now. Orders of geraniums are to be picked up at the fairground on May 10th.

Please call the Extension office at 724-438-0111 for more information.

April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month Children from violent homes are physically abused or seriously neglected at a rate of 1500% higher than the national average. The Education & Training Department of Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA offers training to help you learn more about the effects of domestic violence on children. If you would like more information, or to schedule a training, call 724-852-2373 in Greene County (724-223-5477 in Washington Co., 724-437-2530 in Fayette).

And the Winner Is… Waynesburg Lions Club will hold the “Little Miss Firecracker” pageant for girls ages 5-8 on the main stage at the Greene County Fairgrounds on July 4, during the annual Lions Club 4th of July celebration.

The contestants will appear in patriotic sportswear and be interviewed on stage. The pageant is non-competitive. All contestants will draw wrapped flowers from a basket, and the odd colored flower will determine the new queen. The winner will receive a crown, sash, trophy, and flowers provided by the Waynesburg Sewing Center. Each contestant will receive a participation award.

Applications are now available. The deadline for applications to be turned in is June 14, 2014. To obtain an application or FMI, contact Eleanor Chapman at 724-627-5284.

Pictured, from l. to r., are Commissioner Chuck Morris; Marty Dinsmore, Pomona Grange master/president; Commissioner Blair Zimmerman; and Commissioner Archie Trader.

Ramp It Up! Mason-Dixon Park announces their annual Ramp Festival, April 26-27, 10am-5pm. Features music on the cabin stage, outdoor church service 9am Sunday, crafts, ramp foods, beer battered deep fried ramps, ramps & fried potatoes, ramp burgers, ramp kielbasa, ramp wine and ramp cheese ball tasting; maple syrup products, baked goods, ramp salad, sassafras tea and much more! FMI or directions, call 304-879-5500 or 304-879-5372, email keeperoftheland@aol.com, or www.masondixonpark.net.

You’re Feeling Very Sleepy…

Do you want to have an unbelievable time laughing, participating and experiencing an altered state of reality? Get hypnotized! The Jason Christopher Comedy Hypnosis Show is appearing on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 at 7 PM at West Greene Middle-Senior High School Auditorium.

This is a family performance to benefit West Greene Chorus. Limited tickets are available for $5 Advance / $7 At Door via West Greene Chorus Students and Parents, or email olisarj@wgsd.org for tickets and more information.

Retirees to Visit PNC Park

2013 Little Miss Firecracker, Reese Madeline Ramey, daughter of Cody and Debbie Ramey of Waynesburg, will crown the 2014 pageant winner. Reese is the granddaughter of Mike and Vickie Slack of Washington; Debra Lyons and Larry Ward of Washington; and Jim and Chris Fidazzo of Wellsburg, WV. Reese is 6, and has an older brother, Cole, 8.

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The Greene County Association of School Retirees is hosting another fantastic day trip on June 28th. Leaving Waynesburg in the morning, the group will travel to “the most beautiful baseball park in the USA” for a tour of the field, the inner areas of this picturesque stadium, and the awe inspiring view of the city from inside the park.

Leaving PNC Park, the group will visit the Grand Concourse for an elegant lunch in this historical landmark that once housed the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Train Station. The travelers will enjoy Shrimp Danielle or Lemon Chicken surrounded by the marble, brass, mahogany, and stained glass of this beautiful old building.

Then it’s off to the Benedum Theater for a live performance of the award winning musical, Footloose. With music and dance that is unmatchable and a story to tug your heart, Footloose will provide the climax to a spectacular day.

This trip, like all GCASR trips, is open the public, travels on luxury coaches, and is very economical. The total cost for the trip including the PNC Park tour, the lunch, and the Footloose production is only $125.00. The deadline for reservations is May 5th. For reservations or more information, call Patty at 724-499-5254.

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GreeneScene by Lisa Belding

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his month’s GreeneScene of the Past calls forth a great deal of Greene County history. The story of Silas Ogden first came to our attention courtesy of a member of our own sales staff, Jess Humble, who brought in several items of local history—books and newspaper clippings —belonging to her late grandfather-in-law, the late John Humble. Among those, we found a grainy newspaper picture with the caption, “Silas Ogden, a blind Waynesburg musician, was a familiar figure in the downtown area for many years with his impromptu performances on the banjo and mouth organ.”

According to numerous sources, including Bill A. Davison, who told Silas’ story on the “Africana Heritage” Internet site, www.africanaheritage. com, Silas’s father, Harrison, “was a slave in the south who escaped over what was known as the Underground Railroad. One of the stations was located in Whiteley Township in Greene County… which was located about seven miles south of Waynesburg at the home of William Orndoff.”

Silas walked over two miles, one way, to get an education at Higgins School on Smith Creek, wearing homemade shoes refashioned from slippery elm bark to protect his feet. In 1905, Silas was “mauling rails, when a chip from the steel wedge used to split the rails struck him in the eye. The mishap caused the loss of that eye, and eventually the other eye became affected by the injury.”

Silas soon became totally blind, but managed to easily navigate the streets of his hometown, became an accomplished musician, and an avid fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Silas passed away on April 27, 1950, receiving a glowing obituary that shared his life story in the Democrat-Messenger newspaper.

If any of our readers has more knowledge or information about Silas Ogden, his life, music, and family, please let us know! We would love to learn more about this fascinating local character!

If you have an interesting old photo from the area you’d like to share, just send it to: GreeneScene of the Past, 185 Wade Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370. Or email to: info@ greenesaver.com with GreeneScene Past in subject line. The GreeneSaver can even scan your original in just a few minutes if you bring it to our office. We are particularly interested in photos of people and places in the Greene County area taken between 1950 and 1980, though we welcome previous dates, too.

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B

2nd Sam 9

illing itself as a “faith-based day program for adults with developmental disabilities” located in Greene County, the inspiration for 2nd Sam 9 reaches back to 2008, when Scott Roberts, President of the organization, and his wife, Teresa, were moved by a situation very close to home. “We have a daughter that has developmental disabilities,” says Scott. “She reached young adulthood, and was coming near the end of her years in school, and we had to start looking for other options for her.” There were already two area programs in existence, and, regarding those, Scott assures, “They’re both great programs, but they just didn’t seem right for (daughter) Olivia. We wanted a faith-based program. We felt like that was one of the pieces missing from the other programs—the spiritual piece.”

Scott visited a program similar to the one he envisioned in Indianapolis, Indiana, and felt called to action: “I came back excited, motivated, and we started contacting some local community leaders to see if we could get some support.” The Community Foundation of Greene’s “Community Builders” program helped educate Scott about founding a non-profit organization; paperwork was filed, a board of directors named, and, “After lots of legwork and praying about it, and getting support from the community, we opened on July 5th, 2012,” he reports.

Scott’s gentle enthusiasm is clear as he shares good news: “Starting last week, we’re open three days a week. We’d only been opened two days a week up until very recently, but we had a very generous donor who gave us enough that we can start three days, now.” Donations are the lifeblood of 2nd Sam 9, as one of the Roberts’ intentions was to create a program that was available at no charge to those attending.

The reasoning was pragmatic as well as philanthropic: “To go to the other programs that are available, you have to have waiver funds to pay for your attendance. The waiver funds are handed down through the state, and there aren’t a lot of them to go around. Some people are on a waiting list for a while, so while you’re on a waiting list, you can’t go to a program.”

Far from being just a “place to hang out,” the 2nd Sam 9 program strives to play an important role in the lives of those it serves. “We focus on maintaining life skills, and developing new life skills,” Scott notes. “A lot of these folks, if they don’t have a day program available, they start to lose some of their skills that they learned in programs in public school.”

There are plenty of opportunities for fun, also. In addition to music and crafts, Scott says, “We also have them out in the community as much as we can. They walk over to the (West Waynesburg) livestock auction sometimes; they volunteer at the food bank once a month, passing out food at the fairground.

They go into nursing homes and visit people, and, at Christmastime, they sang carols [there].

Scott is hopeful that the program will grow. “What I want the most is I want to help more people.

6 to 11 participants is great, but I know there are more people that need this program, and it’s been difficult for us to reach them. One of the reasons we don’t have more is because we’re not providing transportation. We can’t afford to buy a van. Hopefully, one day we will, but our board just recently voted, if our folks can use the county transportation, we’re going to reimburse them for what they would pay to come.”

To help support this worthy cause by donating your time or treasure, or to learn more about how to be a participant in the program, please contact Scott Roberts Staff and clients at 2nd Sam 9. (L-R) Back: Amanda Conrad; Rachel Wil- at 724-852-3063, or by email at secliamson. Front: Julie Judy, Program Coordinator; Olivia Roberts; Bonnie ondsamnine@gmail.com.

Courtwright, Home Health Aide; Sydni Chambers.

Cub Scout Pack 1280 of Waynesburg received the grand tour of Direct Results Screen Printing facility earlier this month. As part of the experience, each scout actually screen printed his own shirt to take home. Pictured with the Pack wearing their new t-shirts are Direct Results Owner Pam Blaker and Production Manager John Hicks.

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GreeneScene

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CENTRAL GREENE STUDENTS COMPETE IN

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CENTRAL GREENE SCHOOL DISTRICT SCRABBLE TEAM: Row 1: Makenzie Barchiesi, Olivier Sanvicente. Row 2: Dominic Tracanna, Luca Augustine; Row 3: Ray Behm; Maddy Klein; Olivia Sanvicente. Row 4: Mary Larkin, Emily McCarty, Bailey Fudala, Liliy Behm.

Row 5: Devin Mowry, Jeromy Mackey, Hannah Gibbons.

TOURNAMENT

t’s no secret that we here at the GreeneSaver love to showcase the achievements of students and teachers in Greene County in our “Cool @ School” column. Often, this will take the form of spotlighting a particularly unique class activity or project, honoring a teacher who has devised a fun and interesting new way of reaching out to students, or outlining an extracurricular program that reinforces subjects learned in a given class.

Sometimes, though, “Cool @ School” is just plain fun! Case in point: Students from Central Greene School District’s Waynesburg Central Elementary School, Margaret Bell Miller Middle School and Waynesburg Central High School participated in the Fayette Invitational Regional Scrabble Tournament (F.I.R.S.T.) at California University of PA earlier this month. The tournament is an annual event sponsored by Davis & Davis, Attorneys at Law. Students from Central Greene, Brownsville, Albert Gallatin, Ringgold and Uniontown school districts competed in the event.

Central Greene Scrabble team members put forth an outstanding performance as the team brought home seven first place trophies and three second place trophies.

Team members included WCES third graders Dominic Tracanna and Olivier Sanvicente-2nd place, fourth graders Makenzie Barchiesi-1st place and Maddy Klein-2nd place; fifth graders Luca Augustine-1st place and Olivia Sanvicente-2nd place; MBM 6th graders Mary Larkin and Ray Behm-1st place; 7th graders Emily McCarty and Bailey Fudala-1st place; WCHS freshman Jeromy Mackey-1st place; sophomore Lily Behm-1st place; junior Hannah Gibbons-1st place and senior Devin Mowry.

Scrabble is a game that involves strategy and benefits students academically in the areas of spelling, word recognition, vocabulary development, computation, decision making, risk taking, good sportsmanship, fair play, and social skills. It is also a game in which it is perfectly legal and acceptable to use the word “booger,” especially if it gets you a Triple Word Score…

Congratulations on a job well done!

GreeneScene by Courntey Cowden

“A man w ho stops ad ver tising to save money is like a man w ho stops a clock to save time.”

~Henry Ford~

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Sheep & Fiber Festival

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he 11th Annual Waynesburg Sheep and Fiber Festival will be presented by Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful at the Greene County Fairgrounds on May 17 & 18, 2014. This FREE admission, 2-day festival always delights visitors of all ages, and draws people from across Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

Fiber artists will find the festival to be a great source of supplies, fibers, yarns, tools and more; and new comers to knitting, crochet, spinning and other fiber arts can take advantage of FREE classes this year. “This is the first time we’ve been able to offer our classes for free, thanks to the support of the Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency,” said Lena Galing, coordinator of the Fiber Arts Classes.

“We have beginner’s knitting and beginner’s crochet and needle felting classes for adults, as well as demonstrations on spinning and carding. Class sizes are limited for personal instruction, so it’s best to go online and register in advance,” Lena says.

For those who’ve already been busy with their needles and hooks there is the Fiber Arts Contest, with several categories including knit, crocheted, woven and other items, in both youth and adult divisions. The Fiber Arts Contest also has cash prizes, including $50 for Best in Show and $25 for People’s Choice awards. Entry forms and rules are online at www.sheepandfiber.com.

If you’re a shopper – there will be close to 30 juried arts and crafts vendors from all over the region with their fiber arts and more on sale. And the famous fleece to shawl competition will result in at least four beautiful shawls created from fleece to finished piece right before your eyes on Saturday morning. All four shawls will be auctioned to the general public at 2:30 Saturday afternoon.

The Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Festival has become famous for the Chef ’s Demos and free taste-testing of delicious American Lamb prepared in mouthwatering recipes. Several times each day you can learn all the tips and tricks from regional chef ’s shows, including Chef Andrew Hebson of Nola on the Square in Pittsburgh and Chef George Tanios of the Lebonese Bistro in Morgantown, WV among others. The chefs will be using Elysian Fields Lamb in the dishes they prepare – with again, free samples for spectators.

The shepherding dog shows and live breed pavilion are always favorite attractions. With well over a dozen different breeds of fiber animals including sheep, rabbits and alpacas – there a plenty of opportunities for touching and feeling. “Many of the breeds we’ll have on display are among the more rare or exotic,” said Marianne Turcheck, coordinator of the Breed Pavilion. “We have Romanov and Finn, both known for their prolific and multiple lambing feats. We have Tunis, which have historical significance as the breed raised by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson among others. We also have Border Cheviots, which are real live wires - very active and beautiful and we are expecting Babydoll Southdown, Shetland and Leicester Longwool, the ones you’ve seen in pictures with those really long ringlets of wool, also Katahdin and Suffolk among others.”

Live musical entertainment at the festival this year features several regional singer/songwriters and musicians including Mike Benson, Sandy Lusko Huffman, Rick Bruening, and others. The photo contest will be on display and children’s interactive activities will be back by popular demand with felt making and more. The 2014 event is sponsored by Lippencott Alpacas, the American Lamb Board, and other area businesses. It is organized and presented by an all volunteer committee of Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful, Inc. Admission is FREE. Please visit the website for more details www.sheepandfiber.com

GreeneScene

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More than 20 win awards at Hawkeyes benefit shoot T

GreeneScene by Samuel Crowe

APRIL / MAY 2014

• GreeneSaver

wenty-four individuals won awards during a recent benefit shoot hosted by the Hunting Hills Hawkeyes, Greene County’s Scholastic Clay Target Program team. The shoot was held at Hunting Hills in Dilliner, Pa. Participants could compete individually or in teams of five in the shoot of 100 clay targets. Award categories included youth, ladies, male and individual.

The following awards were given: • Highest Overall Male: Rex Buckhalter of Dilliner.

• Highest Overall Female: Camryn Dugan of Waynesburg.

• Adult: First place, Tom Pavel of Carmichaels; second place, Dick Swartz; third place, Jeff Chapman; fourth place, Ron Virgili of Jefferson; fifth place, Steve Brittian; sixth place, Dan Orrahood of Waynesburg; seventh place, Matt Friend of Point Marion; eighth place, Jeff Smith of Morgantown, Rex Buckhalter, Highest Overall Male award winner.

W.Va.; ninth place, Jake Blaker of Carmi- Pictured with Buckhalter are Hawkeyes assistant head coach Randy Coss (left) and head coach Chuck Mallory. chaels; and tenth place, Drew Kramer.

• Collegiate: Champion, Alex Rush of Jefferson, and runner-up, Tiffany Stansberry.

• Sr. Varsity: Champion, Parker Woodring of Carmichaels, and runner-up, Andrew Buchtan of Greensboro.

• Jr. Varsity: Champion, Luke Pecjak of Dilliner, and runner-up, Hunter Scott of Carmichaels.

• Intermediate Advanced: Champion, Cameron Cernuska of Jefferson, and runner-up, Zach Abbott of Rogersville.

• Intermediate Entry: Champion, Tristan Cole of Waynesburg, and runner-up, Arran Camryn Dugan, Highest Overall Female award winner.

Hinerman of Waynesburg.

• Rookie: Champion, Tucker Hughes of Pictured with Dugan are Hawkeyes assistant head coach Randy Coss (left) and head coach Chuck Mallory.

Rogersville, and runner-up, Colby Smith of Waynesburg.

The benefit shoot was sponsored by the Greene County Commissioners and Greene County Department of Recreation, and was organized by the Hawkeyes’ coaches and parents.

Additional sponsors were 4 Seasons Lawn and Garden, Action Targets, Alpha Natural Resources Services LLC, Always Truck N LLC, Ed Bellan, Best of the West, Blue Mountain Engineering, Tim Burton, Cabela’s, CONSOL Energy, Cove Creek Outfitters, Cumberland Mine Sporting Clay Shooters, Energy Corp. of America, Friends of the NRA, Greene Podiatry Assoc. Inc., Hinerman Automotive, Huntin’ Fool, Hunting Hills, ISM Weapon Systems, NWTF-Warrior Trail Gobblers, Ozies Sport Shop, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Savage Arms and Sunset Marina.

The Hawkeyes will compete Saturday, June 14, in the annual Pennsylvania Scholastic Clay Target Program Sporting Clays Championship at Factoryville Sportsmen’s Club in Factoryville, Pa. This event involves youth shooters from across the state competing in a 100-target shoot to determine state winners in six skill divisions.

For more information, call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323, or visit www.co.greene.pa.us.

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135 Years of Dedication A

delaide Guesman, seated, was a special guest at the April meeting of the Town & Country Garden Club. She is a charter member as she was one of 18 members who organized the club in October of 1951 for the purpose of forming a garden club. She has been an Honorary Member since 1971.

Standing, left to right, Helen Barbor joined the club in 1972 (42 years); Gert Sagosky joined in 1974 (40 years); and Carol Christen joined in 1981 (33 years). Adelaide Guesman 1951 – 1971 (20 years); thus representing 135 years of garden club dedication and commitment.

The four members related their memories of the club’s activities, meetings, and projects. For instance, in the early years the monthly meetings were held in the homes of the members. Over the years as new members joined the club, the meetings were moved to Hewitt Presbyterian Church in Rices Landing. The club soon developed an interest in community projects by planting trees and flowers at local churches and schools. In 1962 a commitment was made to landscape and maintain a triangle of ground at the entrance of the Rices Landing Borough. The first flower show was held in 1955.

In the 1980’s the club participated in the Beautification Conservation Program to remove litter. The club began presenting Beautification Awards to local homeowners and businesses commending them on the attractiveness of their yards. Birdfeeders were provided to local personal care homes.

The 90’s marked the beginning of several new projects: the planting of a community tree on Arbor Day, the Junior Garden Club was organized, bird sanctuary signs were placed in Rices Landing, and the club joined the Uniontown Area Garden Council, which was composed of clubs in Fayette and Greene County.

On July 28, 1990, the first Annual House Tour was held, an ongoing project, which supported the $1,000 scholarship project. The club entered the new millennium by hosting its first Victorian Tea on April 16, 2000 to continue the scholarship fund, which is now supported by the annual Cookie Walk Luncheon in November.

On display were scrapbooks with photos of the numerous community projects that were developed by the members and many club awards and certificates of recognition that were awarded by the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania. From the beginning, the club supported area, state, and national projects, becoming a federated member in 1952.

On October 20, 2001, the club observed its 50th anniversary. Members continue to participate in club activities, gardening, beautification, and conservation as they look forward to its 65th anniversary in 2016.

GreeneScene by Samuel Crowe

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LAW AND ORDER M.O.O.

BY REGIS WHETZEL

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onday, October 7th, 2013. The following security alert is sent via text message to all Waynesburg University students: “It has been reported there is a cow loose on campus. Do not approach the animal. Police have been notified.” The suspect was assumed to be hooved and dangerous; obviously, not the kind of welcome that students and faculty were expecting shortly after their return from a summer off.

From where did the roaming cow come? Where was it trying to go? And what kind of activities was it involved in—drugs?

Gun running? Transporting unpasteurized dairy products across state lines? It became imperative that this bovine offender be taken off the streets—well, the grass, really—and brought to justice. If only it were that simple.

What mattered now was assembling a crack team of investigators who could learn the cow’s patterns, find out what made her tick, crawl into that scary space between the horns, and think like she did, all while resisting the urge to try and flick flies off their bodies with tails that they just didn’t have.

What mattered now was apprehending this cow.

Enter: Professor Michael Cipoletti, and his Criminal Investigation class at Waynesburg University. “We’re teaching the whole criminal investigation process,” he says, “we’re teaching about probable cause, reasonable suspicion; we’re talking about what criteria they have to meet to actually make an arrest, and all the documentation that goes along with that. Getting a search warrant, an arrest warrant—going through all of that process.”

Fate had plans for this group of budding investigators. Michael remembers, “This opportunity sort of fell in our lap with the ‘WU cow,’ as it came to be known. At the beginning of the semester is when the cow got loose; we thought it was pretty funny to see this cow running through the campus.” What’s more, it turned out that the cow belonged to the family of one of Michael’s friends, Dave Goodwin, a past graduate of Waynesburg University, himself. See? Fate. Plans. Yeah…

Although neither Dave Goodwin nor his family members were available for comment regarding the elusive beast, unconfirmed sources indicate that the cow allegedly escaped from the West Waynesburg Stock Market. It’s easy to speculate that perhaps it was the trauma associated with the journey to market that provided the “trigger” which activated the cow’s aberrant behavior, though, in truth, we may never know for certain. Evidence has not supported the argument in one way or the other, and the cow, as of this writing, is not talking.

There was a break in the case early. A mutual friend told Michael that Dave Goodwin “…knows exactly where it is. It keeps going up the Purman Run, down there in the field, below.” A sting operation was being attempted. A temporary pen had been erected and baited with grain, in the hope of catching the cow, but there had been no success.

At this point, says Michael, “The light bulb just kind of went off, and I thought, I’ve got a perfect situation. We’ve got these kids that need to do a surveillance project. What better way to combine a little bit of known that we have here with this cow, but also the unknown—the unpredictability of the cow?”

Michael and his team knew that this mission carried certain risks: “I was a little bit worried that it might be dangerous, so I felt some of the kids out, whether they’d had experience with livestock before, and if they felt comfortable doing it. Out of 12 to 15 students in the class, 6 of them said, ‘Definitely. We can definitely do this’.”

To make a clean bust, every rule had to be followed to the letter. Michael contacted Dave Goodwin, and tense negotiations ensued. “I called him and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a group of kids that need to do a surveillance project; what do you think about it?’ He was all for it. He said, ‘If I can get my cow back, that would be great…’”

OK, maybe “tense negotiations” was a bit of a stretch; but it’s called “crime drama,” right?

With Dave as the confidential informant in the case, Michael recruited a student to get the complete

APRIL / MAY 2014

! n o i t s e u q n i t Suspec

• GreeneSaver

lowdown on the actions of the bovine villain. The list of charges wasn’t pretty: Criminal Trespass, Destruction of Property, Receiving Stolen Goods; the team of investigators realized that the only way to build a solid case was to catch the cow in the act. The sting operation had been a good idea, just poorly executed— nothing that a group of skilled young pros couldn’t improve upon.

The WU cow had developed habits and patterns—a mistake that many criminals make, a mistake that a trained investigator can use to his or her advantage. Purman Run was a known haunt, and the temporary pen was set up there, so surveillance began. One of the young detectives who worked the case, Santino Napolitano, recalled the events of the time.

“We did this on two different nights. Saturday, the 16th of November was the first, then again on Sunday, the 17th. I was the lookout. I went further into the woods than other people.” Santino’s job was to keep his eyes peeled, and text other team members if the WU cow was spotted. She was—but, unfortunately, so was the investigative team.

“They basically got ‘made’ by the cow on the first shot,” Michael Cipoletti recalls. “They were pretty close, and the cow came in at an area they weren’t expecting. It got part of the way into the pen, then it turned out to be not enough grain to get the cow excited. She was halfway in and halfway out, so they decided to abort their mission, which was a pretty good call.”

The following night, the team cased the Purman Run pen yet again, with a larger pile of fresh grain laid out to tempt the perp. Santino picks up the story: “It was pouring rain. I was on lookout again, establishing the parameters of the surveillance. The cow had a schedule—it always showed up at the pen at 5:30,” he recalls. “The second day, the cow was early.”

Santino was at his post, watching the path through which the cow typically passed. He reports, “I heard a snap, and looked up—the cow was ten feet away from me.” Sometimes, making an apprehension requires a bit of total unpredictability; alarming a suspect by being a “loose cannon” can be an effective means of gaining the element of surprise. It can also go a long way toward hiding a burst of sudden panic.

“I screamed and waved my hands around, and went chasing after the cow,” Santino confesses. But his gambit paid off: “The cow went into the pen.”

But it couldn’t be that simple. “The cow was trotting around, banging into the fence, looking for weak spots,” Santino recalls. She found one: “She ran through the fence, trying to escape, and dragged some people for a ride,” thus adding Resisting Arrest to her growing rap sheet. The long arm of the law prevailed, however, and soon the WU cow was apprehended, read her Miranda rights, and taken to a holding cell back at the Goodwin farm.

The “Semester of the WU Cow” will, no doubt, always have a special place in the students’ memories; yet, concludes Michael, there is always something new and unusual to encounter: “One thing we tell the students from our own experience of having worked in the field, whether it’s on the law enforcement/ investigative side, whether it’s in the crime laboratory, whether it’s in the court testifying, every one of us has probably said, ‘You know what? Today, I think I’ve seen it all.’ And then, the very next day, something completely new blows your mind.”

The story you have just read is real. No names have been changed, in the hope that any young calves reading this might realize early in life that, in the end, crime simply does not pay.

27

Take a Number, Please…

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By Re

gis W

hetz

el

id you ever have one of those days where you start out intending to do one thing, but you end up doing something very different? That’s what happened at the GreeneSaver, recently. The (wonderful) idea came up to do a feature story on “Greensboro Pottery,” with pictures, and history, and other great content. Concurrently, it was mentioned that there were some really neat-looking house numbers that seemed to be on nearly every house in town, and wouldn’t it be nice to do “a little story” about those, too?

Well…

As it turns out, the story behind those house numbers is far too interesting to be relegated to a little paragraph or two alongside the “main story,” so consider this a “Part One,” if you like. We promise—the Greensboro Pottery story will be told…

Calling forth unmistakable elements of the style of pottery that did so much to create and define Greensboro in decades past, the house number plaques came about because of the state-funded “Elm Street Act.” This program, created in 2004 by State Representative, Robert Freeman, was inspired by the “National Main Street” program. Founded in 1980, the “Main Street” program has been of inestimable value in terms of restoring and revitalizing many of the country’s decaying downtown areas.

The Elm Street Program was designed to provide similar types of assistance for areas outside of a town’s immediate downtown region. According to Darlene Urban Garrett, Greene County’s Elm Street Program Manager, “In many places, you have ‘Main Street,’ and then you have a residential ‘circling’ of Main Street, and that may be falling apart. He (Rep. Freeman) felt that the residential part, that’s what fed the success of a Main Street. If you had a hardy residential community surrounding a Main Street, then stores on Main Street would thrive, because there was already a market audience right there.”

Encouraged by the Department of Community and Economic Development (from which the program originated) to apply, “Elm Street” status was granted in 2009, opening the doors for $500,000 in grant monies to be made available for the betterment of the community. The impact was positive and welcome.

“We could do sidewalks—that was allotted in the grant,” Darlene says. “And we got public restrooms, but we wanted to do something where everybody in the town would get something out of the Elm Street program, because some people were going to see advantages to it right off the bat, and some were not, so I needed everybody to really see a little bit of an advantage to it. I knew that some people would engage, and some wouldn’t, but everybody had an opportunity to get a little piece of this money that was coming into town.”

Thus, the idea of the house numbers was born. “We called it the ‘Artist Plaque Project,’ and it was known from the beginning that they were going to be house numbers,” Darlene relates. But there was a wrench thrown into the works that no one anticipated. Darlene sighs as she recalls, “Who would have thought that—innocently, I’m making house numbers—that the entire 9-1-1 addressing system was completely screwed up?! The north to south sequencing—all wrong. The east to west sequencing—all wrong.

So before I could do the house numbers, I had to hire somebody to re-do all of our 9-1-1 addressing!”

“The problem,” she continues, rolling her eyes, “comes from the fact that nobody in town gets their actual postal mail at their house! They all have to go to the post office, and post office boxes are provided free for residents of Greensboro, so the house numbers were almost an inconsequential thing to everybody. There was the sense that, ‘Well, what does it matter if there’s an emergency? The fire department knows everybody in town…’.”

Though there’s some humor and common sense to be found there, changing times made updating necessary. “You have new faces,” Darlene reasons, “and new people have come in, and so now it becomes more relevant for emergency services, which is the whole reason for house numbering, anyway.”

Once the 9-1-1 situation had been sufficiently straightened out, the “Artist Plaque Project” could truly commence. “We put a bid out like you would for a regular construction project,” Darlene notes. “Our criteria was that it had to represent Greensboro; it had to show some historical relevance to Greensboro’s

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history; and artists had to show that they could produce a hundred-and-fifty of something.”

In the end, Our Glass Creations of Waynesburg, owned by stained glass artist Beth Day, was chosen to create the house numbers they’d designed. But how was that choice made? Naturally enough, it took a community effort to reach a final decision. “Thank God that the community came up, because I had lots of people judging the pieces, looking at the pieces that were submitted, and saying, ‘Do you like this, or this..?’,” she recalls. “The community wanted that piece, so that was the piece they got.”

She pulls a large plastic tub out from beneath a table, opening it to reveal samples of the final house number plaques, as well as some alternate designs. Of note is another possibility from Beth and Our Glass Creations that would have consisted of separate, small plaques, each with one numeral embossed on it.

It feels nearly as if she’s seeing them for the first time as she points out in a reverent tone, “You can see, each number has its own little crock attached to it. They did the cobalt blue, because Greensboro pottery is known as ‘salt-glazed pottery,’ with cobalt blue lettering.” The attention to detail goes even further: “Any historic house got a star on its plaque, which designates that this is an historic property in Greensboro.”

The plaques are unique, in every sense of the word. “The Borough owns this design,” Darlene says.

“People come down here, they see it, and they would go to Our Glass and say, ‘We want that address plaque,’ and Beth had to say, ‘No—we can do something blue, we can do it a little bit different, but you can’t have the crock with the numbers on it,’ so we’re happy about that.”

The “Artist Plaque Project” began in May of 2010; the house numbers were completed in September of that year, and distributed to the residents that had been so much a part of the process. Recalling the contribution of Beth Day and the Our Glass Creations staff, Darlene summarizes her feelings admirably.

“To pay artists to actually do their job is a good thing. We’re really happy with the plaques; I think that everybody is.”

Though the Our Glass Storefront in Waynesburg has recently closed, Beth continues her business out of her home in West Finley, now dubbed All Day Stained Glass.

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!!!

Everybody — DUCK

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outhwest Regional Medical Center’s seventh annual duck race came complete with perfect weather and many attendees who came out to enjoy a fun filled day. The annual event raises money for the American Cancer Society’s Greene County Relay for Life.

The event featured a fun-filled day of games, food, prizes, an egg hunt and the duck race.

Each rubber duck was ‘adopted’ for $5 then dumped from the cherry picker of the Waynesburg Volunteer Fire Department’s fire truck. The winners were as follows: First Place winner of $100: Pam Blaker Second Place winner of $50: Chris Dugan Third Place winner of $25: Rachelle Kamenos (donated back on behalf of Amedysis) Last Place winner of $25: Connie Jones New this year was the spirit duck competition. Each school district in the county submitted a decorated duck to display at the race. Attendees voted for their favorite duck by placing $1 votes in the container. Each duck was uniquely decorated and carefully designed. The winners were as follows: First Place: Carmichaels Area School District Second Place: Jefferson-Morgan School District Third Place: Central Greene School District Fourth Place: West Greene Area School District Fifth Place: Southeastern Greene Area School District Winner of the 50/50 pluck a duck was Terri Neighbors.

“The event is a wonderful way for us to show support to the community in a family-centered environment,” shared Cindy Cowie, CEO. “We are appreciative of the support and continued growth of the event and look forward to it every year. Thanks to all of our employees, the school districts, our sponsors and the community members who continue to make this event such a success. Each year it gets bigger and better.”

Photos by Samuel Crowe Photography

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Mon Mon View View Easter Easter Events Events Entertain Entertain Kids Kids Of Of All All Ages Ages

First-place winners received a $10 Wal-Mart gift card, and second- and third-place winners received a $5 Wal-Mart gift card. All winners received a chocolate bunny and other Easter-related prizes.

During the contest, magician Joey Nuzum of Washington, Pa., performed for the attendees. Nuzum, who is internationally known as the “Beyond Magick Magician,” has been featured on the Discovery Channel and has won first place in several magic competitions. He has been performing professionally for 30 years.

The children hunted for 4,000 eggs hidden throughout the park. This year, a special prize was given to the child who found a “Recreation” coin that had been hidden in one of the eggs. The winner, Travis Kiger, 6, of Carmichaels, received an Eclipse 4GB MP3 video player. An Easter skate was then held from 2 to 4 p.m.

The Easter events were sponsored by the Greene County Commissioners, First Federal Savings & Loan of Greene County, Greensboro VFW Post 6303 and Waynesburg Animal Hospital, and presented by the Greene County Department of Recreation. Several 2014 Miss Greene County Queens – including Junior Miss Remmey Lohr and Young Miss Bryn Patton – assisted with the event.

Sixteen local children won prizes during Easter events held Saturday, April 5, at Mon View Park in Greensboro.

This spring at Mon View, every Friday will feature a “Skate & Dance” from 7 to 11 p.m., and open Pictured, from l. to r., with the Easter Bunny are Easter basket decorating contest winners Michael Hardison III, Sienna skating will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission for all attendees will be $8 on Friday nights Stacer and Aubrey Havrilesko; Easter egg hunt winner Travis Kiger; contest winners Madison Addis, Austin Buchanan and $5 on Saturday nights. Times and prices may change for special events. and Hunter Addis; Junior Miss Greene County Remmey Lohr; contest winners Madelynn McDonald, Cacy Cardine and Two more “Skate & Dance” events are planned for the spring season at Mon View. The dates are April Madison Kreuzer; Young Miss Greene County Bryn Patton; and contest winners Kaylin Kelly, Daron Mankins, Jaden 11 and 18. The skating runs from 7 to 9 p.m., with dancing from 9 to 11 p.m.

Revak, Kelly Woods, Kristian Roberts and Madison Buchanan.

The roller rink will continue to be open on Saturdays for skating through Saturday, April 19, the rink’s he Easter Bunny greeted more than 200 children and adults who turned out for the Greene Coun- last day. Due to a renovation ty Department of Recreation’s Easter egg hunt and skate, held Saturday, April 5, at Mon View Park project at Mon View Pool, the roller rink will close a week earin Greensboro.

The day’s festivities kicked off at 1 p.m. with an Easter basket decorating contest. Prizes were awarded lier than previously announced.

Mon View is available to for winners in five age categories. rent for private parties at a rate The Easter basket decorating contest winners were: • Ages 1 to 3: First place, Michael Hardison III, 1, of Greensboro; second place, Sienna Stacer, 2, of $120 for two hours. The price covers admission and skate of Waynesburg; and third place, Aubrey Havrilesko, 3, of Masontown.

• Ages 4 to 5: First place, Austin Buchanan, 5, of Dilliner; second place, Madison Addis, 5, of Ma- rental for 20 people. A fee of $3 per additional person will be sontown; and third place, Hunter Addis, 5, of Masontown.

• Ages 6 to 7: First place, Cacy Cardine, 7, of Cardale; second place, Madelynn McDonald, 6, of charged. Skate lessons are also available by appointment only.

Uniontown; and third place, Madison Kreuzer, 7, of Waynesburg.

For more information, call • Ages 8 to 11: First place, Jaden Revak, 9, of Masontown; second place, Kaylin Kelly, 8, of CokeMon View Roller Rink at 724burg; and third place, Daron Mankins, 9, of Greensboro and Kelly Woods, 8, of Carmichaels.

Children hunted for 4,000 Easter eggs hidden throughout Mon View Park • Ages 12 to 15: First place, Madison Buchanan, 14, of Dilliner, and second place, Kristian Roberts, 943-3440, or the Department of during Easter events held Saturday, April 5, at the Greensboro park.

Recreation at 724-852-5323.

12, of Point Marion.

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