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Frick Tri-County Federal Credit Union

ello Greene County! The staff of Frick Tri-County Federal Credit Union would like to take the opportunity to let you know that we are happy to serve your financial needs! We are conveniently located at 222 Elm Drive, Unit #3 (right next to Verizon Wireless). Stop in and ask for one of our Member Service Representatives, Jamie Vilella or Janis Tolbert, for any information you may need.

For more than 53 years, Frick Tri-County Federal Credit Union has delivered one-on-one service to our members, serving them for generation after generation. We have been making some changes this past year in order to make your credit union experience even better and we are busy everyday working for you.

Our credit union is a full-service, federally-insured financial institution. The National Federal Credit Union Insurance Fund insures all deposits at our credit union up to $250,000. Our membership is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Fayette, Washington, and Greene Counties. And we have four conveniently located branches – Waynesburg, Uniontown, Washington, and Charleroi. And no matter where you are, you can now do your banking online with your smart phone! Just download the Frick Tri-County Federal Credit Union app from Google Play or the App Store and get connected!

Frick Tri-County Federal Credit Union employs 18 full-time staff members and currently manages over $73 million dollars in member deposits. Services include but are not limited to savings accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, IRA accounts, and more. We offer VISA credit cards and debit cards, on-line banking, E-statements, and other convenient electronic options. Our lending services provide solutions ranging from personal loans, auto loans, home equity loans, to first mortgages.

If you are looking for a financial institution that offers great personal service, lower rates, and a variety of financial options, contact us. Stop in at one of our convenient locations, visit our website at www.fricktricountyfcu. org, or call us at 1-800-SAY FRICK! (L-R) Jamie Vilella and Janis Tolbert, member representatives at the We look forward to hearing from you!

Waynesburg Branch of Frick Tri-County Federal Credit Union.

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Salvation Army Camp Allegheny

hink back to those long days of summer when you were a kid. The first couple of weeks after school was out were filled with fun stuff you just dreamed about doing while in math class. Then routine and boredom started to set in….

“That’s when the Salvation Army’s Camp Allegheny saves the summer with lots of fun things to do,” says Sister Audrey of the Greene County Center.

Located on 110-acres just outside Ellwood City, PA, Camp Allegheny is a Christian camp that promotes an awareness of and relationship with God in a funfilled atmosphere. Campers participate in a variety of activities including swimming, boating, music, arts & crafts, organized games and more.

A nature center allows campers to enjoy everything from fish to goats and explore the world around them. The air-conditioned dining hall provides delicious meals three times a day and a snack at bedtime.

Registration is $25, which will be refunded when child goes to camp. As an added incentive to register early, all children registered by May 29th will receive a free “Camp Allegheny” T-shirt!

Registrations are now being accepted at The Salvation Army, Greene County, 131 W. First Street in Waynesburg. 2015 camp dates for ages 6-12 are June 22-27; for ages 11-14, July 24-July 29 (kids ages 11 - 12 can attend either or both camps). Bus transportation is provided. For more info go on line at CampAllegheny.SalvationArmyPA.org, or call the Greene County Center at 724-852-1479.

Knights Farm Supply M

ark your calendars for March 18th – 21st. You don’t want to miss the Annual Spring Open House at Knight’s Farm Supply in Glen Easton, West Virginia. One of the most popular community events, this is a weekend of fun that has become a tradition in the region. Folks from three states come to Knights for some of the best pricing of the year and excellent financing opportunities on tractors, implements, equipment and everything else a busy farmer or gardener needs to get ready for spring.

During Open House Knight’s offers 10% off all parts for your equipment and implements from New Holland & Massey Ferguson, Krone, Woods, Echo, Shindiawa and Land Pride, plus discounts on oil, baler twine, net wrap and sileage wrap, wire, fence supplies and more. While the discounts are enough reason to come to Spring Open House at Knight’s Farm Supply, the food and entertainment just make it a “must do deal” for most people. And talk about delicious…there is always free food and refreshment on Friday & Saturday, dozens of door prizes every day, and everyone looks forward to the live entertainment on Friday night - live entertainment.

Spring Open House is the perfect time to see the year’s new models and learn all about the tractors and equipment from the factory reps that will be there on Friday to answer your questions. You’ll find the reps from New Holland, Massey Ferguson, Land Pride, Wood, Krone and Kuhn. It’s also a good time to take a close look at Knight’s huge inventory of used tractors and equipment, and get sale prices on everything from fence posts to feeders.

Months are spent in advance, building inventory and making preparations to kick-off the season with Spring Open House at Knight’s Farm Supply. “A lot of people take advantage of the deals and plan to purchase during open house. It’s a busy weekend. We always encourage people to call in their parts orders early, so we can have them ready to pick-up any time during open house, that’s really important...don’t wait till you come, call us now,” advises Missy Knight. So don’t wait, go ahead and call now for parts you want to pick up during open house to get the 10% discount. Call 304-845-1525 or 304-686-2525 or you can email your parts order to missy@knightsfarmsupply.com.

It’s happening Mar. 18th – 21st (Wed & Thu 8am - 5pm, Fri 8am - 8pm and Sat 8am - noon).

Write it on your calendar and plan to be there!

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015

GreeneScene by Kimberly Kennedy New and exciting career opportunities await you as a Professional Truck Driver!

This is your life.

This is your dream.

OWN IT.

Bowlby Bits M

ark your calendar today: Spring Story Time begins March 3rd at the Bowlby Public Library for children of all ages! We have many springtime themes planned for the little people and would love to see you & your child at one of our story hours. The library is currently taking registration in the Children’s Department.

The Bowlby Public Library is offering FREE Computer Classes in March. Participants will learn Beginning Computing on March 5, How to Browse the Internet on March 12, Creating an Email Address/ Social Networks on March 19. Classes will meet from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. There is limited seating, so call today to register.

It’s an After Hours Saint Seuss party at the Bowlby Public Library on Friday, March 13th, from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. This a combined St. Patrick’s & Dr. Seuss shindig, so wear your favorite green clothing & be prepared to eat green food! We will be playing St. Patrick’s day games and a special edition of Dr. Seuss Jeopardy! This event is sponsored by the Family Literacy and Children’s Departments. Contact the library to reserve a space at this special event!

It’s Movie Night @ Your Library on Wednesday, March 25th. Promptly beginning at 6:00 p.m. Disney’s “Big Hero 6” will be showing in our Conference Room. There is limited seating so call ahead to reserve your seat!

National Poetry Month is coming up in April, so the Eva K. Bowlby Public Library is holding a Poetry Competition! Greene County citizens are invited to participate by submitting original poems to the library during the month of March. The competition will be broken down into the following categories: Kindergarten-Second Grade Third Grade-Fifth Grade Sixth Grade-Eighth Grade Ninth Grade-Twelfth Grade Adults All entries must be submitted by April 1st; first place prizes will be awarded for the winner in each age category. Winners will be announced on Thursday, April 16th, during our Poetry Reading & Award Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Winners and participants are invited to read their original work during that time; light refreshments will be served.

For more information, or to register for any of the above events, please call Bowlby Public Library at 724-627-9776.

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GMS Mine Repair and Maintenance G

MS Mine Repair & Maintenance (GMSMRM) is the largest underground mine contractor in the United States, focusing, but not limited to, underground maintenance and contracting.

GMSMRM has earned its reputation by upholding a Commitment to Safety throughout the mining industry. It is GMSMRM’s policy and strong belief that Safety comes above everything else, and this commitment to Safety is the number one responsibility of each and every employee. GMSMRM has become an industry leader by focusing on the following three principles: • Safety - Send every employee home to their family safely everyday • Quality – Perform the highest quality job and in the safest manner possible • Efficiency – Complete the job as efficiently and safely as possible These three key principles have allowed GMSMRM to grow to the industry leader it is today, with over 1,300 employees working at sites across the United States.

GMSMRM has over 60 years of combined field work experience at mining companies throughout North America. GMSMRM is responsible for a large portion of the mine maintenance work performed throughout the Central Appalachian coal region. Clients include many of the nation’s leading coal producers. A few of these clients are: • Alliance Resource Partners • Alpha Natural Resources • Arch Coal Company • Consol Energy • Dana Mining Company • Jim Walters Resources • Murray Energy • Patriot Coal Company GMSMRM has the capabilities and experience to handle both union and nonunion contract operations. Mining operations all over North America rely on GMSMRM’s expertise, safety policies, and manpower to complete all types and sizes of projects.

The services offered by GMSMRM have continually grown, allowing GMSMRM to offer maintenance and repair services along with experienced short and long-term contract labor, to suit clients’ needs.

GMSMRM offers the expertise, man power, equipment, and proven experience to complete or facilitate any type of underground or surface mining projects.

Starting in 2007, background checks and new, aggressive drug testing policies considerably improved the quality of the workforce. GMS implemented random, 100% drug testing, including post-accident and suspicion, and reduced employee failure rates to 2.0%. Next, GMS rewards employees for safe work behavior by offering incentives in the form of monetary bonuses, group awards, and the opportunity to win “safety give-aways.” Safety awards have included new 4x4 Pick-up trucks, ATVs, hunting equipment, and 60-inch flat-screen TVs. On the other hand, unsafe work behavior is addressed by progressive discipline methods.

Contractor safety must be addressed on many fronts. Investing time, effort, and demonstrating a genuine concern about every employee’s safety is essential for success. There are challenges unique to contractors that must be overcome to maintain a safe and productive workforce.

First, many contractor jobs are non-typical jobs that are labor intensive and often require specialized training. Some jobs are located in remote areas of a mine where haulage is limited and supplies and equipment must be hand-carried for long distances.

Another challenge is managing a widespread, traveling workforce that services mines all across the country. Close attention must be given to diverse company policies, compliance with different state and federal regulations, and interpretation of these laws amongst governing agencies and MSHA districts. Other challenges are maintaining site-specific mine training, record-keeping, and adhering to mine-specific PPE requirements. High employee turnover and an inexperienced workforce is probably the toughest challenge of all. Most large contract companies operate with a workforce that has less than one year of underground mining experience.

Despite challenges, contractor safety has improved over the past decade. GMSMRM, the largest underground coal contractor is the U.S., has been able to achieve and maintain incident rates that are two to three times better than the

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015

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average ratew for both coal contractors and operators. This is due to changes in the hiring process, a focus on continual safety improvement, and incorporating engineering into safety.

GMSMRM has the capability and expertise to design and construct your next Coal Screen Plant or Material Handling Project. GMSMRM is a licensed and insured company, and every project’s Number One priority is Safety! Areas of expertise include: • Belt Drive & Conveyor Belt Installation • Underground Concrete Work with permissible underground pumping technology • Gunite Job Specialist • Seal Installation • PUR Injection for consolidation, ring grouting and water control • Turn-key longwall installations, recovery and maintenance • Screening plant and load out erection/installation • Arch and truss installation • Haul track installs and maintenance • Site Rehabilitation GMS manufactures and fabricates the following products new in their three US fabrication facilities: • Man Doors • Airlock Doors (Custom Designed) • Belt Scrapers, Drives and Take-Ups GMS Mine Repair & Maintenance has been providing excellent service and employees since its inception in 1980. With our ever-expanding operations, we are always seeking good employees for our workforce. Whether you are an experienced coal miner or just starting out, GMS Mine Repair & Maintenance can offer you excellent opportunities to learn and expand your horizons. We also have jobs that will allow you to travel and see the country, and soon, the world! We can offer employment for a multitude of occupations, including: Engineers, Foremen, Coal Miners (experienced and inexperienced), Iron Workers, Welders, Machinists, Truck Drivers, General Shop Laborers, and more.

The corporate offices for GMSMRM are located in Oakland, Maryland, with regional offices strategically placed throughout the country. Regional offices include: GMS North in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania; GMS South in Daniels, West Virginia; GMS Midwest in Madisonville, Kentucky; GMS West in Grand Junction, Colorado and Bessemer, Alabama. Additionally, GMSMRM utilizes three fabrication and support facilities that offer full engineering and design capabilities. These are located in Oakland, Maryland, Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, and Madisonville, Kentucky.

With a regional office in Waynesburg and a fabrication and support facility in Burgettstown, a career with GMS Mine Repair & Maintenance is within your reach! View a list of available job openings at www.gmsminerepair.com, or contact Stacey McMullen, GMS North Recruiter, with any questions at 724.852.1017 x1, or email to smcmullen@gmsminerepair.com.

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Southwestern Regional Medical Center 2014 Filled With Forward Momentum

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013 was a year of great change for Southwest Regional Medical Center and the entire healthcare industry. As the hospital faced nearly $3 million in funding cuts in 2013, they worked diligently to rebound by redesigning their entire healthcare delivery model. All of these changes set the stage for a successful 2014.

“In order to fit into this new system, we decided to restructure our entire model of health care delivery,” said, Cindy Cowie, Chief Executive Officer. “This included reducing the number of beds and converting all rooms to private rooms for patients staying in the hospital, which provides much greater privacy.

This is especially beneficial when talking to their doctor or family and induces a more restful environment for healing.”

This change reduced the total number of beds from 77 in 2013 to 49 in 2014. This shift is something the hospital has often referred to as ‘right-sizing’ the hospital.

“Much of healthcare is tending toward the outpatient side and we no longer needed 77 beds to meet the community needs,” explained Cowie. “This is all part of the new scope of healthcare inherent under the Affordable Care Act, which was designed to reduce costs with an emphasis to reducing hospitalizations. In order to continue meeting the needs of the community, we had to make a change.”

Also part of the redesign was a complete renovation of the hospitals inpatient rooms. The facility invested in new mattresses, paint and flooring. As a result of these changes Southwest Regional Medical Center has seen significant improvements in the satisfaction of patients. Satisfaction scores are measured by an outside vendor as required as a condition of participation in Medicare and Medicaid services.

“Some of our scores, such as the overall rating of the hospital, have jumped as much as ten points due to the redesign and renovation,” Cowie said. “We are very proud of our employees, physicians and other staff members who have contributed to this success. We are finally seeing the benefit of our hard work and determination.”

Another change at the hospital in 2014 was the elimination of emergent, after hour surgeries, with a continued focus on Monday through Friday surgical procedures. In addition to that change in service, the center recently recruited Angott Surgical Associates, a highly experienced surgical group from Washington who now provide an array of procedures at SRMC. “It is very exciting to have Dr. Angott and his Associates join us this year because they provide a full scope of high level general surgical procedures, which combines experience with excellent outcomes,” Cowie said.

In addition to a positive swing in patient satisfaction scores, the hospital has also seen a positive financial impact as well. While fiscal year 2013 ended with significant financial losses, 2014 ended with a modest financial gain.

Other successes throughout 2014 included: The successful completion of “Meaningful Use: Phase 2,” another federal requirement allowing patients access to on-line medical records and physicians the ability to enter orders in electronically. For more information, visit the hospital’s website at www.southwestregionalmedical.com and click on the “patient portal” button.

The hospital’s home health agency, Southwestern Home Care, also received Home Care Elite status, a designation made to the top 25% of home care agencies nationally.

The hospital began a collaborative arrangement with MedExpress, who began operating the service formerly known as InstaCare Urgent Care.

“It has always been our objective to maintain a solid footprint for health care in the community,” Cowie said. “The adjustments we made last year brought us through a very difficult time and we are feeling very hopeful about the future.”

GreeneScene by Mike Belding

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Red and Gold and Cool All Over

t is one of the defining characteristics of hope for the human soul: that adversity may lead to greater strength, or that something positive may emerge from tragedy. In 1925, Waynesburg had no formalized fire company.

On December 23rd of that year, the Downey House hotel fire, still viewed by many as one of the greatest disasters in Greene County history, claimed the lives of five men, destroyed the hotel and two other adjoining buildings, and burning embers blown by the wind also devastated the First Presbyterian Church across the street. Even the cupola of the Greene County courthouse, along with a wooden statue of Nathaneal Greene that stood nearby fell to the flames.

In all, the damages totaled a quarter of a million dollars at the time—well over three million of today’s dollars—and left scars on Waynesburg and its residents that still prove haunting, nearly a hundred years later.

In March of the following year, owing to the thought that the damages may have been reduced and the deaths prevented had the town had an operating fire department, the first meeting of the Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company took place, and, as stated in the “History” section of the company’s Internet site, www. waynesburgfire.com, “By May 20, 1926, a formal organization had been completed with Marshall D. Wood as the town’s first Fire Chief. In less than six months after the 1925 fire, the company had bought its first truck, the now revered 1925 American-LaFrance pumper of which they have taken such meticulous care that it is still in use today.”

The truck was purchased for $12,500 (nearly $170,000, today), and, as current Fire Chief, Jeff Marshall, relates, “Delivery was taken at Neville Island, at the American LaFrance shipyard. The truck has been here ever since.”

Of course, it’s unlikely that anyone would expect an 89 year-old fire truck to be actively engaged in daily firefighting, anymore than one would expect an 89 year-old human being to be doing so, but the fact remains that this amazing machine is a beloved part of Waynesburg’s history, and not just among the firefighters who treasure it so dearly.

Although the truck has not seen “active duty” for quite some time, it has long been a fixture at area parades and special events. Some may have wondered why the engine has been absent from these events for the past three-or-so years; the truth is that, much like an aging movie star, the truck has spent that time “having a little work done”…

“It’s had some ‘TLC’ done to it over the years,” Jeff says, “but this was the most extensive of any of them. Other restorations have just been some paint or something here or there, some minor work, probably 4 or 5 times over the course of the years, but this is the one—it was taken completely down to the frame, completely rebuilt.”

Jeff credits Ron’s Garage in Eighty-Four for the incomparable restoration work. “They do a lot of our mechanical work,” he notes, adding that the facility has been involved in some of the past restoration work done on the truck. “They have contacts of people who have parts and other accessories, and, of course, the Internet is a great innovation now to find some different things.”

To say that the outcome of the rebuild is “stunning” would be a vast understatement; seeing some of the “before” or “during” pictures reveals to even the most casual observer the extent to which every part of this beauty was carefully restored to like-new condition. Not only were the visible parts renewed; “The engine was completely rebuilt,” Jeff points out, opening one half of the massive hood to reveal a maze of pristine metal and gleaming chrome. “The neat thing here is, if you look on top of the jugs, you can see the detail. The motor was completely redone. It’s a LaFrance engine, three speed, chain driven. You’ve got a driveshaft here that drives the sprockets, and that drives the chain…”

As he walks the length of the vehicle, stooping and pointing out the various components, some of the specific verbiage may leave a “newbie” in the dust, but the passion in his demeanor stands out as clear as a spotlight. It takes only a few moments to realize the deep affection this man has for the machine in the rear of the fire department garage, protected—literally—by the same kind of poles and nylon rope that keeps “undesirables” out of fancy nightclubs.

The exterior was completely restored, as well. Vintage lanterns, which would have been original to the truck but had gone missing at some point, were found and added, as was a gleaming chemical tank placed behind the fuel tank on top of the truck. So, too, was the lettering and trim redone by Bill Beckner of Canonsburg. “Every time you look at it, the level of details they put into restoring it, the gold leaf and everything is just immaculate,” Jeff says. “All the gold leaf is done by hand—it’s not a sticker. The pattern

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015

• GreeneSaver

By Regis Whetzel

even continues over top of bolts in the body.”

All told, the cost of the restoration was $150,000, and Jeff is quick to point out that all of the funding for the work came from donations, and none from tax money or other sources of revenue.

What is there about this truck—which gives a new meaning to the term, “fire-engine red,” by the way—that can engender such love, not only from the chief, but from the rest of the company (and, for that matter, the whole town), as well? “The neat thing about this truck,” Jeff clarifies, “is that this is the one truck that, from the firemen that got it in 1926 to the guy who just joined the department last week—they’ve always seen this truck, and been able to touch this truck.”

Naturally, it takes more than seeing and touching to make a truck functional, but this is a unique beast. The steering wheel is on “the wrong side,” for starters, placed on what Americans would consider the “passenger side.”

“There are probably only about 4 or 5 of us, of the 50-or-so people that are firefighters in here now, who have ever driven it,” Jeff notes. “Not only is it the right-hand drive, but if you look at the pedals, they’re laid out differently. The throttle pedal is in the middle, so the clutch is on your left, but the brake is on the right, for whatever reason!”

Compared to modern equipment, “The new trucks drive just like cars. This—you have to watch this thing. It’s different sitting on the wrong side; the wind is hitting your face; it doesn’t stop very well. It’ll go around 40 miles per hour, but you don’t want to go that quick in it,” Jeff says cautiously.

Soon to be making a triumphant return to local parades and events, Jeff needn’t be concerned about having to go a little bit slower in this truck—the more slowly it travels, the longer the opportunity for spectators to admire it.

A final footnote: while there are numerous photographs of most of the rest of the department’s trucks in use at actual fires, Jeff says that the fire company has no pictures of the 1925 pumper in action. There are some “still life” photos of the truck, but none where it is actively in use. If any readers have or know of any photos like this, please contact the GreeneSaver at 724-627-2040. Digital pictures can be sent to regis@ directresults.us; actual photos can be brought by our offices at 185 Wade Street, where we can digitally scan and immediately return them.

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By Regis Whetzel

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riving the Future has covered a variety of topics that are relevant to the region’s constantly expanding oil and gas industry, from education and training, to job opportunities and requirements, as well as many others. This month, the focus shifts to a factor that may not be as readily apparent, but has great significance: the impact that this growth has had on a variety of businesses that are not directly related to companies within the industry.

Naturally, industry-specific businesses located in the area, such as equipment rental services and trucking companies have benefitted from the influx of jobs and capital, but many other retailoriented businesses have also shared in the increased revenue provided by the flow of new people and opportunities.

A stalwart of business in Waynesburg, Mickey’s Men’s Store was founded in 1965 by Mickey Bruno. Since Mickey’s passing in 2004, the store has been owned by Mickey’s children, John and Victoria. Though prospering now, there was a time when Mickey’s was dangerously near its demise.

“10 years ago, we were in the process of thinking about closing the store down, because business was to a point where the store wasn’t making any money,” says John Bruno. “If it wasn’t for the oil and gas industry, we would not be here,” he continues, adding, “It turned our store around, and we’ve adapted our business to meet demands.”

Those adaptations include carrying a variety of flame resistant clothing, heavy duty outdoor wear, and specialty footwear required by oil and gas workers in the field.

While some businesses became more prosperous as a result of the industry, others were essentially created because of the demand. Oil and Gas Safety Supply, headquartered in Washington, PA, was started by owner, Amy Savage, in January 2012 as a direct response to what she observed going on in the region. “I started the business because of the needs of oil and gas workers. They were seeking flame resistant work wear and safety supplies, and they needed them ‘on-demand.’”

Opening any new business can often be a risky venture, especially one that demands a strong “brick-and-mortar” store presence that carries a large inventory in-house at all times. Did Amy and her staff have to go through a “breaking in” period of trying to build their client list, spread the word, and hope that industry workers would pay attention? Not really. “It was just a go from the very beginning,” she affirms, adding, “We have, in total, about 25 employees. We had 3 when we started out.”

The business, which began in a relatively small building on Jefferson Avenue in Washington, expanded to include a 5,500 square foot location in the former “CiCi’s Pizza” building near the Washington Mall in May, 2014, and now has a third location in St. Clairsville, Ohio, all of them serving a wide swath of the region.

While much of their success is built on the ready availability of clothing, boots and gloves, they’ve also expanded their selection to feature unique items such as gas testing meters, respirators, cell phone signal boosters, and a wide variety of accessories such as belt buckles, license plates, and stickers and decals.

Something that has been hard to miss in the area over the past several years is the increase in over-the-road vehicle traffic that has accompanied the growth of the industry. Trucks and transports of all sizes are required to get people and equipment to where they need to be.

Mark Fox, one of the owners of Fox Ford in Waynesburg (and president of the company) notes that this sudden inflow “didn’t change our business dramatically as far as vehicle sales go, because most of these companies have their own fleet arrangements, so that’s where they purchase their vehicles.”

However, he continues, “It has impacted our business significantly as far as servicing those trucks that are here in the gas industry. We’ve increased our service and parts business because of that.”

While this may be just a small sample of a few local or regional businesses that have experienced an upsurge in recent years, it only takes a glance around at the customers at any restaurant, grocery store, hotel or virtually any other type of business to see how the expansion of the oil and gas industry has helped fuel their customer base.

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It’s Dr. Seuss Day!

o you recognize the bearded, bespectacled gentleman in the picture? If not, you aren’t alone.

But what if I said he was terribly loved?

Loved more by some than the stars up above?

Though his face, to your eyes, may appear quite anonymous, All the things that he thinged were truly eponymous!

So ring your be-dingers and bang your kerbeisel, And celebrate Theodor (Dr. Seuss) Geisel!

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Monday, March 2nd is celebrated all over the country as Read Across America day—better known to many as “Dr. Seuss Day,” since this special event is held on the author’s birthday. Started in 1998 by a “reading task force” of the National Education Association, the day was created to be, as their website (www.nea.org) states, “The largest celebration of reading this country has ever seen.”

Across the nation, students, teachers, school administrators and a variety of staff members and volunteers will work to make this a day to remember, with costumes, games, special events, and guest readings throughout the day. In one of the local festivities, Reading and Language Arts teacher, Susan Christopher, from SpringhillFreeport Elementary School in New Freeport has invited a series of readers for their three day event.

Something this special deserves a bit of history…

Dr. Seuss, as noted above, was born Theodor Seuss Geisel, on March 2nd, 1904, in Springfield, Massachusetts. A 1956 honorary doctorate bestowed by Dartmouth University allowed him to honestly (if a bit dubiously) claim the title of “doctor,” although he’d gone by the pen name, “Dr. Seuss,” since 1928.

Dr. Seuss published 46 children’s books over the course of his life, yet, surprisingly, he had no children of his own. Numerous reports state that, whenever asked about this fact (and it’s easy to imagine that he was asked quite often), he would simply say, “You have ‘em, and I’ll entertain ‘em!” He was married twice, though; first to Helen Palmer, who passed away in 1967, and, later, to Audrey Stone.

Before the birth of the children’s books that we all know and love, he supported himself by drawing cartoons for magazines like The Saturday Evening Post and Judge, a humor magazine of the day; and illustrating advertisements for companies such as General Elec-

tric, Standard Oil, NBC, and many others.

In the early days of World War II, he drew over 400 political cartoons for New York newspaper, PM, before becoming heavily involved in the war effort by creating posters and other artwork for the Treasury Department and War Production Board. He later joined the Army, and commanded the Animation Department of the First Motion Picture Unit of the U.S. Army Air Forces, creating numerous training films and animated shorts for the cause.

Destiny struck in 1954, when a Life magazine article concerning dwindling literacy among America’s children said that current children’s literature was boring. This prompted the director of respected educational book publisher, Houghton Mifflin, to challenge the good doctor to create a children’s book using no more 250 words he felt were “very important for first-graders to recognize.”

Dr. Seuss took on the challenge, and won squarely: he used only 236 of the words, and the resulting creation, The Cat in the Hat, still stands as the favorite book of many children (and adults!).

His final book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, was released in 1990, a year before his death. All told, he wrote over 60 books, many as “Dr. Seuss,” but he also used the names “Theo LeSieg” (which, observant readers may catch, is “Geisel” spelled backwards), and “Rosetta Stone.” His works have sold over 600 million copies worldwide, have been translated into numerous languages, and were spun off into several animated television specials from the late 1960s through the early 1980s that remain favorites, to this day.

In more recent years, live action or computer-animated versions of several of his stories have become popular, and there is even talk that a film based on Dr. Seuss’ life may be in the works, soon.

In other words, there has never been a better time to dust off your favorite candy-cane-striped stovepipe hat, have a hearty breakfast of green eggs and ham, and read to a child!

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Excellent Educators Awarded!

Left to Right: Brian Uplinger, Superintendent, Central Greene School District; Waynesburg Central High School Principal Dave Mason; Librarian Andrea Layton; Science Teacher Dan Higinbotham; Science Teacher Heather Morris; Chad Sethman, Community Foundation of Greene County Grantmaking Committee Chairperson; Greg Simmons, CONSOL Energy PPE (Compliance Engineer); and WCHS Assistant Principal, Bob Stephenson.

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he Community Foundation of Greene County (CFGC) recently announced the award of three grants from the newly established CONSOL Energy Excellence in Education Fund.

The CONSOL Energy Excellence in Education Fund provides small grants of $250 to $500 to teachers in Greene County public schools. The grants may be used to purchase supplies or equipment for special classroom activities that will directly enhance student learning and performance but may not be funded as part of the regular school or classroom budget.

Heather Morris, Earth and Space Science teacher, received a grant of $311 to purchase Sling Psychrometer kits with extra supplies and a subscription to Scholastic Science Magazine for her ninth grade students.

Dan Higinbotham, Physical Science, Academic Physics and AP Physics teacher received a grant of $438 to purchase Lab Quest 2 and Motion Detector hand held units for laboratory experiments.

Andrea Layton, Librarian, received a $500 grant to purchase several audiobooks for the library.

“Improving educational opportunities is a high priority for CONSOL Energy and we are proud to provide funding to assist local teachers and schools,” commented Tommy Johnson, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Relations, CONSOL Energy.

Dr. Chad Sethman, chair of the CFGC Grantmaking Committee, was pleased to present the checks on behalf of the Foundation. “We were so excited to receive three great proposals for these projects,” commented Dr. Sethman. “The grants committee is excited to help the teachers with these small projects. We look forward to hearing how a small grant can make a big impact for students.”

Guidelines for The CONSOL Energy Excellence in Education grants are available through the CFGC website (http://cfgcpa.org/guidelines.html). Teachers and school principals may also request a copy of the guidelines and application procedures by phone (724-627-2010) or email (cfgcpa@gmail.com).

Applications for The CONSOL Energy Excellence in Education are accepted throughout the year and are considered on a first-come basis until available funds are used.

“We are so pleased to work with CONSOL as they set up this new fund,” said Bettie Stammerjohn, CFGC executive director. “Because CONSOL Energy chose to endow the Fund, this means that funding for the grants will continue to grow and be available year after year. This is one of the best ways to give back to a community and help ensure that future teachers and students will benefit from new educational activities.”

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Mt. Morris Pharmacy I

t’s tempting to refer to Mt. Morris Pharmacy as “The Little Pharmacy that Could.” Since opening their doors last September, the pharmacy has become a vital part of the community, providing not only prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, but also a variety of products and services that residents of the Mt. Morris area previously had to travel out of town to find.

Their staff has expanded, with Courtney Cummings, part-time pharmacy technician, as the newest addition; so has the list of important services they provide to their customers.

“We are now accepting all major insurances, and have been accepted into Cornerstone Care’s 340-B program, using ‘CaptureRx,’” says pharmacy manager, Ramona Mills. Ramona and the pharmacy staff are excited about this new program, because, as she notes, “340-B helps those without insurance obtain medications at a reduced cost.”

In order to qualify for this program, prescriptions must be written by a Cornerstone Care provider, and presented to Mt. Morris pharmacy. If a patient has existing prescription coverage, normal co-payments will apply, but if no insurance is available, Ramona notes, “They will be issued a card by Cornerstone Care that will allow the prescription to be filled at the discounted prices.”

“We are also proud to announce that we will soon be accepting Western Union for bill payments,” Ramona adds, “as well as selling money orders.”

There is more news, about an exciting product line the pharmacy carries: “We are the only retailer in the area to offer Unicity products. Unicity offers a complete line of healthcare products that help in not only weight loss, but also the reduction of cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as glucose and A1C,” Ramona points out.

The staff has more events in the works, as well. “With fall and winter occurring soon after we opened, we held off on having a Grand Opening celebration, but are in the process of planning this, and hope to have a date set for sometime in April.” Ramona is also eager to share about the pharmacy’s monthly gift basket give-away. “To enter, just stop by and fill out a ticket,” she says. “No purchase is necessary. The value of the basket is at least $25, and is themed for each month.”

With so much to offer to the community, and more on the way, Mt. Morris Pharmacy nicely embodies the idea of “Growing in Greene”!

GreeneScene of the Past T

he good news is that spring—believe it or not—really, truly is on the way! As of this writing, however, when the outside temperature is likely to stay in single digits, and the wind stings any exposed skin like a million frozen needles, it can be awfully hard to imagine a time of warm breezes, shorts and flip-flops.

Take hope, wonderful GreeneSaver readers—this isn’t the first time we’ve been overwhelmed by winter weather, as evidenced in this great series of pictures taken around Waynesburg during what looks to have been quite the blizzard in 1950. Provided by Waynesburg’s own Harry Herrod, these snowbound scenes were captured by Harry’s father, Harold, who was a photographer for the Brownsville Telegraph at the time.

If you have some snow-covered memories or favorite family stories from when all of this white stuff was on the ground in 1950, or if you can identify some of the streets in these scenes, please share what you know with us! We’d love to hear from you…

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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Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful

aynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful (WP&B), a Main Street initiative, is named after an historic 1906 souvenir pictorial directory of Waynesburg touting it as the Biggest and Best Little City in Pennsylvania. It is WP&B’s mission to preserve and revitalize historic downtown Waynesburg, Pennsylvania and to cultivate a heightened public awareness of the educational, cultural and historical opportunities and conveniences in shopping associated with visiting downtown Waynesburg.

Much of the work to accomplish this mission is achieved by the efforts of volunteers organized into four focus committees: Organization, which governs the local program and develops a cooperative spirit among key individuals involved in the revitalization efforts; Economic Restructuring, which examines current economic and marketing forces affecting the downtown and works to bring the mix of retail, professional services, and housing that will prosper in the area; Promotion, which strives to develop an image of a vibrant downtown with innovative retail promotions and special events; and Design, which includes building and façade, improvements to and maintenance of public space, appropriate signage and attractive display of merchandise. The results of these committee’s efforts include a host of programs, projects and activities that thousands of local residents, businesses and consumers recognize and enjoy.

One such endeavor is the “Buy Local, Buy Greene” campaign. A collaborative effort with other likeminded organizations, the Buy Local, Buy Greene initiative’s purpose is to educate consumers about the impact they can have on their community by spending locally. The mission statement is “Unleashing the power of the Consumers’ Dollar in Greene County.”

WP&B continues its use of social media to heighten awareness of Waynesburg’s historic downtown.

In addition to its informative website, Twitter and Instagram are used, and WP&B’s Facebook page has become a very popular destination for friends who enjoy frequent updates and news of merchant’s happenings, local promotions and activities, plenty of fun pictures and comments about everything Waynesburg.

Each calendar quarter, WP&B hosts “downtown dialogues” for business owners and stakeholders to come together and keep communication open and cooperation high in the common goal of improving downtown Waynesburg. WP&B is the founder and force behind the Waynesburg Farmers’ Market that can be found on Church Street near the Courthouse every Wednesday during season; and WP&B is also the organization behind several of Waynesburg’s most popular festivals, including the 50’s Fest & Car Cruise in September, the Sheep & Fiber Festival in May and the merchant’s “Open House” events at the beginning of summer and the holiday shopping season in winter.

WP&B’s community endeavor to revitalize our main street area has made significant strides and the organization looks forward to the ongoing challenges as they continue to make historic downtown Waynesburg today’s “Downtown Shopping District”.

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015

Hanging (Out) with Pat Fitch

By Regis Whetzel

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t’s a simple fact: every town in the world has its “criminal element,” and it has always been thus. People driven to aberrant behavior, by profit or by passion, are just part of the juggling act, along with the police officers who hunt them down, and the judges, attorneys and jurors who determine their guilt or innocence.

If the system were that sealed, that simple, then the entire process of jurisprudence would most likely flow along with remarkable smoothness.

Of course, it is rarely as easy as that.

Pat Fitch knows more than a litle bit about this system. A native of New York, who moved here with his family when he was a child, his life has been shaped by some very unique inspirations. Where many young people may look up to comic book superheroes, pop stars or professional athletes as their role models or heroes, Pat took a different turn.

“I became interested in the U.S. Secret Service as a young boy, reading about President Kennedy’s assassination, and watching the Zapruder film that was shot at Dealey Plaza,” he remembers.

“I was fascinated by the heroism and selfless acts of Special Agent Clint Hill, who jumped up onto the accelerating limousine to protect First Lady, Jackie Kennedy, as the fatally wounded president lay in the back seat.”

To say that Pat was a determined, passionate person would be a gross understatement. His intention to become part of the Secret Service was cemented firmly in his mind and heart. “The application process to become a Special Agent in the Secret Service is lengthy and very detailed,” he says.

“I applied during my second year of law school at Ohio Northern University.” He adds, almost casually, “The selection process is hard; 3 out of 700 applicants are selected.” That amounts to less than half a percent, for anyone keeping score at home.

The entire process took three years, but Pat eventually realized his dream of becoming a part of the Secret Service.

“I began my career in the Philadelphia Field Office, investigating counterfeiting, bank fraud, check fraud, computer fraud, and protective intelligence cases,” Pat recalls. “After ‘9/11,’ I was assigned to an FBI task force relative to terrorist investigations, and thereafter I was assigned to President George W. Bush for 4 years,” Pat says. After 3 years in the Secret Service’s Office of the Chief Counsel (and a promotion), Pat returned to the Presidential Detail as a supervisor, becoming the Detail Leader for White House Chief of Staff, Bill Daley. All told, Pat states, “I spent 16 years in the Secret Service, and had the privilege and honor of flying all over the world on Air Force One with the President.”

It takes a brave man to check off the “Yes” box on the job application where it asks, “Would you be willing to take a bullet for the President of the United States?” It could be argued that it takes at least that much bravery—possibly more—to surrender this dramatic, “I wanted to do this ever since I was a kid” life for the sake of family.

“The life of a Special Agent in the Secret Service is tough, and hard on family,” Pat admits. His marriage, unfortunately, ended in divorce, and his priorities realigned. “My kids are the most important part of my life, and being with them during their formative years—all their years—is more important to me than what my professional life de-

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manded, so I returned to Waynesburg to be in my kids’ lives.”

Once he returned to his old hometown, his background as a lawyer allowed Pat to secure a position in the Public Defender’s office, about which he says, “The experience in the courtroom, and learning from Chief Public Defender, Harry Cancelmi, has been rewarding.”

It seems that most of his life has been dedicated to the preservation of law and order in one sense or another, a destiny that most likely has its roots in an afternoon of childhood play that took place over three decades ago.

“It was the fall of 1977,” Pat recalls. “We had moved to Greene County from New York, and we lived in a red stone house on McNay Hill Road. My brother and I were out in back playing ‘Army’ or whatever. There was a wagon house with the windows blacked out. I went in, into the lower part, and I saw something under the floorboards. I kneeled down to pull it up—I was only 8 years old—and I pull out a revolver that’s hidden under the floorboards!” Wisely, young Pat gave this startling find

to his dad, who was shocked to learn that a hidden weapon was there to be found.

“Fast forward 30 years,” Pat remarks, recalling a Washington, D.C. visit by Judge Terry Grimes and his wife. Pat, still with the Secret Service at that time, was enjoying the chance to provide a detailed, private White House tour: “I took them to the east wing, the west wing; I knew the helicopter was coming in from Camp David that day, so they got to meet President [George W.] Bush.”

Driving in Washington with Judge Grimes later on, the song Don’t Take Your Guns to Town

by Johnny Cash was playing on the radio, which inspired Pat to relate the story of the gun found when he was a child. This set the judge’s mental wheels in motion, Pat remembers.

The judge knew that the old wagon house was connected to a murder case from the 1890s—a murder case where, to the judge’s knowledge, the weapon had never been found. The convicted killer’s name was John Eisiminger, and Pat was intrigued to learn that Eisiminger was the last man to be hanged

in Waynesburg.

This turn of events set Pat’s feet on the path of researching the Eisiminger case, which, in addition to being of historical value as the town’s last execution by hanging, also proved to have enough dramatic twists and turns to fill a book—which Pat Fitch and daughters with G.W. Bush in oval office is exactly what Pat is in the process of that was shared with Samuel McCoy, at any rate— writing. The Last Drop—The Murder of Samuel C. was for John Eisiminger’s father, Benjamin FrankMcCoy and Waynesburg’s Last Hanging details the lin Eisiminger, to ride along on the trip, to provide events that led up to the execution, and is due to be company, or protection, or both. finished in the fall of 2015.

Later, John lay in wait along Browns Creek Looking at the man’s life, one could easily Road for Samuel’s wagon. Seen as a friend who reach the conclusion that, right down to the bone, posed no threat, it’s easy to imagine Samuel having John Eisiminger was not a “nice person.” In De- no apprehension when John boarded the wagon. cember of 1893, he spent less than a week in jail for It’s equally easy to imagine that Samuel never saw it assaulting his wife, Hannah. coming when John pulled out his stolen .32 caliber “He had a little baby that was born on Novem- rimfire revolver, placed it against the back of Samuber 24th, 1893. He hadn’t seen much of his wife el’s skull, and pulled the trigger. around that time, and she left him,” Pat relates. “The The problem is that the small caliber weapon mother-in-law, Maria Hartzell, would not allow didn’t pack much of a punch. Pat Fitch shakes his him in the house to see the baby. I have a feeling he head in wonder as he relates the story of the killwas drunk and he broke in.” After his release from ing, imagining it “just like a scene from a Martin jail, a man whose last name was “Scott” overheard Scorsese film.”

John talking with his wife. Mr. Scott would later tesAccording to the court records, Samuel asked, tify that John had told his wife, “I’m going to have a “My God, John—why did you do that?” lot of money on Monday, but I’ve got to leave town.”

John replied, “Did it hit you?”

Before he left, however, he needed a gun. “EiThe bizarre, macabre exchange continued as siminger stole the weapon from a night watchman Samuel pointed to the back of his head and told his who worked for the Waynesburg & Washington shooter, “It’s right here!” The bullet was far from a Railroad, in West Waynesburg,” Pat says. “In 1893, fatal shot; it was stuck in Samuel McCoy’s skull. the terminus was in Buchananstown, named for Pat picks up the story: “Eisiminger stood James Andrew Jackson Buchanan, which later be- down on the footboard, leveled the weapon about came Bucktown.”

18 inches from Samuel’s left temple, and shot again.

Gun in hand, John spent Sunday, January 8th, He tumbled over the tongue of the wagon and hit 1894, in the company of Samuel McCoy, a friend the ground. John jumps off the wagon—he was only of the Eisiminger family. He watched as Samuel, an about 5 feet tall—rifles through his coat, pulls out a old-time traveling salesman from Sycamore, count- red pocketbook, goes through it and gets $110, and ed out his money in preparation for a 3-day trip into then shoots him a third time in the head.”

West Virginia the following day. The plan—the one That was enough to finally, mercifully, some

John Franklin Eisiminger

might say, put Samuel McCoy out of his misery.

Pat summarizes the crime succinctly, describing Samuel as a, “very popular, affable huckster that everybody really liked, and this little punk kills him in cold blood, three bullets for a hundred dollars.”

Once the murder was discovered, a town posse was immediately assembled to hunt for the killer.

John was found and arrested by 2pm the day after the murder, utterly failing in his attempts to escape capture.

There’s more to the tale than can possibly be told here. A dramatic escape, a state-spanning manhunt, and more details straight out of an old-time gangster movie are part of John Eisiminger’s story, leading to his eventual fate as the last man hanged in the county. Sadly, we have come to the end of our space, here, but sit tight and get ready—The Last Drop should be available in just 7 or 8 short months...

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Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction & Realty Service S

ince 1979, Joe R. Pyle has been the most respected name in auctions in the Tri-State area. Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction & Realty Service began as a small, local auction firm when Joe was just eighteen years old, conducting his first auction at the Mount Morris Fire hall. Joe has maintained an office in Mount Morris, but now nearly 36 years later, the company has grown dramatically and now has additional offices in Shinnston and St. Albans, West Virginia, and provides auction services to the entire state of West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Ohio and Western Maryland.

As the economy and markets have fluctuated and evolved, so too has the auction services industry experienced significant changes. Over the previous five years, selling Real Estate at auction has become a very popular and efficient alternative to the traditional listing process. Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction & Realty Service has sold over 250 properties each year since 2009. Selling real estate at auction is the only method by which a seller can choose the exact day the property will be sold and the only one that is driven by competitive bidding.

While the growth of real estate auctions has certainly triggered a paradigm shift for the company, they

are still renowned for their ability to sell merchandise of all types: complete estates, antiques, collectibles, vehicles, equipment, firearms and much more. Most recently, with the rise of shale drilling, owners of oil, gas and mineral rights have turned to the auction to capitalize on their assets. Selling oil, gas and mineral rights at auction provides top dollar at today’s high market prices while hedging against the risks associated with a fluctuating market experienced by those who choose to lease their rights for drilling.

Joe Pyle is proud of his Greene County heritage and calls Mount Morris his home today. From a young man selling personal property in a fire hall in 1979 to the proprietor of a full service auction company conducting auctions in five states, the roots laid in Greene County provided the foundation for a tremendous local success story. Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction & Realty Service is proud to continue to provide service to Greene County and all of Western Pennsylvania, and is grateful for the amazing support.

Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction & Realty Service is a part of the Joe R. Pyle family of auction services, including Capital City Auto Auction, Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction & Realty Service, Mountain State Auto Auction, Pyle Equipment Auctions and Toys for Big Boys West Virginia.

We’ve sold just about everything you can imagine. Some of the more notable items: • Former National Guard Armory in Morgantown, WV - 3.7 million • Early Book of Mormon - $30,000 • 2,500 Vintage Porcelain and Metal Advertising signs - a one-owner collection • The Collection of Frances Yeend, world renowned opera singer, which included artwork, furniture, antiques and collectibles dating back to the 14th Century from all over the world. We had buyers from 10 different countries buying online in addition to those in attendance

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Ronda Jeffries, CPA

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onda Jeffries is as true-blue a “Greene County-an” as you’re likely to see. “I lived in Greensboro all my life until I got married, then spent several years in Bobtown, and then moved to Headlee Heights,” she points out, adding, “I never left the school district, really!”

A graduate of Mapletown High School who received her degree in accounting from Waynesburg University, Ronda’s passion for numbers began early. “I always liked math when I was in school. With math, there’s not a lot of ways to go—either you want to be an engineer, or teach, or do accounting, so that’s how I got directed into that area,” she notes.

With 28 years of public accounting experience from other firms, this is her second year on her own.

Offering accounting and financial services to business and individuals, her client list has grown since starting out independently. “We’re growing, so at some point I’d like to add additional personnel to help me, but right now, it’s just me,” Ronda says.

The middle of “tax season” is always a busy time for skilled public accountants, which means that Ronda’s workload has increased substantially.

Thankfully, she has a strong support team—her husband and kids, and her mom. “They can’t do the accounting,” Ronda laughs, “but they sure do kick in with a lot of the housework that that I’m not able to devote my time to!”

GreeneScene by Natalie Baun

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Clipper

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“Keep On Clipping!”

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Help the United Way Help Others

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n simplest terms, the United Way of Greene County is facing a dramatic shortfall, and Executive Director, Barb Wise and her staff are doing everything they can to reach out to the community’s businesses and individuals to help fill a $58,000 gap in funding.

“Our goal is $225,000,” Barb says. “We pick one every year. Last year it was $250,000, but this year we knew that wasn’t realistic.” The United Way typically raises a healthy amount of its yearly donations through employee campaigns, where those who work for participating businesses can make contributions through their workplace. This year, however, the loss of their second largest employee campaign made a significant difference. “It went from a $37,000 campaign to a $600 campaign,” Barb noted.

Still another of their employee campaign programs was short $10,000 from its prior contributions, which adds to the unmet needs of the United Way and the 17 area agencies whose community service programs they help to support.

Such diverse and beneficial programs as the American Red Cross, 2nd Sam 9, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Corner Cupboard Food Bank and many others are among those whose efforts benefit from the work of United Way. As the situation currently stands, Barb says, “It’ll affect drastically the amount of funds given to those 17 agencies.”

While donations of all types, from both businesses and individuals are always welcome, Barb is setting her sights on a target. “My goal is to get 25 $1,000 donations,” she affirms. “There are a lot of companies and businesses that don’t donate to United Way, and I’m going to try to bridge that. I would also like to have 5 $5,000 donations.”

The process of allocating United Way funds to their agencies takes place near the end of March, so Barb is issuing a plea for donations to be made by the middle of that month.

Helping the United Way is a direct and simple way to help the community. To learn more or donate, please contact the United Way of Greene County by calling 724-852-1009, or email barbwiseunitedway@windstream.net.

Community Foundation Why Use the Community Foundation to Make a Donation?

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hen you decide to support non-profit organizations in your community, the Community Foundation of Greene County offers substantial value to you as well as to the recipients of your generosity. Using the Community Foundation of Greene County is a simple, flexible, and cost-effective way to accomplish many charitable goals.

We are a donor’s quiet partner. We aren’t just another charity. We aren’t a private foundation, either.

We are your charitable resource. We help you extend your charitable legacy when the burden of a private foundation is too much, yet a gift to a charity isn’t enough.

Our business is helping people give. We offer powerful, yet flexible, solutions when a charitable tax deduction makes sense. We offer a variety of funds you can create and give through to support your favorite causes and charities. At the same time, we can help you pass philanthropy on to your family and leave a legacy in your community.

It’s free to start a fund, and an immediate tax deduction is given for the money used to create it. A small annual fee (ranging from 1% - 5% depending on the type of fund) will be deducted from the fund, but only from the fund’s balance. You never pay a dime, and - unlike a direct gift to a charity - your charitable assets will be invested and grown over time so they can make a greater, more lasting impact on your favorite causes and nonprofits.

Every financial situation is different. We get that. We accept a variety of gifts from the simple to complex. Whatever the giving vehicle, we’ll handle it efficiently and accurately. Whether you wish to remain anonymous in your contributions, or create a legacy for your family within your community, we are eager to assist you.

We know charitable giving, but we also have deep roots and knowledge of local nonprofits and issues.

Through us, you can gain access to a wealth of information about our local nonprofit community.

To learn more, contact the Community Foundation of Greene County at 724-627-2010, email cfgpa@ gmail.com, or visit online at www.cfgpa.org.

Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations

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Support Relay For Life!

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Waynesburg University

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Outreach & Services

ver the past several months, Shining the Light has cast a well-deserved spotlight on a number of churches and ministries throughout the county. Almost invariably, a favorite topic that arises is the variety of missions efforts undertaken by any given church.

Combining outreach with service that is of genuine use, whether across town or across the world, these types of work have been at the heart of religious service for, literally, centuries. It’s no wonder then, that service through reaching out to a wider world should also have a prominent place in one of the community’s most respected institutions, Waynesburg University.

Although not a church, per se, Waynesburg University students are consistently on the forefront when it comes to making a difference outside of the classroom or chapel, and Kelly Hardy, Assistant Dean of Students, leads the charge well. A trip leader since she began working at Waynesburg University in 2003, she has recently transitioned into an exciting new task, overseeing the logistics of the overseas, domestic and local service trips.

“Last semester we did a week long local service trip throughout Greene County,” she says, adding, “we also participated in several international trips—one to Bonaire, one to the Bahamas, and one to Guatemala.”

Moving forward, she notes, “We are in the process, this year, of conducting several domestic, international and local service trips for students.” These will include doing good works as nearby as working with the “Pittsburgh Project,” a non-profit organization that does home repairs for individuals in need, as well as after school tutoring, and various other service programs throughout Southwestern PA; and as far abroad as Costa Rica, working with service partners to provide help in whatever capacities provide the greatest service, within the abilities of the participating students.

Working with students’ strengths and creating compatibility is an important factor in insuring a successful mission. “Waynesburg University tries to link the students’ passions, skills and academic efforts on our service trips,” Kelly says. “For example, on our trip to the Bahamas, that was for our education majors, who created lesson plans and taught at a public school, there. It was a very eye-opening experience, and very rewarding, as the students were able to utilize what they’re learning in the classroom, while serving others in need.”

And do these types of service trips create a lasting impact on the students who take part? “Absolutely,” Kelly affirms. “They were able to apply what they’re learning, and it would pique their interest. I have witnessed students participate, and absolutely fall in love with what they’re doing. Sometimes they have actually changed their majors so they can continue to do what they were doing on the trip. Something sparked a passion within them, and they wanted to fulfill that calling.”

Of course, there are costs involved in doing such service work, the amount depending on the nature and location of the trip, but, Kelly says, “It’s all inclusive, so it would include transportation, food, airfare if necessary, and we do various fundraisers and offer a scholarship in order to help students pay for the trip.”

Kelly and staff are growing new service opportunities all the time, in order to provide more help to those who need it, while opening doors for a wider variety of students. “We formed a service partnership with Ronald McDonald House in Morgantown,” she notes, “where we have some nursing students serving within the house, working with the residents there, making meals, doing crafts—a really good fit for our nursing and human services majors.”

Other future plans include trips to Italy and Puerto Rico, along with a mission volunteering at the Tuva City Boarding School within the Navaho Nation in Arizona.

Kelly and all those who play a role in the service trips certainly prove that “shining the light” isn’t an activity reserved for a church congregation, and the gifts flow both ways. “It’s definitely life changing,” she concludes. “Any student that is willing to share their gifts and talents, and is willing to learn from this experience, would be a great fit!”

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n the United States, men have a one in two lifetime risk of developing cancer; for women the risk of developing cancer is about one in three. The American Cancer Society and Relay For Life volunteers are urging local businesses and organizations to take up the fight against cancer in their community by supporting the Relay For Life of Greene County. Relay is the signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society and is critical in raising funds for cancer research, education, prevention, and early detection to increase the chances of living a cancer free life.

May 2-3, 2015 have been set aside for this year’s Relay For Life of Greene County Celebration. Relay involves teams of walkers who raise money for the fight against cancer. One member of each team is encouraged to be on the track throughout the entire 24 hour event. During the Opening Ceremonies, the first lap is dedicated to Cancer Survivors. All survivors and their caregivers from the community are invited to attend and take part in this tradition. At dusk a Luminaria Ceremony is held to honor survivors and to remember those who have lost their battle with cancer. Throughout the night, while Relay is going on, team members camp out, enjoying entertainment, food, games & camaraderie creating a family and community atmosphere all to support the fight against cancer.

Greene County held its first Relay For Life event in 1999 and has seen the event grow from raising $33,000 in that first year to raising over $234,000 in 2012. Over the past four years, Greene County was ranked in the top 10 events in the nation for per capita fundraising. In 2015, the Relay For Life of Greene County is continuing to reach out to more participants, survivors, businesses, and all of the individuals living in Greene County. Relay For Life is a community based event, and their Event Leadership Team would like to have as much participation from as many members of the community as possible. There are several different ways of getting involved. Businesses can take advantage of sponsorship opportunities, or sponsor a “Paint the Town Purple” banners that are hung in town prior to the event. Individuals are able to visit the Relay For Life website (www.relayforlife.org/greenecountypa) to join an existing team or start their own. Anyone wishing to offer support can also visit the website to make a donation ($10 recommendation) for a luminaria in honor of someone who is battling cancer, or in memory of someone who has passed from cancer. Luminaria are the white bags that are placed around the walking track at the Relay For Life event, and during the Luminaria Ceremony a candle (glow stick) is lighted to show support, or to remember loved ones.

At the event, organizers and participants take the time to honor the cancer survivors of Greene County with a Survivors Lap and luncheon. All survivors and a caregiver are welcome to attend the luncheon following the Opening Ceremony’s Survivors lap. If you are a cancer survivor in Greene County and would like to attend the relay and the luncheon, please contact Jacki Headlee at: jacki_h143@yahoo.com or go online and register at www.relayforlife.org/greenecountypa.

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Travel Savers

Top, L—R: Jody Pierce-Craig, Nikki Carafa. Bottom, L—R: Chrissy Shepas, Debbie Rohanna, Linda Enia

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ravel Savers has a 26 year history of helping people get to where they want to go, under the ownership and management of Debbie Rohanna. Debbie and Jody Pierce-Craig use their expertise in comparing prices to book hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, group travel, destination weddings and recent resort tours for their clients, often with no extra fees.

How it is possible that their “footwork” can be done for free? Because the hotels, rental agencies and other companies for which they’re booking pay service fees once arrangements are confirmed, which means that Debbie and Jody can truly provide savings for travelers.

While there is a small fee for booking airline reservations, the personal service and attention customers receive is well worth the investment, especially considering the time it can take to search and compare prices oneself.

The thought of using a professional travel agent may be intimidating for a first-timer, but Debbie promises that the process is simple and painless. “Stop in sometime and ask questions, or pick up a brochure—it’s free!” she offers, adding, “A typical conversation would consist of the agents asking a few questions, like, ‘When do you want to get away?’ ‘What do you like to do on vacation?’ and ‘Who is traveling with you?’ The agent will then suggest a variety of options with prices, and do all the work in setting up the perfect getaway!”

Debbie also points out that even someone who enjoys the process of “searching for the best deal” would do well to do the actual booking with Travel Savers, because it “assures you have someone to help with any part of your vacation, before, during and after,” noting that she and her staff may have access to special prices and promotions that can save even more money. To help make your next trip easy, call Travel Savers at 724-627-6799, or email tsavers@windstream.net Located in the same building, Mail Boxes and More is a shipping center for FedEx and UPS. The manager, Linda Enia, can pack and ship your boxes, or accept prepaid boxes for a small fee. They also offer fingerprinting service through Cogent, and carry a small collection of greeting cards. For more information, please call Linda at 724-852-1311.

A logistics transportation company, Bethlehem Farms, shares the building under the management of Chrissy Shepas. Their services include matching the needs of shipments and transportation. For larger moving and shipping needs, contact Bethlehem Farms at bethfarms@windstream.net.

Meeting many needs under one roof, Nikki’s Beauty Salon, managed by Nikki Carafa, is also at the same location. Working by appointment only, Nikki’s can be reached at 724-678-0118, or by emailing nikkisbeautysalon1@gmail.com.

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Veterans Answer the Call VFW Post 4793 of Waynesburg, PA Military Order of the Cooties, which was reinstated December 14, 2014 assembled to salute the Veterans of Clarksburg, WV VA Medical Center earlier this month. They distributed about 80 fruit baskets to their fellow veteran comrades in the Clarksburg, WV VA Medical Center, and hope to plan more visits with the veterans.

DVSSP Receives Verizon Grant Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA recently received a grant from the Verizon Foundation for $10,000 to help with its teen dating violence education and awareness programs. The funding will help educate teens throughout the region in an effort to promote healthy relationships among youth.

Verizon also supports DVSSP’s efforts through the “HopeLine” program, which provides wireless phones, services, tools and financial grants to benefit domestic violence and non-profit advocacy agencies.

“On behalf of Verizon, we recognize DVSSP’s leadership to empower youth with the knowledge and skills to learn respect, values and an understanding of themselves and how to develop healthy relations,” said William B. Carnahan, V.P.—State Government Affairs for Verizon Pennsylvania.

Spreading Good Deeds The Greene County 4-H Sheep Breeding and Market Lamb Club recently made a donation to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for research relating to juvenile diabetes. Club members sold food to raise funds for the cause at the annual Sheep and Fiber Festival. Members pictured are: front row, Hayden Demniak and Emily Cooke; back row, Luke Maley, Christina Becker (Greene Co. 4-H Educator), and Julie Policz. Way to go, 4-H!

Pictured, L-R: Terry Hoyle II, Richard Black, Gary Milovac, Martin Wilson, Terry Hoyle Sr., Michele Deems, Aaron Deems.

Grants for First Responders State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Greene/Fayette/Washington, recently announced that more than $350,000 in state grants is coming to 34 fire and ambulance companies in the 50th Legislative District, which includes over 20 volunteer fire departments and EMS teams in Greene County.

“First responders are at the core of public safety, and these grants enable them to focus more on saving our lives and properties rather than raising funds,” Snyder said. “These men and women make a tremendous sacrifice, and I applaud their service to our communities.”

Funding for the 2014-15 Fire Company and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program is generated from slot machine proceeds and not General Fund tax revenue, Snyder said.

GARDEN CLUB SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE Town & Country Garden Club of Rices Landing awards a $1,000 scholarship each year. The scholarship is for one academic year and is awarded to a student in one of the five Greene County school districts.

Graduating seniors who are pursuing an education in environmental studies, conservation, ecology, forestry, horticulture, landscape design, education or science are eligible to apply.

Qualifying students should contact their respective guidance counselor for an application and additional details. The deadline to apply is April 25, 2015. To learn more, call 724-966-5856, or email teba@ windstream.net.

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Padgett Business Services

mi Cree has been the owner of Padgett Business Services since June 2002. To better serve the community, a Carmichaels office was opened in 2013 and the Waynesburg office was completely remodeled this fall!

Both are IRS approved to e-file.

Padgett prepares income tax returns for individuals and business returns for sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations, farms and non-profits. Padgett provides financial reporting and tax consulting services, payroll services, preparation and filing of payroll taxes, estimated taxes, and sales tax. Ami has experience with the issues and opportunities associated with the gas industry and is helpful in calculating estimated tax on gas leases, royalty and right of way payments.

Ami Cree, a 1989 graduate of Bethlehem-Center High School, earned both her Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees from Waynesburg College. Prior to opening Padgett, Ami worked at Ellis and Everard for eight years where she was promoted from accounts payable administrator to accounting manager to assistant controller. She taught numerous evening classes at Westmoreland County Community College. Ami resides in Khedive with her husband Bill, a third generation dairy farmer, and their three children, Al, Beth and Ani. Ami enjoys volunteering at school activities and coaching soccer. Her business proudly sponsors numerous Greene County events.

Toby Whipkey, a 1991 graduate of West Greene High School, earned her Associate’s Degree in Executive Office Administration from Penn Commercial. Toby has worked at Padgett for over a year and currently manages the administrative functions from the Waynesburg office. She handles payroll, bookkeeping and bank reconciliations for some clients and is a Registered Tax Return Preparer. Previously, Toby served Washington Federal for twelve years as a Senior Loan Processor in Residential Lending and as a Senior Loan Closer. Toby resides in West Greene with her husband Jim, owner of Scotty’s Pizza, and their two children, London and Pieper.

Charlotte McMillan, a 1967 graduate of Canon McMillan High School, has lived with her husband, William, in Greene County for 29 years. Together they operated a small business, Railroad Repair, from 1999 to 2004. Charlotte was employed by Catholic Charities as a Secretary for fifteen years, and also volunteered for the Greene County Food Bank for 15 years. She is a Registered Tax Return Preparer, looking forward to working with current and new clients during her first tax season at Padgett.

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L-R: Charlotte McMillan, Toby Whipkey and owner Ami Cree.

Charlotte raised 3 children and has eight grandchildren.

To see how Padgett can help improve your business, or just to have your income taxes filed, call either office. Waynesburg 724-627-3800; Carmichaels 724-319-2274, both provide friendly and affordable services!

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Pet Search

ost of the time, the Public Service Profile spotlights an individual or organization that is doing a unique good in Greene County. Once in a while, however, a cause comes along that does not yet have a strong local foothold, but has urgent need of a greater presence, here. Think of this, then, as a rallying cry to our wonderful readers, in the hope that some of you will be moved to join in the amazing work of Pet Search.

Sherry Knight, along with her husband, Kent, and a small group of volunteers began Pet Search in 1986, inspired by their mutual love of animals, and their desire to uphold the best interests of strays or unwanted pets.

Their mission is daunting, yet the philosophy behind it is simple. “We have always been an all volunteer, no-kill animal rescue and placement organization. We do home sheltering, which, in the ‘80s, was pretty much unheard of.

We were the first and only no-kill organization in Washington County at the time,” Sherry notes.

What this means in practical terms is that Pet Search does not have a centralized shelter; rather, the volunteers who wish to do so become “foster parents” while a “forever home” is sought. Many of the animals are strays, brought to Pet Search via animal control services; some have been abandoned by their owners. Others must be given up due to a move where the family pets, for whatever reason, cannot be taken; still others need to be placed because of the death of the pet owner.

Sherry’s passion for helping animals began early; she credits “having a mother that was the neighborhood ‘animal rescue person.’ They ended up at our house, where they would be nursed back to health, and either released back into the wild, or a home was found for them.” In addition to their countless duties overseeing Pet Search, Sherry and Kent’s house is also a pet foster home.

“We have approximately 90 members,” Sherry says. “We have anywhere from 20 to 25 foster homes, currently, which care for, at any given time, around 300-plus cats, and up to 20 dogs.” At this time, there are no Pet Search foster homes in Greene, but “we’ve had some, and we’d love to get some more back!” she enthuses. If there’s room in someone’s home and heart to care for a pet until he or she gets adopted, there really is no “down side.”

“The only thing that the foster home is required to provide is a safe, secure and loving environment. Pet Search covers all of the other expenses,” Sherry explains. “We provide quality food, veterinary care, toys, collars, leashes, crates—whatever an animal needs,” Their work goes much deeper than just providing temporary—hopefully leading to permanent— homes for the animals in their care, however. “Every weekend, we’re out doing a variety of community service events. We have Adopt-A-Thons weekly at PetSmart or Petco in Washington,” she points out, adding, “We also provide ‘Humane Education,’ going to nursing homes and other facilities, providing pet therapy, all at no charge. We talk to and work with Brownies, Girl Scouts, Boy Scout troops, different organizations that want to find out about Pet Search, as well as other programs such as animal first aid, and caring for pets.”

Pet Search also sponsors low cost “Rabies Plus” clinics that are open to anyone—not just those who volunteer for or have adopted through the organization—which provide rabies and other needed vaccinations. They also offer a “S.N.A.P.” Program (Spay/Neuter Assistance Program) for dogs and cats, with the help of Anita McMillen, of Braden Run Animal Hospital in Waynesburg, as well as 5 other regional veterinarians. While these events are currently held in locations in Washington, Sherry points out that many people from Greene County participate, and Pet Search hopes to initiate events here in the future, also.

Pet Search relies on donations and volunteers to sustain its efforts to help animals who need it most. This means that even those who may not be able to provide a pet foster home can still give their time or money (or both) to help support the cause. Pet Search can be reached via their Internet site, www.petsearchpa.org; through Facebook (look for “Pet Search” in their search bar); by email at info@ petsearchpa.org; or by calling 724-228-7335. If you call, though, be sure and leave a message. As Sherry says, “When you’re an all volunteer group, there’s never anybody there ‘at the office’—the office is in my house!”

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GreeneScene by Lena Galing

Rumbaugh Back In Action Chiropractic I

t isn’t all that uncommon for a business to run in the family, but it is rather unusual when that business permeates nearly every limb of the family tree, and stretches independently from one end of the country to the other.

Jay Rumbaugh has been practicing chiropractic treatment in the Waynesburg area for 25 years, and has been the owner of Rumbaugh Back in Action since 2012. Jay is one of six children, 4 of whom are also chiropractors. The seeming-tradition began with Jay’s father, according to Jay’s wife, and the office’s selfdescribed “organizer,” Tina. “His dad was the one that started the whole thing,” she reports. “They had a dairy farm in Dawson,” she notes, before Jay’s dad chose to become a chiropractor, “and then his brother, Tim, followed him into chiropractic school. And then the kids started going! Jay’s sister, Amy, was the first of the children that went, and then his brother, Jon, and his sister, Jody.”

Not every single family member followed the same path, however: “Jay’s sister, Rhonda, did not go into chiropractic,” Tina says, “but her son, Ryan, is the third generation practicing chiropractic, in Beaver, PA!” With sister, Amy, working in Louisiana, and cousins practicing in West Virginia and Washington State, it may just be that you’re never too far from a Rumbaugh who can help get your spine back into alignment!

Though patients with neck or back pain are certainly not uncommon in Jay’s practice, the fact, according to Tina, is that chiropractic treatments can aid with a variety of ailments, including headaches, sinus problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, and much more.

The Rumbaughs are also excited to have Dr. Michael McCort as a part of the Rumbaugh Back In Action team since December of last year. In practice for 10 years, Dr. McCort is a welcome addition to the “extended family.”

And what of Jay’s dad, the man who started the “Rumbaugh Chiropractic Dynasty”?

“He’s still practicing in Connellsville, along with his brother, Tim, and Jay’s brother, Jon! His sister, Jody, also has an office in Connellsville,” Tina states, concluding, “I just think it’s neat about the generations of chiropractors—there are so many in our family, all across the United States!”

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K & D Beauty Bar/ LB Photography

ven if you aren’t an actor or a model, isn’t it great to know that you can be treated like one without ever leaving town? K&D Beauty Bar and LB Photography are two local businesses that operate side by side from one building, which is perfectly appropriate since their operations truly do go hand in hand.

With 40 years combined experience, the K&D team specializes in “Red Carpet” L—R: Dayna Culp, Leighanne Brunell, Kim Rohanna, Lisa Brennen hair and make-up, and they’re ready to bring out your most beautiful you! Leighanne Brunell and Dayna Bell Culp, are both hair stylists and make-up artists; they are experts who can make any day feel like a special event.

Stylist, make-up artist and esthetician, Kim Rohanna, brings her talents as a celebrity stylist for MTV, VH-1, and many other television and photographic productions to the mix.

On the other side of the building, Lisa Brennen puts the “LB” in “LB Photography,” offering 14 years as a professional photographer. She is skilled with newborns and portraits of children and families, senior class portraits, boudoir photo shoots and much more.

You can even create a whole day of glamour and be treated like a star, with expert hair and make-up styling at K&D, followed by a professional photo shoot with Lisa at LB Photography!

With so much talent in one convenient location, K&D Beauty Bar and LB Photography have the entire spectrum of beauty covered, just for you!

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GreeneScene by Lillie Yoders

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A-1 Contractors H

ow does a business stay in business? The keys to longevity are simple, yet can often be lost in the shuffle as a business grows. Dealing honestly and being customer-focused are two important rules that Mark and Stacey Malli, owners of A-1 Contractors have taken seriously since day one.

“We decided a long time ago that we didn’t want to make this a really big company, because we like to do one job at a time, make sure that customer is satisfied, and then move on to the next one,” Stacey says. “We would rather make that customer the ‘A-1’ priority.”

A vital part of that process is just doing what you say you’re going to do, Stacey has learned. “Every customer that we deal with says, ‘I can’t believe that you called me back, and you showed up, and you’re honest with me!’ I hear that all the time,” she Decorative stonework is just one of the skills A-1 customers enjoy. notes, adding, “People say that they call contractors, and they say, ‘Oh, yeah, we’ll come out and give you a bid,’ and then they in them.” Stacey and Mark have built their reputadon’t show up, or they show up and do a couple tion for honest, quality work on a solid foundation, days of work, and then leave.” having been in business for over 20 years.

A-1 Contractors handles a wide array of jobs, Keeping herself on call 24 hours a day, 7 days including building and excavating, septic systems, a week, Stacey sums up the A-1 standard efficiently: overall renovations, and, Stacey adds, “We’ve done “We’re family oriented, and the customer comes some really beautiful stone walls, some with lights first.”

GreeneScene by Tammy Dunlap

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Easter Egg Hunt for the Cure

Spring Gardening Seminar

Nanny’s Team announces they will hold an Easter Egg Hunt for the Cure in Carmichaels on April A Spring Gardening Seminar will be held by the Greene County Master Gardener Program, 4th. All money raised will be donated to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. This is the second year for the Penn State Extension. This will take place on Saturday, April 11th at the 4H building at the Greene event, which features games, face painting, an obstacle course, crafts, raffles, food, the egg hunt, and County Fairgrounds more! To learn more, contact nannysteam@hotmail.com.

Topics will include: Community Supported Agriculture Keeping Health while gardening Worm Composting Complimentary/Alternative Medicine Greene Co. Conservation District is accepting applications from now until the 2nd week of July There will be soil test available for purchase; vendors, refreshments and door prizes. for the first round of the 2015 Water Quality Mini-Grant Program. As many as five awards of up to For more information or to register, please contact the Penn state Extension Office at 724-627$5000 each will be awarded to projects that address water quality improvements.

3745. Cost is $12 if registered before April 4th; $14 at the door.

All Greene County landowners are eligible to apply for the program, as well as homeowner associations, locally based environmental organizations, school-based or scouting organizations, sportsman associations or other civic associations. Applicants will be given one year to complete their projects and will be reimbursed only upon a final site visit and receipt of necessary documentation.

Last month’s GreeneScene of the Past focused on the dramatic murder case of Florence “Flossie” For more information about the Water Quality Mini-Grant Program, call the Conservation District at 724-852-5278, or visit www.co.greene.pa.us/gccd to download the complete guidelines and Hartman. A few days after that issue was sent out, we received a call from Jackie Marisa of Waynesburg, whose family used to live in Taylorstown, near the Andrenok residence. John Andrenok, you application form. may remember, was Flossie’s love interest, to whose murder she confessed during her trial.

Jackie recalled that, in a strange bend of fate, another Andrenok brother, Michael, killed his spouse some years after the Flossie Hartman incident. Unfortunately, our research could turn up precious little information about the case. It looks to have happened near the end of 1949, but, surprisFebruary is Teen Dating Abuse Awareness Month. Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern ingly, there don’t appear to be nearly as many newspaper references to this case as there were for the PA (DVSSP) specializes in dating violence education and prevention. To schedule a speaker for a Flossie Hartman/John Andrenok murder.

If our readers have any memories or stories related to the Michael Andrenok story, we’d love to school classroom or after school group, contact DVSSP’s Education and Training Department at 724-852-2373 in Greene Co., 724-223-5477 in Wash- hear from you! Just call 724-627-2040, email regis@directresults.us, or stop by our offices at 185 Wade St. in Waynesburg. ington Co., or 724-437-2530 in Fayette.

Water Quality Grant Applications Being Accepted

GreeneScene of the Past Update!

Teen Dating Abuse Awareness Month

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Chuck Morris for Commissioner G

reene County Commissioner, Chuck Morris, is seeking reelection to the Board of Commissioners. He was appointed to the board by the Greene County court in August of 2010 to complete the term of Dave Coder, who resigned to go to work for then-U.S. Representative, Mark Critz.

He was elected to a full term in 2011, and has served as chairman since late 2012. Chuck is a member of the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission, where he serves on both the Policy and Executive Committee.

In addition, he is a member of Courts and Corrections Committee of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, Children and Youth Advisory Board, and Greene County Tourism Agency.

Prior to his position as commissioner, Chuck was the Greene County district attorney from 1980— 1988, and from March 2008 to August 2010 he was a member of the Greene County Planning Commission.

“Thanks to the efforts of our current board of commissioners, we are at the threshold of an exciting future for our county,” he said.

“The Industrial Development Agency has been reinvigorated with increased funding and support, the Economic Development Department has become more efficient, and the Industrial Development Corporation has grown to the point that an additional business park is needed,” he added.

“We as a board have fostered a spirit of cooperation that previously had not existed,” he noted, and also affirmed that the Redevelopment Association had experienced what he called “a rebirth.”

“Increased funding and the hiring of a full-time director has it on the way to wonderful achievements,” he said.

Due to the Act 13 funds received by the county, much needed repairs to the courthouse and the fairgrounds, including a new building, have been made. Recreational facilities such as playgrounds and a pool in Greensboro have been renovated, also.

“Throughout this process, the county has been able to maintain county services without a tax increase,” Chuck was happy to point out.

Raised in Cumberland Township, Chuck is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Duquesne University School of Law, and, since 1975, has practiced law, initially with Pollock, Pollock and Thomas; and currently is a member of Pollock Morris, LLC. He and his wife, Janice, are the parents of two children, Jenna and Trevor, and have lived in Franklin Township since 1991.

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Greene County Industrial Development Authority

he Greene County Industrial Development Authority (GCIDA) is actively partnering with the Greene County Board of Commissioners to foster economic growth in the county. The authority works with our federal delegation and state legislators, as well as development partners, including Waynesburg University and the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Entrepreneurial Excellence, to further expand business opportunities throughout the county.

The authority provides links to financial resources for County-owned businesses for expansion or retention and administers a revolving loan fund, funded in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development program. The fund was established to provide seed money to promote job development and business growth and expansion within Greene County.

The Authority has established the Greene County Brownfield Redevelopment Advisory Committee (GC-BRAC) to create more public involvement in its effort to address brownfield sites. The committee will improve public participation and community involvement in the brownfield redevelopment initiatives.

The Manager of the Industrial Development Authority is Crystal Simmons and the Board of Directors is led by Joseph Simatic, who serves as Chairman. Other members include Sheila Elliott Stewart, Branch Manager and Assistant Vice President of First National Bank; Andrew Corfont, Vice-President and Marketing Administrator; Jason Neighbors, owner of Vending Solutions and Mike Belding.

The Authority offices are located on the street level of the Fort Jackson Building at 49 South Washington Street in Waynesburg. For information or assistance, please call 724-627-9259.

Basic “Tax” Accounting, LLC

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rom the décor that adorns the walls to the extensive professional training the staff undergoes annually, Cheryl Semonick, Controller and Business Manager of Basic Tax Accounting, does whatever it takes to set herself apart from the field of local tax preparers. Because their primary focus is tax law and preparation, the firm can be diversified, yet still maintain a clear focus. Cheryl credits her staff—5 year veteran, Gwen Nicholson, and newer addition, Sandy Zuspan—for helping to ensure the smooth operation and efficiency of her operation, saying, “I could not do this without them.”

“Basic Tax really started somewhere around 2008,” Cheryl recalls. “We do a variety of taxes. We do individuals, businesses, partnerships, farms, rentals, corporations, estate tax returns; I have a nice rapport with some local legal experts that we consult once in a while, but what makes me stand out uniquely from everybody else is that I am an Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service. I’ve had my license for close to 20 years, now.”

Clearly proud of her status as an Enrolled Agent, saying, “Things change all the time in taxation law.

You have to know where to look for answers, how to file correctly, the whole nine yards. What criteria must she meet to maintain this status? “I have to have 24 hours of continuing education every year,” she notes, adding, “Actually, last year I had 40 hours. And when I go to continuing education, I make sure my staff goes with me, to make sure they keep up on the law just like I do. There are a lot of uncertified people doing taxes, who don’t keep up with the continuing education,” she cautions, adding, “They’re not licensed, they’re not certified, so this is another way we try to stand above everybody else.”

Cheryl and staff are eager to help new businesses get started and established, helping business owners navigate a sea of complex paperwork that must be correctly filed. “I also do consulting with the oil and gas industry,” she adds. “I don’t do financial consulting, advising about investing money, but we talk about taxation issues of the oil and gas industry. We get a lot of those types of clients.”

It’s clear that one of the chief motivators for the care that Cheryl and the team at Basic Tax Accounting take in doing their work is the variety of clients that they serve. “We have a very nice and unique clientele that comes through the door,” Cheryl states, and that “niceness” has its rewards. Speaking of a patron who just recently dropped by with a special delivery, she smiles, saying, “As you can see, one of them just brought us lunch! He was just so ecstatic that he got his refund in two weeks, that he fed us! Lots of our clients bring us little things,” she adds.

She demonstrates her appreciation of these small tokens by making them focal points around the office—everything from a model Wells Fargo stagecoach to a diorama of horses roaming in the woods can be found on shelves mounted on the office walls.

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Cheryl’s high standards and attention to detail are among the things that earn such affection from her clients. “We have a very good reputation. People really respect us here, and we offer unique services.”

Certain services, however, are not provided by Basic Tax Accounting. “We do get the ones who come in here and try to get us to ‘stretch,’” she notes, “and I won’t. It’s just a matter of fact. I don’t need people who are trying to be a little ‘shady.’”

Basic Tax Accounting continues to build on their reputation of ethical, skilled principles, while also remembering that there is more to running a successful, growing business than numbers and spreadsheets.

Cheryl sums it up succinctly: “We try to make this fun. If it’s not fun, I don’t want to be here!”

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Wilson Quality Builders H

aving a successful business has a lot in common with having a successful life: most of the time, it’s better to keep things simple. Shaun Wilson, who, along with his wife, Cynthia, has owned Wilson Quality Builders since 1999, understands this well. “We just try to do the best we can for each customer, make sure they’re happy, and do whatever it is they need for us to do,” he says matter-of-factly.

With over 15 years of experience on his own, his philosophy obviously works. “We pretty much do any kind of building from the foundation, up,” he notes.

Shaun honed his skills working with a carpenter in Washington who specialized in restoration work. “As demand increased, people started asking me to do side work, and then one thing led to another,” he recalls.

Cynthia and Shaun take pride in their community, and in keeping their promises, pledging that “there are no hidden or additional costs in our contracts; customers will never receive an additional bill without the work being approved.” Cynthia adds, “We’d like to show our appreciation to Greene County for the business they have provided us.”

With a full time crew of four experienced, drug-free employees, Shaun and Cynthia know what it takes to build their business from the ground up!

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Burns Tire T

o the delight of literally hundreds of previous customers, Randy Burns announced the re-opening of Burns Tire Service in Waynesburg earlier this month. Yes, Burns Tire Service has returned; is now open and operating in the same location at 350 South Morris Street in Waynesburg, with the same personal approach and quality products that have branded the business since its beginning over 47 years ago.

Full time manager and owner, Randy Burns, is the 2nd generation operator, who likes to joke that closing the shop for a brief hiatus this past year was the only way to convince his parents and founders, Buck and Amanda Burns, to take full advantage of retirement. “It won’t surprise me to see one or the other of them in here from time to time anyway,” Randy says with a grin, knowing that a lifetime of tradition and work is hard to give up. Randy knows, because he literally grew up at Burns Tire, working his own way up.

It’s that kind of dedication and experience that has made this business a leading source for automotive service and tires. Burns Tire is fully equipped and staffed to handle all tire service, repair and installation including vehicles with tire pressure monitoring systems. Firestone remains a leading seller, and other tire brands are available at Burns as well.

With a warehouse on site, Burns keeps a large inventory in stock of all tires – passenger, light duty, agricultural, industrial, etc. Many of the staff you know and trust from Burns Tire Service are still on board, including Brian Yeager and Dale Eddy, fully trained and skilled technicians, and Randy Moore is who you’ll find behind the counter.

Burns Tire is also a full automotive service center, they work on brakes, transmission and all engine mechanics. Burns Tire Service is your single source for automotive service, under the hood or on the wheels. Call 724-627-TIRE for an appointment.

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Owner Randy Burns with grandson Luke Patton…it seems the third generation is ready to roll at Burns Tire Service, recently re-opened full time and full service for automotive care at 350 Morris Street in Waynesburg.

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