June 2021 GreeneScene Magazine

JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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FEATURES 4

I LOVE THIS PLACE

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GREENESCENE OF THE PAST

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SHINING THE LIGHT

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COUNTY CONVERSATIONS

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PUBLIC SERVICE PROFILE

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COOL AT SCHOOL

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GOING GREENE

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GREENE ARTIFACTS

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GETTING BETTER IN GREENE

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GOOD NEWS IN GREENE

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MESSAGE BOARD

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HOMETOWN HERITAGE

Flenniken Public Library Flenniken Public Library St. Hugh - Carmichaels Veterans Affairs

Waynesburg Lions Club

Handcrafted Inc. store opens at Carmichaels Going Greene and getting married W&W Railroad Room at GCHS Museum Wisecarver Recreation Area Update

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

EXTRAS 7

#DINEGREENE21

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SUMMER FUN AT THE GREENE CO. PARKS

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SOUNDS OF SUMMER

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DESTINATION GREENE

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PARK DEDICATION HONORS VETERANS

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MEMORIAL DAY EVENTS

April is National Poetry Month!

Spend the summer enjoying the fun in our pools & parks The free concert series returns with the farmers market The GCHS museum hosts Destination Fear The Greene County Veterans Memorial Park dedication

Memorial Day celebrations and events in Greene County

Weddings in Greene

Featuring: • Personal wedding stories • How to choose a photographer • How to livestream your wedding • How to choose your music & DJ • Local Greene County wedding venues • Intimate weddings in Greene

This and more starting on page 34!

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GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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I Love this P l a ce

FLENNIKEN PUBLIC LIBRARY

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hen Flenniken Public Library in Carmichaels celebrated its 60th anniversary on the first of May, I was one of the many visitors who stopped by for custom cupcakes and a chance to be thrilled by all the services this library and community center has to offer. I already knew this was the place to get fingerprints taken for clearances – library staffers are trained by Identigo and can schedule you any time during the library day. What I didn’t know was how many 21st century skills can be learned here, by kids of any age.

Library Director Nicole Mitchell, who will be finishing her master’s degree in library science in November, was glad to take me back to the future that is tucked away on the enclosed front porch where the 3D printer and a scattering of computer stations hold court. Here’s where library cardholders come to turn their writings into bound books and there are stations for using the virtual and augmented reality headsets. Want to build a robot? Lego Mindstorms is waiting to be assembled.

Want to build a computer from scratch? Arduino, an electronic platform for creating interactive products allows you to build a motherboard and make it work.

When it comes to learning anatomy at an early age, there’s Parker, a cuddly Augmented Reality bear that Grace Bradmon, Norma Kelley and Jacob Huggins with some of the high tech items shows preschoolers the layers of the body on a tablet or and fun crafts available for kids at Flenniken Library. a phone, from circular to skeletal, depending on which blanket he’s snuggling under.

The Children’s Room has all the books a kid could imagine and access to even more through the state library loan system. All you have to do is ask. Here’s where colorful kid size tablets and laptops allow for audio book readings or time to do homework, maybe build a robot or enter a virtual reality. Older kids can use the green screen, camera and video editing programs to act in their own movies and presentations and release them to the world on the library’s YouTube channel.

When COVID-19 ended face-to-face library time, children’s program coordinator and long time story teller Norma Kelley put her imagination to work to bring story time and craft classes to the community via social media. As lockdown began loosening, “We were able to bring in one child for story time the others could watch along at home.” For Crafternoon classes with

Young author Emma Bates holds her book, “God with a Capital G,” in front of the local author section at Flenniken Library.

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Children working on tablets and using a virtual reality headset in the Children’s Room.

By Colleen Nelson

Grace Bradmon, paper bag craft kits can be picked up at the library and taken home to be done anytime while watching the prerecorded classes. Now with COVID-19 restrictions lifting, and summer on the horizon, library life will be getting back to face-to-face programs and activities as soon as possible.

Today’s libraries are geared to meet the educational standards that prepare kids from the earliest years to be successful in school. Story hours for preschoolers give parents and grandparents a chance to be part of the curriculum - as kids grow into science, music and the arts they and their families can both find programs and activities there to expand their learning curve. Many adult learning classes are free for cardholders, and Nicole tells me the library has plenty of regulars who come here to read the paper and browse the ‘net with their morning coffee.

Flenniken Library has that Cheers “where everyone knows your name” kind of feeling that invites you in and makes you want to stay awhile. The stately elegance of the community room with its fireplace, comfy chairs and a coffee bar is more than inviting. At the anniversary open house, a couple new to the area got the tour with docent for a day Emma Bates, 14, who is already a published author. She showed me the special book section devoted to local authors and introduced me to Cecil the literary leopard spotted gecko. County commissioner Blair Zimmerman stopped by for a tour of the 21st century gadgets that funding from EQT has made possible over the last five years and Nicole shared one of her future dreams with me.

“We’d love to have a sensory room for children with Autism. At this point it’s a matter of finding space.”

Library hours are Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Friday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Computers are available in the library for children to play educational games. Other computers provide internet access.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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G reen e Sce n e of the Pa st

ere’s a glimpse of some of the fun stuff that was happening in Carmichaels – and Flenniken Library - in

1997.

That’s longtime librarian June Kim on the left, linking arms with a merry band of community organizers who are, from the looks of their shirts, involved in Carmichael’s second Annual Halupkie Festival. That’s Paul Lagjoda on the right, arm in arm with Pricilla Biddle, standing beside the late Janice Jefferies. The woman hugging Mrs. Kim remains unidentified so if you recognize her let us know.

I found this blast from the past on May 1, while looking through a photo album on display during the library’s 60th anniversary open house. They are standing in front of the ten by five-foot mural of coal barges at Shannopin Mine on the Monongahela River, by Robert M. Robinson. It hung on an office wall at Shannopin Mine until the mine closed in 1982. Former mine supervisor Alfred Smalara donated it to the library and it is still brightening the children’s library room above the computers and bookcases. What better place to hang original art than where children can grow up contemplating its every colorful brush stroke and know it was painted by a real person just like them?

I hadn’t thought about June Kim for years, so it was sweet to see her smiling at me, helping me remember the 1990s as Greene County and the rest of the world were beginning to imagine the 21st century. She represents that time when cultural tides were turning from books and magazines to video games and Internet learning, and libraries nationwide were finding their way in this new cultural shift.

The fact that Mrs. Kim came to Greene County in 1986 with a MLS – masters in library science – would become a game changer for how the county’s library system would be operating going forward. With Mrs. Kim in charge at Flenniken, the responsibilities of managing the Greene County Library System could be shared between Flenniken and Bowlby libraries. Things weren’t quite so rule oriented back in the 1940s when it was the community at large that put their civic minds together and got to work gathering books and gathering funds to start a library for their home town.

Every small town library has its backstory and Flenniken Public Library at 102 E. George St. Carmichaels is no exception. The center of its present day annexes, ramps and side door entrances is a stately old home that once belonged to Werner Lund, who owned the movie theater in town. When the Carmichaels Cumberland Women’s’ Civic Club

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By Colleen Nelson

started a library in the basement of First National Bank, now Community Bank in 1946 they had no idea their library was destined to move next door.

But when Earl T. Flenniken died, the frugal bachelor with family roots stretching back to the earliest settlers left a tidy endowment to support a town library named in honor of his parents. The Lund family’s handsome yellow brick house was purchased in 1960 and named William and Mary Flenniken Library.

It’s hard to read the design on those shirts from this little snapshot - the word halupkie is faded but it is one of the many ethnic words for a dish made from Europe to the Middle East and China that wraps ground meat stuffing in any number of leaves, from cabbage and grape leaves to Swiss chard, then cooks them in any number of sauces. When men were recruited from Europe to work in the mines along the Monongahela River, they brought their families and their love of this 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 historic food with them.

Sarma is from the Turkish word sarmak Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370. Or email to: info@greenescenemagazine.com with GreeneScene Past in subject line.

- to wrap and holubki is the Slovak name for the same delicious made from scratch dish that is the heart and soul of graduation parties, weddings, funerals and whatever other celebration calls for a side dish that is complicated but well worth the effort. When I called up longtime Carmichaels resident Paul Legjoda for more information, he brought the first and second annual festival tee shirts to the library for me to see, neatly hanging in plastic protectors and told me about the festival celebrating what I grew up calling pigs in a blanket.

And there, in his collection of shirts I found one with two pigs snuggling under a star spangled blanket. It seems there were two shirts to be had for the cook-off billed as a festival in Carmichaels on October 4-5 1997.

From the looks of it, there was some question about what to call this dish that has nourished most of the world for the last how many thousand years. It suggests that there were plenty of cooks on the street that day with electric warming pans full of their favorite food of whatever name, challenging the judges and those who came to eat to choose the best of the best.

Who won? Paul doesn’t remember but he does know “when the people who bought our shirts took them home and showed them to their relatives, we got orders coming from out of town and we sold out.”

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

#Dine DineGreene Greene21 21

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his summer, the #DineGreene21 challenge is coming to Greene County. The #DineGreene21 Challenge that will kick off on Memorial Day (May 31) and run until Labor Day (September 6).

Participants will take photographs and share them publicly on social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) with two hashtags to enter the challenge, the #DineGreene21 hashtag and a hashtag of the business’s choice. These captions must be in the text of the photo to be counted. Each week (Monday to Sunday), all the entries will be collected, and a winner will be drawn each week to win a $25 gift card to a restaurant in Greene County. Winners will be posted each Tuesday afternoon at 1pm on VisitGreene social media channels.

Not only will a participant be awarded each week, but a restaurant will be named Greene County’s Restaurant of the Week for the most entries collected during that week. The Restaurant of the Week will be announced through VisitGreene social media channels and our weekly e-blast.

In addition, the restaurant with the most entries from customers and visitors by September 6, 2021 will be awarded the title of Greene County’s Restaurant of Summer 2021 and receive an advertising package valued over $1,000 for future promotions.

The challenge is designed to create engagement and additional exposure to county restaurants through one of the best advertising avenues available to all of us – social media. The power of social media is vast and the more positive engagement we can create, the better for Greene County’s overall image to visitors. Even if you don’t win a title or prize

package, the exposure through the summerlong challenge is highly beneficial to engage your current customers and attract new customers.

Interested in being a participating restaurant? Call 724-627-8687, email joanne@ co.greene.pa.us by Tuesday, May 18. However, if you miss the deadline, you can still participate, but the full set of in-store materials may be slightly delayed.

To be a participating location in the challenge, restaurants should: • Agree to participate in the challenge during regular or holiday operational hours from May 31 to September 6, 2021.

• Must be a partner of Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency. Partnerships start as low as $50 for the year and include additional free to low-cost advertising opportunities, networking, training, and business exposure to visitors.

• Share and help promote the #DineGreene21 Challenge with staff and customers.

• Choose a hashtag unique to your location (#restaurantname for example).

• Help identify one or two photos that are unique to your restaurant that participants should use to upload to social media. For example: selfie in front of the restaurant, selfie in front of unique element of restaurant, photo in front of your name or logo, photo of food purchase, photo of beverage purchase.

Due to legal regulations and rules surrounding contests and challenges, at least one photo must not require a purchase to take by the participant. The hope is that the majority of participants will be purchasing from your restaurant, but the exposure of the photo can be just as beneficial to generating future clients and increasing your brand awareness.

ate: articip P o t How ng location.

a participati t a e i f l se a e k 1. Ta the 2 hashtags. g n si u a i ed m cial 2. Post on so to win!

3. Be entered

JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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W

hen Greene County was being settled in the late 1700s there were about 70 Catholic families scattered in around the Ten Mile Muddy Creek area. It fell to traveling missionaries on their way to Pittsburgh to celebrate the occasional mass and offer sacraments in private homes. It wasn’t until 1839, when St. Ann’s was built in Waynesburg.

It would take the faith and labor of the next wave of Catholic immigrants, both Byzantine and Roman, from Eastern Europe to build more churches, each in their own time.

None of the mining communities that sprang up around Carmichaels in the early days of the 20th century had parish churches.

They had to rely on two dedicated travelling priests from All Saints Church, Masontown and Our lady of Perpetual Help, Leckrone to go house to house for baptisms and death rites and hold irregular masses as the opportunity arose. The first mass celebrated at the new Our Lady of Consolation Church in Nemacolin on Christmas Day 1928 invited in all the faithful that lived nearby. When Robena Mine opened and new workers began arriving, Father Simko, pastor at Nemacolin, opened a parish mission in Carmichaels.

Within a year it became St. Hugh, named after Bishop Hugh C. Boyle of the Pittsburgh Diocese. A 1965 newspaper clipping celebrating the church’s 10th anniversary notes that the historically serendipitous naming “in no way connected to early colonist Felix Hughes.” Services at St. Hugh were held in the vacant Lund Theater for the two plus years it took for the faithful to come together and build their church.

Mrs. Teresa Caravagio deeded a property on St. Route 88 in 1952 and the parish purchased property next door for a rectory.

Ground was broken on “a sunny day in May” 1954 and the first mass was held February 19, 1955.

In the 1950s, bituminous coal was king, mining was becoming safer and the parish churches were the heart of every coal town. But as room and pillar coal reserves played out and those first mines began closing, the industry switched to long wall mining the deeper reserves in the western side of the county.

Those living in the old

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By Colleen Nelson mining towns around Carmichaels began leaving to find work. But the churches were the ties that kept them coming back for yearly festivals, weddings and funerals and gave those who still lived here a connection to a past that was changing with the times.

Once there were five parishes in the county, now there is one – St. Matthias – which includes St. Ann, St. Hugh, St. Ignatius in Bobtown and St. Marcellus in Jefferson.

The new parish formed before the churches in Nemacolin, Crucible, Rices Landing and Clarksville closed their doors in 2019 and parishioners went forth to find a new spiritual home. Father Albin McGinnis, Father Francis Frazer and Father James Farnan are the pastors, and churchgoers had a hand in choosing the apostle Matthias as their parish saint. In the New Testament, Matthias was chosen by Lot to replace Judas and proved his worth at spreading the Good Word in trying times. His name, as a number of voters pointed out, also includes letters from names of all the parish churches.

From the outside, St. Hugh is beautiful colonial style house of worship surrounded by manicured walkways that are both evocative and serene. Inside is full of light and, according to the parishioner I spoke to who chooses to remain anonymous, cautiously filling with people grateful to be back to worship after a year of COVID-19 lockdown.

There were a few bumps in the road as people adjusted to new ways after leaving their old churches, but in a way COVID-19 was a bit of a blessing, she tells me. It made people aware of the importance of being together to share the joys of living. Mass is still broadcast in the parking lot on FM 87.9 when there’s overflow attendance and with spring weather here, there’s fun to be had outdoors.

Last year there was no celebration of the Feast of St. Matthias; this year there was a parking lot cookout after mass on May 14 with food served on the back porch and lawn chairs everywhere. Sounds like a blessed summer is right around the corner.

All the churches of the parish along with upcoming events and services can be found online at stmatthiasgreene.org GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

County Conversations GREENE COUNTY HUMAN & SOCIAL SERVICES

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OFFICE OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

f you’re a veteran in Greene County with a concern or problem and looking for support, the Greene County Office of Veterans Affairs is ready to assist you and your family.

“Our job is to help veterans with compensation and pension claims, healthcare applications (VA hospitals and Champ VA), DIC and pension claims, life insurance, funeral and burial benefit claims, education benefits, home loans, veterans license plates, emergency assistance, flags and holders for deceased veterans’ graves, and organizing Memorial Day and Veterans Day events across the county,” says Kathy Cipcic, Director/CVSO of the Greene County Office of Veterans Affairs. Annually, about 3,000 Veterans seek assistance through her office.

In addition to assisting veterans with their claims, the office is very involved in community events, especially those for vet-

At the Greene County Veterans Expo

erans. “We participate and assist the veterans’ organizations in all of the programs that are presented, along with attending the events. We also help the veterans organizations with getting flags and flag holders to honor and remember our veterans who have served the county.

The Greene County Office of Veterans Affairs recently completed their first annual Veteran’s Expo. Twenty-eight vendors provided information and tips on benefits, social networking, jobs, housing, finances, and mental and physical health. The expo was provided for all veterans in the area, not just Greene County residents. For the first year, there was good participation and they anticipate an increase in both vendors and veteran participation in the future.

Kathy, born and raised in Greene County, has worked in the VA office for 18 years and has been with the County for 28 years. The office staff consists of County Veterans Services Officers (CVSO) and they are dedicated to acquiring for veterans the benefits they deserve for serving our country. The staff even employs some of their outside talents to help at work, shares Kathy. “One employee is a crafter and we have used that to help with some of our projects.”

“I know when I get up every morning that I am going to be helping someone better their future,” Kathy shares. “I used my talents [after graduating at Penn State] to stay here in the county and work with county people.”

FMI on the Greene County Office of Veterans Affairs, please call 724-852-5275 or visit www.co.greene. pa.us.

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JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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Public Service Profile

By Edward Boice

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WAYNESBURG LIONS CLUB

he motto for the Waynesburg Lions Club is simple: “We serve.” Despite the simple motto, the club has a multitude of annual projects that provide the local community and communities abroad with events and resources.

“My household volunteers. That’s what I was brought up to do; to help other people. I feel best when I’m helping someone.

I don’t expect anything back, and I don’t think anyone in our organization does.

That’s what we do,” says Eleanor Chapman, secretary for the Waynesburg Lions Club.

The club of 58 members organize several ways to rally supplies for those who in need. The club maintains two projects, created in the past two years, purposed to recycle plastic bags and reusable plastic. The club, seniors for the Waynesburg Senior Center, and local Leo Club create plarn, yarn made from plastic, which is then crafted into mats for homeless people. The reusable plastic is gathered and given to an outdoor furniture company called Trex, who reuses the plastic for building materials.

“If you can recycle 500 pounds or more, if you have registered with them and gotten this project okayed, they will give you a free bench for the community. That is where the two benches came from in Hooper Park,” Eleanor says.

Another contribution to the community are eyeglasses and funding for them.

The Lions Club International Organization has recycle plants dedicated to mending and identifying eyeglasses which local clubs bring to them. The Waynesburg club gathers and accepts donations of eyeglasses, new and used. A member then transports the glasses to a plant, and then the plant distributes the eyeglasses to missions around the world.

“Helen Keller made us the knights of the blind,” Eleanor says. “We try to help with any type of research involved there. Eye research is a big thing in the Lions Club.”

On an international scale, the Lions International Club has

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a disaster relief fund that the Waynesburg club helps fund. Ignoring the obvious COVID-19 pandemic, there are always places who need such a fund, Eleanor explains.

She said the Waynesburg club gathered $10,000 since when they started donating toward the fund two years ago. Part of their total is due to most of the members pledging $100.

“The Lions Club International Organization is asking all clubs to help get some donations for disaster relief because there are so many [disasters]. Right now, every time you turn around, there’s a disaster some place in the world,” Eleanor says. “Our organization is international. We try to help all countries, not just the United States, with disaster relief.”

While transforming the entire world, COVID-19 has also forced the club to restructure most of their events. Their annual Halloween Parade last year transformed, with the help of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce, to a reverse parade, where attenders drove their cars around the Greene County Fairgrounds to see socially distanced displays on the side.

“We’re not sure what it will be this year, that depends on what the COVID-19 restrictions are. We have in the past marched right through town… Obviously, this year, it could happen,” Eleanor says.

There are several other projects and for the community and to help the club fundraise money that are not mentioned in this article. To learn more about the ones listed above, learn how you can help, and become a Lions Club member, contact Eleanor Chapman at 724-998-6962 or techapman@ windstream.net.

The Lions Club Park in Waynesburg.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

Co o l at Sc h oo l

By Michelle Church

CARMICHAELS AREA HIGH SCHOOL same inventory. Students are currently selling wax tarts, air fresheners, resin key chains, and custom sublimated items such as masks, keychains, socks, key fobs, phone cases, and pop sockets. The students continue to expand their list of products.

Sublimation is a process where a substance transitions from solid to a gas state without ever passing through the liquid state. This is achieved by using a printer with sublimation ink. This creates a highThe online store sells handcrafted items, like the wax melts quality product because it will not being created here. wash off or crack. Students are able to print out custom designs with a special ink. Then they use the heat s part of their marketing class, Carmichaels Area High School students press on a shirt or keychain that the ink turns have created an in-person and online into a gas and adheres it to the fabric.

In addition to earning credits for class, store selling a selection of items they have created themselves. Handcrafted Inc. was ini- the students are also learning about finance, tiated this past September, thanks to a Busi- business management, time control, marketing, packaging, interpersonal and communiness Communication class and a grant.

The students have a physical storefront cation skills, as well as website design. Being in Carmichaels STEM teacher Nichole More- part of the Handcrafted Inc. experience gives craft’s classroom and a website selling the students many life skills. Students manage the

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JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

website as well as the in-person store. They keep inventory on the site, take care of order fulfillment and delete and upload products to the site.

The program is funded through a grant from EdCorps.

“EdCorps supports student start-up companies. My students worked to create their own products, digital art and business name. This company is 100 % student run,” Nichole says.

There are currently nineteen students in the program, and they are able to make their products in class. Nichole says, “I think this business has taught my students how the skills that they are learning all come together to create an end product that they can be proud of.”

She adds, “I could not be more impressed with this group of students’ drive and dedication to their business… watching them naturally fall into roles that suit their strengths such as website designer, finance manager, production manager, sales team,

Students at Carmichaels have started their own store as part of a business class.

etc.” The artwork for the wax tarts was digitally designed by two virtual students, Lily Bosle and Nathaniel Bercosky. Zachary Kerik and Alec Anderson serve as production managers, Levi Krampy is the financial manager and website designer, and Amber Wolfe and Rolin Burghy form the sublimation team. The sales team is made up of Nicholas Sholtis, Austin Walker and Sara Roscoe.

Handcrafted Inc. items can be purchased at this website https://edcorps.org/ shop/handcrafted-inc

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G o in g G re e n e

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GOING GREENE & GETTING MARRIED

enealogical and historical research has been on the rise over the course of the last year. So many activities have been canceled and, especially through the winter, studying your roots has become a bigger pastime than it has been in the recent past.

In speaking with members and staff at our local archive repositories in Greene County, the museum’s staff has learned that questions available resources, how to find resources, and how to seek out information have increased.

Spring and summer have always been a popular time of year for weddings. The budding trees and the blossoming flowers provide a beautiful backdrop to weddings and hearken back to olden times when people were more in tune with the natural world around them. In early years, this trend was prominent, as weddings were celebrated by not only friends and families, but entire communities, and commonly after the nuptials were completed, a large celebration was held in the church yard, or at the family farm.

Tracking down the dates of these ancestral marriages can be challenging. It was not until 1885 that Pennsylvania required couples that get a marriage license to be filed with the Clerk of the Orphans Court in each county. In Greene County, you can find them at the courthouse in Waynesburg or on the Greene Connections website (https://www.greeneconnections.com) under the resource tab. These records were transcribed by Jim Fordyce and are an excellent resource if you are looking for information beginning in 1885 and through the 1920s.

The lack of a marriage license requirement in Pennsylvania often affects areas adjoining us outside of the state. It is well documented that throughout the 19th century, couples from West Virginia would hop the border into Pennsylvania to avoid having to get a license to wed.

What if you need something a bit further back, perhaps for a Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution application? This is where things get trickier, but there are resources that exist. Various church records have been discovered and are archived at Cornerstone Genealogical Society (http:// www.cornerstonegenealogy.com) in Waynesburg. With enough Googling, a few Greene County church records can be found in transcribed form online. Some records have been

A page from the Luther Axtel ledger.

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By Matthew Cumberledge

found from the Goshen Baptist Church (Now the Corbly Memorial Church in Garards Fort) as well as the church that used to be on Whites Ridge just south of Waynesburg.

Both Cornerstone Genealogical Society and the Greene County Historical Society (https://www.greenecountyhistory. org) archive scrapbooks that contain newspaper clippings and notices of marriages throughout the county. These were usually compiled by a member of the family to keep a record of happenings within their family line, and often contain newspaper articles, birth announcements and deaths, as well as other interesting family memorabilia. Sadly, in many cases these date back no further than the late 19th century as well.

It takes a lot of digging, and many hours of dedicated research to locate marriage information prior to 1885, and unhappily, the further back in time you go, the harder it can be to find. Often, documentation simply doesn’t exist outside of a reference to a spouse in a will or a deed.

If you are seeking information on someone who served during the Civil War, or any war prior to World War I, and who lived long enough to be eligible to file for a pension, sometimes references to their marriage date and spouse are contained within those records. Civil War pension files often provide an exciting and informative glimpse into the life of an ancestor. To obtain Civil War pension, or other pension records, go to the National Archives Website (https://www. archives.gov) and click on the Veterans Service Records page to begin the process. There are fees associated with obtaining pension files, and they vary depending on the size of the file, but for the dedicated researcher the wealth of information can outweigh the cost of obtaining the files.

Revolutionary War pension files can sometimes contain marriage information. It has not been unheard of to find torn pages from family bibles used as evidence in a Revolutionary War

The Luther Axtel ledger.

pension to prove a relationship with a spouse.

Occasional other sources of records surface that can provide a wealth of information. Several years ago, a local researcher discovered an interesting item listed for sale on an internet auction site. It was a dusty and worn ledger with item description reporting that it related to Fayette County, Pennsylvania, but the researcher recognized names. This ledger once belonged to Reverend Luther Axtell, a minister born in Washington County in 1820, who by the early 1850s was living in Jacktown (Wind Ridge) in Richhill Township, Greene County. Rev. Axtell was a circuit preacher who gave sermons at several churches throughout Greene, Washington and Fayette counties, and this ledger not only gave accounts of what Scriptures he preached on at his various churches, but also listed all his marriages between 1848 and 1885.

This was quite an exciting find that provided a great deal of information that had been unknown. The contents of this ledger were digitized, and a copy is archived at Cornerstone Genealogical Society. In recent years, the scanned pages were shared with the Greene Connections team and are available for viewing through the Archive Project.

Genealogical research can be very frustrating, but the digital age has made it possible to make many original sources and private collections available to the public. That is the goal of the Greene Connections Archive Project. The importance digital archives cannot be understated, and Greene County has a very good head start in that race!

A 19th century wedding photo.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

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• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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Gre e ne Art ifacts THE WAYNESBURG & WASHINGTON RAILROAD ROOM

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inter is always a busy time at the Greene County Historical Society Museum, and it is also one of the most exciting and fun seasons for the GCHS staff! Winter is when we get to renovate rooms, go through our collections, and bring new items out on display. Often, we try to set up complete rooms with entirely new exhibits.

This year, in celebration of the amazing amount of work that has happened, getting us closer and closer to the restoration of Coach #6, which once carried passengers on the Waynesburg and Washington Railroad, we have created a brand-new Waynesburg and Washington Railroad Room.

Located in the largest room of the west wing of the Greene County Historical Society Museum, the new Waynesburg and Washington Railroad was created to emulate what a train station may have looked like. The room contains lanterns, tools, ticket stubs, documents and many other artifacts that were used on the Waynesburg and Washington Railroad during its years of operation from 1874 through 1929.

It’s a step back in time when entering the new room. The desk features timetables, notes and other items used to get passengers to their destinations and means to keep things running efficiently. We even showcase the caboose lantern used on the last revenue run of service in 1929.

Our favorite feature, the room’s

finishing touch, gives a sense of realism. A window covering, created by Direct Results makes it appear as if you are looking out the window into the W&W Railroad Yard. The original photo was taken from the attic window of J. Warren Jacobs right by the yard in the early 1900s.

Come check out the Greene County Historical Society Museum, Tuesday through Saturday from 10AM to 3PM to see this awesome new room, as well as our new military room! As always, keep an eye out on the Greene County Historical Society Facebook page for information on our 2021 events and our upcoming lectures!

I got the vaccine.

Will you?

Anyone 12 and older can receive a vaccine at WHS Washington Health System is utilizing the Pfizer vaccine, which is currently the only vaccine approved for anyone 12 and older. This vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing infection and/or hospitalizations due to the COVID-19 virus.

WHS offers appointments and walk-ins at all three vaccine locations. Hours vary so please check the website before arriving – whs.org/covid.

Note: Children ages 12-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when attending a vaccine appointment. If the teen has a driver’s license or identification they can bring it with them but it is not required for anyone under 18. Parents can confirm address and demographics.

whs.org/covid 14

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

Get ting Better in Gre e ne

By Danielle Nyland

WISECARVER RECREATION AREA UPDATE

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magine families biking along trails, birdwatchers on early morning hikes, spirited children frolicking in adventure play areas, ball fields surrounded by cheering people, kayaking and fishing on a peaceful lake, and summer movie nights on the grass under a starry sky. The future Wisecarver Recreation Area plans to bring all these things to Greene County.

The County of Greene has formed a partnership with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority and entered a 99-year agreement leasing acreage on Water Dam Road.

Mackin Engineering, a multi-disciplinary engineering and consulting firm, is planning a recreation space near the Wisecarver Reservoir. Previous meetings this year initiated the development, shared interview findings, site analysis and mapping, and a discussion of priority projects and programming exercises. The first week of May, a third meeting was held to discuss conceptual master plans for development.

The community has expressed significant interest in the project. During the interviews, the most-requested amenities are multi-use trails, an ADA accessible boat and paddle sports launch, environmental education, event and camping space, and an ADA accessible fishing pier. Water access is the number one requested amenity.

The conceptual master plan shows five potential areas for development, on both sides of Water Dam Road. A trail system will cover the majority of the grounds, on both sides of the road. The concept includes almost seven miles of walking trails, with 2.25 miles of ADA accessible trails. The north end of the property, near the reservoir, shows a nature area with bird blinds, a nature center, a wetland interpretive walk, nearby overnight group camping. On the south end of the reservoir, space has been allotted for an ADA accessible boat and paddle sports launch, an ADA accessible fishing pier, ball fields, athletic fields, a sledding hill, bicycle track, playgrounds, and an event space below the reservoir’s dam. Multiple kayak launch pots will

JUNE 2021

be found along the east side of the reservoir.

Across Water Dam Road and towards the north of the property, an archery range and 3D field range. Multiple parking lots would provide access to trail heads and amenities.

The Wisecarver area is 360-acres of land, surrounding an 18.5-acre lake. Wisecarver Reservoir was created in 1931 with the construction of a dam on Wisecarver Run. The dam was built by the Waynesburg Water Co.; the company was later purchased by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority in the late 1960s. The SPWA stopped using the reservoir for water supply in the early 1990s and the property remained open for fishing.

Discussion for improvement began in 2005 with the involvement of the Ryerson Station Duke Lake Task force but was put on hold when an inspection revealed the dam was in need of repairs. In 2009, a $2.4 million state grant was received to repair the dam. The repairs began in 2011 and were completed in 2012. During the past few years, new plans were crafted for the area, and grants acquired to begin construction.

Previously, the County had received funding from a state investment and grants.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Grant money was received for the construction of an access drive, parking area, pedestrian walkways, softball fields, kayak launch and stormwater management measures.; Bids for the construction of phase one are currently under review. Earthwork should begin early this summer. Follow-on phases are currently being discussed, planned and finalized. Contracts for follow-on phases will be bid upon receipt of additional funding.

The County hopes to partner with local organizations and businesses for support with funding planned projects and creating programming. Would you like to share your opinion on or be involved with the Wisecarver Recreation Area project? Contact the Greene County Commissioners at 724-8525210 or find them on Facebook @GreeneCountyCommissioners.

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

Every life has potential.

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Since 1964, PathWays has continually innovated opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through cutting-edge programs, life long services, and individual attention, we empower people of all ages and abilities to reach their full potential.

We offer child, adult, and community services in six Southwestern PA counties. Learn more about how to participate by visiting yourpathways.org.

Contact us today at 724-229-0851 or info@yourpathways.org.

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Envirothon & Earth Day Tree Planting

GCCTC Students’ Skills Recognized Zach Royer is an Auto Collision Repair Technology student here at the Greene County Career and Technology Center. Zach placed first in the Skills USA District 9 competitions three consecutive years. Zach finished 16th in the nation for Collision Repair as a sophomore. His junior year he was heading back to the State Competition when the pandemic hit. This year he placed first in the Skills USA Collision Repair Technology State competition on April 12, 2021. He is currently working at Chuck’s Collision and West Tire & Auto Center Tire Pros. He plans to attend a postsecondary school for auto collision repair and eventually open his own shop.

Daniel Bradman is a culinary arts student here at the Greene County Career and Technology Center. Daniel received first place in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the Family Career Community Leaders of America, Culinary Knife Skills Competition on April 25, 2021. Daniel was rewarded a $12,000 renewable scholarship to Sullivan University. Daniel wants to continue his education and plans to eventually operate his own business.

Zack Royer accepts a certificate recognizing his achievement.

Colt Roupe

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placed first, second, and third place at the Greene County Envirothon team held in-person at Hunting Hills on April 22.

The winning Carmichaels Team 1 will have the opportunity to compete at the Pennsylvania State Envirothon, held virtually on May 10 and 11. Carmichaels Team 1 includes Brooke Watters, Sophia Zalar, Spencer Conard, Faith Willis, and Alex Lawrence.

Students pictured below left to right: Faith Willis, Sophia Zalar, Esther Schmelzlen, Daniel Hetrick, and Levi Krampy with Kevin Willis, Carmichaels Envirothon coach and Harry Enstrom Chapter of the Izaak Walton League members.

GCASR Food Bank Donation Daniel Bradmon accepts a certificate recognizing his achievement.

Conservation District Coloring Contest Winners Announced The Greene County Conservation District held the annual coloring contest as part of Conservation District Week. The coloring contest was open to pre-K students across Greene County. The contest highlighted the theme “Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities.”

There were 72 coloring contest submissions this year and the Conservation District Board of Directors then voted to select win-

Carmichaels Envirothon team members partnered with the Izaak Walton League to plant trees at State Game Lands 223 on April 24, two days after Earth Day. The project’s goal is to establish a wildlife hedgerow across fields formerly in mowed hay production. The groups were joined by other volunteers and planted over 125 seedlings with a third each of needled conifer trees, deciduous trees and deciduous shrubs.

The selection includes flowering and fruiting trees and shrubs which will provide food and cover for pollinators, birds, & other wildlife over much of the year.

The Carmichaels Envirothon teams

ners.

The winners of the coloring contest were Khloe Calvert, 5, daughter of Terry and Kelsey Calvert, Nolan Johnston, 5, son of Garrett and Chelsey Johnston and Colt Roupe, 5, son of Chris and Kari Roupe. Each of the winners won a new bicycle and helmet. Congratulations to all winners and thank you to all participants!

Khloe Calvert and Nolan Johnston

GCASR (Greene County Association of School Retirees) recently donated $1585 through the generosity of its members to the Corner Cupboard Food Bank. Pictured to the left is GCASR President, Lori Greene, with Candace Webster, executive director of Corner Cupboard Food Bank. This followed an appeal to PASR (Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees) members during February in which PASR partnered with Feeding Pennsylvania, a non- profit organization that works with food banks across the state to help the 1,401,920 Pennsylvanians, including 399,270 children, who are currently struggling with hunger meet their nutritional needs. With the help of generous PASR members, $43,490 was raised for Feeding Pennsylvania. (However, Corner Cupboard does not benefit from the PASR effort.)

Corner Cupboard is the food bank for Greene County Pennsylvania that serves roughly 2,000 individuals each month through a network of 11 pantry distribution sites. Food Banks are not government agencies. They are private organizations that get most of their funding from individuals, businesses and grant sources. In operation

for nearly 30 years, Corner Cupboard’s mission continues, thanks to the support of our community. Food and monetary donations are gladly accepted, and volunteers are invaluable to this service. The food bank has three full-time and one part-time person on their staff. Their pantry distribution sites are managed by over 100 volunteers. Corner Cupboard can purchase approximately $25 worth of food for every $5 that is donated and purchases $5,000-$8,000 worth of food each month. Pallets composed of a combination of donated inventory, purchased food product and government commodities are prepared on a weekly basis and delivered to the pantry sites for distribution.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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DVSSP Offers Virtual Support Everyone deserves a safe and healthy relationship that is free from violence. If you are in an unhealthy relationship, and you want to talk to someone about it, Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA can help. We offer counseling and virtual sup-

CFGC Executive Director Announces Retirement Plans

port groups that you can participate in from the privacy of your own home. All services The Community Foundation of are free and completely confidential. For more information, please call our 24-hot- Greene County’s Executive Director Anline at 800-791-4000, or visit our website at nounces Retirement Plans The Community Foundation of peacefromdv.org.

Greene County (CFGC) Board of Directors recently announced that Bettie Stammerjohn, executive director, will retire at the end of October 2021.

The Penn State Master Gardeners in at the food bank. The classes feature con“Bettie was hired as a part-time execuGreene County are working with the Cor- tainer gardening, raised beds and inground tive director in 2006 when the Community ner Cupboard Food Bank to create Seeds to garden. The Seed to Supper Program uses Foundation of Greene County had a just Supper, a free beginner’s gardening course. researched-based information as the foun- $1.6 million in assets and 27 named endowThe program is open to low-income adults dation for gardening guidelines, then builds ments,” said Board Chairwoman Elizabeth residing in Greene County. In the program, on these ideas using low-cost examples, vi- Hellems. “Today, CFGC manages over 100 participants will learn how to build healthy suals and best practices. The overall goal funds with a value of more than $8 milsoil, plan your growing space, choose your is to foster more food secure communities lion with just 2 full-time staff people. Betcrops, care for your growing garden, har- and work towards ending hunger. tie has done a great job raising awareness of vest your bounty, and cooking with your FMI on dates or to register, contact CFGC and the value it brings, not just for Candace at 724-627-9784 or director@ccfb. donors, but for the nonprofits and residents produce!

Each participant will have hands-on comcastbiz.net. Classes will be held at Cor- it serves.” experience using the raised bed gardens ner Cupboard Food Bank.

During her tenure, Stammerjohn worked collaboratively with local donors to raise millions of dollars for a wide variety of charitable causes. She built and superIn April, students spent the week learning and practicing the screen printing process vised a grant process that has distributed nearly $5 million to a wide variety of charion textiles in their Graphic Design Class at WCHS. ties. Last year, during the first weeks of the pandemic, she worked with the foundation board of directors to establish the Greene County Emergency Response Fund to address organizational and family needs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In partnership with the Greene County United Way and other local leaders, the Emergency Response Fund raised more than $145,000 while making grants totaling more than $131,000 to 31 organizations serving the Mrs. Pierce’s Physical Science students recently took advantage of the warm weather county’s residents. The new fund will conwhile measuring and recording both their distance and time traveled. They then calculated tinue to address future emergency needs in their speeds while walking, jogging, and skipping. It was a fun way to practice their science the county.

Stammerjohn has been at the foreskills while also getting some vitamin D! front of a variety of county-wide endeavors including establishing the Greene Food Security Partnership, the Summer Food Program and the Weekend Food Program Applications are now available for the terviewed on stage, with the winner being efforts to address food insecurity among the 2021 Little Miss Firecracker Pageant, spon- determined by a random drawing of flow- county’s children and families. Additionsored by the Waynesburg Lions Club. The ers. The winner receives a crown, trophy ally, the Community Builders Nonprofit pageant will take place during the annual and bouquet. Each contestant will receive Leadership Program, which began in 2004, Fourth of July Celebration at 6:30 PM at the a participation medal and a bag of good- has continued to train new leaders with amphitheater in the Lions Club Park . It is ies. The deadline for applications is June more than 200 individuals completing the a noncompetitive pageant for girls ages 5 12, 2021. Rehearsal will be the night before coursework. In 2014, under Stammerjohn’s through 8 (as of July 4, 2021) Participants at the park at 6PM. FMI as well as applica- leadership, CFGC doubled their office footwill dress in patriotic at- tions, call Eleanor Chapman 724-627-5284. print to include The Foundation Room that tire and will be in-

Seed to Supper

What’s Happening at CGSD

Little Miss Firecracker Applications

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provides space for nonprofit and business meetings, trainings and gatherings.

“It has been such a great honor to be a part of CFGC while working with many generous donors and dedicated nonprofits over the years in serving Greene County, as well as the having best staff and committed board of directors,” said Stammerjohn.

“CFGC has great leadership that care about Greene County, so I am confident that future leadership will continue to build upon our accomplishments. When people talk about the good things CFGC does in the community, I always note that our work is made possible because of the people who give through the foundation to meet local needs. The people of Greene County have very giving hearts.”

A Transition Team will shortly announce the position opening and begin a review of applicants for the Executive Director position.

Prior to joining The Foundation, Stammerjohn worked in various nonprofit and educational management positions specializing in resource development, needs assessment, grants management, allocations, and strategic and organizational planning,.

She previously served as director of development at Bethany College and as director of planning and evaluation at Community Action Southwest. She was also sole proprietor of Stammerjohn Consulting, providing strategic planning, community and organizational assessments and resource development counsel for nonprofit and regional organizations. She earned a B.A. in Geography from Shippensburg State College and a Master of Arts in Geography/Community Planning from University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Established in 2000, The Community Foundation of Greene County works to strengthen Greene County by building charitable endowments, maximizing benefits to donors, making effective grants and providing leadership to address community needs.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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Summer Fun in the Greene County Parks T

he 2021 summer swimming season will be kicking off on Saturday, June 5 when the county pools open! The pools remain open until August 29.

Waynesburg Water Park offers a wide range of attractions and amenities, with a 330,000-gallon competition-sized pool, seven lap lanes, two diving boards & 12-foot diving pool, 40-foot x 40-foot children’s play area, 148-foot spiral water slide, 25-foot straight water slide, 180-foot “Lazy River” with tubes for floating, water jets and recreation equipment. A community room is available to rent for special occasions. Adjacent to the waterpark is the Lions Club Park. The aquatic park’s hours are 12 to 6pm daily. The pool can be reserved for parties from 7 to 9pm Monday through Friday.

Mon View Pool features a 200,000-gallon T-shaped pool, a diving board, an 11-foot diving pool, a 20-foot x 20-foot children’s play area with zero-depth entry, and a cool bench and sprinklers. It sits adjacent to Mon View Park, with volleyball court, horseshoes, newly renovated roller rink and community building for rent. Nearby is the Greensboro Borough hiking and biking trail. Pool hours are 12 to 6pm daily.

Carmichaels Pool features a 300,000-gallon z-shaped pool, a diving board, an 11-foot diving pool, an 8-foot water slide, a 70-foot spiral water slide, and a 15-foot x 15-foot children’s play area. The Carmichaels pool is adjacent to Wana B Park, containing a playground with slides, swings and other equipment; ball fields; and an outdoor track. Pool hours are 12 to 6pm daily. The pool can be reserved for parties from 7 to 9pm Monday through Friday.

All pools have a snack bar or snack

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machines, changing facilities, showers, restrooms, lockers and certified lifeguards on duty. Each is adjacent to a nearby playground/ park with pavilions available for rent. Various membership and passes are offered, and payment plans are available for family memberships.

Swimming lessons are offered at both the Waynesburg Water Park and Carmichaels Pool. If you are unable to register that day, you may register your children up to the first day of class. Lessons are $25 per class, per person from 6 to 7pm each day through the end of July (determined by demand). Each class is designed for swimmers of certain skill levels, starting with children as young as 6 months.

Following the opening of the pools, Greene County Day Camp will start on Monday, June 21 and run until Friday, July 30.

The six-week camp is for children ages 5 to 12 years old. Camp is held from 9am to 3pm Monday through Friday at three camp sites: Wana B Park, Mon View Park, and the Lions Club Park. The six-week program costs $300.

Payment plans are available and low-income discounts are also offered. All campers must be pre-registered by May 15 and be paid in full by June 15.

Thanks to the recent remodel, the Mon View Roller Rink will be open year-round.

Public skating is available on Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm to 10pm. Tickets must be purchases in advance at the Recreation office in Waynesburg. You can pay over the phone or stop by the office to pay and pick them up.

Private parties are available on Saturdays and Sundays.

FMI about the camps, pools, or roller rink, call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323 or visit www.co.greene.pa.us.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

Sounds of Summer & Greene County Farmers Market T he “Sounds of Summer” FREE Concert Series presented by the Waynesburg Lions Club is beginning with a bang on Tuesday, June 8 and continues for the following 14 weeks until September 28. Throughout the summer, the Lions are treating local residents and visitors to free live music and fun every Tuesday night at Lion’s Club Park starting at 6pm until 8pm.

The first concert of the series will be Part Time Cowboys, a Pittsburgh-area country music supergroup, featuring top local talent. Part Time Cowboys also serves as the backup band for singer/songwriter Anna Jane Allen.

Last year‘s new addition, the Greene County Farmers Market, will also be returning to Tuesday nights at the Lions Club Park. The market provides an opportunity for community members to enjoy local music while browsing for local goods and crafts. The market will open on June 8 at 5:30pm and run through the entire Sounds of Summer season.

“Last year, shoppers could enjoy

products from soaps and candles to cutting boards and Alpaca fleece products. Fresh fruits and vegetables, local winery products and made to order salads, barbeque and sandwiches were also available,” Commissioner Mike Belding says. “The County appreciates our partnership with the Lions Club and look forward to another season of great bands and the products available at the farmer’s market.”

As a community service, the Waynesburg Lions Club has organized these concerts and obtained local sponsors to provide FREE ENTERTAINMENT to the public in our communities. Take advantage of it! Cut out the schedule and plan to enjoy the Sounds of Summer.

WINNERS

LOTTERY SCRATCH-OFFS - Priscilla Murphy, Frank Yarnevich, Billie Mae Klinzing, Mary Yoppi, Gary Koscheck GREENESCENE CONTEST - Linda Britner knew that the answer to last month’s GreeneScene Contest could be found on South Branch Muddy Creek Road.

DON PATRON GIFT CARD - Sarah Speelman, Kim Lesinski, Betty Weaver, Randa Westbrook

JUNE 2021

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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T

he Travel Channel’s Destination Fear features paranormal explorer Dakota Laden, his sister Chelsea Laden, and best friend Tanner Wiseman as they travel on a cross-country road trip to visit some of the most haunted location in America. This year, one of their stops was right in here in Greene County, Pennsylvania at the Greene County Historical Society Museum.

After hosting Paranormal Quest, a documentarian-style ghost hunting group based in West Virginia, in November, Matthew Cumberledge, the executive director at the museum, was contacted by Ryan Zacherl, Paranormal Quest’s director, the following month and given a heads up, “You’ll probably be hearing from the Travel Channel. I had a chance to talk to them and they might be interesting in filming an episode of Destination Fear at your place.” Matt finished the phone call, logged into his email, and there it was – an email from a producer for Destination Fear. “I quickly responded to him and told him we’d definitely be interested in having [them] come out here!”

Over the next couple months, Matt talked with the producers frequently, revealing the history and background of the museum.

Matt shared the museum’s floor plans and discussed logistics with the producers to create a plan on when, where, and how they would film. The crew arrived and filmed at the location from February 26 into March 1.

“I expected the process to be difficult, but it really was a lot of fun,” Matt shares.

“The production crew and producers were insanely nice people. They treated us like royalty.” Their thoughtfulness extended even further: “They really respected the building. It was like Grand Central Station while they were here filming, but when they left it was spotlessly clean. They were wonderful, wonderful people to work with.”

During filming, Matt stayed at the museum to be available for the crew, if needed. He lodged in the log cabin near the main building and stayed cozy with a nice fire and horror movies, the perfect way to spend the evening next door to a paranormal investigation. He was interviewed for the show, as was the museum’s events coordinator, Sam Gandy. Sam was interviewed down in “the dungeon” (basement) and Matt was interviewed in the west wing – one

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of the most haunted areas of the museum. “It was the easiest interview process imaginable,” Matt says. “They gave me a few prompts but guided me to just talk. It was fantastic.”

Matt’s hope is that the show will generate a lot of traffic for the museum and the county, and “not just on the paranormal side, but the historical. The bulk of what we talked about was history, and I think they are going to do a great job presenting that.”

Paranormal investigations at the museum have already seen an increase, thanks to Paranormal Quest’s televised investigation last year. Matt foresees that “after this episode airs, they’ll skyrocket.” The museum’s central location to multiple paranormal sites, like the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville, Gettysburg, Point Pleasant’s Mothman, and Flatwoods’ monster makes it the perfect destination if you’re on a paranormal travel trip.

Matt ad the museum staff have plans to attract more shows to the museum in hopes of increasing national recognition of Greene County and the museum. An exact airing date for the Destination Fear episode has not been officially announced, but the tentative timeline is early June. Once a date has been announced, the museum is considering a viewing party or event.

Matt adds, “The night that they were here actually filming the episode, there was a lot of screaming so I think some stuff probably happened!”

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

Greene County Veterans Memorial Park Dedication on Memorial Day

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ome celebrate the dedication of the Greene County Veterans Memorial Park during Memorial Day at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 31, 2021. The program will consist of musical selections from Heaven Bound Ministries, appropriate military protocols, dedication of the monument, and appreciation of donors. Light refreshments will be available in the pavilion following the ceremony. We recommend bringing a lawn chair to make more seating available.

Born from the demonstrated patriotism of Greene Countians at the Vietnam Veterans Traveling Memorial Wall in 2017, the same committee thought there should to be a permanent memorial recognizing all veterans in anyway related to Greene County. Although there are community memorials, there was not a consolidated Greene County veterans place of recognition. Nestled between the Greene County Historical Society and the WWI Monument, it’s a fitting place of veneration and remembrance.

“This Veterans Memorial Park is a direct result of the genuine patriotism of the people of Greene County. When we brought in the Vietnam Veterans Traveling Memorial Wall, people showed up in droves to honor the men and women on the wall and all veterans. Greene County has a deep appreciation for veterans and needs an outlet to show this appreciation. That’s how the Greene County Veterans Memorial Park came to be.” stated Connie Hart, a Committee Member.

The circle memorial includes a parklike setting with the memorial, flagpole, and granite benches that encourage visitors to walk around and remember ALL veterans who

have faithfully served our country. There are also granite benches sponsored by businesses, organizations and families honoring our veterans. Additionally, a pavilion with picnic tables offers a nice shaded area for rest or an outdoor lunch opportunity.

The memorial itself consists of a single black granite tablet displaying the United States Armed Forces service emblems flanked by gray granite tablets. Each tablet is custom etched, honoring a total of 300 service members. The committee plans to add two additional granite tablets in the near future and order forms will be available at the dedication or on Facebook at Greene County Veterans Memorial Park.

Waynesburg VFW Post #4793 will display their inaugural “Field of Flags” at the dedication ceremony. Sponsors of the flags may retrieve their flag after the ceremony or leave it in place and they will be collected to display again at a future ceremony honoring veterans.

The Greene County Veterans Memorial Park is located at 900 Rolling Meadows Road in Waynesburg between the tennis courts and the Greene County Historical Society Museum which will also be open on Memorial Day. The World War I Memorial is also in the same vicinity. Limited handicapped parking is available near the memorial and there will be shuttle buses running between the Walmart parking lot and the memorial.

For more information check the Greene County Veterans Memorial Park Facebook page or contact Connie Hart at (724) 8521252 or cmhart@windstream.net.

MEMORIAL DAY SERVICES SUNDAY – MAY 30, 2021

The Brooks-Crago American Legion Post No. 816 of Rices Landing, PA will hold services as follows: • 1:30pm – Assembly for Legionnaires and Legion Riders will be at the Brooks-Crago American Legion Post #816 • 2pm – Legionnaires and Legion Riders will proceed to the Hewitt Cemetery.

• Followed by a salute to the deceased by the Honor Guard.

• Following this service, Legionnaires and Legion Riders will proceed to Crucible/ St Mary’s Cemetery. Followed by a salute to the deceased by the Honor Guard The James R. Maxon American Legion Post No. 992 of Mt. Morris, PA will participate in the listed services:: • 11am – Services at Kiger Cemetery (HG/ FS).

• 11:20am – Claughton Chapel Cemetery (HG/FS).

The Greensboro VFW Post No. 6303, consisting of the Carmichaels American Legion Post No. 400, Carmichaels VFW Post No. 3491; and Greensboro VFW Post No. 6303, will participate in the listed services: • 11am – Garard Fort Cemetery Service • Followed with salute to the deceased, and placement of the wreath at the monument. HG/FS • 1pm – Greensboro VFW Honor Roll with Colonel Mike Belding, USMC (Retired) as guest speaker.

• Followed with a salute to the deceased and placement of the wreath to honor our deceased at the monument. HG/FS

MONDAY – MAY 31, 2021 The Carmichaels American Legion Post No. 400, consisting of members from Carmichaels American Legion Post No. 400; and Carmichaels VFW Post No. 3491 will participate in the listed services: • 1pm – Laurel Point Cemetery services with State Representative Pam Snyder as guest speaker.

• Includes: Frank Ricco & the American Legion Post Band performing the National Anthem, reading of General Logan’s Orders, presentation of the wreath, American flag presented, followed by a prayer.

Waynesburg VFW Post No. 4793 & the Waynesburg American Legion Post 300,

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• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

consisting of members of Greene County veterans organizations, will participate in the listed services: • 11am – at the VFW Post Home on Lincoln Street • Including: welcome by the Post Commander, tribute to all comrades, placement of wreath, followed with a salute to the deceased (HG/FS) The Filer-Sadlek Post No. 954 of Jefferson, PA will have services as follows: • 11am – Mather Honor Roll/Post Office with the speaker Pastor Brendan Byham of the Jefferson Baptist Church. Followed with a salute to the deceased; and placement of the wreath at the Honor Roll.

• 11:30am – Jefferson Cemetery with a salute to the deceased and wreath placement at the Honor Roll (HG/FS) • 12pm – Service at the Veterans’ section of the Greene County Memorial Park, with a salute to the deceased and wreath placed at the base of the American Flag (HG/FS).

The James R. Maxon American Legion Post No. 992 of Mt. Morris will have services as follows: • 10am – Services at the Mt. Morris United Methodist Church.

• 11am – Parade from the Mt. Morris United Methodist Church to the Creek with a salute to the deceased by throwing a flower into the creek in memory of the Navy.

• 12pm – Ceremonies at the Cedar Grove Cemetery, with speaker James Hinbaugh, Navy (retired). Followed by the placement of the wreath in honor of our deceased at the Monument (HG/FS).

The Greene County Veterans Memorial Park (900 Rolling Meadows Road, Waynesburg PA 15370) will have services as follows: • 2pm – Memorial Day Dedication • Music by Heaven Bound Ministries • Includes: welcome by Connie Hart, presentation of colors by Gerard Schleicher, National Anthem by Heaven Bound Ministries, invocation by Zane Mitchell, appreciation by Connie Hart, dedication

by Colonel Mike Belding, USMC (Retired), 21 Gun Salute by Greene County Honor Guard, Taps by Livia & Gerard Schleicher, and losing prayer by Zane Mitchell. *HG - Honor Guard, FS - Firing Squad.

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Sponsored by

Intentional Walks

By Bret Moore

Share Your Sports Memories With Us!

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nowing my love of Greene County sports history, my two thoughtful daughters bought me four vintage Waynesburg College football programs for my birthday last month. The community treasures contained in their pages were so good, I felt the need to share them. The first was for the 1937 Waynesburg College vs. Duquesne University game at Forbes Field.

The legendary Greene County newsman John O’Hara was serving as the Director of Sports Publicity for the college. In the program, he wrote, “The drama studded history of Duquesne-Waynesburg gridiron exploits exhales a breath of nostalgia across the fading journals of yesteryear.” Note the style difference from today’s sports writers. He continued, “The series started in 1922 when coach Frank Wolfe’s Wolfpack swept down from their native hills to snatch a 6-0 victory from the Dukes.”

The Yellow Jackets were quarterbacked

by Clair Bee, who would go on to become the third winningest coach in NCAA basketball history behind only John Wooden and Adolph Rupp. The vaunted Waynesburg attack had been held mostly in check by Duquesne’s defensive ace “Big Dan” Rooney.

Other opponents on the Dukes’ schedule that year were Pitt, Rice, Texas Tech and Mississippi State.

The September 28, 1946 opening day

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game against Geneva was played at Cumberland Township High School Field. It was the Jackets’ first since 1942 because of World War II. After a drive to raise money for lights at College Field failed, the team played their three night games at Carmichaels. Wind Ridge native Asa “Ace” Wiley returned to the college that year to take over the coaching duties. The following week, the Jackets were heading to Morgantown to take on the Mountaineers.

The 1952 Waynesburg vs. Bethany College program revealed Asa Wiley’s brother Jack was in his second year as the team’s head coach. After retiring from the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had returned home and led the Jackets to the Tri-State Class B Championship the previous season. My favorite item in that program was the Waynesburg College “Jive Yell”: We got the team; We’re hep to the jive; Come on Waynesburg; Skin ‘em alive.

Finally, the 1955 program of the Waynesburg at Kent State game included an article that discussed how “Pesky Waynesburg” always gave the Golden Flashes tough games. The author worried the Jackets’ single wing offense could spell trouble for the home team. By that time, teams had long before switched to the split or straight T-offense. He further lamented the fact the Jackets had a “giant” team with six men over 200 pounds. Although the Orange and Black

did not win that day, they did upset Bowling Green, a member of the same Mid-American Conference, later in the season.

However, of equal interest to me was the advertising of the periods. Throughout the two decades of the programs, cheerful cigarette models extolled the social and taste benefits of Lucky Strikes and Chesterfields. One famous actor even explained how his cigarette of choice helped with the “throat-strain of acting”. Of course, five cent Coca-Cola ads were ubiquitous, but of more importance were offerings from the local businesses that spanned generations and sustained real communities.

Many of these businesses are easily re-

membered by anyone who predates Walmart and strip malls. Some of them still thrive today. They include: Baily Insurance Agency, Joe’s Dairy Bar, Bryan’s Dairy, Ullom and Baily Drug Store, First National and First Federal banks, Waynesburg Milling, Hennen Jewelers, Waynesburg Floral, the Opera House, Neubauer’s Flowers, Albert’s Restaurant, Christy’s Sports Shop, Hoge’s Bakery, and Palone’s Garage. These windows to the past made me realize how important it is that we give local businesses our patronage to repay decades of their community support.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

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Bunting & Dry Fire: Not Sexy

have coached baseball in some form or another for nearly 25 years. Along the way, we have won a couple of games.

More wins than I care to admit were a result of a well-placed bunt. Numerous championships resulted from the art of the bunt.

When the winning run is pushed across home plate, everyone celebrates. Each time I signaled one of my star players to bunt I would get this pouty-faced reaction as they stepped out of the batter’s box like I had asked them to drive a Pacer to the prom. No matter how many games we won, no matter how many championships came about as a result of bunting, most of my guys hated bunting. They knew it worked! They believed in bunting. Just not them bunting!

I get the same reaction when I talk to my shooting students about dry fire practice. They do it because I insist. They understand it. They see that it works. But like bunting, they refuse to do it on their own.

They say, “Yeah, uh huh, okay, Dave,” and they never do it again until they see me at the next training, and I force them to do it.

I can tell that they have done zero dry work on their own, because their skill level is unimproved or has even deteriorated.

What is dry fire practice? It is the manipulation of the weapon without the use of live ammo. Many aspects of the shooting sciences can be learned and practiced dry.

Shooters are often mistaken in thinking that they need to shoot thousands of rounds of live ammo in order to become more proficient shooters. In the police academy, I watched young men who had almost no formal weapons training learn to handle pistols dry. In a classroom setting, they ran their weapons dry. Never firing a live round until range day. The instructors let cadets discover how their weapons functioned. By the time we got to live range work, everyone knew their weapons inside and out.

The most important aspect of dry fire practice is safely setting the stage to practice.

NO LIVE AMMUNITION is to be present in the dry practice area. Make a routine of unloading your weapon. Store all live ammo in a separate room and then go to your special practice area with a good, safe shooting wall or backstop; after checking numerous times to make sure that your weapon is unloaded. Obey the four rules of firearm safety

JUNE 2021

when dry fire practicing. Once your gun is unloaded and safe, remove the magazine.

This will allow your slide to work fore and aft and will not lock into the slide lock position. All five of the foundations of marksmanship – grip, stance, breathing, sight picture and trigger squeeze - can be practiced dry. Trigger work and sight picture are especially benefitted by dry practice. It’s obvious where your sights are going when you press the trigger properly versus jerking or slapping the trigger. When the concussion of the weapon is heard and felt, it disturbs the sights, and one can’t tell where their trigger squeeze has taken the sights. Do it dry and it becomes apparent why you are shooting low and to the left.

As each foundation is mastered, move on to more challenging work. Loading and unloading, speed loads as well as tactical magazine changes can be accomplished dry.

Clearances and malfunctions can be addressed in a dry format. Dummy or training ammunition can be incorporated in your practice sessions. Level I, II and III stoppages can be set up and practiced with dummy ammo. Drawing from a holster and presenting one’s weapon will help iron out many of the creases of poor technique. Flashlight work is also quite beneficial and can be done dry, in a dark room.

One of the biggest benefits of dry practice is that it is free. A box of 9mm ammo was about $8-$9/box a year or two ago. The same box of ammo can now be upwards of $35. Dry fire practice isn’t sexy. It’s like bunting. It just works. Dry fire will make you a better shooter than shooting live fire exclusively. If you need help in setting up a dry fire practice plan, give me a call. There are many good sources of information as well as fine videos on dry fire practice found on the internet. Don’t short yourself on the most beneficial aspect of shooting practice and preparation.

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

Send your sports and outdoor accomplishments to sports@directresults.us.

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JACKET JOURNALS

aynesburg College finished in seventh place at the 1950 NCAA Wrestling Championships. The team finished behind only Iowa State, Purdue, Cornell, Syracuse, Oklahoma A&M (State) and Iowa. Penn State, Oklahoma and Navy rounded out

the top ten. Yellow Jacket Tony Gizoni won the 121-pound championship and the Outstanding Wrestler Award. He was unseeded at the tournament and defeated a two-time national champion from Purdue in the finals. The three-time PIAA state champion won his second NCAA title the following year.

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CARMICHAELS CHRONICLES

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oe Taffoni played in the Big 33 football game after a stellar career for the Mikes.

He went on to play for WVU and the University of Tennessee – Martin).

Taffoni was named to the All-Mountaineer Team of the 1960s. At Tennessee-Martin, he was named First Team All-Southern Conference and Second Team All-American. He was inducted into the UTM Hall of Fame in 1989.

He also played in 78 games over eight seasons in the NFL after being drafted

in the third round in 1967 by Cleveland. He played right tackle for the Browns from 1967 to 1971. The final three seasons of his career were spent with the New York Giants. He started for the Browns in 1970 and the Giants in 1972. His son, Dr. Matt Taffoni, was an outstanding linebacker at WVU from 1991-94.

Christian Mori of Carmichaels High School has signed a Letter of Intent to play soccer for Pitt-Greensburg. He played scholastically for Waynesburg Central.

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Gavin Pratt is the son of Paxton and Kimberly Pratt of Carmichaels. He is a four-year letterman in baseball and has been named to both the All-County and All-Section teams. As a sophomore, he was selected as the Herald Standard’s AA Baseball Player of the Year and Greene County’s Baseball Player of the Year. He is among the top performers in southwestern Pennsylvania in all categories and is a member of the Pittsburgh Diamond Dawgs baseball organization. Gavin maintains a weighted GPA of 4.09 and is currently ranked in the top 10 of his class. He has accepted a baseball and academic scholarship to Seton Hill University, where he will pursue a degree in engineering.

Emma Holaren plays volleyball, basketball and softball for the Mikes. She also travels with a club volleyball team and Thunder softball. Emma also works as a babysitter/ tutor and enjoys camping and hanging out with family and friends. She plans to attend college in the fall.

GIRL OF THE MONTH

BOY OF THE MONTH

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

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RETRO ROCKET

effersonMorgan has produced some great track and field stars over the past six decades.

In 1961, Ed Tork, an alum of Jefferson High School, set the West Virginia University pole-vault record.

At the Greene County Track Meet in 1969, Jefferson’s Ron Oakes vaulted 11 feet and 5 ½ inches, breaking the county record set by Mt. Morris’ John Lewellen that had stood for 28 years.

The following year, Jim Culp set the County record in the triple jump (41 feet), and Oaks became the first person in the county to pole vault over

JUNE 2021

12 feet. The 1975 team was extremely successful and won the County Meet, the Tri-County Conference Meet, and the IUP Invitational Meet (Class C).

In 1976, Greg Wade won the WPIAL 120 High Hurdles with a time of 15.1 Rocket alumni made up half of the 1976 Waynesburg College relay team that won the Mountaineer Relays at West Virginia University. A team of Jon Culp (Jefferson-Morgan), Dennis Garrett (Jefferson-Morgan, John Bristor (West Greene) and Wayne Cauthorne won the 880 Relay and 4 X 100 Relay at that meet. That group also set the College/University’s record in the 880, which still stands today.

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Logan Rhodes is the son of Charlie and Deneen Rhodes of Mather. He is a captain and a four-year letter winner in football and baseball. Logan is also a member of Jefferson-Morgan’s SADD chapter and Peer Jury.

After high school, Logan plans on attending Waynesburg University to major in sports communications and continue his athletic career in football for the Yellow Jackets.

BOY OF THE MONTH

Jasmine Demaske is a member of National Honor Society, Leo Club, Spanish Club, Envirothon, Science Olympiad, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Student Council. She also maintains a 4.5 GPA. In 2019, she was the only freshman named to the All-County and All- Section teams. She ended her freshman year batting .548 for the season and played shortstop. The junior has made the transition to pitcher this season. Outside of school, she plays travel softball. Jasmine enjoys working out, shopping, and spending time with family and friends

GIRL OF THE MONTH

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RAIDER RECALL

he 1968 Raider baseball team won their section and made it to the WPIAL Championship Game played at Munhall. It is important to remember there was only one baseball classification at that time, so the feat is even more impressive. The team finished the season 19-1. The Raiders ran through the playoffs with victories

over Brownsville (6-4) and South Allegheny (4-3) before Jeff Cree tossed a two-hitter in the semi-finals at Forbes Field to defeat Kiski 3-0. The team lost a tough contest in the championship game to Ellwood City. They were coached by local legends Stan Majesky and Bucky Murdock. Future Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, Bill DeWeese played second base on that team.

Anthony Kutcher is the son of Kenneth and Beata Kutcher. Anthony is a member of the Raiders’ soccer, cross country and track and field teams. He is a member of the Spanish Club, varsity club, and yearbook staff. In his spare time, he enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and splitting wood.

BOY OF THE MONTH

Kaitlyn Pester is the daughter of Alex and Debbie Pester of Waynesburg. She is a member of the cross country and track teams for the Raiders, where she was named AllCounty. Her activities include Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Civil Air Patrol, Alpha Beta, the National Honor Society, and SkillsUSA. She enjoys cooking, shopping, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. Kaitlyn has worked as a lifeguard for the county, volunteers at the Corner Cupboard Food Bank and is a member of the Waynesburg First Church of the Nazarene. Her future plan is to attend Sullivan University in Loiusville, Ky to obtain a degree in the culinary arts.

GIRL OF THE MONTH The WCHS boys and girls track teams both won the Section 2 AA Championships.

Colton Stoneking took 5th place at 132lbs at PIAA AAA Team State Championships.

Darren Henry takes the baton from Austin Surber on the Margaret Bell Miller 4 x 400 relay team.

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Waynesburg Central art teacher Joe Kuhns made a deal with his student, Luca Augustine, his freshman year. He told him if he won the PIAA wrestling championship, he would paint his portrait. Luca claimed the title in March, and Joe kept his word and presented him with his prize.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

BASEBALL

WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 0 CARMICHAELS 10

WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 2 YOUGH 10

RBI: Drake Long (Carm) went 2 for 4 with 3 RBI Double: Nick Ricco (Carm) Winning Pitcher: Long (Carm) (SO 5 – 0 BB gave up 1 hit)

Triples: Lincoln Pack (WC) RBI: Tyler Switalski (WC) & Ross Jones (WC)

BROWNSVILLE 13 WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 2

Doubles: Hudson Boris (WC), Logan Higgins (WC) Triples: Tyler Switalski (WC)(2) RBI: Tyler Switalski (WC)(3), Mason Switalski (WC)(3), Trent Stephenson (WC)(3), Logan Higgins (WC)(2), Kohl Kindervater (WC) Winning Pitcher: Logan Higgins (SO 6 – BB 4)

Triple: Lincoln Pack (WC) RBI: Ross Jones (WC), Mason Switalski (WC)

BROWNSVILLE 14 WAYNEBURG CENTRAL 4

Triple: Lincoln Pack (WC) RBI: Mason Switalski (WC), Ross Jones (WC), Hudson Boris (WC), Logan Higgins (WC)

WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 9 WEST GREENE 12

Doubles: Shields (WG), Kiger (WG) Triples: Kiger (WG) RBI: Rice (WG)(3), Wise (WG)(3), Kiger (WG)(2), Hamilton (WG), Mooney (WG), Sheilds (WG); Matt Ankrom(WC) (2), Lincoln Pack (WC)(2), Trent Zuper (WC)(2), Benke (WC), Jones (WC) Home Runs: Lincoln Pack (WC)

WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 14 YOUGH 4

WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 1 MCGUFFEY 8

LP: Ross Jones (SO 2 – BB 2), Kendrick Wesley (SO 3 – BB 6)

WAYNESBURG CENTRAL 9 MCGUFFEY 8

Triples: Lincoln Pack (WC), Tyler Switalski (WC) RBI: Mason Switalski (WC)(2), Matt Ankrom (WC)(2), Lincoln Pack (WC), Tyler Switalski (WC), Trenton Zuper (WC) Winning Pitcher: Mason Switalski (SO 1- BB 3, 4 Innings), Hudson Boris (SO 3 – BB 1, 5 innings)

FORMER RAIDER TRACK STARS SHINE IN COLLEGIATE RANKS Former PIAA Track and Field State Champions Ben Bumgarner and Daniel Layton recorded impressive victories and stats this spring for their respective schools. At Penn State, Bumgarner won the 3000-meter run at the Nittany Lion Opener against Maryland and Rutgers with a time of 8:16.29. He also placed 34th at the Big 10 Cross Country Meet in February. Layton is running the 110 and 400 High Hurdles and competing in the High Jump for William and Mary. He placed 5th and 4th respectively in those events at the Colonial Athletic Association Track and Field Championships. In addition, he placed 3rd at both the James Madison and Tobacco Road Challenge in the 400H.

Fulfilling your child’s greatest potential.

Rainbow’s End is now enrolling!

At Rainbow’s End, children of all abilities are invited to learn, play, and grow in a safe and wellsupervised environment. We provide quality care and hands-on education adapted to meet the needs of all children aged 6 weeks to 12 years.

On May 2, Raider alum Scott Benco won the 2021 Mid-American Conference Javelin title for Kent State. The sophomore’s throw of 216’ 10” was 13 feet better than his nearest competitor.

Margaret Bell Miller Girls Basketball Team-Front Row: Chatham Knight, Ella Miller, Avery Davis, Emily Pace, Rylei Rastoka, Mackenzie Armstrong. Back Row: Aidan Snider, Mya Smith, Sydney Fox, Briena Coon, Peyton Cowell and Keira Kennedy

JUNE 2021

Gabe McConville broke the Waynesburg Central school record for the 800 Meter Dash at the recent South Fayette Invitational with an incredible time of 1:57.54.

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We are now hiring Preschool Teachers, Group Supervisors, and Group Support Staff! Apply online today at yourpathways.org/careers.

Rainbow’s End Learning Center Part of PathWays | Fulfilling Potential

Locations in Washington & Waynesburg. Visit yourrainbows. org for more information. EOE.

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ALUMNI SOFTBALL UPDATE Madison and McKenna Lampe recently completed their sophomore softball seasons at Carlow University. The Celtics finished the year 16-25 and 13-13 in the River States Conference. They lost to Indiana University Southeast in the conference tournament, but McKenna got one of Carlow’s two hits in the game. She also saw her first collegiate inning on the mound, allowing only one hit. In the second game of the tournament, McKenna pitched two more innings and banged a triple in a loss to WVU Tech. She batted .363 on the season with two homeruns and 16 RBI. Madison batted .355 on the season with a homerun and 19 RBI. She also led the team in steals and ranked 30th in the NAIA Division I in that category.

American quarterback as a junior in 1962. burg to play a charity basketball game Kaitlyn Rizor completed a successful That year, he led the Mountaineers to wins against the Yellow Jacket football players freshman season with West Virginia over Pitt, Virginia Tech and powerhouse at the college gym. The following spring, Wesleyan. The Bobcats competed in the Syracuse. He led the Southern Conference he was signed to a free agent contract with NCAA Division II Mountain East Conferin passing and total offense – 1,034 pass- the New York Jets. ence and ended the season 20-13 (19-11). ing yards and 330 rushing yards. After the 1963 season, he brought members of the Mountaineer football team to Waynes-

PIONEER PAST

erry Yost played at West Greene High School and led the Pioneers to an undefeated season in 1957. He was awarded a scholarship to West Virginia University. After earning the Mountaineers’ starting job as a sophomore, he was named an All-

SOFTBALL

WEST GREENE 13 CARMICHAELS 10

(2), Meek (2)

WEST GREENE 10 AVELLA 0

(5 INNINGS) Doubles: (WG) Jersey Wise, Katie Lampe, Taylor Karvan; (JM) Jasmine Demaske Home Runs: (WG) London Whipkey; (JM) Kiley Meek Multiple RBI: (WG) Lampe (2), Whipkey (2) Winning Pitcher: (WG) Kiley Meek (9 SO - 1 BB) Losing Pitcher: (JM) Jasmine Demaske (6 SO – 2 BB) West Greene Record: 8-1 (4-0)

(5 INNINGS) Doubles: (WG) Katie Lampe, London Whipkey RBI: (WG) Lampe, Jersey Wise (2), Whipkey (4), Kiley Meek (2), Anna Durbin Winning Pitcher: Kiley Meek (7 SO – 1 BB) (Gave up one hit) WG Record: 9-2 (5-0) WG Game Notes: Olivia Kiger had two RF assists.

WAYNESBURG 11 WEST GREENE 8

WEST GREENE 8 MAPLETOWN 3

Doubles: (WG) Olivia Kiger Home Runs: (WG) Katie Lampe, Jersey Wise, BreAnn Jackson, Kiley Meek RBI: (WG) Lampe (1), Wise (2), Jackson

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Double: (WG) Katie Lampe Triple: (WG) London Whipkey Home Run: (WG) Kiley Meek RBI: (WG) Katie Lampe, Jersey Wise, Whipkey, Kiley Meek (4), Anna Durbin

Winning Pitcher: (WG) Meek (6 SO – 2 BB) Losing Pitcher: (M) Madie Blaker (1 SO – 0 BB), Macee Cree (SO 0 - 2 BB), Devan Clark (SO 4 - 2 BB).

Multi-Hit Game: (M) Riley Pekar and Taylor Dusenberry (2) West Greene Record: 10-2 (6-0)

WEST GREENE 11 AVELLA 1

Doubles: (WG) London Whipkey, Kiley Meek Home Runs: (WG) Olivia Kiger, London Whipkey, Kiley Meek RBI: Katie Lampe, Lexi Six, Olivia Kiger, London Whipkey (4), BreAnn Jackson, Kiley Meek (3) Winning Pitcher: Kiley Meek (SO – 9 , BB – 2) West Greene Record: 11-2 (7-0)

Pitcher Kiley Meek is currently 10-2 on the mound for the Pioneer softball team. She has struck out 66 batters on the season. In a recent game against Avella, she recorded her first no-hitter and knocked in the gamewinning run with a walk-off single. She is batting .375 with three homeruns, a triple, and three doubles this season. She is the daughter of John and Tonya Meek of Holbrook. In addition to her Pioneer games, she plays for Team PA travel softball, and volunteers at Save a Horse and On Eagles Wings Stables. She also serves as the Secretary for West Greene’s FFA.

GIRL OF THE MONTH

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

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MAPLE MEMORIES

he 1990s were a good time for women’s basketball in Mapletown. Laura Marquis was one of the top female athletes in the WPIAL. From 1988-91, she racked up 1,465 points on the hardwood. She was All-Section three straight years and All-District her junior and senior years. Her senior year, she was also named All-WPIAL, WPIAL Terrific Twenty, and Greene County Player of the Year. She was also the MVP of the Greene-Washington County All-Star Game. In 1992, Lori Kois became the first Maple to top 1,000 career rebounds (1,267).

Kristen Polosky was named the Regional Player of the Year in 1998 after she scored 1,570 career points and grabbed 1,020 rebounds in her years with the Maples. She also had 235 assists and 387 steals. Her senior year alone, she had 614 points, 122 blocks and 175 steals. She was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fab Five and played in the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic. In 2017, she was elected to the Washington-Greene Sports Hall of Fame. Polosky went on to play at Northern Kentucky University, where she led the Norse to the 2000 NCAA Division II Championship.

Cohen Stout is the son of Chris and Angie Clites of Bobtown. Cohen is the Maples’ first baseman this season. The sophomore is also a member of the football and basketball teams. He received both All-County and All-Conference honors for both of his years on the gridiron. On the court, he was named All-County this past season. Cohen carries a 4.59 GPA and was recently inducted into the National Honor Society.

BOY OF THE MONTH

Madison Blaker is the daughter of Mark and Hope Blaker. She has been a member of the varsity softball team for the past four years. Madison maintains a 4.2 GPA and is the president of the National Honor Society.

She is also the President of the Future Teachers of America and president of the senior class. She is also a member of the Interact Club and student council. Madison plans to attend Waynesburg University to major in Early Childhood/Special Education.

GIRL OF THE MONTH

Pennsylvania State Swimming Champion Ella Menear of Mapletown High School competed at the West Virginia Short Course State Swim Meet on April 30 - May 2. The meet was for all club teams throughout West Virginia. At the competition, Ella set a new West Virginia state record in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.86

Masontown, PA 724-583-2680 724-583-2685 amedisys.com

JUNE 2021

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Kyle & Carrington

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arrington Teasdale of Rices Landing and Kyle Shriver of Waynesburg were married on December 18, 2020. This photo, by photographer Jenna Solich, was taken at Valley View Farm in Waynesburg PA during a snowstorm. Due to COVID-19, the wedding was adapted but Carrington always wanted a snowy winter wedding. Kyle is a Marine, and the couple is now stationed in North Carolina.

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Andrew & Anastasia

o, you are engaged. Cue the confetti and social media congratulations. But through all of this excitement and celebrations, the bride and groom are already thinking about how they want their wedding day to be. Should it be a small & intimate gathering with family and a few friends or a big celebration with dancing surrounded by 300 of your friends and family? What if you are a couple that wants both of those things – during a pandemic?

Carmichaels couple Andrew Whiteman and Anastasia Barr knew when they got engaged in November, they wanted to do something different. The uncertainty of the pandemic and restrictions on capacity helped them achieve both a small intimate ceremony and a big celebration.

“When we got engaged, we just wanted to be married! We wanted our ceremony to be spiritual and unique with a small group of family and friends, so we landed on a plan to elope in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee,” Anastasia says.

On a rainy Saturday in April, Andrew and Anastasia took 30 people, a photographer and an officiant into the mountains and said, “I do,” in a beautiful ceremony. “It was everything we could have ever dreamed of,” Andrew says. “But we knew in the back of our minds we wanted to bring a big celebration back to Greene County, the place we have made our home.”

With restrictions lifting and people getting vaccinated, the couple knew a late summer celebration in August would allow them to have the big reception that they wanted. They found the perfect location with Valley View Farm in Waynesburg. They were attracted to the beauty of the place and a small piece of information shared by one of the owners. “[Christy] told us that part of our money for the venue

will go to the non-profit Butterfly Angels,” Anastasia says. “Our mission as a couple is to give back and, with Andrew being a federal coal mine safety and health inspector and myself working for a local nonprofit in the area, we understand the importance of community.

We felt that this venue was the perfect fit for us to give back.”

Andrew and Anastasia are just three months away from their big Greene County wedding celebration and they are kicking off their marriage planning another wedding. “The safety of our family and friends is the most important part of all of this and we knew planning this big celebration in a pandemic would be difficult,” Anastasia says. “We are so blessed to be able to do exactly what we wanted for our wedding and can’t wait to finally celebrate with everyone.”

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

Put a key ring on it Fallen in love with a house? Head over heels for a home plan? Take the plunge and complete a mortgage pre-qualification or apply for a mortgage loan online with First Federal of Greene County. Then save the date for move-in day or groundbreaking!

With offices in Greene, Washington and Fayette counties, your loan stays here. Visit with a Loan Officer, or apply anytime online!

JUNE 2021

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www.firstfederalofgreene.com 35

Legal Lessons With Seamon Law Offices

HOW YOUR MARRIAGE AFFECTS YOUR ESTATE PLAN

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raditionally, June has been the most popular month of the year to marry and there are many reasons why. The Roman goddess of marriage, Juno, is said to be a protector of women, in particular in marriage and childbearing so for those who marry in June it was said they would be blessed with prosperity and happiness.

That sounds pretty inspiring as opposed to another reason that came about during medieval times. At that time people only bathed about once a year and that was usually in the spring, so it was common to marry while the bride still smelled relatively fresh, but just to be safe, she carried a bouquet of fresh flowers to mask any unpleasant odors.

Today, June is still a popular month for weddings, but as we know while the wedding is a momentous occasion, the wedding is just a celebration of the main event which is the actual marriage. In estate planning, getting married changes things quite a bit in the eyes of the law so we should update our estate planning documents to reflect that change in status. This is a complicated issue, to understand how your marriage affects your estate, you should consult with your estate planning attorney.

Most states, including Pennsylvania, have intestate succession laws that control who will inherit when a decedent dies without a will. These laws only affect assets that would have gone through the decedent’s will, which is known as the intestate estate. An intestate estate does not include assets that are jointly owned or that have a beneficiary

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designation.

In Pennsylvania, the spouse only inherits all of the decedent’s intestate estate if the decedent had no surviving children or parents. If the decedent did not have children, then the spouse inherits the first $30,000 and one-half of the balance of the intestate property with the parents inheriting the remaining one-half. If the decedent had children, the decedent’s parents do not inherit from their child’s intestate estate.

If all of the decedent’s children were with their spouse, then the spouse inherits the first $30,000 plus one-half of the intestate property while their children inherit the remaining intestate property. If the decedent had children outside of their marriage, then the spouse does not get the extra $30,000.

Even if these outcomes are acceptable to you, it does not take into consideration that your heirs may be unhealthy, are spendthrifts or may still be minors when they inherit. All of these situations cause complications. Unfortunately, if the children are minors, they are entitled to their entire share once they attain the age of eighteen years. My clients generally prefer the children to not have full access to their inheritance at such a young age.

Ideally, every adult should have a valid will that clearly lays out their decisions as to who their heirs are and when they will inherit their share of the estate. Most of us have worked very hard for whatever we have so it seems foolish to leave inheritances disbursed per default state laws or based on a will that was not professionally drafted.

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

JUNE 2021

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Terry & Dawn

erry Gump and Dawn Wiltrout decided to have a simple, intimate wedding. They chose a venue that could accommodate both the ceremony and reception to keep the scale small and the planning as simple as possible. “We chose the Greene County Historical Society Museum for our venue because we liked the versatility of the venue,” shares Dawn. “We had a simple ceremony on the front porch with about 40 of our friends and family. As soon as the ceremony was over, all we had to do was walk over to the barn on the grounds of the museum for our reception.”

She adds, “We wanted a rustic and tasteful wedding, and we were very grateful to Fred Kiger and Joe Weimer for the horse drawn carriage.

It was a great time for our friends and family to celebrate our marriage and to begin our life together.”

Did you miss our chance to have your wedding featured in our wedding issue? It’s not too early to submit it for next year! Send a photo and your information to info@greenescenemagazine.com.

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• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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Nathan & Becky

y husband is so great, I married him twice,” Becky McClure writes.

Nathan and Becky knew each other in high school but were dating other people. They eventually married those other people. Flash forward 15 years and they were both divorced and each with two children.

They began dating in August 2015 and waited until December 2015 to introduce their children to each other. The families blended seamlessly, and Nathan proposed on Christmas Day 2017 at their home in Rogersville, with permission from Becky’s parents and their four children.

They wanted a wedding, but didn’t want to wait to be married, so they got married at the Greene County courthouse on June 20, 2018. They began planning their Catholic wedding at St. Ann’s in Waynesburg for July 20, 2019. They wanted to keep the wedding small and intimate, with only immediate family. After the church ceremony they had their reception at Magic Moments in Carmichaels.

“We were very lucky that in 2019, Rain Day had the Umbrellas Over Waynesburg project up and we were able to get some gorgeous photos under the umbrellas,” Becky shares. “We have now been married for two and a half years and have four teenagers:

Chloe is a sophomore at Cal U, Maddie and Karlee are sophomores in high school at West Greene and Grant is in eighth grade at West Greene. To this day I call us the mini–Brady Bunch.”

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hile your wedding day draws near, it is imperative to make sure that all dealers covering your big day are fixed. You must get appropriate experts for different aspects of your wedding like the gown, wedding photography and video, decorations, wedding cake and the overall planning. Amongst these a very crucial part is the wedding photography Brisbane that you choose. After all, it is their task to confine those prized instances of your special day in your memory that will last for a lifetime. The following are a few points that will help you get fine wedding cinematography.

First, meet up with your potential Brisbane wedding photographer. The task of your photographer is not solely the wedding photography and video, but it goes much beyond.

The outstanding wedding photographers Brisbane would be experienced in setting up creative photo scenes to produce more enjoyable reminiscences for you. He will know the finest way of positioning the bridal troupe and their invitees. A good wedding photographer Brisbane will ensure that appropriate background and excellent lighting is made available. During your meeting with the prospective wedding photographer, inquire about the different imaginative and enjoyable suggestions he has in mind for producing awesome wedding cinematography.

Next, you need to assess your wedding photographer’s work collection of wedding photography and video. Every trustworthy photographer retains a collection of the previous tasks they have accomplished. Evaluate their earlier jobs well and make very sure that

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By Dylan Ross it is in line with what you expect. This step also gives you a chance to check the creative skills of your prospective photographer. Select the most innovative pictures of the lot and find out if it was your photographer’s suggestion.

You may also request them to follow an analogous trend in your wedding cinematography.

Subsequently, you need to make certain that your wedding is a day of enjoyment and jubilation. You have to see that your photographer has the qualities to match your wedding mood. Even though a Brisbane wedding photographer might be really good at the wedding cinematography, things won’t work if he is not flexible and isolated or has some other kind of problem. You need to pick a wedding photographer who can bring a grin on anybody’s face. This will make the wedding photography and video look much more pleasant and wonderful.

Nearly all wedding photography and video come in a wide variety of packages, from which you can choose depending on your finances. You must evaluate the asking price of each package and select the one that matches your financial plan best. Apart from the cost, you also need to check the character of the photographer, the class of their work collection and previous records. Lastly, your wedding photographer must not be too rigid about the agenda. Be assured that the photographer does not have any prior appointments and will be available to take up your wedding cinematography. Whatever be the time period of your weddingFree Articles, he must be able to cover up the entire ceremony.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

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right linens cover a dining table topped with platters of intricately decorated pastries, authentic fine china, and in the center of it all, a two-story cake, handcrafted to match the occasion. A glass flower chandelier and stained-glass windows completes the scene. You’ve either traveled back to the 19th century or have entered the beautiful tea party room of Kathryn’s Victorian Venue.

Tucked away at the back of The Perfect Arrangement & Lily Bee’s on High Street in Waynesburg, this completely renovated Victorian house from the 1920s offers three dining spaces perfect for a variety of events. The venue comfortably hosts up to 40 people, complimenting special occasions such as weddings, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, corporate events, and more.

Kathryn’s is owned by Pam Marisa and she is assisted by a talented team of event planners, designers, florists, and a list of vendors to accommodate any of their guests’ needs. When creating Kathryn’s, Pam intended to “create an experience unlike anything in our era,” and every refurbished detail of the house follows through on that promise. From the mantels dressed in fresh flowers to the antique chandeliers in each room, the venue is saturated in old-fashioned beauty and authenticity.

The venue’s name comes from a niece of Pam and her husband, Kent. Kathryn’s mother, Autumn Lexer, was raised in Waynesburg alongside her four brothers Kent, Kurt, Kameron, and Kerry. Autumn’s other daughter inspired the name of Kathryn’s sister business, Lily Bee’s, which offers floral arrangements, decorations, and gifts for every occasion.

The prices of event packages vary depending on what guests need for their event. Kathryn’s team is happy to provide whatever they can to create a unique and memorable experience. Their

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new commercial kitchen allows for private caterers or chefs, and their event team will bring to life any vision you have in mind - from balloon archways to dessert displays.

According to Pam, the venue will likely also offer outside spaces in the future, including a covered patio and a neatly landscaped yard with enchanting lighting and décor.

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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he pandemic has forced everyone to reevaluate the way that we bring together groups of people from a range of places.

Weddings everywhere either canceled or drastically adjusted to handle the new regulations required. Spouses-to-be began wondering: how do we let our friends and families take part in our special day while keeping them safe? Livestreaming your wedding!

In addition to including guests that can’t attend because of the pandemic or other reasons, livestreaming your wedding has another benefit.

It can serve as a record or backup video of your wedding. And best of all, it can be done for very little cost – or even free.

If you’ve decided to livestream your wedding, the first thing that you will need to do is gather the equipment you’ll need to livestream.

You can go as simple as using your phone’s camera with a tripod, or you can get an external microphone and more professional camera for better quality. Many modern digital cameras have Wi-Fi. Make sure that whatever way that you choose, you have the proper way to supply power to your equipment. An adequate Wi-fi connection or phone service will be necessary, so check with your venue to see if they have Wi-fi. If not, you’ll need to rely on your phone’s service or use a hotspot.

You’ll also need to choose a livestreaming service. Each livestreaming service available offers different advantages, so you’ll need to research the different options and choose the one that works best for your event. Some options include Facebook groups and rooms, YouTube, Livestream.com, Zoom, and Google Meets.

Inviting your guests to your livestream can be done two ways. You can send you’re your link in place of invitations if you know that you will not be able to have them as guests. If you don’t want to offer guests that alternative initially, you can send the link to those that RSVP no. Even if the event is entirely livestreamed, send out personalized invitations through the mail.

If you’d like to do a little more for your guests that can’t attend in-person, consider sending a wedding box that will arrive the date of the wedding. Include items in it that make the guests feel like they are right there in the wedding. Miniature bottles of champagne, a piece of wedding cake or cupcake, a signature cocktail recipe and its ingredients, photo props or other items. Add a QR code to the box to take guests directly to the livestream. (QR codes can be gotten from QR code generators online.)

You’ll need to decide what parts of the wedding you will want to livestream. Do you want to

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livestream just the wedding ceremony itself? The reception? Pre-wedding events like bridal showers? All of these? You can livestream any of the events you choose. Inform event guests that the wedding will be livestreamed, and you should get approval from any musicians that may be playing during your livestream.

Livestreaming your reception can be more difficult than just the ceremony. Encourage interaction with your virtual guests. Prior to the wedding, have these guests to share photos that can be posted at the reception. Encourage them to share prerecorded messages. Consider adding trivia or games that can be played with online participants. If you are using Zoom, or something similar, consider using a projector to put your guests on a big screen. A tablet setup, either stationary or mobile, allows your in-person guests a chance to interact with your virtual guests. If it’s mobile, allow guests to pass it between them to interact with those online.

Whether you choose Facebook as your livestreaming medium, a Facebook group is a great way to provide details and information about the wedding. In this group, you can communicate with your guests, deliver a schedule of events, and, if livestreaming through Facebook, share the livestream through the group. Whatever you do, avoid sharing your livestreaming link publicly to keep the viewers within your guest list.

After you’ve chosen your service and gathered your equipment, you’ll want to designate a ‘photographer’ in charge of handling the livestream. This person will be on charge of setting up the equipment, verifying the internet connection, running a rehearsal livestream to check sound, lighting, and the best views. Include the setup and running of the livestream during your wedding rehearsals, also. Take a tour of your venue with your photographer/videographer and the venue’s team to choose the best location to set up the livestreaming equipment. On the day of the event, go live approximately ten minutes before the event starts. This will provide a buffer and give you a chance to work out any final glitches. After the event is over and you have free time, return to the group and livestream video and handle comments on the video. Thank those that watched the video for attending.

Livestreaming your wedding can be a simple and fun way to include guests that can be with you in-person on your special day. If you choose to do so, work with others involved with the wedding to create an enjoyable experience for everyone. And most of all, have a plan!

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

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ituated on a family farm owned since 1905, Valley View Farm is a wedding venue providing everything you need to make your day special. The vision of creating a place where people could gather to experience hope, peace, and new beginnings led to renovations of the original barn, where a variety of events are held. A very special stain glass window, able to be viewed from all levels in the building, captures the sentiment perfectly.

Dr. Josh Dower, along with owners Corbly and Christy Orndorff, renovated the original barn in the spring of 2014. As the beauty of the barn was revealed, many were interested in holding a gathering in the beautiful, rustic space. The venue’s first wedding was held that fall, and the venue has since grown to become one of the finest wedding venue destinations in Greene County.

The space itself has grown from the original barn with an addition that includes a loft overlooking a dance floor with band stage, a wide covered porch, and a separate space designed for caterers. The main barn includes a special raised platform over a bar and an additional loft area for seating. Antique decorations and handmade light fixtures add rustic charm and an intimate atmosphere.

The venue easily accommodates large gatherings. The dance

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floor and stage are equipped with a sound system, lighting, speakers, and a mobile DJ setup. Speakers placed throughout the building ensure all event attendees can hear music and announcements. To ensure the success of your event, Valley View Farm also provides you with a wedding planner to assist you with planning and manage activities during the event, leaving you to enjoy your special day.

Unique to Valley View Farms, a team of stunning Belgians and beautiful carriage can deliver you to the venue to celebrate your occasion. The farm has a long history as a livery stable and breeder of world-class Belgians; they continue to breed these magnificent animals and they can be seen in the fields surrounding the venue. FMI, contact Christy Orndorff at 724-627-6805, email info@valleyviewfarmvenue.com, or visit www.valleyviewfarms.com.

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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Creating Intimate Weddings in Greene

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hen the coronavirus hit in early 2020 and continued through the rest of the year, the wedding industry was shattered. Strict restrictions on group sizes limited gatherings, and couples were faced with postponing their dream wedding until restrictions lifted, or drastically changing their wedding. While some couples chose to wait, many couples opted to get married by adapting their weddings to accommodate only a small group of people. This trend of intimate micro-weddings continues to increase in popularity and will most likely continue on past the end of the pandemic.

“Last year, COVID-19 hit everyone very hard, especially the wedding industry. There was no relief for these businesses. Weddings went on hold because no one knew what the regulations would be,” says JoAnne Marshall, Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency (GCTPA) director.

Ben McMillen has been involved with the wedding industry for 30 years, as a photographer and the owner of McMillen Photography. His business suffered greatly from the pandemic restrictions. He’s re-

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cently closed down his studio in Waynesburg and is operating his photography business mainly from home. Three years ago, Ben became involved in the Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency (GCTPA) as a board member.

At a board meeting after COVID-19 hit the United States and restrictions shut down the majority of businesses, JoAnne asked the group: “What can we do to help these businesses?” After much discussion and brainstorming, the board decided to focus on attracting couples to Greene County for micro-weddings.

“If you want more than a courthouse wedding but not a full, all-out wedding, this is perfect for you,” JoAnne says. “It’s a growing trend and it’s COVID-19 friendly.”

These weddings would bring out-oftowners in and boost both the wedding and general economy. Couples and guests staying in local hotels would increase the hotel tax collected, which funds the GCTPA. The group began reaching out to local businesses in the wedding industry, with local venues as the initial focus. Each venue created a micro-wedding package with a similar base starting rate that consists of up to 25 people for two hours on a weekday. The length of time is perfect for a ceremony and photography session. Package upgrades are available for those that would like something a little larger or more involved, and weekend packages are also offered.

“When planning a wedding, venues tend to attract couples first,” JoAnne says. “That’s why we first focused on getting the venues involved. But any business in the wedding market can be involved as a vendor and capture additional exposure through our marketing campaigns.”

Christy Orndorff is also a GCTPA board member. Her venue, Valley View Farm, which she owns with husband Corbly, was one of the first venues on board. During the pandemic, they worked within the restrictions and saw a drastic decrease in event rentals.

They did everything that they could to keep the business open and staff employed. The nearby one-room schoolhouse, used for wedding party preparations, was turned into an Airbnb and has brought traffic to the county.

“JoAnne reached out to the local businesses

to help when no one else did. I’m so blessed to be part of the Tourism board,” Christy says.

“The collaboration has been very exciting, and I think this will be a springboard to many things other than just weddings.

“The biggest asset is the chance for these businesses to get together and share ideas, how to work within restrictions, to build partnerships. It’s given them hope,” JoAnne says. “The collaboration has been exciting.”

“The collaboration between the venues has been incredible. All the venues have been very helpful and have worked together to create a strategic plan and present a united front,” Ben says. “We have a common mission and we’re all in this together.”

Christy adds, “Each of the businesses has different strengths and can provide different opportunities. Everyone has been like an open book. It’s not about competition, it’s about lifting each other up and bringing traffic to the area.”

Tourism partners can upgrade their membership to be included as a vendor with the wedding initiative. Any business involved in the wedding industry – catering, photography, chair and tent rentals, etc. – is welcome to join. The money raised by the upgrade is used to pay for co-op advertising for the campaign.

The website for the initiative is now live at www.VisitGreene.org/weddings. The collaboration’s next step will be creating and implementing a marketing strategy, which will include social media advertising paid for by the funds raised from the partner upgrades.

If you’re interested in getting your business involved in the initiative, reach out to JoAnne

at Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency by calling 724-627-8687.

CONI & FRANC Morgantown

featuring

WWW.CONIANDFRANC.NET 304.296.9466 info@coniandfranc.net

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

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Zack & Michelle

hen Zack Zeigler and Michelle Frye got engaged on September 5, 2018 at a Fall Out Boy concert, Michelle knew that she wanted an October wedding for their extended families, with a guest list of over 300 guests. But when COVID-19 hit, they were faced with the decision to postpone their wedding or minimize the guest list. They chose to cut the list back drastically, trimming the guest list down to 40 attendees, including the bridal party. “[It] was the hardest struggle, because we didn’t want to upset anyone. I had to sort through my extended family, and who really meant the most for me to have there,” Michelle says. “I was upset that an uncle that I was very close with growing up couldn’t make it. He and his family live in Punta Gorda, FL. Florida had a strict quarantine policy when our wedding took place, and unable to take off over a month of work, he had to

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• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

make the choice to stay behind.”

With most of Zack’s family scattered throughout the country, most of them were unable to attend. He really wanted his Grandma to be able to attend, but she is in her 80s and has a lot of health problems, so she made the choice to stay home for her health. To accommodate the many friends and family members that couldn’t make it, the couple livestreamed their wedding.

The Victorian Gothic-themed wedding’s colors were black, white, and emerald green, with silver accents. Michelle patronized the local businesses to provide catering, a venue, the wedding cake, hair, invitations, music, event management and photography.

After the wedding, the couple had a quick honeymoon in Washington, DC and Virginia Beach.

“I can’t thank everyone enough for helping me with my wedding. It was my perfect dream day, and I felt like a queen.”

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By Zack Zeigler

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lot goes into planning the perfect wedding. You have to make sure you have the venue, the reception hall, the guest list, and all the other intricate details that make the day magical. However, one aspect of a wedding that often gets overlooked is the entertainment and booking the right DJ. Shane Hixenbaugh, the owner of DJ Shane Entertainment, has been doing weddings and other events for over 20 years. He tells us that picking the right DJ for your wedding can end up making all the difference.

“When you hire a bottom DJ or someone you know to DJ, it can almost be like one of the Allstate Mayhem commercials, “ Shane says. “You could end up with a guy that doesn’t know how to read the crowd, is too drunk, or can try to take all the attention.”

The DJ doesn’t just play the music for the event, he or she is also the host of the event and drives the reception along. A good DJ can take a wedding from an average event to an overall enchanted evening.

“I always tell couples the wedding is like a play and you two are the star of that play, “ Shane says. “In a recent survey, 78% of couples said they would have made the entertainment their priority and hiring the right DJ can make all the difference.”

The DJ is also someone who can help you with pieces of your planning. When Shane meets with a couple, they work through how the wedding will flow.

“The first thing we do is meet up and talk about the timeline of events, “ Shane says.

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“The structure of the wedding is totally up to the bride. Typically, you start with a cocktail hour while you are taking photos, then you do introductions, the first dance, toast, and prayer, and then eat. However, each bride is different, and you can structure your event any way you like.”

After the timeline is prepared, then you can decide on the music that the DJ plays.

This can be hard because you have to select music that not only you like, but will keep your guests happy as well. This is another service that a good DJ will help with and, in Shane’s case, the DJ can end up helping with many of the selections.

“We always tell the bride and groom to pick anywhere between 10 and 20 songs that you like as well as the first dance songs, “ Shane says. “Keep in mind that just because you like a song, it doesn’t mean your guests will. We take that list of 10 to 20 songs and we then build a playlist around it. We will also be reading the room during the event and seeing what songs work and which songs don’t.”

Without a good DJ, the wedding reception could end up being a nightmare for newlywed couples. With a good DJ at your side, like Shane, you can be guaranteed to have a night that you will never forget.

For tips on planning the perfect reception or for more information on how to choose songs that are right for your wedding, visit DJ Shane Entertainment’s website at djshane-entertainment.com.

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ole’s Greene Acres Farm provides clients with a small, intimate venue for their wedding. The farm has many picturesque possibilities available, where you can recite your vows or hold a commitment ceremony. Popular choices for marriage ceremonies are the 1830s log cabin, in the valley by the stream, and on top of the hill overlooking the bucolic countryside.

A pavilion and dance floor are available each measuring 20-feet x 40-feet in size. The pavilion has one end enclosed to provides an area for caterers. A commercial style kitchen with refrigeration, 10-burner gas stove and double oven are part of the amenities available. Handmade tables, created from wood harvested from the farm, adorn the pavilion area. Owned and operated by Shane and Deanna Cole, the farm also functions as an Airbnb and, “supports an ‘Elopement Style Wedding’ as one of the many package weddings option,” Shane says.

Recommendations can be offered for caterers with an ala carte approach, or hiring a band, and DJs. Help will be provided as needed on the day of the event.

Raising heritage breeds of Scottish Highlands and Black Galloway

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cattle, donning a Hoop House, and currently in the process of raising pumpkins, corn and sunflowers for a wedding scheduled for this fall, Cole’s Greene Acres Farm is a wonderful country retreat. The rough-cut lumber design of the pavilion, band stand, and numerous building around the farm add to that down home country feeling. The family-style serving and the cabins available for the wedding party and guests in this family farm are perfect for that intimate wedding event with a picturesque country atmosphere. Stop by the farm for a tour of the venue and what they have to offer for that special day or take a tour by visiting their Facebook or Instagram @ ColesGreeneAcresFarms. FMI, contact Shane and Deanna Cole at 724-451-8568 or colesgreenacresfarm@gmail.com.

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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“WOMEN BELONG IN ALL PLACES WHERE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE.”

By Sierra Medina

absolutely love working with the PA Commission for Women,” says Moriah Hathaway, a Greene County native and alumna of Shippensburg University with a B.A. in political science, who was named the executive director of the commission in July of 2020.

Although Moriah felt intimidated at first, she was a great fit for the role.“It was well-deserved. She worked hard, and I was very proud of her,” says Sharon Hathaway Lockart, Moriah Hathaway’s mother.

Sharon says her daughter got her passion in politics from her father, who always encouraged civic engagement before passing away her senior year of high school. This passion translated into being active within campaigns and building her capacity.

“Moriah has always been a go-getter and that’s how she fast tracked through her jobs,” Sharon says. “She would go in and show that she had what it took, that she was the best person for the job, and that’s why they made her the executive director.”

Moriah is striving to use her position to live in a state that is equitable for all women, which requires advocating for policies that support women, like paid family leave, affordable childcare, equal pay, as well as part-

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nerships within the community.

“For example, we have partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s Business One-Stop Shop Office to host panel discussions about women-owned businesses and women entrepreneurs,” Moriah explains.

The commission has also partnered with the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania. “I recently attended their Tree Promise Event at Camp Small Valley. The organization honored a girl scout for earning her Gold Award and we planted trees together,” she says. “On a daily basis, I attend meetings with stakeholders and search for new organizations to partner with.”

Moriah also regularly volunteers at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and on the Shippensburg University Alumni Board of Directors, where she said she loved her four years in undergraduate study.“I knew I wanted to give back. I have a unique perspective as a young alumna and higher education is important to me,” she says. “I always get excited when Shippensburg asks me to participate on a panel or speak at an event.”

When Hathaway isn’t serving her community, she loves hiking, walking, finding new coffee shops to visit and spending time

with Bailey Welch, her wife as of October 10, 2020. “I am fortunate to have a supportive wife who encourages me to be the best version of myself and helps me stay motivated,” Moriah says.

According to Sharon, Moriah and Bailey enjoyed a beautiful wedding surrounded by those supporting their union. “I know that there will always be people who do not agree with my marriage and I have learned to live with that,” Moriah says. “Our marriage is full of love, hope and happiness.

That is all that matters to me. That is all that should matter.”

Moriah is the first openly lesbian woman to be the executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women. “I think it is very important for our community to be represented in government,” she explained. “I do recognize that my sexuality allows me to understand what it is like to be marginalized, but I do bring so many other unique perspectives to this role beyond being a queer woman.”

Moriah said this representation matters because she wants to change the common under representation for women in places of power. “I want

women to feel empowered and know that they have a voice. I want women to be able to thrive in our state not just survive. I want to see more women run for office, register to vote, and have a seat at the table,” she says. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg said it best, ‘Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”’

GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

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he Greene County Historical Society Museum in Waynesburg provides a unique historical setting for your wedding. The beautiful historic buildings are located across 14 acres of Greene County’s bucolic hills and fields. Buildings on the grounds include an antique barn, two cabins, and the main museum.

When you rent the museum as your venue, you get 12 hours of access to the grounds for your event. To maintain the integrity of the historic artifacts housed in the main museum, larger wedding ceremonies are suggested to take place outside of the main building, but the wedding party has access to historical rooms inside to prepare for the wedding.

The most popular places on the grounds to get married are the white-columned front

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porch, while guests watch from below, and the historic barn with antique tools on display. The barn is also the perfect place to hold your reception, with room for larger parties.

If you’re looking for something smaller and cozier, consider holding an intimate ceremony in the front parlor or one of the remarkable cabins. The beautiful grounds, both inside and out, also make the perfect backdrop for your wedding and engagement photos.

“If you love history, this is the place to get married,” says Sam Gandy, event coordinator. So, if you love history and are looking for the perfect wedding venue, schedule a tour with the Greene County Historical Society today by calling 724-627-3204.

• Wedding Edition • GreeneScene Community Magazine

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Pittsburgh, PA Permit No. 1219

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GreeneScene Community Magazine • Wedding Edition •

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