SUMMER 2012
COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
s t s a n m y Moon G L A I P Win W s e l t i T e t Sta
120 over 80.
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S TA F F
STAF F PUBL ISHER
Wayne Dollard RE GION AL EDITORS
Pamela Palongue [North] p.palongue@incommunitymagazines.com Mark Berton [South] mark@incommunitymagazines.com OF F ICE MANAGER
Leo Vighetti leo@incommunitymagazines.com AD PL ACEMENT COORDINATOR
Debbie Mountain d.mountain@incommunitymagazines.com SCHOOL & MUNICIPAL CONTENT COORDINATOR
Megan Faloni m.faloni@incommunitymagazines.com GRAPHIC DESIGN
Cassie Brkich Anna Buzzelli Sharon Cobb Susie Doak
Jan McEvoy Joe Milne Tamara Tylenda
W RIT E RS
John Barrera Jonathan Barnes Jennifer Brozak Matt Fascetti Tracey Fedkoe Mike Ference Jacob Flannick Britt Fresa Heather Holtschlage Aimee Nicolia
Nick Keppler Chelsea Kozera Leigh Lyons Dana Black McGrath JoAnne Nasser Melanie Paulick Gina Sallinger Judith Schardt
PHOT OGRAPHERS
Mark Fainstein Ginni Hartle Brad Lauer
Len Pancoast Kathleen Rudolph Gary Yon
ADVE RT ISING SALES MANAGERS
Derek Bayer Tom Poljak
Tamara Myers
ADVE RT ISING SALES
Brian Daley Gina D’Alicandro Tina Dollard Karen Fadzen Julie Graf Jason Huffman Connie McDaniel Brian McKee Gabriel Negri
Aimee Nicolia Annette Petrone Vincent Sabatini Jennifer Schaefer Michael Silvert Karen Turkovich RJ Vighetti Nikki Capezio-Watson Sophia Alfaras
This magazine is carrier route mailed to all district households and businesses. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Copyright 2012. CORRESPONDENCE Direct all inquiries, comments and press releases to: IN Community Magazines Attn: Editorial 603 East McMurray Road McMurray, PA 15317 Ph: 724.942.0940 Fax: 724.942.0968 www. incommunitymagazines.com
Fall 22 Fall content contentdeadline: deadline:July 8/1/12
Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.
FROM THE PUBLISHER Welcome to the Summer issue of IN Moon Township Magazine! I say “summer,” but this year, it seems summer started in early March. However, the warm days have given people a reason to get outside early and often. Bulbs are blooming earlier and joggers are out en force. So I hope you’ve had a chance to get out there and take advantage of the early summer, and while you’re at it, let us know what you’re up to. We try to feature as much local content as we can in each issue and hope that you enjoy that content. Now, we want to get even more local and ask you directly for your stories in each issue. These features don’t have to be about you or someone you know doing something extraordinary like climbing Mt. Everest or swimming the English Channel. We want to know what makes our readers tick. It could be that you’ve always wanted a classic Thunderbird and have been restoring one for the past few years. We’d like to see it, and I’m sure others would, too. So let’s start off with that, since we’re coming into car cruise season: If you or someone you know has a pretty interesting restoration project going on in their garage, let us know! Email our editor, Mark Berton, at mark@incommunitymagazines.com or call us at 724.942.0940. We’ll be happy to hear your story and may even send one of our photographers out to capture your work for the next issue. Keep in mind, the project doesn’t necessarily be current – if you’ve been cruising in your restoration project for some time now, that’s ok, too. But we’d like to know what you did at the nuts and bolts level to get your baby roadworthy. If you’re just not sure one way or the other if you think you have a good story, call Mark and he’ll be happy to help you out! Looking forward to seeing some whitewalls and chrome in the fall issue! Have a great summer! Wayne Dollard Publisher
WE WANT TO COVER YOU! Do you have an event coming up that you’d like to publicize? Do you have an event that you want us to cover? Let us know! Go to www.incommunitymagazines.com/events and fill out the form. Events will be announced in the upcoming issue. If our deadlines don’t match yours, we may decide to send our photographers to cover the event for an upcoming issue. We’re looking for fundraisers, charity drives, social functions, class reunions, church festivals, awards presentations and more! If you’re not sure you have an event worth featuring, give us a call at 724.942.0940 and we’ll help you out!
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■ Individualized therapeutic and inter-disciplinary approach for return to community
Call or come by today! 234 Coraopolis Road Coraopolis, PA 15108 412.331.6060
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Moon Township
INSIDE
IN Moon Township is a non-partisan community publication dedicated to representing, encouraging and promoting the Moon Township area and its comprising municipalities by focusing on the talents and gifts of the people who live and work here. Our goal is to provide readers with the most informative and professional regional publication in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
IN Moon Township | SUMMER 2012 |
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FEATURES
Wrestling with the Past................ | 12 Pittsburgh International Airport, Montour Trail Now Connected .. | 16 Mission To Katrina-Stricken New Orleans ................................... | 48 Singer Sarah Marince .................. | 51 ON THE COVER
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The Moon Gymnastics Team beat rival North Allegheny, 146.675 to 144.8, to win the WPIAL gymnastics championship. See story on page 14.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
The Vein Institute .......................... | 19 The Goddard School .................... | 33 RD Copeland Creating a Meaningful Funeral ................. | 39
Allegheny Medical ........................ | 43 20
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COMMUNITY INTERESTS
RMU Cheerleaders Pump up the Crowd ................................ | 4 St. Malachy School News ....................................................... | 9
Choice Chiropractic ...................... | 47 Thomas A. Nolfi, Inc. An Ounce of Prevention ........................ | 53 R. D. Rohde Insurance Agency
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The Circulatory Centers .............. | 56
Parkway West CTC News ....................................................... | 10 Moon Gymnasts Win WPIAL State Titles ................................ | 14 D.A.R.E. Officers Keep the Beat in Classrooms ................. | 20 UPMC Today | Health and Wellness News ...................................... | 25 Teen Dating Program Informs of Dangers ........................ | 37 FEATURES
Hunger Games Extravaganza Libraries Co-Host Pop Culture’s Latest Trend .............................................. | 6
Milk vs. Gatorade Milk proves to be Mightier ......................................................................... | 8
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 3
RMU Cheerleaders
Pump up the Crowd
of Future Moon Area Cheerleaders
School spirit, enthusiasm and some amazing stunts made all cheerleading dreams and aspirations of Moon’s youngest residents come true at Moon Township Public Library’s “Meet the RMU Colonial Cheerleaders” event. Approximately 25 future cheerleaders were treated to an encouraging chat and a question and answer session that stressed a positive attitude and safety when cheering. The cheerleaders also gave the kids a description of what it’s like to cheer at college basketball and football games. A cheering demonstration, hands-on cheering lesson and create-your-own pom-pom craft were some of the fun activities provided. Beth Zovko is the assistant to the children’s librarian and helped organize the event. “We wanted to do a local heroes series at the library and thought it would be great to get the RMU cheerleaders to come in,” said Zovko. “They were so nice about it; came in and ran the whole program themselves with wonderful leadership qualities. RMU is such a fantastic asset to the community.” According to its website, the RMU cheerleading program consists of the Blue Team, an all-girl competitive team, and the White Team, an open cheer team. The teams attend all home and select away men’s and women’s basketball games, football games and cheering competitions. Ashley Barger is a RMU senior and cheerleader. “We like to do these community service events because we get to show our love for cheerleading to kids,” said Barger. “We like to show them that cheering is a great way to get involved at their schools and show school spirit.” To learn more about upcoming programs at Moon Township Public Library, please visit the website at www.moonlibrary.org. To learn more about the RMU cheerleaders, visit www.rmucolonials.com. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THE RMU COLONIAL CHEERLEADERS ASHLEY BARGER
HEATHER BASILONE
ASHTEN FARAH
TORI DELLAVALLE
SAM WOOSTER
BRANDON TYLER
RYAN PHILIS
CASSIE ANDERSON
SIERRA BOGGS
BRITTANY KROH
LARISSA HOUK
LESLIE WOOD
MAGGIE CONSCUITO
KODY O’SHAUGHNESSY
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Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 5
Hunger Games Moon Township and Sewickley Public Libraries Co-Host the Latest Pop Culture Trend
Extravaganza
Done with Harry Potter and Twilight, 60 tweens and teens costumed as their favorite Hunger Games’ “tribute,” laughed and screamed their way through activities based on the book at the Hunger Games Extravaganza, co-hosted by Moon Township and Sewickley public libraries. Librarians and volunteers in “Game Changer” tees guided the tributes–mostly dressed as Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of the book–through archery, camouflage, plant identification and knot tying stations. The tributes were ready to do battle after participating in a scavenger hunt, trivia game and other live-action games, with hopes of winning the grand prize of movie tickets for “The Hunger Games” movie. Libraries are keeping up with the latest pop culture trends to get kids into the library
and interested in what it has to offer. Heather Panella, public services librarian, organized the extravaganza on Moon library’s end. “When a big, pop culture phenomenon like Harry Potter, Twilight or The Hunger Games comes along, it is easy to capitalize on that to get the kids to come to the library,” said Panella. “It’s great that these books are being turned into movies and are bringing even more kids into the arena and they want to read now. This event is a great way to bring them all in and show them that the library isn’t just a place that books are housed. We can bring the books to life for them. They can look at all of the people who are attending that they have something in common with and it all came from reading.” Kelly Rottmund, young adult librarian, is the other creative organizer of the extravaganza from Sewickley Library. “I like when we can host these events together and bring the two communities together,” she said . “The fact that this event is tied to a book, and so many people are excited about it, is really awesome and
exciting. We have been planning this for months now and are really excited that it’s finally happening and that so many people came. Even though tonight is wild and crazy, it is all based on a book. Everyone thinks that the library is only about books and when we do things like this, it lets people see that we are not what they expected.” Both libraries offer a wide variety of programs for babies all the way up to seniors. “We offer a ton of programming for every age group,” said Panella. “We are a community center and want people to come to the library and show them the many things that we have to offer.” To learn more about upcoming events, visit Moon Township Public Library at www. moonlibrary.org or Sewickley Public Library at www.sewickleylibrary.org.
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1. Brook Henry, Melyssa Armer, Morgon Allbaugh, Riley Wol, Leanna Brooks 2. Alan Zahorsky, Moon Library Intern at Knot Tying Station 3. Katherine Jacob, California University of PA Librarian and Volunteer and Hannah Rockenstein at Camouflage Station 4. Kelly Rottmund, Sewickley Library Young Adult Librarian and Heather Panella, Moon Library Public Services Librarian 5. Elise Truchan brought her own archery equipment 6. Erin Panizza and Aditi Sharma at Archery Station 7. Kayli Lemieux and Marissa Zupancic at Archery Station 8. Abby Keppel 9. Megan Good, Moon Library Children’s Librarian at Plant I.D. Station 10. Rhianna Vignolini and Marissa Zupancic at Trivia Station 11. Trivia Station 12. Tricia Burmeister, United Way Librarian and Volunteer at Archery Station 13. Knot tying Station 14. Knot tying Station 2 15. Marissa Zupancic and Nina Hodges holding phones with photos of the character, Gale 16. Suzy Ruskin, Moon Library Director and Kayli Lemieux at Trivia Station Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 7
Milk Is
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By Jonathan Barnes eing a runner and basketball player, Elizabeth Michalenko enjoys the rush of exercise, though she doesn’t enjoy the soreness afterward. Her brother always gave her the same advice about it, which seemed contrary to conevntional wisdom. “Drink chocolate milk instead of Gatorade after you run,” her brother, Nicholas, told her many times. But the Mars Area High School freshman always wondered if her brother was right. Was chocolate milk better than a sports drink like Gatorade for helping athletes to recover faster after a workout? She took the question a step further, making an experiment of it. As part of a science project she undertook in December, Michalenko tested seventh and eighth grade girls’ basketball players. First, she tested their resting heart rates before practice, then she tested the players after an intense workout, measuring how long it took them to get back to their resting heart rates. She then measured the players after an intense workout, checking on how long it took them to get back to a resting heart rate after drinking Gatorade. Then she tried it after giving them chocolate milk. All those measurements took a while, with 15 players at more than one practice. Michalenko actually measured the players’ heart rates at 2-minute intervals after the workouts, to see how long it took them to get back to resting heart rates. To determine which drink helped a player recover faster, she measured to see which drink was quicker in getting an athlete within a 10-beat range of her resting heart rate. The Winner: Chocolate Milk, by a mile. While consuming Gatorade helped the basketball players recover to a resting heart rate in 11.5 minutes, chocolate milk (1% chocolate milk, specifically) helped the hoopsters recover in just 5.5 minutes. 8 724.942.0940 to advertise
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With that work, Michalenko won second place for her science project entitled “Chocolate Milk vs. Gatorade: Effect on Post Exercise Recovery.” To win the award, she presented her experiment and findings to a panel of judges at the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Region 7 competition Feb. 6. She competed against students grades 9 through 12 from more than 70 schools at the event, which was held at Keystone Oaks High School. It was the third time Michalenko has been in the competition, but the first time she has competed at the high school level. “It was really fun, and I hope to do as well or better next year,” she said, adding that she wasn’t sure how she’d do at that level of competition. “I didn’t really know
whether or not my project would stand out as much.” What was the most enjoyable part of the project for Michalenko? Well, waiting to win, of course. “The actual competition was the most fun. I went there with my mom, and it was a day we had out together,” Michalenko said. She beat many peers in a hotly contested race of brainpower. The competition was based on a point system, in which a panel of three judges in a room graded a contestant on how well she and her project fared in certain criteria including presentation, scientific method and research. Michalenko’s Honors Biology teacher and faculty advisor on the project said he was very impressed with how well she did in the competition. “She came within two-tenths of a point of going onto the state [level of] competition. The fact that she’s only a freshman, and got that close to going to state, speaks volumes about her work,” biology teacher Ken Firmstone said. “She definitely loves science. From the work I see her do in class, I know she’s very meticulous.” But it isn’t just Michalenko’s work product that her teacher thinks is excellent. Her initiative is extraordinary too, he said. “I was impressed because she approached me and asked me if I would sponsor her [for the competition],” said Firmstone, who has been a teacher at Moon for nearly two decades. “I haven’t had any other students at Moon in my career that wanted to be involved in it.”
and driving, and related ads are displayed on the TV screens in the halls of the school all day. At 1:30 p.m., there will be an Anti-Texting Assembly which will feature a video related to texting and driving; Pennsylvania State Trooper Robin Mungo giving her personal stories concerning texting and driving; and the Moon Township police.
MAHS SADD MEMBERS SPREAD THE WORD To help inform others about the Anti-Texting law that went into effect today, MAHS SADD members are wearing signs which contain messages and statistics in reference to texting
MAHS Junior Selected as Finalist in Photography Contest Moon Area High School (MAHS) Junior Jacque Dillon was chosen as a finalist in the 32nd Annual College and High School Photography Contest from the Photographer’s Forum magazine, sponsored by Nikon, USA, for the photograph she took of a tree during sunset last semester. All contest finalists will be published in the hardcover book, “Best of Photography 2012.” More than 17,700 photographs were received from students in the U.S. and around the world. College and high school entries were judged independently, and mfinalists will be presented in two places in the book. To see a list of all winners, honorable mentions, and finalists, visit www.pfmagazine.com.
St. Malachy School News ALL STAR BASKETBALL Congratulations to three girls from St. Malachy School who made the Girls All Star Basketball team. They are: JV – Alexus Frazee and Rebecca Richardson (both in 6th grade) and Varsity – Eighth grader Toni Magnelli. They will be playing an upcoming game at Bishop McDowell. Good luck and congratulations!
Book Fair
Students at St. Malachy School recently shopped at the annual Scholastic Book Fair held at the school. Families were also able to peruse the books, posters and other items during a special shopping evening held during the St. Malachy Fish Fry.
Above: Second graders Brianna Kotek and Lauren Crawford choose their books carefully. Right: Second graders shop at the Book Fair: Stephen Giammarco, Jacob Boyd, Zack Pike, and Megan Skepanski.
St. Malachy School Cheerleaders are Diocesan Champs
St. Malachy School Cheerleaders are Diocesan Champions.
St. Malachy School will be adding a few more champion banners to their gym. The JV and Varsity cheerleaders both captured the Diocesan championship in their respective categories with flawless performances. Congratulations to Coaches Jen, Patty, Ashley, Dana and Leyla, and all of the Bomber cheerleaders on a great competition season!
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 9
PARKWAY WEST CTC
Parkway West Offers New Robotics Course
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In this course, students will learn how to measure and shape metal, plastics, and other substances in order to manufacture a variety of products including several different types of robots. Students will learn how to read blueprints, and how to use mathematics including algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. They will also be taught how to lay out their work, set up machines, and choose proper feeds and speeds for machining various shapes, sizes, and materials. Machines included in the curriculum include: lathes, milling machines, drill presses, grinders, and EDM (electro-discharge) machines. Advanced students learn computeraided drafting (AutoCAD) and how to program, set-up, and operate CNC (computer-numeric controlled) lathes and milling machines. In addition, this course will provide instruction in robotic systems. In this part of the course students will conduct hands-on experiments in the latest robotic technology, using motors, servos, sensors, gears, pulleys, and switches. This course will include aspects of electro-
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mechanical engineering from planning and design to assembly, programming, testing, and improvement. Various competitions, including BotsIQ, help to make this a fun and exciting class.
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PARKWAY WEST CTC PARKWAY WEST CTC
American Welding Society 31st Weld-off Pittsburgh Section
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
Sixty welding students across the Pittsburgh region competed in the 31st weld-off in November. Held at the Boiler Makers training center on Banksville Road, the test consisted of Shielded Metal Arc Welding in the vertical and overhead positions. The test was a weld certification test that was visually inspected and x-rayed for quality. Josh Benish, a senior from West Allegheny, won 3rd place, earning him $50 and his industry weld certification papers for Sheilded Metal Arc Welding (stick). Josh is a very hard working student and extremely interested in the welding field. Josh has been at Parkway West CTC for 2 years. After graduation, he plans on furthering his welding education at CCAC to obtain his associates degree. Josh is currently working for EA Fab, located in Oakdale. He is expected to be hired full-time when he graduates in June. This is the fourth year in a row that Parkway West CTC place in the top three.
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Derek D’Amore Auto Body Repair II – AM West Allegheny School District The AM student of the month for April is Derek D’Amore, a junior at West Allegheny High School and an Auto Body II student. Derek was nominated by his instructor, Mr. Kieffer, who describes Derek as an excellent student and a class leader. Derek currently works Co-Op through Parkway at Woltz and Wind Ford in Canonsburg. Derek is the Vice-President of SkillsUSA and a District Champion, a member of NTHS and the West Allegheny varsity football team. Derek has not ruled out or committed to a post-secondary school but he is certain that whatever he will be doing, cars are in his future. He currently runs his own detailing business out of his garage in his spare time.
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WRESTLING with the past
Grappling with growing up more challenging than any opponent in the ring By Jonathan Barnes
Hank Work knows what it’s like to want to be the star. As a pro wrestler for several years, Work loved the fans’ adoration. For the day or weekend of the match in which he performed, he was a superstar. While he was traveling the wrestling circuit to make a small sideline living, people he didn’t know would buy him drinks or dinner.
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During the years in which he wrestled before quitting in 2003, Work was known as “The Beast.” Grappling on weekends and in his spare time for the United States Wrestling Federation, for the UCW and for the Cecil-based US Wrestling League, Work competed at 5’ 10” tall, weighing in at 280 pounds, which goes a long way toward explaining his wrestling nickname. On the shorter side, quite stocky with a shaved head and a biker appearance, he looked mean. While traveling on the wrestling circuit, Work would practice four nights during the week. Then he often would perform in two shows on Saturday and in one show on Sunday—outside of his regular, 9 to 5 job. But as big as he was, sometimes when he fell in the ring, Work hit the canvas hard. In one painful Washington County match, he was dropped by his opponent and suffered a dislocated shoulder and a concussion. But he didn’t let the pain stop him.
“I wrestled again that night,” he said, wearing the old injuries as badges of courage. In that regard, he is like most of those who have professionally wrestled in the ring. Performing through the pain was almost a watchword in the industry in Work’s wrestling days. He recalled a famous wrestler friend—Mick Foley—who had his ear caught in the ropes and torn off during a match in Japan, and who nonetheless finished the match. Foley also performed for six months while enduring the pain of a torn ACL in his knee. Dealing with pain from injuries while he was still a young man is the main thing that led Work to quit wrestling. “The toughest part of wrestling was the pain… That’s why I quit. That’s the only thing that made me quit. When everything is over, you still have to get up on Monday morning and go to work,” he said. His admiration for professional wrestlers is obvious. He would like to possibly get involved again in the training side of wrestling, but not competition. These days, he just likes to tell people about the sport and the hardships borne by those who perform in the ring. It could be that he sees some life lessons in their experiences. “They really work hard. What looks like it would hurt doesn’t. What doesn’t look like it would hurt, hurts like hell,” Work said. “There aren’t fake chairs—you get hit with a chair. Everything you do in the ring has a reason. That’s what the training is for.” Persevering to follow his dream, Work got an education in the performance sport of wrestling, training and grappling with Jimmy Snuka, Kurt Angle, Greg Valentine, Gold Dust, Shane Douglas and others. Pro wrestling legend Bruno Samartino used to do the commentary for matches Work was in. But to play, he and the other wrestlers paid dearly. “To entertain the people, wrestlers destroy themselves. They get all the glory back, but they destroy themselves,” Work said. “Many wrestlers have fused necks they can’t turn, because of that constant whiplash they got in the ring.” Now 37, a professional in commercial sales for NAPA Auto Parts in Beaver County, Work has a greater appreciation for the pain and suffering of wrestlers—both for what he and others went through and for the struggles of other people, as well. Part of his empathy may be due to the former wrestler’s roots. He grew up poor in Hookstown, on welfare, the son of a disabled former coal miner.
Work’s father died when he was just 15 and when he was 25, his mother died. These days he is happily married, and says nothing is more important than kin. “If you have family, you don’t need anything else,” he said. Growing up in Hookstown, an extended family of sorts for Work was his football team at South Side Beaver High School, where he played offensive tackle and defensive tackle. The team was quite good and played Rochester for the WPIAL championship in the now gone Three Rivers Stadium. Work’s team lost the game, but the loss didn’t damper his love of the gridiron. He still keeps his hand in the sport through his involvement with Aliquippa-based The Homeboys Foundation, which provides summer football camp experiences for kids, free of charge. “When I was a kid, being poor, I can remember people I knew going to football camp and I wanted to go and my mom would say, ‘You can’t go.’ Now, anyone can go. It’s my way of giving back,” Work said. “I feel really deeply about this football camp. It’s a way to help people.” Founded in 2005 by Aliquippa native and former college football player and football Coach Tyrone Q. Dixon, the mission of The Homeboys Foundation is to use football as a platform to forge “Champions For Success” on and off of the field. The group’s vision is to build character, prevent
juvenile crime and drug abuse, and promote health and fitness in youth. Those goals are achieved partly through the help of celebrity volunteers, including members of the Pittsburgh Steelers such as director of football operations Kevin Colbert, and also members of the Detroit Lions, including Chad Henry. Work’s involvement with the camp began after he attended a dinner for coaches at Steeler Chris Hoke’s football camp. Work met Dixon there, and Dixon asked him to visit his football camp. The tough old former wrestler went to Dixon’s camp for a day and fell in love with it. “When I got to see those kids’ faces—300 kids got ice cream on the last day of camp—to see their faces that last day, made it all worthwhile,” Work said. He views the football camps, which are held not only locally but in other parts of the country, as a way to pass on some lessons that he learned as a wrestler. Touring around the country as a wrestler in his twenties, Work got an education on life. “I learned that the world is a lot bigger than I thought it was. Coming from a small town and getting out on the road, I saw people who wanted to hurt me,” Work said. “But I don’t behave like that…I didn’t make it in wrestling, but I made it in life.”
“To entertain the people, wrestlers destroy themselves. They get all the glory back, but they destroy themselves.”
ation on For more inform Foundation, go to s y o b e m o H e h T sfoundation.net. http://homeboy Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 13
S T S A N M Y G N
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L A I P W N I W S E L T I T E T A ST
BY JONATHAN BARNES
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n gymnastics, fractions of points decide who wins and who is runner up, and a team’s collective effort usually outshines individual athlete’s victories. That cooperative nature of the sport was obvious in the recent winning season of Moon Gymnastics Team, which on Feb. 11 beat rival North Allegheny, 146.675 to 144.8, to win the WPIAL gymnastics championship. A week later at the state championship meet, held at Moon High School, the home team took the state gymnastics title. Moon bested Chambersburg, which came in second; and also beat local rival Baldwin, which took third place. Pressed to talk about some of the standout members of her team, Moon’s coach had to think about the question. Every gymnast’s effort counts towards a victory, Amy Caprino said. “We’ve had meets where we’ve won by .001 percent,” she said. The winning season signals the continuation of a growing legacy of titles the team has earned. The WPIAL title was just the third WPIAL victory for the team, which last won that title in 2008. Moon first won the local title in 1994 and this year, the team had a 7-1 record in the WPIAL section and an 11-1 overall record. Many of the young team’s members were integral to its success, but two of its leaders were Abby Schriver and Taylor Rice, who competed in the All-Around category. The category includes four events—vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
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“They’re hoping to do it gain next year,” Caprino said of the winning season. “We’re only graduating two seniors.” In addition to Coach Amy Caprino, who at 58, has been coaching the Moon squad since 1980, the team is led by assistant coach Nicole Caprino, 30, who is the head coach’s daughter and a former member of the team. But it would be unfair to suggest that the two coaches are solely responsible for the excellence of the athletes in their charge, since Moon’s varsity gymnastics program is part of a network of gymnastics instruction in the school district that includes a Youth program for sixthgraders and younger students; a middle school program; and a Recreation program that works with kids from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. The kindergarten-tograduation instruction in gymnastics in Moon is partly responsible for the varsity team’s success, Caprino said. “We have a spring, summer and fall session that leads into our varsity program [which runs from November through February]. They’re all Moon kids. One of their strong points is they are very close as a team. Everything we do is as a team. I tell the girls, it takes 16 scores to win,” she said. With 250 kids involved with the recreational gymnastics program, many
more students are given a chance to learn and enjoy the sport. On the varsity level, only five gymnasts compete per event. But through the district’s recreational gymnastics program, all of the athletes in the program show their skills in May at a spring program held at the high school.
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t the WPIAL championships, sophomore Holly Zucoro, competing in the All-Around Individual Advanced competition, took third place on the vault and third place on the beam. Allison Brown, a junior, took first place on the bard at the WPIAL match. Sophomore Jessica Schreiber took first on the vault and first place on the beam. Sunny Smolarek was a second place winner on the vault, and Krista Kennedy,
a sophomore, took first on the bars in the Intermediate 2, WPIAL competition. Kara Dinofrio and Megan Tamilla also helped in the win, as did the whole team, Coach Caprino said. While it has been some years since the coach was a high school gymnast, the foundation of her understanding of the sport was laid when she competed in gymnastics at Rochester High School. Some years later, she was coaching here in Pittsburgh for a local private gym when she heard of the opening for a gymnastics coach at Moon; she got the job and has been there ever since. One key to her approach is something she stresses to her gymnasts: the entire team is in the competition together. They must all work together and support each other. In fact, gymnastics is one of the few in high school athletics that has no offense, Coach Caprino noted. “We can’t stop the other team from what they’re doing, and they can’t stop us. At each match, it’s a third party’s opinion on who did best that day… We always want our gymnasts doing their best for that day,” she said. While it’s impossible for the team to achieve higher than the state championship, there always is room for improvement of their performance,
their coach said. Moon’s gymnasts need to do better on the bars, and also need to improve on staying on the beam, Coach Caprino said.
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ased on the team’s performance this season, Moon is situated well to be very competitive next season. The squad is graduating just two seniors this year, so most of the gymnasts are returning to competition in the fall. Having such a young team should be an advantage that others do not have. “Some of our competition has a few seniors graduating. I’m interested in seeing how North Allegheny will fare—they had more seniors than we had,” Coach Caprino said. “It’ll be interesting.” For now, Coach Caprino has no plans of retiring from coaching because she enjoys it too much. Working with her daughter and so many others of her former gymnasts—who coach for the recreational program—makes the work more fun, the coach said. “I have second generation gymnasts on the team now, whose mothers I coached. We keep making jokes about whether I will make it to the third generation…My daughter tells me I’m not allowed to stop coaching,” she said.
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 15
The Montour Trail is
Connected
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to the Pittsburgh International Airport
By Kathy Rudolph Whether you’re an airport employee who loves to bike to work, a tourist who wants to get off an airplane here and bike to Washington D.C., or a nature lover who enjoys a hike, you’ll be pleased to hear that the opening of the Airport Connector to the Montour Trail was finally completed after 12 years in the making. Costing $57,000, which came from a grant from the Allegheny Regional Asset District, the 6.3-mile trail connects to the Montour Trail, which is a non-motorized trail. In the future the trail will extend 46 miles from Moon Township near Coraopolis to Clairton. It also connects to the Great Allegheny Passage, which is a 330-mile trail that goes from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. The trail was formerly the Montour Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad Peters Creek Branch. In 1989 the Montour Trail Council was created to preserve the railroad’s right-of-way and its bridges, tunnels and other historical structures. The council then fundraised to purchase the railroad and opened the first section of the trail in 1992. To mark the opening of the connector, a ceremony was held and attended by Allegheny County and airport officials, along with Montour Trail, Great Allegheny Passage and Rails-to-Trails officials. A large group of cyclists was also present to listen to the speeches and bike on the connector. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald spoke at the ceremony about the benefits of the connector. “This trail will improve the quality of life, provide transportation alternatives for our residents and bring a lot of tourism and economic vitality to a region that is continuing to 1
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r ve Lo e ur at N or t, is ur To , er ut m m Co e th r Convenience fo 1. Tom Sexton, Rails-To-Trails Northeast Region Director and Gary Smith, Volunteer 2. Allegheny County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald and Bruce Woods, President of Pittsburgh Major Taylor Cycling Club 3. Tim Killmeyer, Montour Trail Board Member and Tom Sexton, Rails-To-Trails Northeast Region Director 4. Linda McKenna Boxx, Allegheny Trail Alliance President 5. Allegheny County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald, Tom Sexton, Rails-To-Trails Northeast Region Director, and Ned Williams, President of the Montour Trail Council 6. Nanci and Charles Fields, Airport Employees 7. Ed Quigley, Susie Round, Sandy Beaulieu 8. Paul McKeown and Ed Bicker, South Hills Friends of the Trail Volunteers grow and is continuing to move forward economically,” said Fitzgerald. “This county is the nexus of a number of popular trails including the Great Allegheny Passage, Montour Trail, Erie to Pittsburgh Trail, Pittsburgh to Harrisburg Trail, the Mainline Canal Greenway, Panhandle Trail and the Ohio River Trail. Linking the Pittsburgh International Airport directly with the expanding trail system is another major step in further promoting our region as a bicycling and touring hub.” Tom Sexton, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s northeast region director from Washington, D.C., also came to show his support for the connector. “A few of us were discussing the connector on the ride in,” said Sexton. “The thing that dawned on me is just like we fly into Paris or Munich for a
10-day to two-week bicycling trip, you can fly into Pittsburgh and bicycle all the way down to D.C., which most Europeans like to do and then fly home from D.C. It is made for it and is a model for the nation. I can see a lot of national and international groups saying, ‘OK, everybody fly into Pittsburgh and bring your bike or we will have rented bikes for you and we’ll have a conference on bikes and work our way as far south as we want to’…all on trails. Where else can you do that?” To learn more about upcoming events on the Montour Trail, visit the website at montourtrail.org.
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 17
18 724.942.0940 to advertise
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You don’t have to live with painful varicose and spider veins. Should I Have My Veins Evaluated?
Q & A WITH A VEIN SPECIALIST: While finishing charts at the end of my day, I took a few moments to listen to my staff answer questions for a patient on the phone. The questions asked were very important as were the answers that were given. Here are some examples:
What is Phlebology?
Phlebology is the branch of medicine that deals with veins and the disease of veins. Two organizations dedicated to the advancement of this field are The American College of Phlebology and the American Venous Forum.
Why should I see a board- certified phlebologist to evaluate my varicose veins
When it comes to any aspect of your health care, it is important to be proactive in the choice and research of who will become medically responsible for your evaluation and treatment. Though venous disease is not always a visible ailment, it can be a serious health problem leading to more serious issues, so choosing a specialist, or board certified phlebologist for your venous care is a wise decision. Board certification in phlebology identifies a physician who has taken the extra step of becoming specialized in the treatment of venous disease. Not only is the physician often a member of organizations such as the American College of Phlebology (ACP) and the American Venous Forum (AVF) but they have met additional requirements set by the certifying board. After meeting these requirements, he or she must then pass a certifying exam allowing the physician to identify him or herself as board-certified.
Is membership the same as board certification?
This question is particularly important as it defines the specialty of a phlebologist. While a physician may be a member of many different organizations, these organizations only require an interest in the field for joining. Thus membership is unlike board certification where qualification is determined through training and testing. Here’s how the ACP defines its board certification: “The establishment of a Board Certification Exam brings recognition to both the field of phlebology and those providers in the field who have the knowledge, skills and experience to provide quality care to phlebology patients.”
I had a free screening at a health fair and was told that I don't have venous disease, but I still have aching, pain and discoloration at the ankles. What should I do?
While free screenings can be informative, remember that this is just a brief glance into a patient's venous system. A complete venous exam and venous mapping by a boardcertified phlebologist is best to determine if a patient has venous disease. Since a proper venous ultrasound is such an integral part of this evaluation, the American College of Phlebology has set requirements for it that include the following: • A venous ultrasound should be ordered by a physician. • A lower extremity ultrasound should study the entire leg, from ankle to groin. Failure to identify and treat all sources of reflux may result in outright treatment failure. • Evaluation of the venous system should be performed with the patient in the upright position. Sitting or lying down are inappropriate for the detection of reflux or the measurement of vein diameters. • A ve nous ultrasound should be performed by a trained physician or a registered vascular ultrasound technician (RVT) and then interpreted by a physician.
If I have had an evaluation elsewhere, can I still be evaluated in your office?
Of course. A free evaluation is commonly ‘ free’ because patients are often not meeting with a physician, a physician assistant or a nurse practitioner, so this visit cannot be billed to insurance. However, most insurances allow for a second opinion. If you have any questions about the second opinion being covered, contact member services on the back of your insurance card.
This Industry Insight was written by Theresa Schneider.
724-934-VEIN (8346)
Terrance R. Krysinski, MD General Surgeon Board Certified Phlebologist Vein Institute of Pittsburgh 724.934.VEIN (8346)
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 19
Officers Keep the Beat in Classrooms By Jonathan Barnes
They face an unending battle, fighting against the forces of pop culture, peer pressure, and youthful rebellion. Still, D.A.R.E. officers work hard against these tough odds, believing they will win over the hearts and minds of students, and help them to live healthy and strong. Founded in 1983, Drug Abuse Resistance Education, also known as D.A.R.E., is an effort that has been instructing children in making positive choices for more than a generation. The program works to help to prevent children from using drugs, or joining gangs, or being violent. Students who take part in the program sign a pledge not to use drugs or join gangs, and are taught by local police officers about the dangers of such harmful choices through in-school classes. Unfortunately, despite the seemingly obvious benefits of the program, state and federal government funding of it has waned. Though there is increasing pressure on children to make bad choices, over the years the D.A.R.E. program has seen its funding all but dry up. In 1998, the program didn’t meet federal guidelines that it be researchbased and effective, which disqualified the D.A.R.E. national organization from receiving any more federal grant money. In this state, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency once provided funding for D.A.R.E. in municipalities. In 2002, for example, the commission provided $16,000 to Moon Township’s D.A.R.E. program. But by 2009, the commission’s contribution to Moon dwindled to just $3,400 for the year. 20 724.942.0940 to advertise
Since that time, Moon Police Department has received no D.A.R.E. funding from the commission. Against these odds, Moon Township is doing as many other communities are doing — it continues to operate its D.A.R.E. program at its own expense, with a dedicated officer who works full-time on the program during the school year and resumes regular patrol duties when school is not in session. D.A.R.E. is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teach children from kindergarten through twelfth grade how to resist peer pressure and how to live nonviolently and drug-free. From Moon Police Department’s $5.5
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Moon Township is doing as many other communities are doing, and continues to operate its D.A.R.E. program at its own expense…
million annual budget, just $8,000 is allotted for the D.A.R.E. program, to be used for supplies in the five schools that D.A. R.E. Officer Angela Zane teaches classes in throughout the school district. The salary cost to the department for dedicating Officer Zane to D.A.R.E. activities for much of the time is not accounted for specifically, but the department is paying that cost. It’s a small price to pay to help children live productively while giving them the chance to interact with police officers, police officials said. “It helps build a rapport between officers and children,” Moon Police Chief Leo McCarthy said. “It’s important for kids to hear positive methods.” D.A.R.E. is part of a triangle of support children need these days, the chief added, saying the triangle consists of parents, teachers and police. “Everything starts at home, but it can be enhanced by police and schoolteachers,” he said. Support in the community for the program is great. Under budget pressure several years ago, Moon Police officials asked Moon School District leaders if they wanted to discontinue the D.A.R.E. program. Teachers in the district overwhelmingly responded that they wanted the police to keep
the program because they believed it was helping. But the lack of empirical data on Moon’s D.A.R.E. program hasn’t made police believe it’s not effective. They see the interest in the student’s faces, and through their questions. Thought-provoking events presented by the Moon’s D.A.R.E. effort help to keep the kids interested in the messages being conveyed. Officer Zane brings in police canine controls for students to learn about, and she also has had her brother, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper helicopter pilot, bring in the State Police helicopter for the students to check out. In Moon, the group Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is the high school counterpart of the local D.A.R.E. program. While Officer Zane’s core group for D.A.R.E. is fifth graders, SADD has events all its own, of which the police department is a part. Before prom, the group and Moon Police do a mock car wreck, to illustrate the consequences of making bad life choices. It’s hard to argue that the program is not having a positive effect in the township. With a population of 25,000 in a 24 square mile area, Moon has relatively few juvenile arrests.
Despite having a university within its borders, Moon Township had just 196 underage drinking arrests in 2010, and only 150 underage drinking arrests in 2011. Despite having a university within its borders, Moon Township had just 196 underage drinking arrests in 2010, and only 150 underage drinking arrests in 2011. Because of the township’s proximity to Pittsburgh International Airport and because of the many hotels in Moon, some “mobile” crimes such as prostitution that is arranged via the Internet, also skew the community’s crime statistics. In addition to handling those crimes, Moon Police officers deal with about 1,000 traffic crashes per year, and help with about 75 involuntary mental health commitments each
year. On average, the township’s police make about 475 physical arrests of people each year, and make about 75 public intoxication arrests annually. “We have very few children who are arrested,” Chief McCarthy said. While that news is positive, it does not mean there haven’t been youngsters in the township who have benefited from the program, but nonetheless did not stick with its message. “Have we seen former great D.A.R.E. students use drugs or be killed in a car crash? Yes, and it’s disturbing,” Chief McCarthy said. That’s part of the reason Moon Police believe it’s so important for all of the sides of the triangle of influence that children have to be in accord. Upon graduation from the D.A.R.E. program, students are recognized for making a positive commitment that guides them on the right path. In addition to having teachers and police officers at the D.A.R.E. graduation, caregivers’ presence also is essential, Chief McCarthy said. “We try to get all of the parents together at graduation, to show support for the need to not use drugs, alcohol, tobacco or violence,” he said.
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 21
“Fairyhost Godmothers ” the Glass Slipper Ball Zonta Holds an Event to Give Economically Disadvantaged Women a Step Up By Kathy Rudolph alking into the Glass Slipper Ball at the Four Points Sheraton, guests were taken away to a scene from the magical evening at Prince Charming’s castle. Greeted by a beautiful Cinderella with the sounds of live, angelic harp music playing in the background, all of the senses were delighted, from the sweet treats offered at the Confectionary Café to the over 20 stations of culinary delights and libations from many local chefs, restaurants and businesses. A stunning glass slipper ice sculpture and what looked to be hundreds of vibrant floral arrangements showed the acute attention to detail by the volunteers. The 540 guests had fun participating in a silent auction of many donated gift baskets, sampling cuisine and libations, dancing to the music by Airborne with Jim Jimerson and meeting local celebrity Jennifer Antkowiak, mistress of ceremonies. Like the Cinderella character who lives in unfortunate circumstances and then is saved by her fairy godmother, the approximately 50 Zonta Three Rivers North Club volunteers have hosted this ball for nine years to do the same for area economically disadvantaged women. “We are women helping women and advancing the status of women,” said Cindy Yingling, Glass Slipper Ball co-chair and North Allegheny Senior High School teacher. “All of the proceeds of the Glass Slipper Ball go to scholarships for women and girls in desperate and crisis types of situations who are trying to become self sufficient and that is what it all is about. It’s wonderful and I love donating my time to helping those who are trying to help themselves.” Founded in 1919, Zonta takes its name from the Lakota Sioux Indian word meaning “honest and trustworthy,” according to the Zonta Three Rivers
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Pittsburgh North’s website. It is a worldwide service organization of 33,000 “executives in business and professions working together to advance the status of women.” Locally, the Pittsburgh North chapter, established in 1980, has raised over $350,000 from 2003 to 2010 for women’s scholarships through Hearth, Crisis Center North, North Hills Community Outreach, P.O.W.E.R., Girls Hope and women’s initiatives globally. “We support so many different groups and it is great that we have the ability to do that,” said Linda Yon, co-chair of the Glass Slipper Ball. “These girls and women in need want to be something more than what they currently are. The scholarships allow them to finish their education, go on for secondary education; whatever helps them get ahead in life and better themselves and that is our goal.” “I wish more people knew about the good that Zonta does,” said Teresa Alfonso, Zonta Three Rivers Pittsburgh North member. “It helps so many women and young girls in our area who have struggled; it could be one of your family members one day. Besides women in this area, we have even helped women in Africa who do not have access to birthing equipment. After attending one meeting, I knew I had to get involved.”
To find out more about Zonta, visit the website at www.zontathreeriversnorth. com. New members and donations are welcome.
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1. Sara Cunningham, Cinderella and North Allegheny Senior High School ZClub Member 2. Terry Hart and Chris Batista, ZTRPN Member 3. Jerry and Melissa Salandro of Arthur Murray Dance Studio 4. Jennifer Antkowiak, husband, Joe Navarro, Carmello Wehrle and Tricia Egry 5. George Wertheimer of Key Impact and daughter, Paige 6. Teresa Alfonso, ZTRPN member and Kirk Alfonso 7. Kathy Froehle, President of ZTRPN 8. Linda Von and Cindy Yingling, Co-chairs of The Glass Slipper Ball 9. Four Points Sheraton 10. Michael and Lisa Freeman of WIN - Pittsburgh 11. Amanda Maynard and Shelby Smith, of Beattie Tech Culinary Arts 12. Marissa Knaub, Harpist 13. Jeff Jimerson and Airborne 14. Lynne Braun-Warth, North Hills Community Outreach Board of Directors Member and Jeff Braun-Warth
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Coraopolis Lodge 674 Second Annual Golf Outing Mark your calendars for the Second Annual Coraopolis Lodge 674 Golf Outing to be held at the Ponderosa Golf Course on August 11, 2012 with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun scramble. Each year, Coraopolis Masonic Lodge 674 contributes to the community by supporting local D.A.R.E. programs, youth sports organizations and awarding $4,000 in scholarships to eligible students through our Wilbert Kirwin Scholarship program. The lodge also sponsors seniors residing at the Masonic Home in Sewickley, as well as charitable needs that may arise throughout the course of the year. Moon Township Ford is this year’s Hole-in-One Sponsor. Deadline for registration is July 22. If you are interested in registering early, please call or email Mark Berton at 412.299.0578. Cost is $75/golfer or $300/foursome. A registration form can be downloaded by going to: www.coraopolislodge674.org/golf/ RegForm.pdf
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UPMC TODAY
Health and Wellness News You Can Use | Summer 2012
Here Comes the Sun It’s definitely summer, and you’re ready to enjoy every minute of it. Before you grab your sunglasses and head outdoors, check out our skin protection tips on page 4.
What’s Inside 2
Bringing Mother and Child Together
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Exhausted and Sleepy? Pamper the Skin You’re In Goodbye Spider and Varicose Veins
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You Health Care Goes Mobile Talent + Imagination + Learning = Events You Won’t Want to Miss When Wounds Won’t Heal
© 2012 UPMC
Bringing Mother and Child Together UPMC Mercy’s newborn nursery programs foster bonding between mothers and their infants.
The bond between a mother and child is a wonder to behold. At UPMC Mercy, new mothers — and dads, too — can depend on a team of health care professionals to guide them through the process of bonding with and caring for their newborns.
The benefits of breastfeeding UPMC Mercy has three certified lactation specialists on staff, including a neonatal nurse practitioner, who provide in-hospital and outpatient support to mothers. “We see every woman who plans to nurse immediately after delivery, since breastfeeding begins within the first hour after birth,” explains UPMC Mercy lactation specialist Sarah Krivonik, RN. “Whether you’re a firsttime mother or have breastfed before, every baby is different. We help mothers identify the best solutions for their circumstances — whether it’s how to handle triplets or care for a pre-term baby who can’t breastfeed right away.” More and more women are discovering the health benefits of breastfeeding. Often described as “liquid gold,” a mother’s milk is filled with rich nutrients and vitamins. “Newborns who breastfeed have a greater resistance to infection and allergies, fewer ear infections, and are less likely to experience childhood obesity,” says UPMC Mercy’s Cheryl DiNardo, CRNP, a neonatal nurse practitioner and certified lactation specialist. “For mothers, breastfeeding promotes faster weight loss, less bleeding, and reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancer.”
Promoting snuggling with a purpose “Every year, we welcome more than 1,700 babies into the world,” says Chris D’Amico, CRNP, UPMC Mercy’s obstetrics/ gynecology administrator. “A big part of our mission is to bring families together during those critical early days through one-on-one support.”
Practicing togetherness After giving birth, mothers can have their newborns at their bedside in one of UPMC Mercy’s private postpartum rooms. “With our in-room option, a mother can learn her baby’s responses and cues for feeding,” says Lora Mastracci, MSN, interim unit director for UPMC Mercy’s Family Maternity Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “This experience allows fathers to be involved from the beginning, from helping with baths and diaper changes, to comforting and holding the baby.” In-room care also gives nursing staff the opportunity to get to know mothers and their needs in greater detail, and connect them to important community resources on their return home.
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“Physical contact is an essential part of the bonding process,” says Diane Bear, RN, a lactation consultant with UPMC Mercy’s Women’s Health Services. “We work closely with mothers and fathers to encourage early and ongoing skin-to-skin contact with their babies.” Using a technique called “kangaroo care,” babies are held in an upright position on their parent’s bare chest (much like a kangaroo carries its young). It is especially beneficial for premature babies, and it’s also believed to help stimulate milk production for mothers who are breastfeeding. To learn more about these and other programs offered by UPMC Mercy’s Family Maternity Services, visit UPMCMercy.com.
Exhausted and Sleepy? At UPMC’s Sleep Medicine Center, doctors can diagnose and treat sleep apnea, often with surprisingly fast results.
Overweight and diagnosed with high blood pressure, diabetes, and an irregular heartbeat, Robert Guthrie underwent a sleep study at UPMC’s Sleep Medicine Center to evaluate his pulmonary function and suitability for gastric bypass surgery. He was shocked to discover he had sleep apnea so severe he actually stopped breathing 147 times per hour. Affecting 12 million Americans, sleep apnea doesn’t just disrupt sleep. Untreated, it can cause serious health problems and lead to deadly accidents due to exhaustion. “I was totally clueless. It was serendipity that took me to a sleep expert, and it probably saved my life,” says Robert, 65, who immediately began using a nighttime breathing apparatus known as a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Within a week, he was sleeping soundly for the first time in six years. “It was life changing,” says the Hopwood, Pa., resident. “I feel 20 years younger.” Most people don’t know they have obstructive sleep apnea, usually caused when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. People with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly. With each interruption, the drop in oxygen levels prompts the brain to send a surge of adrenaline to kick-start breathing, which also leads to a spike in blood pressure. “This can happen 600 times a night. It’s a burden on the cardiovascular system and affects the quality of sleep,” says Patrick J. Strollo Jr., MD, medical director of the UPMC Sleep Medicine Center. According to Dr. Strollo, if you snore loudly, wake up exhausted despite a “good night’s sleep,” or feel tired or sleepy during the day, you should talk to your primary care physician. Since sleep apnea cannot be detected while you’re awake, your doctor may ask you to participate in an overnight sleep study.
At UPMC’s Sleep Medicine Center, patients stay in a private bedroom where a sleep technician applies sensors that measure breathing, heart rate, brain activity, and other body functions during sleep. A team of specialists diagnose sleep apnea by looking at the test results and reviewing medical history. Treatment options may include a CPAP machine like Robert uses, which blows air through a special mask worn over the nose. “I wasn’t wild about wearing the mask. But staying on it was a no-brainer — it’s worth it for a good night’s sleep.” says Robert. For information about the UPMC Sleep Medicine Center, visit UPMC.com and click Our Services for an alphabetical listing of departments and services.
Other health consequences of sleep apnea According to Ryan Soose, MD, an otolaryngologist and sleep medicine specialist at UPMC Mercy, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, weight gain, memory problems, and daytime sleepiness. “Loud snoring is a very common feature of sleep apnea and often the most bothersome symptom for patients and other family members,” notes Dr. Soose. “Successful treatment of snoring and sleep apnea can improve quality of life as well as reduce health risks. A variety of medical and surgical treatment options are available, and the treatment plan can be customized to each individual patient.” For more information about UPMC Mercy’s sleep services or to schedule a sleep study, call UPMC Mercy Sleep Center at 412-232-7409.
1-800-533-UPMC
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Pamper the Skin You’re In Your skin is a multitasking marvel. Soft, pliable, and strong, it protects your organs, regulates body temperature, detects and fights off infection, and even repairs itself.
Goodbye Spider and Varicose Veins
But most of us take our hard-working skin for granted. A little TLC will help keep it healthy and looking good from the inside out.
They’re more common — and easier to treat — than you think.
Keep it clean Daily cleansing can take a toll on your skin, so be gentle. Take shorter baths or showers using warm water, choose a mild cleanser, pat or blot skin dry, and apply a moisturizer that’s appropriate for your skin type.
Eat, drink, and be healthy Feed your skin from the inside for a healthy glow on the outside. Experts recommend a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Drinking plenty of water keeps skin hydrated.
Get moving Regular exercise promotes circulation that energizes skin cells and carries away waste products. It also promotes the restful sleep that’s needed to rejuvenate skin.
Be sun smart Small amounts of daily sun exposure add up, so protect skin from the sun’s rays whenever you’re outdoors — even in wintertime. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and apply it liberally and often. Wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants provide even more protection.
Check it out Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. More than 90 percent of all skin cancers occur on parts of the body exposed to the sun, including the face, neck, and hands. Mohs micrographic surgery has proven to be an effective treatment for most skin cancers. This type of surgery removes as little normal tissue as possible and is often used to remove skin cancer on the face. Regularly checking your own skin can help find cancers early, when they are easier to treat. You’ll find the American Cancer Society’s skin self-examination guide and other sun safety tips at cancer.org. Sources: American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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They can be tiny or bulging, painless or throbbing. But nearly half of us can expect to get spider or varicose veins, especially after age 50. “The good news is that many techniques now make vein treatments more safe, comfortable, and effective,” says Ellen D. Dillavou, MD, a vascular surgeon at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.
What new treatments are available? Among the newest is the injection of polidocanol for the treatment of spider veins. “It’s a cosmetic procedure that works much better than saline to collapse surface veins,” says Dr. Dillavou. “Spider veins do reoccur, though, so expect to do ‘touch ups’ periodically.” Injections also are used for larger veins and may replace older procedures like a “vein stripping.” For treating varicose veins, radiofrequency ablation (a minimally invasive procedure in which radiofrequency energy seals the vein closed) is a popular treatment among her patients, says Dr. Dillavou, “because it’s comfortable and effective.”
Are varicose veins dangerous? “Varicose and spider veins typically don’t pose a health risk, but they can point to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI),” says Gus Abu-Hamad, MD, a vascular surgeon at UPMC Mercy. “It’s a visual cue that blood may not be optimally flowing to and from the feet and legs to the heart, which can lead to more serious problems.” Other CVI symptoms include painful, tired, restless, achy, itchy, or swollen legs or ankles. In more advanced cases, skin changes and ulcers can develop. “The problem becomes more difficult to treat as it advances, so it’s important to always share your symptoms with your doctor,” says Dr. Abu-Hamad. To learn more about all the vascular services at UPMC Mercy, visit UPMCMercy.com.
Your Health Care Goes Mobile It’s now easy to manage your medical records or schedule a doctor’s appointment by phone — because HealthTrak has an app for that.
Need to keep track of your elderly parents’ appointments and test results? Want instant access to your children’s immunization records? Run out of medicine while traveling and need a refill? Have a follow-up question for your doctor after office hours? All are available with a click of your mouse — and most with a tap on your iPhone®, iPad®, or Android™ — via UPMC HealthTrak, an Internet-based service that allows patients, and approved family members, to receive and manage information about their health. Recent upgrades include a new mobile HealthTrak application that provides patients with secure access anytime and anywhere.
HealthTrak also provides patients with automatic access to certain test results, including x-rays, lab, and pathology tests, with links they can use to help interpret information. This makes it easier for patients to keep track of their cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar levels, and other important health numbers, adds Dr. Shevchik. UPMC hopes to add cardiology test results in the near future. Also on the horizon are plans to use photos to identify some skin conditions or diseases.
“We’re giving people what they want — even when they’re on the go. It’s a convenient, safe, and free way to manage their own health,” says G. Daniel Martich, MD, UPMC chief medical information officer.
Going mobile is fast and easy To access HealthTrak data using a mobile device, you must first secure a HealthTrak account through UPMCHealthTrak.com. You should then download the free “MyChart app” from the App Store, iTunes Store, or Google Play (formerly Android Market). The mobile app provides access to everything except eVisits, or online doctor visits. According to Dr. Martich, more than 100,000 patients have signed up for HealthTrak — and nearly 6,000 are mobile app users. Grant Shevchik, MD, a family physician and geriatrician who is medical director of HealthTrak, says online medical care is “the future.” He predicts an explosion of users once word spreads about the overall convenience and newest features — including access for authorized family members. Adults juggling the health care of their children and aging parents can use the “proxy access” feature to keep track of health records and appointments, refill prescriptions, communicate with doctors, and ask billing questions. Parents especially appreciate having instant access to a child’s immunization record when they need it, says Dr. Shevchik. Approved caregivers find eVisit, the online doctor visit service, very useful for the diagnosis of common, non-urgent ailments in their elderly relatives. “HealthTrak gives people immediate accessibility. And that accessibility is improving health care by encouraging patients to accept responsibility for their health,” says Dr. Shevchik.
Sign up today! Easy, direct signup for HealthTrak is available online by going to UPMCHealthTrak.com and clicking “Sign up now” under New User. Follow the steps to complete an online application and answer personal questions designed to ensure that you, and not another person, are creating the account. If you have difficulties, email healthtrak@upmc.edu or call the UPMC HealthTrak Support Line at 1-866-884-8579.
1-800-533-UPMC
5
Talent + Imagination + Learning =
Events You Won’t Want to Miss UPMC Senior Communities’ year-long calendar of entertainment, movies, and educational seminars aims to enrich the lives of seniors — and delight the public, too.
What do Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners, a Meryl Streep movie, and acupuncture have in common? All are among UPMC Senior Communities’ upcoming 2012 Legacy Lineup. “We’re committed to providing residents at all our senior communities with activities that will capture their interests, generate conversation, and stimulate their minds,” says Nanci Case, vice president for sales, marketing, and activities for UPMC Senior Communities. “Through The Legacy Lineup and other programs, we’re bringing seniors — and people of all ages — together to relax, laugh, and learn together.” Open to the public, The Legacy Lineup programs are offered at UPMC Passavant Hospital Foundation’s Legacy Theatre at Cumberland Woods Village, UPMC Senior Communities’ independent living facility located on the UPMC Passavant campus. “You can attend a Legacy Lineup event every week of the month, with many events offered at no charge,” says Greta Ceranic, marketing director for Cumberland Woods Village. The Legacy Theatre is part of a state-of-the-art conference center and 247-seat amphitheatre funded through a generous $16.5 million grant by the Passavant Hospital Foundation. One of the Foundation’s primary goals is public education and outreach. UPMC physicians, nurses, and other medical staff members also use the facility for professional development training. “And funds raised through The Legacy Lineup support UPMC Senior Communities Benevolent Care Fund,” adds Ms. Case, “providing financial assistance and other support services to residents in need at all 17 UPMC retirement communities.”
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UPMC.com/Today
Productions showcase local and national talent “Each month, The Legacy Lineup features at least one major production featuring a band, soloist, or performance troupe,” says Ms. Ceranic. “Earlier this year, the Tamburitzans appeared to a sell-out crowd. Later this year, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand impersonators will perform with a full orchestra.” The 2012 lineup also includes the Jaggerz and the Fabulous Hubcaps, as well as a major holiday production in December. Because seating is limited, advance tickets are recommended. Group discounts and ticket packages are available.
Spend Mondays at the movies From cinematic classics like Citizen Kane to recent blockbusters like Iron Lady with Meryl Streep, seniors can enjoy free matinee movies every Monday at 2 p.m. at the Legacy Theatre.
Explore your interests at learning seminars On alternating Tuesdays at 11 a.m., The Legacy Lineup offers educational programming that covers a wide range of subjects, from tips on aging, caregiver support, health and nutrition, history, and local topics of interest. The seminars are free and open to the public, but advance reservations are requested. For the full 2012 calendar of activities, or to make reservations, call 412-635-8080 or visit TheLegacyLineup.com.
To learn about the independent living, personal care, assisted living, and skilled nursing options offered by UPMC Senior Communities, call 1-800-324-5523 to schedule a tour. Locations include Allison Park, Cranberry, Fox Chapel, Greensburg, Lawrenceville, McCandless, Monroeville, Penn Hills, Scott Township, and Washington, Pa.
When Wounds Won’t Heal If you’re at risk, a simple cut or blister can quickly escalate into a major health problem.
Simple blisters, calluses, cuts, and scrapes usually heal quickly. But some wounds can take months to heal — posing a major health threat requiring special treatment to avoid serious infection, amputation, and even death. Dane Wukich, MD, an orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, and medical director of UPMC Wound Healing Services at UPMC Mercy, says chronic wounds are often ignored. “We see 3,000 new cases each year of serious, non-healing wounds that can become life-threatening and possibly lead to amputations,” says Dr. Wukich. “Within 24 hours, a simple callous can turn deadly.”
“Individuals with neuropathy are at risk. They get a callous or blister and walk on it all day, not realizing they have a wound until they see blood on their sock,” says Dr. Wukich. “Once a wound occurs, their risk of infection goes up significantly. And once they have an infection, the risk of amputation increases astronomically.” Poor circulation due to diabetes or vascular disease also slows healing, he explains. Patients who are bedridden or confined to a wheelchair are at risk of developing pressure wounds from lying or sitting in one position too long.
Prevention and treatment Preventing wounds and complications is key, says Dr. Wukich. “Patients with non-healing wounds have a worse survival rate than patients with breast cancer, melanoma, and prostate cancer. That’s how serious it is,” he says bluntly. Lowering and controlling sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol can improve circulation and reduce complications. Checking daily for wounds and acting quickly to treat and heal ulcers can reduce the risk of severe infection and amputation. For a wound to heal properly, it must be kept clean. Dead tissue must be removed through a weekly cleaning to prevent the spread of infection. In addition, skin around a wound must be kept moist, and doctors may prescribe walking boots and casts to reduce direct weight on the wound.
Are you at risk? People with diabetes and vascular disease are especially vulnerable to slow healing and chronic wounds. Diabetic patients often have neuropathy, which causes them to lose sensation in their feet. Because they don’t feel pain, sores go unnoticed and can become ulcerated.
At UPMC Mercy, a multidisciplinary team of infectious disease physicians and orthopaedic, vascular, and plastic surgeons work together to treat wounds and help prevent amputations. Advanced wound therapy may include the use of regenerative skin products, vascular, plastic, or reconstructive foot surgery. Amputation is used as a last resort to save a life, says Dr. Wukich. For more information about UPMC Mercy’s Wound Healing Services, visit UPMC.com/MercyWoundHealing.
Foot Care Tips If you have diabetes or vascular disease, inspect your feet daily for cuts, sores, redness, swelling, or foul odor. If you can’t bend over, use a plastic mirror to check the bottoms of your feet, or ask a family member to help. Make sure your doctor inspects your feet at every visit.
1-800-533-UPMC
7
UPMC Mercy
1400 Locust St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219
UPMC Today is published quarterly to provide you with the health and wellness information and classes and events available at UPMC. This publication is for information purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice or replace a physician’s medical assessment. Always consult first with your physician about anything related to your personal help.
Follow UPMC Mercy on Facebook.
The name you trust in women’s health is right here at Mercy. UPMC Mercy ob-gyn services are growing to provide comprehensive women’s services by bringing you the same experts who practice at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. In addition to community-based physicians and midwifery, these expanding services for women are consistent with Mercy’s rich tradition of care. UPMC’s complete range of specialty services for women covers obstetrics and gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, midlife health, women’s cancer, and much more. From checkups and preventive care to testing, diagnosis, and advanced treatments, the superb doctors, nurses, and caregivers at Mercy and Magee are with you every step of the way on the path to good health. We work closely with your primary care physician to provide seamless care. And every service is backed by UPMC’s world-class care, providing peace of mind when you need it most. To learn more about UPMC Mercy ob-gyn services or to schedule an appointment, call 1-800-533-UPMC (8762), or visit UPMCMercy.com.
Business Spotlight
Goddard School Bringing
High-Quality
T
Preschool Education
oday more than ever, finding the right preschool for your child can be a daunting task. Who can you trust to put your child on a path of life-long learning, but still let them enjoy the importance of playtime and socializing that is necessary to their development? Dina and Matthew Speranza and Carol Maier hope your choice will be them as the owners of the upcoming Goddard School coming to Moon Township in the first quarter of 2013. As a current teacher herself, Carol brings with her over 20 years of experience in education. The Speranza’s are also no stranger to early child education and development – they’ve been operating a Goddard School in Cranberry Township since August of 2008. “There are lots of reasons why parents would want to choose the Goddard School for their children,” Dina Speranza said. “As on-site owners, we are present daily and no one is going to care as much about what’s happening here than us. We also have qualified teachers who all have education degrees, and we utilize our FLEX curriculum, which stands for Fun Learning Experience.” Speranza said the teaching style of Goddard is child-centered, using teachable moments. Children enjoy learning from our lesson plans because they are creative and taught in a fun environment. Each Goddard School, while run independently, is still governed by the rules and standards set forth by the Goddard franchise. Each school follows developmental guidelines that conform to state standards and assessments. Each independent Goddard School receives unannounced site visits from Goddard’s Quality Assurance Department. This team of auditors reviews all aspects of the facility, including a 200 point checklist, assessing each facility on everything from curriculum to health and safety to cleanliness to ensure on-site owners are maintaining a quality operation. “Ours is a very holistic approach,” Speranza said. “We are a preschool from six weeks to six years old – a private preschool from birth through
to Moon
kindergarten. We utilize curricular resources and we get lots of compliments from the public schools about how academically prepared our students are. It used to be that kindergarten was the first step in education. Now, many children are going to school 3 to 4 years before ever getting to kindergarten. Preschool education introduces the educational journey in a fun, hands-on way.” Speranza said students learn to interact and socialize with other children and extend their attention spans. “There’s so much that happens in those early years,” she said. “A lifelong love of learning and learning in developmentally-appropriate ways is our goal. We make sure we’re starting their journey of education on the right step, so that they love learning and can’t wait to come back the next day. By the time they get to kindergarten or first grade, they already love school and socializing with other children.” Because of their unique curriculum, Goddard students are exposed to teachings in Sign Language, Spanish, Yoga, Art History, World Cultures, Nutrition, Manners and Etiquette, and physical fitness in addition to what parents would normally expect from a pre-school program. Each Goddard School facility is designed from the ground up, with attention paid to every detail of child learning. Each site has two state-of-the-art playgrounds, one for the preschool children and the other for the infant and toddler children. The playground equipment is developmentally appropriate for each age level. The classrooms are carefully planned out and curriculum, learning activities, and resources are age specific to the individual classrooms. For more information on the Goddard School call 724-778-9999, or go to their website at www.goddardschool.com. Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 33
Girls Hope Has Day of Caring Event with University of Phoenix Volunteers
Girls Hope of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit organization based in Coraopolis and Baden, benefited from a Day of Caring provided by 16 University of Phoenix volunteers. Assisting at two Girls Hope scholar homes (in Coraopolis and Baden), the volunteer team helped to clean, organize and do home repairs. “We are exceedingly grateful for the Day of Caring support provided by the University of Phoenix and our strengthened connection, given that both of our organizations are focused on education,” said Jen Heid, Program Director at Girls Hope. Girls Hope helps academically capable and motivated children-in-need by nurturing, housing and educating them with the long-term goal of seeing them through college graduation. Girls Hope of Pittsburgh is a nonprofit organization and affiliate of the international
Win This Nerf Pocket Camcorder!
You can be the star and the director of your own movies with this camera, so we’d like you to send us your SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE POSTER featuring you! Your design is only limited by your imagination! You can draw your poster, make a collage, or make something on the computer!
Boys Hope Girls Hope (www. boyshopegirlshope.org), and was founded in 1990, serving as the first Girls Hope to be established in the U.S. Regionally, Girls Hope of Pittsburgh is the only voluntary, residential scholarship program that intervenes and cares for children in distress before they are in crisis and serves them in a long-term fashion. One hundred percent of the scholars who stay in the Girls Hope program graduate from high school and are accepted into a college or
university. Of those who continue with the program and their higher education studies, 80 percent graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Currently, there are nine Girls Hope college graduates, some of whom have gone on to complete graduate work. Girls Hope is governed by a locally-based board of directors. For more information on Girls Hope, visit www.girlshope.org, or call 724.869.2868.
HOW TO ENTER Entries should be on unfolded 8.5”x 11” inch white paper and mailed to: Nerf Contest IN Community Magazines 603 East McMurray Road McMurray, PA 15317 Digital entries should be emailed to: mark@incommunitymagazines.com. Digital images should be hi-resolution
images for reproduction (files larger than 1MB in size). Include with your submission: Name, age, and headshot of the entrant, parental signature, and phone number where we can notify you if you’ve won. Entrants are limited to children between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age.
The winning entry, as well as the first and second runners-up, will be featured in the Fall issues of IN Community Magazines. CONTEST DEADLINE IS JULY 6. No entries will be returned. Entries should not include any graphics or concepts of existing movie posters. All entries should be PG in nature. Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 35
Libraries in our area
CORAOPOLIS MEMORIAL LIBRARY 601 School Street Coraopolis, PA 15108 412.264.3502 Library Hours: Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. MOON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY 1700 Beaver Grade Road, Suite 100 Moon Township, PA 15108-3109 412.269.0334 email: moontwp@einetwork.net Library Hours: Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. July through Labor Day Saturday 1 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sunday Closed Free In-Home Estimates • Fully Insured • Over 24 Years Experience • Financing Available
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For more information on the Teen Dating Violence Awareness Prevention Campaign, visit the Ladies Hospital Aid Society website, at http://lhas.net/. To learn more about Demi Cuccia, visit www. demi-cuccia.virtual memorials.com/
Teen Dating Program Informs of Dangers A
By Jonathan Barnes teenager’s years are said to be the “best years of your life,” but they also are fraught with the uncertainty and naiveté that goes along with being young. A young person’s intensity of feelings can seem overwhelming and can lead the teen to make mistakes, such as who to date, or even how to break up with the person he or she has been dating. On Aug. 15, 2007, the day after her sixteenth birthday, Demi Brae Cuccia was killed by her former boyfriend, John Mullarkey, after she’d broken off the relationship. In June 2009, Mullarkey was convicted of first degree murder and given life in prison without parole. Two young lives were wasted because of this tragedy, which might have been avoided. To avoid such terrible losses in the future, the Pittsburgh-based Ladies Hospital Aid Society recently began an educational outreach effort called the Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Campaign, which has been giving presentations at local high schools. One of the messages of the group is that a teen should never break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend alone, said organizer Jodi Amos of Upper St. Clair.
Dr. Gary Cuccia, Demi’s father, gives a talk at the schools the campaign visits. The presentation is emotional, Amos said. “It’s very hard for an adult or parent to hear his presentation. It shows a normal kid [Mullarkey]… Who got too possessive and controlling, and couldn’t control the rejection, and killed her. The kid was not a derelict—there were no signs he was capable of it,” Amos said. “These kids don’t know how to control these emotions.” The thrust of the educational effort is partly to provide guidance to students in dealing with dating issues. It’s also getting kids to recognize the warning signs of dating abuse. Students are directed to national hotlines and websites where professionals can help them with these issues and emotions. Thus far, the campaign has visited West Allegheny, Upper St. Clair, and CAPA. In April, the effort will visit Moon and West Mifflin high schools, and later this year, it will make a trip to
Mt. Lebanon High School. Some of the people involved in the campaign have been a bit surprised by the level of interest in the subject that students displayed. “When we went to CAPA, we were not prepared for these kids to ask so many questions… Our goal is get into a dozen schools, and get a corporate sponsor and concentrate on these dozen schools,” Amos said. With the help of one or a few corporate sponsors, the campaign’s organizers hope to pay for the cost of campaign T-shirts, to give to students in each of the schools. Organizers would like the students to wear the shirts at times in February especially, which is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. The campaign’s volunteers are hoping to get $50,000 to $100,000 in funding. Amos said the question of teen dating violence is a serious issue that must be addressed to save lives. “These kids don’t know how to deal with these emotions. We’re trying to build awareness, so these kids know they have some place to turn,” she said. “It’s a growing epidemic. One of three teens will face verbal, physical, or sexual abuse.”
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 37
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38 724.942.0940 to advertise
Moon Township
Business Spotlight
Cremation: Creating a
Meaningful
Funeral
T
he value of a meaningful funeral cannot be underestimated. Funerals give families and friends an opportunity to come together to celebrate a life, to mourn together but also to reflect together as they share memories of a loved one and look back on times spent together. As funeral service offerings become more diverse, sometimes the choices available become overwhelming, or come with questions of their own. One of the rising trends within funeral service is cremation, a practice that is by no means new, but increasingly popular. People who are making end of life arrangements have a lot of questions, and surveys show that consumers have a lack of information regarding funeral options and planning. There are still a lot of myths surrounding cremation, chief among them that it is an alternative to a funeral service. Cremation is, in and of itself, a means of preparing human remains for final disposition. Choosing cremation in no way suggests that a memorial service, or even a traditional funeral service, can’t or shouldn’t take place. Cremation actually provides you with increased flexibility when you make your funeral and ceremony arrangements. You might, for example, choose to have a traditional funeral service before the cremation – in the funeral home, with the body present. This is not an unusual occurrence, and in situations where families are split on the issue, is often a good compromise. There can also be a memorial service at the time of cremation or after the cremation with the urn present; or a committal service at the final disposition of cremated remains. Funeral or memorial services can be held in a place of worship, a funeral home, or a crematory chapel. What is important to remember is that funerals and memorial services fill an important role for those mourning the death of a loved one. They are often the first step in the healing process, and the rituals involved provide a number of comforts to those who are grieving. Cremation is not an alternative to such a service, but merely a step in the process. There are a wide variety of options available to you and your loved ones as you think about your own needs, and your local funeral home is ready to walk you through every step of the way. Whether it’s a small memorial service or a large funeral, the key is to develop a meaningful celebration of life. Members of the National Funeral Directors Assocation around
the country are participating in a national education effort, For a Life Worth CelebratingSM, in an effort to help inform consumers about the many available options when it comes to planning a meaningful funeral service. For more information, contact your local NFDA member funeral home or visit NFDA’s Website at www.nfda.org.
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 39
Real Estate
Moon Township
HOW TO CHOOSE A
Real Estate Agent By Dana Black McGrath
I
t’s no secret that this is the time of year when more and more “for sale” signs start to dot neighborhood streets. Whether you are planning to buy or sell a home, build a new one or renovate a centuryold one, upsize or downsize, chances are you will be looking for a real estate agent to help guide you through the process. Choosing the right professional to represent you is an important decision, one that could end up saving you money or adding to your bottom line. You need a seasoned professional to best represent your interests. But, when it comes to selecting an agent, one should realize that not all real estate
40 724.942.0940 to advertise
Moon Township
agents are REALTORS®. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) website explains that: “The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of NAR and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.” The organization is the nation’s largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members—including NAR’s institutes, societies and councils—involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. This is an important consideration when choosing an agent, whether you are a buyer or a seller. No matter which side of the real estate transaction you find yourself on, an
agent can ensure that your interests are best represented. “I believe when a consumer hires any type of professional, it is always prudent to review his resume and check references. The same holds true for a real estate agent,” said Karen Berberick, GRI, Associate BrokerManager for Northwood Realty Services. “How many homes did that agent sell in the past year? Do they have references from their past customers? What type of written marketing plan will they follow to help sell the property? Does the marketing plan encompass different types of media to include the internet, print media, television, etc.? What is a business relationship Continued on page 42
Continued from page 40 agreement and when should it be signed? There are many facets to a successful relationship between a real estate professional and the consumer.” If you are planning to sell a property, a seller’s agent is obliged to get the best deal for the seller. He/she is permitted to give potential buyers only material facts about the listing. Loyalty is to the seller, not the potential buyer. On the other hand, if you find yourself in the market for a new home, a buyer’s agent is obligated to secure the best deal possible for the buyer. He/she is permitted to pass on any information obtained about the property or seller to his/her buying client. According to the website Realtor.com, the following are some questions you should ask during your selection process when interviewing potential agents: Are you a REALTOR®? Does the agent have an active real estate license in good standing? To find this information, you can check with your state’s governing agency. Does the agent belong to the Multiple
42 724.942.0940 to advertise
Moon Township
Listing Service (MLS) and/or a reliable online home buyer’s search service? Multiple Listing Services are cooperative information networks of REALTORS® that provide descriptions of most of the houses for sale in a particular region. Is real estate the person’s full-time career? What real estate designations does the agent hold? Which party is he or she representing: you or the seller? This discussion is supposed to occur early on, at “first serious contact” with you. The agent should discuss your state’s particular definitions of agency, so you’ll know where you stand. In exchange for your commitment, how will the agent help you accomplish your goals? Show you homes that meet your requirements and provide you with a list of the properties he or she is showing you? “Licensed Real Estate Agents have taken real estate courses and have passed a licensing exam and the vast majority truly works in this profession to serve and advocate for their clients,” said Ann Allsopp
of Northwood Realty Services. “There is a special relationship between a buyer or seller and their agent. However, every agent is different and not every agent has the same background and experience so it’s best for potential buyers and sellers to do their homework and ask some questions of their potential Real Estate Agent. “Understand where the agent practices most of their business, said Karena Allsopp, also of Northwood Realty Services. “Just because an agent office is in one location, does not mean that that is their only area of practice or knowledge. Most agents tend to practice in various locations in order to meet the demands of their clients. Particularly, if an agent is working frequently with clients relocating to the Pittsburgh area, they have to be knowledgeable all over Pittsburgh. For example, I love living and practicing in the South Hills. However, I grew up north of Pittsburgh and also tend to practice quite a bit in the Northern Pittsburgh Suburbs. So when selecting an agent, understand how active or inactive the agent is in the market in which you are selling or buying.”
Business Spotlight
LipoLaser (YOLO Curve) Treatments
Lose That
Stubborn on Your Fat Lunch Break
K
eeping your body in shape is crucial, but working out and eating right for the majority of the population just isn’t enough. Mastering the basics of a healthy diet regimen and exercise plan will give promising results, but if you are like the majority of the population, you are left with those nagging problem areas that seem to never go away. That’s where Allegheny Medical’s LipoLaser (YOLO Curve)treatments can help. Amy Fanelli, Executive Vice President of Allegheny Medical, states the LipoLaser has wowed clients with its results in tough “spot” areas. “This procedure is for clients who want to lose inches in stubborn areas. For example, the abs, love handles, and thighs.” But while Fanelli extols the value of the procedure’s non-invasive methods and fast results, she’s quick to stress that LipoLaser contouring isn’t for everyone. “It’s not for people who have a lot of weight to lose,” she said. “Clients must pass a medical clearance before undergoing any treatments. Good habits of diet and exercise must continue in order to keep off excess inches.” Since Fanelli wants success for all of her clients, Allegheny Medical provides a package of services unlike other facilities who have laser treatments similar to the LipoLaser. “With us, clients receive a complete package. This package includes: medical clearance, the procedure, consultations with our Registered Dietician/Nutritionist, detox supplement, post-procedure vibration treatment, and consultations with our athletic trainers. We are unlike any of our competitors because we prepare your body with the proper regimen so weight loss is maintained.” The LipoLaser course of treatment is fairly simple. Four paddles are placed on the skin’s surface at desired locations along with two smaller paddles which are placed on the lymph nodes. The laser disrupts the external membrane
of the fat cell, inducing lipolysis. The laser converts the fat cells into triglycerides: water, glycerol, and free fatty acids. Glycerol diffuses widely and rapidly throughout the total body water, passes through the blood stream and appears in the urine. Additionally, glycerol is converted by the liver into a useful energy sourceglucose. The Whole Body Vibration Platform stimulates the muscles to use the fat as an energy source along with stimulating the lymphatic system for proper drainage from the tissue. Following the LipoLaser treatment, exercise at Allegheny Medical’s on-site athletic room provides patients with the opportunity to eliminate and circulate the fat that has been released. The treatments are recommended three times a week for just three weeks for visible results. The entire course of therapy is safe, painless, and requires no recovery time or surgery. Chris Hickey, Certified Lipo Technician for Allegheny Medical, said the LipoLaser appeals to both men and women who want to get rid of stubborn fat. “Our protocol is more effective because it maximizes the overall results. The laser procedure
is performed in a relaxed environment, with ambient music to put our clients totally at ease.” Because Allegheny Medical packages the LipoLaser treatments with nutritional and athletic counseling, Fanelli states their clients have been extremely happy with not only the results they’ve achieved, but the value of the entire package of services and the advice of the professional staff. “We’ve had clients who have researched the procedure and other facilities. In the end, they chose to come to Allegheny Medical because of the services included in our package and its affordable price.” At just $150 per session (50% off), Allegheny Medical provides their clients with the results they’ve always wanted at a fraction of the cost of their competitors. For more information on Allegheny Medical’s LipoLaser (YOLO Curve), call 412.494.4550 for a complimentary consultation, or go to www.alleghenymedical.com to watch a video of how the procedure can help you lose that stubborn fat today.
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 43
Annual Moon Township
Volunteer Fire Department Fish Fry:
A Tradition on Fridays in Lent for Over 50 Years
The Moon Township VFD Fish Fry was rockin’ on a recent Friday evening. Besides the delicious fish and famous coleslaw, the large crowd attending made you think that the firefighters were giving it all away for free – a testament to their hard work, dedication and excellent culinary skills that bring people back every year.
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“In one fish fry we go through about 600 lbs. of fish,” said John Scott, fire chief. “We really appreciate the support that the community gives us. Some people have been coming here for over 50 years and it is a tradition for them. They sit in one row every week and it’s great to see them.” All of the proceeds from the fish fry go back to the needs of the station. “A set of bunker gear costs between $2,000 and $2,500 and something that we try to raise funds for,” said Chief Scott. “This can be outer protective clothing, trousers, boots and a jacket.” Along with the firefighters, the Ladies Auxiliary of Moon Township Fire Department sold tickets for the dinner, served meals, had a bake sale and sold soft drinks.
1 “We help raise money for the firefighters,” said Ida Thompson, president of the Ladies Auxiliary. She has been a member for over 26 years. “The funds raised go to anything that they would need,” Mrs. Thompson said. “We bought a refrigerator and stove for their kitchen and help to outfit the trucks with masks…things like that.” The Ladies Auxiliary is in need of new members to continue to help support the firefighters that keep the Moon Township
1. John Scott, Moon Township VFD Fire Chief 2. Kristen Bilby, Volunteer 3. Thom Michelbrink, Moon Township – Boggs Runn VFD Firefighter 4. Chris Potter 5. Austin Welsh, Volunteer 6. Ken and Susan Halladay and Sandra Owen 7. Jim Henkemeyer,Moon Township - Carnot VFD Firefighter 8. Michael Scoop 9. Ida Thompson and Karen Morrow of The Ladies Auxiliary of Moon Volunteer Fire Department 10. Jessica Roland, Moon Township, Carnot VFD Firefighter 11. Bruce Thompson, Moon Township VFD Firefighter for 25 Years 12. Pete Shandrick, Moon Township Carnot VFW Station Captain
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area safe and can be contacted through the fire department. “A lot of our ladies are getting older and it’s getting tough,” said Thompson. “We are in desperate need of new members to help,” she added. The fire department is also open to new membership. Established in 1934, it is an all-volunteer department and consists of four stations and over 44 active members, according to its website. “We are always looking for members,” said Chief Scott. “It requires a lot of training, a lot of dedication and commitment and if [people are] interested in joining they can come down to the public safety building to get an application and ask for me or the fire marshal.” To learn more about how you can help, please visit the fire department’s website at www.moontwpfire.com.
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Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 45
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INdustry Insight
The Top
3 Things
That Cause Golf Injuries
If you’re one of the 25 million Americans who looks forward to being out on the green, this article can help you have a better golf season, decrease your chances of injury, and even improve your game. Experts believe that there are three main causes of golf injury. These include: Poor Posture Bad Swing Mechanics Poor Flexibility Though golf is a game that is enjoyed by people of all ages, it is still relatively stressful to the body. The biggest reason is that the golf swing is unilateral (meaning one-sided). In a game the average golfer swings 70-80 times per game. This repetitive one-sided motion is something that most golfers will eventually feel the effects of, ending up with back pain, shoulder pain, or stiffness. Here are some things to consider… Posture “Good” posture keeps the spine in good alignment, allowing for movement between the joints and proper distribution of weight. During the golf swing, the bent forward posture and twisting motion can be affected by bad posture. Problems like rounded shoulders, forward head posture, and a flattening of the curve of the lower back can make your swing less effective. Poor Swing Mechanics Now, to really get good advice, I recommend consulting with a swing coach. The time and money you spend will be worth it when you see how much more enjoyable your game can be. In our office we often see the after effects of poor swing mechanics. Because an average golf swing is 80-100 miles per hour and is repeated so often it can amass a lot of stress to the spine. We see problems like back strain, shoulder strain, neck pain and tension and disc problems because of golf injury. In fact, the easiest way to damage a spinal disc is to exert pressure on it when you are in a bent and twisted position. Inflexibility People often lose their flexibility slowly over a period of time. This stiffness can prevent a full coiling motion of the spine and can lead to an ineffective swing. Also, it can affect the shoulder area and result in an increased chance of sprain/strain injuries. It is possible to improve your flexibility by improving your alignment, the mobility between your joints, and committing to a stretching routine that you perform consistently. Dr. Leah Gallucci earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh with a major in Neuroscience and minor in Chemistry. She attended Palmer Chiropractic College in Florida where she gained her extensive knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology, as well as Chiropractic adjusting techniques. Formerly, she practiced at the Choice Chiropractic McKnight location and is now accepting new patients at the Moon Township location.
How does chiropractic help? Chiropractors are spine specialists trained to address the biomechanics of posture and the alignment of the bones. Restoring proper movement and position can alleviate pressure on the nerves and joints and improve posture, balance and flexibility. Additionally, if you are injured, studies have shown that when people are treated with chiropractic care vs traditional medical treatment for injuries, they return to their normal activities faster and have less recurrence. We invite you to have your spine checked this year in anticipation of a great golf season. The better you take care of your body the better it treats you. Choice Chiropractic & Wellness Center, P.C. Dr. Leah Gallucci and Dr. Shannon Thieroff www.choicechiropractic.net Moon Twp 412.424.0019 McKnight 412.364.9699
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n a r e h t u l s w e st. andr s d a e h r a e p s h c chur a n i r t a k o t n missio s n a e l r o w e n stricken
Mort, Bobby Schiff and Ethan Schweinsberg. All twelve boys play soccer for the West Allegheny High School junior varsity and varsity teams. During the mission trip, the boys stayed at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in New Orleans’ very poor lower 9th Ward; an area that has had particular difficulties bouncing back from the 2005 Katrina disaster due to a lack of sufficient financial resources. The boys put in a full 8-hour work day each day which started at 8 a.m. The seven older boys were given the task to tear out, re-frame and re-shingle a roof of a home that had suffered damage during the Katrina. It was a home of a 98-year old woman. The five younger boys conducted lots of hard labor in and around the church property.
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n two of the evenings, the group of 12 were also asked to conduct soccer clinics for the local Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana. On those same evenings, prior to the soccer clinics, they also helped tutor the children with their homework. They did get a little R&R and, on one night, they had the opportunity to visit the famous Bourbon Street area of New Orleans. During the week in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward, the collective group of West A boys learned much about compassion and giving back to those less fortunate.
It’s been nearly seven years since Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Louisiana coastline, flooding 80 percent of New Orleans and setting a record as the costliest natural disaster in the U.S.
Not surprisingly, the people of New Orleans and the surrounding areas are still trying to rebuild. Fortunately, they have the help of concerned people from all over the country who come together via church missions and who are bonded by a sense of volunteerism and charity to offer their time and efforts. One such group was comprised of members of the West Allegheny Boys Soccer Team, who travelled to the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans in February to help rebuild homes and churches.
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rganized by St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Moon, and headed by Pastor Larry Mort (who lives in West Allegheny and has a senior son, Joseph, one of the WA soccer players who attended the trip) the most recent mission to New Orleans has been just one of several. Joseph has been to the Gulf area several times on these mission trips, and last year he interested six of his WAHS soccer junior buddies into going. In all, a dozen boys ranging from freshmen to seniors made trip, which lasted one week. The 12 boys who attended the mission trip were freshmen Danny Aromando, Patrick Harmon, Kyle McCracken, Dylan Nauman and Tyler Sciulli; junior, Jeremy Ashman; and six seniors: Travis Cavalovitch, Josh Coury, Brandon McCracken, Joseph
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“Where a family’s needs and wishes come first.”
VISIT OUR The Cremation Garden
View magazines online Before deciding, drive through, see for yourself and compare. Visit our web site at sewickleycemetery.com or call us at 412.741.4409 50 724.942.0940 to advertise
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By Jonathan Barnes Many Pittsburghers would remember having seen her face, rather than having heard her voice, but Sarah Marince is interesting in many ways. Her bright smile, sparkly blue eyes and blonde tresses are known by most folks in the region as the bubbly girl on Eat-N-Park Restaurant television commercials. She is easy on the eyes, without a doubt. A good start, but the pretty actor with the big smile has other talents. She also has a beautiful voice and a growing musical career to boot. The Moon native currently is recording in Nashville, but unbeknownst to many in the region, they are hearing her voice when they hear the restaurant chain’s jingle on the commercials in which she is featured—she’s singing “Eat-N-Park’s the place for smiles.” Marince, 21, is 2008 graduate of Lincoln Park Performing Arts High School. She is a country music singer and is currently recording two EPs in Nashville, where she now lives. Music lovers in this region soon will have a chance to hear and see her singing at the “Voices Carry For Auberle” fundraiser event, which will be on Sept. 25 at Stage AE in the North Side. She became involved with the event for the first time three years ago, when organizers of the fundraiser contacted her and asked her to be part of the event. She was asked again by WDVE’s Randy Baumann to be part of the event and was glad to be asked. Over the years, the annual event has grown large enough to need a new venue, which is why it will be at Stage AE this year. It had previously been held at the ballroom at Heinz Field. The young singer is happy to lend her talents to the fundraiser. “I think Auberle is a great foundation, with everything they do with the kids. Getting everyone together performing also is wonderful,” Marince said. It is the eighth year for Voices Carry for Auberle, and again the event will support services geared toward at-risk children and families. Past performers at the event, some of whom may again perform this year, have included Scott Blasey, Jeff Jimerson, BE Taylor, Chris Higbee and others. Last year, nearly 600 people were entertained at the show, which raised $88,000 for the Auberle Foundation.
During the fundraiser, a 4-piece house band led by guitarist Rick Witkowski will be joined alternately by different musicians and singers, each playing a short set with the house band. In addition to Marince, Sputzy Sparacino, Donnie Iris, and iconic Pittsburgh guitarist Joe Grushecky will be part of the fun. Other performers will get into the act, too, playing a lot of rock-n-roll and bluesy stuff and other music. Attendees also will hear testimony of how Auberle has helped students to achieve greater goals in their lives. The event benefits Auberle’s many great programs. McKeesport-based Auberle is a faith-based Catholic agency that helps troubled children and families. Auberle was founded in 1952 through the generosity of Pauline Auberle, a McKeesport resident who willed money and land to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh to start a home for boys. Since the 1980s the nonprofit also has offered other programs that help girls, adults and families. These days, more than two-thirds of the nonprofit’s clients are served in their homes, schools or in their communities, rather than at Auberle’s McKeesport campus. Marince has been listening to country music as far back as she can remember, and has been singing publicly since she sang “God Bless America” years ago on July 4 at Moon Park. She performs in this area with some regularity, and is aware of the solid country music scene in the Pittsburgh area. That scene includes new country bands, classic country bands, bluegrass bands and more, some of whom she knows. “I think it’s cool how big the country music scene is in Pittsburgh. I grew up listening to it—Mary Chapin Carpenter and others…I kind of knew what I wanted to do [for a profession],” Marince said.
For more information on Voices Carry for Auberle or to buy tickets for the event, email Bridget Clement Bridgetc@auberle.org Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 51
Robinson Chiropractic
CREATING BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY SMILES
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Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics For Children and Adults
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Pa. Reg #345
Business Spotlight
Ounce of An
Prevention
Turns out, your mom was right when she always said “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Whether you’re maintaining your home or your car, a few easy preventative steps can keep your home in tip-top shape, and your car purring like a kitten. HOME MAINTENANCE: Clean up any water spills immediately to prevent mold growth. Exhaust fans can help draw out excess moisture as well. Even if you think you live in a safe town, lock
your doors and windows at night and when you leave. It’s a tiny step that can keep you safe just in case someone with sticky fingers slides into town. Only you can prevent house fires. All right, it’s not exactly how the saying goes, but by making sure that your smoke alarms are in working order, and that you have fire extinguishers strategically located, you can greatly reduce your chance of serious house fires.
AUTO MAINTENANCE: Change your oil regularly. Oil keeps your engine lubricated, reduces friction and reduces nasty sludge from building up in your engine. Regular oil changes can keep your car running better for longer. Replace your windshield wipers every six months. If you see streaks on your windshield or hear strange squeaking sounds, it’s time for a new set of windshield wipers. A new set of wipers can significantly improve your vision during bad weather, which might make all the difference in the world. Rotate your tires. Your front and rear tires wear differently, and rotating them can help increase their lifespan and prevent blowouts. Every car is different, but many tire manufacturers recommend rotating your tires every 6,0008,000 miles. By following these simple steps, you can reduce your chances of car and home trouble, and save yourself time, hassle and money. Want another way to save those things? Bundle your insurance with ERIE. By covering your home and car both through us, you’ll pay less, and have the peace of mind of having just one insurance Agent to turn to whenever the need strikes. Call us to learn more. JENNIFER NOLFI-O’CONNELL Thomas A. Nolfi, Inc. is a family owned and operated independent insurance agency serving the community since 1959.
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 53
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INdustry Insight
R. D. Rohde Insurance Agency
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OFFERING
Coverage for What Matters Most to You
Rebecca Rohde is no amateur to the insurance business. So when Farmers started their push
into Pennsylvania, she looked into their plans and decided that, based on the quality she saw, she was going to start her own agency selling their services. “Farmers is new to Pennsylvania, and we’re really coming in with competitive rates,” Rohde said. “The average person is going to be looking at home and automotive coverage, but we offer life, business, specialty, workers compensation, and a whole host of other coverages.” Farmers offers clients the advantage of a multi-line discount, so if your home and auto are with them, Rohde said you can expect to see a discount savings on each policy. “There’s a benefit to keeping everything with me,” she said. And that benefit isn’t just in dollars saved. Rohde said that she isn’t just looking to sell policies, she’s looking to build relationships with her clients. “I’m comfortable talking with people about insurance, but I don’t want them to see me as just a salesperson,” she said. “My clients can call upon me and rely on me, and really welcome me into their family. After all, you need insurance when times get tough. You don’t want some stranger handling your case through those tough times.” Rohde said that Farmers’ business model helped her make the decision to join the fold. “Farmers takes the consultative approach to insurance. They want their agents to take the time to meet with people, learn about their situations, and offer something that fits them best,” she said. “They don’t want someone out there recommending generic, blanket policies to people and having them throw their hardearned money at it.” While Rohde is currently working out of the Farmers corporate center in Robinson, she’s focusing on setting up a permanent office of her own in Moon Township by early fall. However, that set-up works out for her just fine because Rohde prefers meeting clients at a time and place convenient to them. “I’m very flexible,” she said. “I am happy to meet my clients in their homes, at work or wherever is best for them. Going
over policies can be stressful for some people, so meeting them somewhere where they feel comfortable and relaxed is important to me.” If you are interested in setting up a consultation with Rohde to see all that Farmers has to offer, you can call her at 412.260.5040, or email her at rrohde@farmersagent.com. To browse all of the insurance offerings Farmers has, go to www.farmers.com.
Moon Township | Summer 2012 | incommunitymagazines.com 55
Business Spotlight
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B U S I N ESS D I R EC TO RY
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