SPRING 2011
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COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
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elcome to the spring issue of Plum magazine. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, and fun. Typically, I use this space to talk about your community or features in the magazine that spotlight the people in your community who are doing wonderful things. Well, this time I want to update you regarding our newest feature for 2011—our new website. Without venturing too far into the realm of shameless self-promotion, I want to emphasize that this website is something for you, our readers. How so? Well, you can have input and help shape the website just like your ideas help shape your magazine. Now you have a place to list all of the nonprofit community organizations that are active in the community. We are also developing pages where we list the local houses of worship. In addition, we now offer every magazine in a fully downloadable PDF format, rather than the outdated flipbook format we used to have. This will allow you to send the magazine, or links to it, to friends and family both near and far. We tied our website into Facebook as well, not to get the biggest list of “friends” we could get but to have a place to keep our readers abreast of all the news we get between issues. It also gives us a place to upload all the photos from community events that we don’t have room for in the magazine. As with all things, there’s always room for improvement, but we always have open ears. If you have comments about our new website or want to see your organization listed, e-mail mark@incommunitymagazines.com with your link or feedback. There’s no charge for listing your church, synagogue, or scout troop’s link, so send your links in today! And if you happen to be on Facebook and like what you see in the magazine, don’t hesitate to click that “Like” button. It’s always nice to be liked! I hope you have a wonderful spring!
lum SPRING 2011 IN Plum Magazine is a non-partisan community magazine dedicated to representing, encouraging and promoting the Plum School District 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. PUBLISHER
Wayne Dollard AS S I STA N T TO T H E P U B L I S H E R
Mark Berton mark@incommunitymagazines.com M A N AG I N G E D I TO R
Marybeth Jeffries marybeth@incommunitymagazines.com O F F I C E M A N AG E R
Leo Vighetti leo@incommunitymagazines.com E D I TO R I A L AS S I STA N T
Jamie Ward j.ward@incommunitymagazines.com WRITERS
Jonathan Barnes Kelli McElhinny GRAPHIC DESIGN
Cassie Brkich Anna Buzzelli Susie Doak Pati Ingold
Wayne Dollard Publisher
CHARLES DICKENS
Rebecca Bailey Garyyonphotography.com One Way Street Productions A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S
hen I think about spring, I can’t help but think about light. The days get “lighter,” and the sun stays with us a little longer each day. When we have a great idea, a light bulb goes off in our minds. At Plum Magazine, we try to spotlight our communities. What are you doing to be a “light” in the community? If you or an organization that you volunteer or work for would like to be spotlighted, will you let me know? So many good deeds are left unsung! If you have a family member who is in the armed forces, or if your church group, Mom or Dad are providing a service to someone in need, we want to know! Please e-mail your ideas and photos to me at Marybeth@incommunitymagazines.com. I noticed that Oblock Junior High Reach Out Club is hosting their annual Easter Egg hunt on April 16 again this year. They are looking for donations to help fund this very popular event. If you would like to donate funds to help them out, please read more about the event on page 15, I am sure the students, faculty and all of the little ones who attend will be most appreciative of your efforts! I hope you took notice of the beautiful cover we chose for the spring edition of the magazine. Student artist, Angelina Colchagie, submitted this art. My thanks to all of you who submitted artwork for consideration, to help celebrate the return of spring! As we look forward to warmer and brighter days ahead, I hope you’ll enjoy this edition of Plum Magazine!
Nicholas Buzzell Brian Daley Gina D’Alicandro Tina Dollard Rose Estes Jason Huffman Jessie Jones Connie McDaniel Brian McKee
David Mitchell Tamara Myers Gabriel Negri Robert Ojeda Annette Petrone Vincent Sabatini Michael Silvert RJ Vighetti
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 2011. CORRESPONDENCE All inquiries, comments and press releases should be directed to: IN Community Magazines Attn: Editorial 603 East McMurray Road McMurray, PA 15317 Ph: 724.942.0940 Fax: 724.942.0968
Summer content deadline: 4/22/11 www.incommunitymagazines.com
Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.
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Jan McEvoy Joe Milne Tamara Tylenda Tracey Wasilco
P H OTO G R A P H E R S
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"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."
Pamela Palongue
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Contents Plum | SPRING 2011 |
SPRING 2011
Health and Wellness News You Can Use
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Healthy Family, Happy Family
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FEATURES
COMMUNITY INTEREST
With UPMC HealthTrak, you now have a convenient way to manage your health anytime and anywhere.
© 2011 UPMC
Publisher’s Message
What’s Inside page 2
Spring Skin Smarts
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From Gut-Wrenching Pain to Hope for the Future Stomachaches: When to Worry
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Good Night, Sleep Tight! Are You Allergic to Your Bed?
page 5
UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online
page 6
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Could It Happen to You?
page 7
Welcoming New Physicians What’s Happening at UPMC St Margaret
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Keeping yourself and your family healthy can seem like a full-time job.
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Cancer Care Close to Home
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Antiques Show at Oakmont Country Club
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Real Estate in Plum
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Plum Borough School District
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UPMC Today
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Health and Wellness News You Can Use | 17
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IN Kids
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Older Adults in Plum
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
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Garage Door Doctor
ON THE COVER
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A painting by Plum Borough School District student Angelina Colchagie.
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Cancer care
close to home
UPMC Cancer Center at UPMC St. Margaret earned the 2009 Commission on Cancer Outstanding Achievement Award and received a threeyear re-approval as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program with Commendation.
State-of-the-art cancer treatment at UPMC St. Margaret ith the growing demand for cancer care throughout our region, UPMC st. Margaret has expanded its oncology services to better serve the needs of patients in surrounding communities. The 249-bed, acute-care hospital near Aspinwall has experienced double-digit growth in admissions and surgeries during the past six years. The new 5,000-square-foot addition houses a new, state-of-the-art linear accelerator, which is used for radiation treatment, and other cuttingedge technology to provide enhanced patient care and streamlined treatment. The linear accelerator
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also provides support to the hospital's lung and thoracic program. "The new linear accelerator is the newest technology available and allows us to see and treat even more complex cases right here at UPMC st. Margaret," says Douglass Harrison, Vice President of Operations at UPMC st. Margaret. This linear accelerator is based on one of the most innovative platforms with a broader range of imaging and treatment options. specially trained radiation oncology professionals at UPMC st. Margaret are now able to target cancer more accurately while reducing the effects on surrounding healthy tissues. Another new piece of equipment, a CT simulator, generates high-quality images for precise treatment planning. This revolutionary technology optimizes patient care by determining the exact location and size of the area to be treated. Patients receive a comprehensive treatment plan through a team of cancer care specialists from disciplines that include pathology; radiation, medical, and surgical oncology; and radiology. “The radiation Oncology team here at st. Margaret is very excited to be able to offer this innovative technology for our patients. Our number one goal of giving the best treatment possible to our patients is greatly enhanced by this technology,� says James sinicki, MBA, rT, (r)(T), Chief radiation Therapist at UPMC st. Margaret. With a 15 percent increase in the number of patient treatments per day in the hospital’s radiation Oncology program since 2006, this new sophisticated equipment will enable the hospital to meet those increased demands. Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 5
THe kerr MeMOrIAL MUseUM PreseNTs
Antiques Show at Oakmont Country Club THe seVeNTH ANNUAL
he seventh Annual Antiques show was held at Oakmont Country Club and benefitted The kerr Museum, an Oakmont house that shows what life was like for an upper-middle-class physician and his family from 1890 to 1910. In 1994 after her death, Virginia kerr left the house to the Borough of Oakmont to be used as a museum in memory of her father, Dr. Thomas kerr. The museum contains a large collection of items from the family and the Pittsburgh area in the early 20th century. Listed on the National register of Historic Places by The U.s. of the Interior, the museum is located at 402 Delaware Avenue in Oakmont.The show featured a wide variety of 25 antique dealers from east end Galleries in Pittsburgh to Brill’s Antiques in Newport News, Virginia. kerr Museum co-chairs,Jan shoop and Joan stewart volunteered their time, talent and treasure to make the event as successful as possible. The third co-chair, Diana Thompson, a distant cousin of Virginia kerr, is able to fulfill her cousin’s wish to keep her family home a memorial to her father. Many other volunteers in the area also lent their time to show antique shoppers and browsers through the beautiful galleries and assist the dealers. Operated by a staff of over 40 volunteers, the museum is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every saturday. Private or group tours can visit any day of the week, excluding holidays, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. with advance notice and based on availability. For more information call The kerr Museum at 412.826.9295.
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Co-chairs, Diana Thompson, Joan Stewart, Jan Shoop
Beverly White, of White and White Antiques, Skaneateles, N.Y.
Volunteers Margo Naus &Tom Justofin Janet Donohue
Volunteer, Lorelli Moser
Jill Ruppel and Signe Watson
Volunteer, Barbara Williams
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Dear Parents and Community Members, We are very pleased to announce that through the munificent support and sponsorship of Senator Jim Brewster, the Plum Borough School District secured a state grant to publish the InPlum magazine for the next two years. The community response to this publication has been incredibly positive. We look forward to continuing to communicate with you and sharing the news of the District through this venue. It is our intention to produce a March, June, August and December edition each year. It is our pleasure to announce that the Plum Borough School Board has been selected to receive the D. Richard Wynn School Board Award presented by the Tri-State Study Council from the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh. The recognition spans a two year period from 2008-2010. This award is presented to the Plum Borough School Board for “striving to achieve excellence in education by preparing all students to take their place in the diverse and changing world of the 21st century. The Board’s focus has been to promote professional development, address curriculum development conscientiously, add and integrate technology effectively, review and revise outdated policies, and promote a culture of volunteerism. Additionally, the Board has undertaken an important building construction and renovation project.” We are very proud of this prestigious recognition. The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires all school districts to plan on a 6-year cycle and to review several parts of their plan every three years. The District is currently reviewing 3 of the 8 required reports and will submit final documents to the Department of Education over the summer. Members of the original steering committee are currently reviewing the reports for progress toward completing the original goals. The district-wide steering committee includes building level and central office administrators, teachers, board members, students, parents, and community
representatives. Current planning committee work includes Academic Standards and Assessment, Professional Development, and Educational Technology. The original District-Level Planning Team established a climate of shared decision-making that would be followed throughout the district, developed and/or revised the mission and belief statements, establishing the profile of the graduate of Plum, conducting the district-wide needs assessment, and determining the two district-wide objectives that would be used by all the schools. Vision The Plum Borough School District will seek to achieve excellence in education by providing state of the art data-driven, student-centered, and standards-based education for all students. Mission Plum Borough School District, a large, growing suburban area, in partnership with students, parents and community, will strive to achieve excellence in education by preparing all students to take their place in the diverse and changing world of the 21st century. The District will provide a safe and stimulating environment that will promote and support critical thinking and life-long learning. Shared Values • Every child has a right to a quality education in a safe, disciplined, student-centered environment. • Students will become life-long learners and productive, responsible citizens. • Partnerships must be formed with stakeholders to create educational opportunities. • All children can learn and can develop their talents.
Plum Borough School District...Leading the Way
Message from Dr. Naccarati
The performance levels for our students continue to meet and exceed targets as established by the state for Adequate Yearly Progress and each of our buildings has received the “Keystone” continued on page 10 Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 9
Plum Borough School District
Leading the Way
continued from page 9 award from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Additionally, five schools in the district have received a High Growth Designation from PDE. A High Growth designation means that the identified grade in the designated building placed in the top twentieth percentile for the state in the tested subject area on the PSSAs. We will devote several pages in the June issue to information related to the 2011-12 budget before final passage by the School Board at the end of June. The actual process of creating the 201112 district budget began six weeks earlier than had been done in the past. This schedule is providing additional time to analyze expenditures in greater detail in preparation for operating the district with anticipated reduced revenues. As I am sure you have heard reported in the media, creation of budgets on the local, state and federal level are particularly challenging this year. As a reminder, kindergarten registration is underway for the 2011-12 school year. Please check the district’s website for additional information. We encourage parents to register their child as soon as possible as it assists the district in our planning process for staffing and programming. I look forward to seeing you at graduation and various spring award ceremonies as we recognize our students for their tremendous achievements. As always, we wish to extend to you our most heartfelt thanks for your continuing support of and involvement with the Plum Borough School District. Sincerely, Dr. Lillian Naccarati 10
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Six seniors from Plum Senior High School recently spent an afternoon at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, working with the Senior Theater Critic, Dr. Christopher Rawson. The seminar is part of the Kelly Critics program, working in conjunction with the Pittsburgh CLO’s Gene Kelly Award Program for Excellence in High School Musical Theater. Kaitlyn Lacey, Melinda Lalchan, Rebekah Lecocq, Katherine Rosko, Lunaris Ruan and Daniel Weitzman all attended an open session with Dr. Rawson to learn the finer points of
theater criticism. The students will each be provided with tickets to a local school district’s spring musical, and after writing a review of the show and submitting it to Dr. Rawson, they will receive feedback on their writing, and have their work published on the Post-Gazette’s website in the Kelly Critics section. The Plum students will also compete against students from other districts’ critics for a special Gene Kelly Award. Be looking on the Post-Gazette’s website in the spring for the work of these talented young writers!
On Their Way Transitioning to Junior High At Oblock Junior High, spring is a time of change for our students. Our eighth graders are preparing for high school. Our seventh graders are preparing to be the older students in the building. Soon, the sixth graders will be transitioning from elementary school to the junior high. At Oblock, we work to ensure that the transition from elementary school is as smooth as possible. We have many programs in place to help us to meet that goal. In April, students will meet with the junior high counselors to schedule their courses for next school year. Coursework will be scheduled based on current elementary school grades, standardized test results, and teacher recommendations. Before the end of the school year, students will receive information about how to sign
up for fall sports, including Football, Boys’ Soccer, Girls’ Soccer, Girls’ Basketball, and Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country. During the summer, two additional programs are offered to students. One program is a student orientation. For orientation, students are bussed to and from the junior high and receive important information about the rules and regulations at Oblock. The other program is a “walkthrough” day, in which students can come up to the school with an adult and try their lockers and walk through their schedules. Our hope is that by the time a new seventh grader enters the doors on the first day of school, they are ready to tackle all of the new and exciting challenges that junior high brings.
These Years Wake Up, Count Entering the high school can be an exciting, yet scary time, for parents and their sons/daughters. Often parents have a lot of questions and concerns about the next four years. As your counselor, our job is to advise students throughout their high school careers in an effort to put them in a position to achieve their postsecondary goals. Some post-secondary options are a four year college, a two year school, a trade, technical, or specialized school, the military, or the work force. Here are some suggestions that we, as counselors have found helpful. As a freshman, students have to come to the high school with the understanding that every homework assignment, project, and test is important. Each one has the possibility to be graded, and in turn, will have an impact on your overall GPA. Teachers ask their students to do this in an effort to better understand the subject matter in which he/she teaches. As a conscientious student, maximum effort must be put forth in order to get the most out of each lesson and course. Students should take classes not only to meet graduation requirements, but also expose them to different areas of interest. Exposure to different electives can help students narrow their areas of interest for possible career choices. In other words, it would be foolish to forgo an accounting or marketing class in high school, if you plan to pursue a business degree at the collegiate level and ultimately get a job running a business. If you want to be an automotive mechanic, you should strongly consider attending Forbes Career and Technical Center for the Automotive Technology Program as a 10th, 11th, and 12th grader. Students also need to consider becoming wellrounded by joining school clubs, sports teams, and organizations in an effort to showcase their talents and leadership abilities. Volunteering in the school and/or community and
working part-time also demonstrate qualities that post-secondary institutions are seeking in their future students. However, students should be careful to not allow extra -curricular activities to override their academic responsibilities. Students need to have this mind set throughout their entire high school career. As a sophomore, students need to continue to put forth their best effort and maintain a strong work ethic. If students are considering going to a four year school for post-secondary training, they should sign up for the PSATs through the guidance office in October. The PSAT exposes students to the type of questions asked on the SAT, the test most students have to take in order to be accepted into a college. The PSAT scores predict how a student would score on the SAT and provide a breakdown of the student’s strengths and weaknesses. Students can use this information to gauge which areas they should focus on when preparing for the SAT. When scheduling classes, remember to consider your post-secondary aspiration and continue to be active in the school and community. Junior year is a crucial year. This is when students should start investigating and narrowing down post-secondary options. Attending the College Fair held on Open House night allows students to speak with representatives from a variety of postsecondary training institutions. Students may want to attend the National College Fair held in February, at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center as well. Taking the PSAT/NMSQT in October will be additional preparation for the SATs that students should take in the spring of junior year. The registration for the SAT is done at www.collegeboard.com and it is offered at Plum in March and May. Juniors should also consider taking the ACTs which are another college entrance test. The ACT registration is done at www.act.org. Plum does not offer this test, but
neighboring districts do offer the ACT. Students should research career and college option at websites such as www.educationplanner.org and www.collegeboard.com to become more knowledgeable of different opportunities. Military recruiters visit the school and can give guidance if you have an interest in joining one of the military branches. Parents and students should meet with their guidance counselor to have a personalized planning meeting to discuss post-secondary plans in more detail. Students and parents can attend the Financial Aid Night held every January to find out how they will afford to pay for post-secondary education. Keep in mind, that the junior transcript accompanies college applications. Juniors need to maintain their grades as well as their extracurricular activities. As a senior, students need to ensure that they are in a position to meet graduation requirements while maintaining academic rigor. The counseling department suggests that college applications be completed and submitted by October 31st. Students may be asked to take a college entrance test again or submit senior grades prior to being given final consideration to a college or university. Upon being accepted to one or several institutions, students will have to make a decision of where they would like to attend. This decision is often based on the institution cost, location, academic programs, etc. Parents will have to complete a FAFSA between January 1 and May 1 of their child’s senior year at www.fafsa.ed.gov to determine financial aid qualification. If this is not completed, all costs and tuition come directly out of the pocket. Students should also attempt to obtain scholarships from the post-secondary institution they are attending, as well as general ones from private groups, organizations, and institutions. Scholarships can be found through internet searches and by checking the scholarship page of the district website (www.pbsd.k12.pa.us). The counselors realize that everyone’s academic path differs; we are here to help, support, and answer parents’ and students’ concerns and questions as they arise. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s counselor, teachers, or administrator to help navigate through these next four years. Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 11
Plum Borough School District
Leading the Way
Plum Robotics is off to a fantastic start for its upcoming competitions! This year, Martin Griffith and Jeff Noll have taken control of the glorious team, in place of Rick Volker, who retired last year. We have many students involved this year, including Don Doerfler, Jake Udanis, Jeese Porter, Steven Churchel, R.J. Duerr, Luna Ruan, Kevin Accettulla, Ava Kotvas, Eric Yocca, Luke Yount, Yasmin Kelly, Berty Ruan, and Paul Kennedy who have come in during activity and after school to work on the bot. Don especially has dedicated an extraordinary amount of time manufacturing the bots. Our team sponsors include Jennison Manufacturing, University of Pittsburgh, Apogee Technology, DLK Performance, Philips Respironics, S&T Bank, JC Hobby Store, Keystone Rustproofing, Castle Creations, Clinton Aluminum, and Van Strien Consulting. These sponsors have provided supplies, monetary
assistance, advising, support, and metal working that have proved crucial in helping us with the bot. This year, we are rebuilding a replicate of a previously entered bot, Atomic Shock and entering a new bot on team Intense named The Shocker. This is also the first year that we have machined our own parts in-shop, allowing students to learn even more about the manufacturing and design in robotics. Atomic Shock has a drum weapon this year, which spins upwards to flip the opposing bot upwards, leading us to victory. The Shocker’s details are undercover until our competition! Our first competition is at California University of Pennsylvania on March 25. Wish us luck!
Distinguished Alumni Nick Dialosio, entertainer; Margie Conry Evans, recently retired assistant superintendent Plum Borough School District; Dr. Lisa Veitch, accomplished research analyst for Dept. of Defense; and the late Hon. Paul R. Zavarella, president judge Court of Common Pleas, all have something in common. Yes, they all were graduated by Plum High School. And also each has the distinction of belonging to the third class of inductees of the PHS Distinguished Alumni. The recognition festivities are schedul ed for Sunday, April 17 in the ballroom of Oakmont Country Club, Hulton Road, and the following day at Plum High School. The public is invited to attend the two-day event. Cost for tickets is $50 per person. To obtain tickets, one can call Carolyn Young Nonnenberg, 412 7938251 or Rena Lynn Hursh Koteski, 724 335-4695. They also are available at several locations throughout the borough. These include the Greeting 12
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Gallery, Unity; office of Magistrate Linda Zucco, Route 380; Plum High School security office, and the Plum Borough Building. Pictures of honorees will be posted of the coming year on the wall of distinction, in the high school lobby. The wall was created by commercial artist Jerry Churik with a $10,000 grant from then state Sen. Sean Logan. In addition to celebration plans, the committee also is mak ing plans for a region-wide funding campaign to support building an interactive media center a the high school to help students learn about honorees’ vocations and other interesting career information. Additional information is available from any committee officer: Lou Balot, president, 412-798-9444 Carolyn Nonnenberg, vice-president, 412-793-8251 Loretta White, secretary, 412-793-7813 Rena Lynn Koteski, tr easurer, 724-335-4695
Those Who Have Made a Difference 1st year honorees (2009) The late Andrew M Tometsko,, PhD, Class of 1956 Patricia Ann Barthalow Koch, Class of 1968 Col.. Gregory John Argyros, MD, Class of 1979 Col. James C. Lord, Class of 1983
2nd year (2010) Ruth O’Block Grant, Class of 1949 Rena Lynn Hursh Koteski, Class of 1961 Jackie Dempsey, Class of 1984; Richard J. Evanchec, Class of 1998
The music doesn’t stop when the clock runs out on the football season. The Plum High School Marching Band led in the Pittsburgh’s Veterans Day Parade, performing in its opening ceremony including Taps. At the parade, the band brought back Best Music and General Effect for the 2010 Veterans Day Parade award. As the holidays approached, the entire music department performed for the Sugar Plum Days. While raising money for the music trip, the jazz bands performed with two vocalists at a Spaghetti Dinner at Assembly of God Church in Monroeville in January. The Plum High Music trip to Disney is March 3rd through the 8th. Once they return, they have a week to prepare for the March 17th Slippery Rock Jazz Festivals. Spring concerts will be held in the high school auditorium on Tuesday, May 3rd for the Concert Band and Friday, May 6th for the Jazz Concert. Please mark your calendars for nights filled with music. A new addition to the music department this year is the Plum High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble. The first competition was January 15th where Plum was moved to a higher division. The remaining schedule is February 19th at Mars, March 12th at Marshall Middle School in the North Allegheny School District with championships scheduled for April 2nd at Norwin School District. Congratulations on a successful first season! While a band is a group of people performing in unison, some stars shined bright and were rewarded with additional opportunities to practice and play for audiences. We would like to recognize those who participated in additional bands. Nick Marco was selected as lead trumpet player in the PMEA District Honors Jazz Band. Caitlyn Terhune was selected to perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during their Fiddlesticks concert on January 22, 2011. Natalie Tomaro and Stephen Turchick were selected
at the end of Football season to participate in the PMEA District Junior High Honors Band rescheduled for April 29th and 30th. Participating in the Alle-Kiski Honors Band Concert on February 3rd and 4th were Aly Collins, Stephen Lester, Nick Marco, Jessica Miller, Lunaris Ruan, Meredith Taylor, and Tom Zacher. The PMEA District Honors Band includes Plum High students, Nick Marco, Jessica Miller, and Tom Zacher. Moving on to Regional Honors Band, which is a level higher than PMEA District Honors Band are Nick Marco and Jessica Miller. The Regional Honors Band Concert is March 26th. From there, the two will audition for the State Honors Band. Kudos to all who play to perform for an audience. Two special performers decided to use their talents to support a good cause. Brittany Dirazio and Frank DiDiano from the Plum High School Jazz Band recently participated in the Gila’s Club for Cancer Support’s Battle of the
Bands. Brittany and Frank won the event and were asked to be guests on 96.9 BOB FM on Friday, February 11th. The Gila’s Club is a free of charge non-profit organization that offers a warm and comfortable home-like environment where information is freely exchanged and members learn from one another how best to live with cancer. Their mission is to create welcoming communities of free support for everyone living with cancer – men, women, teens, and children – along with their families and friends. Their innovative program is an essential complement to medical care, providing networking and support groups, workshops, education, and social activities. All proceeds from the Battle of the Bands went toward helping these families. Don’t forget the Plum High School Music Department presents Footloose beginning March 31st through April 2nd at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $8.00.
Plum High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble
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Plum Borough School District
Leading the Way
Promotes Teamwork One of the many activities that set apart the Boyce Campus Middle College High School is the twice-yearly “Focus Olympics.” Each student in the school is enrolled in a Focus class; in this class students bond with one another and a faculty member through activities such as team building, mentorship, student-centered discussion, and career preparation. These classes engage in friendly competition for spirit points with one another through fund-raising, raising school spirit, and of course, the Focus Olympics. The Olympics are designed to promote team work and cooperative learning in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Events might require students to guide a
blindfolded classmate, imitate an elephant and knock over obstacles with one’s trunk, form a human bobsled and race against other classes, demonstrate mental or physical prowess, or just pull for your life in a good old fashioned tug-ofwar. Each team is coached by the classes’ Focus instructor. The events are set up so that every student, regardless of ability or skill level, can participate in the Olympics and contribute to his or her class and school. These Olympics are an extension of the school’s overall philosophy of engaging students in a standards driven curriculum in an environment that promotes & values individuality, personal responsibility, and cooperative learning.
Teens Beware: Do Not Drink and Drive! In conjunction with the Allegheny County Alcohol Highway Safety Program and DUI Pretrial Services Department, SADD secured the SAFETY SIMulator as one way for students to gain additional experience behind the wheel without being put at risk. The simulator provides realistic, hands on experience and helps individual gain confidence in their ability as a driver and develop and appreciation for safety. Officer Kost enlisted the help of the Penn Hills police to put on foggy goggles to simulate being under the influence.
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Arrives at Pivik and Regency Park! by Maryann Lazzaro M.S., R.D. An innovative 4 and 6 week program, Energy Balance 4 Kids (EB4K) is coming to Pivik and Regency Park Elementary Schools during the last week of March, 2011. This innovative program includes a curriculum to support the Healthy Kids Act, whose purpose is to “help children develop healthy eating habits, promote active lifestyles and provide students with a solid foundation for a better future.” A Registered Dietitian “Coach”, Lauren Taylor, in conjunction with Maryann Lazzaro, Food Service Supervisor and Ann Cole, PE Instructor will work together with classroom teachers and Food Service staff for a balanced, integrated approach to wellness. Grades 2 and 3 at Pivik and grades 2, 3 and 4 at
Regency Park will be exposed to this innovative program. Grades 2 and 3 have a four week program, g rade 4 has a 6 week program. During this time, classroom instruction, mini food tastings, structured recess lesson reinforcement and PE classes will all revolve around a weekly theme. Such themes may include, “on the go snacks”, fruits and vegetables, the food guide pyramid, and exercise requirements for children. Research has indicated that kids who eat well and are physically active, do better academically. The EB4K program was piloted in Kansas City, Missouri and Des Moines, Iowa. The program is funded by the American Dietetic Foundation, an entity of The American Dietetic Association, responsible for funding nutrition projects. Locally, the EB4K program which is coming to Plum is the first program to be conducted on
the East Coast and is being funded by Giant Eagle. Plum will also be the first district in which the RD “Coach” will interact directly with an RD who manages the food service department. Students can anticipate an exceptional learning experience, which will be fun and exciting! Parents can look forward to multiple resources made available to them to reinforce the classroom instruction. Ultimate outcomes of this program are to change student’s fitness levels, increase nutrition knowledge and possible changes in dietary intakes and dietary behaviors. All of these outcomes are designed to support the sole purpose of the Healthy Kids Act, to improve the health of our nation’s children.
The Annual Oblock Junior High Reach Out Club Easter Egg Hunt will be held at 10:00am on April 16, 2011, at Oblock Junior High. Admission is free and the egg hunt is for children from ages 1-10. There is no RSVP necessary and everyone is welcome! The egg hunt will take place rain or shine. Because this is a free event, we rely on donations from the public to cover the costs. We are asking for donations from community members and businesses. We accept donations of plastic eggs and candy for the actual hunt and other items like small toys, gift certificates, etc. which we use for prizes. If your business donates, we will have y our name on a poster at the egg hunt as an advertisement. If you would like to donate, checks can be written to Oblock Junior High Reach Out Club. Also, you can drop off donations at Oblock Junior High in care of Jennifer Scharba or Lori Senkewitz. If you need us to pick up a donation, we can be reached at:
ScharbaJ@pbsd.k12.pa.us or SenkewitzL@pbsd.k12.pa.us. We can also be reached by phone at 724-7332400 , ext. 3180 or 3210. If you wish to mail a donation, it can be sent to: Oblock Junior High C/0 Jennifer Scharba or Lori Senkewitz 440 Presque Isle Drive Plum, PA 15239 We could not sponsor this event each year without all of the generous donations that we receive and we truly appreciate the help. This is a large community event that draws hundreds of children and families. We would like to extend a special t hanks to the many volunteers, students, Oblock teachers, and Mr. Fishell, Oblock principal, for all of their help over the years for making this event such a huge success! We hope to see many of you there! Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 15
Plum Borough School District
Leading the Way
2010-2011 School Calendar AUGUST 26, 27 30, Monday 31, Tuesday
In-Service Days Clerical Day First Day of School
SEPTEMBER 06, Monday
Labor Day – No School
OCTOBER 11, Monday
In-service Day – No School
NOVEMBER 02, Tuesday
04, Thursday 25, Thursday 26, Friday 29, Monday DECEMBER 22, Wednesday JANUARY 03, Monday 17, Monday
21, Friday 24, Monday FEBRUARY 21, Monday MARCH 18, Friday 30, Wednesday APRIL 22, Friday 25, Monday MAY 17, Tuesday* 30, Monday
Election Day – In-service Day – No School Parent/Teacher Conferences (Noon – 7:30 p.m.) End of First Report Card Period – Early Dismissal Thanksgiving Break Thanksgiving Break Thanksgiving Break Last Day of School before Winter Break First Day of School after Winter Break Dr. Martin Luther King Day – No School (Snow Make-up Day) End of Second Report Card Period – End of First Semester Clerical Day – No School Presidents’ Day – No School (Snow Make-up Day) In-service Day – No School End of Third Report Card Period – Early Dismissal Spring Break – No School Spring Break – No School (Snow Make-up Day) Primary Election Day – No School Memorial Day – No School
*Subject to change as State Election Board in Harrisburg sets this date.
JUNE 08, Wednesday 09, Thursday 14, Tuesday
Clerical Day – No School Last Day of School Kennywood School Picnic
District Directory CENTRAL SECONDARY ADMINISTRATION SCHOOLS
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
900 Elicker Road Plum, PA 15239 District Information Line 412.795.0100 ext. 1
ADLAI STEVENSON 313 Holiday Park Drive Plum, PA 15239 Phone: 412.798.6335
Dr. Lillian Naccarati Superintendent Extension 6359 Dr. Timothy Glasspool Assistant Superintendent Extension 6352
PLUM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 900 Elicker Road Plum, PA 15239 Phone: 412.795.4880 412.828.5634 Mr. Ryan Kociela Principal Extension 6312 Mr. Michael Loughren Assistant Principal Extension 6311
Mr. Eugene Marraccini Director of Business Affairs Extension 6356
Mr. Justin Stephans Assistant Principal Extension 6313
Mrs. Cheryl Levin Supervisor of Special Education Extension 6368
Mr. Ed Hela Director of Educational Technology Extension 6319
Mrs. Dawn Andrews School Psychologist Extension 6358 Mr. Kenneth Stancliffe, III Facilities Supervisor Extension 6366 TRANSPORTATION OFFICE 3411 Leechburg Road Plum, PA 15239 Phone: 412.795.3600 Mr. Thomas Zeminski Transportation Supervisor Extension 6388 Ms. Kathy George Services Manager Extension 6369
Mr. Robert Alpino Athletic Director Extension 6318 Mr. Jeff Wolfe Director of Student Activities/ Asst. Athletic Director Extension 6310 Mrs. Maryann Lazzaro Food Service Supervisor Extension 6367 OBLOCK JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 440 Presque Isle Drive Plum, PA 15239 Phone: 412.798.6322 Mr. Joseph Fishell Principal Extension 6325 Mr. Paul Houde Assistant Principal Extension 6394
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Plum
Mr. Jason Knisely Principal Extension 6330 CENTER 201 Center-New Texas Plum, PA 15239 Phone: 412.795.4420 Mrs. Judith Mahoney Principal Extension 6380 HOLIDAY PARK 4795 Havana Drive Plum, PA 15239 Phone: 412.795.4430 Mr. Francis Sciullo Principal Extension 6375 PIVIK 100 School Road Plum, PA 15239 Phone: 412.795.4580 Dr. Gail Yamnitzky Principal Extension 6384 REGENCY PARK 606 Millers Lane Phone: 412.795.0660 Mrs. Marla Wagner Principal Extension 6372
SPRING 2011
Health and Wellness News You Can Use For residents of eastern communities
What’s Inside
Healthy Family, Happy Family Keeping yourself and your family healthy can seem like a full-time job. With UPMC HealthTrak, you now have a convenient way to manage your health anytime and anywhere. Š 2011 UPMC
page 2
UPMC East on Schedule to Open in Summer 2012
page 3
From Gut-Wrenching Pain to Hope for the Future Stomachaches: When to Worry
page 4
Good Night, Sleep Tight! Are You Allergic to Your Bed?
page 5
UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online
page 6
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Could It Happen to You?
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Shaping Up to Play Preventing Weekend Warrior Injuries
UPMC East on Schedule to Open in Summer 2012 New hospital shows UPMC’s commitment to green construction and renovation In the last year, area residents have seen major changes at the site where construction of the new UPMC East hospital is well under way. “With the steel structure in place, people can actually see that progress is being made,” says Melissa Kovtun, executive director of Monroeville-based services. On schedule for a summer 2012 opening, UPMC East will be a fullservice community hospital featuring: • 140 private medical-surgical beds • 16 ICU rooms • Two cardiac catheterization labs • State-of-the-art operating rooms • Full diagnostic services, including CT, MRI, and ultrasound • Radiation Oncology • Emergency Department • Helipad for immediate airlift of critical cases to UPMC Presbyterian, UPMC Shadyside, or UPMC Mercy All outpatient services available at the Daugherty Drive and Oxford Drive locations will continue. “UPMC has been offering a wide range of outpatient services here for the past five years,” says Ms. Kovtun.
When completed, UPMC East will be the centerpiece of a plan to create a campus that links UPMC’s inpatient and outpatient services. “Building a full-service hospital shows that we are committed to bringing more high quality care options into this community.”
Going green from the ground up Since the project’s inception, building green has been a top priority. “Reducing energy consumption, enhancing air quality, and promoting a healthy environment were important considerations in our decision to go green,” says Joseph Badalich, UPMC senior project manager. “Our goal is to become one of the first hospitals to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.” Pittsburgh has long been a leader in employing energy-efficient construction. According to the New York Times, Pittsburgh ranks seventh nationally in the number of buildings with LEED certification. Among the city’s long list of certified green buildings are the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the first green convention center in the world, and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, one of the first LEED-certified children’s hospitals in the nation.
A leader in greening health care UPMC has taken a leadership role in creating a new model for green health care — one in which health systems not only recycle medical equipment and remove mercury from their hospitals, but also educate individuals on environmental health issues and support research into the mysterious links between the environment and disease. These wide-ranging environmental efforts have a potentially powerful impact.Working with the U.S. Department of Energy, UPMC has designed a training program to help all hospitals better manage energy in one of the most energy-intensive sectors of the economy.
Did You Know? LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.
Architectural rendering of UPMC East. Opening summer 2012.
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www.UPMC.com/Today
From Gut-Wrenching Pain to Hope for the Future UPMC’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center wields a powerful “triple threat” against IBD: Groundbreaking immunology, genetics research, and innovative clinical care. The primary goal of drug therapy is to reduce inflammation in the intestines. Medications include anti-inflammatory drugs; antibiotics to kill germs in the intestinal track; probiotics to restore good bacteria; corticosteroids to provide short-term relief during flare-ups; and immunosuppressants.
At age 23, John Oliver* is feeling better about the future. Free from the gutwrenching pain of Crohn’s disease since a second bowel surgery in 2008 — this time followed by a promising new treatment developed at UPMC using biologic-based drug therapy — he is now making plans to attend medical school next fall. “I think the medicine is working. It’s the best I’ve felt and the best I’ve looked,” says John, who earned his biomedical engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a master’s degree in engineering management from Duke University. His gastroenterologist, Miguel Regueiro, MD, clinical head and codirector of the UPMC Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, says the future has never looked brighter for IBD patients. “Ten years ago, a diagnosis of IBD was devastating. Now, we have new medicines, a greater understanding of the disease, and better research,” he says.
IBD: Who’s at risk? Nearly two million Americans live with IBD, which is not to be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBD involves two chronic diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Symptoms include abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and bleeding.
Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the small and large intestines, while ulcerative colitis affects the large bowel alone. IBD cuts across all ages, genders, and ethnicities, but generally affects Caucasians ages 15 to 35. While the exact cause is not known, experts believe IBD involves a compromised or overactive immune system. Because IBD may run in families, doctors also believe genetics plays a role. While stress and certain foods do not cause IBD, both can make symptoms worse.
Treatment According to Dr. Regueiro, drugs cannot cure IBD, but they can be effective in reducing the inflammation and accompanying symptoms. While some patients have mild symptoms requiring little medication, others have more debilitating flare-ups, and some patients have severe problems requiring surgery and even transplants.
In addition, the IBD Center recently developed a Visceral Inflammation and Pain (VIP) Center to help patients deal with both the physical pain and emotional stress of coping with IBD.
Exciting breakthroughs The latest generation of drugs, called biologic therapies, are proving very effective in inducing remission so that patients can lead normal lives. At UPMC, doctors took this approach a step further — as in John’s case — by prescribing biologic drug therapy after performing surgery to remove the damaged section of the intestine. In use now at other hospitals, this treatment has reduced the recurrence of Crohn’s disease in patients by nearly two thirds. * John Oliver’s treatment and results may not be representative of similar cases.
Stomachaches: When to Worry Everyone gets a stomachache — or abdominal pain — from time to time. Most of the time, stomachaches are harmless conditions caused by overeating, gas, or indigestion. Frequent or recurring stomachaches are often due to stress and worry, even in children. But they can point to more serious medical problems.
Get medical help immediately if: • You have abdominal pain that is very sharp, severe, and sudden. • You also have pain in the chest, neck, or shoulder. • You’re vomiting blood or have bloody diarrhea.
Harmless abdominal pain usually subsides or goes away within two hours. If you have the stomach flu, your stomach may hurt before each episode of vomiting or diarrhea. In serious cases, the pain worsens or becomes constant. According to UPMC physicians in the Monroeville area, you should call your primary care physician if mild pain lasts more than a couple of days, or if the pain is accompanied by other symptoms.
• Your abdomen is stiff, hard, and tender to the touch. • You can’t move your bowels, especially if you’re also vomiting. The bottom line: Trust your gut! Contact your doctor if you’re concerned about lingering or unusual stomach pain.
1-800-533-UPMC
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Health Tips from UPMC Health Plan
Good Night, Sleep Tight! Are you among the millions of Americans suffering from lack of sleep? If so, droopy eyelids, wide yawns, and low energy are the least of your worries. Sleep disruption — not sleeping enough or sleeping poorly — can affect your memory, disease resistance, and leave you struggling to stay alert in school, on the job, and on the road. Studies show that people who get the appropriate amount of sleep on a regular basis also tend to live longer, healthier lives than those who sleep too few or even too many hours each night. So, what is a good night’s sleep? According to the National Institutes of Health, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep a night. School-aged children and teens need at least nine hours of sleep each night. Tips to help you sleep • Stick to a sleep schedule. Get up about the same time each day, no matter how many hours of sleep you got the previous night. • Maintain healthy sleep habits. Go to bed only when you’re sleepy. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and relaxing — not too hot or too cold. Don’t text, e-mail, read, or watch TV in bed. • Make sure your mattress is comfortable. Remember, even a good quality mattress needs to be replaced within 10 years. • Exercise is great, but not too late. Avoid exercising within a few hours before bedtime. • Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch. The stimulating effects of caffeine in coffee, colas, teas, and chocolate can take as long as eight hours to wear off. • Avoid large meals at night. A large meal can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep. • Avoid alcoholic drinks before bedtime. While a nightcap may help you relax, alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep and tends to wake you during the night. And, for adolescents and young adults: • Avoid stimulating activities around bedtime. This includes intense studying, text messaging, video games, and lengthy phone conversations. • Avoid pulling “all nighters” during exams. • Sleep in on weekends — but not more than two to three hours past your normal wake time. Sleeping longer may disrupt your body clock. Find a more complete list of the benefits of good sleep at www.UPMC.com/Today.
AreYouAllergic toYour Bed? The dust in your bedroom might be making you sick. Dust mites, and dander, and fibers — oh my! These are just some of the microscopic menaces in ordinary house dust that can cause health problems. Dust mites are a common cause of allergies and asthma. It’s not the dust mite itself that can make you sick; it’s the dust mite debris (the mite’s feces and decaying body). Dust collects in every room of the house because it is easily trapped in linens, upholstery, carpets, and draperies. But the bedroom is a favorite habitat for dust mites because it provides a warm, humid environment, and plenty of food (dead skin from humans and pets).
Five ways to help wipe out dust mites While you can’t completely eliminate dust mites, these simple steps may help reduce their numbers: 1. Cover your mattress and pillows in dust-proof or allergen-blocking covers, and encase box springs in vinyl or plastic covers. 2. Wash and dry bed sheets, pillowcases, blankets, curtains, and bedcovers weekly in hot water (140 degrees). If bedding can’t be washed, put the items in the dryer set at a high temperature for 20 minutes. 3. Vacuum carpeting and upholstery weekly. Using a HEPA-filter vacuum can help keep dust from floating back into the air. 4. Use a damp cloth or mop to remove dust from hard surfaces and exposed floors. This will prevent dust from becoming airborne and resettling. 5. Keep the indoor temperature at 70 degrees and humidity at no more than 50 percent. Dust mites aren’t the only puny pests that can invade your bedroom. Bed bugs have made a comeback in recent years. For tips on ways to avoid a bed bug infestation, visit www.UPMC.com/Today. Sources: National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency
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www.UPMC.com/Today
UPMC Spotlight
UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online
Keeping track of health issues, test results, and medications is challenging for Sandy Hogue*, who is disabled and chronically ill. Because she must rely on cabs for transportation, seeing a primary care doctor can be an all-day affair. That’s why she was eager to sign up for UPMC HealthTrak, an Internet-based service that enables patients to receive and manage information about their health. Sandy uses it to monitor her glucose and high cholesterol levels, check test results, make appointments, renew prescriptions, and diagnose medical conditions — all from the comfort of her home in Westmoreland County. “It’s a good system. I get the medical treatment I need faster without spending a day traveling around,” says Sandy. “It keeps me in contact with my doctor and helps me monitor my medical conditions. And if I have anything contagious, like the flu, it prevents me from infecting other people.” More patients choosing HealthTrak Approximately 42,000 UPMC patients have signed on to HealthTrak, which gives them secure electronic access to their medical records, medications, and other information. HealthTrak recently was expanded to include eVisits — an online digital house call — with a primary care physician. * These patients’ treatments and results may not be representative of similar cases.
During an eVisit, patients select a symptom and complete an interactive questionnaire. A UPMC doctor then reviews the information and makes a diagnosis. If medication is needed, a prescription can be sent electronically to the patient’s pharmacy.
“HealthTrak is great for college students who are far from home, the elderly, and other people who have trouble getting to the doctor. It doesn’t take the place of going to the doctor for regular check-ups, but it’s very useful,” Robin says. “If only UPMC could figure a way for me to see my dentist online!”
Oakmont resident Mark Gleeson* uses HealthTrak primarily to keep track of his medical records. In October, when the computer-savvy 83-year-old came down with a cough and cold late in the day, he decided to “see” a doctor via eVisit. Within an hour of completing the questionnaire, a UPMC doctor responded with medical instructions and a prescription for his sinus infection and chest congestion. “It was so convenient, and it worked! Within three days, I felt good as new,” Mark says. Convenience and comfort As a graduate student, Robin Sales* relied on HealthTrak to connect with her hometown doctor while attending school in Nevada. Now a young professional living in New York City, she continues to use the online service for eVisits, to fill prescriptions, and access her medical records.
UPMC HealthTrak Benefits Manage your health from home with HealthTrak. Here’s what you can do online: • Send a message to your doctor • View medical records and test results
“It’s comforting. Having easy access to a doctor back home gives me the chance to find the right doctor for me locally, without rushing into it. It’s one less thing to worry about,” she says.
• Renew prescriptions
Robin, who first used eVisit to consult a doctor about an eye infection, says the online questionnaire asks the same questions the doctor would ask at an appointment. When she needs medicine, her doctor in Pittsburgh faxes the prescription to her New York drug store two minutes away.
• Ask billing questions
• Track current health issues such as glucose levels and blood pressure • Request appointments • “See” a doctor (digital house call) For more information or to sign up, visit www.UPMCHealthTrak.com.
1-800-533-UPMC
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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Could it Happen to You? Most of us associate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with returning military veterans who have experienced the tragedy of war. But you don’t have to be a soldier to undergo the intense feelings of helplessness, horror, and fear that characterize PTSD. Imagine being in a terrible car accident on your way to the mall. For days and weeks afterwards, you constantly relive the accident in your mind. You take a different route to shop and, worst of all, your body won’t let you relax. You can’t sleep — and when you finally do doze off, you’re awakened by nightmares. You can’t concentrate, your heart pounds, and you break out in cold sweats. “We know that anyone who has undergone some kind of trauma can be at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder,” explains Anne Germain, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Based at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC, she currently leads several sleep research projects with returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have PTSD. PTSD can be triggered by a single event you’ve experienced or even witnessed — be it an accident, violent crime, or natural disaster — or by ongoing trauma, such as child abuse or domestic violence. When we experience a life-threatening event, it’s normal for our body to react with a powerful, stressful response; it’s what enables us to fight or flee. “But for some people, these symptoms persist and worsen,” says Dr. Germain. “The toll can be profound if symptoms are ignored. PTSD has a devastating impact on the lives of people who have it — and on those around them. It also has enormous financial and economic implications.”
Did You Know? UPMC's Sleep Medicine Center — accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine — is the only multidisciplinary sleep medicine facility in western Pennsylvania. The center performs approximately 2,000 sleep studies annually for adult patients with all types of sleep disorders. The staff at the UPMC Sleep Medicine Center include board-certified physicians, certified nurse practitioners, and registered sleep laboratory technologists. To schedule an appointment, call 412-692-2880.
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www.UPMC.com/Today
PTSD is a relatively new specialization in psychology, and experts are still trying to determine why it affects some people and not others. Fortunately, for most people, the symptoms of PTSD begin to ease in about a month. “If they continue, it’s extremely important to seek professional help,” notes Dr. Germain. “The best place to begin is to talk with your family doctor and seek a referral to a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist.”
PTSD and sleep disorders Among the most troubling aspects of chronic PTSD for patients are the recurring nightmares and insomnia it can bring. There is growing evidence that such sleep disorders have a direct impact on both a person’s mental and physical health. Individuals with PTSD often say they have problems falling or staying asleep, and that the sleep they get isn’t refreshing and restorative. “Our sleep research studies with veterans show that they have many more sleep disorders than the general public, including sleep apnea and other breathing problems,” notes Dr. Germain. With PTSD, nightmares can become an ingrained behavior, affecting a person’s daytime functioning — from faltering concentration and poor memory, to emotional outbursts. “By stopping the nightmares and helping to make sleep more normal, restful, and restorative, patients can overcome other aspects of chronic PTSD in their lives a bit more easily. And sleep can be improved in a matter of weeks,” she says. Dr. Germain uses several methods to treat PTSD-related sleep disorders, including image reversal therapy. “We help patients replace a recurring nightmare with a more positive, affirming dream. They write it down and rehearse it several times a day to train the brain to have a new dream image.” Individuals interested in participating in Dr. Germain’s sleep research studies for military veterans are invited to call 412-246-6404 or visit www.veteranssleep.pitt.edu.
UPMC 600 Oxford Drive Monroeville, PA 15146
UPMC Today is published quarterly to provide you with health and wellness information and classes and events available at UPMC. This publication is for informational 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 health.
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Our Monroeville-based services are rooted in your community. UPMC has always been proud to be a part of Monroeville, providing residents access to all of the resources of a nationally recognized academic medical center. We offer a breadth of services close to home, including primary care, advanced diagnostic capabilities, specialty physician and surgical services, and cancer care. It’s our tradition, and commitment, to bring advanced and compassionate care to you where it matters most ... in your very own community. For aa comprehensive comprehensivelist listof ofour ourMonroeville-based Monroeville-basedservices servicesororfor fordirections directionstotoany anyof For of our convenient locations, 1-800-533-UPMC oror visit www.UPMC.com/East. our convenient locations, call call 1-800-533-UPMC (8762) visit www.UPMC.com/East.
Technology education teacher, Phil Beatty has created a new group at AEO to give students an opportunity to use new tools and techniques for engineering projects. Called the Woodchuckers, the students are very busy with their first project, manufacturing corn-hole boards. As a group, they are constructing the popular game boards while troubleshooting problems as they go. Although many students showed interest in the club, the woodshop can only accommodate 16 at a time, so Mr. Beatty plans to rotate groups to enable all interested students to have an opportunity to participate in the activities. The first group of Woodchuckers consists of Nicolette Casarcia, Patrick Crossey, Maria Rende, Chris Baker, Alex Pouge, Marie Cintrano, David Myler, Zach Keller, Jake Tecak, Credence Yocca, Ryley Handyside, Abby Hanlon, C.J Campeau, Matt Knight, Austin Pryzmenski, and Domenic Varrati.
Marie Citrano, left, and Abby Hanlon use putty to smooth the finish of their corn hole board prior to sanding and painting.
Showing off the Steelers corn hole board are some members of the Woodchuckers, a woodworking club at AEO. Pictured left to right, clockwise, are Marie Citrano, Domenic Varrati, Abby Hanlon, CJ Campeau, Matt Knight, Jake Tecak, Mr. Beatty, Credence Yocca, David Myler, Chris Baker, Austin Pryzmkmenski, and Maria Rende.
Patrick Crossey drills holes in the sides of his corn hole board so that he can stabilize the frame and begin to sand and paint the structure.
Footloose
Domenic Varrati assembles his corn hole board during the Woodchuckers meeting in Activity Period.
th e Musical
Plum High School brought the smash hit movie, “Footloose” to life in the high school auditorium on March 31st through April 2nd. Familiar songs such as the signature tune “Footloose,” and “I Need a Hero” were performed by an extremely talented cast and orchestra. The musical is based on the 1984 screenplay of the same name. We would like to thank all those people who made this year’s show a success.
Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 25
Plum Borough School District
Leading the Way
Plum Borough School District is one of 388 school districts in the nation and one of five in Allegheny being honored by the College Board with a place on its AP® Achievement List for opening AP classroom doors to a significantly broader pool of students, while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher. From 2008 to 2010, Plum Borough School District has increased the number of students participating in AP from 88 to 125, while maintaining the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher.
The PA Department of Education recently released the 2010 graduation rankings since moving to the new 4-year cohort methodology. Plum Senior High School is ranked 38th out of 500 school districts in the state for graduating 96.81% of our students. This ranks Plum in the top 10% of all PA high schools and 3rd highest in Allegheny County.
REGISTRATION
Music Program Shines in Disney Over 225 students participated in the Festival Disney music competition held in Orlando, FL from March 3-8, 2011. The students competed against ensembles from schools across the country. Our Symphonic Band scored a Superior Rating and received the “Best in Class” recognition from the Concert Band division. Girls Chorus Excellent Rating Ladies Chorus Excellent Rating Chamber Chorus Excellent Rating
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Plum
Concert Band Excellent Rating Symphonic Band Superior Rating Symphonic Orchestra Excellent Rating Jazz Band Excellent Rating Advanced Jazz Band Excellent Rating Marching Band Excellent Rating Congratulations to our students and staff on their wonderful performances and for representing our school and community on this national stage.
Whether your child is beginning their educational journey or transferring from another school, Plum Borough School District wants to make your first experience in our district as seamless as possible. Our registration forms are listed below. They are available for you to download. Make sure you have all information needed as only completed registration packets will be accepted. Registration will take place at Central Registration located in Plum Senior High School. Central Registration hours are 7:15am to 11:15am and 12:15pm to 2:45pm. Questions? Please contact Mrs. Barbara Arrigo at 412.795.4880 ext. 6320 or 412.795.0100 press 2 or arrigob@pbsd.k12.pa.us. Health Forms Required for Kindergarten Registration Family Dentist Report Private Physician’s Report of Physical Exam Health History Form Vaccine Information PBSD Registration Forms ORIENTATION DATES FOR 2011 2012 KINDERGARTEN Adlai Stevenson Elementary Thursday, April 28th at 9:00AM Center Elementary Wednesday, April 27th at 9:00AM Holiday Park Elementary Tuesday, April 26th at 1:00PM Pivik Elementary Tuesday, April 26th at 9:30AM Regency Park Elementary Friday, April 29th at 9:30AM
GLA officers Lauren Cupps and Rachel Poprocky check students in at the blood drive on 2-4-11
Senior Mallory McGuire donates blood at the GLA-sponsored blood drive at PHS
GLA Pres. Kelsie Metzgar and officer Kristina Matvey donate items for the Soldier Collections at PHS
The Girls’ Leaders Association (GLA) from PHS sponsors four blood drives per year. Besides helping to ‘save three lives’ with each donation, the number of units collected compete with other local schools in the area for scholarship funds for an eligible senior. We encourage community member as well to participate in our drives to help our numbers for Plum High School. The next blood drive is on Friday, April 1 from 7:30-3:00. Appointment times can be made through Rose Shrout (sponsor) at 412/795-4880, extension 8259. Walk-ins are also welcomed. The drives schools host provide 50% of the blood for area needs. Won’t YOU come and help?? The ‘Soldier Collections’ has become an annual project for GLA (Girls’ Leaders
Association) from Plum High School. We ‘join forces’ with the JROTC program as they take the large boxes to all the PBSD schools and collect them back up after a month’s stay at each location. An envelope attached to each box provides lists of the soldiers’ needs. The boxes will be collected back up around February 18. The GLA girls then sort the items and box them up for delivery to ‘Sam’s Pop Shop’ in Arnold, Pa. Sam Lombardo is a business owner devoted to assisting our soldiers overseas. He sends supplies to Iraq and Afghanistan in 50 lb. boxes every 2 weeks, funding this project on his own. We applaud this community member for his great efforts in making a difficult mission a little more bearable with our thoughts, prayers, and supplies being sent to our beloved soldiers.
A portion of the JROTC Program at Plum High School is dedicated to teaching students their responsibility to serve their community. As part of that goal, the program has adopted a two mile stretch of highway under the Penn D.O.T. Adopt-a-Highway Program. Twice a year, members of the JROTC Program don orange vest to pick up trash on Route 286 beginning at New Texas Road heading eastbound to the borough/county line. Once in the fall and again in the spring, members spend a Saturday bagging litter along the road in their community. We applaud their efforts to beautify our road home.
JROTC marching at the Veterans Day Parade Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 27
Plum Borough School District
Leading the Way
Spring Sports Schedule BASEBALL Boys Varsity Friday Saturday Saturday Monday Wednesday Friday Saturday Wednesday Friday Monday Wednesday Monday Wednesday Friday Monday Friday Monday Wednesday
03/25/11 03/26/11 04/02/11 04/04/11 04/06/11 04/08/11 04/09/11 04/13/11 04/15/11 04/18/11 04/20/11 04/25/11 04/27/11 04/29/11 05/02/11 05/06/11 05/09/11 05/11/11
Place Florida game (DH) Florida game Mt. Lebanon High School Franklin Regional H. S. Central Catholic Kiski Area Sr. High School Seneca Valley High School Penn Hills High School Woodland Hills H. S. Gateway High School Shaler Area High School North Allegheny H. S. Franklin Regional H. S. Central Catholic Kiski Area Sr. High School Penn Hills High School Woodland Hills H. S. Gateway High School
Time Away Away Away Home Away Home Home Away Home Away Home Away Away Home Away Home Away Home
TBA TBA 1:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM 1:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM 7:00PM 4:00PM 7:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM 4:00PM
SOFTBALL Girls Varsity Friday Monday Thursday Friday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Monday Tuesday
03/25/11 03/28/11 03/31/11 04/01/11 04/07/11 04/08/11 04/11/11 04/12/11 04/14/11 04/15/11 04/16/11 04/19/11 04/27/11 04/28/11 04/30/11 05/03/11 05/05/11 05/07/11 05/09/11 05/10/11
Butler Area High School Shaler Area High School Fox Chapel High School Kittanning High School McKeesport High School Penn Trafford High School Valley Senior High School Woodland Hills H. S. Penn Hills High School Fox Chapel High School Gateway High School Franklin Regional H. S. Serra Catholic High School McKeesport High School Woodland Hills H. S. Penn Hills High School Gateway High School Franklin Regional H. S. Hampton High School Kiski Area Sr High School
Place Away Home Home Away Away Away Home Home Away Away Home Away Home Home Away Home Away Home Home Away
Time 4:00PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 4:00PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:45PM 3:30PM 1:00PM 4:00PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 10:00AM 3:30PM 7:00PM 2:00PM 3:30PM 4:00PM
Mustangs 28
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TENNIS Boys Varsity Friday Monday Wednesday Friday Monday Wednesday Thursday Tuesday Wednesday Friday Monday Tuesday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday
03/25/11 03/28/11 03/30/11 04/01/11 04/04/11 04/06/11 04/07/11 04/12/11 04/13/11 04/15/11 04/18/11 04/19/11 04/26/11 04/27/11 04/28/11 04/29/11 05/02/11 05/03/11
Woodland Hills H. S. Shady Side Academy Fox Chapel High School Penn Hills High School Gateway High School Central Catholic WPIAL Section Singles Hampton High School Woodland Hills H. S. Knoch High School Shady Side Academy North Hills H. S. Highlands High School Penn Hills High School WPIAL Section Doubles Kiski Area Sr High School Gateway High School Springdale High School
Place Away Home Away Home Away Away Away Home Home Home Away Home Away Away Away Home Home Home
Time 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM TBA 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 4:15PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM TBA 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM
TRACK Boys and Girls Varsity Friday 03/25/11 Springdale High School Friday 03/25/11 Highlands High School Wednesday 03/30/11 Penn Hills High School Wednesday 04/06/11 Central Catholic Wednesday 04/13/11 McKeesport High School Wednesday 04/13/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Friday 04/15/11 Cal U Track Carnival Wednesday 04/20/11 Gateway High School Friday 04/29/11 Mars Invitational Friday 05/06/11 Pine Richland Invitational Tuesday 05/10/11 WPIAL Qualifiers @ Norwin Thursday 05/19/11 WPIAL Individual Finals @ Baldwin Friday 05/27/11 PIAA Track Finals @ Shippensburg Univ. Saturday 05/28/11 PIAA Track Finals @ Shippensburg Univ.
Place Home Home Home Home Home Home Away Away Away Away
Time 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 3:30PM 2:00PM 3:30PM 12:15PM 2:30PM
Away
12:15PM
Away
12:15PM
Away
TBA
Away
TBA
VOLLEYBALL Boys Varsity Saturday Tuesday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Tuesday Thursday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Thursday
03/26/11 North Allegheny Tournament 03/29/11 Penn Hills High School 04/02/11 Derry Tournament 04/05/11 Hempfield Area High School 04/07/11 Penn Trafford High School 04/09/11 Fox Chapel Tournament 04/12/11 Norwin High School 04/14/11 Greater Latrobe H. S. 04/19/11 Gateway High School 04/21/11 Penn Hills High School 04/28/11 Hempfield Area High School 04/30/11 Plum Invitational 05/03/11 Penn Trafford High School 05/05/11 Norwin High School 05/07/11 Mt. Lebanon Tournament 05/10/11 Greater Latrobe H. S. 05/12/11 Gateway High School
...Leading the Way
Place Away Home Away Away Home Away Away Home Away Away Home Home Away Home Away Away Home
Time 8:30AM 7:30PM 8:30AM 7:30PM 7:00PM 8:30AM 7:30PM 7:30PM 7:30PM 7:30PM 7:30PM 8:30AM 7:00PM 7:30PM 9:00AM 7:30PM 7:30PM
All sport photos are courtesy of Ray Viglione of Viglione Photography.
Plum | Spring 2011| incommunitymagazines.com 29
Plum Borough School District
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Leading the Way
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Big Plans to Renovate By Jamie Ward
The Borough of Oakmont has big plans to revitalize Riverside Park, a project that has been years in the making and will finally come to fruition this summer. The park, situated along the Allegheny River and beside Riverside High School, is the only park in the area and was in need of some major improvements. Borough Manager Bruce Jamison says it’s been a long process. “We had to come up with a master park plan and needed to apply for a grant just to complete that,” he says. From start to finish, the project is expected to cost about $4 million. The borough received a DCNR grant through the state for $250,000 to go towards the cost of completing phase 1 of park renovations. This grant will not pay for the demolition or the new synthetic track. Jamison expects the total cost to complete phase 1 to be $675,000. “The school district pitched in $100,000, the recreation committee raised a couple hundred thousand dollars, and the borough kicked in some money as well,” says Jamison.
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Phase 1 of the project will include the renovation of the tennis courts, synthetic running track, pavilions, and the walking trail. Phase 2 will tackle all of the park's ball fields, adding better fencing, backstops and lighting. The borough plans to build a field house for the final phase of renovations. “The entire project will be green,” says Jamison. The borough plans to reuse wood from trees taken down for the inside of their pavilions as well plant life on the top of those pavilions. The new synthetic running track will be made of recycled materials. “Environmental Planning and Design oversees the whole project,” says Jamison. “They are really pushing for green.” The borough has submitted a CITF grant though Allegheny County Economic Development. They will find out in the spring whether they will receive the $100,000 to go towards further renovations. Demolition is expected to start at the beginning of March. “We want to try to get everything completed by the end of the summer so that the school district can utilize it for their fall sports,” says Jamison. The synthetic track has to be put down in hot weather, so the borough expects to start construction on that around July.
SPRING
2011
G U N U R T L I N X R
K R R H W I I O S V A
F D G S B L S S O V Q
M T K O K N AW K H E G Z U F O S C S U WG
T E M P E R A T U R E
X M Y H G R F O J A R
R G X S T N P J B Z W
S N E E Z E N A B F Y
W U L D T G E R M A D
C G U H U S U R I V G
Cough Germ Nose Sneeze Temperature Tissue Virus Wash
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germs...
34 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE |
Plum
“Is the doctor in?” The call came in early in the morning and the woman’s voice on the phone sounded distressed. Her garage door wouldn’t go up, she had to leave for work, and the old wooden door was too heavy for her to lift. She needed help fast. This was not an unusual call for Leet Sommerfeld. After several years of helping home owners solve all kinds of repair problems, he had heard it all before. What was unusual about this call was the woman referring to him as “the doctor.” Thus a new name for the business was born on that early morning in 1979. At the Garage Door Doctor today, just as in 1979, Leet Sommerfeld and his employees deal with many types of garage door and operator malfunctions, including broken springs, broken cables, and garage doors that “get stuck” midway open. “The garage door is the heaviest moving part in the house, and often people are not aware that it can pose a safety hazard,” says Leet Sommerfeld Jr., who has taken over the operation of the company from his dad. “A door that is not working properly is dangerous for everyone, but especially for children and pets.” Sadly, the Garage Door Doctor has received calls from broken hearted pet owners whose pets were trapped under a closing door. Because of the safety issue, the Garage Door Doctor is recommending a yearly “check up” for garage doors in which parts are inspected, lubricated, and adjusted if necessary. Nowadays, the Garage Door Doctor is a third generation corporation. When Leet Sommerfeld Sr. incorporated his business from his Churchill home in 1979, he did not realize that the Garage Door Doctor would become a way of life for his son, Leet Jr., and his grandson, Brandon. “When I started the business in 1979, I wrote a letter that I had hand delivered to homes in Churchill, Monroeville, and Penn Hills in which I introduced myself, my family, and what services were offered by the Garage Door Doctor,” says Leet Sr. “People would tape the letter to their garage door and call when they needed us.”
If you have any questions about the operation of your garage door or your electric door opener, the staff of the Garage Door Doctor will be happy to help you. Please call 412.829.2007.
In time, Leet Sr. took on employees, but he was always assisted by Leet Jr. who helped even during his college years in the summers and on breaks. “After being awarded his degree in business management, Leet Jr. had thoughts of taking a job elsewhere, but he finally settled on the Garage Door Doctor where he does a terrific job not only because he knows garage doors, but because he knows people and cares about satisfying their needs,” says his proud dad. “He handles every job just as if he were working on his own home, and he has instilled that attitude in his employees.” Grandson Brandon also grew up in the business and today assists his dad with both residen-
tial and demanding commercial jobs. “Brandon was able to handle jobs on his own from a very early age,” says Leet Sr. “When he was a young teenager he would be dropped off on a job and the customer would say, “Isn’t your dad going to work with you?” Brandon did it all on his own, and the customers were always pleased.” Apparently customers still are pleased with the company, as the Garage Door Doctor has been awarded the Angie’s List Super Service Award every year since 2006. Angie’s List (an organization which provides its members with evaluations of home contractors based on customer ratings) presents the award to those businesses which receive consistently superior ratings from home owners.
Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 35
Good Tidings for the Greatest Generation
Older Adults in Plum
ow that the holidays are behind us, you’re hopefully putting that smoking credit card back into your wallet or purse for a while.
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But even though this may be a down time for you and your credit card, it’s no time to be lax about your credit card security. so what do you need to know about keeping your credit card safe? First, off, don’t give yourself a pin number that’s easy to guess. Issuing banks typically assign you a random pin number when you first get your card that you can change later. keep this assigned number and avoid picking a pin for yourself like “1234” or your birth date. While it may be easy for you to remember, those choices are also very easy for predators to figure out. If you make a lot of online purchases or just want to dip your toes into the world of Internet shopping, get yourself a dedicated card with a low credit limit. You can open up a secured credit card at most financial institutions that require you to deposit a balance to borrow against, allowing you to open a card with a $500 limit. Your deposit will gain interest and you will be able to use your card for online purchases. What’s more, most scammers try to run a small purchase 36 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE |
through before running a larger purchase on the card. You may not notice a $0.32 charge right away, but when your bank calls you asking if you tried to purchase a $779 laptop, you’ll be happy your limit was low enough to be declined. If your credit card number is compromised, you should call your bank immediately and report it. While police are able to enforce credit card fraud on a local level, with the Internet the person trying to run your numbers may be six states away, if they’re in the United states at all. In all cases, the sooner it’s reported, the better. Your bank will cancel the card number and reissue you another card. While you’re online, keep in mind that your bank will most likely never contact you via email regarding your account. If you do get an e-mail from a bank that you use, double check the address. Chances are it will be slightly askew from any legitimate Plum
address. Instead of “@yourcreditcard.com,” you may see, “@yourcreditcard1.com” or “@yourcreditcard.uk.” Banks understand that scammers routinely try to get you to give up your personal information via e-mail. Therefore, most have secured e-mail available through their websites, where you can be sure you’re talking straight to legitimate bank representatives. Lastly, if you have several credit cards that you use often, take the time to flip them over and write down the 1-800 customer service numbers on the back and keep that list in a safe place. It’s also a good idea to keep a copy in your purse or wallet. This way, when you notice your card is missing and are frantic, you can at least go to your list and call to report the missing card. In the end, you should treat your credit card like you would trea t your cash—never leave it lying around.
f the last time you took holiday photos required clumsily spooling film into your 35 mm camera, don’t be intimidated by what technology has done to photography in the past few years. In fact, once you have some basics down, you may find that your digital camera is easier to use than you thought. so let’s start at the beginning and go over your new toy from stem to stern. We can’t go into detail about every feature of every camera, but luckily most cameras share the same properties, so we can cover most scenarios. More than likely, your camera came with a lithium ion battery pack and charger. All you need to know about this is that this battery can last a long time. Thanks to self-timers built into your camera, if you forget to shut it off, it will shut off automatically for you, saving battery life and allowing you to take that unexpected shot when the time comes. That said, the battery won’t last forever, especially if you are shooting with the flash often or shooting video, if your camera has that feature. If you know you’re going to be somewhere with a lot of natural light, turn your flash off altogether and shoot longer. The second thing to familiarize yourself with is your memory card. Cameras come with a variety of memory cards to choose from. regardless of the kind your camera takes, just remember that bigger is better. A 16 gigabyte memory card can hold hundreds of photos, and if you’re not in the habit of printing your photos right away or moving them to your computer, the extra space is a must. How many pictures you can store on your memory card depends on your resolution setting for your pictures. Your resolution is how big the picture is. If you’re shooting for a website, low resolutions are better because the file size is smaller. However, if you try to print the same low resolution photo as an 8x10, it will appear distorted or “pixilated” because the camera wasn’t set to capture all of the fine details of the image. With most point-and-shoot cameras on high resolution, you can print very large prints or zoom in to crop shots for better composition. The last thing to get to know is the UsB cable. This is the cable that came with your camera and connects it to any UsB port on your computer. Through this cable, you can transfer your images for future sorting, correction, or sharing. Believe it or not, once you have those things down, your digital camera has many of the same features of your old 35 mm. You can zoom in, set a timer so you have a chance to get into frame, and set a scenic mode where you can select how the camera operates in certain conditions, such as a portrait, sports shot, night shot, or landscape. Your manual will list the specific icons and their meanings. Don’t be afraid to leaf through it if you get stuck. Manuals have come a long way as well and are clearly written for users of all experience levels.
Senior Agencies Plum Senior Center 499 Center - New Texas Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15239 412.795.2330 Riverview Community Action Corp. P.O. Box 437 501 Second Street Oakmont, PA 15139 412.828.1062 William McKinley Citizen's Center Inc. Seventh & Center Streets Verona, PA 15147 412.828.5888
Participants must obtain identification cards, which are available free of charge, from participating transportation providers. Call 412.442.2000 for the location nearest to you.
ACCESS 65 Plus and ACCESS ADA Program 412.562.5353 or TDD 1.800.654.5984 ACCESS is door-to-door, advance reservation, sharedride transportation provided throughout Port Authority's service area. It serves primarily senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Transportation For There are no restrictions on the Older Adults purpose or number of trips There are several agencies that which may be taken by riders, offer free or reduced-rate except that riders are required transportation services to to share their vehicle with others individuals who qualify. traveling in the same direction and at the same time. Medical Assistance Transportation Program Older Persons Transportation (MATP) Transportation for medical 1.888.547.6287 appointments, grocery Provides non-emergency shopping, senior center medical transportation to activities and other needs residents of Allegheny County throughout Allegheny County is who have a valid Pennsylvania available to adults 60 years of Department of Public Welfare age and older who live in Medical Assistance Card. Allegheny County. Call SeniorLine at 412.350.5460. Are you a non profit Senior Center serving the needs of our community’s older adults? Contact Marybeth@incommunity magazines.com with your center’s name and phone number.
Free Bus Pass for Senior Citizens The Port Authority allows Allegheny County residents, 65 years of age and older, to ride free on local public transportation (buses, trolleys and rapid-transit lines). Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 37
R E A L E STAT E
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Real Estateas a Career Many finding the flexibility and income potential excellent As the dwindling job market numbers continue to make the news lately, the professionals in the real estate market seem to have one of the best kept secrets going. For those who need some flexibility but desire a job with excellent income potential, a career in real estate is an excellent choice. Whether a person has just finished college or wants to return to work now that the kids are attending school, joining a sales team at a real estate agency close to home can lead to income rewards and a flexible work schedule that many people desire. In this day and age of electronic media, with all of the tools available to agents to help buyers and sellers in acquiring and disposing of properties, the fast pace of the real estate market is an exciting place to work. People who have just graduated from college have the upper hand when it comes to marketing to their peers through social network sites. The use of Face Book and Linked In is a tool that is being used to make contact with their friends, who are generally first time home buyers.
Those who have taken time off to raise their children and are looking for an alternative to a standard 9am-5pm job have found great success in a real estate career. The flexibility of the job is what makes it such an attractive option. What makes for a successful real estate professional? Cathy Winghart of Howard Hanna Fox Chapel Area Office says “it’s someone who is a self starter. We can teach most anyone the skills involved in selling. What we can’t teach is motivation! The person who is not afraid to pick up the phone or walk up to introduce themselves, can be very successful. This is the largest purchase most people will ever make. It’s important that someone exploring real estate as a career understand that working with people is the name of the game.” Winghart states, “ A person who loves working with and around people and can understand their needs easily is one who will make a successful agent.” The career path to becoming a real estate agent is varied. People who have previously worked in service- oriented fields like nursing, teaching or in the airline industry make great real estate agents. Those who have spent years volunteering their time and are now looking for a paying job, and have honed their skill in dealing with different types of personalities generally make a good transition into the real estate work force. A position within a real estate agency can be rewarding both personally and financially. The flexibility that comes with setting your own schedule and the satisfaction of assisting in one of the largest transactions that most people will make, can make the difference between a just doing a job and a creating a successful career.
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R E A L E STAT E
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Both Buyers and Sellers Need to BEWARE of OVERpricing “You have to make sure that your agent But there’s no similar failsafe with overAs with any major purchase, doing your does comparisons to similar homes in the pricing. A home that’s overpriced may get a homework should be something you do bearea, knows the market, and gets supporting nice offer, but ultimately, the final arbiter of fore you sign on a major loan. Never before evidence that the house is really worth what it’s truly worth is the appraiser, ashas this been more true than in the housing what it’s being advertised at before you signed independently by the bank or lender. market, where overpricing can create major put in an offer,” Fincham said. “If the house That appraisal will dictate the future of the headaches for buyers and sellers. doesn’t appraise for the agreed upon price, sale. For sellers, overpricing can mean that it is unlikely that you will receive any The resulting appraisal could tank the sale your home sits on the market longer, raising seller’s assist.” altogether, or force buyers to seek extra flags to potential buyers that something is money or alternative financing to amiss. For buyers, an overpriced compensate for the missed seller’s home can mean a loss in seller’s For buyers, an overpriced home can mean a loss assistance. either way, it’s going to assistance, money that sellers in seller’s assistance, money that sellers mean a hassle for the buyer and sometimes bring to the table from sometimes bring to the table from their profits frustration for the seller. their profits to help defray closing However, if an agent does the costs for the buyer. Worse yet, if to help defray closing costs for the buyer. homework and knows their business, there is no appraisal contingency Fincham said the home should be addendum attached to the listed at a fair price, resulting in a agreement of sale, a buyer may be relatively smooth sale in reasonable forced to go through with a home length of time. purchase after being told that it is not worth “It is now imperative that agents and what they have agreed to pay. What’s more, overpricing is a one-way sharon Fincham, a realtor with street by way of mistakes. Homeowners who clients know the recent selling prices of comparable homes,” she said. “Buyers Prudential Preferred realty, said that, list their homes for too little may receive and sellers agreeing on a price is not in addition to including an appraisal multiple offers, allowing the power of free necessarily enough anymore. The study contingency addendum to an offer, you market economic supply and demand of a neighborhood before an offer is made need to make sure that your agent is to take over, driving the price up until can save everyone involved a lot of grief doing the proper legwork before the it’s comparable to the other homes in and frustration.” offer is even made. the neighborhood.
Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 39
e By Pamela Palongu
s anyone who knows me personally will tell you, I am no expert on social occasions. However, based upon the theory that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, I have made enough social faux pas to speak authoritatively on what not to do at a wedding. Some helpful tips are listed below to help get you through the season of bliss.
Never wear white to a wedding. This includes eggshell, ecru, light cream, pearl lustre and Tahitian coconut. Never attempt to upstage the bride (unless of course you hate the bride, in which case you probably really shouldn’t be attending the wedding anyway, given the spirit of the whole love and happiness thing).
At Jewish weddings do not ask, “What is that big thing they’re standing under?”
At Catholic weddings try to refrain from asking, “Why is this taking so long?” The well-prepared wedding guest remembers to bring snacks for himself and his friends. (Avoid crunchy snacks that may disrupt the ceremony.)
NEVER bet on how long the marriage will last at the reception. All odds-making must be done outside the reception venue. (In the event of inclement weather, the lobby or bathroom is acceptable.)
Never complain about the food at the wedding reception with your mouth full of food from the wedding reception. It’s a credibility issue.
Throw only designated throwing materials at the bride and groom, such as rice and rose petals. Shoes, Jell-O, and steak knives are not acceptable. Ever. Even when they are within the appropriate wedding color scheme.
The wedding day is NOT the proper time to share the fact that you once dated the groom, the bride, or their parents. In fact, the proper time to share this information may not actually exist.
If you simply must dance at the reception, remember you are not trying out for “Dancing With The Stars.” If you throw your partner in the air, make sure you catch them. Missing is considered grounds for divorce in most states. Avoid high kicks, which may warrant medical attention.
Many people adhere to the time-honored adage, “It’s not a party till something gets broken.” However, avoid breaking things that are irreplaceable, expensive, and likely to lead to a law suit. Cell phones and glasses are okay.
Given the fact that marriage is a formidable undertaking and the courageous souls who dare to tread the rose-strewn path are likely to be distraught, hysterical, and panic-stricken, you owe it to the happy couple to be the best wedding guest possible. These helpful tips are the very foundation of the social graces. If you follow them carefully, you will glide effortlessly from wedding celebration to reception party in a virtual whirl of neurotic enthusiasm.
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B UsINess D IreCTOrY
WOrsHIP NeWs We are currently compiling an updated list of houses of worship in the Plum Borough School District Area. Please contact marybeth@ incommunity magazines.com with your name, phone, address and website.
603 East McMurray Road McMurray I PA I 15317 724.942.0940 www.incommunitymagazines.com
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