in-south-fayette-fall

outh Fayette FALL 2011

COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

South Fayette Upgrades Miller’s Run Stream with Fish Habitats

South Fayette School District Imperial Landfill: Final resting place for your trash

Thank you, Pittsburgh.

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outh Fayette FALL 2011 Welcome to the Fall issue of South Fayette Magazine.

As the summer winds down, and the kids get ready to go back to school, I sincerely hope that you and your family had some time to get away from it all and relax. It seems that these days, parents driving the family taxi, and kids with their sports/lessons/parties rarely get a chance to enjoy the slow pace of an ever more elusive “lazy summer.”

Ask yourself – when was the last time everyone ate together around a family table? When did everyone gather to play a board game? Does anyone remember board games? If your answer was “That one night that the power went out,” then you might be trapped in the 21st Century jail of hyper-life. (I made that term up, but I can do that – I’m the publisher.) I’m not an old guy, unless you ask my kids, but I think that life should be simpler. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, should all try to spend some time with each other as a family more than that one night when the power goes out. Family time is an important part of being a community. And every community should value quality time with their families – it’s how we teach our children values, etiquette, and more importantly, how to participate in a family structure so they can pass on to their kids what you worked so hard to build. Recently, I saw a commercial where a father shut off the main power to the house so that the family could enjoy dinner together and blamed the outage on a thunderstorm. The Xboxes were dead. The Facebook was closed.

The kids came downstairs in disillusionment to ask what happened. While the commercial was pushing some tasty dinner product, the message was more palatable – you have to make family time. I would take that message one step further – you have to make family time a priority. I hope that it’s one of yours.

Have a great Fall!

IN South Fayette is a community publication dedicated to representing, encouraging and promoting the South Fayette area and its comprising municipalities by focusing on the talents and gifts of the people who live and work here. Our goal is to provide readers with the most informative and professional regional publication in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

PUBLISHER

Wayne Dollard M A N AG I N G E D I TO R

Marybeth Jeffries marybeth@incommunitymagazines.com R E G I O N A L E D I TO R

Mark Berton mark@incommunitymagazines.com O F F I C E M A N AG E R

Leo Vighetti leo@incommunitymagazines.com WRITERS

Pamela Palongue GRAPHIC DESIGN

Wayne Dollard

Cassie Brkich Anna Buzzelli Sharon Cobb Susie Doak

Jan McEvoy Joe Milne Gail Murray Tamara Tylenda

A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S

FROM THE EDITOR While my boss waxes poetic about family time, I’d like to address something along a similar line – neighbors, or your family outside of your family. My wife and I recently bought a house and moved from the one-bedroom condo that I had lived in for nearly 10 years. While it was good for a bachelor, it quickly became small for a married couple looking to start a family. During those years in the condo, I shared a building with nine other neighbors, most of whom were friendly and good-natured people like Don who lived across the hall from me. Don enjoyed going to the high school football games on Friday nights, watching the races at the racetrack in Imperial and fishing. More often than not, he would bring over a couple of extra fillets that I would season up and devour.

He had a nephew that re-shafted golf clubs as a hobby and gladly delivered my broken clubs to him for repair at a more than reasonable price. Then there were some cranky people who just looked out for themselves. They would gawk from their windows into the parking lot to see who was walking by or what was going on, convinced that they were up to no good; would complain about everything from the height of the grass to the paint job on somebody’s car; and really never knew what it was to be part of a community where other people also had a voice and an opinion. Sure, Don would complain if the stock market was down or the price of gas was up, but he never complained that someone left their holiday decorations up a few days longer than everyone else or that the community dues were going up because natural gas was rising and landscapers won’t work for free. He knew how to be a neighbor, and I appreciate that. Now we have new neighbors. All of which are friendly and what every new couple hopes for when they move into a new neighborhood. We hope that we can be the same to them.

Because in the end, I didn’t consider Don just a neighbor, I considered him a friend and friends are what neighbors can eventually turn into if you let it. Don asked us when we were selling our condo to sell it to a “pretty, young blonde.” I couldn’t come through for him, but Don – I’m still looking for you, buddy. Don’t lose hope!

Derek Bayer Brian Daley Gina D’Alicandro Tina Dollard Rose Estes John Gartley Jason Huffman Lori Jeffries Rita Lengvarsky Connie McDaniel

Brian McKee Tamara Myers Gabriel Negri Robert Ojeda Annette Petrone Vincent Sabatini Michael Silvert RJ Vighetti Nikki CapezioWatson

P H OTO G R A P H E R S

Brad Lauer Gary Yon 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

Fall content deadline: 10/17/11 www.incommunitymagazines.com

Mark Berton PS – If you have an exceptional neighbor that you think we should profile, drop me a line at mark@incommunitymagazines.com. There are more Don’s out there that deserve to be recognized.

2 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

South Fayette

Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.

Contents South Fayette | Fall 2011 |

COMMUNITY INTEREST

FEATURES

38

36 48

34 |

South Fayette School District | 4

|

South Fayette Township | 20

|

How to Choose a Preschool in South Fayette

|

South Fayette Library | 36

|

Rebecca Long |

|

48

South Fayette’s Newest Edition | 34

|

South Fayette Upgrades Miller’s Run |

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Imperial Landfill | 38

|

Real Estate |

43

Fall Landscaping Ideas | 52 Making Your Home Accessible to All Generations | 56 INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

ON THE COVER

|

Premier Home Designs | What’s Hot in the Kitchen? | 28

|

Investment Policy in Light of Post-Debt Crisis |

By Phillip C. Henry | 45

|

Fall into Fitness by Falling in Love with Your Gym |

By Lisa Troyer | 46

|

Clark Renovations | 51

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Sports Clips | 30

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Beinhauer Family Services | 32

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Chyten Educational Services |

|

Upstream at Miller’s Run. The South Fayette Conservation Group

49

has been busy installing vanes in Miller’s Run stream off of Parks Road to clean up and restock it.

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 3

South Fayette School District

3680 Old Oakdale Road McDonald, Pennsylvania 15057 Phone 412.221.4542 Fax 724.693.0490 www.southfayette.org

Dr. Michael R. Loughead

Dear South Fayette Township Community Members, Dear South Fayette Township Community Members, My name is Dr. Michael R. Loughead and I was recently appointed as the new Assistant Superintendent for the South Fayette Township School District. My tenure began on July 1, 2011, and I wanted to introduce myself to you. As a public educator with over 28 years of service, my areas of special expertise include the areas of Curriculum Design, Data Informed Leadership, and Instructional Leadership. Most recently I served as the Assistant Superintendent at the Burrell School District. In addition, I am an adjunct professor with Gannon University in the Graduate School of Education.

Prior to my commission as Assistant Superintendent at the Burrell School District I served as Director of Pupil Services at the Pine Richland School District. Before being appointed at Pine Richland, I served as district psychologist at the Seneca Valley School District.

My credentials include: an earned doctoral degree from the University of Pittsburgh in School Leadership; the Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility from the University of Pittsburgh; and Certification in Secondary English and a Bachelor of Arts in English at Bucknell University. I also obtained a Master’s Degree in Education and Certification in School Psychology and K-12 School Counseling at Bucknell. In addition to my educational credentials I am a Licensed Psychologist.

My wife Mimi and I live in Gibsonia. Mimi is a teacher and the Early Childhood Coordinator at the DePaul School for Hearing and Speech in Pittsburgh. We have three children: Reid, Emily, and                                                                  

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South Fayette

Helen that range in age from 17 to 22. Reid recently graduated from the University of North Carolina Asheville. Emily attends Tyler School of Art at Temple University and Helen is a senior at Pine Richland High School. In my spare time I enjoy reading, biking, sailing and attending theater productions in the Pittsburgh region.

I am thrilled to have the privilege of serving as Assistant Superintendent at South Fayette. My primary responsibly is to provide Leadership in the area of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. In this capacity, I look forward to supporting the tradition of excellence that has been established in our schools and working closely with Dr. Rondinelli and the Board of School Directors in this endeavor. One of my primary goals this year is to build open communication and positive relationships with all school and community members. I plan to spend as much time as possible visiting our schools, classrooms and community events. I also thoroughly enjoy meeting and getting to know students and have a passion for talking and listening to students as they are at the heart of what we do.

I am proud to be a Lion and look forward to meeting and getting to know as many of you as possible as my South Fayette journey begins. Please feel free to stop in or give me call if I can be of any assistance. My office is located in the district administration office at the Stadium and I can be reached by phone at 412.221.4542 ext 409.

Warm regards, Dr. Michael R. Loughead Assistant Superintendent of Schools

       

 

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      

             

                             

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          

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                                      

                           

    



     



    

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    

     

        

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  

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  

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

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    

           ➣    ➣    ➣    ➣          

           

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 5

South Fayette School District

                                                                                                                                                                            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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

            







     

          

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

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 

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  

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  

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

       

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 



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  

  

 

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 

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 

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 

  

                         

                 

                       

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 7

South Fayette School District SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL 7th AND 8th GRADE FOOTBALL SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

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South Fayette School District SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY AND JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS VOLLEYBALL SECTION 3 – CLASS “AA”

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SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VARSITY SOCCER SECTION 5 – CLASS “AA”

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South Fayette School District SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS JUNIOR VARSITY FOOTBALL

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FORT CHERRY HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VARSITY TENNIS

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 13

South Fayette School District SOUTH FAYETTE MIDDLE SCHOOL 7TH & 8TH GRADE JUNIOR VARSITY & VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

SOUTH FAYETTE MIDDLE SCHOOL 7th AND 8th GRADE BOYS & GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

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South Fayette

SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VARSITY GOLF SECTION 4 – DIVISION II

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 15

South Fayette School District SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS & GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY CLASS “AA” – SECTION 5

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South Fayette

SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VARSITY FOOTBALL CLASS “AA” – SECTION I

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 17

South Fayette School District SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER SECTION 4 – CLASS “AA”

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South Fayette

SOUTH FAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS JUNIORS VARSITY SOCCER SECTION 4 – CLASS “AA”

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 19

South Fayette Township

news...

RECENT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTIONS

NEW ORDINANCES/RESOLUTIONS The Board adopted an ordinance allowing gas compressor station and distribution stations to only be permitted in I and I-P Zoning district and only though conditional use approval.

The Board adopted an ordinance establishing the role and regulations by which compressor station and distribution stations are to be constructed in the I and I-P zoning districts.

The Board adopted a resolution authorizing the submission of a community Development Block Grant for the paving of the walkway at Fairview Park.

PROJECTS AND PROGRAM The Township was awarded a grant in the amount of $15,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to installl a school warning light system on Old Oakdale Road.

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT The Board approved the Pittsburgh In-Line Hockey Rink which calls for the contraction of an indoor in-line hockey rink located in Abele Business Park.

The Board approved the Fieldcrest conditional use application to permit the development of 24 single-family housing units along Washington Pike.

The Board approved the Jeffco Site plan to permit an art studio to be located at 717 Miller’s Run Road.

The Board approved the South Fayette Township School district Site Plan to permit the construction of an intermediate school on the School district campus.

For more information on these pending plans or to learn how to provide input to the Board of Commissioners contact Township Engineer, Michael Benton at 412.221.8700.

20 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

South Fayette

HOUSE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS A NECESSITY

1234 All residences and buildings in South Fayette Township are required to have numbers visibly and prominently displayed facing the road. In fact, this small detail could be a matter of life or death when paramedics, firemen or police are dispatched to any address. If the address numbers are not visible, it will be quite difficult for emergency vehicles to locate the residence, especially at night and in dimly lit areas.

When adding or replacing numbers, please be certain they are large enough to be easily and quickly read from the street. Also, when numbers are on mailboxes, it is not always easy to identify which box belongs to which home, especially with multi-family housing. In placing the numbers on the post of a mailbox, make sure to place them on both sides of box so that the can be seen from either direction of travel. Please do your part and help our emergency services and delivery services find your home when called upon.

Stay Informed!!!

South Fayette Township has a variety of ways for its residents to stay informed on timely information about upcoming meetings, events and agendas. If you want to know the latest township news, add your name to the South Fayette E-Mail list by sending an email to mhoy@sftwp.com. You can also connect to the Township’s website at WWW.SOUTHFAYETTE.PA.US to find: • Meeting Agendas • Public Notices • Calendar of meetings • Special Notices Through the new Community Cable TV Station (46 Verizon and 14 Comcast) Township information at your fingertips at any time!!!

ALARM PERMITS Residents considering the installation of an alarm system in their home must first obtain an Alarm Device Permit from the South Fayette Township Police Department.

This is a one-time permit application and the fee is $10.00. For more information please contact the South Fayette Township Police Department at 412-221-2170.

DOGGY STUFF All dog owners are reminded that dogs must be licensed.

Applications for dog licenses are available at the municipal building but must be mailed to the address listed below. Also, dog owners are reminded that Township ordinances prohibit owners from allowing their dogs to bark and/or disrupt the peace on a continual basis. Dog owners should also be mindful to clean-up after their pets when taking them for their nightly Allegheny County walks. Owners are not permitted to Treasurer’s Office allow their dogs to relieve themselves Room 108 on public streets and/or on other’s Court House private property.

Pittsburgh, PA 15219 South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 21

South Fayette Township Residential Single Stream Recycling Program In 2011 the Township initiated it’s residential single-stream recycling program. This new program allows residents to place all recyclable items in one single recycling bin. This allows you to reduce much of your trash by recycling it. The success of our waste reduction and recycling efforts depends on all of us. South Fayette Township is doing its part to reduce waste, expenses, and to help our environment. The Township spends almost a million dollars each year to haul away garbage. By recycling more we can increase grant revenues and reduce our garbage expenses – which helps all township taxpayers. It is Township law that all households, schools and businesses recycle. Please read below for all allowable items to be recycled.

SINGLE-STREAM RECYCLING GUIDELINES All items listed below are recyclable. Place all rinsed items in ONE. PAPER ■ Blueprints ■ Books (paperback & hard back) ■ All boxes ■ Corrugated cardboard & brown paper bags ■ Egg cartons (paper or styrofoam) ■ File folders ■ Frozen food, ice cream & frozen juice containers ■ Mail (opened) & greeting cards ■ Magazines & brochures ■ Milk cartons & drink boxes ■ Newspapers & inserts ■ Phonebooks ■ Uncontaminated Pizza boxes – NO food or grease ■ Shredded paper ■ Stickers & address label sheets ■ Sticky noted & index cards ■ Styrofoam or paper to-go containers

■ ■

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Waxed paper & waxed cardboard White or pastel office paper PLASTIC 6-pack holders Bags Bottles Boxes Caps Jugs Lids Plastic number 1 through 7 Tubs

GLASS ■ Bottles ■ Ceramics ■ Jars ■ Drinking glasses ■ Plated & vases ■ Mirrors ■ Pyrex ■ Window

METAL ■ Aerosol cans (empty) ■ Aluminum foil ■ Cans ■ Jar lids ■ Steel bottle caps ■ Scrap metal Do NOT place the following items into the recycling bin: ■ Batteries ■ CDs ■ Clothing ■ Ink jet cartridges leaves ■ Light bulbs ■ Major appliances ■ Pizza boxes contaminated with food or grease ■ Tires ■ Toys

OTHER ITEMS ■ Cell phones and cell phone batteries– drop off at South Fayette Township Municipal Building ■ Clothing – to Goodwill or local drop off boxes ■ Books – Please consider donating to the South Fayette Township Library.

■ Ink jet cartridges – many local office supply stores will recycle these items ■ Leaves – Township curbside collection will be two weekends in April and two weekends in November. The Township also has a yard waste drop off center located at the Boys’ Home Park ■ Christmas tree pick-up will run from Christmas until the last week in January. Residents may also drop them off at the Boys’ Home Park Recycling Center for recycling.

■ Hazardous Material – check the newspaper, website and Cable TV station for announcement on these drop off programs or call the Township at 412-221-8700.

22 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

South Fayette

HELP NEEDED South Fayette Township Department of Parks & Recreation Tenth Annual Disabled Sportsman Deer Hunt October 20, 21 & 22, 2011 We are looking for volunteers to assist disabled hunters, conduct drives, and drag deer.

We are also in need of sponsors.

For more information contact: 412-221-8700 or jmales@sftwp.com

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 23

South Fayette Township

ADULT YOGA CLASS When Time: Place: Price:

Tuesday & Thursday Tuesday & Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Middle School P LGI Room Middle School LGI Room $10.00 per Session P $10.00 per Session

Join Heather Black for an introduction to yoga for weight loss. Classes are designed for all levels of ability.

You will need a yoga mat and one firm blanket.

Name___________________________________________________________________ Address________________________________________________________________ City_______________________________________ St___________ Zip___________ Signature________________________________ Phone(_______)__________________

No refunds after start of the program For more information contact Heather @ 412-319-7441

24 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

South Fayette

The South Fayette Township would like to thank the following Sponsors for another successful

Annual Fireworks Display.

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 25

South Fayette Township NEW FACES AT THE TOWNSHIP

John Barrett (left) Barry Miller (right) Public Works Employees

26 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

South Fayette

Michael Benton Director of Engineering/Planning

South Fayette Township Sets Dates for Township Wide Curbside Leaf Collection Pick-up South Fayette Township, in conjunction with Waste Management, will have a curbside leaf collection on November 5th and November 19th The South Fayette Township Board of Commissioners has set the date for the community wide leaf curbside collection program. Residents can place their leaves and other yard waste in biodegradable bags at curbside on Saturday, November 5, 2011 and Saturday, November 19, 2011.

All bags must be biodegradable, sealed tightly and weigh less than 251bs. Biodegradable bags are available for purchase at many local stores.

Waste Management, the Township's waste haulers, will pick up the leaves and dispose of them at a nearby leaf recycling plant. Also, the Township is pleased to announce a new and expanded leaf recycling program initiative that includes a new leaf drop-off facility. Residents may drop off leaves/yard waste in biodegradable bags at the center located at the Boys’ Home Park. This facility is open year round. This program is being offered at no additional cost to Township residents.

The Township still encourages on-site composite piles and reminds residents that the burning of leaves is prohibited in all of Allegheny County. In addition, the Township has recently opened its wood recycling center. Residents may pick-up free mulch at the center.

The wood recycling center is located at the Boys' Home Park. Please contact the Township for additional information.

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 27

What's

hot Kitchen

IN THE

As we zoom into the fall season, many people are planning their home remodeling projects. Of course, the kitchen is the most important room of your home. It is the most important room not just because of the tremendous amount of time homeowners spend in it, but because of the value that a new and updated kitchen will add to your home.Here are some things for consideration when you are planning your kitchen remodeling project.

The Kitchen & Great Room Plus Technology Open floor plans continue to be desirable in new home design and remodeling. Flat screen TV s, internet for laptops and docking stations for portable music devices allow the cook to view recipes online, email and listen to favorite music while working in the kitchen. A clever designer can allow for these items by including smartly designed storage niches or family message centers helps to incorporate technology into the design of the room.

The "Gourmet" Kitchen Because of our challenging economy, more and more families is opting to cook at home instead of ordering out. The ever growing popularity of

cooking shows and the Food Network has sparked an interest for creating exciting new recipes. Cooking parties complete with wine tasting are all the rage. Cabinets, countertops and appliance manufactures have all stepped onto this bandwagon and there are numerous options for anything a "chef' could desire.

The "Green" Kitchen The green movement continues to increase in popularity.There is a growing trend with homeowners taking responsibility for what they have in their homes. Even more than just buying appliances and lighting that is more energy efficient than ever, the emphasis is on sustainability. Many cabinet companies not only use eco- friendly product in the manufacture of their products,but also re plant forest areas that are used for harvesting for the production of cabinets. Quartz countertops are often made from recycled materials. Many of the quartz products on the market today have the appearance of stone without the required upkeep.

The kitchen continues to be the nucleus of the home. At the end of a long day,it remains the area of the home where the family gathers. Whether it be for cooking a meal together, sitting down for a family dinner, just grabbing a quick bite on the way to soccer practice, or just to talk about the activities of the day, it is the place of gathering. A well planned and organized kitchen will make the moments spend there more pleasurable.

This INdustry INsight was written by Laura Reid Riggin of Premier Home Design Center. Laura has been designing kitchens and baths for 26 years.

She has worked in new construction and remodeling. Her designs have been featured in trade magazines, television and FANtastic Kitchens Magazine. This spring, she was a semi-finalist in the Asko kitchen design competition at the National Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago.

Premier Home Design Center is conveniently located at Collier Town Square, 1597 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017. To setup an appointment or a consultation, please call 412.276.5650 or E-mail premierkitchenandbath@verizon.net or visit our website: www.premierhomedesigncenter.com.

South Fayette’s Kitchen & Bath Design Center

In this economy, an investment in your home is one of the saffest est investments you can make. Whether you plan to live in your home long term or are planning to sell your home within the next 5 years, a new kitchen and bath can offer a 30% return on your investment. Premier Home Design Center offers expertise and products designed to fit your budget. Call Premier now for for an excellent return on your biggest investment.

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South Fayette

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View magazines online Leave comments Stay in touch with your neighborhoods from a distance South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 31

Business Spotlight

LLP

Funeral, Cremation, Cemetery & Pre-Need Specialists

www.BeinhauerFamilyServices.com • Outreach program has provided us the

BeinhauerFamily Services IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE BEINHAUER NAME, YOU MUST BE NEW TO THE COMMUNITY. Beinhauer Funeral Homes have been part of the community since 1860, with six generations of the family, nurturing and growing their business, along with operating the second oldest active crematory in the United States. The Beinhauer family strives to be a part of the communities they serve.

“The family business is important to all of us, and there’s a great deal of heritage and legacy that has been established by past generations. We’re making impressions and building relationships today within our communities, continuing a legacy of heritage and trust,” says Rick Beinhauer, the company’s leader and a fifth generation family member.

Beinhauer is proud to have the sixth generation currently active in the family business with Scott Beinhauer, licensed funeral director.

The Beinhauer family serves five communities in the South Hills—Peters Township, Bethel Park, Bridgeville, Dormont/Mt. Lebanon, and Canonsburg.

Their locations are family-friendly, providing children’s rooms, cafés where food and beverages can be served, and a community room where dinners and luncheons can be scheduled.

32 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

“We have a lot of service based groups that meet in our community room. A church group meets at the Peters Township location every Sunday at 10 a.m.,” says Scott Beinhauer.

The decision to open up the community room to groups was twofold: One, it gave the funeral home a place for large groups to assemble or hold ceremonies; second, it was a way to give back to the community that has supported them over the decades.

“We wanted to make available a space that anyone in the community could use; for example, educational seminars and continuing education courses for nurses, seniors, caregivers, hospices, and veterans, to mention a few. An annual memorial service is held in the community room for any family that wishes to attend. In Bridgeville, we have a digital resource sign that not only informs the community about funeral service information, but also other community events, such as programs at the library, Rotary functions, community day, church fairs, and other newsworthy information. Our community

South Fayette

opportunity to grow and strengthen our relationships within the community.”

Beinhauers can personalize services for their clients in a way that other funeral homes can’t. No other funeral company can provide the options they can in-house with their own staff. “We’re in the business of helping families create an event or service that is an extension of their loved one’s life—something that provides a meaningful experience for the family and the community,” says Scott Beinhauer. Some of those personal touches include an interactive website, personalized DVD videos, and webcasting of funerals, which, through the use of a password protected website, can give those with physical considerations or travel limitations the ability to attend a loved one’s funeral service over the Internet.

“There are a lot of little things that are done for funerals. People create photo collages that chronicle their loved one’s life, or bring in personal items that represent one’s hobbies or lifestyles. You have the year of birth and the year of death, and then you have the dash in the middle. We focus on the dash—everything in the middle that that person has done for their family and community. We help the family celebrate and honor the life that was lived,” says Scott Beinhauer.

The Beinhauer family also manages Woodruff Memorial Park Cemetery, located on Route 19 in North Strabane Township. The newly constructed Community Mausoleum offers magnificent crypt entombment as well as extensive cremation niches, including bronze and beveled glass and a beautiful indoor chapel. Adjacent to the human cemetery, Peaceful Pastures provides a final resting place for pets of any kind, including the area’s only pet funeral and cremation center, which houses its own crematory. For more information on Beinhauer Family Funeral Homes and their cemetery and cremation options, call 724.969.0200 or visit them at www.beinhauer.com.

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With South Fayette growing by leaps and bounds with new housing developments, a new community center in the works and a commercialresidential project of a massive scale, it’s no surprise that even the library is growing as well.

Rebecca Long is South Fayette’s new director and IN South Fayette caught up with her to introduce her to the residents and to see what she has planned for the library.

1. What brought you to South Fayette?

“I knew it was time to move on from my previous position. I had spent almost seven years advising and training library directors how to work with boards, fundraising, grant writing, human resources, collection development… pretty much everything under the sun in library land. I had been looking for another position for a while and I was starting to feel like Sam from Quantum Leap, not being able to move on, then I interviewed for the Director position at South Fayette and here we are.”

2. What strengths do you feel the library has currently, and where do you see the library needing some bolstering?

“When I first started in early April, I was pleasantly surprised by the steady stream of traffic throughout the library during our operating hours. The library has a well-rounded collection for a 1,900 square foot library serving a population of over 14,000 – all-in-all, pretty good for the truly extreme space issues faced by this facility. Our collection, combined with sharing resources with other ACLA libraries and Carnegie Library of 34 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

Pittsburgh, is serving the township and users from surrounding communities well. Of course, there is always room for improvement, and we are always looking for ways to better our services to the public. We have a strong children’s program featuring story times three days a week, 12 public access computers and free Wi-Fi. Additionally, the library has a strong network of volunteers, as well as a Friends of the Library group who help support our day to day activities.

Naturally, as with pretty much every library in the Commonwealth, we need to continue to grow strong local financial support. The state aid pot is getting smaller and smaller and RAD (Regional Asset District) funds do not supplant local

“…I want to make sure that people know how powerful that library card in their wallet or attached to their key-ring is: with your library card you can borrow from and return to any library in Allegheny County, including Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.”

South Fayette

Rebecca Long Director, South Fayette Library

funding, but enhance county-wide library services.

Public libraries are not always recognized as an essential community service, yet we are. Story time programs are linked to educational success.

We provide easily accessible resources on health & wellness (diet, exercise, disease), financial issues, career transitions, parenting, and multitudes topics that affect and influence people’s daily lives. We are part of this community’s civic and social interactions.

We provide an economical outlet for family enrichment and entertainment through story hours, book clubs and movie lending.

Moving to a new library that will literally be five times larger than our current facility, yet much more suited to serve the community than our current facility, will mean significant increases in operating costs. Currently, I am working with the board on a five-year plan that will address some of these upcoming financial increases and examining various options for evolving the library’s business model.”

3. Did you have any input into the new Star City facility or was that before your time? If you didn’t have any input, what’s your evaluation of the design and what do you feel will be its best attributes? What will library-goers enjoy at the new facility that they don’t have now?

“The delays in the start date for the project has allowed for me to work with the library board, [Township Manager] Mike Hoy, the architect and a few other key persons to review the decisions that have been made to date. Library service is based on core concepts such as

Reference Services, Reader’s Advisory, etc. Today we are moving away from some traditional library notions and beliefs to embrace service models more reflective of community needs . If one looks at the some of the truly innovative and successful library services throughout the county at the present time, these libraries are re-interpreting and reinventing library services from A to Z: from the moment you walk in the door with how the space is presented to how people access the collection. I feel we have this opportunity in South Fayette now – to create something truly unique and innovative, and I am honored to be able to be part of this planning aspect for the Civic Center project. I think the thing people will really truly enjoy about the new facility will actually be having space, being able to see from one end of the library to the other. Libraries these days are less about being warehouses and more about engaging the people using their community library, because at the end of the day, the library is the community’s space and it is our mission to meet South Fayette’s educational, informational, and recreational needs.”

4. You are a young library director – does that play a part in the library’s development i.e., would you be more accepting of technology in the library or does technology such as e-readers depend more so on library finances?

“Actually there are a fair amount of people around my age with oodles of professional experience who are heads of library systems, including Greene, Centre and Clarion Counties.

There are several younger library directors right here in the ACLA West Region including myself, Sto-Rox and Green Tree, and plenty throughout the county as a whole. Also I look younger than I really am, so that helps (and hinders).

In general, librarians are probably, no matter what their age, the most open and willing people when it comes to embracing, understanding and offering access to new technologies. Libraries are often the gateway to help many people navigate their way with new technologies. We, as a profession and as businesses serving the public, need to be able to help our customers when they come in needing assistance with their e-reader using the free county-wide downloadable e-book service or when they what to know what Google+ is, or when they need help to set up an e-mail account so that they can apply for a job online.

As for incorporating some of these items into our current operations, I would love to be able to have e-readers available for public use, but we are limited financially. We are looking for grant funds for techie stuff for the new library, but that is a ways off. So if anyone has an older generation ereader they are looking to do something with when they upgraded or even an old Kindle so we could set up an Amazon lending account – please consider us for a tax deductible donation!”

5. I remember you mentioned you were pregnant – would you be willing to share some info about your family? Do you live in the township? How many children total? What do you all enjoy doing together?

“Yup. I am married. My husband and I have a son who will be four in August. We will be welcoming an addition to our family this November. We live in Hopewell Township in

Beaver County, not too far from the Pittsburgh International Airport. No, it is not a long drive – about a half hour, so plenty less suffering than a lot of area commuters go through on a daily basis.

My husband and I work opposite shifts so things can get a little crazy scheduling wise, but it works for us.

We spend A LOT of time outside. Our son is a little ball of energy, so we go hiking and walking a good bit. We spent last weekend at Settler’s Cabin and then water balloons when we got back home.

I think this weekend we are supposed to go camping in West Virginia. Obviously we do a lot of reading and pre-school activities as well, but sometimes we just veg-out and watch something silly like ‘SpongeBob’.”

6. Is it more challenging or exciting to be a new director going into a new facility?

“It depends on the day that I am mulling over this question, but for now challenging and exciting seem to be tied.”

7. I know that libraries rely heavily on volunteers, both on the board, and on the floor.

Will the new facility open up any new volunteer opportunities for residents that you can think of?

“We have a wonderful, strong volunteer base here at the library—and the age range is from school students to retiree – so it is a wonderful mix of people through the community! Of course, the Board of Directors are volunteers and residents of South Fayette appointed by the Township Commissioners.

We have an amazing group of folks who are the Friends of the South Fayette Township Library. The Friends hold various fundraisers, including the recent June book-sale held at the Senior Center, for the library and several even volunteer at the library. The Friends act as our fundraising wing and are always looking for new members, either active or donating.

Currently we have between 12-15 people who consistently volunteer their time to help with

library programs, process library materials such as books and DVDs, shelve returned materials, and help us with boring but important tasks like checking lists for materials that are listed as missing, billed or in-transit. This information helps the professional staff know if and what we need to replace and helps us keep a clean record of what we have available to customers. We are always actively looking for people who have ideas and are willing to contribute to the library’s mission.

Hopefully when we move into the new facility we can create an even stronger, more focused volunteer program. I would love to have job descriptions for volunteers and a volunteer coordinator. There is so much that can be done at a library with a successful volunteer program and I do believe that this community has the right spirit to make that happen.”

8. South Fayette has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. With so many new residents, and so many new residents to come with the Newbury project, if you could tell one of them - “The best thing about South Fayette Library is” fill in the blank, what would you tell them? “…the diverse growing community that we represent.”

9. Some communities, such as Pine and Richland townships, support a satellite library location of the Northern Tier Regional Library in the Pine-Richland High School. With the new library location being a good distance from the South Fayette High School, does that possibility exist for the township?

“It is my understanding that the library arrangements above were formed under very unique circumstances. Actually, the new Civic Center at the former Star City location is only five miles from the South Fayette School District Complex, not a surmountable distance. That being said, the South Fayette Townships library’s job is to support, not supplant, the efforts of South Fayette School District, and hopefully opportunities exist for cooperating and rotating collections between the two entities or other exciting cooperative programs that could be developed between the public and school libraries serving the K-12 population. “ 10. Anything else you’d like to say that I didn’t ask?

“No, but I would like to thank everyone I have met so far in my new position. Everyone has been very welcoming, supportive and friendly.

Also, I want to make sure that people know how powerful that library card in their wallet or attached to their key-ring is: with your library card you can borrow from and return to any library in Allegheny County, including Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Your library card gives you access to free downloadable e-books, e-audio and e-video, as well as a variety of research databases, the TERC test-prep database and MANGO Languages. You can find links to all these resources on our website at www.southfayettelibrary.org, or please call us at 412.257.8600, and we can answer any questions that you may have.”

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 35

South Fayette Township Library 515 Millers Run Rd. / P.O. Box 436 Morgan, PA 15064 412.257.8660 www.southfayettelibrary.org Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Friday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday: CLOSED

MONDAY EVENINGS 6:30-7:30 PM. Chess Club. For children in grades K-8. Our first session of the school year runs from September 12 through October 17, with a tournament on Saturday, October 22 from 1-3 p.m. Participants must attend at least 4 Monday evening sessions to be eligible for the Saturday afternoon tournament. Beginners and experienced players are welcome. Players receive half-anhour of play and half-an-hour of strategy instruction. To register, click on Events at http://www.southfayettelibrary.org or call 412-257-8660. Registration is now required, as space is limited.

program develops early language, motor and social skills. No registration is required.

THURSDAY MORNINGS, SEPTEMBER 15OCTOBER 20 9:30-10:30 AM. Preschool Science I. Do you have a young scientist who is eager to explore.

For ages 2-6 years with caregivers. Class themes include dinosaurs, color science, magnets, milk, the moon, senses, magic and bugs. All classes have fun and gooey, hands-on science experiments. To register, click on Events at http://www.southfayettelibrary.org , or call 412-257-8660. Fees may apply. Check website for details.

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY MORNINGS

FRIDAY MORNINGS

10:30-11:00 AM. Mother Goose Story Time. For little ones from birth-3 years and their caregivers.

We sing songs, perform finger plays, read books and enjoy flannel board stories. This gentle

10:30-11:00 AM. Tales ‘N Tunes Story Time. For ages 3-5 years with caregivers. We sing songs (with motions), read stories and enjoy age-appropriate art activities. This high-energy

program develops language, math, motor and social skills. No registration is required.

EVERY 4TH MONDAY OF THE MONTH 6:30-7:30 PM. Adult Book Club.

Book club members have a lively discussion and suggest their favorite books for upcoming sessions. Click on Events at http://www.southfayettelibrary.org or call 412-257-8660 to register or request books. Registration is requested, but not required.

EVERY 3ND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH 12:00-1:00 PM. PALS Book Club.

Bring a brown bag lunch and join PALS members for a spirited book discussion. Book selections are bestsellers recommended by club members and Barnes & Noble Booksellers. This program is co-sponsored by the Allegheny County Library Association. To register, click on Events at http://www.southfayette library.org or call 412-257-8660.

Registration is requested, but not required. Pick up your book at the beginning of the program month at the library checkout desk.

EVERY 4TH TUESDAY OF THE MONTH 6:30-7:30 PM. Ted Talks Adult Discussion Group. Ted Talks are “riveting talks by remarkable people.” (See www.ted.com.)

Participants will watch a Ted Talk (approx. 20 minutes) on a topic such as technology, entertainment, business, science or a global issue, then enjoy a discussion of “ideas worth spreading.” Don Balya will lead discussions on September 27, October 25 and November 22.

EVERY 3RD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH 6:30-7:30 PM. Magic Tree House Club. The Magic Tree House series inspires crafts, readings, science experiments, film clips and other adventures

36 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

South Fayette

for children with a 2nd to 4th grade reading level. To register, click on Events at http://www.southfayettelibrary.org or call 412-257-8660. Registration is required, and space is limited.

The adventures begin on September 15.

ONE SATURDAY A MONTH Young Writers Program for Grades 6-8. The Young Writers Program is a fun, free writing program where middle school teens (grades 6-8) who share a passion for writing explore their craft. Teens write novels and scripts, share word-count goals and achievements, and brainstorm with other writers via online message boards. Brittany Ketter, a seasoned NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and ScriptFrenzy veteran, guides teens through the Young Writers Program. Participants learn about inciting incidents, character building, plot making, dialogue

and also work to improve writing skills, grammar and formatting of novels. To check dates and register, click on Events at http://www.southfayettelibrary. org or call 412-257-8660.

Registration is requested, but not required.

ONE SATURDAY A MONTH Writers Unleashed! for Grades 912. Writers Unleashed! is the Young Writers Program directed

by Brittany Ketter and designed for high school teens who share a passion for writing. At Writers Unleashed!, participants learn the art of storytelling, sharpen their writing skills and learn how to create inciting incidents, build strong characters, develop plots and work through dialogue.

Participants also write a novel and, if desired, are taken through the publishing process.

To check dates and register, click

on Events at http://www.southfayettelibrary.org or contact Brittany Ketter at v412-257-8660 or ketterb@einetwork.net.

Registration is requested, but not required.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12 11:00-1:00 PM. Flu & Pneumonia

Shot Clinic. American Heath Care Group will be providing flu shots.

There is no charge to the Medicare Insured for flu or pneumonia shots, if a Medicare Part B health insurance card is presented at the time of vaccination. There is a reimbursable $25 charge to those with valid health insurance. Please call 412-2578660 to register.

Become a Friend of the Library The Friends of the South Fayette Township Library Group is looking for members. If you’re interested in library advocacy and helping the library provide quality materials and programming, come join us. Pressed for time? You can help a little or a lot, depending on your schedule. Call Friends President, Lois Levi at (412) 969-1396.

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 37

Imperial Landfill

FUN FACTS

It takes in 1,700 tons of garbage every day from 220 trucks.

I

t seems oxymoronic to describe a landfill as “clean.” If you’re a resident of the West Allegheny region, all of your non-recyclable garbage leaves the curb via hardworking trash haulers, travels down the road to Imperial and is dumped at the Imperial Landfill, which is run by Republic Services.

That’s the image in your head, probably, and it would be correct, except “dumped” is a misleading term. There’s no mountain of trash surrounded by swarming birds picking open sun-baked trash bags.

In fact, the reality is, well, clean.

Brett Bowker, general manager for Republic, said the reason for the landfill’s cleanliness isn’t just for public relations, but for efficient landfill management surpassing what’s expected of them by agencies such as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Allegheny County Health Department, both of which inspect the landfill regularly and permit the site for operations.

From the moment one of the more than 200 garbage trucks enters the site to deposit their haul, they are met with multiple systems tasked with keeping the landfill as clean and orderly as possible.

The first thing that happens with every truck is that it is weighed at a scale house at the front gate. The entire truck rolls onto a giant scale. As the driver checks in with the scale house operator, the scale reads the tonnage of the truck. After the truck deposits its trash, it’s weighed upon exiting the landfill and the difference in the before and after weights is recorded.

The trash hauler’s operating company then pays fees to the landfill based on that number. But not only is the truck weighed at the gate, it’s also scanned for radioactive materials. Bowker said the detector is so sensitive that it has been known to pick up radioactivity from the disposable undergarments of people who have undergone chemotherapy, which uses radioactive chemicals to fight cancer. If anything radioactive happens to be detected, the truck is parked and searched by authorities to uncover the cause and remove the offending matter for proper disposal.

O

nce a truck has been checked in, it makes its way down a long, winding road to the day’s active work site – a section of the landfill that’s about the width of six garbage trucks parked side by side. Each truck will back into the site, dump their hauls and head back down the road. What happens to the trash next is key to the landfill’s organization and success.

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South Fayette

It collects gas from hundreds of wells onsite for renewable energy.

It’s estimated to be in operation for another 39 years before reaching capacity.

For added security, a base of 8 feet of dirt is laid over the liner before garbage starts filling it in. As it fills in the hole, it’s covered with dirt and more garbage, eventually growing to about 30 to 40 feet high. Each night, workers cover the day’s trash with a layer of dirt, to alleviate odors and keep trash from blowing about the site. Once it reaches its maximum height, it is capped with the same liner, covered over with dirt and seeded just like a field. With the passage of time, the landfill begins to look more like natural, rolling hills. In 40 years, if it’s decommissioned, the site may become home to passive recreational facilities such as a golf course, or simply green space.

Gas from decomposing garbage is collected via a system of hundreds of interconnected wells, refined onsite by a contracted refinery, and sold to various outside interests. Literally nothing is wasted, and the site is able to actively contribute to the energy needs of the region.

D A bulldozer pushes the dumped trash into a mound, on top of which, a 55-ton compactor – a giant machine with spiky, steel tires – drives over and over the trash, flattening it as far as it will go. At the end of each work day, the active work site is covered with a layer of dirt and another site is made ready for the next day’s haul. All of this

activity starts below ground, where the landfill is excavated to about 30 feet deep. A thick plastic liner is laid into the pit, ensuring that no trash or leachate seeps into the soil. The liner is described by Bowker as a giant trash bag that the garbage sits in. However, the material is thick, rigid and practically impervious to ripping, tearing or puncturing.

avid Borowicz, environmental manager for the landfill, said the amount of gas collected via the site’s 339 wells for 2010 was 900 million standard cubic feet of gas. That converts to the equivalent of 155,070 barrels of crude oil. A sister Republic landfill in Loraine County provides enough power to meet the needs of 8,500 homes with the gas collected from its wells.

“It’s enough to power a small town or city,” he said. “It’s not just one home’s worth of power generation, it’s thousands.”

Jeff Kraus, spokesman for Republic Services, said the company, which is based in Phoenix, has 30,000 employees servicing 193 landfills in 40 states. It also operates 76 recycling centers as well, and is very innovative when it comes to green technology and programs.

“We have landfill gas-to-energy programs

Continued on page 40

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 39

more

Imperial Landfill

It takes in waste from most of Western Pennsylvania.

FUN FACTS

Continued from page 39 all across America. Anheiser-Busch in Houston and General Motors in Fort Wayne use our landfill gas for electricity in their plants,” he said. “When visitors come here, they always go away impressed with our operations. We actually have people on site who will go and pick up litter. These are extra steps that we do to help keep our site clean and efficient.”

Borowicz said that the site also has 32 groundwater monitoring wells that are tested quarterly, with results reported to multiple regulatory agencies.

“These facilities are very monitored,” Kraus said. “A lot of data is collected on landfills. Landfills are the most sanitary and best way to dispose of waste.

Because of our professionals, every day of their lives are devoted to the operations of our landfills. We take pride in our operations. We also take pride in our employee safety here. That’s very important. Safety is something that everybody from office to operations are conscious of safety and it’s reinforced here.”

O

n their way back to the weigh-house, the trucks pass through an automatic rinsing station, which is essentially a drive-in bath tub with six automatic spray nozzles that wash the lower half of the truck and undercarriage, guaranteeing that no loose garbage finds its way on the roadway leading to and from the facility. Water trucks also routinely drive up and down the road leading up to the dump site, spraying water to eliminate dust and particulates from becoming airborne. The work is endless, starting at midnight 40 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE

South Fayette

It follows strict guidelines and regimens to ensure that all groundwater, rainwater and leachate (water that comes into contact with garbage) is tested, treated if necessary, and disposed of in accordance with the law.

each night. Trucks end their deliveries by 3 p.m. to allow landfill workers to cover up the day’s active work phase and start a new phase for the next day.

While it might be endless, not to mention thankless work, Krauss and Bowker said the work does have peaks and troughs just like any other industry.

“Typically your summer months are heavier than your winter months because construction’s going on, people are cleaning their houses, things like that,” Bowker said.

Kraus added that the economy also has impacted the garbage business.

“People are buying fewer things and they’re disposing of fewer things, and I’ve observed that at some of other landfills, like in Ohio, that has resulted in a decrease in garbage at those sites,” he said.

When the site finally does wind up its life of operations 39 years from now, it will continue to be monitored and regulated for decades to come.

Borowicz said the closure period on landfills in Pennsylvania is 30 years, so during that time, while there won’t be any new garbage added to the site, wells will continue to collect gas, and officials will continue to monitor groundwater, storm water runoff and numerous other indicators to ensure the site remains properly capped. Republic will continue monitoring the site as well, during that closure period.

After that time, Kraus said anything could happen.

“There are former landfill sites that are golf courses. Others have been turned into nature areas,” he said. “It takes a while to get there, but over time, uses can be found.”

“We have landfill gas-toenergy programs all across America. AnheiserBusch in Houston and General Motors in Fort Wayne use our landfill gas for electricity in their plants,” David Borowicz, environmental manager

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SPECIAL VALUES COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 41

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      



he South Fayette Conservation Group has been busy writing grants, and this summer, rolled their sleeves up for the work that grant funding supports by installing vanes in Miller’s Run stream off of Parks Road.

The vanes are essentially tree trunks anchored to the streambed by rebar and rocks so that they don’t get washed downstream should a major flood occur. Once they’re in place, the vanes will create a natural barrier in the stream to slow its flow and encourage fish to create habitats in the slow pools.

Cindy Cox, South Fayette Commissioner and member of the Conservation Group, said the project is funded through two years’ worth of grants from water conservation groups – one awarded to the township, and one to the conservation group. The group is eligible to apply for $5,000 grants annually, she said.

Cox first learned about the program through a demonstration in the North Hills.

“The Fish and Boat Commission, along with the Allegheny Conservation District, built some in the North Hills and we went up and observed,” she said.

“It was a really nice stream, and I asked them, ‘Well, our stream’s really impaired. Would you recommend we put them in here?’ And they said, ‘Oh absolutely.’ ” Cox said there is so much wrong with thestream — ranging from mine drainage to steep banks — and that doing projects like this are the first steps in a long process.“The funding primarily covers the materials,”

Cox said. “The township is committing public works help and heavy machinery to get the materials in place. We also have volunteers helping with the project. The idea is to improve the best part of the stream, so you get the biggest bang for your buck.”



any people who live in South Fayette and familiar with Miller’s Run might question why the rehabbing project is even taking place at all because the more visible parts of the stream are bright orange due to iron deposits from the old coal mines beneath the township.

“You would be surprised,” Cox said. “This part of the stream is actually stocked. They stock it with trout on the Cecil side and it does support a variety of aquatic life.

Once this is in place, we can work more downstream with cleaning up the water there.”

That process, while simplistic on paper, will take not only funding, but physical space, she said.

“The way they do it is they create a series of pools. The first collects the water and releases it slowly to the next pool, and it’s a little cleaner. That water is released to another pool and is a little cleaner than the pool before. At the end of the process, you’d never know it was the same water,” Cox said. “But that requires having Continued on page 44 South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 43

Despite pollution in parts of the stream, there are signs of life in Miller’s Run.

Continued from page 43 the space to create the pools, and we just don’t have that in place right now.”

In other parts of the stream, flooding has created steep embankments which not only speed up flood waters, but are hazardous to people traversing the area, especially on motorized vehicles such as ATVs, because the embankments have no indication that they conceal steep drops to the stream bed below.

“Essentially, there’s nothing holding the water back, in these areas, and it just scoured out the banks,” she said. “This project will improve this good area, and it will help slow the water down, so downstream, it’s definitely an improvement, and then we can prioritize areas downstream that need further help.”



n some places, Cox said, the stream actually disappears.

“What’s happening is there are voids in the mine and the stream goes down into the mine and then it pops back up somewhere else,” she said.

“We are looking at grouting the stream, which will reduce that and restore the stream. It’s a very long process, but we hope that eventually it will be completed.”

Because of the workload, the South Fayette Conservation Group is always looking for volunteers; however, due to the nature of some of the projects, those with small children are encouraged to help out in other ways, rather than bringing the children on-site where they can be at risk from heavy machinery and other obstacles.

“We can always use volunteers. There’s a lot going on,” she said. “Some are small projects, some are major. There’s never any lack of projects.”

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      

INdustry Insight

 

What will the impact to investors be due to this most recent crisis?

By Philip C. Henry, ChFC, CFS On August 2nd, President Obama quickly signed the Budget Control Act (Senate 365 as amended) after passage by the Senate 74 to 26. The House passed its version one day earlier by a vote of 269 to 161. The new law raises the debt limit to avoid a projected August 2 default and creates a bipartisan joint select committee on deficit reduction. (source: Yahoo Finance) We try not to be overtly political in this magazine as well as towards our clients, realizing that each person has their own unique views and beliefs. Yet we feel compelled to offer our perspective on these most recent debates as well as our perception as to its effects on the stock market. Without having to preface each point with, ‘in our opinion”, please know that these eight points are, “our opinions”: 1. The markets have rallied nearly 90% off the lows of March, 2009.

Volatility and even corrections (defined as a 10% drop) are inevitable. (source: Yahoo Finance) 2. There is little concern that the US can’t pay its bills. This was a political event, not a financial one.

3. The professionals at Henry Wealth Management believe in building investment portfolios with via a “passive investment strategy”.

The bedrock of this belief system is to globally allocate assets in a proper stock-to-bond ratio, based on one’s goals, time frames and propensities to risk. Once the allocation is chosen, unless there is a bona fide change to a person’s goals, we need to stay invested!

4. It is an easy decision to get out of the markets- fear is a compelling driver to help pull that lever. It is not knowing or frankly, having the courage to get back in at the right time that kills returns. The 90% run up mentioned in point 1 assumes that investors were “in” at the bottom, not “back in” at some point along the ascent.

5. The current sell-off and market drop seems to be overdone and overly dramatic, driven by politically-charged fears and fueled by nonstop media coverage. Investors won’t be satisfied for any length of time sitting in low yielding treasuries. I wonder if those who bailed out will get back in after things “calm down” (good luck defining that) and after stock prices rise to ensure that their exit and re-entrance only serves to lock in losses.

6. Pundits can’t have it both ways. The two recent and massive “Keynesian” stimulus spending packages, dubbed “Quantitative Easing 1 and 2” seemingly have not helped our economy. Others now say that cutting spending will hurt the economy. Well, which is it? For us, we allocate assets** for long-term purposes and thus, despite short-term polar opposite rhetoric or actions, do not want to be derailed in our approach.

Footnote: The Budget Control Act does not actually cut spending- it only reduces the amount of scheduled annual increases.

7. On a positive note; We do like the fact that an emerging voice in our nation’s capital appears to be supportive of a shrinking government and true spending reductions. Credit card usage and balances by consumers is certainly trending downward.* Our government needs to follow suit. We believe this will help our economy and financial markets over the long-run.

8. On a positive note, #2; Talk of a balanced budget amendment is

nearing a fever-pitch. Hopefully term limits for Congress will not be far behind. These two items could help immeasurably! It’s all about incentives, which present members of Congress do not have. Many seemingly vote to keep their jobs and cater to their largest donors.

Taking away lifetime jobs and forcing them to live with a balanced budget may allow them to do the right things for the right reasons without the repercussion of a re-election loss. Again, we see this as helpful for our economy and financial markets.

Philip C. Henry, ChFC, CFS, is the President of Henry Wealth Management, LLC, an independent financial services firm located at 1370 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA. He offers Securities and Investment Advisory Services through NFP Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. This article was co-authored with Daniel L. Henry, CLU and the firm’s Vice President. Dan offers Securities through NFP Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. NFP Securities, Inc. is not affiliated with Henry Wealth Management, LLC. Phil may be reached at 412-838-0200 or through email at . The firm’s website is . The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the authors and may not necessarily reflect those held by NFP Securities, Inc. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendation. NFP Securities, Inc. does not provide legal or tax advice. Past Performance does not guarantee future results. * Refer to “Credit limits and usage” section. **Using asset allocation as part of your investment strategy neither assures nor guarantees better performance and cannot protect against loss of principal due to changing market conditions.

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     

1370 W A S H I N G T O N P I K E , S U I T E 403 | B R I D G E V I L L E , PA 15017 P H O N E : 412-838-0200 | W W W .H E N R Y W E A LT H . C O M South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 45

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  

ealth clubs can be intimidating. Gym equipment can be overwhelming, especially when you have no idea how to use it. Gym clothing, gym etiquette and hard core gym enthusiasts can sometimes make it difficult to actually fall in love with your gym. I have been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and even when I am out of my realm or in a different city, I find it difficult popping into another gym and feeling comfortable. I think to myself, “Geez, if I feel uneasy walking into unfamiliar territory, I can’t imagine how someone feels that is completely new to the whole gym scene.”

I moved to Pittsburgh 24 years ago. I absolutely loved the gym that I had left before moving and it took me a very long time to find one here that I could love as much. It was strange, because certainly there were plenty of gyms in the area that offered the exact same amenities that I was used to, but I still struggled. It didn’t take long to realize that the problem was simple; I missed my “gym buddies.” We would meet there after work

almost every night. It was familiar, it was comfortable and most of all it was a blast.

Grabbing a friend to workout with is probably one of the easiest ways to calm the nerves and help you fall in love with your gym. Quality time spent together strengthening your friendship as you strengthen your muscles.

If you can’t convince a friend to exercise with you, there are other things that you can do to achieve those “love” feelings. For one, you need to realize that the majority of people that frequent the gym are people just like you – just regular folks.

Hold your head high and walk through those front doors. Get on a consistent schedule and you’ll start noticing the same people there

most of the time. You’ll soon feel like part of that tribe; people who are all trying to reach the same goal - physical fitness and a love for it.

Most gyms offer a wide variety of group fitness classes. You can vary your weekly schedule and never get bored. Again, hold your head high and walk right into the group fitness room. Sure, there may be those one or two individuals that have a “spot” in the class and you’ll want to stay out of their way; but in my experience I find people in general warm and welcoming. Most members haven’t forgotten that they were once that new kid in class too.

If you have a busy life (and seriously, who doesn’t?) think of your gym as your haven.

Don’t look at it like working out; look at it as de-stressing. Your gym is your own personal retreat. It is crucial time that you have set aside for yourself. Adopt the attitude that fitness is fun and make it a priority. What’s not to love about that?

The health benefits of regular exercise cannot be overlooked. Joining a gym is the easy part. Staying consistent and sticking with your program are the hard parts. But if you’re in love with your gym, there will be nothing that keeps you from “falling” into fitness.

This INdustry INsight was written

by Lisa Troyer. Lisa has been in the fitness industry for more than 17 years and is the owner of Fitness Fanatics in the Great Southern Shopping Center.

She currently holds four nationally recognized fitness and personal training certifications and can be reached at 412.220.4190, ext. 3 or at fitnessfanatics@verizon.net.

Check out www.fitnessfanaticsinc.com for more great fitness tips.

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South Fayette

EDUCATION The question of whether breakfast really does impact a student’s school day has been around forever. Students have been tested in studies since the early 1950’s, and ever since then, it has been widely accepted that students who eat breakfast perform better academically.

If you look at the idea of eating breakfast before school simply, it seems pretty obvious as to the benefits. You go to bed at night on a relatively empty stomach. You sleep roughly eight hours without consuming any food, and then wake up for school in the morning. If you don’t eat breakfast, then you are going into a full day without replenishing your body. Doesn’t

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make a whole lot of sense, does it?

Terrill Bravender is a professor of pediatrics at Duke University, and Bravender he breaks it this down in simple terms: “Without glucose, our brain simply doesn’t operate as well. People have difficulty understanding new information, they have a problem with visual and spatial understanding, and they don’t remember things as well.” Glucose is the brain’s basic fuel. You wouldn’t take your car on an eight-hour road trip without filling up the gas tank first, would you?

The next step is to maximize your breakfast potential by choosing foods that will allow you to raise your blood -sugar level, but won’t cause a dramatic fall after a few hours. Most experts agree that any breakfast is better than no breakfast at all, but there are certain types of breakfast foods that will raise your blood -sugar levels slowly, and therefore will give you enough energy to last the entire morning.

Sugary cereals are usually a favorite among young children, but these cereals will quickly raise the blood -sugar level, and but then drop off a few hours later, leaving children sluggish before lunch. On the other hand, oatmeal contains roughly the same amount of sugar, but it also has more protein and fiber, and therefore has an overall lower glycemic index. The oatmeal will raise the blood-sugar levels for the student and which will last them throughout the morning.

Now, I have to admit, I was never a“morning” person,” and I always preferred sleeping in to having breakfast. My mom always made me eat breakfast as a child, but when I was old enough, I chose to opt out of it. I did well academically, went on to college, and then graduated from law school. I figured breakfast really wasn’t as important as everyone always thought it was, and I was sure many other people agreed with me. I conducted my own small survey with of friends and acquaintances on whether they all ate breakfast every morning growing up before school. To my surprise, out of twenty men and women that I surveyed, I was one of only two people who responded that did not eat breakfast on a regular basis. Eighteen others responded that they ate breakfast every single day growing up, and still do to this day. These eighteen 18 people are all very successful and have jobs ranging from psychologists to lawyers to fashion merchandisers.

Clearly, most people agree with the years of studies that show that students do better academically when they choose to start their day with breakfast. Next time you wake up a little late, or think that breakfast is not as important as everyone says, think again. Go ahead and grab a yogurt on your way out the door, because,remember, any breakfast is better than no breakfast at all.

Citations: “A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child’s Brainpower” – Allison Aubrey, August 31, 2006; npr.com South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 47

EDUCATION

         reschool-aged children are defined by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education as 2.5 to 5 years. These are some of the most crucial learning years of a child’s life. In fact a child’s ability to pick up languages peaks in the first three to four years of a child’s life. Also by the age of four, a child has begun to learn the concept of sharing and begins more social interaction with his peers. For this reason, choosing a preschool may be as important as choosing a college will be in later years.

According to Bob Santo, who has over 20 years of experience working with children and is owner of the Goddard School in Peters Township, there are several key points that a parent should seriously consider before enrolling their

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South Fayette

child in a preschool.

First of all, are the teachers certified in CPR and first aid? Although the State of Pennsylvania only requires one individual to be on the premises who is certified, a far more ideal situation is a school that requires

all of its staff to be certified. Also, be sure to examine the educational level of the staff.

Pennsylvania preschool teachers are not required by law to have a 4-year degree; although some schools employ only those with bachelor degrees.

Another important aspect of any school is the décor. Is it a bright and cheerful environment that encourages learning and play? Does it lend itself well to creativity and physical activities?

Santo also feels that a school that emphasizes multicultural activities is important, because we live in a multicultural world. At his particular school,

Spanish and sign language classes are taught as an ongoing curriculum. Santo points out, “It was once thought that teaching a child several languages at a young age would only confuse them. But we now know that children have an amazing ability to compartmentalize languages, without mixing English with Spanish or [other languages.] In fact, they have the ability to learn up to four languages at this age.”

Do your homework! Make sure that your child’s preschool is accredited by a well-known and established accreditation organization. Although the State of Pennsylvania audits preschools to make sure safety requirements are met, no particular academic standards are required. Santo estimates that less than 30% of preschools are accredited.

In the Canon Mac area there are over 12 accredited preschools to choose from when making a decision. Parents can explore the best options of each to make certain the program fits their child rearing philosophy.

Finally make sure that your child’s school has an open door policy where parents are welcomed at any time to visit the school and to observe classes. This ensures the integrity of the school and its staff.

Business Spotlight



academic groove

   

High school students, it’s time to plan your backto-school strategy and hit the ground running!!

Call Chyten to get you ahead with the school curriculum leaving you time on your schedule to balance educational achievements with finding yourself through sports, drama, crew, tennis, etc. In addition to getting you an academic head start, Chyten can help you get the edge needed to prepare for the College applications, standardized tests like SAT, ACT, ISEE. Manjri Gupta, the Owner-Director of Chyten South Hills Center, said “Chyten stands apart by providing an exclusive study material and curriculum taught by certified Masters or Ph.D educators.

We integrate everything the student needs towards higher education. Our programs include books, materials, diagnostic tests, question banks and test-taking strategies that are available exclusively only to our students.

Our curriculum team constantly researches and keeps up on the changes taking place in education and college admissions to ensure our methodologies are current and effective.”

“We bring the most qualified tutors, curriculum, accountability, feedback loop and results driven processes to our sessions. The systems we have put in place ensure results students seek for themselves. Helping students find success in college is our focus,” Gupta said.

“We offer private, semi private and small-group classes with no more

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than ten students in a class. Our format ensure dynamic discussion between students and educators allowing them to know how each student is performing,” Gupta said. “All of the work takes place at our education center, a state-of-the-art facility with individual tutoring rooms.

Our methods have had a tremendous track record of success. We have successfully delivered an average of 274 points gain on SAT scores, and 4 to 7 point gain on ACT scores. Several of our students have achieved near perfect scores. In addition going from C to A, or A to A+ is something that we strive for and deliver.”

“Great grades and standardized scores are only part of the equation. Securing college admission of choice needs careful planning and well thought out strategy. Chyten provides desired levels of college counseling that helps student balance academics, desired college life with the intended career path in mind,” Gupta said. “College application process is time consuming and expensive. Without proper guidance lot of good money and time go to waste. Last thing you want to do is change your major or college because you did not think through it and did not like what you selected. We plan the college application process for students, achieving college selection process steadily and consistently with your intended career and life choices in mind.”

For more information on Chyten, and what its professional tutors can do for your student, go to: www.chyten.com or call 412.833.6060. Chyten is centrally located on Washington Road across from South Hills Village and is minutes away from all South Fayette residents.

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South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 49

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South Fayette

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INdustry Insight

      ard to believe that it is time for this discussion, but once the vacation is over and school has started; the next chores on the to do list are not far behind.

The last two years cold, windy and icy conditions have caused many problems and numerous homeowner insurance claims. Here is a checklist to help you prepare.

Outdoor plumbing – drain your hose connections, pool & sprinklers. After you turn off the water, leave the spigot in the “on” position.

Test for drafts around your windows. On a windy day, a candle will flicker. Caulk around windows on the inside and outside. Use expandable foam for cracks in basement walls, available in hardware stores. Add weather stripping around drafty doors.

Routinely get your furnace tested before cold weather sets in.

Prepare a “winter” bin with flashlights, batteries, candles, lighters, a weather radio, maybe some extra blankets. If you want to go one step farther, add canned goods, manual can opener, crackers, nuts, cookies, paper plates. Don’t rob the “winter bin” early! Put all this in a closet equipped with a battery touch light.

Provide pipe protection on extremely cold days: Open cabinet doors for pipes on outside walls to avoid freezing, let hot and cold water trickle from faucets, don’t ever shut off the heat if traveling – set it to 55 degrees and have someone check frequently. Know where shut off valves are for a quick response.

Consider having a professional install a standby generator. Lastly check batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, check fire extinguishers. Stock up on rock salt and a snow shovel. Now that we’re prepared, let the snow fly!

Gutters – don’t forget to clean them out once your trees are bare.

Clogged gutters often cause ice dams on the roof, resulting in leaking to the inside of the home.

Install heat coil along the roof line with gutters, extending it down into the downspouts as well. Plug it into a GFI outlet (an electrician can do this) and make sure it is turned on (a timer might be a good idea).

Use crack filler for cracks in your sidewalk or driveway, especially around the foundation.

Trim trees away from the house; squirrels and raccoons can do tremendous damage once they find shelter. Also be sure chimneys are free and clear.

If you suspect your roof could be a problem, get it inspected. Many problems cannot be fixed in freezing weather – shingles are brittle, the roof may be covered with ice and snow, and a danger to climb.

If your home is old, add a layer of R-30 insulation to the attic ceiling.

This Industry Insight was written by Sue Clark. Clark Renovations, Inc.. is a family business, owned by Ron and Sue Clark, renovating South Hills homes for 40 years. Visit our showroom at 3180 Industrial Blvd.

Bethel Park, 412.833.7222.

Website address: www.clarkremodeling.com.

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 51

REAL ESTATE

S O U T H FAY E T T E

IN Community Magazines proudly announces a comprehensive look at the SOUTH FAYETTE real estate market. In this section, you’ll find interesting information about creating beautiful spaces to live in, and other interesting facts about your community.

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

FALL LANDSCAPING IDEAS When the dog days of summer are behind us and that first crisp snap of fall is in the air, energy seems to make a rebound and even the animals seem livelier, more alert. During this time, there’s nothing more wonderful than taking advantage of those last days of warmth to get outside and enjoy the outdoors by doing a little yard work.

This is a great time to rake up all those leaves on the ground. But don’t just throw them into a trash bag to be hauled away. Leaves are great for composting and may have as much as three times the amount of minerals as fertilizer. They need to be shredded to be easier to work with, but this is easily accomplished by running a mower back and forth a few times over a pile of leaves. Also, be sure to add a little nitrogen to your compost pile with the leaves.

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If your summer flowers have faded, be sure to trim back dead leaves and blooms and add some fall flowers for some more vibrant color.

Mums and sunflowers can be purchased in pots to accent any garden with a fall palette, but don’t forget purple as a great contrasting color to oranges, yellows and sienna. Some fall flowers with purple accents are pansies, purple coneflowers, asters and mums. All of these will grow well in zone 6. For some green accent, you might try growing some arugula in a pot or self-watering container. This spicy, leafy plant has long been popular in France and Italy and actually grows better in the fall than in the summer. The leaves will add zest to your salads and other fall dishes. Although the planting time for arugula is in the spring, seedlings can be purchased and transplanted; however they also do well if left in containers or pots.

South Fayette

Even if you’re not particularly good at growing plants and flowers, there are many ways to accent your lawn and garden with minimal effort and maintenance. Brightly colored pumpkins placed around pathways and steps give a whimsical touch to decorating.

Avoid placing them in direct sunlight and directly on the ground, and your pumpkin may well last for two to three months in the cool fall climate. Other low-maintenance decorations for fall are corn stalks and bales of hay. Hay bales also provide extra seating in outdoor areas.

Summer may be over but your yard can still be a bright, cheerful place full of beautiful, living things.

- by Pamela Palongue

                       Most listings sold August ‘08–December ‘10!

conniehickey.howardhanna.com You’ll find fantastic listings and Real Estate information Listing & Selling in your neighborhood!



122 Boxwood

3105 Robinson Rd.

New kitchen and family room addition!

Fenced backyard!

Finished game room!

Owner's suite!

Den/office off Kitchen!

Great location in Lakemont Farms!

Level 3.7 acre lot!

Beautiful 7 yr old great room & kitchen addition, 3 fireplaces, 4+ bedrooms, 3 full baths, finished lower level w/kitchen, large detached garage, public utilities!

Build a second home on the property!

4188 Battle Ridge Rd. Larger than it looks!

Finished lower level w/bar and wood burning stove!

3 seasons room, 2 car garage! New furnace!

Very private!

Connie Hickey, Realtor 412.833.3600 x 253 412.848.0023 South Fayette Resident Multi-Million Dollar Producer

www.incommunitymagazines.com

South Fayette | Fall 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 53

The lifestyle you deserve, at a price you can afford at

Fayette Farms!

Fayette Farms offers luxury townhomes and traditional single-family homes with private cul-de-sac and wooded home sites, along with access to the community pool and clubhouse.

Fayette Farms is in the West Allegheny School District and is conveniently located minutes from the Pittsburgh International Airport, Robinson Mall and Settlers Ridge.

Check out their new townhome designs and see why they’re North Fayette’s #1 Selling Community!

COMING SOON! Stafford Park is a new community coming soon to Robinson Township. Call Jodie to get on the VIP list for priority updates!

Want more information Call Jodie, our New Home Specialist – 412-512-6671

As Western Pennsylvania’s premier stone masonry contractor we are committed to serving our residential and commercial clients by providing high quality, reliable and consistent results at competitive rates. Our showroom is located at 3464 Babcock Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15237. For additional information please call (412) 596-2114 or visit us online at www.stoneageinc.net.

Andersen windows use natural wood to create a timeless combination of beauty and durability – plus All Andersen windows feature the Perma-Shield system, which protects the window’s exterior beautifully for decades. Never settle on your home builder or the window they use!

Dow Building Solutions has a 60+ year legacy of providing innovative insulation and air sealing solutions such as STYROFOAM SIS™ Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing and GREAT STUFF™ Insulating Foam Sealants to home owners that help

to reduce energy costs and effectively seal a home’s building envelope from wind, rain and moisture.

Heartland Homes is creating homes with the whole building envelope in mind that are not only well-built, but are actively saving money for the homeowners every month Since 1873, Kohler has been improving people’s lives with exceptional products, including kitchen and bath fixtures, faucets and accessories, furniture, cabinetry, and tile and stone.

As a global leader, Kohler offers its customers world-class products to create a complete design solution. For information, ideas or inspiration, visit www.KOHLER.com.

Precision Stone Products is engaged in the production and distribution of premium grade architectural synthetic stone products and accessories resembling natural stone to the finest detail. Our full product line is backed by a 50 year limited warranty.

Call (724) 282-2022 for more information or visit us online at www.pspstone.com.

Rex Glass & Mirror Co has been serving Greater Pittsburgh since 1958. As a family owned and operated business, we strive to provide customer service and quality craftsmanship that exceed the expectations of our customers. We design, fabricate, and install high quality residential and commercial glass products.

For nearly 100 years, the Whirlpool brand has helped people all over the world find better ways to take care of household tasks. We want our customers to live cleaner, more organized, less busy and more flavorful lives through our appliances. So every Whirlpool® product is born of our decades of experience creating incredibly useful features.

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REAL ESTATE

S O U T H FAY E T T E

MAKING YOUR HOME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL GENERATIONS

According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center in Washington, D.C., homes where multiple generations of family have blended together under one roof are on the rise. With economic constraints and the high cost of child care, it is easy to see why children, parents and grandparents living together in one dwelling makes sense in many situations.

From this perspective a ranch-style house on one floor is a good choice. Seniors with mobility problems will not have to deal with steps, but also parents will not have the added worry of their young children falling down stairs. Another important feature of multi-generational homes is the ‘mother-in-law suite,’ which could just as easily be called the ‘father-in-law suite.’

This is generally an area of the house that is designed for an aging parent, giving them a degree of privacy and independence while

still being a part of the nuclear family household.

They are sometimes located in a basement for easier access for those with mobility issues and often times will have a separate entrance, giving it the appearance of a mini-apartment. These areas typically include a bedroom and private bath, and may also come with a kitchenette and small living area.

When accessibility becomes an issue with an older adult, there are many options for making the home more accessible without giving it the industrial-style, nursing home appearance.

This is an important consideration when it comes to the re-sale of the house. First of all, if an individual is wheel-chair bound, doorways must be

made larger to accommodate the chair. With a modern contemporary home, this may be accomplished by removing walls for a more open floor plan which appeals to buyers or widening doorways with attractive archways. This will make the change look more intentional and less like a temporary fix for a mobility problem.

Many times it becomes necessary to install grab bars in baths and showers for the safety of senior family members. Although there are many industrial style models from which to choose, there are a few companies on the web that are sensitive to the attractiveness of the grab bars and offer styles in decorative brass and silver. Walk-in showers and baths can be constructed with attractive glass enclosures that fit everyone’s style and are still accessible for seniors.

A few changes to your home can help make it safer for seniors and children and more valuable when it comes time to re-sell.

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