LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Take A Walk on the Wild Side I Eat Right and Exercise But I Still Can’t Lose Weight! Mold Is A Four-Letter Word You Can Be Sure If It’s Westinghouse How A Little Makes A Lot
Never Say You’re Sorry Too Hot for Soup? Not If It’s Chilled The Helping Hands of Neighbors Warm Summer Meadows
SUMMER 2010 Cover Photo © TJZ Creations: Confluence, PA Every Story Begins At Home.
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LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
W SUMMER 2010
(Volume VII, Issue 2)
The Laurel Mountain Post is a quarterly publication designed to focus on the people, places and events from the heart of western Pennsylvania. We print stories about real people and their daily lives; feature local merchants, craftsmen and professionals; present short pieces of art & literature; and never lose sight of what makes this area a great place to call home. Most of our writers are not professional reporters, but accomplished local practitioners with years of experience in their respective fields who bring credibility and personality to every article. In October 2006, the BBC News quoted us as “the voice of Pennsylvania.”
Laurel Mountain Post P.O. Box 227 Latrobe, PA 15650
724-537-6845 www.LaurelMountainPost.com PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Cathi Gerhard Editor & Publisher
Jason Ament Advertising Director
Megan S. Fuller Managing Editor
Brian Zupancic Intern
THANKS TO: Our writers, as well as those who help out behind the scenes: Carol Gerhard, Heather Haines, Chris Kantorik, Pat Kintigh, Doug Richardson, Elizabeth Srsic, Briana Tomack, Robert Williams, and spouses everywhere who help us do what we do! Special thanks to our advertisers for supporting this community publication.
Our distribution of 15,000 reaches beyond Westmoreland County into the neighboring counties of Allegheny, Washington, Armstrong, Bedford, Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Fayette. Every day, more and more readers and advertisers across western Pennsylvania are discovering the Laurel Mountain Post.
Every Story Begins At Home.
“
You can’t be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet. – Hal Borland, Sundial of the Seasons, 1964
”
elcome . . . MOUNTAIN VIEWS Cathi Gerhard
We Don’t See Things As They Are, We See Them As We Are My husband gives a great excuse for not fully giving up his 20-someyear smoking habit: “If I didn’t take those breaks throughout the day, I would miss all the little things that happen in the world,” he explains. While I will never be a smoker, encourage the habit, or stop wishing he could quit, I can appreciate his point of view. He shares observations almost every day about birds building creative nests, or ants carrying food. Spiders are extremely detail-oriented creatures, while apparently chipmunks dance like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers across the grass. And he’s always accurate with tenuous impending weather after a close inspection of the leaves on trees or the cloud patterns in the sky. I remember the brilliant summer skies of youth quite well. Today, I’m not even sure what color they are. A familiar quotation (often attributed to Anaïs Nin) aptly explains why: “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” As a child, boredom was my biggest enemy, but even that was easily defeated by watching, listening and learning. I saw everything around me as an opportunity, not a threat. At middle age, I am really busy, and so filled with worry about where I’m going that I often miss life’s carnival. If something gets in my way, I typically take only enough time to evaluate the immediate impact on myself rather than consider a larger, much more multi-faceted picture.
In high school we never understood our social studies teacher who had a serious infatuation with John Lennon. She made her students memorize the lyrics to Imagine, then encouraged us to climb a hillside and contemplate daisies. We rolled our eyes and called her an old, whacked-out hippie back
then. But now I can say I totally get it – and I dig her!. The message she was cultivating in our brains is growing slowly along with us; the dawn of realization will open up like the petals of a flower when we are ready to listen, smell, taste, touch and feel it. The more we comprehend all the things around us, the more we begin to understand ourselves. Of-
ten things are not as they seem; that’s because our first assessment is always based on who we are and how we want things to be. It’s a lot harder to look for all the evidence before delivering our verdict – especially when it might also change some secure definition of ourselves, the one we hide behind. I’m addicted to shows like Law & Order and Bones, yet somehow I struggle to balance my desires for both vanity and the truth. District Attorney Jack McCoy, the resolute mind of justice, and confident Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist, remain merely escapist fantasy characters rather than practical role models for my daily thought processes. There are many articles in this issue that I hope will inspire you to take another look at things you think you already know. No story is ever black and white. The human eye can see only a small portion of the colors in a wavelength of light; but we have clues which tell us the others exist – things like sunburn. Many species, such as bees, can see a much broader spectrum. I can’t imagine spending a day in which all things glowed with a sci-fi ultraviolet hue, but it might be quite insightful if I could.
POSTSCRIPT:
My husband has cut down from 2-3 packs to 4-10 cigarettes a day. With time and patience, I’m confident he’ll succeed in beating the habit. But I hope he never stops taking those small, peaceful breaks throughout the day.
Summer 2010 - 3
DOWN ON THE FARM Practical Advice & Stories from Old Dad’s Agricultural Library
The Helping Hands of Neighbors Every day, over 200 million Facebook users log in to see what their friends and relatives are doing. Sixty million of them live right here in the United States. Over one third of my 267 friends play Farmville, and the news boards overflow with entries that read “Kimberly just sent you a cow,” “David gave you some olives,” and “Mary just watered your garden.” What a wonderful world it would be if these kinds of news stories were real! Growing up, I never knew how much money my father made as a heavy equipment operator for Penn DOT. I remember
More than one in eight people in the United States lives below the poverty line, which is $21,756 for a family of four in 2009. One in five children in the United States lives below the poverty line. Source: Income, Earnings, and Poverty data from the 2008 American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, 2009.
• Most Americans (51.4 percent) will live in poverty at some point before age 65. Source: Urban Institute, Transitioning In and Out of Poverty, 2007.
• 84 percent of low-income families have at least one working family member, and 75 percent of single mothers who head households work. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 2007.
• In most areas, a family of four needs to earn twice the “poverty line” to provide children with basic necessities. Source: National Center for Children in Poverty, 2008.
• Nationally, more than 30 percent of children live in low-income working families (families who earn less than twice the poverty line). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007, Working Poor Families Project.
4 - Summer 2010
my Mum saving up to buy this and that, but we always had plenty of food because we lived on a working beef farm with an acre-sized vegetable garden. Hardly a day passed by in the summer that friends and neighbors didn’t stop by to pick up paper bags full of sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans, apples, squash and dozens of other fruits and vegetables we grew. We didn’t charge for them; we simply gave away what we didn’t need for ourselves. It really wasn’t much more work to plant a really big garden than a smaller one. When she wasn’t tending to her garden, my Mum loved to bake cookies. And usually there was a container of sugar cookies, nutrolls or chocolate chip brownies tucked into the top of those paper bags that left the farm each day. A family friend recently shared a story with me about those child-hood days of mine. He recalled being laid off from his job on the railroad and not having enough to make ends meet for his family. But with food from my parents, and those nutrolls that he warmed up over their kerosene heater for dessert, they made it through. As bad as things were – financially, emotionally, and physically – he still calls those “the good times,” when family and friends gladly pulled together to meet a need. For much of America, the structure of the labor industry has failed to provide stable jobs capable of supporting families. It’s hard not to make comparisons with the years following the stock market crash of 1929. FDR’s New Deal grew from courageous concepts like the “Glassford wage,” a practical guideline issued (although illegally) in California by the US Department of Labor in 1934, following interviews across small towns so that a realistic minumum wage could later be established. Yet the current minimum wage standard for American workers is a cruel riddle. Today, a person working full-time at the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year. The official poverty line for a
family of three—one parent with two children—is $17,285 (U.S. Census Bureau). I’m not very good at math, but even I can see where numbers like that can leave people in a pretty big financial lurch. We haven’t even begun to see most of the true labor or poverty statistics following the stock market plunge of 2008. Most of the facts I gathered while working on this
article probably apply to many more people now than I can imagine. We are living in a country where the working poor are forced to feed their children a 99-cent bag of processed and nutritionallyvacant Doritos from WalMart because a fresh bunch of green grapes costs $3.99– three dollars more than we have in our pocket. Most often, the people producing the US products (American workers) that the rest of us CAN afford to buy, are the ones who are starving, or sacrificing adequate nutrition to pay the rent. We love to talk about the “Good Old Days.” Most of us consider them to be the times following World War II, when we emerged a stronger and
united nation following 20 years of extreme crisis. The New Deal promised livable wages and fair working conditions. We planted Victory Gardens in our yards and public parks to feed our troops, our neighbors, and ourselves. Sow the Seeds of Victory! (1918) and Plant More in ’44, were popular slogans. Lately, there have been lots of marketing campaigns touting phrases like “Home Farming Movement,” and “Global Urban Farming.” But our mediasaturated and contrariant generations have become pretty skeptical and resilient to the influence of such communication. We think everyone is simply out to sell us something, and try our best to ignore it. Effective advertising tends to target the selfish pleasure centers of our brains that repeatedly ask “what’s in it for me” instead of appealing to our practical, compassionate, or empathetic hearts. Growing a garden and sharing your harvest won’t make you a fashionable yuppie – or a communist hippie. But here’s what it could do: • Save Money: A tomato plant costs $2.90, plus a bit of water and 15 cents worth of fertilizer. From it you can harvest 30 pounds of tomatoes valued at $2 per pound. • Improve Your Health: Fresh food is healthier food, and it doesn’t contain pesticides or other chemicals from processing. • Feed Another Family: “Food insecurity,” or the lack of continuous access to food has doubled in the United States since 2000. Consider donating your produce to a local Food Bank or a friend in need. • Teach Self-Sufficiency: Climate change is expected to cause a global decline in agricultural output, making fresh produce increasingly unaffordable. In short, growing things together and sharing the fruits of that labor will actually make us Healthy, Wealthy and Wise – a good old adage from one of America’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. – Cathi Gerhard LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Hunger in Westmoreland County
a household income at 13% less than the official federal poverty level.
In 2005, the Westmoreland County Food Bank participated in a study called “Hunger in America 2006”. This was the fourth in a quadrennial series of studies on the status of hunger in America sponsored by Feeding America, the Nation’s Food Bank Network. This was the first time WCFB had participated in this study.WCFB staff and over 20 volunteers conducted surveys with agencies among its own pantry network. Nearly 300 individual clients were surveyed using questionnaires and statistic sampling methods developed by Mathmatica Policy Research, Inc.Below are some of the findings of that study:
Living Situations • Half of our clients live in single family homes but only 25% own their homes. • 40% live in apartments and 10% live in a mobile home or trailer. • 68% rent the place they live. • 15% report difficulty paying their rent or mortgage. • 22.4% of households receive Section 8 or Public Housing Assistance. • 80% have a working motor vehicle. Food Security
Who We Serve • 27% of the members of households served are children under the age of 18. • 13% are seniors. • 79% of our clients are females. • 1% of our clients are homeless. • 27.3% have less than a high school education. • 39.2% received a G.E.D. • 64% have incomes below the official federal poverty level. We serve anyone in need whose income is 150% or less of the official poverty level. • 55% of the households receive Food Stamps. • 16% receive General Assistance (Welfare). Household Income • 61% of all households report a monthly income less than $1,400. • The average monthly income per household is $920 and the median is $880. • 34.5% of clients report at least some income from employment. • 44.8% receive income from Social Security. • 24.8% receive income from Supplemental Security Income (SSI). • 21.6% receive income from Disability (SSDI) or Worker’s Compensation. • In 2004, 47.1% of all clients lived in households with a total annual income less than $10,000. • The average household served has 2.2 members and
“access by all people at all times to have enough food for an active, healthy life” • Among all households, 36.1% felt they are food secure. The other 63.9% felt food insecure. • 30% reported food insecurity with the presence of hunger. • Among adult clients, 24% report that in the last 12 months, they have had to cut the size of meals or skip meals because there was not enough money for food. • Among households with children under the age of 18, 21% report that their children had to go hungry at least once during a twelve month period because there was not enough money for food. • In a twelve month period, the following percentage of client households report having to choose at least once among: food and utilities (or heating fuel) 45.6%; food or rent/mortgate 33%; food or medical care/ medicine 32%. Food Stamps • In 55.1% of households, at least one member of the household receives food stamps. • 60% of clients that receive food stamps state that they last for 2 weeks or less. • 98% state they never last a full month. • Many clients have never applied for Food Stamps, even though they may be eligable because: think they
are not eligable because of income or assets (47.2%), hard to get to Food Stamp office (8.3%), application process too long (1.8%), no need for benefit (16.5%), think others need it more (3.3%). Client Health and Health Care • 51% of adults who pick up food at pantry report that they are in fair or poor health. • 42% report that one member of their household is in poor health. • 42% report that they have Medicare Insurance. • 48.5% report that they have Medicaid Insurance. • 29% have private health insurance. • 5% report having no health insurance. • 39% of adult clients report having unpaid medical or hospital bills.
Operation Fresh Express (OFE) In 2009, over 600,000 pounds of perishable food was provided to over 8,900 needy individuals through Operation Fresh Express (OFE). 2,400 were children and almost 900 were seniors. Without OFE, much of this nutritious food would be discarded due to lack of refrigeration capacity. Each week, groups and individuals sponsor OFE distributions where from 10,000 to 20,000 pounds of perishable food (frozen, dairy products, and fresh produce) is directly distributed to needy families by WCFB staff and volunteers at sites throughout Westmoreland County. Sponsorship is $350. OFE distributions are held Monday-Thursday once a week. If you would like to volunteer, donate or sponsor an OFE, please contact Deana at 724.468.8660 ext. 29 or e-mail her: deana@westmorelandfoodbank.org.
Take A Walk on the Wild Side People born during the Baby Boom and future generations often ask How Chestnut Ridge got its name. Take a walk through those little mountains or the surrounding foothills of the Laurel Highlands, and you won’t see any native Chestnut trees – they died out from our neck of tthe woods between 1904-1940. A blight, believed to be introduced by Asian chestnut trees imported to New York Zoological Garden as nursery stock, spread rapidly as a fungus. Despite efforts by researchers funded by Congress, the blight proved unstoppable. Once considered to be the Queen of the American forest, these magnificent shade trees spread through Appalachia and grew to be 100 feet. To the south it supported the local economies through timber, nuts, and tannic acid for leather. Now, all that remain are stumps and small seedlings that soon die off from infection. Plants and animals evolved together in ways that best suited their environments. Taking one away or introducing a new species sends the whole system into shock. Remove one plant, and the insect has nothing to eat. Without that insect, certain birds must migrate. Replace the missing plant with an-
Every Story Begins At Home.
other that is not “native” or natural to the area, blue verbain, upland ironweed, New York and one has to add even more new elements in ironweed, golden Alexanders, switchgrass, little order for it to survive. bluestem, Indiangrass, white spruce, lowbush Fortunately, there are more and more places blueberry, elderberry, paw paw, Allegheny these days where the wild sides of nature are serviceberry, cranberry viburnum, black gum, being carefully restored and tended. The Winnie trumpet vine and trumpet honeysuckle, Palmer Nature Reserve at St. Vincent College (the spicebush, white wood aster, foamflower, big red barn - www.wpnr.org) is the perfect example. blackhaw viburnum, ironweed, wild bergamot, The grounds have been planted false sunflower, blackeyed with various natural areas. MeanSusan, switchgrass, purple “each town should have dering gravel paths have been deconeflower. Herbs include a park, or rather a signed for visitors to visit one ecosorrel, fennel, lovage, oregano, primitive forest … where system and then another. burnet, chives, rosemary, a stick should never be Along such routes as The Butlavender and sage. cut for fuel, a common possession for ever, terfly Loop, Cattail Trail, and GarStop by for a leisurely walk for instruction and den Path, plants and trees include on the wild side of Latrobe. recreation.” swamp milkweed, butterflyweed, From Route 30, turn onto Saint New England aster, New York Vincent Drive and look for a Henry David Thoreau aster, false blue indigo, thousand gravel driveway on the east Journal, 15 October 1859 flowered aster, turtlehead, purple (right) side of the road. This coneflower, Joe pye weed, hyssop leads to an eighteen-car park leaved boneset, boneset, sneezeweed, thin and walk lot. This parking area has a restroom leaved sunflower, woodland sunflower, false area with a water fountain designed for use by sunflower, dwarf gayfeather, gayfeather, great visitors when Barn facilities are not open. The blue lobelia, wild bergamot, sundrops, Jacob’s ten trails on the reserve property total 8837 ladder, green headed coneflower, blackeyed feet or 1.6 miles. Walkers can increase their Susan, wild petunia, Virginia cup plant, mileage to 2.1 by also hiking along both enbluestem goldenrod, Pennsylvania spiderwort, trance driveways.
Summer 2010 - 5
HOME STUDY
SALES ASSOCIATE, RECS/ASR
Brian Mishler
Mold Is A Four-Letter Word Cosmetic & Family Dentistry CEREC: 1-Appointment Crowns/Inlays
Frank G. Novak, Jr. DMD 483 Frye Farm Road Greensburg, PA 15601 724-537-2337
Day, Evening & Saturday Appointments
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Every Story Begins At Home.
Few words can strike fear into the hearts and minds of folks, especially those buying or selling a home, like mold. Urban legends, myths, hoaxes and lawsuits abound and surround mold. Some “reports” say that mold can’t grow on Twinkies because of all the chemicals in them. (Not so) Others say that “black mold” will cause a slow painful death. In actuality, it’s really not quite so exciting. According to the EPA, “Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.” The real story is in that last sentence; “…none of them will grow without water or moisture.” If moisture is controlled, so is mold. On the surface it would seem moisture control would be a simple proposition, however, as we human beings consist of 93% water, it can be tricky. A vast amount of research and reports exist about mold, its causes and solutions. But what does the average person do who won’t go to the trouble of reading the assembly instructions for their new IKEA cabinet? When dealing with mold, one must deal with moisture. Typically, when a person thinks about moisture, it is in the form of water. Floods, hurricanes, basement water leaks, and other “events” all come to mind. More often than not, moisture enters from a “process.” A gutter leaking over a period of time wears a hole in the soil next to the foundation, the hole in the soil ponds water, the water seeps into the soil, and moisture, water or vapor, seeps through the basement foundation wall. Or, moisture vapor from the soil is trapped inside a crawl-space, much like the condensation on the inside of a pot lid with warm water. Another common source of moisture in homes is the vent fans and ducts for bathrooms and kitchens. In many homes, these are improperly vented into the attic, or improperly ducted, which can cause water to lay and or leak. Either way, these can cause significant moisture/mold issues in the attic and or ceiling. So, what can you do to determine and minimize the impact of moisture on your home, thus avoiding mold? As we are dependant upon water for life, it’s a matter of management, and following the water (droplet). As creatures who are predominantly water, we ourselves give off a great deal of water vapor, which can be a source of odor, and other issues. Don’t believe me? Go fetch your teenagers’ sneakers … That horrific odor is caused by moisture, and bacteria. What to do about the house? Try to keep (interior) doors open, and air circulating through the house, especially in the humid summer months. Showering also puts a significant amount of water vapor in the air, if you don’t have a bath fan installed, consider doing so, and instead of
having it on a conventional switch, have a timer installed. The fan should run at least half an hour after you exit the bathroom. Most importantly, make sure the fan vents to the exterior of the house, the duct is properly run, and insulated. In the kitchen, it is best again to have a fan that vents to the exterior, and run it not only when you’re cooking, but when the dishwasher is in operation, etc. Outside, have your gutters and downspouts
cleaned, and make sure they are directing roof water at least 6 feet away from the house. Trim vegetation away, and ensure your yard slopes away from the house. Roof leaks and ice damming can also create water entry points, and generally these can be discovered by inspecting your attic/roof space. All this excitement about mold, and all we have to do is manage moisture? What, no magic bullet? What to do if one day you enter a room and bang! A big honking wet spot with gaspblack mold!! First of all, the color the mold is irrelevant; it needs to be dealt with. The very first thing to do is find and eliminate the source of the moisture that the mold MUST HAVE to live. Once the moisture source is eliminated, then the mold must be addressed. There is no point cleaning up the mold until the moisture is dealt with; otherwise the mold will just grow back. According to the EPA, smaller mold issues can be cleaned up with a cleanser containing bleach. However, if the moisture was/is inside a wall, ceiling, floor or other cavity, I recommend hiring a mold specialist to determine the extent of the contamination, and perform mitigation of the mold, then have the damage repaired, and an air sample mold test performed to make sure the air in the home has an acceptable amount of spores. (Zero spores are not possible; mold is naturally occurring.) Why not just scrub it down? Out of sight, out of mind, right? If you or someone you know has asthma, or is allergic, mold spores in the air can cause nasty allergic reactions. The EPA has more information available at http://www.epa.gov/mold/ Brian Mishler is a 15-year veteran of home inspection and is a past president of PRO-ASHI, the local chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors. You can get more information about home inspection at www. pro-ashi.com
Summer 2010 - 6
Swim! Bike! Run!
Calling All Kids Ages 7-12
Barkley’s Derry King Route 217 Derry • 724-694-8552 Named Best Hot Fudge Sundae by The Ligonier Chef!
The Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity (CWHFH) is holding its 8th annual Kids Triathlon August 14, 2010. This event will be emceed by Y108’s own Monty from Monty & Zeke in the Morning. This event promotes a fun and healthy way for kids to achieve a feeling of accom-plishment and encourage selfesteem. The triathlon is also a great activity for the whole family – from the kid’s involvement, to the parent’s support and help with training. The swim/bike/run event will begin at 8:00 a.m. at Lynch Field, Greensburg, PA. All kids from around the Pittsburgh region are encouraged to participate. For ages 7-9, the swim is 50 yards, bike ½ mile, and run ¼ mile. For our older participants, ages 10-12, the swim is 100 yards, bike 1 mile, and run ½ mile. The day will be filled with entertainment, door prizes, refreshments and gifts for all our talented athletes. To register, visit active.com, or visit the Greensburg YMCA anytime during regular business hours. In addition to the CWHFH, proud sponsors include S&T Bank, Means & Vance PC, Molyneaux Carpet, Westmoreland Dermatology Associates, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Promotional items are being supplied by the Greensburg YMCA, Road ID, Excela Heath, Home Depot, State Farm Insurance, Laurel Mountain Post, TJZ Creations, The 2 of Us Massage, Pittsburgh’s Best Country Y108, and Katie Mahoney Media.
How to Make Herbal Honey Take 4-6 stems of fresh lavender, or 2 four-inch pieces of fresh rosemary, and submerge in a one-pint jar of honey. Screw the cap on tight and put in a sunny window for two weeks. Every day or two, invert the jar several times. Taste after two weeks and see if the herbal flavor is strong enough for you. If not, repeat for one more week. You may remove the herbs before using the honey, or leave them in. For more ideas and information on buying locally-produced honey, lavender or any other farm product, please visit www.LocalHarvest.org. People worldwide are rediscovering the benefits of buying local food. It is fresher than anything in the supermarket and that means it is tastier and more nutritious. It is also good for your local economy—buying directly from family farmers helps them stay in business.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Summer 2010 - 7
Stahlstown Flax Scutching Festival September 11 - 12 See the all-but-forgotten art of making linen cloth from the flax plant. Enjoy a variety of foods including buckwheat cakes with whole hog sausage, antique equipment, working demonstrations, live continuous entertainment, children’s entertainment, Civil War encampment, and on Saturday an exciting mock Indian raid! Route 711 in Stahlstown, PA • www.flaxscutching.org • For more information, please call 724-593-2119
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Greater Latrobe Girls Tennis
Looking For Love She is your typical local teenager. She likes to read, listen to music, and hang out with her family and friends. And she’s looking for “love”… on the tennis court. For Joelle Kissell, outscoring her opponents on the tennis court is her number one priority. Kissell is ranked No. 2 in Pennsylvania and No. 41 in the nation. I met this young superstar when my daughter joined the Greater Latrobe Girls Tennis team last fall. They had been school friends for a while when my daughter expressed an interest in trying out for the high school team. That’s when Kissell took my daughter under her wing and spent the three months of last summer teaching forehands and backhands and volleying with her endlessly. Because of Kissell’s expert and patient training, Maria made the high school team and lettered! Kissell has had a racquet in her hand for as long as she can remember.
8 - Summer 2010
“My mom is a tennis teacher so I have always been around it,” states Kissell. “My Mom has always been a great coach and inspires me the most.”
Maria & Joelle Greater Latrobe Girls Tennis Team
Tennis is truly family pastime for the Kissells. Her older sister, Michaela, is the No. 36-ranked women’s college player in the ITA preseason rankings, and her younger sister, Stacia, also an accomplished player, will lead the High School team this fall. “We are really close and have fun together all the time.” Her fondest memory so far was during a tournament in Hershey. “When we went to Chocolate World, I saw the largest chocolate bar and I told my High School Coach that if I won, that’s what I wanted. He must have really believed in me because he was holding it out for me when I came off the court after winning my game.” “One of the things I love most about tennis is how all you have to rely on is yourself.” That’s why you can catch Kissell practicing at least three hours every day. “And then she stays afterward to help others perfect their game,” states Maria Rossi. “She is a good friend, a great
team player, and sure to be a tennis superstar!” A recent graduate of Greater Latrobe, Kissell is now focusing on her college career. She has decided to attend North Carolina State University because it is in the ACC Conference, the toughest collegiate conference. “Plus the coaches are super nice and the girls on the team are great,” said Kissell. While she has had a successful High School career, Kissell’s lone focus is now on her future goals. “I have a lot I want to accomplish yet,” said Kissell. “I have always dreamed of playing professionally, so I am going to keep practicing to improve my game.” The future looks quite bright for this young intense tennis player. She’s looking for “love” and I think she’s going to find it. Kissell is truly a star on the rise! – JB Rossi
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
THE LIGONIER CHEF Scott Sinemus
Too Hot for Soup? Not If It’s Chilled I adore soup no matter what the weather, but most people don’t seem to want a scorching hot bowl of anything when it’s sweltering outside. Of course soup doesn’t always have to be hot, in fact some of my favorite soups are of the chilled variety. Not every soup is as tasty when it’s chilled as it is when it’s hot; for instance sitting down to a congealed bowl of barley soup would put off even the hungriest diner.
When I was growing up the only watercress we usually ever got to have was what we could collect in streams or springs that Dad said were safe to harvest from. Now it’s so widely available I can’t remember not being able to find it when I’ve needed it. My friend Holly started a patch of her own this year in the spring fed stream at her house. It took off beautifully and neither of us can believe it took her that long to put one in.
If you ask someone what their favorite chilled soup is, more than half will reply with the classical standards vichyssoise or gazpacho, which are wonderful and refreshing for lunch or a first course at dinner. But there are so many others: the infamous Chippewa at the Rolling Rock Club, watercress, jellied consomme, carrot & ginger bisque, bing cherry, etc. One quick search for a recipe on Google and you’ll get tens of thousands of hits. I don’t know why the idea of a chilled soup really never seemed to catch on here in the States, but the popularity seems to be on the rise…hallelujah!
Some of the watercress facts I thought were most interesting: • Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is thought to have decided on the location for his first
Every Story Begins At Home.
• Eating a bag of watercress is said to be a good cure for a hangover • Victorians thought the plant was a cure for toothache, hiccups and even freckles! • It is a well-known fact that Liz Hurley was a follower of the watercress diet, but more recently Sex Pistol star John Lydon was seen to enthuse about watercress soup recipes with fellow participants of ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!’ • Romans and Anglo Saxons ate it to prevent baldness. I’m not sure how much watercress one has to eat to prevent baldness, but it has to be an extraordinary amount…I’ve eaten quite a bit in my lifetime and my hair has still vanished lol!
My hands down favorite is probably the bing cherry garnished with large pearl tapioca, it is also perhaps the most involved save the Chippewa. Watercress, however, is the one I find myself making most often, it’s a la minute nature and rich flavor make it an easy decision. When I told Cathi I was thinking of writing my article about chilled soups she came across a fact sheet about watercress that had so much information regarding the plant I had never known before I knew that I was definitely including the recipe for that soup.
• Watercress is believed by many to be an aphrodisiac. In Crete, islanders swear by its powers and ancient recipes are handed down from one generation to the next. In the 1970s, an Arab prince was reputed to have had special consignments flown out from the UK, presumably to help him satisfy his harem! And in Hampshire its special powers are part of folklore.
As with all of my recipes please use this as a spring board for making your own signature dish all your friends will plead with you for the recipe. hospital because of its proximity to a stream so he could use only the freshest watercress to treat his patients. • The Egyptian Pharoahs served freshly squeezed watercress juice to their slaves each morning and afternoon in order to increase their productivity.
Scott Sinemus is a Chef with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Pennsylvania Institute for Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. He’s continued his education with classes from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and The Greenbrier; and has travelled internationally in search of authentic cuisine.
Chilled Watercress Soup SERVES 4 2 tbsp olive oil or butter 1 sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 small potato, about 150g, peeled and diced 3 large bunches of watercress, washed and thicker stalks removed 3-4 cups vegetable or chicken stock Sea salt and black pepper 3-4 tbsp crème fraîche, to serve (optional)
1 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and potato. Sauté gently, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not brown. 2 Add the watercress, then pour in enough stock to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil and season with salt & pepper. As soon as the spinach and watercress have wilted, remove the pan from the heat. 3 Purée the soup in two batches, using a blender. Pour into a wide bowl and leave to cool completely. Cover with clingfilm and chill for a few hours or overnight. 4 To serve, pour the soup into chilled bowls and garnish with a small dollop of crème fraîche if you wish, and grind over some pepper.
from the kitchen of
The Ligonier Chef Summer 2010 - 9
DERRY REMEMBRANCES Ruth Richardson
You Can Be Sure If It’s Westinghouse Once upon a time there was a young girl who lived on a beautiful farm in Meigs County Ohio. The farm was nestled on a mysticalsounding hillside called Silver Ridge, just north of the banks of the mighty Ohio River. The girl, named Veda, lived happily on the Tuttle farm with her mother and father and five brothers and sisters until she reached the age of 19. Veda realized there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for an adventurous soul like hers in rural southern Ohio, and she longed to explore other places. She found an advertisement in the local newspaper that announced a search for factory workers at the Pittsburgh High Voltage Insulator Company in a far away and exotic-sounding place called Derry Station. The year was 1916. Veda answered the ad, and soon got word that she had been hired. With her parents’ reluctant approval, she packed up her things for the big move. The company helped her find a room to rent in a lovely boarding house in her new hometown. She boarded a train and headed east with great anticipation for the start of her new life. That young farm girl was my Grandma Veda (Tuttle) Parrish. When she arrived in Derry, Veda was met at the train station by another young lady, Helen Baumgardner. Helen’s mother owned the boarding house on Fifth Avenue where Veda would rent a room. The girls were the same age and became instant friends. I can remember my grandma telling me this story from when I was very young. She said she and Helen would sit on the big front porch and talk about their lives and their dreams. One day, Grandma recalled, a young man walked up the street as the girls sat on the porch chatting. Grandma said he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. The story always ended the same way. She would smile at me, with a twinkle in her eye, and say “that man was your grandfather.” Grandma Veda 10 - Summer 2010
married that handsome young man named Ralph and they lived happily in West Derry and raised three children together until his death in 1945 at the young age of 48. The Pittsburgh High Voltage Insulator Company that had beckoned to my grandmother from far away Ohio eventually became Derry Westinghouse, a company that had figured into my life, even before I was born. My other grandfather, Casey Stewart, also worked at Derry Westinghouse his entire life. He and my grandmother raised four
Grandma Veda shortly before she left for the big city life of Derry.
children (including my mother), bought a house and lived a good life right up the street from where I lived in West Derry. He retired from the plant in 1960. The next Westinghouse employee in my life was my dad, who started there as a young man and worked in various departments over the
years, until retiring in 1984. Daddy always seemed to like his job at Westinghouse, and I don’t recall ever hearing him complain. He worked in different departments throughout the years, starting out in the grinding department and ending his career in the shipping and receiving department. I think this was his favorite position. Back in the 1950’s, the Derry plant employed over 600 workers. I would guess most of those men and women worked there all their lives. The experts say that it isn’t unusual today for people to change jobs more than 10 times before their retirement, with some having even more jobs than that. Those statistics didn’t apply to my parent’s generation. Whether it was Westinghouse, the railroad, any of the steel mills or other manufacturing plants in our area (and believe me, there were a great many of them), those workers searched for a ‘good-paying’ job, and once they found it, they stuck around. They knew if they worked hard, showed loyalty, and were willing to learn, they would have an opportunity to work their way up and be promoted to the highest levels of employment. Derry Westinghouse was an immeasurable asset to our little community. Not only did it employ a great many residents of the surrounding area, it even boasted its own fire department, complete with a beautiful old white fire truck and a very distinctive fire alarm, that could be heard all over town. Westinghouse would allow their inhouse firemen/employees to assist in firefighting outside of the plant if the need arose, and pay their firefighters wages while they were helping in the community. Earlier in the plant’s history, it touched world events by playing a vital role in World War II. Westinghouse’s greatest and most spectacular contribution to the war effort was the manufacture of
special porcelain for the development of the atomic bomb. My memories of Westinghouse were on a much smaller scale. While the results of my dad’s job didn’t directly affect world events, that same job played a huge role in the events of my little world. Daddy was up every morning at 6 and off to ‘the shop’ by 6:45. During the school year, we would all share a hearty breakfast together, during which he would force us to listen to his favorite morning radio program on Greensburg’s WHJB. Much to my brother’s and my dismay, daddy was not a fan of Porky on WAMO or the top forty rock and roll hits of KQV. We had to endure what we described as the rantings of a ‘hick’ and the vile music selections of Cowboy Phil, who played the likes of Eddie Arnold and Slim Whitman. And as my daughter used to say, “When you hear Slim, you know it’s him!” It was an agonizing ordeal for us, since we were avid fans of our “Daddio of the Radio, Pork the Torque!,” and we knew the sound of all that yodeling first thing in the morning was enough to make our ears bleed. But daddy was the breadwinner, the head of the household, and he ruled the radio – at least until 6:45. After he left for work, mom allowed us to choose the station. I think she secretly liked rock and roll. Every summer, Westinghouse held a company picnic at Idlewild Park. They had a big drawing for prizes in that first huge pavilion beside the parking lot. The employees were issued tickets and could win all sorts of Westinghouse appliances, from washers and dryers down to the smallest transistor radios. They also held an open house at the plant every year or so, where the families of employees could tour the factory and see how all those insulators were made and what their function was after being shipped all over the world. During those open houses, a display of Westinghouse appliances was available for purchase by the employees, and I think they were offered at huge discounts.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
I remember on Fridays at 3:30 daddy would pull into the driveway, park the car and stroll into the kitchen. I can still see him giving my mom a quick kiss and handing her his paycheck as she finished getting supper ready. Our parents were children of the depression, and they knew what it was like to live in households with no money, a community with no jobs, and a country on the brink. They knew full well the blessing of a secure job, and were grateful for the opportunity to work for a stable company, earning a fair wage and receiving benefits like medical insurance and a retirement plan. I realize today just how hard my dad had to work for that little paycheck and how much it meant to our family. We had a wonderful life, but it was always a financial struggle, even if my brother and I didn’t know it. Most of the moms back then didn’t bring in a second paycheck; they stayed home and took care of the kids. They made do with one salary, which meant there weren’t a lot of extra luxuries. But our lives were very similar to most of our neighbors, and we were all pretty happy with our lot in life. I think we measured our wealth by our blessings of health and family and the ability to provide for ourselves, not by the amount of ‘stuff’ we had accumulated. I remember the big labor strike at Westinghouse in the 1950’s. I don’t remember exactly when it was, but I seem to remember it lasting for five months. During those months, there was no income, and no government assistance. The only help I remember our family getting was free cheese and corned beef. Daddy would drive mom ‘down street’ to the community center to stand in line for it. I was too young to really understand how bad things were financially, I just knew we had corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes a lot. My brother and I thought that was great because it was one of our favorite dinners. To make a few extra dollars, daddy would borrow a truck from his cousin, Jack Provost, drive out to Losier’s coal tipple in New Derry, pick up a load of coal and hand shovel it into folks’ basements to heat their houses. He cleared brush and did anything Every Story Begins At Home.
he could to make a few dollars to keep food on the table. Westinghouse was the anchor of our little community of Derry, but more importantly, it was the anchor of my family. Those Friday paychecks provided the food for every wonderful meal my mom cooked for us, and for all the ones in my Grandma and Grandpa
Daddy giving his family the grand tour of 'the shop' on one of Westinghouse's open houses.
Stewart’s kitchen, too. It bought our Keds sneakers, our school clothes and our Sunday best. It bought my prom gown and our class rings. Every birthday surprise and every Christmas gift under our tree came from the bounty supplied by Westinghouse Electric Company. It even helped to purchase my wedding gown. It not only put gas in our car, but supplied the car, and paid for our house. But more importantly, it gave my dad, and so many other folks in our little corner of the world, the pride that comes with a job well done and the ability to take care of their families. That little neighborhood factory was the beating heart of our community. Although the plant had been long closed and was in various stages of demolition, Doug and I rented an old brick lab building on the Westinghouse grounds several years ago, to use as the warehouse for our construction company. It was located just west of the original executive office building on Third Street. This was a sturdy old structure, and I loved the idea that my family still had some connection to the place that had meant so much in my life, a continuity of
my family’s work history. But last winter, those record-breaking snowstorms did their worst, and the roof on that beau-tiful old structure couldn’t hold the weight for another season. It all came tumbling down. That building was the last remnant of the old Westing-house complex that was still being used. For me, it represented the one remaining shadow of the sprawling and bustling industrial center of my little town. That plant had been the anchor that drew my family together and sustained us for three generations. As they cleared away the last of the debris from our fallen warehouse, I sneaked down the hill, past the ‘No Trespassing’ signs, and wandered through the remains of the factory. The sounds of the machinery had been still for many years and as I wandered through it, the shell of the last remaining structure seemed more like a tomb. The only sounds were the cooing of pigeons as they fluttered to their nests in the open rafters and the rustle of weeds growing up through the damaged expanse of concrete floors. Broken glass crackled under my feet as I watched the afternoon sun slanting through the jagged panes of the few remaining windows. It made me think of the golden days of production and prosperity this old place had afforded my family. I thought of all the families in all the little towns across the
Daddy on his last day of work, in his office at the shipping department.
country, who had been a part of the roaring giant that was once American industry. I remembered all the photos I had seen of abandoned and shuttered plants across our great nation. What a sad tribute to those proud, hardworking Americans that we let it all slip away. And when I read the stories of foreclosure, and unemployment and struggle, I pray for all of today’s young daddies and mommies, and their little girls and boys. I pray for the vanishing spirit of the sleeping American industrial giant; and I pray that it will come roaring back to life. I refuse to believe that those days are over, that we will allow the light of American industry and ingenuity to be extinguished. From the words of Dylan Thomas … Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Ruth loves to share memories with you. Email her at: Ruth-Elaine@comcast.net or look for her on Facebook!
A 1950’s Christmas in the Grinding Department.
Summer 2010 - 11
TECH TALK Bob Appleby
Never Say You’re Sorry You have all probably been in the situation where you have lost a file on your computer, either because you accidentally deleted it, had a system crash, virus attack or the super catastrophe, a drive failure. Recently, on my blog site, I had written about a virus that goes in and encrypts all your music, picture and document files so they disappear and if you try to run a virus removal program to fix the problem, it actually causes irreversible damage to those files so that they cannot be recovered. So if you are like me, and your work and family memories have all become digital… You need to start considering how you’re going to protect your digital treasures from permanent loss.
how do we eliminate these two hurdles? You can do so by using a hard drive backup system that comes with software that can be used to schedule the backup. Hard Drive Storage has become so inexpensive that there isn’t any excuse not to use this method. Remember, if you don’t have at least two copies of a file, it is not backed up!
Local Backup Let’s begin by discussing the cheapest ways to get a backup. I don’t like archiving things onto CD’S or DVD’S but this is the simplest and least costly method. CD’s in bulk now cost less than a quarter and a rewritable CD is not that much more. DVD’s have also become inexpensive and purchasing a couple of rewritable DVD’s will cost you less than $7 for a 5 pack. Why don’t I like this method? I find that this type of media is easily damaged. It will fail if the surface of the disk is scratched and the media is involved. So I tend to move towards more expensive media as my choice for protecting data. Flash Drives are much less expensive and are small and a bit more resistant to damage than optical media. There is a limit to the number of times you can write to them though, and if you are not careful with how you insert them into a USB connection then you could damage the drive and lose all of your data. So even though this is a better option it is still not the best. We find that the most frequently used excuses for not doing a backup is that you forget or that you don’t have time to do one, so 12 - Summer 2010
If you copy something to a backup device and then erase the original to make room for more data, you have only moved that original file and it is still in a state of single point of failure. So, when you design your backup strategy, think about the need to have multiple copies and possibly having multiple copies in multiple locations. Why do I like these external hard drive backups? It takes the “I forgot” and “I don’t have time” excuse and throws it out the window. Most hard drives you purchase today come with automated scheduling software as part of their package. So once you have set it up, you can almost forget it. You should periodically check that the areas you want backed up are being backed up and that the scheduled backup did run. There are two primary types of hard drive interfaces to pick from and the one that is best for you will be determined primarily by your computer environment. If you have multiple computers in your home then you may want to consider a network drive, or what is called Network Attached Storage (NAS). This interface type allows the drive
to be available independently from any computer on your network. If you were to attach a drive directly to a computer using a USB connection, you would have to share the drive with the other computers on your network to make it available to them. If this computer is not turned on then the attached drive is not available. If you leave your systems on all of the time this is not an issue, if you don’t then it is. If you have a single computer that you are backing up, a USB drive is a good fit. An interesting side note is that many new routers available today have a USB connector on them that will allow you to attach a printer or hard drive to the router to make them a network accessible device. Buffalo Networking now has a great home drive that has both a network interface and a USB interface on it so you have the best of both worlds. A typical 500GB drive can be found for as low as $79 on special and the Buffalo drive with the network interface as low as $149.
Offsite Backup I had mentioned earlier that you should consider having your backups at multiple locations. You can do this by sneaker net, by taking a copy of your data to another physical location (a family member, a friend or to your office). You can also use one of the many on-line services that are available as well. Some of these on-line services are free (MS Live Mesh, MS SkyDrive, Google Docs and Dropbox to name a few). They usually have storage limits. If you
need more storage you can use one of the pay services for home users that vary from a fixed fee per year for unlimited storage to a model where you pay per gigabyte for the storage you use. If you decide you are going to use a paid service you should take a hard look at your environment and what you want to backup. If you have opted for backing up locally and you want to backup that drive’s data, then you should probably consider Jungle Disk, Carbonite or Mozy services. Carbonite gets a lot of press and is offered by many computer manufacturers as one of their installed product offerings when you buy their machines. Carbonite is a great product if you are only going to backup the files located physically on your machine. If you want to backup attached or network storage you have to subscribe to their Pro Version. I use Mozy for myself at home but I also have used Jungle Disk. I had initially gone with Jungle Disk because it would allow me to backup any of my PC’s to one account and it didn’t matter whether the source was an internal drive, attached storage or a NAS device. But for personal use it became expensive when your total storage size gets large. I am currently at over 380GB’s stored offsite and with Jungle Disk’s consumer pricing this would cost me $59/month. There are some benefits to this I will talk about in a moment. Staring at this price made me reconsider how much I was willing to pay and I decided that I really only wanted my critical data backed up so I went back to looking at Mozy and Carbonite.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
EARTH TALK
®
Questions & Answers About Our Environment
I would love to be able to use some sort of locally made or sustainable version of sugar. What’s out there? It sure would be nice if we could obtain all of our food and drink items from local sources, but sugar provides an excellent example of why such a desire may remain a pipe dream in the United States for a long time to come. The sugar we consume that is produced domestically comes from sugar cane grown in Hawaii and the Southeast and sugar beet from the Upper Midwest, Pacific Northwest,
I chose Mozy primarily because it would allow me to back up an attached (USB) drive as well as internal drives. So I attached a 1TB drive to my primary system and I am now able to backup all my critical data for a cost of $54.45/ year instead of $59/month. This is over $600 in savings each year. I have both NAS and USB drives on my network though and if you are in this situation as well, then you may want to view a video that I created that shows how I am getting around this Mozy limitation. (http://www.youtube. com/ watch?v=pxYvHtLeBAk) Why did I include Jungle Disk if it is so expensive? Well if you have multiple machines at multiple locations that you want to backup, you can do this with one account. Why? They charge by the amount of storage you use. If you are in this situation, then you may want to pay the few extra bucks because it is more flexible. It also has a network drive feature that allows you to designate a drive letter for storage in the cloud (a service that is accessed through the Internet) that can be accessed by all of your computers and your iPhone as well. I still have my Jungle Disk account but it is primarily used for its offsite storage access now, not as a backup system. So the bottom line is if you are a home user, I would look at either Mozy or Carbonite for your offsite storage. If you are a business owner, then consider Jungle Disk Every Story Begins At Home.
because it can become more cost effective in a business use case. If you need a combination onsite and offsite solution come to us for some products that we have that support more mission critical network systems. I hope that this information has given you some ideas and that I won’t be seeing you any time soon with lost data and tears in your eyes because you haven’t backed up. If you have more questions about designing a total backup solution for your home or business be sure to contact us. Bob Appleby is a partner at Computer Connections which is located in Greensburg, PA. He has been working with computers and technology in some capacity since 1973 and has been with his partner, Jude Daigle, at Computer Connections for over 29 years. Be sure to visit http://BobsTechTalk.com for all sorts of technology news and reviews and visit our website at: http:// www.localsupport.com.
Buffalo Linkstation
California and elsewhere. However, it is likely milled and refined hundreds if not thousands of miles from where it is harvested, and then shipped all over the country— causing untold greenhouse gas emissions—in various sized packages for our consumption in our coffee, on our cereal and, for some of us, in our cocktails. Massive government subsidies and land giveaways to the sugar industry in the American Southeast beginning in the early 18th century established a market for American-grown sugar despite the fact that the region’s climate was not tropical enough to grow cane efficiently. To add insult to injury, the rerouting of south Florida’s fragile water table to irrigate thirsty sugar plantations contributed to the decimation of the Everglades, one of the nation’s most unique and diverse ecosystems—and now the subject of a multi-billion dollar restoration effort. While you might be hard pressed to find commercially available local sugar anywhere in the U.S., you could make your own. “Years ago, when sugar was an expensive commodity, many people of lesser means made their own
sugar from sugar beets,” reports writer Kat Yares on the eHow.com website. “Every farm and every home garden had a spot reserved for beets, and a day was set aside to cook the beets down into sugar.” While very few of us grow our own food these days, growing sugar beets and making sugar from scratch can be a fun, educational and tasty project for parents and kids or for foodies intent on local sourced, preservativefree ingredients. Yares explains the whole process in her “How to Make Sugar from Beets” article on eHow.com. If that all sounds like too much work, perhaps you can settle for store-bought organic sugar, which may not be local but which is at least pro-duced without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Florida Crystals, Hain, C&H, Domino and others each offer organic sugar varieties in many traditional grocery stores coast-tocoast. There are even more choices at natural foods specialty stores (like Whole Foods). Believe it or not, there are even vegan sugars out there—that is, sugars not processed with animal-derived bone char in the refinement process. While sugar itself may be a staple item for many cocktails, some interesting alternative natural sweeteners, some of which may be locally sourced in your region, do exist. Agave nectar, honey or even maple syrup are some options that might just give that Tom Collins the extra kick it needs to make it stand out from the other bartender’s drinks down the street—or in your breakfast cereal, for that matter. CONTACTS: eHow, www.ehow.com; Florida Crystals, floridacrystals.com; Hain, www.hainpurefoods.com; C&H, www. chsugar.com; Domino, www.domino sugar.com. SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk®, c/o E – The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk @emagazine.com. E is a nonprofit publication. Subscribe: www.emaga zine.com/subscribe; Request a Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial
Summer 2010 - 13
DERR Y RAILRO AD D AYS DERRY RAILROAD DA Celebrating Our Railroad Heritage “Bac “Backk on Trac Trackk No. 4” HOBO PICNIC Thursday Evening, September 23th - 6:30 pm At the Caboose Museum (Donations Accepted) Campfire, Hobo Stew, Dirt Cookie & Drink Hobo Contest & Live Music by "Dark Hollow"
DERR Y RAILRO AD D AY S FESTIV AL DERRY RAILROAD DA FESTIVAL Saturday, September 25th - 10:00 am - 7:30 pm Parade 10:00 am Free Onstage Entertainment 11:00 am - 7 pm (Including Saddle Up Band and Jake Break & The Gears) Information Booths, Craft & Food Vendors, Civil War Re-enactors, Juvenile Junction, Hay Rides, Pony Rides & Miniature Train Rides and Much More! Don't forget to visit the Railroad Museum Caboose! Both events held in Derry Borough Business District, Westmoreland County From Greensburg - take Route 30 East to 217 North and travel approx. 4 miles From Ligonier - take Route 30 West to 217 North and travel approx. 4 miles
For more information call Chuck at 724-694-9884. NO PETS, SKATEBOARDS, ROLLER BLADES OR BIKES
3804 Route 30 Latrobe 724-539-1900 •
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Michael J. Brownfield, O.D. Matthew A. Christianson, O.D. 14 - Summer 2010
Baseball Returns to Pittsburgh in Ken Burn’s “The Tenth Inning” PBS has announced that THE TENTH INNING, a new two-part, four-hour documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that picks up where Burns’s landmark 1994 series BASEBALL left off, will air Tuesday-Wednesday, September 28-29, 2010, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET on PBS, locally on Pittsburgh’s WQED TV. The program is directed by Burns and Novick and written and produced by David McMahon, Novick and Burns. THE TENTH INNING tells the tumultuous story of America’s national pastime from the early 1990s to the present day, introducing an unforgettable array of players, teams and fans, celebrating the game’s resilience and enduring appeal, and showcasing both extraordinary accomplishments — and devastating losses and disappointments. The film highlights dramatic developments that transformed the game: the crippling 1994 strike that left many fans disillusioned with their heroes; the increasing dominance of Latino and Asian players who turned baseball into a truly international game; baseball’s skyrocketing profits, thanks to new stadiums, interleague play, and the wild card; the rise of a new Yankee Dynasty; the Red Sox’ historic World Series victory; the astonishing feats of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds; and the revelations about performanceenhancing drugs that cast a shadow on many of the era’s greatest stars and their accomplishments. Combining extraordinary highlights, stunning still photographs, popular music of the period, and insightful commentary by players, managers, experts and fans, Burns and Novick’s THE TENTH INNING interweaves the story of the national pastime with the story of America. In an age of globalization, deregulation and speculation, the film demonstrates that baseball has continued to be a mirror of the country — at its best and at its worst. The film also movingly shows that when America felt most threatened, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, baseball offered common ground, providing Americans with solace, distraction, and the hope that things could one day return to normal. The film will air 16 years after the original Emmy Award-winning, nine-part documentary series BASEBALL debuted in 1994 during the players’ strike. The original series was seen by more than 43 million viewers, making it the mostwatched program in PBS history. “Baseball has changed so much in the last 15 years, but at the same time, the reason that the game is so enduring is that it is timeless,” said Ken Burns. “Like the original series, this film pays tribute to one of our nation’s greatest institutions. We celebrate tremendous athletic achievements and examine the humanity and diversity of the players, the dynamic relationship with the fans, and all the layers and nuances that make a seemingly simple exercise of hitting a ball with a stick infinitely fascinating.” “We have worked hard to provide a human dimension to the recent history of the game — to appreciate the great athletes who have given so much joy to so many, and to understand the realworld forces shaping their decisions,” Lynn Novick said. “For us as filmmakers, it has been tremendously exciting, and challenging, to try to do justice to this
complicated story, and to try to understand what it says about who we are.” “BASEBALL is one of the most popular series that PBS has ever broadcast, and ever since fans have been asking if there would be more,” said John F. Wilson, PBS chief TV programming executive. “We’re extremely excited that Ken, Lynn and the team at Florentine Films and WETA have taken to the field again to deliver another outstanding chapter to the ongoing saga of baseball.” A number of familiar faces from the first nine installments of the series add their welcome perspectives on events of the last 15 years, including writers Roger Angell, John Thorn, George Will, Gerald Early and Doris Kearns Goodwin, as well as broadcaster Bob Costas. The film also features revealing interviews with Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig, managers Felipe Alou and Joe Torre, players Pedro Martinez, Omar Vizquel and Ichiro Suzuki, broadcaster Keith Olbermann, writers Marcos Breton, Tom Verducci, Selena Roberts, Mike Barnicle and Howard Bryant, and other players, writers and fans from across the country, as well as overseas. Fans of the series will be able to explore even more of THE TENTH INNING online at pbs.org/tenthinning by watching online video; traveling with Ken Burns on an interactive Google map as he treks to ballparks around the country this summer; downloading lesson plans; and sharing their own baseball stories. Fans can also connect to Burns and Novick on Facebook (facebook.com/kenburnspbs) and Twitter for behind-the-scenes footage, discounts from PBS Home Video and other fan-only benefits.
Ken Burns during production of THE TENTH INNING, 2010 Credit: Al Karevy Photography
Directors Ken Burns and Lynn Novick are crossing the country this summer to visit ballparks and throw out the first pitch. They’ll be in Pittsburgh on Saturday, August 21 to cheer the Pirates as they play the Mets – 7:30 PM. Follow their adventures and share your own stories on Facebook and Twitter, or visit www.PBS.org
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
All Photos © TJZ Creations. To view more photos and order prints from this event, visit www.TJZCreations.com by August 24. Click on Client Photo Viewing and enter code: WCCT610.
The Wickets of Westmoreland Croquet is a game that anyone can play. It doesn’t require physical strength or endurance, expensive equipment or a large playing field. Young or old, big or small, croquet is a game for all to share and enjoy together on an even playing field. Players navigate the small course by smacking a ball through arched doors, called wickets, and continue on toward the next as friends and family cheer them on. At least that’s the way it goes at the annual Westmoreland Croquet Club Tournament, a fundraising event most recently held June 13 at the University of Pittsburgh campus in Greensburg. Dressed in garden party white, attendees gathered to play in the tournament and host themed tents filled with food and positive energy. Money was raised through the sponsorship of tents by businesses and individuals, raffles and a duck race. These funds will open several doors for projects in human services, conservancy, and art & education. Sponsored by First Commonwealth Bank, this year’s event drew some 1800 guests (both local and national) and raised $70,000 to support nonprofits through the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County. Six organizations
Every Story Begins At Home.
were invited as guests and will receive support from the proceeds: Bushy Run Battlefield, Powdermill Nature Reserve, CASA of Westmoreland County (courtappointed volunteered who advocate for abused and neglected children), Excela Health Hospice, The Blackburn Center (for victims of physical, sexual and emotional violence), and Visionaries: Young Philanthropists Impacting Westmoreland County. Developed in 1990 by Georgia Smith and Ernie Vallozzi, the first Greensburg Croquet Club event, to benefit the YMCA, was held at the Greensburg Garden & Civic Center with one playing field. Over 20 years, they raised hundreds of thousands of dollars as the event continued to grow.
In it’s 21st season, this year’s tournament included 20 fields and 34 tents. Giving back to the community “seemed like something we should be doing,” Vallozzi explained. He opened his Greensburg restaurant in 1978, and it was successful from that start, which he calls “a blessing.” Over the past 30 years, Vallozzi has also raised over three million dollars for Westmoreland Hospital through themed dinner events. He also organizes a private, multi-generational men’s gathering each winter, called Old Joe’s Club, at Pike Run on Laurel Ridge Mountain. Together, fewer than 100 men raise $250,000 in a single day with a trap and skeet shoot, black tie
dinner and silent auction. The money raised is conserved and utilized as community needs emerge and are identified. This year, the croquet club was officially renamed the Westmoreland Croquet Club to better communicate and widen the scope of funding support for the county rather than just the city of Greensburg. Westmoreland Croquet Club Committee Members include: Ernie Vallozzi (President), Amy McDivitt (Event Coordinator), Keith Gjebre (Advisor), Rick Versaw (Advisor), Tom Luscombe, Jim McNair, Paul Nickoloff, Judy Riehle, Carl Rossman, Georgia Smith, Jack Smith MD, and Donna Uhrinek. – Cathi Gerhard The Inner Circle Tent
Heart Of A Photographer: Tiffany J. Ziegenfus Photography is not just my business, but my passion. At TJZ Creations my aspiration is to capture the essence of not only the moment, but the most important part, the uniqueness and beauty of you! Whether you are a bride on your wedding day, a senior ready to graduate, a young child growing-up, or someone just looking for a portrait, my goal is to show forth the grandeur of each and every person I photograph. The eye of my heart, the technology of my camera, and you – fused together creating a complete memory. A moment in time, capsulated forever that you can look back on and smile, share, and treasure for generations to come. Contact Tiffany for more information about photographing your special moments: www.TJZCreations.com • 724-552-6751
Summer 2010 - 15
Summer in Ligonier Band Concerts: 7PM every Sunday through August Summer in Ligonier Arts and Craft Show: July 23 & 24 9AM-5PM The Stroll: August 13, 5-9PM (classic car show, live band and dance contest) Antiques on the Diamond: August 28, 8AM-4PM Think Thursday - Think Ligonier : Shops open til 7PM Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce
120 East Main Street • Ligonier, PA 15658 • 724-238-4200 • www.ligonier.com
On the Diamond
ANTIQUES Multi-Dealer Shop
Ligonier has been a source of constant attraction for over 250 years. Located at the intersection of Routes 30 & 711 in Westmoreland County, it is separated from the outside world by two massive, but not spectacular mountains. Laurel Mountain to the east and Chestnut Ridge to the west make Ligonier Valley a clearly defined entity; the two mountains permit very few roadways so that the Valley, in effect, is protected by two great walls, ten miles apart and about twenty-five long. The Ligonier Diamond offers a quiet respite or interesting shopping in our quaint shops. Natural beauty and clean air make for a healthy atmosphere in which to live, work and play
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AMICA ~
203 E. MAIN ST • LIGONIER, PA • 724-238-8545
110 East Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 (724) 238-2226
Mary Jo Culbertson Proprietor (724) 238-0497
OPEN SUNDAYS! BAGGALLINI PURSES BEAUTIFUL SCARVES NEW OKAb SANDALS
Equine Chic For Horse, Home & You!
You don’t have to own a horse to find a great gift! On the Diamond 100 E Main St in Ligonier 724-238-7003
The Paper House Cards & Collectibles
134 West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 724-238-4608
www.EquineChic.com
Polish Pottery • Loova Glycerin Soaps • Poo Pourri Locally-Made Pure Maple Syrup • Sandhill Berries Products • And More! On the Diamond • 121 W. Main St. in Ligonier • 724-238-3160 16 - Summer 2010
Distinctive Children’s Clothing & Gifts and Something for Mom as Well!
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Joanne Grace Hartman, MT 220B West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658
Phone: 724-858-6271 A massage relaxes muscles, easing and soothing your aches and pains. It rejuvenates – restoring balance to our body and being, making us better for all the things life throws our way. Now certified to treat TMJ conditions! Everyone deserves a great massage!
Martin’s Specialty Shop Men’s & Women’s Casual Clothing and Footwear
On the Diamond in Ligonier Since 1900
SIX ROOMS
of Quality Toys, Games and Puzzles for “kids” of all ages! Excellent selection from more than 400 manufacturers . . and you ARE allowed to touch!
See the lifelike puppets in our Indoor Forest!
TheToy Box
104 East Main Street Ligonier, Pennsylvania 15658 Telephone: (724) 238-9235
108 South Market Street • Ligonier, PA 15658 Open 7 days a week • www.toyboxligonier.com
Shorts • Knit Polos • Sport Jackets Slacks . . . And More
724-238-6233
“When How You Look Matters”
Ligonier Outfitters
Rustic Country Treasures
YES, we have Frogs, Rubber Bandz, and Japanese Erasers!
127 W. Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 724-238-4900
Where Country Has Old-Fashioned Flair! Full Line Dealer
Men’s and Women’s Apparel Home & Gift Ideas
Woolrich • Columbia • Hush Puppies Rockport • Born / • Eliza B 116 East Main Street • Ligonier, Pennsylvania 15658 Mon - Sat 9-5; Closed Sunday 724-238-6811
Men’s Shop
Johnston Benchworks Furniture Handmade Primitives Lamps/Country Prints Berries/Twigs/Garland Wood Signs Flags/Stars Denims/Purses and a whole lot mroe!
Mon-Thurs 11-4, Fri-Sat 10-5, Sun 12-4 231 East Main St • Ligonier, PA • 724-238-3376 FREE UPS SHIPPING with catalog orders www.ligonieroutfitters.com
Shop Thursday til 7:00 pm
Ligonier and Sweet Shop Pathfinder Photo Fine Chocolates Betsy Ann Truffles • Wilson Fudge
Ligonier Souvenirs
3700 Route 711 North (formerly Roadhouse Pizza)
On the Diamond • Ligonier, PA 15658 • (724) 238-6060 Mon-Thurs, 11-9 • Fri-Sat, 11-10 • Sun, 12-8
Bumper Stickers for a Happy Planet G Squared Gallery, 138 East Main Street in Ligonier www.gsquaredligonier.com • 724-238-8083
Every Story Begins At Home.
Summer 2010 - 17
Eleanor G. Morris Community Service Scholarships Awarded The Mountain Laurel Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to announce that the 2010 $1000 Eleanor G. Morris Community Service Scholarships have been awarded to three local students who have provide valuable community service activities. Emily Pompelia, who lives in Cook Township and is graduating from Ligonier Valley High School, brings a high degree of enthusiasm to the many kinds of service she offers in her school, her church, her community and in far away places where needs are many. And she has also found time to help through the school’s mentoring program. Emily will attend Syracuse University and study journalism. Jacob Hauger, a Donegal Township resident, will graduate from the Mt. Pleasant High School. For several years he has used his love for bluegrass music and banjo skills to offer entertainment at benefit events directed toward raising funds for many worthwhile causes. Jacob has been accepted into the Two Year Mining Technology program at Penn State’s Fayette campus. Jerry Cramer, Jr. lives in Saltlick Township and graduates from Connellsville Area High School. He has demonstrated his ability to find opportunities to help others not only in his school but also in his community and has offered a variety of services to elderly residents. Jerry will study elementary education at Thiel University in the fall. This is the fourth year the MLCC has sponsored the Eleanor G. Morris Community Scholarship. The program seeks out students who live in Cook, Donegal, Saltlick, and Springfield townships and who have outstanding records of community service. Applications were received from all eligible areas and all students who applied described worth community service activi18 - Summer 2010
ties they have accomplished. Our area is extremely fortunate to receive the help and support these young people are providing. The Scholarship program is made possible through contributions from community residents, from special friends of the late Dr. Morris, and from local business members of the MLCC.
TOY SOLDIER GALLERY St. Petersburg Miniatures • Dioramas • Books • Games Delprado • John Jenkins • Dragon • GAMES WORKSHOP
235 West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658
724-238-0324 norm@toysoldiergallery.net
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
WHAT’S COOKING IN FITNESS Mark J. Rullo, MS, CSCS, MES – My Fitness Kitchen®
I Eat Right and Exercise – but I Still Can’t Lose Weight! How can that be? It just doesn’t make any sense. If I am eating right and exercising, why am I not losing any weight? In order to figure it out, you need to keep one thing in mind: all weight gains or losses are determined by the difference between the number of calories one consumes and the number of calories one expends. To simplify I like to use an analogy. Managing your weight is like managing a check book. The calories you burn can be likened to your income. The calories you eat can be likened to your withdrawals. At the end of the day if your income (calorie burn) exceeds your withdrawals (calorie intake) you will lose weight. Likewise, if your withdrawals (calorie intake) exceed your income (calorie burn) you will gain weight. Losing weight is like saving money – you can’t spend more than you make. In order to be financially healthy, one must know what their income is and adjust their spending accordingly. Similarly, to maintain a healthy weight, one must know what their calorie burn is and adjust their consumption accordingly. So what is the magic equation? How does one lose a pound of fat? One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. In order to lose a pound of fat in a week, a person has to create a 500 calorie per day deficit (500 calories x 7 days = 3500 calories). It doesn’t matter how you do it, whether by eating less or exercising more or a combination of both, you just have to create the deficit. Sounds simple, right? Well if it’s so simple why do we have an obesity epidemic in this country? In my experience, the problem is twofold. First, people tend to grossly UNDERESTIMATE how many calories they are taking in. Whether it is not knowing how many calories are in the food they eat or not accounting for everything they eat (including the food you eat “a bite here and a bite there”), people tend to err on the low side when it comes to estimating their Every Story Begins At Home.
intake. Second, people tend to grossly OVERESTIMATE how many calories they are burning. Unless you are a superhero, it’s a good bet that you are not burning 1000 calories per half hour on the treadmill. How can one get around the “estimation” problem and get some concrete numbers with which to work? On the intake (calories consumed) side of the equation, food logging is a great way to keep track of your calories. Logging your food forces you to pay attention to what you are eating and how much you are eating. There are a plethora of books with calorie information on common foods and there are websites with similar information. Every packaged food in the grocery store has a food label which contains calorie information and many restaurants and fast food places have online nutrition information which contains calorie counts. Make no mistake, food logging can be tedious but it is the only way you are going to be able to get a true number of calories consumed. On the output (calories burned) side of the equation there are a number of tools you can use. You can calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories you burn just to stay alive) using any number of online calculators. To that you can add any calories you burn doing daily activities (again, you can find calorie calculators online). These calculations will get you close to figuring out your actual calorie burn for the entire day, but they still involve a certain amount of guesswork. For those who want to remove all guesswork, technology exists that can tell you an actual number of calories expended through a specially designed armband. The armband has sensors that collect information about the body; like motion, galvanic skin response, temperature and heat flow. Using this information the armband calculates an actual, accurate calorie burn. There is no guesswork. Referring back to our financial analogy, having the
armband is like getting a bank statement. It tells you exactly what your balance is so you know exactly how much you can spend. If you still aren’t convinced that an accurate calorie count is important, consider this: if you consume 10 calories a day (the equivalent of 3 M & M candies) more than you burn, it will result in a 1 pound weight gain over the course of a year. How many of us would only consume 3 M &M candies? What if that handful totaled 30 M & M candies? Then you are looking at a 100 calorie surplus. If one would average that surplus for a year, you now can see how one could easily add on 10 pounds in one year. This information is not here to say you should only eat this or that, but rather, so you now are aware and know the cost of what you eat. As long as you know your income (caloric expenditure) and your expenses (caloric intake) you will be in the best position to manage your weight. As a thank you to the readers of Laurel Mountain Post, My Fitness Kitchen® would like to extend an invitation to allow us to calculate your personal caloric formula and answer any questions you might have including whether an armband would be valuable to you. For those readers who are neighbors of the Kitchen, please stop by for a free, no obligation consultation. For those readers who are out of town, feel free to call 724.879.8523 or email me (mrullo@myfitnesskitchen.com) and we can make that calculation through a phone consult. Mark Rullo is an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Medical Exercise Specialist, certified Golf Fitness Instructor and owner of My Fitness Kitchen® www.myfitnesskitchen.com 724-879-8523. Something far from your traditional, intimidating gym, My Fitness Kitchen® in Latrobe 30 plaza is Where Fitness & Nutrition Come Together. From the moment you enter My Fitness Kitchen® regardless of your fitness level it’s all about “You.” The supportive staff, welcoming atmosphere, and friendly members combine to create the most unique and comfortable environment for your fitness success. Whether it is Fitness, Nutrition or both, you can be confident My Fitness Kitchen® is the solution to a healthier you.
HELP WANTED Advertising & Distribution The Laurel Mountain Post is currently seeking to expand its advertising and distribution throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. Available territories include: Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Greene, Somerset, Fayette, Washington, Cambria and Indiana counties. If you are interested in working with us through these part-time, flexible, and self-guided earning opportunities, please email a letter of inquiry to our Advertising Director: Jason Ament, ads4lmp@gmail.com, or phone 724-3093090.
Springs Farmers Market
Saturdays through Sept 11 8 am - 1 pm A wide selection of fresh produce, home baked goods (fresh donuts made Saturday mornings!), quilts, antiques, crafts, plants, tools, etc. www.springspa.org Route 669 Springs, PA
Deadline for the Fall 2010 Issue of the Laurel Mountain Post is Wednesday, September 15 Summer 2010 - 19
Berlin Brothersvalley Community Fair September 12, 15-18 2010
Berlin Brothersvalley High School 1025 East Main Street - Berlin, PA Exhibits, Tractor & ATV Pulls, Pet Parade, Fair Queen, BBQ, Public Auction Judged Entries Include: Baked & Canned Goods, Fruits & Vegetables, Maple Products, Honey, Flowers, Hand-crafted Items, Needlework, Original Paintings (Entry Day: Sept 15, 8-6)
40th Annual Antique & Road Show
(fee per item)
20 - Summer 2010
The Show Will Go On at the Mountain Playhouse In April at Shakespeare’s Birthday, a well-attended of Illyria, a gentleman who longs for the love of a wine and beer tasting fundraiser that benefited the neighboring countess. Then Viola/Cesario falls in Mountain Playhouse, the 2010 Mountain Playhouse love with the Duke and the countess finds herself season was announced to applause. The 71 st suddenly smitten with Viola/Cesario. To add to the anniversary season will be shorter, smarter and full farce, Viola/Cesario’s twin brother arrives on the of laughter for audience members to enjoy. The scene. The plot illustrates jealousy, mistaken season lineup includes a modern day rock musical, identity, cross-dressing and features an array of two world premieres, a favorite comedy of colorful characters (including Toby Belch) as well as Shakespeare and a Southern classic which fights and duels. Twelfth Night will run September demonstrates the value of trying to understand 22-October 3 (after a four week season hiatus). people with different beliefs and backgrounds. The 2010 season will conclude October 6-17 with The Mountain Playhouse season will kick off the Pulitzer Prize-winning Driving Miss Daisy July 6-25 with Altar Boyz, written by Kevin Del written by Alfred Uhry. An elderly Jewish widow living Aguila with music and lyrics by Gary Adler and in Atlanta can no longer drive. Her son insists she Michael Patrick Walker. A rock musical, which allow him to hire a driver, which in the 1950s meant recently closed a five-year run Offa black man. She resists any Broadway, spoofs boy bands from change in her life but, Hoke, the the 1990s. The story follows the driver is hired by her son. She fate of 5 small-town boys – refuses to allow him to drive her Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and anywhere at first, but Hoke slowly Abraham – who unexpectedly end wins her over with his native good up in New York with their pious graces. The play covers over twenty pop act, one that worked wonders years of the pair’s life together as on the Ohio bingo-hall circuit, but they slowly build a relationship risks falling flat in the big apple. that transcends their differences. Or does it? Audiences should count on Angelic voices and Tickets, Season Subscriptions spectacular dancing that will rock and Group Sales the masses of all ages and denominations! Individual tickets for the 2010 seaFarce is no stranger to son, Season Subscriptions, FlexMountain Playhouse audiences Passes, Corporate Flex-Passes who often attend farcical and group sales are now underway. productions in greater numbers Subscription plans range from than any other style of play. The $68-$140 per person depending on winner of the Mountain Playhouse seat location, the day of the week International Comedy Playwriting and matinee or evening perforContest in 2009 Who Maid Who? mance. A smaller Pick 3 Pass is a written by David Lassig tells the mini season sub-scription which story of Joe and his secret plans offers theatergoers the opportunity An ensemble cast will star in the upcoming for a quiet weekend retreat with to choose three productions they Mountain Playhouse production of Altar Boyz his would-be-mistress. His best would like to see. Regardless of the which opens on July 6th. The band members friend serves as an unwitting alibi day of week or seat location, the are (from left to right) Justin Packard, Todd Stern, Todd Adamson, Michael Timothy which provides Joe the makings Pick 3 Pass costs only $76 for Howell and Christopher Sergeeff. of a worry free weekend, until his matinee or $86 for evening wife shows up and catches him performances. FlexPasses offers with a suspiciously-clad “French the most flexibility, giving theatermaid.” Then, Joe’s parents show up, with a weekend goers the opportunity to purchase 6 admissions that of their own planned. Not to mention an inquisitive can be used at any time and in any quantity cop, the chef, the gardner, the old maid and the throughout the season. FlexPass prices range alibi’s wife? The madcap farce runs from July 27from $151- $211. A special three-admission Youth August 8. FlexPass costs only $30. One Golden Moment tells the story of a Businesses or corporations who wish to give middle-aged American man who is seeking refuge tickets to employees, friends or customers can from his workaholic life on a secluded Greek Island. purchase Corporate FlexPasses with their name and Though Ted is trying to disconnect from the world company logo included on the ticket voucher. and live a peaceful, solitary existence, his ZorbaFor information or to place ticket orders, like Greek landlord interferes by sending a strikingly audience members may call 814 629 9201, option 1 beautiful young Austrian woman to tend house for to reach the Box Office. him. A romantic interlude in an exotic mountaintop Groups (as small as 10) may reserve tickets now. villa comes to life for the two as they romp through Groups enjoy special services during their visit and language misunderstandings and cultural save up to $4 off the ticket price. Special group rates differences. Just when life couldn’t get better, Ted’s are also available for dining and theater packages. ex-boss finds him and makes an enriching, For reservations, groups may contact the Group compelling, employment offer which will cause Ted Sales Coordinator at 814-629-9201 x105. to choose between his dream job and his new-found The Mountain Playhouse is Pennsylvania’s passion for life. The romantic comedy by William S. oldest professional, resident summer theater E. Coleman won the Mountain Playhouse Playentering its 71st anniversary season in 2010. The Mountain Playhouse also sponsors an International writing Contest in 2008 and will make its world Comedy Playwriting contest, an annual competition, premiere August 10-22. which helps encourage the development of new The lyrical comedy Twelfth Night has always comedy for theater. The Mountain Playhouse is been one of Shakespeare’s most accessible and located on Route 985, one-half mile north of the popular works. In the play, a love triangle results historic Lincoln Highway (Route 30) adjacent to from shipwrecked Viola disguising herself as the boy Cesario who finds employment with the Duke Green Gables Restaurant.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
SHOPS AROUND THE CORNER PRIZES Local Businesses Sponsor Quarterly Giveaways for Our Subscribers Only! With each issue, all current subscribers (both print and online) are automatically eligible to win a prize package from local businesses. It’s our way of thanking you for being loyal readers, as well as supporters of local commerce! All winners will be listed on our website. Register as a new Laurel Mountain Post subscriber by August 31, 2010 to be included in our Summer 2010 drawings for the following prizes:
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Shopping Spree
Fandango Movie Gift Card
Retail Value: $100 Mary Kay Cosmetics Vanessa Stiltner: Greensburg, PA http://www.marykay.com/vstiltner
Retail Value: $25 Redeem for movie tickets to local theaters on www.Fandango.com
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Free TeethWhitening 438 Pellis Road, Suite 100 Greensburg, PA 15601 724-219-0812 www.cavalierdentistry.com
Congratulations to Our Spring 2010 Winners: Charlotte Smith - McDonald, PA Jamie Mattson - Duquesne, PA Leslie Gottschalk - Pittsburgh, PA
Theater in the Mountains Package: Dinner for Two, 2 Theater Tickets, and Overnight Stay in Huddleson Court Retail Value: $350 Mountain Playhouse: Jennerstown, PA 814-629-9201 www.MountainPlayhouse.org
27th Annual ®
Retail Value: $47 L&L Quik Lube 102 Depot Street in Latrobe, PA 724-537-9329
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Catch Pennsylvania’s Colonial Spirit ! Sept. 18, 19 & 25, 26 Saxonburg, PA (So. Butler Co.) Rte. 228 E. 30 min. from Pittsburgh or PA Turnpike via Harmer Exit 48 to Rte 28 N, Exit 16
Every Story Begins At Home.
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Free Oil Change
Joe & Kristen Mucci - Greensburg, PA Marie McCandless - Derry, PA Tom Patts - Latrobe, PA William Ehman - Derry, PA
Do You Love the Outdoors? Keystone State Park is looking for volunteers to help staff our Beach House and our James Kell Visitor’s Center. This is such a great place to volunteer you will have beautiful scenery, plenty of sunshine and fresh air. Both of these positions are very important to the operation of the park. You would be required to interact with the public, hand out information and answer questions. If you are looking to help out even more then you can join the
Friends of Keystone State Park. The Friends group is an all volunteer group who help to provide recreational opportunities, protect the natural beauty of the park as well as pursue big projects such as our recently constructed children’s playground. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please contact the Keystone State Park office at: Keystone State Park, 1150 Keystone Park Rd., Derry, PA 15627 724-668-2939. Summer 2010 - 21
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Comprehensive exam & x-rays for only $71 ($105 savings!)
22 - Summer 2010
Latrobe Student Among Fulbright Commission Summer Grant Recipients Congratulations to Carly Marsh Summer Institute, Newcastle University jCarly Marsh, a sophomore com-
munication major at Saint Vincent College, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright Commission grant – the first Saint Vincent student ever to do so – to study and travel in the United Kingdom this summer. Ms. Marsh, a 2009 graduate of Greater Latrobe High School, will arrive in London in July and spend her summer taking classes in journalism at Newcastle University in the area of Northumberland and traveling the European countryside. The grant is part of the US-UK Educational Commission, created in 1948, that offers the only binational transatlantic academic awards program between the two countries. They are part of an inspirational global program conceived by Senator J. William Fulbright in the aftermath of World War II to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Since its inception, nearly 300,000 extraordinary young men and women from all over the world have had their lives changed profoundly by the Fulbright program. The USUK Fulbright Commission offers this special summer program for U.S. citizens to go to the United Kingdom. This program provides the opportunity for outstanding U.S. students who have completed no more than two years of college or university study to go to the UK for a four-week academic and cultural summer program. Participants will get the opportunity to experience an exciting academic program at highly regarded Newcastle University, explore the culture, heritage and history of the UK and develop their academic ability by improving presentation, research and communication skills. The award provides full funding to awardees to cover airfare, tuition, room and board. “I want to be a journalist,” Ms. Marsh explained. “This grant will provide me with an extraordinary opportunity to get hands-on experience with members of the British Press Association. I want to learn how to inform the public by giving them clear information that is relatable to them. I want to make a difference with the work that I do.” Ms. Marsh said that earlier this spring she had never even heard of the Fulbright program. “I didn’t know that it existed until I got an email from Saint Vincent College student Taylor Guido, president of the Alpha Lambda Delta honor society, suggesting that the members of the club consider applying, and I decided to because I was disappointed that an internship I was pursuing for the summer didn’t work out,” Ms.
Marsh related. “The exciting opportunity to study journalism in England really propelled me to apply.” She credits support and assistance from Bessy Bennellick, director of the Saint Vincent College study abroad program, as crucial to her success. “Ms. Bennellick was a big help in the lengthy application process and has already helped with many of the details that have to be worked out before I leave and while I am there,” she said.
St. Vincent College journalism student Carly Marsh
“As a communication major, it is fitting that Carly will participate in the academic program called Media and Journalism: Writing for the Media,” Ms. Bennellick commented. “This program lets students try their hand at putting together a news report, researching and writing a feature article, editing copy and designing pages for publication. She will also participate in training with the British Press Association, Britain and Ireland’s national news agency. Staff from the Press Association training section also train journalists working with internationally-known newspapers such as the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and Daily Mirror as well as many of Britain’s leading provincial newspapers.” Ms. Marsh explained that one part of the application required her to write an essay on something that she had experienced that had a significant impression on her. “I wrote about a series of tragic deaths of friends of mine and my family,” she explained. “It was really shocking and it has changed the way I view life. I see things in a different perspective.” Ms. Marsh has been an active student at Saint Vincent as a writer and production editor for The Review student newspaper, as a work-study student in the Archabbey and Seminary Public continued on page 28
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
FLORIOGRAPHY The Language of Flowers by Travelli McFarland
Warm Summer Meadows The more the things of nature are mixed up with our own spiritual being the more interesting, the more enjoyable, the more beautiful the world will appear. Connect things with thoughts, then things are truly valuable . . .
So begins the article “What the Flowers Say” by James Mason from The Girl’s Own Paper, 1880-1881, (Vol. 2). The language of flowers (floriography) dates back to ancient times and many cultures. The Japanese call it “hanakotoba,” and the Turkish “Salem”, or language of objects, was developed to communicate any message without the need to write. The western version, popularized in the Victorian Era, originated in the Turkish Empire. Lady Mary Wortley Montague, the wife of the English ambassador to Constantinople in the 1717, is credited with bringing the art of “secret” language to the modern world through the publication of her letters, in which she wrote: There is no color, no flower, no weed, no fruit, herb, pebble, or feather, that has not a verse attached to it; and you may quarrel, reproach, or send letters of passion, friendship, or civility, or even of news, without ever inking your fingers.
With so many origins of flower symbols, the only way to effectively communicate is through a standard dictionary. In the romantic Victorian age, many volumes were published, and information was passed not only through the combination of blooms in a bouquet, but by their presentation as well. Place a flower upon the head, and its meaning applies to the mind; on the chest, to the heart; and so on. Invert a bloom, and the opposite expression is given. To strip a stem of its leaves signifies fear; remove the thorns, and you convey without consequence. In learning the language of the flowers, a new layer of comprehension is added to a scientific, natural and romantic world.
Cornflowers Centaurea Cyanis Cornflowers have several related meanings including: celibacy, devotion, purity, single blessedness, hope in love, and delicacy.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Named because they often grew as weeds in cornfields, they are also called bachelor’s button, basket flower, basil flower, star thistle and boutonniere. Cornflowers are blue and have been prized throughout history for their enduring pigment called cyanin. The deep blue flowers were among the treasures found in King Tutankhamen’s tomb. A small wreath of cornflowers and olive leaves, still blue after thousands of years, was left to aid the pharaoh in the afterlife. In folklore, cornflowers were worn by young men in love; if the flower faded too quickly, it was taken as a sign that the man’s love was unrequited. A Russian tale says a handsome young man called Basilek who wandered into a field where a nymph saw him and fell in love with him. She couldn’t marry a mortal, so to keep him with her forever in the cornfield she turned him into a flower as blue as his eyes. Greek mythology often referes to cornflowers and its healing properties. An infusion made by soaking the flower petals in water was used as an eyewash to refresh tired eyes and restore sight. It is also used as an astringent mouthwash to help heal mouth ulcers and to clean and disinfect wounds. The cornflower gets its name from the centaur, Chiron, who is often credited with teaching mankind the healing power of herbs. Cornflowers are also a common ingredient in Earl Grey Tea, which was oft requested by the famous fictional bachelor Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation): “Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.” It grows quickly, blooms heav-ily, and dies with frost. Cornflowers are easily cultivated and often rebloom in fall. It regrows the following year if seeds fall on bare ground.
Queen Anne’s Lace Daucus Carota
Queen Anne’s Lace and the Cornflower Blues
from the Wallflowers Collection of Stories
by Travelli McFarland Complete serialization available exclusively online to subscribers of the Laurel Mountain Post
Queen Anne’s lace is a prolific wildflower that symbolizes: delicacy, femininity, complexity, fantasy, sanctuary or haven continued on page 28
Summer 2010 - 23
Queen Anne’s Lace and the Cornflower Blues
The announcement reached him just in time. He usually finished up with the morning paper and headed across the street to the library, where he spent most of his summer days searching through scientific, literary and religious texts for the cures to a lifetime of existential angst and doubt. But today those books had no words that could compare to the wistful scrapbook now flashing through his mind. He had a long drive ahead of him, but if he pushed straight through, he could make it in time for tomorrow’s gathering. Somewhere along the prosaic highway east, just past the exit for Bowling Green, he began to notice the landscape. Days as an art teacher found him naming the colors for everything he saw. Above this particular stretch of road, sandwiched between aisles of clover and corn fields, the late afternoon sky was a familiar shade of blue somewhere between azure and cerulean. In a memory’s moment he was 15 again and in love for the very first time. On the last day of school, she agreed to go with him, and he gave his wrestling sweatshirt to her. Only a freshman, he had yet to earn his varsity letter and
24 - Summer 2010
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the coveted leather and wool jacket that came with it. He couldn’t believe the coolest girl in school was now his girlfriend. They were from different social cliques, the hierarchies that govern and define adolescence. It had taken him months to even talk to her, asking her best friend to the spring dinner dance, just to get that much closer to her. He wasn’t proud of that, but shy boys have to work harder. At least around smart, beautiful and popular girls. She was always surrounded by older, more stylish guys – the kind who would kick your ass for staring too long. They already had their jackets. But there she was, wearing his sweatshirt as she wrote her phone number in his yearbook. He called her every evening in June. It was new and fun in this world where everything seemed possible. They talked for hours about television, books and philosophy, and even managed to play Boggle over the phone. They exchanged mix tapes of their favorite songs: his filled with The Doors, Janis Joplin and classic rock, hers with an eccentric collection of new wave pop and punk. He was always “on” with her, always clever, and more confident each day. They saw movies, ate ice cream, and went rowing on the lake. Once she wore trendy plastic shoes that pinched her feet and looked
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silly, so he tossed them overboard and made her promise to never again sacrifice comfort for style. She found him adorable, and the sound of her laughter was a joyful and addictive energy, sustaining him for endless summer days. On the Fourth of July they spent the afternoon at the community picnic with plans to stay and watch fireworks in the park. His sweatshirt was tied around the waist of her red and white plaid sundress, and she sported Chuck Taylor sneakers in homage to Elvis Costello. To offset the practical shoes and complete this festive ensemble, she wore white gloves made of lace. “Because I’m crazy for you, “ she had laughed, “Like the Madonna song.” Just as the day’s many colorful illuminations to come, she glowed with a powerful, creative beauty; and shot him right between the eyes with it, though the enduring wound lodged in his heart. Determined to find a better view for fireworks, they set out through the park on the dirt road along the gentle ridge hugging the end of town. It led to an old-fashioned church that probably once doubled as a one-room schoolhouse. Definitely closed and deserted now, he seemed to remember that it opened only for holidays like Easter and Christmas when people wanted to feel a little more nostalgically religious. Behind it lay a forgotten cemetery
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
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filled with trees and mosscovered stones. A trip through the broken gate at the other end revealed a meadow of flowers.
close to the heaven they had touched. Absolute freedom had led to chaos, and by August their cornflower sky quickly faded to a murky gray.
his hotel room that was waiting in the twilight of the small town where they grew up together, and then apart.
The blooming field of the hillside was nestled like a small terrace, overlooking the town. With balcony seating now secured, he presented her with an impromptu bouquet of freshly-plucked clover, Queen Anne’s Lace, and cornflowers - which he noticed were the same color as her eyes. The world would never seem more alive with grace and possibility than it did at that moment. It was an ideal offered only to the innocence and liberty of youth. The day began with a warm sun sparkling simple promises over a girl and a boy, and ended as the moon showered a wilderness of enigmatic stars upon a woman and a man. Each day after became more confusing than the last. There was growing doubt in a glance, apprehension around every word, and agonizing silences quickly followed. Before long it felt impossible to maintain or even reach a standard that suddenly seemed so high, so
Every Story Begins At Home.
They never said good-bye or spoke the right words to officially fill the obscure space between them. By the time school started again, each went looking for someone else, a black and white photograph to fill a vanilla frame. While he earned that jacket and gave it to a sweet and meek little thing, he watched as she moved on too – with Mr. Tall, Dark, and More-HandsomeEvery-Day. As the years turned into decades, he lost track of her. First they grew up, then moved away. For a while, friends of friends would share stories about who was where and doing what. Eventually some people simply forgot each other. But she had remembered, and today she found him. He smiled when he read the note again: “festive attire and practical shoes requested.” She had obviously planned this celebration for a long time, carefully selecting the most meaningful details. It was still a few hours before he would reach Pennsylvania and
The next morning he left early and made a few discreet stops along the way. By the time he arrived, the party was just getting started. As always, she was surrounded by an intimidating collection of admirers, and he really didn’t want to mingle with any of them. The bloom of his heart left no room for repartee. There were many familiar faces: he had been a wrestling teammate, and she sat next to him in English class. Several people he recognized from the town, others he had never met before. Then there were the ghosts he felt he had, though never did; the ones with much younger eyes the color of cornflowers. He made his way through the crowd, deaf to the chatter of greetings and questions from people long lost to the years so far behind them. He never had found the words, but didn’t need them now, realizing that other things spoke the truth better than eloquent yet misunderstood words ever could. Trembling with equal parts age and utter solicitude, he lifted the clutch of specific blue and white wildflowers and placed them on her freshlycovered grave . . . in the cemetery of the little church on the hill next to their secret garden with the lovely view.
Summer 2010 - 25
SUMMER 2010 COMMUNITY CALENDAR Saturday, July 3 – Sunday, July 11
The Kutztown Folk Festival
Lovebettie performs alternative rock music as entertainment The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman St, Greensburg
July 16-18 July 8-10, 15-17, 22-24 @ 8 pm July 14, 21 @ 2 pm
Working
Kutztown Fairgrounds, Kutztown, Route 222 between Allentown/Reading Free brochure: 1-888-674-6136 WWW.kutztownfestival.com
Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont www.applehillplayhouse.org 724-468-5050
Saturday, July 3 – Monday, July 5
Summer Sounds Free Concerts
Celebrate Our Country in the Country
138 E. Kittanning St., Rt. 954, Smicksburg. 814-257-0192 or visit www.smicksburg.net July 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16 @ 11 am
Oh, Jack!
Johnny Appleseed Children’s Theater Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont www.applehillplayhouse.org 724-468-5050 July 6 - July 25
Altar Boyz
Mountain Playhouse, Jennerstown www.MountainPlayhouse.org 814-629-9201
Friday, July 9 @ 7 p.m. Dr. Draw performs Fusion rock music Robertshaw Amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greensburg July 9-10 @ 7:30 pm, July 11 @ 2:30 pm
Excess Cash featuring Eric Harris as “Our Man in Black” and Kasey Zemba as June Carter Cash. Ligonier Theater www.valleyplayers.org, 724-238-6514 July 10 - August 2, 10:30 - 11:15 am
Outdoor Aqua Aerobics Saturdays at Veteran’s Memorial Pool Aerobics Center, Lynch Field Greensburg, 724-834-2153 www.aerobiccenter.org July 11-17
Wednesday, July 7 @ 7 p.m.
Derry Township Agricultural Fair
Returns to the Palace Theatre 21 W. Otterman Street, Greensburg
Rt. 982 North, 724-459-7018 www.derrytwpagfair.com
Thursday, July 8 @ 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 15 @ 6 p.m.
Fundraiser Event
Fundraiser Event
Weird Al Yankovic
Thank Goodness It’s Summer
BookEndz performs acoustic music The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman St, Greensburg
Thank Goodness It’s Summer
Somerfest at Laurel Arts Phillip Dressler Center for the Arts Somerset, 814-443-2433 www.laurelarts.org July 16-18
Cauldron of Steel: A Historical Drama Freeport Theatre Festival. 2498 White Cloud Rd, Leechburg. 724-295-1934 www.freeporttheatrefestival.org
Monarch Magic Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve St. Vincent College, Latrobe 724-537-5284, www.wpnr.org Thursday, July 22 @ 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thank Goodness It’s Summer Fundraiser Event James Boggs performs saxophone The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman St. Greensburg July 22 - August 15
Almost, Maine St. Vincent Summer Theater 724-805-2229, www.stvincent.edu
Friday, July 16 @ 7 p.m.
Summer Sounds Free Concerts
July 23-24
7 Bridges performs Eagles tribute Robertshaw Amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greensburg
Summer in Ligonier Arts & Crafts www.ligonier.com, 724-238-4200
Saturday, July 17, 4-8 pm
July 23, 24, 30, 31 @ 7:30 pm July 25 & August 1 @ 2:30 pm
Rockin in West Newton 50s Dinner and Dance
Nunsense A-MEN!
West Newton Gymnasium, $10 www.dwni.org, 724-872-0100
Valley Players, Ligonier Theater www.valleyplayers.org, 724-238-6514
Saturday, July 17
Friday, July 23 @ 7 p.m.
American Big Band
Summer Sounds Free Concerts
Arcadia Theater, Windber, 814-467-9070 www.arcadiatheater.net
Azucar performs Latin Jazz music Robertshaw Amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greensburg
July 17-18
Living History Weekend Compass Inn, Laughlintown 724-238-4983, www.compassinn.com Saturday July 17 – Sunday July 18 @ 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Craft Show and Community Days at Keystone State Park Pavilion #1 (724)-668-2566 or kpnature@nb.net Saturday July 17 @ 5 p.m.
Lobster and Clambake Christian W. Clay Winery, Chalk Hill meal and wine tasting is $58 /person Reservations required: (724)-439-3424 www.cwklaywinery.com Monday, July 19
First Annual Ligonier Golf Tournament The Ligonier Country Club This event benefits Action for Animals For more information: (724)-516-5806 Monday, July 19, 11 am - 5 pm
Blood Drive: Free Tickets & Free Dinners Ligonier Theater. 724-238-6514 Monday, July 19 – Friday July 23 @ 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Children’s Summer Art Camp: Pencil, Brush, and Beyond (ages 10-12) Westmoreland Museum of American Art 221 N. Main Street, Greensburg Fee: $125/week for members; $140/week nonmembers Registration required: (724)-837-1500 Or by email: education@wmuseumaa.org July 20, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30 @ 11 am
Charlotte’s Web Johnny Appleseed Children’s Theater Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont www.applehillplayhouse.org 724-468-5050
26 - Summer 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 10 and 11 am
Saturday, July 24 @ 8:30pm
Movie Night: “Planet 51” Keystone State Park. Free Admission, Shown at beach house. Saturday, July 24
Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Christian W. Klay Winery, Chalk Hill Tickets: $38/person includes dinner, wine tasting, and show Reservations required: (724)-439-3424 July 24-25
Battle Reenactment Weekend Artillery: 1 and 3 pm Battles: 1:30 and 3:30 pm Ft. Ligonier, www.ftligonier.com 724-238-9701 Saturday, July 24 @ 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Music In The Mountains: Jackson Monsour Glades Pike Winery, Somerset Entrance is free with purchase of wine, or a $10 cover July 25-31
Bedford County Fair 814-623-9011, www.bedford-fair.com Sunday July 25 – Sunday September 19
Cutting Our Own Paths: Contemporary Works by Paper Artists Westmoreland Museum of American Art 221 N. Main Street, Greensburg (724)-837-1500 ext. 27 or www.wmuseumaa.org Sunday July 25 – September 19
Rooted in Tradition: Art Quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum Westmoreland Museum of American Art 221 N. Main Street, Greensburg (724)-837-1500 ext. 27 or visit: www.wmuseumaa.org
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Monday July 26 – Friday July 30 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sunday, August 8
Saturday, August 14 @ 8:30pm
Saturday August 28 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Children’s Summer Art Camp:
Lammas Day Festival
Movie Night: “Princess Bride”
Fulton House, New Derry. 724-694-8808, www.derryhistory.org
Keystone State Park. Free Admission, Shown at beach house.
Music In The Mountains: Herb & Hanson
Sunday, August 8
Saturday, August 14
Murder Mystery Dinner Theater
40th Annual Antique & Road Show
Mixed Media and Sensational Sculpture (ages 10-12) Westmoreland Museum of American Art 221 N. Main Street, Greensburg Registration required: $125/week for members; $140/week for nonmembers (724)-837-1500 ext. 10 or 19 July 27 - August 8
Christian W. Klay Winery, Chalk Hill Tickets are $38/person and includes dinner, wine tasting, and show For more information: (724)-439-3424
Bread Baking Demonstrations
Mountain Playhouse, Jennerstown www.MountainPlayhouse.org 814-629-9201 Thursday, July 29 @ 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thank Goodness It’s Summer
July 29-August 1
Fort Armstrong Folk Festival Riverfront Park, Kittanning 724-543-6363 www.armstrongfestival.com July 29-August 7
Fayette County Fair Dunbar, 724-628-3360 www.fayettefair.com Friday, July 30 @ 7 p.m.
Summer Sounds Free Concerts Laurie Morvan performs blues music Robertshaw Amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greenburg Saturday, July 31 @ 8:30pm
Movie Night: “Cars” Keystone State Park. Free Admission, Shown at beach house. August 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13 @ 11 am
The Tale of the Frog Prince Johnny Appleseed Children’s Theater Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont www.applehillplayhouse.org 724-468-5050 August 5-7, 12-14, 19-21 @ 8 pm August 11 @ 2 pm
Cash On Delivery Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont www.applehillplayhouse.org 724-468-5050 Thursday August 5 @ 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thank Goodness It’s Summer Fundraiser Event. Perigo and Even Stephen perform Rock and Roll music. The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman St. Greensburg Friday August 6 @ 7 p.m.
Summer Sounds Free Concerts The English Channel performs British Oldies, Robert Shaw Amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greensburg August 6-8
Flood City Music Festival johnstown, 814-539-1889 www.floodcitymusic.com Saturday, August 7 @ 10 am
The Magic of Monarch Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve FREE. St. Vincent College, Latrobe 724-537-5284, www.wpnr.org
Every Story Begins At Home.
Greene County Fair Waynesburg, 724-627-4752 www.greenecountyfair.org
Saturday, August 29 @ 8:30pm
Summer Singers and Spinners
Movie Night: “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs”
Thank Goodness It’s Summer Fundraiser Event The Usual Suspects (New Orleans Jazz) The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman St Greensburg
Summer Sounds Free Concerts Moonalice performs Jam music Robertshaw amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greensburg August 20-28
Mon-Thur, August 9-12, 8 am - 5 pm
Kids Summer Camp, ages 7-10 Aerobics Center, Lynch Field $100 for sports, swimming, yoga, nutrition, games, hiking. Greensburg 724-834-2153 www.aerobiccenter.org August 10-22
One Golden Moment Mountain Playhouse, Jennerstown www.MountainPlayhouse.org 814-629-9201 Thursday August 12 6 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Thank Goodness It’s Summer Fundraiser Event Gary Pratt performs country music The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W, Otterman St. Greensburg Friday, August 13
Stroll Through Ligonier www.ligonier.com, 724-238-4200 Friday August 13 @ 7 p.m.
Summer Sounds Free Concerts Bronze Radio Return performs rock music. Robertshaw Amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greensburg August 13-15
Bertha and Bailey’s Circus Freeport Theatre Festival, Leechburg, 724-295-1934 www.freeporttheatrefestival.org Saturday August 14, 8 am - 1 pm
2010 Kids Triathlon Lynch Field Greensburg Sponsored by Habitat for Humanity Saturday, August 14 at 6 pm
Wild West Chuckwagon BBQ & Revue Ligonier Theater, 724-238-6514 www.valleyplayers.org
Fallingwater Twilight Tour
Saturday, August 18 @ 10 and 11 am
Friday August 20 @ 7 p.m. August 9-14
West Newton, 724-872-1670 www.pittsburghrenfest.com
Self-guided tour, gourmet picnic, jazz concert in the meadow. Mill Run 724-329-850, www.fallingwater.org
Thursday August 19 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Lynch Field Greensburg
Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival
Ft. Ligonier, 724-238-9701 www.ftligonier.org
Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve FREE. St. Vincent College, Latrobe 724-537-5284, www.wpnr.org, Reg reqd
August 14
Weekends, August 28-October 3
Saturday, August 28 August 14-15
Who? Maid? Who?
Fundraiser Event Bad Boys Blues Band performs Rock and Blues The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman St. Greensburg
Streets of Somerset, 814-445-6431 www.somersetpa.net
Glades Pike Winery, Somerset
Westmoreland County Fair Greensburg, 724-423-5005 www.westmorelandfair.com August 21-28
Somerset County Fair Meyersdale, 814-634-5619 www.somersetcountyfairpa.com Saturday, August 21 @ 8:30pm
Movie Night: “Night at the Museum” Keystone State Park. Free Admission, Shown at beach house.
Keystone State Park. Free Admission, Shown at beach house. August 29 - September 4
148th Indiana County Fair www.indianacountyfair.com Sept 2-4, 10-11, 16-18 @ 8 pm Sept 12 @ 2 pm
The Kitchen Witches Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont www.applehillplayhouse.org 724-468-5050 Thursday September 2 @ 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Thank Goodness It’s Summer Fundraiser Event Kenny Blake performs Jazz and Pop music. The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman Street Greensburg Friday September 3 – Monday September 6
17th Annual Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Colonial Festival Westmoreland Fairgrounds Admission charged: Adults $5.50; Children (6-12) $1.00; Sr. Citizen (65+): $5; Under 6: Free Saturday September 4 @ 8:30pm
August 21-22
Laurel Hill Bluegrass Festival Laurel Hill State Park, Somerset www.friendsoflhsp.org, 814-445-7725
Movie Night: “Tooth Fairy” Keystone State Park. Free Admission, Shown at beach house. September 5-11
Tuesday August 24
Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Christian W. Klay Winery, Chalk Hill Tickets are $38/person and includes dinner, wine tasting, and show For more information: (724)-439-3424 Thursday August 26 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thank Goodness It’s Summer Fundraiser Event Sugar Mountain performs country music. The Palace Theatre Courtyard 21 W. Otterman Steet Greensburg Friday August 27 @ 7 p.m.
Summer Sounds Free Concerts Elizabeth Cook performs alternative country. Robertshaw Amphitheater at St. Clair Park, Greensburg
Cambria County Fair Ebensburg, 814-472-7491 www.cambriacofair.com September 8-12
Farmers and Threshermans Jubilee New Centerville, 814-926-3142 www.ncvfc.com September 10-12
Mountain Craft Days Somerset, 814-445-6077 www.somersethistoricalcenter.org September 10-12
West Newton Community Festival 724-872-0100, www.dwni.org
August 28
Antiques on the Diamond www.ligonier.com, 724-238-4200 continued on page 28
Summer 2010 - 27
Saturday, September 11
Ligonier Highland Games
Sept 23-24, 30, oct 1-2, 7-9 @ 8 pm Sept 26 @ 2 pm
Idlewild Park
Rabbit Hole
Saturday, September 11
Apple Hill Playhouse in Delmont www.applehillplayhouse.org 724-468-5050
Coal and Coke Heritage Music Festival Penn State Ebery Campus, Uniontown 724-430-4101 www.coalandcokemusicfest.org
Friday September 24, 25 from 11am to 11pm- Sunday September 26 from 11am to 7pm
September 11-12
Mt. Pleasant Glass and Ethnic Festival
Flax Scutching Festival
Old Town Mt. Pleasant
Stahlstown. 724-593-2119 www.flaxscutching.org
September 22 - October 3
Saturday, September 11 @ 5 p.m.
Lobster and Clambake Christian W. Klay Winery, Chalk Hill Dinner is $58/person For more information: (724)-439-3424 Wednesday, Sept 15 @ 10 am or 1 pm
In Our Vegetable Garden Tiny Wonder Time program Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve FREE. St. Vincent College, Latrobe 724-537-5284, www.wpnr.org September 17, 18, 24, 25 @ 7:30 pm September 19, 26 @ 2:30 pm
Twelfth Night Mountain Playhouse, Jennerstown www.MountainPlayhouse.org 814-629-9201 Thursday, September 23
Sunday September 26 @ 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
October 8-10
12th Annual Mountain Harvest & Chili Cook-Off
Ft. Ligonier Days October 6 - October 17
October 1-2
Mountain Playhouse, Jennerstown www.MountainPlayhouse.org 814-629-9201
Springs Folks Festival 814-662-9202, www.springspa.org October 2-3, 9-10
46th Annual Bedford Fall Foliage Festival 814--624-3111 www.bedfordfallfestival.com
21st Annual Smicksburg Community Fall Festival
Hobo Picnic Downtown Derry Borough 724-694-9884
October 1-3
September 25-26
814-395-5080 www.confluencepumpkinfest.org
Berlin, 814-733-4077 www.berlinwhiskeyrebellion.com
Confluence PumpkinFest
Shields Farm, E Pittsburgh St, Delmont
Valley Players, Ligonier Theater www.valleyplayers.org, 724-238-6514
Music In The Mountains: Blue James Band
Saturday, October 2 @ 10 am
Glades Pike Winery, Somerset Entrance to show is free with a purchase of wine or a $10 cover
Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve FREE. St. Vincent College, Latrobe 724-537-5284, www.wpnr.org
Halloween Fun Day
Smicksburg Apple Festival 138 E Kittanning Street Smicksburg
Relations office and the Office of Student Affairs and Residence Life, and as a member of Alpha Lambda Delta freshman honor society, the dean’s list, and the ski club. A member of the Saint Vincent Equestrian Team, she has been interested in horses all of her life and has actively participated in Westmoreland 4-H, Mountain View 4-H and Southwest Pennsylvania 4H activities. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Marsh of Latrobe, Ms. Marsh has two sisters, Chelsea, 16, a sophomore at Greater Latrobe, and Cristy, 14, in seventh grade. She is a member of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Youngstown. Her mother, Tammy, works in the Registrar’s Office at Saint Vincent. “This Fulbright program is my opportunity to learn, my chance to grow,” Ms. Marsh concluded. “It will give me a chance to start exploring the world and experiencing new cultures. It will give me a chance to sharpen my research, presentation and writing skills and give me the opportunity to expand and enhance my career potential.”
28 - Summer 2010
16th Annual Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Christmas Festival Washington County Fairgrounds Admission Charged: Adults: $5.50; Sr. Citizen (65+): $5.00; Children (6-12): $1; Under 6: Free
Please verify all event details as it may have changed since press time. To submit your listing to this calendar, please email complete information to: editor@LaurelMountainPost.com
Questions? Call 724-537-6845
Delmont Apple ‘n Arts Festival
Saturday September 25 @ 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
continued from page 22
Friday October 15- Sunday October 24
Saturday, October 2nd 10 am - 6 pm & Sunday, October 3rd 11 am - 5 pm
Blythe Spirit
Saturday September 18th from 10am to 5pm and Saturday September 19th from Noon to 5pm
Driving Miss Daisy
October 1-3
814-257-0192, www.smicksburg.net
Whiskey Rebellion Heritage Festival
www.ligonier.com, 724-238-4200
Christian W. Klay Winery, Chalk Hill $5 donation for local charities at gate For more information: (724)-439-3424
Try Our New Online Community Calendar! There are SO many things that we’d like to list in our Community Calendar, but can’t! We only go to print four times a year, and many of the details for events are not available at press time. On the other hand, there just isn’t room to fit all the news about what’s happening across the Laurel Highlands on only a few pages. We’re lucky to squeeze in the bare essentials like who, what where and when. That’s where our new online version comes in. We’ve been working on this feature for the past few months. It’s loaded and ready to go with events that are cross- indexed by location as well as type. So you can quickly find the kinds of activities that suit you in categories such as: Kids, Educational, Sports & Recreation, Cultural & Performing Arts, FREE and more. Please take some time to browse through our list of categories. (We do have a single master list, but it is so extensive the loading time might crash some computers!) We’re adding features and content on a daily basis. If you would like to submit a local event for consideration to this community calendar, please send all information (including promotional artwork) to: editor@laurelmountainpost.com (include “calendar” in subject line) or Laurel Mountain Post Community Calendar, PO Box 227, Latrobe PA 15650.
continued from page 23 The common name Wild Carrot was given by William Turner in 1548. Queen Anne’s Lace is an American name, but it also refers to a plant in England, cow parsley - anthriscus sylvestris. The popular title of the Wild Carrot “Queen Anne’s Lace” comes from several sources none of which is definitive One legend claims that Queen Anne, the wife of King James I, was challenged by her friends to create lace as beautiful as a flower. While making the lace, she pricked her finger, and it’s said that the purple-red flower in the center of Queen Anne’s Lace represents a droplet of her blood. It is also called Wild Carrot (because it is the wild progenitor of today’s carrot), and Bishop’s Lace or Bird’s Nest (for the nest-like appearance of the bright white and rounded flower in full bloom). English botanist Geoffrey Grigson suggests that the name of the plant comes not from a Queen of England but from Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary and the patron saint of lacemakers. Tea made from the root of Queen Anne’s Lace has been used as a diuretic to prevent and elim-inate kidney stones. Its seeds have been used as a cure for hangovers and as contraceptive. First prescribed by Hippocrates over 2000 years ago, women in parts of India, still chew some dry seeds every day to reduce their fertility. The root of Queen Anne’s Lace can be eaten as a vegetable or in soup. North African natives chewed it as protection from the sun. This plant blooms from May to October. It is a biennial plant, which means it lives for two years. It will spend the first year growing bigger, and then bloom the second year. Additional installments in the series on Floriography will appear in future issues. A complete catalog is being compiled online at www.LaurelMountainPost.com, and will be available to subscribers.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
How a Little Makes a Lot by Megan S. Fuller We’ve all heard the adage to “think globally, act locally.” Usually, this is associated with being greener in our actions. Don’t get me wrong – I love the environment. Being greener makes great sense, and my favorite TV show is Living With Ed on the channel Planet Green. But when it comes down to it I’m 3838I US Route 30 all about the people. want to do Latrobe, PA 15650 what I can to help people reach Phone: My 724-537-2881 their fullest potential. mission is to do this on both the local and global level, so I was very excited when Frontline (another favorite show) profiled an organization called Kiva.org. Kiva.org is a 501(c) (3) microlending organization founded in November 2005 with field partner agencies all over the world. Kiva (a Swahili word meaning “unity” or “agreement”) connects regular folks like you and me with entrepreneurs in third world countries (and in the US, too!) who need loans to help them improve their businesses and standards of living. The loans range from around $100 up to a few thousand ($10,000 in the U.S.). The great thing is that lenders only need $25 to participate!
Rosario Cristina is 24-years-old, single, and has a small business buying and selling traditional women’s clothing. She has worked in this field since she was young, thanks to loans that helped her family get ahead. Rosario lives in the Chichaclan neighborhood of the Poxlajuj district of Totonicapán, Guatemala, and is very well-known there. (PHOTO CREDIT: Uncornered Market)
Every Story Begins At Home.
When you go to Kiva.org you get to see the real people who are asking for loans and read a little about them. Then, if you want to help, you join together with a group of other lenders and fund the loan. The borrowers and the field partner agencies can post updates and each month your part of the loan payment is deposited back in your Kiva account. It’s a simple process; and getting to learn a little about how people make a living in other places is fun.
graphic area, or support folks who engage in a particular business, or lend to people who dress like you (my pink slippers are bunnies, of course!). Lenders can also join a lending team and communicate with like-minded individuals about their Kiva experiences. To sign up for a Kiva account all you need is an email. To become a lender you need to be able to make a payment via credit card or PayPal (who will process these transactions for free). Kiva.org
If you look at Kiva.org, people with a very modest amount of money can make a huge positive impact all around the world. There are so many people who want to give but don’t really know how to do it. Through Kiva.org, people around the would can become micro-bankers to developing world entrepreneurs, who have their own ideas, so we can give them a chance to raise their kids with dignity, send their kids to school, and in troubled places like Afghanistan we can marginally increase the chance that peace can prevail, because people will see there is a positive alternative to conflict. – President Bill Clinton
DELMONT APPLE 'N ARTS FESTIVAL
Shields Farm
East Pittsburgh Street in Delmont Minutes from Routes 22 and 66!
Saturday, October 2nd 10 am - 6 pm & Sunday, October 3rd 11 am - 5 pm More Than 100 Arts, Craft, & Food Vendors Fresh Pressed Apple Cider and All Kinds of Apples for Sale Apple Baking Contest - Sunday 12 Noon (pre-registration required) Baby Apple Cheeks Contest, Saturday 12 - 1:45 pm (pre-registration required) Local Talent Providing Live Family Entertainment! Children’s Entertainment Pony Rides and Petting Zoo
As of June 12, 2010, Kiva statistics show that 459,983 lenders have loaned $141,407,235 out to 365,010 small business owners in 199 countries. Over 82% of them are women. The average amount loaned to an individual is $390.46, and the average amount a lender loans is $196.05. Currently, lenders do not earn interest on the money they loan. My family has been lending since December of 2006. We have helped fund 65 different businesses around the world just $25 at a time. For over a year we invested $25 each month. That $400 has been loaned and re-loaned several times over. It’s true that some borrowers may not pay back the loan, in which case you lose your money. We have had two loans default for a total of $30.83, but according to the Kiva.org June statistics there is an overall repayment rate of 98%. We made loans to entrepreneurs in 18 different countries, but we especially like to loan to people in Mexico, Central America, and Ghana. We also like to support pig farmers and women who sell used clothing. One time we lent to a lady in Azerbaijan because she was wearing pink slippers while she fed her chickens. The point is, that you can focus on a geo-
makes it easy to support small businesses and people much like you around the world. So we can think and act globally in small ways, yet make a huge difference on an individual level.
Antique Gas Engine, Operating Saw Mill & Antique Tractors Horse-drawn Wagon Train & Old-Fashioned Hay Rides danadelmont@yahoo.com 724-325-8867 (voicemail only)
Hanna Insurance Agency Weathering the storms of life with you . . . since 1959!
John Hanna, Owner
PHONE: (724) 537-5140 • FAX: (724) 537-0687 www.hannainsuranceagency.us
Summer 2010 - 29
Lindsay Turchetta 2016 Highland Avenue Greensburg, PA 15601 724-493-9473 lturchetta7@yahoo.com
“With a progressive eye on the future, Lindsay is one of the brightest young business minds in Pennsylvania. Her enthusiasm, energy and optimism are indispensible.” – MR & MRS GREGORY SUSA
“I truly have not felt this good in years. Thanks to the Pro adjuster and Dr. Senuta I am free to continue to do the things I love without the worry of back pain. ” – JACQUELINE A. HOOPES
Dr. Nicholas J. Senuta www.drnicksenuta.com PROADJUSTER CHIROPRACTIC CLINICS 2300 Cedar Avenue • Latrobe, PA 15650 • (724) 537-5200 2163 State Route 119 • Greensburg, PA • (724) 853-8200
Low income homeowners, particularly the elderly often have no place to turn when the roof begins to leak or the furnace breaks or the front steps crumble. Our goal is to insure the elderly homeowner can remain in a warm and safe shelter for the remainder of their lives. In addition we believe by preserving these houses by providing critical home maintenance and repairs, neighborhoods can grow stronger and stay safer. Homeownership stabilizes and strengthens communities. Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh provides repair, renovation and modifications services for these homeowners including carpentry, plumbing, electrical, plastering, painting, concrete, weatherization, lock repair, safety modifications, trash removal and cleaning. Often the work done in the home helps to restore their dignity and improve living conditions Club Noir is Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh’s annual fundraising event. Funds raised through this annual effort are used to support Operation Urgent Care’s year round emergency home repair
Our Best Customers Come from Referrals Like Yours!
services for low-income senior homeowners in Allegheny County. Club Noir is set as a speakeasy of sorts with a swingin’ cabaret and casino that folks come to from miles around to enjoy the music, sights, and sounds. There is plenty of good food to enjoy and loads of gifts, prizes and artwork for bid and auction. Thanks to our Presenting Sponsors Meyer, Unkovic & Scott LLP and Reed Smith LLP for their ongoing support of the 2010 Club Noir fundraiser. Won’t you please join us for an evening of fun, food, gaming and entertainment while raising funds to support our free home repair program for low-income senior homeowners? The event is Friday, July 30, 2010 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at The Westin Hotel and Convention Center Grand Ballroom. Reservations are $75 per person and includes two drink tickets, strolling buffet, entertainment, silent and live auctions, raffles, and art gallery. For more information call 412-922-0953 or visit www.rebuildingtogether-pgh.org.
Indulge your inner diva at this year’s YWCA annual fashion show, “Girls in Pearls: A Black & White Night.” We’re adorning the beautiful Greensburg Garden & Civic Center in black and white elegance and gratifying your desires with movie-star quality cocktails and hor d’oeuvres. Experience exclusive Bellini’s and Berries in the Black & White Lounge. Dressy or casual, with or without pearls, there’s only one rule for your attire: it must be black & white. Dress up lke classic beauty icons Audrey Hepburn, Lena Horne, Marilyn Monroe or Pearl Bailey for your chance to win some great prizes in the celebrity look-a-like contest. Plus, our raffle and auction items will be simply divine! Following dinner and cocktails at the cash bar, our elegant evening will be highlighted with our annual fashion show. New this year – become a member of the “Pearls of Wisdom” circle with a gift of $100. You will receive a ticket to the event, VIP runway seating, a complimentary Bellini, $20 worth of raffle tickets, listing in the program and a special strand of “pearls” for your generosity. Darling, please join us.
30 - Summer 2010
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
www.highlandhd.com
Come Grow Your Business with Us through the Power of Referral Marketing! BNI Inner Circle Chapter Meets Every Wednesday morning at 7:00 am Courtyard by Marriott in Greensburg • Visitors are ALWAYS welcome!
Indiana County Pennsylvania Come for Fun, Take Home a Memory!
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Fairs & Festivals Hiking & Biking Trails Amish Countryside State & County Parks Covered Bridges Bird Watching Wineries & Artisans Farmers’ Markets Wineries Antiques Golf Historic Downtowns Museums
Every Story Begins At Home.
www.VisitIndianaCountyPA.org 1-877-746-3426
Summer 2010 - 31
Dea r E dit or, Ia mw to r tel iting ly abo ou ut ...
We want to hear from you! We are always looking for new ideas . . . sometimes the simplest things turn into the best stories. Send us suggestions for articles, information about events, press releases, or just a note to say hello! Laurel Mountain Post, PO Box 227, Latrobe PA 15650. editor@laurelmountainpost.com 32 - Summer 2010
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