HOMETOWN MARCH #161

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Area Residents Recall ‘Sweeter’ Times

On the cover: Adam and Jess (Wasicki) Enge with their son, Taylor.

Photo by Courtney Katherine Photography

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By Jennifer Skarbek Smith for Hometown magazine s the winter thaw delicately tiptoes across the frozen terrain of western Pennsylvania, many residents anxiously await the arrival of certain springtime staples: plants and flowers emerging from the ground, the hours of daylight lasting longer than the darkness, and, of course, the delicious taste of homemade maple syrup.

Although modern conveniences and trends have the public reaching for processed syrup on store shelves, mostly made of fructose-based ingredients with artificial maple flavoring, genuine maple syrup is derived from the xylem sap of maple trees. Syrupmaking is a craft that dates back to Native Americans, long before European settlers ever laid foot on the North American continent.

The ancient artisans utilized primitive tools and methods to extract sap from maple trees when the winter weather eased and temperatures began to rise. This change in temperature causes the starch in the trees to turn to sugar which flows up and throughout the plant in order to provide nutrients to the soon-budding limbs. After making initial scores in the surface of the maple trees with stone instruments, natives used hollowed reeds or sticks as tubing to direct the sap flow from the trunk of the tree into large collection basins. The sap was then heated by dropping hot stones into the basins, causing the liquid to cook and water to evaporate. What was left afterwards was a sweet syrup or sugar. Records indicate that the Native Americans taught this process to the new settlers who then altered or refined it to better suit their way of life. Since sugar was not readily available—and costly when it could be purchased—the process of maple syrup production, or “sugarmaking,” became commonplace among early settlers, especially in the northeastern states, including Pennsylvania.

“They all did it back then,” said Aleene (Pifer) Ward of Sutton Street in Punxsutawney, referring to syrup-making. “The only things people bought at the store were what they couldn’t make at home.”

Born in 1939, in McCalmont Township, Ward has early memories of her grandpar-

A

March 4: ‘Hug a GI Day’

By Jennifer Skarbek Smith for Hometown magazine

O

n March 4, the citizens of this nation will have additional opportunities to engage in the practice of hugging as they recognize and celebrate, “Hug a GI Day.” The holiday, started in 1996 by an unknown source, allows everyday people, or civilians, the chance to show their appreciation by embracing those who were or who are still active in the United States military: men and women who dedicate their service and lives selflessly in order to preserve freedom and to protect the country.

In observance of the special day, Hometown magazine has chosen to dedicate this cover of this issue to a military family with local ties. Thus, pictured on the cover are Adam and Jess (Wasicki) Enge with their son, Taylor.

Jess, the daughter of Susan Basile of Big Run and Harold Wasicki of Rossiter, was a graduate of Punxsutawney Area High School in 2000, before completing a bachelor’s degree in communications in 2004.

2 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

- Continued on page 4

Fred Roberts displays his special thermometer which he credits for his success with maple syrup production.

ents, Otto and Mary Pifer, making maple syrup in the woods behind their home.

“It was called the Sugar Camp Woods,” said Ward of the property on which she grew up, land acquired when her greatgrandfather W.T. Pifer married Anna Mary Weber in the late 1800s.

Ward continued, “They made the sugar from tapping the trees and boiling the sap

Greg Peace spent many days of his youth enjoying the pastime of syrup making.

down in a big iron kettle outside.”

She can recall that in order to finish the cooking process, her grandparents would bring the reduced sap into the house and place it on the hot wood cook stove.

“As a kid, [I thought] it took forever,” Ward added about the reduction process, - Continued on page 4

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A Rawleighs Remedies peddler who plied his trade in the coal towns of Punxsutawney Area.

Photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society.

Peddlers Served Area’s Early Residents son for the gates on the roads was to keep

By PRIDE heavy wagons and a certain class of peddlers for Hometown magazine out. The company professed that it did not efore automobiles and shopping have any objection to farmers going to malls, peddlers came to doors offerAdrian to sell their produce. ing a variety of goods. Perhaps the A.M. Armstrong, a candidate for the Genbest-known reference to a peddler is eral Assembly, in clarifying his statement on in the Clement Clarke Moore poem T’was the Adrian gate issue in the November 18, the Night Before Christmas, where he de1896, issue of the Punxsutawney Spirit, scribes St. Nicholas: “A bundle of toys he stated: “If elected I would force the B. R. & had flung on his back, / And he looked like P. to open its gates on the private road a peddler, just opening his pack.” leading to Adrian. The Company The peddler, often an agent of has the right to close out the a manufacturer, received an public from trespassing upon allotment of goods, which private property. I also he sold at a marginal know that if they have profit. The peddler closed a public highway brought goods to resithat there is sufficient dents of coal towns, to law to open the same farm families, and to now on the statute books people in the camps and it would be none of where they lived while my concern what they building railroads. The choose to do in the matter. peddler was often the only What I said was, ‘That if the person, other than family Company wished to make a members, the rural housewife private Band Box of the town saw at her home. Pedthat they should not ask dlers brought necessi- This painting by Hieronymus Bosch of The the tax payers of Jefferor The Peddler, done in 1510 to ties and niceties Wayfarer, son County and Pennconvey the choice between good and evil, including needles, fab- is a commonly held image of a peddler. The sylvania to help support ric, clothing, notions, painting hangs in the Museum Boijmans the hospital or sustain combs, brushes, jew- Van Beuningen in Rotterdam. Courtesy of the public schools until Wikipedia. elry, spices, and clocks, the town was made acamong other items. cessible to the traveling public.’”

As the population of the rural areas near Peddlers played a vital role during the coal Punxsutawney rapidly expanded with the boom when the population of the Punxbuilding of coal communities beginning in sutawney area was more than quadrupled by the mid 1880s, so did the number of pedthe influx of immigrants from different coundlers. An item from the Sportsburg corretries. The peddler was an astute businessman, spondent to the Punxsutawney News, an excellent salesman, and he often spoke published on June 27, 1888, stated: “Pedseveral languages. When he came to the coal dlers and strangers have been quite numertown homes of miners and isolated homes of ous the past few days.” farmers he brought news. He carried mesSome communities attempted to control the sages of friends and relatives in one area to presence of peddlers. In November 1896, the those living in another. Communication and Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Coal and Iron news were important to those who could not Company put gates on the roads leading into read or write. The rural and coal town resiAdrian. According to company officials, the dents looked forward to peddlers’ visits— gate on the upper road was put there after the peddlers who had earned their trust. new scales were built because it was not only As independent operators, peddlers also dangerous to teams and drivers, but was also lived dangerous lives. They often traveled an annoyance to the company. The company alone and were often among desperate peoposition was that the roads were not public ple. Their goods and money were a great roads; they were built and maintained by the temptation. In May 1899, peddler Joseph company. Officials stated the gates of the priGeorge stopped at a shanty near where the vate roads were opened at any and all times Simpson Tunnel was being built. When to any buggies and light vehicles. Their rea-

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Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 3

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Long-time friends, Fred Roberts (left) and Elmer Reed, share a common interest in the art of sugarmaking.

‘Sweeter’ Times Continued from page 2

which removed the water from the sap until a desired consistency was reached. during the years following the Great depression and leading up to World War II, tasty toppings like jelly and butter were not plentiful in area kitchens.

“We were not allowed two spreads,” Ward said, explaining that the shortage of luxuries prohibited the kids from choosing two toppings on their slice of bread. Therefore, they would often use homemade maple syrup as a substitute.

Even though most of Ward’s memories of syrup-making revolve around her paternal grandparents, she does remember a particular time that her father, Walt Pifer, was responsible for preparing the coveted confection.

Pifer was a teacher at the small schoolhouse that was located in the area of Henderson Township known as the “Twin Churches.” Ward said that her dad showed the first- and second-grade students how to

‘Hug a GI Day’ Continued from page 2 Adam, the son of Mark and Debbie Enge of Horsham, graduated from Hatboro-Horsham High School, also in 2000. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2004, prior to his embarking in a career with the U.S. Army in November 2006.

The two met during their freshman year of college at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, where they resided in the same dormitory. This relationship blossomed, for, in 2005, the couple returned to Jess’s hometown of Punxsutawney where they were married.

According to the Enges, Adam completed basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in November 2006 and then went on to graduate from Warrant Officer Candidate School the following February. The family then moved to Fort Rucker, Alabama, so that Adam could attend flight school.

At the conclusion of his schooling

tap a tree and turn the sap into sweet maple syrup, a lesson that she and the other children really enjoyed.

Another member of the local Pifer family, Chuck Pifer, has his own vivid recollections of the maple syrup process from watching his grandfather luther Pifer in the 1950s.

According to Chuck, luther, along with his cousin Claire Pifer, spent many hours sugarmaking in the woods beside their farms. The men would use a type of yoke system supported on their shoulders to carry heavy buckets full of sap through the trees to huge copper pots set up at a designated cooking spot. from harvesting the sap to boiling it down, the cousins worked around the clock.

“They had a shack with a mattress in it,” Chuck said of his ancestors, “They slept at the sugar camp during the syrup season.”

Chuck learned the sugarmaking ropes from helping his grandfather.

“I would gather pine knots to add to the fire and make it hotter,” he said.

Before declaring that the syrup was ready for eating, luther and Claire incorporated one final step in their method of sugaring.

- Continued on page 6

and training, Adam was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. While there, he served in two twelve-month combat tours as part of the First Air Calvary Brigade: Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2009-2010, in Iraq and Operation Eduring Freedom, 2011-2012 in Afghanistan. Adam is currently ranked as a CW2 and performs the duties of a Black Hawk Maintenance Test Pilot.

The couple expanded their family in 2009, when Jess gave birth to their son, Taylor.

For his dedication and service in the armed forces, Adam has been awarded four air medals and has flown 1,500 hours in a Sikorsky Black Hawk, 1,000 of which are combat hours.

Having recently been assigned to a new duty station at Fort Drum, New York, the trio is preparing for yet another move. Jess said that she and her family would be settled in the post by the end of March so that Adam can start his job and she can continue her responsibilities as a stay-at-home mom. n n n

I Was a Beatlemaniac

T

By Judy Freed for Hometown magazine his year marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ invasion of united States, and wonderful memories of that time vividly linger—thanks to entries in my

diary.

The band members enamored us, especially after watching them on the Ed Sullivan show on february 9, 1964. “The Beatles were terrific! I just love them,” I wrote. “Even the teachers were talking about them. Our gym teacher played their album in class.”

A few months later, I was fresh out of high school and a typical teenybopper. Rock and roll music blared from my record player, with a small collection of 45s and lPs piled alongside it. lucky for me, I had a friend who was as crazy as I was.

My first secretarial job was in the office of the Quaker Market (now the site of the post office), and Kathy was enrolled as a freshman at the local campus of what is now Indiana university of Pennsylvania.

We spent hours singing along with our favorite vocalists—including, of course, John, Paul, George, and Ringo—and we never cared how out of tune we were. I had proof of that when, many years ago, I found numerous tape recordings we made of ourselves. Interspersed with our vocal arrangements were

interviews we held with each other and the most hilarious British accents ever. unfortunately, the batteries in the tape recorder were almost worn out and inserting new ones made everything sound even more out of sync.

The local radio station at the time was WPME, owned and operated by Charlie Erhard. As luck would have it, the station announced a contest to see the Beatles in concert at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

Kathy and I were ecstatic. Both of us sat down and wrote why we deserved tickets to see the fab four.

My submission was dated August 31 and included these excerpts: “Some adults knock teenagers for idolizing.

They probably do not remember that time in their lives when they actually idolized someone. The Beatles are a status symbol.

They prove that anyone can make something of himself if he puts forth a little effort. They started from scratch, and just look where they are now!”

“The name Beatles is one that is on the lips of almost every teen in the u.S. now. It would be very exciting to watch them, then come back home with great joy in my heart, but also great sadness for those who could not go to the Civic Arena.”

“When someone rises to great heights as they have, it is obvious that those who enjoy their music would also enjoy seeing them.”

Within the next week or so, I received an important phone call telling me I had won! Not only that, Kathy received a similar call, and we were in absolute shock. The third win- Continued on page 14

Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 5

‘Sweeter’ Times

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6 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

Continued from page 4 Chuck said, “When it was almost done, they would put egg whites into the syrup.”

This would take out any impurities that were left in the syrup.

After several days and nights of arduous labor, the men would only have a couple gallons of syrup to show for their work.

This yield would be given away to friends and family or put to use in their own homes.

Just a ways up the road in the idyllicallynamed town of South Paradise, resident Greg Peace was raised hearing similar stories of maple syrup production that took place on the land where his father, Paul Peace, had made his home, land that once was part of the farm of Andrew Zufall.

According to Peace, much of the sugarmaking history with which he is familiar was told to him by Homer Zufall and dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. In fact, when the Peace family purchased the farmland, remnants of the Zufalls’ early syrup operations were still present.

“They had a building in the woods that was maybe twenty-four feet by thirty feet,” Peace said.

At the peak of their production, the Zufalls would tap around 350 trees. Once the collection buckets were full, the men used a team of horses to make their way through the woods rounding up the sweet water and bringing it back to the sugar shack to begin cooking.

Peace was fascinated at the set-up the Zufalls had designed to make syrup. They used a galvanized steel pan, eight feet in length and five to six inches in depth. The vessel was divided into five sections that allowed the sap to start off in a warming area before it flowed from one chamber to the next as the temperature of the liquid increased.

While the Zufalls and other local families mainly engaged in sugarmaking to produce an edible product, the chore likewise took on a social aspect.

Peace said, “Homer used to talk about how the young people would gather there [at the farm].”

He went on to tell how, on occasion, a neighbor would give the youth a plentiful supply of freshly laid eggs. Homer and his friends would load up clean metal buckets with eggs and place them into the boiling vat of sap to cook. Once ready, the crowd would be able to enjoy the tasty treats.

“Buckets full of eggs would disappear by the end of the night,” Peace added.

So, after years of hearing these lively tales of syrup production, and when Peace’s ailing grandmother, Averil Kramer Peace, beckoned the boy and his brothers, dan and Brad, to give her some sap water to drink, Peace had the idea to try his hand at sugarmaking.

“My brother dan and I realized that we could possibly make some money,” Peace said about the task.

Thus, as a teen in the 1970s, Peace and his brother spent countless hours perfecting the art of making maple syrup. Starting with just ten maple trees to tap and some empty cans, the boys would collect sap with a lawn tractor and cook it over an open fire before canning the finished product.

Even though sapping season did not typically start until January or february, Peace and his brother would start their work early in december. The two would put in long hours stockpiling wood that would later be used as fuel for the fire when cooking down

the sap.

“We couldn’t afford a chain saw so we had to cut wood by hand,” shared Peace, “using an old two-man cross cut saw.”

Peace credits this experience with not only teaching him and his brothers the meaning of hard work but lending to their future interest in woodworking.

The boys would watch the weather, and when Mother Nature promised cold nights and warm days, they knew that the time was favorable for making syrup.

“That would be your good season,” Peace said. “you couldn’t ignore these runs.”

On several instances, Peace would rush home from school to devote the entire night to the syrup process.

He said, “I remember one time it was raining so hard but we sat there all night making syrup.”

Through time and with experience, Peace learned many techniques that lessened the difficultly of the job, including the use of sap sacks instead of buckets and the placement of collection apparatus away from the direction of the wind.

Peace was reassured that his efforts were worthwhile if he yielded at most fifteen to twenty gallons of maple syrup. The brothers sold their product to locals in quart jars bearing the name, “Old farm Maple Syrup,” on rudimentary labels created at home with paper and a typewriter.

When asked if he ever made a profit, Peace admitted, “you don’t make a nickel but the finished product is worth every penny that you put into it.”

With sugarmaking in mind, perhaps there is an old adage that could be altered; namely, “Syrup is thicker than water.” The camaraderie experienced by the Zufalls while making maple sugar—a camaraderie echoed by the Peace brothers—is clearly present when long-time friends and Punxsutawney area residents fred Roberts and Elmer Reed reminisce about the years they spent together dabbling with maple syrup production.

As Roberts looks back, it is a request made by his son Michael that started his fascination with the hobby.

“How do you make syrup, dad?”

Roberts’s son asked him when he arrived home from school one afternoon.

Hence, Roberts said that he then did what everyone does, “I tapped a few trees, started to boil sap in the cellar and burnt a few pans.”

Although the basement was left with the delightful aroma of toasted maple, Roberts was not surprised that his wife made him immediately relocate his operations to an outdoor shed.

When the first season was over for Roberts, he believes that he was lucky to be left with even a pint of syrup.

“The next year I got serious,” Roberts reported, saying that he read all the available literature on sugarmaking and improved his skills and equipment. It was at this time that Roberts called upon his friend Reed to join him in the venture.

Reed’s previous experience with sugarmaking was limited to a time in the 1950s when he helped Clearance “Weasel” Pifer make syrup and to the many stories he had heard about the hobby while growing up. “fred convinced me to start,” Reed said.

The two gentlemen purchased a stainless steel pan from a business in Johnstown and commenced making maple syrup.

“We did it for twenty years,” Roberts added.

Roberts and Reed traveled numerous times - Continued on page 8

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By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine

here is acreage in the East End section of Punxsutawney that is presently being transformed from a barren field of overgrowth and debris to a beautifully landscaped site with a majestic towering building. following months of construction activity, the long-awaited Punxsutawney Community Health Center will soon open. life in that section of Punxsutawney will change as the result of the expanded primary medical and behavioral health services provided by Punxsutawney Medical Associates, headed by local physicians dr.

Jay Elder, dr. Joseph Kernich, and dr.

Charles lambiotte.

A new history will begin for the portion of land that had its first buildings when the land was surveyed and staked out for development in 1886. At that time in Punxsutawney’s history the Pennsylvania & Northwestern Railroad (P&NW) arrived to reach the newly opened coal mines in Horatio, located over the hill from what was then Clayville (always remembering now that this has been Punxsutawney’s West End section since 1907).

The Bell’s Gap Railroad, later the Clearfield and Jefferson Railroad (C&J),

was a shortline railroad that ran from Bellwood, near Altoona, through rolling hills of timber and coal sections to mines of the Berwind-White Coal Mining Company. In 1890, this railroad came under the name of P&NW Railroad. In 1902, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) bought all this, and the site remained active until the mid-1940s when passenger train service ceased.

What is known as the East End section of town was undeveloped land before the late 1880s. few houses could be identified in all “that land east of the upper Bridge” over the Mahoning Creek.

The log house of Mathias Clawson, built in the 1825 in a grove of pine trees near the top of what is East Mahoning Street, is considered the first house built in that section.

In 1875, it became the residence of the R. W. dinsmore and his wife, who moved to the site from Kittanning. The location remains in use as the residence of dinsmore descendants.

The second oldest house in the East End section was the house that dr. Charles Wood built in 1864 at the top of Woodland Avenue and looking out over timberland to the town of Punxsutawney below. Consider the street names of Oakland, Woodland, Rockland, and Greenwood to prompt and

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nyone who has ever taken an extended car-trip with two squabbling, restless kids in the back seat will recognize the sources of laughter in the Punxsutawney Theatre Arts Guild’s latest production, Leaving Iowa, the comedy about family vacations. The two-act show will be staged at 7:30 p.m. on february 28 and March 1 and March 7 and 8 at the Punxsutawney Area Middle School Auditorium. Tickets are sold at the door.

Playwrights Tim Clue and Spike Manton have created a loving look at the ritual of packing up a car and heading off in search of the ideal place to spend a week “getting away from it all.” With a father who won’t admit when he is lost, a mother who is trying to keep her children quiet, a brother and sister who find great delight in tormenting each other, and unexpected stops where the family meets a few colorful “locals,” the play brims over with fun. veteran Guild director, Kathy S. dinsmore, has assembled a cast of talented performers who have been busy with nightly rehearsals as they prepare for the opening of PTAG’s 39th year of spotlighting local talent in live stage productions.

The leading roles include Timothy Cooper as dan Browning, the narrator who recalls some of the family’s summer vacations as he prepares to return his dad’s ashes to the farm where his father had grown up. Chris Snyder portrays dad whose biggest desire is to plan an annual “fascinating” trip for

‘Sweeter’ Times "LEAVING IOWA" (T he comedy about family vacat ions)

By T IM CLUE and SPIKE MANTON

7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28 & March 1, 7 & 8 Punxsutawney Area Middle School Ticket s sold at door: Adult s $9.00 Seniors $8.00 • St udent s $5.00

More information?

Call 938-0378 or 938-6928

Produced by special arrangements with THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC., of Woodstock, Illinois "Leaving Iowa” premiered at the Purple Rose Theatre Company on January 22, 2004, in Chelsea, Michigan, directed by Anthony Caselli

8 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

Continued from page 6 to the New England states where they were able to personally tour established maple syrup companies and talk directly to artisans who were very knowledgeable about the process. They learned all about the importance of using stainless steel spiles to tap trees, of having the appropriate diameter of tubing to carry sap from the trees, of using a hydrometer to measure the sugar content of sap and, most important, of knowing the temperature at which sap boils on any given day.

“The secret to making a good product is to follow the rule that syrup reaches boiling at seven and a half degrees above the boiling point of water,” Roberts said.

Having been a flier in the service in his younger years, Roberts is very aware of altitude and the manner in which it affects the temperature at which water boils depending on location and weather conditions.

Thus, the friends concur that if you don’t cook the sap long enough, it will sour; but, if it’s overcooked, it will turn to sugar.

“That last half of a degree is where you get in trouble,” Roberts said as he chuckled, admitting that he has ruined a batch or two if he got distracted.

Well into their endeavor, Roberts and Reed decided to go “big time.” They acquired a ten-foot stainless steel pan that, when fired up, could evaporate thirty gallons of sap per hour.

Reed explained that dependent upon the sugar content of sap, it can require anywhere from thirty to fifty gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup: a steep ratio.

his wife and offspring. debra dinsmore, as the patient, long-suffering wife and mother, and Morgan Barrett, the spoiled daughter, add their talents to the other key roles.

Along the way, the Brownings encounter a variety of characters who are brought to life by a quintet of performers, each of whom plays multiple supporting roles. doug fye has been cast as Bob, Joe Hoefingers, a Civil War guy, and fred. lynn duncan appears as Judy, Grandma, and Jamie. Terry A. fye will be uncle Phil, Grandpa, an Amish guy, and the Hotel Clerk. Ilona Ball portrays Aunt Phyllis, the Museum Assistant, and Jessie. Seth Evans will bring the fruit Cart Guy, the Cart Chaser, Jack Singer, and Wayne to life.

Kathy S. dinsmore rounds out the cast as the fruit Cart Gal, the Shopping lady, the Amish Gal, and the drunk lady.

Stage manager, Matt dinsmore, and Terry Studebaker, tech assistant, will be responsible for the lighting and the sound effects that add an important element of comic realism to the play.

Hailed by critics as “simultaneously hilarious and touching,” Leaving Iowa has been described as a show that “leaves you with a smile on your face and a desire to hug your kids.” for more information about the production, phone 938-0378.

The play is presented through special arrangements with dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

••• Also, a hard maple tree has higher sugar content in its sap than does a soft maple. finally, you must pay attention to nature to know the ideal time for sap collection.

Reed said, “I found that I made ninety percent of my syrup with three perfect weather days.”

And what did these friends do with their sweet creations every season? They shared them with friends, family, and neighbors, naturally.

Roberts proudly said, “My kids could haul it away by the gallon.”

With technology and progress, the modern-day production of maple syrup has taken on a new guise. The process now starts with a mechanical machine that bores holes into trees. Then, vacuum systems are utilized to optimize the rate and efficiency at which sap is extracted from maple trees. finally, reverse osmosis equipment has eliminated much of the time it would have previously taken to slow boil the sap to the desired concentration level.

The traditional methods of homemade maple syrup production might require dedication and hard work, as well as excessive time spent in the elements of nature; however, there is a sweetness found in the shared labor that runs much deeper than the sugary savor one gets as they bite into a pancake or waffle smothered in the golden delicacy. There is the pleasure of family members spending priceless moments together, the joy of friends sharing experiences and laughter, and the delight of neighbors gathering for an evening of social delight, none of which can be found on the shelf of a supermarket.

•••

From left to right, Pauline Caridi (daughter and friend's mom), Jeannie Serge (daughter), Tony Serge (son and friend's uncle) and Nunny (Mrs. Serge).

Nunny’s House: A Place of Tender Memories

By Mary Ellen Pollock-Raneri for Hometown magazine h! Simpler days! days when we had no annoying cell phones dangling from our hands like pesky albatrosses. We had no devices sticking in our ears like a Star Trek shipmate, and we didn’t walk and text, talk and walk. Without technological imprisonment, we enjoyed the smiles and hoots from passing friends, who tooted automobile horns to salute the beginning of the weekend. We relished window shopping in the local Murphy’s five and Ten Cent Store, munched on a brownie or a doughnut in the little pastry shop called Ruth and Harry’s, or browsed in Hunger’s, a card shop in town that sold Hallmark. Generally, for me, though, friday nights meant walking “downtown” with a late stop-off at my best friend’s grandmother’s little house on Railroad Street when the evening was almost over.

On a friday night in the early 1970s, Punxsutawney was a flurry of activity. It was kind of like a living, breathing middle school dance, with the girls fluffing their hair on one side of the gym and the guys flexing their motorized car “muscles” on the other. On the one hand, girls in small groups strolled along up and down Main Street, all decked out in their hip-huggers, bell-bottoms, or shorts in the summertime. On the other hand, the guys cruised in their beater cars or noisy, jacked-up trucks, tracing and retracing the same trodden path around and around the block before meeting up in the parking lot behind the old five and dime. yes, whether it was for groceries, window-shopping, making a purchase or just hanging out—everyone slipped into town on a friday night—it was the cheapest and the best entertainment ever, and it didn’t involve a computer, a phone, or an iPad. In my early teens, my girlfriend and I used to join in the friday night “parade.” usually starting in the West End of town at the old Thrift drug store, we would peruse toiletries, make-up, and magazines in the little pharmacy before strolling up the long sidewalk that led into town. How I loved sauntering past the huge old mansions there on West Mahoning Street!

A

filled with curiosity and wondering what the interiors of those residences were like, I always paid special attention to a couple of those beautiful homes as we walked under the lofty trees that lined the street. One of those elaborate places had a big, shiny red ball that decorated the roof of the porch—the place seemed like a castle out of a fairy tale to me, and I couldn’t help but stare at it every time I walked past. dr. Trunzo, our beloved family physician who delivered me, lived in one of those big houses, as did my former music teacher, Monibel Hamilton, who lived in a big yellow home farther down the block. As we ambled by the wide, wooden front steps that led to the Monibel’s stained-glass vestibule, I remembered all the times my parents had dropped me off for my weekly piano lesson at the stately, three-story residence.

When we reached the center of town, we always stopped to stare in the storefront display at Paul Beatty’s Jewelry Store and dreamed of a pretty bracelet or even dared to contemplate the diamond rings, wondering which one we would want to wear. I particularly recall a colorful scarab bracelet that was given to me by a childhood friend on my twelfth birthday.

Her family had purchased it at Paul Beatty’s. It was the first trinket that I ever owned from an actual jewelry store; I was proud to possess such a piece of jewelry from Paul Beatty’s!

Crossing the street, my girlfriend and I normally stopped off at J.C. Penney’s that sat at the corner of West Mahoning and Gilpin streets (where Miller Brothers’ furniture is now located). After browsing there, we continued up the street to peruse blouses and dresses in Jaynell’s, a shop that sold women’s wear and, then, made a quick stop off at the “little” five and Ten—McCrory’s. It was only an appetizer for the big store next door—Murphy’s.

By far, Murphy’s five and Ten Cent “main course” reigned as the king of Punxsutawney on a friday night. Carefree school girls and guys usually hung out on the corner of Mahoning and findley streets—just in front of the store. Inside the store, glass bins of candies - Continued on next page

Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 9

Nunny’s House

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10 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

Continued from previous page greeted the multitude of friday night customers; further in the place, make-up and toiletries adorned the left and anything musical filled the right side of the establishment. I can still remember running into Murphy’s to buy the latest 45 record as soon as I heard it on the radio! I even recall one night when my girlfriend and I bought “Maggie May,” a song that had just come out from a new voice on the radio—Rod Stewart! I spent hours studying those 45s displayed in Murphy’s, wishing I could have as many as I wanted and dreaming about having enough money to buy a record album like “layla” by derek and the dominos. I can still recall holding that lP’s smooth cardboard cover decorated with a pale blue, heart-shaped woman’s head, sketched in the psychedelic artistry of the times.

In the store’s upper floor, my friend and I hunkered down on stools in front of the pattern books that sat on a big metal cabinet. We poured over books like McCall’s, Simplicity, or Butterick, as we day-dreamed about what outfit we would be able to sew and how spectacular we would look in the new ensemble. My girlfriend was particularly gifted as a seamstress, even at the ripe old age of fifteen!

I harbored a secret jealousy over her ability to concoct any dress or article of clothing from a simple pattern and some pretty material purchased from that five and dime!

Of course, because we both loved to look at clothing, our next stop had to be browsing in the Smart Shop. It was always a quick trip in and out though; our young wallets couldn’t afford much there, and we usually wound up our purchases at Hunger’s Card Shop or with a snack at Ruth and Harry’s restaurant. Sitting at the counter in Mackenzie’s (Ruth and Harry’s), we giggled teenage giggles, babbled about some new dating liaison at the high school, or gossiped about our teachers as we munched on a nighttime snack we really didn’t need.

At the end of the evening, our last stop was at my friend’s grandmother’s house, a home that sat past the A&P, just over the railroad tracks, on, of course, Railroad Street. That little lane was the narrowest street I had ever seen, but I loved it! It reminded me of vine-covered avenues I had seen in pictures of small towns in Paris or london. When we turned the corner of findley and Railroad streets (by Jane villella’s Beauty Shop), my friend and I anticipated a perfect ending to our friday adventure: a night at Nunny’s house.

My girlfriend called her grandmother

“Nunny.” She was a tall, stately Italian woman with a big heart. usually dressed in old-lady shoes, rolled down beige cotton stockings and a floral frock, Nunny, her daughter, Jeannie, and my friend’s mother greeted us at the door of the modest home.

Content to unwind, chat, or munch on an ice cream bar, we usually sat on Nunny’s tiny porch, which faced the little street, opposite from a big old stone wall that had been constructed by the WPA. Sprawled on green metal porch chairs during those late evenings, my girlfriend and I listened intently as Aunt Jeannie entertained us with the best jokes in town! I mean Jeannie was like one of those standup comics I had seen on The Tonight Show! We giggled at her funny stories about working at Punxsutawney Sportswear and doubled over when she told us mischievous little yarns and grinned that big Jeannie grin. I remember being afraid of Jeannie the first time I met her. She was a tall woman with black hair pulled straight back away from her face. Big dark-framed glasses perched on her broad nose as she peered at me while smoking a Pall Mall cigarette. Then, as soon as she opened her mouth, I loved her! She was the adult confidante with whom you could share anything! Aunt Jeannie never judged us and always was supportive of two awkward teens who had not quite found their niche in the complicated social world of high school.

“Those jeans look nice on you, Mary.”

Jeannie generally complimented me on something I wore and built up the tiny shred of confidence I had. “Hey, Mary,” Jeannie always had a hot tip. “They have some jeans and tops at Sportswear you might like.”

Jeannie loved to clue us in on any new articles of clothing they sold at the little Sportswear clothing outlet in West End. She was a teenager in an adult frame, and she understood the adolescent angst about our bodies, our hair, our relationships, and, well … everything. Joining conversations about what guy we had a crush on or which friend made us cry, Jeannie was one of us. She remembered how it was to be a hopeful fifteen year old with dreams of being popular, beautiful, and special.

Aunt Jeannie made us feel exactly like that.

Typically, Nunny’s kitchen was a flurry of food, fun, and family. A window to the left of the kitchen table displayed lacy curtains held down by pins and weights.

Right there by the neatly dressed window, Nunny and her family huddled together munching on Italian bread, salami, capriole, or pieces of hot cheese they had toasted over a flame on the gas stove. As soon as I walked into that room, everyone - Continued on page 20

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12 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

Peddlers

would ask the Rabbi to visit her.

The Rabbi agreed that the child was indeed a “Son of Israel.” He sent an advertisement to Continued from page 3 the Jewish Messenger, a newsletter that George opened his pack to display his goods, shared information among Jewish congregathe residents of the shanty knocked him tions. In August 1900, the Rabbi received a senseless and robbed him of $51. George call from a Mrs. lurie in Sharon, saying she managed to retrieve his pack and went into thought the child might be her son.

Clayville (now the west end of PunxTwo years earlier, in October 1898, Mrs. sutawney), where he lodged a complaint lurie had put her two-year-old son in his crib against his assailants, Isaac lewis and Mary while she stepped out of the house for a few lightfoot, before Squire Perry. Constable minutes to buy some groceries. When she refrank McClure and Henry Mock went to the turned he was gone. Although a search for tunnel to recover George’s money. An alterthe boy was conducted, it was assumed that cation ensued, he had toddled and lewis shot out to the creek McClure. The bank, fell in, ball from the reand drowned. volver hit McThe creek was Clure on the left dragged; howside of the neck ever, the child and it passed was not found. downward into The family ofthe back of his fered a $1,000 left shoulder reward for the where it broke return of the his shoulder boy.

The blade. An alarm mother never was sent to the gave up hoping Punxsutawney John Graul, also known as “Coal Oil Johnnie,” and his son that her son police who or- Chester provided kerosene for lamps in homes on farms and was alive. She ganized a posse in coal towns. Was he the type of peddler the BR&P Coal and had even conand eventually Iron Company wanted to restrict from Adrian? Photo cour- sulted a fortune tesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical arrested the Society. teller who told thieves and her he was in brought them to justice.

New york. She had gone to the city but did In an incident on friday, July 24, 1901, two not find him. men who worked at the Shill Mine in McConvinced the boy was her son through her Calmont Township took advantage of Abe conversation with the Rabbi, Mrs. lurie took light, a peddler who stopped by their shanty, the next train to Punxsutawney and arrived offering to sell them suits. They each selected at 1:30 Saturday morning. later that morna suit and two extra pair of trousers to try on. ing, she went to the house of the Slavic famThey went into their shanty, locked the front ily in Adrian where she identified the boy as door, went out the back door, and hid the her own. The Slavic woman was relieved, clothes. It was late in the afternoon, and light but her husband was not so agreeable. He suspected they were trying to keep him until came to Punxsutawney on the next street car after dark in order to rob him. He left and asked for the boy to be returned to him. After went to Punxsutawney where he reported the much negotiation and the execution of a incident. On Saturday, the miners were ar$500 bond guaranteeing proof of the child’s rested and taken before the Justice of the identity by other witnesses, he finally agreed Peace, and, in default of their $300 bail, to permit Mrs. lurie to take the boy home Sheriff Chestnut took them on the noon train with her. to the jail in Brookville. At their trial in AuMrs. lurie was overjoyed. She remained in gust, they pleaded guilty and were sentenced Punxsutawney until Monday when she reto serve time in the Huntingdon Reformatory. turned to Sharon. That was not the end of the Not all peddlers’ experiences were hostile. case. The orphanage in New york disputed Abe light, born in lithuania in 1872, immiMrs. lurie’s claim to the boy—a dispute that grated to Ireland when he was thirteen. He was eventually settled. The boy, Morris came to the united States when he was eightlurie, grew up in Sharon where his father een. In New york, he learned there were opwas a clothing merchant instead of in Adrian portunities for peddlers in the coal regions of where his adoptive father was a coal miner.

Pennsylvania. light came to Punxsutawney light continued his work as a peddler bein the early 1890s. He traveled to the coal fore moving to dealing in scrap metal. Eventowns and the rural homesteads in between, tually, he gained sufficient resources to go walking most of the time. He spoke thirteen into the coal business in partnership with languages and was welcomed by residents Jacob fisher. light went on to become a sucwho spoke Slavic languages. cessful coal operator, but that is another story.

In July 1900, light encountered an unusual (Editor’s Note: The resources used in the situation in Adrian. At that time, New york preparation of this article are available the City Orphan Asylums were overburdened Punxsutawney Memorial Library, in the with thousands of children, and officials had Punxsutawney Spirit online at been seeking homes for them across the accesspadr.org, and the Punxsutawney Area country on the “Orphan Trains.”

Historical and Genealogical Society. This arIn 1900, father Joseph Zubrzycki, priest at ticle has been prepared by PRIDE—PunxSt. Adrian Church, found homes for six orsutawney Revitalization: Investing, phans with families at Adrian. One of the Developing, Enhancing. PRIDE is a nonchildren, a four-year-old boy, was placed profit organization which brings together with a Slavic couple who had only one other residents, business people, community leadchild—a girl. The mother of the family, a deers, and civic organizations, to improve the vout Catholic, was sure the boy was a Jew by business districts in Punxsutawney. PRIDE birth and thought he should be placed with a is working to develop a Coal Memorial and family of his own faith.

Welcome Center for the Punxsutawney Area. light checked out the child and confirmed Comments on this article may be directed to what the woman had determined. However, PRIDE, P.O. Box 298, Punxsutawney, PA in order to be certain, he assured her that he 15767.)

•••

Around Town By the staff of Hometown magazine and the Chamber of Commerce rom staff of Hometown magazine and the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here is a list of events and happenings coming up in our area: n feb. 28, March 1, 7 & 8: Punxsutawney Theatre Arts Guild presents “Leaving Iowa,” a comedy about family vacations, at the Punx’y Area Middle School auditorium. Tickets available at the door. Call 938-0378 for information. n March 2: Spaghetti dinner benefit for Sally Ann (Cable) Kunselman, noon to 4 p.m., Oliver Township fire Hall. Adults, $8; kids, $4. n March 4: First Tuesday Community Meal, 5 to 7 p.m. Punx’y Presbyterian Church. free and open to the public. n March 4: Mardi Gras party, Mahoning Hills Senior Center. Call 724286-3099 for more information. n March 5: Ash Wednesday. The religious season of lent begins. n March 8: Spring Craft Bazaar, 9 to 3 p.m. Punx’y Christian School Gym. Call 952-0857 for information. Table fees & auction benefit Maddox Hyde. n March 9: Daylight Savings Time begins. Turn your clocks ahead. n March 10: Deadline for Dodgeball 4 Diabetes on March 15, at Punx’y Area Community Center. Email kellyferrent@yahoo.com for information. n March 14: St. Patrick’s Day party, Mahoning Hills Senior Center. Call 724286-3099 for information. n March 16: Big Run Peepers Banquet, with Terry A. fye as speaker.

Adults, $15; kids 6-12, $7; kids 5 and under, free. Tickets are available at Wachob’s Market. n March 17: St. Patrick’s Day! n March 19: Music by Ebony & Ivory, 11 a.m., Mahoning Hills Senior Center. Call 724-286-3099 for information. n March 22: Bowl for Kids Sake, 4 to 6 p.m. at Groundhog lanes. Annual fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jefferson County. for more information, go to www.bbbJEM.org n March 27: Hymn sing with Kay Young, Mahoning Hills Senior Center.

Call 724-286-3099 for information. n March 28: American Red Cross Blood Drive, noon to 6 p.m. at Punxsutawney Christian School. n The Punxsutawney Memorial Library has several on-going programs for readers of all ages. Call 938-5020 for information or visit the library. n PACC Cheerleading will return in Spring 2014 at the Punxsy Area Community Center. Call 938-1008 for information. n The Punxsutawney Area Community Center’s Fitness Center is open 7 days a week. Memberships are available.

Along with the fitness center, PACC offers belly dancing, Zumba, batting cage, virtual golf, kettle blast, cycling, AM men’s basketball, Pilates/yoga, gymnastics, Senior Strength, SilverSneaker, and open gym time. for information regarding class times and fees, call 938-1008. n Tickets are on sale now for Kenny Rogers in concert at the Punxsy Area Community Center. There are three sec-

F

tions of seating, with prices ranging from $49 to $89. Call 938-9632 for information. n April 2: Penn State DuBois Networking & Career Fair Event. for more information, call Stephanie deMaro, at 724-773-3953 or PSuCareer West@psu.edu.

We welcome your news! Non-profit organizations are welcome to send their events for Around Town to: wgiavedoni123@gmail.com. For-profit events can be listed in Around Town, six lines for $25 •••

MAN & WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Tim Krise and Catherine Wesdock Test were named the 2013 Man and Woman of the Year at the Groundhog Eve Banquet. The honor is bestowed each year during the Groundhog banquet festivities on two people who have made a difference and worked to make Punxsutawney a better community.

Applications to nominate a 2014 Man and Woman of the Year are available at the Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce. Hometown photo by Uptegraph Photography.

Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 13

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Beatlemaniac Continued from page 5 ner—another Judi (with a lower-case “I”)— was from dayton. Three tickets and three lucky girls!

My bosses were very cooperative and gave me time off even though I really wasn’t sure if they had even heard of the Beatles.

On Monday, September 14, Kathy’s dad drove us to Pittsburgh. I don’t remember where he spent the next few hours while we were tucked inside The Igloo, but we were forever grateful for his offer to chauffeur us.

According to my ticket stub, priced at $5.90, I sat in Section 8, Row E, Seat 6. This was on the floor of the Arena about twenty rows from the stage, directly under the microphones.

The opening acts were The Bill Black Combo, The Exciters, Clarence “The frogman” Henry, and Jackie deShannon. After singing along with Jackie to “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” the crowd was ready for the big moment.

Notes in my diary recall how practically everyone, including the three of us, stood on his or her chairs. If we hadn’t done so, we wouldn’t have been able to see anything happening on the stage. Beatles haircuts, John hats, and Beatles boots were spotted everywhere. Of course, the place was filled with giddy, screaming spectators.

In that great Cockney accent, Paul shouted, “’Allo” to begin the show, and the girls swooned. The first song, “Twist and Shout,” was followed by “Things We Said Today.”

Paul asked everyone to sing along to “Can’t Buy Me love.” He said to clap, and John bent over to demonstrate. Then Paul said to stomp our feet, and again John showed us how.

When John started singing “If I fell,” Paul got down on one knee.

Although it didn’t actually happen, my notes exclaimed that “the roof fell” when Ringo sang “Boys.”

And on it went: “All My loving,” “She loves you,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Hard days Night,” and “you Can’t do That.”

Judi was on my left, and at times I was certain that she must have been suffering a heart attack. That girl also had a good set of lungs.

When Paul announced that “long Tall Sally” would be their last song, everyone screamed even louder. He said, “I don’t know why, but ….” No one wanted it to end.

The photos in my album clearly portray the pandemonium. The back of one little girl’s head is in every picture while others had their hands raised toward the ceiling. The one-andonly clear shot is of the sign that read, “KQv Welcomes The Beatles.” Thank goodness I didn’t lose my little Brownie camera in the mad shuffle afterwards—if only it would have had a zoom lens.

A souvenir stand was set up in the lobby, and I purchased a 21-by-25-inch autographed poster for one dollar. It found a prominent place on my bedroom wall for years to come.

Policemen were everywhere, and it took much longer to exit the Arena than it did to enter. We arrived back at Kathy’s at 1 a.m. and talked until 3:30. There wasn’t much sleep going on.

About a week after we were back home and had settled down a little, the radio station invited us to participate in a live interview session. Kathy and I related our stories from beginning to end; however, Judi found the experience far too overwhelming. She had three brief fainting spells at the station, but quickly recovered from each.

In the months that ensued, I found myself slipping more and more into Beatlemania. A membership card to Clark Race’s Beatles Crackers arrived in the mail. I made a contribution to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and received a notarized card with a one-inch square piece of one of the bed sheets used by the Beatles at the Hotel Madison in Boston.

More vinyl records were purchased over the years and are safely stored with all of the other memorabilia.

In my opinion, the Beatles have garnered more interest than any other groups over the past fifty years. Musicians have marveled at their style and even mimicked it. The fab four’s music was often imitated, but never equaled.

Borrowing from the old cliché, “I wish I knew then what I know now,” I now know that I would have been wise to purchase at least fifty of those big posters. yeah, yeah, yeah!

•••

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Mahoning Hills Social Center Welcomes ‘New Sprouts’

By Janis E. Wascak for Hometown magazine ahoning Hills Social Center, located beside longview Elementary School, on Route 119, just outside of Punxsutawney, is a place where area residents can always find plenty of fun activities to occupy their time.

The Mahoning Hills Social Center, under the auspices of Aging Services, Inc., of Indiana, is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and on friday from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Mary Beth Wilson is the center’s manager.

Wilson emphasizes that the center’s programs are important to area seniors.

They offer social contact, companionship, and the experience of learning something. The center provides a support system that gives seniors a chance to become involved. “This place is for the young at heart,” Wilson added. “It’s a motivator and gives a feeling of belonging and caring.”

“Our seniors leave the center every day with a feeling of being part of something,” she concluded. free blood pressure screenings are done monthly by Indiana Regional Medical Center, and monthly speakers are scheduled to talk on a variety of topics pertaining to health, wellness, and life skills. One speaker, lisa Gazda, the APPRISE Coordinator, from Aging Services, Inc., visits monthly to assist the older adult with services and information on health insurance benefits, Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, claims filing, benefits counseling, telephone assistance, consumer protection, referrals to other resources, and advocacy. for information on when she will visit next, please call the center at (724) 286-3099.

Activities at the center include a varied schedule of events, some seasonal, though most are done all year long.

Things like crafts, games, crocheting, computer class, parties, low-impact exercise, bowling, and trips are just a few of the regular events. After the long, harsh winter, it’s going to be difficult not

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to appreciate spring! The March calendar reflects that appreciation with Spring Bingo on March 6th, Seed Planting on the 21st, and Spring Hat day on March 27th. The gardeners and leprechauns are gearing up for a fantastic spring! Make plans to “plant” yourself with the center, and try something new this spring!

Celebrating special dates and events, such as birthdays and holidays, are always planned. When there is no holiday, it’s not uncommon for the center staff to “create” a reason to celebrate—just for fun! for instance, a Mardi Gras Party will be held on March 4, March birthdays will be recognized on March 19, and the St. Patrick’s day Party is planned for March 14, and everyone is asked to wear green or dress like a leprechaun. Then, just for fun, special entertainment by Mickey Johnson & Patti Holmes, known as “Ebony & Ivory” is planned for March 19 at 11 a.m., a hymn sing led by Kay young on Marcy 27, and a pizza party is planned for March 28.

Regular weekly activities feature breakfast and afternoon bowling on Mondays and free afternoon fitness class with instructor Carole Zicha on Wednesday. The center is into technology with a Wii Game System, and computers that provide internet access to any senior while the center is open. If you don’t know how to use either, stop by the center and get a free demonstration. If using a computer interests you, the center offers free computer classes every other Wednesday from 11 a.m. until noon.

The noon meal is served at noon and provides a tasty, balanced meal for those aged sixty and older for a donation amount of $2. If you’d like to join us for lunch, you must call one day in advance by noon to reserve your meal for the next day. If you’d like to see a menu, a monthly menu and list of activities appears in the monthly newsletter, “The Spotlight,” which is available at the center for 35 cents per issue or is available by subscription by contacting either the - Continued on page 30

for investing in the future you want.

?dl[ij_d] H[j_h[c[dj JWa[ j^[ d[nj ij[f _d WY^_[l_d] oekh h[j_h[c[dj ]eWbi$ At PNC Investments, we understand no two people have the same financial goals. That’s why we work with you to understand your individual needs, expectations and concerns in planning for the future. So we can help you stay on track in achieving your short- and long-term goals, whatever they may be.

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Important Investor Information: Brokerage and insurance products are: Dej <:?9 ?dikh[Z Dej 8Wda =kWhWdj[[Z Dej W :[fei_j Dej ?dikh[Z 8o 7do <[Z[hWb =el[hdc[dj 7][dYo CWo Bei[ LWbk[ Securities and brokerage services are provided by PNC Investments LLC, a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser and member FINRA and SIPC. Annuities and other insurance products are offered by PNC Insurance Services, LLC, a licensed insurance agency.

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Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 19

Anthony says, ‘Think About Pizza’

P

unxsutawney resident Scott Anthony announces the opening of his new pizzeria, Punxsy Pizza. Anthony is well-known around town as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. His

sylvania Macaroni Company, known for their authentic Italian products, as a distributor.

Punxsy Pizza’s signature item will be the “Chief” Pizza. This is an eighteen-slice, twosquare-foot pizza. The menu also includes

business practices and community outreach have been recognized nationally in the pizza industry.

Punxsy Pizza will open february 20, 2014, at 115 North findley Street. Their new phone number is 814-938-8132. Anthony has a well trained staff of experienced pizza makers.

Punxsy Pizza will have a hometown theme.

They will promote local sustainability by using products made in Punxsutawney like Stello foods products. They are also able to tap into the resources of the legendary Penn-

wedgies, hoagies, stromboli and more. (See insert). The pizzeria will be open from 10 a.m.

- 10 p.m. Monday thru Thursday, friday and Saturday 10 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. 10 p.m.

Along with the small town feel Anthony will also offer a wide range of modern technology provided by Revention POS systems; online ordering, mobile applications and social media ordering.

More information can be found at www.PunxsyPizza.com.

•••

20 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

Nunny’s House Continued from page 10 who was gathered around the table wanted to feed me! Best of all, each relative treated me as though I was a member of the family. Even though both of us watched our weight, my “Bff” and I sampled the tasty delights and fretted over the calories. Jealous, we glared at my friend’s older brother who could eat anything he wanted without gaining weight. Munching on a whole sleeve of saltines as he stood in the pantry, Sam grinned at us; his thin waistline testified to his great metabolism. usually, the fun was over too soon, and my dad picked me up from my perch on Nunny’s front porch. Everyone made me promise to come back again, and they meant it. As our little red Comet wound down the narrow street on its way home back to fairview, I babbled to Mom and dad about the evening’s activities, what we bought, what we ate, and who was at Nunny’s.

A few months ago, during one of my visits back home to visit my father’s grave, I decided to stop and see if I could find Nunny’s house. Wheeling the car up North findley Street past the old post office on the left, past the beautiful, old Jefferson Theatre (now demolished) on the right, and, lastly, past the site of the former A&P supermarket (which is now Ragley’s), I continued over the tracks and made a right onto Railroad Street, almost missing the sharp turn. There it was— Nunny’s house. Nunny and Jeannie are both gone, but the house was still standing. like all of us who had visited, lived,

or laughed there, it was little bit older and weathered by time, but it was still Nunny’s house. I stopped the car, right by the stone wall below the cemetery, on that tiny street. lingering for a moment in the car, I examined the house, trying to recall Nunny’s overflowing flower boxes on the porch that used to house red geraniums, coleus, and long draping vines. I could almost see the green metal porch chairs with their white arms. I pictured Aunt Jeannie doodled up in her bright red lipstick; she seemed to smile at me after waiting so long for my visit.

If ever I find a magic lamp with a genie who could grant me wishes, I would wish for one more of those friday nights in Punxsutawney. I want to laugh and jabber with my friend as we stroll downtown. I want to buy another 45 record in Murphy’s, then stand outside that store and stare at the senior high guys as they “strut” their souped-up trucks and cars up and down Mahoning Street. I would also ask the benevolent genie to give me one more night at Nunny’s house on that little side street, laughing at Jeannie’s funny stories and listening to everyone around the table try to talk at the same time.

What I wouldn’t give to relax in the evening shadows on that front porch with the happy voices spilling from the crowded little kitchen as we enjoyed the humble, simple pleasures of life. My final wish is for you all to visit a “Nunny’s house” in your lifetime—a joyful sanctuary free from technological trappings, an unassuming, friendly place located off the beaten path of today’s touted Information Superhighway and a tender memory as warm as the welcoming people who lived there!

•••

Punxsutawney Concert Association to present Comic-Pianist Dale Gonyea in March By the Punx’y Concert Association for Hometown magazine s the month of March arrives, Punxsutawney area residents will, no doubt, have had enough of winter’s bitter cold and mounds of snow. folks in the area will be ready for relief in the form of hearty laughs.

The final concert of the Punxsutawney Concert Association’s 2013-2014 season will offer such relief with a show of unique comedy and entertaining piano-playing.

Coming to Punxsutawney on Wednesday, March 26, will be pianist dale Gonyea, a widely acclaimed man of many talents. In

A

As a result the audience will be entertained by his witty songs about and parodies of events in everyday life or situations in the world. Those in major cities who have been entertained by Gonyea have crowned him the “heir to the piano-comedy throne” of the late victor Borge, a popular pianist seen on

public television and well-known by older Americans.

Gonyea’s television appearances include Tv’s “Bloopers and Practical Jokes” and as a special musical reporter on “Entertainment Tonight.” He has made appearances on cruises, in shows in New york City and Caesar’s Palace in las vegas, and as opening act for major artists such as Andy Williams and Glen Campbell.

His career has included writing national jingles and songs for children’s movies, including several for disney productions. Of his piano-playing, humor, and songs, Gonyea has said of himself “I’m a little hipper than Broadway.”

His masterful playing and his comic wit polished from shows in major city venues, Gonyea has made his exceptional talent available to small communities such as Punxsutawney through arrangements with

live On Stage. “for many years live on Stage has provided the Punxsutawney Concert Association a variety of exceptional talent,” commented S. Thomas Curry, president of the local community concert group of volunteers. “Each series of live stage entertainment is provided by the support of annual individual subscriptions and the financial support of patrons and benefactors who are committed to enriching the cultural life of the Punxsutawney area,” added Curry.

The concert on Wednesday, March 26, will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Punxsutawney Area High School on North findley Street.

Non-subscribers who need to shake off the winter doldrums with laughter and song may purchase individual tickets at the door at $20 each.

•••

On March 26, the Punxsutawney Concert Association will host a concert, which will feature the talents of entertainer Dale Gonyea, an accomplished pianist, songwriter, and humorist.

The evening’s performance, to be held at the Punxsutawney Area High School, will be the finale for the 2013-14 season.

addition to being an accomplished, classically trained pianist in what he would call “hardline” music, Gonyea has been a songwriter for many years, having written songs for stars like Bette Midler, Ray Stevens, and Rich little. He has won an Emmy Award for one of his “song-spoofs.”

In his concerts, Gonyea adds his own brand of humor to each performance, giving his own comedic interpretation of life.

Super Bowl conteSt winner Seattle trounces denver, 43 to 8, in the Super Bowl 2014. dave Blose of Punxsutawney was Hometown magazine’s Super Bowl Contest winner. dave correctly picked the Seattle Seahawks to tople the denver Broncos.

He guessed the closest total number of points that would be scored in the game, 51 points.

He will redeem his winning merchandise certificate at Neko's Restaurant.

••• Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 21

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As seen in this 1909 photo, the roundhouse of the railroad company (then the Pennsylvania Railroad) was enlarged to accommodate bigger steam engines that hauled freight and passengers from Punxsutawney and coal from mines at Anita, Horatio and Valier. (Photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society).

New Development

Continued from page 7 capture a vision of those acres of land before the development of the residential area of East End. local Punxsutawney newspapers in late 1886 began a weekly report about what was going to happen to that section of land south of the Mahoning Creek, one-quarter mile north of East Mahoning Street and slightly north of what is known as lever Street on Punxsutawney maps.

A September 1886 news statement reads: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The railroad station for the Bells Gap road is staked off in M. J. dinsmoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s field in the east end of town.â&#x20AC;? By december 1886, it was reported that the surveying crew had located the rail line along the hillside along the Mahoning Creek south of Punxsutawney to land below Clayville. In January 1887, residents were informed that â&#x20AC;&#x153;R. G. ford, superintendent of the Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gap railroad, was in town last week securing the right of way for the extension of the road to Punxsutawney from Mahaffey.â&#x20AC;?

In the spring of 1887, as weather permitted, construction of the road bed began. In the summer of 1887, a newspaper item alerted residents that a hundred Hungarians and Italians had arrived the weekend of July 23 and were taken â&#x20AC;&#x153;to shanties on the line of the Clearfield & Jefferson Railroad, east of town. A few days later they would be taken to different points â&#x20AC;&#x153;west of town and south of Clayville.â&#x20AC;?

In July 1887, the report circulated that M. J. dinsmore had sold about 500 acres of land to Bells Gap Railroad for $3,000.

After months of dynamite blasting that â&#x20AC;&#x153;sounded like the boom of distant artillery,â&#x20AC;? removing tree stumps, hauling railroad ties and rails, as well as timber and lumber for construction and cutting stones for piers for bridges, in November 1887, the Punxsutawney Spirit reported that â&#x20AC;&#x153;The railroad company seems to have faith in the future of this town, as they have bought up over a hundred acres of land in the suburbs. It

A detail from an 1895 lithograph map drawing of Punxsutawney describes the railroad complex and activity of the Pennsylvania & Northwestern Railroad that had been established in 1886 in Punxsutawneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s East End between Elk Street and Clearfield Avenue.

looks very much as though they had good reason for believing that Punxsutawney is going to be something more than a village one of these days.â&#x20AC;?

In december, surveying crews left town.

The swampy land at the foot of the hills in the East End had been filled in by the railroad. Construction of the passenger station and the freight depot would beginâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to be followed by a roundhouse, a repair shop, a stockyard, and a car-sorting yard to complete the railroadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complex.

The passenger station was described as a first-class building, the one at Punxsutawney â&#x20AC;&#x153;the best on the roadâ&#x20AC;? in all of Pennsylvania. The roundhouse, built in 1889, had been built for ten steam engines with a turn-table to distribute the engines and cars to the siding.

The freight building also included an office facing Mahoning Street. Hauling coal and providing incoming and outgoing freight service were the primary purposes of the railroad, but the passenger station was also an active site with four passenger trains daily between Punxsutawney and Altoona and destinations east toward Harrisburg, New york City, and Washington, d. C. When passenger trains arrived, they discharged hundreds of shoppers from stops along the line. frequent passenger excur- Continued on page 30

Bernard P.

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Nutrition and Aging Go Hand-in-hand

N

utrition is important for people of all ages, but it's especially important for men and women over the age of 50, who can dramatically improve their quality of life by eating a well-balanced diet filled with vitamins and nutrients. Though that may seem like common sense, research has shown that men and women in this age group, who are often referred to as "Baby Boomers," are not necessarily as healthy as they may seem.

While the baby boomer generation, which is generally regarded as those peo-

tential changes to their diets with their physicians to ensure the changes will be both effective and healthy. n Balance your diet. Kids hear of the

benefits of a balanced diet seemingly from the moment they enter a classroom for the first time, but many adults fail to heed that basic advice as they get further and further away from kindergarten.

When changing your diet, be sure to include plenty of protein and carbohydrates. Protein maintains and rebuilds muscles, which is especially important for aging men and women who might find themselves unable to keep up with

the physical demands of everyday life as well as they used to. Including ample low-fat protein, which can be found in fish, eggs and low-fat dairy among other foods, will aid in muscle recovery, benefitting aging athletes as well as those men and women over 50 who recently started exercising as a means to regaining their physical fitness. A diet lacking in sufficient protein can contribute to - Continued on page 26

The Shortest Distance Between Hospital And Home Is . . .

Christ The King Manor’s

Short Term Rehab Therapy Unit ple born between 1946 and 1964, boasts longer life expectancies than any generation that came before them, some of that can likely be chalked up to advancements in medical care, including a booming pharmaceutical industry that seemingly has an antidote to every ailment. But a 2013 study from researchers at the West virginia university School of Medicine found that baby boomers are less healthy than the generation that immediately preceded them, tending to be more likely to have higher levels of hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. While that news might be sobering, it's never too late for men and women over 50 to start eating healthier diets, which can reduce their risk of a wide range of ailments, including heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.

The following are a few ways men and women over 50 can alter their diets so their bodies are getting what they need to live long and healthy lives well into their golden years. As is always the case, men and women should discuss any po-

The Short Term Rehab Therapy Unit is Christ The King’s latest addition to making the transition from hospital to home as easy and comfortable as possible. Our therapy department features highly trained physical therapists, occupational and speech therapists.

Other amenities include: Private Rooms with Mini-Kitchens and Private Bathrooms Country Kitchen • Separate Dining Facilities • Spa For more information and a tour of our Rehab Therapy facilities call 814-371-3180.

Christ The King Manor 1100 West Long Avenue, DuBois, Pennsylvania 15801

814-371-3180 Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 23

Jeffrey Lundy & Jay P. Lundy

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A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables promotes liver health.

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24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

Simple Ways to Maintain Liver Health

T

he liver is the body's largest internal organ, responsible for processing substances that enter the body and acting as a filtering system that is essential to eliminating toxic substances. What's more, the liver produces proteins, clotting factors, enzymes, and hormones essential to health.

Considering how integral a properly functioning liver can be, one can see just how vital it is to maintain a healthy liver. unfortunately, many of the foods, beverages and medications people consume on a regular basis can affect both liver health and the overall health of the body. But men and women can take several steps to ensure their liver stays healthy. n Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol. Overconsumption of alcohol damages the liver. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the liver is the primary site of alcohol metabolism.

Over time, excessive drinking can damage the liver. It is best to keep your drinking to a minimum, for the health of your liver and a variety of other reasons. n Quit smoking. Every time you smoke you are putting more than 60 different chemicals into your body. At some point, cigarette smoke will be handled by the liver. Cigarette smoke can decrease the amount of oxygen that red blood cells carry to the vital organs of the body, in-

Personal Care at Christ The King Manor is always

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cluding the liver. Over time, this can result in damage to the liver known as cirrhosis. In addition, the American Cancer Society notes that some studies have - Continued on page 26

Did you know?

The liver receives 25 percent of the blood that the heart pumps with each beat. One of the largest organs in the body, the liver also is one of the most important, serving a variety of functions that keep human beings alive. One of the more important functions the liver performs is the production of bile, an alkaline fluid that helps humans absorb food and eliminate toxins. Bile salts are produced in the liver and travel through the bile duct and into the intestine. These bile salts help humans absorb fat from their diets.

When the liver is functioning poorly, some people may develop diarrhea or malnutrition. That’s because a poorly functioning liver may not be producing enough bile or pumping out the bile it is producing as adequately as it needs to for the body to maintain normal function. n n n A hometown bank you Big Run can count on . . . both today and in the future! Dayton

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Certain medical conditions can be detected early during routine eye examinations.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

Eyes on Health: What your Eyes Can Tell Doctors

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eople who have been putting off eye examinations may want to call their opthalmologists to schedule an appointment. That's because vision checkups can do more than protect your eyes. By examining the eyes, doctors may have a window into health problems affecting other areas of the body.

Researchers recently discovered a link between detected retinal amyloid plaques and the onset of Alzheimer's disease. While evidence was found in lab mice, autopsies of at least eight Alzheimer's disease patients have also shown amyloid plaques, which are known to interfere with memory and other mental functions, present in the retinas. doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in los Angeles, Calif., are gearing up for larger studies of humans to determine if an Alzheimer's imaging technique can be perfected. dementia is not the only thing that doctors may be able to detect through an eye exam. Jaundice in the whites of the eyes may indicate liver disease, and early warning signs of diabetes may be detectable in the eyes. The American Academy of Opthalmology says the eye is the only place where doctors can see veins, arteries and a nerve without surgery, and eye examinations are increasingly being relied on to gauge overall health.

The following are a few additional conditions that may be detected through the eyes.

Allergies Patients may be referred to an allergy specialist if they exhibit dark under-eye circles.

While this can be a sign of aging, dark circles, sometimes referred to as "allergic shiners," also may indicate certain allergies.

When clogged sinuses cause a blockage of blood flow in the nasal passages around the eye, darkness may result. This symptom in conjunction with persistent nasal congestion could be a sure sign of allergies.

High cholesterol The presence of bumpy, yellowish patches on the eyelid, known as xanthelasma palpebra, is a warning sign of high cholesterol, which is often initially diagnosed during a routine eye exam.

Cancer Some cancer metastases can be detected during an eye exam. The presence of a bump or brown spot on the eyelid also may be indicative of skin cancer. Many malignant eyelid tumors are basal-cell carcinoma. If the spot is brown, it's more likely to be malignant melanoma.

Thyroid issues When the outer one-third of the brow (the part closest to the ear) begins to disappear on its own, this is a common sign of thyroid disease. The thyroid helps regulate metabolism, and thyroid hormones are essential to hair production. Hair loss may occur elsewhere, but is much more visible in the brows.

Clogged arteries Blockages in the smaller veins in the retina may indicate clogs caused by arterial plaque. This will show up as a retinal occlusion in a visual exam. If blood vessels in the eyes are blocked, clogged arteries may be present elsewhere in the body, so a cardiology workup may be ordered.

Bell's palsy The inability to close one eye or to control tear production in that eye may be a sign of Bell's palsy. This is a condition of the nervous system that controls facial muscles, causing temporary paralysis in one side of the face. Sometimes Bell's palsy follows a viral or bacterial infection.

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Continued from page 24

muscle deterioration, arthritis and even organ failure, so it's important for men and women to prioritize including protein in their diets.

Carbohydrates are also an important part of a balanced diet, as they are a great source of energy that can help men and women stay active well past the age of 50. Carbohydrates found in fruits, grains and vegetables are the most beneficial, as these contain valuable vitamins, minerals and nutrients. n don't denounce dairy. dairy is a great source of calcium, which promotes strong bones and teeth. Men and women over the age of 50 want their bones to be as strong as possible because aging is one of the strongest risk factors for osteoporosis, a potentially debilitating medical condition in which loss of tissue causes bones to become brittle and fragile. vitamin d is necessary to effectively absorb calcium, and vitamin d can be found in certain dairy products, including pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed cow's milk, and can be generated when men and women get enough sunlight.

Other healthy sources of vitamin d include salmon, light tuna packed in oil, sardines, and sun-grown mushrooms. n Cut back on sodium intake. Cutting back on sodium intake can be very beneficial, especially for men and women over the age of 50, who are at greater risk of diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease. But cutting back on sodium intake takes more than just throwing the salt shaker away. Processed foods, soups, canned goods, salad dressings, condiments such as mustard and ketchup, and breakfast cereals are just a few of the many products that may contain alarming amounts of sodium. That's important to note, as excess sodium increases blood pressure by holding excess fluid in the body. That excess fluid puts an added burden on the heart, potentially increasing a person's risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, cancer, and kidney disease. The problem with cutting back on sodium is that salt is so often relied on to make foods taste better, and many people find salt-free foods bland. But the rewards of reducing sodium intake are so significant that it's worth making the adjustment, especially for men and women over the age of 50.

No one is too old or too young to embrace a nutritious diet. But men and women over the age of 50 are in a unique position to vastly improve their quality of life by adopting a low-sodium diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals.

•••

found a link between smoking and liver cancer. However, this relationship is difficult to discern because smokers also tend to be more likely to drink alcohol. n Eat healthier. A healthy diet that includes an array of fresh fruits and vegetables is good for the liver. vegetables are excellent sources of fiber, which helps toxins move quickly through the digestive system without putting stress on the liver.

Sulfur-rich foods, such as garlic and onions, can help detoxify environmental toxins that end up in the body. Turmeric, licorice and cinnamon may also support healthy liver function. n Exercise caution with medications.

Certain medications can tax the liver, especially when medications are mixed with other substances. Even seemingly innocuous medications, like acetaminophen, can cause potential liver damage over time. In fact, CNCA Health notes that acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the united States. When taking any medications, men and women should read the information sheets that accompany prescriptions to determine if any side effects that may affect the liver are noted. doctors may require frequent checkups and blood tests to monitor liver health when their patients are taking certain types of medications. n limit exposure to toxins. Men and women can choose organic foods whenever possible to cut down on the amount of chemical residue they consume. Even switching over to natural household cleaning products can reduce the number of chemicals you are exposed to, and reducing that exposure can ultimately protect the liver. n drink more water and exercise regularly. fresh water helps flush toxins out of the body, helping the liver by not making it work so hard. In addition, exercising and sweating detoxifies the body.

While exercising and after working out, replace lost fluids with clean, healthy water. n Steer clear of overly processed foods.

Processed foods contain more chemicals, which can put more pressure on the liver.

Sweetening agents, preservatives and other substances can be particularly detrimental to liver health. n Sip green tea. Green tea is full of antioxidants known as catechins, which have been shown to improve the functions of the liver.

Maintaining liver health is an important part of a healthy lifestyle that can benefit the entire body.

•••

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26 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

Liver Health

Continued from page 23

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Katie Laska and Cooper Ferko (far right) take a break from shoveling as A.J. Derume pushes snow with a plow.

Bill Deeley uses equipment to load the snow being removed from Punxsutawneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streets.

Clearing the Way

By Jennifer Skarbek Smith for Hometown magazine n an attempt to make Punxsutawneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown accessible and safe for patrons and pedestrians during the snowy days of winter, some local residents and business owners have recently joined together to remove the mammoth mounds of snow that have accumulated along the main and side streets.

According to Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce director Michele Neal, the overabundance of frozen accumulation this season has left the main ways and sidewalks covered, almost impassable. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a little hazardous,â&#x20AC;? she said about conditions.

The large amount of snow that fell upon western Pennsylvania over the winter months made it difficult for proprietors to keep sidewalks clear for customers. They would no sooner swath through the mess

I

A truck from Dunkel Roofing was instrumental in taking snow out of the borough.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;They volunteered and shoveled by hand,â&#x20AC;? Neal said of Tim, Mark, and Chad young, dan Weller, Shaun donald, Wayne laBelle, Mike Kachmar, dominic Golanda, Ron voris, and Joe ferrara. before their progress would be haltered by Once collected, the snow and ice was a fresh snowfall. It was even to the point hauled away that people were with large equiphaving difficultly ment belonging stepping out of to Mike defelice their vehicles as and Tim Krise. they utilized the â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted on street parking our town to look spaces. nice,â&#x20AC;? Neal comThis situation mented on the alarmed Neal, escollective efpecially with the forts. crowds of tourists With Philâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expected to fill prognostication the town during of â&#x20AC;&#x153;six more the celebration of Groundhog day. From left, Andy Fedigan, Cooper Ferko, Jake Ferko, weeks of winter Therefore, in the and Jamie Bush diligently push piled up snow from weather,â&#x20AC;? it was final days of Janu- the sidewalks in Punxsutawney. Photos by Jennifer no surprise that Punxsutawney ary, a group of in- Skarbek Smith. saw more snow storms after the start of dividuals grabbed their shovels and began february. the clearing out task.

It was then, Neal said, that the Groundhog Club saw the opportunity to repay the community for the generosity shown earlier in support of Groundhog day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They wanted to give back,â&#x20AC;? Neal added.

Hence, on a blustery Sunday afternoon in mid-february, the members of the club, with the help of the merchants and residents from the first round of cleanups, as well as REACT for traffic control, came back for a second go-around with shovels, skidders, and dump trucks.

Neal said of the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help, â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were fabulous coming forward with all of their guys.â&#x20AC;?

By the end of the evening, the group had successfully cleared not just the main street of town, but also union and findley Streets.

Impressed by the appearance of downtown after the snow removal, Neal said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;They did an awesome job; it looks wonderful.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘

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Richard L. Fait Funeral Home: “We Serve as We Would be Served”

D

(Editor’s Note: ‘From Our Past,’ researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.)

By PRIDE for Hometown magazine

ick fait’s grandfather worked in a steel mill in order to give his family a better life. He sent his son Richard l. fait to medical school.

When the grandfather died during the Great depression, Richard became the sole supporter of the family. He used his two years of medical education to become a licensed funeral director and opened his first funeral home in a victorian house in McKeesport. dick grew up in that house and developed an apprecia-

youngster. He also assisted his father with the tasks required at the funeral home. When it came time to choose a career, he followed his father’s advice: “find something you like to do, and then find someone to pay you to do it.” dick opted to follow in his father’s footsteps.

He attended Clarion State College, where he completed the required two years of liberal arts education before entering the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, where he graduated with honors.

While dick pursued his education, his father, Richard, moved to Punxsutawney where he became the owner of the former

February 24, 1892 — Perhaps the finest street parade that the people of Punxsutawney will ever have an opportunity to witness will be the one given

by Bristol’s Eques Curriculum. Thirty horses and mules will parade the street with a brass-band mounted on horse back. The parade will pass through Punxsutawney at 4 o’clock and Clayville at 4:30, to give the school children an opportunity to witness the parade.

(Punxsutawney Spirit) February 26, 1890 — About 7:30 o’clock last Saturday the stockholders of the Punxsutawney Electric light and Power Co. assembled at their building on findley Street to witness the starting of the machinery that is to furnish the light of the future for Punxsutawney. In a twinkling of an eye the business places in town using the new lights were made as bright as day. (Punxsutawney News) March 3, 1886 — The large cakes of ice lying in great quantities along the banks of the creek, together with other debris, look as though a cyclone had struck all the ices houses in the neighborhood. (Valley News) March 3, 1908 — Several members of the old Citizens’ Band last night “spruced up” and started out on a serenading tour. The music was enjoyed by hundreds of citizens and many business places, and suggests the idea that a reorganization of the old band with frequent serenades would tend to add lustre to the town and be a source of continued delight. (Punxsutawney Spirit) March 14, 1888 — John A. Weber now occupies his new house on West Mahoning Street. This is certainly one of the most tasty and convenient dwellings in town. It is finished from attic to cellar and is supplied with gas and water. It is being furnished in good style throughout and Mr. Weber and his family should certainly enjoy life. (Punxsutawney News) [Note: The house is located at 314 West Mahoning Street.]

•••

Advertisements indicate the previous occupants of the building at 117 North Jefferson Street, now occupied by the Richard L. Fait Funeral Home.

Victorian stained glass window are displayed in the Richard L. Fait Funeral Home.

Hand-painted china vases displayed on an antique étagère in the Richard L. Fait Funeral Home.

The reflection in the mirror is Dick Fait. The vases were painted by his mother, Mildred Hagel Fait, who taught china painting in Punxsutawney.

Jordan funeral Home at 117 North Jefferson Street. dick A clock from an early Punx- joined his father in1968 at the sutawney Funeral Home, which Marble angels greet visitors also operated an ambulance new Richard l. fait funeral to the Richard L. Fait Fu- service, is one of the antiques Home after finishing his inneral Home. in Dick Fait’s collection. ternship and passing his state boards.

In Punxsutawney, dick pursued two areas that interested him: history and funeral memorabilia. He enjoys researching and telling the history of the family funeral home. It began as the undertaking department at the Cocharan and Co. furniture Store located in the Simpson Block on findley Street, where the ATA Transportation Center is located today.

Carl Jordan was the undertaker at the furniture company, and his advertisements stated that he provided everything new and correct. He answered calls day or A display of birds in an antique glass table is night and had a night bell at the store. enjoyed by both children and adults who visit When George C. Sink, who operated the the Richard L. Fait Funeral Home.

Elmo Hotel and Restaurant, relocated to tion for local history and antiques. duBois around 1910, Carl Jordan moved dick remembers his father coaching his establishment, then known as Jorhim on human anatomy when he was a dan’s funeral Home, to the building at

Hometown magazine...online all the time...

www.punxsutawneymagazine.com 28 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

117 North Jefferson Street. The building had been built on the lot previously occupied by the St. Elmo Clothing store, which burned in the disastrous 1886 fire that destroyed much of Punxsutawney’s business district. The Jordan family continued its business at the Jefferson Street location until it was purchased by Richard l. fait. dick fait has been in business at the North Jefferson Street location since he joined his father. Through the years, the fait family has collected antiques, which are on display in the funeral home. “We find those who are visiting to pay their respect appreciate the nice touch these items from the past provide,” said dick’s wife, the former darlene Wolfe. The Richard l. fait funeral Home has a longstanding reputation for providing compassionate care and support when a family loses a loved one. The funeral home’s staff takes pride in providing services that satisfy the special needs of each and every family. The home’s motto is “We Serve as We Would be Served …

Because We Care.” dick and darlene maintain their home in the upper levels of the building at 117 North Jefferson Street. They have two daughters, Kristi, who is currently the director of the Home Health Service at the Brookville Hospital, and Richelle, who is the manager at the Walston Club.

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With interior work nearing completion and landscaping waiting for spring planting time, the old railroad site in East End will begin a new history, providing expanded medical and health services for the Punxsutawney area.

New Development Continued from page 22

sions were also taken from Punxsutawney to points east.

Much of the East End section of Punxsutawney was developed to provide homes for railroad men who worked in the roundhouse, freight station, and so on, or rode the steam locomotives that pulled the coal cars from the coal fields. The Punxsutawney City directory in 1905 listed the occupations of residents on streets in that section. dwellings along Greenwood Avenue, Clearfield Street, Elk Street, Woodland Avenue, and Oakland Avenue housed many of the workers that were listed as conductor, machinist, engineer, brakeman, fireman, switchman, roadmaster, and hostler.

With the East End complex completed on the site east of South Elk Street and lever Street, the railroad company paved the street from its property to the bridge over the Mahoning Creek that connected the older Punxsutawney with the new development.

Punxsutawney borough remained constricted within the boundary that had been set when it was incorporated as a borough in 1849. Housing and retail developments were beginning to appear beyond those limits into areas that included the East End, Jenks Hill, Elk Run, and the South Side (of the Mahoning Creek). In 1889, Punxsutawney borough was extended to

‘New Sprout’ Continued from page 18

center, or Aging Services, Inc. at (724) 349-4500. The “Spotlight” is also available online on the agency website at www.agingservicesinc.com.

Home delivered meals are available for

“Carved in Stone”

Decorative Rocks

For Holiday Gift Giving! Gift Certificates Available!

Fresh Homemade Dough & Sauce Made Onsite Daily For All Our Dinners & Pizza!

pizza town

grEAT QUAlITY • lArgE POrTIONS rEASONABlE PrICES We treat you like one of the family with fast, friendly service.

R.D. Brown Memorials 314 N. Findley Street • Punxsutawney • 938-2100

30 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

fREE dElIvERy EvERy dAy Sun.-Thurs., 5 to 10:30, fri. & Sat. 4 to 11:30 Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 11 to 11 fri & Sat 11 to Midnight

W. Mahoning St. Punxsy Plaza

938-2380

take in many of the areas developed around the “old town.”

Elk Street was laid out in 1897 and ordained with the intention of moving it north to the Mahoning Creek, cross the BR&P railroad and connect onto the “Elk Run Addition” by the construction of a bridge. lever Street was opened in the early 1900s when lever Bowers bought the land and erected a large planing mill along the railroad property and siding.

The arrival of the railroad in 1886 in the East End, and its development through the early years of the twentieth century was a decided factor in Punxsutawney’s economy in those days.

Today, the attraction of the “Mahoning Shadow Trail,” which follows the railroad corridor of the older P&NW Railroad to, and through, Punxsutawney will be served by an improved trail head to be approached through the improvements made by the Punxsutawney Community Health Center.

The newly landscaped five acres will become a visual oasis for the East End residents.

When the health center concept was proposed to Punxsutawney by Primary Health Network of Sharon, Pennsylvania, it was expected that the facility would provide approximately 100 jobs for the community. In addition, the services at the site would bring about 20,000 new visits to the borough.

Punxsutawney will welcome new life to the “old neighborhood” that began with the arrival of the P&NW Railroad in 1886.

•••

Indiana County senior residents. Anyone needing meals should call Aging Services, Inc. for details at (724) 349-4500 or 1-800-442-8016.

Curb-to-curb transportation is provided for senior residents of North, South, East, and West Mahoning townships, plus Montgomery, Grant, Banks, and Canoe townships. friendly, helpful IndiGO driver, Pam Hankinson, takes seniors on one weekly trip to shopping destinations and doctors’ offices, Monday through friday. The vehicle is wheelchair accessible.

Rates for the van are truly economical.

Indiana County residents who attend the center, ages sixty through sixty-four, pay just $1 each way; passengers sixty-five and older ride for only 30 cents each way. Arrangements to ride must be made twenty-four hours ahead of time by calling 1-800-442-6928 (IndiGO) or (724) 286-3099 (Mahoning Hills). for more information on any of these activities, events, or services, or to become a “new sprout,” please call the center at (724) 286-3099 (Mahoning Hills) or 1-800-442-8016 or (724) 349-4500 (Aging Services, Inc.).

•••

regular grooming can benefit your dog or cat in many ways! our groomers at Burke’s P.a.w.s. are not only trained to give your pet a fantastic new look, but to also watch for any potential health issues like: • Fleas • ticks • skin & Coat Conditions • ear infections

if your pet has any dental, skin or coat conditions, Burke’s P.a.w.s. has some solutions that will help. we offer : Medicated Baths • teeth Brushing • scaling • and More

you can now make your appointments, find coupons and incentives and reviews all on our Facebook page.

— or — stop in at 242 n. Findley st., Punxsutawney

814-938-3974 Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161 – 31

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32 – Punxsutawney Hometown – March 2014 - Issue #161

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