Laurel Mountain Post :: Spring 2005

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST A Magazine for the Heart of Westmoreland County

Every Story Begins At Home.

www.LaurelMountainPost.com

“The worst day on the trail is far better than the best day in the office” A JOURNEY ACROSS THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL by John Goldsworthy

SPRING 2005: Professional Hockey Is Alive and Well

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The Corvair Chronicles, 1964

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MOUNTAIN VIEWS Cathi Gerhard Williams

Nike Got It Right I’m too old to keep saying “someday.”

It was my favorite phrase when I was growing up, though. “Someday, I’ll be an advertising executive in New York City.” “Someday, I’ll go to Europe.” “Someday I will get a dog for my kids.” Someday, I will do all of the things I want to do, but haven’t found the courage to try.

Statue of the Greek Goddess Nike

The Modern Origins of Winged Victory The SWOOSH logo used by Nike is a graphic design created by Caroline Davidson in 1971. It represents the wing of the Greek Goddess NIKE. Caroline Davidson was a student at Portland State University in advertising. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company. Phil Knight asked Caroline to design a logo that could be placed on the side of a shoe. She handed him the SWOOSH, he handed her $35.00.

In spring of 1972, the first shoe with the NIKE SWOOSH was introduced.....the rest is history! (from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996)

When Nike developed the ad campaign that touted “Just Do It” in 1988, I didn’t think about those words nearly as much as I do now. I was in college, and the whole world was in front of me. No doors had closed, and every window was wide open. The weight of my decisions had no meaning – I was poised with wings for flight and victory, just like the Greek goddess and defender of Mt. Olympus for whom the company was named. Back then I certainly never contemplated the challenge of adversity. I thought the world would come to me because that’s how the story always went.

But unlike Nike, the enemy of my own kingdom was not so obvious.

My only Titanic adversary proved to be time. Time wasted on waiting for life to find me; on making excuses for not trying new things; and on the simple fear of failing. It took a long time to understand that opportuni-

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST The Laurel Mountain Post is a quarterly publication of biffBOOcommunication designed to focus on the people, places and events at the heart of Westmoreland County in western Pennsylvania. We print stories about real people and their daily lives; feature local merchants, craftsmen and professionals; present short pieces of art & literature; and never lose sight of what makes this area a great place to call home.

P.O. Box 227 | Latrobe, PA 15650 | 724-331-3936 | editor@LaurelMountainPost.com Special thanks to our advertisers for supporting this community publication!

ties were gifts . . . big unopened boxes full of possibility. Of course, sometimes you get stuck with the white elephant. I attempted to learn the violin once in college and quickly decided to exchange that present. So later the same year I tried out the

advertising@LaurelMountainPost.com

Briana Dwire Tomack Cathi Gerhard Williams editor@LaurelMountainPost.com

to start working on a new one. Consider the plans you once made – at any age. What are the things left undone in your life? What aspirations have you forgotten? What things have you never even considered possible? Take a look around and see what interests you.

Our pages are filled with stories of your neighbbors’ dreams – memories as well as plans. Admire their courage, congratulate them on their success, and help them if they fall. As you read through this issue of the Laurel Mountain Post, take the time to remember that every achievement, no matter how small, is a victory. And so is every attempt.

Begin every day with the promise to embrace your life instead of hide from it. The leap of faith is yours to take.

Nike, both the myth and the corporate icon, got it right . . . just do it!

sport of fencing and won a silver medal in my very first tournament.

Time often dulls the shine of these early victories. We grow up and get distracted by other things . . . jobs, spouses, children, houses and every other adult responsibility. Our accomplishments seem distant and out of reach. This is the perfect time

Thanks to Andrew Carr at Celtic Culture in Ligonier for taking our photograph at his shop for this issue!

Cathi Gerhard Williams, Editor & Publisher Briana Dwire Tomack, Marketing Director & Business Manager CONTRIBUTORS - SPRING 2005 (Volume II, Issue 2) WRITERS: Jim Brewer, Ron Durika, John Goldsworthy, Jim Kasperik, Kathy Kasperik, Heather Rogers Kline, Susan McBroom, Jim Prengaman, Joe Prengaman, Ruth Richardson, J.B. Rossi, MaryAnn Sleasman, Nicole Vitale Smith, Scott Sinemus, Linda Werner EDITORIAL & DISTRIBUTION TEAM: Walt Brewer, Daniel Chicka, Ron Durika, Carol Dwire, Paula Forte, Shelly & Carol Gerhard, Jodee Harris-Anke, Frank Jobe, Jim Kasperik, Melanie Kimmel, Joe Prengaman, Michelle Schultz, Elizabeth Srsic, Deadra Ussery, Drew Williams

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 3

“The worst day on the trail is far better than the best day in the office” A JOURNEY ACROSS THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL by John Goldsworthy The Appalachian Trail (AT) is a 2174-mile footpath that runs along the Appalachian Mountains from Maine to Georgia. It crosses 14 states, 8 national forests, 6 units of the national park system, and 60 state park, forest, or game lands. It was the first footpath to be designated by Congress as a National Scenic Trail in 1968.

Champion resident John Goldsworthy, a network engineer for Cingular Wireless and 1987 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School, began planning his trip across this scenic path in August of 2003. Eight months later he set out from Springer Mountain, GA and walked 1004 miles of the Trail.

Why Do It?

did in preparation for the hike was put on weight.

Needing about 4000-5000 calories a day and only able to carry/eat about 3000, I knew I would end up losing weight. All said and done I lost 35 pounds from my starting weight in Georgia . . . so much weight that most people don’t recognize me now.

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Start to Finish

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I started on April 4, 2004 at Springer Mountain in Georgia, the Southern Terminus, and finished the first part 50 miles north of Daleville, VA on June 6, 2004. I then picked up the trail at Franconia Notch on August 23, 2004 in northern New Hampshire and finished atop Mt. Katahdin, the Northern Terminus, in Maine on September 18th.

For the personal challenge and to see parts of the Eating & Sleeping country that most don’t get to see. My father took me hiking as a child and planted the seed in my Roughly every 8-12 miles there are shelter areas. head about the AT. I have The areas normally have done lots of weekend a three-sided shelter in hiking (locally on the which one can sleep Laurel Highlands hiking (normally full during The Appalachian Trail trail (LHHT) and a good times of rain to avoid wet bit in the White camping in one’s tent).

Mountains in New Water is normally Hampshire, and three available at the shelter CANADA week-long trips (70 miles areas in the form of a of the Laurel Highlands spring or stream. And a Hiking Trail, 100 Miles of privy as well. Most of the the AT in Central Virginia time I preferred to tent/ and 100 miles of the AT tarp at a shelter area. in Maine).

This provided some isolation by tenting, but It’s All also access to water, privy and other hikers in the Details (Hiker Socialization). It was a pain to tent/tarp I chose to mail myself in the rain, so I would some food, and personal look to stay in the shelter items (contacts, saline, during the rain. I would medicine) which would normally try to carry be difficult to find along between 4 to 6 days the trail. This is called worth of food. That using Mail Drops. So I ATLANTIC would normally get me needed to have an idea of OCEAN from town to town. In where I would be towns I would stay at stopping in town(s). I either a hostel or hotel/ created boxes of items motel. Sometimes the which my father would mileage was either too mail to predetermined short or too long to stay locations. I had an idea of when I would be in each at or near a shelter. Since water is a must, I would town and an associated mailing date so the box find an area with a water source and camp there. would arrive slightly before I did. As my itinerary That was normally some type of stream, pond or lake. changed, I would call my father and give him a new mailing date for each box.

(See sidebar for a complete packing list of items carried on the trail) I did no physical conditioning for the trip prior to leaving. I’ve found that no exercise can prepare you for hiking except for hiking. About the only thing I 4 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

A Typical Day Along the Trail

Get up around 6:30-7:00 AM • Retrieve the food bag (normally hung in a tree to protect it from animals/bears) • Breakfast and pull out snacks for the morning while gathering up my map and guidebook information for the day.

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Pull out the clothes for the day Get water (chemical treatment takes 20 minutes before it can be consumed) Pack up gear Look over the map and guidebook info and plan my day (as best could be done, plans ALWAYS changed) Start hiking about 8:30 Snack or 2nd breakfast about 10:30 Shoot for lunch around 12:30, or whenever I could make it to a shelter area. As noted above, the shelters normally had water and a privy. Ah, the comforts of hiking life.

Snack break around 3-3:30 (usually near a stream for water or a shelter area) About 6-7 start thinking about getting to camp/shelter.

Upon arrival at camp/shelter, get water (remember, it takes a while to treat) Change clothes if wet and definitely put on camp shoes (getting out of the hiking boots/ shoes was a treat at the end of a long day) Look for tent spot if tenting and setup tent Unpack rest of gear, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, food/kitchen stuff Cook dinner Clean up from dinner Hang food bag in a near by tree (protect it from animals) Sometimes I would sit around a campfire and socialize Crawl into bed shortly before it was dark Write in my journal/PocketMail device (take care of email) Lights out normally no later than 9:30-10 (rest is important to a hiker)

Going to Town Town chores consisted of finding a place to stay, and of course consuming LOTS of food. Hikers need about 4000-5000 calories per day. It’s REALLY tough to carry enough food to get that calorie intake.

So we would try to bulk up on as much fatty greasy foods as possible. We would also do laundry and shower up. Finding the post office was normally a necessity as well, to pick up mail drops, bounce box and mail stuff home. I would also grocery shop for my next section of the trail. Noted above, I did mail myself (via my father at home mailing the mail drops) some hard to find foods, but needed to supplement the menu with locally bought food.

Phoning home to get news from home and schedule the next mail drop was a ritual as well. I also carried an email device called PocketMail, so I would send and retrieve my email.

Prior to leaving I setup just about all of my bills to be paid by auto-draft or would pay them via the internet. So occasionally I needed to find a computer at a library or café to pay bills and take care of some financial responsibilities. continued on next page

GEAR LIST Backpack Tent (mine was actually a tarp not a tent that most people are used to. I chose a tarp to save weight) Tyvek groundcloth 35 degree sleeping bag (I froze early on in the trip as it was in the 20s when I started in GA) Self-inflating sleeping pad Stove (homemade from a pepsi can) Denatured alcohol for stove fuel (kept in a 20oz soda bottle) Lighter Lexan spoon .85 liter titanium cooking pot Stuff sack for food 2 1 liter soda bottles for water Stuff sack for clothing Fleece pull over Poncho for my raingear 2 T-shirts Long Sleeve shirt Fleece Hat 2 pair of socks 2 pair of underwear pair of light nylon shorts (kept for town clothes) Extra Bandana Fleece gloves (sent home when I entered VA) Lightweight camp shoes Headlamp Water filter ( I sent this home in NC and replaced it with chemical water treatment) 50 feet of 8mm nylon cord Digital camera (along with spare battery and 2 spare memory cards) Maps for the section I was hiking Pages cut out of the guidebook for the section I was hiking Emergency whistle LOTS of Ibuprofen (commonly referred to on the trail as Vitamin-I) Naproxen (prescription for my bad knees) Toothbrush Toothpaste Small bottle of biodegradable soap Misc first aid stuff; bandaids, gauze pads, etc…

Small pocket knife Small portable radio ½ roll of toilet paper Portable Email device called PocketMail (used to write my journal entries while hiking. I would transmit them when I got into town via a landline telephone) Normally worn: Convertible pants (pant legs zip off) Underwear T shirt Socks Also used on my hike was something called a bounce box. A box filled with stuff I needed occasionally but didn’t want to carry. I would mail the box to myself at a Post Office a week or so ahead.

In the bounce box was: Pair of extra contacts Saline Camera Battery Charger Extra camera battery Another small bottle of bio-soap Address labels Permanent marker Masking/duct tape Filter cleaning kit (sent home when I sent the filter home) Glasses Sleeping pad repair kit Extra stove Plenty of Ibuprofen and extra naproxen

What Kind of People Hike the Appalachian Trail?

to remember her late sister who died of cancer.

I had previous hiking experience, albeit little long distance hiking, before starting the trail. I was very For the most part the age ranges are kids right out surprised at the amount of people starting the AT of high school and yet to start college. Kids between without ever hiking a step before. Bear had done college and joining the work force. And retired some overnight/weekend stuff, but nothing that people. The range of 25-55 seems to be much lower. long and Ladybug had never hiked a day in her life I guess because people in that range are focused (outside a day hike). The first few weeks on the trail on other things; family, were rather interesting children, career, etc. watching people learn the ropes of hiking. I, too, 9/18/04, Me on the sign on Katahdin. The sign is the After the crowd thins out was included in that official northern terminus and signifies the end of the Trail at the beginning (A lot of for northbound hikers. group. I needed to get in people quit in the first a routine of things that week), you tend to hike needed done each day and with or see the same learn the easiest way to people. For the most accomplish those tasks. part most people do about the same amount of miles each day and you continually see these same people on the trail and in towns. It’s also funny how I was aware of what was going on 2 days ahead of me and 2 days behind me. This from people hiking the opposite direction, bringing news from ahead. People hiking faster would bring news from behind me. And when I would arrive in town I’d run into other hikers who were leaving town and would fill me in on the news. I would also do the same as I was leaving town.

Thinking About Hiking the Trail?

DO IT! JUST DO IT! Anybody can hike the entire AT . . . young, old and everybody in between. It’s nothing more than walking with the things you need to survive on your back. I saw children under the age of 10, and people older than 80. The toughest part is the mental game. The physical game is something that can be overcome. The feet toughen up, the blisters turn to calluses, the legs stop hurting after a while.

It’s the mind that plays games with you, missing those you love, dreading the next day of rain, thinking I can’t climb this next hill. But it can be done. Every day had a unique challenge, but at the end of the day I sat eating dinner or in my tent thinking about all the wonderful people I met, the awesome things I saw . . . it made all the pain (both physical and mental) worth it.

Trailnames are nicknames given to hiker by other hiker (or sometime self given). There are many people starting the AT each year, and many have the same first names. It is much easier to identify hikers using unique trailnames. Most of the time a trailname is given to a hiker that resembles something 9/2/04, Me in the “Mahoosuc Notch”, (thought of as the they do all the time or toughest mile on the AT), 7 Miles into Maine. Mahoosuc Notch something stupid they’ve is one mile of house-size boulders which a hiker must climb done. I guess kind of a over, under and through. The boulder I’m under was at least stigmata. LOL My given the size of a small house.

“Trailname” was Radio The rule of thumb I heard Flyer. So dubbed because quite often was, when you I was always listening to a radio and was flying (hiking REALLY feel like quitting, wait and give it 3 more at a rather quick rate) up the trail. days. If you’re still hating it, then quit, but don’t let the heat of the moment get to you. Most of the I ended up hiking with two people I met in the first time, those aches will pass and you’ll be loving it all week. Jeremy Keeble (his trailname was Bear) is again 3 days later. from Dallas. Bear (in his low 30s) was fed up with work and needed a change both professionally and The Best and Worst personally. He was looking to take some time off from work and tour the country in his truck when This is a really tough question, as there were so he discovered a book about the AT. Six months later many great things. But my best guess would be the he was out hiking north on the AT. The other person people I met along the way. is Denise Hill, or Ladybug, (in her mid 40’s). continued on page 18 Ladybug was hiking to raise money for charity and LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 5

DERRY REMEMBRANCES Ruth Richardson

The Corvair Chronicles, 1964 One of the most significant events of my life occurred in the springtime of 1964. I was finally old enough to apply for my driver’s permit. My birthday falls on February 23, and that very afternoon I talked my mom into driving me to the Greensburg State Police Barracks to pick up my application. I dutifully took the eye exam and rushed home with the forms. Next step was to see Dr. Oliver and have him sign off on my physical, fill out the rest of the information and drop it in the mail. Now the wait was on. It could take anywhere from two weeks to two months to get a reply, and that wait was excruciating. That’s why sometimes we would take documents (car titles and such) that had to go through the Pennsylvania system to Stemmler’s Market on Second Street and ask Gus Stemmler, our Pa. Representative, if he would hand-carry them to the state capital. This would speed up the process and shorten your wait considerably. The day I finally received my envelope from Harrisburg was a huge event. There it was, the little red and pink ‘Junior Learner’s Permit’ with my name boldly inscribed on it.

GENTLEMEN (and ladies!), START YOUR ENGINES, and let the adventure begin! Most of my waking hours that spring were consumed with begging and cajoling my dad to take me driving. I remember that first day behind the wheel, thinking that our car couldn’t possibly fit in that one tiny lane on West Fourth Avenue (now known as route 217). How could a person possibly avoid side-swiping the oncoming traffic when our huge car obviously was wider than that single lane? Yes, our 1963 maroon Corvair certainly seemed like it was spilling out of that skinny little lane and into the oncoming traffic.

After several weeks of lessons, my dad felt confident enough in my skills to allow my older brother, Keith, to ride with me as my coach. This was ever so much better since, unlike my father, Keith not only allowed me to play the radio while we drove, he insisted it be turned up full blast. As any teenager can attest, the improvement of your driving skill is commensurate with the volume of the mu6 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

sic playing in the car. The louder it is, the better you think you can drive. Our station of choice was 860 AM, call letters - WAMO. You didn’t have to identify it as AM back then, because that’s all there was. FM came along later. Porky Chedwick was our ‘Daddio of the Raddio’, our ‘Platter Pushin’ Papa’, and he played the perfect ‘learning to drive’ music on what he referred to as the ‘Double WAMO’. My second favorite disc jockey at WAMO was Sir Walter Raleigh. I thought for a long time his name was Zawalda Raleigh, because that’s how he pronounced it. They both played the songs that we danced to at the Rink in Latrobe. Harry Lattanzio made sure the dances at the Rink were THE PLACE to be. He played

Ruthie with her vintage 1961 Corvair Monza. all the great R & B stuff that you didn’t hear on the ‘groovy QV’ out of Pittsburgh, or QT radio in Latrobe.

For my driving lessons, I remember going to the high school parking lot to practice the dreaded three point turn. I seem to recall that Mr. Livingston had this marked off for drivers education classes. I didn’t take these classes because back then, Joe Sproch didn’t offer a discount on your State Farm Policy for taking the course, and neither did Ken McCreary at Erie. And besides, if you were a girl, your dad’s car insurance didn’t go up when you were added to the policy, only boys would cause an increase in

the premium. In fact, I don’t even think they added girls to the policy at all! That three point turn was what scared my friends and me the most. If your tire touched the curb, you failed. It caused such angst, that a lot of kids just avoided it altogether by going to Homer City and taking the test there, on the street, instead of the painted course in Greensburg.

I remember Keith and I heading to the high school parking lot for practice one afternoon. We had to go through town to get to the high school since the new bridge wasn’t built yet. We liked this route much better because we got to cruise by Murray’s Restaurant and see who was hanging out in front. After two or three trips around the block I was making my way up the old wooden bridge, paying close attention to the instructions of my brother, a seasoned driver of nearly two years, about the angle your arm should hang out the window to make you look the coolest. I felt I had just about nailed ‘the look’ as I glanced toward the other side of the tracks and saw the most horrific sight a 16-year-old with a permit could face on the Derry Bridge - an oncoming Chestnut Ridge Bus. I hit the brakes and came to a jolting halt just before that awful right angle turn. It was next to where the bridge steps descended to Second Street. The bus couldn’t make the turn with us in the way, and I couldn’t squeeze the car past him. Therefore, I did the only logical thing I could think of, I grabbed the shifter, which was on the dash board of the Corvair, and put it in neutral. For some reason Corvair’s didn’t have a gear for park, so I applied the emergency brake - and got out of the car. The bus driver, I think it was Tommy Levis, and all the drivers in line behind me were not amused. And to say the least, neither was my brother. I told him if he couldn’t get us out of there, the car could just sit until Daddy came and got it.

He furiously climbed out the passenger’s door, stormed around the front of the car, took the wheel and put it in reverse, as did everyone behind us until we had all backed up enough to let the bus make that wide swing. As the hot embarrassment continued on page 7

continued from page 6 flamed our cheeks, it quickly succeeded in blowing away any sense of ‘cool’ we thought we possessed.

It was March 30, 1964, and all my driving practice and studying the driver’s manual was about to be tested. Daddy insisted I conquer my fear of the three point turn.

He was confident in my skill, and wouldn’t let me go to Homer City.

I was nearly paralyzed with fear when he and I pulled up in front of the Greensburg Barracks and the biggest state trooper I had ever seen walked over to the car with his clipboard. As he opened the door and sat down in my little Corvair, he whacked his head on the roof and his hat fell off into the parking lot. He didn’t say a word; he just looked at the hat, and then at me. I tried to hold back the tears, because I knew this could not be a good omen. I guess he didn’t let it interfere with his grading of my skills, since just a short time later I was walking out with a signed and stamped permit, which turned it into a valid driver’s license. I would receive my permanent junior license, or as we referred to it - Cinderella li-

cense - in a few weeks. This license didn’t allow me to drive after midnight until I was 18, but what did I care? I had to be home by 11:00 anyway.

I can honestly say that in my entire life since that day, nothing has given me more of a sense of power and independence than that tiny piece of red paper. I have found that if you ask most people, they can tell you exactly what happened the day they took their driver’s test, detail by detail. I guess it was, and still remains, one of the rights of passage into adulthood.

I wish I could take that little Corvair out for a spin again, even if it was the ‘dog’ we always called it. We couldn’t get that car to burn rubber if our lives depended on it, and believe me, we all tried. It was always humiliating to hear the famous words “Let’s hear it” shouted in your direction and know you would be the brunt of the joke. I think there was a method to my dad’s madness. He always had big V8 engine cars until my brother and I started driving, and suddenly he preferred a Corvair? Not surprisingly, after we were gone, he went back to the big engines.

Cars of today don’t seem to have the flair of those in the 50’s and 60’s. Where are the fins? Where are the whitewalls, and the skirts, and the big 409 horsepower engines like the one my brother finally got in his red 1963 Impala SuperSport convertible?

What a car that was. The thrill of driving, for me, has seemed to evaporate along the way, too. Maybe the fact that gas isn’t 26 cents a gallon has something to do with it, but I don’t think so. I think that little piece of red and pink paper was also a metaphor. It represented the journey that was to be our lives, stretching out in front of us, like the immortalized route 66, and we wanted to ‘get our kicks’.

The open road was calling and we wanted to round that next corner and see where life would take us.

We didn’t quite have it all mapped out yet but we were sure that many adventures lay ahead, and we each would decide, for ourselves, which road to take.

Trivia Question: Who were some favorite disc jockeys blasting from your AM car radio in the Spring of 1964? Turn to page 11 and see who was spinning the vinyl!

Ruth (Parrish) Richardson has been a Derry resident her entire life and is a graduate of Derry Area High School.

Passionate about maintaining the values and traditions of small town America, she has been an active voice in Derry, including Derry Board of Recreation (DAPP), and the PAL program within Derry school system.Write to Ruth at ruthelaine@LaurelMountainPost.com.

Change Is Good If you were to describe the last year at Latrobe Glass and Mirror in one word, it would have to be “change.” Last May, the business changed ownership and moved locations, leaving its home of more than 20 years for a new start on Route 982. Relocation hasn’t slowed business, though, says Office Manager Jackie Patrick.

“Last year proved to be one of our best,” she adds, indicating that change can be a good thing.

placement.” With springtime drawing near, most homeowners are starting to look at home improvement again. Latrobe Glass is ready and at their service.

In addition to windows, Latrobe Glass and Mirror has jumped into a full line of shower doors as well. “We’ve handled shower doors in the past, but not the variety that Basco has given us,” adds Jackie. Ranging The change in ownfrom simple sliding ership has also introduced some new and swinging doors to luxury encloproducts and ideas sures, Latrobe at Latrobe Glass ~ Replacement Windows ~ Mirrors Glass is knee deep and Mirror. For the ~ Insulated Glass ~ Shower Doors first time, Latrobe in variety. And ~ Tabletops ~ Plate Glass now, along with the Glass is now offer~ Obscure Glass ~ Cabinet Glass longstanding mirror ing a full line of reservice that has placement windows. “We see so many broken and damaged been a mainstay for the business, Latrobe Glass is the place to call to dress up a master bath. windows, it only makes sense to be able to offer an alternative to replacing the glass,” said General Manager Bob Pazehoski. “When I’m at a It seems that this longstanding Latrobe business has been brought back to life. For those house to look at a broken window, the subject who say change is a bad thing, they should pay of new windows often comes up. Now we can offer the full line of service, from repair to rea visit to Latrobe Glass and Mirror.

Latrobe Glass and Mirror (724) 539-2431

Helen & Anselmo Vitale Happy Birthday!!

“Bull” turns 76 on April 21 Helen will be 70 on May 14 Thanks for being wonderful parents and grandparents!!

Love always, Your family

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 7

FOCUS ON CHILDREN Nicole Vitale Smith, M.S.W.

A Beautiful Season . . . Summer That beautiful season the Summer!

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As you read the 4th edition of the Laurel Mountain Post, I hope the warm air has arrived. I say, “Enough snow, freezing temperatures, sled riding and snowman making! Hello sunshine!” My oldest son keeps asking me if it is summer yet. He told me that he would like to have a lemonade stand! Oh, those wonderful childhood memories of simple pleasures . . . swings, walks, bike rides, playing ball, catching lightening bugs, picnics and barbecues, outdoor concerts and movies, swimming, miniature golf, and ice cream trucks. Last year, my boys enjoyed playing in the sandbox, blowing bubbles, and using sidewalk chalk!

We all love vacations! As you start to think about or begin to plan your summer vacations, I thought you might consider a day trip to Pittsburgh or a weekend trip to different locations throughout the state. There are many wonderful places to enjoy in Westmoreland County, one of my favorites being Linn Run State Park. Idlewild Park is a favorite of many. This summer, why not also take the time to explore other attractions near home.

a popular attraction! They had fun in each area and I was exhausted after 4 hours!! The building is located in Allegheny Square on the North Side of Pittsburgh. They may be reached at 412-322-5058 and www.pittsburghkids.org. The museum is open Monday- Saturday, 10-5 and Sunday from 12-5. Admission costs are $8 for adults and $7 for children, ages 2-18. Parking is $5. Memberships are also available.

fishing, and boating, with convenient picnic and restroom areas. There are fifteen miles of trails for hiking and biking. Accommodations include Bed & Breakfasts, Campgrounds, Cottages, Hotels/ Motels. You may request a visitor’s guide by calling the Erie Area Visitor’s and Convention Bureau at 1-800-524-3743. More information about the park is on the website www.presqueisle.org.

Another great place on the North Side (near Heinz Field) is the Carnegie Science Center. The center consists of: special exhibits, Eco Station, Sea Scape, Sci Quest, Weather Watch, Rangos Omnimax Theater, Buhl Planetarium, fantasy laser shows, UPMC Sportsworks, USS Requin Submarine, and the incredible Miniature Railroad and Village (open until June 13, 2005). The Exploration Station Junior, located on the 4th floor, is a special spot for children ages 36. The center is open Sunday- Friday, 10-5 and Saturday, 10-7. Prices vary depending on which areas you visit, but range from $6- $14. Contact them at 412-237-3400 or www.carnegiesciencecenter.org.

After spending some time at the beach, you may want to check out Splash Lagoon, a terrific indoor water park! The resort offers water activities, shops, restaurants, an arcade, and three hotels. Some of the highlights are tube rides, slides, a lazy river, whirlpools, a tree house, and an island. For photos and descriptions of the water activities, go to their website at www.splashlagoon.com. You will also find pricing/ package information. The phone number is 1-866-377-5274.

If you are looking for an exciting day, try Kennywood, an amusement park located in West Mifflin, 10 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. Kennywood opens daily starting May 13 through September 5. The park opens at 10:30am and usually closes around 11 pm. The park features great rides, water rides, awesome roller coasters, kiddieland, shops, arcades, and entertainment.

There are special events throughout the summer and you can view that calendar at www.kennywood.com. Ticket prices are as follows: adults$28.95, children less than 46 inches- $18.00, over 55- $14.95 and kids two and under are admitted free. You may also contact the park at 412-461-0500.

On a sunny day, Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium is a fantastic place for kids! It is a 77-acre facility with the following areas: Asian Forest, African Savana, Tropical Forest, Cheetah Valley, Bears, the Aquarium, Niches of the World, and Kids Kingdom. The Zoo is located 5 miles east of downtown Pittsburgh and is open daily with seasonal hours from 9 or 10am until 5 or 6pm. Prices are: Nicole and her boys enjoying $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, and Lake Erie, September 2004 $7 for children ages 2-13, and free for children under 24 months old.

If you like water, you will enjoy Parking is also free. Memberships are available as well an outing to Sandcastle. This water park is located as group rates. Birthday parties and summer camps along the Monongahela River in Homestead, next are offered. Their phone number is 1-800-474-4966 to the Waterfront Entertainment Complex. The park and their website is www.zoo.pgh.pa.us. opens on June 4 and the hours are 11am to 6-7 pm. Prices range from $9.95- $21.95. Children 2 On a rainy day, The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and under are admitted to the pools free. Food and is an awesome adventure!! Newly renovated and exbeverages may not be brought into the park. The panded, kids can spend an entire day in the following park’s website is www.sandcastlewaterpark.com areas: The Attic, The Backyard, The Studio, The Theand the phone number is 412-462-6666. atre, Garage/Workshop, Water play, The Nursery, Mister Rogers, Interactive Art. During a recent visit, A surprising gem to our North (2 hours from Pgh.) my children spent most of their time in Mister Rogers is Presque Isle Sate Park, located on Lake Erie. This (the activities and materials in this room are a wonis a wonderful place for families to relax and be derful tribute to him) and the garage. The garage is adventurous. There are sandy beaches, swimming, 8 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

A four-hour drive east will take you to the middle of PA and an amazing amusement park which caters to young families, Dutch Wonderland! Located in Lancaster, the park offers rides, attractions, a lagoon, and entertainment. The park opens on May 28 and is open from 10 am until 8:30 pm through September 5. Children two and under are free, children ages 3- 6 cost $23.95 and adult tickets are $28.95. Twilight rates are available as well as 2day flex tickets and a combo pass with Hershey Park. They may be reached at 1-866-386-2839 and www.dutchwondreland.com. Our family went two summers ago and Austin loved the rides.

Additional nearby fun can be found at Hershey Park (located 30 minutes from Dutch Wonderland)!

Hershey Park is a large, entertaining amusement park for all ages. Plus, there is a separate building that contains Chocolate World- a free ride that explains how chocolate is made, and you receive a treat at the end (a highlight for my boys last summer!!). One day admission is $39.95 for adults and $22.95 for children ages 3-8, and 2 or 3-day tickets are available. Parking is $7. Park hours are 10am until 10pm and it is open daily starting May 7. More information may be found on the website www.hersheyPA.com or by calling 1-800-Hershey.

However and wherever you spend your summer days, I wish you simple joys of the beautiful season. And, if you see a lemonade stand, please stop by for a drink and to see the smile of a young boy or girl! Also, last but not least, a very Happy Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!! Celebrate your family!

Nicole is a 1988 Derry Area High School graduate. She attended the University of Pittsburgh and graduated in 1992 with a BA in Social Work. She received her MS degree in 1997 from Temple University. She has worked in the following areas: Early Intervention (developmental disabilities), Adolescent Mental Health, Hospice, and Youth Work (England). Currently, Nicole is taking a break from her career as a Licensed Social Worker to be a full-time mom to her two boys, ages 4 1/2 and 2 years old.

THE GARDEN GUYS Jim & Joe Prengaman

Stay Out of the Mud A home’s landscape is not simply a collection of flowers, trees and shrubs. The hard surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks and patios are not there just to keep us from trudging through the mud on a daily basis. They define and enrich the substance and texture of our homes and combined with a landscape add to the appeal, beauty and value of your home.

After you determine what areas you are planning to work you will then remove all of the old pavement or the existing soil in these areas. The excavation should be 6" wider than the area you are planning to brick to properly anchor the edge restraint. For sidewalks and patios you will need to excavate to add 4"-6" of crushed aggregate and 1"-1 ½” sand along with the depth of your brick pavers (min.

7").

Brick and stone have Arguably, the most been used for surfacing important part of the job roads for years. Jim and is base preparation. The I both remember aggregate, commonly traveling to our referred to as 2A stone, grandparents’ home should be compacted in where one stretch of layers no greater than 4" road on a hill was paved with the contour of the with brick. You always base conforming to the knew you were close to finished job. On top of their house. This road the base the sand is is still in use today added to provide a exciting Jim’s kids, Ivy, smoother and level “Installing a brick sidewalk or patio Laurel and Blaze, as surface between the edge involves a great deal of time and work, they near their greatrestraint. The pipes are but it is a project that any homeowner grandparents’ home. placed directly on the can attempt.”

This example and the compacted aggregate fact that the roads built and sand is spread over in the Roman Empire are still in use today show the base between the poles. The sand is pulled the durability and functionality of hardscaping. with the 2"x4". The pipes are then removed and the depression filled with sand. The screened surface Hardscaping is a modern term coined by should not be walked on. architects and landscaping professionals to describe walls and walkways that enhance homes Hand place paving stones close together in the and gardens all over the world. Poured concrete desired pattern with no greater than 1/8" gap and asphalt have been two of the more common between them. To ensure the pattern is running forms of hardscaping over the past several straight, a string line should be used to check decades. However, there are many products the line. The entire pattern should be layed and which offer the same functionality and durability any pavers which need to be cut should be marked while enhancing the area where it is installed. and cut to fill the pattern. Crayon works well to Precast concrete slabs and unused house brick mark the pavers for cutting because it does not have been replaced with engineered brick permanently mark them. incorporating varied colors and textures.

The entire area should be swept and then tamped Installing a brick sidewalk or patio involves a great with the plate vibrator so the bricks seat and lock deal of time and work, but it is a project that any together in the sand course. Dry sand is then homeowner can attempt. You may already have swept over the entire surface to fill all joints some of the tools needed for the job and many of between the bricks. Often the pavers are sealed them can be rented at your local tool rental center. with a clear sealer to enhance their color.

The tools you need include a 3-5 pound hammer, ¾”-1" conduit or metal pipe, wheelbarrow, push Instead of installing traditional poured concrete or broom, hard rake, tape measure, 6-8’ length 2"x4", concrete slabs which frequently crack and are not 4’ level, and flat shovel. You will need to rent a easily repaired, we recommend a timeless classic . . . plate vibrator and diamond blade saw. brick or stone pavers. They can make a personal

statement about you by using the varied colors and designs to enhance all of your garden areas.

Jim and Joe Prengaman are both graduates of Derry Area High School’s Horticulture program. Jim received an AAS in Greenhouse Production from the Ohio State University and then went on to receive a BS in Horticulture from the Pennsylvania State University. Joe received a BA from the University of Pittsburgh in Secondary Education. They had worked together in both greenhouse producton and landscape and nursery production for different companies before founding Prengaman Landscape Contracting in 1993.

Got questions for the Garden Guys? Write to them at the Laurel Mountain Post!

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 9

THE LIGONIER CHEF Scott Sinemus

A Berry Wonderful Time of Year As I was walking past the pussy willow recently, I noticed some gray fuzzy buds, the tell tale sign that spring has sprung in spite of the six inches of snow blanketing everything else in the yard.

That means that it shouldn’t be long before my first batch of peas is harvested . . . and shortly after that come late spring/early summer berries!

Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries in any color, Gooseberries, Elderberries, Huckleberries…I haven’t met a berry yet that I haven’t loved.

If there is anything positive that can be said for our ever shrinking world, it would have to be the availability of the fresh produce we’ve come to crave during any season at the grocery stores. Nothing really compares to a fruit that’s been ripened in your own back yard though. That being said, I must confess that the golden raspberries I picked up last week at the market tasted remarkably like the ones that grow along our property line in the back yard. In that same trip to the market I stumbled across IQF (individually quick frozen) wild blueberries in the freezer section! While it’s true, fresh is the best way to have your berries, frozen is the next best option; steer clear of canned berries however, the color, flavor and texture leave much to be desired.

So, you’ve got your berries, now what to do with them? Everyone’s first instinct is to think pie (myself included).

But there are several savory applications for them as well . . . such as sauces for pork & poultry, garnish for rice dishes, addition to stuffing, flavors for vinegars, etc.

If there is any drawback regarding berries, it would have to be the proliferate number of seeds in them. My grandmother always referred to any raspberry or blackberry pie as “Gravel Pie”! Which in many instances is what it seems to be. One way around this problem is to sieve out the seeds – a very simple application, but one that yields only juice as its solution, which is great for sauces & chilled soups, but not exactly the best when you need the whole berry. My suggestion is, if you’re garnishing with the whole berries, seeds are acceptable. If you’re making a pie however, sieve out the seeds and thicken the juice using the table on the back of the Minute Tapioca box. Another perk of taking this approach is, because the “filling” is thickened on the stovetop, it can be poured into virtually any crust or vessel. And it’s remarkable how the texture of the tapioca resembles the nodes of the berries, without the crunch of seeds.

If you’re making a pie, and only have a small amount of berries, make the custard pie recipe on the Cream Cornstarch box and arrange the berries on top. To add a shine & professional touch, melt apple jelly and brush across the berries. This will help to prevent any skin forming on the portions of custard that haven’t been covered by berries as well.

Lemon and Raspber Raspberrr y Pie • 1 Ready-made Graham Cracker crust pie shell or a pre-baked flaky crust pie shell • 7 T Cornstarch • 1 T all purpose flour • 1 ¾ c. granulated sugar • 2 c. boiling water • 4 egg yolks~ beaten

Then arrange berries on top, starting from the outside edge and working your way to the center. Brush the melted apple jelly on top of the berries, refrigerate until firm, slice & enjoy.

To sieve seeds from berries Place berries in a non-aluminum heavy bottomed saucepan, barely cover with water, bring to almost a boil, sweeten with sugar or honey to taste, cool slightly, and then puree & strain.

Using wine, fruit juice or liqueurs such as Chambord in place of the water will certainly enhance the product. The juice from the berries will keep covered in the refrigerator for at least a week, or frozen for up to a year.

It’s brilliant stuff to have around, try it on almost everything, ice cream topping, toss fresh fruit salad in it, marinate meats with it, make ice cubes for drinks, and lest we forget milkshakes and Martini’s!!

Where to Find the Goods

10 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

grated rind of 2 lemons 1 T unsalted butter ¼ t. salt ½ c. unstrained (seeds removed) fresh lemon juice • 1 pint fresh Raspberries (any color) • 1 small jar of apple jelly, melted

Sift together cornstarch, flour, and sugar into the top of a non-aluminum double boiler, add boiling water; stirring until mixture is smooth and creamy. Cook in top of double boiler for 5 minutes, and then carefully stir into the mixture the beaten egg yolks, lemon rind, butter, salt, and the lemon juice. Continue cooking until the eggs have been cooked, and the mixture becomes smooth & thick. Pour into pie shell and allow to cool to room temperature.

Scott Sinemus is a Chef with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Pennsylvania Institute for Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. He’s continued his education with classes from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and The Greenbrier; and has travelled internationally in search of authentic cuisine. To schedule a private cooking class, visit www.The LigonierChef.com.

If you’re fortunate enough to still be able to take a walk along a country road and find a berry patch, count your blessings, nothing will ever compare to the flavor a wild berry brings to the table. If you don’t have the time or luxury for old fashioned foraging, stop by the Ligonier Country Market, on Saturday mornings from 7:00-2:00, from May—September. There are several vendors that have beautiful berries at reasonable prices. Mr. Ambrose even has Gooseberries, which are tragically under appreciated in the US.

• • • •

“I haven’t met a berry yet that I haven’t loved.”

READER RECIPES STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB PIE submitted by Lauren Schneider, Ligonier INGREDIENTS: 2 1/2 c. rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces; 2 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced in half; 1 1/4 c. sugar; 3 tbsp. flour; 1/4 tsp. nutmeg; 3 tbsp. butter, melted; 2 eggs, slightly beaten; 2 unbaked pie crusts.

DIRECTIONS: Place strawberry and rhubarb mixed together on bottom crust in 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Mix other ingredients well. Pour evenly over top of fruit. Top with pie crust. Make vents in top crust and sugar crust. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and finish baking until rhubarb is tender. It may be necessary to cover the edges of the crust if it browns before the rhubarb is tender.

Happy Birthday to our Little Wild Flower

Betty Ann Kline Love, Mommy, Daddy, Cheyenne, Cody & Bryan

APPLE HORSE TREATS – for horses, not people! submitted by Marilyn Ogle, Double K Stables - Somerset INGREDIENTS: 1 c. sweet feed.; 2 - 3 c. wheat bran; 1 c. flax seed; 1 T. salt; 4 large apples shredded (no seeds); 1 c. molasses; 1/2 c. brown sugar or maple syrup; 1 c. applesauce DIRECTIONS: Mix molasses, brown sugar, apples and applesauce in bowl. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually combine wet and dry ingredients together, only using enough of the wet ingredients to make a thick dough. Add more bran if necessary. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with oil. Drop batter onto cookie sheet in tablespoon amounts. Flatten with a fork. Bake slowly at 300° F. for 1 hour, turn cookies over and continue to bake for another 45 minutes until thoroughly dried. Reduce heat if cookies begin to brown excessively or to burn. Store in covered container or ziplocked plastic bag and dole out as special treats to your equine buddies.

Who were some favorite disc jockeys blasting from your am car radio in the Spring of 1964?

WABC - Cousin Brucie WLS -Dick Biondi KQV - Daddy Dave Scott, Chuck Brinkman KDKA - Your Pal Pallan, Clark Race - he also had a Pittsburgh-based Bandstand WQTW- Uncle Dixon WTRA - Jack Maloy WHJB - Stan Wall WJAS - Barry Kaye

Guided Trail Rides, Lessons, Sleigh & Cart Rides, Boarding 217 Post Road in Somerset, PA 15501

814-443-1510

Join us for Kids Kamp, designed for children ages 7-12 August 2-4, 9-11, or 16-18 from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM www.DoubleKStables.com

Julie Goodnight Clinic coming August 20-21!

WMCK - Terry Lee with Music for Young Lovers Leon Sykes had a great program broadcast from a skating rink in Uniontown on Sunday nights, I can’t remember the station The Rink - Bob Nolan And the most famous radio station to ever come out of Derry -WROK, but there’s another story entirely!

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 11

THE REC ROOM Jim Brewer,Jim RD,Kasperik LDN, CNSD, CNIS

Professional Hockey Is Alive and Well Although many hockey fans believe there are no professional hockey games being played since the NHL has cancelled the 2004-2005 season, hockey on a professional level is being played on a daily basis. Not only are there games taking place, but the Laurel Highlands area is well represented.

Joshua Allison, son of Jean and Dr. Jim Allison, is a defenseman who is part of the Dijon France team.

Starting Young – Hockey in the Laurel Highlands When stories of professional athletes are told, often they begin with the fact that the athlete started competing in their sport of choice at a very young age.

In this case regarding Josh Allison, that fact is well supported. Josh began playing hockey at the very young age of eight while his family was living in the Detroit, Michigan area.

His parents would take him to Muskegon Lumberjacks minor league hockey games, and the hockey player was born.

Pittsburgh Amateur Pens, the Steel City Stars and the Pittsburgh Hornets, Josh continued to develop against great talent. While playing on these teams, he was also playing varsity hockey for Greensburg Central Catholic.

Although he was developing nicely as a strong defenseman, a great opportunity presented itself to Josh after a couple of years at Greensburg – to move back to Michigan and attend Cranbrook Prep School. Josh went on to finish his high school career at Cranbrook and played junior hockey for the highly regarded Compuware Ambassadors in the North American Junior Hockey League. During his senior year Josh was an all-star, all league second team and was a member of the all-rookie team. The team did quite well, making it to the national semifinals before losing out.

College Hockey – Playing at the Next Level

As the chapter of playing hockey during his high school Although Josh was quite inyears was closing, Josh was terested in other sports such deciding on how to proceed as baseball and football, forward. The decision was hockey quickly became his simple . . . to keep playing sport of choice. In many hockey and continue in the cases each sport has now behotbed of hockey – in the come a year-round activity Northeast United States. and hockey is no different.

When Josh enrolled at the In fact, hockey may even reUniversity of Massachusetts at quire more time than other Lowell, an always lingering consports. Practice time at cern regarding Josh’s height of rinks are very much in de5’10” and weight of 180 pounds mand and the travel required (that had him considered small to play hockey is more than for a defenseman) was at the sports like baseball and footforefront. But despite this fact Josh Allison ball. Therefore, after enjoyhe continued to excel. While ing playing Little League playing defense at Lowell for baseball, Josh stopped participating in other four years on a full scholarship, Josh’s experiences in sports and concentrated on hockey. college were “unbelievable.” He even got to participate in the playoffs at the Fleet Center in Boston in front of Hockey in the Laurel Highlands – 20,000 fans!

Developing Skills Learning to Play in the Pros – Once his family moved to the Laurel Highlands, and Adapting to the European Lifestyle Josh began to develop his skills locally. At this time, he became quite interested in the Pittsburgh As Josh began to play in the pros, not only was Penguins (yes there was NHL hockey that year!) and there the challenge of competing against the higheven went to games to see greats like Mario Lemieux est level of competition, there was the need to adapt play. At the same time, Josh started playing street to the European lifestyle as well. During his first hockey with kids from the neighborhood and, beyear of play for Strasbourg France, Josh was inginning at the age of twelve, Josh began to play on jured for over half the season. Although this was traveling teams against and with some of the best obviously disappointing, he was able to better unplayers in the area. Playing for such teams as the derstand his surroundings and the differences be12 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

tween living in the United States and France. The most obvious difference and challenge was the language barrier. It became obvious to Josh that he people did not want to listen to someone speak a language that was not their own. Josh has since become fluent in French, so this is no longer an issue. You might think this would be it concerning the language, but it is not. One of the most interesting aspects of playing in Europe was the fact that often times Josh’s line would consist of almost as many nationalities as there are in the United Nations! In many cases, Josh would be teamed with Russians, Czechs and Frenchmen and they would need to learn how to communicate without speaking the same languages.

As time has passed, Josh has become quite comfortable with both hockey and life overseas. Currently Josh has played the last two seasons with the team from Dijon, France. He is doing quite well with three goals and five assists in the first 20 games this season; and as it turns out, the larger Olympicsize ice surface is a good fit for Josh’s perceived height and weight disadvantage.

As he continues to develop as a player, Josh believes that people should keep an open mind and not be afraid to try something different. He also believes if you have a dream, you should work hard and never give up on what makes you happy. The Laurel Highlands should be proud of Josh and his ability as a hockey player, but maybe more importantly as a person who represents our area proudly off the ice as well.

Jim Kasperik was born in Derry and has lived in the Laurel Highlands most of his life. He received his Engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University and his MBA from The Pennsylvania State University. He has worked at Latrobebased Kennametal, Inc. for over ten years. During his school years Jim played football, baseball, volleyball and basketball, and still enjoys playing hoops whenever he can. His love for the competition that sports provides has kept him continually interested in sports year round.

Barbara Thompson Early Literacy Center Everyone knows that being able to read is one of the most important life skills and is vital for future success.

Current research shows us that the earlier children’s brains are stimulated the more success they will have in school. The Derry Area School District and its Educational Foundation have embarked on an ambitious initiative aimed at reaching children at a very early age. The focus of the initiative is to share ideas among teachers, student teachers, childcare providers, and parents which will lay a foundation for reading skills. A major component of the initiative is to establish a daycare center where children from birth to age five can be nurtured and get a head start on their life-long voyage of discovery.

The Foundation persuaded the Heinz Endowments to provided $50,000 to facilitate the planning process. The Richard King Mellon Foundation contributed $200,000 which allowed the Foundation to purchase a five-acre property and two buildings near the high school.

This site is being transformed, with a great deal of community support, into the Barbara Thompson Early Literacy Center. A $50,000 bequest from the late Barbara Thompson and her family will be used to build a daycare center on the property.

The Literacy Center will become headquarters of the initiative that partners Derry Area School District, Greater Latrobe School District and Indiana University of PA. with area parents and childcare providers. One building on the property, the former Danko house, is being renovated to provide office and

conference space for all partners in the initiative. The other building, a 1,800 square ft. garage, will become a meeting place to disseminate information about early literacy and provide teacher and childcare provider seminars and parent workshops on early literacy. Future plans include creating a state of the art computer lab.

Local home builder Tom Hudock along with contractor Mike Ferry have spearheaded the construction and the project is proceeding at an amazing pace. Many local businesses and individuals have contributed time and materials to further enhance the project. Rick Naeger, Derry Area Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, and Greg McBroom, Foundation Board member, have coordinated the renovation, exploring every possible avenue of support. We are particularly proud to say that Derry Area and Eastern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center students under the guidance of their instructor Joe Lester have done all of the electrical wiring. If anyone is interested in providing assistance to further our initiative, please contact Mr. Naeger at (724) 694-1415 or Joseph Bellissimo, President of the Foundation at (724) 694-1401. All of the many helping hands will be acknowledged on the Tree of Knowledge that will be prominently displayed in the lobby of the Literacy Center hub. The enthusiasm surrounding this project is infectious and we are looking forward to the day when the doors of the Literacy Center can be opened for everyone in our community to see what has been accomplished.

Forestry Workshop Landowners, wood lot owners, and others interested in learning more about forestry are invited to attend a workshop hosted by the Westmoreland Conservation District on Saturday, April 2, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The workshop will be both indoors – at the District’s Center for Conservation Education on Donohoe Road in Hempfield Township, which features a variety of local wood in its construction – and outdoors in the adjacent, natural wooded area of Ann Rudd Saxman Nature Park.

District forester Tony Quadro will help participants learn more about basic woodlot ecology, silviculture, and volume determination. Specific topics will include: stand development and forest history, forest succession, tolerance, crown position, relative stand

density, types of cutting, requirements and permits, and common problems faced by forest managers.

A nominal fee will be charged and advance registration is required. For more information, contact the Conservation District at 724-837-5271 or leanne@wcdpa.com.

The Westmoreland Conservation District was established in 1949, when local farmers, seeking help to conserve their soil and water resources, approached the County Commissioners. As the county has grown and changed in the 56 years since then, the District has responded with new programs to help ensure minimal negative impact on all aspects of the county’s natural wealth – its soils, forests, streams, and open space – as well as its valuable, productive farmland. In addition to its science-based efforts, the District serves as a clearinghouse for conservation information. It maintains a website at www.wcdpa.com.

New Programs at Latrobe Art Center Latrobe Art Center, downtown Latrobe, is introducing two new programs. This first, Art Among Us, is for school and community groups of all ages. The purpose of our program is to provide an experience where visitors will come to know local art and artists in our beautiful gallery setting. The program includes a gallery tour and an interactive gallery activity for student groups and a demonstration/ discussion by a local gallery artist for adult groups. This is a morning program, is free of charge and scheduling is limited, therefore, it is run on a first come basis.

To schedule a program visit please call the Latrobe Art Center 724-537-7011.

Ask for Ann Gravelle or e-mail Ann at potterystation@yahoo.com.

The second program, Lunch With An Artist, invites the public for a brown bag lunch with a short presentation by a participating artist.

Bring your own lunch and a friend or two and enjoy lunch in our beautiful Gallery.

No charge; 11:30-12:30pm the 1st Monday of each month beginning in April. Please call Latrobe Art Center 724537-7011 by Friday the week before.

MASTROROCCO’S MARKET CELEBRATING 95 YEARS Why travel out of town to do your grocery shopping?

Mastrorocco’s has everything you need right in downtown Derry. Still a family-run business headed by great-grandson Vince Mastrorocco, they provide a full-service grocery store (including bakery, deli, meat, and produce) and offer a small delivery service to their customers.

Stop in today for your grocery needs as well as money orders, faxes, and copies – or to purchase that winning lottery ticket!

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 13

SPRING 2005 COMMUNITY CALENDAR

April 23-24

Children’s Consignment Sale Sat 9-5, Sun 11-3 Westmoreland County Fairgrounds, Commercial Building 1 1-724-396-0006 www.saleforkids.com

Through April 17 Shawn Quinlan: Quilted Art and Exhibition: Man-Made Quilts Wed-Sun 11AM-5PM, Thurs 11AM-9PM Westmoreland Museum of American Art 1-724-837-1500

April 23-24

Horseman’s Extravaganza TBA Westmoreland County Fairgrounds 1-724-859-1975 www.PNHAonline.com

March 4-April 3

Student Art Exhibition Museum Hours Southern Alleghenies Museums of Art, Loretto and Ligonier Valley SAMA Loretto 1-814-472-3920SAMA Ligonier Valley1-724-238-6015

April 23

YMCA Touth and Government Program Benefit Concert Carson’s Window 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

April 23

April 2

River City Brass Band’s Stardust 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-800-292-7222

Painting on Silk 10AM-2PM Latrobe Art Center 1-724-537-7011

April 23

April 2

Forestry Wookshop 830AM-Noon, Westmoreland Conservation District Center for Conservation Education on Donohoe Road in Hempfield Township 1-724-837-5271 or leanne@wcdpa.com.

Red, Hot, & Blue TBA Arcadia Theater, Windber 1-724-467-9070

April 24

Westmoreland Cultural Trust presents Lee Ann Womack 7PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

April 25

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center 1-724-537-7011

April 4

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

April 6-10

Pennsylvania Maple Festival Meyersdale, PA 1-814-634-0213 or 1-814-858-0213

April 26

Ligonier Valley Middle School 5th and 6th grade Spring Concert 7PM Ligonier Valley Middle School

April 7-May 12

Watercolor Landscapes Thursdays 10AM-1PM Latrobe Art Center 1-724-537-7011

April 29

A Divine Night Out Auction-Fundraiser 6PM Sheraton Four Points, Greensburg 1-724-539-1561

April 8

Ligonier Valley Middle School presents Seussical 7PM Ligonier Valley Middle School

April 29-30

Spring in the Mountains-Open House at Participating Businesses 9AM-5PM Route 31, Donegal, PA 1-724-593-7112

April 8,9

Greensburg Central Catholic presents Once Upon a Mattress 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-834-0310 x235

April 29-30

Ligonier Valley Players present Over the River and Through the Woods 8PM Ligonier Valley Theater 1-724-238-6514

April 8, 9, 10

Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Fri, Sat 730PM, Sun 230PM Ligonier Theater 1-724-238-6514

May 2

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

April 9

Second Saturday Studio: Print Art 10AM-2PM Westmoreland Museum of American Art 1-724-837-1500

May 4

John Noble’s 9th Annual Westmoreland Night of the Stars 645PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

May 5-June 9

April 9

Trainer’s Outdoor Motorsports Resort Snowmobile Races 11AM Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Champion 1-724-837-3297

Watercolor Landscapes Thursdays 10AM-1PM Latrobe Art Center 1-724-537-7011

May 6-8

PA Arts & Crafts Mother’s Day Festival Fri, Sat 10AM-9PMSun 10AM-6PM Monroeville Expo Mart 1-724-863-4577

May 6,7

Ligonier Valley High School presents Bye, Bye Birdie 8PM Ligonier Valley High School

May 6

Latshaw Produtions presents Doo Wop Spectacular: Chiffons, Contours, Andy Kim 2PM, 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-853-4050

1-724-537-7011

1-724-537-7011

April 9

Earth Day Spring Cleaning 10AM-3PM Keystone State Park, Derry 1-724-668-2566

April 10

Greensburg Central Catholic presents Once Upon a Mattress 3PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-834-0310 x235

April 11

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

April 14

Ligonier Valley Tastes of the Town 630PM The Springs at Laurel Mountain 1-724-238-6818

April 7

Boilermaker Jazz Band 8PM State Theatre Center for the Arts 1-724-439-1360

April 15

These Three Tenors 730PM Greater Latrobe Senior High School 1-724-539-5518

May 7

River City Brass Band’s America’s Songwriters 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-800-292-7222

April 16

Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra’s Season Finale 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-837-1850

May 9

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

April 16

Herb Study Group of Indiana County presents Lecture, Booksigning, and Continental Tea with Susan Wittig Albert 10AM Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort and Conference Center, Blairsville Deborah Stiffler 1-724-459-7212

May 10

Ligonier Valley Elementary School 5th and 6th grade program 2PM Ligonier Valley Elementary School

May 11

Ligonier Valley Elementary School 5th and 6th grade program 945AM and 7PM Ligonier Valley Elementary School

April 16

Pittsburgh Banjo Club 730PM Ligonier Valley High School

May 13,14,15

2001: A Space Odyssey Fri, Sat 730PM, Sun 230PM Ligonier Theater 1-724-238-6514

April 18

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

May 13

The Westmoreland Trust Presents The Gene Krupa Orchestra 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

April 19

Ligonier Valley Middle School 7th and 8th grade Spring Concert 7PM Ligonier Valley Middle School

May 14

April 20

Latshaw Productions presents Tom Netherton 2PM & 730PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-853-4050

Family Fly-In: Make a kite and fly it 10AM-4PM West Overton Museum Amber Hall, Scottdale 1-724-887-7910

May 14

April 21

Westmoreland Jazz Society Presents: Trio Bravo 730PM Westmoreland Museum of American Art 1-724-837-1500

Wesmoreland Choral Society presents A Night with Oscar and Tony 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

April 22-23

Ligonier Valley Players present Over the River and Through the Woods 8PM Ligonier Valley Theater 1-724-238-6514

May 14

Second Saturday Studio: Exploring Photography 10AM-Noon Westmoreland Museum of American Art 1-724-837-1500

14 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

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May 16

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

May 19 730PM

June 14

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

Westmoreland Jazz Society Presents: Scott Anderson and Friends Westmoreland Museum of American Art 1-724-837-1500

June 17

Charo Arcadia Theater, Windber

May 19

Westmoreland Jazz Society Presents: Jazz in June 730PM Robertshaw Ampitheater, St. Clair Park, Greensburg 1-724-837-1500

June 17-18

Laurel Highlands Bluegrass Festival Waterford VFD grounds 1-724-593-2778

May 21

Laurel Ballet Performing Company presents Swan Lake 2PM & 7PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

June 18

ISMA Supermodifieds/Grand AM Modifieds Jennerstown Speedway 1-814-629-6677

May 21

Together Again: Liza Minelli and Judy Garland Musical TBA Arcadia Theater, Windber 1-814-467-9070

June 18-19

Children’s Weekend at Compass Inn Museum Sat 11am-4PM, Sun 1PM-5PM Compass Inn Museum, Laughlintown 1-724-238-4983

May 21

Ramona Quimby 2PM Green Gables Mountain Playhouse

June 18

Ligonier Country Market 7am-Noon West Main Street & US 30, Ligonier, 1-724-238-6702

May 21-22

4th Annual Georgian Place Spring Antique Sale Factory Shops at Georgian Place 1-814-445-6431

June 19

Sunday Evening Band Concert 7pm Ligonier Bandstand on the Diamond 1-724-238-4200

May 21-22

Ligonier Valley Relay for Life Noon-Noon (24 hours) Weller Field 1-724-834-9081

June 19-25

Appalachian Wagon Train traveling from Hannastown to Ligonier Daily, Laura Cochenour 1-724-547-3816

May 23-29

Senior PGA Golf Tournament Laurel Valley Golf Club 1-724-238-4400

June 20-24

May 23

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Summer Art Camp Creative Hands from Many Lands Ages 5-8, 9AM-12PM. Ages 9-12, 1PM-4PM Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Janet 1-724-238-6015

May 28

USAR Hooters Pro Cup 250-Siper Late Model 50 Jennerstown Speedway 1-814-629-6677

June 21

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

May 28

Ligonier Country Market Opens Saturdays,7am-Noon West Main Street & US 30, Ligonier, 1-724-238-6702

June 23-26

Thunder in the Valley Motorcycle Rally Johnstown, 1-800-237-8590

June 25,26

Relay for Life at Latrobe Noon Latrobe Memorial Stadium Maria Peluso, 1-724-532-3151

June 25

Ligonier Country Market 7am-Noon West Main Street & US 30, Ligonier, 1-724-238-6702

June 26

Sunday Evening Band Concert 7pmLigonier Bandstand on the Diamond 1-724-238-4200

1-724-537-7011

1-814-629-9201 x292

1-724-537-7011

May 29

Sunday Evening Band Concert Ligonier Bandstand on the Diamond 1-724-238-4200

May 29

Summer Band Concerts Begin Sundays at 7PM Ligonier Diamond Ligonier Valley Chamber 1- 724-238-4200

May 30

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

June 3, 4

Kelly Simon Productions presents Chicago 8PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

June 4

Clelebrate National Trails Day at Keystone 10AM-3PM Keystone State Park, Derry 1-724-668-2566

June 4

Ligonier Country Market 7am-Noon West Main Street & US 30, Ligonier, 1-724-238-6702

June 5

Sunday Evening Band Concert 7pm Ligonier Bandstand on the Diamond 1-724-238-4200

June 5

Kelly Simon Productions presents Chicago 2PM Palace Theatre, Greensburg 1-724-836-8000

June 8

Brown Bag Lecture: All about Touchstone Center for Crafts Noon Westmoreland Museum of American Art 1-724-837-1500

June 7

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center

1-724-537-7011

1-724-537-7011

June 10,11,12 Valley Players of Ligonier presents: Always . . . Patsy Cline Fri, Sat 8PM, Sunday 230PM Ligonier Theater 1-724-238-6514 June 11-12

Llamapalooza ‘05 Sat 10am-6am, Sun 11am-6pm Huckleberry Inn, Central City (near Indian Lake) 2miles south of Route 30 on Route 160 1-814-267-5887

June 11

Antiques on the Diamond 8AM-4PM On the Diamond, Ligonier Ligonier Valley Chamber 1- 724-238-4200

June 11

Ligonier Country Market 7am-Noon West Main Street & US 30, Ligonier, 1-724-238-6702

June 12

Sunday Evening Band Concert 7pm Ligonier Bandstand on the Diamond 1-724-238-4200

1-724-537-7011

1-814-467-9070

1-724-537-7011

June 27-July 1 Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Summer Art Camp Creative Hands from Many Lands Ages 5-8, 9AM-12PM. Ages 9-12, 1PM-4PM Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art , Janet 1-724-238-6015 June 28

Lunch with an Artist 1130AM-1230PM Latrobe Art Center 1-724-537-7011

To add your community event to this calendar, please call 724-331-3936 or visit our website www.LaurelMountainPost.com

Mary’s Laurel Mountain Post Online Trivia Contest log on to play: www.LaurelMountainPost.com The answers to five trivia questions have been placed on pages in the online edition of the Laurel Mountain Post (not in the PDF download).

Look for Mary the Cow from Fairview Farm in a trivia box like this one.

Once you find all five answers, visit Mary’s Trivia Contest page and fill in the online form. We will draw one winner from all correct entries received by May 15. The Spring Issue prize is a $10 gift certificate from The Hollow Tavern, located on Route 30 East just west of Ligonier.

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 15

The “Wonder Years” of Coal Mining in Pennsylvania

by Heather Rogers Kline What would you do if I sang out of tune, Would you stand up and walk out on me . . .

in the first place, and if the life he was living was really what his immigrant dreams were made of.

When I think about my childhood, somehow it is a sepia-toned, idealized version of an episode of The Wonder Years with tree-lined streets where children played from early morning until the dusk-to-dawn lights came on. It was a place where you knew all of your neighbors, and were probably related to many of them. The cookie-cutter houses of darkcolored shingles were evenly spaced up one treelined street and down the next. You could always tell the “rich” (upper middle class) people because they had done away with the shingles of the proletariat and had replaced them with aluminum siding, usually white. If you needed to get someplace in a hurry, like to the next street to catch the ice cream truck, you could cut right through someone’s yard and no one would think any different of it, because they knew you were in a hurry andjust passing through. You see, I grew up in one of the many coal mining towns in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Coal is a sedimentary rock that is composed almost entirely of organic carbon. It is formed from undecayed organic matter, mainly plant material.

My great grandparents, Joseph and Anna Spanovich, came to this town in the 1920’s. They were then, just teenagers, looking to make a life in a place where there were decent homes and people and plenty of work. After my great grandmother passed away six years ago, I somehow came to possess some of her photos. As I was looking through them one day, smiling at the youthful faces of family members, wondering exactly who some of the bouffant-clad ladies were and taking a general walk down memory lane, I came across some small manila envelopes. Curious, I pulled them out and examined them. They were pay envelopes from the coalmine that had belonged to my great grandfather. I was amazed not only at the amount of hours worked, but also in the net pay and deductions. It looked something like the figure below:

Figure 1: A typical pay period for a miner in the 1940’s.

My great grandfather had worked almost 60 hours that week (straight time, no OT in those days) and earned a whopping $110.08. That’s about $1.85 an hour. Talk about owing your soul to the company store, over half of his pay went directly there, the other deductions leaving a take home pay of 16 cents (Figure1). Although, on some of the other envelopes, the bond deduction was not there, which increased his take home pay to around twenty dollars.

I wonder about two things: As he spent his days toiling under the earth for coal, if he knew or even put much thought into how the coal came to be there 16 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

Peat is not technically coal. It is classified as water-saturated organic humus and is a low-grade fuel (Murphy and Nance, 1999). Lignite, brown coal, is roughly 70% carbon and contains a considerable amount of moisture and volatile content. Lignites are young, typically from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras (245 million years ago to recent). It is the lowest rank of coal and has a woody appearance.

Bituminous and anthracite coals are somewhat older dating back to the late Carboniferous Period, 285 million to 300 million years ago (Murphy and Nance, 1999). Bituminous coal (soft coal), the coal that we are blessed with in this area, contains 8090% carbon. Much of the moisture and volatiles have been removed. Anthracite, hard coal, the highest coal rank, is 90-100% carbon and contains little moisture or volatiles (Prothero and Schwab, 1999).

Anthracite coals require extremely intense pressures and elevated temperatures to drive off moisture and volatile gases, they develop in areas where the Earth has been metamorphosed (changed), usually due to a plate tectonic collision with another landform.

Figure 2 shows coal ranks and their attributes.

Figure 2 shows the relationship between coal ranks and their properties.

Anna and George Spanovich on the porch steps of their coal town home in the 1950’s.

There are three conditions that must exist in order for coal to form (Prothero and Schwab, 1999): • Vegetative growth must be abundant, such as the kind that forms in tropical climates.

• Large masses of dead vegetation must be quickly sealed off from oxygen so that decay does not occur.

• These conditions should happen together when there is not a lot of other sedimentation occur ring (Prothero and Schwab, 1999).

To meet these criteria, the area that is now Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the other coal-producing areas of the Eastern United States must have been positioned over or near the equator in a tropical swamp environment, which happened primarily over 300 million years ago during the geologic period known as the Carboniferous.

There are three ranks of coal: lignite, bituminous and anthracite. Coal rank is a measure of the carbon content and combustibility of coal, as well as an assessment of the amount of impurities and gases that have been removed from the organic remains (Prothero and Schwab, 1999; Murphy and Nance, 1999). Carbon content and combustibility increase with rank. Higher coal rank is achieved as lower grades of coal are subjected to greater and greater pressures and temperatures through burial and compaction in the Earth.

Higher rank coals are more valuable fuels because they have greater combustibility.

It is estimated that the United States has about 270 billion tons of recoverable coal. Westmoreland County still has hundreds of tons of coal in the fruitful Pittsburgh Coal Seam, which is up to twelve feet thick in certain places. Annually, the US produces around a billion tons of coal, most of which is used in the production of electricity (Murphy and Nance, 1999). There are large reserves of bituminous and anthracite coal here in the Appalachians and also in the Midwest. There are also vast reserves of lignite in the Great Plains region.

Since the passage of the Federal Clean Air Act, requiring reduction in sulfur emissions from coal combustion, Appalachian coals with high sulfur content, have not been as widely sought after as Wyoming and other coals, which are younger in age and have a much lower sulfur content (Murphy and Nance, 1999). When it becomes efficient and less costly to remove the sulfur prior to combustion or to purge sulfur emissions after combustion, then maybe we will see a rebound in Appalachian coal production, to the “Wonder Years” of the past.

Works Cited: 1999. Murphy, Brendan and Nance, Damian. Earth Science Today.

Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, Pacific Grove, CA. 1999. Prothero, Donald R. and Schwab, Fred. Sedimentary Geology: An Introduction to Sedimentary Rocks and Stratigraphy. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.

Heather Rogers Kline lives near Creekside, PA (Indiana County) with her husband, Gary, and four children. She is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her academic endeavors include geology, anthropology and social studies education. She is currently a substitute teacher in the Marion Center Area School District.

STUDENT ARTS SPOTLIGHT MaryAnn Sleasman – Derry Area High School Cigarettes and Seven-year Olds

She Painted Awkward Flowers

You stood on the edge of that bridge— The one down the street from my old house— And you pitched cigarettes into the creek— Not cigarette butts, mind you.

Whole sticks.

Smoldering— In the July heat.

Big awkward flowers are what she painted with glee— with a big, awkward paintbrush— first one, then two— then three.

You didn’t smoke those cigarettes— they were your mother’s menthol magic sticks.

You took her lighter and hid it in your oversized smock pocket.

You made me stand in front of you every single time a car passed— because you thought she might see you and take you away in her little white car.

You tossed the empty box into the brown water— watched it float away until it tangled itself in the tall weeds.

Big awkward flowers— with big green stems and bees.

Pretty little tulips— little tulips for me.

She She She and

sang as she painted her flowers. sang as she painted with glee. hummed and giggled and danced— put on a show for me.

Children Children’’s Consignment Sale Westmoreland County Fairgrounds High quality, gently used baby & children’s items Saturday, April 23, 9am-5pm Sunday*, April 24, 11am-3pm (*many items ½ price) Toys – Clothes (newborn to preteen) – Furniture – Games Outdoor Toys – Baby Equipment – Books – Videos - MORE FREE Parking • FREE Admission for shoppers CONSIGNERS WANTED! Receive 70% commision for your gently used children’s items. Register today!

Call Leeanne at 724.396.0006 or www.SaleForKids.com

Big awkward flowers— on the whitewashed bedroom door.

Hanging there in silence— for she doesn’t paint anymore.

Then we threw rocks at it— and you swore.

You swore at your mother— because the kitchen smelled like smoke.

And you swore at your step-dad because he’d buy her another box— and another lighter— or five in a pack— from the check-out at IGA. You swore at me because I didn’t throw my rocks very hard.

I was never good at that sort of thing.

When we’d battered the box— beaten it— and sunk it like a blocky cardboard battleship— we skipped home— and played dress-up— and Legos.

MaryAnn Sleasman is a senior at Derry Area High School. She is a member of the marching band, Future Educators of America, and the school newspaper. Her favorite poets are Anne Sexton and Dorothy Parker. After graduation, she will attend Indiana University of Pennsylvania to major in English.

Coordinated by Paula Forte, a reading teacher in the Derry Area School District,the Laurel Mountain Post Student Arts Spotlight is a cooperative program designed to highlight area students and promote continued education in the Creative Arts. We invite all local school districts to submit works of creative writing and visual arts for publication in upcoming issues. Contact the editor at P.O. Box 227, Latrobe, PA 15650 or email: editor@LaurelMountainPost.com

Distinctive Childrens Clothing Clothing,, Gift Items, Books, and TToys oys

Connections Store 109 South Market Street, Ligonier

724-238-9611 Children’s Books • Educational Kits & Toys Herbal Teas • Local Honey • Homemade Jams Handcrafted Jewelry • Natural Lotions & Soaps Many Items from Local Vendors A Bit of Ligonier Country Market Year Round Stop in and check out “a few of our favorite things” Tues 10-3, Wed-Sat 10-5

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 17

TAKE IT ON FAITH Pastor Ron Durika

A Pastor’s Responsibilities As I continue with my seminary education, I am blessed to be given the knowledge and insight of a number of gifted professors as they work to better prepare me for service to God and God’s people. In my studies I learn of the great people throughout history who have given their lives to God, and I benefit from their insight and experiences. I also receive from pastors and educators first hand knowledge, which has proven invaluable in my calling.

However one of the tidbits of information I received was given with a smile and brought laughter from my classmates. It was the statement from a professor that as pastors we are called to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

onstrate a love that goes beyond what anyone would expect from the people in this world. A demonstration of the love of God and a glimpse of heaven is shown when a church goes beyond just looking at itself, or, when at least the members recognize that they are to think of others’ well-being as much as their own. Reaching out to others to offer shelter and fellowship along with the worship of God are but a portion of what Christ calls us to carry out. An individual’s needs are to be met in church whether they are spiritual or physical, but that individual must also recognize that he or she is called along with the rest of the church not to stop there.

If a person’s needs are met, if a church fulfills its calling to educate, baptize, evangelize, minister to the poor, the sick, the lame and the lost, if it does all this, each of those people who received help should now be in a position to give all this to someone else who is in need. If God’s love has been poured out to “as pastors we are called to a lost or hurting soul, that comfort the afflicted and soul, if claimed by Christ, afflict the comfortable” will respond by giving back.

It would not be in the naToo many people have the ture of God for us to receive idea that a church exists without wanting to share the blessings we have solely as a place where they can go to be helped been given. in some way, or simply a place where they are to be lead in worship. Both of these are characterMost of the time we all need to be reminded of istics of a church, but they are not all a church the blessings we have received from God and is called to be. A church is much more than a God’s church. We also need to be reminded of once a week quick fix, feel good, one stop experithe calling given to us by Christ to evangelize ence. It is also far more than a building where Chrisand to help others, showing God’s love through tians meet to continue time honored traditions. the love in our own hearts and the actions of our hands. Receiving comfort and sharing those A church is not to be thought of as a building blessings does seem a good road to follow in our but a place where God’s children gather. The lives and a sound policy to be taught by our purpose and direction of the church is not ultichurches. mately to be decided by the people but by the head of the Church which is Christ. What Christ Maybe my professor was right again. As a pastor asks of the people is to be found in scripture.

I am called to comfort the afflicted and afflict the Reason and sound judgement under the incomfortable out of love for God and my brothers spiration of the Spirit of God are to be used in and sisters in Christ. the interpretation and understanding of the life and direction of a church according to scripture.

Ron Durika is the pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in At first it just sounds like a clever play on words that is just meant to get a laugh.

But after thinking about it and applying the knowledge I have been given, I see that there is a great deal of truth in that statement. The only thing I would add to that statement of comfort and affliction is that we are to do both those things with, and out of, love.

At the heart of every church should be the proclamation of the good news of salvation through Christ. In addition to this, the people are to dem-

New Florence (corner of Fifth & Chestnut Streets, 724-2352940). Join them for worship every Sunday at 10:30am and Sunday School at 9:15am. Bible Study meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 7pm.

continued from page 5 I can’t decide yet which of these were the worst: • The day after Easter it rained and soaked most of my gear and clothes. That night the temperature dropped and everything froze. In the morning my water filter was frozen, which meant no water. My food bag was frozen, which meant no food. My boots were a solid block of ice, which meant painfully cold feet.

•

The pinched nerve I had when I started the trail. Next was the rain, but without the rain that meant the water sources would be dry, so the rain was a necessary evil. But it was still really tough to leave a dry hotel room or hostel when it was raining outside.

The “Experience” The “Trail” is more than just a footpath and scenery, it IS the experience. I saw so many incredibly amazing things it’s nearly impossible to narrow it down to one. I guess the part that I have the most vivid memory of is, Mt. Cammerer in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is a restored fire lookout in which I spent the night allowing for an incredible sunset along with a fantastic sunrise the next day. The fact I was surrounded by three other great people made it truly a memorable experience.

Lessons Working in the corporate rat race for 15+ years, the hiking lifestyle was so much different. No phones, no pagers, nobody bugging me for something or giving me deadlines. The only thing that mattered while hiking was, where is the water, where is the next shelter, where is the next town and most importantly . . . when do I get to eat again.

Most importantly I learned how important my family and friends are in my life and how much I love them.

They are the only thing I missed while hiking. I also learned what is important in life, what things are REALLY necessary to survive and what things are just luxuries.

Good References for People Interested in Learning More about the Trail Read other people’s journal entries in an attempt to learn from their experiences.

• http://www.trailjournals.com/ Many people post their gear lists which one can learn from.

• Whiteblaze.net is a fantastic forum for discussions.

• http://www.whiteblaze.net/ The Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) is a great location for information as well.

• http://www.appalachiantrail.org/ Many hikers do not carry any maps. I’m a detailoriented person and thrive on data. I chose to carry maps. I also liked the maps because they have a profile of the trail, which gave me an idea of the terrain and climbs ahead. Note I said, idea because it seemed the profile always lied, but I liked to at least know there was X number of climbs in the continued on page 22

18 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST Summer Issue Deadline: June 15, 2005

Think Pink, Westmoreland County!

The 2005 Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Pittsburgh Affiliate, Race For The Cure © will be held on Sunday May 8 (Mother’s Day) in Schenley Park. This is the 13th annual Race. But the nearly 33,000 participants from last year’s Race, including 2,300 survivors, did not just come from Pittsburgh. This was thanks in part to Mary Jennings, cochairperson of the Greensburg Registration Site. Mary, a breast cancer survivor from Greensburg, has been involved with the Komen Pittsburgh Affiliate since 1997. Mary’s commitment to the cause mirrors that of the organization: to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment.

Mary has spent the greater part of the last eight years making calls to volunteers in Westmoreland County; asking for assistance in manning the Westmoreland Site, currently located at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Hempfield Point Plaza, Greensburg. This local site has made it more convenient for participants in this area to sign up and do their part for the cause. Mary has also asked for and secured numerous donations over the past few years, which have allowed her to provide bus transportation for a nominal fee to county residents who want to go to the Race but do not want to drive independently. She has devoted many hours to taking reservations for the day because she wants to insure that everyone is able to join in celebrating and remembering why the Race takes place every year. The Race itself could not take place without the selfless efforts of over 800 volunteers – volunteers like Mary who believe so strongly that we can all make a difference.

Participants in the Komen Pittsburgh Race for the Cure® have helped to raise $10.5 million in 12 years. This significant amount of monetary support has allowed the Pittsburgh Affiliate to allocate money to various yearround services and programs in Western and

Central Pennsylvania, and to sponsor educational events and attend Health Fairs throughout Western and Central Pennsylvania. Most notably, over the last nine years, Komen Pittsburgh has provided over 40,000 mammograms and follow-up diagnostic services to medically underserved women in 29 counties of Western Pennsylvania, including Westmoreland County.

To learn more about the Race and the Komen Pittsburgh Affiliate, you may contact the office by phone at 412-521-CURE(2873) or by e-mail at info@pittsburghraceforthecure.org. If you want to be put in touch with Mary Jennings and the Westmoreland County group, please indicate this when you call or e-mail. To register for the Race and to sign up as a volunteer, and/or to make a donation, please log on to www.pittsburghraceforthecure.org. Through the website, you will also find out how the Komen Pittsburgh Affiliate is branching out to reach everyone affected by breast cancer, including the Advocacy Network, Kids For The Cure ©, Teens For The Cure ©, and The Pink Ribbon Program.

The Komen Race for the Cure® series has evolved into the largest series of 5K Runs and Fitness Walks in the world, and the Pittsburgh Race is one of the top ten races in the national series. Every year when Mary walks she does so with determination and passion, and always with a smile. Her passion for finding the cause and the cure for breast cancer makes it easy to see why Westmoreland County needs to show their true colors . . . or rather color!

Think Pink Westmoreland County!

Kathy Kasperik is a Derry Area High School graduate and received her Bachelor’s Degree from Penn State University. Kathy is also extremely passionate about the Komen Race for the Cure® after losing family members and friends to the disease. She has been a volunteer for the Affiliate for over 10 years, most recently serving as a co-chair for the Kids For The Cure © Committee. Kathy will always be seen wearing some form of a pink ribbon, the universal sign for breast cancer awareness.

Everyone needs to Think Pink!

Magic, Medicine and Mystery: Herbs through Human History Popular mystery writer, Susan Wittig Albert, will visit the Herb Study Group of Indiana County on Saturday, April 16, 2005 to speak. This event is being presented by the Herb Study Group as part of the observance of their 20th anniversary. Her talk, entitled Mystery, Magic, and Medicine: The History and Folklore of Herbs, will be held at the Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort and Conference Center, Blairsville.

It begins at 10:00 AM with a Continental Tea. Susan Wittig Albert is a nationally-recognized speaker on the history and lore of herbs and the creator of the critically-acclaimed China Bayles herbal mysteries. Her latest book, published this month, is titled Dead Man’s Bones. Albert’s novels have catapulted her into n a t i o n a l bestseller circles and onto “mustread” booklists across the country. Publishers Weekly says that China Bayles is “in a class with lady sleuths V.I. Warshawski and Stephanie Plum,” and the Los AnSusan Wittig Albert geles Times Book reviewer calls a recent novel “one of the best-written and well plotted mysteries in a long time.” Ms. Albert’s enormously popular books are known for their snappy dialogue, humor, and regional background, as well as for the information about herbs that is woven into each book.

In addition to the China Bayles books, Albert writes two historical mystery series: one featuring Beatrix Potter as sleuth, the other a series of Victorian/ Edwardian mysteries written with her husband, under the pen name of Robin Paige. She has also written over sixty young adult novels and several non-fiction books.

Ms. Albert will speak, answer questions, and sign her books, which are available for purchase at the event, courtesy of Barnes and Noble. There are limited reserved tickets available for $10.00 each. The event is open to the public. For information or to reserve a space, call Deborah Stiffler at 724-459-7212.

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 19

SUSAN SAYS Susan McBroom

What’s In Your Closet?

I stuck my head out the window today, and spring kissed me in the face. It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold.

When it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.

There lies the problem with spring. It is coats in the morning and sleeveless in the afternoon. A time of transition . . . in clothes, in your mood, in facing the world. Your whole heart is yearning to shuck off the winter clothes and emerge as from a cocoon.

Spring is our time of revival, of rebirth and taking inventory of our wardrobe.

Culling is an essential activity in nature and in fashion. It is painful as well as time consuming. Sometimes, a hard look at your wardrobe will reveal a whole new ensemble. You may find the reason you are not wearing a particular dress is simply that you have neglected to buy stockings that go with it. Purge your closet before embarking on a big shopping trip; you will have a better idea of what you really need.

WHAT’S IN YOUR CLOSET? Consider the shelf life: If you never wear it, apply the twelvemonth rule, and recycle. If you must, allow yourself a few exceptions.

Discern: Be ruthless, or bring in a ruthless friend; preferably one whose style you admire.

Document: Borrow a camera and document outfits you come up with.

Fill Gaps: List what you need, and buy accordingly.

Organize: Redesign your closet so you can see everything, and group things, whether by size, color, or use; in a way that makes sense to you.

Storing shoes in boxes allows you to pile them up on a shelf instead of losing them on the closet floor.

For a quick shoe review, label the boxes with a Polaroid of what is inside.

Restore order: Make your closet a haven of order and function. There can be method to the madness; you just have to impose it. Try on outfits in front of a full-length mirror. Weed out what no longer fits. Determine what you reach for daily and give it prime real estate.

Recycle: Keep a box for thrift shop donations.

Party: When the purge is finished, invite friends over for a give-away. It may help to know that someone you like is wearing a beloved item.

START THE SEASON

BY SHOPPING YOUR CLOSET 1. Bring out all your pretty silk scarves. Try 20 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

pairing them with suits and dresses already in your closet.

2. Check out your closet for any pastel of light colored woolens. While the weather is still cold, concentrate on wearing these, and then graduate to light weight fabrics.

3. The order of progression; wool to wool blends to silk to cottons and linens. When spring arrives, it comes with a bang, so identify five warmer weather outfits already in your closet.

A SPLASH OF COLOR Spring fashion is all about color. It can be hard to know how to pull an outfit together using more than one color and avoid the risk of looking like a box of crayons. The ways in which you use color are as important as the colors themselves. Head-to-toe color still has its inevitable chic. Consider using different textures in the same color family for a sophisticated look. If you want to just “test drive” a few of this season’s delicious colors, add them sparingly, as a pop of color to your existing wardrobe.

Tonal mixes are still divided into warm or cool palettes. Staying within the same color family guarantees a pulled-together look. Contrasted with white, any of the season’s colors look fresh and new.

Adding brights, pastels, earthen hues, and every shade in between can bring breadth to your wardrobe, whether you are dressing up or down.

If you like a color but it does not look good with your hair or skin coloring, try wearing it away from your face. A bag, belt, or shoes are good options. Colorful shoes are playful. They signal that you are ready to have some fun.

ACCESSORIES Black Patent Leather Pump Black patent leather instantly says spring. It has shine. It has pizzazz. It screams, “I’m out of hibernation and I’m strutting my stuff.” Okay, maybe black patent doesn’t scream, but it speaks strongly of sunshine and warm days and Style with a capital S. Actually, it is not far removed from the patent leather Mary Janes you wore as a child. A patent pump can update a suit for spring, while a patent flat adds kick to your khakis and brightens up your black trousers.

Hats Dress hats require confidence. Not only confidence that the hat is appropriate to the outfit and the

occasion but confidence that you look and feel “right” in the hat. Properly worn, hats are the focal point. Adding a beautiful hat to a serious suit can create a romantic ensemble.

The British still wear hats to Ascot for the horse races and to weddings and funerals—the bigger the better (the hats, that is). For most Americans hats have fallen out of favor, but for a big wedding, a garden party, or a christening, women may choose to wear a fancy hat.

In Houston, a city heralded as the dressiest place in the world, hats make an appearance at River Oaks society luncheons in the early spring.

Jewelry Pearls are the most sporting of gems, and the easiest to wear. They add light and a glow to the face when worn at the ears or neck. Pearls are never seriously ostentatious, no matter how many strands are worn, they are favorites that never fall out of style.

FIRST AID FOR PEARLS Pearls are mysteriously organic: They must be worn to keep their luster and are damaged by perfume. If they look dingy, wash gently by hand in Ivory Liquid. Inspect knots to see if any are frayed. If so, see a jeweler about having them restrung.

SPRING SIMPLE If all the talk about spring fashion rules gives you a headache, you are not alone. The best fashion advice you may ever read is that those renowned for their style usually circumvent any worry over “rules” by sticking to simple solutions. By stocking their closets with a few high-quality, understated outfits in neutral colors, then adding accessories to dress them up or down, they are always assured of being properly and well dressed. And they establish their own personal style by adding signature accessories…always wearing a hat, a cache of favorite pearls, or the ultra-high heels they love.

Don’t feel pressured to change your wardrobe’s personality drastically. Choose the colors and prints you like and introduce them in small amounts until you find a comfortable level.

You may even discover a new woman in your closet.

Give her a chance to shine!

Susan McBroom is an independent image consultant who meets individually with clients to help them enhance and develop their personal image and style. Susan will advise clients on their existing wardrobe, future wardrobe purchases, special occasion dressing, personal style enhancement, wardrobe research and personalized shopping for the clothes and accessories that will meet the individual lifestyle and budget. Email Susan at Susan@LaurelMountainPost.com.

How to Become a Part of the 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Atlas This is the third in a series of articles on the 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas, a statewide conservation effort headquartered here in the Laurel Highlands.

Take a walk with your family this weekend. Whether on a trail in the woods or down the street in your neighborhood, it’s very likely that you’ll see and hear quite a few birds. Stop and watch them for five minutes. Can you identify any of them? Observe their behavior. What are some of the things you notice? If there are two birds of the same species acting cozy together (sitting close together on a branch or fence), it could be a mated pair. Make a careful note of what you see (the species), what it’s doing (its behavior) and where you see it (an exact location). You’ve just begun atlassing!

Becoming a volunteer for the 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas is as easy as …

1. Register on the official atlas website www.pabirdatlas.org

OR

Mail your contact information to the 2nd PBBA office by using the form below.

2. Use the “View Regions and Blocks” link on the website to determine which Atlas block(s) you live in or visit to go hiking or bird watching

OR

Provide the Atlas headquarters with a description of your bird watching location(s) on the form below, and we’ll notify you what block(s) it is and send you the map(s).

3. Record any breeding bird observations OR (one or one hundred!) on a field card which is downloadable from the “Atlas Materials” link and enter your observations on the website, one by one as you make them, or all at once at the end of the season.

Record any breeding bird observations (one or one hundred!) on the field card we send you, and send a copy of your card to Atlas headquarters where someone will enter your observations on the project website for you.

Early in the spring, Pennsylvania nesting birds that you might see in the wooded areas of the Laurel Highlands are woodpeckers (Pileated, Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied), Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Tufted Titmouse. Northern Cardinal and Mourning Dove are commonly seen in backyards and are among the earliest breeders in Pennsylvania. If your walk includes areas near streams or lakes, you may observe a Belted Kingfisher or Great Blue Heron, and if you make a note of it on your field card and send that information to Atlas headquarters, you will have contributed a valuable record for the 2nd PBBA. Any bird you see, provided it is in the correct breeding habitat and within the “safe dates” for nesting, or seen on any date exhibiting breeding behavior, can be documented for inclusion in this very important statewide survey.

So, don’t be left out . . . be sure to put your bird observations on the map—on the Breeding Bird Atlas map for Pennsylvania, that is!

Bob Mulvihill and Mike Lanzone of the Powdermill Avian Research Center in Rector are the Project Coordinators. They urge people of any age and birding skill level to become involved by contributing their observations to what ultimately will be (at the end of 2008) the most up-todate and comprehensive breeding bird data ever collected for Pennsylvania. You will be participating in a worthwhile and healthful project that will determine the current status of our bird populations and help preserve their role in the balance of nature.

Complete coupon below; cut and send to 2nd PBBA, Powdermill Nature Reserve, 1847 Route 381, Rector, PA 15677

Black-capped Chickadee

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Hanna Insurance Agency 208 Weldon Street PO Box 306 Latrobe, PA 15650

TM

John Hanna, Owner Phone: (724) 537-5140 Fax: (724) 537-0687 www.hannainsuranceagency.info

YES, I want to help with the 2nd Pennsylvania Breeding Bird Atlas Project, but I don’t have a computer or an internet connection. Please register me and send me the materials I need to get started.

NAME: _____________________________________ PHONE: ____________________________ MAILING ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________ COUNTY: _______________________________________________________________________ Where will you be doing your bird watching? If different from your mailing address, please list locations separately, with estimated distance and direction from a landmark that we can find on a map, and we will tell you which atlas block it is; enclose additional pages if needed.

Providing All Of Your Insurance Needs Since 1959

_______________________________________________________________________________ LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 21

continued from page 18 day. The ATC publishes maps for the trail. Just about every thru-hiker carried a guidebook of some publication. The guidebook lists the mileage between points, roads, water sources, towns, shelters, etc. For towns it normally lists the services that available, lodging, groceries, Post Office, Library and other interesting information to a hiker. The ATC publishes a guidebook. The book I carried and prefer is The ThruHikers Handbook and can be found at http:// www.trailplace.com/ I carried only the pages of the book for the next week or so to save weight, but many carried the whole book.

Visit John Goldsworthy’s Online Trial Journal http://www.trailjournals.com/johng/

and Photo Album http://john.goldsworthy.cc/photo/ index.php?folder=/AT%20Hike/

9/14/04, Me standing on the shore of Pemadumcook lake, just outside Baxter State Park, Maine, with Katahdin (the northern terminus) in the background.

PRENGAMAN LANDSCAPE CONTRACTING 724-423-1333

Jim & Joe Prengaman R.D. #3 Box 111 • Reagan Drive • Latrobe, PA 15650

“Relationships Built on Trust” Cheryl Krisfalusi 402 West Main Street Ligonier, PA 15658 724-238-9433

22 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

Dolan Vogle Route 30 East Latrobe PA, 15650 724.539.8501

THE CORNER STORY Linda Werner

“Aruba Awaits” Today I opened my desk drawer and pulled out sortment of reasons. It was much later that I dismy “fix” for the day. It was not a vial of pills or a covered the reasons not to go into teaching. I felt strange-looking cigarette. It was a color brochure that was important. I learned: of Aruba–white sandy beaches, cloudless blue It was not for money. skies, and smiling faces, sipping tall, tropical-lookIt was not for public acclaim or adulation. ing drinks. It is my fantasy. I turn to it in time of It was not for prestige. need and picture myself staying at a plush, beachIt was not to avoid daily confrontations. front motel, with accommodatIt was not for stimulating ing natives catering to me, anconversation, to which the diaticipating my desires. I am tan log will attest. Why then, would and smiling and very far away an intelligent, perceptive, sensifrom correlative conjunctions tive person choose a career that and Hamlet’s dilemma. does not pay, that offers no presA bell rings, thrusting me tige, that is riddled with stresses, into today and reality and a diaand is sometimes void of meanlog that goes like this. ingful conversation? Why, too, “Do you have a pencil? I left would anyone choose to spend mine in my locker.” eight hours a day with an ado“What good can it do you lescent, whose palms sweat, there?” I say embarrassed at whose appetites know no end, this uninspired line. whose world is crashing because “I dunno.” of a breakout on the chin, and “Never mind. Here’s a penwhose life is circumscribed by decil. It’s foolish to sit there and signer clothes, barbecue potato do nothing. Keep it. You’ll need chips, The Bold and the Beautiit later.” I am thinking it is penful, and parties! It is unnatural. I cil number 16 that I have lent usually have a lot of questions, out. More dialog follows and but for this I might have an anLinda Werner is an IUP Graduate class has not even begun. swer. It, too, is in my desk drawer (Bachelors and Masters) who “Can I go to the bathroom? alongside the portfolio of Aruba. taught English for 36 years— I’ll only be a minute. I gotta go!”

It is a letter written by a student Shakespeare, Short Stories, Research, Black Literature, Humor “I forgot my book. Can I boryears ago. The pen has leaked, in Literature, Poetry and Song, row one of yours?” and ink is smeared on the page.

British Novel, Advanced Placement.

“Hey, how you doin’?”

She was a D-F student. She had She retired in 2002, and has been “You shoulda seen what failed several grades, and I can see married to Robert Werner for 35 some jerk wrote about me in the her as clearly today as when she years. Linda serves on the Derry Foundation; Friends of Caldwell bathroom–and they didn’t even sat in front of me and learned (I Memorial Library; President, Trinity spell it right.” thought) nothing. The note reads: Evangelical Lutheran Church, “Can you help me with my I just wanna tell you how Latrobe. Her passions include: physics problems?” much you mean to me. I never cooking, husband, spiritual growth, “I hafta use the phone. It’s thought I’d git out of this place. I and the aroma of DeLallo’s Deli. an emrgency. I gotta tell my wasted lost of time. Some days mother to bring my lunch when you was teachin I’d just sit money and gym clothes to and think about myself. When I school right away!” come in the door I hated myself. I aint good at English, I am a teacher–an English teacher– and my but you taught me to like myself. I still aint good at Eng. ear is well-tuned to this melodic mix of dialogs. It but it don’t matter. Cause I like me. And I love you. is talk I have grown accustomed to. It reminds Your smart & nice & you liked me. And I didn’t have to me that I am alive. It tells me that I am occupying be smart or nothin. Thanks, lady. space in the world, not merely as an observer, A stark, grammatical disaster, still that is my but as a participant. It makes me think . . . about answer. I put away the Aruba material. It must Aruba . . . about teaching . . . about life. wait for another day. There are papers to read; Years ago I heard the words so many females there are tests to make; there are pencils to lend growing up in the 60’s heard. “You’re a girl. Be a out; there are lives to touch. And maybe–just maybe, teacher or a nurse.” I chose teaching, for an asI’ll be lucky enough to receive another such letter.

The Laurel Mountain Post is now accepting creative writing submissions.

Send your work to our writing editor at PO Box 227, Latrobe PA 15650 or email: DrewWilliams@LaurelMountainPost.com

Live Productions Over the River And oods Woods Through the W April 22, 23, 29 and 30 at 8:00 PM May 1at 2:30 PM Adults–$12, Students & Seniors–$10 Always . . . P atsy Cline Patsy June 10 and 11 at 8:00 PM June 12 at 2:30 PM Adults–$10, Students & Seniors–$8

Vintage Film in the Valley “ Willie W onk a Wonk onka and the Chocolate Factor y” Factory April 8, 9, 10 “2001: A Space Odyssey Odyssey”” May 13, 14, 15 Showings are Friday & Saturday at 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2:30 PM All tickets are $6

Ligonier Theater 208 W est Main Street West 724-238-6514, e xt. 2 ext. vpltheater@wpa.net www.valleyplayers.org www.ligoniertheater.com

Relay for Life at Latrobe: It’s About A Community That Takes Up the Fight team has chosen, and everybody is In May 1985, Dr. Gordon Klatt took “ready to Relay.” Relays will take the first step of his 24-hour marathon place in 150 communities througharound a Tacoma, Washingtn track out Pennsylvania this year. In each and raised $27,000 for the Amercian community, cancer survivors young Cancer Society. The following year 340 and old are invited to begin the Resupporters joined Dr. Klatt in this lay by walking the Survivors’ Victory overnight event and Relay For Life was Lap around the track. Then memborn. In 2001-2002, Relays were held bers of the teams in more than take to the track, 3,300 communiand one person ties, raising more American Cancer Society’s from each team than $245 million Relay For Life at Latrobe remains on the for the fight track throughout against cancer! In the entire 24 June 25-26 Pennsylvania, 132 hours.

Relays took place contact: 724-532-3151 and raised more (Maria Peluso) After dark, a than $13.8 million!

Luminaria Ceremony is held Relay For Life is where candles are lit in rememthe nationwide signature activity for brance of those who have lost their the American Cancer Society. It is not battle with cancer and in honor of a benefit for the ACS, or an event to survivors. Throughout the evening support the ACS – Relay IS the Ameriand into the next day, participants can Cancer Society, and the Amerienjoy entertainment, games, mucan Cancer Society IS Relay. Relay For sic, great food, camaraderie and Life is the single largest non-profit tons of fun. event in the world. Relay is a community developed, volunteer driven team Relay For Life provides our best opevent to fight cancer. Relay is an overportunity for expanding cancer connight event where families, clubs, trol, advocacy, volunteerism and schools, businesses, churches, service fundraising for reaching diverse groups, public employee groups, populations with life-saving informahealth care professionals and othtion and for increasing awareness of ers form teams and pay a registraall the programs and services offered tion/reservation fee to participate in by the American Cancer Society in the event. Then, in advance of the communities throughout our nation. event, those teams raise a minimum of $100 each.

On Relay night, participants pitch tents and decorate in the theme their

SEA SON PPA ASS SEASON just $39.95* * $39.95 until May 15, 2005 $49.95 May 16, 2005 and after Route 30 East - 2.5 miles West of Ligonier Phone: 724-238-3666

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Linda’s Lettering beautifully hand-addressed wedding invitations/placecards calligraphy instruction handwriting tutoring personalized gifts

Call Linda Arandas for information at

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“Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will not be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.”

Meet the Artist Join Jim Mikula, one of the artists featured in MAN-MADE QUILTS, for a lecture and discussion about his experiences as a quilt maker, and learn what inspired him to pursue this area of expertise. Event will be held April 6 at noon, Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg. Jim is a resident of Ligonier, and a former teacher at Latrobe Senior High School, where he taught English and Theater for 30 years. Jim credits his aunt with getting him started sewing. He was

just 3 years old when she taught him how to use a sewing machine. He didn’t begin making quilts until the early 1970s after seeing someone quilting at a church group. He soon joined the group for the summer to learn basic quilting techniques, and continued learning on his own through books and practice. Jim is well known as a quilt maker and his quilts can be seen in quilt shows and at art festivals around the region.

CONTACT: www.wmuseumaa.org; 724-837-1500. FREE ADMISSION!

Fabric Art

Melanie Kimmel www.melaniesfabricart.com Email: mel@melaniesfabricart.com

724-532-3542 LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 23

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Pick Up A Copy of the Laurel Mountain Post at One of These Community Locations!

AVONMORE Guy’s Tavern Lonestar BLAIRSVILLE Fantastic Sam’s DERRY A Touch of Class AH Creations Allison Chiropractic Center Ameriserv Financial Barkley’s Beer Distributor Caldwell Memorial Library Camman Industries, Inc. Creative Dreams Crispin State Farm Insurance Dablock’s Beauty Shop Derry Federal Credit Union Derry Post Office First Commonwealth Bank George J Bush Kitchen Center Glassmart Gooch’s J & K Produce Mastrorocco’s Market Dr. Morgan, DMD Palombo’s Bar & Restaurant Prakash K. Vin, M.D.P.C Pit Stop Quik Shop, Inc. Red Apple Kwik Fill S&T Bank GREENSBURG Academy of the Wagging Tail American Indian Jewelry Art Tech Supplies Bill & Walt’s Hobby Shop Cook’s Market Crossroads (Route 66) Derby’s Delicatessen Descendents Children’s Clothing Boutique The Dinner Pantry Dr. Philip Dahar, Orthodontist dV8 Expresso Bar Gander Mountain Glassmart Greensburg Care Center Hampton Inn Herbs to Your Health Holiday Inn Express Hyundai of Greensburg Just Miniature Scale Katsur Dental Kids Korner Furniture Malloy’s Cameracade Memory Lane Hallmark Mountain View Inn Mustard Seed Gallery, Inc. On the Avenue Pagnotta Cafe Paouncic Chiropractic Life Center

Penelope’s Pizza Hut Pizza Siena Seton Hill University Sharp Image Hair Designs and Day Spa Sheraton Four Points Hotel Shop ‘n Save- Westmoreland Mall Sun Parlor Super 8 Motel Tom Clark Ford Toyota of Greensburg University of Pittsburgh Westmoreland Athletic Club Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce LATROBE Adam & Eve’s Pet & Hobby Shop Adelphoi Village Arnold Palmer Motors Inc Arnold Palmer Regional Airport Aqua Pets Bella Pasta The Corner Store Chiropractic Health Center Commercial National Bank - Downtown Creative Expressions Denny’s Dino’s Sports Lounge DiNunzio’s Italian Chophouse DiSalvo’s Station Restaurant Dr. Philip Dahar, Orthodontist Dr. Scott Learn, DMD Falbo’s Rainbow Inn First Commonwealth Bank First National Bank - Latrobe 30 Plaza First National Bank-Downtown Frank’s Lounge Gino’s Pizza of Latrobe Hanna Insurance Agency Harvey’s Barber Shop Holzer’s Store Hostetter Club In-Sync Rehabilitation Services Jocelyn’s Beauty Salon Joe’s Store – Lawson Heights Kaye’s Tailoring L & L Quik Lube Latrobe 30 Beverage Latrobe Animal Clinic Latrobe Art Center Latrobe Center Distributing, Inc. Latrobe Chamber of Commerce Latrobe Glass & Mirror Latrobe Hair Company Latrobe Hospital Little Shop Latrobe News Stand Latrobe Post Office Latrobe Senior Center Latrobe’s Pet Stop, LLC Len’s Jewelry Loyalhanna Care Center

Mosso’s Medical Supply Company Inc Petrosky’s Pro Hardware Pizza Siena Ray Foot & Ankle Center Rose Style Shoppe Scotty G’s Pizzaria Sharky’s Cafe Sherwin-Williams - Latrobe 30 Plaza Shop-N-Save - Latrobe 30 Plaza St. Vincent College St Vincent Gristmill Tuxedo Room Van Dyke Styling Center Vickie’s Awesome Blossoms Vita-Charge Weiss Furniture Wingate Inn Youngstown Tire Zappone Sausage Company and Retail Outlet LIGONIER Abigail’s Coffeehouse American Indian Jewelry Beno’s Betsy’s of Ligonier BP (CoGo’s) Carol & Dave’s Roadhouse Celtic Culture Compass Inn ComTech Connections Store The Country Cupboard Crafts Unlimited Curves for Women Diamond Cafe Endless Possibilities Equine Chic Essentials The Fairfield Grille The Frame Place The Garret Giant Eagle Gino Gianelli’s Hair Parade Holiday Home Store The Hollow Tavern Ivy’s Cafe John Clark Jewelers Lady Bug Style Lady of the Lake Bed & Breakfast La Rosa’s Barber Shop Laughlintown Post Office Ligonier Country Inn Ligonier Outfitters & Newsstand Ligonier Palms Tanning Salon Ligonier Post Office Ligonier Tavern Main Street Deli Pamela’s Golden Touch Salon The Paper House & Baskitry Pathfinder Photo Persnickity

The Pie Shoppe The Post and Rail The Road Toad Ruthie’s Diner The Sandwich Shoppe The Treehouse in Ligonier Underneath NEW ALEXANDRIA 22 Diner Curves for Women Di’s Pizzeria & Restaurant Johna’s Hair Design Oasis Hotel Qwik Stop Timber Roadhouse ON THE MOUNTAIN OR TO THE EAST Betsy’s Collections (Donegal) Cogo’s (Bakersville) Collections by Marty (Donegal) The Country Pie Shoppe (Donegal) Courtyard by Marriott (Altoona) Darshana Yoga Center (Champion) Double K Stables (Somerset) Hair Expressions (Seven Springs) Italian Gourmet Deli (Donegal) Kreinbrooks Market (Jones Mills) ©Laura Petrilla Living Treasures Animal Park (Donegal) Log Cabin Motel (Donegal) Lost Mountain Campground (Rockwood) Mountain Horse Saddlery (Donegal) Oakhurst Tea Room (Somerset) Sarnelli’s Market (Jones Mills) Seven Springs Mountain Resort (Champion) Tall Cedars Restaurant (Donegal) UniMart (New Florence) Windy Lindy’s Mountaineer Crafts (Donegal) DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH Courtyard by Marriott, Penn Ave (David L. Lawrence Conv. Ctr.)

Would you like the Laurel Mountain Post delivered to your business?

Give us a call at 724-331-3936.

We’ll list your business name in the print and online editions!

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 25

A Cure for Spring Fever

by J.B. Rossi The torrential rains continued as I sat on the bench cloudy day. I glanced up and surveyed the landin front of the large bay window gazing out into the scape again. rose garden. With my legs tucked close and my By this time, the rain had slowed to a sprinkle. arms wrapped around them, I rocked back and Then suddenly, a bright ray of sunshine pierced forth, trying to shake off the chill that never seemed through a cloud. I looked down at the rose bushes; to leave me. they were still brown. Oh,… but wait. I leaned I surveyed the frozen landscape, hoping to find closer to the window. What is that I see peeking something beginning to thaw. I looked at the shrivout from beneath the straw? Could it be? Yes, yes, eled roots of the rose bushes still sleeping under it was. A small green shoot was starting to pentheir straw blankets. I stared at the dark clay mud etrate the straw. puddles quickly filling to capacity. I scanned I looked up. Still swaying in the slight breeze through the bent brown branches of the maples, that remained, the tree branches seemed to have the oaks, and the chestnut trees, still laden with perked up. And what were those tiny little bumps. ice. I saw it all, every shade, every hue, every tint of Could those be buds? the same drab color. It was brown everywhere. Not Suddenly all around me I saw them, the first the earthy brown of good quality topsoil, nor the signs of “Spring”. The tips of the bulbs began emergsweet brown of chocolate. No, this was the dull, ing, the robins starting to swoop, and the patches lifeless, gray brown of the remnants of winter. of green grass soaking up the puddled water.

Enough already, I But wasn’t it just a little thought. I needed somewhile ago that everything thing else. I needed the color was dead, frozen, and of renewal, of life, of Spring. brown? What had changed I needed the “green.” I had so suddenly? an idea.

I looked down at my A close relative of mine, hand and rubbed my finger my father’s mother’s second over the emerald again. If I cousin twice removed, was didn’t have it before, I was a lovely Irish woman. As certain now that I was sufLilly O’Donnell’s face flashed fering from Spring Fever. in my mind, I headed toCould this ring have some ward my closet. “The wearmagical power of which I ing of the green,” Old Aunt wasn’t aware? I decided to O’Donnell would always investigate. say, “brightens up the dreaMy research was fasciriest of days.” Always nating for indeed the emerdressed from head to toe in ald has a long and mystical a variety of hues, green was history scanning the entire definitely her signature world. color.

Since ancient times, the But the thing that I reemerald was thought to member most about her possess magical power. In was the huge green stone ancient Egypt emeralds she wore on the middle finwere cherished by those of ger of her right hand. A large great wealth who regarded In addition to reading and writing, J.B. Rossi round emerald set between the gem as an amulet for enjoys having fun with her adventurous family two half moon diamonds. good fortune. They also beand her numerous pets. She is also blessed with the greatest set of in-laws imaginable. “Thanks She called it her “sun and lieved that this stone would everyone, especially Don and Marylou, for always moon” ring. “When I wear empower its owner with the supporting me!” it,” she confessed, “the ability to foresee the future. world seems like new.”

For this reason among othI always wondered ers, Cleopatra became an about the ring and asked her often about it. When avid collector of this brilliant green gem. The “Cleopatra she went to a better world, she was generous enough Mines” were located near the Red Sea and totally exto leave it to me. A note was attached to it. “For ploited by the Egyptians between 3000 and 1500 B.C. the one who admired it the most. May it brighten In South America, where a lot of the best emerall your days as it has done for mine.” alds are still found today, the Incas and the Aztecs I immediately dug the ring out of the safe and were known to have worshipped it as a holy stone. placed it on my finger. I drew in a large breath and According to an early Hindu legend, the emerlet it out slowly. I went back downstairs to my ald is the zodiacal gem stone for the sign of Cancer perch to look at it more clearly in the daylight. I (June22 – July 22) and guarantees eternal joy to its rubbed the brilliant green stone with my thumb.

Cancer-born wearers.

How dazzling it looked even in the poor light of the Shag Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, and 26 - LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST

other Moguls of India believed in the supernatural powers of the emeralds so much that they inscribed the gems with sacred texts and wore them as talismans. Many of the most famous of these emeralds are on display in museums throughout the world.

In ancient Rome, green was the color dedicated to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Guided by the planet Venus, the emerald is considered the lover’s gem, making it the perfect emblem for enduring love.

Homeopathic individuals recommended massaging cancerous areas of the body with the emerald to help with physical and emotional healing. Legend also credits this gem with curing a number of other ailments including infertility, epilepsy, and low IQ. Today the emerald remains as one of the most highly valued and sought-after of all the gemstones.

The emerald’s pure green color has long been considered the emblem for Nature and symbolizes rebirth and renewal which makes it the perfect traditional birthstone to represent the month of May. It is also considered the mystical birthstone for January, empowering its wearer with gifts of faithfulness and unchanging love.

The highest quality emeralds exhibit the rich, intense color of fresh young green grass. It is a fragile stone and should be protected from sharp blows and extreme temperature changes. Most natural emeralds have inclusions or flaws which are called “jardins” or “gardens” and are regarded as the stone’s natural birthmarks. It is common practice to fill these flaws with oil to enhance the stone’s color, so therefore this gem should never be exposed to ultrasonic cleaners or household chemicals. The best way to clean an emerald is with a dry, soft cloth.

The highest quality emeralds are found mainly in Columbia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Brazil, and Pakistan. However, the newest source of high quality emeralds is right here in the United States. Mines near Hiddenite, North Carolina, are producing many fine quality crystals.

As I think back on Old Aunt Lilly, I wondered if she had known about the mysterious powers of her beautiful green gemstone. More than likely, I think Old Aunt Lilly just experienced them. Thank you, Aunt Lilly, for giving me so much more than just a brilliant green heirloom. And thank you for a cure for my “Spring Fever.”

HOW TO EAT Jim Brewer, RD, LDN, CNSD, CNIS

More About the Glycemic Index

TABLE 1

As I stated in the last issue of the LMP I wanted to provide a clearer picture of the dreaded carbohydrate. It’s clear that not all carbs are created equal. If you’re a diabetic or at risk for diabetes this information may be invaluable. It will also be useful for those of you just concerned about how different foods can effect your blood sugar levels. The teaching tools below may give you a much better idea of what foods to choose and to avoid to maintain good blood sugar. I’d like to say that I developed this concise description of glycemic index(GI). But, I have to give credit to Julie Heinzl RD, LDN, CDE, CNIS. She was more that happy to contribute to this edition with her cutting edge research and teaching tools to clarify this topic. Table 1 shows you which foods (in the red area), that raise your blood sugar quickly, and those foods (in green) that don’t have as much effect on your blood sugar.

Table 2 explains the traffic light system in detail.

If your intake consists mostly of foods within the red light area, it might be time to consider making a few changes to your diet. Common sense is the rule. Just like your mother told you. Eat more vegetables, and whole grains.

If your have diabetes, your Registered Dietitian is your best bet for developing an appropriate meal plan to better control your blood sugars.

TABLE 2

Jim is a1983 graduate of Derry Area High School with 10 years experience in nutrition. He has a BS in Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition from the University of Pittsburgh and currently practices as a clinical nutritionist. His specialties include physical nutrition assessment, nutrition support and renal nutrition. Send your nutrition questions to Jim by writing PO Box 227, Latrobe PA 15650 or emailing editor@LaurelMountainPost.com.

LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST - 27

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