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MonValley

MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023

FAIRWAY FLORALS

offers robust silk and live floral arrangements

COMMUNITY LIFE

helps keep Mon Valley seniors safely at home

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CENTERVILLE CLINICS

Providing High-quality Healthcare in the Mon Valley

We are pleased to introduce our two newest providers Dr. Al Mamaril D.O. Dr. Taylor Bressler D.M.D.

Dr. Bressler earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine.

has joined the Dental Staff of Centerville Clinics at the Charleroi Medical and Dental Office.

has joined the Medical Staff of Centerville Clinics at our Donora Family Medicine location.

Dr. Bressler is seeing patients, and accepting new patients, on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dr. Mamaril is seeing patients, and accepting new patients, on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To make an appointment, call 724-483-5482 or 724 -632 - 6801.

Dr. Mamaril earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

To make an appointment, call 724-379-4401 or 724 -632 - 6801.

Centerville Clinics participates in most insurance programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, UPMC, and Highmark. We provide care regardless of a person’s ability to pay.

OUR MON VALLEY LOCATIONS

OUR PROVIDERS IN THE MON VALLEY

The Joseph A. Yablonski Memorial Clinic, the site at 1070 Old National Pike, Fredericktown, where we saw our first patients, provides medical services, a Dental Department, behavioral healthcare, a fully stocked Pharmacy, X-ray, and Laboratory Services.

PHYSICIANS

Bentleyville Family Practice has been part of Centerville Clinics since 1982. California Family Practice became part of Centerville Clinics in 1956. Re-dedicated as the Michael Encrapera Medical Arts Building, the present site opened in 2006. The Charleroi Medical and Dental Office opened in 2004 at 200 Chamber Plaza. Donora Family Medicine joined Centerville Clinics in 2019. The location was formerly the medical practice of Dr. Dimitri Petro.

We Provide National Award-Winning Healthcare

Dr. Charles Brown Dr. Alvaro Changco Dr. Daniel L. Holt Medical Director Dr. C. Michael Irvin Podiatrist Dr. Ali Mahdi Sleep Medicine Dr. Al Mamaril Dr. Edward Salopek Dr. Danielle Zachar

DENTISTS

Dr. Ingrid Toothman Dental Director Dr. Taylor Bressler Dr. Tugraberk Usul CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE PRACITIONERS Family Practice Mary Capella Danielle Guerrieri Erika Robaugh Melissa Turek Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Jonette McClelland

Centerville Clinics has been recognized nationally and locally for excellence in healthcare.

For more information on our programs, providers, and locations, visit centervilleclinics.com. For appointments, call 724-632-6801.

All services at Centerville Clinics are provided without discrimination based on financial ability, race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, parenthood, ethnic background, national origin, physical or mental handicap or disability. N OV E M B ER 24, 2023 | M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E | 3

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E

MonValley

CON T E NT S

MAGAZINE

COMMUNITY LIFE CARING FOR MON VALLEY SENIORS

BY GEORGE OFFERS UNIQUE, ECLECTIC FARE

AN NICHE PUBLICATION

November/December 2023

IMPRESARIO STRIVING TO BRING LIVE THEATER TO MON VALLEY

VINTAGE BEALLSVILLE BUILDING GETS NEW LIFE AS FAIRWAY FLORALS

from the editor

BEHIND THE BLOOMS On our cover is a holiday display from Fairway Florals from last year’s Christmas season. Fairway Florals is situated alongside the Nemacolin Country Club along Route 40 in Beallsville. Owner Nancy Vankirk found her passion for arranging flowers and teaching classes after retiring from her 30-plus-year teaching career. In the gorgeous back room with a view of the outdoors, Nancy offers classes on live arrangements and other seasonally-themed decorations. The shop offers more than just the live and silk flowers Nancy is known for; it also offers gift items and jewelry. “Some of the jewelry is handmade and one-of-akind,” Nancy said. Nancy and her husband, Chris, have expansion plans to offer an affordable and beautiful event venue. Construction should begin in the spring. Writer Michele Gillis also talked with George and Ronalyn Apodiakos from By George for this issue. The Monessen eatery first opened on a space on Grand Boulevard in 2015 but quickly outgrew it. They moved into a larger location in 2019, right before the pandemic began to shut things down. “When we were made to go under all the restrictions, it was petrifying in the beginning. But, I can honestly tell you, the people of Mon Valley and the surrounding areas came through, and if they didn’t order food that night, they purchased gift cards. Everyone was wonderful in that regard,” Ronalyn said. By George is a family-owned and operated business. The couple’s children and extended family are often in the restaurant. George oversees the day-to-day operations. Ronalyn handles the front of the house. Read more about their family business and how exciting it was for By George to be featured on a popular restaurant web show. As always, thank you so much for reading. Feel free to call me at 724-222-2200 ext. 2421 or email me at tthurston@observer-reporter.com with ideas or suggestions. Take care, stay safe and see you in the next edition.

122 South Main Street Washington, PA 15301 Washington & South Hills 724.222.2200 Greene County 724.852.2602 Mon Valley 412.944.5575 observer-reporter.com/publications/ monvalleymagazine EDITOR Trista Thurston tthurston@observer-reporter.com ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carole DeAngelo GRAPHIC DESIGNER Megan Morris CONTRIBUTORS Kristin Emery Michele Gillis Dave Zuchowski

on the cover

Courtesy of Fairway Florals Nancy Vankirk swaps out the displays seasonally, like this holiday display from last year.

Editor 4 | N OV E M B ER 24, 2023 | M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E

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Community Life

caring for Mon Valley seniors By Kristin Emery

Photos courtsey of Community LIFE

No one wants to think about the possibility of having to leave their home as they age. A survey by AARP shows 77% of seniors want to stay in their homes, though 25% of caregivers find it difficult to find the help they need to care for a senior at home. That’s where Community LIFE can help fill the void. Community LIFE is an all-inclusive program empowering older adults to remain at home while preserving their dignity, independence and quality of life. The organization opened the doors of its Mon Valley Health and Wellness Center in Rostraver in late 2019, just before the onset of the pandemic. “It was COVID, so we did not really get to know the community, and the community did not get to know us,” says Community LIFE president Fatemeh Hashtroudi. Community LIFE is headquartered in Pittsburgh and operates seven locations across Allegheny, Somerset and Bedford Counties, in addition to the Rostraver Health and Wellness Center at 2115 Trebella Circle.

How do they help? Community LIFE is part of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, an optional benefit under Medicare and Medicaid that focuses entirely on older people who are frail enough to meet state standards for nursing home care. The program brings together all the medical and social services needed for someone who otherwise might be in a nursing home. Hashtroudi describes Community LIFE’s services as a nursing home replacement program. “It is a program that is meant to provide support for people who would like to stay at home,” she explains. “We manage care Community LIFE opened its Mon Valley Health and Wellness Center in late 2019 at 2115 Trebella Circle in Rostraver.

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for participants who – without our help – would have been at a nursing home. We help them to stay at home and be closer with their families and caregivers.” The program includes the Health and Wellness Centers, medical care, in-home care and transportation. Most beneficiaries in the plan are eligible to receive services under both the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Whether it’s assistance with laundry or physical therapy to recover from a fall, Community LIFE provides caregiving at home and at their Rostraver location. “The goal is to help our participants stay at home,” says Hashtroudi. “That is what we do. And it’s a very comprehensive care management program making sure that the participants have meals to eat, have medications, that they get to their doctor’s appointment whether it’s at the hospital or the doctor’s office. We make sure all of that happens for our participants.”

Coordination of care Nobody wants to face the prospect of going into a facility or having your loved one at a place other than home, yet it can be difficult and expensive to manage care with work and family. “This is very helpful to the families, and also we help with family support,” Hashtroudi adds. “We have social workers, behavioral health care managers, we have people in our palliative care departments, so we do provide families with ongoing support.” That includes their respite program that accommodates participants with care for up to 48 hours if family or caregivers need help or to be away for a few days.

“Our services have that component of family caregivers in mind and family caregiver burnout in mind. We do everything that we can to reduce the burden on the family members as well.” The first step is to determine that the participant is at the nursing home level of care. If eligible, Community LIFE will work with the participant, family and caregivers and do an at-home visit to assess what that person needs to stay at home. “We have a team of 11 people … doctors, social workers, dietitians, physical therapists, occupational therapists … and we assess the home,” Hashtroudi says. “We say, okay, what is it that they need in order to stay at home? Maybe they need a ramp, maybe they need a stair glide, maybe they need nothing. Maybe they need to come to our adult day center two or three times a week.” Some clients need assistance with laundry, preparing meals, cleaning or taking medications. “Once we do that assessment, we design a care plan for the participant, and then every six months, we evaluate that care plan to make sure we still are meeting the needs of the participant and the family members.” The Mon Valley Health and Wellness Center includes three major components. “One is an adult day center where our participants can socialize, have a hot meal, take a shower, participate in activities,” says Hashtroudi. The second component includes a physical and occupational therapy suite, including rehabilitation facilities. The third component is the medical suite and clinic housing doctors, nurse practitioners and staff. “So instead of going to a doctor, our doctors become their primary care physicians. Whether it’s something chronic like heart failure, COPD or diabetes, we manage that. If it’s something acute, our clinic nurses go to the participants’ homes to check on them to make sure that they’re taking their medication and that they have food and their home is clean.” Community LIFE participants also receive transportation, medications and vaccinations for no additional copayments. She stresses the convenience and importance of coordinating care in one place. “That is that

Community LIFE President Fatemeh Hashtroudi

is really the important piece because with seniors, they go to different doctors and they go to different places,” she explains. “One doctor writes a prescription, and another doctor writes a different prescription. Here, that is all coordinated, and the participant receives one-stop care.” To be eligible, a person must be 55 or older, live in the service area, be able to live safely in the community and be certified as eligible for nursing home care by the state. Enrollment is voluntary, and once enrolled, Community LIFE becomes the provider of all Medicare and Medicaid covered services, as well as any other items or medical, social or rehabilitation services an enrollee needs. For more information, call 1-866419-1693 or visit commlife.org.

Community LIFE provides physical therapy and other services to keep seniors at home. N OV E M B ER 24, 2023 | M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E | 7

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By George offers unique, eclectic fare

The Berkshire chop is one of By George’s specialties

By Michele Gillis Photos courtesy of By George

When George Apodiakos was laid off from his union carpenter job after 23 years in 2008, he didn’t know what he would do. He knew he needed to support his family, and he loved to cook, so he decided to take a leap of faith.

“We just moved from this smaller space to a larger one, and the overhead was significantly different,” said Ronalyn. “When we were made to go under all the restrictions, it was petrifying in the beginning. But, I can honestly tell you, the people of Mon Valley and the surrounding areas came He decided to start selling shish kebabs twice a week in the through, and if they didn’t order food that night, they purback parking lot of his wife Ronalyn’s scrapbook store. chased gift cards. Everyone was wonderful in that regard.” “About three weeks later, the Monessen Fireman’s Club The building they are in now used to be the Monessen Firehired me to come cook for them cooking gyros,” said man’s Club, so George ended up where back he initially George. “It took off like wildfire. It evolved into more days started. George bought the building in 2018 and renovated it during the week with specials including burgers, wings, for a catering facility. Since George has been a carpenter for most of his life, he was able to do most of the work himself pasta, fried fish, gyros and pizza.” with help from contractors. He stayed there for 13 years and eventually opened his own But, after their catering business outgrew the space, they derestaurant, By George, in September 2015. cided it would be a perfect place to move the restaurant. Ronalyn said they pretty much outgrew their first location The restaurant has a nice mix of decor with a lot of natural on Grand Boulevard the first day they opened. Their first lo- wood and skylights, allowing in natural light and giving the cation had 62 seats, but their current location has 125 seats. restaurant a welcoming, warm feel. They moved to the new location in September 2019, right at “By George is more than a restaurant; it’s a place where love is savored with every bite, laughter resonates in its family atthe start of COVID, which was quite stressful. 10 | N OV E M B ER 24, 2023 | M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E

mosphere and every visit feels like coming home,” said Michael Rozell. “With a menu that delights the taste buds, an ambiance that warms the heart, and a drink selection that’s sheer poetry, By George has become our beloved ‘go-to’ restaurant, where every meal is a celebration of flavors and togetherness.” The food served at By George can be described as eclectic. “We have a mix of Greek, American and Italian cuisine,” said Ronalyn. “That’s what keeps us fresh and unique.” An example of several signature items on their menu includes the gyro dip, chicken marsala, Berkshire pork chop, vanilla bean cheesecake and lobster bisque. “By George has everything,” said Kaliope Kalamotousis. “There is such a variety of food. I tell everyone about it. It’s like a diamond in the rough, and it’s a blessing to me.”

Vanilla bean cheesecake is always a crowd-pleaser at By George.

Ronalyn and George Apodiakos are the owners of By George.

By George’s restaurant can seat up to 125 customers. N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 2 3 | M O N V A L L E Y M A G A Z I N E | 11

They also have two to three daily food specials a day. “Sometimes our specials are Greek, Chinese or Polish,” said George. “It all depends on who is on the line. We love to feature our specials because the public loves them. It’s always something different. They are made with the freshest ingredients.” As the restaurant grew, so did their catering business. They are the exclusive caterers for St. Spyridon Hellenic Center. “Customers contact me, and we do anything from weddings, business meetings and funerals to school banquets,” said Ronalyn. By George is a family-owned and operated business. Their children and extended family are also involved. George oversees the day-to-day operations. Ronalyn handles the front of the house. Their children Markello, Niko and Dimitri are all servers at the restaurant and catering division. George’s sister, Despina Naylor, bakes all of the desserts for the restaurant. Though he is not blood-related, Jamie Kepich, the head chef, is just like family to them, and he is in charge of the line in the kitchen and the other chefs. “If it is needed, George will jump on the line, but we are blessed to have a phenomenal staff, and we believe in consistency,” said Ronalyn. “Everyone had a specific area that they cook, such as the grill or sauteing. Our chefs and Jaime come up with the daily specials.” As the restaurant grew, so did George’s responsibilities. So, moving out of the kitchen and into day-to-day operations was necessary, but sometimes, he will feel a pull back to the kitchen.

By George offers a warm and welcoming feel for its customers.

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“Every now and then, I will get in there and do something,” said George. “I will come up with my special dish for the day and make multiple trays of it. It’s not too often, but I try to do it about once a month. It just depends on how busy I am.” By George was recently featured on an episode of America’s Best Restaurants. The June episode is titled “It’s Not All Greek to Me! By George.” Search for the video on YouTube. “Our customers were absolutely thrilled, especially the day they came and did the production of the video,” said Ronalyn. “So many people have watched it, and we still get approached by people who say they have seen the video and loved it. We were definitely grateful.” Though neither of them had any experience running a restaurant, Ronalyn said that she thinks if you have enough determination, you can do anything you want. She also credits a lot of their success to their head chef, Kepich. “Jaime plays a big role in the restaurant,” said George. “He does a good job for us.” They feel their prices are reasonable and affordable, from their $12 burger to a $42 ribeye. Customers range from families to business people coming to the restaurant daily. Visit bygeorgeonthemon.com, facebook.com/ByGeorgeOnTheMon or instagram.com/_bygeorge_/ for more information. By George is located at 1 Monogahela St. in Monessen.

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Cj’s furniture offers unique furniture creations By Michele Gillis

CJ’s Furniture has been furnishing homes for over 90 years and its reputation for quality custom furniture helped it last all those years. That reputation is what drew customers Jaimie and Joe Amati’s interest in purchasing the business when the previous owner retired. “We had bought our furniture here and we knew the previous owner, Claudia, was going to retire soon,” said Jaimie. “I always thought it would be a good business to buy. I came in one day and asked her and she was ready to sell, so the timing worked out really well.” The store has furnishing for the living room, bedroom and dining room. In addition, it has décor, accessories, lighting, lamps, area rugs, carpets and wall art to help bring the rooms together. Deare Kametz, a customer at CJ’s Furniture said she visits the store for the exceptional customer service and high quality furniture. “I could not be happier with the two chairs I purchased,” said Kametz. “The furniture at CJ’s is unique and not something you find online or in department stores. The fabric choices are beautiful and I am so happy I chose CJ’s Furniture. I will never shop anywhere else.” Some notable vendors are Howard Miller grandfather clocks, Temple Furniture chairs, sofa and recliners and Marshfield Furniture and upholstery line. After the Amati’s purchased CJ’s Furniture in 2021, they quickly brought the company into the 21st century by creating a website and Facebook page and updating payment options to include credit cards. “You can’t order on the website, but you can browse all of our products and our vendors on there,” said Jaimie. Within the store, they began modernizing the furniture styles, carrying fabrics that customers can order, offering free delivery and updating the windows to refresh the look of the store.

Jaimie said CJ’s Furniture was the last furniture store still around that offered custom-made furniture and that really appealed to them. “CJ’s Furniture was the last one that had custom furniture and all the options the others used to have and we were happy to keep it open,” said Jaimie. “The quality is so much better than some of the big box stores have.” All of the furniture and upholstery is made in America and the furniture pieces are made as they order them. “They are not mass produced,” said Jaimie. “You can design your own pieces from the top to the bottom including the legs, arms, back or skirt size. Basically anything you want, we will do. If a customer wants a couch two inches higher than what they are sitting in, we can make that happen.” Another change they have made was to offer a more affordable line of furniture that offers a lower price point. “It is still custom and still made in this country, but at a more affordable price point,” said Jaimie. In addition to customizing the sizes, they can also customize the wood finishes and the fabrics on the furniture to whatever the customer wants. “Not a lot of people do this, but we do a lot of dual fabric on pieces,” said Jaimie. “Maybe the back is a striped pattern and the seats are a solid pattern. You can have a little more fun with how you apply the fabric on the upholstered pieces. Some people like that and some people don’t.” If a customer comes in and they aren’t sure how the furniture will look in their home, they can request an in-home consultation. “We will bring pieces from the store and vendors to their home to determine if they want an end table that is 24 inches or 20 inches,” said Jaimie. “We will bring a few different pieces out to try out in the space. Some people just need to see the pieces in their home to make a decision. So we help them try a few different things out before buying or ordering, which is not something most of the other stores do.” Another service they offer is that they will remove pieces that customers might need to get rid of when getting their new furniture.

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Joe and Jaimie Amati are the owners of CJ’s Furniture.

“They are very nice to work with,” said Lynn Rauch. “They are extremely helpful and the quality of furniture is excellent. I would highly recommend CJ’s Furniture.” Jaimie said that business has definitely grown since they took it over and made the new innovative changes. Visit www.cjsfurniture.com or their Facebook page www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100054561723831 for more information. CJ’s Furniture is located at 142 West Main Street in Monongahela

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Annual Christmas Awards GALA Outstanding Business Development

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Dr. Ed Zelich Charleroi Area School District Superintendent

Three Mon Valley Businesses are set to be honored along with Superintendent of Charleroi, Dr. Ed Zelich, at the 2023 MVRCC “Celebrate the Season of Business” Annual Christmas Awards Gala. The celebration will be held on December 1, 2023, at Nemacolin Country Club located in Beasville. A brief awards ceremony will be held during the celebration to present the awardees “This event is by far one of our favorites because it celebrates our members,” Spada remarked, “After all, they are the whole reason the chamber exists.” The 2023 Outstanding Business Development Award will be presented to George and Ronalyn Apodiakos, owners of By George. This award is given to a business that has successfully expanded its product line and shown significant growth. The 2023 Excellence in Business Award will be awarded to Karen Kosh, owner of Studio K Salon and Spa. This award recognizes a business that continually and consistently provides outstanding products and services as well as demonstrates longevity operating over 20 years. The 2023 Regional Service Award goes to His Place Coffee and More. This award is given to a nonprofit business that enriches our community with the services they provide. The top honor of the night will go to Dr. Ed Zelich the recipient of the “Shining Star” Award. Dr. Zelich is the current Superintendent of the Charleroi Area School District. This award is presented to an individual who displays outstanding personal and professional attributes and who shows a commitment to his/her vocation and promotes the Mid-Mon Valley community at large. If you are interested in attending please contact the chamber by November 27, 2023. Tickets are $50.

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Ribbon Cutting RIVER HOUSE CAFE L to R: Mindy Kalinowski, Rick Kalinowski(owner), Brittany Lemon, Jimmy Lemon(Owner), Nick Sebold (owner) and Dea Sebold.

The chamber was honored to be a part of the celebration during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at The River House Cafe commencing the new ownership of the long-time establishment. We were so excited to be a part of the celebration last week at River House Cafe as the new owners embarked on this venture. Jimmy Lemon, Nick Sebold, and Rick Kalinowski are now the new joint owners of the River House and are anxious to get started serving our community. The new owners have been a part of the River House establishment for a long time and can’t wait to continue bringing the wonderful food, service, and atmosphere that the River House is known for. Stop in and say Hello to the new owners!

FRICK FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION (L-R)David Brescoach (VP of Lending), Lindsay Moore (VP of Operations), Cory Grandel (Board Member), I’m not sure who the man here is, Dan Komacek (CEO/President), Gary Loomis (Board Member), John Yates (Board Member) and Harry Springer (Board Member).

Congratulations Frick Financial Credit Union on your new location at 141 Pennsylvania Avenue in Charleroi. Thank you for including us in your celebration. Please stop in, say hello, and check out the beautiful inside, complete with a purple floor! Wishing you much success in your new location!

Natalie Raitano

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Courtesy of Elizabeth Huffman Elizabeth Huffman 18 | N O V E M B ER 24, 2 0 23 | M O N VA L L E Y M AG A Z I N E

Impresario striving to bring live theater to Mon Valley By Dave Zuchowski

Elizabeth Huffman’s experience with the world of the- theater, the Grand Theater in Elizabeth, the Harold Betters ater began early. Band Shell and the Edwin S. Potter Theater in an old school At age 6, while in first grade, she took on the role of the Nar- in Connellsville. rator in Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Ugly Duckling.” She’s even exploring the possibility of staging the plays in The experience made such a positive impact on her that it the theater at her old alma mater, Ringgold High School, “sealed her fate” and her desire to become a performer. The after it’s completely renovated. Dramatic works she plans now seasoned actress, director, playwright and teacher has to produce include American classics, comedies, contemmade theater a lifelong career that has taken her all over the porary retellings of classic plays, plays from around the country and the globe. world and Shakespeare. Born and raised in New Eagle and now residing in Monon- She’s also toying with the idea of doing a devised play created gahela, Huffman’s international endeavors have recently tak- by PICT with multidisciplinary artists and finding “refugee en on a regional, and, more significantly to the residents of playwrights” from around the globe who want to tell their the Mon Valley, a local emphasis. stories in dramatic form. However, she’s not going to proOn the heels of taking over as artistic director this past Feb- duce plays locally independent of PICT. ruary of Pittsburgh International Classic Theatre in Pittsburgh, she and a committee of residents from Monessen, New Eagle, Belle Vernon, Monongahela and Connellsville are committed to bringing live theater to the greater Mon Valley. “As we proceed, the committee is ever-growing,” she said. “I see our area as under-served as far as theater goes, and many residents don’t like to drive to Pittsburgh to see live productions. But there is a demand for and an interest in theater in the Valley, judging by the number of people who pack theaters for local high school productions.” Currently, Huffman is taking the current year to raise money for the recently dormant PICT theater so she can hire staff and start production. To this end, she and her board are applying for grants and soliciting support from individuals, businesses and corporations with a goal of raising $500,000. Once PICT resumes staging plays, hopefully as many as four a year, she hopes to bring them to venues in the Mon Valley. Packing the production’s costumes, set, props and lighting into a vehicle large enough to hold everything, she likes to perform the plays at venues like churches and warehouses. Sites she’s already scouted out as possible places for production include the Monessen City Park AmphiDave Zuchowski/for the Observer-Reporter Elizabeth Huffman in Monessen Park, where she would like to stage outdoor Shakespearean plays N O V E M B E R 24, 2 0 23 | M O N VA L L E Y M A G A Z I N E | 19

Dave Zuchowski/for the Observer-Reporter Elizabeth Huffman at the theater in Monessen Park

“I’m interested in telling stories that are relevant to who we This October, she’s flying to Kuwait to teach two week-long are today,” she said. “It’s going to be a unique company, and workshops in a fine arts school, one on Greek chorus and one titled Behind the Mask: Acting without Words. She’s we’re moving forward as best we can.” then flying to Cairo to speak to directing and acting students Huffman hopes to raise $75,000 to implement her plan in at the American University in the Egyptian capital. the Mon Valley with a team looking for support from individuals, businesses and corporations. She feels that five or six She’ll end her month in San Francisco as a speaker repreMon Valley boroughs can raise the needed funds and that senting PICT at the Middle Eastern North African Theatre Makers Association convention. once the community sees her work, they will support it. “Bringing live theater to the area in which I was born and As an actress, her most recent roles were Claree in “Steel Magnolias” at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre this past searaised has been an idea I’ve had all my life,” she said. son and her solo show, “Not My Revolution” at Carnegie After graduating from Ringgold High School, Huffman Stage in 2021. studied theater arts at California University of Pennsylvania, now Pennsylvania Western University. Following an early Her last directing project was Amor Añejo, a bilingual Day of the Dead play she also wrote for Milagro Theatre move to New York City, she co-created The Beacon Project in Portland in 2019. with colleague Stuart W. Howard, where the classical theater company focused on neglected classics alongside new works “The Mon Valley is where I come from, and it is where I now live, having returned after many years working on the West imbued with a strong use of poetic language. Coast and internationally,” she said. “I have a great love for Invited to act and direct with the prestigious Classical The- the entire area but especially for Monongahela. I respect the atre Lab, she left New York for Los Angeles, where she even- people, and I see progress happening all through the area.” tually became CTL’s artistic coordinator from 1997 to 2004. “I hope to be able to share my work as a professional theIn 2005, she formed her own classical theater company, atre artist with the community and bring our excellent edICAP, which was comprised of 40 actors from around the ucational programs to the high schools for the benefit of us world. For the next three years, the company performed in all,” she continues. “As one of my audience members from its home theater in Los Angeles and at European festivals. Monongahela said after seeing one of my plays: ‘Go see this. In 2009, Huffman served for two years as interim artistic Culture is cool!’ I love that.” director for the Classic Greek Theatre of Oregon. She also Those wanting to donate to further PICT Theatre’s endeavteaches Shakespeare and classical theater worldwide and ors can do so online at picttheatre.org or by check sent to offers online classes and coaching for actors in film, tele- Pittsburgh International Classic Theatre, P.O. Box 8168, vision and theater. Pittsburgh, PA 15217. 20 | N OV E M B ER 24, 2023 | M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E

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Vintage Beallsville building gets new life as

Fairway Florals

By Dave Zuchowski

Dave Zuchowski/for the Observer-Reporter Owners Nancy and Chris Vankirk stand in front of their shop, Fairway Florals

An unassuming building at the crest of Beallsville Hill seems Two years ago, he rented a small building in Richeyville to have had quite a past. across from the GetGo on Route 40 and called it the LitAs far as the current owner, Chris Vankirk of Scenery Hill, tle Shop Around the Corner. In the small, 700-square-foot knows, the nearly 100-year-old structure started as a cafe space, Nancy began making silk flower arrangements. When and gas station called the Nemacolin Inn. Through the the shop opened a week before Christmas in 2021, she sold years, it also served as an Amoco station and a hoagie and out of her inventory in seven days. pizza shop. For the past 20 years or so, it stood vacant until “That’s when I knew there was a market for what I Vankirk bought it in September 2023. do,” she said. Flashback to several years ago when Vankirk’s wife, Nancy, Soon, people started to ask for live flower arrangements retired after teaching school for 31 years. Chris saw that she in addition to her silk product. To hone her skills, she was getting bored with retirement and didn’t want her just to attended classes at the Pennsylvania Floral Academy in sit around on the couch wasting away. Pittsburgh, where she received a certificate in 2022. When Knowing his wife had been arranging flowers since the age Chris’s brother got married in the Poconos that same year, of 16, that she made her own prom bouquet and flowers for she made her first live wedding arrangements. “It proved to school and even taught floral arranging as an art activity in be a huge success,” she said. the after-school program, an idea popped into his head, For Valentine’s Day last year, she sold roses at a time when she “When I suggested she try her hand at professional floral didn’t have a cooler in her shop. Fortunately, the temperatures design, the sparkle in her eyes told me she truly embraced outside were low, and she sold 400 roses in a single day. the idea,” Chris said. By Valentine’s Day the following year, she’d purchased On left: a cooler from a florist in Greensburg, and her inventory Courtesy of Fairway Florals grew to include gift items and jewelry she bought from This 2022 Christmas display shows just how detailed Nancy Vankirk is with her decor and offerings. different companies and vendors. N OV E M B ER 24, 2023 | M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E | 25

“Some of the jewelry is handmade and one-of-a-kind,” Nancy said. As the business grew, Chris began looking for a larger space. He drove around looking for something more suitable to satisfy the needs of Nancy’s growing clientele. Then, he found a long-vacant building nestled up against the last fairway and green of Nemacolin Country Club along Route 40 in Beallsville. “It’s a great location for a flower shop with a great view of the lush green foliage,” Chris said. “I must have driven by it a thousand times but didn’t notice how beautiful it is until I looked out back.” When it came time to name the 80-by-60-foot shop with a view of the golf course, the couple settled on Fairway Florals. When it opened in September, it had Nancy’s uncle’s golf clubs mounted over the entranceway, along with the first of many golf balls she found on the property. Famous for her roses and twofers, arrangements set in a reusable mug or wreaths and wind chime combos, Nancy offers discounts to teachers, military and first responders. She said she has a one-stop shop where patrons can order flower arrangements, greeting cards and gift ideas for babies, birthdays and other gift baskets. Dave Zuchowski/for the Observer-Reporter A View of the class/conference room at Fairway Florals

Courtesy of Fairway Florals

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“I can work around people’s budgets and give them custom- “Considering the view in the back of the shop and the fact that Nancy can marry people and arrange for the flower ized products,” Nancy added. needs of her clients, we’re planning on constructing a new Richeyville resident Susan Stiner said she found Nancy on event venue that can hold up to 300 people,” Chris said. Facebook and has been very impressed with her arrangements. “I’ve been a regular ever since my first purchase,” she After Chris finishes the design work on the new facility, consaid. “Compared to other floral shops, she’s affordable, rea- struction should start sometime in the spring of 2024. In addition to providing a space for weddings, the new venue sonable and turns out a beautiful product.” will be able to host parties, banquets and other events and In a gorgeous back room with a view of the outdoors, Nan- provide for requested services such as catering, music, phocy offers classes on live arrangements and everything from tography, set up and tear down and, of course, flowers. bird cages, Christmas lanterns and vintage sled and ice For further information, phone 724-288-6721. skate decorations to the wreath, gnome, pumpkin topiary and witch hat classes. The classes range in price from $10 to $125, which includes lunch. Those 80 years and older get a discount, and children get half off on the class fee. The two-hour-long classes are offered on Wednesdays and Sundays. Because Nancy is an ordained wedding officiate, she can marry couples, and the shop’s conference room can be used for wedding consultations as well as for catered business meetings, ladies’ club meetings and families planning funeral arrangements. Courtesy of Fairway Florals Fairway Florals offers silk and live flower arrangements.

Courtesy of Fairway Florals Nancy Vankirk swaps out the displays seasonally, like this holiday display from last year.

Dave Zuchowski/for the Observer-Reporter Model Mikaela Hibbler of Richeyville showcases a wedding arrangement outside Fairway Florals N OV E M B ER 24, 2023 | M O N VA L L E Y M AGA ZI N E | 27

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