The Morgantown Magazine

October 2010

Your source for what’s happening in and around Greater Morgantown, West Virginia.

THE MORGANTOWN PLAY Dreams from a Shady Glen comes to the Metropolitan Theatre

What ’s Your Organization Style?

How did Cheat Lake get its name?

See and Be Seen!

The Morgantown Magazine info@themorgantownmagazine.com www.themorgantownmagazine.com

Oct

contents

20 10

IN EVERY ISSUE Page 6

Editor’s Corner

Page 8

Organization Tips from Julie

Page 10

Blogging to 50

Page 15

See & Be Seen

Page 16

Campus Connection

Page 19

Arts & Culture

Page 24

Kid’s Avenue

Page 34

Chamber of Commerce Events

Page 34

Locavore Guide

FEATURE STORIES Page 12

“The Morgantown Play”

Page 14

BookHolders

Page 19

Poetry on the Move

Page 20

All Squared Away

Page 22

Fun Things to Do With Your Kids!

Page 24

School Fundraiser

Page 30

Christian Help

Page 36

Cheat Lake...What’s In A Name

Send us your photos of Greater Morgantown!

We’d love to include your photos of the Greater Morgantown area throughout the magazine, possible future feature stories on your work or the subject, or featured on the cover.

Please include the name of the photographer, a brief description of the photo, and a sentence giving The Morgantown Magazine permission to

use the photo.

Submission is the 20th of every month. Please send photos to: info@themorgantownmagazine.com with the subject line Photo Submission.

On the Cover Photo submitted by Greg Romine ______________________ Scenic overlook at Coopers Rock. For full photo, see page 38.

Published by Fate Publishing 722 Brookhaven Road Morgantown WV 26508 Phone 304.212.4890 | Fax 304.212.4649 www.themorgantownmagazine.com

Editor Jessica Harner

Society Editor Bobbie Hawkins

Contributing Writers Kary Frey Bell Amanda Farley Jill Higgins Susan Lantz Toni Morris Dianne Tarantini Tamara Woods

Professional Writing Intern Amanda Farley

Contributing Photographers Vickie Trickett Greg Romine

Contributing Columnists Scott Emerson Julie Mills Toni Morris

Advertising Executives Elizabeth Bruner, Sr. Account Executive Whitley Hall

Graphics Editor Vickie Trickett

Send inquiries, letters to the editor, Spot

Manuscripts, story suggestions, photographs and calendar events for consideration should be submitted by the 20th of each month and emailed to info@themorgantownmagazine.com or mailed to 722 Brookhaven Road, Morgantown, WV 26508.

The Morgantown Magazine is an electronic magazine published by Fate Publishing.

Frequency: Quarterly with a supplemental Holiday issue. Advertising rates are available at www.themorgantownmagazine.com.

Celebrations Unlimited

Shop online from a full line of productions from Carlson Craft or let us design a custom invitation ensemble fitting your personal style.

Wedding & Event Planning | Decorating | Linen Rental

Call for a free consultation. 304.212.4890 www.celebrationsunlimited.cceasy.com

editor’s CORNER

October 2010

It’s that beautiful time of year once again; fall…. considered by most to be the best time ever to live in Morgantown. Not only is the scenery gorgeous, but the area is alive with the return of WVU students, Mountaineer football, fall festivals, and visitors who have come from all around to see the leaves change their colors.

Fall is also the prelude into colder weather and thus the beginning of indoor activities. What better way to start off the season than to get the inside of your home in order. Julie Mills, owner of All Squared Away, shares tips on how to get your home organized and winterized. In her column this fall, she offers advice on ways to recognize and utilize your personal organizational style. This is the first of a four part series so be sure to keep an eye out for more.

Jessica Harner

With outdoor play coming to a halt, the kids will be spending more time indoors. To help avoid the redundancy of television and video games we have compiled a list of fun activities and places to visit to pass the time during colder months. And considering all that quality time you’ll be spending in confined spaces with the kids, you might need some “grown-up time” to keep your sanity. Don’t worry, we have you covered there too; we’ve listed some exciting events that will make for an unforgettable date night.

And if it’s sheer entertainment you’re looking for then look no farther! Catch up on the hysterical, boisterous, and sometimes sentimental events in the life of Morgantown local Toni Morris as she Blogged her way to 50. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll question her sanity, but you will not fail to be amused!

Also, don’t miss the information in this edition on school fundraising! Our program offers a simple, no sales method to earn money for your school. Email Jessica or Vickie at info@themorgantownmagazine.com for more information.

We are so excited to bring you this edition of The Morgantown Magazine. The Greater Morgantown area is an amazing place to live at any age or stage in life, and therefore earns its own spotlight via this publication. We hope the community will support our efforts to grow this magazine and gain the positive attention Morgantown, West Virginia deserves.

We would love to hear from you! Your questions…your comments…your feedback…because this is YOUR magazine! Please email us, text us, Facebook us, or snail mail us. Whichever method works best for you. Tell us what you want to see featured in The Morgantown Magazine, we look forward to hearing from you!

Jessica

Big East Virtual Career Fair

Date

November 10, 2010

Time

10-5 EST *On demand until Nov 19th

Location

Anywhere with internet access

*On demand means recruiters may or may not be online, however you can still visit employer booths, view/apply for jobs, submit resume, and send recruiters messages

Students Welcome to the future of career fairs. You will have the opportunity to meet and interact with dozens of industry leading employers, but without ever having to leave home. Visit employers booths, view/apply for jobs, watch employer videos, chat with recruiters, submit your resume, and perhaps even secure a live video interview. Register today to secure your place in this ground-breaking event.

Employers Imagine being able to attend a career fair on all 16

schools of the Big East Career Consortium. Now imagine being able to attend those career fairs in just one day, and without having to spend a dime on travel. Unicruit and the Big East Career Consortium will bring thousands of students and alumni to you in our fully interactive, 3 dimensional virtual career fair. Each employer will have a fully customized virtual booth that will include video, job postings, chat, resume exchange and much more. Space is limited to the first 100 employers so act today to be a part of this revolutionary approach to recruiting.

http://www.bigeastcareerfair.com/

Discovering Your Organizing Style:

e n O Part

By Julie Mills

Are you creative or told that you were a daydreamer? You might be an “Innovator.” Do you surround yourself with loved ones and memorabilia of times spent with one another? You could certainly be a “Harmonizer.” Do you own and love your label maker? You my friend are a “Maintainer.” Or, are you all about business and the bottom line? “Prioritizers” rejoice!

Yes, you do have an Organizing Style all your own. In this four part series, you will learn the unique characteristics of each of the Four Organizing Styles as well as techniques to help you become more productive and better orga-

nized. No matter what your style is, the goal is to understand your natural preferences in order to create an environment that honors your style.

Let us begin the series with the Maintaining Style. Your motto is, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” The Maintaining Style is highly organized and detailed oriented with a profound respect for routine, order, and structure. As you may have guessed, your organizing style is vital to the success of others.

Because you value organization, people not only depend on your skill set, but they also desperately

need you. Get ready though…

Some people may think you are boring! Us? Boring? No way!

Your organizing style is habitual and routine-centered. You exercise on the same days, your keys and purse are dropped in the same spot daily, you pay bills before they are due, and you may even grocery shop on the same day each week. Your version of creativity is being organized.

I would bet the bank that you have checklists, forms, a calendar, and a beloved label maker as well as— they are your “right hand” and give you an overall sense of security.

Agh! The horror you experience

when you find out you have left your neatly written, well-organized grocery list at home! (Let’s not even talk about the frustration of forgotten coupons or cloth bags).

The Maintaining Style is resultsoriented constantly striving to get it all done in the most time efficient manner. Being, getting, and staying organized makes sense and comes naturally to you. When it comes to certain aspects in your life, you prefer function over form.

Simple and useful organizing tools and methods work best for you.

The key to your success is time management. Time management is really stress management. Take interruptions in stride because you have a difficult time responding when your structured environment becomes unraveled. If this is the case, build “buffers of flexibility” into your schedule and prepare for those unforeseen situations.

My advice to my fellow “Mountaineers” is to embrace at least one of the following: 1) Learn to do things in new ways, step outside of your box and let go—if only for a minute!

2) Learn how to delegate—make your expectations clear and trust in others.

3) Schedule some fun into your calendar!

Now that you’ve taken the time to read this, I am sure you will tackle your to-do list with fever and fury!

Happy Organizing! In the next issue we introduce you to the Harmonizing Style.

Article theme is based on the book, “Organizing for Your Brain Type,” by Lanna Nakone, M.A., St. Martin’s Griffin, New York, New York, 2005.

Julie Mills, author, consultant, and speaker is founder and owner of All Squared Away, a professional organizing company, based in Morgantown,WV. All Squared Away specializes in business and residential clients’ organizational dilemmas. Her unique services and presentations are highly sought after throughout the Mountain State. For more information, visit www.allsquaredaway.com, call #304-698-2929, or send email to jmills@allsquaredaway.com.

What a beautiful glorious day it was today.

The sun was shining and I worked out in the yard all afternoon. It was kind of sad because I spent the day pulling up my dead flowers. This is always a sign that winter is coming. Bummer!

I know I am getting older for many reasons, but one reason in particular is how much I have come to hate wearing bras. I hate everything about them, especially the price. The thing with buying a bra is that even if you try them on, you can’t truly judge them until you have worn them for a day or more.

Then, if they hurt you, which most of them do, you have already worn it so you can’t take it back.

The other thing I hate about them is the fact that most of them have wires. They make them without wires but it is extremely difficult to find them in the big-girl size without them. Or they are just plain ugly!

Have you ever looked at a bra in the big cup sizes.

They look like boxing gloves. Huge ugly padded contraptions.

If you are lucky and can find them without wires, after wearing them all day they start to fold under the weight of the “girls.” After about eight hours I start to have fantasies about getting home to take it off.

Sometimes, I can’t make it home. I do it in my office and then shove the monstrosity into my purse or under my coat so people won’t think I am crazy. Or I do it while I am sitting in traffic. I am so amazingly good at getting it off without exposing myself that I can do it right in front of someone and they don’t even know I did it. It is truly and ah ha moment.

I remember being a young girl living with my granny and the first thing she did when she walked through the door after work was take off the breast restraints and put on this little housedress. Dear lord, if I start buying those ugly dresses just shoot me!

But, I can totally relate to the bra thing. I live for the moment to take it off.

Having large breasts is not what it is all cracked up to be. It is difficult to find button down shirts that don’t gap at the breast. There is nothing more unattractive then having on a really nice blouse with a big pull right in the middle of the shirt.

I have some of those tops with built in bras, but by the end of the day I can’t wait to lose it either. The elastic makes me nuts.

So, I realized that it not the bras that I hate but the gravity of the girls pulling on it all day. I need a boob lift! Yes, they do have a procedure that does that.

The details are too scary to even think about. They actually take off the nipples— ouch! I think not!

So the question remains, what can I do to be more comfortable. These are items I have to live with and I am not going to be able to go without. I am all for women’s lib, but going braless while working just doesn’t seem appropriate.

Ah hell, I guess I must remain strapped in for life. I am praying for a new procedure to lift the “girls” back up without undergoing major surgery.

Sorry guys for all of the gory details, but I need to solicit an invention. Somebody please invent something that is not a bra. We can call it “Boobs Up” a woman’s best friend!

By Toni Morris from Blogging My Way to 50, Fall 2009

The High School Grid Iron

The MORGAN

Dreams from a

By Amanda Farley “The Morgantown Play or Dreams from a Shady Glen” was written by Morgantown resdient and retired West Virginia University English professor, Dr. William “Bill” French.

The play was not written to tell the history of Morgantown, but rather to show moments in Morgantown history. These moments, such as the Decker family story, the Civil War, and other moments from the 20th Century, are shown set to music from the relevant time period.

Tickets: $13 Adults | $11 Seniors | $8 Students Ticket Outlets: Monongalia Arts Center (MAC), Slight Indulgence (Collins Ferry Road), and online at www.mtpocketstheatre.com.

Reservations can be made online or by calling 304.284.0049.

The Metropolitan Theatre is located at 369 HIgh Street, Morgantown, WV.

NTOWN Play

a Shady Glen This play will be performed at the Historic Metropolitan Theatre in Downtown Morgantown between November 10th and 13th.

These elements combined are perfect timing to go along with West Virginia Universitys Mountaineer Week.

One aspect of Morgantown that Dr. French loves is its beauty. He writes, “True beauty is soulstirring and illuminating; it activates the human spirit, so its a creative attribute. True beauty inspires; it may inspire determination, wonder, awe, grief, sadness, joy. Beauty affords insight into reality; it accounts for the realities of our lives and helps us to understand and accept and live with those realities.

“The Morgantown Play” is certain to be beauty in action.

Directed by Toni Morris

November 10, 11, 12 & 13 8 p.m. Curtain

Starring Dani Bohnke, Christie Brooks, Josh Brooks, Jim Connelly, Patrick Conner, Jay Creamer, Joanna Fritz, Alana Gillenwater, Joseph Girgis, Angela Kauffman, Brenda Landis, Kristen McCabe, Butch Neil, Jeffery Neil, Raquel Nethken, Egemen Orgetim, Amanda Strippel, Ty Tennant, Tracey, Turner, Cindy Ulrich, Walt Urich, Cliff Wilson, Bobby Wolfe and Jay Yokochi.

By: Kara Frey Bell

BookHolders, on the surface, sounds just like any other college bookstore. You can buy books there and sell books there. You can walk out of the store with cash in your hand for your college textbooks that you don’t need anymore. They claim to take less of a commission for the textbooks, therefore giving them to you cheaper. In my investigations, this has held to be true.

For example, a used French 101 book from Barnes and Noble at WVU will cost you $130.75. That exact same textbook at The Book Exchange in Evansdale will cost you $117.30. The French 101 textbook for the fall term at BookHolders? Lowest price is $82.38, in excellent condition. This is saving you at least $34. Other than this serious difference in price, what really makes them different is their Advantage Program and their offer of notes for certain classes you take.

The Advantage program is kind of like a consignment shop for your textbooks. They will take your textbook and try everything they can to get it sold to another customer, and then you get a check in the mail. The great thing about this service is that you can personally set and adjust the price of your textbooks. You can set a price higher if you need more money, lower if you don’t really need much money. It may take your book longer to sell if you price it higher, but that is your perogative. If you want them to price it, it goes for the average price of that textbook. If your book doesn’t sell, you can cash it in for money from them. If you have an older version

of a textbook that isn’t being used at WVU anymore, take it and sell it to them anyway. They sell books all over the U.S., but they also ship overseas. The U.K, Japan, and Italy are just a few places they ship to. In this respect, BookHolders are just what they claim to be, book holders.

notes don’t cover. Classes before Fall 2010 or Student Notes are $4.95 a semester. If they are published Fall 2010, they range from $2.49 a day to $26.95 for the whole semester. Midterm and Exam notes are also offered. If you have to miss a day or two, just buy notes from the day you missed!

They also offer on their website what they call Terp notes and Student Notes. Terp notes are professionally typed notes for class lectures. You can become a notetaker for BookHolders and generally make between $8-$20 a day. If you don’t want to become a notetaker for them this semester, you can sell them your old notes from last semester. The notes are offered for various lectures and classes. Some of them are free, but

BookHolders isn’t just the same old tired bookstore. They bring you something different.

you generally pay per semester or per day for the professional notes from your classes. They also offer Student notes, which are handwritten notes for the classes Terp

(Sources: www.bookholders.com, wvu.bncollege.com, bookexchangewv.com.)

BookHolders is located on University Ave. in Morgantown, WV. They also have stores in College Park and Towson, MD, Richmond and Blacksburg, VA, and Tampa, FL. They can also be found at www. bookholders.com.

Morgantown is a great place to live. Not only do we live in a location with a thriving economy, but we also experience an incredible quality of life.

A new addition is “See and Be Seen”.

A modern day society page, this column will highlight activities that are planned, as well as feature photos and stories from recent social activities.

By Bobbie Hawkins

“Top 10 Places to ‘See and Be Seen’ in Morgantown” 1.

Monongalia General Foundation “Ball of the Year” – November 6

2.

WVU Homecoming Parade – October 22

3.

United Way “Al Buterol and the Inhalers Concert” – October 15

4.

Betty Puskar Breast Cancer Fashion Show – October 25

5.

Mountain Stage Concert at Creative Arts Center – November 7

6.

Morgantown Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours

Morgantown Events Center – October 20

7.

Election Day – November 2

8.

Children’s Halloween Costume Shopping at Pinocchio’s on High Street 9.

Attending the WVU Men’s Basketball Season Opener

10.

Purchasing a ticket for the Saint Jude Dream Home Give Away

Campus C Photo by Greg Romine | www.gregrominephotography.com On February 7, 1867, the West Virginia legislature established the Agricultural College of West Virginia in Morgantown and accepted the gift of the grounds and buildings from the trustees of the Monongalia Academy—along with $10,000 in cash from the assets of the two schools.

The legislature created a board of visitors to oversee the new college, and the board hired Reverend Alexander Martin as its first president. In 1968 Martin convinced the legislature to change the name of the college to West Virginia University to reflect a broader range of instruction.

The first classes met in the Monongalia Academy’s building downtown. The Woodburn Female Seminary building housed approximately 30 students as well as several faculty

Connect ion members, which included President Martin during the first two years of his presidency. The downtown property was sold and the proceeds were used to build University Hall in 1870, which was later renamed Preparatory Hall and then Martin Hall, in memory of the University’s first president.

In January 1873, a fire burned down the Woodburn Seminary building. To replace it, the state legislature immediately contracted with Klives, Kraft & Co. of Wheeling to build New Hall.

The center portion of what is now Woodburn Hall was completed in 1876. The interior walls were completed and furniture was purchased in 1878, and the University library moved into the new building, then known as the University Building.

During the years that followed, nearly every academic discipline was taught in Woodburn, including engineering, journalism, law, medicine, and music. Woodburn also became home to numerous student activities, including the Athenaeum and the Cadet Corps. Commencement took place in the third floor auditorium until 1890, and the University’s early agricultural program amounted to whatever planting could be done by students in the field that is now the green space of Woodburn Circle.

Women entered WVU and attended classes in Woodburn Hall for the first time in 1889, just six years prior to the establishment of the College of Arts and Sciences. The new college brought several of WVU’s finest and most-revered faculty members to teach in Woodburn Hall at the beginning of the 20th century.

Men like Daniel Boardman Purinton, a philosopher; James Morton Callahan, a historian and political scientist; and Friend E. Clark, a chemist, were among the early names linked to the arts and sciences and Woodburn Hall. Just a few years later they were joined by Oliver Perry Chitwood, in history; Jasper Newton Deahl, a professor of Latin; and the eminent mathematician John Eiesland.

Today, Woodburn Hall remains the primary site where students take courses in arts and sciences—political science, history and anthropology, among many others.

An excerpt from “Woodburn WVU’s Historic Centerpiece”

by A. Mark Dalessandro.

http://www.ia.wvu.edu/~magazine/issues/fall2001/htmlfiles/woodburn.html

Photo by Greg Romine | www.gregrominephotography.com

November 2010

ELECTION

Don’t forget to vote on November 2!

Arts & Culture

call for submissions to the region’s authors; poetry reflecting transit or capturing the spirit of West

But perhaps the most enthusiastic response came from the poets themselves, who found a new forum in which to display their writing. “I’ve long felt that public bus systems are a dear friend to poets, writers, and artists of all kinds,” says Morgantown Poets co-founder Ted Webb. His poem “Star Bus” was among Poetry on the Move’s first selections. “When you really think about it, poetry in the city’s buses is an amazing, beautiful thing, like watching a flower bloom in the springtime.”

Virginia were on the order. Chosen poems were specially illustrated with eye-catching artwork by Sean Conroy and placed on car cards inside the buses. (The first set of poetry cards can be found on Mountain Line‘s web site, www.busride.org, under the Poetry on the Move link.) The first incarnation of Poetry on the Move rolled onto the streets of Morgantown in March 2010 to immediate and positive feedback.

Spurred by the project’s success, Mountain Line released the second edition of Poetry on the Move on August 15. Backed by the sponsorship of the Mountain People’s Coop, who funded the printing of the new poetry cards, it featured work by local authors Sarah B. Robinson, Daniel McTaggart, and Elizabeth Savage, among others, as well as fourth-graders from Woodburn Elementary. (The complete roster of new poems can also be found on Mountain Line’s web site.)

“From public venues staging full-blown, professional theatrical productions to private galleries and intimate club settings, the Greater Morgantown Area’s arts community’s reputation for presenting the liveliest performing and visual arts is well-earned.”

CVB Visitor’s Guide

By Scott Emerson Catch a ride on a Mountain Line Transit bus this fall and you’ll not only be treated to the many sights Morgantown has to offer, but you’ll steal a glimpse into the hearts and imaginations of its residents as well.

The bus line is showcasing the talents of local wordsmiths as part of a unique community-arts program called Poetry on the Move.

The premise is simple: Mountain Line passengers can view poetry and artwork provided inside the buses, poems that celebrate a spirit of both city- and state-wide community.

Inspiration for the project came in the fall of 2009 when Mountain Line acquired its first set of Gillig buses, city-style buses that were capable of holding car cards. Rather than dedicate these placards to ads, as is the norm, the transit company saw an opportunity to do something different while connecting with the area’s creative talent. Marketing O f f i c e r Maria Smith says, “We t h o u g h t [Poetry on the Move] would be a great way for Mountain Line to work with people in the community and most of all to provide on-board enjoyable reading to our riders.” With the local literary group Morgantown Poets helping to spread the word, Mountain Line sent out a

Virginia Division of Public Transit, who praised the program.

“From the riders’ perspective they are appreciate to having something on the buses to read outside of advertising,” Smith says. (Though the car cards are a revenuegenerating space, and the transit company is actively s e e k i n g advertisers, Mountain Line maintains its commitment to area artists by expecting to always keep space available for poetry cards.) Smith also says Poetry on the Move caught the attention of the Director of West

And much like the Mountain Line buses themselves, Poetry on the Move is quickly gaining momentum. The project will soon be seeking entries for its third edition; visit www.busride. org for updates. You can also follow Mountain Line on Facebook and Twitter.

With the talented resources of West Virginia available, Mountain Line Transit should easily be able to keep poetry in motion in Morgantown well into the future.

Scott Emerson currently serves as facilitator for Morgantown Poets. His work has appeared in Everyday Weirdness, Scifaikuest, and Fear Zone. Visit him online at www.scottemerson.wordpress.com.

By Kara Frey Bell

All Squared Away, based out of Morgantown, WV, is a business that will not only organize your home or office; they just may improve your outlook on life. You may need help organizing the files and paperwork in your desk at work or it may be your children’s rooms at home. You may need their image consulting service to start looking more professional for a job interview. Whatever the issue, Julie Mills and her team at All Squared Away are there to help.

Julie offers time management services as well, acting as a personal assistant to you if needed.

The professional organization business is a fairly unique business. The National Organization of Professional Organizers (NAPO) lists about 4,200 in the entire country and Julie is the only member of NAPO within 25 miles of Morgantown.

In talking more to Julie about what started her in the business of being a professional organizer, I found a passion there that doesn’t exist in most people. This was a

dream of hers long before it happened. She saw a television show in that showed the life of a professional organizer. Julie thought “Someday I am going to open that business!” and in 2006, she made her dream a reality.

With hard work and dedication, she began a successful business aiming to organize your home, your office, and yourself. She runs the majority of her business single-handedly, working from home a lot of the time.

There is no one way to get or stay organized. In a session lasting 3-4 hours, Julie Mills and her team can execute a way to make your home or office work the best for you.

They are experts in dealing with all types of disorganization, from the Chronically Disorganized (CD) to the Situationally Disorganized.

Being chronically disorganized means that you have been disorganized for a very long period of time and that you need to make lifestyle changes in order to be organized. Situational disorganization will happen when you’ve

just fallen behind and need caught back up. Julie and her team work with people of all ages from all backgrounds. Julie says her team is “non-judgmental—we truly want to help the client regain their time, money, and energy.” It’s amazing what being organized can do for your life. Client testimonials on www.allsquaredaway.com can tell you the real stories!

The bottom line is that we all fall behind and we all get disorganized at one time or another. Julie and her team at All Squared Away can help you get back on track.

Check out Julie Mills’ column on page 8 and watch for more organizaiotn tips in future issues!

A Few

Fun Things to

By Susan Jennings Lantz

Up until about 7 years ago, I wasn’t much interested in activities available for children in the Morgantown area.

I didn’t have any kids at the time, and frankly found them to be loud, noisy, sticky, and not well controlled by their parents. I didn’t much want to spend time around them, eat near them, or hang out with them. My attitude changed completely when, 6 years ago my loud, noisy, sticky, and rambunctious twin sons were born.

As much as I adore my children, deep down inside, I know that not everyone else is as enlightened to their charms as I am. Furthermore, my kids are bored silly by many “grown up activities” that I used to take for granted. At any rate, if spending time doing fun things with my children is my goal, I sure am in the right town, as Morgantown offers a plethora of wonderful,thoughtful outlets for my family’s energy and creativity.

The Morgantown Public Library Last year my kids and I celebrated the opening of the film adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are” with a party hosted by the Morgantown

Morga

Public Library. We visited various stations where the kids made monster crafts, walked in monster shoes, ate monster food, drew pictures, played games,and participated in a “Wild Rumpus.” Other special events we have attended there have been imaginative, creative, and just plain fun. . . including “Superhero Day” (my kids went dressed as Batman and Superman) and the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving where we watched the film and ate the same food featured in the animated special.

Although my sons weren’t too interested in their “American Doll Christmas Party” and the “Adventures with Madeline,” I know a lot of little girls who were thrilled to participate!

For a list of upcoming events at the library (including their ongoing story hour), check out the web at: http:// morgantown.lib.wv.us/ programs.html#Pirate. At my house we are already getting our costumes ready for Pirate Day on October 30!

Morgantown Kids Day Once a year the city of Morgantown closes down High Street, and celebrates the most junior citizens of our

community.

The list of activities is endless.

The are b o u n c y h o u s e s , shaved ice, k a r a t e d e m o n strations, recycling lessons, art activities, spraying fire hydrants, balloon animals, beanbag tosses, bands, fishing for prizes, popcorn, clowns, face painting, films, art shows, and much much more. Best of all, it is all FREE! Check out the list of activities from 2010 at: http:// morgantownevents.org/kidsday.html

Want to take the whole family out to eat, but you don’t want everyone to glare at you as your kids talk loudly, run around the restaurant, and play with everything on the table? Try the laid back atmosphere of Black Bear on Pleasant Street in Down town Morgantown.

They feature

do with Your

Kids in

antown “Burritos of all Ethnic Cuisines,” live music, and toys on the table for kids to play with. Not only is the food tasty, but kids six and under eat for free from a menu that will actually appeal to your pre-schooler. (Think food like peanut butter roll-ups and kid quesadillas. . . and not one chicken nugget on the list!)

Check out the menu and music events at: http://www.blackbearburritos.com/index.html

the same Batman and Superman costumes they wore to the public library. They came home loaded down with age appropriate comic books and free a group of five year old boys Green Lantern rings. It doesn’t’ under control in a ceramics get any better than that! They studio knows what they are are located at 314 High Street in doing! They even have summer Downtown Morgantown. programs. Hours and programs are available here: http://wowPinocchio’s factoryonline.com/

Books and Toys

Want to hit the toy store with your kid run by people who actually care about children?

Check out this Morgantown institution located a few feet away from Gary’s Comics and More at 322 High Street. They have trains, puppets, science kits, goofy buttons and pretty much anything a creative child could want. They also have an impressive collection of Although comics aren’t just for children’s books in the back. If kids any more, if you have a kid you are in the market for fart who is into comics of any age, putty, finger cuffs, a copy of this is the place to take them. Little House on the Prarie, or The store is clean and the staff is just a unique, imaginative, and friendly. If you have questions creative toy, this is the spot. about what comic books are (They deliver balloon bouquets, appropriate for what ages, too!) they can steer you in the right direction. They also have a “Comics for Kids” section that is appropriate for young readers. My six year olds love it.

Each year they have participated in “Free Comic Book Day” and distributed thousands of free comic books. Last year my children attended wearing

Gary’s Comics and More

Do you have a budding Picasso in your home? Is your child interested in working with clay, or making her very own piece of art ? Then head over to the WOW Factory in Star City!

The staff there will assist you with selecting and painting your own pottery, fusing glass, and creating mosaics. They take drop-ins and do birthday parties. My sons have really enjoyed the ones they attended . . .and any group that can keep

Hey Kids!

Help your class win $250!

Submit your original drawing to The Morgantown Magazine by December 20.

Drawings will be published in the January issue for voting by friends and readers.

The artist of the drawing that receives the most votes will win a book store gift card, theatre tickets, or some thing fun!

The winning artist’s class will receive $250 to use at the teacher’s discretion!

Entry requirements: Hand-drawn, painted or colored by a child age 6 to 12 attending a school in Monongalia County.

Include the child’s name, parent contact information, school attending and teacher’s name.

To submit an entry, email to info@themorgantownmagazine.com or mail to The Morgantown Magazine c/o 722 Brookhaven Road Morgantown WV 26508 Only the child’s first name will be published with the artwork.

Voting will remain open until March 20, 2011.

Trick-or-treat in Morgantown will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on October 31.

Let’s Trick or Treat in Downtown Morgantown!

October 28, 2010 Spend a “spooktacular” evening with the family as hundreds of little ghosts, goblins and fairies invade downtown Morgantown.

Registration is FREE and is from 5:30-6:00 p.m. at the Metropolitan Theatre on High Street.

A map of participating vendors will be provided.

At 7:30 p.m. head back to the Metropolitan Theatre for a discounted presentation of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” performed by the WVU Division of Theatre and Dance.

Tickets available on October 28th at the door only!

Children 17 and under FREE with paying adult (Adult ticket is $20).

Show recommended for children ages 10 and older.

Held every October and coordinated by Americans for the Arts, NAHM is the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. We should celebrate the arts every day but October is an opportunity to celebrate in a big way and connect with other individuals and communities around the country.

Submitted by Carter Wolfe, age 7.

It takes the dedication of outstanding health professionals, breadth of services, advanced technology – and vision.

WVU Children’s Hospital is a large community of professionals devoted to providing the finest possible pediatric patient care, education and research.

www.wvukids.com

WVU Children’s Hospital is proud to be a member of the Children’s Miracle Network.

CMN is a group of 170 non-profit children’s hospitals that provide premium care, highquality research and excellent community outreach programs to help millions of children who have diseases or injuries.

Nine Simple Ways Parents Can Get More Art in Their Kids’ Lives 1. Enjoy the arts together. Sing, play music, read a book, dance, or draw with your child at home.

2. Encourage your child to participate in the arts and celebrate their participation in or out of school.

3. Explore the library and read “the classics” together—from Mother Goose to Walt Whitman.

4. Read your the newspaper to find out about attending local arts events like museum exhibits, local plays, festivals, or outdoor concerts.

5. Tell your child’s teacher, principal, and school leadership that the arts are vital to your child’s success and an important part of a quality education. Find out if your school has sufficient resources for arts education, including qualified teachers and materials. If not, offer to help.

6. Contact your local arts organizations to inquire about the arts education programs they offer either during school hours or after school. Volunteer to donate time, supplies, or help with their advocacy efforts and connect these services to your child’s school.

7. Attend a school board or PTA meeting and voice your support for the arts to show them you care and make sure the arts are adequately funded as part of the core curriculum in the school budget.

8. Explore your child’s dream to sing, to dance, to draw, to act—and encourage them to become the best they can be through the arts.

9. Be an arts supporter! Contact your elected officials—lawmakers and school board members—to ask them for more arts education funding from the local, state, and federal levels.

RETURNING IN 2011 Save the Date!

August 8 - 14, 2011

www.moncountyfair.org

Like French Fries to Salt. . .

By Diane Tarantini

I live to hear the words, “Can you fill a food order, please?” In my mind, I see myself going down into a lunge. Left knee touches the ground. Right arm comes back like I’m starting a lawn mower.

“Yesssss!”

I run up the stairs, two at a time, to the top floor. I stand in front of the shelves and fill old grocery bags with pasta, peanut butter, soup, and fruit cocktail. I can’t stop grinning ‘cause this makes me happy.

It was almost four years ago. I was headed to BB&T. I watched my feet on the sidewalk. “Step on a crack, break your mother’s back.”

After awhile, I looked up and instead of being in front of the bank, I was in front of a building that said loving in big letters and furniture in little letters.

I reckon it had something to do with Isaiah 58:7. It’d been on my mind for almost two years. “Share your food with the hungry. Clothe the naked.” Stuff like that. The words were a shish kebab skewer that poked me right under the ribs every time I heard or read them.

I’d been praying. Waiting.

Looking for a burning bush. All of a sudden, there it was. But it wasn’t burning, and it wasn’t a

bush. It was Christian Help, Incorporated, founded in 1975.

Every Tuesday, more often than not, I drive down Grand Street to town. To Christian Help. I look through the blue part of my windshield. “A parking spot right in front would be awesome, God.” Usually it’s there. Especially if my trunk is full.

I walk in the front door and say, “Howdy,” to whoever’s at the front desk. Used to be Glinda, before she had a stroke and went to assisted living. I always hugged her and whispered into her steelcolored curls, “Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?”

She’d cup one of my cheeks with her cool, dry hand and smile up at me. “Good to see you, girlie.”

I love ‘em. All the ladies. I’m going on year four of volunteering and they’ve put in twenty five or more. I work two to three hours a week. Some of them are there every day. They’re all in their seventies, at least. And Spud, who moved here from Jersey, to live with her daughter? She’s ninety something. Looks like a greyhaired Jack in a deck of cards.

There’s also Rose and Annie. Sis and Carol too. Ethel and Erlene

come on Tuesdays, like me. Glory hallelujah when Ethel brings one of her pound cakes. Thank you, Jesus when we have a pot luck lunch and Erlene brings her sauerkraut with little, tasty shreds of pork.

I love the shining, antique faces of the ladies. The way their eyes and teeth flash white when I spring through the doorway of the clothes sorting room. Their smiles say they’re as glad to see me as I am to see them.

I’ve seen staff come and go in four years. That’s the nature of Americorp Vista, usually paid a pittance, workers. But Cheryl, the executive director, has been there since before me. God bless her ‘cause running Christian Help requires managing chaos.

Reassessing the greatest need, the greatest good, Monday through Friday, plus the first Saturday of the month.

Cheryl’s radiant. Maybe she goes to a tanning booth. Or she could be part Native American. Just between you and me, I think it’s ‘cause she loves the Lord. Moses glowed when he came down from the mountain of God, you know.

I stopped asking the younger volunteers why they’re at Christian Help. Usually it’s ‘cause they were

in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now I just smile real big and say, “Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here.”

One time a handsome guy, who filled out his t-shirt sleeves, asked me why I volunteer at Christian Help. I’d been waiting for this. For the chance to give the reason for the hope I have. I had paragraphs prepared, but they evaporated. “’Cause I love Jesus.” My voice sounded tiny. He looked at me, head tilted. “Cool.”

To me, serving, volunteering, whatever you wanna call it, is like that line in the Jerry McGuire movie. It completes me. For years, I went to Bible study every Friday morning. Learned all kinds of neat stuff. But one day, someone’s opinion changed my life. “Bible study is all well and fine, but sooner or later, you have to start doing what Jesus told you to.”

I think serving is to life, what salt is to French fries. I understood that the first time I filled an emergency food order. It was a religious experience. Spud’s the unofficial queen of the food pantry, but she wasn’t there to hear me say, “I’m doing it. I’m feeding Jesus’ sheep.”

I sure hope I’ll still be driving down Grand Street to town, to Christian Help, for another couple decades. After that, much as I love to hear, “Can you fill a food order?” or, “Can you help someone with an interview outfit?” what I long to hear.

About Christian Help, Inc. Christian Help was founded in 1975 by concerned citizens of Monongalia County who recognized a need for meeting the immediate needs of the poor. For over 31 years, Christian Help has been providing essential services of free clothing, food and emergency financial assistance for all sorts of emergency needs to the poor of Monongalia, Preston and Marion counties,

Programs * Emergency Financial Assistance * Free Clothing Store * Food Pantry * Woman’s Career Clothing Closet * Working Men’s Closet * Furniture and Appliance Exchange For furniture or appliance donations, please call or email because limited space does not allow us to store these donations.

Instead, we match the person in need with the donor to make further arrangements for transport.

If needed, a volunteer from Christian Help, Inc. in the Morgantown area can be arranged to pick up some items.

To make a donation please call 304.296.0221 or e-mail ch_inc@labs.net * Affiliations

Locavor Children’s Miracle Network WVU Children’s Hospital PO Box 8200 (ROC 117) Morgantown, WV 26506-8200 304-598-4346 x 2 | Fax 304-598-4452 www.wvukids.com Stone Creations Retaining Walls, Redi-Rock Distributor Chad Hefner, Owner Morgantown, WV | 304-677-5505

Upcoming Events Candidate Forum Wednesday, October 27, 2010 South Middle School Morgantown, WV 7:00 p.m.

Featuring candidates of the WV Senate and House of Delegates Small Business Council Breakfast Tuesday, November 16, 2010 Lakeview Golf Resort & Spa Morgantown, WV Please contact the Chamber for more information - 304-292-3311.

SCHOOLS Cheat Lake Elementary School 154 Crosby Road, Morgantown, WV 26508 Telephone: 304-594-2772 Fax : 304-594-2283 Grades : PK-04 Cheat Lake Middle School 160 Crosby Road Morgantown, WV 26508 Telephone: 304-594-1165 Fax : 304-594-1677 Grades : 05-08 Easton Elementary School 2901 Point Marion Road Morgantown, WV 26505 Telephone: 304-291-9228 Fax : 304-284-9350 Grades : PK-04 Morgantown High School 109 Wilson Avenue Morgantown, WV 26501 Telephone: 304-291-9260 Fax : 304-291-9263 Grades : 09-12 Technical Education Center 1000 Mississippi Street Morgantown, WV 26501 Telephone: 304-291-9240 Fax : 304-291-9247

e Guide University High School 991 Price Street Morgantown, WV 26505 Telephone: 304-291-9270 Fax : 304-291-9248 Grades : 09-12 Alliance Christian School (Private) 200 Trinity Way Morgantown, WV 26505 Telephone: 304-291-4659 Covenant Christian School (Private) P.O. Box 342 Morgantown, WV 26507 Telephone: 304-292-6050 Monongalia County Fair Parade, August 2010 Maranatha Christian Academy (Private) 275 Canyon Road Morgantown, WV 26508 Telephone: 304-594-3717 Morgantown Learning Academy (Private) 123 Discovery Place Morgantown, WV 26508 Telephone: 304-296-9554 St. Francis Central Catholic School (Private) 41 Gutherie Lane Morgantown, WV 26505 Telephone: 304-291-5070 Trinity Christian School (Private) 200 Trinity Way Morgantown, WV 26505 Telephone: 304-291-4659

Visit www.themorgantownmagazine.com and sign up to receive an email when each issue is uploaded as well as advance notice of contests, surveys and special events sponsored by The Morgantown Magazine and Fate Publishing.

. . .

What’s in a Name?

C heat L ake

By Kara Fry Bell

Anyone who lives in or around Morgantown recognizes Cheat Lake as one of the wealthiest areas of Morgantown. But why is it called “Cheat” Lake?

This is what I set to find out. After much research, I discovered some history. Cheat Lake is a community that, according to www.wikipedia.org , has the fourth largest gross per capita income in West Virginia.

In this article, I will explore the origins of Cheat Lake itself, and a few theories about how Cheat Lake got its name.

Cheat Lake itself is a 13-mile long reservoir formed when the Cheat River Dam was created in 1925. The Cheat River is a tributary of the Monongahela River, and spans from Parsons, WV to Point Marion, PA. Cheat Lake was originally called Lake Lynn, but the Board of Geographic Names decided to officially change the name in 1976.

That area in Pennsylvania was first settled by the Lenape, also called the Deleware Indians, who gave the Cheat River the name of “Ach-hin-sa-nac” meaning Stony River. As European settlers came in, the name changed to the Cheal or Chealt River.

A popular theory is that the name Cheat came from a Native American or Frenchman named “Cheat” or “Chaet.” There is no documentation funding this theory.

It is also said the name may have come about because of an abundance of “cheat grass” on the banks of the river. According to www.invasive.org , “cheat grass” is generally found in Europe, parts of Africa, and Asia. It is characterized by leaves and shoots with short hairs and greenish, red or purple flower clusters. It is found in the U.S. generally on the West Coast, so what the settlers perceived as “cheat grass” probably wasn’t, as it needs open spaces to grow.

The most widely spread and popular theory on how Cheat River and ultimately Cheat Lake got its name is because the river is said to have deceptively deep eddys and pools that have cheated men out of their lives. There is no documentation on how many men have lost their lives on the river in boating or white water rafting accidents, but the most recent deaths were in May of this year. Vicki Jane Miller-Savard and Nicolas J. Herkun were two of the most recent white water rafters cheated out of their lives on the Cheat River.

Whether Cheat Lake is named for a European Settler, a plant that doesn’t grow here, or because the river cheats men out of their lives, we will never know.

However, we can all agree that the name is as unique as the community itself.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheat_River http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/19249039. html?storySection=story (3 die in whitewater rafting accidents) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheat_Lake http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deleware_Indian

Scenic Overlook at Coopers Rock Photographer: Greg Romine | www.gregrominephotography.com

Dents Run Covered Bridge in Monongalia County Photographer: Greg Romine | www.gregrominephotography.com

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722 Brookhaven Road | Morgantown, WV 26508 304.212.4890 | Fax 304.212.4649 info@themorgantown.com | www.themorgantownmagazine.com

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