West Allegheny to Host Gold Card Club Holiday Breakfast

PUBLISHER & EDITORS 

 

It seems that with each passing year, the landscape, the services, the infrastructure, and more, constantly changes. 

This year the community got news that the 911th air base might close. Then we learned that Moon Township resident 

Senator John Pippy was stepping down to move into the private sector after faithfully serving our community for 16 years. 

New developments cropped up on both the residential and commercial fronts. The Montour Trail added an extension to get 

bicylists to the airport, The Mall at Robinson turned ten, and Pittsburgh International Airport turned 20. The Pittsburgh 

Botanic Garden opened the Woodlands Trail this year and held a ribbon cutting. 

The election dominated the news both locally and nationally. 

As we get ready to wind down 2012 and prepare to bring in 2013, let’s remember that one thing is constant - change! We’re 

excited to see what changes will happen in our neighborhood in the year ahead. 

And, to all the local businesses that support us, thank you for supporting our family business. We are most grateful. 

Pat Jennette, Publisher & Editor 

 

 

 

 

People are in need year round. It just so happens that around the 

holidays, we tend to pay more attention to this fact. As a result, we 

here at the magazine participated in an event earlier this month hosted 

by the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce. We did so in 

order to bring attention to the West Allegheny Food Pantry. Not unlike 

a lot of area pantries, the WA Pantry has fallen on rough times as of late, and needs 

donations and non-perishables in order to continue feeding the roughly 200 families and 500 

individuals that depend upon it. Volunteer pantry coordinator Geri Hermann put out a call 

for help across the community, and we decided to respond. If you can help, please contact 

her at (724) 695-1305. 

The chamber event featured a number of local businesses in the area, with proceeds 

benefitting each sponsor business’ charitable causes. It was a cocktail-themed one, so each 

of us came up with a different drink recipe. Mine you can see pictured at left. It's finished 

with Maine Root’s Pumpkin Pie Soda, which is allied with FreeTrade, an organization that 

ensures organic farmers are compensated fairly. It's delicious alone, or as a mixer. There's a 

bunch sitting at Market District in Settler's Ridge right now. I encourage you to pick some 

up, and also to support your local food pantry. You won't be sorry you did either. 

Doug Hughey, Assistant Editor

“GOOD NEWS ALWAYS, MAILED & DELIVERED FREE, EVERY TIME” 

 

 

 

FEATURES 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIAL SECTIONS 

West Allegheny 

In our 

14th Year 

Serving Our 

Community! 

School District Newsletter 

Shop the Neighborhood 

Holiday Gift Guide 

LEFT TO RIGHT: Eleven-year-old Jamie 

Faith Sheppard has published her first 

book; retired West Allegheny teacher 

Dan Hanczar has produced his first CD. 

PHOTO OF JAMIE SHEPPARD SUBMITTED 

DAN HANCZAR PHOTO BY SARAH HUGHEY 

COLUMNS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT THE COVER 

West Allegheny High School senior 

Danielle Juzwick participated in the 

annual Powder Puff football game at 

West Allegheny High School which 

raises money for local charities. 

 

TO REACH US 

 

 

 

 

PUBLISHING TEAM 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OUR OTHER PUBLICATIONS 

 

 

 

MEMBER: 

MORE INFO

As with every issue, your community businesses are the reason for the publication of Allegheny West Magazine. Please support these businesses. Their 

support allows us to mail this magazine, free, into the households of Findlay, North Fayette, Oakdale, Sturgeon, and portions of McDonald 

as a community service.

The West Hills Symphonic Band, left, is a 70- 

member, pro/am ensemble providing quality music for 

45 years, offering opportunities for younger players 

to sit side by side with seasoned professionals and 

share their passion for playing and performing. 

Coming up: Sunday, December 9, “A Gala Holiday 

Celebration,” 3 p.m., West Allegheny High School, 

performing Christmas favorites and a surprise -- a 

real, live, Viennese New Year’s Eve celebration. 

The WHSB is a nonprofit, non-salaried organization, 

dependent upon donations from individuals and 

businesses in order to continue providing free 

concerts. To be a recognized patron, call Music 

Director Clem Rolin, (412) 788-4713 or visit the 

Web site, www.whsb.org. 

PHOTO SUBMITTED 

 

 

, Sundays, 

2:30-4:30 p.m., King’s Restaurant, 

Imperial, (724) 796-1603. 

 

first 

Tuesday monthly, 7 p.m., 

Findlay Township Municipal 

Building, Clinton, guest speakers 

monthly, (412) 860-4331. 

 

on a McDonald 

VFD fire truck, McDonald Trail 

Station, 2-5 p.m., Dave Nicksic, 

(724) 926-9438. 

 

35th 

anniversary production of this 

ballet involving 70+ dancers from 

many community dance schools, 

presented by the Carnegie 

Performing Arts Center, Andrew 

Carnegie Music Hall, Beechwood 

Avenue, Carnegie, 8 p.m. Friday 

and 2 p.m. Saturday, tickets at 

the door, $12 adults, $10 seniors 

and children, raffle and Chinese 

auction during intermission, 

(412) 279-8887, www.carnegie 

performingartscenter.com. 

 

 

, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 

p.m., Christy House Tea Room 

on Frederick Street in Sewickley, 

benefits women’s and children’s 

ministries, shop at Needles Eye 

and Earthly Treasures afterwards, 

(412) 741-1790. 

 

 

7 p.m. on Saturday, 2:30 p.m. 

on Sunday, presented by Karen 

Prunzik’s Broadway Performing 

Arts, Andrew Carnegie Music 

Hall, (412) 920-1841. 

 

 

, with Sounds of Pittsburgh 

Chorus and Sweet 

Adelines International. Women of 

all ages and skill levels interested 

in joining 25,000 women 

across the world in singing 

a cappella are encouraged to 

join. Contact Mary Ann, (412) 

279-8082, masember@mac.com. 

 

 

open rehearsals, 

Mondays, 7-9:30 p.m., unless 

otherwise noted. Women of all 

ages and skill levels interested in 

singing with an award-winning 

a capalla group are welcome to 

attend. Rehearses at Coraopolis 

United Methodist Church, (412) 

279-8082, masember@mac.com. 

, 

benefits Girl Scout Troop 

#51233, personalized and mailed 

to your family and friends, 

December 15 deadline, 

contact Kimberly Bailey, 

(724) 825-6111. 

 

, sponsored by 

Oakdale Fire Department and 

Moore’s Hardware, house with 

best exterior lighting wins a $25 

gift certificate to Moore’s 

Hardware. 

 

, a one-mile 

drive through holiday 

experience in Clinton Park, 

Findlay Township, 

thousands of lights and 

displays, daily through 

January 6, 2013, 5-10 p.m., 

$10/car, all proceeds benefit 

local charities, Route 30 

West, (724) 899-3602. 

RIGHT: The “famous” Santa 

returns once again to The Mall 

at Robinson for the holiday 

season. 


Trinity Jazz Orchestra presents 

 

featuring vocalist Adam Brock, 

American Idol Finalist 

Monday, December 17 at 7 p.m. 

The Rock Youth and Family Center 

150 State Street West Oakdale, Pa 15071 

More information at www.trinityjazz.com

North Fayette Activities Coming Up 

Donaldson Elementary School pool plays host to Silver Sneakers 

Splash on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. and Water Walking 

Monday through Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. Cost is $2 per session. 

BlueCross/BlueShield members can use their cards for Silver Sneakers 

Splash. 

The gym is open every morning from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. for people to 

walk and stay out of the colder weather. 

Senior Citizen Christmas Luncheon will be held on Thursday, 

December 22 at the Cornerstone at Tonidale starting at 11 a.m. Cost is 

$5. 

On Mondays, line dancing and fitness are at 9:30 a.m. and bingo is 

at noon. These programs are in conjunction with LifeSpan and are held 

at the community center. 

Community center rentals are available for the gym and community 

room starting at $50 for two hours. 

The P.A.L.S. program offers floor hockey in conjunction with the 

West Allegheny Inline Hockey Association during the month of January 

on Friday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the community center gym. 

Parks and Recreation is partnering with the Western Allegheny 

Community Library for a Parents Day Out on Saturday, December 8, 

from 2 to 6 p.m. For $10, parents can drop off their children for games, 

arts and crafts, fun, and a movie while they take time to Christmas shop, 

set up the house, or run other errands. 

Future Stars Floor Hockey starts on February 2, 2013 for 4, 5, and 

6-year-olds. The program teaches basic skills such as shooting and 

passing and provides some team play. Cost for the program is $25 with 

a jersey included. Time is 10 a.m. at the community center gym. Helmets 

are mandatory; other protective gear is recommended but not necessary. 

The program provides sticks. 

The township’s ice skating rink is set to open with help from the 

West Allegheny Hockey Association. The rink will be open for public 

sessions Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 

p.m., and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. The rink is available for rentals by 

contacting the parks and recreation office. Cost for the public sessions 

is $3; some skate rentals are available. Goals are available for pond 

hockey. 

Township picnic pavilions can be rented starting Saturday, 

February 4 at 8 a.m. Residents only must provide valid proof of 

residency and should have alternate dates. Fees for the pavilions are 

$75 for the township park and $50 for Donaldson Community Park. All 

pavilion rentals require a $50 security deposit. 

Become a friend of North Fayette Parks and Recreation on Facebook 

at North Fayette Parks and Recreation. 

] 

 

 

 

] 

 

 

 

Registration will be held at the Oakdale Community Center for youths 

planning to participate in the Oakdale Youth League in the spring. 

Registration dates are: Saturday, January 26, 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, 

January 27, 1 to 3 p.m., Wednesday, February 6, 6 to 7 p.m., Saturday, 

February 9, 1 to 4 p.m. 

Retrieve registration forms at www.leaguelineup.com/oyl. 

For more information, visit www.leaguelineup.com/oyl or contact Al Pifer, 

president, at (724) 913-5300.

PTI Students Produce Holiday Light & Music Show 

 

Residents of the Pittsburgh region are invited to take a drive to PTI’s campus, 

located at 1111 McKee Road in North Fayette, to enjoy a synchronized holiday 

light and music show produced by the college’s Smart Building Technology and 

Electronics Engineering Technology students and faculty. 

Students and faculty developed a proposal to turn the 2,500-square-foot campus 

pavilion into a three-dimensional holiday light show integrated with over 20 

holiday songs and more than 10,000 sequenced lights. Visitors will be able to 

tune in to their FM radio to enjoy the show from inside their cars. 

David Becker, Program Director of the Electronics and Smart Building Technology 

(SBT) program, says the project is popular with students because students 

from both SBT and Electronics Engineering Technology get to work together to do 

something that lots of people will get to see and enjoy. 

According to lab instructor Jim Mueller, the Pavilion Light Show is a microcosm 

of a perfect project where students practice working with wireless Ethernet 

communications systems, AC power systems, computers, and light show 

software. About 20 students have volunteered to work on the Pavilion. 

“Synchronized light shows are an exploding part of the home electronics 

industry, not only for the residential market but also for corporate, municipal, and 

urban centers,” said Becker. 

Admission is free, and the show is in operation daily from 5 to 10 p.m. 

Call 1 (800) 784-9675 for details.

With the Christmas season in full swing, it is not uncommon 

to hear songs celebrating the holiday. The students involved in 

West Allegheny’s High School Show Choir have been “decking 

the halls” and getting into the holiday spirit since August, 

preparing for their performance season. The Show Choir, a 

30-voice, four-part ensemble, can be heard performing all 

around the West Allegheny community. The choir is directed by 

Earl Wiechelt. 

When asked how to become a part of 

the Show Choir, he responded, “the 

students can audition for the Show 

Choir every spring. We accept students 

going into grades 10-12. We 

simply replace graduating seniors or 

students that move away.” 

The Show Choir sings at over 40 

events a year, including the Findlay, 

Oakdale, and Imperial Christmas 

parties. They also take part in many 

performances outside of the 

community, such as singing at the 

Byham Theatre as an opening act 

to CLO’s “A Christmas Carol.” In 

addition to planned events, the 

BY CATHERINE ROBERTS 


Show Choir carols in the community. The students sing for the 

elderly in performances such as the ones at Kindred Hospital and 

the Masonic Village. The Show Choir sings many shows for free, 

but any donations that they do receive go to charities that the 

students choose. This year, the Show Choir is donating its money 

to two worthy organizations. The West Allegheny Food Pantry will 

receive half of the money, and the rest will be given to Alzheimer’s 

and dementia research. Since the ensemble started in 1989, the 

West Allegheny Show 

Choir Performances 

Saturday, December 8 

The ROCK, Oakdale, 4:15 p.m. 

Clinton Park Light-Up, Evening 

Thursday, December 13 

Oakdale Senior Citizens, 12:15 p.m. 

Barnes & Noble, Settler’s Ridge, 5:15 p.m. 

Wednesday, December 19 

Findlay Township Senior Citizens, 5:30 p.m. 

Thursday, December 20 

Tonidale, Noon-2 p.m. 

Chorus Concert, 6 p.m. 

West Allegheny Show Choir has raised approximately $30 

thousand for charities. 

The Show Choir has come a long way since 1989. The original 

Show Choir practiced once a week after school and performed 

three times. And, the Show Choir has moved from piano accompaniment 

to singing a cappella. Students now enjoy the benefit of 

a credited class, along with the excitement of getting to share their 

talents with the community. 

Jodi Kutzner, a second year member of the ensemble, explained 

why she enjoys being a part of this group. “I love to get all dressed 

up and go out to perform for others. It’s an awesome experience 

to have people look forward to hearing you sing.” 

Many of the shows that the show choir sings are open to the 

public. 

When asked what impact the Show Choir has had on him, Mr. 

Wiechelt responded, “If you could spend just a day with this group 

of kids, you would realize that our country is not being diminished 

by this generation’s influence. Our future is in good hands.”

- December 23, 10:30 a.m., nursery available, children 

singing; December 24, 7 p.m., Christmas Eve service, (724) 695-7188 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- December 23, 5:30 and 7 p.m., December 24; 2 p.m., 3:30 

p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m., (412) 494-9999 

- December 9, 10:45 a.m., Kids Club Drama; 

December 24, 7 p.m., Christmas Eve candlelight service, (724) 695-7076 

- December 24, 7 p.m., Christmas Eve 

service, (724) 926-2797 

- December 24, 6:30 p.m., Christmas Eve service, 

(724) 899-2276, hebronchurch@zoominternet.net 

- December 23, 11 a.m., Christmas Pageant, "Christmas 

on Gloria Street;" December 24, 7 p.m., Christmas Eve candlelight service with 

Communion, (412) 787-1050 

- December 24, 7 p.m., (412) 788-4513 

- December 24, 4 p.m., children’s Mass, 6:30 p.m. and 10 

p.m.; Christmas Eve Mass, December 25, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Christmas Mass, 

(724) 695-7325, stcolumbkilleparish@comcast.net 

– December 23, 10:30 a.m., Wild West Christmas, December 

24, 7:30 p.m., Christmas Eve candlelight worship with communion, (724) 695-0300, 

pastor@valleychurchweb.com, (724) 695-0300 

- December 23, 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., 

children's ministry available; December 24, 11 p.m., candlelight service; December 30, 

9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., children's ministry available, (724) 695-7500, info@westridge.cc

LOCAL EDUCATOR NAMED MIDDLE 

LEVEL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR STATEWIDE 

West Allegheny resident, Dr. Gregory A. Taranto, principal of 

Canonsburg Middle School in the Canon-McMillan School 

District, has been selected as the 2012 PAESSP Middle Level 

Principal of the Year in the MetLife/National Association of 

Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Principal of the Year 

Program. 

Dr. Taranto has been a school administrator for nine years and 

has been principal of Canonsburg Middle School for seven 

years. 

Canonsburg Middle School was named the 2011 Pennsylvania 

Don Eichhorn and National Schools to Watch Middle School in 

May 2011. 

He resides in the community with his wife, Melissa Taranto, 

who teaches physical education at Donaldson Elementary, and 

their three children, who all attend the West Allegheny schools. 

A BIG THANK YOU FROM 

VFW POST 7714 LADIES AUXILIARY 

The Montour Valley VFW Post 7714 Ladies Auxiliary thanks the 

following local businesses and their patrons for their help in its 

2012 Buddy Poppy Campaign by raising money for disabled 

veterans through donations and poppy distribution: White Viper 

Karate Studio, Advanced Auto Parts, Kings Family Restaurant, 

Garden of Eating Pizza, Angelia’s Pizza, Hair Topics, Mario Di 

Carlo’s Pizza, The Inn Place, Nadik’s Garage, Marathon at 

Tonidale, The Pub at Tonidale, Grab’n’Go, First Commonwealth 

Bank, Essex Beer, and Downey’s House. 

These little red flowers are assembled by disabled veterans. 

Any money raised during the campaign is given back to Veterans 

Affairs earmarked for disabled veterans. 

For more information or to become involved with the Buddy 

Poppy Campaign, contact Pamela Sloan at mspsloan@gmail.com.

ABOVE: North Fayette senior citizens enjoyed their monthly lunch buffet 

in October, hosted at The Cornerstone at Tonidale. PHOTO SUBMITTED 

BDS APPLAUDS ONE OF ITS STUDENTS 

It is with great pride that Broadway Dance Studio saw student 

Shane Treloar, 11, of West Allegheny, considered for a major role 

in an upcoming Broadway show. 

Broadway Dance Studio's Karen Prunzik submitted Shane's 

photo and resume to the casting directors for “Matilda the 

Musical” last month and Shane was contacted. After Shane's first 

audition, he made it down to the final callbacks. 

While he didn't make the last cut, he was quoted by Nora 

Brennan Casting to be, "At the top of their list!" 

Out of hundreds of kids all over the country who have been 

auditioning since June, Shane made his mark among many of 

those who were already working professionally in Broadway 

shows. 

Faith in Action . . . . 

In the October issue, an article introducing the 

volunteer group, Faith in Action, was published. Since 

then, additional Faith in Action volunteers have joined 

the group. They are: Ann Berger, Connie Gato, Joan 

Gonnella, Laura Kulin, Lizzy Kulin, Rachel Kulin, 

Denny Macek, and Heather Ochman.

STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY 

PHOTO BY SARAH HUGHEY 

 

In jazz historian Nathan Davis’ book, “Writings in Jazz,” Davis 

recounts witnessing a talented, young jazz saxophonist who closely 

resembled Charlie Parker performing in a gospel service. Asked 

afterwards how the musician felt about playing gospel versus jazz, 

the musician replied that for him, it wasn’t any different; all that 

changes are the lyrics. 

That’s how Dan Hanczar’s new album, “Be Thankful,” comes off, 

as a varied and eclectic collection of music assembled over a 

lifetime that, if the lyrics were changed, could easily stand on their 

own. Under the overarching religious theme, however, the songs 

have been pulled together into a diverse collection of influences 

ranging from Clash-like reggae to Johnny Cash. While Dan said the 

music was inspired by his family and faith, the album expresses just 

as much passion for his wide swathe of musical tastes. He’s already 

working on another CD, loosely themed around the ocean and 

childhood summers, and beginning to wonder why, at 60 years old, 

with arthritis kicking in, he didn’t start sooner. 

“Be Thankful,” though, said Dan, is the one album that, if he 

wasn’t ever going to get another out there, would be it. Some of the 

tracks he worked on just over the last couple years. Others he’s 

been writing for decades, and were inspired by everything from 

watching his kids run around 

the house to the death of a 

close family friend. 

The well-executed 

collection comes from a 

lifelong musician who got 

the chance to record 

thanks to sophisticated 

software that can turn a 

home computer into a 

decent recording studio. 

That, coupled with the 

time he now has on his 

hands after retiring from 

a 37-year career teaching 

mostly sixth grade geography at West 

Allegheny, both made the album possible. 

That’s not to say, however, that this particular guitarist ever 

really slowed down. For a long time, Dan played in a rhythm 

blues band with fellow West Allegheny teacher Cliff Howell. 

Anyone who regularly attended the Findlay, McDonald, and 

Clinton fairs about ten years back might remember their covers 

ranging from Beatles to Mustang Sally. More recently, Dan’s 

been playing in the Trinity Jazz Orchestra. Now going on its 

tenth year, the band is busiest around the holidays, when it 

plays about a show per week. They have one coming up on 

Monday, December 17, at The Rock in Oakdale, with Houston, 

Pennsylvania native Adam Brock. Last year, Adam was among 

the top 20 finalists on American Idol. This will be Adam’s third 

year singing with the band, and Dan recently played during a 

recording session for Adam’s own album. 

A number of the members from those bands, including Cliff, 

pitched in to help Dan on his album. Dan also recruited Oakdale 

residents Mark and Barb Turner, along with vocalist Valerie 

Wilson, and some fellow church members. Dan’s son, Nils, a 

Syracuse art school graduate and cartoonist, came up with the 

album artwork: a stained glass rendition of a guitar player. 

“It really was a family affair,” said Dan, whose sister pitched in 

with some vocals, and whose brother-in-law, Henry Yoder, 

supplied microphones, computer training, and the final mastering. 

One of the biggest hurdles to getting the album done in about 

eight months, he said, was just getting everyone together. 

At Dan’s house just outside of Oakdale, relatives, children, 

and grandchildren all seem to come and go regularly, though at 

no set time. He and his wife, Kate, moved there seven years ago 

to build a house on property once farmed by Dan’s aunt and 

uncle. There, off a country road, Dan came up with the title for 

his album, which is now available on iTunes, CD Baby, and 

Amazon. 

“I just feel so blessed by what I have,” he said, “and I just 

wanted to express my gratitude for it.”


 

HOCKEY ASSOCIATIONS TEAM UP TO HELP FOOD PANTRIES 

On November 1, the West Allegheny and Moon Area Hockey Associations held their 

first annual Clearview Challenge Cup. The Challenge Cup, sponsored by Clearview 

Federal Credit Union, pitted the 

varsity, junior varsity, and 

freshmen hockey teams from both 

associations against each other in 

a three game series to kick off the 

ABOVE: Ceremonial puck drops before the varsity 

game. Pictured are Mark Brennan, President/CEO of 

Clearview FCU; Ed Sam, PIHL Commissioner; Trevor 

Handlovitch of Moon; and Paul Hughes of West 

Allegheny. PHOTO SUBMITTED 

ice hockey season. All three 

games were broadcast live on the 

MSA Sports radio network. In 

addition, video of the varsity 

game was broadcast live on the 

Pennsylvania Interscholastic 

Hockey League (PIHL) network. 

This event also provided an 

opportunity for the West Allegheny 

and Moon Area hockey 

players, families, and fans to 

contribute to their local food 

pantries. The bigger challenge of 

the evening was to collect the 

most food items to be donated to the West Allegheny and West Hills food pantries. In 

addition, proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to their respective pantries. 

Clearview FCU provided a donation to the organization that collected the most food – 

which ended up being evenly split between the food pantries. 

The Moon Area hockey teams swept the series three games to none. The bigger 

winners, however, were the food pantries, thanks to the donations and awareness 

raised for the needs of the communities. 

KARATE ACADEMY 

PARTICIPANTS BRING HOME 

HONORS 

On November 1, three members of 

The House of Martial Arts Karate 

Academy in Oakdale traveled to 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, to train 

and participate in the Kojosho 

International Martial Arts tournament. 

They had the opportunity to train 

with outstanding martial artists. On 

November 3, the team, which consisted 

of Sensei Gino Bovo, owner of 

The House of Martial Arts Karate 

Academy, (pictured on left); Sensei Joseph Watson (center); and Sensei David Mondine, 

19 years old (right), attended the tournament. Sensei Joseph Watson took third place in 

men's black belt weapons kata and fourth place in men's senior division sparring. Sensei 

David Mondine took first place in men's black belt weapons kata and first place in adult 

men's black belt sparring. Sensei Gino Bovo took second place in men's empty hand black 

belt kata and third place in men's senior division sparring. PHOTO SUBMITTED 

Send a bit of “home” to someone you know! We Do Gift Certificates! 

Send a Subscription of Allegheny West Magazine for that out-of-town relative, college student, 

or someone who has moved away. Subscriptions are just $12 per year for six issues! 

CALL: (724) 695-3968 or e-mail:


ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD WRITES CHILDREN’S BOOK 

Jamie Faith Sheppard is an 11-year-old fifth grader 

from McKee Elementary. She has a passion for 

writing, and constantly has a note pad and pencil 

writing stories. 

Recently, she completed her book, and is waiting 

for copies to arrive from Bookstand Publishing. 

The story is about two, 11-year-old boys, Stanley 

and Milo, who are best friends and constantly 

attracted to mischief and mishaps. They start off 

their summer vacation by being grounded for 

weeks. Stanley is sent to summer camp, which he 

despises, and Milo is sent to his grandparents for 

weeks. When they are both back home, they spend 

a few weeks hanging out together, and just when 

they are able salvage what's left of their vacation, 

they mess up again and are grounded for the rest of 

summer. 

Jamie’s mother, Densie Sheppard, explains that it is a fun story with a bit of humor for 

girls and boys ages 8 to 13. 

Densie added that the book’s illustrations were done by her and Jamie. 

McKee Elementary looks forward to having Jamie share her newly-published first book 

with her classmates. Plans are to approach local libraries to share her book. 

The ten chapter, 89-page soft cover book will cost $10. It will be sold on 

barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, and bookstandpublishing.com. It also will be available 

on Kindle and Nook.

Sixth Graders 

Raise Over 

$5,900 for Charity 

West Allegheny Middle School students 

Casey Bence, Haylee Sturgeon and 

Madison Twardy help raise funds for 

charity. 

Middle school students on the sixth grade 

Shark Team raised over $5,900 for the 

National Honor Society (NHS) holiday gift 

basket project by participating in a Trail for 

Toys Walkathon. The walk was held at the 

Joe P. DeMichela Stadium at West Allegheny 

High School on October 12, 2012. 

Students solicited sponsors to donate 

money for toys and gifts for children of 

families living in the District who are in need 

of help. Using toys as the theme, students 

competed in teams named for toys. The 

winning team earned a pizza and sundae 

party hosted by the teachers. Prizes were 

also awarded to teams for best costume, 

poster, and cheer. 

With the funds collected, the students and 

teachers will shop for toys and clothes, 

which will be gift-wrapped and added to the 

NHS holiday distribution. Any money not 

needed for the NHS program will be donated 

to the West Allegheny Family Support 

Committee. 

Middle school teachers coordinating the 

event included Rachel Adair, Tom Burke, 

Ashley Cain, Mary Damratoski, Lisa 

Midgley, and Valerie Meehan. 

Emmy-nominated Speaker 

Takes a Stand Against Bullying 

As part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness and 

continue the dialog on the repercussions of 

bullying, West Allegheny School District hosted 

Emmy-nominated, award-winning motivational 

speaker Mark Brown on October 12, 2012. Brown’s 

life-changing message was presented to all students, 

sixth to eighth grade, and focused on the 

importance of tolerance and respect. His “tell it like 

it is” approach has proven successful when 

speaking to students about some of the most 

challenging problems facing schools today. 

This presentation was generously provided to the 

West Allegheny School District by the fundraising 

company Great American Opportunities. 

Emmy-nominated speaker Mark Brown 

shares his anti-bullying message with middle 

school students. 

High School Marching Band 

Wins Top Honors at PIMBA 

Band members Carli Cardillo and Anthony Marucci perform for the crowd. 

On Saturday, November 3, 2012, West 

Allegheny High School Marching Band 

won top honors at the Pennsylvania 

Interscholastic Marching Band Association 

(PIMBA) Championships held at 

Penn Trafford High School. 

With a total of 19 bands competing in 

five classifications, West Allegheny 

competed in the AAA classification and 

was judged on visual performance, 

music performance, and general effect. 

The 75-member band performed under 

the direction of T.J. Fox and was led by 

drum major and senior Joey Bandi. 

Performances included Brazil, Blue Bossa, 

Real in Rio, and Mas Que Nada. 

“The kids put in an unbelievable amount 

of work this year and kept a great attitude 

and focus along the way,” stated Fox. 

“They represented the community very 

well throughout the season.”

Students Sink Their Teeth into Fall Play 

Joey Bandi and Ty Tracy are frighteningly transformed by their characters in “Dracula.” 

Love Our Log House Week 

Filled with Historic Lessons 

The students of Wilson Elementary 

School were transported back in time as 

they celebrated Love Our Log House 

Week, October 15 – 19, 2012. 

Located on the school property, the log 

house provided the theme for an 

historical program that included various 

activities throughout the week. Among 

the highlights for Wilson Log House 

Day on Friday, October 19, 2012, were 

hands-on activities such as candle 

dipping, tin punching, and square 

dancing. In addition, representatives 

from the Oliver Miller Homestead 

brought period clothing and tools to 

show the students. 

Mr. Dowd assists Michelle Ostrosky, 

Octavian Banks, and Olivia Pedockie 

with their tin punch designs. 

West Allegheny Arts proudly 

presented this year's fall play, 

"Dracula," on Saturday, October 20 and 

Sunday, October 21, 2012, in the high 

school’s Stewart Morgan Auditorium. A 

record number of people attended the 

two-act play adapted from Bram 

Stoker’s famous novel. 

A cast of 13 students was selected by 

audition and featured Joey Bandi as 

Dracula, Cameron Kehm as Van Helsing, 

Julianne Butterbaugh as Lucy, Maura 

Vulakovich as Mina, Hunter Smith as 

Seward, Ty Tracy as Renfield, Katherine 

Shimp as Margaret, Clay Rehm as 

Harker, Jeff Biers as Briggs, Greg 

Schaefer as the Monster, and Hunter 

Yurkovich, Haley Joyce, and Raven 

Wahl as Dracula’s Brides. 

This year’s stage and tech crews, led 

by student stage manager Joe Sible, 

designed and worked on the stage and 

set since the beginning of August. The 

cast, led by student director Angela 

Klayko, worked tirelessly to bring their 

characters to life through characterization 

and dramatization. The play also 

featured student make-up, costume, and 

special effects (F/X) crews. 

Stephanie Martinez, high school 

English teacher, made her directorial 

debut, and Michael Shaffer, high school 

media teacher, was the assistant 

director. 

“This year’s fall play, “Dracula,” 

speaks volumes of the talent and 

diligence of the drama club students at 

West Allegheny,” said Martinez. “Their 

hard work, dedication, and talent 

culminated in two spectacular and 

creepy performances attended by 314 

people.” 

Added Safety 

Measure 

Tip Hotline: 

724-695-5235 for 

reporting concerns

Superintendent’s Message: 

Some Post Election Thoughts..... 

It was the day after the election when I 

received phone calls from two of my 

good friends. “It’s a sad day in America,” 

lamented the first caller. “Hmm, hmm,” I 

empathetically replied as I took the time 

to be understanding and not pass 

judgment while my friend shared his 

frustration and despair. Shortly thereafter, 

the phone rang again. I answered it to 

hear the voice of another friend who had 

a much different perspective on the 

election outcome. “What a great day to 

be alive,” she joyfully proclaimed. Again, 

I responded with a “Hmm, hmm,” 

listening attentively, as my friend 

explained why she was so elated. 

I share this story with you because I 

think it captures the emotions and 

sentiments of Americans across the 

country in the aftermath of an election 

that comes during a very challenging time 

in our history. Like most Americans, both 

of my friends are good people who really 

care about our country’s future. They, 

like many, waited in polling lines for over 

an hour so that they could exercise their 

precious right and freedom to cast their 

ballots for the candidates who they 

believed would best serve them and our 

country. Now, they were beginning to 

come to grips with the election results. 

When political analysts offer their 

views as to who won or lost and why, 

they espouse a myriad of reasons and 

rationale. To me, some of their analysis 

makes sense, while some of what they 

say; I have a hard time buying. One thing 

for sure, there has never been a time 

when our country has been so polarized, 

so divided, so partisan. 

Each respective party’s “base” maintains 

that it must remain true to those 

ideals on which its party was founded. 

Historically, Democrats have generally 

favored more governmental involvement, 

progressive taxation, and income 

redistribution from the wealthy to those 

in need. This ideology can be summarized 

with Lyndon Baines Johnson’s comments 

on the “Great Society” of the 1960s, “In 

our time, a broadened concept of freedom 

requires that every American have the 

right to a healthy body, a full education, a 

decent home, and the opportunity to 

develop to the best of his talents” 

(Witcover, 2003). Contrarily, Republicans 

support the market economy, reforming 

tax codes, and accepting personal 

responsibility for one’s success or failure. 

In an interview with former Republican 

presidential candidate Ron Paul in the 

Wall Street Journal, he described the 

Republican ideology, saying, “It is each 

and every citizen’s job to manage our own 

decisions, bear the fruits or painful 

consequences and learn our lessons” 

(Penner, 2008). 

The problem with the respective beliefs 

of each party is that they find their origins 

in 1792 with Democrat, Thomas Jefferson, 

and in the 1850s with Republican, 

Abraham Lincoln; certainly, two revered 

presidents in American history. However, 

times were very different then, as were the 

composition and complexities of our 

people, culture, and issues. I will argue 

that absolute adherence to the original 

tenets of each party is not working … for 

either party or for most of us. Until 

Democrats and Republicans spend more 

time focusing on solving the real problems 

we have today and less time on what 

should be called political preferences, all 

of us will experience the dire consequences. 

As an old African proverb says, 

“When the elephants fight, the grass 

suffers.” Well, in this case, we are the 

grass. 

In the days ahead, our lawmakers will 

continue to debate over the best strategies 

for improving our economy, offering 

affordable health care, providing a quality 

educational system, managing responsible 

and efficient energy sources, and 

insuring safety and security for all. 

There are also a host of other critical 

social issues that have divided Americans 

and those who represent them. 

What is certain is that President Obama 

won a second term. The GOP retained 

control of the House, despite losing 

some of its members, while Democrats 

picked up seats in the Senate. If you are 

a cynic, you might say that Americans 

contributed an estimated $6 billion of 

campaign money to an election that 

forebodes little or no change. I, for one, 

hope that isn’t true. 

As someone who has held leadership 

positions for over two and a half 

decades, I have come to realize that 

problems and disputes can only be 

resolved when all parties are willing to 

listen openly while striving to understand, 

respect, and appreciate differing 

points of view. Only then can the parties 

take that next important step: searching 

for common ground and moving closer 

to compromise and a “win-win” solution. 

While I am not comparing what I 

do to the president or someone in 

congress, conflict resolution experts will 

tell you that the process for reaching 

agreement is the same. 

Now is the time Republicans and 

Democrats must come together in a 

spirit of cooperation and collaboration, 

where there is give and take from both 

sides, all in the best interests of every 

American. The stakes for all of us have 

never been higher. In the words of 

Speaker of the House, John Boehner, “If 

there is a mandate, it is a mandate for 

both parties to find common ground and 

take steps together to help our economy 

grow and create jobs… Mr. President, 

we’re ready to be led; not as Democrats 

and Republicans, but as Americans.” 

 

Superintendent

Foundation Grants for 2012-2013 Announced 

The West Allegheny Foundation Grants for Teachers program awarded 15 grants totaling nearly $17,000 for the following 

innovative educational projects for the 2012-2013 school year: 

Etiquette Everywhere (Wilson 

Elementary) - Proper etiquette is important 

in everyday life. This instruction 

includes a four-lesson plan taught by the 

teachers in fifth grade. 

Make It! Take It! (Wilson Elementary) 

- This afterschool program involves 

parents and students coming together to 

create at-home activities that promote 

literacy. The goal is to give parents the 

tools they need to be successful in 

supporting their child’s educational 

development. 

High School Reading 

Resource Library (High School) - 

Designed to enhance the resource library, 

this program will expand the list of high 

interest books as recommended by the 

American Library Association. 

Writing with the Writers (High 

School) - This project invites professional 

writers to visit high school AP 

Language and Composition classes and 

will give college-bound students an 

opportunity to work with a professional 

writer in a workshop format. 

Leveled Library - Resource 

for all Teachers (Donaldson 

Elementary) - Book sets are made 

available for teachers to use in the 

differentiated small group reading groups 

and are offered at a variety of levels that 

match the reading levels of students in 

kindergarten through fifth grade. 

Wood Shed (High School) - The 

High School Technology Department had 

limited space for its lumber supply. The 

shed was built by students and teachers 

to elevate and store the wood. 

Donaldson Delivers (Donaldson 

Elementary) - A school-wide, yearlong 

community service project will be implemented 

to assist the local food pantry. 

The second graders will be introduced to 

the concept of community service through 

a variety of activities that relate to the 

nonfiction book, “10 Ways I Can Help My 

Community.” 

Trout in the Classroom (High 

School) - This is an interdisciplinary 

program that introduces coldwater 

conservation education in Pennsylvania 

schools by raising brook trout, a native 

coldwater species, from eggs to fingerlings. 

The program is also used as a 

backdrop to learn water quality parameters 

and other chemistry applications. 

Coach Connect (Middle School) - 

This program will assist students in 

improving skills needed for standardized 

testing. Coach Connect is a web-based, 

student friendly program that prepares 

students for the rigors of the PSSA, as 

well as other standardized tests. 

Donaldson Park: Learning 

Laboratory (Donaldson Elementary) - 

Donaldson Park is utilized in this program 

as a resource to support science education 

curriculum goals while improving 

opportunities for visitors to the park to 

learn about the local ecosystem. 

Battle of the Books (High School) 

- Selected students will read five different 

books and participate in multiple meetings 

to discuss the books. The program 

encourages students to read outside the 

classroom. 

New Gold Card Club Members Welcomed! 

(4 Grants) Altering the 

Architecture (Donaldson 

Elementary) - This program implements 

a new organizational management 

system within the classroom that 

supports reading behaviors through 

best practices such as leveled reading 

practice, guided reading, and small 

group instruction. 

Going On-line in Debate 

(High School) - This program will allow 

the school’s forensic team to use 

laptop computers to gain instant 

internet access to sources and up-todate 

information. This access will also 

assist students in writing and rewriting 

arguments quickly during competitions. 

“The Best Me is Drug Free” 

2012 Red Ribbon Week (Wilson 

Elementary) - Red Ribbon Week is the 

nation’s oldest and largest drug 

prevention program reaching millions 

of Americans every October. By 

wearing Red Ribbons, young people 

pledge to live a drug-free life. 

Appalachian Dulcimers in 

the Classroom (McKee Elementary) 

- Dulcimers are traditional, 

stringed folk instruments that evolved 

in the Appalachian Mountains in the 

1800s. 

Fifth grade students in cooperative 

learning groups will build, design, and 

paint the dulcimers for all students to 

enjoy in the music classroom for many 

years to come. 

The West Allegheny School District continues to welcome new members into its Gold Card Club. Residents who are at least 

age 60 and live in the West Allegheny School District may pick up a gold card at the district office located at Donaldson Elementary 

School, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. A driver's license or other proof of age and residence is required. 

The Gold Card entitles members to attend all school district-sponsored activities for which there is normally a charge. These 

events include a variety of concerts, plays, science fairs, art shows, and athletic activities. Special events, including a December 

holiday breakfast and a luncheon in conjunction with the spring musical production, are also included in member benefits. 

Membership does not, however, provide free admission to fund-raising events or other activities sponsored by booster organizations. 

Visit the West Allegheny School District Web site at www.westasd.org for the District calendar, and a wide variety of both school 

and community information.

Wilson Elementary Promotes Drug-free 

Message During Red Ribbon Week Events 

Middle School Horizons Students 

Earn Second Place at History Bowl Competition 

The West Allegheny Middle School 

Horizons team consisting of Trent 

Michaels, Hannah Salvucci, and Chrissy 

Sible tied for second place at the 

Allegheny Intermediate Unit Heinz 

History Bowl on Thursday, November 1, 

2012. This year’s competition included 62 

teams comprised of 247 students from 26 

schools. 

Also representing West Allegheny in 

the event were Moira Gibson, Jackie 

Patton, Lily Seibel, Megan Ye, Arielle 

Moulinie, Christina Prologo, Logan 

Scheider, and Aaron Silvis. Middle 

Wilson Elementary students and 

staff wore red clothing on Monday, 

October 22, 2012, to celebrate Red 

Ribbon Week, October 22-26. The 

initiative encourages students to 

make good lifestyle choices, with 

this year’s theme being, “The Best 

ME is Drug Free.” It also paid 

tribute to Drug Enforcement 

Agency (DEA) Special Agent 

Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was 

killed by drug dealers in 1985. 

The week kicked off with an 

assembly on Monday, October 22, 

starring the students and staff in a 

presentation that focused on good 

decision making. Event coordinator 

and Wilson guidance counselor 

Kathryn Taylor worked to raise 

student awareness with a variety 

of dress-up themes promoting 

anti-drug messages. 

This year’s Red Ribbon Week 

was sponsored by the West 

Allegheny Foundation. 

Extreme red winners include: Noah Zynosky Zehnacker, Storm 

Brothers, Brianna Lesko, Elyssia Lesko, Max Tepsic, and Aleah Dudek. 

school Horizons teacher Allison McLaren 

accompanied the students. 

The competition consisted of four 

interactive events: Pittsburgh History 

Inventory, Sports A to Z, Photo Scavenger 

Hunt, and an Object Match. The 

students worked together for each event 

to complete a variety of tasks. For 

example, in the Sports A to Z activity, 

students searched for an object in the 

Sports Museum for every letter of the 

alphabet and then explained why that 

object was important to Pittsburgh. 

The Horizon’s team of Trent Michaels, 

Chrissy Sible, and Hannah Salvucci 

place second in the Heinz History 

Bowl. 

West Allegheny Students 

Explore Careers at Pittsburgh Technical Institute 

West Allegheny sophomores traveled 

to Pittsburgh Technical Institute (PTI) in 

Oakdale on October 10, 2012, for a day of 

hands-on career exploration. The tenth 

graders were divided into teams and 

spent the day rotating through four 

programs that have proven popular as 

career interests for many students. 

In each program, the students participated 

in an activity that allowed them to 

experience that field firsthand. For 

instance, in the criminal justice session 

students interacted with video simulations 

of real-life crime scenes and learned 

the correct way to gather evidence. Other 

career fields included electronics, 

computer-aided drafting, graphic design, 

and multimedia. 

In keeping with the district’s emphasis 

on career exploration and community 

involvement throughout high school, the 

West Allegheny High School Guidance 

Department partnered with the Pittsburgh 

Technical Institute to sponsor this event. 

Student Taylor Hottenfeller learns 

computer-aided drafting during a high 

school visit to PTI.

High School Powder Puff Football Game 

Raises $2,460 for Local Families in Need 

The West Allegheny junior/senior 

powder puff football game on November 

1, 2012, raised $2,460 for West Allegheny 

Christmas Families Charity. 

The National Honor Society (NHS) 

sponsored the fundraiser, which directly 

benefits area families in need at the 

holidays. Once families are identified, 

students use the game profits to assemble 

food baskets and purchase gifts 

for the children. 

The game resulted in a 26-0 senior win 

and was held at the Joe P. DeMichela 

Stadium. Suzanne Lambert is the NHS 

faculty advisor. 

Senior Danielle Juzwick holds off her defender in the junior/senior powder puff 

football game. 

Middle School Students 

Participate in Calcu-Solve Competition 

Eight middle school Horizon students 

traveled to Duquesne University on 

October 3, 2012, to compete in the Calcu- 

Solve Competition sponsored by the 

Allegheny Intermediate Unit. Designed 

to test a student’s problem-solving skills 

related to mathematics, the competition 

allowed participants to compete individually 

or as a team of four. 

Under the leadership of middle and high 

school Horizon’s teacher Allison 

McClaren, participants included eighth 

graders Sarah Behr, Sai Bhatte, Moira 

French Students Celebrate Diversity 

On October 8, 2012, Ms. 

Crannell’s French II students 

celebrated diversity by participating 

in a Francophone (French 

speaking) African food festival. 

Students learned that the French 

speaking world is not limited to 

France and Europe, but includes 

many countries from North and 

Gibson, Yash Lahoti, Trent Michaels, and 

Hannah Salvucci and seventh graders 

Anden Acitelli and Billy Robertson. 

This year’s competition drew more than 

70 teams from 27 school districts throughout 

the Pittsburgh area. 

West Africa as well. 

Students prepared a variety of dishes 

for the celebration. Some of these 

included North African tagine, Algerian 

chili, Moroccan biscotti, North African 

olive chicken, North African couscous 

salad, and West African peanut ice 

cream. 

French students Annie Raglow, Emily Nolan, and Karly Krisovenski enjoy 

their culinary creations. 

Middle School Students Dance for a Cause 

Sixth grade students and teachers on the Superstar 

Team at West Allegheny Middle School participated in a 

dance-a-thon on November 7, 2012, to raise money for 

the West Allegheny Family Support Committee. The 

students raised close to $4,000 to donate to their cause. 

Following the theme “Dancing with the Stars,” students 

and staff dressed to reflect their favorite era of music. 

Prizes were awarded to students for fundraising and for 

best costumes and dancing. 

Teachers coordinating the dance-a-thon included Bill 

Britton, Nancy Lance, Gabrielle Monti, Jeannine Schuler, 

Coleen Scott, and Nancy Watkins. 

Mackenzie 

Gillie, Kylie 

Laughery, Kacey 

Pristas, Claire 

Mercurio, and 

Cathrynn 

Crisanti are 

getting into the 

swing of things 

at this year’s 

dance-a-thon.

West Allegheny Students Vote in Mock Elections 

West Allegheny School District students 

exercised their constitutional right by voting in 

mock presidential elections. 

Students at all grade levels in all District schools 

voiced their choice for president as an active 

lesson in social studies and civic responsibility. 

To prepare for the elections, high school and 

middle school social studies teachers presented 

information and led class discussions on the 

candidates and key issues. Elementary students 

were also introduced to voting procedures and 

the candidates. 

Unlike recent past mock elections held at West 

Allegheny, this year’s student outcome did not 

mirror that of the nation. High school voting 

resulted in a 209 – 134 Romney victory and middle 

school voting resulted in a 376 – 276 Romney 

victory. Elementary school results also favored 

Romney. 

West Allegheny Middle School students line up to cast their presidential vote. 

High School Spanish Classes Learn from Tradition 

“El Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the 

Dead) took on new meaning for high 

school Spanish students this year as 

they honored the centuries-old tradition 

with hands-on activities. Organized by 

teachers Colleen Cunningham and 

Michelle Matoney, the event was 

celebrated on November 2, 2012. 

“El Día de los Muertos” is primarily a 

Mexican celebration to honor loved ones 

who have passed. In preparation for the 

celebration, students learned traditional 

Spanish songs, chants, and dances. In 

addition, the classrooms were filled with a 

variety of Mexican foods and decorated with 

students’ Day of the Dead artwork. 

Senior level IV Spanish students helped 

organize the event with over 300 students 

participating. 

Students Kelly Wiesner and Mallory Pizer celebrate El Dia de los Muertos. 

West Allegheny 

Forensic Team Earns Membership 

in National 100 Club 

The West Allegheny High School 

Forensic Team has earned 

membership in the National 

Forensic League’s (NFL) prestigious 

100 Club. Based on its 

outstanding performance last year, 

the team scored in the top 10 

percent of chapters nationwide. 

“The hard work you have 

invested to achieve this distinction 

will pay dividends for years to 

come,” wrote J. Scott Wunn, NFL 

executive director, in a letter of 

recognition. 

Michael Shaffer is the West 

Allegheny forensic head coach 

along with Michael Quinn as 

debate coach and Michael Vattimo 

as congress coach. 

WAEA Plans Activities in 

Recognition of American 

Education Week 

The West Allegheny Education Association 

(WAEA) celebrated American Education Week, 

November 12 - 16, 2012. The Association planned 

a variety of activities, including a story reading by 

veteran Paul Debor to elementary students, a 

WAEA tree decorating for Clinton Park's Festival of 

Lights, and Family Reading Night at Donaldson 

Elementary School. 

In addition, teachers and support staff received 

tokens of appreciation throughout the week from 

the WAEA.

Wilson Log House Fund and Clinton 

Light Up Night Recipients of Students’ Generosity 

The West Allegheny High School 

Student Government raised $1,100 to 

benefit the Wilson Log House Fund and 

the Clinton Light Up Night Scholarship 

Fund. 

Dr. Kathy Sites, Wilson Elementary 

School principal, accepted the $1,000 

donation, which has been designated for 

renovations on the landmark log house. 

Lloyd and Patty Faux accepted a $100 

donation on behalf of the annual Clinton 

Light Up Night Scholarship Fund. The 

funds were raised by the students at this 

year’s homecoming dance. 

"I am constantly amazed by the generosity 

of the West Allegheny school community,” 

said Sites. “The charitable donation made by 

the WAHS Student Government to the 

Wilson Log House Fund will go a long way 

in helping to preserve the legacy of this 

structure for future generations of students 

and their families." 

Dr. Sites accepts a generous donation for 

repairs to the Wilson Log House from West 

Allegheny High School Student Government 

members Gabriella Tissue, Amanda 

DeZulovich, and Kristi Kubatka. 

West Allegheny to Host Gold Card Club Holiday Breakfast 

Members of the West Allegheny School District Gold Card Club are invited to a complimentary Holiday Breakfast on 

Friday, December 14, 2012, to celebrate the season and enjoy the talents of West Allegheny students. The event will 

begin at 8:00 a.m. in the high school cafeteria. 

Following breakfast, attendees will be escorted to the auditorium to enjoy a holiday program showcasing the creativity 

and talent of students beginning at 9:30 a.m. Reservations are required by Monday, December 10, and should be 

made by calling 724-695-5245. 

The district welcomes new members into its Gold Card Club. Any district resident age 60 or older interested in 

joining can register and pick up a card at the District Office at Donaldson Elementary School. The Gold Card entitles 

members to free admission for all events sponsored by the district for which there is generally a charge. These events 

include all concerts, plays, science fairs, art shows, and athletic activities. Membership does not, however, provide 

free admission to fundraising events sponsored by booster organizations, such as spaghetti dinners or other activities. 

Future Educators Association Reads for the Record 

® 

On October 4, 2012, West Allegheny 

High School members of the Future 

Educators Association (FEA) participated 

in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record®. 

The nationally celebrated event brings 

adults and children together in an effort 

to jumpstart a child’s future by reading. 

All District kindergarten classes were 

visited throughout the day by FEA 

members who read to the students this 

year’s book choice, “Ladybug Girl and 

the Bug Squad,” by David Soman and 

Jacky Davis, and led students in several 

book-related activities. 

High school teacher Jennifer Jones is 

FEA advisor, which currently has about 

35 members. 

FEA members Abbey Stoica, Sarah Miller, 

Sydney Eberhardt, and Janell Lulkovitz read 

to Mrs. Rozum’s afternoon kindergarten 

class.

Students Learn from Choices 

Sponsored by the Pittsburgh 

Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, 

the CHOICES program was 

presented to seventh grade social 

studies students in the West 

Allegheny District on October 2 

and 3, 2012. 

The program offered students the 

opportunity to listen to professionals 

from a variety of careers and 

vocations, and to participate in 

activities that reinforce how the 

choices they make today will 

impact their opportunities in the 

Students Rachel Zeigler, 

Sebastjan Ricketts, and Tommy 

Markish learn to make good 

choices from program director 

Susan Hovanec. 

Girls’ Varsity Tennis Team 

Serves Up Time for Elton John Fundraiser 

On October 16, 2012, the West Allegheny 

girls’ varsity tennis team volunteered 

their time at the WTT Smash Hits Tennis 

Tournament to benefit the Elton John 

AIDS Foundation and the Pittsburgh 

AIDS Taskforce. 

The tournament was held at The 

Petersen Events Center, Oakland, and 

featured Elton John, Andy Roddick, and 

Martina Navratilova. West Allegheny 

Head Coach Rita Wilson, assistant coach 

Julie Dennis, and parent John Walls also 

Girls’ varsity tennis team and coaches Rita Wilson and Julie Dennis are among the 

volunteers at the WTT Smash Hits Tennis Tournament. Celebrity players included 

Martina Navratilova, Andy Roddick and Elton John (front row center). 

McKee Families 

Enjoy Tunes 

& Tales 

Slippers and pajamas were donned 

November 15, 2012, as McKee families 

enjoyed a night of Tunes and Tales. 

The story time event has become a 

favorite tradition for parents and 

children alike as they participated in 

book readings, activities, raffles, and a 

book fair. This event promoted the 

benefits of reading as families interacted 

with many storytellers. 

The evening’s activities were 

sponsored by the McKee PTA and the 

North Fayette Youth Police Program 

and organized by the McKee Elementary 

staff. 

future. Some of the activities 

included a mock interview, as well 

as exercises in time and money 

management. 

The director of the program, 

Susan Hovanec, coordinated the 

professionals from around the 

western Pennsylvania region to 

make the presentation a success. 

Pasta for Pennies 

Throughout October, 2012, Donaldson 

Elementary students raised a record total of 

$3,206 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society 

with their Pasta for Pennies collection. The 

money donated helps provide financial help for 

people with these life-threatening diseases. 

Weekly activities were planned for the 

collection and rewards were given to the 

classes with the most funds raised. The first 

week, students were challenged to fill their 

classroom buckets with donations. The class 

with the most collected won the chance to 

“pie” a teacher of their choice. Mr. DeMario’s 

third grade class won the challenge and 

students Jonathan Dragisich, Caroline 

Bachowski, and Brian Hanna were chosen to 

throw a pie at Mr. DeMario. 

Other fundraising rewards included choosing 

a song to be played during lunch and a pasta 

volunteered. 

Students Jonathan Dragisich, Brian 

Hanna, and Caroline Bachowski 

enjoyed throwing a pie at their 

teacher, Mr. DeMario. 

party provided by the Olive Garden 

Restaurant in Robinson Township. 

Elementary school social worker 

Kristen Tracy, elementary school 

social work intern Sharon Shorak, and 

ESL teacher Erin Dierker coordinated 

the project.

Indian Highlights 

The West Allegheny football team has reason to celebrate after its WPIAL win over West Mifflin; sophomore Alexis O’Shea finishes 

eighth in PIAA cross country finals. 

As the fall sports season came to a close, 

and the winter season kicked off, West 

Allegheny athletes proved once again 

why there is so much pride in being an 

Indian. A few fall highlights included: 

Varsity Football 

With a 24-7 commanding semi-final 

victory, our varsity football team positioned 

themselves to be in the WPIAL 

Championship game against the West 

Mifflin Titans. History at Heinz was made 

when our Indians went undefeated in their 

title game appearances and downed West 

Mifflin 34-8. The post-season games 

capped off an impressive season with a 12-1 

record at press time, a share of the Parkway 

Conference title, and the school’s sixth 

Wilson Elementary students commence 

WPIAL the Opening Championship. Ceremonies PIAA of Track quarter and finals 

against Field Day. Erie Pictured Cathedral are Preparatory Jake Spinelli, School 

Britney Wilson, Brayden Krek, and Ben 

were Reno. scheduled for Friday, November 30, 

2012, in Erie. 

Boys’ Varsity Soccer 

Boys’ soccer finished their season with a 

15-3 record that included a co-section title 

and victories over Waynesburg High School 

in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs, 

but a disappointing 1-0 loss to Belle Vernon 

in the quarter finals. 

Cross Country News 

Congratulations to Alexis O’Shea for 

medaling and finishing eighth in the PIAA 

cross country finals at Hershey on 

November 3, 2012. Teammates Adelle 

Collins and RJ Freese both finished in the 

top third of their respective races, as well. 

Congratulations to all of our fall athletes, 

and we wish our winter athletes good luck 

and good health. 

 

Director of Athletics

UP IN ARMS MOVES TO MOON, THANKS WA COMMUNITY 

Dooner (Walter) Sadauskas has moved his studio, Up in Arms Tattoo, from Imperial to 

Moon Township. 

The opportunity to move means that the studio can offer more than it did at its location 

on West Allegheny Road, where it served the community for the past several years. 

The new facility offers three times the previous space. Located above The Smokestack 

on Carnot Road, Up in Arms Tattoo offers an upscale, creative environment for those 

desiring to get ink art. 

Whether it be famous faces or places, personal statements or landscapes, floral gardens 

or symbols, Dooner and his crew welcome customers to their new studio. 

They also bring in guest tattoo artists to provide their clientele with even more variety. 

Dooner and his team of professional tattoo artists welcome readers to stop in and take a 

tour, or make an appointment. The studio is open Monday through Thursday from 12 to 10 

p.m., Friday and Saturday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. The studio address is 539 Carnot Road, Moon 

Township, PA 15108. For questions, call (412) 264-3126. 

CHAMBER ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD 

The Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce (PAACC) is pleased to announce the 

results of its recent Board of Directors elections and to welcome the following returning 

and incoming directors. 

Returning to the PAACC Board for various terms are: Alisa Faulk, Courtyard by Marriott 

Pittsburgh Settlers Ridge; Jim Katsafanas, Michael Baker Corporation; Frank Polito, 

Comcast; and Don Smith, Robert Morris University. 

Newly elected to the PAACC Board for varying terms are: Mike Belsky, Columbia Gas of 

Pennsylvania; Kelly Englebert, EATON Corporation; Dr. Neal Fanelli, Allegheny Medical 

Integrated Health Services; and George Stark, Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation. 

ST. CLAIR OPENS BREAST CARE CENTER 

St. Clair Hospital has opened its new, state-of-the-art Breast Care Center in Bethel 

Park. Designed with a spa-like ambience, the center offers the most advanced 

diagnostic imaging technology in an environment of comfort, convenience, and 

beauty. 

Located on the third floor of the St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center in Village 

Square, the center is a 6,000-square-foot suite that is configured to maximize patient 

privacy and facilitate efficiency. There are two waiting rooms, a public reception area, 

and a second private waiting room near the testing area. There are private dressing 

rooms, including two that are attached directly to a mammography room. Even 

acoustics have been addressed, with soundproofing on doors to assure confidentiality 

of conversations with doctors or technicians. 

Architect Tami Greene, AIA, of IKM, Inc. in Pittsburgh, says that privacy was a major 

consideration in planning the space. “Women are able to circulate through the suite 

without ever entering a public area. This is important when you are wearing an 

examination gown in a clinical setting.” 

PTI TO OFFER SERVSAFE TRAINING 

PTI will offer ServSafe training classes to the business community in 2013 on Mondays, 

January 21, April 15, July 8, and October 7. For more information, visit http:// 

www.pti.edu/servsafe_training.php. 

ServSafe is a certification program offered to those in the food service industry. 

The program chair who coordinates these training sessions passed along comments 

from individuals who completed evaluation forms. They included: 

“The information was important and I know it will improve my job performance. The 

location was great and only minutes from downtown Pittsburgh.” 

-- Teresa Day-Robinson, Senior Center Manager, Lutheran Service Society

Anyone in Pittsburgh will tell you that there is little 

need for clever Santa-tracking websites and 

customized electronic letters, because, in our town, 

we know that the real Santa Claus is right here at 

The Mall at Robinson. 

And that’s exactly where thousands of people will 

find him, some travelling great distances, until he 

packs up and takes flight for his big night on 

December 24. 

The Mall at Robinson’s Santa Claus has been a 

Pittsburgh family tradition since the Mall opened in 

2001. 

Just ask him to see his driver’s license and you’ll 

get all the evidence you need. Santa Claus will show 

his official license issued by the state of Colorado, 

noting his summer address 

in Fort Collins. But 

through December 24, the 

real proof is a matter of 

the heart. 

Here, Santa Claus 

speaks seven languages, 

including American sign, 

and has a particular 

fondness for children who 

have special needs. Parents are willing to travel a 

great distance to bring their children to him, 

observing the magical rapport between Santa and the 

children who visit him. “It can be as 

simple as how he makes such a big deal of the 

children’s new holiday clothing,” said Amy Rusnak. 

“He is absolutely magical – and the only Santa we go 

to see.” 

Children of all ages relate to Santa Claus. “He even 

gets my 15-year-old son to sit on his lap,” said Duane 

Rankin. “I love him and so do my kids. It wouldn’t be 

Christmas without him.” 

U.S. Army Captain Dawn McCracken Bruce knew 

about Santa’s magic when she asked him to help her 

reunite with her sons after a long assignment in Iraq – 

a moment captured by Good Morning America’s Ron 

Claiborne just before Christmas in 2011. 

Shema Krinsky is a true believer. As director of 

marketing at The Mall, she’s perhaps one of Santa’s 

closest observers. “I think about the things I’ve seen, 

and the things Santa has told me about his 

conversations with kids from people he sees every 

year….from two days old to 102 years old,” she said. 

“It’s a powerful combination of emotions that I can 

only describe as…..grateful.” 

Krinsky said she calls to mind the letter Virginia 

O’Hanlon wrote to the New York Sun. Her father told 

her: if you see it in the Sun, then it’s so. 

“For all of us here at The Mall at Robinson, the 

story is just the same as it was written all those years 

ago. When you see him — then you’ll know — it is 

so.”

PAID ADVERTORIAL 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check Us Out 

on Facebook! 

ERIC PIZER 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JORDAN BOYD 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7948 Steubenville Pike, Imperial, PA 15126 412.440.3000 

Did “The Beatles” put the American barbershop out of business for over 70 years Word on the grapevine 

is that they did, but it’s 2012 and men getting their haircuts in a barbershop is back to stay this time! Would 

you like a good, old-fashioned haircut that includes eyebrow, ear, and nose trimming Perhaps a hot lather 

neck shave Maybe make your beard or mustache look perfect with flawless straight lines on the top and 

bottom of your beard! 

Right in the heart of Imperial, at 7948 Steubenville Pike, and in between Don’s Pizza and The Inn Place, 

Pizer’s Barber Shop, owned by Eric Pizer, stands ready to serve the male population of the community with 

top notch service, attention to detail, and an environment that combines the ambiance of barbershops of old 

with West Allegheny’s red and gray. Throw in some unique touches like the thousands of Lincoln head 

pennies (all heads up) and a few random old wheat pennies that make up the custom countertops, a couple 

of brand new flat screen televisions with a Bose surround sound system, and a cooler filled with complimentary 

sodas, water, beer, and such. 

Eric, a 2003 graduate of West Allegheny High School, traveled an unusual path before deciding to become a 

barber entrepreneur. He studied business at CCAC, then went to the University of Pittsburgh and began 

working towards his bachelor’s degree in accounting. "I really liked the idea of working for myself and doing 

something in the community that would help people,” he said. 

He decided to take the risk and forge ahead with the idea of opening a community barbershop in his 

hometown. Eric apprenticed under a good friend’s mom (JoAnn McMurray, barber manager). About a year 

later he got licensed by the state. In Pennsylvania, barbers are required to put in 1,250 hours of training 

before they are considered ready for the state licensing. Barbers have to study a variety of skills, including 

the use of a straight razor, for 200 hours. Barbers also cut male clients everyday as a student. There were 

two tests, a written exam and a practical. 

“It was intense," described Eric, who passed both of his tests on the first try. 

Recently, Eric upgraded his chairs and many other things in the shop. He spent hours hunting online for 

the perfect barber’s chairs. He snagged one such chair, circa 1903 brand THEO A. KOCH’s, which, he says, 

"sat for 70 years in storage at a local state hospital; it was in a closet, never used."

PAID ADVERTORIAL 

FAR LEFT: Eric and Jordan specialize in unique design cuts. 

CENTER: Pizer’s Barbershop is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. Weekday hours will be extended in 2013. 

THIRD FROM LEFT: One of the three antique barber chairs Eric purchased for the shop. 

FAR RIGHT: Eric uses a special barber’s vacuum on every customer to get the cut hair out of the customer’s scalp. It helps a lot on lunch breaks and 

when customers have something important to do afterwards. 

The other two he bought from two different 

,old barbershops, which had both been open 

since the early 1900s. Those two chairs, one 

red and one black, are from 1910 and 1908, 

respectively. Eric secured the services of an 

upholstery shop to refurbish the chairs. 

For his shop, he sought a locale that was 

central to Imperial, a space in a vacant section 

of the building that is attached to The Inn 

Place. Pizer’s Barbershop is located less than 

a quarter mile from the newly reconstructed 

main intersection in Imperial on Steubenville 

Pike. With some help from his family, friend 

Joey Welsh, and girlfriend Melissa Braddock, 

Eric remodeled the entire space. He installed 

walls, had the electric repaired, and completed 

new plumbing installations. He also took 

$500 or so in pennies to create the customer 

counters. 

Jordan Boyd, from McDonald, joined Eric 

at the shop this year at the beginning of April. 

Jordan has four years of experience cutting 

hair, and is also state certified as a barber 

manager. Eric said, “Jordan is like a partner 

and I hope to work in the field with him for the 

next 30 years!” 

Pizer’s Barber Shop opened up on January 1 

of this year. Eric says, “clients of the shop 

have been spreading word of this diamond in 

the rough like wildfire since day one.” 

Every day Jordan and Eric strive to tweak 

things until they are where they want them to 

be. Eric plans to upgrade his signage, get a third 

barber in the shop, and add more artwork on 

the walls. Presently, ink and pen artwork by 

Tempy Moore (Art for Yinz), lines the walls, 

mostly depicting sports figures. The theme is a 

West Allegheny sports barbershop! 

He’s also planning to open a second shop in 

the Oakland section of town near the University 

of Pittsburgh. 

He points to the barber pole that spins 

outside his front door, and explains that only 

certified barbers are permitted to display and 

operate one. He notes that there are only a 

couple of them operating in the Western 

Allegheny area. 

In addition to men’s haircuts, which are 

reasonably priced at $12, the shop provides 

shape-ups for $5, straight razor head shaves, 

eyebrow, mustache, and beard trims, and hot 

lather shaves. 

He offers discounts for seniors and military 

personnel, too. They can do short haircuts for 

women. Eric said it’s important to point out 

that he and Jordan use a new razor blade on 

every customer. 

“Both barbers use between 10-20 blades a 

day on haircuts and five on each shave; I want 

each customer to have a new, clean blade, so 

that they get the very best precision haircut,” 

he explains. 

Eric plans on having customer appreciation 

days in the new year, as well as events like 

free haircut days, and raffling off Penguin, 

Pirate, Panther, and Steelers tickets. Eric and 

Jordan have many other ideas in the making. 

The MAIN IDEA, he emphasized, is that 

guys come to get a great haircut, socialize, 

make new contacts, enjoy their time there, 

and BRING BACK THE BARBER SHOP 

OF OLD! 

WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING . . .

The worst financial crisis since the 

Great Depression doesn’t sound like 

a great time to start a multi-million 

dollar real estate venture. Yet in 2009, 

as retail companies across the 

country were reeling, leaving large box 

stores in prime shopping locations 

vacant, Robinson native and Latitude 

Global (LGI) CEO, Brent Brown, 

realized it was just the opportunity his 

company needed. 

As early as 2007, the Montour alum’s 

private equity firm, The Brownstone 

Group, had been developing an idea for an 

entertainment complex around luxury, boutique 

bowling. When the real estate bubble popped in 2008, 

BY DOUG HUGHEY 

 

 

making some rather large venue 

options available, LGI settled on a 

former Toys-R-Us in Jacksonville, 

Florida for its first location. 

The company renovated the 50,000- 

square-foot building, packing it with 

everything from live bands and hightech 

bowling to a movie theater, and 

added LED-lit bubble walls and dark oak 

accents. 

Just months later, the concept attracted 

a partnership with publicly-traded 

Entertainment Partners Trust, which, 

according to the “Wall Street Journal,” has 

been searching for ways to expand beyond its bread 

and butter AMC movie theater property management business. 

BELOW: Brent Brown inside Latitude 40 at the bowling lanes while they were still under construction; lower and upper floor diagrams show all the 

entertainment venues inside. PHOTO BY SARAH HUGHEY

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Scenes from inside the new Latitude 40. PHOTOS BY LATITUDE 40 

With a $25 million infusion from EPT, LGI is about to open two 

new locations in Chicago and Indianapolis, but not before 

putting the final touches on its second location in Brent’s old 

backyard at the Pointe at North Fayette. 

There, the once weed-strewn Roomful Express building has 

gotten a thorough, $14-million facelift, including a new addition 

to house a theater and patio roof deck. Named after its nearest 

latitude line, Latitude 40’s doors opened last month, and, like its 

sister location in Jacksonville, features a range of entertainment 

options. The promising retail market, along with the proximity of 

hotels and airport, says Brent, played no small part in LGI’s 

decision to invest in his hometown, where his concept has 

created about 190 jobs amidst the tough economy. “I love 

what they’ve done,” says Brent about the area where he grew 

up, went to high school, and met his wife in eighth grade. “It’s 

an amazing change.” Brent 

says that through his wife, Antonia Zambrano Brown, they’ve 

retained close familial ties to the area, and that the two have 

made frequent trips back with their three children. Recently, 

they bought a townhome in Centennial Point near Settler’s 

Ridge. 

Last year, Brent’s brother, Kyle, another area native, joined 

LGI as its director of venue oversight. Like Brent, Kyle also 

graduated from Montour in the 1980s, where both brothers 

played football. While Brent went on to attend the Naval 

Academy and quarterback the football team, Kyle played for a 

season at the University of Pittsburgh. Brent went on to pursue 

investment banking, while Kyle got into real estate development 

and management. 

In 2007, Brent teamed up with fellow investors to start The 

Brownstone Group, and together they began the hard work of 

traveling across the country, checking out similar type venues. 

Brent says that it actually was a lot of work. 

“Really, it was a team of professionals who worked very hard 

to develop the concept,” he says. “It was no one person or 

moment. It was a year-long process.” 

What they came up with was a sprawling, open floor, Vegasstyle 

format that encapsulated the best of what they’d 

experienced. Latitude 40 features 24 lanes of luxury bowling on 

two floors, 70 arcade games, a sports theater, live music, 

comedy acts, and a 90-seat, single-screen theater showing 

second-run movies. Cocktail service is available throughout, 

serving a menu that LGI Business Developer Mike Biogiotti 

describes as Neuvo American. That means options like seared 

and blackened tuna sashimi and ribeye steaks, but not at the 

expense of comfort standbys like burgers and pulled pork 

sandwiches. 

For those preferring a quiet, sit-down dinner, there will also be 

a restaurant downstairs, partitioned off by bubble walls 

dampening the sound from a nearby, multi-tiered sports theater, 

which will show just about any major sports event, including 

every NFL game. 

Upstairs, past the glass-enclosed wine room, entertainment 

seekers can also bowl while listening to live bands and DJ’s. 

Brent says they’ll have one of either every Friday and Saturday 

night. Or they can check out live comedy and bands in the 

Vegas-style theater. Once the weather improves, the outdoor 

patio will also be open. 

In Jacksonville, Mike says, both theaters have proven popular 

for private events. Outfitted with video conferencing 

equipment, the live theater was 90 percent booked last year with 

events ranging from college booster meetings to product 

announcements. The movie theater, says Mike, has proven 

popular for birthday parties, for which LGI can either download 

a movie or hook up a video game system to the theater’s 

enormous screen. Brent says on Sundays it’s commandeered by 

local Steelers fans, 

who announce 

their presence by 

displaying a giant, 

blow-up Steeler 

outside the venue. 

That may or may 

not have 

something to do 

with Brent being a 

devoted and lifelong 

Steelers fan 

himself. 

Either way, he 

says, “it’s one 

location, endless 

possibilities. From 

the youngest to 

the oldest, they all 

have a great time.”

BY DOUG HUGHEY 

PHOTOS SUBMITTED 

 

 

Over the past twenty years, 

Crossroads United Methodist 

Church in Oakdale has been 

growing in popularity, to the 

point that last Christmas Eve it 

had to turn away churchgoers 

after its 300-seat sanctuary filled 

to capacity. That’s despite 

offering eight services. 

Crossroads shouldn’t have 

that same problem this year, 

however, as it just finished a $4.5 

million construction project that 

includes an additional, 600-seat 

sanctuary to accommodate 

worshipers seeking out its 

contemporary brand of service. 

With high-tech video, lighting, 

and sound recording equipment 

rivaling that of a concert venue, 

plans this Christmas Eve are to 

broadcast services down the hall 

to its old sanctuary, thereby 

raising its capacity to 900. On 

any given weekend, the church 

attracts about 1,300 people 

between three different services. So that might just be enough 

space; assuming, of course, that members don’t decide to show 

up from any of the church’s other three branches in Cranberry, 

Bridgeville, and East Liberty. Combined, those campuses account 

for an additional four or five hundred attendees. 

It wasn’t always that way for Crossroads, however, which now 

features a café, two youth wings, a gymnasium, and state-of-theart 

sound mixing equipment at its main campus in Oakdale. 

Twenty-one years ago, the church consisted of a core group of 

10 to 12 launch-team members meeting in the Heritage Room at 

the Tonidale, where a small praise band donating their time and 

equipment set up and tore down each Sunday. Crossroads 

founder Steve Cordle, then a 33-year-old with a master’s in 

divinity and bachelor’s in music, drove to the hotel each week 

with the only four people he could be sure would attend: his wife, 

Linda, and three boys, Josh, Jonathan, and Daniel. 

“Every Sunday morning we used to drive to the Tonidale and 

wonder if people would show up,” says Steve, who at the time 

was earning his doctorate in ministry from the United Theological 

Seminary. 

Previously, he’d served at churches in Somerset and Fayette 

counties from 1983 until 1991, when he gained approval from the 

United Methodist Church to open a new church in the airport 

area. It was a decision that came with no small amount of 

excitement or trepidation, and, he says, was preempted by a good 

year and a half of soul searching. After assembling a small 

contingency of about a dozen congregation members, Steve says 

TOP: In the early 1990s, the small congregation met at The 

Tonidale ballroom; BOTTOM: Pastor Cordle, left, with church 

members during the land purchase and dedication. 

the church reached out to the community 

by cold calling 5,000 households. 

“We’d call and ask them if they already 

went to a church, and if they said they did 

then we’d thank them and hang up,” says 

Steve. “If not, we told them that we were 

starting a church and asked if they were 

interested in finding out more about us.” 

Eventually, their membership grew to 

about 80 and they were holding small 

group sessions in each other’s homes; a 

tenet that the church still operates on 

today. 

“Now matter how large the church gets, 

others in those groups will still know your 

family and even your dog’s name,” says 

Steve, who’s written one book and 

contributed to another on what’s often 

referred to as cell group congregations. 

In 1995, the church built its first, 300- 

person sanctuary completely with 

volunteer help. They didn’t even have a 

construction loan. 

“Middle school girls even helped,” says 

Steve about the original sanctuary, which 

is now used largely as a chapel for 

weddings and a couple of youth services each Sunday. 

In 2005, the church began expanding to additional campuses, 

first when interest surfaced in Bridgeville, and then when 

Crossroads was contacted by two failing churches in Cranberry 

and East Liberty. Recently, the church went international when a 

French, father-son team sought Steve out through his Joel 

Comiskey Group blog, asking him to coach them to become 

ministers. In high school, Steve had studied in Brussels. Despite 

the secular culture, the two have since opened branches in 

Versailles and the south of France. 

Going from church member to minister or full time employee 

isn’t all that unusual at Crossroads, which caters with its small 

groups to anyone from the recently initiated to the longtime 

adherent. Such was the case with Dale Roddy, who began as a 

church volunteer and now heads up the Bridgeville campus out 

of a converted warehouse. Children’s director Ginny Melhorn 

and treasurer Judy Hironimus have been around since the 

beginning. So has Steve’s son Jonathan, who is now the 

worship director at the East Liberty location, and Al Gyergyo, 

who coaches small groups. 

Crossroads’ very first service in its new sanctuary took place a 

couple of months ago on September 29. It was the anniversary of 

the very first service the church ever held at the Tonidale in 

1991. 

“We didn’t plan it that way,” says Steve. “It just happened.”

RETIRED OAKDALE RESIDENT PLANNING HAWAII TRIP FOR VETS 

Former Oakdale resident, Don “Bud” McLean, a U.S. Navy Retired (now living in 

Hernando, Florida) will organize a group of veterans, their families and friends for the 

next annual trip to Hawaii. They will hold services on the USS Arizona and The National 

Cemetery of the Pacific, with the U.S. Navy providing a bugler and launch for the 

services. If interested in attending the next trip on September 17-October 4, 2013, 

contact Bud at dmclean8@tampabay.rr.com or (352) 637-5131. 

LUPUS CENTER CO-FOUNDER HONORED 

Susan Manzi, MD, MPH, co-founder of the Lupus Center of Excellence at West Penn 

Allegheny Health System, joins the Lupus Foundation of America in unveiling a new 

national initiative to spread lupus awareness. 

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) revealed new survey findings about the 

public's perception of lupus and provided details about a national initiative dedicated to 

bolster lupus awareness. 

Dr. Manzi, a member of the LFA’s board of directors and medical advisory committee, 

was a featured panelist in the presentation along with Shannon Boxx, a member of the 

US women's Olympic soccer team who won gold in London and is living with lupus.

1009 Beaver Grade Road, 

Suite 220 

Moon Township, PA 15108 

(412) 262-3780 

www.repmustio.com 

 

 

319 Castle Shannon Blvd. 

Pittsburgh, PA 15234 

(412) 571-2000 

www.pahouse.com/MSmith

Oakdale Borough office still has 120th Anniversary items 

available for purchase. They include: hoodies for $15, t-shirts 

for $5/$7, history books for $10, baseball caps for 

$10, and the 120th Anniversary 80 minute DVD for $5. 

 

LifeSpan Senior Resource Center, located in the Oakdale 

Community Center, is leaving Oakdale, effective January 1, 2013. 

LifeSpan has provided daily services to seniors in the area for 

many years. Residents may attend any of the ten other senior 

centers that LifeSpan operates in Allegheny County, or any of 

its satellite or extension programs. 

Beginning January 1, 2013, the community center 

will be available for daytime use, Monday through Friday. Call 

(724) 693-9740) for details on daily, weekly, or monthly rates. 

 

Boy Scout Troop 248 thanks the residents and businesses 

who contributed to Eagle Scout candidate Peter Cochran’s Eagle 

Service Project: the purchase of an AED unit, Automated 

External Defibrillator, which was installed on the front wall of the 

meeting hall at the Oakdale Community Center. 

An AED unit is a portable electronic device that is used in 

cases of life threating cardiac arrhythmias. 

The AED units can cost up to $2,000. As a result of so many 

community donations, the AED unit was purchased and 

installed at no cost to the borough. 

 

 

Pennsylvania recently passed new laws and regulations that 

heighten the state’s and landfill industry’s enthusiasm to 

protecting the environment. This new legislation has come about 

in several phases-in periods over the past two years. In January 

2013 the final segment will come into law – banning electronic 

waste (e-Waste) for being disposed of in municipal landfills. 

As a result, North Fayette Township will no longer collect the 

banned materials from residents effective January 1, 2013. For 

more information, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us, keyword: 

Electronics Recycling. 

 

North Fayette Police Chief, Jeffrey Falconer, is retiring at the 

end of December, after spending 35 years with the police 

department in one capacity or another. Read the next issue in 

February about his time with North Fayette police and Chief 

Falconer’s successor. 

Laura Ludwig has been hired as the township’s new community 

development director. She will be responsible for land development, 

zoning, building and fire codes, and signs. 

Read the next issue in February about Allegheny West 

Magazine’s conversation with Laura to learn more about her and 

her thoughts about the future of the North Fayette community. 

 

 

The intersection at Route 30 and Clinton Road, pictured below, 

has opened to the public. Improvements at the intersection now 

make turning at the intersection, especially for larger vehicles, 

much easier. Mamone’s Restaurantwhich once stood on the left 

in this picture, was razed as part of the project. 

 

While no new housing or residential developments have been 

launched in the township, permits for new construction have been 

issued in Maronda Farms, Marion Estates, Village at Clinton Lake, 

and Lenox Place. In Maronda Farms, phase I construction continues 

along Stallion Drive and Colt Circle. Public improvements are 

progressing for Phase II. The third building is awaiting final 

inspection at The Village at Clinton Lake, and the foundation is 

complete there for the recreation clubhouse.

HALF A CENTURY OF WA TO PITT TIGHT ENDS 

In the past 50 years, there have been three former West Allegheny 

football players that were designated as tight ends in high school and 

played the same position at Pitt. They all went on to have professional 

football careers. The most recent was Dorin Dickerson (WA ‘04). He is 

still active in the NFL as a tight end/receiver for the Buffalo Bills. 

The following is a thumbnail sketch of the other two former WA and 

Pitt players. 

KIRK McMULLEN 

At age 35, armed with Bachelor of Science degrees in economics and 

sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, former West Allegheny 

student athlete (WA ‘95) and NFL player Kirk McMullen currently 

makes his living as the Pittsburgh area territorial manager for the medical 

devices division of Boston Scientific Corporation. Among his duties for 

Boston Scientific are to provide operating room assistance to Neuro and 

Orthopedic surgeons that implant pain management devices manufactured 

by his company. 

In addition, since his retirement from football in 2003, Kirk has 

obtained U.S. Merchant Marine and Coast guard licenses to captain 

certain vessels for tourists and to teach boating. 

After his professional football playing days were over – Kirk was a 

starting tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002. 

He also took up bass fishing as more than just a hobby. He has since 

become a champion angler on a professional bass fishing tour. 

Kirk’s story is one of chasing one dream only to chase another. Well, 

sort of. There is a large discrepancy between an NFL salary and fishing 

tournament prize money. But there is nothing fishy about a 265 pound, 

6’5” pound former professional player named Kirk McMullen being 

photographed grinning profoundly while holding up a large river bass 

that was his prize winning catch of the day. 

Kirk won letters in three sports at West Allegheny. He was allconference 

on both offense and defense in football his senior year. 

Preferring to play at a division one college, Kirk passed on numerous 

offers to smaller colleges after high school and walked on at Pitt. He was 

red-shirted his first year. The following year, he was awarded a full 

scholarship by then Panthers coach John Majors. 

Kirk’s initial venture into professional football took him across the 

ocean to play in the now inactive European version of American 

Football with the Amsterdam Admirals in 2001. The NFL Europe teams 

played a springtime schedule, and then he was signed by the Kansas City 

Chiefs before making his way onto the Cincinnati Bengals team that fall. 

He returned to Europe to play for Amsterdam again in 2002, and then 

was back in the states again playing for Cincinnati. Kirk played in seven 

games that year for the Bengals, three of them as the starting tight end. 

He had two receptions for 15 yards. He also saw time on special teams. 

The Bengals made him a free agent early in 2003. He was then picked 

up by the Carolina Panthers, who once again optioned him out to 

Amsterdam. By that time, Kirk had established himself as one of the top 

receivers in the Euro League. Back home, the Panthers made him their 

final cut after training camp. It was decision time for Kirk. 

“It was time for me to make the transition to life after football, time for 

me to show others, and to teach others, that there are other things in this 

world. I had spent a lot of time in the classroom learning and preparing to 

do what I do now and I like what I’m doing,” said McMullen. 

Kirk and his wife, Gretchen, who owns a photography studio and is a 

physical fitness instructor, have three children; Jackson, 5; Brock, 4; and 

Lucy, 2. 

MITCHELL ZALNASKY 

Preceding McMullen at WA and Pitt by 34 years was Imperial native 

Mitchell Zalnasky, who also answered to the name of “Mickey” in high 

school. 

A three-sport athlete, Zalnasky was also a three-sport captain, leading 

the football, basketball, and baseball teams at WA during his senior year, 

in the 1961-1962 season. 

Mitch went on to become a two-year starter as Pitt’s tight end, and 

became the first ever, former West Allegheny player drafted by an NFL 

team. The Washington Redskins chose him with their sixth pick in the 

17th round of the 1966 draft. Mitch was on the taxi squad of the 

Redskins that year, but signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 

Canadian Football League in 1967. 

Zalnasky played for seven years in Canada, then moved into the Blue 

Bombers’ front office. His administration duties included media relations, 

and that led to his hiring by Winnipeg flagship radio station CJOB as an 

analyst and color commentator at Blue Bomber games. Mitch is now in 

his 37th year as a broadcaster, and was recently inducted into the Blue 

Bomber Hall of Fame.

Just before the United States celebrated Veterans Day, Pittsburgh 

Technical Institute (PTI) opened a new military lounge for the 

exclusive use of U.S. veterans and active military currently enrolled in 

any of the college’s programs of study. 

The lounge is designed to honor 

military servicemen and servicewomen 

by providing a comfortable, private 

place for studying and socializing with 

fellow soldiers. The military lounge is 

equipped with computers, new 

furniture, a television, publications, 

financial aid and counseling resources, a 

microwave, refrigerator, and free coffee. 

A visual tribute to each branch of the 

United States military reflects the 

college’s intention to honor military 

service within its student ranks. 

PTI’s administration consulted with 

retired military on staff and students 

with military affiliations in the 

development of the military lounge. Jim 

Lauria, director of public safety at PTI, 

is a retired lieutenant colonel of the 

United States Air Force. 

“The experiences our military students 

have endured are often incomprehensible 

for civilians,” said Lauria. “When they 

leave their base and come home from 

service, they are often really missing the 

connection to people who understood 

the language and the shared experiences. 

It’s important to talk to fellow military.” 

According to PTI President Greg DeFeo, it is 

both an honor and an obligation to help American soldiers transition to 

civilian life. “Our military lounge is just one of a collection of 

initiatives PTI has introduced to salute and 

pay tribute to those who have served us in 

the defense of democracy and the freedoms 

we enjoy.” In 

addition to its new military lounge, PTI 

announces its Gold Star Grant program, 

which extends institutional financial aid to 

the son or daughter of a member of military 

killed in the line of duty. 

“We wish to honor those who have 

served to protect our precious right to 

pursue higher education. Nothing can 

compare to the ultimate sacrifice in the line 

of duty, However, through our Gold Star 

scholarship program, we can do our part to 

ensure that these heroes have not sacrificed 

in vain,” said DeFeo. 

In August, the school became designated 

a Yellow Ribbon School through a Veterans 

Administration and Department of Defense 

partnership program designed to provide 

eligible veterans with tuition, housing, and 

book cost assistance. 

Victory Media includes Pittsburgh 

Technical Institute on its list of military 

friendly schools, which distinguishes it as 

among the top 15 percent of schools 

nationwide that deliver the best experience 

for military students. 

TOP, LEFT: PTI students that serve in the Armed Forces attend the dedication;TOP, RIGHT: military post the colors; CENTER, TOP: PTI President 

Greg DeFeo and Lt. Col. Jim Lauria, director of public safety at PTI; CENTER, BOTTOM: Greg DeFeo with area military officials. PHOTOS SUBMITTED

STARTING CLOCKWISE, TOP LEFT: Doug Hughey, assistant editor at 

Allegheny West Magazine, with his wife, Sarah Hughey at the bartending 

station to support the West Allegheny Food Pantry; attending the chamber 

event, Mixers with Shakers, from Allegheny West Magazine were Chuck Dodd, 

publisher/editor Pat Jennette, Dr. Rebecca Hughey, writer Jocelyn Grecko, 

and writer Erma Dodd; winner of this year’s Mixer with Shakers cocktail, Alisa 

Faulk of the Courtyard by Marriott, with Doug Hughey; Doug and Geri 

Hermann, volunteer coordinator of the food pantry; members of the Parkway 

West Rotary delivered three truckloads of food to the pantry last month, left 

to right, Dan Wise of Padgett Business Services, Josh Egal of The Smokestack, 

Marcie McKivitz of The Callos Companies, and Sam Duerr III of Duerr 

Packaging. 

During these last few 

months, the community 

rose to the occasion to 

provide food for its 

neighbors in need this 

holiday season. There 

were food drives at West 

Allegheny’s schools and 

football games, Shop n’ 

Save, and area businesses 

such as TCA 

Construction. Three 

truckloads of food were 

delivered from the 

Parkway West Rotary 

Club, (see photo, far left), 

donated by its members, 

students from Montour 

School District and the 

Parkway West Rotary, 

Pantry clients will not go 

hungry this holiday. 

Allegheny West 

Magazine did its part too. 

See photos, left. 

Geri Hermann, 

volunteer food pantry 

coordinator, thanks 

everyone for their 

generosity during this 

season.

LEFT TO RIGHT: On November 2, Chamber Ambassadors gathered at Freedom Wireless for their official 

ribbon cutting ceremony; on November 12, Victory Media, Inc. enjoyed a ribbon cutting ceremony with 

Chamber Board Members and Chamber Ambassadors.

FAMILIES 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEENS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADULTS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the upcoming library relocation, programming dates, and times are 

subject to change. Please check the online calendar of events or call the 

library for up-to-date information regarding programming. Above, volunteers 

helped with the preliminary moving of furniture and items in anticipation of 

the library’s move to its new location on Bateman Road. PHOTO BY SARAH 

HUGHEY 

STORYTIMES

NON-PROFIT GROUPS! 

We offer a significant discount on advertising rates (call for details). 

It’s one way we help you get your message out to the entire community affordably! CALL: 

724.695.3968 or e-mail:

COUPONS

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION, PRODUCT, OR SERVICE HERE! Just $120 for a black and white 

business card, or $130 for a business card in color. No contract required. For more information, call (724) 695-3968.

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION, PRODUCT, OR SERVICE HERE! Just $120 for a black and white 

business card, or $130 for a business card in color. No contract required. For more information, call (724) 695-3968.

PERSONAL 

 

By 

Erma Dodd 

North Fayette Township 

resident 

 

Hunting season has arrived. Charlie’s 

loving it. 

Charlie went into the woods near his 

home on Cliff Mine Road to hunt turkey. 

When he returned, his wife, Karen, 

asked, “Did you see any turkeys” 

“No,” Charlie replies, then Karen tells 

him, “They were all in our yard!” 

Hunter Charlie will tell you, he goes into 

the woods to look for and quietly wait for 

deer. After awhile, the deer make so much 

noise, “they wake me up.” 

The note on the door at Tonidale Auto 

Care read, “Closed, Gone Hunting.” 

If Karen were to write the note for the 

door, it would offer truth and good news for 

the deer population: CLOSED. Charlie is 

taking his gun for another walk.” 

Mya's big brother's Cub Scout troop was 

visiting and entertaining the residents in a 

nursing home. 

The scouts sang and performed. The time 

came to hand out Christmas cards to their 

audience. Mya, age 3, wanted to help so she 

ran up front to help her brother, Anthony. 

She was amazed and so excited. 

Mya ran back to her mom. Her little eyes 

were big, her little arms were waving and 

exaggerating her news. "Mommy, Mommy, 

I found allllll the grammas!" 

After 2l years, Peg Landon's job ended. 

The company outsourced the work. It 

turned out the loss of the job, which 

involved a lot of travel, and a lot of 

stress, actually was timely. 

Peg had time to regroup, spend time 

with family and friends. Then Peg 

began to worry about finding another job. 

There were lots of prayers, faith, and 

trust. A friend made a suggestion which 

led to a new job. 

Months of weekly traveling from her 

home in Hankey Farms to Harrisburg and 

the uncertainty of the new job were 

becoming a strain. 

A billboard on I-83 enroute to York 

caught her eye, time and time again. “The 

sign kept coming at me, Baltimore School 

of Massage Therapy.” 

Finally, one day Peg pulled off the 

highway, wrote down the information and 

called the school. By the time she 

returned home for the weekend, the 

school's information was waiting. 

Peg had herself experienced the 

relaxation and stress relief that massage 

offers. She never once considered 

becoming a therapist until that obvious 

and unforgettable billboard. 

Fortunately, Pittsburgh offered a 

massage therapy school. The next course 

was to begin in two months, January, 

2003. She thought about it for one day. 

Decided, “It was time to reinvent 

 

myself.” 

During school, Peg worked for a therapist 

located on Oakdale Road. Many corporations 

were promoting employee wellness programs, 

and Peg would go to the corporation 

headquarters, and offer a l5-minute massage 

while client was seated in a chair, called a 

chair massage. 

Peg had always dreamed of having her own 

business. It was all coming together for her. 

A local chiropractor began recommending her 

services. Peg calls it "incredible how it has 

all fallen into place." She loves her work. 

Marlene and John McNally have been Peg's 

clients. Marlene asked Peg to work with 

their son, Michael. 

Michael enjoyed music, bass guitar, 

saxophone, cross country running, and his 

mission trip to the Dominican Republic. 

Michael was attending St. Edward's University 

in Texas. 

His life changed on December 4, 2010. He 

was enjoying a bicycle ride until he was hit 

from behind and was thrown from his bike. 

The driver fled the scene. A witness called 

911 and stayed with Michael until help 

arrived. He suffered traumatic brain and 

bodily injuries. 

After months in Texas hospitals, Michael 

could finally return home, but how His 

father, John, has worked for Bayer for 25 

years. Bayer provided the answer. Their 

corporate jet brought Michael home to 

Pittsburgh on day 103. 

Then it was months before Michael 

returned to his home in Moon Township. 

At Peg's first massage therapy visit, 

Michael could not lift his head. He could 

not speak. Peg massaged his neck to begin 

the process of loosening his neck muscles, 

as they felt as hard as a rock due to their 

rigidity. As she continued massaging and 

moving to his legs, his mom witnessed 

Michael moving his legs more energetically 

and deliberately. 

Progress has been slow. Michael's speech 

is improving. 

A beach wheelchair helped him experience 

Florida's ocean waves with his family in 

July. Wheelchair bound, he and friends 

enjoyed a Steeler win in September at 

Heinz Field. 

Michael's mom says, "We as a family 

remain optimistic and rely on our faith to 

keep us strong and hopefilled." 

Christmas will be very different at the 

McNally's. It could have been very, very 

different. 

Peg was told, “You must be a blessing to 

Michael and his family." 

She answered, "It is more - they have 

been a blessing to me." 

"Touch is powerful. Massage can help 

the quality of life, bringing relaxation and 

replacing stress with less stress even if it is 

just for that half hour," Peg adds, "It is 

important to take care of self." 

Said Peg of her career change, "I could not 

have written this (life) script for myself."

Jennette Communications Group 

15 Walnut Street, Suite 101 

Imperial, PA 15126-1226 

PRSRT STD 

U.S. Postage 

 

PITTSBURGH PA 

PERMIT NO. 5605 

IN OUR 

 

Publishing in the 

Airport Area

West Allegheny to Host Gold Card Club Holiday Breakfast

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?