New Year Specials! Expires 3-31-18 Free!* Carrier Air Cleaner Expires 3-31-19 With the purchase of a Carrier 2-speed Furnace $100 Off!* Installation of Carrier Humidifier Expires 3-31-19 Is Your Home Dry? Dryness Solved! Up To 60-Mth 0% Financing* on Furnace & AC Installation For Qualified Buyers on Qualifying Equipment Expires 3-31-19 Schedule Today! 412-787-1341 www.always70wade.com *Cannot be combined with any other offers. Each promotion is separate. *Must be presented at time of sale. P. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057Phone: 724.673.3161E-Mail: info@awmagazine.comwww.awmagazine.comWe are committed to recycling our used and leftover products. We encourage our readers to be responsible and dispose of this magazine when finished enjoying it. Consider passing it along to someone else, or placing it in your neighborhood recycling bins. Thank you in advance for doing your part for our earth.Hughey Publications, LLC also publishes the Montour edition of Allegheny West Magazine, the Cornell edition of Allegheny West Magazine and the West Allegheny edition of Allegheny West Magazine.MEMBER“GOOD NEWS ALWAYS, MAILED & DELIVERED FREE, EVERY TIME”Allegheny West Magazine - Moon Edition, is an all positive, good news publication mailed free into the homes and businesses of the Moon Area School District communities of Moon and Crescent to connect communities, promote people, heighten awareness about the richness of the airport region, and build pride in the western suburbs of Allegheny County.Allegheny WestMagazineNow in Our20th YearProudly Serving the Airport AreaPUBLISHER AND EDITORDoug HugheyWRITERSJill BordoPat Jennette Jocelyn GreckoGRAPHIC DESIGNSarah KizinaWEBMASTERwww.ddswebdesign.comCONTRIBUTORSBarb Kleyman Jesse ForquerFOUNDING PUBLISHERPat Jennette• Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 20194Allegheny West Magazine-Moon Edition is published in January, March, May, July, September, and November, six issues a year, Hughey Publications, LLC, P. O. Box 220, McDonald PA 15057. Mailed and distributed free to residents and businesses in Crescent, Moon and Moon Area School District. Extra copies available at municipal offices, schools, libraries, stores, advertisers, hotels, and businesses. Available by mail subscription for $15 annually. Story ideas welcomed. Community events and announcements from non-profit groups must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publishing date. Announcements are limited to 30 words and must include a contact phone number. Reproduction of any artwork, photographs, or copy prepared by Allegheny West Magazine is strictly prohibited without written consent of Hughey Publications LLC. Copyright 1999-2019 Allegheny West Magazine. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed by contributors and/or advertisers are the responsibility of the contributors and not those of the publisher of Allegheny West Magazine.WE PROUDLY SPONSOR AND SUPPORT:A variety of community, school, and nonprofit organizations in our coverage areas of Cornell, Moon, Montour, and West Allegheny.Black Dog Wine Company’s wines have won numerous awards. The local winery is one of several that we profile this month, starting on page 28. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEYMoon EditionJanuary/February 2019 ~ Volume 13, Number 80ColumnsABOUT THE COVER{ }ContentsLocally Sourced -Moon Parks and Rec - Legislative Update -Chamber Link -Your Schools -Barb’s Recipe Box -On the Horizon -Library Programs - 612141618343637January/February 2019 • www.awmagazine.com •5-------8121416222834Steubenville Pike Auto donates sixth carMoon Parks workout classes Gaydos succeeds MustioPAACC Community Impact Award winnersPittsburgh Technical College students help local familiesLocal winery guidePoached pears, baked apples and cheese fondueDear Readers, Thank you for picking up our first Moon edition of 2019! I hope you had a great holiday season. As we move into the New Year, we’re looking forward to continuing to bring you locally focused, positive news about the Moon Area School District community. In this edition we’re kicking off the New Year by bringing you a rundown on area wineries. If you recall, we did a similar story on local breweries in this same edition last year. This year, we’re taking a look at seven different wineries that both have local locations and are a producing their wine locally. We’re also listing some satellite wineries that produce wine elsewhere in the state but are selling their wine here. We’re bringing you a bit of background on each winery so you’ll know what to expect if you decide to visit them. Much like the individuals behind the various breweries popping up in the area, many of these entrepreneurs came from a variety of walks of life before they entered into wine making. Now, their efforts are adding a unique flavor to the area and raising awareness of locally made products. Read more, starting on page 28. In this edition as well we interview newly elected state Rep. Valerie Gaydos, who at the beginning of January was sworn in as the new state representative for the 44th Legislative District. Gaydos replaces longtime state Rep. Mark Mustio, who made the decision not to run for reelection last year. We take a look at Gaydos’ business background and get an idea of her legislative agenda moving forward on page 14. On page 16, we cover the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce’s recent Community Impact Awards dinner in this month’s Chamberlink column. Now in its second year, three individuals and a business were named as recipients of the award, which seeks to recognize community members who have made significant contributions to the area. If you’re looking to kick the year off right with a new exercise program, I encourage you to check out page 12, where we’re bringing you a list of Moon Parks and Recreation programming along with a special offer from CycleBar Robinson. Then, starting on page 18, we’re bringing you local school news and, on page 35, our chef columnist Barb Kleyman brings you her latest cooking column to perfectly complement our story on local wineries. Check out upcoming events starting on page 38, including programming from the Moon Township Public Library and, starting on page 6, check out content submitted by our readers. Look for our next edition in March, when we’ll be a little closer to spring and, hopefully, warmer weather. In the meantime, I hope you have a great start to the New Year. Doug Hughey,Publisher/EditorFrom thePublisherRead more about local wineries in the Allegheny West Magazine readership on page 28.%Locally SourcedLocally SourcedSTORY AND PHOTO SUBMITTED BY OHIO VALLEY HOSPITAL For the past 16 years, the Center for Organ Recovery and Education has been taking part in the nationally televised Rose Parade. With their annual float, CORE puts a spotlight on the fact that a single organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people. A donor who gives their corneas or tissue can improve the lives of up to 75 people. This year’s float entry is called Rhythm of the Heart. It reflects the parade’s theme of “The Melody of Life,” which celebrates the power of music to bring people together. Every year, the CORE float is covered in rose vials that have been signed by more than 50 organizations that believe CORE’s Ohio Valley again donates to CORE floatmessage is one worth promoting. That’s why, for the past several years, Ohio Valley Hospital President and CEO David W. Scott, FACHE, has gladly signed a vial to be placed on the float. “It’s important to show the public that the healthcare community stands together on the importance of life-saving organ transplants and tissue donation,” said Scott. “More than a quarter of a million life-saving transplants have been performed in the United States over the last thirty years, but tragically, 20 people still die each day waiting for a life-saving organ transplant,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. “It’s very inspiring that this float is adorned with the rose vials that symbolize a commitment to donation by the hospitals we work with in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.”ABOVE: Ohio Valley Hospital President and CEO David W. Scott, FACHE, and Vice President of Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer Nicole Garcia, RN, are pictured with a mock-up of the float at the rose vial signing. RIGHT: David W. Scott, FACHE, signs the rose vial.6 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2019%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced December’s recipient of a used vehicle from Steubenville Pike Auto through its Steubenville Pike Auto Repair Charity program is Tamara Wagner of Pittsburgh. “The committee once again had a very difficult choice to make,” said Jason Pottle, owner of Steubenville Pike Auto. “There are many deserving people in our area. Good people who work hard but still have trouble making ends meet. Tamara Wagner is one such person.” Wagner has held her current job for 13 years. In addition, she started working a second job a number of years ago in order to help her aging mother and other family members. In 2015, Wagner’s daughter and son-in-law lost their home and their beloved dogs in a fire. When this happened, Wagner picked up a third job to help her daughter’s family get back on their feet. Her daughter and friends say that Wagner never complained or felt sorry for herself, she just kept pushing on and moving forward. Wagner continued working three jobs until she suffered some health complications in late 2017 and was forced to go on short-term disability. She returned to work as soon as doctors would allow but complications with her disability payments caused her to fall behind on her bills. As a result, Wagner was unable to keep her vehicle. Wagner was not used to relying on help from others. In fact, she was used to being the helper; the one who everyone came to with their troubles and issues. Forced to rely on friends and family to get her to work, doctor’s appointments and the grocery store, Wagner quit all but her main job because her home is not on a bus route. She had to rely on her neighbor for rides to and from work. With the weather ready to turn, Wagner was getting very nervous about continuing to ask her neighbor for rides. Her daughter, Courtni, saw a change in her mother and became concerned that she was losing faith that her situation would ever improve. Without her mother’s knowledge, Courtni submitted a nomination form to SPARC. “We are just so happy to be able to restore some peace of mind to a person who has spent her life helping and supporting others,” said Pottle. Once again, Heroes Supporting Heroes paid for the transfer fees and registration for the car donation. As such, it helped make a merry Christmas for the entire Wagner Family. For more about Steubenville Pike Auto and the Steubenville Pike Auto Charity Repair program, visit steubenvillepikeauto.com. Steubenville Pike Auto announces recipient of December vehicle giveawaySTORY SUBMITTEDSteubenville Pike Auto president Jason Pottle and the rest of his team presented Tamara Wagner with a refurbished vehicle through the the company’s Steubenville Pike Auto Repair Charity program in December. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY “Creating communities where everyone is empowered to take meaningful steps toward reaching their fullest potential” is more than a vision statement for Coraopolis-based Merakey Allegheny Valley School. An entity of Merakey USA, Merakey AVS is a nonprofit organization that provides homes and a full range of services to individuals with all levels of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Included in that experience is a wide range of activities designed for those individuals to enjoy meaningful service engagements with other community organizations. “People supported by Merakey AVS have so much to share and the desire to engage with their communities,” comments Terrence McNelis, executive vice president and managing director, IDD Services. “It is incredibly exciting for us as we discover ways to match the interests, skills and abilities of those we support with opportunities in the community.” Eighteen months ago, under the direction of program manager Tammy Anderson, Merakey AVS began matching individuals with volunteer opportunities within the communities Merakey AVS serves. An initial activity - individuals manning the Salvation Army Red Kettles at Christmas - has grown into a community-wide service for 10 regular volunteers who rotate through eight community sites. Among the community initiatives Merakey AVS volunteers have been aiding since then are the Coraopolis Foundation Food Pantry, Shade Tree Commission of Coraopolis, and Robin Hill Senior Connection. At LifeSpan Imperial Center, they help with bingo, exercise classes and serving lunch. The West Hills Food Pantry in Moon Township also benefits from a team of Merakey AVS volunteers who work in teams with other volunteers to help load and unload trucks, stock shelves, sort produce, and fill orders for those who access the food pantry. Some also help food pantry clients carry groceries to their cars. Wendy, a regular Merakey AVS volunteer at the food pantry, has a reputation for efficiency, accuracy and organization that makes the process run smoothly. Each person can work at their own pace, contributing to whatever tasks are available. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the community to work together,” says pantry volunteer manager Sandy Hershberger. “They are so enthusiastic and observant of what needs to be done.” Volunteers also began clerical work at Coraopolis Library in September sorting, clipping and organizing coupons for the Coupon Club. As well, they clean and organize the children’s department. They have also helped form an Aktion Club, which is a Kiwanis program designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The club held a planning picnic at Moon Park in 2018 and elected officers, some of whom are individuals from Merakey AVS. Organizations interested in more information about the volunteer program can contact Tammy Anderson, (412) 262-6483 or (412) 299-7777.Merakey AVS volunteers aid community initiatives8 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2019STORY SUBMITTED BY CLEARVIEW FCU Clearview Federal Credit Union, a member-based credit union serving 10 southwestern Pennsylvania counties, presented donation checks to the American Red Cross of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Variety - the Children’s Charity of Pittsburgh. Both charities received a donation of $5,000. All proceeds donated to the charities were raised from Clearview’s annual golf outing through raffle prizes and vendor donations. “We are always trying to make a difference in our community and we are honored to partner with two amazing organizations that hold the same values as Clearview,” said Clearview CEO Ron Celaschi. “With our donations to the American Red Cross of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Variety - the Children’s Charity of Pittsburgh, Clearview is able to be proactive in the community and provide support to those who need it.” The $5,000 donation to the American Red Cross of Southwestern Pennsylvania will go to the victims of the Tree of Life tragedy that occurred Oct. 27. The $5,000 donation to Variety - the Children’s Charity of Pittsburgh will go toward helping children with disabilities live life to the fullest with a focus on mobility, communication and social inclusion.Clearview presents donations to American Red Cross and Variety - the Children’s Charity of PittsburghClearview Federal Credit Union President and CEO Ron Celaschi (at left) and Clearview Vice President of Facilities and Governmental Affairs Ralph Canterbury (who is also chairman of the Clearview Charity Golf Outing, at right) present Variety - The Children’s Charity CEO Charles LaValle and American Red Cross Southwestern PA Chapter Regional Philanthropy Officer Connie Cavrich with $5,000 checks. PHOTO SUBMITTED%Locally SourcedLocally SourcedJanuary/February 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 9Next >