Moon Edition Serving Moon Area School District Volume 13, Number 82 May/June 2019 One of 4 editions serving 16 airport area communities. www.awmagazine.com FREE Direct Mail Community Publication Allegheny West M agazine PLUS: Moon residents honored as women of achievement Coraopolis train station project awarded grant from stateP. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057 Phone: 724.673.3161 E-Mail: info@awmagazine.com www.awmagazine.com We 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 West Magazine Now in Our 20 th Year Proudly Serving the Airport Area PUBLISHER AND EDITOR Doug Hughey WRITERS Jill Bordo Pat Jennette Jocelyn Grecko GRAPHIC DESIGN Sarah Kizina WEBMASTER www.ddswebdesign.com CONTRIBUTORS Barb Kleyman Jesse Forquer FOUNDING PUBLISHER Pat Jennette • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2019 4 Allegheny 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. Dear Readers, Thank you for picking up our May Moon edition of Allegheny West Magazine. One of the challenges that we regularly face with this bi-monthly publication is the long lead time that we often need to deal with when listing and reporting on events, happenings and other news in the immediate area. While sometimes challenging, this can also be fun, as is the case each year with our May and June editions. In these editions we get to publish our annual summer fun guide with information on fairs, festivals and other fun summer happenings taking place across our coverage areas. Thus, even when the weather is chilly - as it is as I am writing this note - we’re thinking ahead to warmer, and more fun, days. On page 36, you’ll find this year’s summer fun guide. In addition to fairs and festivals, we’re also listing things like farmers’ markets, 5K races, area trails and activities for the kids to do once school is out for summer. Keep this guide handy for the next few months and, if you misplace it, you can pull it up on our website at awmagazine.com. In this edition as well, be sure to check out this month’s Groundwork column from the Moon Township Garden Club. In this edition, garden member Debbi Turici writes about the garden club’s annual tour, which in years past has featured her own garden. We’ve actually integrated this month’s Groundwork column into our summer fun guide since we thought the tour was a great suggestion for something fun to do this summer. Read more on page 27. From the PublisherMoon Edition May/June 2019 ~ Volume 13, Number 82 Columns ABOUT THE COVER { } Contents Locally Sourced - Chamber Link - Around Your Town - Your Schools - Groundwork - 6 10 14 16 27 May/June 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 5 - - - 14 15 19 Coraopolis train station project awarded grant from state Moon residents honored as women of achievement Summer Fun Guide Doug Hughey, Publisher/Editor This angel statue is one of various elements in Debbie Turici’s garden that holds special significance to her. Turici, a Moon Township Garden Club member, has been on the garden club’s annual garden tour. In this month’s Groundwork column, Turici writes about the upcoming tour and her garden. Read more on page 27. PHOTO SUBMITTED On page 6, read about the first civilians to take a flight in a C-17 aircraft out of the 911th Airlift Wing and, on page 11, read about two outstanding Moon Township residents who are making a difference in their community. On page 12, we take a look at the latest funding for the Coraopolis train station project and what it’s expected to help accomplish. Look for our next edition in July. Until then, have a great rest of the school year and enjoy the start to summer! The Wheels, Wings and Wishes car cruise fundraiser to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation attracts lots of car owners, including the owners of these Ford Mustangs. For details on that cruise and others this summer, see page 24. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced STORY AND PHOTO SUBMITTED Approximately 30 to 40 St. Clair Hospital physicians got their beards shaved and hair cut at the end of March to mark the conclusion of a fundraising/awareness campaign held during Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Those physicians and others at St. Clair Hospital raised more than $5,000 by paying “fines” not to shave for over a month. The money is being donated to the cancer fund of the St. Clair Hospital Foundation and will be used for a variety of patient initiatives, including transportation for chemotherapy, wigs and restorative yoga. On March 22, the 911th Airlift Wing hosted established senior- level leaders, high-potential young professionals and post-9/11 veterans who had all graduated from leadership development courses offered by Leadership Pittsburgh. The visitors toured the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, received briefings about different functions of the base - as well as the economic impact the 911th has on the community - and had the opportunity to fly on board a C-17 Globemaster III. While in flight, civic leaders also witnessed members of the 911th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron conduct a training exercise on simulated patients. Back on the ground, the visitors had a small lunch and talked with airmen from various parts of the units at the base. The visitors were the first civilians to fly in the base’s new C-17 planes, which are replacing the base’s older C-130 cargo aircraft. Unlike the C-130s, the C-17 aircraft have a global flight range, meaning they’ll likely be flying missions into other theaters. Infrastructure to support the new fleet of C-17 aircraft is still under construction at the base. “I asked the leaders to imagine themselves as an airman, soldier, sailor, marine reservist or active-duty member riding in the jet en route to a far-away war zone or returning from a long deployment,” 911th Operations Group commander Col. Gregory Buchanan said. “The next time they hear about a C-17 supporting a humanitarian exercise or bringing troops to the fight, I want these leaders to remember how the C-17 smelled, how it sounded, how it felt.” Buchanan, a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh, said he wanted there to be more of a discussion in the program about the local military, which was why he wanted to arrange the visit. “I wanted these senior leaders to not only intellectually understand our community impact but really ‘feel’ what it is like to be in the military in Pittsburgh,” he said. He says that graduate engagement events like the visit to the base expand the knowledge base of the program’s alumni and provide an opportunity for the base to connect to aspects of the regional economy. First civilians take flight in 911th C-17 These distinguished civilians pictured were among the first to fly in one of the new C-17 aircraft stationed at the 911th Airlift Wing. St. Clair physicians raised $5,000 for the St. Clair Hospital Foundation in March. St. Clair physicians shave beards and hair for charity STORY BY JOSHUA J. SEYBERT PHOTO BY GRACE THOMSON 6 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2019%New in Town New in Town Custom homebuilder Paragon Homes recently opened its newest model home in Parkside Meadows, a new community adjacent to Collier Community Park. Plans call for just 23 lots in this small, walkable community with tree-lined streets and two cul-de-sacs nestled in pastoral, rolling hills and farm fields. Located in Chartiers Valley School District near other Paragon homes in Walkers Ridge and Nevillewood, Parkside Meadows’ home plans have plenty of potential for large backyards and porches with bucolic views. The site also sits just minutes from busy shopping and dining areas in Bridgeville, Robinson Township and South Fayette Township. Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and downtown Pittsburgh are just a short, 20-minute drive away each. The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is just six minutes away from the community. Unlike the one-size-fits- all homes built by some companies, Paragon designs homes around the needs of each homeowner. Many of the amenities that other builders consider upgrades are standard to Paragon’s homes, which have won 30 awards from the Builders and Realtors Association of Greater Pittsburgh and the Washington County Builders Association. The company has won multiple Single Family Home of the Year awards for homes ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. Paragon prides itself on crafting quality homes designed around each customer through a process that is easy and enjoyable for clients. Parkside Meadows’ plan is formulated around the idea of bringing the walkable, tree-lined streets of Shadyside and Sewickley to Collier Township. Each of community’s home plans already call for unique custom designs, including front porches, gorgeous indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces, gourmet kitchens, and true master retreats with sitting rooms, private balconies, and spa-style baths. With construction just in the beginning phases, prospective homebuyers have the added benefit of getting in early before construction costs rise. The site for Parkside Meadows is located at 4069 Thoms Run Road, Oakdale, PA, 15057. To schedule a viewing, visit Paragon online at VisitParagonHomes.com or call them to schedule an appointment at (412) 787-8807. Paragon opens model home in new Collier Township community Serving the Pittsburgh area since 1987, Paragon Homes proudly handcrafts custom, high quality homes like the ones seen here. Homes in Paragon’s newest community in Collier Township will feature many of these same amenities. STORY AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED May/June 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 7%New in Town New in Town Over the past 12 years, Karen Prunzik’s Broadway Dance Studio has trained some of the area’s premier young talent in performance. Now, the studio, which has been located close to Crafton in Robinson Township since its inception, has moved to the West Allegheny community. The studio is now located at 7857 Steubenville Pike, Oakdale, in the Parkway Plaza. Co-Owner Karen Prunzik operates the studio with her business partner Kailyn Henry, who holds a degree from Point Park University’s pedagogy program. The studio’s existing students from West Allegheny and their families are excited about the move. “I started at BDS with my youngest child taking ballet and tap,” says Tracy Emmett, who lives in the West Allegheny area. “Since then, my middle child has started to take piano lessons, and my oldest is looking into taking voice lessons. As a mother of three, it is wonderful to be provided all of these opportunities in one place, and it also saves me the trouble of running to multiple locations.” She says she’s glad to hear that the studio is moving closer to her and that it will provide a needed service in the community. With the move, the name of the studio will also be changing to Karen Prunzik’s Broadway Performing Arts Center (BPAC) because, says Prunzik, “that’s basically what we are.” The beautiful, large, newly remodeled studio will feature plenty of room with a vast inventory of costumes, sets and props. To celebrate the move, the studio will host a grand opening party on July 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with entertainment and refreshments. All new students who register for fall classes at that time will receive free registration, a $35 value. Anyone who misses the grand opening is encouraged to stop by for an open house the studio will be hosting on Aug. 24 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. As well, the studio is currently registering for its summer classes and its popular summer camps. Students who register for one of their camps get a 50 percent discount off summer classes. The center will be continuing to offer all disciplines of dance as well as acro, acting, musical theater, voice, piano and even ukulele lessons. It will also be offering two new programs: a professional program for serious students who plan to pursue theater as a career and a recreational program for those who just want to have fun while singing and dancing. The latter will help students hone their musical theater skills to take on high school musical auditions. Professional faculty will teach both programs. “We also have adult tap and ballet classes which have become very popular for our 25-75 age group. In the fall we will be adding yoga and ‘mommy and me’ classes along with our Mini Movements for 2 year olds,” says Prunzik. She says the studio doesn’t host recitals but instead writes theme-based musicals that highlight its students’ singing, dancing and acting talents and serve as a theater educational platform for both students and audience. “No ordering costumes from a catalogue book,” she says. “We costume the entire show from our vast costume inventory.” Prunzik, a former Broadway performer, originated the role of Anytime Annie in the Broadway production of “42nd Street.” For more, visit www.prunziksbroadwaydancestudio.com or call (412) 920-1841. Well-known area performance studio moving to WA community KAREN PRUNZIK'S B P A CB P A C Karen Prunzik (at right) and Kailyn Henry (at left), owners of Karen Prunzik’s Broadway Performing Arts Center, pose for a picture with their students. Karen Prunzik’s Broadway Performing Arts Center has moved into a new studio along Steubenville Pike near Imperial. STORY AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED 8 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2019Business Profile LSG Sky Chefs is hardly a household name. However, anyone who has flown out of Pittsburgh International Airport or purchased food from one of the airport’s convenience stores will have likely eaten one of their meals. As Pittsburgh International Airport’s sole provider of inflight catering, LSG Sky Chefs produces roughly 100,000 meals, serving over 14,000 flights every year. This year marks the company’s 20th year operating in the Moon Township community. In 1942, Sky Chefs was founded by American Airlines in Texas. In 1966, Lufthansa founded LSG in Germany as an independent company. It later acquired a large stake in Sky Chefs after it had established an impressive market presence. By 1993, the two companies began marketing their airline catering business under the name LSG Sky Chefs. Finally, in 2001, Sky Chefs was fully acquired by LSG. Today, the company is present at 205 airports in 53 countries and delivers over 560 million meals per year. Since its arrival at PIT in 1999, LSG Sky Chefs has employed countless locals and produced millions of meals for both airline and retail customers. But one thing that has remained the same is their commitment to delivering best-in-class culinary experiences. With an operation running steadily 24/7, it takes a certain kind of person to get the job done. The company, as affirmed on its webpage, is “driven by [its] core values: respect, trust, customer focus, innovation, striving for excellence and sustainable economic success, and inspired by candidates with a similar approach.” Mike Kaldorf, the company’s general manager at Pittsburgh International Airport, expresses the company’s reciprocal devotion to its employees, saying, “Our kitchen has transformed over the past 20 years from simply being an aircraft caterer to the addition of retail business - it is our employees to whom the success can be attributed.” He continues, “As we celebrate our 20th year here, we are really celebrating the employees who got us here.” To demonstrate their appreciation, the company’s Moon Township station hosted their 20-year anniversary celebration March 15. An important piece of the celebration included recognition of six special employees who were present on day one: Lorraine Paschuck, quality assurance technician; Dave Ramsey, maintenance manager; William Rasbach, driver; Diane Sekanick, dispatch clerk; Jonathan Sekanick, operations supervisor; and Joyce Ward, food and equipment coordinator. As LSG Sky Chefs looks forward to another 20 prosperous years, the company is accepting applications from likeminded individuals interested in an exciting and fast-paced career. Those interested can visit LSG Sky Chefs at 452 Tower Road, Coraopolis. ABOVE: LSG Sky Chef’s employees, some of whom have been with the company since its inception in Pittsburgh, are a big reason for the company’s longevity in the area. BELOW: Employees celebrate the company’s 20th year serving Pittsburgh International Airport. Jon Sekanick, Diane Sekanick, Lorraine Paschuck, Joyce Ward, Dave Ramsey and William Rasbach (not pictured) have all been with LSG Sky Chefs since the first day it began serving Pittsburgh International Airport. LSG Sky Chefs celebrating 20 years in Pittsburgh Business Profile %STORY AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED May/June 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 9Next >