< Previous%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced 2007-2008 Baseball Teams The 2007 and 2008 West Allegheny baseball teams achieved what few other teams in West Allegheny sports history have: they won back- to-back WPIAL championships. The 2007 team even went 23-0 on their season and received a USA Today East Region Top 5 ranking. Individual players on both teams still hold a number of school records in numerous categories. Both teams were made up of a core group of four highly talented athletes who formed the basis for a string of successful seasons from 2005 through 2009. The teams were comprised not just of fine athletes, but also excellent students. The West Allegheny Athletic Hall of Fame will honor its latest class of inductees May 15, 2021. Both indoor and outdoor arrangements have been made for the event, which was originally slated for the spring of 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19. Four outstanding former Indian athletes and four record-setting teams will be honored at this celebration of athletic excellence, leadership and character. The class marks the hall of fame’s ninth. Funds raised from the West Allegheny Hall of Fame’s banquet will once again support West Allegheny athletics. Tickets include admission and dinner. Prices are $50 per person or $350 for a table of eight. Ages 5 through 10 are half price and ages 5 and under are free. A cash bar will also be open. Sponsorships are available. To reserve tickets and inquire about sponsorships, email info@westahalloffame.org. This summer, the hall of fame will also be selecting its class of 2021. A banquet honoring that class is slated to be held mid- October of 2021. The hall of fame is currently asking for nominees in the following categories: athlete, coach/administrator, team, and patron/contributor. For more information on the nomination process, and to nominate, visit www.westahalloffame.org. Here’s a recap of the athletes and teams that were inducted with the class of 2020. For a full rundown of these inductees, see the article in the April 2020 edition of Allegheny West Magazine under the archives tab at awmagazine.com or visit westahalloffame.org. New date set for West Allegheny Athletic Hall of Fame banquet, nominees for 2021 wanted CJ Davis An outstanding lineman on both sides of the ball for the Indians, CJ Davis (Class of 2005) earned numerous accolades in the press during his high school career. At the end of his senior year, he was ranked the 22 nd best prospect by SuperPrep, the 34 th best prospect by Rivals.com and the 46 th best prospect by Scout.com. Davis received a full athletic scholarship to play football for the University of Pittsburgh and started all four years of his college career. He later signed a professional free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers before going on to play for the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. CJ now works with young athletes in Arizona as a strength and conditioning specialist. He’s also an offensive line coach helping young athletes prepare for their future college and professional careers. CJ Davis PHOTO COURTESY PITT ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS The 2007 Indians baseball team celebrates winning the WPIAL championship. 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • December 2020/January 2021%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Express knows jobs. Get to know Express. Oces in Robinson & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional No Fees! Zak Sinclair Zak Sinclair played a critical role on the Indians baseball teams when they won back- to-back WPIAL championships in 2007 and 2008. Today, he still holds records for career home runs, career innings pitched, career pitching wins, career strikeouts and single- season strikeouts. Sinclair was even named the 2007-2008 Gatorade Pennsylvania Baseball Player of the Year. After high school, Sinclair was drafted in the 34 th round of the 2008 MLB amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox but decided to continue playing baseball at North Carolina State University. A series of injuries, however, cut his playing career short. He is now a network maintenance technician for Comcast Cable Communications. 2008-2009 Girls Volleyball Teams The 2008 and 2009 West Allegheny girls’ volleyball teams are among a rarefied group to have won back- to-back WPIAL championships. In 2008, the team entered the WPIAL playoffs as a third seed and upset Hopewell to win the championship. The 2009 team then repeated as WPIAL champions by defeating Freeport in the finals. In so doing, they accomplished what no other WA girls’ volleyball team has in school history. Zak Sinclair PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS Members of the 2009 girls volleyball team celebrate winning their second straight WPIAL title. Dr. Korin Wengryn Dr. Korin Wengryn was a vital component of the girls volleyball program during its historic accomplishments from 2006 to 2009. During her four-year high school career, Wengryn helped lead her team to four section championships, three WPIAL championship appearances, back-to- back WPIAL titles and three PIAA finals appearances. One of those teams won the state championship in 2006. She earned numerous accolades in the media and later went on to play under a full scholarship at West Virginia Wesleyan College, where she was a four-year starter. Wengryn continued her education at Chatham University and graduated with a doctor of physical therapy. She is currently employed at Encompass Health in Sewickley. Dr. Korin Wengryn Michelle Walker During her varsity career, Michelle Walker led her Indians volleyball teams to four section championships, three WPIAL appearances and the program’s first-ever WPIAL championship win in 2008. Walker played in three state playoff appearances, including the team’s finals win in 2006. She was named both to the WPIAL All Star Team and the PVCA All State teams in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Walker then accepted a scholarship to play Division 1 volleyball at the University of Pittsburgh. As a community volunteer, she continues to use her warm and cheerful attitude to help others and was named a recipient of the West Allegheny Citizenship Award. Michelle Walker PHOTO COURTESY PITT ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS December 2020/January 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 11CAround Your Town Around Your Town In 2015, members of the North Fayette police department were exploring ideas for a new community outreach program. While the department already had a school resource officer at West Allegheny, the department was looking for other ways to connect with the community that it polices. Around that time, current police chief Don Cokus, who took over the department’s leadership role earlier this year, met with retired Findlay Township police officer Jeff O’Donnell. For a very long time, O’Donnell had been organizing Findlay’s Shop with a Cop program. Since the program started 25 years ago, it has provided hundreds of local children with a special day that includes a shopping trip to the mall and lunch. When he retired, Findlay police officer Jamie Sacco took over the program. Cokus met with both officers and then took the idea for the program to then police chief Mark O’Donnell. The North Fayette Police Department ran with the idea and, in 2018, hosted its own Shop with a Cop program. Using funds raised from local businesses and residents, the department purchased $300 gift cards for 24 children in the North Fayette community that first year. Over 50 volunteers donated their time to take children on a shopping trip and some even purchased gifts for those children themselves. The day also included breakfast and a lunch donated by Smokin’ Jacks BBQ and Garden of Eating Pizzeria. Last year, the department sponsored 42 children and welcomed even more volunteers to the effort. At the same time, Findlay’s department hosted about 45 children of its own. Much like in North Fayette, Findlay has relied on donations from local businesses and individuals to provide children with a special day that they may not have otherwise. Sacco says township employees, West Allegheny teachers and staff members lend a hand to make the effort a success. This year, both departments are again gearing up to host their Shop with a Cop programs. Though things may look a bit different due to COVID-19, both departments are expecting to sponsor around 50 children. Given the toll that COVID-19 has taken on the community, they’re hoping it will bring some happiness to families who could use it in the community. Both departments are currently accepting donations for their Shop with a Cop programs. North Fayette donations can be sent to: North Fayette Twp. Shop with a Cop Program, 400 North Branch Road, Oakdale, PA 15071. Findlay donations can be sent to: Findlay Twp. Shop with a Cop Program, 1271 Route 30 PO Box W, Clinton, PA 15026. Findlay and North Fayette to again host Shop with a Cop programs STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY 12 • Allegheny West Magazine • December 2020/January 2021CAround Your Town Around Your Town Ginger Stage of Moon Township went through a lot of trouble to get her German shepherd, Dakota. When she initially went looking for him, she didn’t just want a German shepherd or even a type of German shepherd. Rather, she wanted a particular bloodline with a unique personality trait. Before Dakota, she’d owned three other shepherds. The third, which was a relative of Dakota’s, was by far the most pleasant. The dog’s personality had been so distinctively nice that she went to great lengths to find one with the same genetic disposition. “When we had to put our third shepherd down we told the breeders we wanted that same mellow personality,” she says. “We went back to the breeder and she tracked down the bloodline. The breeder was in Canada and was using him as a stud because he was famous for that mellow personality.” Though the stud had passed away, the breeder was still using that shepherd’s frozen sperm for artificial insemination. Stage jumped at the opportunity to get a new puppy in the bloodline and Dakota ended up being everything she wanted. That was almost 13 years ago, however. Now, Dakota is suffering from the ailments of old age. Earlier this year, his hind legs started to give out. Then, around Labor Day, he lost the function in his front legs, but only temporarily. He regained function and Stage staved off having to make some tough decisions about euthanasia. Still, with Dakota unable to use his hind legs, it was an eventuality that Stage had been forced to consider - but she also had reason for hope. By chance, a neighbor who had witnessed Stage on several occasions trying to walk Dakota had approached her with an idea. That neighbor was Arif Sirinterlikci, an engineering professor at Robert Morris University. He suggested having some students build Dakota a mobility device for a class project. Stage said she would be grateful for the help. In September of 2019, students in the university’s biomedical engineering department working under professor Won Joo began working on an exoskeleton for Dakota. They even brought Dakota into the lab a few times to take measurements. As his legs continued to deteriorate, they decided to instead make Dakota a wheeled mobility device that could support his hind legs. They also designed a crane that could lift Dakota out of the back of Stage’s SUV. In March, Joo’s students tried out a prototype of their device on Dakota. Though the harness was a little low, and the wheels a bit small, it showed promise. “Once he started to walk and found he could walk he just wanted to go,” recalls Stage. Shortly after, COVID-19 shut down the country. Joo and his lab personnel were the only ones allowed in the labs, and they were busy printing parts for face shields for medical personnel and nasal test swabs for UPMC. “Before they could finish, COVID shut the labs down,” says Mark Houser, director of news and information for Robert Morris. “As soon as the labs opened back up in the late summer, they got back to work.” Since then, lab manager Gabe Cottrell and work-study students have been trying to finish the project that students who have since graduated started. They tweaked the cart’s design and finished the crane that fits on the back of Stage’s car. On Oct. 30, they invited Stage onto campus so they could install the crane and try out the tweaked device on Dakota. After a little bit of work, the crane was able to easily hoist Dakota out of Stage’s car, but it was evident that the cart still needed some adjustments. Still, it was promising. “We’ll have to make some modifications to it,” says Cottrell. “When you have a design and go to put in a final product, there’s always a change you have to make.” Cottrell and Joo should know. They’ve had plenty of experience building medical devices for people. Lately, they’ve even been working with Pittsburgh-based Union Orthotics and Prosthetics to develop 3D-printed prosthetics. This was the first time either says they’ve worked on a device for a dog, however. As many of the same concepts apply, they’re hopeful that their efforts will give Dakota back his mobility. Stage, who is now a widow and has to move Dakota on her own, says she’s grateful for all the work students and staff have put into the project. “I was thrilled and so impressed,” she says. “And they were so generous with their time. And these contraptions cost a lot of money. It’s a godsend.” RMU lends expertise to local pet owner STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY Ginger Stage and her German shepherd, Dakota, are pictured with engineering lab manager Gabe Cottrell and Won Joo, professor of biomedical engineering, at Robert Morris University. The two men have been overseeing an effort that started out as a student project to give Dakota back his mobility. They are currently finishing a crane (pictured above) and a mobility device (pictured below) for him. 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • December 2020/January 2021December 2020/January 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 1516 • Allegheny West Magazine • December 2020/January 2021December 2020/January 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 17y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Michele P. Conti is an estate planning and elder law attorney. Conti attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Oxford University and Duquesne University School of Law. She received her LL.M. in taxation from Villanova University. She can be reached at (724) 784-0239 or michele@contilawpgh.com. BY MICHELE P. CONTI No one wants to believe that it’s a possibility but, over the years, I’ve heard a number of horror stories about kids stealing from their incapacitated parents. Some have “borrowed” money in hopes their siblings wouldn’t find out what they were doing. We advise our clients that having a power of attorney is the foundation of any good estate plan. A power of attorney gives you control by allowing you to name someone you trust to act as your advocate and on your behalf if you are unable to act for yourself. But what if you choose wrong? What if the child you picked turns out to be a bad seed? When naming an agent under a durable power of attorney, he/she has broad rights to control and use your financial assets. A durable power of attorney is one that continues after you have become incapacitated. The advantages to having a durable power of attorney is that you, rather than a judge, appoints the person with control over your assets. As such, you avoid the time and expense of a guardianship proceeding and you have the peace of mind of knowing that if you become incapacitated, you have already implemented a plan. Should you change your mind while you are of sound mind, you can revoke or amend your power of attorney. But what if you are not sound of mind? In that case, the court can remove a fiduciary (your power of attorney agent) if the court believes that the agent has taken actions counter to those in your best interest for breaching their duty. Breaching their duty means that they are acting to achieve their interests rather than your own. A fiduciary’s decisions need be free of conflict and self-dealing. To successfully execute a claim for breach of duty, one must prove that a fiduciary relationship existed; that there was a breach of that relationship; and that the breach caused financial damage that the court can rectify. Clearly, a power of attorney provides a fiduciary relationship but what constitutes a breach is more complex. Improper gifts, commingling of funds and using money for their own expenses are clear illustrations of a breach. But there are also many more gray areas. Interested parties who believe that an agent has abused his/her power have the right to hire an estate litigation attorney to force the agent’s hand and provide a detailed account of their actions. The formal accounting must include information on all assets as well as every transaction that took place during their tenure as agent. If the agent committed a breach of duty, the judge could surcharge the agent, forcing repayment out of the agent’s personal funds. Further, the judge could also remove the agent and appoint a guardian of the person and guardian of the estate to make future decisions for the incapacitated party. To remove the agent, we must have proof. This is one of the areas where our clients tend to waiver. They believe the agent has used mom’s funds for their own benefit but do not have tangible proof. We often find the proof by way of witness testimony, depositions, interviews and/or subpoenaed documents. Judges take the allegation of impropriety seriously and will accept evidence if provided correctly. Keep in mind that the agent is permitted to use estate funds to defend themselves while the plaintiff is not. Some common reasons for removal of an agent are friction between co-agents, failure to comply with terms, non- cooperation, non-compliance with an order of court, asset neglect or mismanagement, misconduct, abuse of discretion, and misappropriation of funds. The agent may also be removed if they have become incapacitated or unfit and they refuse to act. Time is of the essence. If you suspect abuse by an agent, call us today to review your rights. What if your power of attorney agent turns out to be a thief? 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • December 2020/January 2021y > Learning Curves Learning Curves SUBMITTED BY MIA A. KOVACS, CFP®, BILL FEW ASSOCIATES The year 2020 has been a year like no other. Between the global pandemic, the market’s volatility and, of course, the presidential election, no one would blame you if your year-end financial planning slipped your mind. This year may have been volatile, but just like in all the years preceding this one, you should look over a financial planning checklist like the one here: D Reassess your goals. Are you prepared for another year like 2020? How has your emergency savings held up? Generally, you should have between three to six months’ worth of expenses set aside or even more if your job or industry is particularly vulnerable. Perhaps you are spending less and your savings has burgeoned. In that case, look at applying any excess to outstanding debt or maximizing retirement contributions. D Reassess your retirement plan contributions. You have until yearend to contribute to your company’s 401(k) plan. The contribution limit for 2020 is $19,500. For those age 50 or older, the limit is $26,000. While 401(k) contributions are generally due by yearend, you have until April 15, 2021 to make an IRA contribution. The contribution limit for IRAs in 2020 is $6,000 for anyone under 50 and $7,000 for those who are 50 or older. D Required minimum distributions. You can take this item off your list for 2020. There are no RMD requirements this year due to COVID-19. Though you can skip your annual required distribution, assess whether it would be a good opportunity to convert those funds to a Roth IRA for tax-free growth and eventual tax-free distribution. D Reassess your investment portfolio. Look at your target allocation verses your current allocation. Consider selling assets that have increased in value and buying assets that have decreased in value. Look at tax loss harvesting. You can offset realized capital gains with realized capital losses to minimize the income tax consequences. Look at capital gain distributions. If a fund is planning a large capital gain distribution by yearend, consider selling the fund in order to avoid the distribution. D Has the pandemic caused you financial problems? If so, and you qualify, you have until yearend to withdrawal up to $100,000 from your retirement plans without having to pay the 10% early withdrawal penalty. Additionally, the income tax can be spread over a three-year period. Taking such a distribution only makes sense to prevent an individual from experiencing extreme financial hardship, however, as early withdrawals can result in delaying or altering retirement. It is an extremely busy time of the year for most, but taking the time to revisit your financial plan and meet year-end deadlines will benefit you over the long term. Mia A. Kovacs, CFP®, is a vice president and a financial consultant with Bill Few Associates. She can be reached at (412) 630-6041 or at mkovacs@billfew.com. Your year-end financial planning checklist December 2020/January 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >