< Previous%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Managing thousands of acres of land is no easy task. Having the foresight and ability to turn that land into meaningful development is something only a few can do. In January, Moon Township-based Imperial Land Corporation named Brian Temple as the company’s new president. Temple, who formerly served as North Fayette Township’s community development director, served as Imperial Land’s development manager before taking on the role. He succeeds president emeritus, Jerry Bunda, who retired at the end of 2020 after serving the company for 30 years. Temple, who joined Imperial Land in 2012, is a lifelong resident of Hickory and has been influential in developments across western Allegheny and Washington counties. As North Fayette Township’s community development director from 2000 to 2012, he played a significant role in the development of The Pointe at North Fayette and many housing developments throughout the township. He became a trusted resource for North Fayette, its residents and developers. He has also played an active role in his home municipality of Mount Pleasant Township in Washington County by serving on the township’s planning commission and board of supervisors. Temple has also served on multiple development boards throughout Pennsylvania. Over the years, the team at Imperial Land has found ways to repurpose the company’s vacant land assets through light industrial, flex and business park developments which have created opportunities for a boom in the regional economy. In addition to this, the company helped bring the Southern Beltway project to reality. Along the PA 576 corridor, their developments, which include the 400-acre Findlay Industrial Park and 100-acre Westport Woods, have benefitted local municipalities, the West Allegheny School District and the airport region. Today, Findlay Industrial Park is home to major warehouse and distribution facilities like Niagara Bottling, Gordon Food Service, Appliance Dealers Cooperative, Alro Steel, Okonite and other development firms, including the Buncher Company, NorthPoint Development and Stag Industrial. The park is situated next to the company’s Westport Woods, which is now home to the latest Amazon middle-mile distribution facility west of Pittsburgh. Both parks can accommodate future development. With the opening of the Southern Beltway, thousands of acres owned by the company are ripe for development in Washington County. Imperial Land plans to break ground on Phase One of their latest project, the Fort Cherry Development District, which will be located off Fort Cherry Road in Robinson Township, Washington County. Temple says he is encouraged by the company’s success in the development world. “We’re looking forward to continuing partnerships with local stakeholders to ensure the company’s vision becomes reality,” he says. “Our goal will always be to provide the highest quality industrial development opportunities that are delivered with integrity and superior value.” For more information, visit www.imperialland.com. Former North Fayette community development director named Imperial Land president 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • October/November 2021 STORY AND PHOTO SUBMITTED Brian Temple is pictured at the Findlay Industrial Park. %Locally SourcedLocally Sourced When North Fayette voters go to the ballot box Nov. 2, they’ll see a new name on the ballot - that of Jeff Kammerdeiner. After serving on the township’s parks and recreation board for the past seven years - and as the board’s president the past three years - Kammerdeiner is running to become the township’s newest supervisor. Kammerdeiner moved to North Fayette in 2011 and has been married to his wife, Kelly, for 18 years. They have a 10-year-old daughter, Mia, who is a fourth-grader at Donaldson Elementary School. Kammerdeiner is also a small business owner and has operated Bulldog Employment and Bulldog Medical Staffing since 2013. “I believe that the community should and needs to have a voice in decisions for the township,” says Kammerdeiner. “I believe communication, transparency and development are the basis of what I want to bring to North Fayette. I will commit to making sure the residents know what is going on in the township and get feedback from them on what they need and expect from the township.” Kammerdeiner says that future development is vital to the growth of any township and that residents should steer decisions based on what they value and need, particularly when it comes to recreational amenities. As a longtime parks and recreation board member, Kammerdeiner has been in a unique position to observe how residents use the township’s facilities and to hear what they would like to see in the future. He says he recognizes the need for quality recreational amenities, not only to improve the everyday life of residents and their families, but to also keep up with what’s expected in a special place like North Fayette. To that end, he says he’d like to explore projects such as a pool, dek hockey rink and other ideas. “Officials should do what the residents want,” Kammerdeiner says. “And the only way to do that is to make sure they are informed of the issues and consequences, and provide residents with the opportunity to be heard and understood.” The way he sees it, technology plays a big part in keeping residents informed. “With technology as prevalent as it is in today’s world, communication with groups of people has never been easier,” Kammerdeiner says. “With social media and email at your fingertips, we can get information about every topic to as many people as possible, immediately. With the help of software like Zoom, we can bring the meetings to residents rather than have them travel to a meeting.” Kammerdeiner says that when important issues need to be decided, it shouldn’t just come down to elected officials behind closed doors reaching those decisions. Given the township’s tremendous growth in recent years, and the influx of new families, Kammerdeiner says the township needs to be looking to the future needs of residents. “When it comes to development, we need to be looking so far into the future and what the township will need then,” he says. “With the way North Fayette is growing, you have to factor in what type of growth is expected.” For more, find Kammerdeiner on Facebook at Kammerdeiner for North Fayette Supervisor. In bid for North Fayette supervisor’s seat, Kammerdeiner wants to put interests of residents first CONTENT SUBMITTED Jeff Kammerdeiner AD AND EDITORIAL PAID FOR BY JEFF KAMMERDEINER October/November 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 11%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Clearview Federal Credit Union hosted its 35th annual golf outing on Aug. 28 and awarded checks to the winners of this year’s “Tee It Up for Charity” contest. The contest benefits Pittsburgh-area nonprofit organizations. Winners are chosen among a number of one-minute videos submitted by various charities with a heartfelt description of their mission. The top 10 videos were voted on virtually by Clearview members and the public over a 10-day period. The two-day golf outing was held at Beaver Valley Golf Club and netted a total of $10,000. Of that amount, half will go to support Alina’s Light, the overall winner of the “Tee It Up for Charity” contest, with the other half going to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, one of Clearview’s charitable partners. Alina’s Light board president, Yan Sheykhet, accepted the donation on behalf of the organization. Brian Gulish, VP of marketing and communications, accepted on behalf of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “We are so happy we were able to safely hold our 35th annual golf outing this year,” said Ron Celaschi, president and CEO of Clearview. “I am pleased we are able to continue to support our communities with the proceeds from this outing.” Clearview raises $10,000 for local charitiesHeritage Public Library hires new director Heritage Public Library in McDonald recently hired Nikki Sarchet as its new director. Sarchet started in her new role at the beginning of September. Nikki and her husband live in Hickory with their two children who attend Fort Cherry School District. Sarchet attended California University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in art and her master of arts degree in education with a minor in science. For over 20 years, she has immersed herself in the McDonald community through her volunteering, fundraising, coaching and working within the school district. She has seen first-hand what a wonderful area McDonald is. Through these challenging times with COVID-19, Heritage Public Library has continued to provide numerous services to the community. The library’s hours also expanded in early October. One of Sarchet’s goals is to educate the community and to let them know that the library is more than just a place for books. She will be working hard to provide resources and activities for all. Sarchet can be reached at (724) 926-8400 or by email at director@heritagepublibrary.org. The library is open to check out materials on Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., and on Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed Saturday and Sunday. CONTENT SUBMITTED Ron Celaschi, president and CEO of Clearview, presents Howie Reid from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank; Brian Gulish, VP of marketing and communications for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank; Eugene Sciulli, board member of Alina’s Light; and Yan Sheykhet, board president of Alina’s Light, with checks to benefit their organizations. Nikki Sarchet 12 • Allegheny West Magazine • October/November 2021 October/November 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 13%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Local gym passes to next generation When Melissa Gray was a sophomore at West Allegheny High School, she got a job at a new gym that had just opened in the area called Body Systems Fitness. Her dad, Bob Amic, a certified personal trainer, had been among the first to join. In fact, he was the 16th to get a membership there. A couple of years later, in 2001, Bob and his wife, Carrie, purchased the business. They later moved it into the old 5 and 10 store building in McDonald on West Lincoln Avenue. Bob started running the gym on top of his full-time job as a CPA. Carrie says that at first she didn’t have much of an interest until Bob started to get overwhelmed. Eventually, she took over operations and fell in love with the place, thanks in part to one particular member. “We had a member who had special needs and I knew that he wouldn’t fit in at a franchise gym and feel welcome,” she says. “I kept it going for him so he’d have a place to go because I knew how much he loved the gym.” Melissa, too, continued to help her parents run the gym, working in just about every capacity needed. Her high school sweetheart, Matt, even got involved and became a personal trainer there. Years later, the couple married and, after they had their third boy, Melissa became a certified instructor. Earlier this year, Melissa and Matt became the official new owners of Body Systems Fitness after they took the business over from Melissa’s parents. Carrie says it’s an arrangement that had been years in the making. “They were both extremely involved for years,” says Carrie. “My hope was for them to one day take over. That was our goal. They’re going to do very well. I’m proud of them.” In high school, Matt and Melissa were both athletes. Melissa played tennis and softball while Matt played football and threw shot put on the track and field team. Now, the Grays are applying their passion to their livelihood and hoping to bring what they’ve learned to the business. When they took over, they established a new entity called All Generations Fitness as a homage to the gym passing to the next generation. At the same time, Melissa says that she and Matt are looking to grow and reinvest in the gym with new equipment and ideas. She says group classes are a big part of the gym’s operation, which is why they’ve updated its cycling room with all new bikes and purchased new heavy bags for kickboxing classes. Melissa says they have a wide range of members across age groups who take advantage of the classes, from senior citizens to teenagers. Among their most popular classes is one called Pump. “It’s really for anyone, whether they’re a beginner, a senior or a marathoner,” she says. “It’s just a good class to introduce anyone to lifting. You basically get free personal training as part of it.” She says the cycling classes are also popular and have a great vibe where everyone feeds off each other. The gym holds classes every weekday in the early morning, mid-morning and evenings. Almost a dozen different trainers take turns leading a variety of classes and Melissa teaches several as well. Body Systems is also a 24-hour gym that’s open 365 days per year. It operates on a card-swipe system that members use when they want to enter and cameras throughout the gym keep everyone safe and secure. In addition to lots of cardio equipment and a large classroom upstairs, the gym has a full weight room in the basement, a sauna and shower facility. Childcare is available during set hours for an additional fee, as is a stand-up tanning bed. “If you’re there already and sweaty and gross, you might as well get a tan,” says Melissa. Body Systems offers a number of different membership options. While some members prefer to pay for an entire year’s worth up front, they can also pay monthly via automatic payments. This fall, the gym is waiving processing fees for any new month-to-month membership. They also work with health insurers to honor any benefits that come with a gym membership. For more, including class schedules and membership options, visit www.bodysystemsfitness.com or stop by for a tour during staffed hours, which are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. STORY SUBMITTED FROM TOP: Body Systems offers a number of group workout classes, including this Silver Sneakers class for seniors. The gym’s new ownership also recently updated its cycle room with a new mural and all new equipment. A full weight room is located on the lower level. PHOTOS SUBMITTED ABOVE: Melissa (second from right) and Matt (far left) Gray recently took over Body Systems Fitness in McDonald from Melissa’s parents, Carrie and Bob Amic (center). They are pictured at the gym with the Grays’ sons, Ty, Blake and Brett. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • October/November 2021%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced Like many people, Kenny McVicker of South Fayette Township has faced a number of unique work-related challenges over the past year. McVicker works at a large area hardware store and, like many of his fellow employees, has continued to work throughout the entire pandemic. Much of his day is spent filling orders for contractors. It’s a job that’s at times physically demanding, requiring him to stack pallets of concrete, lumber and other construction materials. For McVicker, one of the biggest challenges he started encountering last year was wearing a facemask. It’s not that he minded the mask itself, but for a time McVicker was also having trouble getting contacts because of shortages caused by COVID-19. As a result, he had to start wearing glasses more often, and the glasses would constantly fog up on him. “Any small thing I’d do, the glasses would fog up,” says McVicker. “When I had to operate equipment, I’d have to put my glasses on and they’d fog up.” To make matters worse, he wasn’t supposed to touch his face. By the fall, McVicker finally had enough and decided to explore getting Lasik surgery, which involves using lasers to correct distortions in the corneal surface. It was something that McVicker, who has suffered vision problems since he was in seventh grade, had considered previously. Because most health insurers don’t cover the procedure, however, McVicker had opted to wait. Finally, he decided to call Dr. David Quinn, who owns and operates Allegheny West Eyecare in Imperial, to get a pre-Lasik evaluation. Quinn says McVicker’s story isn’t unusual. He says many of his patients - typically ones within the 25- to 40-year-old age range who work physically demanding jobs, play sports or are otherwise physically active - ask about Lasik. “Especially construction workers, things like that, where you’re sweating and the glasses are fogging up,” he says. Others, he says, have trouble wearing contact lenses for a variety of reasons. “A lot of patients who would contact us, they’re not the greatest contact lens wearers because they have allergies or their contacts aren’t a great option for them,” he says. “That ability to do Lasik can change their lifestyle.” That was also the case for Quinn. He says he underwent the procedure 18 years ago and experienced a dramatic lifestyle change. A longtime youth basketball coach in the West Allegheny and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart communities, Quinn says Lasik helped him see the court better and aided him with his coaching. Over the past year, Quinn says the practice saw an uptick in patients just like McVicker who had grown tired of wearing cumbersome glasses that were always fogging because of a face mask. After evaluating McVicker, Quinn determined he was a good candidate for the surgery and referred him to The Laser Center in Wexford. Because Allegheny West Eyecare is an affiliate of the The Laser Center, McVicker was able to get a $1,000 discount off the procedure. The discount helped McVicker pay for the surgery out-of-pocket. Though he did so up front, he could have also taken advantage of a one-year payment plan with 0% interest. In October of 2020, McVicker showed up for his procedure and, after about 15 minutes of preparation time, laid back on a table. From there, a laser worked on each of McVicker’s eyes for about 15 seconds each. “It wasn’t even a minute for the whole procedure,” McVicker says. “As soon as I got up off the operating table I was able to see.” Quinn says most patients can even drive the same day after having Lasik, though they may have some light sensitivity and a mild burning sensation. McVicker likens the feeling to cutting a bunch of onions or getting sand in one’s eye. “Most will go home, go to sleep, and when they get up their vision is better,” says Quinn. Some patients, he says, can have longer-term side effects if they get an infection or experience inflammation of the cornea. To prevent complications, McVicker says he slept with a face guard on for a few weeks so he wouldn’t scratch his eyes. He also used medicated eyedrops to ward off infection. Looking back a year later, McVicker says Lasik has been a life- changer. He no longer needs to worry about his glasses getting in the way at work. He also doesn’t have to remember to put his contacts in when he gets up in the morning or to take them out in the evening. He says the freedom has been liberating. “It’s like a whole different world,” he says. “Everything’s better.” Quinn says that about 85% of individuals who get Lasik end up with 20/20 vision. The rest will get anywhere from 20/25 to 20/30 uncorrected vision or better. “Most patients need 20/40 to legally drive a vehicle, so most patients will fall into not needing any corrective vision to drive,” says Quinn. “Even with the best techniques, there is still a chance the patient won’t get 20/20 vision, but it will be a dramatic improvement, to the point that they won’t need corrective lenses any longer.” As for whether age makes a person a better candidate or provides for a better outcome, Quinn says that’s not a factor. Instead, he says it’s more important that candidates have a stable prescription for at least a year in order to show that their vision isn’t deteriorating. Of course, the sooner in life a person gets Lasik, the sooner they can start enjoying the benefits. The FDA has approved the procedure for anyone age 18 and up. For more on Lasik surgery and to schedule a pre-Lasik exam, call Allegheny West Eyecare at (724) 695-3371 or visit www. alleghenywesteyecare.com. Kenny McVicker After years of waiting, he opted for Lasik surgery and couldn’t be happier STORY SUBMITTED PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY (724) 695-3371 www.alleghenywesteyecare.com October/November 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 15CAround Your Town Around Your Town West Ridge Christian Church in Imperial recently celebrated the opening of its new Awaken Youth Center off West Allegheny Road. The new center is located inside the former Church of the Living Christ, which has been undergoing an extensive renovation over the past few years. The remodeled building now has a half basketball court, a video game area, a café, pool table, new sound equipment, instruments and more. West Ridge lead pastor John Goebel says the church was inspired to remodel the building after the two churches’ congregations merged in 2019. He says volunteers got to work on the initial demolition and ended up doing much of the work themselves without incurring any debt. He says the church hired contractors to perform electrical, install the sloped floor for the sanctuary seating and some other work, but that volunteers put about a few thousand hours into the project themselves. “We all came together as one big family to work on it,” he says. Goebel says the church could have completed the project quicker if not for delays caused by COVID-19 and that the church wanted to pay for the project in cash. “That’s why it took a couple years,” he says. “As we had the money we kept renovating.” Goebel says the church is planning to reach out to area schools to offer the facility for group workshops such as anti-bullying programs. On a weekly basis, however, the church is utilizing the center for its youth worship services for grades six through 12 on Wednesday evenings. Doors open around 6 p.m. for kids to enjoy the center and worship starts around 7 p.m. Youth pastor Bryan Burns says the idea is to let kids run the show. He says they can either pick up an instrument to play in the band, help produce the service from behind a soundboard connected to iMacs running Pro Presenter, or just sit back and enjoy. “We want them to run it totally,” says Goebel. “We will have a staff in place but that’s the goal, to have a place that’s their own and for them to come and hear a positive message each week. We’re hoping to reach up to 300 students per week.” At the time of this writing, the church is planning to host a grand opening Oct. 6. Burns says they’re planning to have a color war, host guest speakers and serve up barbeque. He says the church plans to continue to host larger events on the first Wednesday of each month. Burns, who grew up in the Church of the Living Christ, remembers the old building well. His grandfather was a founding member of the church and his dad was a deacon there. He says that the project essentially entailed flipping the entire layout of the building. The sanctuary was moved to the opposite end of the church and a second floor above an old fellowship area on the other side was removed to make room for a large, open sanctuary with a stage. Burns says work on the project wrapped up earlier this year. He says initially the project was reaching completion last spring and that the church had even planned a big opening in March. That got cancelled when COVID-19 shut down the country, however. “In March everything shut down,” says Burns. “We were picking up some momentum, people were getting excited, and then everything got shut down.” He says that earlier this year volunteers started returning and that they were able to complete the remaining work. One of the final touches was a new concrete sidewalk that volunteers poured in September. For more, visit westridge.cc/ministries/students. West Ridge opens new Awaken Youth Center on West Allegheny Road STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY PHOTOS SUBMITTED West Ridge Christian Church recently finished converting the former Church of the Living Christ on West Allegheny Road into its Awaken Youth Center. The building is divided into a sanctuary (left) and lobby (right). 16 • Allegheny West Magazine • October/November 2021 October/November 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 17CAround Your Town Around Your Town Local scouts improve area trails STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY Residents of western Allegheny County are fortunate to have so many excellent area trails to utilize for biking and hiking. Many of these trails, however, are built, maintained and improved largely by volunteers. Recently, a number of area trails got some much-needed improvements from local Boy Scouts who were earning some of the highest honors awarded by the organization. Here’s a rundown on some of those projects and the scouts who undertook them: Ben Miller | Boy Scout Troop 301 Montour Woods signage project For many hikers and bikers, exploring the upper Montour Woods trail system that connects with the old Nike missile site in Moon Township used to be a challenge. The trails in that part of the Montour Woods are newer and converge at some particularly complicated intersections. Boy Scout Ben Miller and his troop members also found the area to be confusing. So, at the urging of his dad, who is an avid mountain biker, Ben decided to install some signage along the trails for his Eagle Scout project. “It’s something I wanted to develop a little better, to have people know where they’re going and have a good experience,” he says. “For my project, I put in six extra posts and a total of 36 signs in nine different intersections.” In particular, the signage helps hikers and bikers navigate the intersections of the Highland, Hemlocks and Fallen Oak trails. One such intersection consists of five connection points. Getting all of those materials back in the woods was no small feat, however. Miller says he received assistance from about a dozen or so other volunteers who helped haul all the concrete and lumber in by hand using wheelbarrows. He says Lowe’s donated all of the materials and that some funds raised by troop families were either used to feed volunteers or donated back to the Hollow Oak Land Trust, which owns the property. “While we were doing the project, everyone who came by was like, ‘Thank you so much. I’ve been walking these trails and getting lost,’” Ben says. “I’ve had to help countless people there.” Ben received his Eagle Scout award in March and graduated from Montour High School this past spring. He is currently attending school at the University of Pittsburgh’s Greensburg campus and studying engineering. Frank Smigel | Boy Scout Troop 301 Raised walkway in Settler’s Cabin Park Frank Smigel got the idea for his Eagle Scout Project while hiking at Settler’s Cabin Park. A park ranger there suggested he consider building a raised walkway along the Red Trail in a spot where water was running over the trail and turning it into a muddy mess. Frank says building the walkway was no problem. He constructed it out of three, four-foot sections at his house using two-by-fours over the course of a couple days. Getting it back in the woods, however, was no easy task. “That was probably the biggest struggle, were the logistics,” he says. “We had to drop it off-site near where we were going to put the structure in. Ben Miller stands next to one of several signs he installed along hiking trails in the Montour Woods Conservation Area. PHOTO SUBMITTED Frank Smigel constructed this footbridge for the Red Trail in Settler’s Cabin Park. PHOTO SUBMITTED Alex Omlor | Venturing Crew 1912 Kenmawr Conservation Area trail construction Alex Omlor of Venturing Crew 1912 is currently in the process of blazing new trails and reopening some old, overgrown trails in the Kenmawr Conservation Area in Kennedy Township. The conservation area is located alongside Coraopolis Road, not far from David E. Williams Middle School. Once completed, the trails will form a two- mile loop that will be marked by informational signage kiosks. The project will extend the conservation area’s original trail system, which was first opened by Boy Scout Mitch Bentley. Mitch worked on the trails as part of his own Eagle Scout project. Alex is working on this project as part of what’s known as his Summit project. He already earned his Eagle Scout rank as a member of Boy Scout Troop 905 after constructing two floating islands made out of non-biodegradable plastic in ponds at Moon Park. He says the islands are helping lower the water temperature of the ponds and have encouraged the growth of flora and fauna. Some new waterfowl have even showed up at the ponds since the islands were installed, he says. After completing that project, Alex says he wanted to pursue Venturing and a Summit ranking. For that, he approached scout leader Chris Rolinson, who then connected Alex with Sean Brady, director of Hollow Oak Land Trust, which owns the conservation area. “I decided on this project because I love to go hiking and wanted to share that with other people,” he says. “I’m really, really excited to do this.” Alex, who has been scouting since first grade, is now a senior at Moon Area High School. He began collecting materials over the summer and is hoping to get the project underway this fall. Alex Omlor PHOTO SUBMITTED 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • October/November 2021CAround Your Town Around Your Town We hiked it in from a spot on the road.” Luckily for Frank, he says he had “tons of help” from his fellow troop members, friends and family. Frank says troop members also pitched in funds to help purchase the needed supplies, and he says he got way more than he expected. “It was terribly muddy there,” he says. “It’s right near a stream and a big hillside beside it so all the water runs off.” In addition to earning his Eagle Scout rank, Frank was also busy helping the varsity basketball team at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School earn a state championship earlier this year. Frank plays as a forward and center on the team. “It’s a lot of time management between school, sports and scouts,” he says. “A lot of stuff going on.” Chris Ireland | Boy Scout Troop 301 Covered picnic table at Fifer’s Fields Hollow Oak Land Trust is currently in the process of developing a 35- acre plot of property in Franklin Park called Fifer’s Fields. To assist HOLT, Montour junior Chris Ireland cleared trails at the site and also built a covered picnic bench at a picturesque spot alongside a small pond on the property. The structure is perfect for hikers to stop and have a lunch or just take a break and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Chris Ireland constructed this covered picnic bench at HOLT’s Fifer’s Fields conservation area. PHOTO SUBMITTED Alex Geisler | Boy Scout Troop 830 Renovating gazebo on Montour Trail Alex Geisler of Boy Scout Troop 830 recently finished rehabilitating the gazebo along the Montour Trail at the corner of Park Manor Boulevard and Montour Run Road. Alex made a number of updates to the structure, including replacing some fascia along the roof, painting the railing, sanding down the floor boards and replacing the steps. The West Allegheny senior says he got the idea for the project last year while visiting the trail during the lockdown prompted by COVID-19. He says he approached the Airport Friends of the Montour Trail with the idea and, with their blessing, began work. Alex says he was able to secure donations from Home Depot and Walmart, but that the bulk of the money for the project came from a single charitable source. Rather than be distracted by fundraising, he was thus able to focus on the work and had it completed by the beginning of October. Alex says he’s been scouting since fifth grade and hopes to study aerospace engineering in college. Alex Geisler is rehabilitating the iconic gazebo along the Montour Trail next to Montour Run Road. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY October/November 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >