PLUS: Athletes of Action Luncheon to return April 9 Local singer wows audiences at the Apollo The West Hills Symphonic Band plays on Pittsburgh Technical College helps grads fast track MBA requirements Robinson Township Historical Society: Pvt. Schawolt comes home Spartans represent in the playoffs! FREE Direct Mail Community Publication Allegheny West M agazine Montour School District News Page 25 Serving Ingram, Kennedy, Pennsbury, Robinson, Thornburg and Montour School District One of 4 Editions Serving 16 Airport Area Communities www.awmagazine.com March/April 2022 Montour Edition Our area fish fry and Lenten food list page 34March/April 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 34 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2022 ABOUT THE COVER P. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057 Phone: 724.673.3161 E-Mail: info@awmagazine.com www.awmagazine.com WE PROUDLY SPONSOR AND SUPPORT: A variety of community, school, and nonprofit organizations in our coverage areas of Cornell, Moon, Montour, and West Allegheny. 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 Moon edition of Allegheny West Magazine, the Cornell edition of Allegheny West Magazine and the West Allegheny edition of Allegheny West Magazine. MEMBER Allegheny West Magazine - Montour, is an all positive, good news publication mailed free into the homes and businesses of the Montour School District communities of Robinson, Kennedy, Ingram, Pennsbury, and Thornburg 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 Doug Hughey Jill Bordo Pat Jennette Garret Roberts Sarah Kizina www.ddswebdesign.com Anita Kulik Joe Kulik Robinson Twp. Historical Soc. Pat Jennette Dear Readers, Thank you for picking up our March Montour edition. This month, we’re taking a look at a number of interesting stories in the Montour community and getting readers caught up on the latest first-quarter happenings at Montour School District. On page 18, we take a look at the West Hills Symphonic Band, which has returned to form following a hiatus due to COVID-19. Now almost a year since it first started performing again, the band has plenty of shows under its belt and is looking forward to the summer season. All of its indoor shows since it began performing again have taken place at Montour High School. Its next is April 24. See page 16 for more. Starting on page 8, check out some news from our readers, including information on the upcoming Athletes of Action luncheon and local singer Ashley Marina’s latest high-profile performance. Then, on page 35, the Robinson Township Historical Society recounts a very special tribute given to a local Wold War I veteran. On page 25, get a rundown of the latest happenings at Montour School District. On page 32, see which student-athletes recently signed letters of intent to play in college and read about the teams that made this past winter season’s playoffs. On page 29, get a preview of the school’s upcoming spring musical. Look for our next edition in May, when we’ll be bringing you our annual summer fun guide. Until then, I hope you will continue to stay safe and healthy. From the Publisher Allegheny West Magazine-Montour 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 the Montour 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 1999-2020 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. Doug Hughey, Publisher/Editor Montour Edition March/April 2022 { } Contents - Locally Sourced - Around Your Town - Chamberlink - Your Schools - Legislative Update - Robinson Township Library - Robinson Township Hist. Soc. - Firebeat - - - - - - - - Athletes of Action Luncheon to return April 9 Local singer wows audiences at the Apollo The West Hills Symphonic Band plays on Pittsburgh Technical College helps grads fast track MBA requirements Montour School District Newsletter Spartans represent in the playoffs Our local fish fry and Lenten food list! Pvt. Schawolt comes home Olivia Lyscik fights for a rebound during the team’s first- round WPIAL post-season match against Deer Lakes. Lyscik, the team’s leading scorer, scored her 1,000th point in the lead-up to the playoffs. For more on that and other Spartan teams that reached the playoffs this past winter season, see page 33. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY 8 8 16 22 25 33 34 37 8 16 18 19 22 36 37 38Heritage Valley Health System 6 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2022 Get your Heart in Shape! Cardiac Rehabilitation at Heritage Valley Health System Your heart is a muscle and, just like any other muscle, exercise will strengthen it. Being physically active is a great step toward good heart health, and is essential following a cardiac event. The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Heritage Valley Health System is designed to help patients with heart disease recover faster and return to full and productive lives. Cardiac rehab includes exercise, education, counseling and learning how to live a healthier life. Our specially trained team consists of cardiologists, nurses, exercise physiologists and registered dietitians who will work with you to design a program to meet your specific needs. Almost everyone with heart disease can benefit from some type of cardiac rehab. No one is too old or too young! Cardiac Rehabilitation is offered at the following Heritage Valley locations: An innovative treatment for Aortic Stenosis Available at Heritage Valley Beaver What exactly is TAVR? It is a minimally invasive procedure in which a catheter is used to implant a new valve within a damaged valve. Because this procedure is less invasive than traditional surgery, there are considerable potential benefits for patients who qualify, such as faster recovery time, quicker relief of symptoms, shorter hospital stays, lower risk of infection and less trauma to the muscle tissue. How is the procedure done? A puncture is made in the patient’s leg and a catheter is inserted, giving access to the patient’s heart through the femoral artery. The new heart valve is compressed onto a balloon, placed in the delivery system, and then guided to the patient’s aortic valve. Once it reaches the damaged valve, the balloon is inflated and expands the new valve into place. The leaflets of the damaged valve will hold the new valve in place and it will begin working immediately. Who is eligible for a TAVR procedure? You may be a candidate if you have been diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis; you cannot have open heart surgery due to age or risk factors; or your symptoms have not improved with medical therapy. Heritage Valley’s TAVR Heart Team uses a multi-disciplinary approach to determine if a patient is a good candidate for the TAVR procedure and, after additional testing and review, treatment recommendations are reviewed with the patient and the referring physician. Heritage Valley Kennedy 25 Heckel Road McKees Rocks, PA 15136 (412) 777-6849 The Heart & Vascular Center 12 Quaker Village Shopping Center Ohio River Boulevard; Suite 2A Leetsdale, PA 15056 724-773-4636 The Heart & Vascular Center 605 Sharon Road Beaver, PA 15009 (724) 773-4507 Aortic stenosis is one of the most common and serious valve disease problems. This condition occurs when the heart’s aortic valve narrows. The valve doesn’t open fully, which reduces or blocks blood flow from the heart to the body, and causes the heart to work harder than it should. Luckily for patients with this diagnosis, our expert interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons at Heritage Valley Beaver offer an innovative alternative to open heart surgery called Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, or TAVR. For more information on the TAVR program at Heritage Valley Beaver, please call Carrie Farrow RN, TAVR Coordinator, at (724) 773- 8224. A physician holds a valve used during the TAVR procedure. A physician referral is needed to begin a cardiac rehab program through Heritage Valley Health System. March/April 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 7 Heritage Valley Health System March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time when we shine a spotlight on the importance of early detection and screening. While there is currently no cure for colorectal cancer, it is highly treatable if caught in the early stages. Colon cancer remains the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., yet it is very preventable. Unfortunately, many people with colorectal cancer may experience no symptoms, which is why regular screenings are so important. Detecting cancer early, when it’s small and hasn’t spread, often allows for more treatment options. It has been shown that the average person is at risk of developing polyps beginning at 45 years of age. However, removing polyps during screening colonoscopies significantly reduces colon cancer development later in life. At present, the only reliable way to detect polyps is through a screening colonoscopy. Certain people may be more at risk of developing colorectal cancer than others. A diet high in red and processed meats can be a risk factor, as is obesity, lack of exercise and smoking, which can contribute to the development of a number of different cancers. However, having risk factors does not necessarily mean that you will develop colorectal cancer. We realize that many people delayed elective procedures and screenings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we urge you to discuss colorectal cancer screening with your physician at your next appointment. Heritage Valley cares about your health! March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Have you been screened lately? • A persistent change in bowel habits, including diarrhea or constipation • Rectal bleeding or blood in your stool • Persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas or pain • A feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely • Weakness or fatigue • Unexplained weight loss Symptoms of colorectal cancer may include:%Locally Sourced Locally Sourced 8 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2022 The Athletes of Action Memorial Scholarship Luncheon will return this year after a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19. The luncheon, which annually recognizes the legacies of area sports athletes and coaches, will take place April 9 at the VFW Post 418 Banquet Hall in McKees Rocks, at 1242 Chartiers Avenue. This year’s event will feature key keynote speaker Cassidy Krug, a Montour alumna and Stanford University graduate who competed as a member of the 2012 Summer Olympic Women’s Diving Team. Started as a means to convene locals with connections to the area’s rich sports history, Athletes of Action has grown over the years into a charitable organization. In 2019, Athletes of Action became a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. It now raises money not just through its annual luncheon, but also through a golf outing and bocce tournament. Proceeds from the luncheon benefit scholarships awarded to area student athletes. Scholarships are awarded to promising students from Montour and Sto-Rox who hold a 3.3 GPA, have two years of varsity experience and have completed verifiable community service hours. Doors for the luncheon open at 10:30 a.m. for a meet and greet. A catered buffet follows at 11:30 a.m. Masks are recommended. Tickets are $35 per person. To purchase tickets, contact Bob Zitelli at (412) 337-7341 or at zitellir@hotmail.com. There will also be a raffle and door prizes. See page 35 for more. Athletes of Action Luncheon to return April 9 Montour High School alumna and former Olympic diver Cassidy Krug will be this year’s keynote speaker at the Athletes of Action luncheon. Ashley Marina of Kennedy Township recently performed at the Apollo Theater in New York City during the return of the theater’s famous Amateur Night. The event was back this year following a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 and took place Feb. 16. Hollywood celebrity Nick Cannon hosted. Ashley, 14, brought the crowd to its feet with her performance of Adele’s “All I Ask.” In an interview with ABC7 New York, Ashley said, “It is a great honor to perform at such an historical venue.” Started in 1934, the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night has featured renowned artists such as Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Jackson 5, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston and others. After becoming well-known locally, Ashley burst onto the national scene in 2020 following her performance on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” During her dramatic national debut, Ashley managed to win over show judge Simon Cowell after twice being stopped by the famous music producer. Her segment went viral and is now among the top 1% of most viewed “America’s Got Talent” videos of all time. Ashley has to date released 16 original songs, including her new single “I Miss You.” Her cover of Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon” has amassed over two billion streams across various platforms. Coming up, Ashley will perform at Robinson Township’s Summer Concert Series at Burkett Park on June 18. Local singer wows audiences at the Apollo Ashley Marina is pictured at the Apollo Theater in New York City, where she performed during its Amateur Night on Feb. 16. CONTENT SUBMITTED%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced The Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania has awarded Rachel Ditzenberger with its Gold Award – the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. The award, according to a press release, “recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects that address important community needs.” For her Gold Award project, Ditzenberger focused on renovating an abandoned horse trail through unused woods at Camp Redwing and providing educational signs along the trail about common trees in Western Pennsylvania. Megan Myers, Girl Scout service unit manager and adult director of the service unit’s annual Camporee, is quoted in the press release as saying, “the new trail is a phenomenal addition to Camp Redwing and gives campers a more advanced option to challenge themselves in their hiking. It provides an excellent outdoor classroom for tree identification and outdoor skills.” Ditzenberger graduated from Montour High School in 2021. There, she participated in the National Honor Society and marching band, along with the varsity cross-country and swim teams. Ditzenberger was a member of Girl Scouts Troop 54350 for 13 years. Her Gold Award accomplishment was celebrated in 2021 at a ceremony for new Gold Award Girl Scouts in the GSWPA Council. Ditzenberger is now a student at Allegheny College in Meadville, where she is studying environmental science. Recent Montour graduate receives Girl Scout Gold Award Rachel Ditzenberger March/April 2022 • www.awmagazine.com • 9 Allegheny West Magazine founder and publisher Pat Jennette has been named editor of the National Park Travelers Club’s newsletter, “The Stamp Pad.” She will oversee the production, design and distribution of the quarterly newsletter serving 2,500 paying members and over 10,000+ site participants across the country. NPTC is a national nonprofit organization of National Park enthusiasts who share a passion for the natural and historical treasures protected within the National Park system. Members engage in activities to collect the system’s 423 unit stamps, participate in regional meetups and attend a national conference. Yvonne Manske, president of the National Park Travelers Club, said in the announcement, “The Board has voted unanimously to appoint Pat Jennette as the new Stamp Pad Editor. Pat has been a member since 2016 and comes with a wealth of experience in editing and producing newsletters. We are excited to have her on board.” As the new editor, Jennette will also work with membership to keep them abreast of membership news, share stories about the National Parks, and provide a variety of news relevant to the members as it relates to the National Park system. Prior to accepting the position, Jennette owned and operated Real Visuals for RV Parks, which provided marketing for the RV park industry for four years. Previously, she founded Allegheny West Magazine and published the magazine for 15 years before selling the company to current publisher, Doug Hughey, in 2014. As publisher emeritus, she continues to write and edit for the magazine. She is formerly a resident of Imperial. A full-time RVer since 2016, Jennette and her husband, John, travel the U.S. and have made their winter home in Southern California. They have visited, to date, 118 of the nation’s 423 National Park units. They have visited 37 of the 63 official National Parks. The couple has made presentations about the National Parks over the years at RV properties and local libraries, sharing their love and passion for the National Park system. They also served for a season as volunteers at Pinnacles National Park in California. Additionally, they have shared their knowledge with students at cyber schools. Pat and John are both members of the National Park Foundation and the National Park Conservation Association. Allegheny West publisher emeritus named editor of national publication CONTENT SUBMITTED Pat Jennette is pictured at Big Bend National Park in October of 2021. CONTENT SUBMITTEDNext >