The ‘feel good’ stories of 2021
In early January, a generous member of the West Greene community who wished to remain anonymous donated eight JIMU coding robots to West Greene Elementary School.
Greene County commissioners proclaimed March as Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month during their March 5 meeting. Pictured, from left to right, are: Greene County Commissioners Mike Belding and Betsy McClure; Dawn Bell, who was recognized for her success in the county鈥檚 IDD program; Deneen Shrader, IDD program director; and Commissioner Blair Zimmerman.
Greene County Sheriff Marcus Simms is pictured wearing one of the ballistic helmets that the sheriff鈥檚 office was able to purchase thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous donor.
Greene County Sheriff Marcus Simms (right) poses with Cpl. Nicholas Gustovich and Maugli, the new explosives K-9 officer acquired in 2021 by the sheriff鈥檚 office thanks to regional funding and various donations.
Waynesburg Central High School鈥檚 Leo Club presented Plarn mats made for the homeless, which were created for a program organized locally by Eleanor Chapman of the Waynesburg Lions Club.
In this photo taken in August, West Greene American Legion Post 416 members John 鈥淏uzz鈥� Walters (left) and Ray Rutan discuss repairs and improvements that were needed for the 1945 Center Township Honor Roll in Rogersville.
Pictured in front are Jim and Vickie Hopkins, owners of Jim Hopkins Masonry & Concrete in Waynesburg, who presented a donation to Make-A-Wish Director of Development Stephanie Pugliese. The funds were raised during two recent fundraising events held by the Hopkins family.
Steve Barrett
George 鈥淏ly鈥� Blystone of Waynesburg poses with his many accolades he received in the fall by the Greene County Chamber of Commerce, the Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency and various local and state dignitaries for his volunteer work in recovery and in preserving local history.
Courtesy of John Michniak
A memorial commemorating Bobtown soldiers lost in the Vietnam War was unveiled in the Greene County community in November.
Members from six area churches participated in November in Operation Christmas Child鈥檚 Christmas Shoeboxes initiative, which is geared to making the holidays a little nicer for children all over the world.
Over the past two issues, the Messenger has presented the biggest news stories of 2021 in its annual 鈥淵ear In Review鈥� feature.
This week, the uplifting and inspiring stories from Greene County in 2021, positive stories that shone spotlights on local people and events committed to helping others in need will be highlighted.
Coding robots donated to West Greene Elementary School
A member of the West Greene community who wished to remain anonymous donated eight JIMU coding robots to West Greene Elementary School in January.
These robots are being utilized throughout the elementary school to help teach students the process of coding.
The educational robots are used to teach the basics of robotics, code or programming in classrooms to students of all ages and for all levels, from beginners to the most experienced, which will allow children to learn in a fun way to use their imagination, creativity, sense of logic or problem solving to develop skills.
Commissioners recognize area woman for achievements in IDD program
During their March public meeting, Greene County commissioners issued a proclamation recognizing March as Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Month and also recognized a local woman for her achievements as an individual involved in the county鈥檚 IDD program.
The commissioners congratulated Jazzy Strope, formerly of Carmichaels, on receiving the 2021 Achievement Award through the county IDD department, which presents the local award annually to a deserving individual to coincide with the recognition of Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Month.
The proclamation states the recognition offers advocates of developmental disabilities an opportunity to educate the public, policymakers and other system professionals about the challenges that come with intellectual disabilities.
Sheriff鈥檚 office receives donations for purchase of ballistic helmets, K9 officer, vehicle
Greene County Sheriff Marcus Simms in April announced the sheriff鈥檚 office received an anonymous donation from a local Greene County family for the purchase of ballistic helmets.
This donation of $8,200 paid for all of the full-time deputies to receive a ballistic helmet.
鈥淭hese helmets could very well save the life off one of our deputies and we are very thankful for this donation,鈥� said Simms, adding the helmets will be utilized for high risk arrest and search warrants, shots-fired calls and active-shooter incidents.
The good news continued later in the month, when Simms announced his office was able to acquire a new K9 officer as well as a new K9 vehicle thanks to regional funding and various donations.
The sheriff鈥檚 office acquired the K9 officer, who specializes in explosive detection, through Region 13 funding; and the vehicle was made possible through a donation from Waynesburg University.
County鈥檚 2021 summer day camp free of charge, thanks to donations
After making a call for donations to help fund Greene County鈥檚 summer day camp, county commissioners said in May that enough money had been received from community members to ensure no fee will be attached to the annual six-week event.
In early May, Belding said since that April announcement donations had been pouring in, enough to cover costs and enable children who sign up to attend for free.
For the first time in the day camp鈥檚 history, all swimming was also be free of charge. In years past, day campers wishing to swim were asked to pay a small fee.
This year鈥檚 county summer day camp, which once again included a wide array of activities, games and educational and informative programs, was held at the Lions Club Park in Waynesburg, Wana B Park in Carmichaels and Mon View Park in Greensboro.
Leo Club members create, present special mats to help homeless
Rose Chiprich, advisor of Waynesburg Central High School鈥檚 Leo Club, and Leo Club member Kameryn Hixenbaugh presented in August Plarn mats made for the homeless, which were created for a program organized locally by Eleanor Chapman of the Waynesburg Lions Club.
Fellow Leo member Abby Fisher crocheted one mat and Hixenbaugh used the loom to finish the other.
The loom was handcrafted by Hixenbaugh and her stepfather Michael Franks and was donated to WCHS Leo Club for the construction of mats in the future.
Volunteers help repair, restore Rogersville honor roll
A few area residents volunteered to help restore a Greene County monument dedicated to area veterans who served during World War II.
John 鈥淏uzz鈥� Walters, a Rogerville resident and U.S. Marine veteran, said Casey Dunn, another Rogersville resident, informed him the 1945 Center Township Honor Roll was in need of repair.
The Rogersville monument displays more than 160 names honoring soldiers from the western end of the county who fought in World War II.
Walters said he discussed the issue at the West Greene American Legion Post No. 416 August meeting and asked if any volunteers could assist in the repairs. He said West Greene residents Ray Rutan and Bill Pulkownik offered to help.
The honor roll was officially dedicated in October 1946.
Area family presents donation to Make-A-Wish
Vickie and Jim Hopkins, owners of Jim Hopkins Masonry & Concrete in Waynesburg, in October presented a check of $16,592 to Make-A-Wish Director of Development Stephanie Pugliese.
This check represents funds raised from two Hopkins family fundraising events, the annual motorcycle run held on Aug. 28, and a chicken roast held on Sept. 18 鈥� both benefiting Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
All funds are raised in memory of Linda Hopkins, Mike Hopkins and Keith Wright and help to fund the wishes of children with critical illnesses in the local area.
The Hopkins family and friends have been fundraising for Make-A-Wish in Greene County since 2009.Over the years, they have raised more than $77,000 to help create life-changing wishes for 24 local children.
Waynesburg man receives multiple awards for volunteer work
A Waynesburg man was recognized in the fall by two different agencies honoring his volunteer work, tireless dedication and service to Greene County residents.
George 鈥淏ly鈥� Blystone recently received separate honors by Greene County Tourist Promotion Agency and the Greene County Chamber of Commerce, both within just weeks apart from one another.
Blystone was selected as this year鈥檚 Volunteer of the Year. Nominees are judged by a committee on outstanding service to their place of volunteering, community and visitors.
Blystone has served as the foundry鈥檚 caretaker for roughly 30 years, starting in the early 1990s when he was asked by then-caretaker George Kelley to maintain the historic landmark. Since then, he has assisted in the numerous efforts made by Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation of Homestead, which owns the foundry, to preserve and restore the landmark.
On Oct. 28, he accepted Greene County Chamber of Commerce鈥檚 2021 Distinguished Service Award during the 33rd annual Membership Banquet at Valley View Farm in Waynesburg.
The Distinguished Service Awards are bestowed based on lasting contributions to community welfare, participation in civic organizations, evidence of leadership ability, success in vocation, personal and/or business progress and cooperation with other individuals and organizations.
Blystone was honored with the award for several different reasons, including his volunteer work with Greenbriar Treatment Center, the county鈥檚 drug task force, Alcoholics Anonymous and Steps Inside, a nonprofit drug and alcohol drop-in center in Waynesburg; service as a committee member for the 50s Fest and Car Cruise event; his service at the foundry; and his 50 years of volunteering at Greene County Historical Society.
Memorial honoring three Vietnam War vets unveiled in Bobtown
Daniel Allum, Joseph Paul Antonelli and Keith Held were each barely out of high school when they were shipped to Vietnam to fight in the war that laid waste to that country and tore the United States apart.
None of the three Bobtown residents made it back alive. Each of the young men were just 20 when they died more than 8,000 miles from home.
The bodies of all three were brought back and rest in nearby cemeteries, but no memorial to the three was ever erected in Bobtown. That changed in early November, when a granite stone marking the lives and service of Allum, Antonelli and Held was unveiled at the Bobtown Honor Roll, located outside the Greene County community鈥檚 fire station at Larimer Avenue.
The effort to permanently memorialize the three fallen Vietnam veterans in their hometown was spearheaded by John Michniak, himself a resident of Bobtown and a retired corrections officer at the state prison in Greene County. Michniak was struck by the fact that the names of Allum, Antonelli and Held had been engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., 鈥渂ut there was nothing locally.鈥�
Area churches participate in Operation Christmas Child initiative
Six area churches in November participated in Operation Christmas Child鈥檚 Christmas Shoeboxes initiative, which is geared to making the holidays a little nicer for children all over the world.
A project of the international Christian relief organization, Samaritan鈥檚 Purse, headed by Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, Operation Christmas Child sends gift-filled shoe boxes to millions of children in need each year.
Partnering with local churches, the year-round project sends shoe boxes full of school supplies, toys and hygiene items to children suffering from poverty, natural disaster, war, terror, disease and famine.
Locally, the Greater Team Ministries 鈥� a charge consisting of United Methodist Churches from Jefferson, Rices Landing, Fredericktown, Denbo, Howe and Roscoe 鈥� started collecting shoeboxes in 2010, and during the first year 62 boxes were filled. Each year since, team members have increased the number of filled shoeboxes.
The completed boxes were prominently displayed in the Jefferson United Methodist Church Nov. 14, and were then loaded into two vans to be delivered to Waynesburg Nov. 15.
Blue Knights present donations to Greene agencies
The Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club Chapter 16 presented $1,000 donations to three separate area agencies and programs last fall.
The club presented the donations to the Salvation Army Greene County Service Center, the county鈥檚 Children and Youth Services鈥� Foster Parent Program for its annual children鈥檚 Christmas Party, and the Humane Society of Greene County.
The donation was part of the proceeds from the 18th annual Blue Ride that was held earlier in the year.
The ride was a joint effort between the Blue Knights and Washington Lodge No. 164 Free and Accepted Masons.