Scenic Pittsburgh presents achievement award to Connellsville
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Mayor Greg Lincoln, left, and members of city council gather round Mike Dawida, at podium, executive director of Scenic Pittsburgh, as he presented Connellsville with the organization鈥檚 inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award in the Connellsville Canteen.
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Mayor Greg Lincoln, at podium, accepts the Community Scenic Achievement Award presented by Scenic Pittsburgh Executive Director Mike Dawida, in back, at the Connellsville Canteen. Lincoln thanked Scenic Pittsburgh, adding, 鈥淐ommunity spirit is alive here and we鈥檙e proud of it.鈥欌��
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Mike Dawida, right, executive director, presents Scenic Pittsburgh鈥檚 inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award to Connellsville with Mayor Greg Lincoln accepting. Dawida said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e here to honor you for having done some pretty special things and to be the role model for other towns everywhere.鈥欌��
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Daniel Cocks, Fayette County Cultural Trust executive director, thanked a long list of government departments, civic leaders, organizations, regional foundations and individuals for their contributions to Connellsville, noting鈥淚鈥檝e been to a lot of places in my life and I鈥檝e never seen this many people work together in one community to make a difference.鈥欌��
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Mayor Greg Lincoln, left, shakes hands with Nate Neval as he presents a citation on behalf of U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters Township. Looking on are Mike Dawida, Scenic Pittsburgh executive director, and Patty Yauger, also part of Reschenthaler鈥檚 staff. Dawida visited Connellsville to present Scenic Pittsburgh鈥檚 inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award.
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Mayor Greg Lincoln, center, accepts citations presented to Connellsville by state Sen. Pat Stefano, R-Bullskin Township, left, and state Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Perryopolis, right, as Mike Dawida, in back, executive director, came to Connellsville to present the city with Scenic Pittsburgh鈥檚 inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award.
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Mike Dawida, executive director, visited the Connellsville Canteen to present Scenic Pittsburgh鈥檚 inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award to Connellsville. Dawida said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e here to honor you for having done some pretty special things and to be the role model for other towns everywhere.鈥欌��
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
The Molinaro Band performed as people entered the Connellsville Canteen when Scenic Pittsburgh presented Connellsville with its inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award.
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Artist Jeremy Raymer has been painting a mural portraying scenes from the history of Connellsville鈥檚 Italian-American community on the Italian Independent Social Club. Commissioned by Fayette County Cultural Trust, the mural is one of many assets that led Scenic Pittsburgh to present Connellsville with its inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award.
Frances Borsodi Zajac|缅北禁地
Artist Jeremy Raymer has been painting a mural portraying scenes from the history of Connellsville鈥檚 Italian-American community on the Italian Independent Social Club. Commissioned by Fayette County Cultural Trust, the mural is one of many assets that led Scenic Pittsburgh to present Connellsville with its inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award.
Scenic Pittsburgh sang Connellsville鈥檚 praises as the nonprofit presented the city with its inaugural Community Scenic Achievement Award.
鈥淲e wanted to highlight some of the towns really doing heroic things to bring back the economies of the community, to make these places more livable, more beautiful and we kept seeing Connellsville everywhere we went,鈥� explained Mike Dawida, executive director of Scenic Pittsburgh, which serves 10 counties in Western Pennsylvania and is part of Scenic America.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here to honor you for having done some pretty special things and to be the role model for other towns everywhere, to learn you can make the place better no matter how bad things have been 鈥� whether coal leaves or coke leaves 鈥� whatever leaves,鈥� said Dawida. 鈥淭his is still a great place.鈥�
Mayor Greg Lincoln thanked Scenic Pittsburgh as he accepted the award, adding, 鈥淐ommunity spirit is alive here and we鈥檙e proud of it.鈥�
The Molinaro Band welcomed a large crowd to the ceremony, which took place Oct. 16 at the Connellsville Canteen after inclement weather forced a change indoors. Original plans were to present the award in front of the Fayette County Cultural Trust-commissioned mural on the Italian Independent Social Club. Pittsburgh artist Jeremy Raymer has been painting the mural that portrays scenes of Connellsville鈥檚 Italian-American community.
A Scenic Pittsburgh release named the mural and Connellsville Canteen, which includes a restaurant and WWII museum in an historic train station, among features including flower plantings, renovated historic buildings, improved facades and public art calling attention to the city鈥檚 history and location, adjacent to the Youghiogheny River and Great Allegheny Passage bike trail.
鈥淐onnellsville also adopted an ambitious Comprehensive City Plan in April 2019 that focuses on further development of the area as a 鈥榬ecreational haven鈥� and local arts showcase with a walkable downtown,鈥� the release noted.
Daniel Cocks, Fayette County Cultural Trust executive director, thanked a long list of government departments, civic leaders, organizations, regional foundations and individuals for their contributions to Connellsville.
Cocks noted, 鈥淚鈥檝e been to a lot of places in my life and I鈥檝e never seen this many people work together in one community to make a difference.鈥�
In his remarks, Cocks pointed out attributes such the city鈥檚 promotion of new ideas, unity and togetherness.
鈥淐onnellsville is that place,鈥� Cocks said, 鈥渂ecause of all the organizations and individuals working together to enhance health, beauty, quality of life and promote a well-balanced community.鈥�
As Lincoln spoke, he thanked Cocks and Michael Edwards, Connellsville Redevelopment Authority executive director, for their contributions over the years.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e never faltered. They work extremely hard,鈥� said Lincoln. 鈥淓very organization here has been involved with Michael and Dan.鈥�
Citations were presented to Connellsville by state Sen. Pat Stefano, R-Bullskin Township; state Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Perryopolis; and Nate Nevala and Patty Yauger on behalf of U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters Township.
Fayette County Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink, members of city council, local departments, organizations and individuals also attended the awards presentation.
Dawida said he would be attending a national conference in Florida where Connellsville was going to be held up as an example.
鈥淵ou care about your community,鈥� Dawida said, 鈥渁nd that鈥檚 apparent.鈥�