in-plum-spring

lumSPRING 2011 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

2 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Plum

lumSPRING 2011

IN Plum Magazine is a non-partisan communitymagazine dedicated to representing,encouraging and promoting the Plum SchoolDistrict and its comprising municipalities byfocusing on the talents and gifts of the peoplewho live and work here. Our goal is to providereaders with the most informative andprofessional regional publication in theCommonwealth of Pennsylvania.

PUBLISHER

Wayne Dollard

ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER

Mark Berton [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR

Marybeth [email protected]

OFFICE MANAGER

Leo [email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Jamie [email protected]

WRITERS

Jonathan Barnes Pamela PalongueKelli McElhinny

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Cassie Brkich Jan McEvoyAnna Buzzelli Joe MilneSusie Doak Tamara TylendaPati Ingold Tracey Wasilco

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rebecca BaileyGaryyonphotography.comOne Way Street Productions

ADVERTISING SALES

Nicholas Buzzell David MitchellBrian Daley Tamara Myers Gina D’Alicandro Gabriel NegriTina Dollard Robert OjedaRose Estes Annette PetroneJason Huffman Vincent SabatiniJessie Jones Michael SilvertConnie McDaniel RJ VighettiBrian McKee

This magazine is carrier route mailed to all district households and businesses.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part withoutwritten permission is prohibited. Copyright 2011.

CORRESPONDENCEAll inquiries, comments and press releases should be directed to:

IN Community MagazinesAttn: Editorial603 East McMurray RoadMcMurray, PA 15317Ph: 724.942.0940 Fax: 724.942.0968

Summer content deadline: 4/22/11www.incommunitymagazines.com

Please recycle this magazinewhen you arethrough enjoying it.

When I think about spring, I can’t help but think about light. Thedays get “lighter,” and the sun stays with us a little longer each day. Whenwe have a great idea, a light bulb goes off in our minds.

At PlumMagazine, we try to spotlight our communities. What areyou doing to be a “light” in the community? If you or an organization thatyou volunteer or work for would like to be spotlighted, will you let meknow? So many good deeds are left unsung! If you have a family memberwho is in the armed forces, or if your church group, Mom or Dad areproviding a service to someone in need, we want to know! Please e-mailyour ideas and photos to me at [email protected].

I noticed that Oblock Junior High Reach Out Club is hosting theirannual Easter Egg hunt on April 16 again this year. They are looking fordonations to help fund this very popular event. If you would like todonate funds to help them out, please read more about the event on page15, I am sure the students, faculty and all of the little ones who attend willbe most appreciative of your efforts! I hope you took notice of thebeautiful cover we chose for the spring edition of the magazine. Studentartist, Angelina Colchagie, submitted this art. My thanks to all of you whosubmitted artwork for consideration, to help celebrate the return ofspring! As we look forward to warmer and brighter days ahead, I hopeyou’ll enjoy this edition of PlumMagazine!

Managing Editor

"No one is useless

in this world who lightensthe burdens of another."

CHARLES DICKENS

Welcome to the spring issue of Plum magazine. I hope you all had awonderful holiday filled with family, friends, and fun.

Typically, I use this space to talk about your community or features inthe magazine that spotlight the people in your community who are doingwonderful things.

Well, this time I want to update you regarding our newest feature for2011—our new website. Without venturing too far into the realm ofshameless self-promotion, I want to emphasize that this website issomething for you, our readers. How so? Well, you can have input and helpshape the website just like your ideas help shape your magazine. Now youhave a place to list all of the nonprofit community organizations that areactive in the community. We are also developing pages where we list thelocal houses of worship. In addition, we now offer every magazine in a fullydownloadable PDF format, rather than the outdated flipbook format weused to have. This will allow you to send the magazine, or links to it, tofriends and family both near and far.

We tied our website into Facebook as well, not to get the biggest list of“friends” we could get but to have a place to keep our readers abreast of all thenews we get between issues. It also gives us a place to upload all the photosfrom community events that we don’t have room for in the magazine.

As with all things, there’s always room for improvement, but we alwayshave open ears. If you have comments about our new website or want to seeyour organization listed, e-mail [email protected] withyour link or feedback. There’s no charge for listing your church, synagogue,or scout troop’s link, so send your links in today!

And if you happen to be on Facebook and like what you see in themagazine, don’t hesitate to click that “Like” button. It’s always nice to be liked!

I hope you have a wonderful spring!

Wayne DollardPublisher

6

Plum | SPRING 2011 |

5Publisher’s Message | 2

FEATURES | Cancer Care Close to Home | 5

| Antiques Show at Oakmont Country Club | 6

| Real Estate in Plum | 38

COMMUNITY INTEREST | Plum Borough School District | 9

| UPMC Today |

Health and Wellness News You Can Use | 17

| IN Kids | 33

| Older Adults in Plum | 36

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT | Garage Door Doctor | 35

ON THE COVER | A painting by Plum Borough School District student Angelina Colchagie.

Contents

S P R I N G 2 0 1 1

Health and Wellness News You Can Use

© 2011 UPMC

What’s Insidepage 2 Spring Skin Smarts

page 3 From Gut-Wrenching Pain toHope for the FutureStomachaches: When to Worry

page 4 Good Night, Sleep Tight!Are You Allergic to Your Bed?

page 5 UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online

page 6 Post-traumatic Stress DisorderCould It Happen to You?

page 7 Welcoming New PhysiciansWhat’s Happening at UPMC St Margaret

Healthy Family,Happy Family

Keeping yourself and your family healthy can seem like a full-time job. With UPMC HealthTrak, you now have a convenient way to manage your health anytime and anywhere.17 36


Plum | Spring 2011 | incommunitymagazines.com 5

With the growing demand for cancer carethroughout our region, UPMC st.Margaret has expanded its oncology

services to better serve the needs of patients insurrounding communities. The 249-bed, acute-carehospital near Aspinwall has experienced double-digitgrowth in admissions and surgeries during the pastsix years.

The new 5,000-square-foot addition houses anew, state-of-the-art linear accelerator, which isused for radiation treatment, and other cutting-edge technology to provide enhanced patient careand streamlined treatment. The linear accelerator

also provides support to the hospital's lung andthoracic program.

"The new linear accelerator is the newesttechnology available and allows us to see and treateven more complex cases right here at UPMC st.Margaret," says Douglass Harrison, Vice President ofOperations at UPMC st. Margaret. This linearaccelerator is based on one of the most innovativeplatforms with a broader range of imaging andtreatment options. specially trained radiationoncology professionals at UPMC st. Margaret arenow able to target cancer more accurately whilereducing the effects on surrounding healthy tissues.

Another new piece of equipment, a CT simulator,generates high-quality images for precise treatmentplanning. This revolutionary technology optimizespatient care by determining the exact location andsize of the area to be treated.

Patients receive a comprehensive treatment planthrough a team of cancer care specialists fromdisciplines that include pathology; radiation, medical,and surgical oncology; and radiology. “Theradiation Oncology team here at st. Margaret is veryexcited to be able to offer this innovative technologyfor our patients. Our number one goal of giving thebest treatment possible to our patients is greatlyenhanced by this technology,” says James sinicki,MBA, rT, (r)(T), Chief radiation Therapist atUPMC st. Margaret.

With a 15 percent increase in the number ofpatient treatments per day in the hospital’s radiationOncology program since 2006, this newsophisticated equipment will enable the hospital tomeet those increased demands.

UPMC CancerCenter at UPMC

St. Margaret earnedthe 2009

Commission onCancer OutstandingAchievement Awardand received a three-year re-approval as a Community

HospitalComprehensive

Cancer Program withCommendation.

State-of-the-art cancer treatmentat UPMC St. Margaret

close to homeCancer care


THe kerr MeMOrIAL MUseUM PreseNTs

Beverly White, of White and WhiteAntiques, Skaneateles, N.Y.

The seventh Annual Antiques show was held atOakmont Country Club and benefitted The kerrMuseum, an Oakmont house that shows what life

was like for an upper-middle-class physician and his familyfrom 1890 to 1910.

In 1994 after her death, Virginia kerr left the house tothe Borough of Oakmont to be used as a museum inmemory of her father, Dr. Thomas kerr. The museumcontains a large collection of items from the family andthe Pittsburgh area in the early 20th century. Listed onthe National register of Historic Places by The U.s. of theInterior, the museum is located at 402 Delaware Avenuein Oakmont.The show featured a wide variety of 25antique dealers from east end Galleries in Pittsburgh toBrill’s Antiques in Newport News, Virginia. kerr Museumco-chairs,Jan shoop and Joan stewart volunteered theirtime, talent and treasure to make the event as successful aspossible. The third co-chair, Diana Thompson, a distantcousin of Virginia kerr, is able to fulfill her cousin’s wish tokeep her family home a memorial to her father. Manyother volunteers in the area also lent their time to showantique shoppers and browsers through the beautifulgalleries and assist the dealers.

Operated by a staff of over 40 volunteers, the museum is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every saturday. Private or group tours can visit anyday of the week, excluding holidays, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.with advance notice and based on availability. For moreinformation call The kerr Museum at 412.826.9295.

THe seVeNTH ANNUAL Antiques Show at Oakmont Country Club

Co-chairs, Diana Thompson, JoanStewart, Jan Shoop

Janet Donohue

Jill Ruppel andSigne Watson

Volunteers Margo Naus &Tom Justofin

Volunteer, Lorelli Moser

Volunteer, BarbaraWilliams



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Dear Parents and CommunityMembers,We are very pleased to

announce that through themunificent support andsponsorship of Senator JimBrewster, the Plum BoroughSchool District secured a stategrant to publish the InPlummagazine for the next two years.The community response to thispublication has been incrediblypositive. We look forward tocontinuing to communicate withyou and sharing the news of theDistrict through this venue. It isour intention to produce a March, June, Augustand December edition each year.It is our pleasure to announce that the Plum

Borough School Board has been selected toreceive the D. Richard Wynn School Board Awardpresented by the Tri-State Study Council from theSchool of Education at the University of Pittsburgh.The recognition spans a two year period from2008-2010. This award is presented to the PlumBorough School Board for “striving to achieveexcellence in education by preparing all students totake their place in the diverse and changing worldof the 21st century. The Board’s focus has been topromote professional development, addresscurriculum development conscientiously, add andintegrate technology effectively, review and reviseoutdated policies, and promote a culture ofvolunteerism. Additionally, the Board hasundertaken an important building construction andrenovation project.” We are very proud of thisprestigious recognition.The Pennsylvania Department of Education

requires all school districts to plan on a 6-yearcycle and to review several parts of their plan everythree years. The District is currently reviewing 3 ofthe 8 required reports and will submit finaldocuments to the Department of Education overthe summer. Members of the original steeringcommittee are currently reviewing the reports forprogress toward completing the original goals. Thedistrict-wide steering committee includes buildinglevel and central office administrators, teachers,board members, students, parents, and community

representatives. Current planningcommittee work includesAcademic Standards andAssessment, ProfessionalDevelopment, and EducationalTechnology.

The original District-LevelPlanning Team established aclimate of shared decision-makingthat would be followedthroughout the district, developedand/or revised the mission andbelief statements, establishing theprofile of the graduate of Plum,conducting the district-wide needsassessment, and determining the

two district-wide objectives that would be used byall the schools.

VisionThe Plum Borough School District will seek to

achieve excellence in education by providing stateof the art data-driven, student-centered, andstandards-based education for all students.

MissionPlum Borough School District, a large, growing

suburban area, in partnership with students,parents and community, will strive to achieveexcellence in education by preparing all students totake their place in the diverse and changing worldof the 21st century. The District will provide a safeand stimulating environment that will promote andsupport critical thinking and life-long learning.

Shared Values• Every child has a right to a quality education in asafe, disciplined, student-centered environment. • Students will become life-long learners andproductive, responsible citizens. • Partnerships must be formed with stakeholdersto create educational opportunities. • All children can learn and can develop theirtalents.

The performance levels for our studentscontinue to meet and exceed targets as establishedby the state for Adequate Yearly Progress and eachof our buildings has received the “Keystone”

Message from Dr. Naccarati

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10 Plum

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award from the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Education.Additionally, five schools inthe district have received aHigh Growth Designationfrom PDE. A High Growthdesignation means that theidentified grade in thedesignated building placed inthe top twentieth percentilefor the state in the testedsubject area on the PSSAs.We will devote several

pages in the June issue toinformation related to the2011-12 budget before finalpassage by the School Boardat the end of June. The actualprocess of creating the 2011-12 district budget began sixweeks earlier than had beendone in the past. Thisschedule is providingadditional time to analyzeexpenditures in greater detailin preparation for operatingthe district with anticipatedreduced revenues. As I amsure you have heard reportedin the media, creation ofbudgets on the local, stateand federal level areparticularly challenging thisyear. As a reminder,

kindergarten registration isunderway for the 2011-12school year. Please check thedistrict’s website foradditional information. Weencourage parents to registertheir child as soon as possibleas it assists the district in ourplanning process for staffingand programming.I look forward to seeing

you at graduation and variousspring award ceremonies aswe recognize our students fortheir tremendousachievements. As always, wewish to extend to you ourmost heartfelt thanks for yourcontinuing support of andinvolvement with the PlumBorough School District.

Sincerely,Dr. Lillian Naccarati

At Oblock Junior High, spring is a timeof change for our students. Our eighthgraders are preparing for high school. Ourseventh graders are preparing to be theolder students in the building. Soon, thesixth graders will be transitioning fromelementary school to the junior high.At Oblock, we work to ensure that the

transition from elementary school is assmooth as possible. We have manyprograms in place to help us to meet thatgoal. In April, students will meet with thejunior high counselors to schedule theircourses for next school year. Courseworkwill be scheduled based on currentelementary school grades, standardized testresults, and teacher recommendations.Before the end of the school year, studentswill receive information about how to sign

up for fall sports, including Football, Boys’Soccer, Girls’ Soccer, Girls’ Basketball, andBoys’ and Girls’ Cross Country.During the summer, two additional

programs are offered to students. Oneprogram is a student orientation. Fororientation, students are bussed to andfrom the junior high and receive importantinformation about the rules and regulationsat Oblock. The other program is a “walk-through” day, in which students can comeup to the school with an adult and try theirlockers and walk through their schedules.Our hope is that by the time a new

seventh grader enters the doors on the firstday of school, they are ready to tackle all ofthe new and exciting challenges that juniorhigh brings.

Six seniors from Plum Senior HighSchool recently spent an afternoon at thePittsburgh Post-Gazette, working with theSenior Theater Critic, Dr. ChristopherRawson. The seminar is part of the KellyCritics program, working in conjunctionwith the Pittsburgh CLO’s Gene KellyAward Program for Excellence in HighSchool Musical Theater. Kaitlyn Lacey,Melinda Lalchan, Rebekah Lecocq,Katherine Rosko, Lunaris Ruan and DanielWeitzman all attended an open sessionwith Dr. Rawson to learn the finer points of

theater criticism. The students will each beprovided with tickets to a local schooldistrict’s spring musical, and after writing areview of the show and submitting it to Dr.Rawson, they will receive feedback ontheir writing, and have their workpublished on the Post-Gazette’s website inthe Kelly Critics section. The Plumstudents will also compete againststudents from other districts’ critics for aspecial Gene Kelly Award. Be looking onthe Post-Gazette’s website in the spring forthe work of these talented young writers!

Plum Borough School District Leading the Way

OnTheir WayTransitioning to Junior High


Entering the high school can be anexciting, yet scary time, for parentsand their sons/daughters. Oftenparents have a lot of questions andconcerns about the next four years. Asyour counselor, our job is to advisestudents throughout their high schoolcareers in an effort to put them in aposition to achieve their post-secondary goals. Somepost-secondary options are a four yearcollege, a two year school, a trade,technical, or specialized school, themilitary, or the work force. Here aresome suggestions that we, ascounselors have found helpful.As a freshman, students have to

come to the high school with theunderstanding that every homeworkassignment, project, and test isimportant. Each one has thepossibility to be graded, and in turn,will have an impact on your overallGPA. Teachers ask their students to dothis in an effort to better understandthe subject matter in which he/sheteaches. As a conscientious student,maximum effort must be put forth inorder to get the most out of eachlesson and course. Students shouldtake classes not only to meetgraduation requirements, but alsoexpose them to different areas ofinterest. Exposure to differentelectives can help students narrowtheir areas of interest for possiblecareer choices. In other words, itwould be foolish to forgo anaccounting or marketing class in highschool, if you plan to pursue abusiness degree at the collegiate leveland ultimately get a job running abusiness. If you want to be anautomotive mechanic, you shouldstrongly consider attending ForbesCareer and Technical Center for theAutomotive Technology Program as a10th, 11th, and 12th grader. Studentsalso need to consider becoming well-rounded by joining school clubs,sports teams, and organizations in aneffort to showcase their talents andleadership abilities. Volunteering inthe school and/or community and

working part-time also demonstrate qualities that post-secondaryinstitutions are seeking in their futurestudents. However, students shouldbe careful to not allow extra -curricularactivities to override their academicresponsibilities. Students need to havethis mind set throughout their entirehigh school career.As a sophomore, students need to

continue to put forth their best effortand maintain a strong work ethic. Ifstudents are considering going to afour year school for post-secondarytraining, they should sign up for thePSATs through the guidance office inOctober. The PSAT exposes studentsto the type of questions asked on theSAT, the test most students have totake in order to be accepted into acollege. The PSAT scores predict how astudent would score on the SAT andprovide a breakdown of the student’sstrengths and weaknesses. Studentscan use this information to gaugewhich areas they should focus onwhen preparing for the SAT. Whenscheduling classes, remember toconsider your post-secondaryaspiration and continue to be active inthe school and community.Junior year is a crucial year. This is

when students should startinvestigating and narrowing downpost-secondary options. Attending theCollege Fair held on Open House nightallows students to speak withrepresentatives from a variety of post-secondary training institutions.Students may want to attend theNational College Fair held in February,at the David L. Lawrence ConventionCenter as well. Taking thePSAT/NMSQT in October will beadditional preparation for the SATsthat students should take in the springof junior year. The registration for theSAT is done at www.collegeboard.comand it is offered at Plum in March andMay. Juniors should also considertaking the ACTs which are anothercollege entrance test. The ACTregistration is done at www.act.org.Plum does not offer this test, but

neighboring districts do offer the ACT.Students should research career andcollege option at websites such aswww.educationplanner.org andwww.collegeboard.com to becomemore knowledgeable of differentopportunities. Military recruiters visitthe school and can give guidance ifyou have an interest in joining one ofthe military branches. Parents andstudents should meet with theirguidance counselor to have apersonalized planning meeting todiscuss post-secondary plans in moredetail. Students and parents canattend the Financial Aid Night heldevery January to find out how they willafford to pay for post-secondaryeducation. Keep in mind, that thejunior transcript accompanies collegeapplications. Juniors need to maintaintheir grades as well as theirextracurricular activities. As a senior, students need to

ensure that they are in a position tomeet graduation requirements whilemaintaining academic rigor. Thecounseling department suggests thatcollege applications be completed andsubmitted by October 31st. Studentsmay be asked to take a collegeentrance test again or submit seniorgrades prior to being given finalconsideration to a college oruniversity. Upon being accepted toone or several institutions, studentswill have to make a decision of wherethey would like to attend. This decisionis often based on the institution cost,location, academic programs, etc.Parents will have to complete a FAFSAbetween January 1 and May 1 of theirchild’s senior year at www.fafsa.ed.govto determine financial aid qualification.If this is not completed, all costs andtuition come directly out of the pocket.Students should also attempt to obtainscholarships from the post-secondaryinstitution they are attending, as wellas general ones from private groups,organizations, and institutions.Scholarships can be found throughinternet searches and by checking thescholarship page of the district website(www.pbsd.k12.pa.us). The counselors realize that

everyone’s academic path differs; weare here to help, support, and answerparents’ and students’ concerns andquestions as they arise. Please do nothesitate to contact your child’scounselor, teachers, or administratorto help navigate through these nextfour years.

Wake Up,

TheseYearsCount


12 Plum

Plum Robotics is off to a fantastic startfor its upcoming competitions! This year,Martin Griffith and Jeff Noll have takencontrol of the glorious team, in place ofRick Volker, who retired last year. We havemany students involved this year,including Don Doerfler, Jake Udanis,Jeese Porter, Steven Churchel, R.J. Duerr,Luna Ruan, Kevin Accettulla, Ava Kotvas,Eric Yocca, Luke Yount, Yasmin Kelly, BertyRuan, and Paul Kennedy who have comein during activity and after school to workon the bot. Don especially has dedicated an extraordinaryamount of time manufacturing the bots. Our team sponsorsinclude Jennison Manufacturing, University of Pittsburgh,Apogee Technology, DLK Performance, Philips Respironics,S&T Bank, JC Hobby Store, Keystone Rustproofing, CastleCreations, Clinton Aluminum, and Van Strien Consulting.These sponsors have provided supplies, monetary

assistance, advising,support, and metalworking that have provedcrucial in helping us withthe bot. This year, we arerebuilding a replicate of apreviously entered bot,Atomic Shock and enteringa new bot on team Intensenamed The Shocker. This isalso the first year that wehave machined our own

parts in-shop, allowing students to learn even more aboutthe manufacturing and design in robotics. Atomic Shock hasa drum weapon this year, which spins upwards to flip theopposing bot upwards, leading us to victory. The Shocker’sdetails are undercover until our competition! Our firstcompetition is at California University of Pennsylvania onMarch 25. Wish us luck!

Nick Dialosio, entertainer; MargieConry Evans, recently retired assistantsuperintendent Plum Borough SchoolDistrict; Dr. Lisa Veitch, accomplishedresearch analyst for Dept. of Defense;and the late Hon. Paul R. Zavarella,president judge Court of CommonPleas, all have something in common.Yes, they all were graduated by Plum

High School. And also each has thedistinction of belonging to the thirdclass of inductees of the PHSDistinguished Alumni.The recognition festivities are

scheduled for Sunday, April 17 in theballroom of Oakmont Country Club,Hulton Road, and the following day atPlum High School. The public is invited to attend the

two-day event. Cost for tickets is $50 perperson. To obtain tickets, one can callCarolyn Young Nonnenberg, 412 793-8251 or Rena Lynn Hursh Koteski, 724335-4695. They also are available atseveral locations throughout theborough. These include the Greeting

Gallery, Unity; office of Magistrate LindaZucco, Route 380; Plum High Schoolsecurity office, and the Plum BoroughBuilding.Pictures of honorees will be posted

of the coming year on the wall ofdistinction, in the high school lobby.The wall was created by commercialartist Jerry Churik with a $10,000 grantfrom then state Sen. Sean Logan.

In addition to celebration plans, thecommittee also is making plans for aregion-wide funding campaign tosupport building an interactive mediacenter a the high school to helpstudents learn about honorees’vocations and other interesting careerinformation. Additional information is available

from any committee officer:Lou Balot, president, 412-798-9444Carolyn Nonnenberg, vice-president, 412-793-8251

Loretta White, secretary, 412-793-7813Rena Lynn Koteski, treasurer, 724-335-4695

Distinguished Alumni

Those Who HaveMade a Difference

1st year honorees (2009)

The late Andrew M Tometsko,, PhD,Class of 1956

Patricia Ann Barthalow Koch, Class of 1968

Col.. Gregory John Argyros, MD,Class of 1979

Col. James C. Lord, Class of 1983

2nd year(2010)

Ruth O’Block Grant, Class of 1949Rena Lynn Hursh Koteski,

Class of 1961Jackie Dempsey, Class of 1984;

Richard J. Evanchec, Class of 1998


The music doesn’t stop when the clock runs out on the footballseason. The Plum High SchoolMarching Band led in thePittsburgh’s Veterans Day Parade,performing in its opening ceremonyincluding Taps. At the parade, theband brought back Best Music andGeneral Effect for the 2010 VeteransDay Parade award. As the holidays approached, the

entire music department performedfor the Sugar Plum Days. Whileraising money for the music trip, thejazz bands performed with twovocalists at a Spaghetti Dinner atAssembly of God Church inMonroeville in January. The PlumHigh Music trip to Disney is March3rd through the 8th. Once theyreturn, they have a week to preparefor the March 17th Slippery RockJazz Festivals. Spring concerts will be held in the

high school auditorium on Tuesday,May 3rd for the Concert Band andFriday, May 6th for the Jazz Concert.Please mark your calendars fornights filled with music.A new addition to the music

department this year is the PlumHigh School Indoor PercussionEnsemble. The first competition wasJanuary 15th where Plum wasmoved to a higher division. Theremaining schedule is February 19that Mars, March 12th at MarshallMiddle School in the NorthAllegheny School District withchampionships scheduled for April2nd at Norwin School District.Congratulations on a successful firstseason!While a band is a group of people

performing in unison, some starsshined bright and were rewardedwith additional opportunities topractice and play for audiences. Wewould like to recognize those whoparticipated in additional bands.Nick Marco was selected as leadtrumpet player in the PMEA DistrictHonors Jazz Band. Caitlyn Terhunewas selected to perform with thePittsburgh Symphony Orchestraduring their Fiddlesticks concert onJanuary 22, 2011. Natalie Tomaroand Stephen Turchick were selected

to participate in the PMEA DistrictJunior High Honors Bandrescheduled for April 29th and 30th.Participating in the Alle-Kiski HonorsBand Concert on February 3rd and4th were Aly Collins, Stephen Lester,Nick Marco, Jessica Miller, LunarisRuan, Meredith Taylor, and TomZacher. The PMEA District HonorsBand includes Plum High students,Nick Marco, Jessica Miller, and TomZacher. Moving on to RegionalHonors Band, which is a level higherthan PMEA District Honors Band areNick Marco and Jessica Miller. TheRegional Honors Band Concert isMarch 26th. From there, the two willaudition for the State Honors Band.Kudos to all who play to perform foran audience.Two special performers decided

to use their talents to support agood cause. Brittany Dirazio andFrank DiDiano from the Plum HighSchool Jazz Band recentlyparticipated in the Gila’s Club forCancer Support’s Battle of the

Bands. Brittany and Frank won theevent and were asked to be guestson 96.9 BOB FM on Friday, February11th. The Gila’s Club is a free ofcharge non-profit organization thatoffers a warm and comfortablehome-like environment whereinformation is freely exchanged andmembers learn from one anotherhow best to live with cancer. Theirmission is to create welcomingcommunities of free support foreveryone living with cancer – men,women, teens, and children – alongwith their families and friends. Theirinnovative program is an essentialcomplement to medical care,providing networking and supportgroups, workshops, education, andsocial activities. All proceeds fromthe Battle of the Bands went towardhelping these families. Don’t forget the Plum High

School Music Department presentsFootloose beginning March 31stthrough April 2nd at 7:00 pm.Tickets are $8.00.

Plum High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble

at the end of Football season


14 Plum

One of the many activitiesthat set apart the BoyceCampus Middle College HighSchool is the twice-yearly“Focus Olympics.” Eachstudent in the school isenrolled in a Focus class; inthis class students bond withone another and a facultymember through activitiessuch as team building,mentorship, student-centereddiscussion, and careerpreparation. These classesengage in friendlycompetition for spirit pointswith one another throughfund-raising, raising schoolspirit, and of course, theFocus Olympics. TheOlympics are designed topromote team work andcooperative learning in arelaxed and enjoyableatmosphere. Events mightrequire students to guide a

blindfolded classmate,imitate an elephant andknock over obstacles withone’s trunk, form a humanbobsled and race againstother classes, demonstratemental or physical prowess,or just pull for your life in agood old fashioned tug-of-war. Each team is coached bythe classes’ Focus instructor.The events are set up so thatevery student, regardless ofability or skill level, canparticipate in the Olympicsand contribute to his or herclass and school. TheseOlympics are an extension ofthe school’s overallphilosophy of engagingstudents in a standardsdriven curriculum in anenvironment that promotes &values individuality, personalresponsibility, andcooperative learning.

In conjunction with the Allegheny CountyAlcohol Highway Safety Program and DUIPretrial Services Department, SADDsecured the SAFETY SIMulator as one wayfor students to gain additional experiencebehind the wheel without being put at risk.The simulator provides realistic, hands onexperience and helps individual gainconfidence in their ability as a driver anddevelop and appreciation for safety. OfficerKost enlisted the help of the Penn Hillspolice to put on foggy goggles to simulatebeing under the influence.

Promotes Teamwork

Teens Beware: Do Not Drink and Drive!


by Maryann Lazzaro M.S., R.D.

An innovative 4 and 6week program, EnergyBalance 4 Kids (EB4K)is coming to Pivikand Regency ParkElementary Schoolsduring the lastweek of March,2011. Thisinnovative programincludes a curriculum to support theHealthy Kids Act, whose purpose isto “help children develop healthyeating habits, promote activelifestyles and provide students witha solid foundation for a betterfuture.” A Registered Dietitian “Coach”,

Lauren Taylor, in conjunction withMaryann Lazzaro, Food ServiceSupervisor and Ann Cole, PEInstructor will work together withclassroom teachers and Food Servicestaff for a balanced, integratedapproach to wellness. Grades 2 and 3at Pivik and grades 2, 3 and 4 at

Regency Park will be exposed to thisinnovative program. Grades 2 and 3

have a four week program, grade4 has a 6 week program.During this time,classroom instruction,mini food tastings,structured recesslesson reinforcementand PE classes will allrevolve around a weekly

theme. Such themes mayinclude, “on the go snacks”, fruits andvegetables, the food guide pyramid,and exercise requirements forchildren.Research has indicated that kids

who eat well and are physicallyactive, do better academically. TheEB4K program was piloted in KansasCity, Missouri and Des Moines, Iowa.The program is funded by theAmerican Dietetic Foundation, anentity of The American DieteticAssociation, responsible for fundingnutrition projects. Locally, the EB4Kprogram which is coming to Plum isthe first program to be conducted on

the East Coast and is being fundedby Giant Eagle. Plum will also be thefirst district in which the RD “Coach”will interact directly with an RD whomanages the food servicedepartment. Students can anticipate an

exceptional learning experience,which will be fun and exciting!Parents can look forward to multipleresources made available to them toreinforce the classroom instruction.Ultimate outcomes of this programare to change student’s fitnesslevels, increase nutrition knowledgeand possible changes in dietaryintakes and dietary behaviors. All ofthese outcomes are designed tosupport the sole purpose of theHealthy Kids Act, to improve thehealth of our nation’s children.

The Annual Oblock Junior HighReach Out Club Easter Egg Hunt willbe held at 10:00am on April 16, 2011, atOblock Junior High. Admission is freeand the egg hunt is for children fromages 1-10. There is no RSVP necessaryand everyone is welcome! The egghunt will take place rain or shine. Because this is a free event, we rely

on donations from the public to coverthe costs. We are asking for donationsfrom community members andbusinesses. We accept donations ofplastic eggs and candy for the actualhunt and other items like small toys,gift certificates, etc. which we use forprizes. If your business donates, wewill have your name on a poster at theegg hunt as an advertisement. If you would like to donate, checks

can be written to Oblock Junior HighReach Out Club. Also, you can drop offdonations at Oblock Junior High incare of Jennifer Scharba or LoriSenkewitz. If you need us to pick up adonation, we can be reached at:

[email protected] [email protected]. We canalso be reached by phone at 724-733-2400, ext. 3180 or 3210. If you wish to mail a donation, it

can be sent to: Oblock Junior HighC/0 Jennifer Scharba or Lori

Senkewitz440 Presque Isle DrivePlum, PA 15239

We could not sponsor this eventeach year without all of the generousdonations that we receive and we trulyappreciate the help. This is a largecommunity event that drawshundreds of children and families. Wewould like to extend a special thanksto the many volunteers, students,Oblock teachers, and Mr. Fishell,Oblock principal, for all of their helpover the years for making this eventsuch a huge success! We hope to seemany of you there!

Arrives at Pivik and Regency Park!

AUGUST26, 27 In-Service Days30, Monday Clerical Day31, Tuesday First Day of School

SEPTEMBER06, Monday Labor Day – No School

OCTOBER11, Monday In-service Day – No School

NOVEMBER02, Tuesday Election Day – In-service Day –

No SchoolParent/Teacher Conferences (Noon – 7:30 p.m.)

04, Thursday End of First Report Card Period – Early Dismissal

25, Thursday Thanksgiving Break26, Friday Thanksgiving Break29, Monday Thanksgiving Break

DECEMBER22, Wednesday Last Day of School

before Winter Break

JANUARY03, Monday First Day of School after

Winter Break17, Monday Dr. Martin Luther King Day –

No School (Snow Make-up Day)

21, Friday End of Second Report Card Period– End of First Semester

24, Monday Clerical Day – No School

FEBRUARY21, Monday Presidents’ Day – No School

(Snow Make-up Day)

MARCH18, Friday In-service Day – No School30, Wednesday End of Third Report Card Period –

Early Dismissal

APRIL22, Friday Spring Break – No School25, Monday Spring Break – No School

(Snow Make-up Day)

MAY17, Tuesday* Primary Election Day – No School30, Monday Memorial Day – No School*Subject to change as State Election Board in Harrisburgsets this date.

JUNE08, Wednesday Clerical Day – No School09, Thursday Last Day of School14, Tuesday Kennywood School Picnic

CENTRALADMINISTRATION900 Elicker RoadPlum, PA 15239District InformationLine412.795.0100 ext. 1

Dr. Lillian NaccaratiSuperintendentExtension 6359

Dr. Timothy GlasspoolAssistantSuperintendentExtension 6352

Mr. Eugene MarracciniDirector of BusinessAffairsExtension 6356

Mrs. Cheryl LevinSupervisor of SpecialEducationExtension 6368

Mrs. Dawn AndrewsSchool PsychologistExtension 6358

Mr. KennethStancliffe, IIIFacilities SupervisorExtension 6366

TRANSPORTATIONOFFICE3411 Leechburg RoadPlum, PA 15239Phone: 412.795.3600

Mr. Thomas ZeminskiTransportationSupervisorExtension 6388

Ms. Kathy GeorgeServices ManagerExtension 6369

SECONDARYSCHOOLSPLUM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL900 Elicker RoadPlum, PA 15239Phone: 412.795.4880

412.828.5634

Mr. Ryan KocielaPrincipalExtension 6312

Mr. Michael LoughrenAssistant PrincipalExtension 6311

Mr. Justin StephansAssistant PrincipalExtension 6313

Mr. Ed HelaDirector ofEducationalTechnologyExtension 6319

Mr. Robert AlpinoAthletic DirectorExtension 6318

Mr. Jeff WolfeDirector of StudentActivities/Asst. Athletic DirectorExtension 6310

Mrs. Maryann LazzaroFood ServiceSupervisorExtension 6367

OBLOCK JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL440 Presque Isle DrivePlum, PA 15239Phone: 412.798.6322

Mr. Joseph FishellPrincipalExtension 6325

Mr. Paul HoudeAssistant PrincipalExtension 6394

ELEMENTARYSCHOOLSADLAI STEVENSON313 Holiday Park DrivePlum, PA 15239Phone: 412.798.6335

Mr. Jason KniselyPrincipalExtension 6330

CENTER201 Center-New TexasPlum, PA 15239Phone: 412.795.4420

Mrs. Judith MahoneyPrincipalExtension 6380

HOLIDAY PARK4795 Havana DrivePlum, PA 15239Phone: 412.795.4430

Mr. Francis SciulloPrincipalExtension 6375

PIVIK100 School RoadPlum, PA 15239Phone: 412.795.4580

Dr. Gail YamnitzkyPrincipalExtension 6384

REGENCY PARK606 Millers LanePhone: 412.795.0660

Mrs. Marla WagnerPrincipalExtension 6372


16 Plum

2010-2011 School Calendar District Directory

S P R I N G 2 0 1 1

Health and Wellness News You Can Use

© 2011 UPMC

What’s Insidepage 2 UPMC East on Schedule to Open

in Summer 2012

page 3 From Gut-Wrenching Pain toHope for the FutureStomachaches: When to Worry

page 4 Good Night, Sleep Tight!Are You Allergic to Your Bed?

page 5 UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online

page 6 Post-traumatic Stress DisorderCould It Happen to You?

page 7 Shaping Up to PlayPreventing Weekend Warrior Injuries

For residents of eastern communities

Healthy Family,Happy Family

Keeping yourself and your family healthy can seem like a full-time job. With UPMC HealthTrak, you now have a convenient way to manage your health anytime and anywhere.

Most of the time, stomachaches

a

— as in John’s case — b

2 www.UPMC.com/Today

UPMC East on Schedule to Open in Summer 2012New hospital shows UPMC’s commitment to green construction and renovationIn the last year, area residents have seen major changes at the site where construction of the new UPMC East hospital is well under way. “With the steel structure in place, people can actually see that progress is being made,” says Melissa Kovtun, executive director of Monroeville-based services.

On schedule for a summer 2012 opening, UPMC East will be a full-service community hospital featuring:• 140 private medical-surgical beds• 16 ICU rooms• Two cardiac catheterization labs• State-of-the-art operating rooms• Full diagnostic services, including

CT, MRI, and ultrasound• Radiation Oncology• Emergency Department• Helipad for immediate airlift of

critical cases to UPMC Presbyterian,UPMC Shadyside, or UPMC Mercy

All outpatient services available at the Daugherty Drive and Oxford Drive locations will continue.“UPMC has been offering a wide range of outpatient services here for the past five years,” says Ms. Kovtun.

When completed, UPMC East will be the centerpiece of a plan to create a campus that links UPMC’s inpatientand outpatient services. “Building a full-service hospital shows that we are committed to bringing more high qualitycare options into this community.”

Going green from the ground upSince the project’s inception, building green has been a top priority.“Reducing energy consumption, enhancing air quality, and promoting a healthy environment were important considerations in our decision to gogreen,” says Joseph Badalich, UPMCsenior project manager. “Our goal is to become one of the first hospitals to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.”Pittsburgh has long been a leader in employing energy-efficient construction.According to the New York Times, Pittsburgh ranks seventh nationally in the number of buildings with LEEDcertification. Among the city’s long list of certified green buildings are theDavid L. Lawrence Convention Center,the first green convention center in the world, and Children’s Hospital ofPittsburgh of UPMC, one of the firstLEED-certified children’s hospitals in the nation.

A leader in greening health careUPMC has taken a leadership role in creating a new model for green healthcare — one in which health systems not only recycle medical equipment and remove mercury from their hospitals, but also educate individuals on environmental health issues and support research into the mysterious linksbetween the environment and disease.

These wide-ranging environmental efforts have a potentially powerful impact.Working with the U.S. Department of Energy, UPMC has designed a training program to help all hospitals better manage energy in one of the most energy-intensive sectors of the economy.

Architectural rendering of UPMC East. Opening summer 2012.

Did You Know?LEED is the nationally acceptedbenchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five keyareas of human and environmentalhealth: sustainable site development,water savings, energy e3ciency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

1-800-533-UPMC 3

Everyone gets a stomachache — or abdominal pain — from time to time. Most of the time, stomachaches are harmless conditions caused by overeating, gas, or indigestion. Frequent or recurring stomachaches are often due to stress and worry, even in children. But they can point to more serious medical problems.

Harmless abdominal pain usually subsides or goes awaywithin two hours. If you have the stomach flu, your stomachmay hurt before each episode of vomiting or diarrhea. In serious cases, the pain worsens or becomes constant.

According to UPMC physicians in the Monroeville area, youshould call your primary care physician if mild pain lastsmore than a couple of days, or if the pain is accompanied by other symptoms.

Get medical help immediately if:• You have abdominal pain that is very sharp,

severe, and sudden.• You also have pain in the chest, neck,

or shoulder.• You’re vomiting blood or have bloody diarrhea.• Your abdomen is sti0, hard, and tender

to the touch.• You can’t move your bowels, especially if

you’re also vomiting.The bottom line: Trust your gut! Contact your doctor if you’re concerned about lingering or unusual stomach pain.

Stomachaches: When to Worry

At age 23, John Oliver* is feeling betterabout the future. Free from the gut-wrenching pain of Crohn’s disease since a second bowel surgery in 2008 — this time followed by a promising new treatment developed at UPMC using biologic-baseddrug therapy — he is now making plans to attend medical school next fall.

“I think the medicine is working. It’s the best I’ve felt and the best I’ve looked,” saysJohn, who earned his biomedical engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a master’s degree in engineering management from Duke University.

His gastroenterologist, Miguel Regueiro,MD, clinical head and codirector of theUPMC Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, says the future has never lookedbrighter for IBD patients. “Ten years ago, adiagnosis of IBD was devastating. Now, wehave new medicines, a greater understandingof the disease, and better research,” he says.

IBD: Who’s at risk?Nearly two million Americans live with IBD, which is not to be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBD involves two chronic diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Symptoms include abdominal cramps andpain, diarrhea, weight loss, and bleeding.

Crohn’s disease can affect any part of thesmall and large intestines, while ulcerativecolitis affects the large bowel alone.

IBD cuts across all ages, genders, and ethnicities, but generally affects Caucasiansages 15 to 35. While the exact cause is not known, experts believe IBD involves a compromised or overactive immune system. Because IBD may run in families,doctors also believe genetics plays a role.While stress and certain foods do not cause IBD, both can make symptoms worse.

TreatmentAccording to Dr. Regueiro, drugs cannotcure IBD, but they can be effective in reducing the inflammation and accompanying symptoms. While some patients have mild symptoms requiring little medication, others have more debilitating flare-ups, and some patients have severe problems requiring surgery and even transplants.

The primary goal of drug therapy is to reduce inflammation in the intestines.Medications include anti-inflammatorydrugs; antibiotics to kill germs in the intestinal track; probiotics to restore good bacteria; corticosteroids to provideshort-term relief during flare-ups; and immunosuppressants.

In addition, the IBD Center recently developed a Visceral Inflammation and Pain (VIP) Center to help patients deal with both the physical pain and emotionalstress of coping with IBD.

Exciting breakthroughsThe latest generation of drugs, called biologic therapies, are proving very effective in inducing remission so that patients can lead normal lives.

At UPMC, doctors took this approach a step further — as in John’s case — by prescribing biologic drug therapy afterperforming surgery to remove the damagedsection of the intestine. In use now at otherhospitals, this treatment has reduced the recurrence of Crohn’s disease in patients by nearly two thirds.* John Oliver’s treatment and results may not be representative of similar cases.

From Gut-Wrenching Pain to Hope for the FutureUPMC’s Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center wields a powerful “triple threat” against IBD: Groundbreaking immunology, genetics research, and innovative clinical care.


Good Night, Sleep Tight!

Dust mites, and dander, and fibers — oh my! These are just some of the microscopic menaces in ordinary housedust that can cause health problems.

Dust mites are a common cause of allergies and asthma.It’s not the dust mite itself that can make you sick; it’s thedust mite debris (the mite’s feces and decaying body).

Dust collects in every room of the house because it is easilytrapped in linens, upholstery, carpets, and draperies. Butthe bedroom is a favorite habitat for dust mites because itprovides a warm, humid environment, and plenty of food(dead skin from humans and pets).

Five ways to help wipe out dust mitesWhile you can’t completely eliminate dust mites, thesesimple steps may help reduce their numbers:

1. Cover your mattress and pillows in dust-proof or allergen-blocking covers, and encase box springs invinyl or plastic covers.

2. Wash and dry bed sheets, pillowcases, blankets, curtains,and bedcovers weekly in hot water (140 degrees). Ifbedding can’t be washed, put the items in the dryer setat a high temperature for 20 minutes.

3. Vacuum carpeting and upholstery weekly. Using aHEPA-filter vacuum can help keep dust from floatingback into the air.

4. Use a damp cloth or mop to remove dust from hardsurfaces and exposed floors. This will prevent dust from becoming airborne and resettling.

5. Keep the indoor temperature at 70 degrees and humidity at no more than 50 percent.

Dust mites aren’t the only puny pests that can invade your bedroom. Bed bugs have made a comeback in recent years. For tips on ways to avoid a bed bug infestation, visit www.UPMC.com/Today.Sources: National Institutes of Health, Environmental Protection Agency

Health Tips from UPMC Health Plan

Are you among the millions of Americans suffering from lack of sleep?If so, droopy eyelids, wide yawns, and low energy are the least of yourworries. Sleep disruption — not sleeping enough or sleeping poorly —can affect your memory, disease resistance, and leave you struggling to stay alert in school, on the job, and on the road.

Studies show that people who get the appropriate amount of sleep on a regular basis also tend to live longer, healthier lives than thosewho sleep too few or even too many hours each night. So, what is agood night’s sleep?

According to the National Institutes of Health, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep a night. School-aged children and teensneed at least nine hours of sleep each night.

Tips to help you sleep• Stick to a sleep schedule. Get up about the same time each day,

no matter how many hours of sleep you got the previous night.

• Maintain healthy sleep habits. Go to bed only when you’re sleepy.Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and relaxing — not too hotor too cold. Don’t text, e-mail, read, or watch TV in bed.

• Make sure your mattress is comfortable. Remember, even a good quality mattress needs to be replaced within 10 years.

• Exercise is great, but not too late. Avoid exercising within a few hours before bedtime.

• Avoid caffeinated drinks after lunch. The stimulating effects of caffeine in coffee, colas, teas, and chocolate can take as long aseight hours to wear off.

• Avoid large meals at night. A large meal can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep.

• Avoid alcoholic drinks before bedtime. While a nightcap mayhelp you relax, alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep and tends to wake you during the night.

And, for adolescents and young adults:• Avoid stimulating activities around bedtime. This includes

intense studying, text messaging, video games, and lengthy phone conversations.

• Avoid pulling “all nighters” during exams.• Sleep in on weekends — but

not more than two to three hours past your normal wake time. Sleeping longer may disrupt your body clock.

Find a more complete list of the benefits of good sleep at www.UPMC.com/Today.

AreYouAllergictoYour Bed?The dust in your bedroom might be making you sick.

1-800-533-UPMC 5

UPMC HealthTrak Lets You Manage Your Health Care Online

UPMC Spotlight

Keeping track of health issues, test results, and medications is challengingfor Sandy Hogue*, who is disabled and chronically ill. Because she mustrely on cabs for transportation, seeing a primary care doctor can be an all-day affair.

That’s why she was eager to sign up for UPMC HealthTrak, an Internet-based service that enables patients to receive and manage information about their health. Sandy uses it to monitor her glucose and high cholesterol levels, check test results, make appointments, renew prescriptions, and diagnose medical conditions — all from the comfort of her home in Westmoreland County.

“It’s a good system. I get the medicaltreatment I need faster without spending a day traveling around,” says Sandy. “It keeps me in contact with my doctor and helps me monitormy medical conditions. And if I haveanything contagious, like the flu, it prevents me from infecting other people.”

More patients choosing HealthTrakApproximately 42,000 UPMC patientshave signed on to HealthTrak, whichgives them secure electronic access totheir medical records, medications, andother information. HealthTrak recentlywas expanded to include eVisits — an online digital house call — with a primary care physician. * These patients’ treatments and results may not be representative of similar cases.

During an eVisit, patients select a symptom and complete an interactive questionnaire.

A UPMC doctor then reviews the information and makes a diagnosis. If medication is needed, a prescriptioncan be sent electronically to the patient’s pharmacy.

Oakmont resident Mark Gleeson* usesHealthTrak primarily to keep track ofhis medical records. In October, whenthe computer-savvy 83-year-old camedown with a cough and cold late in the day, he decided to “see” a doctor viaeVisit. Within an hour of completingthe questionnaire, a UPMC doctor responded with medical instructions and a prescription for his sinus infectionand chest congestion.

“It was so convenient, and it worked!Within three days, I felt good as new,”Mark says.

Convenience and comfortAs a graduate student, Robin Sales*relied on HealthTrak to connect withher hometown doctor while attendingschool in Nevada. Now a young professional living in New York City, she continues to use the online servicefor eVisits, to fill prescriptions, and access her medical records.

“It’s comforting. Having easy access to adoctor back home gives me the chanceto find the right doctor for me locally,without rushing into it. It’s one lessthing to worry about,” she says.

Robin, who first used eVisit to consult a doctor about an eye infection, says the online questionnaire asks the samequestions the doctor would ask at an appointment. When she needs medicine,her doctor in Pittsburgh faxes the prescription to her New York drug store two minutes away.

“HealthTrak is great for college studentswho are far from home, the elderly, andother people who have trouble gettingto the doctor. It doesn’t take the place of going to the doctor for regular check-ups, but it’s very useful,” Robinsays. “If only UPMC could figure a way for me to see my dentist online!”

UPMC HealthTrak Benefits

Manage your health from homewith HealthTrak. Here’s what youcan do online:• Send a message to your doctor• View medical records and test results

• Renew prescriptions• Track current health issues such as glucose levels andblood pressure

• Request appointments• Ask billing questions• “See” a doctor (digital house call)

For more information or to sign up,visit www.UPMCHealthTrak.com.


Imagine being in a terrible car accident on your way to the mall.For days and weeks afterwards, you constantly relive the accidentin your mind. You take a different route to shop and, worst of all,

your body won’t let you relax. You can’tsleep — and when you finally do doze off,you’re awakened by nightmares. You can’tconcentrate, your heart pounds, and youbreak out in cold sweats.

“We know that anyone who has undergonesome kind of trauma can be at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder,” explains Anne Germain, PhD, associate professor ofpsychiatry at the University of PittsburghSchool of Medicine. Based at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC,

she currently leads several sleep research projects with returningveterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have PTSD.

PTSD can be triggered by a single event you’ve experienced or even witnessed — be it an accident, violent crime, or natural disaster — or by ongoing trauma, such as child abuse or domestic violence.

When we experience a life-threatening event, it’s normal for our body to react with a powerful, stressful response; it’s what enables us to fight or flee.

“But for some people, these symptoms persist and worsen,” says Dr. Germain. “The toll can be profound if symptoms are ignored. PTSD has a devastating impact on the lives of peoplewho have it — and on those around them. It also has enormous financial and economic implications.”

PTSD is a relatively new specialization in psychology, and experts are still trying to determine why it affects some people and notothers. Fortunately, for most people, the symptoms of PTSDbegin to ease in about a month. “If they continue, it’s extremelyimportant to seek professional help,” notes Dr. Germain. “Thebest place to begin is to talk with your family doctor and seek a referral to a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist.”

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Could it Happen to You?Most of us associate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with returning military veterans who have experienced the tragedy of war. But you don’t have to be a soldier to undergo the intense feelings of helplessness, horror, and fear that characterize PTSD.

Among the most troubling aspects of chronic PTSD for patients are the recurring nightmares and insomnia it canbring. There is growing evidence that such sleep disorders havea direct impact on both a person’s mental and physical health.

Individuals with PTSD often say theyhave problems falling or staying asleep,and that the sleep they get isn’t refreshing and restorative. “Our sleep research studies with veterans show thatthey have many more sleep disordersthan the general public, including sleepapnea and other breathing problems,”notes Dr. Germain.

With PTSD, nightmares can become an ingrained behavior, a0ecting a

person’s daytime functioning — from faltering concentrationand poor memory, to emotional outbursts.

“By stopping the nightmares and helping to make sleep morenormal, restful, and restorative, patients can overcome otheraspects of chronic PTSD in their lives a bit more easily. Andsleep can be improved in a matter of weeks,” she says.

Dr. Germain uses several methods to treat PTSD-related sleepdisorders, including image reversal therapy. “We help patientsreplace a recurring nightmare with a more positive, a3rmingdream. They write it down and rehearse it several times a dayto train the brain to have a new dream image.”

Individuals interested in participating in Dr. Germain’s sleep research studies for military veterans are invited to call 412-246-6404 or visit www.veteranssleep.pitt.edu.

PTSD and sleep disorders

UPMC's Sleep Medicine Center — accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine — is the only multidisciplinary sleep medicine facility in western Pennsylvania. The center performs approximately 2,000 sleep studies annually for adult patients with all types of sleep disorders. The sta0 at the UPMC Sleep Medicine Center include board-certified physicians, certified nurse practitioners, and registered sleep laboratory technologists.

To schedule an appointment, call 412-692-2880.

Did You Know?

UPMC 600 Oxford DriveMonroeville, PA 15146

UPMC Today is published quarterly to provide you with health and wellness information and classes and events available at UPMC.

This publication is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice or replace a physician’s medical assessment. Always consult first with your physician about anything related to your personal health.

UPMC has always been proud to be a part of Monroeville, providing residentsaccess to all of the resources of a nationally recognized academic medical center. Weoffer a breadth of services close to home, including primary care, advanced diagnosticcapabilities, specialty physician and surgical services, and cancer care. It’s our tradition,and commitment, to bring advanced and compassionate care to you where it mattersmost ... in your very own community.

For a comprehensive list of our Monroeville-based services or for directions to anyof our convenient locations, call 1-800-533-UPMC or visit www.UPMC.com/East.

Our Monroeville-based servicesare rooted in your community.

Follow UPMC on Facebook.

For a comprehensive list of our Monroeville-based services or for directions to any ofour convenient locations, call 1-800-533-UPMC (8762) or visit www.UPMC.com/East.


Footloose th e MusicalPlum High School brought

the smash hit movie, “Footloose” to life inthe high school auditorium on March 31stthrough April 2nd. Familiar songs such asthe signature tune “Footloose,” and “I Needa Hero” were performed by an extremelytalented cast and orchestra. The musical isbased on the 1984 screenplay of the samename. We would like to thank all thosepeople who made this year’s show a

success.

Technology education teacher, Phil Beatty has created anew group at AEO to give students an opportunity to usenew tools and techniques for engineering projects. Calledthe Woodchuckers, the students are very busy with theirfirst project, manufacturing corn-hole boards. As a group,they are constructing the popular game boards whiletroubleshooting problems as they go. Although many students showed interest in the club,

the woodshop can only accommodate 16 at a time, so Mr.Beatty plans to rotate groups to enable all interestedstudents to have an opportunity to participate in theactivities. The first group of Woodchuckers consists ofNicolette Casarcia, Patrick Crossey, Maria Rende, ChrisBaker, Alex Pouge, Marie Cintrano, David Myler, ZachKeller, Jake Tecak, Credence Yocca, Ryley Handyside, AbbyHanlon, C.J Campeau, Matt Knight, Austin Pryzmenski,and Domenic Varrati.

Showing off the Steelers corn hole board are some members of theWoodchuckers, a woodworking club at AEO. Pictured left to right,clockwise, are Marie Citrano, Domenic Varrati, Abby Hanlon, CJCampeau, Matt Knight, Jake Tecak, Mr. Beatty, Credence Yocca, David Myler, Chris Baker, Austin Pryzmkmenski, and Maria Rende.

Domenic Varrati assembles his cornhole board during the Woodchuckersmeeting in Activity Period.

Marie Citrano, left, and Abby Hanlonuse putty to smooth the finish of theircorn hole board prior to sanding and painting.

Patrick Crossey drills holes in the sidesof his corn hole board so that he canstabilize the frame and begin to sandand paint the structure.


26 Plum

Plum Borough School District is one of388 school districts in the nation and one offive in Allegheny being honored by theCollege Board with a place on its AP®Achievement List for opening AP classroomdoors to a significantly broader pool ofstudents, while maintaining or improving thepercentage of students earning scores of 3 orhigher. From 2008 to 2010, Plum BoroughSchool District has increased the number of

students participating in AP from 88 to 125, whilemaintaining the percentage of students earning APExam scores of 3 or higher.

The PA Department of Educationrecently released the 2010 graduationrankings since moving to the new 4-year cohort methodology.Plum Senior High School is

ranked 38th out of 500 schooldistricts in the state for graduating96.81% of our students. This ranks Plumin the top 10% of all PA high schools and 3rdhighest in Allegheny County.

Over 225 studentsparticipated in the FestivalDisney music competitionheld in Orlando, FL fromMarch 3-8, 2011. Thestudents competedagainst ensembles fromschools across thecountry.

Our Symphonic Bandscored a Superior Ratingand received the “Best inClass” recognition fromthe Concert Banddivision.

Girls Chorus -Excellent Rating

Ladies Chorus - Excellent Rating

Chamber Chorus -Excellent Rating

Concert Band -Excellent Rating

Symphonic Band -Superior Rating

Symphonic Orchestra -Excellent Rating

Jazz Band -Excellent Rating

Advanced Jazz Band -Excellent Rating

Marching Band -Excellent Rating

Congratulations to ourstudents and staff on theirwonderful performancesand for representing ourschool and community onthis national stage.

Music ProgramShines in Disney

REGISTRATIONWhether your child is beginning their educational

journey or transferring from another school, PlumBorough School District wants to make your firstexperience in our district as seamless as possible.Our registration forms are listed below. They are

available for you to download. Make sure you have allinformation needed as only completed registrationpackets will be accepted.

Registration will take place at Central Registrationlocated in Plum Senior High School. Central Registrationhours are 7:15am to 11:15am and 12:15pm to 2:45pm.Questions? Please contact Mrs. Barbara Arrigo at

412.795.4880 ext. 6320 or 412.795.0100 press 2 [email protected].

Health Forms Required for Kindergarten RegistrationFamily Dentist ReportPrivate Physician’s Report of Physical ExamHealth History FormVaccine InformationPBSD Registration Forms

ORIENTATION DATES FOR 2011�2012 KINDERGARTENAdlai Stevenson Elementary Thursday, April 28th at

9:00AMCenter Elementary Wednesday, April 27th at

9:00AMHoliday Park Elementary Tuesday, April 26th at

1:00PMPivik Elementary Tuesday, April 26th at

9:30AMRegency Park Elementary Friday, April 29th at

9:30AM


The Girls’ LeadersAssociation (GLA) from PHSsponsors four blood drives peryear. Besides helping to ‘savethree lives’ with each donation,the number of units collectedcompete with other localschools in the area forscholarship funds for an eligiblesenior.We encourage community

member as well to participate inour drives to help our numbersfor Plum High School. The nextblood drive is on Friday, April 1from 7:30-3:00. Appointmenttimes can be made throughRose Shrout (sponsor) at412/795-4880, extension 8259.Walk-ins are also welcomed. Thedrives schools host provide 50%of the blood for area needs.Won’t YOU come and help??The ‘Soldier Collections’ has

become an annual project forGLA (Girls’ Leaders

Association) from Plum HighSchool. We ‘join forces’ with theJROTC program as they takethe large boxes to all the PBSDschools and collect them backup after a month’s stay at eachlocation. An envelope attachedto each box provides lists of thesoldiers’ needs. The boxes willbe collected back up aroundFebruary 18. The GLA girls thensort the items and box them upfor delivery to ‘Sam’s Pop Shop’in Arnold, Pa. Sam Lombardo isa business owner devoted toassisting our soldiers overseas.He sends supplies to Iraq andAfghanistan in 50 lb. boxesevery 2 weeks, funding thisproject on his own. We applaudthis community member for hisgreat efforts in making adifficult mission a little morebearable with our thoughts,prayers, and supplies beingsent to our beloved soldiers.

A portion of the JROTC Program atPlum High School is dedicated toteaching students their responsibilityto serve their community. As part ofthat goal, the program has adopted atwo mile stretch of highway under thePenn D.O.T. Adopt-a-HighwayProgram. Twice a year, members ofthe JROTC Program don orange vestto pick up trash on Route 286beginning at New Texas Road headingeastbound to the borough/county line.Once in the fall and again in thespring, members spend a Saturdaybagging litter along the road in theircommunity. We applaud their effortsto beautify our road home.

GLA officers Lauren Cupps and RachelPoprocky check students in at the blood driveon 2-4-11

Senior Mallory McGuiredonates blood at theGLA-sponsored blooddrive at PHS GLA Pres. Kelsie Metzgar

and officer KristinaMatvey donate items forthe Soldier Collections atPHS

JROTC marching at the Veterans Day Parade

28 Plum

BASEBALLBoys Varsity Place Time

Friday 03/25/11 Florida game (DH) Away TBA

Saturday 03/26/11 Florida game Away TBA

Saturday 04/02/11 Mt. Lebanon High School Away 1:00PM

Monday 04/04/11 Franklin Regional H. S. Home 4:00PM

Wednesday 04/06/11 Central Catholic Away 4:00PM

Friday 04/08/11 Kiski Area Sr. High School Home 4:00PM

Saturday 04/09/11 Seneca Valley High School Home 1:00PM

Wednesday 04/13/11 Penn Hills High School Away 4:00PM

Friday 04/15/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Home 4:00PM

Monday 04/18/11 Gateway High School Away 7:00PM

Wednesday 04/20/11 Shaler Area High School Home 4:00PM

Monday 04/25/11 North Allegheny H. S. Away 7:00PM

Wednesday 04/27/11 Franklin Regional H. S. Away 4:00PM

Friday 04/29/11 Central Catholic Home 4:00PM

Monday 05/02/11 Kiski Area Sr. High School Away 4:00PM

Friday 05/06/11 Penn Hills High School Home 4:00PM

Monday 05/09/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Away 4:00PM

Wednesday 05/11/11 Gateway High School Home 4:00PM

Spring Sports Schedule


SOFTBALLGirls Varsity Place Time

Friday 03/25/11 Butler Area High School Away 4:00PM

Monday 03/28/11 Shaler Area High School Home 3:30PM

Thursday 03/31/11 Fox Chapel High School Home 3:30PM

Friday 04/01/11 Kittanning High School Away 3:30PM

Thursday 04/07/11 McKeesport High School Away 3:30PM

Friday 04/08/11 Penn Trafford High School Away 4:00PM

Monday 04/11/11 Valley Senior High School Home 3:30PM

Tuesday 04/12/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Home 3:30PM

Thursday 04/14/11 Penn Hills High School Away 3:45PM

Friday 04/15/11 Fox Chapel High School Away 3:30PM

Saturday 04/16/11 Gateway High School Home 1:00PM

Tuesday 04/19/11 Franklin Regional H. S. Away 4:00PM

Wednesday 04/27/11 Serra Catholic High School Home 3:30PM

Thursday 04/28/11 McKeesport High School Home 3:30PM

Saturday 04/30/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Away 10:00AM

Tuesday 05/03/11 Penn Hills High School Home 3:30PM

Thursday 05/05/11 Gateway High School Away 7:00PM

Saturday 05/07/11 Franklin Regional H. S. Home 2:00PM

Monday 05/09/11 Hampton High School Home 3:30PM

Tuesday 05/10/11 Kiski Area Sr High School Away 4:00PM

Mustangs

Plum | Spring 2011| incommunitymagazines.com 29

VOLLEYBALLBoys Varsity Place Time

Saturday 03/26/11 North Allegheny Tournament Away 8:30AM

Tuesday 03/29/11 Penn Hills High School Home 7:30PM

Saturday 04/02/11 Derry Tournament Away 8:30AM

Tuesday 04/05/11 Hempfield Area High School Away 7:30PM

Thursday 04/07/11 Penn Trafford High School Home 7:00PM

Saturday 04/09/11 Fox Chapel Tournament Away 8:30AM

Tuesday 04/12/11 Norwin High School Away 7:30PM

Thursday 04/14/11 Greater Latrobe H. S. Home 7:30PM

Tuesday 04/19/11 Gateway High School Away 7:30PM

Thursday 04/21/11 Penn Hills High School Away 7:30PM

Thursday 04/28/11 Hempfield Area High School Home 7:30PM

Saturday 04/30/11 Plum Invitational Home 8:30AM

Tuesday 05/03/11 Penn Trafford High School Away 7:00PM

Thursday 05/05/11 Norwin High School Home 7:30PM

Saturday 05/07/11 Mt. Lebanon Tournament Away 9:00AM

Tuesday 05/10/11 Greater Latrobe H. S. Away 7:30PM

Thursday 05/12/11 Gateway High School Home 7:30PM

TENNISBoys Varsity Place Time

Friday 03/25/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Away 3:30PM

Monday 03/28/11 Shady Side Academy Home 3:30PM

Wednesday 03/30/11 Fox Chapel High School Away 3:30PM

Friday 04/01/11 Penn Hills High School Home 3:30PM

Monday 04/04/11 Gateway High School Away 3:30PM

Wednesday 04/06/11 Central Catholic Away 3:30PM

Thursday 04/07/11 WPIAL Section Singles Away TBA

Tuesday 04/12/11 Hampton High School Home 3:30PM

Wednesday 04/13/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Home 3:30PM

Friday 04/15/11 Knoch High School Home 3:30PM

Monday 04/18/11 Shady Side Academy Away 4:15PM

Tuesday 04/19/11 North Hills H. S. Home 3:30PM

Tuesday 04/26/11 Highlands High School Away 3:30PM

Wednesday 04/27/11 Penn Hills High School Away 3:30PM

Thursday 04/28/11 WPIAL Section Doubles Away TBA

Friday 04/29/11 Kiski Area Sr High School Home 3:30PM

Monday 05/02/11 Gateway High School Home 3:30PM

Tuesday 05/03/11 Springdale High School Home 3:30PM

All sport photos arecourtesy of Ray Viglioneof Viglione Photography.

TRACKBoys and Girls Varsity Place Time

Friday 03/25/11 Springdale High School Home 3:30PM

Friday 03/25/11 Highlands High School Home 3:30PM

Wednesday 03/30/11 Penn Hills High School Home 3:30PM

Wednesday 04/06/11 Central Catholic Home 3:30PM

Wednesday 04/13/11 McKeesport High School Home 3:30PM

Wednesday 04/13/11 Woodland Hills H. S. Home 3:30PM

Friday 04/15/11 Cal U Track Carnival Away 2:00PM

Wednesday 04/20/11 Gateway High School Away 3:30PM

Friday 04/29/11 Mars Invitational Away 12:15PM

Friday 05/06/11 Pine Richland Invitational Away 2:30PM

Tuesday 05/10/11 WPIAL Qualifiers

@ Norwin Away 12:15PM

Thursday 05/19/11 WPIAL Individual Finals

@ Baldwin Away 12:15PM

Friday 05/27/11 PIAA Track Finals

@ Shippensburg Univ. Away TBA

Saturday 05/28/11 PIAA Track Finals

@ Shippensburg Univ. Away TBA

...Leading the Way


30 Plum


30 Plum


32 Plum

Big Plans to Renovate

By Jamie Ward

The Borough of Oakmont has big plans to revitalizeRiverside Park, a project that has been years in themaking and will finally come to fruition this summer.The park, situated along the Allegheny River and

beside Riverside High School, is the only park in the areaand was in need of some major improvements.Borough Manager Bruce Jamison says it’s been a long

process. “We had to come up with a master park plan andneeded to apply for a grant just to complete that,” hesays.From start to finish, the project is expected to cost

about $4 million.The borough received a DCNR grant through the state

for $250,000 to go towards the cost of completing phase1 of park renovations. This grant will not pay for thedemolition or the new synthetic track. Jamison expectsthe total cost to complete phase 1 to be $675,000.“The school district pitched in $100,000, the recreation

committee raised a couple hundred thousand dollars, andthe borough kicked in some money as well,” saysJamison.

Phase 1 of the project will include the renovation ofthe tennis courts, synthetic running track, pavilions, andthe walking trail. Phase 2 will tackle all of the park's ballfields, adding better fencing, backstops and lighting. Theborough plans to build a field house for the final phase ofrenovations.“The entire project will be green,” says Jamison. The

borough plans to reuse wood from trees taken down forthe inside of their pavilions as well plant life on the top ofthose pavilions. The new synthetic running track will bemade of recycled materials. “Environmental Planning andDesign oversees the whole project,” says Jamison. “Theyare really pushing for green.”The borough has submitted a CITF grant though

Allegheny County Economic Development. They will findout in the spring whether they will receive the $100,000to go towards further renovations.Demolition is expected to start at the beginning of

March. “We want to try to get everything completed bythe end of the summer so that the school district canutilize it for their fall sports,” says Jamison. The synthetictrack has to be put down in hot weather, so the boroughexpects to start construction on that around July.

S P R I N G 2 0 1 1

G K F M T T X R S W CU R D K O E M G N U GN R G K N M Y X E L UU H S A W P H S E D HR W B K H E G T Z T UT I L E G R R N E G SL I S Z U A F P N E UI O S F O T O J A R RN S O S C U J B B M IX V V S U R A Z F A VR A Q W G E R W Y D G

Cough

Germ

Nose

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Temperature

Tissue

Virus

Wash


germs...


The call came in early inthe morning and thewoman’s

voice on the phone sounded distressed. Hergarage door wouldn’t go up, she had to leave forwork, and the old wooden door was too heavyfor her to lift. She needed help fast.

This was not an unusual call for LeetSommerfeld. After several years of helping homeowners solve all kinds of repair problems, he hadheard it all before. What was unusual about thiscall was the woman referring to him as “thedoctor.” Thus a new name for the business wasborn on that early morning in 1979.

At the Garage Door Doctor today, just asin 1979, Leet Sommerfeld and his employeesdeal with many types of garage door and oper-ator malfunctions, including broken springs,broken cables, and garage doors that “getstuck” midway open.

“The garage door is the heaviest moving partin the house, and often people are not awarethat it can pose a safety hazard,” says LeetSommerfeld Jr., who has taken over the opera-tion of the company from his dad. “A door that isnot working properly is dangerous for everyone,but especially for children and pets.”

Sadly, the Garage Door Doctor has receivedcalls from broken hearted pet owners whosepets were trapped under a closing door. Becauseof the safety issue, the Garage Door Doctor isrecommending a yearly “check up” for garagedoors in which parts are inspected, lubricated,and adjusted if necessary.

Nowadays, the Garage Door Doctor is a thirdgeneration corporation. When Leet SommerfeldSr. incorporated his business from his Churchillhome in 1979, he did not realize that the GarageDoor Doctor would become a way of life for hisson, Leet Jr., and his grandson, Brandon.

“When I started the business in 1979, Iwrote a letter that I had hand delivered tohomes in Churchill, Monroeville, and PennHills in which I introduced myself, my family,and what services were offered by the GarageDoor Doctor,” says Leet Sr. “People wouldtape the letter to their garage door and callwhen they needed us.”

In time, Leet Sr. took on employees, buthe was always assisted by Leet Jr. who helpedeven during his college years in the summersand on breaks.

“After being awarded his degree in businessmanagement, Leet Jr. had thoughts of taking ajob elsewhere, but he finally settled on theGarage Door Doctor where he does a terrific jobnot only because he knows garage doors, but be-cause he knows people and cares about satisfy-ing their needs,” says his proud dad.

“He handles every job just as if he wereworking on his own home, and he has instilledthat attitude in his employees.”

Grandson Brandon also grew up in the busi-ness and today assists his dad with both residen-

tial and demanding commercial jobs. “Brandon was able to handle jobs on his own

from a very early age,” says Leet Sr. “When hewas a young teenager he would be dropped off ona job and the customer would say, “Isn’t your dadgoing to work with you?” Brandon did it all onhis own, and the customers were always pleased.”

Apparently customers still are pleased withthe company, as the Garage Door Doctor hasbeen awarded the Angie’s List Super ServiceAward every year since 2006. Angie’s List (anorganization which provides its members withevaluations of home contractors based on cus-tomer ratings) presents the award to those busi-nesses which receive consistently superiorratings from home owners.

“Is the doctor in?”If you have any questions about the operation of your garage door or your electricdoor opener, the staff of the Garage Door Doctor will be happy to help you.Please call 412.829.2007.


Now that the holidays are behind us,you’re hopefully putting that smokingcredit card back into your wallet or

purse for a while. But even though this may be a down

time for you and your credit card, it’s notime to be lax about your credit cardsecurity.

so what do you need to know aboutkeeping your credit card safe? First, off,don’t give yourself a pin number that’s easyto guess. Issuing banks typical ly assign you arandom pin number when you first get yourcard that you can change later. keep thisassigned number and avoid picking a pin foryourself like “1234” or your birth date.While it may be easy for you to remember,those choices are also very easy for predatorsto figure out.

If you make a lot of online purchases orjust want to dip your toes into the world ofInternet shopping, get yourself a dedicatedcard with a low credit limit. You can open upa secured credit card at most financialinstitutions that require you to deposit abalance to borrow against, allowing you toopen a card with a $500 limit. Your depositwill gain interest and you will be able to useyour card for online purchases. What’s more,most scammers try to run a small purchase

through before running a larger purchase onthe card. You may not notice a $0.32 chargeright away, but when your bank calls youasking if you tried to purchase a $779 laptop,you’ll be happy your limit was low enough tobe declined.

If your credit card number iscompromised, you should call your bankimmediately and report it. While police areable to enforce credit card fraud on a locallevel, with the Internet the person trying torun your numbers may be six states away, ifthey’re in the Unitedstates at all. In all cases,the sooner it’s reported,the better. Your bankwill cancel the cardnumber and reissue youanother card.

While you’re online,keep in mind that yourbank will most likelynever contact you via e-mail regarding youraccount. If you do get ane-mail from a bank thatyou use, double checkthe address. Chances areit will be slightly askewfrom any legitimate

address. Instead of “@yourcreditcard.com,”you may see, “@yourcreditcard1.com” or“@yourcreditcard.uk.” Banks understandthat scammers routinely try to get you togive up your personal information via e-mail.Therefore, most have secured e-mailavailable through their websites, where youcan be sure you’re talking straight tolegitimate bank representatives.

Lastly, if you have several credit cardsthat you use often, take the time to flip themover and write down the 1-800 customer

service numbers on theback and keep that listin a safe place. It’s alsoa good idea to keep acopy in your purse orwallet. This way, whenyou notice your card ismissing and are frantic,you can at least go toyour list and call toreport the missingcard.

In the end, youshould treat yourcredit card like youwould trea t yourcash—never leave itlying around.

Older Adults in Plum

G o o d T i d i n g s f o r t h e G r e a t e s tG e n e r a t i o n


f the last time you took holiday photos required clumsilyspooling film into your 35 mm camera, don’t be intimidated by

what technology has done to photography in the past few years. Infact, once you have some basics down, you may find that yourdigital camera is easier to use than you thought.

so let’s start at the beginning and go over your new toy fromstem to stern. We can’t go into detail about every feature of everycamera, but luckily most camerasshare the same properties, so wecan cover most scenarios.

More than likely, yourcamera came with a lithium ionbattery pack and charger. Allyou need to know about this isthat this battery can last a longtime. Thanks to self-timersbuilt into your camera, if youforget to shut it off, it willshut off automatically for you,saving battery life and allowing you to take thatunexpected shot when the time comes. That said, the battery won’tlast forever, especially if you are shooting with the flash often orshooting video, if your camera has that feature. If you know you’regoing to be somewhere with a lot of natural light, turn your flashoff altogether and shoot longer.

The second thing to familiarize yourself with is your memorycard. Cameras come with a variety of memory cards to choosefrom. regardless of the kind your camera takes, just remember thatbigger is better. A 16 gigabyte memory card can hold hundreds ofphotos, and if you’re not in the habit of printing your photos rightaway or moving them to your computer, the extra space is a must.How many pictures you can store on your memory card dependson your resolution setting for your pictures. Your resolution is howbig the picture is. If you’re shooting for a website, low resolutionsare better because the file size is smaller. However, if you try toprint the same low resolution photo as an 8x10, it will appeardistorted or “pixilated” because the camera wasn’t set to capture allof the fine details of the image. With most point-and-shoot camerason high resolution, you can print very large prints or zoom in tocrop shots for better composition.

The last thing to get to know is the UsB cable. This is the cablethat came with your camera and connects it to any UsB port onyour computer. Through this cable, you can transfer your imagesfor future sorting, correction, or sharing.

Believe it or not, once you have those things down, your digitalcamera has many of the same features of your old 35 mm. You canzoom in, set a timer so you have a chance to get into frame, and seta scenic mode where you can select how the camera operates incertain conditions, such as a portrait, sports shot, night shot, orlandscape. Your manual will list the specific icons and theirmeanings. Don’t be afraid to leaf through it if you get stuck.Manuals have come a long way as well and are clearly written forusers of all experience levels.

Senior Agencies

Plum Senior Center499 Center - New Texas Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15239412.795.2330Riverview Community Action Corp.P.O. Box 437501 Second StreetOakmont, PA 15139 412.828.1062 William McKinley Citizen'sCenter Inc.Seventh & Center StreetsVerona, PA 15147 412.828.5888

Transportation For Older AdultsThere are several agencies thatoffer free or reduced-ratetransportation services toindividuals who qualify.

Medical AssistanceTransportation Program(MATP)1.888.547.6287Provides non-emergencymedical transportation toresidents of Allegheny Countywho have a valid PennsylvaniaDepartment of Public WelfareMedical Assistance Card.

Free Bus Pass for Senior CitizensThe Port Authority allowsAllegheny County residents, 65years of age and older, to ridefree on local publictransportation (buses, trolleysand rapid-transit lines).

Participants must obtainidentification cards, which areavailable free of charge, fromparticipating transportationproviders. Call 412.442.2000for the location nearest to you.

ACCESS 65 Plus and ACCESS ADA Program 412.562.5353 or TDD 1.800.654.5984ACCESS is door-to-door,advance reservation, shared-ride transportation providedthroughout Port Authority'sservice area. It serves primarily senior citizensand persons with disabilities.There are no restrictions on thepurpose or number of tripswhich may be taken by riders,except that riders are requiredto share their vehicle with otherstraveling in the same directionand at the same time.

Older Persons TransportationTransportation for medicalappointments, groceryshopping, senior centeractivities and other needsthroughout Allegheny County isavailable to adults 60 years ofage and older who live inAllegheny County. CallSeniorLine at 412.350.5460.

Are you a non profit SeniorCenter serving the needs of our community’s older [email protected] with yourcenter’s name and phonenumber.



As the dwindling job market numbers continue to make thenews lately, the professionals in the real estate market seem to haveone of the best kept secrets going. For those who need someflexibility but desire a job with excellent income potential, a careerin real estate is an excellent choice.

Whether a person has just finished college or wants to return towork now that the kids are attending school, joining a sales team ata real estate agency close to home can lead to income rewards anda flexible work schedule that many people desire. In this day andage of electronic media, with all of the tools available to agents tohelp buyers and sellers in acquiring and disposing of properties, thefast pace of the real estate market is an exciting place to work.

People who have just graduated from college have the upperhand when it comes to marketing to their peers through socialnetwork sites. The use of Face Book and Linked In is a tool that isbeing used to make contact with their friends, who are generally firsttime home buyers.

Those who have taken time off to raise their children and are lookingfor an alternative to a standard 9am-5pm job have found great successin a real estate career. The flexibility of the job is what makes it suchan attractive option.

What makes for a successful real estate professional? CathyWinghart of Howard Hanna Fox Chapel Area Office says “it’ssomeone who is a self starter. We can teach most anyone the skillsinvolved in selling. What we can’t teach is motivation! The personwho is not afraid to pick up the phone or walk up to introducethemselves, can be very successful. This is the largest purchase mostpeople will ever make. It’s important that someone exploring realestate as a career understand that working with people is the name ofthe game.” Winghart states, “ A person who loves working with andaround people and can understand their needs easily is one who willmake a successful agent.”

The career path to becoming a real estate agent is varied. Peoplewho have previously worked in service- oriented fields like nursing,teaching or in the airline industry make great real estate agents. Thosewho have spent years volunteering their time and are now looking fora paying job, and have honed their skill in dealing with different typesof personalities generally make a good transition into the real estatework force.

A position within a real estate agency can be rewarding bothpersonally and financially. The flexibility that comes with setting yourown schedule and the satisfaction of assisting in one of the largesttransactions that most people will make, can make the differencebetween a just doing a job and a creating a successful career.

R E A L E S T A T E P L U M

Many finding the flexibility and income potential excellent

Real Estate as a Career

As with any major purchase, doing yourhomework should be something you do be-fore you sign on a major loan. Never beforehas this been more true than in the housingmarket, where overpricing can create majorheadaches for buyers and sellers.

For sellers, overpricing can mean thatyour home sits on the market longer, raisingflags to potential buyers that something isamiss. For buyers, an overpricedhome can mean a loss in seller’s assistance, money that sellerssometimes bring to the table fromtheir profits to help defray closingcosts for the buyer. Worse yet, ifthere is no appraisal contingencyaddendum attached to the agreement of sale, a buyer may beforced to go through with a homepurchase after being told that it is not worthwhat they have agreed to pay.

sharon Fincham, a realtor with Prudential Preferred realty, said that, in addition to including an appraisal contingency addendum to an offer, you need to make sure that your agent is doing the proper legwork before the offer is even made.

“You have to make sure that your agent does comparisons to similar homes in thearea, knows the market, and gets supporting evidence that the house is really worth what it’s being advertised at before you put in an offer,” Fincham said. “If the housedoesn’t appraise for the agreed upon price, it is unlikely that you will receive any seller’s assist.”

What’s more, overpricing is a one-waystreet by way of mistakes. Homeowners wholist their homes for too little may receive multiple offers, allowing the power of freemarket economic supply and demand to take over, driving the price up until it’s comparable to the other homes in the neighborhood.

But there’s no similar failsafe with over-pricing. A home that’s overpriced may get anice offer, but ultimately, the final arbiter ofwhat it’s truly worth is the appraiser, as-signed independently by the bank or lender.That appraisal will dictate the future of thesale.

The resulting appraisal could tank the sale altogether, or force buyers to seek extra

money or alternative financing to compensate for the missed seller’s assistance. either way, it’s going tomean a hassle for the buyer and frustration for the seller.

However, if an agent does the homework and knows their business,Fincham said the home should belisted at a fair price, resulting in a relatively smooth sale in reasonable

length of time.“It is now imperative that agents and

clients know the recent selling prices of comparable homes,” she said. “Buyers and sellers agreeing on a price is not necessarily enough anymore. The study of a neighborhood before an offer is madecan save everyone involved a lot of grief and frustration.”

Both Buyers and Sellers Need to BEWARE of OVERpricing

For buyers, an overpriced home can mean a loss in seller’s assistance, money that sellers

sometimes bring to the table from their profits to help defray closing costs for the buyer.

R E A L E S T A T E P L U M


By Pamela Palongue

s anyone who knows me personally will tell you, I am no expert onsocial occasions. However, based upon the theory that even astopped clock is right twice a day, I have made enough social faux pas to

speak authoritatively on what not to do at a wedding. Some helpful tips are listedbelow to help get you through the season of bliss.

Given the fact that marriage is a formidable undertaking and the courageoussouls who dare to tread the rose-strewn path are likely to be distraught, hysterical,

and panic-stricken, you owe it to the happy couple to be the best weddingguest possible. These helpful tips are the very foundation of thesocial graces. If you follow them carefully, you will glide effortlesslyfrom wedding celebration to reception party in a virtual whirl ofneurotic enthusiasm.

Never wear white to a wedding. This includeseggshell, ecru, light cream, pearl lustre and Tahitian coconut.

Never attempt to upstage the bride (unless of course youhate the bride, in which case you probably reallyshouldn’t be attending the wedding anyway, given thespirit of the whole love and happiness thing).

At Jewish weddings do not ask, “What is that big thingthey’re standing under?”

At Catholic weddings try to refrain from asking, “Why isthis taking so long?” The well-prepared wedding guestremembers to bring snacks for himself and his friends.(Avoid crunchy snacks that may disrupt the ceremony.)

NEVER bet on how long the marriage will last at thereception. All odds-making must be done outside thereception venue. (In the event of inclement weather,the lobby or bathroom is acceptable.)

Never complain about the food at the wedding receptionwith your mouth full of food from the wedding reception.It’s a credibility issue.

Throw only designated throwing materials at the brideand groom, such as rice and rose petals. Shoes, Jell-O,and steak knives are not acceptable. Ever. Even whenthey are within the appropriate wedding color scheme.

The wedding day is NOT the proper time to share the factthat you once dated the groom, the bride, or their parents.In fact, the proper time to share this information may notactually exist.

If you simply must dance at the reception, remember youare not trying out for “Dancing With The Stars.” If youthrow your partner in the air, make sure you catch them.Missing is considered grounds for divorce in most states.Avoid high kicks, which may warrant medical attention.

Many people adhere to the time-honored adage, “It’s not aparty till something gets broken.” However, avoidbreaking things that are irreplaceable, expensive, and likelyto lead to a law suit. Cell phones and glasses are okay.


We are currentlycompiling anupdated list ofhouses of

worship in thePlum Borough

School District Area.

Please [email protected] with your name,phone, address and website.

W O r s H I PN e W s

BUsINess DIreCTOrY

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