William Penn Life, 2011 (46. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2011-06-01 / 6. szám
Branch News Continued from Page 20 other branches, cub scouts and boy scouts to weed and mulch at Scenic View on May 7 as part of Join Hands Day. The day was much nicer than last year, thank goodness. Last year it was cold and stormy; this year we had some occasional sun and a few sprinkles, but many hands made the work load easier. The entrance and other prominent areas look great, thanks to everyone's hard work. We especially appreciate the hard work from the scouts and their leaders. It was great to see Joe and Muncie. Special thanks to Endre and everyone for the help, food and hospitality. Congratulations to Nicole and Bob Healy III on their first wedding anniversary. What a special couple. Congratulations also to John Hickey (Terry Varas Anglin's grandson) on his first Holy Communion. Great work and stamina, Valerie and Andy, on completing the Pittsburgh Marathon. This was Valerie's second marathon and Andy's first "half" marathon. We are proud of you both. Marguerite, Donovan and I cheered them on. A special thanks to Jimmy Nemeth for the reminder. Happy and healthy birthday wishes to everyone celebrating their birthdays or any special event. If you have any news you would like to share, please contact Andy McNelis at 412-421-6031. For information about William Penn insurance and annuity policies, please contact Branch Coordinator Maria Bistey at 412-431-6035. Branch 59 Windber, PA by Shirley A. Rakoczy-Przywara First off, I apologize for missing the deadline for the April issue, but do hope everyone had a happy and blessed Easter (Boldog Húsvéti), particularly all those little munchkins trying to find their Easter eggs. I know how excited my grandchildren were trying to find all of the goodies left by the Easter Bunny. We are finally getting some great weather here in Windber. I was beginning to wonder if summer would Member inducted into Drum Corps Hall of Fame David G. Greiner, secretary of Branch 800 Altoona, Pa., was inducted into the Pennsylvania Drum Corps Hall of Fame during an April 10 ceremony in Harrisburg, Pa. Dave was a tenor drummer for the Altoona Gardner Guards and has been a staff reporter for Drum Corps World since 1985. He is the first member of the Altoona Gardner Guards to receive this honor. ever come. The annual coal-miners memorial weekend is Father's Day weekend, June 17 to 19. Windber will be a fun town all weekend. If you can, please visit and enjoy the festivities. I wish to extend happy greetings to everyone in Branch 59 celebrating birthdays or anniversaries this month of June, and a Happy Father's Day (June 19) to all dads. Now, here's another bit of Windber history, reprinted from the January 2011 issue of The Windber Area Historical Newletter, Patricia M. Shaffer, researcher: The depression of the 1930's was finally over and the entire country had suffered. Someone once commented that "we were all poor in Windber but we didn't know it because everyone was the same." Then, World War II broke out lasting from 1939 to 1945 and the United States was enduring one of the biggest wars in its history... The young men and women from the Windber area left school to enlist or were called up from their place of employment by the War Department. They left town on the Greyhound buses at Shaffer's Drug Store or by train from the Johnstown Train Station.... Ripples Restaurant served food to your car ordered into an amplifier, and McKool's Drive-in Movies were shown where as many kids as possible would squeeze into one car. Young car owners toured Windber from the east end at Catena's Gas Station to the west end at 4th Street and back again; you could ride all night for $1. The Teen Canteen was organized in 1949 through the efforts of the Junior Chamber of Commerce; the youth met at tire Eagles Building then moved down Graham Avenue crossing the bridge into Recreation Hall where much to the surprise of their parents, they began rotating their hips to an unusual trend of music - it was called Rock V Roll. Alan Freed, born in 1921 in Windber, wasn't the first DJ to play Rock V Roll music, but he is said to have been the first to label it as such in 1951 and the name stuck. Also, did you know this bit of Windber history, reprinted from the April 2011 issue of the Windber newsletter? Old Mine #30 opened in 1897, the first of a total of 13 coal mines. (This is the area my family lived in; my grandfather and ultimately his sons, including my Dad, began their coal mining careers in Mine #30.) Charles G. Berwind, Jr., headed his family's company. He died at the age of 81 on Nov. 3, 2010, in Center City. Mr. Berwind, known as Graham, was born in Paoli. In 1955, he joined the Berwind- White Mining Company, which his family had founded in 1886 and worked in its operations in Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In 1962 he helped the firm begin to diversify. In 1972, Mr. Berwind succeeded his father as chairman of the firm, and in 1997, he retired as president and chief executive officer. 22 0 June 2011 0 William Penn Life
