< PreviousYour SchoolsYour Schools N Moon Area School District To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the Moon Area School District closed its facilities to the public this past spring. As the state has moved into the green phase of reopening, community members have been excited to use the district’s facilities once again and limited public access has been granted. Exterior facilities such as the track, tennis courts and playgrounds will now be open to the public when Moon Area athletic teams are not using these areas. To adhere to safety guidelines, the public will not be able to enter facilities when students or district organizations are using these areas. Internal facilities remain closed to the public. Community members who choose to use the district’s outdoor facilities do so at their own risk, meaning the district will not be liable for any injury or illness suffered as a result of using these facilities. Animals are also still not permitted on any of the campuses and facilities will be closed when school is in session. Facilities reopen on limited basis Moon Area’s outdoor facilities have reopened for limited public use. STORY AND PHOTO SUBMITTED Each year, the Moon Area Middle School hosts a special “clap out” celebration on the final day of school for rising ninth-graders and their parents. Students get to parade through the halls while their younger peers cheer them on as they head toward the school’s exits for the final time. This year, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual clap out was canceled. Not wanting to deny rising ninth-graders the opportunity, a number of parents took it upon themselves to organize their own celebration outside of school. “We just felt bad so we wanted them to have that opportunity as well,” says Sarah Peduzzi, whose daughter is a rising ninth-grader. On May 27, the event took place at Dependable Drive-In and attracted upwards of 200 students. Moon Area teachers showed up and socially distanced along a parade route that snaked through the drive-in. Parents and students, meanwhile, drove through in cars that they had decorated in honor of their student. The only time anyone could get out was for a photo op at the end in front of a special balloon installation in the form of 2024, the class’ graduation year. Only one car could take pictures at a time. Leading up to the event, parents coordinated on a closed Facebook page in order to keep the plans secret from students, just in case the idea fell through. Many students who participated thus had no idea it would take place until they arrived. “There were a couple of kids who broke down and cried,” says Crystal Barr, who spearheaded the effort. “They didn’t realize how much they’d missed everyone. They were so excited to see everybody.” For teachers, too, it helped provide closure to a year that abruptly ended in March. The event even attracted some elementary teachers. Barr says that when she initially approached Dependable Drive-In, she estimated 40 to 50 students would take part. Instead, she now thinks that about 200 students showed up with their families. A number of businesses assisted with the effort. While Dependable Drive-In donated their space, The Printing Press offered signs to parents for $10 apiece. KW Legacy Photography also donated photography services to students who wanted to get a photo op at the end. As well, they helped to keep cars moving while ensuring only one car took photos at a time. Balloon Twist Pittsburgh, meanwhile, donated the 2024 balloon sign. Parents also donated to the effort and the money helped purchase larger signs with all of the students’ names as well as Kona Ice that students could pick up afterwards. “A lot of parents said it was just what the kids needed,” says Barr. “Everything was very positive.” Parents organize surprise clap out for rising ninth-graders STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY ABOVE: Rising ninth-graders and their families drive through a special parade organized in their honor at Dependable Drive-In on May 27. BELOW: One car at a time could get a photo op with this special balloon installation at the end of the route. Balloon Twist Pittsburgh donated the balloon while KW Legacy Photography donated photography services. 20 • Allegheny West Magazine • July/August 2020N Your Schools Your Schools This past February, when a snowstorm shut down schools across the area, Parkway West Career and Technology Center students and instructors were still able to complete a day of instruction online. That not only saved PWCTC from having to tack on a day at the end of the school year, it also gave both students and instructors a chance to get better acquainted with the school’s online platform that it had spent three years setting up through Schoology. At the time, no one knew just how vital that experience would become. In just under a month’s time, schools across the state were shuttered amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. PWCTC students, though, were able to continue learning online. Students completed coursework, watched video demonstrations posted by teachers and communicated with instructors. About 97 percent of the school’s 900 students across 12 school districts logged on each day to continue their education. In some cases, and particularly for seniors, it helped them earn critical hours needed for licensure so they will be able to get to work as soon as current circumstances allow. “We were pretty fortunate,” says Dr. Darby Copeland, director of PWCTC. “We already had the system built for flex days so, once everything got shut down, it was like, here we go.” By chance, PWCTC’s efforts to set up online learning through Schoology had gotten the trade school state approval for flex days at the start of this past school year. It was one of the first trade schools in the state to get that approval. Flex days allow students to complete work online when they can’t attend or when school is shut down. As schools are now looking ahead to the very real possibility that instruction could shift to online learning this fall, Copeland says PWCTC is in a good position and is now advising other technical schools on how to get up to speed. “It took us three years to build our system out, so now we’re telling them that they’re not going to be able to do it in a week or month,” he says. “We have many schools that are mirroring our system across state. That says a tremendous amount about our staff. Educators everywhere have been handed this horrible circumstance and have been doing the most they can with it.” If schools do remain closed, even those that are up to speed like PWCTC will still be lacking the hands-on learning aspect that makes a technical school education what it is. Copeland says they’re considering scenarios in which students would be able to work on those hands-on components at home and then demonstrate them remotely. He says students might demonstrate their aptitude by video recording themselves and then uploading that video to their instructor, who could then critique and grade their performance. “Like a lot of schools, we have plans A through H and we’re considering every one,” says Copeland. A number of PWCTC instructors say that students responded well to the shift. Veterinary assistant instructor Sue Ezzo says she had one student who went from being a good student to achieving perfection while social studies teacher Scott Bechdel says that students continued to regularly communicate via email and messaging. Automotive technology teacher Joseph McGee says that his attendance stayed at around 85 percent and Huck Hughes says his welding students gained some interesting real- world perspective. “Several freshmen have told me that they will be furthering their career at Parkway after seeing what jobs were considered essential during these trying times,” he says. Construction jobs were among the first to open following the shutdown in Pennsylvania. Cosmetology instructor Marcia Black says she had many students who were logged on early each day while culinary arts teacher Mike Timcheck says students adapted well following the first week of transition. He says students continued to communicate with him and explore post- graduation plans, despite the circumstances. Diesel technology instructor JR Mangan says that, at first, some of his students were a bit reluctant until a Zoom session sparked their interest. He says the session got them talking, joking around and discussing the projects they were doing at home. Seniors in the cosmetology program at PWCTC may have benefited the most, however, as it allowed them to complete hours they needed after the state board of cosmetology allowed students to earn hours online. “This is a huge deal in the field of cosmetology, and motivates our students to complete Flexible Instruction because they are actually earning credit hours toward Pennsylvania’s license eligibility requirements,” says instructor Caroline Simon. She says staff in the cosmetology department were already trained on the system thanks to the efforts of instructor Barb Fields, who has since retired. “During this challenging time in education, I believe that our school was ahead of the game, because we already had an online infrastructure for distance learning in place, set in motion by the administration,” she says. Parkway West Career and Technology Center STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY How PWCTC’s transition to online learning became a success story ABOVE: Students and instructors at Parkway West Career and Technology Center communicate online during the shutdown. PHOTO SUBMITTED BELOW: Graduating seniors from Parkway West Career and Technology Center could pick up their diplomas from their cars May 20. Here, cosmetology instructors Marcia Black and Caroline Simon hand graduating senior Shelby Mallon her diploma. Seniors in the program were among those who benefited most from online learning, as it allowed them to earn critical hours toward their licensure. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY July/August 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 21Remember When? Remember When? N In the 1950s, the trees just south of the farmhouse where Kay Schurr and Pat Trello lived in Moon Township weren’t as tall as they are today. Back then, the sisters, whose last names were at that time McGinnis, could stand in front of their family’s home and look out over a U.S. Army base that sat less than 1,000 feet from their front steps. From there, they could watch military personnel going about their daily routines. About once a month, the sisters and the rest of their family were also treated to a rather dramatic sight - one they could watch unfold right from the comfort of their front yard. “[The Army] would run drills there maybe once a month or so,” Schurr recalled. “The sirens would all go off and they would slide the tops off these big magazines that were buried in the ground. Then these huge Nike missiles would rise out of the ground. All the soldiers would run around and bark orders, and after awhile [the missiles] would go back in the ground.” Schurr said she never worried much about those missiles. For one thing, she said her father, who along with his brother, Luther, had sold part of the family farm to the Army to construct the base, assured her that the drills were just tests. In fact, she said she got a kick out of the whole thing. “It was quite a lot of fun to watch,” she said. “Being small like we were, young teens, we didn’t really realize how dangerous it could have been if those had all fired off.” In that event, the situation certainly would have been dire. In all likelihood, it would have meant that the U.S. was facing an imminent attack by nuclear-armed Soviet bombers that had managed to slip past Air Force interceptors. Launching the missiles would have thus represented a last-ditch effort to thwart an impending nuclear attack. “They were the last line of defense, period,” was the way ret. Army First Sgt. George Millerschoen put it during a Veterans Breakfast Club meeting in Moon Township last year. In the early 1970s, Millerschoen was stationed at another missile battery in Finleyville not unlike the one that operated adjacent to the McGinnis family farm. “If they’re firing our missiles here, we’re being attacked by bombers now,” he told the group. “If these things are activated, there are bombers coming over the ice caps from the Soviet Union and they’re dropping bombs on our major metropolitan area.” During the early years of the Cold War, as the Army was warning the public of the potential of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union, it was also rolling out various means to protect against such an attack. At first, the Army installed 90 mm anti- aircraft guns around the country’s major industrial and metropolitan centers. By the early 1950s, however, the Army was also widely deploying a missile system capable of taking down jet-powered bombers. Initially, the Army armed those missiles with high explosive warheads, but by the late 1950s the Army was also secretly arming some of its missiles with a much more devastating weapon: a nuclear bomb. That information remained classified until well after the missiles were decommissioned in 1974. At the time, only Army personnel with the proper clearances even knew that nuclear weapons were being stockpiled at the batteries. Among those personnel was Millerschoen, who says that a number of those missiles would have had a telltale static probe sticking out from their nose indicating that they were armed with a nuclear warhead. According to people interviewed for this article, the number of nuclear warheads stockpiled at any one battery would have likely ranged from nine to a dozen or more. One of those sites sat adjacent to the McGinnis family farm. To understand just how it came to be that large stockpiles of nuclear weapons ended up in the middle of sleepy suburban communities like western Allegheny County, one has to go back to the final months of World War II. It was then, according to the book “What We Have We Shall Defend,” which was published by the Army Corps of Engineers about two of the area’s Nike missile installations, that the “U.S. Military realized that conventional antiaircraft artillery could not deal with the fast, high-flying and maneuverable jet aircraft and rockets being introduced by the Germans.” To confront this threat, in 1945 the Army contracted with Western Electric to begin development of a defensive missile system. The program was dubbed Nike, after the Greek god of war, and when its first iteration - the Ajax - was rolled out in 1954, it was the first missile system of its kind in the world. It utilized a series of radar systems that guided the missile and tracked its target. The missile was capable of reaching 2.3 Mach, or 1,679 miles per hour, and had a flight range of about 30 miles. The Nike missile program During the Cold War, local military installations and personnel were part of this country’s last line of defense A Nike Hercules missile is pictured during a launch. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. ARMY STORY BY DOUG HUGHEY 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • July/August 2020Remember When? Remember When? N By 1953, the Army was stockpiling Ajax missiles at batteries across the country, including around Pittsburgh, which the Army identified as a potential target for attack due to its steel production. The city was also in a strategic position to protect other high value industries in Ohio and ports in Philadelphia and Baltimore. In all, Pittsburgh initially had 12 batteries armed with 90 mm anti-aircraft guns built in a circle around it. Each battery was labeled with a “PI,” as was the practice of using the first letters of the cities where the batteries were located to identify them. To store Ajax missiles, batteries were outfitted with underground bunkers, or magazines, that had large rectangular doors that would open down into the ground. An elevator would then lift the missiles to ground level, where soldiers could wheel them into firing position. Batteries were manned by either National Guardsmen or regular Army units. The batteries in this area were located in Moon Township, South Fayette Township, West View and Collier Township. Each missile battery was comprised of both a launch site and a command site. The latter would have been responsible for firing the missiles. Command posts had to have a direct line of sight to their launch site and were one to three miles away from the launch site. The one for the Moon Township launch site was located in Robinson Township, approximately one mile away as the crow flies, off of Leona Lane. From that vantage point, Army personnel could look out across the Montour Run ravine and see the launch site in the neighboring township. Today, the lot where that command site was located is utilized by the township for storage. Though the Nike Ajax was a state-of-the-art weapon at its inception, the Army realized even as it was rolling it out that the missiles were limited in their ability to counter large squadrons of bombers and supersonic jets. Thus, Western Electric’s development arm, Bell Labs, developed another, much more powerful missile. That missile, named the Hercules, was powered by four Ajax boosters that could produce upwards of 220,000 pounds of thrust. The boosters could launch the missile to the speed of sound by the time it was 40 feet - which was also its height - off the ground. With an unclassified range of 90 miles, it could fly three times farther than the Ajax and, more importantly, carry the heavier load required of a nuclear warhead. The Hercules was designed to launch 100,000 feet into the atmosphere and then drop down onto its target. Rather than target individual planes, Hercules missiles armed with nuclear warheads could instead take out entire squadrons. Any planes caught within its blast radius would have been vaporized. Planes further out would have been crushed by the shockwave or knocked out of the air. Even planes outside of that shockwave would have been exposed to a powerful electromagnetic pulse that occurs during an atmospheric nuclear explosion. That pulse would have fried any unshielded electronics and caused affected planes to crash. Just launching the missiles would have even caused some localized collateral damage. As the missiles broke the sound barrier, they created a powerful shockwave that was capable of shattering windows and even causing structural damage to nearby buildings. Faced with a nuclear attack, however, damaged property would have been the least of anyone’s concerns. Though the Hercules had an unclassified range of 90 miles, Millerschoen says Army personnel were aware that the missiles could fly upwards of 200 miles. Thus, in the event of an attack, he says Army personnel in this area would have been aiming to intercept enemy aircraft just as the planes were crossing the Canadian border, somewhere around the northern end of Lake Erie. From launch to detonation, the missile’s flight time would have taken all of 40 seconds. Ret. Col. Andy Sakmar, who was a captain in the National Guard when he became a headquarters battery commander in the area, says that, despite never firing a single missile, personnel at the batteries remained in a constant state of readiness. “During the Cold War, what do you do? You wait and become more proficient through practice,” he said. “That would be an everyday function.” He said personnel would engage in constant drills that simulated firing a real missile. At the start of each firing drill, an officer would determine whether to ready a missile armed with a high explosive or nuclear warhead. Soldiers at the launch site would then have just 20 minutes or less to prepare the missile to fire. In between drills, soldiers at the launch sites could count among their duties the rather tedious task of inspecting each of the screws holding the missiles’ panels in place. Soldiers at the command posts, meanwhile, tracked flights coming in and out of Pittsburgh and plotted missile trajectories. Ret. Sgt. First Class Joe Cirra of South Fayette, who worked as a radar operator at several batteries, recalled how his duties also included patrolling the base, shoveling snow and cleaning floors. He said soldiers worked odd hours, sometimes for days on end, and could be called in at a moment’s notice. He said, though, that soldiers never forgot the gravity of their responsibilities. “We knew we were guarding our people and knew the seriousness of the situation,” said Cirra. During the first half of his 42 years in the National Guard, Cirra witnessed the transformation of the area’s air defenses, as 90 mm guns were replaced by Ajax missiles and then Hercules missiles. In 1971, he was transferred to battery PI-71 after the Army closed its battery in West View. With the increased firepower and flight range of the Hercules, the Army no longer needed so many missiles or batteries and, by that time, the Army was only operating four batteries around Pittsburgh. The closing of the West View battery brought that number down to three. George Millerschoen gives a presentation on the Nike missile program at a Veterans Breakfast Club meeting last year. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY July/August 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 23Remember When? Remember When? N The underside of a Nike Hercules missile is pictured during what is presumably a test launch. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. ARMY Just 11 years prior, in 1960, that battery and the five others still operating around Pittsburgh had all come under the control of the new Army Air-Defense Command Post PI-70 DC. Located in Collier Township just outside of Oakdale, the 118-acre site contained a radar tower and a state-of-the-art, two-story anti- aircraft operations room known as the blue room, where personnel could control missiles launched from any of Pittsburgh’s missile batteries. According to “What We Have We Shall Defend,” the building, which was constructed to withstand a nuclear blast, contained a massive computer system along with canvas cots, seven 13,000-gallon water tanks, food for 130 personnel for 30 days and a radioactive wash-down area. In 1961, it was integrated into the Air Force’s SAGE system, “a nationwide air defense network maintained by the Air Force,” that was also utilized by the FAA, according to the book. The base also had a commissary, a base exchange clothing shop, a barbershop and a barracks. The base, which was in operation for just 14 years, was the only one of its kind in Pennsylvania. As the arms race between the Soviet Union and the U.S. progressed, the Department of Defense increasingly became more concerned about the threat of intercontinental ballistic missiles as opposed to bombers. That would eventually spell the end of the Nike missile program and its batteries across the U.S. The third iteration of the program, the Zeus, was never deployed. By 1974, all sites, including the air defense base in Oakdale, were shuttered and the missiles decommissioned. Sakmar, who was transferred the year prior, says he heard about the Army’s decision while watching the news on television. He says some of the personnel under his command went on to become helicopter mechanics, which were in particular need at the time due to America’s involvement in Vietnam. Plenty of others, though, simply found themselves without a job and a skill set that had become obsolete just as the country was heading into a recession. Sakmar says some soldiers later lamented how, despite years of preparing for a mission that had once been paramount to national security, the public never even knew they existed. Today, the property on which PI-71’s launch site in Moon Township was located has yet to be developed. The site links up to Hollow Oak Land Trust trails that traverse the Montour Woods Conservation Area and it has thus become popular among both mountain bikers and hikers. The other defunct launch site in the area, PI-62, sits adjacent to the South Fayette School District campus and is utilized as a storage lot. Many of the buildings at the Oakdale headquarters, meanwhile, are now part of Collier Township Community Park. In 2014, the township remodeled two of the buildings into its community center. The base’s commissary and base exchange continued operating for decades until the new commissary in Moon Township opened. Plans are also in the works to remodel the building that housed the base’s blue room into a brewery. The only part of the base that continues to function in any official capacity is the base’s distinctive radar tower, which is still utilized by the FAA and can be seen for miles. The rest of the property has been deeded to the National Park Service, meaning it will likely forever be used as a park. Some remaining buildings and a historic plaque placed outside the community center are the only reminders of the critical role that the Nike missiles and the local military personnel who operated them played to national defense during the Cold War. Local Nike sites today ABOVE: This photo, taken of the remnants of Nike missile battery PI-71 in Moon Township, shows where the battery’s magazines, which held its missiles, were located. Remnants of two of the magazines are buried below the grassy area on the other side of the concrete seen in the foreground. A third sits just beyond the next stretch of concrete. All three magazines were located within the launch site’s exclusionary zone, which was accessible only to personnel with the proper clearances and patrolled by unleashed guard dogs. It’s believed the magazines in this photo could have at one time collectively held upwards of nine or more nuclear missiles. RIGHT: This radar tower in Collier Township, once part of the Oakdale air defense base, is still utilized by the FAA. PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY 24 • Allegheny West Magazine • July/August 2020Marketplace Ads Coupons All events listed are subject to change or cancellation. Please consider all risks involved in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and take necessary precautions while planning to attend. Check the websites listed for contact information and the most up-to- date information. Moon Township Events Visit moonparks.org for more. Family Fun Nights at Moon Park, Fridays through August, Moon Park, movies start at dusk, bring lawn chairs and blankets. Robin Hill Lunchtime Concerts, third Wednesdays through September, Robin Hill Park. Pink Noise Concert, Aug. 15, 8 p.m., Pink Floyd covers. Earth Day at Robin Hill, Aug. 16, 1-3 p.m., Robin Hill, family- friendly environmental event. Moon Rotary Corn Roast, CANCELED, see page 11. Coraopolis Community Dev. Events Visit coraopolisfoundation.org and see page 10 for more. Events take place in downtown Coraopolis. Coraopolis Second Saturdays, Aug. 8, Sept. 12, 12-4 p.m., Mill Street, food trucks, farm stand, more. Fall Festival & Art Walk, Oct. 17, 12-4 p.m., walking art display, live music, food trucks, starts at Gilberti Studios, 1030 5th Avenue. Findlay Township Events Visit pa.findlay.us for more and to register. Cruisin’ in the Woodlands Car Cruise, Sept. 11, 5-9 p.m. Rhythm, Ribs and BBQ, Sept. 12, time TBA, Clinton Park. Farmers’ Markets Robinson Farmers’ Market, Mondays, 3-7 p.m., Holy Trinity Catholic Church, follow on Facebook for weekly vendor list, @ robinsonfarmersmarket. McDonald Farmers’ Market, Saturdays through September, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., www.mcdonaldtrailstation.com. Moon Farmers’ Market, Moon Park, Wednesdays through September, 3-6 p.m., Moon Park www.moonparks.org. The Original Farmers’ Market, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout summer, 5:30 p.m. open, 151 Parks Road, McDonald, www.theoriginalfarmersmarket.net. LifeSpan Senior Resource Center Events For more information call (724) 218-1669. Senior Farmers’ Market Vouchers, for residents age 60 by December of 2020, applications available at the resource center at 540 Penn Lincoln Dr., Imperial. Lifespan Flea Market, Aug. 14, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Aug. 15, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Penn Lincoln Center in Imperial, book sale, bake sale. The Ark and Creation Museum Trip, Oct. 4-6, visits to Ark Encounter in Kentucky, Creation Museum in Kentucky, U.S. Air Force Museum in Ohio, $365 double occupancy. On the Horizon July/August 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 25 With the world at a standstill, travel is no different. Taking a plane trip is nearly next to impossible. The cruise industry is still closed. Train rides and bus rides, if even available, are long and not social distance friendly. Tours are all but cancelled for the season. What’s left? The Great American LOCAL Road Trip! With cabin fever rising this summer during the COVID pandemic, people are seeking ways to go somewhere. They’re eager to get outside, drive somewhere, and enjoy some time away. Camping and RVing has always been popular. It’s more so now than ever before. Consider this: you can sleep in your own bed. You don’t have to be around other people. You can bring your own food. You can set your own schedule. You can sit under the tall trees and the stars. You can take walks and hikes, sit around your own campfire, and read in peace. Fuel prices are at their lowest in decades. You don’t have to schlep luggage. You don’t have to wait in line at the airport, train station or bus terminal. A blog on www.PACamping.com, the Keystone state’s campground organization, notes, “The views are AMAZING. You control your own schedule and can stop anytime that you want, and the trip can be far more relaxing.” Camping and RVing is social distancing at its best! It’s controllable, affordable and safe. At the Back to Camping Summit last month, sponsored by the national campground search engine Campground Views, CEO Mark Koep expressed positivity regarding this summer for the camping industry. He noted, “Over 519 registered attendees participated in this event, with at least 220 participating parks and agencies.” The event was designed to prepare those in the RV industry to get back to camping after being closed down for several months due to COVID. The president and CEO of KOA (Kampgrounds of America), Toby O’Rourke, was the event’s keynote speaker. She presented compelling statistics explaining why camping is king this summer. She later told Woodall’s Campground Management, “People are valuing the outdoors more than ever right now. Thirty percent of those surveyed said camping is going to be their first trip when they’re able to get out there,” she said. “One-third of people who have never camped before say they’re considering it now. You can camp close to home, and it’s an affordable vacation option.” Major news publications and networks are taking notice as well. Articles about this option have appeared in a plethora of local, regional and national publications, as well as major RV publications, blogs and websites. RVIA and ARVC are two of the major organizations nationwide that provide support, education and advocacy for the RV and camping industry. Their recent surveys show that the desire to go camping is at an all-time high. BY PAT JENNETTE Camping is still king, particularly in the COVID world Camping is alive and well here in Pennsylvania, too! The governor opened camping up on May 1, under certain social distancing and sanitizing conditions. Debi Yeager and her husband, Rick, together with their daughter, Cassie, and husband, Charlie, own and operate Rose Point Park Cabins and Camping near Moraine State Park. They’ve operated their popular campground for 50 years. In fact, this was to be the year they celebrated the golden anniversary of serving their guests. In light of the pandemic, she said their campground has had to make some adjustments to both their amenities and their activities, including how they will celebrate. They offer full hook-up sites so campers can stay self-contained. Currently, their tent area is not open. Likewise, Jacob Hagofsky, who has managed Buttercup Woodlands Campground in Butler for the past 11 years, added, “We’ve opened up one restroom for non-contained units such as pop-up campers and tents. However, our rustic cabins aren’t available for rent.” He explained that it’s intended to keep each camper safe by limiting any public spaces where the virus could spread. Despite those restrictions, and some public spaces that could create crowds being off limits, both Yeager and Hagofsky said they are putting their creative ideas to work to make this year an enjoyable experience for their guests. As with anything COVID-related, these openings and closings are subject to change as the situation changes. At Buttercup, they’ve initiated some virtual experiences using the popular Campers App. Guests load the app on their phones and log into the campground upon arrival. He said they’re using the app to plan some scavenger hunts. They’re also planning blanket bingo to keep social distance, craft kits that can be delivered to the campsite, and chalk art contests. Despite this year being Rose Point’s golden anniversary, the camping season is well on its way. Deb Yeager said, “We were able to open our pool for Memorial Day weekend with scheduled swim times to ensure limited numbers and social distancing. People were super cooperative.” She added, “We scheduled a DJ for our first dance of the season and did things a bit differently.” She explained that the DJ set up in the pavilion, with the road area in front of the pavilion partitioned off so that campers could “Dance in the Street!” Their restrooms and store are also open. She noted, “As with all of this, we’re waiting for the latest directive from Governor Wolf and the Department of Health.” 26 • Allegheny West Magazine • July/August 2020Getting ready for camping Do we tent or RV? Or perhaps experience a cabin or a yurt? It’s a personal choice. There are the weekend warriors who haul out their gear once or twice a year, pack it into the car, and take off for a local campground or state park. On the other end of the spectrum are RVers. They range from weekend warriors and vacation travelers to seasonal guests and full-time RVers who live and work in their tiny homes on wheels. Whatever you choose, take the time to prepare before you go. It is more important this year than ever before. If you’re tenting, check all your gear. Does anything need repaired or updated? Make sure nothing has deteriorated while in storage. Clean out the flashlights and install new batteries. Make a checklist of what to bring. There are multiple resources online to find tent camping lists and preparation. Try REI, Wiki, and the KOA, for starters. After making your list, check it twice. Are you an RVer? If you already own a rig, but haven’t used it since last year, this is the time to check everything inside and out. Do the appliances, electrical, battery- operated items function properly? Are the tires in good shape? Do they need checked and filled? RV tires need to be replaced every three to five years, not only because of use, but because they disintegrate over time. If the RV has been stored, either on your property or in storage, it’s possible that the tires may have “puddled.” If you have slide-outs, make sure they work smoothly. Make sure the water and sewage tanks are working at their optimum performance. Considering renting or buying an RV? We’ve provided a list at the end of this story of area RV dealers that either offer rentals or RVs for purchase. There are resources galore online to learn about RVing, and many focus on beginners. It’s important to do some homework and read some resources before taking the step of being an RV renter or owner. Cabins, glamping tents and yurts are becoming more popular and trending in the industry. If you like the idea of being inside rather than in a tent, but don’t feel confident driving an RV, this is another option. You still need to be prepared. Not all properties provide all the indoor amenities, and most likely less this year than before. That means you should bring your own bedding, towels and other personal accoutrements. Whether you’re new to camping or a veteran camper, the mantra is, “Be prepared.” There’s nothing like getting out into the woods and finding out you forgot something. While many campgrounds offer a store for those things you may have forgotten, they are operating on a heightened awareness level and their products may be limited. The more you are prepared, the better your own experience will be. Unless your campground is near stores, which is not always the case, you will be left to your own creativity and devices. So, make a list! Before getting on the road, fill your gas tanks, have plenty of food to avoid stopping in stores along the way, and bring your masks and hand sanitizer! RV parks and campgrounds are under state regulations, too, and have COVID rules in place. They will enforce them if you are a guest on their property. Both Yeager and Hagofsky sit on the board for the Pennsylvania Campground Association. Hagofsky said that it’s been quite a roller coaster ride from the start of the pandemic to opening day at his park. He said, “COVID is a serious matter, and the only way we can make this season successful is for all of us to work together.” He stressed, “Be cautious. Be safe. Have fun. Remember that the rules are for your safety and to get you out of your homes so you can have a good camping experience.” As for himself, Hagofsky and his family plan to go camping this summer, too. His plans include Myrtle Beach. He anticipates that the same rules he oversees at Buttercup will be honored at other parks. Regardless, he said it’s been wonderful having people back in the park after the long winter season. “The campers, the smell of the campfire, the laughter, it’s all so heartwarming and gives us hope going forward,” he said. The CDC is recommending that travel stay local this summer due to the circumstances of COVID. That doesn’t mean we have to stay inside our homes. We can go outside. In fact, the CDC recommends we get outdoors. What better time to go camping than now? In this special section you will find ideas, resources, and guidelines to help you plan an amazing camping experience! So long as we adhere to proper social distancing, getting outdoors can be the best idea yet for summer. Buttercup Woodlands in Butler is taking added precautions this summer to keep its visitors safe. Download our app at awmagazine.com to get an interactive map and a list of all of the campsites listed on page 37. July/August 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 27Pat Jennette is a native Western Pennsylvania resident. She lived in the area until 2016, when she and her husband, John, hit the road to travel in their RV, a 37-foot Keystone Outback Toy Hauler, as full-time RVers. She owns and operates Real Visuals for RV Parks, a marketing company focusing on the RVing/campground industry to help them market their properties and communicate with their guests. Pat is the publisher emeritus of Allegheny West Magazine, having founded the publication in 1999. Currently, the couple is sheltering in their tiny home on wheels in Southern California and waiting out the pandemic. When not sheltering, they spend their free time visiting national parks. To date, they have visited 31 of the country’s 62 national parks and nearly 50 national park units. They can now count among their travels overnight stays or exploration days in 43 of the 50 states. When COVID emerged, Pat and John were getting ready to take a six-week trip to the national parks and units in the great state of Texas. While they’ve cancelled that trip for now, it’s in the works for the future when it’s safe to distance travel again to public places. Confirm before you go At the height of the pandemic in the spring, many RVers found themselves with nowhere to stay. Many states closed their parks and campgrounds, while private campgrounds were directed to be closed to travelers. National parks also shut down their campgrounds. This is exactly what happened to us. Our plans were to spend six weeks in Texas. We soon found ourselves with very few places to stay because states were closing parks. By mid-May, many states were loosening their stay-at-home orders. RV parks and campgrounds were starting to open. It’s still a fluid situation. Some camping organizations stepped up to the plate and created real-time updates for each state, showing what is opened and closed. They include Campendium and RV Life. Be sure to check that the place you are planning to visit or stay at is, indeed, open. It’s more imperative than ever to make reservations during these uncertain times. That not only assures you have a place to stay at your destination or along the way, but it also helps the campground owners, too. They’re taking inordinate steps to make sure their properties are clean, safe, and secure in light of the situation. CHECK YOUR LIST, CHECK YOUR HEALTH, CHECK THE WEATHER, CHECK EVERYTHING! BE PREPARED! That’s the key advice this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend that Americans stay home and avoid nonessential travel. Americans should heed all official warnings and refer to the latest updates from the CDC and U.S. Department of State to help decrease the spread of COVID-19. Let’s stay camping and let’s stay safe! Choosing your camping experience For a purely outdoor “in the woods” experience, choose a campsite at a state or national park. For a park with more amenities, consider a private campground. This year will be very unusual at such properties due to COVID. Pools, spas, playgrounds and public spaces are, for the most part, closed. Activities and events that many campgrounds built their summer season around are either being curtailed or adjusted with very distinct social distancing guidelines. Depending upon the amenities and facilities, campgrounds vary widely in price. If you’re not the “tenting” type, some campgrounds offer cabins or yurts. This pares down the items you need to bring but also costs more. Visit campground websites to see what fits your needs. It’s a good idea (and fun!) to peruse and see each campground’s layout, amenities and vibe. We’ve provided a list of those here, adjacent to the article. Camps like Rose Point Park offer amenities such as a swimming pool but may have additional rules to maintain COVID guidelines. Camping and RVing Resources: www.pennsylvaniacamper.com www.pacamping.com www.campgroundreviews.com www.campgroundviews.com www.gocampingamerica.com www.gorving.com RV Rental Options: RVnGo.com RVShare.com www.outdoorsy.com GoRVRentals.comk-rentals.com, Jeannette, 866-787-5466 Cruise America Rentals/Miley Truck Rental, 412-279-6200 Freedom Rentals, Freedom, 866-876-7368 Campers Inn, Ellwood City, 724-752-1541 Camping World RV, Apollo, 888-610-7672 Butler RV Center, 724-314-4235 Brooks Camper Sales, Connellsville, 724.628.5625 28 • Allegheny West Magazine • July/August 2020y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Bear Ridge Campground, Templeton, www.bearridgecampground.com Bear Run Campground, Portersville, www.bearruncampground.com Benner’s Meadow Run Camping and Cabins, Farmington, www.bennersmeadowrun.com Buttercup Woodlands Campground, Butler/Evans City, www.buttercup.org Donegal Campground, Donegal, www.donegalcampground.com Fox Den Acres Campground, New Stanton, www.foxdenacres.com Friendship Village Campground, Bedford, www.fvofb.com Gaslight Campground, Emlenton, www.gaslightcamping.com Hart’s Content Campground, Beaver County, www.hartscontentcampground.com Hickory Hollow Campground, Somerset, www.hickoryhollowcampground.com Indian Brave Campground, Harmony, www.indianbravecampground.net L&M Campground, Penn Run, www.lmcampground.com Lake Arthur Family Campground, Slippery Rock, www.lakearthurfamilycampground.net Madison/Pittsburgh KOA, Ruffs Dale, www.pittsburghkoa.com Mercer / Grove City KOA, Mercer County, www.koa.campgrounds/mercer/ Miller’s Campground, New Alexandria, www.millcamp.com Mountain Pines, Champion, www.mountainpinescamping.com Mountain Top Campground, Tarentum, www.mountaintopcampground.com Nautical Mile Campground and Marina, Templeton, 724-525-2988 Peaceful Valley Campground, West Sunbury, www.peacefulvalleycamp.com Pine Cove Beach Club and RV Park, Charleroi, www.pinecovebeachclub.com Pioneer Park, Somerset, www.pioneerparkcampground.com Roaring Run Resort, Champion, PA, www.roaringrunresort.com Rose Point Cabins and Camping, New Castle, www.rosepointpark.com RV Village Camping Resort, Mercer, www.rvvillages.com Scarlett Knob Campground, Ohiopyle, www.scarlettknobcampground.com Silver Canoe Campground, Rural Valley, www.silvercanoecampground.com Smith Grove Campground, Butler County, www.smithgrovecampground.com Uniontown KOA, Uniontown, www.koa.com/campgrounds/uniontown/ Washington/Pittsburgh South KOA, Washington, www.koa.com/campgrounds/washington-pittsburgh/ Wheel-in Campground, Shelocta, www.wheelincampground.net Woodland Campsites, Somerset, www.woodlandcampsites.com Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest, Harrisville, www.PittsburghJellystone.com Pennsylvania State Park Camping: www.dcnr.pa.gov: Raccoon Creek State Park, Moraine State Park, Laurel Hill State Park, Cook Forest State Park, Clear Creek State Park, Keystone State Park, Kooser State Park, Laurel Ridge State Park, Ohiopyle State Park, Oil Creek State Park, Pymatuning State Park, Ryerson Station State Park Where to camp this summer It’s been well documented that good emotional and mental health are vital to our overall wellbeing. That’s particularly true of caregivers, for whom these unprecedented times of stress and isolation can be particularly difficult and even paralyzing. Yet a healthy mind and good emotional balance are essential, as regulating our thoughts and feelings contributes to healthy behavior. When we identify our emotions, we can cope more effectively and better adapt to significant changes not unlike those presented by COVID-19. With so much remaining unknown in these times, many people may be experiencing higher levels of stress and anxiety without even knowing it. If you think you may need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it. During times of crisis, there are many people who want to help but aren’t sure how. Stay Connected Connecting to our emotions is not only good but vital for those providing care for another person. Doing so helps us maintain a healthy perspective. Caregivers are often exhausted by the overwhelming, strenuous work that they do on a daily basis. Because of the endless hours of caring for a loved one, self care can go by the wayside. At this point, caregivers can feel alone, forgotten and stressed. A further sense of isolation can set in because of the current need for social distancing. To offset this, stay connected with family and friends. Set up a regular phone call or video chat. If your loved one is in a hospital or long-term care facility, and you are unable to visit due to restrictions, call often to check in with them. Touch base with staff regularly for updates on how they are doing. Join a virtual support group of like-minded caregivers. Some may offer phone check-ins or email self-care suggestions on a regular basis. You can also seek professional help while staying at home. Some mental health therapists and counselors are available for regular sessions virtually, via telephone or by video conference. Connect to Nature Respite and self-care can alleviate some of the stresses that occur when caregiving. Self-care is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health, particularly during periods of stress. This helps remind us that we are important, too. By connecting to the natural world and being mindful about nature, we can reduce stress. Nature becomes a place of connection where nothing is being asked of us. That connection allows us to let go of control and just be in the moment of something as spectacular as a blue sky, a tree, a bird in flight or the changing of the seasons. Taking a walk outside and spending time in nature are good for us. It can be as simple as stepping out of the back door for a few minutes. Lisa Story is the founder and executive director of Hope Grows. For additional information on supports offered to caregivers by the organization, its Iris Respite House or Healing and Restorative Gardens, call (412) 369-4673. Email them at info@ hopegrows.net or visit them online at www.hopegrows.net. Strategies for caregivers coping during the pandemic BY LISA STORY July/August 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 29Next >