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Deborah Katz, 20, of Pittsburgh has parlayed her win as the Greg Maggio Judges’ Choice Vocal Award winner into a scholarship to study opera at the prestigious Bel Canto University in Verona, Italy. 
David W. Hammer, M.A., CCC-SLP, received the 2008 Pennsylvania Speech-Language Hearing Association Clinical Achievement Award. The award is given by the American Speech-Language Foun-dation (ASHF) to individuals nominated by their state speech and hearing associations for outstanding contributions in advancing clinical knowledge of practice in speech/language pathology and audiology.
Heritage Valley Health System announced the recipients of the Cameos of Caring Awards Program. The winners, photo left, are: Mary Ann Storch and Becky Noyes.
The CT 10-U All-Star Team, photo left, won a round robin tournament in Center Township the weekend of June 28-29, taking home the first place trophies for their 10-U (10 and Under) age division. The majority of these girls are all first year players.
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By Paula Green Twenty-two-year-old Ross Township resident Caryn Martin has a special place in her heart for children. She currently works as a Therapeutic Support Staff (TSS) at Wesley Spectrum. She has been working with children with autism for the past four years. Her love for children extends beyond her job; in fact, it reaches out to another country. Martin and a group of volunteers ventures to the Ukraine every year. Their main focus of their trip is orphan work/ministry. She became involved with mission trips through her university – Malone College in Canton, Ohio. “I went to the Ukraine after my junior year of college. After my first year, I was hooked. I had to keep going back to see my kids,” Martin said. This past year, the trip lasted three weeks. The group worked with children ranging from infancy to age 21. “We hung out with the kids, playing games such as red rover, soccer and jump rope. We spent time getting to know the children and showed them we cared. With the girls who were preparing for graduation, we did makeovers. We taught them about our American lifestyle. We had cookouts, went out to eat and went hiking,” Martin said “These kids have been through a lot; many of them just needed love and care. I am truly convinced that they impacted my life more than I did theirs. “They showed me such a pure and true love. One child offered me his most precious toy because to have someone care about you, means the world to them. Even though they’ve had it rough, they still show happiness, a laugh or smile that just touches your heart. “These children don’t forget; it is amazing. One little boy waits all year for me to return. When we reunite, it is so emotional, and there are lots of tears. The hardest part every year is leaving,” Martin said. In addition to her Ukraine work, Martin does volunteer work at her local church, Cornerstone Church in Ross and also with the Pittsburgh Project in downtown Pittsburgh. She and her husband, Joe, are a part of the homecare program. They visit and assist a homeowner with their house. “I believe everyone is called to serve and CAN serve whether it is your neighbor, someone down the road, another state or another country,” Martin said. “Sacrificing your time goes a long way and makes an impact in their lives and yours – an impact that you could never imagine. There is so much we can do. I don’t volunteer to get recognized, I do it because I know it takes me – not other people – to change the world. I know that it is about other people, not about me. There are days that I don’t want to leave the couch. I know though, when I do manage – I am glad that I did.” |
Spotlight on Schools
The La Roche College Special Education Mentoring Course – a program now required for elementary education and special education students – began its third year in the Seneca Valley School District in Harmony Township.
The North Allegheny School District announced the names of the six inductees that will be honored at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet in October. They are: Ken Bauer, Kathy Frederick, Mark “Bud” Garrett, Jamie Kyriazis, Jay Murphy and Greg Wharton.
Katherine Jenkins has been named to the position of principal for Carson Middle School in the North Allegheny School District.
The North Allegheny School District announced that it has been awarded a Carol M. White Physical Education grant by the U.S. Department of Education.
Dorseyville Middle School in the Fox Chapel Area School District has been named one of five nationwide grant-prize winners in the sixth annual Win a Wireless Lab sweepstakes. As a winner, the school will receive approximately $45,000 worth of technology equipment from the sponsors of the contest, CDW Government, Inc.
Three North Hills Junior High School students participated in the Junior High/Middle School Honor Choir at the American Choral Directors Association of Pennsylvania summer conference. Participants included: Kirsten Hoover, Michael O’Brien and Christopher Jamison.
North Hills Junior High School French teacher Kristan Kephart spent three weeks this past summer, studying in France through a grant from the French government.
Business Spotlight:
Jane's Stromboli | Spadafora's Bar & Restaurant
Jane’s Stromboli
By Janice Lane Palko
Back to school means new clothes, new supplies and a whole new year of fundraising. Many schools, clubs, social and sports groups and religious and civic organizations, in order to operate, depend on the funds raised by their members. Trends come and go in fundraising, and those in charge of overseeing such projects are always looking for items that are easy to sell and that turn a nice profit.
Jane’s Stromboli fits that bill. Headquartered in Stoneboro, Pa., 60 miles north of Pittsburgh, just off I79, Jane’s Stromboli has been creating sumptuous Italian stuffed dough pockets for 19 years.
Jane Buckley, owner of the company, was inspired to start the business after her sister in Philadelphia did a similar fundraiser. “They sold strombolis for a summer camp at their church, and it was very successful,” Jane said.
The strombolis are made daily with fresh dough. They come in five varieties—broccoli; pepperoni; chicken; combo, which is filled with ham salami, pepperoni, green peppers and onion and deluxe; filled with sausage, green peppers and onion. They are delivered frozen, ready to thaw and bake. They are not pre-baked, so the 8-inch, single-serve strombolis come out of the oven tasting like they came from your favorite pizzeria.
“Our product has a very good reputation, and they look exactly like they are pictured on our sales sheet, making them very easy to sell,” Jane said.
Jane’s Stromboli has information packets and can accommodate any size group from 4-H clubs, to bands and PTAs. They also can aid individuals. “We had an individual in Erie who needed to raise funds for a mission trip, and we were able to assist him,” Buckley said. “We think our personal touch makes selling Jane’s Stromboli attractive for people looking to raise funds. We take a lot of satisfaction knowing that we have helped individuals and organizations meet their goals.”
They offer a fixed price for the product and allow the organization to determine what they want to charge for the strombolis, setting their own rate of profit. In addition, they offer convenient delivery times within a wide area.
Jane’s Stromboli also offers other items such as pies, pumpkin rolls and apple dumplings. For more information on how Jane’s Stromboli can help your group raise money, call toll-free 888-376-3828 or e-mail curtis@janesstromboli.com.
Spadafora’s Bar & Restaurant
By Janice Lane Palko
It was Francois Minot, editor of the Michelin Guide, who once said: “Anybody can make you enjoy the first bite of a dish, but only a real chef can make you enjoy the last.” Paul Spadafora has been creating delicious dishes for 35 years that are so good from start to finish, that he felt compelled to bring his flair with food to a wider audience than just family, friends, students and colleagues. On July 2, 2007, the former Shaler Area School District Spanish teacher opened Spadafora’s Bar & Restaurant located at 3932 Route 8, just North of Duncan Avenue.
“When I came over from Italy, I was 13. My parents and older sisters all worked. Somebody had to cook for the family. I wasn’t too happy about this at first, but I soon learned to love cooking. I’ve been cooking for everyone ever since,” Spadafora said. “When I set out to open the restaurant, I wanted to offer specialty, high-end dishes at affordable prices—both Italian and American. At Spadafora’s, we serve entrees such as crab cakes, lamb chops, prime rib and filet mignon, that come with two sides. We offer an extensive list of specials each evening, in addition to the regular menu.” Spadafora added that he puts great emphasis on his sauces and soups, all of which are made in-house. His best selling soup is the shrimp bisque.
The menu features Southern Italian cuisine such as Chicken Marsala, which is topped with Spadafora’s signature sauce and mushrooms. The ambience is charming, modeled after the traditions of Sicily. “When you walk in, you will notice how clean and inviting our place is and the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen,” Spadafora said. The food is cooked to order, and Spadafora’s emphasizes freshness of ingredients. “I buy as much as possible from area farms. We also feature local wines from Narcisi Winery in Gibsonia,” Spadafora said.
“We have many regular customers, but we are always welcoming new ones too. I’ve been told our marinara is probably the best around,” Spadafora said. While he is not surprised that the signature “Spanini” sandwich has been a hit, the success of the fish sandwiches was unexpected. “We have customers who drive here from Penn Hills, because they won’t settle for anything less than our hand-battered cod.”
Spadafora’s is open six days a week. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday it is open from 4 to 10 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday, from 4 to 11 p.m. On Sunday it is open from 4 to 8 p.m. Because of popular demand, later this month Spadafora plans to reopen for weekday lunch and Sunday breakfast. For more information on Spadafora’s Bar & Restaurant, visit the website at www.spadaforas.net or call 412-486-1800.
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