Pride of Greene County to be featured in Harrisburg parade
When Ed Rendell officially takes office Tuesday as Pennsylvania’s newest governor, the pride of Greene County will be in Harrisburg for everyone to see. “I’ve been proud of the accomplishments of the people of Greene County last year,” said Greene County Commission Chairman Dave Coder.
Coder got the invitation from Rendell to enter a float in the governor’s inaugural parade and said he thought of Gene D. Yost & Son Excavating & Drilling Inc. of Mount Morris for its part in the rescue at the Quecreek mine in Somerset County. He said he also thought of 2002 Miss Pennsylvania Autumn Marisa, a Waynesburg native, as well as Mapletown Junior-Senior High School senior Rachel Marie Burack, who earned the titles of 2002 Pennsylvania Coal Queen, Miss Riverfest and Miss Rain Day.
“We thought a combination of them, representing Greene County, was appropriate,” he said.
“We have a lot of good things to showcase in Greene County,” said J. Allen Blaker, the county’s director of parks and recreation.
Blaker, who helped coordinate the preparations, said Greene County Tourism Promotion Agency sponsored the float, while the Rotary Interact Club at the Mapletown school is taking care of decorations.
The showpiece is a drill bit that the Yost company used in the July rescue of nine miners who were trapped 77 hours in the flooded Quecreek Mine in Somerset County. The company’s president, Duane Yost, could not be reached for comment, but Blaker said Yost is sending a vehicle representative of the Quecreek rescue.
The Mapletown students will transform a 30-foot flatbed truck from Yost into a parade float. The challenge is that they cannot use crepe paper and must decorate the truck on site before the parade.
Southeastern Greene School District Superintendent Dr. Philip J. Savini Jr. said he wanted to turn over the project to the Interact Club, which is new to Mapletown this school year. Club members and their sponsors will ride on the float.
The students are organized under the Waynesburg Rotary Club, which helped the school district purchase some of the decorations. Club co-sponsors Michael Mlay and Jodi Stallard came up with a design that Mlay said features the school’s black and gold colors on ribbons, skirting and stars.
Red, white and blue bunting is included to symbolize patriotism, banners will identify everyone and signs will be added to identify the county overall.
Savini said the Mapletown group of 22 students and sponsors will leave the county at 3 a.m. Tuesday and arrive in Harrisburg around 7 a.m. They will take their place in the lineup in time for staging at 11 a.m. and the parade at noon.
Despite the tight time constraints, Interact club members seemed confident they will get their work done in time.
“It shouldn’t be that hard. We’re all really creative. The hardest part is going to be how cold it is,” junior Rebecca Schartiger said.
“We’ll bear through it with lots of gloves, scarves and hats,” senior Jessie Rawlings said.
“I don’t get to wear a hat,” Burack said with a laugh.
Burack, who is also an Interact Club member, said although she won the triple crown of local pageants in 2002, she will wear the Coal Queen’s crown Tuesday. She said that title best represents Greene County, referring to the area’s longstanding reputation as a high-volume coal producer.
The students said they are ready to brave the weather for the parade’s entirety, for the honor of representing Greene County.
“We’ll be out there as long as it takes, cold or not,” said senior Jenna Ealy.
“I think it (Mapletown students’ involvement) says a lot, because we’re just getting together and getting our feet wet in the Interact Club,” Rawlings said.
Savini called the experience a learning opportunity, since the students are taking part in an event that combines history, politics, culture and service.
Mapletown’s Interact Club has 26 members in seventh through 12th grades this first year. Their projects so far include ringing bells for the Salvation Army’s Christmas fund-raising campaign and caroling in Bobtown for a family who lost their home to fire.
“We’re just working for our community to make it better,” Ealy said.
“I think it makes you feel better to do something for someone else and help them make their lives better,” Rawlings added.