Nov 14, 2003 By Angie Santello 5 min read

The Community Foundation of Fayette County has awarded 13 grants totaling about $35,000 to local organizations for special programs, projects or improvements. The organization handed out the grants during a reception at the Uniontown Senior Citizens Center on Thursday.

The foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization that “promotes philanthropy and community improvement by attracting, managing and distributing charitable resources,” according to the group’s Web site.

Among the grant recipients, the Perryopolis Area Heritage Society received a $1,000 grant to construct handicapped-accessible restrooms in the George Washington Grist Mill complex.

Eldo DiVirgilio, a member of the board of directors for the heritage society, said the project is slated for completion by the 2004 tourist season.

“It’s something that should be forthcoming to us,” DiVirgilio said of the grant. “All of our funds have been used wisely. In the past we have been successful about getting grants. …I think the $1,000 is nice and it’ll be helpful to us, for us.”

The complex includes a bakery established in the mid-1800s, a distillery dating from 1790 that was rebuilt in 1999, a 200-year-old log cabin dubbed Fort Trial and the George Washington grist mill, complete with a water wheel.

Within another area of county tourism, the Brownsville Historical Society will begin improvements at Nemacolin Castle, including upgrading the electrical system and repairing the roof, using a $2,500 grant from the foundation.

“The grants are going to help us more than I can say,” said Nellie Mammarella, special events chairperson for the castle. “It means a great deal to us. …It is work that needs to be done. It will make the castle a much safer place for everyone and will help ensure the castle is here for many more years.”

Mammarella said a bid for the electrical system has been awarded and work will begin in January, but society members are undecided on roof repairs. They are debating whether to merely mend areas where the roof is leaking or to replace the entire roof.

“I just think we have a lot of history in Brownsville and the castle has always been the shining star,” Mammarella said, adding the castle dates back to 1789. “It makes me happy that with these renovations the castle will be here for many years to come.”

The $2,500 is a small portion of the overall grant to be used for improving the castle. The National Road Heritage Corridor and the Fayette County commissioners also have donated money to fund three project areas at the castle.

The Fayette County Community Action Agency received a $5,000 matching grant from the foundation to fund an initiative to assist low-income homeowners with renovation projects.

“If you’re low-income, it’s tough to find credit,” said Dan Sochko, senior resource consultant at the agency. “This will help people who are having trouble securing a loans or who are on the waiting list and simply can’t afford it or are too old to do the work.”

The agency is looking to expand volunteers to 450 to 500 teen-agers from the Group Workcamps Foundation, a non-denominational Christian outreach group based in Colorado, and will work to repair 80 to 90 Fayette County homes for low-income or elderly people at no charge to the homeowners. Repairing a porch, installing handicapped-accessible ramps and painting the homes is a part of the work the high school students will complete within the week of July 11.

“This is an interesting project,” said Sochko. “I am real excited about it.”

The project involves a partnership with Laurel Highlands School District, where the students will be staying during the course of the work, and with the Uniontown Redevelopment Authority.

Penn State Fayette will use a $1,000 grant from the foundation to support the Fayette Business Adventure, a cooperative effort with local schools, community leaders and regional businesses to provide high school freshmen and sophomores with the chance to learn how the free enterprise system works.

Community leaders act as counselors for participating students, all of whom attend schools in southwestern Pennsylvania school districts.

“It is an opportunity for high school students to come to the campus for four days of intense residential study about business,” said Joe Fegilia, director of outreach at Penn State Fayette. “It is a real introduction into the business world.”

Fegilia said approximately 100 students have taken advantage of the program, now in its fourth year.

“It is a tremendously eye-opening experience for the kids,” said Fegilia. “It is a great opportunity to learn about the business world. It may be something they want to do when they grow up.”

The program usually takes place near the beginning of March. Teams of students will work with a designated community leader to design and develop a business plan, including stock market analysis and marketing a special product.

Fegilia said the community will benefit long term from the program.

“It gets our kids interested in business, not only so they will stay in the community and become involved with the family businesses here, but so they will stay here and build businesses locally,” he said.