Cheers & Jeers
Cheers: The White House this week detailed plans to get COVID-19 shots into the arms of the nation’s children, age 5 to 11. Doses of the Pfizer vaccine will begin shipping within hours of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Nov. 2-3 advisory meeting, when federal regulators are expected to give the go-ahead to the shot for younger children. More than 25,000 pediatricians and primary care providers already have signed on to administer the vaccine, in addition to the tens of thousands of retail pharmacies that are already giving them to adults. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will also fund and support vaccine distribution through school- and community-based clinics, and the White House is preparing to launch a campaign to educate parents and kids about the safety of the shots.
Cheers: Brownsville’s Jolena Quarzo and Connellsville’s Zach Bigam won individual titles in course-record times last week at the FCCA Cross Country Championships hosted by Connellsville. Quarzo won her second consecutive title with a record-breaking time of 18:43. Bigam won his first county title in a course-record time of 16:48 on his home course. Cheers also to the Uniontown boys and girls for winning team titles, and to Uniontown senior Adena Rugola for her medal-winning performance Tuesday in the PIAA Girls Class AAA Individual Golf Championship at Heritage Hills Golf Resort. Rugola tied for sixth place with 5-over 77.
Cheers: Kudos to the Ladies Ministry at Bethel Baptist Church in Uniontown for its efforts to uplift the spirits of patients fighting breast cancer. The group recently donated care bags containing items like pink bath bombs, nail polish, scarves and travel mugs to the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Uniontown. “We want to make (those fighting breast cancer) feel loved during this time because it’s a devastating time for a lot of women who have been diagnosed,” said ministry member Lynn Whipkey. The bags are much appreciated by the patients, said Harry Strauser, research coordinator for the center. “It boosts their spirits to get something here other than treatment,” he said.
Cheers: Congratulations to David Calvario, who was recently named the new executive director of the nonprofit organization, Community Foundation of Greene County. Calvario will replace Bettie Stammerjohn, who will retire from the position later this month. CFGC, founded in 2000 to assist area residents and communities through philanthropy, currently manages more than $8 million in endowed and restricted assets through various donor established funds that support local nonprofit organizations, address community needs and provide student scholarship. Calvario brings more than 30 years’ experience in nonprofit experience to the position, working with diverse age groups and community issues. CFGC Chairwoman Beth Hellems said his background in higher education and county government, along with his involvement in local nonprofits, provides “a great fit” for CFGC. We also salute Stammerjohn for her 15 exemplary years of serving CFGC as executive director.