Sep 30, 2011 6 min read

…You know, I was all set to write some humorous anecdotes and silly stories for this week’s column, but I have to be honest. My heart is just not into it. Not after what happened in Greene County earlier this week, when lives were taken in a senseless tragedy.

This past week has been a sad and dark time for this area, a week that we local residents will remember for a long time. It has been a week that the Teagarden family — particularly the two young children, 9-year-old Madison and 22-month-old Kevin Jr. — became a part of our collective broken hearts.

I must admit that I am having a difficult time writing this column. I have struggled with this column for three days because I simply do not know what to write. No matter what I type, I feel a loss for words. But it’s more than that. I also feel a sense of loss. And anger, and confusion. And I feel heartache and pain for the extended family and loved ones. And, I feel selfish that I am writing about ME. Because this is not about me, it is about the senseless, tragic loss of a family that was loved and that will be dearly missed by those who knew and loved them.

It’s somewhat of an unwritten rule that news reporters are supposed to be impersonal and detached when it comes to reporting tragedies, even if it happens in their own backyards. The theory is that reporters need to remain objective as they print the news so that they don’t cloud the story with their own emotions. It’s where the cliché “Just the facts, ma’am” comes from. Reporters are simply supposed to report the facts, and let human nature decide how to react to what has been reported.

And yet…somehow, when a tragedy like this happens in Greene County, it’s different. Maybe it’s because we live in an area where everyone knows everyone. Maybe it’s because homicides happen so few and far between here (as opposed to, say, a larger area like Pittsburgh) that when tragedies such as this occur, we are more prone to be in shock or disbelief. Or maybe it’s because we have a hard time believing that even in a small and rural area like ours, terrible tragedies like this can happen at any time.

Even though I am a reporter always in search of a big news story, I truly admit to being relieved that we don’t have to write and publish many stories of tragedy and loss. For us, one is too many.

(However, we here at the Messenger do take pride in the fact that when tragedies do occur, we always try to find examples of kindness and goodness in humanity in those stories. We do this not just because it’s the right thing to do and because it helps us sleep better at night, but also because we believe that there is always hope to be found, no matter how bleak the situation may be.)

We here at the Messenger personally did not know the Teagardens and their family, but we join the thousands of people in and out of the county who have learned about the tragedy in offering our deepest and sincerest condolences and prayers to the victims’ families and friends. We hope that they are able to one day find peace and serenity in their lives…

…Before I wrap up this column, I wanted to share some info that was recently presented to me about a few upcoming events:

A special opportunity for donating that will benefit an important piece of local history will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 4. Beginning at midnight, the Pittsburgh Foundation will match every gift, on a pro-rated basis, to Steel Industry Heritage Corporation with an additional donation. This is a very generous offer by the Foundation, but this offer is not exclusive to SIHC. The Foundation has set aside money to be used as potential matches to hundreds of non-profits in the region, including the W.A. Young and Sons Machine Shop and Foundry in Rices Landing. Every dollar donated locally for the machine shop and every dollar matched by the Foundation will be used exclusively for the continued restoration of the machine shop. According to August P. Carlino, president and CEO of SIHC, “Your generosity will help us continue the work of stabilization and renovation of this magnificent site, so that it can become a true tourism destination for Greene County.”

To donate on Oct. 4, donors will need to click onto www.pittsburghgives.org, then click on the “Donate Now” button, which will appear on Oct. 4. Please note that the minimum gift is $25 and the maximum gift that an individual can give per organization is $10,000. Only credit card donations using Visa and Mastercard will be accepted and matched for this event. No donations via check, cash or stock will be accepted.

For more information, call the Steel Industry Heritage Corporation at 412-464-4020 or go online at www.riversofsteel.com…

I was also recently asked to announce that any persons or groups interested in placing an entry in the Greene County Veterans Day Parade — which will be held in Waynesburg on Friday, Nov. 11 at 2:30 p.m. — should contact Tom Boyd at 724-852-2773. Those interested should provide the name of their organization, contact person and phone number, and type of unit (such as band, marching unit or classic car, for example.)

The parade, which is sponsored by the Greene County Veterans Council, will assemble at the First Baptist Church parking lot and proceed to Morgan Street, by the Waynesburg Borough Police Department. Assembly will be between 2 and 2:30 p.m.

Special thanks to George “Bly” Blystone and Tom Boyd for getting me this info. And here’s a friendly reminder to all readers: If you have an event or information that you would like to share with all county residents, let the Messenger know. Our contact info can be found at the bottom of this very page…