Vegetables Can Be Sentimental

                                     

The green beans were the clincher. As I stood in the church  kitchen pouring cans of the vegetables into aluminum trays, their subtle smell, dull green color and mushy texture transported me back to another time. I thought about the many occasions, while staying at the Ronald McDonald House last summer, that they had been prepared for me. During the 8 weeks I stayed there, every day a group would come in and lend their time and energy to cook a warm meal just for us. After a long hard day at the hospital, all we had to do was grab a plate and enjoy the fruits of their labors. I always felt so grateful to them and wondered how I could ever repay them and their smiling faces. When would I be able to help someone?

Flash forward to today and I'm at the Lutheran House of Prayer, helping my Youth Group to serve a "Manna" dinner to the needy people of West Aliquippa. No longer on the receiving end of the deal, I am finally prepping instead of eating, spooning veggies and plating brownie squares. A woman comes into the room to take our picture to hang on the wall with the photos of other volunteers who have in the past come to help. "Thank you all for coming." she says. I realize at this moment that here I am, doing my part to help. Now I know what it feels like to be the one serving instead of the one being served. Boy, what a good feeling it is. But part of the reason it feels so good is because I have felt both ways. I know how special one simple meal can be, and how it can mean so much to one who needs it. And I also know how doing your part to do something for someone else can be so fulfilling, gratifying, even liberating.

Although I had to leave early due to soccer practice, this experience at the Manna dinner was a very positive one for me, and I hope that my Youth Group will do more of these types of service projects in the future. I will leave with a quote from the acclaimed blockbuster film, "Les Miserables", which I think applies perfectly to this situation: "Remember the truth that once was spoken: To love another person is to see the face of God".

I agree: it seems like the best in us is brought out when we are all serving and looking out for one another. We get changed for the better, as I can attest: I'll never see people --nor green beans-- in the same way again.

Unseasonable Memorial Day Still Iconic, Poignant

                                 

The unofficial start of summer didn't feel too summery in Beaver Cemetery on Memorial Day morning. Clouds covered the sky and the men and women gathered among the gravestones shivered a bit in their short-sleeved patriotic garb.

But unseasonable temperatures and gloomy weather didn't deter Beaver residents from coming out to the annual parade and cemetery service. Young and old alike lined the main street to catch a glimpse of the veterans and little-league teams marching by, cheering, waving flags and collecting candy.

At the service, Beaver District Attorney Anthony Berosh gave the keynote speech after the invocation by Reverend James Equels. He posed the question "Who are they?" about the fallen soldiers we honor on Memorial Day. "I address you today not as District attorney," he began, "But as a husband, father, brother and friend...... " Continuing, he identified the said soldiers by the generals they served, the places they fought, and the professions they held. Concluding, he exclaimed, "Let all within the sound of my voice take up the cry: 'Who are they? Who are they?  [From the streets of Beaver to the farms of Hanover, they are among us,] They are Heroes."

Beaver's young people also played a major role in the ceremony. Nick Kanapesky, Senior Class President, recited the Gettysburg address. Beaver Area High School Chorus sang "God Bless America", and the local Boy Scout troop assisted in handing out programs to spectators. Other youths participated in the fife and drum corps and presentation of the colors.

On a holiday so often defined by picnics, pool-parties and outdoor festivities, outdoor conditions were unfavorable; but Memorial Day in Beaver, with its patriotism, enthusiasm and sincerity, was still a success. As one citizen observed, "It's iconic. It's America at its finest."

Summer's First Sound

--Beaver

It starts with a clank and rumbles on with a whirrrr.  It's one of the first sounds of summer and the best way to find relief from the heat.

It's the home air conditioner.

Residents in Beaver have been closing their windows and cranking up their air conditioners in response to this week's scorching temperatures. Six of the past seven days have seen highs in the eighties, over ten degrees above average, and humidity steady around 50%. The current conditions present quite a contrast to the wet spring weather experienced less than two weeks ago, when lows went down to a freezing 32 degrees.

The extreme switch in seasons has been a challenge for local gardeners, says Missy Koshute, a flower and vegatable grower. "It's crazy," she said, "Is it hot, is it cold, are we done with frosts or aren't we?"

According to meteorologists from weather.com who predict the same hot temperatures for the rest of May and June, it seems safe to say that we won't be having any more frosty mornings. Instead, folks better get used to finding ways to keep cool.
 
Not everyone will use their air conditioning as their only way to beat the heat. Susan Koshute, a Beaver resident of 30 years, says she'll do what she always does: "I'll sit in the shade on my porch, feel the breeze and pretend that I'm at the beach."

New Shop on the Block

Tonight we went up and sampled Beaver's newest culinary venue, "Sincerely Yogurt". I was super excited to try it, as were the droves of  customers filling the shop to its capacity. It was hilarious to watch how everyone reacted to the yogurt shop concept, obviously something new in these parts.  They hovered about trying to figure out what to do, mixing up the toppings bar with the yogurt station, and vice versa, until an employee gathered them around and gave the Sincerely Yogurt rundown: you get a cup, fill it with the flavors you choose, add toppings, and then place your dish on the scale at the counter and pay by the ounce (55 cents per ounce).

The flavor line-up tonight included some classic frozen yogurt staples --mango, raspberry and green tea--  which taste tart and fruity, and also a few varieties with sweet ice cream-like consistency: peanut butter, banana, and french vanilla, to name a few. Over at the toppings bar, choices were abundant. Marshmallow bits, fruit, candy, sprinkles, nuts, almost any topping you could think of was available. Most of the kids beelined straight for the gummy worms and chocolate pieces, while many adults created interesting blends of fruits.

Leaving the crowded shop, blooming with activity and lively music, it was plain to see that "Sincerely Yogurt"  had created quite a buzz in town. But only time will tell whether this new kid on the block has the stuff to keep the business coming, and the staying power to become Beaver's next hang-out.