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Hancock School Employees Federal Credit Union awards scholarships to four students

7 min read

WEIRTON -- Hancock School Employees Federal Credit Union of Weirton recently awarded four $500 scholarships to graduating seniors.

The recipients are Maria Kamarados and Jonah Eggert, both Brooke High School students; Gabrielle Mazzone, a student at Weirton Madonna High School; and Dominic Simich, a Weir High School student.

They were chosen by lottery from the field of applicants.

Kamarados is the daughter of Nick and Stephanie Kamarados of Follansbee and will be attending Duquesne University in the fall with plans to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Mazzone, the daughter of Jim and Roxanne Mazzone of Weirton, is a 2020 distinguished honors graduate form Madonna where she was a member of the National Honor Society and vice president of the Interact Club. She plans to attend Duquesne University in the fall to pursue a degree in health science.

Simich is the son of Natalie Simich of Weirton who will attend West Liberty University and major in broadcasting.

Eggert is the son of Kelly Eggert of Weirton and Toby Eggert of Indianapolis. He was a four-year member of the Brooke High School Marching Band, concert band, jazz band and percussion ensemble. He also served as drum line co-captain his junior and senior year and was a member of the Tri-State Community Band. He will be attending West Virginia University in the fall to major in music education.

Brodie McUmar, Emily Matteson, Michael Zias and Kelsey Crawford are alternates.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must have been active credit union members for at least six months.

The credit union serves public and parochial school employees and students in Brooke and Hancock counties.

Amateur Radio Field Day demonstrates science, skill

and service June 27-28

NEWELL -- Members of the Hancock AuxComm Team will be participating in the national Amateur Field Day at Clarke Field in Newell, starting at 2 p.m. on June 27 and remaining on the air until 2 p.m. June 28.

With concerns about COVID-19, social distancing will be practiced "but we will still be on the air since we are trained to operate in adverse conditions, whether they be natural or man-made disasters, severe weather or a global pandemic," a news release notes.

Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during the annual Field Day exercise to showcase the science and skill of amateur radio.

"This event is open to the public, and we encourage everyone to come out and see what ham radio is all about," a spokesperson noted. "There will be hands-on demonstrations in using ham radio with the opportunity for unlicensed individuals to get on the air and make a contact or two."

Field Day demonstrates ham radio's ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent communications network. More than 40,000 people from thousands of locations participated in Field Day 2019.

"It's easy for anyone to pick up a computer or smartphone, connect to the Internet and communicate, with no knowledge of how the devices function or connect to each other," commented Dave Isgur of the American Radio Relay League, the national association for amateur radio. "But if there's an interruption of your service or you're out of range of a cell phone tower, you have no way to communicate. Ham radio functions completely independent of the Internet of cell phone infrastructure, can interface with tablets or smartphones and can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. That's the beauty of amateur radio during communications outages."

Hams literally can throw a wire over a tree for an antenna, connect it to a battery-operated transmitter and communicate half way around the world. "Hams do this by using a layer of the Earth's atmosphere as a sort of mirror for radio waves," Isgur explained.

Anyone can become a licensed amateur radio operator. There are more than 725,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 5 and as old as 100. "With clubs like the Hancock AuxComm Team, it's easy for anyone to get involved, right here in Hancock County."

For information about Field Day, contact Roy Polmanteer, secretary of the Hancock AuxComm Team, at PO Box 884, New Cumberland, WV, 26047; at (520) 709-0713; or at Secretary.HancockAuxcomm@gmail.com. Information also is available at www.arrl.org/what-isham-radio.

'Zalia' presentation Saturday

at Weirton Area Museum

WEIRTON -- Thomas W. Zielinsky and George B. Hines III, authors of "Zalia, Hancock County, WV--Rediscovering a Lost Community," will be speaking at the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center about the once-thriving town that sat along the Ohio River between Holbert's Run and Rainey Hill roads.

Their lecture will get under way at 1 p.m. on Saturday, which is West Virginia Day. All social-distancing protocols will be observed, and a hand-sanitizing station will be available at the front door.

A book signing will follow, and light refreshments will be available. The event is open to the public, and admission is free. The museum will livestream the event on the museum's Facebook page for those unable to attend in person.

Signed copies of "Zalia" are available in the museum gift shop, which also carries Zielinsky and Hines' previous collaboration, "Rockyside, A Forgotten Mining Community," along with a host of other local history and fiction books, history DVDs and even educational coloring books for children. All proceeds from gift shop sales benefit the museum's preservation and education efforts.

The Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center is located at 3149 Main St. and preserves Weirton's history and culture for future generations. It is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. To learn about upcoming exhibitions and events and to see features on historical objects in the collection, follow WAMCC on Facebook at "Weirton Area Museum & Cultural Center."

Zarych continues as grand knight for Mingo Council

MINGO JUNCTION -- Shawn Zarych will remain as the grand knight of the Mingo Knights of Columbus, Monsignor Joseph F. Dooley Council 4361.

Zarych served his first two-year term in that capacity from 2005-07. Other officers for the 2020-21 year are: Chaplain, the Rev. James M. Dunfee; deputy grand knight, Mike Potenzini; chancellor, Matthew Hedmond; recorder Scott Fabian; treasurer, Mike Duska; financial secretary, John Daley; warden, Jack McGuire; inside guard, Keith Crispino; outside guard, Jim DiBiase; and trustees, Don Temple, Bill Della Penna and Baci Carpico.

"We are seeking any Catholic men 18 and older to join the Knights of Columbus," Zarych noted. "It is now easy to join by online or application. Go online at www.knights of Columbus and look under to join; once, there make sure to list Council 4361," added Zarych, noting he would receive an e-mail confirmation when someone has joined. "We need new blood and new brother knights," he added. Inquiries can be directed to mingokofc4361@comcast.net.

The council is making plans to have a combined 63rd Anniversary, Past Grand Knights, Awards, Tickets Sellers and Installation of Officers. "We will honor our chaplain of the year, youth of the year, family of the year and knight of the year," he said. The date will be at the end of July.

Buckeye North All Class

Reunion scheduled for Aug. 11

BRILLIANT -- The Buckeye North All Class Reunion will be held from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Aug. 11 at the Wells Township Park in Brilliant.

There will be music, food and games. It will mark celebrations of the Class of 1975's 45-year reunion, the Class of 1980's 40-year reunion; the Class of 1985's 35-year reunion; and the Class of 1990's 30-year reunion. "Come rekindle friendships and memories," a news release notes of the BYOB event. Social distancing will be observed, and masks are requested but not required.

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