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Community members focus of festival kickoff dinner

Several residents honored for their achievements and service to the community

SPECIAL RECOGNITION — Several Follansbee residents were recognized for their achievements and the role they have played in the community at the Follansbee Community Days kickoff dinner Sunday at St. Francis Centre. Participating were from left, front: honorees Hartzel Brady, Debbie Puskarich, Mara Pendergrast, Chris Manack-Stover and Joe Mullenbach; and back: honoree Scott Ewusiak, West Virginia University Mountaineer mascot Colson Glover, who was guest speaker; and Mayor David Velegol Jr. -- Warren Scott

FOLLANSBEE — As they prepare for the return of Follansbee Community Days, members of the festival’s volunteer committee and Mayor David Velegol Jr. honored several residents for their achievements and service to the community at a kickoff dinner Sunday at St. Francis Centre.

Following a hiatus imposed by the pandemic, the festival will return to the parking lot of the Follansbee Community House on July 9, 10 and 11.

Honorees Sunday included Debbie Puskarich, who was presented the Anthony Paesano Making a Difference Award.

Velegol noted the award was established by former mayor Paesano, who always shared a story about a girl rescuing dozens of starfish stranded on the beach by tossing them back into the ocean.

In the tale, an observer asks, because there are so many, if she can really make a difference. Stopping to throw another starfish into the water, the girl replied, “It made a difference to that one.”

Velegol said Puskarich has been making a difference through her leadership and membership in several civic groups, including the Follansbee Chamber of Commerce, 20th Century Woman’s Club and Weirton Business and Professional Women.

In such capacities, she has organized a job fair to help laid off steelworkers find employment, recognize veterans of the Vietnam War and educate women about health issues affecting them.

In accepting the award, Puskarich reflected on her partnership with Paesano, noting she served for 16 years as the chamber’s executive director while he was its president.

She said he met with her weekly through much of the year to discuss “things we could do in making a difference” for the community and he offered some advice.

That included avoiding negative people and surrounding yourself “with people who are smarter than you so you can learn something every day.”

Puskarich thanked those who have worked with her over the years and her family for their support.

Local businessman Scott Ewusiak was presented the Blue Wave Award, a new honor Velegol said will be given for significant achievement in the betterment of Follansbee.

Velegol noted Ewusiak’s efforts to repurpose former industrial property in the city as well as the former Follansbee Middle School and its Carlin Dodrill Field House, which has become a fitness center with specialized physical therapy services.

The mayor thanked Ewusiak for preserving the name of the school’s mascot by redubbing the facility the Bluewave Center.

Velegol added when the city was flooded a few years ago, Ewusiak volunteered his services and equipment for cleanup efforts.

Ewusiak also will serve as grand marshal of the Follansbee Community Days Parade.

The Mary Ruth Morris Humanitarian Award, named for the late operator of the Anderson Children’s Home, went to Joe Mullenbach, owner of Mullenbach Funeral Home.

Velegol noted the long-time funeral director has volunteered his time to boards overseeing Brooke Hills Park and the St. John Catholic Church food pantry, the Wellsburg Kiwanis Club, chairing its Christmas luminaria project among others; and leading cleanup efforts along local roads and in other areas.

The mayor said he recently learned Mullenbach quietly aided a fellow citizen in need during the last year.

For his efforts in many veterans groups, Hartzel Brady was presented the Major Benjamin Follansbee Award established in honor of a late Army Special Forces Commander who served in Iraq and whose grandfather was one for four brothers who founded Follansbee Steel.

Velegol Noted Brady has led the Ohio Valley Veterans Memorial Squad, which presents military honors at the funerals of area veterans and a rifle salute at Memorial Day and Veterans Day services; and Follansbee American Legion Post 45 as well as being a member of the Vietnam Veterans Support Group in Steubenville, Weirton Veterans of Foreign Wars and Pittsburgh chapter of Disabled American Veterans.

Chris Manack-Stover was recognized for her efforts to raise funds for Community Days, including her part in the committee’s spaghetti dinners and a very successful quarter auction; as well as her volunteer efforts with programs supported by Eastern Gateway Community College.

Manack-Stover discussed her children growing up in Follansbee and her happiness upon returning to the city in recent years while noting the efforts of her fellow committee members and others.

“My success with this committee is because we have a great team, great volunteers and a great community,” she said.

Velegol and the committee continued a tradition of recognizing local excellent athletes by honoring Mara Pendergrast, a recent Brooke High School graduate who capped several years in the school district’s track and field program by winning the girls’ high jump event at the state track championship, clearing the bar at 5 foot 4 inches.

The mayor noted Pendergrast also participated in cheering for nine years and plans to continue competing in track while attending West LIberty University this fall.

Pendergrast thanked her teammates, coaches and family, including her mother Carrie Ciccolella, for their support.

In recent years the dinner also has included the presentation of the Lou Holtz Silver Spoon Award established by the successful college football coach and Follansbee native.

Holtz said while he grew up poor, he considered himself fortunate because through his Follansbee roots, he learned the value of hard work, education and commitment to excellence.

Velegol said it was fitting that the award goes this year to all essential workers, from those in the healthcare field to others who met the needs of citizens, during the pandemic.

He encouraged all such workers to have their photos taken with the award following the dinner or at the City Building afterward.

Attendees also heard from Colson Glover, West Virginia University’s 67th Mountaineer mascot, who served as guest speaker.

Dressed in the deer leather buckskins and coonskin cap worn by numerous Mountaineer mascots over the years, Glover described his experiences in the role since last year and explained the workings of his musket, which is fired with straight black gun powder.

He said the appearance was one of more than 370 he has made since stepping into the role last March, though many had to be done virtually because of COVID-19.

Glover noted that unlike many other college mascots, his face can be seen, and he and his predecessors see themselves as representatives of the state as well as the university.

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