Lifestyles

The show opened Saturday at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, and already five works have sold.

Juror John Bavaro, assistant professor of art at Edinboro University, said the high-quality entries from Western Pennsylvania artists made his job a difficult one.

"It's obvious by the consistent standard of excellence present in this exhibition that the 'state of the arts' is strong and well,'" Bavaro said in a written statement.

Maybe that's why there were two best of shows: Kevin Kutz's graphite drawing, "Tree with Turtle" and Ralph C. Welsh III's oil painting, "Courtney Farm #4."

Additional awards:

* Excellence: K. Rice Hunter, Philip Brulia and Thomas Bichko.

* Recognition: Maura Koehler Keeney, Elizabeth Myers Castonguay and Alexis Dillon.

* Merit: Barbara Kern-Bush and Kenneth Cotlar.

* Honorable mention: Kathryn Strutz, William Perry, JoAnne Lightner, Maureen Baird Wright and Rick Mowrey.

Introductory comments were by Vonnie Goldsborough with presentations by association president Don Stohl.

Seen at the opening: Oliver and Mary Kern, David and Linda Assard, Terry and Jeanne Graft, Mort and Gloria Hersch, Charles Percherke, Judith Morrow, Bill and Peg Panasiti, Kay Rowe, John and Sue Pollins, Bob and Joy Fairbanks, Bill O'Toole, Olga Gera, Herb and Phyllis Koehler, Don and Doreen Currie, Carolyn Falcon, George Berry, Glen and Katy Doran and Bill and Glenda Paxton.

Friday wasn't about St. Vincent's new stadium, infrastructure or business center: It was about celebrating the familiar.

That would be St. Vincent Theatre and beloved founder, the Rev. Tom Devereux.

Joe and Pat Reilly, producers of Ken Ludwig's "Leading Ladies," said that when Devereux established the theatre nearly 40 years ago, not only did he direct, he cleaned restrooms and parked cars.

"I think that's one of the reasons people always wanted to work for him," said Pat Reilly, a guest at the annual summer theatre gala. "He never asked a kid to do something he wouldn't do himself."

Gala proceeds will benefit the Fr. Tom Devereux O.S.B. Endowed Directorship, and will be used to pay for a permanent director.

The theme was black and white -- down to guest attire and the makeup on the mimes from Stage Right.

Stage Right artistic director Tony Marino, whose wife, Renata, is starring in "Leading Ladies," said the mimes represented comic mimicry through the ages, such as the Renaissance, harlequins and Marcel Marceau.

But they weren't the only mimes.

"I thought, 'How cool. Father Tom was a mime,'" said Marino, who has hosted mime workshops with Devereux. "I think it just fell upon serendipity that they decided to use mimes for the evening."

Co-chairpersons were Dr. George and Linda Austin.

For more information about a Sept. 29 ceremony honoring Devereux's service to the community of St. Vincent, call 724-805-2895.

Seen at the gala: Archabbot Douglas Nowicki, the Rev. Paul Taylor, David and Marie Gallatin, Rick and Lisa Hoffman, Sean and Candace Cassidy, Janie Belden, Debbie Reese, Don and Mary Lou Hacker, Jan Taylor and Pat Condo, Mud and Phyllis Kluska, Terry and Nina Daughenbaugh, Bill and Phil Dymond, Dan and Fran Harbaugh, George and Marilee Fetkovich, Bob and Jo Ann Lightcap, Chuck and Nancy Anderson, Dick and Barbara Flock, Chuck and Anita Manoli, Tom and Diane Luscombe, John and Sandra Marks, Dr. John and Dorris Parker, Fran and Prudence Perri, George Shaner and Michael Philopena, Nick and Rosemary Lopushansky, Luke and Justina Latimer, Dale and Darlene Latimer, Suzanne Mahady, Anne Aungier, Joan Davis, Jim and Pat Kelley and Joe and Virginia Greubel.

All 70 Eagle Scouts who attended the 49th annual Westmoreland-Fayette Council Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner have spent most of their lives striving for this goal. Thursday night, they were honored for their hard work at the Four Points by Sheraton near Greensburg.

The class of 2006 was named in honor of former Scout Executive Director Roger Rauch who held the position for nearly a decade. He was joined at the event by his wife, Sandy.

"For years, I went out in search of someone to name the classes after," Rauch said. "It's such an honor that they're doing the very same thing for me."

Matt Simmons spoke on behalf of his class, and then council commissioner Richard McKelvey Jr. awarded three $2,000 scholarships to Marc McCann. of North Huntingdon, Matthew Feczko, of Murrysville, and Douglas Komandt, of Delmont.

More than 130 others joined the Eagle Scouts at the dinner, including their parents and their sponsors. Skip Fox, a carpenter instructor at Triangle Tech said it was the first time he had ever mentored a Scout. Both he, and his protege Zachary David Matthews, share an interest in woodworking.

"I loved it," Fox said. "I'm not an Eagle Scout, so we had a lot to learn from each other."

Council President Eric Bononi and Scout Executive Patrick Lenz congratulated the group they called the future leaders of our region. Dave Delisi was the dinner chairman and event emcee, and the Rev. Frank Podolinski of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, of Greensburg, gave the blessing. The keynote speaker was Jim Towey, president of St. Vincent College in Unity Township. Committee members include Chuck Coldren, Dana Doppelheuer, Robert Gardner, Martin D. Newingham, and Paul Snyder, Sr.

-- Jennifer Miele, WTAE

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