Letter
I’ve been working in the journalism field since 2001, when I was a student at the University of Pittsburgh. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing countless people over the years, everyone from the girl next door to the shop owner down the street, from professional athletes like Ben Roethlisberger and James Harrison, entrepreneur Mark Cuban and rock stars including Rob Zombie, Tommy Lee and Bret Michaels. Every now and then, I get lucky enough to do an interview that’s more powerful, meaningful and full of quotable quotes than usual.
I got lucky in mid-November when I sat down with Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, who likely needs no introduction. She was named Person of the Year in the 2018 Best of the Best community choice awards that the Observer-Reporter has done for the past two years. I knew that she had won that honor, and that was one of the reasons we wanted to feature her on the cover of this issue. We did the interview mere hours before the event – me knowing that she won, and her having no idea. “I didn’t ask for this and I don’t know what to do with it,” she said during our interview about Best of the Best. “The other two people (Life Church Washington’s Aaron Miller and Trinity Area School District assistant superintendent Donald Snoke) are wonderful and I’ll be happy no matter how it goes. My young people are very excited!”
She’s had myriad awards, accolades and honors over the years, and rightfully so. As she was speaking, so much of what she said resonated with me. Sifting through my notes and the hour-plus tape of our conversation, I had difficulty paring things down and choosing what to include in the piece – which practically wrote itself, by the way. But my simple conclusion is that we need more people like Mary Jo in this world. You can read the story on page 16.
On page 20, writer Kristin Emery checked out – no pun intended – some of Washington County’s Little Free Libraries. They’re small structures that are all over – sort of like bird houses, but for books, and if you blink or aren’t paying attention, you might miss them. But they’re a welcome addition to our communities, providing all sorts of books to those who want them. The mantra is “take a book, share a book.” Technically you don’t have to return what you borrow, as there is no one keeping inventory, but readers are encouraged to replace one book with another, to continue spreading literature and literacy. In an age where digital is king, it’s refreshing to know that there are still folks out there that appreciate the printed pages of a physical book.
On page 24, take a trip back to your childhood with staff writer Katie Anderson, who writes about the Canonsburg antique toy store Where the Toys Are. Be prepared for memories and heavy waves of nostalgia when you walk in to the store, as its shelves contain toys that date back to the early 1900s and before. Unfortunately, that store has fallen victim to the digital age, as its hours are now limited and it will eventually close, moving some of its inventory to a space in Washington Crown Center’s Crown Antique Mall and all of its inventory online.
Perhaps reading this issue might open up your mind and open up your heart a bit. Perhaps it will take you back to a simpler time. Perhaps it will send you on a trip down memory lane. My hope is that during this holiday season, it brings you joy in some small way.
See you in 2019,