Living the Message...
Honoring those who show Respect, Dignity,
Respect
Helene Phelps has more than 40 years in the Black Berets. At just 17 years old,
she joined her cousin and a friend from Pittsburgh’s North Side in creating a step
team for girls whose families couldn’t afford to put their girls into performance
groups with high-priced dues.
“My parents were poor,” Helene recalled. “There was a group I wanted to be in,
but I couldn’t afford the boots. We got a few girls together and started doing our
own thing. We made something for ourselves.”
That go-getter attitude guaranteed success for Helene and for the Black Berets.
She has worked with generations of elementary-age and teen girls – instilling not
only dance skills, but everyday life lessons as well. With each generation, Helene
said, comes a new set of challenges. But with a bit of discipline and hard work,
anything is possible.
Helene said much of her work with the Black Berets is about teaching respect
and values. She wants girls to learn discipline in their craft, in their education and
in their social lives.
“I want to see these girls do well in school,” Helene said. “I want to see them go
to college. I want them to look at someone like Swin Cash, who had one of her
roots in the Black Berets, and know that they can make it, too.”
Helene credits her mother Mary Phelps, who passed away in October 2015, as a
great inspiration who kept her motivated, and in turn, helped her keep the Black
Berets going.
Helene also is a youth leader at St. Paul AME Church of McKeesport, applying
the same life lessons there as she conveys to the Black Berets
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Dignity
Janet Kulis, a trustee on the Kane Foundation board, has a special place in
her heart for the John J. Kane Regional Center of McKeesport.
Janet and her cousin, the late Joan Burns, formed the McKeesport Kane
Family Council in 2009, when their mothers were residents of the local
nursing home. Seeing a common need for information, and resources, the
council began as a source of support and encouragement to families and
friends whose loved ones lived at Kane.
The McKeesport Kame Family Council started with an education theme. It
was a means to exchange information and ideas. Over the years, the council
has brought enlightening speakers to Kane, including elder care attorneys,
representatives of the Department of Aging, local legislators, and staff from
the District Attorney’s office.
Janet and other members of the Kane family council work closely with
the Kane administration to guarantee their loved ones are living engaged,
dignified and fulfilling lives. They also apply for grant funding on behalf of
the residents – purchasing big-screen TVs for common areas, flat-screen
TVs for private rooms, automated external defibrillators, and other medical
equipment.
Janet carries on the Kane Family Council and other Kane initiatives in
Burns’ memory, including the Kane Walk 4 Fun each fall. This year’s event is
planned for September 17. Proceeds from the fun walk go toward special
events and extracurricular activities that keep Kane residents connected with
the community, including shopping trips, restaurant visits, Pirates baseball
games, Steeler camp visits, and entertainment.
26 McKeesport Area