Hope and Love
Hope
Jason Togyer is a lifelong resident of the Mon Valley.
A former newspaper reporter at the Observer-Reporter of Washington, Pa., the McKeesport Daily News and the Tribune-Review of Greensburg, Pa., Togyer is the founder and executive director of Tube City Community Media Inc., a nonprofit corporation that runs the Tube City Online and McKeesport Obituaries websites as well as Internet radio station WMCK. FM.
A graduate of Serra Catholic High School and Carnegie Mellon University, he is a member of the vestry at St. Stephen’ s Episcopal Church in McKeesport, a board member of the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center as well as WRCT Radio Inc. in Pittsburgh, and a vice president of the G. C. Murphy Co. Foundation in McKeesport.
Jason’ s love of history and his marketing talents brought him to the forefront of McKeesport’ s plan to market its recently acquired the former Penn-McKee Hotel at Fifth Avenue and Strawberry Alley. Built in 1926 with a solid frame of steel and concrete, this once-booming hotel was designed by architect Benno Janssen.
The hotel was widely popular and earned the saying that if something of significance happened in the Mon Valley,“ it probably happened at the Penn-McKee.” That includes a debate between then-freshmen Congressmen Richard M. Nixon and John F. Kennedy on the Taft-Hartley Labor Act.
Drawing on the architectural and historic significance of the Penn-McKee, Jason pieced together a marketing packet to sell the former hotel as a new destination in the McKeesport cityscape. With an untouchably positive perspective on revitalization, Jason shares the city’ s vision for a multi-faceted rebirth of the Penn-McKee, which could include anything from retail storefronts to office space, or even a chic hotel component. Formerly assistant director of communications at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science in Pittsburgh, on Aug. 22 he became communications manager for the Mon Valley Initiative in Homestead. He and his wife, Denise L. Ritter, live in the Morton Plan section of West Mifflin borough.
CITY OF MCKEESPORT NEWS
cKeesport
Living the Message...
Love
Arlen Harper is committed to his spirituality and to the youth of McKeesport. At just 22 years old, he has become a community leader through his involvement at Trinity Church of God in Christ.
In 2012, Arlen started a youth organization called The Future is Ours, which helps children of all ages work to better themselves and the community in which they live. While the organization doesn’ t host formal meetings, it plans community events and gives children a place to go.
Arlen’ s role within the Trinity Church of God in Christ has given him the courage to reach out to his community. As a young minister, he believes his faith is strong enough to have a positive impact on others.
Focusing on Ephesians 4:3-6, Arlen’ s love of the community grew this year in his development of the Spirit of Praise gospel jubilee. Partnering with the McKeesport Area Ministerium and bringing together church groups of various denominations, Arlen sought to open Renziehausen Park to the sights and sounds of creative displays of faith. Spirit of Praise featured choral groups, soloists, praise dancers and mime troupes together to share in their faith.
The message of Ephesians, Arlen said, is important in today’ s society because it is about peace and hope:“ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Arlen is a 2012 McKeesport Area High School graduate who is studying criminal justice administration and cyber crimes at the University of Phoenix. He is a local constable in McKeesport.
The McKeesport Message Committee, a subgroup of McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko’ s Select Committee on Crime and Violence, invites the public to nominate community members who exemplify the words,“ Respect, Dignity, Hope and Love.”
McKeesporters of all ages – from youth volunteers to senior citizens – display characteristics of Respect, Dignity, Hope and Love on a daily basis in our community. Whether through organizing community activities or offering a helping hand to those in need, everyday people are doing their part to make our city a better place. If we look within our schools, our neighborhoods, our churches and our service organizations, we will find acts of kindness for which we all can be proud. Living the Message awards are intended to showcase these individuals and give the community an opportunity to share its good news. Awards are given quarterly. Using 250 words or fewer, describe how the individual of your choice embodies one of the four words. For more information, contact the mayor’ s office at 412-675-5020, ext. 605. Nominations can be mailed to the mayor’ s assistant Jennifer Vertullo, 500 Fifth Avenue,
McKeesport, PA 15132, or emailed to jen. vertullo @ mckeesport-pa. gov. The deadline for the next round of nominations is October 31, 2016.
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