John Bertoty, a retired educator and administrator in the McKeesport Area School District, has been at the helm of Blueroof Technologies since 2002, when this organization introduced smart home technology in mobile cottages based in the McKeesport community.
Blueroof Technologies is a nonprofit corporation that uses“ innovation, invention and entrepreneurship” to help senior citizens and disabled individuals remain in their homes while giving students an opportunity to learn new technological skills and become productive citizens.
With Blueroof homes giving hope to seniors, disabled veterans and other individuals interested in technology-aided residential support, Bertoty has been spreading the word about smart homes and linking potential residents with homes of the future.
Most recently, Blueroof Technologies partnered with the McKeesport Area School District and Penn State Greater Allegheny to create an accessible home built by building construction students. This singlelevel, three-bedroom home known as the Tiger Vet House was moved to a lot in White Oak and awarded to an area veteran through the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Partnering organizations included
Hope the Pittsburgh Steelers, FedEx, The Home Depot, Peoples Gas, Rusmer Carpet One Floors, Puskar Heating & Air Conditioning, and White Oak American Legion Post 701.
Without Bertoty’ s long-term vision for Blueroof Technologies and his commitment to the McKeesport Area communities, SSgt. Michelle Satterfield and her son Hunter would not be making a new home for themselves in White Oak.
This outreach gives hope to anyone who could benefit from Blueroof’ s services, and Bertoty plans to continue Blueroof’ s partnership with the McKeesport Area School District and Penn State Greater Allegheny through the TigerVet program.
City of McKeesport News
cKeesport
Acting out of love for her community and the Earth, Joanne Welch has been a longtime neighborhood volunteer, community organizer and environmental activist in the city of McKeesport.
When the Welch family moved to McKeesport’ s Haler Heights neighborhood in
Love
1985, Joanne became involved in the Haler Heights Task Force and McKeesport Joint Task Force. She’ s played a role in neighborhood beautification by cochairing planting programs in common green spaces. She also has promoted unity among neighbors by hosting National Night Out picnics and organizing community walks.
“ Some of the neighborhood children who were in strollers when we started this are now graduating high school,” Joanne said.“ We now have a younger generation getting involved in the neighborhood with their families.”
Joanne believes that being an active member of the community means sharing your strengths and skills for the benefit of others.
As a self-taught, casual gardener Joanne learned her hobby through her involvement in garden clubs and other programs. As a member of the Joyful Bloomers club and inspired by her granddaughter’ s growing interest in the outdoors, Joanne started a junior gardening program roughly 10 years ago with the idea of connecting children to the environment. That program has taken a new direction and is now known as the Angora Gardens Junior Gardeners, which invites area children to take part in planting classes and crafting sessions while learning from specialized guest speakers.
For two years, Joanne has co-chaired McKeesport’ s participation in the University of Pittsburgh Make a Difference Day and the“ Respect Our City, Respect Our Earth” electronics recycling and community awareness event. With these efforts, Joanne is increasing awareness and opportunities for environmental involvement 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...
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 July 31, 2016.
McKeesport Area | Summer 2016 | icmags. com 43