Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.  ~Fred Rogers

Me during a Winterguard performance at Latrobe High School. We were wearing yellow ribbons in support of our troops during Desert Storm.  c.1990

Being a Latrobe native, I have a special place in my heart for the city of Latrobe. Actually, let’s face it, I can’t just say I’m from Latrobe, I exude of Latrobe pride. Yep, I am a Latrobean through and through. Some may know Latrobe for the originator of Rolling Rock Beer or being the home of the Steeler Training Camp. But there is so much more to Latrobe, unbeknownst to many, including myself until I started digging.  Since I just recently brought a Thrill of the Hunt Doggie in Disguise? Scavenger Hunt? to Latrobe, here are some fun facts about my hometown.  On a side note, if you get a moment, check out the pictures from the Doggie in Disguise Scavenger Hunt.  They are hilarious!

First let’s start with the pronunciation of Latrobe.  It is correctly pronounced (leɪˈtroʊb), with the “LA”, in front of TROVB.  However, if you are a native to Latrobe you pronounce it (lay-trobe) with a long “A” sound.  Subtle, but a huge noticeable difference.

 Random Fun Facts: Latrobe, Pennsylvania

United States Census Bureau

• Population was 8,235 (2012)
• 2.16 persons per household (2007-2011)
• Land area in square miles – 2.23 (2010)
• Persons per square mile – 3,600.2 (2010)
• Situated in the eastern part of Westmoreland County, in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands region

Founding

• In 1750, recorded of first white man
• Christopher Gist (surveyor for the Ohio Company) passed through Latrobe
• In 1765, many owned land in Latrobe including first Congressman to represent Westmoreland County,William Findley
• In 1851, official founding of Latrobe began when Oliver Barnes (civil engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad) purchased Thomas Kirk’s 140-acre farm
• Latrobe was named after Barnes college roommate, Benjamin Latrobe
• Benjamin Latrobe never set foot in the town
• 1852 founded by Oliver Barnes, a civil engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad
• In May of 1854, Latrobe was officially incorporated
• In June of 1854, a borough government was established (at a meeting in the home of David Williams, contractor for the Pennsylvania Railroad)
• Latrobe is named after Barnes best friend & college classmate, Benjamin Latrobe
• Benjamin Latrobe was a civil engineer for the B&O Railroad
• Benjamin’s father, Benjamin Henry Latrobe was the architect who rebuilt the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. after the War of 1812
• Youngstown, Pa. was established more than 50 years before Latrobe (George Washington stayed in the Youngstown Hotel)
• About 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh
• Early residents included Delaware, Shawnee, Seneca and Mingoe Indians (fished in the Loyalhanna River)
• In 1999, declared a city

Greater Latrobe Marching Band (part of) senior night. Yes, the Colorguard were pirates! c. 1993

Originators

• One of the first in the nation to use Pay-per-Parking app
• Home of golf legend Arnold Palmer – born & raised
• Home of Mr. Fred Rogers – born, raised & died
• Home of the Steelers Training Camp at Saint Vincent College
• In 1770s, the Unity Chapel was built (Presbyterian)
• In 1780s, the first Catholic parish was formed
• In the 1840s, The Benedictine Monks were established in Latrobe
• In 1852, the Pennsylvania Car Works began building railroad cars
• In 1900, first Jewish congregation, the Beth Israel was established
• In 1904, pharmacist David Strickler created the banana split
• In 1910, Latrobe Area Hospital began with the School of Nursing
• In 1927, Latrobe Public Library started  (2,500 volumes – 500 books issued first day opened)
• George Hamilton Adams (freight agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad) left in his will for a new building for the library
• In 1954, the new library opened named Adams’ Memorial Library in his honor
• In 1938, Kennametal, global leader of mining and construction tooling, and national leader of metalworking products was established

Even More

• Latrobe Art Center offers classes for budding artists and exhibits local artists’ work
• Built in 1903, the Latrobe Train Station (DiSalvo’s Station) functioned as a railroad station up to 1970
• In the 1980s, the train station was restored and in 1986 was registered as a national historic landmark
• The DiSalvo family purchased the train station in 1989 – added Italian restaurant
• Amtrak service is available in the historic landmark train station (houses DiSalvo’s Station- fine Italian restaurant)
• Westmoreland Scenic Railroad offers a train ride through the Laurel Highlands
• Today Latrobe Area encompasses the city of Latrobe, Derry and Unity Townships, and the boroughs of Derry, New Alexandria and Youngstown

Christy Queer, Andrea Shafran & Me the Captains of Colorguard/Winterguard our senior year. 1993-1994

Greater Latrobe Schools

• Students who take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT) consistently score above state and national averages
• Over 80% of graduates go on to post-secondary education (either 2 or 4 year college or trade school)
• Computer instruction begins in kindergarten
• All 3 elementary schools are lined into the district-wide network
• All middle and high school students and faculty members have their own laptops computers lined to building-wide networks by wireless connections (NETSchools)
• GLSD was the 1st school in Pennsylvania to implement a program of NETSchools initiative – all students have immediate access
• In 1936, the Special Collection was started by 2 teachers to develop the students’ appreciation for the arts
• Greater Latrobe Senior High School has the Center for the Student Creativity – designed to integration the arts into education
• Greater Latrobe Senior High School houses the Special Collection of Greater Latrobe School District (about 200 works of original regional art)

As I was holding the Dog Gone!  Scavenger Hunt in New Hope, Kyle and I met up with my cousins Dr. John Olczak and his wife Sherry.  While we were catching up during lunch, John was reliving his undergrad days at Saint Vincent with Kyle.  He also mentioned that his dad, my Uncle Frank and my grandpap Chester, along with all the other brothers, Uncle Tex, Uncle Walter they used to caddy at the Latrobe Country Club.  Now that he said that, I kind of remember hearing about it,  However, what I didn’t know was my grandpap and his brothers were taught to golf by the same man who taught Arnold Palmer.  True story!

Arnold Palmer

• His childhood home was close to the 6th hole at the Latrobe Country Club
• His father was the club’s course superintendent & golf professional
• At 11 years old started caddying
• By 17 years old won his first 5 West Penn Amateur Championships
• Attended Wake Forest University then joined the Coast Guard for 3 years
• Married Winifred (Wini) Waltzer
• In the fall of 1954 turned golf professional
• Won 92 championships in professional competitions starting in the 1955 Canadian Open
• During the 1960s, National Associated Press poll named him the “Athlete of the Decade”
• Won the Masters Tournament 4 times
• Won the British Open 2 times
• Won the U.S. Open once

Marching in the Latrobe Parade… the Colorguard wasn’t so lucky to wear T-shirts & shorts.  Sequins in heat is not pretty!  c. 1991

Mr. Fred Rogers

• Born in Latrobe in 1928
• Mr. Rogers Neighborhood was inspired by the streets of Latrobe
• In 1953, he joined the staff of WQED Pittsburgh (nation’s first community-sponsored educational television station)
• In 1955, won the Sylvania Award for best locally-produced children’s program “The Children’s Corner” (featured music & puppets)
• In 1963, ordained as a Presbyterian minister
• In 1966, debut of “MisteRogers”, became national in 1968
• Show was renamed Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood so began the famous trolley and “Land of Make Believe” populated by Lady Elaine, Fairchilde, Kind Friday XIII and Henrietta Pussycat
• Recipient of 2 George Foster Peabody Awards and “Lifetime Achievement” Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the TV Critics Association
• In 2002, President George W. Bush presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom (nation’s highest civilian honor)
• Died in February 2003

Arnold Palmer Regional Airport

• Charles B. Carroll, a Scottdale resident would use Saint Vincent Aviation field as a landing (meadow of clover on a hilltop at Saint Vincent College)
• In 1919, 2 Army Pathfinders made an emergency landing
• Carroll leased the pasture at the junction of Lincoln Highway and Manito Road (now US Rt. 30 & Rt. 981)
• In 1924,  Longview Flying Field was open for business
• Built hangers to house the military army surplus planes
• The pilots were soon called “Longview Boys” or “Carroll’s Hooligans”
• In 1926, Longview Flying Field held 4 aricraft – 4th highest in Pennsylvania
• Longview Flying Field ranked 4th highest in number of flights and 3rd in number of passengers
• Carroll renamed the field J.D. Hill Airport, 4 years after opening (in honor of his friend who was killed in 1927 during an attempt to cross the Atlantic to Italy
• In 1935, christened Latrobe Airport after Carroll and Latrobe joined forces to expand runways
• May 12, 1939, the Latrobe Airport (now Arnold Palmer Regional Airport) hosted the country’s first scheduled airmail pickup
•  In 1950, the former farmland was formally purchased from the Kerr family by Latrobe Borough
• Next few years the Tri-County Municipal Authority was formed
• In 1958, Bruno Ferrari took over management, then became known as the Westmoreland-Latrobe Airport (officially a commercial facility)
• 20 years later became known as Westmoreland County Airport
• In 1999, renamed in celebration of Arnold Palmer
• Today handles about 50,000 aircraft departures and landings each year
• Runway can accommodate aircraft up to a 727
• 125 planes are based there (half are for business use and half for recreational use)
• Amenities include: free parking, flight training (Westmoreland Aviation), aircraft maintenance, car rental, charter service, restaurant (DeNunzio’s), travel agency and gift shop
• US International Airways maintains a terminal
• A study by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation found that the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport contributes to $51 million annually to the economics of the surrounding area

During a Latrobe football game.. I could never sit there that long without moving around…c. 1993

Football

• In 1895, John Brallier was one of the earliest football players to openly turn pro
• Brallier’s compensation was $10 plus expenses when agreed to play for the Latrobe YMCA against Jeannette Athletic Club
• In 1897, Latrobe Athletic Association was the 1st to field a team made up entirely of paid professional players that played a full season
• Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp at Saint Vincent College since 1969 – 3rd longest continuously running site in the National Football League

Rolling Rock Beer

• In 1939, Rolling Rock began brewing beer by the Latrobe Brewing Company in downtown Latrobe
• 4.6% abv (alcohol by volume) pale lager
• Mid 2006 sold to Anheuser-Bush (Moved to Newark, NJ)
• 7 oz. bottle of beer that became known as a “pony”
• Number 33 is printed prominently on all bottles of Rolling Rock
• Many speculation about the number 33
• • The “33″ refers to the founding year of the Pittsburgh Steelers
  • 33 degrees is the proper temperature to keep beer
  • Latrobe test-brewed 33 batches of beer before coming up with the final formula for Rolling Rock (which I thought was a recipe from the Saint Vincent Monks)
  • There were exactly 33 stair steps from the brewmaster’s office to the brewing floor in the original Latrobe brewery
  • The PA fish & game commission at the turn of the century numbered the streams within the commonwealth and the water that was used to brew this beer was taken from the stream numbered 33
  • Marked the repeal of prohibition in 1933
  • “33″ signifies the 33 words in the beer’s original pledge of quality, which is still printed on every bottle
  • An executive wrote “33″ at the end of the slogan, indicating the number of words, to be used as a guide for the bottle printers. Assuming it was part of the text and incorporated it into the label graphics

• The current pledge is on the 12 oz. bottles, while the “little nip” pledge is from the 7 oz. bottle version

A little nip from the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe. We tender this package as a premium beer for your delight and economical use. It comes from the mountain springs to you.

—Original pledge written on the Rolling Rock bottle

Adventure is worthwhile in itself.  ~Amelia Earhart

Jenny Singer & Me at Steerlerfest 2013 at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. 8/2/13

I’ve always loved adventure, always!  I can turn a simple trip to the local grocery store into an adventure.  And I’d be happy to write about it and tell the story over and over again, refining it and intensifying it with each pass.  That’s probably why I enjoy traveling so much!  It’s the adventure I love, the journey, the sometimes unexpected and unknown, new discoveries, the eye opening moments and the opportunity to learn first hand.  I love it all.  So I guess it’s no surprise that my sister and I embarked on a little adventure of our own, The Piper Corporation.

Mentioning it a time or two, we started The Piper Corporation, which currently has two divisions, Thrill of the Hunt (www.ThrillScavengerHunt.com) a company that develops and administers themed scavenger hunt events for the public and packages for private birthday parties, fundraisers and business functions; and SpyRing (www.SpyRing.com) the world of spies and espionage brought to life through a simple to play educational card game for children, that reinforces scholastic school subjects including reading and reading comprehension.  Yes, that’s a lot to do and a lot to take in!  Hence, why I am focusing my efforts towards Thrill of the Hunt.  It requires less resources, we have the potential to see immediate results, it’s easier to get in the hands of the public and we have the opportunity to indirectly help small businesses and local communities.

Jenny Singer helping the kids play our fishing game at Steelerfest 2013, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. 8/2/13

Recently, last Friday, I was at Steelerfest 2013 at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.  I had a booth to promote Thrill of the Hunt.  As part of reaching out to the Steeler fans, I created a game for the kids to play as they stopped by my tent.  After all, it’s not always about making money, sometimes it’s just as important to support the community, even if it was from a magnetic fishing game standpoint.

Creating this game just for something simple and cheap for the kids to do, I personally thought it was kind of stupid and I thought no child would want to participate.  How wrong I was!  Purchasing small random items at the dollar store and gluing magnets to them, I placed the items in a small plastic kid pool for the kids to fish.  We used Kyle’s old plastic fishing pools that I “sooped” up with larger magnets.  Hence where I got the idea.  These poles were made new again when I saw them sitting with dad’s actual fishing polls in his office.  Brilliant!  To make it Thrill of the Hunt challenging, I made up riddles for each item.  Jenny Singer, my Thrill of the Hunt Team Member, who graciously helped me out all day (including setting up the tent and our table of stuff and tearing down) read the riddles to the kids and they had to first figure out the answer and then they had to fish for the item.  What did they win?  A Thrill of the Hunt stamp on their hand.  It was a hit!  Not only were the little kids lining up to join the fun, but the young-ins around Kyle’s age wanted to play too!  I was flabbergasted and excited!

Jenny Singer working the Thrill of the Hunt’s tent at Steelerfest 2013, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe Pa. 8/2/13

On a side note, Jenny was such a tremendous help!  Sincerely, with her hard work and suggestions, the day went off without a hitch.  She is a hard worker!  Never once did I hear her complain, speak negatively about anything, heck she didn’t even take a lunch break.  She was in it with me for the long haul.  Such a great little girl.  Jenny is already a success in life and over time she it’s only going to intensify.  I know it!

Jenny Singer giving the kids at Steelerfest clues to figure out for the fishing game. Steelerfest 2013 Saint Vincent College, Latrobe Pa. 8/2/13

On another side note, I missed my Kyle terribly.  He is always at my side helping me with functions such as this one.  Kyle is, and will always be my inspiration.  He is also a busy little man with a lot going on, maybe next year!  Although we do have the Banana Split Fest coming up in Latrobe!  I’m sure I can count on his assistance.

Thinking about it, maybe entrepreneurship is in my blood.  After all my pappy started his own business, Walter Piper & Sons Lumber, his own sawmill, like many of the Piper’s before and after him.  Pap was not scholastically smart, only finishing out the fifth grade due to a lack of opportunity and support.  I mean he could barely write his own name, yet he had something, something not a lot of people have.  I’m not sure if it was vision, natural business skills, or a guardian angel.  Maybe it was all the above.  I will say, my pap was great at math!  I mean quick!  He could add and subtract simple math, figure out decimals and add and subtract fractions like he was a calculator.  That doesn’t surprise me.  He adapted to his surroundings, and working with wood in the wood industry, you need to learn measurements and to do them without thought, with one hundred percent accuracy.  I’m guessing similar to carpenters and construction workers.  I bet if pap had the opportunity he would have been able to do higher level math.

Me & Jenny Singer at Steelerfest 2013. Sporting our Thrill of the Hunt Tees. Saint Vincent College, Latrobe Pa. 8/2/13

On the opposite, pap had certain qualities, which were not very business smart.  He was too nice.  I know what sounds mean, but he was!  He would take people on their word to pay him, or he would shake on a deal and trust that was enough.  Pap came from the old time when those practices were honored and upheld.  The world was changing around him and pap remained the same.  My brother was a lot like pap.  They both possessed the same business sense, yet their hearts were two sizes too big and they wholeheartedly trusted everyone’s word.  I can admit that I am guilty of the same, even to this day, but I’ve learned some cruel lessons over the years to not be so blind.

The sawmill sustained for quite a few years after pap’s death, the timber industry is a tough one to thrive in, let alone keep your head above the water with obstacles in the way.  But my pappy did the best he could with the resources he had.  I can only speculate what kind of businessman pap would have been if he had a formal education.  He naturally had a marketing mind.  How do I know?  Just from simple things he did without anyone telling him what to do, like giving out baseball caps and pens sporting the company name.

Steelerfest 2013 at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe Pa. Thrill of the Hunt was part of the vendors & had a kids fishing game! 8/2/13

Working for oneself certainly has its benefits, equal to its challenges.  Let’s start off with my day.  I love making my own hours and not having my schedule dictated by others, at least not entirely.  I wake up around 5:00 am, go to the gym come back and get started by 6:30 am or 7:00 am.  Since I am the workforce, all design, writing, PR, advertising, social marketing, website updates, scavenger hunt planning, business development and such are up to me!  I love every minute of it!  Granted sometimes it’s hard working solo, but I do have my sister and friends to kick around ideas.

The biggest perk of being an entrepreneur?  No it’s not working for myself, and that’s not a good enough reason, nor is it wanting to be the boss making me the top dog or the leader.  Putting yourself in a position of leadership, doesn’t make a leader.  The way I look at it, my customers are my bosses and a good leader can lead in any situation.  No, it’s knowing I’m filling a niche, something new, something never been done before.  It’s giving people adventure while embarking on my own adventure.  It’s falling and getting back up and learning from my mistakes.  It’s also knowing I can indirectly help small businesses and local communities by bringing awareness to these areas.

Steelerfest 2013 at Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. Thrill of the Hunt was part of the vendors! 8/2/13

How do I do this?  Simply, when I bring a Thrill of the Hunt Scavenger Hunt Event to an area, I create my game to crisscross around the neighborhood, bringing unknown nooks and crannies of the community to light.  I also use the small businesses as part of my scavenger hunts, driving traffic directly into their doorsteps.  My heart and soul is in local merchants and quaint little towns, couple that with my love of adventure and you have Thrill of the Hunt!

Yes, there is also the negative side of being an entrepreneur, but I would prefer to stick with the positives.  Stop by the website and peruse the Events and Packages or Suggest An Event.  I’d love to hear from you!

Remember, everyone needs to …. Experience the Game!