Backpack Bonanza: West View doctors host return-to-school giveaway

Thanks to a West View institution, plenty of youngsters became better prepared for the start of a new school year.

Heyl Family Practice’s first-ever Backpack Bonanza gave students the opportunity to choose from among all kinds of items for the classroom.

“For over 75 years we’ve been part of the community, and we wanted to figure out a way to give back,” Dr. Scott Heyl said about the Aug. 10 event. “We had patients, a lot of people in the community, our local food pantry, churches, businesses: Everybody was very gracious. They donated a lot of school supplies.”

He represents the third generation of physicians in the practice started by Dr. Frank Heyl, his grandfather, in 1948, and the Heyls’ office has been in the same Center Avenue building since 1953.

“It’s been really great taking care of the grandparents, the parents, the kids. There’s this continuity of generation after generation,” Dr. Louis Heyl, Frank’s son and Scott’s father, said during the Bonanza. “Even today, just talking with people, somebody will be here with a young child and say, ‘His grandmother comes here, has been coming here for many years.’”

Louis took over the practice in 1981 and has partnered with Dr. Donald Shoenthal for three decades. Dr. Matthew Macken and Dr. Brian Nolen are the other Heyl staff physicians.

For the Backpack Bonanza, Frank’s Pizza & Chicken and Center Avenue Slice donated slices of pizza and other munchables. The West View Volunteer Fire Department brought trucks for guests to peruse, and borough police officers were on hand to provide friendly greetings.

“Every kid who preregistered or comes today gets a backpack,” Scott Heyl said midway through the proceedings. “We partnered with local schools to get lists of what the kids would need, and so each of the backpacks has notebooks and pencils and crayons, depending on what grade you’re in.”

Youngsters could select from tables full of items to complete their supply necessities in accordance with their preferences. Providing assistance were members of the Heyl Family Practice staff.

“What they give to our patients and what they do to take care of our patients has just been amazing,” Scott said. “They’ve really bought into taking care of the community, as well. We’re really lucky — really lucky — to have them.”

The Heyls are part of Genesis Medical Associates Inc., an independent practice of primary care physicians. Among them is Scott’s wife, Dr. Rachelle Atrasz.

Heyl Family Practice opened a second office, in McCandless, 2½ years ago. But Louis Heyl gave his assurance about the original location.

“When people ask, ‘Are you going to stay in West View?’ I say, ‘Yeah. I’ll never leave West View.’ It’s the flagship,” he said. “It really is the bedrock of what our practice is all about.”