Greensburg neighborhood doesn't let covid-19 crash party

A group of Greensburg neighbors, some of whom have lived along the same street in the northern end of the city for at least 40 years, gathered Friday afternoon for a country music concert and fellowship that made the oft-used quote from Mister Rogers really ring true — it truly was a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

“I’ve been wanting to have a celebration,” said Karen Douglas, a retired Hempfield Area elementary librarian who organized what was dubbed the “Covid Quarantini Concert” at a cul de sac at the top of Birnam Drive.

“Some new people moved into the neighborhood, and no one knew who they were,” she said. “When things started slowing down (fewer restrictions), I thought this was a great opportunity to get everyone together. I felt there were two things that held us together — humor and music. So with music, what could be better?”

Douglas is somewhat “new to the neighborhood” of 24 residences — having lived there only 31 years — and raised her son and daughter in the house.

“Everybody stays here,” said Douglas, a Uniontown native.

The two-hour event featuring country music singer Gary Pratt of Greensburg attracted about 40 people, most of whom wore masks or maintained social distancing.

Among those who “stayed here” are Frank and Mary Stillman, who moved into the neighborhood in 1969, when it was being developed. Stillman, a Korean War veteran in his 80s, said he stayed there because it was so close to where he worked, pointing to the West Penn Power Co. office that is on the other side of his backyard.

Once two attorneys divided the former farm into lots and a developer began building houses, “it became a neighborhood real fast,” Stillman said, as he and his wife sat at the edge of their property, listening to music.

Attorney Jon Lewis and wife, Nina, joined the festivities. Looking around at the crowd, Jon Lewis said he saw “a bunch of people who were here when we moved in 1974.”

Nina joked that her two of three children who attended Greensburg Salem High School — one attended Greensburg Central Catholic — did not like walking to school because they missed out on riding the bus.

The youngest to attend was newborn Kennedy Manley, who spent time sleeping in the arms of her father, Derek, and mother, Deanna.

“It’s her first concert. She’s loving it,” Deanna Manley said.

One-year-old Everly Klingensmith was the youngest dancer to Gary Pratt’s music, kicking up her heels with her mother, Trista Klingensmith of Delmont, much to the delight of her grandmother, Stacie Matlas, her father, Ryan Klingensmith, and her aunt, Kayla Matlas.

“It basically fills your soul with happiness. It’s definitely needed,” said Trista Klingensmith of the music as she took a breather from gyrating with her tiny, but not yet tired, dancer.

“People are desperate for conversation,” Stacie Matlas said.

Matlas praised Douglas for organizing the event.

“She is the most caring, generous person. She is the epitome of the Goodwill Ambassador,” Matlas said.