It’s the first weekend in June, every year. We drove over Sunday afternoon, about a 90 minute trek from the city. We heard it was packed on Friday and Saturday but we were happy with a modest crowd.
The music energizing and festive. The dancers enjoying themselves as they zipped around the floor in the pavilion. A little rain didn’t dampen the spirit.
Watch- click One minute video of polka fest
People’s Gas Park in Johnstown was the location
Do you Polka?
Tonight Steve and I were fortunate to attend the Kidney Gift of Life Gala -30th Anniversary at Heinz Field.
Pearls and Diamonds were the theme for the evening. Music was by a terrific band Protege (see video below)
Event Chairs were David J. Levenson, MD, Debra Caplan, MPA,and Beth M. Piraino, MD.
Many others volunteer and committees put in long hours of work to make the Gala evening such a wonderful success.
You might be familiar with his voice-Emcee- Jeff Hathhorn of KDKA 1020 Radio did a great job.
The Executive Director of the National Kidney Foundation Serving the Alleghenies, Erin L. Tuladzieck made opening remarks and then the Board Chair, Tom Ali thanked the members of the board and had them stand for a round of applause.
The Danka family spoke of their journey with kidney disease and multiple kidney transplants for three of them.
We learned a lot about kidney disease, kidney research and kidney transplantation and the need for increased funding. Also, the importance of increased awareness became clear as we heard the statistics. One in seven people will be affected by kidney disease. Millions of people already deal with it and many more people are walking around and don’t even know that they have kidney disease. Yet!
March is National Kidney Month.
We watched the screens as the ten minutes challenge to reach a goal of ten thousand dollars netted more than twenty thousand dollars in donations. They’ll be matched dollar for dollar. Very exciting to watch the temperature rise and go over. Wow!
When you scroll down you can see the photograph I donated to the event’s silent auction. 
Happy Eighth Birthday Maura Clare.
Aunt Lala took this picture of Maura carrying her cousin Charlie
November 17, 2008 October 2016
Maura loves arts and crafts, swimming, piano lessons, dancing, going to the Children’s Museum in Pittsburgh and taking good care of her dolls. She brings a lot of energy and spirit to the party, that is for sure! Have a wonderful birthday, Maura.
Love from Grandma Frooey.
Hope you like your birthday blog. You can always check out some more photos of when you were little here on your 6th birthday blog.
What happened to ‘ I think I’ll be six forever and ever”?
Congratulations Nicki and Jeff. What a fun wedding. Thanks for allowing me to blog a first peek at some of the photos. Love the umbrella shots
Wishing you every happiness, always. Ruth
Staying dry inside the shelter of the Carousel Gazebo- Alameda Park, Butler PA
Not raining yet.
Nicki’s bridal portrait
The cookie table spread was a gift from friend Ellen and they were delicious. A lot of baking.
Tampa Florida is his birthplace.
You’ve seen him sport the orange and blue in the scarlet and gray Buckeye Country.
Michael Joseph is 9- August 21st.
Last single digit birthday. An avid Lego® builder, likes to play chess and is a good swimmer in the pool.
Happy Happy Birthday Michael.
love, your Grandma
With Mom Erika at Cousin Vicci and Ben’s Wedding 2014
and dancing at the wedding
Michael has been featured on the blog many times but today is his day. In fact this photo was my first post on the blog
And just last weekend he did the WipeOut Obstacle Course at Ohio State TWICE!
If you follow the blog for a time, you notice my friend, the top commenter, Sue Reinfeld.
Her daughter was married in a beautiful ceremony Sunday afternoon at Stone Manor in Middletown , Maryland.
Steve and I were glad we could share in the happy celebration. We left for home (Pittsburgh) as the sun was setting.
Granddaughters Anna and Maura and Cousin Parker- a junior bridesmaid and two flower girls for their Cousin Victoria’s wedding in June!
Anna found an empty room at the back of the hall and they were dancing and twirling in the available light from the window.
They had been so good watching all the gifts opened and had a moment of feeling free in their fancy dresses.
Cousin Parker dancing in the light
Here they were earlier watching the bride open all her lovely gifts
You could really say it glowed-
We spent a good part of the day together, Maura (3) and I. Her brothers and sister at a swim meet for hours.
Got jammied up for nigh time.Then came out into the setting sun with Murphy and danced around in the driveway.
The angle of the sun does amazing things as it prepares to slip away for the day. Had just the iPhone with me.
