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Grandmother provides strong link to Irish heritageMy grandmother would have read today’s edition of The Tribune-Democrat with a smile and twinkle in her eye.Myda McCartney was a blue-eyed fireball who provided the Irish blood that mingles with Dutch and German in my veins.And she would have loved this installment of our monthly ‘Homelands’’ series - the songs, recipes and sayings that have been passed down in the Irish traditions.My mother is one of Myda’s seven children it seems it was not an uncommon thing for farming families to have a lot of children during the yearsbefore World War II - with my grandfather, Roy Leathers.Perhaps it is Myda’s influence that makes me pause and listen when an Irish bandCHIP MINEMYERcmln#mytr®trlbd#m.comis singing about “green alligators and long-necked geese.” She wasn’t one for whiskey, but my grandmother lived life with an intensity and toughness that I’ve long associated with those whose ancestors came from Ireland.She loved to tell the story of a time when, while working in the yard, she dislocated her wrist. My grandmother said she looked down and saidaloud, “That doesn’t look right.” Then she snapped the wrist back into place and finished her chores.Myda loved playing board games, especially “Scrabble”- and almost always won.When my cousins and I would stay with her, we always got a lesson in using words that included an X or a Z, ways to get rid of the Q, and how to maximize those triple-score blocks.She loved to feed the sauir-rels behind her house ana watch birds - “There’s Jenny Wren,” she would say. - nesting nearby. And she always seemed to grow the biggest and most glorious flowers for miles around.She had a deep faith and a relentless love for her family.My grandmother’s been gone for more than twodecades now. But I think of her often, especially around St. Patrick’s Day.My wife and I always figured our daughter’s red hair came from Myda’s side of the family. It’s there as a tangible reminder of my grandmother.I suppose I carry Myda with me in my own eyes.And as sure as a shamrock brings luck, my memories of that wonderful Irish lady are secure in my heart.ChMring at ShowcaseThe AmeriServ Senior Hoops Showcase is - as its name would suggest - a basketball event.But when we started the all-star games in 2008, we also had the privilege of showcasing the region’s top competitive cheerleaders as well whenthe Turner’s All-Star Cheer-leading squads brought their energy to the floor.I’m pleased that the Turner’s cheerleaders will be back this year, when the AmeriServ Senior Hoops Showcase is staged April 10 at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center.Along with the top senior basketball players in the Cam-bria-Somerset region, those who come out for the Showcase will see routines by cheer squads that recently brought home an array of trophies from a national competition in Orlando. You can also see them in that competition on ESPN sometime in April.Here are the squads thatorganizers Kristi Clifford andTracey Koontz said will perform at the Senior Hoops Showcase:■ Turner’s Tiny’s (UCA National Champions “GoldMedalists”); ages 5 and under.■ Turner’s Mini Level 1 (UCA Bronze Medalists); ages 8 and under.■ Turner’s Juniors Level 3 (UCA National Champions “Gold Medalists”); ages 15 and under.■ Turner’s Mini Level 2 (UCA Silver Medalists); ages 8 and under.■ Turner’s Youth Level 2 (UCA 11th Place); ages 11 and under. *■ Turner’s Level 5 “Large Blue” (UCA Silver Medalist); ages 18 and under.Even if you aren’t a basketball fan, the talents and energy these groups bring to the floor will be worth the small price of admission.Chip Minemyer is the editorof The Tribune-Democrat. Hecan be reached at532-5091.
Newspaper Details
Johnstown Tribune Democrat
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, US
Sun, Mar 28, 2010
Page 10
Full Page
Clipped by
Tor M.
USA 06 Jul 2020
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