University Times

Comeback for a tradition: The return of Pitt Day at Kennywood included food and activities for kids and adults. Cheerleaders and members of several Pitt sports teams joined children on a treasure hunt; other kids’ activities included face painting, balloon animals and games. There were more than 40 prize baskets, gift certificates and silent auction items up for grabs this year, and of course a picnic lunch was served to the 1,900 staff and family members in attendance.

The Staff Association Council (SAC) sold 1,900 tickets for this year’s Pitt Kennywood Day, which organizing committee head Marissa Arlet called “a reasonably good turnout.”

Also in attendance were members of the Pitt football, men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as representatives of the Pitt cheerleaders and dance team.

According to Arlet, the resumption of this annual activity after a year’s hiatus was well-received. “People enjoyed having it back,” she said. “A family from Pitt-Johnstown came and it was their first time at Kennywood.

“We did some things differently with the distribution of prizes and it seemed as if people enjoyed that,” she added.

The winners of the silent auction prizes were Ron Hannan (Pitt football/homecoming experience), Stephen Costlow (Pitt staff experience), Buck Thornton (Pittsburgh hotel/museum experience) and Meg Hannan (Oakland dining experience).

Among the winners of the basket drawings were Rebecca Martz, Sharmelca Wilson, Paul Supowitz, Deb Lersch,

Deb Trush, Amy Gida, Jay Gayton, Siema Dalessandro, Tiwanda Taylor, Margie Matesa, Ti Benson, Carrie Burte, Stacy Crawford, Thad Clark, Beth Hughes, Marissa Arlet and Jocelyn Santiago. One prize winner did not give his full name.

The baskets were donated by Hollywood Tan, Tuscan Inn, La Prima Espresso, Maggie & Stella’s and others.

Winners of Del’s gift certificates included Tracy Miljus, Buck Thornton, Julie Manico, John Schwartz, Brittany Howe,

Robert Smith, Georgia Johnson, Shurmeka Wilson and Lyn Sokol. Some staff members or their family members won more than one certificate, and other winners did not provide complete names.

More photographs of Pitt Kennywood Day can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/98992888@N03/.

—Marty Levine