Skip to Navigation
University of Pittsburgh
Print This Page Print this pages

July 27, 2017

Photos: Packing the Park, Pitt Day at Kennywood

Staff Council-hosted Pitt Day at Kennywood drew a full house again this year, bringing 2,000 people from the Pitt community to the park on July 16 for a day of rides, picnicking and Pitt-oriented games and prizes.

Roc and staff members from the athletics department and the Be Fit Pitt program were on hand for kid-friendly activities such as basketball and giant beanbag tosses. This 26th annual event was run by 26 volunteers from Staff Council (including staff members from the Greensburg and Johnstown campuses), who greeted everyone in the morning, gave away 26 raffle baskets during the day and stayed to clean up at night. Raffle prizes included tickets for Pitt football, basketball and softball games, Pittsburgh Pirates games, concerts and Kennywood tickets, as well as gift cards to many Oakland businesses.

“It’s great being a part of an event that brings so much joy to Pitt staff and their families, and brings staff members from all campuses together,” said Staff Council’s Pitt Day at Kennywood committee chair Scott Szypulski.

 

The Pitt pavilion at Kennywood is always crowded, as the Staff Council-sponsored 26th annual Pitt Day at Kennywood sold out its 2,000 ticket allotment for the July 16 event. Staff, faculty and their friends and families were treated to burgers and hot dogs, games and activities and the chance to win raffle prizes.

The Pitt pavilion at Kennywood is always crowded, as the Staff Council-sponsored 26th annual Pitt Day at Kennywood sold out its 2,000 ticket allotment for the July 16 event. Staff, faculty and their friends and families were treated to burgers and hot dogs, games and activities and the chance to win raffle prizes.

 

“She rode her first roller coaster on Sunday and she loved it!” said Amy Lyn Elliott, finance administrator at Pitt’s Health Sciences Core Research Facilities, of her daughter, Carlie. Elliott and her husband Dennis usually bring a lot of family and friends with them to Kennywood on Pitt Day – including their five kids. This year, their youngest daughter, Carlie, who is 9, got to have her parents all to herself.

“She rode her first roller coaster on Sunday and she loved it!” said Amy Lyn Elliott, finance administrator at Pitt’s Health Sciences Core Research Facilities, of her daughter, Carlie. Elliott and her husband Dennis usually bring a lot of family and friends with them to Kennywood on Pitt Day – including their five kids. This year, their youngest daughter, Carlie, who is 9, got to have her parents all to herself.

 

Ashley Flick, daughter of Pitt Nursing faculty member Sue Wesmiller, brought her daughter Maryn to Kennywood for just the second time in her life. They enjoyed shooting hoops as part of the activities brought by the athletics department.

Ashley Flick, daughter of Pitt Nursing faculty member Sue Wesmiller, brought her daughter Maryn to Kennywood for just the second time in her life. They enjoyed shooting hoops as part of the activities brought by the athletics department.

 

“This is such a fun event,” said Monica Costlow, as her kids got their faces painted, including three-year-old daughter Louisa Gelacek. Costlow, project manager for health policy and management in the Graduate School of Public Health, is a Staff Council officer emerita.

“This is such a fun event,” said Monica Costlow, as her kids got their faces painted, including three-year-old daughter Louisa Gelacek. Costlow, project manager for health policy and management in the Graduate School of Public Health, is a Staff Council officer emerita.

 

Staff Council committee chair Kenny Doty, a staff member in the Swanson School of Engineering, and his girlfriend Katie Riordan, a nurse at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, enjoy the picnic meal in Pitt’s pavilion at Kennywood.

Staff Council committee vice chair Kenny Doty, a staff member in the Swanson School of Engineering, and his girlfriend Katie Riordan, a nurse at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, enjoy the picnic meal in Pitt’s pavilion at Kennywood.

 

Susan Wesmiller, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, checks out the more than two dozen raffle prizes up for grabs. Each Pitt Day at Kennywood attendee received one raffle ticket with park admission and additional tickets were available for purchase, with all proceeds benefitting Staff Council’s Ronald W. Frisch Staff Development Award.

Susan Wesmiller, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, checks out the more than two dozen raffle prizes up for grabs. Each Pitt Day at Kennywood attendee received one raffle ticket with park admission and additional tickets were available for purchase, with all proceeds benefitting Staff Council’s Ronald W. Frisch Staff Development Award.

 

Roc was at Kennywood giving out hugs, high fives, and fist bumps to attendees. He greeted Ronald Schwesinger, director of grant administration in the School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, and his family during lunch at the picnic pavilion. From left Ramon Vasquez, Schwesinger, Roc, Hudson Schmitt and Karen Schwesinger. Ronald Schwesinger said that the boys were most excited about getting their faces painted and all of Kennywood’s water rides.

Roc was at Kennywood giving out hugs, high fives, and fist bumps to attendees. He greeted Ronald Schwesinger, director of grant administration in the School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, and his family during lunch at the picnic pavilion. From left Ramon Vasquez, Schwesinger, Roc, Hudson Schmitt and Karen Schwesinger. Ronald Schwesinger said that the boys were most excited about getting their faces painted and all of Kennywood’s water rides.


Leave a Reply