The year 2022 begins with a positive note in Plum as a local man and three sports teams were honored with proclamations from Mayor Harry Schlegel at the Jan. 10 Plum council meeting.
Resident John Hedeen was recognized at the meeting for his numerous charitable acts and community service. Schlegel specifically referenced Hedeen’s volunteering with the Christmas at Plum Creek festival in which he did all of the electrical work, and when he donated a train last Christmas to a family that lost and a parent and didn’t have a train to go around their Christmas tree.
The mayor also mentioned Hedeen’s numerous monetary donations to the local fire departments and police department throughout the years. Several firefighters from Renton Fire Hall were on hand to celebrate with Hedeen.
“We have a lot of people (volunteer) that want to remain anonymous, but I saw John and said ‘I won’t let you remain anonymous,’” Schlegel said. “Because he’s done this not just once, but many times.”
Hedeen was joined at the meeting by his wife, Doris Hedeen, daughter Megan Sweringen, son-in-law Jon Sweringen and granddaughter Lena Sweringen.
“Just everything,” said Hedeen when asked what Plum means to him. “I’ve been here for 50 years, my children were raised here. My wife grew up and graduated from Plum. I go to all her functions with her high school friends and I’ve been around so long that they think I’m a classmate, but I graduated from Penn Hills.”
Also honored at the meeting with proclamations by the mayor were the Plum Borough Colt (ages 7-8) football team and the Plum Senior Highschool boys’ and girls’ soccer teams.
The Plum Colt football team won the Allegheny County Youth League Super Bowl (Ages 7-8) this past fall after winning 11 games and defeating Lower Burrell in the Super Bowl. The team was coached by Tony Bonura, who accepted the proclamation along with many of his players.
“It’s a great accomplishment that these boys, what they did this season, to be recognized for it in the community,” Bonura said. “It feels good.”
The Plum boys’ soccer team was recognized for winning their fourth consecutive sectional title this past fall. Meanwhile, the girls’ team was also recognized for winning their third consecutive section title and making it to the PIAA semifinals, a first in school history.
“It was really nice (to be honored),” said girls’ head coach Jamie Stewart. “It’s a good recognition by Mayor Schlegel of the girls’ work this year. The girls’ worked really hard and we made a lot of strides.”
