Alan Marchun, EIT II- EED Kearneysville D. O. Interviewed by: Stacey Roe

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1 EcHoS...throughout West Virginia From the Office of Environmental Health Services Healthy People Through Healthy Environments in West Virginia March 2003 What s New? Due to proposed changes in software packages, there is no Computer Corner section in this newsletter. New Members of the OEHS Team Please join us in welcoming the new employees joining our OEHS team in the last quarter: Aven Sizemore - Charleston George Cook - Charleston Herb Hilleary - Charleston John Reese - Charleston Jonathon (Cheun) Feng - Charleston Lori Babich - Charleston Nikki Howard - Charleston Classes/Testing CLASSES AT CEDAR LAKES April CLASS 1- (Jackson Hall) May CLASS 2 - (ETC) MONTHLY TESTING IN CHARLESTON March 19 April 9 May 21 QUARTERLY TESTING GLEN DALE - MAY 1, AUG. 7, NOV. 6 (Firemen s Hall) BECKLEY - MAY 23, AUG. 29, NOV. 21 (Elinor Hurt Health Center) MARTINSBURG - MAY 8, AUG. 21, NOV. 13 (James Rumsey Technical Institute) CLARKSBURG - MAY 9, AUG. 22, NOV. 14 (Clarksburg Water Plant) FLUORIDE CLASSES CHARLESTON - SEPT. 4 CLARKSBURG - JUNE 5, DEC. 4 1D classes are scheduled as needed Alan Marchun, EIT II- EED Kearneysville D. O. Interviewed by: Stacey Roe Alan Marchun, EIT II of the Kearneysville District Office, was named Employee of the Quarter for the Environmental Engineering Division. Alan has worked for the OEHS for almost 12 years. Eight (8) counties are served by the Kearneysville District Office, where Alan s primary duties include: conducting sanitary surveys on public water supplies helping them comply with all facets of the regulations including: source development, treatment, distribution and storage, chemical and bacteriological monitoring, operator certification, and record keeping; performing construction inspections of water and sewage projects; investigating complaints; and jointly working with other agencies, such as: county health departments, DEP, etc., as needed. Alan s vision for the next year at the OEHS is for it to be an agency that has effective communication and cooperation, and provides a good balance between offering practical assistance (to aid systems in compliance) with enforcement actions. Now, for some personal tidbits about Alan. Alan graduated from St. Albans High School in 1984, then went on to receive a B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from WVU Tech in He now resides close to Kearneysville with his wife and three daughters (poor fella): Katelyn 9, Stephanie 7, and Melany 4. He and his family are active members of the First Baptist Church in Martinsburg. His wife is one step below a district manager for Big Dog Sportswear and has a difficult work schedule involving travel (much like Alan s). Alan enjoys canoeing, fishing, and taking his family camping in his pop-up camper. He also enjoys weight lifting but is learning that you cannot beat Father Time. His #1 priority is his family because they are his pride and joy. He likes to help people in need because he says you never know when the roles may be reversed. I asked Alan if he had any interesting stories to share with us; so he told me two. One is his favorite work story, while the other is his worst moment on the job. My favorite work story has to be the first time I went to inspect a (former) church camp that was converted into a clothing optional recreational facility that had lodging, a restaurant, a pool, racquetball, etc. The office was a small trailer. When I first entered, there was no one at the desk, so I rang the little bell and turned around to look at some of their decor. When I heard footsteps coming down the hall, I turned back around and was face-to-face with the owner - an older, stout lady who was completely in the buff! After closing my jaw, it took me several minutes to gather myself to begin explaining the requirements of a transient, noncommunity public water supply. One of my worst

2 moments was while assisting a county health department investigate a sewage complaint in a nice mobile home park. I had my back turned to a very large Rottweiler, whom I thought was secured by a chain. In the instant I heard the chain snap, and before I got turned around, the nice doggy had a good hold of my calf and was preparing to shred me into Parmesan cheese. Luckily, the owner was close and pulled him off before he could do any further damage. Nancy Godby - RTIA Charleston Office Interviewed by: Pat Taylor Nancy Godby of the Charleston office has been a member of the OEHS family since May She works in the Radiation and Radon Unit of the RTIA Division. She has always worked with the public, so her position with the State is not something new. Before working for the State, she worked in the Guyan Valley Hospital in Logan County as a manager of various public health and safety operations. During her time with the hospital, Nancy worked with several people from our OEHS Public Health Sanitation Division. It was interesting to note she had a working connection with John Dienst when he was in the PHS Division and now they are co-workers in the RTIA Division. Nancy s duties within her RTIA unit now include inspection of x-ray equipment at hospitals, clinics, doctor s and dentist s offices, veterinarian offices, and prisons, etc. Nancy indicated most hospitals and dental offices are more informed and trained on the new state regulations. However, in veterinary clinics, young kids working part time don t have a full understanding of hazards of radiation and should receive better training. Nancy also stated the RTIA has been doing a lot of work since new regulations went into effect July 1, She said, West Virginia is working to catch up with the other states. The regulation has gone from 100 to 400 pages and now includes nuclear waste, linear accelerators, x-rays, and well logging. Her unit has also been trained to react to any potential radiation issues with the Beaver Valley Power Company, a nuclear facility in western Pennsylvania. Nancy s duties also include educating the public on Radon through outreach presentations and giving out test kits to the public and to newly constructed schools. Nancy indicated all schools within West Virginia have been tested for radon. Along with her duties within the RITA Division, Nancy has been active on the Vision 21 Planning Team. By being on this team she has learned a lot about OEHS. She has gotten to know people within all three OEHS divisions. Nancy stated a lot that we are trying to achieve with Vision 21 is the same as in the private sector. There are always some workers in the private and public sector who will be apathetic or who think their work is not important. And some workers won t do anything if management is behind it. This is an opportunity for everyone in OEHS to have input in the planning process in order to make change. Nancy also indicated people are resistant to change. She feels to work in a positive direction you have to change rules. Being on the committee has allowed her to see changes. Nancy did indicate it is good to have a breather from the Planning team for a little while. Besides the work she is performing, Nancy s home life is also busy. She was born and raised in Logan County and is married with two grown children (a daughter and a son). Her daughter has B.A. degrees in marketing and advertising and her son has a B.S. degree in biology and is getting a chemistry degree this summer. Husband, Barry, works for Verizon. Currently Nancy is attending Marshall University Graduate College and working on a Master s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She also likes going to the beach, somewhere hot, and hopes to retire to somewhere warm. When asked if there is something she would like to add, Nancy, after having reflected, passed along her favorite poems by Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken, Fire and Ice and the following: This passage is a great comfort to me in troubling times. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Robert Frost Fred Barley, R.S. - PHS Charleston Office Interviewed by: Pam Smith The Environmental Transitions Coordinator for OEHS s Public Health Sanitation (PHS) Division is Fred Barley. Fred joined the PHS team 3 ½ years ago. His public health function is to transform and strengthen Environmental Health into the 23 rd Century. His home office is on the 2 nd floor at 815 Quarrier Street. However, he is out of the office a great 2

3 deal, traveling to all of West Virginia s forty nine (49) local health departments where he keeps local staff abreast on state public health sanitation updates and/or changes. He came to OEHS from the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department in Wood County where he was a Registered Sanitarian for 10 years. Fred is a very active OEHS staff member. He is a member of the WV Public Health Association where he is a participant in its Professional Clerical Section. He is a member of the West Virginia Association of Sanitarians and the Web Administrator for OEHS s Public Health Division website. Although untitled, he is known to most of us at OEHS as our GroupWise Guru. Fred was raised at St. Marys in Pleasants County and attended St. Marys High School. He holds the Little Kanawha Conference (LKC) record for the half-mile run (2.04 seconds). Fred says since the runs are now measured in meters instead of yards, there is not much chance of anyone breaking his record. He should go down in history as holding the record of the LKC half-mile run. In addition to the half-mile run, Fred once ran the quartermile run in 50 seconds. Moving on from high school to college didn t prohibit Fred from competing and breaking records. He is a graduate of West Virginia University where he majored in education. He is the only two-time Intramural Athlete of the Year from WVU. Fred resides with his wife Pam at Hamlin in Lincoln County. He enjoys many extracurricular activities and is an avid WVU fan. Among his many likes are cooking, painting, gardening, canning, camping and playing music (guitar). West Virginia s Public Health team is fortunate to have a player like Fred Barley. Fun N Games St. Patrick's Day History, Legends, Trivia, and Information Who was St. Patrick Anyway? According to the World Book, St. Patrick lived about A.D., and is the patron saint of Ireland. Patrick was chiefly responsible for converting the Irish people to Christianity. He became known as the Apostle to the Irish. His Latin name is Patricius. Patrick was born in Britain. His father was a wealthy alderman and a Christian. When Patrick was 16 years old, pirates captured him during a raid and sold him as a slave in Ireland. He served as a shepherd of an Irish Chieftain in Ulster. During his captivity, he dedicated himself to religion. After 6 years of slavery he escaped and returned home to Britain. As a result of his experiences in Ireland, Patrick became driven by the idea of converting the Irish to Christianity. To prepare himself for the task he studied in the monastery of Lerins, an island off the coast of France. He also went to Auxerre, France and studied religion under Saint Germanus, a French Bishop. Partly because Patrick's earlier education was inadequate, his religious superiors were reluctant to let him return to Ireland as a missionary. After Palladius, the first Irish missionary bishop died in 431, Pope Celestine I sent Patrick to Ireland. Patrick began his work where no one had ever preached Christianity. He gained the trust and friendship of several tribal leaders and soon made many converts. He is said to have founded more than 300 churches and baptized more than 120,000 people. He brought clergymen from England and France for his new churches. He succeeded in his mission to Ireland, even though many British clergymen opposed him and the way he organized the churches. Patrick preached in Ireland for the rest of his life. Several of Patrick s writings have survived and serve as the most important sources of information about his work and life. Patrick wrote "Confession", an account of his spiritual development. In it he justified his mission to Ireland and expressed his humility and thankfulness that God had called him to serve the Irish. Patrick also 3 wrote a letter to Coroticus. In the letter he criticized a raid on Ireland conducted by Coroticus, a British chieftain. During the raid several of Patrick's converts were killed. The letter also reflects Patrick's resentment of the scornful attitude of British clergymen and nobility toward the Irish. Where is St. Patrick Buried? According to one legend he was buried in the same grave as St. Bridget and St. Columba, at Downpatrick, County Down. The jawbone of St. Patrick was believed to be preserved in a silver shrine and was often requested in times of childbirth, epileptic fits and as a preservative against the evil eye. Another legend says St. Patrick ended his days at Glastonbury and was buried there. The Chapel of St. Patrick still exists as part of Galstonbury Abbey. There is evidence of an Irish pilgrimage to his tomb during the reign of the Saxon King Ine in A.D. 688, when a group of pilgrims headed by St. Indractus were murdered. The great anxiety displayed in the middle ages to possess the bodies, or at least the relics of saints, accounts for the many discrepant traditions regarding the burial places of St. Patrick and others. Legends about Patrick: Many of the stories about Patrick are based only on legends. One of the best known tales tells how he charmed the snakes of Ireland into the sea so they drowned. Different tales tell of his standing upon a hill and using a wooden staff, driving the serpents into the sea, banishing them forever from the shores of Ireland. One legend says one old snake resisted but the saint overcame it by cunning. He is said to have made a box and invited the reptile to enter. The snake insisted the box was too small and the discussion became very heated. Finally the snake entered the box to prove he was right, whereupon St. Patrick slammed the lid and cast the box into the sea. While it is true there are no snakes in Ireland, chances are there never have been snakes since the time the island was separated from the rest of the continent at the end of the ice age. As in many old pagan religions, serpent symbols were common and possibly even worshiped. Driving the snakes from Ireland was most likely symbolic of putting an end to that pagan practice. According to another tale, Patrick used a three-leaf shamrock to illustrate the idea

4 of the Trinity. Many people believe the shamrock came to be the traditional symbol of Ireland as a result of this legend. Today his feast day, March 17th, is celebrated as a national holiday in Ireland. St. Patrick also introduced the Roman alphabet and Latin literature into Ireland. After his death, about 461AD, Irish monasteries flourished as centers of learning. Compton's Encyclopedia adds, despite a constant threat to his life, Patrick traveled widely, baptizing, confirming, preaching and building churches and monasteries. Patrick succeeded in converting almost the entire population of the island. His "Epistola" pleads the case of the Christian Irish at the hands of their British conquerors. Patrick's writings have come to be appreciated for their simplicity and humility. The Shamrock The shamrock (at one time called the "Searoy") is a type of small herb with leaves made up of three leaflets and is the common name for any of several three-leafed clovers native to Ireland. The Irish have considered shamrocks good luck symbols since earliest times and today many people of other nationalities have adopted that belief. It has become the national symbol of Ireland because of the legend that St. Patrick used it to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity. Preaching in the open air on the doctrine of the trinity, he is said to have illustrated the existence of the Three in One by plucking a shamrock from the grass growing at his feet and showing it to his congregation. It symbolizes the cross and blessed trinity. The legend of the shamrock is also connected with the banishment of the serpent tribe from Ireland, by a tradition that snakes are never seen on trefoil, and that it is a remedy against the stings of snakes and scorpions. The trefoil in Arabia is called shamrakh and was sacred in Iran as an emblem of the Persian triads. The trefoil, being a sacred plant among the Druids and three being a mystical number in the Celtic religion as well as others, it is probable St. Patrick must have been aware of the significance of his illustration. The Leprechaun The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy. He looks like a small, old man (about 2 feet tall), often dressed like a shoemaker, with a cocked hat and a leather apron. According to legend, leprechauns are aloof, unfriendly, live alone, and pass their time making shoes. They also possess a hidden pot of gold. Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by the sound of his shoemaker's hammer. If caught, he can be forced (with the threat of bodily violence) to reveal the location of his treasure but the captor must keep their eyes on him every second. If the captor's eyes leave the leprechaun (and he often tricks them into looking away), he vanishes and all hopes of finding the treasure are lost. Legend has it you can find the leprechaun and his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The Care2 St. Patrick's Day Quiz by Melinda Su and Care2 member Andrea B. (Answers and grading scale are on the following page) 1. In addition to being a very successful and famous Christian missionary, what else was Saint Patrick known for? A. Finding the first four-leaf clover B. Suggesting beer be tinted green to celebrate March 17 C. Driving the snakes out of Ireland D. Declaring the shamrock a symbol of Ireland 2. Why is the shamrock associated with St. Patrick's Day? A. Because it's green and represents the coming of spring B. Because Saint Patrick used it to represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit C. Because it brings good luck D. Because four-leaf clovers are hard to find 3. What did Saint Patrick do before becoming a missionary? A. He was a wealthy landowner 4 B. He was a brooding poet C. He robbed the rich to feed the poor D. He herded sheep 4. What endangered species' green color would make it an excellent poster animal in honor of St. Patrick's Day? A. The rhinoceros iguana B. The Spotted owl C. The Snail darter D. The California sea otter 5. Which of the following does NOT bring you good luck on St. Patrick's Day? A. Sending a Care2 lucky frog card B. Kissing the Blarney Stone C. Finding a four-leaf clover D. Eating Lucky Charms 6. Saint Patrick was thought to be from: A. Ireland or England B. Scotland or England C. England or France D. Ireland or Scotland 7. Where was the first St. Patrick's Day celebrated in America? A. Richmond, VA B. Plymouth, MA C. Boston, MA D. Philadelphia, PA 8. What does "Erin Go Braugh" mean? A. Happy St. Patrick's Day! B. Ireland Forever C. Irish Luck Be With You D. Best Wishes 9. What is a leprechaun and what makes him so special? A. He is an Irish fairy with a hidden pot of gold B. He is a tiny man found at the end of rainbows C. He is an environmentally conscious person dressed in green D. He is the lead Irish step dancer 10. Why is the color green associated with St. Patrick's Day? A. Saint Patrick wore a green hat B. The shamrock and four-leaf clover are green C. It represents spiritual renewal D. It's the color of spring

5 St. Patrick of Ireland - Did You Know? Ireland is a land rich with myths and legends. But did you know these facts and trivia about their beloved St. Patrick? Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland wasn t actually Irish. He was born around 373 A.D. in either Scotland, near the town of Dumbarton, or in Roman Britain. Little is known about St. Patrick, including his birth and death dates. March 17 is traditionally considered to be one of the two, although there is no documentation to corroborate this. As a teen, Patrick was enslaved in Ireland and he returned there later in life as a missionary. There were never any snakes or other reptiles for that matter in Ireland for St. Patrick to chase out. St. Patrick predates the Roman Catholic Church and was considered a saint before the Roman church created its list of saints and included him in it. Patrick s real name is believed to be Maewyn Succat. He adopted the name Patrick, or Patricius, after he became a priest. Patrick was kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland. During the 6 years he spent in captivity he began to have religious visions and found strength in his faith. He finally escaped and went to France where he became a priest, and later, a bishop. Legend has it St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland they all went into the sea and drowned. We know this isn t technically true. The basis of this legend probably lies in the origin of the snake as a pagan symbol. The legend tells the figurative tale of St. Patrick s driving paganism out of Ireland. The phrase Erin Go Braugh means Ireland Forever! In the last issue of EcHoS, we had a contest in the Fun N Games section asking you to fill in a name to correspond with the statements. If your name is on this list, please do not take offense. It was just a fun game. After an overwhelming response, here are the winners. David Stewart 1. I can see your point, but I still think you are full of it! Blaine Barringer 2. I don t know what your problem is, but I ll bet it s hard to pronounce. Christy Pitsenbarger 3. How about never? Is never good for you? Bill Toomey 4. I see you ve set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public. This is good! Vic Wilford 5. I m really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way! Rhonda Miller 6. I m out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message. Charlie Shedd 7. I don t work here. I m a consultant! Charlie Robinette 8. It sounds like English, but I can t understand a word you re saying. Linda Jordan 9. Ahhh...I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again! Connie Joyce 10. I like you! You remind me of when I was young and stupid. Amanda Ray 11. You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers. Mitzi Kellogg 12. I have plenty of talent and vision, I just don t give a darn! Linda Keller 13. I m already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth. Barb Taylor 14. Thank you. We re all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view! Mitzi Kellogg 15. Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental. Christy Pitsenbarger 16. What am I? Flypaper for freaks!!?? Linda Jordan 17. I m not being rude, you re just insignificant! Roger Green 18. It s a thankless job, but I ve got a lot of Karma to burn off! Carolyn Dienst 19. Do I look like a people person? Scott Rodeheaver 20. I started out with nothing and still have most of it left. Randy Curtis 21. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer! Alan Marchun 22. I m trying to imagine you with a personality! Linda Keller 23. Chaos, panic and disorder - - my work here is done! Charlie Shedd 24. How do I set a laser printer to stun? Jokes for the Quarter A FOOTBALL COACH walked into the locker room before a game, looked at his star player and said, I m not supposed to let you play since you failed math, but we need you in there. So I have to ask you a math question. If you get it right, you can play. The player agreed. The coach looked into his eyes and said, Ok, concentrate hard and answer this question: what is two plus two? The player thought for a moment and answered, Four. Did you say four? the coach exclaimed, excited that the player answered correctly. Suddenly all the other players began screaming, Come on, coach. Give him another chance! COMING OUT OF church, Mrs. Peterson asks her husband, Do you think that Johnson girl is tinting her hair? I didn t even see her, Mr. Peterson admits. And that dress Mrs. Hansen was wearing, Mrs. Peterson continues. Really, don t tell me you think that s the proper costume for a mother of two. I m afraid I didn t notice that either, Mr. Peterson says. Oh, for heaven s sake, Mrs. Peterson snaps. A lot of good it does you to go to church! 5

6 Answers to the St. Patrick s Day quiz on the page (C) Driving the snakes out of Ireland. 2. (B) Because St. Patrick used it to represent the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 3. (D) He herded sheep. 4. (A) The rhinoceros iguana. 5. (D) Eating Lucky Charms. 6. (B) Scotland or England. 7. (C) Boston, MA 8. (B) Ireland Forever. 9. (A) He s an Irish fairy with a hidden pot of gold. 10.(D) It s the color of spring. The Grading Scale # correct Grade 10 A four-leaf Shamrock for you! Congrats! 7-9 A two-legged Leprechaun for you! Congrats! (Please be sure to feed him) 4-6 Kissing the Blarney Stone a bit too much, have you? 1-3 You re looking a bit green, and I don t mean Spring Like. INTERESTING FACTS: Submitted by: Fred Barley Butterflies taste with their feet. A duck s quack doesn t echo and no one knows why. In 10 minutes a hurricane releases more energy than all of the world s nuclear weapons combined. On average, 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death. Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrive immigrants. Thirty-five percent of the people using personal ads for dating are already married. Elephants are the only animals that can t jump. Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older. It s possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs. Women blink nearly twice as much as men. It s physically impossible for you to lick your elbow. (If you re anything like me, when I read this, I tried to lick my elbow and it really didn t work.) The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building. A snail can sleep for three years. No word in the English language rhymes with month. Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing. - SCARY! The electric chair was invented by a dentist. All polar bears are left handed. In ancient Egypt priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes. YOWCH! An ostrich s eye is bigger than its brain. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. Go is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be She would stand seven feet, two inches tall. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match. Americans, on average, eat 18 acres of pizza everyday. Almost everyone reading this will try to lick their elbow. (YEP! I did!) DID YOU KNOW? Submitted by: Clement Sees - Wheeling Producing a typical lunch - hamburger, french fries, and a soft drink - uses 1500 gallons of water. This includes the water needed to raise the potatoes, the grain for the bun, the grain needed to feed the cattle, and the production of the soda. The natural rotation of the Earth has been altered slightly by the 10 trillion tons of water stored in reservoirs over the past 40 years (according to NASA). TIDBITS Submitted by: Clement Sees - Wheeling Tidy files save money. Research shows the average person spends nearly 150 hours per year searching for misplaced information. Add anti-bacterial wipes to your office supplies. A University of Arizona study reports that the standard office desk has 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat. Worst offenders were telephones, desktops, and keyboards. 6

7 WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? Below are pictures of your co-workers. They could be from District Offices or the Central Office. See how many you recognize, fax your guesses to me ( ) and whoever gets the most right will be published in the next edition of EcHoS. Have fun! Newsletter Team: Linda Jordan - Editor-in-Chief Stacey Roe - Layout Editor Pam Smith - Reporter Roger Green - Reporter Scott Rodeheaver - Reporter Fred Barley - Reporter Rick Watson - Proof Pat Taylor - Proof BLESS THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES 7