What is the Project? Briefly, what are you planning to do, and how will it benefit the trail system?

As a future educator in the field of history, the need to get people interested in of the events of the past take center stage. History is a beautiful topic filled with details that relate to us in our everyday lives. Some of the houses we live in might be made of Bricks from the Trafford Brickworks. Some of our parks were not only created by, but named after sections of the railroad that once was on this trail. These plaques along the side of the trail aim to give a new perspective into how we look at our own history, by acknowledging what has come before. These plaques will stand for more than just decoration, but information and preservation of our own story in our own back yard. So that, in the future, when a younger relative of ours may ask why the trees on the side of the hill in Murrysville spell out the town's name, we can point to these plaques and explain why. To benefit from shared knowledge is to benefit our community.

What Are You Asking the Fund to Provide? Be specific about what you're asking the Fund to support and how that fits into the overall project. Give an approximate budget for the project that shows what you’re asking the fund to provide and any other funds you’re planning on.

1) I am asking the Fund to help cover the costs of printing fifteen 18" x 24" plaques (composed of Di-bond aluminum with a plastic core and a UV-resistant laminate to protect against vandalism). Each sign will be installed using a galvanized u-channel metal stock (the type used to support stop signs and speed-limit signs). Together, the cost of the printing, signboard, and metal post will come to $XX per sign. $95 per sign x 15 signs = $X,XXX 2) All research and design for the plaques, as well as the time, materials, and labor required to fasten and install the plaques along the trail once they are printed will be donated by me and my family members. 3) Sign maintenance and repair will be paid for by sponsorship donations from local businesses, organizations, and private citizens. Three potential sponsors have already been identified, one of whom is the owner of Mastro Signs. To find additional sponsors, we will add temporary 6" by 4" laminated cardboard notes to the post below the signs which will advertise sponsorship opportunities. When a sponsor is found, the temporary note will be replaced by a permanent 6" by 4" sponsorship sign. The cost of printing this sign will be included in the sponsorship price.

What Will Volunteers Do? Be clear about how much volunteer effort will be involved, along with the value of that effort compared to the materials you are asking the Fund to provide.

1) I will research the history of sites identified to be potentially of historical interest along the trail (approximately 30-40 hours of internet and library research to find facts and illustrations). As a future high-school educator in the field of history (currently enrolled at Clarion University), I am familiar with various sources of historical information including historical maps.

2) I will design each plaque using PowerPoint and also create a QR code to link back to the Westmoreland Heritage Trail's website: https://westmorelandheritagetrail.com/educational-maps/ 3) Once the plaques are printed and assembled, I will identify the best locations to place them along the trail by consulting with the Chapter board and local historical experts, then install them.