Geno Pernazza

As a young child, he started his community involvement. He was able to supplement the family income by being a paper boy. He also used his wagon to run errands for neighbors. The neighbors trusted him to take their money to pay utilities and get groceries for them. When he was a little older, he delivered groceries for a local store. There was also a local garbage dump in town and he hauled anyone's trash for 15 cents a wagon load. Geno Pernazza really loved helping his neighbors and being involved in the community then, and he keeps going today, even at 77 years of age.

As a senior in high school, he was in the Aviation Cadet Program before graduating with his class in 1944. He then worked on the PA Railroad as a crew caller until he was called into the service. Geno then started basic training in Mississippi where he had mechanic training and served in France during World War II. He remembered traveling from France to Germany in a box car. Then the war ended four months after he arrived in Germany. He worked on flight lines as a clerk because of his experience in aviation.

After the Army, Geno went to New Kensington Commercial School on the G.I. Bill. He later returned to the Pennsylvania Railroad after the war and was a crew dispatcher and yardmaster where Kiski Junction is today. It was a very busy place at that time.

Later on, the Pennsylvania railroad company became Penn Central and then Conrail. The railroad later started economizing and Kiski Junction was eventually closed, Geno moved to Etna and then to Thompson (near Pittsburgh). A favorite of his that the railroad did away with was the Kennywood Picnic train. It would stop at all the town stations, his home town of Freeport included, and everyone would share lunches on the train as they headed for their final destination of Kennywood for the day.

During his later years on the railroad, Geno ended up working at one of the biggest yards, which was for Conway in Beaver Valley. It was an hour and 45 minute drive everyday for several years and this was the yard he retired from.

He is also a dedicated member of the local Fire Department in Freeport. This was his 50th year anniversary. As a member for those 50 years, Geno became very involved. He served as a trustee and president and is currently the secretary. In his earlier years, he used to drive the ambulance. He is a member of the fire police, and very involved in fund raising for the department. In 1975, he was awarded the fireman service award for his outstanding service.

Geno had the opportunity to be president of the Local Little league for a number of years when his son joined the league. This year, Geno is involved in the Freeport International Baseball. It is the 10th anniversary of this event where teams from all over the world including teams from Puerto Rico, Canada, and Japan get together and play for the love of baseball. This is a weekly event that takes place every July. Geno's participation is as a public address announcer where he announce one or two games a day.

His involvement does not end there. From 1972 to 1980, Geno served on the Freeport Borough Council. He said this volunteer position was a tough one involving a lot of work. He even got to serve as president for four years of that time. He even served on the Freeport School board from 1965 to 1968. In 1967, he had the honor of awarding diplomas to his daughter's graduating class. He also said he was talked back into serving on the school board again in 1981 to 1982.

St. Mary's church in Freeport is where Geno gets the opportunity to be a lector and eucharistic minister and even sings in the choir. To add to the list, he is on the pastoral council and finance committee.

Today Geno is a proud member of the following organizations:

Life member of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) #6648 Member of the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Life Member of the American Legion Member of the Armstrong County Fireman Association Member of the Western PA Fireman Association MC for the an annual parade in Freeport One night back in 1947, Geno and six other buddies piled in a car and went to a local dance in a near by town. This was where he met his wife Lillian. They were later married in 1948. Geno said an interesting outcome from those nights were that four of the seven guys that night ended up marrying someone they met from one of the dances they attended there. Geno and Lillian love to dance even today as a hobby. They love all kinds of dancing such as the jitterbug and the polka.

"I love the town of Freeport. The entire Alle-Kiski Valley is a great place to live. There are so many things going on which is helping to make living a happy experience for all." Says Geno who is the proud father of three along with five grandchildren.