Blog

On Sunday, September 7, 2014, three of my friends (Tammi, Traci, Dena) and I participated in the Hope for Hines treasure hunt fundraiser in the Wheeling area. Before I tell you about our hunt, I want to thank everyone who put the fundraiser together; it was an awesome event. I also want to thank all of those who helped us in our treasure hunt over the two-hour period of time given to complete these tasks. I know four grown women coming up to you and asking questions before we told you what we were doing had to have been scary. I really want to thank the mother of the little girl who let her daughter sign our feet for one of the tasks. Once again, having four grown women asking you questions about your daughter had to be very, very scary. Thanks also to the very nice lady in the parking lot who took time out of her day to take pictures of us. On every task we did, we had to have a picture taken with our team members. Of course the picture taker was not in the photo, but we tried a lot of selfies. Thanks again Wheeling people, you rock. During the event, 11 teams were running around the Wheeling area completing tasks to collect points to win the Hope for Hines Treasure Hunt. We all had team names. The names were based on the stuffed animal that had to be in all the pictures with us so we could win extra points; our team was Team Penguin. The tasks ranged from finding a child under 10 and having the child sign each team member's foot, to finding a tombstone with a specific date on it. We were also completing tasks like pumping ten cents worth of gas, parking lot chalk art, finding a political sticker on a bumper of a car, and more. We had a blast trying to complete the 40 tasks on the list. As we were out running around, we would run into other teams and would try to help each other out, but not too much because all teams wanted to win. The entire day was all in good fun. After two hours of trying to win the treasure hunt, the teams went back to the Italian American Club where Hope For Hines Treasure Hunt fundraiser team fed us. They had a really outstanding chicken dinner, along with raffles, games, and a  cornhole tournament. Here is a picture of us with Hines and his mom. We didn't win, but we had a great time and helped out our own little Hines. If you get a chance, stop in Miklas's Meat Market and pick up a wrist band, t-shirt or any of the other item they have available to raise money for Hope for Hines. Trust me, there is not a more rewarding feeling than helping a child fight cancer. We wish Hines and his family the best of luck. Thank you for taking the picture with us on the Hope for Hines Treasure Hunt. Rock On Wheeling, West Virginia, Rock On.

This month, I was invited to an open house at the newly opened Wellspring Pregnancy Center on Center Avenue in Moundsville, where my mother-in-law, Teresa Devlin, along with Tammy Hosenfeld, Chris Jacobs and other local volunteers have been extremely hard at work converting an aging duplex into a support center to assist those in need in virtually all aspects of child care. As I toured the Center, I found myself feeling very proud of my mother-in-law and the other volunteers, for not only recognizing such an important community need, but also for having the vision and determination to bring it to life. The mission statement of the Wellspring Center, according to Tammy Hosenfeld, is "to restore purpose to women's lives and their children and family by helping to meet their physical, emotional and spiritual needs through the services of material assistance, educational resources, referrals and emotional support." From free pregnancy tests, to diapers, food, clothing, strollers, books, toys, car seats and practically everything else, the Clinic offers an incredible array of products and services for parents in need at practically every stage of raising a newborn or toddler. The Clinic also boasts a wealth of critical, educational materials to help parents keep their children safe and give them the best possible start. Open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the Wellspring Center offers products and services to all members of our local community. As I toured the Center, I also thought about how blessed I was to have parents who provided my sister and me with each of the cornerstones the Wellspring Center is designed to help foster. Of course we took it for granted at the time, but we were so fortunate to have grown up in a stable environment with parents who had the time and interest and means to provide us with the resources we needed to, at least arguably, become well-adjusted adults with families of our own. Others aren't so fortunate, often due to circumstances beyond their control. And for folks who find themselves in such situations, the Wellspring Center can help. I must say, I left the Center feeling equal parts impressed and humbled by what the volunteers have been able to accomplish in such a short time. Through the hard work and dedication of local carpenters and organizers, a dilapidated apartment building has been transformed into a bright, safe, positive environment where parents and expectant parents can feel comfortable amongst people who care. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to realize this vision of support and security. You have all done a tremendous job providing a beacon of hope for your community. For those in need of the Center's offerings, or for those who would like to donate or learn more, call 304-810-0292 or stop by and visit with the good folks at the Wellspring Center.

On November 17, 1998, a group of girls (young working women and mothers) from a variety of Christian denominations, gathered for the first time at the home of Anne Robinson. Included were her daughter, daughter-in-law, and Kathy Blass, wife of partner, Scott Blass. Because they met after dinnertime, to accommodate everyone's schedules, the girls named themselves God's Girls of the Evening--later shortened to God's Girls. God's Girls began meeting at Vance Church about ten years ago. When I came to work at Bordas & Bordas in 2002, Kathy Blass invited me to the bible study. I was so excited, especially when I learned that Anne was leading. She and I had been acquainted years before by way of Chevrolet! Our husbands were both car dealers and we had many opportunities to travel together. None of us will forget swimming in the rough waters on Diamond Head, Hawaii; No more two piece bathing suits for me! Getting reacquainted with Anne after my divorce from the car business was such a joy. Another member of the group is Leisa Forbes (a special Bordas employee who recently moved to Washington DC). Leisa now attends via teleconference! Becky Murphy was with us for a time too. Then, in June of 2004, the group expanded to include men, so Bible study is now called God's Girls and Guys (GGG). After that, Jim Bordas became an active member of our group. Over the nearly sixteen years of weekly studying together and as life circumstances have changed, so have the participants of the group, but God's Girls and Guys has continued because of its foundation-the sound teaching of the Word of God. We use a variety of study materials including Beth Moore studies (a group favorite), Jerry Bridges, Rick Warren, Ray Vander Lann, andHenry Blackaby-to name a few. No matter the configuration of people, we have always grown together in our knowledge and faith. Another constant is prayer-for one another and others in need. An unexpected blessing are the times we've been able "walk alongside" one another in difficult times---health, heartache, and other heavy times. We've lived the truth of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: " Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble...A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Happy times are celebrated as well! And we laugh, oh how we laugh!! In November 2013, Jim invited GGG to use the Bordas and Bordas conference room for our weekly study and we readily accepted his gracious offer. Over the years, the number of weekly GGG's participants has averaged from 10 to 20. Looking back, we can sense the urging of God to eachindividual to this study. Each person's story is unique and couldfill several blogs. If you feel a "pulling" at your heart to be a part of GGG, go with it and please join us. Contact Jim Bordas, Anne Robinson, or me! I feel so very blessed to work at a company that honors Christ and His teachings, something you don't find too often these days.

The Wheeling Symphony Youth Orchestra (WSYO) is an outstanding program that offers talented, aspiring young musicians from the tri-state area a formal venue in which to train and perform together. The group is only open by audition and I am so proud to be able to say my son, Nick Sharpsky, has been offered a position in the First Violin Section this season. Nick is a sophomore at Wheeling Park High School, and this is his second year with the WYSO. It is an honor and a privilege that Nick has been given the opportunity to learn within such a professional musical environment amid other gifted young musicians, all under the instruction of music director, Dr. Matthew Inkster. As a matter of background, competitive auditions for the WSYO attract students from West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania; rehearsals are held weekly from September through April, and the WSYO presents two concerts each year. These concerts are free, open to the public, and I would encourage and invite those of you who have a sincere appreciation for music and young talent to attend. Remarkably, the Wheeling Symphony Youth Orchestra strives to be accessible to all student musicians regardless of their financial situation and is a tuition-free organization, funded almost entirely through the generosity of sponsors, donors, advertisers, the substantial support of the Wheeling Symphony Society, Inc., the WSYO Steering Committee, and the fundraising efforts of members and their families. I would sincerely like to personally thank all those who support this program through the gift of their time, talent and monetary donations that make it possible for my son and other young musicians in our area to experience this amazing opportunity that nurtures their love and passion for music.

A wonderful and joyous occasion has happened in my family. My nephew, Corey Murphy and his wife, Lauren are now the PROUD parents of twin girls. They named them Leah Lucinda Murphy, middle name after Corey's Mom Lucinda (Cindy) Murphy, and Lily Grace Murphy. They entered into this world in the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 19, 2014. My mother's side of the family was blessed with twin girls approximately twenty-nine years ago named Lydia Eddy & Andrea Eddy. Lydia and Andrea did not live close, so I did not get to see them very often. Oh, if Facebook would have been around then, I could have watched them grow into the beautiful ladies they are now. Corey's side of the Murphy family had not been blessed with twins, as far as I know. What a blessing these two girls are, too. Every child born on this earth is truly a blessing, but wow, twins are double the blessing. For anyone who has been blessed with even more than twin like triplets, quadruplets, etc., I could not even imagine their excitement. Don't get me wrong, when there is just one healthy child, it is very exciting as well. It has been and will continue to be exciting to watch these twins girls grow in to beautiful young ladies along with their big sisters, Haley, (soon to be seven years old), and Lindsay (four years old). Lauren married the right man to be able to live in a house with five women. Yes count them, five women. Oh my, I know that only Corey has the patience to take care of all of these women in this household. Corey, I will be praying for you, but I know you can and will be able to handle it. I have watched Corey grow up and develop into a wonderful man, husband and now a father. What fun times are in store for him and all of those girls in the future, i.e. shopping, dances, boyfriends . . . immediately I think: "LIONS and TIGERS and BEARS, oh my!" But, I am getting way ahead of the game here. Let's enjoy the moment. Thank you Lord for blessing Corey and Lauren with these beautiful, healthy twin girls! I know that Corey's Mom, Cindy, had to have something to do with this blessing from heaven. And, to top it all off, the twins were born on Cindy's Mom, Ann Lesch's, birthday. How cool to have your great-granddaughters born on your birthday. I so look forward to seeing what the future has in store for these little ones. We have been TRULY BLESSED all the way around with these adorable twin girls. We have a lot to be thankful for Lord!

This week marks the halfway point in my training for the Columbus half marathon. While I still have a long way to go, I've been lucky enough to find support and motivation in my cousin/running partner. Just a few short weeks ago, I shared the marathon's Facebook photo saying that it was the last chance to save on signing up for the marathon/half marathon and asked my Facebook friends, "Who's running the half with me?" The only one up for the challenge was my younger cousin who had been weighing the idea of trying to run her first half marathon. It took a few days of convincing, but she decided to sign up and that following week we started our 12-week training program. Now we are nearly 6 weeks in and are up to six miles, averaging under a 10 minute-per-mile pace. Having a training partner has been crucial for both of us during this process. Even when we haven't been able to run together, we are always texting each other to make sure that we hold each other accountable for our workouts. On days when the last thing we feel like doing after work is going for a run in 80 degree weather, we know the other one will be there to give each other the push we need. The best part, though, has been getting to spend quality time together and catching up on our lives. I'm looking forward to the next six weeks of training with her and can't wait to cross that finish line on October 19 with my cousin by my side! Don't forget that there's still plenty of time to donate to Nationwide Children's Hospital and help me reach my Children's Champion fundraising goal, which just happens to be almost halfway there, too! To donate to my fundraising page please visit: http://nationwidechildrens.kintera.org/childrenschampions2014/shaystein For more information on Children's Champions please visit: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/childrens-champions For more information on the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon please visit: http://www.columbusmarathon.com

2014 started off with a bang and brought about many new and exciting changes for me. While I not only seamlessly transitioned from intern to full-time employee at Bordas & Bordas, my fiancé, Jade, and I were fortunate enough to find and purchase the home of our dreams when we weren't even looking for it. It was a cold night in early January on the way to dinner at Red Lobster when we noticed a "For Sale" sign at the end of a lane not far from either of our homes. We'd visited Bonnie Lane many times because all of the houses there are always beautifully decorated for the holidays and we enjoy driving past them. Not anticipating anything more than a casual drive-by, we headed down the lane and were totally captivated by the up-for-sale fourth house on the left. After scouring the selling agency's website via iPhone and making a late-night phone call to the realtor, we were scheduled for a tour the next morning. I told myself not to fall in love with the place before I walked inside, but I couldn't help myself. It exuded warmth that I'd felt in no home but the one I grew up in. It smelled like a mix of apple pie and freshly baked cookies and the view was to die for. It felt like the house was built specifically for us and we both knew we had to have it. After making an offer two days later and wrapping up the closing process in late February, the place was ours. We've spent the past six months painting walls, refinishing hardwood floors, installing new hardware and backsplashes and just making the house our own. I never knew manual labor could be so fun and rewarding. I'm not sure there's any greater feeling in this world than owning a home. If such a feeling exists, I haven't felt it yet. It's absolutely mind-blowing to think that there's a place on this earth that belongs solely to Jade and me, a place that no one can take away from us. Each and every time I turn onto Bonnie Lane and head towards the fourth house on the left, the one with the reddish-orange roof and shutters, my heart swells and could just burst with pride. I can't wait to fill all 1200 square feet with laughter, love, family and memories that will last a lifetime.

With Labor Day weekend behind us, it won't be long before the leaves are changing colors and I am trading in my t-shirts and shorts for sweatshirts and long pants. The white handbags have been put away and I will soon be bidding farewell to my open-toed shoes for another season. Shoes. They're my thing and I think it's fair to say I'm shoe-obsessed. Anyone who knows me knows this. Move over Carrie Bradshaw! I believe the right shoes with otherwise basic clothing can take an outfit from fair to fab immediately without the need to add a bunch of other accessories. With more than 100 pairs of shoes and an entire room to house them, it's pretty safe to say I'm prepared to put the finishing touch on any ensemble. That, however, does not stop me from making additional footwear purchases and I'm still trying to explain to some that just because you have a pair of black heels, it does NOT mean that they go with everything that one would wear black shoes with, and the style of the shoe is just as important. You wouldn't wear a pair of casual, look-cute-with-jeans shoes with a business suit, would you? I'm not exactly sure how the footwear obsession began, but I do recall loving shoes as kid. You know the pics you've seen on the Internet of the little girl in her mother's heels? Yep...that was me. As soon as I was old enough to wear heels and not look like I should have been at home playing dress-up, I've been sporting a pair. And then I met Jimmy, Christian and Manolo. Instant addiction. There's just something about the look and feel of the high-end brands. I'm very thankful for Joe at Campetti's Shoe Hospital in Wheeling. He has breathed new life into many pairs when they were beginning to look a bit ragged or were just plain broken, and such has occurred on occasion. Once when that happened at work, I had to wear a colleague's shoes home to get another pair as there was no way to improvise when the four-inch stiletto snapped off the bottom of my shoe. The moral of that story was to put a pair of basic pumps in the car just in case. Within the last few months, I found my way back to the gym, which necessitated the purchase of new workout shoes. I was pleasantly surprised to see the variety of colors and patterns - black and white checkered, green and white mesh or pale grey with neon green and purple trim to name just a few. Gone are the days of the basic white tennis shoes with a red or blue swoosh. I currently have my sights set on a pair of black and grey leopard print with pink trim. I don't want boring footwear, even at the gym. I do have to chuckle at myself, though. The cost of athletic shoes causes me pause. However, if I were purchasing heels, I wouldn't think twice. Maybe as I become more involved in fitness, this will change. But for now, I'll be waiting for the UPS man and that new pair of leopard CLs!

One subject that can really fire up a debate when I get together with my family is the subject about healthcare and/or medical malpractice. I work at a law firm that handles medical malpractice cases. My daughter is an LPN who works at a local doctor's office. The clash is predictable and self-evident. Of course, both sides of the issue have strong points, i.e., medical costs are so high because the doctors have to purchase medical malpractice insurance and if medical professionals were more careful and followed proper procedure they wouldn't have to worry about having medical malpractice insurance. We also hear a lot about frivolous lawsuits with people just searching for something to sue the doctor for to make some quick money. In the 24 years that I have worked for Bordas & Bordas, I have never seen a frivolous medical malpractice suit. We are extremely careful about the cases that we take and usually our medical malpractice cases are ones that leave you feeling devastated for the victims and families, wondering "how could this have happened?" One case in particular that stays in my memory is one that I worked on during the first year that I worked at Bordas & Bordas. If I ever had any questions about why we need to support medical malpractice, they were quickly answered after I was exposed to this case. It was clear to me that when medical professionals are negligent or careless and don't follow the strict protocols, the consequences can quickly spiral out of control. This particular case involved a 23-year-old woman who was experiencing nausea, vomiting and a lot of abdominal pain on her right side. She went to her gynecologist to get checked and upon examination he felt a mass on her right side. That, together with her other complaints were classic symptoms of appendicitis, tubal ovarian abscess, or an ectopic pregnancy. Even though each of these things could be potentially life threatening, instead of immediately admitting her into the hospital for further tests, the doctor sent her home after scheduling her for exploratory laparotomy at a date two days later. That night her symptoms worsened and when she returned to the ER the next morning, they discovered that her appendix had ruptured causing a pariappendiceal abscess. After surgery, the surgeon neglected to leave a drainage tube in her abdominal cavity to flush the area and then the physician prescribed the wrong kind of antibiotics for a ruptured appendix. Without the drainage tube and the proper antibiotics she immediately developed an infection which traveled her blood stream throughout her body. Then as if the surgeon's mistakes were not enough, her condition was monitored poorly by the hospital staff and she eventually went into septic shock. When the surgeon finally had enough sense to call another doctor in to review the case, the new doctor immediately recognized the dire condition of the woman and scheduled her for emergency surgery. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. She eventually died 16 days after she had presented to her doctor with symptoms of appendicitis. I can still remember the tears running down my face as I typed the various documents, preparing this case for trial. At the time my own daughters were ages 16 and 13 and I'm sure that that fact made my connection to the case even more emotional. My empathy for her mother was almost unbearable, as I imagined her sitting there helplessly watching her daughter struggle for her life day after day. She was trusting the professionals that they were doing everything they could, when in fact, there was negligence and blunder after blunder that eventually made her daughter's survival unobtainable. Although not every medical malpractice case that our firm handles ends in such a tragic way, you can be assured that each and every one of them is a case where the patient has suffered in a major way. In the end, you end up wondering why, especially when you could plainly see that the tragedy could have been prevented. It might be true that the high cost of medical malpractice insurance has contributed to the high cost of medical care in this country. But to let incompetent medical professionals go unpunished and ignore these terrible things happening to people is not the answer. The happy balance will be when excellence in following medical procedure and practice outweigh the need for harmed patients to have to resort to litigation for compensation, but that would require rose-colored glasses.

The Bordas dogs Barley and Guinness are very excited to hear that the Wheeling Dog Park will be opening in the near future down by Tunnel Green. The boys have been waiting a long time to get together with their furry friends in in a fun and safe environment.The excitement is building and we, as dog parents, are also very excited for the Wheeling Dog Park to open. Barley and Guinness want to thank all of you who worked so hard to get Dog Park in Wheeling. So many people pulled together to help make this park a reality. We are also very excited for the Oglebay's "Drool in the Pool" which is happening today, September 1, 2014 from 4pm to 6pm at the outdoor pool. Dogs and owners will have a chance to take one last dip before the summer season ends. Please if you plan on attending with your furry children, make sure you have your shot records.Also, if your pup is like my Guinness who has Doggie ADHD, please make sure that you have them on a leash so that they don't just take off running after everyone. Guinness thinks every dog wants to be his friend and every human wants kisses from him.(Hate to tell you bud, some people don't like dog kisses, I know, can you believe that?) So if you're out about for the last holiday of this summer, keep your eyes opened for all the dog activity in the Wheeling area. Bark on Bordas Dog Nation Bark on.

This past July I had the great pleasure to become a member of the Lions Club International.I joined the Moundsville, West Virginia club.My grandfather had previously been a member of the Lions and I had previously known many others who were members, but I really did not know much about the club beyond generally knowing about its work with vision issues.I was asked to join by a man that I respect very much and whom I have gotten to know since I moved to the Northern Panhandle, Gary Rider.I met Gary through church and because his family has been friends with my in-laws for many years.Gary was a teacher in Marshall County prior to his well deserved retirement and has long been active in community involvement clubs and events.Gary encouraged me to take a look at the club and see if I liked what I saw.I wanted to become more active and meet more people in the community so I attended several meetings as guest before formally joining. Lion's Club International is the largest service club organization in the world with over 1.35 million members in over 46,000 clubs worldwide.Men and women in over 200 countries are members.The Club started back in 1917 by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones.The idea was to create a group that would work to help improve the community.By the 1920s the club had already expanded beyond the United States to Canada and Mexico.Many people probably are aware, or familiar, with some of the work that the Lions Club does with eye sight.The dedication to the vision cause began in 1925 when Helen Keller addressed the Lions Club International Convention and challenged the club to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness."From that date on, vision causes have been a driving force for the Lions.The Lions have been active in many other causes too.The Lions Club Foundation has been active in obtaining and utilizing over $800 million in grants over the years to help meet the needs of communities her in the US and throughout the world.The Lions are also very active in youth programs including Leo Clubs.Leo Clubs allow young people to develop into young leaders and become active in their communities through service opportunities.The Lions Club is active in establishing scholarships for youth and many other events.Much more information about the Lions is available by going to www.lionsclub.org or www.wvlions.org. Locally, there are several events upcoming which will help the Lions with their service.On Monday, September 1, 2014 (rain date September 7) there will be the annual Dan Dague Memorial Car & Bike Show for Sight.The event, which raises significant funds for the WV Lions Sight Foundation, will be located at The Highlands.On Saturday, September 20, 2014 the "Moundsville Zombie Prison Break 5K Run/Walk" will be held.The 5K run/walk is a new event being operated and supported by the Moundsville Lions Club and will go along with the Annual Moundsville Zombie walk which has become a popular event over the last few years in Marshall County. At the Lions Club you will find a diverse group of business leaders, church leaders, educators and neighbors who all have the common goal of improving their community and having a little fun at the same time.I would encourage anyone who is interested to look into joining a local club.

Last Saturday, I stood on top of a building, I thought of my children. I thought about my friends. I thought about my life. And, with one deep breath, I stepped off the ledge. This wasn't a suicidal mission. This was for charity and to help the women of the YWCA of Wheeling. The "Over the Edge" program consisted of individuals raising money to rappel over the Stone Center in Wheeling to support the YWCA and its purpose. More than 40 individuals went over, myself being one, and through our efforts helped to raise nearly $47,000 for an organization whose mission is to empower and help women and children right here in our community. City Officials, Fire fighters, members of the Police Department, Attorneys, Realtors, Community Members, Grandmothers, Athletes, Non-Athletes, and even a pro sports Mascot fearlessly made the walk down the side of the building. Eight stories and 126 feet doesn't sound like much until you are staring down at the sidewalk below and straight up to the clear blue sky above you. Have I  mentioned that I'm afraid of heights? Did I also mention that I lost my footing on the first step and kind of swung there suspended for a few moments before I got my footing? Did I mention that the adrenaline rush supercedes every fear and the cause I was helping was worth even more than that? As with most things in life, the first step was the hardest. And, like other life metaphors, the way down was easier once I made the commitment to just do it. This was the first year for the "Over the Edge" program and I can assure you that next year I will take the same journey along with many others who have already made the commitment. In the meantime, I consider myself lucky. Lucky to have never needed the services provided by the YWCA. Lucky that my professional path put me on track to meet and join up with so many amazing people that make the YWCA a successful organization for local women and children in need. Lucky that I am physically able to take on such challenges such as rappelling down a building for a good cause. Lucky that I got to be involved in such an amazing day. For more information about the YWCA, to volunteer or get involved in some of their many programs, contact them at 304.232.0511 or visit their website.