"Kean Idol" Vocalist Named
Gibsonia, Pa. - March 27, 2006 - Elena Falgione, an 11-year-old from Glenshaw, was
named the vocal winner of the "Kean Idol" Talent Contest on Saturday, March 25 at the Kean Theatre.
She was among 27 semi-finalists competing in the talent show, which benefited St. Barnabas Free Care
Fund. Falgione sang "Think of Me" from Phantom of the Opera to win the top honors.
Bob Logue, former KDKA radio personality, served as emcee. Judges for the championship round were
Hollis Greathouse, a composer, multi-instrumentalist and engineer with Audible Images Recording Studio;
Bo Wagner, performer with the "Let's Be Frank" tribute to Frank Sinatra, a producer and talent agent; and
Donna Bailey, a Pittsburgh area jazz vocalist. The top five finalists selected by the judges were
Elena Falgione of Glenshaw; Samantha Lerda of Wexford; Sarah Marince of Moon Township; Rachel Miller of Oakdale,
Pa.; and Natalie Schaefer of Gibsonia. The audience members voted among the five finalists choosing
Elena Falgione as the Kean Idol, Sarah Marince as first runner-up and Rachel Miller as second runner-up.
The performer with the highest total score from the judges received the judge's choice award, named in honor
of the late Greg Maggio, owner of the North Park Clubhouse restaurants and avid supporter of St. Barnabas
Charities. The judges scored Rachel Miller the highest and she was the recipient of the "Greg Maggio Award."
Through donations to ticket sales, t-shirt and carnation sales, and program happy-grams, the Kean Idol
netted more than $18,000 to benefit the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund.
Marion Piotrowski, publisher of Northern Connection Magazine, and a sponsor of the Kean Idol, presented the
prizes which included the grand prize of six hours of studio time with Audible Images, a portrait session with
photographer Rick Armstrong and a feature story in Northern Connection Magazine. Additional prizes included
professional portrait sessions, a salon gift certificate, an MP3/portable CD player, and a LCD color
television.
The semi-finalists competing in the championship round were Jackie Betz of Pittsburgh; Kristin Carmella of
Cranberry Township; Lisa Castor of Shaler Township; Bethany Clifford of Pitcairn; Larry Coles of McKeesport;
Katie Colosimo of Wexford; Heather Dymkoski of Sarver; Elena Falgione of Glenshaw; Tim Finley of Finleyville;
Abigail Franc of Cranberry Township; Heather Geiger of Irwin; Michaela Gennuso of Venetia, Pa.; Maddie Georgi
of Allison Park; Lauren Gigliotti of Gibsonia; Natalie Gornick of Gibsonia; Celine Held of Butler; Kaitlynne Kline of Carlton, Pa.; Katie Kuhn
of Jefferson Hills, Pa.; Samantha Lerda of Wexford; Sarah Marince of Moon Township; Noel McLeary of Ligonier;
Rachel Miller of Oakdale, Pa.; Crystal Sanford of New Kensington; Natalie Schaefer of Gibsonia;
Samantha Sweeney of Wexford; Kelsey Wilson of Ellwood City; and Paige Wingard of Irwin.
About St. Barnabas - St. Barnabas Health System is the largest health care concern of its kind
in Pennsylvania and offers service apart from the ordinary in a faith-based, non-denominational
setting. Tracing its heritage back to 1900, the system serves approximately 900 inpatients and
residents, plus 35,000 outpatients and home care clients. The health system is composed of the
St. Barnabas Communities, including The Village at St. Barnabas, The Washington Place at St.
Barnabas and The Woodlands at St. Barnabas; St. Barnabas Clinical Services, including St.
Barnabas Nursing Home, St. Barnabas Medical Center, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas and The
Arbors at St. Barnabas; the Kean Theatre; and St. Barnabas Charities, the fund-raising arm.
Contact:
Kathleen Brenneman
(724) 444-5530
kbrenneman@stbarnabashealthsystem.com
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