Maybe Greg Patrick, Class of 1970, should arrange for transportation via Santa’s sleigh and his 8 tiny reindeer.

Greg was on his way to Kiev aka Kyiv, which is in the Ukraine, where Greg goes to visit his friends.

But United Airline isn’t as hospitable and reliable as Santa Claus and his reindeer sled.

I’ll let Greg explain:

“Well, I’m staying upstairs at the United Airline Gates tonight. The lady said she would check on me later and bring me a blanket. Flight 7:30 a.m. to Newark!!! What a Christmas Eve!!!

“THIS IS INSANE!!!!!!

“I have two 12-hour layovers tomorrow, too. I will be 12 hours in Newark and 12 hours now in Munich. I won’t arrive in Kiev until 26th!!”

This will, indeed, be a Christmas that Greg will never forget . . . and for all the wrong reasons.

Apparently, fog and air travel don’t mix.

Greg’s trips to Ukraine seem to be jinxed. A few years back he arrived in Kiev dealing with serious health problems. In 3 weeks Greg had to deal with 3 catheters and 3 trips to the doctor.

Ukraine is bordered by Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Greg’s Kiev friends have tried to return the favor, but . . . well, I’ll let Greg explain it:

“They HAVE NOT been able to visit! We have tried twice to acquire visitor visas but they were denied. Very sad!!!”

A curse of the Trump era. Visitors aren’t given easy access unless they pay off the Trump family.

 

Greg is the leader of the Jenna Won’t Sing Band, Monongah’s No. 1 band that plays throughout Marion County and at the Monongahfest every year.

He is an energetic and ecstatic and beloved social studies teacher at Fairmont Catholic School, where he began four days before his official retirement after 37 years at Miller Junior High and West Fairmont Middle School.

After a childhood in Monongah, Greg graduated from Fairmont State with a degree in education and got a master’s degree at West Virginia University.

In 2000, Greg returned to Monongah to take care of his ailing father. Now, “I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” Greg says.

Monongah is richer for that.

Jim Pulice, Eric Pulice and Ron Yanero are Greg’s co-conspirators in the Jenna Won’t Sing Band. Jim Pulice and Greg have been connected to music and have been friends since grade school. Their first band, Valley Fogg, was formed in 1967.

 

They reunited in 1982 along with Jim Pulice's brother, Robert, and Jim's brother-in-law, Phil Westfall, to form Melofin.

 

Jim Pulice, Class of 1969, is a retired Monongah Middle School principal and son of Jim Pulice, my former CYO basketball coach. I was about the worst player on the team. When I took a shot I prayed harder than anyone on the court, which was appropriate since it was a church league. 

 

Today, they are re-united with Jim's son and a friend, Ron Yanero, to form Jenna Won’t Sing.

 

Greg’s other great love is cars. Exotic muscle cars. He runs the Monongahfest Car Show every year and travels around the country to see those magnificent metal masterpieces at other car shows.

Hopefully, Greg’s return trip from the Ukraine won’t be as traumatic. Oh, vey!