Community contributes to ‘Remembering Rennerdale’ book

At the height of the covid-19 pandemic, recently widowed Kathleen Zimbicki found a way to maintain her sanity, as she’ll admit, by painting watercolors of neighbors’ homes in the Rennerdale section of Collier.

Through social media, she shared her portraits with other artists, seeking their feedback.

“One of the greatest ones,” Zimbicki said, “was this guy from Philadelphia. He said, ‘I’m moving to Rennerdale.’”

The positive imagery she created for her hometown served as the impetus for “Remembering Rennerdale,” a 588-page book that commemorates the neighborhood’s 125th anniversary in an appealingly distinctive manner.

More than 200 houses as painted by Zimbicki are portrayed alongside contemporary photographs, details of the properties and, in many cases, reminiscences by people who have lived there.

“It’s one thing to believe that you had the most wonderful growing-up years. But the joy I felt reading the stories in these pages, stories that reflected that same spirit, has completed a journey I consider an honor,” longtime Rennerdale resident Margie Feitt, one of the book’s authors, said. “The opportunity to record a piece of history has been a gift I can never repay.”

She joined Zimbicki and Doug McLaren, another co-author, for a book release event on Sept. 24, sharing their experiences with a sanctuary full of folks at First United Presbyterian Church of Rennerdale on Noblestown Road.

“I think that you have all heard the expression, it takes a village to accomplish anything,” McLaren, a Kentucky resident who spent his first 22 years in Rennerdale, said. “Well, folks, it’s you who helped make this book possible. I mean, we have pictures in there. We have stories in there. But it’s the stories that fill in between and make the cement, the foundation, of all of the book that we have here.”

He spoke about receiving an email from Zimbicki in the summer of 2020, with the subject line simply stating, “Your old house.”

“Lo and behold, what comes up is her interpretation of my home,” McLaren said, with the body telling him: “I am here alone with a cat trying to keep sane by painting Rennerdale houses.”

And no, as he once had to explain to someone, she wasn’t inside of them coating walls and ceilings.

McLaren and Feitt had been working with Rand Gee, a writer who lives in Washington state, on a book about his native Collier, and he suggested that Zimbicki’s art form the basis for another publication. Two years later, the efforts of the four of them finally came to fruition.

During the book release, the authors gave recognition to local Boy Scout Kaleb Gearhart, whose Eagle Award service project involved restoring a “Welcome to Rennerdale” sign that his great-grandfather was instrumental in posting about 80 years ago. Zimbicki’s watercolor of the sign is featured on the book’s cover.

Also, Feitt, McLaren and Zimbicki presented a $600 check to the Rennerdale Volunteer Fire Department, which included fliers about the book project with takeout fish dinners the firefighters served during the pandemic.

Offering her congratulations at the event was the Rev. Jodi Flack, who at 19 years is the longest-tenured pastor in the 119-year history of the hosting church.

“We are so grateful that we are part of this community,” she said. “I feel that we’ve been kind of a beacon of light for many years. And when we ring the bell every Sunday morning, I want you to know that we are praying for this community.”

Feitt further expressed her gratitude to the community members of Rennerdale.

“Many times, your contributions felt like Christmas. You remember that emotion you felt as a kid, opening a gift you absolutely love?” she said. “We sincerely present this book with the hope that you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed our journey.”

For more information, visit www.randgee.com/remembering-rennerdale.