THE CENTRE COUNTY
GAZETTE www.StateCollege.com
Gridiron greats The Gazette’s sports staff previews the upcoming high school, college and pro football season. PULLOUT SECTION INSIDE
August 23-29, 2012
Volume 4, Issue 34
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NittanyStrong aims to help community, charities By CHRIS MORELLI editor@centrecountygazette.com
UNIVERSITY PARK — Thomas Bellingham didn’t go to Penn State. He doesn’t even live in Pennsylvania. However, when it comes to being a diehard Nittany Lion fan, Bellingham bleeds blue and white. That’s why the events of the past 10 months have been so hard for him to watch and digest. After hearing negative things being said about Penn State, the football program and the State College community, he decided to act.
“I had to do something,” he said from his home in Louisville, Ky. “I wanted to take a stand.” Bellingham created “NittanyStrong,” a website dedicated to supporting Penn State University. Visitors to the website will see a line of clothing emblazoned with the NittanyStrong logo. What exactly is NittanyStrong? Think Nike’s line of Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong products with a blue-and-white twist. And Bellingham went through the proper legal channels. “When I came up with the original idea, the first thing I did was check with my attorney,” he said. “We wanted to make sure
we could do this. When we got the OK, we trademarked it and it took off from there. It’s a great design, we just gave it our own message.” The NittanyStrong line has been a hit thus far — and that’s a very good thing. Proceeds from the NittanyStrong line will go to a
pair of charities. Locally, the Centre County Youth Service Bureau is the beneficiary. “We were looking for a nonprofit in Centre County and the Youth Service Bureau seemed like the perfect fit. They do so many good things for at-risk children. Programs like Big Brothers
Big Sisters offer so much, so it’s great to lend a hand,” Bellingham said. Closer to Bellingham’s home in Louisville, the NittanyStrong line will aid C.H.O.I.C.E. Inc. Founded in 1987, it is a comprehensive, community-based, nonprofit prevention program. The group provides services to young people who reside in Metro Louisville, Ky., and who are not chemically dependent. “It’s a local charity and they do great things. I thought that the more good we can do, the better,” Bellingham said.
NittanyStrong, Page 4
Grange Fair gears up for 138th year
Posnanski: Family didn’t influence me
By MARJORIE S. MILLER
By RALPH D. RUSSO
mmiller@centrecountygazette.com
The Associated Press
CENTRE HALL — The “nation’s most unique county fair” is gearing up for another year in Centre Hall. The Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair, or Grange Fair, will take place from Aug. 23 through 30 at Grange Park. A “city within a town,” the 138th Grange Fair will feature a variety of concerts, rides, food, games and competitions, according to its website. Allen Bartlebaugh, of Bartlebaugh Amusements Inc., said his family business is “probably the oldest” vendor at the fair. Bartlebaugh Amusements has been attending the Grange Fair since the 1930s, Bartlebaugh said, and provides about 20 games and food stands and about 15 to 20 rides. Bartlebaugh, of Madisonburg, said this year 10 of his family members are planning to attend, and they will stay for the entirety of the fair. What he’s most looking forward to this year, he said, is McDonald’s Day, in which attendees will get a variety of discounts and deals through a partnership with the
and cows, and can learn about things they wouldn’t be able to anywhere else. Bartlebaugh said he wants to inform those who will be attending the fair for the first time this year that not everything can be seen and done in just one day. “Plan to spend the whole day and come back again,” he said. “It’s the place to be next week.” Ben Haagen, new Grange Fair president, said while he and the rest of the fair
The author of a new biography of Joe Paterno says the late Penn State coach and his family never tried to limit his access to them after the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke. Joe Posnanski told The Associated Press on Tuesday the Paternos wanted their story to be told and trusted him to do it fairly. “The one thing they were so good about, they never, from Joe all the way down, they never tried to influence the book,” Posnanski said. “They never said, ‘Hey, leave this out JOE POSNANSKI or don’t put this in.’ Or this might be misconstrued or whatever. They were, every one of them, said tell the truth the best you see it.” “Paterno” was released Tuesday. “(Paterno’s children) believed that if the truth came out that people would see their father for what he was,” said Posnanski, who has worked for The Kansas City Star and Sports Il-
Grange, Page 6
Posnanski, Page 3
MAUREEN LOCKARD/The Gazette
RIDING TIME: Workers from Bartlebaugh Amusements set up some of the rides for the 138th Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair, which begins on Aug. 23. food chain. According to the Grange Fair website, McDonald’s Day at Bartlebaugh’s will be held from 1 p.m. to closing on Aug. 23. A $7 wristband will include a coupon from McDonald’s. Bartlebaugh said such a large event as the Grange Fair provides a host of benefits, especially to local stores, hotels and other businesses that receive a boost in business during the fair. The fair itself, he said, provides entertainment throughout the day for families. Children can see a variety of animals, such as horses, pigs
Balfurd marks 85 years as ‘community’s dry cleaner’ By TRACEY DOOMS
Photo provided
CLASSIC CAR: Balfurd’s dry cleaners has been a part of the Centre region for 85 years. Pictured is one of the company’s original delivery vehicles. Balfurd’s still picks up and delivers dry cleaning. Opinion ............................ 7 Health & Wellness ............ 8 Send Story Ideas To editor@ centrecountygazette.com
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
STATE COLLEGE — Balfurd has been taking care of pressing business in State College for 85 years. Today, the dry cleaner keeps customers coming back by combining experience with environmentally friendly techniques and perks such as free pickup and delivery. Back in 1927, Russian refugee Nathan Balfurd founded his company under the Corner Room in State College, in the space now occupied by Zeno’s. He used a steam pressing ma-
chine and a tiny boiler for pressing and tailoring. That same year, Ellis Dry Cleaning Works was launched nearby. In 1966, the two enterprises consolidated and became known as Balfurd Inc. The Fogelsanger family has been involved with the company since 1952, with current President Bob Fogelsanger representing the third generation in the family-run dry-cleaning business. “We’re proud to be our community’s dry cleaner,” he said. “It’s a two-way street. We help
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out the community, and they’ve kept us in business for 85 years.” Last weekend, Balfurd was a platinum sponsor of the Mount Nittany Medical Center Golf Classic, a fundraiser for the community hospital. According to Fogelsanger, his company’s commitment to the community is what led Balfurd to become one of the first Pennsylvania dry cleaners to adopt the GreenEarth dry-cleaning process, replacing petroleumbased solvents with non-toxic, odor-free liquid silicone about 10 years ago.
Balfurd, Page 4
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