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& Ohio Railroad. He became a cook, and this career change took him to the Nittany Lion Inn in State College. Eventually, he returned to Punxsutawney, and he began working again for the B&O Railroad and acquired a ready-made family, which was completed then with two sisters.

In spite of her childhood travels, Linda received her primary education “mostly” at the Mary A. Wilson Elementary School, which she entered after completing a year of ple,” she says about her peripatetic childBy James Lauffer kindergarten at the Salvation Army. She hood. of Hometown magazine credits her years at Mary A. Wilson with Linda’s parents were Myron and Ruth Nel“making me careful with language and unxsutawney’s Linda McAfoos is an son Hutchins. She has a brother, Eric, who is punctuation.” Linda is a member of Punxanomaly among American workers. four years younger than she. He is a veteran sutawney Area High School’s Class of 1960.

The average U.S. worker – accordof the Vietnam War and retired after serving In high school, she was a member of several ing to Careers Advice Online – will change twenty-five years in the U.S. Army, where clubs – Gun (“I earned my expert badge”), careers between five and seven times during he was a machinist. Linda also has two sisLatin, Red Cross, Science, and World Culhis or her working life, changes that emters: Joan Harris of Cool Spring, Pennsylvatures. She was also a cheerleader and apployers accept, and, perhaps, even expect. peared in several school Linda, unlike most workplays. “You didn’t stay at ers and not all average, has home,” she says when worked pursued only one asked about her busy excareer during her working tracurricular schedule. life. She has been a regis“This is what you did.” tered nurse for fifty-two In her spare time, Linda years and counting. She ice skated, roller skated, has worked at three hospibowled, played softball, tals, but at each one has and enjoyed painting and worked steadfastly as a gardening. “I was still nurse – mostly as an emerplaying ball into my gency room nurse who fifties,” she says. “I was works the midnight shift. asked to play, and I said, ‘If Linda describes herself as I get hurt, I quit.’ I have this being “born and bred” in thing about pain – I don’t Punxsutawney. She was like it!” born in Adrian Hospital, Linda avoided injury and and, as a youngster, becontinued to enjoy the cause her father was in the game she had played for military, she spent time in both Florida and Georgia. Linda McAfoos is flanked by daughters Brenda (left) and Dee Dee, who attended the decades. “I just played,” “I returned home to Punx- 2016 “pinning” ceremony where Linda received a pin recognizing her fifty years of serv- she says, “I didn’t care if sutawney with a southern ice as a nurse at Punxsutawney Area Hospital (and its predecessor, Adrian Hospital). we were in the cellar – I proud daughters commemorated their mom’s achievement by presenting her with just played for the fun of accent,” she chuckles. The fifty roses – twenty-five ivory and twenty-five peach colored. (submitted photo) it.”

Linda also spent time with In high school, Linda experienced an her family in New Jersey and Philadelphia nia, and Doris Krupiewski of Norristown, epiphany of sorts. She was enjoying a foot– “Dad’s parents were from Philadelphia” – Pennsylvania. Linda’s mother was divorced ball game at Harmon Field when she looked and also in State College, Pennsylvania, and, and a year later married her stepfather, Ralph across the way toward East Liberty Street. when she was ten years old, at the Allegany Adamson, in Punxsutawney. Like her, he She saw a house with a nice backyard that Indian Reservation in Salamanca, New was a native of Punxsutawney and served in York. “I went to school with all sorts of peothe U.S. Navy and worked for the Baltimore - Continued on page 4

Linda McAfoos’s Decades-Long Nursing Career

On the cover: Punxsutawney's Linda McAfoos has served her community as a registered nurse for more than fifty years. (Hometown staff photo)

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2 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

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Let Us Welcome Christmas!

From the Editor’s Desk

s I type, Christmas is a mere two weeks away! And New Year’s Day? In three weeks, 2018 will be underway! I ought to be considering lastminute gifts and realistic resolutions, but all I can think about is the Grinch – Dr. Seuss’s infamous hero of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!. You remember the Grinch, the curmudgeonly creature who growls, “I must find some way to

A

keep Christmas from coming!” With all due respect to Dr. Seuss and his wonderful creation, no one can keep Christmas from coming, either literally or metaphorically.

The Grinch, afflicted with a heart “two sizes too small,” believes he can stymie the advent of Christmas and smother the holiday joy of Whoville residents, thus silencing their Christmas singing, which he hates. The grump’s belief is based on what he sees with eyes – trimmed trees, wrapped gifts, and stuffed stockings. The

Grinch concludes that if he takes these things from the Whos, he will keep Christmas and its attendant joy from coming to the good residents of Whoville.

Alas, the Grinch knows not the source of Whoville’s Christmas joy. He works feverishly through Christmas Eve pilfering “every present! / Pop guns, pampoogas, pantookas, and drums! / Checkerboards, bizilbigs, popcorn, and plums!” in Whoville. He intends to toss them – and, he believes, the Whos’ holiday happiness – into the abyss. On Christmas morning, the Grinch is surprised by what he hears. Expecting to hear boohoos from the Whos below, the Grinch, instead, hears the Whos expressing their holiday joy in a song: “Christmas Day is in our grasp / So long as we have hands to clasp.” Initially perplexed, the Grinch experiences an epiphany; he realizes that he did not stop Christmas from coming. Indeed, he thinks of something he’d not thought of before – that Christmas “means a little bit more” than what he sees with his eyes, that there is a deeper, truer meaning of Christmas!

His realization brings a smile to the Grinch’s soul and, according to the Whos, his heart grows three sizes. With haste, the Grinch flies down the mountainside and returns the Whos’ gifts and - Continued on page 5

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Follow Your Dream

During her long nursing career, Linda McAfoos has delivered forty-one children – each one providing her with a memorable and special moment. (Hometown staff photo)

Continued from page 2 contained a rhubarb patch. “I would love to have that rhubarb,” she said to herself. Years later, Linda’s search for a house (and a helpful realtor) took her to the very same house and yard that she had admired as a teenager.

At that time, Linda’s Mom lived with her – which she did more than thirty years. “Mom fell in love with the place,” recalls Linda.

Her mom’s approval cinched the deal, and Linda still lives in the house that caught her

teenage eyes. And what about the rhubarb patch? “It’s still here and has spread like crazy,” she chuckles, adding that “the grandkids love it!”

Linda’s desire to be a nurse burned from a young age. “From the time I was little, I wanted to be a nurse,” she recalls. “That was it – I wanted to be a nurse – and there was never any question about it.” She attributes her strong desire to the example of extended family members. “I had aunts who were LPNs and a great-grandmother who was a midwife,” she says. Her childhood desire consumed her to the point that it affected one

particular holiday. “At Halloween, I wanted to dress up as a nurse,” she says with a grin.

“Of course, back then, we didn’t have nurse costumes.”

Following high school, in pursuit of her dream, Linda took the National League for Nursing Exam, which was then administered at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. “It was so hard that I thought to myself, ‘I’ll never pass this,’” she remembers. Linda did pass the exam and was accepted into the nursing programs of Temple University, Shadyside Hospital, and Presbyterian Hospital; however there was a caveat – their acceptance was not for the current year, but for the following year. Anxious to begin studying for the career that she had dreamed about since she was a girl, Linda explored another option – Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital’s School of Nursing.

To gain entrance, Linda was required to take another demanding exam. “I took the test at Conemaugh,” she says. “I was told, ‘We take only the cream of the crop, only the top one-third.’” Her scores placed Linda among the upper tier, and she was accepted into the school’s program. “It was heaven sent,” she says, still breathing a sigh of relief more than five decades later.

Conemaugh’s program was a three-year diploma program consisting of discrete units of study. With the end of her schooling in sight, Linda developed a flu-like, respiratory illness and was sent home for seven months.

“Back in high school, I had hepatitis and was out for eight weeks,” she says. “My immune system was weakened and remained weak.”

After healing, Linda made plans to return to school and finish the work for her diploma.

The school, however, threw the proverbial monkey wrench into her plans. “They

weren’t going to let me come back,” Linda recalls. “I had to take tests for the classes that I’d completed during the first two and a half years.” In addition, she had to complete the pediatric unit, in which she was enrolled when illness struck. When the testing dust settled, Linda had to repeat a handful of units. “I ended up spending four and a half years for a three-year program,” she says. “It was a challenge, but it was the best thing that could have happened to me – it made me a better nurse.”

Linda’s resolve to return to school and obtain her nursing diploma was grounded in her childhood desire to be a nurse: “I said, ‘This is what I’ve always wanted, and you’re not taking this away from me.’”

Linda’s childhood desire was fulfilled when she graduated from Conemaugh in the spring of 1965. Following graduation, she traveled to Harrisburg to take the two-day State Board of Nursing Exam to obtain her Pennsylvania license to be a registered nurse. Having obtained that license, Linda began her first nursing job at Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital, where she worked in the medical-surgical and pediatric departments. “My friend Kathy Bluhm and I got an apartment,” she recalls, “and we walked to work. It worked out well for us.”

After working six months or so, Linda’s life changed again when she married Jim McAfoos in November 1965. They are the parents of four children: Brenda (married to Doug Craft), Douglas (married to Melissa, who is the sister of Doug Craft), Tina (married to Tom Miller), and Dee Dee (engaged to Eric Fallara). Linda is the proud grandmother of seven grandchildren and the doting great-grandmother to six great-grandchildren – with another on the - Continued on page 6

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4 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

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Let Us Welcome Christmas!

Continued from page 3

food and participates in the town’s Christmas feast – serving as the carver of the “roast beast.”

Like the Whos, may we welcome Christmas, and let us, each in our own way, embrace the light of the holiday – the light brought by the Christ child.

May we endeavor to bring cheer to all, “far and near.” Let us understand that: “Christmas Day will always be / Just as long as we have we.” For the curmudgeonly among us, may the light of Christmas bring a smile to our souls and expand our hearts three sizes or more!

The publisher, the staff, and the writers of Hometown magazine wish you the

merriest of Christmases and the healthiest of New Years. We thank you for your support in 2017 and look forward to serving our Hometown readers and community in 2018. “Welcome Christmas while we stand / Heart to heart and hand in hand.”

I’d also like to pass along the following greetings that I received from members of the Hometown staff: Wendy Hess: “Wishing all our readers, advertisers, and my fellow staff a very happy holiday season and a healthy new year! May God bless our community with smart leadership, generous volunteers and donors, and good teachers of all kinds. Our area has so many advantages and so much to offer through the year. Let’s all enjoy living here!”

Marty Armstrong: “May we rejoice together that there is much about our heritage that we have in common and that those things can be enjoyed and appreciated by all during the season of Christmas.”

Gloria Kerr: “The year 2017 has been fraught with violent storms which left many homeless, senseless terrorism around the world, and embarrassingly bad behavior by public figures we thought we could admire. Nevertheless, I’m a person who sees the glass as halffull rather than half empty, so I’m optimistic about 2018.

“We know what sweet is because we’ve tasted sour; we appreciate happiness more because we’ve known sadness. By analogy then, we know more profoundly what simple goodness is because of all the bad we’ve heard about or experienced, and how much simple goodness there is all around us here in rural, western PA. “Right now I am celebrating family members young and old out there tramp-

ing in the woods stalking deer just as their fathers and grandfathers did, Christmas lights brightening up the night all over the neighborhood, holiday church programs to inspire and renew our faith, holiday shopping and giving from the heart, the closeness of family and our planned get-togethers, and the new year coming that gives us a symbolic chance to start again and try to do better and be better than we were last year.

“I believe that 2018 is going to be a very good year in many ways. Quoting Dr. Wayne Dyer, “If you believe it will work out, you will see opportunities. If you believe it won’t, you will see obstacles.”

•••

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6 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

Linda McAfoos stands ready to serve her patients – as she has for more than fifty years. (Hometown staff photo)

Follow Your Dream

Continued from page 4 way! Her son-in-law Doug is an avid, dedicated runner, and her son, Douglas, is the fire chief of the Elk Run Fire Company.

Brenda is an outpatient clerk at Punxsutawney Area Hospital, Tina is an elementary school teacher, and Dee Dee is the manager at NAPA. After nineteen years of marriage, Jim and Linda amicably divorced.

A month after her marriage, in December 1965, Linda began working at Adrian Hospital. “I worked all three shifts and all over the place,” she says, “but I worked primarily in medical-surgical, ICU, and OB.” Linda worked at Adrian Hospital until 1977 when the new Punxsutawney Area Hospital opened. “We moved everything in one day,” she remembers. At the time of the move, Linda was the third-shift nursing supervisor of the hospital. Though she now works part time, Linda continues to work the night shift in the ER. “I went to the emergency room in 1981 have been there ever since,” Linda says, “I loved maternity, but it’s scary because you can’t see your second patient!”

“Except for my first year, I have worked nights,” she adds. “It worked out better; I could sleep whenever I could. I learned to get by on about three and a half hours of sleep.”

In 2016, the hospital recognized Linda’s decades of service. “I got my pin for fifty years,” she says. “The hospital gives pins for five, ten, and so on years of service, and I received mine for fifty years.” Daughters Brenda and Dee Dee attended the ceremony and presented their mom with fifty roses – twenty-five ivory colored and twenty-five peach. When they entered the room where the ceremony was held, the sisters shared a brief moment of panic. “We couldn’t find mom,” Brenda recalls, “but she was in the back row crying.”

Like Brenda’s, Dee Dee’s pride in her mom’s achievements is unbounded. “I am constantly having people stop me all over town to tell me how grateful they were that when they had to go to the ER, my mom was there to take care of them,” she says. “What an amazing feeling that is! Her compassionate, loving, and caring nature makes all her patients so lucky to have her caring for them when they are there.” Dee Dee adds that other former patients have told her that Linda gave them the blunt advice that they needed to kick the bad habits that adversely

affected their health.

Now a veteran nurse of fifty-two-plus years, Linda sees her nursing career drawing to a close. “I’m trying to phase myself out,” says Linda. “I’d kind of like to retire by spring.”

“I want to mention that following a serious health issue, I thought my nursing career had ended,” she continues. “I was wrong! Because of the tremendous support from my ER family and other hospital staff, my longevity was extended.”

“I owe them my gratitude for standing by me,” she concludes, “and for putting up with me. Thank you!”

“It’s been an adventure,” Linda adds. “So many things are the same, but every so often something happens that changes your life and you meet special people who touch you.” Delivering a child without a doctor present is among those special moments. “I have forty-one deliveries,” she says with a touch of awe in her voice. “Once, in the Emergency Room, an umbilical cord was wrapped two times around a baby’s neck. I unwrapped it once, ‘panicked,’ and then unwrapped it again, and the baby’s color immediately improved. Scary.”

“Being a nurse has been more than fulfilling,” Linda concludes, “and now I am trying to teach and pass along the knowledge that I’ve gained. Pay ahead. I feel so proud when I see or hear a nurse doing or remembering things I talked about.”

Linda’s girlhood dream was to be a nurse, and she stubbornly pursued that dream, overcoming challenges that might have discouraged others. She offers realistic advice, based on her more than five decades on the job, to those who consider nursing as a career. “Turn around and run,” she says with a smile, before continuing: “I would tell them not to go into nursing if they don’t want to take care of someone who is sick and dirty, who swears at you and spits at you. It breaks my heart to see young nurses who don’t offer the care that a patient needs.”

“You have to want to actually take care of people,” she adds. “Some days you think, ‘I can’t do this another day.’”

Linda readily acknowledges that being a nurse has been fulfilling – that her childhood desire has been satisfied – but she points out that her career is not, and has not been, the top priority in her life. “God, my family, and nursing – that’s my life,” she says. And what a life it has been!

•••

MERRY

CHRISTMAS!

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After the opening of the Adrian mines in 1886, Dr. T. R. Williams, the mine physician, recognized a need for a hospital to care for injured miners in the area. The Adrian Hospital was built in 1889.

In Punxsutawney area history, Dr. and Mrs. Williams are recognized as establishing an Episcopal church for a small number of “communicants of the Church of England” moving to the area. (photo from collection of Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society)

Episcopal Christ Church in Punxsutawney History

O

By S. Thomas Curry pany. The first mine was the Walston mine, of Hometown magazine opened in 1882.

With the opening of the Adrian mines a n Christmas mornings many, many small number of “communicants of the years ago, a child could expect apChurch of England” moved to the Adrian ples or other seasonal fruit, popcorn mines (Delancey post office). The group balls, nuts, and candies if they had been called in Bishop Cortland Whitehead, of good, or a lump of coal if naughty. Today, the Diocese of Pittsburgh, for guidance in tiny gifts stuffed in a variety of stockings, organizing them for worship. According to or placed under the Christmas tree, might the written history, Bishop Whitehead held be more precious or practical than the food the first Episcopal service at Adrian mines items expected in the past. at Delancey in the latter part of 1889.

In this writing for a Hometown Christmas, Typically, with whether you the the organization reader have been of a new church naughty or nice, fellowship, small items of members worPunxsutawney shipped in priarea history are vate homes or in packaged and ofother available fered under one space. A note in theme about the the weekly Punxhistory of the sutawney News Christ Episcopal of October 1890 Church in Punxannounced: sutawney. Hope“Mary Monks fully, the reader will find these For several years, the Episcopal congregation met in has sold her history treats both private homes and in various spaces, such as the Odd property on the interesting and Fellow’s Hall, Shield’s Hall, and Knights of Pythias Hall corner of Union in Punxsutawney. After years of fundraisers, in 1905 a and Penn Streets useful. “chapel” was built on East Mahoning Early historical wood-frame Street in Punxsutawney. (photo from “Punxsutawney to the Episcopal Congregation at writings about the 1909” historical booklet) this place for a Punxsutawney consideration of $2,500. This is a beautiful Episcopal congregation state that the early site for a church which the Episcopalians followers of the Anglican Communion took expect to build.” steps to organize “About 1889” or “In the However, before the fall of 1905 when its year 1889.” first “chapel” was built, the congregation An announcement on the Church Page of met in the Odd Fellow’s Hall, Shield’s Hall, the Punxsutawney Spirit of Wednesday, and Knights of Pythias Hall in PunxFebruary 6, 1889, noted: “Episcopal sutawney.

Church services at Bair’s Hall tomorrow Among those early Episcopal “communievening at 8 o’clock, Rev. Edmund A. Ancants” were Dr. Thornton R. Williams and gell, officiating.” By April 1890, the Spirit his wife, Elizabeth. Dr. T. R. Williams church listing announced the following: helped establish the Adrian Hospital, rec“Episcopal services at Adrian, in Union ognizing the need for such a hospital while Chapel, Sunday morning, April 27, at 10:30 serving as a physician for the Rochester a.m. and at Punxsutawney in Bair’s Hall at and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Company.

3:30, p.m. Rev S.D. Day of Bradford offiFollowing a time as company doctor in ciating.”

Beechtree, near Brockway, he moved to The year 1889 in Punxsutawney area hisAdrian mines in 1887. He was thirty-seven tory is notable because it was during this years old. year when the Rochester and Pittsburgh When the small, wood, cottage-style Coal and Iron Company built a hospital at Adrian Hospital building opened in 1889, the Adrian mines to take care of men inDr. Williams enlisted a young nurse from jured in the area mines. The Adrian mines New York City to be the hospital’s first maopened in 1886, the second coal mine opened in the area by the R&PC&I Com- Continued on page 8

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8 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

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After several years without a church building, the ladies of the Episcopal congregation organized its Episcopal Guild to Continued from page 7 raise money “to maintain an Episcopal Church in Punxsutawney.” A frame church tron, or nurse, for care of the miners. A nabuilding was built on the south side of East tive of London, England, Elizabeth RaifsMahoning Street, east of the Mary A. Wiltazer had cared for Dr. Williams when he son School. The site was considered was a patient recovering from surgery to reswampy and muddy, so the church was move a diseased eye. The doctor married built on poles. The first service in the new his nurse in 1893. Mrs. William’s obituary “chapel” was held in September 1905.

The site is the former location of the Chambers Dairy and Dairy Bar, which occupied a “modern building” erected in 1948. That two-story building of ceramic brick is presently the location of the East End Laundromat.

In August 1909, the wooden church building of the Episcopal congregation was moved to higher ground across the street, to property at the corner of East Mahoning Street and Lane Avenue. Though small in number, the membership voted in July to purchase the property of A.W. Calloway and put a force of men together to move the structure to a new foundation on the new lot.

Six teams of horses were used to move the building across the In August 1909, the frame church building was moved across the street heavily traveled East to its present location on East Mahoning Street at Lane Avenue, and Mahoning Street. The the structure was faced with tinted stones removed from the Mahoning Creek nearby. (photo and postcard from collection of S. Thomas Curry) detailed story about the carefully planned moof July 1943 acknowledged her accomment could not be found in any news story plishments in area history. One was “estabof the daily Punxsutawney Spirit. About the lishing the local Episcopal congregation.” move, the 1949 Punxsutawney Centennial Dr. and Mrs. Williams moved to Punxbook, in its feature about the Christ Epissutawney in 1898 when a new Adrian Hoscopal Church history, simply stated the fact pital was built on Jenks Hill. The family that “in 1909 the church building was lived in the Elk Run section of town, near moved across the street to its present locato the hospital, before moving in 1907 to a tion.” new residence built at the corner of East However, “the rest of the story” – as the Union Street and South Penn Street. Faclate Paul Harvey was wont to say – is told ing the park, the property was the old in a written history of the local congregaMonks homestead that was sold by Mary tion. That account is in a revised history Monks in 1890 to the earlier group of Episprepared in October 1959 by the Rev. John copal Church members.

J. Shaw, Vicar of the church. In April 1985, Mrs. Williams is also recognized for her that story – under the heading “Punxefforts to promote and organize a group in sutawney Landmark Made Mysterious 1910 to provide for a free playground for ‘Move’” – appeared in the Spirit for public Punxsutawney children. With Mrs. A.W. knowledge.

Calloway and Mrs. J.P. Wilson, she led the It seems as though a Punxsutawney bor“public playground movement” in Punxough ordinance at that time prohibited the sutawney and established the Punxmoving of wooden buildings. A group of sutawney Playground Association to men in the congregation planned the move provide land “for normal development of to happen under cover of darkness and after children in free play, as well as necessary the Burgess had gone to bed, as he usually activity to keep grown folks in normal condid at 9 p.m. dition.” The land is what is now called HarThe Rev. Shaw described the move in mon Field. these words: “They had six teams of horses Dr. T.R. Williams was elected the first all ready and waiting the signal of the mespresident of the playground organization. senger that the Burgess had retired. The He also helped organize the Punxsutawney dark outline of an entire building moved Country Club. He was a school board across the street. By dawn the Church had member for the Punxsutawney School Sysbeen moved to higher and drier ground and tem at the time when Clayville was consolthe cobblestone exterior had been comidated into Punxsutawney in 1907 and the pleted entirely across the front of the buildnew four-story Jefferson Street High ing, thus, it was no longer a frame wooden School building (now demolished) was building.” built.

- Continued on page 10

Three Simple Ways to Give Back This Season W ant to give back to your community during the holidays, but it’s just not in the budget? With total holiday sales forecasted to hit over $1 trillion this season, it’s good to know that there are plenty of ways to give back without spending another dime.

Sometimes, the items you already own

T-Mobile store through its #GivingTWOgether Phone Drive. Through December, the recycled value of your device, after costs, will be matched and donated to Feeding America and Team Rubicon. What’s more, T-Mobile is pledging a minimum matching donation of $1,000,000 to be split equally between the two charities. That’s enough to buy at least 5,000,000 meals for hungry families and deploy 5,000 veterans to serve communities affected by disasters.

According to recent EPA estimates, more than 135 million cell phones are trashed each year. Don’t toss it! Even old flip phones could net more than 600 meals to people in need or buy critical equipment for a disaster relief strike team member. Plus, anyone can participate, even non-T-Mobile customers. To see learn more about the © Lubos Chlubny/stock.Adobe.com T-Mobile #GivingTWOgether Phone and don’t need anymore can make a big im- Drive, visit www.t-mobile.com/ways-topact for others. Here are three charitable give. ideas that will help you clean house while making someone else’s holiday season Gift Your Glasses for Good much brighter.

Anyone who wears glasses knows just how easy it is to accumulate old pairs of Give the Shelves a Shake frames and lenses that no longer fit your Whether it’s that box full of novels in your style or meet your prescription needs. garage that you haven’t touched since you Now’s the time to fish those frames out of moved last, or a stack of Dr. Seuss your your drawers: many optometrists and local kids have outgrown, you likely own a organizations like Lions Clubs collect prebunch of books that are simply gathering scription glasses and donate them to charidust. Give the gift of literacy and entertain- ties that work within your community. You ment this season! Make a pile of books can also donate online through organizayour household no longer wants and donate tions like New Eyes who send your glasses it to a local library or shelter where your to those in need, worldwide (www.newbooks can be enjoyed by others in the com- eyes.org/recycle.) The gift of good vision munity. You can also do an internet search can completely transform someone’s life for your city and ‘holiday book drive’ to and expand their educational and profesfind other worthy causes close to home. sional opportunities.

This holiday season, it’s easier than ever Tidy-up Your Tech Drawer to make a difference without an impact to Double your giving impact by recycling your budget. your old smartphones and tablets at a local (StatePoint) •••

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10 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

In 1927 a parish hall was built at the rear of the church for social gatherings and rooms for Sunday school. A bell and bell tower were added in 1955. The buildings, as they are now seen, are a private residence today. With its unique stones and history the church building continues to be a Punxsutawney landmark. (photo by S. Thomas Curry)

Episcopal Christ Continued from page 8

Enforcement of that ordinance must have been lenient, as there was no repercussion on record against the little congregation and its spunky group who managed to defy the law. In a few short weeks, the entire building was given a cobblestone exterior using the orange-tinted stones taken from the nearby Mahoning Creek bed.

Membership in the church grew steadily but slowly. A parish hall was built in the rear of the little stone church to meet a need for social gatherings and rooms for Sunday school. It was completed in December 1927 and formally opened on Groundhog Day, of February 2, 1928. The building was later named Lowmaster Hall to honor Vane Lowmaster, a World War I veteran and a longtime member who was also ordained in the congregation as Perpetual Deacon of

W

the Episcopal Church.

In 1953, the Rev. John Shaw entered the ministry of the Episcopal Church denomination after being employed in the banking business for many years. Completing his divinity education, he began his ministry in 1954 in the Punxsutawney church. The Rev. and Mrs. Shaw were instrumental in having a bell tower and a bell added to the church edifice. Funds were provided through a memorial gift presented by Russ and Alfred Cope to remember their mother Alice Cope.

Though now a private residence, with its small bell tower and stone cross, the little stone structure of the Christ Episcopal Church on East Mahoning Street at Lane Avenue is a recognizable Punxsutawney landmark. The history of the faith, spirit, and determination speaks from its unique stones and from those folk who remember the fellowship and service of its past members to Punxsutawney.

•••

How to Enjoy a More Eco-Friendly Winter

inter weather requires all types of modifications, including donning additional layers of clothing or turning the thermostat up a few ticks. But such adjustments can have an adverse impact on the environment, including increasing a person’s carbon footprint and energy consumption.

Just because temperatures are dropping and snow is falling does not mean it’s alright to ignore eco-friendly practices to conserve energy. The following are a handful of ways to enjoy an eco-friendly winter.

• Install a programmable thermostat. The United States Department of Energy estimates that consumers can save 10 percent on their heating bills by rolling back their thermostat 10 to 15 percent over an eighthour period. Program your thermostat to keep the heat low while you’re at work or away from home. The latest digital thermostats are both user-friendly and visually appealing when hung on the wall.

• Replace furnace filters regularly. When warm air has to work harder to push through

dirty filters, the result is an inefficient system that consumes more energy. Be sure to check the condition of furnace filters on a regular basis and clean all input registers and output vents around the house.

• Use residual heat to your advantage.

Open the bathroom door after taking a steamy shower and let that warm, moist air make its way to other rooms in the house.

After cooking or baking is done, turn off the oven but leave the door open to warm the kitchen and dining area without adjusting the home thermostat. Keep draperies and blinds on south- and west-facing windows wide open during the day to maximize sunlight and warmth.

• Seal drafts and close off seldom-used rooms. Sealing drafty windows and doors can save substantial amounts of money. An old towel placed in the crack under the door can alleviate drafts as well. Close doors of rooms that aren’t used, and close the heating/cooling vents in those spaces so the heat is maximized and circulated where it’s needed.

•••

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ccording to one festive and fun annual economic indicator, the cost of this holiday season for shoppers is not expected to rise a significant amount over last year.

For more than 30 years, PNC has calculated the combined estimated price of the gifts from the classic carol “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Known as the PNC Christmas Price Index, the results can indicate what holiday shoppers might expect at the register. This year, the index calculated the total price of all 12 gifts to be $34,558.65, a modest 0.6 percent increase over last year.

While the average consumer is unlikely to shop online or at the mall in search of geesea-laying or a partridge in a pear tree, the Christmas Price Index can be informative for those planning their holiday shopping, as the cost for these gifts often increase or decrease at a rate consistent with the U.S. Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation produced by the U.S. Department of Labor.

“The U.S. economy is growing at a sustainable pace, fueled by higher consumer

confidence, low unemployment, modest wage gains and low interest rates,” says Thomas P. Melcher, chief investment officer for PNC Asset Management Group.

“However, The PNC Christmas Price Index rose at slow steady pace of 0.6 percent in 2017, as companies appear hesitant to pass through price increases to the consumer.”

A few factors largely have driven changes in the index over the years. The Internet makes it easier to find the gifts from the song online, but these goods and services tend to be expensive, mainly due to added shipping and handling costs. The price of services overall has increased, while the price of goods has slowed. Fuel costs, which have been especially volatile over the last few years, have a major effect on the cost of shipping.

So, while you may have no need to buy anyone on your list any maids-a-milking, it is good for jewelry lovers to know that the price of golden rings jumped more than any other gift that may be on their true love’s wishlist this year!

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Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 11

Simple Tips to Reduce Suffering this Flu Season

H

ealth officials in the U.S. are predicting a harsh flu season. While there is still no cure for flu, there are steps you can take to reduce suffering while the virus takes its course. Some experts suggest starting the quest to feel better by exploring your local health food store.

Dr. Lawrence Rosen, author of several books based on 25 years of practicing pediatric integrative medicine, is offering some advice to ease flu symptoms. While none of the items mentioned in this article have been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, most have a long history and are relatively inexpensive.

• Curative Foods and Beverages: The digestive tract accounts for 70 to 80 percent of the immune system.

When battling a virus, foods rich in vitamin C are essential to immune function. Try drinking a cup of hot water and lemon daily. Onion tea can promote a healthy respiratory system by relieving a cough and sore throat.

Honey, which is a superfood, is a good choice, coating and soothing the throat, helping control cough, and promoting a restful night’s sleep that is necessary for healing.

• Spiced-up Recipes: Add garlic and oregano to foods for immune support.

Basil, rosemary and thyme help the respiratory tract.

Try different recipes, too. One traditional bedtime treatment in the Dominican Republic is a paste of honey, finely chopped onion and garlic, and the juice of at least half a lime. The vitamin C content found in its ingredients helps boost immunity.

• Indispensable Oils: Add eucalyptus oil to a bath to ease body aches from flu, or inhale drops added to a steaming bowl of water for clearer nasal passages. Inhale fennel oil similarly as a cough expectorant.

• Homeopathic Medicine: There are few conventional over-the-counter (OTC) drugs specifically for flu symptoms. Antihistamines and decongestants help with head and upper respiratory symptoms that are mostly associated with colds. Flu affects the whole body with fever, chills, aches and fatigue, and a pain reliever can address some of these symptoms.

To shorten both the duration and severity

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12 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

of flu-like symptoms, consider a homeopathic medicine, such as Oscillococcinum.

When patients took it within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, nearly 63 percent showed “clear improvement” or “complete resolution” within 48 hours. It’s the number one over-the-counter flu medicine in France, where it’s been on the market for

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more than 70 years. The key is to take quick action against early symptoms. Recommended for anyone age 2 and up, Oscillo is non-drowsy and doesn’t interact with other medications.

• Healing Herbs and Plants: Homeopathic OTCs use microdoses of plants, animals and minerals; whereas herbal supplements are less diluted with a different therapeutic principle. Astragalus and echinacea supplements purportedly boost immunity. Try teas with eucalyptus leaves or calendula for fever. Elderberry, when taken in extract form, boosts the immune system, which helps the body respond quickly and strongly to viruses such as influenza.

For more information, check out Dr. Rosen’s book, “Treatment Alternatives for Children,” a comprehensive reference guide for nearly 100 common illnesses, offering side-by-side comparisons between conventional and alternative treatment options.

Don’t suffer more than you must this flu season. Homeopathic medications and natural homemade treatments may help reduce the severity of symptoms.

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Area’s Railroad History Inspires Model Railroad Enthusiasts

A southbound Buffalo & Pittsburgh train crosses Mahoning Creek at the west end bridge, Punxsutawney, on April 1, 1994. The Saints Cosmas and Damian Church and the SSCD School Campus are in the background. (photo by Terry Chicwak, in the Joseph Buterbaugh Collection of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)

T

By the Coal Memorial Committee for Hometown magazine here is an aura about railroads that makes them interesting and intriguing. It may be because they connect with distant places, or it may be that they have a history not unlike an individual’s genealogy. Before 1900, there were several railroads with facilities in the Punxsutawney area, including the Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad, the Pennsylvania & Northern Railroad, and the Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad. The railroad with the longest history in the area is the Rochester and Pittsburg.

The Rochester and Pittsburg began in 1869 as the Rochester & State Line Railroad and was constructed to serve an area of New York State from Rochester to the Pennsylvania state line. At the same time this railroad was under construction, in Punxsutawney a group of businessmen were ardently seeking to have a railroad. A railroad would enable them to have a means of transporting the vast coal resources in the area to markets on the Great Lakes and the Eastern Seaboard.

Walston Brown, a financial entrepreneur who had raised capital to build railroads in the Midwest, became interested in the opportunity these two situations provided.

He formed a syndicate that purchased the Rochester & State Line Railroad and incorporated it as the Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad (R&P) on January 20, 1881. His plan was to create a railroad to transport coal to the markets at Buffalo. At about the same time, Brown also purchased options on coal lands near Punxsutawney.

On August 31, 1882, the Clearfield Progress reported on the progress of the railroad being built by Brown’s company.

The stations of the R&P line below Bradford included: Custer City, Big Shanty, Crawfords, Alton Summit, Ormsby Mill, Wilcox, Rolfe, Johnsonburg, Whistletown, Ridgeway, Little Toby Creek, Brockwayville, Rattlesnake Junction, Beech Tree Mines, Bells Mines, DuBois, and

Punxsutawney. The line covered a distance of 140 miles south of Bradford and 182 miles from Buffalo.

In 1885, Brown and Company found themselves overextended and declared bankruptcy. The Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad was purchased on October 16, 1885, by Adrian Iselin, one of the directors and a major investor. The road was divided into the Pittsburgh & State Line Railroad Company, which operated in Pennsylvania, and the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad Company, which operated the New York sections. On March 10, 1887, the two companies were reunited as the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railway Company (BR&P). The BR&P continued in operation until January 1, 1932, when it was purchased by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O).

Railroaders in the Punxsutawney area, beginning in 1933, worked for the B&O. In 1952, passenger service was discontinued, and the railroad then became a freight only service. It would continue to serve the community until 1987 while going through several reorganizations and eventual consolidation with Chessie System.

In 1988, this railroad system, begun as the Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad, was sold by the Chessie System to the Genesee & Wyoming Railroad. Renamed the Buffalo and Pittsburgh (B&PRR) the railroad continues serve the Punxsutawney area providing transportation for coal, general aggregates, timber products, ore, minerals, steel, scrap, chemicals, cement, brick, automotive, food products, and animal feed.

Punxsutawney’s railroad history has sparked others to explore the topic in interesting ways. Model train enthusiasts have constructed layouts for their railroads modeled on Punxsutawney. Geoff Bell, of Bull Creek, Australia, is one such enthusiast. When asked how he became interested in Punxsutawney, he answered that when he began collecting model trains, his

- Continued on next page

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Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 13

Area’s Railroad

A Buffalo & Pittsburgh engine leads cars under the Margiotti Bridge at Punxsutawney in February 1996. (photo by Brad Esposito, in the Joseph Buterbaugh Collection of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)

Continued from previous page first purchase was a Baltimore and Ohio locomotive. In researching the line, he learned that the Baltimore and Ohio had a repair facility at Punxsutawney’s Riker’s Yard and decided to set up his model layout based on that facility. In 2015, he visited Punxsutawney to check the authenticity of his model train layout.

Brian DeVries, a railroad enthusiast from Belmont, Michigan, arranged to meet with Geoff Bell to research the history of the local railroads. DeVries’s specialty is the Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad, which

he researches and documents. He and Bell visited Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society and other historical societies in the area gathering information.

Local model railroad enthusiasts have also visited the Society to find pictures, which they use in creating a layout for their trains based Punxsutawney’s railroads. A model train enthusiast from the Pittsburgh area created his own model Punxsutawney Railroad and bequeathed his Punxsutawney cars to the community. They are on display in the Lattimer House of the Society.

Other railroad enthusiasts photograph trains at work. True enthusiasts will go to

Framed, top and bottom, with shades of blue, a Buffalo & Pittsburg Railroad train passes over the bridge at West Mosgrove. The opening of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railway, connecting the area with Pittsburgh, required the building of a bridge across Mahoning Creek, near the western end of Punxsutawney and across the Allegheny River near Mosgrove. The bridge was completed in 1899 and has provided opportunities for photographing trains at work. (photo by Dennis Nehrenz, in the Joseph Buterbaugh Collection of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)

great lengths to get photographs of specific models of trains before they disappear. Photographing trains provides a reference for historians and model train enthusiasts.

Today the railroad still operates in the Punxsutawney area. What began as an effort to secure a coal railroad for Punxsutawney has branched out in many directions and continues to provide intrigue for those with an interest in trains.

Forms for purchasing a Coal Memorial tile to honor any person who worked in any aspect of the coal industry including railroads may be found online at www.punxsyhistory.org or may be picked

up at the Lattimer House, 400 West Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney. Forms may also be requested by sending an e-mail to punxsyhistory@outlook.com or by calling (814) 938-2555.

This article has been prepared by the Coal Memorial Committee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc. Information used in the preparation of this article is available at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, the U.S. Census online, and the Library of Congress. Comments on this article may be directed to PAHGS, P.O. Box 286, Punxsutawney, PA 15767.

•••

JEFFERSON COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY NOV. 2017

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14 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

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PennDOT Advises Customers of Real ID Preparations

he Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) reminds customers that there are proactive steps that they can take now to help prepare for when REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and ID cards are available to customers who want them in spring 2019.

A federally accepted form of identification (whether it's the forthcoming Pennsylvania REAL ID driver's license or ID card, a U.S. Passport/Passport Card, a military ID, etc.) must be used as identification to board a commercial flight or visit a secure federal building on and after October 1, 2020.

REAL IDs will be available at the customer’s option in spring 2019

“PennDOT is designing its REAL ID process to be as streamlined as possible, with customer convenience at the forefront,� said Secretary of Transportation Leslie S. Richards. “Between now and when REAL ID is available, I would encourage our 10.7 million driver’s license and identification card holders to consider whether REAL ID is right for them, and make sure their required documents are in

order.�

If a customer decides that they do want a REAL ID, federal regulations require that to be issued a REAL ID-compliant product, PennDOT must verify the following documents: Proof of Identity (Original or certified copy of a birth certificate with a raised seal or valid U.S. Passport) Proof of Social Security Number (Social security card) Proof of all Legal Name Changes (Marriage license or court order issued by your county's family court) Two Proofs of Current, Physical PA Address (Current, unexpired PA license or ID and a no more than 90-day-old bank statement or utility bill with the same name and address) PennDOT strongly advises its customers to begin gathering the required documents as soon as possible, especially if they will need to obtain replacement documents.

Some states may take up to six months to process duplicate birth certificates, so it is advisable to begin that process right away.

PennDOT has verified the legal presence (proof that the customer is either a U.S. citizen or that their presence in the U.S. is authorized under federal law) of all new customers when they obtain their first Pennsylvania driver’s license or ID card, and has kept imaged copies of the required

identity documents on file as part of the customer’s record beginning September 2003. Because the documents that PennDOT requires to establish legal presence are the same as those required by the REAL ID regulations, PennDOT may already have documents on file for customers who received their first PA driver’s license or ID card after September 2003, approximately 35% of its total customers.

Beginning in March 2018, these customers will be able to visit PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website (or call PennDOT’s call center or visit an authorized agent for assistance) to request that PennDOT confirm the customer’s required documents are on file. If they are, PennDOT will mark the customer’s record as “verified,� and after REAL ID products are available in the spring of 2019, the customer can opt into the REAL ID program, pay the one-time fee, and their REAL ID product will be sent through the mail, eliminating any need for this customer to visit a Driver License Center.

Most of PennDOT’s customers, however, received their initial product BEFORE September 2003, so PennDOT does not have their required REAL ID documents on file.

Customers in this group who want a REAL ID will need to bring the required documents to a Driver’s License Center so they can be verified in person. Beginning in September 2018, PennDOT’s 71 Driver’s

License Centers will be equipped to verify these documents.

Customers will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver’s license or a photo ID). The expiration date of their initial REAL ID product will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four years, unless the customer is over 65 and has a two-year license. This expiration date structure means that the customer won’t “lose� time that they’ve already paid for. After the initial REAL ID product expires, the customer will pay no additional fee, beyond regular renewal fees, to renew a REAL ID product.

When REAL IDs are available, customers will have two options for obtaining a REAL ID product: they can visit a PennDOT Driver’s License Center, have their documents verified and imaged, pay the one-time fee, and their REAL ID product will be mailed to them within 7-10 days; or they can visit one of up to 13 REAL ID Centers (five of which will be existing facilities retrofitted to DHS security standards for REAL ID issuance) and receive their REAL ID product over-the-counter at the time of service.

PennDOT will be retrofitting five of its existing driver’s license centers to allow for over-the-counter issuance of REAL ID, and adding up to eight new locations.

Pennsylvania is currently under an enforcement extension from the Department of Homeland Security until October 10, 2018, and will continue to apply for extensions until becoming fully compliant with the REAL ID Act. More information about REAL ID, including frequently asked questions, can be found at www.dmv.pa.gov. •••

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J

The History of Christmas Stockings

ust when the excitement of opening presents abates after the last of the packages under the Christmas tree have been torn open, children and adults alike may discover that there are more treats to be had nestled inside of stockings hung on the mantle.

The hanging of Christmas stockings is a tradition with an extensive history. Several legends attribute the hanging of stockings to different people or events. Here is a look at some of the stories that have made Christmas stockings so popular.

St. Nicholas Day Rather than hanging stockings on Christmas, many countries celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on December 6, and this is when stockings are proudly left out for treats. The small, inexpensive trinkets are later unwrapped and enjoyed on Christmas Day. Dutch Heritage One tradition says that, in 16th century Holland, children kept their clogs filled with straw in front of the hearth for Santa s reindeer to find. They also left treats for Santa Claus. In return, Santa would leave gifts in the clogs. Over time, stockings were swapped out for clogs.

Merchant’s Family Story A popular tale tells the story of a merchant, his wife and three daughters. After the wife falls ill and dies, the man becomes devastated and squanders all of his wealth on frivolous things to mask his sadness.

When it comes time for the daughters to marry, the man does not have money for a dowry. St. Nicholas hears of the plight and knows the man would be too proud to accept charity. Therefore, St. Nicholas anonymously tosses three bags of gold coins down the chimney. The man’s daughters had done the laundry prior and left their stockings hanging by the fireplace to dry.

The gold landed in the stockings, thus starting the Christmas stocking tradition.

Italian Good Witch One stocking story does not attribute the tradition to Santa, but to a kind-hearted Italian witch named ‘La Befana.’ La Befana arrives on a broomstick the night of January

5 and fills the stockings of good children with sweet treats and toys. Bad children are awarded lumps of coal. La Befana is also credited with being the old woman who the wise men ask for directions to Christ’s manger in the Christ child’s story. After turning down an offer to accompany them, La Befana later carried gifts in search of Christ.

Christmas stockings have become part of holiday traditions, and this beloved tradition has its own unique history.

•••

Did you know?

While it might be synonymous with Santa Claus and cold weather, the North Pole is actually much warmer than the South Pole. That’s because the North Pole sits at a lower elevation than the South Pole, and it is located in the middle of an ocean. The South Pole, on the other hand, is located on the continent of Antarctica, which is covered in ice. But Santa fans mulling a trip to the North Pole to visit jolly old St. Nick might want to think otherwise, as temperatures at the North Pole are less than welcoming. Summertime temperatures at the North Pole, for example, hover right at the freezing point. in addition, because of the way earth rotates, the North Pole experiences just one sunrise and one sunset each year. however, because the sun is always above the horizon in the summer and below the horizon in the winter, the North Pole actually experiences 24 hours of sunlight in summer and zero hours of sunlight in the winter. While children in North America know the North Pole as home to Santa Claus, that s a relatively recent addition to the legend of Santa Claus, a story that some historians suggest traces its origins all the way back to the third century. historians credit famed 19th century caricaturist and editorial cartoonist Thomas Nast with being the first to link Santa Claus and his workshop to the North Pole. however, many Nordic countries continue to say Santa Claus lives in their territories.

•••

C

18 Ideas for Making Memories

ounting down to Christmas Day means many different things to people across the globe. Although families likely have several different traditions they anticipate each year, it can be fun to incorporate some new merrymakers into the festivities. Here are some festive ideas to include in the days leading up to Christmas — a special family calendar of fun finds.

1. Annual memento: Have the kids or adults make one new handmade ornament each year. This way the tree is always evolving, and everyone can track milestones.

2. Cookie day: Devote one day to making Christmas cookies. Invite friends or family members over. Distribute some cookies to elderly neighbors.

3. Holiday classic: Spend a night in and watch a classic Christmas flick you’ve never seen before. Streaming movie services often put classics and obscure titles into rotation during the holiday season.

4. Christmas concert: Host a gathering of children where they can sing or perform their favorite tunes for an audience.

Take it on the road to a nearby nursing home.

5. Dine out: Take a break from cooking, shopping and hosting and stop into a restaurant you’ve been meaning to try.

Keep it local to support nearby businesses.

6. Adopt a child/family: Volunteer with a charitable organization that provides for less fortunate families. Answer the Christmas desires of a needy child or family by purchasing an item on their wish lists.

7. See the sights: Pack the children into the family car to tour nearby areas and look at Christmas lights displays. Bring along cookies and hot chocolate.

8. Trim a tree: Get together with adult friends at a tree-trimming party. Rotate the hosting house each year.

9. Play dress-up: A gentleman can dress up as the man in red and pop into a friend’s holiday gathering.

10. Wilderness walk: Enjoy the crisp air and snow and see a local park from a winter perspective.

11. Acts of kindness: Choose any act of kindness and make it happen this Christmas. It can include feeding the hungry or

helping a disabled person shop for the season.

12. Kids’ Secret Santa: Spread the joy of giving by having the kids choose a sibling or friend’s name from a hat and purchasing or making a gift for that person.

13. Hand out hot chocolate: Make a big thermos of hot chocolate and give it out to shoppers or workers who have been out in the cold.

14. Read religious stories: Understand the true meaning of the season by reading Biblical passages.

15. Camp-in: The first night the tree is decorated, allow the kids to sleep beside it under the glow of Christmas lights.

16. Scavenger hunt: Plan holidaythemed trivia questions and hide small trinkets for children to find.

17. Surprise box: Put a gender and age nonspecific gift into a box. On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, the person who finds a hidden gift tag under their chair at dinner gets to open the box.

18. Family portrait: Wear your holiday finery and pose for a portrait that actually will be printed and framed.

•••

Did you know?

Pets are cherished members of the family, and many pet parents choose to purchase gifts for their animal companions. According to a survey conducted

by Rover.com, 95 percent of pet owners have purchased Christmas gifts for their pets. While Christmas is the most popular holiday to buy presents for pets, pet owners also buy presents for their pets’ birthdays and for valentine’s day.

•••

Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 17

Pennsylvania Hunters Encouraged to Donate Venison to Help Feed Hungry

T

Wolf Administration offers additional support to process even more donations

hanks to record-breaking donations of deer meat from Pennsylvania hunters and a helping hand from the Wolf Administration, the state’s charitable food system will provide more than one half million servings of ground venison through food banks, soup kitchens, and pantries.

“Governor Wolf is pleased to support the outstanding volunteer efforts of Pennsylvania sportsmen and women who have donated their time and talents to provide deer meat to families facing hard times. Hunters

Sharing the Harvest ensures that these generous gifts go to skilled processors who prepare high-quality venison for distribution throughout the charitable food system,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.

“Thousands of volunteers and donors across the state work together to provide healthy protein to nearly 1.7 million Pennsylvanians who are at risk of going hungry.

I encourage all hunters to consider donating their deer and, if successful in the woods next week, I look forward to donat-

ing venison, too.”

Now in its 26th season, Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) helps to coordinate the donation, processing, and distribution of venison to Pennsylvanians facing food insecurity. The Department of Agriculture partners with HSH to cover costs to process the meat, with the department increasing its share of financial support over the last two years in order to process even more donations.

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HSH record with a total donation of 2,947 deer during the 2016-17 season. The partnership covered costs to process 120,515 pounds of deer meat into 589,400 servings of venison for individuals and families. Because of the increased donations, an additional 20 meat processors have been recruited to help turn hunters’ donations into high-value protein for hungry families.

This year, the department will cover the service cost of more than 100 processors in 49 counties.

“Pennsylvania hunters have steadily increased their donations,” Redding added.

“In recognition of that characteristic generosity, we are committing up to an additional $5,000 to help cover the costs of processing deer meat during the 2017-18 season. Together with Hunters Sharing the Harvest, Feeding Pennsylvania, and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, we can make a difference for Pennsylvania families who struggle with hunger this winter.”

A non-profit charity, HSH links generous hunters, meat processors, and the charitable food system by managing the donation and distribution of deer meat throughout the state. The program has become a nationally-recognized model, with other states adopting Pennsylvania’s program to serve hungry families in their own states.

“Next week, hundreds of thousands of hunters will head for the woods. Each of them has an opportunity to combine their love of the outdoors and of hunting with a volunteer program that helps their neighbors and communities,” said HSH Executive Director John Plowman. “We are blessed by so many who provide time and energy to serve others – from our board members, volunteer coordinators and food banks, to our legislators, state, and local agencies. Everyone works together to help feed our neighbors in need.”

“The partnership between Hunger-Free Pennsylvania and Hunters Sharing the Harvest for the past 25 years has been instrumental in maintaining a steady supply of high protein, nutritious product through our network of 18 food banks and charitable food distribution organizations,” said Sheila Christopher, executive director of HungerFree Pennsylvania.

"On behalf of Feeding Pennsylvania and the nearly 1.7 million Pennsylvanians who are struggling with hunger every day, we are so grateful to all of the hunters who participate in the Hunters Sharing the Harvest program,” said Jane Clements-Smith, executive director of Feeding Pennsylvania.

“Our partnership with HSH is essential to providing lean, nutritious meat to the families across Pennsylvania who need it most.”

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is the largest non-profit food distribution organization in central Pennsylvania. The - Continued on page 24

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Historical Society Celebrates Punxsutawney Area’s Music Heritage

A picture of the cover of The International Book of Christmas Carols, compiled by Walter Ehret and George K. Evans in 1963 and published by Prentice Hall, Inc. (image courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)

T

By Marty Armstrong for Hometown magazine he themes for Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society’s “Home for the Holidays” decorations vary each year as volunteers with collections to show and ideas to share become known. For 2017, it’s all about the region’s heritage, so trees highlighting several coal communities’ heritages, residents’ points of origin heritages, the area’s military heritage (2017-2018 has a service focus), Punxsutawney’s Groundhog Day heritage, and the forty-year heritage of the Society itself fill the Reschini Room and Punxsutawney Groundhog Day History Exhibit space with beauty and light. One additional tree, suggested by the Rotary Club’s 2017 Circle of Trees “Songs of Christmas” display in Barclay Square, reflects the heritage of Christmas music.

There are several ways to explore this heritage. Local schools have a long tradition of staging musical Christmas programs, as do the region’s churches. All appreciate hearing a variety of familiar

songs each holiday season.

It happens that many of the oldest Christmas carols were written in other lands and have come from as many points of origin as Punxsutawney’s immigrant ancestors. A volume titled The International Book of Christmas Carols, compiled by Walter Ehret and George K. Evans in 1963 and published by Prentice Hall, Inc., contains the music and lyrics of English carols from Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, the United States, and Wales; French carols from Canada and France; German pieces from Austria and Germany; Dutch songs from the Netherlands; Scandinavian songs from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Slavic selections from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Roumania (which is now spelled “Romania”); Italian and Latin carols; and Spanish carols from Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Venezuela. Many of the non-English pieces are printed in both English and the original language, and the majority of the carols date back many hundreds of years.

- Continued on next page

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Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 19

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Understandably, those written originally in the English language are most familiar.

But here is a sampling of those and others from the book: Latin: Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) and Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel) Puerto Rican: A La Media Noche (At the Hour of Midnight) and Pastores A Belén (Shepherds in Bethlehem) Colombian: Vamos, Pastorcitos (Hasten Now, O Shepherds) Andalusian and Catalonian (Spanish): Campagna Sobre Campagna (Bells Over Bethlehem) and El Cant Dels Ocells (Carol of the Birds) Italian and Sicilian: Gesù Banbin L’e Nato (Jesus, the Newborn Baby) and Canzone Canzone D’i Zampognari (Carol of the Bagpipers) Czech: Hajej, Nynej, Ježišku (Rocking Carol) and Pujdem Spolu Do Betlema (We Are Going to the Stable) Polish: Mizerna Cicha (Only a Manger Bed) and Przybiezeli Do Betlejem Pasterze (Shepherds Came to Bethlehem) Danish and Swedish: Deilig Er Den Himmel Blaa (Lovely Is the Dark Blue Sky) and När Juldagsmorgo Glimmar (When Christmas Morn Is Dawning) German and Austrian: Stille Nacht, Leilige Nacht (Silent Night Holy Night); O Tannenbaun (O Christmas Tree); Vom Himmel Hoch Da Komm’ Ich Her (From Heaven Above to Earth I Come); Die Hirten Auf Dem Felde (As Lately We Watched) French and Canadian (Wyandot): La Marche Des Rois (March of the Kings), Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night), and ’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (The Huron Carol) English: I Saw Three Ships, The Twelve Days Of Christmas, What Child Is This?, Joy To the World, and Coventry Carol American (U.S.): Up On The Housetop, Jingle Bells, We Three Kings, Away In A Manger, Rise Up Shepherd And Follow Children Go Where I Send Thee, and Go Tell It On The Mountain Welsh and Scottish: Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly and Baloo, Lammy The book from which these selections were chosen will be available for visitors to see at the Historical Society throughout the holidays though pages may not be photocopied or photographed due to copyright restrictions. However, many of the songs may be viewed online.

Marty Armstrong is a member of the Collections Committee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc. •••

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This picture of German and British troops celebrating Christmas together during a temporary cessation of World War I hostilities – known as the Christmas Truce – appeared on December 24, 1914, with a New York Times story by Naina Bajekal. (image courtesy of the LIFE Picture Collection - Getty Images)

Shared Heritage and the WWI Christmas Truce

The Christmas hymn Adeste Fideles (“O Come All Ye Faithful”), included in the International Book of Christmas Carols, has an interesting history.

With music and Latin lyrics penned by J.F. Wade in 1740 and an English translation by Frederick Oakley in 1841, it is one of those selections whereby people of different heritages can come together to appreciate their shared heritage. It is, according to reporting by New York Times journalist Naina Bajekal, on December 24, 2014, to have been part of the “WWI Christmas Truce.”

As war raged in Europe in September 2014, a Christmas truce had been suggested by Pope Benedict xV. This was rejected by the parties at war.

Some felt that such a move would lead to a “live and let live” attitude on the part of soldiers in the field, weakening their armies’ resolve. Nevertheless, at various points along the front lines, where soldiers were close enough to smell one another’s’ food cooking, unofficial cease fires began on Christmas Eve. Americans were not yet in the conflict but many firsthand accounts related what happened.

Graham Williams of the Fifth London Rifle Brigade described the following: “First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles. And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing –two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.”

On Christmas morning, in some places, soldiers came out of the trenches, calling out “Merry Christmas” and exchanging cigarettes, food, and buttons. There may have been impromptu games of soccer. Men took the opportunity to bury their dead. The ceasefire was not complete, but it was large, involving, it is believed, about 100,000 people or two-thirds of the front line combatants. Firing resumed, of course, later that day or a week later, and the ceasefire phenomenon was not repeated.

•••

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Head-to-Toe Coverage For maximum safety and comfort, it’s important to keep your head, fingers and toes dry and toasty. A good pair of waterproof hiking boots will help keep you warm on the trail. Be sure they are designed for the type of weather and terrain you expect to encounter. Wear a wind-proof hat and good pair of gloves that have a grip.

Mind the Sun The sun may set sooner in winter, but it’s still a force to be reckoned with; wear sunglasses and apply sunscreen to exposed skin, as well as a lip balm containing SPF, to protect yourself from UV rays.

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With a few smart habits, and some highquality gear designed to withstand the great outdoors, you can better enjoy nature this season, no matter where your adventures take you.

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22 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

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etween all those holiday festivities and extra seasonal chores, it can be difficult to always stay on top of your health. Here are some easy ways to prioritize wellness this time of year.

Make Mornings Count Evenings are especially busy around this time of year, so taking control of your mornings can be key. But, on dark winter mornings, the hardest part about working out can sometimes be just getting out of bed. Stay accountable by making workout plans with friends. Get your yoga-loving coworker to commit to a weekly class with you, or start a holiday steps competition at work to motivate yourself to move more.

Try Out Tech New, innovative technologies can inspire you to take charge of your health. Wearable fitness trackers have been around for a while, but home DNA tests, like Orig3n’s Fitness test, can help you optimize workouts by providing insights into your genes.

Discover whether you have the genes that need an extra rest day, or whether you’re better at high-intensity workouts or endurance exercises. Then, adjust your routine accordingly. If you’re looking to eat more healthfully, the Orig3n Nutrition test analyzes your hunger and weight genes so you can learn about how your body processes fats (good to know for Christmas cookie portion control) and if you’re predisposed to any food sensitivities. Ask for one for the holidays or gift a DNA test for your White Elephant swap.

Strike a Balance Exercise accounts for only about 25 percent of weight loss, while healthy eating accounts for 75 percent. Indulge yourself this holiday season, but also make smart choices. Go for the apple pie and eggnog, but pair them with healthier choices earlier in the day. Enjoy the shrimp cocktail instead of the cheese and crackers, or have a light breakfast of yogurt before the holiday feast. It’s all about balance. Instead of reaching for all the sweets and comfort foods in front of you, think about what you’d really like to eat. Choose wisely and mindfully.

Focus on Fun, Not Food Don’t overthink it! It’s the holiday season and you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. If you spend your time at parties counting calories instead of counting down to the New Year, you’ll miss out on the most important part of the season — time spent with loved ones. What’s more, you may find yourself overindulging later if you’re too restrictive. Instead, focus on the people in your life and the memories you’re making.

Get Rest The most wonderful time of the year can be the most stressful when you have parties to plan, gifts to buy and financial obligations. A University of Chicago study found that people overeat on snacks — sometimes hundreds of additional calories — when they aren’t getting enough sleep. Take a breather, and when you can, get yourself to bed early.

Start the new year right. Have fun this holiday season, without neglecting your health.

(StatePoint) •••

Did you know?

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 91 percent of longdistance holiday travel is by personal vehicle. And while many people may associate holiday travel with long lines at airport check-in counters and security checkpoints, the BTS notes that just 5 to 6 percent of holiday trips are taken by air. The remaining 2 to 3 percent are taken by bus, train, ship, or another mode of transportation. The average long-distance holiday trip for the Christmas/New year’s holiday is 275 miles, which is slightly longer than the average long-distance trip during the rest of the year, indicating that many travelers are willing to travel farther for the holiday season than they might be during the rest of the year. in addition, when traveling long distances for the Christmas/New year’s holiday, travelers spend roughly four nights away from home on average.

•••

Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 23

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24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

I

t’s time to find that box marked “winter” at the back of your closet and rediscover all of your favorite layered looks. But, it’s important that you know how to treat your winter wardrobe so each piece stays comfy, stylish and warm throughout the season.

Get Organized It may be tempting to unpack items as needed. However, you may find it’s suddenly spring again and some of your favorite scarves and sweaters went the whole winter unworn at the bottom of the box.

Commit to a full closet revamp, devoting time to unpacking and analyzing each item.

After months of being folded, many pieces might not look, feel or smell their best.

Refresh these items so they are ready to wear. You can now do this at home instead of at the dry cleaner, by tossing up to five items in the dryer for just 15-30 minutes using the Dryel At-Home Dry Cleaning kit.

This new method will save you time during your closet swap, and money throughout the season, as you can use it to preserve your favorite pieces without expensive and inconvenient trips to the dry cleaner.

To Keep or Not to Keep Is it time to get rid of those pieces that never seem to make it off the hanger? Fashion and lifestyle blogger Sarah Gleeson of SG Style Me is quick to share a few things to keep an eye out for when deciding what to get rid of, including items you got for free or very cheap. Just because it was a good deal, doesn’t mean it’s a good fashion piece, she stresses. Say goodbye to the trends you once collected and have since moved past. We’ve all been through style phases, and it’s ok to see them end. Pull out anything with tags still attached. This is a definite sign that purchasing that item was a moment of retail weakness, and not a fashion must-have, says Gleeson.

If you find yourself heartbroken having to part ways with a fashion favorite because of a stubborn stain, don’t lose hope. Secret weapons exist to keep star pieces looking brand new season after season, such as the Dryel stain remover pen, which is safe on delicate fabrics and effectively removes spots and stains — even those from last season.

Know Your Fabrics After your closet is organized, stay on top

of wardrobe care. Among cashmeres, wools, velvets, and more, high-maintenance fabrics are likely more prominent in your winter wardrobe than other seasons.

Read tags for what can and can’t be washed normally. To safely and easily care for delicate items, keep an at-home dry cleaning kit on-hand, to clean clothes in the convenience of your dryer for a fraction of the cost of a professional dry cleaner, without stretching fading or shrinking.

Keep sweaters, jeans and scarves bright, fitted and functional. That way, when it’s time to pack up the box again, you can look forward to feeling just as great in your favorite pieces next year.

(StatePoint) •••

Pennsylvania Hunters Continued from page 18

food bank solicits, inventories, and distributes food and other donated products to more than 900 partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior programs, childcare programs, rehabilitative programs, etc.) that directly serve people struggling with hunger. The food bank annually distributes more than 40 million pounds of food and grocery products among 27 counties.

“Our food bank is proud to once again host Hunters Sharing the Harvest’s annual launch,” said Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

“We are one of the largest charitable distributors of HSH venison in our state, and we hope to share even more this year. We are always in need of lean, healthy protein foods for our clients, and donated venison is very popular here in the mid-state.”

Hunters interested in participating in the program can take their deer to one of participating meat processors throughout the state and donate any amount of their venison to the program. Pennsylvanians can also donate money to the Buck for the Pot campaign, which supports HSH. For more information on Hunters Sharing the Harvest, visit www.sharedeer.org. For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov.

•••

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(“From Our Past,” researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.)

December 13, 1893 — Rev. Father Szabo, a Greek Catholic priest, from Trenton, N.J., has moved to Punxsutawney, and lives at 626 Mahoning street. He came here to look after the spiritual welfare of the Slavish people of this community. Greek services are held at Adrian every Sunday at 10 o’clock in the Slavish language. The Greek congregation owns four lots in Clayville, and will build a church there in the summer. Father Szabo is not able to express his thoughts in the English language, but speaks German very well. (Punxsutawney News) [Note: The “Greek congregation” church is the Ss. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church on Sutton Street in Punxsutawney.]

December 14, 1906 — The first test of the gas supply this winter occurred last Sunday when the thermometer in Punxsutawney registered 10 degrees below zero at 8 o’clock a.m. Many of the patrons of the Citizens’ Fuel Company were interviewed concerning the pressure of gas during the cold snap and in no instance was there a complaint made or criticism offered. It has been many years since gas consumers in Punxsutawney could boast of this happy state of affairs. (Punxsutawney Spirit)

December 28, 1907 — A well known character in this vicinity has returned after a long absence. Bruce Clarke, the Indian medicine man, fiddler, banjo player and acrobatic dancer, came in upon our peaceful city sometime yesterday afternoon, but under such unfavorable circumstances that he soon found himself in the clutches of the “Big Chief” Clayte Palmer, of the Punx’y police force. Bruce is charge with being a common drunk. (Punxsutawney Spirit) January 5, 1887 — The festive Christmas tree now rests in the back alleys, robbed of its toys and candies. (Valley News)

January 5, 1887 — The cinnamon bear amused large crowds last Saturday with its antics and tree climbing. The dusky men who had the bear, generally got a liberal collection when the hat was passed around.

If they would only run into the arms of some friendly officers of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, it would be a good thing for a much abused bruin.

(Valley News) [Note: “Dusky” is defined as “dark in color, shadowy.”]

January 6, 1897 — Will McAllister, who made a trip to Alaska early in 1896, has some very valuable and interesting Indian relics etc., on exhibition in Fink’s window,

which are attracting considerable attention from the public now. One curiosity particularly worth mentioning is a small section of a molar tooth of a mastodon which before being dissected and when in the jaw of the colossal animal, weighed twenty pounds. (Punxsutawney Spirit)

January 21, 1889 — J.C. Rochester has been appointed postmaster at Richmond recently. (Punxsutawney News) [Note: Richmond had been the name of the village since 1862, during the Civil War. When the post office was established, the town was renamed Rochester Mills in honor of Mr. Rochester.]

•••

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Did you know?

While it might be synonymous with Santa Claus and cold weather, the North Pole is actually much warmer than the South Pole. That’s because the North Pole sits at a lower elevation than the South Pole, and it is located in the middle of an ocean. The South Pole, on the other hand, is located on the continent of Antarctica, which is covered in ice. But Santa fans mulling a trip to the North Pole to visit jolly old St. Nick might want to think otherwise, as temperatures at the North Pole are less than welcoming. Summertime temperatures at the North Pole, for example, hover right at the freezing point. in addition, because of the way earth rotates, the North Pole experiences just one sunrise and one sunset each year. however, because the sun is always above the horizon in the summer and below the horizon in the winter, the North Pole actually experiences 24 hours of sunlight in summer and zero hours of sunlight in the winter. While children in North America know the North Pole as home to Santa Claus, that’s a relatively recent addition to the legend of Santa Claus, a story that some historians suggest traces its origins all the way back to the third century. historians credit famed 19th century caricaturist and editorial cartoonist Thomas Nast with being the first to link Santa Claus and his workshop to the North Pole. however, many Nordic countries continue to say Santa Claus lives in their territories.

•••

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Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 25

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Wintertime Can Be “Snow” Much Fun to Discover

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inter storms are on the way.

While many people are anxious to see landscapes covered in white, others already are counting down the days to spring blooms. Weather can be awe-inspiring and interesting, and learning the secrets about snow is no exception.

Snow forms when water vapor in the atmosphere freezes into ice crystals. Snow falls as snowflakes, which come in a variety of shapes. However, according to Mental Floss, snow also can precipitate as graupel or sleet. Graupel are pellets of opaque ice particles that fall through freezing cloud droplets. They are not the same as sleet, which are drops of rain that freeze into small, translucent balls of ice.

Snowflakes are generally small and accumulate to form visible snow coverings.

However, snowflakes can be large. The largest snowflake on record was reported to be 15 inches across and eight inches thick. According to ‘The Guinness Book of World Records,’ this giant snowflake was discovered at Fort Keogh, Montana, on January 28, 1887.

Although it appears white, snow is actually clear and colorless. The National Snow and Ice Data Center says the complex structure and many facets of snow crystals results in visible light being reflected. Light is absorbed uniformly over the wavelengths of visible light, which gives snow its white appearance.

Even though snow is more common in

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26 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

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northern elevations and cold regions, snowfall is not exclusive to frigid climates. In the United States, snow has fallen in cities most often associated with sun and warmth, such as San Diego, Miami and Hawaii. The southern Italy town of Capracotta received 100 inches of snow in 18 hours on March 5, 2015. In spite of its location, Capracotta has been known to receive enormous one-day snowfalls.

While snow can fall even in warm climates, the world record holder for the most snow belongs to a northern area.

Mt. Baker ski resort in Washington state experienced 1,140 inches in the 1998/1999 winter season.

Snow can fall at temperatures well above freezing. According to ScienceBits.com, snow can still fall at temperatures as warm as 46 F. For snow to fall when temperatures are warm, humidity has to be very low.

Even though there’s a common perception that no two snowflakes are alike, this isn t completely accurate. A scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research found two identical snow crystals in 1988. Also, similar results have been produced in laboratories.

Snow is an interesting form of precipitation. It can be scarce or plentiful, form in the north or the south, and may feature tiny snowflakes or extremely large ones.

Snow also may take on the color of its surrounding environment.

•••

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Hometown Community Happenings

F

By the staff of Hometown magazine rom the staff of Hometown magazine and the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here is a list of events coming up in our area:

n Dec. 19: Blood Drive, 12:30 to 6 p.m., at SSCD Church. Benefits American Red Cross. n Dec. 20: PAHS Band Holiday Concert, 7 p.m., at PAHS auditorium. n Dec. 23-26: Punxsy Memorial Library closed.

n Dec. 24: Candlelight Worship services, 7 p.m. Mt. Zion (Punxsy Airport) Lutheran, and 9 p.m. First English Lutheran Church. n Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Worship Service, 7 p.m., at First Church of God. n Dec. 25: Merry Christmas!

n Dec. 28-30: “Winter Wonders,” 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m., at Weather Discovery Center. Thursday: Snowflakes; Friday: Snowstorms; Saturday: Blizzards. $8 for one1 session, $15 for two, $21 for all three.

Pre-registration helpful; walk-ins welcome.

n Dec. 30: Milk Can Jam, 9 p.m., at Punxsy Eagles. Acoustic jam at 7:30 p.m. $10 donation at door, open to the public over 21.

Benefits local food banks and world hunger relief.

n Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve! The staff of Hometown magazine wishes you a very happy & healthy 2018!

n Jan. 2: Blood Drive, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Punxsy Area Hospital. Benefits the American Red Cross.

n Jan. 2: First Tuesday Community Meal, 5 p.m., at Punxsy Presbyterian Church. Free & open to the public.

n Jan. 5 & 6: Grange’s Helping Hands free clothing at Grange Church of God. Noon to 4 p.m. Jan 5 & 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 6.

n Jan. 6: Girl Scout Great Outdoors Winter Challenge Program, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Punxsy Weather Discovery Center. $8 per person. Register at 938-1000 or info@weatherdiscovery.org.

n Jan. 12: Community Dinner, 5 p.m., at First United Methodist Church. Free & open to the public.

n Jan. 13: Girl Scout Brownie Program, SAVE Water, 10 a.m. to noon, at Punxsy

Weather Discovery Center, $7 per person.

Register at 938-1000 or info@weatherdiscovery.org.

n Jan. 17: PRIDE’s Public Workshop No. 2, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Gobbler’s Knob. Part of PRIDE’s “A Vision for Punxsutawney” project. Call Katie Donald at 618-5591 or Marlene Lellock at 938-1000 for more information or to register.

n Jan. 20: Snow Day Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon or 1 to 3 p.m. at Punxsy Weather Discovery Center. $6 per person; no pre-registration necessary. Walk-ins welcome.

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n 2018 Dog Licenses are now available at several locations in Punxsy.

n A Young Adult Ministries group, for ages 18-29, has begun at the First United Methodist Church. The group meets from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays. Call 938-7500 for more information.

n The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign continues through Dec. 24. Kettles can be found at various locations around Punxsy.

n The Punxsy Weather Discovery Center offers “Toddler Time” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Monday for children ages 2-5 and their parents, grandparents, babysitters, etc.

No registration necessary, just walk in. $6 per person & free admission for children age 2 and under.

n The Punxsutawney Area Community Center offers indoor cycling, batting cage, Fifty & Fit, SilverSneakers, AM men’s basketball, Pilates/yoga, and gymnastics. Call 938-1008 for more information.

•••

Share Your Good News with Hometown!

Punxsutawney Hometown Magazine is pleased to include your Engagement, Wedding, Birth, and Anniversary announcements in our monthly publication.

All announcements will be printed for free or you can add a photo for $5.00. We accept anniversary announcements beginning at the 25th anniversary at 5 year intervals up to the 50th. After the 50th anniversary, each year will be accepted.

Stop by our office in Suite 100 of the Railroad Building on North Penn St. or hometown@punxsutawneymagazine.com.

We look forward to celebrating with you!

•••

Jon J. JOHNSTON

DMD

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28 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

oliday shopping can be a source of stress for anyone, but particularly for procrastinators. Need some lastminute gift ideas? Think about readily accessible, yet thoughtful items that don’t require a lengthy shipping process.

Let these five ideas help solve your eleventh-hour gift-giving woes.

1. DIY-It. DIY gifts can be heartfelt, and many items can be made in a pinch. Bake a tray of Christmas cookies and tie them up with a bow; make seasonally scented homemade candles; or knit a scarf. The possibilities for crafty folks are endless.

2. Get Accessorized. Don’t get stumped.

Consider a classic fashion accessory, such as a Casio Vintage Watch, which can be found in many national retailers, in a range of affordable prices. Functional and fashionable, these water-resistant timepieces that feature both an alarm and stopwatch will complement an array of style preferences.

3. Head to the Box Office. Quickly check the schedule of your gift recipient’s favorite band, team or theater company for tickets to an experience, such as a musical, concert or game. This thoughtful gift can be purchased and received in an instant, thanks to e-ticketing.

4. Pamper Them. The holidays are stressful. Help your loved ones unwind during a busy time of year. Consider a gift certificate for a spa or beauty treatment somewhere local to your recipient. The gift can be enjoyed exactly when it’s needed most.

5. Let Them Pick. When you’re really in a pinch and you’ve waited until the last minute, don’t stress. A gift card can be a great way to show you thought of someone, without having to spend too much time or energy in search of the perfect item.

(StatePoint) •••

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer A

dults and children alike are familiar with the tale of ‘Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer.’ As the lyrics of the song illustrate: Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose / And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows.

Popularized by the song written by Johnny Marks and sung by Gene Autry, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer dates back to 1939. A copywriter named Robert L. May created the story of the misfit reindeer in 1939 when working for Montgomery Ward. The retail giant was producing marketing holiday coloring books for children and wanted to come up with a clever character.

Although Rudolph is now beloved, May’s original ideas included Rollo and Reginald.

Also, Rudolph’s famed red nose almost didn’t come to be. Because a red nose at the time was viewed as a sign of alcoholism, Montgomery Ward was hesitant to be on board with the bulbous, red snoot. A blue nose was considered, but later changed. In its first year of publication, Montgomery Ward had distributed 2.4 million copies of Rudolph’s story.

The catchy tune came thereafter, followed by a cartoon short in 1948. In 1964, the stop-motion animated television special further propelled Rudolph to celebrity and became the most recognizable Rudolph adaption.

Today, Rudolph is known across the globe as the reindeer responsible for navigating Santa’s sleigh through tricky weather on Christmas Eve. He continues to be loved by many, young and old.

•••

Quality Roofing Since 1896.

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Four Rules for a More Organized Home in the New Year A fter the hectic holidays, it’s no surprise that many people commit to getting better organized in the new

year.

There are plenty of reasons why people obsess over organization and resolve to master it year after year. Household items become easier to find. Rooms all of a sudden seem bigger and more welcoming.

Each walk past a tidy linen closet — where there was once an avalanche waiting to spill forward — comes with a small sense of accomplishment.

Whether you’re after smarter storage or looking to cut clutter, successful resolutions begin with a thoughtful approach.

Think Small While it’s fun to dream about a largescale routine reset, smaller sustainable actions are key to lasting change. Take it one room or even one drawer at a time to keep momentum positive and to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Doing so also allows you to focus, leading to more creative solutions for taking advantage of under-utilized areas. For example, you may find using over-the door organizers a great way to free up space in home offices and craft rooms.

Say “No” to Clutter Everyone has items they keep around for no real reason that aren’t particularly meaningful and don’t serve a purpose.

Being able to objectively identify these items makes everything easier.

Paring down possessions doesn’t have to be painful. That cardinal shaped cookie jar that you’ve always been on the fence about? It would make an incredibly thoughtful “just because” gift for an ornithology-obsessed aunt. Often, less can literally be more: Consignment shops and eBay make it easy to turn four or five

pieces of furniture you “kind of like” into one piece you absolutely love.

Store Décor Wisely Everyone loves holiday decorating. Taking down decorations afterward... not so much. It’s difficult to preserve items in a haphazard collection of cardboard boxes, plastic bags and mismatched bins, all crammed into the corner of a garage or basement. Stepping up storage containers can make a big difference. For a wide selection of storage solutions specifically designed for holiday décor, check out Improvements, which offers everything from ornament and gift wrap organizers to wreath and garland storage bags.

Keep a Place for Everything Nobody likes wasting time gathering or searching. Make storage more convenient and efficient by streamlining. Items frequently used together should be kept together, from coffee supplies to vehicle maintenance tools.

Make a Plan Create a schedule so nothing is overlooked. Knowing which project is next gives you time to prepare and purchase any storage items you might need. When scheduling, designate specific rooms and spaces for certain seasons. For example, the first warm days of spring are made for cleaning out the shed or garage.

More organizational inspiration can be found by visiting improvementscatalog.com.

Successful resolutions are essentially new habits that become part of a lifestyle.

Deliberately choosing to incorporate small acts of organization on a daily basis will pay off tremendously throughout the year.

(StatePoint) •••

PISANO’S

We’d like to join our neighbors in spreading His message of peace and love this Christmas.

Personal Care Home

Family Home Care Since 1970

756 Stonetowne Road, Rossiter 938-7407 “Licensed Under Labor & Industry Rehabilitation Services”

WiSE

Dr. Bill Wise, VMD Dr. Ben Wise, VMD VETERinARY CliniC

3460 Rt. 410 Troutville Rd.

427-2424

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours!

EDnER & KnESS insurance & investments AUTO

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Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 29

Family Dentistry

New Patients Welcome!

203 CLEARFIELD AVE., PUNXSY

938-8554 938-5800 Amy Peace Gigliotti, DMD ronald j. walker III, DMD

How to Cut Through the Chaos and Stay Organized in the New Year W ant to be better organized this year? From making and keeping appointments, to completing your to-do list, there’s no reason to get overwhelmed. Try these tips and tools for a more organized 2018, no matter how much chaos is thrown at you.

• Personalize it. The easiest way to stay organized is by having a planning system that reflects your personality. Watch yourself surpass your goals by using tools that fit your style, like color-coding, symbols or stickers. Remember that not all personalization has to be for efficiency purposes. Patterned tape, fun designs and motivating quotes can be a great way to keep you committed and make your planner a reflection of yourself.

30 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

• Double up. The best way to stay on top of important items is to double up — use digital technology in tandem with traditional paper to capture important notes, dates and more. Keep each book club meeting in your phone, but write down the actual books, the members’ names and your thoughts in your planner.

Paper-based planning can help keep you on track and allows you to easily reflect on your successes throughout the year. Check out the planners and calendars from AT-A-GLANCE. Their options make it easy to organize your life by day, week or month.

Be sure to mark each appointment and every coffee date in the daily section of your planner, while designating bigger events in your life, like weddings, travel or home renovation projects, in the monthly section as well.

• Celebrate successes. Take time to review your progress and see what you have accomplished. It will give you a sense of control and completion and can motivate you to keep going. Celebrate successes as they occur, but don’t get disheartened if something on your to-do list carries over to the next day, week or month. Staying motivated will help you be more productive and be a great reminder of how well your system is working!

• Check it off. There is nothing more satisfying than getting important things done — except when you physically cross it off your list. Be sure to give yourself some sort of visual satisfaction for completed tasks. This should be done on both your digitized and paper-based to-do lists.

• Categorize. Everyone has things that must get done to keep life running smoothly, as well as a list of what they would like to get done in their spare time. Categorize your lists so you can prioritize the must-do’s first, and then, when you’ve crossed out your urgent tasks, tackle those other to-dos. Categorizing will help you identify your busy times — as well as some extra space in your schedule — so you can plan accordingly.

More organization inspiration and planning item ideas can be found at life.ataglance.com.

With some new habits, you can stay organized throughout 2018 and watch it do wonders for your personal and professional life.

(StatePoint) •••

Great Ideas for Holiday Gifts that Keep on Giving T he holidays come and go so quickly, and while many tokens of love and friendship are enjoyed and then forgotten, this year, consider items that make a more lasting impact.

Not sure where to start? Here are three gift ideas that will keep on giving, all year long.

Taste Sensations, Delivered These days, there are food subscription boxes for just about anything you can think of — from exotic spices, to gour-

have every new kitchen appliance available, may not realize how important it is to have a knife sharpener. When knives dull, they become more difficult and dangerous to wield, slowing food preparation and making slips of the wrist more likely to occur. But you can fix that for the cooks in your life.

Help loved ones to chop, slice and dice more efficiently and safely with a knife sharpener they can use as soon as knives begin to dull. Look for a model built to last through many uses. For example, the Compact Electric Knife Sharpener from Smith’s Consumer Products, features a synthetic sharpening wheel that guides the knife at the correct angle and has an ergonomic design that makes it easy and comfortable to use. To learn more, visit Walmart.com.

New Hobbies Whether it’s salsa dance, classical guitar or French cooking, many centers that offer arts and music lessons allow gift-givers to buy credits for loved ones. This gives recipients an opportunity to A knife sharpener helps cooks prepare meals faster and more safely. select for themselves what they met candies, to meats and delicacies. want to learn about on a schedule that Take the tastes of your loved one into acworks for them. But this gift goes far becount and consider keeping their kitchen yond a temporary diversion. Learning a well-stocked all year long with monthly skill offers lifelong opportunities for new deliveries of amazing food and ingredipursuits, friendships and accomplishents. These subscriptions make culinary ments. variety, extravagance and exploration Reconsider your holiday shopping convenient for recipients, who need only strategy, focusing on items that will imawait the arrival of their next boxed deprove the lives of loved ones, well belivery with anticipation. yond the season.

A Well-Honed Kitchen Even serious home cooks who seem to

(StatePoint)

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•••

For all your retreat and conference needs

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814-938-9300 call for more information

Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 31

Happy Holidays to All!

“Behold a virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a son and shall call his name immanuel.”

Isaiah the prophet 750 years before Jesus’ birth “For unto you is born this day in the city of David - a Savior which is Christ the lord.”

“But they cried...’Crucify Him, Crucify Him’.”

“Jesus cried with a loud voice... and gave up His Spirit.”

Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is Risen!”

Luke the physician recounting eyewitnesses shortly after Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection

He was born to live.

He lived to die.

He died to live again.

He lives again so we may also.

A reminder to remember the rest of His story

Merry Christmas from the office of

Dr. Delroy M. Moore

521 W. Mahoning St. Punxsutawney

938-6333

559 w. Mahoning St. Punxsy

938-2615

www.CNBBank.bank

We Know You’ve Been Nice . . .

Merry Christmas!

FM

CLEANING SERVICES

427-5255 1-800-525-5283

I

Tablets and Kids: What to Know

f you’ve handed over your tablet to your children more than once, it may be time to consider getting them their own device. There are a lot of great children’s tablets that offer so much more than passive games and videos.

“Tablets can be a great source of learning if the content is relevant, engaging and age-appropriate,” said Dr. Clement Chau, director of learning for LeapFrog.

Before you take the plunge, here are some things to keep in mind.

Durability Kids are not necessarily known for their delicate handling of breakable objects.

So, look for kid-friendly products that are durable, and built specifically for kids’ hands.

310 LAWN & GARDEN

We’d Like To Take This Time To Thank Our Valued Customers and Wish Them Merry Christmas

Free Estimates • Fully Insured REFERENCES AVAILABLE

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Balance If you find that your child becomes inseparable from his or her new tablet, consider setting rules like no tablets at the dinner table or for one hour before bedtime, and use built-in parental controls to set time limits. Even when devices are strictly being used for educational fun, it’s still important to limit screen time and strike some balance.

As tablets continue to top children’s wish lists, parents should do their research. With the right devices, apps and safety features, tablets can provide opportunities to engage kids’ creativity and knowledge.

(StatePoint) •••

ITALIAN RESTAURANT PETE’S Tiki Bar & BBQ Pit & SMOKIN’ (OPEN SEASONALLY )

Rubber & Metal Roofing Wiring & Plumbing Expert Dry Wall Finishing

Mon. - Fri. 8 to 5; Sat. 8 to Noon; Closed Sundays

Safety Remember, a tablet is not just a toy, it’s two-way access to the world at-large. But you can keep kids safe with a few precautions. Look for tablets that are kidsafe right of the box, with features like kid-friendly web browsers that provide access to pre-selected websites. Then, take advantage of parental controls to manage features.

PASQUALE’S Complete Interior & Exterior Remodeling

2056 Route 310, Reynoldsville

Content Seek out tablets pre-loaded with fun and useful age-appropriate content that blends education and fun. For example, those from LeapFrog, a leader in innovative learning toys, offer well-rounded curricula important to children’s development. The new LeapFrog Epic Academy Edition and LeapPad Ultimate feature preloaded content teaching core skills like mathematics, reading and science, as well as music, puzzles, logic and creativity to help prepare children for preschool and beyond. Both tablets offer access to a learning library of more than 1,000 apps, eBooks and videos and feature built-in technology that assess kids’

progress to personalize lessons. Additionally, LeapFrog Epic Academy Edition comes with a free trial of LeapFrog Academy, an interactive learning program for 3-6-year-olds that guides kids on learning adventures they can play on the go.

HOLIDAY HOURS: Closing Christmas Eve at 1 pm; Closed Christmas Day Closing New Years Eve at 1 pm; Closed New Years Day Back to regular hours January 2nd 2018 Mon.-Thur. 5 am - 7 pm • Fri. 5 am - 8 pm • Sat. 5 am - 7 pm

938-8422

1554 Kachmar Rd., Punx’y, PA

www.bugsysroofing.com

Holiday Greetings!

32 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

PA#001879

Full Menu • New Menu Catering Available Six Packs to Go Remodeled Dining Room

119 South, Punxsy WISHING EVERYONE MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR! (Next to dairy Queen) CALL US TO HELP WITH YOUR HOLIDAY CATERING

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Punxsutawney Hometown’s

Christmas BabyContest

First Christmas Baby Contest

1

ANY SIZE COFFEE

$ 00 everyday

DOWNTOWN PUNXSY OPEN TIL MIDNIGHT

$25 Gift Card We carry all kinds of special baby gifts Jim Shore Heartwood Creek Collection Precious Moments Cherished Teddies Children's Books Lots of other great gift ideas

Christian Book & Gift Shop

191 Main St., Brookville

849-7800

$25.00 Gift Certificate

We at Hometown – and the sponsors of the First Christmas Baby of 2017 Contest – will welcome the first baby of the Christmas season to the Punxsutawney area in a very special way! In addition to wishing one and all the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Years, Hometown will recognize the first baby born on Christmas at the Punxsutawney Area Hospital.

The “winning” newborn will be the first baby born after 12 p.m. midnight on December 24, 2017, and must be a resident of the Hometown delivery area.

Hometown must receive notification of the baby’s birth – either by telephone (814938-0312) or by e-mail (hometown@punxsutawneymagazine.com) – by 5 p.m.

Wednesday, January 3, 2018, to qualify for the contest.

Please provide the date, the hour, the minute, and the location of the baby’s birth.

Also send the baby’s gender, name, length, and weight, as well as the name of the attending physician. In addition, please include the parents’ full names, address, and phone number.

If you are expecting a new arrival on or around December 25, you could bring home a bundle of exciting prizes along with your little one! Take a peek at the sweet prizes our contest sponsors will shower on the Christmas baby of 2017.

•••

Quality Products at everyday low prices

Punxsutawney ey Area Hospital Welcomes W elcomes e lcomes N New ew OB/Gyn B/Gyn P Prroviders oviders rs

JJoseph osep ph M Meyn, Me yn, M.D., D., Boarrd-Certified rd d-Cert d-Certified -Ce ertti tified tifi ifified OB/Gyn OB//Gyn Candi Ca ndi K Kn Knox, Knox ox, N Nurse urrse Pr Practitioner Pra racti titioner itioner tiioner ner

Welcome First Baby 2017!

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www.fairladycompany.com Gift Certificates We have

great gifts for that new little bundle of joy!

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Lots of New and Gently Used Items including Baby items, Clothes, Household items, Toys & Much More MoN.-FRi. 10-5 SAT 9-1

384 Central St. Rossiter Beside Rossiter Post Office

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Case of Diapers

Baby Memory Keepsake Book

PATRONS

a local company

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Gift Certificate for Diapers

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$25 Gift Card

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Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 33

We’d like to join you and your family in a prayer for peace and harmony. For your goodwill, we are humbly grateful.

114 Maple Ave., Punx’y (814) 938-0400

Brian P. McCabe, Funeral Director Lisa J. Waldron, Funeral Director John D. McCabe, Funeral Director/Owner

MARDI GRAS • VENICE • RIO DE JANEIRO

per person for complete event tICket ReQuIRed

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$

$

per person from 10 pm -1 am tICket ReQuIRed

1000

BUFFET STYLE MENU 7-10 PM Mardi Gras, Venice and Rio de Janeiro menu items

24 HOUR ROAD SERVICE & TOWING

HOT DOGS & SAUERKRAUT 11 PM - 1 AM DJ MUSIC & PHOTO BOOTH BY...

DJ Mad Maxx

MUSIC FROM 8 PM-1 AM

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doors open at 6 p.m. • Must have tickets to enter • 21+ event

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE

Jumpstarts • Tiltbed Wheel Lift Service Lockouts • Towing Tire Changes

Triple R Performance llc.

Kim Rhodes Gary Rhodes

814-365-2158 or 814-590-4006

Reasonable Rates & Courteous Service

34 – Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

Food and Wine Pairing Ideas for Memorable Holiday Meals T

© Rawpixel.com/stock.Adobe.com

o create a delicious and memorable experience at your holiday gathering, seek some inspiration from the vintners and chefs of one of the most impressive wine and food destinations worldwide, Napa Valley.

One of the iconic winemaking families from the Valley, the Cakebreads, share their recommendations.

When it comes to red wine, the fresh, fragrant aromas of red and black cherry, raspberry and tea-leaf spice found in the 2015 “Two Creeks” Pinot Noir (SRP $44) can provide an elegant accompaniment to your meal. This cool-climate Pinot Noir complements seared tuna, roast turkey, pork tenderloin and hearty root vegetables.

For your white wine, consider the vivid creamy aromas of green and golden apple, pear and citrus with supporting scents of oak spice found in the Napa Valley Chardonnay 2015 (SRP $40), which pairs nicely with chicken, shellfish, seafood and grilled salads.

Both wines are produced at Cakebread Cellars, a family-owned winery since 1973, committed to craftsmanship. Their premier culinary program makes cooking and pairing wines easy. Take a cue from their playbook by enjoying the Chardonnay selection with their recipe for Harissa Spiked Roast Crab with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce.

Ingredients: • 3 large Dungeness crabs, cooked, cleaned and cracked • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 1/2 tablespoonsWhole Spice harissa spice blend (a mix of ground dried

chilies, cumin, coriander and garlic) • 3-4 cloves garlic, mashed • 2 tablespoons orange juice • 1 tablespoon lime juice • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped • 1 cup mayonnaise • 1/3 cup roasted red peppers • 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce

Directions: • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. • Place crab in the bottom of a large casserole dish, large enough for all crabs to fit in an even layer.

• Crack all leg shells. The body should be broken up into about six smaller pieces, so that the marinade can seep into the meat.

• To create the marinade, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, harissa spice mix, mashed garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of orange juice and 1 teaspoon of lime juice and stir.

• Pour marinade over the crabs and toss with your hands to evenly coat. Be sure they are well coated.

• Place in the middle of the preheated oven. Roast for 10-12 minutes. Flip once or twice, so that the crab cooks evenly.

• While the crabs are roasting, place the mayonnaise, red peppers, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon of orange juice and 1 teaspoon of lime juice in a blender jar. Puree until smooth.

To serve, place casserole in the center of table for guests to help themselves, and pass bowls of the red pepper sauce. Serve with lots of napkins.

(StatePoint)

•••

’s o k e N FAMILY RESTAURANT 938-0338

C

Home of the Big Daddy

814-618-5653

Have a 207 Hampton Ave., Punxsy

GREAT

206 Elk Run Ave. Punxsy

ORDER ONLINE AT

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AMPLE PARKING

HOURS: Mon.-Thur. 10:30-9 Fri. & Sat. 10:30-10; Sun. 11-9

Stop by

and See

PENNY 99 N. Gilpin St. & Punxsutawney HALEY 938-3502

Massages CONTEST RULES

1. Complete the coupon on this page.

Laska’s Pizza

COLD SIX PACKS TO GO Holiday beer varieties in stock Tr y Our zza Christmas Pi crust Garlic buttered zarella, mo with spinach, peppers roasted red ious! & feta...Delic

Open 7 Days a Week at 11 a.m.

405 n. Main St., Punxsy

938-4647

One of the fastest growing needs among seniors today is the desire to maintain mobility and involvement in activities. Our Christ The King Manor specialists in physical therapy work diligently to improve daily living mobility and lessen pain.

Individualized programs and specialist teamwork pays dividends in rehabilitation and returns the patient to active lifestyles as quickly as possible. Some of the treatments are:

Christ The KingChristManor The King Manor

• Neurological Rehab • Chronic Pulmonary Rehab • Cardiac Rehab • Comprehensive Wound Care

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814-371-3180814-371-3180

Call Christ The King Manor today at 814-371-3180 for an appointment.

w w w. c h r i s t t h e k i n gwww.christthekingmanor.org m a n o r. o r g

Sat., Aug. 26 Thur., Aug. 31 Sun., Sept. 10 Sun., Sept. 17 Sun., Sept. 24 Sun., Oct. 1 Sun., Oct. 8 Sun., Oct. 15 Sun., Oct. 22 Sun., Oct. 29 Sun., Nov. 12 Thur., Nov. 16 Sun., Nov. 26 Mon., Dec. 4 Sun., Dec. 10 Sun., Dec. 17 Mon., Dec. 25 Mon., Dec. 31

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STEELERS 2017 SCHEDULE

Wild Hair Salon

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LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

2. Guess the winning team and the total number of points you think will be scored in the Steelers vs.

Texans Game and enter the guesses in the spaces provided on the coupon.

3. Enter one of the participating advertisers on contest page 27 in the space provided to redeem your coupon should you be the contest winner.

4. Clip and forward the coupon to:‘Steelers Football Contest,’ c/o Hometown magazine, 129 Aspen Road, Punxsutawney, PA 15767. PLEASE MARK YOUR TEAM PICK & TOTAL POINTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE. 5. All entries must be received by 4 p.m. Thursday, December 21.

6. No purchase necessary to participate. All entries must be original magazine coupon (no photocopies).

7. In the event two or more contestants correctly pick the winning team and total number of points, one winner will be randomly selected and awarded the winning prize.

In event two or more contestants tie for closest to the total score, one winner will be randomly selected to win the $25 certificate. Each issue we will give one $20 certificate.

8. Hometown magazine retains the right to make any final decisions regarding the contest, and by submitting an entry, contestants agree to abide by the rules of the contest.

Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society

Lattimer House: 400 West Mahoning Street Bennis House: 401 West Mahoning Street Punxsutawney, PA 15767 • 814-938-2555

punxsyhistory@outlook.com • punxsyhistory.org

Preserving the history of the Punxsy area.

Museums, library, photos, galleries & genealogy Workshops, exhibitions & programs.

COLTS at Panthers at Browns VIKINGS at Bears at Ravens JAGUARS at Chiefs BENGALS at Lions at Colts TITANS PACKERS at Bengals RAVENS PATRIOTS at Texans PATRIOTS

7:30 pm 7:30 pm 1 pm 1 pm 1 pm 1 pm 1 pm 4:25 pm 1 pm 8:30 pm 1 pm 8:25 pm 8:30 pm 8:30 pm 8:30 pm 4:25 pm 4:30 pm 1 pm

Steelers vs. Texans

Monday, Dec. 25 • 4:30 p.m.

Hometown magazine ‘Steelers Football Contest’:

Complete, Clip, drop off or Mail to: Steelers Football Contest c/o Hometown magazine, 129 Aspen Road, Punxsutawney, PA 15767

Name ________________________________ Address ______________________________ Zip __________________________________ Phone ______________________________ Coupon for Game of Sun., Dec. 25 Step 1: Guess the Winning Team: __ Steelers vs. __ Texans Step 2: Guess the Total Points that will be Scored in that Game: _______ Total Points Step 3: Should I win, I would like to redeem my merchandise certificate at: (list business from this page) _____________________

Football Contest Winner Named!

On Monday night, December 4, the Pittsburgh Steelers prevailed in their third consecutive prime-time matchup, defeating, by the score 23-20, the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium as Chris Boswell kicked a field goal as time expired. Al Piekielek, of Central Street, Rossiter, proved himself a prognosticator extraordinaire by picking the Steelers to win the game and by predicting the total points of the game. Al plans to redeem his gift certificate at Pizza Town Pizzeria Trattoria. Congratulations, Al – thanks for playing and enjoy your meal!

•••

NO APPOiNTMENT NECESSARY FOR OiL CHANGES

call for MECHANiC wORK STATE iNSPECTiONS • TiRES

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GREAT QUALITY LARGE PORTIONS REASONABLE PRICES We treat you like one of the family with fast, friendly service.

W. Mahoning St., Punxsy Plaza

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BRING THE FAMILY to the New Anchor Inn

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1

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Punxsutawney Hometown – Christmas 2017 - Issue #207 – 35

Laska’s Pizza

Just in time for holiday gift giving Now Available

Holiday Special

$

15

00

12 Pack

COMPETITIVE BEER PRICES

SHOP HERE!

Holiday Beer Available

PUNXSUTAWNEY PHILSNERS BEER & PHIL’S PHINEST COFFEE

SALADS - Available All Day $750 ITALIAN CHICKEN, BUFFALO CHICKEN, STRAWBERRY SPINACH, GREEK, CHICKEN CAESAR, CLUB, APPLE SALAD

PLUS STROMBOLI BREAKFAST $ 75 SIDES•WINGS 10 BUFFALO CHICKEN, WRAPS CALZONE, ITALIAN, MEDITERRANEAN SANDWICHES CALZONE & MORE

Mad Elf, Santa I Know Him, Anderson Valley OUR FAMOUS PIZZA additional Winter Solstice, Pepperoni included toppings extra Great Lakes ** Gluten Free $ 00 Crust Available! each Christmas Ale & More OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK: M, W, Th, F at 7:30 am Sat., Sun., Tues. at 11 am

7

405 N. Main St. Punxsutawney

938-4647

FREE W iFi 36 – Punxsutawney Hometown –Christmas 2017 - Issue #207

Cold

Six Paoc! ks To G

SPECIALTY PIZZA 75 10 BUFFALO CHICKEN, $

PIEROGI, FOUR CHEESE WHITE, REUBEN, MARGARITA, HAWAIIAN, MEDITERRANEAN

Tr y Our Christmas P izza Garlic bu tter with spinach, ed crust m roasted red peozarella, ppers & feta...Delicio us!