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By Jennifer Skarbek Smith for Hometown magazine s Big Run resident and World War II veteran Harry Bhe wishes upon the 89 candles atop his birthday cake this month, he will be reminded of his many years of selfless service to his family, his community and his country: a life lived with enduring effort and purposeful patriotism, with unwavering bravery and fearless dedication. A descendent in a long line of railroad workers, Bhe was raised in the Elk Run section of Punxsutawney. Bhe looks back with delight on the carefree days of his childhood that he spent learning the basics in the rooms of Jenks Hill Elementary School and playing countless games of football in the vicinity of the “Yellow Brick Church.” However, it is a particular day from his youth that resounds with bold clarity as he recalls it in vivid detail. According to Bhe, it was the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, that he and his friends, Dan Jones and Glen Stuchell, were enjoying a drive on scenic Route 310. The group was halfway to Reynoldsville when the lively flow of music from the 1938 Special’s radio was unexpectedly interrupted for a special news bulletin. “The announcer said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Japanese have just bombed Pearl Harbor,’” Bhe remembers. “The chills just went up and down my spine.” Although Punxsutawney is more than 4,000 miles from the island of Hawaii, too far a distance for any true physical damage from the blasts, the figurative repercussions of the brutal act were felt to the very core of many citizens here and throughout the United States, including Bhe and his teenaged friends, prompting them to take action. Bhe said of their reactions to the news, “Dan went the next day and joined the service. Glen and I were not old enough.” Consequently, Bhe and Stuchell had to wait until the next year to enlist, with their parents’ permission, when each turned 17. Bhe said, “Glen was a senior, and I was a junior at the Punxsy New School when we went to see the recruiter at the DuBois Post Office.” This call of duty that was heard by these Punxsutawney youth was the same one that was audible to many young boys and girls in the country during the Second World War. In fact, as evidenced by the records on the

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On the cover: Harry Bhe Photo by Courtney Katherine Photography

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2 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

This photo from his days of service shows Bhe (far right) with three of his close naval friends.

National Archives website, the number of annual enlistments nationwide in pre-war 1938 was 2,021; whereas, the figure rose to 3,030,407 just four years later. Clearly, more than a bomb was set off on that eerie December day in the Pacific. After enlisting, Bhe was sent to Pittsburgh for a mandatory battery of tests before being accepted into the service. He was ecstatic that he was given the green light to join the Navy on the condition that he had a single tooth extracted, which he did. Not having any prior experience with sea navigation and

without even knowing how to swim, Bhe was drawn to that particular military branch because of a Hollywood film he had seen where the leading man was a seaman, an image that he wished to emulate. Thus, while still a child, Bhe became a member of the United States Navy, a defender of freedom, and travelled to Pittsburgh for his formal send-off. “My Aunt Ruth lived in Pittsburgh,” Bhe said, “so she and my mother stood on the bridge as we crossed and waved goodbye.” - Continued on page 4

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World War II, 1941: Corporal Michael B. Pollock and his trumpet. Submitted photos.

Good Fortune: As Told by

Corporal Michael B. Pollock, U.S. Army Band By Mary Ellen Pollock-Raneri for Hometown magazine ichael Bernard Pollock was a Pennsylvania State Trooper stationed at Troop C, Punxsutawney, and a World War II veteran. When he was only 18 years old, my dad was determined to become a member of the United States Army Band. Armed with his trumpet, he sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on a military carrier bound for Egypt; he was stationed in Cairo in the midst of World War II. Before his death in 2012, I had the good fortune of recording the story of Dad’s journey into the military; I am proud that my father, “Bernie,” was a member of the “Greatest Generation.” A transcription of the recording I made follows. “Nice night tonight,” Harry murmured

dreamily as he leaned against the boat’s rail and gazed out at the water. My army buddy, Harry took a long drag on his Lucky Strike cigarette and contentedly puffed a little cloud of smoke up into the cool evening air. It formed a perfect “O” and drifted off somewhere over the dark ocean. John, Harry and I lounged there, on that immaculately clean deck, and wallowed in the thought of our good luck. We studied other servicemen engaged in their drudgery and details. Some vigorously polished the shiny machine guns that sat proudly on board, while others had the more menial task of picking up dead cigarette butts from the ship’s floor. A few of the guys that got stuck with KP scurried past us, their food-stained aprons hanging loose on their lanky frames. “Man! I’m glad we got in the band! Huh, Bernie?” Harry asked. My buddy Harry grinned at me as he took one last drag from his smoke and - Continued on page 6

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Continued from page 2 Bhe and the other enlistees then boarded an old steam engine with four or five cars and headed northwest to Chicago and the Great Lakes region for training. Bhe recalls his first encounter with the chief officer at the base when he and his peers were warned, “You guys are going to get to know me and hate me, but, in the end, you will go from a kid to a man.” “And, he was right,” added Bhe. It was on the first morning of drill that Bhe witnessed the wrath of his instructor and realized that, at 17, he had a lot of growing to do. According to Bhe, the chief looked at him and said that Bhe had forgotten to shave. The chief then ordered Bhe back to the barracks to do so. “I had never shaved before in my life,” said Bhe, who was astonished by the request. “I got cut up all over my face.” When Bhe returned to the chief for inspection, he said, “You’re bleeding all over!” At the conclusion of boot camp, Bhe was stationed in Norfolk at a naval training station before being assigned to the USS Escalante, one of three tankers that would act as convoys. It was here that Bhe got his first and probably most essential lesson in the Navy: how to swim. While on this tour, Bhe put in a request to be a signalman on the ship. He felt himself qualified for the job due to his extensive history with Boy Scouts in Punxsutawney where he learned and used Morse code. It was approved; therefore, Bhe spent most of his seafaring days on the bridge of the massive ship communicating signals. He said that he caught on easily because most of the information in “The Blue Jacket Manual” – the sailor’s Bible in a sense – was identical to the Boy Scouts’ book. Bhe explained that the crew of the Escalante would load up with supplies and head out with the other tankers, usually to meet a carrier or a cruiser. His craft had the position of the first ship and would be strategically placed in the middle of the lineup. An important task for the sailors on the Escalante was to refuel destroyers out on the ocean. Bhe said that it took quite a lengthy amount of time to cross the waters before reaching the exact location in question. During Bhe’s time on the tanker, the ship and its crew made four trips across the Atlantic, including stops at Casablanca, London and Algiers, to name a few. Once, when Bhe was manning the bridge, he witnessed a merchant ship getting sunk. However, it was the fourth voyage for Bhe that gave him the biggest scare. The ship made a trip between Scotland and Ireland for D-Day before dropping anchor. Bhe was stunned when, at the break of daylight, he peered out over the waters and his glance was met by a cavalcade of ships, thousands of them just speckled across the ocean. “We could hear commotion on the intercom and see that some men were going into the water and starting to sink,” Bhe said, “They had to take off their gear and swim to shore.” Although the Escalante was not in the front lines, the ship and its crew still faced peril. Bhe reported that a torpedo was spotted en route to the ship when some of the sailors hollered at the wheelman to turn direction to avoid the strike. “If it would have hit us, no one would have made it,” Bhe remarked. For the bravery shown that day on the Es-

calante and assisting in the maneuver, Bhe received a certificate from the French government. He said, “We got those in the mail 20 years after we got out.” Having lived through the war, Bhe was relieved to return home three and a half years after he had joined the navy so that he could resume his life. He and 11 of his classmates, who had sacrificed school for the good of their country, immediately worked on getting their high school diplomas and Bhe married Betty Jane Greene and began a family. Because Bhe’s father and grandfather – and his father before that – had earned their livelihood on the rails, Bhe naturally wanted to pursue a career with the railroad. Thus, he went to the office of Mr. Burfield in Punxsutawney and asked for a job in the train yard. Once hired, Bhe worked tougher and tougher jobs until he made his way to the title of dispatcher complete with his own office and name placard on the wall. Even though he worked for 39 years with the railroad, Bhe never gave up his desire to volunteer help to his neighbors and community. “I joined the Big Run Fire Company and became the fire chief,” Bhe said of the position he held for several years. It was his way of giving back to his town. Bhe remembers that at one of the organizational meetings for the company he happened to sit beside Big Run’s chief of police, a move that landed him another position. Bhe was surprised when the police chief stood up before the assembly and without notice informed the group, “This guy’s your new officer.” Bhe accepted the offer and went on to serve the town for 12 years. After his retirement from the railroad, Bhe was asked by Judge Edwin Snyder to be a tipstaff at the Jefferson County Courthouse. Despite his thinking that the job was temporary and part time, Bhe assisted in the courtroom for a total of 17 years. Bhe and Snyder developed a great friendship and grew even closer when Snyder shared with Bhe that he had also been present on the waters during D-Day as a crewmember on a destroyer. “It’s a small world,” Bhe remarked of the coincidence. Bhe and his wife raised three children; and, in his free time, the World War II veteran was a commander of the local American Legion, as well as a member of the VFW in Big Run, the Eagles, the Elks, the Moose Club, the Masonic Lodge and the Jaffa Shrine. In fact, Bhe put many miles on his threewheeler during parades as part of the Shrine’s ATC outfit. Bhe sadly lost his wife Betty to cancer in 1982; however, he did find love again and remarried. Bhe and his second wife, Susie, enjoyed travelling and took advantage of an opportunity to visit Hawaii in conjunction with the Moose Club. Bhe was most moved when he and Susie visited the site of the Arizona, the only U.S. Navy battleship that was never raised after the attack by the Japanese. He said that there were still bubbles emerging from the sunken ship to the surface of the water. Bhe said, “It just gives you the shivers.” For Bhe, it was an overwhelming feeling to visit Pearl Harbor, the place where it all started so many years before, where so many lost their lives without warning during an event that changed the world forever, an event that spurred an ordinary 16-year-old boy from small-town Punxsutawney to dedicate his life to his country, to answer a call to service. •••

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Corporal Michael “Bernie” Pollock relaxes on the Army base. Submitted photos.

Good Fortune

Continued from page 3 flicked the butt on the deck with a quick snap of his thumb and forefinger. He just asked a question that none of us had to think about to answer. “You said it, buddy!” I thought with a satisfied smirk. Ever since I got in the Army Band, the military treated us band guys like royalty. We were entertainers now: the chosen few. We were the cream of the crop and the cherry on the Army’s banana split. We rarely had to swab the deck, pick up dirty, discarded cigarette butts, clean the toilets with a toothbrush or peel potatoes in the mess hall. Destiny had greater things in store for us: receptions in foreign lands, dance bands, entertaining the officers and military parades and protocol. I smiled to myself as I remember the cocky boot camp officer who had once asked me, “What do you want, kid?” That day in boot camp, I knew what I wanted, and I finally got it. After hiking several miles to the next Army camp where they had tryouts for the United States Army Band, I played my heart out on the trumpet my brother bought me for my high school graduation. Even though the boot camp officer told me not to waste my time, I made it, and I sure felt happy! Life was good. I had a career ahead of me doing what I liked best: playing my horn. I sailed along smoothly on this ship and through life itself.

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WWII, 1942: Corporal Michael “Bernie” Pollock poses in front of the pyramids near Cairo, Egypt.

“Man! Was that some terrible chow tonight or what?” John, my other best buddy, interrupted my thoughts of good fortune. He continued to ramble: “Soup and crackers, soup and crackers! They can stick it! I want some real man food. I want some juicy steaks, a couple of pork chops, some burg …” At that moment, John stopped in midair. “Hey! John‘s voice shook and I felt suspicious. “What’s that out there?” Harry squinted for a minute in the dim light of the early April evening. “I’d say it’s a ship. Look! It’s blinking its lights off and on. What’s going on?” Harry questioned with an anxious tone. Usually, Harry didn’t worry about much, and just the sound of his voice made me more concerned. “Boom!” All of a sudden, a thunderous mega blast sounded of the port side of our convoy, a blast that hit the water about 10 feet away from our craft. It was a blast that shook us all off our feet. “What the heck is that?!” Harry shrieked. The explosion jolted him off his life preserver box perch, and he was looking at me in disbelief with just a little fear creeping into his wide-open eyes. His discarded cigarette still lay smoldering near his foot. I stood up and searched the horizon for the ship that flashed its lights, hoping to find an answer in the cryptic blinking message. Confusion momentarily blinded - Continued on page 14

Gov. Stuart of Pennsylvania and the Shaffers of Punxsutawney By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine nother summer life of yard sales, garage sales and outdoor flea markets has ended, and folk are regrouping and reevaluating their goods and treasures – planning, perhaps, to “repurpose” a few items for the benefit of others. Such is the case with a history writer’s collection of facts, data and news stories from the past. There is a time to reorganize the pieces of research, the “moments” that have always been within reach for reference and content for future stories. There is a time to dispose of them or to file them – or to connect the pieces and integrate them into a more complete story or use them for a worthy vignette of local history. During 15 years of writing for Hometown, I have covered many topics and themes through various time periods of Punxsutawney’s and the area’s rich history. The many topics – such as the Native-American period before settlement, the early 1800s when this land of southern Jefferson County was reached by families from the eastern seaboard and farmed, and Punxsutawney’s emergence from a village to an important business – center around the development of the coal and railroad industries. And there are the cultural experiences of worship, entertainment and sports – plus,

the successful early years of the beginning of Punxsutawney’s famed Groundhog Day celebrations. The events and activities of the grand celebration of Punxsutawney’s Old Home Week in late August 1909 have been topics of great interest. Of many celebrations, it was the biggest and most notable one, a popular undertaking during the first years of the 20th century to celebrate a community’s accomplishments and renew acquaintances with old friends. It offered many stories to share with readers. The phrase “Old Home Week” was the accepted phrase for the organized weeklong events. Punxsutawney’s Old Home Week followed the consolidation of Clayville and Punxsutawney in 1907. There was a feeling of pride in the “greater Punxsutawney” that resulted from that merger. With new industries developing and major buildings constructed, the Chamber of Commerce was ready to show off Punxsutawney’s prominence to former residents and any visitors who might come to celebrate with them. Returning were many old-timers who only remembered Punxsutawney as the small rural village that they left as young men and women. That memorable week in 1909 – with its lavishly decorated streets, parades, amusements, exhibits, events, baseball games, concerts, vaudeville shows, “airship” flights and the sight of hundreds of former

While visiting Punxsutawney, Gov. Stuart visited residents Joseph and Della Shaffer with their newborn son. The Shaffers named their four-day-old son “Stuart,” to honor the governor. Family photos of Stuart and Dorothy Shaffer (1947 and 1983) include their son Edwin Stuart Shaffer, who was named to honor the governor and his father. (Photos courtesy of Edwin Stuart Shaffer, Metamora, Mich.)

residents flocking back to town – made a strong impression in the minds of many of the young men of 1909 and was the starting point for memories that lasted for many years. Some people of that time shared their memories of when Pennsylvania Gov. Edwin S. Stuart had attended as the guest of honor for the parade and festivities of Friday, Aug. 27. Gov. Stuart was midway through his fouryear term when the Punxsutawney Old Home Week Association invited him to attend its event. Knowing that other communities would also attempt to secure the governor for their celebrations, the local

committee had hopes that he would attend and be present as guest of honor for the huge Groundhog Day banquet that Friday evening. If Stuart accepted the association’s invitation, he would be the first governor of Pennsylvania to visit Punxsutawney for a community event. Early in August, the Punxsutawney Spirit announced to its readers that “Governor Edwin S. Stuart Will Be Here.” Arrangements to meet him at the Pennsylvania Railroad station in Altoona followed. Elected in November 1906, shortly after the new capitol building was dedicated, - Continued on next page

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On display in the Bennis House of the Punxsutawney Area Museum on West Mahoning Street is the official state proclamation of the 1907 consolidation of Clayville borough with Punxsutawney. The century-old document is signed by Gov. Edwin Stuart. Displayed with the framed document is the pen used by the Pennsylvania governor. (Photos by S. Thomas Curry) WEBSITE: www.CourtneyKatherinePhotography.com BLOG: www.CourtneyKatherinePhotography.com/blog EMAIL: CourtneyKatherinePhotography@hotmail.com

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8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Punxsutawney Hometown â&#x20AC;&#x201C; November 2014 - Issue #169

Gov. Stuart

march in a synchronized manner. As the parade prepared to start from the East End Pennsylvania Railroad passenger station, Continued from previous page the girls exited the basement of the First Baptist Church located on East Union Gov. Stuart succeeded Samuel W. PennyStreet behind the Public Park (to be named packer and faced a graft scandal about the Barclay Square in 1928). Led by the Citicost of construction and subsequently purzens Band, the group marched halfway chased furnishings, which were claimed to around the park to their raised seats and have â&#x20AC;&#x153;cost three times more than the Genformed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Old Gloryâ&#x20AC;? for passing parade pareral Assembly had originally appropriated ticipants and crowds who gathered. The for the project.â&#x20AC;? Five people related to the sight created oohs and aahs of admiration. project were eventually convicted and imIn the evening, at 7 p.m., Gov. Stuart was prisoned. the honored guest at the But, following the investiprestigious Groundhog gations associated with the Day Banquet where he scandal, Stuart became joined others in eating. known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the governor Prepared by chefs visitwho caresâ&#x20AC;? for his many reing from Pittsburgh, the forms and his involvement main feature of the dinin state operations as â&#x20AC;&#x153;overner plate was groundseer of the public good.â&#x20AC;? hog from the fields and For his Friday visit to hills of the PunxPunxsutawney, Gov. Stuart sutawney area. For that left Harrisburg Thursday summer, the Banquet evening and was met in Alreplaced the annual toona by state Sen. T. M. Groundhog Hunt and Kurtz and state Rep. S. TayFeast usually held at lor North, both of Punxthat time. sutawney. The governor, his That Friday, Aug. 27, staff and the two local legwas packed with activislators departed Altoona ity for the governor, early Friday morning to arrive in Punxsutawney at the One of the visitors to Punxsutawney and he had many opPennsylvania Railroad pas- in August 1909 for a weeklong cele- portunities to meet and senger station in the East bration called Old Home Week was greet the local folk. Edwin S. Stuart, governor of PennsylNow begins â&#x20AC;&#x153;the rest End of town. He was es- vania. (Photo courtesy of Capitol corted from the station to Preservation Committee; cpc.state. of the storyâ&#x20AC;? about Gov. Stuartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visit. the Pantall Hotel, where his pa.us; explorepahistory.com) One of the Punxâ&#x20AC;&#x153;headquartersâ&#x20AC;? was sutawney families visited by the governor arranged for the time he spent in town durwas that of a young couple, Joseph and ing the celebration. Della (Jordan) Shaffer. The couple was Led by Punxsutawneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Troop D of the married in September 1904 and in 1909 Pennsylvania State Police, the governor lived on North Findley, near Park Avenue. was in the lead car in the mile-long parade In his earliest adult years, Joseph Shaffer that began at 2 p.m. With a reputation as an was a school teacher in an Oliveburg â&#x20AC;&#x153;engaging orator,â&#x20AC;? Gov. Stuart gave a pubschool where he had taught his future wife lic speech at 4 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock from a platform â&#x20AC;&#x201C; she being a year and a half younger than erected on the plaza between N. Jefferson he. In 1909, Mr. Shaffer was a teacher and Street and N. Penn Street and facing the principal at the school in Walston. public park. From information shared by Ed Shaffer, The crowd visiting Punxsutawney that the grandson of Joseph Shaffer, his grandday was headlined as â&#x20AC;&#x153;30,000 People.â&#x20AC;? In father started his livery stable business in the parade, the governor and his hosts 1911 on North Findley Street, the busy passed by the acclaimed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Human Flagâ&#x20AC;? that business street that led from the trolley paswas displayed on raised seats on the senger station and the station of the Bufâ&#x20AC;&#x153;plazaâ&#x20AC;? in front of the Masonic Temple. falo, Pittsburg and Rochester Railway to The flag was created by hundreds of little Mahoning Street. He sold the livery propgirls and young ladies of the town who had erty to the Elks Lodge in 1922 for $13,000. been dressed in red, white and blue. The three-story B. P. O. Elks building is Weeks before the day of the special parade, the girls had trained â&#x20AC;&#x153;like soldiersâ&#x20AC;? to - Continued on page 10

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Punxsutawney’s 1909 Old Home Week – held from Aug. 22 to Saturday, Aug. 28 – was arranged to draw visitors and former residents to celebrate and promote the borough’s growth from a small village to a major commerce and industrial center at the beginning of the 20th century. Gov. Stuart is seen in this parade photo when he visited on Aug. 27. (Photo courtesy Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society)

Gov. Stuart

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10 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

Continued from page 8 now located on that site. Joe went on to be office manager for Rinn Coal Co. and superintendent of the County Home in Brookville. He concluded his active adult years with three four-year terms as sheriff of Jefferson County from 1946 until 1958. In August 1909, the Shaffers were expecting their first child, and on August 23 their first born arrived – a boy. Since he was in Punxsutawney, Gov. Stuart visited the Shaffer home and held the four-day-old infant boy. According to the grandson, “Grandpa and the governor knew each other,” but he was unable to recall the reason. The child had not yet been named when the governor made his cordial visit. The young couple had already considered Stanley for the child’s name, but decided to name the child Stuart Stanley Shaffer in honor of the governor and his visit. Little Stuart Shaffer grew to be an active member of the Punxsutawney community. He graduated from Punxsutawney High School in 1927, attended Penn State University and worked various jobs in the area prior to becoming manager of the State Liquor Store in Punxsutawney in 1934 and a member of the State Liquor Control Board (PLCB). Both opportunities occurred when the PLCB was formed after the 21st Amendment to the U. S. Constitution was ratified in December 1933. The ratification ended Prohibition, and the sale of liquor resumed in Pennsylvania. Stuart Shaffer married Dorothy Barnett in

June 1935. Dorothy also became active in Punxsutawney, employed by the P&N Coal Co., at Katherine Noonan’s store and, earlier in her young life, at Eberhart’s Department Store (now the location of Fairman Center on Mahoning Street). Stuart and Dorothy Shaffer were well-known in Punxsutawney and active in the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society in its formative years, beginning in 1977. Two years after Stuart and Dorothy’s marriage, a son was born and named Edwin Stuart Shaffer. Finally, the complete name of Gov. Edwin Stuart was honored in two generations of the local Shaffer family. Retired from his position as engineer for General Motors, Edwin Stuart Shaffer, a 1955 graduate of Punxsutawney High School, lives in Metamora, Mich. With this knowledge, visitors should have more interest in a framed 1907 document on the wall of the Punxsutawney Area Museum in the Bennis House on West Mahoning Street. That century-old paper bearing the “Great Seal of the State” is the official February 1907 proclamation for the consolidation of the boroughs of Clayville and Punxsutawney “into one corporation to hereby be The Borough of Punxsutawney.” On it is the signature of Edwin S. Stuart, Governor of Pennsylvania. The ink pen used for the signature is displayed with the document, as does a photo of the governor’s visit in August 1909, four days after Stuart S. Shaffer was born. It’s rewarding how a collection of history articles, accumulated from months of research, can be connected to develop a new story that ties together the past with the present. •••

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Underground Mine Fire Threatens Area in Early 20th Century

By PRIDE for Hometown magazine he abandoned mine pit seemed to be an ideal place for the borough’s landfill. Burning excess trash there had been a common practice. On May 27, 1962, local volunteer firefighters hired by the borough council were cleaning up the landfill. They set a heap of trash on fire, unaware of an exposed vein of anthracite coal, which was inadvertently ignited by the fire. Although firefighters successfully extinguished the flames, underground the coal continued to slowly burn. The fire migrated into surrounding coal mines beneath the

opening to the coal bank. Every bushel was measured in a “bushel box.” Their customers carried the coal away in sacks. In the fall some customers came with their wagons to get their winter’s supply of coal. Joseph Morris, son of Obed, was the next man to own and operate the Morris coal bank. By that time more families had moved to the area, and the Morris schoolhouse had been built near the location of the coal bank. Joseph Morris sold the land to John R. Pantall, who purchased about 300

acres of land in the vicinity, including some lands abandoned by the R. & P. Company. He abandoned the coal bank operation in favor of extracting the pillars and the cropping of the former Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Company mines in the area, which was a more profitable operation. Pantall was the owner of the Morris coal bank in November 1907 when some coal haulers built a fire on the slack coal, outside the entrance to the abandoned coal bank. The fire did not go out as most fires had. It

kept burning. For a year the coal near the opening of the mine quietly smoldered. On Sunday night, Oct. 4, 1908, the coal caught fire. The blaze swept through the corridors of the old Morris bank mine at furious rate. The flames ignited the gas that had accumulated in the mine and caused an explosion so powerful that it shook the houses and buildings in the vicinity. Residents in the area, rudely awakened by the shaking of their houses, thought there had - Continued on next page

CONCErT

December 7 2014

A Department of Environmental Protection warning sign stands near Centralia, Pa., where an underground fire has been burning for more than 50 years.

Toxic fumes rise from the underground mine fire at Centralia, Pa. Submitted photos.

town of Centralia, Pa., where it has continued to burn for more than 50 years. Punxsutawney, in 1908, could have become an earlier version of Centralia. Settlers had discovered coal outcroppings in the area and had begun mining them. Obed Morris and John Hutchinson were among the first to settle in the area that is northwest Young Township and eastern Oliver and Perry Townships. They opened and operated a coal bank on Morris’ land. As early as 1834 or 1835, they sold coal to local blacksmiths and the few families who used grates for heating their homes in the winter. The vein of coal in the Morris coal bank ranged from eight to 11 feet thick and was about 15 feet from the surface. When the coal bank first opened, coal was dug mostly by family members. In country coal banks, diggers drove holes into the coal about four feet in diameter, leaving about two feet of coal below and from two to four feet on the roof. Their tools were the most basic kind. They used picks to break the coal loose and shoveled it into a wheelbarrow to transport it about 100 feet from the face of the coal to the opening. Operating a coal bank was not a full-time business. They sold the coal for from three to 10 cents a bushel outside the

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around the back of the blaze. Miners began digging a 25-foot-deep, crescent-shaped ditch, 300 feet from tip-to-tip, around the Continued from previous page Morris coal bank. Crews worked day and night. Sixty-five men and six teams of been an earthquake. mules worked each shift. The miners On Monday morning, Oct. 5, the Linus blasted their way through thousands of tons Lewis family, which lived a few hundred of dirt. In the process, they took out a large yards from the opening, discovered smoke quantity of coal. They dug down to the clay issuing from the old Morris coal bank and bottom under the eightfoot-thick coal vein. Three days later, on Saturday, Oct. 11, the ditch was completed, and fire was contained in the Morris coal bank section. Pantall had a crew of men begin removing the dirt covering the coal and carting away the hot dumpings that had supported the smoldering fire for almost a year. The large section of the coal, which was cut off by the huge ditch, was still on fire. Being deprived of oxygen, it was being transformed into coke. When the fire was finally exhausted, Pantall had several tons of good coke for sale. He also had excavated A map from Caldwell’s Atlas of 1878 shows the area where the Mor- over 1,000 bushels of coal, ris coal bank was located and its proximity to Punxsutawney. Sub- enough to supply his local mitted photo. trade for a long time. The Punxsutawney Spirit reported on Nov. from a number of land cave-ins in that 12, 1908, that “The old coal bank, now vicinity. There was concern about sending being operated by John R. Pantall on the old their children to school located so close to Joe Morris farm in Young Township is enthe smoldering mine. Area residents, realtitled to be called the ‘burning mine.’” It izing that there had been an explosion in the was estimated that putting out the fire and coal bank, were also worried that there making the necessary excavations and recould possibly be another explosion. pairs cost the Rochester and Pittsburg Coal Thursday morning, Oct. 8, the fire in the and Iron Company and Pantall close to Morris coal bank took on a more serious as$5,000. pect. Not only did the explosion fracture the Their heroic effort saved Punxsutawney surface, it also caused fractures underfrom being an earlier Centralia, where the ground. The hills in that section were honunderground mine fire continues to burn to eycombed with mines, from Horatio to this day. Adrian, in a way that formed a continuous Note: The resources used in the preparapassage in every direction from the old tion of this article are available at the Morris coal bank. Punxsutawney Memorial Library, in the Smoke from the fire began to move Mengle Memorial Library Punxsutawney through the fractures into these passages Spirit Collection and at the Punxsutawney and began to infiltrate the Rochester and Area Historical and Genealogical Society. Pittsburg Coal and Iron Company and This article has been prepared by PRIDE– Berwind-White mines, driving the miners Punxsutawney Revitalization: Investing, out. General Superintendent Calloway, of Developing, Enhancing. PRIDE is a nonthe Rochester and Pittsburg Company, and profit organization that brings together resSuperintendent Driscoll, of Walston, and idents, business people, community leaders their mine foremen met at the Morris coal and civic organizations to improve the busibank. After inspecting the area, they came ness districts in Punxsutawney. Contributo the conclusion that if the fire continued, tions to support the development of a Coal it would smoke out their miners and possiMemorial for the Punxsutawney Area may bly cause an internal mine fire that would be made to PRIDE, P.O. Box 298, Punxburn for a hundred years or more. They sutawney, PA 15767. knew something had to be done to stop the ••• fire. They needed to control the fire. A decision was made to dig a trench

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Good Fortune

the Chamber says â&#x20AC;&#x153;Did you know?â&#x20AC;? The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry has identified that the emergency medical services (EMS) positions of paramedic and emergency medical technician (EMT) are in a critical shortage in the Commonwealth. In the fire service, volunteers are disappearing with no volume of replacements forthcoming. If you or anyone that you know shows interest in these fields, please contact Jefferson County EMS or your local fire department to learn of available classes. According to the Clarion Small Business Center, there are several reasons why you should get your business online. Over the next three years, businesses that make use of the web expect to grow 40 percent more than those that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. In Pennsylvania, 56 percent of businesses do not have websites. If you think building a website is a daunting task for your small business, check out Googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Get Your Business Online. By getting online with Google, your business will show up on Google Maps and other searches, you will get an easy-to-build website, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll receive a custom web address free for one year. The Chamber of Commerce holds an annual lunch where we present one business the business of the year award.The business

must have been in operation under current ownership for a minimum of three years; must demonstrate a positive impact on the local employment market by providing a consistent number of jobs or increasing the number of jobs available; should demonstrate aid to the community through personal and/or business resources; and should demonstrate involvement in the business community through associations. Past recipients include Ragleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s True Value, FEMCO, Fezellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s County Market, Foxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizza, BFG Manufacturing, Miller Brothers Furniture, CRW Home Center, Spirit Publishing, Krise Bus and last yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recipient, Fair Lady and Company. Stay tuned for this yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recipient. The holidays are just around the corner and the Chamber offers â&#x20AC;&#x153;certifichecksâ&#x20AC;? that come in varying amounts and can be used at over 100 local businesses. Call the Chamber to place your holiday order or stop in and see us. Hope to see you all at the Home for the Holidays Parade! Support your local Chamber, Michele C. Neal, executive director Punxsutawney Chamber of Commerce

Continued from page 6 me to the scuffle of feet around me; I was numb to the disorder and shouting of my buddies and other deck hands. A thousand thoughts ran wild in my head, in this stew of uncertainty. I was afraid. For the first time, the reality of war struck. I wondered and fretted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are we being attacked? Was that blast meant for our ship? Am I going to die today?â&#x20AC;? I felt so unsure of everything at that moment in time. At that split second, everything changed. One bomb abruptly cut our leisurely evening short in one quick moment, and I feared that our lives would soon be cut equally short by another blast. Fear started to slide up my throat with its familiar sour taste, and I felt my heart beat right through my uniform. I felt dizzy and frightened. My mouth tasted dry. I wanted to cry; I was only 18 years old, and I only knew how to play a trumpet. No one had much to say. Most of the guys remained silent for a while as minutes ticked away. If we were going to be blasted, we certainly didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know who was doing the blasting. We stood there contemplating our fate. Harry broke the dead silence with a shout. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bernie!â&#x20AC;? Harry shouted from the other side of the deck. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That boat out there blinking is a British ship. I just heard it from someone who â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? His newsflash was interrupted by some brass, somebody who had more stripes than Harry. This officer in a crisp clean uniform had a look of superior knowledge

on his face, as he filled us in on the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events. The officer stated matter-of-factly, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Limeys. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just firing a warning shot to get our attention. Good thing, too. I guess weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a German mine area. Gotta turn this baby around. Carry on.â&#x20AC;? I shook myself off, and went over to peer over the side of the ship where a small gang of equally dumbfounded servicemen tried to figure out what was going on. Some of us thought that we were in a German submarine area, too, not just in a water mine spot. A few guys mumbled about torpedo boats that lurked right under our shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bottom. At any rate, all 85 United Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ships on the ocean that day sailed in a new direction, away from landmines and German submarines. For the time being we were safe and still in one piece, thanks to that warning light from the British ship. We sailed on until we reached the Strait of Gibraltar, the channel to Egypt, another battleground in the 1940s during World War II. So thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how it happened; the time our ship almost got blasted. That night, I thought about what a close call we had with death. I thought about how quickly everything could have been taken away from me in an instant: my band career, my buddies, my life. Many of my friends were not so lucky; some never made it home from that war. They fought for the freedom of others and died defending our country. Sometimes, now, I think about how lucky I was that day on that Army vessel, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still grateful for all my good fortune. â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘

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Printed 10-14

Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169 – 17

With Gratitude to Our Veterans SHIELDS INSURANCE AGENCY 938.5291

Hastings 814.247.5013

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Honoring All Who Served Richard L. Fait Funeral Home

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Sam Smith State Representative Putting Pennsylvania Back On the Right Track

Join us this Veterans Day as we honor the men and women of the U.S. Military. Their courage, hard work and sacrifice are the backbone of our nation, protecting freedom, liberty, justice and all we hold dear. Thank you, veterans.

Bernard P.

Snyder DEL Saluting Our Veterans Coroner of Jefferson County

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Remembering Our Veterans 18 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

John McCabe - Funeral Director/Owner Lisa Waldron - Funeral Director Brian P. McCabe - Funeral Director

114 Maple Ave., Punxsutawney • 938-0400 “We Urge You to Compare Costs, Facilities and Services.”

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(814) 938-5400 "Thank You To All Our Service Men & Women For Their Dedication To Our Country"

James “Moon” VanSteenberg Jefferson County Treasurer Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169 – 19

Punxsutawney’s Stello Foods offers Black & Gold Fan Coolers Sales Benefit Ben roethlisberger Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

lack & Gold Fan, a Pittsburgh based, husband and wife team, brought together two of Pittsburgh’s most beloved icons and made history. Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers and a two-time Super Bowl Champion, made a surprise visit to Pittsburgh Dad’s house to film an episode that has since gone viral with more t h a n 130,000 YouTube views (in less than 48 hours) – the most views ever for a single Pittsburgh Dad episode (www.pghdad.com)! Pittsburgh Dad is a YouTube sensation that has been filming quirky, nostalgic 2-9 minute episodes since 2011. The Ben Roethlisberger appearance was a touchdown. To promote and sponsor the appearance,

Black & Gold Fan created a cooler that includes three of Big Ben’s Sauces – Mild BBQ, Spicy Wing and a Commemorative Edition Habanera Sauce – and three Pittsburgh Dad Sauces – Steak Sauce, Dipping Mustard and a Hot Sauce – all neatly packaged in a Black & Gold “It’s a Burgh Thing” insulated cooler that can hold a 12 pack of canned beverages. All of the sauces are manufactured and privately labeled by Punxsutawney’s own Stello Foods. Stello Foods has taken on the initiative of producing, labeling, packing and shipping these coolers nationwide. Coolers are $49.99, and portions of the proceeds are being donated to the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The coolers will make great Holiday gifts, as well as perfect gifts for Father’s Day, graduations or summer BBQs. They can be purchased online at www.blackandgoldfan.com or picked up in person at Stello Foods Outlet Shop, 551 E. Mahoning St., Punxsutawney PA 15767. •••

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U6 Age Group Punxsutawney’s Mahoning Street, circa the 1940s

Mahoning Streetscapes: 1940s By Marty Armstrong for Hometown magazine n enlarged version of the photo above, created by Robin McIlvaine, serves as the backdrop for an ongoing display in Gallery 1 of the Lattimer House at the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society. When one enters the room, it’s almost like walking down Mahoning Street. Early last year, the PAHGS collections team began to plan for the changing of exhibits in the Lattimer House’s four galleries. It seemed that what is showcased across the street in the Bennis House serves well to remind visitors of our early history and our “boomtown” era. Now, however, people can look back on their own history and that of their parents and grandparents and recall those people and events that made more recent history – both national and regional. For that reason, the decades of the 1940s, the 1950s and the 1960s were selected as windows into the past. The fourth gallery continues to interpret our area’s connections to the Civil War. Focus groups were convened, and different themes emerged for each decade. The task began to locate appropriate items from among the Society’s collections and, when necessary, to borrow artifacts to exhibit. For the 1940s, family and home life was paramount. Conditions were very different in and out of town. Many rural townships did not have electricity until late in the decade, so treadle sewing machines, oil lamps, stovetop coffee pots and other pre-electric devices stand in contrast to the more modern conveniences of town life. Following the exhibit’s opening, additional artifacts and other materials have been added to focus on special themes or events. Last year at this time, the team began to prepare for

“Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas Gifts” and, in so doing, found that hunting memories shared by many were part of the late fall and Thanksgiving picture. Folks who lived on or near Mahoning Street recall streams of vehicles passing through town headed for hunting camps. Many from town and the surrounding rural townships also lived the hunting camp experience. Men and boys would sometimes stay out for weeks, taking advantage of successive hunting seasons and coming home to be with family over Thanksgiving. Hunters had to go to the deep woods to find deer as the deer population had been depleted in earlier years by over-hunting. Special wool hunting jackets and caps, perhaps a red bandanna pinned on a jacket to alert other hunters to one’s presence (blaze orange was not yet on the scene), and the fortunate shots that led to trophies worthy of display remind us of those times in the ’40s room. “The Rise of Punxs’y Phil” was marked over Groundhog Day 2014 by specially constructed burrows. They are stored for the present but could make an appearance later on. Looking back, one sees that in the 1940s the community really began to work together on Groundhog Day events and other special occasions. The 1949 Punxsutawney Centennial Celebration is a perfect example. The current features, added through Veterans Day, highlight service and sacrifice during the armed conflicts of each decade. In the ’40s room, the toll of Jefferson County soldiers, the uniforms and other artifacts of the WWII era, the effects of shortages and the efforts of those at home to support soldiers at war are all detailed. Items shown include the following: rationing books; a window banner denoting a family member in the armed services; uni-

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- Continued on page 30

U6 Beverage Air (front row, l to r.) Aiden Anthony, Colton Brownlee, Parker Diven; (second) Dagen States, Brady Moore, Hanah Monney; (back) Coach Meagan Diven, Coach Britney Henry.

U6 Shields Insurance (front) Luke Grusky, Harper Cameron, Lincoln Skarbek; (back) Jayden Magulick, Phoenix Johnston, Max Presloid, Kaity Cessna, Coach Jason Grusky.

U6 JR Resources (front) Matt Weaver, Lyndsey Schurr, Trenton Elliott; (second) Lucas Silverstein, Kaylee Smith, Parker Pifer; (back) Coach Mike Schurr.

U6 teams continued on next page

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U6 S&T (front) Jesse Milton, Gavin Jacobson, Merik Uplinger, Rube Grose, Abbi States, Garrett Jacobson; (back) Coach Mike Jacobson.

U8 Marion Center Bank (front) Kylie Bowers, Michah Pequeen, Evan Presloid, Zachary Smith; (second) Owen Stauffer, Ryder Jobe, Alex Harry, Gavin Schurr, Payten Deahl; (back) Coach Jeff Bowers, Coach Mike Schurr.

U6 Medicine Shoppe (front) Drew Fox, Bryson West, Gracyn London; (second) Colin Slater, Chris Patterson,Â Chance Lloyd; (back) Coach Doug London.

22 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Punxsutawney Hometown â&#x20AC;&#x201C; November 2014 - Issue #169

U8 OSFS (front) Talon Beer, Johanna McGregor, Ward Yoder; (second) Jordan Rutan, Jayden Rutan, Jack Rentko, Dominique Wilson; (back) Coach Scott Rutan,Â Coach Mike Rentko.

U8 BPO Elks (front) Abriel Zanaglio, Maggie Guidice,Â Gage Elliott, Merle Aikens; (second) Max Burkett, Becca Martin, Remy Reiter, Kiah Greenwalt, Garrett Zeitler; (back) Coach Mike Zanaglio.

U15 Age Group

U10 Age Group

U10 Acme (front) Abby McAdoo, Lilly Gigliotti, Mary Grusky, Evan Mohney, Noble Mondi; (back) Coach Michelle Muckian, Aiden Cameron, Isabella Gigliotti, Garrett Bartlebaugh, Matthew Grusky, Jeremiah Noble, Coach Chris Mondi.

U10 Kengersky (front) Austin Humble, Katelyn Humble, Griffin White, Michaela Rentko, Sydney McConnaughey; (second) Sydney Hoffman, Brayden Peles, Landon Neal, Camryn Cary, Alexander Deppen, Noah Kengersky; (back) Coach Ben White.

U15 Gigliotti (front) Ethan Watt, Autumn Buck, Deegen Watt, Emmet Jamieson, Ben Gigliotti, Andrew Wehrle, Eamon Jamieson; (back) Vincent Gigliotti, Baylee Seger, Kyle Neal, Matthew Thom, Caden Barrack, Caleb Bodenhorn, Alex Gianvito; Missing from picture: Billy Humble, Reece Spicher, Matthew Wehrle.

U12 Age Group U12 Femco (front) Brayden Robicheau, Garrett “Fish” Fischer, Benny “Boo” Gigliotti, Aiden “Puma” McLaughlin; (second) Zack Wymer, Ben Skarbek, Mady Mathews, Isabella Lester, Hannah Fetterman, Riley “Rocket Girl” Franklin, Andrew Barnoff, Donovan “Squiggy” Swanson; (third) Garrett Eddy, Graham Lott, Jaugar McDivitt, Ethan Watt, John Mizerock, Preston Martz, Zach “Zinger” Dinger, Nick Humble; (back) Coach Eric Lott, Coach Eric Eddy.

Soccer photos by Eric Kurtz Eye Indulge Photography eyeindulgephotography@hotmail.com not responsible for typographical errors

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speed and sport Cycle Center Rt. 436 • 430 s. Main st., Punx’y • 938-8780 or 938-6952 sales • PaRTs • seRViCe Cylinder Boring • Pa state inspection HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9 to 5 (lunch from noon to 1) Saturday 9 to 2 * Purchasers of select new and unregistered Suzuki KingQuads in the continental United States (excluding HI) will receive a customer cash amount of $400 which is non-transferable and holds no cash value. As low as 2.99% APR financing for 5 years on select new and unregistered KingQuad models available through Sheffield Financial, A Division of BB&T, $17.96 per $1,000 financed monthly payments. Program minimum amount financed is $1,500. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. Other financing offers are available. See your local Suzuki dealer for details. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Offer effective from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 9/1/14 and 11/30/14. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. © Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. 2014. ** Purchasers of select new and unregistered Suzuki KingQuads in the continental United States (excluding HI) will receive a customer cash amount of either $800, $650, or $400 which is non-transferable and holds no cash value. As low as 7.99% APR financing for 5 years on select new and unregistered KingQuad models available through Sheffield Financial, A Division of BB&T, $20.27 per $1,000 financed monthly payments. Program minimum amount financed is $1,500. Not all buyers will qualify. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. Other financing offers are available. See your local Suzuki dealer for details. Financing promotions void where prohibited. Offer effective from a participating authorized Suzuki dealer between 9/1/14 and 11/30/14. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. © Suzuki Motor of America, Inc. 2014. Printed 10/14

Nominations Being Accepted for 2015 Trail of the Year, Members for Trail Advisory Committee

ennsylvanians are being asked to nominate their favorite trail for the 2015 Trail of the Year, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Ellen Ferretti announced today. The designation is coordinated by DCNR’s Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee to elevate public awareness of the thousands of miles of trails available for public enjoyment in Pennsylvania. DCNR also is accepting applications for eight members for three-year terms on the committee. “It could be short or long, easy or challenging, near a waterway or up a mountainside, but if you have a favorite trail we’d like you to tell us why it is special by nominating it for our Trail of the Year,” Ferretti said. “We are so fortunate to have a fantastic and diverse system of trails in Pennsylvania and we want everyone to realize the opportunities they provide for healthy outdoor activities and to enjoy nature and the boost trails give to the economies of local communities.” To honor the Trail of the Year, the advi-

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sory committee and DCNR will create a commemorative poster for statewide distribution. Nominations are due by Nov. 7 and can be submitted on the DCNR website at http://www.apps.dcnr.state.pa.us/SelectS u r v e y N e t 2 / Ta k e S u r v e y. a s p x ? S u rveyID=l62K682. The Trail of the Year will be announced in early 2015. For more information on the nomination process or on trails, visit www.explorePAtrails.com and choose the 2015 Trail of the Year slide. Featured on the site are 493 trails covering more than 11,000 miles in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee includes 20 members representing different types of trail users, builders and advocates, and people with disabilities. DCNR is accepting applications through Nov. 7 for eight open seats on the committee. Members will serve for three years starting Jan. 1, 2015. Nominations are being accepted for positions representing the following user organizations: ATV riders; member at large; trail walkers; mountain biking; snowmobiling; people with disabilities; trail advocate; and trail trainers. Find an application on the DCNR website at http://www.apps.dcnr.state.pa.us/SelectS u r v e y N e t 2 / Ta k e S u r v e y. a s p x ? S u rveyID=ml2L587 The committee’s responsibilities are to advise DCNR on the use of trail funding in Pennsylvania; review and rank trail project applications; and present an annual report to the secretary on trail activities. Media contact: Christina Novak, 717772-9101 •••

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www.shadowvineyard.com 24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

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October: A Month of Weather variations

By Marlene Lellock for Hometown magazine ou never know what Mother Nature will throw at you doing the month of October. It’s a transition month that could bring temperatures anywhere from below 30 degrees Fahrenheit to close to 80 degrees. We may have cloudless blue skies with an abundance of sun or see the first snowfall of the season. A thunderstorm could roll through the area, or a hurricane moving up the coast could bring rain and flooding or a snowstorm! Throughout history, October has been a month of weather variations, according to WeatherForYou.com. On Oct. 13, 1988, 43 cities in the Northeast and Upper Midwest reported record low temperatures with the mercury dipping to as low as 18 degrees. But on the same date in 1989, 16 cities reported record high temperatures as readings from the Southern and Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic coast reached from the 80s to the low 90s. On Oct. 24, 1937, a snow squall in Buffalo, N.Y., produced six inches of snowy slush, while on that same day in 1989, 15 cities in the northern and central states reported record highs as the temperatures reached into the 80s. In 1989, Oct. 29 was a mixed bag with thunderstorms and tornadoes in Oklahoma and Texas, record high temperatures in the Northeast, and record lows in the West. On the same

date in 2012, the historic and deadly hurricane known as “Superstorm Sandy” hit the East Coast, bringing rain, storm surges and flooding along the coast and high winds and snow further inland. A total of 24 states were affected in some way by Hurricane Sandy. As of this writing, in the middle of October 2014, we’ve had some beautiful days with not too much variation, but the month is only halfway over. At the end of the month when you are reading this, I hope that the calm weather has continued with no reason to see October 2014 called out in the weather history archives for a notable weather event! Now that the days are shorter and the temperatures continue to go lower, remember that the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center is a good place to have fun indoors on a wet or cold day, on a day off school, or on a Saturday. It’s also great place to hold a birthday party! Get all the details about our birthday party package on Weatherdiscovery.org or by calling (814) 938-1000. If you’d like to stay up to date with what’s happening at the Weather Discovery Center, visit either our website (www.weatherdiscovery.org) or our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/weatherdiscovery) to sign up for our e-newsletter! Or, you can call us with your e-mail address, and we’ll add you to our list. Marlene Lellock is executive director of the Weather Discovery Center. •••

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*0-10% down payment required. Applies to purchases of select new 2010-2015 Yamaha Side x Sides made on a Yamaha Installment Financing loan account from 9/1/14 to 12/27/14. Offer is subject to credit approval by Synchrony Financial. Maximum contract length is 84 months. Minimum amount financed is $5,000. Fixed APR of 5.99%, 7.99%, 9.99% or 13.99% will be assigned based on credit approval criteria. Monthly payments per $1,000 fi nanced based on 84 month term are $14.60 at 5.99% and $18.73 at 13.99%. Standard down payment requirement is based on credit approval criteria. **Customer Cash offer good on select 2010-2014 models between 9/1/14-12/27/14. Offer good only in the U.S., excluding the state of Hawaii. Dealer remains responsible for complying with all local and state advertising regulations and laws. Shown with optional accessories. Always protect the environment and wear your seat belt, helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Read the owner’s manual and the product warning labels before operation. ©2014 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. •YamahaViking.com 9/14

Printed 10/14

26 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

t’s all too easy to feel out of touch with nature. But whether you live in an urban or rural setting, near a stand of woods or in the forest, there are trees near you that can help you feel connected to the outdoors. And getting involved with protecting your state’s woods is easy if you know how. “From volunteer projects to civic engagement, there are many avenues for protecting your state’s trees and forests,” says Jim Karels, President of the National Association of State Foresters (NASF). “Any individual can have a positive impact.” Karels is offering nature lovers ideas for effective woodland stewardship: n Many forests are under attack from the emerald ash borer, Asian long-horned beetle, and a host of other non-native species. Learning to identify these woodland pests and the signs of their impact can help keep their damage in check. Prevent destructive hitchhikers by buying local firewood from within 10 miles of where you burn it. n Become a conservation volunteer and help your state’s woods. State Foresters manage and protect state and private forests, which encompass two-thirds of the forestland in the United States. Your State Forester can help your family get more involved. Plant a tree or check out Arbor Day opportunities in your community, such as tree plantings and litter pick-ups—or better yet, host one yourself. Your state forestry agency should have a calendar of events to reference. n Appreciate urban forestry. Even if you live in a suburban or urban locale, your community’s green infrastructure warrants protecting.

The presence of street trees in a neighborhood can increase the sale prices of houses. Additionally, research has shown that tree-lined streets encourage more active lifestyles, which can help reduce the incidence of obesity in your community. n Learn to protect your home and family from fire. Nearly nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by people, and your state forestry agency is a great resource for fire prevention education, i n c l u d i n g Smokey Bear appearances and nature talks. n Spread the word. Our nation’s woodlands face many threats that require larger policy solutions. From invasive species to increasing land fragmentation, all woodlands need protection. Trees work for us and provide public benefits to all Americans. Connect with your State Forester for ways to be involved in policy solutions that are important to your state. To get more informed, check out your state’s forest action plan. These plans document local priorities each state has for their woods. It’s the best way to find out where the danger is, where help is most needed, and who you can contact to get involved. To read your state’s forest action plan, visit www.forestactionplans.org. Another good reference point is the NASF, a non-profit comprised of the executive heads of departments of forestry in the United States. NASF works to protect woods and provide information to the public. More information can be found at www.stateforesters.org/contact-yourstate-agency. Your actions can affect the trees around you. Take steps to be part of the solution in your local environment. (StatePoint) •••

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rocking into the Holiday Season with Tunes for Tots & Auction Annual Event Benefits Local Children at Christmas

By Christi Payson for Hometown magazine he 4th Annual Tunes for Tots & Auction again seeks your support to help make the holiday season a little merrier for those less fortunate in our local community. The event will be held Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Punxsutawney Eagles, starting at 6 p.m., and will feature eight acoustic bands and a silent auction until 9:30 p.m. The price of admission is $10 per person, for ages 21 and older, and includes sharing in the season of giving with friends, good food and great entertainment. The order of the bands has not been confirmed, but musical participants will include Mike & DD Venturini, Joe Pascuzzo & Steve Duffalo, Lounge Lizards, Six String Redemption, Dave Blystone & Clint Reed, Backseat Romeo, No Excuses and American Stew. All the musicians affiliated with Tunes for Tots donate their time and talents for these events. Unwrapped, new toy donations are appreciated and will be accepted at the door. Last year, Tunes for Tots shopped and purchased gifts for 35 children from their wish lists. Helping to put smiles on children’s faces on Christmas morning is a dream come true for Bruce Walker, the founder of Tunes for Tots. His catchphrase since the beginning has been “It is all about the kids.” The average cost per child has been calculated to be around $70, which is truly amazing. The committee’s goal has been to raise $6,000 during the past three years, an amount that has been doubled each year. More than $9,000 went directly to the Salvation Army Treasures for Children Christmas Program. The support of local businesses and individual donors enables Tunes for Tots to provide the community with help during a time of financial hardship for many families. The Tunes for Tots Committee is thankful for all the assistance in surpassing its goals, and its members feel optimistic about doing as well this Christmas season. This year’s kickoff event was held on Oct. 25 at the Punxsutawney Moose and featured three local bands – Chaps (Jesse

DeChurch), Against the Grain and American Stew. Committee members thank everyone that participated in the evening. The Salvation Army along with Tunes for Tots truly appreciates the unbelievable generosity each year. The committee is in the process of col-

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Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169 – 27

SuRGERY

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G. Franco, M.D. Dr. Franco and his office staff are known for the warm, personal style they bring to individualized, precise and effective care and surgery. Dr. Franco provides expertise in the full range of general surgical procedures, including breast, intestinal endoscopy and surgery and venous disease treatment.

Call for an appointment 938-7045 www.pah.org

Cancer Survivors Face Workplace Challenges

ancer affects more than a person’s health, it can impact his or her working life. While nearly four-fifths of survivors say they need to work for financial reasons, nearly half worry that prospective employers would treat them dif-

ferently if they knew about their diagnosis, according to survey results from Harris Poll on behalf of Cancer and Careers, an organization dedicated to supporting the growing number of people working during and after cancer

Americans Not Getting Enough relaxation Time

early all Americans understand that relaxation time is essential to good health, yet most of us don’t spend nearly enough time unwinding during a typical day or week. While our society acknowledges that kicking back is indispensable, we don’t seem to be practicing what we preach. Indeed, 99 percent of Americans think relaxation is important, yet they actually spend less than 5 percent of their day relaxing, according a new independent research study commissioned by Princess Cruises. The goal of the research was to better understand the latest trends about how many of us actually relax and how we go about doing it. Nearly half of Americans report they’re more

28 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

treatment. “No matter the reason for returning, work can be empowering for cancer survivors, and with the right information and preparation, they can truly thrive in the workplace,” says Kate Sweeney, executive director at Cancer and Careers. Finance is a driving factor for most survivors returning to work, but many also want to maintain a sense of normalcy or feel productive, the survey found. Working cancer survivors have a unique set of challenges, from thinking through their online image, to dealing with gaps in work history on resumes and cover letters. For tips, tools and resources, visit www.CancerandCareers.org. While working during cancer treatment or seeking employment afterwards can seem daunting, resources are available to help survivors through the process. (StatePoint) •••

stressed than their significant other, with a whopping 82 percent of men indicating that their partner is the stressed out one. Music topped the list of relaxation techniques for those surveyed, with 48 percent reporting music helps them take it easy. Interestingly, only 18 percent find exercise is a good relaxation tool. The most surprising findings were that relaxation causes 62 percent of parents to feel guilty and that nearly one third of Americans surveyed reported being stressed out simply by the thought of relaxing! So try to beat the odds and make time to unwind. (StatePoint) •••

Primary Health Network Names Drew Pierce as CEO

he Primary Health Network (PHN) announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Drew Pierce as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors Executive Committee effective Oct. 1, 2014. Pierce previously held the position of Chief Financial Officer and Director of Business Development at PHN. “Drew has demonstrated the vision and skills necessary to lead PHN for many years to come,” said Jack Laeng, PHN’s current CEO and founder. “During this time of expansion and continuous growth, there is no better person to lead PHN than Drew. He believes in PHN’s mission wholeheartedly and is a proven leader who has been involved in organizational program development and strategic planning since he started with us.” Since joining PHN in 2007, Pierce has been a part of numerous expansion projects and has shown dynamic finance and operational skills. During Pierce’s time as CFO, he played a key part in the development and maintenance of an annual budget of $64 million, which grew more than $43 million in the past seven years. He was integral in the fostering of relationships with potential partners, the evaluation of new programs and potential new revenue streams, the participation in the political progress with local, state, and federal legislators and the expansion of services to other locations and territories. He also served as the organizational liaison to PHN’s Charitable Foundation, which consisted of responsibility for the oversight of all Foundation programs,

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staff and operations as well as a budget of $2.5 million annually. “PHN has grown exponentially over the past 30 years, and I look forward to its future,” Pierce said. “I couldn’t be more honored to have been chosen to lead an organization that I am so proud of. I have big shoes to fill since I am only the second CEO that PHN has had since it began. Thankfully, I have had Jack as a mentor over the past seven years and I am eager to begin my tenure.” PHN board president, Donald Perry, echoes Laeng’s views on Pierce. The Board of Directors spent two years searching for Laeng’s successor. “His strong commitment and dedication to our mission, strong financial acumen, understanding of networking and teaming with other organizations are just a few of many skills imperative for his new position,” said Perry. “Drew has demonstrated strong interpersonal skills, staff development, joint ventures and strategic alliances that will ensure PHN positions as an industry leader for years to come.” PHN was founded in 1984 with one community health center in Farrell, Pa., and has grown into a network of 31 Federally Qualified Health Centers in Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio. PHN is the largest community health center in Pennsylvania employing more than 500 people, including 140 full- and part-time providers. PHN served 113,629 people during 2013 with 375,378 medical, dental and behavioral health encounters. For more information, visit www.primaryhealth.net. •••

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Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169 – 29

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Aging Services Inc. honored the following employees for their dedicated service (l. to r.): Alice Greer, home-delivered meal driver; Charles States, Mahoning Hills Social Center maintenance worker; Edward Platt, Chestnut Hills Social Center maintenance worker; and C. Edwin Ober, home-delivered meal driver. The following employees were unavailable when the picture was taken: Debbie Muffley, Saltsburg Social Center aide, and Andrew kendrick, home-delivered meal driver. Submitted photo.

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ging Services Inc. celebrated Employ Older Workers Week on Wednesday, Sept. 24, with a special “55 and Better” celebration – followed by cake and ice cream – to honor their own employees and to recognize in-home services workers who found

work in the community through the Senior Employment Program at Aging Services Inc. This year six staff members from Aging Service were presented a gift of appreciation for their dedication to the agency and the older citizens of this county that they serve. •••

Streetscapes: 1940s

An anonymous quote, found in a Punxsutawney Spirit advertisement in support of servicemen and servicewomen and urging the purchase of war bonds, is central to the WWII display: “We must highly resolve never again to think of ourselves as isolated from the nations of the world or from the conscience of mankind ...” As features have been layered into the rooms, many are retained even though the emphasis changes. Up next is “Transportation Through Time,” which will take advantage of the vehicles shown in the rooms’ banners, including Schwinn bicycles on loan from Butch White and other items as yet unseen. Exhibits in the Lattimer House Galleries are open to the public, as are displays on the first floor in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Day History Museum and the Reschini Room, as well as the ongoing exhibits throughout the Bennis House. Hours are from 1-4 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. •••

Continued from page 21

forms belonging to Freda Foster and Wallace Jordan; the milkweed collected by children as a military substitute for kapok; the wedding dress made from a parachute by Velma L. Schierer for her marriage to Glenn Clark Bowser; S. Thomas Curry’s research into Punxsutawney’s “Monument Man,” Stephen Kovalyak; the extensive advertising in support of the war effort; personal recollections of Madalyn ”Babe” Bidwell Varner; and “Aces,” a WWII-era novel written by Robert Denny. Denny’s roots were in Punxsutawney, and the story is set in a fictitious town named Mahoning, which happened to have a great many streets, residents, physical features and ethnicities in common with Punxsutawney. From descriptions in the book, their positions on the map are identical.

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30 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

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Around Town

By the staff of Hometown magazine and the Chamber of Commerce rom staff of Hometown magazine and the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here is a list of events and happenings coming up in our area: n Nov. 2: daylight Savings time ends. Turn your clocks back. n Nov. 4: general Election. Go Vote! n Nov. 4: First tuesday community Meal, 5 to 7 p.m., Punxsy Presbyterian Church. Free and open to the public. n Nov. 5: PAHS Powderpuff Football game for charity, 6:30 p.m., Jack LaMarca Stadium. n Nov. 7 & 8: “A Bazaar for All Seasons,” Woodland Avenue United Methodist Church, opens at 9 a.m. both days. Crafts, baked goods and lunch. n Nov. 8: Mistletoe Madness, specials, crafters and vendors. Among those taking part are Fairlady & Co., Catarina’s Café, Paul Beatty Jewelers, Trailhead Gallery, Roseman’s Florist, Chicks from The Sticks, B’s Books, the Weather Discovery Center, Groundhog Club, Punxsy Phil’s Souvenir Shop and the Punxsy Memorial Library. n Nov. 8: Radio Harvest Auction, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., WPXZ, benefits the Salvation Army. n Nov. 11: Veterans day Lunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jefferson Street Social Hall, benefits Punxsy REACT. n Nov. 14: Blood drive, Mulberry Square, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., American Red Cross. n Nov. 22: Annual SScd School christmas Bazaar, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., features a variety of crafts and vendors, 50/50 raffle, full kitchen, coffee bar. Come to one of the largest holiday bazaars around and enjoy delicious soup, sandwiches and desserts. For more information, contact Kristin Miller (814 ) 952-2330. n Nov. 22: tunes for tots annual auction, 6 p.m., Punxsy Eagles, benefits local Christmas programs for children from the Punxsy

area. n Nov. 23: community thanksgiving worship Service, 6:30 p.m. n Nov. 27: thanksgiving! n Nov. 29: Home for the Holidays Parade, Downtown Punxsy, 6 p.m. Opens the holiday season and brings Santa to town! n Nov. 29: tree Lighting, Punxsy Rotary Club’s Circle of Trees, Barclay Square, after the parade. n The Punxsutawney Soccer Association’s U15 and U12 recreation travel teams are celebrating undefeated seasons this year. Also, the U10 recreation travel team lost only one game during its season. See the Punxsutawney Soccer Association team photos on pages 21-23. n The Red kettle campaign starts in November and continues through the holiday season at various locations around town. Benefits the Salvation Army in Punxsy. n Leaf collection by the borough runs through November. Pile leaves at the curb for pick up. n Punxsutawney Hometown magazine is pleased to announce that we will now be including Engagement, wedding, Birth, Pet, and Anniversary announcements in our monthly publication. All announcements will be printed for free or you can add a photo for $5.00. We will accept anniversary announcements beginning at the 25th anniversary at 5 year intervals up to the 50th anniversary (25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50th). After the 50th anniversary, each year will be accepted. Forms are available at our office in Suite 100 of the Railroad Building on North Penn Street or by calling or e-mailing us to have a form sent to you, 814-938-0312 or hometown@punxsutawneymagazine.com. Activities and dates are subject to change. We welcome your news! Please remember Hometown works a month ahead. Nonprofit organizations are welcome to send their events for Around Town to: hometown@punxsutawneymagazine.com. For-profit events can be listed in Around Town, six lines for $25. •••

Showing the District 9 AA Championship plaque they won this season are PAHS girls’ golf team members Sam Satterlee, Morgan McFarland, Lauren McGee, and Morgan VanLeer. (Photo by kacee Dale)

PAHS Band seniors and parents are Mackenzie rosenberger, daughter of ken and kathy rosenberger; Marshall richardson, son of Garry and Lori richardson; Samantha Peace, daughter of ronald and Monica Peace; John koper, son of Tom and Patti Blose; Sarah kinney, daughter of Leonard and Sue kinney; Sarah Johnston, daughter of Don and Anita Johnston; Tucker Hill, son of Cindy Hill; and Chance Blair, son of Bradley and Samantha Blair. Photo by Jennifer roberts.

2014 Homecoming Princess Amber Ward and Queen Jensen Constantino stand with their escorts Marshall richardson and Lucas Mennetti. The Homecoming royalty were crowned during halftime at the Oct. 3 PAHS football game and the annual Homecoming dance was held Oct. 4. Photo by Jennifer roberts.

PAHS football seniors and their parents are (l. to r.) Walter Foster, the son of Walter Foster and Chris Tyree and Sara Stormer; Dakota Thomas, the son of Bill and kelly neal and Ben Thomas; Adam Ferko, the son of Michael Ferko and Jennifer Ferko; Travis Perry, the son of Lowell and Wendy Perry; Perry Arrington, the son of David Arrington and karen Arrington; Jacob Gotwald, the son of David Gotwald and Lea and Michael Masisak; Luke Shiock, the son of Cindy and Dave Shiock; Austin Covatch, the son of Terry Covatch and Stacy Covatch; Dalton Maines, the son of ron and Lisa Maines; kameron rummel, the son of kurtis and Debbie rummel; Ethan Ambler, the son of Eric and Michelle Ambler; keegan Fischer, the son of Shawn and kathy Fischer; Jakob Coalmer, the son of kevin Coalmer and Liz Moomau; and Andy Fedigan, the son of Tom Fedigan and Melissa Fedigan. Photo by Jennifer roberts.

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r.D. Brown Memorials 314 N. Findley Street • Punxsutawney • 938-2100

We have a full line of monuments, decorative stones, benches and more!

(Editor’s Note: “From Our Past,” researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.) october 19, 1894 — Would it not be advisable for our school board to enforce the law in regard to selling cigarettes to boys under 16 years of age? It looks like a waste of money to educate a boy and at the same time have him breathe in poison from the deadly cigarette, for if persisted in, the habit will eventually destroy both body and mind. (Lindsey Press) [Note: The newspaper was published in Clayville, which had a “Lindsey” post office name. The area became Punxsutawney’s West End section after 1907.] october 28, 1885 — Mr. F. P. Graf has opened a lunch counter in the basement of the St. Elmo Hotel. For the sum of five cents you can get a cup of coffee or tea, a glass of beer, with a dish of vegetables, rice, bean or noodle soup, or a plate of sourkrout [sic] and a plate of crackers. (Punxsutawney Spirit) November 3, 1886 — Hon. H. G. Fisher and other members of the Whisky Run and Punxsutawney Railroad Company were here on Thursday last settling for the coal lands recently purchased on Mahoning Creek. Nearly $100,000 was paid to those who sold the lands. (Punxsutawney Spirit) [Note: “H. G. Fisher” was Horatio G. Fisher for whom the mining town of Horatio was named. The purchased coal lands were along where the Mahoning Shadow Trail runs now below West End, Punxsutawney.] November 4, 1896 — Mr. Ephraim Bair, of this place, voted for William McKinley at the election on Tuesday making it the 17th president he has voted for. (Punxsutawney News) November 12, 1868 — SUPPORT HOME ENTERPRISE – Some persons have a perfect mania for going out of town for that which they can buy at home, as though any article coming from a distance was better than the same at home. This is decidedly wrong, and detrimental to the place in which you live. Do not persuade yourself that you are doing right by making money here and spending it elsewhere. (Punxsutawney Plaindealer) •••

Hometown Steeler Football Contest Winner Cleveland Browns rout Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, October 12. The final score was 31 to 10, Browns winning. Laura Lantz was the closest entry with a 31 total point score. Laura wishes to redeem her gift certificate at Punx’y Pizza Hut. Remember you need to play to win!

32 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169 – 33

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t’s a fall ritual to get our homes, cars and even ourselves ready for the colder weather. How many of us, though, consider the impact of the changing season on our pets? Michele Dixon, a health and nutrition specialist with Petcurean, says there are simple things we can do to keep our pets healthy and safe through the fall and winter months. Here are some that top the list: n Cooler weather usually brings dry air, so using a humidifier will help to keep the nose and throat of our dogs and cats from drying out. It’s the same for their coat and skin. A dog or cat food with omega oils, like Petcurean’s GO! SENSITIVITY +

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34 – Punxsutawney Hometown – November 2014 - Issue #169

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2. Guess the winning team and the total number of points you think will be scored in the Steelers vs. Jets Game and enter the guesses in the spaces provided on the coupon.

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3. Enter one of the participating advertisers on this page 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 rd,. Punxsutawney, Pa 15767. PLEASE MARK YOUR

TEAM PICK AND TOTAL POINTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE.

5. all entries must be received by 4 p.m. Thursday, November 6. 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 $25 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.

— EAT IN Or TAkE OUT —

Hometown magazine ‘Steelers Football Contest’:

Wings • Strombolis • Pizzas • Calzones

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

StoP aNd See ouR Full meNu

Name ________________________________ Address ______________________________ Zip __________________________________ Phone ______________________________ Coupon for Game of Sun., Nov. 9 Step 1: Guess the Winning Team: __ Steelers vs. __ Jets 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) _____________________

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