The Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association signed a contract February 28th, 2014 that begins work on the new library building. The contract that will initiate site development is with the building architect, Thomas Horlacher, of Scranton, and Milnes Engineering of Tunkhannock. Initial work will include civil site engineering, surveying, planning and permit services. Physical site preparation will begin in Spring 2015. Occupation of the new building is anticipated for Spring 2016. The building site was acquired several years ago from the Montrose Area School District. It is located just before the high school tennis courts at the intersection of School Road (SR 1026) and The Old County Road (Bridgewater Township Road 704).

Pictured (l-r) are members of the New Library Development Committee: seated - Kim Harwood Co-chair, Thomas Kurosky President of the Library Board of Trustees, and Edgar Warriner Chairman; Standing committee members Robert Vermette, George Conner, Joseph Bayer, L. Carter Anderson. Absent from photo was member Mary Ketterer.

The association has outgrown the beautiful, 107 year old building on the Montrose Green. Upon completion of the new library, the historical society and its museum will occupy the entire original structure and will once again be able to effectively display its unique and valuable historic collection. The new library building is designed to lead our county and association into the next 107 years.

The New Library Development Committee has raised over $2,000,000 for construction of the new library. The committee is preparing a drive to raise the balance of $1,800,000 needed to complete the project.

Pictured (l-r) are: back row - Duane Hinds, David Andre, Thomas Pascoe, Thomas Follert; front row - Interfaith director Cindy Beeman, Ginny Lewis, LaVonne Lewis and MaryAnn DeWitt.

Officers of the Montrose Community Chorale are shown giving a check in the amount of $1500.00 to the Susquehanna County Interfaith and Salvation Army of Susquehanna County.  Each year the Chorale presents a December program with proceeds going to local charities.  

The First Presbyterian Church in Montrose was the setting for the March meeting of the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.  President Carol Goodman, retired teacher from Northeast Bradford School District, conducted the business meeting.  As members signed in for the meeting they were asked to write one or two words which best described Joan O. Peters.  Joan had been a very active member and mentor for over 50 years until her passing on January 27th.  Periodically throughout the meeting, the phrases were read to pay tribute to Joan. 

The slate of officers for the 2014-2016 biennium was presented and approved.  The new officers include Jeanette Saulo and Sheri Wolfe, co-presidents; Ann Gay, first vice-president; Nancy Simon, second vice-president; Barbara Davis, recording secretary; Pat Carpenter, corresponding secretary; Carol Goodman, Parliamentarian; and Carol Davis, treasurer.  Five prospective women educators were voted on and approved for membership.  They include Megan Gilleran, April Jones, Ann Marie Leber, Megan Piekarski, and Gretchen Warner.  Three more teachers were recommended for membership and will be voted on at the May meeting.  Barbara Kelly was recommended and approved for honorary membership.  Initiation of all new members will take place at the October 2nd meeting at Dreyer Hall in Montrose.

Other items of business included planning for the 30th birthday celebration of the Beta Rho Chapter which will take place at the State Convention in State College in June.

Pictured (l-r) are the Twenty-five year members who were recognized recently at the Beta Rho Chapter meeting in Montrose. Kathy Fuller received her 25 Year Pin, presented by membership chairman, Ann Gay.  Absent for the presentation were Debbie Earley and Deborah Stevens whose pins will be presented at the May meeting.

Following the business meeting, the members were inspired by an uplifting program by the Personal Growth Committee which had been chaired by Joan Peters.  She had planned the program with her committee members prior to her death and she had asked member Cindy Reynolds to stand in for her.  “Nurturing the Needs of Self; Serving the Needs of Others” was the title of the program.  Because Joan was an excellent teacher and role model, Cindy presented Joan’s program as a lesson, “it’s everybody’s duty to give the world a reason to dance!”   The lesson incorporated the five things that happy people do.  Happy people don’t compare themselves to others, don’t talk negatively about others, show gratitude every day, make time for themselves by saying “no”, and say “I’m sorry.”  Committee members Mary Ann Cunningham shared her involvement in volunteering which makes her happy and Karen Voigt shared the joys of being a grandparent which makes her happy.  The program ended with homework for everyone to do less of what leaves them feeling badly, do more of what makes them feel good, create a “sunny sanctuary,” and refuel their own spirit.

The final meeting of this biennium will be held on May 3rd at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in New Milford.   The meeting will include the installation of officers and a Celebration of Life Service in remembrance of Mary McCormick and Joan Peters. 

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is a professional honor society for women educators with more than 115, 000 members.  Established in 18 member countries around the world, the Society defines its mission as promoting professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.  Upcoming events of the Society include the State Convention in State College, June 13-15, 2014, at the Nittany Lion Inn.  The DKG International Convention will be held in Indianapolis, July 28-August 1. 2014, and will include Society meetings, workshops, keynote speakers, and tours of the sites in Indiana.  Beta Rho members are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the Society by attending the functions beyond the chapter level.

Michael and Rachel Pavelski of Susquehanna, PA are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachel Arrieta to Justin Tyler, son of Tim and Terri Tyler of Meshoppen, PA. 

Justin Tyler and Rachel Arrieta

The future bride graduated from Keystone College where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and has a teaching certificate in Elementary and Early Childhood Education.  She is currently employed by NHS as a Behavioral Health Worker at Choconut Valley Elementary School.

The future groom graduated from Pennsylvania College of Technology where he earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree.  He is employed by the Montrose Minute Men as a Paramedic.  A May, 2014 wedding is planned.

This week we are going to feature one of the most important aspects of 4-H: being a 4-H Club Officer. Susquehanna County 4-H Clubs are organized through organizational leaders, but then each club elects its own team of youth officers.  Members can be elected to become President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, News Reporter, Historian, or the Social Chair.  Officers are able to attend  4-H Officers Training, which will be held this year on April 19th from 6-9 pm.  At this event club officers learn how to run a meeting according to proper Parliamentary Procedure, which is a very useful life skill. 

The President is in charge of running the meetings, while the Vice President fills in as needed at meetings, and is asked to assist in coordinating club events.  The Secretary is required to take roll and meeting minutes, which are recorded in their project record book.  The Treasurer is able to handle the 4-H club account, under the guidance of a club leader.  They are asked to present treasurer’s reports at each meeting, and help to keep the checking accounts up to date.  The News Reporter gets to take notes and photos at each meeting, and write a news article for the local papers about what went on at each meeting.  The Historian takes photos and logs events to create a club history of all the activities that the club has taken part in over the years.  And lastly, the Social Chair is in charge of providing songs and games to entertain members at the club meetings.  Each officer is required to complete a project book, as well as keep records for their officer’s position.  There is a lot to being a club officer, but this allows 4-H members the chance to learn how to properly conduct a business meeting.  This training is very valuable as they continue on to their careers. 

Another fun topic to cover this week is our Cloverbud program.  The Cloverbud program is geared for children ages 5-8, as of January 1st.  This program allows younger kids the chance to become 4-H members before they turn 8, and allows them the chance to take projects suitable to their age.  Cloverbuds are welcome to complete any project other than shooting sports or showing large animals.  They can decorate a cake, design a birdhouse, go fishing, create a craft, or plant a vegetable garden.  Cloverbuds are asked to make a poster or display for the Harford Fair.  Our Plant Science: Missing Parts and Cloverbud Companion Animal projects are gaining popularity, and are offered along with Exploring Farm Animals and Acres of Adventures.  There are lots of chances for the younger kids to get involved, and enjoy all that 4-H offers.

4-H Cloverbud Katelyn Farley’s Pet Care project

If Susquehanna County 4-H sounds like a program your kids might be interested in, please contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension Office today.  Our phone number is (570) 278-1158 or drop an e-mail to ano3@psu.edu.  Also be sure to check out our website at extension.psu.edu/Susquehanna and find us on Facebook at Susquehanna County 4-H.  I look forward to helping you join 4-H, and be sure to look for our next series article on how Susquehanna County 4-H is involved in the Harford Fair.  

Willow is wondering when the weather will get better and she can get more exercise.  She is a young adult and spayed.  She is housebroke and very sweet with the staff and volunteers.  She would do best in a home where she is the only pet.  She is an American Bulldog.  

Willow

We are receiving many calls from owners trying to surrender animals for various reasons.  If you have a family member that is in need of placing a pet please consider helping them.  Many times the situation gets resolved and the animal can stay with their family.  If you are interested in our foster care program please call or stop in the shelter for details.  Spring is here and it is a great time of year to get out there and walk.  Volunteer dog walkers 18 or older are always needed at the shelter.

The Harford Fair, which will celebrate 157 years this year, is the largest event in Susquehanna County.  During the third full week of August over 65,000 people will come to Harford for the fair.  The members of the association meet once a month all year to plan and execute this major event while the Board of Directors has an additional meeting each month. 

With the resignations of two long-time fair directors Jeff Page and Bill Tyler the directors of the Harford Agricultural Society recently appointed two replacements, Brandon Bennett and Brian Tyler.   Both men have been involved with the fair since childhood, attended the fair for as long as each can remember, and are life-time residents of Harford Township. 

Pictured are Brandon Bennett and Brian Tyler, both of Harford Township, recently appointed to the Harford Agricultural Society’s Board of Directors.  Both men are pleased to be able to serve in this capacity.

As a boy, Brandon remembers riding with his great-grandfather, Willard Robinson, on the steam tractor to the fairground.  He began helping at the fair at an early age, mowing the lawn, parking cars, and plowing snow.  He is presently co-superintendent of traffic.  Brian began showing poultry at the age of eight and helped both of his parents who were very involved in the fair.  As a teenager, he began helping in the arena and has worked there since that time.  He still enters maple syrup items in vegetable hall and is responsible for general maintenance around the fairgrounds. 

Brandon lives with his wife, Adele, and infant son Sylas and works with his dad in their family-owned garage.  Brian lives with his wife, Nancy and daughters, Sarina, Nichole, and Amanda and drives truck for Frito Lay.  They are pleased to have been elected to serve as directors and in that position, they both hope to eventually see more seating in the arena and will work toward covered seating as well.

Reorganization of the board took place at the December meeting with the following officers being elected:  Dr. Michael Kowalewski, president; Jason Miller, first vice president; Cindy Reynolds, second vice president; Gene Hubbard, secretary; Mark Pease, treasurer.  

Besides the Board of Directors and the fair office staff, there are many, many individuals who work and volunteer throughout the year to make the third week of August a special time in Susquehanna County.  Each of the twenty-two departments has superintendents and/or assistants who oversee the set-up and judging of the displays, manage them throughout fair week, and tear down following the fair. 

Presently the fair’s website www.harfordfair.com is under construction.  When it is completed, it will have an appealing new look, full of fair information, which will be easy to navigate in order to see schedules and special events.  Exhibitors will be able to submit entries on line and fair goers will be able to purchase tickets on line as well.   So make plans to attend this year’s fair, August 18th – 23rd with your family and friends.

The PA Agricultural Land Preservation Easement Purchase Program of Susquehanna County, which is administered by the Susquehanna County Conservation District, has purchased the development rights on the Mark Sartell and Judith Sartell Farm located in Thompson Township.  A perpetual easement placed on this property helps preserve the rural nature of the township and contributes to maintaining a critical agriculture mass in the area.  The Sartell’s farm is the 30TH farm purchased in Susquehanna County, bringing the total acres preserved to 6,077.      

The Sartell Farm consists of 207 acres. The Sartell’s are the owners and operators of a dairy farm where they milk 50 dairy cows. The barn on the property is mostly used to house the herd of 40 replacement head of youngstock. Conservation practices currently in use are prescribed grazing, pasture management, forage harvest management and crop rotation. The Sartell’s were enthusiastic about entering their property into the Ag Land Preservation Program. When asked why they didn’t want their property ever developed upon or subdivided; Judith Sartell responded, “We just love livestock too much!”  The Ag Land Preservation Board was excited to welcome the Sartell Farm into the program as well.

Pictured (l-r) are: back row - Mark Sartell, Jim Garner, Ted Place,  Dennis LaRue, Rueben Everitt, Michael Gathany, Jim Kessler; front row - Judith Sartell, Jessica Sartell, Jennifer Sartell, Laura Holbrook.

An agricultural conservation easement is a legal restriction on land development that limits the use of land to agricultural purposes.  The application period runs from November 15th through January 15th each year.  Applications are ranked according to soil quality, development potential, farmland potential and clustering potential.  The highest ranking farm is considered for purchase first.  The farm is then appraised to determine the easement value.

For more information contact Laura Holbrook at 570-278-4600 Ext: 262.

The Montrose Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution has changed its name and is now the Susquehanna County Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. The 103 year old local society of women who have shown proof of an ancestor who served in the American Revolution, filed a request with the state and national boards and received approval to change their name this February.

Regent, Mary Ann Cunningham, stated that the new name, Susquehanna County Chapter DAR, is more representative of where the members live and it is the only chapter in the county. The Daughters of the American Revolution is a service-based society and the county chapter is particularly involved with helping Susquehanna County youth with education and material aid, and also collecting items for veterans in local hospitals. The chapter also contributes to local women’s services and aids with historic preservation.

It is an organization which is open to any woman, eighteen years or older, who can prove an ancestor in the American Revolution. Research assistance is offered to any woman who is interested in joining by contacting registrar Carol Patrick (carolpatrick1948@yahoo.com).

Did you know that dairy farms contribute six billion dollars in economic revenue to the Pennsylvania economy each year? The impact of our commonwealth’s 7,200 dairy farms reaches far beyond the billions of pounds of milk produced annually - we see the benefits of a thriving dairy industry in virtually every aspect of our lives. From the 933 jobs fueled by the dairy industry in Susquehanna County alone to the multitude of various dairy foods available for us at our local grocery stores, day or night, keeping the dairy and agricultural industries on track spells success in every meaning of the word.

Dairy isn’t just good for the economy; it can do wonders for our bodies and minds as well. Studies have shown that consuming the recommended three daily servings of low fat dairy foods, such as milk cheese and yogurt, can contribute to increased muscle mass and stronger bones and teeth; protecting us from dangerous and all-too-common ailments like osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children. Here in the Keystone State, we’re lucky to have an abundant supply of fresh and wholesome dairy foods to enjoy. Odds are, the milk you purchase at the local grocery store came from a farm less than 100 miles away. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

So, the next time you find yourself driving past one of the family owned and operated dairy farms that are home some of to Susquehanna County’s 8,400 dairy cows or even if you’re just sitting down to a tall, cold glass of milk with your meal, remember to think beyond the gallon jug in your refrigerator or the carton on your tray at lunchtime. Pennsylvania’s dairy farms have made a tradition of keeping our economy, our communities, and our bodies growing strong, and with our support as neighbors, consumers, and fellow stewards of the land, air, and water on which they raise their animals and grow their crops, they’ll continue to do so in the decades to come.

The Forest City Nursing and Rehab Center selected Joyce Stone as the March Resident of the Month.

Joyce Stone

Joyce was born to Ethel Murphy Ross and Gayle Ross of Ararat, Pa on August 19. She was one of 9 siblings, Freda, Frances, Florence, Ray, Jessie, Fred, Mary and Franklin. The family owned and operated a farm and Joyce with all of her brothers and sisters helped with the chores. Besides working on the farm, her father was also employed by the Dept. of Transportation. Her mother stayed at home and took care of her family.

Joyce graduated from Thompson High School and worked at Camp Poyntelle for 22 years. She met and married her true love, Tracy Mead and they raised their 5 beautiful children, Debra, Kathy, Tracy, Pam and Jeff until her husband’s death. Later, she met and married Knight Stone.

Joyce is a member of the East Ararat and Orson Churches. She enjoys reading the newspaper and keeping up with the news. She listens to Country and Western Music and especially enjoys Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. At the Center she attends the religious services, soup buffets, and bingo.

Joyce’s daughter, Kathy Price, is a dedicated employee at Forest City Nursing and Rehab Center for many years.

A party in Joyce’s honor was held March 8th at the facility and entertainment was provided by Sara Marie and Joseph.