Even with the help of the bright sunshine, chilly March winds swirled around the Susquehanna Elementary School Grounds on March 19th. The weather did not discourage 150+ children from enjoying the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, sponsored by the Susquehanna Community Development Association. Egbert the Easter Bunny arrived via Fire truck, thanks to his friends at the Susquehanna, Pa. Fire Department and welcomed the anxious egg hunters.

Pictured are: Misses Amelia and Gabriella Carpenter, Daughters of Lisa Marie and Joshua Carpenter get acquainted with Egbert the Easter Bunny at the annual S.C.D.A. Easter Egg Hunt on March 19th.

In fairness to all, the children were divided into different groups according to age—1&2, 3,4,&5 year olds, 6,7,&8, and 9 &10 year olds. Many small and cold hands soon filled their baskets with treat-filled eggs, then were invited inside to the Susquehanna Community Elementary gymnasium where they received goodie bags filled with an assortment of candies, chips, and stickers, etc. The children were also given a choice of one gift. The gift selection included such items as a book or stuffed animal.

This successful event would not have been possible without the use of the Susquehanna Community Elementary School grounds and gymnasium, countless individuals who volunteered their time and talents, and those who have donated so much, including goods or services, etc. The Susquehanna Community Development Association wishes to extend their sincere thanks to all. We couldn’t do what we do, without your kindness and generosity. To take a peek at all of the “Egg-citing fun”, please check out our Facebook page--“Susquehanna Community Development Association”.

See you in May for our “Spring Flower Sale” and July for “Hometown Days”!!

At the January 2016 Pennsylvania State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Rendezvous the Wilson F. Moore (WFM) Chapter was awarded the prestigious “Five Star Chapter Award”. This award was presented to only a handful of the local NWTF chapters in Pennsylvania. The award denotes that the WFM chapter has met the 5 requirements to receive the award.  The requirements are: 1) one hunting heritage banquet with a net income (membership dollars + banquet revenue) of at least $3,500; 2) increase the number of adult members by 5% annually; 3) hosted a JAKES event (youth event); 4) host and report one mentored hunt involving a total of at least 5 participants annually, the chapter hosted a youth pheasant hunt at Salt Springs State Park; 5) Chapter volunteers agree to participate in  Archery in the Schools Program (Lathrop Street Elementary and Choconut Valley Elementary Schools).

Pictured (L-R) are: the Wilson F. Moore officers showing the custom made turkey call denoting the 5 Star Award: Banquet Chairman Rusty Ely, President Jack Sorber, VP Al Cuevas, Secretary Michele Cuevas, Board member Dave Wilcox and NWTF Regional Director Sean Langevin. Absent from the photo were Treasurer Tom Norville and Board member Bob Wagner. Photo courtesy of the Wilson F. Moore chapter of the NWTF

By adopting these goals, the Local Chapter acknowledges the importance of our volunteers and local chapters and signifies our commitment and passion to provide a future where wildlife resources are abundant, and there are ample opportunities for everyone to hunt and enjoy the outdoors.

WFM Chapter President Jack Sorber noted, “This award shows that the hard work by the Board of Directors, the Banquet chairman and committee, the Regional Director and the dedication of the Wilson F. Moore chapter members is being noticed and acknowledged. For the last three years this group of volunteers has worked together to bring the chapter back up to the ranks of the noted chapters in the state.”

CLIFFORD TOWNSHIP PA --   Are you among the millions who shop online?  If so, did you know you can make a charitable donation at the same time without spending another cent?

The next time you make an online purchase at Amazon, do it with a Smile and make a donation to the Clifford Township Historical Society (CTHS) while you shop.

“Apparently someone had done just that and initiated a new fundraising opportunity for us,” said CTHS President Sandy Wilmot.  “But it wasn’t until I received a letter asking me to register a CTHS account with AmazonSmile.com and verify our 501(c)(3) status that we became aware of this painless fundraising opportunity.  It’s so easy, and it can help raise money for all of our projects!”

As Wilmot recently learned, AmazonSmile.com is a website operated by Amazon that lets shoppers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as found on Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on Smile.Amazon.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation will automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the eligible charitable organization of your choice.

 “It’s simple and so easy,” said Wilmot.  “We’re now officially registered with this program.  So, the first time you visit Smile.Aazon.com, just select CTHS and then proceed with your shopping.  Every eligible purchase made through this site results in a donation back to CTHS.  You shop, and Amazon gives back to CTHS, with all donations electronically paid quarterly. 

“Every little bit helps,” Wilmot added.  “And it costs nothing … so why not!”  To learn more about this fundraising opportunity, go to http://smile.amazon.com.

Among the newest displays at the museum is a mannequin in memory of local Civil War hero Owen Phillips.  “Phillips was a private in Company B, 143rd regiment during the Civil War,” Wilmot explained.  “He was one of our own from Clifford Township, and his fully dressed mannequin stands in a place of honor in the museum hallway.  Phillips was promoted to Color Sergeant after saving his regiment’s colors at Gettysburg.”

Clifford Township’s Civil War hero, Owen Phillips, is represented in the hallway of the Museum of Local History.

As history relates regarding the battlefields of the American Civil War, perhaps no other symbol matched the influence of ‘the colors.’  Often, the colors were the only indication of the success or failure of a battlefield movement visible to a soldier.  Contemporary letters and official reports tell us that every man in the ranks kept a close watch on those magnificent banners that were carried by a special few.  Phillips went on to carry his colors and proudly represented his regiment until he was killed by a sniper in the Battle of the Wilderness.

CTHS volunteer-director, Sandy Wilmot, stands ready to greet customers at the new and fully stocked General Store in the Museum of Local History, located in Clifford’s Community Center on Cemetery Street.  Come visit on Election Day, April 26th, 8:00am-8:00pm.

The CTHS’s Museum of Local History will be open on Sunday, April 17th, from 1:00pm-4:00pm.  “The new General Store is open and is fully stocked with lots of items for sale,” Wilmot added.  “We’re selling homemade jams, jellies, and apple butter that society members make from local area fruits.  We’re also selling CTHS memorabilia to help benefit our many projects.  The General Store will also be open during the upcoming primary elections on April 26th, from 8:00am-7:00pm.”

The CTHS continually benefits from local area residents and its dedicated volunteers who share their time, countless talents and skills, as well as their own ancestral memorabilia to help further the group’s works and enhance the community’s education of area history.  Anyone who has any historical items that they would like to donate or lend to the museum is invited to contact them at 570-679-2723 or www.cliffordtownshiphistoricalsociety.org.  The museum is open monthly on the third Sunday from 1:00pm-4:00pm.

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Union Dale freelance feature writer Karen Bernhardt Toolan for the Clifford Township Historical Society, with thanks to the Susquehanna County Room Tax Grant Fund through the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau.

Students who participated in the Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center 70-Hour Intensive Health Care Program were treated to a celebratory luncheon on February 18, 2016. After lunch and a special cake, students were awarded their certificates of completion and any certifications they had earned. Dr. Davis thanked the students for not only participating, but also for enriching the lives of the SCCTC staff.

Pictured (L-R) are: Para-educator Robyn Welch, Allysa Hewitt, Samantha Carey, Brittany Garay, Tori Diffendorf, Debbie Rihl, Emma Gregory, Wendy Fisher, Aleisha Disinger, Abby Walter, Christopher Reinwald, Sarah Fletcher, Instructor Linda Hoover, Instructor Darlene Drake, Program Coordinator/Consultant Donna Schwartz, SCCTC Executive Director Dr. Alice M. Davis.

The class that began in October 2015 was designed to prepare students for various health care careers. Training and certification was offered in the following areas: nurse aide, EKG, CPR, first aid, pharmacy technician and phlebotomy technician. The success of the program is in large part due to the cross training in the health care field, thus making the participants more employable.

The success of this program was overwhelming. It was made possible through a Community Development Block Grant. The federal funds are awarded through local government. Dr. Davis cannot thank enough the Susquehanna County Housing & Redevelopment Authority and our Susquehanna County Commissioners for their support of this program for the past three years. Their foresight and compassion was responsible for preparing more than 50 individuals for careers far beyond their own expectations.

For the past 6 years the Susquehanna Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) and the Wilson F. Moore Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) have partnered to hold working winter habitat improvement field days and spring and summer field plantings on the Pennsylvania Game Commission State Game Lands (SGL) 219 in northeastern Bradford County and field plantings on SGL 140 in Susquehanna County. These two organizations and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) Food and Cover Corp have worked on daylighting apple, crabapple, chestnut, chinquapin, saw tooth oak and other trees on areas that had originally been planted in the 1960's and 1970’s. These areas in the years past (2010-2015) were overgrown with invasive plants such as honeysuckle, autumn olive and multi-flora rose. The canopies of maples, ash and red pine were shading the fruit and nut trees which in turn hindered tree growth and fruit and nut production. The two groups started to daylight these trees on a 5-acre area in 2010. This volunteer work with the two groups was started and headed up by Jack Sorber, current President of the Wilson F. Moore Chapter and a past president of the Susquehanna QDMA Branch. Mr. Sorber usually has 8 to 10 hardy souls work with him and PGC Food and Cover Corps Foreman Darren Pettyjohn on one or two Saturday mornings in the winter on habitat improvement projects.

TOWANDA – To help ensure that residents of Sullivan and Susquehanna counties in the 110th District have access to state service and program information, Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna) has announced the schedule for her satellite offices in those counties for the month of April.

“These satellite office hours are a great way for senior citizens to get help with their Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms or to find out if they are eligible for a number of programs, such as the PACE and PACENET prescription drug assistance programs,” Pickett said. “In addition, we also serve as a hub for all sorts of PennDOT paperwork, such as routine registration renewals or more complicated title work. We’re here to help in whatever way we can.”

Her staff will be available in Susquehanna County (Heft’s Buy and Sell in Lawton) on the fourth Wednesday of the month (April 27), from 10 a.m. to noon.

To help veterans navigate the complexities of government programs and services designed specifically for them, Dan Falls from the American Legion will be meeting with veterans and/or their family members from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 21.

Falls can help veterans and their family members with compensation, pension, death benefits, education and health care, as well as any issues pertaining to benefits. Veterans do not need to be a member of the American Legion to receive these services, and appointments can be made by calling Pickett’s Sayre office at (570) 888-9011.

Pickett’s full-time offices are located at 321 Main St., Towanda, phone (570) 265-3124, and 106 West Packer Ave., Sayre, phone (570) 888-9011. More information is available 24 hours a day on Pickett’s website at www.RepPickett.com or on her Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/RepPickett. Residents can also sign up via her website to receive a weekly email about local and state activities.