March 2023

Photo: Elk County Community Foundation outgoing board members, Chris Imbrogno and Nancy Hoffman, receive a recognition plaque from Tom Jesberger, outgoing board president, on left, and Tom Wagner, newly appointed board president on right.

The Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) is a non-profit community organization governed by a Board of Directors. At their February board meeting, the Foundation recognized three outgoing board members who have volunteered their time to guide ECCF, dedicating significant time and energy to help grow the Foundation as a sustainable and community-oriented organization.

Nancy Hoffman, a resident of Ridgway, joined the Board in 2014. She chaired the Marketing Committee and served on the Grants Committee for many years. As a graphic designer, Nancy shared her time and talents while she helped with many of our projects including many years as the Foundation’s annual report designer.

Chris Imbrogno joined the ECCF Board in 2014. As an RN working for Penn Highland Community Nurses for many years, she brought not only her community involvement, but also her perspective on community health needs to the table. Chris served on the Grants Committee for many years. Chris was fortunate to gain knowledge of and commitment to the Foundation from her father, John Kojancic, who was a founding member of the Elk County Community Foundation.

Dennis Bonnano served as a member of the Board since 2017. Prior to that time he served on the Investment Committee since the early days of the Foundation. Denny also reviewed the Foundation’s quarterly Board Reports and helped ECCF’s first director set up the Quickbooks system prior to 2005. He served on the Grants Committee, Scholarship Committee, and as Vice President from 2019 to 2022.

The Elk County Community Foundation is grateful to these outgoing members who have volunteered their time to guide ECCF and help chart our past, present and future.

ECCF, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, is a non-profit organization that strives to strengthen our region through development, stewardship and grant making as it works with donors to achieve their philanthropic goals.

Spring gardening workshops have been scheduled by the Potter County Master Gardeners. 

The first workshop will be Seed Starting on Thursday, March 30^th.  We will be discussing which vegetables are best for starting indoors, how to read a seed packet and other helpful information.  Hands on instructions will be given so that all attendees can go home with a small seed starter tray.

Next on the agenda is a Plan Your Garden Workshop.   This workshop is scheduled for Thursday, April 13th.  We will be discussing why and how you should plan out your garden, keeping garden records, companion planting, when to plant and other topics.

Back Porch Gardening/Container Gardening is the topic for the Workshop scheduled on Thursday, May 25^th.  We will discuss which plants are best for containers and how to care for them.

Plant Disease/Garden Pests is scheduled for Thursday, June 22^nd.  We will review common plant diseases and garden pests.

There will be time for questions and answers at each workshop.

All workshops are at no charge and will be held from 6 to 8 pm at the Penn State Extension conference room, 7 Water Street, Coudersport, PA 16915.  Please note: the Extension office will be moving across the street to the Gunzberger building – we will keep all participants informed of when the move will be finalized and the location change as we get close to the workshops.    

Space is limited.

Please call to register:  Sheila Gabreski at 814-274-8540 ext 100

31Weekly2022-23/March 13-19

WildcatWeeklyHighlights2022-23

Pennsylvania College of Technology spring on-field teams went a combined 5-1 in action this past week.

FLASHBACK

Baseball

The Wildcats went 2-1 in a three-game home series against Penn State Abington, winning 13-7 and losing 10-2 on Friday, and winning on Saturday, 18-6, to open their United East schedule. Penn College now is 6-7 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

In the opening game, Penn College overcame a 6-2 first-inning deficit with a seven-run third — highlighted by a three-run homer by Shane Price, of Kersey — and a three-run fifth — highlighted by a three-run homer by Tyler Rudolph, of Hemlock, New York — to make a winner of starting pitcher Ben Bretzman, of Bendersville.

Later Friday, the Wildcats were held to five hits in their loss.

On Saturday, Jake Wagner, of Palmyra, had a grand-slam home run and Nate Gustkey, of Philipsburg, added a three-run shot to pace the offense — Wagner finished the game with seven RBIs — as they helped starting pitcher Chance Webb, of Hughesville, improve to 2-2.

Friday’s win snapped a two-season, five-game loss string to Abington, which had won 10 of the previous 11 games between the two teams. Prior to that, Penn College had won five in a row.

United East standings through Sunday: Penn State Harrisburg 3-0, Penn State Berks 3-0, Penn College 2-1, St. Mary’s (Md.) College 2-1, Wells College 1-2, Penn State Abington 1-2, Gallaudet University 0-3, Lancaster Bible College 0-3.

Men’s/women’s tennis

Figure 1:  Thankful Batterson leads a workshop on compass navigation

There are over 6,000 volunteers working with the 4-H program in Pennsylvania. Each of these individuals are trusted to mentor, guide, and support youth members through club meetings, hands-on programming, competitions, and mentorship. In Potter County, these volunteers are essential for sharing 4-H programming with members. This group provides members the opportunity to spend time together, learn new skills, and grow into true leaders over the course of their time in the 4-H program. Volunteers work to organize club events, teach specific project areas and interests, and guide activities. These trusted adults are the ones which youth the youth members form relationships, build connections, and ask for advice.

Potter County 4-H appreciates the hard work and dedication of each all its volunteers throughout the years. These passionate adults use their interests and expertise to address the needs of youth throughout the county. Once someone becomes a volunteer with 4-H, they are given the opportunity to learn alongside participants, facilitate learning in subjects that personally interest them, and guide youth into fulfilling their potential as lifelong learners through the program. Whether our volunteers choose to become a lifelong supporter, or assist annually with a specific event, the 4-H program appreciates the dedication of all adult volunteers that work to make the best better, develop youth leaders, and support youth programming through Penn State Extension.

To learn more about becoming a volunteer or participating in the 4-H program, call the Potter County Extension office at 814-274-8540 or email sqg5901@psu.edu. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

How small churches, many of which are closing their doors every day, can thrive locally and even extend their impacts nationally and internationally is the subject of a video-book study being made available to the public by the United Church of Friendship (UCF).

Weekly sessions are being conducted from 10AM to 11:30AM Mondays at The Carter House Community Ministry Center at 37 East Main Street.

The six-chapter study explores how a church in Canada, where its 10 members were about to close its doors, was revitalized, spawning many new churches in the Saskatchewan province, along with a Bible college and many new ministries.      

Flickering Lamps – Christ & His Church was developed and written by Henry Blackaby, an internationally known pastor and speaker and author of the Experiencing God – Knowing and Doing the Will of God study, and his son, Richard.

The book, accompanied by video commentary, traces the path of Christ’s purpose and plans for His church, and His presence, power, provision and pre-eminence in fulfilling such purposes.

The study was written at the request of a major church denomination as a guide to help reverse the trend of several thousand struggling or declining churches in the United States curtailing operations each year.

UCF Pastor Kirk Kirch, who is facilitating the non-denominational study, says it provides a “powerful testimony as to how churches and communities can be revitalized by focusing on the Lord’s plan for leading the way.”

He said the Friendship church is pleased to be able to provide this opportunity to pastors, church leaders, congregants and the general public throughout the area to “help develop and re-develop local churches as significant assets for community outreach to those in need.”

Blackaby’s original Experiencing God video-discussion series also is being offered to the public at The Carter House at separate weekly sessions from 9:45AM to 10:45AM Sundays or 1:30PM to 2:30PM Thursdays.

Further information and pre-registration for Flickering Lamps is available at grammakirch@gmail.com or (585) 973-7951, with the regular retail book cost of $11.95 plus shipping being reduced to $5 total as a result of community churches outreach ministry support from Allegany Hope, Inc.