1/02/08

Blossburg News & Views
By Cheryl Whitney Boinske

Blossburg News and Views wants to wish everyone a Happy and Safe New Year!

We received this nice note from a reader: "Thanks for the Blossburg update, we enjoy reading about the community..Have a Very Merry Christmas..The Sedgwicks from Philadelphia..."

Blossburg V.I.B.E. (Visions in Business & Entertainment) announced the winners of the Light Up the Holidays house decorating contest after judging displays in five categories Sunday night.

Most Christmas Spirit: Lisa & Gary Fiddler, 116 Schuylkill St.
Best business display: Bloss Hardware, Bob & Sandy Martin, 218 Main Street
Victorian: Maurie Delinski, 19 Briarpatch Lane
Whimisical: Edmund Bogaczyk, 236 N. Williamson Rd.
Modern: Barbara Beatty, 111 Schuylkill St.

Several of last year's winners were all beautifully decorated again, particularly Frank & Phun Wasowitz at 158 St. Mary's Street, but were not eligible to win this year.

Free wireless internet access will be available soon in all of downtown Blossburg. From the Bear A to the library, residents and visitors will be able to check email and surf the web, thanks to Blossburg FreeNet, a project sponsored by Blossburg V.I.B.E. to increase use of the downtown area. Angelina’s Pizzeria, Brendyn Stager, Blossburg Memorial Library, Blossburg Borough and Toddler University are generously donating access to their buildings and existing internet connections. Blossburg Improvement Association contributed $600 towards equipment for the project. More information is available at www.blossburg.org/wifi.

The farmers’ market started by V.I.B.E. has been held every Saturday June to October, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Riverside Plaza parking lot for the past three years, offering locally grown or picked fruits and vegetables, baked goods and homemade craft items. Community Revitalization program funds obtained by Tioga County Development Corp. will purchase our membership in the "Buy Fresh Buy Local"Northern Tier chapter and provide each market within Tioga County with signs to display in 2008. New vendors always welcome. Contact Tonya McNamara, mcnamara@epix.net or 570-638-3112.

In 1899, at the request of United Mine Workers District President William B. Wilson, Mary Harris “Mother” Jones, a well known crusader in the American labor movement, came to Arnot to help rally the coal miners to continue their strike for more humane working conditions. With the support of Mother Jones, their wives, the farmers and William B. Wilson, the miners were able to hold on until the coal company agreed to all their demands. She stayed at Wilson’s house on South Williamson Road, now the location of American Legion Post 572. Mrs. Hazel Brooks suggested a woman silhouette to accompany the several Coalie Pickman designs available. V.I.B.E. member and artist Lonny Frost created the design, which was produced as black plywood silhouettes by North Penn High School students Eric Wivel and Cody Groover under the direction of Mr. Bill Swingle. The 3½ -foot tall Mother Jones silhouettes are available for $12 from Bev Jones, 570-638-2763, jonesbev@gmail.com. For more information about the strike, visit www.blossburg.org/wb_wilson/thestory_4.htm.

Student Council is currently working on organizing a school store for North Penn students and the community. We are asking for suggestions on what students and community members would like to see in the school store. Student Council is planning on selling pens, pencils, and paper products, along with various Panther memorabilia. If you have an idea for our school store please relay this information to our Student Council President, Reana Berguson, or any of the other officers or advisors.

Key Club members have been involved in many school and community activities over the past several months. Samantha Andrews, Rachel Carlson, and Jackie Frederick were among the team of judges who awarded prizes to local children for the prettiest, scariest, ugliest and most original costumes at this year’s Kiwanis Halloween parade. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF was a great success! Key Club members at NPHS teamed up with students in grades 3, 4, & 5 at Blossburg Elementary School to collect $195.00 in donations for UNICEF! The money will help fund the “Swazi Children Care Project” that will provide healthcare, nutritious meals and safe homes for the young children in Swaziland, Africa. A big THANK YOU to students, parents, and community members for supporting Key Club and the 2007 UNICEF campaign! Raena Berguson, Rachel Carlson, Erica Clark, and Olivia Shedden recently acted as elves during “Photos with Santa” at the Blossburg Memorial Library. The elves helped with crafts, played games and served refreshments to over one hundred children and parents during this annual community event.

REMINDERS:

A food pantry is held the third Monday each month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Blossburg. For more information, contact Betty Johnson at (570) 638-2805.

T.O.P.S. (Take off Pounds Sensibly) meets every Monday at the First United Methodist Church of Blossburg. Weigh-in is at 5 p.m.

Blossburg BINGO! Every Monday bingo is held at St. Mary's Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Loretta Frost-Steffen; a Creative Memories Consultant holds scrapbooking classes every Tuesday night from 6pm to 10 pm. Call for more information: 570-404-4336

If you or your organizations have any birthdays, anniversaries, congratulations, sympathies, events, information or any questions for Blossburg News & Views, please contact Cheryl Whitney Boinske, (570) 638-3107 or news@blossburg.org.

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