Blog Archives - Eight & 322/Eight & 27

Junior High district band fest coming to Titusville

2/28/2023

About 140 seventh- to ninth-graders will descend on the Titusville gymnasium for a tax day performance on April 15. "Tthe students are selected through a process in order to develop a balanced band," said Titusville Middle School Band Director Patrick Vetter. The schools involved are from the Intermediate Unit 5 area which encompasses 17 public school districts and nonpublic schools in Crawford, Erie, and Warren counties.

The festival for the student's begin on Friday, April 14 and the kids work all that day and Saturday morning with guest conductor Benjamin Rochford, who is a Titusville alum. He also spent some time working in the Valley Grove School District.

Rochford in the Associate Director of Bands at the Ithaca College where he conducts the Wind Symphony and Concert Band and teaches courses in instrumental conducting and brass pedagogy. Rochford completed a bachelor's degree in Music Education from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania and a Masters degree in Instrumental Conducting from Youngstown State University. He is an active freelance trumpet player and has performed with the Erie Philharmonic, Venango Chamber Orchestra, Franklin Silver Cornet Band, and various jazz groups.

The concert Saturday is at 1:30 p.m. and tickets are $4. The public is encouraged to attend and support local music education.

Help area teacher take her friend to learn how to "Shoot like a girl"

2/28/2023

From Shawn Hawke, Fourth-Grade teacher at Central Elementary School

"A year ago, because of all of you, I was selected to go on a life-changing experience, " Hawke said, She was selected to participate in a turkey hunt in Kansas with Shoot Like a Girl and Beretta, Inc.

she had never done anything like that before.

"Because I am a past winner, I have the chance to go again, except this time I have the opportunity to nominate someone to take with me for the Plus One Initiative that Beretta Inc. is doing."

Beretta Inc is trying to promote shooting sports for women by providing experiences along with the proper training to give women the skills and confidence needed to go out in the field.

"I chose to nominate Rindi Miller for several reasons. First, she has recently retired from Franklin Area School District after serving 34 years as a janitor. She cleaned my room daily and not only kept my room spotless, she became a pen pal with many of the little girls in my classroom. Although the kids never got to see her, she became a mentor that the kids absolutely could not wait to hear from. She absolutely loves the outdoors, but doesn’t have the confidence that it takes to carry a firearm. I know for a fact if she is given this amazing opportunity, she will come home with the skills and confidence needed to carry and use a firearm. This would allow her to go on amazing hunts with her wonderful husband and spend the best years of their life doing something they love together."

In order to win Hawke needs votes. Beginning today March 1 until March 10 she asking for people to vote each day for her. "The winner is based solely on voting. Every verified email address can place their vote once a day," she said. "Thank you in advance for your amazing support and helping me make a dream of mine come true by providing this amazing opportunity to Rinda.I would love nothing more than to share this amazing experience with her."

To vote click on this link:

https://app.viralsweep.com/contest/embed/22dbc6-122117?framed=1

Raising funds for a singing Ogre and friends

2/27/2023

Oil City High School organizations are hoping to raise some cash to help their kids put on "Shrek,:The Musical."

The Oil City Music Association is teaming up with the Oil City Blue and White (the school's combined booster program) their first "Something to Sing About" Raffle.

Tickets are $10.

"...all proceeds will go to support the OCHS musical and this year's production of "Shrek." they said in a social media post.

The drawings will take place during intermission each night of the performance.

The show is scheduled to run March 16, 17, and 18. Six prizes will be drawn each night.

Interested in purchasing a ticket, or are interested in helping sell tickets, please contact Musical Business Manager Pam Reinsel at preinsel@mail.ocasd.org.

Bridging communities wins recognition

2/27/2023

There was an old bridge near Titusville built in the 1800s that was covered in a thicket of brush from being closed for decades. The floor of the bridge was missing making it completely unusable as means of getting over Pine Creek.

The historic design however caught the attention of some who thought restoring and moving it to a location where it could serve a whole new purpose for decades to come was a good idea. And apparently some others thought was a good idea as well. The year-long restoration and relocation effort was named the project of the year by Franklin chapter of the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE).

It is also the subject of a brand new 12-minute video documentary describing how the historical Messerall Truss Bridge went from forgotten obscurity - to a bridge that will carry walkers, runners, bicyclists and more over little Linesville Creek - part of Pymatuning State Park Trail Extension Project.

The work was done through a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The Messerall Truss Bridge was built in 1876 and was formerly owned by Crawford County. It was closed in 1987 due to safety issues from extensive deterioration. On August 10, 2021, it was removed, disassembled, and taken to a blacksmith shop to be repaired. In September 2022, it was reassembled on site, put into place along the trail, and fitted with a new wooden deck.

The project allowed the trails from Pymatuning State Park to the town of Linesville. The trail work increased the length of the pathway to more than three miles long. The project was recognized for the award in the category for projects with a construction budget of $3 million or less.

The video can be viewed through the Pymatuning State Park Trail Project page on the www.penndot.pa.gov/District1 website.

Camp Cadet online application opening soon

2/20/2023

The Pennsylvania State Police Troop E will begin accepting applications for its annual Camp Cadet summer program on March 1.

The free camp will be held from June 11 to 16 at Allegheny College in Meadville. It is open to boys and girls aged 12 to 15 from the Troop E services area, which includes Crawford, Erie, Venango and Warren counties. Youth can apply for the program March 1 and April 30 by going online to
www.pacampcadet.com.

Camp Cadet introduces youth to the diverse criminal justice system and establishes a positive relationship with law enforcement personnel. It is structured similarly to training at the police academy. Cadets learn about discipline, self-esteem, teamwork, drug and alcohol education and violence prevention.

For more information on the program, contact Trooper Andrew Hacke at 814-898-4554 or Trooper
Cynthia Schick at 814-332-6825.

Titusville market seeking vendors

2/20/2023

The Titusville Open Air Market is starting preparations for the 2023 season. The group is accepting vendor applications from those who offer farm fresh, homemade or homegrown products.

A meeting for interested vendors will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Benson Library board room. Applications and vendor information will be available at the meeting.

Potential vendors can also reach the group by sending an email to TitusvilleRen@gmail.com or calling 814-827-1012.

The Barrow goes under the sea with youth production

2/16/2023

Things have gotten a little fishy around the Barrow-Civic Theatre of late.

That's because the Franklin Civic Operetta Association's Youth Theatre has started performances of "The Rainbow Fish Musical."

On Thursday, the cast, which ranges in age from 8 to 16, put on two school shows for their peers from across the region.

The theatre was packed with elementary school students who giggled and clapped along with the story of a colorful fish who needs to learn about friendship.

Between the two shows approximately 1,000 students attended Thursday's performances. Public performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets can be ordered online at barrowtheatre.org.

With shiny, multi-colored scales, Rainbow Fish is the most beautiful fish in all of the ocean, and the only one of her kind. When Rainbow Fish refuses to share her vibrant, shimmering scales, the whole ocean seems to turn against the vain creature.

Unhappy that no one adores her anymore, the Rainbow Fish seeks out the wise Octopus, who helps her learn that it’s far better to be admired for being kind than for being beautiful. The universal message at the heart of this delightful, bubbly musical becomes much more than just a simple children’s story

The cast includes the following:
Rainbow Fish - Allison Perdue
Silver Scale One - Lillian Griffin
Silver Scale Two - Izzy McNulty
Starfish - Delaney Smith
Barnacle - Lainey Smith
Octopus - Ellie Heffernan
Little Fish - Rylie Johnson
Sardine - Colton Greleski
Hermit Crab - Abigail Greenway
Guppy - Eryn Moore
Shrimp - Alaina Kuhanek
Snail - Amelia Cumpston
Ms. Minnow - Jillian Brinkley
Pufferfish - Ben Coyer
Clownfish - Katie Hoffman
Angelfish - Ayla Greleski
Announcers/Tentacles - Fallon Wirth, Emma Barrett, Keely Johnson, Violet Moulin, Addyson Moore, Braelynn Carr
Nautilus - Evanleigh Stephens
Humuhumunukunu-Kuapua'a - Leah Polito
Herring - Chase Rice
Haddock - Blake Rossman
Hake - Michael Rodriguez
Lobster - Anna Shaffer
Prawn - Juliette Wachob
Barracuda/Dolphin - Alexa Fleming
Barracuda - Gavin Matthews
Yellow Tangs - Aubrie Brinkley, Aniella McNulty, Ella Swartz, Peyton Whitman
Members of the Tech Crew are: Elizabeth Amero, Alan Cumpston, Sawyer Greene, Lindsey Hoover, William Johnson, Clyde Pedley, and Jackson Stone.

Martha Heise, Kelly Zerbe, Jess Rodriguez and Angie Carothers have once again organized the production. FCOA Youth Theatre is committed to providing our area’s youth with the opportunity to discover and develop their creative potential in a safe and vibrant learning environment. Youth experience what it’s like to put on a full-scale musical theater production and are offered the opportunity to gain technical knowledge and skills behind the scenes.

FCOA Youth Theatre is largely underwritten by the John Nesbit & Sarah Henne Rees Charitable Foundation.

Historic preservation awards nominations being accepted

2/12/2023

The Olive Vault building at 1247 Liberty St., Franklin was among the 2022 Historic Preservation Awards honorees.

The Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism is accepting nominations for the annual Historic Preservation Awards.

“These awards are a celebration of building preservation, education, and heritage efforts,” said Jennifer Burden, Oil Region Alliance Heritage Program Manager. “Every year we look forward to seeing what great work is happening in the region and shining a spotlight on it.”

Any person or group may submit a nomination for a Historic Preservation Award. Eligible structures must be at least 50 years old and looked in Venango County or the Borough of Hydetown, the City of Titusville and Oil Creek Township in Crawford County. Eligible projects include interior and exterior work in public buildings and exterior work in privately owned buildings.

Nominations must include up to ten digital “Before & After” photographs, which can be sent to jburden@oilregion.org, noting “Historic Preservation” in the subject line. Nominations must be submitted by March 31 to Burden by email at jburden@oilregion.org or mail at 217 Elm St., Oil City, PA 16301.

Former winners and projects are only eligible again every five years. The 2022 winners included

Historic Appreciation - Hidden Heritage publication;
Historic Appreciation - Grove Hill Cemetery Publications and Tours;
Preservation Stewardship - St. Titus Roman Catholic Church;
Reconstruction - The Brundred Carriage House by Roberta and Gerald Kahler and Elizabeth Giuseffi;
Historic Appreciation - Lynn Cressman;
Preservation Stewardship - Olive Vault, Homegrown Kitchen, and Coffee in Between for their building at 1247 Liberty St., Franklin; and
Preservation Stewardship - Barr’s Insurance for its building at 257 Seneca St., Oil City.

A complete list of past winners are available at OilRegion.org.

The Oil Region Historic Preservation Awards is part of the ORA’s celebration of Historic Preservation Month, held each May. The program recognizes appropriate preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation projects, as well as individuals and groups committed to historic preservation. It creates an advocacy for historic preservation and enhances a regional historic preservation ethic within the Oil Region National Heritage Area. The program has presented more than 150 awards since 1997.

Above photo from the Catholic Diocese of Erie website.

The awards ceremony will take place Thursday, May 18 at Christ Episcopal Church in Oil City. The evening includes hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m., a tour of the building/sanctuary at 6:45 p.m., and and awards ceremony at 7 p.m. There is no cost to attend the award ceremony, but pre-registration is requested by emailing jgorman@oilregion.org.

Crawford County Historical Society, Franklin Preservation Association, Friends of Drake Well, Inc., Heritage Society of Oil City, Oil City Main Street Program, Oil Region Alliance, Titusville Historical Society, Titusville Renaissance, Inc., Venango County Historical Society, and the Venango Museum of Art, Science & Industry are co-sponsors of the program.

Cook like it's 1899

2/11/2023

Curious about what fine cuisine Titusville families were dining on during the 19th century? Looking to serve up a menu of meals from the time of Colonial Drake? Want to taste a treat like what would have been served to Ida Tarbell? The Titusville Historical Society has just the program for you.

The group will host Bill Moore for a discussion about his book "Titusville Eats: A Social History" a collection of late 19th-century Titusville recipes. The free event will be held at 6:30 p.m. on February 20 at the society's Heritage Center in the Parkside building.

Attendees should use the Washington Street entry ramp. The program can also be viewed through Zoom channel. For more details, email the society titusvillehistoricalsociety@gmail.com.

Moore is a member of the society, an avid book collector, but not a particularly talented cook.

In 2018, he discovered he had four out of the five earliest cookbooks from Titusville and later found the fifth online, according to a press release from the historical society. Then as now, churches, clubs, and other organizations solicited favorite recipes from their members and issued cookbooks as fundraisers. Since the contributors’ names are listed, short biographies were prepared for each person, which made it clear that the cookbooks were community-wide projects even though prepared by two churches.

The above photo was taken from the Drake Well newsletter published in spring 2022.

In providing a description of the book, the society said "The oil business gave Titusville a place in the national news, and it even received a presidential visit in 1872. Many of the recipe contributors were famous at the time, and a few of their names are still recognizable — Ida Tarbell’s mother, for example, contributed over 20 recipes, so historians can see what Ida ate while she was growing up. Because Titusville still has a remarkable collection of historic homes, recipes can be matched to their makers and even to the buildings where they lived."

Moore decided he should kitchen tested about 20 of the recipes to see if they were worthy of attention, according to the press. The recipes mostly passed with flying colors, but they underscored how cooking has changed in the last 125 years.

In the end, he included about 800 recipes, contributed to earlier cookbooks by 70 women and a handful of men, in the book. There are dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as remedies for the sick, and tips for things like removing stains from linen, washing lace curtains, polishing furniture and whitewash.

"As a whole, the recipes provide a detailed view of local 19th-century food habits, and offer a chance to experiment in reconstructing early recipes that are more varied—and tastier—than many might have thought," the press said.

Weekend winners

2/5/2023

Congratulations to the City of Franklin and its business district for another successful Franklin on Ice festival weekend. Congratulations also to the winners of the weekend competitions held in connection with the festival.

Photos taken by contest sponsors.

"Almost Famous" Luke Pentz, an 11-year-old drummer, was the winner of the sixth annual Celebration of Talent Competition Saturday night at the Barrow-Civic Theatre. The two-round contest had 12 competitors with the winner determined by audience votes.

Alexander Karg (back right), who many might recognize from the Taste of Talent finals last summer, finished in second place. Rocky Grove High School student Wild Will Ion (left) came in third. Madison Wakefield (second from left) of Titusville, another Taste of Talent finalist, finished in fourth, followed by tap dancer Bellina Devine (second from right) of Sandy Lake.

The contest was presented by the Franklin Rotary Club and the theatre.

Earlier in the day, the Grumpy Goat Distillery held the annual Franklin on Ice chili cookoff. It was the second time in a row the business stepped up to make the event happen on behalf of the Franklin Fine Arts Council, which sponsors the ice festival. Several businesses and individuals supplied four gallons of chile each. More than $1,000 was raised for future Franklin on Ice efforts.

Those who paid to taste the chili got to vote on their favorite. Denise Guilinger of Franklin was crowned the chile cookoff champ.

Chris Carter was second, Smok'd (food truck by George Burns) was third and Jodi Baker-Lewis of Franklin was the runner-up.

“Snowy Owl” by muralist Deac Mong of Franklin won the People's Choice Award in the seventh annual Nature Art Showcase and Sale held Friday and Saturday in the lobby of the Barrow-Civic Theatre.

Tied for runner-up for People’s Choice were “Fox Smelling Daffodil” by Mark Hutchinson of Oil City and "It is Well..." by Jodi Baker-Lewis of Franklin.

The show was sponsored by the Council on Greenways and Trails.