Mariana Forteza Site

Thousands of people flocked to downtown State College on a sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community.



Presented by Centre LGBTQA Support Network, Downtown State College Improvement District and State College Borough, the third annual State College Pride <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/community/parade-festival-among-state-college-pride-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">included</a> a parade of colorful floats and marchers through town and a festival in Sidney Friedman Park, among other events throughout the weekend.



State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, served as grand marshal of the parade and festival. A frequent visitor to Centre County, Kenyatta is the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.



He called 2023 &#8220;probably the most important year for Pride in a really long time,&#8221; noting a vocal anti-LGBTQ contingent and legislation in a number of states, particularly related to transgender individuals. 



&#8220;In this moment, in this Pride year, what we are doing right now, showing up with joy in our hearts, showing up for and with each other in real community, that is critical right now,&#8221; Kenyatta said. &#8220;Because this is actually what our communities look like. This is actually where most people are&#8230; Do not believe the noise and the nonsense that most people are as hateful and vitriolic as some of the politicians who unfortunately get elected&#8230;. For Pride, it’s really critical for us as a community that we recognize our joy does not exist in contrast to their hatred.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-kenyatta-lane-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424953"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, State College Pride grand marshal, and Judge Timika Lane lead the 2023 Pride parade. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Pennsylvania, Kenyatta said, should aspire to be the best place to live, raise a family and retire for everyone, including LGBTQ people.



&#8220;We deserve to be happy, to be joyous, to be just who you are every single day, no matter what they’re talking about, no matter what they’re doing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You just be who the hell you are.&#8221;



State College Mayor Ezra Nanes acknowledged that some in attendance may be feeling scared, worried or uncertain because of events nationally. 



&#8220;It’s OK to feel that,&#8221; Nanes said. &#8220;I want you to know that me, Ezra Nanes, my family, the Borough of State College, we are here for you. We will always be here for you. We’re going to keep building on the amazing work that you’ve already done, that we’ve already done together.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-3-1024x751.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424937"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-8-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424942"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Nanes issued a proclamation last week declaring June as Pride Month in the borough, and as the parent of an LGBTQ child, he called Pride &#8220;not just principle,&#8221; but also personal.



&#8220;One of the greatest joys in life, whether you’re a parent or a sibling or just an adult with a child in your life that matters, is supporting that child in discovering who they are,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think that’s a really important principle of what Pride is, that we all believe in helping people discover themselves, not telling them who they should be.&#8221;



State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Lemont, said Pride is also personal for him and his family and called it a &#8220;joyful occasion.



&#8220;This represents the absolute best of what State College is and can be,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This sets the standard for what every day should be like. You are not only seen, you are not only accepted, but you should be celebrated and you should be loved. If we could bottle today and make every day like that, wouldn’t this be a better world, a better place to be?&#8221;



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<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption">Scenes from the 2023 Pride parade in downtown State College. Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



Timika Lane, a Philadelphia judge who is running for Pennsylvania Superior Court in November, emphasized the importance of individuals making their voices heard to ensure all are treated with dignity and respect.



&#8220;We have to decide in Pennsylvania, what is it going to be? Are we going to be a place of love or are we going to be a place of hate?&#8230; Your voice matters,&#8221; Lane said.



Kenyatta urged those in attendance to be true to themselves, knowing that it will inspire someone else to do the same.



&#8220;If we lift each other up, if we encourage each other to be brave, if we remind ourselves that we are the majority of this commonwealth, that we are the majority of this nation, when we do that then we will continue to pull this nation closer to making the ideals of freedom, justice and fairness real for everybody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love, no matter how you worship or choose not to, here in Pennsylvania it’s about you getting a fair shot and a fair shake. We’re going to keep doing that together.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-9-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424943"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>



State College Pride has grown substantially since it was first held in 2021. Last year it drew an estimated 4,000 people and organizers expected that number would increase again for the third edition.



The <a href="https://www.centrelgbtqa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre LGBTQA Support Network</a> (CLSN), which was founded in 2014, has been instrumental in that, as well as in providing resources year round. Sue Marshall, a founding member and current board secretary, said planning for next year&#8217;s Pride will start next week.



In the shorter term, however, CLSN will be celebrating another advancement. A long-planned LGBTQ center for downtown State College will open sometime in August at the corner of Calder Way and South Pugh Street, Marshall said.



&#8220;We can’t wait,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We will have a big opening celebration.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-anchor-arrow-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Community members danced while Anchor &amp; Arrow played at the 2023 State College Pride festival on Saturday, June 10, in Sidney Friedman Park. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</figcaption></figure>

‘Showing Up with Joy in Our Hearts.’ State College Celebrates Pride

There may be just one person who claims not to know who will start at quarterback for Penn State football when the team begins its season against West Virginia on Sept. 2.



While Drew Allar has been set as the presumed successor to longtime starting quarterback Sean Clifford since the day that he stepped onto Penn State’s campus in January 2022, James Franklin didn’t declare a winner to the Nittany Lions’ quarterback competition with 86 days until the season opener.



“We have competition at every single position, every single year, returning starter or not,” Franklin told the media on Thursday. “I think that’s the right thing to do.”



Allar’s competition at the position is Beau Pribula, who, like Allar, was a member of the Nittany Lions’ recruiting Class of 2022. The difference between the two was that Allar was a five-star recruit by the time he arrived on campus. Pribula was a three-star.



More recently, Allar took snaps behind Clifford in the 2022 season. The youngster played in enough games that he was unable to take a redshirt season. By contrast, Pribula didn’t take a snap in a Penn State game until the Blue-White Game in April, when he attempted 22 of his 27 passes with second-string players.



Franklin’s hesitation to name a starter isn’t surprising. Entering his 10th year with Penn State, Franklin wants competition at the position. It’s likely that Allar will only stick around Penn State for two more years. Franklin will need someone to step up when the Ohio native is gone.



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It’s a situation that Franklin has had before. From 2016-17, he had running backs Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders on the same roster. Barkley was a shout for a Heisman candidate in college, and when Sanders turned pro, he reached last season’s Super Bowl as the starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles.



At Penn State, Barkley was the evident starter. But Franklin said that competition between the two made them both better. If Franklin has his way, the same will happen to Allar and Pribula.



“I think at times there may have been some frustration with that, but I truly believe that type of competition in college really set them up to be successful in the NFL,” Franklin said. “[Barkley] always had somebody behind him trying to take reps away from him. And [Sanders], as a young player, was trying to overtake [Barkley]. So I think that is a healthy position to be in.”



Franklin also has to answer the question of how he’ll use each quarterback. As Mike Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach said at the same press conference, each quarterback has different styles. Gameplans have to be tailored to those styles.



Allar’s been described as a quarterback who’s steady in the pocket. Teammates have raved about his ability to place passes in locations where only a receiver can catch them. Allar can be mobile but his arm is what really sets him apart from the pack.



Pribula, however, is described as athletic. He’s the quarterback that Franklin and Yurcich could turn to when they need to push a pile or in a situation that calls for a mobile quarterback. He’s the Nittany Lions’ alternate.



However Franklin plays the two quarterbacks, it will likely be some time before Penn State fans have an answer to the question that’s hung over the program for more than a year. Franklin noted that he wanted Clifford to compete for a starting role for the six years that the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/04/29/sean-clifford-drafted-no-149-overall-by-green-bay-packers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NFL draftee</a>&nbsp;spent in Happy Valley. The same will apply to Allar.



If Franklin has 86 days to name a starter against the Mountaineers, he may just use all 86.

‘We Have Competition at Every Single Position’: Penn State Quarterback Question Still Unanswered

SNOW SHOE



Mountain Top Swimming Pool, 225 Park Ave., Snow Shoe (814) 470-3272 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Mountain-Top-Area-Pool-Association/100057881460434/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">facebook.com/people/Mountain-Top-Area-Pool-Association/100057881460434/</a> Open through Monday, Sept. 4 Hours: noon-6 p.m. daily



ADMISSION



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Adults</td><td>$6</td></tr><tr><td>School age</td><td>$5</td></tr><tr><td>Under 5</td><td>$3</td></tr><tr><td>Under 1</td><td>Free</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



SEASON MEMBERSHIP



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>New family*</td><td>$175</td></tr><tr><td>Returning family*</td><td>$155</td></tr><tr><td>New individual</td><td>$110</td></tr><tr><td>Returning Individual</td><td>$100</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">*Family memberships are up to 5 people. Additional family members — $20 each</figcaption></figure>



MILLHEIM



Millheim Pool at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Park 120 Park Entrance Road (814) 349-5273 <a href="http://www.millheimpool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">millheimpool.com</a> <a href="mailto:millheimpool@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">millheimpool@gmail.com</a>



Open through Monday, Sept. 4 Mon., Wed., Thurs.: noon-7 p.m. Tues., Fri., Sat., Sun. and holidays: noon-9 p.m.



ADMISSION



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Daily&nbsp; (noon-closing)</td><td>$7</td></tr><tr><td>Twilight&nbsp; (5 p.m.-closing)</td><td>$4</td></tr><tr><td>10 daily visits</td><td>$60</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Children 3 years and under are free. Pavilion rentals are available.</figcaption></figure>



SEASON MEMBERSHIP



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Regular family</td><td>$300</td></tr><tr><td>Individual</td><td>$150</td></tr><tr><td>Twilight family*</td><td>$155</td></tr><tr><td>Twilight individual*</td><td>$85</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">•Twilight membership — weekends, holidays, after 5 p.m. weekdays</figcaption></figure>



STATE COLLEGE



Park Forest Community Pool, 2100 School Drive, State College William L. Welch Community Pool, 670 Westerly Parkway, State College <a href="https://www.crpr.org/aquatics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CRPR.org/aquatics</a> (814) 231-3071 Open through Monday, Sept. 4 Weekdays: noon-8 p.m. Weekends/holidays: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.



RESIDENT FEES (State College Borough and townships of College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Age</td><td>Daily Pass</td><td>Season Pass</td></tr><tr><td>2 and under</td><td>Free</td><td>Free</td></tr><tr><td>3-10 and 65+</td><td>$10</td><td>$85</td></tr><tr><td>11-64</td><td>$12</td><td>$110</td></tr><tr><td>After 5 p.m.*</td><td>$7 (ages 3+)</td><td>$65 (ages 3+)</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">*After 5 p.m. includes all day on weekends 5th+ family member passes — $50/person</figcaption></figure>



NON-RESIDENT FEES



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Age</td><td>Daily Pass</td><td>Season Pass</td></tr><tr><td>2 and under&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Free</td><td>Free</td></tr><tr><td>3-10 and 65+&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>$12</td><td>$128</td></tr><tr><td>11-64</td><td>$14</td><td>$165</td></tr><tr><td>After 5 p.m.*</td><td>$9 (ages 3+)</td><td>$98 (Ages 3+)</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">*After 5 p.m. admission includes all day on weekends 5th+ family member passes — $75/person</figcaption></figure>



BELLEFONTE



Kepler Pool, 401 Governors Park Road, Bellefonte <a href="https://www.bellefontepool.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bellefontepool.org</a> Closed for repairs during 2023.



—Compiled by Karen Dabney

Breaking Down Centre County’s Swimming Pools

As the summer heats up, area residents can cool down at their nearest community pool. Four Centre County pools are open now through Labor Day — Millheim Pool, Mountain Top Swimming Pool, Park Forest Community Pool and William L. Welch Community Pool. The pools are open to everyone, regardless of residence.



Kepler Pool in Bellefonte will remain closed again during the 2023 season. More funding is being sought for needed repairs.



SNOW SHOE POOL



The Mountain Top Swimming Pool at Snow Shoe is managed by the Mountain Top Area Swimming Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and relies on admission fees and donations to operate the pool for the public.



“Kids from the YMCA in Bellefonte have been coming here the past two years to practice for their swim team,” said Jennifer Nastase, MTASA president and manager of the pool. “We host various daycares and have for many years.” She said no child is ever turned away.



“Please watch our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Mountain-Top-Area-Pool-Association/100057881460434/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Facebook page</a>,” she said. “I’m trying to have a set schedule of events every week.” She is considering events like movie nights and Slushy Sundays.



Nastase said the pool plans to hire three more lifeguards and may extend the season beyond Labor Day, depending on the weather and if the lifeguards can work. At the end of the season, they’ll have a doggy swim.



“The one big thing we are going to miss since COVID, again this year, is our bus program,” Nastase said. “It&#8217;s just a shame. It served so many aspects of life, getting kids to the school for the free lunch program as well as socializing and exercising.”



She said the school buses are no longer available to be rented for the program, and the organization can’t afford to hire a commercial bus service.



“We have a wonderful pool,” she said. “About 12 years ago, a group of people decided to fix it up. There are a lot of these pools built about 55 years ago. If people don’t keep them up, they’re failing. You can’t build these pools now for less than millions of dollars.”



She said the organization received $25,000 from the Centre County Commissioners this year. Area clubs, individuals and State Correctional Institution at Rockview help with ongoing repairs. Fred “Dick” Thompson and his family are generous supporters who built the pool pavilion.



The organization is seeking additional funding for rebuilding the baby pool and other projects.



&nbsp;“There’s nothing here for the kids to do,” Nastase said. “I need to offer them something to do, and for their parents. I need to keep this alive. Keep them out of trouble.



“We have a small concession stand and Hershey ice cream, or pack a lunch,” she said.&nbsp; “Come stay cool at the pool.”



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MILLHEIM POOL



The Millheim Pool and the surrounding Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Park are also managed by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Penns Valley Park and Recreation Association Inc., and the pool is funded by donations and memberships.



“I got involved 10 years ago, as a way to give back,” said PVPRA President Collen Swetland.



She said any size family will be admitted for the family rate. “Everybody’s welcome. We will have two to three family days with some games and food to try to attract more families.”



“September 4 is the end of the season. All the lifeguards are high school kids. They start back to school and school sports,” she said.



On Sunday, June 11, the PVPRA is partnering with the Millheim Legion to hold a cornhole tournament. The proceeds will go to the pool.



New this year is the addition of lap swimming in two lanes. Swetland said this was requested to allow people to prepare for the pool’s largest fundraiser, the Penns Valley Triathlon, which draws competitors from neighboring states. More information can be obtained by emailing Jean Karp, <a href="mailto:pennsvalleytri@gmail.com">pennsvalleytri@gmail.com</a>.



&nbsp;“For two years, no one was able to come out to the pool. It deteriorates faster when it’s not being used or it’s being used too hard,” Swetland said.



The PVPRA board decided not to repair the damaged baby pool due to the expense and turned it into a sandbox play space.



“Last year was the first year twilight memberships were offered,” Swetland said. It’s a lower cost option for admission from 5 p.m. to close on weekdays plus weekends and holidays.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The pool offers fitness programs before the pool opens, and swimming and SCUBA lessons. A coed league plays at the pool’s sand volleyball court on Wednesday nights.



Swetland said Millheim Pool started a new partnership with East Penns Valley Library at the pool’s Splash Bash on June 2 to celebrate the last day of school. The library brought books so kids could read in the shade.



“We worked with the Millheim Lions club and the national Lions Club to get an ADA lift chair for folks who are wheelchair bound to lower them into the pool,” she said.



PVPRA received a grant for $25,000 of COVID money from the county commissioners and will use it to buy a new chlorinator pump and a new vacuum system.



&nbsp;The pool receives support from the Millheim Fire Company, Lions Club, local businesses and the Millheim Legion. She says people are welcome to volunteer to help with fundraisers and donations.



STATE COLLEGE POOLS



Centre Region Parks and Recreation manages two public pools in the State College area, Park Forest Community Pool and William L. Welch Community Pool. Memberships and daily admission fees are discounted for residents of State College Borough and the townships of College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton.



“The membership passes are valid at both pools,” said Todd Roth, CRPR aquatic supervisor. “Some people switch it up, depending on where they live. With my kids, it was wherever their friends went.”



The CRPR <a href="https://www.crpr.org/aquatics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">website</a> lists SCUBA and swimming classes, plus special events, including a family film night on Aug. 11 and a build-your-own cardboard boat race on July 8.



“We do constant updates on our website,” Roth said. “If they have a question, they can look and get the latest information.”



In June and July, each pool will offer Wibit on alternating weekends, beginning with Welch Pool on June 10-11, Roth said. He described Wibit as a floating obstacle course. Participants run across the big inflatable pieces and try not to fall into the water. “It’s pretty fantastic,” he said.



CRPR may offer bonus days to open Welch Pool on some additional weekends in September. Roth said it will depend on the weather, the availability of staff and the home game schedule. Park Forest Pool will host a dog swim event in September.



“I think we’ve got great amenities — waterslides and a splash pad for kids,” Roth said. “It’s good, wholesome family fun.

Community Pools Are Open for Summer Fun

MADISONBURG — If you travel along Brush Valley Road in Madisonburg, chances are you’ve driven past a large building with a large banner that reads, “Buy local beef &amp; cheese.”



Inside that building, big things are happening. It’s the home to Kinfork, a brand recently launched by the farmer-owned co-operative Keystone Family Farms. Kinfork is changing the game — and is ramping up efforts to connect directly with retail consumers.



Amos Yoder oversees the facility and keeps things running smoothly.



“We started with produce five years ago, primarily selling to brokers,” Yoder explained.



Those brokers, Yoder said, were mostly grocery chains like Giant Eagle, Weis Markets, Whole Foods and Wegmans.



According to Yoder, Keystone Family Farms and the Kinfork brand appeal to consumers who are health-conscious and want to know where their beef and dairy products come from.



Nittany Valley Distributing is helping distribute the Kinfork products. Additionally, Hidden Rock Farm makes home deliveries. The products are also available at several farmers markets in the area.



“The mission behind it is to help the small farmers be successful and to share the good food that small farmers raise with the general public,” Yoder said.



As the brand has become more popular, the products have gone beyond the borders of Centre County. And with the help of the information super highway, the beef and cheeses can be packed into coolers and shipped throughout the United States.



“We have shipped meat as far as Arizona,” Yoder said matter-of-factly. “We use ice packs. We pack in cardboard, wrap it with ice and it gets there OK. We can ship anywhere in the U.S.”



Keystone Family Farms draws from around 50 local farmers.



“It’s a farmer-owned entity. The farmers own the brand Kinfork,” Yoder said.



Dealing with 50 local farmers can be challenging, of course. However, Yoder said there are ways to manage the chaos.



“There are committees that oversee everything,” Yoder said. “Each section has a three-man committee that oversees it, so that helps a lot.”



There is an executive board, an advisory board, a produce committee, a beef committee, a fluid milk committee and a dairy processing committee.



The Kinfork brand has grown by leaps and bounds due to many factors, including advertising, social media and an actual salesperson.



“That’s primarily how we’ve been getting traction so far,” Yoder said, “and word of mouth. That works as well. We get some drive-by folks and people who are coming back for the second time.”



When it was founded, Keystone Family Farms was focused on processing and distributing local produce. The farmers involved were a breakaway group from the Lancaster Vegetable Farmers Co-operative.



When the produce aspect took off, Yoder saw another opportunity.



“In the past year and a half, we’ve gotten into beef. Our beef is primarily sold locally at this point,” Yoder said. “We have grass-fed, grain-finished and we also have grass-fed, grass-finished. … Most of our cattle have access to pasture.”



The beef can be purchased on-site. In fact, there is a freezer full of it — cut, wrapped and ready to go.



In addition to the beef, 17 dairy producers are producing milk for Keystone Family Farms.



“We’re handling that milk and it goes to United Dairy and is processed into different products and sold to grocery chains,” Yoder said. “We also have some of that milk made into our own brand of cheese.”



Next to the freezer full of beef, visitors will find a refrigerator filled with Kinfork brand cheese.



“We can now have retail customers come in and pick out stuff,” Yoder said.



There are a variety of cheeses to choose from — cheddar and Monterey Jack are some of the favorites, just to name a few.



“We’re coming out with some new flavored cheeses,” Yoder said. “Those are also sold through local supermarkets.”



The facility has a cheese aging room and another room for cutting the product. It is made in 40-pound blocks. Once it is ready, it’s cut into 5-pound, 2 1/2-pound, 8-ounce or 4-ounce blocks. The smaller sizes dominate retail sales.



For more information about Kinfork, visit <a href="https://kinfork.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kinfork.com</a> or call (814) 349-5290.

Farmer-Owned Kinfork Brand Is Changing the Game

As Judy Hyman tells the story, Gus Tritsch and his mother arrived at the <a href="https://elkcreekcafe.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elk Creek Café</a> in Millheim in 2008 to watch Hyman’s band, The Horse Flies, at soundcheck. Tritsch was four at the time and had recently started taking violin lessons from her.



As she would soon learn, Tritsch was not like any other fiddle student she’d ever had.



“He watched the sound check in a way that four-year-olds typically can’t. It was almost uncanny,” Hyman says. “Never seen a four-year-old stand that still and look that focused.”&nbsp;



Some 15 years later, Tritsch is making a name for himself as a multi-instrumentalist who blends old-time string band music with modern rock and roll. The instruments he plays include fiddle, guitar and the banjouke, which looks like a banjo but is played like a ukulele.&nbsp;



Tritsch says he knew he wanted to be a musician not long after meeting Hyman and seeing The Horse Flies at the Elk Creek Cafe. He’s stuck to that plan despite feelings of self-doubt that cropped up over the years.



“I probably knew it when I was six and doubted it later,” Tritsch says. “I don’t really focus on whether someone is a professional musician or not. Some of the people I’ve learned the most from are not professionals.”



Over the past year, he’s performed at venues and festivals across the country with roots musician Jake Blount, a fellow student of Hyman’s. That tour included a stop at NPR’s&nbsp;Tiny Desk Concert&nbsp;series and performances throughout the United Kingdom. He toured Spain in April 2022 with the Penns Valley-based rock band Marah and will be back on the road with Blount this summer.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Jake Blount: Tiny Desk Concert" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uMPFEXq1eSU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Jake Blount&#8217;s NPR Tiny Desk performance featured Gus Tritsch on electric guitar.</figcaption></figure>



In between national gigs, Tritsch and his younger brother, Huck, perform as the band <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MillheimMusic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Wicked Chicken</a>. The duo played at Lewisburg’s Downtown Theatre in February as part of the Weis Center for the Performing Arts spring season.



Tritsch’s musical foundation comes from Hyman and her husband, Jeff Claus, who are one half of The Horse Flies. They would meet for lessons throughout the year, either at Hyman and Claus’s home in Ithaca, New York, or at Tritsch’s home in Millheim if The Horse Flies were in town to perform at the Elk Creek Cafe.



“I would often play him something and he would imitate it, but when I was playing I noticed that he would turn his head to the side,” Hyman says. “Other students do it because they’re distracted, but Gus was doing it because he didn’t want anything to get in the way of hearing the sound clearly.”&nbsp;



Aside from the old-time traditions, Tritsch picked up rock-and-roll showmanship from Marah’s Dave Bielanko, who invited him to play on the 2014 album&nbsp;Marah Presents Mountain Minstrelsy of Pennsylvania.



“My education in performing was at Elk Creek and I started playing with Mountain Minstrelsy when I was ten or eleven,” Tritsch says. “Stage fright didn’t really factor into it and I learned a lot from watching the other members of the band on stage.”



It was that combination of old and new that made Blount reach out to Tritsch when he was putting a band together to perform songs from his albums&nbsp;Spider Tales&nbsp;and&nbsp;The New Faith, which he says are very different musically. Tritsch primarily plays electric guitar in Blount’s band but also plays banjouke and other instruments as needed.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Wicked Chicken performs When I Was a Cowboy (Leadbelly)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fotKeW4kPNI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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“We went from being an acoustic string band to being electrified and weird, and he was able to do both things equally well,” Blount says. “He also brought a rock sensibility when the rest of us were coming out of folk music.”



Blount recalls a show in Chicago where Tritsch sat on the stairs during one of his guitar solos, evoking showmanship that he was worried would raise some eyebrows in the folk world. However, Blount says fans are supportive of the new sound and Tritsch’s role in the band.&nbsp;



“People tend to react to me having him around and ask me if I’m a mentor to Gus, and I feel like the opposite way around,” Blount says. “He’s showing me how to do new things, just makes it all better.”



Elk Creek Cafe Owner Tim Bowser says he knew Tritsch was talented early on. He always saw other musicians who performed with Tritsch respect that talent, rather than treat him as a novelty because of his age. Bowser says he wouldn’t have invited Tritsch to play on his stage if he didn’t think he was up to the musical standard he sets for the venue.



“I’m honored that Gus and Huck got their start in Millheim and they honor that,” Bowser says. “With Gus getting national attention, people are constantly saying, ‘I saw him here first,’ and I would always agree that’s great to see it unfolding how it has.”



At the time of this interview in March, Tritsch was gearing up to go back on the road after being home most of the winter. He’s spending more time playing fiddle after playing guitar in Blount’s band. He’s also started writing his own fiddle tunes with guidance from Hyman and Claus.



Tritsch shuns routine in his life and stays away from spending too much time on social media, saying, “I know how to use a tape machine but I don’t know how to use Instagram.” He knows music will always be part of his life but is still sorting out whether that path will include formal education.&nbsp;



“I’m committed to continuing my education in music, whether that’s in college or learning by a campfire somewhere or standing behind someone on stage and watching what they do,” Tritsch says. “I’ll always keep learning about music.”&nbsp;T&amp;G



Jenna Spinelle is a writer, podcaster and live-music fan based in State College.

Launched from Elk Creek Café: Penns Valley Native Strikes a New Chord on the National Stage

SPRING MILLS — The Egg Hill Church in Potter Township was one of the first Evangelical churches in Penns Valley and is considered an outstanding example of the early country churches built in Centre County.



The church building, located on an isolated hilltop on Short Mountain&nbsp;(also known as Egg Hill), is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



Organized by the Evangelical Association in 1838, the original church was built on farmland donated by John Dauberman Sr. and his wife, Mary. The association, founded by Jacob Albright in 1800, was popular in the predominantly German counties of central Pennsylvania.



The church and the adjoining cemetery were named Egg Hill because they were on a hill that was egg shaped.



During a camp meeting near the church in 1840, a tornado struck the area. Trees on both sides of the camp were snapped off like matchsticks, but not a tent in the camp was blown down or a tree damaged.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1479968_42177.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-265589"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Egg Hill Church in Potter Township. Gazette file photo</figcaption></figure>



During the storm, many people kneeled and prayed for deliverance. The fact that the church and camp were spared by the storm had a profound effect on the growth of the evangelical church.



In 1860, the old log church was replaced with the current building. The simple wooden structure, which was built entirely of pine, reflected the simplicity and humility of its evangelical founders.



Regular church services were discontinued at the Egg Hill Church in 1927. The steeple was removed in 1970.



With the church badly in need of repair, the Egg Hill Conservancy was formed in 1980 and the church was saved from being razed. In 1988, the church was used to film a documentary on William Penn’s vision of creating a utopian community where religious diversity would be permitted.



The church received a new foundation in 2020. It continues to host weddings, special events and an annual homecoming service.

Egg Hill Church Has a Rich History

COBURN — OK class, it is time for a pop quiz. Name two world-class attractions in Centre County that have attracted visitors from every state in the United States and many foreign countries. Here’s a hint: both have the word “Penn” in their names.



The two answers to the quiz question above could be Penn State University, a world-class research university; and a stream, Penns Creek in Coburn.



Penns Creek is fed by a natural spring that comes out of Penns Cave. That water comes out of the ground at 52 degrees. As it makes its way to the surface, it travels through layers of limestone, which filters out impurities and keeps the water’s pH level just right for fish and other aquatic life.



This cold, clean, correct-pH water flows past Coburn and provides a perfect habitat to sustain a population of wild brown trout. Also helping to keep the water just right for trout is the work of the Penns Valley Conservation Association and local landowners. They have managed to limit erosion along the stream banks, and as a result, a lot less muddy water is seen after a hard rain. The water quality of Penns Creek is so good that this stretch receives no stocked trout from the Fish and Boating Commission because of the abundance of the species thriving here.



The water from Elk Creek and Penns Creek meet at Coburn and continue southeast towards the Penns Creek gorge. A section of this water is designated as a special trout area that limits the size and number of trout that can be taken. This part of the stream is also known worldwide for some of best brown trout fishing on the East Coast.



The insect hatch that happens on the water each year also is key in making this a world-class fishing areas. A wild brown trout needs to have a source of food, and that food is insects, which need clean, cool water to reproduce and thrive. The hatch happens throughout the year, but the opening of trout season comes at the same time as some of the biggest hatches.



The Feathered Hook, a fly-fishing shop and bed-and-breakfast in Coburn, has had guests stay from every state in the U.S. and from a dozen foreign countries.



Three people from Toronto, Canada, and a lawyer from Cleveland, Ohio, who have been coming to Coburn for years to fish these waters were recently interviewed.



One Canadian woman explained that she and her husband have been coming to central Pennsylvania for 23 years. A doctor from Toronto — Roger Harwood — indicated that he has been coming for the first day of trout season for five years. During the conversation, Harwood was informed that many people living in Centre County had no idea what a great resource Penns Creek is. Harwood said that often, local people do not know or appreciate what they have in their community.



The owner of The Feathered Hook, Jonas Price, who is a fly-fishing enthusiast, bought the store and the B&amp;B with a partner 26 years ago. Price said he loved fly fishing and he always wanted to have a business. The Feathered Hook combined both. After a year, he bought out the partner. The store and B&amp;B now employ about a dozen full- and part-time workers, including fishing guides who know the streams and where to find the best fishing spots. The store also has all the equipment an angler could need.

Penns Creek Attracts Anglers from Near and Far

Penns Valley

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