Brighter Lights and Chestnut Delights: Castanea Township’s February Meeting Highlights
CASTANEA— The Castanea Township Supervisors held their regular meeting for the month of February on Monday evening. They discussed various topics ranging from upgrading street lights to the discovery of the oldest surviving American chestnut tree, which was found in Castanea Township. Rick Schulze, Chairman of the Castanea Township Recreation Board, also provided an update on the first-ever Pennsylvania Chestnut Festival, which was held at the Castanea Fire Company Picnic Grounds on January 25, 2025.
During the meeting’s public comment period, there was some discussion about streetlights in need of repair within the township. Castanea resident Joe Miller mentioned that a few years ago, the township was supposed to get brighter street lights to replace the mercury vapor ones, but only a few were replaced. He asked the supervisors when the rest would be upgraded.
Supervisor Charles Clukey noted that the street light at 428 Grape Street is not working, and a lamp post on Fleming Avenue also needs attention. Supervisor Brandon Coleman assured Miller that they would look into potential street light replacement programs offered through PPL Electric Utilities and otherwise contact the appropriate entity to address the situation.
With no updates under the “Correspondence and Other Communications” portion of the meeting, the supervisors proceeded to their reports.
Township Supervisor John Gradel expressed his gratitude to the Castanea Township Recreation Committee for organizing a highly successful inaugural Pennsylvania Chestnut Festival. He highlighted that attendance was “beyond what we could have ever imagined” for the festival’s inaugural year. Gradel acknowledged Recreation Board Chairman Rick Schulze, the Recreation Committee as a whole, and the 40-45 volunteers who attended for their efforts.
Gradel also announced some interesting news for the township— America250PA, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), recently discovered the state’s oldest surviving American chestnut tree in Castanea Township. The reported two-foot-wide tree is located in a portion of Sproul State Forest that extends into Castanea Township. Gradel said that the America250PA organization is putting plans together to celebrate the state’s oldest chestnut tree.
America250PA is an organization established in 2018 to organize and coordinate events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, which falls on July 4, 2026. The group also emphasizes Pennsylvania’s key role in the nation’s history. The organization seeks to inspire all residents, especially the younger generation, to appreciate PA’s history, recognize past achievements and challenges, and encourage them to contribute to the state’s ongoing story.
Another exciting announcement Gradel made Monday night is that the township supervisors are working on obtaining a Small Games of Chance License. The supervisors had hoped to have the license in time for the Chestnut Festival but weren’t able to obtain a portion of the paperwork that needed to be completed beforehand. Their plan is to finalize the paperwork so the license can be used not only for the Chestnut Festival but also for other events, such as Castanea Community Day.
During Supervisor Coleman’s reports, he expressed gratitude to the Castanea Township Recreation Committee, volunteers, and the Castanea Fire Company for hosting the Chestnut Festival. He was impressed by the large turnout, stating, “I was overwhelmed that day; I never expected to look out across that field and see nothing but rows and rows of cars.”
Coleman noted that the Chestnut Festival attracted not just locals but also many visitors from other areas, showcasing its broad appeal. “I talked to a guy from Williamsport, and there was another couple from up near Tioga that came down,” he said. “There were people from all over, so it was quite a day, and it was absolutely amazing. As everything that the Rec. Committee has taken on and done, I’m certain it’ll get bigger and better.”
Moving on to reports from the Castanea Township Recreation Committee, Chairman Rick Schulze presented updates during the meeting, beginning with plans to host an Easter event on Saturday, April 12, 2025. This event will feature a photo opportunity with the Easter bunny, an Easter egg hunt, and other activities for children.
Schulze also reported that the Recreation Committee was contacted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office about a free program aimed at helping to prevent scams targeting the elderly. The Attorney General’s office would send a representative who would facilitate a free presentation that educates elderly residents about various scams and how to avoid them. Supervisor Coleman expressed his support for the initiative, saying, “I want to support that because we do have a lot of older people in this community that are defrauded, and I think that we’d be doing our due diligence.”
Regarding the Chestnut Festival, Schulze reported that the event was a major success, drawing in an estimated 800-1,000 attendees. He mentioned that the recreation committee plans to hold a debriefing session with the volunteers who participated and will distribute a survey to gather feedback. Schulze believes the festival could be “much bigger or even better” next year and expressed gratitude to the Castanea Fire Company for providing their building for the event, as well as to the township supervisors and the Commonwealth University Lock Haven Athletics Department and Coach Russell for their support. “I want to publicly thank Lock Haven Athletics over at the university,” Schulze said, noting that several days before the festival, 50 university athletes assisted with setting up a portable ice skating rink and arranging chairs and tables. Praising their efficiency, he said, “For us, it takes hours to set up this kind of thing. I think they were done in half an hour with everything.” The athletes also returned the day after the event to dismantle the skating rink, remove lights, and put tables back in storage.
Looking ahead, Schulze mentioned the committee’s interest in adding more conservation-focused elements to the festival, possibly involving organizations like the National Audubon Society or the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. As for improvements before next year’s festival, he noted the need for better parking options for elderly and handicapped attendees. Schulze also said he believes the festival could host more vendors next year and possibly add an outdoor food truck.
