Clinton County Hosts 175th Kick-Off Celebration
LOCK HAVEN – The Clinton County Commissioners have announced they will kick off the 175th Anniversary of the county on Thursday, Jan. 30 with a 6 p.m. celebration at the Clinton County Courthouse.
The event planning committee said a full schedule of events is planned throughout the year to appeal to all ages and tastes including many parades, concerts, festivals, art exhibits and educational speakers’ series. Most events are free, although there are some fundraising events too.
“There is something for everyone and we are excited to kick off the year with this first event,” stated commissioner Jeff Snyder. “There is limited seating and reservations are required. If you would like to attend the Kick Off event please contact 570-893-4019.”
Because of the limited seating and anticipated interest, a video of the event will be uploaded and available at the county’s website after the January 30th kickoff.
The Commissioners will present the 2014 Calendar of Events along with the release of a special 175th Anniversary website page at HYPERLINK “http://www.clintoncountypa.com” www.clintoncountypa.com and a special Facebook fan page.
“We want to engage as many residents and former residents in the celebrations as possible explained commissioner Pete Smeltz. “We have uploaded a selection of old photos, old post cards and current photos to the website. There is a Share Your Memories page where you can submit essays about your Clinton County memories and an opportunity to send your old photos of Clinton County to us that we can share with the public.”
The county noted 2014 is not only the county’s 175th Anniversary; it is also the 150th anniversary of Flemington Borough and the 195th anniversary of Chapman Township. The calendar is packed with celebrations including Flemington’s Old Home Week scheduled for the last week in May. The public is invited to learn about Clinton County history at one of the speakers’ series at the Ross Library and the Heisey Museum; take a historic train ride with Downtown Lock Haven Inc.; make a difference by volunteering at Highland Cemetery and enjoy town celebrations throughout Clinton County.
“A very important component to the anniversary year is sharing the history of our county with our children,” stated commissioner Joel Long. “A special section on the website has been set up for teachers to download ideas and fact sheets for classroom activities. Our Education Committee has developed several tools for teachers and parents to host their own celebrations too.”
In addition, the Fundraising Committee is offering a commemorative pin and membership certificate for a donation of $10. The pins will be available beginning January 30th at 6 pm. Funds raised will be used to defray the celebration expenses.
“Stay tuned, we have some wonderful announcements throughout the year and opportunities for you to participate in the celebrations,” explained Snyder. “The Fundraising Committee plans include a Commemorative Book of the 175th Year. This will be a great opportunity for you to document the 175th year and submit photos of people, places and events that will be included in a commemorative book.”
The all-volunteer 175th Anniversary Committee includes representatives from all over Clinton County and is responsible for the development of the anniversary events. There are four sub-committees including Marketing, Fundraising, Education and Events.
“Volunteers are always welcome,” stated Smeltz “a little bit of time from everyone can make this a memorable year for our community. We want to make the 175th year for Clinton County a fun year for everyone.”
Contact 570-893-4019 to volunteer or to obtain more information on the yearlong anniversary celebrations in Clinton County.
