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Tri-Town Locals (3/4/09)

By Staff | Mar 4, 2009

Muncy

by Cindy Knier

I feel like I’m mourning the death of a life-long old friend, with the closing of Harter’s Drug Store this week. What fond memories I have entering the establishment as a child during the 70’s, perusing their merchandise from top shelf to bottom rack, only to buy a candy bar or $1 item. Charlotte, one of the kind-hearted sales staff, always greeted me with a smile and small talk while I deliberated on which item to purchase.

I have to confess, I was drawn to other drugstores during my next 30-plus years as a consumer, but eventually returned to small-town merchants.

Harter’s-a chapter in the book titled Muncy has concluded, but the remainder of the book remains to be written. Thank you, Mark and Theresa Tarquinio, for carrying the torch for over 28 years in customer care and down home friendliness, and to your staff for brightening our lives with doses of humor, advice and assistance when shopping in Harter’s. Best wishes in your next endeavours.

Come to Muncy High School Auditorium on Thursday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m., and participate in a fun night of Students and Family vs. Teachers with our own version of Double Dare. See faculty and staff members participate in musical commercials in between games. No admission fee is asked; however donations will be collected for the elementary playground fun.

It was a blessing and privilege to witness Jim Mothersbaugh’s Road Radio U.S.A. show, a program presented to Muncy teens last Wednesday, concerning the consequences of bad choices.

During a visit to our office last week, he wished to convey his thoughts and feelings. The following are his words: Where do I even begin to thank all out there whose answered prayers and family support kept me around and, with inspiration from heaven above and God’s grace helped to create a unique teaching tool that continues to influence young attitudes? Simple thanks just aren’t enough.

Prevention numbers are a difficult to prove, but judging from state and national statistics and the many letters from principals, teachers, parents and students over the years; at least something may have come of that 1984 Musser’s Lane tragedy, especially in light of the preventable death of a great young man from Muncy, 18-year-old Rick Mays.

His was just one of the many that year alone and the huge numbers from the years before and ever since resulting from one of our greatest wars at home. Most everyone knows someone directly or been personally involved in a tragedy involving theirs or someone else’s vehicle.

If the message and the means of the Road Radio USA show have reached even one of the many tens of thousands of young attitudes the show has been presented to at the hundreds of separate school assemblies over the past 15 years, everyone’s had a part and a simple thanks is hardly enough.

A reunion for the Muncy HighSchool Class of 1989 is being planned and members of that class are looking for current addresses classmates to invite them to the alumni banquet. Any addresses of members can be sent to Keith Balliet’s email address at ballietk@yahoo.com

Happy birthday to our favorite Farmer, Richard VanBuskirk, this Friday, March 6.

Hughesville

by Mary Megan Wolfe

Only two more weeks to go; that’s according to Phil, the first famous groundhog in PA. Don’t let the warm weather of last week fool you. It’s still darn cold outside and Mother Nature has plans of getting a bit colder yet! It’s my understanding that we may be getting a “wintry mix”; that’s weatherman code for, “I really don’t know what’s going to happen, but it will be cold and we will have bad weather.”

Hopefully, the snow will last a day or two longer. This week a group of us are planning to take our kids skiing, which will be interesting since I haven’t been skiing in at least 10 years. No doubt this snow bunny will be writing to you next week from the comfort of her own bed, where I will be recuperating with my broken leg.

Congratulations to the cast of Pippin on a job well done. What a talented group of kids we have at our school.

Congratulations to the Spartan Boy’s Sr. High Basketball team on a great season this year. Even with their loss over the weekend to Loyalsock, the boys showed Spartan pride and are a wonderful representation of our school.

Friends of the Hughesville Public Library invite you to join their next meeting on Monday, Marchch 9, at 7 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church in Hughesville will be hosting a community luncheon on Saturday, March 14, from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. Warm up with homemade soup and a tasty sandwich. A free will offering will be accepted.

An all-you-can-eat pork and sauerkraut dinner will be held on Saturday, March 14, from 4-7 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in Hughesville. Prices are adults $8, Children 6-12 $4, and under six are free.

A chicken and waffle dinner at Strawberry Ridge UCC will be held Saturday, March 21 from 1 p.m. – ?. Takeouts are available.

Remember to turn your clocks ahead this weekend!

Birthday wishes go out to the following: Stacy Jansen, Kelly Roedts, Kenny Lupold, Charles Harman, Susan Liuzza, Jackie Green, Alexandra Snyder and Dave “Chet” Houseknecht-March 1; Marchly Marchtinelli and Richard Barto March 2; Stephen Elliott, Dean Robbins, Scott Swisher and my friend Rose Trevouledes-March 3; Jim Foresman, Terry Walter and Matt Burgett-March 4; Hailey Poust, Dee Ann Temple and Amiann Vandine-March 5; Diane Miller and Sara Stortenbecker-March 6; Wendy Elliott, Ginny Waugh, Brenda Strickland, Pat Davis, Sally Herr and Glen Brown-March 7; Ruth Wallis and Todd Barto-March 8; Dora Vandine, Sandy Bradley, Scott Delany and the love of my life, Stuart Wolfe-March 9; Denise Spotts and Barbara Snyder-March 10;

Happy anniversary to Ben and Ashlee Roberts-March 3; John and Susan (Harriman) McConnell-March 5; Ron and Jeanne (Confer) McGregor, Jeff and Annette Sheets-March 6; Kenneth and Lisa Statts-March 8; Keith and Ann Wallis-March 9; Lester and Shirley Vandine-March 10.

A swift recovery is sent to Margaret Bitler, of Picture Rocks, who is recovering from a broken leg. And just remember, All the little birds on J-Bird St.

Love to hear the robin goin’ tweet tweet tweet.

Remember; take the high road because the low road’s so crowded.

Montgomery

by Joan Wheal Blank

Where do you stash the pennies that accumulate in your pocket or purse? Recently, I was going through my change, picking out the pennies-which usually end up in the ash tray of my car-when I discovered that I was holding a wheat penny in my hand.

It was well-worn and tarnished; the stalks of wheat looked more like fat sausages curving along the edges on the back of the coin. I turned it over and squinted to see the date. 1927. It was 82 years old. This coin has been traveling around for 82 years in pants pockets, ladies’ change purses, and children’s sweaty palms.

In 1927, kids could buy a couple sticks of hard candy or strings of licorice for a penny and their parents mailed postcards with a 1-cent stamp. You could pick up a newspaper-both the Luminary and the Montgomery Mirror cost only 3 pennies.

And what was going on here in Montgomery in 1927? In May, Harry Gruver opened a new furniture store, in June, the rear of the Evangelical Lutheran Church collapsed during a renovation project, and in November, the American Legion post dedicated the memorial plot in the park to six soldiers from town who died during WWI.

And-I checked. My octogenaric (no, you won’t find that word in Webster’s) coin might be worth six cents today but the history it represents is far more valuable. Don’t you agree?

If you missed recycling curbside collection this week, another pickup is scheduled in two weeks, on March 18th , and again on April 1.

Saturday, March 7, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Montgomery Lions will host a Sauerkraut Meal. Cost is $7 adult, $4 children. Advance tickets available for $6.50. Take-outs available.

Saturday, March 7, 4 p.m., the Watsontown United Methodist Church, 11 E. Third St., will serve a roast turkey dinner. Cost is $7.50 for adults and $4 for children ages 5-12.

Monday, March 9, 10 a.m., Rachelle Ricotta, Lycoming County Community Development Planner, will be presenting the Montgomery Corridor project at the Montgomery Borough Office. For more info, contact Becky Fought of Our Towns 2010 at 570-326-1971, 570-447-6252, or email her at bfought@williamsport.org

Tuesday, March 10, 6:30 p.m., Montgomery Town Council will meet at the borough hall.

Wednesday, March 11, 4:30 to 6 p.m. the St. Johns (Brick) Church will host a family style pork and sauerkraut dinner. Cost is $8 for adults, children 6-10 $4, under 6 free. For take-outs, call 547-6423.

Thursday, March 12, 4:30 to 7 p.m., the Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Company will host an all-you-can-eat buffet-style dinner featuring home-made chicken pot-pie. Cost: Adults, $8.00; Children, $5.00.

Saturday, March 14, 8 a.m., the Warrior Run Area Ministerium will hold a Community Lenten Breakfast at the Watsontown United Methodist Church.

Saturday, March 14, 3 p.m., basket bingo at the Turbotville Community Hall. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Warrior Run Soccer Club.

Tuesday, March 17, 7 p.m., at the Montgomery Borough Office, the Montgomery Historical Society will host Lewisburg resident and retired forestry professor Jack Fisher, who will present a program on the history of logging in central Pennsylvania. Logging tools from Fisher’s collection will be on display.

In April and May, there are a number of events being planned: On Saturday, 25, the Montgomery Historical Society will host an Open House at the Stone Church, featuring a program on the families who lived in Alvira before the government takeover in 1942. Also on the 25th, the 5th Annual Black Hole Clean-Up is planned. Please contact Becky at 547-6289 for more info.

On Saturday, May 16, the Montgomery Yard Sale and the Black Hole Creek Annual Fishin’ Derby at Riverside Campground are scheduled. Then, on Saturday, May 23, the Montgomery Lion’s Club Auction at Montgomery Borough Park will take place.

When you come to the auction at the park, you might want to stop by the World War II Memorial plot that was dedicated there 82 years ago.

Just One More Thing

by Kathi Blaker

To say that I was shocked when I first heard the news of the sale of Harter’s Drug Store would be a huge understatement. My first thoughts were purely selfish as I worried what I would do when I needed any of the dozens of things that I’ve come to rely on Harter’s supplying for me. Where else in town can I get life saving medicine and the soothing comfort of chocolate?

The poor me phase of my emotional rollercoaster quickly passed as I thought of all the years and all the people that have been part of Harter’s history. I fondly remember the pharmacists and clerks that are no longer with us.

There have been many advances in medicine and protocol that have changed the way we are treated medically, but the kindness and compassion of the people behind the counter has remained the same throughout the pharmacy’s long existence.

Mark and Theresa Tarquinio and their wonderful employees have continually given Muncy residents a peace of mind that comes from knowing that Harter’s is there for us when we need them most. I’msorry to see that feeling of security come to an end. I’ll miss my friends Mark, Linda, Karen, Gina and even part-time pharmacist Bob. They all have a way of making me feel better even before they have filled my prescriptions.

Is this progress? Am I being overly concerned over the loss of just one more business in Muncy’s downtown? Maybe, but I don’t think so.

Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines progress as: “to develop to a higher, better or more advanced stage.” More advanced? Perhaps, but more advanced does not always mean better when you are talking about the survival of a small town.

In 1963 Martin Luther King, Jr. said “All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.” This is my concern exactly.

I’ll hate to see another empty storefront but more than that, I’ll miss the people that truly were in the business of helping people to feel better. And they did!