Carbon County Presents Ag Awards
DEANNA CUNFER
Carbon Co. Correspondent
LEHIGHTON (Carbon Co.)
Fellowship, a good meal and pre
sentation of awards were part of
the recent annual awards ban
quet co-sponsored by the Carbon
County Conservation District,
Carbon/Monroe Farm Service
Agency, Carbon/Monroe Natural
Carbon County Conservation District award winners:
from left, seated, Paul and Linda Stoss, Farmer of the
Year; standing, Rodney George representing Towamens
ing Township; Barry Stroup, Glenn Hahn representing
Lower Towamensing Township; Jim Clauser, Conserva
tion District manager; Jesse Mendez, Lower Towamens
ing Township; Gary Kuehner and Troy Smith representing
East Penn Township. The three townships were recog
nized for the work done under the Conservation District’s
dirt and gravel road program.
Award winners recognized by the Carbon County Envi
ronmental Education Center: from left, Jeannie Carl, Nat
uralist; Fred Wallace, Conservation Volunteer of the Year;
Alan Gregory, Media Conservation Person of the Year;
JoAnn Murray, Conservation Educator of the Year; J.
Randolph Arner, Conservation Volunteer of the Year and
Susan Gallagher, Chief Naturalist.
Resource Conservation Service,
and Penn State Cooperative Ex
tension.
Jim Clauser, district manager
of the Carbon Conservation Dis
trict welcomed the guests as 4-H
members Jonathan Kuehner lead
the Pledge of Allegiance to the
Flag and Nicole Smith lead the
group in the 4-H Pledge.
Robert Miller, 4-H leader and
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meal after which the co-sponsor
ing groups presented their annual
awards.
Clauser presented the awards
on behalf of the Carbon Conser
vation District. The Farmer of
the Year award was presented to
Paul and Linda Stoss. The Farm
er of the Year award is presented
to a farmer or organization who
has furthered soil conservation
through the establishment and
maintenance of soil and water
conservation management prac
tices.
The Stoss farm, a 90-cow
dairy, in East Penn Township
consists of approximately 200
owned and rented acres with pri
mary crops of com, small grains
and hay. Soil conservation prac
tices they have adopted and
maintained to ensure soil produc
tivity and stewardship include
120 acres of contour stripcrop
ping systems, two acres of grass
ed waterways, 3,400 feet of sur
face water control diversion
channels, as well as incorporating
green cover crops, conservation
tillage and crop rotation.
Woody Colbert, Master of Cer
emonies for the evening, then de
scribed the Conservation Dis
trict’s dirt and gravel road
program prior to Clauser recog
nizing three townships for their
outstanding work
under the pro
gram. Colbert, a
State Conserva
tion Commission
employee working
out of his Penn
State office and
former superin
tendent of Hicko-
vice-
chair-
person
of the
Con
serva-
tion
District
gave
the in
voca-
ti o n
prior to
the
wheels
SIKKING BROS.
GLADIOLUS GROWERS
4158 Post Road Vineland N) 08360
856/691-9167 • Fax: 856/696-0077
or fa* u* fat fvtiec* & move in fa.
ry Run State Park, explained the
history of the dirt and gavel road
program in Pennsylvania. Col
bert said this government pro
gram came from the bottom up
with citizen interest in stream
protection with a goal of having
the natural ecosystem take over
as if the roads weren’t there.
The legislators were keenly in
terested in believing that local
municipalities would handle the
administration of this program.
The first township to be recog
nized was Lower Towamensing,
represented by Glenn Hahn,
Barry Stroup and Jesse Mendez,
for their work on Spruce Road.
Towamensing Township was
then recognized, represented by
Rodney George, for their work
on Forest Street. The third town
ship to be recognized was East
Penn Township, represented by
Gary Kuehner and Troy Smith,
for work completed on Wertman
Hollow Road.
All three road projects were di
rectly adjacent to tributaries to
streams and included road, bank
and swale stabilization and
drainage improvements.
The Conservation District
media, educator and volunteer of
the year awards were presented
by Susan Gallagher, Chief Natu
ralist and Jeannie Carl, Natural
ist, of the Carbon County Envi
ronmental Education Center.
Two individuals were awarded
the Volunteer of the Year
awards. First was presented to a
Master Falconer, Fred Wallace.
Wallace, whose vast knowledge
of birds of prey has been an asset
to not only the staff at the Envi
ronmental Center but also to the
injured birds brought there for
treatment, has spent countless
hours volunteering at the Center.
The second Volunteer of the
Year award went to J. Randolph
Amer. Amer has created a Web
site for the Environmental Center
as well as doing photography,
gardening and research for the
Center.
This year’s Media Conserva
tion award was presented to Alan
Gregory who through his writing
has been a fearless defender and
supporter of natural resources.
JoAnn Murray, a second grade
teacher at Franklin Elementary
School, was the recipient of the
Conservation Educator award.
Through her enthusiasm for na
ture she has brought her class to
the Center for an outdoor learn
ing experience each year, even
developing a nature study trail
on school property.
After a brief public meeting of
the Cooperative Extension board
of directors conducted by Presi
dent Monroe Cressley that saw
the following named to new
terms on the board; Monroe
Cressley, Karen VonFrisch,
Karan Heffelfmger, Robin Cres
sley and Julie Lesitsky, Coopera
tive Extension Director Paul
Shealer thanked outgoing board
member Joyce Hinkle for having
served two terms on the board.
Presenting the Rachel W. Hof
fmeier 4-H Scholarship awards
was Howard Gregory, president
of the 4-H Development Board.
This year’s winners were Laura
Kennedy, 18, a freshman at Lock
Haven University majoring in
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 28, 2002-B7
Ida’s
Notebook
Ida Risser
When we had an ice storm re
cently, it brought back memories
of when I had to drive to a job ev
eryday despite the weather.
For eight years, before I was
married, I drove myself and other
people to their jobs. When a
storm was predicted, my car was
parked at a nearby garage close
to a main highway. The thought
was that I could walk there and
get to work as the state was quite
slow in opening the road past our
house. Anyway, now I am able to
stay home and let other people
slide on the ice and snow.
However, my sisters and our
husbands were able to see “Lewis
and Clark” at the Whitaker Cen
ter in Harrisburg on a nice day.
The IMAX theater showed
breathtaking scenes of these men
as they traveled west to the Pacif
ic Ocean in 1804. Yes, my hus
band was able to go along. It was
a tiring day, but I’m sure he en-
computer information systems
and Nicole Smith, 17, a senior at
Lehighton High School planning
to continue her education major
ing in physical therapy. Also re
ceiving a certificate of
achievement and recognition was
Amanda Miller, 18, a senior at
Lehighton High School.
Linda Wiles, multi-county
commercial horticulture agent,
recognized several of her master
gardeners for the hours of volun
teer service they completed.
Those honored were Cindy
Kerschner, Ed Knittle, Leeza
Fox, Carol Steigerwalt and Liz
Morris.
The Laurel Wreath award is
presented to an individual or
group for outstanding service to
the 4-H program. This year two
awards were presented by the
Cooperative Extension. The first
went to Lester and Kathy Wentz
who have been long time sup
porters of the 4-H program in
Carbon County. They have been
buyers at the annual 4-H Live
stock sale for many years, have
stored pens used during Round
up and the local fair and as own
ers of Walck’s Restaurant have
donated the food for the buyer’s
luncheon at the fair. Their chil
dren, daughter Kelly and son
Cory, were active 4-H members
and the couple is anxiously
awaiting the start of their grand
daughter’s 4-H career.
The second Laurel Wreath
award was presented to the Car
bon County Commissioners,
The Carbon County Cooperative Extension presented
Laurel Wreath awards for outstanding support of the 4-H
program to the Carbon County commissioners and Kathy
and Lester Wentz. From left, Charles Getz and Wayne
Nothstein, commissioners; and Kathy and Lester Wentz.
Commissioner Tom Gerhard was unable to attend the
event.
joyed the experience
This year instead of decorating
a large Christmas tree, I decora
ted a Norfolk Island pine that
our son gave me. He even sup
plied the tiny electric lights and
some crystal decorations. Before
1 could put the tree on an old
blanket chest, I had to remove a
big box of family pictures that I
had displayed there. It looks very
pretty, but I do not like to think
of all those other pretty decora
tions stored away in the closet.
This is written 10 days before
Christmas, but already I’ve re
ceived a diary, a wrist watch, and
a box of candy. We are having an
open house the Saturday after
Christmas for our extended fami
lies. If everyone came that was
invited, there would be 150 peo
ple. But we know from past par
ties that only a fracfon will
come.
Jl n n
'Mtim
From left, Howard Gre
gory, president of the Car
bon County 4-H Develop
ment Board, presented the
Rachel W. Hoffmeier 4-H
Scholarship to Nicole
Smith, 17, of Lehighton.
Also shown is Joan Kenne
dy accepting for her daugh
ter, Laura Kennedy, 18, a
freshman at Lock Haven
University.
Wayne Nothstein, Charles Getz,
and Tom Gerhard. Nothstein and
Getz were presented to accept the
award for then - strong and con
tinuing support of the
4-H program.
Outstanding 4-H Leaders this
year were Jane Cosgrove, leadei
of the Buck and Bolt 4-H Horse
Club of the White Haven area
and Ed Knittle, leader of the
Gardening Club and co-leader of
the Sawmill 4-H Bee Club.
Leader recognition 10-year
pins were presented to Deanna
and Dennis Cunfer, Penny Klein
top and Nancy Smith. Two indi
viduals received their 15-year
pins those being Nan Cressley
and Mary Hawk.