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Day of Caring.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Photos from the 2009 Day of Caring, by Pam Calkins
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Thank you to every one of you who made the Day of Caring at
Centre Furnace Mansion an extraordinary and amazingly productive day!
Just when I think it cannot be possible to top previous years of Day of Caring, you all come along and out-do yourselves one more time. To United Way and to everyone who has made Day of Caring 2009 at Centre Furnace Mansion possible; our heartfelt gratitude and deepest appreciation.
Thanks to painting contractor Dave Horner, the grand front entrance of Centre Furnace Mansion and its main porch and entryways were given much needed face lifts with the extensive preparation and painting of the trim, steps, and shutters in these areas. Dave and 5 professional painters from his team led volunteers from Keller Williams Advantage Realty, CFM volunteer Mike Heberling, Young Lawyers Division of the Centre County Bar, and the Penn State Baseball Team in the task of meticulously preparing surfaces and painting. Paint was generously donated from Sherwin Williams.
With professionals from PSU Office of Physical Plant's Landscaping and Utility Departments, under the guidance of PSU Supervisor of Grounds Maintenance, Jeff Dice, as well as the efforts of PSU's Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies' Tim Ziegler, Barry Scheetz and Steve Bloser, the first phase of an ADA accessible pedestrian trail system has been installed. Penn State donated personnel, equipment and many supplies needed for the trail. Glenn O. Hawbaker generously donated aggregate for the project. The trail will serve as an access to the Furnace Stack via Porter Road across from the Centre Furnace Mansion parking lot. This trail system was originally mapped out by Landscape Architect Mark Battaglia as part of a DEP funded project to combine storm water management with interpretation at an historic site.
Bob Miller of Miller Welding skillfully created and graciously donated a sturdy new mechanism to hold the CFM Martin house that can normally be seen beyond Margery and Rae's Garden. Bob Leonard worked with Bob Miller to make this happen and saw carefully to its installation.
Penn State's Office of Physical Plant's Landscaping and Arborist Teams helped extensively in the garden projects that were going on throughout the day. Professional tree work was done throughout the property as well, from removing precarious tree limbs to neatening the appearance of the sycamores along College Avenue and much more.
Centre Furnace Mansion Gardeners/PSU Master Gardeners of Centre County, led volunteers from RSVP, PSU's Research & Graduate School, Wegman's, as well as the players and staff from the Penn State Baseball Team, whose constant rotation of fresh volunteers throughout the day made a lot of heavy work possible when the rest of us began to wear out!
Amazing improvements also happened in the gardens with the expansion of the tree and shrub border that was the spring Eagle Scout Project of Eagle Scout Jason Contino. The border was expanded and forsythia planted to connect the shed area to the border and neaten the appearance of this area. The front "dogwood bed" was also enlarged to accommodate two more dogwood and shrubbery. Bulbs for the garden were donated by Marshall Garrett (who then had to help plant them!). Mulch was applied to most of the gardens and many trees and large maintenance efforts were led in Margery & Rae's Garden as well as Marian's Kitchen Garden. "Jackie's Joinery" tool exhibit was carefully cleaned to help preserve the objects in this exhibit.
Thank you CFM Gardeners Cassandra Burke, Ruth Merritt, Pam Calkins, Lisa Coggins, Bob Leonard, Chris and Bob Igo, Judy Heberling and Mike Husband, Katie Frieden, Sharon Childs, Jan Villastrigo and Marshall Garrett for all of your help in preparing for and making this day at Centre Furnace Mansion a success. It is your leadership, care and organization that made the gardening projects all go so smoothly. Special thanks also to Centre County Historical Society's Bob Donaldson who stayed with the trail project all day and to Steve and Carol Gentry and Beth Ricker for helping with clean up efforts.
Lunch and food throughout the day was donated by Subway, Jackie Melander, Angela Breeden, Mary Sorensen, Chris and Bob Igo, Katie Frieden, Beverly Lipski, Marshall Garrett, Beth Ricker, Susan Bowser, Melanie Bernier, Judy Heberling, Jan Villastrigo, Jo Merrell, Cassandra Burke, Pam Calkins, Silvi Lawrence, Barbara Thwaites, Cliff Bastuscheck, Joann McCormick, Joseph Leonard, Chris Pootjes, Felicia Lewis, Suzanne Thompson, Mary Osborn, Pat and Doug Macneal, Mary Eagleton; paper products for lunch were donated by The Village at Penn State, and water was donated by Nittany Bank.
A million thanks to all of you for your gift of this awesome and transformational day at Centre Furnace Mansion! It was truly magical, and we continue to walk around the property in complete admiration of all that was done.
Most sincerely yours,
Mary Sorensen
Centre Furnace Mansion Garden Committee Chair