amp - arts, music, and people

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015

By MARCIE SCHELLHAMMER

BRADFORD, Pa. — Excitement is building for Bradford Creative and Performing Arts Center’s (BCPAC’) next season — and it doesn’t even start until September.

BCPAC’s new executive director, David Fillenwarth, is trying some new approaches to build on the arts organization’s 30-plus years of success.

Nine shows are scheduled for the season, along with six concerts for the summer of 2016. And instead of announcing the entire season over Labor Day weekend, BCPAC has been announc-ing one show each week.

So far, audiences know to expect world-famous impressionist Rich Little and Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot, a Billy Joel tribute band.

The slow reveal of the upcoming season is building anticipation. “I think it’s beneficial,” Fillenwarth said. “And it’s kind of fun. It’s stir-

ring up quite a bit of interest.”Just about every day someone is stopping at

the office on Marilyn Horne Way to ask about tickets for next season, which aren’t on sale until later this summer.

This buildup, and the expansion of the sea-son, are “part of the plan for me coming here,” Fillenwarth said. “Through the hiring process, I shared my vision. I was surprised the seasons were five or six shows to begin with.”

Shane Oschman, BCPAC board president, added, “It was time to try new things.”

Both men lauded the work done by Jim Guelfi, who served as BCPAC’s director since the orga-nization began. The agency is strong, has a solid place in the community and has tremendous sup-port from audiences and corporate sponsors.

Now it’s time to build on that success.“We’ve taken an extremely conservative, calcu-

lated risk in the coming season in order to expand our season,” Oschman said. “David is able to do

that because he is a full-time employee.“Our hope now is that it’s supported,” he

added. “Bradford has asked for a very diverse group of shows. Many have asked for year-round shows, and we’re picking things up in the sum-mer.

“We’re doing what we were asked to do,” he said. “We’re hoping this will draw from outside the area, to get people to start spending money in our community.”

Fillenwarth said assistant director Jennifer Feidt is “working on putting some packages together with buses. The marketing will be very aggressive.”

He’s looking to draw people in from Erie and from places in New York such as Buffalo and Rochester.

“We want to educate them on what’s going on in Bradford,” he said.

Please see BCPAC, page 3

Amanda Nichols photoJennifer Feidt, assistant director of Bradford Creative and Performing Arts Center, shows the window display advertising the center’s 2015-16 season. The shows are being announced one at a time, with the rest of the season still a mystery.

BCPAC making changes and also building excitement for next season

Sweetanticipation

Realistically, Fillenwarth said, that will take a few years to build.

Yet he’s hitting the ground run-ning. “We’re bringing in a couple of big names that we think will be a draw,” he said, calling it a “litmus test” for what the future could hold for BCPAC.

Fillenwarth explained a bit about the added shows as well.

“We’re going to try to make it a year-round destination,” he said. “We’re going to have nine perfor-mances during the course of the sea-son, which is an increase from the five that are normally held. It will be a little more variety and a few more choices.

“We’re going to have a series of concerts next summer,” Fillenwarth said. “Summer 2016 is when we’ll start the programming. It will carry us through the summer into next season.”

It will be a series of tribute concerts, he said, and will be held Tuesday evenings at the Bromeley

Family Theater at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

“We’re going to have it priced really affordably,” he added. “That’s the whole reason we’re going to do it. It’s great for a family.”

So far, Fillenwarth said, the response to the added shows and weekly announcements has been overwhelmingly positive. And

Oschman said the BCPAC board is excited as well.

“We want to create some buzz, advertise the shows a little sooner,” Oschman said, “and get people excited.”

(Contact associate editor Marcie Schellhammer at [email protected])

BCPACContinued from page 2

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 PAGE3

Photo submittedEthel and Norman Thayer, played by Sandy Mulryan and John Stengel, rehearse a scene from the play.

OLEAN, N.Y. — Olean Theatre Workshop, located on the corner of Washington and Sixth Street, announced its next production will be the renowned drama “On Golden Pond.”

The dates for the performances are Thursday, April 30, Friday, May 1, Saturday, May 2, all at 7:30 p.m.; and a Sunday matinee, May 3, at 2:30 p.m. All tickets are $10 and they may be bought online at the the-atre’s website at www.oleantheatre-workshop.org. (There is no handling fee or extra charge for purchasing them in this manner.)

Tickets may also be reserved by calling the workshop at 373-SHOW (373-7469). The last several produc-tions have been sold out, so to avoid disappointment, please reserve your ticket now.

“On Golden Pond” by Ernest Thompson was written in 1979, and has been presented many times over the years. It was also a film vehicle for Henry and Jane Fonda and Katharine Hepburn in 1981. It proved to be Jane’s gift to her father as it was his last film. It tells the very basic stories of life — love, mis-understanding, unfulfilled expecta-tions, and joy.

The main characters, Ethel and Norman Thayer, played by Sandy Mulryan and John Stengel, an older couple, have returned to their cot-tage on Golden Pond where they have summered for years. Norman is in failing health but Ethel main-tains the brave stance that they are simply “middle-aged.”

Norman is going to be 80, with a bit of a failing memory and cardiac problems, but Ethel is insistent they are still young and vital — he is her “knight in shining armor.”

Their daughter, Chelsea, played by Alicia Bockmier, who has had a difficult relationship with her father, comes to Golden Pond with her fian-ce, Billy Ray, played by Chris Clow, and his son, Billy Ray Jr., played by Shane Burke.

Completing the cast is Jake Riggs playing Charlie, a local delivery-by-boat mailman.

The couple is traveling to Europe and Chelsea is hoping her parents can watch the boy. They agree and the play tells the story of healing and reconciliation. It also reminds

‘On Golden Pond’ play begins tonight

Please see Golden, page 4

By ALEX DAVIS

BRADFORD, Pa. — About 100 individuals are expected to lace up their walking shoes next month at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in support of those suffer-ing from multiple sclerosis (MS), an unpredictable and often disabling disease.

The fourth annual Walk MS is scheduled for May 9, hosted by the Pennsylvania Keystone Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“The event itself creates a hope-filled and fun atmosphere for every-one affected by multiple sclerosis while generating a greater awareness of MS in the public at-large,” spokes-woman Colleen Szymczak-Gross said. “Families are drawn closer together, co-workers are united for a greater good, and people gain a bet-ter understanding of what MS is and how close we are coming to achiev-ing a world free of this disease.”

Multiple sclerosis is defined as an unpredictable and often disabling disease of the central nervous sys-tem that interrupts the flow of infor-mation within the brain and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis.

The Bradford-area Walk MS

includes a 1-mile or 3-mile walking route on the Richard E. McDowell Trail at the campus. Officials said people can participate as teams or individually and walk as much or as little as they like.

Registration starts at 11 a.m. at Blaisdell Hall, and the walk kicks off at 11:30 a.m. After the trek, there will be refreshments and music.

Officials are hoping to raise at least $8,000, which will benefit those in the McKean and Elk county areas. The event planned for Bradford Township is one of 23 walks sched-uled across the state, involving more than 14,000 walkers and volunteers.

“We serve over 14,500 people

with MS and their families in Pennsylvania,” Szymczak-Gross said. “The MS Society offers client programs and services which pro-vide emergency financial assistance, respite care program, care manage-ment services, education and refer-ral services, and physical wellness programs.”

Szymczak-Gross said the event is more than a fundraiser. It’s “a cel-ebration for the entire community,” she said.

“All parts of the event are my favorite part. I love what I do. We help people and I see firsthand what our fundraising events do to support and help those who struggle with MS,” she said. “Walk MS is a rally-

ing point for friends and family to be there for their loved ones. It’s a fun and festive day for an important cause.”

The Pennsylvania Keystone Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society provides a wide range of vital services that include counsel-ing, education, information and referral, advocacy and financial assistance. The organization serves 56 counties in the Commonwealth.

Those interested in walking or volunteering at the local event should visit the website www.WalkMS.org.

(Contact reporter Alex Davis at [email protected])

the audience to embrace each moment of life for what it is — be it filled with pain or delight.

Billy is exactly what Norman needs. They fish, talk, and walk the area, listening to the loons that live on the lake. Ethel rejoices in the fact that, for a time, she has not just her memories but the present to enjoy.

Her Norman, though feisty, has sweeter, less caustic moments. Norman, perhaps, becomes young again — if not young, “middle-

aged.” When Chelsea and her now-

husband return, it is far easier for Norman and Chelsea to have a rec-onciliation after many years, as the boy, Billy, has reminded Norman of what is important in life — love, understanding, joy in little things.

This production, directed by DB Busan, is one that will bring a tear to the eye — perhaps quite a few tears, but they are good tears — and tears about life, love and forgiveness.

Plan on attending this touching and true-to-life drama.

PAGE 4 THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015

Continued from page 3

golden

Multiple sclerosis benefit event slated for May 9 ...

It’s for a very good cause

By RICH PLACE

SALAMANCA, N.Y. — A pretty good fiddle player, a collection of talented chainsaw art-ists and a comedian

with a soft spot for “tater salad” will all be making appearances at the Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel in May.

The devil may have gone down to Georgia, but The Charlie Daniels Band will be coming up to New York for a visit to the casi-no on May 2. At the age of 78, Charlie Daniels shows no signs of slowing down. He performed a wide vari-ety of his classics with a mix of commentary and storytelling during a show at the casino in 2013.

Perhaps best known for “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” Daniels is a full-fledged member of the Grand Ole Opry and has earned numerous awards throughout his 50-year career, includ-ing a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance.

The Charlie Daniels Band is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. May 2 at the Seneca Allegany

Events Center. Tickets start at $25.Following a successful event last autumn, the

casino will again host Carving at the Casino, an event for chainsaw carvers, on May 22-24. Nearly

three dozen carvers are scheduled to appear at the event, which will include auctions on May 23 at 6 p.m. and May 24 at 4 p.m.

“It’s an art movement, chainsaw art or power art as some call it, and it’s rev-olutionizing sculpture mak-ing,” said Elizabeth Boni, of Appalachian Art Studio and an event organizer, prior to the previous Carving at the Casino event.

The event is free and open to the public. Times are May 22 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., May 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and May 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On Saturday, May 30, the Thunder Mountain Buffet won’t be the only place visi-tors to the casino can find a helping of “tater salad.” Comedian Ron White, a former member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, will be making an appearance at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $30.

During a previous interview with local media, White told the story of his well-known “tater

salad” catchphrase.“We were having a party because we could

bring our family on the ship. It only happened once a year,” White recalled. “The cook just hap-pened to make potato salad that was just like my mother’s. I loved it.

“I noticed it was out there for a picnic and I was on bridge watch and my relief was out there scooping up the potato salad. So I yelled, ‘Come relieve me before they eat all that tater salad.’ That’s the story.”

After his big break joining the Blue Collar Comedy Tour in 2000, White toured with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy for more than three years. White bowed out of the group after three specials before the three remain-ing members launched The WB series Blue Collar TV.

White himself boasts four solo video releases: 2004’s “They Call Me Tater Salad,” 2006’s “You Can’t Fix Stupid,” 2009’s “Behavioral Problems” and 2012’s “A Little Unprofessional.”

Rounding out the entertainment lineup at the casino in May is a public meet-and-greet with Nate Berkus, an interior design expert. The host and judge of “American Dream Builders” will be on-hand to chat with fans.

The event, which is being held at the casino, will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. on May 31. Admission is free and open to the public.

For additional information on any upcom-ing casino event, visit senecaalleganycasino.com. Tickets for all casino shows are available at select Seneca Resort and Casino retail outlets, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by phone at (800) 745-3000.


The Charlie Daniels Band, a musical favorite, will play at the Seneca Allegany Casino in Salamanca.

Casino attracting popular performers

Ron White, pictured here in his per-formance at the Seneca Allegany Casino in 2013, returns to the resort in May.

Christa Nianiatus photoA carver works on a wooden sculpture during Carving at the Casino when the event was held last autumn. This year’s event is May 22-24.

By RICH PLACE

RED HOUSE, N.Y. — Technology and nature are not always part of the same conversation. After all, heading to a park or going for a hike is often used as a great excuse to get away from the ringing of cell phones and the glare of computer screens.

But that doesn’t mean they can’t co-exist and, in the case of geocachers, embraced.

This year marks the 10th anniversary since the first GeoBash was held at Allegany State Park, and plans continue for ASP GeoBash X to take place Saturday, May 16. Past events have drawn nearly 1,000 people to cel-ebrate geocaching, a high-tech trea-sure hunt that combines technology and nature.

Participants known as geocachers search for “caches,” which can range

in size, by plugging coordinates into a handheld GPS unit or smartphone. Contents of a cache range from just a logbook in smaller caches to trade-able trinkets and toys in larger ones.

Where are these geocaches? Well, they’re just about every-

where. There’s nearly 24,000 within a 100-mile radius of Salamanca, according to a search on geo-caching.com. A GeoBash, like the one being held in May at Allegany State Park, is an event that celebrates the hobby and brings together enthusi-asts for a week-end of themed activities.

“I’m an out-doors person,”

explained John Maier, who is again serving as coordinator of this year’s GeoBash. “I was at one time much more into the hunting and fishing aspect of it, and I bought a handheld GPS to help me with those endeav-ours ... someone asked, ‘Well, how

about geocaching?’“I did a little research on it, went

out and found a couple cache loca-tions and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s been another reason for me to get outside.”

This year’s GeoBash actually kicks off on Friday with two flash mobs — one in Salamanca early in

the morning and another outside of Bradford, Pa., during the afternoon. Participants can find the exact loca-tion by retrieving coordinates on geocaching.com.

A meet-and-greet bonfire Friday night is the first GeoBash event held


BRADFORD, Pa. — There is a local event that goes the extra mile to put smiles on some very deserv-ing people.

Registration is underway for the fourth annual Miles for Smiles 5K Run/2 Mile Walk. This year’s event will be held May 17.

To request a registration form, email [email protected] or download one at milesforsmilesrun.weebly.com.

Organizer Rhonda Race said a new component has been added to this year’s event.

“We now have a two-person

10K relay team division,” she said. “Each year, we strive to do some-thing a little different to entice new participants and allow the event to grow and become bigger and bet-ter.”

There is also a Kids Fun Run and, like last year, participants are encouraged to dress as their favor-ite superhero.

“We want to make this event as fun as we can for all involved,” Race said. “And to be honest, all those who take part in this race are superheroes in our eyes so they might as well dress the part.”

Another new facet to this year’s race is one of the groups that will benefit from it.

“We are very excited that in addition to the McKean County Special Olympics, part of the proceeds will go to the Oncology Department at Bradford Regional Medical Center,” Race said. “One hundred percent of the money we raise will stay local.

“That means these funds will likely benefit someone you know, whether it is a family member, friend or acquaintance.”

The registration fee is $15 per

person; $30 per relay team. The Kids Fun Run is free for

those age 14 and under.And those who want to leave a

lasting impression in another way can purchase a footprint in memory or honor of someone for $5. These footprints will be on display the day of the race.

The event will start at 9 a.m. at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s Tom McDowell Field House on Campus Drive. The Kids Fun Run will begin at 9:45 a.m. Registration starts at 8 a.m.

Last year’s event raised $6,300.

Miles for Smiles event set for May 17 in Bradford

Tenth annual GeoBashto be held at State ParkA 1,000 or more expected to participate in event

Participants known as geocachers search for “caches,” which can range in size, by plugging coordinates into a handheld GPS unit or smartphone.

Please see GeoBash, page 7

By DAVID FILLENWARTH

BRADFORD, Pa. — It brings a smile to my face upon learning of Bradford’s own Aiden Davis recently having the opportunity to meet David Copperfield in Las Vegas.

This was quite a moment for a courageous boy and his family. It brought back a memory of a similar meeting I witnessed first-hand earlier in my career.

I think all of us have a favorite artist that we would someday like to meet. Somewhere on that “Bucket List” is the name of a musi-cian, an actor, an actress, a comedian, a magician or a dancer. We idolize these celeb-rities who have fame and for-tune. They seemingly have the world at their disposal with a life of luxury.

While some of that is true, the demand of being in the public spotlight brings a hard reality that very little of your life is private.

I’ve had the chance to wit-ness how celebrities cope with the stress of being on the road. Some of these artists travel over 300 days a year. The bus and the hotel are their homes.

The two hours on stage is often accompanied with 22 hours of solitude. How one spends this time is truly a measure of their happiness and willingness to make a difference.

Scott Thompson is one of the people who made a last-ing impression in my memory. We know him as Carrot Top, the comedian with orange hair and a weird assortment of props that he uses to unite audiences in laughter and applause.

Carrot Top was to perform at the Majestic Theater on a warm summer night. You may remember the Majestic Theater as the old Melody Fair in North Tonawanda, N.Y.

What is important was what transpired that afternoon before the show. There was a young boy (whose name unfortunately escapes me) who loved Carrot Top. He idolized the comedian. His world was one that needed laughter and hope. His wish was to meet his idol.

Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation his dream was

realized when a private meeting was set up the afternoon before the show. Carrot Top was more than agreeable to meet the young boy.

The wide eyes of the youngster were only

dwarfed by the smile on his face. The boy could barely control his emotions as he ran into the outstretched arms of his idol. Carrot Top quick-ly embraced that boy, holding on for a moment … possibly to compose himself.

Then the magic happened. Carrot Top took the boy by the hand and asked for some time alone with him. He walked him up on stage and the two of them sat with their legs crossed and played with all of the props. They joked and laughed together. The boy mimicked his idol and pretended he was doing all of the jokes.

Carrot Top was giving his best performance to date, to an audience of one. He made a dif-ference — not for a few minutes — but for an hour and a half. I’ll repeat it, an hour and a half.

When the meeting was over, a couple of tears were shed. The boy’s mother, Carrot Top, and myself realized the importance of the moment. The only one not crying was the boy. His con-quest had become a reality.

We often hear of the greed and stereotypical diva persona that embodies celebrities of today. I think it’s important to realize that there are some celebrities who make a difference. Often, they don’t seek the positive publicity for their good doings.

Here’s to the David Copperfields and the Carrot Tops out there in this world. The arts do make a difference.

(David Fillenwarth is the Bradford Creative and Performing Arts Center’s executive director.)


at the park during the weekend. This year, the Allegheny Rangers — a group of Native American sto-rytellers — will present. The bonfire gets underway at 7 p.m.

The schedule for Saturday includes an array of activities, rang-ing from seminars and GeoBingo to raffles and vendors. An “ammo can toss” pays homage to the ammo can, the most classic geocache container, and a group photo will be taken at the event as well.

The event wraps up Sunday with a free pancake breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. and a CITO (Cache In, Trash Out) event to help clean up the park.

The GeoBash is open to the entire public, not just geocachers.

The park itself is host to several geocaches, and some additional ones are expected to be placed during the weekend. The state park system regulates how many can be placed, where they can be located and how long they can be in a position.

Although the hobby of geocach-ing is relatively young — it started in 2000 after GPS technology was made available to the public — there are now more than 2.5 million geo-caches worldwide.

For additional information on Allegany State Park GeoBash X, including more specific times and information as the event nears, visit aspgeobash.org. Additional informa-tion on geocaching can be found at its online home, geocaching.com.

Continued from page 6

geobash

The Arts Can Make a Difference

David Fillenwarth

By CHRISTA NIANIATUS

RED HOUSE, N.Y. — In its inau-gural year, Allegany State Park will be hosting a spring fishing tourna-ment May 9 at Red House Lake.

The event will begin at 6 a.m., culminating with a final weigh-in at 5 p.m. All age ranges are wel-come at the tournament, which will be comprised of four divisions: youth ages 2 to 12; a men’s and women’s division ages 13 to 54; and seniors 55 and over.

And even for the non-anglers, there will be several activities throughout the day including face painting at 1 p.m., a water balloon toss at 2 p.m. and frisbee horse-shoes at 3 p.m.

All kinds of fishing styles are welcome, with a casting competi-tion at 1 p.m. highlighting the fly fishermen and a 2 p.m. fly fish-ing demonstration for those who would like to learn more about the technique.

Jordan Luzier, event director, said it was his fond memories of fishing as a child with his grand-mother that inspired him to help provide this opportunity for others.

“If one kid goes fishing for the first time, then I’ll be happy,” said Luzier. “Maybe they’ll even catch a fish and learn to love it.”

For those anglers in training, some could even receive a fish-ing kit for first-timers. Organizers will also be giving out T-shirts and goody bags to early arrivers.

“We have received a lot of donated merchandise for this event, so the first 200 or so to arrive will get a Red House T-shirt, gift certificates and vouchers,” said Luzier.

Additional prizes will also be given out to the winners of each division, with plenty to go around.

“We especially wanted to focus on prizes for the youth division because this is all about the kids,” he said.

Luzier also wanted to add that many area individuals and busi-nesses have made this day possible.

“It took a lot of help for me to go forward with this and people really opened the door for me this going,” he said. “Those people

know who they are and I just want-ed to say thank you and let them know I appreciate it, and I know the kids will, too.”

Presale tickets for the event are available now at Kennedy Enterprises and Parkview

Supermarket in Salamanca. Youth and senior presale tickets are $10, and $20 for adults. Tickets on the day of the event will be $25.

For more information, call Jordan Luzier at 716-244-6890 or email [email protected].


State Park hosting spring fishing tournament

A fisherman tries his luck as the sun sets in Allegany State Park.

All types of fishing styles are welcome; clinics will be offered


By KATE DAY SAGER

On the very day Ellen McCarthy Rosenthal began writing about weddings and relation-ships for the Washington Post, she broke up with her longtime boyfriend.

While the personal setback for the Allegany native was difficult, hundreds of interviews with other people and their rela-tionships helped shape her approach to love and dating.

The insights McCarthy Rosenthal gained as a wedding reporter provided the foundation for her first book, “The Real Thing: Lessons on Love and Life from a Wedding Reporter’s Notebook,” which will be released Tuesday by Ballantine Books.

A review by Amazon.com describes the book as “... a warm, witty, and wise book about relationships — the mystery, the sci-ence, and the secrets of how we find love and make it last.”

McCarthy Rosenthal is scheduled to be interviewed on the CBS Morning Show April 27 as well as on National Public Radio’s On Point program in the near future.

A 1997 graduate of Allegany-Limestone Central School District and a 2000 graduate of SUNY Albany, McCarthy Rosenthal has worked at the Washington Post since 2000.

“I started out as an editorial aide here and worked my way up to staff writer,” McCarthy Rosenthal said in email correspondence. Her beats included writing for the business sec-tion, followed by feature writing for arts and entertainment for four years.

“In that role, I had the chance to interview a lot of celebrities, which was interesting and fun,” she said. “Some of my favorites were Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone, Lauren Bacall and Queen Latifah.”

When the Post editors created a new page dedicated to covering weddings, McCarthy Rosenthal applied for the beat. Instead of the traditional wedding reports, however, she wanted to write stories that looked at rela-tionships, in general.

“Ironically, on the day I was hired for this new job, I went through a breakup with a long-term boyfriend. I was 30 at the time,” she said.

“So, as I was just starting out interviewing other people about their relationships, I was grieving the loss of my own.”

After talking with hundreds of couples and

relationship experts, she realized their stories were shaping her attitudes and views.

“During my time covering weddings, I recovered from my breakup, got back on the dating scene, eventually met the right guy and got married,” she said. The insights I col-lected on the job proved incredibly valuable to me during that process, and I began to feel like I had an obligation to pass that gift along.

“That’s why I wrote the book, and I hope that these lessons will be as helpful to others as they were to me,” she added.

In commenting on her family and growing up in Allegany, McCarthy Rosenthal said she is “profoundly lucky to have been born into a really fun, funny, loving family” and beautiful community.

“I feel like I got a huge headstart in life, having awesome parents and siblings who provided this incredible foundation,” she said of her parents Judi and Pat McCarthy of Allegany.

She said her teachers at Allegany-Limestone, as well as at St. Bonaventure University where she took classes during high school and summers, were also beneficial to her.

“I transferred around a bit during col-lege, and at none of the schools did I find the caliber of wisdom, knowledge and care that I found at (Allegany-Limestone) and Bona’s,” she said.

Judy McCarthy said through humor and a humanistic approach, her daughter “is able to reach her readers and leave them thinking long after finishing the text.”

She said her daughter’s current bi-weekly column in the Post is titled “THIS LIFE” and shares stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

“We’re very proud of Ellen,” Judy McCarthy added.

McCarthy Rosenthal said she would like to write more books in the future, but doesn’t have any immediate plans. Currently, she and her husband, Aaron, are quite busy because they have a 16-month-old child at home and are expecting their second child in June.

(Contact reporter Kate Day Sager at [email protected])

Photo submittedAllegany, N.Y., native Ellen McCarthy Rosenthal’s book “The Real Thing: Lessons on Love and Life from a Wedding Reporter’s Notebook” has been released by Ballantine Books.

‘The Real Thing: Lessons on Love and Life from a Wedding Reporter’s Notebook’

Local author

By CHRISTA NIANIATUS

SALAMANCA, N.Y. — Since receipt of a $482,206 grant from the New York state Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Pennsy Trail improvement project, the Seneca Nation says shovels may finally hit the ground later this year.

In January of last year, the Nation received the grant as part of more than $67 million in funding statewide for bicycle, pedestrian and multi-use trails.

The funding will enable the Nation’s Community Planning and Development Department to work with the city’s Department of Public Works to extend, widen and likely pave the existing trail. The grant will also fund safety updates such as the installation of lighting, bollards (vertical posts), signage and emergency call boxes.

“The announcement of the grant award came last year but we weren’t given the official go-ahead

until late summer,” said Jody Clark, transportation manager for the Nation. “Once we had a chance to look at the specific requirements of the DOT, we were prevented from progressing with the work until other agreements were in place.”

Barring state delays in the proj-ect’s ultimate timeline, the Seneca Nation will soon get the go-ahead for the next phase.

“Nation attorneys and DOT attorneys have the agreement between us and the state right now, which will allow us to move ahead with the design of the project,” said Clark. “In the meantime, we are hoping to meet with the city to dis-cuss details about who can obligate what for in-kind contributions for the project.”

Clark said the grant required a minimum 20 percent match in local contributions. The additional funding will be primarily in-kind contributions and the partnership between the Nation and city for materials, equipment and man-

power.“The project will require no

additional funding from the city except for these in-kind contribu-tions in those three areas, and we anticipate little to no additional funding from the Nation the way things are structured,” said Clark.

The Pennsy Trail is expected to connect with the new walkway near where the old Exit 20 off-ramp was removed, essentially creating a two-trail network that spans the

length of the city. That network is also connected via sidewalks to the Pat McGee Trail, which runs from the north end of Salamanca to Cattaraugus.

Clark said the Nation also hopes to work out the sharing of mainte-nance and safety services with the city in the coming weeks, before the project is finalized.

“We want to make sure that once this is built that it is being taken care of,” she added.


Pennsy Trail workmay start this yearParties to be moving ahead with design phase

Rendering submittedThis artist’s rendering provided by the Seneca Nation depicts what the Pennsy Trail will look like following a rehabilitation project funded mostly by a $482,206 grant from the state awarded last year.

New Franciscan quarterly appeals to a new generation of adultsBy CASANDRA NGUYEN

People who have been on campus for sev-eral years still have trouble grasping an understanding of what it truly means to

be Franciscan. A new quarterly publication, Franciscan Connections, builds off of a previous journal, The Cord.

The magazine is meant for a new generation of adults who want to see how the Franciscan vision connects to the lives they lead at home, church and at work.

Pope Francis has indicated that people want to know about the Franciscan vision and want to see how it further relates to challenges we face daily. The content will relate to education, science, literature, theology, business and health care.

The main goal is to connect, communicate and convey the best of Franciscan learning that is suitable for the 21stcentury. By making new portals accessible, the editorial team hopes that

it will be used by those who lead Franciscan institutions such as: colleges, schools, parishes, social service agencies, hospitals or anyone who wants to run their business with attention to Franciscan ethics.

“We want to provide a magazine that is accessible to people on campus,” said Fr. David Couturier, O.F.M., dean of School of Franciscan Studies at St. Bonaventure University (SBU). “The Franciscan imagination is an exciting world view and we want to reintroduce it to people.”

Students in classes can learn a lot about the alternative Franciscan world view just from reading the new magazine.

“The new magazine is designed for the mil-lennial generation in mind,” said Couturier. “Our goal is to reach out to those young adults who want to know what the Franciscan vision is all about and the relevance it has to their daily lives. We want to show the impact that it has.”

Past journals have targeted mostly religious

men, women and Franciscan scholars, while this magazine hopes to broaden its audience to educated readers interested in learning more about the Franciscan vision. With an upgrade in color and design, there has been an increase in Franciscan art throughout the pages. One long-time reader of The Cord commented that “the new format is exciting.”

To make the magazine more appealing to the millennial generation, the board has paired up with the English Department at SBU. The mas-ter’s-level students had the expertise to make the magazine new and insightful.

“St. Bonaventure can be proud of the educa-tion we are giving,” said Couturier. “We want to broaden the inclusion of students from other departments and majors. Anyone who wants to help and learn the art of publishing is encour-aged to sign up.”

Those interested in subscribing or contribut-ing to the magazine, contact Fr. David at [email protected].

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