Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The Bradford City Water Authority along with Zippo President and CEO Greg Booth will be honored by the YMCA of the Twin Tiers with the organization’s George G. Blaisdell Community Service Award. The awards presentation will be during the annual breakfast on May 5 at Pitt-Bradford. Also, the 2015 Ray C. Uhler Outstanding Youth Award recipients have been named. They are Sarah Potter from Bradford Area High School, Lauren Kerr, Otto-Eldred; Dillon Mattis, Kane; Keenan Kost, Smethport; and Jefferson Stehle, Port Allegany. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A St. Bonaventure alum took home the top prize at Monday’s Blaisdell Pro Am Invitational at the Pennhills Club in Bradford. Chris Stoddard was awarded the $6,000 cash prize and trophy by Zippo owner and Chairman of the Board George B. Duke at the banquet following the tournament. Stoddard’s team, composed of amateur golfers Mike Tarbox, Scott Tanabe, and Paul Kessel, each took home a $400 cash prize for their winning team score of 115. The Blaisdell Pro Am, sponsored by Zippo, drew 26 PGA pros from the Western New York Professional Golf Association, along with 78 amateurs, competing for the $20,000 in prize money available. “The day was perfect and the Pennhills course is outstanding,” said WNY PGA Executive Director Joe Bertino. “Our pros were really excited to get out here, and all the teams played exceptionally well.” The Blaisdell Pro Am was held to honor Zippo founder George G. Blaisdell, who loved the game of golf and the club he helped found, the Pennhills Club...

Bradford City Clerk John Peterson is retiring after 42 years of service to the city. He was a firefighter before taking the job as city clerk 14 years ago. A date hasn’t been set yet for his retirement, but it will be sometime after the city hires a city manager to take his place. He explained that the hiring of a city manager does not mean the form of city government is changing, but that council can create the position of city manager that will do basically what the city clerk does now. During last night’s meeting, city council OK’d a resolution to advertise for the position. Peterson said a job description will be posted on the city’s website soon. Peterson said the event he remembers most in the past 42 years is the Dresser Home fire in the mid-1980s. He said the fire department got calls for media outlets all over the country including states as far away as California, Texas and Florida. He said the first they the reporters asked was how many fatalities there were. “When ...

Zippo, a brand long known for wearing its patriotism on its sleeve, was today named one of the top ‘Americana’ brands. Maker of the world famous windproof pocket lighter, Zippo has been an American icon since WWII when the company ceased production of lighters for consumer markets and dedicated all manufacturing to the U.S. military. Over the years, Zippo has produced countless lighters with the Americana theme and they are always strong sellers. In fact, the single most popular image reproduced on the windproof lighter is the Statue of Liberty. The patriotic history of Zippo Manufacturing Company is the story of its people, from the founder, George G. Blaisdell, to the many Zippo employees, customers, and collectors who have played a part in its 80-year history. Everyone has a Zippo story. It's an attitude, a lifestyle -- it's an American icon, like a July 4th backyard barbeque,” said Greg Booth, President and Chief Executive Officer, Zippo Manufacturing Company. “We’re h...

Zippo owner and Chairman of the Board George Duke places the 500 millionth lighter in its permament spot in the Zippo/Case Museum. He said his grandfather, founder George G. Blaisdell, would not have believed the company would reach this milestone. Listen here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Each and every Zippo employee got a chance to touch the 500 millionth lighter, which was manufactured today -- the birthday of founder George G. Blaisdell. Barb Reid hands part of the "insides" of the lighter to CEO Greg Booth. On September 21 Reid will celebrate her 47th year with the company. The rest of the "insides" were presented by A.J. Comilla, who has been with Zippo since 1989 but has had perfect attendance since 1994 WESB photos and video The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By Stephanie Timblin Senior Communications Specialist Upper Allegheny Health System Zippo has been heating things up for 80 years. Now they’re doing it large-scale, with a $750,000 donation to Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) to modernize the hospital's boiler plant. "We are extremely grateful to George Duke and Zippo for this very significant gift to our community hospital," said Timothy J. Finan, president and CEO of Bradford Regional Medical Center and its parent company, Upper Allegheny Health System. "Zippo and members of the Blaisdell family have a long history of tremendous generosity to BRMC and the community. Their notable giving over the decades has made so many things possible at BRMC,” Finan said. “Zippo’s faith and confidence in the hospital means so much to all of us. It is both motivational and inspirational in terms of our desire to work even harder to provide our community with high quality and personalized health care." George Duke, Zip...

CARE for Children and Pat Ryan received the 2012 George G. Blaisdell YMCA Community Service Award this morning. Ryan (right) is director of operations at Futures Rehabilitation Center and heads McKean County’s Special Olympics program. CARE Executive Director Tina Martin and Board President Mick Marshall accepted the award for the agency, which is in the second phase of its fundraising drive to build a new facility on East Main Street. CARE for Children photo

Zippo is hoping to produce its 500 millionth light on June 5 – the birthday of Zippo founder George Blaisdell. Company president and CEO Greg Booth says, "We are looking forward to making the sparks fly as we celebrate this accomplishment with our employees and Zippo enthusiasts around the world." To celebrate the milestone, Zippo will produce roughly 60,000 replica lighters that day, each with a commemorative stamp. The actual 500 Millionth Zippo lighter will be a classic brushed chrome with two-tone engraving, a distinctive bottom stamp, a time stamp on the front and an individual serial number of “1”. It will be placed on permanent display in the Zippo/Case Museum. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

For a veteran, every day is Veterans Day. But when Nov. 11 comes around at the Eldred World War II Museum in Eldred, Pa., it’s a day for everyone to commemorate. The museum, located at 201 Main St., in Eldred, about 80 miles south of Buffalo, N.Y., is offering free admission for Veterans Day for anyone who wants to tour the museum and remember the war between the Allied and Axis powers. Director Steve Appleby said that World War II veterans will be on hand to discuss their experiences in the war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The Eldred WWII Museum is rich in memorabilia from Eldred World War II. The museum, which opened on Memorial Day 1996, is dedicated to the memory of the U.S. fighting forces and the 40 million people on the home front who provided the troops with the war materials they needed. The fact that this museum is located in Eldred is not a coincidence – Eldred was the site of a British and American munitions plat that produced eight million bombs, mortar shells and fuses....

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will name its new residence hall in honor of Bradford philanthropist Sarah B. Dorn, co-owner of Zippo Manufacturing Co. The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees approved the naming of Sarah B. Dorn House at its annual meeting Friday in Pittsburgh. Dorn House will become home to 103 students this fall. Pitt-Bradford broke ground for the $5.42 million residence hall, which is located near Fisher Hall, in November. “Sarah Dorn is a longstanding and very generous supporter of our campus, and the naming of this new residence hall in her honor is a reflection of our profound and sincere gratitude to her,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, president. “Sarah Dorn will forever be remembered as one of the pillars upon which this beautiful campus stands.” Dorn, who is the daughter of Zippo founder George G. Blaisdell and held various positions in the company, has been an honorary member of the Pitt-Bradfor...