Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Mashmellow Overcoat will be performing tonight (Friday) at The Corner Bar & Restaurant in Bradford. Mick Marshall's band Marshall Law has been added to the lineup for the Kids & Cancer Benefit Block Party Saturday on Mechanic Street. Their special guests will be members of Smokin' Section from Pittsburgh. Also at the block party, Jim Ronan will be joining the No Name Trio. The No Name Trio is performing from 3 to 7 p.m.; Marshall Law from 7 to 11 p.m. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Vapor will be performing at The Downbeat for its grand re-opening.

Jaden and Tayga Griffin, with help from their grandfather Greg Booth, cut the ribbon on the Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center this afternoon. Looking on are CARE Executive Director Tina Martin, Zippo owner George Duke, Aaron Griffin, Cherie Booth and CARE board president Mick Marshall. Duke donated $1 million to CARE, which expedited the building project, which had been in the works for several years. Booth is president and CEO of Zippo and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery. It was Duke's idea to name the building in honor of Booth's daughter, who died in a car accident in 2008. In his remarks today, Booth said although his daughter was physically at the dedication, she was there in spirit. You can see more pictures of today's dedication on WESB's Facebook page . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Michael McLanahan, a senior at Bradford Area High School, served as the keynote speaker for the annual meeting of the CARE for Children Board of Directors held Thursday evening at the Bradford Club. The CARE for Children Board of Directors honored Zippo Manufacturing Company with the organization’s Community CARE Award and Mr. Howard Fesenmyer, Dr. Richard E. McDowell and Mr. Pete Buchheit with the CARE Volunteer Award. Mick Marshall, President of the CARE Board of Directors, presented Mr. Greg Booth, Zippo President and CEO, with the company’s award. “The board chose to honor Zippo Manufacturing Company for their long history of investing in CARE for Children, which we accept as a seal of approval,” said Marshall. “Whether it be the overall tournament sponsor for the CARE ‘fore’ Children Golf Tournament, the in-kind donations of product, the employee participation at special events and through memorial giving, or their support of the United Way, which benefits CARE.” Marshall wen...

As construction continues on the Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center, American Refining Group, Inc. has contributed $25,000 to the building fund, and a matching grant of $25,000 was awarded by the Harry R. Halloran, Jr. Fund (a donor advised fund at The Philadelphia Foundation Special Assets Fund). Mr. Halloran (second from right), Chairman of the Board and ARG Chief Executive Officer, along with President and Chief Operating Officer, Jeannine Schoenecker (left), took a tour of the new facility Friday with CARE for Children Executive Director, Tina Martin (second from left), and Board President, Mick Marshall (right). “We are so appreciative of the generosity of Mr. Halloran and American Refining Group,” said Marshall. “They continue to make an impact in our community, and we’re proud to have their continued support as we move forward during this historic time for CARE.” The organization is currently at 71% of the $2.1 million campaign goal. Construction of the facilit...

CARE for Children reached another milestone in the construction of the Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center Monday, as the organization held the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility. The Center, which will be close to 10,000 square feet, will meet the existing needs of CARE, but will also allow for continued growth, ensuring the organization will be the premier provider of services for children in McKean County. After committing a $1 million lead gift, Mr. George Duke, Owner and Chairman of Zippo Manufacturing Company, determined that the project be named for Ashley Booth Griffin, daughter of Zippo President and CEO Greg Booth and his wife, Cherie, who passed away in 2008. “It was like divine inspiration,” said Mr. Duke of the idea to honor Ashley and her family. “This building will add credibility to the works of CARE, bring focus to the organization, and help it remain self-sustaining over the long-term.” “We have prayed ever since Ashley’s passing that our daughter’s d...

Ground broken for Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center Zippo owner and president of the board George Duke talks about why he decided to donate $1 million to CARE for Children for their new building, and how he decided it should be named the Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center. Zippo president and CEO Greg Booth talks about his daughter Ashley, who died in a car accident nearly four years ago, and shows off an artists' rendering of the new buildng. He gives his granddaughter Jaden Griffin some tips on groundbreaking while CARE's Mandi Wilton Davis helps Tayga Griffin with her hard hat. Pictured after the groundbreaking, CARE board president Mick Marshall, CARE executive director Tina Martin, George Duke, Ashley's husband Aaron Griffin, Tayga Griffin, Jaden Griffin, Cherie Booth, Greg Booth. Bob Cummins Construction will be building the new center and expects to have it finished in about a year. You can listen to the groundbreaking ceremony here . WESB phot...

Jaden and Tayga Griffin, daughters of Ashley and Aaron Griffin, break ground this morning for the Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center on East Main Street. They're getting a little help from their grandfather Greg Booth (Ashley's father) as CARE board president Mick Marshall looks on. Booth is president and CEO of Zippo, and company owner George Duke donated $1 million toward the new center. We'll have more on this story later this afternoon. WESB photo The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

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

Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center to be established When Ashley Booth Griffin died in a tragic car accident nearly four years ago, out of the grief, shock, and utter devastation that followed came the hope that she would not be forgotten. Her parents, Greg and Cherie Booth, wanted to keep her memory alive for her two young daughters and all whose lives she had touched. George Duke, owner and chairman of Zippo Manufacturing Company, has secured that dream with a $1 million donation to CARE for Children to establish the Ashley Booth Griffin CARE for Children Center. “The generosity of Zippo, George Duke and the Blaisdell family is astounding. This donation is not just an investment in CARE for Children’s building project, but will ensure that CARE can continue to positively impact and change local children’s lives,” said Mick Marshall, president CARE for Children board of directors. Since 1924 - first as the McKean County Society for Crippled Children, later as McKean County...

There are still tickets available for CARE’s 3rd annual Rock & Win event, coming up on Saturday, April 28th - but they are going fast! If you’re not able to make it the night of the event, you DO NOT need to be present to win any of the cash prizes - but, there will be great food, great entertainment and great auction items for those who do attend! The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Senior Judge John H. Yoder was the keynote speaker for the annual meeting of the CARE for Children Board of Directors held Thursday evening at the Bradford Club. The CARE for Children Board of Directors honored the Bradford Area School District Student Service League and Kinzua Outdoors, Thomas Means Director, with the organization’s Community CARE Award and Kirk Stauffer, PGA Professional with the CARE Volunteer Award. Mandi Wilton-Davis, Development and Marketing Coordinator at CARE, presented the Student Service League represented by Tim Bean, School Board President, and Sandy Romanowski, Superintendent of Schools with the award. “The board chose to honor the Bradford Area School District not just because of the philanthropic efforts of the Student Service League, but the everyday efforts of Bradford’s teachers, administrators, and support staff, in partnership with our therapists, who help children with disabilities and delays, realize their potential,” said Davis. Tina M. Martin, ...

Local agency CARE for Children is one step closer to its dream of opening a therapy, health and early learning center for children of all abilities by purchasing a property in Bradford. The site, located at 723 East Main Street (which formerly housed Sundahl Insurance Company), is one block south of the agency’s current location on Russell Boulevard. "CARE for Children has had many homes over its 86-year history and the board determined that the time has come to have a community center for children that will address the diverse needs of the local pediatric population,” said Mick Marshall, President, CARE for Children Board of Directors. The non-profit organization has provided pediatric services in McKean County since 1924 and in the last fiscal year provided school and home based therapy services to over 200 clients; preschool for 44 students; specialized orthopedic and wheelchair clinics for 165 children; safety and injury prevention programs for 1463 children; and disability aw...

Mick Marshall, President CARE for Children Board of Directors, announced that Mandi Wilton Davis, current Assistant Director of the United Way of the Bradford Area (UWBA), has been named Development and Marketing Coordinator for CARE. “CARE has experienced phenomenal growth in the services it provides over the last several years and we are pleased that someone with Mandi’s experience, knowledge of the community, and commitment to our mission has come on board to help us continue to progress, raise the visibility of the agency and help us ensure financial stability,” said Marshall “Mandi will be a great addition to the CARE staff. Having worked on the United Way Board and the CARE Board, I know how closely the two organizations work together to make a difference in the lives of children in our community; and we recognize her active role and enthusiasm in those efforts,” added Marshall. CARE for Children is a non-profit organization in McKean County, PA that provides professional servic...