gettysburgregion, Author at The Gettysburg Region

Founders Tour Day #1 Monday

June 5, 2017 by gettysburgregion

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Some notes from your Webmaster:

Today was the first official day of the Founders Tour and already I’m exhausted! But in a good way.

I should start off by saying that I’m a bit of a gypsy this week as I didn’t bring a car. Instead, I’m hitching rides with whomever has an empty seat. This morning I was extremely fortunate to get a lift from Monday’s tour planner Jerry Black who’s driving a very comfortable 1948 Plymouth. This proved very convenient as Jerry already had the route memorized, so I didn’t need to navigate, leaving me free to gawk out the window at the beautiful scenery.

Our first stop was at Laurel Lake, part of Pine Grove Furnace State Park for a coffee stop. Along the way I marveled at the forests full of mountain laurel in peak bloom. It was a leisurely drive on winding roads through the mountains.

From there, we headed to Meadowbrooke Gourds. I had see their beautifully crafted gourds in stores around Gettysburg before, but I certainly gained a new appreciation for their products after going on a tour of the factory. Each little gourd is a work of art, painstakingly crafted by hand by dedicated and highly skilled employees who truly seem to love their jobs.

After that, we were off to lunch at the Penn Township Fire Hall for some Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie. A round of applause should be given to the ladies in the kitchen who worked so hard to feed us all. The food was delicious!

By this time the rain clouds had rolled in, but it never got worse than a steady drizzle for a few hours, and it certainly didn’t seem to deter anyone from getting ice cream when we arrived at our final stop: the U.S. Army Heritage Education Center. It’s a wonderful museum currently with indoor exhibits on the end of WWI, the Soldier Experience throughout history, the War on Terror. It also has multiple outdoor exhibits stretched out over a mile long walking trail. Yes, a few souls braved the rain and walked the entire trail (I only made it about half way).

It was a long day, but lots of fun, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store tomorrow!

FOUNDERS TOUR: SUNDAY

June 4, 2017 by gettysburgregion

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What a great way to kick off the 2017 Founders Tour!

Registration started around 10 a.m. and the table stayed busy as tour members from 22 states and even Canada lined up to get their information packets and goody bags full of cool giveaways.

The hospitality room was also a hot spot of activity. Tables were full of all kinds of delicious things to eat. Lined up along the main wall were fantastic items for the Chinese Auction which will continue until the final drawing on Friday. Also in the room can be found Gettysburg Region merchandise to show off your pride, as well as fun games to play in the evenings. Many thanks are due to Bob & Martha Channell for taking charge of set-up and to everyone who helped out with organizing the room and bringing snacks (Pat Shaffer, Annette Yost, Dottie Schultz, John Wolf, Bill Seely… apologies to anyone I forgot)!

Also worthy of note in the Hospitality Room: We have artwork for sale. The beautiful picture on the cover of our tour books is all thanks to Donna Mitchell. She’s a professional artist who works in pastels and she very graciously created this masterpiece just for us. Want your own copy to grace your home? High quality, limited edition prints are available for sale at only $150 each. Check out her other work at www.DonnaMitchellPastels.com

Later in the day, tour members were given directions for several Early Bird tours. Your Webmaster decided to go to New Oxford to see the Train Station Museum. Run by the Conewago Valley Rail Club, it’s a lovely little treasure right on Lincoln Way. Just look for the bright red caboose! My father and I got an insightful tour by the Gettysburg Region’s very own Fred Gable. Fred’s knowledge of railroads and locomotives is nothing short of amazing. And to top it all off, the experience was very interactive: we got to ring bells, play with the dinner chimes, and then Fred demonstrated how the station signals and whistles worked. Not to mention that they even fired up the model train board. It’s a wonderful place to go if you have kids, or if you qualify as a big kid, which I guess I do.

The day concluded back at the Wyndham which Chris King organized. She and Martha Channell also designed the clever table toppers of Civil War caps, flags, belt buckles, and canon balls. The banquet hall was packed full, and apart from the scrumptious sandwiches and wings, attendees were treated to a special appearance by Ulysses S. and Julia Grant (thanks once again Bob & Martha!!).

Founders Tour: Registration Day!!

June 4, 2017 by gettysburgregion

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Well, it’s finally here:

The first day of the 2017 Founders Tour!

If you’re joining us, here’s a list of things to look forward to on your first day in Gettysburg —

Registration : After checking into your hotel room or settling in at the campground, be sure to stop by the Registration table at the Wyndham. You’ll receive your tour book, window cling, and goody bag full of cool stuff like brochures, maps, and coupons.
Hospitality Room : You’ll be able to pick up a T-shirt if your ordered one and grab some snacks.
Early Bird Tour : Check your tour book for directions and look in your goody bag for important coupons for shopping and museum admissions. Then, you can choose to visit 1, 2 or all of the following places:
- Gettysburg Outlets — Great for shopping and getting a bite to eat at the food court.
- New Oxford — A wonderful town for people who love antique shops.
- Lincoln Train Museum — Near downtown Gettysburg, this museum offers a unique look at American history. A coupon for admission is in your bag. Can’t make it on Sunday? Your coupon is good for 1 year!!

Welcome Banquet : Finish the day back at the Wyndham at 5:30 for a buffet dinner.

Local Car Show at Linvilla Orchards

April 19, 2017 by gettysburgregion

Antique Car Show & Flea Market

at Linvilla Orchards

Sunday, May 21, 2017

ABOUT THE EVENT:

For almost four decades, Linvilla Orchards has partnered with the Historical Car Club of Pennsylvania for their Annual Spring Meet. Skip back in time and stroll through our field filled with history and nostalgia for all. Car enthusiasts will enjoy more than 250 spectacularly restored and maintained antique, classic, muscle cars and more! Previous meets included a 1913 Ford Model T, 1938 Ford Woody Wagon, 1958 Chevy Impala and a 1962 Chevy Corvette! Awards will be presented for the best-maintained cars in a variety of classes, such as Best Brass & Best Restored Pre-1929 vehicle. For more information visit www.linvilla.com.

OTHER THINGS TO DO:

Fishing At Orchard Lake: Trout fishing begins late March, until the water gets too warm in May, when the action switches to Hybrid Striped Bass, Crappies, Bluegill and Catfish. Trout fishing resumes in the fall and continues through early November. No fishing licenses required! Hours of operation 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Garden Center: May is spring planting time and Linvilla will have a plethora of colorful flowers and plants.

Playland Playground: Wooden structures in the form of trucks, boats, tractors and trains allow children to have a fun and safe place to exert their energy while letting their imaginations run wild. Hours of operation 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Bakery: The Bakery is open year round offering freshly baked pies, breads, cakes, cookies, hors d’oeuvre trays, as well as our legendary cider donuts. Hours of operation 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Barnyard: Our Barnyard features white tailed deer, calves, goats, emus, peacocks, and our adorable pot-bellied pig. Our barnyard friends are out everyday and will enjoy your company.

DATE & TIME:

Sunday, May 21, 2017

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (rain or shine)

LOCATION:

Linvilla Orchards

137 West Knowlton Rd

Media, PA, 19063

Approved Bylaws

April 6, 2017 by gettysburgregion

Well, after months of hard work, the new bylaws of the GRAACA have finally been completed and were approved by our members on March 14, 2017. Many thanks should be given to our President Ron Green!

The bylaws contain important information about how our club is run including rules and guidelines for officers, elections, membership, dues, audits, and much more. We believe that such information should be available to all our members. Therefore, they may now be viewed by anyone interested by visiting our About page and clicking on the link to download a PDF of the document. Or, simply click here: GRAACA Bylaws.

AACA Annual Meeting 2017

March 9, 2017 by gettysburgregion

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Once again, the AACA held its Annual Meeting in Philadelphia at the Sheraton Hotel from February 9th – 11th. However, Gettysburg Region members got to experience one slight change, as we had our own booth at the trade show!

That’s right. The 2017 Founders Tour is creeping closer, and closer. So, to get the word out about what we all know is going to be a fabulous week, our Tour Chair and Co-chair, Howard King and Annette Yost showed up early on Thursday to set up. With our banner hanging high, visitors to the booth got to view a slideshow highlighting some of the tour’s events, ask questions, take a brochure on the tour or a flyer about the Latimore Valley show, or maybe just grab a piece of candy (always a good “hook”).

Also, thanks to Destination Gettysburg, we held a drawing for a signed print of the historic Gettysburg train station. It was a huge hit, and we would like to congratulate Linda MacFarland who got to take this beautiful work of art home.

By the time Saturday afternoon rolled around, so many people had stopped by the booth that every single brochure was gone! Lots of folks seemed extremely enthusiastic about all that we have planned, and some have already booked their hotel room. If you happen to be one of these eager beavers, please make sure you send in your request for registration information to the AACA National Headquarters as soon as possible. Some registration packets have already been sent out. We have 150 spaces to fill.

Ron’s Antique Radio Museum

February 8, 2017 by gettysburgregion

One of the stops on the 2016 GRAACA Fall Tour (October 13-14) was Ron’s Antique Radio Service Station. Whether you were able to attend or not, we highly recommend that you stop by and see all that Ron has to offer!

Located in Bedford County, PA, he has an extensive collection of antique radios dating from the 1920’s to the 1960’s on display as well as a 1950’s service station. There’s no charge! He even repairs old radios.

To learn more, visit http://ronsantiqueradioservicestation.com/.

Sundaes on Saturday 2017

February 3, 2017 by gettysburgregion

What better way to kick off the new year than with ice cream?!

On Saturday, January 21st, the GRAACA met at the Mt. Holly Springs Church of God. Pat Shaffer once again acted as our gracious hostess.

As usual, everyone got to enjoy much more than sundaes. There was a raffle, a wacky glove contest, and a trivia game where people had to guess how certain minerals are primarily used in cars (tricky!). In addition, thanks to our previous Historian Ken Myers, all were treated to a slideshow highlighting the club’s events during 2016.

Many thanks are due to everyone who came out and helped make this day a success whether it was with set-up, clean-up, planning, or through donations of raffle items, snacks, table-toppers, etc. We would also like to extend a special “thank you” to the Mt. Holly Springs Church of God for allowing us to use their amazing facilities.

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To see more photos, visit our Facebook page.

Fall Tour: Oct. 13-14, 2016

November 20, 2016 by gettysburgregion

The GRAACA Fall Tour 2016, hosted by Jim Yemzow and Pat Shaffer, took us from Mechanicsburg to Bedford, PA and was a great opportunity for even natives of the area to explore some uncover some wondrous gems!

The tour began bright and early at 8 a.m. on the 13th at the Rolls Royce Museum. Mike was a wonderful tour guide and informed us that the museum now houses all the records for tracking previous owners by the serial numbers of each car. For more information, you can visit their website: www.rollsroycefoundation.org. We also recommend checking out www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk.

The next stop for the day was the Train Museum in Everett, PA. We traveled on the Lincoln hwy Route 30 to get there. The town of Everett was previously known as Bloody Run. In 1852, the Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad was chartered and built to bring coal, timber and other commodities as well as passengers to Bloody Run. The caboose was refurbished about two years ago. You can read more about the history of the railway here: www.bloodyrunhistory.org.

Our third stop was at the Fort Bedford Museum (www.fortbedfordmuseum.org). In the photo you will notice a flag. It’s the one and only Fort Bedford flag from the French and Indian War, 1758. The museum also houses a Conestoga wagon, civil war cannon, 19th century women’s clothing, documents signed by the Penn family, a cooper disc shot out of the air by Annie Oakely, and a Bedford Springs ledger signed by President Buchannon.

The fourth stop, in the evening, was the Omni Hotel Bedford Springs Resort, a fabulous resort that seems to go on forever with 4 stories and multiple corridors. It is completely refurbished and refinished to the 1920’s style, from the woodwork to the furniture. Even the indoor pool has been restored to it’s original decor. Visitors can also enjoy photos located everywhere of previous guests that stayed there. In addition, some of us took note of the window pane glass in the lounge areas: ladies etched their initials and names by using their diamond rings! Our stay finished with a ghost tour. A few people said they could smell cigar in the men’s only smoking room (spooky!).

Day 2 was just as packed full of exciting stops and kicked off with a stop at Ron’s Antique Radio Museum. There were radios of all kinds, everywhere!

Next, we stopped at the American Legion for a quick stay which included a covered bridge. Other stops for the day included a visit to Bison Corral Store, Juniata Trading, the Coverlet Museum, and of course, the Flight 93 Museum.

The tour covered approximately 250 miles, and was well worth the trip! Many thanks are due to Jim and Pat, the Bedford Quality Inn where we stayed, and to everyone else at the various stops who helped make this possible.

This article was written with the help of Dan and Annette Yost. More photos can be found on our Facebook page.