Things to do: August 2009 Archives

I talk a lot about the programs offered by the York County Heritage Trust, like this weekend's Book Blast and the recently held "preserving your memories" class.

More recently, the trust issued a release about a new exhibit produced this summer by their Junior Curators, called "From Artists to Athletes: A History of Entertainment in York County."

The exhibit marks the second time the trust has had the Junior Curators put something together; last year's was about the history of the York Fair and was super-well-received.

This year's opens with a free reception, complete with light refreshments and music by the Little Ivory Blues Band, from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Historical Society Museum. If you can't make that event, don't worry; the exhibit is open until Oct. 30.

According to the trust: "The Junior Curator Program enables those high school juniors and seniors as well as recent high school graduates with an interest in the museum profession to gain an insider's perspective to the museum field. Meeting two days a week from June to August, teens gained practical experience working with artifacts, creating exhibits, and participating in various other projects they may encounter within the museum profession."

If you head to the museum to check this out, why not take a look for the letterbox that's hidden there?

Oh, and keep an eye out for something that might or might not still be on display - a small "digital exhibit" of Revolutionary War documents called "The Pen is Mightier..." (You can also find a version of it here.) Yours truly made that, way back in 2002 or so! If you happen to see it, let me know. I haven't had a chance to go through the museum in the last couple of years, so I'm not sure if it's still around.

Today was the kickoff to the York County Heritage Trust's Book Blast at the Agricultural and Industrial Museum at 217 W. Princess St. in York. This Saturday is also a sale at the "Book Nook" in Red Lion.

Now, I love books. A lot. Some would say WAY TOO MUCH. But I'm always interested in getting more, whether it's from the library or from a good used book sale or a bookstore (preferably used.) One of Hubby's and my favorite pastimes is heading to the York Emporium in downtown York, and we have a vague dream of owning our own bookshop someday.

Well, at the encouraging of my friend and fellow blogger Pat, we ended up doing a story in the Weekly Record this week about book sales, coinciding with the events of this weekend.

Here's the story we ran about just a few of the book sales around town. There are certainly plenty of other coming events in the local book scene, not the least of which is Sci-Fi Saturday starting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the aforementioned Emporium.

If you want details on some of the local sales, including the Heritage Trust and Red Lion events this weekend, go here.

If you want details on Sci-Fi Saturday, go here.

And if you know of another good book sale or bookstore, comment!

We've been spending a good bit of our summer bowling. It's a sport I've liked since high school (I even bowled in leagues way back then), and that my daughter likes pretty well, too.

Hubby is... well, he tries. He's a really good sport. (Sorry, Hubby!)

So when I heard about the Kids Bowl Free program, I thought it might be worth checking out. With no catch whatsoever, your child (18 and younger) can bowl two games every single day at no charge. (You do still need to pay for shoe rental, though.)

We also sprung for an upgrade (cost: $23.95) that allows up to four adults to bowl two games each per day, also at no charge. Since I have my own bowling shoes, Sarah and I can bowl two games together for a grand total of about $3 for her shoes. Not bad at all.

In York County, four alleys are participating: Colony Park Lanes North, Colony Park East, and Suburban Bowlerama in York, and the Hanover Bowling Centre in Hanover.

If you still want to sign up, you can do so at KidsBowlFree.com. If you do - let me know. I'd be interested in doing a bowling meet-up with any of my readers with kids, definitely!

The "adults package" we bought gave us a chance for something else: To let my mom experiment with bowling for the first time in decades! That might sound weird, but she broke her rotator cuff back in the winter of 1993, and she still has limited motion in her right arm - and she's right-handed. She used to love to bowl, but she knew she'd have to do it left-handed. So we convinced her to come along, and she did great. (Well, except for trying to pick up the ball with her right hand a few times!)

Here she is:

Now, here's today's POP QUIZ. If you know where this picture was taken and have been there in the last week, you'll be able to answer. What has dramatically changed since this picture was taken?

Answer to come...

You have probably noticed that I've been going heavy on "things to do" around town in my recent blog posts. This is in an ongoing attempt on my part to be more well-rounded and talk about more than just food and phrases, which are still my passions.

But it's also an attempt to encourage Yorkers to get out and EXPERIENCE the community rather than just reading about it, which is really what I hope news organizations are all about.

In keeping with that, about the most "Only in York County" experience I can think of in the summer is attending a Revs game. And I've gotten several news releases lately about fundraiser efforts; in essence, if you order tickets online through yorkrevolution.com, and put in a certain fundraiser code (click on "fundraiser code access"), the organization bearing that code will get a portion of the ticket proceeds.

Here are a couple that I know of; feel free to comment with more if you know of them.

To benefit the York County Library System, buy tickets for the 7 p.m. Aug. 17 game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs; use code lib09.

To benefit Hopewell Presbyterian Church in East Hopewell Township, buy tickets for the 7 p.m. Sept. 5 game against the Bridgeport Bluefish; use code hopewell09.

There is a large list of fundraising partners here on the Revs' site, but you have to click each one to find out what the game date is, and some have already passed, so I'd like to list them out by game if you know of them.

(For my part, tomorrow night, I'm going to be a traitor and go with my family and see the Harrisburg Senators play. Don't hit me!)

Remember how I said I'd love to publish news of all the carnivals and fairs hitting the area in the coming weeks?

Well, this one comes from writer Lori Badders, who covers the Red Lion Area for us:

The 33rd annual Red Lion Street Fair will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Red Lion.

More than 100 vendors are featured along with free entertainment and activities for the family. An official CASI-sanctioned Chili Cook-Off will be held in the center square parking lot.

For details and to enter the cook-off, contact the Red Lion Area Business Association at 244-0886 or info@rlaba.com.

The picture above is from last year's fair, and shows Grant Hensley, then 7 months old, of Red Lion, trying to fit a balloon in his mouth. Even MY mouth isn't that big!

Coming very soon - as in this Tuesday, Aug. 4 - is the annual National Night Out celebration.

The nationwide event is billed as a chance to get neighbors together while fighting crime and drug use. In the picture at right, Brittany Lowman, then 10, has her face painted during Wrightsville's first National Night Out event last August. About 100 people attended that event.

Among the participating York County towns that I know of for this year:

The neighborhood association of Olde Towne East in York, from 5 to 8 p.m., is joining with Asbury Church, Probation Dept, and YWCA to hold a "Give Crime and Drugs a Going-Away Party" at Renaissance Park on East Princess and Prospect streets. Meet McGruff and representatives of York City police and fire departments and Butler Ambulance. There will be free food, games, prizes, face-painting and music. Those attending are asked to bring a non-perishable food item.

Dallastown and the York Area Regional Police Department are holding their National Night Out starting at 6 p.m. at Dallastown Community Park. THere will be police and fire company demonstrations, live entertainment, bike rodeos for kids, face-painting and a Bounce House, plus food and drinks available for purchase.

West York's Night Out will be 6 p.m. Tuesday at Shelly Park on Highland Avenue. That event is sponsored by West York Block Watch.

I'm sure there are more National Night Out events locally, so I wanted to post this early. That way, if you've heard of one, maybe you'll let me know so I can get the word out?

Thanks - and have fun!