Heritage and Cultural Center Fdpc - Regular Meeting

Okay, go ahead. Hey, thank you folks. We are going to call to order. Thanks for being here this uh fine Wednesday afternoon. Uh so I did send out or we did hand out agendas for everybody. So the very first thing if we could stand for the pledge of allegiance please.

I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for one nation under God indivisible. Again, thank you all for being here and our last FDPC meeting for the year, which has been an absolutely phenomenal year only to be topped by what we have planned for next year. Only to be topped by that. Uh but it's been an absolutely phenomenal job. Thank you folks. And we'll get to that to the end uh on the thanks of everything. U uh the third thing on the agenda, which is very important, is to talk about uh some new FDPC appointments. And Abby, do you want to talk about those or how do you want to do it? everybody.

Um Jim Vinsky was appointed to the vacant seat vac vacated by uh Dan Coin earlier this year. Um so Jim was unable to be at the meeting today. He had a prior obligation serving at the light of life mission. Um so thank you to Jim. Um but he'll be a wonderful addition uh to the group and I'll let him introduce himself if you don't already know him at next month's meeting. So congratulations to Jim. Don Faulner was reappointed for another four-year term. As was Kevin Kennedy. Yes. Thank you all for your service to the FTPC and we look forward to having you for another four years.

Okay. It's going to be great. All right. Thank you folks. All right. Number four just going on the agenda and we're going a little bit quickly given that we do have a party to get to. Uh, as far as past and upcoming events, the November 20th Justin Zel Steel City improv. Uh, so this was a little bit different uh, presentation that we've had before, part experiential, part lecture about the history of improv comedy. Uh, given that I brought my daughter here and she was up there doing it, actually got to do improv comedy, she can actually say she did it. I got great benefit, but I want to see if there any other feedback from anybody else. Uh, the setup was perfect. Thanks for the volunteers. Any other feedback from it? I thought it was really fun. Yeah, it was What did Gracie think? What did Gracie

Oh, she thought it was cool. Yeah. Thought it's a barational. I thought it was. No. Well, that might be that made part of me. I did ask him to give I go got to kind of get a little the history of things a little bit too. Uh, so I think he's more used to doing the more of the experiential, but he did shoehorn in some of the some of the history of the whole thing. Fun to I enjoyed watching what they were doing. Yeah. Up there.

Hey, good feedback. good feedback. So, thank you. So, I appreciate that. If there's anything else anybody has on that, let me know because I know it was a little different than the norm and this was a little different venue than he's used to coming to. He enjoyed it tremendously, just so you know, he saw a lot of value uh in it, which I'll give you more detail later, but he really wants to come back again. So, we'll talk more about it. Winterfest, of which, uh the HCC played a big role in Winterfest. I'm not sure if you want to mention overall Winterfest because it looked like an absolutely phenomenal Winterfest. Yeah. Like just just seemed like unprecedented to

I think it was. Yes. Um Winterfest was awesome this year. So, thank you to all of you who stayed up here and um hosted the children's librarian. Um the feedback was I believe next year to not do a story time and to do some sort of like interactive activity. Um, so I think that that's a great idea. Um, so we'll plan that for next year. But Winterfest was wonderful. I think we had a record number of attendees this year based on the parking that I saw. Yes. Yeah. So yeah, it was definitely standing room only as far as the parking here. I mean, it was full. It was absolutely full. It was.

And and the person was absolutely fantastic here. She did say though because the heritage center here is so interesting, if you have kids of that age, it's hard to keep their attention sitting for that long. So, she would do something more like like some sort of activity based. She said it's a good problem to have me. Okay. Yes. Yeah. So, she was she was absolutely fantastic. But she said, "Yeah, it's just so interesting." But congrats on a great Winterfest. It was we loved it.

All right. I'm going to move on to Santa at the HCC. So again, we did the Friday, Saturday, Sunday, the three days. Uh I was here on Friday, went very well on Friday. I know you had more people on Saturday and Sunday even. So I'm not any any other feedback because obviously I was not here Saturday, Sunday.

One thing that uh Joe um was so happy to see. Two years ago, a mother came, her husband had uh gotten uh custody of her child, and this would be her first Christmas without side and she was just on the verge of tears full time and Joe talked with her and talked with the little boy and here they walked in this time and um the little boy is now big. I mean it's not that old shoot up

but um he talked to this woman and they were both laughing because she said that she because he talked to her she went home and filled out the paper she needed to fill out and she's southern now with Alagany and up in here. How nice is that? Yeah. Does a very nice job. Not only does And I will and I will say this year the setup here with especially the uh the train set. Yes.

It was magical in here. Like I just it was it's always good but this year another level as far as it goes five of the u the room and have the train set up next year. So just let me it was something it was something. All right. So again thanks for everybody that helped out on that because I know it was a lot. So thank you.

That be a little smelly at the end. Yeah. All right. I'm going to move on to number five on the agenda. Just any public comment on anything else people want to add to the agenda, just let me know. Or as we go along, if you want to know something, just let me know. You can always add something else to the agenda. The approval of the previous uh meeting minutes, I did take a look at those. Those were emailed out. Uh I don't have any changes to them. It was basically going through a lot that we've had planned to sprint through the end of the year. Any changes? If not, I'll ask for uh an approval of the meeting minutes from last time. I'll make a motion to approve last meeting minutes. Thank you, Don. Second.

Second, Kevin. Second. Thank you. Hey there, Jerry. I'm going to have a seat. Good to see you. He's here for his beard. All right. Just I'm going to keep us moving. Uh number seven for the gayla. Uh just on the recap of things, I know we talked a little bit about it last time. Uh but uh I know I continue to get good feedback from folks on the the sheer diversity of candidates that we had and I do get a number of things that people said we could do a little bit better but are more around logistics than the actual uh event itself more around the logistics of it. Something before I forget my

my daughter and my uh brother have said we need a QR code on their when they're checking is it checking people in. Yeah. Uh, I'm trying to think what they were they I remember, but it it has to do with checking everything. You're thinking a QR code that would then see the seating chart. Is that what you're thinking? Let me check my Okay. Yeah. Yeah. You forgot. You forgot. One more thing about next year's for months Detroit.

One more thing about next year's Gayla. Um, we will be putting the application or nomination uh online by January 1st. Nice. Um, so I'm working on some criteria for nominations there. Um, so you can go on our website and fill it out. Um, and then Excellent. This committee will select the shining star winners for next year. That sounds great. All right. And I we'll be talking more as we get into next year. All right. I'm going to move on to number eight, just reports and updates from committees. As far as marketing and communications, the Facebook stuff has been doing very well. Uh, so I'm not sure if there's anything else, Abby, you want to mention. Uh, from a social media marketing

to run the report. I was going to do it right before I got here and I What else you've been doing? I mean, yeah, million things going on. All I know is like it's been great. I mean, it's been it's been a phenomenal year. Really good post this this month and I can't remember what they are. The Blackford Postal, was it? Yes, that's what it was. Yeah. People love to talk about the Wexford post office, uh, Delhi in particular. Um, so I think that probably was our most popular one, um, this past month. That's been good. And do you want to talk about using the ACC as more of a meeting place, rental facility, and changing to the fee schedule for 2026?

So, the town um town council has approved the 2026 fee schedule. Um and that set sets the prices for a number of things um that the town charges for permits um uh mostly permits really uh fire permits, building permits, that sort of thing. There's also recreation permits which would be you know rental of the pavilion and then the heritage center falls under recreation permits as well. itself. Um, at our last meeting, we all discussed um, using this as more of a meeting facility and being a little bit more open to bringing in smaller groups, not just the the more reception style that the Long View Acres did. Um, so the change to the fee schedule is $40 for a guided group tour or an off-site outreach activity. So, like if we would gather up some items and then take them to a nursing home and do some sort of presentation offsite, that would cost $40. Uh 200 refundable deposit for rental of the center plus $75 an hour. That has been unchanged from last year. So, that would be for more um receptions, a little bit larger events. Um and then $30 an hour for small groups, less than 30 people u for a group meeting. So, um, Rob has asked for the Girl Scouts to come on January 10th. Is that the correct date?

Yes. January 10th. They're doing some first aid training. So, this would be an absolutely phenomenal facility for them in January especially. Yeah. And so, the $30 price point is a lot more. And on that, there's no never no like a $200 plus. Yeah. So, I'm working on um changing the um contract that we have. I only have a contract for the $200 um deposit, $75 an hour one, so I'll have to come up with a a different contract for that uh those new rates. Um and then I'll work with Rob to get that settled um for January.

I love it that it's going to get that use especially in January. So, that's fantastic. Yes. Anything else you want to mention there? We'll go on to No. Okay. From a budget standpoint, I'm not sure if there's anything new from a budget standpoint. I assume not. So, I assume that's not from next time last time we discussed it. All right. All right. As far as outreach, uh, NA Distinguished Alumni Dinner January 22nd, they have requested a a loan. Uh, so that one I think that's you, Abby. Is that correct?

Yeah. the past three or four years or so, they've requested some items that they put out on a display table. Um the NA distinguished alumni alumni dinner um honors one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, nine, 10 different alumni um from across the years for different categories, arts, business, education, government, medicine, so on and so forth. Um so in years past we've tried to pull this is the list of the honories that she gave me. Um, so we've tried to pull information and yearbooks related to the years that those folks have graduated. Um, so we make a presentation table. We put a little sign that says this these items have been loaned from the Heritage Center. And then they also give us a half page ad in their program. Um, so I've been working with Alice Becket Rumberger. She's the chair of the NA Distinguished Alumni Gayla. So I'll continue to work with her, but I need all of you to pull that together. the items for display. Um, and that event is on January 22nd. So,

when the display has to be Yes. taken to the or they um I'm I'll work that out with Alice. I don't know if they'll pick it up or if if we'll have someone go set it up for them. Um, but more details to come on that. I think it's at um Holy Trinity, the the Greek church across from Yeah, I think that's right.

Yep. You can pass that around if you'd like. All right. Good. If I move on to programming. Yep. All right. So, moving on to programming advertising for speaker series 2026. All right. Aby's done an absolutely fabulous job having right now a draft of the list of all the speakers for next year uh with a little date and a blurb for them. So, it's getting passed around right now. You folks have asked me multiple times for this. I know Suzanne particularly. So, I'm sorry that it's taken me this long, but I have Did I Did you give it back to me? I did give it back. Yeah. Yes. Oh, I think it's somewhere.

I lost it, but we'll find Oh, there it is. I'm sorry. I gave it to I gave it to D. I gave it to you. Take a look at it. Um, so that has all of the third Thursday lectures for 2026 with a little bullet point about the topic um and the speaker that's coming. Um, all of those will be on our civic rack registration website by January 31st. So yeah, that's f Hey, that's great. Because the first one doesn't happen until March. Oh, not till March. So, but I would like to have them all listed out there at one time since we already have them booked and then that way people can just click and register in advance. Far in advance. Yes,

that's great. I I did want to mention one special thing is we're having Brady Kryer to come talk uh the historian who's written a ton of books. He has a brand new book coming out in April. It happens to go live like that. you can buy the physical book the exact day he's talking here so we can officially say it's part of the book tour and so we'll have a book launch when he's actually speaking there

another book launch that will be happening close to uh the third Thursday lecture for the harmony trolley um Bill Fronzik he came a couple years ago he's writing a book about the harmony line um so it's coming out in I think April or May and then they're coming in June or July high, I believe. Um, so he'll be bringing copies of that new book uh to sell as well.

We're getting to be a popular stop for authors, which I love, like for local authors. I mean, that is fantastic. Uh, so it's all great. And then I did want to mention as well, I'll send this email out. Chris Bream, the economist who spoke here this summer, his book, Beyond Steel, is coming out February 3rd, and he's inviting everybody here to attend the book launch via Zoom if you want. So, he's got it via Zoom and in Bloomfield at a uh a bookstore called the White Whale Bookstore, but you have to sign up. It's very small. Uh so, it's zero dollars, but there's small spots, but anybody can join virtually. Uh again, another benefit of being at the Heritage Center is you have all these opportunities to be at those book launches, uh which is absolutely fantastic for the local for the local folks.

All right. Again, thank you for putting this together. I think it is I at least the first year that I know that we got them all for the entire year here in December. I mean that is a huge achievement for each individual um event as well with more detail about uh the topics and the feature too. And let me tell you it is looking like a great lineup for next year. That is an absolutely great lineup for next year. Looking forward to it. All right. Thank you. All right. As far as additional programs, now these are probably ones that you want to go through, Abby, as far as the McCandless birthday party and such. Sure. Um, we had our, this kind of jumps ahead to McCandless 175 committee update, but we had our meeting last night.

Um, so these are the things that we've been working on. uh McCandless's birthday party on March 22nd and after our meeting last night um I think we had initially planned for the Heritage Center to host that birthday party but if we're gonna have more than 50 people um you know in March doing something outside is a little bit dicey. So, um, more details to come on that, whether that's hosted here or somewhere else, um, offsite, you know, like Loro or, um, somewhere else. Um, so stay tuned for more information on that. The appraisal fair with the Heind History Center, I told you all about that last last meeting. I'm so looking forward to that. 27th. Yeah, that's

that's going to be crazy fun. Fantastic. Um, the scanning party, Amy and I need to sit down and talk to each other about that. But that we've set the date for July 25th. Uh, the photography show September 2nd. The Veterans Breakfast, I forgot the word November. Um, but November 11th. And then the Shining Star Gayla with on a date to be determined. What a year. Holy mackerel. This is like no joke. It's going to be jam-packed. All right. Any questions about any of that programming? It's going to be a jam-packed year. Well, our u is that we put that out pretty early.

Yeah. So, yeah. So, people can get prepared by photos and stuff like that. My plan was to have what did we say? September 2nd. So, probably May or June put it out there uh for applications like application period and then we can um have a selection process. Um and then the photography show would open the second.

It would be macameless themed. Um I think we talked about doing different categories like buildings and people and parks, nature, that sort of thing. Um so that would be the overall theme and then historical a historical department category as well. Good. All right. I'm going to move on to the volunteers then. Not sure if Suzanne if there's any update you want to give for the volunteers other than us having a party. Uh but you said so thank you to all the volunteers. A lot of them, you know, we have fun and

it's been an abs again I will say it I've said it before I'll say it again. I think we got the best volunteers for us. So it's like without the volunteers we we're really nothing without them. Uh, so it's been just a phenomenal year with the volunteers. Can't thank enough everybody. Just doesn't work otherwise. It just doesn't work. I look forward to the party afterwards. Okay. As far as an operations, just some operations standpoint. The Hines History Center picking up carousel panels. I'm not sure if there's any update. I assume I meant to email her today. Um, I will try and follow up with her again. um excited

they are, but I think the exhibition that that is planning to go into takes place next year. So I think they were going to send it away for conservation and then um but yeah, I will email her and ask. All right. Then just to talk about just January the January reset. So we're not we won't be officially open in January. Uh and then again we're looking to reopen February 11th, weather permitting. making sure February can be very dicey. Uh but that is the plan for right now. Good. All right. And then anything else from the McCandless 175 committee that you want to mention?

Yes. Um all of you should have a flyer for the polar plunge that we're planning for February 7th. Um that will be here at Delin in the parking lot behind town hall. Is that really going to be a plunge tank? Yes. So, North Alig did this in March of this year. Um, it comes on, you know, it's like, you know, the back end of a tractor. Yeah. Yeah. So, they bring it in. It's going to be heavy as all get out. They fill it up. Um, and then obviously the water temperature is related to the air temperature. So, February, hope for a 50°ree day in February. Um,

so it's about four feet deep. Um, you jump in. belt. So, it'll be very quick. But, um, have you done this before? Is this okay? All right. Say, if I missed this, I don't know how I did before. I'll be there. I think I'm gonna go. All right. You can register on Yes, you register online. Um, so it's meant to be a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Um, so you pay $50 or you can raise $50 on your behalf

um to jump in and then if you raise $75 you get a Polar Plunge t plunge t-shirt um and then the reason we are doing this is under our Macandas 175 committee we've sort of have this idea of Macandas cares so doing things that give back to our community. Um, the Special Olympics has a unified botchi team at North Alageney High School and their unified teams bring together students who have um disabilities with students who do not and they play on the same team together. So, um, so some of the proceeds will benefit that program in particular. And North Alagini does this polar plunge. They did it in March of this year and they'll be doing it again probably in March or April of next year. Um, but that event is only open to North Alamine students and staff. Um, and this will be a public event.

Gotcha. So, great. All right. Um, yeah. I had a couple other things though.

Sure. Um, we renewed our HCAP membership this year, uh, for next year, I should say. And a reminder that our membership ensures that we can enjoy free admission to the Heines History Center family of museums, which include the Heines History Center, the Western PA Sports Museum, the Fort Pit Museum, and Meadowcraftoft Shelter and Historic Village. Um, we have access to the history center's extensive library and archives for regional research, genealogy, and reference m materials. We have access to membersonly events and exhibit previews. 10% discount in the museum shop and online store. A free subscription to the Western PA history magazine. A free subscription to making history newsletter. Free quarterly HCAP news e newsletter. Free or discounted admission to published programs and tours. invitation to workshops and programs designed to specifically aid your organization with all aspects of museum and library management and access to the IT history center's expert librarians, archists, cur curators, museum specialists, and fundraising personnel as a resource for your organization specific questions and needs. So, uh, this is a program that I think we probably greatly underutilize. Um, so with all of those wonderful benefits, I would like to make a more concerted effort to take them up on on those offers. So

I don't know if anybody is I was there this summer for the first time. Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. That is so Yeah, they have a brand new visitor center. It's beautiful there. So I highly recommend you take me up on the passes to go. Um, it's in Washington County, so it takes a little bit to get there, but it's definitely worth the trip. It is deep in the woods. Yeah. Very. Totally agree. Totally agree. Again, what a major advantage of being on the the involved in here that you have access to this stuff. It's just incredible.

Um, and my final thing is I have the wish list of furniture and office organization supplies that Suzanne gave me. Um, so I would like to purchase those before the end of the year this year. Um, and then in January we'll have DPW uh assemble and install so we can rearrange the office to make it a little bit more useful. January 14th we are the Wednesday. We're going to take everything down. January 14th. Yeah. Okay. That's a Wednesday. Okay. Do you need any help from any of us?

I think we're okay. Um, they I had mentioned that and they're worried about we won't be able to where nowhere to put things. Okay. Shelves. Well, we can add that to the wish list, too, because I I know that probably some big metal wire shelves down there would be helpful. Yeah, I might ask my mother a little. We have requests from use a shelf in there. People out on the shelves now. That would be helpful to have, you know, be able to put things. Are you going to be here on Friday?

Close the door. Yes. Why don't I come over on Friday and I have printed out what you had sent me? I just want your final approval for them before I place the order and then we'll do that on Friday. Okay. All right. I think that's it for anything else anybody wants to bring up. I'm gonna bring up one thing. I just want to thank Don Hart for giving uh this committee so much valuable help. Absolutely. 100%. I second, third, and fourth is absolutely phenomenal. Your support. Yeah, your support has been invaluable. Promise not be a stranger. I will promise.

This is probably one of the most functional committees in the If you if you go to other committee meetings, you will realize that nothing happens. This one everything like you guys think about it, it ends up happening. It's a wonderful group and I commend all you guys to continue the wonderful work. It just seems like it's uh most magical as far as the committees are concerned.

Thank you. Thank God. And I did want to uh go with that just to say I was friend of mine was asking me how this went this year and I said this group does two things. Number one, everybody's committed to doing things. Some groups are there just to be there. That is not the case for this one. They're always trying new things and want to shake things up. So this group's here to do things, which I very much appreciate. Have a bias for action. And number two is just everybody's a problem solver. Whatever problems that will inevitably come up, everybody works together to solve them as they come up. And I very much appreciate I said just how can you not like that? How can you not? It's a lot of work but boy do I I get way more out of it than I put into it. So I have all of you to thank for that. So thank you folks.

Yeah. Is there Yeah, please. Amy. Yes. An announcement. Sorry I was late but as of about 3:30 we have our occupancy permit. we will be closed. So, we've been waiting, waiting, waiting. So, we will be closed tomorrow so staff can move into our new space and we will open the doors, the new doors at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. Wow. No way. Oh, show opening grand opening day. There will be I think January 8th. Okay. Yes. Yes. and the invitations might go off tomorrow depending how much

we get done but wow um we've been waiting and had many many false starts and um God bless Mike Mlan he came out so many times for different inspections and yeah it's all right that is everybody emotional now that you at the library oh that had to be We have all the students come up after school. So, we had the last come tomorrow. We'll be closed. Wow. There was some little bit of hoot involved. All right.

Well, myself and my behalf of us, my family will be there using it. So, trust me, it will get used. So, well done. Well done. Thank you for the announcement. Thanks for helping out. I was I know. There was a reason I didn't initially volunteer for the campus. So, that's time on anyway. So, Sorry. Um, this will help. Yes, retirement will help. I know where to find Oh, we do. Yeah. You can't miss my my high school class. Guess who got to be the speaker? I said, "Yeah, because you know how loud I am."

Right. Anything else? Place will be opening Friday at 9. Oh, really? Okay. All right. sake that is wow you are doing the whole thing. All right hold waiting waiting waiting. That's great. All right. All right. Anything else anybody wants to discuss? All right. Do I have a motion for adjourn minutes? Motion to Kevin. Do I have a second? Oh, Suzanne seconds. All right. Thank you folks. We shall adjourn. Thank you. Let's call it a great 2020 class.