SEPTEMBER 3, 2009 ISSUE
5th Annual Elk Knob Headwaters Community Day September 12
A group of people enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides at last year’s Elk Knob Community Day. This year’s event takes place on Saturday, September 12, and horse-drawn wagon rides will be one of a multitude of activities. Photo submitted
“Possibly the world’s largest potluck” takes place at Elk Knob State Park on Saturday, September 12, rain or shine, according to its website.
“I think we’ve had about 500 people on average in the past [attend],” said Meghan Minton, community organizer, who added that admission to the event is a covered dish, which should be brought to the park at 11:00 a.m.
The 5th annual Elk Knob Headwaters Community Day is co-sponsored by the Elk Knob Community Heritage Organization (EKCHO) and Elk Knob State Park, and it is open to all residents and visitors.
”It’s just that community’s way of celebrating [that] they still have the culture of that area,” Minton said. “Elk Knob was going to be developed into a housing development.”
With the assistance of ASU’s Sustainable Development Community Outreach Coordinator Tommy Walsh, however, the Nature Conservancy was able to purchase a large track of land, which became the Elk Knob State Natural Area in 2003.
According to an EKCHO press release, local residents of the communities around the park, including Meat Camp, Pottertown and Sutherland, along with Patricia Beaver, director of ASU’s Center for Appalachian Studies, Larry Trivette, park superintendent, Andy Sicard, park ranger, Walsh and Chuck Smith, director of ASU’s Sustainable Development, planned a community-park-university collaboration to celebrate the new park’s opening.
The inaugural Elk Knob Headwaters Community Day was held in 2005 and has continued each year since. It also brought about the local nonprofit EKCHO, which strives to promote the natural and cultural heritage of the communities surrounding Elk Knob State Park. EKCHO received this year’s L.E. Tuckwiller Award for outstanding contributions to “Growing Healthy Communities” at the 54th annual Farm City Celebration in August.
This year’s Community Day is dedicated in memory of Council Main, who passed away last year and was influential in the Pottertown community, Minton said.
Lunch begins around noon, and the event typically runs until 4:00 p.m., she added.
Community Day activities and demonstrations include horse-drawn wagon rides, pottery, an apple cider press, applebutter, corn shuck dolls, spinning, quilting, a grist mill, woodcarving, oral traditions, old-time games and environmental programs.
“It’s a great opportunity for people to get out and meet people in the community,” Minton said. “Kids always have a good time, they have the old-time games [at Community Day].”
Musical performances include The Dollar Brothers at 11:00 a.m., Maggie Idol at 11:40 a.m., Susan Pepper at 12:15 p.m., the Forget-Me-Nots at 12:50 p.m., Lisa Baldwin and Dave Haney at 1:25 p.m., Lost Faculty at 2:35 p.m. and Woodgrain at 3:10 p.m.
Additionally, the Appalachian Rhythm Cloggers will perform at 2:00 p.m.
Those who attend will have the opportunity to purchase CDs, pottery and cakes and pies baked by women in the community, as well as raffled-off items, such as a basket from Mast General Store, a local jar of honey, a carved item, a baby quilt and a free perm.
“All the items being raffled off are from local businesses or are locally made in the community,” Minton said.
EKCHO obtained its official nonprofit status this year, so that enables the organization to sell items in the park, Minton said. “A percentage of sales goes back to the festival,” she added.
Francesco di Santis, a nationally known, self-taught portrait artist, will be visiting the communities surrounding Elk Knob State Park for two weeks, beginning Monday, September 7. He will capture the faces and stories of local residents for a one-of-a kind traveling art exhibit entitled “Voices for Appalachia.”
He will be onsite for Community Day, displaying the portraits and stories he completed the week before, creating new ones and setting up portrait appointments for the following week.
“We are extremely fortunate to have someone as talented as Francesco to help us continue our efforts to preserve our cultural heritage,” Minton said.
Di Santis’ previous portrait story project began after Hurricane Katrina and included more than 2,000 charcoal renderings, along with handwritten accounts by Hurricane Katrina survivors and volunteers.
“He doesn’t charge anything to do it,” Minton said. “He does it for nonprofits. A book could eventually be coauthored between him and a nonprofit.”
No alcoholic beverages or glass bottles are allowed on park premises.
Attendees are encouraged, however, to bring old photos, documents and stories to share.
For more information, call Elk Knob State Park at 828-297-7261 or click to http://ekcho.shutterfly.com.
For more information about di Santis’ portrait story project, click to www.voicesforappalachia.org.
Want To Go?
Date: Saturday, September 12
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Elk Knob State Park
Cost: covered dish
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