2019 ‘Do 6’ Award recipients include three PA Wilds honorees

On May 23, 2019, PA Route 6 Alliance held its annual “Do 6” Awards banquet in Hawley, Pennsylvania.

Each year the awards are presented to individuals, organizations, businesses and corporations that exemplify the mission of the PA Route 6 Alliance to protect, preserve and enhance the scenic, cultural, historical and recreational resources of Pennsylvania’s northern tier. The awards ceremony takes place in a community located along Route 6 and often includes programming to highlight activities taking place there.

Scenic Route 6, which spans the width of northern Pennsylvania, runs through four counties of the Pennsylvania Wilds.

This year, three of the six “Do 6” awards were bestowed upon Pennsylvania Wilds recipients, including the Heritage Community of the Year, Heritage Partnership and Artisan of the Year Awards. The Heritage Partnership and the Artisan of the Year Awards will be presented to recipients later in 2019, according to the press release from PA Route 6 Alliance.

“The Kane Heritage Community’s growth in its industrial, retail, and outdoor recreation base has helped the town experience a renaissance as young families are moving in. New stores and restaurants have opened in the downtown including a craft brewery, winery, and gourmet restaurant. Many of the downtown businesses took part in the Joint PA Route 6 and PA Wilds Façade program in the last 2 years, creating a more welcoming main street (Fraley Street/Route 6),” the PA Route 6 press release noted. “As the Knox-Kane Rail Trail is coming to fruition, the Kane Borough had the foresight to purchase the former train depot and plans to make it a trailhead and visitor center. KAIDC (Kane Area Industrial Development Corporation) was able to purchase an 18-acre former industrial site and conduct the required environmental work to return the property to productive use. In 2018, there was the closing on the sale of the property to a manufacturer of heavy duty towing and recovery vehicles. That company is currently operating and has plans to expand with job creation.

Good Growing Gardens in Smethport, McKean County, will be presented with the Heritage Partnership Award, given to a group, person or organization that has demonstrated excellence in historic preservation, cultural preservation, interpretation, and/or education through cross-corridor thinking and interagency cooperation.

“Good Growing Gardens, owned by McKean County, exemplifies the enhancement of the rural community character and historic preservation with a program that promotes agriculture through farmer’s market, outdoor recreation with trails, public art and much more. This innovative community partnership transformed a 1884 barn and surrounding acreage into a place of conservation, education and rehabilitation,” explained PA Route 6 Alliance. “The gardens are maintained through an adult probation program, the grounds serve as a trailhead, and access to trout fishing in Marvin Creek is available. Produce, flowers and wooden items made on site are sold in the refurbished barn.”

Loren Nowak and Edie Seeman of Stained Glass Reflections, based out of Wellsboro in the Pine Creek Valley & PA Grand Canyon landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds, will be presented with the Artisan of the Year Award. Given to an artist or artisan group that exemplifies the goals of the PA Route 6 Artisan Trail program showing regional thinking and cooperation while promoting the arts along the corridor.

“Loren Nowak and Edie Seeman of Stained Glass Reflections are not only store owners in downtown Wellsboro but they are active in their community. Long-time members of the PA Route 6 Artisan Trail, they have supplied images and offered support to enhance the trail. They are a warm and caring couple that create beautifully crafted stained glass and provide instructional classes to aspiring artists in their medium,” PA Route 6 Alliance noted. “They also worked hard to make sure visitors to the area have a memorable stay by starting the First Friday program in Wellsboro. Through networking, Loren and Edie turned an idea into a giant monthly festival. Working with business owners and non-profits, they coordinated a festival that offers something for everyone. During each First Friday, Wellsboro is full of people who come to experience live entertainment, scavenger hunts, face painting, arts and crafts demonstrations and much more. First Friday has given a boost to the town’s retailers and residents.”

Other 2019 Do 6 Award recipients include:

Heritage Tourism Award: Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Music and Arts Festival Inc., Honesdale, PA

Heritage Leadership Award: Tina Pickett, PA Representative, 110th Legislative District, serving Sullivan County and parts of Bradford and Susquehanna Counties

Lifetime Achievement Award – Randy Heller, Solid Waste Director/ Recycling Coordinator, Honesdale, PA.