Bill and Mary worked together with the Centre County Historical Society to establish and coordinate Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy Day at Poe Valley State Park.
This requires a great deal of dedication and enthusiasm, and the event would not be possible without their wealth of knowledge and immense passion to preserve the legacy of the CCC.
Bill himself is the son of a CCC foreman, whose father worked as Foreman at Poe Valley State Park during the dam construction; and served at Parker Dam State Park as well.
He noticed that most CCC veterans tended to keep to themselves and not talk about their CCC days, even with close family members.
In 1983, in an effort to bring these individuals together, Bill and Mary organized the first CCC Legacy Day.
Their efforts include fundraising, advertising, logistical planning, preserving CCC artifacts, and presenting a first-class historical program.
Legacy Day is a day-long event that includes tours of the CCC-built facilities, demonstrations, and historical talks.
The event also has become a gathering for descendants of veterans and a source of information and entertainment for people with an interest in CCC history.
Bill takes on the role of presenter, historian, and caretaker of CCC artifacts. He focuses on interactions between the CCC camps and local communities, presenting information to encourage audience participation.
Mary takes on much of the heavy lifting with fundraising, setting up meetings, and organizing.
Their cooperation as a team has helped CCC Legacy Day become the success it is. Poe Valley State Park, once home to CCC Company 1333, is a fitting host and partner.
Bill and Mary’s connection to the CCC and Pennsylvania state parks is deep, and they have worked hard to succeed in ensuring that legacy is not forgotten.
Know of a good natured Pennsylvanian who is passionate about outdoor recreation and/or conservation that we should feature? Contact us at ra-resource@pa.gov to nominate someone.
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Resource Link:
PA Conservation Heritage Project: Civilian Conservation Corps(Reprinted from the May 27 DCNR Resource newsletter. Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)
[Posted: May 28, 2020] PA Environment Digest
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