A Very Special Day

By Arlan Schwoyer

The 19^th Annual Fall Fiddle Festival was held Sunday, September 16, 2001. Gorgeous, clear 72° weather, brought out a record crowd of approximately 7000. Unfortunately on Tuesday, September 11th are lives were changed forever. A hostile country attacked the United States, destroying the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and significant damage to the Pentagon.

            Most activities throughout the United States were postponed or canceled. The Fiddle Festival went on as scheduled. The festival, throughout its 19^th years, has always been a very patriotic and festive event. It was the hope of the organizer that the event would help bond the country by showing our support for America. Over 2000 American flags were distributed, the volunteers and participants wore ribbons, bows, and assorted patriotic items. Truly the heart of American was on display and all that attended should feel proud of their contribution to our way of life!

            A special tribute was held, which consisted of; MC Randy Schlegel presented, event organizer, Arlan Schwoyer a proclamation dedicating the 19^th Fall Fiddle Festival to the victims of the tragedy of September 11^th. The crowd joined in the signing of “America the Beautiful,” and The Star Bangle Banner. James Kaiser led the audience in the singing of “The National Anthem”, followed by a moment of silence. Linsey Youse captivated the crowd with her rendition of “God Bless The USA.”

            This year’s festival featured 22 crafters. The Lyons Fire Company Truck Crew was in charge of parking, ½ of the revenues were donated to the New York Firefighters Fund. The Hope Church Ladies sold Hoagies and the men of the church sold 117 containers of ice cream. Entertainment was provided by; Fred Hines Gospel, Sunshine Pauline, Mitch and Hanna Miller, The Druckenmillers, Bluegrass Gentlemen, Tandem Harmonica Mike, Joe Meck, Butch, Al Shade, Jack Murrey, Dorothy Goda, and Ken Gehret. The scrumptious food, prepared by Donna Schwoyer and her staff, included; sausage soup, pork and turkey BBQ’s, vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, ham & string bean soup, chili, baked potatoes, hamburgers, and hot dogs.

            A beautiful quilt was made by Joan Shade with the earnings of the raffle going to help the medical expenses of Shelia (Shade) Gilliland.

            The results of the Fiddle Contest were: Age group 1 to18, 1^st Doug Meek, 2^nd Keelen Wenrich, 3^rd Elizabeth Clauser. Age group 19 to 65, 1^st Paul Riffon, 2^nd Ron McVay, 3^rd Brad Richards. Age group 66 and over, 1^st Norm Readinger, 2^nd Elvin Brobst. FiddleMania featured 22 fiddlers. A special award went to Glenn Fenstermaker. Glenn is active in many community activities and is responsible for this year’s fish rodeo.

Snow Emergency Routes, in Lyons?

        You bet! For many years the Borough council has tried to work out some kind of plan to help alleviate the problems associated with snow removal and street parking. After trying numerous approaches to solving the problems, council decided to enact a "Snow Emergency" ordinance. The "Snow Emergency" route signs have been installed on our two "Snow Emergency" roadways, Main and Hunter Streets.

        Most licensed drivers in the state are familiar with this program and council expects everyone to cooperate. It's for the safety of our community and for a more efficient removal of snow from the streets that council made this decision. Copies of the ordinance are available for your review by calling the Borough office at 610-682-4730.

The Holidays in Lyons

by Randy Schlegel

        It seems like only yesterday we were taking down the Christmas trees, wreaths, the holly and who knows all what else, carefully packing in tissue paper all those special ornaments which mean so much to us. Well, believe it or not, it is almost time to start thinking about climbing back into the attic or crawl space to begin rounding up those wonderful signs of the season.

        Holiday traditions and small towns go well together, especially if the town is Lyons and the Holiday is Christmas. For quite a number of years, Lyons has been starting the Christmas season with a celebration held in our park, "The Annual Tree Lighting." the community tree was strategically planted directly behind the Main Street entrance to the park, making it easily seen to those who travel through our town. As soon as you enter town on Main Street, coming from Kutztown, there it is, shining with a warm and Friendly glow letting you know. . . you're home.

        The tree contains five hundred bulbs to represent the approximate population of the town, and is always lit the Sunday after Thanksgiving and stays lit until January 6th. Traditionally January 6th is known as the 12th day of Christmas, and more so recognized on the Christian calendar as Epiphany. This year's Tree Lighting was held November 25.

        A program of Christmas songs, readings, and poetry were read featuring youngsters and adults alike. We also are proud of the part of the program where the bird treats, brought along from home, are placed on the tree to help the wildlife with their struggle for survival during the winter months.

        Another treat for the family was the special Christmas guests who stop in each year to greet everyone. The guests bring along pictures of themselves for the youngsters and teens to decorate in any fashion they choose. The artwork is dropped off at the post office and judged with the winners receiving a special gift from Santa when he comes to visit. The celebration then concludes with the traditional hot chocolate and home made cookies. Oh yeah, we also light the tree while everyone sings "Oh Christmas Tree".

A Hot Day in the Bowers Park

by Charley Deleva 

The 6^th Annual Bowers Chile Pepper Food Festival was held on Saturday September the 8^th in the beautiful Bowers Park in Bowers PA. This festival is the largest Hot Pepper Festival on the east coast. Thousands of people were draw to this event to taste and purchase unique and hard to find foods most, containing hot peppers in various forms. 

Many food vendors from many states participated in this terrific event. Local restaurant and specialty food venders were on hand to make the day a special event. Local venders include Old Cider Mill Herbs and Vinegars, Bowers Hotel, Thai International Foods, Graces, The Brass Lantern, Alexander’s, Esterly’s Sandwich Shop, Meadowview Farm, Bondocks Grill, Havana Joe, and The Fleetwood Pepper Company.

             The second annual Chile Cook Off was held an the winner was a local entry from Fleetwood, Steve Hughes and his riddlers quest Chile. But the highlight of the day was the 5^th Annual Jalapeno Eating contest. This contest is the only one of it’s kind. This was a special day for the contest, the two time champ Douglass Barnhart was returning to defend his title of Two Time Champ, for the third year in a row. Twenty contestants took this opportunity to unseat the champ. The object is to eat as many Jalapeno Peppers you can in 30 seconds. After all the peppers were eaten and the seeds swallowed, and even some of the stems eaten. Doug Barnhart emerged as the definite King of eating Jalapenos. Slim Kocas from Emmaus came within a bite of the title, to receive a close second.

             The Bowers Chile Pepper Festival like to thank the Topton and New Jerusalem Boy Scouts and their leaders for the terrific job they did keeping the park clean for our many visitors.

             Looking back at that weekend, there was a carefree feeling in the air, to be changed forever by the tragic series of events on September 11^th.  People gathering to celebrate various events without the threat of violence is something that I always took for granted in our great country. Once again I realize how lucky we are to be Americans and live in the greatest country in the world. 

I hope all of you will join me this season in making this a very wonderful holiday, and still keep a special place in my heart to remember and commemorate those brave victims who have lost their lives to the terror, which fell upon us.

www.lyonsborough.com 

If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the borough website, you don’t want to delay any longer. Every attempt is being made to keep this informational site current to help you know what is on the calendar for the upcoming months. Make it regular stop now and then to keep up to date with all the gossip, especially with the 75^th Anniversary Celebrations coming up next year. Check it out!

The Truth About The Indians of Berks County

by JP Bixler

                After the purchase of the land from the Indians that bordered the Delaware on the East and the Susquehanna River to the West and by the Blue Mountains to the North, now known partly as Berks County.  It’s recorded that an Indian named Linahonoa, who was a member of the Schuylkill Indians and most likely an inhabitant of Berks County, was not present at the sale of this land and did not give his approval of this sale until ten years had passed. It would be interesting to know if he received any of the items that the Indians received for the purchase.

                The earliest written records know of the Indians of Berks County is recorded by the Lieutenant-Governor of Pennsylvania, John Evans. Evans recorded on March 12, 1705, that he met with the Indian chief Manangy in Philadelphia.  Manangy was a chief of the Schuylkill Indians.  He called on Evans on behalf of the Ganawese and the Piscataway Indians, who lived along the Potomac River. The Indians in that area were ravaged with an illness and were greatly reduced in number. Manangy requested, that these Indians would be allowed to move north to the Tulpehocken area and settle with the Schuylkill tribes.  Moving into this area would have broken the treaty of friendship between them.

                The governor gave them a kind invitation and said to Manangy "come and settle as near as they should see fit, provided they should behave themselves well and dutiful to this government." If the Indians made the move is not know for sure but on May 1728 the Ganawese were represented at the Provincial Council held at the Indian town of Conestoga, by five kings.  This would indicate that some Indians moved into the area.

                The Indians and the early settlers lived together in this area, mostly without incident for many years. They shared the roads, hunted the same woodlands together and fished the same streams together for many years with only isolated incidents.

                The first skirmish was recorded as taking place early May 1728. May 10th a party of Indians attacked the people of Amity. The attack left the people in Amity terrorized and many had left their homes, and were of the opinion that great numbers of Indians would return to attack them.  The families had gathered at a mill in New Hanover, in Montgomery County, to defend them. It was also reported that eleven Indians, led by a Spanish Indian as captain, were rude in several houses in Colebrookdale, where they forced the people to supply them with food and drink.  The local people numbering about twenty picked up arms and went in search of the Indians. It is recorded that there intention was to deal with the Indians peacefully, but when they encountered the Spanish captain, he commanded his band to open fire. The pioneers returned fire and hit the captain, he fell and fled into the woods and was never seem again.

                 The Lieutenant Governor and an Indian King investigated the incident. The Indians version differs only slightly, they claimed that after their provisions had expired they asked the white people for food, they were treated rudely and were fired upon.

                Mention is also made that keeping the peace was very important to the Indian chiefs, and they would govern and discipline there own kind to ensure that there word with the white man was kept to the letter.

                Then as today there are two sides to every story and usually each party cries foul. Human nature is just that, no matter which century the event that is disputed, took place in, you can be sure both sides saw it differently.

 A Story To Live By

 by Ann Wells

       My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package.  "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie."  He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached.  "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion."  He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me.  "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

I  remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follows an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special.

I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life.  I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden.  I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not Endure.  I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

         I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event-such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom.

        I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is If I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends'.

         "Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends.  She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles.  I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm Guessing-I'll never know.

          It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I Knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good Friends whom I was going to get in touch with-someday.  Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write-one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough How much I truly love them.  I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, Or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.

    Every day, every minute, every breath truly is...a gift from God.

Santa Says, "You Better be Good"

        We are so excited to again be able to schedule Santa for another door-to-door visit to every household in our town. Sunday, December 16th Santa will arrive in Lyons to visit all the residents of town who have been good this year. He may even stop in with those who may not have been all that good. Santa will begin visiting households on the south end of town around 12:45 p.m. and continue northward until every family has been visited.

        You can also have Santa deliver a gift to a friend or relative in town by dropping your gifts off at Borough hall Saturday December 15th between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. be sure to mark the presents well and Santa will take care of the rest.

        An article is appearing in Berks County Living magazine about the history of Santa's visits to Lyons. The magazine also put one of the stories on their website, check out "Santa vs. the Census".

        Be sure to watch your doorsteps for fliers, which will come to your homes with more information about the two

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A Hope From the Mayor

by Randy Schlegel

        I want to fist of all thank you, those of you who again placed your confidence in me as being your choice for Mayor. It is an honor and a  privilege to serve this community in this capacity. I will serve this great town with as much wisdom and understanding as I possible can in an effort of conducting all borough business in the best interest of all our residents. I do whole-heartedly believe that government is to serve the people, not people to serve the government, and I'm privileged to work with a Borough council, which shares that same philosophy.

        With the winter months and holidays fast approaching it seems perhaps only appropriate that all of us take some time to reflect upon what we have and realize how very lucky we are to be living in this part of the country. We who live in this part of rural America ca share in as much "Techno-World" wizardry as we want or we can opt to keeping our feet close to the ground. We are lucky to be living during this time in history with the advances in medicine, construction, farming and food production, communication and sciences, just to mention a few, and yet, we too need to be concerned about acts of violence and terrorism. We need to educate ourselves and our children to dangers never before considered a threat here in the states.

        This Holiday Season, take time to enjoy your family, your neighbors and you friends. Don't let the events of the last few months dampen the festivities we have grown so fond of over the years. Be sure to absorb every blessed moment, making the most of time spent with loved ones. But please, also take some time to reflect upon the events of recent months, keeping in our prayers those who will not be coming home for the holidays because of the violence, which caught us off guard.