Boiler stack bricks available locally

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American Refining Group Inc. (ARG) will offer bricks from its recently dismantled coal boiler chimney 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The bricks are available on a first-come, first-served basis for a suggested donation of $5 to the McKean County Community Foundation until 2 o’clock or the supply is gone.

Things will be set up in ARG’s employee parking lot adjacent to the GE Energy (formerly Dresser) access road, just across that road from Hull Electric’s new location off North Kendall Avenue.

“We want to emphasize that these ‘bricks’ are far from perfect,” said Jeannine Schoenecker, ARG president and chief operating officer, “but they are definitely a chunk of our community’s history.

“While our Maintenance and Operations personnel did kindly sort through what was left of our boiler stack for those bricks still more or less in one piece, they are rough and that is why we are just suggesting a donation.”

All proceeds and, perhaps most importantly, awareness generated by the event will benefit the McKean County Community Foundation’s general Fund for the Future.

“It has been fascinating to hear from people all over the country who are interested in having a piece of what was – to those who do or have lived and worked here – really a memorable and even iconic structure,” Schoenecker said.

“From individuals who grew up in the valley and could see the chimney out of their bedroom windows, to folks who worked at the Bradford refinery or have relatives who did, the interest has actually exceeded our expectations.”

Schoenecker continued, “So many people were disappointed to see the stack be torn down, but as a result we hope to build up our new, but growing community foundation.”

For more information about the MCCF, visit www.mckeancountyfoundation.org, send an e-mail to mccf@zitomedia.net, call (814) 834-2125 or follow the foundation on Facebook

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For more information about ARG, visit www.amref.com or follow the refinery on Facebook and LinkedIn.

 

Pastor Craig Smith Scholarship Fund

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The Pastor Craig Smith Memorial Scholarship

 

A new Scholarship has been established at the McKean County Community Foundation by the Mt. Jewett and Hazel Hurst United Methodist Churches to honor Pastor Craig Smith. The Pastor Craig Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund will provide a scholarship to a resident of the Kane or Smethport School District. The recipient will be a high school senior or first year nontraditional adult learner who is an active participant in various activities in their school, church, and community. Scholarship applications will also include a faith-based essay. Anyone wishing to honor Pastor Smith can help this fund grow into a “forever” fund by making a tax deductible donation to the fund through the McKean County Community Foundation.

 

Pastor Smith’s greatest passion in life was his ministry. As pastor of both the Mt. Jewett and Hazel Hurst United Methodist Churches, he touched many lives. He continued his outreach as a very active member of his community. Pastor Smith announced many sporting events for The Hound radio station and was the founder of the radio program “The Light on The Hill” that was broadcast every Sunday morning. As a coach and umpire in Little League, he was a mentor to many children and young adults. “Pastor Smith loved working with both kids and adults, and was one of those special people who always found the good in everyone he met”, said Linda Myers, a parishioner at Hazel Hurst United Methodist Church.

 

Additional funding may also be available to recipients of this scholarship. The Community Foundation is involved with the Partnership for Access to Higher Education (PATH) and will nominate all students who receive a scholarship from them to the PATH program. This essentially doubles the dollars a scholarship recipient can receive. This program is administered through PHEAA which provides matching dollars to qualified candidates.

 

The scholarship applications will be available at the Kane and Smethport Area High School Guidance offices or by contacting the Community Foundation. All applications must be returned to the Community Foundation offices at P.O. Box 934, St. Marys PA 15857 by April 13, 2018.

 

Anyone interested in donating to the fund or establishing a scholarship of their own can contact the Foundation toll-free at 1-844-238-2289 or email mccf@zitomedia.net.

Amanda Dincher earns scholarship

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Amanda Dincher, daughter of ARG Technology Director Tim Dincher, has been selected to receive the inaugural ARG Employees Scholarship. Amanda is enrolled at Penn State Altoona and is well on her way toward earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in May 2021. After completing 15 credits on campus her grade point average worked out to a 3.65. While still at Bradford Area High School through its Bridges Program with the University of Pittsburgh, she completed 29 college credits with a 3.7 GPA.
Amanda is currently serving as an intern with our Engineering Group, reporting to BJ Sayers. At Penn State, she is a member of the Society of Women Engineering (SWE) as well as Students About Living Truth (S.A.L.T.). Her volunteer and community involvement includes Kiwanis Club, Key Club, Bradford Little Theater and chorus.
The $500 scholarship will be paid directly to Penn State on Amanda’s behalf. In 2018, the McKean County Community Foundation awarded 17 students with scholarships totaling nearly $14,500. For more information about the MCCF send an e-mail to mccf@mckeancountyfoundation.org, call (814) 834-2125 or follow the foundation on Facebook.
All proceeds from the ARG Golf Outing (set Aug. 17 this year) will benefit the fund, while the Picnic Committee’s 2018 gift-card raffle proceeds will also be submitted to build the fund balance.
ARG scholarship organizers plan to build this fund to a level where it can distribute at least one $500 scholarship every year in perpetuity, beginning with this award. ARG employees’ children, grandchildren or legal dependents pursuing any post-secondary education are eligible to apply.
Scholarship applications are reviewed by a third-party sub-committee of the MCCF Board of Directors and the selection must be voted upon by the full board before a winner is announced.
Full details regarding the scholarship, eligibility and application instructions will be distributed to all ARG employees when the application period opens again in 2019.

CASA of McKean County Establishes Endowment Fund

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Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of McKean County is preserving and empowering resources through the establishment of its endowment fund with the McKean County Community Foundation (MCCF)!

Recently the CASA Board of Directors decided to start this endowment fund, which works like a savings account or 401(k) for the organization. CASA of McKean County supporters can make contributions directly to the fund, which generates income for the organization to use or that can be reinvested to help the principle grow.

“Eventually, this endowment could generate enough interest to help support our ongoing operating expenses,” said Kristen Tim, CASA of McKean County’s executive director. “Children 20 and 50 years from now will benefit from what we are doing today.”

Too many children experience abuse or neglect each year. Instead of playing with neighbors and making happy family memories, they’re attending court hearings, adjusting to new foster homes and transitioning to new schools. That’s a heavy burden for a child to carry. With a CASA volunteer dedicated to their cases, McKean County’s most vulnerable children will have someone speaking up for their best interests. With support, more children will have the opportunity to thrive in a loving home.

CASA programs provide volunteers who are committed to support local courts as advocates of abused and neglected children, toward breaking the cycle of abuse so that children can thrive in safe, permanent, nurturing homes. They train volunteers who work on behalf of foster children by providing independent, fact-based recommendations to the court. For more information, go their website: casamckean.org

McKean County’s program chose to partner with the MCCF, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, the mission of which is to strengthen the region through development, stewardship and grantmaking as donors achieve their philanthropic goals. MCCF will help to grow the endowment dollars with sound investment policies while CASA staff and volunteers focus on serving children. The foundation will also assist donors who have an interest in starting a fund to benefit nearly any charitable organization or cause in which they have a vested interest, whether as a named fund or in memory of a deceased family member or friend. Interested parties are encouraged to contact the MCCF for more information either by calling (844) 238-2289 or e-mailing us at mccf@zitomedia.net.
Gifts to the CASA of McKean County Fund can be made in any number of ways. For example, people can make a direct financial contribution; they can talk with their estate planner about a planned gift; or name the CASA Fund as beneficiary of a life insurance policy. Memorials are accepted in honor or in memory of someone designated to the CASA of McKean County Fund, and an acknowledgment will be sent according to the donor’s direction.

Contributions of any amount can be mailed to the MCCF, PO Box 708, Bradford, PA, 16701 (checks payable to the McKean County Community Foundation, with “CASA of McKean County” in the memo line). All contributions have maximum tax deductibility. With dedicated effort, the potential income from the fund will secure programs and services for many years. Consider a pledge today to build the future of CASA of McKean County!

Pictured Left to right:
Stacy Wallace, Chis Forbes, Matt Splain, board members of CASA of McKean County; Kristen Tim, Executive Director for CASA of McKean County; Bob Esch, CASA board member; Paula Fritz Eddy, Executive Director of the McKean County Community Foundation; and Virginia Hauser and Christy Sullivan both CASA Board Members

ARG gift to MCCF

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BRADFORD, Pa. – American Refining Group Inc. (ARG) presented the recently established McKean County Community Foundation (MCCF) with a charitable gift of $1,000 this holiday season.
Every year during the Christmas season instead of purchasing thousands of traditional, paper greeting cards, ARG shares an e-card and donates the money saved to a local non-profit.
ARG donates thousands of dollars annually, but this seasonal contribution is extra special, according to ARG President and Chief Operating Officer Jeannine Schoenecker.
“We appreciate how nice it is to receive holiday tidings in the mail; everyone loves that,” Schoenecker said of traditional cards, “but we also value the impact that the contributions we make instead can have on the organizations critical to our community’s wellbeing.
“We enjoy these Christmastime donations more than a typical contribution because they are generally unsolicited and so unexpected by the recipient,” Schoenecker continued. “It’s become a festive tradition and a nice reminder of the reason for this season.”
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of McKean County benefited in 2016.
ARG donates thousands of dollars throughout the year, and thousands more are contributed by its employee-donation-matching program to other local non-profit organizations and relief efforts. With a philanthropic spirit that is cultivated corporately and encouraged in its employees, ARG focuses its charitable giving on education, economic development, human services and health care.
Schoenecker said the foundation was chosen to receive the donation in 2017 because several individuals within ARG were instrumental in its establishment, none more than MCCF board chairman (and recently retired ARG Vice President – External Affairs) Bob Esch.
Like the Elk County Community Foundation, the MCCF is an affiliate of the 501 (c) 3 Community Foundation of North Central Pennsylvania.
“We were thrilled to see the MCCF finally, officially established this year,” Schoenecker explained. “ARG has long shared the belief that McKean County needed and deserved a community foundation, so we are happy to make this contribution toward its long-term success.”
Community foundations are unique, grant-making public charities that are dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined geographic area. A community-led approach, they create locally controlled assets by bringing together the financial resources of individuals, families and businesses to strengthen rural areas like McKean County. These assets build a community’s ability to shape a better future and promote the well-being of everyone who lives there.
Esch said, “We are thankful for ARG’s continued support of and commitment to the foundation’s success.”
For more information about ARG, visit www.amref.com. For more information about the community foundation, e-mail mccf@zitomedia.net, call 844-238-2289 or follow them on Facebook.

Photo cutline: American Refining Group Inc.’s Jeannine Schoenecker (right) presents a check for $1,000 to McKean County Community Foundation (MCCF) Board Chairman Bob Esch. Every year instead of purchasing thousands of traditional, paper holiday cards, ARG shares a digital card and donates the money saved to a local non-profit organization. Established earlier this year, the MCCF was chosen as ARG’s 2017 recipient. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of McKean County benefited in 2016. For more information about the community foundation, e-mail mccf@zitomedia.net, call 844-238-2289 or follow them on Facebook.