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Erie County Library presents HistERIE Week as way to celebrate local history

Erie County Library presents HistERIE Week as way to celebrate local history

Yahoo2 days ago

History was alive and well for patrons at the Blasco Library on Friday.
Patrons were greeted by historians dressed as colonists.
St. George playground to become recreational park
The interactive exhibits showcased the work of artisans from the 18th century.
Friday marked the start of HistERIE Week, the Erie County Library's celebration of local history.
Onward and upward — 35th annual Thurston Classic takes off in Crawford Co.
Programs were planned with the history community partners each day at sites around the county.
'So there's gravestone cleaning at the soldiers and sailors museum, there's a historic bayfront biking tour happening this Saturday, just tons of things happening all week long,' said Alyssa Johnson, communications and outreach coordinator for the Erie County Public Library.
The HistERIE celebration will run through Saturday, June 21, kicking off the start of the library's summer programming.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Erie County Library presents HistERIE Week as way to celebrate local history
Erie County Library presents HistERIE Week as way to celebrate local history

Yahoo

time2 days ago

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Erie County Library presents HistERIE Week as way to celebrate local history

History was alive and well for patrons at the Blasco Library on Friday. Patrons were greeted by historians dressed as colonists. St. George playground to become recreational park The interactive exhibits showcased the work of artisans from the 18th century. Friday marked the start of HistERIE Week, the Erie County Library's celebration of local history. Onward and upward — 35th annual Thurston Classic takes off in Crawford Co. Programs were planned with the history community partners each day at sites around the county. 'So there's gravestone cleaning at the soldiers and sailors museum, there's a historic bayfront biking tour happening this Saturday, just tons of things happening all week long,' said Alyssa Johnson, communications and outreach coordinator for the Erie County Public Library. The HistERIE celebration will run through Saturday, June 21, kicking off the start of the library's summer programming. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Tail-wagging time: Tiny the Fire Dog fires up the Thurston Classic crowd
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Tail-wagging time: Tiny the Fire Dog fires up the Thurston Classic crowd

Tiny the Fire Dog was no foe to the flame on Thursday as the 105,000-cubic foot Dalmatian stood at attention in the sky for the 35th Annual Thurston Classic Joyce Stevens Memorial Night Glow. The floppy-eared puppy was full of fire, rightfully so as he symbolizes fire service and public safety. Tiny was front and center of the nine balloons for the night glow at Allegheny College's Robertson Athletic Complex, and he had quite a few admirers. The Anderson family was in the sea of hundreds who lined the field. In its 35 years, the Thurston Classic has gained a loyal following. Traveling all the way from Pittsburgh, Erin Anderson recalled her time watching the event as a child. 'I grew up on Doughty (Avenue) and we used to watch and enjoy it,' she said, remembering how she could see the balloons float over her house as she relaxed in the pool. Now, adorned in her Meadville sweatshirt, she brought her own children to see it. 'They were really excited to come down and see it,' she said, noting that they haven't really been old enough to remember it until now. Eliza, 6, said she was looking forward to seeing all the balloons: '100 percent — I love them.' She was on the lookout for her favorite colors — pink, purple and yellow — and twirled around, blowing bubbles with her little brother before the big event. 'She was telling — before we left Pittsburgh — everyone about how she was going to see hot air balloons,' Erin said. 'She was bragging because people were like, 'Where are the hot air balloons?' 'You have to go to Meadville to see it,'' she would reply. Each balloon takes a small crew of around four or five members to help the pilot, who inflates the balloon with cold air, then blasts hot air to make the balloon stand up. The process takes about 15 minutes and is a craft for balloon pilots. Coming from all over the country, the Thurston Classic is a favorite for pilots from all over. One balloon was left standing after the rest though: Daydreamer. Standing with its black bottom bellowing into a rainbow top, the balloon is the late Roger Miller's. Miller died just three weeks before the Thurston Classic, and as 'a special sendoff,' his balloon was kept inflated for about five minutes longer than the others, Balloonmeister Alex Jonard II said. Although the wind gave some of the balloons trouble, it was no match for the Daydreamer, which glowed above them all. 'There's not a dry eye, and there's an empty box of Kleenex here,' Jonard said. 'We appreciate the family letting us have the balloon here for a special tribute.' The weekend continues with a total of 21 balloons, taking an evening flight scheduled today, followed by morning and evening sanctioned races on Saturday and another race on Sunday morning.

LGL: Friends of the Erie County Public Library
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LGL: Friends of the Erie County Public Library

Borrow a book, buy a book, or share a book. It all happens at the Erie County Library. And this week, the Friends of the Library got a visit from Loving Giving Local. There is so much more to the Erie County Library System than just books. But it's the books that keep the place going. Thanks to a volunteer group called the Friends of the Library. 'This is kind of a community center as I see it. It's a place where people can enjoy lifelong learning. You hear the pitter-patter of little feet coming in. Parents and grandparents bringing their kids in, but also adults come in, and they can learn all kinds of wonderful opportunities. learn through the idea lab, how to make things, even how to start a business,' said Many of those opportunities are not funded by tax dollars. That's where the friends come in. They've been helping support programs since the 1980s. 'We're kind of a merry bunch of volunteers. None of us are paid staff. We've got probably over 400 members who help us with our book sales, they help us in our store, they help us collect books,' said Marcy Bencivenga of Friends of the Library. Those donated books from the public are sorted and recycled at a number of used book sales throughout the year. The next one is the Great American Book Sale at the Flo Fabrizio Ice Center. Mark your calendar, June 15-19. Here you can pick up a summer of great reading for just a few bucks. While it's the friends that raise money for the library, it's the library director and staff that decide where to spend it. 'So we use that funding to do programs for children, to do our regular story time, to fund things that happen in the idea lab,' Jessica Spitulski, Erie Co. library director. 'All of the programming that the library does is funded by the Friends, and so we here refer to them as the fairy godparents of the library because they're the ones that help us create the magic.' The friends got a helping hand in the form of a financial donation from Loving Giving Local. 'Well, the Friends of the Erie County Library have been in our community for over 40 years. So, for us to be able to deliver them a donation today, and learn today, this donation we bring will go into one of their youth programs, that's what Loving Giving Local is all about,' Joe Askins of Auto Express Resale Center went on to say. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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