Local businesses win tourism awards

Local businesses win
tourism awards

SHARON, Pa. — The Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors has selected the recipients of the Bill Knecht Tourism Award and the Bill Knecht Community Award.

Pete Daffin and family, who own Daffin’s Candy, were selected for the tourism award because of their outstanding achievement in bringing tourists to Mercer County. As part of a group called “Five Friends,” they help bring Mercer County recognition as a regional tourist destination. Swizzle Stick Day and the Chocolate Kingdom have been a driving force for local tourism for many decades.

The Friends of Goddard State Park will receive the community award for their financial support of the park and co-sponsoring the Pioneer Frolic Festival.

The awards will be given at a June 13 dinner at the Corinthian banquet hall in Sharon.

Historical paintings to be
displayed this summer

SALEM — A painting of Salem’s former Town Hall by John Swenningson now hangs in the Salem Historical Society Museum.

The painting, titled “Town Hall 1847-1951,” had been completed before the building was razed in 1951. It hung for many years in Farmers Bank, now Chase Bank.

Swenningson reportedly sketched the building on a masonite board in 1947 and later finished the painting in oil. It was first sold to Roland W. Webber, then to the vice president of the Deming Co. Farmers Bank purchased the painting from Webber.

There are several paintings by Swenningson in the area, including the First Baptist Church, Christ Mission in Cleveland, Spread Eagle Tavern in Hanoverton and Hanoverton Historical Society Museum. The society plans to feature a show this summer of works by Swenningson. Anyone with information on other works for the display is asked to contact the museum at (330) 337-8514 or historicalsociety@salemohio.com.

Free emergency response training available

LISBON — Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency is seeking volunteers for Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) training from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 2 and 3 at the agency.

The training is free and open to everyone. Participants must be willing to submit a police background screening.

CERT training covers topics such as disaster preparedness, terrorism, fire safety and suppression, disaster medical operations, search and rescue and disaster psychology. The training will be instructed by local firefighters, law enforcement agencies, EMTs and disaster mental-health professionals.

Participants will receive a CERT backpack containing equipment necessary to complete missions during an emergency.

Classes will be limited to 20-25 people. Refreshments and lunch will be served. Call (330) 424-9725 to register.

One-room school open

MERCER, Pa. — The Mercer County Historical Society Caldwell One-Room School is open for the season this weekend. Hours are from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday. After this weekend, the school will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. each Sunday through October.

Caldwell is representative of the more than 225 one-room schools that were in session in Mercer County in 1900. The school is seven miles north of Mercer, Pa., on Pa. Route 58. Mae Beringer, 98, a former teacher, is the curator. Admission is free.