DuBOIS –– Individuals from McKean and Potter counties will be well represented at the Pennsylvania Wilds awards dinner on April 27 in Clearfield County.
Cherry Springs State Park near Coudersport, student Nate Wilson of Kane and Straub Brewery of St. Marys will each receive awards at the event that kicks off with a networking cocktail reception complete with PA Wilds exhibitors at 3 p.m. at the DuBois Country Club on 10 Lakeside Ave.
The keynote speaker will be Ed McMahon, a senior resident fellow at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C., where he holds the Charles Fraser Chair for Sustainable Development. The theme of the dinner event is “Celebrating Community Character Stewardship.”
“The Awards Selection Committee has been together for a few awards cycles now; just when we think we have a good handle on what to look for our minds are blown. It is awesome to see so many businesses, volunteers and youth taking part in this regional initiative,” said Holly Komonczi, chair of the committee and executive director of Lumber Heritage Region.
Cherry Springs State Park has been chosen as the winner of the Great Places Award.
“Cherry Springs is one of the most unique destinations in the PA Wilds and it attracts thousands of tourists each year who come to the park to see one of the best star-filled skies in the country,” PA Wilds officials said. “It is designated by DCNR as a Dark Sky park and also had been given a Gold Level rating by the International Dark Sky Association.”
Nate Wilson of Kane, a seventh grader, will receive the Inspiring Youth Award. He uses his natural resources to make a product with his business, Nathan’s Maple Syrup.
“Nate was 5 years old when he first watched maple syrup being made and after lots of experimentation and field research he and his father built their ‘Sugar Shack,’ officially launching Nate’s Maple Syrup in 2011,” PA Wilds officials said. “He has partnered with various organizations and individuals to tap trees, sell product, educate, creatively promote and donate his maple syrup.”
The Best Brand Ambassador Award will go to Straub Brewery. The American Legacy Brewery is the third oldest family-owned and operated brewery in the United States.
“Straub saw the value of the PA Wilds as a lifestyle brand,” officials said. “Nature tourism was helping revitalize the region and having a positive impact on the region’s communities — and Straub wanted to get more involved. It started to incorporate information about the Pennsylvania Wilds as a region and a brand into its sales and marketing strategy, sharing this background information with its extensive network of wholesalers and distributors across the region.”
Register for the event by April 17. For more information, visitwww.pawildscenter.org.
