KANE — The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship Inc. announced the recipients of the 2025 Champions of the PA Wilds Awards.

The 2025 Champions are – Artisan of the Year: Elk & Walnut Creative Corner of Kane. Some of their most popular products are hand-painted 3D magnets or ornaments, crafted from multiple layers of thin pieces of wood to give detail and definition to the decorations. Elk & Walnut’s designs often showcase the beauty of the Pennsylvania Wilds, such as the rolling landscape of the Pine Creek Valley or the rugged ingenuity of Kinzua Bridge.

Business of the Year: The Brew Bank Brewing Co. of Ridgway.

The Brew Bank turned a formerly empty bank building into a tourist attraction and local hot spot, with interesting architecture and history that visitors love learning about. Owner Jason Phipps’ personality, craft beers, food, and dedication to his community of Ridgway have made the Brew Bank into a favorite for both locals and travelers alike.

Conservation Stewardship: Todd Deluccia of Emporium.

The Cameron County Conservation District, under Todd Deluccia’s leadership, has made great strides with stream bank restoration, fish habitat enhancement, aquatic organism passage restoration, and acid mine drainage remediation efforts that have returned waterways in the county to a more natural state while reconnecting isolated brook trout and other aquatic species within the watershed. Extensive work has been done in the Sinnemahoning Creek watershed. Deluccia and his team also lead various conservation education events for students and adults alike.

Event of the Year: Art in the Wilds in Kane.

Art in the Wilds, annually held in Kane, will be celebrating its 19th year bringing the only outdoor juried fine arts and crafts show to the PA Wilds. Art in the Wilds selects 40 artists each year to be featured throughout Evergreen Park which provides the opportunity for artist and patron interaction. Co-founders Marilyn Blackmore and Julie Cleland, along with Artistic Director Merry Ryding, organize the event each year, providing a venue for artists and artisans from many states to display and sell their artwork, as well as a comfortable place for families in the region to interact with the artists, and purchase fine art.

Great Places: Lynn Hall of Port Allegany.

Now in its 90th year, Port Allegany’s Lynn Hall is a unique blend of history, early organic modern architecture, and natural beauty, drawing tourists to the Pennsylvania Wilds from all over the United States, Canada and Europe. Visitors stay in authentically restored mid-century accommodations, blending historical charm with modern comforts. Designed in the 1930s by Walter J. Hall and his architect son Raymond Viner Hall, with ties to Frank Lloyd Wright and Fallingwater, Lynn Hall served as a restaurant, dance hall, architectural offices and family residence. It became a popular social hub in the region and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. New owners Adam Grant and Rick Sparkes began restoration of Lynn Hall in 2017, bringing it back to its former glory.

Outstanding Leader: Alan Lichtenwalner of Emporium.

Lichtenwalner’s career with state parks has spanned 26.5 years in various field management positions, coming to the Park Region 1 Office and the PA Wilds as Assistant Regional Manager in 2007. In 2011 he was promoted to Regional Manager, where he quickly understood the significance of these PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) state park investments to the overall vision of the PA Wilds Conservation Landscape to establish the region as a world-class destination for outdoor recreation adventure travel. A majority of the state parks in Region 1 are within the PA Wilds boundary and are operated and skillfully cared for by a cadre of dedicated staff that Lichtenwalner manages. Lichtenwalner has also embraced the value of public-private partnerships for carrying out DCNR’s mission. No better example of this exists than his vision of partnering with the PA Wilds Center for providing a retail shopping experience at Kinzua Bridge State Park. Lichtenwalner will be retiring in July.

PA Wilds Planning Team Member of the Year: Candi Hand of Coudersport

Hand, the director of testing services for the Potter County Education Council (PCEC), has been an indispensable member of the PA Wilds Planning Team leadership group for many years. Her ability to coordinate a large and diverse group of members and her dedication to the Planning Team’s mission has been unmatched. Many PWPT projects would not be possible without her thoughtfulness and thoroughness. Her attention to detail in her organizational and logistical support of the Planning Team help ensure that the PWPT’s ideas are put into action. She plans to step down at the end of the year.

Best Brand Ambassador: Rosie Marketing Spring Creek, Warren County

Rosie Marketing is owned by Donnie Rosie. Over the past few years, Rosie Marketing has partnered with the PA Wilds Center to provide photography and videography services for various events and programs, such as the BIG IDEA Contest, the Wilds Are Working: A Remote Lifestyle Experience, and the PA Wilds Dinner and Awards.

Great Design: Mechanistic Brewing of Clarion.

Mechanistic Brewing is an example of smart design, turning an old, unused garage into a thriving community space that celebrates both history and creativity. By incorporating rustic elements in a way that feels both timeless and modern, the brewery blends rural industrial design with eclectic touches, preserving the area’s unique character while reducing blight in the community.

Inspiring Youth: DuBois Area School District, Clearfield County

The Inspiring Youth Champion Award honors teachers Cory Sholes, Robin Craig and Cheyenne Kanouff, who are going above and beyond to expand programming at DuBois Area School District, helping students explore the diversity and opportunities of the region.

The winners will be honored at the 2025 PA Wilds Dinner & Awards, to be held on July 24. The theme for this year’s dinner is “Wild Yet Welcoming,” nodding to the Declaration of Principles for the Pennsylvania Wilds.

Registration is now open for the 2025 PA Wilds Dinner & Awards, which will be held at Brass 16823 in Bellefonte, Centre County, on July 24. The social hour and exhibitor displays begin at 3 p.m., followed by dinner and award presentations between 5 and 8 p.m.

Pre-registration is required by July 16 at PAWildsCenter.org/program. An early bird rate is available until June 24. Regular registration cost is $40 per ticket.