Columbia/Hellam/Wrightsville
townlively.com
MAY 3, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXIV • NO 10
Bucket list encourages exploration of the region
May Day will celebrate spring
The Susquehanna National Heritage Area bucket list invites exploration of 55 places in Lancaster and York counties.
ou are invited to explore 55 activities throughout the region, including things to do, see and eat. Susquehanna National Heritage Area (SNHA) has created a unique bucket list to highlight activities and places in America’s 55th National Heritage Area. “In March 2019, York and Lancaster counties were officially designated the nation’s 55th National Heritage Area,” explained Megan Salvatore, visitor service representative for SNHA. “National Heritage Areas are places where historical, cultural and natural resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape. It’s obvious why some places are designated as national parks, but National Heritage Areas are more complex. Our
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bucket list showcases some of the reasons why these two counties have been nationally designated.” Among the activities on the list are learning about the power of wind turbines at the Turkey Hill Trail Overlook, exploring the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, learning about early science and medicine at Haldeman Mansion, checking out some of the oldest farmers markets in the country and searching for a whimsical gnome garden in Akron. As Salvatore explained, the SNHA bucket list runs throughout the year. It includes seasonal activities and events, as well as year-round activities to explore. “Participants can share their bucket list experience by snapping photos, posting them to social media and tagging @susqNHA in the post,” she noted. If participants complete at least five
items and submit their information on the SNHA website, they can receive an SNHA sticker. SNHA started the bucket list idea to keep people in the region busy during the pandemic in 2020. The list focused specifically on Columbia that year and then branched out to include the river towns of Marietta and Wrightsville the following year. Last year was the first time the organization launched a bucket list covering the entire region. Salvatore came up with the tasks on the list, noting that they are engineered to explore partners and sites offering a diverse mix of heritage, culture, recreation and refreshments unique to the region. A collaborative effort with the SNHA staff narrowed down the final 55 activities, she said, noting that number was chosen because the region is the 55th designated
National Heritage Area. “I would encourage residents to rediscover and learn new things about the region, using the Susquehanna National Heritage Area bucket list,” Salvatore remarked. “The bucket list tasks open conversations about our collective past and create fun talking points with visitors to the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center and Zimmerman Center for Heritage. It’s an interesting way for visitors to understand the national connections this region has woven throughout history.” A digital version of the list can be found at www.susqnha.org. Paper copies are also available at the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center, 41 Walnut St., Columbia, and the Zimmerman Center for Heritage, 1706 Long Level Road, Wrightsville.
Once a week since March, students at Columbia High School have been practicing the waltz. They are learning the traditional dance as part of May Day, a celebration held at the school that welcomes the coming of spring. The waltz is performed by members of the May Day court and their escorts at the event, said Alexandria Gamby, junior adviser for May Day. This year’s May Day celebration will be held on Saturday, May 6, at 7 p.m. in the gym at Columbia High School, 901 Ironville Pike. The event is open to the public. “Please join us for the welcoming of spring,” Alexandria commented. “We honor the May Day court and celebrate with entertaining performances.” Members of this year’s May Day court are Mallory Conroy, Emily Gambler, Mercyangelis Gonzalez Morillo, Savannah Helton-Urbassik, Ella McCarty, Nayana Peterson, Alexis Phillips, Jocelyn Sanchez and Brie Sullivan Escorts are Zakaria Aitelmajouh, Owen Broome, Chase Dishongh, Mitchell Dishongh, Daèzjon Giles, Aiden Miller, Chris Sabino, Isaiah Spencer and Gage Wolf. May Day has been a tradition in Columbia for more than threequarters of a century. Alexandria noted that this marks the 78th year of the event. “It brings together the community, students and parents,” she explained. “Each year, a junior and a sophomore work alongside each other and a committee filled with members of the community.” Seniors are chosen by their peers to participate in the May Day court, and the girls choose a male senior to escort them. “Students of the senior class vote on a May queen,” Alexandria noted. “The May queen is announced before the waltz.” See May Day pg 2
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