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Wyoming Seminary loses heartbreaker to Kiski

<p>FORTY FORT &#8212; Residents gathered at Betty Mascelli Park on Saturday to have a chance to grab part of the borough&#8217;s history.</p><p>Families for Forty Fort Park, a volunteer organization that does event planning and fundraising for the park, held a raffle for street signs that had been removed by the borough to make way for new ones. The event was similar to basket raffles that are popular at area fundraisers.</p><p>Christie Wilson, president of the organization, said more than 100 signs from about 40 streets were up for grabs.</p><p>Jude Lane, who has lived in Forty Fort throughout her life, said she was happy to have a chance to win a River Street sign.</p><p>Even before the event was scheduled, she had called and asked about the possibility of obtaining one of the signs.</p><p>&#8220;My son James, who now lives in Virginia, also wanted me to enter for him as well,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Bill McGough was hoping to win a Yates Street sign, the location of his family home, which was lost in a fire about two years ago.</p><p>Despite the tragedy, McGough said his memories of the street are good ones.</p><p>He also enjoyed spending time in the park with his dog, Major, something they both do regularly.</p><p>Matt Schooley, of the Forty Fort Cemetery Association, was on hand to provide a historical perspective to attendees.</p><p>&#8220;When people travelled from the Back Mountain to the West Side in the 19th century, it was a major undertaking on horseback,&#8221; he said. &#8220;People would learn about events on placards placed around the area.&#8221;</p><p>Newspapers, he said, were available, but many could not afford them.</p><p>Barbara Stevens, a volunteer from the Nathan Dennison House, was on hand to recount stories about the lives of those who lived in the borough during the 1800s.</p><p>Although she said much of the lives of those who lived during that period was filled with work, people also had opportunity for recreation.</p><p>&#8220;The played board games. They played baseball and enjoyed music,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They enjoyed time spent with others. In some ways, they were much more social than we are today.&#8221;</p><p>The park is also getting an upgrade.</p><p>Families for Forty Fort Park has reached out to community organizations to fund the building of a larger pavilion.</p><p>Ed Kopec, from the Kingston Rotary Club, said the group, along with the Forty Fort Lions and the Nesbitt Foundation, assisted in raising the funds necessary for the project. It is expected to be completed this fall.</p><p>&#8220;The first holes for the foundation will be drilled at about 1:30 this afternoon,&#8221; Kopec said.</p><p>Mayor Andy Tuzinski said the entire event highlighted the commitment of the borough, its service organizations and its residents to the spirit of community and service.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Laura Howell, of Forty Fort, places tickets into paper bags on Saturday at Forty Fort Park as Families for Forty Fort Park raffled off street signs from the borough. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_streetsigns01.jpg</photo0><caption0>Laura Howell, of Forty Fort, places tickets into paper bags on Saturday at Forty Fort Park as Families for Forty Fort Park raffled off street signs from the borough. </caption0><photoCredit0>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_streetsigns02CMYK.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Vintage street signs in Forty Fort were raffled off by Families for Forty Fort Park on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_streetsigns02CMYK.jpg</photo1><caption1>Vintage street signs in Forty Fort were raffled off by Families for Forty Fort Park on Saturday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Borough&#8217;s street signs go in raffle</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Geri Gibbons</p><p>ggibbons@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Forty Fort residents take a chance to win a bit of borough’s history