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Veteran Luzerne County employees retire

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More alternative investments added to Luzerne County employee pension fund

<p>WAPWALLOPEN &#8212; A local apple orchard got to continue a longstanding community tradition while taking on a new role this weekend.</p><p>Thousands walked the grounds of Heller Orchards for the 30th annual Apple Festival held on the orchard&#8217;s grounds. Under sunny fall skies, they were treated to all things apple, including handmade goods from 50 vendors and an array of historic and educational attractions.</p><p>Event coordinator Barbie Smith dubbed the annual event a success.</p><p>Explaining the history of the festival, Smith said the event started out as a fundraiser for two area churches, with the Heller family offering the groups to hold the festival on the grounds. Now, the event benefits roughly five area churches as well as several local first responder organizations.</p><p>It has also welcomed a new sponsor for its 30th year &#8212; the Heller family themselves.</p><p>When one of the founding churches had to pull out of the event, Smith said the Heller family was gracious enough to step in and sponsor the event, allowing the fall favorite to continue.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s their first year for sponsoring the event, so we&#8217;re proud of them that they took it over because we would all miss it,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s just part of the life here.&#8221;</p><p>While attendees lined up for their favorite foods, listened to live music or watched a local blacksmith create metal masterpieces, an array of new additions to the event kept many young hands occupied.</p><p>Children were able to be a part of history with several hands-on activities, such as corn shucking, washing clothes with a hand-cranked wooden washer or playing several old-time games.</p><p>Keeping historic and educational elements alive is important, according to Heller Orchards owners Greg and Andrea Heller, which is why the duo decided to keep the festival alive and sponsor the event.</p><p>&#8220;We wanted it to continue, people look forward to it,&#8221; Andrea said of the family&#8217;s decision. &#8220;We&#8217;re appreciative and we&#8217;re grateful to everyone who decides to come out every single year.&#8221;</p><p>Heller Orchards will celebrate 100 years in the fruit business next year, Greg Heller said. The sixth generation Heller spent most of his Sunday helping employees, restocking boxes of apple cider and more.</p><p>Despite having a poor crop season due to the excess rain, Greg expected the orchard to sell at least 1,600 gallons of apple cider throughout the festival alone.</p><p>Apple cider were the only words Makayla and Madison Day had to hear to spark their attention. The Bloomsburg sisters said they had already stocked up on Heller Orchards ciders when they stopped by the festival Saturday.</p><p>The duo said the event has long been a family tradition, and one they could hopefully pass down to Makayla&#8217;s four year-old son.</p><p>&#8220;My grandparents used to play here every year live, so it was always our tradition with us and our grandparents to come here,&#8221; Makayla said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Ann Taylor, of Tunkhannock, left, and Ed Styring, of Limestoneville, join others in square dancing at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ann Taylor, of Tunkhannock, left, and Ed Styring, of Limestoneville, join others in square dancing at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Emil Mikle, of Drums, carries two gallons of apple cider with his son Mark, 8, at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Emil Mikle, of Drums, carries two gallons of apple cider with his son Mark, 8, at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A vendor sells half-peck bags of apples at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_5.jpg</photo2><caption2>A vendor sells half-peck bags of apples at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Five-year-old Jackson Guarneri, of West Wyoming, helps his dad Brad shuck corn at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday.	 </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Five-year-old Jackson Guarneri, of West Wyoming, helps his dad Brad shuck corn at the 30th annual Apple Festival at Heller Orchards in Wapwallopen on Sunday.	 </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Fourteen-month-old Brendan Soucy, of Mountain Top, looks over pumpkins with his mom Alayna at Heller Orchards Apple Festival in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL102218AppleFestival_1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Fourteen-month-old Brendan Soucy, of Mountain Top, looks over pumpkins with his mom Alayna at Heller Orchards Apple Festival in Wapwallopen on Sunday. </caption4><photoCredit4>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Apple Festival draws crowds to Heller Orchards</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

30th Apple Festival draws crowds to Heller Orchards