At the risk of alienating all of you, I'm going to state the obvious here, but I refuse to use "the V word"; it's SO darned cold! In fact, it's so cold you may not feel like leaving your house, but I'm going to encourage you to do just that anyway. After all folks, it is winter in Pennsylvania and none of us should really be too surprised with Mother Nature's cold shoulder.
Freezing or not, February is the month of love. So, thoughtfully consider showing a little love for Schuylkill County by shopping local for your loved ones this Valentine's Day. We have a Local Shopping Guide on our website at www.schuylkil.org under local deals to help you out.
And although I'm sure you're all tired of hearing me say it, I'm going to say it anyway: For every $100 you spend in a locally owned business, $45 circulates back into your community. That same $100 in a chain store only puts $13 back into the community. That's money and jobs in our community folks and it is important to all of us!
As per usual, there are several Valentine-themed events going on in the community you'll want to get to as well. The Walk-In Arts Center kicks off February with their Fall in Love with the Arts Open House on Saturday. The Walk-In is also hosting a Wine & Chocolate Benefit on Feb. 8, featuring the Sterling Koch Band. I guarantee this is one evening you will thoroughly enjoy!
The Arts Barn is having a coffee painting workshop on Feb. 8, complete with wine, chocolate and coffee and even if you're not in the mood to explore your artistic capabilities, The Arts Barn is the perfect place to shop for your valentine.
Speaking of wine and chocolate, several of our local wineries are joining in on the fun, too. Benigna's Creek Vineyard & Winery in Klingerstown will thrill your taste buds with wine and chocolate truffles on Feb. 8, 14 and 15. Stone Mountain Wine Cellars is having its annual Wine and Chocolates Weekend Feb. 15-16.
And our friends at Galen Glen in Andreas are ready for you on the weekends of Feb. 8-9 and Feb. 15-16 with Wine, Chocolate and a Triple Good Time. Make time to drop by the Sweet Barista at The Simon Kramer Institute for Songs & Serenades on Feb. 8. Their handmade sweets are truly a luxury that your darling will savor. The Anthracite Philharmonic will be at the Schuylkill County Council for the Arts on Feb. 16 with Valentines, Voices and Vino.
February also brings us Groundhog Day. Now, while we all know that it matters little whether our famous marmot friend sees his shadow or not (the calendar says there will be another six weeks of winter folks!), it's still a fun tradition.
The good people at Sweet Arrow Lake County Park, Pine Grove, are celebrating Groundhog Day on Saturday with breakfast, PA Dutch presentations, storytelling, music and more. This is a family-friendly event with something for everyone. Afterward, head over to the Shoppes at the Meck Knitting Mill for lunch at the "Souper Bowl Saturday" annual Soup Cook-off Competition.
Sweet Arrow Lake County Park has a few other items of interest this month as well: Basic Boating Course on Feb. 8; Program on Peregrine Falcons on Feb. 11; Fly-Tying Classes on Feb. 3, 20 and 27; Cabin Fever Hike with Porcupine Pat on Feb. 15 and Winter Botany on Feb. 22.
In Schuylkill County, we love our local history and heritage. The history of Schuylkill County is inextricably bound to the history of the United States anthracite industry. Although the settlement of Schuylkill County occurred long before the discovery of the "black diamonds" that would fuel the nation's industrial revolution, it is anthracite coal that forged our region into the rich diverse community it is today.
The Fairlane Village mall will once again host the annual History Fair on Feb. 8. This event offers an abundance of photographs, artifacts and collectibles detailing our county's rich cultural heritage and is sure to have something for everyone.
I'm sure you all know by now that I love Schuylkill County. For me, it's a special place; a place I'm proud to call home. A place I'm privileged to live, work and support economically and personally. A place where I've learned the same things we all learn here: to work hard, to play fair, and to be honest, helpful and proud of our community. We have perhaps the greatest of all resources, good people. I hope you will support the businesses and organizations in our community this month and every month.
For more information on the events I've talked about as well as others, please visit our website at www.schuylkill.org.
(Gargano is executive director of Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau)