Clarion County\u2019s tribute to America\u2019s 250th birthday rang out Friday afternoon as residents, sponsors, and local and state officials gathered at Veterans Memorial Park to unveil the county\u2019s \u201cBells Across PA\u201d sculpture.<\/p>\n
The creation is one of the artist-designed Liberty Bell replicas displayed across Pennsylvania\u2019s 67 counties. The unveiling was one of several events leading up to New Bethlehem\u2019s annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration later Friday evening.<\/p>\n
Despite sweltering temperatures, a crowd turned out to welcome the 3-foot-tall bell \u2014 titled \u201cTreasures of Clarion County\u201d \u2014 painted by New Bethlehem artist Linda Moore.<\/p>\n
The sculpture will remain on display in Veterans Park as part of the statewide public art project commemorating the nation\u2019s semiquincentennial.<\/p>\n
\u201cBells Across PA consists of more than 120 bells that form an art trail stretching across every county in Pennsylvania,\u201d said Colin Sheffer, America250PA\u2019s projects and programming coordinator.<\/p>\n
Sheffer, a New Bethlehem native who said he has attended at least half of the bell unveilings across the state, called the local dedication especially meaningful.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt may not ring, but it\u2019s far from silent,\u201d Sheffer said. \u201cIt speaks to our community, our creativity and our pride.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ceremony began with a prayer led by New Bethlehem\u2019a mayor, the Rev. Gordon Barrows, and included the presentation of the colors by the Walter W. Craig American Legion Post 354 Honor Guard, the Pledge of Allegiance, and \u201cThe Star Spangled Banner\u201d performed by Randy Bowser.<\/p>\n
Members of Clarion Fire and Hose Company No. 1, New Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Company and volunteer from departments from Hawthorn, Limestone Township, Shippenville and Distant sounded their sirens as the bell was unveiled.<\/p>\n
Organizer Lisa Goth reflected on the importance of community and the role it has played throughout the nation\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor generations, this town has been shaped by families, businesses and volunteers who understand that strong communities don\u2019t happen by chance,\u201d she said. \u201cThey are built together.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommunity is more than a place on the map. It\u2019s the people that support one another, preserve our traditions and work together to build a better future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moore said creating the bell\u2019s artwork pushed her beyond her usual artistic subjects.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do scenery, mostly floral stuff, so this was very different because there\u2019s buildings on it, the courthouse; so it was out of my comfort zone for sure,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The artist said choosing which landmarks to include proved difficult as her list of places and symbols representing Clarion County continued to grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings that I felt deserved to be represented on the bell,\u201d Moore said, \u201cit\u2019s all Clarion County.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barrows said New Bethlehem was honored to host the county\u2019s bell. \u201cObviously, Clarion being the county seat, you would sort of assume that they might have held it there, but we are so blessed and humbled to have it here in southern Clarion County.\u201d<\/p>\n
State Rep. Josh Bashline encouraged attendees to consider the legacy future generations will inherit.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo as we unveil this bell, and then look on the next year, 15 years, 20 years down the road, I ask you all to remember everything that we were, are and what we will become in the next 250 years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Barrows, in a news release, said in part that he extends his \u201csincere appreciation to the many volunteers, organizations, businesses, first responders, churches, elected officials, and community members who helped make New Bethlehem\u2019s America250 Independence Day Celebration a tremendous success.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Clarion County\u2019s tribute to America\u2019s 250th birthday rang out Friday afternoon as residents, sponsors, and local and state…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":236504,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154,101850],"class_list":["post-236503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news","tag-head2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236503\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/236504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}