Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for
children 12 and under. All Penn State
students, faculty and staff get free
admission with Penn State ID+ card.
The Yahn Planetarium at Penn State
Behrend is part of the School of Science.
SEE IT BEFORE
IT’S GONE: GREAT
LAKES SHIPWRECK
EXHIBITION AT TREC
THROUGH
APRIL 13
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Exhibition
at the Tom Ridge Environmental
Center will only be open through April
13. Hosted by the PA Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources
(DCNR), this exhibit is free and open to
the public from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck exhibition
features stories from throughout the
Great Lakes, with a focus on Lake Erie’s
treacherous and unpredictable waters.
Marine archaeologists and historical
researchers have identified as many as
132 sunken ships off the shores of Lake
Erie, with estimates suggesting the
number could equal that of a naval fleet.
All told, as many as 25,000 sunken ships
may lie at the bottom of the five Great
Lakes—each with a story to tell.
“We need to fully survey, record and
understand what we have below our
waters to properly tell the story, protect
and conserve these maritime treasures,
and honor the sailors who lost their
lives to the unpredictably treacherous
waters of the Great Lakes,” said David
Boughton, Maritime Educator for
Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Exhibit
Lead. “Our team of volunteer divers are
certified in survey techniques by leading
maritime archaeologist Dr. Ben Ford to
measure and photograph the debris fields
and characterize the location, so that
each site can be catalogued into the state
historic office inventory and be shared
with future generations.”
CROWDS FLIP FOR THE
17TH ANNUAL STARS AND
STRIPES GYMNASTICS
INVITATIONAL
Erie Gymnastics Center and Team Lightning hosted the 17th Annual Stars and
Stripes Gymnastics Invitational at the Bayfront Convention Center in January.
The Stars and Stripes Invitational is recognized as the largest coed gymnastics
invitational in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the eastern United States.
The 2017 event attracted more than 50 teams and nearly 1,700 athletes from
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, Ohio and Ontario.
The Stars and Stripes Invitational was founded in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks, and each year honors a local military, police or fire and rescue-related
organization as a charity partner. Since the event’s inception, Erie Gymnastics has raised
more than $75,000 for related charities.
The benefiting charity for the 2018 event was the Fallen Soldiers Picnic Fund. Based
in Erie, the organization each year hosts a Memorial Day picnic in honor of several local
serviceme mbers who lost their lives in combat or to PTSD since 2003. The organization
donates funds raised to assist local military families and causes.
“It’s hard to believe this is the 17th time we’ve hosted the Stars and Stripes
Invitational, but I couldn’t be more proud of the growth it has seen over the years, due
in part to our partnership with the Erie Sports Commission,” said Doug Pershun, Meet
Director. “As always, [it’s] an exciting competition for both the gymnasts and spectators,
especially at our Main Event, which is annually an incredible show to watch.”
“This invitational continues to impress us every year,” said Ron Sertz, Executive
Director of the Erie Sports Commission. “Stars and Stripes has quickly become a
highlight on Erie’s event calendar.”
For more information, visit eriegymnastics.com. n
MILLCREEK
❘
SPRING 2018
35