Community events in the works for Linglestown

The new Linglestown Area Civic Association got off to a great start last week with about 35 people in attendance at the kickoff meeting held at the Linglestown fire hall.

Longtime Linglestown resident and village booster Bill Minsker (pictured below) spearheaded the formation of the group and chaired the meeting.

Ironically, Minsker boarded a jet the next day for a five-month stint in Poland to work with an outreach program to that country that he operates. But never fear, the group will elect officers in February and at least one person has volunteered to be president.

Numerous community projects were discussed, including family picnics, flea market days and continuing the annual Christmas carol sing and tree-lighting ceremony. Also, the need to start planning for Linglestown's 250th anniversary in 2015 was mentioned.

Minsker enthusiastically outlined his ideas for holding an annual New Year's Eve celebration in the Linglestown square starting next year called "Jingle Lingle." At the strike of midnight, everyone would celebrate the start of the new year by ringing bells. He had photos of commemorative hand bells that the civic association could purchase and sell to partygoers.

Minsker's New Year's Eve plan is the best one that I heard to date. He said one of his students in Poland came up with the "Jingle Lingle" idea as they discussed their holiday activities during a Skype phone call a few weeks ago.

The civic association gives Linglestown-area residents an opportunity to give our community more of an old-fashioned hometown feel. To make it happen, many people are needed to help stage events and raise funds.

Please consider coming out to the civic association's next meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 pm at the fire hall to get involved with making Linglestown a place that feels like home.