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Roger Steele celebrates 25 years of committee, frog lessons |
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Local Content -
Local News
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Written by Tom Chapin
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Friday, 03 July 2009 |
PUNXSUTAWNEY — After 25 years as a member of the Groundhog Festival Committee — and 22 years as its chairman — Roger Steele has seen tons of singers, comedians, balloon artists and happy children's faces.
Sometimes, those children are the entertainment, he said, alluding to the Dazzling Mills Family, performing Thursday afternoon.
"I remember her (Michelle Mills) when she was eight or nine," Steele said. Years later, the Mills family is back performing at the Groundhog Festival, and next week, Michelle Mills is getting married to her fellow Dazzling performer, Kris Groth.
Time flies when one is have fun, apparently, and Steele said some of his best memories and favorite performers include Brian Pelton — last summer's Elvis impersonator that had even Dick Clark convinced it was the King — and Terry Fator, who appeared at the 2006 festival and won the $1 million grand prize on NBC's "America's Got Talent" in 2007.
"He didn't take on any airs," Steele said about when he and wife Mary — herself a 23-year committee member — saw Fator perform in Williamsburg following the NBC show. "He's still Terry. It's nice to see someone make it, and stay who they are."
Steele said upon moving to Punxsy 25 years ago, he heard that the festival committee was holding a meeting.
"I thought it might be interesting," he said. "I went to the first meeting, and I immediately got involved."
Like the Groundhog Festival, the committee has grown, from eight or 10 people to its current 23, the maximum number of members permitted, as outlined by the group's bylaws.
The festival also ran about three or four days. Steele said usually by 8 p.m., everything was packed, and everyone went home.
That's not so these days.
"Now, we have big shows during the day and night," he said.
Steele said he remains with the committee to see its continued growth. He's also made many friends with the performers who have performed over the years.
"We treat them as they are the talent," he said, adding that the committee's hospitality is shared among performers, those who have been to Punxsy and those who have not.
Steele said he's also learned a few things along the way, such as the fact that there is a frog season — July 1 — as it pertains to Big Run carpet's Frog-Jumping Contest.
"You can't touch them before July 1," he said. "So you can't train them or get them on a diet to jump farther."
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Last Updated ( Monday, 06 July 2009 )
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