From staff reports
The Redbank Valley Historical Society, which focused last year on World War II and how that war involved and effected this area, is now adding a new chapter that will put the spotlight on the community and how it responded to helping meet the nation’s call to arms.
The spotlight, according to society president Cindy Morgan, will include producing, and making available for purchase, the organization’s first video showing a link between the war and the area the society represents. Included with the video, Morgan said, will be a couple of “bonuses”— a comprehensive listing of area veterans buried in the communities that comprise the Redbank Valley area and an extensive listing of more than 800 veterans of WWII who are buried in more than 30 nearby cemeteries.
The video was produced for the historical society by Adele Smith, of Hawthorn, who has produced other videos, including one in 2016 that featured the history of her hometown. She started her first movie studio at 13 years old and called it Hawthorn Pictures. She went on to study film and television at Bob Jones University, eventually completing her film training with John Russo and Russ Steinger (original creators of “Night of the Living Dead”) at DuBois Business College. In 2005, she earned a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in theater and acting at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.
The first public viewing of the WWII video is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 15, in the social rooms of the First Presbyterian Church, located at the intersection of Penn and Wood Streets here.
While the public at large will not have an opportunity to view the video that includes still photos of area men in uniform in the 1941-45 period of the war — and two detailed interviews recorded by Morgan and her husband, Dennis, a few years ago — those interested in obtaining a copy of the production have an opportunity to do so in advance, the organization president said. Copies of the video may be obtained through orders placed prior to Aug. 31 through the Redbank Valley Renaissance, the parent organization for the historical society.
The advance copies of the video cost $20, if the purchaser plans to pick up their copies at the Renaissance booth at the Sept. 15-17 Peanut Butter Festival. Those who have their copies delivered to them will be charged an extra $4 to cover taxes and shipping, organization leaders announced.
To order an advance copy of the WWII video, contact Redbank Valley Renaissance at info@RedbankRen.org or call (814) 275- 1718. Inquiries may also be made to the historical society’s president at (814) 221- 6225.