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April 2, 2006

Volunteers finish cleanup weekend at Conneaut Lake Park

By Jane Smith

04/03/06 —

CONNEAUT LAKE PARK – Wearing a paint-stained blue T-shirt, Linda Cramer of Latrobe was busy Sunday raking leaves at Conneaut Lake Park – the fifth year that she and her husband have returned to the local amusement park to volunteer their services.

“I spend my vacations here,” she said. “As kids, our parents brought our families here for years,” she said as her voice choked with emotion. “I’m doing it in their memory,” she said, pausing to regain her composure. To her, the need to help get the park cleaned up and ready to open is important.

What were her favorite memories of the park as a child? “I have two – the French fries; the best fries in the world; and probably the Blue Streak roller coaster,” she said.” families came here for years,” as her voice choked with emotion.

She held our shirt out to identify the paint stains. “This is the Blue Streak paint,” she said pointing to a streak of blue. “This is the bathroom paint and this is the hotel,” she grinned.

When’s she’s not raking leaves, her full-time job is that of a secretary.

Her husband, Bernie, was raking leaves as well. “Because it needs to be done,” he said of why he was spending his weekend hundreds of miles from home. He too remembers his childhood days at Conneaut Lake Park, when he was “able to come up and walk through the park.” He said the volunteers become friends and it’s fun to listen to the interaction with others as they work. “When I was a little kid, I remember,” he said of how many conversations start out. Many have different memories.

He and his wife spend the weekend at a local motel and will return in May for the next volunteer weekend. “It’s a nice little family park,” he said, noting he believes it is important to retain for the future.

Fondly called “up-ers,” by local residents, referring to the fact anyone from the Pittsburgh area is “up here,” the Cramer couple was joined by another “up-er,” Paige Fulmer of New Stanton,” who had never been to the park, but was raking leaves and removing siding from a house being torn down.

She recalls she had never heard of the park until she visited a friend in New Jersey, who told her about it. “It has such character,” she said of what she saw. “It’s a perfect place.”

While the trio was from out of the area, Meadville resident Kathy Sivik was also raking leaves at the park. “Years ago I worked here – in the food stands,” she said. “I popped popcorn and sold ice cream or whatever else was being sold that year. “I volunteer to save the park,” she added.

The four were part of a group of 25 to 30 people who spent their Sunday at the park, completing the two-day weekend.

Kelly Petrachkoff, secretary of Conneaut Lake Institute, was organizer of this year’s volunteer weekend. She credits the many volunteers, who not only donated their time and efforts, but often bring equipment with them.

Included are John and Laura Gramelt of Girard, Ohio, who “are really dedicated to this place.” She said they bring high-powered equipment used to collect all the leaves.

By the end of Sunday afternoon, piles of leaves were all over the park — waiting to be picked up as the workers finished their tasks.

The next volunteer weekend is May 6 and 7 when painting and construction work will be done at the 114-year-old local amusement park.



Jane Smith can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at jsmith@meadvilletribune.com

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