Photo submitted to Times Observer Steve Sorensen (left) with his two First Place awards, being congratulated by Brad Isles, President of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association.

Outdoor writing awards

Local outdoor writer Steve Sorensen took home two top Excellence in Craft Awards from the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association (POWA) at their annual conference on May 5 in Franklin..

Sorensen won two first-place awards and one second for work published in 2017. His article titled “Turn a Kid on To Hunting” (August 14, 2017) appeared in several newspapers and won in the Youth and the Hunting/Shooting Sports Award category, sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The same piece took the second place “Pass It On” Award, sponsored by the National Rifle Association. Sorensen also took the first place Whitetail Deer Award for a magazine article titled “The Waterlogged Buck” (December/January 2017/2018 issue of North American Whitetail).

POWA is the largest state organization in the nation for outdoor communicators. It awards creative work in writing, photography, art, broadcast, video, and the Internet. In all, 327 entries were considered for 28 award categories. Awards were won by new members and long-time members, for work published in small weekly newspapers to big city daily papers, as well as local magazines to national magazines, and radio and television in large and small markets. Members of POWA exhibit excellence across a wide spectrum of media.

Sorensen is a contributor to national and regional magazines and contributes to blogs for Legendary Whitetails and Havalon Knives. His newspaper column, The Everyday Hunter®, appears regularly in area publications. He also speaks frequently at sportsman’s shows and church-sponsored sportsman’s banquets. In 2015 the Professional Outdoor Media Association presented Sorensen with the national “Pinnacle Award” for journalistic excellence.

Sorensen lives in Russell, PA with his wife, Barbara, and miniature groundhog dog, Remy.

Class to lunch

The Warren High School class of 1956 will meet for lunch at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at Perkins in Warren.

LICC to meet

The Local Interagency Coordinating Council will meet on Tuesday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to noon in room 113 at 285 Hospital Drive in North Warren.

YHS Alumni Coming Home events

On Oct. 6, there will be breakfast at Richard’s Restaurant at 9 a.m.

The dinner/dance will be held that day at 5 p.m. at Youngsville Fire Hall. Reservations for dinner are required. It is $10 per dinner. The band “American Pie” will be playing. It is also $10 for the dance.

Many YHS classes will hold their reunions at this event.

Contacts include: Kathie Irwin at kirwin5@msn.com, or (814) 489-3535; and Becky or Sam Walters at bswalters@verizon.net, or (814) 563-4791.

Mail reservations to: Lou Ann Lauger, PO Box 235, Youngsville, PA 16371.

For questions, call Lou Ann Lauger at 563-3566, or email llauger53@gmail.com.

Miss Tidioute Pageant

The Miss Tidioute Pageant will be held Saturday, May 19, at 7 p.m. at Tidioute Charter School

Contestants include: Cassandra Rison, daughter of Lena Rison and Chris Rison; Allison Schratz daughter of Richard Schratz; and Amber Graves, daughter of Tanya and Jamie Graves.

Ballot boxes for People’s Choice are out at Tidioute Trading Post, Evans Market, Hotel Tidioute and Buccardo’s Restaurant, please cast your monetary votes.

Admission is by monetary donation and all proceeds benefit the pageant and is used to purchase, tiara, sash, plaques and gifts for contestants.

Chinese raffle

A Chinese Basket Raffle to benefit the Miss Tidioute Pageant will have drawings on Saturday, May 19, at the Pageant.

Basket #1 is Two Bottles of Wine, wine glasses and Chocolate.

Basket #2 is Avon products

Basket #3 is a Diophy Purse filled with scarves, coin purses, bracelets, etc.

Basket #4 is a waste basket filled with several bathroom items.

Basket #5 is filled with several games and snacks for a “Family Game Night.”

Tickets are $1 each or six tickets for $5 and are on sale at Buccardo’s Restaurant, and from the contestants families, Linda Scott, Helen Williams and Nancy Burtons.

Baskets are on display at Buccardo’s Restaurant, Tidioute.

The winner need not be present to win.

If you need tickets or information, contact Linda Scott at 484-7525.

Memorial services

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, May 26, at 11:30 a.m. at the Tidioute Presbyterian Church for Thomas Shall, who passed on September 30, 2017.

Family and friends are invited to share this time with his family.