Prior to 1948, this was a vacant lot, but in 1948 Glen and Phyllis Martin built the Russell Roller Rink in this space. It was a low one-story building with doors and several windows along the sides. Inside it had maple flooring and a high ceiling. The rink also was equipped with an organ that accompanied skaters with music. The following year, the Martins sold the roller rink to Ralph Owen. Owen needed an organist to play the organ. Ray Foltz, Melvin Mansfield and Ron Howard filled the bill during these early years. The organist was considered “gold” because it attracted people who skated to the music. Later he hired Dave Saullo, then 16 years old, from Jamestown New York; he had played the organ at the Celeron New York skating rink. Saullo knew that to play at a skating rink “you had to have the right beat” To learn the beat, he got two girls to skate with him, so he could find the right beat. During Owen’s ownership the Russell Roller Rink became a popular pastime for adults and children in the Russell area. Skaters recall with nostalgia fast-skating, skating the two-step and waltzing to the beautiful organ music. Skaters of that era also will remember Gibb Mead, who was a floor manager and skilled skater. The roller rink was so popular that when Ralph Owen retired, his daughter, Margaret Owen Schott, presented him with an honorary plaque bearing an inscription stating the year he purchased the roller rink and the month and year that he sold it. The plaque was prominently displayed in the rink.

In October 1972, when Ralph Owen was ready to retire, he approached Dave Saullo about purchasing the rink. Saullo had been in the skating business since he was 16 years old; he purchased the rink. By this time the roller rink needed a face lift. The windows were closed up, the ceiling was lowered, and new lighting was installed. The floor was resurfaced and new wall paneling was installed. Mike Sharp’s father, Jack Sharp, helped Dave with the remodeling. The ceiling was lowered enough that Dave Saullo was able to create an apartment on the second floor for himself. The lowered suspended ceiling also made a better appearance and improved the sound quality. Movie theater carpeting also was brought into the lobby area. With renovations completed, Saullo held adult skating sessions on Thursday and Sunday evenings, accompanied by his organ music Organ music was on the menu every night for kids and adults. Everyone loved it! Kids danced to the music, some skating as couples. The Roller Skating Rinks of America had dance competitions on skates. During these events skaters would come from all over the country; Competitions lasted for 10 hours per day. Both skaters and the organist were judged.

To promote the newly refurbished Russell Roller Rink, in 1973 and 1974, Saullo scheduled “Skate-a-thons” from Jamestown to Russell, a distance of 14 miles. In each event, about 50 skaters left Woodlawn Avenue in Jamestown on a route that would take them on East Second Street, Dow Street, Buffalo Street, Swanson Road and Route 62. By skate, the trip took about seven hours, including about a half dozen rest stops. Proceeds of the event were donated to the American Cancer Society.

Skaters continued to enjoy the newly furbished Russell Skating Rink until January 6, 1983, when an overnight fire was discovered about 4 a.m. About 50 firefighters from Russell, Lander and North Warren responded to the alarm and spent about two hours bringing the blaze under control. The building was a total loss. However, searching through the wreckage, Ralph Owen’s daughter, Margaret Owen Schott, found the charred plaque she had presented to her father 11 years previously. The rink was not rebuilt; Russell was now without its roller rink!

Dave Saullo at the organ.

Zoom ahead 10 years. On October 15, 1993, Dave and wife Cathy Saullo, opened a new roller rink in Russell on the west side of the then new portion of U.S. Route 62, about a quarter mile north of the intersection with Route 957, the blinking yellow light today. The couple rented a property with a structure previously used for motor home storage and later rented by Ed Shults as a body shop. Over the summer months the Saullos and their crew, including subsequent owners Mike and Mary Jo Sharp, re-purposed the structure as a roller rink in just 77 days. The new rink had a maple floor and was about the same size as the old Russell rink with a capacity of about 350 skaters. The rink had an arcade area, snack bar and “a terrific sound system.” Decor featured soft colors.

Zoom ahead again to July 1999. Mike and Mary Jo Sharp purchased the skating rink from Dave and Cathy Saullo. The Sharps have continued the same tradition of high quality skating and family fun as their predecessors. Over time, the Sharps have made many improvements. Beginning in 2000-2001 a new polypropylene skate floor was installed, as well as a video screen, so that participants could skate to music videos. Music for all ages is played as skaters make the rounds of the rink. Special effects black light also was installed. During this time, the rink structure was widened to accommodate Jasper’s Cafe, named for Dave’s father, serving refreshments, and a seating area with tables and chairs. It also has a special room where daughter Devin Sharp, who grew up at the rink, could do her school work. That worked out pretty well; she is now a nurse at an Erie hospital. Devin remembers that all of her birthday parties were celebrated at the rink with friends. Today skaters play roller hockey and there’s a roller derby and a fitness class along with the traditional open skate sessions. Families are at the center of skating and many birthday parties are celebrated there. There also are family oriented sessions on Thursday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. Friday nights lean more toward the preteen and teen crowd with appropriate music played for each session. So, a Russell tradition lives on!

Post Script: When I talked about writing this piece with my daughter, Christin Borger, she reminded me of the fun she and her friends had skating at the original Russell Roller Rink in the 1980s. She put a message on Facebook and got the interesting replies below.

Diane Boschert: “That was my great grandfather’s rink for many years before Dave Saullo bought it. I remember going almost every night as a kid. We didn’t have electronic devices then and that was what everybody did back then.”

Mindy Manelick Snarburg: “Ray Foltz, Melvin Mansfield, Ron Howard and Dave Saullo played live organ music. Ray always had his German shepherd sit on a chair beside him while he was playing.”

Pictured is a Russell Roller Rink jacket.

Gary Lester: “We skated there a lot — parties were held by Russell Elementary School, I think. Ray Foltz provided live music. Might have been a fund raiser for a class trip to Pittsburgh. Lots of upper elementary and junior high kids. There were couples skates and we actually got to hold hands with the girls! Scary and exciting.”

Amy Fry O’ Donnell: “It was Ray Foltz that played the organ! He was the best ever, really kept that place rocking! Gibb Mead used to manage the floor to keep everyone in line!! They had everything from all skate to special dance numbers and also a couples skate! A great place to go; my grandfather ran a tight ship, but everyone had fun!”

Frankie Notoro Johnson: “I went there on my 40th birthday to learn to roller blade. I had roller skated every weekend growing up, so after blading for a while, I put on a pair of skates to finish out the evening. I was trying out a new way of skating backward and getting too close to the wall, back kicked the wall and went down. My wrist hurt, but I finished out the night. When I attempted to unlace my skates, I realized my wrist was not cooperating. So, a trip to the ER and yes, a broken wrist. A most unusual birthday present.”

Alyssa Bruce: “I went there consistently with friends growing up. Probably, at least once a month, when you live in Jamestown and can’t drive. My parents would shuttle me and my friends down and come back when the rink closed to cart us all back home. We always made sure to get shaved ice on our way out, as a well deserved dessert after all of that exercise.”

Joshua Beefy Anderson: “New Years Eve 2001, a friend invited me to go to the rink for an all-nighter. I was hesitant, but I was 17 and decided to go. Since that time, 2021 was the first time the year changed and I was not in the rink. In 2004, I wore pink tights and a tutu for Halloween. I’ve played Santa Claus for parties. We have met people who have become lifelong friends. We’ve watched people meet their spouses and become parents and now seen their children enjoy the rink just as we once did. To pick one memory might be difficult. Actually, I’ve got one. New Years Eve 2010–2011 a comment was made about how I should be a stand-up comic. So, with an hour notice, Mike Sharp called me onto the floor and handed me a microphone and basically said, “good luck“. It went as bad as you can imagine. But, it gave me the courage to try again. Since that night, I have been on stage hundreds of times, performed in three states, worked with famous names on National Television and local TV commercials. The Roller Rink might be just a place for some. To me and many others, it’s family.”

ROAR

MARCH 1, 2021

The regular ROAR meeting was held at 6:30 p.m. at the township office. Beautification Chair Karen Martin reported that spring marigolds will be planted at the park. Priscilla Prowley reported that flags in downtown Russell will be changed by April 4. As reported previously by Art Sager, Canoe/Kayak Launch Chair, ROAR has received a $4,000 grant from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in support of renovations at the launch site in Larimer Park. Large dead trees have been cut and removed from the site. Stones can now be placed and gravel spread. This spring, brush along the Conewango Creek at the launch site will be cut to waist height. Decisions still need to be made concerning access to the launch from the park entrance and parking. In other projects, additional sidewalk work is being considered, including making access to sidewalks from the street ADA compliant.

Due to concern for COVID spread, Pine Grove Days will not be held in May 2021. Vicki Williams, fireworks chair, informed ROAR President Linda L. Farnsworth the fireworks display has been formally set for Memorial Day weekend, May 28, 2022, during the Pine Grove Days celebration. COVID has scraped any gatherings for 2021. A 50-50 fundraiser is in the works and will be announced at the April ROAR meeting. Everyone that has donated for fireworks to date can rest assured it was not in vain. A cost of $2,000 required as a down payment was sent and a new contract will be signed.

The Honor Roll Memorial at Pine Grove cemetery is now under the care of ROAR Beautification Chair Karen Martin. Anyone interested in helping with the maintenance of the Honor Roll Memorial can contact Martin. Priscilla Powley and Katie Walker, co-chairs of downtown flags/banners, will purchase new banners as the elements have taken their toll over time with the present ones. ROAR is always accepting donations that can be sent to ROAR PO Box 303 Russell, PA. If a donation is for fireworks only, designate it on the check, as fireworks is a separate account. The next ROAR meeting is April 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Russell Town Hall.

SUPERVISORS REPORT

MARCH 10, 2021

Winter road maintenance is winding down and the road crew will soon begin cleaning the roads and streets of anti-skid. They also will be checking for potholes and cleaning drains before beginning this season’s major road maintenance projects. Residents are reminded to call the township office with any concerns about the roads and especially if they notice potholes in the road. Additionally, the supervisors and the road foreman soon will be doing their annual spring road inspection to help make a final determination of exactly what the maintenance and upgrade schedule for this year will be. The bridge walkway to the post office has been cleaned as has the walk leading to the old school path. The township’s aging sewer system has required considerable attention over the past couple of months. Several pumps have had to be replaced at our two major lift stations and significant repairs were needed to one of our emergency generators. With this work, the system should be trouble free, at least for a while.

The decision as to whether to close the Big Four Road to through traffic is still pending before the Board of Supervisors. The supervisors have gathered considerable public input and have begun to categorize the input. However, before a final decision is made, there will be a public hearing devoted to gathering as much input as possible. The hearing likely will be in April and a notice of the exact date and location will be placed in the local paper and posted on our website. No decision will be made until all possible input is gathered and considered. Another issue before the supervisors has been the street light tax. Currently only households living near a streetlight pay for the light near them. The supervisors believe all residents using our streets and roads benefit from the lights and have decided to apply the light tax to all township property taxpayers. The tax will amount to $9 per year. In other business, the supervisors have set Saturday, May 15, from 8 a.m. to noon for the township’s annual clean-up day. The fees will be $10 per carload and $20 for a pickup truck or trailer. As usual, no toxic liquids or tires will be accepted.

PINE GROVE LIONS CLUB

The Pine Grove Lions Club reminds residents across its service area, which covers Elk, Pine Grove, Farmington and Sugar Grove townships, as well as the boroughs or Sugar Grove and Bear Lake, that the club is always willing to help families or individuals that are undergoing extreme hardships, such as fires, catastrophic illnesses or other severe emergencies. Referrals for assistance for these individuals can be directed to any Lions Club member or by mail to the Pine Grove Lions Club, P.O. Box 488, Russell, PA 16345. Also, due to the pandemic, the club was not able to conduct its annual broom sale last year and may not be able to do so this year. The club does have a large inventory of brooms and garbage bags. If anyone would like to purchase brooms or bags, they can do so by contacting any club member.