06/09/2025
Hello, as a long-standing member of the Canal Days activities and committee member I want to say Thank you to so many people who made this year's event a success and give reflection of opinion on a few things. I will start with thank you to my fellow committee members. As most major events like this it takes a small army to pull it off. This year's committee members are Dave Pizer, Josie Liboski, Randy Yeager, Jen Thounhurst, Erica Schimizzi,, Katie Morris. We give of our time in the form of meetings, multiple phone calls, solicitation of sponsors, planning and layout of vendors, arranging top quality entertainment, permits, insurances, planning for emergency situations and mostly to continue to grow and make each year better than the last. This truly is not done for recognition but because we love this little town of Saltsburg and the history that came before us. The work is great but the reward of seeing our town alive with so many people and vendors along with the reunion of old friends and family is our motivational drive. Collectively we are a group that looks at the glass half full not empty. If you have something to offer or would just like to help us carry on the 43-year-old tradition, please contact anyone of us and we will be glad to have you come aboard. To our past members who have paved the road for us and made an easy map to follow, we say thank you for your time and dedication to Saltsburg. Each and every one of you has been a blessing to this major event.
We have so many organizations outside of the committee who contribute so much to the success and they each deserve a pat on the back and a thank you. Saltsburg VFD, Saltsburg Borough and it employees, PJ Hurska and our new resident electrician Keith Walters. With out their help and talents none of this takes place.
To each and every sponsor big or small without your donations we would be unable to provide such a mega event for the community. Each and every dollar adds up, each and every dollar gets spent too. It takes a lot of grease to make the wheel go round. Your donations are so important to us!! Thank you sponsors for you continued support! So, as I often do on the microphone, I ask that you help us thank our donors by doing business and supporting them.
To each and every vendor, crafter, church organization your attendance and participation is how we gauge the success of the event. We try to be so in tune with your wishes and desires so that you will want to come back year after year. Just the sheer number of vendors and crafters is a main attraction that keeps the public attending. For me personally I always start my Christmas shopping at Canal Days and over the years have been able to buy unique personal items to give to my family that you just can't buy at the big box stores.
Thank you to Frank Calipare for an amazing job with this year's fireworks. Working with a small-town budget you sure made the sky light up and boom!! Last year we had to move locations due to safety of our town's residents and personal property. We moved back across the river with the blessing of a landowner on that side of the river. Frank had been used to setting them off closer to the road on the other side of the river as he was the one that used that launch site, but a gas well had been drilled in that location which forced him to move further away. Unfortunately, last year the shells had already been purchased with the anticipation of still using original launch site. Moving further back using a smaller shell created some viewing problems last year and we heard about it. We took those concerns to Frank, and he made the adjustments, and I think it was easily seen this year firework display. It might not be Disney fireworks lol, but we also don't have the Disney budget for that kind of show. I think it is worth noting that Frank still does it all by hand and not launching from a computer. Great Job Frank...that grand finale. WOW!
Now on to the part that is dear to my heart and that is the entertainment. If you don't know the name of who the sound company or who sound technicians are then they have done their job correctly. Every and mean every act that walks on that stage gets the top-notch professional sound hook up and full dedication to mix and making each member sound the best they can be. The name of that sound company by the way company is Baughman Sound Company and the technician is Red Baughman. The most humble and professional sound tech I have ever meet. He always has been willing to teach me and answer questions that has helped me improve my game. Red, thank you for our friendship and the love and passion you bring to Saltsburg each year. Can't imagine doing this without you! You are the best! To this year's entertainers you all rock and it was a pleasure to listen to you sing a perform!
To the public thank you for coming and spending your time and your money at our vendor and crafters. It has been said if you build it, they will come, and you sure have. If you didn't show up it wouldn't be worth it. We know it's a pain to find parking and we thank you for fighting through it. We are constantly looking for way to improve that. There is unfortunately only so much we can do.
To the residents of Saltsburg. Thank you for letting us turn your quite little town upside down for 3 days every June. We understand it puts a strain on your travels around town and that it can be and inconvenience to you. We appreciate your sacrifice for the weekend.
Last but not least, not least by a long shot, is the Maxwell Family. Flabbergasted is all I can come up with. If you did not make it into town the Maxwell Family completely redesigned and rebuilt the river's edge overlook. They added a massive pavilion that covers what we call the river's edge stage, redid all the decking, light poles, and electric. They built at least 5 pavilions right on the very edge of the river complete with picnic tables. Paved the boat launch drive around area, as well as the Canal walkway. It is just absolutely stunning. The shear investment into the community is mind boggling. The status of the town has just gone up a few rungs on the ladder. I'm not sure the Maxwells realize the impact this will have on the community now or for years to come. In speaking with a member of the Maxwell family I was told they didn't want names mention as this was not done to gain recognition or notoriety. It was done as a vision for Saltsburg, and they have been blessed over the years and just want to give back to the town that has been instrumental in the blessings they received. My thoughts are you don't make that kind of investment with out, at very least, a HUGE THANK YOU! I did not know that it was the Maxwell family who built the original rivers edge back in 1997. I am embarrassed by that. I was under the assumption that it was a part of the grants that were obtained for the Canal area. To me it feels like the Maxwells have done a lot for Saltsburg without many knowing who was responsible. In my opinion we should always refer to the river's edge as the Maxwell Family Rivers Edge Complex!! I just can't get over what they have done...Amazing!
With all that...Bring on the 44th Saltsburg Canal Days!!!
Sincerely,
Jim Libengood
aka JD
aka DJ Jammin Jim
aka JD Ryder
