Celebrate the beginning of another 250 yrs in America! Celebrate the beginning of another 250 yrs in America! UPDATED: 5/15/99 9:55:34 PM
Updates will be posted in Red or marked 
as they become available so check back often
INTRODUCTION LETTER THINGS TO DO PLACES TO STAY & EAT WANT TO JOIN IN AND HELP? SCHEDULE OF EVENTS - - - SATURDAY - August 21, 1999 - - - SUNDAY - August 22, 1999 DONATIONS SATURDAY DINNER RESERVATION FORM DIRECTIONS AND MAP TO PITMAN NORTH CAROLINA HEPLERS
The
1998 Hepler Family Reunion which celebrated 250 years in America was awesome. If you missed it, you ought to plan to attend this session as we add another year to the ledger. There will be two days of activities, any one of which will help give you an appreciation of your HEPLER heritage. We are fortunate that the family history has been well documented back to the 1600's in what is now part of Germany. You can participate in its legacy being kept alive and you will be able to pass the story, as a gift, to future generation.The time of the HEPLER Family Reunion has varied over the years from its inception in 1931. For the past 20 years it has been held on the weekend which emcompassed the second Sunday in August. And since 1931, the reunions have been held at the Hepler Grove in Pitman, PA. Last year, Saturday's events were carried on at the Mahantongo Fire Company in the town of Pitman, a stone throw away from "The Grove". These facilities are so ideally suited to our annual affair that it was decided to use the same accommodations again this year for both days. In order to schedule the facility, it was necessary to change the dates of the reunion to August 21 and August 22. Plan now to bring your family to Pitman. There's plenty to do in Central Pennsylvania, so we're hoping you'll decide to take a nice, long vacation. If you've never attended the reunion, we invite you to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. We'd be glad to share our advice about making your journey an unforgettable experience.
Looking forward to seeing you,
The Hepler Family Association Reunion Committee
Here are some ideas of what to do while you're visiting Central Pennsylvania.
Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce 570-
622-1942 -you can order a very nice detailed map of the county Tour Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine- (570)
875-3850 Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Yuengling, America's oldest Brewery- (800) 765-7282 Knoebels Grove Amusement Park- (800) ITS-4-FUN Harrisburg-Hershey-Carlisle Tourism Bureau
(800)995-0969 Pa. Dutch Visitors Bureau in Lancaster (717)291-8901
Pennsylvania Tourism Home Page1-800-VISIT PA for
state maps, calendars of events, etc Visit Pennsylvania Information on all counties Things to do in Northumberland County Things to do in Schuylkill County-
Great page, check it out. Lots of "Where to..." searches. Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm,
Stroudsburg, Pa.- An 18th century farm depicting life as it would have been in the days of
Casper & his family. This would be a good day trip for either Thursday or Tuesday The Goschenhoppen Historians Folk
Festival is a renown Pennsylvania German festival featuring authentic trade and
homeskills of the Goschenhoppen region depicting life in the 18th-19th century. All
demonstrations have been researched to be authentically correct and include ropemaking,
metalsmith, cooking, gardening, broom & fence making, candlemaking, quilting, sheep
shearing, horsedrawn hayrides and more. The festival is held in East Greenville, in nearby
Montgomery County, Pa about two hours from Pitman, SW of Allentown. Information can be
obtained by calling the Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc: 215-679-4737 or 215-234-8953. The
festival generally runs noon-8pm Friday the first weekend in August.
Want to do some genealogy research while in Pennsylvania? Check out these sites:
The Pottsville Free Public Library
Schuylkill County Ties
Useful Schuylkill County Addresses
Upper Mahantongo Valley Info
Historical Society of Schuylkill County 570-622-7540
Pine Grove (Exit 31 off I-81) approx. 25 minutes from Pitman:
Comfort
Inn (570)345-8031) Colony
Park Motel (570) 345-8095 Twin
Grove Park Campground, RD #1, Box 395, Pine Grove, PA 17963, 570-865-4602Frackville (Exit 36 off I-81) approx. 25 minutes from Pitman:
Econo
Lodge (570) 874-3838 Granny's Motel (570) 874-0408
Motel 6 #4043 (570) 874-1223 or 1-800-466-8356 Central
Motel (570) 874-3176Hegins (Exit 34 off I-81)
Camp-A-While Campground (570)
682-8696. Hegins RestaurantsPottsville (Exit 36 off I-81) approx. 30 minutes from Pitman
Pottsville Motor Inn (570) 622-4917 Fairlane Motor Inn (570) 429-1696 Quality Hotel (570) 622-4600 or
1-800-777-8007 The River Inn (570) 385-2407 Schuylkill Haven
Country
Squire Motel & Restaurant Rt 61. Phone: 570-385-3559The Stone House Bed & Breakfast , 16
Dock Street, Schuylkill Haven PA 17972. Phone: (570) 385-2115.Other area campgrounds
PA Southeastern Region Campgrounds Pa Campgrounds Knoebel's Campground - Elysburg, Pa.
570-672-9555 Red Ridge Lake CG- Zion's
Grove, Pa. 717-384-4760Other places to stay & eat
I-81 Lodging Vistors Guide for Schuylkill County Dining
& Lodging Rooms Plus Travel Guide- Guide to Motels,
Hotels, B&B, and Campgrounds throughout the US and Canada Searchable
index of places to stay in Schuylkill County Searchable
index of places to eat in Schuylkill County Contact "Hepler Reunion Places to Stay", R.D.2 Box 238, Shamokin, Pa. 17872 for more suggestions.
Our group always welcomes a helping hand or two. And there are so many ways to contribute, both during reunion weekend and while we prepare. Share your ideas with our committee or, during that weekend, can you help us: clean up the grove, staff the registration table and greet cousins, supervise children's games, put up signs around Pitman, provide entertainment, take part in a genealogical discussion, be a reader at Sunday's service? There's lots to do!
You will receive this same information in a U.S.Postal mailing. Due to financial constraints, we won't be able to afford another "reminder" mailing this summer so hang onto that mailing and/or bookmark this page with your browser. If you really can't make it to the 250th celebration, please consider contributing financially - this is a volunteer, non-profit organization, with a treasury that exists solely to pay for costs like grove rental, food, and a huge mailing list of over 2,000 people!! Because we want to do as much as we can to make this 250th occasion memorable, we can really use your donation. Checks may be made payable to "The Hepler Reunion Association" and sent to "The Hepler Reunion Association. RD1 Box 57, Pitman, Pa. 17964. THANKS!!
Click Here for donation form.August 21, 1999
Moderately priced lunches and refreshments will be available.
Sign-in and genealogy sessions will begin at 11:00am. Members of various branches of the family will be at hand to help in your research. And new family information will certainly be welcomed. Avice Morgan Hepler, author of The Hepler Family History, will be available to assist. Dr. Don Yoder expects to be at hand also. It will be a time to get acquainted with out of town visitors.
Wecome Remarks by President William Paul
Dutch Chorus will entertain about 1:30pm
Social at 2:00pm. This wil be a non-structured get-together. It is hoped that we can arrange a hoedown as part of this time period. We will invite people who will not be available for Sunday's Call of States to offer their comments and views.
The Saturday Night Catered Dinner will begin at 5:30pm. Last year, for the first time in anyone's memory, a sit down dinner became part of our 'HEPLER' weekend activities. Its success demanded that another be offered again this year. A program and guest speaker with an appropriate message will be part of an entertaining and informative evening. Reservations are required. Please use the appropriate form. The deadline for reservations is August 2.
August 22, 1999
A memorial observance will begin at 9:30am at the
Zion Cemetery (just outside the town of Pitman) commemorating our ancestral Revolutionary War Soldiers Jacob, Christopher, Casper Jr. and George as well as all of our forefathers especially those who answered the 'call to colors'. A Color Guard from Post 29, Vietnam Veterans in Port Carbon, PA will participate. Taps by Sally Hepler, wreath laying and other solemn ceremonies are part of this tradition. Leanne Toth will deliver the annual gravesite message. Lawn chairs are suggested as a comfort in contemplating and enjoying the serenity of this most beautiful valley.The day continues with lunch served at 11:30AM. During this time, moderately priced lunches and refreshments will be available..
A formal meeting will begin at 1:00PM. The keynote speaker will include Dr. Don Yoder, renowned author, lecturer, and professor. He will provide continuing information on the HEPLER family specifically and our Pennsylvania German heritage in general
A Call of the States where people are asked to step forward to add their history to the body of knowledge that we wish to share with Heplers and their friends.
Commemorative articles will be available for sale both days. Proceeds are for the benefit of the Hepler Family Reunion Association. You might want to get in some early Christmas shopping.
Area
MapFor a
clickable image map of Pitman with photos Click Here
From I-81 take exit 34, Go west on 25 to Hegins, turn right on 125 and go over the mountain to Pitman. From Millersburg take Rte 25 East to Hegins & follow above directions. From Shamokin take Rt. 125 South to Pitman. The Mahantongo Fire Company is on Main Road in Pitman.
May 10th update: Just received word that the NC Reunion has been cancelled for this year. Clemmons North Carolina area will be the site of the Carolina Heplers Annual Reunion. It will be held on the second Sunday of June. Contact Eddie Hepler at (366) 766-4864 for details. Most Heplers in that part of the country are from the Christopher Hepler line. Christopher was just two years of age when his parents Caspar and Susanna (Scheible) brought him to America in 1749 with his four year old brother, Jacob.
Back to top
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
Nature
Store
Owned by Jack Paul
Host and Sponsor of the Hepler
Family Website
Your support is appreciated! Thank you
Web page designed, created and maintained by: Jack Paul
Last maintained: 1/3/2002
Copyright © 1998-2002 Hepler Family Reunion Association. All rights reserved.
