Winning Tradition
PENN TWP — Fifty is nifty for Penn Valley Athletic Club, 6135 Monroe Road.
A handful of men had a vision of a community pool and recreation center and took the plunge.
On April 18, 1966, 11 people signed the articles of incorporation to create the club.
One of the surviving founders, Charles F. Fleming of Penn Township, remembers the beginning.
“Dale Winters was the brains of the outfit, and he was a man on a mission. He got us all together, and we began to lend a hand in the ways we could,” said Fleming.
“Dale motivated and coordinated, and Bill Cully who owned United Plate Glass spearheaded the fundraising efforts with the government and the state, securing us a $60,000 loan to get started,” Fleming said.
Fleming was a contractor and spent much of his time digging and working hands-on at the site.
“Jack Brooks handled the money and managed our budget for the club,” he added.
“The land was actually one huge slope and Armco loaned us their workers and equipment to help level it out. Their good will gesture moved more than dirt, it moved the project along quickly,” said Fleming who eventually became the third president of Penn Valley.
The privately owned and operated club itself became more than a pool.
The club today features basketball and tennis courts, a baseball field and picnic pavilions with gas grills and provides a variety of activities and events on its 40 acres.
“In recent years, the cornerstone of Penn Valley has been its summer swim team who remains undefeated for past five years and remains the defending conference champs,” said Deanne Golden, a board member and parent of two swimmers.
George and Jeannie Cassioli of Butler Township joined the club in 1978 when their first child was two months old.
“A group of friends all belonged and we did a lot of fitness things together at BC3. When summer came we decided to join and have been here ever since,” Jeannie said. The pair continues to come even though their children have grown and moved from the area.“Penn Valley seems to be timeless. For all the changes that go on in the world, we've always been able to count on a great season at PVAC,” Jeannie said.Lauren Manzer of Penn Township is one of the newer members, joining last season. Her children are ages 8, 6 and 4, and she has twins on the way due in September.Her husband, Ryan Manzer, grew up as a member at the pool, and when they moved back to the area, it was pretty much a no-brainer they'd continue that tradition with their family.“Half of our neighborhood belongs here, so it's a great way to connect and keep up with each other, and the kids have friends here most of the time,” said Manzer, a High Meadows resident.The club's membership also includes widows, widowers, young couples and singles of all ages.Penn Valley is run by a board of directors led by current president Dave Szebalskie of Meridian.He married into the Penn Valley experience as his wife Michelle's family, Hal and Karen Faust, joined the pool in the early '80s and took their three daughters to Penn Valley.The Szebalskies have been members for seven years and have 12-year-old twins, a 10-year-old and a 7-year-old.“I decided to join the board to help shape the future direction of the club,” Szebalskie said.“One of the biggest challenges we face as a club is busy families with very little free time due to either work or other children's activities,” he said.The membership was capped at 300 families and a waiting list existed some 30 years ago.“Our current membership is 160 families/individual memberships,” Szebalskie said.
The 50th anniversary could remind former members of the benefits of the club and encourage new members as well.Golden has been focused on the capital campaign to raise funds for improvements to the 50-year-old facility.“We are inviting businesses as well as past and current members to purchase a personalized brick or paver and 'leave their mark on Penn Valley,'” she said.She is also working out details of the 50th reunion.“We are inviting all our past members to return for a 50-year reunion on Saturday, July 30. We'll have some games and festivities and a pig roast dinner, but most importantly an opportunity to catch up with some long ago friends,” Golden said.More information can be found at the club's website: www.pennvalleyac.com.
