Curwensville Business Among Winners of 2024 PA Wilds Champion Awards
Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery in Curwensville has been given the Best Brand Ambassador Award by the PA Wilds for their unique Squatch N Berry wine. Sales from this huckleberry wine support the PA Wilds and a QR code on the bottle is a link to more information on this legendary creature which has been rumored to live in our area. (Photo courtesy of Starr Hill Winery)
Edited By Julie Rae Rickard
Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery located in Curwensville has been awarded the Best Brand Ambassador Award from the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc. for their recent Squatch N Berry wine collaboration.
The Pennsylvania Wilds is a 13-county region that includes the counties of Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren, and northern Centre.
The Best Brand Ambassador Award honors an organization or individual who has made significant contributions to promote and develop the PA Wilds brand through logo use, place name recognition, branded product development, storytelling, event or experience packaging or similar efforts, according to a press release.
“The playful theme of Sasquatch in Starr Hill’s huckleberry-flavored grape wine acknowledges the popularity of the cryptid. The wine was so popular that it is now being produced in cans, along with the traditional bottles,” it says in the release.
“In addition to raising awareness about the PA Wilds through its distribution, a portion of proceeds from each Squatch N Berry sold supports the mission of the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, which is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that strengthens and inspires communities of the PA Wilds region.”
In February 2023 when the wine was first released, Kenn Starr, president of Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery said, “We’re excited to partner with the PA Wilds on this wine. The PA Wilds Center has done great work bringing awareness to our region, which is something we have always strived to do as a business. It just made sense to have the logo on our Squatch N Berry wine.”
The Champion of the Pennsylvania Wilds Awards celebrate individuals, organizations, communities and businesses that are making significant contributions to grow and sustainably develop the outdoor recreation economy and nature tourism in the Pennsylvania Wilds.
“It was difficult for the selection committee to choose winners this year, because there were so many high-quality nominations,” said Beth Pellegrino, PA Wilds Center Board Member and Outreach Committee chair.
“These individuals, businesses, and organizations go above and beyond. They truly embody the values of the PA Wilds Center, and we are eager to spend the evening on July 25 taking some time to elevate their stories and celebrate how they continue to make the PA Wilds region a fantastic place to live, work, and travel.”
The other awards went to:
Artisan of the Year: Lynn Kibbe, Trout Run, Lycoming County
Business of the Year: Mountain Top and Provisions, Haneyville, Clinton County
Conservation Stewardship: Watershed Conservation Program of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Offices in Elk and Indian Counties
Event of the Year: Jakes Rocks Trail Fest, Warren, Warren County
Great Design: Bald Birds Brewing, Jersey Shore, Lycoming County
Great Places: Zippo/Case Museum, Bradford, McKean County
Inspiring Youth: Brandy Schimp and Kane PTO, Kane, McKean County
Outstanding Leader: Joshua Zucal, Emporium, Cameron County
PA Wilds Planning Team Member of the Year: Will Hunt, Potter County Planner & GIS Director
The winners will be honored at the 2024 PA Wilds Dinner & Awards, to be held on Thursday, July 25, at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
The theme for this year’s dinner is “The Road Less Traveled Makes All the Difference,” nodding to the Declaration of Principles for the Pennsylvania Wilds.
The social hour and exhibitor displays begin at 3 p.m., followed by dinner and award presentations between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Pre-registration is required by 5 p.m. ET July 17 at PAWildsCenter.org/program. The cost is $35 per ticket.
The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that inspires the communities of the Pennsylvania Wilds.
It promotes the region as a premier outdoor recreation destination as a way to diversify local economies, inspire stewardship, attract investment, retain population and improve quality of life. The PA Wilds Center’s core programs seek to help businesses leverage the PA Wilds brand and connect with new market opportunities, including: the Wilds Cooperative of PA, a network of over 300 place-based businesses and organizations, and the PA Wilds Conservation Shop, a retail outlet primarily featuring products sourced from the WCO.
For more information on the PA Wilds Center, visit www.PAWildsCenter.org. To learn more about the WCO, visit www.WildsCoPA.org.
You can get ideas on how to explore the PA Wilds at www.pawilds.com and find regionally made products at www.ShopThePAWilds.com.