Students and Jim Kurdzo, the local AMS chapter president, were asked to come up with a spring activity that would involve the community.

That started that planning for the event.

Activities were scheduled throughout the day, including a green screen, which allowed children to watch themselves on a television screen while giving a weather report.

Many of the graphics for the forecast were produced by WGAL-8.

Senior Daniel Johnson helps test a green screen for kids at Weather Awareness day. Photo by Christian Shuts.

Local weather companies also participated in the event, including WeatherBug, the State College office of the National Weather Service and WeatherTrends.

“Since the event was geared toward kids we didn’t have too many MU student at the event,” Student Matt Potter said. “Maybe next year when we do this event we can have stuff for MU students.”

Families were educated on the use of weather instruments, while having fun at a trivia contest booth and participating in weather related experiments.

“The event is beneficial to the community because it gave them a chance to experience what the field of meteorology is, and it was a great event to come to for those who are interested in our field,” Potter said. “The event came at a great time because of the tornado that touched down recently and our event drew in a couple that came from the same township that had the tornado.”

No related posts.

The two mile, award-winning parade will take place on Saturday, Nov. 1, which coincides with Millersville’s Homecoming weekend, Family Day and Community Day.

The parade, themed “Animals: Fictional or Real,” will leave Penn Manor High School at 9 a.m. and end in front of Millersville’s Student Memorial Center at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The Anttonen’s will be keeping with the theme of “Animals: Fictional and Real” by bringing along a four foot teddy bear, named Yenoh, that Ralph gave Judy for her 60th birthday. Normally, Yenoh rides in the backseat of Judy’s Jeep, as her “protector,” Ralph said.

“He’s coming out of the Jeep and into the parade with us,” said Ralph.

As the grand marshals, the Anttonen’s will ride in a car leading the procession. They will then go to a reviewing stand, where they will watch the remainder of the parade.

The Anttonen’s are the first couple to be chosen as grand marshals.
They were selected based on their considerable contributions to the Millersville community.

“We’re really thrilled,” said Ralph Anttonen, “Judy’s going to get a new outfit out of this.”

Together, their community service includes coordinating the Millersville Mile, which benefits the Millersville Fire Company, serving as honorary members of the fire company, dressing up as Santa and Mrs. Claus for local schools and events, and disc jockeying on Millersville University’s campus radio station, WIXQ-FM, where they are better known as Doc and Momma Roc.

The Anttonens also sponsor Adopt-a-Highway on Long Lane. Ralph Anttonen, who has been on the faculty at Millersville since 1971, serves as the university’s chair of the department of academic and student development and the director of the Exploratory Program.

He is heavily involved on campus, as the advisor of WIXQ-FM, a mentor to hundreds of Millersville students and the Millersville basketball announcer, to name a few.

He is also a timing official with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), is an author, and has partaken in more than 40 races, both cycling and running, since 1989. Ralph was named “MU Person of the Year” in 2001. He graduated from Tuft’s University with a bachelor’s degree in Math, and then continued on to University of Minnesota for his Ph.D. in educational psychology.

Judy Anttonen is a Millersville graduate. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education, and a master’s degree in special education. She is retired from the Conestoga Valley School District, where she was a special education and learning support teacher.

Like her husband, she is very active in the community. Her service includes volunteering with the Susquehanna Association for the Blind and Vision Impaired and the Watch and Clock Museum, where she was chosen as Volunteer of the Year in 2007.

At Millersville, she is a basketball scorekeeper, a PIAA timing official, part of the Millersville Choral Group and a member the Standing Room Only Singers. In the past, she was the treasurer of the West End Athletic Association, and has participated in over 500 road races and 30 triathlons since the 1970s.

No related posts.