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‘Sharing the Joy’

LANA MUTHLER/THE EXPRESS After a great morning on Environment Day at the Mogish property, Lock Haven Catholic School kindergarten students and “the team” pose for a group picture. In the middle, at back, are Charlie Mogish and his daughter, Tracey Bilski, who started the annual event 25 years ago.

MILL HALL — Hundreds of little boys and girls have enjoyed a wonderful time exploring the outdoors and learning about the environment, thanks to Charlie Mogish, who looks forward to seeing the youngsters gleefully trample through the woods on his property each autumn.

Called Environment Day, the event has happened every October for the past 25 years.

And, it’s always an exciting time for the children … and Charlie.

The tradition began when Charlie’s daughter, Tracey Bilski, a kindergarten teacher at Lock Haven Catholic School, asked her dad if she could bring kindergarten students to the family’s sprawling property outside of Mill Hall to explore Mother Nature’s treasures.

“They came up with the idea and asked if they could do it here. I welcomed them with open arms and we kicked it off. Boy, how time goes by … it doesn’t seem like 25 years. I just love seeing the kids,” Charlie said as he waited for the youngsters to arrive on the morning of Oct. 12.

LANA MUTHLER Charlie and daughter, Tracey, share a special moment as the event ended, knowing that they had succeeded in making this event a wonderful memory for all involved.

As the school bus pulled into his driveway, Charlie was there to greet the children as they got off the bus, dressed warmly on this cool day and wearing boots to keep their feet dry after several days of rain.

“I provide the space and start the fire. And, I’m the tractor driver for the hayride. I look forward to it every year. This year it was questionable with all the rain,” he said, just as the sun began peeking through the clouds warming the chilly air.

No matter the weather, Charlie said the kids always seem to have a good time.

“It’s gonna be a good day,” Charlie said, as he watched the little ones make their way to the first of several stations set up by Tracey, fellow kindergarten teacher, Tina Garbrick, and their team of parents and school staff.

The little ones were divided into three groups, each spending about 20 minutes to a half hour at each of the three stations. Two were set up across a little wooden bridge in the woods; the third was a hayride through an adjacent corn field with a stop at a pumpkin patch along the way.

LANA MUTHLER/THE EXPRESS It was a thumbs up as Environmental Day concluded. Charlie and his daughter, Tracey, are shown surrounded by youngsters.

A state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources “teacher at the parks,” Ian Loewen, directed activities at the first station, using the five senses — sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch — to talk about trees, leaves and pine needles. Then the youngsters collected leaves and made etchings with crayons and paper before moving on to their next stop.

While searching for leaves, the students discovered some insects, found a broken turtle shell and some broken deer antlers that they took back to school with them.

The second station allowed the boys and girls a chance to learn about camping outdoors. Each child cooked his or her own hot dog on a long metal fork over the open fire and then topped it with ketchup or mustard. They sat down on benches made years ago from sawed tree logs to eat their hot dogs.

Then it was back to the fire with the forks to melt … or burn … a marshmallow and make a smore for dessert. They also had bottles of water and some other treats.

Finally, perhaps the most fun part of the trip for many of the 5-year-olds was a hayride through a cornfield on the Mogish property. The students excitedly climbed into the wagon and rode through the rows of corn, stopping along the way at a pumpkin patch.

LANA MUTHLER/THE EXPRESS From left are Aaron Probst, Zion Terry, Jake Winkleman, Ryker Gill, and Brooks Warner.

Each child picked out a pumpkin to take home, carefully printing his or her name on the chosen fruit.

Told they might see a groundhog out in the field, they were also warned to watch for groundhog holes in the area. They didn’t see any groundhogs on this day, but some of the children, and adults, discovered where the groundhog holes were, laughing as they pulled their foot out of one.

The wagon was pulled by a tractor driven by Tracey’s husband, Walt Bilski, this year.

Normally that’s Charlie’s job, but he begrudgingly allowed his son-in-law to give it a try this year.

“I don’t know … I think maybe they are trying to retire me. They’ve got a lot of help here today,” Charlie said with a handsome smile.

“Isn’t it beautiful out here. I just love this atmosphere with all the kids. I like being a part of it,” he continued, walking across the lawn, watching the youngsters laughing, running around and thoroughly enjoying every part of this day.

Charlie, who was formerly co-partner with David Ballard of Haven Homes in Beech Creek, came to Clinton County from the Scranton area. He worked at a modular home factory in Hazleton and Ballard was with Capital Homes when they met.

Together, they worked for two or three other modular home companies.

“And then we thought, why should we work for someone else … we should do it for ourselves,” Charlie explained of their move to this area in 1970.

Charlie and his wife, Maggie, built their home on the property just off Route 64 up Mogish Drive and Ballard built his home just a short walking distance away.

They’ve been neighbors ever since, raising families and enjoying the beauty of the rural countryside.

“I just wanted to make a living for my family. It took off better than that. We had amazing employees … people who like the things in Clinton County, remain here and are faithful to their jobs. There’s more money elsewhere, but you can’t have all the things we have here,” said Charlie, a quiet, modest man who many also know as very benevolent to the causes he believes in.

“I tell my grandchildren all the time to look out there and see how beautiful it is. Some of my grandchildren have moved away because of jobs, but they tell me if they had the chance to come back, they probably would,” he continued, looking out the windows of the sun porch where the family spends most of their time. He said it’s not unusual to see deer out there.

In the corner there’s a pine tree, which stays up all year long, its decorations changing throughout the year.

Soon, it will be filled with colored lights and Christmas ornaments.

Beneath the tree is an electric train.

“I like trains. I give one to each of my grandchildren,” Charlie said.

He also enjoys woodworking with the kids. He said he’s made dog houses and other items for them.

Charlie and Maggie are parents of five daughters– Tracey Bilski, Michelle Terry, Becky Myers and Heather Ake, all of this area, and Timmee Lancaster, who lives in Cumberland, Md. There are 15 grandchildren, four step-grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

“It’s a big family. Last Christmas, we had 42 here for our Christmas Day dinner. I just love having my family here,” Charlie said, beaming with pride.

Hung above the entrance from the sunporch to the living room is a wooden sign that reads, “Our family is a circle of strength and love.”

And that’s exactly how Charlie and Maggie have raised their family.

“Oh, it’s a great place,” he sighed, walking out the door to join his little visitors enjoying the God-given riches of his life that he has so eagerly shares with hundreds of youngsters.

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