Clinton County unveils America250 logo and proclaims National Volunteer Week; AmeriCorps RSVP volunteers honored

Clinton County commissioners on April 24 unveiled a county logo for the America250 PA initiative and adopted a proclamation designating April 20–26, 2025, as National Volunteer Week, recognizing AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteers operating in the county.

The America250 PA presentation described the initiative as the Commonwealth’s program to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026. The county’s program, using the theme “250 years and still growing,” will promote local events and encourage municipalities, clubs, businesses, schools and community groups to participate. The logo presented to the commissioners was created by Casey Dunn, identified in the meeting record as community life coordinator for the city of Lock Haven.

The board voted to adopt proclamation number 8 of 2025, declaring National Volunteer Week in Clinton County and urging citizens to thank AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP volunteers for their service. Kathy Ballot, identified in the meeting record as RSVP Program Coordinator in Clinton County and noting the program is sponsored by Diakon Community Services, described local volunteer activities and partner organizations. Ballot said the RSVP program focuses on environmental stewardship — maintaining gardens, parks, trails and streams — and supports tutoring, museum work, veterans services and other community projects. Among projects cited were roadside cleanups, tree sales, electronic recycling events, pollinator gardens, monthly food deliveries to homebound seniors (planned partnership with Central Pennsylvania Food Bank), and assistance at local schools and veteran food-distribution programs.

“Very soon, our program hopes to partner with the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in providing monthly food deliveries to homebound seniors,” Ballot said during her remarks.

Volunteer Paula Bell described how she joined RSVP after leaving a long corporate career and cited specific volunteer work: maintaining the conservation district’s vegetable and pollinator gardens, splicing archival video for the Beech Creek Marsh Creek Museum, and working with other local volunteers to rehabilitate gardens at Roads to Peace in Lock Haven. Todd Warner, Clinton County Director of Veterans Affairs, praised RSVP volunteers for organizing the VA food pantry, drafting routine letters for the office and screening calls for urgency, saying the volunteers were “absolutely terrific, invaluable to us.”

The commissioners said they have joined 67 Pennsylvania counties that have signed resolutions to participate in America250 PA and announced outreach through county social media and the county website. The Lock Haven Kiwanis Club was presented as the first local club to sign a resolution joining the county initiative.

Why it matters

The county’s America250 activities are intended to coordinate local celebrations tied to a statewide and national commemoration in 2026. The National Volunteer Week proclamation spotlights ongoing volunteer programs that assist county functions, veterans services and community conservation efforts; the meeting record includes multiple examples of volunteer-run programs that assist county agencies.

Speakers and attribution

- Kathy Ballot, RSVP Program Coordinator, Diakon Community Services — spoke about program scope, partners and planned activities. - Paula Bell, RSVP volunteer — described her volunteer work and motivations. - Todd Warner, Clinton County Director of Veterans Affairs — described volunteer support to the VA office. - Casey Dunn, Community Life Coordinator, City of Lock Haven — credited as designer/creator of the county America250 logo.

The proclamation was adopted by voice vote and volunteers present were invited to accept the proclamation from the commissioners.