The Huber Breaker Preservation Society will honor the anthracite history of Northeast Pennsylvania at a Heritage Day program Saturday, July 20, at 11 a.m. at the Anthracite Miners’ Memorial Park in Ashley.
The society will recognize contributions and assistance provided to the society by Mike Dziak and William Landmesser.
Dziak is executive director of Earth Conservancy which donated three acres of the society years ago to allow creation of the park. Dziak and Earth Conservancy also tried unsuccessfully to save the Ashley Planes Heritage Park project.
Landmesser owns Penn State Mechanical which has assisted with many projects in addition to financial contributions.
The park includes the miners’ memorial and various coal mining and railroad artifacts that harken to the days when mining and its transportation out of Ashley meant hundreds of jobs.
The society’s board of directors is inviting the general public and area civic leaders to join in the celebration of the region’s anthracite past. The Rev. Rebecca Tanner of Ashley Presbyterian Church will handle invocation and benediction.
Bill Best, society president, and Pat Kennedy, board member, will assist in presenting tributes to Dziak and Landmesser. A representative from the office state Sen. John Yudichak will be on hand with commendations for the honorees.
The society attempted to save the historic Huber Breaker but it was sold out of bankruptcy and its steel was sold as scrap.