00:16 - Now I'm Kathie Lee

00:17 - in America 258 director, Strategic Partnerships

00:21 - with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's.

00:23 - Official Commission, charged with planning and coordinating all the programing,

00:27 - projects and events around the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026,

00:33 - across 67 counties and over 400

00:36 - local communities and counting America to 50.

00:39 - V-A is committed to one mission reaching every Pennsylvanian.

00:43 - We've launched over a dozen initiatives, and now we're focused

00:46 - on shaping an epic statewide calendar for 2026.

00:50 - Today's event, part of the Bells Across PA initiative and made possible through

00:53 - the generous support of Bedford Grange Mutual Insurance,

00:57 - Bedford Sunrise Rotary and Bedford Evening Rotary, brings us one step closer

01:02 - to placing at least one commemorative belt in each of Pennsylvania's 67

01:06 - counties, ahead of the 250th anniversary in 2026.

01:11 - These fiberglass bells may not ring, but they're far from silent.

01:14 - Each one tells a story about the community, creativity, and pride.

01:18 - We're deeply grateful to all of our sponsors for helping

01:20 - bring this vision to life.

01:22 - Now please give a warm welcome to America.

01:24 - 258 Bedford County Advisor Kelly Goodman Schaffer.

01:35 - Good morning.

01:36 - It is so great to see so many people here this morning.

01:38 - What a tribute.

01:40 - To Bob Webb to have you all here.

01:42 - I'm honored to represent the America PA America

01:45 - to 50 Bedford County committee on this special day.

01:48 - We still very much consider Bob to be our advisor and leader.

01:52 - And we are doing our best to do him proud and carry on this mission in his stead.

01:57 - I would like to share a few notes about how this project came to fruition,

02:00 - and in particular, recognize some of the servant leaders

02:04 - and leadership moments that I think are significant.

02:07 - First, Bob Webb, he took over the Bedford County Committee

02:11 - pretty late in the planning process from the original advisor

02:13 - and chair, and had a few priority goals right away.

02:17 - One was the Liberty Tree, which he and his wife Trina, personally

02:20 - sponsored, and that continues to be part of their legacy of the celebration.

02:25 - Another was the kickoff celebration,

02:28 - which he led and MK beautifully and truly shined back in July. And,

02:34 - the third was this Belle project.

02:37 - This seemed very daunting at the time.

02:39 - We had about six months to recruit sponsors, choose an artist,

02:43 - and we really did not know if we would be able to meet

02:45 - all of the state's requirements by the December 31st deadline.

02:49 - But Bob took the helm and was very passionate

02:52 - about getting this bill completed.

02:55 - He worked with the committee to secure our sponsors,

02:57 - and we are hugely grateful to Bedford Grange Mutual Insurance Company

03:01 - and the Rotary Clubs of Bedford,

03:02 - both the morning and evening clubs for your support of this project.

03:05 - And we were in the process of vetting and selecting an artist

03:08 - when we suddenly and tragically lost him.

03:11 - And that brings us to our next servant leader, Morgan Young.

03:14 - She's a gifted artist and a member of our committee,

03:17 - and she was helping us to recruit and vet potential artists

03:21 - during Bob's health crisis and then his passing.

03:23 - We had taken a break from our meetings and

03:27 - obviously the deadline for

03:28 - selecting an artist became even more urgent.

03:32 - The easiest solution would have been for Morgan to paint the bow herself,

03:37 - and she would have, as an amazing muralist,

03:39 - represented the county beautifully.

03:42 - Instead, she suggested that we use Bob's photographs,

03:45 - and she offered to take his images

03:47 - and work with them to tell the story of our county.

03:51 - This was an incredibly kind, unselfish act of servant leadership.

03:56 - This involved far more work than she imagined.

03:59 - I'm sure she was dealing with an unfamiliar surface

04:02 - and fiberglass materials, and it required significant research,

04:06 - working with multiple local companies who I'm sure she will recognize later,

04:10 - and technology and planning, and much more time than it would have taken for her

04:15 - to draw out and sketch and paint her own vision.

04:18 - So, Morgan, I cannot thank you enough for giving your time,

04:21 - your heart, your talent, and your incredible generosity of spirit

04:26 - for this collaborative work

04:28 - through Bob's eyes, showcasing both his talent and your own.

04:33 - Very importantly, Trina, Carissa, and the entire Webb family.

04:37 - Thank you for sharing Bob's work with us.

04:40 - I know none of us can fully understand how hard it was

04:43 - in the throes of grief to go through what I'm sure were tens of thousands of slides

04:49 - and photos and negatives, probably in shoe boxes and drawers and closets, right?

04:56 - Slides so deliberately and carefully and beautifully curated.

05:01 - The images you provided to Morgan to create this amazing work of art,

05:06 - and then to provide us with descriptions of so many of the images

05:10 - that we will be able to share with our community.

05:12 - You are as much a part of this project as Bob and Morgan

05:16 - and telling the story of Bedford County, and we could not be more grateful

05:20 - for your generosity and leadership in making this possible.

05:24 - Thank you.

05:31 - And that brings me back to Bob

05:33 - and the way he viewed this place that we call home.

05:36 - When you see the images on this bill chosen by his family

05:40 - and laid out so beautifully by Morgan, you will see the things he cared about,

05:44 - the things he enjoyed, and the things he loved about Bedford County.

05:49 - You will see the beauty of our sweeping landscapes, our covered bridges,

05:53 - and even the macro moments of our flora and fauna.

05:57 - He captured our history and heritage and old barns and buildings,

06:01 - our industries, our agriculture.

06:04 - He captured moments of celebration from America's bicentennial.

06:09 - By the way, there's a picture on there, my one of my favorites

06:12 - of the bicentennial celebration.

06:14 - And there's not a single cell phone in the picture

06:17 - of of a parade in downtown Bedford.

06:20 - He captured the Bedford County Fair burnouts over at the Allen Bank.

06:24 - Car Classic moments of service like volunteer firefighters

06:28 - and moments of solitude like fly fishing along our trout streams.

06:32 - You cannot look at this bill from any angle without seeing an American flag.

06:37 - He captured our patriotism and our pride over decades of his own experiences.

06:42 - And as a citizen of our county.

06:45 - Today, we dedicate the Bedford County Bell as part of bells across to.

06:49 - We are not only unveiling a work of art, we are affirming

06:52 - the values that have shaped this place for generations.

06:55 - This bell stands as a symbol of leadership,

06:58 - leadership rooted in service, in perspective,

07:00 - and in the quiet but powerful act of paying attention.

07:04 - That's what Bob did.

07:05 - Pay attention to all that was around him.

07:08 - The theme of our Bell is through Bob's eyes.

07:10 - It reminds us that leadership is not always

07:12 - about standing at the front or speaking the loudest.

07:15 - Sometimes leadership is about seeing clearly, about noticing what matters.

07:19 - Capturing moments that others might overlook

07:22 - and helping a community see itself more fully.

07:26 - Bob's lens, his family, the participating sponsors

07:29 - and supporting businesses through Morgan Young's inspiring work.

07:33 - All show us Bedford County as it truly is.

07:37 - Hardworking, resilient, generous

07:40 - and deeply connected to our history and to one another.

07:43 - Through that lens, everyday moments have become lasting memories

07:47 - and ordinary people,

07:48 - our friends and neighbors have become part of our county's shared story.

07:52 - That is servant leadership.

07:54 - It is leadership of observation, of respect, care, and kindness.

07:59 - Leadership in Bedford County has never been about titles alone.

08:02 - It has been about showing up, about volunteering

08:05 - time, about mentoring the next generation,

08:08 - about preserving our heritage while still making room for new ideas.

08:12 - It has been about seeing potential

08:14 - through a lens of possibility and helping others to see it too.

08:18 - As we celebrate 250 years of America, this bill will stand

08:21 - not only as a tribute to the past, but as a call to the future.

08:25 - May it remind us to look closely, to lead thoughtfully

08:28 - and to serve generously, just as those who made it possible.

08:32 - Always striving to see our community and one another through our very best lens.

08:38 - Thank you.

08:45 - Thank you Kelly.

08:46 - What a lovely tribute to Bob.

08:48 - Thanks for sharing some of your memories with him.

08:50 - I now have the honor of introducing some of our distinguished guests.

08:53 - America 250 is grateful for the strong support you receive from public servants

08:58 - at every level of government, in every corner of the Commonwealth.

09:01 - Today, we're pleased to have two of them with us to share remarks.

09:04 - Please welcome Senator Nelson.

09:11 - Good morning.

09:13 - I was just thinking of,

09:15 - not so long ago, but it seems like forever is 2018.

09:19 - When the legislature worked on starting the program

09:24 - for celebrating Pennsylvania's 250th birthday.

09:28 - That was a long time ago, and it seems like a lot of things

09:31 - had to go and get into place.

09:32 - And here we are coming up on the deadline

09:36 - for right now, ready to start celebrating 2026 or so.

09:39 - Close.

09:40 - I think it's a fantastic idea of using the Liberty Bell

09:45 - as a way to celebrate our history across Pennsylvania.

09:49 - And you think about bells.

09:51 - What did they actually mean?

09:52 - Well, you look in our history. What is it?

09:54 - The bells are used to alarm us

09:58 - to warn us about pending dangers, to celebrate,

10:03 - to commemorate, and then to draw us into worship.

10:07 - How wonderful is it now that we have a bell to celebrate our history?

10:12 - And I want to give a special thank you to our sponsors.

10:15 - Because without our sponsors, we can't do any of this.

10:19 - So we have the, as you heard earlier, Bedford.

10:21 - Grange Mutual Insurance Company and the two Rotary clubs.

10:25 - And I want to thank the Rotary Club on behalf of myself as a Rotarian.

10:28 - Thank you for your donations and help with this, along with the Grange.

10:32 - We can't take our artists visions

10:35 - and put them on display without support like that.

10:39 - Second, I want to thank our artisans.

10:42 - Morgan, thank you for your work

10:45 - and to Bob and his family.

10:47 - Thank you for allowing his emotions

10:51 - of our community to be projected onto the bell.

10:55 - We look forward to seeing what's underneath the curtain.

10:58 - I know it's going to embody all that is Bedford County,

11:02 - and I look forward to seeing this bell sitting with the other 66

11:06 - bells across Pennsylvania, and we can showcase

11:10 - what great things we have here, all because of Bob and Morgan

11:13 - and all those that are involved in the committee. Thank you.

11:22 - Thank you so much, Senator.

11:24 - Next, please give a warm welcome to State Representative

11:27 - Jesse Topper.

11:33 - I tell you what,

11:34 - if if anybody wants to know those of us who have grown up

11:38 - and lived in Bedford County all our lives, why we love this place,

11:42 - play those remarks back from Kelly.

11:46 - That's why the way this community

11:49 - and the communities all throughout the county come together,

11:53 - to fill rooms like this, to complete projects like this,

11:58 - to pay tribute to people like Bob who have been such

12:00 - an integral part of this county for so many years.

12:03 - And his work, can't get done without people like Kelly

12:07 - Morgan, Bob Webb, those who have really worked

12:11 - tirelessly on on making this the celebration that it should be.

12:16 - You know, we get asked questions all the time about

12:19 - things that we spend

12:20 - money on in the legislature.

12:23 - And this is one of, you know, what what has been the investment

12:26 - into something like, the program that is PA, 250 American.

12:31 - And what we say is this is

12:34 - this is a celebration of our history that is so important

12:39 - for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and also a guide to our future.

12:43 - You know, we believe that our brightest days are ahead.

12:46 - And part of that is seeing

12:48 - what has made us great over these 250 years and this celebration.

12:52 - I can't wait to get into all the events next year,

12:55 - but just the process going through and doing it and relearning history.

12:59 - Like I have over this past year has just made it all worthwhile.

13:04 - So thank you so much, Kelly. Thank you.

13:07 - You never give yourself any credit, so I'll do it for you.

13:09 - The great work that you do in this area and for this.

13:17 - And thanks to all who have made this event, what it is

13:20 - and what it's going to be.

13:21 - And I'm like, Pat, can't wait to see this unveil.

13:23 - Thank you so much.

13:29 - Thank you so much, representative.

13:30 - Now, before we continue, I'd like to acknowledge some special guests.

13:34 - Thank you to President Judge Travis Livengood, district attorney,

13:38 - Ashland Clark, Bedford county treasurer Melissa Cottle, county commissioner.

13:42 - Deb Bachman, county commissioner j r wink,

13:46 - Dennis Tice, past executive director of the Bedford County Visitors Bureau.

13:50 - And can we please

13:51 - have the members of the America 250 Bedford County Committee stand

13:55 - so we can give them a round of applause for all their hard work?

14:05 - Thank you all so much for being here.

14:07 - Now our work is made possible by the generous support

14:10 - of partners and supporters from every corner of the Commonwealth.

14:13 - Today's bill is proudly sponsored by Bedford Grange Mutual Insurance Company.

14:17 - It is my pleasure to welcome Tina Russell of the President.

14:33 - Thank you.

14:35 - Good morning everyone.

14:37 - The Grange Mutual Insurance Company is very proud to sponsor the Bedford.

14:42 - Counties.

14:43 - That was part of the America 250 Pennsylvania celebration.

14:48 - Bedford Grange mutual has been serving our customers

14:52 - and our community since 1909,

14:55 - and we are committed to providing security to our customers

14:59 - while also contributing to the success of our region.

15:03 - We are excited to be part of the 250th celebration

15:06 - of America and Bedford County's unique role in our nation's history.

15:10 - And what better way to celebrate than this?

15:14 - Once in a generation milestone?

15:16 - In this special projects, we join our fellow sponsors

15:21 - and the local committee and thanking all involved in bringing this project to life.

15:26 - And we can't wait to see what the next year has in store.

15:29 - I am proud to say that almost all the members of our staff

15:34 - is here to join in this dedication, and we wish everyone

15:38 - a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

15:41 - Thank you.

15:48 - Thank you so much.

15:49 - We're also grateful for the civic minded partners who stepped forward

15:52 - to support this project.

15:54 - Please join me in welcoming Kirk Morris past president of the Bedford.

15:58 - Evening Rotary Club.

16:08 - Good morning everyone.

16:10 - It is my honor to represent the Bedford Evening Rotary Club.

16:15 - It's also our club's honor to be a sponsor

16:18 - of the Bedford County Bell as part of the bells across Pennsylvania.

16:22 - Our club is the oldest rotary club in the region,

16:25 - dating back to 1926.

16:28 - So we also have a special milestone coming up this year in our 100th

16:33 - anniversary.

16:34 - We too are thrilled to be a part of the America 250

16:38 - celebration, and we especially appreciate the opportunity

16:42 - to showcase our motto, which is service above Self.

16:47 - Not only by sponsoring this very important project,

16:50 - but also by serving as an example to others throughout the year.

16:55 - We support locally many of the areas of focus

16:57 - of the American 250 initiatives,

17:00 - including education, environment, Health and wellness, history,

17:06 - Veterans and women, nature, legacy, and more.

17:11 - And we appreciate the opportunity to tell the story of our club

17:15 - as sponsors of the Bedford Bell throughout the year.

17:19 - Thank you and congratulations to all involved.

17:23 - Especially to hit pic the photos.

17:25 - And for those of you over here, you may not be able to see it,

17:28 - but the middle row of the first column features

17:32 - an International Harvester tractor.

17:35 - And as a former dealer,

17:37 - I appreciate that the John Deere is not at the forefront.

17:48 - Thank you so much and we're

17:50 - thankful for the strong community leadership behind today's celebration.

17:53 - Please welcome Katie Fink and Corrine Smith, co-presidents

17:57 - of the Bedford Sunrise Rotary Club.

18:10 - This we are pleased to partner with our fellow Rotarians

18:15 - and Bedford Grange Mutual to sponsor the Bedford Bow

18:18 - and take an active role in support of America.

18:21 - 250 Bedford County celebrations.

18:25 - Our club particularly appreciates the efforts of the Bedford County.

18:29 - Committee to incorporate the region's youth in the 250 celebrations,

18:34 - and we love the activity of challenging kids to find American flags

18:38 - on photos throughout the bow, and to make this an interactive experience

18:42 - for the next generation of leaders in our community.

18:47 - We also love the fact

18:49 - that the bell will not just sit here at the courthouse

18:52 - all year long, but

18:53 - it will also be taking the major events within our communities around the area,

18:57 - like the Bloody Wrong Canoe and Kayak Classic in Everett, the Allen Bank classic.

19:02 - Weekend, Bedford County Fair, and the Fall Foliage Festival, among others.

19:07 - And with the traveling exhibit will be a community art project

19:12 - where citizens and visitors will sign pieces of canvas

19:15 - that will ultimately be displayed together, showing how many people of will

19:19 - have had the opportunity to enjoy this work of art, what it means

19:23 - to this milestone celebration, and what it says about Bedford County.

19:27 - Thank you to the artists, to the Webb family and the committee

19:31 - for your work in bringing this to us today.

19:40 - Thank you.

19:41 - And each Bell dedication honors not only our nation's story,

19:45 - but also the unique history and character of the community where it stands.

19:49 - To share more about Bedford County's role in Pennsylvania's history and heritage.

19:52 - Please welcome Mike styles, chair of the Bedford County Board

19:55 - of Commissioners.

20:04 - Good morning, and thank you all for attending.

20:06 - This is quite an accomplishment.

20:08 - And we thank you for all of Bob's work.

20:11 - It's a wonderful project.

20:13 - The Bedford County Courthouse is pleased to be the home

20:16 - of the Bedford County Bell during the 250th celebration.

20:20 - When it's not being displayed at a community events,

20:23 - our courthouse is one of the oldest

20:25 - in Pennsylvania and still in use today,

20:28 - with the oldest portion of the building dating back to the 1828.

20:33 - This building, which belongs to our citizens,

20:35 - is a fitting site for the bell for the anniversary celebration

20:40 - as it represents both our proud heritage

20:42 - and our modern day county business.

20:46 - We have so much to be proud of here in Bedford County,

20:49 - and we look forward to celebrating our local stories,

20:52 - including those told through these photos of this bell.

20:56 - As our community has witnessed and contributed to the unfolding story of.

20:59 - America,

21:01 - this project represents the goals

21:03 - of the Bedford County 250 Committee.

21:06 - Whether through historical programs,

21:09 - school initiatives, county art

21:12 - or local events to connect people to the meeting of the milestone

21:15 - and to each other, I applaud the artist, sponsors, supporters

21:20 - and we proudly accept the bell for display at the Bedford County Courthouse.

21:24 - Thank you.

21:30 - Thank you so much, Commissioner.

21:31 - Now, please welcome the artist

21:33 - behind through Bob's eyes of this visual legacy of Bedford County.

21:37 - Morgan Young.

21:50 - Good morning.

21:51 - I'm Morgan Young and I need to start.

21:53 - I would like to start by expressing my gratitude for the many individuals

21:56 - and companies who have selflessly helped with this project.

22:02 - Trina and Parisa.

22:04 - This is quite literally would not have been possible without you.

22:08 - When I started, I didn't have a single photo.

22:12 - I cannot thank you enough for your determination

22:16 - and your strength through your grief to help me with the photos.

22:20 - Marsha O'Rear A Celtic graphics.

22:22 - She's truly an angel.

22:24 - I have to thank her for so much for just everything that she's helped me with.

22:28 - I need to thank, Commissioner Mike styles for all the transportation.

22:32 - And I also need to thank Creative Protrusions, Bakers and Pinnacle.

22:36 - It was through everyone's volunteer kindness that this was possible

22:41 - to Kelly.

22:42 - Thank you so much for being wonderful at what you do.

22:46 - A sincere thank you to you and to the entities of the state

22:50 - that have given me the chance to honor such a good man.

22:54 - I'm honored to have the opportunity to showcase the fine

22:56 - art of a fellow artist while celebrating our community.

23:01 - The concept emerged out of grief

23:04 - as we lost one of our own in July.

23:07 - Bob was a wonderful person and super talented.

23:11 - It's undeniable how much Bob loved Bedford County

23:14 - and how much Bedford County loved Bob.

23:17 - The adoration he felt for this area is

23:20 - found in each photograph that he took, and there was no better way

23:24 - to depict Bedford County than through Bob's keen eyes.

23:28 - Bob was a true artist of many talents.

23:31 - However, photography is where you can see his heart sing

23:35 - as you view his work on the bill today.

23:37 - Please keep a few things in mind.

23:40 - The majority of what you're going to see came

23:43 - from vintage slides.

23:48 - It has a unique tone.

23:49 - And as Kelly mentioned before, there's not a cell phone to be seen.

23:53 - This is allow the bell to become somewhat of a time capsule.

23:58 - Bob's work revolves around

24:00 - light creating a language visually through light.

24:03 - He shoots all things large and small.

24:06 - He has a deep fondness for the outdoors and this beautiful county that we live in.

24:11 - Nature.

24:12 - History. Documentation, American life,

24:15 - and brilliant color are among its recurring themes.

24:19 - His inspiration is truly life itself.

24:22 - And what a beautiful life.

24:24 - As I mentioned before,

24:26 - The Bell is somewhat of a time capsule.

24:28 - It's a photographic tale told by one inspired image after another.

24:33 - Each photo is a glimpse into the time passed, frozen for continued duration.

24:39 - Digital photography didn't exist at the time that most of these images

24:42 - were shot.

24:43 - If you can remember or imagine taking a photograph

24:46 - and not seeing yourselves instantly, but rather you're waiting for the film

24:49 - to develop to see if everything is captured, that the way that you intended

24:53 - by today's standards.

24:54 - That certainly is a challenge to get everything just right in a single moment.

24:58 - But Bob had an abundance success rate of capturing that moment.

25:03 - We are now gifted the opportunity

25:05 - to appreciate how beautiful Bedford County is through his expertise.

25:10 - His camera takes us on a journey of deep appreciation, subtle shifts and delicate

25:14 - and graceful moments of his heart express expressed through photography.

25:20 - Ask yourself what possesses you to take out your camera

25:23 - and take a photograph.

25:26 - Consequently, the process of creating

25:28 - the bell has brought about such beautiful aspects of this community.

25:31 - Found in Bedford.

25:33 - It's a true representation of all things to be proud of.

25:36 - A life well-lived.

25:38 - A community at its finest.

25:40 - And this beautiful piece of land that we get to call home.

25:45 - It has been a pleasure to have worked with Bob.

25:48 - It was his eyes and my hands in this joint venture to my fellow artist, Bob.

25:53 - I just want to say thank you and great job.

25:55 - Thank you for your time. Please enjoy.

26:04 - Thank you.

26:04 - Morgan. And again, another thing.

26:06 - Thank you to Trina and Bob's family for sharing Bob with Bedford County.

26:11 - And thank you all for being here as we mark 250 years of the American experiment.

26:15 - This bell anchors Bedford County in that legacy.

26:18 - It was imagined by local artists, made possible by our sponsor

26:21 - and placed here with purpose.

26:22 - I'd like to invite Trina Morgan Kelly

26:25 - elected officials to please come up along with the sponsors.

26:29 - We're going to have Trina and Morgan the bell.

26:42 - Yeah.

26:42 - And and the Bedford County committee to please.