Over 100 Leaders Attend PA Route 6 Alliance 2025 Educational Workshop, Annual Meeting, and “Do 6” Awards in Kane
Over 100 statewide leaders, business owners, and stakeholders gathered in Kane, Pennsylvania, on September 10–11 for the PA Route 6 Alliance 2025 Educational Workshop, Annual Meeting, and “Do 6” Awards Program.
The event kicked off at the Wilds Sonshine Factory with a dynamic Educational Workshop featuring speakers including Anne Ryan, Deputy Secretary of the PA Office of Tourism; Karl Blischke and Sarah Merritt from the PA Council on the Arts; Kaitie Burger, Executive Director of the PA Office of Tourism; Rustin Lippincott, Executive Director of the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau; and Kate Kennedy Executive Director of the Kane Area Development Center, alongside local artists Jody Aiello of Aiello Metal Works, Sara Aiello of Sara Aiello Studio, and Andrea and Joe Lanich of Laughing Owl Press. Workshop sessions covered tourism, arts and culture, community development, wayfinding, and more.
Attendees toured the Wilds Sonshine Factory, explored the Lumber Heritage Trail, and enjoyed a trolley tour of The Star in the Forest, highlighting Kane’s extensive and innovative community projects.
The evening concluded with the Annual Meeting, which featured a year-in-review, special recognition of PA Heart & Soul Communities, and the “Do 6” Awards, honoring outstanding individuals, organizations, and communities that exemplify the Alliance’s mission to protect, preserve, and promote the scenic, cultural, historic, and recreational resources of PA Route 6.
Each year, six awards are presented. This year, the Heritage Leadership Award was presented to Michelle Gray of the Warren County Historical Society (Warren County), Heritage Partnership Award to Grey Towers Heritage Association (Pike County), Artisan of the Year Award to Blossoms & Blooms Boutique (Crawford County), Heritage Tourism Award to Lynn Hall (McKean County), Heritage Community of the Year Award to Coudersport (Potter County), and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Jean Ruhf (Wyoming County) of the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau.
A Networking Reception followed, providing opportunities for collaboration and connection.
The second day workshop was held at Six&Kane and focused on volunteerism, downtown revitalization, and adaptive reuse of buildings, featuring speakers Kate Kennedy, Executive Director of the Kane Area Development Center; Julie Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center; Mark Burke, founder of MYNDDSET; and Joel Morrison of the West Penn Energy Fund. The Old Spaces, New Energy playbook was unveiled with enthusiastic participation from the attendees. Leaders enjoyed touring the PA Wilds Media Lab and learned about the process behind Kane’s new wayfinding signage. The two-day event wrapped up with a hike and bicycle ride on the Knox and Kane Rail Trail.
Candace Hillyard, Executive Director of the PA Route 6 Alliance, said, “We were thrilled to welcome over 100 leaders, innovators, and community champions to Kane for this year’s Educational Workshop, Annual Meeting, and ‘Do 6’ Awards. The energy and expertise brought by our incredible lineup of speakers, from statewide leaders to local artists, and revitalization experts, sparked meaningful dialogue and inspired fresh ideas across our region. The ‘Do 6’ Awards were a highlight of the event, recognizing outstanding individuals, organizations, and communities who exemplify the spirit and mission of the PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor. This event truly showcased the power of collaboration and the shared commitment to preserving and promoting the unique character of our heritage area.”
The PA Route 6 Alliance, a 501(c3) corporation, was established in 2003 to manage the PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor and to implement branding and marketing plans, community development programs and other planning efforts along the corridor. The Alliance includes representatives from all 11 counties, 9 convention and visitor bureaus, 4 heritage areas, local development districts, local business owners, Chambers of Commerce, and other interested parties along the corridor. The PA Route 6 Heritage Communities program is a PA Route 6 Alliance, and PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor funded by the PA Heritage Area Program under the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
