After starting the year without funds, plans for the Penn Township Fall Festival are coming along.

Michael Ginsburg couldn't be happier.

"It's coming along quite nicely," said Ginsburg, a township commissioner and recreation board member.

The fall festival committee has raised $11,427 through fundraisers and donations. The Claridge Fire Department also will donate the proceeds of a ticket raffle, Ginsburg said.

And there's more to come.

"We're planning another bingo at the Level Green Fire Hall," he said. "So we have Level Green and Claridge fire departments helping us out."

The township golf outing at Manor Valley will kick off festival week on Sept. 13. The festival will be held on Sept. 19 and 20 at Municipal Park.

Events for the festival include opening ceremonies, a fishing derby, parade, a car cruise, fireworks and a celebrity softball game with the police department.

Slide

A slide at the Penn Township Municipal Park playground was replaced after it was damaged. Cheryl Kemerer, PTARC director and playground inspector, gave the replacement her seal of approval.

"I stood on it and jumped on it," Kemerer said. "Very nice."

The 6-foot slide cost $1,016. Rec board members were pleased.

PTARC activities

The Penn Township rec board authorized the use of Municipal Park facilities for two more Penn-Trafford Area Recreation Commission classes this summer.

Fitness Boot Camp will meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 6:30 to 7:30 on Field 3 from July 7 to 30.

Street Hockey will meet from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the hockey court on July 16 and 30, Aug. 13 and 27 and Sept. 10 and 24.

For more information, call PTARC at 724-744-2171 ext. 204 or 205.

Portable toilets

Some rec board members want portable toilets at each township playground.

Though children participating in the playground program can use the bathrooms inside the schools at Harrison Park and McCullough elementary schools, rec board member Dan Sepe said children turn to other alternatives when they can't get to a bathroom.

"Little kids go in the weeds (at McCullough)," Sepe said.

Cheryl Kemerer, director of PTARC, agreed that there is a need for portable toilets.

"Quite honestly, I would recommend that you put a portable toilet at every playground facility that you have because they're used," Kemerer said. "Not just doing the playground program, but at all hours. People go in the evening. It's a problem, it's a minimal cost and it's something I think we should provide."

Kemerer said it costs $100 a month per portable toilet. She asked the board to consider adding it to next year's budget.

5K Walk/run

The Friends of PTARC 4th annual 5K Bushy Run Trail Run/Walk will be on July 13 at the Bushy Run Battlefield pavilion. Registration is from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. The run/walk begins at 9.

There will be awards in 40 different categories by age, gender and group. Cost is $18 for adults and $15 for students ages 18 and younger before June 30. Cost is $20 after the deadline. Proceeds will benefit the renovations at the PTARC/Shelley Pros-kin Recreation Center.

For applications, see www.ptarc.org. For more information, call 724-744-1900 or e-mail ckemerer@penntwp.org.