About Us
The Fertigs Community Center:
Serving the community for over 60 years.
The Fertigs Community Center is a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization. Our members’ mission has always been to create a fun and safe environment for our community members to visit.
We are made up of volunteers who give their time & energy maintaining the building, grounds, and ballfield all year round. We also have many volunteers that put in hours of hard work preparing for all the events that we hold each year. We even have a few volunteers that have stepped into Board Member rolls and work behind the scenes to make sure the day-to-day operations at the Fertigs Community Center are running smoothly.
Our Board is comprised of a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, and a Secretary. Our Board Members are elected yearly, typically during the February regular monthly Board Meeting. Elections are open to anyone that attends the regular monthly Board Meetings each month. Board Members are elected by a motion, a second to the motion, and the majority of those in attendance being in favor of the motion.
Our regular monthly Board Meetings are held on the 4th Monday of every month (January-October) at 7:00pm, unless otherwise stated. Our regular monthly meetings are open to the public and we welcome your attendance. Everyone in attendance at a regular monthly Board Meeting has the opportunity to speak and has the ability to vote on matters. Executive Board Meetings are held throughout the year, as needed, and are only open to sitting Board Members & any persons that the Board Members feel should be in attendance. Only sitting Board Members have a vote during an Executive Board Meeting. Other persons in attendance at an Executive Board Meeting may speak if the sitting Board Members agree to it.
We encourage you to be active at the Fertigs Community Center by attending our regular monthly Board Meetings and events. If you are interested in getting involved in any capacity, please contact us.
Our History
The first Board Members of the Fertigs Community Center were decided on April 21, 1959, and were :
President – Clair Schwab
1st Vice President – June Perry
2nd Vice President – Dorothy Burgdorfer
Secretary – Ella Mae Schwab
Assistant Secretary – Pleadiouth Stover
Treasurer – Don Master
Assistant Treasurer – Ross Davis
Meetings were held at community members’ homes and garages on the fourth Monday of the month (we still meet on the fourth Monday of the month). When it was nice outside, they would meet at the community center grounds for work nights.
The early days at the Fertigs Community Center saw many different fundraisers; candy, dishcloths, greeting cards, pork sausage, holiday plates, Christmas trees, and many other items were sold.
Rummage sales at the Moose Club and on the Community Center grounds were popular, as well as many ice cream socials.
The Community Center was used to hold dinners for various organizations such as Oil City Postal employees, Cranberry Area Teachers, and the Oil City Area School District Supervisors and Principals. Meatloaf and Ham Dinners were among the most popular.
In April of 1961, many community members showed interest and were in favor of erecting a building. In May of 1960 the Community Center was able to obtain electricity. (Upon completion of installation, Bill and Donna Hart strung lights all around the grounds.) In July of 1960 a water well was drilled by Frank and Ross Davis.
In August of 1960 plans were put into motion to put up swings, the merry go round, a sliding board, and see-saws. In September of 1960 a deed for the picnic area was given to the Board Members by Don and Velma Master. Another deed was given to the Board Members in March of 1963. Both deeds were approved, recorded, and incorporated.
In March of 1963 blueprints were taken to Harrisburg to be approved for construction of a building measuring 30 ft x 40 ft with a 20 ft x 12 ft kitchen.
The estimated cost for materials at that time would be $4,298.00. On August 3, 1963, the cornerstone was set for the building. The first meeting in the building was held one year after the start of the project, followed by a dedication dinner on September 28, 1964.
Fundraising dinners followed and the Wood-Fire Rotisserie Chicken Dinner was a huge hit. The tradition of Rotisserie Chicken Dinner continues to this day during the Engine & Tractor Show. In 2005 Gary Davis, Lee Weckerly, and Jay Weckerly built a spit that is still in use today.