By Jessica Kenley

Monarch Media, August 10, 2026, Galeton, PA–The unmistakable sound of a medevac helicopter approaching was one of the first things to greet Monarch Media on Saturday evening, when we arrived in Galeton for “A Night Out” — and for six-year-old Liam, it was an unforgettable way to begin the evening.

As the helicopter came in for its landing, Monarch Media’s cameras were rolling, capturing a moment that perfectly set the tone for an evening designed to bring the community together.

“A Night Out” offered local families an opportunity to step away from the everyday routine, enjoy some food and entertainment, meet the people and organizations who serve their community, and simply have fun together.

Monarch Media Manager Joe Cumby, journalist Jessica Kenley, and Liam spent the evening exploring the event, meeting representatives from several local agencies and organizations, and discovering plenty of activities for children.

There was a splash pad, playground, food and drinks, a boat Liam got to climb aboard and “drive,” and plenty of opportunities for children and their families to interact with first responders and public-service organizations.

For Liam, the playground was a particular hit, while the medevac helicopter landing provided an exciting introduction to an evening full of things to see.

Connecting Kids With Their Community, One Resource at a Time

Pennsylvania Game Commission

One of the first tables available for talking to was manned by Richard Lee of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, who has been with the agency for six years. Thomas Nelson and Andrew Butler were also helping, handing out stickers, tattoos, key chains, whistles, and various pamphlets.

There were also various skulls and furs from native species for the children to touch — the most impressive being a bear skull that was more than 20 inches long, with bullet holes and BBs embedded in it.

The bear weighed 575 pounds and was found after being hit on the highway, “missing his entire front shoulder,” according to Lee. He added that the injury had healed over, and the bear had lived for years on three legs.

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Among the organizations represented was the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which brought a patrol boat and two Waterways Conservation Officers, Tom Watson and Cassidy Shawley, who quickly became a popular attraction for children.

Tom Watson, a Fish and Boat Commission representative, said the evening had been a great opportunity to interact with local families.

“We’re having a blast here at the Night Out,” Watson said. “It’s been nice interacting with all the kids.”

Watson currently works in Tioga County but previously worked in Potter County for four years.

At one point, approximately a dozen children were gathered around the boat, Watson noted, learning about its equipment and asking questions.

Watson also wanted to make sure that the public didn’t confuse the agency with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, saying, “They deal with the warm and fuzzy stuff, and we deal with the cold and slimy stuff,” with a laugh.

“We manage all the fisheries in the state, as well as the reptiles and amphibians,” he continued, adding that the agency also promotes safe boating through boating safety courses and other educational events.

“We’ve got to talk to some older children about job opportunities possibly in the future,” Watson said.

For Watson, Shawley, and the Fish and Boat Commission, the evening was ultimately about being out in the community.

“It’s just nice to be out connecting with the public,” Shawley said.

Local K9 Team Shows the Community What Search and Rescue Looks Like

The evening also gave families an opportunity to meet members of Northern Tier K9 Search and Rescue and some of the highly trained dogs that assist them, including Hank, a Golden Retriever. Other dogs included Highway, Havoc, handled by Jordan Leete, and Sitka, handled by Sierra Archer.

Members of the team who attended included Feli Sczenwrowicz, Sam Sheaffer, and Jordan Leete. They explained that team members can be called by police and fire departments to assist with searches for missing people and can travel significant distances when mutual aid is requested.

The team includes different types of search dogs, including area-search dogs trained to cover large areas while looking for missing living people, trailing dogs that follow the scent of a specific individual, and human-remains detection dogs trained to locate people who are believed to have died. Northern Tier K9 Search and Rescue covers Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia.

One recent call had taken members of the team into New York to assist with a search for a missing individual. The person being sought was ultimately located the following day.

For children attending “A Night Out,” however, the dogs offered something a little simpler: a chance to meet, pet, and learn about working dogs.

The presence of the K9 team was another example of the event’s larger purpose — allowing residents, particularly children, to put faces to the people and animals involved in protecting and serving their communities.

Galeton Firefighters Bring the Equipment — and the Fun

The Galeton Fire Department, serving Potter County and also known as the Goodyear Hose Company #1, Inc., was another major attraction.

Children were able to see the fire trucks up close and even try their hand at using a fire hose, giving them a memorable, hands-on experience with some of the equipment firefighters use.

Christy, a member of the department, said she has been involved for approximately 26 years, while her husband has served for over 45 years.

Another longtime firefighter, Joe Cimino, said he began volunteering at just 16 years old and has now accumulated decades of service.

Cimino estimated that he responds to approximately 90 to 100 calls each year, including fires, ambulance calls, and accidents.

The department has approximately 15 to 20 active volunteers and covers roughly 300 square miles.

Despite the size of the area, Cimino said the department can often respond within approximately six to eight minutes, depending on the time of day and circumstances. The department is entirely volunteer, and most firefighters have full-time jobs aside from fighting fires and fielding ambulance calls.

The importance of that rapid response was illustrated by the department’s most recent house fire in Galeton at the time of the event. Firefighters were able to arrive quickly and save the home, allowing the residents to continue living there.

That kind of service may be serious business when the tones drop, but during “A Night Out,” firefighters had the opportunity to meet families in a much more relaxed setting — with children climbing into trucks, looking at the equipment, and even getting a chance to handle a fire hose.

More Than an Evening of Entertainment

While the event included plenty of activities to keep children occupied, “A Night Out” was about more than simply providing an evening of entertainment.

Events like this create opportunities for residents to meet the people behind local agencies, ask questions, introduce children to public servants and first responders, and build relationships that can last well beyond a single evening.

For children, seeing a firefighter, police officer, search-and-rescue handler, or conservation officer in a relaxed environment can make those community figures more familiar and approachable.

For the organizations themselves, the evening offered a chance to interact directly with the public they serve.

Several other vendors and organizations were also present but were not interviewed for this story, including the Galeton Police, who gave children another opportunity to meet local officers in a friendly, informal environment.

With food and drinks available, a splash pad and playground for children, public-safety equipment to explore, and numerous community organizations represented, there was something for nearly everyone.

A Community Worth Celebrating

As the evening wound down and organizations began packing up, the atmosphere remained relaxed and friendly.

There was no complicated agenda. No formal speeches were necessary.

Instead, families simply came out, children played, neighbors talked, and the people who serve Galeton had an opportunity to meet the community outside of an emergency or official call.

That may be the most important part of “A Night Out.”

Communities become stronger when people know one another — and when children grow up recognizing the faces of the people who will be there when their community needs them.

For one evening in Galeton, first responders, conservation officers, search-and-rescue teams, families, and children all shared the same space.

And sometimes, building a stronger community starts with something as simple as a night out.