As the second world war came to a close, town leaders in Aaronsburg founded an organization that would maintain and encourage a sense of togetherness and resourcefulness in and around their historic village in Penns Valley. The group originally met at each other’s houses, and eventually found a home in the Aaronsburg School, which the ACC purchased from the township in 1956 and named the Aaronsbur
g Community Building. Around the same time, the ACC became steward of Wert Memorial Park, Aaronsburg’s public green space, right in the middle of town. These public spaces became, and today they remain, the center of the ACC’s activities. Over the following decades, the ACC served as an important social organization, installing street lights, holding public suppers, providing space to congregations when a local church suffered fire damage, and serving as a community resource for local residents. Though membership over the years has ebbed and flowed, the ACC has always managed to stay alive and strong. Our current board is committed to keeping the ACC active and relevant into the 21st century. In recent years, we have begun to launch new programs, including a spring and fall after-school art class, and a soup kitchen in the winter. Since 2005, the ACC has been in charge of the Dutch Fall Festival, a local cultural heritage festival that takes place on the grounds of Wert Memorial Park. In addition to being a fun, delicious, and educational two-day seasonal festival, Dutch Fall Fest is an opportunity for local nonprofits to combine forces under one “roof” and do some fundraising of their own. This festival is both a celebration of the Valley’s history, and of its current resourcefulness and togetherness. Aaronsburg and its neighboring Haines Township village of Woodward, along with the farmsteads in between, all share a unique history, and the ACC represents the best of our local spirit of coming together to work, learn, and play for the common good.
