Driveway Conditions Update - January 30

From the Wagner Farm:

"Driveway update can not happen at this time. I can't get in to it as I do not have time. There are simply too many details and I am pressed for time right now so I will have to type more later when I have the luxury of more time. It takes a lot of time for me to go into the detail needed to update people on the status of the driveway and I can't seem to scrape together the minutes needed to do this task. If I had more time this morning I could probably offer more detail. I hope people can understand. Regrets only."

Diaper Drive

New for our 75th Year... We are planning to collect diapers (unused, of course) to donate to the Danville Area Diaper Bank. All you need to do is to bring along a package of diapers with you to the Wagner Farm, and folks from the Diaper Bank will take them to distribute to families in the area. They said that generic or store brand diapers are preferred, since they provide the most value and more diapers can be provided to kids who need them. All sizes of diapers are needed.

The Diaper Bank is also considering providing hot drinks for people at the Elk Toss. More details will be provided later.

So, now you have several options for items to bring along donate at the Elk Toss:

1. Diapers
2. Firewood
3. Non-Perishible Food
4. Auction Items

Driveway Conditions Update - January 23

We just received this email from Van...

"Get the word out immediately....all this talk about left sided drivers, fog, and gay marriage pales in comparison to what is happening right now!  (Jan 23)  While 99.9% of Pennsylvania is locked in a cold blast of arctic air, our driveway is somehow experiencing rapid snow melt (see photo).  That said, Tamara was doing Zumba to that infectious 80’s song “feeling hot, hot, hot” about 45 minutes ago. Long story short, send help immediately!"

Elk Toss Weather Forecast

AccuWeather now provides 25 day extended weather forecasts, and the Elk Toss is now within that 25 day period. For February 16, they are forecasting rain mixed with snow, a high of 40 degrees, a low of 23 degrees, 0.06 inches of rain, 0.19 inches of snow, 0 inches of ice, wind from the southwest at 7 mph with gusts to 19 mph, 0% chance of thunderstorms, a 65% chance of precipitation, 2.5 hours of precipitation, and a UV index of 1.

Can anyone explain how they can make such a detailed forecast so far in advance?

Driveway Conditions Update - January 21

Although this email from Van does not specifically mention the conditions of the driveway, it does mention the some suspicious activity in the vicinity of the driveway:

"I am very concerned about something going on in the region of my driveway. Every day around 11:35am a small car comes near my driveway, slows down, then speeds off. I only got a close look once and noticed the driver was sitting on the wrong side of the car! At first I thought they were British until I could see them reaching over and steering from the right side. What the heck? Anyway, until I get a better idea of what is going on I suggest postponing elk toss or at least find another location as my driveway activity is suspicious."

Any assistance with solving this mystery would be greatly appreciated.

Elk Toss Charity List

The Executive Council of the Danville German Society has identified the following organizations which will receive the proceeds from the 75th Annual Elk Toss, Charity Auction, and Winter Festival:

Gatehouse Shelter, Danville
Easter Seals of Central Pennsylvania, State College
Children Deserve a Chance Foundation, Lancaster
Heart to Hand Ministries, Danville

During the next few weeks, we will post more information about each organization.

We will once again be collecting non-perishible food for the Danville-Riverside Food Bank. Please bring along canned goods and other items to donate.

There will also be a firewood drive to help one of the Wagners' neighbors.

Driveway Conditions Update - January 18

URGENT UPDATE FROM THE WAGNER FARM:

"Fog too thick. Can't see driveway at this time. Send help immediately."

What to bring to the Elk Toss

Q: What should I bring to the Elk Toss?

A: These things...

1. Cash and/or checks to pay for events and the auction.
2. Items to donate to the charity auction
3. Non-perishable food items to donate to the Danville-Riverside Food Bank.
4. Pot luck food to share at the Wagner Farm. 
5. Drinking vessel.
6. Split/seasoned firewood to donate to the Wagners' neighbor.

Q: Thanks, is there anything that I should not bring with me?

A: Do not bring these things...

1. Dogs.
2. People under 21 (unless they are with a parent or guardian).

2013 Elk Toss Schedule

The 75th Annual Elk Toss, Charity Auction, and Winter Festival is scheduled for February 16, 2013. Some of this year's highlights will be:

• ScrappleFest at Pappas Restaurant
• Salvation Army Shopping Trip
• Burger Eat-off at the Jerseytown Tavern
• Opening Ceremonies
• Elk Bugling Competition
• Scrap Iron Toss
• Charity Auction
• Salad Toss
• Beard Contest
• Elk Toss
• Puppet Show
• Tour of Danville
• Entertainment at the soon-to-be-smoke-free Pub 2

We've also prepared a printable pdf listing the times and locations of each event.

If the weather cooperates, maybe we'll have an ice roping competition, sled dog race, or snow basketball.

Rick Victor Movie Trailer

Rick Victor, master of many skills, famed for his energy and puncuality, has finally released the trailer for his movie "The Comeback". The movie has been in the works for several years now, and it still may be several years before it is fully completed, but now we have a trailer...

UPDATE: Rick apparently has discovered how to upload videos to YouTube, and also found out that we will will post links to those videos. Here's a mesmerizing, mystifying rendition of his classic song "Atocha."

Pub 2 Going Smoke Free

Post Elk Toss entertainment has occurred at the Pub 2 on Mill Street in Danville for the past several years. As of February 16, the date of the Elk Toss, the Pub 2 will be a smoke free bar/restaurant. Although it was probably a business decision, there was some gentle pressure from the Danville German Society which may have contributed to the change. Maybe that is why they chose the day of the Elk Toss to start having cleaner air in their establishment.

We would like to thank the management of Pub 2 and also pat ourselves on the back for the role that we may have played in their decision.

Who is Rick Victor?

One of the most common questions we receive is: "Who is Rick Victor?" We recently located an archived version of his old GeoCities website through an altavista search. Here is the biography from that website:

Rick Victor was born in a small suburb of Scranton Pennsylvania to Daria and Gladice Victor, both Eastern European immigrants. Soon after birth, Rick began entertaining his parents by imitating what he heard on the radio and television. When he was only three years old, he played the role of a monkey in the Wizard of Oz when the St. Hubbins Church performed the saga in 1957. By age 8 he was singing with the now famous "Joy to be Alive" gospel singers, who toured all the way from Nanticoke to Carbondale and everywhere in between.

At age 12, he turned his back on gospel music and formed the infamous psychedelic rock band "Loaded Britches" and they toured most of the Wyoming Valley. Bands such as Jefferson Airplane have been known to claim that the Loaded Britches song "Technicolor Pierogy Blues" was a major influence.

The members of Loaded Britches remained a band throughout the latter half of the 60s and the early part of the 70s. The band became widely known for their love of experimentation with nearly every aspect of their personal and musical lives. They experimented with different musical instruments, Eastern philosophy, drugs, lacrosse, sexuality, and, most of all, name changes. After Loaded Britches, they became "Anthracite Chowder", then "Goat Sushi", then back to "Loaded Britches", before the band faded out after Rick lost his spleen in a motorcyle jousting competition.

Being a ground-breakeing musician, Rick refocused his energy after the accident and studied the musical trends of the mid 1970s. He formed the disco band "Lead Hunk" in 1977, and even scored a hit with his rendition of the old Martin Gumbo song "Daddy was a Door Knob" which went to number 117 on the greater Scranton area radio review list of waltz songs in 4/4 time.In the 80's Victor joined forces with the electric punk band "Donkey Pilot." This band was generally hated by critics by today retains a strong underground following, especially in the Throop area. After seven tumultuous years with Donkey Pilot, the band broke up due to what Rick has called "a failure of the other band members to appreciate a true artist."

After a year "finding himself" while living in an abandoned coal breaker, Rick emerged in the fall of 1989 and began to form the band that he still performs with today - "Rick Victor and the Victones". Finally, with the Victones, Rick has gained the creative control that he has always wanted and deserved.Today, Rick Victor lives in Scranton PA occasionally spending time with his 4 ex-wives and 17 children. Rick still performs with the Victones, although his bad back has limited the number, although not the intensity, of his performances.

His performances are truly amazing - a rare blend of thrusting rhythm with bland ballads.  If you ever have the opportunity to see Rick Victor perform, don't pass it up.  It will be something you will never forget. 

Firewood Drive

One of the Wagners' neighbors has had some recent medical problems. This has made it difficult for her to obtain the firewood that she uses to heat her house. We know that many Elk Tossers use wood for heat, and some even use firewood splitting as a training technique. If you have extra firewood, we are requesting that you bring a few seasoned/split pieces of firewood to donate. It would be great if this firewood drive would result in a pickup truck full of wood to donate.

Speaking of driving, a few reminders:

1. Try to carpool to the Wagner Farm.
2. Bring non-perishable food for the food drive to benefit the Danville-Riverside Food Bank.
3. Check this blog for updates on the driveway conditions.



Van checking snow depth at his drivway entrance



Recent Elk Toss Entertainment History

For your reference and pleasure, we have compiled this list of entertainment associated with recent Elk Tosses:

• 2001 - Random Musicians at the Jerseytown Schoolhouse, including Van Wagner, Robb Bomboy, Chad McKonly, Matt Harrison
• 2002 - Music by Van Wagner and Friends at Stinger's Tavern in Riverside
• 2003 - Winter Bluegrass Festival at Pine Barn Inn in Danville
• 2004 - Winter Bluegrass Festival at Pine Barn Inn in Danville
• 2005 - Slimfit with Van Wagner at Danville American Legion
• 2006 - Magic by Fred Iobst at Brews and Bytes
• 2007 - Slimfit with Van Wagner and Magic by Fred Iobst at the Pub 2 in Danville
• 2008 - Slimfit with Van Wagner and Magic by Fred Iobst at the Pub 2 in Danville
• 2009 - Slimfit and Magic by Fred Iobst at the Pub 2 in Danville
• 2010 - Kris Kehr and the Stone Poets and Magic by Fred Iobst at the Pub 2 in Danville
• 2011 - Slimfit and Van Wagner and Magic by Fred Iobst at the Pub 2 in Danville
• 2012 - Slimfit with Van Wagner and Magic by Fred Iobst at the Pub 2 in Danville

Breaking Entertainment News

As everyone should know by now, the Danville German Society strives to provide the best possible experience for attendees of the Elk Toss, Charity Auction, and Winter Festival. To continue that tradition of excellence, we have once again helped to arrange for post Elk Toss entertainment at the Pub 2. Some of the highlights of the entertainment for 2013 include:

• Van Wagner performing music to open up the evening at 9pm.
• Slimfit peforming after Van at 10pm.
• Fred Iobst performing magic (this still needs to be confirmed)

Even bigger news is that the Pub 2 is planning on being a 100% smoke free establishment prior to the Elk Toss. The Danville German Society may have played a role in the owners making that decision. Even if that is not the case, we congratulate and thank them, and we look forward to cleaner air that evening.

Rules of the Farm

As you may be aware, the Wagners host most of the events associated with the 75th Annual Elk Toss, Charity Auction, and Winter Festival. These events are on private property, and we want to make sure that the the event is safe and enjoyable for all attendees. A few rules of the farm:

1. If you are under 21 years old and not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, please do not come to the Wagner Farm. You will be asked to leave.
2. Please do not bring dogs.
3. Do not toss cigarette butts on the ground. There will be containers for butts.
4. Park in designated areas, and try to carpool to the farm.
5. Have fun.