County Democrats celebrate holidays | Local

On Jan 5, 2022

The Huntingdon County Democratic Committee (HCDC) hosted its annual holiday dinner at the Sunset Golf Club in Huntingdon Dec. 9. Local party members, members of the Juniata College Democrats, state party officials and several 2022 candidates gathered to celebrate the season. One of HCDC’s long-standing traditions is to use this event as an opportunity to gather donations for Huntingdon County food banks by asking all attendees to bring food items.

The evening’s events featured some games, a wonderful meal prepared by the staff at the Sunset Golf Club and a few brief words from the various candidates who attended. The emcees for the event included Ed Tos, HCDC chair, Donna Marcotte, HCDC secretary, and Dana Jefferson, who was the primary organizer of the event and its activities, which included a trivia game that featured questions about the holidays of the season including Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.

“It was so great to be able to gather together in person again,” said Tos. “Celebrating together with our friends is a tradition we’ve learned we cannot take for granted, after having to cancel the event last year due to COVID. This event is also an opportunity for us to give back to our community, so gathering donations for area food banks as become part of HCDC’s tradition.”

A six-foot table stacked high with a wide variety of food items was gathered as guests entered. The donations were delivered the following week to food banks in Huntingdon and Mount Union.

The event is also an opportunity to recharge before a big election year in 2022. In attendance were State College mayor-elect Ezra Nanes; Pennsylvania Democratic Party political director Shavonnia Corbin-Johnson and regional director Bob Recklein; and the following 2022 candidates: Robert Zeigler (PA Senate, 34th District), Ian Kidd (PA House, 81st District), and Brian Simms (lieutenant governor) as well as a representative from Connor Lamb’s campaign (U.S. Senate).

The Huntingdon County Democratic Committee wishes everyone in Huntingdon County and across the commonwealth happy holidays—Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa—and a healthy and prosperous 2022.