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Remembering Mike Homza KennyKon XXXI Details and Ken Riling-Brewton - Page 5 Page 6 The FUNOFFICIAL Newsletter of ACE Western Pennsylvania Vol. 30, No. 2 July 2020 CoasterBash! XXXI by Sarah Windisch CoasterBash! XXXI, held on March 7, 2020, was was about what’s going on in their life (births, graduations, jam packed (literally) with presenters and attendees etc.) to [email protected]. – a record 210 of them! The presentations kicked The first park presenter was Waldameer’s Steve off with videos including one of The Steel Curtain at Gorman, whose 2019 year in review (large “heated Kennywood, “Summer Flashback” by Joel Brewton- pool”, Chaos: control faults leading him to cut a hole in Riling and “New Coasters of 2019” by Ken Simmons. the door to be able to see the codes, using bags of corn as ACE Western Pennsylvania Regional Representative Bill weight; skunks creating mayhem) was very entertaining Linkenheimer a n d q u i t e I I I t h e n funny. 2020 welcomed our b r i n g s large group. A Ravine Flyer t r i b u t e w a s II retracking, photo by Joel Brewton-Riling paid to one of W a c k y our members, Shack’s 50th Mike Homza, birthday, new who recently Rally Racer passed away, water slides, and the event and the new was dedicated spinning SBF to him. Bill also Visa coaster, r e l a y e d a w h i c h “hello” from replaces the Lenny Adams, S h o w t i m e f o r m e r l y o f theater and C o n n e a u t Water Works. Lake Park, who J a n i n e is now working R e b b i e i n E a s t e r n Jeff Croushore Matscherz of Pennsylvania Philadelphia as a state ride inspector and was not able to join us Toboggan Coasters, Inc. (PTCI) relayed to us that Tom due to family obligations. Volunteers with titles in ACE Rebbie advised to get rental insurance if ever driving were recognized, and Bill acknowledged Aaron Lesko in a foreign country, especially Italy. If you don’t know and Scene 75 Entertainment Center for the $5 arcade the story, be sure to ask Tom to hear the comical play cards that were distributed to all attendees at details. Janine showed the fall 2019 and winter 2020 registration. work being done on coaster trains from parks such as Next, Bill gave the ACE National update, touching Kemah Boardwalk (Boardwalk Bullet), Six Flags America on items like the ACE monthly podcast, World Roller (Wild One), Dorney Park (Thunderhawk), Holiday World Coaster Appreciation Month (June), Coaster Con (The Voyage), Kennywood (Racer) and others. Plans for 43, KennyKon XXXI, the 2020 ACE Preservation Coaster Con this year include an open house at PTCI. Conference, the postponed international trip to Italy, Sam Shurgott of IRM rides (owner/president since ACE elections, Amazon Smile to benefit ACE and a 2019) gave us a history of his company, which started new program that encourages members to send news continued on page 3 THE FUN TIMES 2020 is published every so often by and for the members of American Coaster Enthusiasts inhabiting the Western Pennsylvania region. Material may be used with or without permission -- we really don't care. Subscriptions are free to all ACE members residing in Condolences to Anna Capone, whose mother the Western Pennsylvania region and are $4.00 per passed away in April . condolences to John Tuite, year for ACE members elsewhere in the United States. whose girlfriend, Arlene, passed away in April . Direct all correspondence to: THE FUN TIMES; PO Box congratulations to Adam Napotnik, who graduated 15353; Pittsburgh, PA 15237-0553, USA. from Washington & Jefferson College with a degree in history and plans to pursue a master’s degree in THE FUN TEAM teaching at Mercyhurst . congratulations to David Matt Adler Hahner III who graduated magna cum laude as a Editor / Asst. Regional Representative Dean’s Scholar from Robert Morris University and has started a new job as a behavioral health technician Brett Weissbart at Wesley Family Services . congratulations to Managing Editor / Asst, Regional Representative April Lucas, who graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in May with a Master’s in Applied Bill Linkenheimer III Behavioral Analysis and a certificate in Autism . Senior Editor / Regional Representative congratulations to Austin Krieger who graduated from Dave Altman, Dave Hahner, Chartiers Valley High School and will be heading to Thiel College where he plans to study public relations Ryan Lucas, Stephen Gray and marketing . congratulations to Kennywood’s Asst. Regional Representatives / Contributors Nick Paradise and his wife Angela, who are expecting Tim Michalak their third child and revealed that it’s a girl(!) . Ken Webmaster / Asst. Regional Representative Brewton-Riling posthumously won the 2020 Photo Contest with an outstanding sunrise picture of The Steel Mike Matscherz Curtain . Pam Kanai entered an awesome video of Graphic Design Coordinator The Steel Curtain into the Coaster Con at Home Video Contest . congratulations to Sean Pilyih, who won Get Social with Us the highest overall score in the Coaster Con at Home scavenger hunts (and nearly a perfect score, too!) . @ACEwesternPA we extend a warm Western Pennsylvania welcome to @acewesternpa the newest members of Kennywood’s management team – Mark Pauls, the new general manager and @ACEWesternPA Lenny Freund, the new food and beverage director. Calendar of Regional Events Visit ACEwesternPA.org for continually updated information on all regional events. KennyKon XXXI Flying High 2020 Saturday, August 15, 2020 (tentative) Kennywood Sunday, August 30, 2020 West Mifflin, PA Waldameer & Water World Erie, PA Gary Baker Memorial Day 2020 ACE Goes IdleWILD III Sunday, August 16, 2020 (tentative) Lakemont Park Saturday, September 12, 2020 Altoona, PA Idlewild and SoakZone Ligonier, PA Maggie Altman Ryan Lucas JULY 2020 2 ACEwesternPA.org CoasterBash! XXXI continued from page 1 in 1989. He also provided a rundown of who purchased at Kennywood raised over $43,000 for Give Kids the some of the rides and games removed from parks such World, which paid for six wish families to visit the resort. as Lakemont Park, Coney Island (Cincinnati), Fun Fore It was the most successful Coasting for Kids event of All and Joyland. the year. There are several types of fundraisers being photo by Joel Brewton-Riling considered including riding, park runs and coaster photo by Joel Brewton-Riling Steve Gorman Adam Napotnik Jim Becker, Executive Director of the Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County, spoke about Conneaut Lake Park, which the organization camp outs. The 2020 Coasting for Kids event at operates. The improvements in maintaining and Kennywood event is scheduled for Sunday, September cleaning up the park have resulted in an increase in 6, 2020. Those who raise $100 are eligible to participate ride wristband sales, gift shop sales, games revenue in ERT and the more that one raises, they can earn and mini golf sales. Camperland’s revenue increased additional items such as T-shirts, VIP ride passes, etc. only slightly because they have run out of space. Blue After dinner, Bill Linkenheimer gathered the other Streak has received work on the lift hill and tunnel, in six members of the regional rep team in attendance to addition to new upholstery on the train.. New lockers present the second annual ACE Western Pennsylvania Industry Appreciation Award, which was bestowed on photo by Joel Brewton-Riling Jim Becker Idlewild’s Jeff Croushore. Kennywood’s Nick Paradise was up next and photo by Joel Brewton-Riling Nick Paradise, Erik Frankenstein were installed in Splash City for 2019 with more added for 2020. The past year also saw additional boat slips in the marina, new merchandise in the gift shop, a announced that 2020 will bring the Steelers Experience, new Ferris Wheel and the return of the Connie Otter a quiet room (in the former gift shop by the entrance to costumed character. For 2020, visitors can look for a Lost Kennywood), the return of the floral clock (on the new Paratrooper deck, new floors on the Flying Scooter hillside by the Lucky Stand and Turtle), changes to the cars, a Fascination parlor and ongoing Camperland park’s entrance ramp and parking lot, the return of the expansion. The park will be open Thursday through Bronze season pass (on an ongoing basis), bathroom Sunday and wristbands will cost $12 for either the rides renovations (by the Gran Prix), removal of Pounce or waterpark and a combo pass is $22. Season passes Bounce, the addition of dedicated VIP entrances remain $50. For 2021 the Reed Avenue pavilions will at some coasters, 100th anniversary celebrations for be rebuilt thanks to a $112,300 matching grant from Jack Rabbit and a teaser that Garfield’s Nightmare the state. has ended. At the end of Nick’s presentation, The Next up was ACE’s own Adam Napotnik to talk Golden Kenny was awarded to Erik Frankenstein, about ACE Cares. In 2019, the Coasting for Kids event continued on page 4 THE FUN TIMES 3 JULY 2020 CoasterBash! XXXI Another first-time CoasterBash! presenter, Rick continued from page 3 Knoebel, started off with a phone call from to father Dick. Amplified from Rick’s phone to the microphone, noting his longtime enthusiasm for Kennywood and Dick explained that he recently suffered a stroke while the abundance of volunteering that he’s done not vacationing in Mexico but thankfully received excellent only for ACE Western Pennsylvania, but at Conneaut medical care and is doing very well.
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