Published: July 06, 2007 09:34 am      

NEW: Schweiker to speak at 5th anniversary of Quecreek mine rescue

SOMERSET — Former Gov. Mark Schweiker will be the keynote speaker July 28 at the 5th anniversary celebration of the 2002 rescue of nine miners trapped in the Quecreek Mine.

The anniversary celebration events will take place beginning at 9:30 a.m. on that Saturday, at the mine rescue site on the Arnold Farm at 151 Haupt Road in Somerset.

"We are honored to have Gov. Schweiker return for the anniversary this year to recognize all those who were involved in the rescue effort," Bill Arnold, President of the Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation, said today in a news release. "Gov. Schweiker's leadership during the rescue and the compassion he felt for the families of the trapped miners was a blessing for those families and our community."

Other speakers will include Joseph Sbaffoni, director of Deep Mine Safety for the Department of Environmental Protection, and other state and local officials. Jim Burton of WJAC-TV will be the master of ceremonies for the event.

Special music will be provided by the Milford United Methodist Children’s Bell Choir, Cathi Casale as “Patsy Cline,” and Dan and Galla. "Mountain John” of Somerset will be reciting his poem “The Quecreek Mine Rescue.”

On July 24, 2002 miners broke through into an abandoned, water-filled mine flooding the Quecreek Mine with over 50 million gallons of water. Nine miners scrambled to safety, but nine were trapped in a pocket of air in the dark, cold, water-filled mine. They were rescued four days later through the combined efforts of state and federal mine rescue agencies and hundreds of workers and volunteers.