A Recipe for History: Cookbook Shares the Stories of Centre Crest

BELLEFONTE — Soon, Centre Crest will be moving to its new facility on Benner Pike in College Township, leaving behind the Bellefonte building it has called home for more than 80 years.

And while the move is exciting for all involved, the book “Rooted & Growing Cookbook: A History of Centre Crest 1939-2020” shares and celebrates some of the deep history of the nursing and rehabilitation center as residents, staff and volunteers look toward its bright future.

“With this being the last full year here before we move into the new facility, we wanted to do a cookbook that told a little of the history over the past 80 years here,” said Centre Care Executive Administrative Assistant Mae Armstrong.

The cookbook includes more than 200 recipes submitted by staff, residents’ families and community members. Weaved in with the many delicious recipes are pages telling stories of some of the history of Centre Crest.

“People who have already seen it have been very pleased,” said Armstrong. “I mean, I work here and I didn’t know half of the stories … I would have never guessed all the history.”

These excerpts include stories of legendary Penn State football coach Charles A. “Rip” Engle, who was a Centre Crest resident in 1983, and local painter Billy Mills, who also lived at the residential facility.

And while the cookbook is reflecting back on the history of Centre Crest, all the money raised will go towards benefiting future residents by being put towards the garden campaign for the new facility.

“We thought to ourselves, ‘what could we do to share the history of the building and benefit the future,’” said Armstrong. That’s when the vision of the cookbook took root.

Books can be purchased for $15. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, they can be mailed to purchasers for an additional $4. The facility may consider holding more curbside pick-up days if sales remain high. Those interested are encouraged to contact Armstrong at (814) 548-1162 or by emailing MArmstrong@ltcmail.com.