Traditions die hard in Mercer County, but die they do.

Just ask those involved with the former Hoyle Tournament or Bavarian Fun Fest.

On the eve of its 24th anniversary, another well-loved community event -- Buhl Day -- finds its future in jeopardy, according to a pair of women who are among four helping to co-chair the traditional Labor Day gathering at Buhl Farm park.

"There will be a Buhl Day next year for the 25th anniversary," said Karen Campman Emmett of West Middlesex. "And then we just have to wait and see. I can't say yes, I can't say no."

Carol Simon of Hermitage agreed.

"We're definitely going to have one next year," she said. "Everybody is really panicking, but we have a little bit of money in reserve. ... And if we have a halfway decent fund-raising effort next year, we'll be fine. What happens after that I'm not sure."

Fund raising is only half of the problem, however, Mrs. Simon said.

"In addition to money, we need leadership," she said. "We need people to step up to be in charge of various areas and others to be in charge of Buhl Day. This is where our problem is. ... People are focusing so much on the money aspect, which is important and definitely a concern. But along with that we need workers and workers in leadership roles."

Mrs. Simon said a significant number of the nearly 40-person Buhl Day Committee have served for about 15 years. She has been on the committee for 21 years.

"We need younger people and new ideas," she said. "And we're always open for suggestions."

Including, perhaps, suggestions on ways to trim or control what has become an increasingly daunting budget. Mrs. Simon said the annual budget has averaged between $20,000 and $25,000 the last five years.

This year's projected $22,000 budget, she said, includes the following big-ticket items (all figures are estimated): $7,000 for security and maintenance; $3,500 for entertainment; $1,800 for inflatables such as a climbing wall, a slide and other attractions for kids; $1,700 for portable toilets, the paper products for those toilets and the cleaning service to maintain them throughout the day; and $1,300 for rental of golf carts to help transport the elderly and disabled around the park.

There are myriad other items, including insurance, children's games, a sound system and trash hauling, that when combined easily top $5,000 in a given year, Mrs. Simon added.

"I don't think people have any concept of what it costs to put this thing on," she said.

To trim some of the budget this year, the committee decided to not have fireworks, which can cost about $4,000. By saving the money this year, however, Mrs. Simon said the committee will have funds available next year for fireworks for the milestone 25th anniversary event.

As for trimming elsewhere, Mrs. Emmett, a six-year committee member, asked, "Where do you trim, especially if you want people to enjoy what Buhl Day has become?"

Mrs. Simon said somebody asked on a local radio show this week why everybody just couldn't donate their time. She said you can't ask people to do that and that it's unreasonable for anyone to think you can.

Regarding current difficulties surrounding finances, Mrs. Emmett emphasized that the committee's fund-raising chairmen had done a great job and she wouldn't want to see any slight go toward them.

She said the fact that "funding is harder to come by is just true about everything that's going on in the valley."

Twenty-five years ago, the valley still had big companies like Sharon Steel, National Castings and Westinghouse, as well as local banks, which underwrote many of the more expensive budget items. That's not the case anymore.

"Those days are gone because of what's happened in the valley," Mrs. Simon said. "Everybody has cut back."

Before being revived in 1980, Buhl Day was an annual event from 1915, the year the park opened, until the beginning of World War II. It was originally started to honor industrialist Frank H. Buhl, for whom the park is named.

Regarding this year's event, Mrs. Emmett said she hopes the people who attend Monday will enjoy the day.

"I hope we have good weather and I hope people will come and enjoy the parade, the day, the entertainment and celebrate coming together as a community," Mrs. Emmett said.

As for the event's future, Mrs. Simon said she doesn't have the answer.

"I don't know what to say about the future," she said. "We'll take each year as it comes and evaluate it. And see what happens money-wise and leadership-wise."

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