Summer BBQ - SOLD OUT
The Lake Erie Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association is proud to announce our 2026 Summer Barbeque, set for Saturday, August 8th at Penn State Behrend starting at 4:30 p.m. in Bruno's Cafe in the Reed Building.
We are honored to welcome Garry Gilliam Jr. as our Guest of Honor. Garry came to Penn State as a highly regarded tight end from Milton Hershey School and was a member of the Nittany Lions from 2009–2013. During his first four seasons, he contributed primarily as a tight end under coach Joe Paterno, appearing in games while developing both as a receiver and blocker. Before his senior season in 2013, Gilliam made the bold decision to switch from tight end to offensive tackle under head coach Bill O'Brien. Despite having no collegiate experience on the offensive line, he earned a starting role at left tackle and quickly became one of Penn State's most remarkable success stories. His athleticism, work ethic, and rapid development helped stabilize the Nittany Lions' offensive line and caught the attention of NFL scouts. After his very successful football career at Penn State, Garry earned a roster spot, became Seattle's starting right tackle in 2015, and played a key role in the Seahawks' playoff success. Gilliam is best remembered for catching a touchdown pass on a fake field goal in the 2014 NFC Championship Game, helping Seattle rally to reach Super Bowl XLIX. He later played two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, finishing his five-year NFL career with 68 games played and 31 starts.
We also received great feedback last year on the menu selection therefore, we plan to keep the same BBQ theme for this event. The menu will consist of Beef Brisket, BBQ Pulled Chicken, Green Beans, Cheddar Ale Mac & Cheese, Coleslaw, Corn Bread Muffins, Soft Drinks, Wine, Seltzers, Beer, and a Penn State Berkey Ice Cream Bar for dessert!! The cost for the BBQ is $45 per adult and $35 per child.
RAFFLE ITEM DONATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED! We are looking for members to donate (or convince area businesses to donate) items for the silent auction. Typical items would include: Penn State apparel (hats, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, etc.); Penn State collectibles (prints, pictures, books); a pair of tickets to a game that you can’t attend; a round of golf at an area golf course; other non-Penn State items (gift cards to stores or restaurants, art work, holiday-related items, a bottle of wine from a local winery, etc.). In order to prepare for the auction, we humbly request that you send us the information about all the items to be auctioned by August 1st. Please direct your donations and/or questions to Ryan at [email protected] or 814-323-6059. Your donations help raise money for Penn State scholarships. Please contact Ryan Barninger for details.
We are honored to welcome Garry Gilliam Jr. as our Guest of Honor. Garry came to Penn State as a highly regarded tight end from Milton Hershey School and was a member of the Nittany Lions from 2009–2013. During his first four seasons, he contributed primarily as a tight end under coach Joe Paterno, appearing in games while developing both as a receiver and blocker. Before his senior season in 2013, Gilliam made the bold decision to switch from tight end to offensive tackle under head coach Bill O'Brien. Despite having no collegiate experience on the offensive line, he earned a starting role at left tackle and quickly became one of Penn State's most remarkable success stories. His athleticism, work ethic, and rapid development helped stabilize the Nittany Lions' offensive line and caught the attention of NFL scouts. After his very successful football career at Penn State, Garry earned a roster spot, became Seattle's starting right tackle in 2015, and played a key role in the Seahawks' playoff success. Gilliam is best remembered for catching a touchdown pass on a fake field goal in the 2014 NFC Championship Game, helping Seattle rally to reach Super Bowl XLIX. He later played two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, finishing his five-year NFL career with 68 games played and 31 starts.
We also received great feedback last year on the menu selection therefore, we plan to keep the same BBQ theme for this event. The menu will consist of Beef Brisket, BBQ Pulled Chicken, Green Beans, Cheddar Ale Mac & Cheese, Coleslaw, Corn Bread Muffins, Soft Drinks, Wine, Seltzers, Beer, and a Penn State Berkey Ice Cream Bar for dessert!! The cost for the BBQ is $45 per adult and $35 per child.
RAFFLE ITEM DONATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED! We are looking for members to donate (or convince area businesses to donate) items for the silent auction. Typical items would include: Penn State apparel (hats, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, etc.); Penn State collectibles (prints, pictures, books); a pair of tickets to a game that you can’t attend; a round of golf at an area golf course; other non-Penn State items (gift cards to stores or restaurants, art work, holiday-related items, a bottle of wine from a local winery, etc.). In order to prepare for the auction, we humbly request that you send us the information about all the items to be auctioned by August 1st. Please direct your donations and/or questions to Ryan at [email protected] or 814-323-6059. Your donations help raise money for Penn State scholarships. Please contact Ryan Barninger for details.
Lake Erie Chapter Monthly Meeting
Date: Monday, August 3, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom meeting
We are looking for more people to join the Lake Erie Chapter Board of Directors. If you love Penn State, would like to get more involved with the Nittany Nation community, and would like to help us raise scholarship monies for deserving area Penn State students - then we would love for you to join us! We have a lot of opportunities for you to get involved and give back. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Nick at 814-449-8445 for more information.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom meeting
We are looking for more people to join the Lake Erie Chapter Board of Directors. If you love Penn State, would like to get more involved with the Nittany Nation community, and would like to help us raise scholarship monies for deserving area Penn State students - then we would love for you to join us! We have a lot of opportunities for you to get involved and give back. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Nick at 814-449-8445 for more information.
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