About Us

Mission Statement

To conserve and enhance Pennsylvania’s elk country for future generations.

The Keystone Elk Country Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)(3) wildlife conservation organization that focuses their resources on Pennsylvania’s elk herd and the Elk Country Visitor Center located in Benezette.  The Alliance was formed in December 2009 to work closely with the  Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to complete the Elk Country Visitor Center Project.   
 
The Alliance is committed to working with our partners and regional and local communities to make the Elk Country Visitor Center a success.  Our lead volunteer group has many years of experience raising private dollars to enhance elk country across the US.  The Elk Country Visitor Center will be an exceptional venue to provide a consistent conservation education message for tens of thousands of visitors to our region.  We strongly believe that the Elk Country Visitor Center will provide a world class experience to build bridges of education and understanding between urban and suburban environments.  We are excited to focus our efforts on the Elk Country Visitor Center and to conserve, protect and enhance Pennsylvania’s elk country. 

Officers of the Keystone Elk Country Alliance are:

Chairman: John Geissler, 814-866-6421, jlgeissler@peoplepc.com
Vice-Chairman: Ron Alcorn, 814-489-3939, ronbonelkhorn@yahoo.com
Secretary: Mike Odasso, 724-859-4243, maodasso@snydercos.com
Treasurer: Randy Kimmel, 724-397-4008,  rkimmel@mashancomm.net

Pennsylvania’s elk country is defined by the physical boundary determined by the state wildlife agencies.  Elk country includes the people that live in elk country, elk, other wildlife including non-game species, and their habitat.

The Keystone Elk Country Alliance is excited to be managing the Elk Country Visitor Center.  The Alliance believes that conservation education is paramount to developing future conservationists.  The end result of conservation education is not simply that guests will learn about elk and their habitat. Visitors to the Elk Center will experience elk country, many for the first time, learn about elk, other wildlife and hopefully become inspired to join us to complete our conservation work.  If the Alliance is going to be successful, visitors to the Elk Center must take a course of action to become involved in our conservation efforts.  Action can be described as: joining a local banquet committee; attending a fund raising event; becoming a volunteer at the Elk Center; or contributing financially.  If the Alliance is successful, the Elk Center will be successful and Pennsylvania’s Elk Country will benefit.

The Keystone Elk Country Alliance will complete its mission through:

• Conservation Education at the Elk Center
• Permanent land protection
• Stewardship projects
• Cooperation with private land owners and state natural resource agencies