We’re opening this Feelgood Friday edition of the newsletter by looking ahead to Sunday, which is International Women’s Day—an ideal day to celebrate the trailblazing Pennsylvania women who have made history on a number of fronts, stretching back to 1776, when seamstress Betsy Ross made what was recognized as the first US flag in Philadelphia.

The commonwealth has produced groundbreaking conservationists like Rachel Carson, who is credited with advancing the environmental movement, philanthropists like Pittsburgh’s Mary Schenley, and barrier-breaking lawmakers like Summer Lee, Sara Innamorato, Joanna McClinton, and Cherelle Parker.

And let’s not forget that singer-songwriter who grew up on a Christmas tree farm in Berks County.

13 history-making women from Pennsylvania

But wait … there are more ways to celebrate Pennsylvania’s history-making women:

Visit Philly libraries named after women who shaped the city’s history

10 sites where you can explore the stories of women who shaped Pa.’s history

Patrick Berkery

Senior Newsletter Editor, The Keystone

Ashley Davis, 39, is a house manager at the Mercy Center for Women in Erie. (USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

Erie’s Mercer Anchor Community Center provides both transitional and long-term housing for homeless women and children who have been affected by substance abuse, domestic violence, and other hardships.

The nonprofit has 13 fully-furnished apartments. In the three years since the facility opened, 75 people—including house manager Ashley Davis and her son—have lived there.

Davis called the new facility “a Godsend” that gave both she and her son “a brand-new start in a brand-new place.”

“For a long time in my life I did not think it was possible to get beyond where I was,” Davis said. “You think you can’t get past the substances or the environments and there’s a lot of ‘poor me’ and excuses, rationalizations and denial. But to be able to come out of that and really take care of myself and my son, that is amazing.”

The Mercer Anchor Community Center is looking for volunteers to help with tasks such as watching residents’ children while they participate in group classes and go to appointments and job interviews, answering phones and greeting visitors, administrative tasks, and more.

Learn how you can help the Mercer Anchor Community Center

• Two Pennsylvania State Police troopers shot in the line of duty near Chambersburg last fall and the good Samaritan doctor who ran to help were honored recently for their bravery and heroism. Get the story here.

• Historic sites and museums throughout the state are offering free admission on Sunday to commemorate the 345th anniversary of the commonwealth’s Charter Day—the day William Penn was granted a charter from England’s King Charles II to create Pennsylvania. We have a rundown in this story.

• Tröegs Brewing of Hershey was voted by USA TODAY readers as the No. 1 brewery tour in the country for the sixth straight year. Find out more here.

• It’s the York County food collab you’ve been waiting for: Martin’s Potato Chips has partnered with Rutter’s to bring its barbecue seasoning out of the chip bag and onto the convenience store chain’s hot food menu. Get the details here.

Finally…

Kevin Bacon, a 200-pound pig from the Gettysburg area, became a viral sensation after wandering away from home. (Chelsea Rumbaugh/Facebook)

Animals have always lived alongside us, from the pets in our homes to the wildlife just outside our doors. They can mesmerize us, shape local traditions, improve our mental health, and provide a welcome distraction in the form of cute videos or fascinating stories.

Our Kalena Thomhave is highlighting some of the animals in Pennsylvania that have proven particularly skilled at capturing the public’s attention, such as the commonwealth’s famous (and quirky) pets, like Kevin Bacon (the pig, not the Philly-born actor), its iconic wildlife, and of course, the world’s most famous groundhog.

Get to know Pennsylvania’s viral animal stars