This article originally appeared in the pages of the Gettysburg Times, in July of 2025. It was penned by Wendy Allen of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania, in the hopes of sharing the work the Fellowship does.

My wet-weather boots haven’t been dry all summer, and Sandy Tuskan, our amazing One Hundred Nights of Taps, Gettysburg’s photographer, has taken to wearing a full-face insect net to keep the gnarly gnats from biting her. But even with these daily irritations, at 6:30 p.m., at the base of Gettysburg National Military Park's Pennsylvania Monument, Sandy captures remarkable images of a bugler, audience, and program presenter. These wonderful photographs serve two purposes; they appear on our evening Facebook post and are also a record of the spirit, legacy, and camaraderie of our Fellowship program.

Sandy Tuskan is a lifetime member of the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania. She enjoyed a long career as an orthopedic assistant and served many years as a Red Cross volunteer. Since moving to Gettysburg, she has been involved in volunteer activities with the Lincoln Fellowship and the Eisenhower National Historic Site, where she assists with the care and presentation of the Eisenhower home and garden.

John Tuskan’s wisdom and experience precede him to the microphone when he presents the program. His elegant, calm delivery creates a distinguished authentically comfortable evening for the audience. John Tuskan is the Historian/Archivist for the Lincoln Fellowship. He is deeply patriotic, and after 30 years of federal uniformed service, he retired as a Captain, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS). His uniformed career also included service in the U.S. Navy, and U.S. Army. After retirement from active duty, he taught in colleges in both Maryland and Maine. He currently serves as a Seasonal Park Ranger at the Eisenhower National Historic Site. As many of you know, John and Sandy are married and live in Gettysburg. They have a daughter, Jessie, son-in-law Maury, and grandsons Brady and Reece, who reside in California.

Scott Burkett, another Lincoln Fellowship board member, is one of the program’s presenters. During the day, Scott is a news reporter and when he presents the evening’s program, his flair and cadence create a real sense of professionalism. After serving in the Navy, Scott began a four decade career in news and sports writing and reporting, covering Major League Baseball, the NFL and the NHL. He appeared in the Gettysburg movie and currently volunteers at the Eisenhower National Historic Site. His wife, Debbie, and son, Matthew, are more often than not standing in the field watching the evening program.  

Therese Orr, also a Lincoln Fellowship board member, presents the Sunday evening (6 p.m.) programs at the Lincoln Cemetery at Gettysburg. Therese is a Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide who particularly enjoys giving tours to guests whose ancestors were at this battle, taking them to the spot on the field where they would have fought. Therese also provides leadership tours for some of the programs operating in Gettysburg. Due to her service in the Navy, she especially enjoys the ROTC and other military programs.

 I am honored to be working with such distinguished people.

Please join us, now through Labor Day, at the Pennsylvania Monument at (7 p.m.), to share in the warm camaraderie--the fellowship--and the privilege of honoring those who fought for freedom and to save the Union.