Boy Scout Troop 66 and American Legion Post 13 will hold a flag retirement ceremony at Sherwood Park, Dunmore, on Saturday, June 10, at 10 a.m.
The public is invited to attend and participate.
Pictured from left are American Legion Victory Post 13 Commander Steve Lavelle and Scoutmaster Dominic Pace.
The Greater Scranton YMCA has been awarded a $62,500 grant from the City of Scranton’s American Rescue Plan Act Funds. Funding will support the expansion of the Y’s Early Learning Center.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the need for child care services in the community has grown substantially. Enrollment in the Greater Scranton YMCA’s early childhood education programs has grown by more than 50 percent from 2022 to 2023, with 60 children currently on a waitlist.
The Greater Scranton YMCA is limited in space and at maximum capacity. In order to open an additional 30 child care spots each year, the Greater Scranton YMCA will renovate its second floor, which is currently being used for storage and the location of H-VAC. Through renovating the space, the Greater Scranton YMCA will create three new classrooms, each licensed to serve up to 10 children. The classrooms will specifically serve children ages zero to two, as the need for infant care is great.
“We are so grateful to the City of Scranton for their support of our Greater Scranton YMCA and this project,” said Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “We are excited to get this project underway and cannot wait to welcome more children and families through our doors.”
Annually, the Greater Scranton YMCA is proud to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial assistance to children, adults and families from across our region, allowing them to benefit from all the YMCA has to offer. During the most recently completed fiscal year, the Greater Scranton YMCA awarded $491,646 to community members in need.
For more information about the Greater Scranton YMCA, call (570) 342-8115 or visit the Y online at www.greaterscrantonymca.org
For many young people, their birthday is cause for celebration. Due to high inflation and financial challenges, however, not every family is able to afford the ‘extras’ associated with a big bash.
Catholic school students from five elementary schools in Lackawanna County recently came together to make sure no local child will be without a proper celebration for their big day.
During different retreat days this spring, students at each school brought in items to create 188 “birthday bags” filled with boxed cake mix, icing, sprinkles, candles, balloons and a disposable cake pan.
“Each grade brought in something small to contribute and created the completed bags that we then donated to local food pantries,” Liz Devine, elementary school guidance counselor, explained. “The students also created personalized birthday cards to go in the bags.”
Second through eighth grade students, 811 in all, participated in the retreats and helped to create the birthday bags. The schools involved in the project were Saint Mary of Mount Carmel School in Dunmore, La Salle Academy in Jessup, Our Lady of Peace School in Clarks Green, All Saints Academy in Scranton, and St. Clare/St. Paul School in Scranton.
“Our retreat was based on the passage from the Bible of Jesus feeding the 5,000,” Devine said. “We read the Bible passage and reflected on it. It was pointed out to the students how the boy in the story only gave a meager little meal to Jesus and Jesus created His miracle and even had extra left over.”
The day also included small group team building activities, prayerful introspection and guided imagery reflection.
Devine says many of the students recognize there are people in their own community who do not have enough money for regular meals, never mind a special birthday celebration.
“Catholic schools in the Diocese of Scranton distinguish themselves not only by their academic excellence but by how they incorporate a faith-filled duty to serve others,” she added.
Each school selected the local food pantry in which to donate the birthday bags created.
The recipients include Catherine McAuley Center in Scranton, Saint Ann Parish food pantry in Scranton, Saint Patrick Parish food pantry in Scranton, NEPA Youth Center in Scranton, Queen of Angels Parish in Jessup, and the Montdale food pantry.
In reflecting on the project, Devine considers it a big success because it “challenged the students to give of themselves to others, even in the smallest way!”