Well Dun: Donations now being accepted for May sidewalk sale

Posted on April 2, 2025 by The Dunmorean

The Saint Joseph’s Auxiliary is busy taking donations and collections for the upcoming sidewalk sale.

The fifth annual Saint Joseph’s Center Sidewalk Sale will be held Saturday, May 17, at Saint Joseph’s Center Blakely Street campus, 320 South Blakely St., Dunmore.

“We started this after COVID because the 2020 Saint Joseph’s Festival was cancelled.,” said chairperson and auxiliary member Jeannie Kreis McDonald. “We had so much inventory at our warehouse.”

The committee members for the Saint Joseph’s Center Auxiliary are Jeannie Kreis McDonald, Ann Hinton, Cindy Hoban, Debbie May, Debbie Walton, Cathy Refice, Jan Needham, Trish McDonough, Joanne Teevan, Leslie Corby, Mary Lou Grogan, Mary Lynn O’Bell, Nina Flanagan, Sue Doud and Debbie Zielinski.

Principals involved with the upcoming Sidewalk Sale at St. Joseph’s Center include, kneeling from left: Diane Carey, Deb Walton, Mary Lynn O’Bell, and Cindy Hoban. Standing, same order: Leslie Corby, Trish McDonough, Sharon Mulherin, Joanne Teevan, Debbie May, Jeannie McDonald, Ann Hinton, and Cathy Refice. Missing from photo are Jan Needham and Sr. Mary Alice Jacquinot.

Donations will be accepted at the DeNaples Building, 320 South Blakely Street, Pine Street entrance (facing the Dunmore Fire Station) every Saturday in April from 9 a.m. to noon. The scheduled dates are April 5, April 12, April 19, April 26.

Donations will be accepted of new or gently used items for the annual spring sidewalk event.

Items of interest include housewares (pots and pans, glass sets, serving platters and trays), home accents and decor, purses,, jewelry, children’s toys and games, tools, small furniture, holiday decorations, garden decor, tools and accessories and sports items.

“We strongly encouraged donations to be used or new,” said McDonald. “Gifts that were never used or items that you have around your home that you no longer want.

“We benefit from those who are downsizing or spring cleaning. We are fortunate enough to get overstocks or goods that have damaged packaging from local stores.

“We have a warehouse team of women from the Auxiliary who donate their time every Saturday during the month of April to accept donations at our Blakely Street building. Collections are 9 a.m. until noon.

“We also accept donations year round, but drop off needs to be scheduled by calling me at 570-335-7150.

“There is going to be something for everyone. Please no clothes or large furniture.

“Remember if you can’t sell it, neither can we.

“This event has been a great success over the past few years and we expect it to be a success again. We are looking forward to accepting everyone’s donations and are thankful for the generosity. It’s all for a good cause to benefit Saint Joseph’s Center. All proceeds will go for the programs at Saint Joseph’s Center.”

Spring programs offered at Greater Scranton YMCA in Dunmore

Posted on April 2, 2025 by The Dunmorean

The Greater Scranton YMCA is excited to provide an array of spring programming designed to energize and inspire families in our community.

Spring is a season of renewal, and the Y offers many opportunities to reconnect with friends, neighbors and make time for yourself. Whether you’re interested in finding a new fitness routine or helping your family members discover a new passion through sports or programs, the Y has something for everyone.

Some program opportunities available at the Y this season include:

Youth Sports and Enrichment Programs and Aquatics

The Y offers a menu of youth sports and enrichment programs that rotate on a monthly basis. Registration for programs opens on the first of the month prior. Programs are free for Greater Scranton YMCA family members, $12 for youth members and $40 for non-members. Examples of programs include: Basketball, Soccer, Pickleball, Messy Art, Lego Mania, Game Night, Wii Sports and more.

For decades, the Greater Scranton YMCA has taught generations of kids, adults and families to be safe in and around the water. The Greater Scranton YMCA is a leading swimming lesson provider in the Greater Scranton region. Our Aquatics Department is here to serve the community to ensure everyone enjoys their time in a pool, by a lake, and wherever water may be.

Wellness

The Greater Scranton YMCA offers numerous land and water group exercise classes for all ability levels. Examples of classes include: Zumba, Power Cycling, HIIT, Core, Silver Sneakers, Paddleboard Yoga, Shallow Water Exercise, Dance Fit and more, including individual and small group personal training, chronic disease prevention and management programs, including EnhanceFitness, and the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program

Early Childhood Education and Out-of-School Time

Full and half day daycare and preschool programs for children ages 0-5 at the Y’s Early Learning Centers in Dunmore and Olyphant; Before and after school programming.

*Please note, the 2025 Summer Day Camp season kicks-off June 9 and registration is open.

Family Events

The Greater Scranton YMCA is hosting the Y’s annual Healthy Kids Day® on Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. This free, annual event is sponsored nationally by Peanuts and features a variety of family-friendly activities to encourage healthy kids, healthy families and a healthy start to the summer season. Some featured activities include a family fun walk, rides, vendor fair, bounce houses, face painting and more.

“Join us at the Y this spring to get active, learn new skills and enjoy reconnecting with the community,” said Rich Surridge, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “We welcome everyone in our community to come and discover what the Y has to offer!”

Artist of the Month: Jill Swersie

Posted on April 2, 2025 by The Dunmorean

Dunmore Activity Hub or Dunmore Senior Center has seen a resurgence in interest in its painting class. Each month, The Dunmorean will introduce you to these talented artists and their artwork.

By Dolly Michalczyk

For over 32 years, the extremely talented and very patient Jill Swersie has served as the art teacher at the Dunmore Senior Center.

As a child, Jill could always be found dabbling in the arts – drawing, painting and creating. She has been painting most of her adult life, taking many classes and workshops through the years, and adding an art studio to her Pocono Mountains home, where she even held youth classes for a while. Jill has done shows and displays in galleries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Thirty-two years ago, the former Dunmore instructor was leaving and asked Jill to continue the program, to which she reluctantly agreed. She grew to love the students and nurturing their talent. Occasionally, Jill will hold formal painting and drawing classes, teaching various techniques and allowing her students to practice them. Her usual approach is more hands-on, sitting with each individual student, demonstrating, and offering tips and suggestions for them to improve their work. Her students are mostly oil painters, although a few prefer to work in acrylics and watercolors. Jill enthusiastically shares, “We have a really great group of students, with some of them coming to the class for years. Everyone is very supportive of each other.”

Jill exhibits in several galleries in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and has done many solo and group shows. Recently she participated in “Just Jills,” an unlikely event where seven artists named Jill displayed their works. For three months this spring, beginning May 1, she will be having a solo exhibit at the Hughes Monroe County Library where she will display and rotate 15 paintings.

An active volunteer, Jill curates the Gallery at 530 Main, in Stroudsburg, and the Dutot Museum, in Delaware Water Gap.

Her local class meets every Monday from noon – 4:00. The Dunmore Senior Center charges $5 a session, paying only when one attends, and students supply their own materials. The group accepts donations of used painting supplies- paint, brushes, canvases, easels, etc. and has donated new supplies to the NEPA Youth Shelter.

Our sunny Jill shared this positive philosophy: “Art is what makes the world a better place.”