By Steve Svetovich

Early last month the Dunmore community was in shock over vandalism to a statue of the Blessed Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The shrine is located on the campus of Marywood University and owned by the Sisters of I.H.M.

It can easily be seen while driving on Interstate-81. Located on the Dunmore side of the campus off I-81, borough residents were enraged that vandals would attempt to destroy the shrine.

Then local residents and volunteers came to the rescue.

Pat McMullen, 22, of Roaring Brook Township, in particular.

Son of Kristi Walsh and Patrick McMullen, the North Pocono graduate owns Electric City Power Washing, LLC.

He volunteered his time and utilized his skills to restore the statue and its foundation and remove all of the graffiti vandals inscribed on the shrine.

After about four or five hours of hard work, the young man was able to completely restore the shrine and remove all the graffiti. The statue was as good as new, even better.

“There was graffiti on both sides of the statue,” he said. “It was not easy to get off, but I have the power washing equipment to do it. The hardest part was getting all of the graffiti off because it soaks into the rock.

“I was able to power wash everything and clean up the statue and foundation.”

McMullen said it felt good to give back to the community.

“My dad called me to tell me about it,” he said. “He said it would be nice if I could clean it up.

“I immediately jumped at the opportunity to help out. I was honored to do it because the Sisters at I.H.M. do a lot for the community. I thought I could give back. I like giving back. The surrounding community has always been good to me.

“The Sisters of I.H.M. were very happy. I’ve received a lot of thanks from them and other people in the community. I must have received a thousand calls. I liked doing it. I think it’s terrible that it even happened. And the police still don’t know who did it.”

McMullen has owned and operated Electric City Power Washing, LLC, for the past year and a half. He also works for Standard Iron Works, a structural steel business owned by his mother and her two brothers in Scranton.

His dad used to run the former McMullen’s Restaurant and Bar in the Green Ridge section of Scranton. His grandfather, also Pat McMullen, was the owner of the popular establishment which was sold several years ago.

McMullen said he hopes to eventually expand his power washing business. “I wanted to own a business ever since I was in the eighth grade,” he said.

As far as his latest project, he says, “I wanted to make this religious shrine look nice. As it should be.”