By: Steve Svetovich

For its “Good Works,” the Lackawanna County Commissioners presented Gary Duncan, chairman of the Dunmore Neighborhood Watch program, with a certificate of recognition last month.

The “Good Works” of the Dunmore Neighborhood Crime Watch program serves its community with a dual purpose – safety and education.

Duncan said the organization reports crimes, blight and dangerous areas, which while also alerting residents and watchdogs, tries to be cognizant of abandoned vehicles, vacant homes, graffitti and vandalism.

The group, which meets the third Monday of every month at 7 p.m. In the community room of the Dunmore Community Center, 1414 Monroe Avenue, works in tandem with the Dunmore police department.

Lackawanna County Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Patrick O’Malley and Laureen A. Cummings presented Duncan with the certificate of recognition.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Duncan said during an interview with The Dunmorean. “I certainly did not know this was coming. I sincerely appreciated that they took the time to acknowledge our contributions to the Dunmore community.”

Duncan, a Dunmore resident for the past 20 years and an occupational therapist for

Dunmore Neighborhood Watch serves its community with a dual purpose – safety and education. For its “Good Works,” the Lackawanna County Commissioners presented its chairman, Gary Duncan with a certificate of recognition.

Traditional Home Health, Dunmore, established the Dunmore Neighborhood Watch group in 2013. About 30-40 residents attend each monthly meeting. Lackawanna County  Commissioner Laureen Cummings attended the most recent meeting.

“Members of the Dunmore police department, the Lackawanna County Probation and Parole office and Lackawanna County District Attorney’s office have attended every meeting,” Duncan said.

“Our goal is to have a city wide group crime watch, or a summit crime watch right at the Dunmore Community Center. We would like to have all the neighborhood crime watch groups meet for a summit right here in Dunmore. We think that can happen.”

Duncan said there will be a community neighborhood walk June 11 in Dunmore. The group will meet and walk in the neighborhood of Larch Street and Adams Avenue and New York Street in the area of Nina’s Pizza and Restaurant.

“Our motto with the Dunmore Neighborhood Watch,” said Duncan, “is you do have a voice. All our welcome.”

Duncan said he is proud that “all members of our police department have been at every single meeting.”

The energized and enthusiastic Duncan said the group has utilized a host of prominent speakers during its monthly meetings. “And we will continue to do so.”

The Duncan Family shown from left: Lynne, Annie, Gary and Claire.

Duncan, a graduate of Misericordia University, and his wife Lynne, a speech therapist at Allied Services, also volunteer for various community organizations. The couple are proud parents of two daughters: Claire, 19, a sophomore in the English honors program at Immaculata University, and Annie, 23, who last month received a B.A. in Fine Arts from Marywood University.

“We will continue to work hard with the Dunmore Neighborhood Watch program to make the borough safe and to educate our residents. We encourage all to attend our monthly meeting.”