Tag Archives: Emily Gerchman

DEC girls build confidence and friendships through running

Posted on by
Reply
Members of the DEC’s Girls on the Run team shown in the school gym. (Courtesy: Emily Coleman)

“Girls on the Run” is a national nonprofit with the goal of inspiring young girls to be healthy, joyful and confident. Dunmorean Online Editor Emily Gerchman recently spoke with Emily Coleman, a coach for the Dunmore Elementary Center’s “Girls on the Run” team to learn how the program is impacting girls in our community.

Emily Gerchman: Tell me about the DEC chapter of “Girls on the Run.” How long has it been going on and who’s involved?

Emily Coleman: “Girls on the Run” has been offered at the Dunmore Elementary Center several times over the past couple of years. Jaime Coleman, Linda Valvano, Bridget Robinson and I wanted to keep it going this year, so we reached out to district officials and became certified Girls on the Run coaches. Along with the four of us, we have several other moms and teachers who help us run the program: Sara Amendolaro, Jen Dempsey, Caroline Gentile, Bobbi Hughes, Melissa Loughney, Katie McKenna, Kristina Petrauskas, Kathy Scanlon, and Laura Shultz. 

EG: What made you want to get involved in this program and become a coach?

EC: I had heard so many wonderful stories about “Girls on the Run” and the curriculum that goes along with it. I knew that I wanted to share my love of running while incorporating mind and body positivity activities with my daughter Maddy and the other girls at the DEC. GotR is so much more than just running.

EG: The girls have been working towards running a 5K, right?. How has that been going?

EC: The girls have come so far in their running since we first started meeting on March 7. They stay after school two times a week for an hour and a half. Our end goal is to complete a non-competitive 5k by running, jogging, walking, and even skipping across the finish line. [That] is going to give the girls a sense of accomplishment and confidence because they have set this goal and will achieve it on May 18. 

EG: What does “Girls on the Run” offer young girls in the borough? What do you hope the kids involved get out of it?

EC: Dunmore’s Girls on the Run offers girls in grades 3-5 the opportunity to participate in a 10 week program that culminates with a celebratory 5K. Each girl gets to choose a running buddy who is over the age of 16 to run with them during the 5K. 

The girls also create a community impact project in which they come together as a group and think about how best they can help in the community. My biggest hope for all of the girls who participate in Girls on the Run is that they realize being active whether it is running or just playing outside makes you feel so much better.  

EG: What’s your favorite part about being involved in Girls on the Run?

EC: My favorite part of Girls on the Run is seeing 43 girls laughing and having fun while being active. I hope that they take as much as they can from the lessons and realize how strong they are and how confident they can be. 

EG: What would you say to a student who might want to join the program and become “a girl on the run?”

EC: I would tell them that this program is so much more than just running! As “Girls on the Run” says: The 5K is “Your K, do it your way!” There is no pressure to run the 3.1 miles – the goal is to finish it however feels best for you. We help them find their “happy pace” and encourage them to stick with it and to just be proud of what they can do. 

***

You can learn more about the program and what it means to be a “girl on the run” by visiting https://www.gotrlehighpocono.org/.

Dunmorean of the Month: Jack Callahan

Posted on by
Reply

Dunmorean of the Month - Jack2By Emily Gerchman

Jack Callahan will turn two years old this March 8th. He’s a fan of climbing on things and getting into trouble. He’s quite a chatterbox according to his mom and dad. He also loves Sesame Street and is always up for a good dance party. 

Molly Callahan describes her youngest son as a funny and happy little kid. Jack is also a tough little guy, and at his young age, he’s much braver than most.

It was around this time last year, Molly noticed Jack was acting just a little bit off.

“He had signs of ear infections, like really high fever, really lethargic, crying all the time and that just wasn’t him at all,” said Molly.

Jack was diagnosed with a double ear infection. But even with an antibiotic, his current symptoms persisted and new ones popped up. He would suffer from nosebleeds on occasion. Molly and her husband Dan also noticed Jack had bruising on parts of his body that just “didn’t make sense.” So they took their son for a visit to his pediatrician, Doctor Jeffrey Zero. 

“He is the best doctor because he doesn’t scare you,” Molly explained. “He’s very mellow but firm, and his demeanor changed as soon as I pointed out the bruises.”

“So Jack and I went to get some blood work done, and they ordered it stat. A couple hours later, Doctor Zero called and said, ‘Okay, do you want to go to Danville, Hershey or CHOP?’”

Molly and Dan rushed their little boy to Geisinger Medical Center near Danville, the closest of the three options, and that’s where doctors ultimately diagnosed Jack with AML-M7 — a type of acute myeloid leukemia.

On and off, Molly, Dan, and little Jack spent 116 days in at Geisinger near Danville.

Dunmorean of the Month - Jack Callahan 4Dan Callahan had to put his job of selling homes with Jack Ruddy Real Estate on hold for a time. He’s also a seventh grade math teacher in the Dunmore School District. Thankfully Dunmore was able to get a sub whenever he needed to be with Jack or Jack’s older brother, Cooper.

Molly teaches art at Pocono Mountain, but being that she had just been off on maternity leave after having Jack, taking another leave of absence wasn’t an option.

“I would sleep in Danville, drive to the Poconos and teach, go back to Danville or Dunmore depending on if it was my night.”

Luckily for the Callahans, they had an army of family and friends in their corner — among them Dan’s mom, Maggie, Molly’s parents, Jack and Rosemary, and her sister Amy. They never hesitated to help them with whatever they needed, whenever they needed it. 

“We just made it work,” said Molly. “It’s one of those things that people are always like ‘I don’t know how you did it’ and I’m like, I do. Anyone would do it, you just have to.”

During the months Jack spent at Geisinger, he went through four rounds of chemotherapy and had nine blood transfusions. 

“When Jack was in day one, they gave him a blood donation right then,” Molly recalled. “He went from being gray and just laying on you to happy, smiley, waving. Just from one blood transfusion.”

Dunmorean of the Month - Jack Callahan“[Jack’s] brother turned four during this whole thing, and it was hard to explain what was going on… We joked it was ‘super hero blood.’ We’d say he’s getting Spiderman this time, and they’re gonna give him Captain America next time. The doctors actually…tell kids that now. Because it’s true. It really makes everything better.”

This past September, doctors delivered the happy news that Jack was MRD negative, meaning all the cancer cells were gone. Now happy and healthy, he’ll celebrate his second birthday on March 8.

“The oncologists have stressed you need to celebrate every milestone. Celebrate his birthday, a year since diagnosed, then like crazy celebrate when it’s a year in remission.”

Celebrate is exactly what the Callahans plan to do, while paying it forward at the same time.

A community blood drive in Jack’s name is planned from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 — one day before Jack’s birthday — at the Dunmore Community Center. 

“Every time you donate blood you save 3 people’s lives. Well 9 people because he had 9 blood transfusions in the 100 days, 9 people saved Jack’s life,” said Molly. “…it’s such an easy thing to do, and the cost and nervousness and time have no comparison to what you’re doing for these kids and adults who need it.”

Due to the number of volunteers and equipment available, only 84 people will be able to donate at this event, and in typical Dunmore fashion, 74 people have already signed up as of February 26. So while walk-ins are welcome, interested parties are highly encouraged to pre-register online.

blood drive“The way everyone in this town cares about each other is one hundred percent why we live in this town. People are just willing to do anything for each other. So we’re not surprised at the outpouring we’ve gotten, but we’re certainly overwhelmed and humbled,” said Molly.

“If anything comes from all of this, I just can’t wait to see all the ways Jack pays it forward. We’re trying our best to give back in little ways, but there will never be enough to thank everyone for doing what they did for us.”

If you would like to take part in the first ever “JackAttack Blood Drive,” call 1-800-RED-CROSS for availability or visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive.

Dunmorean of the Month: Thomas Richardson

Posted on by
Reply

Dunmorean of the Month - Photo 1By Emily Gerchman

‘Tis the season, and that means it’s a busy time for Santa and his elves at the North Pole. And with the Dunmore Police Department’s second annual toy drive well underway, it’s also a very busy time at Santa’s satellite workshop inside the Borough Building.

Thomas Richardson is a patrolman with the Dunmore Police Department. He’s held that title for 16 years, proudly serving the place he, his wife, Kristina, and their three daughters, Emily, Abigail and Madelyn, call home.

A few years ago, Richardson gained another title when he was named coordinator of the borough’s annual National Night Out.

“National Night Out is an event that is supposed to bring the communities and the police together, to not make us these unapproachable people with a badge…who are sometimes portrayed as these scary people,” said Richardson. 

Some of the monetary donations brought in from National Night Out help cover various equipment and training officers at the DPD need. The rest of those bucks go right back to Bucktown to help families in need all year round, but especially around the holidays.

It was just after last year’s event when Richardson’s wheels started spinning: How can the department go “a step above” and give even more back to the community? 

He pitched the idea of a holiday toy drive to his colleagues, and everyone was on board. A group of officers formed a committee. One officer even offered to dress as Santa Claus when they handed out the toys. The team then got in contact with the Dunmore School District.

“We ended up having teachers at the school, give out to every student… a want and need list for Christmas,” Richardson said. 

Dunmorean of the Month - Photo 2

LAST YEAR: Dunmore Police cruisers were stuffed with toys collected from the community.

“You have the kids who say they wanted an Xbox or a PlayStation. Then you have the kids who really were in need. Kids said they needed dryers. There were kids who said all they wanted for Christmas was a ham or a turkey…or a Christmas tree.”

The Dunmore Police put out a call to businesses in the borough, asking them to participate, and to simply say this effort “took off” would be selling it short. Frankly, it exploded into something bigger than Richardson, his fellow officers or even Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick could have ever imagined.

“The donations were endless,” Richardson explained, “and they were from near and far. I had business people from well outside our area calling me saying ‘What can I do?’ We’d have officers go on calls and people would say “Oh, I saw this on Facebook, I want to donate.’”

One business donated 20 bicycles, brand new and still in the boxes. Another donated hundreds of footballs, basketballs and soccer balls. You name it, and odds are someone donated it.

Lots of folks also donated money and gift cards, which Richardson and the rest of the toy drive committee put to good use.

Dunmorean of the Month - Photo 3

Thomas Richardson is shown with the family of Cayden Orr. With donations from last year’s holiday toy drive, the Dunmore Police Department purchased a wheelchair lift and had it installed at Cayden’s home.

“One kid, his father carried him to his school bus because he was wheelchair bound. So with the monetary donations we purchased a wheelchair lift [for him].”

Last Christmas, the DPD was able to help out more than 130 children. It was a gratifying and humbling project that took a lot of time and work, which did not go unnoticed by their boss, Dunmore Mayor Tim Burke.

“It’s a really good group effort led by Tom. The police force…the DPW, the firemen, all the restaurants and businesses… Everybody helped out to make things brighter for the children during Christmastime,” said Burke.

“And with Tom, there are so many hours that he puts in. I should say more than hours — days of his own time — just to make Dunmore a better place, and I’m just so happy we have him.”

Richardson calls last year’s toy drive “an overwhelming success.” It was a project he was happy to play a small role in and one he hopes will have even more success this year and in the years to come.

“For a lot of those kids, I truly do believe it was the Christmas they always wanted or saw on TV, but they were able to live it. It hit home to all of us…and gave a whole new meaning to Christmas.”

***

If you’re interested in participating in this year’s holiday toy drive, donations can be dropped of at the Dunmore Borough Building, Fidelity Bank’s location on North Blakely Street, Riccardo’s Market and DePietro’s Pharmacy.