Tag Archives: fundraising

Dunmoreans of the Month: Mary Lou Karlack and Lenore Latarewicz

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UNICO Flea market cochairs are Mary Lou Karlack, left, and Lenore Latarewicz, right.

By Steve Svetovich

Keystone UNICO is hosting a Flea Market and Bake Sale Saturday,,April 23, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Dunmore Community Center and Activity Hub, 1414 Monroe Ave., Dunmore.

Mary Lou Karlack, Dunmore, and Lenore Latarewicz are co-chairpersons for this fundraiser.

The fundraising event is part of UNICO’s mission to raise monies for local charities.

UNICO’s  motto is “Service Above Self.”

UNICO stands for Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, Opportunity.

Latarewicz and Karlack said UNICO’s chapters devote much of their energies to supporting local charities that serve the local communities.

“We encourage everyone to join us as we work together to make a contribution to the service of others.

“We would like to invite all our friends in the community to this fundraising event.”

The majority of the 164 members of the Keystone Chapter of UNICO are from or live in Dunmore.

John Mecca, Dunmore, is president of the Keystone Chapter of UNICO.

UNICO is the largest Italian American service organization in the United States.

The UNICO national office is in Fairfield, New Jersey.

“We are very hopeful the community will come to support us,” said Latarewicz, a five-year UNICO Charter member.

“We think it is wonderful to use the Dunmore Community Center and Activity Hub to help us with our needs to raise funds for local charities. It is wonderful to obtain the Dunmore Activity Hub for this affair.

“It is a beautiful facility and we are happy to support it. We are thrilled they support us and we support them.

“We expect this to be a successful fundraiser. We previously did this in 2014. It takes some work, but it is well worth it.

“Our annual pig roast is a major fundraiser as well as our annual golf tournament which supports the local YMCA in Dunmore.

“We do this to raise money to support the numerous charities we provide monies to throughout the year. We support a lot of charities in Dunmore. We are a part of UNICO National.

“We are constantly trying to raise funds for local charities.”

UNICO was organized in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1922 when a group of Italian Americans led by Dr. Anthony P. Vastola began providing service in the community. The idea then spread to several other cities in the East where additional Chapters were chartered. The first UNICO convention was held in New York City in 1930. On July 4, 1947, at a convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, UNICO National was born.

The UNICO National Mission Statement is: To promote and enhance the image of Italian Americans; For members to be of service to the community; To promote Italian heritage and culture; To promote, support and assist charitable, scientific, cultural, educational and literary projects; To promote members’ interest in public welfare; And to cooperate with others in civic, social and cultural development.

UNICO grants scholarships, promotes Italian study chairs, observes Columbus Day with appropriate activities, supports programs aiding underprivileged and handicapped children, community civic activities, mental health, cancer and Cooley’s anemia research. It promotes good fellowship among members.

UNICO is non-political and non-sectarian.

Latarewicz was chairperson for the event in 2014.

Latarewicz and Karlack are working very hard to make the event this year a huge success at the Dunmore Community Center and Activity Hub. Both are working very hard to make the Flea Market and Bake Sale a very worthwhile event to the community.

It is an event for the whole community to enjoy. And all monies raised go to assist local charities.

 

 

Dunmoreans of the Month: Ferrario Dunmore brothers help start non profit group to give back to community

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Scranton Prep students and founders of OurDash are shown meeting with the president of Lackawanna College. From left are: Gokulan Gnanendran of Clarks Summit; Mark Volk, Lackawanna College president; Gerard and Thomas Ferrario of Dunmore.

By Steve Svetovich

Two Dunmore brothers and a close friend, all students at Scranton Prep, have started a nonprofit group to raise funds and give back to the community.

Gerard and Thomas Ferrario, sons of Jerry and Nadine Ferrario, Dunmore, and  their close friend Gokulan Gnanendran, Clarks Summit, are the founders of OurDash.

The mission of OurDash,  a group of high school students dedicated to the local community, is to generate funds for worthwhile causes in Northeast Pennsylvania.

“Our focus and emphasis,” said Gerard Ferrario, “is to raise money through innovative productivity and solutions that do not draw away contributions from existing charities, but rather create mechanisms to raise money that otherwise would not exist.

“With this in mind, our organization does not solicit monetary donations. However, we will accept them.”

Gerard Ferrario, founder and president, is a senior at Prep where his brother, Thomas, founder and vice president, is a junior.. Gokulan Gnanendran, Clarks Summit, is also a founder and aspires to study engineering in college. The Ferrario brothers aspire to study business and finance in college.

OurDash’s first event was to solicit several downtown businesses that were not using their parking during the weekend of La Festa Italiana to donate space for the weekend. The group of young volunteers charged for parking and were able to raise money which they donated to Scranton Counseling Center’s Holiday Program..

The latest venture of OurDash was to raise funds for scholarship programs at Lackawanna College.

“This is from a culmination of private donations which were non-solicited and our creative means of fundraising. We have raised enough to cover $40,000 in scholarships to Lackawanna College. Our goals are well defined in respect to the distribution of these funds. We want to help local high school kids to have the incentive to do well and stay in school. Our wish is to provide scholarships based on one’s improvement throughout their high school career. We are currently working with Lackawanna to finalize the program.”

Gerard Ferrario said the group raised funds by collecting used clothing. The group recycled some of the fabrics and sold some on eBay.

“We thank everyone who donated to us either through clothing, monetary, or other methods. We appreciate our volunteers.

“We have some goals for this year. We plan to generate more money for scholarships. However, we want to expand to other local colleges in addition to Lackawanna. We would like to work again with the Scranton Counseling Center. We would like to partner with other area charities this year.”

The Dunmore brothers and their Clarks Summit partner have a passion for finance and love of the community and volunteer work. OurDash is designed as a non profit helping other non profits.

The group has been in operation for two years now. “It started as a creative way to give back to the community. We just branched out from there.

“The Lackawanna College scholarship fund is to help provide scholarships to underprivileged students who are showing improvement in school. It serves as an incentive for the kids to go on and do well in higher education. Lackawanna College chooses the students who get the scholarships. The distributions will be in the coming months.”

Gerard Ferrario is involved with scholastic bowl, the business club and speech and drama at Scranton Prep. Thomas Ferrario is in the business club at Scranton Prep and enjoys Martial Arts in his spare time.

The web site for the group is www.ourdash.org.

Holy Cross Students Fundraise for the Little Sisters of the Poor

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Members of the 2014-2015 Holy Cross High School golf team presented a donation on behalf of the student body of Holy Cross High School to Sister Maureen, l.s.p., at the Little Sisters’ golf tournament. Pictured from left: Ryan McDonald, Tommy Dzwonczyk, Sister Maureen, l.s.p., Angelo Mancinelli and Dom Mancinelli.

Members of the 2014-2015 Holy Cross High School golf team presented a donation on behalf of the student body of Holy Cross High School to Sister Maureen, l.s.p., at the Little Sisters’ golf tournament. Pictured from left: Ryan McDonald, Tommy Dzwonczyk, Sister Maureen, l.s.p., Angelo Mancinelli and Dom Mancinelli.

Students of Holy Cross High School conducted several fundraisers throughout the 2014-2015 academic year to support the Little Sisters of the Poor’s mission of caring for the elderly poor at Holy Family Residence in Scranton. The students, who raised an impressive total of $700, presented a check to Sister Maureen, l.s.p., at the Little Sisters’ annual golf tournament on Saturday, June 13.

In addition to conducting their own fundraisers, many Holy Cross students support the Little Sisters’ efforts of caring for God’s eldest children by volunteering their time and talents at the Little Sisters’ fundraisers and activities for the residents throughout the year. The students can often be found working at dinners, playing bingo or spending time one-on-one with the residents..

For more information on supporting the Little Sisters, please contact Mrs. Jackie Galvin, M.S., director of development and communications, at (570) 343-4065 ext. 3144 or scdevelopment@littlesistersofthepoor.org.