Tag Archives: memorial

Lanterns for the Lost Princess

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Lantern Release to be Held in Memory of Kelcey Hallinan and Carissa Dartt
By Emily Fedor

Kelcey Hallinan
Carissa Dartt

On August 20, 2014, Alicia Hallinan sent out a simple tweet: “Sky lanterns for @kelceyhal tonight 8:30 at DHS.  If you have any bring them! This is gonna be beautiful!”

Alicia’s daughter Kelcey was 18 years old when she passed away on November 16, 2013 after fighting a brave battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. But throughout the course of her battle, Kelcey became an inspiration to all who knew her—as well as many people who never had the pleasure.

Alicia went to the school with about 20 lanterns, expecting to meet, at most, a dozen of Kelcey’s closest friends. But to her surprise, far more than 12 people came out that night to honor her daughter.

“Like 75 people showed up,” said Alicia. “I wished I had more lanterns, but it was nice to have everyone together.”

The idea for the lantern release came from Kelcey’s favorite movie, Tangled. The animated film, which tells the tale of Rapunzel, features a moment that shows Rapunzel gazing at hundreds of paper lanterns floating up in sky from her window. The lanterns were released every year by Rapunzel’s family. The gesture was meant to let the lost princess know that wherever she was, she was remembered and loved.

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lantern

The lantern release is inspired by Kelcey’s favorite movie, Tangled. Kelcey painted this picture as part of an art therapy session during her time at CHOP. (Photo Credit: Alicia Hallinan)

This past month, Alicia paid a visit to the home of Jim and Karen Dartt to get together with some friends who also lost loved ones. The Dartt family lost their daughter Carissa in 2002. Carissa was a 22-year-old pre-med student attending Temple University when she tragically passed.

During the gathering, Jim brought out two paper lanterns of his own to set off.

“Over the years, we’ve seen these lanterns going up occasionally around Dunmore. I ordered them and started sending them up,” said Jim. “We brought some down to Puerto Rico…to visit my son…and we try to do them on the beach for our daughter.

Alicia told Jim about last year’s lantern release for Kelcey and how her family waned to hold the event again this year, but on a larger scale. Together they decided to turn the release into a fundraiser that would support both the KelceyStrong Scholarship and the Carissa Dartt Foundation.

Between the Hallinans, the Dartts and other donors, over one thousand lanterns have been made available for purchase to be a part of a massive lantern release on Friday, August 7. Gathering places currently include Dunmore High School and Sherwood Park, but all are invited to participate from any location. Lanterns will be promptly set off at 9 p.m.

Additionally, participation is not closed off to only those in the Dunmore area. According to Facebook, many people will be setting off lanterns from all over the country. It has also been confirmed that a rather famous friend of Kelcey’s has been contacted and informed of the event plans.

The idea is to light up the sky as a sign to all of our lost loved ones—especially Kelcey and Carissa—letting them know they have not been forgotten and are still very much loved.

If all goes well, as it is expected to, the fundraiser will most likely become an annual occurrence.

“We’ve never had a fundraiser for the scholarship for Kelcey, so I said this would be a really good idea,” said Alicia. “And I just can’t believe how many people are responding. It’s amazing.”

“I think no matter what direction you look that evening, you’re going to see these lanterns,” said Jim Dartt.

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The lanterns can currently be bought for $5 each at various locations in Dunmore including but not limited to Cara Mia’s on East Drinker Street, DePietro’s Pharmacy at intersection of 3rd Street and Wheeler Avenue, and Lox Unlimited on the corner of Apple and Harper Streets. They will also be on sale on the day of the release at the Dunmore High School student parking lot.

All participants are encouraged to share photographs on social media using the following hashtags: #LanternsForTheLostPrincess, #LightingUpDunmore and #KelceyStrong.

Note: The rain date for the event is scheduled for Saturday, August 8 at 9 p.m.

Letter to the Editor: Friends of the Forgotten

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Recently, the Friends of the Forgotten Inc. N.E. Wing, dedicated the Lackawanna County Korean Memorial to 71 brave men from Lackawanna County who gave the supreme sacrifice while serving their country in the Korean War.  This was a huge undertaking that surprisingly was completed in slightly over one year.

The Friends of the Forgotten would like to thank all those who assisted us in this undertaking.  We would especially like to thank Lackawanna County Commissioner Patrick O’Malley for his invaluable assistance in obtaining a Lackawanna County Community Reinvest Grant.  Without his assistance in this matter, we would certainly not have accomplished our goal in time.

To the Borough of Dunmore, we thank you for all the wonderful cooperation that you provided.  To those who assisted us by donating time, labor or monetary assistance, thank you.  And finally, to those who gave their lives as well as all Korean Veterans whose service has allowed so many millions of South Koreans to live in freedom, we owe more than we could possibly say.

Thank you.

Edward Faatz, President
Friends of the Forgotten, Inc. North East Wing

“Judi H. Rock On 5” Set for September 27th

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On December 14, 2007, Judi Perry Hartridge passed away at the age of 45 after a year-long battle with cancer.  Judi left behind her husband of 20 years and their five-year-old son.  To honor Judi’s memory, family and friends formed a committee called “Judi H. Rock On” to raise funds to fight the disease that claimed her life.

Since Judi was a life-long resident of Dunmore, it was decided that all proceeds raised by the committee’s efforts would be donated to the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, a community organization dedicated to easing the burden of cancer in our region through hospital and practice support services, surveillance and community and patient services.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses and friends, over the past four years Judi H. Rock On has raised over $180,000, which includes matching funds in support of local cancer services.

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The committee will host, Judi H. Rock On 5, a dance party and raffle from  5-10 p.m. on September 27 at the St. Mary’s Center in Scranton. The event will feature live music from three legendary bands: Paul LaBelle and the Exact Change, Old Friends, and the Gene Dempsey Orchestra, along with singer/songwriters Janice Gambo Chesna and Tony Vergnetti.

Jim “Bucky” Buckley will be honored at the event as the recipient of the third Music Lifetime Achievement Award. The ticket price of $25 includes a night of fantastic music and refreshments as well as entry into a raffle. Raffle prizes include a Mount Airy one night stay with tickets to see “The Stylistics” concert and a gift card for dinner, an Apple iPad, and a one-year gym membership. A cash bar will also be available at the event.

Tickets can be purchased by calling the Cancer Institute at (1-800) 424-6724 or by visitingwww.judihrockon.com.  Tickets can also be purchased at the door the day of the event.

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The Judi H. Memorial Fund is a grass roots music industry organization whose objective is to raise awareness and detection as well as donate 100% of raffle sales to funding and supporting research into women’s cancers. It applies the significant but voluntary resources of music industry partners and friends.

The organization supports research into prevention, detection and early characterization of cancer “hot spots” in Northeast Pennsylvania and surrounding regions, in memory of the beloved Judi H., whose warm and kind presence was simply too brief.