news media president
voice of ‘Safety Sam’
Dave DeCosmo is “The Voice
of Safety Sam!”
Mr. DeCosmo, news super-
visor of Radio Station WILK in
Wilkes-Barre, volunteered to
become the voice of “Safety
Sam,” the elf-like character
first appearing in cartoon strips
to promote the Governor’s Traf-
fic Safety Club.
Subsequently, the promotion
was expanded to include radio
and television in addition to
newspapers, and more than
7,000 Pennsylvania motorists
who have taken the pledge to
drive cafefully are now enrolled
in the club launched by Gov.
Ra#@ond P. Shafer at the Gov-
ernor’s Traffic Safety Confer-
ence in November 1969.
Transportation secretary
Victor W. Anckaitis and Ed-
ward A. Hitchin, the Pennsylva-
nia Department of Transporta-
tion’s deputy secretary for
safety administration, both
commended the broadcaster on
the concern for the safety of
motorists which prompted Mr.
DeCosmo to volunteer to cut
master tapes with a safety
message to drivers from
“Safety -Sam’’ at no cost to the
Commonwealth.
Typical of the messages from
“Saf Sam’ are: ‘‘Wearing
seat Welts you’ll agree, may
save you from eternity;’’
“Wanpa meet the grim old
reap@@’ Just be a super-high-
way’ creeper,” and ‘‘A little
rain, or ice and snow, are warn-
ings that you’d best go slow.”
A native of Hazleton, Mr.
DeCosmo, unlike many broad-
casters who seem more inter-
ested in spinning records and
basking in the glamor of the
trade, has taken a deep per-
sonal interest in the journalistic
aspect of the field.
Throughout his tenure in his
present position, he has endea-
vored to bring the listeners in
the Wilkes-Barre area a clear,
accurate picture of the news of
the day or hour.
As president of the Northeast-
ern Pennsylvania News Media
Association, Mr. DeCosmo has
sought to bring about a closer
tie with members of the various
media®-radio, television and
newspapers. -
He said he appreciated the
opportunity to play a role in
PennDOT’s Bureau of Traffic
Safety program to promote
traffic safety in the State.
Stet@ning from an avid in-
terest "in driving and traffic
safety—for the past several
years Mr. DeCosmo and his
wife have put over 30,000 miles
Dave DeCosmo
on the family car per year. Mr.
DeCosmo said, “I think the
Pennsylvania roadway system
is second to none!”
A genuine desire to help
people has also been a factor in
his interest in traffic safety as
evidenced by his observation at
a recent lecture that ‘‘our high-
ways should be used for conven-
ience and pleasure and certain-
ly not as instruments of death.”
Mr. DeCosmo, an 11-year
veteran of the air waves, lit-
erally started in the business
from ‘‘the ground up,’’ breaking
into the broadcasting field in
1959 while still in high school in
Hazleton.
After school, he labored as an
errand boy for station WAZL,
and upon graduation landed a
job as janitor at station WTHT
in Hazleton where, after com-
pleting his janitorial duties for
the day, would familiarize
himself with one of the spare
control boards in the station,
and eventually filled in regular-
ly for the station’s announcers
when the occasion called for it.
Later, he moved to Station
WNAK in Nanticoke; a station
in Massina, N.Y.; back to
WTHT, then to -WBRX in
Berwick where he rose to pro-
gram director. Finally, about
four years ago, he settled in
Wilkes-Barre where he is pre-
sently news supervisor for
WILK.
Motorists wishing to enroll in
the Governor’s Safe Driving
Club can obtain membership
applications from the Bureau of
Traffic Safety, Transportation
and Safety Bldg., Harrisburg,
Pa. 17120.
THE
Congratulates
I
I
Acme
2 EEP el
THE DALLAS POST, NOv. 12, 1970
baked chicken
at Huntsville
The Huntsville United Metho-
dist Church will serve a baked
chicken dinner Nov. 14 with
serving starting at 4:30 p.m.
The public is invited. Tickets
may be purchased at the door.
The menu will include baked
chicken, mashed potatoes,
‘gravy, green string beans,
pickled beets, applesauce,
cranberry sauce, buns, assorted
pies and beverage.
Kimberly Hunter
observes birthday
Kimberly Ann Hunter was
guest of honor at a party Nov. 7
in observance of her ninth birth-
day.
Leona Hunter and Pam
Houck gave the party at Mrs.
Hunter’s home in Fernbrook.
Those present were Christdy
Mikulka, Cathy Lumly, Dawn
Schramko, Danny Kitchen,
Connie, Barbie, Cindy, Joey
Shields and Carl Houck, Tracy
Hunter, Jamie Opalicki, Jim
Hunter, Mrs. Hunter, Pam
Houck and the guest of honor.
A cake, baked by Pam Houck,
was decorated as a carousel.
Window boxes added to your
home now and planted with
bulbs will add spring color. Be-
cause of dampness, use western
red cedar at least one inch
thick.
National Bank
OF WILKES - BARRE |
Dallas Village Office, Dallas
Intersection of Rts. 415 and 309
TIRBpER BH WZ
on their New
DALLAS STORE
COMMONWEALTH
TELEPHONE COMPANY
A Growing Company
ACME
MARKETS
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