& ” oT. wv ¥YYN Er CHTON EB BOX zs INDERY po BRIG TON, y fe Vol. 96, No. 6 25 Cents By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Correspondent Carbon monoxide fumes which overcame 11 people, including firefighters and their children, Monday night at the Fairmount Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 Fire Hall on Route 118, was a freak accident according to Fire Chief Ed Jones, and some of the victims. The (victims were allegedly affected by the were running as a test. “We have run the trucks hundreds of times in the past when volunteers were working in the adjoining meeting room without any problems,” said Chief Jones. “We recently built a new addition which is about two feet lower than the rest of the building. We have forced hot air oil heat and, since we ran the engines sometime before the people were in the meeting room, we believe the fumes collected near the large duct in the addition. When we turned on the blower, it apparently sucked the fumes through the duct into the meeting room.” Jones said he talked with all of the victims Tuesday morning ‘and they were all ‘recovered, although some had slight headaches. Six of the persons affected were children. Chief Jones reported that in the future, the linemen will run the trucks at a time when no one will be using the building, An employee for an area heating contractor con- firmed Jones statement that fumes from the engine could collect in an area such as the addition of the building. Jane Garbush of RD 1, Sweet Valley, one of the victims, was treated and released from NPW Hospital where her daughter, Cathleen, seven, and Korena DeHart, 12, RD 2, Benton, were also treated and released. “I’m alright,” said Mrs. Garbush Tuesday morning. “I have a bad headache, but that’s all. The trucks weren’t running at the time we were there. I had my two children with me, Cathleen and Stanley, 12. He (Stanley) was treated and released from Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. “A small baby became ill at first, then some of the other children,” Mrs. Garbush added. “We realized something was wrong, so we all went outside. When the men run the fire trucks they always have the doors open. They have run them many times when we have been there.” Catherine Houssock, RD 1, Sweet Valley, was treated at Nesbitt Memorial Hospital and released, along with Kimberly Long, 11, Lisa Long, both of RD 1, Sweet Valley and Ruth Parsons, also of RD 1, Sweet Valley. They were released from the hospital at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. “I have a slight headache today, but that’s all,” said Catherine. Mrs. Houssock is treasurer of the fire company and captain of the Fairmount Township Fire Police. She said the volunteers were in the meeting room to prepare a mailing for the company’s annual fund raising campaign. “The trucks were running some time before we came to the hall,’ she said. “The fumes from the engines must have collected in our new addition and later blown into the meeting room through the ducts near our room. “The: children were affected first,”” Mrs. Houssock added. “A two year old, who never causes any problems began crying and screaming then two other children became ill and passed out. We knew some- thing was very wrong. We checked our gas stoves, but they were all right so we immediately went outside.” Mrs. Houssock said someone called the emergency unit and, before the 11 victims were taken to Shelley’s Diner, the paramedic unit and four ambulances were waiting there to take the victims to the hospital. At the hospital she said, the emergency rooms were set. up and waiting for them. “They took us to four different hospitals which made it possible for quicker treatment,” she added. The eleven affected in the incident were Jane Garbush, 35, RD 1, Box 288B Sweet Valley; her daughter Cathleen Garbush, 7, same address; Korena DeHart, 12, RD 2, Box 124, Benton; Larena DeHart, 31 , RD 2 Box 124, Benton; Stephanie DeHart, age 2, same address; Kathleen Jones, 38, of RD 1 Box 249K, Sweet Valley; Stanley Garbush, 12, of RD 1 Box 288B, Sweet Valley; Kimberly Long, 11, of RD 1 Sweet Valley; Letha Long, 7, same address; Ruth parsons, 40, RD 1 Sweet Valley; and Catherine Houssock, 52, of RD 1, Sweet Valley. At Lake-Lehman By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Correspondent The appointments of three aides for ‘the second semester of the TELLS Remedial Instruction Program were approved by the Lake-Lehman School District board of directors at its regular meeting last Thurs- day. Those persons approved at the-rate of $8.00 per hour were Bonnie Turchin, three and a half hou#s at Rost Elementary; Louise Schwartz, four hours at {.ehman- Jackson Elementary and two hours at the junior high and Maureen Doerfler, two hours daily at Lake-Noxen Elementary. The ‘directors also approved the appointment of Emily Hosey Sallitt of Dallas to a position in the elementary school library; Roseanne Ragnacci of West Pittston as a mathematic teacher at a salary of $16,850, Step 6 on the scale; and the addition of Daniel A. Albert of Hunlock Creek as a substitute biology instructor. Education chairman Daniel Hudzik’s resolution to support the establishment of a Head Start Program in the district for pre-school four-year-olds was approved by the directors. The program will emphasize parent effectiveness training and is meant to help train parents in handling family conflicts. The comprehensive program will be provided for qualifying parents and children. Joanne Ennis will present the program to the parents of the four-year-old children at Lake-Noxen, Feb. 25; Ross Elementary, Feb. 26 and Lehman- Jackson Elementary, Feb. 27 between 9 and 10:30 a.m. each day. Separate programs for the children will be available each day at the same time. Registration may be made by calling one of the above schools. The motion by Finance chairman Gilbert Tough to increase a change in the cafeteria managers addi- tional hourly rate was approved as follows: Lake Noxen from 10 to 25 cents; Lehman-Jackson from 15 to 30 cents; Ross Township from 10 to 15 cents; junior high from 15 to 25 cents; and senior high from 15 to 30 cents, with all new hourly rates to be effective March 19. « The board also approved a resolution to amend the early retirment policy as follows: age at retirement, 50 years, 75 percent last full year’s salary; 51 years, 74 percent,; 52 years, 73 percent; 53 years, 72 percent; and 54 years, 71 percent, all percentages of last full year’s salary. The district will accept applications from those planning to retire prior to the openifig or during the. 1985-1986 school yearmtil April 1, 1985. The board accepted the resignation of Rodger Bearde as head baseball coach. The directors also approved ‘the appointment of the following according to their negotiated contracts: 1984-1985, head baseball coach, Dwight Barbacci; assistant baseball coach, Robert Langan; assistant junior high softball coach, Rhonda Hudzik. 1985-1986, head football coach, Mark Kirk; assistant football coaches, Robert Roberts, Robert Langan; assistant junior high football coaches, Jeff Smith, Sean Moran; head field hockey coach, Jean Lipski; assist- ant field hockey coach, Lynn Coury; assistant junior high field hockey coaches, Flossie Finn, Cheryl Travis; golf coach, Michael Sharok; cross country coach, Ed Narkiewicz; girls volleyball coach, Robert Rogers; varsity cheerleader advisor, Darlene Stickler, and assistants, Jean Lipski and junior high Susie Snyder. The board also approved the position for an assist- ant boys’ volleyball coach. Faculty instructor Walter Sorber was granted sabb- batical leave for the first semester of the 1985-1986 school year for travel and education and Barbara Shulde was granted sabbatical leave for the 1985-1986 school year for education. Solicitor Peter Savage reported that contract talks with the Lake-Lehman Education Association were progressing and that the board had scheduled a meeting with the LLEA representatives for Friday, Feb. 15. The March meeting of the directors will be March 12, 8 p.m., in Lake-Lehman Junior High Gym. Women in business By CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Correspondent Kern Brothers, located in the Dallas Shopping Center, recently observed the 50th anniversary of the family beverage company. It was in late 1934 that Edwin H. and Marian Kern, then resi- dents of Harveys Lake, opened a beverage company in the garage adjacent to their home on Old Lake Road. It was not an easy decision to make at the time for this couple, who were the parents of 11 children. With the economy what it was at that time, how- ever, they decided it was best to ; operate. a: business where they could supervise their children as well as use their assistance. Mary, now deceased, was the eldest of the children and spent 23 years in the convent. When she was old enough, Mary helped her parents as did her brother, ‘“Bub’’, second oldest and now retired. The late Carl Kern, podiatrist, also worked in the business until he finished college and went into private practice. James, former owner of Jimi’s Restaurant, Dallas; Bill, deceased; Dick, still working in the business; Carol, married and living in Kentucky; Ray, Leon “Lum’, owner of Fernbrook Inn; John, employed at Offset Paperback and Kate, married and living in South Car- olina, all worked in the business helping their parents. The boys loaded or unloaded the trucks, kept the place clean and, when old enough, made deliveries. The girls kept records, took orders, helped with the inventory and did whatever else was necessary to keep the business running smoothly. When Edwin died in 1954, 30 years after he started the busi- ness, his wife, Marian, continued to operate the company, assisted by Bub and some of the other children. In 1955, Marian moved the today. (EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second installment of a six-part series entitled ‘“Women in Busi- ness.” The series features Back Mountain women who have made it big in business as they relate their feelings of working in what used to be a man’s world.”) Sandy Rohrbach Vidlicka, busi- ness manager. of the Dallas School District, is one of only three female business: managers in the Luzerne Intermediate Unit No. 18, which covers Luzerne County. There is only one female business manager in LIU No. 19, covering Lacka- wanna County. Sandy came to the Dallas District three and one half years ago from Glidden Paint Company where she was employed as credit manager. While at Glidden’s, she was working for her last credits for her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting. She is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Finance at Wilkes College. While at Glidden’s, Sandy saw the advertisement for a business man- ager and applied for the position. After being interviewed, it was not too long before she was notified of her acceptance by the school board. Sandy had worked in a school district for three years in the 1970’s as secretary to the superintendent before she went to college. While there, Sandy did a lot of forms she now works with every day. She left the school district to accept a position for a chemical company, Crompton and Knowles. They offered to pay for Sandy’s college education and she took advantage of the opportunity. Sandy remained with the company for four years, then went to Glidden Paint Company where she was credit manager for four years. It was at Glidden that she met her husband, who was from the Wyo- ming Valley area. That was the reason Sandy was interested in locating in this part of the state. They were married in April, 1983, and now reside in Oakwood Park, Laflin. When -she came to work in the Dallas District, Sandy discovered she had to overcome alot of obsta- cles. She accepted each day as a challenge and proved she could do her work successfully. She has held the position longer than any of her three predecessors, business to the Memorial High- Post/Ed Campbell Michael granddaughter and grandsons. the responsibility rested with Bub until Ray started driving and helping wherever necessary. In 1967, Bub and Ray moved the beverage company to its present location in the Dallas Shopping Center. Ray’s son, Ray, Jr., a student at Wilkes, came into the business first and later Ray’s son, Michael, who attends Lycoming College started to work for Kern Brothers during the summers and holidays. Bub retired from the business in 1978 after being ill for a period of time. Until recently when she became ill, Marian Kern contin- ued to take an interest in the business helping in the office from time to time. Ray is now sole owner and, in addition ‘to his two sons, he has four other employees, some of whom serve those customers who stop in to make their purchases and several who make deliveries to numerous restaurants. Among the many persons. to whom they attribute the half century of success are George Edwards, Gertrude Wilson, Percy Higgins and the many families, who have continued with Kerns since Edwin and Marian started it in 1934. Chil- dren of many of the original customers now stop to purchase their favorite beverages and snacks. Inside The Post Classified ..... 13,14.15 Commentary nen 4 Cookbook .............. 3 Crossword .............d Obituaries . 2 people encaiemns School . Cesena r en Fray Eas ane SANDY VIDLICKA i Sports ............ 3,10,
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