BRETTON,
Vol. 97, No. 1
At Mercy Center building
*Congressman listens to
gripes of area seniors
for the facilities of the elderly has not, thus services
provided three years ago, for example, cannot be fully
provided now. And with no relief in sight, Kanjorski
sees that as a major problem, particularly in this
region.
“We here in Northeastern Pennsylvania are hurt the
most,” Kanjorski stated. “There are 116,000 senior
citizens in this congressional district (which is made
up of seven counties), and that is more than anywhere
else in the United States with the exception of six
districts in Florida.”
The citizens generally agreed that not much can be
done about the federal cutbacks, but they would like to
see the money currently allocated for the Mercy
Center reutilized by the Bureau to help service their
needs. This, they say, is where the problem lies.
Over the past few years, the citizens say that
transportation to the center, and deterioration to the
center itself, has been getting progressively worse, : o
and despite attempts to get help from the Bureau, they Lia
say they are getting no response and feel their facility {
Beauty of winter
is being put on the “back burner” in relation to the :
other buildings. Rickett's Glenn State Park on Route 118 provides some beautiful scenery even in the winter
In an effort to bridge that gap and allow the citizens
Ley
By JOHN HOINSKI
Staff Writer
Senior citizens of the Dallas/Back Mountain area,
distraught over services and existing conditions at the
Mercy Center on the campus of College Misericordia,
met last week with Congressman Paul Kanjorski to
discuss their plight and possible solutions to their
roblems.
Kanjorski-D, of the 11th congresional district, got
together in an informal gathering with approximately
60 senior citizens at the Mercy Center cafeteria. And
even though he did not offer any financial solutions,
the Congressman did promise to send letters to both
the Luzerne County Commissioners and the Bureau of
the Aging (which seems to be the focal point for their
frustrations), in an effort to open the lines of
communication.
Although Kanjorski did say that ineffective attempts
to communicate between the two may be a part of
. their problems, he also stressed that cutbacks initiated
FY President Reagan for the elderly also play an
important role. Kanjorski said that while the rate of
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(See GRIPES, page 2)
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Dallas Post/Charlot M. Denmon
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Correspondent
Dallas Senior High School cheer-
leaders are counting the days before
they leave Feb. 21 for Orlando, Fla.
The eight-member junior varsity
squad, coached by Kim Griffin, and
the 13-member varsity squad,
coached by Sheila Bonawitz, will
depart by air Feb. 21 to enter the
National Cheerleader Competition
at Sea World, Orlando, Fla. They
will be accompanied by their
coaches and several parents, acting
at chaperones for the group.
The two Dallas squads qualified
for the national competition by plac-
ing in the Northeast Regionals at
Rutgers University, New Jersey.
Competition in the regionals was
divided into four categories, Var-
sity, Coed, Junior Varsity and
Junior High squads. Squads placing
first in each category within the 18
regions across the country automat-
ically qualified for the national com-
petition while second ‘and third
place runnersup {ualified as partici-
pants at large.
The junior varsity cheerleaders
placed first in their category, auto-
matically qualifying for the national
competition in Florida.
“The girls were terrific,” said
Ms. Griffin. “It was the first time
they had participated in any compe-
tition but they performed like pro-
fessionals.”
The varsity cheerleaders were
second runnersup in the regional
competition, qualifying them for the
nationals. This season marked the
second consecutive year, the Dallas
varsity squad competed in the
regionals.
“Last year our varsity cheerlead-
ers placed fifth in the competition,”
said Mrs. Bonawitz. “They also did
an excellent performance but this
year’s squad outdid them. They had
Staff Writer
In a special presentation at its
meeting on Monday night,the Dallas
School Board presented Sandra Vid-
licka with an award of achievement
from the Pennsylvania Association
of School Business.
The award, which was presented
by board president Donald Jones
and Superintendent Gerald Wycal-
lis, affords her registration as a
state school business administrator.
A graduate of Alvernia College,
she will also receive her master’s
degree in business administration
from Wilkes College shortly.
Vidlicka served as president of
the N.E. Association of School Busi-
ness Officials, and is a member of
the Pennsylvania Association of
School Business Officials. She and
her husband, Daniel, reside at
Sprucewood Drive in Laflin.
In other business, Mary Ann
v
Storz, speaking on behalf of cheer-
leader coach Sheila Bonawitz, said
the Dallas Senior High varsity and
Dallas Senior High jayvee cheer-
leaders are busy setting up various
drives to help raise money for their
trip to'Florida on Feb. 21.
The group needs approximately
$8,000 and they don’t have much
time to raise it. In addition to
canvassing, they have also initiated
a raffle and a hoagie sale for Super
Bowl Sunday.
Also, the various resolutions were
passed in these respective commit-
tee’s:
The continuation of the SAT
Coaching Courses for the 1985-86
school year and to appoint Mrs.
Donna Trebilcox to teach the
English sessions and Mr. Leonard
Matysczak to teach the Mathemat-
ics sessions.
Personnel: Recommended that
Margaret Vojtko be allowed to
teach English at the Dallas Junior
High to satisfy her practice teach-
A
ing requirements.
Accepted the resignation with
regrets of Darren Perry, custodian.
To approve Mrs. Debbie Lott, Box
10, Ridgewood Road, R.D. 2 Wilkes-
Barre, as a substitute in elementary
education. To approve a request
from the Luzerne Intermediate Unit
that Mrs. Michele Fernald, Ms.
Mary Malloy and Ms. Carol Kopko
be allowed to complete their prac-
tice teaching requirements.
To approve overtime payments
for Payroll Nos. 23, 24, 25, 26, 1985;
and No. 1 in 1986. To accept the
resignation of Mrs. Theresa McCue
with regrets.
Student Activities: That Robyn
Jones be permitted to attend the
U.S. All-Star Coaching Clinic Con-
ference sponsored by the U.S.
Olymic team to be held in Atlantic
City, N.J. on Jan. 24 and 25.
Transportation: To approve
Charles Condem as bus driver for
the remainder of the 1985-86 school
year. ; >
Place first
Dallas Post/Charlot M. Denmon
the advantage of knowing what was
expected of them this year.
Although most of this year’s girls
did not compete last season, several
of the seniors did.”
Rules for both regionals and the
national competition are very exact-
ing. Competitive time for each
squad is two and one half minutes,
with 1:15 allowed for basic cheer-
routine. Judges are strict about the
time and if a squad goes over the
2:30 time, as much as 30 points can
eliminating th girls from the compe-
tition. The routine can be less than
the maximum time, however, with-
out the girls losing points.
All of the routine must be per-
formed within a 42-foot square on a
spring floor.
Judging is based on overall per-
formance, fundamentals, group per-
formance and projection. Overall
which includes difficulty of the rou-
tine, practicality of the material in
the routine and crowd appeal
accounts for 40 percent of judging.
Fundamental skills, = including
jumps, cheers, gymnastics, ete.
account for 35 percent and group
performance such as synchroniza-
tion, timing, formation, spacing and
rhythm make up 15 percent of the
judging. The final 10 percent or
points are judged on projection
including voice, eye motion and
overall face expression.
Both the junior varsity and var-
sity squads practice six days weekly
in addition to cheering for the bas-
ketball and wrestling competition.
Their Saturday practice begins at 7
a.m. and continues for hours.
Monday through Friday, the girls
practice prior to the games whether
they are at home or away.
All of the choreography has been
by the girls, who got some of their
< WW
7%
ideas from watching tapes of var-
ious other competitions or from
original moves recommended by
some of the members.
Squad members practice gymnas-
tics during practice as well as
individually when at home.
The eight-member junior varsity
squad has a very difficult mount
which just meets national require-
ments in the heighth allowed. All of
the members do the back hand
springs from the mount and one
girls does a back tuck from the top
of the mount.
The varsity squad has been doing
more difficult routines using stand-
ing back tucks, aerials, shoulder
stand tucks, tension drops and
basket falls. They also do a multiple
series of consecutive back hand
springs.
Their ultimate goal is to get the
crowd to cheer with them, a goal in
which they have been so successful
that it is now difficult to get the fans
to stop. Their aim is to have the
fans support the teams.
All of the girls attend the Univer-
sal Cheering Camp at Penn State
each year and this past season the
varsity girls received a trophy for
the ‘‘Supreme Performance in
Dance’’; they also received a
plaque for the “Most Spirited Squad
in Camp’’, their selection made by
the more than 1,000 participants
attending the camp.
Members of the junior varsity
include four sophomores and four
juniors, Shauna Griffin and Tracy
Richardson, co-captains; Tarion
Batory, Lisa Gorman, Molly
Grasso, Kim Hall, Amy Cutter and
Carolyn Dillon. The varsity squad
includes seniors Linda King, Lori
.Timek, co-captains; Cherie Davis,
Cleary, Kathy Farrell, Ann Marie
Danna, Eileen Nagy, Meg Gorgone;
#2,
sophomores, Heather Lawley, Shan-
non Cleary, Michele Kirchner and
Jackie Carsman.
“The school district has given us
excellent cooperation,” said Mrs.
Bonawitz. ‘“We are having a cheer-
leading exhibition Feb. 10 at the
senior high school with squads from
all over the Wyoming Valley area
participating; Dallas Unico is spon-
soring a spaghetti supper; and on
Super Bowl Sunday, the girls are
conducting a hoagie sale. We are
also soliciting patrons and sponsors
to help the girls defray expenses.
All proceeds will be used to pay the
girls expenses.”
The girls and their advisors will
depart Feb. 21 and return Feb. 26.
The preliminary competition will be
held Saturday, Feb. 22, and the
finals, Sunday, Feb. 23. While at Sea
World, the girls will stay at the
Holiday Inn.
Ask the girls about their competi-
tion — their answer ‘“We’re proud to
be representing our school and the
Back Mountain. We will do our best
not to disappoint our fans and sup-
porters.”
Inside The Post
Calendar .......... 19.20
Classified ......... 17,18
Commentary .........6
Cookbook ............... 7
Health ............. 1,15
Obituaries ............ 19
People ...............8,9
Police blotter ......... 3
School .................. 16
Sports .......... 11,12,13
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