By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Correspondent
“To Make the Best Better” —
that is the 4-H motto and the
members of the Luzerne County
4-H Horse Clubs are doing their
best to fulfill that motto.
Beginning in June of 1985, they
came up with a plan to help
improve the grounds and build-
ings of the Luzerne County Fall
: Fair and, without hesitation,
* members, their parents and
3 other interested persons willing
to volunteer their services, began
leveling the grounds, put in fill,
cleared away stones and rocks
and started the construction of a
grandstand, food pavilion and a
show ring.
Parents and volunteers
donated the use of heavy equip-
ment, moved tons and tons of
dirt, cut down brush and trees,
wielded paint brushes and did
§ whatever necessary to have the
ou grandstand and pavilion finished
A before the date of the Fair in
tb September.
If other jobs were too much for
children or parents, there were
always plenty of stones and
rocks to be picked up from inside
the show ring area. This was an
important task in order to make
it as nearly impossible as they
could to prevent an animal from
being injured.
Poles were set around the show
ring area and volunteers began
constructing the sections of fence
which was to be attached to the
poles in order to enclose the
large, oval ring.
Other poles were raised for the
construction of the two-story
grandstand, made of concrete
blocks and wood which houses a
first floor meeting room, and a
second floor including a large
balcony for viewing. The pavilion
| is under a long and wide roof
i which protects those partaking of
| refreshments from the weather
i
—ol
whether it be rain or too hot sun.
Paint brushes went continu-
ously in July and August as
parents, club members and
others worked diligently to have
everything shipshape by the end
of August.
Thanks to the many persons
who donated their time, materi-
als and equipment this was possi-
ble and when the Fair opened,
the 1985 goal was accomplished.
The Luzerne County Clubs also
contributed to the work finan-
cially by each group being
assessed a certain amount. A
plaque on the side of the grand-
stand lists the names of those
who assisted in making the 1985
project possible.
Among these are Valley Seed-
ing Co., Lingertot Container
Service, Hillside Farms, Mozip
Screen Printing Co., Jack Wil-
liams Tires, Sivers Farm Equip-
ment, Luzerne Lumber, Don
Wesley, Daron Block, Dallas
Horseshoe Club, Howard ‘“Duke”’ Ln
Isaacs, Lehman Power Equip- a
ment, Valley Rental, B.G. Coon,
Hannigan Electric, Harris Asso-
ciates, Town House Restaurant,
Sev’s Signs, Back To Basics, and
R.N. Fitch & Sons.
In 1986, the County’s 4-H Horse
Clubs have set another goal —
the construction of a barn and an
Arts & Crafts building, for the
Fair.
The first poles for the large
58’x110’ barn have been set but
inclement weather has made it:
necessary to have some of the
post holes re-drilled, holding
back progress on the building
which will house 42 to 44 stalls.
Dana Campbell, Harold
“Buth” Grey, Tom Raspen and
Ken Strittmatter are members of
the grounds committee in charge
of directing the volunteers. Stritt-
matter explained that there is a
lot of work to be done before the
opening of the 1986 Fair and
many volunteers will be needed
to assist the club members and
their parents.
“We welcome all the volun-
teers who are willing to lend us a
hand or help in obtaining materi- Club.
Dallas Post/Charlot M. Denmon
The improvements to date has
helped improve the rating of the
fair and last year’s improve-
ments helped the rating to go to
an “A” from a “C”.
When all the improvements are
completed, the goal is to have
one large, level midway with
everything on that one midway,
including rides, stands, shows,
everything.
Volunteers can help the 4-H
and Fall Fair officials achieve
the New Look-one large midway,
all wires and piping under-
ground, and two new arts and
crafts buildings all of which after
the Fair will be used for Back
Mountain recreation.
"Inmates
' _run for
| @ .
charity
i$) |
* 1 7 By JOHN HOINSKI
Staff Writer
i Approximately 200 inmates at the
1 State Correctional Institute at
Dallas last Saturday joined in with
prisoners from other institutions
| around the state in the Sixth Annual
Pennsylvania Prison Runathon for
| Alternatives to Inceration of Youth.
The inmates, estimated at 1,000
overall, ran within prison walls at
their respective locations to help
raise money for the Big Brother-Big
Sister Programs across the Com-
monwealth.
Last year 1,053 inmates raised
$8,866 for the program. The Chase
@ facility, in which a number of the
runners ran the length of a 26-mile-
385 yard marathon, will donate its
proceeds to the Volunteers for
Youth of Schuylkill County Inc. of
Pottsville.
The runathon was originally run
exclusively at the State Correctional
Institute at Rockview before
branching out to other facilities
throughout Pennsylvania. Prisons in
New Jersey will soon be following
4 the Pennsylvania format with a run
1 of their own on June 28.
hE
i aE
I The runathons are coordinated by
i inmate runathon committees under
J the direction of Activities Managers
i for the institutions. Community
1 sponsorship is provided by the Vol-
i untary Action Center of Centre
County in State College, Pa.
“Inmates in our prisons have
been telling us that if we want to do
something about crime, we should
provide good role models to work
with problem youth,” Marie Hamil-
pe ton, director of VAC and Chairper-
J son of the Sponsor Committee says.
“Many inmates feel they would not
i _\ be in prison if they would have had
8 positive reinforcement when they
were young.”
Because of the positive aspects of
the event, a National Prison Runa-
thon is being considered. The occa-
sion not only provides an opportun-
ity for inmates to do something
positive to help benefit society, it
also provides the inmates and the
institution staff a positive goal for
. ] which they can work together.
Among the celebrity participants
in this year’s event were State Rep.
Lynn Herman and Judge Charles
Brown, Jr., president judge of the
Court of Common Pleas in Centre
County.
Contributions for the 1986 Runa-
thon are being accepted at the
Voluntary Action Center, 427 S.
Allen Street, State College, Pa.,
16801 with checks made payable to
the ‘““Pennsylvania Prison Runa-
thon.” Contributions are tax deduct-
ible and 100 per cent of all contribu-
tions will go to help youth.
ak
Food collected
Flag presented
Congressman Kanjorski an Carl Schreiner.
President; Bill Gallagher, Past President;
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Staff Correspondent
Antique-lovers have an opportun-
ity to admire some of the variety of
antiques and collectibles for this
year’s Back Mountain Memorial
Library Auction, now on display in
Besecker’s Real Estate Office
window and also in the library.
Those items displayed in the
library are items contributed by the
various antique dealers in the area
while the variety of items in the
window on Main Street, Dallas, are
pieces contributed by individuals or
purchased by Co-chairpersons
Ernest Ashbridge and Elizabeth
Covert, or members of the antique
committee.
Among the various pieces dis-
played in the window are a Hitch-
cock style chair with a rush seat
(one of a set of four); Tiffany type
style lamp donated by Kashmark
and Marshall; small Bristol vase;
blue decorated crock; copper vase;
purple velvet victorian dress; white
wicker potty chair; bride doll made
by the late Mrs. Newman; one-
drawer cherry stand; lamp made
from an old candle mold; and a
handmade grapevine wreath.
These are only a few of the items
to be sold over the auction block
during this year’s auction which
opens Wednesday, July 9, on the
grounds behind the library located
on Huntsville Road, Dallas.
Chairman Ashbridge stated that
the auction will have a new “face
lift” this year with a lovely barn-
type building with a storage area
for antiques and also a roof-topped
auction block.
Ashbridge, who has been working
on the antiques committee for the
past 25 years, reported that he and
Mrs. Covert started in January
searching for antiques and collecti-
bles suitable for the library auction.
They have been fortunate in secur-
ing some unusual pieces but still
need donations of antiques, collecti-
bles, new goods or money.
The monetary contributions are
greatly appreciated because each
year the purchase price of antiques
increases and the chairpersons and
their committee members are find-
ing it more and more difficult to
obtain them.
Ashbridge, who is currently presi-
dent of the Library Board, has
served as chairman of the antique
committee five times. His wife,
Betty Ashbridge, ‘assists the
antiques committee in any way that
she can.
The library is supported through
the proceeds of the annual auction
and is dependent upon their friends
in the surrounding communities.
RYAN HOLTHAUS
Richard Holthaus, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Richard Holthaus, 11
Norton Ave., Dallas, has
accepted an appointment to the
United States Air Force Acad-
emy and will leave July 1 for five
weeks basic training. before
starting classes in late August.
Holthaus, who graduated from
Dallas Senior High School,
Friday, June 13, was nominated
for the appointment by U.S. Sen-
ator Paul Kanjorski and was
notified of his acceptance, April
11, 1986. Holthaus accepted the
appointment, April 30, after visit-
ing Arizona State University.
While in high school, Richard
was a member of the National
Honor Society and vice president
of the Society during his Senior
year. He was co-captain and two-
year letterman of the golf team,
vice-president of the Junior
Class, editor and photographer of
the yearbook in his senior year
and a member of the Junior
Class Steering Committee.
He was also a member of the
varsity wrestling team, tennis
team and the chess club.
Richard is the grandson of
Mary Holthaus, Parsons; and
Michael Belak, Mountaintop.
The National Secondary Edu-
cation Council announced
recently tha Ryan Holthaus has
been named an Academic All-
America. The NSEC has estab-
lished the Academic All-Ameri-
can Scholar Award Program in
order to offer deserved recogni-
tion to superior students who
excel in the Adademic disci-
plines.
The Academic All-American
Scholars must earn a 3.3 or
better grade point average. Only
Scholars selected by a secondary
school instructor, counselor, or
other qualified sponsor are
accepted. These scholars are
also eligible for other awards
given by the NSEC. These are
awards few students can ever
hope to attain.
Holthaus, who attends Dallas
High School, was nominated for
this National Award by Paul
Brown-Phys Ed Teacher and
Assistant Football Coach. Rayan
will appear in the Academic All-
American Scholar Directory,
which is published nationally.
Ryan is the son of Ruth and
Richard Holthaus.
Country-western music is enjoyed
by many in the area, especially by
people from the communities of
Dallas, Lehman, Orange, Vernon,
Centermoreland, Falls and
Tunkhannock.
Square dances
are not as
prevalent today
as in the past, but
they still are a lot f&
of fun. Bands
playing country- ===
western music DEBBEY
are WYSOCKI
not as numerous as rock and polka
bands, but there are good ones as
“Country Memories,” “Country
Kings,”” and “Touch of Country.”
Probably the best-known of the
country-western bands locally is a
band called Northeast Country.
Northeast Country plays a wide
range of country music. Members of
the group are individually talented
musicians. Jack Smith, a very
versatile vocalist, plays lead guitar.
Jack can sing old ballads, new ones
and many variations of western
swing. Mickey Reed on drums
might not sing, but he brings his
inimitable sense of humor along to
keep everyone in high spirits. Carl
J. Eichorn, on rhythm guitar,
brings you the “oldies but goodies”
of country music.
The youngest member of
Northeast Country is Mike Smith.
Mike began his singing career with
rock bands as ‘“The Teens,” “The
Wall of Sound,” and ‘“Museum”’
before making the transition to
country-western. ‘“Binky,” as he is
called, plays bass guitar and sings
everything from the Beatles and
Bee Gees to Elvis and Conway.
The group is a member of the
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Country-Western and Bluegrass
Association. It is an association
ro
founded to promote country-western
and bluegrass music. The
Northeastern Pennsylvania
Country-Western and Bluegrass
Association also encourages good
fellowship among musicians and
associates, and provides a forum for
the discussion of matters pertaining
to country music. It holds benefit
jamborees throughout the year. The
jamborees provide the means to
assist either a worthy person or
organization through monetary
donations.
Each year the association
sponsors a Country Music Awards
Banquet. Northeast Country has
copped more than its share of
awards through the years.
Jack Smith, involved with country
music for over 25 years, has been
honored with The Best Musician
Award and The Best Performer
Award among others. Carl J.
Eichorn has been recognized with
The Pioneer Award for more than
20 years in country music, while
Mickey Reed has been
acknowledged for his efforts in
promoting country music.
Since 1981, Mike ‘‘Binky’’ Smith
has collected a large number of
country-western music awards
including the coveted Best Male
Singer Award.
Northeast Country has won so
many such awards so often that a
special “Northeast Country Month”’
was once declared in their honor by
Mayor Thomas V. McLaughlin of
Wilkes-Barre. That is testament to
the quality of music, lovers of
country-western music, are
rendered by the four men known
collectively as Northeast Country.
Undoubtedly, country and western
music is alive and well in
Northeastern Pennsylvania!
(Debbey Wysocki is the
entertainment writer for The Dallas
Post. Her column appears weekly.)
v is