8 The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, October 6, 1999 Drugs/crime (continued from page 1) life preservers and we had an- other case where an intruder was spotted in the home of an elderly couple.” Kathy Moretti’s Jeep was one of the vehicles broken into at Harveys Lake. “My son and I got home about 5 p.m. Wednesday night,” said Moretti. “I had bags of gro- ceries to carry in the house and without thinking I left my purse in the Jeep. When [I went out the next morning someone had bro- ken in my car and stolen my purse and some coins my son had in a ziploc bag in the glove compart- ment.” The burglars took cash, credit cards and Moretti’s peace of mind. “I'm scared to death and at the same time I'm angry as hell,” she said. “I feel so violated - how dare they - these people came onto my property and now I have to sit here and feel like a victim in my own house.” While reporting the break-in to Harveys Lake police, Moretti be- came even more alarmed. “Chief Butler told me this was not an isolated incident. He said we have drug users living at the lake who do this kind of thing for money to support their habits,” said Moretti. “I have been living here for 15 years and this is the first time anyone has told me about this problem.” The lack of public information about the recent burglaries and the problems related to drug traf- fic in general is a concern to Moretti. “Why haven't we had a town meeting about this? Why hasn't the borough sent fliers through the mail or put a mes- sage in the newsletter?” she asked. “I'm sure the person who did this was watching my house. I don't think it was random; I think they are picking their victims.” Moretti, who is a single mother, worries that others who are as unsuspecting as she will be vic- tims as well. “We have a lot of summer people here and elderly ‘Just because we're up here on our big hill doesn't mean we don’t have the same problems they have everywhere.” Darcy Brodmerkel Misericordia counselor people living at the lake,” she said. “This problem is only going to get worse and before you know it someone is going to get hurt.” Borough police officers are busy trying to track down the perpetra- tors, but they have little to go on at this point. “We are still investi- gating,” said Butler. “We don't have a suspect right now butwe're working on some leads.” Harveys Lake has been par- ticularly hard hit, but other Back Mountain neighborhoods are ex- periencing similar problems. “It’s not only here,” said Butler. “I know they have been having a lot of burglaries over in Lake Township, too. It's going on all over the place.” Chief Fowler, who works un- dercover for the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, said drug activ- ity is not a new issue. “It’s a real problem and it has been for a long time,” he said. “The Back Moun- tain is a wealthy community and drug dealers from outside the area see it as a good market.” Slowing the supply of narcotics from big cities like Philadelphia and New York is a formidable task. “Drug investigations are very lengthy a ~d very dangerous,” said Fowler. “It takes time to establish a relationship with a source and gain their confidence.” The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program at- tempts to foster trusting bonds between police officers, commu- nities, educators, parents and stu- dents in order to stem the de- mand for drugs. “We know that the traditional tools available to police, like arrest, don’t cut it,” said Frank Ziegler, Kingston Township D.A.R.E. Officer. “It's going to take a cooperative effort from everyone. I can stand in front of the class and talk until I'm blue, but if the kids aren't getting the right message at home, it's not going to matter.” Ziegler has been working with fifth and eighth graders at Gate of Heaven Elementary Schooland in the Dallas School District for five years and he thinks resistance education is making a difference. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any statistics that tell us if this pro- gram is successful, but I'm confi- dent that it is,” he said. “It’s like’ that great teacher that literally changes your life - we don’t know how many kids are influenced by something said in the D.A.R.E. program - it’s not the kind of thing that can be quantified.” While definitive numbers are not available, long-term programs like the one Ziegler coordinates offer a drug prevention experts an opportunity to observe the chang- ing attitudes of children as they mature and modify techniques as necessary. “The eighth grade pro- gram is more sophisticated than the core curriculum presented to fifth graders,” said Ziegler. “We focus on the decision making pro- CESS, peer pressure awareness, resistance techniques and self- esteem. The bottom line is we have to offer positive alternatives. If you say no to drugs, you have to say yes to something — it could be school, sports or music — any- thing.” Darcy Brodmerkel, a Substance Abuse Counselor at College Mise- ricordia, believes providing op- tions to college students is just as important. “We have outdoor adventure activities and a Mid- night Madness Program on cam- pus when the gym stays open later so the kids can play games and have fun without chemicals,” she said. “You can’t scare them; you have to give them choices.” School sponsored activities like these help break the myth that drugs and alcohol are a part of the college experience. “I think there is an attitude that this is somerite of passage,” said Brodmerkel. “With this generation of students it’s especially difficult because a lot of their parents grew up when smoking pot was very acceptable so they think it's just a phase their kids will outgrow.” That mode of thinking can have dangerous consequences. “Many college students, about 30 per- cent nationwide, are seasoned drinkers by time they arrive on our campuses, so often those kids are turning to other drugs be- cause alcohol doesn’t provide the effect they're looking for anymore,” said Brodmerkel. “Another thing parents don’t realize is the quality and quantity of the stuff out there is different than it was back in the 1960's. Before heroin was 90 per- cent cut and 10 percent pure, now its 90 percent pure and 10 percent cut.” Drug dealers strategically mar- ket such highly potent drugs. “Dealers are really smart,” said Brodmerkel. “Like a car dealer who is going to try to get you in the best car possible, a drug dealer wants to sell the best stuff be- cause it keeps the customer com- ing back. Whenever there is an overdose, addicts want that stuff because they think it's the best out there and the person who died just didn't know what he was doing.” While most people may be in- clined to think such horrors are not likely to affect their own fam- ily, those closest to the situation caution otherwise. “Just because we're up here on our big hilldoesn'’t mean we don’t have the same problems they have everywhere,” said Brodmerkel. “This disease is not selective.” Georgetti (continued from page 1) of Georgetti for more than 17 years. “To do what he did for all those years, takes something special and Larry had it.” He also had two sons who were clearly his pride and joy. “He was the consummate family man,” said Charlene Cook, who lives across the street from the Georgettis. “He was always out in the yard play- ing baseball, football or soccer with the boys.” Pick Your Own Pumpkins! Hopkins Farm 1 1/2 Miles North from Falls Bridge off Rt. 92 Reasonably Priced! Good Quality! Open Sat. & Sun Only Oct 2 - Oct. 31 388-2495 As his children grew, Georgetti volunteered to coach their youth league teams. “He followed the boys up through the ranks of Little League,” said Jack Snyder. “He was always involved either as a coach or an umpire and the kids just loved him.” Fellow coaches expressed their admiration for Georgetti’'s skills as a mentor and his generosity of spirit. “I've only come to know him in the last year or so, but I was impressed by him. He gave a lot of his time to these kids,” said Tom Kinter, who is a Back Mountain Youth Soccer Division Leader. Georgetti had a positive out- look both children and adults found contagious. “I don’t think - he had a negative thought in his mind,” said Welby. “I'd see him every morning and I'd say, ‘Larry, how the hell are ya?’ and he'd 165 S. Memorial Hwy. Shavertown, PA By, (570) 696-3749 I Ao Affi To Remember; Ine. GET READY FOR THE BIGGEST PARTIES OF THE MILLENNIUM! Evening Gowns Cocktail Dresses Jewelry Evening Bags Shoes Accessories...and more! Gift Certificates & Free Gift Wrapping Sun. & Mon. Closed Tues. - Sat. 10 -5 Thursday 10-7 (570) 654-5758 = (570) From Scranton: Two Miles South of Howard Johnson. Plantation Shutters 1620 Rf. Hours: M - F10to 5; M & Th. 'til 8; Sat. 10 to 4 From Wilkes-Barre: 1 1/2 Miles North of Sunshine Market. 654-5707 315, Wilkes-Barre, PA always say, Tm good Jim. How the heaven are you?” Maslow honored for years of service At the September meeting of the Board of Trustees, Wyoming Seminary honored Dallas resi- dent, Marilyn Moore Maslow for years of service. In acitationread by Sem’s presi- dent H. Jeremy Packard, Maslow was recognized as an active par- ent volunteer, as a board member for 24 years and as board secre- tary for 17 years. One of her most significant contributions came in the early 1980s when Masldf) | became a national chair of a capi- tal fund raising campaign result- ing in a new gymnasium at the Lower School. Packard presented a com- memorative Wyoming Seminary mirror to Maslow in recognition of her many years of outstanding service. Sem students named Commended Scholars President H. Jeremy Packard of Wyoming Seminary announced Ashley Feldman of Shavertown and Jaclyn Walkowiak of Dallas have been named Commended Students in the year 2000 Na- tional Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) which conducts the program, will be presented to these talented seniors. Some 34,000 Commended Stu- dents throughout the nation are being recognized for their excep- tional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the competititon for Merit Schol- arship awards to be offered next spring, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than one million studenj who entered the 2000 Merit Pr gram by taking the 1998 Prelimi- nary SAT/National Merit Schol- arship Qualifying Test. Halloween (continued from page 1) area come here to trick or treat, we've found that there are a lot of kids and cars on the roads,” said Kane. “When you consider that most areas do not have formal sidewalks and many spots are not well lit, it becomes a safety con- cern.” Dallas Township officials think the idea is a good one. “We talked about it at our last meeting and the supervisors decided Saturday afternoons are much more con- ducive to this kind of thing,” said Len Kozick, Dallas Township Sec- retary. The Kingston Township super- visors will consider the matter at their next meeting, but Jeff Box, Township Manager, is not sold on the idea. “They want to do away with a 100 years of tradition by legislating Halloween?” he asked. “Put us down for a maybe because you never know, the supervisors might think this is a good idea.” Those interested in participat- ing in the great pumpkin debate should attend the next meeting in their area. In Dallas Borough, meetings are held the third Tues- day of each month at 8 p.m.; in Dallas Township the supervisors gather on the third Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. and in Kingston Township meetings are scheduled for the second Wednes- day of each month at 7:30 p.m. Kane said the Dallas Borough Council is still open to any sug- gestions on hte subject. “We'rg. not opposed to another remedy The option of having it on a week- end night is certainly a possibil- ity,” he said. “Our goal is to keep the spirit of the season alive while having safety in mind.” “The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.” (Oscar Wilde) THE PROTOCOL SCHOOL OF PENNSYLVANIA Expert Instruction for Building Confidence, Leadership Skills and Grace Children's Etiquette & Dining Skills Self Esteem & Confidence Building, First Impressions, Meeting & Introductions, Personal Qualities that Count, The Etiquette of Public Places, Table Manners, The ABC's of Dining & Dining Tutorial Business Etiquette & Executive Dining Skills Outclass Your Competition First Impressions, Corporate Culture & Business Meeting Protocol, Introducing Yourself & Others, Business Card Etiquette, Telephone Protocol, Addressing and Servicing Clients/Customers, Business Dining Protocol, The Silent Service Code, Place Settings, Toasting & Dining Decorum, American & Continental Styles of Dining & Dining Tutorial To enroll or to request information: Telephone (570) 472-3513 P.O. 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