Vol. 116 No. 50 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 December 11 - December 17, 2005 50¢ SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS AND LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS Christmas tradition continues at College Misericordia By ALLISON MUSSO Post Correspondent DALLAS TWP, — A few snow- flakes, and some wet slushy, roads didn’t stop one of College Miser- icordia’s longest and beloved tradi- tions from taking place on opening night on Friday, Dec. 2. Once again, Misericordia students and faculty became lords and ladies, treating their guests as the same. & The Student Bank Center, which normally serves as a college cafeteria, was transformed into an English manor home of several hundred years ago. Young and old alike were treated to a taste of En- gland during the 16th century. This year’s 36th annual Madri- gal English Renaissance Christ mas feast at College Misericordia consisted of a four-course dinner. For guests and performers, it was a night not soon to be forgotten. The Madrigal performers were cos- Guests at College Misericordia's 36th annual Christmas Madrigal Dinner were serenaded by the ‘singing of ‘lords’ Josh Berkey, Tom Heaney, and Ryan Mallis, along with 'ladies’ Christina Stango and Ellen Rut- kowski, on opening night, Friday, Dec. 2. FOR THE POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK tumed from head to toe in special- ly-made Renaissance, Elizabethan attire. They spoke in the language and diction of the early 16th centu- ry and also sang, danced, and of- fered warmth and hospitality to a sold-out crowd. Opening night was especially re- warding for Dani Baclawski, a sophomore at College Misericor- dia, who participated in the Madri- gal Dinner for the first time. Ba- clawski performed as a wandering °A marvelous madrigal troubadour as she and fellow per- formers cheerfully marched from table to table, to entertain guests with traditional Christmas carols. “I love the costumes, and how we get to speak in Elizabethan. It’s so fun! And as always I have a lot of fun with the cast during rehears- als. It’s a great time,” said Baclaw- ski. Throughout the dinner, the ma- See MADRIGAL, Page 6 A hearty “wassail"” from costumed Betsy Mistrik, Ellen Rut- kowski and Josh Berkey greeted guests attending the festive and amusing Madrigal Dinner at College Misericordia. Clinic doors still open to all after ok of aid Volunteer health care professionals and attorneys offer convenience and free assistance for residents who need basic medical treatment or legal guidance By CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Post Correspondent SHAVERTOWN -As a man walks up Davis Street under the snowy twilight of a street lamp, cars start turning into the parking lot across the street. It’s 6:06 p.m. and clients are arriving even though the Free Back Mountain Medical and Legal Clinic doesn’t open until 6:30. Until then the pedestri- an will wait on the porch of the St. Therese’s Church rectory. Inside the clinic on a recent Friday are George Spohrer, a semi-retired court mediator and Bernard Walter. They are two of six lawyers — most of them from the Back Mountain — who along with one doctor, Fred Bloom, regularly spend their Fridays nights at the free clinic helping whoever comes through the door. The clinic is located in a cozy bungalow style house pur- chased by St. Therese’s parish as a temporary location until a new parish hall is completed. The clinic door hinges don’t need much oiling these days — they get a lot of use. “Well, which do you want to see, a doctor or a lawyer,” ask Mary Petty and Alice Hudak, two neighborhood volunteers at the recep- tion desk. They began volunteering USEFUL when the clinic was started in the base- To YO J Is ment of St. Therese’s Church in 1995 by ° ech Dr. Mark Perlmutter and Dr. Bloom. pen from i . 6:30-8 p.m. According to Ann Marie McNulty, the every Friday volunteer coordinator of the clinic, (except about 375 medical patients and nearly holidays). It is that many legal clients were seen last located at 65 ear Davis St. in y elite] rd i Shavertown. e clinic is a community treasure for people needing weekend physicals for jobs or sports activities, or just a check on their blood sugar, emphysema, fever or ear ache. Someone came in to have across from the parking lot of St. Therese's Church rectory. pot more his stitches removed. Treatment at the information, ot / ; call 696-144. clinic is pretty rudimentary so emergen cies like broken bones are sent immedi- ately to the hospital. Many of the patients do not have a primary care physician or health insurance. For some, their regular doctor’s office is not open on the weekend. “We do well-visits for young mothers, people come in with cuts, little things, we do just the basics,” says Maureen Ma- tiska, a nurse practitioner. “It’s what a doctor’s office used to be like,” says McNulty. She says that “people get the wrong idea” and think that the clinic services the “dregs of society.” According to McNulty, most of the clients are good people who are out of luck or resources, many are elderly and predicts that this segment of the population will “get bigger and bigger.” There is no charge for a clinic visit and no income statement is required. A limited supply of donated pharmaceuticals is stored at the clinic but there are no narcotics, Matiska says. McNulty has had much to do with the funding development for the clinic. The clinic receives help from the Commission on Eco- nomic Opportunity to pay for prescriptions and the Wilkes University School of Pharmacy also donates medicines. See CLINIC, Page 6 Roaring Brook Baptist Church commemorates history & With 125 years of history — as a place of worship and also as a community center — the Roaring Brook Baptist Church has a lot to celebrate. The church recently observed its 125th anniversary. The church was established Feb. 10, 1880 by a group of believers from East Union Church desiring to organize a new church closer to their homes. A quote from the original minutes reads: “We en- joyed much of the presences of the Heavenly Master and His love made our hearts rejoice.” During the anniversary pro- gram, the Rev. Dan Brubaker — the church’s pastor for 29 years — gave a special message and a his- torical sketch — The Church Through The Years —was read by Carson Whitesell. Some of the highlights of the sketch were: the Roaring Brook church is the sole survivor of six Baptist churches which either preceded it or fol- lowed it. They were Sorbertown, Ceasetown, East Union (Ray- burn), Pikes’s Creek, Outlet Area and Roaring Brook. When the Rev. S.S. Squires was asked to be the pastor in 1893, his salary for the year was to be $125. In October 1903, there were 106 people on the ros- ter. The missionary collection for the church year ending Au- gust 31, 1904 was $5.51. Money raised for church expenses was $2.14, and the expense for oil was 30 cents. Each member was asked to bring one penny each week which would help with the caring of the needy. Slides were shown of the first school house building, early members, baptisms, picnics and the building as it has changed throughout the years. The pro- gram also included a time dedi- cated to remembering those members who have passed away since 1970. The church honored those who have been attending Roar- ing Brook for 50 years or more. They include Bud Austin, Lor- raine Austin, Raymond Cease, Arden DelKanic, Alberta Hart- man, Bernadine Hoover, Jerry Hoover, Carl Martin, Sue Martin, Claude Martin, Priscilla Martin, Joe Martin, Travila Martin, Lois Marvin, Ada Mushal, Delores Price, Doris Sando, Carson Whitesell, Bob Whitesell, Ri- See ISTORY, Page 6 The Roaring Brook Baptist Church was established Feb. 10, 1880. The collegiate basketball career of Trucksville native Tim Crossin has gotten off to a storybook start at ivision | Towson University. ( Church services in the Back Mountain A weeklong calendar of events How To Reach Us News: 675-5211 thepost@leader.net 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre PA 1871 Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000 10
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