Sunday, August 5, 2007 COMMUNITY THE POST PAGE7 ® This guy is pretty serious about his artwork Sr CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST AN Pt | Eleven-year-old Ryan Frania, of Shavertown, paints at the Forty Fort Cemetery. Ryan Frania perfecting his craft By GENELLE HOBAN Dallas Post Correspondent While most of his peers are out riding bikes, playing video games or lounging during the lazy days of summer, an 11- year-old from Shavertown is perfecting his craft. Ryan Frania spends about four days each week at Sue Hand’s Imagery in Dallas receiving instruction from Hand, his art teacher. His roughly sev- en-hour days at the studio are spent working with various mediums, includ- ing graphite, watercolors, acrylics, oils, colored pencil and pen and ink. “I don’t remember how or why I got started in art,” he said. “I just know that I've been do- ing it since second grade.” Hand remembers Frania’s mother coming in and telling her that her son was always drawing so she signed him up for art lessons. “He is exceptional; he was exceptional when he came to me,” Hand said of her stu- dent. “He has a unique ability to concentrate and to push himself.” Frania has been drawing in his sketchpad for 700 consecutive days, the longest of any of Hand’s students. He is working from a classic textbook, “Janson’s History of Art.” “Only a few of my students are willing to invest the time and energy into it,” Hand said. “Ryan will probably beat me because once you miss a day you have to start over, and I missed a day and had to start over. I've never had anyone hit 1,000 days, but I think he will.” Frania, who is extremely shy about his tal- ents, is a straight “A” student at Gate of Heav- en in Dallas. “I am preparing for my first art show at the Sample of artwork by Ti-year-old Ryan Frania Berwick Hospital Art Gallery next June,” he said. “It is my first solo exhibit.” In the spring, Frania won the children’s li- brary card design contest at the Back Moun- tain Memorial Library. His entry incorporat- ed the word “read” in a graphic design. Aside from his artistic talents, Frania also plays the violin. “When I get home, I draw in my sketch pad and then practice the violin every day,” he said. “I am also writing a symphony. I started a few months ago and I am in the middle of the second movement right now. I am teach- ing myself the piano as I go.” Frania’s favorite art piece in his collection is apen and ink of a ship that he completed a few months ago. “I really like the detail of it,” he said. “I like ships. I sketched it from a photo I found on the Internet.” Hand estimates that Frania is doing college level work, including “working from life and reflective objects.” “He is so self-controlled and so self-motiva- ted,” she said. “His strength is his patience with detail and openness toward learning ab- stract concepts of color and composition. This gives his pieces a cutting edge.” In 20 years, Hand predicts Frania will be a major player in the national art world. The 11-year-old recently accompanied Hand at the Back Mountain Memorial Li- brary Auction to sell his first painting. “My mom won’t part with any of my other paintings,” he said. “When I get home, I draw in my sketch pad and then practice the violin every day.” Ryan Frania Ti-year-old artist Ni - Eleven year old Ryan Frania, of Shavertown, paints in the Forty Fort Cemetery. BUSINESSES DONATE TO FUNDRIVE 4 A CAUSE 3 Plains business women Sharon M. Logan-Tona. Certified Massage Therapist, Time Out Care Therapeutic Massage & Doula Practice; and Jeanelle Ramirez, Eden Salon, both located at R62 Maffett St. in Plains, have donated raffle items to Fundrive 4 A Cause 3. Their latest donations are three pampering baskets filled with notions, lotions and discount gift certificates. Fundrive 4 A Cause 3 is an annual Autism Awareness Event / PT Cruiser Show and Much More where PT Cruis- ers will come to the Back Mountain from as far away as California and Canada. This year, the event will be at the Grotto at Harveys Lake on Friday and Saturday, Sept.14 and 15, and Sunday, Sept. 16.. The Cruisers will be at Tinting Obsessions/ Obsessive Details in Dallas across from the Dallas Harvest Festival. Raffle tickets will be on sale from1to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Grotto with all proceeds benefiting the Earthly Angels Autism Fund of The Lzuerne Fondation. For a complete list of event activities, visit www.cruisingcruisers.zoomshare.com. CIVIC BRIEFS Blood drive set for Irem Temple Country Club The American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 6, from at the Irem Temple Country Club in Dallas. The Red Cross requests that all donors bring Identification and their Red Cross Blood card. First time donors will receive a card after their first donation. Anyone 17 years of age, weigh- ing a minimum of 110 pounds and in good health is eligible to donate. A pre-scheduled appointment can be made to reduce the time needed for donating. To sched- ule an appointment call 823- 7164, extension 2150. Anyone unable to donate at this drive can donate at the Meadows Nursing Center in Dallas from 1 to 7 p.m. on Tues- day, Aug. 7. Center plans auditions Auditions for area youth (ages 7-18) interested in participating in Back Mountain Youth Theat- re’s annual August Theatre Workshops and rehearsals will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thurs- day, Aug. 9, at the Major Per- forming Arts Center, Carverton Road at Dug Road. Call 675-4333 for more details and to register for the auditions. Dallas HS Class of 1987 plans reunion Dallas High School Class of 1987 will hold its 20th anni- versary reunion from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11, at the East Mountain Inn, Wilkes-Barre. Reservations must be made by August 8 and can be made by calling 256-3660 or e-mailing dallas20reunion@wmcon- nect.com Legion plans annual peach sale The annual Dallas American Legion “Perfect Peaches” sale will take place Saturday, Aug 11, at the American Legion Post 672, Memorial Highway, Dallas. To place your order, call 675- 6542 by August 8, 2007. Pick-up time is August 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wildoner Family plans reunion The 30th Annual Wildoner Family Reunion will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, at Pavilion “R” at Knoebel’s Park, Elysburg. Dinner will be served at noon. For reservations and additional information, contact Kelly Wil- doner at (607) 722-0071 or by e-mail at kwildoner@fahscon- struction.com Eastern Star plans craft sale The 19th Annual Craft Sale and Flea Market will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat- urday, Aug. 11, at the Dallas Chapter Eastern Star Building, Foster Street and Woodlawn Avenue, Dallas (behind the CVS drug store). Vendor spaces (8 X 12) are still available for $10 a space. A limited number of inside tables are available at $15 each with the table provided. Eastern Star members wills erve lunch and the group’s fa- mous Welsh cookies will be available. For additional information, call Irene Transue at 675-1367. Back Mountain Food Pantry in need of clerical volunteers The Back Mountain Food Pantry has openings for volun- teers to register clients, sched- ule weekly orders and maintain related records from 10 a.m. to noon on one or two Tuesdays or Thursdays a month. Former clerical/ office experience is helpful. Training specific to the job and orientation around the food pantry will be provided. Monthly schedules are made up in advance for this group of volunteers. For further information, please call 696-2917. Leave your name and telephone number on the answering machine. Other volunteers will contact interest- ed persons as soon as possible on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Dallas Borough enforces maintenance The Dallas Borough Codes Enforcement Office announces the seasonal enforcement of the Dallas Borough Property Main- tenance Code. Property owners should be alerted that inspec- tions will be scheduled for all property owners deemed in violation of the code and the borough will prosecute all of- fenders through the enforce- ment of the regulations. Recent routine property in- spections in neighborhoods throughout the borough re- vealed numerous violations, including exterior property violations for property owners failing to maintain their prem- ises in a clean, safe and sanitary condition. The borough will require property owners to remove all vehicles not properly registered and inspected, inop- erable motor vehicles, failure to cut grass, appliances littering yards, debris, and rubbish or other inappropriate materials littering yard areas. Dallas Borough officials strongly urge all of our property owners to respect their neigh- borhoods recognizing the qual- ity of life that borough residents have long enjoyed. Questions pertaining to en- forcement actions and inspec- tions should be directed to the Dallas Borough Zoning Enforce- ment Officer by calling the Dallas Borough Municipal Building at 675-1389. Dallas Borough yard regulations The residents and property owners of Dallas Borough are reminded that the borough’s “Weed Nuisance Ordinance” requires that all grass and weeds within the borough limits be cut and removed no later than July 1 of each year or earlier if neces- sary. Under the borough ordinance, property owners who fail to comply with the Weed Ordi- nance are in violation and sub- ject to a fine. All property own- ers are asked to please comply with the Borough Weed Ordi- nance. Please contact the borough administrative office at 675-1389 with any questions. Teen volunteers needed at Meadows Applications are now avail- able for the Summer Teen Vol- unteer Program at the Meadows nursing center, Dallas. Volun- teer tens will have the opportu- nity to assist with various activ- ities such as bingo, crafts, fish- ing, picnics, taking resident outdoors with staff, manicures and much more. An orientation and TB screen- ing are required. Orientations are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, and 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 19. Class size is limited. To register, please call the Volunteer Department at the Meadows Nursing Center at 675-8600, ext. 195. Class of 1957 plans reunion The Lehman-Jackson-Ross High School Class 0f1957 will hold its 50th anniversary re- union Saturday, Oct. 6 at Irem Temple Country Club in Dallas Township. For more informa- tion, call 675-2252 or 675-4486. You may also e-mail mnpars@gmail.com or nbwdal@evenlink.com. Food Pantry lists needs While all non-perishable foods are welcome at any time by the Back Mountain Food Pantry, the greatest needs currently are for cereal, rice, two-pound bags of sugar, apple sauce, baked beans, kidney beans, spaghetti sauce, boxed pudding, mayonnaise, canned or evaporated milk, and canned items including meat, fish, tomatoes, beets, carrots, potatoes, and any kind of fruit. Individuals or groups wishing to donate food may call the food pantry at 696-2917 for informa- tion or to arrange a time for volunteers to receive the food. Lupus support group slated every month A Lupus Support Group Meet- ing is scheduled for 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at the Tunkhannock Public Li- brary, West Tioga Street. Call 1-888-99LUPUS.
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