Sunday, February 3, 2008 THE DALLAS POST PAGE 7
CIVIC BRIEFS
Alzheimer's Support “Hello, Dolly!" Admission is $6 for adults
Jrpm—
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
John Doerfler, of Harveys Lake, donated blood recently at the Meadows Nursing Center in Dallas.
The goal of the drive was 30 usable units of blood which was met an hour before the drive ended.
Giving back to others
By REBECCA BRIA
rbria@timesleader.com
He’s giving back the gift that
others provided for his son years
ago.
John Doerfler’s son, Andy, was
stricken with leukemia in the
1980s and underwent multiple
blood transfusions in his journey
to survive. Although the Harveys
Lake boy died in 1984 at the age
of 10, Doerfler is grateful to all
‘he people whose blood benefit-
J A his son during his illness.
Doerfler, 65, of Harveys Lake
wished he had begun donating
blood earlier in his life, admitting
he didn’t do so out of laziness.
Now, Doerfler is a member of the
Back Mountain Blood Council
and is competing with his 37-
year-old son, Doug, of Oxford, Pa.
to see who can give the most
blood. So far, Doerfler has donat-
ed about three gallons but Doug
is in the lead, having donated
double that amount.
Doerfler donated blood on
Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the Meadows
Nursing Center in Dallas. The
goal of the drive was 30 usable
units of blood, which was met an
hour before the drive ended.
“It seems like all the drives out
here (the Back Mountain) this
month are doing really well,” said
Molly Ramsey, Director of Blood
Services for the Wyoming Valley
Chapter of the American Red
Cross.
Ramsey also knows first-hand
why donating blood is important.
Her youngest son was not expect-
ed to live when he was born. He
received a blood transfusion at
birth and is now 10 years old.
LL
8 Bo ay
Sherri Parsons, of Dallas, enjoys a bowl of homemade beef barley
soup after donating blood at the Meadows Nursing Center.
Barbara Glowach, of Trucks-
ville, is coordinator and does
public relations for the Back
Mountain Blood Council, work-
ing nearly every blood drive in
the Back Mountain. At the Mead-
ows drive, Glowach put donation
bags together, a skill she was
trained to do by the Red Cross for
which she has volunteered for 20
years.
According to Marilyn Gregor-
ski, volunteer coordinator for the
Meadows Nursing Center, the
first blood drive held at the Mead-
ows was in August of 1987. Since
then, over 1700 units of blood
have been donated at Meadows
drives.
“It’s part of our way of giving
back to the community,” Gregor-
ski said. “Plus, we make nice
friends here.”
Michelle Mancke, 23, of Dallas,
gave blood for about the sixth
time during the January 22 drive.
A former candystriper at the
Meadows, Mancke first donated
blood as a student at Mansfield
University. Although she had
heard horror stories from other
blood donors and was afraid of
the needle at first, she soon
learned here was nothing to fear.
“The first time I donated, I was
pretty much in tears,” she said.
“The nurse came over to me and
asked if I was okay and I was like,
‘No, I'm so happy.”
Mancke says the Meadows
Center was convenient because it
is near her home and the hours of
the drive fit her work schedule.
She made an appointment to give
blood ahead of time and did not
have to wait more than five min-
utes.
Everyone who donated blood
at the Meadows received a long-
sleeve t-shirt and was treated to
homemade beef barley soup and
snacks.
Back Mountain blood drives set
The American Red Cross will
ol two blood drives on
5
onday, Feb. 4.
One will be held from 10 a.m. to
3 p.m. on the Lehman Campus of
Penn State University. Although
this drive is on campus, all do-
nors are welcome.
The second drive will be the
regular bi-monthly drive from 1
to 6 p.m. at the Irem Country
Club, Dallas.
The double red unit will be at
both drives.
Misericordia University will
sponsor a blood drive from 10:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday,
Feb. 7.
The double red unit will be pre-
sent at this drive.
Although this drive is being
held on campus, it is a communi-
ty drive.
The PTO group of the Dallas
Elementary School will sponsor
a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 5
p.m. on Friday, Feb.22, on the ele-
mentary school campus. All par-
ents and friends of the students
are encouraged to attend and do-
nate.
The Red Cross requests that all
donors bring Identification and
their Red Cross blood card. First-
time donors will receive a card af-
ter their first donation.
Anyone 17 years of age, weigh-
ing a minimum of 110 pounds and
in good health is eligible to do-
nate.
A pre-scheduled appointment
can be made to reduce the time
needed for donating. To schedule
an appointment call 823-7164, ex-
tension 2150.
Group meets Feb. 7
The Dallas Alzheimer’s Sup-
port Group will meet at 11 a.m.
on Thursday, Feb. 7, in the
board room of the Meadows
Nursing Center, 55 West Center
Hill Road, Dallas.
Barbershoppers offer
singing valentines
A special “Singing Valentines
Project” is being sponsored by
the Wilkes-Barre Chapter, Bar-
bershop Harmony Society on
February 14. Quartets from
within the chapter will deliver
“Singing Valentines” between
the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
throughout Wyoming Valley,
complete with songs, a rose, a
card and candy in "surprise
presentation” from donors’
requests.
The unusual Valentine gift is
available by calling 709-3716.
Proceeds from the program aid
the chapter’s charity service
programs.
Music Box to present
“Hello, Dolly!” will be pre-
sented at the Music Box Dinner
Playhouse, 196 Hughes St.,
Swoyersville, February 14-17,
21-24, 28, 29, March 1 and 2.
The show is presented at 8
p.m. Thursdays through Sat-
urdays and at 3 p.m. on Sun-
days. A buffet dinner will be
served 90 minutes before cur-
tain.
Tickets are on sale for dinner
and show and show/only with
discounts available for children,
students and senior citizens.
Group rates are also available.
For more information, call
283-2195.
Valentines Square
Dance scheduled
A Valentines Square Dance
will be held from 7 to 10 p.m.
on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the
Noxen School, School Street,
Noxen with the Roger Furman
Band playing and calling. There
will be a Queen of Hearts con-
test, door prizes, food and
refreshments.
and $3 for students. Children
under 12 must be accompanied
by an adult.
The dance is ponsored by the
Noxen Historical Community
Association Inc. with all pro-
ceeds to benefit the N.H.C.A.
building project. For more
information, call 298-2052.
‘Go Red’ Fashion Show
set for Feb. 16
Scheduled for Saturday, Feb.
16, at noon at the Woodlands
Inn and Resort in Plains, the
Fifth Annual “Go Red” Fashion
Show will feature models who
are directly involved in the
struggle against heart disease -
all wearing the latest in every-
day fashions available at and
donated by local retail stores.
Tickets cost $20 per person
and proceeds will benefit The
Heart and Vascular Institute at
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
and the AHA. Reservations can
be made by calling Wyoming
Valley Health Care System at
552-7408.
It was a night of glitter, fun
and caring at the second annual
“Carnivale” to benefit Commu-
nity Cares for Kids.
The event, held Saturday, Jan.
26, at The Highlands at Newber-
ry Estates, raised money for the
Back Mountain-based non-profit
organization that assists under-
privileged children suffering
from congenital birth defects.
Community Cares for Kids was
founded about two and a half
years ago by Dr. Francis and Su-
In June 2007, Dr. Collini of the
Renaissance Center in Shaver-
town, along with his team of vol-
unteers, performed about 62 sur-
geries on children at Naval Hos-
pital in Guayaquil, Ecuador. In
the next month or so, a girl from
the Philippines will be brought
to the area for free surgery
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/FOR THE DALLAS POST
The team of doctors who go to South America to perform surgery as part of Community Care for
Kids are, from left, Dr. David Levens, Dr. Ray Ortega, Dr. Frank Collini and Dr. Jamie Morhaim.
Having fun, helping kids
BN
through the organization.
The blacktie “Carnivale”
event featured exquisite food,
open bar and entertainment
with New Orleans and Vienna
Karen and Vince Tassitano, of Shavertown, brightened the night.
flair.
Guests were encouraged to
wear masks and beads for the
evening.
NEW KINGSTON TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS
Three supervisors were were welcomed at the January 7 organizational meeting of Kingston
Township. From left, are John Solinsky, Jeffrey Box, James Reino and Magistrate James Tupper.