Vol. 121 No. 27
THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889
September 9 - 15, 2012
®The
Paras Post.
WILKES-BARRE, PA. www.mydallaspost.com
AN EDITION OF THE TIMES LEADER
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Sisters Jessica and Morgan Trindle and their friend Catherine Wynne, of Harveys Lake, take off on the Cliff Hanger at the Luzerne
ether it’s the food, the rides, the entertainment or the ani-
mals, there’s much to do at the Luzerne County Fair. The
event, in its 50th year, concludes today on the fair grounds,
Route 118, Lehman. Today’s entertainment includes Elvis Presley
tribute artist Shawn Klush, who will be accompanied by the Sweet
Inspirations who, at one time, performed with the King himself. Ad-
mission is just $8 and includes parking, rides and entertainment.
More Luzerne County Fair photos,
page 3
Having the most fun ever serving food in the Lake-Lehman Band
Booster Booth are friends Diane Lockard, left, and Dusty Titus.
BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Are you ready for
some football?
t's high school football time and that brings out all kinds of school
spirit. Dallas and Lake-Lehman High School cheerleaders lead
the way but folks from all walks of life get into the action, cheering
on their favorite team. For photos of the Mountaineers and the Black
Knights gridders on opening day, please turn to page 14.
Dallas sophomore cheerleader
| Stephanie Rinehimer, of Sha-
vertown, shows her spirit.
680981512007 9%g
This art
therapy
helps memory
By CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK
Dallas Post Correspondent
Painting is not going to stop
Alzheimer’s disease as it slowly
steals memory and personality
from its victims. Yet there is
something about art that stirs
the soul of Alzheimer’s patients
and, in that process, their spir-
its seem to be soothed.
In a realm of primal sub-con-
sciousness at an art therapy
class at the Meadows Center in
Dallas, Marie Borton, a former
Dallas school teacher, twirls her
paint brush and chuckles, “I'm
not serious, I'm just puddling
along.”
Borton talks about her career
at many school districts, the
students she had and how lucky
she was to have had all those ex-
periences in her life. The paint
flows easily from her life’s brush
- and so do some lovely memo-
ries.
The paint box of life is not al-
ways happy and the brush
strokes don’t come easily for
Margaret Lewandowski, who
struggles with painful memo-
ries and mixed emotions. “I
can’t sign my name or even a let-
ter; it’s very hard,” she explains.
But even when hands and
words fail, the group of artists
supports each other, says Cyn-
thia Sickler, activities assistant
at the center, who began the
program just over a year ago.
“They are very kind to each oth-
er and we have a lot of fun,”
Sickler said.
Nationally known as “Memo-
ries in the Making” by the Alz-
heimer’s Association, the class
is funded locally by the Maslow
Family Foundation of Luzerne
County. It meets once a week
for two hours.
“This is probably the most in-
tensive one-on-one time they
get every week,” Sickler said.
Persons interested in volun-
teering or purchasing note cards
and art produced by residents
should call the Alzheimer's Asso-
ciation in Wilkes-Barre at 822-
9915.
Marie Borton, a former Dallas
school teacher, picks up a
paint brush during a class for
Alzheimer and dementia resi-
dents at the Meadows Nursing
Center.
“They open up; they take time
to interact and they really do
know what'’s going on.”
Sickler, who would like to see
a permanent Alzheimer’s unit
at the center, says it was diffi-
cult at first to get the artists to
share and relax but the stress-
free environment allows for
easy communication, relaxa-
tion and tremendous validation
for the residents.
Scientists say the arts stimu-
late the parietal lobe of the
brain, even in the very last
stages of Alzheimer’s disease,
to remember and respond.
The seniors showed off their
work on Aug. 26. The point of
the exhibit is not so much about
the results - although good art
did result - but about the proc-
ess which calls up emotions and
memories first shared and then
somehow calmed in the minds
this numbing disease violates.
The Meadows Center held an art exhibit produced by victims of
Alzheimer's disease. Kathleen Detwiler wheels her mother,
Marie Borton, around to see the exhibit.
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Maryan Daily, Dallas, and Kathryn Sutton, Trucksville, enjoy
the art exhibit at the Meadows Center produced by Alzheim-
er's victims.