a .
Sunday, December 16, 2012
THE DALLAS POST
PAGE 3
BILL TARUTIS PHOTOS/ FOR THE DALLAS POST
Audience members sing and clap along during ‘Christmas with a Twist’ at Shavertown United Methodist Church.
One holiday show
that had a ‘twist
By MEGAN SCHNEIDER
For The Dallas Post
Three years ago, Shavertown
nited Methodist Church host-
& a holiday charity concert
WwW» cd Christmas with a Twist.
The event was hosted by Mak-
ing a Difference Ministries, a
group of Christian musicians
from churches all over North-
east PA, that perform each year
to help provide for local char-
ities.
At that time, the musical min-
istry group had only six mem-
bers and performed only once.
On Sunday Dec. 2, the church
hosted the same group, now 18
members strong and performing
five concerts at five locations for
five different charities.
e event drew a crowd of
50 people and the perform-
¢
and the audience brought
donations of toiletries for Ruth’s
Place, an emergency shelter for
homeless women in Luzerne
County.
The group has six vocalists,
including John Bunney and Bar-
bara Roberts, both from the
Back Mountain. Kingston Town-
ship Police Officer Frank Ziegler
plays drums and Brian Carlson
from River of Life Church plays
percussion instruments. The
group performed 20 holiday
songs, both classic Christmas
and Christian style.
“It's nice because everyone
gives their time for free and
they don’t expect anything in re-
turn,” said Stephen Perillo, pres-
ident of Making a Difference
Ministries.
Perillo’s wife Gail makes all
arrangements and schedules
charities for each event. Perillo
said the group tries to schedule
a different charity for every
event so it can help as many
groups as possible.
This year’s ministry had 18
members representing seven
churches from all over the Back
Mountain and Wilkes-Barre ar-
eas, including members of Sha-
vertown United Methodist,
Huntsville Christian Church and
River of Life Church in Lehman.
Pianist Julie Pais accompanies vocalists from "Christmas with a
Twist’ at the Shavertown United Methodist Church.
Christina Shimp, from Hunts-
ville Christian, served as co-di-
rector for this year’s perform-
ance. It was her second year per-
forming with the group. She
plays the flute for the band and
performed a beautiful rendition
of “Christmas Time is Here,”
best known as the theme from
“A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
“We do a musical ministry,”
said Bunney. “There are a lot of
songs that have a lot of good
messages.”
Bunney and Roberts both at-
tend Shavertown United Metho-
dist and both sing in the Step by
Step band as well as with Mak-
ing a Difference Ministries.
“There’s a lot of fellowship,”
Bunney said. “We make new
friends and acquaintances.”
“Plus we live to sing,” Roberts
added.
Perillo said when he started
the group three years ago, peo-
ple were very skeptical. He said
the idea of members of different
churches working together was
strange to many people and
some even thought they were
trying to influence patrons to
transfer churches. But in the last
few years, he has seen this musi-
cal ministry grow to reach out
and help the community togeth-
er.
“We are glad to be one unified
group to help everybody out,”
said Perillo.
In a cast featuring many Back
Mountain residents, Ballet
Northeast will present its 29th
annual full-length production of
“The Nutcracker” ballet at 2 p.m.
today, Dec. 16 at the Dorothy
Dickson Darte CPA at Wilkes
University.
Performing the principal role
of the Sugarplum Fairy will be
BNE soloist Julie Degnan, of Har-
veys Lake, with guest profession-
al artist Evgeny Truposkiadi as
her Cavalier.
Alternating in the role of the
Dew Drop Fairy will be Mary
Kathryn Siejak and Kelly Ferrell.
The lead children’s roles will be
shared by Anna Weiss and Da-
nielle Gendler as Klara and Aoife
Burke and Madison Dewees, of
Dallas, as Fritz.
Rejoining the cast for the role
of Drosselmaier will be guest art-
ist and BNE alumnus TJ Firneno.
Greg Herron will portray the En-
chanted Nutcracker and Laura
Wooditch, of Dallas, will be the
winsome baby mouse.
Sharing the role of the Ice Prin-
cess will be Ms. Ferrell and Ms.
Siejak, while Mary Sharon Ciac-
cia, of Dallas, and Mikaela Rowe
will portray that of the Snow
Queen. Appearing in other solo
or lead supporting roles in this
holiday family classic will be
Greg Herron, of Dallas; Megan
Ferrell, Danielle Gendler, Jamie
Goldstein, of Dallas; Taylor Kazi-
mi, Mary Mash, Anna Lucas, Sa-
rah Polansky, Elisa Rivera, Grace
Schaub, Tiffany Usavage and Ra-
chael Wooditch, of Dallas.
Also appearing in supporting
roles will be BNE corps members
Angel Alday, Christina Kalie,
Caitlyn and Lauren McHenry,
Hannah Bonk, Sarah Stec, of Dal-
las; and Bella Stash.
Other Back Mountain resi-
dents cast in children’s roles are
Tess Ciarimboli, Natasha Corba,
Brianne Dempsey, Sophia Farina,
Catlin and Cora Finn, Elizabeth
and Evelyn Henkels, Kathryn
Morgan, Caroline Pitarra, Ella
Plummer, Abigail Singer, Sophia
Snell, Sophia Stash, Chase and
Peyton Taylor, and Abby, Emily
and Sara Williams.
Admission is $20 for adults and
$15 for seniors, children and stu-
dents. For additional informa-
tion, call 821-8525 or 639-1303.
Ticket reservations can also be
made by calling 821-8525. Tick-
ets will also be available the
Darte CPA box office immediate-
ly before each performance.
‘Local dancers take the stage in ‘Nutcracker
Back Mountain resident Madison Dewees portrays Fritz (Klara's
brother) in Ballet Northeast's production of the ‘Nutcracker.’
- W w 1n
Elementary school
options outlined
By GERI GIBBONS
Dallas Post Correspondent
The Dallas School District’s
board of directors on Monday
discussed alternative approach-
es to updating Dallas Elemen-
tary School, which is in need of
maintenance and repair.
A water main break at the
school earlier in the year
prompted a study to determine
the state of the building and
possible options for rehabilitat-
ing it.
Architect Scott Vencil, of
Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Asso-
ciates, presented a proposal for
incorporating students from
the present Dallas Elementary
School into the Wycallis Ele-
mentary School building. The
schools share space on the
same campus.
He estimated the cost of the
project to be in the range of
$6.5 million to $7.5 million.
The proposal would mean
the addition of 16 to 20 class-
rooms onto the Wycallis build-
ing, with adjustments to such
common areas as the kitchen,
library and cafeteria. It would
also mean fifth-grade students
would attend the district’s mid-
dle school.
Middle School Principal
Thomas Duffy said it would be
possible to incorporate the ex-
tra students into the middle
school building, but it would be
a “somewhat tight fit.”
He (superintendent Frank
Galicki) said the district has a
history of being proactive in
maintaining quality education
for its students.
Resident Thomas Dombros-
ki questioned the necessity of
the project at this time, but Su-
perintendent Frank Galicki in-
dicated nothing is definite.
“l want to assure you that
this project is at its very begin-
nings, and we have much to
think about,” said Galicki. He
said the district has a history of
being proactive in maintaining
quality education for its stu-
dents.
The board also said that
there would be many more
meetings on the issue and that
it would welcome community
input.
In another matter, Catherine
Wega, outgoing president of
the board, was honored for her
service to the district. She con-
tinues in her position on the
board as a director.
Wega, who also completed a
term as president of the West
Side Career and Technology
Center’s Joint Operating Com-
mittee, lauded the efforts of lo-
cal school officials in the face of
continuing fiscal challenges.
The next meeting of the Dal-
las School Board will be on Jan.
14 at 7 p.m.
DAMCILILD
IKARDTE
The following Back Moun-
tain real estate transactions
have been recorded in the Lu-
zerne County Office of Record-
er of Deeds for the week of Nov.
26, 2012:
Kim Brown and Joseph J.
Mack Jr. to Edward and Lucia
Johns Baker, 1.534 acres, Jack-
son Township; $123,333
Charles W. Gordon to Jeffrey
B. Smith, Lot 1, Gordon/Mor-
gan Subdivision, Kingston
Township; $165,900
Raul Antony Jr. and Cathe-
rine Marie Lopez to Michael J.
Gyory and Jennifer A. Miodus-
ki, 21 Tamanini Drive, Kingston
Township; $226,000
Ryan D. and Susan Holthaus
to David W. and Angela Kacz-
marke, 2 parcels, Dallas Town-
ship; $139,000
Beverly J. Gabb, Sharon L.
and Thomas S. Gramley to Eric
and Carol Rambus, Lehman
Township; $27,900
George L. Ruckno Inc. to Ja-
nusz Pustelnik, 1 Lake St., Dal-
las Township; $35,000
Thomas Dombroski to Do-
lores A. Goble, Lots 15, 16 and
18, Goss Manor, Dallas Town-
ship; $1,000
Corene Dow and Frank H.
Bower to Bradley and Tariann
Stickler, Lot 7, Ondish Hills,
Dallas Township; $255,000
Jeffrey and Jan Picker to Jea-
nette M. Roppa Bottesch, Unit
619, Building D, Dallas Town-
ship; $250,000
Carol B. Madigan to Richard
and Susan Mecteau, Jackson
Township; $343,000
Thomas Kevin and Leona D.
Hastings, Kiernan Hastings
McKeon to Ellen A. Ferrara,
Lots 202 and 203, Shawnee
Lots, Harveys Lake Borough;
$55,000
Ann H. Rott and Ann H. Koval
to Corey Askew and Kathleen L.
Lapallo, 5.65 acres, Lehman
Township; $92,000
Investors Diversified, LLC to
Jeffry Brown, Lake Township;
$500.
The following Back Moun-
tain real estate transactions
have been recorded in the Lu-
zerne County Office of Record-
er of Deeds for the week of Dec.
3, 2012:
Eastern Communities Limit-
ed Partnership to Kenneth S.
and Jamie L. Greco, Lot 60, Sad-
dle Ridge Estates, Dallas Town-
ship; $305,000
Jonathan and Maricia Hoegg
to Desiree C. Frega and Douglas
Harris, Dallas Borough;
$125,000
Julie A. McLaughlin to Jo-
nathan James and Maria FE
Hoegg, Lot 10, Fox Hollow;
$175,000
Dallas Area Municipal Au-
thority to KBJ Real Estate In-
vestment, L.P., Kingston Town-
ship; $15,000
Joseph Yonchik (trustee) to
Timothy and Lindsay M. Drag-
on, Lots 5 & 5, Mount Air Ter-
race, Kingston Township;
$68,900
Claudia Linda Puzo (execu-
trix) to Kyle and Amber Kidd,
Lots 26 and 27, Harveys Lake
Borough; $35,000
Suzanne Miller and George
Haas to William Patrick III and
Krissie Lynn McDermott, Lot
3, Haas Minor Subdivision,
Franklin Township; $249,000
Geraldine M. Kerkowski to
Jacob Matthew and Brittany
Marie Burgess, 15 Vine St., Lot
15, Oak Hill Plot, Lehman
Township; $140,840
Patti Ann Morgan and Doris
S. Brobst to Christopher F. Wat-
kins, Lots 33 & 345, Section C,
Dallas Terrace, Dallas Borough;
$143,100
Jaime A. and Alfred J. Wein-
schenk III to Joanne A. Skevofi-
lax, Lots 119 & 119A, Section C.,
Dallas Borough; $115,000
Daniel E. and Melanie K. Co-
chran to Kristopher P. Nardi
and Sandra M. Bender, Dallas
Borough; $105,000
Joseph J. and Mary Louise M.
Phillips to Michael R. Jacku-
bowski, 95 Jackson St., Dallas
Borough; $174,500
Many new books make their way to shelves at Back Mountain Memorial Library in December
@: following new books have
n added to the shelves of the
Back Mountain Memorial Li-
brary, 96 Huntsville Road, Dal-
las, for the month of December
2012:
EXPRESS
“Nano” by Robin Cook, “Fox
Tracks” by Rita Mae Brown, “A
Christmas Garland” by Anne
Perry, “Private London” by
James Patterson, “Shiver” by Ka-
ren Robards, “The Next Best
Thing”
by Jennifer Weiner,
“Where We Belong” by Emily
Giffin, “In Sunlight and in Shad-
ow” by Mark Helprin
FICTION
“Nano” by Robin Cook,
“Threat Vector” by Tom Clancy,
“Private London” by James Pat-
terson, “Shiver” by Karen Ro-
bards, “The Little Amish Match-
maker” by Linda Byler, “The
Bridge” by Karen Kingsbury,
“The Lawgiver” by Herman
Wouk, “An Unattended Death”
by Victoria Jenkins, “Asbury
Park” by Rob Scott, “Spring Fe-
ver” by Mary Kay Andrews
NONFICTION
“Mafia Prince” by Philip Leo-
netti, “Why I Left Goldman
Sachs” by Greg Smith, “Proof of
Heaven” by Eben Alexander,
“The New York Times Book of
Wine”, “Kovel’s Antiques & Col-
lectibles Price Guide 2013”,
“iPhones 4S Dummies” by Ed-
ward C. Baig and Bob LeVitus
See BOOKS, Page 5