What am | doin Vol. 124 No. 39 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 December 1-6, 2013 The 50¢ WWW.MYDALLASPOST.COM AN EDITION OF THE TIMES LEADER F: | @ «cs BARRE, PA PETE G. WILCOX | THE TIMES LEADER Dallas Elementary second grader Mason Calvey plays a turkey in the school’s Thanksgiving program held on Friday in the gymnasium. ¢ here? Dallas Elementary second-grader Mason Calvey scratches his head while playing a turkey in the school’s Thanksgiving program held on Nov. 21 in the gymnasium. For additional photos, please turn to page 8. Fired-up Student Council has big plans for Lake-Lehman Large group of students works together for a better community SUSAN DENNEY Dallas Post Correspondent Cecelia Candelario’s chemistry classroom filled with students after a school day at Lake- Lehman Junior Senior . High School. Soon it was ktanding room only. y' The reason? The students were gathered for a Student Council meeting. The size of the group was surprising as none of the students had participated in Student Council the year before. Last year, the group was made up of a small group of seniors. This year’s group repre- sents all classifications. The new group of stu- dents has ambitious plans for making its school and community better. Alyssa Talacka, 17, of Lehman, president of the council, stood by a whiteboard and followed her agenda. She and the council discussed a long list of future projects. The council started itsplans for a December babysitting service day. The event will raise funds r Student Council proj- cts and give parents an afternoon off to go shopping or take a break from parenting. Children dropped off by parents will watch a movie, do a craft and eat lunch during the four-hour Saturday activity. The Student Council also discussed its part in the holiday celebration assembly and discussed support for a high school service project which provides warm coats and toys for needy children. “No kid should do without a coat this win- ter,” Candelario__ said. The Student Council will see that any children not sponsored by others are taken care of. As part of the project, Student Council will also host a dinner for the children. At one point in the meeting, Candelario exclaimed, “Phones out!” Students whipped out smartphones to enter an activity’s date into their calendars. After the meeting, sev- eral students explained their feelings about the Student Council. Nick Albertson, 15, of Hunlock Creek, was asked why he joined the group. “I joined Student Council trying to find an outlet to work with my fellow students to help my school,” he said “I'm excited about all the ways we have planned to benefit the students of Lake-Lehman and the community,” said Hannah Cross, 16, of Sweet Valley. Zachary Corey, 15, of Harveys Lake is most excited about the holiday assembly which consists of skits. He explained that, as a freshman last year, he couldnt attend. “It’s my first year partici- pating.” Talacka said planning See COUNCIL | 12 BILL TARUTIS | FOR THE DALLAS POST Members pack Lake-Lehman Student Council Advisor Cecelia Candelario’s classroom for a meeting. Lake-Lehman Student Council Secretary Jenna Mortenson writes ideas for future activities on the white board during a group meeting Lake-Lehman Student Council Advisor Cecelia Candelario, right, brainstorms with members duri meeting at the high school. Submitted photos Her white hair blowing in the breeze, 90-year-old Mary Knecht enjoys a skydiving experience. Never too old to fly 90-year-old Mary Knecht jumps toa dream come true SUSAN DENNEY Dallas Post Correspondent Ever want to jump out of an airplane? Mary Knecht did but she had to wait a while. The 91-year- old, of Yardley, finally parachuted from a plane this past August to fulfill a long-held dream. She- was 90 at the time. “I had wanted to do it for years and years,” Knecht said. When a friend of her granddaugh- ter’s said he was going to parachute from a plane, he offered to take her along. Knecht jumped at the chance. She said there are hard- ly words to describe the jump. “It was a wonderful experience being up there and looking around.” Knecht said that even the flight was a thrill and nothing like riding on a commercial airplane. “l was sitting on the floor of the plane,” Knecht said. She explained that she had always wanted to see what it looked like out- side a plane. “When they open the door, there’s no plane in your way.” Knecht said there is no special training involved and her age was not a fac- tor. “l wasn’t alone at any time,” Knecht said. She was harnessed to an experienced para- chutist during the entire jump and on landing was instructed to keep her feet up and just sit down to avoid injury. She said those in charge made sure she knew what Mary Knecht was never alone during her skydiving adventure as she was strapped to an experienced parachutist. Look Ma, no hands! Mary Knecht and her sky diving partner leave the plane. she was doing. “They interview you. You know you're going to do some- thing dangerous, she said. “Airplanes are flying all the time and people are parachuting all the time.” As for the jump, Knecht didn’t mention any fears or worries. “I enjoyed it a whole lot,” she said. Knecht has lived for the past few years in Yardley with her daughter but spent most of her life in Dallas. “I was born and raised in Dallas. We lived on a farm,” she said. Her maid- en name was Eipper and she and and older brother and sister went to Dallas schools. According to Knecht, her life on the farm wasn’t that exciting. “I was just a little country girl. I didn’t get to go out and do a lot of things.” After she married James Knecht, the cou- ple moved to Harveys See FLY | 12 CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK/ FOR THE DALLAS POST Members of the Dallas Rotary, (from left) Art Peoples, Todd Buckley and Jerry Reisch, put up their holiday greeting sign at the intersection of Rts. 309 and 415. “TIS THE SEASON It’s that time of yeaer again and members of the Dallas Rotary Club have erectged thier holiday sign at the intersection of Routes 309 and 415 in Dallas. From left, are Art Pe 6 lMp98 151200790 q i
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers