Vol. 124 No. 42
THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889
December 22 - 28, 2013
The
DALLAS POST .
WILKES-BARRE, PA.
WWW.MYDALLASPOST.COM
AN EDITION OF THE TIMES LEADER
TALKING TO THE BIG GUY
CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK |FOR DALLAS POST
Brothers Issac, (left) and Hudson Ruger (right) , Dallas, explain to Santa want they want for Christmas at the Fanklin Township Annual Christmas party hosted by the
Franklin Township Vol. Fire Department.
Santa was a big hit at the Franklin Township Annual Christmas Party hosted by the Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Department on Dec.
16 at the fire hall. Here, brothers Issac, left, and Hudson Ruger, of Dallas, tell the big guy what they want for Christmas. For additional photos
of the party, please turn to page .
Activities abound at former GOH school
Building
now owned
by church
available to
public
SARAH HITE
Dallas Post Correspondent
The former site of
Gate of Heaven School is
still abuzz with activity
almost every night of the
® and officials want
the public to know the
building is available to
the Back Mountain com-
munity.
Renamed the John Paul
II Center, the more than
5,000 square foot gymna-
sium and classroom space
in the former elementary
school hosts events such
as sports team practices,
birthday parties and
awards banquets.
Renee Boland, property
manager for the church,
said once the Diocese of
Scranton closed Gate of
Heaven School in 2011,
the church became finan-
cially responsible for the
building.
Previously, the church
only paid a small portion
of the building’s utili
ties, as the church and
the school were separate
entities and had separate
budgets, she said.
& “When the Diocese
made the decision to
close the school, the
church became owner of
everything,” said Boland.
Now the church is rent-
ing out the space to help
out with finances and
keep the building in use.
Groups like local youth
sports programs and Boy
and Girl Scout troops
have been using the space
since 2011. Birthday par-
ties, baby showers and
bridal showers have also
been hosted there.
“We're not looking to
get rich,” said Boland.
SE
Volunteers serve food at the kitchen of the Gate of Heaven School
gymnasium.
“We are just hoping to
cover some of our costs.
The school is used by
other parishes in the area
as well. St. Therese’s
Church in Shavertown
uses the building three
times a week for CCD
classes. The Back
Mountain Senior High
Youth Group, which
includes teens from
any parish in the Back
Mountain, has a meeting
space near the gym to
hold events.
“There was a lot of
BILL TARUTIS | FOR THE DALLAS POST
Gate of Heaven School in Dallas.
emotional hurt in the
community when the
school closed,” said
Boland. “Everyone in the
Back Mountain has either
gone to Gate of Heaven or
knows someone who did.
Now we have a new place
- a new institution mainly
dedicated to religious
education.”
The middle school
building is being repur-
posed into a parish center
for Gate of Heaven. Bible
study, Sunday school and
other church events are
Sw Catholic Unde rground
4 ih
The ‘Catholic Underground’ at Gate of Heaven School.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
~ For more information about renting space at the John
Paul ll Center, contact Renee Boland at 570-675-2121.
hosted there, but Boland
said the space is also
available for public use
upon request.
“We never really had
our own space,” said
Boland. “We always had
to ask the school if we
could use their class-
rooms for meetings.”
There is also a music
room in the middle
school used by the
Back Mountain Youth
Group’s rock band called
Relentless, and as a prac-
tice space for the local
singing group Changing
Habits.
“We think it’s a good
thing,” said Boland. “It’s
working and we're happy
to help people. It helps us,
too. Why let the building
just sit and be empty?”
The gym features a
stage, basketball hoops,
a scoreboard and a
fully functional kitchen.
Boland said one sports
league’s awards banquet
hosted about 300 people
with plenty of room to
spare.
“We are even thinking
about making improve-
ments, but that will take
some time,” said Boland.
3
ive decades
of service
Back Mountain Police those interested
t oki in joining the Back
Association celebrates ficiintain Police
hhth year of existence Association can check
on the group's website
at www.backmtpolice.
SUSAN DENNEY org for membership
Dallas Post Correspondent information.
The Back Mountain
Police Association celebrat-
ed its 55th anniversary this
month and its 95 members
continue to benefit the com-
munity they serve.
The association is made
up of local police officers,
Pennsylvania game commis-
sioners, Pennsylvania Fish
and Boat commissioners
and state police officers. The
dividing point for the orga-
nization is the Susquehanna
River so members hail from
communities between the
together professionally. You
go out to eat after meet
ings. You get to be friends
with them,” he said of group
members
The group sponsors a
number of service projects
each year.
For Piazza, one of the
most important events in
the BMPA year is the Kids’
Fish Day, and event that
draws between 120 and 140
children to Frances Slocum
State Park for a variety of
Municipality of Kingston to activities.
Harveys Lake. He said the event had mul-
The group plans a 55th tiple purposes, one being “to
anniversary celebration in give kids the opportunity to
be involved with uniformed
officers. They don’t have to
be afraid.”
But he said the event also
promotes fishing. “Fishing
itself is a family recreation
that’s cheap,” he said.
“It doesn’t take a lot of
skill,” Moravec added.
Piazza explained that
the group gives out many
prizes; including poles, lures
and tackle boxes to encour-
age fishing. The activity also
encourages young fisherper-
sons to bring their grandpar-
ents.
The group encourages
multi-generation activities.
“The grandparents are the
ones who have the time to
take them fishing,” Piazza
February at the Apple Tree
Terrace at Newbery Estates
in Dallas.
According to David
Dembowski, public relations
representative of the BMPA,
the group provides service
projects as well as encour-
ages camaraderie among
the officers. “The focus is to
give back more to the com-
munity,” he said.
Kingston - Township ser-
geant Michael Moravec has
been a member since the
1980s, has been president
and treasurer of the orga-
nization and now serves
on the executive board.
Moravec said the organi-
zation changes its focus
depending on members’
needs. “The emphasis over said.
the years has gone to the President Martin
training aspect.” Maransky of the Kingston
The group helps mem- Township Police
Department said present
officers are ending their
term of office. “We're ending
our sixth year,” he said
Maransky cited the instal-
lation of security benches
as a project he felt good
about. Some magistrates
offices don’t have a police
station attached with a
holding cell. The security
bers fulfill their responsi-
bilities. Moravec said one
of the challenges today is
that many members are
looking for full-time work.
“Municipalities can’t afford
to hire full-time officers.”
Deputy Ross Piazza of the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission also serves on
the board and said the group
has a social aspect as well.
“They're going to deal See SERVICE | 5
Pennsylvania game commissioners, Pennsylvania Fish and
Boat commissioners and state police officers. The dividing
point for the organization is the Susquehanna River so
members hail from communities between the Municipality
of Kingston to Harveys Lake.
Nery ing tht
oEmaniEy Sees sand
Members of the Back Mountain Police Association
Executive Board which is comprised of officers and the
Board of Governors are, from left, first row,Kingston
Township Police Officer Jonathan Chipego, treasurer;
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Ranger
Darren Kramer, secretary; Kingston Township Police
Officer Martin C. Maransky, president; Pennsylvania Fish
& Boat Commission Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer
Ross Piazza, vice-president; Dallas Borough Police Officer
William Acuff, Board of Governors. Second row, Kingston
Township Police Sergeant Michael A. Moravec, Board
of Governors; Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife
Conservation Officer James Jolley, Board of Governors;
Attorney Daniel Pillets, Esquire, solicitor; Pennsylvania
Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer Gerald
Kapral , Board of Governors;
Kingston Township Police
Officer Michael Huntzinger,
membership secretary.
Absent at the time of the
photo was Retired Dallas
Borough Police Chief Jack
Fowler, Board of Governors. , lillgog 1520079
9