Blakely
Three area students will serve as teenage ambassadors in an upcoming trip to Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.
The Valley View students will make the trip in June as part of the People to People program, started by President Dwight Eisenhower. They will learn about culture and assist in a reforestation program while studying the ecosystems.
Tressa Cicci, 17, of Jessup, and Bernie Kozlowski, 16, and Emily Castelli, 18, both of Blakely, are holding a Mother's Day gift basket raffle to help fund the trip, which all three are looking forward to.
"I'm just excited to be a part of it and represent the U.S. in another country," Tressa said.
For information on the fundraiser, call 650-3845.
rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter
Clarks Summit
Spaghetti and award-winning meatballs will be the main attraction at an annual pasta dinner.
The Rotary Club of the Abingtons' pasta dinner, held at Abington Heights High School on Sunday, April 28, will also feature salad, dessert and a homemade special-recipe sauce.
Tickets for the event cost $8 for adults and $4 for children under 12. All proceeds will benefit Clarks Summit area youth initiatives.
For more information, call 947-2705.
miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter
Dickson City
The borough Crime Watch is dedicated to keeping residents informed.
Next week, they'll take their meeting on the road to the Lackawanna College Police Academy, where attendees will learn about the process of becoming a cadet.
President Ed Zitterman is looking forward to the bus trip because he has limited knowledge of how officers train.
"I'd like to see what they do," he said.
The group will leave at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23, from the Dickson City Community Ambulance Association. To reserve a seat, email DCCW18519@yahoo.com.
rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter
Dunmore
Fire Department Capt. Ben Domenick is retiring, and firefighter Jack Sohns has been promoted to lieutenant with fire marshal duties in a corresponding move.
Before accepting Capt. Domenick's retirement, members of the borough council described the 29-year Dunmore Fire Department veteran as a great public servant and person.
Mike McHale, the council's vice president, described Capt. Domenick as "our best firefighter," with which Councilmen Timothy Burke and Salvatore Verrastro agreed.
"When we were in dire straits, there were things he would have to go and check and be entitled to time and a half, and would not even put in for straight time," said Mr. Verrastro, the council's president. "He loves his town. He loves his job."
kwind@timesshamrock.com, @kwindTT on Twitter
Moosic
Michael Slater, 39, is passionate about helping people understand autism.
Mr. Slater, of Moosic, is a teacher's assistant with the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit who works at Riverside East Elementary School. For the past three years, he has held a basket raffle to promote awareness.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by impaired communication and impaired social interaction, he explained, noting that April is Autism Awareness Month.
"These children are just like you and me," he said. "They might act a little different, but they need love and acceptance like anyone else."
The raffle is open only to staff at the school and will benefit the Parents Loving Children Through Autism Foundation of Scranton. Others interested in information or making a donation can contact the organization at 341-3388.
rbrown@timesshamrock.com, @rbrownTT on Twitter
Moscow
North Pocono Middle School's auditorium will host a Lyme disease awareness day on Saturday, May 11.
The event will start at 1 p.m. with an informal period during which the public can meet Lyme disease patients and mingle, followed by a screening of the documentary "Under Our Skin."
Dr. Daniel Cameron, a Lyme disease specialist, will speak at 3:30 p.m., and researcher John Darcy will speak at 4:15 p.m., followed by a 4:45 p.m. question-and-answer session.
"My first impression of Lyme disease was that it was a simply diagnosed illness, and then just as easily cured," said Karen Thomas, an organizer of the event whose husband, Eric, suffers from Lyme disease. "I, however, was horribly mistaken. I never would have dreamed it was such a controversial illness, and one extremely difficult to treat. ... Years have passed, and the disease has left us struggling daily with Eric's physical ailments, our emotional pain and financial stress."
kwind@timesshamrock.com, @kwindTT on Twitter
Scranton
A city church is refurbishing an old organ to the tune of $500,000 as part of a yearlong renovation project.
The Rev. Scott Loomer said workers will begin the four-day removal of the organ from Covenant Presbyterian Church on Monday, after which parts of it will be repaired or completely replaced, before it's returned in September.
The improvements to the church have been going on since summer as part of a $1 million project, set to be completed at the end of this summer, the Rev. Loomer said.
ksullivan@timesshamrock.com, @ksullivanTT on Twitter
Waverly
People in need of a quick course on food safety have their answer.
On Monday, May 20, a workshop titled "Cooking for Crowds: A Volunteer's Guide to Food Safety" will be held at the Waverly United Methodist Church, 105 Church St.
Starting at 6 p.m., the three-hour course will cover how food becomes unsafe, purchasing and storage of food, keeping food safe during preparation and personal hygiene.
Anyone interested in attending should call 963-6842. The deadline to register is May 10. Tickets cost $5.
miorfino@timesshamrock.com, @miorfinoTT on Twitter