Youngster names train
Gracee Straut of Old Forge picked the winning name during the Steamtown National Historic Site’s Railfest 2019 “Name the Train” contest.
The site’s Baldwin Locomotive Works 0-6-0 steam switching locomotive will now be called “Rover” through the 2020 railroad operating season.
The machine carries passengers on the Scranton Limited short train rides that rove throughout the park on select days. Gracee, 3, won the contest for visitors ages 6 and under.
A panel of the three Steamtown NHS employees with the longest park tenure — Preservation Specialist John Melliand, Supervisory Park Ranger John Mucha and Trainmaster Willard Sturdevant — reviewed the entries and agreed “Rover” best fit BLW 26’s personality.
Gracee received a certificate, tickets for her family to ride behind “Rover” on the Scranton Limited and several of the site’s collectable trading cards showcasing some of the park’s locomotives and rolling stock, according to the park.
“Rover” carries Santa on the annual “Christmas in a Small Town” special train that will run from Carbondale to Steamtown National Historic Site on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The public can greet Santa along the line, but cannot ride behind “Rover” that day. For details on the Santa train, visit www.lhva.org.
Super students
Members of the 2019-2020 Tomorrow’s Leaders Today include Emma Burak, Shaylyn Chilek, Alissa Koniszewski, Zack Kovalchik, Taralyn Reilly, Morgan Siefring and Sophia Williams, all Valley View High School; Molly Dougherty, Cabre Capalongo, Emily Laabs and Camdyn Lewis, all West Scranton High School; Morgan Faist and Maggie Reppa, both Lackawanna Trail Jr./Sr. High School; Joseph Fasula and Andrew Stark, both Scranton Preparatory School; Gianna Giumento and Emma Yusavage, both Mid Valley High School; Maura Sherry and Lindsay Rose Grzyboski, Riverside Jr./Sr. High School; Ashley Hamilton, Harry Johnson, Maddie Lucas, Mary O’Brien, Noelle Prisco, Kaitlyn Seechock, Sarah Siddiqui and Sydney Vachino, all Abington Heights High School; Ryan Huester and Norah Kelly, both Holy Cross High School; Henry Lin and Binnie Patel, both Old Forge High School; Paige Rebecca McConlogue, Sara McCormack, Sophie Petraitis and Jacob Noah Stankowski, all Scranton High School; Elizabeth Schieber and Luke White, both North Pocono High School; Isabella Zeller and Calvin Zhang, both Dunmore High School; Bayley Grizzanti, Carbondale Area High School; and Celeste Orchard, Western Wayne High School.
The seven-month youth program through Leadership Lackawanna recently met for its first session, which included an orientation, leadership basics and philanthropy. The program develops leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills of high school juniors while giving them an enhanced understanding of Northeast Pennsylvania as well as the opportunity to explore teamwork, according to the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. NBT Bank is the official TLT 2019-2020 corporate program sponsor.
High notes
The Rotary Club of Scranton is partnering with the local charity, Equines For Freedom, the club’s 2019 Holiday Auction.
“The Rotary motto is ‘Service above Self’ and our members live that motto each day by helping others, not only with large scale international projects such as eradicating polio, but also locally by helping others in need in our community,” said Mark Barbernitz, first vice pesident/holiday auction chairman for the club.
The auction, the largest fundraiser of the year for the club, will be held Dec. 5 at Fiorelli’s Catering in Peckville.
“Equines For Freedom is honored to have been chosen to work alongside the Scranton Rotary in hosting the Holiday Auction” said Heather Stage, head equine specialist, social media specialist and administrative assistant to the board of directors of Equines For Freedom. “Funding from events like these are vital to our organization’s success in continuing to provide free equine-assisted therapy for local veterans and first responders.”
Those interested in donating items for the silent and live auctions, sponsoring the event or purchasing ads in the event program booklet, should contact Mari Pizur at mpizur@thearcne
pa.org.
To purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com. Tickets are $50 per person and include a buffet dinner and cash bar. Event sponsorships are also available. To discuss sponsorship and program book opportunities, contact Gerard Hetman at gerard.het
man@gmail.com.