HEADLINES:
Resource Center Taking Shape!
Timothy Latz Gets Eagle Scout Award
It’s A Girl!
PA Bluestone Assoc.Hosts Annual Dinner
Sea Scouts EnjoyTraining Weekend
Loans AvailableTo Local Farmers

Resource Center Taking Shape!

Hallstead, PA – The planned CARES Family Resource Center for Hallstead continues to take shape thanks to community donations, financial support and a bit of volunteer elbow grease.

Teachers representing the Blue Ridge Educators Association, Blue Ridge Elementary School Principal Robert Dietz and members of Susquehanna County CARES rolled up their sleeves in December for a cleaning day at the First Presbyterian Church, 107 Pine Street. The church has donated space for the soon to open CARES Family Resource Center.

The facility will be a unique lending library providing the latest information and materials needed to promote quality care and education of young children. Parents and childcare providers in Susquehanna County will be able to borrow everything from child development videos to educational theme kits featuring puppets, books and hands-on teaching toys.

Volunteers spent the day washing walls and installing vinyl flooring.

“Everything is taking shape,” commented Kathy Harte, CARES Family Resource Advisory Board Chair. “We are excited we will soon be able to help those parents and childcare providers looking for extra teaching tools for pre-kindergarten aged children.”

“The mission of CARES is to promote quality childcare and education, but it wouldn’t work without community support,” explained Stephnie Thornton, CARES Program Manager. “It is great to see so many people offer assistance in making this resource center a reality. It will really help boost the educational opportunities for our young children.” Studies show children who receive quality care and education before the age of five improve their chances of success later in life.

The CARES Family Resource Center will open its doors to the public in the coming weeks. If you would like more information about the center, or wish to donate contact Susquehanna County CARES at (570) 278-0760.

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Timothy Latz Gets Eagle Scout Award

Timothy Dayton Latz of New Milford, PA, son of Ronald and Alison Latz and brother of Ryan and Rebecca Latz, received Boy Scout’s highest youth award of Eagle Scout on Saturday, December 3, 2005 at a ceremony at the New Milford United Methodist Church. Timothy’s Eagle project involved the restoration of the historic Gatehouse at the Old Mill Village in New Milford.

Pictured (l-r) are: Tim’s father, Ron “Skip” Latz, new Eagle Scout Tim Latz and Tim’s mother, Alison Latz.

Tim, who began scouting as a Cub Scout in Pack 90 of New Milford, is now eighteen and presently an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 89 in Great Bend. He is an active member in the Order of the Arrow (O.A.), BSA’s National Honor Society, which is a organization within the scouting program that promotes camping and camp service. He has recently been nominated as a Vigil candidate member, which is the highest level of recognition within the O.A. On January 8, 2006, at an Eagle ceremony for a fellow scout, Tim was bestowed the Eagle Scout Mentor’s Pin by that scout.

Tim comes from a long scouting tradition. His grandfather was a scoutmaster for many years; his father, Ron “Skip” Latz, presently Scoutmaster of Troop 89, and an older brother, Ryan, are also Eagle Scouts. At Tim’s ceremony, it was noted that he also has five cousins that are Eagle Scouts, four of whom are Latz’s (Gary, Don, Greg and Bill) and Dan Richardson.

The Ceremony Gateway, Scout Law Pyramid, and Totem Pole that were used in the ceremony, date back 35 years when Tim’s father received his Eagle award.

Tim, in addition to being active in scouts, has been very involved in school activities: Varsity Soccer, Captain; Track; plays saxophone in the marching, concert, jazz and pit bands for several school events. He is also very involved in his church and youth group, and community activities. He donates blood several times a year to the Red Cross and encourages others to do the same. He plays in a band with other musicians throughout the year.

He is presently a Senior and Honor student at Blue Ridge. He plans to attend college and major in Forestry. Scouting has been instrumental in fostering a love and appreciation for the outdoors and working to keep an environment for all to live in safely and to enjoy.

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It’s A Girl!

Lori and Chris Zick, Falling Waters, West Virginia are the proud parents of a baby girl. Libby Ann Zick was born January 7, 2006. She weighed seven pounds and was 21 1/4 inches long at birth.

Maternal grandparents are Dick and Carol Baker, Hallstead.

Paternal grandparents are Jerry and Jane Zick, New Milford, PA.

Libby also has a maternal great-grandmother, Marion Baker, Susquehanna, PA and paternal great-grandparents, Eleanor Lawrence, New Milford and Edward Zick, Florida.

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PA Bluestone Assoc.Hosts Annual Dinner

On Saturday evening, January 14, at the Elk Lake Legion, the Pennsylvania Bluestone Association hosted its 39th annual dinner along with 50 quests and members. PBA President Butch Coleman welcomed guest speakers Congressman Don Sherwood along with Commissioner Jeff Loomis and State Representative Tina Pickett. All guest speakers announced their continued support of the bluestone industry. Congressman Sherwood shared some early day bluestone quarry memories as well as gave mention that quarrymen today have much larger challenges. He gave sound advice stating that businesses small or large in our industry will survive if they use best business practices and operate safely. Commissioner Loomis thanked Congressman Sherwood on the financial aid he helped obtain for several county projects including a $3.4 million start for the Route 706 expansion project.

PBA Vice President Adam Diaz, County Commissioner Jeff Loomis, PBA President Butch Coleman, PA State Representative Tina Pickett, US Congressman Don Sherwood.

PBA President Coleman proceeded to mention upcoming events such as the annual bluestone expo that is being held on March 25 and 26 at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, NY.

The PBA was instrumental in supplying all the bluestone used in the recent Welcome Center project on Route 81. All are encouraged to stop by and see this now completed work.

Anyone interested in becoming a member of the PBA please call the PBA office at (570) 965-2762.

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Sea Scouts EnjoyTraining Weekend
By Maria Preston, Yeoman

On Friday, January 6, ten Sea Scouts and officers from Ship 90 left the Sea Scout Hall in New Milford and drove down to Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland for the Northeast Regional Sea Scout Training weekend.

Once settled in the heated cabins, we all played a game of basketball in the gym. We played until we were so tired, we figured we better go to bed. The next morning we woke up and had breakfast at 7:00 a.m. in the dining hall. First Mate Marvin VanCott, Dan and Tim Gall, Maria Preston, Phil VanCott, Ben Fisher and Josh Neary all went to a navigation class for five periods of an intense mathematical workout to find your ship’s position using nautical charts. Heather Neary and Mike Spencer went to classes on basic knot tying, boating safety and marlinspike. Skipper Chuck Jaget was instructor for GPS navigation, electricity and other requirements for Sea Scout ranks. Other classes taught to the Sea Scouts after lunch were advance marlinspike and splicing, and boat capsizing.

There was also some time after classes for the Sea Scouts to just hang out and play cards and Bridge of Honor with all Sea Scouts in our dress blue uniforms. Two girls were awarded the Quartermaster Award, the highest rank in Sea Scouting and one Sea Scout was awarded the Heroism Medal for saving a life. Five of our Sea Scouts helped serve supper that night. After supper there was a dance, more basketball and time to play cards.

The next morning (Sunday) there was church service after breakfast and more classes on GPS navigation, Fire Safety and rules of the road and piloting, contact was made with other Sea Scout ships for a possible sail aboard a 43 or 46 foot ketch this August, on Chesapeake Bay. After lunch we got our things around, cleaned up the cabins and left for home with a few stops on the way!

The trip was a great success, with much Sea Scout advancement skills learned!

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Loans AvailableTo Local Farmers

Bradford and Susquehanna Counties recently received a disaster designation for drought and high temperatures which occurred during April of 2005 in the State of New York. Bradford and Susquehanna Counties are eligible because they are contiguous to one of the declared counties in New York State.

Eligible family farmers may quality for Farm Service Agency Emergency loans for related losses. Emergency loans are available at a reduced interest rate to provide financial assistance to farmers so they can return to normal farming operations.

Emergency loan applications will be accepted through close of business August 21, 2006.

Anyone interested in more information on the program should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office.

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