HEADLINES:
Susky Fire Dept. Establishes Fund
Waiting For You!
Give Daffodils They Give Hope
Apple Tree Basics
Engagement Announced O’Rourke – Rombach
Help Wanted Help Needed
Library Letter Contest Winners Announced
Twin Girls!

Susky Fire Dept. Establishes Fund

The Susquehanna Fire Department (pictured) recently established its own endowment with The Community Foundation of Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties. Proceeds from this permanent Fund will be used to offset the operating expenses of the department. The Community Foundation will manage the Fund to ensure its stability and long-term growth so that the fire department will benefit for generations to come. To further develop the Fund the fire department plans to make periodic contributions that will increase the value of the Fund and consequently increase the amount of the annual disbursements paid to the department. Any individual or business wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to the Fund may send it to the Susquehanna Fire Department Fund at The Community Foundation, 36 Lake Ave., Montrose, PA 18801. The growth of the Fund will help contribute to the safety and well being of the citizens of the Susquehanna area for years to come.

Back to Top

Waiting For You!

Please give a home to Bear! This sweet, two-year old black Lab has been our guest since before Thanksgiving and he’s getting so depressed because everyone passes him by. Bear is good with children, cats and other dogs and, being a Lab, is very trainable and willing to learn if given a chance. Won’t you give him a chance?

They’ll be waiting for you at the Susquehanna County Humane Society Shelter in Montrose, (570) 278–1228.

Back to Top

Give Daffodils They Give Hope

Give Daffodils They Give Hope

As January quickly comes to a close, thoughts of spring fill the air and the American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days campaign is in full swing. Pre-sales coordinators, committee chairs, and scores of dedicated volunteers have been hard at work for months planning the 33rd annual campaign. Last year, almost $3.9 million was raised in the fight against cancer in Pennsylvania, making it once again one of the top campaigns in the country.

In 2006, the American Cancer Society has again partnered with Boyds(TM) Bear, producing Flowers R. Hope (pictured), a special collectible Boyds Bear designed exclusively for Daffodil Days as part of Bear and a Bunch(TM). Coming with a bunch of daffodils, Flowers R. Hope is a 12 inch plush, oatmeal colored bear with green eyes. Funds raised from the Boyds Bear will help the American Cancer Society continue its mission of fighting cancer through research, education, advocacy, and patient service programs in your local community.

Pre-sales for Daffodil Days are currently underway. A bunch of 10 daffodils is available for a donation of $7. Flowers R. Hope is available with a bunch of daffodils for a donation of $25. The Vase of Hope, a finely crafted etched glass memento of Daffodil Days is available with a bunch of flowers for $15. Daffodils are also available by the box. A full box of 500 stems is $350, a half box of 250 stems is $175, and a quarter box of 130 stems is $90.

Daffodils are delivered during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March. The Society estimates that more than 55,000 people will die from colon cancer this year, a number that could be cut in half if Americans followed American Cancer Society screening recommendations. For more information contact your American Cancer Society at 1.800.ACS.2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

Daffodil Days is set for March 20-26 this year, so make sure to Give Daffodils. Give Hope. Contact your local American Cancer Society office or call 1–800–ACS–2345 to place your advance order by Friday, February 17!

Back to Top

Apple Tree Basics
By Debbie Buck, Master Gardener

Greetings from the garden! Green Side Up is a column written by Penn State Master Gardeners for the purpose of educating the public.

This week I have had a request from a friend to write an article to help him with his apple trees. While doing my research, however, I realized there are so many topics to cover that I would need to write a book, not a column, to thoroughly cover them all. So, to the best of my ability, and with some help from my Master Gardener Manual, I will try to summarize the major points of helping your apple tree to be the healthiest it can be.

If you are planning to plant apple trees, but have not yet done so, the best advice is to choose a variety that is disease resistant. Just remember that disease resistant does not mean disease proof. There may come a time when you will have to treat your tree due to an ailment, especially if your tree has been under stress.

If you have trees that are already established you may need to prune, fertilize, or treat your tree for disease or pest control. While these are also important with young trees, older trees may have been neglected and could be in need of resuscitation. Pruning includes removing dead branches as well as suckers, which will allow for air flow to assist in preventing disease. Fruit trees are also commonly pruned to achieve a desired shape and size for optimum ease of maintenance. Lopping off any old branch, willy nilly, is not the proper, or healthy way to prune a tree. You can do more damage to a tree by pruning in the wrong location and allowing disease to enter.

The best way to fertilize a tree is by broadcast fertilizing. Roots of a tree spread as far away from the trunk underground as the limbs grow outward. So, this technique will assure the best coverage. A soil test will tell you if your soil pH and soil nutrients are at their peak levels, as well as what may be needed.

Fruit thinning is also recommended to allow for the best crop possible. By removing excess fruit you will allow your tree to put more energy into the remaining produce. This thinning will also make disease and pest control easier.

Providing the healthiest environment possible for your trees allows them to be more resilient against disease and pest damage. This also includes assuring an ample water supply. The Extension Office has helpful handouts that can help you learn how to best care for your tree.

There are numerous types of disease or pest infections that could afflict your tree. Proper treatment first requires proper identification of the problem. Please contact the Master Gardeners at the Extension Office in Montrose if you need assistance with this process. We are more than happy to help. The Extension Office offers free information on many subjects such as pruning techniques, as well as soil test kits for purchase.

I hope you will come back and visit us in the garden next time. If you have any questions you would like answered by our Master Gardeners please write to: Green Side Up, c/o Penn State Cooperative Extension, 31 Public Ave, Montrose, Pa. 18801.

Happy Gardening!

Back to Top

Engagement Announced O’Rourke – Rombach

Delmar and Shirley O’Rourke of Montrose announce the engagement of their daughter, Mindy Sue O’Rourke, to Brandon John Rombach.

The future bridegroom is the son of William and Debra Rombach of Friendsville.

Brandon and Mindy Sue

Miss O’Rourke graduated from Montrose High School in 2003. She is currently employed at the Binghamton General Hospital as a Nurse’s Aide and attending Broome Community College in the health science field.

Brandon graduated from Montrose High School in 2005. He is also currently employed at the Binghamton General Hospital as an Operating Room Aide and attending Broome Community College in the health science field.

A June 23, 2007 wedding is planned.

Back to Top

Help Wanted Help Needed

Susquehanna County Literacy Program is a nonprofit organization dedicated to lifelong learning. We help residents of Susquehanna County achieve their educational goals such as learning to read; improving math skills; life skills (budgeting, balancing a checkbook, measurements, map reading, understanding forms, prescriptions, and documents); earning a GED diploma; studying the written portion of the driver training exam; basic computer skills.

If you need help in any of these areas you may contact us at (570) 278–9027 or (570) 465–2880. All of our services are free and confidential.

If you would like to help others to achieve their literacy goals you can become a literacy volunteer by calling one of our offices to make an appointment with a member of the Literacy staff.

Back to Top

Library Letter Contest Winners Announced

The Susquehanna County Historical Society & Free Library Association held a letter-writing contest in the fall. All the letters were sent to Governor Rendell at the end of the year, and local legislators chose winners in adult and child categories for each branch.

State Senator Charles Lemmon, State Representative Tina Pickett, and State Representative James Wansacz carefully evaluated the letters. Here are the winners, with a sample sentence from each letter. The full text of the letters is available at the Library's website, www.susqcolibrary.org.

Hallstead-Great Bend - Adult: Kristin Longacre, "I love my home town library."

Hallstead-Great Bend - Child: Autumn Stoddard (age 8), "I am thankful for my library because if I have a report on something I can go to the library and find a book about it."

Forest City - Adult: Lisa DeMark, "I have been able to improve my mind, health, and body, borrowing self help books and videos."

Forest City - Child: Jeffrey Burrell (age 7), "[Reading] is like a mini vacation for your brain!"

Montrose - Adult: Shannon Miranda, "Each visit is a new adventure in learning whether it be: quiet study, being transported to a magical world, learning a new hobby or being humbled by the sacrifices of the pioneers."

Montrose - Child: David Koloski (age 10), "Now, I use the computers there too."

Susquehanna - Adult: Marie Monroe, "I am thankful for my library because it has a wealth of good books, magazines, videos and other carefully selected materials and a highly competent, helpful staff to run it."

Child: Ryan Rosenthal (age 12), "I, myself have learned a lot from this library and they need support on expanding on their wonderful collection."

Winners are receiving a library tote bag, in the color of their choice containing special prizes.

Back to Top

Twin Girls!

Twin daughters, Paige Marissa, weighing 6 pounds, 4.5 ounces, and Nora Leann, weighing 6 pounds, 11.5 ounces, were born to Geoffrey and Kendra Alaishuski of Audubon, PA on January 5, 2006.

Maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Light, of RR, Forest City.

Maternal great-grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Sparks, also of RR, Forest City.

Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. George Alaishuski of Ashley.

Back to Top

©