HEADLINES:
Dave Navickas Earns Quartermaster Award
County CARES Shares At State-Wide Forum
Foster Grandparents Need Participants
Garden Club Update
Monday Club News

Dave Navickas Earns Quartermaster Award
By Ron Hall, Commodore

Sea Scout David T. Navickas of Sea Scout Ship North Star 90, New Milford, has earned the highest rank in Sea Scouting, that of the Quartermaster Award. The award will be presented at Ship 90’s 67th Bridge of Honor held at the Sea Scout Hall, New Milford on Monday, January 5 at 7:00 p.m.

David Navickas has earned the Quartermaster Award, the highest rank in Sea Scouting.

David is the son of Liz and Tom Navickas of Hallstead, and a 2006 graduate of Blue Ridge High School. He is currently in his third year at Penn State University in State College, studying for his mechanical engineering degree. To earn the Quartermaster Award in Sea Scouting, Dave has become a proficient sailor and leader, learning all the skills of a mariner, sailing in all kinds of weather and becoming an excellent white water canoeist. For his service project, he organized and supervised the painting of the outside walls of the Sunday school classrooms of the First Baptist Church in New Milford.

Dave served as boatswain of Ship 90 and as the number-one bugler for the Sea Scouts. Always playing Taps at all Memorial Day services in Great Bend, Hallstead, and New Milford, he was very active in the Blue Ridge Band and the South New Milford Baptist Church. In addition to the very prestigious Quartermaster Award, he has earned his Eagle Scout Award and the Venturing Silver Award.

This is Ship 90’s 21st Quartermaster Award. David will be commissioned as a Third Mate after his Quartermaster presentation and continue to serve Sea Scouting as an adult officer in Ship 90.

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County CARES Shares At State-Wide Forum
Submitted ByStephnie Thornton

Members of Susquehanna County CARES (Childcare, Agencies, Resources and Educational Services) had the opportunity to learn more about helping our young children succeed and share what’s being done in this county while participating in a special Pennsylvania Governor’s Forum, “Linking Ready Kids to Ready Schools.”

The two-day conference in Philadelphia was sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which is dedicated to strengthening families. The foundation is focusing on work in five states, including Pennsylvania, hoping to learn more about the policies designed to help children successfully move into Kindergarten. They also are encouraging continued development of transition programs to support long-term educational success.

While the team from Susquehanna County heard from national and state leaders including Dr. Roger Sampson, President, Education Commission of the States, CARES Program Manager Stephnie Thornton was one of a handful selected to share what is being done locally to help families of young children.

She explained several activities in Susquehanna County promoted through the non-profit group, including teacher swaps between elementary teachers and those in the early learning environment, backpacks full of school readiness materials distributed to every family with a child starting school for the first time, and the successful summer program called T.A.P.S. or Transition Activities for Parents and Students.

Team members Susan Pipitone, Mountain View Elementary Principal, Meghan Degilio, PDE Program Coordinator for Head Start, Lynnette Ryman, Director of Children’s Palace and Cindy Reynolds, T.A.P.S. Consultant worked together to outline continued projects for CARES based on information from this unique conference.

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Foster Grandparents Need Participants
Submitted By Bonnie Austin, Program Director

If you are 60 years or older, you could bring joy to children at a day care or Head Start center and make an impact on their lives by sharing conversation, stories, meals, playtime and cuddle time by joining the Foster Grandparent Program.

The program allows for intergenerational interaction, and gives at-risk children one-on-one time with someone who cares about them, helping them reach their goals set by supervising staff. Due to the one-on-one attention from an older adult, the child's self-esteem is often improved upon, as well as improvement in behavior, academics, literacy, cognitive skills, social skills, enhanced emotional development, and relationships. Foster Grandparents who have participated in the program state that the opportunity has given their life new meaning. They report they now have a reason to get up in the morning, feel needed, and are doing something important. Older adults can teach the values, morals, crafts, and provide the stories that are being lost as time goes by. Too many children in our area lack a relationship and role modeling that is unique with the older generation.

Foster Grandparents receive a tax-free stipend for participating in the program. This money does not affect any other income eligibility program. Other benefits they receive are paid time off, personal days, and eleven paid holidays, reimbursement for travel to their sites and program meetings. Transportation arrangements can be made with the Endless Mountains Transportation Authority.

Eligibility criteria for the Foster Grandparent Program is to be 60 years of age or older, meet income guidelines, pass a physical, background clearances, and be available a minimum of 15 hours per week. An orientation class and ongoing monthly in-service trainings are provided. Men are needed to participate in this program to provide role modeling, and activities.

If you are interested in learning more about the program, call the Area Agency on Aging, toll-free at 1-800-982-4346. The Foster Grandparent Program is sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging, for Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Tioga Counties, and federally funded by the Corporation for National Community Services. The Area Agency on Aging and the Foster Grandparent Program is a member of the Bradford County United Way.

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Garden Club Update
Submitted By Connie Tellep

The Mountain View Garden Club held their annual holiday party at the Crystal Pines on Tuesday, December 16. President Linda Shuma thanked outgoing president, JoAnn Hall for a successful term in office.

This year, with the generosity of our members we were able to adopt two families through the “ Adopt A Family” project. Thank you to all who donated to this worthy cause.

The next meeting will be held on March 17 at the Clifford Fire Hall. The club welcomes anyone interested in our programs. We wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season. See you next spring!

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Monday Club News
Submitted By Carolee Slocum

The members of The Monday Club would like to thank everyone who participated in our fall afghan and basket raffle, as well as those who purchased Christmas cookies. Our congratulations go to the three raffle winners. The fall basket was won by Evelyn Gerchman; the Christmas basket was won by Sue Buman; and the winner of the afghan was Dorothy Peterson.

The money raised from raffles, cookie sales, club dues, and other activities enables us to contribute to the following: Susquehanna County Library, Barnes-Kasson Hospital, Susquehanna Fire Company, Certified Nurses Aide training, and Children and Youth. We also award a scholarship to a graduating senior at Susquehanna Community High School.

The Monday Club was organized in 1894, under the leadership of Rachel Kane. At that time, the role of a woman was to learn the domestic arts of homemaking, to marry well, and to raise children who would be a credit to the family. Very few of the original thirty-five members were college graduates, although many of them had attended a state teacher’s college. They realized that the cultural life of Susquehanna in 1894 was sorely lacking. Their solution was to organize a “literary” club with these aims: to promote, encourage and improve the literary, educational, social, and economic status of the members of the club and community, as well as to foster fellowship, understanding, and good will among the members of the club and the community. During the first few years, the women studied the Civil War, and learned about many American authors. They also studied and reported on the history and literature of England; the wars and culture of Germany; the wars and philosophers of Greece; the history, wars, art, and religion of Rome; and the continents of Africa and South America. Some of the social events included Shakespearean evenings, annual receptions, nature evenings, and various “musicales,” with musicians from New York City.

In 1925, the programs changed when The Monday Club joined the Pennsylvania and General Federations of Women’s Clubs. The programs were then tailored to the goals of the various departments of the Federations: Arts, Community Development, Conservation, Education, Home Life, International Affairs, and Legislation. Many outside speakers addressed the group including Donald Day, Willard Collier, Judge Edward P. Little, Mrs. Ira Reynolds, and Edward Buchla.

Although there have been many changes over the years, including a decision to become independent of the Federated Women’s Clubs, our members continue to adhere to the original sentiments of the club. We continue to support local organizations through time and money. Our meetings are usually the first Monday of the month. Programs include speakers on a variety of topics; craft meetings, including a yearly meeting where we make Christmas items for SNF; trips to parks, theaters, potteries, greenhouses, and restaurants; picnics; and a tea, where we discuss and share various books that members have read.

Our current officers are: Carolee Slocum, president; Sue Rowe, vice-president; Erika Fisher, secretary; and Sharon Hoopes, treasurer.

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