HEADLINES:
Beta Rho Chapter Initiates Members
Sharing Christmas Comfort And Joy!
Sea Scouts Attend Training Weekend
Senior Centers Have So Much To Offer

Beta Rho Chapter Initiates Members
Submitted By Cindy G. Reynolds

The Montrose Presbyterian Church, with a festive holiday atmosphere, was the setting for the December meeting of the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. President Susan Lee conducted the business meeting, which included the collection of children’s books to distribute locally and to support the state project, Ethiopia Reads. The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is a professional honor society for women educators with more than 115,000 members. Established in 16 member countries around the world, the society defines its mission as promoting professional and personal growth of women educators, and excellence in education.

Pictured (l-r) are new Beta Rho initiates Ann Gay, Katrina McMahon, Carol Madill.

Highlights of the chapter meeting included the presentation of 25-year membership pins to members Pat Arnold, Nina Merrick, Landsdale Shaffmaster, Ellen Whipple, and Cindy Wooden. Vice President Bonnie Gregory organized the presentation ceremony, during which the pins were presented by other members who reflected on the contributions each one recognized has made to the chapter and to education.

Ann Gay, Carol Madill and Katrina McMahon, educators in local school districts, were honored with membership in the society and warmly welcomed by the membership. They were initiated during a lovely candle-light initiation ceremony conducted by Second Vice President Ann Way. Each of the new initiates and the 25-year pin recipients were also presented with a lovely single red rose, which symbolizes friendship, loyalty and helpfulness in the society.

The society offers more leadership training opportunities for women educators than any other professional organization. These include scholarships for both active and retired members, stipends for educational projects, and online courses for professional growth. Society activities for 2009 include the Alpha Alpha State Purposeful Seminar: The Erie Experience, Environment and More, to be held April 24-26 in Erie, PA; the state convention, June 12-14 at the Nittany Lion Inn, State College, features the theme, A Tapestry of Stories; the Northeast Regional Conference, Activate Your Vision, will be in Burlington, Vermont July 22-25.

The next Beta Rho Chapter meeting will feature Stress Relief Techniques by Emily Alt at the United Methodist Church in Susquehanna on March 14.

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Sharing Christmas Comfort And Joy!
Submitted

Many hands working together, with lots of love thrown in for good measure, make great things happen at Christmas time in our area.

Pictured (l-r) with items collected for local distribution are: Margaret Biegert - Susquehanna Community Development Association, Aletha Monahan - Susquehanna Food Bank Aide, Joan Hanrahan - Experience Works, Alice Deutsch - BPW & Harvest of the Arts.

Christmas stockings filled with gifts and teddy bears were presented to the Food Bank in Susquehanna, for distribution along with the food. “The Nellie Jane DeWitt Business & Professional Women along with members of the SCDA -Harvest of the Arts wanted to help brighten the lives of young people in our area during the holiday season. I think we were successful in our mission,” stated Alice Deutsch. Aletha Monahan, Food Bank Aide and Joan Hanrahan, of Experience Works, both indicated that the families were very appreciative of the extra items that they received.

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Sea Scouts Attend Training Weekend
By Ron Hall, Commodore

What do Sea Scouts do when all their boats are in storage for the winter months? They attend the North-East Region Sea Scout Training Weekend, January 9 – 11 at the Catoctin Mountain Park in Maryland, next to Camp David. Over 250 Sea Scouts have been attending this regional event for 15 years, and Sea Scout Ship 90 has attended most of them. After a weekend of very intense Sea Scout advancement and adult officers’ training, there is still time for the Saturday night dance, basketball game, movies and pizza party.

Also, at the Skippers and Commodores meeting, there was much important information from Bruce Johnson of the National Sea Scout Committee on the reorganization of the BSA and Sea Scouting, and also on the 100th anniversary of Sea Scouting to take place in Baltimore Harbor and Fort McHenry in 2012.

Attending from Sea Scout Ship 90 were Boatswain Christian Chluszinski, Austin Chluszinski, Brittany Birtch, Trinnity Spencer, Tiffany Spencer and Josh Warner, who finished his requirements for Ordinary Seaman Rank. Officers attending were Skipper Chuck Jaget and Commodore Ron Hall.

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Senior Centers Have So Much To Offer

For seniors residing in Susquehanna County, there is opportunity to attend one of the six senior centers located in Susquehanna County to enjoy a delicious meal and meet friends. The Area Agency on Aging (AAA) has recently been designated to directly operate the senior centers located in Susquehanna County. This new designation has also resulted in the AAA securing a new food service provider. Metz Food Service is now providing meals at the senior centers and meals for those older persons receiving home-delivered meals. A Nutrition Council has been established, whereby individuals attending the senior center can provide feedback on meal quality and satisfaction to Metz Food Service.

The senior centers offer a hot noon-time nutritious meal, educational, recreational, exercise programs and social activities. Individuals can also become a part of the volunteer team by helping with activities at the senior center or becoming a volunteer home-delivered meal driver. Persons age 60 and older are cordially invited to attend the senior center located in their neighborhood. Activities and educational programs are geared to the interests of those seniors attending the senior center. Persons interested in attending a senior center need to call one day in advance to make a meal reservation. Senior centers are located in the following areas.

Blue Ridge Senior Center: Great Bend, (570) 879-2896, Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 3:00 p.m.

Forest City Senior Center: Forest City Borough Bldg., (570) 785-3386, Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Lawton Senior Center: Rush Fire Hall, (570) 934-2575, Monday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Lenoxville Senior Center: Lenoxville Community Hall, (570) 222-9550, Thursday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Montrose Senior Center: Montrose Square Apts., (570) 278-4370, Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Susquehanna Senior Center: Turnpike Terrace Apts., (570) 853-3967, Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

For more information about the Susquehanna County Senior Centers, contact the Area Agency on Aging Office located in Montrose at (570) 278-3751 (locally) or 1-800-634-3746 (toll-free), Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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