HEADLINES:
Community Partnership Pays Off In Susky
Foster Grandparents Lend A Helping Hand
Grant Funding For Oaklind Township
Hungry For Variety? Just Say Ice Cream
Kelli Agler To Train At Unity Stables
Rough & Ready Riders Host Year End Banquet
Local Tiger Cubs Hit The Trails
Waste Management Helps Fund Local Scholarships

Community Partnership Pays Off In Susky

Through the efforts of the Susquehanna County Housing & Redevelopment Authority, our community will finally see the decaying, dangerous three story wood structure removed from downtown Susquehanna. The demolition of 204 Main Street is being funded with Neighborhood Stabilization Funds received by Susquehanna County. The funds were made possible under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 through the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and the PA Dept. of Community and Economic Development.

The programs goal was to provide emergency assistance to eligible communities to help stabilize neighborhoods that are faced with many foreclosures and vacant and blighted structures. Removing this building will have a two fold effect as the front of the building faces the Main Street Business district and the rear of the building is facing the designated Elm Street District. This building has been a deterrent in the redevelopment of that block of the Main St. district. Removing this blighted building will make way for the revitalization efforts to begin while cleaning up an Elm St neighborhood. Shea Industries of Clarks Summit, a contractor with many years of demolition experience, was awarded the contract for the demolition. Pictured above (r-l): Mayor Denise Reddon; Council President, Roy Williams; SCDA Chair, Darlene Slocum; Susquehanna Housing & Redevelopment Exec. Director, Karen Allen; Housing & Redevelopment Grants Admin., Bobbi Jo Turner.

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Foster Grandparents Lend A Helping Hand

Susquehanna County foster grandparents celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. by making sleeping bags called "ugly quilts" for people who are living on the streets. The ugly quilts are life saving devices that may keep a homeless individual from freezing to death. The foster grandparents of Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Tioga Counties helped to put together over twenty-one ugly quilts. Flo and Jim Wheatly of Hop Bottom, PA will distribute the sleeping bags to individuals living outside in cities such as Wilkes-Barre, Philadelphia, and New York City.

Foster grandparents are active men and women age 55 and over, who enjoy lending a helping hand where they are needed, as the word grandparent implies. Due to the efforts of these caring people, children in Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Tioga counties reap many benefits of their labors. Each foster grandparent spends at least fifteen hours per week mentoring children. The foster grandparent works very much like any grandparent, providing hugs, encouragement, guidance, positive role modeling, and time. They are an on site grandparent in schools, daycares, and Head Starts to help kids through the bumps of life. You may find a foster grandparent taking time to listen to a child's day, sharing a good book with a little tyke, or encouraging a struggling student to persevere.

You may ask, what is their reward for giving so much of their self? Foster grandparents report they love what they do, and the program gives their life structure. The children saying, "thank you" or "I love you" is very rewarding and fulfilling. "It makes the day worth while." Foster grandparents receive a small monetary reimbursement which is tax-free and will not be counted as income for other income eligibility programs. Most importantly, they have the satisfaction of knowing they made a difference by helping a child overcome obstacles and reach toward meeting goals.

To find out more about the Foster Grandparent Program, please call (toll free) 1-800-982-4346. The Foster Grandparent Program is federally funded by the Corporation for National and Community Services, sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging for Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Tioga Counties, and is a member agency of the Bradford County United Way.

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Grant Funding For Oakland Township

HARRISBURG - Rep. Sandra Major (R-Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming) congratulated Oakland Township on receiving an $839.31 state grant from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under the PA Sewage Facilities Act.

“Our local townships do a great job at managing the sewage lines and treatment of waste day in and day out,” said Major. “This funding helps local governments pay for the expense of meeting state mandated enforcement codes to ensure proper management of sewage across the state.”

The funding will be used to reimburse 42.5 percent of the eligible reimbursement for performing required sewage enforcement provisions as established by the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act.

According to DEP, the Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act was enacted in 1966 to correct existing sewage disposal problems and prevent future problems. The act requires proper planning in all types of sewage disposal situations. Local municipalities are largely responsible for administering the sewage facilities program. To assist local municipalities in fulfilling this responsibility, the DEP provides technical assistance, financial assistance, and oversight.

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Hungry For Variety? Just Say Ice Cream
Submitted By Daisy Matulevich, Susquehanna County Dairy Princess

There are roughly 12,280 different flavors of ice cream; to name a few, there is blueberry cheesecake, chocolate swirl, cookies n’ cream, strawberry, orange dreamsicle, mountain mocha mix, and my personal favorite, vanilla. If you can think of a dessert, you could find ice cream in that flavor.

We’ll consider that a great thing because not all of us are master chefs when it comes to baking a delicious recipe. Opting for ice cream as an after dinner treat has always been a perfect alternative to a complicated double layered chocolate cake. However, if you would like to test your skills in the kitchen, why not make your own ice cream? There are plenty of recipes available, and a book to take interest in would be “The Perfect Scoop” by David Lebovitz. Lebovitz provides a variety of ice cream recipes including Candied Bacon Ice Cream. I haven’t tried it yet, but if anyone does, please let me know how it turns out!

Pictured above, Dairy Maid Mariah Tompkins and Susquehanna County Dairy Princess Dairy Matulevich share an ice cream break with Elk Lake Headstart children at Susquehanna County’s Dairy Day.

Not only can new flavors of ice cream be invented with a creative hand, but it has the power to bring people together. Having done dairy promotions throughout the county, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. At the Harford Fair last August, I had the privilege of creating a giant ice cream sundae with my promotional court. There were a variety of people that took the opportunity to taste the delicious treat, and it was exciting to see that many people in one place for only one reason - ice cream.

More recently, my dairy promotional court and I had the occasion to serve ice cream to the public at Susquehanna County’s Dairy Day on Friday March 5. I had a great time meeting new people by refreshing their day with a frozen treat. If variety is the spice of life, then Dairy Day was a whole lot of flavor, from the ice cream to the people.

Take a break from a stress filled day by relaxing with a serving of your favorite flavor ice cream, but most of all, remember to get your 3 servings of dairy every single day!

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Kelli Agler To Train At Unity Stables
Submitted By Susquehanna County Cooperative Extension

With several years worth of 4-H membership combined, Unity Stables owner Jennifer Joines, welcomed Kelli Agler as assistant trainer/instructor to the program. Both Jennifer and Kelli grew up as members of clubs in the Susquehanna County 4-H program and continue now as leaders of current clubs.

If you are interested in joining 4H, you may call the Susquehanna County Extension office at 570-278-1158, for contact numbers of clubs and leaders in the county.

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Rough & Ready Riders Host Year End Banquet
Submitted By Susquehanna County Cooperative Extension

On Saturday, February 20, members of Rough and Ready Riders 4-H Horse and Pony Club celebrated with friends and family for a year end Banquet and Awards party. The party was held at the Elk Lake Swimming Pool and couldn't have been more fun. After 2 hours of splashing, everyone enjoyed an abundance of food and goodies, followed by the announcement of awards.

Distribution of awards went as such: Walk/Trot High Point, Maddy Montgomery; Walk/Trot Reserve, Meghan Norton; Jr. English High Point, Ashlynn Cobb; Jr. English Reserve, Katelyn Kveragas; Sr. English High Point, Kelsey Warriner; Jr. Western High Point, Travis Novakowski; Sr. Western High Point, Liana Stinson; Production High Point, Morgan Duke; Production Reserve, Emily Cavanaugh; Sr. Gymkhana High Point, Meg Honeyford; Jr. Gymkhana High Point, Ashlee Lattner.

A very special award was also presented to club leader Jen Joines, for her dedication to the club. A special thank you is extended to Grinning Horses Tack for providing the club with such beautiful awards.

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Local Tiger Cubs Hit The Trails

On March 7, Boy Scout Troop Pack 81, Den #11 made a trip to Callenders Sugar House and Cross Country Skiing. The Den used this day to complete two requirements in their Cub Scout Tiger Cub handbooks: "take a hike with your Den” as well as “picnic fun."

Pictured (l-r) above: front - Travis Rockwell, Kyle Spoor, Hayden Wayman, and Preston Perry; back - Den Leader, Aaron Rockwell.

Before setting out for the 2 1/2 mile trail the boys received awards (badges) for their previous accomplishments. The Den enjoyed a picnic lunch before hitting the trails. Joining the 3 boys belonging to Den 11 were many family and friends who also set out on the trail. Thanks are extended to those who participated and made this day possible. Special thanks to Spence and Ardith Callender for helping the boys accomplish another goal in their handbook. The group had a beautiful day and everyone had an enjoyable time!

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Waste Management Helps Fund Local Scholarships

Montrose, PA - Waste Management has again contributed to the K-12 scholarship program of The Community Foundation of Susquehanna County, which helps low to moderate income families send their children to tuition based schools and programs.

The $10,000 donation to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) program was provided by Waste Management and its local hauler, Apex Waste Services of Dunmore. Through the EITC program businesses in Pennsylvania can reduce a portion of their state corporation tax by donating funding for scholarships and educational improvement programs. The scholarships are used for tuition to private schools, career and technology training, and scholarships to advanced learning camps and programs. Parents with adjusted incomes under $50,000 may qualify for scholarship assistance.

Peter Quigg, Foundation President, expressed his gratitude for Waste Management’s donation. “The students, families, and schools who benefit from this tuition assistance program very much appreciate Waste Management’s assistance. The corporation’s participation again this year has been very helpful.”

“We’re thankful to be operating in this community and happy to express our appreciation by supporting the foundation’s K-12 scholarship program,” said John Hambrose, Waste Management’s spokesman in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Apex, Alliance Landfill in Taylor, and the Beach Lake Transfer Station in Wayne County are operated by Waste Management (NYSE: WMI), its industry's leading provider of comprehensive environmental services. Based in Houston, Waste Management serves municipal, commercial, industrial, and residential customers throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information on this and other programs of the Community Foundation please visit www.community-foundation.org.

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