The Endless Mountains Children’s Choir will begin a new season on Thursday, October 17, 2013 6:30PM to 8:00PM with a first rehearsal at the South Gibson United Methodist Church in South Gibson, PA. Any child is welcome. We are always hoping to have more children join our choir and our musical family. There is no tutition fee to join the choir. Choir robes are provided to the children. All funds are generated by generous community support from our funding raising events and from private and community donations.

The children have the opportunity to learn and perform various types of choral literature including classical music of many great composers; folk songs from many countries; gospel and sacred music; Latin chant; multi-cultural music from many countries (they have performed music in 13 foreign languages); music in American sign language; popular music; music from broadway shows. The children are taught notation; rhythm; vocal technique - proper breath control; vocal placement; posture; vocal blend; vocal balance (singing with other voices); intonation; solfege; how to follow the conductor’s gestures (tempo, dynamics, expression).

The choir is a community choir which rehearses once a week on Thursdays, 6:30PM to 8:00PM at the South Gibson United Methodist Church. The children have performed at many local community events, hospitals, nursing homes, tree lightings (especially during the holiday season), the Harford Fair; other highlight performances include performing twice at the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C.; holiday concerts at the Pa capital in Harrisburg; the Kasciusko Day Observance at West Point; performances at the Lithuanian Heritage Day at the Anthracite Museum; performance for a cancer fund raising event at the Scranton Cultural Center; performance for the Susquehanna County Daughters of the American Revolution; performances at the Mt. View Distinguished Alumni Awards. In addition, choir members are offered the opportunity to audition for the American Choral Directors Pa All State Honors Choir; American Choral Directors -National Children’s Elementary Honors Choir; National Junior High /Middle School Honors Choir; American Choral Directors All Eastern Division Children’s Honors Choir; All-Eastern Division Junior High/ Middle School Honors Choir - we have had children in all of these honors choirs.

This year students will be auditioning for high school groups. Also children may audition for the Carnegie Hall Honors Performance Series - children have the opportunity to perform in a honors choral group in Carnegie Hall. We have had one student, Hayley Maloney perform with the Honors Performance Series Choir in Carneige Hall. Hayley has also performed at Kennedy Center this past summer for the 2 week summer opera symposium session for which she had auditioned and was chosen along with only 30 other young opera singers from across the country. So as you can see that as a member of the choir the children have many unique musical experiences offered to them.

We are always looking for new and challenging musical experiences that might be of interest to the children as well as new exciting performance experiences for the choir. The most important thing is sharing their love of music and enjoying singing. This is truly an amazing opportunity for your child to get involved in a beautiful musical experience. If your child loves to sing and loves music this is an experience your child should definitely not miss.

Please email or call Dr. Christine Plonski Sezer, founder/artistic director. Email drcsezer@gmail.com or drcsezer@yahoo.com Phone -(570)756-2729.

The Blue Ribbon Foundation of Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania recently awarded a $7,940.00 grant to help the Dental Unit of Barnes-Kasson Hospital's Family Health Clinic offer services to uninsured patients.

The Dental Unit of the Family Health Clinic is located in an area designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a dental health professional shortage area (HPSA) and is the only facility within 100 miles that accepts patients of all ages on Medical Assistance.

Thanks to the grant from The Blue Ribbon Foundation, the Clinic will be able to expand staff time and purchase the dental supplies needed to serve 85 additional un/underinsured children and adults in the coming year.

"Barnes-Kasson Hospital's Family Health Clinic is an essential resource for families that have difficulty accessing dental health services on their own," said Cynthia A. Yevich, executive director of The Blue Ribbon Foundation. "Preventive dental care is an important step in avoiding serious health problems, and we're pleased that Foundation funds are successfully being used to reach children and adults who are most at risk."

For more information, Susquehanna County residents can contact the Dental Unit at (570) 853-3883.

Recently, Leatherstocking turned natural gas service on in Bridgewater Township, Pennsylvania. The 5 miles of HDPE pipe will initially provide service to the new Endless Mountains Hospital and the Montrose JSHS. Leatherstocking has received approximately 30 service application for customers along the route and anticipate at least 30 more this year. They will be installing service lines to these customers immediately.

Leatherstocking plans to build out its Montrose and Bridgewater systems in 2014 also. Vice President Gas Supply and Marketing, Russ Miller stated, “We are currently canvasing within the Montrose, Bridgewater area and have been receiving signed applications on a daily basis from people throughout the service territory”.

Leatherstocking CEO Mike German would like to thank local and state legislators, business officials and the community for its support of this project. “We could not have done this without the support and cooperation of the local communities”, Mr. German said. “We look forward to expanding this system and providing gas service to other areas in Susquehanna and Bradford Counties”, he added.

Company officials are pleased to be providing service to customers as originally planned in 2013. LGC would also like to thank Cabot Oil & Gas and Williams for their continued support of Leatherstocking.

Rep. Tina Pickett will bring her experience from the private sector and her years in public service as the new chairman of the House Insurance Committee. The selection was announced by Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson/Indiana/Armstrong).

“I am very honored to have been chosen to lead this important committee,” Pickett said. “Insurance is one of those issues that, although technical in nature, touches nearly every citizen in the Commonwealth. From health care to driving to owning your own home, the decisions of this committee are far reaching and have the potential to positively impact Pennsylvania’s 12.7 million citizens. I am looking forward to bringing my skills and expertise to the committee.”

In the most recent legislative session, the House Insurance Committee has focused on health insurance exchanges as part of the Affordable Care Act and the continuation of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The committee also deals with property casualty insurance, annuities and agent and broker licensing.

“Representative Pickett brings a variety of knowledge and experience to the Insurance Committee,” said Smith. “As a former owner of a small business, a county commissioner and as a trustee of her local health system, Tina is no stranger to the insurance industry. With this type of experience, I am confident that the Insurance Committee will benefit greatly from her leadership.”

“A lot of the responsibilities of this committee are designed to increase fairness in the insurance marketplace, which has a direct benefit to the consumer,” said Pickett. “Earlier in my tenure in the House, I served on the committee for two sessions, so I am excited to return in this capacity. I look forward to the many challenges we face and advancing good public policy for the benefit of all Pennsylvanians.”

Most recently, Pickett served as chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee for the past year and a half. She has been a member of the House since 2001.

The mid-session assignment follows the restructuring of several House committees following the death of Rep. Dick Hess (R-Bedford/Fulton/Huntington) in early September.

State Senators Lisa Baker (R-20) and Gene Yaw (R-23) announced that Susquehanna County will receive state funding to continue promoting its recycling program.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Susquehanna County will receive $25,404.83 under the County Recycling Coordinator Grant Program of Act 101 of 1988.

Both legislators said this amount will be used to reimburse 50 percent of county recycling expenses.

“Local recycling efforts reduce the amount of waste going into landfills and provide raw materials for new products,” Baker said. “This is an effective use of state funding, helping the environment and the economy.”

“Support for recycling and waste reduction efforts at the local level is making a tremendous difference across the Northern Tier,” Yaw said. “With assistance from the municipalities and counties receiving Act 101 grants, we can further reduce our pollution risks and conserve our natural resources.”