OCTOBER 2018
Since 1998
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CONNECT OCTOBER 2018
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FEATURES DO YOU KNOW YOUR FOOD? If you are what you eat, you’re probably getting a little less American every day. The United States’ food supply has become increasingly foreign over the past fifteen years. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables are now available year-round, long after their seasons have passed locally. FALL WINE DINNERS IN HAWLEY Fall is the perfect time for wine. Each fall Settlers Hospitality hosts wine pairing dinners that are educational, fun and most of all, tasty. HAUNTED HAYRIDES, PUMPKIN PAINTING, COSTUME PARTIES AND MORE Coming off the very busy summer season, Woodloch Pines, an award-winning, all-inclusive family resort, appreciates the calm of fall. A NIGHT FOR THE CURE On Sunday, October 21, 2018, Woodloch Pines Resort will host the 11th Annual A Night for the Cure. The tricky-tray fundraiser benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure as part of BK Hope Cures. TIPS TO HELP YOU GET YOUR HOME ORGANIZED THIS AUTUMN We’ve all had that moment when we’re looking for something in our house and after minutes of searching, shoulders get heaved up and we say: “Well, it’ll turn up.”
COLUMNS 5
Cover photo courtesy of Glasswine.bar.kitchen at Ledges Hotel.
WORDS FROM THE TEAM
28 BOOK REVIEW
14 PINK OCTOBER PRODUCTS
30 POCONO SECRETS
18 DISASTER BLASTER
32 CLASSIC CARS
20 LIVING GREEN
34 OUTDOOR RAMBLINGS
22 MRS. DOGOOD
36 PETS
24 PRISON REFLECTIONS
38 BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
26 MONEY
40 AREA EVENTS
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CONNECTIONS Magazine
resident • publisher • editor in chief deborah bailey production manager meica drake account representatives barry weiss • dwight gregory editorial correction services kay marks assignment writer allison mowatt contributing writers fred cicetti, The Healthy Geezer terry mooney, Reflections of a Prison Inmate arthur middleton, MD, FAPA, Behavioral Medicine michael krupa, Finance josh sheard, Finance terri schlichenmeyer, Book Review la guzda, Pocono Secrets arnie milidantri, Classic Cars bill deaton, Outdoor Ramblings pike/wayne conservation partnership, Living Green
CONNECTIONS Magazine 3305 Lake Ariel Highway Honesdale, PA 18431 570.647.0085 • Fax 570.647.0086 cmag@ptd.net • thinkconnections@yahoo.com www.connections-magazine.com Connections Magazine is not responsible for typographical errors, mistakes or misprints. All advertising, including photographs, is the property of Connections Magazine and not that of the advertiser. The advertiser has purchased the right of reproduction only in Connections Magazine and does not have the right to reproduce the ads in any other place or publication. Connections Magazine reserves its rights to exercise its discretion in the selection of advertisements.
WHAT A DILEMMA To laugh is to risk appearing a fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out for another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk rejection. To place your visions before the crowd is to risk ridicule. To love is to risk not being loved in return. **To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. We may avoid suffering and sorrow, but we cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or know GOD. Chained by our own self-assurances, we are a slave. We have forfeited our freedom. Only the person who dares to take risks and to trust in their GOD will ever be made FREE.
© COPYRIGHT 2017 CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE
In 1997, Rev. Edwin E. Bailey, father of the editor, gave this poem to his daughter 8 days before he had a stroke and 3 weeks before he died. The poem was adapted from works by Leo Buscaglia. Edwin hand wrote this on a scrap of paper and gave it to his daughter, Deborah, saying the words, “Someday you’ll understand these words and use them. God bless sweetheart.” **These words were used in making the decision to purchase Connections Magazine in 2002. CONNECTIONS COPYRIGHTED 2007
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WORDS FROM THE TEAM
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I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.
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–L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
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OO! It’s hard to believe an entire year has passed since we revamped CM. We hope you have fallen in love with it as much as we have. We’ve had a spooktacular time bringing you all the Good Stuff in our area and hope it was a treat for you and your families. This month, we offer you some yummy dining ideas, haunted hayrides, pumpkin paintings, costume parties, local ghost stories and more. Don’t miss the Night for the Cure, Sunday, October 21st at Woodloch Pines Resort. This tricky-tray fundraiser is sure to be a blast. Plus, get your home organized this autumn with lots of ghoulishly great tips. Happy Halloween! CM Team 570.647.0085 cmag@ptd.net
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Do You Know Your Food? A lot of what Americans eat comes from other countries, and as the number of food recalls rises, experts urge consumers to get smarter about where their food originates. By Ben Larrison, CTW Features
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f you are what you eat, you’re probably getting a little less American every day. The United States’ food supply has become increasingly foreign over the past fifteen years. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables are now available year-round, long after their seasons have passed locally. Bananas from Ecuador, beans from Mexico, and apples from New Zealand are waiting for you comfortably in the aisles of your neighborhood grocery store. Seafood is another popular import: Shrimp, for one, comes in from Thailand, China, and Indonesia, and Chinese catfish and eel are prone to show up on your dinner plate. Chances are your morning beverage also comes from overseas; there are Colombian coffee and Indian tea, and the sugar you add may be from the Caribbean. More of a juice person? We’ve got apple juice from Argentina and orange juice from Brazil.
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Even the oils you cook your food in come from outside the United States: Canola oil is Canadian, and olive oil is from countries like Spain, Greece, and, of course, Italy. “We are importing an enormous number of food products,” says Patrick Woodall, a policy analyst for New York-based Food & Water Watch. From 1983 to 1985, imports amounted for just nine percent of fresh vegetable consumption in the United States. By 2003 to 2005, they were up to 16 percent, and that number is on the rise. Many of the products we import are things that can be grown in the U.S. More than one third of the tomatoes we consume are grown overseas, as are nearly half of the cucumbers, one-third of melons like honeydew and cantaloupe, and more than half of the garlic. This boom in food imports has brought the luxury of a wider variety of healthy options no matter the month. But with these benefits come hazards.
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KNOW YOUR FOOD “The risks obviously are the possibility of picking up some exotic food-borne disease, getting sick, and in some cases dying,” says Larry Busch, director of the Institute for Food and Agricultural Standards at Michigan State University, East Lansing. Part of the issue is the FDA and USDA’s inability to monitor the incredible amount of food brought into the country every day on ships and planes. According to Woodall, less than two percent of the edible goods are actually inspected, focusing mostly on items that have a higher risk for contamination, such as seafood and produce. Inspectors have found veggies that are rotten, filthy, and contaminated with pesticide or salmonella. Fish, in particular, has presented problems, with the U.S. importing 80% of its seafood. Mike Doyle, director of the Center of Food Safety at the University of Georgia, Athens, says that inspectors have found “an awful lot” of salmonella in shrimp – up to 810% by some estimates – due to the use of chicken manure as a fertilizer at some aquaculture plants. Most tuna is imported and has at times been found to contain high mercury levels. And just last year, the government placed a temporary ban on farm-raised shrimp, catfish, and eel from China because they had been treated with harmful veterinary medicine and antibiotics. “We import about a billion pounds of fish per year, and we look at about two percent of that,” Woodall says. “And what that means is that 980 million pounds of fish are being imported without even a cursory glance from the FDA.” Seventy-six million Americans get some sort of food-borne illness every year, though it is unknown how many of those are the result of foreign-grown and raised food. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors food illness rates in the United States, “hasn’t really been trying to differentiate between whether it’s foreign foods and domestic foods that are causing problems,” Doyle says. Experts say the government’s ability to properly inspect food coming into the country has declined because of budget cuts, while at the same time the number of imports has increased. “I think it’s probably slightly true (that imported food has more safety issues than food from the U.S.)” Busch says. “On the one hand, the sheer volume of imported food has been growing at an incredible rate, and the other thing to remember here is the safer the food supply gets, the more these incidents are going to show up in the media.” Afew years ago, Chinese imports came under greater scrutiny after four dogs and ten cats died due to tainted pet food, leading to massive recalls. This skepticism soon spread to food, and a study in Consumer Reports magazine
found that 92% of Americans want to know their food’s country of origin. The 2002 Farm Bill included the stipulation that fish, beef, lamb, pork, fruits, and vegetables had to be identified by their country of origin. But to date, only seafood has been subject to the program known as COOL (country of origin labeling.) Busch says that while there may be public interest, “I’m not sure knowing where it’s from is a good proxy for knowing whether or not it’s safe.” As far as safety is concerned, Busch says that most people automatically assume the food they buy from the supermarket is going to be safe. And, he adds, “I would say that on the whole, people tend to be more concerned about the nutritional value of their food than where it comes from.” Some experts recommend buying locally at places like farmers’ markets, as that food is subject to strict domestic food regulation that does not necessarily apply to imports.
Here are some ways to eat well and stay safe:
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Try to keep tabs on what foods are presenting problems and where the tainted goods have been coming from, be they domestic or foreign. “We do know that based on the FDA’s surveillance data, food from certain countries in particular tends to have a much higher occurrence of defects,” says Mike Doyle, director of the Center of Food Safety at the University of Georgia. India, Mexico, and China are currently among the leading countries for rejected food shipments. To get the latest updates on import refusals, go to www.fda.gov/ora, click on “Import Program,” and then select “Import Refusal Report.” From there, you can search by product or country for all rejected goods, including food. Proper preparation and careful cooking of food can help to reduce the chance of contracting a food borne illness. “Many of the microbiological issues can be solved by good handling aspects,” Doyle says. “If you properly cook foods, you will kill shigella and you will kill salmonella.”
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Don’t be afraid to buy foreign foods. The inspections and regulatory practices in the product’s country of origin tend to get the job done. “For the most part, (the system) works extremely well,” says Larry Busch, director of the Institute for Food and Agricultural Standards at Michigan State University.
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FALL FEATURE WINE DINNERS STORY
Fall Wine Dinners in Hawley
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all is the perfect time for wine. Each fall Settlers Hospitality hosts wine pairing dinners that are educational, fun and most of all, tasty. This year they kicked things off at Glass-wine.bar.kitchen September 21st with their Chile vs. Argentina Wine Dinner. This month The Settlers Inn will also host a wine dinner on October 5th with a focus on our local farmers. The Farmers Harvest Wine Dinner will highlight the delectable local produce of the season with wine selected by sommelier, Claude Briere. The chefs are featuring items like Cherry, Pecan and Goat Cheese Truffles, Smoked and Grilled Lato Sud Butternut Squash Rounds, Grilled Venison Loin with Butternut BĂŠarnaise Sauce and fall treats will round out the meal. Reservations and
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additional information can be found at TheSettlersInn.com or 570.226.2993. The third wine dinner is a staple for The Settlers Inn, and a guest favorite. The Italian Wine Dinner, which is happening on November 9th, is a pairing of delectable Italian dishes with regional Italian wines. If you love wine or are curious to enter the world of wine, then these wine dinners will expand and delight your palate. To learn more about any of these Wine Dinners, check out SettlersHospitality.com or call 570.226.2993. About Settlers Hospitality Settlers Hospitality is a family run hospitality group in Hawley, PA consisting of The Settlers Inn, Ledges Hotel, Silver Birches Resort, Hotel Anthracite, Sayre Mansion, The Dock on Wallenpaupack, Glasswine.bar.kitchen, Kol Steakhouse, Cocoon Coffeehouse, Lake Region Fitness, The Mill Market Bakery, & Art on the Edge.
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HALLOWEEN FUN
Award-winning family resort to offer
haunted hayrides, pumpkin painting, costume parties and more during specialty Halloween weekends
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oming off the very busy summer season, Woodloch Pines, an awardwinning, all-inclusive family resort located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, appreciates the calm of fall. The gorgeous autumnal hues of the changing foliage, the smell of crisp leaves and burning campfires combined with perfect mild temperatures come to mind. For those in the know, fall also marks the start of Woodloch’s signature Haunted Hayrides, one of the family resort’s most popular annual attractions. For over 25 years now, Woodloch has been thrilling guests with their captivating Haunted Hayrides, which have only become more involved over time. Wagon rides weave through the Pocono resort’s heavily wooded nature trail, showcasing extravagant decorations themed after famous horror films. Woodloch’s enthusiastic activity staff jump at the chance to morph into spooky characters, upping the fright factor for guests. The Haunted Hayrides include sound effects, pyrotechnics, expert lighting and professional costumes and makeup on staffers. New for 2018 are scenes themed after blockbuster horror hits such as Slender Man, Michael, and The Hills Have Eyes. In addition to their trademark Haunted Hayrides, Halloween stays at the all-inclusive resort feature: • Pumpkin Painting
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• Trick or Treating • Halloween Costume Parties with games and prizes • Competitive contests such as “Halloween Wars,” Scavenger Hunt & “Boo-Lympics” • Indoor pool, hot tubs, and Splash Zone featuring a double corkscrew super slide and “Superdome” water tower which sends 300 gallons of water splashing down every few minutes • Some of the family resort’s most popular amenities such as a zip-line and climbing wall, go-karts, bumper cars, and a Broadwaystyle theme show Woodloch’s activities director, Joey Ranner, remarks, “You truly have to experience our Haunted Hayrides firsthand to ‘get’ what they’re all about. Each year, our staff outdoes themselves getting into character, crafting costumes and creating extra spooky scenes. The reaction from our guests is priceless! It sounds crazy, but we all get excited about this time of year as soon as it ends the year prior.” Halloween Weekend rates start at $199 per adult, per night. To obtain more information or to book a stay, please visit www.woodloch.com or call 1-800-Woodloch. About Woodloch Pines Resort: Creating a magical experience for families since 1958, Woodloch Pines Resort’s signature warm hospitality keeps guests returning year after year and offers a truly unique all-inclusive family vacation experience fitting for everyone’s taste. An award-winning family resort, championship golf course and sister property featuring a luxury destination spa are just 95 scenic and convenient miles from New York City nestled in the Pocono Mountains Lake Region.
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WOODLOCH RESORT to Host 11th Annual “A Night for the Cure” Benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure of NEPA raising funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer 12 | CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE |
n Sunday, October 21, 2018, Woodloch Pines Resort will host the 11th Annual A Night for the Cure. The tricky-tray fundraiser benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure as part of BK Hope Cures. Originally established 19 years ago by Bob Kiesendahl (BK), coowner of Woodloch and leukemia survivor, the organization’s mission is to raise awareness and funds in the fight against cancer. Last year’s event attracted 400 attendees and raised over $20,000, 100% of which benefits the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. 50% of the dollars raised stay right here in Northeast Pennsylvania for education, screening and treatment grants, and 50% goes towards cancer research. Held in the Heritage Nightclub at Woodloch Pines from 5 to 8 PM, the family-friendly evening will feature over 150 items donated by local individuals and businesses, as well as wine and beer tastings, chair massages, face painting for children, hors d’oeuvres, a dessert table, and a 50/50 raffle. Guests will enjoy live
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PINK OCTOBER
entertainment and have the chance to win overnight stay packages at the area’s leading resorts and hotels, dining gift certificates, unique gift baskets as well as this year’s raffle prize – a Perception Swifty Kayak! Admission costs $10, and 100% of the proceeds are donated. The dress code is casual, and attendees are encouraged to wear pink in support of the cause. “Now in its 11th year, the event gets better each time. It’s a great night to get together with friends, show our support for the survivors, and raise money for the cause. We are so grateful to the local businesses and individuals who donate their time and talents to make A Night for the Cure spectacular. All of this hard work and generosity is truly making a difference in the battle against cancer,””
said Bob Kiesendahl. In addition to A Night for the Cure, Hope Cures also holds two other fundraising events each year, which include both a golf tournament and a 5K run/walk. These funds benefit cancer research and patient care at several worthy facilities and foundations.
During the past 19 years, Hope Cures has raised over $1.2 million. For more information about Hope Cures and this October’s great event, please visit: www.bkhopecures.org/trickytray. Additionally, table and room reservations can be arranged by calling 570-685-8002.
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GET ORGANIZED
Tips to Help You Get Your Home Organized this Autumn W
e’ve all had that moment when we’re looking for something in our house and after minutes of searching, shoulders get heaved up and we say: “Well, it’ll turn up.” Spring is about cleaning. Fall is about organizing. Why? Because as the days get shorter and the colder weather looms, you’re going to be spending more and more time indoors. Why not spend that time in a well organized space where you can find what you’re looking for, the moment you’re looking for it? Here are a few tips and projects to get started with now, so that you can put your feet up by the fire, drink a warm toddy and enjoy a good book, come the first snowfall:
Re-organize your mudroom/ entrance hall With autumn come coats and scarves, sweaters and boots. It’s time to make sure there is a spot for all of these things in your mudroom or entrance hall closet, or you’ll find a pile of ‘stuff’ right behind the door. • Use baskets to keep everyone’s smaller items separated and organized. If you have space for a bench, you can store the baskets underneath it, out of the way but still accessible. • Hooks make a good spot to hang backpacks and baseball caps, after school. If you have a shelf in your entrance or mudroom, hanging hooks under it is a great start! • An elegant umbrella stand is just the ticket to keep those out of the way. • Include a boot rack or at least a mat for muddy boots, so you don’t find footprints
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all over the floor. • Have a basket for slippers so that everyone remembers to put those on after they take off their boots (Keep an extra few pairs of hotel style slippers on hand for guests too!)
Build your family station Do you have a spot where mail, permission forms and all the paperwork that goes with family ends up? Is it the dining room table or kitchen island? Probably! Now is a great time to set up a new family station with a rack for paperwork, per person, a whiteboard or large family calendar for all the daily details and appointments and a spot for marking shopping list items and important ‘to dos’. If all this information and paperwork is in one place, you’ll never have to go searching for it again.
Organize your garage Yes, it’s nice to have a garage to store all sorts of things, from garden tools to old boots, but the ideal is to be able to get your car into the space too. Come the first ice up or snowfall, you’ll be grateful to not have to chip off ice and snow for an hour before work. The key to an organized garage is to use the spaces that aren’t being used, namely wall space. Installing hanging shelving, hooks and other ways to bring your items off the floor and onto the walls is ideal. Plastic lawn chairs suddenly have a new home. The less you can trip over, the better. Even before you start putting all your items on your new shelves, go over what you have and de-clutter. The garage tends to be one of those places where unused items go but this is a good time to decide if you really need them anymore or not.
Put outdoor toys and tools away Now is a good time to wipe down and put away all your garden accessories and tools. • Drain and clean out any water features in your garden. This will prevent them from getting damaged during the upcoming freeze/ thaw cycles that come with autumn and winter. • Unless you’re a year round BBQ aficionado, clean up the grill as it could be of interest to outdoor critters who are wintering nearby. Clean all the tools that go with it and pop on the cover. Same for the air conditioning unit! • Put away, cover, or store your garden furniture. • Get all your smaller garden tools out—
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shears, pruners—and clean / sharpen them before you put them away in a box in the shed, ready for next season’s planting! Also, store hoses and watering cans after draining them and shut off the valve to the outdoor water faucet from the inside of the house. • Terracotta pots don’t withstand the ebb and flow of water and ice in the winter, so make sure you bring them into your shed or garage, clean them up and store them for the winter. TIP: Store them on their sides, not vertically, to ensure they don’t swell and crack in the damp and cold.
Alternate season clothes storage If you haven’t been doing this before, this is a seasonal essential! Create a space in storage— whether that’s in the basement or another storage area—and designate it as the alternate season space. Start moving clothes, shoes and accessories from spring and summer into it, while placing the fall and winter wear front and center in your everyday use closets. In the spring, you’ll do the reverse, getting heavy coats and boots out of your daily use spaces to make way for spring dresses and sandals.
Get your emergency kit stocked up If you have a kit, the change of season is a good time to check that you have what you need, in the event of a storm or power outage: • Flashlights • Extra batteries • A hand crank radio • Canned and other non-perishable food • Water • Paper towels and toilet paper A great way to make sure everyone knows where the water shut off valve is, or where to turn off the power to the furnace, in the case of a flood, is to make a map! Create a map of your floor plans with notes on where to shut off power to your various large appliances that use either water, gas or electricity. In the event of a storm, or a long term outage, you know where everything connects. Keep a copy with your emergency kit and in your family station too.
Organize your decorations and wrapping With fall come several fun holidays—Halloween and Thanksgiving to name but two—as well as the season of wrapping gifts for all your friends and family! Reorganizing the storage of
both your seasonal decorations (think large plastic tub PER holiday) and your wrapping accessories will make them easier to access when you need them. Some ideas for organizing your wrapping materials? • Get a vertical plastic bin that will hold wrapping paper upright and visible. • Hang an old rod on the wall and thread spools of ribbon on to it. You need only pull on the one you want to cut what you need: no mess, no fuss.
Got wood? A wood stove is a lovely way to enjoy a cool fall evening, so make sure you have dry, split wood in an easy to access spot—a porch, for example—and a place to put dry kindling so it doesn’t make a mess all over the floor, like a large cast iron pot.
Keep your pantry neat, batch cook, and re-organize your freezer Take time to rearrange your pantry so it is neat and organized. Cooler weather also means more stews, casseroles and soups, items you can make ahead and store in your chest freezer for an easy dinner later in the season. This only works if you can find things in your freezer! • Put in baskets to organize your frozen foods by type - use color coding if it makes it easier. • Freeze soups and stews in freezer bags flat and then store them upright in a magazine holder. They take up less space this way and are still easy to flip through to decide what’s for dinner. • Put a list with a whiteboard or chalkboard outside the freezer that indicates what’s in there. When you take something out, take it off the list. This way, when you’re about to go grocery shopping, you can quickly check what’s missing from the freezer, at a glance. Old habits of dumping clothes and bags on chairs or tables can change. You just have to decide that you want them to. Make it a habit to do a quick pick up of all the common rooms, a couple of times a week, and you won’t have to do a major sort come spring! Home organization expert for ModularClosets.com, Marty Basher, offers these tips to get and stay organized while moving. Modular Closets are high quality, affordable, and easy to design closet systems that you can order, assemble and install yourself, in no time at all. Visit the website at https://www.modularclosets.com.
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TIPS FOR YOUR HOME
Common Contractor
SCAMS & How To Avoid Them Provided by Disaster Blaster
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Whether you’re beginning a home remodel, or a specialty project like a mold remediation, asbestos abatement, or radon mitigation, the work you are contracting to have performed is a significant investment. Hiring a qualified, trustworthy, contractor is important to ensure this money is well spent and that you are not being taken advantage of.
The Licensed / Certified Scam It can be difficult for homeowners to keep track of which fields require specialty licensing / certifications and which do not. Some unscrupulous contractors will take advantage of this confusion by claiming to be licensed or certified in fields where no licensing exists, or by implying that broader contractor licensing applies to the work they will be performing.
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}
How to avoid it: If your contractor claims to be licensed to perform a particular service, they should be able to provide you with their license number, which you can then verify with the appropriate issuing body. State licensing, such as is required for asbestos abatement and radon mitigation, can be checked through the Pennsylvania DEP website. Licensing is not available for mold remediation in the State of Pennsylvania, so contractors claiming to be licensed are simply being dishonest.
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The Testing Scam In the case of potential concerns such as asbestos, mold, and radon, testing may be desired or necessary. While we can certainly understand it may be convenient to hire the same company to perform the testing and remediation, this is viewed as a significant conflict of interest. We are regularly called out to provide a second opinion on a mold issue only to find the remediation company that performed the testing was grossly misrepresenting the testing results. Often there isn’t even a mold problem! How to avoid it: Always hire an independent 3rd party to perform any and all testing services. While your remediation company can review the results and prepare a remediation plan, the independent tester can (and should) review the results with you as well. This allows you to determine if your tester and remediator are in agreement on what the test results say and what areas are (and are not) affected.
The Change Order Scam This one is becoming increasingly common and happens in every service and construction field. Essentially, the contractor intentionally leaves work they know or expect to be necessary out of their proposal. This allows them to come in as the low bid, often securing the project. Once they begin the work however, these “surprises” trigger a barrage of change orders that significantly increase the cost of the project. Once all is said and done, the homeowner finds they have paid much more than the low ball proposal they had previously thought was a good deal… How to avoid it: Compare each contractor’s estimate to ensure the work being proposed is comparable. Look specifically for estimates that leave out work that is in your other estimates or that appear significantly lower than other proposals. These are clear “red flags” and should be treated with extreme suspicion.
The Phone Estimate Scam Similar to the change order scam, the phone estimate scam is an example of a contractor providing you with an estimate over the phone without ever seeing the property or the work you need to have performed. This one is particularly common with radon mitigation systems and should be avoided. What essentially ends up happening is the contractor provides you with a low estimate over the phone and then, once you’ve hired them to perform the work, they supplement their billing with every “change” they encounter. This can add significant additional cost to a project. With every home being unique, it should go without saying that an accurate estimate cannot be provided without first inspecting the property. How to avoid it: Don’t get phone estimates. The scope of work can change significantly from
house to house, and you can find yourself with a much larger bill than you had anticipated.
The “It’s Included” Scam Honest contractors will prepare a proposal that clearly defines what they are going to do and where. Less reputable contractors prefer to write summarized proposals that are vague and difficult to read. We’ve even seen contractors that prepare detailed estimates in construction estimating software (for their own purposes) only to then go to the additional trouble of typing up a summary for their customers! This often creates a great deal of confusion for homeowners, and when asked if they’ll be completing a particular task, the response is always, “It’s included”… Unfortunately, that rarely proves to be the case, and when it does, the “included” work is subpar and inexperienced. How to avoid it: If it isn’t detailed in the proposal, it isn’t included. Contractors that claim it is are either inexperienced or being deceptive.
The Cold Call Scam Did a contractor show up at your door offering to fix your roof, patch your driveway, or dry out your house? This is an incredibly common scam that comes in two flavors. Either it’s simply a contractor that doesn’t have any work, or it’s an ambulance chaser. Both should be avoided. While the primary concern with contractors who may not have much work is why that may be and specifically how good they are at what they do, ambulance chasers are even worse. These companies listen to emergency frequencies for home fires, chase storm events across the country, or show up following a news story. These are the lowest of the low in our industry and often leave to chase the next storm before they even finish your project. Even if they seemingly complete the work, it is unlikely you will ever be able to reach them again should you have a customer service or warranty issue. How to avoid it: If you didn’t call them, don’t hire them. Quality contractors should have no problem keeping themselves busy without listening to emergency radio or chasing storms. Cold call contractors are traditionally the lowest skilled, least qualified contractors you can hire. We hope these tips will help you avoid being the victim of one of these contractor scams. We wish you the best of luck with your project and hope it turns out just as you envisioned it! About Disaster Blaster Disaster Blaster is an indoor environmental firm serving the Northeastern PA Area. We have been providing our local area with unparalleled mold remediation, water damage mitigation, asbestos abatement, and radon mitigation services for decades, and are proud to have been recently named The World’s Greatest Indoor Environmental Firm. For more about Disaster Blaster, as well as more helpful tips, please visit our website at: www.disasterblaster.com or call our office at (570) 963-1123.
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Common
Ground
Bethany Keene, Communications and Development Team Lead for the Delaware Highlands Conservancy
We all have one thing in common. No matter what you celebrate, where you work, what you like to do for fun, or what you believe—there is something we all share. We all need clean water to drink and clean air to breathe.
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And it’s not just people that need these things. Wildlife—from the smallest fish in the river, the butterflies and bees in the meadow, to the bald eagle soaring overhead—share the same needs. At the Delaware Highlands Conservancy, our mission is to work in partnership with you—our members and friends in the community—to protect everything that’s special about the Upper Delaware River region, now and for future generations. Local landowners work with us to protect working farms and forests, clean drinking water, and safe habitat for our wildlife. Protecting land also helps to protect our shared values and our region’s exceptional quality of life: the beautiful scenic vistas; opportunities to get outdoors and connect to nature through hiking, biking, birding, or
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Common Ground
paddling; and local farms providing fresh, healthy foods. But it’s easy to forget all these things we have in common—or to feel overwhelmed with the challenges the natural world is currently facing. Fortunately, there’s something else we all share: the ability to make a difference. Every day, you make dozens of choices at home and at work, and each one of those choices represents an opportunity to have a positive impact on the natural world. We invite you to join us for a hike, a workshop, or an eagle-viewing bus tour this year to learn more about the Conservancy and our work. Visit DelawareHighlands.org for more infor-
mation on our educational programs, volunteer opportunities, and land protection projects. Together, we can protect what we all have in common—a healthy, vibrant natural world.
Bethany Keene is the Communications and Development Team Lead for the Delaware Highlands Conservancy. Founded in 1994, the Conservancy has protected nearly 15,000 acres of working farms and forests, clean waters, and wildlife habitat and coordinates educational events and community programs throughout the year. For more information, visit www.DelawareHighlands.org, call 570-226-3164 or 845-583-1010, or email info@delawarehighlands.org.
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MRS. DOGOOD
INSPIRATION By The Reverend Mrs. Silence DoGood
Dear Editor, As senior pastor of the First Church of God’s Love in the farming hamlet of Halo, PA, my congregation and most of my small community know my family very well. My loving husband Dr. William A. DoGood is the organist and full time choir master at the church; I fill in for him when he cannot attend choir practice. He has a Ph.D. from Bellingshire University in Sussex England majoring in liturgical music. He organizes and conducts the wonderful concerts that we regularly host at the church. My fifteen year old daughter “Sarah with an H” is in our local high school and is beginning a program of health and exercise to become fit. My 13 year old son Toby is in the seventh grade, and he was recently signed on to be a model with a New York City modeling agency. We all work hard to ensure a happy and productive family life. And we are all involved in one or more activities at the church. Many of you also know that I have a best friend, Alice Bright-Light, but you don’t know much about her. And because you don’t know much about her, you use what you do know about her to assume she is a bad influence on me and my ministry. Let me assure you she is a positive influence on my life and only inspires me to become a better person. Alice is a full-blooded Chippewa Indian who was born on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Belcourt, ND. She is forty-eight years old. Her life there was difficult because of the poverty on the reservation and because of her appearance. Her peers and even members of her family call her “Wolf.” As you may know, the naming of a newborn child in some Indian cultures is done by the mother naming the child with the first thing she sees after the child is born. Alice’s mother was handed her newborn baby, and she saw a bright light coming from her, so she named her Bright-Light. I believe Alice’s mother recognized Alice’s unique gifts. Now Alice uses Bright-Light as her last name and chose Alice as her first name after the character in Alice in Wonderland. Alice is an evidential medium; she can chan-
nel people from the other side. She also does psychic readings. And she can also bend spoons as they sit on the table. It is these powers which make some of you think she is a bad influence on me. On the contrary, she and I walk similar paths. My mission at the church, as I see it, is to both create and to teach goodness so my congregation overcomes the fear of living and the fear of dying. I do this through my weekly sermons, through my good works which I perform for my congregation, by setting a living example of a good life and yes, by writing these Letters to the Editor. Alice’s mission is also to create goodness. The abandonment of fear. Clearly she does this through different modalities, but her intent is to bring wellbeing to life. We often misjudge and fear who we do not know or understand. I want you to understand Alice, so I encourage you to say hello to her. Alice is a member of our congregation and usually sits in the last pew. Greet her. You may also see me and Alice having after dinner drinks at the River Creek Inn. Our favorite drink is Green Chartreuse, and we do enjoy it. Alice and I meet there regularly to have long philosophical and theological discussions about the moral issues of our day. And we both love to laugh at the crazy fissures in our society. If you see us there, join us at our booth. Alice lives in our county seat of Hoaverston, and you may see her walking there. She likes to walk in town even though she has her own car. Stop and say hello. Goodness comes in many shapes. Amen.
The Reverend Mrs. Silence DoGood Senior Pastor Executive Director President Chairman Choir Master (part-time) The First Church of God’s Love
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Prison Reflections
“Zombie Apocalypse” By Terry Mooney
Part I
T
his tall, red-headed young man does not appear as the bad boy his story tells. Quiet and unassuming, his work on the golf course totally fits his persona, while dealing drugs absolutely does not. His deep desire to be a father to his little boy is his only focus now.
My Story I was born in a town across the river from New York City. My parents split up when I was three, and of course, being so little, I don’t really know why. But from a story my mom told me, he was running around on her. My dad owned a pizzeria, so with the long hours, it was possible for him to not be home and also to not be at work. One day, a soda canister blew up at the store and badly injured his leg. While he was recuperating, there was a lawsuit, and with the settlement he bought a house in this area. My little brother and I were supposed to see him on weekends, but many times he didn’t show up. He would even say he was on his way, and we would sit at the window waiting all day, looking at every car that drove by until hours later we gave up. My younger brother and I were never close. Growing up we would fight a lot, and I would call him names that referred to being gay, but I didn’t really know what I was saying. It turns out he really was gay, but he never acted it. So when we got into our twenties, he came out to me and my mom. That explained why he was angry with me all these years. I think he was afraid of my judging him, which I really wouldn’t have. Those names were something boys call each other to make them mad. It was never personal. When I was around twelve, we moved up here because it was cheaper. After a few years of living in the woods and being a latch key kid, my friends were smoking pot and getting hold of pills. That’s when my problems started. I was fourteen. Before that my grades were good. I liked the thrill of using and selling weed, and it made me popular with my classmates. I liked having money in my pocket, even though my mother always gave me what I asked for. I think it was the isolation of living here; nobody was watching. There were no cops, no authority figures, no one to tell me what to do or to see what I was doing like in the old neighborhood. My brother was a sort of kiss up, very smart but arrogant in my opinion, another reason we weren’t close. We didn’t hang out together, and had different friends. And that’s why he is a success, and I am in jail. One day, someone told the principle I was selling drugs, and he found the money in my pocket. They made me go to night school for three or four hours. Then at sixteen, I got a job on the grounds crew of a local golf course, working overtime, making decent money. So I dropped out. Smoking weed is becoming legal in many states, and considered by many to be safe. But getting it off the street not knowing what’s in it becomes a whole different story. And remember, it’s never just pot. There will always be other drugs nearby. So, like when they say “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” I say where there’s pot, there’s other drugs. And that never ends well. (To Be Continued)
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Money
A ssets Gather A l l Yo u r
I
nvestment planning is like doing a jigsaw puzzle except the pieces don’t always come in one box—often you have to gather them from a variety of sources. When putting an investment plan together, you have to combine information on assets, debt, insurance, and more to form the full picture of your financial life. However, people often forget about or lose some of their investment planning puzzle pieces, and then the picture is never really complete. It’s one reason why many people don’t have a complete picture of their financial life, says Elizabeth “Liz” Bartley, Sales Advisory Consultant at Wells Fargo Advisors.
Why the full picture really matters “From an investment standpoint, you don’t really have a good gauge of how much risk you could potentially be taking,” if you aren’t looking at all of your holdings in conjunction with each other, Bartley says. It’s not just investments. Loans, including any student loans, business loans, or mortgages, may impact your overall plan, too. Without this full picture, individuals and their financial advisors end up doing their investment planning based on what amounts to faulty information. And that can result in a risk profile or asset mix that doesn’t represent your desires or needs. This is especially common among people who have assets spread across numerous
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financial institutions—you may have several 401(k) accounts from different jobs maintained at a variety of institutions, some online investments in another place, and your primary portfolio you maintain with your financial advisor. “Understanding how much debt you have versus assets is a starting point for making improvements and creating more wealth over time,” Bartley adds.
Putting the pieces together So how do you collect everything you need? Financial advisors often start with a checklist of important information, Bartley says. Even when most of your assets are with a single company, there’s still information to gather from other sources. Ask your financial advisor to keep copies of this information, which can function as a backup for your records. That’s especially valuable, Bartley says, in case anything happens to you. Your complete financial picture may include: • Investment accounts with other institutions. This could include qualified employer-sponsored retirement plans (QRPs), such as a 401(k), 403(b), or governmental 457(b), still at previous employers, and IRAs. • Checking and savings accounts. • Assets you own, such as your primary residence, a second home, rental property, and valuables—antiques, jewelry, or an art collection.
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• Debts, including your mortgage, credit card balances, and other loans and lines of credit. • Other investment vehicles, such as long-term care insurance, annuities, and life insurance policies. • Trust funds. • Rental income or other earnings beyond your primary source of income. • Social Security statements.
This article was written by Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network and provided courtesy of Michael J Krupa, Financial Advisor, Krupa Wealth Management in Honesdale, PA 570-253-0121 Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. Krupa Wealth Management is a separate entity from WFAFN. © 2018 Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Book Review IN CHURCH, YOU SING A LOT OF SONGS.
John suddenly understood – and he began to pray. He prayed when he bailed water. He Some are just for Sunday School, prayed as he “plugs leaks.” He talked to and you clap when you sing them. Others God while he was at the helm of the ship. make you dance right in your seat. And He prayed and prayed until the sun some songs you sing in church are very peeked over the horizon on wet but old and have a quiet, hidden meaning. In peaceful sails. He prayed because the “How Sweet the Sound” by Carole Boston crew still wasn’t out of danger and he Weatherford, illustrated kept praying until the by Frank Morrison, ship reached land. you’ll learn about one God spared John’s song that feels a lot like life and, in gratitude, a prayer. John became a preacher John Newton was and spoke out against not a very nice man. slave ships. Then he He was a brawling wrote a song that peosailor, and that was ple of many faiths have why he was so mean: leaned on in times of he had to be tough, and trouble. that meant fighting and You’ve sung the swearing and hurting words countless times. people. He’d been You’ve heard the song doing it for years, and in many places. But he didn’t have plans to did you know the true stop. Toughness was in story of the classic his blood. hymn? But then, one Most people night, there was a haven’t, but in “How storm and John was at Sweet the Sound,” the wheel of the ship By Carole Boston Weatherford author Carole Boston Illustrated by Frank Morrison as she tossed back and Weatherford tells it Reviewed by Terri Schlichenmeyer forth on the waves. The with couplets more rest of the crew was powerful than a storm frightened and, truthfully, so was John. at sea; indeed, this book is little more He began to think about all the things than a poem written in descriptive style, he’d done in his life. He remembered how but sparsely, which lends more weight to much he loved his mother, and he each careful word. The tale itself – that of recalled when she died. John Newton – is all true, and that’s Was that when John became a notexplained in Weatherford’s Author’s Note so-nice guy? Was that when he started near the back cover. Be sure you read “picking fights” and arguing? that, too. It makes an extraordinary story No, John was still nice then. He met even more… amazing. Mary, the woman he loved, and they had plans for the future until the Navy nabbed With beautiful artwork by Frank John and forced him to enlist. Morrison, this book is great for children Ah, there’s where John became a ages 4-to-8 and may be a Sunday School cruel bully. It happened aboard a ship, winner for kids and adults. “How Sweet where he worked hauling humans over the Sound” could make your soul sing. the ocean to bring them to slavery. Oh,
“How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace”
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Ghosts
GHOSTS
I N T H E H AW L E Y S I L K M I L L ?
This month’s Pocono Secret is submitted by Jody Cunningham. She showed me the photo, and I saw the face. I thought it would be of interest to you. – Laurie
Is that a face? In December of 2016 I was the manager of The Mill Market at the Hawley Silk Mill. I had been there for nearly a year and had learned a little bit of its history. 30 | CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE |
The Hawley Silk Mill (HSM) was one of several in the area. Silk mills were usually run by women and children; HSM was no exception. It was run by 500+ people, powered by the then roaring Paupack Falls and heated by an amazing boiler whose façade has been incorporated to the current décor. Through its many changes over 130+ YEARS, it is now open to the public and the home of several local businesses, offices and
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satellite location for Lackawanna College. While wandering through the hallways, I often thought “Boy if these walls could talk!” In December 2016, the lower level became the home of “Toys for Tots” local chapter (now carried on by Zipper Junction’s Holiday Toy Drive). Most of my time was in the store located on the main level, but occasionally I needed to go to other parts of the building for various reasons. On this particular day Len (who works for Settlers Hospitality but is also passionate about mushrooms) asked me to come to his office to see his latest crop of mushrooms The lower level has the perfect conditions for growing mushrooms, and Len was very excited about how well his farm was doing. Through the double doors, I entered a room that I had only seen empty with a few broken pieces of furniture, the musty smell of decades of dust and the rattling, flapping sound of plastic taped over a broken window. I stepped back! The room had been transformed into Santa’s workshop! It was filled with hundreds if not thousands of donated toys, carefully organized into categories of gender, age and types of toys. It was amazing and very impressive. It was a wow moment, so I pulled out my phone, snapped a quick picture and followed Len. We turned to the right and went down the last row; there was about four feet between the rows. That left plenty of room so we wouldn’t knock into anything. The rows were nearly 40 feet long. We were in the girls’ section; tables piled high with sparkles, pinks and purples, Barbies, baby dolls and My Little Ponies. As Len and I reached the end of the rows and were exiting the toy area, about 15 feet behind us boxes suddenly fell We both turned to look, and judging by the sound and how far the purple boxes were now scattered
across the floor, I figured the pile must have been way too high and tumbled down. I know we did not touch anything, nor could our movement have caused the boxes to fall. Besides, we were well beyond that point. I turn to the volunteer sitting at the far end of the room on the left and said “Hey I’m really sorry about that, but I really had nothing to do with it.” In an unconcerned tone, she replied “Don’t worry about it.” Under other circumstances I would have turned around and helped pick up the boxes regardless of fault, but I was away from my store and didn’t want to take too much time. And Lens’ passion for mushrooms is often a difficult escape. Later that day my experience down in the basement stuck with me, for many reasons, but for some reason it was nagging me. The magic of all those toys? The transformation of the room? Len’s bumper crop of mushrooms? Maybe the boxes falling, maybe I was feeling guilty for not picking them up? I know I didn’t knock them down; they must have been piled really high to have fallen that far. I don’t know why, but it was nagging me. I then remembered I took a picture before they fell! I could check. I knew the boxes were dark purple, so all I had to do was find the dark purple piled high boxes. As I looked at the photo, I saw nothing piled precariously high, and there was only one area of dark purple boxes. Look at the picture and tell me if you see anything strange. As I looked at the photo, scanning for a high pile of purple boxes, they would have
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Continued on page 48.
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Classic Cars
Chevrolet
1934
Cabriolet By Arnie Milidantri
On a great sunny summer’s day this August while sitting in the shade of an oak tree at the Salvation Army Ladore Complex in Waymart, PA, my eye caught a glimpse of a shiny green car in the distance. As it approached, I realized it was not your normal “old” car, but a beautiful looking and sounding 1934 Chevrolet Cabriolet, a one of a kind meticulously reengineered and retrofitted with the best of everything. This labor of love is owned by Mr. Joe Hosie of Jermyn, PA. The car was an instant crowd favorite and in fact won the people’s choice trophy at the show that day. 32 | CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE |
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Classic Cars Background In 1934, Chevrolet continued its year-old practice of building two distinct series of cars on different wheelbase lengths. The 1934 Chevrolet Master, (wheel base used for the Cabriolet) in fact, now measured 112 inches, two inches longer than the 1933 model. The 1934 Chevrolet Standard model remained at 107 inches. The Master was the more expensive of the two, with the highest price vehicle being the Master Series DA Cabriolet selling at nearly $700.00. Both models used six-cylinder overhead valve engines. The Master series 206-cubic-inch engine modifications boosted horsepower from 65 to 80. The Standard series used 1933’s 181-cubic-inch 60-horsepower engine. The big mechanical improvement introduced in the 1934 Chevrolets was knee action independent front suspension, courtesy of the Frenchman Andre Dubonnet. It was offered as standard equipment on the Master series, but would not be offered on standard models for a few more years. The rear had a semifloating axle. A three-speed manual gearbox was standard on all models, and mechanical brakes could be found at all four corners. The Master series had grown slightly over its 1933 counterparts, though styling remained mostly unchanged. The most visible changes were in the front, with the new V-type radiator and grille. On the side, the three horizontal hood louvers replaced the doors used in 1932-33, and wheels were reduced in size to 17 inches. Free wheeling was optional on Master models only. Total Chevrolet car production in 1934 included 452,412 Master series models and 98,959 Standard models. Even though Chevrolet’s sporty Master series Roadsters offered up-market style for a reasonable price, the open-car sales were declining as closed cars became more affordable in the 1930’s. Sales of the 1934 Cabriolet Roadster totaled just 1,974 units; the style would be discontinued by 1936.
Featured Car In 1995, Joe Hosie, a diehard Chevrolet enthusiast, bumped into a friend while at a car show in Burlington, Vermont and mentioned that he was looking for a 1934 Chevrolet Coupe. As luck would have it, his friend said he saw one in a field in upstate
Kempton, NY. After a three hour side trip on the way home, Joe met with the owner of the supposed coupe sitting in a field. It turned out to be a rare Cabriolet model. The deal was made and a 17-year (1995-2012) labor of love restoration began. Joe, with help from his three sons, did all the restoration and custom fabrication himself. The great Emerald Bliss paint was applied by Joe’s youngest son, Gene. The car engine is a 350 cu in small block Chevy V8, equipped with 305 heads, a mild cam, and well matched Holly Carb. A custom exhaust system starting with a great set of headers gives the car its mellow sound. Joe originally built the car with a Muncie 4 speed but installed its current 700R automatic transmission to make it easier for his wife to drive after knee replacement surgery (Joe is a very smart man!). Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a narrowed Ford 9 inch rear. The car has a Mustang two front end and has disc brakes all around. The body is all steel and has been restored beautifully and painted a knockout Emerald Bliss color. One of the many challenges encountered during the restoration was the fabrication of the car’s “Top Irons” that support the convertible top. The irons were missing and they were not available either used or remanufactured, so what do you do? Joe was able to borrow a set of 1933 Top Irons, a close match but not exact. After studying the 1933 and the 1934 cars, it was discovered the side iron arms had to be made 2 inches longer because the 1934 doors are 2 inches longer (You learn something new every day!). Joe‘s oldest son, Joe, spent hours duplicating the irons from flat stock stainless steel. The polished stainless bows are great as is the cloth top. The car has a custom air conditioning system for passenger comfort. The car’s interior is spectacular, the perfect complement to its great color. The beautiful dash cluster, original glove box (a first time feature for Chevrolet), beige interior, and rumble seat all have been beautifully done. The car stance is set off by a set of great Weld wheels and radial BF Goodrich tires. Joe and his sons are true craftsmen whose workmanship on the car’s mechanicals, body, and paint is truly outstanding, creating a one of a kind work of love!
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Outdoor Ramblings
Prime Time for
Fall Foliage By Bill Deaton | williamjdeaton@yahoo.com
U
nquestionably, Pennsylvania offers some of the best autumnal colors in the United States. What many residents of the Keystone State take for granted is actually an anomaly. Globally, only a handful of places support the climate and tree species that allow for the fall spectacle. In addition to the eastern US, northeastern China, northern Japan, parts of the British Isles, and northwestern Europe are the only regions that support deciduous forests. Woodlands elsewhere are dominated either by conifers or tropical trees. A temperate climate zone and the correct altitude play important roles. Pennsylvania is situated between 40° and 42° north latitude, and its varied topography goes from sea level on the coastal plain to over 3,000 feet in the Laurel Highlands. The state supports 134 species of trees plus many varieties of shrubs and vines that also contribute to the dazzling display. Of the species found throughout the commonwealth, 127 varieties of trees, shrubs, and woody plants that add to the autumnal prism can be found in the Poconos. This is due to the convergence of northern tree species such as sugar maple, American beech, yellow birch, and white ash with southern varieties like red, white, scarlet, black, and chestnut oak; various hickories, and sassafras. Look for peak conditions in northern Wayne and northern Pike counties to occur around October 7-8 this fall. In southern Wayne, southern Pike, northern Monroe, and eastern Lackawanna counties, colors will be at their prime between October 15-19. Top times for leaf peeping in southern Monroe and Carbon counties will hit around October 23-25. Almost the whole of the month is excellent time to enjoy the fall palate; there’s plenty of time to get out and enjoy the annual show of color! Photos by Bill Deaton. www.connections-magazine.com
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Pets
Dining with Your Dog The Dos and Don’ts at Pet Friendly Restaurants
enough seating available for you and your pooch.
Socialize your dog It is important that your dog is well-socialized and comfortable with people, other dogs, and potential crowds. If your pup does not react well to these situations, she may be better off at home until she's ready.
Ease into it
P
ets are family and when we venture out, they should be able to join us! That includes bringing them to pet friendly restaurants. Although pets are not allowed inside establishments that serve food due to health code laws, many restaurants have pet friendly outdoor seating and welcome four-legged guests to accompany their pet parents. However, there are a few tips that pet parents should heed before and during dining with their pups to ensure an enjoyable dining experience.
Know the restaurant's pet policy This may seem like a no-brainer; however, not all restaurants with outdoor seating are pet friendly. Be sure to research restaurants that allow pets before you head out. It is also a good idea to call the restaurant ahead of time to ensure that there is
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Start small with your pooch. First take your pup to a coffee shop or bistro during a day and time when they are not busy and for a shorter visit. If she can handle this, try going somewhere a little more crowded or for a longer time.
Exercise your pup Make sure your pup releases all of his pent up energy before you leave for the restaurant. This will help your pet be calmer in a social setting.
Bring another person To make your dining experience more pleasurable, it is helpful for another person to accompany you and your furry best friend. If you have to go inside the restaurant for some reason or step away to use the restroom, this person can watch your pup as you do so.
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Stick to one dog per pet parent Do not bring a pack of dogs to the restaurant. Although a restaurant may be pet friendly, it is not a dog park.
Bring a water bowl A few restaurants may provide a special water bowl for your pup, but it is always smart to bring your own portable water bowl. It is in violation of health codes for pets to use the restaurants dishware, so do not allow your pet to lick your plate or silverware.
Potty beforehand Have your pet relieve herself before you go into the restaurant. No one will be happy if your pup does her business on the restaurant floor.
Koda 8 year old Rottweiler/Shepherd mix with a very sweet and loving personality. She would do best as the only pet in the household.
Practice good table manners This goes for you and your pup. Your pup should be sitting or lying down next your chair at all times. Your pup should be calm and should not wander and disturb other guests. Remember that your pet should be on a leash at all times and should not be allowed to sit on your lap or at another chair at the table.
Be courteous of other patrons If your pup is being loud or unruly, take her out of the restaurant so she does not disturb the other guests. People who are not used to being around dogs may find your pooch's boisterous antics much more of a distraction than you do.
About TripsWithPets.com TripsWithPets.com is the premier online pet friendly travel guide -- providing online reservations at over 30,000 pet friendly hotels & accommodations across the U.S. and Canada. When planning a trip, pet parents go to TripsWithPets.com for detailed, up-to-date information on hotel pet policies and pet amenities. TripsWithPets.com also features airline & car rental pet policies, pet friendly activities, a user-friendly search-by-route option, as well as pet travel gear. For more information, please visit http://www.tripswithpets.com.
Mooch 6 year old long haired cat who is very laid back and cuddly. He gets along with other cats, children and is housetrained.
Available for adoption at Dessin Animal Shelter! Call 570-253-4037.
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BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
Am I Having a
Nervous Breakdown? By Arthur Middleton, M.D., FAPA
Madness need not be all breakdown. It may also be break-through. ~ R.D. Laing, The Politics of Experience
W
e can all identify with the experience of being “on the edge.� A tense day at work followed by a rushed dinner followed by several hours at the computer, reviewing emails from work. This is not uncommon. For those who have work that is more physical, the work still entails a need to get the job done, sometimes without enough help. Some jobs are done alone, which means there is no opportunity to socialize with co-workers, which adds to stress. Then there is the issue of job security; forgoing vacation, fearful that the job will be eliminated if vacation time is used. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 25 % of U.S. adults have a mental illness. It is further estimated that nearly 50% of all U.S. adults will develop at least one mental illness during their lifetime. Commonly recognized disorders in the mental illness spectrum include: depression, anxiety and phobias, bipolar disorders, and schizophrenia. Mental illness is influenced by a family history of mental disorders, biological factors, and life experiences, which may involve
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trauma, such as the unexpected death of a loved one or a near death experience in an automobile accident. We are all wired differently, and our response to life events triggers a unique response. What is the experience of losing contact with reality? The following fictional clinical vignette is presented to highlight the impact of a unique mental disorder. JT is a 50-year-old married father of two young sons. He works as a supervisor in the auto parts department of a large auto supply store. His wife is a teacher. JT has worked in this position for five years. Previously, he had worked for a real estate company and had been successful for many years, but changes in the economy led to a slow and difficult end to his job. He found it hard to adjust. His life changed dramatically and was followed by several jobs, always getting a job that he saw as having less stature than the previous one. As a successful real estate salesman JT had earned well and even thought he would become a partner in the company someday. As the sales of homes decreased over the course of several years, JT began to feel his life was crumbling. He had been able to buy a house in an affluent community and felt
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proud of his accomplishment, but as his income fell, he felt humiliated by his inability to support his family. JT and his family moved to a smaller rented house after their house was foreclosed. Eventually, he found a job working in auto parts and became a supervisor. While it was not a job that he liked, he was able to pay the bills. His wife continued to work as a teacher. On the surface, it appeared JT had made the adjustment, but he was angry. He could not shake the feeling that he was a failure. He blamed himself, the economy, and his previous employer at the real estate company, feeling the company had conspired against him to make certain he would be ruined. As a supervisor in the auto parts department, JT did his job, but his co-workers regarded him as a loner. Over the course of several months, JT noted changes in the department. The owner of the store brought in several individuals who appeared to be businessmen. JT was suspicious. What were they doing there? Was it about him? Two weeks later, JT learned the store was going to be sold. He was not guaranteed continued employment. He would have to apply for a job in the new company, and he would earn less. For the next several days, JT did not sleep. He arrived at work appearing disheveled and tense. His wife had noticed the change in her husband and encouraged him to see their family doctor. JT resisted. He gradually withdrew from his family and began missing work. Late at night, he would walk several miles, talking to himself, responding to voices that he was hearing in his head. JT began to feel everyone was against him and he was losing his job because his co-workers were jealous of him. He believed his current employer sold the store because he was worried JT was going to take his job. When he came home at 5 AM, his wife was waiting for him, crying. She told JT he had to go to the hospital and that she would call the police to take him if he would not go.
While this was something his wife had dreaded, their family doctor had provided her with information to help her get her husband into mental health treatment. JT agreed to go to the hospital. He was evaluated in the emergency room and was diagnosed as being “psychotic.” JT agreed to a voluntary psychiatric hospitalization. He was treated with an antipsychotic medication: Risperdal or risperidone and Seroquel or quetiapine are examples. After three days of treatment, JT felt better. He was no longer hearing voices and no longer felt people were plotting against him. After seven days, he was discharged with a diagnosis of Brief Psychotic Disorder and continued follow-up in a mental health clinic. After three months, his doctor was able to taper the medication, which was completely discontinued after six months. JT found a job working in the parts department in an air conditioning factory. He has not experienced any return of psychotic symptoms. JT described his experience to friends as “having a nervous breakdown.” Visit CM’s website for more on nervous breakdowns.
References are provided for the informed consumer: U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health: Depression Interactive Tutorial http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/depression/htm/index.htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: An Estimated 1 in 10 U.S. Adults Report Depression http://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdepression/ U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health: Older Adults and Mental Health http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/older-adultsand-mental-health/index.shtml Dr. Middleton is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, and a Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Middleton is retired as an Associate in the Department of Psychiatry in the Geisinger Health System formerly practicing at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
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EVENTS
Y O U
ENTERTAINMENT
ARTS
RECREATION
a+r+e OCT ’18
THE AREA’S GOOD STUFF
C O N N E C T E D
TUESDAYS
Ongoing Events DAILY
Art-a-Pelago Loose Leaf Pages, Black & Brass Coffee Co., & D.J. Harvey Agency, Honesdale. One art gallery in three locations (Thasos-LesvosParos). Info: waynecountyartsalliance.org. DAILY
Public Art Displays Nature’s Grace, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Honesdale & Pocono Lake Region Chamber of Commerce, Hawley. Wayne County Arts Alliance artists display their work. DAILY
Public Art Display REMAX Wayne, Honesdale. Art displays of local artists all year long. Info: 570-253-9566. DAILY
Kids Art Display Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Artwork created by students from all over Monroe County is featured in a month-long exhibit. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. WEEKLY
Table Tennis in Honesdale Lakeside Elementary School, Honesdale. Join a group of table tennis enthusiasts who play weekly. Info: John Babyak, 570-253-4379 or jbabyak1@ptd.net. TUESDAYS
Teen Club 3:30–5:30 p.m. Hawley Public Library, Hawley. Hang out, play games, socialize. Info: 570-226-4620 or www.waynelibraries.org. TUESDAYS
Bingo American Legion Post 311, Hawley. Doors open 10:30 a.m., games begin at noon. Info: legionpost311@qmail.com.
Bingo Texas #4 Fire Company, Honesdale. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Games start at 6:30 p.m. Plenty of parking. Info: 570-253-5467. WEDNESDAYS
Wednesday Bog Walk 1–3:30 p.m. Tannersville Bog, E. Stroudsburg. Environmental Educators explain the bog’s formation, its interesting plant & animal life & more. Wear appropriate footwear. Pre-registration required & limited. Registration & info: 570-629-3061. WEDNESDAYS
Story Time 10:30–11:30 a.m. Pleasant Mount Public Library, Pleasant Mount. Bring your young children & grandchildren to the library for a fun-filled story time. Included will be crafts, games, songs &, of course, a story. Info: 570-448-2573 or www.waynelibraries.org. WEDNESDAYS
Lego Club 4:30–5:30 p.m. Pike County Public Library, Milford. Create, share ideas, make new friends. Free & open to the public, registration requested. Info: www.pcpl.org or Facebook. Registration: 570-296-8211. THURSDAYS
Writer’s Retreat 10:30–11:30 a.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Writing seminar — share ideas, memories & life experiences in written words. Limited to 12 participants. Info & registration: Elizabeth, 570-253-1220 or ewilson@waynelibraries.org. THURSDAYS
Thursday Night with John Curtin 6–9 p.m. Glass-wine. bar. kitchen. at Ledges Hotel, Hawley. Classic guitar playing & musical stylings. Info: 570-226-1337 or ledgeshotel.com. THURSDAYS
Pub-O-Lympics 8–10 p.m. The Dock on Wallenpaupack, Hawley. A combination of trivia & physical
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EVENTS challenges. Compete with your team to win a gold medal, gift certificate & bragging rights. Info: 570-226-4388. FRIDAYS
Hawley Farmer’s Market 2–6 p.m. Bingham Park, Hawley. Meat, poultry, eggs, baked goods, fresh produce, plants, candy & crafts. Penn State info table & master gardeners to answer your garden questions. Info: 570-226-1644 or Facebook. FRIDAYS
Job Search and Resume Assistance 1–3 p.m. Hawley Public Library, Hawley. A professional from Pike County Workforce Development is available. Info: 570-226-4620 or www.waynelibraries.org.
Silk Mill, Hawley. Info: 570-390-4440. SUNDAYS
Milford Farmers Market 10 a.m.–2 p.m. The Columns Museum, Milford. Free concerts. Rain or shine. Info: airsoilwaterorg.wordpress.com. THROUGH OCT. 8
Rosalind Hodgkins & Marie Liu Exhibit 7 p.m. ARTery Gallery, Milford. Each artist is deeply rooted in the natural world, where they get much of their inspiration, but their intentions differ. Hodgkins seeks to infuse the image with original perspective & imaginative viewpoint, while Liu seeks to tell the story of a region. Info: 570-409-1234.
OCT. 2 Midwifery Mingle 1–3 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. In honor of National Midwifery Week, Wayne Memorial Hospital holds its 9th annual mingle. Hosted by the Nurse Midwives of the Women’s Health Center, it’s an afternoon for women of all ages to network & share. Child-friendly event features refreshments, live music, kids’ activities including crafts & face painting, chair massages for mom &, of course, a chance to visit the midwives. Free admittance. Info: 570-253-2020. FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS
THROUGH OCT. 27
Yatsonsky Corn Maze Owego Turnpike, Honesdale. Pumpkin patches, hay rides & mazes/corn mazes (kid friendly). Free parking. Info: Facebook.
David Barnett Alliance Gallery, Delaware Arts Center, Narrowsburg, NY. Painting exhibition. Free. Gallery hours: Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Info: 845-252-7576 or delawarevalleyartsalliance.org.
SATURDAYS
Wayne County Farmers’ Market 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Willow Ave., Honesdale (next to Dave’s Super Duper). Fresh picked fruits & vegetables, fresh meats & eggs, homemade baked goods, handmade crafts & more, all locally grown or produced. Info: 570-488-5435.
October 2– October 9 OCT. 2–31
Saturday Family Story Time 11 a.m.–Noon. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Join Miss Melanie for a story, followed by a fun craft for the whole family to enjoy. Info: 570-253-1220 or www.waynelibraries.org.
Art Exhibit: Claudia Hill and Susan Pekala, “Working with Nature’s Canvas” Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. The gourds on display show how versatile this natural canvas can be. Gourds can be painted, carved, woodburned, woven, beaded & sculpted. Regardless, their natural beauty always shines through. Meet the artists Oct. 6, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Info: 570-629-3061.
SATURDAYS
OCT. 3
SATURDAYS
FREE Tastings and Demos Noon–2 p.m. Mill Market, in the Hawley
Family Night Hike 6:30–8 p.m. Lackawanna College Environ-
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EVENTS mental Education Center, Covington Township. Fun & adventurous night hike along the trails of LCEEC. Learn about night vision & the adaptations nocturnal animals have to survive in the dark. Program designed for the whole family. Dress for the weather & wear sturdy shoes. Pre-registration required: 570-842-1506. OCT. 4
Deeper Than The Skin 7:30 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by The Cooperage Project & Riverfolk Concerts. Reggie Harris & Greg Greenway are on a pilgrimage together — one that began three decades ago. The racial divisions that are the reality of America started them in two different worlds, but the amazing bonds of music, mutual respect, sheer admiration & shared vision have brought them together as friends & colleagues. BYOB. Info & reservations: 570-253-2020 or info@thecooperageproject.org.
OCT. 6 Run to Read 9 a.m. start. Bingham Park, Hawley. 5K Run-walk to benefit Hawley Public Library. T-shirts, trophies, medals, ribbons. Info & registration: 570-226-4620 or waynelibraries.org/hawley.
OCT. 5
Farmers Harvest Wine Dinner 7 p.m. Settlers Inn, Hawley. The bountiful harvest from local farmers expertly paired with wine. Prix fixe menu. Info & reservations: 570-226-2993.
Church, Equinunk. In the church basement. There is a subsequent bag sale on Oct. 13, 9 a.m.–Noon. Info: 570-224-6361. OCT. 6
Columbus Day Family Camp Weekend Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Bring friends & family to experience the splendor of autumn. Animal presentations, canoeing & kayaking, nature hikes, crafts, campfire & more. Commuter & day rates available; call for details. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.
Harvest Festival 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Celebrate fall with animal presenters, arts & crafts, handson activities, conservation exhibits, live music, local food, old-timey activities, & more. Bring your family & friends to this great event. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.
OCT. 6
OCT. 6
Electronic Recycling Event 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Honesdale National Bank Route 6 Plaza Branch, Honesdale. Bring broken & unwanted household or business electronic junk for $20 per carload. No pre-registration required. Wayne County YMCA will accept computers, servers, monitors, printers, keyboards, VCRs, batteries, cell phones, terminals, cables, wires, power supplies, fax machines, radios, modems, CTRs, corded & cordless phones, TVs, CPUs, copiers, scanners, cassette/CD/DVD players, typewriters, stereo equipment & more. Info: 570-253-2083.
Farm & Chef 2–5 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Local farm-fresh food from Wayne Cty. farmers prepared by six of the region’s fine chefs, along with an old-fashioned pie auction, live music all day, local artisan vendors & local beer for purchase. Proceeds support the work of Pa. Assoc. for Sustainable Agriculture members in Wayne Cty. Tickets available at Hawley Farmers Market, Wayne County Farmers Market, & Stourbridge Pie Sept. 13 at The Cooperage. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 6
OCT. 6
Red Violin Caprices: Caroline Goulding, Violin Milford Theatre, Milford. Recognized early as a child prodigy, the skillful young virtuoso is poised now for a major career. Music
OCT. 5–8
Equinunk United Methodist Church Rummage, Bake and Deli Sale 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Equinunk United Methodist
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EVENTS by Paganini, Vieuxtemps, Kreisler, Corigliano. Info: 570-409-1269 or www.kindredspiritsarts.org. OCT. 7
Columbus Day Brunch 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Settlers Inn, Hawley. Live music, omelet station, complimentary bottomless mimosas, à la carte menu. Info & reservations: 570-226-2993. OCT. 7
RiverFolk Concert: Fendrick & Peck with Austin MacRae 5 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by RiverFolk Concerts. The music of indie folk artists Brian & Madeline is noted for its exquisite harmony, lyrics & composition. Singer/songwriter MacRae’s debut album won an award for Best Folk Record-
of his cartoons & shares a bit about himself before going into an entertaining show about the history of snowmen. Refreshments & beverages served. Proceeds benefit the Wayne County Public Library. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 10
Travel the World with Food: Russian 5:30 p.m. Wayne County Public Library, Honesdale. Culinary Book Club 2018: share recipes, food tastings, book discussions, food blog, surprises. Info & registration: Elizabeth, ewilson@waynelibraries.org or 570-253-1220. OCT. 11
Romping Radishes 4–5 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Geared to students K–2, but all children are wel-
OCT. 6 & 7 Harvest & Heritage Days Historic Honesdale rolls out the pumpkins, hay bales, cornstalks, & fall colors. Craft vendors line Main St. both days. Hayrides, demos, music, pumpkin painting, shops & restaurants, Wayne Cty. Historical Society Museum, Stourbridge Line excursions, Stourbridge Lion Model Railroad Club’s train layout, antique car cruise, Soup ‘R Chili Taste-off, “Pets on Pawrade” costume competition & more. Info: 570-253-5492 or ghp@visithonesdalepa.com.
ing of 2015. BYOB. Reservations & info: 845252-6783 or riverfolkconcerts@frontier.com. OCT. 8
Vacation Nature Camp: Wild Wayfarers 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Grades 3–5 only. Take a walk in the wilds as you create our own hiking sticks & take an adventure out into the Delaware Water Gap. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.
October 10–October 19 OCT. 10
Author Talk & Book Signing with New Yorker Cartoonist & World’s Only Snowman Expert, Bob Eckstein 2–4 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Bob Eckstein, award-winning illustrator, author of New York Times bestselling books & beloved New Yorker cartoonist, shows some
come. Grab your costumes for an evening of Halloween Yoga (Costumes that are yogaconducive are encouraged.). Parents or guardians must stay with their children for the duration of the class. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 11
Stourbridge Pie: A Market Gathering Place 4–7 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Event series strives to provide the greater Honesdale community with access to superb local agricultural products, artisanal goods, locally produced art & live entertainment. Free entry. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 12
Pizza Night Buffet & Silent Auction 5–8 p.m. Canaan Christian Academy, Lake Ariel. All-you-can-eat pizza buffet with salad bar, dessert, & drink provided. Silent auction includes some items auctioned live
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EVENTS by Dunn & Madden auctioneers. Lots of items, including overnight stays at Kalahari, Settlers Inn & the Hotel Anthracite. Info: 570-937-4848. OCT. 12
The Dives 7:30 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by The Cooperage Project. A fun night of rock & roll music with a sound both fresh & familiar at the same time. Grab dinner from the Walking Taco Company Food Truck before the show. Info & reservations: 570-253-2020 or info@thecooperageproject.org OCT. 12, 19
Project Owlnet Saw-whet Owl Banding 8–10 p.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Open to public. Learn about the Northern Saw-whet Owl, Project Owlnet & have an opportunity to see one of the most secretive birds in the eastern US. Preregistration suggested. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. OCT. 12–14
Fall Photography Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Capture the beautiful fall colors of the Delaware Water Gap with certified professional photographer, Kathy Peoples. Geared toward DSLR-type cameras. A tripod is recommended, but not required. Includes lodging & meals. Great hands-on experience under the guidance of an amazing teacher. Commuter rates available. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. OCT. 13
Equinunk United Methodist Church Bag Sale 9 a.m.–Noon. Equinunk United Methodist Church, Equinunk. In the church basement. Info: 570-224-6361. OCT. 13
Tags ’n Treasures Sale 10 a.m.–3 p.m. First Presbyterian Church of Hawley, Hawley. Large selection of household & other items. Refreshments available. Info: 570-224-6361. OCT. 13
Car Cruise 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Honesdale HS Tennis Courts, Daniel J. O’Neill Sports Complex, Honesdale. Cruise with Honesdale HS Friends of Tennis. Enjoy food, raffles, music, 50/50 & lots of fun. Rain date: Oct. 14. Registration & info: 570-729-7683 or luft526@yahoo.com.
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OCT. 13 Hawley Harvest Hoedown 10 a.m. Downtown Hawley. Old-fashioned fall street fair. Games, food, craft & other vendors, hayrides, live music, petting zoo, pumpkin decorating, & always some surprises. Info: 570-226-4064 or hawleyharvesthoedown.com or facebook. OCT. 13
Across The Delaware: A Fine Arts Exhibit Noon–8 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. The Cooperage will be transformed into an art gallery for Second Saturday as the Wayne County Arts Alliance, The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance & The Cooperage come together to curate a juried fine art exhibit of multiple regional artists in downtown Honesdale. Artwork available for purchase. Free & open to the public. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 13
Rocktoberfest Noon–6 p.m. Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley. Sample over 20 beers. Live music, Oktberfest cuisine à la carte, soup samplings. Info: 570-390-4440. OCT. 13
German Pop Up Restaurant 6 & 8 p.m. Ledges Hotel, Hawley. Traditional German food & Oktoberfest fare plus dessert in buffet-style menu. Reservations required: 570-226-1337.
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EVENTS OCT. 13
OCT. 15
Second Saturday Honesdale 6–9 p.m. Downtown Honesdale. Festivaltown happening filled with music, art, comedy & community support. Info on Facebook.
Early Explorers: Nuts to You 1–2:30 p.m. Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, Covington Township. For children ages 3–6 & a guardian. Explore the busy world of squirrels as they prepare for winter. Go for a hike & visit some of our furry friends in the forest & search for their homes & food. Limited space; pre-registration required. Info & registration: 570-842-1506.
OCT. 13
Milford After Dark Downtown Milford. Extended shopping hours, gallery events, live music & diverse dining options. Info: www.milfordpa.us.
OCT. 15
OCT. 13
Hawley Harvest Hoedown Bluegrass & Folk Concert 2018 7:30 p.m. Ritz Theater, Hawley. Features regional bluegrass all-stars, Man About A Horse, Serene Green, & Hickory Project. Info: 570-226-4064.
Wayne Highlands Quilt Guild 6:30 p.m. Honesdale Community Church, Honesdale. Welcoming quilters all ages & skill levels. Make new friends who share your passion for quilting. Show & Tell & refreshments. Info: Deb, 570-224-4914 or debszoo@gmail.com.
OCT. 14 Ecozone Discovery Room 1–4 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Explore the indoor discovery room & enjoy hands-on exhibits on natural history, sustainability & the local environment. No registration required. Info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.
OCT. 16
OCT. 14
Introduction to Orienteering 10 a.m.–Noon. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Learn how to use a map & compass on the orienteering course. You’ll learn the basics before you try & find all the points. Space limited. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. OCT. 14
Sunday Public Bog Walk 1–3:30 p.m. Tannersville Bog, E. Stroudsburg. Environmental Educators explain the Bog’s formation, its interesting plant & animal life, & the role the local Preserve Committee & the Nature Conservancy play in its continued protection. Wear appropriate footwear. Pre-registration required & limited. Registration & info: 570-629-3061.
Equality, Really?: A Presentation About the Racial Divide of the Suffragists 6 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by The Cooperage Project. Colleen Janz, executive director of The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum in Massachusetts, talks about the racism within the suffrage movement & of the U.S. during the Civil War/Antebellum period & the effects these ideas & notions had on the suffrage movement as a whole. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 17
Ned Smith Center Field Trip 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. The Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art promotes the study of nature through education, the arts & research. The Center in Millersburg, PA, is named for Smith, a selftrained artist, naturalist & writer. Learn
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EVENTS more about his life & see his stunning artwork. Cost includes bus transportation & admission to three galleries. Pack a lunch & dress for a short stroll on the Center’s trails. Pre-registration & payment required. Registration & info: 570-629-3061. OCT. 17
Edible Landscaping & Backyard Food Production 5:30–7 p.m. Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, Covington Township. Learn about ecological design, edible landscaping & backyard food production. A strong emphasis of the design process replaces lawns & traditional landscaping with plants that produce food, medicine & ecological benefits. Geared for ages 16 & above. Pre-registration required. Info & registration: 570-842-1506. OCT. 17
Acoustic Bluegrass Jam 7–9 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by The Cooperage Project. Led by Ron Penska. All levels of players are welcome. All instruments are welcome, too, but leave your amps at home — this jam is entirely acoustic. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 18
Game Night 6–9 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by The Cooperage Project. Play from a selection of games or bring your own game to share & teach. All ages welcome. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org.
ited. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. OCT. 20
Romping Radishes on the Run: Water on the Move 10 a.m. Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel. Geared to kids grades K–2, but all are welcome. Explore the clean water cycle at glacial Lake Lacawac. Make Earth Suncatchers & learn about groundwater with an ice cream sundae. Dress for the weather & prepare to spend time outdoors. Parents or guardians must stay with their children for the entirety of the program. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 20
WaterWaze Program 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Free familyfriendly event full of educational, hands-on activities for kids of all ages. Explore Kettle Creek & learn about aquatic critters, the water cycle, & good stewardship of our most precious resource. Lunch provided. Registration & info: 570-629-3061. OCT. 21
Signs of Fall Hike 10 a.m.–Noon. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Take a hike & discover the science behind the wonderful season of fall. Discuss changing animal behavior, why leaves change color & why it’s the best season to be out & about. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. OCT. 21
October 20–October 31 OCT. 20
Boy Scout Badge Festival 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. A fun day of badge work. Scouts must be supervised at all times by a parent or troop leader. Payment required at registration. Space lim-
Fungus Among Us 1–3 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Search for fungus & lichen as you learn about the amazing world of decomposition & nutrient cycling. No collecting done within the park. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org.
OCT. 19–21 Black Bear Film Festival Milford Theater, Milford. Support of innovative & independent films, artistic expression, education, diversity, & cultural enhancement. Film Icon Guest: Jane Alexander. Info: info@blackbearfilm.com or www.blackbearfilm.com.
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EVENTS can relate to. He shows us ways to not only store up memories, but not be afraid to take them out & look at them, both the good & the bittersweet. Donations collected at door. BYOB. Info: 570-253-2020 or thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 25
Birding at Brig Field Trip Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Meet at 7 a.m. & return approximately 8:30 p.m. A full day of birds & fun at Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in southern NJ, a migratory hotspot for a diversity of birds. Bring a lunch, binoculars, & dress for the weather. Dinner stop will be made. Cost includes bus transportation. Preregistration & payment required. Registration & info: 570-629-3061. OCT. 26
OCT. 26 Jeans & Jewels Dinner Dance 6–10 p.m. Silver Birches Resort, Hawley. Victims Intervention Program hosts their annual dinner-dance. Includes dinner, dancing, silent auction & basket raffles. Your support helps VIP give community members affected by domestic violence, sexual assault & other crimes the help they need. Info & tickets: Michelle Minor Wolf, 570-253-4401 or mmw@vipempowers.org.
A Contra Dance 7:15 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Live music by Laura & Craig Gehrig, with caller Laurie B. Beginners welcome, no experience necessary. Caller Laurie B. will do a beginner lesson starting at 7:15 p.m. Kids under 15 free. Info: 570-253-2020 or info@thecooperageproject.org. OCT. 26
Project Owlnet Saw-whet Owl Banding 8–10 p.m. Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, Stroudsburg. Open to public. Learn about the Northern Saw-whet Owl, Project Owlnet & have an opportunity to see one of the most secretive birds in the eastern US. Pre-registration suggested. Info: 570-629-3061 or www.mcconservation.org. OCT. 26 & 27
Storytelling Dinner 6 p.m. Settlers Inn, Hawley. Storyteller Sandy Gabrielson, family-style seasonal meal & live music, set aglow with pumpkins. Prix fixe menu. Info & reservations: 570-226-2993. OCT. 27
OCT. 21
Truffles Galore Cooking Class 2–4 p.m. Boiler Room at The Hawley Silk Mill, Hawley. Demonstration & hands-on experience making delectable truffles. Info & reservations: 570-390-4440. OCT. 21
The Honeycomb by Jeff Raught 5 p.m. The Cooperage, Honesdale. Presented by The Cooperage Project. Honesdale native Raught combines stories of life & faith & weaves them into something we all
Girl Scout Badge Festival 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Come to PEEC for a fun day of hands-on badge work. Scouts must be supervised at all times by a parent or troop leader. Payment required at registration. Space limited. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. OCT. 27
Halloween Party 5 p.m. The Dock on Wallenpaupack, Haw-
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EVENTS ley. Benefiting Pennies From Heaven, Caleb’s Foundation. Costume contest, live music, dining & drink specials. Info: 570-226-2124.
GHOSTS
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OCT. 28
Little Eco Explorers: Bats 10 a.m.–11:30 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Fun hands-on program for young children with a story, craft & activity focusing on bats. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. OCT. 28
Fire Building 1–3 p.m. Pocono Environmental Education Center, Dingmans Ferry. Ages 10+. Learn some primitive & modern fire-making skills. Try your hand at a flint & steel, & more. Registration & info: 570-828-2319 or www.peec.org. OCT. 29
Early Explorers: Bats! 1–2:30 p.m. Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center, Covington Township. For children ages 3–6 & a guardian. Get batty while learning about these fascinating flying mammals. Discover what they eat & play a game to see how they hunt in the dark. Limited space; pre-registration required. Info & registration: 570-842-1506.
Area Halloween Parades OCT. 30 7–9:30 p.m. Main Street, Honesdale. Honesdale Area Jaycees annual parade. Line up starts at 6 p.m. in the Top Notch parking lot for floats & St. Mary’s parking lot for walkers. Info: info@honesdalejaycees.org.
OCT. 31 5:45 p.m. Main Avenue, Hawley. Line-up starts at 5 p.m. at the corner of Church & Main Sts. Parade ends at Bingham Park with costume judging, music & refreshments. Info: 570-226-4064.
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had to have been nearly six feet to have fallen all the way across the aisle. Nothing on the table is piled high; but I did find the color that was scattered across the floor, dark purple, but they were only about 18” high, and I took the photo before they fell. Then I see quite clearly….right behind the dark purple boxes…my heart skips a beat, out loud I say, “No way!”, looking at the photo expanding, zooming in and out. A FACE! To me I see a young girl in white with dirty blonde/brownish hair peering around the first cut out (The cut outs are cemented spaces that were once large windows (Daylight is the cheapest source of light.), but there were no windows, no pass through, just a small space. I tried to enlarge the photo to see what it really was, all I could think was how cool it was that all I could see was a face of an impish girl. My mind started to flash back to the times I heard noises I dismissed or the times I opened the store and things were not as I left them the night before and I chalked it up to way to many people having keys. My mind started to fill with what ifs. I started to feel a little impish myself, almost giddy, when I enlarged the photo it would just blur into nonsense, nothingness, I thought for sure it would zoom into something identifiable. But it did not. I showed a coworker and she just looked at me a little freaked out as if I was a little crazy, but the picture is the picture, I just took it. I quickly sent it to myself encase something happened to my phone. In the years since I have shown the photo to a few people calmly told my story, unbiasly in a just the facts kind of way, just to see what they see and what they think it is. It is interesting, there are those who look with amazement and often a holy sh*t, those who dismiss it and those who find validation to tell their story. What do you think? Follow us on Instagram @PoconoSecrets and on Facebook @PocoPike Visit www.LAGuzda.com or www.PoconoSecrets.com for past articles. Do you have a Pocono Secret to share? Send an email to: PoconoSecrets@aol.com
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