Girardville PRIDE has new president
BY JOHN E. USALIS Times Shamrock Writer
03/30/2006
GIRARDVILLE - Girardville PRIDE installed officers
at its Monday meeting and welcomed Joseph Quinn as the new board president.
Quinn, a member of the Girardville borough council,
was elected unanimously in February after the organization's first
and only president, James Kilker, declined another term due to his
professional schedule.
In addition to Quinn, PRIDE officers include Vice President
Heath Ressler, Secretary Carol Reilly and Treasurer Terri Paige. Kilker
continues to be a board member and said he will remain an active member
of PRIDE.
The fund-raising effort before and during the third
annual Girardville St. Patrick's Day Parade was the major topic at
the meeting. PRIDE sold a variety of promotional items to raise money
for its revitalization activities, held a "Lucky Duck Derby"
the day after the parade and co-sponsored a cultural exhibit about
the Irish potato famine, created by board member Rosalie Kuzma.
"I want to thank everybody who helped with the
fund-raising," Quinn said. "It's amazing the amount of money
that was raised to keep us going."
His sentiments were echoed by board member Kathy Centiole,
who directed the effort.
"I have never been more proud to be a part of
this organization than I was in the two weeks that led up to the parade,"
Centiole said. "Everybody really helped out and made it real
easy to do. It was a lot of fun and I hope we can do it again next
year."
Centiole reported that PRIDE-sponsored novelty sales
totaled $5,310. The total cost for novelties purchased was $1,500,
resulting in a net profit to PRIDE of $3,810.
The duck derby event sold 200 rubber leprechaun ducks
at $10 each. The winner, Judy Mehlbaum of Girardville, won $1,000,
with the rest going toward PRIDE projects.
Centiole said that PRIDE also sold more than $1,200
worth of parade novelties for the Ancient Order of Hibernians and
Ladies of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
In other business, planters will be purchased and placed
in the downtown business district. Centiole said it is necessary to
find businesses or individuals who will tend the planters.
As part of her Upper Schuylkill Downtowns report, Centiole
said street banners will be ready for installation in the near future.
Banners are being purchased for the six USD communities - Girardville,
Ashland, Frackville, Mahanoy City, Shenandoah and Ringtown - as part
of the organization's ongoing downtown renewal efforts.
The banners will include the names of all six of the
boroughs, and the name of the town in which the banners are placed
will be larger and more prominent.
The overall design is intended to provide uniformity
to all of the banners in order to promote the umbrella revitalization
group's "One Regional City/Six Great Towns" concept.
Girardville PRIDE meets the last Monday of the month
at 7 p.m. in the Girardville Municipal Building.
The next meeting will be April 24.
Meetings are open to the public, and new members are
welcome.
© The REPUBLICAN & Herald
2007
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