By Maria Cascario

The 9th Annual Jimmy

Gum Slate Belt MVP
Football Award was
presented to Tre Jordan
of Pius X High School
by John Williams, of H
& J Ministries. The
event took place at the
Slate Pub in Pen Argyl
on
Wednesday,
December 10th.
Runners-up for the
By Maria Cascario

Lucy Flinn of State

Farm Insurance, Wind
Gap, held her sixth
annual open house on
December 6th at the
Gap Theater.
Once
again, it was a successful
crowd-pleasing
event. Approximately
two hundred people
attended.
Everyone enjoyed the
Christmas carols sung
by Bill Reese and also
by the Straw Hat Society. The children who
attended received a
goodie bag and had
complimentary photos
taken with Santa and
Mrs. Claus by Suzanne
Transue. One of the
highlights of the afternoon was the lunch
served by Lora Gower
of Catering By Lora.
A free movie was

shown to all the guests.

It was Rudolph the
Red Nosed Reindeer
and
was chosen
because it was the
fiftieth anniversary of
its release.
Summing up the event,
Lucy said with a smile,
Its great food, great
fun, great entertainment
and a phenomenal visit
from Santa and Mrs.
Claus. The Open House
has grown by almost
forty people each year.
It brings me alot of joy.
Its 60 percent policy
holders and 40pervent
people in the community who come to have a
good time. I welcome
all of them!
Looking forward to
next year, she said with
her usual enthusiasm,
Its less than 365 days
until next years event!

Award
were
Nate
Stewart of Pius X, Sean
Wolderich of Bangor,
and Zach Ruppert of Pen
Argyl.
Each of the players
were
given
an
inspirational book by
Williams.
The Award is in honor
and in memory of the
late Jimmy Gum, an
outstanding athlete and

By Jennifer Newland

As many of us have
learned since moving
here, the Slate Belt is a
very unique area. The
area is filled with a true
sense of community and
compassion for each
other. While people may
move in or out of the
area, the aura of people
working together to help
each other out remains
strong. The story that I
present here today is
one that exemplifies this
bond we share as Slate
Belt residents.
Melissa King from Pen
Argyl was touched by a
story of a boy named
Orion. The King Family
tried to make Orion's
life filled with love and
compassion from themselves and others from
all over the country.
Orion was suffering
from Leukemia and
unfortunately lost his
battle recently. However, through the loss,
Melissa vowed to help

others be uplifted when

they are feeling down.
A few days ago,

Melissa contacted many

friends with an idea to
give Melissa Missy

student at Pen Argyl

High School and Lehigh
University. To honor his
memory,
Williams
began the tradition of
this Award. The winner
is chosen by the Express
-Times sportswriters.
Jims parents, June and
Sherwood Gum, and his
wife, Stacy, were in
attendance
at
the
presentation.

Binder and her family of

Pen Argyl some hope
and support throughout
the season. Missy tragically lost her husband,
Jason Binder, in an
accident on Route 78
about a year ago. The
Binder/Pullo family is
going through their first
Christmas without their
husband, father, and
son-in-law and are
having a difficult time
dealing with the grief.
To try to give the family
some peace, comfort
and support throughout
the holiday season, a
tree was donated by a
local tree farm and
placed onto the familys
porch while they were
out doing errands. Upon
their arrival home, they
were amazed and very
grateful at the generosity of their friends. The
family decided to appropriately named the tree
Jason's Tree in honor
of him.

The Bangor Area

High School 1885 Club
is now accepting nominations for the 2015
1885 Club Hall of
Fame. Nominations can
be sent to Carole J.
Hontz at DeFranco
Elementary
School.
Forms can be found on
the Bangor Area School
District website under
the Alumni section, then
click 1885 Club.
Pius X High School is
now accepting nominations for the Athletic
Hall of Fame Class of
2015. Any alumni,
parent, or Pius X
supporter is eligible to

nominate an individual.
Candidates will be
considered
for
the
following
categories:
player,
coach
or
supporter. Qualifications
and forms can be found
on
www.piusxhs.org
athletics page. Contact
Joe Disidore, athletic
director, at 610-5883291
or
jdisidore
@piusxhs.org
with
questions. Applications
are being accepted
through January 15th,
2015.
Previously at 123
Broadway in Bangor,
the Slate Belt Pregnancy
Support

Services is re-tooling
to provide a better
experience for pregnant women and their
families. They are
currently virtual but
still available to help
and can be reached
through Facebook or by
calling Life Choices at
888-749-4772.
Hope UCC food
pantry is in great need
of donations. Items
include any kind of
drinks
(in
plastic
bottles) or drink mixes,
such
as
Kool-aid,
lemonade and iced tea;
and all canned fruits and
canned meats (ham,
tuna, chicken, spam,
sardines, canned stew,
chili). All donations can
be dropped off Monday
through Thursday, 8am
to 1pm. All monetary
donations may be paid
to Hope United Church
of Christ, P.O. Box 425,
Wind Gap, PA 18091.
Downtown
Bangor
will be getting into the
Christmas spirit from
December
21st
through 23rd with the
playing of Christmas
music from 7pm to
9pm. Visit Broadway in
Bangor to join in the
holiday cheer!
Happy
Birthday
wishes are sent to Dino

Capone and Jack

Price, December 17th;
Jeremy
Nansteel,
December 20th; Julie
Noguerol,
December
22nd; Colleen Nansteel,
Jessica Coe and Chris
VanDusen, December
23rd.
Dont miss out on our
annual holiday coloring contest! Entry can
be found on page 14.
Just a reminder on
our upcoming holiday
deadline:
All
ad
requests, classifieds and
dated events need to be
submitted to us for the
December 24th & 31st
Editions no later than
December 17th. Ad
requests, classifieds and
dated events for the
January 7th edition
needs to be submitted to
us no later than December 18th. Thank You for
your understanding and
cooperation.
We love hearing from
you! Send us your
birthdays, anniversaries, birth announcements and other tidbits
of information to:
The PRESS
1 Broadway
Bangor, PA 18013
thepressmail@
gmail.com
Don't Forget to
Like Us on Facebook!

Adult Fiction: Atkins,

Ace: Robert B. Parkers
Cheap Shot; Garrison,
Paul: Robert Ludlums
The Janson Command;
Lescroart, John: The
Keeper; Taylor, Brad:
Days Of Rage.
Adult
Non-fiction:
Bartlett, Richard: The
Physics Of Miracles;
Calbom, Cherie: The
Juice Ladys Big Book
Of Juices And Green
Smoothies; Foley, Leonard: Saint Of The Day;

Hester, Kathy: Vegan

Slow Cooking For Two
Or Just For You; Theodore, Laura: Vegan
Twists On American
Family Favorites; Theodore, Laura: Lively
Vegan Cuisine Thats
Easy And Delicious.
Junior
Fiction:
Farshtey, Greg: Bionicle
Rahi Beasts; West,
Tracey: A Ninjas Path;
Rise Of The Snakes.
Dvds: Barbie In A
Christmas Carol.

The Slate Belt Young at

Heart Club Annual
Christmas Luncheon:
December 18th, 12pm.
St. Elizabeth's Church.
Open to all, 55 years &
older. FMI, call Mary
Lou DeRea-Lohman at
610-863-4846 or 610844-4630.
Columbia Fire Co. No.
1 Breakfast w/ Santa:
December
20th,
9-11am.
Firehouse,
Roseto.
Open to all
children from Roseto
borough as
well as
children and grandchildren of current fire co.
members. Free for those
under 10. FMI or resevations, call 610-588-0597
or
email
kidsparty@columbiafire
co.org

Safe Haven Pet Rescue

Adoption Day: December 21st, 11am-2pm.
Rt. 209, Brodheadsville.
Safe Haven requires a
pre-adoption application
w/ references & home
visit prior to adoption.
FMI, a list of dogs available for adoption &
adoption applications,
visit SafeHaven Pa.org,
email
Safe
Haven@epix.net or join
on Facebook.
Christmas on South
Robinson Ave.: December 18th, 4-6pm. FMI,
call Sharon Davis at
610-390-6692 or email
sharond@tottsgap.org.
Mr. & Mrs. Claus Visit
Merchants
Bank:
December 20th, 10am
-12pm.
Merchants
Bank, 303 Penna. Ave.,
Bangor.

The
East
Bangor
United
Methodist
Community Church
Christmas
Eve
Candlelight Service of
Carols:
December
24th, 7pm. 136 W.
Central Ave. (Rt. 512),
E. Bangor. FMI, call
610-588-4453 or visit
www.ebumc.org.
New Years Day Pork
and
Sauerkraut
Dinner: January 1st,
1-4pm. Belfast Wesley
United
Methodist
Church, 607 School Rd.,
Nazareth. FMI, call Tom
at 610-863-7772.
Rosary & Prayer:
January 3, 9am. Our
Lady of Good Counsel
Church, 436 S 2nd St,
Bangor.
One Way Church
Blood Drive: January

3rd, 10am-3pm. 50
Broadway, Bangor. Go
to giveapint.org to create
a donor profile & schedule an appointment.
Sponsor code: 7568.
FMI, call 413-248-7242.
Win a $500 Visa card &
door prizes for donors.
Wind Gap Film Club
First Meeting: January
16th, 6pm. Wind Gap
Legion. 217 N Broadway, Wind Gap. FMI,
email windgapfilmclub
@gmail.com or find on
facebook.
Wind Gap Film Club
Chinese Auction Fundraiser: January 30th,
6pm. The Wind Gap
Legion, 217 N. Broadway, Wind Gap. FMI,
email windgapfilmclub
@gmail.com or find on
facebook.

By Nicole Duritz

(NAPSI)If you or
someone you care about
is among the 7.3 million
people enrolled in a
marketplace
health
plan, now is the time to
review the plan to see if
you need to make any
changes for next year.
Every year, health
plans change. These can
include changes in the
network of doctors, in
monthly premiums or in
co-pays. Some marketplace plan premiums
have increased, some
have stayed the same
and
some
have
decreased.
The entire open enrollment period runs from
November 15th through
February 15th. How-

ever, if you want to

change your health
plan, you need to do it
before December 15th
if you want your coverage to start on January
1st, 2015. Otherwise,
youll be automatically
re-enrolled in your
current plan. If you are
signing up for the first
time under ObamaCare
and want coverage to
begin January 1st, you
need to enroll and pay
your
first
months
premium by December
15th.
Its important for
everyone to have health
insurance for several
reasons. One reason is
that we never know
when were going to get
sick or have an

accident.
Certain
preventive
health care is now
covered at no cost,

(NAPSI)Every day,
more than 10,000 baby
boomers turn 65 and
become eligible for
Medicare-but
the
generation that put the
first man on the moon
doesnt plan to spend
retirement sitting back
in a rocking chair. In
fact, a recent survey
shows that 87 percent of
New York area boomers
say youre only as old
as you feel.
The survey, conducted
by Affinity Health Plan
and Kelton, found that
not only are boomers
optimistic about retirement (85 percent)nearly two-thirds of
those surveyed believe
that the best times are
ahead of them. So what
do boomers plan to do
with their time? A
majority (77 percent)
plan to travel more, 47
percent plan to attend
more sporting events
and concerts, and 34
percent are taking up

new hobbies. Boomers

are also taking better
care of their health so
they can enjoy an active
lifestyle for years to
come.
Seventy-five
percent report eating
healthier and 66 percent
report that they are exercising more. Looking,
feeling
and
acting
young may be why 84
percent of boomers
surveyed said, Now is
the time in my life when
I get to do the things I
always wanted to do.
And if youre turning
65 and thinking about
Medicare, consider this:
Survey results show that
people
enrolled
in
Medicare are more
likely than their counterparts to report feeling
self-sufficient
and
fulfilled, and strongly
believe that they are as
healthy today as they
can be.
Boomers need a Medicare plan that can keep
up. To make Medicare

easier, the Affinity

Medicare
Passport
Portfolio
of
Plans
includes five convenient
programs, each offering
greater benefits than
Original
Medicare.
Designed to better
reflect the lifestyles and
needs
of
todays
Medicare-eligible
consumers, Affinitys
plans allow beneficiaries to get all their Medicare
coverageincluding Medicare Part
D prescription drug
benefitsin one health
plan.
The 2014 Medicare
open enrollment period
comes to a close
December 7. Medicare
helps protect good
health so people can
lead active, rich and
rewarding livesand
there is an Affinity plan
for everyone.
Learn More: For more
information, visit Affinity MedicarePlan.org or
call 1-888-543-9096.

including diabetes and

cholesterol screenings,
mammograms, immunizations, and screenings
for certain cancers. So
having these and other
regular health screenings is important to help
keep you healthy.
You may have to pay a
tax penalty if you dont
have health insurance.
Fortunately,
theres
financial help to pay for
health
insurance,
making coverage within
reach for millions of
Americans. Low-cost or
even free health plans
are available depending
on your income.
The good news is that,
regardless of your
health history, you cant
be turned down for

coverage.
Insurance
companies
can
no
longer deny coverage if
you have a preexisting
condition.
While it can be confusing to figure out what
the health care law
means for you and your
family, AARP can help
with clear, simple facts
and easy-to-use online
resources to give you
the confidence of knowing youre in control of
your health care. Visit
www.healthlawanswers
.org.
If you need help (in
English or Spanish)
finding the right health
plan or completing the
application,
go
to
www.healthcare.gov or
call 1-800-318-2596.

The idea of this tree is

to help light up their
life as they come and go
from their home as a
reminder that their
community is their to
love, support and comfort them. While the

tree is standing with

lights, a tree topper and
a tree skirt, the tree is
still missing ornaments.
This is where we are
asking the community
for their help. We want
to fill this tree up with
ornaments and we want
to fill up a basket under
the tree with cards. We
humbly ask that any
time between now and

December 31st to stop

by their home to hang
an ornament on the tree
and place a card in the
basket with a warm
uplifting message for
the family. We ask that
you not disturb the
family that you come
peacefully and leave
peacefully. We want to
respect their privacy
while showing them
that the community
supports them in their
grief. We also have one
more request to help
spread the word to get
the tree filled to capacity.
We feel that this community tree will bring
them some peace,
happiness and blessing
to them over the
holiday season. As
Melissa
King
eloquently reminds us,
Continue to love your
neighbor, hold each
other dear and remember that each day is a
gift and that we need
each of us to make a
difference in the life of
another. We thank you
in advance for taking
part in making a difference
in
the
Binder/Pullo families
life.
Ornaments and cards
can
be
peacefully
brought to (or mailed
to) 35 Vine Street, Pen
Argyl, PA 18072.

Pennsylvania
Lions
Beacon Lodge Camp is
happy to announce its
2015 camping season.
This season marks 67
consecutive years of
camping. The camping
season opens June 6th,
and closes August 11th.
Camp sessions are six
or ten days based on
eligibility criteria.
Beacon
Lodge
is
supported by the Lions
of PA, with the mission
to provide individuals
with special needs the
opportunity to enjoy a
camping
experience
encompassing
recreational, educational and

personal
adjustment.
Special emphasis is
placed on stimulating
interests and appreciation for recreation and
learning and encouraging new challenges.
The most important
goal in everything they
do is to motivate each
person to focus on what
they can do, not what
they can't. A dual
program is carried out
for children and adults
simultaneously, but each
group enjoys separate
activities. Children are
accommodated in cabins
while adults are housed
in dormitories.

Camp activities may

include bowling, swimming, arts and crafts,
music, hiking, rock
climbing,
zip-line,
spelunking,
fishing,
paddle-boating, canoeing, kayaking, archery,
nature study, games,
kickball,
basketball,
lawn games, and aerobics.
Beacon
Lodge
is
located in the beautiful
mountains of central
Pennsylvania, along the
Juniata River, For more
information,
email
beaconlodgecamp@veri
zon.net, 814-542-2511
or beaconlodge.com

illegal substances.
If your prescription has
a warning not to drive
while taking that medication, do not drive.
Also, with the blood

alcohol limit being .08,

it does not take much
alcohol to reach or
exceed that limit.
Make arrangements for
a sober designated
driver when needing to
travel and stay safe
during the holidays!
For more information,
visit A Clean Slate,
located at 100 S. 1st
Street in Bangor.

By Jennifer Lively

Did you know that

more people get their
first
DUI
between
Thanksgiving Eve and
New Years day than
any other time of the
year? Sure, that's not
hard to imagine. But did
you know only half of
those DUI's are because
of alcohol? Yes, driving
under the influence
includes any substance
that alters your ability to
drive: That includes
prescription
medications, marijuana and

(NAPSI)The American dream of homeownership may not be as

hard to attain as many
people seem to fear. A
few intriguing facts and
hints can help.
The Facts: While existing home sales have
risen
recently,
the
National Association of
Realtors annual Profile
of Home Buyers and
Sellers found that the
share
of
first-time
buyers recently fell to its
lowest
level
(33
percent) in nearly three
decades.
Many first-time buyers
experience obstacles on
the path to homeownership, including difficulty saving for a down
payment and tight credit
conditions.
The Hints - Consider
these tips:
Find and work with
an expert Realtor who
knows the neighborhood. Nothing can
replace the local knowledge and real insight
that professional Realtors can provide to
first-time buyers as they
navigate the complex

home buying process.

According to the
Profile of Home Buyers
and Sellers, while most
home buyers in the past
year began their home
search
online,
90
percent
ended
up
purchasing their home
through an agent. Realtors are not only the
source of online real
estate data, they also
use their unparalleled
local market knowledge
and resources to help
close the deal for buyers

and sellers.
Meet with a lender to
determine how much
you can afford. Last
year, the median price a
first-time buyer spent
on a home was
$169,000. Chances are,
you dont have that
amount of cash lying
around. Thats why 95
percent of first-time
buyers who bought a
home in the past year
financed their purchase.
Find out what you can
afford with a preap-

proval from a lender. A

lender will check your
credit history, current
debt obligations and
other expenses to determine the amount of
money youre qualified
to borrow at a specific
interest rate. Dont
forget to consider the
other costs of homeownership, such as taxes,
insurance and utilities.
Identify your housing
wish list. Although 46
percent of first-time
buyers got a singlefamily home in the
suburbs, you may prefer
a condo in an urban
environment near public
transportation.
Regardless of your
preferences, identifying
and sharing your wish
list can help your Realtor focus on the right
home for you, scan
listings and connect with
those who represent
sellers to zero in on
homes for sale that meet
your budget and criteria.
Keep this advice in
mind and you may soon
find yourself waking up
in the home of your
dreams.

(NAPSI)At holiday
time or anytime, for
many busy people, a fire
in the fireplace can

provide an escape from

day-to-day chaos, an
opportunity for a romantic interlude, or a great

accompaniment to an
entertaining evening with
family and friends.
An Efficient Way To
Enjoy A Fire: Making
that even easier is a
nature-inspired firelog
that can transport you to a
different place and time
with the strike of a
match.
Crafted from real hardwoods and featuring up
to a 24 percent more
efficient burn than that of
other
brands,
Pine
Mountain fire logs burn
cleaner and greener than

ordinary cordwood. You

simply place the firelog
on the fireplace grate and
light the arrows marked
on the wrapper. Then, sit
back and enjoy a beautiful fire. Pine Mountain
firelogs are available in
two-, three- or four-hour
burn times. As the match
is lit and the fire begins,
chaos can turn to comfort
for you and your family.
For further information,
go to www.pinemountain
fire.com, facebook.com/
PineMountainFire or call
(877) 402-5185.

Hello fellow readers!

Its starting already.
Gardening withdrawals.
Margaret of Washington
asked how to force
Paperwhite bulbs, which
reminds me of a simple
winter
withdrawal
remedy that also makes
a wonderful Christmas
gift. Its as easy as
putting the Narcissus
papyraceus bulbs in
water with gravel. In a
few weeks youll have
fragrant white flowers.
Instant delight!
Choose
a
widemouthed container thats
about four inches deep
with no drainage holes.
Spread an inch or two of
marbles or stones. Position your Paperwhite
bulbs side by side,
pointy end up, on top of
the stone layer. The tight
fit will help keep them
from toppling over and a
grouping
is
more
appealing. Add another
layer of stones to fill in
gaps; covering the bulbs
to just above the widest
part,
keeping
their
pointy tips above the
stones.
Add water up to the
bottom of the bulbs as if
theyre sitting on the
water; and maintain that
level throughout. Too
much water will cause
the bulbs to rot. They
prefer to be cool, say 65
degrees, and dont need

sunlight until they begin

to develop roots. Once
they do, move them to a
sunny but cool window.
Too much warmth will
cause them to grow
leggy and flop over.
Once in flower, move
them out of direct
sunlight so the blooms
will last longer.
Turns out Paperwhites
enjoy a cocktail party.
No kidding! A continuous drink of alcohol
keeps
them
from
toppling over, which is
the opposite effect it has
on me!
Once the green shoots
grow about two inches,
pour off the water and
replace it with a solution
of four to six percent
alcohol mixed with
water and use the same
solution for watering.
You can use any hard
liquor (vodka, tequila or
whiskey) or rubbing
alcohol. Skip the wine
or beer though as they're
too high in sugar. More
is not merrier either, as
too much alcohol will
overdose your plant
causing severe problems.
You can start a new pot
every couple of weeks
for a continuous bloom
to help you through the
winter blues. Maybe
best to allow your
Paperwhites to drink
alone though. People
may begin to talk.
Garden dilemmas?
askmarystone.com
How-To Tip: Most
liquors are labeled as
proof, not percentage of
alcohol. The percentage
of alcohol is half the
proof. For example 80
proof is 40 percent. To
figure how many parts
water to mix with one
part alcohol, divide the
percentage alcohol by 5,
then subtract 1. Example
40 / 5 = 8. 8 - 1 = 7, So
its 7 parts water to 1
part alcohol, for a five
percent alcohol solution.

Head Start is celebrating its 50 year anniversary in 2015 and would

like to highlight the
accomplishments
of
families who have
attended Head Start of
the Lehigh Valley.
Head Start alumni
have gone on to become
successful
business
leaders, artists, politicians and role models
for others in the com-

munity. For example,

former
Bethlehem
Mayor John Callahan
attended Head Start in
the New York state.
As part of their 50 year
celebration, they would
like to share your story
with others in the
Lehigh Valley!
Head Start of the
Lehigh Valley began in
1965 in Easton. Over
the years, the program

spread to Allentown
and
Bethlehem.
Currently,
1240
children are enrolled in
Early Head Start and
Head Start of the
Lehigh Valley in both
home and center-based
programs. The organization pioneered innovative
instruction
including Technology
Labs, Newton STEM
School, Pre-K Teacher

STEM training, and

intensive
therapeutic
nurseries for at-risk
babies and toddlers.
Over 90 percent of
children complete their
Head Start years fully
ready for kindergarten.
For
information,
please contact Sara
George, at 610-4376000 at Community
Services for Children.

The Blue Mountain

Community
Library
would like to thank
everyone
who
supported the librarys
fundraiser on December
3rd at Wendys Restaurant in Wind Gap. The
library is a wonderful
resource to all in the
Slate Belt and is dependent on donations from
the public, as well as the
municipalities
and
businesses.
The Christmas tree
fundraiser will continue
until December 31st.
Any one wishing to
honor or memorialize a
loved one or pet may do
so by purchasing an
ornament
for
five
dollars. Please consider
helping the library by
decorating the tree.

State Rep. Joe Emrick

(R-Mt. Bethel) is encouraging eligible residents
of Bangor Borough and
Upper Mt. Bethel Township whose homes are in
need of repair to apply to
the Slate Belt Housing
Rehabilitation Program.
This program was in
effect when I served on
the board of supervisors
in
Upper
Nazareth
Township and unfortunately has been rarely
taken advantage of,
Emrick said. It is an
opportunity for individuals and families in need
to upgrade their property
and improve their quality
of life.
The program exists
through a federally

Story Hour at the

library are held every
Wednesday and Thurs-

day at 10:30am. On
December 17th and
18th, Therapy Dog
Quincy will once
again visit with the
children.
Any preschool child is welcome
to attend for stories and
crafts. The Blue Mountain Community Library
is located at 216 S.
Robinson Ave., Pen
Argyl.
The library hours are
Monday through Saturday from 10am to noon,
and Monday through
Thursday, from 6pm to
8pm.
If you would like to
volunteer or would like
any additional information about the library,
call Lisa at 610-8633029
or
visit
www.bmcl.org.

St. Lukes administrators, trustees, donors

and members of the
medical staff recently
welcomed
medical
students from all four
classes of the Medical
School
of
Temple
University/St. Lukes
University
Health
Network at a holiday
reception. More than
100 guests attended,
along with 120 medical
students.
The annual event is
hosted by Richard A.
Anderson, President and
CEO of St. Lukes
University
Health
Network, and Joel C.
Rosenfeld, MD, M.Ed,
FACS, Chief Academic
Officer of St. Lukes
University
Health
Network and Senior
Associate Dean of The
Temple
University
School of Medicine.

funded grant and is

targeted at residents of
specific areas in the
following municipalities
adjacent to Route 611:
Bangor Borough 1st
Street to 9th Street and
Pennsylvania Avenue to
Market Street.
Upper
Mt.
Bethel
Township Portland
Borough to the village of
Stone Church.
The form of assistance
begins as an interest-free
deferred loan, with the
amount to be repaid
declining over a period
of five years at a rate of
10 percent per year. If the
homeowner remains in
the residence for five
years, half of the amount
used for repairs will be

converted into a grant

and
subsequently
forgiven.
The grant totaled
$500,000 and the loans
are available on a firstcome,
first-served
basis, added Emrick.
The eligibility of applicants is based on income
and household size and
the maximum loan
amount is $25,000. The
money can be used for
structural repairs, infrastructure improvements
and increased energy
efficiency.
Additional information
on the program, including an application, which
can be downloaded, is
available at www.Rep
Emrick.com,
under

Slate Belt Housing

Rehabilitation Program
on the left navigation
bar. Questions concerning residency in the
targeted area should be
directed to the Slate Belt
Council of Governments at 610-588-1000,
Upper Mount Bethel

The inaugural class of

30 students will be
graduating May 2015,
making this their last
holiday reception as a
medical student.
For information about
the Medical School of
Temple University/St.

Lukes
University
Health Network., visit
temple-stlukes.slhn.org.
For
other
medical
education programs at
St. Lukes University
Health Network, visit
s l u h n . o rg / m e d i c a l education.

Township, at 570-8976127, or Emricks Mt.

Bethel office at 570897-0401.

Ciao Amici,
As
Christmas
approached, when I was
growing up in the
butcher shop, I recall the
town of Roseto as a
winter wonderland. My
first sign Christmas was
coming was the lights
that hung around the
large windows in front
of the butcher shop.
Having a business in our
house you could feel the
excitement as customers
would enter the shop to
order their Christmas
roast. It was their family
traditions to get their
prime rib or veal roast
from
my
families
butcher shop. Grandmom and Grandpop
were well trusted to
deliver only the finest
quality products; not
only on holidays but
everyday.
The
sidewalks
of
Roseto
were
busy

sidewalks. The strings

of red and green lights
hanging across the
telephone poles with the
Stella Bianca [white
star] in the middle
dressed the town in
holiday style. As I was
sent out to run errands
to Matts bakery, Joe
Trig, the post office or
to make a delivery all
over Roseto I would go
and I would see the
children laughing.
I
especially liked when I
was sent to deliver to
Leonard
Casteluccis
the shoemaker; his
daughter Jennie would
let me in to see the most
beautiful
Presepio
Christmas
Manger
scene. As people would
be passing me there
where many smiles I do
not remember many
people saying happy
holidays. Being Italian
American our political
proper phrase to say was
Buon Natale [Merry
Christmas] and you
could hear it on every
street corner.
As I
walked I could hear the
snow crunch below my
feet and some of my
friends
would
be
bunched together trying
to stay warm. Above all
the hustle and bustle
you would hear the
Church bells. It sounded
more often and much
louder then when I was

young. The resounding

sound of the Our Lady
of Mt. Carmel Church
bells echoes the memories of Christmas past
for once it sounds it will
never be heard at that
time on that day again.
As the silver bells would
ring the whole town was
pulled closer as a community of not just
friends but brothers and
sisters.
Il Natale sar sempre il
tempo in cui stiamo
cuore a cuore e mano
nella mano.
Christmas will always
be as long as we stand
heart to heart and hand
in hand.
~ Dr.Suess
From our family to
yours BUON NATALE
Con Cordiali Saluti,
Joe
My book, Growing
up in the Butcher Shop"
is available at the shop
or on our web page. Join
our mailing list to
receive menu specials
and our newsletter at
www.JDeFrancoandDau
ghters.com - Click on
Mailing List and enter
your e-mail. Send us
your Roseto stories,
recipes and comments to
E-mail:
portipasto
@epix.net or call 610588-6991 Store Hours: 7
- 7 seven days a week
with catering anytime or
by appointment.

(NAPSI)If your kids

are like most, the
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
predicts theyll get three
or more colds this year.
While theres still no
cure, there are steps that
parents can take to ease
the symptoms.
First, know a cold
when signs arise. Symptoms typically include
cough, watery nasal
mucus, sneezing, sore
throat and fatigue. While
not typical, fever can
occur in children, as
well.
Next, consider these
tried-and-true options:
Make sure your child
gets plenty of rest.
Give plenty of liquids.
Use a humidifier in
your childs bedroom at
night. The humid environment will help to
keep your childs nose
and
chest
clearer,
making it easier to
breathe.
Elevate your childs
head during rest, which
can help him or her
breathe more comfortably.
Try an over-thecounter cough and cold
syrupif you can.
According to a new
Harris Poll survey of
U.S.
parents
with
children ages fout to 13,
almost 40 percent say it
isnt always easy to give
their children over-thecounter liquid cough and
cold medicines, with one
in four saying their
children complain that
liquid medicines taste
bad.
To help, theres now a
line of over-the-counter
cough and cold medicines
for
children
formulated with trusted,

effective ingredients and

10 percent real cocoa for
a real chocolate taste to
help make it easier to get
children to take the
medicine they need. Also
dye-free,
alcohol-free
and gluten-free, its
called Dr. Cocoa for
Children and is available
in three formulas:
Long-Acting Cough
Relief is for the nondrowsy, temporary relief
of coughs due to minor
throat and bronchial
irritations as may occur
with a cold. Its intended
for use in children ages
four to 13.
Daytime Cough+ Cold
Relief is for the nondrowsy, temporary relief
of coughs due to minor
throat and bronchial
irritation as may occur
with a cold, along with
nasal congestion . It is
for use in children ages 4
to 13; use in children

under the age of six

should be on the advice
of a doctor.
Nighttime
Cough+
Cold Relief temporarily
relieves cough due to
minor throat and bronchial irritation as may
occur with a cold, sneezing, nasal congestion,
runny nose and itchy,
watery eyes, to help
children rest. Intended
for use in children ages
six to 13.
All three are available
at stores nationwide.
For further facts and a
coupon,
visit
drcocoa.com.
* Note Although Dr.
Cocoa tastes good, it is
an FDA-regulated medicine. Parents should use it
as directed, and keep it and
all medicines safely out of
the reach of children. For
specific questions about
dosing or formulations,
parents should speak with a
pediatrician.*