TimesLeader.com

May 4

Best of 2009: Local flavor

ART GALLERY

Winner: The Bottega Art and Book Boutique, 206 Depot St., Clarks Summit, 954-6650, www.thebottegaboutique.blogspot.com. Although it opened in October 2008, the Bottega already represents more than 100 artists, writers and musicians, and has become what owner Dori Waters had always envisioned. “When I opened, I wanted to make this a destination for artists to gather, and it’s starting to become that,” Waters said.

Runner Up: Everything Natural, 426 S. State St., Clarks Summit, 586-9684, www.everythingnaturalpa.com.

 

ARTIST/PAINTER/SCULPTOR

(tie) Winner: Val Kiser, www.valeriekiser.com. By primarily focusing on mixed media assemblage for the past few years, Kiser has earned a reputation for being able to turn anything into art. “I take a lot of found objects and use them in my art,” said Kiser. “I try not to buy anything. I think that’s fun because you end up with this brand new thing, and it’s fun to see what you end up with.”

(tie) Winner: Pam Summa. Summa has been painting in watercolors for the last nine years and says she is drawn to the medium because of her love of the transparency and looseness of the way the water and color flow. “I have met the nicest people in different watercolor groups,” said Summa. “That’s the best part of it.”

Runner Up: Bill Chickillo of Skylake Gallery, P.O. Box 209, Rt. 407, Fleetville, 945-7000, www.skylakegallery.com/williamchickillo.htm.

 

PHOTOGRAPHER

Winner: Guy Cali Associates, Inc., 1176 Winola Rd., 586-2500, www.guycali.com. Since opening its doors in 1973, Guy Cali Associates has been in step with every change that has hit the photography world and was one of the first studios in the area to switch to digital. Guy Cali said that there’s one big reason behind staying on the cutting edge: “It’s all about making the customer happy, fulfilling their needs and expectations.”

Runner Up: Susan Scranton Dawson, RR3 Box 182A, Dalton, 563-2443, www.susandawsonpix.com.

 

THEATER GROUP

Winner: Electric Theatre Company, 326 Spruce St., Scranton, 558-1515, www.electrictheatre.org. Despite tough economic times, the Electric Theatre Company, formerly The Northeast Theatre, has actually seen a growth in attendance this year thanks partially to lowering ticket prices. This isn’t to say the theatre hasn’t been affected by the times — it has lost some of its funding — but director David Zarko is confident it will pull through. “We are having a tough time financially, but we’ll make it forging ahead. And we’re optimistic,” said Zarko. The theatre is accepting donations, which can be made on its Web site.

Runner Up: Abington Youth Theater Company, 1115 N. Abington Rd., Clarks Summit, 586-8191.

 

BAND

Winner: Mace in Dickson, www.maceindickson.com. Mace in Dickson has been together in one form or another for the last 15 years, making a name for itself in the area by playing at venues like the Milestone Ranch, McGrath’s Pub, O’Neil’s Bar and the Dalton Carnival. “If you like southern or classic rock, we’re doing it as good as anyone else,” said bass player Brian Sarafinko.

Runner Up: Abington Heights High School Marching Band, 222 Noble Rd. Clarks Summit, 585-5300.

 

MUSICAL ACT

Winner: Awkward Silence, Clarks Summit, myspace/awkwardsilencepa. Currently getting ready to take the stage with national act The Ataris at Tinks on Thursday, April 30, the alternative punk band Awkward Silence credits their strong fan base with their current success. “We have a really good group of friends who show up to every show and create a great energy,” said lead singer James Sanderson.

Runner Up: Munster.

 

POLITICIAN

Winner: A.J. Munchak, Lackawanna County Commissioner. Munchak has been a staple in the Best of the Abingtons, winning three years in a row, a rarity in any category. “I think it has to be due with the fact that I’m honest — sometimes brutally honest. And simple things, like returning phone calls, and I think that’s key,” said Munchak on why he feels he won.

Runner Up: Jim Wansacz, State Representative 114 District.

 

HIGH SCHOOL TEAM

Winner: Abington Heights High School Comets Boys Basketball Team. With Corey Spagenberg as the team’s only returning starter, no one was sure how the Comets were going to fare this season. But the team exceeded everyone’s expectation by losing only one game in the regular season and making it to state championships. “We’re extremely pleased with how they did,” said head coach Ken Bianchi. “They worked hard every game and just got better and better as the year went on.”

Runner Up: Abington Heights High School Comets Football Team

 

HIGH SCHOOL COACH

Winner: Joe Repshis, Abington Heights High School Comets football. After losing the season opener this year, the Comets went undefeated for 10 straight games, and leading them all the way was head coach Joe Repshis. “This award’s a great honor, and it’s a reflection of all the hard work of the whole program,” said Repshis. “All the coaches and players deserve a lot of credit. They bounced back after that first loss and got better and better each week.”

Runner Up: Bruce Butler, Abington Heights High School swimming

 

HIGH SCHOOL MALE ATHLETE, FALL

Winner: Eric Ofcharsky, Abington Heights High School football. Ofcharsky’s speed helped the Comets win 10 games straight this season, but he is quick to point out it was everyone coming together for a team effort in the pre-season that led to this team’s success. “We got in the weight room in the off season, got ready, and it paid off,” said Ofcharsky.

Runner Up: Evan Craig, Abington Heights High School football

 

HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE ATHLETE, FALL

Winner: Elizabeth Emmett, Abington Heights High School volleyball. When looking back on last season, Emmett said she is most proud of her team’s trip to districts. “I’m really proud we made it to districts,” she said. “Even though we didn’t win, it was an accomplishment to get there, and I’m happy with how the team worked together.”

Runner Up: Brittney Martin, Abington Heights High School cross-country. With only one regular season defeat on her record last season, Martin became a force to be reckoned with this year on the cross-country team. She credits her hard work for her current success. “I did much better this year than I did last year,” said Martin. “I changed my training methods and really focused on my running.”

 

HIGH SCHOOL MALE ATHLETE, WINTER

Winner: Evan Craig, Abington Heights High School wrestling. Craig said he made his goal this year to finish the season as a state champion, and now that he has accomplished that goal, the junior said that the only thing on his mind is doing it all again next year. “My goal is to come back and repeat and do it in an even more dominating fashion than I did last year.”

Runner Up: Steve Nicolosi, Abington Heights High School swimming. Nicolosi came home from districts with four gold medals but says it’s the team’s district title that meant the most to him. “I won it as a freshman and didn’t understand how big of a deal it was, so winning it as a senior was special.” Nicolosi credits head coach Bruce Butler for the team’s success.

 

HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE ATHLETE, WINTER

Winner: Kate Patterson, Abington Heights High School swimming. Patterson clocked in her best times of the season at districts, earning a third place in the 500 and fourth place in the 200 freestyle. “I did a lot of extra training and it paid off,” said Patterson. “I had a really good districts meet.”

Runner Up: Alexa Dziak, Abington Heights High School diving. Dziak had a career year this season, coming in first at districts after finishing in second place her freshman and sophomore year. “I worked hard, trained hard, and it paid off,” said Dziak.

 

HIGH SCHOOL MALE ATHLETE, SPRING

Winner: Jesse Cooper, Abington Heights High School volleyball. This season, Cooper made the move from junior varsity to varsity, and he is looking forward to helping the Comets make a playoff run this season. “I was surprised I went up from junior varsity to varsity this year, but I’m doing a lot better this season,” said Cooper. “I was practicing a little bit in the off-season.”

Runner Up: Corey Spangenberg, Abington Heights High School baseball

 

HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE ATHLETE, SPRING

Winner: Christine Colman, Abington Heights High School soccer. In just her second year on the Lady Comets, Coleman is excited to be a part of a team that is improving a little bit every game. “We’re playing really tight defense and we’re really working as a team,” Coleman said.

Runner Up: Crystal Page, Abington Heights High School track and field

 

COLLEGE CAMPUS

Winner: Keystone College, 1 College Green, La Plume, 945-8000, www.keystone.edu. Fran Calpin, Keystone College head of public relations, credits the mix of new and Victorian buildings, as well as the hard work of the maintenance crew, for giving the campus its beautiful aesthetic. “Since the campus was founded, we’ve taken pride in how clean it is,” said Calpin. “We’re grateful to the students for voting and appreciating it.”

Runner Up: Baptist Bible College and Seminary, 538 Venard Rd., Clarks Summit, www.bbc.edu.

 

COLLEGE PROFESSOR

Winner: Christopher Price, Keystone College, 1 College Green, La Plume, 945-8000, www.keystone.edu. In his Intro to Art Therapy class, Price gives students an overview of the art therapy profession and helps them decide if it’s something they would like to pursue as a career. Currently in the middle of his first year at the college, he chalks winning this award up to his teaching method. “I just try and keep the class as interesting as possible,” said Price. “I want them to keep coming back.”

Runner Up: Dan Haggerty, University of Scranton, 800 Linden St., matrix.scranton.edu.

 

TEACHER

Winner: Beth Kelly, family and consumer sciences, Abington Heights Middle School, 155 Newton Ransom Blvd. 586-1281, www.ahsd.org. Kelly has been teaching family consumer sciences at the school for the past eight years. She teaches several different courses, but said she enjoys her etiquette and cooking classes the most. “They’re hands-on, they have real life applications,” she said.

Runner Up: Dena Maciak, art, Abington Heights Middle School, 155 Newton Ransom Blvd. 586-1281, www.ahsd.org.

 

LIBRARIAN

Winner: Leah Ducato Rudolph, Abington Community Library, 1200 West Grove St., 587-3400, www.lclshome.org/abington/index.php. While Rudolph, who has been director of the library since June 2005, was flattered with the award, she notes that making the library what it is has been a real team effort. “We have a lot of great people on our staff,” said Rudolph. “I accept this on behalf of my staff. They’re all the best.”

Runner Up: Mary Ann McGrath, Abington Community Library, 1200 West Grove St., 587-3400, www.lclshome.org/abington/index.php.

 

CHILD-CENTERED ENTERTAINMENT / ACTIVITY

Winner: Abington Community Library, 1200 West Grove St., 587-3400, www.lclshome.org/abington/index.php. In a time where it seems everyone has a busy schedule, library director Leah Ducato Rudolph feels the library’s flexible hours are what makes it a destination spot for many families. “Our accessibility: I think that’s a huge part of it,” said Rudolph. “We’re open 71 hours a week, on weekends and evenings, and we have something for everybody.”

Runner Up: Gymboree, 1145 Northern Blvd., S Abington Township, 586-5880, www.gymboree.com.

 

FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

Winner: Kevin Rail, Everything Natural, 426 South State St., Clarks Summit, 586-9684 www.theleanberets.com. Rail describes his BYOB (Bring Your Own Bosu) class as a full-body workout that is guaranteed to have you sweating by the end with a teacher who doesn’t pull any punches. “I’m a genuine person, and I’m tired of the world being fooled into all these gadgets and supplements that you don’t need,” said Rail. “I just want people to get up and moving around for 30 minutes.”

Runner Up: Joy DeSoto, Birchwood Fitness Center, 105 Edella Rd., South Abington Twp.

 

GYM

Winner: Brown’s Gym, 1000 S. State St., Clarks Summit, 586-3481, www.brownsgym.net. For the past seven years, Brown’s Gym has been offering customers 24-hour use of all gym facilities, but General Manager Damian Grayek feels there’s something else that sets the gym apart and makes it the best gym in the area. “I think we have the best staffing and customer service in the area,” he said.

Runner Up: Birchwood Fitness Center, 105 Edella Rd., South Abington Twp., 586-4030, www.birchwoodtennis.com.

 

FITNESS / MIND AND BODY CLASS

Winner: Nora Fox Hatha Yoga, Everything Natural, 426 S. State St., Clarks Summit, 586-9684, www.everythingnaturalpa.com. In classic Hatha yoga and meditation class by Nora Fox, students aren’t getting a workout just for their body, but also the mind. “It takes a lot of mind power to do this, and as people take the class, I watch their bodies change, and they become calmer,” said Fox. “I like that.”

Runner Up: Body Dynamic Pilates, 115 E. Grove St., Clarks Sum mit, 586-1188.

 

DANCE SCHOOL

Winner: Abington Heights Civic League Dance Academy, The Colburn Complex, 115 Colburn Ave. Clarks Summit, 587-3101. A non-profit organization, the Academy is a department run through the Abington Heights Civic League Inc. that dance department chairman Chris Perfilio said has been offering high-quality dance classes for a low price for years with a staff that is second to none. “We have a great group of teachers,” said Perfilio. “Our head dance teacher Jennifer Sohns Petty is the best, teaching for over 18 years. Also, we have two other teachers, Val and Tanya O’Malley. They danced all the way through our studio, and then came back to teach.”

Runner Up: Devine School of Dance, 1115 N Abington Road, Waverly, 587-0807.

 

MARTIAL ARTS

Winner: James Simrell, MMA gym, 311 Penn Ave. Scranton, 585-1850, www.jamessimrell.com. During the last three years, Simrell’s gym in Scranton has become the place to go to learn Mixed Martial Arts. Simrell said he’s always happy to get a new student, but hopes people come in with an open mind before signing up. “Sometimes guys come in and they think they’re going to be an Ultimate Fighter next month,” said Simrell. “It’s a process. First you have to learn the technique, and you have to start one step at a time.”

Runner Up: UTA Karate, 113 S. Turnpike, Dalton, 563-1695.

 

BAZAAR

Winner: Our Lady of the Snows / St. Benedict’s Country Bazaar, 301 S. State St., Clarks Summit, 586-5535, www.olssb.com. The bazaar is entering its 17th year and co-chairman Sue Burke credits the team effort of everyone involved for the event to be able to run this length of time. “It’s a lot of work,” said Burke. “You name it, we have it. We have 40 different tents with food, live entertainment, bingo. It takes a lot of cooperation from everyone involved to keep it running smoothly.”

Runner Up: Dalton Carnival, P.O. Box 684, Dalton.

 

SEASONAL EVENT

Winner: Abington Business and Professional Association Clarks Summit Festival of Ice, http://theabingtons.org/CSFestivalOfIce/index.html. Since 2004, the Clarks Summit Festival of Ice has been growing in both size and scope, from just 15 sculptures its first year to 56 in 2009 and from a three-day event to four days filled with activities for everyone. “It’s a fun community event,” said Barry Kaplan, past event chairperson. “The sculptures themselves are magical, unique and beautiful and the community keeps coming out, they’re what makes this event a big hit.”

Runner Up: Rotary of the Abingtons Fourth of July fireworks

 

BILLIARDS

Winner: O’Neil’s Bar and Grill, 1959 Newton Ransom Blvd, Clarks Summit, 587-5415. It didn’t take long for the word to spread about O’Neil’s Bar. Although the venue has been open less than a year, co-owner Mike O’Neil said the pool tables have already seen a lot of action. “I think people in the area need a place like this with a relaxed atmosphere,” said O’Neil. “Our customers range from 21 to 81.” In addition to billiards, O’Neil and his partner Perry Rose offer a dinner menu and live entertainment almost every night.

Runner Up: Cosmo’s, 873 Scranton/Carbondale Highway, Scranton, 207-7655, www.cosmosbilliards.com/Welcome.html .

 

GOLF COURSE

Winner: Glen Oak Country Club, 250 Oakford Road Clarks Summit, 18411, www.glenoakcc.com/index.aspx. Glen Oak Country Club was founded in 1951 and since then has been a privately owned club by the members, according to club manager Jeff L. Spagna. During the past 50-plus years, the Glen Oak Country Club has become known for its speed. “When James Harrison, golf course architect, designed the golf course, he would never have imagined how fast these greens roll today,” said Gino Marchetti, golf course superintendent. “Today’s cultural practices, coupled with the latest and most up-to-date equipment, are what make it possible to obtain these speeds.”

Runner Up: Summit Hills, 1235 Country Club, Clarks Summit, 586-4427, thegolfcourses.net/golfcourses/PA/6710.htm.

 

SKI RESORT

Winner: Elk Mountain, 344 Elk Mountain Road, Union Dale, 18470, 670-4400, www.elkskier.com. Bob Deluca, Elk Mountains’ chief marketer, said that he thinks he knows the secret behind the resort’s success. “The fact that we are known to have snow making and grooming that is second to no one, I think that sets us apart, and we take pride in that.”

Runner Up: Sno Mountain, 1000 Montage Mountain Rd., Scranton, 969-7669, www.snomtn.com.

 

CHILDREN’S PARK

Winner: South Abington Community Park, next to the South Abington Elementary School on Northern Blvd., Routes 6 and 11. While the South Abington Community Park has been around for the last 20 years, supervisor Mark Dougherty said it has really taken shape over the past 14 thanks to the hard work of a dedicated group of volunteers. “We have a committee that does a lot of volunteer work,” said Dougherty. “They apply for the grants and follow through with the plans, they deserve all the credit.” Other awards: Park/Trail for Outdoor Activities

Runner Up: Waverly Community House Playground, 1115 N. Abington Rd. Clarks Summit, 586-8191.

 

PARK / TRAIL FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Winner: South Abington Community Park, next to the South Abington Elementary School on Northern Blvd., Routes 6 and 11. Other awards: Children’s Park

Runner Up: Lackawanna State Park, R.R. 1 Box 230, Dalton.

 

HOTEL

Winner: The Inn at Nichols Village, 1101 Northern Blvd., S. Abington Twp., 587-1135, www.nicholsvillage.com/. A lot has changed at The Inn at Nichols Village this year. It was bought by current owner Ankim Shah in October and is currently undergoing a room renovation, but General Manager Jerry Mitchell said there is one thing that will never change. “From the very beginning, the one thing George Nichols tried to do was provide great customer service, and I think the staff here exceeds that,” said Mitchell.

Runner Up: Hampton Inn, 890 Northern Blvd., Clarks Summit, 586-1515, www.clarkssummit.hamptoninn.com.

 

LOCAL NON-PROFIT PROJECT

Winner: Abington Community Garden, http://www.aajrb.com/communitygarden. This year, 112 families have rented spots in the garden to work and grow their own food, creating a wonderful aesthetic in the area and strengthening a sense of community. “Before someone can rent a space in the garden, I interview them to make sure they’re not just going to work on their garden, but help out with the entire garden,” said garden creator Barb Grabfelder. “In order for it to thrive, we all have to work together.”

Runner Up: Get Pinked. Two years ago, Clarks Summit’s Sanderson State Street Salon started Get Pinked, an event when customers can have their dyed pink to create awareness of breast cancer. This year, salons all over the NEPA area took a cue and decided to join in and help the cause. “We created this to create awareness of breast disease and raise money in a fun way, and that’s what we did,” said co-creator Timmie Ott.

 

PRODUCT MADE LOCALLY

Winner: Manning Farm Dairy Ice Cream, RR 1 Box 202, Dalton, www.manningfarm.com. Since 1964, Manning’s ice cream has been an area favorite, and Paul Manning said that has happened because they follow one simple philosophy: “We don’t skimp, we use the best ingredients. My father always said if you make something the people want, they’ll keep coming back.”

Runner Up: The “R Bag,” P.O. 416, Clarks Summit.