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It’s hard to believe, but in mid-June I celebrated my second anniversary at The Dallas Post.

Although those two years seem to have flown by, I’ve learned so much about the people and things in The Back Mountain. Here are three things I never knew until I started at the paper:

1. Franklin Township/Sweet Valley – I had only been to Franklin Township and Sweet Valley several times over the years and quite honestly, I never knew exactly where I was, anyway.

I was surprised to learn what a beautiful place, Franklin Township, was just beyond Frances Slocum including Brace’s Orchard, Lake Louise and Memorial Shrine Cemetery. I’ve also become accustomed to Sylvan Lake and Ross Elementary School in Sweet Valley.

2. Bob Horlacher – I was first introduced to Bob Horlacher Baseball in late 2007 while interviewing Sal, Jude and Jaryn Polit-Moran of Franklin Township. The brothers collected the entire 1934 Goudey Gum Company baseball card set.

I asked the boys if they play baseball and they told me they play for Bob Horlacher. “For who?” I asked as I gave their mother a puzzled look, expecting them to say Back Mountain Baseball. Nope, they played for Bob Horlacher, a baseball league serving Dallas, Monroe, Noxen, Northmoreland, Exeter and Franklin townships. It’s a very popular league.

3. A true sense of community – Whether a family loses everything in a fire, a spouse or child dies or someone is suffering from a disease, people in the Back Mountain really come together to support each other in times of need. I’ve probably written about over one dozen people who have been helped not only by family and friends in times of need, but also by complete strangers.

Just a few people who come to mind include fire victims Mickey and Barb Rowlands, of Centermoreland; and Brenda Burkhardt, a Dallas Elementary teacher who lost one of her twin daughters several weeks after she was born.

....and I’m still learning.

Over the past two years I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people in the Back Mountain, but not everybody. Please feel free to drop me a line and say hi. See you soon!

About the Author

Rebecca Bria has been reporting for The Dallas Post since June of 2007. She is a 2007 graduate of Wilkes University and previously interned with the company at The Weekender and The Times Leader.

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