Features

March 14, 2010

charitable endeavor

Leadership Class of 2010 hosts event to help non-profits

By Sarah Hite shite@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Sarah Hite on Facebook   |   https://twitter.com/#!/@TLSarahHite on Twitter

In just one day, people will be able to donate to charity, give blood and learn about local non-profit organizations.

The event, called the Share Fair, will allow people to bring gently used items such as clothing and blankets, to be donated to area charities. Those same charities will be on hand so people can learn about what they do or sign up to volunteer.

In addition, the American Red Cross will be conducting a blood drive and a food drive will be held.

The idea for the Share Fair is that of several members of the 41 participants in the Wilkes-Barre Leadership Class of 2010.

Founded in 1981, Leadership Wilkes-Barre develops community leaders who will gain the knowledge of the community and leadership skills that they need to get involved in the community through civic and charitable organizations.

There are five leadership programs directed at different age groups. The core program for adults runs for nine months to incorporate leadership skills and introduce participants to community leaders.

Candidates apply to participate and must provide references. Applicants who are chosen to participate are selected by a committee.

The Share Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 17 at the Kingston Armory.

“All these organizations are looking for donations,” said Lisa Golden, a member of the Share Fair group. “We felt, are people really aware of all of the non-profit organizations that are out there?”

There will be music and entertainment as well as the Hillside Farms ice cream truck at the event. Tux, the mascot for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and Champ, the mascot for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, will also be in attendance.

Volunteers are needed to help at the Share Fair and the first 100 people to sign up to help will receive a free T-shirt. Anyone who is interested in volunteering should e-mail sharefairvolunteer@gmail.com.

“Our slogan is we don’t want to pay it back, we want to pay it forward,” Golden said.

Members of the Share Fair group include Jaime A. Blandina, operations manager, Geisinger; Christie L. Bonnice, manager of branch service and sales, Tobyhanna Army Depot FCU; Lisa I. Golden, director, care management, Geisinger Health System; Vernon D. Jones, vice president, Windfall Enterprises, Inc.; Cyndi A. Montigney, account executive, Frontier Communications; Mallory Nobile, director of marketing, United Beverage of NEPA, LLC; Joseph D. Ranieli, pharmacy supervisor, CVS Caremark; Cheryl L. Summa, director of marketing, Eye Care Specialists; and Susan E. Vosik-Pekala, founder and CEO, SOEL Institute Inc.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews