July 5, 2017
Something to smile about
The Pediatric Foundation
of the Lehigh Valley (PCFLV) held a week-long camp for pediatric cancer
patients and their siblings on the campus of Cedar Crest College June 19 to 23.
Camp Smile, just one the many free services and opportunities PCFLV offers to
its cancer warriors and their families, gave campers a chance to explore art
classes, theater, sports and swimming, and visit with many special guests from the
community. Emma Rawlings, a senior at California University of Pa. majoring in
public relations, interned with the camp this year. “It really is amazing how quickly everyone
here becomes a family,” she said. Photo: Maggie Telesha of Allentown
(left) attends Our Lady Help of Christians. She’s the sibling of a cancer
warrior and is absolutely loving her fifth year at the camp. Jillian Sayre will
attend Eyer MS in Macungie this fall. She’s a cancer warrior who’s fighting
medulloblastoma and says the best thing about Camp Smile is all the other
campers. Jared Dowling, a student at
Freedom HS, is a cancer warrior in his third year at Camp Smile. For the past
two years, he’s been a counselor-in-training. He’s also PCFLV’s Teen Board
president.
By Joanna Ireland
Monsignor Schlert named bishop
The
Vatican announced last week that Pope Francis has appointed a priest of the
Diocese of Allentown, Reverend Monsignor Alfred A. Schlert, as the Fifth Bishop
of Allentown. Bishop-elect Schlert is the first priest of the Diocese to be
appointed to serve as its Bishop. He has been serving as the Diocesan
Administrator since his election by the Diocesan College of Consultors on Feb.
1, 2017 following the Jan. 31 installation of his predecessor Most Reverend
John Barres as the Bishop of Rockville Centre, New York.
By Mart Gouger
Celebrating a life well-lived
Friends and family gathered last Saturday morning to
celebrate the life of one of Bethlehem’s illustrious sons, Dr. Russel K. Laros
Jr. They came together June 24 at Rosemont Lutheran Church on West Broad Street
just as the morning’s cloudy start gave way to brilliant blue skies. The
memorial service was attended by family which included his son, Russell Keller
Laros III of Hawaii and his daughter Ann Laros-Weaver of Dubai both of whom
spoke to the attendees. Several
grandchildren and other family members also attended. Russell Laros shared several
humorous stories about his father and his father’s life-long friend, former
Bethlehem Mayor Gordon Mowrer. Photo: Dr. Russel K. Laros had a life time
relationship with the Rosemont Lutheran Church and had been on the building committee
that built the current church building.
By Doug Graves
Celebrating community diversity
A mural currently being produced on the north facing wall
of 414 Hayes Street is one part of the neighborhood improvement project
currently underway under the auspices of the Community Action Committee of the
Lehigh Valley (CACLV) and Lehigh Valley Community Land Trust, with financial
support from Wells Fargo Bank, according to CACLV associate executive director
of community development Ellen Larmer. Holly Fields-Scott of Bella Pintura Inc.
is working on the mural, which she says “celebrates diversity of the community”
and which should be finished by the end of July. After the brick exterior wall
received repairs, Fields-Scott was spotted outlining and painting the mural
with her daughter, Nevada’s, assistance on June 23. Their work will continue to
the end of July she estimates. Photo: Working from a lower section of
scaffolding, artist Holly Fields-Scott paints a section of the mural on the
north wall of 414 Hayes St.
By Dana Grubb
Pride, hospitality on display
Red and green, the
Portuguese flag’s dominant colors, were on display at every turn as the
Portuguese community of Bethlehem celebrated the 38th annual “Portuguese
Heritage Day” at Holy Infancy School June 9 and 10 on East 4th Street in South
Bethlehem. The festival benefits the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Fatima. “Pride
in being Portuguese” was the festival’s theme as many people, young and old,
dressed in traditional Portuguese costumes. The food, prepared by volunteers
from the community, featured everything from heart-healthy sardines, grilled whole,
to Portuguese donuts (maybe not so heart-healthy). Entertainment included
groups of dancers performing traditional circle dances. Photo: Dancers
whirl in a traditional Portuguese dance.
By Dorothy and Dennis Glew
‘An important part of who we are’
More than 50 members of the Liberty HS Hurricanes varsity
football team devoted a warm and sunny Saturday to cleaning up the Steelworkers
Memorial at the foot of the Fahy Bridge on June 10. The student athletes pulled
weeds by hand and then used screwdrivers to painstakingly remove roots and
debris from between each commemorative brick. The football players finished the
job by sweeping the area with leaf blowers so that the inscriptions on the
memorial bricks could be read clearly. “We’ve got about 52 kids here,” said
John Truby, Hurricanes head football coach. “They’re all of various ages,
freshmen up to those who will be seniors, so it’s a good mix for this crew.
They also cleaned up leaves on the side (of the memorial). It was pretty bad.
This is probably the worst we’ve seen it, with the growth in between each
stone. It was overrun.” Photo: Liberty HS Hurricanes lift screwdrivers in the
air to signify completion of their annual cleanup at the Steelworkers Memorial.
The players will get credit for community service as required by the school
district.
By Peter Brekus
Charter Arts spring concert
The Lehigh Valley Charter HS for the Arts presented its
spring instrumental concert May 25, performing in three acts. The wind
ensemble, percussion ensemble and full orchestra performed 11 selections. The
performance was directed by artistic director and percussion instructor Matthew
Wells and woodwinds instructor Kim Seifert. Seniors performing in their last
concert wore a red rose to signify their final performance at Charter Arts.
Above: The full orchestra under the direction of Kim Seifert performs Mozart’s
“The Marriage of Figaro.”
By Dana Grubb
Legion playoffs to begin
It looks
like all three of Bethlehem’s NORCO Legion baseball teams qualified for the
postseason, as they look to make a run to the championship with the playoffs
set to begin on Tuesday. The first round of the tournament was slated to begin
on Monday, which comes after our July Fourth holiday deadline, but the league
had to push back it’s final day of the regular season a day, moving three
opening ribs dates to July 4, 5 and 6. Freemansburg (11-6) was the winners of
six-straight games heading into Monday and had locked up one of the top-four
seeds.
By Peter Car
Miller Symphony Hall leader
sees renewed opportunity
Miller Symphony Hall,
Allentown, home to the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, had a “great season” for
2016-17, and Allentown Symphony Association Executive Director Sheila K. Evans
has an even better season in store for 2017-18. “It was a great season. We had
an amazing season last year,” Evans says. Maestra Diane Wittry is in her 22nd
season as Allentown Symphony Orchestra Music Director-Conductor, bringing
world-class artists to Miller Symphony Hall, enhancing the cultural community
in the Lehigh Valley.
By Paul Willistein
OTHER STORIES
Bethlehem: Proposed city council ethics ordinance ‘too
unwieldy’
Bethlehem: City police announce new child porn unit/Arrest
made
Fountain Hill: Public works project gets under way
Lower Saucon Township: Officer receives Ogden award
Bethlehem Township: Commissioners take aim at ATV use
Valley: Local students among Swain School graduates
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