Namedropper 7/3/09
Published: July 3, 2009
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Members of the Hawley Senior Center gather for a prime-time health program, "Falls Prevention." In front, from left: Pat Perkins, director; Carleen Faatz, trainer; and Lucretia Seagraves, center manager. Second row: Helen Knoblauch, Carmelina Gonzalez, Helga Hafner, Bill Bartow, Mary Borys and John Mazzga. Third row: Jean Zarauskas, Rosemarie Frank, Mary Weber, Nina Chambers, Barbara Billows, Evelyn Grube and Mia Kwiatkowski. The program teaches seniors how to make their home safer, eat healthier and what questions to ask their doctors.
'Suite Lifer' has Pioneer roots
When tween sensation Debby Ryan, who stars as Bailey Pickett on the Disney Channel's "The Suite Life on Deck," makes a summer stop at Wachovia Arena in Luzerne County next week, it won't be the pop star's first trip to the area.
Her grandparents, Skip Carr, a Clifford native, and Pat Carden Carr, a Carbondale native, both of San Antonio, Texas, said Debby has joined them a few times on road trips to Northeast Pennsylvania.
"We try to make the drive up to Northeast Pennsylvania any time we can." said Skip. "When we go, it's like a mini family reunion."
The Carrs' children, Sandy Ryan, Debby's mother, of Glendale, Calif., and Randy Carr, of Corpus Christi, Texas, are also Carbondale natives.
Skip and Pat aren't Debby's only Pioneer City connection. Her grandaunt, Frankee Perry, and granduncle, Frank "Windy" Carden, reside in Carbondale.
"I miss Carbondale and that small-town feel there," said Pat. "We've got so many cousins there - Cardens, Fortuners, Granvilles, Coyles and Perrys. The list goes on."
Debby will be part of the "Terrific Teen Tour," which will kick off Thursday at Wachovia Arena and also features Michael Musso and Jasmine Richards.
The proud grandparents can't get enough of watching Debby on TV.
"I've also got a collection with magazines with her picture on them," Pat said proudly.
"Debby's life is a dream come true for her," said Skip. "She's always been acting and singing in some capacity or another."
Dollars for diapers
Lakeland High School senior Emily Hosie took her district's mandated graduation requirement "to an incredibly generous level," said Sandy Dempsey, the administrator of the Scranton School District's School-Age Mothers' Program.
Emily adopted the program in her Dollars for Diapers project, collecting $588 from her classmates and staff at Lakeland, which will be used to purchase something to benefit the school or the mothers and their babies directly.
Among those on hand when Emily presented the check to Sandy and students Brittany Bloom, Kalynn Hobbs and Rachael Wydeen was Lakeland Vice Principal Susan Bugno.
High notes
A governor in the making? Aashon Blackwell, 17, a junior at Scranton High School, participated in the Pennsylvania American Legion Keystone Boys State program at Shippensburg University, June 21-27. Aashon was sponsored by American Legion Post 660 at the event designed to mirror the structure and operation of the state government. Previous participants include President Bill Clinton, basketball star Michael Jordan, news anchor Tom Brokaw and astronaut Neil Armstrong.
yesdesk@timesshamrock.com
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