Enclosed is a front page article from my local Scranton Times newspaper. I just had to take action. You should too. Thanks, John Topa.

Coziness returns to the Dunmore Senior Center

BY MEGAN REITER, STAFF WRITER

DUNMORE — The heat is on.

One day after Dunmore Senior Citizens Center clients were sent home early because the temperature at the Dunmore Community Center was below state safety standards, seniors abandoned their coats to enjoy lunch Thursday.

“It was definitely warmer,” Jeanne Hugenbruch, senior center executive director, said. “C’mon back out. It’s safe to come back to the Dunmore center.”

Under state Department of Aging requirements, the temperature in the seniors’ room must be a minimum of 70 degrees, Ms. Hugenbruch said. When she arrived at the community center Wednesday, the temperature was 63 degrees. Council President Melanie Naro said Wednesday she requested the thermostats be set at 68 degrees, after the borough received a $1,469 gas bill for the community center in October. Efforts to reach her were unsuccessful Thursday.

“Our yoga class did arrive with sweaters and jackets and scarves just in case ... (but the borough) definitely did turn (the heat) up,” she said.

Borough Manager Joseph Patchcoski paid a visit to the seniors as well, Ms. Hugenbruch said, and a borough employee placed a free-standing thermometer on a table in the middle of the seniors’ room.

“I really do feel that they’re absolutely working on it,” Ms. Hugenbruch said of the borough. “I know they put a call into the (heating) company to come and look at the system.”

In one corner of the room, senior Pat Berkery wore an oversized sweatshirt as she played a game of Nintendo Wii bowling.

“It’s a smidgen cold today,” she said. “They’re trying to fix it, but I don’t know.”

In addition to informing seniors about the heat, Ms. Hugenbruch wants them to know she’ll never charge them to attend the center.

“I did make the announcement (Thursday), absolutely not, under any circumstances, will we charge,” she said.

At Monday’s special budget meeting, council discussed possibly charging the senior center for use of the community center.

Ms. Naro has pointed out the seniors have used the community center rent free for about two years — unlike tenants state Rep. Ken Smith and Head Start. The seniors, she’s said, also don’t make a donation to the borough as Dunmore Biddy Basketball does.

One local businessman is taking matters into his own hands.

John Topa, owner of First Sunrise Mortgage of Dunmore, is hoping to raise $10,000 for the senior center’s activity fund.

“I don’t want the senior center to incur any costs whatsoever,” Mr. Topa said. “My heart goes out to those people.”

After learning of the recent issues there, he organized a fundraiser in one day.

“He said, ‘I was so upset, I couldn’t even eat my breakfast,’” said Carmel Arnone, 83, the senior center’s fundraiser chairwoman.

Mr. Topa is sponsoring a seven-day cruise to the Caribbean for two, and raffle tickets will be available for sale starting next week.

“It just sickened me,” he said. “I think, that could be my grandma down there.”

Contact the writer: mreiter@timesshamrock.com

Help seniors; win a cruise

John Topa, owner of First Sunrise Mortgage, is donating a seven-night Caribbean cruise for two to help raise money for the Dunmore Senior Citizens Center activity fund. The drawing will be Dec. 18. Raffle tickets, at $5 each, go on sale Wednesday at the following Dunmore locations:

First Sunrise Mortgage, 124 S. Blakely St.

The UPS Store, 201 S. Blakely St.,

Riccardo’s Market, 320 S. Blakley St.

Dunmore Senior Center, 1414 Monroe Ave.

John Topa

First Sunrise Mortgage

570-344-6091

jtopa at firstsunrisemortgage.com

www.FirstSunriseMortgage.com