By rob wheary
SHAMOKIN - Members of the Brush Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce heard about a new greenhouse that will help provide healthy meals for senior citizens, and a new organization that is helping seniors get information.
As part of Tuesday's membership luncheon, held at Harry's Grill, Shamokin, and sponsored by LIFE Geisinger, chamber members heard from Patricia Rumberger, administrator of the Northumberland County Area Agency on Aging.
"There are 52 agencies in Pennsylvania, serving 92,000. In Northumberland County, we have 25,000 people in our database," Rumberger said in stressing the local demands. "Our technicians told me that we are using 47 percent of the broadband capabilities, and I told him that its because we work very hard for our people."
The administrator discussed the agency's effort to modernize the senior action centers for the next generation turning 65.
"Every one of our centers has a 46-inch TV with a Wii system on it, and the people love it," she said. "I'm a few years away, and I don't want to be playing pinochle. We want to keep them active and keep people well."
She said she was happy to talk about the agency's latest project, an intergenerational greenhouse classroom at the Northumberland County Career and Technology Center in Coal Township. The students and senior citizens will work together to grow vegetables and herbs, and then students in Jim Schiavoni's culinary arts classes will prepare lunches using the products.
"Several times a month, the students will be preparing meals for the seniors at the centers in the Shamokin, Mount Carmel and Line Mountain areas, and inviting other senior action center members to join them," Rumberger said.
In addition, the students will learn how to make more ethnic foods, a lost art.
"I can't wait for the day that we take vegetables we grow in the greenhouse, take them to Herndon and use them to make the best chow-chow in the world," she said. "They will be learning to make haluski and pierogies, and all the great foods we all grew up eating."
The greenhouse project was made possible by a $162,500 grant the agency received from the state Department of Aging - money that Rumberger said took 15 months to obtain.
Senior resource guide
Also speaking at Tuesday's meeting was Rich Smith, president and board member of the River Valley Senior Providers Group, Milton. The 130-member organization puts out a Senior Resource Guide to help direct seniors and caregivers to programs in the seven-county area to get any assistance they need.
Busy days ahead
Tara Venna, a chamber member from the Visiting Nurses Association, was subbing for chamber Director Sandy Winhofer and discussed upcoming chamber events. A Community Resource Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday on the third floor of the Northumberland County Career and Arts Center.
The Anthracite Heritage Festival of the Arts will be held on Friday and Saturday, May 27 and 28, with a parade starting at 6 p.m. Friday. The festival is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The second annual Anthracite Heritage Festival 5K run/walk will start at 9 a.m. at Kemp Memorial Stadium. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
The chamber's annual plant exchange will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at Rock-N-Block, Coal Township.
June's membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 21, at the Indian Hills Golf and Tennis Club. Featured speakers will be Linda Weaver from IMC Business Solutions and Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini on the "bad check" program. The sponsor of the luncheon is Central Susquehanna Opportunities Inc.