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<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; More than 400 community members attended the 35th annual Leadership Wilkes-Barre dinner and graduation at Mohegan Sun Pocono Thursday.</p><p>The event honored the program&#8217;s current graduates, while welcoming next year&#8217;s participants.</p><p>Members of the program have spent the past year working in small groups to choose and complete a community projects. In all, 51 members made up the class of 2016.</p><p>They were split into six groups. Their projects ranged from creating an outdoor play area for children at the McAuley House to repairing equipment and erecting a new sign at Kirby Park. </p><p>Governor Tom Wolf even made an appearance at the event, although it was via a video. In his message, Wolf applauded the group on their accomplishments and personal growth, noting that the program is one of only two of its kind in the state.</p><p>&#8220;I want to wish you all the best of luck as you continue to develop leaders who will in turn serve our community using your enhanced leadership skills and community awareness,&#8221; Wolf said. &#8220;I&#8217;m sure that through this unique experience you expanded your network of colleagues and made lifelong friends.&#8221;</p><p>According to its website, Leadership Wilkes-Barre is a community leadership development organization created in 1981 to seek out future leaders and provide them with the information, skills and training needed to become leaders and active participants in the community.</p><p>Every year, Leadership Wilkes-Barre honors its alumni at the graduation ceremony by presenting the Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award. This year, the award was bestowed upon Don and Rebecca Brominski.</p><p>As 2008 graduates of the program &#8212; where they happened to meet for the first time &#8212; Don and Rebecca assisted with a World War II veterans project, which allowed for 150 local veterans to take an all-expense-paid trip to the national World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.</p><p>&#8220;It was such a moving experience. I still get excited and emotional speaking about it,&#8221; Rebecca said as she remembered the event. &#8220;We&#8217;re so proud to have spent the day with them.&#8221;</p><p>The couple has been quite busy since that first project eight years ago, continuing to volunteer and serve the Wyoming Valley and northeast region.</p><p>Recently, they co-chaired the 2015-16 campaign for the United Way of Wyoming Valley, helping the nonprofit raise more than $3.5 million to help fight childhood poverty.</p><p>Don works as the business development director at UGI Utilities and serves on various boards throughout the region, including the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, the Wilkes-Barre CYC and the Penn&#8217;s Northeast. He also participates in the Reading is Fundamental program through UGI as well as the United Way&#8217;s Real Men Read program.</p><p>Rebecca is the director of the Wilkes-Barre Center and Educational Conference Center at Luzerne County Community College. She serves on the board of directors for Dress for Success of Luzerne County, as well as The Diamond City Partnership. She has won multiple awards for her career and community efforts, including being recognized in the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal&#8217;s &#8220;Top 20 under 40&#8221; in 2009, and &#8220;Top 25 Women In Business&#8221; in 2016.</p><p>&#8220;Leadership Wilkes-Bare has been fantastic,&#8221; Don said, noting the program stresses the importance of giving back to your community. &#8220;The better your society is the better it is for the community.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Director of the Northeast Regional Office for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Kristin Magnotta, left, presents senate proclamations to Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award winners Don and Rebecca Brominski at the Leadership Wilkes-Barre 35th annual dinner and graduation at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Township on Thursday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_TTL061716LeadershipWB_1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Director of the Northeast Regional Office for U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Kristin Magnotta, left, presents senate proclamations to Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award winners Don and Rebecca Brominski at the Leadership Wilkes-Barre 35th annual dinner and graduation at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Township on Thursday evening. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_TTL061716LeadershipWB_2-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Leadership Wilkes-Barre past, present and future alumni Allison Dennison, &#8216;12, left, Rachel Rybicki, &#8216;17, and Maureen Ciliberto, &#8216;16, share a laugh at the Leadership Wilkes-Barre 35th annual dinner and graduation. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_TTL061716LeadershipWB_2-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Leadership Wilkes-Barre past, present and future alumni Allison Dennison, &#8216;12, left, Rachel Rybicki, &#8216;17, and Maureen Ciliberto, &#8216;16, share a laugh at the Leadership Wilkes-Barre 35th annual dinner and graduation. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Group also honors Don, Rebecca Brominski</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Leadership WB grads feted