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Beyond the Byline: A sardine sandwich and a beer with Dad would be great

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Organizers say Community Day is a chance to make Plymouth better

<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; It started in Scranton, and Saturday at Mohegan Sun Pocono, the &#8220;Pennsylvania Polka&#8221; showed that it&#8217;s still number one.</p><p>Nearly 120 faithful showed up for two tapings and a live show of the 30-year-old Northeastern Pennsylvania staple, the &#8220;Pennsylvania Polka,&#8221; at the Keystone Ballroom. The television show gets its name from the popular polka song about its native state.</p><p>Ginny Fredmonski, director of major gifts and planned giving for WVIA, said members of the station came from New York and New Jersey to be part of the shows.</p><p>&#8220;They keep the music alive,&#8221; Fredmonski said.</p><p>One such couple, Josie and Don Casner, of Mifflintown, drove two hours to dance. They have been Pennsylvania Polka faithful for more than 20 years. Though the couple admits they&#8217;ve &#8220;slowed down&#8221; since they began they will dance approximately 10 to 15 dances in an hour-long event.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s fabulous,&#8221; Don said.</p><p>The Casners had been on vacation and came home to be at the taping.</p><p>&#8220;There&#8217;s no other place (that does this),&#8221; Josie said.</p><p>Since there were three shows, Josie brought a change of clothes for each performance. But Don begrudgingly admitted he carried them in.</p><p>&#8220;She drags me,&#8221; Don joked about coming to the shows, then saying that he actually is a very willing participant.</p><p>WVIA and the casino partnered together to bring John Stevens&#8217; Doubleshot, Mon Valley Push and the RBO Band to the ballroom over the course of the afternoon and evening.</p><p>Paul Toennes, director of marketing campaign management at Mohegan Sun Pocono, said it was &#8220;awesome&#8221; and &#8220;an honor&#8221; that the two were able to come together to provide the entertainment.</p><p>According to Toennes, WVIA&#8217;s values &#8220;align&#8221; with the casino&#8217;s values.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s important for us to partner with the community,&#8221; Toennes said.</p><p>Nanticoke resident Loretta Chmura was on the very first show of &#8220;Pennsylvania Polka.&#8221; She knows everyone, and if she doesn&#8217;t, she makes friends, she said.</p><p>&#8220;Everyone is equal,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Doing the polka is Chmura&#8217;s relaxation.</p><p>&#8220;It makes my heart feel good,&#8221; Chmura said.</p><p>For Chmura having tapings in her backyard is &#8220;amazing.&#8221;</p><p>The only complaint people had about the day was the lack of &#8220;younger people.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;They&#8217;re missing hospitality,&#8221; Chmura said.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a generation-to-generation activity,&#8221; Fredmonski, also a host of the show, said, noting the importance of keeping traditions and &#8220;Pennsylvania Polka&#8221; alive. &#8220;It&#8217;s something you can only see on WVIA.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Irene Stook, of Laflin, and Sharon Hopka, of Minersville, dance Saturday at Mohegan Sun Pocono. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_polka7_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Irene Stook, of Laflin, and Sharon Hopka, of Minersville, dance Saturday at Mohegan Sun Pocono. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_polka5_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Robin Fohl, of Milford, dances with Barry Niccholio, a member of one of the bands that played at the taping of &#8216;Pennsylvania Polka,&#8217; Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_polka5_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Robin Fohl, of Milford, dances with Barry Niccholio, a member of one of the bands that played at the taping of &#8216;Pennsylvania Polka,&#8217; Saturday. </caption1><photoCredit1></photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_polka6_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Dan and Josie Casner dance during a taping of the &#8216;Pennsylvania Polka&#8217; at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Township on Saturday. The couple returned from vacation to be on the show. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_polka6_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Dan and Josie Casner dance during a taping of the &#8216;Pennsylvania Polka&#8217; at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Township on Saturday. The couple returned from vacation to be on the show. </caption2><photoCredit2></photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>On the air</p><p>&#8220;Pennsylvania Polka&#8221; can be seen locally at 8 p.m. Saturday nights on WVIA-TV.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

WVIA keeps ‘Pennsylvania Polka’ alive