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‘Lego Batman’ stays No. 1, conquers ‘The Great Wall’

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Lottery Numbers for Sunday, Feb. 19

<p>DALLAS &#8212; More than 30 guests attended the New Year of the Trees event at the Jewish Community Center Day Camp as they hiked, played games and planted flowers Sunday afternoon.</p><p>Barbara Sugarman, director of adult and cultural services for the JCC, said that traditionally, &#8220;Tu BiShvat&#8221; is celebrated during this time in Israel, marking the country&#8217;s beginning of the spring season. JCC officials not only wanted to celebrate this tradition, but allow the public to come and visit the camp for themselves to see all it has to offer for members of the community.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re trying to use the camp more than just for the summer activities,&#8221; said camp director Rick Evans, noting that the JCC held a winter event featuring sleigh riding and more just after the new year began. &#8220;Everything we do is open to the community, everyone is welcome.&#8221;</p><p>The camp features 40 acres of wilderness, tennis courts, cabins, a swimming pool, gym, hiking and biking trails and more. Evans said that he plans to hold tennis and basketball tournaments in the springtime, as well as the annual summer camp, which caters to children between the ages of 2 and 14.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s more getting into nature and using nature, as well as using the camp more,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Walking to the back of the property, Evans met up with Wilkes University adventure education coordinator Jill Price, who was guiding the group through various activities before embarking on a nature hike. She closed her eyes and gave the group a few seconds to scatter and hide behind trees, rocks and other objects before reopening them in an attempt to spot where everyone was hiding.</p><p>&#8220;I see a grey jacket,&#8221; she said, pointing to a boy hiding behind a tree.</p><p>After calling out about 10 people, Price had everyone regroup as they made their way down and across the mountain, being sure to assist those who may have been struggling while walking through the sometimes slippery terrain. As she followed a white string that laid out the path, Price explained why she enjoys working with the JCC.</p><p>&#8220;We wanted to do some outdoor programs, and I really like outdoor programs,&#8221; she said as she led a group of children to a large rock for a picture. &#8220;I thought it&#8217;d be fun to get people to the camp outside of the summertime.&#8221;</p><p>Arden Gustitus brought her 4-year-old daughter, Althea, to the event. Recently leaving New Hampshire to move to the Wyoming Valley, she said her family has been looking for areas where they could participate in more outdoor activities that featured the wilderness, and the scenery at the camp reminded her of home.</p><p>As the group began making their way across the mountain back to the base of the camp, Price encouraged the children on the hike to complete an alphabet scavenger hunt, searching for things in nature. Once out of the woods and back at the gym, she further engaged the children by inviting them in a game of freeze tag.</p><p>Back in the gym, groups continued a game of pickleball. A catchy, new trend that combines the elements of tennis, table tennis and badminton. It&#8217;s name is derived from the inventor&#8217;s family dog &#8212; a cocker spaniel named Pickles &#8212; who would steal sporting balls and hide them, according to Mark Matylewicz.</p><p>Matylewicz was at the event on behalf of his wife, JCC senior resource director Sharon Matylewicz, who could not attend. He was assisting in teaching the fundamentals of the game to interested guests, and said that Pickle Ball has quickly gained momentum in the sport world.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a hybrid between tennis and badminton,&#8221; he said, noting that the Wilkes-Barre YMCA has recently created a league.</p><p>While the children were playing, Kelsi Matylewicz and Staci Wirth decided to plant flowers. As they picked out what flowers they wanted, Sugarman showed them how to properly plant them inside of a styrofoam cup to take home.</p><p>Many of the families shortly followed after the game of tag, coming inside to grab a snack and help their children plant a flower. Lucille Temperine attended the event with her two daughters and four grandchildren. She said that the family often comes to the JCC Camp in the summer, and was impressed with what the organization had to offer Sunday.</p><p>&#8220;I liked it. The fresh air, the games that (Price) played with the kids. It was just a very nice day to be out,&#8221; she said, adding that one of her daughters is interested in having her children attend the summer camp now, as well.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Bruno Ciravolo, 23 months, looks inside a cup in which he just planted flower seeds. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_jcc1_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Bruno Ciravolo, 23 months, looks inside a cup in which he just planted flower seeds. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_jcc2_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lucille Temperine plays some pickleball, named after a dog named Pickles. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_jcc2_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Lucille Temperine plays some pickleball, named after a dog named Pickles. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_jcc3_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Althea Gwaltney, 4, of Dristol, N.H., tangles herself in gym apparatus at the JCC Camp near Harveys Lake on Sunday. Althea is here on a visit to see her grandmother. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_jcc3_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Althea Gwaltney, 4, of Dristol, N.H., tangles herself in gym apparatus at the JCC Camp near Harveys Lake on Sunday. Althea is here on a visit to see her grandmother. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Hikes, games, planting featuredat &#8216;New Year of the Trees&#8217; event</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>

Hikes, games, planting featured at JCC Camp’s New Year of the Trees event