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<p>DALLAS TWP. &#8212; Michael Carannante has many memories of playing in the Dallas Township Park before it became neglected.</p><p>&#8220;I used to play baseball in the field, ride the swings and play in the creek,&#8221; the 17-year-old recalled.</p><p>As he grew up, the teen and his younger brothers shied away from hanging out at the park due to the deteriorating condition of playground equipment and its surroundings.</p><p>So, when Carannante heard Dallas Township supervisors were developing plans to restore the neighborhood park, the teen wanted to help.</p><p>He read how the township applied for various grants and acquired $236,194 from the state Department of Community and Economic Development&#8217;s Local Share Account to fund phase one of the renovation, which includes installing nature-themed playground equipment.</p><p>&#8220;I heard they were about $13,000 short,&#8221; Carannante said.</p><p>So, the Dallas High School junior developed an idea to create a family-friendly fundraiser that would include a kickball game, face painting and games, such as a ring toss.</p><p>He announced his fundraising plan at a May supervisors meeting, which resulted in an outpouring of support.</p><p>&#8220;My friends wanted to help immediately,&#8221; Carannante said, adding his family, neighbors, Dallas Township supervisors, Luzerne County Fair chairwoman Brenda Pugh and Dallas Township Police Officer Gina Kotowski have all pitched in to assist him.</p><p>Within months, he organized &#8220;Play for the Park,&#8221; scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Dallas High School, 2030 Conyngham Ave.</p><p>Event activities have grown to include a dunk tank, plus pie-eating and tug-of-war contests. There will also be food vendors and a disc jockey.</p><p>Admission is $5 per person. All proceeds will go to fund the park&#8217;s renovation.</p><p>The Dallas Township Bicentennial Committee incorporated the fundraiser into a Dallas Days Weekend, which includes Best of Open Mic Night from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, and the Dallas Harvest Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. All weekend events will be held at the Dallas High School, township supervisor Elizabeth Martin said.</p><p>&#8220;The festival committee was very welcoming and happy to have an additional event,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Carannante is happy to see his idea come to fruition.</p><p>&#8220;The park has been in disrepair for about four to five years,&#8221; he said.</p><p>The 6-acre recreational site, located on South Side Avenue and Lake Side Drive, currently features weathered basketball courts, an overgrown Little League field and hiking trails, plus rusty playground equipment.</p><p>Supervisors held several public meetings and conducted an online survey to collect public input on possible amenities for the park. Suggestions included a skatepark, a splash pad, a dog park and new playground features.</p><p>Carannante said his younger brothers, Tony, 15, and Titus, 9, are hoping the skatepark idea becomes a reality.</p><p>The township is applying for a DCED Greenways grant to incorporate many of the items on the wish list, Martin said.</p><p>In the meantime, funding that&#8217;s already been secured will be used to purchase and install nature-themed playground equipment.</p><p>&#8220;The project (playground equipment) should be put out to bid, hopefully in the spring (of 2018),&#8221; Martin said. &#8220;We have a lot of young families here, and it would be nice to have a place for them to play and interact.&#8221;</p><p>The park&#8217;s renovation will also include new lighting and surveillance cameras connected to the township police department.</p><p>Carannante&#8217;s concern about the neighborhood park and his willingness to take action surprised Martin.</p><p>&#8220;I never had a local teen stand up like this,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Not in my six years with the municipality.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Michael Carannante, 17, decided to help Dallas Township renovate a neighborhood park near his home. He has organized the &#8216;Play for the Park&#8217; fundraiser slated for Saturday, Sept. 16. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_20170807_100441.jpg</photo0><caption0>Michael Carannante, 17, decided to help Dallas Township renovate a neighborhood park near his home. He has organized the &#8216;Play for the Park&#8217; fundraiser slated for Saturday, Sept. 16. </caption0><photoCredit0>Eileen Godin | Dallas Post </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta></subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Eileen Godin</p><p>egodin@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>Play for the Park</strong></p><p><strong>Time: </strong>9 a.m. to 3 p.m.</p><p><strong>Date: </strong>Saturday, Sept. 16</p><p><strong>Place: </strong>Dallas High School, 2030 Conyngham Ave., Dallas Twp.</p><p><strong>Cost: </strong>$5 per person</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Dallas Township fundraiser ‘Play for the Park’ slated for Sept. 16