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WBA Kistler’s school gets ‘face-lift’ thanks to Wells Fargo

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Beyond the Byline: Keep holiday traditions alive

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Mother Nature rained on the city&#8217;s annual Christmas Parade and tree lighting Saturday, but it couldn&#8217;t dampen the holiday spirit.</p><p>&#8220;It has not rained for this parade, that anyone can remember,&#8221; said Wilkes-Barre Special Events Coordinator Patty Hughes. She said a lot of participants canceled prior to the parade due to the weather, and she was not sure how many locals would attend.</p><p>But many families still braved the outdoors.</p><p>Christine and Mike Mackiewicz brought their 4-year-old triplet boys.</p><p>&#8220;I love Christmas. I&#8217;ve been watching all the Hallmark movies, and I said, &#8216;I wanna go do that,&#8217;&#8221; Christine said. &#8220;We were coming to see Santa no matter what.&#8221;</p><p>Logan Mackiewicz, one of the couple&#8217;s sons, said he was excited to see Santa, and he enjoyed activities throughout the day.</p><p>&#8220;It was like, really fun,&#8221; he said, while his brothers ran around and played on Public Square.</p><p>The parade stepped off at 3 p.m., but &#8220;Whoville&#8221; festivities took place beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Wilkes-Kings Barnes &amp; Noble Bookstore on South Main Street.</p><p>The afternoon at the bookstore was dedicated to Dr. Seuss&#8217; &#8220;How the Grinch Stole Christmas,&#8221; and its corresponding film adaptations.</p><p>Young patrons enjoyed coloring, face painting, story time, free cookies and &#8220;Who-hair.&#8221;</p><p>An employee at the bookstore was doing children&#8217;s hair, and achieved the famous look of Cindy Lou Who and her ilk using glittery pipe cleaners inside braids &#8212; along with some hairspray.</p><p>&#8220;We did it for the first time last year, and the kids just loved it,&#8221; said Sue Martin, textbook manager at the store. The store participates in parade day with story time and coloring every year, she said.</p><p>Martin explained the store did not paint one of its windows this year so there was room for pictures colored by the children.</p><p>&#8220;They have the option to take them home, or we&#8217;ll hang them in the window,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Stanley Widinski took his son, Cliff, 6, and daughter, Georgia, 4, to participate.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve been coming (to the parade) every year, as long as they&#8217;ve been alive at least,&#8221; Stanley said.</p><p>&#8220;We got candy once,&#8221; Georgia said excitedly.</p><p>The kids both said &#8220;How the Grinch Stole Christmas&#8221; was their favorite Christmas movie.</p><p>Georgia, with her Who-hair and a snowman painted on her cheek, was seeking a white crayon to color snowflakes on her picture, but settled for purple.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m gonna hang mine in my room,&#8221; she said.</p><p>The day also featured a performance by YOUniversal Suzuki Strings in the lobby of the F.M. Kirby Center and a Christmas carol sing-along with Ms. Ruthy Stock on Public Square.</p><p>The rain slowed to a soft drizzle for the parade, which traveled along South Main Street, around the Square, past the Kirby and the reviewing stand, and ending at the intersection of North Main and Union streets. The puddles in the road didn&#8217;t stop children from scrambling for candy thrown from parade floats.</p><p>Representatives from the Times Leader, including the new TL News Bear mascot, marched in the parade, all dressed as elves.</p><p>Immediately following the parade was the lighting of the 40-foot blue spruce in Public Square, donated by Dino Ferri and Paulino Nunez of South Main Plaza. Nunez and his children lit the tree, and free hot chocolate was provided by the Salvation Army and the Wilkes-Barre Lions Club.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Mrs. Claus waves to the crowd at the corner of South Main and Northampton streets Saturday during the Christmas Parade in Wilkes-Barre. The day also included many activities for children, including face painting and story time. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_santap2_faa-1-1-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mrs. Claus waves to the crowd at the corner of South Main and Northampton streets Saturday during the Christmas Parade in Wilkes-Barre. The day also included many activities for children, including face painting and story time. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_santap3_faa-1-1-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Nicole Friscia, of Swoyersville, holds daughter Brooklyn, 4, as they wave at Santa on South Main Street during Saturday&#8217;s parade. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_santap3_faa-1-1-3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Nicole Friscia, of Swoyersville, holds daughter Brooklyn, 4, as they wave at Santa on South Main Street during Saturday&#8217;s parade. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_santap1_faa-1-1-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Santa Claus waves from his sled as the Christmas Parade makes its way down South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. After the parade, the tree on Public Square was lit. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/web1_santap1_faa-1-1-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Santa Claus waves from his sled as the Christmas Parade makes its way down South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. After the parade, the tree on Public Square was lit. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>WB Christmas march a hit despite weather</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Toni Pennello</p><p>tpennello@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Toni Pennello at @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Rain can’t dampen spirit at Wilkes-Barre’s Christmas Parade