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Meyers makes the most of opportunities in 38-0 win over Holy Redeemer

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WVC girls soccer: Tierney Porfirio, Aleah Kranson lift Wyoming Area past Holy Redeemer

<p>This Saturday, it&#8217;s all about the smiles.</p><p>The second annual Smile Day &#8212; featuring all kinds of free fun &#8212; is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center (CYC).</p><p>Chris Bohinski and mother Barbara, better known as &#8220;Boh the Smile Guy&#8221; and &#8220;Momma Boh,&#8221; pioneered the feel-good movement. It&#8217;s an extension of Bohinski&#8217;s previous work with NYC Smile 4 Me, which he started in 2016.</p><p>When Bohinski returned home about a year-and-a-half ago due to his mother&#8217;s cancer diagnosis, Smile Day became a focal point for him and Barbara. The two bonded over the project and used preparation for the event as a way to distract from health hardships.</p><p>With Smile Day as a driving force to push Momma Boh on the path to recovery, she continues to beat the odds.</p><p>&#8220;Her doctors are always commenting how she&#8217;s exceeding their expectations, she&#8217;s doing wonderfully, improving at a rate that they might not have necessarily expected,&#8221; said Chris. &#8220;And when they ask her, &#8216;Well Barbara, what are you doing?&#8217; She usually just answers, &#8216;I&#8217;m being happy, I&#8217;m smiling! I&#8217;m staying positive.&#8217; I get encouraged by that because then her own happiness, positivity and joy is not only helping her be better, it&#8217;s helping me be a better son, be a better caregiver, be a better friend.&#8221;</p><p>Smile Day has outgrown the Wilkes-Barre Township Firehall, last year&#8217;s venue. And the CYC is expecting more than 1,000 attendees Saturday. That&#8217;s double the number of participants from last year.</p><p>&#8220;This year, we already have double the amount of donors, volunteers, and supporters,&#8221; said Chris. &#8220; &#8230; We&#8217;re very happy to have a problem of needing a bigger space for more of the anticipated people that are going to attend.&#8221;</p><p>With over 250 individuals and area businesses involved, Smile Day has something for everyone: free food, prizes, a petting zoo, face painting, carnival games, dancing, bingo, raffles, a pie-eating contest, basketball, swimming, live entertainment, fire engine and police cruiser tours, and temporary tattoos.</p><p>The event is entirely free, including parking. There is a zero-dollar budget for Smile Day. The event relies on the generosity of individuals, groups and local businesses willing to donate goods, services, time and money.</p><p>Anyone is welcome to attend.</p><p>All the fun begins promptly at 10 a.m. when Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tony George will present a Proclamation of Appreciation to Bohinski and his mother.</p><p>Chris also hinted at celebrity appearances.</p><p>&#8220;I would encourage people to be there for the 10 a.m. opening ceremonies to witness and be a part of all the fun surprise smiles that are going to be happening.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Bohinski </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/web1_TTL032318Spotlight3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Bohinski </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Lyndsay Bartos</p><p>lbartos@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Saturday’s Smile Day features all kinds of free fun