web1_courthouse.jpeg.jpg

Luzerne County reassessment won’t be requested for 2020, manager said

outdoors

Distinctive Palate: June 2019

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Barbara Watkins traveled more than 2,000 miles to watch granddaughter Candice run 5 kilometers on Sunday.</p><p>&#8220;If it weren&#8217;t for her, I wouldn&#8217;t be coming here,&#8221; Watkins said.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re here because you made it through lung cancer, not because of me,&#8221; Candice Watkins replied.</p><p>Barbara Watkins is a lung cancer survivor and Luzerne native who now lives in Arizona, and has returned home nearly every year to see her granddaughter participate in the annual Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run. It is in support of LUNGevity, a national nonprofit dedicated to promoting early diagnosis and treatment research.</p><p>&#8220;She beat cancer, we signed up that year and she&#8217;s been cancer-free for nine years now,&#8221; Candice Watkins said of her grandmother. &#8220;We started walking and as the years have gone on I&#8217;ve started running.&#8221;</p><p>Sunday&#8217;s 9th annual event drew more than 100 participants to Kirby Park, organizer Pauline Makowski said.</p><p>Her husband, Allan E. Makowski Sr., lost his battle with the disease 10 years ago this month, which inspired Makowski to start the local fundraising chapter.</p><p>Lung cancer accounts for 25 percent of all cancer deaths in this country, claiming an estimated 154,000 lives in 2018, according to LUNGevity statistics &#8212; more than the next three most common cancers combined &#8212; yet the disease receives only 6 percent of all federal research dollars.</p><p>Northeastern Pennsylvania is an area with an above-average rate of lung cancer, according to state and national research.</p><p>&#8220;Everyone knows of someone who has lung cancer, unfortunately,&#8221; Makowski said.</p><p>Sunday&#8217;s activities kicked off with remarks by guest speaker and WBRE-TV anchor Mark Hiller, who said the annual event had raised nearly $160,000 during its first eight years leading up to this year&#8217;s event &#8212; money that &#8220;has helped support vital research,&#8221; he said, adding that there have been many improvements in lung cancer treatment in the decade since Makowski&#8217;s husband died.</p><p>&#8220;Pauline took her loss and she made this a mission of mercy for others, and a mission of hope, and ultimately, a mission of what we hope to be a cure,&#8221; Hiller said.</p><p>&#8220;So when I was asked to be a speaker at this event it was a no-brainer. It was an absolute yes,&#8221; Hiller added. &#8220;Yes for the people we&#8217;ve lost, yes for the people in the struggle, and yes for those of us who want to make a difference in our community and across the nation.&#8221;</p><p>Among those present Sunday was Lisa Orlandini, director of Candy&#8217;s Place, a Forty Fort-based cancer wellness and resource center.</p><p>Orlandini brought information about the center, which was founded by Penny Cunningham in 1998 in memory of her sister, Candice Vincent-Mamary, a respected local social worker who died of lung cancer.</p><p>&#8220;People are living with lung cancer and dying from it, and awareness is essential,&#8221; said Orlandini, who said she has a dear friend who currently is living with the disease.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re out here today to help this worthy cause,&#8221; Orlandini said.</p><p>The event included a 50-50 raffle as well as a variety of raffle gifts and free food provided by a range of local donors and groups.</p><p>Staging the annual fundraiser has become &#8220;a full-time job,&#8221; Makowski said.</p><p>She is assisted by many volunteers &#8212; including a committee made up of Karen Evitts, Margaret Wilk, Jessica Johnsen, Linda Giordano, and her children, Allan Makowski Jr. and Stephanie Makowski &#8212; as well as event day volunteers. </p><p>Many played a role on Sunday, including Barbara Watkins and Diane Klem, a lung cancer survivor from Dallas who will mark 10 years cancer free in October. Watkins and Klem helped draw raffle tickets, for example.</p><p>Candice Watkins and Robert Clothier were honored as the top two fundraisers, while the Anthracite Rose Western Dance Club, of which Klem is a member, was recognized for fielding the largest team, with 14 participants.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m just grateful it&#8217;s a beautiful day and I am grateful for the turnout,&#8221; Makowski said.</p><p>Those who are interested in helping Breathe Deep NEPA assist LUNGevity can visit <a href="https://lungevity.org/nepa" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://lungevity.org/nepa</a>.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Lungevity_1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A young walker is all smiles as Sunday&#8217;s Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run kicks off at Kirby Park. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Lungevity_1.jpg</photo0><caption0>A young walker is all smiles as Sunday&#8217;s Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run kicks off at Kirby Park. </caption0><photoCredit0>Roger DuPuis | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Lungevity_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">One of Sunday&#8217;s Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run participants checks his digital device as the event gets underway. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Lungevity_2.jpg</photo1><caption1>One of Sunday&#8217;s Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run participants checks his digital device as the event gets underway. </caption1><photoCredit1>Roger DuPuis | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_lungevity3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Valley West student Andrew Novrocki records raffle winners&#8217; names on a large poster Sunday during the Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run at Kirby Park. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_lungevity3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Wyoming Valley West student Andrew Novrocki records raffle winners&#8217; names on a large poster Sunday during the Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run at Kirby Park. </caption2><photoCredit2>Roger DuPuis | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_lungevity5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Organizer Pauline Makowski, standing, talks with lung cancer survivors Diane Klem, left, and Barbara Watkins during the Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run raffle drawing on Sunday at Kirby Park. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_lungevity5.jpg</photo3><caption3>Organizer Pauline Makowski, standing, talks with lung cancer survivors Diane Klem, left, and Barbara Watkins during the Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run raffle drawing on Sunday at Kirby Park. </caption3><photoCredit3>Roger DuPuis | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Lungevity4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Sweet Valley resident Candice Watkins, left, shares a moment with her grandmother, Barbara Watkins, during Sunday&#8217;s Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run at Kirby Park to raise money for lung cancer treatment research. Barbara Watkins, originally from Luzerne, is a nine-year lung cancer survivor who returns to the region from Arizona annually for the event, in which Candice has been a dedicated fundraiser and participant. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/web1_Lungevity4.jpg</photo4><caption4>Sweet Valley resident Candice Watkins, left, shares a moment with her grandmother, Barbara Watkins, during Sunday&#8217;s Breathe Deep NEPA 5K Walk &amp; Fun Run at Kirby Park to raise money for lung cancer treatment research. Barbara Watkins, originally from Luzerne, is a nine-year lung cancer survivor who returns to the region from Arizona annually for the event, in which Candice has been a dedicated fundraiser and participant. </caption4><photoCredit4>Roger DuPuis | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Lung cancer fundraiser draws runners, walkers to Kirby Park</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Roger DuPuis</p><p>rdupuis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

A mission of hope: Lung cancer fundraiser draws runners, walkers to Kirby Park