Twin Cities Lions Plan Whale Watch Trip 
Twin Cities Lions Shickshinny/mocanaqua Will Hold A Trip To Provincetown, 
Mass., May 16-17.

2 Killed, 1 Injured In Route 92 Collision

By GRACE DOVE; Times Leader Correspondent
 Sunday, January 25, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





DALLAS- A Dallas Middle School sixth-grader has undertaken an ambitious
project: attract more people to the businesses in downtown Dallas by making
the area more appealing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And she's doing it for fun- not for school credit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tara Matlock-Puchalsky, 12, of Shavertown, Kingston Township, the daughter
of Beth Puchalsky and Mark Matlock, said she came up with the idea after a
school discussion on community service and designed it in October. To date,
her committee of 30 Middle School students has raised nearly $1,000 for the
Dallas Main Street Project through a bake sale and a holiday sale of peanuts
in designer tins. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The group wants to add park benches, planters and decorative seasonal
banners to the two-block downtown area to attract shoppers and pedestrians. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Tara received the unanimous backing of the Dallas Borough Council at its
Oct. 21 meeting. "People would want to walk downtown, because they'd have
benches to rest on and flowers to enjoy," she told the council. "More people
in town would help the businesses. We'll raise the money ourselves so there
won't be any cost to the borough." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Enlisting fellow students posed no problem, Tara said. "They came right in
and are very energetic. Any student is welcome to join us at any time. All
they have to do is ask a member or come to a meeting." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Slated for Feb. 19, their next fund-raiser will pit the Middle School
teachers against a team from radio station WKRZ in four volleyball games,
complete with cheerleaders and a half-time show. The games will begin at 7
p.m. in the Middle School gym. Tickets are $2 for students and $3 for adults. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The students also plan to hold several car washes, sell hats and tie-dyed
T-shirts, and possibly hold a raffle. They're not yet sure how much money to
raise because they haven't figured out how many benches and planters they'll
need. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The students are considering contacting a vocational facility in Scranton
to make some of the items. That will benefit the facility's disabled workers
as well as help to keep costs down. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Tara's project will tie in beautifully with the major highway construction
planned for Dallas Corners," said Councilman Jay Pope. A state highway project
this summer will realign the five-leg intersection of Route 415 with Main,
Lake and Church streets, add turning lanes and upgrade traffic signals. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Her committee's enthusiastic involvement is a testimony to the good things
which today's youth can accomplish," said council President William Roberts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This project is helping the students gain a better awareness of the
different roles people play in the community and the workings of local
government," said Middle School Principal Anthony Martinelli. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Our students already have this kind of spirit- now it's extending outside
the school into the community." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The students realize their project will last past the end of school in
June. Tara said the group probably will have to meet on weekends to
accommodate the members who will be in high school. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And members al

Dallas Student Leads Effort To Spruce Up Community Sixth-grader Heads Group Sprucing Up Main Street Area To Complement Plan For Dallas Corners