First Posted: 5/3/2013

Pittston Area senior, Miranda Warunek, is about to graduate in a just a few short weeks, but before that could happen, she had to pick a National Honor Society independent service project. She followed in her older sister Letitia’s footsteps and held a fundraiser for the Free Pediatric Health Clinic on Williams Street in Pittston. The Care and Concern Ministries of St. John the Evangelist Parish oversees the Pediatric Clinic.

Letitia, a 2011 Pittston Area graduate, now a Pharmacy student at Wilkes University, raised $7,100 for her senior project. Miranda outdid her sister by raising a substantial $9,685 for a combined total of $16,785.

“It’s a win-win situation,” said Miranda. “I was able to complete my senior project, my dance group received publicity and the Pediatric Health Clinic benefited from the money raised.”

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Miranda is referring to the Emerald Isle Step Dancers, under the direction of Jennifer Woss, who performed a show of Irish dancing last month at Pittston Area to raise money for the project.

Approximately 30-baskets of Irish, Italian, baby, pet, coffee, Vera Bradley, snacks, Christmas, and fall items were raffled off the night of the show.

Miranda also raised $1,700 by doing a grocery bagging campaign at Gerrity’s in West Pittston and Luzerne.

According to Msgr. John Bendik, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pittston, the Pediatric Clinic has seen over 220 children from 144 families visiting the office 687 times since its inception in 2010.

“The donation is very generous,” said Bendik.” “We serve so many children and families because they can’t afford health care and donations like this will serve many more children. Just this morning, we had a child that had never received an inoculation.”

Dr. Michael Imbrogno and his wife Sharon, RN. are the current administrators of the Pediatric Clinic.

After graduation, Miranda will attend the six-year Physician’s Assistant’s program at King’s College.

Miranda is the daughter of Joseph and Patricia Warunek.