JENKINS TWP. — Barb Sciandra has a lot on her plate these days.

The 39-year-old mother of three is in the process of moving into a new home, getting her kids to school daily, and workingas a pharmacist with Albert’s Pharmacy (while also picking up hours at K-Mart pharmacies in Moosic, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton and Towanda).

On top of all of that, she’s in the process of crunching the numbers and getting everything together for this year’s Paint Pittston Pink, set to kick off Thursday, Sept. 28 and concluding Saturday, Oct. 7.

“I don’t want to say I’m driven by chaos but the more things that are going on, the happier I am,” Sciandra said. “I’ve never been a person that’s been able to sit still. I like a lot of balls up in the air at one time.”

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Beginning in 2014, Paint Pittston Pink was founded by Sciandra and Qiana Lehman, Esq. and started as a three-day event before consuming an entire week in 2015.

When she was pregnant with her youngest child, Cameron, Sciandra discovered a lump on her left breast. From that point, she was persistent and aggressive with ultrasounds, biopsies, mammograms and MRIs.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer on Aug. 17, 2012, stage III in her left breast and stage II in her right. She was 34 years old and had HER2+, an extremely aggressive type of cancer with a high recurrence rate.

She had her first surgery in February, 2013, and is now in the five-year zone of being cancer free.

“It makes me feel awesome,” she said. “The type of cancer I had has a very high rate of occurrence and is a very aggressive type of cancer. So, the reason I feel I made it to where I am right now is because of the clinical trial I was lucky enough to participate in.”

Each year, Paint Pittston Pink event’s have raised more money than the prior year. The first year raised $30,000; the second raised $50,000 and the third year raised $75,000.

“Because we were able to donate $75,000 last year, our goal will be $100,000 until we hit it,” Sciandra said. “I think we have a good chance of hitting it.”

All money raised from Paint Pittston Pink goes to the Pennies in Action Fund at the University of Pennsylvania.

New events

This year marks Paint Pittston Pink’s fourth year, and it keeps getting bigger with more events.

Kicking off this year on Sept. 28 is the “Meet Your Match Auction” at the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce.

Eligible bachelors and bachelorettes will be auctioned off during this time.

Another event is called “Give A Pint, Get A Pint,” a blood drive to be held Friday, Sept. 27 at the Susquehanna Brewing Company in Jenkins Township.

Participants who donate a pint of blood will receive a commemorative pint glass and the event will also include live music, games, baskets and a food truck.

This event is being held in memory of Greg Policare, the former Pittston City Chief of Police who passed away on Aug. 1 after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia.

“We wanted to do something to honor Greg Policare’s life,” Sciandra said. “I didn’t know Greg personally, but I have a connection with their family. The more I heard about Greg, he just sounded like a wonderful person. He was a true Pittstonian, so we thought it would be good to do something for him.”

Another new event will be the “PINK-O Designer Purse Bingo at St. Maria Goretti Banquet Hall in Laflin.

Designer bags from Louis Vuitton, Bruberry, Dooney & Bourke and more will be up for auction.

Celebrity Bartender Night

Returning once more is the popular Celebrity Bartender event at the Red Mill in Pittston, which will be held Friday, Oct. 6.

Celebrity bartenders this year are Rep. Mike Carroll, Colleen DeFrank, Dr. Michael Fath, Dr. David Greenwald, Jennifer Griglock, Pittston City Mayor Jason Klush, Johanna Rehill and Dr. David Scalzo.

Bouncers include Jimmy Albert, Michael Berlew, Terry McMahon, Chef Sammy Agolino, Dr. Shawn Casey and Chris Martin.

Color Me Pink 5K and Gentlemen’s Dash

The Color Me Pink 5K will be held Saturday, Oct. 7 following by the Caped CURE-Sader Family Fun Walk.

The main event takes place immediately after the walk/fun as the Gentlemen’s Dash features 13 of Greater Pittston’s finest men donning high heels for a 50-yard dash up Main Street.

Participants this year are Gene Axton, Michael Callahan, Scott Carpenter, Jason Ferentino, Brandon Hampton, David Kirkland, Nick Kovaleski, Brian Matyjevich, Lorenzo Medico, Stephen Parulski, Dave Pedri, John Widdick and Gennaro Zandardi.

The Gentlemen’s Dash is entering its third year with the idea coming from Sciandra’s husband, Sal.

“He has a lot of creative ideas,” Sciandra said of her husband.

The total to beat from last year’s Gentlemen’s Dash is more than $37,000.

Paint Pittston Pink co-founder Barbara Sciandra readies her calendar for the upcoming Paint Pittston Pink festivities.
https://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_PPP.jpgPaint Pittston Pink co-founder Barbara Sciandra readies her calendar for the upcoming Paint Pittston Pink festivities. Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Paint Pittston Pink will be Sept. 28 to Oct. 7

By Jimmy Fisher

jfisher@timesleader.com

Reach Jimmy Fisher at 570-704-3972 or on Twitter @SD_JimmyFisher