Walking in her shoes

The 2021 Paint Pittston Pink Gentlemen’s Dash will be held at noon on Oct. 2 p.m. on Main Street in Pittston.

Participants have secured sponsorships and will race against each other down Main Street in heels.

All proceeds will benefit Paint Pittston Pink.

Here are the participants.

Tom Campenni

Tom Campenni is a resident of West Pittston and a graduate of Wyoming Area Secondary Center, Cornell University and Temple University School of Law.

He is a parnter in the law firm of Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald LLP in Wilkes-Barre where he focuses on commercial and employment litigation.

Campenni previously served on the board of directors for the United Way of the Wyoming Valley and currently serves on the board of trustees for the West Pittston Library and serve on the board of directors and as vice president for the Wyoming Area Football Alumni Association Inc. He is also a volunteer assistant coach for the Wyoming Area football team.

He is married to a Chrissy Campenni, a fourth-grade teacher at the Wyoming Area Intermediate Center, and the proud father of the beautiful and talented girls, Samara, Lucia and Ella.

When he is not working, his plate is full supporting his daughters in their various sporting events and the local community.

“I am honored to be chosen for this amazing event and run in memory of my mother, Rosemary Campenni, who lost her battle with lung cancer in 2004,” Campenni said.

Jeff Piazza

Jeff Piazza is a lifelong Pittston resident, a proud Pittston Area Patriot and a Bloomsburg Husky alumni.

Jeff has been a local restauranteur for many years owning and operating such restaurants as Gelpia’z, La Piazza and currently The White House Diner and Fort Cafe.

Jeff is the son of former superintendent and Pittston Area School Board Augie Piazza and Corine Piazza. Jeff loves food, wine friends, family, the Yankees, Eagles and the sitcom “Happy Days.”

When asked to participate in Paint Pittston Pink, he said it was a no-brainer.

Jeff resides in Jenkins Township with his wife, Krisa, and cats, Rocky and Nola.

Thomas Wysokinski Jr.

Thomas Wysokinski Jr. can be found making service calls throughout the Wyoming Valley for the family company All Service Rite on Main Street, helping Pittston City, setting up for the Tomato Festival or helping out Wyoming Valley Habitat for Humanity.

In the little spare time left, he likes to live out his mid-life crisis playing baseball, posting up at Table1 in Brews Brothers or bouncing around the Red Mill. He can usually be tracked down by his giggle, a trail of sunflower seeds and bare feet.

A graduate of Pittston Area and Bloomsburg University, he’s a Patriot and Husky for life. At home, he spends his time vacuuming up after his four-legged friend, Wrigley, chasing down his other four-legged friend, Sebastian, being a taste tester of new recipes for his fiancé or tending to his garden.

He is looking forward to getting married this December and starting a new chapter with Brie, where they currently reside in Laflin.

He always has admired what Paint Pittston Pink has done and is continuing to do. His father was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017 and received treatment in 2018. In late 2019, he was given the great news that he was cancer free.

Nick Morreale

Nick Morreale is a lifelong resident of Pittston and a 2009 graduate of Pittston Area High School.

He currently, resides in the district with his wife, Santina, and a soon-to-be baby boy. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Misericordia University in nursing and continued on to receive a master’s in Nurse Anesthesia at the University of Scranton.

As a current employee of Geisinger Medical Center, he recognizes the importance of cancer research and development on a daily basis.

Breast Cancer has not only affected his own family, but close friends and co-workers. Two of these individuals are experiencing the burden of the disease in their 20s.

“Paint Pittston Pink demonstrates the tight knit Pittston Area family,” he said. “There has always been an overwhelming amount of support, and I hope this year will exceed previous years. It is truly an honor to be participating in such a remarkable event.”

Chris Bohinski

Chris Bohinski strives to treat those around him with kindness and compassion and has a daily goal of making people smile.

After graduating with degrees in both Chemistry and Music & Theater from Wheeling Jesuit University, Chris moved to New York City where he worked in the entertainment industry. When his mother was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer shortly after his father passed away, Chris moved back home to Wilkes-Barre to serve as her primary caregiver up until the time of her passing.

Chris’s mission to spread happiness, positivity and joy led to the creation of his smile mission, SmileStory, which includes a video web series featuring celebrity interviews and also community-wide free festivals, one of which was recognized by President Barack Obama.

Chris recently was honored as the 21st alumnus in his university’s 65-year history to receive the James A. O’Brien S.J. Award for his service to others. During his time with Eyewitness News, Chris has been awarded with a Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Award, Keystone Media Award, “Best TV Personality” from the Times Leader’s Best of the Best, and the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Inspiration Award.

Chris enjoys singing, birdwatching, daily journaling, photography, spending time with his family, eating yummy food, praying and napping with his adopted cats, Pollyanna and Gracie.

Chris is participating in memory/honor of all those affected by cancer.

Matthew Vough

Matthew Vough was born and raised in the Greater Pittston area.

He is a 29-year-old business analyst at Keystone Automotive and a Luzerne County councilman – the first ever elected from the Greater Pittston Area and the youngest councilman ever elected.

“Paint Pittston Pink does so much for cancer awareness and research,” Vough said. “My favorite time of the year is when Pittston is literally painted pink. Barb (Sciandra) and the rest of PPP dedicate their lives to helping others and that is something we all should do.”

He is running in honor of his cousin, Maryann Cresho Comiskey.

Eric Gasper

Eric Gasper resides in Moosic with my wife, Leigh Ann, and my four children, Bella, Chase, Mason and Logan.

He graduated from Valley View High School and the University of Scranton.

Gasper is a certified financial planner and partner at White Oak Wealth Management.

“I am lucky enough to manage one of the most important things in one’s life, their money,” he said. “Today I am asking everyone to reach into their pockets and help me to raise money for another important thing in one’s life, their health. So I implore you to give until it hurts.”

He is running in honor of “Grama Dolly and Uncle Joe.”

Danny DePhillips

Danny DePhillips grew up in Pittston where he was raised by his parents, Philip and Dorothy DePhillips.

DePhillips currently lives in Dallas with his wife, Jessica Youngblood, but continues to raise their children, Brady and Bridget, in and aroudn the Pittston community.

He is a senior bridge rngineer with Borton-Lawson in Wilkes-Barre and an energetic fitness coach at Evolve Fitness in Pittston.

“The Gentleman’s Dash is a time-honored tradition of fashion, strength and endurance,” he said. “I am humbled and eager by the opportunity to partake in this premier PPP event. I promise to pay respect to the amazing athletes that have come before me by training to my fullest and by giving it my all out on the dash course. All I ask of you is to make an affordable donation to help find a treatment and cure to this horrible disease.”

Austin Sinclair

Austin Sinclair is a 27-year-old Hanover Township resident who works for Ethos Cannabis in Wilkes-Barre.

It was at Ethos Cannabis where he was introduced by a co-worker Barb Sciandra, the co-founder of Paint Pittston Pink.

“I love helping others when I can,” he said, “and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be part of such an amazing event.”

Joseph Karp

Joe Karp resides in Pittston with his wife, Debbie, and two daughters, Madison and Camryn.

He graduated from Temple University with a master’s degree in education. For the last 18 years, he has been an eighth-grade math teacher for the Pocono Mountain School District.

In his free time, he enjoys coaching at the Pittston Surge Soccer Academy. He also volunteer as treasurer for the Pittston Area Lady Patriots Booster Club.

“Paint Pittston Pink has personally touched my family and I am so grateful for what the organization represents,” he said. “Six years ago, my wife, Debbie, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately, because of organizations such as Paint Pittston Pink, my wife was able to receive the very best care and treatment for her diagnosis.

“It is an honor for me to participate in this event, so cancer research and awareness can continue to help others, just as it helped my wife.”

Chris Barnic

Chris Barnic is a lifelong resident of the Greater Pittston community.

Currently he is the assistant principal at the Pittston Area High School. He has spent the past 15 years in the public school system, as both a classroom teacher and building-level administrator.

Additionally, his background as a student-athlete at both Pittston Area and King’s College led to stints in coaching and officiating at the scholastic level during that timeframe, as well.

“Whether in the classroom, on the playing field, or in the community, my adult experience has been blessed because of the people around me, and the opportunities entrusted to me by others,” he said. “Participating in Paint Pittston Pink this fall is no exception.

“I can’t wait to toe the starting line, but in the meantime, I am grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness with this year’s class.”

As a lifelong resident of the Greater Pittston community, I am honored to participate in the 2021 Gentlemen’s Dash. On behalf of my wife, Katelyn, and our daughters, Maisie and Rowan, I am looking forward to partnering with the PPP team, and it’s efforts to continue raising cancer awareness in the community and beyond.

Sean McKeag

Sean McKeag is a native of Pittsburgh who moved to Northeastern Pennslyvania in 2015 after graduating college at Point Park University with a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism.

He works at the Citizens’ Voice newspaper in Wilkes-Barre. He loves the people in this area and has a passion to tell their stories by way of photography. He also loves cycling and exploring the many parks and trails this area has to offer.

“I am EXCITED for this opportunity to participate in Paint Pittston Pink,” McKeag said. “To know that I am doing my little part to make peoples’ lives better is rewarding.”

Pat Kernan

Patrick Kernan is a reporter for the Times Leader, where he’s worked since graduating in 2016 from Marywood University.

He is a Scranton native and is still a resident there.

Patrick primarily covers the goings-on at the Luzerne County Courthouse, and also covers arts and entertainment for the Weekender.

Patrick’s primary hobby is discovering new music to listen to, and he is likely pages deep into a Wikipedia rabbit hole at this very moment.