This past week, I had a chance to cover an event at Ashley Machine & Tool Co. at West Wyoming. It was something I was looking forward to because my father’s younger brother, my Uncle Tony, worked at Ashley for decades as a machinist.

When I was a child, after the Apollo 1 fire disaster that killed three astronauts because of a hatch failure, Ashley was one of the companies that was contracted to work on the hatch redesign. My uncle was on the team that worked on the project.

It’s a really cool fact that my uncle had a role in history, but it’s pretty special that a little machine shop like Ashley was chosen for the task.

Because of the current owners, John and Michele Mulhern and their son Zach, the company has expanded to a size that my late uncle could only wish he was able to work.

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Three buildings have been connected to make one large, 43,000-square-foot facility with state of the art equipment.

The Mulherns recently secured two loans to purchase the entire facility from the former owner, which I’m sure is a great relief for the family.

Ashley makes aluminum parts for some large companies like Boeing, Northrup Grumman and Goodrich Aerosmith.

When I spoke to John, he said he’s excited for the future hoping his company can get involved with the space race to conquer outer space. Whoever comes knocking on his door, he will be prepared to put all 43 employees to work to any job done.

After taking a tour of the facility, you can see how much attention to detail they have. The shop is clean and bright and if they spend that much time on the floor, I can only think the products they produce are second to none.

If my Uncle Tony were take a tour of Ashley Machine today, he’d be very proud of where they are at and how he was a part of the success of the business.

In this week’s edition, you’ll read about the generosity of the Balchune family after donating $12,500 to the Greater Pittston YMCA. The Jimmy Balchune Memorial Fund, named after the late Jimmy Balchune, is only in it’s infancy and after three-years, they are making a statement in Greater Pittston.

I didn’t know Jimmy, but after talking to his cousin, Jeff Waters, I wish I did. He sounds like he was an upstanding guy that cared about his family and community giving back whenever he could.

At 39 years of age, that is way too young to pass away, but his family, in particularly his wife Amy, have decided giving back to the community is the best way to honor him and I agree.

A plaque was placed on the wall of the gym that will hang forever, therefore making Jimmy Balchune’s name people will know for eons.

The foundation has donated to the Greater Pittston Santa Squad and the Duryea Wildcats.

Thank you Balchune family for all you do.

Also happening this past week was the annual Green Jacket ceremony at the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. They are a great organization and with the Green Jacket ceremony being held, you know St. Patrick’s Day is not far off and for me, I can’t wait for March.

The facility at the Friendly Sons has gone through great changes over the years and you left on a spaceship years ago and returned to earth and visited the Friendly Sons, you would not believe the changes.

I give credit for the organization for making their home fresh and new and clean. They relocated bathrooms, gave it a new front entrance, and put in a new floor. It’s an amazing transformation and I look forward to going there whenever possible.

Now lets get that parade going.

Jimmy “Twinkle Toes” Zarra, everyone’s favorite Greater Pittstonian, will be joining other noted people from NEPA in participating in Dancing Stars of Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the F.M. Kirby Center for Performing Arts.

I had a nice chat with Jimmy and of anyone I know, I wouldn’t pick Jimmy to be in such an event, but as he put it, “I’m not getting any younger and it’s only a two-minute dance competition.”

At 62 years old, Jimmy is hardly ready for the bone yard, but I get what he’s saying about time and youth has been long gone, so I happy he’s in the contest and I’m sure he’ll do very well.

I hope to cover the event for the paper like I did last year, so I’ll be there to root him on, along with his partner Joanne Monfiletto.

Finally, enjoy the next few days of sunshine, I almost forgot what the sun looks like so let’s all soak it in.

Quote of the Week

“No leader sets out to be a leader. People set out to live their lives, expressing themselves fully. When that expression is of value, they become leaders. So the point is not to become a leader. The point is to become yourself, to use yourself completely – all your skills, gifts and energies – in order to make your vision manifest. You must withhold nothing. You must, in sum, become the person you started out to be, and to enjoy the process of becoming.” – Warren Bennis

Thought of the Week

“Set and maintain high standards. If you have to be hard on people, do it with love and a genuine wish for them to improve. Praise people when they hit the standard.” – Sam Altman

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“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa