Wyoming Area Kwianis Club donated 16 rifle-proof vests, with the aid of a $3,000 check donated by Northest Window Inc. and Smith & Miller Roofing, to EMS members from Pittston Township, Jenkins Township, Duryea, Pittston City, Hughestown and Avoca. Shown in the photo are representatives from those mentioned municipalities, along with Pittston Area School District, WAKC, and the Rogo family representing the two businesses.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Members of the Rogo family representing their businesses, Northeast Window Inc. and Smith & Miller Roofing, when they donated $3,000 to the Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club (WAKC) Invest in a Vest program donating rifle-proof vests to Greater Pittston EMS members. Left to right are Michael Coolbaugh, WAKC board member, Tiffany Callaio WAKC president, Margaret Rogo, Northeast Window, Inc., Laura Rogo, Smith & Miller Roofing, Kim Zdrojesky, WAKC member.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club president Tiffany Callaio, front, and Kiwanian Kim Zdrojesky, line up 16-vests handed out this past week.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club (WAKC) board member Mike Coolbaugh is shown delivering 16-rifle proof vests to municipalities encompassing the Pittston Area School District this past week. To date, WAKC has donated, through fundraising, 158 vests to Greater Pittston EMS personnel.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club (WAKC), in a continuing effort to outfit Greater Pittston police, fire, EMS, and school resource officers with rifle-proof vests, delivered 16 more vests to several east side departments this past week. This now brings the total of donated vests to 158, valued at $300 per vest.
What started out as a fundraising project for the WAKC to raise enough money to outfit all emergency responders in the Wyoming Area School District has parlayed into supplying enough vests for the same responders encompassing the Pittston Area School District.
The goal set out initially was to raise $21,000 to purchase 70 vests. The community’s response was overwhelming, so the WAKC donated extra vests, first to the City of Pittston, then to surrounding municipalities such as Duryea, Dupont, Jenkins Township, Pittston Township, Hughestown, and Avoca.
“We are not done yet,” Tiffany Callaio, WAKC president, said. “We need to raise enough money to finish the project to purchase eight more vests.”
Northeast Window Inc. and Smith & Miller Roofing, owned by the Rogo family represented by Margaret and Laura Rogo, donated $3,000 to the project in helping purchase additional vests for east side municipalities.
“We were extremely excited to see Northeast Window Inc. and Smith & Miller Roofing contribute to the program by donating $3,000 towards the project,” Callaio said. “This money will provide 10 more vests and it will help local EMS and schools in case of an emergency. The donation was very generation and a total surprise, so we are very grateful to the Rogo family.”
WAKC needs $2,400 to complete the project to purchase eight more vests that would bring the grand total of 166-body armor vests donate with a price tag of $49,800.
The WAKC is looking for donations to complete the project. Anyone interested should contact the club through email at wyomingareakiwanis@gmail.com or call Mike Coolbaugh at 570-237-1080.
