Youths raise funds for devastated childcare centers

HONESDALE, PA — “We were just happy to help,” said the five young workers from Bethesda Day Treatment in response to their recent work with their counselor, Roni Houghtaling, to raise funds for donation to the Wayne County Children’s Coalition. This money went toward the assistance of two area childcare centers that were severely damaged by Hurrican Ivan.

The volunteers said they liked helping the little kids and the community.

“It was so wonderful to see how much these students really cared about what they were giving back to the community and how proud they were of everything that they had accomplished. The enthusiasm for what they had done was contagious,” said Michele Young, Children’s Coalition program coordinator. The Coalition agreed that the team effort had been a success.

When Roni Houghtaling, or Mrs. Roni as she’s known, saw the newspaper articles about the flooded childcare centers, she decided to motivate her group into action. The funds came in slowly at first, but the group soon hit its stride. A series of two separate take-out spaghetti dinners prepared in the kitchen of the Area Agency on Aging proved to be a fundraising success.

“These five have done so much good. Their achievement means so much to them. I hope that’s a feeling that will always stay with them,” said Young.