Leadership Northeast is a community service program designed to educate and train emerging leaders in the region. The program is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the area, as class members are tasked with working in teams to develop and implement civic projects.
This year there are seven groups and over the upcoming weeks we’ll highlight the groups and their projects. Today, we profile Supporters of the Knights of Lord Butler.
Who’s answering these questions?
Andrea Butchko
Who are the group members?
Sam Harris, Jenneca Simkonis Memorial Foundation; Karissa Yaron, Cross Valley Federal Credit Union; Mario Nese, Mohegan Pennsylvania; Rachel Maculloch, DiscoverNEPA Powered by Mericle; Kelsey Savka, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine; Andrea Butchko, Verdantas Engineering; Katie Feola, AssuredPartners; Joey Ferretti, Community Bank, N.A.
Why did you choose this organization to benefit?
At our Leadership Core Class orientation, we had the opportunity to dive deeper into Wilkes-Barre’s history through Tony Brooks of the Wilkes-Barré Preservation Society. After seeing his passion for keeping our area’s history alive, we knew this was the perfect project for us. We believe future generations will continue to discover Wilkes-Barre’s history because of Tony Brooks’s commitment to The Zebulon Butler House and our renovation project.
What is your project and how did you come up with the idea?
We are renovating a detached garage behind The Zebulon Butler House into The Lord Butler Antique Store. The Preservation Society receives many antique donations. Some are from the time period of the home, and fit in perfectly, but others do not, and are currently being stored in the garage. Brooks proposed the idea of turning the garage into an antique store that could be a place to display and sell the items that do not fit in the house. The proceeds would go toward the Zebulon Butler House’s continued renovations.
What will your team do to make it happen?
The Knights of Lord Butler will be renovating and decorating the detached garage with new paint, clean floors, and shelving. This will occur throughout April and May, with a grand opening to be held in late May. Throughout March and April, our team will be holding fundraisers to help purchase construction materials. These involve a raffle for a Luxury Box at the Mohegan Arena and a community night at Chipotle in Wilkes-Barre. In addition to our fundraisers, we are soliciting local home improvement stores and businesses for in-kind donations.
Where can people learn more about your project?
Find us on Facebook: Knights of Lord Butler – LNE Community Impact Project. Find us in Instagram: koflordbutler_WB. Email: [email protected].
