Grants to help humans, animals across area

Jessica Delfino, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·5 min read

In addition to the thousands of humans who will benefit from grants announced Tuesday by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, cows, horses and alpaca will get a boost from the funds.

The funding was acquired through the Local Share Account, which distributes tax proceeds from Mohegan Pennsylvania in Plains Twp. and Mount Airy Casino Resort in Paradise Twp. The Local Share Account is a part of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development.

Democratic state Reps. Jim Haddock of Pittston Twp., Bridget M. Kosierowski of Waverly Twp. and Kyle Donahue of Scranton announced the funding in news releases.

Among the many organizations that will benefit from the funds is Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit that takes in and offers medical services to a variety of animals, including farm animals.

It will use the $50,000 grant on construction of a new barn in Newtown Twp., which will be used to treat, quarantine and house any “super-sized” four-legged friends, such as Sandy, an alpaca that lives on the sanctuary, said Indra Lahiri, the founder of Indraloka.

She was delighted to hear the news of the grant.

“That’s something to celebrate,” she said. “The barn is already under construction, and it will allow us to do a lot more for the community.”

She said the organization runs a vet clinic that offers low-cost services to nonprofits, rescue animals and low income households.

“When we have an emergency phone call, for example, we got one today for a sheep with a broken leg that needs medical care, we have a place for them to go instead of scrambling,” she said.

In addition to the many smaller farm animals the sanctuary cares for, the barn will allow it to house larger animals in need.

“This would include cows, donkeys, mules, just about anything larger than a large goat,” said Brody Edsell, Indraloka’s development and operations assistant. Edsell provided research to bring in the grant, alongside Indraloka’s grant writer Robin Olson, who was instrumental in securing the funds.

Other areas to benefit from the grants include Avoca, which will gain $200,000 to build a Little League field and $66,139 to purchase a police vehicle with emergency upgrades; Dupont, which will receive $134,945 for improvements to the Municipal Building including a wheelchair ramp; Duryea, which will receive $50,000 to replace the Germania Volunteer Hose Co.’s firefighting gear and breathing apparatus; and Lackawanna County, which will gain $101,000 for exterior safety improvements to the Eagle McClure Fire Station in Old Forge, along with $100,000 for the Moosic Redwings softball field, including new dugouts, extending the outfield fence and leveling and reseeding the outfield; $200,000 for the construction of a sanitary sewer extension along Church Street in Moscow; $144,000 for the Lackawanna County SWAT Team to replace their aging Lenco Bearcat with a new one to improve effectiveness; $129,130 to repave the entrance and parking area at the Spring Brook Township municipal building; $107,000 for a roof replacement at the Victor Alfieri Literary Society in Scranton; $100,000 for a roof replacement at the Holy Rosary Center in Scranton; $100,000 for the construction of a new playground on the grounds of the Beth Shalom Academy in Scranton; $100,000 to pave a new driveway and parking lot at the Scott Township Hose Co. fire hall; $80,000 for the Fellowship House streetscape improvements along Green Ridge Street and Sanderson Avenue in Scranton; $65,000 to furnish a Senior Advocacy Center at Telespond Senior Services in Scranton; $65,000 to purchase two vehicles for the Clarks Summit Police Department; $60,000 to the West Scranton Junior Invaders for the demolition and reconstruction of bathroom facilities at athletic fields on Jackson Street in Scranton; $60,000 to purchase a K-9 vehicle for the Scott Township Police Department; $57,626 to upgrade and rehabilitate Clover Park and Harmony Park in Moscow; $50,000 for improvements to the North Scranton Vikings Field located in Scranton; $50,000 to revitalize the Green Ridge Little League field and facilities; $50,000 to make improvements to the Little League batting cages on Theodore Street in Scranton $50,000 for construction of a semi-permanent structure to be used as indoor batting cages for the Tripp Park Miss-E League on Dorothy Street in Scranton; $50,000 to purchase a municipal support truck in South Abington Township; $45,000 to purchase kitchen equipment at the American Ukrainian Veterans Association of Lackawanna County in Scranton; $44,000 for renovation of Point Balance Community Center, that provides a recovery-friendly space for individuals and families to gather, socialize, enjoy leisure time and learn; $38,349 to Connell Park Little League to purchase a drag machine and tractor to maintain the infield of three baseball fields in Scranton; $28,001 to purchase boxing equipment for the Irish Boxing Club in Scranton; $25,000 for the restoration, renovation and improvement of the Brooks Mine at Nay Aug Park in Scranton; $21,375 for North Pocono Dandy Lion Little League to assist with the purchase of field grooming and maintenance equipment at a field in Spring Brook Township.

“These funds will go a long way toward making things better in our communities,” Haddock said, and also thanked state Sen. Marty Flynn, his leadership team, and the Commonwealth Financing Authority board for supporting the projects.

“Not only do Pennsylvania casinos provide jobs and entertainment for thousands of people each year, but the taxes they pay also help to fund valuable projects like these ones in neighboring communities,” Kosierowski said. “Rep. Donahue and I worked in tandem with Sen. Marty Flynn to advocate for these grants and it’s gratifying to see our diligence pay off for several organizations in our districts.”