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The
Pennsylvania Recreation and
Park Society (PRPS) has
selected Unity Township
Parks & Recreation as a
state-wide winner of its
annual excellence in
programming award
competition.
PRPS presented the
excellence in Senior Citizen
programming award to 2004-
Unity Township Recreation
Director Sherry Sanner-Bolha
and Assistant Sharon Sweeney
during an awards ceremony at
the 58th Annual PRPS State
Convention Center in
Hershey, PA.
“Recipients of these awards
demonstrate outstanding
quality, innovation and
efficient use of resources,”
according to Susan Lohoefer,
Chairperson of the PRPS
Recognition and Awards
committee. “Each was
selected by a ten-person
committee by comparing the
entry to others in the same
category.”
The Unity Township Seniors
Socials were created under
the direction of 2002-2004
Unity Township Recreation
Director Sherry Sanner-Bolha,
along with support and
encouragement of The Unity
Township Board of
Supervisor’s, Mike O”Barto,
Tim Quinn and Jake Blank to
address the recreational and
socialization needs of Unity
Township’s approximate 5,927
local seniors.
Senior Socials are monthly
gatherings sponsored by the
recreation department and
are held at various
locations throughout the
Greater Latrobe Area. They
were developed for area
seniors to meet, socialize
and enjoy fellowship and fun
with their peers. Each
month, the program features
a different speaker and
topic that addresses the
needs and concerns of the
senior population. There is
no fee charged for the
program and the participants
enjoy free coffee and
dessert supplied by joint
partnerships with local
businesses such as The
Country Café & Video and
Valley Dairy restaurants
along with a support from
many other local
establishments.
The senior programs have
been supported and endorsed
by local agencies such LAPA
(Laurel Partnership on
Aging), PATH (Partners
Advocating Total
Health-Latrobe Area
Hospital-Excela,
Westmoreland County Area
Office on Aging,
Westmoreland County
Sheriff’s Office, Arthritis
Foundation, Faith in
Action-Latrobe and numerous
others.
There are door prizes,
raffles, trivia contest and
birthday celebrations at
each social. In addition to
the monthly socials, bus
trips, summer picnics and
holiday parties are also
part of the programming. All
area seniors are encouraged
to attend regardless of
which municipality you
reside in.
The PRPS Award was given for
the 2004 programming year.
As of January 1, 2005, Unity
Township Parks & Recreation
and Latrobe Parks &
Recreation were merged into
the new Latrobe-Unity Parks
& Recreation by an
intergovernmental agreement
between each agencies
respective municipality. The
senior social programs will
continue under the newly
formed agreement.
Sherry Sanner- Bolha’s
current position with Unity
Township is Community
Relations Director along
with Building Safety Office
Assistant. Along with the
duties assigned to her
regarding the processing of
building permits and other
related duties , she is
responsible for working with
WestMedia Group on the
development of the bi-annual
township newsletter, writing
the weekly Unity Township
Neighborhood Notes column
found in local newspapers
and websites.
Sherry is a certified
professional grant writer
and has been instrumental in
acquiring over $100,000 in
grant money for various
Unity Township Projects.
Sherry also represents Unity
Township by serving on
various committees and
boards throughout
Westmoreland County.
Sharon Sweeney is employed
by the newly formed
Latrobe-Unity Parks &
Recreation Department as a
program assistant and along
with June Hoehler will
continue to provide
programming for area senior
citizens.
PRPS is the principal
professional organization
promoting quality recreation
and park opportunities for
all citizen’s of the
Commonwealth through
education, training,
technical assistance and
other support to local,
county, state and national
recreation and park
providers. The society is a
non-profit membership
association with more than
1,800 members statewide.
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