Saint Theresa 
     

           If there is one person who can do it all it is Theresa. Standing at about 5'4, there has never been a more capable person to get job done. An open heart shaped face with sincere brown eyes is what you see when you look at her. 







                  
   Theresa is not only a mother and head of the household but she also runs Wilkinson Christian Day School and is also the cheerleading coach for the Croydon Yellow Jackets. At the house Theresa has to maintain a orderly way of things. The two story white house with accents of brick is where Theresa runs the show. It is nestled in on a quiet road in the small town of Croydon, Pennsylvania. Her two children ages 25 and 20, husband and mother in-law all reside in the quaint home. Theresa is responsible for cooking a delicious home cooked meal every night for the family. Being a women of Italian descent that is no problem for her. From spaghetti and meatballs and sausage and peppers to chicken cacciatore, she can make it all.  She is also responsible for making sure the house is spotless. Vacuuming every room, scrubbing the floors, wiping down the tables, and making beds is just some of the chores that Theresa has to handle, Theresa also has to be the caretaker when the anyone in the house gets sick. Those are just some of the jobs Theresa has to complete.





            Wilkinson Christian Day School is housed in the downstairs of the church. Windows decorated with miniature cherub angels. Long wooden tables with child sized blue and red chairs, two wooden  teachers desks facing the center of the room. Toys trucks and baby dolls litter the room along with the play kitchen where the plastic pears and bananas are kept. Theresa's desk has scattered papers, a calendar with all the important school dates, the class goldfish is also on display. Pencils and other important papers are hidden away in the top drawer of her large golden brown wood desk. She teachers her students letters, numbers, colors, shapes and sounds. They have circle play time in the morning where they read bible stories and talk importance of God in their lives. The students are always eager to learn, play and sing.  Ethan Price says he "loves listening to the stories of how strong and brave Jesus was". Ethan's parents informed me that they feel that Theresa has taught their son a lot about what it means to follow the faith of God and also about basic building blocks. Theresa's Day School is the stepping stone to kindergarten.  




   The Croydon Yellow Jackets range from kindergarten to 10th grade. Theresa is the head of it all. Practices are held in the back of Mary Devine Elementary school. The school is shaped the a wave, each age group is hidden away in the hollowed out parts. Theresa is responsible for picking two leaders for each age group and making sure they are well practiced in every cheer and dance the cheerleaders must know. She also lets the cheerleaders be creative and generate their own cheers. The girls all come to practice in stretchy pants that must not have a zipper. Upon arrival they stand in there assigned places in formation; legs shoulder width apart, hands clasped behind their backs and no talking. Ashley, one of the cheerleaders said " The practices are hard but also fun, there is a lot of joking and laughing. We all really feel like a family." Ashley's friends also chimed in saying how much they love cheering with Theresa so much. 

      Theresa is a jack of many traits, Her bubbling personality and bright smile could light up any room. The best part about her though is her kind open heart. She gives so much to her community and family. She never says no to anyone who is need and tries her hardest to please everyone. Just to think about all the stress she must be under but still manages it keep a positive attitude. She is the true definition of a multitasker..
         

The Modern Fix

                                                                    The Modern Fix

Everyone thinks that people in the city go to Starbucks and people in the country go to Duncan. Yes, Starbucks definitely appears more modern with its grand architecture, soft brown accents and  city sleek colors which consist of silvers and shine. However, Starbucks appeals to everyone. Joy a kind employee who has agreed to be interviewed at Starbucks even thinks so herself. She says "I've been working here a short time, but in that time I've been exposed to almost every race and style a people you can think of, it's pretty amazing" and that it is.

Starbucks was founded by three old college friends from the University of San Fransisco. English teacher Jerry Baldwin, History teacher Zev Siegl and writer Gordon Bowker. You may think they started a coffee shop much like it is today, but that is not the case. They founded Starbucks not as a place to drink freshly brewed coffee in an atmosphere so smooth and relaxing you cant help as too keep coming back.,but as a place to buy freshly roasted coffee beans. The only brewed coffee they sold in the store was free samples to give to the customers. However, this way of operating lasted for only sixteen years before changing to the most loved coffee shop we know today,  selling handcrafted rich espresso beverages. Starbucks has also had three different logos. It started out in 1971 with a chocolate brown circle with the words "Starbucks Coffee. Tea. Spices." Then in 1987 switched the deep brown to a captivating dark smokey green, with just the simple words of "Starbucks Coffee." The final change was in 2011 with no words just the famous mermaid in the same deep green. Which came about by the story Moby Dick along with the name Starbucks from the character Starbuck.

Even though the atmosphere at Starbucks is calming, a lot of work goes on before hand and throughout the day to provide for its valued customers. Joy a hard working employee states that she
arrives at six a.m. Every morning. "It's a lot of prep work" she says "but it's got to be done." Early in
the morning when the smell of coffee installs upon the shop an atmosphere so welcoming people can't help but stroll in. This is when Joy is arriving for work. She wipes down dark mahogany cabinets with ease, assembles the short, tall, grande, venti hot, venti cold and trenta cold cups. She also replenishes the soft brown napkins and crisp straws, all before the famous Starbucks sign begins to come to life.

Throughout the busy day customers have found themselves stationed one of three places. Stage one looking out and seeing the magnificent glow of the sign. It doesn't glow like a light during the night but just seeing it feels like a dream. The moment you lock eyes with the tall piece of art you immediately feel the connection. Like Joy stated earlier, People from all over the world are drawn to Starbucks, not just professional people. Stage two, customers either walk right in (if you time it perfectly) Joy says the best time is "at about nine" in between the morning rush and the afternoon rush, but most people find themselves waiting in a line, but trust the crowd. The line is worth the
wait. Before you even walk in you can sense the goodness you are about to injest. The smell goes
deep into your lungs and you just know it's going to be a wonderful day. When customers walk in they see, hear and feel an array of things. They see the decorative way the menu is arranged and grab and go items behind the counter are stationed. The lay out of Starbucks is an absolute convenience for people on the go or people wishing to stay a while and reap the benefits this versatile haven has to offer. After a wait or a lucky stroll in, the options are endless, for food or drink. Hot rich blends that make you warm and cozy just thinking about it, or cold blends that refresh your body and mind. Moist Muffins, scrumptious cakes, hardy bagels and everything in between, Starbucks has it all.
Although the space is small there is seating Conveniently located across the shop away from the hustle and bustle for a social but reserved feel. You enjoy delicious food and drink while relaxing listening to a classic music selection that eases your worries. The full experience. Stage three, you make your way to the exit knowing your day start or finish will be amazing. You finish your coffee
and food and depart to the strong brown doors from which you entered your adventure. The
experience that made your day. Starbucks will be there for you.

Regardless of style, location or opinion Starbucks is for everyone. As Renee, the manager of Starbucks says "everyone is welcome and everyone comes" its a great way to bring people together through a positive and uplifting blend of drinks and food. Served only at Starbucks.

Graduate Assistant

Bloomsburg University has many extraordinary people working with in the campus compound. These people include the dean of students, professors, students, and graduate assistants.But there's one graduate assistant who goes above and beyond  working with students who are in the LGBT community, and who have been sexually assaulted. She also runs multiple programs to educate students outside the classroom. The graduate assistant is Albra R. Wheeler.

Albra started working at Bloomsburg University as a Graduate Assistant in Spring Semester of 2016. She acepted an offer to work for the Dean of Students office, where she conducted informal Judicial hearings with students who broke the schools Code of Conduct. During the summer semester however, she is a graduate assistant for both the Dean of Students office and he Women's Resource Center. While doing both of these jobs she will be taking three master's level classes during the summer and fall semesters.

Albra's full time experience at the LGBT office began her second year at Bloomsburg. She had a common misconception that you would have to be LGBT Identified to enter the office, which is not the case. "I try to correct when I’m on paneling for peer education panels, in my advocacy and outreach, and in general." When she decided to walk into the office she felt welcomed and found multiple people that hung out at the center on a daily basis. She began volunteering by just answering the phones if the coordinator wasn't there, answering questions for students, finding resources, hanging up posters for events, etc. " Now in my assistant-ship with the Women’s Center I often times work in collaboration with the Graduate Assistant of the LGBT Center. This collaboration focuses on providing programming, resources, and outreach for current students." 

Albra's main office is in the Women's Resource Center. You'll walk in and see a main waiting room/office area. The furniture is kind of out dated, but new technology and furniture will be added in due time. There is also a small kitchen with a stove, microwave, and refrigerator so that students and faculty can store their food and hangout in the office. You'll walk down a small hallway with a book shelve on the left side filled with an assortment of books in a variety of dark and bright colors. You'll walk down the small hallway and into an office with a window view, looking out at tree and a small grassy area. There are two big comfy chairs that make you feel like you're sitting on a soft cloud.  There's a corner desk with a blue swivel office chair, a computer, printer, telephone, and some papers lying on the desk. The office gives off a vibe of I work in an office, but Albra's attitude toward's her job is nothing but positive. "YES, YES, YES! The background of my computer and phone have a picture of the phrase: "It's a beautiful thing when passions and careers collide."" Albra is short, has long blondish brown hair, and has a slight lisp. But she's postive, funny, informative, and is very caring.

Along with Albra's job comes education and other programs outside the classroom. Albra takes part in many programs such as PRIDE WEEK ( LGBT Pride) events. She also runs a program called the Vagina Monologues which is an assortment of stories acted out by men and women, and they deal with aspect of feminine experience. Another program she runs is Women's History Month, Take Back The Night which is a program focused on ending sexual, relationship, and Domestic Violence. She also par takes in many, many other programs both personally and within the Women's Resource Center. 

But working in the Women's Resource Center isn't always easy and fun, there some cases where it's very, very difficult. It's not difficult physically, it's difficult emotionally. Albra help's men and women who have been sexually assaulted, raped, domestically abused, stalked, etc. Having to listen to someone report, disclose, and state their story is very emotionally draining for the victim and her. But she is glad that they have the courage to seek help. ", I’m very proud of the student for having the courage to seek help and am honored that I am able to help in any small way that I can." The hard part for her is to learn how to leave situations that she can't control outside the academic, inside the academic environment. She has to separate her work life and her personal life.  "An example is when I have to mentor a student who has is a survivor and after when I leave for the day, I sit in my car and set a timer for four minutes. During the four minutes I practice deep breathing exercises. I then put on a mix that I made that has very upbeat, fast tempo songs that I can sing along to at the top of my lungs on the way home. After I arrive home I change my clothes to signify that my day at work has ended and my personal time has begun."

Albra does her job to educate and advocate. Her passion for social justice is what drew her to both centers. She frames her advocacy and research using both "Queer and Feminist Lenses." She doesn't want to advocate, she wants to "Promote an inter-sectional, diverse, and inclusive experience for students during their time on and off campus." Because she identifies as a Bisexual feminists, she can provide support in which she can interact holistically with all students.

Albra Wheels is an advocate for the LGBT community, Women's Rights, The Fight Against Sexual Assault, and many other things. She's an empowered hard working women, who cares about the experience for the students at Bloomsburg University. She love's her job, and loves being an advocate. The way she sees it, to be a good advocate is to is "remind myself that I cannot be a good advocate for others if I’m not a good advocate for myself." If anyone has any issues that involves sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence, rape, etc, visit the Women's resource center.

Family Store

When wanting to shop in the town of Bloomsburg, not many people would think to pick A Family Store, a consignment shop, as a place to get all of their needs. Yet they consist of such a large variety of things at such a low price. Sitting at the corner of Main and Market street, this establishment has been opened for over 25 years. Talking to the  employees of A Family Store helped to give me a better understanding of their job and their duties. 

Sitting next to a gown shop, lies a large building with glass windows from top to bottom. A window display full of various items, including bikes, clothes, furniture ect. Once inside the store, the sounds of conversations among people overcome my ears. In the corner of my eye I spot multiple wooden bookshelves. They are filled with all genres, for all ages. From Dr. Suess to novels as thick as my arm. I walk back and forth on the white and purple tile floors as I scan through the large selection of books ranging from 50 cents to no more than five dollars. 

From behind the counter, the conversations of employees distract my shopping 

“Leah can you help this customer find the infant section” 

“Yes it would be my pleasure!” Leah replied. 

Leah has been an employee at A Family Store since December of last year.  Her job includes working the cashier, racking clothes and pricing clothing. She shared with me that her favorite part of her job is “working with such great people. It really makes coming to work everyday more enjoyable.” She continued to brag about how much she loved her coworkers. 

The clothes are sorted by departments (Mens, Womens, Children), then within the aisles the clothes are sorted by color. Walking down the aisles browsing at clothes goes from being very dull and dark to very colorful as you pass by all of the colors in the rainbow.  The clothes are used but not used enough to be done with. In the back of the store is the infant section where you have endless options for your children. Some outfits are priced as low as 50 cents.      

The Salvation Army operates 7,546 centers in communities across the United States. These include food distribution, disaster relief, rehabilitation centers, anti-human trafficking efforts, and a wealth of children's programs. Their work is funded through kettle donations, corporate contributions, and the sale of goods donated to our Salvation Army Family Stores. Eighty-two cents of every dollar they spend supports they're various missions across the country.

To the left of the store is a section of antiques. There are both big and small antiques  that lay on the metal shelves for display. Some people like to go to thrift stores just to find cool antiques that you wouldn't be able to just find at any store. Next to the antiques is a section of furniture for your house. there they have dressers, cribs, couches, mirrors and kitchen tables/ chairs. You really could go to A Family Store and buy a lot of your needs for your house at such a low price. Most of the furniture is vintage and cool. It is very easy to find all of your needs at this store. 

New York Style

As the early morning sun climbs above the towering mountains that border the small college town of Bloomsburg, PA, locals and visitors crave one thing, fresh bagels and a sweet cup of home brewed Joe. Located on the corner of E Main Street and Iron Street, Bloomin' Bagels is home to the famous New York Style Bagel.

Some people from New York say it is their water that makes the bagels so irresistable but Bloomin' Bagels soft, chewy and doughy bagels are cooked fresh daily right here in Bloomsburg, Pa. Around 6 a.m. a copiousness of bagels are arranged by their various flavors in tall metal shelves labeled with signs for customers to pick and choose from.

A mouth-watering sweet blueberry bagel
with fresh strawberry cream cheese.

From strawberry cream cheese to lox and cheeseburgers this morning breakfast stop can also be an afternoon lunch break with friends.

Several shops along the streets of Bloomsburg can slap some store brand cream cheese on a day old plain bagel, but at Bloomin' Bagels, it is all about giving the customer exactly what they want.

"Is that enough cream cheese?"

Back: An everything bagel lightly
toasted with pork-roll, egg and american
cheese.
Front: An onion bagel toasted with
one buttermilk pancake and bacon

yells a worker from behind the mixes of fresh made cream cheese. She is given a a tired nod from the man holding a 16 oz coffee in his left hand. As she finished up sleepy coffee mans cream cheese bagel, another slip is placed next to her reading "BEC KSP" which stands for bacon, egg and cheese with ketchup, salt and pepper. With only two workers behind the 3ft counter, she slides over to the grill while the other employee continues to take orders. As she throws the eggs and bacon on the grill a few pops and simmers caress the ears of hungry customers.


Together the two Ally Wolfe, a Senior at Bloomsburg Area High School and Mike Young an upcoming senior at Bloomsburg run the shop on their days.
Ally Wolfe has been working at Bloomin' Bagels for the past two and a half years. When asked her favorite thing about the bagel shop she replied,

"My co-workers i now consider family, and i could not imagine it anyway else."

Katelyn Meeker

A Piece Of Garcia

 Have you ever wondered what an imaginarium looks like? As one walks
Down East Main Street they will notice a unique establishment that is unlike "the other ones".  Althea's Imaginarium is a special place. It is a store that displays and sells beautiful handmade artwork from the locals of Bloomsburg. Along with organic artwork, there are also many tapestries and posters that are for sale. Through the front windows of the store you will notice two hula hoops, one yellow with blue stripes, and the other red with yellow stripes. If a customer or a person walking down the street is familiar with the artwork of the Grateful Dead culture, they will immediately realize what the purpose of the store is. The mission statement of this store is evidently based around the band "Grateful Dead". It is easy to tell this due to the variety of band artifacts displayed. As I curiously strolled into the building, my senses were flooded with the scent of lavender. This was caused by the small stand of burning candles and arrangement of different types of incense for sale.
Behind the arrangement there was an aquatic inspired tapestry with the design of a vibrant seahorses.
The bottom right corner of the tapestry contained a bright white flower surrounded by violet and indigo swirls. These swirls reflected characteristics of an unconfined wave. The employee dressed in baggy clothes wearing a collared shirt was having an in depth conversation with a frequent customer. The customer had a question about a piece of artwork that he had bought a few days ago. The purchased item was a small handmade wooden box. It was carefully crafted by a local artist who knows Greg, the owner, of Altheas. This wooden box had beautiful designs carved deeply into the wood. Within the design, the image of three deer were present. The customer wanted to know more about the artist whom he had purchased this item from. The employee, whose name I later learned was Dylan, talked to him with a sense of clarity. Dylan knew all of the details of this piece such as how it was created, how long it took to construct, and what kind of tools the artist used to carve the intricate pattern into the wood. He answered all of his questions with confidence and also gave the customer the artist's contact information.

  If you walk towards the back of the store you will notice tons of grateful dead memorabilia along with records and glass artwork for sale. Dylan greeted me with a smile and promised to answer all of the questions that I had about this strange establishment. Originally the owner Greg had no intentions of starting a lucrative business that was split up between two stores in PA. He considers himself a "deadhead", this means that he has followed the band around for years attending countless amounts of shows and festivals. "Greg initially began selling trinkets at Grateful Dead shows such as hemp woven necklaces, clothing, and different types of minerals and crystals" Dylan said. As time carried on, his small stand began to grow financially. Greg also loved the idea of making money doing what he loved. He still sells products at concerts and festivals, however, he now has expanded his business through two major stores where he can further help people be Grateful.

  On the radio, Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix was playing at a quiet volume. Dylan approached me from behind the maple countertop which displayed different crystals and glass artwork. He stated that being one of 5 workers at the store, work can be hectic from time to time."I do my best to make sure that all of the customers leave here satisfied" Dylan stated. His daily routine involves stocking shelves with new clothing and artwork, along with making personal connections with the customers that shop there. He was the only employee in the store at the time, however the stores activity seemed very slow since the only people that were inside the store were the initial customer and myself. Dylan began explaining to me a crazy experience that he had encountered years ago working for Greg. He described that a previous worker at the store had robbed the cash register and attempted burning the place down. The arsonist was a close friend of Greg, and no one was sure why she had done this. However, she has serious charges on her record because there was a family with little children living above the store and she could have severely injured or even killed them.

Dylan and I sat on the white cloth couch covered in designs of different types of red and blue flours. He explained to me how he is also an artist and has dreams of his work being recognized one day. On the blue wall hung a painting of his which displayed his talents of a visionary artist. The painting was filled with many bubbles and spirals that were all inside of the logo of The Grateful Dead which is a skull. "This store is very special to me because it's so diverse and it really displays the strong connection between music and art." It was clear to see that Dylan truly cares about this business and his personal friend and boss, Greg. This was the first time i met the man and he spent an hour with me telling me so much information regarding the store and about his life. As I thanked Dylan and walked out of the glass door I thought to myself, what a wonderful place. Althea's Imaginarium is a place for anyone of any race or culture to come together and enjoy fantastic artwork and The Grateful Dead.

Sweaty Victory

Sweaty Victory 

  

    "Wanna workout?" Is a question many people ask each other when they feel like getting fit.  Located behind the university police at Bloomsburg University, stands the building that holds many workout machines, weights, and different courts. This would be the Student Recreational Center.  

    As  students walk into the Rec Center they will see two sets of black ropes dividing the Entrance and the Exit. To their left there will be a long wooden top desk with gray blocks as its siding. There will be a person sitting behind the computer, in this case the person was Joey Waack. Joey is in his Senior year here at Bloomsburg. He has been coming to the Rec Center daily since his freshman year, and is now part of the staff at the Rec Center. His job is to assist the students with any information they may need regarding intramural sports, machines, and equipment. His attire consisted of a Black t-shirt, khaki shorts, sneakers, and a black snapback. The first thing he will ask students to do is to swipe their Husky ID. This is for students to have access to all of the machines, weights, and different workout rooms in the Rec Center. Beside the card swiper will normally be faded orange basketballs, black ping pong paddles and a gumball machine which does not contain gumballs but small orange ping pong balls. These are usually left here after someone is finished using them. Behind the desk, is a crate of other faded basketballs, as well as various sorts of balls of different colors next to it. Towards the left of the front desk, there is a small room that contains maroon colored lockers and different supplies someone might ask to use. Usually there is more than one person working at the Rec Center but Joey was on his own.  He needed some assistance with the front desk. "Can you give each student their ID when they return the equipment?" Asked Joey. It was a simple task which could be handled.   

 

     Walking past the front desk, in front of you will be two tall rock climbing walls. These gray rock climbing walls are bulky and have colorful climbing steps. Long white ropes will be hanging off of the walls which help keep them up and in place.

Laying flat on the ground is a big black mat which is their in case someone falls. Standing still in the middle, is a yellow ladder which people use in case they need to help someone at the top.  

Looking around the rock climbing walls, to the right there will be a set of double doors which leads into the fitness room. This room consists of sweaty young adults on ellipticals, bikes, and treadmills. The treadmills sit to the right of the room towards the middle. They are located beside the stair machines. The treadmills have a Red button which will allow for the machine to stop. It has a small keypad to choose the speed of the belt. It also has a screen in which it shows the amount of calories lost, and miles ran. "There was a girl who had not worked out in a few months and was afraid to use the treadmills. She ran for 15 minutes straight and you could see the drops of sweat that dripped off of her face. You could tell she wasn't giving up." Said Joey.
  

 

  

          Walking out of the fitness room was a student who had just finished using the treadmills. She was wearing a gray top, gray sneakers, bright turquoise leggings, and had a duffle bag hanging off of her shoulder, her name was Noemi Dejesus. "It is very clean here, and the machines are great. I feel very confident using them" she answered, when asked how her experience has been at the Rec Center.  

     Many things go on here at the Rec Center that it's sometimes hard to keep up with each one of them. Joey's response was "There are a lot of intramural sports going on, there are different sport camps as well. We also do Zumba and yoga classes. " when asked what activities occur in the Rec Center. Many students come and go on the daily. There are people who are their to just run, some who love to lift weights, and others who love to run on that basketball court and make free throws.  

     There are many things to do at Bloomsburg University. Staying fit is very important and you can do that by going to the Rec Center. Just a few tips from Noemi though "Don't forget water, and don't wear tight clothes!"