WILKES-BARRE — Snoopy and his pal Woodstock, along with Bluey, Peppa Pig, and many other holiday characters and scenes, now adorn some 25 windows at Children’s Service Center on South Franklin Street, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteer painters.
And one window in particular tells the story of this annual holiday event — silver bells that represent the 25th anniversary of the project.
For the 25th straight year, Rosemary Luksha has gathered a group of faithful volunteers to paint holiday scenes on windows in memory of her brother, Edward Luksha, who died in 1998.
And this year, Luksha also honored her late sister, Barbara C. Luksha Roche, who passed away in May 2023.
“I can remember when Barbara and I were mixing paint boxes the day before the painting event and making such a mess on our kitchen table, but it was all good,” an emotional Luksha said. “We will come to paint as long as our hands can hold brushes. This year, while painting, she will be remembered for her beautiful smile and warm encouragement to all.”
On Friday, 35 community painters gather at the Children’s Service Center in Wilkes-Barre to paint 25 windows with brilliant holiday and winter scenes in memory of Edward Luksha, a former therapist at Community Counseling, and Barbara C. Roche, his sister and co-founder of this window painting project.
Luksha said when the project first started, there were 12 adult and youth members of St. John the Baptist Church in Larksville — Rev. Bernard Evanofski was the pastor.
Luksha said that in 1998 at Community Counseling Services, painters were not allowed in the building to paint, but painted the four doors and windows of the building while outside.
In 1999, painters were allowed in the building and painted the same four doorways with windows. As time progressed, additional office windows were allowed to be painted.
When church members were not able to paint, Luksha brought her senior art students at Northwest Area High School on field trips to paint the windows before the Thanksgiving holiday.
In 2008, Sue Hand volunteered her student-painters to help in the painting, and the window project expanded to 27 windows and 20 painters.
In 2014, members of the General Federation of Womens Clubs-West Side volunteered and the number of painters jumped to 28.
When Community Counseling Services closed in 2022, Luksha moved the painting project to Children’s Service Center.
Luksha said Linda Wiseman of the Children’s Service Center, with approval of CEO Mike Hopkins, offered the windows and doors at CSC for the window painting project. In 2022, the volunteer painters expanded to 37, who helped paint 25 windows at CSC.
“We also found new leadership in Ms. Nicole Delevan, a faithful veteran painter and elementary art teacher at Lake Wallenpaupack School District who volunteered to take over the directorship of this project,” Luksha said. “Nicole has streamlined and refined the entire process.”
Luksha said most of the painters are veterans who return every year to help.
“Some painters are returning for their 18th year, some for their 10th, and some their second,” Luksha said. “But all painters have one thing in common — they wish to make a difference in brightening the lives of children, adults and staff who visit and work at the Children’s Service Center. They also enjoy the camaraderie of fellow painters, the appreciation shown by the hosting organization and they just enjoy painting.
When the painters are done painting, in appreciation, CSC hosted lunch for all painters which the painters also appreciate.
Luksha thanked special people, organizations, and painters who have been integral to the project.
“We thank Rev. Gerald Gurka, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church, local artist Sue Hand, the directors of Community Counseling Services from 1998 to 2021, the members of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs West Side, Linda Wiseman of Children’s Service Center, Ashley Lunger, art Teacher, Dallas School District, who has participated for 18 years, Nicole Delevan, Project Director and art teacher who has participated for 16 years, and Colleen and Samantha Weiss, who have participated for 16 years.
“Without these core people, and organizations, our project could not have gained the strength and vigor it has had to sustain its creative effort,” Luksha said.