On July 7, the Coal Cracker Proud Committee met with Rep. Aaron Kaufer at his district office in Luzerne. In an effort to recognize the importance of coal miners throughout our nation’s economic and cultural history, Kaufer sponsored a resolution designating the third Saturday in July as Coal Miner Heritage Day in Pennsylvania. Pictured from left are President of the Huber Breaker Preservation Society Bill Best; Huber Breaker Preservation Society Board Chair Ray Clarke; Master of Ceremonies Bob Alper; Knox Coal Company worker, Bill Hastie; Huber Breaker coal miner, Phil Voystock; Rediscovering Ancestry through Culture and Education (RACE) team member Constance Wynn; Rediscovering Ancestry through Culture and Education (RACE) team Joe Milcavage; and Kaufer. Click here to learn more.

On Thursday, June 9, Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) joined representatives from Lowe’s of Edwardsville, the West Side Career and Technology Center (WSCTC) and Capone Interiors to recognize the beginning of renovations to the WSCTC Café. Lowe’s awarded a $19,960 grant to the SkillsUSA Chapter at WSCTC. These funds will be used for renovations, which will ultimately transform the classroom into a real restaurant, allowing students to prepare and serve meals to faculty, staff and external customers. Kaufer assisted in facilitating this grant for the updates to WSCTC’s café. Pictured (front row, from left) are Rep. Kaufer, SkillsUSA student Paul Hager, SkillsUSA President Sarah Bannon, SkillsUSA student Ryan Zaruta and WSCTC culinary student Parker Dieffenbach. Pictured (back row) from left, are Joint Operating Committee members Patrick Musto and David Usavage, WSCTCT Principal Richard Rava, Lowe’s of Edwardsville Store Manager Jessica Vickerson, WSCTC culinary teacher Heidi Miller and Rep. Kaufer’s former staff member Richard Adams. Barbara Capone from Capone Interiors was absent from the photo.