Shown are some of the nearly 100 Lowe’s employees and volunteers, along with Pittston City officials, helping the city working at the newly proposed Downtown Art Academy. Lowe’s granted Pittston close to $168,000 to help complete the art academy project as a part of the company’s 100th anniversary with the 100 Hometowns project.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Shown are seven of the nearly 100 Lowe’s employees serving from Philadelphia to southern New York State working at the newly proposed Downtown Art Academy, Pittston. Pittston is one of 100 towns and cities across the U.S. to receive grant money for projects such as the art academly.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Cheri Mulvey, left, from the Scranton Lowe’s store, and Taylor Johnson, Vestal, NY Lowe’s, are shown painting walls at Art e Fekts Art Gallery at downtown Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston City Mayor Michael Lombardo, far right, along with Pittston’s Main Street manager, Mary Kroptavich, chat with officials from Lowe’s prior to getting started in construction activites at the newly proposed Downtown Art Academy. Pittston received nearly $168,000 from Lowe’s through their 100 Hometowns project honoring Lowe’s 100th anniversary on Friday, Oct. 22.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — Lowe’s made good on their 100 Hometowns campaign when nearly 100 Lowe’s employees along with volunteers showed up in Pittston this past week to help with projects earmarked from the generous donation of nearly $168,000 to the city.
Lowe’s is celebrating 100 years of serving communities like Pittston City and others around the country. To honor their centennial anniversary, Lowe’s created a 100-impact project program across 36 states that Lowe’s services. Lowe’s will distribute $10 million amongst the 100 selected cities that include Pittsburgh, the only other location in Pennsylvania besides Pittston selected.
Pittston submitted details on the proposed Downtown Art Academy that will be located on the second floor of the Open Space building, above Lolliposh Clothing & Gifts on Main Street.
Employees of Lowe’s along with other volunteers converged on Pittston on Friday, Oct. 22, at 8 a.m. to strategize a game plan for the day’s projects.
The main focus was at the Downtown Art Academy, where wall framing and drywall was being installed.
Art e Fekts Gallery received a fresh coat of paint, and other Lowe’s employees were sent out into the city for light clean up and other projects, such as landscaping at the Pittston Memorial Library where trees and bushes were planted.
“Today’s a great opportunity for us to emphasis the importance of partnership,” Pittston City Mayor Michael Lombardo said. “Our progress in the city over the last 25 years has only been realized by forging great partnerships. We’re thrilled to have a great huge corporate partner like Lowe’s. In addition to the 100 Hometowns project they funded, they’ve put their people on the street for us doing various tasks, finishing projects, getting ready for winter and finish a couple of projects we just didn’t get time to do.”
Lowe’s personnel from Philadelphia to New York State came to Pittston to work on the Downtown Art Academy project in particular.
Damon Bennett, Lowe’s regional vice president Philadelphia market, was on hand for the Friday project as well as other front office personnel and management.
“This is just another way for us to give back to the local community,” Bennett said. “Pittston had a lot of great things like revitalization that has already been happening and this was just another opportunity to pay homage to give back and serve the community.”
Lowe’s District Manager Jason Noel, who covers 13 stores in Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York State, took part in the 100 Hometown project, bringing along all the store leaders in his district.
“This is a unique situation where we are one of only 100 projects in the entire company,” Noel said. “It’s awesome that we’ve been chosen to give back to this local community. There’s a lot of beautiful architecture, even with the churches here, and to be able to see that instead of seeing them falling apart, we’re reinvesting in it.”
Noel, who resides in Mountain Top, said his team would be in the city for as long as it took to get the day’s projects done.
Also on site was Chris McFarland, an install merchant for home accessibility at Lowe’s working out of the corporate headquarters in Morrisville, N.C. McFarland, whose brother Joe is currently Lowe’s Chief Operations Officer, has roots in Pittston.
McFarland’s parents, including his father who was born in Pittston, now resides in Old Forge. His daughter and grandchildren also reside in the area.
“Being a part of Lowe’s and having 100 Hometowns here and being able to bring it to a community that’s put so much back into the community, it’s just a really cool feeling,” McFarland said. “Where the city has gone in the last 15 years is really a nice thing to see.”
“We are grateful to Lowe’s and the administration for being so supportive of our city,” Mayor Lombardo concluded. “We’re so honored to have been selected for the 100 Hometowns project and the money donated will go a long way to completing our Downtown Art Academy project.”
