The playground down the street– streetlights on the corner– a baseball diamond for the little leaguers– all are projects completed by separate, yet important entities: the South Wilkes-Barre Business Alliance (SWBBA) and the District A Fund. While separate in matters of assembly, both benefit their community in a variety of ways.
    Headed by President Pat Gazenski, the SWBBA is comprised of approximately 35 businesses in the South Wilkes-Barre area, leaving plenty of opportunity for more of the area’s 250 businesses to come on board. A conduit for businesses of all sizes to network and communicate with one another, its purpose reaches beyond that of other business organizations.
    “Our member benefits package includes business card exchanges, a member page on our website, and the creation of advertising that our members can be sure to benefit from,” Gazenski added. “We want to drive traffic to our businesses and bring back the neighborhood aspect of doing business locally.”
    She pointed out essential services that the SWBBA offers smaller businesses.
    “While many can’t afford their own website, a page on ours can provide them with an opportunity to self-promote,” she explained.
    In addition, the SWBBA offers advocacy to its members.
    “One voice from the business community may not be heard, but when we advocate on a business’s behalf, many voices can,” Gazenski noted. “We’ll address their issues on a city or state level if necessary.”
    While the SWBBA works with and for businesses in the South Wilkes-Barre area, the District A Fund works to improve the physical landscape of the community. Although the two are separate organizations, they share similar missions to promote safety and healthier living in South Wilkes-Barre.
    As administrators of the District A Fund, a committee of six community volunteers help to solicit donations for the Fund and then vote on and coordinate projects within the district.
    Pat’s husband, Rick Gazenski, is a committee member of the District A Fund. He explained that at one time the city was controlled as a whole by councilpeople, but it was later districted. District A covers a section that encompasses from Ross Street to Division Street, down to South Main Street and over to Goose Island.
    “They eliminated two councilpeople and held a district race. South Wilkes-Barre was assigned to District A,” Rick said.
    The committee provides services that taxes don’t cover, with funds that are donated by area businesses, organizations and individuals through the Luzerne Foundation. Wilkes-Barre City councilman for District A, Rick Cronauer, serves as the liaison between the District A Fund and the Luzerne Foundation. All donations through the Luzerne Foundation are tax-deductible.
    Since the Fund was initiated in the Spring of 2008, several projects have been completed, including the lighting of a park near Meyers High School.
    “It adds to the safety of the area,” Rick noted.
    Along with helping to create a safer and cleaner community, the District A Fund and SWBBA have recently partnered with Geisenger South.
    “If a patient needs to stay short-term at the hospital, and if their family comes in with
them, it’s important to make sure the city is safe and clean for them,” he added.
    Pat agreed.
     “The triad we’ve created with Geisenger is key. They share the same values we do.”
    Notably, the combination of services for businesses within the alliance and the newly-formed partnership work well together.
    “We are presently putting together a business directory and will put them in places that people actually spend time, like doctor’s offices. If someone is in town visiting a patient at Geisenger, and they need to know where to get their dry cleaning done or shop for groceries, they will know where to go,” Pat explained.
    Along with improving the business community, the SWBBA wants to improve life for the residents of South Wilkes-Barre as well, and is hoping to sponsor or partner in community events for area youth.
    These united forces within the business community contribute to a cleaner and safer livelihood for all. Whether it be a seminar about safety or a new baseball diamond or park, the SWBBA and the District A Fund– in accordance with Geisenger South– are doing their part to promote South Wilkes-Barre as an attractive community in which to live, work and play.
    For more information about the organizations, visit their respective websites at www.swbba.org or www.wbdistrictafund.org.