Sister 'keeps score' as she follows in brother's shoes
SHERI RYAN/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS Samantha Zlock, 17, stands in front of the poles that will one day hold the scoreboard for the Panther Valley girls' softball team and will be adjacent to the baseball scoreboard her brother raised funds for five years ago.
Great minds do indeed think alike.
When Samantha Zlock was in the seventh grade, her brother John raised funds to provide the Panther Valley High School boys baseball team with a scoreboard as part of his senior project. This year, Samantha, a senior at PVHS, hopes to do the same for the girl's softball team.
High school students in the state of Pennsylvania are required to complete a graduation project before they may graduate. Students participate in various career-oriented activities throughout all four years of high school and must accumulate 20 hours of community service.
In lieu of community service hours and at the request of her brother John, Samantha sought the approval of her advisers in order to undertake the scoreboard project.
The present softball field was built two years ago, after formerly being located behind the Panther Valley Elementary School, and has always been without a scoreboard.
Samantha, who has played softball since she was 10 years old, knew that she wanted to do whatever she could to make the field complete.
"Its really hard for people to follow the game when they're watching because there's no method of being able to see what the score was; how many outs there were; balls or strikes," says Samantha.
To date, Samantha has held a Webkinz bingo and has sent out letters to businesses, family and friends requesting donations. She is nearly at the halfway mark of her goal, which is roughly $6,000.
Samantha will be holding a Chinese Auction this Sunday at the Nesquehoning Recreation Center to raise even more funds.
"I'm getting close and hopefully the Chinese auction brings in a lot," says Samantha. "I'm hoping."
She hopes that all of her efforts will payoff in time so that she and her team will be able to enjoy the new scoreboard during her senior season. If enough funds aren't raised by graduation, Samantha will be looking to one of her underclassmen to take the reins and continue raising funds until the goal is met.
In addition to playing softball, Samantha is part of the girl's basketball team and is on the Student Forum. After graduation, she would like to continue her education in the field of pharmacology.
Samantha is the daughter of Tom and Pam Zlock of Nesquehoning.
Donations for the P.V. girl's softball scoreboard may be made by contacting Samantha at (570) 669-6437 or by emailing her at zlock1625@hotmail.com.
