query: Eaton Pennsylvania

[Discussion list for COMM-ORG]

[ed:  please email Alan directly with responses to this query.]

From: "Raisman, Alan M" <raismana at lafayette.edu>

If you have ever lived in or visited Easton, Pennsylvania, please read and
respond to this email.  Easton, Pennsylvania is the home of Lafayette 
College
and the Crayola Factory.  Thank you very much.

Hello,

My name is Alan Raisman, a sophomore at Lafayette College. On October 
24th of
last year, I created Lafayette's Pards to People organization. I founded 
this
with the belief that Lafayette College and the city of Easton can develop a
better relationship. Pards to People is a branch of People to People, an
organization created in 1956 by President Eisenhower in order to foster
understanding throughout the world. Last year, I worked hard making an
impression in the city and trying to meet the people who make a difference
every day in the city of Easton. In the past year, Pards to People has 
worked
with Gary Bertsch and Sal Panto, the two candidates running for Mayor;
Penelope Fennell, the vice president of Easton's NAACP; Kim Kmetz from
Easton's Main Street Initiatve; Anita Mitchell from the Easton Area 
Community
Center; Christina Hagan from the Family YMCA, Debbie Metz from the 
Easton Area
Senior Center; among others. Pards to People has a great list of events for
this year, but I want to implement one project early on.

Throughout my freshmen year, I heard different comments about the city 
made by
people throughout Easton. The variety of remarks astonished me, and I 
wanted
to take a simple task of listening one step further. I am compiling a 
list of
words that describe Easton. That list will be compiled of the words 
given to
me by members of and visitors to the Easton community. I am asking you to
think of one word that comes to mind when you think of Easton. Please email
that word to me. If you wish to include a brief explanation on why you 
chose
that word, that would be great. In January, over my winter break, I am 
going
to see how each category of words break down: by age, by sex, by 
location, and
by profession.

This project will hopefully bring a deeper understanding to what the 
citizens
think about their city. After the recent events in Kutztown, I realized 
that
we all need to understand the true meaning of where we live before its too
late. Taking a look at the words of hopefully thousands of people will give
people a greater appreciate for where they live.

Thank you very much. I look forward to reading the various responses.

Regards,

Alan Raisman
Pards to People, President
Raismana at lafayette.edu