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HAZLETON — Dressed in a camouflage T-shirt, a white apron bearing the Chicago Cubs logo and his signature black-rimmed glasses, Joe Maddon, and his wife, Jaye, met and chatted with Hazleton natives who came to his community center’s annual “Thanksmas” dinner celebration on Sunday.
Although swarms of residents and media personnel all clamored to get near the two-time World Series champion and current Chicago Cubs manager, Maddon remained calm and personable as he made his way through the crowd, talking with old neighbors and posing for pictures.
It was just before noon as dozens of volunteers made the finishing touches inside the dining hall of the Hazleton Integration Project/Hazleton One Community Center, placing bowls of salad and bread of Christmas-themed tablecloths. Maddon’s Thanksmas provides a free, hot, holiday meal to anyone in the community who wanted one.
The center, which the Maddons began planning six years ago, is a hub for all Hazleton-area residents to come and participate in cultural, educational and athletic activities and programs — and to bring residents of the community together.
“Our city was dying, and I really didn’t like it,” Maddon said of why he decided to create the center. “We decided to get together with my relatives and we thought that a community center would be the right way to go.
“There’s a tremendous disconnect between the Anglo population and the Hispanics. A lot of fear and misunderstanding and not wanting to get together, so you gotta bring these groups together,” he said.
A model for others
The center is currently being researched by U.S. universities, Jaye said, and may be used as a model for other cities around the nation.
“This is our sixth year in total,” Jaye said. “From where we sit, it’s time now to start documenting what we’ve done so that other counties, cities across the nation can actually utilize what it is we did to bring people together.”
As diners began to enter the hall, The Smoke and Mirrors Saxophone Quartet played “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” and volunteer chefs lifted the tops off dinner entrees, exposing spaghetti and meatballs (made from Maddon’s family recipe), pork, sausage, chicken and more.
As Hazleton resident Sharon Poltruck prepared to get her dinner, she said she comes to Thanksmas every year.
“I think it’s wonderful that he became what he became and didn’t forget his hometown,” she said of Maddon and the event.
On the other side of the room, Andrew Grega was talking with Shirley Kay about Thanksmas. While it was Grega’s first time at the celebration, Kay said she’s been attending since it began.
“It was awesome,” Kay said. “It’s very nice that he does this.”
A growing project
As guests began to eat, Bob Curry and his wife, Elaine Maddon-Curry (Joe’s cousin), continued to assist volunteers and residents.
The founding president of the Hazleton Integration Program, Bob Curry said the center has gained an outpouring of support over the past two years, with numbers growing steadily.
“We really are blessed to work so closely with so many organizations,” he said, noting that more groups have wanted to help once they gained a better understanding of what the center is and how it works.
“When Joe’s here, we see the difference,” Elaine Curry said.
She added that the center serves hundreds of Hazleton residents in a multitude of ways daily. From afterschool programs to pre-k and adult English learner programs and athletic groups, the center has become a hub of safe, community-orientated programs and activities.
A positive impact
Sitting next to a Christmas Tree and table full of coloring books, stuffed animals and toys, Santa and his wife met a parade of youngsters and they talked up wish-lists of toys, Rudolph and more. Even Maddon took to Santa’s knee as he smiled for a picture.
Thanksmas also provided those in need with some basic winter-weather supplies. Knit hats and scarves lined tables as volunteers encouraged families to take what they needed to stay warm.
About halfway through the event, Hazleton City Mayor Jeff Cusat arrived with city Police Chief Jerry Speziale to visit with residents and take part of the annual tradition.
“It’s one of the great events that’s held throughout the city in the year,” Cusat said.
Cusat added that he believes the center is making a positive impact on the city, and hopes that more city residents will take part in the programs the center offers.
A benefit to the city
As a part of Cusat’s affirmation, Maddon said that local business owners have told him that their businesses are doing better because of the connection some have made with the Hispanic population within the community.
“Money spends the same regardless of who’s spending it,” Maddon said of the local economy. “So I think a lot of the Anglo owners in the area are totally benefiting from the Hispanic population being here.”
In the future, Maddon said he hopes the center will continue to develop and grow with the community, and that people of all ethnicities and backgrounds can come together for the betterment of Hazleton as a whole.
“We do watch from afar,” Maddon said of ongoing news in the city. “Just driving around the city right now, it definitely is picking up,” he said.
