The following article, published on June 11th, 2008 in the Allentown / Bethlehem / Easton region edition of The Union News, was written by Paul Tucker;
(In photo: Chris Hankee, Ashley Dymond, Ron Achey – L to R)
The first scholarship named after the daughter of union member and Board of Director of the labor supported TeenWorks Program Christine Hankee, was awarded to Ashley Dymond of Germansville.
The $2,500 scholarship was created in November 2007 in memory of Krysta Hankee, who passed away suddenly last fall.
Krysta Hankee was a TeenWorks Youth Board of Director for several years while she was attending high school. Teen Works is sponsored by approximately 35 local unions and labor federations from the Lehigh Valley. Unions from throughout the Lehigh Valley contribute funds that is donated to area teens that are involved with a project to help the region. The program is a agency of the Greater Lehigh Valley United Way. All funds donated by the labor community is used to provide grants to the teens under the program.
According to Ron Achey, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Greater Lehigh Valley United Way labor liaison, the go-between the labor community and the agency and coordinator for the program, Krysta Hankee enjoyed serving as a Teen Works Board of Director and brought her enthusiasm to the organization.
Christine Hankee is a union member of the Pennsylvania State Educational Association (PSEA). Ms. Dymond told the newspaper she will be attending Cedar Crest College in the fall, majoring in nursing. She recently graduated from Northwestern Lehigh High School.
Ms. Dymond attended the June 10th Teen Works Board of Directors meeting with her father Steve Dymond which was held in Allentown where the announcement was made she received the scholarship award.
While attending high school she was involved with SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), the Science Club, the National Honor Society, President of the Senior High Youth Group, Friend 4 Life and was a EMT volunteer for the Northwestern Ambulance Corporation.
http://www.midatlanticlabor.com/appiesnet/wordpress/?p=439


