Members of the Last of the Panther Valley Deep Coal Miners Club were described as the “last of a breed” when the club held its 16th annual banquet and memorial service last night in Lansford.

Agnes McCartney, head of the Carbon County Tourist Promotion Agency, who was surprised to be honored by the miners for her years of work on behalf of the Panther Valley miners, praised the miners who toiled long and hard in the deep mines, calling them “a special breed of people.” She added, “You are the last of a vanishing breed of people who helped make our nation and community great.”

Original members of the club who were honored included Michael Sabron, Stanley Stanek, John Matyka, Joseph Hricisin, Paul Paslawsky, Michael Sotak and Steve Karabinos.