Marywood University will hold Advocacy and Social Justice Day on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., at various locations in the Nazareth Student Center and in the Center for Architectural Studies, to celebrate the advocacy and social justice work being done by the Marywood community and to empower people, including the community at large, to engage in advocacy and social justice work.

All events are free and open to the public, including an artwork display, an advocacy and social justice fair, simulations about pressing social justice issues, service and advocacy presentations, a legislative advocacy workshop, and a social justice panel. Certain events will take place in person and be broadcast using Zoom. The Zoom option requires pre-registration, which can be accessed on the event website. Everyone attending events in person on the Marywood campus is required to wear a mask. Co-organizers of Advocacy and Social Justice Day are Lea Dougherty, Dr. Erin Sadlack, and Sister John Michele Southwick, IHM.

Advocacy and Social Justice Day will culminate with a keynote address by Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Scranton, who will discuss his work in the fight against climate change. His talk is scheduled from 6-7 p.m. in the Upper Main Dining Room, Nazareth Student Center, with a Zoom option available.

Since 2006, Rabbi Swartz has been the spiritual leader of Temple Hesed in Scranton, where he is dedicated to the task of Tikkun Olam, repairing our world. Under his guidance, Temple Hesed’s already active social action committee has continued to expand their programs, including work on “greening” the congregation, one of Rabbi Swartz’s deepest passions.

Rabbi Swartz has also been working with the Vatican on an interfaith global declaration, calling people to fight against climate change. Pope Francis invited Rabbi Swartz to be one of just 50 people called to the Vatican to discuss the climate change crisis and to sign the declaration.

Times, locations, and the Zoom registration link for Advocacy and Social Justice Day events can be found at marywood.edu/campmin/announcements.html, or contact Sister John Michele Southwick, IHM, at southwick@marywood.edu or (570) 961-4723 for more information.

To thank local military veterans for their service to our country, Geisinger will host drive-through Veterans Appreciation dinners at nine locations across the health system’s service area on Wednesday, Nov. 10. The dinners for U.S. military veterans and their guests are being provided at no cost to participants. Anyone interested should make a reservation by Friday, Nov. 5.

“It is important that we all honor and recognize our military veterans for what they have done to protect our country and freedoms,” said J. Edward Hartle, M.D., Geisinger’s executive vice president and chief medical officer, as well as a U.S. Air Force veteran. “Many of our patients, health plan members, staff and community members have served in the military, and this event gives us an opportunity to thank them for their service.”

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Geisinger will again serve this dinner as a drive-through event for the safety of the community and staff. Last year’s event, which was the first year the event expanded to eight locations, served more than 1,500 meals to veterans and their guests. This year the event will expand to nine locations to better serve the local veteran community.

“Geisinger is committed to military veterans by providing care options and career opportunities to them in their local communities,” said U.S. Army veteran Chris Grill, program manager of Military and Veterans Affairs at Geisinger. “This dinner is yet another way for us to thank our veterans for their service.”

Veterans may contact their preferred location to register themselves and one guest for the meal. Servings are limited, and those interested are encouraged to sign up now.

Locally, Geisinger is holding drive-through dinners for veterans at the following locations on Nov. 10:

Scranton (4 to 6 p.m.)

• Nay Aug Park, 500 Arthur Ave., Scranton
• To make a reservation for this location, call 570-703-8240 or visit Go.Geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GCMC 

Wilkes-Barre (4 to 6 p.m.)

• 1175 East Mountain Blvd., Wilkes-Barre
• To make a reservation for this location, call 570-808-5380 or 570-808-7893, or visit Go.Geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GWV

• 50 Roosevelt Terrace, Wilkes-Barre
• To make a reservation for this location, call 570-808-3651 or visit Go.Geisinger.org/VetsDinner/GSWB

Quest Studio, a specialty fitness studio & wellness studio located in Jessup will host the grand opening of their second location. The yoga and sport recovery studio, formerly the 128 year old First Presbyterian Church, located at 325 3rd Ave in Jessup, was transformed into a beautiful space for the community to continue to use after it closed on June 9, 2019. 

Quest Studios will be celebrating 5 years in business and the opening of their newest space with the community on Thursday, November 4.

Christmas and Advent traditions at Marywood University continue this year, with protocols in place to ensure safe, in-person experiences, and opportunities for prayer, cultural events, and community service endeavors. “Making Spirits Bright” is Marywood’s way of encouraging prayer, sharing gifts, and uplifting people throughout the holiday season, starting on December 1 and continuing through New Year’s Day. 

“After all the challenges we’ve faced since the pandemic began, we want people to have something to anticipate and celebrate,” said Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Marywood’s President. “This sacred season encompasses preparation, sharing, and rejoicing. We think our collective efforts to count our blessings, to give back to the community, and to celebrate our cherished traditions, in simple but meaningful ways, certainly will make spirits bright.”

 “Making Spirits Bright” will kick off officially with the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting in the Marywood University Rotunda on December 1 at 4 p.m. Seasonal music from student musicians will be featured. For safety reasons, the tree lighting event is closed to the public and will be open only to Marywood students and staff. However, the public may view the tree during the normal operating hours of the Liberal Arts Center, Monday through Friday, December 2-22, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Masks must be worn inside all Marywood buildings.

Student groups will partner Marywood’s Grounds/Maintenance staff in campus decorating efforts on Thursday and Friday afternoons in the second and third weeks of November and in community service projects organized through the Office of Service Learning and Community Service. Students can vote for their favorite décor during the campus Office Decorating Contest, sponsored by the Student Government Association. A $250 donation will be given to the winning office’s favorite charity.

Service projects include On-Campus and Virtual Giving Trees and a Community Christmas Card project, and these efforts are running from November 2-December 1. Gifts for the Giving Tree are due at the Tree Lighting ceremony on December 1, and drop off boxes will be available at the event as well as on campus. Beneficiaries of these service efforts are Friends of the Poor, Marywood Heights and Our Lady of Peace residents/staff, NativityMiguel Scranton students/staff, veterans and active members of the military, and agencies who work with the local homeless population. 

Marywood will continue to spread cheer by making the campus festive for the community with its 3^rd Annual Light Up Campus event. Following the tree lighting ceremony on December 1, and throughout the holiday season, members of the local community are welcome to drive through Marywood’s campus to see the main Christmas display at the Arch and the other seasonal outdoor displays after 4:30 p.m. 

Additionally, Marywood’s award-winning, student-run radio station, VMFM 91.7, will once again become Christmas 91.7 and continue its traditional community gift of broadcasting commercial-free Christmas music, 24/7, beginning Wednesday, December 1, at 4 p.m., and continuing through New Year’s Eve. Those who do not live within the station’s local broadcast range can stream it for free online or through the Tune-in app. 

Concerts and spiritual celebrations are free and open to the public. Masking protocols must be followed at in-person events.

Concerts include: 

• Chamber Singers Holiday Concert, Sunday, December 5, 4 p.m., at the Marian Chapel. This performance will include the famous “Alleluia” by Randall Thompson, the popular setting of “Lux Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre, and Carol Barnett’s spectacular “Hodie,” as well as carol settings and other sacred and secular music by American composers.
  
  
• Guitar Ensemble: Holiday Concert for a Global Community, Wednesday, December 8, 7 p.m., at the Marian Chapel. This concert is being produced in partnership with Marywood’s Center for Global Engagement. During the concert, hear a musical holiday message that Marywood President Sister Mary Persico IHM wrote especially for the event, spoken by the student musicians in several different languages.
  
  
• String Project Holiday Gala Concert, Thursday, December 9, 6:30 p.m., at the Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts. This concert features the children and student teachers from Marywood’s String Project. They will be playing music from around the world and some holiday music to welcome in the season.

Mass for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the feast day of the IHM Sisters, will be celebrated on Wednesday, December 8, at Noon in the Marian Chapel. This is planned as an in-person Mass with limited space available. Masking protocols must be followed. 

During Advent, the IHM Sisters will videostream two Evening of Prayer Events on Wednesday, December 1, and Wednesday, December 15, both at 6:30 p.m., at: https://video.ibm.com/channel/ihm-tv. 

For information on Marywood’s Christmas events, event registration links, and related resources, visit marywood.edu/makingspiritsbright. 

Munley Law is pleased to announce that Marion Munley recently spoke at the Kentucky Justice Association. Drawing on her extensive trial expertise, Marion spoke to the Association on “Using the Defendants’ Words Against Them to Develop Your Trial Story.”

A champion of victims’ rights and the civil justice system for over 25 years, Marion is known for her compassionate approach to representing the catastrophically injured and her tireless devotion to her clients and their families. Triple Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial, Civil Practice, and Truck Law, Marion has earned an AV-Preeminent designation from Martindale-Hubbell, the industry’s highest ethical and client satisfaction rating.

A leader in the legal community, Marion is an active member of the American Association for Justince (AAJ) and currently serves on the AAJ Board of Governors and on its Executive Committee. She was the first woman to become Chair of the AAJ Trucking Litigation Group in 2018 and is a past chair of the AAJ’s Women Trial Lawyers Caucus. Marion is the second woman in Pennsylvania to become Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Among her other professional affiliations are the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Society of Barristers, and the Summit Council, an exclusive group of todays top civil justice attorneys committed to the highest levels of trial advocacy, to obtaining justice for individuals and families who have been hurt by corporate wrongdoing, and to the protection of the civil justice system.

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2012, Marion has been named the 2022 “Lawyer of the Year” for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Last year, she was recognized as Best Lawyers® 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury-Plaintiffs for the Allentown metro area. Marion has also been selected to the list of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for the last 18 years and has been consistently recognized as one of the “top 50 Women Lawyers in Pennsylvania” in Super Lawyers Magazine. A graduate of Temple University School of Law (J.D., 1986), Marion received her undergraduate degree from Scranton University in 1983.

Lackawanna College is hosting a fundraising dinner that will benefit families who have children with cancer.

The Pinkies Updinner is slated for November 12 at Lackawanna College’s student-run restaurant, 409 on Adams. Proceeds will benefit the Pinky Swear Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps families with a child in cancer treatment with financial and emotional support.

“The emotional and financial toll that this disease can have on a family is devastating,” said Stephanie McDaniels, faculty advisor for the Lackawanna College Pinky Swear chapter. “We are honored to coordinate this event to support Pinky Swear. The funds raised help families with rent or mortgage payments, groceries, transportation, and other expenses, which helps children with cancer and their families maintain a sense of normality.”

Event tickets will be $50 and will include a buffet-style dinner from The High Bridge House and 15 raffle tickets. Raffle prizes include a two-night stay to Resorts Atlantic City with $100 lunch or dinner credit, a one-night stay to The French Manor and wine tasting at Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery, and various themed baskets.

Tickets for the Pinkies Up dinner are available now online at https://www.lackawanna.edu/pinkiesup/. Raffle tickets can be purchased separately from the event online. For questions, contact Stephanie McDaniels by email at mcdanielss@lackawanna.edu.

What exactly is a selfie museum? Part art gallery, photo studio, and interactive experience, the phenomenon of the “selfie museum” has popped up in most major US cities and traveled around the world. Born out of the “do it for the gram” era of highly visual social media feeds, these museums satisfy the quest for a like-worthy pic. Visitors are immersed in a variety of creative visual spaces and encouraged to play, pose, and capture the moment to share as they please.

Not just a selfie museum, Say Cheese, the photo museum, utilizes a hands-free technology that gives users the ability to move freely while snapping pics sans photographer. This innovation opens up a world of new possibilities, and new angles, for budding photographers, filmmakers, content creators and possible STEM program integrations. It’s truly a space for creative freedom, and a good deal of fun!

Say Cheese is coming to The Marketplace at Steamtown with a soft opening set for Halloween day. Chanel Fields, the innovator behind this venture, promises an interactive and immersive pop-culture experience that appeals to all ages. If you would like to know more, check out Facebook/Say Cheese The Photo Museum Co. or visit themarketplaceatsteamtown.com/entertainment

Geisinger is relocating its West Hazleton-area ConvenientCare walk-in clinic in a move that will offer more space for services and triple the number of exam rooms, helping to make health care easier.

Geisinger ConvenientCare West Hazleton will relocate just a couple doors down from its current location in the West Hazleton Plaza. The new 18 Diana Lane location is adjacent to the Geisinger 65 Forward Health Center. The larger space will feature six exam rooms and offer X-ray imaging services, which weren’t available at the previous site.

Geisinger ConvenientCare West Hazleton is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Staffed by advanced practitioners, the walk-in clinic provides care for anyone age 1 and older. ConvenientCare clinics are the best place to go for minor health issues that can be resolved in a single visit. These include cold and flu symptoms, allergies, earaches, tick removal, sprains and minor cuts.

You can visit geisinger.org/urgent to check wait times at ConvenientCare locations and use the online check-in to hold your place in line to be seen. To learn more about Geisinger ConvenientCare, visit Geisinger.org/UrgentCare. The clinics accept most major insurance plans and offer reasonable copays.

To stay at a safe distance from others and to minimize time in the clinic’s reception area, you’re encouraged to use the online check-in feature and bring one visitor only if medically necessary. Masks are required for everyone at Geisinger facilities, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

The Value of Money: Currencies, Bonds, Bitcoin” will be discussed at The University of Scranton’s 35th Henry George Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 17. The lecture, presented by Yuliy Sannikov, Ph.D., the Jack Steele Parker Professor of Economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center.

The lecture is free of charge and open to members of the University community and invited guests.

Dr. Sannikov is an economic theorist whose work has not only broken new ground in methodology, but has had a substantial influence on applied theory. He has made significant contributions to the study of dynamic games, which have applications for the design of securities, contract theory, macroeconomics with financial frictions, market microstructure and collusion.

Dr. Sannikov’s work highlights how even simple and well-studied models can yield new insights. His most recent work tackled complex models in finance and macroeconomics. His methods allow models to include the most important forces and deliver results that are much more relevant. He is one of the few theorists in many years to have introduced a truly novel tool that changed the way theory is done.

Dr. Sannikov was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal in 2016. The Clark Medal is awarded annually to the American economist under the age of forty who is judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge. He received the Fischer Black Prize in 2015 and the Kiel Excellence Award in Global Economic Affairs in 2014.

Dr. Sannikov’s numerous scholarly articles have appeared in Econometrica, The American Economic Review: Macroeconomics, The Journal of Finance, The Review of Economic Studies and several other journals. 

Dr. Sannikov received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Princeton University in 2000 and a Ph.D. in business administration from the Stanford School of Business in 2004. He was a professor in economics at Princeton University from 2008 to 2016.   

Considered the preeminent public lecture series on economics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Henry George Lecture Series is presented by the University’s Economics and Finance Department and the campus chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society for economics. Among the distinguished list of speakers who have spoken at previous lectures are 11 winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics: David Card (2021), Paul Romer (2018), Robert Shiller (2013), Tom Sargent (2011), Peter Diamond (2010), Paul Krugman (2008), Joseph Stiglitz (2001), George Akerlof (2001), Amartya Sen (1998), Robert Lucas (1995) and Robert Solow (1987). The lecture series is named in honor of the 19th century American economist and social reformer and is supported financially by a grant from the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation.

For more information about the Henry George Lecture, call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu. For information regarding campus access and other health and safety information, visit the Royals Back Together webpage.