Comcast Launches Xfinity Rewards Program

Comcast today announced the launch of Xfinity Rewards, a rewards program for all customers across the country. Xfinity Rewards was built around a simple idea: to give back to customers, just for being a customer, through unique and unforgettable experiences that only Comcast NBCUniversal can deliver. The multi-faceted program spans media and entertainment, sports, music, and technology.

Members enjoy special perks like $1 Movie Rentals, access to free content, discounts at Universal Parks & Resorts, early access to the latest Comcast technologies, products, features like the new xFi Advanced Gateway with Supersonic WiFi, and Xfinity Mobile benefits and savings. Customers can also redeem rewards for unforgettable experiences like exclusive live stream events, have a chance for a meet and greet with Olympic gold-medalist Nathan Chen, a trip to the Latin American Music Awards in Las Vegas, or tickets to be part of the live audience at Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in New York, just to name a few.

“The entire Xfinity Rewards experience has been shaped and inspired by our customers. They told us they wanted meaningful rewards rooted in unforgettable experiences, so we’ve brought together the best of Comcast NBCUniversal to deliver just that,” said Jason Wicht, Senior Vice President of Growth Operations. “Xfinity Rewards truly speaks to our mission to connect people to more of what they love, with the most innovative technology available anywhere, while giving back and saying thanks – just for being a customer.” 

How Xfinity Rewards Works 

Joining Xfinity Rewards is free for customers. Signing up only takes a minute through the Xfinity App or online at xfinity.com/rewards. Upon enrolling, members are placed in Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond tier based on how long they’ve been a customer, with access and the types of rewards based on tenure with Comcast. Rewards are available immediately upon signing up for the program so members can start exploring and enjoying them right away with new opportunities added frequently throughout the year. 

Launching Xfinity Rewards with Supersonic WiFi

Xfinity Rewards is all about unlocking unforgettable experiences – and what better place to start than right at home. Beginning March 4, at 12:00 p.m. EST, Xfinity Rewards Diamond members who subscribe to Gigabit Internet will receive early access to Comcast’s most innovative and powerful device to date delivering reliable, supersonic WiFi. The next generation Gateway, only from Xfinity, is capable of multi-Gig speeds and can power a house full of hundreds of connected devices all at once. It won’t be available to the public until April 2022, but eligible Xfinity Rewards members can redeem this reward beginning March 4 through the Xfinity App or online at Xfinity.com/rewards while supplies last.

Save Hundreds on Xfinity Mobile, Rated #1 in Customer Satisfaction

Customers who sign up for Xfinity Rewards can access even more product discounts and perks as part of the program, including up to $150 towards a new Xfinity Mobile device and up to $100 towards new or existing service for Xfinity Mobile customers.

Xfinity Mobile, rated number one in customer satisfaction by ASCI two years in a row, combines the best nationwide cellular 5G with more than 20 million WiFi hotspots to deliver fast speeds and a more flexible way to pay for cellular data. Customers can mix and match between Unlimited or By-the-Gig shared data and can switch back and forth on any line at any time. Xfinity Mobile offers Unlimited data for $30 a line per month when you get 4 lines with Xfinity Mobile.

Discounts to Universal Parks & Resorts and Other Comcast NBCUniversal Brands

Xfinity Rewards members can experience the action, thrills, and excitement of Universal Orlando’s three amazing theme parks, Universal Studios Florida, Universal Island of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park, at specially discounted prices.

Enjoy a Universal Orlando Resort 3-day ticket for the price of a regular 2-day admission ticket or save on a 2 Park 1-Day VIP experience for a personally guided tour of Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. There’s also a sweepstakes for a 3-night trip for four people to Universal Orlando including roundtrip airfare, accommodations at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, and admission to all three theme parks.

In addition, Xfinity Rewards members get instant access to exclusive discounts across many popular Comcast NBCUniversal brands – including 20% off merchandise at NBC and Bravo stores, discounts on subscriptions to premium services like GolfPass, NBC Sports Edge, and CNBC Pro, and early access to TODAY’s Steals and Deals with Jill Martin. 

Unforgettable Sports, Music, and Entertainment Experiences

Members also have access to experiences and events made possible through Xfinity’s wide array of sports, music, and entertainment partnerships – like a VIP experience to watch all the drama unfold live at NASCAR, tickets to NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB games, exclusive virtual cooking demonstrations with award-winning celebrity chefs like Bren Herrera, host of Cleo TV’s Culture Kitchen, and Chef G. Garvin of Aspire TV’s G. Garvin Live!, virtual meet and greets with Bravolebrities, tickets to top music events like the Latin American Music Awards in Las Vegas in April, and even a super VIP experience like the chance to meet Olympic gold medalist, Nathan Chen.

Simple Delights like $1 Movies and Access to Free Content

While there are tons of great experiences, discounts, and perks for being a member of Xfinity Rewards, sometimes the best moments are the simple everyday opportunities to connect with loved ones. In addition to offering tons of great movies for just $1, Xfinity Rewards members can also redeem rewards for movies like The Mighty Ducks, The Minions Movie, In the Heights, and It’s a Wonderful Life for free. And there’s tons of games and activity kits featuring hit characters from Boss Baby, The Minions Movie, Sing 2, and more to keep the whole family entertained for hours. There’s truly something for everyone with Xfinity Rewards.

For more information about Xfinity Rewards, download the Xfinity App or visit xfinity.com/rewards

NEPA Gives Business Fundraiser Meet & Greet

Join us on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at the Scranton Chamber of Commerce Building for a meet & greet event in which we’ll show you how creating a Business Fundraiser page for NEPA Gives 2022 will benefit your business, employees, and the wider NEPA community.

At this event, you will learn how setting up a Business Fundraiser page can benefit your business internally through boosting morale, engagement, and teamwork, and externally through showing community impact, and increasing the business’s visibility and reputation.

We’ll take you through the steps to successfully prepare your Business Fundraising campaign from start to finish, including registration, preparation, and NEPA Gives Day.

NEPA Gives Business Fundraiser Meet & Greet
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
8:00 – 9:30 AM
Scranton Chamber of Commerce Building

LCEEC Beginner Beekeeping Certificate Program

The Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center (LCEEC) in Covington Township is accepting applications for the Beginner Beekeeping certificate program.

The program will run April 7-June 9, Thursday’s, 5 p.m.- 7 p.m. at the Environmental Education Center, 93 MacKenzie Road, Covington Twp. The $250 10-session course is for both beginner and seasoned beekeepers.

After completing the course, participants will be certified to manage honeybee colonies for maximum bee health and honey production.

Courses in the Beginner Beekeeping Certificate program include:

  • History of Beekeeping
  • Honeybee Biology
  • Behavioral Aspects of Honeybees
  • Apiary Equipment and Installation
  • Rules and Regulations
  • Environmental Challenges
  • Pollinators and their Benefits
  • Hive Check and Applied Care

To enroll in the LCEEC Beginner Beekeeping Certificate Program, visit Lackawanna.edu/beekeeping, email lceec@lackawanna.edu or call (570)842-1506.

The University of Scranton’s Earth Day Essay Contest

Area students in grades five to 12 can participate in The University of Scranton’s Earth Day Essay Contest 2022. The contest is offered free of charge and this year’s essay theme is “We Are All Connected.” Topics students can write about include conservation, recycling, healthy eating, agriculture, renewable energy, eliminating single use containers, bees, gardening or transportation, among other subjects.

Essays for students in grades five and six must be between 200 to 400 words. Essays for students in grades seven and eight must be between 300 to 500 words. Essays for students in grades nine to 12 must be between 500 to 700 words. Electronic submissions must be sent to susan.falbo@scranton.edu on or before Monday, April 4. Mail-in entries must be postmarked on or by April 1 to be considered and can be sent to: The University of Scranton, Office of Sustainability, Smurfit Arts Center, 445 Madison Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510, Attn: Earth Day Essay Contest.

Visit the University’s Sustainability website for complete submission rules and details.

Winners of the Earth Day Essay Contest will be announced by the University’s Sustainability Office and student Sustainability and Conservation Society at an Evening of Environmental Science program for participants and their families and teachers on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, beginning at 6 p.m., in the atrium of the Loyola Science Center on campus.

Geisinger Seeking Volunteers for Pet Therapy Program to Support Frontline Workers

Geisinger is seeking additional volunteers for its pet therapy program to participate in support sessions for frontline staff as they continue to work through the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the program continues to provide comfort to Geisinger patients in its hospitals throughout northeastern and central Pennsylvania, it also has increasingly served hospital staff through the pandemic over the past two years. Due to lower volunteer participation during the pandemic, Geisinger is recruiting new volunteers into its program.

Volunteers are needed at all Geisinger campuses, including those in Danville, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Lewistown, among others.

“Our pet therapy program brings a great benefit to patients and staff,” said Tina McDowell, director of Volunteer Services. “By volunteering, you can help decrease stress levels and provide a much-needed positive experience for our frontline staff who might be feeling overwhelmed by the effects of the ongoing pandemic. Just a few minutes of comfort and relief can improve overall mental wellbeing.”

Dogs and their handlers must go through Geisinger volunteer training with the volunteer services department before serving. Only dogs certified by an American Kennel Club recognized program are eligible.

If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering in the health system’s pet therapy program, contact volunteer services at 570-271- 6230.

Join Downtown Business in Support of Ukraine

Calling Scranton businesses to help us decorate the downtown in yellow and blue showing support for the people of the Ukraine.

Utilizing flags, lighting, window painting, posters, and merchandise are a few ways to showcase your support.

Please contact Liz Baldi at lizbaldi@scrantontomorrow.org if you are interested in participating. Scranton Tomorrow will be putting together a press release and would love to include the location and a photo of your display.

If you are a Scranton business, but not located in the downtown, and are interested in participating, please let us know, all are welcome! Check out how Ufberg & Associates and Nada & Co are showing their support and get inspired!

Helen Lavelle, Top 25 Women in Business

Did you catch the March Edition of the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal this week?

Lavelle Strategy Group CEO and Chief Creative Strategist, Helen Lavelle, was named one of the Top 25 Women in Business in 2022! She is a trailblazer, an advocate, an innovator, a communicator and a collaborator. We are honored to work alongside her every day.

Congratulations Helen on this amazing honor!

The Business Journal honors 25 Women in Business in our region every March. These professionals are a diverse cross-section of innovative leaders, high-profile decision makers and company executives.

They are improving their community, mentoring future business leaders, raising families and encouraging other women to take the lead.

DMVA to Host Virtual Veteran Town Hall

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) will host the first in a five-part series of virtual Veteran Town Halls on Wednesday, March 16, from 5-6:30 p.m., according to Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming). The topic will be veteran suicide prevention, with a focus on the support and resources available to veterans throughout the Commonwealth.

“As majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, I am pleased the DMVA has made suicide prevention the topic of its first virtual town hall of the year,” said Boback. “It is critical that Pennsylvania veterans know what resources are available to them when they need someone to talk with about their emotional issues.”

Attendees can participate by using a WebEx link. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters live through the chat feature. They should visit DMVA’s website at www.dmva.pa.gov, Twitter of Facebook pages for the WebEx link. 

The series of virtual town halls will provide the Commonwealth’s nearly 800,000 veterans with a convenient platform to learn and ask questions about programs and services earned through their military service.

The following are the dates, times and topics for the four remaining 2022 Virtual Veteran Town Hall events:

May 18, 5-6:30 p.m. – Serving Older Veterans.
July 13, 5-6:30 p.m. – Resources for Homeless Veterans.
Sept. 14, 5-6:30 p.m. – Transportation Issues Facing Veterans.
Nov. 2, 5-6:30 p.m. – Honoring Veterans for Their Service and Sacrifice.

Noteology ‘Peace for Ukraine’ Candle

Noteology stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian civilians and refugees and pray for peace during this turbulent time. 

To show our support, we developed our ‘Peace for Ukraine’ Sunflower candle and will be donating $8 per candle to the International Rescue Committee, an organization providing life saving support to people forced to flee their homes in Ukraine.  The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine and has become a global symbol of solidarity for Ukraine. Our sunflower candle is filled with love and peace, with notes of sunflowers in bloom, lemon peel, lemon verbena, and a touch of honey. 

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Scranton Cultural Center Way

The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple is once again the place to celebrate this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade!  The Center’s annual St. Patrick’s Parade Day Party will begin at 11:00 AM on March 12 and will continue until 4:00 PM.  Admission is free and live entertainment will be provided by Kilrush.  In addition, several parade performers will continue their acts at the SCC for all party-goers to enjoy, from bagpipers to step dancers and more!

Admission is FREE to the public as the Scranton Cultural Center’s gift to the community.  A cash bar and light fare will be available for purchase.  Please note that the Scranton Cultural Center requires masks for all patrons unless actively eating or drinking.  Full venue policies can be found at SCCMT.org/covid.

The 2022 St. Patrick’s Parade Day Party is sponsored by The Society of Irish Women, the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center and LT Verrastro.