Marywood University To Hold Free Confidential Memory Screenings As part of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) National Memory Screening Program, Marywood University in Scranton will offer free, confidential memory screenings on November 15. Screenings will be held from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Psychological Services Center. Qualified healthcare professionals will administer the memory screenings and provide educational materials about memory concerns, brain health and caregiving. The face-to-face screenings consist of a series of questions and tasks, and last approximately 10 minutes. According to the event organizer, Dr. Brooke Cannon, professor of psychology and clinical neuropsychologist, “Annual memory screenings, like regular physical exams, allow for identification of potential cognitive problems and monitoring of already existing impairment.” Trained and supervised by Dr. Cannon, advanced clinical psychology doctoral students will administer the screenings, which consist of a series of questions and tasks, and take five to ten minutes. AFA suggests memory screenings for anyone concerned about memory loss or experiencing warning signs of dementia; whose family and friends have noticed changes in them; who believe they are at risk due to a family history of dementia; or who want to see how their memory is now and for future comparisons. Warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease include forgetting people’s names and events, asking repetitive questions, loss of verbal or written skills, confusion, and personality changes. Screeners emphasize that results are not a diagnosis, and encourage individuals who score below the normal threshold, as well as those who still have concerns, to see their primary care physician for a thorough evaluation. Additional assessment may be scheduled at the time of the screening through Marywood’s Psychological Services Center. Currently, there are more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is expected to nearly triple by mid-century. Advanced age is the greatest known risk factor for the disease, which results in loss of memory and other intellectual functions, and is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. For questions about memory screenings or other mental health concerns, please contact Marywood’s Psychological Services Center at (570) 348-6269. For more information about the National Memory Screening Program, call (toll-free) 866-232-8484 or visit www.nationalmemoryscreening.org.
The YMCA Diabetes Awareness Month November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and a time for all Northeastern Pennsylvania residents to assess their risk for developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Following a year of reduced activity due to COVID-19, statistics show prediabetes rates are on the rise. Currently, 96 million American adults (more than 1 in 3) have prediabetes and 8 out of 10 of them do not know they have it. In addition to the increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, people with prediabetes are also at risk of developing other chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke.Prediabetes is a condition in which a person’s blood glucose is elevated, but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. To address this issue, the Greater Scranton YMCA offers the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, which helps overweight adults achieve moderate weight loss through healthier eating and increased physical activity, potentially preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is a group-based lifestyle intervention for adults at high-risk of developing type 2 diabetes and has been shown to reduce the number of new cases of diabetes by 58 percent overall and by 71 percent in adults over 60. “We know that adults with diabetes do not live as long as those without it, and that their medical expenses are over 2 times greater than others,” said Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program provides a safe and supportive environment where people can learn to change behaviors and potentially decrease chances of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.” Individuals can assess their risk for prediabetes by taking a simple 1-minute risk test at cdc.gov/prediabetes/takethetest. Through this assessment, visitors can also learn how lifestyle choices and family history help determine the ultimate risk for developing the disease. Several factors that could put a person at risk for type 2 diabetes include race, age, weight and activity level. If a person is at risk, a diabetes screening conducted by a physician can confirm a diabetes or prediabetes diagnosis. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) led National Diabetes Prevention Program, is a 12-month evidence-based program that features a lifestyle coach who helps participants learn tactics for healthy eating, physical activity and other lifestyle changes during 25, one-hour classroom sessions. Long-term program goals include reducing participants’ body weight by 5 to 7 percent and increasing physical activity to 150 minutes per week. Nationally, more than 70,000 people participated in the program at over 1,100 sites in 47states throughout the country. Participants who completed the year-long program lost anaverage of 5.5 percent of body weight and completed an average of 168 minutes of physicalactivity per week. For more information about how to qualify for access to the YMCA’s Diabetes PreventionProgram, contact Brandon Whipple, Senior Program Director, at (570) 828-3116 or visit theY online at www.greaterscrantonymca.org.
Johnson College to Host Regional College Fair Johnson College is hosting the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre College Fair on Tuesday, November 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center Gym on the College campus. This public event will give attendees the chance to learn more about local colleges and universities, connect with admission representatives from across the region, and have questions about everything from academics to campus life answered. Participating schools include Johnson College, Kings College, Lackawanna College, Marywood University, Penn State Scranton, University of Scranton, Luzerne County Community College, Wilkes University, and more to be announced. To register for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre College Fair, visit Johnson.edu/collegefair or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.
Outreach – Center for Community Resources GED Graduate Outreach – Center for Community Resources received a $5,000 Innovative Impact grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to support the delivery of GED services for individuals in the community to further their education. This grant provided essential resources for Outreach to serve additional adults in our community in need of these services. Outreach is providing GED educational instruction to economically disadvantaged adults at no cost. This is only possible with grants to support the GED program. Adults with a GED earn on average $9,000 more annually than adults without a GED. Less than 10% of the job positions in the United States will consider hiring someone that does not hold a high school diploma or GED. Attainment of a GED is critical for adults seeking employment and economic self-sufficiency. The Scranton Area Community Foundation has been serving the Northeastern Pennsylvania region for over 65 years as a steward, a grantmaker, a charitable resource, and a catalyst for change and growth. The Scranton Area Community Foundation was established as a community trust in 1954 by the Scranton Family, whose initial gift was the seed that has grown into a permanent vehicle for donors to accomplish their philanthropic goals while helping to support positive change within our community. Today the Scranton Area Community Foundation holds and manages a variety of funds from individuals, organizations, and corporations. Through these gifts, the Foundation responds to community needs and has provided grants to support regional nonprofits. Cal Bieryla is one of the first to participate in the community GED program at Outreach. Cal was extremely motivated to learn while managing multiple responsibilities, such as being a single Dad and having a full-time job. By utilizing the in-person and online instruction offered by Outreach, Cal was able to attend Math class in the morning after working all night. Then, he worked on English on his own time via Google Classroom. Cal’s goal was not simply to pass the GED exam, but to obtain scores that would allow him to be accepted into college. On July 18, he officially became a graduate with college-ready scores. Outreach supported his desire to pursue post-secondary education by connecting him with assistance to explore careers, complete college applications, and financial aid paperwork. Within a few days of completing his GED, Cal was officially accepted into Lackawanna College and is now studying Cyber Security. With grant support from regional foundations, Outreach Center for Community Resources delivers family educational and workforce development services and programs to the regional community that promotes family stability and economic self-sufficiency. Outreach provides evidence-based early childhood programs that help families and children gain the skills needed to be healthy and productive members of the community. Outreach improves the lives of over 4,000 individuals each year with award-winning workforce and family development programs that support them as they navigate life’s challenges.
Greater Scranton YMCA Summer Food Program Six out of seven kids in need of healthy, nutritious meals may have gone hungry this summer, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). With support from the Walmart Foundation, the YMCA worked to fill the gaps through its Summer Food Program, while also responding to a growing hunger crisis in the wake of rising costs of food and economic uncertainty during the pandemic. According to the USDA, around 30 million kids receive free or reduced-cost meals thanks to the National School Lunch Program. However, once the school year ends, only 14 percent of those same kids are able to access free meals over the summer break, leaving many children without nutritious meals during the summer months. This is at a time when many families are struggling due to rising costs of food and the lingering economic uncertainty following the COVID-19 pandemic.The Y’s Summer Food Program was available at more than 2,500 locations across the country this summer, including at the Greater Scranton YMCA. From June through August, 2022, the Greater Scranton YMCA served 4,142 meals and 2,782 snacks to 235 children here in the Greater Scranton region. During the school year, the Greater Scranton YMCA will also serve healthy meals and snacks in its afterschool program and early childhood education program to provide kids with nourishment and academic enrichment. “Hunger has a lasting impact on the development of children,” says Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “Giving kids access to nutrient-dense meals allows kids to focus, learn and become empowered to reach their full potential. The Y’s Summer Food Program, along with our Food Program offered during the school year, helps make sure kids can enjoy healthy and delicious meals and snacks throughout the course of the year.” To learn more about the Greater Scranton YMCA’s Food Program and Early Childhood Education Program, contact Tressa Parker, Education Director, at tparker@greaterscrantonymca.org.About
Mark Novitch Elected Chairman of the PTD Board Mark Novitch of Sherwood Freightliner & Western Star, Inc. and Sherwood Isuzu Trucks has been elected chairman of the Pennsylvania Truck Dealers Board of Directors, during the PTD convention in August. Mark has served on the PTD board since 2004. PTD is head quartered in Harrisburg and represents all franchised truck dealers & dealerships in PA. Mark has worked with Don & Maria Sherwood since 2001 and is General Manager, SR Vice President, part owner and CX Manager (customer experience manager). The truck dealership has 3 locations in Dunmore, Tunkhannock, and Hazleton area. Dealer Principal, Don Sherwood, was PA Truck Dealer of the year in 2014. The Sherwood family has been in the vehicle business since 1925. Mark and his wife, Cinda, live in Nicholson and have a daughter, Lisa Truesdale, son-in-law Ron Truesdale and grandchildren Lincoln Mark Truesdale and Gabrielle Truesdale, fiancé Patrick Bussmann and great grandson, Oden Bussmann. Mark worked in the family business, W.W. Novitch, Inc., the International Truck & Farm Equipment Dealership in Nicholson and TRL, Inc., as the Director of Fleet Maintenance Operations before becoming a partner at the Sherwood Truck dealerships. Mark was the Mayor / Police Commissioner of Nicholson and served on several boards including First NTL Bank of Nicholson, Community Bank & Trust, PA Truck Dealers, Keystone College, Johnson College, Nicholson Heritage Association and Nicholson Cemetery Association. He held prior church positions of Trustee, Elder, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Finance & Budget Committee. Mark is quoted “I enjoy going to work every day, but my favorite job is husband, dad, grandpa, and great grandpa. I am very fortunate, thank God”.
FNCB Bank Honors Long-Time Employees FNCB Bank, locally based since 1910, recently recognized 19 employees with 10 or more years of service during an employee appreciation event at Glenmaura Country Club, Moosic. The following employees were honored at the event:45 years of service: Mary Ann Gardner (Compliance). 35 years of service: James Bone (Finance), Dawn Diehl (Retail Banking), and Tom Lunney (Facilities). 30 years of service: Jerry Champi (Executive) 25 years of service: Pat Barrett (Commercial), and Holly Fortese (Loan Operations) 15 years of service: Tiffany Bator (Compliance), MT Constantino (Retail Banking), Anthony Grande (Facilities), Ted Kowalick (Mortgage Origination), Jamine Mbae (Retail Lending), Lois Syryla (Commercial), and Karen Wolfe (Retail Banking). 10 years of service: Michael Cummings (Marketing), Michelle Jacques (Executive), Nancy Pipcho (Credit), Margaret Woody (Compliance), and John Zielinski (Technology Services).
Disaster Blaster Featured in Franchise Journal The challenge was how to take a business operating in an industry already valued at $210 billion and make it even better. The father-and-son team behind Disaster Blaster believe they have built a better mousetrap and are now ready to expand their business model on a national basis via franchising. Founded in 2006, Disaster Blaster is a full-service, indoor restoration firm specializing in water damage, smoke damage, duct cleaning, asbestos abatement, and a wide range of other services, including meth lab cleanup and remediation – the only company in its market professionally trained to perform such work. Gary Lyons, 71, and son Matthew Lyons, 39, formed a mitigation and restoration company that separates itself from the competition with a simple but highly impactful strategy: Disaster Blaster offers the most services to the most wide-ranging customer base; one that encompasses insurance claims, commercial clients, property owners, cleaning companies, home sellers and buyers, schools, and universities and more. “We wanted to address what we saw as serious issues inherent in the industry as a whole, such as the seasonality of service offerings and the over-reliance on certain customer segments and revenue sources,” Gary said of the restoration industry, which has been valued at $210 billion, according to IBISWorld. “That led us to develop the Disaster Blaster brand and concept that addressed the seasonality issue within our industry and create stability in growth, revenue, and income.” Already approved to sell franchises in 30 states, Disaster Blaster is selling territories throughout the country, with the average territory including a population of between 150,000 to 200,000. Experience in management or the trades is beneficial, but not required. “We want someone who is honest, dependable, and ethical,” Matthew said. “We want individuals who will represent the Disaster Blaster brand well in their territory and have a long-term interest in the brand and fulfilling the needs of their customers. And we want to offer a startup business to couples and individuals who are looking to operate a small mobile business that otherwise may be out of reach for them.” Disaster Blaster considers itself the “Indoor Environmental Experts” and also provides radon mitigation, flood cleanup, mold remediation, odor removal, vandalism repair, basement waterproofing and reconstruction. But Disaster Blaster’s meth lab cleanup and remediation is certainly a differentiator. According to figures from a report by news organization Spotlight PA, the “Pennsylvania State Police, the agency that typically handles drug lab busts here, logged 923 incidents” from 2017 to 2021. Matthew said Disaster Blaster began offering meth remediation about six years ago after they received several requests for the service. Spotlight PA further reported that although meth remediation makes up less than 10 percent of Disaster Blaster’s projects, Matthew said he’s hoping the state will eventually regulate the service. Clients are generally property owners or managers who want to clean a property so it can be rented again; people who purchased bank-owned properties without knowing the full history of the home; and insurance companies. The jobs are complex and take at least two weeks. “We didn’t believe it was that big of a problem up here,” Matthew told Spotlight PA. “I grew up here. I’ve lived in northeast Pennsylvania most of my life. I never expected that we would have the issues here that we have.” The possible effects of climate change are another area that Matthew said might impact their service offerings in the future. “It will be interesting to see how that may impact our services and/or the need for our services,” he said. “Additionally, homeowners are becoming more and more aware of the needs for our services for such things as mold, radon, or asbestos remediation.” Although they formed Disaster Blaster in 2006, both Gary and Matthew have been involved in the industry since 1996. Both owned separate mitigation and restoration businesses until they decided to launch Disaster Blaster together. Gary also worked in the insurance industry for more than 20 years as a claims representative handling mitigation and property restoration claims and later as a claims manager overseeing close to 100 offices across the country. Likewise, Matthew started working in the mitigation/property restoration industry when he was 14 and holds multiple industry certifications. “My experience in handling property claims for insurance companies has been invaluable in helping our customers navigate the claims process and will also be an invaluable resource for our franchisees,” Gary said. While they both operated similar businesses on their own, Gary and Matthew said there was a period of adjustment as they combined their knowledge and experience to create a newly branded company. “We had to essentially start over from scratch,” Matthew said. “We had to market to customers who didn’t know our name yet. We had to develop our own marketing, relationships, and vendors. It was a lot of change, but it was well worth it in the end.” “We love watching people succeed and are anxious to help our franchisees grow their businesses,” Gary said. “We are excited to watch the Disaster Blaster brand grow nationally, broadening our ability to assist more homeowners in need of our services or with existing environmental issues.”
Marywood University Chamber Singers Earn National Honorable Mention The Marywood University Chamber Singers have earned national recognition in a choral competition. The Chamber Singers were named semifinalists for the 2022 American Prize in Choral Music last February, and, in May, they were named one of the finalists. The Marywood University Chamber Singers are one of two collegiate choral ensembles in the small program division to receive an Honorable Mention for the 2022 American Prize in Choral Performance. Among the national finalists, only six choirs in the United States received the distinction of winning a prize or being given an Honorable Mention. Only one of the other schools is of a size comparable to Marywood University; the other universities are significantly larger. The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation’s most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts. The American Prize is unique in scope and structure, designed to recognize and reward the best performing artists, directors, ensembles and composers in the United States at professional, college/university, community and high school levels, based on submitted recordings.
The Dime Bank Supports NeighborWorks NEPA Earlier this year, The Dime Bank donated $10,000.00 to NeighborWorks Northeastern PA via the Neighborhood Assistance Program. NeighborWorks rejuvenates neighborhoods and creates opportunities for individuals and families to improve their lives through quality housing and financial guidance. This donation supports the 2022 Carbondale Beautiful Blocks Program. The program provides matching grants of up to $1,000.00 per property to groups of five residents or more to help them make exterior home improvements. “We are excited to partner with NeighborWorks to not only improve the appearance of neighborhoods but to build community connections between neighbors as they work together through this program” stated The Dime Bank Vice President of Marketing Deborah Unflat. “Being a community bank, The Dime Bank is honored to give back and help make our region a better place to live and work.” “We are extremely grateful for The Dime Bank’s generous support of the Carbondale Beautiful Blocks Program” said Shane Powers, Chief Operations Officer at NeighborWorks. “Their investment highlights the bank’s strong commitment to investing in our community in a tangible way that empowers our neighbors and brightens up our neighborhoods.”
