Local Partnership Program, NEPA RISE Now Accepting Applicants NEPA RISE: Readiness In Skilled Employment is currently accepting applications for their third cohort, set to begin in July of 2023. Interested applicants must be 18 years of age or older, reside within either Lackawanna or Luzerne Counties and currently have a Household Income within 250% of the Federal Poverty Line. Eligibility will be confirmed after an applicant applies online at RISENEPA.org. Interviews will be scheduled now through June 2023, and the program will begin in July 2023.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake Event Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Pennsylvania is proud to announce the return of the popular Bowl for Kids’ Sake event. The fundraising event resumes after a pandemic hiatus for the first time since 2019. Executive Director Michelle Hamilton says, “We’re excited to bring back Bowl for Kids’ Sake this year. This event has a 40-year history of not only raising funds for the organization, but bringing together the community in support of critical one-one-one mentoring relationships for children in need.” Bowling this year will take place in three locations this April. April 15th at Faxon Lanes in Williamsport, April 15th at Skylanes Bowling Center in East Stroudsburg, and April 29th at Chacko’s Family Bowling Center in Wilkes-Barre. For the first time, a bowl on your own option will be available for teams to bowl anytime throughout the month of April in Wilkes Barre. Hamilton adds that, “The pandemic has taught us that the world can be more flexible when it needs to be. We wanted to give our loyal supporters the opportunity to help support the event even if they cannot make the designated bowl day, or want to bowl at a time that’s convenient to them.” Area bowlers are asked to form teams, and register by visiting bbbsnepa.org. We also encourage area businesses to participate either in terms of gathering bowling teams, and sponsorships for the event. All proceeds raised will benefit critical one-on-one mentoring relationships for children right here in our community through Big Brothers Big Sisters of NEPA. Any individual bowler who raises $50 or more, will receive a commemorative t-shirt, and will be entered into a raffle for a brand-new PS 5 Sony play station. Additional prizes will be offered, along with some fun twists as we throw it back to the 1980s in honor of the 40th anniversary of this event. Please visit our website at www.bbbsnepa.org or social media pages for additional updates. Since its inception in 1974, Big Brothers Big Sisters has strived to provide high quality mentoring services to the children and families of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Keystone College to Offer ServSafe Class Keystone College will offer a ServSafe manager certification class on Wednesday, April 26 from 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. at 120 College Avenue, Factoryville. The training will cover topics involving food-borne illnesses and health risks that commercial food service establishments must learn in order to provide safe food for customers. ServSafe, a nationally recognized certification program for safe food handling practices, meets Pennsylvania regulations and is accredited by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. For more information contact Brenda Lidy, 570-657-0248, or brenda.lidy@keystone.edu.
Mohegan Pennsylvania Brings Back Party on the Patio Calling all tribute band fans! Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Party on the Patio is back and better than ever. The popular, free summer concert series kicks off Thursday, June 1st, and every Thursday through September 14th guests can gather at the Outdoor Concert Venue for a party like no other, hosted by DJ Tommy from The River 105. This year’s lineup has been extended to 16 weeks of live tribute bands, and Completely Unchained (a tribute to Van Halen), Fooz Fighters (a tribute to the Foo Fighters), Idol Kings (a tribute to Journey/REO Speedwagon), and Country Legends (a tribute to Keith Urban and Garth Brooks) make their summer debut. Local fan favorites Philadelphia Freedom (a tribute to Elton John), Bon Poison (a tribute to Bon Jovi and Poison) and Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentleman (a tribute to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan) are just a few bands set to rock the stage. Doors open at 6:30pm and shows starts at 7:30pm. There is no cover for Party on the Patio. After the show, keep the party going with DJ Tommy at Breakers! After dancing up an appetite, guests can stop by the Mohegan Pennsylvania food tent for freshly grilled burgers and hot dogs or visit a delectable local food truck each week. Coors Light, Blue Moon, Patio Punch and a variety of seltzer, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available for purchase. Featured bands for Party on the Patio, hosted by The River 105 are as follows: 6/1/23: Stayin Alive, a tribute to the Bee Gees 6/8/23: Completely Unchained, a tribute to Van Halen 6/15/23: Back in Black, a tribute to AC/DC 6/22/23: Fooz Fighters, a tribute to the Foo Fighters 6/29/23: Philadelphia Freedom, a tribute to Elton John 7/6/23: Best of the Eagles, a tribute to the Eagles 7/13/23: Black Dog, a tribute to Led Zeppelin 7/20/23: Idol Kings, a tribute to Journey and REO Speedwagon 7/27/23: Red NOT Chili Peppers, a tribute to Red Hot Chili Peppers 8/3/23: Who’s Bad, a tribute to Michael Jackson 8/10/23: Rubix Kube, a tribute to the 80s 8/17/23: Country Legends, a tribute to Keith Urban and Garth Brooks 8/24/23: Full Moon Fever, a tribute to Tom Petty 8/31/23: Tusk, a tribute to Fleetwood Mac 9/7/23: Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentleman Present An Evening Of Jimi Hendrix & Stevie Ray Vaughan 9/14/23: Bon Poison, a tribute to Bon Jovi & Poison *Lineup subject to change For more details on the tribute bands and a full list of food truck participants, visit moheganpa.com/potp. All guests must be 21+ to attend Party on the Patio. Additionally, most areas of Mohegan Pennsylvania are restricted to guests 21 years of age and older, including the hotel, gaming areas, and several restaurants. Valid, unexpired photo identification is required (driver’s license, passport, military ID). Expired identification will not be accepted. Wristbands issued for Party on the Patio are not valid for the gaming floor. All persons, bags and personal items are subject to inspection. No portable chairs are permitted.
Misericordia University Open House Misericordia University will hold an open house for high school students and their parents in the spring on Saturday, April 22, 2022, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Check-in will begin at 9:00 AM at the Anderson Health and Wellness Center. The open house event for high schoolers and their parents is the chance to experience the campus, meet students and visiting professors, and speak with admissions and financial aid representatives. Students and their families will tour the campus, sit in on a presentation on admissions and financial aid, meet with faculty in their academic program, and have a delicious lunch. Students and families will interact and hear from current students and tour some specialized facilities with students in their major. Prospective students can tour numerous buildings, including the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Science Center, which embodies a commitment to advanced technology and infrastructure that lends itself to superior teaching, learning, and research with a state-of-art facility. Specialized tours are offered of John J. Passan Hall Misericordia’s 40,000-square-foot located at 100 Lake St., Dallas. Passan Hall houses state-of-the-art simulator laboratories and classrooms in the nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology programs of the College of Health Sciences and Education. Other opportunities on campus are also offered to the open house attendees. The Pauly Friedman Art Gallery in Insalaco Hall will be open from 9:00 – 3:00 PM for those that wish to view our current exhibit. MU Athletics will be in action with two games: Men’s Lacrosse starting at 1:00 PM at Mangelsdorf Field and Baseball at 3:00 PM at Tambor Field. Finally, see “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” performed by the MU Players at 7:30 PM. If students and their parents are looking for a college that delivers a robust education and a personal experience, look no further than Misericordia University. Misericordia is a small, private university that offers a hands-on, transformative education to all who seek it. Misericordia ensures that each student receives a personalized experience and the resources to achieve their goals. For more information, contact the Misericordia University Admissions Office at 570-674-6264 or email at admiss@misericordia.edu to register now, click here.
Lackawanna College Offers Early Explorers Program The Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center invites children ages three to six years old and their guardians to attend Early Explorers, a program aimed at providing children with a lifelong, meaningful relationship with the natural world. Classes will be held every Thursday from April 20 to May 25, 2023, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center (LCEEC) located 93 MacKenzie Road, Covington Township, PA 18444. Early Explorers is a program series that offers discovery-based learning that changes with each season. Using the natural world as a catalyst for growth and development, children will explore natural sciences, gain sensory awareness, creatively express themselves, and practice using large and fine motor skills while developing critical social skills. During each class, children will have the opportunity to hike and explore the various habitats on the 211-acre property, which includes a forest, meadow, open field, and a stream. Children will also gain first-hand experiences with plants and animals. Each week will feature a different nature-related topic including Super Seeds, Awakening Amphibians, For the Birds, Animal Mothers, Spring Winds and Little Sprouts. Enrollment is now open. The cost is $40 for the series of six classes. Registration is limited, and pre-registration is required. This is an outdoor program, so please dress for the weather. For more information or to register, contact Lackawanna College Environmental Education Center at (570) 842-1506 or email yaniks@lackawanna.edu.
The United Way to Help Children Succeed in Life The program provides for vision correction for such children to ensure they have equal opportunity to learn and succeed in life.
Scranton Area Community Foundation to Host NEPA Housing Lab The Scranton Area Community Foundation (SACF), in partnership with the City of Scranton and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, is hosting “NEPA Housing Lab: Developing Strategies for Impact” on Friday, April 14th from 9 AM – 4 PM at the Radisson Hotel in Scranton. Participants of this workshop-style event will develop steps to address critical housing and homeownership issues in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This workshop-style event will engage with local stakeholders, funders, and lenders to advance the expansion and accessibility of affordable, attainable, and quality housing in Scranton and the Lackawanna County region. Led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Pennsylvania, the Housing Lab consists of two tracks: Affordable Housing Development and Homeownership. Participants will engage in presentations and panel discussions throughout the full day event. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti will provide opening remarks. The NEPA Housing Lab developed out of previous community roundtable discussions hosted between 2020 and 2022 by SACF in partnership with the City of Scranton and other community partners. In these discussions, community members identified lack of equitable housing as a major issue facing the region. “The affordable housing crisis is everywhere, including Scranton”, said Mayor Paige Cognetti. “We are seeking solutions and are looking forward to working with experts locally and from outside the region to understand what might work, what might not, and most importantly, to move ahead as quickly as possible.” Alongside Mayor Cognetti, the NEPA Housing Lab will also feature the followers presenters & speakers: Laura Ducceschi, President & CEO, SACF; Vivian Williams, Community Initiatives Manager, SACF; Maggie Martinelli, Chief Operating Officer, SACF; Teri Ooms, President & CEO, The Institute; Eileen Cipriani, Director of Community Development, City of Scranton. Panelists will include Ira Goldstein, President of Policy Solutions, The Reinvestment Fund; Fred Bañuelos, Community Investment Business Development Manager, Federal Home Loan Bank Pittsburgh; Dana Hanchin, President and CEO, HDC MidAtlantic; Chris Casciano, Senior Vice President of Credit Union Operations, Community First Fund; Leslie Winder, Director of Community and Economic Development, Urban Affairs Coalition; Abraham Pardo, Director of Housing, The Urban League of Philadelphia; Coleen Baumert, Director of Homeownership Programs, PHFA; Pamela Anslinger, Homeownership and Financial Services Manager, NeighborworksNEPA. An afternoon session, “Exploring Solutions and Moving to Action”, will be facilitated by Samantha Porter, Senior Manager and Advisor, and Patricia Bell, Community Engagement Associate, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. “NEPA Housing Lab: Developing Strategies for Impact” will take place on Friday, April 14th from 9 AM – 4 PM at the Radisson Hotel in Scranton.
2022-2023 Winner of NEIU Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition Announced Kendal Pauline, a senior at Hazleton Area Arts and Humanities Academy is the 2022-2023 NEIU Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition Winner and has been named First Runner Up in the 2023 Pennsylvania Poetry Out Loud (POL) State Championship. “AieNEPA and The Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit is so very pleased to have a strong partnership with WVIA,” said Catherine Richmond-Cullen, Ed.D., Director of AieNEPA. “The Pa Council on the Arts has promoted the National Endowment on the Arts project, Poetry Out Loud, for more than 10 years. Our partner region is the only one in the Commonwealth working with our regional PBS affiliate. The opportunity for young creatives to recite works of poetry on television and radio is amazing. Our gratitude to WVIA cannot be overstated.” “We are proud to take part in the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts statewide Poetry Out Loud program,” said Liz Faist, aieNEPA Assistant Director. “We are grateful to our schools, teachers and students for their participation and dedication. What a fantastic opportunity to be able to share the students’ recitations with the community on such a professional platform. We are truly grateful to WVIA and our POL (Poetry Out Loud) sponsors that make this event possible.” “WVIA Education is thrilled to take part in Poetry Out Loud, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation, which has given millions of talented high school students like Kendal a space to share their unique voices for more than fifteen years,” said Vicki Austin, Senior Director of Grants and Education. “We appreciate the loyal support of the Overlook Estate Foundation, Inc. and our partners, NEIU 19 and Arts in Education of Northeast PA, without whom this could not happen.” The 2023 Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition premiered on WVIA-TV Thursday, April 6 and is available to watch anytime, on-demand at wvia.org as well as on the PBS and WVIA Apps. To learn more about Poetry Out Loud, please visit https://www.poetryoutloud.org. WVIA Mission WVIA educates, inspires, entertains and fosters citizenship, diverse cultures, and perspectives to nurture community.
