Funds Raised for Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital The KISS for Kids Holiday Radiothon held on Dec. 9 and 10 in support of Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital was a huge success, raising $75,690 for the health of local sick and injured children. The two-day, 26-hour broadcast featured local children who have been treated at the hospital, as well as families’ stories of how the hospital and pediatric services have made a difference in their lives. Hosts Gary Chrisman, Bob Hauer, Andi Kurzweg and Gail Bair spent the two days telling miracle stories and encouraging listeners to become Miracle Makers by giving $20 per month. All the funds raised during the radiothon event will stay local to provide high quality care for children in our region. KISS FM and the Children’s Miracle Network at Geisinger team would like to thank the listeners and sponsors who gave generously to help provide care for kids and their families. Thank you to title sponsor, Moff and Associates, phone bank sponsor, Weis Markets; and Angel Hour sponsors: Sunbury Motors, Ford, Hyundai and Kia, PALCO Federal Credit Union, and Wyrope Williamsport Federal Credit Union; Wall of Miracles sponsor: Alexander Family Dealerships; and Giggle Break sponsor, Ciocca Dealerships. Additionally, a special thanks to Bloomsburg Walmart for donating a new blanket to patients in the children’s hospital on behalf of each miracle maker donor and to matching donors, Ray and Erin Hayes, Bloomsburg Walmart, Dr. and Mrs. Frank Maffei and Judy Graham and Nick Jones. This year’s event was the 17th annual radiothon which has raised more than $445,000 for local children treated at Geisinger. For more information or to make a donation, visit online at go.geisinger.org/kissradio or call 1.800.322.5437.
FNCB Bank’s Adopt-A-Family Program Employees from FNCB Bank, locally based since 1910, recently donated grocery gift cards and more than 100 wrapped gifts to nine local families as part of the Bank’s “Adopt-A-Family” holiday project. More than 130 FNCB staff members participated this year in Adopt-a-Family, the Bank’s signature holiday gift-giving event. The program matches local families in need from the Catherine McAuley Centers and Children and Youth Services of Wayne County with those wishing to donate. “Since launching the program nine years ago, more than 100 families have been adopted, helping to make a brighter Christmas for many in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Gerard Champi, FNCB Bank President & CEO. “We’re grateful to every team member who joined our campaign and helped us provide food and gifts to families in need this holiday season.” The Adopt-a-Family project is part of FNCB’s larger Community Caring initiative. As a true, local community bank, FNCB is making a difference through volunteerism, donations and outreach programs.
The Wright Center Announces Plan to Add Psychiatry Residents The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has approved the Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s application to add an additional three resident physicians to the psychiatry residency. To meet the growing national demand for psychiatric care, the current workforce of about 45,580 psychiatrists must increase by 2,800 behavioral specialists by 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Today’s estimated 6.4% shortage of psychiatrists is expected to nearly double to 12% by 2025. “As demand grows, workforce shortages during the pandemic have exacerbated our nation’s health crisis,” said Dr. Sanjay Chandragiri, program director of the Psychiatry Residency. “The ability to expand our psychiatry team will help us provide patients with the care and treatment they deserve and expect from The Wright Center.” ACGME is the body responsible for accrediting all graduate medical training programs for physicians in the United States. The growth of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Psychiatry Residency enables 25 resident physicians to serve the region at eight community practices in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties, while also replenishing the nation’s health care workforce in this specialty field. The additional residents will join The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Psychiatry Residency in July. For more information about behavioral health services or to make an appointment at The Wright Center for Community Health, please go to thewrightcenter.org or call 570-941-0630.
Lackawanna College Awarded Grant to Enhance Electricity Education Lackawanna College has been awarded $20,000 from the TC Energy Foundation to enhance electricity training for students in the College’s School of Petroleum and Natural Gas located in Tunkhannock, Pa.The grant allows the College to purchase state-of-the-art simulation equipment that will train students on components and situations found in modern electrical circuits. “We are grateful to the TC Energy Foundation for its support of our programs,” said Susan Gumble, director of the School of Petroleum and Natural Gas. “Electricity education and hands-on training play an integral role in preparing our students for successful careers in the natural gas industry.” The funding will also be used for printed materials, including lab books and workbooks that students will use while taking electricity-related courses. “Building strong communities through giving back is an integral part of our values,” said Trevence Mitchell, Assistant Director of the TC Energy Foundation. “We are proud to support the next generation of skilled tradespeople and thank Lackawanna College for providing students the necessary training to ensure they are ready to enter the workforce.” For more information on the Lackawanna College Tunkhannock Center, home of the School of Petroleum and Natural Gas, visit https://www.lackawanna.edu/tunkhannock.
NeighborWorks Accepts Donation from Community Bank, N.A. NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) recently accepted a donation from Community Bank, N.A., in the amount of $10,000. The donation will benefit the organization through the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP). The Neighborhood Assistance Program focuses on homebuyer education and foreclosure prevention, helping to strengthen neighborhoods in our community through sustainable home ownership. The program gives businesses up to a 55 percent tax credit if they support programs that serve distressed areas and, in the case of NeighborWorks, advance the cause of affordable housing. “Community Bank is proud to work with our friends at NeighborWorks to support this important program,” said Alison Zurawski, Community Relations Manager at Community Bank, N.A. “Contributing through the Neighborhood Assistance Program is a wonderful way for us to help improve the lives of our neighbors and to give back to this great community.” NeighborWorks is always grateful for its faithful NAP partners and newcomers to the program because the funds are crucial to our continuing efforts to serve the underserved in the local community. “We are thankful to our good friends at Community Bank, N.A., for this very generous donation in support of our Neighborhood Assistance Program,” Jesse Erogtt, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania President & CEO, said of the donation. “Their support of our efforts is much appreciated and will be of great help in our work to empower new and existing homeowners. We look forward to an ongoing partnership.”
Johnson College to Host In-Person Transfer Day On Wednesday, January 5, 2022, Johnson College is holding a Transfer Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center on its campus in Scranton, PA. The College is encouraging current college students interested in changing the direction of their education and ultimately their career path to visit its campus. Students will meet with Enrollment, Financial Aid, Career Services, and Counseling and Disability Services representatives. In addition, staff members from the Registrar’s Office will be on-hand for transfer credit analyses and review potential schedules for the upcoming semester. Students will learn why Johnson College is the leader in hands-on education, how it exposes students to industry from day one, and how its two-year degree programs, focusing on careers in in-demand industries, have the highest return on investment in the short term. To attend Transfer Day at Johnson College, students must register online at https://johnson.edu/transfer/ or contact the College’s enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8856.
PennDOT Honors Employees for Innovative Ideas The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today recognized 48 PennDOT employees with Innovation Awards for their efforts to improve work practices and create efficiencies. One team member from PennDOT’s District 4 which represents Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties were among the honorees. “PennDOT has a strong legacy of creativity to help us meet our daily mission and goals,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “I’m proud to recognize these employees for their creativity and dedication to the department.” Employees were recognized for ideas and smart practices submitted through IdeaLink 20/20 and PennDOT WorkSmart, online employee engagement systems that allow employees to share their ideas and efficient work practices. Over the last decade, PennDOT employees have submitted approximately 3,700 ideas through IdeaLink, nearly a quarter of which have been implemented. Since 2016, approximately 240 smart practices have been published in PennDOT’s WorkSmart system. Gramian and other department executives honored winner Dawn Foley during an virtual ceremony. Foley was recognized for mapping District 4’s Invoice Payment Process for non-ECMS Vendors. Project teams now have a clearer view of responsibilities, processes, and timelines to be followed. “Dawn has truly excelled in her service to the travelling public in northeast Pennsylvania. She is a valued team member within our organization and works at a very high level everyday” said Richard Roman, P.E., District Executive for PennDOT Engineering District 4. Motorists can check conditions on major roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website. Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties at www.penndot.gov/District4. Information about infrastructure in District 4, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.gov/D4Results. Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook and Instagram.
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Receives Donation The Plains Township Police Department collaborated with Futuristic Innovative Graphics in Kingston to specially design t-shirts as a breast cancer awareness fundraiser in October 2021. They raised $1,462.66 to support the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, a local organization focused on easing the burden of cancer in northeastern Pennsylvania. It was important to the organizers to keep the proceeds local. This is the second year of this fundraiser. Community members were able to purchase t-shirts online through Futuristic Innovative Graphics website. The fundraiser was promoted on social media through the police department, graphics company and the Cancer Institute’s designated pages. The Plains Township Police Department plan to host this fundraiser again in fall 2022.
Wright Center’s Associate Director Elected a Fellow of the American College of Physicians Dr. Mark Madhok, associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, has been elected a fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP). ACP fellows are a distinguished group of doctors dedicated to continuing education in medical practice, teaching and research. More than 31,000 physicians have earned this mark of distinction since 1975. It represents the pinnacle of integrity, professionalism and scholarship for those who aspire to pursue careers in internal medicine, according to the college. “The Wright Center is extremely proud of Dr. Madhok’s accomplishments and dedication to the advancement of his resident physicians and patients in Northeast Pennsylvania,” said Dr. Jumee Barooah, designated institutional official of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. “His contributions to the field of medicine extends to his noted scholarly research and broader community involvement.” A board-certified internal medicine physician, Madhok also is a primary care and internal medicine physician at the Scranton and Scranton Counseling Center practices. In addition, he is a clinical associate professor of medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and an adjunct clinical associate professor of medicine at the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, A.T. Still University. “The FACP status that you now hold reflects your commitment and accomplishments within the internal medicine community,” Dr. Saba A. Hasan, chair of the ACP Credentials Committee, wrote to Madhok. For more information about The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, call 570.343.2383 or go to TheWrightCenter.org.
Geisinger Supply Chain Receives Top 25 Recognition From Gartner Geisinger has ranked 16th among the Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 for 2021. The Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 identifies, celebrates and profiles health systems that demonstrated excellence in supply chain management over the past year. This year’s ranking included looking at a system’s ability to effectively navigate the post-pandemic landscape. This recognition includes influence from Geisinger’s quality outcomes, as well as its financial performance. “The issues facing supply chains have been prominent in the media lately. Multiple factors, like those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, have affected how a supply chain functions. This is a significant recognition that Geisinger previously received in 2014,” says Kate Polczynski, vice president of enterprise supply chain services. “To be included in a listing with other prominent leaders within the healthcare supply chain community, especially during a pandemic crisis, is a testament to the dedication and impactful work of our Geisinger teams.” Managing Geisinger’s supply chain is complex, leveraging talented teammates, effective processes and technology-driven decision-making to anticipate, plan for and execute in support of Geisinger. “I see inclusion in Gartner’s Top 25 as a recognition for all of Geisinger,” says Polczynski. “We’ve worked hard to build an integrated supply chain that partners and collaborates with our internal customers to ensure supply chain decisions are made with patient outcomes, quality and cost in mind. Working together, we have built a supply chain that is a leader in the healthcare industry, delivering precision execution to support the Geisinger family in caring for our patients and the community we are so fortunate to serve.”
