Young Announced as Assistant Director of Allied Services Vocational Services Erin Young was announced as Assistant Director of Vocational Services in Scranton. Erin has been with Allied Services Integrated Health System since 2013, and has served as a Program Specialist, Lead Program Specialist, and most recently as Clinical Coordinator. She is the Incident Management Lead contact, part of the team involved in the Quality Assessment Improvement Process (QAI), an Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) Certified Investigator and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) trainer for the Vocational Services Division. In addition to continuing to function in her current role, Erin’s new responsibilities will include oversight of workshop staff and day-to-day operations of the Vocational Work Program. Erin’s knowledge of the program and dedication to providing the best possible services will serve her well in her new position.
Marywood University’s Concert Choir and Orchestra to Join Forces for Major Fall Performance Pictured in the collage from the top, left to right, are: Rick Hoffenberg, DMA, Director of Choral Activities; Evan Harger, ABD, Director of Orchestral Activities; the Marywood Concert Choir and Orchestra. For the first time in five years, the Marywood University Concert Choir and Orchestra, along with four vocal soloists, are joining forces to present a major fall performance on Sunday, November 21, 2021, at 4 p.m., in the Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts. The concert is free, open to the public, and in person. Masking protocols must be followed inside all Marywood University facilities. The two ensembles will present a monumental piece of music by Michael Tippett, A Child of Our Time. The concert also will feature Three Spirituals for Orchestra by Adolphus Hailstork. According to the directors, this is the largest-scale concert that Marywood’s Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance has presented to the public since 2016. The Concert Choir is directed by Rick Hoffenberg, DMA. The Orchestra is directed by Evan Harger. Concert soloists include: Jennifer Cowgill, soprano; Ellen Rutkowski, mezzo-soprano; Wes Poole, tenor; and M. Moses Andradé, bass. Tippett’s A Child of Our Time was composed during World War II in response to the horrors of Kristallnacht, and the piece wrestles with issues such as racial tensions and persecution that are as relevant now as they were 80 years ago. The composer, an ardent pacifist, used African-American spirituals to represent the voices of the oppressed, in this case the Jews who were murdered by the Nazis. For additional information about the Concert Choir and Orchestra Concert and other performances at Marywood University, please visit marywood.edu/mtd/events or call (570) 348-6268.
The University of Scranton to Host Acclaimed Trumpeter and Vocalist Benny Benack III Acclaimed trumpeter and vocalist Benny Benack III will perform at a concert featuring The University of Scranton’s Jazz Ensemble on Friday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center. On Friday, Nov. 12, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a concert featuring the University’s Jazz Ensemble with acclaimed trumpeter and vocalist Benny Benack III as their guest soloist. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. The concert is open to invited guests and all members of the University community. Admission is free, all audience members must wear masks throughout the performance. University campus access and other health and safety information will be updated throughout the semester and can be seen on the Royals Back Together webpage. Please check Performance Music’s website, scranton.edu/music, within 24 hours of the recital for the most current information on audience COVID-19 mitigation measures (e.g., masking, vaccination, distancing, etc.). The program will feature Benack soloing with the band on both voice and trumpet, and will include a variety of songs such as Bye Bye Blackbird, Choo Choo Ch’Boogie, Operator, Sway, St. Louis Blues and more. Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga is excited for Benack’s first visit to Scranton. “I have known Benny since fall of 2009 and have truly enjoyed watching and listening to him develop into such a mature, versatile and exciting musician and entertainer,” said Boga. “I am really looking forward to having him work with our students.” A 2014 finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition and winner of the 2011 Carmine Caruso International Trumpet Competition, Benack has already proven himself to be a rare talent as both a jazz trumpeter and vocalist. A frontman for Postmodern Jukebox, the vintage music collective famed for its old-school covers of modern pop songs, Benack in 2020 released “A Lot of Livin’ to Do,” the follow-up to his well-received 2017 debut album, “One of a Kind.” The third in the generational line of a legendary family of Pittsburgh jazzmen, Benack has been showcased in international headliner tours at Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai, JALC’s “NY Jazz All-Stars” (Mexico), throughout Asia and Europe, and has headlined his own group’s tours throughout the U.S. He has performed at New York City’s leading jazz venues, as well as played in the house band for NBC’s “Maya & Marty” and performed as a trumpet soloist with the Christian McBride Big Band, Ann Hampton Callaway, Josh Groban and Ben Folds. The University of Scranton Jazz Band is a 22-member ensemble made up of students from majors spanning the curriculum. There is no music major at the University, and all enrolled Scranton students (undergraduate and graduate) are eligible for membership in the University bands, choirs and string ensembles, with neither an audition nor enrollment fee required for membership. Other programs within the department, including both large ensemble and chamber ensemble music-making opportunities, guest artist concerts, World Premiere Composition Series, the Nelhybel Collection and Scranton Brass Orchestra, closely coordinate programming with the student ensembles and offer unique opportunities for student musicians in the ensembles to hear, observe, interact and perform with numerous world-class musicians and artist-teachers. High school juniors and seniors who are considering applying to Scranton are encouraged to contact Performance Music to arrange to sit in on a rehearsal, meet the staff, attend a concert, or tour the building. For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Benack, visit bennybenackjazz.com.
Geisinger Relocates Scranton Dermatology Practice Getting skin care in Lackawanna County is easier and more convenient with Geisinger Dermatology Scranton now located in the 3 W. Olive St. complex. In addition to relocating skin care services from Geisinger Community Medical Center, the health system welcomes dermatologist and Mohs surgeon Mary Brady, M.D., to Scranton. The skin care team at Geisinger Dermatology Scranton provides complete dermatology services including pediatric dermatology and Mohs surgery. Additionally, the team treats a variety of conditions including acne, cysts, eczema, hives, melanoma, nail care, psoriasis, rosacea, skin cancer and warts among many other skin conditions. Dr. Brady returns to Geisinger and brings her experience with Mohs surgery to Scranton. She earned her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia after completing her undergraduate studies in biology at Bucknell University. She completed her dermatology residency at Geisinger Medical Center and fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery and dermatology oncology at the Cleveland Clinic. For more information about Geisinger’s skin care services in Scranton or to book an appointment, call 570-558-2130 or visit Geisinger.org/ScrantonDerm.
NeighborWorks West Scranton Neighborhood Plan Wins Award NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania’s West Scranton Neighborhood Plan was recognized by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association at its annual conference and awards luncheon in Pittsburgh on October 19, 2021. NeighborWorks’ West Scranton Neighborhood Plan was one of just three plans to receive an award. According to the judges, “The plan achieves its essential purpose. Its thoughtful organization and graphics appeal to a wide range of users and the size and scope allow for implementation.” “It is an honor to receive this award not just on behalf of NeighborWorks but all the people and organizations who were involved in developing our West Scranton Neighborhood Plan, especially the residents,” said NeighborWorks’ n eighborhood re vitalization manager, Todd Pousley. “ From the beginning, we set out to develop a resident-driven plan that reflects the ideas and priorities of the people who live and work in West Scranton, and we accomplished that with the help of a 26-person steering committee. We can’t wait to put the plan into action!” The West Scranton Neighborhood Plan, a 10-year strategy for revitalizing West Side, was released in the fall of 2020 and is now being implemented by NeighborWorks and its community partners. WRT—an architecture, planning, and design firm based in Philadelphia—assisted with development of the plan, which was funded by the Regional Foundation (formerly the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation).
The Wright Center for Community’s Health’s Medical Homes in Scranton and Kingston Nationally Recognized The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recently announced The Wright Center for Community Health’s Kingston and Scranton practices have received NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated, team-based care within a network with long-term, participative relationships. The Kingston and Scranton practices join The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington St., Jermyn, and Clarks Summit, 1145 Northern Blvd., South Abington Township practices, in earning the recognition seal. The Mid Valley and Clarks Summit practices received the NCQA PCMH honor three years ago and continue with annual formal review to meet the highest standards of the designation. The NCQA’s PCMH is a model of primary health care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve delivery and coordination of care; experience of care by patients, families and care teams, and enhances affordability with reduced cost of care and waste. The program was developed in 2008 to identify medical practices that have invested in a care model that empowers patients at the forefront, while nurturing a culture of continuous improvement. The NCQA’s recognition program is the most widely adopted PCMH evaluation program in the country. In order to be considered for PCMH recognition, health care practices must meet key standards in six important areas: Team based care and practice organization, care management and support, know and manage patients, care coordination and care transitions, patient-centered access and continuity, and continued performance measurement and quality improvement. Since its inception, more than 10,000 practice sites and 50,000 clinicians have earned the NCQA PCMH recognition seal. “We are extremely proud that a national organization has affirmed The Wright Center for Community Health’s commitment to improving the health and welfare of the communities we serve through a patient-centered medical home model approach,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and chief executive officer of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “This model of care allows us to honor and keep patients at the forefront of everything we do and makes continuous quality improvement our priority.” The Wright Center for Community Health’s Kingston Practice at 2 Sharpe St., is located in First Hospital. A full-service primary and pediatric care office, family doctors, pediatricians and advanced practitioners provide checkups, physicals, screenings, treatment of common illnesses and injuries, as well as behavioral health, addiction and recovery services, sports medicine and hepatitis C and infectious disease services. Please go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-491-0126 to make an appointment. The Wright Center for Community Health’s Scranton Practice at 501 S. Washington Ave., is a full-service primary and pediatric care office that also offers dental services as well as rheumatology, sports medicine and infectious disease specialists, including the Ryan White HIV Clinic. Family doctors and advanced practitioners provide checkups, physicals, screenings, treatment of common illnesses and injuries as well as behavioral health and recovery services. To make an appointment, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-941-0630.
Marion Munley Presents at Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys Munley Law is pleased to announce that Marion Munley recently spoke to the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. Her discussion was titled “Rule of Three: Industry Standard or Make Believe?” 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.
Handmade Holiday Gnomes Return to Noteology Holiday gnomes are back! We love supporting local makers, and we are so excited to offer again the most adorable holiday gnomes this holiday season! They are perfectly designed by hand by a local seamstress with the greatest attention paid to every detail. Why we love these gnomes: the quality and craftsmanship of these gnomes are unsurpassed with a weighted bottom, wooden noses, beautiful fabrics and the softest gnome beard we have ever felt. They are festive and fun, these adorable gnomes bring a smile every time. Sellout Notice: we sold out of the gnomes very quickly last year. Since they are made by hand and take time, orders placed closer to the holiday season may not be available.
Scranton Area Community-Backed Matt McGloin Foundation Awards Grant to Saint Joseph’s Center The Matt McGloin Foundation, administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, recently presented a $9,000 grant to fund a new outdoor accessible play area at Saint Joseph’s Center Trinity Child Care Center. PHOTO (l-r): Atty. Charles Volpe; David Price, Scranton Area Community Foundation Board Secretary; Keith Eckel; Bailey McGloin, The Matt McGloin Foundation; Matt McGloin, The Matt McGloin Foundation; Michele Johnston, RN, Director of Trinity Child Care Center; Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM, President and CEO, Saint Joseph’s Center; Brittany Pagnotti, Scranton Area Community Foundation Communications Manager.
