Berger Furniture & Mattress Matches Car Wash Proceeds Berger Furniture & Mattress and the Dickson City Fire Department hosted their second annual car wash. The event raised $863 to support the volunteer fire department. Berger Furniture & Mattress matched the proceeds up to $500 bringing the total up to $1363.
Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple Receives National Endowment for the Arts Funding The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple (SCCMT) was invited to submit a Fiscal Year 2021 application for the Arts Engagement in American Communities Grant Program (AEAC) and has received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support teaching artists salaries for its upcoming Youth Theatre Program Summer Camp. The Arts Endowment identified the Scranton Cultural Center as eligible to apply for and receive this grant and after submitting the application, was awarded the funding. The National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. Arts Engagement in American Communities (AEAC) supports arts projects in all artistic disciplines, extending the National Endowment for the Arts’ reach to communities across the United States. These grants engage the public with diverse and excellent art in geographic areas underrepresented in our grant making portfolio. Grants are available for professional arts programming, including, but not limited to, presentation of artists or artworks, marketing and promotional activities, educational programs, and organizational planning. The Scranton Cultural Center Youth Theatre Program Summer Camp offers in-person and virtual opportunities for young performers in PreK through 12th grade. The program is open to all students, regardless of experience or financial means. This year’s program runs from July 12 through August 21. To learn more about session details and registration, please visit SCCMT.org/camp.
Moses Taylor Foundation Grants Support Marywood University Health and Wellness Initiatives Marywood University has received two grants from the Moses Taylor Foundation to support the University’s comprehensive Health and Wellness initiatives. Marywood, ranked among the 2021 Best Allied Health Professions Schools according to Health Care Degree Search, prepares its Health and Wellness students for a variety of healthcare fields. The first of these grants supported students participating in “The Healthcare Discovery Camp: An Interprofessional Camp,” which ran from June 29-July 1. This program offered middle school and high school students an opportunity to learn more about a variety of healthcare fields and how each discipline works together to provide optimum care for their clients. The second grant, in the amount of $79,054, will support Marywood’s College of Health and Human Services in the purchase of a Laerdal SimMom Birthing Simulator. The equipment will be used by the Nursing and Physician Assistant Programs. This advanced full body simulator, with accurate anatomy and functionality, will facilitate training for teaching prenatal, birthing and postpartum care, and will allow students to gain more experience with more complex and unpredictable circumstances that may not be common in a traditional hospital setting. The healthcare field is rapidly growing, demanding well-prepared professionals and practitioners. Marywood University’s comprehensive focus on health and wellness programs, including nearly 30 programs of study, prepares students for these in-demand careers. For additional information about the Health and Wellness programs at Marywood University, please contact the Office of Admissions at www.marywood.edu/admissions/, or call (570) 348-6234.
Scranton Area Community Foundation Announces 2021 James F. Swift Scholarship Recipients Twenty students from thirteen different high schools in the area have been awarded a prestigious scholarship through the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation, which provides $5,000 per year for each recipient for up to four years to assist with continuing education expenses. The James F. Swift Scholarship Fund has awarded over $3.2 million since 2008, benefiting over 220 local students to date. Created in 2002 through a gift by Mr. James F. Swift to the Scranton Area Community Foundation, the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund provides support for higher education for students graduating from high schools in Lackawanna County. Following Mr. Swift’s death in 2006, the Scranton Area Community Foundation gratefully received a significant gift from his estate to the scholarship fund which has allowed a great number of students from Lackawanna County the opportunity to pursue their academic and professional goals through higher education. The scholarship aims to provide an ongoing stream of matriculation at Lackawanna County colleges and universities. It is the goal of the Scranton Area Community Foundation to award 75% of the scholarships to students who plan to attend institutions of higher learning in the Lackawanna County region. Scranton Area Community Foundation President and CEO Laura Ducceschi praised the generosity of Mr. Swift, noting “he has left a permanent and enduring legacy for the young people of our region. His scholarship fund makes higher education more attainable for generations of students.” James F. Swift Scholarship Recipients pictured: Row 1: Gabrielle Snee, Rebecca Lucas, Liz Stone, Olivia Manarchuck, Taralyn Reilly, Ryan Coleman. Row 2: Hannah Carr, Maura Turi, Jillian Brennan, Alexis Tanana, Ava Decker, Caitlin Doughton, Gerardo Sanchez Garcia, Gwyneth Serowinski, Fione Evans, Korey Kruk. Row 3: Hunter Geise, Ben Thompson, Antonio Pugliese, Nicholas Guerra, Ashley Capone, Taylor Seprosky, Jenna O’Malley. Row 4: Christian Snee, Jacob Vituszynski, Joshua Vituszynski, Claudia Pitts, Tyler Muskey, Marguerite Flynn, David McKenney, Eric Spivak. Also in photo: Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants and Scholarship Manager, Scranton Area Community Foundation; and Frank Caputo, Grants and Communications Coordinator, Scranton Area Community Foundation. 2021 James F. Swift Scholarship recipients missing from photo: Michael Rodyushkin, Cameron Butka, Matthew Howard, Hailey Matechak, Kayla Rose, Sara McCormac, Meredith Purcell, Sofia Capozzi, Marisol Olivares. In addition to the 20 new recipients, there were 55 James F. Swift Scholarship renewals in 2021. The following students are recipients of a James F. Swift Scholarship Renewal in 2021: Shannon Baransky, Tanner Begin, Calista Calabro, Christina Carachilo, Emma Coar, Andrew Cummings, James Docalovich, Collin Ennis, Austin Glidewell, Marilyn Hoskins, Daniel Jaggars, Rebecca Johnson, Tiffini Kalt, Meghan Keenan, Benjamin Koshinski, Tori Kovalchick, Kristen Lello, Ximena Maldonado, Mark Melesky, Brooke Mickavicz, Gia Occhipinti, Marley Palmere, Megan Purcell, Julia Romanovich, Amanda Sakulich, Nina Sampogne, Kaitlyn Savage, Natalie Sottile, Christopher Talluto, Makenna Thorpe, Evan Tremback, Ryan Turlip, Alexandra Valvano, Anna Van Wert, Stone Wormuth, Alec Yanisko, Drew Yanni.
Regional Manufacturers Experience Dynamic Growth; Rebound Quickly with NEPIRC Assistance The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) closed out its most recent fiscal year on June 30, 2021, with reports of dynamic growth and much faster than expected COVID-19 recovery among its manufacturing clients over the past year. Throughout the past 12 months, NEPIRC assisted more than 400 manufacturers across northeastern, the northern tier and central Pennsylvania in responding to the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuilding their businesses. Of those companies, more than 100 received expanded services tailored to their unique circumstances and challenges. Citing client-reported data gathered through multiple independent sources and subsequently verified by the U.S. Department of Commerce, NEPIRC’s President and CEO, Eric Joseph Esoda, announced that those companies recorded $150.5 million in additional revenue over the past year as a result of NEPIRC’s assistance while also attributing $17.2 million in savings due to increased efficiency and productivity. Despite worldwide economic challenges throughout the latter half of 2020 and first six months of 2021, NEPIRC’s clients invested more than $22.1 million in expanding or modernizing their regional manufacturing facilities and were able to create and retain 2,045 good-paying area manufacturing jobs. “The outstanding impacts that manufacturers are reporting from their engagements with NEPIRC are indicative of the industrial sector’s potential to drive our Commonwealth, and even our country, out of the economic uncertainties that the COVID-19 pandemic left in its wake,” said Mr. Esoda. “We’ve consistently held that our industrial sector is Pennsylvania’s best bet for real, consistent and sustainable economic recovery and expansion and, in fact, fuels growth in other sectors that rely upon manufacturing activity. These results prove that our manufacturers are roaring back to life and will once again drive our Commonwealth forward,” he added. According to aggregate client data within NEPIRC’s year-end reports, 60% of the manufacturers NEPIRC assisted throughout the pandemic reported the avoidance of layoffs as a direct result of the advisement they received. A nearly equal number of clients (58%) credited NEPIRC with enabling them to retain customer relationships and sales that would have otherwise been lost by working with them to meet production requirements or find alternative suppliers when primary supply chains were disrupted by COVID-19. A full 40% of NEPIRC clients reported increased sales amidst the pandemic thanks to NEPIRC’s assistance in attracting new customers or pivoting into new markets – and over 30% of the companies that utilized NEPIRC’s services over the past 12 months created new manufacturing jobs within the region. Across the nation, NEPIRC ended its fiscal year as one of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s top-performing Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) affiliates, particularly with respect to the number of companies it served throughout the pandemic and the levels of jobs its clients created and retained over the past year.
Geisinger Launches Nursing Scholars Program for Employees Nurses make up the largest segment of the healthcare workforce and play critical roles in caring for patients. Now, Geisinger employees interested in a nursing career will have an easier path. By launching a new career development program, Geisinger will provide financial, educational and wellness support to its employees pursuing a career in nursing. The Geisinger’s Nursing Scholars Program eases the financial burden of nursing school and is open to any employee who’s worked with Geisinger for a year or more and isn’t already a registered nurse (RN) or provider. The program awards $40,000 in financial support with a 5-year work commitment as an inpatient nurse. The goal is to support 175 scholars per year by offering rolling admissions to the program. While supporting employee career and professional goals, the program will also mitigate a shortage of nurses across the organization and beyond. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation needs 1.1 million new RNs by 2022 to avoid a nursing shortage. “There is a recruitment gap of approximately 300 registered nurses per year across the Geisinger system,” said Janet Tomcavage, chief nursing executive at Geisinger. “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections, registered nursing is listed among the top occupations in terms of job growth through 2029. The RN workforce is expected to grow from 3 million in 2019 to 3.3 million in 2029, an increase of 7%. Community members across our footprint can join the Geisinger workforce and take advantage of this wonderful career advancement opportunity.” The program serves as an entry point into the healthcare profession for high school students and for anyone considering a career in nursing. Community members who are not Geisinger employees can apply for available positions within Geisinger and qualify for the program after only one year of employment. “We are aware that many of our employees are keen to pursue a nursing career but need additional support from us in achieving their dreams. This comprehensive nursing scholars’ program is designed to provide financial, educational and well-being support for Geisinger employees who would like to become registered nurses,” added Tomcavage. Geisinger will support the employee scholars in preparation to go back to school to set them up for success. Guidance in choosing a school and type of degree is available via an internal website and personal counseling. Those who wish to attend prep classes may do so through internally offered classes designed by Geisinger experts. Basic math, navigating online classes and work-life balance are some of the courses offered. While employees are in school, support via study groups, mentoring from Geisinger nurses and professional development opportunities will be available at Geisinger. “Studying while working is a huge undertaking and we understand that employees will need more than just financial support. We want to be able to support our employees’ well-being and provide them with help that they might need when preparing to go back to school. Geisinger’s Nursing Scholars Program is designed to motivate and support employees in achieving their best at work and at school,” said Rebecca Stoudt, associate dean of nursing student education at Geisinger. Geisinger partners with various nursing schools across its footprint, and has created easy access to healthcare for many Pennsylvania communities. The Geisinger Career Center, a recruitment and career services hub, offers community members and Geisinger employees the chance to make a difference through available job opportunities in the health system. Beyond the physical career center, located at 529 Mill St. in Danville, anyone interested can make virtual or phone consultations to learn about Geisinger careers. Candidates can speak with a Geisinger representative about open positions, and current Geisinger employees can learn more about professional development resources and events. Open positions at Geisinger are also listed at jobs.geisinger.org. To find out more about the career center or to make an appointment, call 877-564-6447 or email GeisingerCareers@geisinger.edu.
Geisinger Invests in Pittston Township Healthplex Geisinger has announced the development of an $80 million outpatient facility that will make better health easier for residents of northeastern Pennsylvania by improving availability and convenience of a variety of in-demand health services — from surgery to eye care. Centrally located between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, the 124,000 square-foot Geisinger Healthplex CenterPoint will house nine clinical suites providing services in surgery and endoscopy, orthopaedics, urology, ophthalmology and retail eyewear, laboratory and imaging, and a hybrid medical and orthopaedic ConvenientCare. The healthplex will be located at 1201 Oak St., Pittston Township, previously the site of a Walmart. Situated near junctions of state Route 315, Interstate 81 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the facility is a short trip from either city. Designed to bring together services that complement each other, such as diagnostic imaging and orthopaedics, the healthplex will reduce the need for patients to go to different facilities for related appointments. It will have ample, ground-level parking, multiple entry points and will be reachable by public transportation. The project, expected to be complete by summer 2022, will create 154 jobs and is the latest in a line of Geisinger investments totaling more than $200 million in Luzerne County since the beginning of 2019. Each investment has been dedicated to expanding services, providing the latest technology and advancements in treatment, and bringing world-class care closer to home for people living in northeastern Pennsylvania. The healthplex will allow Geisinger to offer more appointments in the services provided and to hire new providers, which means patients will experience shorter wait times between scheduling an appointment and being seen by a provider. “When we looked at the services needed by our patients here in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties, we realized we were limited by the space we had available,” said Ron Beer, chief administrative officer of Geisinger’s northeast region. “This location makes care more accessible to our friends and neighbors, because it’s about as centralized between Scranton and Wilkes- Barre as it can be, truly making it easier for our patients and members in both counties to get the care they need more quickly.” Geisinger Healthplex CenterPoint will offer treatment options unique to the region. Bolstering a wide range of sports medicine, hand, and foot and ankle services, the orthopaedics team will perform arthroscopic hip procedures and wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) procedures, which can treat conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis and reduce recovery times. A complete subspecialty eye-care program will feature ophthalmic providers capable of delivering virtually any service a patient may need, including neuro ophthalmology care and pediatric ophthalmology care, which are currently limited in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. The team will also perform LASIK surgery, a first for Geisinger in the northeast region. Extended hours of operation will be available for diagnostic and by-appointment or walk-in ConvenientCare services, and amenities will include a central café and atrium with outdoor green space and seating. Modern design will create a bright, inviting atmosphere designed for patient comfort, and facial recognition technology will be available for easy check-in. “Geisinger Healthplex CenterPoint will offer distinctive, convenient care to the people of northeastern Pennsylvania,” Beer said. “Along with expanded services, we’re proud that our growth means more employment opportunities for local residents. We’re also excited to be renovating a space that was a popular place of commerce for the community. What was a frequented place of business will now be an easy-to-reach destination for exceptional care.” Investments in Luzerne County since January 2019: January 2019: $3.1 million, 8,000 square-foot inpatient wing opens at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre with 14 private rooms for patients with medical and surgical needsMay 2019: $22 million Central Utility Plant completed at Geisinger Wyoming ValleyMedical Center, increasing utility capacity for the campus, which paves the way for future service growth, and decreasing energy consumption by 40 percentAugust 2019: $3 million 65 Forward Health Center opens in Kingston, bringing concierge-style primary care to Geisinger members 65 and olderMarch 2020: $6.5 million installation of CyberKnife S7 technology for targeted radiation therapy at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical CenterJuly 2020: Construction begins on $80 million renovation and expansion of GeisingerWyoming Valley Medical Center and the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer CenterOctober 2020: $3 million 65 Forward Health Center opens in downtown Wilkes-BarreNovember 2020: $3.3 million 65 Forward Health Center opens in West Hazleton
Scranton Area Community Foundation Announces 2021 Scholarship Recipients The Scranton Area Community Foundation is proud to announce its 2021 scholarship recipients, benefitting 168 local students from various schools in the area from scholarship funds administered by the Foundation. A total of $474,440 was recently distributed through 63 scholarships, including the #GaryInspiredMe Scholarship, the Matt McGloin Scholarship, the Neal J. Fasula Scholarship, and the highly-competitive James F. Swift scholarship. The complete listing of all 2021 scholarship recipients is detailed below. Scholarship recipients are selected annually by various scholarship committees at the Foundation. “We are grateful to the generous donors who make these scholarships possible to benefit so many students from across the region,” stated Scranton Area Community Foundation President and CEO, Laura Ducceschi. “The Foundation proudly manages over 50 individual scholarship funds established by charitable donors who want to support outstanding students and make higher education more attainable for so many in our communities.” The Scranton Area Community Foundation is a partner with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) in their Partnership for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Program to offer qualifying students additional financial aid. Through PHEAA, many scholarship recipients may be eligible for additional dollars toward their tuition.For more information on any of the scholarships at the Scranton Area Community Foundation, please contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203. To establish a scholarship fund in honor of or memory of a loved one or to include a scholarship as a legacy gift in your estate plans, please contact the Scranton Area Community Foundation today or visit safdn.org to learn more. 2021 Scholarship Recipients #GaryInspiredMe Scholarship Natalie Deal (North Pocono)Shiloh Miller (Northwest Area) American Legion A. Pierson Hurd Academic ScholarshipMargaret Domski (Valley View) Angelina Fricchione and Michael Cupple ScholarshipSydney Dana (Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine) Ann Wall ScholarshipNathan Dill (Lackawanna Trail) Anthracite ScholarshipTaylor Bartle (Greater Nanticoke)Joseph Fasula (Scranton Prep)Joseph Ferrara (Wallenpaupak)Hunter Geise (Riverside)John Gilchrist (Riverside)Lindsay Grzyboski (Riverside)Zack Kovalchik (Valley View)Shiloh Miller (Northwest Area)Isabelle Ritz (Hazleton)Matthew Williams (Holy Redeemer) Ashley and Erin Williams Memorial ScholarshipDestiny Anello (North Pocono) Blakely Borough ScholarshipEmma Burak (Valley View) Caroline Ace, LPN/Angela Muchal, LPN ScholarshipMorgan Veina (Career Technology Center) Catherine A. Alu Memorial ScholarshipPaige Martin (Dunmore) Chris Moran ScholarshipChase Poplawski (Mountain View)Michael Rodyushkin (Abington Heights) Chris Till Sender Scholarship Christine Townsend (Scranton) Cinderella’s Closet Scholarship Jillian Brennan (Holy Cross) Constance M. and Joseph A. Brocavich Memorial ScholarshipTravis Bridgeman (Scranton Prep)Samuel Grizzanti (Scranton Prep)Grace Ann Kapacs (Scranton Prep) Danielle Faramelli ScholarshipOlivia Kaschak (Valley View) David Gallagher Memorial ScholarshipKayla Przekop (Abington Heights) Dr. Bernard Shair Memorial ScholarshipPeter Heckman (University of Scranton) Dr. E.C. LaCoe ScholarshipKristin Lipkus (Abington Heights)Tyler Petty (Abington Heights) Dr. George J. Hallesky Memorial ScholarshipAllana Elizabeth Warner (Johnson College) Dulcey Degilio ScholarshipKristin Lipkus (Abington Heights) Edward C. Snyder Memorial ScholarshipJohn Barrera (Kings College) Greg Legg NEPA Diamond ScholarshipZack Kovalchik (Valley View) James F. Swift ScholarshipJillian Brennan (Holy Cross)Shannon Baransky (Marywood)Tanner Begin (Penn State University)Cameron Butka (West Scranton)Sofia Capozzi (Abington Heights)Calista Calabro (Penn State University)Ashley Capone (Marywood)Christina Carachilo (University of Scranton)Hannah Carr (University of Scranton)Ryan Coleman (Valley View)Andrew Cummings (Dickinson College)Ava Decker (West Scranton)James Docalovich (Lehigh University)Caitlin Doughton (University of Scranton)Collin Ennis (University of Scranton)Fione Evans (University of Scranton)Marguerite Flynn (Boston College)Hunter Geise (Riverside)Austin Glidewell (University of Scranton)Nicholas Guerra (University of Scranton)Marilyn Hoskins (Marywood University)Matthew Howard (Scranton Prep)Daniel Jaggars (University of Nebraska)Rebecca Johnson (University of Scranton)Tiffini Kalt (Marywood University)Meghan Keenan (Elizabethtown College)Benjamin Koshinski (University of Scranton)Tori Kovalchick (Penn State University)Korey Kruk (Scranton High School)Kristen Lello (Marywood University)Rebecca Lucas (University of the Sciences)Ximena Maldonado (University of Scranton)Olivia Manarchuck (University of Scranton)Hailey Matechak (Lakeland)Sara McCormack (Scranton)David McKenney (Lakeland)Mark Melesky (Penn State University)Brooke Mickavicz (Marywood University)Tyler Muskey (University of Scranton)Jenna O’Malley (University of Scranton)Gia Occhipinti (University of Pittsburgh)Marisol Olivares (North Pocono)Marley Palmere (Moravian College)Claudia Pitts (University of Scranton)Antonio Pugliese (Penn State University)Megan Purcell (Lehigh University)Meredith Purcell (Scranton Prep)Taralyn Reilly (Valley View)Michael Rodyushkin (Abington Heights)Julia Romanovich (University of Scranton)Kayla Rose (Riverside)Amanda Sakulich (Marywood University)Nina Sampogne (Penn State University)Gerardo Sanchez Garcia (University of Scranton)Kaitlyn Savage (Marywood University)Taylor Seprosky (Marywood University)Gwyneth Serowinski (Keystone College)Christian Snee (Mid Valley)Gabrielle Snee (Mid Valley)Natalie Sottile (University of Scranton)Eric Spivak (Marywood University)Elizabeth Stone (Marywood University)Christopher Talluto (Elizabethtown College)Alexis Tanana (Holy Cross)Benjamin Thompson (North Pocono)Makenna Thorpe (Saint Joseph’s University)Evan Tremback (Marywood University)Maura Turi (University of Scranton)Ryan Turlip (University of Pennsylvania)Alexandra Valvano (Villanova University)Anna Van Wert (University of Scranton)Jacob Vituszynski (University of Scranton)Joshua Vituszynski (University of Scranton)Stone Wormuth (Wilkes University)Alec Yanisko (Johnson College)Drew Yanni (Marywood University) James M. Akens North Pocono Athletic Trust FunCasey Serine (North Pocono)Kyle Serine (North Pocono) Jane H. Rushmore Memorial Nursing ScholarshipLisa Engroff (Career Technology Center)Kacie Szczech (Career Technology Center) Jason Evans Memorial Wrestling ScholarshipJames Brown (Abington Heights) Jefferson ScholarshipSara Reyes Guerrero (Riverside)Jaela Johnson (West Scranton) Jeffrey Morgan Davis Memorial ScholarshipSean Herbert (Holy Cross) Jennifer Morgan ScholarshipLindsey Christian (Pittston Area) John and Grace Kreig ScholarshipJeffery Higgins (Riverside) John R. and Maureen J. Pesavento All Saints Interparochial Academy ScholarshipElla Cohen (Scranton Prep)Nicholas Rusinko (Holy Cross) Joseph (Firp) and Charles Pacino ScholarshipPeter Kawash (Lakeland) Joseph J. Costa Memorial ScholarshipGene Biscontini (Lackawanna College)Lindsey Eason (Lackawanna College)Gilbert Diaz (Lackawanna College) Joseph P. McDonald Memorial ScholarshipDavid Day (Dunmore)Katie McKitish (Dunmore)Steven Qarmout (Dunmore) Junior League of Scranton ScholarshipSara McCormack (Scranton) Keisling Family ScholarshipSarah Tolerico (Carbondale) Margaret Briggs/Lackawanna College ScholarshipTara Palumbo (Lackawanna College)Donald Yarros (Lackawanna College) Matt McGloin ScholarshipBrennan Burnside (West Scranton)Iylah Mosley (West Scranton) Midori Yamanouchi, PhD Scholarship Nevica Molinaro (Riverside) Neal J. Fasula ScholarshipGavin Beck (Marywood University)Mia Castellano (Edinboro University)Kevin Jumper (Holy Cross)Norah Kelly (Holy CrossBryan Melliand (Penn State University)Samantha Meeker (Penn State University)Alexandra Mitchell (Penn State University)Adam Nitch (West Chester University)Will Oliphant (Misericordia University)Frank Rosenski (Abington Heights)William White (Penn State University) Page to the Stage Collegiate Scholarship Damien Chmielewski (Mid Valley) Patrick Andrew Luptak ScholarshipNatalie Deal (North Pocono)Michael Rodyushkin (Abington Heights)Sarah Tolerico (Carbondale) Pay It Forward ScholarshipJessica Kehl (Penn State University)Emma Kernoschak (Penn State University) Raoul Wallenberg ScholarshipTaylor Bartle (Greater Nanticoke Area) Russell J. O’Malley and James E. O’Brien Memorial ScholarshipRichard Rodenbach (Temple University) Sarah Beth Beynon Memorial ScholarshipJadan Zawierucha (Pittston Area) Scotty Cummings Perry Special Ed Scholarship Margaret Domski (Valley View) Scranton Central High School Class of 1964 ScholarshipEmily Kizer (Scranton) Sean J. Calpin Automotive Technology ScholarshipNicholas Wilson (Johnson College) Teddick Family ScholarshipAshtyn Mecca (Lackawanna Trail)Zoe Pickett (Elk Lake)Chase Poplawski (Mountain View) The Melvin-Deininger ScholarshipMadeline Meckwood (Abington Heights) Tolerance ScholarshipTaylor Bartle (Greater Nanticoke) Todd Angelo Memorial ScholarshipPeter Heckman (University of Scranton) Waverly Women’s Club Scholarship Sarah Siddiqui (Abington Heights) Waverly Women’s Club Mildred Mumford English ScholarshipIsabell Holland (Abington Heights) Waverly Women’s Club Technical School Scholarship Spencer Jones (Abington Heights)
The Wright Center for Community Health Offers ‘OARS’ App The Wright Center for Community Health announces it has introduced a new software tool intended to help individuals who are coping with substance use disorder to better maintain their treatment plans and avoid relapse. The Opioid Addiction Recovery Support app, known as OARS, can be installed on a patient’s smartphone. Patients use the app to securely message their healthcare team, chart daily progress and receive support from professionals and/or peers. The Wright Center’s healthcare providers, meanwhile, are able to view the patient’s real-time reporting and feedback, then use that information to quickly address any emerging challenges and make treatment decisions to promote a more successful recovery journey. The app was developed by Q2i, a Boston-area digital health company, in partnership with UCLA. Their work is aimed at mitigating the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis, which reached a historic new level in 2020 – reportedly the deadliest year ever in the U.S. for drug overdoses. Federal estimates released this month show a nearly 30% rise in fatal overdoses over the prior year, an increase that health officials attributed partly to the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. OARS can improve the success of medication-assisted treatment programs. The Wright Center’s primary care practices offer medication-assisted treatment – a whole-person approach to addiction that combines counseling and behavioral therapies with the use of approved medications such as buprenorphine. “Tools like OARS, which extend our behavioral health team’s ability to connect with and support individuals in recovery, are especially useful and potentially can improve outcomes,” said Scott Constantini, The Wright Center’s Director of Behavioral Health. “We’re proud to be on the forefront of studying and introducing these kinds of technologies.” In response to community needs, The Wright Center became an early proponent and provider of medication-assisted treatment and related services across a multicounty area in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In 2016, the state Department of Human Services designated The Wright Center as an Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence. Today the organization serves about 540 active Center of Excellence patients. The Wright Center also co-founded the Healthy MOMS program, which assists pregnant and postpartum women who are coping with substance use disorder. The program currently has 121 active mothers. The OARS app will be offered to The Wright Center’s Center of Excellence patients and the women enrolled in the region’s Healthy MOMS program. About two dozen patients have already adopted use of the app. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) had granted approval earlier this year for the OARS software to proceed to a Phase II clinical trial. The Wright Center, which operates primary care practices in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties, served as a study site during Phase I and is also a study site for Phase II. For more information about The Wright Center’s healthcare services, visit thewrightcenter.org.
Marywood University Honors Jim and Cathy Gavin for Inspiring Social Justice Marywood University’s Eighth Annual Community Leadership Celebration, Inspiring Social Justice, took place on Thursday, June 10, 2021, and honored Jim and Cathy Gavin of Scranton. Nearly 300 people gathered at the Motherhouse and Seminary Morgan Memorial Garden to celebrate as Marywood proudly bestowed the Lead On Award to Jim and Cathy Gavin, honoring them for their community leadership, their selfless work for the benefit of Marywood students and the greater community, and for making our area a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Guests of the event were welcomed by Richard McLane, bagpiper. Entertainment was provided by Isabella Snyder ’22, student vocalist, accompanied by Stephen Murphy, pianist and vocalist. Barbara Cawley ’63 and Mary Ellen Coleman ’68, served as committee co-chairs of the event. Funds raised at this year’s Community Leadership Celebration (CLC) exceeded $325,000. To date the CLC has raised nearly 3 million dollars. Marywood University’s CLC event provides special support to Marywood students. Proceeds from this year’s event, as in the past three years, will support the President’s Innovation Fund, a fund that supports Marywood students through initiatives that enhance the academic experience in the IHM tradition. The Gavins have had a lifelong relationship with the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, beginning in grade school at Chapel and Holy Rosary schools in the 1950s. This relationship has flourished over several decades. Mr. Gavin graduated from the University of Scranton in 1971, following three years of active military service. He earned graduate degrees in Social Work and Management from Marywood in 1973 and 1985. A professional social worker, Mr. Gavin worked in the behavioral health field for 47 years in clinical as well as management positions. He recently retired after 21 years as President/CEO of Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, a UPMC insurance company, and is currently a Senior Advisor to executive leadership. Elected to Marywood University’s Board of Trustees in 2014, Mr. Gavin is a member of various committees serving as Treasurer and Chair of Finance since 2016. Mrs. Gavin began a lifelong career in the restaurant business at Stirna’s Restaurant in 1967. After a short stay at The Scranton/Lackawanna Human Development Agency she returned to her true passion, Stirna’s Restaurant. In 1980, with the support and assistance of a friend and attorney, she purchased the business and remains its sole proprietor today. During the next 40 years, Mrs. Gavin began and managed what is today a thriving catering business. She also negotiated and managed the food service contract for Lackawanna College. In 2008, on the 100th Anniversary of Stirna’s Restaurant, and with the help of her son, Michael, she totally renovated the West Market Street facility. Today, the restaurant and catering business continue to thrive under their management and supervision. During Jim and Cathy’s fifty years of marriage, their focus has been on family, church, and community. They have two children, Kate and Michael, and two grandchildren, Gavin and Grace. They are proud members of the Gavin/Walsh families, who are collectively committed to the missions and work of the IHM Congregation. Together, Mr. and Mrs. Gavin are active on numerous boards dedicated to the health and welfare of the citizens in Lackawanna and Allegheny counties. To learn more about Marywood University’s Annual Community Leadership Celebration, please visit marywood.edu/clc, or call (570) 348-6238.
