Spirit Halloween stores in the area recently held a virtual check presentation to donate the funds raised by their October Spirit of Children campaign. Six local Spirit stores in the area raised $54,964 for the Child Life Department at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital during the 2020 Halloween season.

Those six stores were located in Bloomsburg, Selinsgrove, Muncy, Scranton/Dickson City, Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton.

“The Child Life Department was very thankful for this wonderful donation,” said Allison Naumann, annual giving coordinator at Geisinger Health Foundation. “Child Life intends to use the money to purchase new Shadow Buddy dolls and a new camera for milestone photos for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) families.”

The Child Life Department uses Shadow Buddies in many areas of the children’s hospital. Each doll is condition-specific, reflecting the condition the child has and acting as a hands-on tool to teach them about their illness and treatment. The camera for the NICU will allow families to celebrate milestones such as monthly celebrations, the first time they hold their infants or maybe the first time twins can be together.

Spirit raised the money by asking every customer for a donation or if they would like to round up their change to donate as well, according to Jordon Reese, regional manager for Spirit in Central Pennsylvania.

“Our employees are extremely passionate about our program and know how much it impacts their local children’s hospital. We have numerous contests and lots of friendly competition to truly get as big of a donation as possible with our very short season,” he said. “Spirit of Children Halloween care packages were sent to the hospital as well which included costumes, activity coloring books, crayons and treat bags for the Child Life team to distribute.”  This was the third year that Spirit has supported Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital. The stores have raised more than $130,000 over that time.

The Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art, an Affiliate Partner of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, hosted a virtual award ceremony announcing the winners of the Northeastern PA Regional 2021 Scholastics Art Awards. The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers’ mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world. The awards give students recognition, exhibition, publications, and scholarships. Scholastics is the nation’s longest-running, a most prestigious recognition program for creative teens.

“The 2021 Scholastics Art Awards submissions of the Northeast Region is proof that arts educators are doing a fantastic job. This year’s submissions were some of the best works I’ve seen since the Museum became an affiliate partner in 2018. The level of talent is exceptional,” said Stefanie Colarusso, Director of Programs and Events for the Everhart.

“The arts provide students with a creative outlet to express their personal vision or voice. It is a way for students to express their emotions in a way that is especially meaningful in such uncertain times. It is genuinely refreshing to see the commitment from educators, students, and parents or guardians who support creativity at home and in school, encouraging students to express themselves through art creation.”

This year, made possible by a grant from the Maslow Family Foundation, the Museum received over 400 submissions in various media from Junior and Senior High School students from throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. The awards are Honorable Mention, Silver Key, and Gold Key. Five of the Gold Key award recipients were recognized as American Vision Nominees.

All Gold Key Award and American Vision Nominee recipients are invited to participate in the National Exhibition in New York City and an awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, June 9. 

American Vision Nominees are Sabriya Seid, 12th-grade, Abington Heights High School under the direction of Eileen Healey; Julia Poncavage, 11th-grade Crestwood High School under the direction of Ann Gubitose; Michelle Andia, 12th-grade Delaware Valley High School, under the direction of Christine Sweeney; Milada Burovova, 12th-grade Delaware Valley High School under the direction of Irene Lantz; and Ava Badyrka, 10th-grade Mid Valley Secondary Center under the direction of Samantha McGraw. 

Gold Key Awards were awarded to the following: Michelle Andia (12th) and Matthew Nzasi (12th) of Abington Heights High School; Ava Badyrka (10th), Julia Poncavage (11th) of Crestwood High School; Olivia Outt (12th) and Emma Varano (12th) of Danville Area High School; Milada         Burovova (12th), Asela Chrysann Calvert (11th), Youngeun Choi (9th), Sage Henry (10th), Sophia Miller (11th), and Kendall Mrozinski (12th) all of Delaware Valley High School; Claire Urbas (12th) of Forest City Regional Jr Senior High School; Taylor Vlassis (12th) of Lackawanna Trail Junior Senior High School; Ava Badyrka (12th) of Mid Valley Secondary Center; Cecelia Adams (11th) of Montrose Junior Senior High School; Leah Crawley (10th), Parker Dubiel (12th), Gabrielle Edwards (12th), Kasey Portanova (12th) of North Pocono High School; Aiden Itsalapron (12th) of Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School; Sarah Sulek (12th) of Pocono Mountain East High School; (12th), Maggie Bede (12th), Nancy Ho (11th), and Paige McConlogue (12th) of Scranton High School; and Lilly Maros (8th) of Western Wayne Middle School.

Silver Key was awarded to the following students: Matthew Nzasi (12th) of Abington Heights High School; Sabriya Seid (12th), Kiera Chillis (12th) of Danville Area High School; Michelle Andia (12th), Anna Bailor (12th), Jarett Baka (12th), Sage Henry (10th), Joclyn Irons (12th), Kendall Mrozinski (12th), Gavin Munro (12th), Rachel Richter (11th), Ethan Sansolis (11th) all of Delaware Valley High School; Emily Johannes (12th), and Kyle Soden (12th) of Honesdale High School, and Leah Crawley (10th), Gabrielle Edwards (12th), Maya Kulick (11th), Kasey Portanova (12th ) of North Pocono High School; Aiden Itsalapron (11th) of Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, Maggie Bede (12th), Sadie Bracey (12th), Sarah Goldberg (12th), Mia Macavage (11th), and Sharon McConlogue (12th) all of Scranton High School; Amaya Cruz (12th) of Stroudsburg High School; Lilly Maros (8th) of Western Wayne Middle School; Porter Dawson (10th) of Williamsport Area High School; and Luke Duthie (11th) of Wyoming Seminary Upper School.

Honorable Mention was awarded to Matthew Nzasi (12th) of Abington Heights High School; Briauna Hausser (10th) of Blue Ridge High School; Noelle Stamm (12th) of Danville Area High School; Michelle Andia (12th), Cayden Bell (12th),  Milada Burovova (12th), Noelani Felix (11th), Joshua Flick (12th); Kristen Henry (12th), Bryan Morley (12th), Gavin Munro (12th), Rachel Richter (11th), and Ethan Sansolis (11th) all of Delaware Valley High School; Claire Urbas (12th) Forest City Regional Jr Senior High School; Ha Young Kim (11th) Homeschooled; Kyle Soden (12th) and Claragail Wheeler (10th) of Honesdale High School; Alexandra Dejesus (10th) of Mid Valley Secondary Center; Abby Kutalek (12th) of Montrose Junior-Senior High School; Leah Crawley (10th), Parker Dubiel (12th); Gabrielle Edwards (12th); Maya Kulick (11th); Kasey Portanova (12th) all of North Pocono High School; Leilani Chung (12th) of Pleasant Valley High School; Deanna Hoffner (12th), Shelby Jurasits (12th), Sarah Sulek (12th) of Pocono Mountain East High School; Kayla Walsh (12th) of Reach Cyber Charter School; Madelyn Casey (12th); Sarah Goldberg (12th), Mia Macavage (11th), Paige McConlogue (12th), Emma McNally (12th), Abigail Wilson (11th), Kathryn Wozniak (11th) all of Scranton High School; Lyric Ray (12th) of Stroudsburg High School; Anna Brown (7th), and Grace Ronacher (8th) of Wayne Highlands Middle School; Bailey Stanford (12th) of Wilkes-Barre Area School District – CAPAA, and Carter Dawson (11th) of Williamsport Area High School.

“On behalf of the Everhart Museum and our regional arts community, I’d like to congratulate all student artists for the fantastic display of work created this year. It is an honor to represent the Northeast Region as a National affiliate of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards,” exclaimed Stefanie Colarusso.

All Gold Key and American Vision winners will advance to national judging and be invited to a National Exhibition in New York City. Jurors select national recognition work based on three criteria: originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal vision. National Awards will be announced on March 17, 2021, at artandwriting.org, and an awards ceremony held at Carnegie Hall on Wednesday, June 9. 

To view the virtual exhibition, please visit the Everhart Museum’s YouTube Channel or click here.

Toyota of Scranton, Johnson College & ShopRite are hosting a no-contact drive-through turkey dinner giveaway this Sunday, February 28 at 11 a.m. on the Johnson College campus in Scranton. Meals will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a limit of four meals per vehicle, until all 250 pre-prepared meals are handed out. ShopRite is donating all of the food, while it will be prepared and packaged by Toyota of Scranton staff and Johnson College students. 

Vehicles will enter the Johnson College campus via its north entrance, at the light across from Schiff’s. Once on campus, vehicles will be directed to line-up for pick-up. Johnson College students and Toyota of Scranton staff members will load the meals into each vehicle’s hatch or trunk. This no-contact procedure is to keep everyone safe and healthy during the pandemic. Face coverings and gloves will be worn by all volunteers. Vehicles cannot line up on campus before 11 a.m. and cannot park on Main Street.

For day-of event information or interview coordination, please contact Doug Cook at 570-702-8920 or Melissa Carestia at 570-702-8928.

David Raven, President and CEO of The Honesdale National Bank, announced Greg Gula has been promoted to VP, Chief Credit Officer.

In making the statement, Raven noted, “Greg  has played a significant role in supporting the Bank’s asset quality and enabling the stability of our lending portfolio. We are confident that Greg will continue to contribute to a bright future for HNB and ensure excellent support for the needs of our customers.”

Prior to the promotion, Gula served as VP, Credit Administration Manager, managing credit related services to facilitate needs of bank employees and customers.

Gula began his career with HNB in 2010, and he will continue to mitigate the distribution of bank loans along with other tasks surrounding loan portfolio management in the department.

Commenting on his role at HNB, Gula noted, “Moving into this position affords me the opportunity to help move the bank forward, accepting new challenges and opportunities while remaining true to the solid foundation laid by my predecessors.”

Gula is a graduate of West Scranton High School and attended Penn State University. In his 42 years of banking experience, he has worked mainly in the lending related areas of several regional banks. He has also completed numerous banking courses, training sessions and workshops. His profession allowed the attendance of seminars relating to commercial lending, financial statement analysis, loan documentation and loan loss reserve allowance calculations.

For more information on HNB’s products and services, visit www.hnbbank.bank.

The Board of Trustees of Misericordia University has appointed Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D., professor and acting chairperson of Sociology at American University in Washington, D.C., as the next president of Misericordia University.  Dr. Myers will begin his presidential term on July 1, 2021.

“Dr. Myers brings extensive experience in the areas of planning, new program development, community engagement, faculty development, enrollment management, fundraising, and diversity and inclusion,” says Dr. Deborah Smith-Mileski, chair, Misericordia University Board of Trustees. “His strategic vision and administrative experience will serve this university well into the next century.”

Myers earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, before completing a master’s and doctorate in sociology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is a well-known expert in the study of collective behavior and social movements. He has published books and articles primarily focused on protest and unrest, the diffusion of social phenomena, social psychology, and urban politics. He has won awards for both his research and teaching.

Myers previously served as provost at American University and Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Before that, he spent 17 years at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, serving as vice president and associate provost for Faculty Affairs, Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Letters, and as chair of the Department of Sociology. Myers had also been the director of Faculty Development and Research in the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and he founded and directed the Center for the Study of Social Movements.

“I am tremendously excited to join the Misericordia community and contribute to the wonderful work done by this engaged community,” says Myers.  “I want to thank the search committee, the board of trustees, and all of the faculty, staff, and students who participated in the interview process.  Their testimony about the commitment to the charisms and mission of Misericordia were powerful, meaningful, and resonated deeply with me.”

Myers will succeed Kathleen Owens, Ph.D., who continues to serve as president of Misericordia through June 30, 2021.   Dr. Owens was appointed to serve as president for the 2020-2021 academic year, succeeding Thomas J. Botzman, Ph.D., who left Misericordia for the presidency of the University of Mount Union, Alliance, Ohio, in June 2020. For more information about Misericordia University, please call 570-674-6400 or visit www.misericordia.edu.

Tournament Name: Call of Duty: Warzone / Rumble in Solos

Date: March 18^th, 2021
Time: 4:00 to 7:00 PM EST
Where: https://www.twitch.tv/electriccityesports
Entry Fee: $15 per player
Must be 18+ to enter
Cash prize pool
Capacity: Unlimited 
Sign-up: https://esportsstation.net/

Description: The LZ is hot! Drop into 2021 by joining us for a Call of Duty tournament, Call of Duty: Warzone / Rumble in Solos. Bring your favorite load-outs, operators and comfy slippers to this exclusively online Warzone tournament. Participants will be playing a best out of three in Call of Duty Warzone SOLOS public matches, race to the finish and claim victory. There will be giveaways, cash prizes and more!

Format: 3-Hour Race – best out of three matches. The highest kills averaged after 3 games wins! Players will have a 3 hour period to try to get a high-kill game or a Warzone victory – Warzone victories will add 2 points to your final kill count for that game. At the end of the 3 hours, the player that has the highest average kills in the best out of three games will win.

Johnson College will hold a virtual Open House on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at 6 p.m. via Zoom and an in-person Open House on its campus in Scranton on Saturday, March 27, 2021, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To register for both or one of the Open House events visit Johnson.edu/openhouse or contact Johnson College’s Enrollment Department at 570-702-8856 or enroll@johnson.edu.

Both Open House events will include discussions about the admissions process, financial aid for those who qualify, and student services such as student life, student support, and career services.

During the in-person Open House, same day acceptance will be available, if students bring their high school or college transcripts. Tours of each technical area will be conducted and department chairs will be available to review the specifics of their programs. Social distancing and sanitization guidelines will be followed and face coverings must be worn at all times while on campus.

For additional information on Johnson College, please call 1-800-2-WE-WORK, email enroll@johnson.edu, or visit Johnson.edu.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that expiration dates for commercial driver licenses and commercial learner’s permits will be extended for Pennsylvania residents in response to statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

This will be the final extension for the following products’ expiration dates:

• The expiration date for a commercial learner’s permit scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020, through March 31, 2021, is extended through March 31, 2021.
• The expiration date for commercial driver licenses scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020, through March 31, 2021, is extended through March 31, 2021.

Customers with commercial products that are covered by the extension but have not yet been renewed are encouraged to renew their CDL products as soon as possible by March 31, 2021.  No further extensions will be given on these products.

Expiration extension deadlines on non-commercial driver license, photo identification cards, learner’s permits and camera cards ended on August 31, 2020.

For a list of open driver license and photo license centers and the services provided, as well as their hours of operation, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov.  

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and schedule a driver’s exam. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will communicate any changes with the public.

Additional COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

When COVID-19 swept the globe, it caught the collective health care world off guard. While the national news was largely fixated on the bath tissue shortage, health systems were scrambling to shore up their supply of personal protective equipment and other infection-control necessities. Educators at Geisinger realized that Geisinger itself could provide the perfect case study in pandemic response to ensure better preparation for any future plague.

As the coronavirus raged, educators and scientists at Geisinger developed a course,  COVID-19: Health Systems and Pandemics, for audiences ranging from graduate and medical students, to healthcare practitioners looking for relevant continuing education credits and even to the general public interested in infectious disease, how it spreads and what an effective response entails.

“The COVID course brings to bear the type of interactive, just-in-time learning that can only come from an integrated health system like Geisinger,” said V. Scott Koerwer, PhD, EdD, vice dean of GCSOM’s School of Graduate Education. “Our students learned about the pandemic through various lenses, from those of C-suite executives to infectious disease experts, population health professionals, basic scientists and healthcare administrators. Like the pandemic itself, the course changed week by week as our frontline healthcare teams worked to keep our population safe while learning about the virus. This effort is a great representation of learning in a team-based, integrated health system environment.”

“The course arose from misconceptions about the virus,” said William (Andy) Faucett, MS, LGC. “Initially, there was a lot of public confusion. We realized that most students, and even healthcare providers, haven’t had specific virology or pandemic training. Our COVID-19 course fills that gap.”

In October, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine graduate students were the first to enroll in the course. Now the course is available for professional seeking continuing education credits and to the general public, both of whom may pick and choose which sessions of the course they find most interesting and valuable. To view courses, visit https://www.geisinger.edu/education/academics/school-of-graduate-education/covid-19-health-systems-and-pandemics

The course is taught jointly by numerous GCSOM faculty members and an array of Geisinger physicians and scientists, including a module taught by Jaewon Ryu, MD, JD, Geisinger’s CEO. Dr. Ryu’s session examines the healthcare system in pandemic and will provide insight into how to mobilize large systems during a crisis.

COVID-19: Health Systems and Pandemics introduces students to the evaluation, management, scientific underpinnings and impact of a pandemic. The emphasis is on COVID-19 to allow participants to engage in healthcare discussions and planning about the pandemic and future pandemics. Major topics include virology, viral testing, public health, modeling and predictions during a pandemic, clinical manifestations of SARS CoV-2, health system responses and impacts, ethical challenges, and research changes and impacts.

Lectures include:

• Virology, taught by Michael A. Sulzinski, PhD, of GCSOM. These sessions include an introduction to Virology and SARS CoV-2, as well as an examination of testing, antiviral chemotherapies, and vaccine design.
• Transmission Dynamics of Infectious Diseases, taught by Mushfiq Tarafder, PhD, MPH, MBBS of GCSOM. This module explores the basics of infectious disease transmission dynamics, and mathematical modeling of droplet transmission, particularly with SARS-CoV-2.
• Pandemic Preparation and Response, taught by Reema Persad-Clem, PhD, MPH of GCSOM. These sessions examine mitigation via quarantine and other strategies, in addition to the roles of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state, local and tribal authorities.
• Clinical Manifestations and Management of SARS-CoV2, taught by Stanley Martin, MD, Geisinger. Dr. Martin will discuss the diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2, antiviral therapy, risk factors for developing severe disease in COVID-19 and differing methodologies for preventing the spread of SARS CoV-2.
• The Healthcare System in a Pandemic, taught by Jaewon Ryu, MD, JD, Geisinger’s CEO. Dr. Ryu will explore leadership, finances and planning, as well as the impact of a pandemic on healthcare providers and workers.
• Ethical Issues in a Pandemic – Public Health versus the Individual Patient, taught by Dan Davis, PhD, Geisinger. This module examines ethical issues surrounding the treatment of patients in isolation – limiting interactions with support systems.
• Research during a Pandemic, taught by Michelle N. Meyer, PhD, JD, Geisinger. The final session looks at the effect of a pandemic on research, recruitment changes and fair allocation of scarce drugs or trials slots in a pandemic.

To view courses, visit https://www.geisinger.edu/education/academics/school-of-graduate-education/covid-19-health-systems-and-pandemics