Saint Joseph’s Center Summer Festival Kicks off Excitement As summer heats up, Saint Joseph’s Center is excited to announce a series of pre-events designed to build community enthusiasm leading up to this year’s Summer Festival, WNEP-TV Telethon, and Go Joe 27 Bike Ride. These Community Ride Alongs are a celebration of the collaboration with our valued community partners. The Ride Alongs, walks, and runs, continuing now through the end of July, will feature a variety of interests from Family Fun Walks and Bike Rides, to collaborations with local breweries and restaurants. “These pre-events are essential in encouraging excitement and bringing people together, all culminating at the Annual Summer Festival,” says Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM President/CEO Saint Joseph’s Center, “These events wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our community partners who share our mission of making a difference in our community.” Saint Joseph’s Center is blessed to have so many community advocates who have helped grow these events into what they are today. Anthracite Bicycle Coalition has assisted in creating multiple “Rides” over the years and throughout the area including bringing in local restaurants like Barrett’s Pub in Archbald, Groove Brewing in Scranton, and McGrath’s Pub and Eatery in Dalton. This year, we are also pleased to include Scranton Running in some of these events along the Heritage Trail. The Rail-Trail Council of NEPA continues to host rides in Simpson and Forest City. Partners throughout Luzerne County include Wilkes-Barre Bike Gang, who host rides along the Levee Systems and local parks, and The Cycle Yard, who partnered with Susquehanna Brewing Company to bring stationary exercise bikes to their outdoor area. The community is also invited to join Saint Joe’s as they send off Joe Snedeker, WNEP Meteorologist, on his 27th Annual Go Joe Bike Ride on Friday, July 12th at Cooper’s Seafood House in Scranton. This Launch Party will feature Go Joe T-shirts and other merchandise sales, raffle chances, and much more. Go Joe 27 merchandise can also be purchased online through Saint Joe’s Website, stjosephscenter.org, with an optional free pick-up date of July 11, 3-6 pm. More details are located on webstore. The collaboration with partners extends beyond sponsorship to active participation in event planning, logistics, and community engagement. Each contributes unique resources and expertise to ensure the success of Community Ride Alongs. Please see the events listed below and join Saint Joseph’s Center for a fun-filled Summer! Wednesday, July 10, 2024, Archbald Ride & Walk at Trailhead & Barrett’s Pub: Registration: 5:30 pm Start Time: 6:00 pm Wednesday, July 10, 2024, Rails to Trails: Simpson/Morse Ave to Forest City – Start Time: 5:30 pm Wednesday, July 17, 2024, Wilkes Barre Gang – Start Time: 6:00 pm Sunday, July 14, 2024, The Cycle Yard at SBC, Pittston – Outdoor Spin Class – 12 pm Thursday, July 18, 2024, Groove Brewery/Olive Street Trailhead: Registration: 5:30 pm & Start Time: 6:00 pm Friday, July 12, 2024, WNEP Go Joe Launch Party, Cooper’s Seafood, Start Time: 4 pm Other fundraisers for Go Joe 27 and Saint Joseph’s Center include Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day on July 24th, Montage Mountain Water Park Day on July 21st, and a Liturgy at Saint Peter’s Cathedral in downtown Scranton on July 21st at 10 am. These pre-events will culminate in the eagerly anticipated Saint Joseph’s Center Summer Festival set to take place July 26th and July 27th from 4-10 pm, and July 28th from noon- 7 pm. For more information on the pre-events and the Summer Festival, please visit stjosephscenter.org and follow us on social media at “Saint Joseph’s Center”. Photo caption: MaryLou Grogan, Committee Chair; Lynn Gavin, Auxiliary Coordinator, Saint Joseph’s Center; and Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM, President/CEO Saint Joseph’s Center.
Broadway in Scranton Producer Wins 9th Tony Award Broadway in Scranton, produced by NAC Entertainment is thrilled to announce that at the 77th Annual Tony Awards, Albert Nocciolino, President of NAC, won his 9th Tony Award. Mr. Nocciolino is a co-producer of The Outsiders with his colleagues at the Independent Presenters Network, a consortium of over 30 leading presenters of touring Broadway shows in the U.S., U.K., and Asia. The Outsiders, based on the seminal novel by S.E Hinton and the iconic Francis Ford Coppola film, took home the 2024 Tony Award for Best Musical. This marks Nocciolino’s 9th Tony win. In addition to The Outsiders, Mr. Nocciolino was nominated this season for Gutenberg! The Musical, Hell’s Kitchen, and The Who’s Tommy. His past winning productions include Moulin Rouge!, Hello Dolly, Dear Evan Hansen, Oklahoma, Kinky Boots, La Cage aux Folles, Spamalot, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Retired National Director of Casting and Auditions at Actors Equity and retired Broadway Theatre League Executive Director Tony Nicosia said, “when I was at Actors Equity in New York I had heard about Albert Nocciolino and his stellar reputation within the Broadway community, and then when I became the Executive Director of BTL in Scranton, I had the absolute privilege to work with and learn from Albert. Through his producing connections and overall leadership, Albert was instrumental in helping to save BTL”. Nicosia went on to say “Albert and I worked very well together during my time as the Executive Director of BTL and I am extremely proud of everything that we accomplished”. NAC Entertainment has been producing the Broadway In Scranton season at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple (SCC) since the 1999-2000 season. Prior to 1999, Broadway Theatre League (BTL) produced the season and in 1998, BTL reached out to Mr. Nocciolino to have his company produce Broadway In Scranton. Prior to this time, NAC Entertainment presented shows at the SCC including The Magic of David Copperfield, Les Misérables and many others. The 2023-2024 season was one of the biggest seasons in the history of Broadway In Scranton. Over 37,000 Broadway fans came to the SCC to be entertained by national touring Broadway. The overall economic impact to the Scranton community of the 23-24 Broadway In Scranton season was over $7.6 million dollars. Don Martin, current Special Representative of IATSE and past President, Business Agent and Executive Board Member of IATSE Local 329 in Scranton has known Mr. Nocciolino for many years. Martin said “Albert is one of the most well respected individuals and producers in our industry. He is a successful businessman, and more importantly, a true lover of the American Theatre. Over the years Al has supplied countless jobs to union stagehands across the country including Local 329. When I was touring with shows, whenever we played any of Al’s markets, Al would make sure that the cast and crew were taken care of. Albert and his company’s commitment to producing Broadway In Scranton at the SCC is a tremendous asset to our community and to the overall quality of life here in NEPA”. Local 329 represents the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees who work tirelessly behind the scenes to load the shows into the SCC, make sure that the shows take place on stage / backstage and then load the shows out of the SCC so that the shows get to their next city.
Mohegan Pennsylvania Partners with Team Allied Services Mohegan Pennsylvania is thrilled to announce the public kick-off of the 2024 Team Allied Services & You fundraising campaign, in partnership with Allied Services, who they have been a major sponsor for 15 years. The campaign launch will be celebrated at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Party on the Patio event on Thursday, August 15th. The celebration will begin at 4:00pm with a live broadcast by WNEP TV’s Chelsea Strub, who will introduce viewers to members of the fundraising and marathon team. Doors open at 6:00pm for the free 21-and-over concert, with live music from Parrot Beach, a Jimmy Buffett tribute, starting at 7:30pm. Official Team Allied Services exercise shirts and wristbands will be available for sale and volunteers will be collecting donations. “What makes Mohegan Pennsylvania so special as part of Team Allied Services is that in addition to hosting our campaign launch, they always have a team member that raises additional funds, trains for the marathon, and makes the trip to New York City to run the marathon in November,” – said Charlotte Wright, Assistant VP of Marketing & Development. “It has been a tremendous partnership with Mohegan Pennsylvania, and we’re thrilled to again kick our fundraising season off at Party on the Patio on August 15th!” Team Allied Services & You is an annual charity campaign designed to inspire fitness, challenge disability, and change lives. The months-long campaign culminates with a dedicated team of 68 volunteers participating in the prestigious TCS New York City Marathon on November 3rd, 2024. Proceeds from the campaign will benefit children with disabilities at the Allied Services John P. Moses Esq. Pediatric Rehab Centers in Northeast and Central Pennsylvania. Donations will help the non-profit health system extend specialized rehabilitation services to more underinsured children with disabilities, life-changing injuries and chronic illnesses. For each of the 15 years that Mohegan Pennsylvania has been a major sponsor, at least one team member has represented Mohegan Pennsylvania (or its parent company, Mohegan) as a fundraiser and a marathon runner. This year is no exception, with Jason Bohenek, Internal Audit Manager of the Mohegan Tribe, and Jennifer Ducharme, Director of Events at Mohegan Pennsylvania, participating. All funds raised this year will be allocated to pediatric services within Allied Services.
Pennsylvania Treasury Department Praised for PA 529 Pennsylvania Treasury Department has been praised for PA 529 Investment Plan. Morningstar, a financial services company that rates 529 plans across the country, recently reinforced the reasons it awarded the Pennsylvania Treasury Department’s PA 529 College and Career Savings Program Investment Plan (IP) its Gold Rating in November – making it one of only two plans in the nation to receive Morningstar’s highest rating. In a recent article (“Morningstar’s Top-Ranked 529 Plans”), Morningstar praised Treasury’s “aggressive negotiations for lower fees and additional fee breakpoints” which “led to a more positive investor experience.” It also highlighted the department’s “effective and steadfast advocacy on behalf of its investors [which] puts the plan a notch above peers.” “My team and I are proud of the fact that we earned Morningstar’s Gold Rating because it means that we’re doing a great job for the hardworking Pennsylvania families who use the PA 529 IP to save for education,” Treasurer Stacy Garrity said. “Our focus is always on the people who are saving every dollar they can to give their children and grandchildren the education they want and deserve. We will continue working day in and day out to give Pennsylvania families even more reasons to save for their child’s bright future with PA 529.” The PA 529 IP allows families to choose from a variety of investment portfolios, including target enrollment date options, which automatically adjust asset allocations to become more conservative as a child reaches the anticipated date of enrollment in post-high school education. PA 529 IP earnings are dependent upon financial market performance. Since taking office in 2021, Treasurer Garrity has overseen several changes to PA 529 plans, making them more accessible and affordable for Pennsylvania families, including eliminating the minimum deposit to open an account and reducing the minimum contribution to one dollar, on top of multiple fee reductions that have saved more than $11.5 million for families across the whole PA 529 program, which also includes the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP). There are nearly 301,000 combined PA 529 IP and GSP accounts with more than $7.7 billion in assets. The PA 529 College and Career Savings Program helps families steadily and strategically save for future educational expenses like tuition, fees, books, equipment, room and board and more at qualifying technical, collegiate and apprenticeship programs. PA 529 plans offer significant state and federal tax advantages and saving with PA 529 does not impact Pennsylvania state financial aid eligibility. To learn more about PA 529 accounts visit pa529.com, call 800-440-4000 or email pa529@patreasury.gov.
L.R. Costanzo Co. Inc. Completes Project at Johnson College Johnson College has once again teamed up with its long-standing partner, L.R. Costanzo Co. Inc., to erect its latest northeastern Pennsylvania masterpiece: Johnson College’s Ideal Saldi Hall. This new building, serving as a dramatic gateway to all who enter the 44 acre campus, not only welcomes visitors and students, but also stands as a symbol of Johnson College’s innovative spirit. Ideal Saldi Hall houses state-of-the-art classrooms; student areas; computer labs; the Biomedical Equipment Technology program; administrative offices; including Financial Aid, Admissions, Advising, President’s Office; and the “Hallway of Industry.” Spanning two stories, this extraordinary structure features an expansive second floor with a floating, cantilevered classroom above a student gathering area. This impressive edifice overlooks the school’s beautifully landscaped greenspace and alumni garden. A first of its kind on the campus, this building allows for intuitive learning and teaching by featuring a type of “live laboratory” for students. Johnson College requested design features that leave most of the interior building envelope exposed, in order to foster real-world learning. This includes uncovered ceilings, observable structural steel, visible ductwork, and wide open spaces, allowing teachers to bring their classrooms to life by encouraging students to experience, firsthand, what they are learning. “The partnership between Johnson College and L.R. Costanzo began years ago and goes beyond the construction of campus buildings,” said Dr. Katie Leonard, President & CEO of Johnson College. “Everyone at L. R. Costanzo, including many of our alums, participate in our Professional Advisory Committees and career fairs, interact with our students during their classes and labs, and students frequently visit their construction sites through internships and in-industry tours. Our collaboration shows what it means when we say industry is our students’ campus.” Bringing Real Life Experience to Students Another unique aspect of this remarkable project has been student engagement with professionals from L.R. Costanzo. Senior Project Manager Benjamin Washington and Senior Project Engineer Stephen Peterson regularly serve as guest instructors, providing educational learning throughout course of the project. L.R. Costanzo is also affording paid internships so students can continue learning outside of the college environment. “Our goal is to expose students to true life situations by showing them that what they’re learning in the classroom and labs really does translate in the real world,” states Stephen Peterson, Project Engineer. “In other words, we want to expose them to the various types of jobs in construction, since there is no one path to get there.” Benjamin Washington, Project Manager says, “Taking part in the creation of a building that not only serves as a welcoming showpiece for Johnson College’s constituents, but also provides real time, hands-on learning for its students, has been incredible. Knowing that we are actively contributing to furthering a student’s education has made this job rare and extremely rewarding.” Alumni Involvement Both Johnson College and L.R. Costanzo are proud of their alumni involvement in not only this project, but in numerous other projects along the east coast and beyond. “There are several L.R. Costanzo team members who are proud graduates of Johnson College including myself in 1985 (my father, Tony, 1946, who attended through the GI bill served as my inspiration); Ideal Saldi Hall’s Project Superintendent, Joseph Carlo (1985); and it’s Estimating Manager, Kevin Coolican (1985),” states L.R. Costanzo Vice President of Operations, Matthew Michalek. Project Superintendent and Alumnus Joseph Carlo states, “We take an enormous amount of pride in all our projects, but this one is particularly close to our hearts. Our team is working hard to ensure that this building will exceed expectations.” Michalek continues, “As a locally-owned and operated family company, our leadership strongly supports this wonderful institution. In fact, Louis A. Costanzo served as Board Chair and his son, Louis E. Costanzo served as a Board Member. Currently, our Business Development Executive and Johnson College alum, Candy Frye, 1994, is also Board Member.”
The Wright Center Announces ‘Walk with a Doc’ The Wright Center for Community Health invites residents of Luzerne, Lackawanna, and Wayne Counties to lace up their sneakers and take a step toward better health by participating in one of three regional Walk with a Doc programs. The doctor-led initiative brings health care providers and members of the community together to enjoy a refreshing and rejuvenating walk with doctors and other health care professionals, who will provide participants with an opportunity to get some exercise, interact with health care professionals, and meet new people. The Wright Center’s Walk with a Doc in Lackawanna County is on the first Saturday of every month at 9 a.m. at the David P. Maslar Memorial Park in Archbald. Walkers should meet at the Laurel Street Trailhead. The next event is on July 6. Walk with a Doc in Wayne County is on the second Saturday of every month at 9 a.m. at the Lacawac Sanctuary, 94 Sanctuary Road, Lake Ariel. The next event is July 13 and is made possible through a collaboration with Lacawac Sanctuary and AllOne Foundation & Charities. The Wright Center’s Walk with a Doc program in Luzerne County is held on the third Saturday of every month at 9 a.m. at Kirby Park. The next event is July 20. Walkers should meet at the park’s main entrance. The doctor-led group walks are open to the community and people of all ages and fitness levels. Participation is free, and pre-registration is not required. Walk with a Doc is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire communities through movement and conversation. Walking as little as 30 minutes a day can improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels, help maintain a healthy body weight and lower the risk of obesity, enhance mental well-being, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis, according to the American Heart Association. The Wright Center for Community Health, headquartered in Scranton, operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental vehicle called Driving Better Health. Its practices offer integrated whole-person primary health services, meaning patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health’s Walk with a Doc program, contact Nicole Lipinski at lipinskin@TheWrightCenter.org or Christine Wysocky at wysockyc@TheWrightCenter.org
UNC’s Mid Valley Senior Center Summer Party United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) invites you to join us for our joyous and celebratory annual Summer Party on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 pm at our Mid Valley Senior Community Center at 310 Church Street in Jessup. New and old friends will come together to celebrate the warmth of summer and the very special 103rd birthday of Julia Mellody, a beloved member of our community. Mellody, an active participant at UNC’s Mid Valley Senior Community Center, is known for her love of parties and her favorite food, ravioli. Our special centenarian birthday cookout bash will be filled with joy, laughter, and live music. And, of course, a delicious cake! We invite you to celebrate summer and wish Julia many more happy and healthy years.
The Wright Center Expanding Healthy MOMS Program The Wright Center for Community Health received a $62,000 grant from the Wilkes-Barre City Health Department to expand a program that helps moms and their babies build a solid foundation to begin their lives in recovery from opioid use disorder. The Wright Center’s Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support (Healthy MOMS) program will receive funding through a two-year grant. The grant is provided by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Services block grant, which the state allocated to the city’s health department for distribution. Members of the Michael Steiner American Legion Jessup Post 411 Ladies Auxiliary recently presented a $2,000 check to representatives of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Healthy Maternal Opiate Medical Support (Healthy MOMS) program. The Healthy MOMS program is a multi-agency effort that The Wright Center co-founded in 2018 to help combat the opioid crisis. It was launched in Lackawanna and Susquehanna counties but has grown to serve women and their families throughout much of Northeast Pennsylvania. The program is modeled after a program of the same name in Ohio and aims to help pregnant women and new mothers achieve and maintain sobriety. To date, it has supported more than 500 mothers and 282 babies, including 137 mothers in Luzerne County. “When I started working with Healthy MOMS in 2020, we had five moms in Luzerne County. Now, just four years later, we have 38 active moms,” said Marcella Bicksler, the lead program manager for the Healthy MOMS program. “We know there’s a huge need. Our goal is to help 50 Luzerne County mothers this year, and this grant will make that goal achievable.” To expand the Healthy MOMS program in Luzerne County, The Wright Center will leverage its existing behavioral health services and its state-designated Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence (COE) to provide extensive community outreach, education, prevention efforts, and opioid pregnancy recovery and medication-assisted treatment services. The program provides access to prenatal, perinatal, and postpartum care and access to certified recovery specialists, psychiatrists, board-certified addiction medicine physicians, licensed social workers, and licensed clinical social workers. “We’re uniquely qualified to lead these initiatives,” said Maria Kolcharno, The Wright Center’s Healthy MOMS program manager and director of addictions services. “Our work helps dismantle the stigma frequently linked to addiction and boosts mothers’ self-esteem during and after pregnancy, aiming to enroll them in recovery support services for two years to prevent relapse.” Kolcharno said the program’s success can be attributed to The Wright Center’s approach to delivering whole-person primary health services and connecting Healthy MOMS clients with a variety of wraparound services — from help with housing and utility bills to access to food pantries, clothing supply closets, and many other social services — that encourage healthy behaviors for the mothers and babies. Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown said he looks forward to seeing the work The Wright Center will do in the future to help build strong families. “We are pleased to be a community partner with The Wright Center to provide a much-needed service for moms-to-be and their babies,” said Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown. “This program provides a core foundation for all aspects of a healthy mom and baby so they can thrive successfully in our community.” For more information about the Healthy MOMS program, visit healthymoms.org.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity Announces Property Tax/Rent Rebate Payments Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that approximately 442,000 payments totaling about $266 million were disbursed today to Pennsylvanians who have been approved for this year’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. “This is an all-time record for day one of the Property Tax / Rent Rebate Program,” Treasurer Garrity said. “More people than ever before are eligible for rebates, thanks to great work by the General Assembly and the Governor to expand the program. This money can make a huge difference – especially for the many Pennsylvanians who are struggling to make ends meet, and I encourage everyone who is eligible to apply for their rebate. Treasury will continue to make payments on a rolling basis as we receive approvals from the Department of Revenue.” Of the payments sent today, 56 percent were processed via direct deposit, while 44 percent were paper checks mailed via the U.S. Postal Service. The General Assembly and the Governor expanded the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program this year to increase household income limits for rebates to $45,000 for homeowners and renters (up from $35,000 and $15,000, respectively). Claimants may exclude half of their Social Security income. The maximum standard rebate is now $1,000 (up from $650). Payments will continue to be processed as applications are approved by the Department of Revenue and received by Treasury. The deadline to apply has been extended to December 31, 2024. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits Pennsylvanians age 65 and older, widows and widowers age 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older. For more information about eligibility and how to apply, Pennsylvania residents can contact their state legislators, visit the Department of Revenue’s website or call 888-222-9190. Applications can be submitted online with Revenue’s myPATH system. Those who have already applied can check the status of their rebate by clicking on the “Where’s My Rebate?” tool available on this page.
WVIA Presents Kansas City Jazz WVIA released the ticket price includes the concert as well as a desserts and wine after-party. The concert will last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with a brief intermission. We encourage you to bring a picnic dinner and after the concert ends, enjoy a dessert and wine after-party with the musicians and the community. A romping, stomping seven-piece band will be here on July 21st to celebrate the legacy of the great American genius Eddie Durham. He was the man behind one of the most quintessential hits of the 20th century, Glenn Miller’s In The Mood, and the resident genius in the original Count Basie band. Loren Schoenberg will serve as the music director for the dynamic seven-piece band showcasing Eddie Durham’s sound. For decades, Eddie Durham’s story was largely overlooked until 2024 when WVIA released the original documentary film Wham-Re-Bop-Boom-Bam: The Swing Jazz of Eddie Durham. This documentary is currently airing on over 250 public television stations throughout the United States, bringing well-deserved recognition to Eddie Durham for his significant contributions to the world of jazz. Loren Schoenberg is a senior scholar of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, on the faculty at The Juilliard School and has taught at Manhattan School of Music and the New School. Schoenberg has lectured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the White House, the New York Philharmonic, Stanford University, and the Aspen Institute. Schoenberg, a tenor saxophonist/pianist, has played and recorded with Benny Carter, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Heath, Eddie Durham, Marian McPartland, Clark Terry, John Lewis, Christian McBride, and Buck Clayton, and he was musical director for Bobby Short from 1997 to 2005. He also received two Grammy awards for best album notes in 1994 and 2004. Schoenberg has been published widely (including in The New York Times), and his book, The NPR Guide to Jazz, was released in 2003. In 2001, he led the effort to establish the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and served for more than a decade as its executive director, creating many of its signal programs and enlisting Christian McBride, Jonathan Batiste, Ken Burns, and Wynton Marsalis to help further the museum’s mission.
