Jeannine Luby’s Donor-Advised Humor Fund Distributes Grant to Abington Library The Scranton Area Community Foundation recently awarded the Abington Community Library with a grant from the donor-advised Humor Therapy Fund developed in 2005 at the request of Jeannine Luby, who initiated the idea for this fund as part of her graduate work at Marywood University. The goal of the Fund is to help area nonprofits spread therapeutic humor and laughter to their clients, employees and/or community members. Luby continues to raise money for the Fund annually and advises on grant disbursement each year. The Abington Library received this year’s grant to fund their ‘Laughter Lab’ project to be held in April for teens in the Abington community. Teens will benefit from the opportunity to connect, express their humor and creativity, and experience stress relief from humor and laughter as they learn comedy improv from instructors at Scranton Improv and Comedy and stress-relieving laughter yoga that will be donated by Luby from her business Laugh to Live! Participants of the Laughter Lab will also receive humor toolkits and have an opportunity to show off their improv skills in a comedy performance that will be follow the April workshop at a later date. Past recipients of The Humor Therapy Fund grant include: Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, NAMI Northeast Region PA, Goodwill Industries of Northeast PA, Serving Seniors, Meals on Wheels, Volunteers in Medicine, and Laughing At My Nightmare. To donate to the Fund or learn about how your nonprofit can apply for next year’s grant, visit: https://safdn.org/the-humor-therapy-fund/.
Grey Towers Heritage Association Partners with Delaware Valley High School Grey Towers Heritage Association is now partnering with Delaware Valley High School to benefit students, parents, teachers and GTHA. “We’re proud and privileged to announce that Grey Towers Heritage Association is now working closely in collaboration with Delaware Valley High School to create opportunities for students to develop their talents, volunteer in community organizations, and gain credits for community work,” states Eileen Smith, President of GTHA. Students will have opportunities to apply their skills in social media and other areas by partnering with GTHA to publicize and participate in GTHA events. “We want to spread the word, especially to students and their parents, that Grey Towers isn’t just a beautiful castle on a hill, but a place that invites all community members to take advantage of the natural beauty of the mansion grounds,” explains Emma Ciancio, Editor-in-Chief of DVHS’s Del.Aware school paper. “Through our print and online versions of the school paper, the Del.Aware team will be helping Grey Towers Heritage attract teens and their families to hike year-round and engage in community events featuring art, music, and history in a fun, natural environment spanning 102 acres.” “We’re proud of our students for accepting the invitation to team with GTHA,” adds DVHS Principal Louis DeLauro. “Engaging in these activities provides new opportunities for our students to participate in community life and in some cases, earn credits for doing so. This also shows well on resumes and applications for colleges and jobs.” For more information about Grey Towers Heritage Association and student volunteer opportunities, students and parents may visit greytowers.org or speak to Emma Ciancio at the school.
The Greater Scranton YMCA Provides Tips and Programs During Heart Month February is American Heart Month, and with recently published research indicating blood pressure control has worsened in both men an woman since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greater Scranton YMCA urges our community members to make their health a priority by getting a blood pressure screening. Blood pressure guidelines from American Heart Association indicate that nearly half of all Americans (46 percent) have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is often referred to as “The Silent Killer” because there are typically no warning signs or symptoms. While high blood pressure and heart disease are serious conditions, the good news is a healthy heart is an achievable goal through lifestyle changes such as regularly monitoring your own blood pressure, lowering sodium intake, eating healthier, and getting more physical activity. Getting help can be as easy as contacting the Y and taking part in The Greater Scranton YMCA is continuing its increased availability of the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program – which is part of the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program helps adults at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles to help reduce their chances of developing the disease. Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and people with diabetes are twice as likely to have heart disease or suffer a stroke as those who do not have it. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program provides a supportive environment where participants work together in a small group to learn about eating healthier, increasing their physical activity and making other behavior changes with the goal of reducing body weight by 7 percent in order to reduce their risk for developing diabetes. A trained Lifestyle Coach leads the program over a 12-month period. Increased physical activity and moderate weight loss not only reduce diabetes risk, but also have an impact on lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. In addition to monitoring your blood pressure, reducing sodium intake is a great way to keep your heart healthy. Per the American Heart Association (AHA), too much sodium in your system puts an extra burden on your heart and blood vessels. In some people, this may lead to or raise high blood pressure. Everyone, including kids, should reduce their sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day (about 1 teaspoon of salt). Having less sodium in your diet may help you lower or avoid high blood pressure. “While there are many ways to keep your heart healthy, making a conscious effort to tackle your blood pressure and decrease sodium intake are two quick, effective ways to prevent heart disease,” said Brandon Whipple, Senior Program Director, Greater Scranton YMCA. “No matter what your heart health goal is this year, the Y has a variety of resources to help you get started and achieve them.” The Greater Scranton YMCA offers a community of diverse individuals who can support all people in meeting their health and well-being goals. Learn more by visiting https://www.greaterscrantonymca.org/ or stopping into the Y.
Geisinger Publishes Series for Heart Month—Signs of Heart Disease You Shouldn’t Ignore Signs of heart disease may show up unexpectedly. But these clues should lead you to your doctor’s office. By: Gregory Yost, D.O., interventional cardiology, Geisinger Bleeding gums may not seem like a serious issue. But if it becomes chronic, you might be surprised to hear that it can be a clear warning your heart isn’t working as it should. While pressure or tightness in the chest and a rapid, irregular heartbeat are primary signs of heart disease, there are other symptoms that can be less obvious — yet just as dangerous. And ignoring these subtle signs of heart disease can lead to serious heart trouble, like a heart attack or stroke. Identifying all signs of heart trouble and then responding to them is key to help prevent heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Even if you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to get a symptom checked out — especially if you have risk factors for heart disease. Preventing heart disease is an important step in living a long, healthy life. 6 subtle signs of heart disease Chest pain that may radiate to the neck, jar or arms, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and numbness set off alarm bells that will send most of us straight to the doctor’s office. But not all heart problems come with clear warning signs. If you have some of these lesser-known signs of heart disease, don’t wait to contact your provider. Waiting puts you at higher risk for a serious heart event to occur. Exhaustion and weakness While exhaustion alone isn’t a sign of heart disease, chronic exhaustion and weakness can be, especially if you’re getting sufficient rest. Your energy levels are directly related to blood flow and oxygen levels. A healthy heart constantly pumps oxygen-carrying blood through your body. But if there are underlying problems with your heart, it might not work as efficiently. As a result, you may begin to feel tired after routine activities — or even confused. Because oxygen isn’t reaching your muscles and brain as it normally does, weakness and fatigue become obvious. If you’re often feeling exhausted and weak, even with sufficient rest, consult with your healthcare provider to find a cause. Swollen feet Swollen feet are a more subtle sign of potential heart concerns. In fact, your socks and shoes can make it difficult to notice your feet are swollen in the first place. But why would your feet swell if you have heart problems? Because your heart regulates blood flow, and slow blood flow can cause pressure to build up in your legs, leading to edema. Edema is the buildup of fluid in the body’s tissues. Typically, edema related to heart problems can be seen in the legs and feet. Any sign of heart failure or reduced function is serious, so talk to your doctor if you notice swelling in your feet. Dizziness, light-headedness, and shortness of breath Slow blood flow and low oxygen levels in the brain and lungs can lead to feeling dizzy, light-headed and short of breath. And it’s especially important to notice if you have these symptoms without rigorous activity. If activities, like going up the stairs or going about your daily life, consistently make you dizzy or out of breath, don’t ignore them. Dizziness and being out of breath are both examples of your body telling you that you need more oxygen. Migraines Migraines are intense headaches that are bad enough on their own. Some research suggests migraines with auras may be linked to heart problems, but more studies are needed on the connection between these health issues. If you have migraines with auras, take note of any new changes in symptoms of your headache. Newly developed weakness in your arms during a migraine could be a sign of heart disease. Swollen and bleeding gums Swollen or bleeding gums may not be the biggest indicator of heart health, but studies show a possible correlation. Recent research has revealed that your mouth can show your heart health. In fact, some of the same bacteria found in your mouth can be found in your heart. So, if you have high levels of bacteria and swelling in your mouth, it’s wise to get your heart checked, too. While the relationship between heart health and oral health isn’t clearly understood, consistent swollen and bleeding gums could be a sign of heart issues. Sweating Sweating while exercising is normal. Breaking out in a sweat while watching TV is not. We sweat to keep our body temperature at a regular level. So, why would you sweat when you aren’t active or it’s not hot outside? Heart failure makes pumping blood more difficult, so your heart must work harder. When your heart struggles to pump blood consistently, it generates heat. To compensate, your body starts sweating to keep your body temperature normal. If you’re having serious episodes of sweating when you shouldn’t be, talk to your doctor. Many of these symptoms alone aren’t signs of heart disease, but chronic issues can be or at least a sign of an underlying condition. It’s a good idea to get regular checkups — and live a heart-healthy lifestyle — to take the pressure off. Heart disease risk factors All these subtle signs are even more important to report if they’re combined with other heart disease risk factors, such as if you: Are overweight or obese Smoke, use drugs and alcohol Have a high level of stress Eat a diet high in sodium and saturated fat Don’t exercise regularly Have a family history of heart disease Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol Have diabetes If any of these heart disease risk factors apply to you, talk to your doctor to create a heart health plan. Awareness is the first step in managing your heart health. While genetics do play a role in heart disease, there are risk factors that can be reversed by taking the proper steps and precautions. Left untreated, heart disease can cause a heart attack — when blood flow is severely reduced to the heart. Watch for the subtler symptoms that can indicate a possible heart condition. If you have them, be sure to tell your healthcare provider. When you bring these issues to their attention earlier, they can screen you for heart disease — and plan to keep your ticker going strong for the long haul. For the latest health and wellness tips and advice, visit geisinger.org/balance.
Life Purposely, Elizabeth Keiper-Aguirre Launches a New Podcast Elizabeth Keiper-Aguirre, owner and certified life coach at Life Purposely, is launching a new podcast, now available on Spotify. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the cycle of doing everything for everyone else—while putting yourself last—this podcast is for you. Life Purposely Podcast is all about simple, real-life strategies to help you break the burnout cycle and start living with more purpose and ease. Each episode is short (just 15-20 minutes!)—perfect for your morning coffee or a quick drive.
Wayne Bank Promotes Vonnie Lewis Jim Donnelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wayne Bank, is pleased to announce the promotion of Vonnie Lewis to Vice President and Lakewood Community Officer Manager. “I am proud to announce Vonnie’s promotion. Her loyalty and spirit play a great role in the success of our Lakewood office. Vonnie’s commitment to sharing her knowledge and creating strong community relationships positively impacts those around her and sets a great example for all of us at Wayne Bank,” said Mr. Donnelly. Lewis joined Wayne Bank in 2005 as a part time teller and has held various positions since. She is responsible for overseeing the community relations and operations of the Lakewood Office. Lewis graduated from Broome Community College, where she received an associate’s degree in accounting. Lewis is a lifelong resident of Lakewood and enjoys the relationships she has built within her community. In her free time, Lewis enjoys camping with her family and helping her children, who she describes as her greatest achievement in life.
United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania Receives $10,000 from Hawk Family Foundation United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) is excited to announce receiving a generous $10,000 grant from the Hawk Family Foundation to support our SCOLA (Scranton Council of Literacy Advancement) Adult Literacy Program. UNC’s SCOLA program has provided free adult literacy and ESL education to Lackawanna County residents, helping both native and foreign-born adults gain essential skills for economic, educational, and family advancement. The program offers ESL classes, citizenship preparation, and family literacy services through tutoring and group lessons. Classes focus on building language skills while encouraging long-term economic mobility, integrating workforce development and high-demand career pathways. Participants improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, with lessons tailored to real-world applications and personal goals. The attached photo includes Lisa Durkin, UNC President and Chief Executive Officer; Maggie Hawk, Hawk Family Foundation Administrator; Audrey Golosky, Assistant Director of Community Education; and Rich Klinkle, UNC SCOLA Volunteer Teacher.
Tobyhanna Army Depot’s Forward Repair Activities Sustain Forward Units Nestled in the scenic Pocono Mountains, Tobyhanna Army Depot is a driving force of global readiness for the joint warfighter. With employees permanently stationed in 43 locations across the globe, Tobyhanna’s talented workforce and expansive capabilities are vital to the readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces and partner nations. These highly skilled professionals bring decades of sustainment expertise to the frontlines, bolstering the DOD and playing a key role in its regional sustainment framework. TYAD is the Army’s Command, Control, Communications, Computer, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) repair source. A dynamic organization, TYAD’s team manages over 2,500 fabrication and repair programs that provide readiness across the Joint Forces. While most of the workload that Tobyhanna supports is conducted at the depot in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the requirement to repair systems and provide support forward is a critical component of TYAD’s strategy to lead the Army’s Organic Industrial Base in supporting the evolution of mission requirements. In a time where Army leaders look to the OIB as a key component to solve readiness and capability gaps in the sustainment of the Army, Tobyhanna demonstrates an organic, proven, and sustainable model to deliver OIB expertise and capability to forward operating units. In the 1990s, Tobyhanna personnel recognized that the traditional depot sustainment model was evolving and, in response to changing warfighter needs, the depot established permanent Forward Repair Activities, or FRAs, outside of its gates. These FRAs have continuously operated in strategic locations such as Germany, Kuwait, Korea, Fort Liberty, Fort Cavazos, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord and play a crucial role in increasing readiness: reducing downtime for units, decreasing transportation costs, and developing support relationships with tactical Army units, which aids in the identification of gaps in current Army sustainment structure for supporting C5ISR systems. Today, CECOM remains the only lifecycle management command with a persistent presence in key locations across the U.S. and within CENTCOM, EUCOM and PACOM. Tobyhanna’s strategic foresight has positioned it well to meet the needs of the future force, including a growing need to repair equipment at forward locations. Forward support services, like the ones already provided by TYAD FRAs, were highlighted by a panel of senior sustainment leaders at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition in October. During the dialogue, Army Materiel Command Deputy Commanding General and Acting Commander Lt. Gen. Christopher Mohan touted AMC’s expeditionary capability, noting how it reduced costs and minimized system downtime for servicemembers. The idea of expanding forward support services is underscored by the DOD’s emphasis on the RSF, first announced in May by the then-Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Dr. William A. LaPlante, and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment, Christopher Lowman. The RSF aims to optimize regional maintenance, repair, and overhaul operations and has three main goals: to prevail in a contested logistics environment; enhance military readiness; and strengthen regional partnerships across joint and allied partners. TYAD’s FRAs provide capabilities not found in tactical formations under the existing two-tiered maintenance system. In addition, FRAs leverage the larger framework of depot capabilities and experience, serving as a mitigation strategy within a contested logistics environment — and thusly enabling the Army to quickly regenerate combat power. Capabilities are tailored to individual theaters of operations, with the ability to rapidly expand or evolve. Teams are augmented by contracted workforce or through the deployment of depot employees across the world. As the Army has transitioned its focus to support multi-domain operations, the maintenance assets in tactical formations require support from the Sustainment Level of Maintenance, especially when employing C5ISR systems in forward environments to support Command and Control functions. Through the employment of its FRAs, TYAD is poised to support these requirements. TYAD’s forward support model has thirty years of proven success, exceeding expectations when taking on new challenges. For example, when AMC needed its OIB to surge support for Ukraine, TYAD had technicians on the ground in Poland in less than 48 hours. Because the support came from the FRA in Germany, the team already understood the theater of operations and had the support network in place to meet AMC’s needs expertly. Partner nations greatly benefit from TYAD’s far-reaching capabilities. A forward support team touched down in Poland this summer for a six-month mission providing C5ISR familiarization training to native warfighters. At the conclusion of the trainings, students will have the ability to maintain and sustain a variety of military equipment from radios to radars. Through developing a wide base of supported customers, TYAD can reduce costs to any single requirement while providing readiness at the point of need. The team at Tobyhanna continues to look to the future, adapting our capabilities to meet the needs of tomorrow. TYAD is developing relationships with private industry to expand its capabilities to operate FRAs at the point of need. Under this construct, TYAD will establish public-private partnerships with companies to leverage their forward factories and maintenance facilities to execute rapid repairs. Conversely, private companies may use the TYAD FRAs as support locations to provide product support to their programs. Through this increase in flexibility, TYAD will enable more rapid sustainment of systems in areas where permanent government owned FRAs are not sustainable, and a more flexible option is needed. The depot is also exploring an expansion of FRAs into the Far East, acknowledging the opportunities for quicker and more reliable services within the remote Pacific regions. Whether warfighters are within the continental U.S. or in the furthest corners of the globe, Tobyhanna Army Depot stands ready to quickly support them, ensuring mission success today, tomorrow and into the future. TYAD is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners. Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, postproduction software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters. About 3,300 personnel are employed by Tobyhanna. While the organization’s headquarters is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, Tobyhanna’s worldwide workforce includes employees in 43 fixed locations across the globe. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to deliver integrated C5ISR weapon systems, business systems, and medical sustainment to enable full spectrum combat operations at the point of need.
The Wright Center Physican Named “Well-being Champion” by National Organization Dr. Stephen S. Long Jr., an internal medicine-pediatrics (Med-Peds) physician at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, has been selected to serve a three-year term as an American College of Physicians (ACP) 2025 Well-being Champion for the Pennsylvania Chapter’s Eastern Region. The ACP Well-being Champion Program was launched in 2015 to address physician burnout and improve well-being, professional satisfaction, and practice efficiency amid health care challenges. Its goals include promoting individual and community well-being, advocating for systems change, and improving the work environment to enhance physician engagement, quality of care, and patient satisfaction. As a trained ACP Well-being Champion, Dr. Long joins a network of over 250 ACP Well-being Champions who are committed to improving the culture and practice of internal medicine by leading efforts to enhance physician well-being and foster a culture of professional satisfaction. “I am truly privileged to be selected as an ACP Well-being Champion,” said Dr. Long, a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, native who is board-certified in internal medicine and pediatrics. “Physician well-being is critical to providers’ health and the quality of care we deliver to our patients. I am committed to working alongside my colleagues to foster a supportive, sustainable work environment that prioritizes both professional fulfillment and patient-centered care.” As the nation’s largest medical specialty organization, the ACP is dedicated to advancing health care quality and effectiveness by promoting excellence and professionalism in medicine. It advocates for quality patient care, education, and career fulfillment within internal medicine and its subspecialties. Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Center, serves as the governor of the ACP’s Pennsylvania Chapter, Eastern Region. A University of Scranton graduate, Dr. Long earned his medical degree from the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and completed his Med-Peds residency at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland before returning to Northeast Pennsylvania. Dr. Long is available for appointments with patients of all ages at The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit, 1145 Northern Blvd., South Abington Township, on Mondays and Tuesdays and The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn, from Wednesdays through Fridays. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Long, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call the Clarks Summit location at 570-585-1300 or the Mid Valley location at 570-230-0019. Dr. Long is married to Juliette Meyers, an Archbald native and art therapist at The Wright Center.
