Boys & Girls Club of NEPA to Host Designer Purse Bingo The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania will be hosting a designer purse bingo event on Sunday May 19, 2024, at St. Stanislaus PNC Cathedral located at 529 E. Locust Street in Scranton. All proceeds benefit the Club. Cost is $30 for pre-purchased tickets and $35 at the door. Also available for additional purchases are: extra games, daubers, special games, 50/50 raffle, basket raffles, food and beverages. Doors open at noon and games begin at 1:00 p.m. Purse designers include: Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade and Tory Burch. There is also a $10 special raffle to win a Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandoulière 35 valued at $1,960. Several door prizes will be given out. To purchase tickets, visit www.bgcnepa.org or contact Julianne Cucura at (570) 342-8709 ext. 110 or jcucura@bgcnepa.org.
Geisinger Places Pinwheels to Raise Awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, staff members from the Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital Child Advocacy Center in Sunbury planted dozens of blue mylar pinwheels in the entrance of Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. The pinwheels symbolize the positive childhood every kid deserves. They serve as a reminder to protect and nurture our children and that prevention is possible if we are brave enough to intervene. Pinwheels for Prevention is a national campaign for child abuse prevention. “More than 600,000 children are abused in the U.S. each year. Educating our communities and raising awareness on child abuse can help to protect children who are at risk,” said Melissa Wagner, program director of child safety and advocacy at Geisinger. “We hope the pinwheel garden reminds people that if they suspect abuse, they should report it. You just never know when you might save a child’s life.”
The Wright Center Shares Tips for Stress Awareness Month Below is a health column written by Dr. Aditi Sharma, a psychiatrist at The Wright Center for Community Health, in which she provides tips to reduce and/or cope with stress in everyday life. We live in a world where many things can cause us great stress, whether it be things close to home (family, job, finances) or farther afield (politics, wars, global pandemics). Yes, it’s a lot to cope with, and over time it can be incredibly detrimental to our health, both mentally and physically. So, I’m happy there are awareness campaigns like National Stress Awareness Month. The annual observance focuses on combating the harmful effects of chronic stress. While stress is an unavoidable part of life and can be experienced in situations that are both positive and negative in prolonged form, it can lead to a variety of health issues, including fatigue, anxiety, depression, headaches, muscle tension, and, when it’s particularly serious, cardiovascular disease. But with some focus, stress can be managed in relatively simple ways, allowing us to live happier, healthier lives. Here are a few helpful stress-reduction tips you might consider: Improve your diet: Eat whole foods, and curtail or completely eliminate stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. Exercise: Increased exercise can lower your blood pressure, boost your endorphins and just make you feel a whole lot better, whether you join a gym or just go out for a walk or run a few times a week. Sleep more: Lack of sleep and the ensuing fatigue can lead to a plunge in overall well-being and eventually lead to increased anxiety and depression, so it’s important to establish a calming vibe every night before you go to bed – and to curtail your screen time significantly. Relax: In our go-go-go lives, simply taking time to relax can be difficult, but a daily regimen that includes meditation or mindfulness – or good, old-fashioned daydreaming – can substantially decrease stress levels. Prioritize your schedule: Cramming too much stuff into a day inevitably causes stress, so check off the things that need to be done before pursuing the smaller-scale items. Do something fun: Make time for enjoyable activities, such as hobbies, movies, concerts, dinners with friends, sporting events – really anything that puts you in a good mood. Talk to someone: Sometimes, the best de-stressor is just talking about your problems with a trusted family member, friend, colleague, or licensed professional therapist. Speaking of therapy, here at The Wright Center, stress prevention is a significant component of our behavioral health services for adults, children, and adolescents. Our first-rate team of experts can help you identify the causes of behavioral issues and provide solutions via comprehensive therapy services, psychological assessments, and psychiatric care. We also provide specialty services for children with severe mental illness as well as those who have experienced abuse or violence. Managing chronic stress is also a core mission of our Lifestyle Medicine practice, which works with individuals and families to improve their health and quality of life through lifestyle modifications such as stress relief techniques, eliminating tobacco use, improving diet, increasing physical activity, strengthening personal relationships and connections, and adjusting sleep habits. Our team is trained in conventional and lifestyle medicine and can work with you to create a personalized lifestyle self-care plan that’s sustainable for the long haul. I can confidently say that if you proactively work to reduce your stress levels, eventually, you’ll feel better mentally, physically, and emotionally. And you’ll improve your overall health – what could be better than that? Aditi Sharma, M.D., MPH, is a psychiatrist at The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton Practice. An alumna of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Psychiatry Residency, she treats adults experiencing depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, providing consultations and evaluations to develop personalized behavioral health and medicinal care plans.
Wright Center Gets AI Grant The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education received a 2024 American Medical Association (AMA) Innovation Grant, one of only 14 medical teaching facilities nationwide to secure the prestigious $25,000 one-year education grant. As part of the grant, The Wright Center will join the AMA’s ChangeMedEd Consortium — a forward-thinking group committed to developing, implementing, and disseminating bold and innovative projects that promote systemic change to better train future physicians. Grant recipients will focus on the application of precision education across the medical education continuum — from medical school and residency to continuing medical education. The Wright Center’s project aims to make health care more personalized and equitable by leveraging data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) to tailor, and thereby improve, how family medicine residents learn about population behavioral health, aligning with medical standards and correlating their performance with patient outcomes in a community health center setting. There is potential for AI-enabled tools to support physician faculty in the education of resident and fellow trainees by analyzing performance and correlating it with practice and population health metrics. Ideally, the direct connection of trainee performance and these additional metrics will improve the education of physicians-in-training, which in turn will improve patients’ health, well-being, and experiences. Project leads for The Wright Center for Community Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike, and its affiliated entity, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, include Stephanie A. Gill, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician and Family Medicine Residency program director, and Meaghan Ruddy, Ph.D., senior vice president of enterprise wellness and resiliency, assessment and advancement, and chief strategic research & development officer. “Through the integration of data analytics and artificial intelligence, there is opportunity to potentially revolutionize how family medicine residency faculty approach teaching interventions in behavioral health,” said Dr. Ruddy. “By aligning with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies and diving deeply into the social determinants of health, we aim to personalize education and assessment, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Our goal is not only to enhance individualized care but also to champion health equity through innovative, data-driven approaches in medical education.” As one of the largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education consortiums in the nation, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, a physician-led nonprofit, offers comprehensive, community-focused residencies throughout Northeast Pennsylvania and the United States in three disciplines – family medicine, internal medicine, and physical medicine & rehabilitation, as well as fellowships in cardiovascular disease, gastroenterology, and geriatrics. The residency and fellowship programs are accredited by the ACGME and train residents and fellows in a community-based, community-needs-responsive workforce development model to advance its shared mission with The Wright Center for Community Health to provide whole-person primary health services regardless of a patient’s insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. Since its inception in 2013, the AMA’s ChangeMedEd Initiative, formerly known as the Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium, has engaged dozens of U.S. medical education institutions in developing innovative strategies to revolutionize medical education and training. The objective is to equip a new generation of physicians with the skills necessary to deliver exceptional care tailored to evolving patient demographics. Its Innovation Grant Program has awarded $1.5 million in grants since 2018. Additional 2024 Innovation Grant recipients include California University of Science and Medicine; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth; Michigan State University College of Human Medicine; Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Oregon Health and Science University; Thomas Jefferson University Hospital; University of California, Irvine School of Medicine; University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix; University of Colorado School of Medicine; University of Virginia School of Medicine; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; and Wayne State University School of Medicine. Go to TheWrightCenter.org to learn more about how The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s physician workforce pipeline is educating and training the next generation of physicians and interprofessional providers.
Lackawanna College to Host Spring Pop-up Lackawanna College’s 409 on Adams has transformed again! Welcome to Wisteria, our Spring Semester dining experience! Wisteria is an amazing, built from scratch concept in collaboration with Marywood University School of Architecture. Wisteria, a storybook come to life, where reality dissolves and magic blossoms, will feature a full bar and menu. There will be heated outdoor patio seating, as well as indoor seating with many magical spaces to see and explore. Dining Options are available from April 4th through May 9th on Wednesdays and Thursdays Wisteria’s gates open at 5pm Dinner and food service until 9pm Drinks and fun until the dragon sleeps While reservations are encouraged, walk ins are always welcome. Please click the link below and fill out the form to submit your reservation request. https://forms.gle/sPKzVqNGcyueE8AX9
The University of Scranton Hosts “Scranton’s Story” Spring Exhibition Over the past two years, The University of Scranton and Scranton community has explored themes of history, belonging, and identity through Scranton’s Story: Our Nation’s Story, a series of humanities-based programs that culminated in an oral history initiative called “Scranton Stories.” First launched in fall 2023, this exhibition showcases portraits taken by photographer Byron Maldonado and personal statements and interview links from 33 community members to give voice to a broad array of Scranton experiences and connect them to our national story. At the public reception, attendees will have the opportunity to meet members of the Scranton Stories team and oral history interviewees and discuss the project. For more information and to view all 25 Scranton Stories video interviews, visit www.scranton.edu/stories and via YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsV7qLR2tZL78bScN3YbLnMRazF083yw. The exhibition is free during library hours. For more information contact Michael Knies at 570-941-6341 or Michael.knies@scranton.edu. For April 4th event information, visit this page or RSVP here.
Jeannine Luby to Help Celebrate National Humor Month by Raising Fun and Funds Laugh your stress away at Jeannine Luby’s, aka Funny Wine Girl’s stand-up comedy show on Friday, April 26 at Groove Brewing in Scranton. The show will feature Luby, one of NEPAs funniest Mary Rapach, and NEPA native Tim Conniff. You can feel good not only from the laughter but from knowing that a portion of proceeds will benefit the Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Crisis Intervention Team that offers training and programs for area first responders with the following goals: improving interaction between law enforcement and persons with mental illness; preventing the inappropriate restraint, incarceration, and stigmatization of persons with mental illness; reducing injury to officers, family members, and individuals in crisis; and linking individuals with mental illness to appropriate treatment and resources in the community. Ticket price of $30 includes comedy show and contribution to fundraiser. Beverages at Groove Brewing are sold separately. Purchase your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/850113691937?aff=oddtdtcreator
The Dime Bank Announces Cash Dividend On March 21, 2024, The Board of Directors of Dimeco, Inc. (OTCQX: DIMC) and its subsidiary The Dime Bank declared a dividend of $.40 per share for the first quarter of 2024, which represents a dividend yield of 4.64% based on the closing stock price of $34.50. The dividend is payable on April 25, 2024, to shareholders of record on April 1, 2024. This dividend is an increase of $0.02 per share, or 5.26% over the dividend declared for the same period 2023. President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Bochnovich, stated, “Our shareholders play a crucial role in the success of Dimeco, Inc. Their investment empowers us to be innovative within our industry and bring the best financial services to our communities. This dividend shows our gratitude for their unwavering commitment and trust in our company.”
Wayne Bank Announces Cash Dividend James O. Donnelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwood Financial Corp (NASDAQ Global Market – NWFL) and its subsidiary Wayne Bank, announced that the Board of Directors has declared a $0.30 per share quarterly cash dividend payable May 1, 2024, to shareholders of record as of April 15, 2024. The $0.30 per share represents an increase of 3.5% over the cash dividend declared in the first quarter of 2023. Mr. Donnelly commented, “The Board is extremely pleased to provide our shareholders with this quarterly cash dividend. It reflects the Company’s financial strength and strong capital position which has contributed to our solid performance.”
NEPA Philharmonic to Celebrate 100th Anniversary of Rhapsody in Blue with All Gershwin Concert The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, under the baton of Maestra Mélisse Brunet, will present an ALL GERSHWIN Concert on Friday, April 12, at 7:30 PM at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 North Washington Avenue. The program will feature three Gershwin masterpieces: Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and selections from Porgy and Bess. Soloist for Rhapsody will be international pianist, Ron Stabinsky, who was born and raised in NEPA. Ron studied classical repertoire with concert pianists Ilya Itin and Thomas Hrynkiw. Introducing the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic from the stage will be President of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Robert Durkin. This will be an incredible evening of music by the innovative genius, George Gershwin. Pianist Lara Downes said, that when we hear Rhapsody in Blue, we are somehow connecting with Gershwin, his enthusiasm, his open heart, and his wanting to show us the best of what our country can be-whether we know it or not. Vocalists Michael Preacely and Marquita Richardson will be soloists for songs from Porgy and Bess. Baritone, Michael Preacely, and soprano Marquita Richardson, have worked with numerous major and regional opera houses and orchestras in the United States and have consistently garnered critical acclaim. George Gershwin, 1898-1937, was an American composer and pianist whose eclectic compositions spanned popular jazz and classical genres. Among his other compositions were Swanee, Concerto in F, Overture to Strike up the Band, I’ve Got Rhythm, the scores to Shall We Dance, Girl Crazy, and many more. Unfortunately, his career was cut short at the age of 38 when he died from a brain tumor. Tickets may be purchased at nepaphil.org, through the Philharmonic box office, 570.270.4444, at the Scranton Cultural Center Box office, or at the door on concert night. Reserved seats begin at $38. Student tickets are $16 Sponsoring this ALL GERSHWIN evening are PNC Foundation, Dr. Seth and Caroline Fisher, Munley Law, Louis and Barbara Nivert, Toyota of Scranton, and The Atkins Family. Our media sponsors are WNEP TV, WVIA, Happenings Magazine, Halibut Blue, Lamar Advertising, and Discover NEPA Our Philharmonic concerts would not be possible without sponsorship by our friends in the corporate community and individuals who are committed to keeping the music playing. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic is a fully professional symphony orchestra, performing in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. In addition to main stage concerts, the Philharmonic performs chamber concerts, “Music in Or Schools”, “Once Upon an Orchestra for tots in public libraries, and programs in local senior centers. At the center of the Philharmonic’s music programs is a juried mentoring program that offers talented high school students the opportunity to study with Philharmonic musicians throughout the year and perform side by side with their mentors in the annual Young People’s Concerts. For additional information about tickets, programs, sponsorships, or special events, please call 570.270.4444
