The Hospice of the Sacred Heart Announces Speaker Hospice of the Sacred Heart is pleased to announce that Mitch Albom, author, philanthropist, columnist and sports reporter, will speak in Scranton as part of the year-long 20th Anniversary celebration of Hospice of the Sacred Heart. Albom will speak at the Theater at North, Thursday, April 20th at 7 PM. A book signing will follow in the Theater at North Gallery. Author of Tuesdays with Morrie, Albom’s books have sold over 39 million copies and have been translated into over 45 languages. While nationally recognized for his sports writing, Albom is perhaps best known for the themes of hope and kindness that weave through his books, plays and films. In his talks and presentations, he brings the same inspiring message of community building, giving and purpose. His breakthrough book, Tuesdays with Morrie, became an international phenomenon with over 14 million copies sold. Now in its twentieth year, Tuesdays remains one of the top selling memoirs of all time and was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning TV movie produced by Oprah Winfrey, starring Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria. Albom has founded 10 charities, including nine in the Detroit area, such as S.A.Y. Detroit, which operates a family health clinic; A Time to Help, a volunteer organization; and A Hole in the Roof Foundation, which repairs faith-based homeless shelters. He also directs the Have Faith Haiti Mission in Port Au Prince, which helps impoverished children and orphans, as well as the Chika Fund, which provides life-saving medical costs and health care. A columnist for The Detroit Free Press since 1985 and a panelist on The Sports Reporters podcast, Albom has been named the #1 Sports Columnist in the Nation by the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) 13 times. In June, 2010, he received the APSE Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement, the biggest prize in sports journalism, and in June 2013, he was inducted into the Sportswriters Hall of Fame. He is the author of eight bestselling books, with five debuting at #1 on the New York Times Best Seller List, including The First Phone Call from Heaven; Have A Little Faith; The Five People You Meet in Heaven and its sequel, The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. Albom is currently developing an hour-long drama series based on the novels for FOX. His bestseller, Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and Making of a Family, is the true story of Chika, a young Haitian orphan whose short life would forever change Albom’s heart. Albom’s latest book, The Stranger in the Lifeboat, will be available for sale immediately following the April 20th event and Mr. Albom will gladly sign them. Albom hosts two radio shows on WJR-AM and has appeared on The Today Show, Oprah, and CBS Sunday Morning. His articles have been featured in The New York Times, GQ and Sports Illustrated. “We invited Mitch to speak to a large group of Hospice of the Sacred Heart employees, volunteers {“type”:”block”,”srcIndex”:10,”srcClientId”:”51dda515-b228-4e21-97df-7ba68d842c1e”,”srcRootClientId”:””}and community members in 2005. We’re delighted to bring him back and look forward to his fresh and inspiring presentation,” said Diane Baldi, CEO, Hospice of the Sacred Heart. Tickets for “An Evening with Mitch Albom” are $55 and are available by visiting the Hospice of the Sacred Heart website (HospiceSacredHeart.org) or at the Theater at North box office. Box office hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 11 AM to 2 PM, Thursday 3 to 6 PM and the evening of the show starting at 5 PM. Media outlets are invited to interview Mr. Albom immediately after his presentation.
The Waverly Community House to Celebrate Black History Month The Waverly Community House, in partnership with WVIA, invites the community to celebrate Black History Month on Sunday, February 26th at 1pm. The event will feature a free screening of the documentary Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom by acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Nelson. Harriet Tubman escaped slavery but returned again and again to lead more than 70 others to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Join WVIA and learn about Waverly’s significant role with Historian E.J. Murphy and then enjoy a free screening of the documentary. Though the event is free to the public, reservations are suggested and may be made at wvia.org/events. The Comm’s Destination Freedom initiative is proud of its designation as part of the National Historic Park Service’s Network to Freedom, an honor it received in 2022. The Destination Freedom Special Exhibits Gallery will be open for participants who wish to visit. The mission of the Gallery is to promote a greater understanding of the complex history of a small village and its role in the Underground Railroad and local Civil War history. Appointments to visit at other times may be made by calling 570-586-8191 extension 2 or by visiting the website: www.waverlywalking tours.org. Questions may be emailed to ejmurphy@waverlycomm.org. The Waverly Community House is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is located at 1115 North Abington Road in Waverly, PA.
SACF To Host Press Conference The Scranton Area Community Foundation is hosting a press conference on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at the Hilton Scranton Hotel & Conference Center to announce that it was selected to serve as a host site for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Workforce Leadership Academy, a fellowship program designed by the Aspen Institute designed to support leaders in workforce development committed to the advancement of the regional workforce ecosystem. The Scranton Area Community Foundation was one of only eight organizations chosen from across the country selected through a competitive process to deliver an Academy in partnership with the Aspen Institute. Other cities selected include Tucson, Detroit, Cleveland, Memphis, San Antonio, Baltimore, and Buffalo. The Workforce Leadership Academy will bring leaders – recognized as Fellows of the Academy – from across the local workforce ecosystem together for a year-long series of retreats, workshops, and action learning projects. Fellows work with leading practitioners throughout the country as they deepen networks; strengthen systems leadership skills; apply race, equity, and systems change frameworks to their work; and increase understanding of effective strategies and programs. An advisory board comprised of regional experts will help to shape the Academy. WHAT: Members of the media are invited to a press conference including Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, The Institute’s Executive Director Teri Ooms, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Durkin, NEPA Black Chamber of Commerce Director of Operations Rashida Lovely, and Scranton Area Community Foundation President and CEO Laura Ducceschi. WHEN: Thursday, December 8, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. WHERE: Hilton Scranton Hotel & Conference Center (2nd floor outside the Casey Ballroom)
SBDC WVIA Live Business Segment On Monday, December 12th, join moderator Steve Stumbris, Director of Bucknell University SBDC, for an all-new Keystone Edition Business, find out what business owners are doing to reinvigorate and reinvent downtown shopping. Host Steve Stumbris is joined by a panel of experts including Julie Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Downtown Center; Betsy Kramer, Revitalization Coordinator at SEDA COG PTAC and Michael Lombardo, the Mayor of Pittston.
Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn’s Free Movie Event A free, family-friendly holiday event returns to the Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre this month after a two-year break. The law offices of Hourigan, Kluger, and Quinn are once again sponsoring the free movie event for kids of all ages. “We are so proud and so happy to bring back this holiday tradition that was put on hold for two years because of the pandemic,” said lead HKQ Attorney Joseph A. Quinn, Jr. “We truly hope the free movie event will add to the wonderful holiday spirit that’s so strong here in northeastern Pennsylvania.” It all takes place on Saturday, December 17, beginning at 12 p.m. at The F.M. Kirby Center in Downtown Wilkes-Barre. This year’s free movie event will feature Disney’s ENCANTO, which the studio describes as “the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charming place called an ‘Encanto.’” Doors at the Kirby open at noon on Saturday, December 17, with live entertainment. The movie begins at 2 p.m. and includes free popcorn and a special gift for children 12 and under. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All are welcome to attend as a holiday gift to the community from Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn.The law firm has offices in Kingston and Scranton and serves Wilkes-Barre and all of Luzerne County; Scranton and all of Lackawanna County; Allentown and all of Lehigh County; and Stroudsburg and all of Monroe County.
Keystone College To Host Holiday Concert The Keystone College Department of Performance Music will host its winter holiday concert, “It’s Not Just a Day,” on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Theatre in Brooks. The free concert, which is open to the public, will feature familiar vocal and instrumental music ranging from traditional holiday favorites to jazz arrangements of music of the season. In addition, audience members can enjoy complimentary holiday treats, visits from seasonal characters, and gifts for children. Those attending will also have the opportunity to make donations to three local charities: The Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, Toys for Tots, and The Catherine McCauley Women’s and Children’s Shelter. For more information, email music@keystone.edu,visit www.keystone.edu/music, or call (570) 945-8599.
Johnson College to Host Transfer Day Johnson College is holding a Transfer Day on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Moffat Student Center on its campus in Scranton, PA. The College is encouraging current college students that are interested in changing the direction of their education and ultimately their career path to visit its campus. Students will meet with Enrollment, Financial Aid, Career Services, and Counseling and Disability Services representatives. In addition, staff members from the Registrar’s Office will be on-hand for transfer credit analyses and review potential schedules for the upcoming semester. Students will learn why Johnson College is the leader in hands-on education, how it exposes students to industry from day one, and how its two-year degree programs, focusing on careers in in-demand industries, have the highest return on investment in the short term. To attend Transfer Day at Johnson College, students must register online at https://johnson.edu/transfer/ or contact the College’s enrollment team at enroll@johnson.edu or (570) 702-8856.
Geisinger Offering Free In-person and Virtual Culinary Medicine Classes Geisinger is excited to offer in-person and virtual culinary medicine classes at their new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen in Selinsgrove. Culinary medicine is a new program offered by Geisinger, consisting of hands-on classes that combine the art and skill of cooking with the science of nutrition. The curriculum is evidence-based and emphasizes the role of food in the treatment and prevention of disease based on the Mediterranean diet. Free of charge and open to everyone, the series of four classes are led by a culinary-trained registered dietitian. They’re typically held on consecutive weeks or months throughout the year. And you don’t need any cooking experience or knowledge to attend. The first class introduces you to the Mediterranean diet and cooking basics. The remaining three each focus on one of a typical day’s meals and healthy eating habits. You must be 18 or older to participate. Classes begin Tuesday, Dec. 6, and are being offered through May 2023. Participants joining virtually can be located anywhere in Pennsylvania. Register today or learn more at geisinger.org/cooking. Participants use the same entrance as Geisinger’s Multispecialty Clinic in Selinsgrove at 157 Roosevelt Ave. Classes are held in the Family Practice Center community room. Geisinger thanks the Degenstein Foundation for their generous gift that made this teaching kitchen possible for the health and education of the community, as well as the Family Practice Center for partnering with us to use their community room for the classes.
