Pennsylvania American Water Systems Recognized for 20 Consecutive Years of Excellent Tap Water Customers of Pennsylvania American Water can rest assured of the quality of their tap water, as 17 of the company’s water treatment plants were recently recognized by the Partnership for Safe Water at the Directors and Presidents levels for achieving water quality excellence. The national awards, which honor efforts to continuously optimize water treatment plant and distribution system operation and performance, were announced by the American Water Works Association. “Maintaining these levels of quality demonstrates Pennsylvania American Water’s continued commitment to optimizing treatment processes and providing high-quality water to customers,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Mike Doran. “Through the past year – pandemic and all – the dedicated teams who support these systems have continued their work every day to deliver tap water that is safe, clean, reliable, and meets or surpasses state and federal drinking water standards. I am so proud of our team for receiving more Partnership for Safe Water awards than any other water utility in the nation.” The Pennsylvania American Water treatment plants recognized this year are listed below. A full list of the company’s award-winning water systems can be found here. 20 Year Directors Award Brownsville Water Treatment Plant (Fayette County)Crystal Lake Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)Kane Water Treatment Plant (McKean County)Lake Scranton Water Treatment Plant (Lackawanna County)Norristown Water Treatment Plant (Montgomery County)Punxsutawney Water Treatment Plant (Jefferson County)Susquehanna Water Treatment Plant (Susquehanna County)Watres Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)White Deer Water Treatment Plant (Union County) 10 Year Directors Award Stony Garden Water Treatment Plant (Northampton County) 5 Year Presidents Award Bangor Water Treatment Plant (Northampton County)Brownell Water Treatment Plant (Lackawanna County)Crystal Lake Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)Hershey/GC Smith Water Treatment Plant (Dauphin County)Indiana Water Treatment Plant (Indiana County)Nesbitt Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County) 5 Year Directors Award Rock Run Water Treatment Plant (Chester County) “We’re proud of our incredible team of expert scientists, treatment plant operators andengineers that support our water systems,” Doran continued. “This impressive award demonstrates their dedication and commitment to protecting the health and safety of our customers for the past 20 years and beyond.” Nationally, just over 400 surface water treatment plants are part of the Partnership for Safe Water, a voluntary effort that is designed to increase protection against microbial contamination through treatment optimization.
Lackawanna College Hosts Recovery Walk for National Recovery Month Members of the Lackawanna College community, including students in the Addictions concentration of the College’s bachelor’s degree program, conducted a Recovery Walk in downtown Scranton today. September is National Recovery Month, and students and staff spent the morning learning about care providers within walking distance of the main campus, including DATS, TPALS, and The Recovery Bank.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield fighting hunger with RailRiders home runs The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are proud to partner with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield to raise money for National Hunger Awareness Month. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield will donate $10 for every home run that the RailRiders hit during the 2021 season to the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank in Pittston. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has hit 120 home runs so far this season, putting the current donation total at $1,200. The RailRiders have 21 games remaining this season, including the remainder of the regular season and The Final Stretch. “We are proud to partner with our friends at the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on this important initiative,” said Brian Rinker, Market President at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. “Now more than ever, we want to support local organizations that address hunger and food insecurity in our community. We wish the RailRiders the best of luck for a successful finish to the season!” In our region, one in six children and one in eight adults face hunger each day. The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank is a Feeding America partner and works to reduce hunger and promote proper nutrition in addition to preventing food waste. The Food Bank serves four counties in Northeast Pennsylvania: Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, and Wyoming. “Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has been a great partner over the years and we appreciate their support of the Northeast Regional Food Bank,” said Katie Beekman, the RailRiders’ General Manager. “We have all seen the disheartening statistics and truly hope that this program can benefit those in need in NEPA. Now it’s time for the RailRiders to finish strong.” For more information, visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-BALL.
Geisinger Life Flight reaches 40 years of life-saving service This year, Geisinger is honoring 40 years of providing life-saving critical care. What started as a single-aircraft operation at Geisinger Medical Center in 1981 has grown to a nine-aircraft operation, with six bases, two critical care grounds trucks, a crew of 150, and more than 75,000 transports completed across northeastern and central Pennsylvania. Since 2001, Life Flight 3, based at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, has been a crucial part of the Life Flight program. This month, we invite you to consider covering this milestone in local medical history. Current and former Geisinger Life Flight leaders, current crews, and patients are willing to share their stories of how the Life Flight program has impacted medical care locally and helped to save lives. Geisinger also continues investing in the program, with the addition of its latest helicopter, which recently went into service this summer.
Maternal and Family Health Services Celebrates 50th Anniversary with New Logo As part of its 50th anniversary of serving those in need, Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) launched a new brand identity and website this week. The rebrand is designed to enhance recognition of the organization and array of services it offers, particularly during this difficult period for the thousands of women, children and families who rely on it for care. MFHS began its mission of care in 1971, with a vision to improve the quality of life of families in Northeast PA through preventative healthcare services. “Our 50th anniversary was the perfect time to revisit our logo. MFHS continues to adapt to the needs of our community, and our new logo and website reflect those changes,” said Maria Montoro Edwards, Ph.D., President & CEO of Maternal and Family Health Services. “As we continue to add services such as behavioral healthcare, we wanted to create a logo that is fresh and modern, but still connected to our history of creating a ‘circle of care’ of services for our clients.” The new Maternal and Family Health Services logo is accompanied by a new website, which highlights the services the agency offers the community. The site is designed to be welcoming and easy to navigate. The improved location finder enables the community to search by zip code to find services like the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition program and reproductive health care near them. “We also wanted to rebrand now, during the pandemic, because there is so much need in the community. While our name remains the same, our logo and website are a clearer reminder that MFHS is here to help families struggling during such a difficult time,” commented Jim Schilling, MFHS Development and Communications Officer. “The layered, circular design represents the different people we serve: children, adults, parents, families, and our entire community. Our new website reflects this as well, with an updated look and a focus on easily connecting our community with vital healthcare information.” MFHS encourages the community to see its new look by visiting the new website at: MFHS.org.
NROC Sole Radiation Oncology Practice in NEPA to Achieve APEx Award “APEx” is the Accreditation Program for Excellence, an award carefully given to select practices in the United States for excellence in safety and quality by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO.) Northeast Radiation Oncology Center’s (NROC) achievement means that it has once again earned this prestigious four-year accreditation, the only facility in Northeastern Pennsylvania to do so. “Receiving this accreditation from the premier radiation oncology society in the world validates our practices and recognizes the efforts of our team to deliver patient-centered, highest quality care to our community,” says Christopher A. Peters, M.D., Medical Director. Having attained this during the reality of COVID-19 is especially commendable, as NROC’s physicians, nurses, radiation therapists and entire staff provide continuous care. Cancer patients, physicians and families can feel confident in this award-winning culture of safety available to them in Dunmore. At its core, this exceptional accreditation reflects competencies and practices identified and endorsed in the 2012 ASTRO publication Safety is No Accident: A Framework for Quality Radiation Oncology and Care. Accreditation through APEx is a rigorous, voluntary, multi-step process that can take up to one year to complete. It’s the result of devotion, efficient communication and a myriad of technologies and training. Each center seeking APEx accreditation must have its policies and procedures evaluated using objective, verifiable expectations for performance in radiation oncology. It must demonstrate its commitment to cancer care by promoting effective communication, coordinating treatment, and engaging patients and their families as partners in care. “ASTRO is proud to recognize Northeast Radiation Oncology Center for achieving APEx accreditation,” says ASTRO chair Bruce D. Minsky, M.D., FASTRO. “NROC has demonstrated a commitment to providing their patients with safe, high-quality radiation therapy services.” APEx has a distinctive program structure that includes both a self-assessment process and a facility visit conducted by a medical physicist and a radiation oncologist, radiation therapist, nurse, dosimetrist, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or practice administrator. The team of physicians at NROC offers the most comprehensive, advanced radiation therapy technologies available in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Doctors carefully advise patients with a cancer diagnosis about the therapies most effective for their type and stage of cancer, and educate them and family members on their treatment options. The Center works with all insurances. Patients are also given the opportunity to participate in cancer clinical research trials. NROC physicians have served as Principal Investigators for National Cancer Institute research trials for over thirty-five years. More information is provided at www.nrocdoctors.com.
Woodloch Pines Named Number One Family Resort in the United States by USA TODAY Woodloch Pines, an all-inclusive family resort located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, has been selected by USA TODAY as the number one family resort in the United States in their 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Woodloch Pines claimed the same honor in 2019 and took the number two spot in 2020. Nominees are chosen by a panel of travel experts, a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields and their cities but also discriminating in their tastes. These include a combination of editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, and other professional contributors. “We are ecstatic to be chosen as the number one family resort by USA TODAY. Woodloch has been in our family for over 60 years, and it is humbling to see our resort ranked among so many amazing properties and national brands,” said Brad Kiesendahl, CEO and President of Woodloch Pines. “This could not have been accomplished without the hard work and sincere hospitality of our staff members, as well as our loyal and passionate guests who want to share their experiences with the world. We are eternally grateful for their continued support especially through the challenges of the past few years,” he continued. To obtain more information or to book a stay, please visit woodloch.com, or call 1-800-Woodloch.
Northeastern PA Native Returns as New CEO of Scranton Counseling Center After a national search, Scranton Counseling Center has selected Sarah Wodder, Psy.D. as the organization’s new President and CEO. Dr. Wodder, a northeastern Pennsylvania native, will be returning to the area to lead the community based, non-profit behavioral health organization. Dr. Wodder most recently served as an Executive Director of Edison Court, Inc., a Doylestown, PA child and adolescent residential and outpatient treatment facility for those with behavioral health issues. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, and her Master of Science in Community Counseling from the University of Scranton. She was awarded her Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia. She will assume her new responsibilities on September first, relieving Sal Santoli, the interim CEO, who will remain in a senior management position with the Center. “We are delighted to bring in Dr. Wodder to lead Scranton Counseling Center,” said Karen Clifford, chair of the CEO search committee. “Sarah’s commitment to quality, collaboration and team building, and her inclusive approach to partnership development will serve the Center and the community we serve well as we continue to grow and evolve in our new campus,” Karen concluded. “Having grown up in the Scranton area with deep roots in this community, I am thrilled to be chosen to lead Scranton Counseling Center and its professional staff of behavioral health specialists,” related Sarah Wodder. “My previous outpatient and residential experiences will be valuable in leading the devoted team at the Center in providing exceptional service to those in need,” she added. Dr. Wodder was selected after a four-month selection process that provided the search committee a significant number of regional and national applications for consideration. Philip Condron, the board chair of Scranton Counseling Center, relayed, “Dr. Wodder’s focus on our client services, staff training, and quality improvement enabled her to stand out among an outstanding list of applicants for the CEO position. Her background, experience and previous successes positioned her as our strong selection. We’re thrilled she accepted our offer.” Scranton Counseling Center is a community based, private nonprofit behavioral health provider serving children, adolescents, adults and families with mental health and substance abuse issues in Lackawanna Susquehanna and surrounding counties. The center recently moved into a new $15 million campus of facilities on the corner of Cedar Avenue and Cherry Street in South Scranton.
