The United Way to Help Children Succeed in Life The program provides for vision correction for such children to ensure they have equal opportunity to learn and succeed in life.
Scranton Area Community Foundation to Host NEPA Housing Lab The Scranton Area Community Foundation (SACF), in partnership with the City of Scranton and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, is hosting “NEPA Housing Lab: Developing Strategies for Impact” on Friday, April 14th from 9 AM – 4 PM at the Radisson Hotel in Scranton. Participants of this workshop-style event will develop steps to address critical housing and homeownership issues in Northeastern Pennsylvania. This workshop-style event will engage with local stakeholders, funders, and lenders to advance the expansion and accessibility of affordable, attainable, and quality housing in Scranton and the Lackawanna County region. Led by the Federal Reserve Bank of Pennsylvania, the Housing Lab consists of two tracks: Affordable Housing Development and Homeownership. Participants will engage in presentations and panel discussions throughout the full day event. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti will provide opening remarks. The NEPA Housing Lab developed out of previous community roundtable discussions hosted between 2020 and 2022 by SACF in partnership with the City of Scranton and other community partners. In these discussions, community members identified lack of equitable housing as a major issue facing the region. “The affordable housing crisis is everywhere, including Scranton”, said Mayor Paige Cognetti. “We are seeking solutions and are looking forward to working with experts locally and from outside the region to understand what might work, what might not, and most importantly, to move ahead as quickly as possible.” Alongside Mayor Cognetti, the NEPA Housing Lab will also feature the followers presenters & speakers: Laura Ducceschi, President & CEO, SACF; Vivian Williams, Community Initiatives Manager, SACF; Maggie Martinelli, Chief Operating Officer, SACF; Teri Ooms, President & CEO, The Institute; Eileen Cipriani, Director of Community Development, City of Scranton. Panelists will include Ira Goldstein, President of Policy Solutions, The Reinvestment Fund; Fred Bañuelos, Community Investment Business Development Manager, Federal Home Loan Bank Pittsburgh; Dana Hanchin, President and CEO, HDC MidAtlantic; Chris Casciano, Senior Vice President of Credit Union Operations, Community First Fund; Leslie Winder, Director of Community and Economic Development, Urban Affairs Coalition; Abraham Pardo, Director of Housing, The Urban League of Philadelphia; Coleen Baumert, Director of Homeownership Programs, PHFA; Pamela Anslinger, Homeownership and Financial Services Manager, NeighborworksNEPA. An afternoon session, “Exploring Solutions and Moving to Action”, will be facilitated by Samantha Porter, Senior Manager and Advisor, and Patricia Bell, Community Engagement Associate, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. “NEPA Housing Lab: Developing Strategies for Impact” will take place on Friday, April 14th from 9 AM – 4 PM at the Radisson Hotel in Scranton.
2022-2023 Winner of NEIU Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition Announced Kendal Pauline, a senior at Hazleton Area Arts and Humanities Academy is the 2022-2023 NEIU Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition Winner and has been named First Runner Up in the 2023 Pennsylvania Poetry Out Loud (POL) State Championship. “AieNEPA and The Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit is so very pleased to have a strong partnership with WVIA,” said Catherine Richmond-Cullen, Ed.D., Director of AieNEPA. “The Pa Council on the Arts has promoted the National Endowment on the Arts project, Poetry Out Loud, for more than 10 years. Our partner region is the only one in the Commonwealth working with our regional PBS affiliate. The opportunity for young creatives to recite works of poetry on television and radio is amazing. Our gratitude to WVIA cannot be overstated.” “We are proud to take part in the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts statewide Poetry Out Loud program,” said Liz Faist, aieNEPA Assistant Director. “We are grateful to our schools, teachers and students for their participation and dedication. What a fantastic opportunity to be able to share the students’ recitations with the community on such a professional platform. We are truly grateful to WVIA and our POL (Poetry Out Loud) sponsors that make this event possible.” “WVIA Education is thrilled to take part in Poetry Out Loud, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation, which has given millions of talented high school students like Kendal a space to share their unique voices for more than fifteen years,” said Vicki Austin, Senior Director of Grants and Education. “We appreciate the loyal support of the Overlook Estate Foundation, Inc. and our partners, NEIU 19 and Arts in Education of Northeast PA, without whom this could not happen.” The 2023 Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition premiered on WVIA-TV Thursday, April 6 and is available to watch anytime, on-demand at wvia.org as well as on the PBS and WVIA Apps. To learn more about Poetry Out Loud, please visit https://www.poetryoutloud.org. WVIA Mission WVIA educates, inspires, entertains and fosters citizenship, diverse cultures, and perspectives to nurture community.
May Events Planned at The University of Scranton Through May 5 Art Exhibit: “The University of Scranton Student Exhibition Online.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Virtual exhibit. Free. Call. 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Through May 12 Art Exhibit: “Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration” by Mark Loughney. Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. May 2 noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The Promise of American Democracy” presented by Fredrik Logevall, Ph.D., Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School and professor of history, Harvard University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. May 5 5 p.m. Art Gallery Reception: “Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration” by Mark Loughney as part of downtown Scranton’s First Fridays events. Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. May 6 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “40th Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir featuring two new works by composer/conductor Philip J. Kuehn. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. May 9 noon. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Vocalising and Music in the Development of Speech Language and Consciousness” presented by Harmar Brereton, M.D., medical and radiation oncologist, Weill Cornell Medical School faculty and clinical professor of medicine at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. May 12 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. May 20 4 p.m. Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu. May 21 11 a.m. Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu. May 21 4:30 p.m. Graduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.
Leigh Pilzer to Perform at University of Scranton On Saturday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m., Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a concert featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band and Saxophone Ensemble with special guest baritone and bass saxophonist Leigh Pilzer. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. In addition, Pilzer will also offer a free masterclass for local musicians, music teachers and their students in the afternoon before the concert on the topic of section playing. Please email music@scranton.edu for more information on the masterclass. The concert on Saturday evening will highlight a variety of songs featuring two different instrumentations, according to Performance Music Conductors and Co-Directors Philip Kuehn and Cheryl Y. Boga. Pilzer will perform a variety of selections with the University’s Jazz Band and Saxophone Ensemble, both groups made up of student musicians from majors spanning the curriculum. Pilzer is a Washington, D.C.-based saxophonist, arranger and educator. She has toured domestically and internationally as a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, and often performs with the National Symphony Orchestra at concerts at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. As an arranger, Pilzer’s work is in the libraries of the SJMO, DIVA, the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, the DC-area premier military jazz ensembles, and college and professional jazz ensembles and brass quintets throughout the country. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance with jazz emphasis from George Mason University; master’s degrees in jazz studies and saxophone performance from The University of Maryland; and a Bachelor of Music in jazz composition and arranging from the Berklee College of Music. The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no music major at the University, and all enrolled Scranton students (undergraduate and graduate) from every major are eligible for membership in the University bands, choirs and string ensembles, with neither an audition nor enrollment fee required for membership. Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles each year. Other programs within the department, including guest artist concerts, World Premiere Composition Series, Nelhybel Collection, and Scranton Brass Orchestra, closely coordinate programming with the student ensembles and offer unique opportunities for student musicians in the ensembles to hear, observe, interact and perform with numerous world-class musicians and artist-teachers. High school juniors and seniors who are considering applying to Scranton are encouraged to contact Performance Music to arrange to sit in on a rehearsal, meet the staff, attend a concert or tour the building. For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624 or visit the Performance Music webpage (scranton.edu/music). For more info on Pilzer, visit www.leighpilzer.com.
NEPA Inclusive’s Fundraising Event Scheduled for May 12 The public is invited to attend the Campaign for Inclusion, the largest fundraising event of the year for the non-profit organization NEPA Inclusive. The event will take place on Friday, May 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Susquehanna Brewing Company, 635 South Main Street, Pittston. The 2023 Campaign for Inclusion raises awareness about the importance of inclusion for people with diverse abilities and Autism in schools, businesses and housing throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. Co-chairpersons for this year’s event are Vanessa Vergnetti Thomas and Matthew Krispin. Thomas is the mother of five children, including her sons Benjamin and Tristan who have Autism. A certified K-12 special education teacher, certified personal trainer and master colorist, she knows her way around the IEP and disability service system. She wants to share the mission of how NEPA Inclusive makes a difference in the lives of children and adults with disabilities. Krispin was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome at a very young age but has never let it slow him down. A graduate of Tunkhannock Area High School and Luzerne County Community College, Krispin is the administrative assistant for NEPA Inclusive. He is also very active in his community, serving as treasurer of the Northmoreland Township Volunteer Fire Department and a reader at St. Theresa’s Church in Shavertown. Tickets are $50 each, which includes two beverages and food provided by iconic local restaurants from around the greater Pittston area and Wyoming Valley. Tickets can be purchased in advance through the NEPA Inclusive website, nepainclusive.org or at the door; advanced ticket purchases or requests are recommended. Entertainment will be provided by Pittston’s popular Phyllis Hopkins Electric Trio. Emcees for the event will be longtime WBRE-TV 28 news anchor Mark Hiller and local personality Lizzie Breznay. Dozens of area businesses have donated baskets that will be raffled off during the event. In addition to food, music and raffles, the Campaign for Inclusion will present several awards: Volunteer of the Year: Jimmy Dalkiewicz;Inclusive Business Partner of the Year: AnthraCycleInclusive Business of the Year: The Salt BarreDirect Support Professional of the Year: Esther Ross “We have a great evening planned for this year’s Campaign for Inclusion,” said Frank Bartoli, president and CEO of NEPA Inclusive. “This event is a wonderful way to bring together the community with the individuals and families we help to celebrate the progress we’ve made to make Northeastern Pennsylvania a more inclusive, welcoming community for everyone. We are excited to partner with Susquehanna Brewing Company as the location for this year’s event.” Individuals and area businesses that would like to support the event by donating a basket for the raffle or making a monetary donation can contact Nicole Ross, executive assistant, at 570-855-5355 or via email, nross@nepainclusive.org. Donations are 100% tax deductible. Donor levels are Friend, $100; Community, $250; Bronze, $500; Silver, $1,000; Gold, $2500 and Platinum, $5,000. Donations can also be made specifically for Coffee Inclusive, the new coffee shop in downtown Pittston operated by NEPA Inclusive. NEPA Inclusive is a provider agency that works with the PA Office of Developmental Programs’ Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (ODP IDD) wavier system to design services to help people achieve an inclusive life. The organization is also a vendor with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for pre-employment transition services for high school students, supported employment for adults and offers a variety of educational, advocacy, and social programs all designed to help people live truly inclusive lives. NEPA Inclusive is a 501c3 charitable organization with headquarters in Pittston. NEPA Inclusive serves all of northeastern Pennsylvania, the Poconos, Lehigh Valley and Berks County. Founded in 2013, its unique person-centered approach to inclusion provides people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and Autism the most inclusive life, including working in local businesses, living with their families and living in their own apartments.
The Wright Center News The Wright Center names Lifestyle Medicine Health Educator Carley Brock, MPH, has been named health educator for The Wright Center for Community Health’s Lifestyle Management Department. A graduate of Georgia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in applied public health, Brock is a certified health education specialist and a certified drug and alcohol counselor. As a health educator, Brock will work within the Lifestyle Medicine department to coordinate services for patients referred to the department. Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based practice that helps individuals and families improve their overall health and quality of life by adopting and sustaining positive lifestyle behaviors, including eliminating tobacco use, improving diet, increasing physical activity, and practicing stress relieving techniques. Patients are empowered to take control of their well-being by making improvements through manageable changes in their overall lifestyle. In this role, Brock will also serve as a liaison between the clinical staff at The Wright Center for Community Health and the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NEPA AHEC) to coordinate interprofessional educational opportunities offered by NEPA AHEC. She will also oversee the outcomes identified by NEPA AHEC in the delivery of comprehensive tobacco control programs in Lackawanna, Pike, Susquehanna, and Wayne counties, and the diabetes prevention program in Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna, and Wayne counties. The Wright Center introduced lifestyle medicine in 2020 to address a variety of community needs in Northeast Pennsylvania, including the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension. The Wright Center took their focus on lifestyle medicine one step further, by weaving lifestyle medicine into the curriculum of its graduate medical education programs, aiming to appropriately prepare the next generation of physicians to spare patients the needless suffering and expense of certain serious, long-term illnesses. Lifestyle medicine services are available throughout The Wright Center’s practices. For more information about The Wright Center’s Lifestyle Medicine program, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. With tick season here, be mindful of myriad health risks Spring is finally in full swing here in Northeast Pennsylvania. The temperatures are rising, the birds are singing, and the grass is growing. I don’t know about you, but I’m loving every invigorating minute of it. If you’re like me, you want to take full advantage of the great weather and get outside for all manner of fun pursuits, be it hiking, biking, gardening, or golf. Of course, it’s not all fun and games, as the great outdoors contain their share of threats, not the least of which are those pesky little insects with an uncanny knack for attaching themselves to humans and pets alike. Yes, tick season has returned to NEPA, and we need to be vigilant from now through the end of the warm-weather months of these troublesome pests, which live in grassy, woodsy areas and can wreak havoc on the body in a number of ways. The most common tickborne illness is Lyme disease, which in the Northeast is transmitted by the blacklegged tick. Symptoms usually include fever, headache, fatigue, and skin rash. The infection can damage the joints, the heart, or the nervous system if left untreated. Luckily, most cases can be treated with antibiotics, so it’s important to consult your physician. While Lyme disease is the most well-known illness caused by a tick bite, it’s hardly the only one. Here are a few others worth your attention: Anaplasmosis: Spread primarily by blacklegged and western blacklegged ticks, anaplasmosis can lead to fever, headache, chills, and muscle aches. In some cases, people contract the disease if a tick has been on their skin for more than 10 hours. It’s commonly treated with the drug Doxycycline.Powassan Virus: Often spread by deer ticks, this virus can cause severe disease, including encephalitis or meningitis. Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness, and treatment comes via rest, fluids, and symptomatic treatments and medications. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: This bacterial disease is transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick. Most people who get it experience fever, headache, and rash, but it can be deadly if not treated early, as it was recently for a child from the State College, Pennsylvania area. Treat with Doxycycline.Babesiosis: Caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells and are transmitted by the blacklegged tick, babesiosis can lead to anemia and blood clots if not properly treated. So, given all these potential tickborne scourges and more, how can we best protect ourselves so we don’t end up sick or in the hospital? Well, there are plenty of ways to be proactive in the fight against ticks. Here are a few: Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanoneSteer clear of wooded, bushy, high-grass areas; if hiking or biking, stick to the trailWhen finished with your outdoor activity, check your clothing and bare skin for ticks – and check your pets, tooOnce back home, conduct a full-body check for ticks, paying close attention to the area under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, the back of the knees, in and around the hair, between the legs, and around the waistShower within two hours of coming indoors, as it can wash away unnoticed ticks, some the size of poppy seeds, and has been shown to reduce your risk of contracting tickborne diseases And if you do find a tick on your body, be sure to monitor yourself for any potential symptoms. There’s also a local place where you can have your ticks examined – the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania at East Stroudsburg University. For more information on the lab, visit ticklab.org. A little knowledge goes a long way when it comes to ticks. So be mindful of them during the next several months – but don’t let them ruin your outdoor fun! William Dempsey, M.D., is deputy chief medical officer for The Wright Center for Community Health. He provides comprehensive primary care services as a family medicine physician and serves as medical director at The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit Practice. He is also medication-assisted treatment-waivered to treat substance use disorder. The Wright Center to Support National Health Objectives The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education have recently been designated by an office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a Healthy People 2030 Champion. The official recognition was made by the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) and affirms The Wright Center’s commitment to promoting the nation’s efforts to improve the health and well-being of all people. “We’re delighted to be recognized as champions of the Healthy People 2030 initiative and its framework for achieving a healthier society by 2030,” said Laura Spadaro, vice president of primary care and public health policy at The Wright Center. “Our nonprofit enterprise’s activities are in full alignment with the vision behind the Healthy People campaign, which is for all people to achieve their full potential for health and well-being across the lifespan.” The initiative, updated each decade, sets data-driven national objectives in a range of categories, including health conditions (such as dementias, diabetes, and respiratory disease), health behaviors, and special populations. In total, the initiative tracks 358 core objectives. One objective, for example, is to reduce current tobacco use among the adult population from 21.3% to 17.4% or below. Proponents of this goal note that tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. A key focus of the latest Healthy People initiative is the social determinants of health category, which are the social conditions impacting people in the places where they live, learn, work, and play that can affect their quality of life and health. Examples of social determinants of health include exposure to polluted air and water, exposure to racism and violence, and an individual’s level of access to things such as nutritious foods, educational attainment, job opportunities, safe housing, and outlets for physical activity. “ODPHP is thrilled to recognized The Wright Center for its work to support the Healthy People 2030 vision,” said Rear Admiral Paul Reed, M.D., ODPHP director. “Only by collaborating with partners nationwide can we achieve Health People 2030’s overarching goals and objectives.” The Healthy People initiative began in 1979 when U.S. Surgeon General Julius Richmond issued the landmark report, “Healthy People: The Surgeon General’s Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.” Healthy People 2030 is the fifth iteration of the initiative. It builds on the knowledge gained and lessons learned to address the latest public health priorities. Applicants are selected to become Healthy People 2030 Champions if they have a demonstrated interest in and experience with disease prevention, health promotion, health literacy, health equity, or well-being. Upon acceptance, each champion is able to display a trademarked digital badge on its website and social media channels. Champions also receive information, tools, and resources to help them promote the initiative among their networks. As a Healthy People 2030 Champion, The Wright Center joins the ranks of a diverse array of public and private organizations that impact health outcomes at the state, tribal, and local levels. Current champions include the Academy of General Dentistry, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the Council on Black Health, the Health Care Improvement Foundation, the National Kidney Foundation, the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Trust for America’s Health, and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. To learn more about Healthy People 2030, visit health.gov/healthypeople. To learn more about The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019
FNCB Bank Recognizes Woman of Influence FNCB Bank is pleased to announce Mary Griffin Cummings, Esq., Executive Vice President, General Counsel, was honored with the Patricia A. Husic Women of Influence Award at the Pennsylvania Bankers Association annual Women in Banking Conferenced held March 13, 2023, in Hershey, PA.
Crystal Window & Door Systems Receives Industry Recognition Leading national trade publication US Glass Magazine named the Crystal Aluminum Series 1450/1460 Terrace Door the winner in the 2022 Doors and Door Products category of its annual Readers’ Choice Awards. “I’m proud that Crystal’s industry leading window and door products continue to be valued by the building industry,” said Sabrina Leung, Crystal’s R&D and Architectural Sales Manager.
Lawyer of Myers, Brier & Kelly, LLP, Inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers Attorney Patrick A. Casey, a partner at Myers, Brier & Kelly, LLP, was recently inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL), one of the nation’s most prestigious legal member organizations. Membership in the College is by invitation only following a rigorous investigation into the qualifications of each nominee. The College ultimately selects only those nominees who maintained the highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality.