The Wright Center for Community Health Names New Director of Geriatric Services Program

Nicole Lipinski, a registered nurse with 25 years of experience working with elderly patients and caregivers, has been named the new Director of The Wright Center for Community Health’s geriatric services program.

Since its debut in July, the program has been recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement as an Age-Friendly Health System Partner for providing a full spectrum of comprehensive, safety-net primary health and support services for seniors. Through individualized care plans developed by a team of providers, The Wright Center serves as a trusted primary health advisor for seniors and their families to support independent living.

A key component of the geriatric program is the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinic, which provides comprehensive evaluation and testing and is accessible no matter who the patient’s primary care doctor is. The Wright Center is one of only eight health systems across the country selected as an adopter of the innovative Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program created at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

“Our geriatric program was created to meet the need for specialized services that address the physical, mental and behavioral health challenges specific to seniors, especially as we experience an unprecedented growth rate in Pennsylvania’s aging population,” Lipinski said. “Countless families in Northeast Pennsylvania have benefited from this expert care already, which became even more critical as we navigated the challenges the pandemic presented for at-risk older adults, including isolation.”

Lipinski joined The Wright Center in July as the geriatric care manager, bringing decades of experience caring for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases to the role. She earned her nursing degree from Luzerne County Community College, and her bachelor’s degree in business and master’s degree in healthcare informatics from Misericordia University. She resides in Throop.

For information about The Wright Center’s geriatric services or to make an appointment, call 570-230-0019.

Pennsylvania American Water Seeking Entries for Annual “Protect our Watersheds” Art Contest

Pennsylvania American Water announced that entries are being accepted for its 19th Annual “Protect Our Watersheds” Art Contest. The contest is for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students in schools served by Pennsylvania American Water, as well as individual students who live in the company’s service area. The contest encourages students to tap into their artistic talents to express the importance of protecting water resources across the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania American Water recently sent contest information and applications to nearly 400 schools in its service territory, encouraging teachers to promote the contest as a fun and imaginative way to draw students’ attention to protecting and preserving Pennsylvania’s watersheds. As part of their entry, students must write a brief narrative on the personal impact of watershed protection.

“This contest demonstrates our company’s commitment to watershed education and protection,” said Mike Doran, president of Pennsylvania American Water. “These students will be the next generation of environmental stewards. By stressing the importance of watershed protection at an early age, we can help protect this precious resource for generations to come.”

New this year, participants will have a chance to be featured in the company’s first ever “Protect Our Watersheds” wall calendar. Twelve students’ artwork will be chosen for the calendar, and the grand prize-winning artwork will be featured on the cover along with the student’s essay and short bio.

The deadline for artwork submission is April 23, 2021. Contest rules and entry forms are available on the company’s website. Winners will be selected based on creative vision, artistic talent, understanding of watershed protection and the ability to communicate that understanding. All entrants will receive a Watershed Champion Certificate, and the top seven winners will also receive bookstore gift cards. For additional information, please contact pa.communityrelations@amwater.com.

For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

RailRiders Announce 2021 Schedule

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are pleased to announce the schedule for the upcoming 2021 season. The RailRiders are scheduled to play 72 home games and will open their season on Tuesday, April 6, in Moosic against the Worcester Red Sox.

After the entire 2020 Minor League Baseball season was canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, PNC Field served as the alternate training site for the New York Yankees. During the last few months, Major League Baseball reorganized its developmental ranks, essentially creating new leagues and adding several new affiliates across the sport. On February 12, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre announced a 10-year agreement to remain as the Yankees Triple-A affiliate, playing in the newly-formed Triple-A East. The RailRiders were placed in the Northeast Division along with former International League North teams from Buffalo (Toronto) Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia), Rochester (Washington), Syracuse (New York Mets) and Worcester (Boston).

After nearly two decades with the Minnesota Twins, the Rochester Red Wings are now an affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The club in Worcester moved from Pawtucket to a new ballpark set to open this season in Worcester, Massachusetts.

“We are excited to release this schedule as a positive sign towards baseball in Moosic this year,” stated John Adams, Team President of the RailRiders. “While certainly several factors must still be clarified to help us move forward with a safe and successful season, this schedule is the first sign of things to come. The front office is hopeful for the return of baseball and seeing our loyal fans at PNC Field very soon.”

The RailRiders will play their entire 2021 schedule against teams from the Northeast Division in an effort to reduce travel for health and safety reasons.  Each Monday during the season is slated as an off day for travel to better accommodate players and staff. Unlike recent seasons, the 2021 campaign will extend beyond Labor Day, culminating on September 19th in Lehigh Valley.

Go to www.SWBRailRiders.Com for the full 2021 schedule.

This 2021 schedule remains fully subject to change due to the ongoing pandemic, while COVID-19 restrictions and protocols, game times and promotional details will be announced at a later date.

Luxury Suites as well as Full, Half and Partial Season Ticket Memberships are on sale now. The RailRiders front office is open on a limited basis and by appointment only. For more information on the upcoming 2021 season, please visit swbrailriders.com or contact the club by calling (570) 969-2255 and leave a voicemail. Calls will be returned at the earliest possible opportunity.

Commissioners Announce Lackawanna County COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Grant Program

Lackawanna County Commissioners approved $2,374,844 million in funding to provide grants to eligible hospitality and accommodation businesses through the Lackawanna County COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Grant Program. 

The program will provide grants up to $25,000 to eligible businesses in Lackawanna County.

“The hospitality industry has been hit very hard by the pandemic. The majority of our well-established area restaurants and small eateries were reduced to take-out or capacity restrictions, while our hotels saw a huge drop-off in guest room bookings.  We are very pleased to provide some assistance again in conjunction with our partner, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.  Together, we will utilize our resources to assist these sectors to get on the road to economic recovery,” the Board of Commissioners stated.  

In February, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania earmarked $145 million to establish the COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Grant Program. The funding was distributed through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to Lackawanna County.

The County will partner with MetroAction, the small business affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, to administer the program and provide technical assistance to grant applicants and awardees. 

Information on the grant program is available at www.metroaction.org. Businesses are encouraged to read program guidelines and gather required program documents. Businesses will be able to submit a grant application for a two-week time frame or until program funding is exhausted.

The grant application will open on March 8.

READ GUIDELINES

State of the City with Mayor Cognetti

Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti will give the 2021 State of the City address from Scranton City Hall on Wednesday, March 3 at 4:30 p.m.

Mayor Cognetti will give remarks on Scranton’s challenges and opportunities and illustrate how our community has come together during this unprecedented period of crisis.

The address will be live streamed via Zoom, at Youtube.com/ECTV, and Comcast Channel 19.

Viewers can dial-in at +16465588656,,88596704167# or use Meeting ID: 885 9670 4167 (no password required).

COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Response Program

Skills in Scranton, the workforce development affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, and in partnership with the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging, has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Response Program to match college students and recent graduates with Lackawanna County pharmacies and medical practices for temporary, non-clinical work related to COVID-19 vaccinations.

“Our organization is honored to support such a timely and historic program. The work that comes from this program not only provides young college students and professionals with real world experience, but will also make a significant impact on many lives in the Lackawanna County community,” said Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.

Whether you’re looking for supplemental employment or just want to make a difference, we encourage those who qualify to join the fight against COVID-19. The positions involve COVID-19 data administration functions as well as customer service support.

Eligible employees must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Be a resident of Lackawanna County and currently enrolled in a college or university or 2020 college or university graduate
  • Be a student currently enrolled in a Lackawanna County college or university and residing in Lackawanna County
  • Be a student currently enrolled at a Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce member college or university and living in Lackawanna County

The positions are available for immediate hire and will stay open on a rolling basis. Those interested in applying can visit www.scrantonchamber.com/vaccineprogram.

LEARN MORE

For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Response Program contact Amy Luyster at aluyster@scrantonchamber.com or 570-342-7711.

2021 SAGE Finalists Announced

The Chamber announced the finalists for the 2021 SAGE Awards, the Scranton Awards for Growth and Excellence live on Zoom. The SAGE Awards honor outstanding local businesses for their talent, creativity, and innovation. The winners will be announced on Friday, March 19 at the Chamber Gala, a hybrid event held at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center and live via Zoom.

This year’s SAGE Awards have been enhanced to honor and recognize the innovation our local businesses employed due to COVID-19. In addition, we created the new IMPACT Award for 2021, which includes three categories: Community Outreach, People and Culture, and Products and Services. 

Close to 100 applications were received for this year’s awards and nearly 40 community leaders and professionals volunteered to review applications and select finalists. The Chamber is proud to honor businesses that are making valuable contributions to the region and contributing to our overall quality of life.

In addition, all award finalists can also win the People’s Choice Award, where the winner will be chosen by a community wide online vote from Monday, March 1 through Friday, March 5.

VIEW FINALISTS

2021 ATHENA Leadership Award Recipient Announced

Marion Munley, Esq. (center) with (l to r) Kristine Augustine, Chamber; Mari Potis, Chamber; Donna Barbetti, Michael A Barbetti LLC Certified Public Accountants; and Melinda Ghilardi, Esq., Munley Law.

We are pleased to announce Marion Munley, Esq., Munley Law, as the 2021 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient.

Marion embodies the character of the ATHENA Award, which honors an exceptional individual who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, has served the community in a meaningful way and has assisted women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills.

“Marion is an exceptional example of a community leader paving the way for others. She fights for her clients, commits time to the Lackawanna County community, and ensures the mentorship of young women with careers in law,” says Bob Durkin, president of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “She is an admirable and deserving recipient of this prestigious award.”

For more than 30 years, Marion has made her mark in the male-dominated area of trucking law as a dedicated and skilled litigator, taking lead on some of Pennsylvania’s largest and groundbreaking legal victories. For a decade Marion provided free legal services to those in need at the Hope Center for Northeastern Pennsylvania. She has supported Lackawanna Pro Bono for more than 20 years, sponsors scholarships at the University of Scranton, Marywood University and Johnson College, as well as contributes to many other local charitable organizations.

Marion mentors young women aspiring to or beginning a career in law. Particularly at Munley Law, she makes herself available for advice and questions and ensures they have a role in the firm’s big cases, local networking events, and national conferences. In 2020, Marion received the AAJ’s Marie Lambert Award for her commitment to the legal profession, her community, and the advancement of women in law.

The ATHENA Award was first presented in 1982 in Lansing, Michigan and has grown to include presentations to more than 5,000 individuals in hundreds of cities in the United States as well as in Canada, China, Russia and the United Kingdom. The award takes the form of a hand-cast bronze sculpture symbolizing the strength, courage and wisdom of the recipient. The ATHENA Award® Program is nationally underwritten by General Motors and National City Bank. Local sponsorship is provided by Michael A. Barbetti LLC Certified Public Accountants.