The Wright Center Hosts Liberty Tree Dedication The Wright Center’s historic Liberty Tree to be planted in Dickson City park for U.S. Semiquincentennial The Wright Center for Community Health will receive a certified Liberty Tree, a living symbol of American independence, from America250PA and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, also called the Pennsylvania Freemasons, that will be planted at VFW Park in Dickson City. In celebration of the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary, this historic tulip poplar will be the only Liberty Tree to take root in Lackawanna County as part of a statewide effort to honor the nation’s founding. These historical documents from May 14, 1827, are from the collection of the Lackawanna Historical Society 2023.14.46 A/B, and detail the 800-acre land grant awarded in 1797 by the state of Connecticut to New England native Deacon William A. Clark, the founder of Clarks Green and Clarks Summit boroughs, in recognition of his heroic service during the Revolutionary War. VFW Park in Dickson City, which sits on part of this original land, has been chosen by The Wright Center for Community Health as the site to plant its certified Liberty Tree from America250PA and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, also called the Pennsylvania Freemasons, because of the park’s deep historical ties to the American Revolution. The public is invited to attend a dedication ceremony for the Liberty Tree at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, rain or shine, at the park, located at Jermyn and Walker streets in the borough. The tree, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Freemasons, is part of a larger initiative that began in the fall of 2021 to plant 67 Liberty Trees — one in each of Pennsylvania’s counties — by 2026, as part of America250PA, a program coordinating statewide events in observance of the United States Semiquincentennial. Each tree will have a Liberty Tree Project plaque beside it, inscribed with the names of the Liberty Tree recipient, America250PA, and the Pennsylvania Freemasons. The saplings are propagated from a scion of a historic 400-year-old tulip poplar, the last known surviving Liberty Tree, that once stood at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. The original Liberty Tree, an iconic elm in Boston, served as a gathering place for the Sons of Liberty, who convened beneath its branches to plan their resistance to British rule in the years leading up to the American Revolution. In 1775, British soldiers and Loyalists cut down and burned the Boston Liberty Tree, hoping to quell the growing rebellion. Undeterred, patriots across the 13 colonies designated new Liberty Trees, each one symbolizing hope and freedom. The last of these original Liberty Trees, the towering 120-foot tulip poplar at St. John’s College, stood during pivotal moments in American history. Under its branches, revolutionaries gathered during the Stamp Act of 1765 to advocate for independence from Great Britain. Samuel Chase and William Paca, members of the Annapolis chapter of the Sons of Liberty and later, signers of the Declaration of Independence, gathered for meetings under the tree. George Washington’s resignation as commander of the Continental Army on Dec. 23, 1783, occurred near the tree at the Maryland State House. Hurricane Floyd destroyed the tree in 1999, but its legacy lives on through the saplings being planted across Pennsylvania. To receive the Liberty Tree, The Wright Center needed to locate publicly accessible land in Lackawanna County that has historical ties to the American Revolution where the tulip poplar could be planted, explained Gina Lettieri, The Wright Center’s archivist. After extensive research, Lettieri determined that Dickson City’s VFW Park was an ideal location. New England native Deacon William A. Clark, founder of Clarks Green and Clarks Summit boroughs and a hero at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the Revolutionary War, was awarded 800 acres of land in Pennsylvania by Connecticut in 1797 as a token of gratitude for his service. Lettieri’s research uncovered that the VFW Park in Dickson City sits on those original 800 acres. After securing support from Dickson City officials, Lettieri submitted The Wright Center’s application for the Liberty Tree. “By planting our Liberty Tree at VFW Park in Dickson City, we are not only commemorating American history but also reinforcing The Wright Center’s commitment to improving the health and welfare of our communities,” said Lettieri. “This historic tree will stand for the next 250 years and beyond as a symbol of The Wright Center’s noble mission to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.” The Pennsylvania Freemasons, the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world with more than 3.5 million members, including 86,000 in the commonwealth, have planted five certified Liberty Trees locally, one each in Carbon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties.
The Wright Center for Community Health welcomes physician assistant to Tunkhannock location A physician assistant with deep ties to the community and extensive experience as a rural health provider is joining The Wright Center for Community Health’s new location at the former Tyler Memorial Hospital in Tunkhannock, which will open Monday, Sept. 9. Mallory Racoski, PA-C, MPAS, will provide responsive and inclusive whole-person primary health services for people of all ages, including checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment of common illnesses and injuries at The Wright Center’s new community health center at 5950 U.S. Route 6, Suite 401. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering access to integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. To schedule an appointment, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5299. The Tunkhannock resident earned a Master of Science in physician assistant studies from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. She also completed 14 months of clinical training, including six weeks at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley location in Jermyn under the supervision of Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. Prior to joining The Wright Center, Racoski worked as a physician assistant at The Burke Center, a psychiatry clinic in Tunkhannock. She also worked for Commonwealth Health Services at the former Tyler Memorial Hospital, where she led a COVID-19 clinic, performed all COVID-19 testing for Wyoming County, and offered primary health services. She also has experience treating Lyme disease, as she’s worked with a Lyme disease specialist at Physicians Care P.C. The Wright Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike with a growing network of community health centers throughout Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. It offers 12 community health centers, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, serving patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. The Wright Center served more than 35,400 unique patients in fiscal year 2023-24.
The Wright Centers’ Doctor Earns State Award Chief medical and information officer at The Wright Centers named 2024 Trailblazer in Building and Infrastructure by City and State Pennsylvania Dr. Jignesh Y. Sheth, senior vice president and chief medical and information officer at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, was selected as a 2024 Trailblazer in Building and Infrastructure by City and State Pennsylvania. The multimedia news organization acknowledged Dr. Sheth’s visionary leadership, strategic planning, research, and meticulous attention to detail in transforming 10 buildings across Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wayne counties into The Wright Centers’ welcoming and comprehensive community health centers. These centers provide responsive and inclusive, whole-person primary health services to people of all ages regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay, and have significantly enhanced care delivery and overall well-being for underserved populations throughout Northeast Pennsylvania. “I’m honored to be recognized as a 2024 Trailblazer in Building and Infrastructure,” said Dr. Sheth, who is dual board-certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine. “This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our dedicated team, who share a commitment to creating spaces that truly serve our communities’ needs. Our goal has always been to ensure that our health centers are not just functional but also welcoming environments where patients feel valued and cared for. This recognition is a testament to the power of collaboration, thoughtful design, and a patient-centered approach in transforming health care delivery.” City and State also highlighted Dr. Sheth’s focus on blueprints and designs, such as selecting the soothing color schemes of waiting and examination rooms, fiscal responsibility, and contractor coordination, as well as how he oversaw the projects while continuing to provide care to his own patients and ensuring that The Wright Centers’ community health centers maintained uninterrupted services despite the extensive construction. Dr. Sheth sees adult patients at The Wright Center’s Mid Valley location in Jermyn. The Wright Centers’ latest construction project, in Wilkes-Barre, reached a significant milestone in early August with the completion of the third phase of renovations at its community health center located at 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave. This phase of the ongoing transformation of the 34,460-square-foot former office building, just blocks from the downtown, added about 7,700 square feet of new space. The expansion includes 10 dental operatories, a dedicated dental clinician room, 15 new behavioral health and clinician rooms, and a second reception desk that doubles the center’s check-in capacity to better serve patients. Dr. Sheth earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with honors in biochemistry, medicine, and public health in 2004 from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Wardha, India. He later received a Master of Public Health with a specialization in health promotion in 2006 from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. After completing his internal medicine residency in 2009 through the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, now The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, Dr. Sheth joined The Wright Center as an internal medicine primary care physician and lead physician for population management and reporting. Over the years, Dr. Sheth has pioneered innovative approaches that have significantly improved patient wellness and health care delivery. His contributions earned him several promotions at The Wright Center, including vice president for patient safety and quality in 2013, culminating in his current role as senior vice president and chief medical and information officer, a position he has held since 2018. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) recently presented the 2024 Innovative Research in Primary Care Award to Dr. Sheth. The award, which honors a health center clinician who has been active in primary care research or evaluation in community practice, prevention, public health, care coordination, or the clinical practice of medical services, was presented during NACHC’s 2024 Community Health Institute (CHI) & Expo Conference held Aug. 24-26 in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Sheth and his wife, Hetal Sheth, live in Clarks Summit with their children, Zian, 9, and Jiaa, 5. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves vulnerable and medically underserved populations, regardless of age, ethnic background, ZIP code, insurance status, or ability to pay. It accepts all insurance plans and offers a sliding-fee discount program based on federal poverty guidelines that consider family size and income. No patient is ever turned away due to an inability to pay. Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center operates 11 primary and preventive care community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, as well as a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education was established in 1976 as the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, a community-based internal medicine residency. Today, The Wright Center is one of the largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums in the nation. Together with consortium stakeholders, The Wright Center trains residents and fellows in a community-based, community-needs-responsive workforce development model to advance their shared mission to improve the health and welfare of communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve. The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s residency and fellowship programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. For more information, visit our website or call 570-866-3017.
Identical Twins Train in Internal Medicine Residency at The Wright Center From beginning kindergarten to completing medical school, and moving thousands of miles away from home to begin graduate medical education training in Scranton, Pennsylvania, twins Lavleen and Ravleen Kaur, ‘25, M.D.s, have always leaned on each other. The sisters, 29, are both in the second year of their Internal Medicine residency with The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. The Mohali district of Punjab, India, natives decided to become doctors because of their parents’ deep commitment to improving their own communities. As a teacher, Mandeep Kaur focuses on educating children in disadvantaged and rural areas of India, while their father, Col. Arvinder Singh, recently retired after 37 years in the Indian Army. “The Indian Army’s motto, and my father’s motto, is service before self,” says Lavleen Kaur, who is 20 minutes older than Ravleen. “I think that could be the motto for doctors as well. As doctors, it’s important to give back to the communities.” After graduating from Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Amritsar, Punjab, the Kaur sisters worked briefly as medical officers in India, where they went door to door in communities to administer polio vaccines, hosted health camps where children could get up to date on medical screenings, and participated in other community health activities. The experience prepared them for their work in their residencies, since The Wright Center focuses on improving community health, especially for underserved populations. “The mission of The Wright Center – to be privileged to serve – resonated with us,” Ravleen acknowledges. The odds of matching into the same graduate medical education program are slim. Thousands of medical students worldwide interview with medical education programs. The candidates rank the list of programs where they would like to train, and programs rank the candidates they want to admit. Every year, candidates learn where they matched on the third Friday in March, known as Match Day. Lavleen and Ravleen, who had never been to the United States before starting their residencies, knew there was little chance of matching into the same residency program. They pursued other residency opportunities separately and were thrilled to learn they matched with The Wright Center in 2022. “Our parents were happier about it than we were if that is possible,” Ravleen says. “It’s just us two, no other siblings, so they were glad we’d be going together.” After learning they would be heading to The Wright Center, the twins had much to do in a short amount of time. “We get the match results in March, and then by April, they send us all the documents, the contracts and everything,” Lavleen says. “We had to find an apartment and we had to do it all online since we were in India.” Although it was their first journey to America, the sisters say they acclimated quickly to life in the Electric City and at The Wright Center. “The food took some getting used to,” Ravleen says, causing her sister to laugh and shake her head. “What,” Ravleen responds, laughing. “We didn’t really cook at home.” Lavleen says any small difficulties in adjusting – from beginning their residencies to getting a car and drivers’ licenses – were alleviated by the fact that they remain together. “Sister love is unconditional,” Lavleen says. “I think it’s nice to have someone who just understands me. We study together, we help each other along. We’ve just always done everything together.” In addition to relying on each other, they also spotlight each other’s accomplishments. Ravleen, who served as a resident leader in her first year, bragged about Lavleen’s recent selection as chief resident – a role she was chosen for by her fellow Internal Medicine residents and the program faculty. “I really want to solve any issues that our residents might be having,” Lavleen says about her new role, adding that it will also build her resume and confidence as a doctor and leader. The sisters have also dove into the world of scholarly research, a realm both said they had little exposure to before joining the Internal Medicine Program. So far, they’ve presented scholarly research at conferences in Arizona, Hawaii, Texas, and Colorado. They plan to present at the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting in Boston in April. Ravleen said research is important for their growth as doctors in numerous ways. “Because you’re reading a number of papers first and learning about something you might not be exposed to otherwise,” she says, explaining the benefits of scholarly research. “It’s such a big world out there. People are doing amazing things.” However, after being together their whole lives, the twins’ paths may soon diverge. Inspired by her rotation at Hematology and Oncology Associates of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Lavleen has her sights set on finding a fellowship in that field once she graduates from her current residency. Ravleen is interested in pursuing a fellowship in endocrinology. “Who knows what life brings,” Ravleen says, adding that she and her sister are hopeful they’ll find a program where they can stay together and pursue their diverging passions. “You can only try.”
AllOne Foundation Funding to Enhance Services to Isolated Older Adults To help older adults maintain their independence in the community, the AllOne Foundation provided a three-year grant award allowing The Wright Center for Community Health and the separately operated Telespond Senior Services to deliver critical programming such as adult day care. AllOne Foundation CEO John W. Cosgrove recently presented a ceremonial check representing the final installment of the grant funding, which in total amounted to $1.156 million. The joint initiative to support successful aging in place among residents of Lackawanna, Luzerne and nearby counties began in early 2020, just as the COVID-19 outbreak hit Northeast Pennsylvania. The pandemic forced Telespond to temporarily scale back or suspend many of its services, which include an in-home personal care program and a senior companion program. At the same time, concerns were raised locally and globally about the impact of the pandemic on socially isolated older adults who might be prone to developing behavioral health issues such as substance use disorder, anxiety and depression. Since then, Telespond has better positioned itself for the long-term continuity of its services, reviving and expanding its medical model adult day care program as well as recruiting volunteers for its senior companion program. Telespond also implemented a transportation program for its clients, renovated its building on Scranton’s Saginaw Street and made many other improvements. “With the vital support from AllOne Foundation and all of our partners, our organization has made tremendous strides toward developing into the strong nonprofit ally that area seniors and their families can rely on for services that promote dignity and provide a viable alternative to retirement homes,” said Joseph J. Grilli, president and CEO of Senior Day Services, a Telespond Company. The Wright Center serves as fiscal agent for the grant award, providing Telespond with resources, guidance and expertise as Telespond repositions itself for growth of its service area and sustained impact. “The Wright Center recognizes how socially isolated seniors can be particularly vulnerable to both mental and physical decline,” said Meaghan Ruddy, the organization’s senior vice president of academic affairs, enterprise assessment and advancement, and chief research and development officer. “Our team members – including our executives, geriatrics providers and support staff – have been privileged to work with Telespond’s leadership to enhance the community-based supports available to our region’s most mature and venerable residents.” The grant-funded project is scheduled to continue through March 2023. AllOne Foundation, based in Wilkes-Barre, works independently or collectively to enhance the present health care delivery system of Northeastern and North Central Pennsylvania and to be innovative, creative and collaborative in crafting new ways of improving the health and welfare of the people of our region. Telespond, based in Scranton and serving the area since 1974, assists older adults and their caregivers through a range of programs including an on-site adult day care program, non-medical in-home personal care services and a senior companion program in which volunteers provide seniors with friendly company and help with day-to-day activities. The Wright Center for Community Health is headquartered in Scranton and operates nine primary care practices in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties, offering services to patients of all ages. In July 2020, it formally established a geriatrics service line, and it also has begun an Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program. The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education offers multiple residency and fellowship programs, including a Geriatrics Fellowship.
