The People Who Make it All Happen

Happenings Contributors

The publisher and heart of Happenings, Paula Mackarey, loves how Happenings brings people together, promotes discussion and raises awareness of people and businesses in our area. Paula recently enjoys keeping up with her health and fitness and participating in various outside activities. She is inspired by her parents who always lived their life with a higher purpose in mind.

Lisa Ragnacci is a family woman and is her son’s #1 cheerleader. As Art Director, she says there’s always a new way to express her artistic vision, whether it be through page, ad design or photography. Lisa also enjoys sketching and taking in nature. Her biggest inspiration are her incredible parents.

Linette Manley,

Account Representative, loves helping clients and making their ads soar. Residing in Waverly, PA, Linette enjoys cooking, crocheting and being the best grandma ever! She lives by Mother Theresa’s quote, “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”

Penn State student Angelina Wheeler

enjoys learning hands-on experience at Happenings and dreams of working at Vogue one day. In her free time, she watches the Real Housewives franchise with her mom and practices yoga.

She is mostly inspired by her parents, great-grandmother, who she wishes she could have met and Paris Hilton. Scranton native Peter Salerno enjoys the work atmosphere and people here at Happenings. Among his interests are old sports cars and tries to go to vintage racing or auto shows whenever he can, but might also frequently be spotted at a ballet (ask his wife.) Aside from being Associate Art Director, he would like to fit in some time to do more artwork or photography in the future.

Woods opened on July 4, 2006 with a performance by the New York Philharmonic. Since then, Bethel Woods has a wide variety of performers including Carlos Santana, Bob Dylan, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts inspires, educates and empowers individuals through the arts and humanities by Elton John, Phish, The Eagles, Maroon 5, Jason Aldean, Pitbull, Kings of Leon, Zac Brown Band and James Taylor. The Museum at Bethel Woods, chartered by the Regents of presenting a diverse selection of the State of New York, opened in culturally-rich performances, pop- June 2008. It immerses visitors in ular artists, and community and the story of the societal evolution educational programming. of the 1960s, connecting visitors to Located 90 miles northwest of New York City in the Sullivan Catskills, at the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival, the lush 800-acre campus includes a Pavilion Stage, amphitheater with seating for 15,000, an intimate 440-seat indoor Event Gallery, the award-winning Museum at Bethel Woods and a Conservatory for arts education programming. the roots of today’s freedom of expression and the resurgent human spirit that defined the politics, music, art, and societal issues of that remarkable and challenging decade. Today, Bethel Woods has evolved into an innovative, program-driven cultural center that includes a world class museum, teaching facilities and state-of-the art outdoor and indoor music venThrough the in-depth study and ues. The expanded Woodstock site exhibition of the social, political and is part of a modern, beautifully cultural events of the 1960s, as well designed complex thoughtfully as the preservation of the historic ensconced on 800 bucolic acres of site of the Woodstock Music and rolling hills, woods, manicured garArt Fair, Bethel Woods educates dens and water features. individuals about the issues and lessons of the decade while inspiring a new generation to contribute Visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org H positively to the world. The Bethel Woods campus celebrates the natural beauty, cherished traditions and bountiful products of Sullivan County. Over 2,000 trees

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts have been planted on the rolling grounds where trails and clusters of buildings open up to vistas of the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. The story of Bethel Woods begins with the entrepreneurial spirit and vision of its founder and Chairman, Alan Gerry. A lifelong resident of Liberty, New York, Alan Gerry is a cable television pioneer and philanthropist who founded Cablevision Industries Corporation (“CVI”) in the early 1970s. Following the sale of CVI to Time Warner in 1996, Mr. Gerry created the Gerry Foundation, a notfor-profit organization established to improve the quality of life and revitalize the economy in his native Sullivan County which experienced severe economic hardships after the collapse of the Catskill tourism industry. Buying Yasgur’s Farm, where the 1969 Woodstock festival was held, was an early step, eventually leading to the opening of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in 2006. The Pavilion amphitheater at Bethel

Lights, Color, Fashion: Psychedelic Posters and Patterns of 1960s San Francisco, an exhibit showcasing a phenomenal ensemble of rock posters and fashion gathered by collector Gary Westford. The collection highlights the kaleidoscopic years of 1964 to 1972. Experience a light show by renowned San Francisco light artist Bill Ham, who was known for creating fantastic backdrops for rock concerts during the era. www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.

Insuring peace of mind for her ‘family’of clients

Melissa Walter worked in banking

before she entered the insurance industry. She left there for a career at State Farm. She was sure her future was in insurance when she started working at State Farm as a team member. Since 2017, she has had her own firm, Melissa Walter State Farm Agency in Shavertown.

“I enjoy the insurance industry because it gives me the chance to get to know my clients on a personal level. I get to see what matters to them most. With State Farm being a captive agency (an insurance agent who only works for one company), it gives me the ability to learn and become an expert with our products. We offer a wide variety, such as auto, homeowners, disability, small business, but my favorite is life insurance. Life insurance has so many benefits. Most importantly, it gives you and your family peace of mind knowing you are protected in the event of a premature death.” She has three licensed team members and they are passionate about helping people prepare for financial loss due to unexpected circumstances. “Amy Melan is excellent at claims, Barbara Hoyson is our service expert and Sara Jones is our sales guru.” “We get to guide clients’ decisions on which insurance plan best suits their needs. It allows us to be there for them as their lives change. From helping clients save for retirement and college for their kids to financing a large purchase like a house or a car. We take pride in making sure all of our current and new clients feel like they are part of our family because they are part of our State Farm family.”

Her team immerses itself in community events as a way to connect to people in the neighborhood that they do business. “We will be helping out at the United Day of Caring in September.” During COVID-19, her office helped locally-owned restaurants by purchasing food and donating it to hospital workers, police, senior centers and animal rescues.

Melissa enjoys hiking and kayaking. She and her husband, Jason, have two sons, Alec, 19 who is going into his sophomore year at King’s College and Jay, 16, who will be a junior in high school. They also have two dogs, a German Shepherd and a Husky. “I love the flexibility this career gives me,” she said. “It gives me the freedom to travel, enjoy the outdoors and spend time with my family.” H