August 2023 Happenings Magazine

Dear Happenings,

On behalf of the Lackawanna Historical Society and the Greenhouse Project, I wanted to thank you for your recent support of the 2023 Beyond the Hill Home and Garden Tour in the Abingtons. The program took place on June 25th and was a tremendous success, with 82 volunteers welcoming 307 participants to 9 amazing local properties. The event raised more than $10,000 for our organizations!

We could not have done this without your assistance in promoting the event with a wonderful ad and story in Happenings. I am so grateful to you for everything you do to support us throughout the year. It is truly because of community-minded businesses like yours that organizations like ours are able to continue our missions.

Again, thank you for your continued interest and support,

–Mary Ann Moran Savakinas

–Lackawanna

–Executive

Historical Society

Director

Dear Happenings,

My mom always told me that I belonged in pictures and I think you’ll agree that I do quite well at striking an impressive pose. I’ve always been a fan of Happenings Magazine, but I must say that being the winner of the May 2023 pet contest certainly may have propelled my modeling career. My appreciation to Happenings for publishing my photo and to all readers throughout the region who took the time to vote for me. Thank you.

–Zoe

–Resides with the –Haikes family,

–Springbrook

Publisher

Art Director

Associate Art Director

Director of Social Media

Contributors

Paula Rochon Mackarey

Lisa Kalaha Ragnacci

Peter Salerno

Mary Joyce

Christine Fanning

Ben Freda

Account Representative Linette Manley

l_manley@happeningsmagazinepa.com (570) 878-5009

On the Cover: Sachs Covered Bridge built in 1852 located in Gettysburg, PA

Published Monthly. Also read at HappeningsPA.com

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Happenings Magazine published since 1969

Phone: (570) 587-3532

Dear Happenings,

Loved the article on Skytop (Skytop, A View From the Top, June 2023). My family was involved back in the early 20s in selling the 2500 acres that Skytop bought. Two years ago I purchased our homestead from my cousin and have restored it. We border Skytop and I have many early pictures. Someday I will fill you in on the amazing history. We were up last week for dinner and saw Austin’s paintings. Great article, and I am sure readers loved it.

–Bill Bender

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Dear Readers,

The word “bridge” will likely conjure up an image in your head of a structure connecting two pieces of land, perhaps between a body of water. As a member of a family that took many road trips, I always found bridges to be fascinating! Bridges that connect Canada to the USA, particularly those that cross the St. Lawrence River (Thousand Islands) or the Niagara River, would prompt lots of excitement on a long and otherwise uneventful car ride. I truly would have a rush of adrenaline as our station wagon would proceed across what my parents would refer to as, a modern masterpiece of engineering. I prayed that our car would make it safely to the other side. I preferred the suspension bridges; the bigger the bridge, the better.

On a much smaller scale, covered bridges (timbertruss structures with a roof, decking and siding), have an important place in American history, and quite a passionate following. Perhaps the passion for covered bridges stems from the fact that these structures, quite figuratively, “bridge” us to the past, back to a gentler, slower and more peaceful period of life.

A high school classmate, Janet Lewis Richey, began a quest with her son in 2021, to visit all the covered

bridges in Pennsylvania. They are currently at about 130 or so of the approximate 200 left in Pennsylvania. She posts her musings and photos on social media and is creating some incredible family memories along the way.

The movie, “Bridges of Madison County (1995, Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep) centered on a National Geographic photographer who was on a covered-bridge assignment in rural Iowa. The movie furthered the intrigue in not just the structures themselves but also in the quest to find and photograph them.

The Columbia-Montour region of Pennsylvania, home to 25 covered bridges, which is third most in the nation, holds a covered bridge festival each fall. The event generally attracts over 150,000 visitors annually.

We hope that this issue coaxes you off the beaten path and in search of these “kissing bridges” as well as the little streams and forgotten dirt roads that bring us back to a simpler and quieter time.

Photo: Michael Straub

The Bridges of Regional Counties

With nearly 200 remaining, Pennsylvania holds the distinction as the state with the most covered bridges in the U.S.

Various architectural styles and bold colors set against natural landscapes, make for some amazing shots in every season. A late summer/early fall road trip, with camera and an old-fashioned picnic basket in tow, is a perfect

way to spend some meaningful, reflective time while witnessing some great pieces of American history. Frequently referred to as “Kissing Bridges” because people inside the bridge could not be seen from the outside, covered bridges were good places to kiss discreetly. Perhaps this came from an old tradition from horse-and-buggy days, when a boy would stop halfway across a covered

bridge and give his girl a kiss.

Columbia and Montour Counties are home to 25 cover bridges, which is third most in the nation. More than 150,000 visitors descend on the region annually for a fall Covered Bridge and Arts festival (as well as throughout the year) to admire the antique craftsmanship of the bridges and relax in the quiet countryside.

Twin Covered Bridges (East & West Paden)

Photo: Tony Berard

Snyder Covered Bridge

Photo: Ben Prepelka

Jud Christian Covered Bridge

Photo: Mark Koskulitz

Wanich Bridge built in 1844 is located on Little Fishing Creek between Hemlock and Mount Pleasant Townships. North of Fernville and Bloomsburg, it is on Township Route 493, off Pennsylvania Route 42.

Photo: Margie Hunsinger

Wanich Covered Bridge

Photo: Margie Hunsinger

The Knapp’s Covered Bridge

The Knapp’s Covered Bridge in Bradford County near Towanda, is stunning. Said to be the tallest covered bridge in the state, it dates back to 1860. This is a pretty remarkable bridge, and the only covered bridge left in Bradford County. This bridge

is in a tranquil setting, not even near any paved roads. This Burr Truss bridge is also known as Luther’s Mills Bridge and Brown’s Creek Covered Bridge. It measures in at 95 feet long and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Longest Covered Bridge in PA

The Pomeroy Academia Covered Bridge, at 278’4 feet long, is the longest remaining covered bridge in Pennsylvania. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it crosses the Tuscarora Creek near Academia. Built in 1902 by James N. Groninger, the bridge is a double span Burr Arch design. In June 2009 a $1.4 M restoration of the bridge was completed.

The Rupert Covered Bridge

“With the largest number of cov ered bridges still standing, Pennsylvania can safely be called,"the covered bridge state."

That achievement is due to a proud population that maintains the scenic structures and tries to restore them to their former glory. Covered bridges come in at least seven different shapes. Winter is the perfect time to take in the architecture, unobstructed by leaves. The pure white snow hides imperfections and lends a certain quietness to the landscape. A covered bridge can be enjoyed any time of year, but I particularly like the sight on a blue-sky day with fresh fallen snow. -Two photos above and text by Dr. Melvin Wolk

The Rupert Covered Bridge is located between Bloomsburg and Montour Township in the village of Rupert. The bridge was structurally deficient throughout the 1990s but was renovated in 2001.

“

Josiah Hess Bridge

Moods Bridge

The Knapp’s Covered Bridge photographed by Jim Ruane, an award winning photographer and a lifelong resident of NEPA. His work has been used in numerous brochures and advertising campaigns promoting the natural beauty and historic attractions of the region. He has been published in numerous issues of Happenings Magazine and his work has appeared on the cover of Happenings 27 times. jamesruane@mac.com

Mark Vanko, Jr. Walking Bridge

Factoryville, PA

The original bridge from the Elementary Center to Christy Mathewson Park was a suspension (swinging style) bridge. The bridge was completed in 1995. January of 1996 the area had about 20” of snow on the ground when a warm front came through along with 3” to 4” of rain. The dramatic weather caused a flood that took out the suspension bridge. The community was devastated.

In January 1996 Matt Spott,

a community leader and bridge builder discussed with Ed Nowakowski (Factoryville Men’s Civic Club), the possibility of rebuilding the bridge. That motivation and the conviction of the Men’s Club gave the project momentum.

Matt Spott got two steel beams to cross the creek along with many other donated materials. Matt built the forms that would become the concrete pillars on each side of the South Branch of Tunkhannock Creek,

approximately a 70 ft. span. Community men, such as Dan Wells, began welding the steel into place as Tony Borgia became the project manager providing his construction expertise and directing the many volunteers of the Men’s Civic Club and other local people who wanted to help with this project.

Christy Mathewson, one of the all-time great pitchers in major league baseball, was born in Factoryville in 1880. Christopher “Christy” Mathewson, better know as “Matty” or “Big Six” became a member of the New York Giants team in 1900 and retired from baseball in 1922. Christy Mathewson died in 1925 at the age of 45. He was one of the first five baseball players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, 14 years after his death. Christy graduated from Keystone Academy and Bucknell University and played for the New York Giants from 1901 to 1916. His accomplishment in baseball was outstanding, helping to make baseball the national pastime. He served overseas during World War I. Christy’s contributions to baseball and to pitching continue to be recognized including in 2005 when the New York Daily News named him the “Greatest pitcher who ever lived.” Each year his birthday is honored with a weekend celebration in August.

Perry’s General Contracting

Perry’s General Contracting was founded in 1955 by John Perry. Son David Perry and his brothers helped their father renovate and build new homes in the town of Dunmore, from the time they could swing a hammer until today.

Dave is now sole owner of Perry's General Contracting and carries on his father’s legacy, providing honest and quality work to his

clients. Dave and his crew build with clients’ best interests in mind, continuing to build to the highest of industry standards, and above! Their mantra is to do it once, the right way, so that clients do not have the unfortunate experience of calling them back to the project for minor repairs throughout the project's life after construction.

Since Dave took over the business, Perry’s General Contracting has completed multiple historic restorations, impressive new builds and additions.

Perry's General Contracting is

Perry’s General Contracting restored a historic covered bridge in Elysburg near Knoebels Amusement Park. The bridge had been damaged by flood waters. Trees and other large debris washed down the river and caused major structural damage. Perry's specializes in existing foundation/structural repairs. Many of these repairs require existing structures to be lifted off the foundations so that their supporting elements can be safely removed and replaced. This is true for all types of construction, whether it be a house or bridge.

Elysburg - Johnson No. 28 Covered Bridge

Photo Credit: Tony Berard/ Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau

a one stop shop. With over 70 years of experience, Perry’s breaks ground with the tools to excavate, lay foundations, erect structures and

fill your project with the systems it needs to function.

Perry’s provides custom finish options to all clients to ensure that the end result exceeds the project that they had envisioned.

Dave Perry’s goal is to have Perry's General Contracting live on through his four children in hopes that they can contribute to the legacy that Dave and his father created. H

are photos of a second bridge restored by Perry’s General Contracting, the Hillsgrove Covered Bridge, a Burr arch truss covered bridge over Loyalsock Creek in Hillsgrove Township, Sullivan County. Custom jacks were built and attached to a framework built within the river in order to lift the entire bridge off the abutments on either side of the riverbank. The bridge spans over 180ft. Perry's General Contracting takes great pride in being able to maintain and keep these historic structures alive. H

Pictured

Hillsgrove Covered Bridge

Good Vibes!

Vibes” or vibrations are the mood or atmosphere of a person, place or thing. August has all the parts to keep our summer vibe going. If you are a summer lover like me, you will embrace it for as long as it lasts. The days are still long and the sun shines brightly. We can still get a good dose of Vitamin D which boosts our mood and helps boost energy (amongst many other health benefits). Our farmer’s market and gardens harvest in August and fresh veggies and fruit are plentiful. There are so many great recipes to be made from grilling lean proteins and making fresh salads and veggies. Eating this way will keep us feeling lighter and less bloated and will gives us more energy.

Get creative! I love making a bowl with a protein, usually grilled chicken, shrimp or salmon (my personal favorite.) Start with some whole grain rice, fill it with colorful veggies, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, edamame, beets and a hard-boiled egg. Possibilities are endless. Top with your protein. Enjoy your colorful, delicious and nutritious bowl warm or cold… such a meal perfect for a hot summer day/night.

Find a time of day to get out and walk. Either start your day with an early morning walk or end your day with an

after dinner walk and enjoy the sunset. If you are away, take the time to relax and reset your mind but also walk outside and just take in nature whether it is a beach walk (my fave again), a walk around a lake or exploring a new city.

While summer is a great time to get out and stay active I also recommend soaking up some down time. Sit with your toes in the grass or sand or water and let your mind be still. Enjoy all summer has to offer and embrace the warm sun and air, cool water and smell of green grass and fresh flowers. Don’t let the back-to-school ads and displays get in the way of your summer before it’s time to change seasons. Happy August! H

–Jackie Kerekes

Watermelon Salad

Half watermelon, cut into cubes

2 lg cucumbers peeled and cut into bite sized pieces

Sprinkle with crumbled feta (about a half cup)

Thin-sliced red onion (half cup)

Drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar

Top with fresh mint

South Abington Park

Photo: Michael Straub

THE GRAND CANYON OF PENNSYLVANIA

The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, also referred to as the Pine Creek Gorge, stretches for over 45 miles with depths of nearly 1500 feet. The dynamic topography of the PA Grand Canyon creates many scenic wonders, including steep canyon walls and waterfalls.

Part of the Tioga State Forest, beginning near Wellsboro, it includes one of the most popular attractions, the Pine Creek Rail Trail, a converted railroad bed that travels along a gorge at the floor of the canyon. Cited as one of the 10 great places to take a bike tour in the world, its gentle grade trail offers easy pedaling, and can be experienced with minimal physical impact and basic biking gear. Of course it also makes for great hiking and running as well.

Photo: James Ruane HappeningsPA.com

The Endless Mountains Nicholson Bridge Day

Nicholson Bridge Day on September 10 will mark the 108th anniversary of this structure known as the Tunkhannock Viaduct. A beautifully restored D&L Railroad Station and Tourist Center will enhance the visitor experience.

Nicholson Bridge Day activities will take place on Main Street (Nicholson) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live music, performances, children’s activities, street vendors offering arts and crafts, antiques and jewelry, as well as diverse food offerings such as the local Germana’s Pizza and delectables from the quaint diner on Main Street will be available. The Nicholson Heritage Association will provide information about the history of the town and the bridge.

The event is organized by the Nicholson Women’s Club who will also offer a chicken barbecue and basket raffle. Keep an eye

on the 240 foot tall bridge, a true marvel of construction, and witness freight trains passing over the structure, built 108 years ago and able to support long modern railroad trains. For information call 570-942-6747. H

Sept. 10, 2023

9 a.m.- 4 p.m. • (Rain or Shine)

Musical Stage Performances • 70+ Vendors

Mountain View High School Band • 60+ Basket Raffle

Variety of Food • Famous Chicken Bar-B-Que

Main Street, Nicholson, PA, Rt 11 & 92

Pennsylvania Heritage Festival

September 16-17

The annual Pennsylvania Heritage Festival will be held on the museum grounds September 16 and 17. The event will partner this year with the Endless Mountains Heritage Region and Do 6 to bring the Route 6 Maker’s Market to the festival. Included will be crafts, a flea market, direct sales vendors and the eight Heritage Village buildings and museum.

Living history demonstrations, a civil war encampment and hands on children’s activities are all part of the event. Tour the entire village at no cost.

The Heritage Village and Farm Museum in Troy is open for its 30th year. Throughout the past three decades, many attractions have been added. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Bygone Era of the General Store.” General stores are an institution

as American as covered bridges. They provided convenient locations for farming communities to barter their butter and eggs for other products available at General Stores.

The organization’s General Store is housed in an old grainery building that was moved to the grounds in 2015. The General Store’s standard equipment included a pot-bellied stove, cracker and molasses barrel and a cheese wheel. News traveled by salesmen and men from the community gathered around the pot-bellied stove, not via cable news or the internet. Visit the expanding village and museum Tuesdays and Saturdays 11-3. Visitors enter via Gate 2, Alparon Park, Troy.

There is no admission fee for the festival. For information about the Heritage Village and Farm Museum and the Pennsylvania Heritage Festival visit www.theheritagevillage.org H

Managed by The Bradford County Heritage Association

An example of a typical general store.

Wyalusing Wine Festival •

Enjoy the 18th Wyalusing Valley Wine Festival on September 16, from noon5 p.m. on the grounds of the Tuscarora Wayne Insurance building, corner of Rt. 6 and 5th Street in Wyalusing, PA. The Festival will host over a dozen Pennsylvania wineries. The event is a fundraiser run

by volunteers to support the Wyalusing Valley Museum and Wyalusing Lions Club. The museum provides local history exhibits and programs covering the history of the nine townships that are part of the Wyalusing Area School District. The Lions Club provides support for People

Helping People holiday meals and helps local families who are victims of fires or catastrophic illness.

The event, also featuring music, food and craft vendors will be held outdoors and will take place rain or shine. Visit wyalusingwinefestival.com H

Jim Devine Photography

Eagles Mere’s name literally means “the eagle's lake,” the word “mere” being a poetic synonym of "lake.” Civil engineer Embley S. Chase came in 1886 to oversee its development as a resort town and laid the groundwork.

Eagles Mere was laid out in the 1870s and quickly became a popular resort town due to its cool mountain air and natural lake. Visitors would climb aboard a narrow-gauge railroad in Sonestown for the trip up the mountain to the town.The kidney-shaped Eagles Mere Lake covers 230 acres and is about 3/4 mile long. It is a natural spring-fed lake with exceptionally clear water in the Allegheny Mountains at an elevation of 2100 feet.

P EndlessennsylvaniaMountains Fiber Festival

The Pennsylvania Endless Mountains Fiber Festival is the largest and longestrunning fiber arts festival in Pennsylvania, cele brating 20 years in 2023. The Festival will be held in the heart of the Endless Mountains on September 9 and 10, at the Harford Fairgrounds in New Milford. The Endless Mountains Fiber Festival is a family-friendly event, celebrating fiber-producing ani mals, products and related goods. Have fun sharing the passion for fiber arts. Over 60

Pennsylvania, New York and surrounding states participate each year and offer a diverse selection of goods for knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving and felting. No matter your interests, find something delightful: from raw and processed fibers, finished garments, handcrafted arts and crafts, fiber-crafting supplies, pottery and more!

The festival offers free demonstrations, exhibits, animals, contests, classes, fleece show and sale, raffle and great food. Follow Pennsylvania Endless Mountains Fiber Festival on Facebook, on Instagram and at endlessmountainsfiberfest.com

The Festival is a 501(c)3 organization made up entirely of volunteers committed to promoting the awareness, appreciation and general education of fiber arts, related goods, services and processes. H

Wyoming County Fair •

he Wyoming County Fair will take place in Meshoppen, August 30 to September 4. Enjoy six days of great entertainment, 4-H shows and vendors. On September 2, Nashville recording artist and Pennsylvania native, Warren Zeiders will be performing with Nate Hosie. September 3 will feature “Bands and Beers,” with local bands performing throughout the day. Free shows include Dialed Action Mountain Bike, Buford Bear and his Miniature Truck, Pool Party Pooches and Buffalo Beals Petting Zoo. Don't miss the truck and tractor pulls, demolition derby, cornhole tournament, high school rodeo, rides by Houghton Enterprises, Inc. and more. Details and information at www.wyomingcountyfair.com. See you at the fair! H

Sullivan County Fair

August 30-September 3

The 171th Annual Sullivan County Fair will be held August 30-September 3. Experience an old fashioned county fair and meet up with old friends. Visitors can enjoy 4-H exhibits, several bands, a demolition derby and truck, tractor and horse pulls. Don’t miss the Kountry K-9 show featuring dogs jumping, skipping rope and even balancing on a barrel. Admission is free for ages 2 and under and parking is free. sullivancountyfair.com

Located along the scenic Loyalsock Creek in Sullivan County, the fair was established in 1851. Today, the Sullivan County Fair, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, strives to promote agriculture and encourage visitors to understand and be proud of the role of agriculture within the county. H

in part by the Wyoming County Room Tax Fund and the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau

Monzie’s Floral Design

Monica LaBar-Hughes was a student in 2005 at Marywood University when she began working part-time as a delivery driver for Reese Florist in Tunkhannock. She graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in science. Somehow she was always drawn back to working in the flower shop.

After a few years of managing Reese Florist she purchased the business in 2012 and changed the name to Monzie’s Floral Design.

During the past 11 plus years, Monzie’s has become a go-to for flowers for all occasions, including weddings, events, birthdays, anniversaries, funerals and everything in between.

“We have designed for hundreds of weddings in our immediate area as well as the surrounding areas, traveling up to three hours from our shop, during peak season,” said Monica.

Flowers are locally sourced throughout the season and Monica works with five different growers. “It is important to me to support local in every way,” she said. She has a team of up to five who help her in the business. She averages designing for 50 events each year, as well as fulfilling daily floral needs for her regular and drop in clients.

Daily delivery is available within a 30 mile radius. Surprisingly, funerals are her favorite event for which to design arrangements. “It means a tremendous amount to create beauty in honor of loved ones,” she said. “Each piece is designed with creativity to honor each unique individual. I take this responsibility very deeply and consider it such a honor and life’s work,” she said.

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Stephanie Shandra

Director of College Counseling MMI Preparatory School

Stephanie Shandra joined MMI’s faculty as College Admissions Counselor in September of 2009. Her title was recently changed to Director of College Counseling. She is responsible for providing post-secondary educational and career guidance to students. She helps students select and evaluate colleges, apply for admission and help families navigate the complicated college financial aid and scholarship application process.

Before joining the MMI faculty, Stephanie was Guidance Coordinator of the Upward Bound Program at Wilkes University. She was responsible for advising and counseling high school students and their families regarding the college application and financial aid processes, including coordinating standardized exams, writing letters of recommendation, reviewing college essays, assembling college applications and advising students on scholarship opportunities. She also delivered presentations to students and families regarding college planning, applications and financial aid. She also planned annual programs of college visits, workshops and training on topics such as college essay writing, leadership, study skills, career and educational development, college admissions and financial aid. Previously, Stephanie was also Assistant Director of Admission at St. Leo University in Florida, where she actively recruited high school students across the Southeastern United States, evaluated applications, rendered admissions decisions and developed a strategic plan for achieving enrollment goals.

Stephanie earned a Master of Science in Professional Communication and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Currently, she is a

member of the University of Pennsylvania Counselor Advisory Board, and previously served on advisory boards for other colleges and universities, she is also a member of the National Association for College Admission

Counseling (NACAC), the Association of College Counselors at Independent Schools (ACCIS), and the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC), where she recently served a threeyear term as Chair of the Professional Development Committee. Each fall, she organizes and leads the PACAC Northeast College Counseling Workshop, a professional development opportunity designed to help fellow counselors better support students through the college admission and planning process. She also serves as a member of the PACAC Northeast College Fair Planning Committee and delivers an annual workshop on the college planning process. In 2014, Ms. Shandra received the Counselor who Changes Lives award by the Colleges that Change Lives organization. In 2020, she received PACAC’s William R. McClintock, Jr. Service Award recognizing her unwavering loyalty to the profession, leadership to PACAC, and continued work on behalf of students to ensure access to post-secondary education.

Stephanie states, “MMI is a very special place where everyone values the importance of consistently putting your best foot forward, whether in the classroom, on the field, or in the community.” Some of her interests include photography, reading, movies and travel.

One of her favorite quotes comes former Carnegie Mellon University Professor, Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture: “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.” H

Amanda O’Toole

Wilkes-Barre Academy Director of Education

Amanda O’Toole has 15 years of classroom teaching experience at Wilkes-Barre Academy and Small Wonders. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and visual impairment from the University of Kutztown.

Amanda joined the Wilkes-Barre Academy/Small Wonders family in 2008 to support its mission of all students deserving a quality education. Her passion is preparing students for the future by equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed in modern society.

Amanda has been married for 12 years and is the mother of ‘her amazing little girl, Reagan.’ She truly loves her life. Amanda has the the same expectations for her child as she does for each of her students who she loves as if they are her own. Her passion is to see them excel and become productive human beings, who have ample opportunity to become whatever they want to be as adults.

Wilkes-Barre Academy feels privileged to have Amanda and its many talented

teachers and students. Their goal is to continue to provide a supportive climate and culture at Wilkes-Barre Academy that is conducive excellent teaching and learning. In doing so, each individual student and teacher can experience growth to the highest potential. “We look forward to the new future of Wilkes-Barre Academy,” they stated, “Where Learning Is Just the Beginning!” H

PA Cyber Charter School

Patty Roseman P

atty Roseman has taught middle school English at The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School for six years. She received her bachelor’s degree in English Literature with a secondary teaching certification from Messiah University. Last summer, she completed her master’s degree in Language and Literacy from Millersville University.

Patty grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, and currently resides in York, Pennsylvania. She says her mom taught her to read at a young age, and her love for books later sparked her interest in teaching English. “My mom introduced me to the world of books. She says I was always asking to read another story, and when I could read on my own, I would stay up past my bedtime sneaking in a few more chapters. Through teaching English, I hope to instill a love for reading in even the most reluctant readers. There are books for every student to connect with and gain perspective from.” Some of her childhood favorites include Gumboot’s Chocolatey Day by Mick Inkpen, The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes series by Anne Mazer and anything by Judy Blume.

Teaching at PA Cyber is not Patty’s first experience with the school. She attended as a student during her high school years. She says PA Cyber was the perfect fit for her learn-

ing style and credits many of her high school teachers for inspiring her to pursue a career in education. Returning to PA Cyber has allowed her to instruct and encourage students in a familiar learning environment.

Other experiences have also influenced Patty’s career. One summer during college, she had the opportunity to travel to Beijing, China to teach English as a Second Language at an international school. She says this cross-cultural experience was challenging but rewarding. In addition to gaining empathy for those learning a new language, she had to find unique ways to deliver content and build relationships with students. Building relationships is something she focuses on in her classroom, particularly at the beginning of the school year. She believes that mutual respect between students and teachers is crucial for academic growth.

Since her second-year teaching at PA Cyber, Patty co-teaches several class sections with a special education teacher. She has taught alongside Jane Kennedy, Lucas Allen and Rebecca Russell. This opportunity has provided her with valuable insights into the diverse needs of students. “Special education teachers are the unsung heroes,” she explains.

“They go above and beyond for our students, and I am grateful for the chance to collaborate with them.”

Patty also enjoys working with her middle school English team where they collaborate to create engaging lessons and to support each other. She communicates with colleagues constantly and says that teaching is truly a team effort. Together they have found new ways to use technology to enhance lessons. This year they incorporated the interactive music-based program Flocabulary to reinforce writing skills.

Outside of work, Patty finds joy in going for walks and hikes with her husband Seth and their dog Marshall. She also spends time reading and reviewing books, as well as listening to music. Since being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2021, she enjoys trying new gluten free recipes to share with friends and family.

Patty believes that every student can succeed in English class and in life. She says that “Although teachers cannot provide students with everything they need, they can collaborate with families and the community to give them the tools necessary to thrive.”H

With Us Dance With Us

Rebekah McFadden RN, MSN Weatherly Area School District

Rebekah “Becky” McFadden RN, MSN is the school nurse of the Weatherly Area School District, where she has been for the past 22 years. She graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. She received a Master’s Degree in Public Health/School Health from Bloomsburg University. She has been passionate about the career of nursing for the past 37 years.

Early Influence

Becky’s father was a Lutheran pastor and subsequently she grew up with a strong faith. “My parents always would say, ‘Choose a vocation, not just a job. Make it something that will help others.’ Nursing was the perfect fit for me. Growing up as a minister's daughter nurtured in me a sense of compassion and love. It seems simplistic, but it is the core to the work that a nurse does. And it is in the forefront of all biblical teachings,” she said.

Becky began her nursing career as a medical surgical nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She worked in various hospitals over the years, in various specialties including emergency medicine, nurse management and intensive care, before choosing to become a school nurse. “I loved taking care of the most critically ill

patients. But I felt a calling to work on the preventative end of wellness and decided to become a school nurse,” she said.

School nurse role

School nurses need to have a bachelor's degree in nursing and then earn a certificate in school nursing. Becky received her school nurse certificate from Kutztown University. She considers it a joy to work with healthy young people and try to educate them regarding healthier lifestyle choices. Her proudest initiative was developing the Weatherly Wellness Council that she began 20 years ago. The council is comprised of parents, teachers, students and outside resource partners who meet monthly to look at the programs and policies of the school through the lens of making it a healthier environment. The council also provides a plethora of prevention education programs. “It is so very important to teach young people early in life how to take care of their body and mind. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are linked to so many adverse medical issues. If we can teach healthy behaviors early, we will be creating a healthier community and world,” she said.

Weatherly Wellness Council

During her second year as Weatherly's school nurse, she had a call from a prevention educator

““School Nurses are here to support and help stu dents and families. Sometimes we perceived as the bad guys, however. At times we have to make difficult decisions such as during COVID-19. We also deal with very sad situations that warrant a call to child services. But fortunately this is only a small percentage of what we do. Please support the work of school nurses. There will be a time when you will need our help... let’s nurture that relationship, ” she said.

from the American Cancer Society. Together they discussed their missions and concerns. The Weatherly Wellness Council was born out of that discussion. The council is open to any parent, student or community member. “It is a joy when I run into prior students who mention a program from the Council that they remember having an impact on their life. When I first started, obesity was the biggest issue. It is still a major concern, but I do feel that we have made strides in addressing it. Some of our biggest issues now involve emotional and mental health. So many students struggle with social skills and their emotional well being,” she said.

Becky Lives in Jim Thorpe with her husband, Sean. They are the parents of two grown daughters who live in Philadelphia. She has a passion for music and has been singing and playing piano for as long as she can remember. For the past 23 years, she has been the lead singer and keyboard player in the Carbon County based rock band Becky and the Beast. “I hope that I will always be able to sing and play in church. My daughters are both musicians and there is nothing more special than singing with them. They were also exposed to classic rock from their early years. They often come up and sing a song or two when we are performing. I absolutely love singing Motown... songs you can really belt out! H

The Wright Center for Community Health

August is ImmunizationNational Awareness Month

Benjamin Franklin once said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” While Franklin was referring to the actions Philadelphians should take to prevent the spread of fires, this famous quote is commonly used in medicine when referring to the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing the spread of disease.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of vaccines for children and adults of all ages.

Most people know what vaccines are but may not understand how they work. Vaccines contain dead or weakened germs that stimulate our immune systems to react as if the germs were the actual illness. Once exposed to these germs, our bodies remember how to fight them off, and we become immune to that illness.

Maureen Litchman, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician who sees patients at The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre Practice, says vaccines are an important preventative measure that people need throughout their lifetime.

“There are different types of preventative medicine. Immunization and patient education are two types. When people say they don’t want a vaccine for themselves or their children, it’s not just impacting their lives. It’s impacting the lives of their families, their coworkers, their children’s classmates and teachers. It impacts the community at large,” said Dr. Litchman.

“As a physician, it’s important to dive deeply into why a patient doesn’t want to get a vaccine. There is often a misconception I can dispel while they are with me, or I can provide them with information to make a better-informed choice,” added Dr. Litchman. “I

always leave the door open for conversation. I’m there to inform them and use the conversation as a teaching moment. I respect a patient’s personal right to do what they want, but it’s my responsibility to educate them the best I can. Over 50% of the time, those who initially declined the vaccine will get it after I speak with them.”

The start of the vaccination program for children begins when mothers receive the Tdap vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis between 27 and 36 weeks of their pregnancy. These immunizations will pro-

tect the unborn baby after birth. The Hepatitis B vaccine is the first vaccine a newborn receives while in the hospital's nursery. It is recommended to start an infant’s next immunizations at the age of two months.

It’s important for the health of babies and young children that immediate family members and caregivers are properly vaccinated to prevent the spread of illnesses

Maureen Litchman, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician, sees patients at The Wright Center for Community Health WilkesBarre Practice.

that babies' immune systems are not developed enough to fight.

“The recommendation now is that actively involved grandparents be up to date on their immunizations. It's also very important for other children in the household, especially if they are in school, to be fully vaccinated,” said Dr. Litchman.

Amanda Turoni, DNP, a boardcertified nurse practitioner specializing in family medicine, sees patients at The Wright Center for Community Health North Pocono Practice. She also regularly sees patients who are hesitant to receive vaccinations or consent to their children being vaccinated.

“I like The Wright Center because we accept all patients. Many people have been avoiding doctor’s visits because of the pressure to get the COVID vaccine. Sometimes people don’t want to vaccinate their children on that particular schedule; they want to take it slow. It’s important that we have these medical facilities where people can

come in, become educated, and aren’t being forced to get vaccinated,” said Turoni, who recommends reputable websites, such as the CDC, and other materials so patients can do their own research in addition to their educational discussions with their primary care providers.

“Some of these are deadly diseases and the reason they are not around anymore or as prevalent is because of vaccines. People in the U.S. don’t get polio. The polio vac-

cine was a game changer for the entire world,” added Turoni.

According to the CDC, polio was eliminated from the U.S. thanks to widespread vaccination. There have been no cases that have originated in the U.S. since 1979. Approximately 16,000 cases of polio occurred in the U.S. each year prior to the vaccine.

People who are vaccine hesitant or have questions about a vaccine should talk with their doctor and visit the vaccine manufacturer’s website to learn about the vaccine’s ingredients and the mechanisms of it, according to Turoni. These websites also provide detailed information about the disease the vaccine prevents so patients may make an informed decision about whether or not to vaccinate. For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. H

K enneth Long, M.B.A.

President, East Stroudsburg University

transition has still been a learning process, he said.

“The president position is far more complex than even I realized. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by a great team of educators that share a common vision. After navigating the pandemic together and assessing our university’s strengths and opportunities, we’re moving forward and providing high-quality, affordable, accessible higher education that will not only benefit our students, but also our region.” He recently provided insight:

Diversity and inclusion

Day of Service and programming through affinity groups like the Women of Color Initiative and Men of Color Alliance. This spring, through ESU’s Frederick Douglass Institute, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Programs like these, coupled with more than 100 clubs and organizations, offer students ample opportunity to learn and grow as they find their niche.

Majors for the work world

In November 2022 the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors appointed Kenneth Long MBA the 14th president of East Stroudsburg University. Although he had been with the university for nearly 10 years before being appointed permanent president, two and a half years as interim president and seven years as vice president for administration and finance, the

When we refer to diversity, we are not just looking at race and ethnicity, but also gender, orientation, religion and background. So, when you think about it, regardless of where students are coming from, most of us are learning, developing, contributing and experiencing something a little different. Whether a student is coming from a large high school in an urban setting or small one surrounded by farms, ESU strives to offer every student a sense of belonging, an opportunity to learn from one another and develop their worldview. This past academic year we held events that ranged from lectures and guest speakers discussing the preservation of Native American Tribes and WVIA’s documentaries on Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, hands-on experiences like Latin Fusion dance classes, the Sign Language Club’s silent dinner and our annual MLK

ESU currently offers 58 undergraduate, 21 master’s and two doctoral programs. Certificates and other credentialing initiatives allow students to gain proficiency in areas that can be used to obtain jobs while they are earning their degrees as well as illustrate specific competency, such as: 3D Printing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Environmental Health, Medical Marijuana and Health Emergency Preparedness certifications.

Also, this fall, ESU is introducing Meta-Majors for students who are undecided on a major. Undecided students will complete assessments focused on career discovery, then along with the help of an advisor they will be placed in one of six groups: STEM; Social Sciences; Arts; Communication, and Design; Business and Entrepreneurship; Education; and Health Sciences. The goal is to help students declare a major by the end of their first year, keeping them on track for graduation.

Vision for ESU

The theme of my inauguration was Creating Opportunities, which encompasses my belief in access to a quality, affordable education. I strongly believe education is a fundamental human right and should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their background, ethnicity, gender, religion or socioeconomic status. As a public institution of higher learning, we at ESU have a responsibility to provide our students with the tools, resources and opportunities they need to succeed in life. We must strive to create a learning environment that is inclusive and equitable, where every student has the chance to thrive and reach their full potential.

In the short term, my goals are to enhance the physical space throughout campus. I also plan to expand our collaboration with local school districts by introducing new dual enrollment agreements for high school students and developing programs that help alleviate some of the teacher shortages. Over a slightly longer period, my plan is to create a dedicated building to support our outstanding Health Sciences programs and to enhance the instructional space of our Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management program.

I firmly believe that ESU is an integral part of Northeast Pennsylvania. As an instrument of the commonwealth, we have a responsibility to ensure the growth, development and success of the region.

Collaboration within the State System of Higher Education

Along with my fellow PASSHE presidents, I work with the

Chancellor of the State System to ensure public education in the state of Pennsylvania remains accessible and affordable. With appropriate funding, PASSHE institutions are able to keep the cost of education low and ensure that resources are directed where they matter most – providing students with high-quality education that will propel them to success in their chosen field.

Community Involvement

“As the only four-year public institution of higher education in NEPA, ESU is very involved in our community. Besides our involvement in many events, we offer educational resources. In the education field we are offering pathway programs to high school students interested in pursuing teaching careers. In the health sciences, community agencies and health professionals now have access to the Dale and Frances Hughes Foundation Community Health Education and Simulation Lab. The lab will give students and professionals in the community the opportunity to use the state-of-the-art simulation center to practice skills on manikins that can mimic human body functions.

Mental health/anxiety related to students

Issues of men tal health and overall well ness are on the rise in America, and a college campus is no exception.

We have an excellent team of pro

fessionals in our Counseling Center dedicated to helping students through adversity and are training our faculty and staff on how to be aware of indicators for students so that they can receive helpful resources. But despite these investments, it is not enough. As a result, in the fall my first Presidential Commission will be a Commission on Mental Health. We strive to help every student in need develop personalized holistic action plans to promote self-growth and success.”

Long is married to Evelyn and has three daughters, Alysha, Peyton and Taylor.

What is your most important message for your children?

“I have three wonderful daughters, each with similar but unique skills or interests. I want them to know that I love spending time with them and playing an active role in their lives. I also want to thank them for all of the lessons they continue to teach me, everything from which social media platforms are most popular to what is happening in the worlds of dance, music, pop culture and technology. These lessons actually make me more relatable in my

The GDS Fair August 25-September 3

The Greene Dreher Sterling Fair in Newfoundland has a star-studded entertainment lineup and agricultural displays that continues its century-long tradition of delivering, “country scenes and blue-ribbon dreams.” The GDS Fair began in 1917 by a group of schoolteachers who wished to showcase their students’ handiwork. From the beginning, the fair’s mission was to promote the community’s agricultural lifestyle and educate the public about farm life. More than a century later, it continues to uphold this mission by including many agricultural displays and contests. Not only does the fair continue to showcase students’ work, but it also gives scholarships to area children to further promote their education. The fair remains true to its original mission– keeping it about agriculture and focusing less on commercial aspects of the fairs of today. H

Rev. Joseph G. Marina

President, University of Scranton

The Reverend Joseph G. Marina had a religious calling at a very young age. At 18, he joined the Brothers of the Sacred Heart and stayed until he was 25. On leaving, he still “felt the spark” for a religious vocation.

At 42-years-old, after years in higher edu cation administration, Father Marina joined the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, a Roman Catholic religious order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

It was during his doctoral studies at Fordham, a Jesuit-led university in Bronx, New York, that Father Marina was intro duced to the Jesuits. “I felt like I was coming home,” he said.

He met Father Pilarz, the late, previous president of the University of Scranton when he was invited to give a speech in Scranton, on Jesuit vocations. In what could be described as a harbinger of his future career, Pilarz remarked, “Who knows, with any luck and God’s grace maybe you’ll be able to come and work at the University of Scranton.”

Father Marina is now the 29th presi dent of the University of Scranton. He recently shared some thoughts with Happenings Magazine:

Best aspects of serving as President

“I love so many things about being at Scranton but the time I have to spend with students, limited as it is sometimes, continues to be the greatest reward. I find that time so very life-giving and rejuvenating.

Collaboration with the City of Scranton.

The University continues to work closely with the City and many organizations through student volunteers, internships, faculty research, as well as through community-based-learning projects that are incorporated into the courses. Just last semester, 40 Occupational Therapy students participated in a walkability study of downtown Scranton in partnership with Scranton Tomorrow. Dozens of students in a communication class documented stories of war heroes at the Gino

two economics faculty members publish an economic analysis of the region called the Brennan Barometer to help area businesses and organizations better understand the region’s economic climate. Also, Mayor Cognetti recently spoke at a Business Leadership Honors Program class. We are grateful for her candor and the time she gave to our students. These experiences are important teaching and learning components of our transformational Jesuit education. In addition, the $16.6 million grant we recently received from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will allow

us to build a new structure that will be outward facing and of service to the community to a certain degree.

Five year vision

I promised our board of trustees and the campus community that I would focus on three major aspects: mission, access and excellence. We are pursuing new initiatives and strengthening current ones through these lenses. In fact, they will form the pillars of our next capital campaign. Higher education faces numerous challenges in the coming years. One of the innovative ways that universities can address some of these challenges is through collaborative partnerships. Last year, Scranton entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with our sister Jesuit college, Le Moyne, that leverages the existing resources and strengths of both schools. Among other aspects of the agreement, Scranton can enroll up to five qualified students for direct entry into Le Moyne’s Physician Assistant program after graduation, and Le Moyne can likewise enroll up to five qualified students with a guaranteed seat in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Scranton. This is a win-win for our schools, our students and for the health sector. I expect to see more of these kinds of cooperative agreements between universities that share a common mission.

Happenings’ readers should know

Although we have been here since 1888, I am edified by the number of visitors who tour our campus for the first time and then remark about how amazed they are with all that we offer here. They are equally surprised to find that we may be more affordable than you think. We

remain deeply committed to being an affordable and excellent choice for the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania. We offer a world-class Jesuit and Catholic education grounded in ethical and compassionate care for others. It is truly wonderful –and is available in your own backyard!

New majors

The University of Scranton has added several new degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. New laboratory and learning spaces for our new major in mechanical engineering provides students with hands-on experiences using state-of-theart equipment. We have a new bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders. We also have a partnership with the international defense and security company, Jacobs, to help us prepare students and professionals for careers in cyber intelligence, law enforcement and cybersecurity. And, we are offering a new online master’s degree in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity. Our programs in business analytics and accounting continue to gain national

recognition for excellence. Also, the University now offers our first Ph.D. degree in accounting.

Helping students find their purpose

Central to the spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola is the importance of self-reflection and coming to truly know yourself. As St. Irenaeus put it, “the glory of God is [the human person] fully alive” and being fully alive relies on such self-knowledge. Beyond that, and according to Aristotle, “where the needs of the world and your talents intersect, therein lies your vocation.” I believe purpose can best be found when we pursue that which allows us the greatest opportunities to love, to be loved and to help as many people as we can along the way. Having a career goal in mind for the post-college years is extremely important. It helps young people to choose a major and engage in the opportunities and activities that will augment such a goal. But purpose does not stop at the level of career. We are given one chance at this magnificent thing called life and it’s essential that we use it to affect as much good as we can.” H

Father Marina participating in a Relay for Life for dunk tank fundraiser. He loves to interact with the students - and they seem to love the opportunity to dunk the president.

Keystone College John F. Pullo, Sr.

John F. Pullo Sr. was named the 12th president of Keystone College in 2023 and became the first alumnus to serve as president. Pullo served as interim president for the 2022-23 academic year.

“I am deeply honored to be elected as Keystone College’s 12th president,” Pullo said. “In many ways, this is the culmination of a lifelong journey that started with this exceptional institution. This is an uncommon opportunity to serve an institution I care deeply about, and I now find myself doing some of the most rewarding work of my career.”

A 1969 Keystone alumnus, Pullo is a member of the college’s Board of Trustees and served as board chair from 2018 to 2020. He is the founder and CEO of Chartwell Strategies LLC, a strategic advisory services and consulting firm. Prior to founding Chartwell, he was employed for 35 years at Gentex Corporation, where he held a variety of senior positions in business leadership, corporate development, research and development, business development and operations.

Pullo’s industry experience prior to Gentex includes 12 years with the Swedish conglomerate Sandvik AB, where he held key management positions at both the corporate and divisional levels.

He also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wilkes University and a master of business administration with a concentration in operations management from the University of Scranton. He received a master’s degree in technology management from the University of Pennsylvania conferred jointly by the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Wharton School..

Happenings recently received the following insight from President Pullo:

Opportunities and challenge of a college education

“Higher education is at an unprecedented crossroads, with challenges in access, affordability and even relevance of a college education. Student debt is at historic levels. The path to creating value is providing workable solutions for the entire spectrum of

learners, from certificate programs to get that first job to traditional undergraduates to adults and professionals seeking degree completion and advanced instruction. Agility is the key. While the current pressures on higher education require us to be more innovative, a well-rounded education coupled with career and life preparation still matters and will remain the hallmark of a Keystone education.

Looking back

I was born in New York City and ultimately moved to Clarks Summit. My mother was a native of Throop and always wanted to come back. After graduating from Abington Heights, I went to a Penn State commonwealth campus and it didn’t work for me. Keystone was a respected local alternative and I found a home there.

Keystone has always had a deep mentoring tradition between the faculty and students. I had some remarkable instructors at Keystone, who really invested their time in me, pushed me to think and stretch my abilities. I see that same tradition being

carried on today by our devoted faculty and staff, who are singularly focused on student success.

Affordability and relevance of a college education

“Keystone did a tuition reset about five years ago to bring the published cost of attendance closer to the actual net cost. We are also focused on building our base of endowed scholarships and other forms of merit and need-based financial aid. When I came on board, I established the President’s Hope Fund to close the gap on affordability for our students with the most pressing financial needs. Our net tuition is among the most affordable in the region and is a remarkable value for the quality of the educational product we provide. To address the relevance issue, we are augmenting our degree-based programs with credit and noncredit certificate programs as well as other stackable credentials to advance job-ready skills, as well as career development initiatives including internships and apprenticeships and options for accelerated degree programs to reduce time to the workplace and the overall cost of education. Our goal has always been to ensure our students receive a well rounded education as well as career and life preparation skills.

Needed workplace skills

Employers assume that the basics in the core major field of study are being covered. At the same time, they place high value on critical thinking and problem solving skills, oral and written communication to convey ideas and the ability to work collaboratively in teams. Our student success programs focus on building these skills through much of the traditional core curricula, but also through research, internship opportunities, volunteer service, athletics and the arts. Every opportunity is a leadership moment. Creating a sense of personal accountability is a defining factor in character development.

Employers adapting to today’s graduates

The tendency is to express generational differences that are more often anecdotal than real. There is no question that the lens through which I viewed the world in the 1960s is very different than today, especially relating to topics like security and access to opportunity. At the same time, authenticity and trust are still the primary measures by which most people evaluate relationships with their employers. You’re either all in on building a high performing organization or you’re not. Today’s college graduates pick up on that as quickly as we did a generation or more ago.

Keystone and community revitalization

We are working with Factoryville and La Plume to bring everything we have to offer as an educational

palities. We also have a significant economic impact in the region in terms of employment, purchases of products and services, as well as the wage tax base. We have engaged in a number of county and state supported economic development projects that have brought new businesses to the campus that also serve the community as well as our students, and will put $2.75 million into that over the next 2-3 years. We have a long track record in serving the early childhood education market with facilities and staff. Through a variety of state grant awards, we have also brought innovative solutions to address a variety of issues in education, including easing the substitute teacher shortage in the region through a “learn and earn” program for practitioners to obtain certification while on the job in the school district. We are always looking for ways to have impact and share our expertise.

The arts and the community

Keystone has a deep tradition in the arts which we make available to the community. One great example is our glass blowing center, which we make available to the public several times a year. We have a number of environmental camps for elementary school children that we run every summer. We recently had a beekeeping feature that we ran at the Everhart Museum. And, of course, there is the Keystone astronomical observatory that is also home to the Lackawanna Astronomical Society where you can gaze at the stars nearly year round. We welcome everyone to our campus to enjoy the natural setting and peace that it brings, along with a myriad of programs that we offer for personal development.”

Entrepreneurial opportunities

“Virtually every program of study holds entrepreneurial promise; it’s really more a question of meeting an unmet need and a willingness to seek out and provide solutions in which others find value. It takes a great deal of determination to succeed in this journey, and incredible courage to see failure as a mechanism for learning. We encourage entrepreneurship in all of our curricula and career development encounters with our students, including our professional development series.”

Personal

“I really love the peaceful setting of the natural environment in Northeast PA, especially in the summer and the fall. We have 270 acres of campus at the college, most of which is wooded, along with seven miles of walking trails. It’s a perfect wellness environment in a naturalist setting (not bad for a city kid!). I am hopeful that we can re-establish rail service to New York City, which I used to travel until it ceased in the early 1970s. I think it will have a profound effect on tourism and economic development in the region, as well as support easy access to other metropolitan areas, if not the rest of the country.

Pullo’s most admired leaders are Abraham Lincoln for his wisdom and selflessness, FDR for his confidence and optimism, JFK for his ability to inspire us towards impossible goals, Churchill for his determination and Dr. Martin Luther King for his courage and character. “There are so many others that rise to this level in different ways. I am always inspired by the power of an idea made real that is in service to us all.”

His favorite Winston Churchill quote is “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”H

Mr.Pullo and his wife,Angela,reside in Clarks Summit,and have a son, John Jr.,also residing in Clarks Summit with his wife and daughter.

Making the Best College Choices: Understanding College Rankings

In my almost 30 years of college advisement experience, I have observed that parents and prospective students like to begin the college search by browsing famous lists of rankings. They assume if one ‘ranked’ highly, it must be a ‘good’ or even ‘great’ college.

One particular ranking list, U.S. News & World Report, uses multiple measures to capture various dimensions of academic quality at each college. These include nine areas: graduation and retention, graduation rate performance, graduate indebtedness, social mobility, faculty resources, expert opinion, financial resources, student excellence and alumni giving.

Rankings provide a way for families to make "sound economic decisions" regarding their child’s education. Rankings may highlight lesser known schools which may be great choices not previously considered.

In 1983, the U.S. News & World Report published its first list of “America’s Best Colleges” based upon college presidents’ survey responses. It is the most popular college ranking tool and is now more sophisticated, using detailed, complex methodology. Other ranking lists review quality of faculty, volume of research, employer reputation, student/faculty ratio and international student/faculty ratio.

There is no harm in using rankings to start the college selection process. The lists provide data that should be reviewed in order to personalize individual student’s needs. It is important to compare apples with apples – the same types of schools to the same types of schools. Students must be clear on what they want and use rankings to learn about options within personal and academic parameters.

Create a list of “must have” characteristics so choices are based on specific preferences, rather than “the lists.” Making choices for the next four years should be based on many factors, not just rankings. Post-pandemic, families can visit campuses again. Visits are the best way to know if a school is the right fit. Observe a class, talk with professors and students, eat in the cafeteria, walk around the surrounding area and ask lots of questions. Think about options carefully. Where will the student be most valued for his/her contributions? H

Contact Jennifer Severini-Kresock at (570) 702-5700 or jkresock@nepacareerandcollegecounseling.com for career and college preparation.

Penn State Scranton

The University of Scranton

Marwan Wafa, Ph.D.

Penn State Scranton

Marwan Wafa, Ph.D. is the chancellor at Penn State Scranton. He is also a civil engineer who practiced in Kuwait and went on to earn his master’s degree followed by a Ph.D. in industrial management. Through this experience he discovered a passion for working with students to help them achieve their goals through learning, and thus entered the academic world.

His role today encompasses all aspects of campus operations pertaining to fulfilling the mission of Penn State University in this region. He recently provided fresh insight into PSU Scranton.

Engineering programs

“As a civil engineer myself, I am pleased that we offer the Mechanical Engineering degree program locally where students start and complete the bachelor's degree at our campus. Our decision to launch the ME program was based on researching regional market needs. The first cohort graduated with their bachelor’s degree in May and they are employed in the region. PSU Scranton is well connected with area companies that enable students to have internship opportunities, work on real projects and pursue job opportunities. We will continue expanding our engineering degree programs in response to sustainable regional demand. The advantage of having a Penn State University Campus in our community is that students have the option of completing their degree locally while saving on the overall cost of higher education, or they may change to another PSU campus based on degrees offered that we do not serve locally with numerous options throughout the state.

Influence of technology today

Technology is critical not only as a tool for enriching learning, but also in achieving efficiencies and access to data that was not feasible a few years ago. Now, with Artificial Intelligence, the world of higher education is

(PSU Scranton)

learning how to make use of such a powerful tool to further enhance students’ educational experiences and think differently about how students use it in their learning. This is a new challenge for us in comparison to my generation’s time when we were in college, as there was limited access to such powerful tools. COVID-19 has had a negative impact on students’ social skills, and we look forward to seeing it be a thing of the past.

Proud Achievements

During my eight years of service at PSU Scranton, we have invested in infrastructure improvements. Currently we are renovating the library and nursing program facilities. I feel humbled and pleased when I hear from visitors and students that our campus is truly a welcoming campus. I also value the fact that over 92% of our students are Pennsylvania residents who want to continue serving the state upon graduation. I believe that our campus provides an excellent ROI for students and the state.

Inspiration

Students inspire me, from the moment that they decide to pursue their career goals to getting to shake their hands when they walk across the stage at commencement. I am also inspired as a leader, seeing our faculty and staff realizing their personal goals with our support.

I believe in servant leadership and leadership by example. I enjoy what I do, especially by helping others realize their dreams. My hope is that those who value the support they received directly or indirectly from me will pay it forward. The greatest reward is seeing others succeed while having a part in helping them realize their goals. I was blessed with wonderful mentors who helped me through life’s challenges. Finding and associating with wise, experienced and caring mentors is an important first step for the young and inexperienced.

Family: Married to Sahar Al Masri. We are blessed to have three children: Ala’a,

Abdullah, Danyah, and my adopted niece, Rawan.

Favorite childhood game: Building model airplanes... not really a game! H

“

Happiness is not realized by material things. I discovered that my personal happiness is through seeing others realize their dreams. However, I am able to do so because I invested in advancing my learning and development, which is what empowered me to work on helping others.”

-Marwan Wafa, Ph.D

Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D. Misericordia University

Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D., serves as the 15th president of Misericordia University. He began his term in 2021.

Dr. Myers previously served as provost at American University and Marquette University. Before that, he spent 17 years at the University of Notre Dame, serving as vice president and associate provost for Faculty Affairs, associate dean in the College of Arts and Letters, and as chair of the Department of Sociology. He has also been the director of Faculty Development and Research in the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and he founded and directed the Center for the Study of Social Movements.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from Ohio State University before completing a master’s and doctorate in sociology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Myers is a well-known expert in the study of collective behavior and social movements. He has published books and articles primarily focused on protest and unrest, the diffusion of social phenomena, social psychology and urban politics. He has won awards for both his research and teaching. We recently gained some insight from him:

The campus

“Our campus is very beautiful and a wonderful place to spend time. After you come through our iconic entrance arch, you are greeted by a mix of modern and classic buildings as well as many new indoor and outdoor spaces. Comfortable walking distances to all points on campus immediately reinforce the reality of our tight-knit community. Visitors remark on that regularly. And when you spend any time on campus, you will clearly observe that students are active and engaged.

They perpetuate our Mercy heritage by holding fundraisers, hosting community groups, rallying to support other students and working with our faculty to link our core values of mercy, service, justice and hospitality to their academic coursework.

International Peace Studies

The academic study of peace and conflict, and how we attempt to enact peace in the world, ranges all the way from research regarding grade school bullying to wars between countries and even how we achieve a feeling of peace, love and satisfaction within each individual. Indeed, even international wars are often driven by interpersonal conflict and tortured psychologies that leaders use military aggression to act out. Fundamentally though, achieving peace in any form starts with respect and care for other human beings —ones we know and are familiar to us and ones we do not know personally and are different from us and our own ways of living.

In order to maintain a peaceful existence we need to assume the best about others and make an effort to know people and to listen. We encourage and create structures at Misericordia to maximize our time to interact with one another and build relationships. Trust and peace go hand in hand and are built through relationships.

Peace in the world and in nation

There are many conflicts across the world right now and attempts to resolve them with means other than force or forcing one’s opinions on others are severely lacking. There are also problems that aren’t based on direct person-to-person violence that need more attention. These are bigger structural conditions that damage people and end lives beyond armed conflict and include circumstances such as famine, climate change and mas-

sive inequality. If we wish to achieve peace and human well-being, we need to get more serious about addressing those conditions.

Vision

Our collective vision, Mercy Thrives, is to enhance the student experience through expanded curricular and co-curricular offerings, invite more students to join us in this experience and preserve our unique strength of a powerfully engaged student body that persists to graduation at a rate far higher than is expected.

One of the things that attracted me to Misericordia University is the very high retention and graduate rates. In general, students tend to stay here and graduate on time, reducing their long-term tuition costs and allowing them to pursue their careers sooner. I am extremely proud of the talent and dedication of our faculty and staff who are critical in creating this atmosphere for our students. And I share in the pride of our students’ families as Misericordia graduates enter the workforce as broad-based thinkers, highly competent in their fields, with a desire to collaborate and serve others.

Misericordia is now offering bachelor’s degrees in data science, supply chain management and

teacher education general science in grades 7 through 12. Also offered is the certified financial planner credential within the business administration program. Current teachers can also look to a variety of new certificate programs as well as a master’s degree in education/professional practice. More new programs are in development too.

The future

Misericordia is on the move. Renovation and construction are underway on campus for a 38,000 square foot space to house its premiere occupational and physical therapy programs that is expected to be complete in late December. A new music director is in place and so are plans for a dramatic increase in music performance opportunities for students in fall 2023 and beyond.

As we approach our centennial year in 2024, we are launching new sports including ice hockey and wrestling which are both scheduled to begin intercollegiate competition in fall of 2024. We will also offer the new sport of “stunt” next year, which, simply put, is the gymnastic element to cheerleading. I hope people in NEPA and beyond will visit us on our social media accounts for the university @misericordiau and for me @presdanmyersMU. There is so much going on.” H

Pamela credits the late Norman Sisle, a neighbor who helped her in biddy basketball when she was child, for her success. “His love for the game and his fun style just made the playing so fun,” said Pamela. “He kept a balance between hard work, life skills, learning the game and having fun.” Pamela also thanks her coach Don Davis for her success in volleyball.

“He was so balanced with his heart for our well-being,” she said. “Don taught me so much about volleyball, and we were able to get to states on his shoulders.”

Dr. Pamela Hughes: An Athlete and An Army Doctor

Dr. Pamela Hughes was recently inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame. She played multiple sports during high school but was the most successful in volleyball, which she continued to play throughout college. Competing in sports developed her leadership skills as a student, athlete and later, as an accomplished doctor.

Pamela came from an athletic family, learning sports at a young age including “biddy” basketball and T-ball, in which her dad coached in her hometown of Tunkhannock. She later played basketball in the Keystone Games and attended summer camps. She continued with basketball and track in middle school and also engaged in softball and field hockey.

While attending Tunkhannock Area High School, Pamela became a four-year starter for volleyball, basketball and track. In volleyball, she earned second-team All-State, Conference MVP, Coaches MVP and All-Conference selection among many other distinctions. As a high school senior she earned her first-time All-State and played on four district championship teams.

In basketball, as a senior, she was selected as Wyoming Valley Conference Player of the Year, and broke the school record with 1,360 points in basketball, which still remains today.

“It was such an honor and still is,” she said. “I am thankful for such great coaches and teammates and to God for the gifts He gave me.”

In track, Pamela was the district champion of 300 hurdles during her junior year. Her team also became District Champs in the 1600 relay and holds a school record that still stands today. During Senior Awards night, she was honored with the prestigious Dutch Ambrose Keller Award for becoming the highest ranked athlete.

What Pamela enjoyed the most about playing sports in high school was the team spirit. “I loved training to be the best I could be for the team,” she said.

After graduating from Tunkhannock Area High School, Pamela attended Juanita College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in science. She continued to play volleyball and basketball during her freshman year but later decided to focus on volleyball.

Her volleyball team finished in the NCAA D-III Final Four and Pamela became an All-American nominee. She received the Carolyn Stambaugh Award, recognizing not just her abilities but also her character, hard work and leadership.

“That was a highlight in my years of education,” she said. After graduating from Juanita College, she continued her medical education at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. During her second year, she joined the US Army through the HPSP (Health Professions Scholarship Program). She learned military medicine doing rotations on army bases. She completed her residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. During her second year as a resident, she became the Special Olympics Director.

“I really enjoyed working with the kids, and it taught me so much about the Special Olympics in general, health concerns with physically disabled kids and just the love from parents and friends,” she said.

Pamela then served as a resident faculty and USUHS (Uniformed Services University of the Health Services) Medical School Associate Professor of Medicine at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg.

From 2003 to 2004, Pamela was deployed to Iraq. She predominantly treated Americans, but also locals and soldiers from multiple countries such as Estonia, Latvia and the UK. She treated patients, who suffered from life, limb, or eyesight injuries. She recalled crying the first two weeks every day as she encountered trauma and death. She calls this experience as the most life altering and rewarding part of her career.

“It was the main time of my life that I felt like my purpose was so much bigger than me, and I had to truly rely on God for strength and wisdom,” she said.

Pamela‘s husband David, an Army Special Forces Detachment Team Commander, was severely injured in Afghanistan. Pamela made it her goal to improve his health using holistic methods. After returning home from the hospital, David stopped using prescription drugs and used natural supplements.

“He made an amazing recovery,” said Pamela. "To this day, he does not take a prescription drug outside of an occasional Motrin.”

Pamela completed her Fellowship in Florida through the American

Academy of Regenerative and Functional Medicine. She met a doctor in Naples, Florida, whose practice she eventually took over upon his retirement. She sold the practice when she and her husband moved to Virginia for his state department job.

During their nearly 25 years of marriage, Pamela and David have lived in over 25 states including Tennessee, Wyoming and Montana. They are currently settling in Colorado, where David is helping to fight wildfires. Pamela is doing private consulting work with a focus in genomics, stem cells and reversing disease.

“I am dreaming of some future ideas here in Colorado with wellness retreats, but that will likely be another year down the road,” she said.

Pamela and David have a 13-year-old son, Brodie. Pamela was honored to be inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame.

James R. Lytle, D.Min. Clarks Summit University

r. James R. Lytle, veteran educator and missionary, seasoned leader and experienced vice president and provost, has served since 2015 as Clarks Summit University’s 10th president.

Lytle earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Clarks Summit University and both Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees at Baptist Bible Seminary, Lytle earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has served in biblical higher education for more than 40 years.

After serving as an assistant and associate professor for 13 years, Lytle was called to South Africa, where he and his wife, Diane, served as missionary church planters. While there, he helped establish Bethany Baptist Church, beginning with a home Bible study and transitioning to national leadership.

He served as president of Baptist Bible College of KwaZulu-Natal from 1995 to 2006. Upon returning to Clarks Summit University in 2007, Lytle began serving as vice president for college and graduate academics and professor of Bible and theology. He was appointed as provost in 2008.

He has published several study guides and articles on studying the Bible and Christian living. He coauthored “Effective Bible Study” and “The Christian Life” with his wife Diane for Regular Baptist Press adult Sunday School curriculum.

“When I came to Clarks Summit University as a student in 1973, I never imagined that I would be taking on this role. My plan was to take one year of Bible courses and go on with my life, but Clarks Summit University really got into my blood,” says Dr. Lytle. He recently shared some insight on a few topics.

Current challenges

“Here in the Northeast, the number of students who graduate from high school will be steeply declining for most of this decade. Colleges throughout the region have more beds and classroom seats available than students to fill them. That’s a stark economic reality that has intruded into higher education. It’s going to require focus on mission and development of desirable graduate programs to build strength in the days ahead.

Another challenge is increasing hostility toward outward religious expression. Our culture is willing to allow for personal, private expressions of faith, but increasingly, only personal, private expressions of faith. The heart of biblical Christianity, though, is demonstrated in public expression of personal faith. As a faith-based school, we want to live what the Bible teaches. That goes beyond just knowing what the Bible teaches, since the Bible directs us to carry its teaching into every part of life.

Change in education?

Some things never change. People around the world have always needed to know God. They just don’t always know it or feel it. But when the world seems to fall apart before your eyes and difficult times come, the need to know God becomes a lot more obvious. The last three years sure qualify as difficult times. The biblical education at the core of all our degree programs helps graduates know and communicate the truth of the Bible.

Experience in Africa

The more globalized society gets, the more we must embrace partnerships with fellow humans whose lives and cultures may be very different than our own. Sometimes we don’t do “different” very

well. We might like to think that our culture’s perspective on reality is perfect, and that all other cultures should just look at life our way. The truth is that Africans don’t need an infusion of American culture to bring value and meaning to their lives! All of us profit from relationships that allow us to bring the best of what we are to achieve a common goal.

Home Bible study groups

Small group Bible studies in homes meet a list of our needs. They help build the relationships that support us through life, the friendships that allow us to get the most pleasure out of the good times of life and keep us from despairing in the hard times. Learning truth in a group is great. We get to discuss truth with each other, brainstorm ways to apply it, and help each other to carry it through. The best way to find home Bible study groups is through a local church, or if they don’t offer them, search on the web.

College vs university status

Our grads work and serve around the world. While the word “college” is familiar to Americans as a common description of post-high school education, it means different things in different countries. Outside America, the more common term for post-high school education is “university.” In many places, college could be anything from an elementary school to a high school, but it is rarely understood as a place to get a post-secondary degree. That happens at a uni-

New majors

During my years as provost and president, we introduced the Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Literature, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. We added an array of undergraduate degrees available fully online. Most of the master’s degrees we offer are available fully online in subject areas like education, counseling, Bible, ministry and organizational leadership. Our doctoral degrees are offered in a hybrid module format to make it convenient for people who want to lead, teach, write and communicate biblical truths.

Job placement

Our faculty help students with career placement in our more than 80 academic program options—from business and biology to education and ministry. They are well connected in their field, and the benefit of a close-knit school community is—they know their students well, and they also understand their students’ strengths and career goals. Their recommendation for a student is a powerful incentive for a prospective employer. In addition, we use Handshake, a widely implemented site that assists students in building their careers. They can upload their resume on a site well known to employers. We also invite employers to post on Handshake as they seek our grads.

College Mission

versity. When grads working overseas say that they went to college, they don’t communicate that they got a bachelor’s degree. By changing to university status, we are opening more doors for our grads wherever they go.

College is about a lot more than imparting the knowledge necessary to grant a degree. That has to happen, but so much more comes along with it. The college mission, its faculty, its staff, the co-curricular programs and student life all play a part in shaping the student’s perspective and molding their character. Well beyond just a degree, it’s a lifeshaping experience that influences the trajectory of a person’s future. That’s why choosing a college like Clarks Summit University that keeps its biblical worldview out front is so valuable for students. We work hard at CSU to ensure that everything we do for students reflects the value that God places in them. We want to use God’s truth in the Bible as the source of our academic and institutional values. We want our students to be Christ-centered, so we work hard to model and mentor that quality; it’s our goal for every graduate in every program. A graduate who is Christ-centered has both the degree and the character needed to be career-ready. ” H

Thomas P. Leary

Luzerne County Community College

Thomas P. Leary is president of Luzerne County Community College. Not only has he run the college since 2008, but he still loves being in the classroom. So, he finds the time to be an adjunct professor in the subjects he loves: history and political science.

As a young college graduate Leary had been accepted into law school, but when he took a part-time position at LCCC as assistant director of admissions, he found a dynamic workplace and envisioned a bright, promising future in the small college, even though at the time it had just eight buildings and no trees or grass. Today the main campus has 16 modern buildings, along with seven off-campus centers of secondary education, both in Luzerne County and other communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania. President Leary has served more than 40 years in several leadership positions at the college he never left.

According to Leary, several new programs have been implemented at LCCC in recent years to meet local and regional economic and workforce needs. Some examples are in the areas of: medical assisting, public health, advanced manufacturing, game art & design, dental assisting as well as short-term training in such areas as electrical, facilities maintenance, machining (CNC), plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning and welding

Excellence in exam pass rates

“LCCC nursing graduates have fantastic pass rates. In fact, for the 2023 Nursing graduates, the pass rate is 100% so far. In 2022, LCCC Nursing graduates obtained an overall 94% pass rate. That is 12% above the national average for 4-year colleges and 16% above the national average for all nursing programs. The Nursing program graduates are not alone regarding high pass rates. The respiratory care graduates, dental hygiene students and surgical technology also have outstanding pass rates.

LCCC’s top programs

1. Associate of Applied Science, Nursing

2. Associate of Science, Psychology

3. Associate of Science, General Studies

4. Associate of Applied Science, Nursing

4. Business Management

5. Associate of Applied Science, Early Childhood

5. Education

The Psychology and General Studies programs demonstrate the ease of LCCC credit transferability to NEPA 4-year as well as state colleges and universities.

Fully funded and operational food banks

This student service is made possible by the many generous donors who are helping and partnering with the LCCC to fight hunger and food insecurities among the students and their families. LCCC students have the opportunity to visit any of the food banks and receive a meal, snacks, take home items, school supplies and personal items all free of charge. The College will be working during this upcoming year to add clothing closets as a wrap around service to each of the food banks. Both the Nanticoke and Hazleton campuses have already added clothing closets to their student services.

High school students earning college credits

High school students have the opportunity to earn college credit. Early college has been associated with a wide range of positive outcomes, including:

· Reduced time to degree;

· Quicker entrance into the workforce;

· Increased high school graduation rates;

· Greater college success, including

· increased post-secondary attainment;

· Reduced cost-to-degree; and

· Lower student debt.

LCCC offers courses to early college students in more than 40 local high schools, including cyber/charter and homeschooled students. In Fall 2022, there were 856 Early College students; Approximately 50% of students take one college course per semester, nearly 40% take two courses and the remainder take more than two courses. Students most often enroll in General Education courses such as English, Psychology, Speech and Sociology but may also enroll in courses providing a pathway to a future degree such as Business, Sciences, CIS and Criminal Justice. Classes are offered in person at one of LCCC’s locations or in the high school as well as online. Tuition is dis-

counted from the regular rate and students can take a three-credit course for under $250.

And the survey said...

LCCC recently conducted a survey of Early College students to understand their experience and identify levels of engagement in coursework. Results included the following:

· Students report taking courses to save money on college (66%), to gain credits for a future bachelor's degree (50%), to gain credits toward an associate degree (30%), to see what it is like to be a college student (40%), to take more challenging/ interesting courses than offered in high school (39%) and to explore programs of study (33%);

· Students report high levels of engagement with 96% reporting motivation levels required for successful completion and over 85% reporting regular interaction and participation in class discussions and integrating information from various sources into assignments; and

· 85% report having a goal to attend college following high school graduation.”

Personal

Leary, who still resides in his hometown of Kingston, has one son, Patrick. H

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Friedman Art Gallery: Artifacts from the Andrea Doria Shipwreck

The Penn State Wilkes-Barre Friedman Art Gallery will present its next exhibit, “Andrea Doria: Dive to An Era” on campus August 27 through November 30. The exhibit will open with two presentations by internationally renowned shipwreck diver Gary Gentile at the Arts at Hayfield Summer Festival on Aug. 27. The first session is from 11 a.m.-noon and again from 1 p.m.-2 p.m. in the Barry Auditorium, Nesbitt Academic Commons Building. Gentile will conduct a walk-through of the Friedman Art Gallery exhibit with visitors after each session.

According to the History Channel, “On the night of July 25, 1956, a collision between the ocean liners SS Andrea Doria and MS Stockholm killed 51 people and prompted one of the largest civilian maritime rescues in history.” After 11 hours of listing, the Andrea Doria sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nantucket. The shipwreck became known as the “Mount Everest of Scuba Diving.”

As one of the most experienced wreck

divers in the world, Gary Gentile was one of the first divers to penetrate the first-class dining room of the ship to recover pieces of fine dinnerware. He was also part of a team of divers that recovered the ship’s bell in 1985.

The Friedman Art Gallery display will

feature an extensive collection of items recovered by Gentile on more than 200 dives to the ship. Gentile brought back dishes, cups, glasses, plates, jewelry, ceramic panels created by the internationally known artist Romano Rui and more. Gentile has self-published 45 books including “Andrea

Doria: Dive to an Era,” and “Deep, Dark and Dangerous: Adventures and Reflections on the Andrea Doria.” He has also written several technical books relating to diving as well as extensive documentation of his dives to multiple shipwrecks of North America. With the opening of the Nesbitt Academic Commons

in 2008, Sidney and Pauline Friedman gifted Penn State Wilkes-Barre with the Friedman Art Gallery. This gallery regularly displays the works of students and local artists as well as private art collections.

The Penn State Wilkes-Barre Friedman Art Gallery strives to promote, encourage and exhibit artworks of professional and amateur artists from the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus and surrounding communities. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on holidays. Contact Jonathan Pineno, Friedman Art Gallery director at 570-675-9159 or FriedmanArtGallery@psu.edu or visit wb.psu.edu/academics/ friedman-art-gallery for more information. H

On August 27, 2023, more than 20 artisans, performers, crafters and food vendors will converge on the campus of Penn State Wilkes-Barre in Lehman to celebrate the 37th Annual Arts at Hayfield Summer Arts Festival. The event runs on the campus grounds from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. rain or shine.

Beginning at 11 a.m. and throughout the day, enjoy a variety of performances including folk rock, bluegrass, chamber music, magic, juggling, costumed storytelling and a roving violinist. Food vendors will serve a variety of foods including wraps, Middle Eastern foods, chicken tenders, potato pancakes,

Arts at Hayfield 37th Annual Summer Arts Festival

haluski, pierogies, pizza, hot dogs, smash burgers, funnel cakes, piggies, mac and cheese, desserts, fresh lemonade and ice cream.

Throughout the day, a craft tent will feature face painting and projects for children and a variety of craft projects for all ages. From 1:30-3:30 p.m. join

conversations, storytelling, crafts, art projects and photographs with costumed princesses and heroes at the Gazebo.

Penn State astronomy professor Dr. Violet Major will host an open house at the Friedman Observatory from 11 a.m. - noon that focuses on the next major eclipse of the sun. Master Gardeners will be available to answer questions.

Three 45-minute tours of the historic Hayfield House will take place at 11 a.m. 1:15 and 3 p.m. Learn local history about the house, and the life and times of John and Bertha Conyngham. John’s interest in farming gave rise to Hayfield Farms in 1910. A DVD of the farm honoring its 100th anniversary is available for sale.

A unique feature at this Summer Arts Festival will be the grand opening of the three-month long Andria Doria Exhibit called “Gary Gentile: Dives to an Era” at the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Friedman Art Gallery.

The Arts at Hayfield requested donation at the entrances is $2.00. Admission is free for students under 18 and college students with ID. Donations support an annual achievement award for arts-oriented campus students, public musical performances and arts programs offered to the community by other groups in the Wyoming Valley area. Donations also contribute to ongoing restoration projects at the Hayfield House and support other art enrichment events on the campus of Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

Visit artsathayfield.org/summer-arts-festival/, or contact the Festival Chair, Janis Winter, at 570-675-9232, or jrw4@psu.edu. H

GREAT OUTDOOR FUN!

Over 120 Kinds of Animals

Hand-Feed Giraffe & Lory Parrots

Fossil Hunts & Dino Dig

HAP-23

Petting Zoo and Turtle Town

Wayne Bank Interviews a Hometown Hero

CDR Kyle Richter, with the United States Coast Guard, had all eyes in the sky as he flew over the Honesdale Memorial Day parade. Kyle, a Honesdale native, serves as the Assistant Engineering Officer at Air Station Clearwater. When not tasked with an operational mission, he manages 300 maintenance technicians in all aspects of sustaining the airworthiness of the unit’s C130’s and H60 aircrafts. This role has afforded him the opportunity to fly different types of Coast Guard aircrafts while he has been stationed at various stations throughout the world. He has conducted search and rescue missions, intercepted aircraft that flew into unauthorized or restricted airspace, aided in stopping the flow of illegal drugs and human trafficking, and instructing flight students and copilots to fly their helicopters and airplanes safely while doing all the above.

Kyle recalls that there is a “call-toservice that intrinsically exists” in Honesdale. With hometown hero influences such as Russel Ridd, Korean War veteran and former President and Chairman of the Board of Wayne Bank, Kyle stated “he was someone I looked up to my whole life.” Honesdale High School Cross Country Coach and Coast Guard Veteran, the legendary Joe Macey, was also a major influence. These connections, and along with the service from close

family veterans, developed his interest in joining the military. A defining moment that shaped Kyle’s future career happened when he was a young boy, at Cherry Ridge Airport in Honesdale. A Young Eagles program allowed the pilots of the Experimental Aircraft Association to give free airplane rides to children. “Flying in that airplane changed my life” , said Kyle. Jay Branning, a Navy Veteran and Honesdale native, took Kyle up in his aircraft. “I remember being at a loss for words at the time, so I doubt I thanked him properly. But 20 years later when I flew over the Honesdale parade and land ed by CVS, Jay came over to say

hand and told him that his airplane and that Young Eagles event were the reason this Coast Guard helicopter was parked just off Main Street that day. I was sure to thank him properly this time,” Kyle said.

Future plans involve Kyle and his family leaving for their next assignment in Australia, to aid the Royal Australian Air Force.

Kyle will always call Honesdale ‘home.’ “I miss how life in Honesdale passes with the seasons. What I would give sometimes to smell the blossoms of spring, a summer’s freshly cut hay field, a pile of leaves in the fall and the crispness of a snowfall,” he said.

Wayne Bank offers a sincere thank you to native Kyle Richter and his family for service to this country, and for taking the time to enlighten readers with his journey. “To those who courageously gave their lives and those who bravely fight today, thank you!”

Wayne Bank is a subsidiary of Norwood Financial Corp., Member FDIC, and is located in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The Bank has 29 Community Offices serving Wayne, Pike, Monroe, Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties in Pennsylvania, along with Delaware, Sullivan, Otsego, Ontario and Yates Counties in New York State, including those

Kyle Richter with Jay Branning, Honesdale Native and Navy Veteran

L to R: Captain Scott Phy, Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater; Kyle Richter’s son, Luke; Kyle Richter; and Master Chief Sean Beaty, Command Master Chief, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater.

The Difference Between the Dow, S&P 500 and NASDAQ

Ywhen you turn on the news, some variation of: “The Dow closed at 34,000 today. The S&P closed at 4,433. The NASDAQ rose 1.6% as tech shares...” You know all those terms refer to “the stock market.” But what exactly, do they mean? Why is the Dow always so much higher than the S&P? Does that mean it is better? What makes the NASDAQ different from the others?

The good news is that the answers to these questions are really quite simple. The Dow, S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite are all indexes. An index tracks the performance of a group of securities, like bonds or, in this case, stocks. Indexes are handy tools because they enable investors to compare current price levels for different segments of the market with past ones, so they can measure performance over time. Some indexes track extremely narrow segments of the market, like companies of a specific size or sector. Others are much broader.

What makes the Dow, S&P 500 and NASDAQ different from another is what each index measures.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

This index tracks the performance of 30 of the most prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in America. (As of this

Walmart, among others.) Because it is so narrow, the Dow isn’t always a good indicator of how the overall stock market is doing. But because the companies inside the Dow are so important or well-known, many people have money invested in them. That is why the media pays so much attention to how the Dow is doing.

S&P 500

This index measures 500 of the largest companies listed on American stock exchanges. (Quick note: A stock exchange is where traders actually buy and sell stocks. The New York Stock Exchange is the biggest and most famous, but there are many exchanges across the world.) Because the S&P 500 tracks so many more companies than the Dow, across a broad range of industries, it is often considered a more reliable snapshot of the overall economy than the Dow.

NASDAQ Composite

This index tracks nearly all the stocks listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and is heavily weighted towards technology companies. There are plenty of other indices, too. For example, one of the most important is the Russell 3000. You don’t hear about the Russell as much as the previous three, but this index represents nearly the entire U.S. stock market. It includes 3,000 of the country’s largest publicly held companies. (There are also Russell 1000 and Russell 2000 indices.)

S&P/TSX Composite

This is the most important index in Canada. It tracks the performance of the 250 largest companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Think of it as the Canadian equivalent to the S&P 500.

So, now you know why the financial media is always showing different averages for different indices when they talk about “how the stock market did today.” Because each index is measuring something different! H

Accredited Investment Fiduciary®

Executive Vice President/Wealth Management, Financial Advisor

72 Glenmaura National Boulevard, Moosic, PA 18507

800.638.4417

rwilson@janney.com | www.WilsonWealthAdvisory.com

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC. Member: NYSE, FINRA, SIPC.

For more information about Janney, please see Janney’s Relationship Summary (Form CRS) on www.janney.com/crs, which details all material facts about the scope and terms of our relationship with you and any potential conflicts of interest

Ryan Wilson CPA, CFP®, CRPC, AWMA®

Sordoni Art Gallery: Celebrating Gold and Wilkes-Barre’s Rose

After the devastating flood that impacted the Wyoming Valley in June 1972, Margaret “Barney” Sordoni (1915-1989) and her son, Andrew J. Sordoni, III worked alongside Dr. Eugene Farley, the first president of Wilkes College, to create a unique resource for the college and community. Since 1973, the Sordoni Art Gallery has continuously played an integral role in bringing highcaliber art and artists to the Wilkes campus and greater Northeast Pennsylvania community.

From its opening exhibition of Wilkes-Barre native George Catlin on River Street to its current location on South Main

Street, the gallery has been a constant in the ever-changing landscape of downtown WilkesBarre. As a campus and community resource, the Sordoni Art Gallery prides itself on its quality exhibitions, cross-disciplinary programming free all-ages lectures, events workshops. As the gallery celebrates its golden anniversary, a robust new chapter of the gallery’s legacy is planned. This 50th anniversary year will open with another exhibition of a Wilkes-Barre native artist: Rose O’Neill.

Rose O’Neill, an American illustrator of the early 20th century, was a woman of many accomplishments. She was the first woman illustrator for Puck magazine, the leading men’s magazine of the late 19th century,

entertaining its readers with considerable satire and political commentary; creator of the Kewpie Doll, the subject of a major merchandising campaign which made her fortune; activist for women’s suffrage; and accomplished artist and sculptor of “Sweet Monsters,” featured in exhibitions in Paris (1921) and New York (1922). The exhibition, One Rose: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Rose O’Neill, celebrates the life and career of the WilkesBarre-born artist - at the Sordoni Art Gallery, located just streets away from where she was born.

There will be many opportunities to celebrate the gallery’s milestone year, and the best way is with a gallery member-

ship. Members have the opportunity to explore the gallery with preview access, attend special members-only events and be the first to know what's happening next at the Sordoni Art Gallery. A membership also ensures ongoing exhibitions, events and opportunities for the Wilkes student community. Members not only receive a

host of benefits, but also provide continued support to further inspire the creative arts in the heart of downtown Wilkes-Barre.

With a variety of free programs and high-caliber exhibitions, there is a great deal to enjoy at the Sordoni Art Gallery. This year’s exhibition calendar features Framing Moments:

Photography from the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, including iconic photographers such as Ansel Adams, Dawoud Bey, Edward Weston Dorothea Lange, Gordon Parks, Irving Penn, Cindy Sherman and James VanDerZee, among others; Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence, showcasing a new form of bead art, the dwango, developed by a community of women living and working together in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; and Wilkes University Alumni Exhibition: Celebrating the Blue and Gold, a juried exhibition full of Wilkes’ own.

This special 50th Anniversary year will be filled with fun events, enlightening programs and so much art. From longtime patrons to first-time visitors, there is much to celebrate at the Sordoni Art Gallery, celebrating 50 years of art and culture. H

Kicking off LackawannaLeadership Alumni Mixer

Leadership Lackawanna invites the public and program alumni to a night of networking and fun to kick off the 20232024 program year. The “Mix & Mingle” event will be held on August 10 from 5:30-7:30 PM at POSH @ Scranton Club.

The event is $20 for the public and $15 for members of the Leadership Lackawanna Alumni Society. Attendees may register at www.scrantonchamber.com

Proceeds from the event will

support Leadership Lackawanna’s mission of enhancing the skills, connections and knowledge of emerging and established leaders in Northeastern Pennsylvania, as well as supporting community service projects conducted by Leadership Lackawanna participants. The organization’s 41st Core Program class commences on August 10. 2022-2023 Leadership Lackawanna Core Program participants completed five community service projects valued at more than $60,000 for Northeastern Pennsylvania non-profits.

Learn more at www.LeadershipLackawanna.com or @LeadershipLackawanna on social media.

Nicole Morristell, executive director of Leadership Lackawanna recently received the 2023 Change Makers Awards presented by the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented at Light up the Valley, held at Public Square Park in Wilkes-Barre.

Morristell and 40 community influencers were recognized for

JOIN TODAY! LEADERSHIP EXECUTIVE

For advanced-level professionals

$1,500 for 6 sessions (5-8 p.m. at various locations)

Expand your social network! Collaborate with key business & community leaders

Gain regional knowledge - topics include history, culture, economic and political structures, community events, civic groups, recreational activities, nonprofit organizations and more LeadershipLackawanna.com

their outstanding efforts to make NEPA a brighter place. Through her efforts, Morristell impacts the community by being an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion; volunteerism and innovation—improving the quality of life in the greater Scranton region.

Leadership Lackawanna, an affiliate of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, is a 501(c)(3) charitable, nonprofit organization in northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to community leadership and professional development. Leadership’s six programs: Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, Leadership Collegiate, Core, Leadership Fundamentals 2.0, Executive, and Welcome Scranton!—enhance the skills, connections, and knowledge of emerging and established leaders, enabling them better to serve our communities, workplaces and organizations. Established in 1982, Leadership Lackawanna has created more than 2,500 community leaders.Visit www.leadershiplackawanna.com. H

Abby lives with Joey Preatei in Old Forge. She is a happy, cuddly puddly who loves ravioli as a treat.

W ho is the cutest of them all?

The Ribk family of Scranton can attest that Finn loves anyone who visits their house. Pizza crust and naps are a few of his favorite things.

Arlo is sweet, gentle and plays well with other dogs according to the Morris family of Falls.

Badgely

Badgely tries to keep his kitty brothers and sisters in line while also watching birds of his windows. He lives with the Smith family in Dunmore.

Heidi and Max are both lovable and enjoy being brushed. They live in Old Forge with the Stefanko family

babies and enjoys her pool in Sweet Valley where she lives with the Traver family.

Abby Arlo

Heidi and Max

Finn

Makaiya

Vote for your favorite August pet at www.HappeningsMagazinePA.com!

The winner receives a Happenings bandana!

The votes are in... July’s Pet of the Month Todd Congratulations!

Pharoah, a loving cat who enjoys cuddling, lives with the Samsel family in Blakeslee.

Rocky is calm and cuddly when he's with his parents, but he's the life of the party when others are around. He lives in Dunmore with Casey and Brandon.

Sushi lives in Scranton with Leyna and John. She loves a good chin rub and enjoys her toy mice.

Teddy loves tug-of-war, walks and chewing on bones. He has a silly clown personality and makes sure he’s noticed. He keeps the Strelecki family of Scranton laughing all day long.

Rocky

Sushi

Teddy

Skye resides in Olyphant. Owner Nancy Soya says that Skye is “a sweet angel of a cat.”

with cousin Gus. Uma lives with the McLane family of Scranton.

Skye

Pharoah

Uma

Theresa Cebula Fortis Institute Graduate

Theresa Cebula is a regis tered dental hygienist currently holding a full time position at Electric City Dentistry in Scranton. She enjoys providing patients with individualized oral health care.

“I am often asked... ‘how did you decide on your career?’ As a child, I had the benefit of having a great hygienist. She was very enlightening, and I would take full advantage of asking her questions. My inter est in the field of dentistry grew and I became determined to be like my hygienist. I knew I wanted to pro vide people with the same excellent oral health care. I chose the dental hygiene program at Fortis Institute, and began my journey in the summer of 2020. Fortis provided me with the education and

skill set needed to achieve my goals. As a student, I had the opportunity to participate in several community oral health events. I also became a member of Fortis’ Student American Dental Hygienist Association chapter where I was able to learn from and network with other dental professionals. My classmates and I even won a prize in the state association’s annual informative research presentation. I am grateful for the individualized attention and education I received at Fortis Institute, which prepared me to be the hygienist I am today. My career, so far, has been very rewarding. I am able to build relationships with my patients while keeping their oral health a priority. I would encourage anyone who is thinking about their future career to consider something as interesting and exciting as the dental field.” H

The French Manor Inn and Spa

Tuesdays on the Terrace… and a September Soirée

The fourth season of “Tuesdays on the Terrace” at the French Manor Restaurants combines great food, great jazz and 30+ mile views.

Enjoy a casually elegant al fresco dining experience featuring a live jazz trio paired with award winning cuisine prepared by executive chef, Keegan Marchand. Seatings are from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A stunning stone veranda and incredible views of the Northern Pocono Mountains provide a sense of calmness and gratitude as each of your senses are heightened by the aromas, sound, amazing views and light summer breezes.

Tuesdays on the Terrace run through the last Tuesday of August. Reservations are required and early bookings are suggested to secure a table on the terrace.

The French Manor also invites you to enjoy their next “Seasonal Soiree” on September 10. This special night combines

gourmet creations paired with a selection of fine wines and live jazz. The festivities start at 4 p.m. with a cocktail hour followed by several courses of seasonal fare. Reservations are required. Call 570-676-3244 to reserve a table at the next French Manor Soiree.

The French Manor has been a proud recipient of AAA’s fourdiamond award for both the restaurant and accommodations for the past 20 consecutive years and has also been a member of the prestigious Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America since

unmatched. At the French Manor, old world charm and furnishings are seamlessly joined with all the modern conveniences. Many suites boast a fireplace and Jacuzzi, private balcony and spectacular 30-mile views. Le Spa Forêt at the French Manor provides guests with an incredibly relaxing and restful experience, with all natural spa treatments, an indoor saltwater pool and hot tub and sauna. For more information contact: bridget@thefrenchmanor.com www.thefrenchmanor.com H

1991. The French Manor was also named as “one of Pennsylvania’s Exceptional Restaurants” by Gourmet Magazine, referred to as “Dinner Fit for a King” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, and named by Country Inns Magazine as “One of the Top 10 Country Inns in America.”

The French Manor is modeled after a chateau in the south of France. Joseph Hirshhorn created a private retreat where he could enjoy the solitude of the mountains and the serenity of nature. Having breakfast or tea on the veranda with a view to the surrounding hilltops, gives guests this same feeling. The accommodations and cuisine are

August 2023

The Pittston Tomato Festival

Thursday-Sunday • August 17-20

Food, Fun, Live Music, Amusement Rides, Art, and More. Sign up for the Annual Parade, Little Mr. & Mrs. Tomato contest, Ultimate Tomato Run and the Youth Fun Run *timed*.

August 17-20 • Downtown Pittston

Thousands are expected for the highly anticipated four day event. More than 40 years ago, Pittston Community Leaders and local gardeners collaborated to create this unique event which features delicious food such as homemade ravioli, eggplant rollatini, pizza, sausage and peppers, tripe, bruschetta, chicken scampi, cannoli and gelato. Live entertainment, a parade, an annual Tomato contest, 5K run and arts and crafts are also a big part of the festival. A Little Miss and Little Mr. Tomato contest is also held for children ages 2-6. The 5K run takes place on August 19 at 8 a.m. The 3.1 mile course includes downtown Pittston, the Fort Jenkins Bridge, West Pittston and the Water Street Bridge. The parade, which also takes place on Saturday, includes a rout that is approximately two miles long. Visit www.Pittstontomatofestival.com H

49 S. Main St., Pittston, PA • www.pittstontomatofestival.com

“DON’T MI SS one of the BEST summer festivals in NEPA!”

James Ruane

Mark the Spot With a Peri-dot

August’s Birthstone Steeped in History

depiction of Pharaoh Cleopatra II etched into a peridot gemstone (see photo).

For us at Nye Jewelers, the August birthstone is a stunningly radiant olive-green gemstone which never sits long in our showroom. Since ancient times, peridot has been worked into fine jewelry and often (albeit mistakenly) considered to be of the emerald family. The name for this olive-colored precious stone hails from the Persian word faridat, simply meaning ‘gem.’ Whereas sapphires and diamonds can be found in all the colors of the rainbow, Peridot is unique in that it bears one distinctive shade of olive green. In addition to being the gemstone of choice for August babies, peridot is the gem given to celebrate a 16th wedding anniversary.

Peridot was first introduced to the ancient Greeks after Alexander the Great's conquests in the East and with the establishment of trade routes into northern India. This magnificent gemstone, with its alluring sparkle and its glimmer like damp moss in the evening sunlight, became the preserve of royalty. Called ‘Evening Emerald’ in Ancient Egypt, some historians speculate that Cleopatra VII’s famous emerald collection was comprised of peridots. In the Greco-Roman gallery at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, one can behold a

Peridot is also referenced in the Bible, among the list of the twelve gemstones of the Heavenly City. The Book of Revelation (ch.21:v.19–20) equates peridot with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Over the centuries, these Biblical gems became associated with the months of the calendar and often overlap with modern birthstones.

Peridot was valued widely during medieval times not only for the gem’s aesthetic beauty, but also the stone was believed to heal a broken heart, to bring good fortune, to induce peaceful sleep and to raise self-awareness. Many chalices and religious shrines of medieval Europe incorporated peridot, most famously, the Shrine of the Three Magi in

Germany’s Cologne

Cathedral. The reliquary was adorned with 200 carats of what were believed to be emeralds but are, in fact, the August birthstone peridot.

The main source for the global supply of peridot lies in Arizona where the Apache have held sole mining rights for decades. For this reason, peridot has gained attention for those seeking socially responsible options. Unlike other gemstones, peridot is often found in concentrated deposits, as a result, the environmental impact associated with its mining is greatly reduced. The growing trend of sustainable and ethical fashion has made peridot an attractive choice.

Peridot continues to hold a special place in modern society, with its timeless appeal and unique characteristics. The gemstone's versatility and beauty make it an ideal choice

for both casual and formal occasions. Visit Nye Jewelers showroom in Dickson City to view our selection of peridot jewelry, including rings, necklaces and earrings! H

We buy gold, silver & coins! Turn your old or broken jewelry into cash... or a new piece of jewelry!

Weddings

It is estimated 2.5 million weddings took place in 2022, which was the most the U.S. had seen since 1984, according to The Wedding Report, a market research firm.

While some pandemic couples had virtual weddings, most postponed celebrations because large, unmasked gatherings were not allowed. In addition many more couples got engaged during the pandemic and are now planning weddings, too. Local wedding planners are even seeing requests for Thursday or Sunday weddings as Fridays and Saturdays become booked quickly. One thing most people agree on is that celebrations with friends and family are a vital and treasured part of life. They are what we look forward to and what we fondly remember for years to come. Happenings Magazine loves to share regional wedding stories. If you would like to submit your story, write to us at info@happeningspa.com

20 Questions To Ask An Event Coordinator 20

1. What exactly is included in the package?

2. Can you work with our budget?

3. What additional charges or fees are not included in the package?

4. What will be the total, final cost including tax and gratuities?

5. If we’re planning an outdoor event, is there an indoor option based on inclement weather?

6. Does the venue have a minimum revenue or number of guests needed to book the space?

7. Will the event coordinator be available at all times the day of the event?

8. Do you offer accommodations for travelling guests?

9. Can I reserve a number of rooms and a special room rate for travelling guests?

10. Does the facility have preferred or required vendors?

11. What makes this venue stand apart from others?

12. Can we make changes to the pack ages and customize menu items and bar selections to meet our needs?

13. Can your venue comfortably hold the guest list for my wedding?

14. Can the venue provide the ambiance we are looking for?

15. Is this the best venue for the type of group being invited?

16. Does the venue have any special requirements for guests (adults only, jackets required)?

17. How involved will the event planner be?

18. What timeline can be used for planning?

19. How will the venue meet our expectations?

20. Are you a single-event facility? H

KEEN LAKE CAMPING AND COTTAGE RESORT

Breathe deep and relax... camping at Keen Lake Resort remains the antidote to the stress of everyday life, with a welcome invitation from our family to yours to join us for camping, glamping, or a rental cottage stay this summer. With 2022 rates still in effect, it's easier than ever to enjoy a carefree escape to our awardwinning resort on our private 90-acre, spring-fed mountain lake. Your breath of fresh air is waiting here!

HICKORY RUN CAMPGROUND

Hickory Run is a family-owned campground located in Lancaster County. RV sites, tenting, and cabin rentals are available. Here, all ages can have fun from bingo, ceramics, hayrides, pool parties, BBQs, live music, fishing, boating, game room and much more! 285 Greenville Road, Denver PA, 17517. (717) 336-5564 or hickoryrun285@gmail.com

PAPER MILL PINES BED & BREAKFAST & GLAMPING

Paper Mill Pines glamping getaway is a campsite located on a beautiful 28 acre property which also homes a bed & breakfast. It’s only seven miles from Ricketts Glen State Park and features a 4 acre pond and lovely views. It comes with a cozy tent with a comfy queen size bed, a clean outhouse and campfire. 12 Daro Rd, Shickshinny, PA. (570) 690-6820 or papermillpines.com

Where to Camp Golf Guide

SCOTT GREENS GOLF CLUB

Challenging nine hole golf and teaching facility in Scott Twp. Home of “A Swing for Life” Golf Academy featuring Teaching Professional Scotty McAlarney, a “Top 100” W.G.T.F. Instructor. Fun for the whole family! Minutes from Clarks Summit, Rt. 81, Scranton and the valley area. Great membership!

SKYTOP GOLF

Enjoy Skytop Lodge’s course on 5,500 acres. No other Poconos golfing vacation offers a mountain-style track that plays over rolling terrain and boasts wide, tree-lined fairways and small greens that challenge both the casual player and serious golfer alike. Above average in speed, this course incorporates water and plenty of strategically placed bunkers over its 6,656 yards.

STONE HEDGE GOLF CLUB

18 hole championship golf course masterfully carved out of the rolling hills and meadows of the Endless Mountains. A relaxing natural habitat to play golf at its best. Golf our mature links. Dining in our in-house restaurant, The Hedge. 570-836-5108 www.stonehedge-golf.com

Summer Fun

COSTA’S FAMILY FUN PARK

Offering go-karts, water slides, laser tag, mini-golf, bumper boats, batting cages and more. Fun for the whole family! Our snack bar features family favorites and Hershey’s hand-dipped ice cream. Open daily mid-June–Labor Day and weekends Spring and Fall. Route 6 Hawley. 570-226-8585. www.costasfamilyfunpark.com

LAHEY FAMILY FUN PARK

Our top of the line Arcade is open all year long! Spring, Summer and Fall, putt through waterfalls on the massive 36 Hole Mini Golf course, speed under bridges on the ¼ mile Go-Kart track, hit balls in the multi-speed Batting Cages, or splash around on the Bumper Boats. 500 Morgan Hwy. Clarks Summit 570-586-5699 LaheyFunPark.com

MANNING FARM DAIRY

A small family-run farm bringing the freshest and best tasting homemade ice cream and milk to the people of Northeast PA. We grow the crops that our cows like to eat, since happy cows are productive cows. Milk is bottled and ice cream made on the farm and delivered to our stores daily. Manning Road, Dalton. 570-563-1702 www.manningfarm.com

SUSQUEHANNA KAYAK & CANOE RENTALS

Now 2 locations. Lake paddling with hourly rentals of kayaks, canoes, pedal boats, SUP’s, and Jon boats, no reservations required. Mt. Olivet Rd., Wyoming, Pa. at Frances Slocum State Park. Also at 119 Krafty Rd. Falls, Pa., Susquehanna River offers daily, weekly, and overnight kayak, canoe & tube rentals with camping. Join one of our events or take your own trip, reservations required. Www.kayak the river.com or follow us on FB. Frances Slocum: (570)687-0172 Susquehanna River: 570-388-6107

WALLENPAUPACK SCENIC BOAT TOUR & BOAT RENTAL

Take a scenic boat tour on one of our passenger pontoon boats or rent a pontoon boat, kayak or stand up paddle board (SUP). For rates, times and reservations visit our website. Open daily. Located at the Lake Wallenpaupack Observation Dike, 2487 Route 6, Hawley PA. Call 570-226-3293 or visit www.wallenpaupackboattour.com

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Dining around the Region

1818 Deli & Catering Co. –

Breakfast, lunch & catering. Stop in for a bite, stock up the fridge, or cater your party. Excellent coffee, soups, salads, sandwiches & more.

1818 Sullivan Trail.

570-629-DELI (3354). Hours: www.1818deli.com.

Abbiocco

Try our signature dishes, such as Chicken Abbiocco, manicotti or blackened salmon. BYOB. Text Abbiocco to 51660 to receive our texts every Wednesday or see weekly specials. Tues-Thurs. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.9 p.m., 639 N. Blvd., Clarks Summit. www.abbiocco.net

570-319-9633.

Alter House Restaurant & Bar

Introducing a farm-to-table restaurant with a vibrant ambiance! Enjoy our delectable cuisine made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Join us for a lively happy hour, indulge in our delightful Sunday brunch, and groove to live entertainment. Our versatile venue is perfect for hosting events. Open Thursday through Sunday for your enjoyment! www.summitalterhouse.com

Barley Creek Brewing Co & Distillery

Try our hospitality, it pairs well with our award-winning handcrafted brews, spirits and atmosphere. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner

Hours: www.barleycreek.com

1774 Sullivan Trail, Tannersville 570-629-9399

Barley Creek Tasting Room & Pub @ The Crossings

Grab a bite to eat and taste our PA craft brews, spirits, wines and cocktails. Check out our unique beer gear gift shop. Located at the Crossings Factory Outlets. 272-200-2922. Hours: www.barleycreektastingroom.com.

Coney Island Lunch

Try our Texas Wiener with mustard, onions and chili sauce! Tues.-Sun

11 a.m.-3 p.m. 515 Lackawanna Ave., Scranton.

www.Texas-wiener.com. Delivery by DoorDash! 570-961-9004.

Mendicino’s Pizza and Family Restaurant Pizza, pasta, hoagies and more! Daily lunch and dinner

specials. Full menu, dine in, take out and curbside available. Mon.-Thurs.

11 a.m-8 p.m., Fri. and Sat.

11 a.m.-9 p.m. Closed Sundays. Located in the ShopRite Complex, Covington Twp. www.mendicinospizza.com 570-842-2070.

Pettinato’s Restaurant

Try our grilled salmon in Asian sauce. Take out and delivery. Mon.-Sat. 4-8 p.m., Sun. 4-7 p.m. 78 Dundaff St., Carbondale. 570-282-5860.

Sibio’s Restaurant

Our fettuccine Alfredo is a customer favorite! Lunch and dinner regular hours, full menu with specials.

1240 Quincy Ave., Dunmore. Sibiosrestaurant.com 570-346-3172.

Stirna’s

Our Stirnaburger is full 1/4 lb. top choice ground beef with tomato, bacon and American or Swiss on a semi-hard roll.

Wed.-Sat. 4 p.m.-9 p.m. 120 W. Market St. Scranton. On/off premise catering daily. 570-961-9681.