Painting Pittston Pink

Paint PittstonPink

Paint Pittston Pink

kicks off on Saturday, September 18, and features a week-long series of events dedicated to bringing the community together to support a cure for all cancers through research and clinical trials.

Paint Pittston Pink is a registered 501c3 organization founded by cancer survivor Barb Sciandra, Qiana Lehman and a group of dedicated volunteers. One hundred percent of the organization’s profits are donated directly to Dr. Brian Czerniecki’s immunotherapy cancer research at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL, and to The University of Pennsylvania in

Philadelphia. “Paint Pittston Pink believes that it is through research that we continuously inch our way toward a cure,” says Barb Sciandra. See ad page 44. H

Mary Erwine - RN, MSN President

270 Pierce Street, Suite 101 Kingston, PA 570-288-1013

TM

2021 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Saturday, September 18, 2021

New! Paint Pittston Pink Dodgeball at Pittston Area Senior High School * Monday, September 20, 2021

New! Zumba at MFIT Studio with Michaelene Mecadon from 7:30-8:15 p.m.* Wednesday, September 22, 2021

New! Medium Reading at The Joint at Rikasa* Thursday, September 23, 2021

Yoga with Dr. Christine Kiesinger at The Salt Barre* Friday, September 24, 2021

Lantern Launch, Awards, and more surprises! * Saturday, September 25, 2021

Sweat for a Cause at Evolve, The Cycle Yard, The Salt Barre, and The YMCA; Celebration of Life Blood Drive at Sabatini's Bottle Shop* Sunday, September 26, 2021

Purse and Cash Bingo at St. Maria Goretti Banquet Hall* Monday, September 27, 2021

Paint PAZZO Pink* Friday, October 1, 2021

Paint the Red Mill Pink Celebrity Bartending Event Celebrity Bartenders include Dr. Meghan Haggerty, Katie Duffy, Angela Luongo, Dr. Kristine McNulty, Gene Molino, Dr. Kevin Musto, Dave Nockley, Jeff Reese, Melissa Skutack, and Tom Sobieski Celebrity Bouncers include George Murphy, Sammy Agolino, Dr. Shawn Casey, Rick Joseph, Dave Licari, Tony Marranca and Chris Martin Saturday, October 2, 2021

• 9 a.m.: Mass – St. John the Evangelist Church • 11 a.m.: Color Me Pink 5K™ • 11:05 a.m.: Family Fun Walk

• 12 noon: Gentlemen’s Dash™* “Men in Heels” include Matt Vough, Nick Morreale, Jeff Piazza, Tom Campenni, Austin Sinclair, Christopher Barnic, Pat Kernan, Eric Gasper, Christopher Bohinski, Sean McKeag, Daniel DePhillips, Joseph Karp, and Thomas Wysokinski Jr.

* TICKETED EVENT - tickets can be purchased via www.raceroster.com and searching Pittston, PA

CONFERENCE ON DISABILITY MARKS 20TH YEAR

The 20th Annual

U.S. Conference on DisAbility at The University of Scranton will be held in a virtual format on Oct. 14. The conference, “Exploring Autism Across the Spectrum: Building Inclusive Communities,” is open to the public free of charge and will feature a number of live and pre-recorded speakers. Registration is required to attend the conference.

Speakers at this year’s conference include a keynote address by Maria Davis-Pierre, founder and CEO of Autism in Black, Inc., and licensed mental health counselor, who will look at Autism from a cultural perspective. Award-winning artist Devin Wildes, who was diagnosed with autism when he was 4 years old, and his mother, AJ sented by the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies and the Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Endowment in partnership with AllOne Foundation. Paron-Wildes, a design consult- Capacity is limited. Registration ant in healthcare and education, (required) and additional inforwill share their inspirational mation is available online or story. The conference also by contacting conference includes a panel discussion of co-chairs Rebecca Spirito “Dads Making a Difference” with Dalgin, Ph.D., director of the Jose Velasco (moderator), vice Rehabilitation Counseling president of product develop- Program, at ment for SAP and U.S. ambassa- rebecca.dalgin@scranton.edu; dor of Autism at Work (an or Lori Bruch, Ed.D., chair of the employment initiative of SAP); Counseling and Human V. R. Ferose, senior vice president

In 2017, R.J. Mitte, who played Walter “Flynn” White, Jr. in the television series “Breaking Bad,” spoke to an overflow crowd of more than 650 people who attended the 16th Annual U.S. Conference on disAbility themed “Experience the Employment Connection.” and head of SAP Engineering Academy; and Thorkil Sonne, founder of Specialisterne and Specialisterne Foundation. The conference will also include pre-recorded sessions on curriculum and inclusive classrooms and first responder training, as well as panel discussions with employees with ASD, with the ACCE Grant Founders Panel about creative collaborations, and a discussion with The Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation/National Employment Team business partners. The conference is pre-

Services Department, at lori.bruch@scranton.edu. Annual U.S. Conference on disAbility Turns 20 proper resources and access to qualified professionals will empower individuals with disEdward R. and Patricia Leahy abilities to secure high quality will serve as Honorary employment, live independently Conference Co-Chairs for the in the community and share 2021 U.S. Conference on fully in the American dream,” disAbility, which they helped said Patricia Leahy at the to establish 20 years ago. inaugural U.S. Conference “We established the endowon disAbility in 2002. ment as a way to remember Over the past two decades, our son and do something to numerous nationally-recognized help children with disabilities,” speakers have discussed topics said University of Scranton such as transitioning from alumnus and benefactor school to work and enhancing Edward Leahy ’68, H’01. the quality of life of individuals “Providing a quality education, with disabilities, autism across

2005 Edward Leahy, left, photographed in 2005 in the race car of Jay Blake, founder and president of Follow a Dream. An industrial accident that caused Blake to lose his vision, smell and taste was not enough to shatter his dream of owning and being crew chief of a professional auto-racing team. Blake was among the speakers at The University of Scranton’s Fourth Annual Conference on disAbility, themed “From Disability to Possibility.” the lifespan, veterans’ issues, the evolution of the Americans with Disabilities Act, vocational workforce innovations and technology for accessing education, employment and life. Since 2019, through a partnership with AllOne Foundation, the conference has focused on “Exploring Autism Across the Spectrum: Building Inclusive Communities.” Another constant presence at the conferences has been Dr. Bruch, who has had a role in the conferences since they began in 2002. The U.S. Conference on disAbilities continues to provide worldclass resources and information to empower individuals with disAbilities to meet their full potential as well as the families and professionals who help them. H

2006

Keith Williams receives Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Award for Excellence in Community Advocacy and Education at the Fifth Annual Conference on disAbility, themed “Being, Belonging and Becoming: Mobilizing Partnerships to Enhance the Quality of Life of Individuals with Disabilities,” in 2006.

Jennifer M. Stull, J.D., CFP®

Vice President, Senior Wealth Strategist, PNC Wealth Management

Jennifer Stull leads her clients through a

dynamic discovery process to help them identify their own unique personal, financial and legacy goals. Prior to joining PNC Wealth Management, she was an attorney with Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald, LLP. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from King’s College and received her J.D. from the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA, The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts and Leadership Wilkes-Barre. She is also a member of the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association. How does your background as an attorney add value to your career in finance?

My role with PNC Wealth Management is a hybrid of both law and finance. As a senior wealth strategist, I work with our clients and their advisors to develop estate and financial plans that are tailored to each client’s goals and objectives. Having a legal background is beneficial because my job requires knowledge of estate law and tax law in addition to financial planning. My background as a former corporate attorney allows me to better assist our businessowner clients in planning for their businesses. In addition to my client-facing role, I am a member of a PNC editorial group that is responsible for writing and peer reviewing articles pertaining to estate and financial planning strategies that are shared with clients. My background as both a lawyer and an English major is very helpful for this component of my job, as both have provided me with the skills to be an effective communicator.

In helping clients identify their personal, financial and legacy goals, what are some common denominators that most people value? Has the pandemic helped clients focus more in determining their top priorities?

It is important to have conversations with clients about their individual values and goals. While familyoriented goals and charitable legacies are common in most plans, how each person desires to actualize those goals and legacies can be very different. Therefore, it is critical for us, as advisors, to understand what is most important to our clients as we help them in creating plans that achieve their objectives in the manner they envisioned. I wouldn’t say that the pandemic changed clients’ top priorities, but rather that it pushed people not to delay taking a dream trip or pursuing a “bucket list” experience. We are also seeing that during the pandemic clients are re-examining their estate plans or, in some cases, finally taking the time to put a plan in place.

Provide advice for young people who would like to remain in this region.

Get involved with local organizations and networking groups. One of the best professional and personal experiences was my time in the Leadership Wilkes-Barre program. Through this program, I not only learned more about Northeastern Pennsylvania and the opportunities to be found here, but I also created a wonderful network of local professionals and friends.

What quote guides your life?

“Don’t compromise your values.”

What do you enjoy in your free time?

Travel, exploring new places and trying new things. H

2021 Walk in Penn’s Woods

Pennsylvanians of all ages are invited to explore our 12 million acres of forestland at one of many organized woods

walks happening across the state during the 5th annual Walk in Penn’s Woods on

Sunday, October 3. Since 2017, the first Sunday in October has been set aside for the public to join hosted walks at sites throughout Pennsylvania to learn more about Penn’s Woods and gain easy access to expert forestry, wildlife and natural resources professionals. Some walks will have children’s activities; others will highlight managed wildlife habitat or watersheds; you may see the results of harvesting activities or plantings of native trees and shrubs; still others may demonstrate the effects of urban tree cover or riparian buffers. Walk in Penn’s Woods also features a growing number of sites that are wheelchair and stroller accessible.

Pennsylvania’s woods bring us a wide array of benefits—some values we see clearly; others are a little more hidden. The trees and ground cover provide nutrients for the soil, food and homes for wildlife, clean air and water, wood products that we use in our daily lives, and peace and tranquility for us to enjoy. Walk in Penn’s Woods raises awareness about the importance of forests to our lives and the effort that goes into caring for them. The Walk in Penn’s Woods partnership includes the Center for

Private Forests at Penn State, the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Penn State Forestry and Wildlife Extension, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Forest The trees and ground cover provide nutrients for the soil, food and homes for wildlife, clean air and water, wood products that we use in our daily lives, and peace and tranquility for us to enjoy. Stewards, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters, the Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. For information and a listing of individual walk locations go to www.walkinpennswoods.org. H

Bradford County Pennsylvania

The population of Bradford

County is approximately 62,600. Its county seat is Towanda and it is surrounded on the east by Susquehanna County, southeast by Wyoming County, south by Sullivan County, southwest by Lycoming County and west by Tioga County.

Wyalusing Day of Bluegrass

September 11

Brew and Wine Fest at Alparon Park

September 11 from 1-6

Monroeton Rodeo

September 12

Wyalusing Wine Festival

September 18

PA Heritage Festival at Alparon Park

September 18 and 19.

Sayre Farmers Market

Every Friday in Howard Elmer Park from 10-2

The residents of Bradford County warmly invite visitors to experience their county, where you will find it to be your home away from home.

www. visit-bradfordcounty.com

570-265-TOUR H

Experience Bradford County Pennsylvania

www.visitbradfordcounty.com • 570-265-TOUR • Follow us on Facebookwww.visitbradfordcounty.com • 570-265-TOUR • Follow us on Facebook

Honoring America by M. J. James, Event organizer, Rod of Iron Freedom Festival

In early October 2020 volunteers gathered in rural Greely, PA to await the arrival of the Veterans Traveling Wall. Teams of volunteers worked together to “ place the large stone structure together. Row after row, column after column stretched across the length of a large building were the names of the fallen. From the moment the pieces were placed, the wall was never left unattended.

Veterans and civilians gathered over the next few days to pay tribute, mourn and remember those that had fallen to protect the freedoms enjoyed by Americans. On the first day of the Rod of Iron Freedom Festival, the grass still wet with morning dew and the wall shining in the early morning sun, a group gathered to sing the first of many renditions of “God Bless America.” Many of those gathered were not veterans; many sang with heavy accents representing their native countries. They all turned and faced the wall as they sang showing in no uncertain terms the respect they had for those that had made the ultimate sacrifice. Many people were confused by the idea of the Freedom Festival. They mistakenly believed it was all about guns. They believed only gun fanatics would gather for such an event. Those with that thought process would be wrong. The Freedom Festival is a place for those who love our country, love our veterans and appreciate the freedoms we have. It’s a place for those who wish to be educated, to be empowered, to be inspired. It’s a place to see how much our freedom is valued by those who have immigrated here from countries that do not have such privileges. I had not expected to see a large group of immigrants lined up to shake the hand of every single veteran who stood guard by the Wall. I had not expected to hear them saying, “Thank you for your service” in broken English, to each and every one of these men and women. I had not expected to be shown how much the ideals of the country I was born into were cherished by those who immigrated here.

The Freedom Festival is a place that attracts many who have served. Despite the high cost of such a rich word, veterans are willing to pay that price over and over again. They are willing to celebrate freedom with an appreciation that seems hidden today. As the Festival enters its third year, the lineup of seminars and speakers continues to grow. You will hear from patriotic entertainers such as, “Brokedown and Rebuilt,” “Hometown Boyz,” and “Dave Bray.” There will be a book signing tent available to purchase books from many of the seminar speakers who will be attending including Darryl Brooks, Dr. Joseph Green and Dana Loesch. There will be seminar discussions on the constitution, social media influencing, firearm safety and much more. Food vendors, small business merchandise and crafters will also showcase their products. The Rod of Iron Freedom Festival is a place to gather and celebrate all of the wonderful inalienable rights we have as citizens of this great country. It’s a place for those who are hopeful of becoming legal citizens to gather and express their excitement over their future. A place that reminds us that people around the world envy the freedoms we have here in our great country. A place where we feel lucky to be born into the country we are. A place to celebrate the country we love on October 8-10 at Tommy Gun Warehouse as we honor our veterans and this great nation. H “