Home is Where the Art Is 2012 by Local Flair Magazine

POCONO MOUNTAINS

magazine

Priceless, Please Take One! Home is Where the Art Is | October & November 2012

Landmasters By William Sopko

We are

Award-Winning Outdoor Lifestyle Experts

“6 years ago after we built our new house, a longtime friend highly recommended Bill Sopko and Landmasters to do our landscaping. Bill came up with a unique and beautiful design that no one else in our community had. They did an incredible job installling the landscaping quickly and efficiently, and it looks better every year! And so this year, we bought the adjacent lot and wanted to beautify it (it was an eyesore) to create a special place for our children to play. It was also important to us that the new property tie in with our existing landscaping. The job came out amazing! It looks like something out of a magazine, and the neighbors can’t stop driving by to admire it. We have recommended Bill to several of our neighbors and they are extremely pleased. He is the toast of our neighborhood.” - Chad Altier, Moosic, PA

Take a virtual tour of our landscapes and read more customer testimonials at LandmastersLandscaping.com Phone 570.620.7060 | Buck Hill Falls, PA Call for a free initial consultation and design!

Contents 20

The Salvation Army’s Harvest Festival

Photo Wizard: Don Sack

Bestowing Gifts of the Earth: Susan Lebel

Off Kilter and Surreal: The Art of John Kolbek

Land Preservation Using a Land Trust

Tax Impacts of Transferring Property to a Land Trust

20-21 Designing The Look of the Poconos: Schoonover and Vanderhoof

Creating the Landscape of a Leading Business: Farda Landscaping

Furnishings for the “Lodge Look”

28-37

Pinworthy Home Must-Haves

Profile: Dr. Marcia Welsh

Feature: Women in the Woods

There’s No Place Like Home: Griswold Home Care

A Review: Dining at the new Bushkill Inn & Conference Center

Out & About at The Apple Tree and at American Candle

Out & About at Stonehedge Gallery and at Siamsa’s Speakeasy

52-60

MAD About Mad Men Couture

Bridal Special Section

An Ehrhardt’s Wedding for a Lake-Loving Couple

A Wedding to Remember at Mountain Springs Lake

Wedding Trends

Fairytale Beginnings in a Wooded Setting: Woodloch Resort

A Rediscovered Gem: Fernwood Hotel & Conference Center

A Spirit of Women Feature by Pocono Medical Center

Parting Shot: Introducing Upsy Lady & Upsy Baby

Weddings / Social Celebrations / Corporate Meetings / Accommodations Post Office Box 297 ● Reeders, Pennsylvania 18352 ● www.mslresort.com ● 570.629.1120

Letter Publisher & Creative Director Ali Schratt publisher@localflair.com

Editorial Assistant Karen Tetor karen@localflair.com

Graphic Designer Cathryn Hahn cathryn@localflair.com

Photography Eileen Noelle Stephen Lippay

Distribution Coordinator Adam Schratt adam@localflair.com

Contributing Writers

Roseanne Bottone, Karen Tetor, Allison Mowatt Alxis Rodis, Ali Schratt

Controller

Beverly Dyson beverly@localflair.com

Sales

publisher@localflair.com For a subscription send check or money order for $24.95 to address below. (6 issues/1 year) Local Flair is published bi-monthly and distributed throughout the greater Pocono area. Local Flair reserves the right to refuse to sell space for any advertisement the staff deems inappropriate for the publication. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Letters to the Editor are welcome, but may be edited due to size limitations. Press releases must be received by the 15th of the prior month of publication. All contents of this magazine including without limitation to the design, advertisements, art, photos, and editorial content, as well as the selection coordination and arrangement thereof is the Copyright of Local Flair magazine limited. No portion of this magazine may be copied or reprinted without the express written consent of the publisher.

Mission

The mission of Local Flair magazine is to celebrate excellence in community businesses, services, and efforts by appealing to the tastes, sensibilities, and curiosities of its readers and advertisers alike. To this end, Local Flair strives to balance informative and inspirational editorial content with relevant and enlightening advertisement. –Ali Schratt, publisher

Local Flair Magazine P.O. Box 36 Cresco, PA 18326 Phone 570.481.4333 • Fax 570.481.4334

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Keep it

LOCAL! Q&A with Local Flair’s Publisher, Ali Schratt The first issue of Local Flair appeared in the Pocono Mountains in 2006. After years of envisioning a sophisticated, quality marketing magazine for her hometown turf, Ali Schratt quickly became a dynamic force in selling the area she loves. Soon, businesses were consulting with her for brand identity design, and Local Flair Creative was born. Web design, social media promotion, and print marketing all make the publisher of Local Flair a familiar face in the area social and business scenes. Q: When did the vision for Local Flair first take form for you? A: I had been working in New York, had lived in Philly, and was working for a local company. Just walking into Lewis Supermarket, I had a vision for a magazine, but I didn’t do anything about it for a long time—until after the kids were born, actually. Our area just didn’t have this kind of sophisticated publication. So, with my baby daughter on one hip and my other little girl in hand, I dug in, started working with local girls, came up with the name Local Flair, and it blossomed form there. Q: What aspect of publishing Local Flair do you love the most? A: I do love that we focus on local business, local art, local culture. We are everything in your own back yard. I love that we see the beauty and greatness of our community. I love that Local Flair has the ability to support our community, including our charities. Q: What contributes most to the success of Local Flair? A: The quality and our commitment to the community. We’re filling a void. We are very different from other publications. When we first started Local Flair, FaceBook was just starting to grow. We give you quick snippets, and if you want more, you can go online. We capture the beauty in everything. Our magazine is very photographic and well written, but it’s quick and inspirational. We adhere to the design, the photos, and our overall quality. Q: Everyone associates you with the magazine. What else does Local Flair encompass? A: We are a full media company. We build brand awareness for companies. We form websites, do annual reports, ad design, write press releases. Our specialty at Local Flair has been business to consumer. We are strengthening our business to business formats. Q: What helps you most in balancing your family and publishing? A: My husband Adam provides so much support in our family and in our home. I never have to worry about dinner on the table or getting the girls to games. We’re a team. He distributes magazines and takes photos. He’s as much involved in the business as I am. I’m also thankful that he reminds me that our home is not the Local Flair office. We value every minute of family time, and Adam pulls me out of the business mode and into the present moment. Q: How has featuring so many local businesses affected you as a Pocono consumer? A: We definitely shop locally and eat locally. We are a product of our product. We spread the word not only throughout the magazine, but every time we are out and about. We support our neighbors—from Stroudsburg to Lake Wallenpaupck. We practice what we preach.

On the Cover

“Blackbird” by Andrea Robbins-Rimberg

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GO!

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GIVE

The Salvation Army East Stroudsburg Corps has been helping our community for decades, and now is the time to support them as they tend to our neighbors of Monroe County. Last year alone, the local Salvation Army provided 56,215 hot meals for hungry men, women and children, visited 4,415 lonely individuals in nursing homes and correctional facilities through the League of Mercy, gave 35 underprivileged children the chance to experience a summer camp, and provided 7,758 nights of shelter to people in great need. This year, the Salvation Army is striving to do even more. It hopes to provide grants for rent, utility assistance, medicine and food for more than 10,000 families in desperate need of help, visit over 5,000 individuals, and provide over 60,000 hot meals. In addition, the Corps hopes to send more than 200 children to summer camp and provide over 8,500 nights of shelter. The struggling economy is leaving the Corps facing critical budget shortfalls coupled with an increase in the demand for services. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve placed your dollars into Salvation Army kettle during the holidays. Open your heart a little more and place a check into the mail to help your neighbors. The Salvation Army is located at 226 Washington Street (or mail to PO Box 178) in East Stroudsburg, PA 18301. 6

Volunteers Trudi Denlinger and Judi Leiding

Salvation Army Harvest Festival & Auction Thursday, October 11, 2012 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. (Social Hour is 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.) Ridgecrest at Stroudsmoor Country Inn Includes silent and live auctions with items such as restaurant gift certificates, spa services, jewelry, artwork, golf outings and gourmet food baskets.

Businesses and individuals: a $50 contribution advertises your services at the Harvest Festival. For more information about the event, contact Trudi Denlinger at 610.317.0956.

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artist

Photo Wizard don sack By Karen Tetor

When Donald R. Sack embraced the mission of photographing the hummingbirds that hovered over flowers outside his kitchen window at Skytop, he had no formal photography background. But Donald did have an aesthetic eye, one honed by working in the family’s venerable 100 year old antiques business in Manhattan. And he did have a trigger finger, one sharpened by mouse clicks tapping his way through photography selfhelp pages on the internet. Donald’s October and November photography exhibition at Local Flair Gallery in Cresco will display his pictorial pursuits of the tiny birds and of other area subjects that have caught his lens. After discovering how to freeze the motion of the bird’s wings using high speed electronic flash, Donald turned to a stationary subject: the classic cars at Concours d’ Elegance, a world-class collector car exhibition at Skytop. Donald’s crouching and crawling amid the Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Packards, and an Auburn netted him close ups of gleaming hood ornaments, brass windshield mechanisms, and intricate dashboard details. The riveting shots sent him back to the internet, where he discovered the “aluminizing,” process, which embeds the photo into aluminum, with the surface coating of the aluminum functioning as a translucent layer through which the image is viewed. The process gives his photos a threedimensional touch and imparts vibrancy to the brass horn of a Rolls as well as the radiant ruby throat of a hummingbird. Donald flashes his new business card with the tag “Photo Wizard” with pride. “I look back on my beginning photos, where I centered flowers, and just laugh,” he admits. Having transitioned from the world’s most highly regarded American antiques firm to a stint restoring photographs, he is happy to be exploring a new craft. Donald R. Sack’s photography can be found at www.DonSack.com, as well as in the Local Flair Gallery in Cresco this October and November. 6

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artist

Written by Karen Tetor Susan Bernadette Lebel listens as Annie, the bride-to-be, describes her vision. “I love wildflowers,” Annie smiles. “And fresh herbs!” The Sroudsmoor floral designer and resident artist jots down a few notes and glances up at Annie’s proud grandmother, whose love of the earth has instilled a similar passion in her granddaughter. Susan, the Floral and Décor Designer at the historic Stroudsmoor Country Inn and Estates, turns a mental page from the more traditional bridal bursts of red roses, hot pink hydrangeas, and fuchsia snap dragons and begins to paint a wedding vision for this woodland bride: black wrought iron lanterns as centerpieces, circled with small Mason jars overflowing with ivy, amaranthus, dusty miller, sunflowers, and Artemisia; each table bearing the theme of an herb: oregano, basil, thyme; chargers handcarved from fallen logs; the couple reciting vows in a stone chapel set amid a grove of trees hundreds of years old; maple sugar buckets brimming with wildflowers and strung on low-hanging branches. As does most every bride-to-be, Annie has ignited memories for Susan, whose own grandfather, after his morning coffee and newspaper, carefully dumped his coffee grounds into the compost pile destined to nourish his garden. As a floral designer and an impassioned painter, Susan draws upon her childhood memories and her love of nature as she shares her artistry with those planning events or those seeking art for a special spot. She taps into her clients’ affective domain, saying, “If you feel it, I can create it.” “My Italian Grandpa Jimmy…lived in the city with a small plot of yard hidden behind his brick home that he filled with plants and life,” Susan writes in her blog. As she walked with him through his modest garden, she would marvel “that his tomatoes were the reddest tomatoes I had ever seen and wondered if the sauce he made from them was so tasty because of his special garden.” Susan’s

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blog intertwines with photos of her paintings, colorful renderings of potted geraniums, a woodland path slipping through a grove of birches, a bulb of garlic sprouting rich green leaves up through a canvas of deep red, orange and brown. The color that has infused Susan’s life splashes onto canvas and throughout the rooms of Stroudsmoor. Whether using acrylics or watercolors or embellishing event tables with acorns and pinecones or with orchids and tulips, Susan’s inspiration is her gentle, accepting, meditative view of nature.

“I have been granted an understanding of the gifts of the Earth and the ability to harvest them.” Susan’s paintings have traveled far beyond the Auradell Gallery at Stroudsmoor. Her popular “My Big Phat Sunflower” has sold hundreds of prints, while the original raised money for a Pocono theater group. Women’s Resources auctioned off her spectacular painting of a geranium during the “Standing Strong” fundraiser. “Right now I’m excited about the mixed media pieces I’m working on,” says Susan. She is titling her series Walk in the Woods. She compares her current work with “taking a walk in life…with things you collect along the way.” While expressing her own love of nature in her visual artistry, Susan thrives in her job at Stroudsmoor, where she can transmit her clients’ passions into everything from the place settings to the chapel flowers. For each of them, she draws upon her grandfather’s teachings, “an understanding of the gifts of the earth and the ability to harvest them.” 6

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artist

" and

kilter" the art of john kolbek

The worldwide distribution of the “Forever 27” poster brought local artist John Kolbek commercial recognition. Kolbek’s black and white illustration featuring great rock icons who had passed away at that age “really got my name out there,” he says. Yet the Kolbek signature is affixed to impressively varied compositions, each of which defy viewers to define this versatile artist. Kolbek paradoxically describes himself as “sort of a Surrealist,” with “a thriving to create realistic images.” In his pop surrealism work, Elby’s Big Boy, bathed in sunlight breaking through a jungle canopy, emerges from water lilies to uphold his double-decker cheeseburger--with sphagnum moss as a condiment. In another painting, Kolbek demonstrates a classical artist’s prowess in painting the intricate folds of a draped figure. But this figure is a seductively elusive woman, who reposes on a pillowed raft in inky waters emerging from a charred landscape. Her darkened eyes stare out only at her viewer, and not at the empty wine bottle floating before her. Kolbek uses the tag “off kilter,” to describe his work, because he identifies with the Urban Dictionary’s definition of the term as, “the state of being weird, often the result of staying up extremely late.” Kolbek’s subjects seem to share some dark secrets. They entrance the viewer into leaning closer to discover the source of the mystery. Scrutinizing offers clues: transcendental, classical, mystical and modern. He calls

By Karen Tetor

himself “somewhat of a Gerhard Richter,” an artist who painted photo realistic images. Kolbek’s reality more closely parallels Poe or Kafka’s. Majoring in painting and minoring in art education in his undergraduate studies at Kutztown University, Kolbek received his Masters at Marywood University in Scranton. New York and New Jersey gallery showings offered him some “fairly good exposure.” One NYC show was a tribute to Conan O’Brien. The Late Night host now owns one of Kolbek’s works. Musicians have sought him out to do album covers. “At the moment, I’ve put a freeze on shows,” Kolbek admits. “I have to create new work.” Inspired by the muses of “Unconsciousness, Infinity, and Uncertainty,” he says he turns a deaf ear to any critic who “has the artist on a leash, because since the critic is incapable of ‘doing,’ he demands some kind of profundity from those who do.” Kolbek’s body of work shows he is not tethered to any medium or style. “I once found myself standing on a street corner in some miserable, unmentionable borough, and looking toward a wall, I saw the spray-painted phrase ‘Evolve or Die,’” he recalls. “It struck me as an unfortunate Truism.” Anyone who struggles to find the “meaning” in John Kolbek’s artwork need simply to consult the artist himself. “If anyone who reads this would like to get a drink with me, I’m usually at the Hideaway in Stroudsburg. I also have a very special tree behind Sarah Street which I like to climb sometimes,” he offers. And he adds, “I like spastic and confused individuals, and I make references to Caddy Shack as much as I possibly can on a daily basis. I find myself screaming ‘It’s in the hole!’ when I finish a painting. I enjoy cryptozoology and the search for new underwater species. I once found the corpse of Hieronymus Bosch in my closet, and we had tea together.” Those who are intrigued by Kobek’s puzzling verbal images will revel in the labyrinth of visual intricacies in his art. 6

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Kolbek uses the tag “off kilter,” to describe his work, because he identifies with the Urban Dictionary’s definition of the term as, “the state of being weird, often the result of staying up extremely late.”

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Blakeslee Farm Photo by Goerge Kress

Feature

Cranberry Bog Photo by Roger Spotts

Written by J. Renee Olson

LAND PRESERVATION USING A LAND TRUST: O

pen green spaces. Waterfalls trickling down the side of a mountain. Old barns and farmhouses. Vast spans of sun-kissed cornfields. Do we take these natural beauties for granted? Ellen Lott, Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy, believes the people of Monroe County are very conservation minded. “People who grew up here value the rural beauty and way of life, and people who move to this area come to enjoy it,” Lott says. The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. It is responsible for protecting 18 million acres in the U.S. and helping to preserve 117 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. In the early 1990s, The Nature Conservancy established a local office in Long Pond, Pennsylvania to protect the Pocono area, which was named one of the Last Great Places in the world because of the high concentration of rare species found here and the threats to our landscape. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, The Nature Conservancy has protected or helped to protect more than 38,600 acres of extraordinary lands. Well-known local spaces in Monroe County on that list include the Tannersville Cranberry Bog, Blakeslee Farm, Long Pond, and areas of Cherry Valley, including the Cherry Valley Winery, to name a few. The Nature Conservancy is one of several land trusts working in Monroe County. Land trusts arrange for the legal protection of land and can apply to county, state, and/or township open space programs for funding to protect land. In 1998, Monroe County residents voted yes on a $25 million bond referendum to help protect the County’s precious open spaces, natural areas and water resources. For every dollar the county invested in protecting open space, this successful, award-winning program garnered at least two dollars in matching funds from state and other sources, leveraging almost $75 million of land conservation value. After the initial $25 million was committed, the county provided an additional $11 million for open space protection. In total, approximately 18,000 acres of land

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and water have been protected in our county. “But, for every one acre protected in the first decade, three acres were developed,” Lott says. We still have the luxury of driving down rural roads and experiencing vast spans of green scenery, but if we don’t look to continue protecting our land we could still see major shifts in our landscape. Most of the land you’ll see while on a Sunday drive still isn’t protected. Lott says that a future referendum is a possibility. Citizens could again have the opportunity to vote in support of additional funding for land and water protection. Currently, funding is in low supply, but the conservation organizations are working hard to continue preserving as much land as possible. Lott stresses the urgency to keep moving forward. “We must act now to protect Monroe County’s natural heritage, family farms, and special character before they are lost forever. With land prices at historic lows, now is the time to preserve land before it’s too expensive, or too late.”

“We must act now to protect Monroe County’s natural heritage, family farms, and special character before they are lost forever.” Many people confuse land preservation with Monroe County’s “Clean and Green” program. While enabling landowners to apply for a significant reduction in property taxes in exchange for non-development of the property, lands in “Clean and Green” are not permanently protected, as they would be through a land trust. “Nothing is more important than having clean water to drink and clean water in our lakes and streams. We have to ensure that we have a reliable supply of clean water. That comes from protecting the lands around and along our waterways,” Lott says.

ABOUT THE WRITER

J. Renee Olson is a writer, author and blogger living in the Pocono Mountains. To read more of her work, visit her website, www.jreneeolson.com

Tax Impacts of Transferring Property to a Land Trust

By Erin Baehr

hen Ben Franklin said nothing is certain but death and taxes, he undoubtedly never envisioned a tax code as convoluted as ours is today. Taking the time to understand the tax benefits of land preservation and plan accordingly can literally pay. 1. When donating property outright to a land trust, you are foregoing funds you would have received in a sale. However, as long as the donation meets IRS criteria you should be entitled to a charitable deduction on your tax return. How much depends on a few factors. For property owned more than one year, you may deduct the fair market value of the property, up to 30% (or 50% if you choose) of your adjusted gross income for that year. For values more than the limit, don’t worry— you can carry it forward for up to five years. This can be a nice bonus with property that did not cost you much to acquire but has gained substantial value. What if your property has gone down in value? Unfortunately, you’re limited to the fair market value, not your cost. For property owned less than one year, the deduction is limited to the fair market value less the amount that would be a short-term gain if you sold it at fair market value. The tax you will save is typically your marginal tax bracket, multiplied by the deduction. If tax rates do rise in 2013, it will be worth a bit more. For property valued at more than $5,000, you must have it appraised by a qualified appraiser no sooner than 60 days prior to the donation and no later than the tax return due date. The donee organization cannot act as your appraiser. 2. The deduction for an easement follows similar rules. Your deduction amount is the difference between the appraised value before the donation and the value after. 3. Selling your property outright puts cash right in your pocket, but you will likely hand over a piece to Uncle Sam. For property owned longer than one year, you are allowed long-term capital gains treatment on your profit, which for 2012 means the gain will be taxed at a maximum of 15%. Short-term property is taxed at your ordinary income tax rates. Here’s another case where the potential change in the tax code can help or hurt you. In 2013, the rates for both short term and long term gains are expected to increase. Should the Bush tax cuts be extended, we will have a reprieve. However the Affordable Care Act adds a 3.8% surtax on investment income for taxpayers over the threshold amounts. It’s hard to predict what will happen, but it appears if you plan to sell and have the opportunity to choose between 2012 and 2013, you’ll want to close in 2012.

Cranberry Bog Photo by Roger Spotts

HOW does land protection work? If you love your property and wish to conserve it, you can contact a land trust. Your property will be evaluated for extraordinary ecological value—habitat and unusual plants and animals are important—and if it’s a candidate for preservation, they will review options with you. Basic options include:

Donate your property to a land trust. Donate a conservation easement. Sell your property to a land trust. Sell a conservation easement to a land trust. Visit www.nature.org or call the Long Pond office at (570) 643-7922 for more information.

You may find yourself in the position of selling property to the land trust at a bargain. In that case, you’ll have a combination of a tax deduction for the amount of the discount, and capital gain on the rest. 4. The tax treatment for selling an easement is similar, but figuring your cost basis can be tricky. You must allocate your cost basis among the entire property, and assign a portion to the easement based on that ratio. Your gain then, is the difference between that cost basis and what you received. Tax rules are complicated, no doubt, but the good deed of transferring your property to a land trust can put some cash in your pocket along with a good feeling in your soul. Disclosure: Please note this information is intended to be general in nature and not all-inclusive of tax regulation. You should consult your tax professional for advice pertaining to your individual situation. 6

Erin Baehr is a Certified Financial Planner™ and Enrolled Agent. She is the owner of Baehr Family Financial, a fee-only financial planning practice in Stroudsburg, focused on educating families to make the best use of their money in light of their values.

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feature

Designing

the Look of the Poconos Written by Karen Tetor | Photos by Stephen Lippay

When you enter the Sciota home of Pocono architect Wayne Vanderhoof, your eyes and your feet entice you outside. “Interior space that melds with outdoor living areas is defining the ‘look’ of the Pocono Mountain residence,” Vanderhoof says. A small, shaded porch off his living room offers a sofa for an afternoon nap. A lower-level entry opens into a quiet grotto-like oasis tucked under a sunny deck. A landscaped open patio area invites guests to cocktails while gazing at the panoramic view of the valley. And centered in a screened-in side porch is a rustic table ready for an evening card game. “Our architectural designs keep a focus on Pocono Regionalism,” Vanderhoof explains. Regionalism is the look that people associate with an area’s style: the piazzas of Charleston, the Prairie Style of Oak Park, or the saltboxes of the Cape. Vanderhoof insists that “adding a screened porch, siding with cedar shakes or facing with stone can remake a generic-looking house with the cottage style characterizing our area.”

“The key is using regional materials,” explains Vanderhoof, who is a partner in the firm Schoonover & Vanderhoof. “The cottages of the Buck Hill and Skytop communities typify the architecture of the Poconos, but homeowners can start to add their own regional character by changing the ‘skin’ of their homes, even by using synthetic siding or stone.” He uses such additions as pergolas or overhanging gables to create additional character. Vanderhoof stresses the importance of using landscaping to “anchor” the home to the natural area around it. “Rhododendron and perennials can work with transitional spaces such as porches and patios to tie the home to the natural beauty surrounding it,” he insists. Schoonover & Vanderhoof have captured a lion’s share of architectural awards. The American Institute of Architects and Pocono Builders Association have especially recognized the firm’s vision for area restaurants, industries, retail spaces, as well as homes. Their designs for Desaki Restaurant and the Skytop Conference Center showcase the Pocono character Vanderhoof loves. “For Desaki, we integrated a style that reflects Japanese sensibility and Pocono character.” Timber frame construction, stone, clapboard, and earth-tone colors add a sense of natural detail with the clean lines of Japanese style. The stonework of Skytop’s Conference Center blends flawlessly with the original inn, constructed in the 1920s. “We work to tie in our designs with the community and the natural beauty of the area,” Vanderhoof says. 6 The Schoonover and Vanderhoof office is located at 38 North Courtland Street in East Stroudsburg. For more information, call 570.424.2980.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;We work to tie in our designs with the community and the natural beauty of the area.â&#x20AC;?

Continued! See more photos on page 22-23...

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“Interior space that melds with outdoor living areas is defining the ‘look’ of the Pocono Mountain residence.”

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FARDA LANDSCAPING

Written by Tina Beck | Photos by Susie Forrester

Creating the LANDSCAPE of a LEADING BUSINESS Anthony Farda, owner of Farda Landscaping & Excavating, has been a leader in Pocono landscaping since 1977. With uncompromising attention to detail, superior customer service, and an unmatched skill set built upon more than 35 years in the industry, Farda Landscaping & Excavating is the go-to landscaper for individual, commercial, and industrial clients alike.

Setting Himself Apart Anthony Farda is unique in his approach to his company. As a lifetime resident of the Poconos, with strong community ties, his integrity is unmatched. He is both ICPI Certified and NCMA certified, a licensed contractor in the State of Pennsylvania, and a member of the Pocono Builders Association. Anthony makes each client his personal priority, working with them from beginning to end, from the initial site excavation to the final landscape design and handling the most delicate of hand plantings. Anthony explains, “I have built my company on a tradition of quality workmanship and client relationships. Those traits are the cornerstone of business success.”

“I have built my company on a tradition of quality workmanship and client relationships. Those traits are the cornerstone of business success.” Clients extol his ability to problem-solve the most complicated of landscaping issues. He and his team skillfully handle everything from engineering certified boulder walls, solving drainage or difficult grading issues, to excavating foundations, installing septic systems, and planting deer resistant landscapes. Much of Farda’s customer base is repeat business or referrals,

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a direct reflection of their reputation for honest bidding, on-time project completion, and open communication. “One of the most rewarding parts of my job as owner of Farda Landscaping & Excavating is the long term relationships I’ve built with satisfied customers,” says Anthony. “They call me back year after year. In many cases my clients have been with us for decades. They trust our integrity, our honesty and our cost-effective solutions.” Farda’s clients can expect to receive a bid that lives up to Anthony’s motto of working smarter and faster to get inbudget results. The clients receive detailed specifications and timelines and continual updates on progress. “There are times we don’t initially win a bid, and then the client comes back later to have us fix the mistakes of another landscaper,” expresses Anthony. “Our handling of the initial bidding process gives us that chance to come back on a project. It is simply something I will not compromise on.”

The Landscape Design Process Farda Landscaping & Excavating offers a fresh perspective on landscape design, treating the outdoors as a living space complementing the home, lifestyle, and surroundings. From plantings to hardscaping, they create an outdoor environment that draws upon the unique scenic beauty of the Pocono Mountains. Farda Landscaping and Excavating maintains and operates its own fleet of heavy equipment and trucks in order to effectively complete jobs of any size. Anthony, not a subcontractor, oversees and performs all aspects of the project. 6 For more information on Farda Landscaping and Excavating or Anthony Farda, visit www.fardalandscaping.com or call 570-421-5376

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FURNISHINGS FOR THE

LODGE LOOK

Written by Alxis Rodis Photos by Stephen Lippay

EZ Mountain Rustic Furniture is not your everyday furniture store. Owner Tim Coover says, “When new customers walk in the door, the first thing they say is ‘Wow!’” The rustic theme is that of a woodland lodge. Beds, coffee tables, benches, end tables, and rocking chairs are fashioned from logs, tree branches and even tree roots. Furniture made of hickory, oak, red cedar, pine and aspen creates an authentic, woodsy feel. No two pieces are the same. The lodge-like feel of the showroom is complete with fifty to sixty deer, bear, and moose heads hanging on the walls, some of which Tim himself hunted. A nine-foot tall grizzly bear even stands on its hind legs to greet customers, which Coover says really grabs the customers’ attention. For Tim and his wife Carla, family and furniture go hand in hand. Tim’s father started the business, then called EZ Rest, 35 years ago, selling bedding and traditional furnishings in Henryville. In 1983 he moved the business to its current Tannersville location, where he updated the inventory and began to sell waterbeds. Five years later, Tim, along with his wife, bought the company from his father and continued to sell waterbeds in addition to Tempur-Pedic and Serta mattresses. About ten years ago, the couple began changing the merchandise to incorporate the rustic feel that characterizes the store. In 2010, the company changed its name to what we know it as today: EZ Mountain Rustic Furniture. To this day, the business remains in the family, with

“The feel of our furniture really compliments the feel of the Pocono Mountains.” Tim and Carla running the business and two of their three children working part-time for the business. The family’s dedication to customers is evident when, as Tim recalls, “People who bought a waterbed here 25 years ago come back." The goal of EZ Mountain Rustic Furniture is to provide furnishings for homes all over the Pocono Mountains with their line of rustic furniture. As Tim explains, "We enjoy the outdoors and felt we needed a special niche, something which customers don't have." Tim explains that “The feel of our furniture really compliments the feel of the Pocono Mountains.” EZ Mountain offers unique bedroom furniture, living room decor, dining room sets and more for Pocono homes. Second-home owners, resort areas, and even locals go there to furnish their Pocono getaways with rustic pieces to give rooms the perfect mountain aesthetic. EZ Mountain carries furniture that is handmade by craftsmen to insure the best possible quality while still giving the one-of-a-kind look, or the craftsmen can create the customers’ own designs. As one customer sums it up, “Their pricing is reasonable, the quality is fantastic, and there’s always something fresh, new and exciting in the store every time we go!” EZ Mountain Rustic Furniture is located at 2756 Route 611 (at the intersection with Route 715) in Tannersville, Pennsylvania. For information, call (570) 6290166 or visit www.ezlogbeds.com 6

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POOF PERFECT This classic pouf dress capitalizes on modernist style, a perfect look for window shopping at Josephine’s Fleur-de-Lis or on New York’s Fifth Avenue. The Samuel Dong design is available at Dunkelberger’s for Women, 570.421.7950. Toucan Hat, Muska Milano bag, Gerard Yosca necklace and Majorica earrings available at Josephine’s Fleur-de-Lis, 570.476.7909.

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Written by Karen Tetor Photos by Eileen Noelle Photography Hair by Salon Evol Makeup by Fawn Monique

About Mad Men Couture.

Sleek Fashion Makes a Comeback

Silk scarves, sheath dresses, tweed jackets, and envelope purses have slipped from the screen of AMC’s Emmy-winning drama Mad Men and right onto Main Street America, including downtown Stroudsburg. The TV drama, now in its fifth season, has popularized sleek lines of early 1960s fashion, including stretch slacks, trapeze coats, nipped in waists, and full skirts. Capri pants that today’s women wear into the Sherman Theater on Stroudsburg’s Main Street first entered the scene at the time when hit musicals such as West Side Story and The Sound of Music played on the big screen at that same theater. But any woman stepping into the stores on Main left her clam diggers in the closet and wore only her Sunday best. The windows of Seguine’s Dress Store, once housed next to the Sherman, tempted movie-going ladies with delicate gloves made of leather, silk or satin and elegant evening gowns featuring close-fitting waists and low décolletage. Today, the Tea Room Restaurant at the back of Main Street TV & Appliances serves sandwiches to customers in casual attire. But ladies who lunched at the Wyckoff Department Store Tea Room in the era characterized by Mad Men sported sleek A-line dresses with cardigans. Chances are that “Papa Wyckoff,” wearing a starched white shirt and impeccable suit, had greeted them as they had strolled past the cosmetics counter on their way through the department store in the Naturalizer pumps and matching clutch bags they had purchased at George’s Smart Footwear, now Vertical Earth Mountain Sports. 872-9088 Gals wearing cardigans and bouffant hair-dos paged through magazines at J.J.

Newberry’s 5 & 10 to eye Jackie Kennedy’s latest fashion trends, while the teenagers picked up the hottest album by the new British rock sensation, the Beatles. A bikini may have been acceptable wear for Brigitte Bardot to flaunt on the beaches of St. Tropez, but any woman shopping for work clothes for her bank job at Stroudsburg Security Trust Co., now Siamsa Irish Pub, would blush at the thought of wearing one, and instead browsed through racks of edgy trends such as pastel, short jackets with over-sized buttons and simple geometric dresses known as a “shifts.” Having a 25 cent burger and a Coke at the Colonial Diner, which is now Starbucks, was the perfect time for the younger ladies to slip on the new kitten heel shoes, Villager blouses, and pencil skirts as they chatted about the dance at the YMCA Friday night or the one at Saint Matthew’s in East Stroudsburg next weekend. Few Monroe County women could afford the runway styles of Givenchy, Oleg Cassini, Chanel, and Dior. But they would achieve classic grace and elegance with clean suits, notch-collar jackets, and full-skirted dresses purchased at the Laurel Queen Shop, which was at 17 North 6th Street. Mad Men’s Madison Avenue femme fatales are making fashion strides in Monroe County, where today’s women keep an eye on the show’s characters, Joan Harris and Betty Draper/Francis, just as women half a decade ago imitated the trends made popular by Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. Recollections based upon the reflections of Lettie Morse Lladoc, a Stroudsburg native and 1959 graduate of Stroudsburg High School.

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BOLD IN BLACK The elegance and style of the Kennedy era inspire Cassie Cleveland’s classic look. The Mad Men design mantra of “less is more” defines the bold simplicity of the clutch and the classic, clean lines of this Nicole Miller Dress, available at The Apple Tree, 570.421.2798. Her 14 karat white gold and pearl necklace and bracelet are available at The 14kt Gold Outlet, 570.421.5081. In the background, dresses by Tadashi Shoji are both available at The Apple Tree, www. theappletreeonmain. com

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knock out Rita Martin doesn’t have to flaunt Joan Harris’s red hair to sizzle in a ruby red Donna Morgan baby doll dress. The Sandy Duffler leopardprint belt perfectly cinches the waist. Rita’s Vita Fede gold bangles and the outfit are available at The Apple Tree, 570.421.2798. Photo taken at Antiques and Unusual.

Casual Chic The Glam Look steps into the Comfort Zone with Lxi’s Geometric Poncho by Minnie Rose and Burnt Orange Cords by David Khan. After office hours, Paul can stay at the top of his game in a Tori Richard “Bandwidth” shirt and Tommy Bahama Jean. Clothing available at Dunkelberger’s for Men, 570.421.7950. Photo taken at Main Street Jukebox.

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CRAZY SEXY COOL Sizzling, seductive, and smoldering are all making serious comebacks. From Left to Right: Hale Bob Pant & Blouse at The Apple Tree. Orvis Poplin Shirt, Tommy Bahama Khaki, David Spencer shoe available at Dunkelberger’s for Men and Tallia Sport Coat available at Rovito’s Men Store. Jacket Frank Lymon Designs and Lysse Leggings available at Dunkelberger’s for Women. Nicole Miller Dress available at The Apple Tree. Tallia suits on both available at Rovito’s Fine Menswear.

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The three-martini lunch Mad Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Madison Avenue era may be part of a by-gone era, but the cocktail shaker still pours after-work spirited libations at Siamsa Irish Pub in Stroudsburg. The crew at Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency would give a fashion thumbsup to the chic styles showcased on Stroudsburgâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Main Street. 6

Mad Men cocktail culture couture is a timeless style. Rediscover the 60s style mystique in shops and bistros on modern Main Street in Stroudsburg.

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home

Holiday Entertaining Must-Haves from Josephine’s Fleur-de-Lis 601 Main Street in Stroudsburg, PA Phone 570.476.7909 www.josephinesonmain.com

Inspired by the Byzantine treasures of Italy, the Ravenna collection from Beatriz Ball includes these bowls, perfect for fresh fruit and green salads, and eyecatching centerpieces. Made of 18/8 stainless steel with 24 karat gold details.

What could be more whimsical than portraits of Old St. Nick? Made of terra bianca, each portrait is hand-painted in Tuscany, Italy. The collection includes a wide array of serving pieces, ideal for gifts and your home. True VIETRI collectibles. Dishwasher safe.

Michael Aram’s exquisite pieces are inspired by nature and honor the joy of entertaining our loved ones. These are three of many collections, all with powerful imagery. Made of various materials, including solid bronze. stainless steel and nickelplate.

Spooky Seasonal Art Pieces at The Village Crafters Gallery 2822 Route 611 in Tannersville, PA Phone 570.620.0039 www.thevillagecraftersgallery.com

Black cats, crows, spooky trees, and other Halloween treasures make the perfect gift... even if it’s for you!

These whimsical Halloween must-haves round out your seasonal decor nicely. Village Crafters Gallery has plenty in stock to choose from. Owls are the latest trend and we have plenty of them! This handcrafted hook art will round out your collection.

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Print Design. Web Design. Brand Identity Design.

LOCAL FLAIR CREATIVE www.localflaircreative.com 570.481.4333

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profile

Dr. Marcia Welsh

President, East Stroudsburg University

This past July, Dr. Marcia G. Welsh set up office as East Stroudsburg Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thirteenth President, just in time to prepare for the fall semester. Stepping away from a position as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Towson University in Maryland, Dr. Welsh is already setting a new tone on the ESU campus and exploring the offerings of her new home area. Local Flair: What drew you to ESU? Marcia Welsh: Professionally, I saw ESU as a tremendous opportunity to achieve my personal goal of becoming a university president. ESU has tremendous potential in a beautiful part of the country, which is a bonus. My next goal is to focus on a shared vision for the institution that will take us to the next level of excellence for both our students and our community; I firmly believe it will happen. LF: What Pocono attractions are you enjoying or looking forward to enjoying? MW: I am most excited about the many arts events so prevalent in the area. My husband, Lou, and I attended events during the Skytop Buck Hill Music Festival and were tremendously impressed with the regional and guest talent. We also went to the PA State Craft Festival, and we already have tickets to a number of regional events, including the COTA Jazz Festival in Delaware Water Gap. We look forward to learning more about jazz, obviously a very popular genre for the Poconos. We also love good food and wine and have already dined at some incredible area restaurants. Life is good! LF: If you could ask every ESU student to read one book, what would it be and why? MW: I read a lot, so I would have many books to recommend. Two that come to mind immediately are: The World is Flat: A Brief History of the TwentyFirst Century by Thomas L. Friedman, because I firmly believe our students need to clearly understand that we live in a global society where technology requires us to be connected to people all over the world, not just to our community or region; and Drive by Daniel H. Pink, who writes about what motivates us and what makes us satisfied with our work and our lives. And for fun, I read the entire Harry Potter series and would read them again!

Dr. Welsh's hair has been washed with Sebastian's Volupt Shampoo and Conditioner and styled with the new Sebastian Trilliance line for shine, hold and perfection. Makeup from Glo Professional was used to give her a sheer but highlighted look. Browns and golds brighten her eyes and petal pink tints her lips. The entire look was finished with a matte powder and clear gloss on the lips to give her a natural glow. Hair and makeup by Casssandra. Dr. Welsh is wearing a Joseph Ribkoff vest, a legging by Sympli, earrings by Sparkle, and a Tat2 bracelet. These items are available at The Apple Tree on Main Street in downtown Stroudsburg.

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LF: In this challenging employment market, what advice do you offer students and their parents as they consider the college experience? MW: There is no down side to getting a college education. Even in a challenging employment market, the individuals with a college degree typically fare better on both employment and on salary. Being underemployed, which is currently reported to be a problem, is better than unemployment. Go to college! 6 To read more, including what Dr. Welsh had to say about her own college experience, go to www.flairmag.com.

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feature

WOMENIN THEwoods JoAnne Zidock At Home “Out in the Open”

After two years of not shouldering her Remington .270, JoAnne Zidock can’t wait to once again pick up the rifle her husband Alex had given her on her sixtieth birthday. JoAnne, who for over 12 years has co-hosted the Blue Ridge Communications TV 13 show Out in the Open with Alex, was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer in 2010. After chemotherapy and reconstructive surgery, she is once again in the co-host seat and ready for fall hunting season. And ready to grip the gun that just before her diagnosis had landed her a Red Stag on a Western Pennsylvania hunting preserve. JoAnne is a worthy star for Out in the Open, a weekly show that airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m., now in its sixteenth year. Topics include stories about animals, fishing, hunting, family travel, the environment and even outdoor clothing. Growing up on a ranch in Wyoming, she admits that she “learned to shoot by using rats for target practice at the local dump.” As a kid, she rode her horse around the ranch, helped with the butchering of animals for ranch food and hunted bobcats. Her gig as a galley girl on a sport fishing boat in San Diego whet her interest in fishing. JoAnne’s real passion for deer hunting ignited when she came East and met Alex, who invited her on a date to the Poconos while he hunted deer. She replied, “Only if I can hunt too!” “Alex was surprised just how well I could handle a gun,” JoAnne recalls. “We married soon after.” Since then, her aim has enabled her to put venison in their freezer. Being in front or in back of the camera is natural for JoAnne, so she easily stepped onto the set of Out in the Open. After all, in her 20s, she had worked as a swimsuit and fur coat ramp model for the Vogue Agency in California. “I was probably the first person to be arrested for wearing a bikini on a public beach in California!” she laughs. The news cameras filmed the arrest, and JoAnne says her greatest concern was “keeping my parents from watching the news that night!” JoAnne loves that Out in the Open, “is not just another hook-and-bullet show.” Recorded at Dunkleberger’s Sports Outfitters in Stroudsburg, the show enables her to share her myriad outdoor adventures, including the time at Promatory Point, Utah when she was only 15 years old, and the gun in her holster accidentally discharged. “The bullet went through my calf and lodged between my toes,” she says. “My mother took the lead and made me a charm for my bracelet!”

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Megan Welsh

A Blonde Having Fun... Hunting! While most college students can’t wait to hit the beach on breaks, Megan Welsh is crossing off the days until the next hunting season. This Bloomsburg University sophomore packs up her PSE Chaos compound bow or 20-gauge Mossberg shotgun and heads for her favorite fields around her hometown of Milford or for a trek to Kansas, her idyllic hunting grounds. Megan looks like a Cover Girl, but her photo shoots are typically with such sporting media as Outdoor Channel Outfitters in Georgia. Her greatest challenge is sometimes getting game to cooperate with the cameras. “My greatest success story in Kansas was on a second trip to video a whitetail deer hunt,” Megan reflects. After five futile days of trying to get a whitetail to present a good shot, she finally harvested her first Kansas Whitetail buck. “What made it such a big success story was that I not only shot my first Kansas buck,” she says, “but I was able to successfully hunt a buck while being recorded!” Megan’s triumph aired on the Outdoor Channel. Sometimes, those media opportunities lead to other perks. A call from Outdoor Channel Outfitters to Donny Bartow, the Gator Man, enabled Megan and her best friend Dani Edwards to go catch live alligators. When Megan held her first alligator, she learned “If you hold an alligator upside down, they pass out!” Megan’s father taught her to hunt. At seven, she was learning to walk silently through the woods and to use turkey calls. Later, her dad bought a tree stand for two so they could hunt deer together. A family friend, Tim, took her muzzle loading for deer in New Jersey and archery hunting in Pennsylvania. “I’ll never forget the day I got my first turkey,” Megan smiles. “I was in third grade, and being with my dad that morning, watching the sunrise, listening to the birds sing as they awoke, and seeing what turkey hunting was all about really made me fall in love with the sport.” Megan learned patience that day. After a morning of frustration trying to get the birds to come in, Megan and her dad took a breakfast break. When they returned to their earlier spot, “the turkeys gobbled like crazy.” Soon “there were four gobblers strutting in front of me,” she says. “I took my time, aimed, shot and happily ran and jumped up and down to my first gobbler.” 6

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profile

By Roseanne Bottone In the movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy clicks the heels of her ruby red slippers and chants the classic line, “There’s no place like home.” Truer words have never been spoken—especially for the elderly needing assistance with their daily activities and patients recovering from surgery. People with chronic illness or disability have improved physical and mental wellbeing when they live at home. Vivian Vance, owner and director of the Pocono Mountains Office of Griswold Home Care says, “Even more people need nonmedical home care just to assist them with the activities of daily living (ADL) and that’s where my company can help. We are fully insured and licensed by the State of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health.”

Signs

Your Loved One May Need Help. 1 A home that is

uncharacteristically cluttered or messy

2 Issues with money:

a stack of unpaid bills or bounced checks

3 Weight loss, forgetting to

eat, inability to plan meals or cook, confusion in the kitchen, cleaning solution in the refrigerator or burned pots on the stove

Vance provides home care solutions to families whose members have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia; to adults with disabilities that include neuromuscular conditions such as Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), or Parkinson’s disease; and to patients recovering from surgery or accidents. Most care is typically given by a spouse, friend or child. Vance herself was a member of the “sandwich generation” when she juggled caring for her elderly mother while raising teenage children. So she encourages family caregivers “to consider respite care to take a short-term break and recharge, refresh and renew their caretaking spirit, energy and enthusiasm.” Griswold maintains a registry of thoroughly screened caregivers that can assist the client with personal services such as bathing, dressing, and grooming. They provide homemaking services that include grocery shopping, cooking, light housekeeping, running errands, and feeding and walking pets. Supportive care for toileting and medication control is also available. Vance says, “Sometimes seniors are profoundly lonely, and their health suffers as a result. Enjoying a caregiver’s company for a few hours a day for conversation, reading, playing games, doing projects, attending events and visiting friends can make a world of difference.” In a recent study, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that 1 in 3 adults age 65 and older falls each year. Providing home care for the elderly and encouraging regular exercise, monitoring medication schedules, and eliminating fall hazards help prevent falls from happening in the first place. Vance says, “We can conduct a courtesy home safety review. We look for things like dangerously placed area rugs, extension cords and even light bulbs that are burned out in stairways.”

“The most helpful piece of advice I can give any family providing care to the elderly, disabled or injured is to have a power of attorney and an advanced directive to designate a health care proxy in place.”

4 Wearing unkempt clothing or exhibiting poor hygiene

5 Forgetting more than

normal, missing appointments and activities, failing to take prescribed meds

6 Behavior inconsistent with

personality, showing paranoia or loss of focus, wandering off

7 Depression 8 Your nagging feeling that your loved one should not drive or be left alone for long periods of time

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When a family member needs home care—whether live-in, overnight, or hourly—the big question is how to pay for it. Vance says, “We offer many educational workshops to help inform our potential clients. I suggest they begin their research by calling the Monroe County Area Agency on Aging.” Since Vance opened her office doors in 2000, she has been committed to finding economical solutions for her clients. “We try to help people conserve their finances until it’s absolutely necessary to use our services.” Sometimes a family caregiver can take advantage of free respite care offered by the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Monroe County (RSVP). Vance says, “A lot of people don’t know that certain Veterans, their spouses, widows and widowers may be eligible for financial compensation through the Veteran’s Administration’s Aid and Attendance Program, too.” Vance says, “There’s no need to try to do it all on your own.” Griswold offers a no obligation, no cost in-home assessment. Vance says, “Do your homework. Get a sense of what your loved one needs, what Griswold can offer and what financial and community resources are available.” 6 Contact Vivian Vance at 570-424-7678 for information about Griswold Home Care, or visit GriswoldHomeCare.com

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flavor

A Review: Dining at The New

Bushkill Inn & Conference center Written by Karen Tetor

...Sexy and Sophisticated are back.

wanted to check my GPS coordinates. No, my husband and I hadn’t slipped into some posh Aspen resort. We had not just strolled into the front lobby of a ritzy New York hotel. We had driven up Bushkill Mountain Road, to an sophisticated and stylish oasis that is setting a lofty bar of luxury for Pocono Mountain resorts: Bushkill Inn and Conference Center

capers, shallot, chive, and mustard. The starters, like the orchid petals in the lemonade, hinted at the delights to come. My husband’s braised short ribs yielded to the touch of his fork. I snapped a picture of my pan-roasted sea bass in beurre blanc. At the same time, I looked up to see the creator himself, Jorge Lopez, standing by our table. “How is everything?” he asked.

I resisted tapping the spigot on a chilled urn of lemonade in the front lobby. The floating orchid petals and lime slices in the frosty glass made promises of the splendor that awaited us. A charming young man named Aaron stepped out from behind the front desk and offered to escort us to The Steakhouse restaurant, where we had reserved a table in anticipation of sampling the culinary delights prepared by Chef Jorge Lopez.

“I want to bring ‘sexy’ back to the Pocono Mountains,” smiled Lopez. He explained that the area gives him a chance to infuse sexy elegance and style in an area rich with natural beauty. As Director of Food and Beverages, Lopez orchestrates offerings throughout the Inn, including the Dining Room, Lobby Bar, Lounge, and Steakhouse. “The steak tartare is my favorite,” he admitted. “Didn’t you love how the smoky nuance of the toasts enhances the flavor of the meat?” He added, “Next time, try the beef carpaccio with petite egg salad, lemon, and truffle.”

I gazed through the palatial windows to the pools, where lemon yellow cushions and bolsters of white towels topped rows of chaise lounges. We passed through a lobby so spacious, so sleekly styled, in a palate of colors that soothed yet excited: ochre, saffron, and vermillion. Every staff member we encountered was emboldened with a quest, to assure that Bushkill Inn merited a prestigious four-star rating. With its grand opening in late September, the Inn itself flaunted a cosmopolitan runway style, a sassy combination of stone pillars, cherry woodwork, polished glass, and gleaming metal. Our escort led us into the heart of Bushkill Inn, The Steakhouse, a domain ruled by a Jorge Lopez, with his reputation of having served as Sous Chef under Wolfgang Puck and at the Patina in Los Angeles, of having become Executive Sous Chef at the Las Vegas Regent Grand Spa Hotel and Casino, Executive Chef at Lutece at the Venetian in Las Vegas and Corporate Executive Chef for 105 properties for the Columbia Sussex Corporation. Our server placed before us a wire basket of Idaho potato crisps, each almost as long as my hand, each sliced as thin as tissue paper and sprinkled with lemon pepper and sea salt. Our journey into haute cuisine had begun. I started with a crab cake nested in a bed of fennel and Granny Smith apple and topped with a sauce tickled with Meyer lemon. My husband savored each bite of his steak tartare, topped with arugula and seasoned with

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“I resisted tapping the spigot on a chilled urn of lemonade in the front lobby. The floating orchid petals and lime slices in the frosty glass made promises of the splendor that awaited us.” After sharing a roasted apple tart with bourbon caramel and ice cream, my husband and I requested to see a room. Aaron led us through three: the Standard, Queen, and King. From complimentary tiny teddy bears propped on luxuriously attired beds, selections of Kurig coffees on granite countertops, and iHome iPod docks by each bed, I gaped at the level of luxuriousness in every room. But the Pièce de résistance awaited me in the King’s bathroom, where the click of a remote control awakened a television screen imbedded in the vanity mirror. I knew for sure that the Pocono Mountains had found a whole new level of “sexy” in the Bushkill Inn and Conference Center. 6 The Bushkill Inn is located at Bushkill Falls Road in Bushkill, PA. Visit www.bushkillinn.com for information.

Out and About at

The Apple Tree with Anna Quindlen • August 16, 2012

Out and About at American

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Candle's Jim Shore Signing • August 26, 2012

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Out and About at Stonehedge

Out and About at Siamsa's

Local Flair

Gallery in Cresco • August 19, 2012

New Speakeasy Lounge • August 24, 2012

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wedding

Ehrhardt’s Wedding for a

Written by Alxis Rodis Photos by Gina Lenz

Lake-Loving Couple

Skye Lorent and Brice Rickard have had a Romeo and Juliet like romance. As teenagers, they went to Rival High Schools: she attended Wallenpaupack Area High School while he went to Honesdale High. However, when they got to college, with the rivalries behind them, they began talking at a mutual friend’s party. And that’s when it all started. Skye and Brice began dating on July 11, 2009, and just a little over a year later, Brice proposed. A true romantic, Brice recreated the first major memory they shared as a couple. He took Skye back to the exact spot where he slammed on his breaks after almost hitting a cow on the way home from their first date. Talk about making a first impression, right? He told her, “This is the first place that we have memories from when we started dating, and now this is the place where we have our first memory from being engaged.” As Skye and Brice began planning their wedding, they quickly realized the venue would be their biggest decision. “Location was huge for us,” Skye recalls. With both of them growing up near Lake Wallenpaupack, it was important to have the lake as the backdrop to their big day. But they had other needs as well. Skye had to be in Florida for the duration of their engagement while her fiancé was still living in Hawley, so she knew organizing the whole event herself would be too much. Skye explained, “I needed a venue that included everything so I wouldn’t have to worry about calling every business I needed individually.”

You don’t need much decoration when you have Lake Wallenpaupack as your backdrop.

When Skye visited Ehrhardt’s in Hawley, she knew it was the perfect place for her reception. “Ehrhardt’s told us that the cost would cover the cake, the flowers, and everything else so I wouldn’t have to worry about a thing!” The simplicity, combined with the breathtaking view of the lake, sold the couple on the venue immediately. Their fairytale continued when the wedding took place on July 14, 2012, exactly three years and three days since they first started dating. The ceremony took place in a church in Hawley. “Our wedding was so special because my dad had been ordained in November, so my father married us,” gushed Skye, “Not many people can say they were married by their father.” After the ceremony, the couple and their 180 guests returned to Ehrhardt’s for the reception. Their colors were purple and red, representing their school colors: purple for Wallenpaupack and red for Honesdale, but the couple didn’t pick an overall theme. “You don’t need much decoration when you have Lake Wallenpaupack as your backdrop,” says Rickard. The couple enjoyed their happily-ever-after without having to lift a finger--a true dream come true. “They did everything for us. We could not have asked for anything better,” says the couple. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” admits Skye, “I would tell any bride to go to Ehrhardt’s.” And since every fairytale needs a perfect ending, their night ended with a beautiful sunset over the lake, one that Skye says was one of the most beautiful she has ever seen. 6 For more information about Ehrhardt’s, visit www.ehrhardts.com.

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wedding

A Wedding to

Remember at Mountain Springs Lake Written by Allison Mowatt Photos by Bill Cardoni/cardoniwhite.com

On August 11, 2012, Philip and Stephanie Penberthy tied the knot at The Lodge at Mountain Springs Lake Resort in Reeders, and memories of their romantic day still play vividly in their minds.

After the excitement of the cocktail hour, the guests went into The Lodge for a sit down dinner, drinks and dancing. A five-piece Motown funk band played songs everyone recognized, and people danced for hours.

The couple met through her best friend in college who was also a childhood friend of Philip’s. They live in Brooklyn and she works as a social worker, and he does art installations for a gallery in Chelsea. Stephanie is originally from Maryland and Philip from Connecticut, so they chose the Pocono Mountain area for their wedding because it was about equal distance for traveling friends and family.

Stephanie credits her Event Coordinator Alisha Fisher, other staff and the cooperative weather with how successful it turned out. “I didn’t feel stressed at all,” says Stephanie. “Before the ceremony, I spent most of the day in the Spa on site with my family and friends and just had a good time.”

“We did some research and came across Mountain Springs”, says Stephanie. “It was the second place we visited, and once we saw it, we knew this was the place for us. It’s a warm place with good energy. It felt very homey.”

It’s a warm place with good energy. It felt very homey.

With over 300 sprawling wooded acres and a mile-long spring fed lake, Mountain Springs Lake is a picturesque resort. About 60 years ago, Jack and Marjorie Rader opened for business, and now other generations continue the tradition of catering to guests celebrating special occasions. The Lodge is nestled among wooded pines, majestic oaks, apple trees, beautiful landscaping, brooks and ponds. Stephanie and Philip invited about 130 guests and exchanged vows by the white pergola overlooking the pond. The pergola was draped with tulle, and the ceremony was simple and lovely. After the ceremony, an outdoor cocktail hour started the celebration. “An uninvited guest showed up,” laughed Stephanie. A large black bear spotted nearby walked off into the woods, effectively surprising the guests.

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The couple received a complimentary night in the Honeymoon Cottage, and about 90 of their guests stayed in the cabins and cottages on the resort property. “It was nice because we were all together and had a fun after party with a delicious brunch prepared the next day.”

Other highlights include the resort’s laid back atmosphere. Some wedding guests went on rowboats while others played volleyball. The day before the ceremony, the couple made a point of taking walks alone throughout the afternoon to stay connected amid the flurry of activity. “At one point, we sat on swings and had a fun, childlike moment together,” says Stephanie. She also recalls a poignant moment during the reception when the photographer took them aside to take their picture in a gorgeous meadow capturing the scenic property. “The entire wedding party and all of our guests had a wonderful time,” says Stephanie. 6 For more information, visit www.mslresort.com, call 1-877-629-1120 or email events@mslresort.com.

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wedding

TRENDS WEDDING

By Alxis Rodis

Dress Necklines

Say goodbye to strapless gowns and hello to one shoulder dresses, plunging necklines, illusion necklines, and even long sleeve gowns. One-shoulder dresses are perfect for the flirty but sweet bride, while the plunging neckline is for the daring and sexy. For a more conservative bride or a church wedding, cap sleeves, long sleeves, or illusion necks are the perfect solutions. Cap sleeve dresses look modern, yet classic.

Hair Accessories From the elegant beaded headband to the wild feathery clips, accessories are a great way to showcase your personality down the aisle. They can be all in jewel tones or loud and colorful, depending on your style. In jewelry, the big trend is the statement necklace. The bigger, the better. Glitzy, glamorous or funky, this piece isn’t called a statement for nothing!

Dress Necklines High-low hems, peplum skirts, tiered skirts, pockets and dramatic front slits are in style. High-low hems are right on this year; if you’re planning on wearing fabulous shoes, this is the perfect way to show them off! Peplum skirts are ultra-flattering for a woman with a naturally boyish frame as they instantly define anyone’s hips. Tiered skirts are young and playful – perfect for the princess bride. Pockets on skirts and dresses have become increasingly popular, and now they’re making their way to wedding dresses. The best part is they’re super practical; you can slip your lipstick in for quick touch-ups!

Bridesmaid Dresses We have all heard the horror stories of the bridesmaid dresses gone wrong. But fear no more. Now the bridesmaids can actually ‘wear the dress again’ since bridesmaid dresses have become so fashionable! They’re following a lot of the same trends as bridal gowns, however, formerly off-limits styles that were once reserved for the bride - such as lace - are now more popular than ever for bridesmaids. Of course, white is just for the bride, right? Wrong! Ever since the Royal Wedding, when Pippa Middleton flaunted her white dress on her sister’s big day, white bridesmaid dresses have gone from taboo to trend!

Dress Accents Another big trend this year is to add a splash of color and sparkle on to the otherwise all-white dress. You can do this easily by adding a sequined satin waistband with your accent color that ties into your theme.

Hair Braids Braids are a big wedding hairstyle trend; they’re not just for a quick run to the grocery store. Braids are making their way onto the red carpets and wedding aisles in a big way. You can incorporate braids into your hairstyle in many different ways depending on how formal or casual you want your look to be. For a casual wedding with a beach setting, the messy, side fishtail braid is the perfect look. The fishtail braid will look super flirty off to the side, and the messiness will give you the look of effortless beauty. For a touch of sweet romance, try the braided headband trend. You can use French braids, waterfall braids, or even a braid around the nape of the neck leading into a beautiful updo.

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Color Choices The two biggest trends for colors are at totally at opposite ends of the spectrum. One is super creamy neutrals; blush or pale pink with nude or ivory is a trend perfectly suitable for a sweet, romantic wedding. However, for the bolder, statement-making bride, the bright trend we see in clothes this summer is making its way into the wedding party. Red-orange, lime greens and royal blues are all major trends in colors.

Want more trendy wedding advice and inspiration? Read more about what’s popular in the wide world of bridal fashion and more online at www.flairmag.com/bridaltrends

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wedding

Photo by Cara Stokowski

Photo by Carol McDonald

FAIRYTALE BEGINNINGS in a

WOODED SETTING Written by Allison Mowatt

When a couple says those two magical words solidifying their union, an equally romantic place to declare them is just as important. For decades, the Pocono Mountains has been hailed as a leading wedding destination, so it’s no surprise that one of the country’s top-rated family friendly resorts is also a popular wedding location. Since 1958, the Kiesendahl family operated Woodloch Pines Resort in Hawley, and the clan created an establishment that’s grown immensely over the years. Woodloch is surrounded by a pristine lake, lush forests and sprawling mountains. The Kiesendahls and their dedicated staff treat every guest like family and people leave feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. Weddings at Woodloch are designed to pamper couples and ensure guests have a wonderful time from the rehearsal dinner to the breakfast the morning after the wedding. The team helps make each couple’s romantic picture come into focus. The possibilities are endless and it’s a unique paradise right in our own backyard. “It’s similar to a cruise on land because guests generally don’t travel far to get here and once they do, it’s like they’re in a whole other world,” said Special Events and Wedding Coordinator Cara Stokowski. The large property encompasses the Inn at Woodloch, the Country Club at Woodloch Springs, the Guest Homes at Woodloch Springs and the Lodge at Woodloch. Couples pledge their love at the Country Club at Woodloch Springs overlooking the golf course or lakeside at the Inn. Couples can select a reception that caters to their taste ranging from a formal dining experience to a low key cocktail party. Woodloch has something for everyone depending on the size and style of the wedding. The Inn at Woodloch includes The Lakeview Dining Room and The

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Mount Laurel Dining Room while the Springs features The Vista Terrace Dining Room. The Woodloch staff plans many types of weddings, and their goal is to turn any vision into a reality. “We’re very flexible and we usually never turn a request down,” says Cara. Some weddings held here recently include a gothic wedding with flower arrangements made of peacock feathers and the bride dressed in black, an elegant ivory and lace themed wedding, and a glitz and glam wedding with crystals draping every surface. Of course, all weddings are a celebration, and fun is always on the itinerary at Woodloch. Cara recalls some memorable moments. “During a reception, one of the guests was a salsa instructors and people of all ages went on the dance floor for a salsa lesson. Another couple planned their big day around July 4th and were treated to a colorful fireworks display over the lake. One bridal party got pictures taken riding the go-karts and a bride and groom had photos snapped as they jumped into the lake in full wedding attire.” Another fun Woodloch aspect is the wedding party and guests are invited to stay in the beautifully appointed two to five bedroom homes at the Springs. The fully furnished guest houses are grouped together and feature full kitchens, open decks, screened in porches and BBQ grills. The guests also have access to all resort amenities during their stay. Woodloch specializes in bringing people together and putting smiles on their faces. Many couples choose Woodloch for their important romantic day. “We make sure every person feels special and that guests have a great experience,” says Cara. The staff promises this and more for any bride and groom about to say “I Do.” 6 For more information about planning a wedding at Woodloch, visit www.woodloch.com or call 1-800-WOODLOCH.

wedding

A Rediscovered Written by Allison Mowatt | Photos by Stephen Lippay

A Pocono Mountains landmark is getting a facelift. In its heydey, Fernwood was the Pocono Mountains go-to resort, attracting people from all over with its close proximity to Bushkill Falls and the scenic drive to Milford through the beauty of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Fernwood is regarded as an all-season resort with countless indoor and outdoor amenities in a peaceful mountain location. Some of these activities are year-round horseback riding, indoor and outdoor pools, a golf course, mini golf, paintball, bumper boats, fishing, nature trails, a fitness center, saunas, several restaurants and more. This one-stop destination feature is why resorts appeal to vacationers who like not having to leave the property to find fun. Now, Jim Ertle, the new owner of Fernwood Hotel & Convention Center, is confident that it will continue offering these qualities which have made it desirable but with a fresh presentation. The Ertle family has a passion for renovating local forgotten properties. The family’s hospitality history goes back about a century to the Sunset Hill Resort, which was one of the first resorts in the Pocono Mountains. It’s important to change with the times and evolve with customers. Fernwood Hotel is sure to bring loyal returning guests as well as new visitors to its doors. The key is “affordable luxury” with the highest level of service and convenience allowing guests to experience all the Pocono Mountains has to offer. What better place to exchange wedding vows than a newly renovated, historic hotel in the heart of the Pocono Mountains? Couples can choose between a formal or casual wedding. Whatever the style or budget, Fernwood Hotel is equipped to accommodate a variety of weddings of all sizes. There is plenty of space for any special event with several large

ballrooms and banquet rooms. The natural scenery creates a picture perfect outdoor wedding, and the beautiful ballrooms bring the romance indoors. The Classic Crystal Ballroom comfortably accommodates over 400 guests. The room now features exquisite crystal chandeliers from the Astor Hotel in Manhattan, which was an iconic early 1900s hotel in Times Square and a frequent hot spot for celebrities. Known as a “crown jewel,” the Astor combined beauty, grace and style. Now, this piece of history has a place in Fernwood’s Crystal Ballroom. Other ballrooms include the Bushkill Ballroom and the Delaware Ballroom. During their stay, couples can relax in one of the simple romantic suites, which feature Jacuzzis and whirlpools. Everyone remembers when the Pocono Mountains was the “honeymoon capital,” and now with the Dream Suites, Fernwood is honoring this claim to fame along with some updates. The Fernwood Hotel & Convention Center has seven conference rooms and three boardrooms varying in size. For example, the largest conference room is about 3,330 square feet, so Fernwood is equipped to handle any size meeting. The Hotel’s Event Center can accommodate about 2,400 people with 20,000 square feet, making it the perfect place for entertainment such as comedians, cover bands, nationally touring acts, magicians, festivals and children’s shows. Fernwood Hotel & Convention Center will continue to build on its tradition of quality with a modern twist. 6 For more information, call 800-528-5560.

UPCOMING EVENTS

OKTOBERFEST

ELVIS FEST

R&B WEEKEND

DODGEBALL FEST

Featuring Live German Music

Live shows and an Elvis tribute artist contest

Headliner Morris Day and the Time and other acts

An adult team tournament, prizes, and children’s games

October 13th

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October 19th-21st

November 9th-11th

November 18th

feature

The Other Big Cs

These days, most of us know someone who has been affected by cancer. The disease affects not only the person who is diagnosed, but also their loved ones. Your first line of defense? Get informed. Read on for a rundown on some more common cancers and how you can reduce your risk of “the big Cs.”

WHAT IS CANCER? According to the National Cancer Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health), cancer is defined as “diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues.” There are currently more than 100 different types of cancer. While the disease typically originates in the organ or cell in which they start, cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph nodes.

WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF CANCER? Symptoms vary depending on the type and location of the disease. Lung cancer, for example, can cause coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain, whereas those suffering from colon cancer often experience diarrhea, constipation, and blood in the stool. Some cancers are silent diseases with little or no symptoms; others, such as pancreatic cancer, typically display symptoms once the disease has reached an advanced stage. Fortunately, there are tests that can detect early stages of some cancers:

Biopsy Chest x-ray Blood tests (which look for chemicals in the form of tumor markers) Bone marrow biopsy (for lymphoma or leukemia) Fecal occult blood test (hemoccult) Computed tomography (CT scan) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan) Mammograms Remember, health is action: Your physician is committed to increasing health and survival rates throughout your community. Visit your Spirit of Women hospital today to learn more on how to lower your risk of cancer.

COMMON FORMS OF CANCER The deadliest (and most common) form of cancer in both men and women is lung cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lung cancer affects more Americans than breast, colon and prostate cancers—combined.

Other common types of cancer Breast – 1 in every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer over a lifetime. Family history, among other factors, can play a role in determining risk for the disease. Advanced cases of breast cancer typically occur in women over age 50. Prostate – Found in tissues of the prostate, this disease is responsible for an estimated 33,000 deaths of American men each year. While all men are at risk for prostate cancer, some factors—including age, family history, and alcohol consumption—can increase risk. Colon – 1 in 20 men and women will develop cancer of the colon or rectum throughout his or her lifetime. Screenings for colorectal cancer can find precancerous polyps, which can be removed before they turn into cancer. Gynecologic Cancer – This disease consists mainly of the cervix, ovaries, uterus, vagina, and vulva and was diagnosed in over 80,000 women in 2007. Each type of gynecologic cancer is unique and has different symptoms, but all women are at risk. Skin Cancer – While the two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, are dangerous, a third type of the disease, melanoma, is especially dangerous and has accounted for about 68,130 cases of skin cancer in 2010.

WHAT CAN I DO TO LOWER MY RISK? You can take steps today to lower your risk for cancer tomorrow by: Eating a healthy diet, Exercising regularly, Limiting alcohol, Maintaining a healthy weight, Minimizing your exposure to radiation and toxic chemicals, Not smoking or chewing tobacco, Reducing sun exposure, Visiting your physician regularly.

Remember, health is action: Your physician is committed to increasing health and survival rates throughout your community. Visit your Spirit of Women hospital today to learn more on how to lower your risk of cancer. Pocono Medical Center’s Spirit of Women collaborates with the PMC Wellness Institute to provide health screenings and host educational events to further improve the lives of women and their families in the community. For additional information or to become a Spirit of Women member visit, PoconoMedicalCenter.org/JoinSpirit.

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'The Other Big Cs' is powered by Spirit of Women®, a national network of hospitals and healthcare providers across the United States that ascribe to the highest standards of excellence in women’s health, education, and community outreach. Sources: www.cdc.gov • www.foundationforwomenscancer.org www.womenshealth.gov • www.cancer.gov • www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov