Progress 2024 Business Forward: East

FIRST CITIZENS COMMUNITY BANK

FCCB opens new branch on Golden Strip to serve community

First Citizens Community Bank’s newest venture, the opening of a full-service branch in Williamsport, was met with eager anticipation. The brand new, full-service branch found its home at 1820 E. Third St., nestled on the golden strip of the city. Entering the Williamsport market will expand the Banks presence to both new and existing clients alike, as this market is a natural extension of their legacy footprint in the northern tier of Pennsylvania.

When asked about the new office, President and CEO Randall Black said, “We are confident in our success with a well-established team of experienced bankers dedicated to the Williamsport Community. This will provide local access to leadership and quick decision making for both our business and consumer

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The Loyalsock Township branch of First Citizens Community Bank is located along Third Street or the “Golden Strip” near the TJ Maxx Plaza.

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Top, the staff of the Loyalsock Township branch of First Citizens Community Bank, above.

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“Here at East End Lumber Co. Pro Center we pride ourselves in being your hometown locally owned and operated home improvement contractor for over 100 years. Let us completely transform the exterior of your home to protect your investment for years to come.”

Comfort Keepers, located at 1323 E. Third Street in Williamsport, is a home care agency helping seniors in Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland (northern), Sullivan and Tioga counties. Comfort Keepers’ Williamsport office also serves as a training facility for the home care agency’s 100 employees.

Comfort Keepers provide ‘golden’ home care, ‘joy’ for seniors

From Staff Reports

“We go above and beyond in how we treat our clients and caregivers,” said Andria Larson, owner of Comfort Keepers, located at 1323 E. Third St. in Williamsport.

For close to 25 years now, the agency has been providing home care for seniors in Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland (northern), Sullivan and Tioga counties.

“We are always listening and paying attention,” said Larson. Just one instance of that is when the agency learned one client was to embark on a vacation.

“The client was about to go on a Disney cruise and we gave [the client] a gift basket,” said Larson with a smile.

On another occasion, one client was provided light therapy after a caregiver discovered the senior’s bout with seasonal affective disorder.

In order to provide quality care for seniors, Larson starts with hiring skilled caregivers.

Larson said, “We are always hiring. We start everyone at $18 an hour and we strive to be the highest paying homecare agency so we can attract the best help.”

Caregivers are given extensive training, which includes a certification from the Alzheimer’s Association. Training prepares them for the special attention that clients with Alzheimer’s or dementia require.

“Our caregivers are golden and their goal is to bring joy,” said Larson.

Larson is particularly proud of the fact that her business was one of the first to join Comfort Keepers.

“Now there are 700 worldwide,” she said. For more information about Comfort Keepers, call 570-659-6301 or visit comfortkeepers.com/offices/pennsylvania/williamsport/.

Sun-Gazette

WOODLANDS BANK

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At Woodlands Bank, your financial future is our priority. We listen to your needs and provide you the knowledge and options for your greatest well-being. We believe that convenience and great service is the cornerstone of community banking and hold our standards high. We want your banking to be easy by providing local decision making and convenient hours. We want to fit in your lifestyle, staying abreast of technology with progressive mobile money management and payment solutions that provide you access to your funds wherever you are. We care, valuing your relationship and promising banking experiences comprised of friendly faces and accountable teams. Our customer relationships and community commitments are the core of our bank’s philosophy. Experience banking the Woodlands Way! Woodlands Bank offers branches in downtown Williamsport, Newberry, South Williamsport, Loyalsock Township, Halls Station, Hughesville, Jersey Shore and Lock Haven. Woodlands Bank was founded in 1989 by a small group of entrepreneurs who decided to establish a new community bank in Lycoming County. Many of the existing banks had merged and had grown to a size where personalized service had become only a slogan. These entrepreneurs saw, firsthand, the deteriorating service level of many of the banks in the area.

SCOTT SCHELL

Music

welcome. Located at 825 Canterbury Road, Williamsport,

570-323-6994. Listen to Scott’s new CD “They Year Little League

at https://scottschell.hearnow.com/the-year-little-league-didnt-play

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Schell

Lessons, including guitar, violin and piano, where everyone is

call Scott Schell at

Didn’t Play”

WOLF RUN VETERINARY CLINIC

Wolf Run Veterinary Clinic, 279 Route 220, Muncy, offers a variety of services for pets, including boarding, grooming and acupuncture. Ellie, above, shown wearing eye protection, recently visited the clinic for laser therapy treatment. The remodeled and expanded clinic, top, located just outside Pennsdale off of Route 220, opened in 2019.

Wolf Run Veterinary Clinic lives by motto

By MARK MARONEY mmaroney@sungazette.com

“Your pet is our passion.”

That is the motto at Wolf Run Veterinary Clinic at 279 Route 220, Muncy. Located in Muncy Township just off Interstate 180 and 220, the clinic and small animal hospital sees dogs and cats, said Sabrina Rider, assistant office manager.

“Your dog or cat will be treated just as if it were your grandma,” Rider said.

The veterinary clinic has seven veterinarians on staff and an estimated 60 total staff members.

The work environment is wonderful, she noted.

“We are a team,” she said. “No cliques. It’s like one well-oiled machine.”

Asked about the various trends that are being seen in dogs and cats treated there, Rider did not hesitate by saying allergies.

“We are seeing a lot of dogs with allergies,” she said.

Allergies have different causes but one most prevalent tends to be, for the most part, related to what the animals are eating.

Much of the food today is processed differently than in the past.

In cats the trend tends to be urinary issues that are mostly stress related but also issues regarding feeding and allergies. There is one main hospital that includes nine dog examination areas and three cat examination rooms and separate cat and separate dog entrances to avoid that interaction.

There is a dog kennel facility with 77 separate kennels.

The facility has adequate parking and it also has a grooming service.

“We are a hospital and the vets do surgeries,” Rider said.

The clinic has ultrasound and EKG services.

During Christmas time and over the holidays the interior is decorated like Santa’s Wonderland.

For that expected and unexpected sad time when you must part with your pet there is a rainbow room, a special room for privacy with a fireplace and a couch and grieving packets and information on loss of pets. Wolf Run offers cremation services and has urns that can be specialized, such as those with paw prints.

For emergency situations the facility has 24-to-7 -days a week an on-call trained person available by phone, a triage operator that can answer important questions.

For example if a dog had a toenail cut off and if that needs treatment at home or an appointment. Sometimes people just want to hear someone give them some advice, Rider said.

Depending on the situation veterinarian care can be arranged after hours.

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Fischer Insurance Agency — a go-to choice for thousands

The Fischer Insurance Agency has been Lycoming County’s choice for Erie Insurance since 1966. The agency was founded in 1966 by Raymond J. Fischer Sr. and was originally known as the Raymond J. Fischer Insurance Agency. After answering a local ad in the newspaper, Ray studied for and passed his Property & Casualty test administered by the state of PA. His first office was on the back porch of his home located at 1013 Hepburn Street in Williamsport.

In 1972, Ray moved his office to downtown Williamsport on the second floor of the old Vannucci Building located at 316 West Fourth Street. (The AMC Theater now occupies this space.) Through many referrals, he was able to steadily build a foundation of what eventually became the Fischer Insurance Agency.

As the book of business grew, Ray realized he needed some help to maintain the high level of service he wanted to provide his clients. In 1983, Ray’s son, Jerry, joined the agency after serving four years in the Air Force. The name was changed to the Fischer Insurance Agency in 1985 for marketing and advertising purposes.

The business continued to flourish due to long hours worked by both Ray and Jerry as well as many referrals from clients. People became more aware of Erie’s “Above All in Service” motto, and they saw this high standard in the service the Fischer Insurance Agency provided. The agency started adding additional staff for sales and service. In 1992, Jerry bought the business from Ray. Soon after, the agency moved to 999 N. Loyalsock Avenue in Montoursville for more office space and additional parking.

To address the Health Insurance and Financial needs of many clients, Jerry founded the Fischer Financial Group Inc in 2003. Two years later, the Fischer Insurance Agency and Fischer Financial Group expanded and moved to their current location on the Golden Strip in Williamsport.

In 2013, Jerry’s son, Brian, joined the agency after graduating from the University of Scranton. He began the 3rd generation in the history of the agency. Brian specializes in Commercial Sales. Jerry’s son Kyle joined the business in 2017 after graduating from St. Joseph’s University. Kyle serves as an Administrative Specialist and Technical Support

Analyst. Today, the Fischer Insurance Agency offers Auto, Home, Business, and Life Insurance for Lycoming County and the surrounding areas. The Fischer Financial Group focuses on Group Health, Medicare, and Financial products.

The agency is extremely dedicated to continuing education and product knowledge to better serve its clients and the local community. President Jerry Fischer has obtained the designations of Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), and Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI). Vice President Brian Fischer has achieved both CLCS and CIC designations. Many of the employees have also obtained esteemed designations in the industry.

The agency is fortunate to have a remarkable staff that is dedicated to providing “instant service” to its clients and each other. In fact, the Fischer Insurance Agency has won the Reader’s Choice Award for “Best Insurance Agency” for the last 8 years! In addition,

the agency’s very own Danielle Leone won the award for “Best Insurance Agent” this past year!

“Overall, we strive to put our policyholders in a better position than we originally found them. We have noticed an enhanced ability to do this in today’s ‘hard’ insurance market. Many carriers are raising rates for Auto and Property across the industry. Erie has always been dedicated to steady pricing, and we tend to be very competitive in the marketplace not only in pricing, but also in terms of coverage.”

The Fischer Insurance Agency has been honored to serve the local community’s insurance needs for over 57 years now, and we look forward to continuing that endeavor for many years to come!

TWO OLDE CROWS