A Night In Rio! A True Brazilian Carnaval Experience

Saturday, Feb. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

This is a one-night only event you don’t want to miss! Featuring the award-winning South American band Beleza Brazil and their extravagant dance troupe, dripping in gold and flashing their flesh. Members of Beleza Brazil are veterans of Rio de Janeiro’s world-famous Carnaval parades. Here in the United States, the sensational group brings crowds to their feet with their irresistible mix of Carnaval rhythms performed on guitar, bass and cavaquinho and spiced with hot keyboard harmonies and the joyful, uplifting songs that accompany the renowned celebrations that culminate in February around the globe.

The night will kick off with the sexy, classical bossa nova tunes that are known and loved the world over. Things heat up quickly as they switch into Carnaval mode. The beat of the drums. The joyful rhythms and harmonies. AND the spectacular dancers in their vibrant, glittering costumes. Mucho caliente!

Yes, right here in Downtown Scranton and only at Madame Jenny’s.

*Reminder: Madame Jenny’s mission is to provide a dynamic, state-of-the-art performance venue that offers a unique, intimate experience for both audiences and artists While we strive to present exclusive programming and stellar shows, our beautiful space is limited to only 100 seats. We highly recommend purchasing tickets far in advance as every single one of our shows has sold out since we’ve opened our doors. We are forever grateful for this outpouring of support!

VIP Reserved Seats $75; General Admission $55

Purchase Tickets: https://madamejennys.eventcheckout.com/e/17/a-night-in-rio-a-true-brazilian-carnaval-experience

Geisinger’s 65 Forward Health Center just became even more well-equipped to care for patients 65 and older.

The primary care facility — already specifically tailored to the expanding 65-and-over population with small patient panels, longer doctor’s visits, in-house lab and imaging services, and health, wellness and social activities — recently received accessibility training for blind and visually impaired patients from Northeast Sight Services. Geisinger was the first organization to participate in the nonprofit’s 2020 Community Accessibility Campaign.

Exeter-based Northeast Sight Services recognizes the need to provide resources for the fastest-growing segment of the United States population as the baby boomer generation continues to age into the 65-and-beyond bracket for the next 9 years. This aligns squarely with Geisinger’s mission to make health easier for that same group of people by redesigning primary care to offer them an additional layer of care.

“For more than 100 years, Northeast Sight Services has worked to improve quality of life and help maintain independence for people who are blind or have low vision,” said Amy Feldman, the organization’s director of development. “Working with Geisinger to bolster that effort in our community is a natural collaboration.”

Feldman and Northeast Sight Services vision resource manager Kristen Boyle presented to the 65 Forward staff, educating them on available resources for the blind and visually impaired, the wide spectrum of people with visual needs, proper practice for guiding and assisting patients, and even how the architecture and lighting in a space can affect patient experience.

The presentation featured live demonstrations of sighted guide—the dos and don’ts of assisting the blind and visually impaired—and passing around glasses specially designed to allow wearers to experience the effects of age-related eye conditions like macular degeneration and glaucoma.

“This training was incredibly helpful to our staff,” said Stephanie Pacovsky, operations manager for Geisinger 65 Forward locations in Kington and Scranton. “Our health center already meets much of the criteria for being accessible to the visually impaired, but with this additional education, we will be better suited to care for our patients with visual needs.”

65 Forward staff physician James Tricarico, D.O., said he found the training valuable as well.

“It’s important for us to realize that not everyone who has low vision and needs help navigating our health center can be as easily identified as someone who might be using a cane or a service animal,” said Dr. Tricarico. “Knowing how to engage and guide our visually impaired patients will help us care for them as efficiently as we do their sighted counterparts.”

Learn more at geisinger.org

FNCB Bank, locally based since 1910, recently presented a $2,500 check to The Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development (The Institute) to help fund their community based research designed to help public, private and non-profit leaders make informed decisions to improve the region’s quality of life and standard of living.

The Institute was formed as a partnership of 13 colleges and universities and the business community in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton Metropolitan Statistical Area and serves as an economic and applied research and consulting organization that provides customized client solutions and strategies.

The Institute donation represents part of FNCB’s larger Community Caring initiative. Through outreach programs, donations and an employee volunteer network, FNCB is committed to helping the communities they serve.

Pennsylvania American Water announced today that applications are being accepted for its 2020 Stream of Learning Scholarship Program to provide financial assistance to high school seniors who are planning to pursue careers in the water and wastewater industry. The program is designed to support outstanding students living in Pennsylvania American Water’s service territories who are charting a course of study in specific fields, from engineering to environmental science.

The company will award scholarships of $1,000 each to 10 students. Applicants must:

• Be high school seniors

• Live in a household that is served by Pennsylvania American Water (but may attend college outside of our service area)

• Plan to attend a two- or four-year college or technical school

• Plan to study environmental science, biology, engineering or chemistry

“We take important steps today so that we can continue to provide quality service for generations to come,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Mike Doran. “One way we do this is by offering scholarship assistance to help attract talented young people to the water and wastewater industry for the long-term benefit of our customers, our communities and the environment.”

To further promote this program, Pennsylvania American Water mailed scholarship brochures and applications to more than 120 high school guidance counselors throughout its service territory. Applications can also be downloaded from the company’s website. All applications must be postmarked by April 3, 2020. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges and will receive their awards in May. Family members of Pennsylvania American Water employees are not eligible to participate.

Pennsylvania American Water announced today that applications are now being accepted for the company’s 2020 Environmental Grant Program. The program offers funding for innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect the watersheds, surface water and groundwater supplies in local communities.

“Our commitment to protecting the environment runs deep, and we’re proud to support the efforts of local organizations that share our vision,” said Mike Doran, president of Pennsylvania American Water. “Everyone is responsible for protecting our nation’s water supply, and this program is one way we can help communities play an active role in this important effort.”

To qualify, proposed projects must be:

• Located within the Pennsylvania American Water service area

• Completed between May and November of the grant funding year

• Be a new, innovative community initiative or serve as a significant expansion to an existing program

A panel of judges will evaluate the applications based on environmental need, innovation, community engagement and sustainability. Information and applications can be found on the Environmental Grant Program page of the company’s website. For additional information, please contact pa.communityrelations@amwater.com. Applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2020 and recipients will be notified in April.

Pennsylvania American Water announced that entries are being accepted for its 18th Annual “Protect Our Watersheds” Art Contest. Students grades 4-6 in schools served by Pennsylvania American Water are eligible, as well as individual students who live in the company’s service area. The contest encourages students to tap into their artistic talents to express the importance of protecting water resources across the Commonwealth.

Pennsylvania American Water recently sent contest information and applications to nearly 400 schools in its service territory, encouraging teachers to promote the contest as a fun and imaginative way to draw students’ attention to protecting and preserving Pennsylvania’s watersheds. As part of their entry, students must write a brief narrative on the personal impact of watershed protection.

“This contest demonstrates our company’s commitment to watershed education and protection,” said Jennifer Heymann, source water protection program manager at Pennsylvania American Water. “These students will be the next generation of watershed protectors, and their attitudes and behaviors on the subject will be formed at this early age. It’s important that we plant the seed now on the importance of our water resources.”

In 2019, Pennsylvania American Water received nearly 400 entries from students across the Commonwealth. Sixth grader Lila Weingarten of Spring-Ford Intermediate School earned the grand prize for her colorful artwork depicting planet Earth and the importance of protecting its water. The grand prize winner’s artwork is printed on seed cards, which can be planted in the ground and, with water and sun, will produce a variety of wildflowers.

The deadline for artwork submission is April 10, 2020. Contest rules and entry forms are available on the company’s website. Winners will be selected based on creative vision, artistic talent, understanding of watershed protection and the ability to communicate that understanding. All entrants will receive a Watershed Champion Certificate, and top seven winners will receive bookstore gift cards. For additional information, please contact pa.communityrelations@amwater.com.

Marywood University will hold its inaugural workshop series titled, “Changing the Narrative,” an initiative focused on addressing issues around equity and inclusion in higher education and in the community, on Friday, February 28, 2020, from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., at various locations on campus. Registration begins at 8 a.m. in the Upper Main Dining Room, at the Nazareth Student Center. A Continental breakfast and light lunch will be provided. This event is free and open to the public. To register, visit: https://forms.gle/STD6XLt4omjDAK1YA

The workshop series will challenge our views on race, ethnicity, gender identification, and disability through the lens of intersectionality (the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group). The workshop will focus on our own narratives or beliefs about the world, and having the courage to engage with the narratives of others to help us to understand, grow, and develop from the experience.

Chad Dion Lassiter, executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), will serve as the keynote speaker for the workshop series and will begin his presentation at 6 p.m. in the Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts on the University’s campus. Mr. Lassiter began serving as the Executive Director of Pennsylvania’s top civil rights agency in 2018. Since that time, he has initiated a “NO HATE IN OUR STATE: town hall series, a “Social Justice Lecture Series,” and

a racial reduction response team. In addition, he has implemented the Lean Management program at the PHRC. He has scheduled several specific trainings for the staff so they can be better equipped to do their work including HUD training, EEOC training, and Implicit Bias training.

For additional information about Marywood University’s “Changing the Narrative” workshop series, please contact Yerodin Lucas, Ph.D., interim director for the Office of Equity and Inclusion and Title IX coordinator, at ylucas@maryu.marywood.edu, or call (570) 340-6042. To register for the free workshop series, please visit https://forms.gle/STD6XLt4omjDAK1YA.

The Dime Bank donated $5,000 to the Pike County Public Library through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. The funds will help in the operation of two comprehensive online databases, Grolier Online and Questia Online. Students can access the databases at home or in school to enhance learning. The funding is also being used to support DVE-TV News, a program helping 5th and 6th grade students of Delaware Valley School District (DVSD) research, write, and produce a daily news program featuring world, national and local news, sports, weather, and guest interviews.

Library Director Rose Chiocchi stated, “We’re always thankful for our community partners like The Dime Bank who help us bring resources and exciting opportunities to the school district and our community.”

Sister Angela Kim, IHM, associate professor of social work at Marywood University, received her second Fulbright Specialist Award to Poland from the William J. Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Rzeszow University of Technology in Poland will be her host University, and she will be collaborating on projects with them in June-July 2020.

Sister Angela’s first Fulbright award was to Romania, where she spent time at the University of Bucharest in Bucharest, and Ovidius University in Constanta. In her role, she conducted a series of lectures and seminars for students in psychology, social work, and economics and business programs at both universities regarding immigrants’ and refugees’ need for psychology, social, cultural, political, and economic development.

The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as short-term experts at academic and other institutions aboard. They assist host institutions, including universities, non-governmental organizations, think tanks, and other institutions for a period of 2 to 6 weeks with curriculum improvement, faculty development, institutional planning, and related issues in a wide range of fields including agriculture, economics, education, and public health, among others.