Settlers Hospitality, Runaway Train Unveils “Declaration” Lager A new, Pennsylvania-brewed lager is making its debut in time for Independence Day. “Declaration,” an easy-drinking beer made by Runaway Train Brewery in collaboration with America250PA, offers a crisp, refreshing and accessible way to raise a glass to the spirit of 1776—and the journey ahead to 2026. The team at Runaway Train Brewery led the creative development of both the beer and its striking label. “A lager made for the people, drinkers will find the label unfolds beautifully, much like the extraordinary story of our nation and Commonwealth, with iconic symbols of America and Pennsylvania proudly displayed on each can”, said Vince Benedetto, President & CEO of Bold Gold Media Group, and a Managing Partner in Runaway Train Brewery. The label features the name ‘Declaration’ boldly displayed in the exact font of our Declaration of Independence, along with silhouettes of famous Founding Fathers, a towering Independence Hall, and Keystone emblems, all supported by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and bordered by a parchment frame listing all sixty-seven Pennsylvania counties. Select print on the label also duplicates the font of the very first printed text of the Declaration of Independence, as it appeared in the famous ‘Dunlap Broadside’ produced by Patriot & Pennsylvanian, John Dunlap, on the night of July 4th, 1776. The beer is also proudly ‘PA Preferred’ and brewed with premium Pennsylvania ingredients. The notes of the beer have been described as “a delicious taste of Pilsner malt with a finish and mouth feel of Vienna and a touch of Saaz hops. It’s crisp, refreshing, and at 4% ABV, all day drinkable!” “Runaway Train Brewery and its partners and employees represent a commitment to not only a quality product but also to support Pennsylvania suppliers, small businesses and tell an important story of American History. We’re deeply honored to represent our brand side-by-side with America250PA”, said Justin Genzlinger, CEO of Settlers Hospitality Group and a Managing Partner in Runaway Train Brewery. A portion of proceeds from “Declaration” will directly support America250PA, the Commonwealth’s official commission coordinating statewide efforts for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. “Beer has always brought people together—and in colonial America, it was part of everyday life,” said Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of America250PA. “When they weren’t declaring independence, our founders were brewing and enjoying beer. In that spirit, we’re proud to partner with Runaway Train on ‘Declaration.’ As we build toward an EPIC calendar of events in 2026, now is the perfect time to introduce our official beer—great for barbecues, concerts, or just toasting 250 years of American history. And like this commemoration, it’s proudly Pennsylvanian and made to be shared.”“Declaration” will be available at Runaway Train Brewery beginning this July, with rollout to select locations across Pennsylvania leading up to 2026. Fans can enjoy an exclusive first tasting at NASCAR Race Weekend at Pocono Raceway, June 20th – 22nd. Availability updates and additional locations will be shared at: America250PA.beer.
Scranton Counseling Center to Host Summer Splash for Mental Health Event Scranton Counseling is hosting its first annual Summer Splash for Mental Health on Thursday August 14th from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm at our Center, 329 Cherry Street, Scranton, PA 18505. Your donation will support the various programs at SCC that help our community members with their mental and behavioral health needs. Tickets are $80 and include a BBQ dinner catered by Caravia, one summer drink ticket, music, games and building tours! Event sponsorships are available. Please contact Doug Hein, Director of Development at 570.348.6100, ext. 3222 or Douglas.Hein@ScrantonSCC.org for details. Tickets and sponsorships can also be purchased at https://4agc.com/event/summersplash. We hope to see you there!!
The Wright Center: Finding New Ways to Meet Mental Health Needs in the Community By Stephanie A. Gill, M.D., MPH We’ve made significant strides locally and across the nation in reducing the stigma of mental health and people are finally getting the help they need. But we still need to do better, especially when it comes to increasing access for people from underrepresented communities. It just so happens July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a yearly observance of the mental health challenges faced by racial and ethnic minority groups and the need to expand access to mental health care. Many people simply don’t have easy access to care, particularly those from minority populations. We can attribute this to several factors, including a lack of health insurance, as well as lingering stigmas about mental health care that prevent people from getting the help they need. According to a November 2024 brief issued by the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration’s (HRSA) Bureau of Health Workforce, in 2023 approximately 59 million American adults — 23% of all adults — had some form of mental illness, with nearly half of them not receiving treatment. Behavioral health services can be difficult to access due to a lack of providers, high out-of-pocket costs, coverage gaps, and other factors. And the average wait time for services is 48 days, according to HRSA. Health care systems, governmental bodies, and other organizations all need to do a better job of increasing access to mental health treatment services. Fortunately, our mental health services available here in Northeast Pennsylvania continue to improve. At The Wright Center, we offer a variety of behavioral health services, including therapy, psychological assessments, and psychiatric care, for children, adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety, adjustment disorders, depression, ADHD, bipolar and related disorders, substance-related and addictive disorders, bullying, relationship stressors, trauma, loss and grief, and postpartum depression. Our care model continues to evolve. A few months ago, we began participating in a multi-year grant awarded to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) to improve access to whole-person primary health services for people with co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders. The Wright Center is one of multiple primary care sites in Pennsylvania participating in the five-year project to promote the use of collaborative care, an evidence-based model that enhances the coordination of behavioral health services in primary care settings. Meanwhile, we just recently expanded our psychiatry services via two recent hires — Dr. Jean Gauvin and Dr. Evan Silvi. Dr. Gauvin, who earned his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, will provide a full range of services to patients via office-based remote appointments five days a week. Dr. Silvi, a graduate of Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, will also provide office-based remote psychiatry appointments for patients of all ages. Both will work with colleagues across The Wright Center to continue integrating behavioral health and primary health services. We’re thrilled to have Dr. Gauvin and Dr. Silvi on board. Through their office-based remote care, we’re making some significant gains in accessibility for individuals in underserved and under-resourced areas, reducing barriers to behavioral health care. Much work remains to be done in terms of improving mental health care, but with increased advocacy and innovation, we’ll continue to make notable strides toward greater equity. Stephanie A. Gill, M.D., MPH, is a board-certified family medicine physician at The Wright Center for Community Health and the program director and physician faculty member of the Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Regional Family Medicine Residency Program. For more information about The Wright Center’s psychiatry services, go to TheWrightCenter.org/services/psychiatry-services.
Misericordia University to Hold Summer Theater Camp Join us July 21–26, 2025, for PATA Summer 2025—an inclusive, high-energy performance arts program for youth of all abilities! Held at Misericordia University, this exciting week blends music, dance, theater, and creativity in a supportive and inspiring environment. Learn more and register at patasphere.org/summer-pata-2025.
Grey Towers, Finger Bowl Held at Pinchot Dining Room Come enjoy a unique and historical dining experience at the outdoor Finger Bowl at Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford, PA, home of two-time governor and conservationist Gifford Pinchot, on July 19 at 5 p.m. Considered Grey Towers’ most popular feature, The Finger Bowl served as the Pinchot family’s outdoor dining room. Added in 1934 to the French-style mansion and gardens constructed in the 1880s By James and Mary Pinchot, the unique water-filled table was the site of many lively discussions about politics, social issues, and conservation efforts. “The food was passed to guests by floating filled wooden bowls and balsa rafts on the water. The opening in the wisteria-covered pergola permitted moonlight to radiate across the water. This recreation of those dinners, which we first did last year with a sold-out audience, is a very romantic and magical evening for everyone,” promises Linda Pinto, GTHA Board member and one of the event’s organizers. Grey Towers Heritage Association invites members and the general public to enjoy a tribute to this lovely tradition in mid-summer as they savor delicious foods prepared and served in the tradition of the Pinchot family’s dinner celebrations. A wine and hors d’oeuvres reception starts at 5 p.m., with dinner seating at 6 p.m. around the water-filled Finger Bowl table, and at tables that line the perimeter of the pergola. Only pergola seats are currently available, and those seats provide an equally magical evening. Seating is limited, so reserve yours now at https://greytowers.org/event/finger-bowl-candlelight-dinner/. A second Fingerbowl dinner will take place on September 5 as a fundraiser for the Heritage Association’s Legacy Scholarship, which awards scholarships to tri-state public high school students who plan to study natural resources, science, economics, ecology, education, and social sciences. Tickets for that dinner are also on sale now at https://greytowers.org/events.
Geisinger Cuts Ribbon on New Cancer Center in Dickinson City Standalone facility expands care close to home for Lackawanna County Geisinger officials, employees and community partners gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, June 19, to celebrate the impending opening of a new state-of-the-art cancer center. Geisinger Cancer Center Dickson City, expected to see its first patients on June 23, will expand cancer services, offer more appointments in the community and keep care closer to home for the residents of Lackawanna County. Planning for the cancer center was driven by research that showed cancer-related visits are expected to increase in Geisinger’s northeast region by 7% between 2022 and 2032, and demand for chemotherapy is expected to grow by more than 9% between 2022 and 2027. “Every program expansion we complete at Geisinger is driven by the needs of the communities we serve,” said Ron Beer, chief administrative officer of Geisinger’s northeast region. “Lackawanna County and surrounding communities deserve a cancer center of this caliber, where all of the specialty care and supportive care they need can be delivered in one modern facility.” Geisinger Cancer Center Dickson City is 61,000 square feet and home to 22 infusion bays, a hematology and oncology clinic with 17 exam rooms, and dedicated spaces for multidisciplinary care and palliative care. It will also provide radiation oncology — a first for Geisinger in Lackawanna County — as well as a pharmacy and laboratory services. The campus features a variety of patient amenities, including food services, and a courtyard with gardens and natural views. The cancer center was designed with a focus on patient experience. The infusion area, for example, was built around a circular garden that provides a serene view for anyone receiving infusion therapy. “This facility is our commitment to making sure our patients never have to leave Lackawanna County to receive outstanding care during one of the most difficult times of their life,” said Rajiv Panikkar, M.D., chair of the Geisinger Cancer Institute. “This new cancer center and our team of exceptional providers, in partnership with our comprehensive care teams, allow us to offer our patients leading-edge treatment, advanced technologies and access to a variety of clinical trials.” The opening of the cancer center reinforces Geisinger’s pledge to offer the best quality care to everyone it serves. It complements the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, where there is also an inpatient unit for treatment of more complex cancers. “Geisinger Cancer Center Dickson City continues our legacy of investing in our communities so their residents can live their best, healthiest lives, said Terry Gilliland, M.D., president and CEO of Geisinger. Because we do more than treat patients — we treat people, families and communities. And we’ll continue to do so for decades to come.” Geisinger Cancer Center Dickson City is at 703 Martin F. Gibbons Blvd., at the north end of Viewmont Drive, near Dickson City Crossings, Viewmont Mall and Interstate 81. To learn more about cancer care in Lackawanna County, visit geisinger.org/cancerinstitute.
The Chamber Board Advocates for WVIA’s Impact As you are certainly aware, the White House formally asked Congress to rescind federal funding appropriated for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This effort would zero out funds already approved by Congress to fund CPB (and NPR and PBS) over the next two years. This is significant to all of us in northeastern Pennsylvania as our public broadcasting station, WVIA, receives approximately $1.2 million in critical federal funding from CPB each year—roughly 20% of its overall budget. If this funding is cut, WVIA could be forced to immediately reduce or eliminate important television and radio programs and resources, and emergency broadcasting services. Perhaps most notable, they would have to re-examine the allocation of resources currently invested in local news. Over the past few years, WVIA has grown its new division in both mediums—providing a valuable additional local perspective on issues and topics of interest to our communities. Further, WVIA long-form news programming allows the station to drill deeper on many subjects of local import, serving the public in both civic and economic realms. WVIA has delivered relevant, in-depth programing for nearly 60 years, including award-winning locally produced documentaries, performances, news and public affairs programs across TV, radio, and digital platforms. On behalf of the Board of Directors of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, we ask you to reject this proposed action, and send a signal of your support of WVIA—an invaluable regional asset.
Maternal & Family Health Services Held Inaugural Education Seminar On June 12, more than 100 healthcare professionals, advocates, and community leaders from across northeastern and central Pennsylvania gathered at the Hilton Scranton for the first-ever Regional Maternal Health Coalition Educational Seminar, hosted by Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) in partnership with The Institute. The seminar marked the official launch of the Regional Maternal Health Coalition (RMHC), a multi-county initiative designed to address maternal health disparities and improve maternal health outcomes through local collaboration. The event brought together 110 registrants representing at least 14 counties and a wide array of organizations, including healthcare providers, public health agencies, academic institutions, nonprofits, and community advocates. The seminar focused on the Coalition’s five priority areas, aligned with the Pennsylvania Maternal Health Strategic Plan, and served as the first step in building a unified regional response to pressing maternal health challenges. Notable speakers and attendees included: Dr. Maria Montoro Edwards, President & CEO, MFHS Jill Avery-Stoss, President, The Institute Sara Goulet, Special Advisor to the PA Secretary of Human Services Dr. Aasta Mehta, Director, Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health, Philadelphia Department of Public Health Dr. Marc Rabin, MFHS and Physicians Health Alliance Dr. Amanda Flicker, Lehigh Valley Health Network Dr. Imanni Sheppard, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Claudia Streets Cramer, Maternal Health Advocate Representative Bridget Kosierowski, PA 114th District Attendees had the opportunity to hear expert presentations, share ideas, and contribute to the development of strategies that will drive local action and advocacy moving forward. Resources from the event, including speaker presentations, are available at mfhs.org/rmhc.
