Quest Studio Troop Candy Collection Are you left with a mountain of candy after every Halloween? Perhaps you didn’t have as many trick-or-treaters as you anticipated or perhaps your own trick-or-treaters got a few too many treats and you’re looking to spare some Halloween pounds? Don’t let that candy go to waste (or TO your waste!) Donate your excess candy to Quest Studio for “Treats for the Troops”! We will be donating all candy collected to Operation Cookie who will send it to our Troops and Veterans for a sweet treat in their holiday care packages this Christmas. We’ll be collecting candy at Quest Studio (419 Church St. Jessup Pa or 325 3rd Ave. Jessup, PA) during normal class hours until November 15. As a token of our appreciation, Quest Studio will donate One Free Class Pass to the studio for your donation (1 pound minimum. 1 Pass per person. Pass expires 12/31/20). Check out our class schedule for drop off times at www.myqueststudio.com. If you have an address for a soldier serving overseas during the Christmas season you’d like us to send a package to, please send it to talia@myqueststudio.com. Thank you for your support!
Geisinger’s Childbirth Center in Scranton Celebrates One-Year Anniversary Geisinger is celebrating the first anniversary of its Childbirth Center in Geisinger Community Medical Center, which welcomed more than 450 babies since opening Oct. 11, 2019.The Childbirth Center returned a service GCMC had not offered since 2007: maternity care for expectant mothers and babies. The $15 million center features eight spacious delivery and postpartum suites on the city hospital’s third floor. “Since March, as the nation entered the COVID-19 phase, the Childbirth Center helped mothers in the community welcome their bundles of joy safely despite the pandemic,” said Lauren Gleason, operations manager, GCMC Childbirth Center. “Mothers were allowed one visitor, so fathers were still able to be part of this very important moment. Safety and cleanliness were, as always, top priorities. The entire unit took extra precautions, and all guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health were strictly adhered to.” At the Childbirth Center, obstetrician/gynecologists and certified nurse midwives work together to comfort and care for mothers-to-be and their babies, and expectant moms can tailor their birth plans according to their preferences. Midwives facilitate natural birth plans, and OB/GYNs are on duty at all hours to intervene when needed. The hospital’s midwifery program is the first in Scranton offered by a hospital system. “Geisinger’s certified midwifery program is built around the trusted bond women share with their healthcare provider. Our certified nurse midwives provide collaborative, compassionate care attuned to a mother’s individual needs. Known for their ‘low-tech, high-touch’ approach, midwives provide extra care and support during low-risk pregnancies and births with as few interventions as possible,” said Karen Carbaugh, certified registered nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre. The birthing suites are designed to allow expectant mothers to move around freely and feel as comfortable and “at home” as possible. The large rooms are intended for labor, delivery and recovery, so mothers can remain in one place throughout their stay. The facility is fully equipped to provide patient-centered care as well as the latest medical technology, equipment and staff expertise. “As we celebrate our first anniversary, I first want to thank the communities we serve here in Scranton for entrusting Geisinger in bringing world-class healthcare and compassionate service closer to home. The staff in the unit has done an excellent job delivering care to our patients, and I am so honored to be part of this team. We look forward to our continued growth in the region,” said Manuel Arreguin, M.D., chair of Obstetrics/Gynecology in Geisinger’s northeast region. “Our highly educated and trained certified nurse midwives are qualified to administer a wide spectrum of women’s health services with a personal touch and minimal technology and interference during low-risk, low-intervention pregnancies.” For more information and to make appointment, please visit geisinger.org/pregnancycare or call 866-460-6966.
Wolf Administration Honors Students for Creative Safety Messages The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), along with Pennsylvania school bus safety advocates, honored four students for communicating important school bus safety messages through their entries in the 2020 School Bus Safety Poster Contest. The students, in kindergarten through eighth grade, were mailed certificates and trophies recognizing their winning entries in the contest. In a school year cut short by the pandemic, this year’s winners were chosen from 30 student entries solicited from schools across Pennsylvania. The first-place entries will move on to the national competition, which will be judged at a later date. The theme for this year’s contest – “Be Safe – Know the Danger Zone” – reminds students to stay 10 feet from the bus as it approaches the bus stop and while loading and unloading. The 10-foot rule affords bus drivers an unobstructed view of students so that a potentially life-threatening situation can be avoided. “With their talent and creativity, these young artists help us share important safety messages through their creations,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “This year’s creations reinforce the importance of staying out of the bus drivers’ blind spot so that they can clearly see students – a smart choice that can save lives.” 2020 School Bus Safety Poster Contest Winners include: Kindergarten – Grade 21st Place: Aarav Nagarkoti, Montour Elementary School, Coraopolis, Allegheny County Grades 3 – 51st Place: Nishika Reddy Chandupatla, Franklin Elementary School, Sewickley, Allegheny County2nd Place: Arjun Kairi, Mount Lebanon Montessori School, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County3rd Place: Chester Irby, Fort Cherry Elementary, Hickory, Washington County No qualifying entries were submitted for Division 4 (Grades 6-8). There were no entries received this year for the Special Education or Computer Aided Drawing categories. Historically, a portion of the awards ceremonies are dedicated to winners of the Pennsylvania School Bus Driver Safety Competition, however, the June competition was cancelled this year.. “Bus drivers do an extraordinary job every day ensuring the safety of our children as they travel to and from school,” said Corporal Zeina Black, permits and bus safety unit supervisor in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Division of the Bureau of Patrol for the Pennsylvania State Police. “Through their continuing record of safely transporting students, school bus drivers earn the trust and faith that parents put in them daily.” Governor Tom Wolf has proclaimed October 21-25 School Bus Safety Week in Pennsylvania. To help reinforce the importance of school bus safety, the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation and Health, as well as the Pennsylvania State Police and other safety partners, have produced short video messages which are running on PennDOT’s social media platforms during the week. Visit the Department’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation; Instagram at www.instagram.com/PennsylvaniaDOT, or Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews to view. For more information about school bus safety, visit PennDOT’s highway safety website, www.penndot.gov/safety, select the “Traffic Safety and Driver Topics” tab then select the “School Bus Safety” tab. The website also offers an interactive video illustrating Pennsylvania’s school bus stopping law.
La Chic Boutique by Kim Weekend Fundraiser In honor of breast cancer awareness month, La Chic Boutique by Kim will be hosting an event this weekend, October 24-25.There will be a raffle along with 10% off all sales and a percentage of all sales will be donated to the ladies in pink!
Here for the Boos Paint Night Join us at Quest Studio to celebrate Halloween for our “Here for the Boos” Wine Glass Paint Night! Artist Meg Duffy will be with us Friday, October 23 from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM for a night of fun and inspiration as you create and design your choice of your very own wine glass as ghosts or pumpkin goblins. To follow the recommended guidelines for safety against Covid-19, we are limiting the event to 22 people, as well as offering a virtual option including a home paint kit to participate with us with your friends and family from the comfort of home live stream via Zoom! Attend in Person: Cost is $25 per person and includes glassware, paint, supplies and instruction. The event is BYOB and snacks located at 419 Church St in Jessup. Pre-registration is required. Masks will be required to wear into the building and while using the restrooms and getting paint supplies but can be removed when seated. Virtual Option Including Home Paint Kit: Cost is $35 per person and includes glassware, paint, supplies, home instructions, and a link to attend and paint with us live stream via Zoom. You have to choose which paint design you prefer (ghost or pumpkin goblin) at check out. Paint kits can be picked up at Quest Studio. Please contact Quest Studio with questions. 570-815-4655 or talia@myqueststudio.com
Change a Life, Strengthen Your Community Change a life and strengthen your community! There is a child in need in your area! Join us at the dates/time listed below for an informative and interactive online Foster Care information session. October 27, 2020 @ 10:00amhttps://devereux-org.zoom.us/j/96377362884?pwd=Y21ONnc5YUJKaE9Lc1hZODZ6SEdiZz09Meeting ID: 963 7736 2884Passcode: 145577 October 29, 2020 @ 6:00pmhttps://devereux-org.zoom.us/j/96834972413?pwd=OENmWVFGQ0JrNmJaOC8zaHVWRlhpZz09Meeting ID: 968 3497 2413Passcode: 297352 The session will be educational and provide comprehensive information about fostering with Devereux Pocono. You will learn what requirements are necessary to become a licensed foster family, as well as what criteria help make families successful as they foster with Devereux. One of our knowledgeable staff members will be available to answer any questions you have, and will provide you with the guidance you need if you would like to take the next steps in your fostering journey. You will find the link to join the Zoom session listed above. Sessions will typically last 30 minutes, and no registration is required. We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions, contact Marissa McDaniel at mmcdani3@devereux.org.
Dunmore Accounting Firm Gets New Partner, New Name Michael A. BarbettiMichael F. McHale Certified Public Accountant Michael F. McHale has joined the long-standing accounting firm Michael A. Barbetti, LLC as a partner. After operating for nearly 40 years as Michael A. Barbetti, LLC, the firm has changed its name to Barbetti McHale, LLC CPA to reflect the new partnership. “We’re thrilled to bring Michael F. McHale aboard. His thirty years of tax preparation and auditing experience in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are an asset to all of our current and future clients,” said Mr. Barbetti. “The company has a reputation for great working relationships between clients and staff. I’m proud to add my knowledge and experience to the team. Even though we will be operating with a new name, our clients can still rely on the same staff of professionals they’ve known and depended on in the past,” said Mike McHale. McHale has worked extensively with C-Corporations, S-Corporations, Partnerships, Estates, Trusts and individuals. A graduate of the University of Scranton with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting, McHale is also a member of the American Institute, Pennsylvania Institute and New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants. Barbetti McHale, LLC CPA provides professional accounting and tax services to clients ranging from individual taxpayers and family-owned businesses to government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
