Fidelity Bank recognizes that recent federal funding disruptions may be creating financial uncertainty for federal employees, including Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, and their families. As a trusted community bank, Fidelity Bank is offering an assistance loan program designed to help eligible federal employees navigate financial challenges during this time.

Fidelity Bank is committed to supporting those who serve our communities and country. This assistance loan program is intended to provide temporary financial relief and flexibility for federal employees impacted by a partial government shutdown or government funding disruption. Through local decision-making and personalized client support, Fidelity Bank is here to help during uncertain times.

Fidelity Bank’s TSA and Federal Employee Assistance Loan Program is available to eligible federal employees experiencing financial hardship related to a funding disruption. The program offers access to personal loan assistance with payment flexibility, no fees, and no early payoff penalties. Each request is reviewed individually, allowing Fidelity Bank bankers to work directly with clients to identify appropriate options based on their needs.

Federal employees seeking more information about Fidelity Bank’s assistance loan program are encouraged to visit www.bankatfidelity.com/assistanceloansfederalemployees, call 1-800-388-4380, or contact their local Fidelity Bank branch. Bankers are available to provide guidance and discuss available support options. Federal employees experiencing difficulty with existing loans due to a partial government shutdown are also encouraged to contact a Fidelity Banker for additional assistance.

The Grey Towers Heritage Association is hosting “Art at the Towers: An Open-Air Art Show and Fair” on Saturday, April 25th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM (rain date: April 26th) on the beautiful grounds of Grey Towers in Milford, PA.

This plein air art event celebrates both local creativity and the rich artistic heritage of the Pinchot family, who were not only leaders in conservation but also strong supporters of the arts. Artists will be working on-site throughout the day, giving visitors a unique opportunity to observe the creative process, engage with artists, and purchase original works.

The event will feature a diverse group of regional artists and is open to the public at no cost—continuing the Pinchot tradition of making art and culture accessible to all.

For more information visit www.greytowers.org/events or call 570-491-7306.

The Scranton Art Haus is celebrating its two-year anniversary this April. The theater is presenting the Haus Cinema Club Loyalty Program with a special anniversary discount.

Until the end of April, join for $5. Starting in May, the program will cost $8 and will renew monthly,

The program’s perks include 10% of tickets, reduced online fees, and a new reward points system. For every dollar spent, earn one point. After earning 200 points a free movie ticket can be redeemed.

Club members receive access to alerts for special deals on movies, merchandise, food, and events.

Sign up in person at The Scranton Art Haus.

Join Geisinger School of Medicine students Sunday, April 19, at the Birchwood Racquet Club in South Abington Township for the ThinkBIG Pickleball Tournament. ThinkBIG supports families of pediatric cancer patients in central and northeastern Pennsylvania.

Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. Play starts at 1 p.m. Divisions include intermediate and advanced men’s, women’s and mixed doubles. 

Doubles divisions are limited to 10 teams and mixed doubles to 20 teams. 

Entry is $70 per team for the first event and $40 per team for a second event. 

The registration deadline is April 12. To sign up, call 570‑586‑4030. Don’t miss your chance to play BIG!

Make this summer unforgettable at Misericordia University’s Summer Camps, where students can explore new interests, build skills, and gain valuable hands-on experience in a vibrant campus setting. 

Career Exploration Camps will be held June 28–30 and July 1, 2026, offering opportunities in areas such as academics, athletics, and the arts while helping students discover potential future paths. Participants will engage in interactive activities, learn from experienced instructors, connect with peers, and experience life on a college campus in a fun and supportive environment.

To learn more and register, visit:
https://www.misericordia.edu/campus-community/university-camps/career-exploration-camps

Located on the beautiful campus of Misericordia University in Dallas, PA, the PA Jazz Institute will take place July 27–31, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with a final concert on Friday, July 31 at 3:00 PM.

For more than 30 years, students, educators, and music enthusiasts have learned from world-class instructors and performers while developing skills in improvisation, music theory, history, and more. The experience culminates in exciting performance opportunities, including connections to the Scranton Jazz Festival, making it a truly unforgettable musical experience.

For more information and to register, visit:
pajazzinstitute.com

Quality of Life Message Therapy, LLC is offering a Mother’s Day treat, the Relax and Renew package.

The package costs $100 and includes either a Swedish or therapeutic massage, a foot scrub, and a four ounce jar of homemade scrub.

Cash and Venmo are accepted. Vouchers will be mailed or can be picked up in store. Quality of Life Message Therapy is located at 41 N. Scott St. Carbondale. Call or text Sherri-Petrowski McDade at (570) 766-8249 or email QualityOfLifeLMT@yahoo.com to purchase a voucher.

Discover the benefits of working in a distraction free environment at Urban Co-Works on First Friday for a FREE day of coworking! Friday, April 3 from 9am to 5 pm.

Welcome to First Friday Free Co-Working!

Come to URBAN CO-WORKS for a day of productivity. This event is the perfect opportunity to get your work done in a vibrant co-working space and network with fellow professionals. Whether you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, or remote worker, this event is open to all. Don’t miss out on this chance to experience the benefits of co-working for free! This celebrates the first Friday of the month.

Reserve a spot on Eventbrite.

Join ASEC on April 22nd in the Nazareth Student Center at Marywood University to enjoy a relaxed evening of stories from Africa!
Guests will gather in front of the Fireplace Lounge where featured Storytellers will share their inspiring personal accounts.

Come to learn about the work Catholic Sisters are doing in eleven countries and network with new community members.

Community support helps Catholic Sisters to continue to lead their communities.

Enjoy complimentary coffee and dessert. Open to the public – All are welcome! This community event is free to attend.

Geisinger College of Health Sciences and the University of Scranton Schemel Forum will present “George Gershwin: Music and Healing,” a unique concert-lecture exploring the life, music and creative mind of the legendary composer.

 The event will take place Thursday, April 9, at 6 p.m. at Geisinger College of Health Sciences, 525 Pine St., Scranton. Richard Kogan, MD, professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and artistic director of the Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program, headlines the evening.

Dr. Kogan is internationally recognized for combining live piano performance with insights from psychiatry to explore the creative lives of great composers. Blending music, medicine and history, the program explores how Gershwin transformed everyday sounds into timeless music and examines his creative process, offering audiences a deeper understanding of the relationship between creativity, the human mind and the healing power of music. 

Admission is $40. To register or learn more, contact the Schemel Forum at 570-941-4740 or schemelforum@scranton.edu.  

This presentation is part of the Schemel Forum’s Collaborative Programs series, which partners with regional organizations to bring engaging cultural and educational experiences to the community.

The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education welcomed 62 new resident physicians into residency programs on National Match Day for aspiring doctors on March 20.

The National Resident Matching Program’s Match Day is held annually on the third Friday of March. Medical students nationwide and around the world simultaneously learn which U.S. residency program they will train in for the next three to seven years. It is one of the most important and competitive processes in the medical school experience.

The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education eagerly anticipates Match Day each year, when it learns which medical school graduates will continue their training in its residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The Wright Center is among the nation’s largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Consortiums, training nearly 200 physicians annually.

The Wright Center matched resident physicians in the following regional programs: Internal Medicine Residency (43), Family Medicine – Scranton (6), and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residency (7). Two resident physicians were also welcomed into the Internal Medicine-Geriatrics Integrated Residency and Fellowship Pathway, commonly known as the Combined Med-Geri Pathway, and four residents will join the Family Medicine – HealthSource of Ohio Residency Program, a collaboration between The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education and HealthSource of Ohio in Hillsboro.

The new resident physicians will begin their program on July 1. The incoming residents hail from 14 countries: Pakistan (17), the United States (17), India (7), Jordan (6), the United Arab Emirates (4), Egypt (3), and Canada (1), Georgia (1), Ireland (1), Kazakhstan (1), Lebanon (1), Nepal (1), Nigeria (1), and Turkey (1). 

The Wright Center received 11,019 applications and interviewed 574 candidates, or about 5.2% of the applicants. The National Resident Matching Program makes residency matches, using a mathematical algorithm to pair graduating medical students with open training positions at teaching health centers, educational consortia, hospitals, and other institutions across the U.S. The model considers the top choices of both students and residency programs.

“Match Day is always a highlight – a celebration of our learners’ hard work, resilience, and the bright futures ahead of them,” said Jumee Barooah, M.D., FACP, senior vice president of education and designated institutional official at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education. “This special day represents not only the next chapter for our new resident physicians, but also our ongoing commitment to our mission that strengthens community health by improving the health and welfare of our communities through responsive, whole-person health services for all and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.” 

The Wright Center is celebrating its 50^th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement are a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The organization employs more than 665 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year.

The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education offers ACGME-accredited residency programs in four disciplines – internal medicine, family medicine, physical medicine & rehabilitation, and the combined med-geri pathway – as well as fellowships in cardiovascular disease, gastroenterology, and geriatrics.

In fiscal year 2024-25, The Wright Center served about 38,300 unique patients across its growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including its mobile medical and dental unit, Driving Better Health. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay.  

For more information about The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.