The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum Holds Wine Event Wine education presented by David Falchek, wine writer and former executive director of the American Wine Society A new program of The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum will feature a unique wine education event, “Vinho and Views: Exploring Portugal’s Wine Heritage,” presented by David Falchek, wine writer and former executive director of the American Wine Society. The event will be held Friday, June 6, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. This 90-minute event will feature a four-course wine tasting accompanied by hors d’oeuvres, a presentation on Portuguese wines and an interactive discussion. “When we think about wine from Portugal, we often think only of Port,” said Falchek. However, Portugal is a centuries-old wine producing region that produces all kinds of wines. “Portugal’s wines have evolved with its people, culture and cuisine, becoming a springboard for the region and what shaped it,” said Falchek. Participants will enjoy a guided tasting of four iconic wines, including the refreshing Vinho Verde, a still white from the Dão region, a bold red blend and the renowned Tawny Port. They will also learn how Portuguese wines are made from indigenous grape varieties that set the country’s wines apart from those of other wine-producing regions throughout the world. “When you open a bottle of Portuguese wine, it is completely unique to the region,” said Falchek. Alongside the tasting, participants will learn about the accidental creation of Port wine during a trade war between England and France and how that influenced not just the wine’s evolution, but also the names of Port wines. The presentation will also include discussions about Portugal’s significant contributions to the worldwide wine industry as the primary producer of wine corks from the country’s sustainable forests. Participants don’t need to be wine connoisseurs to appreciate and enjoy this event, said Falchek. “You’re the master of your own taste. No one can tell you what you do and don’t like,” he said, adding that he hopes participants will come prepared to be more adventurous in drinking something new. For those unsure about trying a new wine, Falchek says, “Try it … try it and find out what you like.” A wine you enjoy today may not be your favorite tomorrow, as tastes change over time. “In the end, it’s really a personal journey,” he said. Falchek has been published in Beverage Media, Vineyard & Winery Management and others, and writes a drinks column for The Scranton Times. To register for this wine education event, or for more information on the Schemel Forum, call 570-941-4740 or email rose.merritt@scranton.edu. The cost for the wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, lecture and discussion is $60 per person and $100 per couple. There is no additional fee for Schemel Forum Members, Angels and Archangels. University of Scranton and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students, staff and faculty must purchase tickets. Attendees must be 21 or older. To pay online, visit: www.scranton.edu/schemelforum. Additional Schemel Forum events can be found on the Schemel Forum’s webpage.
Geisinger Health Plan to Host Community Pet Expo Geisinger Health Plan is hosting its second Community Pet Expo on Sunday, June 8, from noon to 4 p.m. at Kirby Park at 280 Market St. in Wilkes-Barre. Attendees will learn how pets can enrich their lives by providing companionship, increasing physical health and overall well-being, and lowering stress levels. The event will include: Local vendors Rescue organizations Dog walking path Pet photo contest Raffle prizes Music and entertainment provided by 92 Mix FM Photo booth To enter the pet photo contest, send your contact information and your best pet photo to goldevents@geisinger.edu by Monday, June. 2. Free gift without obligation to enroll. Visit go.geisinger.org/communityexpo-pets for more information.
The Wright Center Resident Physician Earns National Award for Advocacy Work A resident physician in The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine Residency Program received a national award for his advocacy work in Washington, D.C. Dr. Usman Rana accepted the National Association of Community Health Centers’ (NACHC) 2025 Elizabeth K. Cooke Advocacy MVP Award at the association’s Policy & Issues Forum held Feb. 5-8 in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes efforts to educate federal and state legislators about community health centers and to establish and expand grassroots advocacy efforts at health centers across the country. Dr. Rana, a 40-year-old resident physician from Pakistan, became interested in advocacy efforts after a federal policy change prevented him from completing his geriatrics fellowship at The Wright Center in 2022. Observing leadership’s efforts at The Wright Center to support him and other affected fellows inspired him deeply. While the fellowship path shifted, prompting Dr. Rana to join The Wright Center’s Internal Medicine Residency Program, the experience sparked his commitment to advocacy work. “I had no idea what was happening in Washington, D.C., or how it affected health care here in Scranton or across the country,” he said. “I realized that being a voice for your community, colleagues, and patients can work miracles.” For the past two years, Dr. Rana has been involved in The Wright Center’s Advocacy Team, first as a resident leader and now as the resident chief. In addition to educating his colleagues about issues, Dr. Rana has participated in several advocacy opportunities on Capitol Hill. He focuses on several topics, including the need for long-term reauthorization of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, increased funding for community health centers like The Wright Center, and improved access to health care and prescription medication. In his nomination for the NACHC award, leaders at The Wright Center noted Dr. Rana’s remarkable efforts to continue building a culture of advocacy within the enterprise and the larger community. “Dr. Rana, The Wright Center’s chief resident of advocacy for public health priorities, is a remarkable physician servant leader in support of our work to enact policy change in our nation’s public health policies. In this role, he is a member of the advocacy committee of our governing board and works closely with The Wright Center’s Advocacy Team,” said Jennifer Walsh, Esq., senior vice president and chief legal and governance officer at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “His passion is helping to elevate the key role that physicians can play in helping to shape federal and state policies to better serve patients, their families, and the communities they serve.” While in Washington, D.C., to accept the NACHC award, Dr. Rana joined several other leaders from The Wright Center in meeting with legislators on Capitol Hill, including freshman U.S. Representative Rob Bresnahan, who took office in January. He represents Pennsylvania’s 8th District, which includes Lackawanna, Wayne, and Pike counties, as well as most of Luzerne and Monroe counties. Dr. Rana said sharing patient stories with U.S. Representative Bresnahan and other federal, state, and local leaders is an effective way to educate them on the role The Wright Center and other community health centers across the country play – not just in providing affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory, whole-person primary health services to everyone, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay, but also as educational powerhouses addressing the growing shortage of primary care physicians nationwide. “Sharing these stories creates an impact that can lead to positive change,” Dr. Rana said. “It’s something that I want to continue to do even after I graduate in June and begin providing medicine, hopefully here in the region.”
MTF Biologic Selected for NEPA Best Places to Work by Times Leader MTF Biologic is honored to have received this special award at our locations in Northeast Pennsylvania! Our employees are proud to be part of this amazing organization. MTF Biologics is a company with a culture that focuses on its employees as well as its incredible Core Purpose of Saving and Healing Lives.
Space Time Mead & Cider Works Releases Special Meads for Upcoming Festival Samples will be available, and bottles can be purchased at the Carbondalien Festival Vendor Fair at 20 N Main St, Carbondale, Saturday, November 9th from 11am-5pm. Space Time® Mead & Cider Works will release three limited-edition honey wines commemorating the 50th anniversary of the UFO sighting in Carbondale. The limited releases are “CarbondAlien”, “Take Me to Your Meader”, and “Galactic Gold” sweet honey wines “For our new CarbondAlien Mead, a sweet wine made with orange blossom honey, we commissioned label art from a wonderful local artist, Katie Campbell”, says Dan Schreffler President and winemaker. “Take Me to Your Meader, and Galactic Gold are special because the label art and the wines were made by local amateur mead makers. They turned out fantastic!’ stated Dan.
Nine Effects of Stress on your Body Chronic stress can affect your whole body — from your head to your heart. By Allison Bailey, MD, Geisinger psychiatrist Stress is a powerful thing. In small doses, it can motivate you to ace that presentation at work or land your dream job. However, if left unchecked for a long time, stress is anything but motivating.So what’s really going on when you’re stressed? And how can paying attention to your stress improve your health? Whether you’ve narrowly avoided a car accident or are worried about losing your job, stressful situations trigger a release of hormones that cause a stress reaction, also called a fight-or-flight response. This reaction starts in a part of your brain called the amygdala, which processes emotions like fear. When the amygdala senses danger, it sends a distress signal to your hypothalamus, which communicates to the rest of your body via the nervous system. When the hypothalamus gives the signal, your brain releases hormones like epinephrine (also called adrenaline) and the stress hormone cortisol into your bloodstream. The fight-or-flight response is a survival mechanism that lets us react quickly to dangerous situations by preparing to either fight or run from the stressor. Some physical signs your fight-or-flight response has kicked in include: Rapid breathing and heart rate Heightened senses and awareness Tense muscles Pale or flushed skin Cold or clammy hands Dilated pupils Dizziness Nausea In a truly dangerous situation, this response can be lifesaving. But when stress is chronic and this system is activated too often, it takes a toll on your body. Left unmanaged, stress impacts you physically, mentally and emotionally. Research shows that chronic stress can have effects on almost every system in the body — from the heart to the digestive system to the immune system. Here are 9 effects of stress on your body: 1. Elevated blood pressure It’s normal for your blood pressure to temporarily spike when your fight-or-flight response is activated. But when stress becomes chronic, it could lead to long-term high blood pressure, which increases your risk of heart disease. 2. Weakened immune system Do you feel like you always catch a cold after finishing a stressful project? It’s probably because of cortisol’s effect on your immune system. When you’re stressed, your body releases this hormone. Cortisol temporarily inhibits your ability to fight off infections because it decreases your body’s supply of white blood cells. This can make you more prone to catching illnesses like a cold or the flu. 3. Chronic inflammation Too much cortisol over a long period can also cause your immune system to overreact in the form of inflammation. Inflammation is a critical part of the healing process as your body responds to intruders like viruses and bacteria. But when no intruders are present and your body is still sending out inflammatory signals, it can lead to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been linked to several health conditions including: Arthritis Diabetes Heart disease Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Alzheimer’s disease and dementia Cancer Going through periods of high stress doesn’t automatically mean you’ll develop one of these conditions, but it can put you at increased risk — or make symptoms worse if you already have something like arthritis or IBS. 4. Headaches Why does it always seem like a pounding headache strikes right when your frustration reaches its peak? Because your muscles tense up during the fight-or-flight response, chronic stress can cause tension headaches or trigger migraines in people prone to them. 5. Anxiety, depression or mood changes Beyond its physical effects, stress can also take a toll on your mental health.Studies have shown that chronic unmanaged stress can trigger anxiety, depression, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability. 6. Weight gain There’s a reason you reach for mac and cheese or cake whenever you’re stressed — and once again, the culprit is cortisol.Cortisol can cause cravings for foods rich in fat, sugar and salt. This is because our bodies are looking for quick doses of energy to prepare for whatever perceived threat we’re facing. Over time, elevated cortisol levels can affect metabolism and your body’s ability to regulate insulin. Continuing to reach for comfort foods during stressful situations could become an unhealthy habit that leads to weight gain. 7. Difficulty sleeping You’re too stressed to sleep, so you stay up late. The next night, you’re so tired that you worry about falling asleep and end up staying up late again. Sound familiar? Stress and sleep can be a slippery slope. Increased adrenaline and cortisol can make you feel too on edge to fall asleep and sleep deprivation can make you more likely to get stressed out. 8. Decreased sex drive Wondering where your libido went? First consider how stressed you’ve been. When we’re going through periods of high stress, it’s perfectly normal for sex to be the last thing on our minds. This is typically only temporary and should resolve as you cope with the stress. 9. Changes to your menstrual cycle If you’ve noticed your period is later, heavier or shorter than usual, it could be due to stress.Because of chronic stress’ effect on hormones, you may have irregular menstrual cycles. Always talk with your doctor about any changes in your period and be sure to mention if you’ve had any long-term stress lately. Ways to relieve stress So, how do you reduce stress once you have it? t might be tempting to overeat, drink alcohol or use tobacco, but those things provide temporary relief at best, and only add to health problems in the long run. Some healthier ways to relieve stress include: Exercise Deep breathing Yoga Meditation Getting enough sleep Eating a healthy diet Exercise is an especially great way to reduce or eliminate stress, boost your energy levels and improve your mood, not to mention your overall health. And you don’t have to run miles to get the benefits for your mind and body. You can start small by taking a daily walk. But if walking isn’t your jam, try a short-guided meditation instead. It’s not always clear what’s causing your stress — or maybe the effects aren’t going away. Your doctor can work with you to identify causes and discuss coping techniques. They might also refer you to a licensed therapist or a professional counselor who can help you pinpoint and possibly eliminate sources of stress. And if constant stress leaves you with sudden chest pain and shortness of breath, get help immediately. Listen to your body. When it tells you it’s under stress or you need help coping, pay attention to that message, so you can enjoy a long, healthy, high-quality life. For more health and wellness topics, visit Geisinger.org/balance.
The Wright Center and NE PA AHEC Workshop Collaboration Nevena Barjaktarovic, M.D., a dually board-certified physician in internal medicine and rheumatology at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, will present a free educational session on lupus for Northeast Pennsylvania primary care and emergency room doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NE PA AHEC) is sponsoring the internal medicine didactic session, which will be held from 8-10 a.m., Wednesday, July 31, in The Wright Center for Community Health – Scranton Auditorium, 501 S. Washington Ave. Participation is limited and registration is required by Friday, July 19. To register, visit bit.ly/3QRJqTf. Participants may join in person or virtually through Webex video conferencing. The video conferencing link will be provided after registration. The session is a part of the American College of Rheumatology Rural Health Outreach Project, aimed at improving lupus referral, diagnosis, and treatment in underserved communities. It also will help raise awareness among health care providers of lupus signs and symptoms, what to do if lupus is suspected, and when to consider lupus in the differential diagnosis for individuals at high risk. About 1.5 million Americans have a form of lupus, 90% of whom are women, with about 16,000 new cases annually, according to the Lupus Foundation of America. Lupus is two to three times more prevalent among Black, Hispanic/Latina, Asian American, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander women than white women. Those with lupus can experience significant symptoms, including pain, extreme fatigue, hair loss, cognitive issues, and physical impairments that affect every facet of their lives. Many suffer from cardiovascular disease, strokes, disfiguring rashes, and painful joints. For others, there may be no visible symptoms. Dr. Barjaktarovic specializes in diagnosing and treating a broad spectrum of rheumatic and inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, connective tissue disease, fibromyalgia, gout, joint pain, osteoporosis, psoriasis, and lupus. She also serves as a physician-faculty member at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, where she mentors residents and fellows. A Clarks Summit resident, Dr. Barjaktarovic joined The Wright Centers in 2020 and earned her medical degree from the Medical School of Belgrade University, Serbia. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at James J. Peters VA Medical Center, affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, and her rheumatology fellowship training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, also in the Bronx.
TYAD Honored Gatto as Supervisor of the Quarter When it comes to leadership at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Brandon Gatto, Chief of the Tobyhanna Legal Office, believes that good leaders will not instruct their teams to do something they wouldn’t do themselves. For his hard work, dedication to service, and strong leadership, he has been named Tobyhanna Army Depot’s (TYAD) Supervisor of the Quarter for the 1st Quarter of FY24. Gatto joined Team Tobyhanna following years of experience working in law. Having earned degrees from Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and Temple University School of Law, he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable James A. Gibbons in Lackawanna County and then a judicial law clerk to the Honorable James M. Munley in the United States (U.S.) District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. From there, he worked as a litigation associate at a large law firm headquartered in Philadelphia. Gatto joined the U.S. Army Reserve as a judge advocate right around the same time he entered private practice. He said he found the work to be inspiring and that he enjoyed the idea of being part of something bigger than himself and using the law to help servicemembers. It was the work he performed with the U.S. Army Reserve that inspired him to seek out full-time opportunities with the Army, which led to his eventual joining of Team Tobyhanna. Gatto said he appreciated the leadership component of the Army. During his initial year as a judge advocate, he said he received some of his best leadership training and had opportunities to work directly with extraordinary leaders. Lauren Leary, who serves as a Paralegal Specialist at TYAD, said that his leadership skills are second to none. “You often hear leaders describe themselves with words such as selfless, humble, and altruistic, but it is rare to find a leader that truly embodies all of these traits. Brandon is the embodiment of those qualities. He is incredibly caring and kind and is never too busy for any of us in the office,” said Leary. “He also consistently sets clear expectations and goals for his employees, so we never have to wonder what is expected of us. I can probably speak for everyone in the office when I say that we are not only better employees under his leadership, but also better people.” Legal Assistant Wendy Deprimo echoed Leary’s sentiment, saying she has learned and grown much under his guidance. “Words can’t possibly convey my admiration, respect, and appreciation for Brandon. He leads by example, inspiring trust, and empowering those around him. His natural ability to lead, inspire, mentor, and motivate others is truly impressive,” said Deprimo. “I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to work under his leadership and continue this growth journey.” Gatto’s leadership style embodies the old saying “there is no ‘I’ in ‘Team,’” metaphorically saying that the legal office rolls the ball up the hill collectively. “This is not a legal office where we sit back and wait for bad things to happen. We’re incredibly proactive. We work hard to understand new issues quickly and to empower those we serve to do what’s best for our client – the Army. ‘Leading by example’ is part of our overall culture and the servant leadership ethos that we try to practice,” said Gatto. “The ‘servant leadership’ mentality directly aligns with ‘leading by example.’ We prioritize client service, put the needs of others before our own, take ownership of the problems we face, and equip leaders to act with confidence. Doing so has helped us build trust across the organization quicker and demonstrate that we are all part of the same team.” Associate Counsel Shanna Williamson feels Gatto’s leadership style resonates with her, saying it is the epitome of reliable, honest leadership. “Brandon exemplifies what it is to be a true leader. He is decisive, compassionate, and fair,” said Williamson. “I am privileged to learn from his example daily.” Associate Counsel Jamie Schelling said Gatto not only inspires the team to reach their max potential but also makes coming to work a pleasure. “Brandon challenges us to think outside the box to find new, more efficient ways of doing things and he listens without judgment when we do. He makes it a priority to recognize our team’s wins big or small,” said Schelling. “He provides constant support but also trusts us to tackle projects without his oversight. He makes coming to work every day enjoyable and inspires us all to reach our full potential.” One recent initiative that Gatto supported, with help from TYAD’s Business Intelligence Team, was the development of a work tracker aimed at tracking responsiveness to client questions, among other things. The idea nests with the depot’s overall desire to implement metrics-based dashboards for each cost center with the goal of making data-driven decisions. Gatto said that although the team previously tracked each matter that they handled, they felt it didn’t really equate to a tracking service that their clients could see. He said the team decided to begin tracking responsiveness formally because they recognized it is important to their people. They quickly found that they were turning around client requests within 1-2 days, which is a high mark considering the complexities of some issues that arise. “Most of our leaders need answers yesterday. Showing them that we have the ability to rapidly analyze complicated legal questions builds trust immediately,” said Gatto. “It also dispels the myth that questions get ‘stuck in the legal office.’” Gatto credited the entire legal team, which boasts many years of experience, for his receiving the honor. He said that without them and their hard work and dedication, success wouldn’t be possible. “We have an exceptional team in both the professional and personal sense. I think our diversity and our experiences have led to that,” said Gatto. “My Supervisor of the Quarter plaque has a sticky note over it that says ‘Teamwork Award.’ That’s how I really consider it. Any individual recognition is a result of the team’s success overall. When one of us is celebrated, we’re all celebrated, and I believe that’s the mentality throughout the office.” Associate Counsel David Tomaszewski also works closely alongside Gatto in TYAD’s Legal Office. He said Gatto is the most talented and caring leader he’s had to privilege to work with. “Brandon consistently demonstrates the utmost character, competence in his guidance, and commitment to serving the best interests of Army, TYAD, and his Legal Office teammates. He fosters a collaborative team-oriented environment where everyone’s opinions and ideas are respected and valued. While Brandon has high expectations, the atmosphere in which we achieve them is relaxed and even fun,” said Tomaszewski. “Brandon truly cares about our professional and personal development and well-being. We are all inspired to do our best for him, as he always does his best for us. In my 38 years of legal practice both in military and civilian settings, I have not enjoyed a job more, nor experienced a more talented and caring leader, teammate, or coworker. I am proud to have the good fortune, honor and privilege to serve under Brandon’s leadership.” At the end of the day, Gatto said it is the individuals surrounding him that brings him the most joy in his work. “I have exceptional people throughout my chain of command. It’s the same thing I love about working for the Army. It’s the people,” said Gatto. The Supervisor of the Quarter award – and its companion Employee of the Quarter awards – are TOBY2035 initiatives aligned with the Invest in Our People line of effort. The plan, which has three additional focus areas, strives to position Tobyhanna for success in the coming years as the Department of Defense’s premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider.
Golden Awarded Five Scooter Categories in Fourth Consecutive Contract Golden Technologies is excited to announce they have been awarded their fourth consecutive, five-year contract since 2003 by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to supply mobility products. Golden proudly provides power scooters across the VA nationwide to enhance the quality of life for Veterans and allow them the freedom of movement and independence they so deserve. This significant partnership ensures continued quality products for America’s Veterans with Golden’s commitment as they celebrate 40 years in business next year. Golden submitted scooters in five categories and was awarded the contract for all five. The VA will continue to provide veterans with Golden’s popular Companion GC240 Mid-Size 3-wheel and GC340 Full-Size 3-wheel scooters. Additional products new to the VA contract include the Companion GC440 Full-Size 4-wheel and the newly launched GC540 Heavy-Duty 3-wheel scooters – now fully representing the entire Companion Series product offering. The compact portable BuzzAround HD 4-wheel scooter rounds out the fifth category. “We are ecstatic and incredibly honored to have been awarded the contract to continue providing top-of-the-line power mobility scooters to our Veterans and introduce even more exceptional models in additional categories with this new commitment from the VA,” said Rich Golden, CEO of Golden Technologies. “The Golden brand is associated with quality, innovation, and compassion, focused on supplying home medical equipment that changes lives. It is profoundly humbling to provide our amazing Veterans with power scooters to access critical medical care and accomplish necessary tasks in home and community environments that are so important as they gain more independence in their daily life,” he added. “I am extremely proud and grateful that Golden Technologies was awarded the Nationwide Scooter Contracts by the VA. For the past 21 years, the continuous effort and determination of the entire Golden team – from our VA Customer Service, VA Technical Service, Production, Research & Development, and Shipping departments have demonstrated our dedication and commitment to the Department of Veterans Affairs and our nation’s Veterans,” said Donna Payer, VA National Account Director. She added, “We are all very proud of our awards and are excited to continue our strong working relationship with our VA Medical Centers.” Golden was awarded their first nationwide scooter contract by the VA in 2003 for Mid-Size 3-wheel and Full-Size 3-wheel scooters. Scooters awarded to the new contract will begin shipping on May 20th. The period of performance for the contract will end in May 2029. Visit www.goldentech.com for more information.
