Misericordia University to Host Art Gallery Summer Exhibit

The Pauly Friedman Art Gallery at Misericordia University hopes to awaken the inner railfan in everyone with “The Ties That Bind: Railroading in NEPA.” This art exhibition, held in partnership with the Back Mountain Railroad Club, will focus on the historical significance of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which stretched from Buffalo, New York, to New York City, New York, during its run from 1846 to 1976.

This exhibit features train-themed photography and artwork by regional artists, including Bloomsburg-based artist Oren B. Helbok. A model train layout of Dallas Borough and surrounding areas of the Back Mountain will be displayed from the late 1930s through the late 1940s. Also displayed are artifacts from Wilkes Barre’s historical trolley that used the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Other artists include Sue Hand, Bob McCormick, Dan Troy, and Eric Williams.

The Gallery will host MU’s Ticket To Ride Board Game Night on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Board Game Night is co-sponsored by Chick-fil-A Express at Misericordia University, operated by Metz Culinary Management. This event will feature different versions of the beloved classic train-building board game, “Ticket to Ride.” Beginners welcome. Recommended for ages 6 and up. Preregister as a single player or a table of 4 players on the gallery website.

Beginning and experienced photographers are invited to spend an afternoon with Oren Helbok, the Chasing the Train Cellphone Workshop on Thursday, July 13, 2023, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oren will share the stories of how he captures the trains in his photography while participants hone their own composition and timing skills with our in-gallery model railroad.  Recommended for ages 12 and up. Preregistration is required, but space is limited.

The public is invited to meet Oren and other artists at a free reception on Thursday, July 13, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. The University Welcome will be given by Joe Curran, Ph.D., professor and chair of Religious Studies; director of the Medical and Health Humanities program; Associate Director, Honors Program, and Train Enthusiast. Dean Mastrangelo will perform live piano music.

Gallery Summer Hours are Wednesday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Other times and free Director-led tours are available by appointment. The gallery is closed during university closings and holidays. Admission is always free to all. Please call or check the gallery website, www.misericordia.edu/art, to confirm your visit. For a free tour, private appointment, or more information, please contact the Gallery director Lalaine Little, Ph.D., at (570) 674-8420 or email llittle@misericordia.edu.

Special Olympics Selling Tickets for RailRiders Game

Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s Northeast Region is proudly selling RailRiders tickets for their home game against Buffalo on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 6:05. 

Tickets are in sections 13 and 14 and cost only $15 each. There is plenty of accessible seating and it’s golf towel giveaway night. 

Join them in celebrating the joy of baseball and the possibilities of a more inclusive world as a lucky Special Olympics athlete is chosen to throw the first pitch of the game. 

To buy tickets, please click here.

Johnson College to Hold Instant Enrollment Decision Day

Johnson College is hosting an Instant Decision Day for prospective students on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside Woolworth Hall on the Johnson College Scranton campus. To register to attend, visit johnson.edu.

During the Instant Decision Event, Johnson College will provide prospective students with an immediate enrollment decision. Students must supply their high school and/or college transcripts. It is highly recommended that the prospective student completes a Johnson College application before attending. Applications for Johnson College’s Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology, and Veterinary Nursing programs are excluded from instant decisions.

United Cerebral Palsy of NEPA to Host Pickleball Fundraiser

United Cerebral Palsy of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UCP of NEPA) will host “Summit Slam Pickleball Tournament for UCP of NEPA” from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at Birchwood Tennis and Fitness Center, 105 Edella Rd., Clarks Summit. The event is a non-sanctioned, round-robin tournament of men’s, women’s, and mixed teams. Teams will enjoy playing on eight newly-surfaced, indoor Nova® hard pickleball courts and will have access to modern clubhouse facilities. All players will receive an official tournament shirt, player gift bag, bottled water, and a free drink coupon for a beverage from the exclusive event drink menu at the “Clink & Dink Tournament Eve Happy Hour.”

The “Clink & Dink Tournament Eve Happy Hour” will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, July 21, at Andy Gavin’s Eatery & Pub, 1392 N. Washington Ave., Scranton. This event will include pickle-themed drink specials, food, raffles, and more. Prior to the event, any guest who makes a $10 donation via UCP of NEPA’s website, www.ucpnepa.org, will receive a free drink coupon for an item from the exclusive event drink menu.

There also will be a basket and gift card raffle of prizes from restaurants, businesses, and more located throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Chances may be purchased at either event or online at www.ucpnepa.org.

For more information, please contact Mrs. Jackie Galvin, M.S., director of communications and development, at j.galvin@ucpnepa.org or 570-347-3357, ext. 33.

To register to play or to provide a sponsorship or donation, visit www.ucpnepa.org.

All event proceeds will be used to fund programs to help children with special needs to develop their skills and abilities through UCP of NEPA’s children’s service center, Clarks Summit.

Youth For Christ To Host Golf Classic Tournament

The Youth For Christ will be hosting their annual Golf Classic on Monday, August 28th, 2023 at the StoneHedge Golf Course. The registration will begin at 10:00 am and will start at 11:00 am. The dinner and awards portion of this event is anticipated to begin 4:00 pm. The registration includes breakfast, dinner, green fee and carts, door prizes, novelty holes, and tournament swag.

Contact Caleb Hicks at 570-351-4819 for Sponsorship Information

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Ritz Theater & Performing Arts Center Golf Tournament

1st Annual Ritz Theater and Performing Arts Center Golf Tournament Fundraiser to benefit the Creative and Performing Arts Academy’s children in theater. Join us for a great day for the game of golf…and all for a great cause: the arts and education! Proceeds benefit artistic and educational endeavors of the Ritz Theater & Performing Arts Center, home of the Creative & Performing Arts Center. DATE AND TIME: Shotgun Start May 20, 2023 @9AM-3PM LOCATION: Rock Creek Golf Course, 2783 PA-374, Nicholson, PA 18446 Questions? Contact us smelcher@ritzpac.com / 570.252.4156 TICKETS: 4-man Captain and Crew format. Sign up your team of 4 for $260 ($65 per person). Person registering will be considered team captain and will be contacted with any changes or questions. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. INFORMATION: Gather around donuts and coffee in the clubhouse to go over rules. Snacks and beverages will be available throughout the game. There will be a dinner to follow. Event will include prizes, raffles, games, and more.

The Wright Center Announces Keynote Speaker for 2023 Commencement

Innovative keynote speaker, classical violinist, and composer Kai Kight will deliver the inspiring commencement address, “Compose Your World,” during The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s 44th annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 24 at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, beginning at 4 p.m.

As a classical violinist turned innovative composer, Kight uses music as a metaphor to inspire individuals and organizations around the world to compose paths of imagination and fulfillment. He is on a mission to spark a global mindset shift in which ingenuity is the norm and not the exception.

“Whether in education, business, health care, or government, the systems and routines we depended on for so long have disappeared,” said Kight. “While this void has been devastating, it also leaves us with an incredible opportunity – a blank page on which we can compose our future. We will look back at this time as the moment we made leaps forward by creating more innovative technologies, more human-centric businesses, and more inclusive workplaces.”

His unique background is a blend of both art and science. As a musician, Kight has performed his original music for thousands of people in venues around the world, from the White House to the Great Wall of China. A graduate of Stanford University’s design and engineering program, the Stanford d.school, and the Behavior Design Lab, Kight studied how to help people create healthy and transformative habits in life. 

“A musical masterpiece is a unique, alive, just right, timeless blessing that captures and connects the fundamental and essential stories of the musical composer, the music, and the audience,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, FACP, FAAP, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “It remains relevant across time, contemporary circumstances, cultures, and generations. It speaks to humanity about our interdependence and our connectedness to each other and the university.

“Kai Kight’s inspiring message to dare to play the music that makes you stronger and his passionate, talented delivery are powerful, therapeutic, and both mission and vision aligned with The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education,” she added. “Through the music he composes and performs and the life stories and lessons he shares, Mr. Kight will certainly relax and entertain us, while paradoxically challenging us to think introspectively and collectively about our own lives, our shared future, and the progressive human journey.”

The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Class of 2023 has 80 graduates from seven disciplines: Internal Medicine (35); Regional Family Medicine (11); National Family Medicine (17); Psychiatry (10); Cardiovascular Disease (4); Geriatrics (2) and Gastroenterology (1).

“The physicians in our Class of 2023 know the importance of providing inclusive, responsive, compassionate, high-quality health services to the patients, families, and communities we serve,” said Thomas-Hemak. “They know the playbook of ‘Wright’ health care and medical education, and they know the difference between what Mr. Kight calls air violining and real engagement playing their part in the master orchestra of medicine.

“We celebrate our graduates and our confidence that they will go forth into thrilling and fulfilling futures, energized by their competence and meaningful contributions to service society and to advance public health, the noble profession of medicine, and medical education.”

In July, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education will welcome 88 residents and fourfellows to its regional and national residency and fellowship programs. The resident physicians will train in the following programs: Internal Medicine Residency (40); Regional Family Medicine Residency (12); Psychiatry Residency (12), and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (5). The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s National Family Medicine Residency includes resident physicians at the Tucson, Arizona (4); Auburn, Washington (6); Washington, D.C. (6), and Hillsboro, Ohio (3) training sites. Fellows will also begin training in the Cardiovascular Disease (3) and Gastroenterology (1) fellowships in July.

Similar to Kight, The Wright Center sparks innovation in the delivery of primary and preventive care and the cost-effective education and training of an inspired, competent physician workforce. The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education is affiliated with The Wright Center for Community Health, which serves as the cornerstone ambulatory care delivery service organization of The Wright Center’s Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortium, the largest in the nation funded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

Together with consortium stakeholders, The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education train primary care residents and fellows in a community-based, community-needs-responsive workforce development model to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.

For more information about The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, go to TheWrightCenter.org, call 570.866.3017, or email gmerecruitment@TheWrightCenter.org

Penn State Scranton Alumni Association Annual Dinner

This year’s Greater Scranton Penn State Chapter annual dinner will feature some well-known Penn Staters, while honoring the memory of Stephen “Doc” Weissberger, a man who was synonymous with the Chapter and the ultimate Penn State fan.

Weissberger of the founders of the Chapter was one, serving as its president for five years and as treasurer for over 20 years. He also was actively involved in running its annual dinners for 39 years, bringing prominent Penn State coaches, players and staff members to Scranton, while raising money for scholarships and programs at the Penn State Scranton campus. This year will be the group’s first dinner without him, as he passed away last year at the age of 84.

In addition to being Chapter members and football fans, Weissberger and his wife Essie were also generous donors to the Penn State Scranton campus, establishing a scholarship in memory of their parents, and supporting other campus programs and initiatives. The two were members of the campus’ prestigious donor group, The Ridge View Society and Steven also served on the campus’ Advisory Board. He was voted Penn State Alumnus of the Year in 1985 and is a lifetime member of the Penn State Alumni Association.

Featured guests are “The Voice of Penn State” Steve Jones and Penn State Men’s Head Basketball Coach Mike Rhoades. Former Penn State Nittany Lion quarterback and Scranton native Matt McGloin will serve as toastmaster.

Jones has done the play-by-play voice for Penn State football and men’s basketball for over 30 years, getting his start announcing for Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s then campus radio station. He also covers a variety of Penn State and local sports and is a part-time faculty member for Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.

Penn State recruited Jones as the third announcer for Penn State football in 1983, which he did until he became the play-by-play announcer in 2000.

Rhoades was named the Peter and Ann Tombros Endowed Men’s Basketball Head Coach on March 29 of this year. A native of Mahanoy City, he has spent 19 seasons as a collegiate head coach, most recently at VCU. Over his career, he has produced a 373-189 record, a winning percentage of .664, seven NCAA Tournament appearances and nine national postseason appearances. 

He is a member of the Mahanoy Area High School Hall of Fame, Lebanon Valley College Hall of Fame (team and individual), Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Hall of Fame, Central Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Eastern Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and Jerry Wolman, Northern Anthracite Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

McGloin grew up in West Scranton and attended West Scranton High School where he played baseball and football and was a Pennsylvania all-state quarterback. He was the first walk-on quarterback to start at Penn State, doing so from 2010 to 2012; was the 2012 winner of the Burlsworth Trophy, which is presented to the nation’s outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on; spent six seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Oakland Raiders; and has worked as a football analyst for the Big Ten Network.

Locally, he has established the Matt McGloin Fund of the Scranton Area Community Foundation, works as a realtor in the Greater Scranton Area and is a candidate for Lackawanna County commissioner. He is also the namesake for Penn State Scranton’s baseball field.

The dinner will be held Thursday, June 8 at Fiorelli’s in Peckville. Tickets are $50, with a cash bar beginning at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in attending can contact Mike Rescigno at MIKE.RESCIGNO@COMCAST.NET or 570-466-7872.