Spirit of Hope celebration set for November 15th; Pete Danchak to be honored

Posted on November 6, 2024 by The Dunmorean

2024 Spirit of Hope Board of Ambassadors include, seated from left: Dino Campitelli, Amanda Marchegiani, Karen Saunders, Leo Vergnetti, Spirit of Hope Board of Ambassadors Chair; Laura Toole, and Vanessa Vergnetti Thomas. Standing, same order: : Joe Ferguson, Jim Gorman, Vince Scarpetta, Pat Sicilio, Nick Colangelo. Ph.D, Nevin Gerber, Matt Beynon, Tammy Saunders, Mark Mesko, Maria Donahue, Angela Rempe Jones, and Marta Gomes, Absent from photo: Clarence Baltrusaitis, Tom Blaskiewicz, Jim & Susan Brady, Brigitte Baum, Richard P. Conaboy, Edward Cosgrove, Bill Davis, Tom DePietro, Mary Erwine, Julie Eisenman, Traci Fosnot, Greg Gagorik, Meghan Gagorik, JoAnn Romano Hallesky, John Heil, Jennifer Heil, Kristie Hynoski, Charles C. Jefferson, Robin Long, John Mack, Linda Marino-Brooks, Joe Mattioli, IV, Brian McQuestion, Philip Medico, Dan Meuser, Dana D’Angelo Morris, David Nape, Christopher Peters, MD, Vito Pizzo, Casey Quinn, William F. Rinaldi, John P. Rodgers, Esq., Vince Scarpetta, P. Richard Scheller, Frank Sepko, Dr. Steven J. Syzdlowski, Joe Van Wie, Tony Vergnetti, Patty Vergnetti, Sonya Eddings, and Atty. Charles J. Volpe.

The Board of Ambassadors will honor Peter J Danchak, regional president of the Northeast Region of PNC Bank, as the 2024 Tribute to Courage Honoree at their upcoming Spirit of Hope Celebration on Friday, November 15, at Mohegan Pennsylvania.

Danchak joined PNC Bank in 1984 and has held various positions of responsibility in Corporate Banking. He was named Regional President of the Northeast PA Market of PNC Bank in January 2001.

Active in the community, Danchak currently serves as Chairman of AllOne Charities Foundation and Co-Chair of the Scranton Plan. He serves on the Board of Directors of AllOne Foundation and in 2020, he was appointed to the Early Learning Investment Commission Emeritus Advisory Council.

He also previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of the ARC of Northeastern Pennsylvania Foundation, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Luzerne Foundation, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute, F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, King’s College, Keystone College, Johnson College, Junior Achievement of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Bankers Association, Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce, Greater Scranton Chamber Board of Commerce and Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company and Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber.

He served on the Board of Trustees of Marywood University, Scranton Preparatory School, and the University of Scranton Kania School of Management. Danchak also was the co-chair of the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission for 10 years.

Danchak received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Scranton and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from them in 2018.

The Board of Ambassadors is a group of individuals and business leaders in northeast Pennsylvania who have come together to raise funds & awareness to fight cancer in the local community through their support and promotion of a gala event.

The Spirit of Hope Celebration benefits the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute’s Community-Based Cancer Screening Navigation Program. This program helps individuals in northeast Pennsylvania get their recommended colorectal, breast, cervical, and lung cancer screenings.For more information about the upcoming Spirit of Hope Celebration, call the Cancer Institute at (570) 904-8808 or visit www.spiritofhopecelebration.org.
The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute is a nonprofit community-based agency serving seven counties in northeast Pennsylvania with offices located in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre for more than 30 years. Focusing on surveillance, community and patient services, and hospital and practice support services, the Cancer Institute invests 100% of its resources locally.

Preparations underway for 49th annual Nutcracker performances

Posted on November 6, 2024 by The Dunmorean

Ballet Theatre of Scranton. under the artistic direction of Joanne Arduino, will kick off the holiday season with its 49th annual performances of The Nutcracker at the Theater at North over Thanksgiving weekend on Friday, November 29, Saturday November 30 ,and Sunday December 1 . Please note the new performance times each day at 12 noon and 5:30 pm. This traditional gift to the community has offered free public performances since 1976. Free tickets can be picked up at the box office at the Theater at North on the day of the specific performance, two hours prior to curtain.

This year, an inaugural pilot, sensory friendly performance is being offered to an invited audience as well as the traditional educational performances for area school children.

Over 100 local dancers from ages 9- adult will perform and will feature Elizabeth Schneider and Laura Durkin as Sugarplum Fairy (each in three performances); Gianna Vachino as Clara; John Roman Vachino as the Nutcracker Prince; Brennan Connor as Snow King; Gabrielle Snyder as Snow Queen, and Valentina Ruiz Giraldo as Dewdrop. Professional guest artists George Sanders of Twyla Tharp Company NYC, and Sanford Placide, previously of Dance Theater of Harlem, NYC),will perform as Cavalier in three performances each. Dunmorean Mya Harrity is pictured above.

Benefactor seats are available by calling 570-347-2867. For information call 570-347-2867 or visit www.balletscranton.org

Friends of the Poor Thanksgiving programs set

Posted on November 6, 2024 by The Dunmorean

Friends of the Poor will continue its community-based programs and collaborations to help those in need this Thanksgiving: the Interfaith Prayer Service, a University of Scranton Center for Service and Social Justice (CSSJ) food basket distribution, the Thanksgiving Dinner for Adults and Elderly, and the Family-to-Family Thanksgiving Food Basket Program. Across all three food-based events, over 17,000 individuals in our area will be served..

Forty-eight years ago, the Friends of the Poor foundress, Sr. Adrian Barrett, IHM, returned to her hometown of Scranton after years of ministry in other states. Remembering the lessons her father taught her as a child, and her unwavering commitment to those in need as a Sister, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Sr. Adrian began walking the streets of Scranton and processing the severity of poverty some experienced right here in her own hometown.

Her first ministry, then, predating the actual founding of Friends of the Poor by 10 years, was the Thanksgiving Community Program. She began that year hosting an annual dinner of delicious food and even better company, serving 24 individuals. Over the almost five decades since, we have grown to serve 4,000 meals for that same dinner, as well as incorporating several other significant events over the week leading up to the holiday of gratitude.

The holiday celebrations kick off on Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m. with the Interfaith Prayer Service at Temple Hesed. All are invited and welcome to attend.

On Sunday, November 24, University of Scranton students will take a peek into the inner workings of the Family to Family program as Friends of the Poor join the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice to provide Thanksgiving groceries to 150 families in the Hilltop and Valley View Housing Developments within the Scranton Housing Authority.

The Thanksgiving Dinner for Adults and Elderly on Tuesday, November 26, will be distributed for the fifth year in a row take-out style from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. (or while supplies last) in front of the Scranton Cultural Center. Anyone in need of a cooked Thanksgiving meal can drive-through or walk-up for a meal. No pre-registration or proof of income is required. Note that the 400 & 500 of N. Washington Avenue and Vine Street closed for traffic control. We ask that no one begin lining up earlier than 2 p.m., as we will be delivering approximately 1,500 meals to pre-registered, low-income seniors with the continued help of our dedicated volunteer drivers from the Junior League of Scranton and the community-at-large. The remaining 2,500 will be distributed from the front of the Scranton Cultural Center.

The Family-to-Family Thanksgiving Food Basket Program, directed by the Robeson family for the 10th year, will pick up where the dinner leaves off the next morning on November 27, beginning at 9 a.m. We will provide 4,000 baskets with all grocery items needed to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal to families in need in front of the Scranton Cultural Center. We will be there until 4 p.m. or our supplies run out. This event will also be a drive-through, but we will have a dedicated tent with supplies and volunteers for those that need to walk up.

No pre-registration or proof of income is required. Understanding that transportation is a barrier, we ask that those with access to their own vehicles serve as proxies for those who cannot get to the event. Note that this year, we are asking for anyone picking up for more than four families to call us ahead of time to schedule pickup at (570) 466-3806.

While our budgets cover less and less each year, this is especially poignant to the families Friends of the Poor serves year-round. We are seeing a 30% increase in the number of families we are serving across our daily programming, and for the last several years, our Family to Family Program and our dinners for adults and elderly have run out of food well before our designated end time.

We are increasing the numbers we are preparing for in 2024; however, that comes with a cost. We work diligently with our suppliers and donors beginning in the early months of summer to ensure we get the best deals. Still, the Thanksgiving Community Program this year will cost around $250,000.

We are asking the community for a $40 donation to subsidize our cost of Thanksgiving baskets for a family of four. Donations of any amount help us towards our goal, and can be mailed to Family to Family, PO Box 13, Scranton, PA 18503 or given online at friendsofthepoorscranton.com.

Finally, for the first time in quite a while we are turning to local businesses and community groups to actively solicit Thanksgiving sponsorships to cover all remaining costs. We have several sponsorship levels with varying benefits, but we again stress that any donation, from $1 on up, helps make sure our friends, neighbors, and our children’s classmates do not go hungry on the holiday.

If you have any questions about supporting the annual Thanksgiving Community Program, contact the development office at (570) 892-8038 or development@fotp-ihm.org.