Grant Money to Support Aquatics Staffing at YMCA

Posted on July 6, 2022 by The Dunmorean

Shown at a check presentation are from left: Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants & Scholarship Manager, Scranton Area Community Foundation; Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA; Ken Brewster, Aquatics Director, Greater Scranton YMCA, and Frank Caputo, Grants & Communications Coordinator, Scranton Area Community Foundation.

The Greater Scranton YMCA has been awarded a $14,000 Community Needs Grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation. The grant will support aquatics staffing at the YMCA.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greater Scranton YMCA was able to fully staff both pools in its facility and offer 283 swim lessons per session. Currently, the YMCA is only able to offer 183 swim lessons per session, a reduction of more than 600 swim lessons annually. The biggest loss, though, has been to our community, as learning to swim is one of the most important life lessons a child can learn.

This grant award from the Scranton Area Community Foundation will allow the YMCA to increase lifeguard pay rates with the goal of attracting more staff, as well as retaining existing staff who need a pay increase. Adding more team members to the aquatics department will directly impact the YMCA’s capacity to provide needed services to our community, including offering an increased number of life-saving swim lessons annually, making more pool time available to members and guests, and ensuring the resources are available to implement more youth, adult and family programming.

“It’s because of the generosity and support of community partners like the Scranton Area Community Foundation that the Greater Scranton YMCA is able to serve so many members of our community,” said Trish Fisher, President & CEO, Greater Scranton YMCA. “We are confident this grant award will allow our YMCA to better serve our community through aquatics programming!”

For more information about aquatics programming at the Greater Scranton YMCA< contact Ken Brewster, Aquatics Director, at kbrewster@greaterscrantonymca.org or call (570) 828- 3112.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Kids

Posted on July 6, 2022 by The Dunmorean

Infants and preschoolers are now able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and appointments can be scheduled for children in this age group (ages 6 months to 5 years) at several of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania.

The children became eligible for the vaccines after federal regulators granted approval to using mini-doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna products that have proven to be so effective in protecting older children and adults.

The approval means that about 18 million additional American children can become vaccinated against the very contagious and potentially deadly virus. All children, including children who have already had COVID-19, should get vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Parents and caregivers with concerns about the safety or effectiveness of the vaccines in young children should contact their health care provider to have a fact-based, non-judgmental conversation,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, chief medical officer of The Wright Center for Community Health. “At The Wright Center, we want our patients to make informed decisions about the care that they and their children receive.”

Appointments for preschoolers to receive the vaccine can be made at any of these Wright Center primary care clinics:

● Kingston Practice, 2 Sharpe St., Kingston: 570.491.0126

● Mid Valley Practice, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn: 570.230.0019

● Scranton Practice, 501 S. Washington Ave., Scranton: 570.941.0630

Pfizer’s vaccine has been approved for youngsters ages 6 months through 4 years. Its shots for this age group are only one-tenth its adult dosage and will be given in a three-shot series.

Moderna’s vaccine is intended for youngsters ages 6 months through 5 years. Its shots for this age group contain one-quarter the dose of the company’s adult vaccine. It will be administered in a two-dose series, and the company expects to later offer a booster.

Free “America the Beautiful” Concert at SCC

Posted on July 6, 2022 by The Dunmorean

The public is invited to enjoy a concert given by the United States Army Field Band & Soldiers Chorus at Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple on July 1 at 7 p.m. The concert, entitled “America the Beautiful” is free and open to the public.

The concert will take place in the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Theatre at 7:00 p.m. with the doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Concessions will be available for purchase. Tickets are free to the public and are required for admission. They can be acquired at the Fidelity Bank Box Office at the SC in person or by calling (570) 344-1111, or via Ticketmaster. For additional information and a full schedule of events, visit SCCMT.org.

The Concert Band & Soldiers’ Chorus are the oldest and largest of The U.S. Army Field Band’s performing components. Founded in 1946 and 1957 respectively, these two ensembles combine to present joint concerts on their national tours. They have performed in all 50 states and 30 foreign countries for audiences totaling hundreds of millions.

The 60-member Concert Band and 29-member Soldiers’ Chorus perform regularly in some of the most famous concert halls in the world, and just as often in the humblest auditoriums in the smallest of communities. The joining of these two ensembles allows them to offer unparalleled versatility of programming, ranging from orchestral masterworks and operatic arias to Sousa marches, jazz classics, and Broadway musicals.

The band and chorus also perform independently, and have recently shared the stage with such ensembles as the Boston Pops, the Cincinnati Pops, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to their national tours. formal concerts. chamber recitals, and educational outreach. members of the Concert Band & Soldiers’ Chorus frequently represent the Army at formal and ceremonial functions, including the Presidential Inaugural Parade, presidential funerals. the Army All-American Bowl. and diplomatic efforts overseas. To learn more about the military’s most traveled musicians. visit ArmyFieldBand.com.

The United States Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus concert is sponsored by LT Verrastro and supported by Lackawanna County and the PA Council on the Arts.

The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple’s 2021-2022 Season is sponsored by Fidelity Bank and LI Verrastro and supported by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Lackawanna County Office of Arts and Culture, and Commissioners Jerry Notarianni, Debi Dominick, Esq. and Chris Chermak. A special thank you to its media partners: Access NEPA, Allied Services, Audacy, Citizens’ Voice, Lamar Advertising, MAC Signs, The Times-Tribune, Times Shamrock Communications and Eyewitness News WBRE/WYOU pahomepage.com