Category Archives: March 2018

Andrea Vladika Foley Presented with Margie Memorial Award

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Margieaward

The Margie Memorial Award is an award dedicated in honor of Margie Holdonak Davis, who was murdered by her estranged husband, David Davis, on June 9, 1980.  The award is given to individuals who contribute their time or ability to the betterment of the local Women’s Resource Center.

The Margie Memorial Award was recently presented to Andrea Vladika Foley, mother of her late daughter, Danielle, who lost her life to domestic violence at the hands of her boyfriend.  She has since worked tirelessly for the Women’s Resource Center in the war against domestic violence. Danielle sits beside Margie at The Empty Place at the Table.

Shown from left: Matthew O’Malley, Emily O’Malley, Barbara Krupovich, Andrea Vladika Foley, recipient, Peg Ruddy, director of the Women’s Resource Center, Vincent O’Malley, Patrick O’Malley, and Patrick O’Malley, II.

Art for Community Progress Report

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lacka coLackawanna County Arts and Culture Department and The Scranton Area Community Foundation jointly released Art for Community Progress, the report generated from a series of Art for Social Change round tables sponsored by the two organizations and conducted in 2016.

The report provides a series of recommendations that arose from the conversations of over 150 individuals, representing a variety of organizations.  The goal of the series was to share ideas, discuss challenges, and offer resources to improve our community.

The four forums focused on the impact the arts have on various sectors of the community and explored opportunities for utilizing the arts to continue to enhance the quality of life in Lackawanna County.

 

Though many ideas were discussed, five key areas of focus emerged, which could have measurable impact on Lackawanna County’s future. They are:

  1. Creation of an Arts and Culture Asset Map
  2. Establishment of a Community Ambassadors Program
  3. Development of a Cross Sector Collaborative to Design a Large Scale Community Project
  4. Implementation of a Comprehensive Multi-sector Advisory Council focused on Equitable Transportation strategies
  5. Design of Leadership and Capacity Building Programs for the Arts and Culture Community

safSome actions have already taken place towards addressing some of these goals. The Scranton Area Community Foundation in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has implemented an Equitable Transportation Council comprised of over 80 regional participants with the goal of making transportation more accessible.

In addition, Lackawanna County has formed an ARTS Engage! Task Force aiming to expand arts and culture programming in County services and to develop a large scale community project.  This group is also looking at working on creating an inventory of arts and culture opportunities and better ways to market events.

The full Art for Community Progress  report can be downloaded for free on the website of the Scranton Area Community Foundation.

 

PENNDOT Looking for Public Input on How to Improve Bicycle Safety

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downloadThe Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has begun the process of updating the Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and is inviting the public to weigh in through an online survey.

The plan, last updated in 2007, will outline a vision and framework for improving conditions for walking and bicycling across Pennsylvania, especially for those Pennsylvanians who walk and bicycle out of necessity rather than for leisure and recreation.  

“Keeping our transportation network safe and accessible for all transportation modes is a crucial responsibility,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards, “We are accountable for supporting and improving quality of life for communities, and updating our bicycle and pedestrian master plan is a crucial step in that process.”pennDOT-logo

Over the next 18 months, PennDOT will use the project website to provide information on the department’s progress. The community survey also will be accessible on the site and will play a critical role in understanding the current issues and challenges facing people who walk and bike across Pennsylvania.

Once completed, the Pennsylvania Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan will be a resource for Municipal Planning Organizations (MPOs), Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs), and municipalities throughout Pennsylvania, providing guidance to local governments on best practices for developing and implementing regional and local bicycle and pedestrian plans.

More information on traffic safety, including walking and biking, is available at www.penndot.gov under “Travel In PA.”