The Geisinger Education and Medical Simulation (GEMS) Center has recently been updated to provide opportunities for medical students and professionals to enhance their skills. The GEMS Center was designed to provide a comprehensive program of clinical skills education and assessment. This includes such things as standardized patients, task trainers, simulations, web-based modules and workshops for medical students, residents, attending physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team. The GEMS Center promotes clinical skill activities that support and enhance interprofessional and interdisciplinary teamwork, educational accreditation, maintenance of certification and patient safety and quality of care initiatives. These initiatives integrate simulation to effectively train and objectively assess applied knowledge, adequacy of skills and level of competence. The newest section of the GEMS Center is located on the Geisinger Medical Center campus in the former Interim Lab Building by the School of Nursing.Member News
LCCC Berwick Center Hosts Open House and Financial Aid Workshop Tonight
Luzerne County Community College will host an Open House on Wednesday, Aug. 2 from 3-8 p.m. at its Berwick Center, located at 107 S. Market St., lower level, Berwick. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn how to apply, what programs and degrees are offered, costs, as well as clubs and activities available to LCCC students. A financial aid workshop will be conducted at 5 p.m. as a part of this event. For more information, visit here, or call Rose Goin, center director at 570-759-3900 or email.
Weis Center at Bucknell University Announces 2017-18 Season Schedule
The 30th anniversary season at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell University features 33 events from across the United States and around the globe and includes Americana/roots, bluegrass, zydeco, classical, jazz, blues, world music, dance, and Family Discovery performances. Ten performances are free. Performances begin in late August and continue through April 2018.
The season will kick-off on Friday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. with a free outdoor concert on the Weis Center Plaza by Grammy-nominated Zydeco innovator Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band. A second free outdoor concert will be offered on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 6 p.m. on the Weis Center Plaza by Ranky Tanky, a South Carolina-based quintet that performs Sea Island Gullah music.
For details of all 33 events of the Weis Center’s season, visit its website. To request a free hard-copy brochure, contact Lisa Leighton, marketing and outreach director, at 570-577-3727 or email.
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union to Host Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of New Branch
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union (PFCU) will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony next Thursday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. at their new branch office located in the Route 11 Marketplace, 1615 Columbia Blvd. (Rt. 11), Bloomsburg. The ribbon cutting will be followed by a public grand opening featuring free food and giveaways, which will run until 2 p.m.
Next First Step Seminar in Bloomsburg Aug. 11
Have you ever thought about starting your own business, but weren’t quite sure if it would be right for you? Or maybe you want to know what paperwork you need in order to open your doors? These and several other common questions for small businesses will covered at the next First Step Seminar given by the Wilkes University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on Friday, Aug. 11, at noon at the Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc. Business Incubator, 151 E. Main St., Bloomsburg. Laura Haden of the SBDC will speak about the different legal structures a business can be, how to write a business plan and create financial projections, and much more. Cost is $15 for the First Step book. Walk-ins are welcome but pre-registration is preferred. Register by calling 570-408-4334, email or online.
Bucknell SBDC Hosts Cybersecurity Workshop
Are you as secure as you think? Join Michael Frauenhoffer of MePush as he talks about compliance vs. actual security at StartUpLewisburg, 416 Market St., Lewisburg on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at noon. Hosted by the Bucknell Small Business Development Center, this event will also feature local pizza, networking and tours of StartupLewisburg, Bucknell University’s home for innovators and entrepreneurs in downtown Lewisburg. Register here.
Mandated Child Abuse Reporting Training Session Available
Montour County Children and Youth Services will host a free training for individuals who are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The training program is put together by the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. Though this training is free, pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, fill out this form on the PFSA website. Those registering will receive an email once their registration has been processed, which will include the address for the training location.
Wild For Salmon Hosts Annual Fishtival Aug. 19
Help the crew at Wild For Salmon celebrate the return of its fishing team from its record-breaking season in Bristol Bay, Alaska as it hosts its annual Fishtival on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. outside its Bloomsburg store at 521 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11). Owner Steve Kurian and his crew caught over 100,000 pounds of wild salmon during this year’s fishing season, and with harvest numbers so high, they want to share some with the public. There will be free samples of salmon cooked by Chef Josh and the Wild For Salmon crew, and several other visitors will be on hand to free tastings, including beer and wine samples from fellow Chamber members Turkey Hill Brewing and Freas Farm Winery. There will also be an educational booth this year discussing the importance of preserving the lifeblood of the business, Bristol Bay.
The annual Bloomsburg Nationals car show will be held next week, from Aug. 10-13 at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. The event’s Gridlock on Main Street, which will kick off the event on Thursday, Aug. 10, will result in Main St. in Bloomsburg being closed from 6-8 p.m. to accommodate the festivities. Main St. will reopen at 8 p.m., with the cars cruising to Quaker Steak & Lube in Buckhorn to continue the event from 8-10 p.m.
More information on Bloomsburg Nationals, including a complete schedule, is available on its website or Facebook page.
From PA Chamber of Business & Industry
In a close 26-24 vote held July 27, the state Senate narrowly passed a revenue package that will significantly increase the cost of doing business in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 542, the Tax Code bill, contains $600 million in tax increases on Pennsylvania residents and job creators. The Senate’s revenue proposal includes: a new tax on residential and commercial use of natural gas; an increase to residential and commercial electric bills; a higher tax on phone bills; as well as a severance tax on the natural gas industry. In addition to these tax increases, the Senate’s plan calls for borrowing $1.3 billion against the state’s Tobacco Settlement Fund; $200 million in special fund transfers and $200 million from a yet-to-be enacted gaming expansion bill in order to balance the 2017-18 budget.
Prior to the vote on final passage, the PA Chamber sent a memo to the entire Senate, raising concerns with the impact the new and increased taxes will have on Pennsylvania’s economy and urging Senators to oppose the bill. In a statement released following the vote, PA Chamber President Gene Barr said: “We’re disappointed that the Senate has voted in favor of a $600 million tax increase that will hurt Pennsylvania’s ability to compete and will increase job creators’ operating costs for electricity, natural gas and communications services. At a time when the state’s unemployment rate has consistently been above the national average, proposals like H.B. 542 – which will make Pennsylvania’s business climate more burdensome – will only further weaken the state’s economic growth.”
While the proposal is supported by the Wolf administration, its fate in the House is uncertain. The PA Chamber is encouraging businesses to urge the House of Representatives to oppose this bill. Contact information is available on the Columbia Montour Chamber’s website.
(l-r) Dean Girton, Girton Manufacting and Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board member; Donna Eyerly, CareerLink business services rep; Michael Baron, CareerLink; Fred Gaffney, president, Columbia Montour Chamber; Julia Dwilet, CareerLink; Megan Bair, CareerLink; Melissa Amato, CareerLink; Wendy Gearhart, CareerLink; Kelly Johnson, Link outreach coordinator; Robert Eddy, Link outreach coordinator; Stacie Snyder, CareerLink site administrator; Mark Gardner, chair, Columbia Montour Chamber Board of Directors
The Columbia Montour Chamber stopped by the Columbia/Montour PA CareerLink office in Bloomsburg on Monday, July 31 in the middle of its public open house and conducted a ribbon cutting for The Link, PA CareerLink’s new mobile career center.
The Link is operated by Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc. and will provide services to Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties. Its schedule will include recurring stops, as well as time for special events like recruitments, job fairs and other community events. To see its latest schedule of stops, visit The Link’s Facebook page. If your organization in interested in scheduling The Link for a special event, contact Kelly Johnson, The Link’s outreach coordinator, at 570-220-0003, by email, or send a message on Facebook.
From T-Ross Brothers Construction
More luxury townhomes are coming to Danville along the Susquehanna River. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Aug. 9 to kick off construction of Phase Two of Jacobs Landing, presented by Villager Realty.
The upscale residential community is located on the north bank of the Susquehanna River. The homes are just upstream of the site of the historic ferryboat, operated by Jacob Gearhart beginning in the early 1800’s. Gearhart’s ferry was vital to commerce in this region of the Susquehanna River Valley.
In this next phase of construction, eight additional brownstone units will be added along with eight riverfront condominiums, in a total of three buildings. This adds to the existing 12 homes at Jacobs Landing. The primary design-build contractor for the project is T-Ross Brothers Construction Inc.
Jacobs Landing enjoys spectacular views of the Susquehanna River from every one of the new condominiums. Downtown Danville is a five-minute walk from Jacobs Landing, with Geisinger Medical Center just a five-minute drive away.
The groundbreaking ceremony at Jacobs Landing Way in Danville will take place Aug. 9 at 1 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Those scheduled to attend include representatives from the Columbia Montour Chamber, the Danville Business Alliance, T-Ross Brothers Construction Inc. and Villager Realty. The public and press are encouraged to attend.
The third annual Taste of the Valley will provide patrons with samples of local food and beverages from the areas top farms, wineries, breweries and restaurants. This annual fall event, which began in 2015, is primarily a fundraiser to benefit the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, but it also offers an opportunity for businesses in the food and beverage industry to have their products featured in front of a large audience ― all for a good cause.
After being held in Lewisburg and Sunbury in its first two years, Taste of the Valley will be held in Columbia County this year at Ponduce Farms, 270 White Church Rd., Elysburg, on Sunday, Oct. 15, from 12-3 p.m., as it attempts to highlight businesses in Columbia and Montour Counties. The event is now seeking vendors. There is no cost for vendors to participate. For more information or to register as a vendor, download a vendor information form, visit Taste of the Valley’s Facebook page, or call Sharon at AgChoice Farm Credit at 570-524-2204 or email.
From CPWDC
Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation (CPWDC) is excited to announce the launch of The Link, a new mobile career center serving the Central PA region. The Link is staffed with expert professionals ready to help businesses find talent and help job seekers find opportunities right for them. Outfitted with seven computers, internet, a printer, presentation screen, and ADA accessibility, The Link offers state-of-the art technology. This career center on wheels is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and will travel to neighborhoods across Central PA expanding the reach of PA CareerLink® services to jobseekers and businesses.
The Link offers a variety of services for jobseekers including but not limited to career guidance, assistance with searching and applying for jobs, resume and cover letter review, and work readiness workshops and training provided by workforce professionals. The Link will serve businesses by assisting with recruitment and job fair events and can be available for onsite, company training. The Link is also available for Rapid Response events aimed at helping recently laid-off employees get back to work quickly.
“This new vehicle allows us to take the professional career services available at the PA CareerLink® beyond the walls of the Central PA CareerLink® offices to serve communities and individuals we sometimes have a hard time reaching,” says Erica Mulberger, Executive Director of CPWDC. “CPWDC recognizes that traveling to one of the six PA CareerLink® offices in the region can be a challenge for individuals living in rural communities, and The Link is our way of reducing that barrier to help more individuals find employment. I encourage companies searching for new talent and individuals looking for employment to check out what The Link has to offer,” stated Ms. Mulberger.
Interior of The Link
The Link is operated by Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc. and will provide services to Centre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties. The Link schedule will include recurring stops, as well as time for special events like recruitments, job fairs and other community happenings. For the latest schedule of The Link, please visit @TheLinkMCC on Facebook. To schedule The Link for your job fair, event, or location please call Kelly Johnson, Link Outreach Coordinator, at 570-220-0003 or send a message on Facebook.
The Link is made possible thanks to a Community Based Partnership grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and ongoing support from CPWDC.
The Chamber will hold a ribbon cutting at The Link next Monday, July 31, at noon at the PA CareerLink Columbia/Montour office at 415 Central Rd., Bloomsburg.
Members enjoyed an educational evening full of great tasting food and drink at July’s Business After Hours at the Columbia County Traveling Library. Attendees learned about the storied history of the Traveling Library and got a firsthand look at the new bookmobile, which debuted earlier this year. They also found out about the various opportunities for businesses to collaborate with the Library and ways the Library can help businesses of all sizes with their information needs – all while enjoying a tasty selection of appetizers and sweets as well as beverages, including wine provided by fellow member Freas Farm Winery, the 2017 Columbia Montour Chamber Small Business of the Year. Fellow member First Columbia also presented a donation to the Library from funds raised by employees on dress-down days. For more information, visit the CCTL’s website.
Business After Hours provide regular opportunities to build business relationships while learning about the services offered by other Chamber members. There will be two such opportunities in August. Come out to the next one on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at Ken Pollock Ford Lincoln, located at 1120 W. Front St., Berwick, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. We also hope you’ll join us on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, 549 Fair St., Bloomsburg, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Thanks to Patti Leighow (left) and Stephanie Rothery from Freas Farm Winery for serving their tasty wine at the Business After Hours.
Columbia County Traveling Library director Ammon Young (left) stands with five First Columbia employees outside the bookmobile after First Columbia made a donation to the Traveling Library at the Chamber Business After Hours on July 19.
Member News
Danville Child Development Center Has Opportunities for Volunteers to Get Involved
The Danville Child Development Center’s 43 years of success in the community, including its recent re-accreditation by the NAEYC, is directly related to its friends, families and neighbors. With that in mind, DCDC has several ways for interested community volunteers to get involved. Guest readers are always welcome in its classrooms, either for a book or sharing a hobby or experience. Interested individuals can email Michele Jenkins. Miscellaneous projects, such as its new Kids’ Kitchen, were facilitated by volunteers. Email Steve Bevans for a list of available projects in need of volunteers. Finally, DCDC currently has room on its board for some additional people. It meets once a month from September through June and oversees the financial operations of DCDC and sets policy. Email Diana Verbeck for how to apply.
PA CareerLink To Hold Open House For New Mobile Career Center
PA CareerLink is excited to announce the addition of its new mobile career center, The Link, and it will welcome the public, businesses and partner agencies to come explore it next Monday, July 31, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Columbia/Montour CareerLink office, 415 Central Rd., Bloomsburg. The Link is an ADA accessible mobile career center with seven computers, internet access, printing and a presentation screen, and offers professional staff support for job matching, career guidance, workforce training and employer recruitment. It will provide services to Centre, Clinton, Columiba, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties.
Berwick Police Department to Host National Night Out Aug. 1
The Borough of Berwick Police Department will host its fourth annual National Night Out celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 1, from 5-8 p.m. at the Borough Building parking lot, 1800 N. Market St., Berwick. There will be free food and drinks, games, educational and safety information, and tours of emergency vehicles, the police department and live demonstrations. There is no cost to attend this event. For more information, visit here. National Night Out is a national event that brings local communities together to interact with emergency responders and learn about safety and these organizations within their communities. The Berwick Police Department thanks the Central Susquehanna Community Foundation for providing it with a substantial grant award to re-establish and improve its community policing program.
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LCCC Berwick Center to Host Open House and Financial Aid Workshop
Luzerne County Community College will host an Open House on Wednesday, Aug. 2 from 3-8 p.m. at its Berwick Center, located at 107 S. Market St., lower level, Berwick. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn how to apply, what programs and degrees are offered, costs, as well as clubs and activities available to LCCC students. A financial aid workshop will be conducted at 5 p.m. as a part of this event. For more information, visit here, or call Rose Goin, center director at 570-759-3900 or email.
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union to Host Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of New Branch
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union (PFCU) will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. at their new branch office located in the Route 11 Marketplace, 1615 Columbia Blvd. (Rt. 11), Bloomsburg. The ribbon cutting will be followed by a public grand opening featuring free food and giveaways, which will run until 2 p.m.
Bucknell SBDC Hosts Cybersecurity Workshop
Are you as secure as you think? Join Michael Frauenhoffer of MePush as he talks about compliance vs. actual security at StartUpLewisburg, 416 Market St., Lewisburg on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at noon. Hosted by the Bucknell Small Business Development Center, this event will also feature local pizza, networking and tours of StartupLewisburg, Bucknell University’s home for innovators and entrepreneurs in downtown Lewisburg. Register here.
Mandated Child Abuse Reporting Training Session Available
Montour County Children and Youth Services will host a free training for individuals who are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. The training program is put together by the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance. Though this training is free, pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, fill out this form on the PFSA website. Those registering will receive an email once their registration has been processed, which will include the address for the training location.
Wild For Salmon Hosts Annual Fishtival Aug. 19
Help the crew at Wild For Salmon celebrate the return of its fishing team from its record-breaking season in Bristol Bay, Alaska as it hosts its annual Fishtival on Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. outside its Bloomsburg store at 521 Montour Blvd. (Rt. 11). Owner Steve Kurian and his crew caught over 100,000 pounds of wild salmon during this year’s fishing season, and with harvest numbers so high, they want to share some with the public. There will be free samples of salmon cooked by Chef Josh and the Wild For Salmon crew, and several other visitors will be on hand to free tastings, including beer and wine samples from fellow Chamber members Turkey Hill Brewing and Freas Farm Winery. There will also be an educational booth this year discussing the importance of preserving the lifeblood of the business, Bristol Bay.