The Exchange Hosting ArtFest this Saturday in Downtown Bloomsburg

After a year off due to the COVID crisis, ArtFest will take place on Saturday, August 21st, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. surrounding the fountain on the Square and up Market Street in downtown Bloomsburg, with more than thirty art and craft vendors, fine food vendors, and live music by local performers all day.

​For the complete line-up of vendors, non-profit partners, and music, click here.

The event provides a lively, comfortable atmosphere for the general public to see art, meet and talk with artists about their studio practices, and purchase fine artworks. Attendance has grown by 100% since the move to the Square in 2017; in 2019, approximately 3,000 people attended.

Service 1st Honors Duck Derby Tradition by Supporting Local Organizations Despite River Levels

Due to high river levels resulting in safety concerns for their dedicated staff and volunteers, Service 1st Federal Credit Union did not hold their Annual Charity Duck Derby event along the Susquehanna River in Danville this year. In honor of this special tradition, the Service 1st Duck Derby Committee wanted to show their support for the community.

“Unfortunately, Mother Nature did not cooperate this year and due to safety concerns for our staff and volunteers, we were forced to resort to our Plan B,” said Brett Johnson, Duck Derby Committee Co-Chair and Vice President Lending, Service 1st. “At Service 1st, we strongly believe in supporting the communities we serve, and we’re happy to carry on this tradition and make donations to each of these eight great charities. We’re looking forward to being back on the river in 2022.”

If the Derby was held on the water, eight volunteers representing local charities who also participated in the Service 1st Community Savings Challenge held earlier this year, would have raced to the finish line aboard a duck shaped float. Due to the change in the event, Crissie, the Service 1st mascot, along with representatives from the credit union held a random drawing to award donations to these charities.

The following charities received donations this year: Keystone Mission, Wilkes-Barre ($1,000); Animal Resource Center, Bloomsburg ($500); Caring for Kids Backpack Program, Sunbury ($100); DIG Furniture Bank, Lewisburg ($100); Elysburg Food Pantry, Elysburg ($100); National Alliance on Mental Health, Williamsport ($100); The Gate House, Danville ($100); and West End Library, Laurelton ($100).

In 2020, Service 1st made the tough decision to cancel the Derby due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are looking forward to hosting the event again in 2022.

Bold Gold Media Group Employees Recognized

In the August issue of RadioInk, Michael G Stanton, General Manager of Bold Gold Media Group, was named as one of the Best Managers in Radio for 2021, out of all radio station managers in the USA. Stanton has spent over 30 years in the radio industry, with over half of those years as a manager of Bold Gold Media Group.

In July, Lisa Percevault, Senior Marketing Consultant with Bold Gold Media Group, was one of 20 women in the USA to be selected for the Radio Advertising Bureau’s “Rising Through the Ranks” program, which is held in conjunction with Broadcast Music, Inc (BMI) and Mentoring & Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW).

New Fund at Community Giving Foundation Supports Dementia Education and Advocacy in Region

The Community Giving Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of a new community impact fund in partnership with Dementia Friendly Susquehanna Valley (DFSV), a group whose mission is to bring awareness to the region about dementia through education, advocacy, and volunteer engagement in order to better support those living with dementia and their caregivers.

Marianne Kreisher and Marissa Marshall of Kreisher Marshall & Associates are the only certified elder law attorneys in Columbia and Montour Counties. They continue to dedicate themselves to the elder law profession, but always felt a desire to offer more to their clients and community. After becoming a Life Care Planning Law Firm, they were able to bring in social workers as elder care coordinators to better assist clients with care planning. They also partnered with Embodied Labs, a virtual reality platform that gives community members the ability to experience life in someone else’s shoes. Through all these progressions and experiences with clients and caregivers, Kreisher and Marshall recognized a need for community-wide education.

In early 2020, the staff of Kreisher Marshall & Associates became Dementia Champions through Dementia Friends Pennsylvania and spearheaded the Dementia Friendly Susquehanna Valley initiative in our region alongside a group of community leaders.

“Education and awareness are the foundation to making our region more dementia friendly. It’s our hope that by establishing this fund for DFSV, we will be able to provide dementia awareness and specialized programs to youth, first responders, financial institutions, and service industries,” explains Marshall.

DFSV’s vision is to make the Susquehanna Valley region a place where those living with dementia and their loved ones feel supported, understood, and included as valued members of our community. This new non-endowed fund will support projects and activities that promote this vision across Columbia, Lower-Luzerne, Montour, and Northumberland Counties.

The program developed in collaboration with Bloomsburg University to help people build basic management and team leadership skills is offering in-person and virtual options this Fall. In-person sessions are scheduled to begin September 21st and virtual sessions October 12th. This five-module Management and Leadership Certificate Program is appropriate for existing leaders, managers, and supervisors; or those who are new or emerging in any business sector.

Participants will receive a certificate from Bloomsburg University upon completion and will have identified personal development goals to provide to their employers.

The five, three-hour modules are:
-Supervisor Effectiveness
-Effective Communication for Managers
-Conflict Management
-Navigating a Multi-generational Workforce 
-Being a Great Mentor or Coach

 Full program is available here or by calling 570-784-2522.

The program qualifies for WEDnet funding. For eligibility information, visit wednetpa.com or contact Jennifer Williams at 570-389-4004.

Bloomsburg University is currently looking for organizations and nonprofits to create new, off campus work study opportunities for students.

Employers will work with the Bloomsburg University Financial Aid Office to create job descriptions, choose the eligible student(s) they wish to hire while deciding if they will continue to be employed each semester, monitor hours of work and ensure all duties are performed properly. BU pays the work study student directly through the program.

Employers interested in learning more or participating should contact Tim Pelton, Civic Engagement Coordinator, at 570-389-5437 or tpelton@bloomu.edu. 

Increasingly, individuals comprising today’s workforce are straddled with significant levels of student loan debt. At the same time, these workers are often conflicted as to whether they should focus on paying off their debt or set aside funds to pay for retirement. As an employer, adding a student loan repayment program to your employee benefit portfolio not only helps them address this dilemma, but also represents a tremendous opportunity to help attract and retain key talent.

To further benefit employers, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES ACT), passed in March of 2020, added a little-known provision regarding student loans. The provision allows an employer to make up to $5,250 in student loan payments for an employee within a year. Regardless of whether the payments go directly to the employee or to the student loan servicing entity, the money is considered tax-free to the employee and the employer is excluded from paying payroll taxes on the funds. As of this writing, the provision, originally set to expire at the end of 2020 has been extended through December, 2025.

By structuring the program as a part of your voluntary benefits package, you have the ability to customize the program according to your workplace demographics and budgetary capabilities.

Employers can utilize a variety of methods, including fixed contributions, matching contributions, consolidating loans or refinancing the loan. With these programs, the employer first decides how much, if any, they are willing to contribute into the program.

By creating a differentiated, unique benefit package that addresses a specific employee need, employers benefit by boosting employee engagement, increasing productivity levels, and improving employee retention rates.

The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website at cmcc.mybenefitadvisor.com or contact Tanya Ruiz at (800) 377-3536.

While Pennsylvania’s face covering order was lifted on June 28th, the PA Department of Health continues to urge individuals to follow CDC guidance for wearing a mask where required by law, rule, and regulations, including healthcare, individual businesses, and workplaces. The CDC requires individuals to wear a mask on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States, and in U.S. transportation hubs, such as airports and stations. Most recently, the CDC has added the recommendation that masks be worn, regardless of vaccination status, while indoors in areas of substantial or high transmission. As of August 16th, Columbia County is at a high transmission rate and Montour is at substantial rate. This latest guidance from the CDC is again causing confusion for employers.

The CDC guidance regarding masking indoors is not a legal requirement or OSHA regulation at this point. However, OSHA’s Wilkes Barre office has advised the Chamber that an employer could be cited for creating an unsafe working environment if a claim were filed by an employee. Businesses could also face litigation from customers as liability protections have not been provided by the state or federal governments.

Connect with University Students at Fall Career Expos

Bloomsburg University, in collaboration with colleagues at Mansfield and Lock Universities, has announced Fall 2021 Career Connections Expos. Working together, the institutions are excited to be able to expand opportunities for employer partners by inviting students attending all three Universities to take advantage of the opportunity to meet employers virtually and in-person.

The schedule of expos is as follows:

• Accounting and Financial Services Career Connections Expo – September 15 from 11am to 1pm
• Liberal Arts Career Connections Expo – September 30 from 11am to 1pm
• Virtual Business Career Connections Expo – October 5 from 4pm to 6pm
• Business Career Connections Expo – October 6 from 11am to 1pm
• Virtual Health and Science Career Connections Expo – November 2 from 3pm to 5pm
• Health and Science Career Connections Expo – November 3 from 12pm to 3pm

Employers can register on the Handshake platform at bloomu.joinhandshake.com. Once registered, log into Handshake, click on “Fairs” on the employer dashboard and search for Bloomsburg University and select the expo you wish to attend. You will receive a confirmation email once our team approves your registration. 

Investment and Workforce Tax Credit Programs to be Discussed

DRIVE is co-hosting a free PA Tax Credit information session for businesses and potential investors. The event will be  August 25th from 11:30am – 1:00pm at DRIVE’s office (418 Railroad Street, Danville). There will also be a virtual option and free lunch provided for in-person attendees.

The programs to be discussed will be as follows:

• Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ)
• Research and Development (R&D)
• Neighborhood Assistance-Enterprise Zone (NAP-EZP)
• PA Historic Preservation Credits (HPTC)
• Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
• Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)

Presenters from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), KIZ Resources and MVM Associates. The event will also count for CPE Credits for those in attendance. To register and find out more information, go to https://imcpa.com/event/tax-credits/

Berwick High School Alum Creates New Scholarship Fund

The Community Giving Foundation: Berwick is pleased to announce the creation of a new scholarship fund to benefit Berwick High School graduating seniors. In Honor of the Berwick High School Class of 1959 – Sponsored by Terry Riegel, the fund was established as a way to give back to his high school and support future graduates.

“I was recently watching an awards ceremony provided by a scholarship foundation of which I was a board member for over 30 years. One of the awards was given by a 1960 graduate from his school, and it refreshed my desire to create a similar opportunity,” explains Dr. Riegel.

Originally from Foundryville, the community of Berwick still holds a special place in Dr. Riegel’s heart, and he remains actively involved in several local Berwick nonprofit organizations. After researching online with his wife for a way to carry out his philanthropic goals in the Berwick area, he discovered the Foundation as a perfect partner.

“I remember when the Foundation was created after the Berwick hospital was sold, but I had no idea of the wide-reaching involvement not only in Berwick, but in many surrounding communities as well. I thought it was the perfect place to work with.”

The scholarship fund will provide one annual scholarship to a Berwick High School graduating senior. Consideration will be given to overall good students who are pursuing secondary education to obtain a bachelor’s degree. Preference will be given to students active in school clubs, organizations, and their community, and who have demonstrated leadership and school pride. 

For more information, visit the Community Giving Foundation’s website. 

Individuals who are uninsured or wanting to upgrade to better coverage may qualify for free or low-cost private health insurance through the public marketplace.

A special enrollment period that will end on Aug. 15 allows people to use Pennsylvania’s State Insurance Marketplace (Pennie) to sign up for a plan, which could come with major subsidies to reduce the individual’s cost of coverage. Otherwise, unless there is a qualifying life event — i.e., job loss, birth of a child, etc. — after the current window closes, individuals generally have to wait until open enrollment this fall to sign up.

Most enrollees get financial help. And due to the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law in March by President Joe Biden, the subsidies (technically tax credits) are larger for 2021 & 2022, and will reach a greater number of people. 

The amount that anyone pays in premiums will be limited to 8.5% of their income as calculated by the Pennie exchange.

Additionally, zero-premium health plans that come with minimal or no cost-sharing — i.e., deductibles and copays — are available to individuals that have collected unemployment at any point this year.

Through the ChamberChoice Insurance platform, My Benefit Advisor has a team of certified specialists that are available to make sure customers on the individual market are aware of these savings and to assist those who wish to make the transition and take advantage of this increase in financial assistance. There’s no cost or fee for their services. Please contact Jim Pitts at 610-684-6930 or email him at jim.pitts@mybenefitadvisor.com or visit mybenefitadvisor.com.

From the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Earlier this year, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), which included a tax credit for small employers that offered paid time off for receiving and recovering from the COVID-19 vaccine. This tax credit makes it easier for businesses to incentivize their workforce to get vaccinated, as well as give employees the proper time they need to get vaccinated and recover from it if they experience side effects. In July, the program was expanded to provide tax credits for employees who need time to take care of family members. 

The original employer tax credit for COVID-19 vaccine paid time off was announced in April 2021. It allowed eligible businesses and nonprofits to be reimbursed for up to 80 hours of paid sick leave or family leave (10 days or two work weeks) given to any employee to get vaccinated or recover from vaccination side effects. The reimbursement of $511 per day or $5,110 in total is deducted from the employer-portion of Medicare taxes and applies to paid time off taken between April 1 and September 30, 2021.

The July 2021 update to the ARP’s paid sick leave and family tax credits now allows employers to claim tax credits for paid time off given to employees to get vaccinated themselves or to accompany a family or household member to get vaccinated. It also includes paid time off for employees who need to take care of a family or household member that is recovering from vaccine side effects.

Click here for additional information from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Have you ever thought, if I only had more time or more people, I could do X? Need additional hands to get things done for your community? AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) has teams of young adults who can help communities meet their critical needs.

NCCC is a federal, team-based national service program for young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. Members serve a full-time, ten-month term, serving on projects, typically 6-8 weeks in length, to meet community needs in five main service areas: natural and other disasters, energy conservation, environmental stewardship and conservation, infrastructure improvement, and urban and rural development.

Click here for more information about the program.

NCCC is hosting informational webinars regarding the request for proposal process on August 12 at 3:00-3:45 p.m. EDT and August 27 at 11:00-11:45 a.m. for anyone who would like to learn more about AmeriCorps NCCC as a resource for their community. Click here to register to attend.

Those eligible to apply are nonprofit organizations, government entities (federal, state or local), educational institutions, neighborhood associations, Native American Tribal Councils, and community-based or faith-based organizations.

A new training program is being offered to area residents and employers to help people be better prepared for skilled trades jobs. The Columbia County Commissioners, in coordination with Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School (CMAVTS) and Central Columbia School District, are launching the program in September. Individuals that live and/or work in Columbia County can participate at no cost.

The following courses will be offered twice per school year at CMAVTS or Central Columbia High School:

• Basic Electrical Theory
• Three Phase Motor Controls
• Hydraulic & Pneumatic Systems
• Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)
• Building Trades Maintenance
• Machine Technology
• Basic Welding – Mig/TIG/Stick
• Blue Print Reading/Intro to Auto CAD

Individuals that successfully complete at least 5 out of the 8 courses listed will receive a Maintenance Mechanic Certificate.

This workforce development opportunity is provided by Columbia County Commissioners and funded by the American Rescue Plan Funds. The program is tuition free for: a) current employees referred by Columbia County businesses, b) residents of Columbia County. Other students may be accepted on a tuition basis if seats remain available before the start date of the class.

Individuals may register for a single course or the entire program. For more information and to register for a course, click here or call 570-784-8040, extension 3322.