IMPACT - Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce
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IMPACT Monthly February 2018 Vol. 47 NO. 2
East Stroudsburg University Celebrating its 125th Anniversary
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania has seen its share of changes in higher education since opening its doors in 1893,
and many of those transformations will become part of the institution’s 125th anniversary celebration that begins this month.
ESU’s year-long celebration will kick off on January 22 with a variety of activities taking place inside the University Center,
located along Normal Street in East Stroudsburg.
In addition to opening a time capsule that was buried during ESU’s centennial celebration in 1993, an anniversary committee
comprised of students, faculty, staff and friends of ESU will host a CANnniversary event beginning at 9:30 a.m. Non-perishable
items will be collected for the Warrior Food Pantry to help students in need. ESU hopes to collect 1,250 items at the event. The
first 250 people to donate (at least) five items will receive a commemorative anniversary t-shirt. For a list of needed items
please visit esu.edu./125/events.
At 11 a.m. ESU President Marcia G. Welsh will be on hand to
officially announce the contents of the University’s 1993 time
capsule that was unearthed in November and make some gen-
eral announcements about events being planned to celebrate
ESU’s anniversary throughout the year.
“East Stroudsburg University has a long and storied history.
We are excited to travel through time and look at how ESU has
evolved over 125 years,” said Welsh. “As I continue my sixth
year at ESU, I truly enjoy speaking with alumni, community
members, faculty and staff about our history and how we’ve
grown! I’m also surprised at how many ESU graduates I meet
wherever I go. Whether they attended East Stroudsburg State
Teachers College, East Stroudsburg State College, or East
Stroudsburg University, each one expresses their pride in their
education, the successes they’ve derived from their time here,
the life-long friendships they’ve made and the many memories
Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., president of ESU, kicks off the 125th year at the institu-
tion surrounding by contents from the 1993 centennial time capsule.
that live on.”
Members of ESU’s anniversary committee hope to make the year-long celebration interactive for everyone – students, faculty,
staff, alumni, parents and friends. Throughout the year, the campus will host historical photo exhibits, a founder’s day social, a
community dinner, and incorporate the 125th anniversary into the theme of major University events such as Family Weekend
and Homecoming.
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community are invited to return to campus throughout the year to participate in activi-
ties and to view historical exhibits. Anyone interested may also share memories and digital images of their times at ESU –
whether they be present day or from years past. Submissions are being accepted at through the anniversary website,
esu.edu/125.
To learn more about events planned for the 125th anniversary celebration visit esu.edu/125 or contact Brenda Friday, Ph.D.,
director of university relations by calling 570-422-3455 or email bfriday@esu.edu.
GPCC
In This Issue Mission Statement
Calendar of Events…………...…………………….….….......Pg. 2
Act as A Unified Voice of Business
Members in the News………….....…………………...…......Pg. 2 Dedicated to the Prosperity of all
Women in Business………...…...………...………................Pg. 9 Commerce
Leading to the Enhancement of
New Members……….………………………………………….Pg. 14 the Quality of Life in our region and surrounding areas.
P AGE 2 IM P AC T NO. 2
Members in the News
February 2018
Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce shines with
Calendar of Events greater website
February 7.……....Business Card Exchange
Grow your Business with us!
5:30 p.m. – Nai’s Teas/Merlot ‘n
Picasso - Tannersville
The Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce is excited to
February 13……..Women In Business Luncheon
announce the launch of its new website! The updated web-
Noon – Peppe’s Bistro -
site is officially live and provides numerous resources to
East Stroudsburg
both Chamber members and to the community that were
February 14……..Economic Development/Transportation
not previously available. Highlights of the improved site
Committee Meeting -
functions include member business listings, event calen-
8:00 a.m. - GPCC
dars, job postings and advertising opportunities. Chamber
February 14……..Education Committee
Board Chairman George Roberts said, “Our new website
11:00 a.m.- PA CareerLink
will serve as the first of many new and exciting changes
February 21…… ..Digital Strategies Committee
we are offering to better serve our community and busi-
10:00 a.m.- GPCC
nesses in Monroe County. We couldn’t be more pleased
February 22…… ..WIB Steering Committee
with how the website has turned out”. The site was de-
8:30 a.m.- GPCC
signed with the intention of giving members increased
February 27…..….Board of Directors
exposure and opportunities within the community.
8:30 a.m.- ESU’s Innovation Center
East Stroudsburg
The website located at www.greaterpoconochamber.com ,
February 27……...Health & Wellness Committee
will enable visitors to learn everything they need to know
11:00 a.m. - GPCC
about the Chamber, Monroe County and local attractions
and activities. As a FREE benefit, members have the abil-
ity to customize their business listing. Once registered
they are able to edit or add their detailed business infor-
mation including logos, descriptions, Google Map location,
social media and website links, etc. Another FREE benefit
is the new Events page, this was designed to allow mem-
bers to post their upcoming community and Chamber
Events on the website.
The improved site was designed and developed through a
partnership with CREATIVEWORKS, a Chamber mem-
ber. Over 300 hours went into its modern look that is
clean, crisp and easily navigable.
Advertising opportunities via the website are now avail-
able to Chamber members. Information on advertisement
sizes and rates can be obtained by visiting the Membership
Benefits section of the site or by calling Jessica Cemelli
Smith, Business Development Manager, Creative-
Works. CreativeWorks is offering discounted advertise-
ment design services to any member who is interested in
advertising on the website, don’t miss out on this limited
opportunity! For more information on advertising please
call 570.534.4555 or email jess.smith@creativeworks.us.
So, get ready for a greater experience and visit the im-
proved site today!
The Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce is located at
556 Main Street Stroudsburg, PA 18360. For more infor-
mation on becoming a member or any other questions,
please contact Patricia Metzgar at 570.421.4433 or visit
our new site at www.greaterpoconochamber.com
Page 2
P AGE 3 IM P AC T NO. 2
An Update from PPL Electric Utilities road, you count on us to deliver.
Alana Roberts, Regional Affairs Director
What does reliable electric service mean to you?
The Monroe County Historical Association is pleased
If you own a business, it means that your computers, ma- to announce the newest exhibition at the Stroud Mansion
chinery, or cash registers can always be counted on to titled, “Over There…America joins the fight: 100th Anni-
work when things are busiest. versary of WWI” featuring uniforms, military artifacts,
artwork, and photographs from the Monroe County His-
At home, it means your personal space can always be re- torical Association’s museum collection.
lied on to be well-lit and comfortable, and the electricity-
driven items that make your life easier are always doing On display are World War I artifacts owned by Monroe
their jobs when you want them. County citizens including Charles S. Flagler, M.D.; Giles
H. Burlingame; George Garrison Shafer; Walter B. Miller;
Reliable electricity even makes a difference when you’re Harry S. Van Etten M.D.; and Robert A. Bixler. American
out on the road. It powers streetlights, traffic lights and Red Cross uniforms including items worn by Sarah Mac-
crossing signals that make travel safe and orderly. Millian and Elizabeth French Ramsey. Also on display is a
large assortment of military souvenirs and trench art
Strong electric service touches just about everything you brought home by Monroe County soldiers.
do, everywhere you go. That’s why we’re proud to say that
PPL Electric Utilities’ reliability in 2017 was our strongest The Monroe County Histori-
on record. cal Association, housed in the
historic 1795 Stroud Man-
In recent years we’ve been installing smart grid technol- sion, is located at 900 Main
ogy, using data analytics to improve equipment mainte- Street, Stroudsburg, PA
nance and replacement, replacing older poles and equip- 18360. Hours of operation
ment with strong newer models, doing comprehensive are Tuesday through Friday
clearing of vegetation along power lines, installing better from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
protection against damage from lightning strikes, and and the 1st and 3rd Satur-
more. days of the month from 10:00
am to 4:00 pm. Please con-
The result? Our customers experienced 550,000 fewer in- tact the MCHA office ahead
terruptions in 2017 than they did 10 years before. In fact, to confirm the exhibition will
PPL Electric Utilities customers now experience some of be open for viewing. One-
the best electric reliability in the country: PPL ranks in hour guided tours of the
the top 11 percent of utilities nationwide in terms of the Stroud Mansion are offered
lowest average number of outages per customer, according at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. and the cost to tour the building is $10 for Adults, $8 for
Seniors and Children 7-17. Children under 6 are free. The
You might have noticed this reliability during the extreme exhibition may also be viewed independently of the guided
cold of January. Our system handled high demand and tour for a $5 admission fee.
cold temperatures without missing a beat. That’s our goal
any time extreme weather arrives, whether it’s winter cold The “Over There…America joins the fight: 100th Anniver-
or summer heat. sary of WWI” exhibition will be on display until Friday,
December 21, 2018.
Or, you might have noticed it on January 12th, around
7:10 AM. That’s when one of the 4,600 devices that make For more information, please contact MCHA at (570) 421-
up our smart grid system noticed an outage in the Strouds- 7703 or admin@monroehistorical.org
burg area and automatically rerouted power around it. 199 Visit us on the web at www.monroehistorical.org.
of 378 affected customers were back online within minutes.
Image: “And they thought we couldn’t fight” Victory Lib-
What’s next? Well, we continue to invest in improving our erty Loan poster on display as part of the “Over
grid. There are always places where we can improve – There…America joins the fight: 100th Anniversary of
places where the system can be strengthened or made WWI” exhibition.
more flexible. We continue to trim trees, rebuild power
lines, replace old poles, and more. Historical Association plans bus trip to the new Mu-
seum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia
We’ll never be able to completely banish outages – espe-
cially after high winds, ice storms or other natural men- The Monroe County Historical Association will offer a bus
aces. trip fundraiser to the Museum of the American Revolution
But we’re committed to continued improvement. Because in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 12, 2018. The bus trip
we know that whether you’re at work, at home or on the includes general admission to the museum with a special
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P AGE 4 IM P AC T NO. 2
guided program titled, “Philadelphia: A Revolutionary “Instead of patenting it, which would restrict my own use
City,” and chartered bus transportation. The Museum of and force users to purchase in order to use it, I decided to
the American Revolution is located three blocks from the try to publish the device myself so it can be made available
Independence National Historical Park, featuring Inde- to institutions across the country and internationally for
pendence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Guests will have time free,” explains Birsner. “Using this device as part of resi-
to explore Historic Philadelphia independently following dent training will help us use leading-edge technology to
the museum visit. Lunch is not included, however a list of care for patients as well as help me meet one of my goals,
nearby restaurants will be provided. which is to ensure the highest level of critical care obstet-
rics training for St. Luke’s residents.”
The cost of the bus trip is $50.00 for Monroe County His-
torical Association members and $55.00 for non-members. Birsner attended Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jef-
The chartered bus will depart from BJ’s Wholesale Club, ferson University Philadelphia. She then completed her
Rt. 611 in Stroudsburg, PA at 7:30 a.m. and will return by residency in obstetrics and gynecology and her fellowship
approximately 6:30 p.m. in maternal fetal medicine at Johns Hopkins University in
Baltimore. She continued working and teaching at Thomas
Reservations with payment must be made by Friday, Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia where she
March 30, 2018 and are accepted on a first come, first enjoyed caring for a diverse and complex patient popula-
served basis as space is limited. Tickets are non- tion.
refundable. For additional information, or to make a reser-
vation, please contact the Monroe County Historical Asso- After working in large health systems in major metropoli-
c iat io n at ( 57 0) 42 1-7 70 3 or e-ma il at tan areas, Birsner is excited to care for patients within the
adm in@m onroe his tori cal. or g. Pleas e vi sit St. Luke’s. Birsner is impressed with the pride St. Luke’s
www.MonroeHistorical.org for additional details. employees have for their jobs and their hospital, their cul-
ture of professionalism, as well as the emphasis on evi-
dence-based medicine.
High-Risk Pregnancy Expert Joins St. Luke’s Mater-
nal Fetal Medicine Group “I love taking care of patients and helping them get
through difficult times and I see that I’m not alone in that
Meredith Birsner, MD, a sentiment here at St. Luke’s,” says Birsner. “I look forward
high-risk pregnancy expert to working with our generalists and patients to provide the
who invented a device to highest level of quality care and healthiest outcomes for
teach breech extraction of moms and babies.”
twins, has joined St. Luke’s
University Health Network, Birsner joins St. Luke’s highly qualified team of maternal
where she will care for pa- fetal medicine specialists including Joseph Bell, MD, Judi
tients and help train resi- Schucker, MD and Christopher Wayock, MD. St. Luke’s
dents on treating serious Maternal Fetal Medicine locations:
birth complications.
701 Ostrum Street
“We’re there when a patient Suite 303
has a challenging preconcep- Bethlehem, PA 18015
tion medical condition or if (484) 526-3900
there are complications and
problems in pregnancy on the 1837 West Linden Street
maternal side, the fetal side Webster Place - 2nd Floor
Meredith Birsner, MD or both,” explains Birsner. Allentown, PA 18104
“We also work closely with (610) 628-8415
the patient’s care team to help take a complex situation 450 Chew Street
and make sure we get mom and baby through safely.”
Sigal Building - Suite 205
Birsner is now part of the St. Luke’s Maternal Fetal Medi- Allentown, PA 18102
cine group, with locations at 701 Ostrum Street in Bethle- (484) 526-3900
hem, 450 Chew Street and 1837 West Linden Street in
Allentown and 487 East Moorestown Road in Wind Gap. 487 East Moorestown Road
Birsner’s educational interests include obstetric and criti- Suite 104
cal care simulation as well as quality and safety in obstet- Wind Gap, PA 18091
ric care, which led her to invent a simulation device on (484)526 -7860
breech extraction of a second twin. Her invention – which,
altruistically, she did not patent so as not to limit its life-
saving potential – will be used as part of a larger simula-
tion curriculum used to train residents within St. Luke’s.
Page 4
P AGE 5 IM P AC T NO. 2
Pocono Pony Bus Service Coming to The Mountain Women’s Resources, Feeding Families Ministry, Read
Center Across Monroe, Crossroads Community Services, Maternal
and Family Health Services, and AARP SCSEP. The con-
Getting public transportation from Coolbaugh Township to stituent services office of State Rep. Maureen Madden is
the Bartonsville/ Tannersville area will be a lot easier, now also housed there.
that The Mountain Center (TMC) has been added to the
Pocono Pony’s bus services. PSFC’s mission is to provide resources for the evolving
needs of community children and families, in support of
Starting on Monday, Jan. 15, the Blue North/South Fixed efforts to achieve their goals. Besides The Mountain Cen-
Route will be extended to TMC, which is located at 354 ter, the organization has an East Stroudsburg Center and
Memorial Boulevard/Route 611 in Tobyhanna. Service will classrooms in schools within the East Stroudsburg Area
be offered from Monday through Friday, with the daily School District.
schedule starting at 8:11 a.m. and the last southbound bus
departing at 6:11 p.m. Buses will leave every hour and 15
minutes.
Reitemeyer named to WCCC Trustee Board
“We are thrilled that public transportation will be more
accessible for so many people in our Coolbaugh Township Yvonne L. Reitemeyer,
neighborhood, from families and working parents to senior a financial advisor of
citizens,” said Tim Lee, executive director of Pocono Ser- Frailey Insurance and
vices for Families and Children, which runs the educa- Financial Services and a
tional and community services center. “It will make job 2013 Warren County
opportunities, shopping, and health care more within Community College
reach for so many people.” graduate is now a mem-
ber of the WCCC Board
The route extension is part of several schedule changes of Trustees. She was
planned by the Monroe County Transit Authority, kicking appointed to the Board
off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There will also be addi- by N.J. Governor Chris
tional service on Saturday and new destinations county- Christie.
wide, explained Rich Schlameuss, assistant executive di-
rector of the Monroe County Transit Authority, which runs Reitemeyer has a very
the Pocono Pony. extensive resume and is
currently on the Board
“We feel there is a need to provide the new stop because of of Directors for the Na-
all the agencies and programs now at The Mountain Cen- Yvonne L. Reitemeyer tional Association of
ter, and the number of people using those services,” said Insurance and Financial
Schlameuss. Advisors, Lehigh Valley.
In her community, she formerly served on the Lopatcong
Destinations along the expanded Blue Route will include Township Council, was the Vice President of the Lopat-
the Mount Pocono Walmart, Mount Airy, the Crossings, cong Township PTA, and currently serves as secretary of
NCC Monroe Campus, Giant, and Saint Luke’s Hospital in the Phillipsburg High School Soccer Booster Club. She is a
Bartonsville. Buses going from Saint Luke’s to TMC will resident of Lopatcong Township, New Jersey, married to
run from 7:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Mark and a mother of 2.
The Pocono Mountain Public Library will also be a new “I am very honored and humbled to be named as a trustee
stop along the line. for Warren Community College. I look forward to working
with the board to keep quality education affordable to the
The rear parking lot (by the gym) at TMC will be used for residents of New Jersey and specifically, Warren County.”
the Park ‘N Ride, Lee said. He said visitors to the building
have been excited about the news. For more information, contact Yvonne L. Reitemeyer at
Frailey Insurance and Financial Services, 570 421-7447
A full schedule can be viewed and printed at x233 or reitemy@nationwide.com.
www.gomcta.com.
The Mountain Center, owned and operated by PSFC, is an Arctic Glacier Premium Ice Joins Pocono Raceway
educational and community services facility that opened in Family
September 2016, in the former Coolbaugh Elementary
Center. Half the building is used to teach children from Pocono Raceway announced today a multi-year partner-
infants to third grade, with most of the children in the ship with Artic Glacier Holdings, Inc., the largest producer
Head Start and Pre-K Counts programs. The community of packaged ice in Canada and among the largest produc-
service half of the building houses a senior activity center ers in the United States.
and nonprofits/organizations like Habitat for Humanity,
Page 5
P AGE 6 IM P AC T NO. 2
Arctic Glacier Premium Ice becomes the ‘Official Ice Pro- Shawnee Playhouse
vider of Pocono Raceway’ and will supply ice to all hospi- Auditions for Adults and Children 2018 Summer
tality, catering and retail concessions locations at ‘The Season
Tricky Triangle.’ Ice will also be available for purchase in
all camping locations and inside the garage, for race Auditions for ages 7 through adult will be held for the
teams, during our NASCAR and INDYCAR race weekends. 2018 summer season at the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort
on Friday March 23 from 3pm - 7pm and Saturday
“We are excited to partner with Arctic Glacier Premium March 24 from 3pm to 7pm
Ice, a leader in ice manufacturing and distribution,” said
Ben May, Pocono Raceway President. “Their team is first- Please come prepared with a song, at least 16 bars, of your
class and we are looking forward to having their services choice. We do not provide an accompanist, you can either
support our events.” sing a cappella or with a CD (we do provide a CD player)
Please make sure the CD has music only – no vocals. You
Arctic Glacier serves over 75,000 retail, commercial and do not have to sing a song from the show that you are
industrial customer locations throughout six provinces in auditioning for!
Canada and 19 states in the northeastern, central and
western United States. Their current production capacity Please provide a head shot and resume if you have one.
is approximately 11,000 tons of ice per day.
Children will be asked to audition without a parent pre-
“We are beyond thrilled to be working with such a great sent. Parents will be asked to wait in the holding room and
organization in Pocono Raceway,” said Robin Berndt, Re- will not be allowed to listen outside the audition room.
gional Manager for Arctic Glacier. “We can’t wait for race
season!” For more information please visit the website at
www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com
Pocono Raceway will host seven motorsports events in
2018, including two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Auditions are for the following:
races and the Verizon IndyCar Series. One NASCAR
XFINITY Series, one Camping World Truck Series and Honk Jr.
two ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards races are Disney’s The Lion King Experience Jr.
also on the schedule for 2018. For tickets visit Willie Wonka Jr.
www.poconoraceway.com. The Pirates of Penzance ( Ages 14 and older)
Footloose (Ages 14 and older)
For audition forms, show dates and information please
Pocono Raceway Accepting Fan Council Applica- visit the website at www.TheShawneePlayhouse.com/
tions auditions
Pocono Raceway is now accepting applications for their
Fan Council. The purpose of the Pocono Raceway Fan Historical Association announces winners of 13th
Council is to assist the Raceway staff in developing and Annual Historic Preservation Awards
improving the overall fan experience at ‘The Tricky Trian-
gle.’ The Monroe
County Histori-
“The Fan Council has played a vital role in our success cal Association is
year over year.” said Ben May, Pocono Raceway President. pleased to an-
“We are proud of their dedication and commitment to mak- nounce the 2018
ing Pocono the best stop on the NASCAR and INDYCAR P.E.P (Preserve,
circuit. The Fan Council helped us craft and fine tune the Enhance, Pro-
popular Worry-Free Weather Guarantee and was instru- mote) Historical
mental in the execution and success of Monster Energy Preservation
NASCAR Free Friday. We look forward to seeing what the awards. Owners
2018-2019 class will bring to the table and we encourage of historic build-
all fans to apply.” ings who have
Fans who would like to apply for the Pocono Raceway Fan Young & Haros, LLC, Main Street, Stroudsburg shown their dedi-
Council can visit www.poconoraceway.com/fcapply. Appli- Borough cation to preserv-
cations must be submitted by Monday, January 29, 2018 P.E.P. Winner - Commercial Property
ing, enhancing,
at 11:59 p.m. EST. Finalists will be contacted no later than and promoting
Friday, February 9, 2018, and the new Pocono Raceway Monroe County’s wealth of historic structures will be hon-
Fan Council will be announced in late February 2018. For ored at the Monroe County Historical Association’s Annual
additional info, please visit www.poconoraceway.com/ Meeting and Awards Luncheon on Sunday, February 25,
fancouncil 2018 at the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort, Shawnee-on-
Delaware.
Page 6
P AGE 7 IM P AC T NO. 2
Three categories of buildings were judged: Commercial, The 5th Annual Paint the Mountain Pink day bene-
Non-Profit, and Private Residence. The 2018 winners in fits the Hope for Strength Breast Cancer Fund
the three categories are: Commercial Property – Young &
Haros, LLC, Main Street, Borough of Stroudsburg; Non- For the fifth year, Paint the Mountain Pink breast cancer
Profit – Dansbury Depot, Crystal Street, Borough of East event is being held at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area. It is
Stroudsburg; and Residential Property – “Meadowbrook being held Saturday, February 10, 2018, starting at 9:00
Farm” owned by William and Jo Rinehart, Hamilton a.m. “We are so grateful to have Shawnee Mountain’s con-
Township. tinuous support. Together we can increase awareness of
cancer prevention and raise funds for patient needs. This
The Heritage Re- year the grand raffle prize is a Nidecker “Score” snowboard
source Award will donated by FLOW. Tickets are $10.00 each. The drawing
be given to the vol- will be held at 4:00 p.m. and the winner does not need to
unteers of the be present to win. For raffle tickets (available in advance
Marker Advocates and onsite day off) and a complete list of raffle prizes, go
of Tobyhanna online to hopeforstrength.com,” states Carole’ Ann F. Bow-
Township in recog- yer, co-founder, Hope for Strength Breast Cancer Fund.
nition of their ef-
forts to erect 25 The first 200 people purchasing lift tickets on February
roadside historical 10th will receive a FREE knit cap compliments of Shawnee
markers through- Mountain Ski Area.
out the township.
Dansbury Depot - Crystal Street, The purpose of the Fund is to minimize the financial and
East Stroudsburg Borough Monroe County emotional impact of breast cancer diagnoses and treat-
P.E.P. Winner - Non-Profit
Historical Associa- ment. The Hope for Strength Breast Cancer Fund will pro-
tion Executive Di- vide up to $500 to both male and female breast cancer pa-
rector Amy Leiser said, “Our organization is pleased to tients of the Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center for
recognize the owners of these historic properties, cultural basic living expenses. For more information, visit
sites, and the volunteers who help keep our past alive. We www.hopeforstrength.com.
appreciate their dedication in helping to maintain the his-
toric fabric of our community.” Contact Carole’ Ann F. Bowyer at hopefor-
strength2012@gmail.com or call 570-977-0872 for more
Leiser also com- information about the Fund and to learn how you can help
mented, “This is make a difference.
the 13th year
we’ve acknowl-
edged owners of PSFC holds Annual Dinner at The Mountain Center
historic proper- for first time
ties. We are al-
ways looking for A spirit of community, family, and fun imbued the Annual
additional struc- Dinner and Community Celebration that Pocono Services
tures to highlight for Families and Children held recently at The Mountain
and we welcome Center, its new building in Coolbaugh Township. The fes-
suggestions of tive evening included special recognitions, a delicious buf-
other Monroe fet, music, prizes, and singing by two preschool classes.
“Meadowbrook Farm” Hamilton Township
Owned by William and Jo Rinehart County sites
P.E.P. Winner - Residential that deserve Business/community leaders, dignitaries and PSFC board
recognition.” members attended the event with education and nonprofit
representatives, agency staff, parents and children. About
The cost for the luncheon meeting is $35.00 for MCHA 200 attendees filled the multipurpose room of the educa-
members and $40.00 for non-members. The public is wel- tional and community services center, which was beauti-
come and encouraged to attend. Reservations, with pay- fully decorated. Sponsors for the dinner were: Weiler Cor-
ment, should be made to the Monroe County Historical poration, ESSA Bank and Trust, Super Heat, Lehigh Val-
Association, 900 Main Street, Stroudsburg, before Friday, ley Health Network—Pocono Foundation, AmeriHealth
February 16, 2018. For more information, please contact Caritas Northeast and Strunk-Albert Engineering.
the office at (570) 421-7703 or
admin@MonroeHistorical.org PSFC Board President Sharon Laverdure served as master
of ceremonies and she reported to the community on
The Monroe County Historical Association is a cultural PSFC’s achievements during the past year. She also intro-
and learning center that assists our diverse community of duced the agency's board members, who each spoke briefly
residents and visitors in connecting the county’s past with on their involvement.
the present. Visit the website at www.monroehistorical.org
for more information on the organization. The evening’s highlights included the presentation of sev-
Page 7
P AGE 8 IM P AC T NO. 2
eral awards. PSFC Board Member Amy Berman, a reading Mountain Center and the need for donations of all
teacher at Swiftwater Elementary Center, received the amounts to be contributed. Gifts will go towards program
prestigious Eugenia S. Eden Award for her dedication to development and building costs. The facility, located on
and heartfelt support of early childhood education efforts. Route 611/Memorial Boulevard, is the former Coolbaugh
Community Church, in Tobyhanna and East Stroudsburg, Elementary Center and was bought from the Pocono
was the recipient of the Champion for Children Award. Mountain School District in the summer of 2016. Cunning-
The church has supported PSFC’s families and program- ham spoke about the important services the building is
ming needs through donations such as diapers, school providing to all ages and the difference it is making in an
backpacks, clothing, kids’ shoes and food for Thanksgiving. underserved area of the county. He said it is easy to make
Nearly 300 volunteers from the congregation also spent a a donation at www.psfc.org.
day of service at The Mountain Center in August 2016,
completing projects from painting and cleaning to get the The Mountain Center teaches children from infants to
building ready to open for the new school year and wel- third grade, with most of the children in the Head Start
come many Head Start children. and Pre-K Counts program. The community services half
of the building houses a senior activity center and non-
profit offices like Habitat for Humanity, Women’s Re-
sources, Feeding Families Ministry, Read Across Monroe,
Crossroads Community Services, Maternal and Family
Health Services, and AARP SCSEP. The Tobyhanna con-
stituent services office of Rep. Madden is also located
there.
PSFC’s mission is to provide resources for the evolving
needs of community children and families, in support of
efforts to achieve their goals. Besides The Mountain Cen-
ter, the organization has an East Stroudsburg Center and
classrooms in schools within the East Stroudsburg Area
School District.
From l to r: Morning Radio Host/Personality Chuck Seese, Production Di- Senator Mario Scavello
rector Norm Sullivan and Promotions Director Kyleen Waters of 93.5 SBG - School Property Tax Elimination Update
Connoisseur Media.
I want to provide constituents of the 40th Senate District
A Community Service Award was presented to 93.5SBG with the latest update regarding the school property tax
in honor of the radio station’s 10-year sponsorship of Stuff elimination fight in Harrisburg and what to expect in the
the Bus, which has collected thousands of school supplies near future.
for Head Start graduates heading to kindergarten. Paige
Fetterly, prevention and outreach coordinator for Women’s Citizens across the Commonwealth voted November 7th to
Resources of Monroe County, was honored as Outstanding support the expansion of the state’s existing Homestead
Head Start Alumna. And Joann Amador, a staff member of Exclusion program, allowing for up to 100 percent elimina-
Pocono Alliance, was recognized as Outstanding former tion of school property taxes on owner-occupied homes.
Head Start Parent. Passage of the referendum was the first step in providing
this critical elimination.
Certificates were presented to each honoree by State Rep-
resentatives Maureen Madden and Jack Rader, along with We now need legislation that provides the revenue for resi-
Taylor Munoz of State Senator Mario Scavello’s office and dential school property tax elimination.
Joshua Walker of State Representative Rosemary Brown’s
staff. I have been working since before the referendum vote with
Senate leadership and the Independent Fiscal Office to
Everyone loved the two songs that Ms. Erika’s and Ms. develop a bill that will provide 100 percent elimination of
Evelyn’s’ classes performed at the beginning of the celebra- school property taxes on owner-occupied homes through an
tion. They sang “ABC Rock” and “My Mother is a Baker,” increase in the state personal income tax (PIT). My bill
to the delight of the entire audience. does not increase the state sales tax.
While I hoped my proposal would be ready mid-December,
The buffet dinner was catered by Cook’s Corner Restau- we are continuing to verify and finalize the revenue esti-
rant in Henryville and guitarist/singer Roy Ramos per- mates from an increased state income tax to ensure there
formed during the social and dinner hours. A tricky tray are no weaknesses in the bill. We have very few opportuni-
raffle was part of the fun. ties to “get this right,” so we must make sure the bill is
sound. In the meantime, I have distributed a co-
During the evening, PSFC Board Member Stephen Cun- sponsorship memo to my colleagues to gain their support
ningham spoke briefly about the capital campaign for The for the proposal.
Page 8
P AGE 9 IM P AC T NO. 2
After discussions with Senator Dave Argall, the prime legislation. Both were tremendous help and this legisla-
sponsor of The Property Tax Independence Act, I agreed to tion would not have passed without my two colleagues,”
hold off introduction of the legislation until members of the said Senator Reschenthaler.
Senate were polled regarding their support of various
elimination proposals. “There are many businesses in my district that have been
able to capitalize on the benefits of solar. Some of those
Because of the limited session days in January, I plan to businesses were able to afford the upgrades, but others
officially introduce my bill at the end of this month and can’t, and this program helps those who do not have the
hold a press conference at the Capitol. funds readily available, but can afford a long-term loan,”
Scavello said. “Statewide, this will mean significant eco-
School property tax elimination remains my number one nomic development and job creation through enhancement
priority and it is my hope that elimination of school prop- of the state’s clean energy portfolio. In addition, many
erty taxes on owner-occupied homes relieves the pain of commercial, industrial and residential buildings through-
those on fixed income and moves us toward full elimina- out Pennsylvania will see savings as they are made more
tion proposed under Senate Bill 76, the Property Tax Inde- efficient by energy upgrades.”
pendence Act.
Senate Bill 234 was sent to the House of Representatives
for consideration.
Scavello Applauds Passage of Major Bipartisan Eco-
nomic Development Initiative
Senator Mario Scavello (R-40) applauded yesterday’s Sen-
ate passage of legislation he is co-sponsoring to generate
significant economic development statewide, create jobs
Women in Business
and enhance the state’s clean energy portfolio. The January Women in Business luncheon, sponsored by
St. Luke’s Hospital Monroe Campus, was held at Peppe’s
Senate Bill 234 lays the groundwork for counties and mu- Bistro in East Stroudsburg. Dr. T. Javier Birriel of St.
nicipalities to create Property Assessed Clean Energy Luke’s Hospital talked about Bariatric Surgery
(PACE) financing programs. PACE financing allows busi-
ness owners, contractors, and private investors to arrange
long-term loans that are repaid through the property
taxes on a building, allowing for limited or no upfront cost
for the business.
The inclusion of loan payments in the building’s property
taxes relegates responsibility of payment to the current
owner of the building for the duration of the loan.
Senator Scavello said the property tax mechanism, which
is administered by local governments, is attractive to the
business owner, who is not forced to tie up valuable capi-
tal or be bound to a property for an extended period, as
well as the investor, who can count on regular payments
towards the loan. The all-around incentives of the PACE Dr. T. Javier Birriel, St Luke’s Rhianna Cenci, Kinsley's
Hospital Monroe Campus Shoprite
program have made it a popular plan that has been au- Lunch Sponsor Topic Presenter
thorized in 33 states and the District of Columbia.
The presenter was Rhianna Cenci of Kinsley's Shoprite,
Senator Scavello, as Majority Chair of the Senate Com- who talked about healthy eating and meal planning.
munity, Economic & Recreational Development Commit-
tee, worked with the bill’s sponsors, Sen. John Blake (D- St. Luke’s Hospital won the 50/50 drawing, which they
22) and Sen. Guy Reschenthaler (R-37), to bring together donated back to the Chamber.
dozens of stakeholders from the business, labor and clean
energy communities to develop the legislation. The February luncheon will also be held at Peppe’s Bistro
in East Stroudsburg. The topic will be “”Customer Ser-
“I want to extend thanks to Senator Scavello of the Com- vice” and will be presented by Bill Skinner of Paramount
munity, Economic and Recreational Development Commit- Business Development. The sponsor will be Lehigh Valley
tee. Senator Scavello got involved with stakeholder input Health Network - Pocono.
and trying to broker good language for a good bill and I
have gratitude for his work,” said Senator Blake. For more information on upcoming WIB lunches, to donate
a door prize, or to sponsor a luncheon, please contact
“I want to thank Senator Blake and Senator Scavello for Miriam Conway at 570.421.4433.
working with me on this bipartisan, commonsense piece of
Page 9
P AGE 1 0 IM P AC T NO. 2
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Upcoming Events at
the Sherman Theater
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Zoso – The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience
w/ Broccoli Samurai, Friday, Mar 30 2018
Official After Party w/ Kluster Phunk Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
Friday, Feb 9 2018
Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm Buckcherry
Friday, Apr 13 2018
Sherman Winter Jam Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
Ft. Launch Pad - jam set,
Appalachian Gypsy Tribe, Circa Survive - The Amulet Tour
South Of The Peak, w/ Foxing, Hail The Sun
Schmidtwood Flow, Friday, Apr 20 2018
Jordan Grace, Doors: 6:30 pm / Show: 7:30 pm
Steve Kirchuk
Saturday, Feb 10 2018 Badfish: a tribute to Sublime
Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 7:30 pm w/ Elephants Dancing
Sunday, Apr 22 2018
Fetty Wap Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
w/ Liam Lis,
Scrilla LCF, Parkway Drive
BOATY, Wednesday, May 2 2018
Manganelli, Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
KO,
Whis Grant, Stone Temple Pilots
Trey Day Tuesday, May 8 2018
Saturday, Feb 24 2018 Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
Doors: 6:00 pm / Show: 7:00 pm
Blue October
Dropkick Murphys Saturday, May 19 2018
w/ Agnostic Front, Bim Skala Bim Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
Monday, Mar 12 2018
Doors: 6:30 pm / Show: 7:30 pm The Everly Brothers Experience
Sunday, May 20 2018
Judah & The Lion - Going to Mars Tour Doors: 1:00 pm / Show: 2:00 pm
w/ Colony House, Tall Heights
Wednesday, Mar 14 2018 Three Dog Night
Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm Friday, Oct 12 2018
Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
Golden Gate Wingmen
Saturday, Mar 24 2018
Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
Page 13P AGE 1 4 IM P AC T NO. 2
Welcome New Members
The following new members are not listed in the 2017-2018 Membership Directory & Buyer’s Guide.
Please be sure to add this page to your copy of the Directory.
ABA Therapy Services, LLC Munley Law Sweet Home Primary Care
Beth L. Raiola, MS, LBS, BCBA Kelsey Healey Aimee Miele
109 Plaza Drive - Unit 5 227 Penn Avenue 329 Penn Avenue - Suite 202
Pocono Summit, PA 18346 Scranton, PA 18503 Scranton, PA 18503
570.216.3900 (LOC): 27 N. 6th Street, 570.880.7271
570.504.3433 Stroudburg, PA 18360 570.955.0792
researchdir1@aol.com 570.338.4494 amiele@sweethomepc2.com
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AGENCY khealey@munley.com www.sweethomehealthcare.com
www.munley.com/stroudsburg HOME HEALTH
ATTORNEYS
Comfort Keepers
Tracy Marshall TeamLogic IT
1250 N. 9th Street Northeast Site Contractors Mike Williams
Stroudsburg, PA 18360 Anthony Smith 3218 Pittston Avenue - Suite 3
570.450.0890 3240 Oak Grove Road Scranton, PA 18505
ckeepers@ptd.net East Stroudsburg, PA 18302 570.260.2500
www.comfortkeepers.com 570.420.2831 570.260.2501
HOME HEALTH 570.420.2838 mwilliams@teamlogicit.com
asmith@nesitecontractors.com www.teamlogicit.com/scrantonpa
www.nesitecontractors.com COMPUTERS-NETWORK SECURITY
EAA Chapter 839 CONTRACTORS-BUILDING &
John Cronin CONSTRUCTION
222 Hickory Lane Wyndham Vacation Ownership
Sciota, PA 18353 Criss Smith
570.643.6499 Ortiz, Rosie 1123 Buttermilk Falls Road
www.funatpegasus.com Rosie Ortiz Shawnee-on-Delaware, PA 18356
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS 178 Black Cherry Lane 570.517.2144
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 570.424.0851
570.259.3568 criss.smith@wyn.com
Mad Time Fitness alim0427@msn.com www.wvo.com
Madeline Southern INDIVIDUALS TIMESHARE
1402 Rockdale Lane
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
570.269.8015 Pure Euro Motorsport, LLC
HEALTH-FITNESS Susan Valvo
1221 Pocono Blvd.
Mt. Pocono, PA 18344
Monroe County Treasurer 570.839.7873
Theresa Johnson 570.839.0600
1 Quaker Plaza pureeuromotorsport@gmail.com
Stroudsburg, PA 18360 AUTOMOBILE-SERVICE &
570.517.3185 REPAIRS
570.517.3859
GOVERNMENT
SOUNDBAR Entertainment
David Pellot
Mountain Tool & Mold 570.520.2050
Lance Tesoroni info@soundbardjs.com
125 Darcy Drive www.soundbardjs.com
Saylorsburg, PA 18353 ENTERTAINMENT
570.236.8808
www.mountaintoolandmold.com
MANUFACTURERS-PLASTIC MOLD
& TOOLS
Page 14IMPACT
Executive Committee
George Roberts - Chairman of the Board
Debi Cope - First Vice Chairman
R. Douglas Olmstead - Treasurer
Tom Sforza- Secretary
John Holahan - Past Chairman
Staff
Patricia Metzgar - Interim CEO
Miriam Conway - Executive Assistant
Board of Directors
Madeline Anderson Philip Pope
Chris Barrett Sarah Raley
Michael Baxter Alana Roberts
Brandie Belanger Lisa Rohland
Rich Berkowitz Linda Salas-Mamary
Vinny Bianchi Don Seiple
William Blake William Skinner
Denise Cebular Marc Troutman
Bill Colavito Dr. Marcia G. Welsh
Alex Grum Elizabeth Wise
Bob Hay Theresa Yocum
Mike Katz
Chris Kurtz
Sal Lombardo
IMPACT Visit us at www.greaterpoconochamber.com
Greater Pocono Chamber of Commerce
556 Main Street
Stroudsburg, PA 18360-2093
Phone: (570) 421-4433
Fax: (570) 424-7281
URL: http://www.greaterpoconochamber.com
“The Voice of Business in the Poconos”You can also read
