web1_TTL082819SCI-Retreat1-2-.jpg

Pa. DOC sets hearing on SCI-Retreat closure

web1_AP19268681063286.jpg

No holiday savings yet? Here’s how to build your funds fast

<p>&#8216;Tis the season for fundraisers!</p><p>If you are at all involved with local nonprofits &#8211; you know that the fall season is one heavy with events. Almost weekly, there is another organization holding a community fund/friendrasier and we try to go to as many as possible, since they are a wonderful way to not only support fellow organizations but to also meet leaders in our community. Northeast Sight Services is no different &#8211; we will hold our Annual Awards Dinner on Oct. 10, with a focus on recognizing local business and community leaders.</p><p>If you ask anyone who has ever attended our event, they will tell you that the absolute highpoint of the evening is when our Arline Phillips Achievement Award winner takes the stage. The award is given to an individual who is blind or visually impaired and exemplifies the independence that we so strongly try to instill in all of our clients. This year&#8217;s recipient is someone close to our heart &#8211; as she is one of our team members here at Northeast Sight Services.</p><p>Kristen Boyle has worked with our organization for many years, most recently serving residents of our area as a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, earning her master&#8217;s degree in this study and her certification in Low Vision just this past year.</p><p>Obviously Kristen has never let her visual impairment stand in her way, graduating from Lake-Lehman (my alma-mater!) and then from St. Joseph&#8217;s University with both a bachelor&#8217;s and master&#8217;s degree. Most remarkably, in her junior year, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, where she paraglided off of the Swiss Alps! That alone gave her my vote as our award recipient this year.</p><p>And now we&#8217;re lucky enough to have Kristen on our staff, helping so many people in our community learn to live (and live independently) with their visual impairments. From an aging population, who may need a magnifier for the first time, to school-aged children, who learn from Kristen&#8217;s example that you can be anyone you want to be, Kristen has and continues to help the most vulnerable in our community.</p><p>We also have the sincere pleasure to honor many others at this year&#8217;s event. Mary Erwine is this year&#8217;s recipient of The Golden Anna Cervenak Community Impact Award. Not only does Mary represent the significance of this award, created after the extraordinary Anna Cervenak passed away in 2015, but it means so much more because Mary is a longtime friend of both Anna and Anna&#8217;s longtime partner, Max Bartikowsky. I&#8217;m sure there will be many tears as Max presents this award to Mary this year.</p><p>We will be lucky to have the Banks Family in attendance again this year, as well, recognizing the true spirit of giving that continues to this day from Ginger Banks and The Joseph B. and Virginia H. Banks Foundation. Our history is a long one with Ginger Banks, and we look forward to giving her and her family the recognition they deserve.</p><p>The same goes for Community Bank, N.A. who is the recipient of our Community Partnership Award. As the name implies, we couldn&#8217;t think of a more fitting organization for this award, as Community Bank is a true community partner and leader through both their volunteerism and financial contributions to Northeast Sight Services and numerous other organizations.</p><p>You can join us to celebrate another great year and all of these amazing recipients! Tickets and sponsorships are still available (get more information by calling me or Amy at 570-693-3555). Hope to see you there!</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_New-Oped-photo-1-2-1-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_New-Oped-photo-1-2-1-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Sara Gorgone Peperno</p><p>Guest Columnist</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Sara Gorgone Peperno is the president and CEO of Northeast Sight Services. She contributes a monthly column to the Times Leader.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Their view: In a season of fundraisers, this one is our favorite