By Sarah Loren

With 12 surgeries behind

her and at least two more
ahead, former Slate Belt
resident Daniele Demler, 49,
needs financial assistance to
pay hefty medical bills that
are quickly adding up since
Daniele was struck by a
motorcycle and severely
injured in October. Thats
why Rich and Kim Green,
owners of Little Creek BarB-Cue in Bangor, PA, will be
holding a benefit for Daniele
on Sunday, January 31st.
Eighty percent of the days
profits will be donated to
Daniele, who has been a
friend of Kims for 13 years.
You may not know
Daniele, but maybe your kids
know Crystal or Joey, Kim
said.
Danieles children, Crystal,
22, and Joey, 20, are both
Bangor Area High School
graduates.
I know how the people in
the Slate Belt can rally
around those in need, so why
not come out for dinner and
help one of our own, Kim
said.
Little Creek will feature
their popular half-chicken
dinners on the 31st, which
will include two sides for $10
per person. Regular menu
items will also be available
and 80 percent of all proceeds
will be donated to Daniele.

Donations will also be

accepted for East Bangor, PA
resident Elsie MercadanteEngland, 44, who was injured
alongside Daniele in October.
Little Creek employees will
be donating their tips to Elsie,
as well.
Daniele would give the
shirt off her back to help
anyone, Kim said. If we can
do one small thing to ease her
mind so she can concentrate
on getting herself back to a
normal life, we will be more
than happy to do it.
A silent auction will be held
during the benefit for a

vintage leather motorcycle

jacket, proceeds from which
will also be donated to
Daniele.
For those who are unable to
attend on January 31st, donations can be made to benefit
Daniele at www.GoFund
Me.com/c5739dsg, and to
benefit Elsie at www.
GoFundMe.com/f67myvr3.
On October 24th, 2015,
friends and motorcycle enthusiasts Daniele and Elsie were
walking back to their resort in
Panama City, Florida after
attending the Annual Thunder
Beach Autumn Motorcycle

Rally. Daniele and Joey had

recently moved to Gainesville, FL, looking for a fresh
start in life, and Elsie had just
made the drive to Florida to
visit. But their lives quickly
took a tragic turn on that
fateful Saturday night.
Byron Foster Taylor of
Fountain, FL lost control of
his motorcycle that night,
speeding through an intersection and onto the sidewalk
where Daniele and Elsie were
walking. He crashed into the
two women, severely injuring both. Danieles injuries
included a torn aorta and

diaphragm, a punctured lung,

a hairline fracture in her left
hip, lacerated pinkie and ear,
broken bones in her face, and
a shattered knee. Byron had a
suspended drivers license
and he did not have a motorcycle license.
I believe my moms recovery has been going so well
because of the love and
support weve been seeing
from the community and all
her friends and family, Crystal said. Her recovery road is
long and very tough, but she
keeps such a good attitude
through it all because she
knows how many people are
out there rooting for her.
Those interested in halfchicken dinners are strongly
encouraged to order in
advance by calling Little
Creek Bar-B-Cue at 610588-3831. Little Creek,
located at 1004 Washington
Blvd., Rt. 191, in Bangor,
will be open on January 31st
from noon to 6pm. For more
information, visit www.
littlecreekbarbcue.com
or
follow them on Facebook.
Prayers are appreciated for
Daniele and her children, and
cards can be sent to Daniele
c/o Joseph Demler, P.O. Box
358469, Gainseville, FL
32635-8469.
I believe all the prayers
make a difference! Crystal
said.

Boy Scout Troop 141, which

serves the Belvidere, Phillipsburg, Washington, Oxford,
and Harmony, NJ areas,
recently held its Court of
Honor. The event recognized
scouts' rank advancements
and merit badges earned
throughout the summer,
including those earned at

summer camp.
The following scouts earned
a total of 134 merit badges:
Daniel Blackwood, Daniel
Blaine, Jack Carman, Liam
Chapman, Christopher Clark,
Ty Clark, James Dempski,
Carter Dolan, Travis Fichner,
Robert Hill, Jr., Brady
Kardos, Riley Kardos, Daniel

Kull, Daniel Mason, Austin

Pisani, Hunter Smith, Tyler
Smith, Louis Spann, Thomas
Sperduto, Kevin Stahl, Adam
Stanneck, Alex Stanneck,
Andrew Stanneck, Kameron
Steckel, Garrett Stoken and
Liam Tipton.
Five scouts advanced in
rank. Anders Cundiff and

Louis Spann both achieved

the ranks of Scout and
Tenderfoot. Adam Stanneck
and Kameron Steckel both
achieved their Second Class
ranks, and Adam Stannek also
earned his First Class rank.
Garrett Stoken advanced to
the rank of Life Scout.
The troop meets every

Thursday at 7:30pm at the

scout home located on Race
Street in Belvidere. All boys
ages 11 through 17 are
welcome to join or visit a
troop meeting at any time.
For more information about
Boy Scout Troop 141, contact
Scoutmaster Allen Smith, at
908-268-1393.

Little Creek Bar-B-Cue,

located at 1004 Washington
Blvd., in Bangor, is holding
a benefit for Daniele
Demler on January 31st,
from 12pm to 6pm. Eighty
percent of the days profits
will benefit Daniele Demler,
former Slate Belt resident
who was severely injured in
October when she was struck
by a motorcycle. For more
information, call Little Creek
Bar-B-Cue at 610-588-3831.
Crime Victims Council of
the Lehigh Valley, your
local victim service and
rape crisis center, is now
accepting applications for
volunteer positions. This is
an excellent opportunity for
students and adults to gain
experience
in
working
directly with crime victims
and their families, while
helping those in their time of
need. Tasks include: providing support to callers on our
24-hour hotline (in the comfort of your home); accompanying victims of violence to
hospitals, police stations, and
court; and assisting with
office tasks, projects, and
fundraisers.
Training
sessions begin February 1st.
Most training sessions will be
held in the evenings at the
CVC office in Allentown,
located at 801 Hamilton
Street, on the third floor. One
session will be held at the
Penn State Ag Extension,
near Dorney Park. For more
information, visit the volunteer page at www.cvclv.org,
or contact Sara Ullmer at

610-437-6610, ext. 26, or

sullmer@cvclv.org
to
arrange for an interview.
A local family in Roseto
recently suffered from a
house fire and is need of
donations. They will need
home cooked meals in the
coming weeks and furniture
in the coming months. Right
now they need gift cards to
Weis, Subway, Turkey Hill
and WAWA, which can be
dropped off at the home of
Jennifer Newland, located at
427 Front Avenue, in Roseto.
Donations can be made at
www.gofundme.com/bcuczz
5w
Parking space rentals are
availabe in five municipal
lots
throughout
the
Borough of Bangor. Always
have a space to park! Cost is
$40 per month or $100 for
three months. Call the
Borough office at 610-5882216 for details.
Slate Belt Health and
Rehabilitation is looking
for volunteers. If you enjoy
talking, singing, dancing,
exercising, reading, and
more, and would like to share
your gifts with the residents,
stop by 701 Slate Belt Boulevard in Bangor for an application, or call 610-588-6161.
Volunteers must be at least
16 years old.
St. Johns Cemetery is
seeking donations to help
with the upkeep of the cemetery, roadways and monuments. They are also exploring the idea of adding a Community Columbarium near
the mosoleum. Donations can
be sent to Carol Hummel c/o
St. Johns Cemetery, 136
Messinger Street, Bangor,

PA 18013.
The Slate Belt Heritage
Center Oral History Project is seeking Slate Belt
senior citizens who would
like to be interviewed. If
you know of anyone who has
a story, call Marc Blau at
570-897-5459.
The Ladies Auxiliary of
the Mt. Bethel Volunteer
Fire Company in Mt.
Bethel is seeking new members and volunteers. If you
are interested and would like
further information, contact
Gail at 570-897-6293 or Kris
at 610-392-7975.

Fresh, refrigerated and

frozen foods are available
to northwestern New Jersey
residents at reduced prices
through the Jolin Food Box
program. The food assistance program offers a
variety of ordering options,
from breakfast-lunch-dinner
combination packs to boxes
of dinner entrees to special
packages just for children.
Each month features a variety
of high-quality menu items
from seafood and poultry to
baked goods and prepared
meals. The price of a single
box ranges from $20 to $40.
There is no limit to the
number
of
boxes
an
individual or family can
purchase, and the menu
changes each month. Interested residents can order
online with a credit card at
www.jolinfoodbox.comor by
calling
Project
SelfSufficiency at 973-940-3500.
Payment is made when the
order is placed. The deadline
for placing an order is
Wednesday, January 20th;
delivery will be made to
Project Self-Sufficiency on
Saturday, January 30th. To
find out more about the

monthly food deliveries by

the Jolin Food Box Program
at Project Self-Sufficiency,
or any of the other programs
and services available at the
agency, call 973-940-3500,
or
visit
www.project
selfsufficiency.org.
Blairstown Recreation is
offering Winter workout
sessions of Zumba, PiYo,
and Pilates for adults and
teens. Zumba is on Tuesday and Thursday evenings
from 6pm to 7pm, now
through March 24th at
Blair Academy Dance
Studio. Pilates is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from
9:15am to 10:15am at the
Evangelical Free Church,
now through March 24th.
PiYo is on Tuesdays through
March 8th at Blairstown
Elementary School from 4pm
to 5pm. For more information,
please
visit
www.blairstown-nj.org and
click on Recreation or
contact the recreation office.
NORWESCAPs Career
and Life Transitions Center
for Women is hosting a
collaborative
monthly
workshop called At the
Table: Support, Information, Hope. The workshop
will be run by a local family
law attorney and financial
expert. They will be collaborating to help women navigate through the challenges
of untying the knot. The
workshop will be held at the
Career and Life Transitions
Center, 16 Broad Street in
Washington. For more information, please call 908-8352624 or www.conleyc2norw
escap.org.
Free exercise classes will
be held for adults at town
hall
in
Johnsonburg.
Classes are an hour long on
Monday and Wednesday at
10am, and Saturday at 9am;
or Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday at 4:45pm. For more

information, visit www.

frelinghuysennj.us/aerobics.h
tm, call Cathy at 908-8527426, or email cathy@cathy
baobean.com.
A March for Life Bus to
Washington, DC, sponsored by St. Jude Knights
of Columbus, will be leaving St. Jude parking lot at
6am, and return to St. Jude
around 10:30pm on January 22nd. Those who cannot
make the walk and desire to
pray will be dropped off at
the National Shrine of the
Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception. Youth under 18
years old must be accompanied by an adult guardian.
All
denominations
are
welcome. Suggested donation is $25 per person. Seats
are limited. Please contact
Robert Ho at 908-382-1525
to reserve your seats as soon
as possible.
Knowlton Seniors will be
meeting the first Friday of
each month at the Knowlton
United
Methodist
Church on Route 94 at

1:30pm. Any local Senior

over the age of 55 is
welcome to join.
Blairstown Recreation is
offering to boys and girls in
grades two through six
Junk Box Wars! Using
nothing more than junk, the
students will work in teams to
meet a new crazy challenge
every week. They use their
imaginations and scientific
knowledge to first design,
then draw, and finally build a
variety of devices that
perform all kinds of tasks.
Challenges may include
super slingers, rocket rallies,
bottle
blasters,
zoom
machines and more! Registration is currently being
accepted at the Recreation
Office. The program is on
Tuesdays, February 9th
through March 1st, from
3:15pm to 4:30pm at Blairstown Elementary School
small cafeteria. For more
information, contact the
recreation office at 908-3626663 ext. 232 or visit
www.blairstown-nj.org.

Adult Fiction: Andrews,

V.C.: Bittersweet Dreams.
Adult Non Fiction: Cohan,
William: House Of Cards: A
Tale
Of
Hubris
And
Wretched Excess On Wall
Street.
Large Print Fiction: Bain,
Donald: Nashville Noir;
Prescription For Murder; The
Queens Jewels; Clark, Mary
Higgins: The Lost Years;
Coulter, Catherine: Backfire;
Evanovich, Janet: Wicked
Business; Love In A
Nutshell; Garwood, Julie:
Sweet Talk; Hart, Carolyn:
What The Cat Saw; Kinkade,
Thomas: A Christmas Star ;
The
Wedding
Promise;
Miller, Linda Lael: Big Sky
Country; Big Sky Mountain;
Big Sky River; Big Sky
Summer; Big Sky Secrets;

Patterson, James: Private

London; Patterson, Richard
North: Fall From Grace;
Scottoline, Lisa: Save Me.
Young Adult Fiction: Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter And
The Chamber Of Secrets.
Junior Fiction: Baum,
Frank:
The
Wonderful
Wizard Of Oz; Stevenson,
Robert
Louis:
Treasure
Island.
Junior Non Fiction: Weierbach, Jane: Mind Over
Basketball, Coach Yourself
To Handle Stress.
Easy Reader Fiction: Nate
The Great And The Missing
Key.
Dvds: Here Comes Peter
Cottontail; The Jungle Book
2; Madagascar 3 Europes
Most Wanted; The Scrat
Pack; The Secret.

Pocono Health System

(PHS) and Lehigh Valley
Health Network (LVHN)
recentlyy announced they
have signed an agreement
for a full-asset merger, pending regulatory approvals.
The PHS Board of Directors and LVHN Board of
Trustees, in separate meetings this month, authorized
the agreement.
In May, the two organizations announced they had
signed a letter of intent to
merge subject to due
diligence, the negotiation of
definitive transaction documents and approval from
regulators. Pending completion of regulatory approvals,
the parties expect the
proposed merger to take
effect in the first half of
2016.
This agreement takes us
one step closer to realizing
this merger, said Jeff
Snyder, FACHE, FHFMA,
President and CEO of
Pocono Health System. It
will bring continued growth
and expansion in health care
services
for
Poconos
residents, providing them
greater access to the
highest-quality clinical care,
the
most
sophisticated
technology and advanced
health records systems, and
the largest and most experienced physician network in
the area.
According to the terms in
the agreement, LVHN anticipates developing with PHS a
hospital of the future called

Pocono Medical Center

West in Pocono Township as
was announced in late fall
2014 that incorporates the
highest level of clinical competence to provide the highest quality care close to
home. The merged entity
will also create ambulatory
health centers, develop and
grow
essential
clinical
services, recruit primary
care physicians and increase
access to specialists. In addition, LVHN is committed to
providing more integrated
care to the Pocono region
through population health
management,
which
includes sharing a common
electronic medical records
system.
Brian Nester, DO, MBA,
FACOEP, LVHNs president
and CEO, said, Pocono
Health System is a highlyvalued community hospital
that cares deeply for the
Pocono region. We, at
Lehigh
Valley
Health
Network, commend the
leadership of Pocono Health
System for their exceptional
oversight of this vital community asset. We applaud
their accomplishments and
look forward to making a
great system of care even
better for our communities.
The decision to merge
builds upon a historical
affiliation between the two
organizations. They created
partnerships that enabled the
creation of a Trauma Center,
provision of professional
services in Radiation Oncol-

ogy and Interventional Radiology and collaboration to

provide services for the
Monroe County Community
Safety Program.
Pocono Medical Center
(PMC) became an accredited
Trauma Center in November
2008 with Lehigh Valley
Health Network serving as
the Level I Trauma partner.
An agreement with LVHN to
provide Interventional Radiology services commenced
shortly thereafter. Most
recently, an agreement was
reached to have LVHN
provide the professional
services in Radiation Oncology at the Dale and Frances
Hughes Cancer Center beginning in March 2015. Also in
2015,
Pocono
Medical
Center and the Childrens
Hospital at Lehigh Valley
Hospital
announced
a
partnership with the Monroe
County Community Safety
Program to educate and
provide services in areas that
include child car seat safety,
distracted
driving
and
accident prevention.
Pocono Medical Center is
celebrating its 100th anniversary this year in East Stroudsburg. With more than 230
physicians
and
2,000
employees, it is one of
Monroe Countys largest
employers, offering a full
complement of clinical and
acute care services for
Monroe and surrounding
communities. It was recently
recognized as being among
the top 10% in Pennsylvania

and as a Best Regional

Hospital by U.S. News &
World
Report.
Pocono
Medical Centers ESSA
Heart and Vascular Institute
offers the full breadth and
depth of cardiovascular
services, including diagnostic cardiac catheterization
and angioplasty, open-heart
surgery, and minimally invasive heart procedures, as
well as vascular surgery and
cardiac
rehabilitation
services. The Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center at
PMC offers a variety of
treatments and alternatives,
including
state-of-the-art
radiation therapy. Pocono
Medical Center is a fully
accredited Level III Trauma
Center.
Lehigh Valley Health
Network
includes
five
hospital campuses - three in
Allentown including the
region's only facility dedicated to orthopedic surgery,
one in Bethlehem and one in
Hazleton, Pa.; 13 health
centers caring for communities in five counties; over
130 primary and specialty
care physician practices
throughout the region; pharmacy, imaging, home health
services and lab services;
and preferred provider
services through Valley
Preferred.
Specialty care
includes: trauma care at the
regions busiest, mostexperienced trauma center
treating adults and children,
burn care at the regional
Burn Center, kidney and

pancreas
transplants;
perinatal/neonatal, cardiac,
cancer care, and neurology
and complex neurosurgery
capabilities
including
national certification as a
Comprehensive
Stroke
Center. Childrens Hospital
at Lehigh Valley Hospital,
the only childrens hospital
in the region, provides care
in 28 specialties and general
pediatrics. Lehigh Valley
Health Network has been
recognized by US News &
World Report for 20
consecutive years as one of
Americas Best Hospitals
and is a national Magnet
hospital for excellence in
nursing.
Lehigh Valley
Health Networks Cancer
Center is the only cancer
center in the region to have
been selected as a National
Cancer Center Community
Cancer Centers Program
(NCCCP, 2010-14). Additional information is available at lvhn.org and by
following us on facebook.
com/LVHealthNetwork and
twitter.com/LVHN.

Slate Belt Young at Heart

Club Meeting: January
21st, 1pm. St. Elizabeth
Church hall,
Pen Argyl.
Marc Blau will give a presentation on the Home Front
magazine, a local publication
during the 40s. Ages 55+
invited to attend. FMI, call
Mary Lou DeRea-Lohman at
610-863-4846 or 610-8444630.
Families First Snow Ball
Dinner & Dance Fundraiser:
January
23rd,
6pm-midnight. Weona Park
Recreation
Center,
Pen
Argyl. BYOB. Casual attire.
FMI or tickets, call 610-8639095, ext. 1308.
Boomer's Angels Adoption:
January 24th, 11am-2pm.
Rt. 209, Brodheadsville.
FMI,
contact
Boomer's
Angels at 570-350-4977, on
facebook, or at boomers
angels@gmail.com.
Visit
boomersangels.com to see a
list of adoptable pets.
Pocono Family YMCA
Designer Bag Bingo: January 30th, doors open at
5:15pm, games start at
6pm. Tickets avail. for prepurchase or at the door. FMI,
visit poconoymca.org or call
570-421-2525.
A Taste of Poland International Dinner: January

High
31th,
noon-5pm.
School Youth Group of Our
Lady of Victory R. C.
Church, Tannersville. Children under 5 eat free. Take
out available. FMI, call 570629-4572.
Benefit for Daniele Demler:
January 31st, 12pm-6pm.
Little Creek Bar-B-Cue, 1004
Washington Blvd., Bangor.
80% of the days profits will
benefit Daniele Demler,
former Slate Belt resident
who was severely injured in
October when she was struck
by a motorcycle. FMI, call
Little Creek Bar-B-Cue at
610-588-3831.
Safe Haven Pet Rescue Dog
Adoption Day: February
7th, 11am-3pm. Rt. 209,
Brodheadsville. FMI, applications, or to see a list of
adoptable dogs, visit www.
SafeHavenPa.org, email Safe
Haven@epix.net or like Safe
Haven Pet Rescue on Facebook.
Valentines Weekend Magic
& Illusion Show: February
13th, doors open at 2pm,
show starts at 3pm. VFW
Post 739, 202 Washington
Blvd., (Rt. 191), Bangor.
Tickets avail. at the door.
Martocci-Capobianco
American Legion Post # 750
Cavatelli Dinner: February
13th, 1pm-6pm. FMI or
tickets, call 610-588-1371.
Tickets sold at the door, but

pre-purchase is appreciated.
Old Fashion Valentines
Day Love Stories from Heritage Center's Oral History
Collection: February 14th,
2pm. Slate Belt Heritage
Center, 30 N. 1st St., Bangor.
FMI, call 610-599-4993.
Back-to-Before
Pancake
Breakfast
for
BAHS
Production of Ragtime:
February 20th, 8am-11am.
Bangor Area Middle School.
To purchase tickets in
advance, call 610-588-3041.
Tickets are avail. at the door.
Children under 2 are free.
Origins of St. David's Welsh
Society
Presentation:
March 13th, 2pm. Presented
by former BAHS Superintendent John Reinhart. Slate Belt
Heritage Center, 30 N. 1st St.,
Bangor. FMI, call 610-5994993.

Basketball
Instructional
Program: Saturday Mornings, January 23rd-Feb
27th. Youth Center in Glen
Gardner. Open to ages 4-9.
FMI, call 908-537-4594.
Register at www.theyouth
center.net.
Intro to Microsoft Word
Class: Now-January 28th,
6pm-8pm. 1st Presbyterian
Outreach Center, 35 Main
St., Blairstown. Open to
Blairstown-area residents.
Fee for the computer course
is $10; students must be
registered Family Success
Center or Project SelfSufficiency participants. To
register or FMI, call Project
Self-Sufficiency at 973-9403500
or
visit
www.
projectselfsufficiency.org.

6:30-8pm.
Project SelfSufficiency, 127 Mill St.,
Newton. Questions from the
audience will be welcome.
Open to teens & adults.
Registration req'd. FMI or to
register, call 973-940-3500.
Kids Junk Box Wars:
February 9th-March 1st,
3:15pm-4:30pm. Blairstown
Elementary School small
cafeteria. Open to boys &
girls in grades 2nd-6th.
Registration currently being
accepted at the recreation
office.
FMI, contact the
recreation office at 908-3626663, ext. 232, or www.
blairstown-nj.org.

Free Animal Care Careers

Seminar: January 27th,

11th Hour Rescues 2nd

Annual Winter Warm-Up
Chili Cook-Off Event:
February 20th, 5pm-9pm.
Rock Ridge Community
Club House, 53 Entrance

Dawn Fantasia, of Franklin

Borough, was unanimously
selected by the council after a
vacancy left by Mayor Nick
Giordano.
Giordano, a
republican
councilman,
resigned his council seat on
January 1st to assume his
position as mayor. Dawn is a
career educator and mother
of three.

During the recent council

meeting, Mayor Giordano
read the following letter from
Republican
Chairwoman
Virginia Ginnie Littell
prior to the council vote:
January 9th, 2016
Franklin Borough Clerk
Ms Robin Hough
46 Main Street
Franklin, New Jersey 07416

Way, Denville. Tickets can

be pre-purchased online at a
discounted
price
at
www.ehrdogs.org.
Ticket
will be avail. at the door.
FMI, visit www. ehrdogs.org,
email
main
office@ehrdogs.org, or call
973-664-0865.
18th Annual Stateliner
Spring
Classic
5K
Run/Walk & Childrens
Fun Run: April 17th.
Phillipsburg High School,
Maloney Stadium. FMI,
contact James Bronico at
908-213-2404 or spring
classic@hotmail.com
Muses in the Vineyard
2016A Celebration of
Music Of the Women, By
the Women & For Everyone: May 14th, 11am-9pm.
594 Rt. 94, Columbia. FMI,
visit musesinthevineyard.com

Slate Belt Heritage Center

Re-Opening Ceremonies:
April 14th, 7pm. Slate Belt
Heritage Center, 30 N. 1st St.,
Bangor. FMI, call 610-5994993.
The
Crystal
Laundry
Presented
by
Harvey
Drury: May 12th, 7pm.
Slate Belt Heritage Center, 30
N. 1st St., Bangor. FMI, call
610-599-4993.
Vettes for Vets Car, Truck
& Motorcycle Show: June
12th, 9am-3pm. BVFS, 707
American
Bangot
Rd.,
Bangor. FMI, visit www.slate
beltcorvetteclub.com.

Dear Ms Hough:
The members of the Republican County Committee,
representing
Franklin
Borough, met toda (January
9th) to select three candidates
to present to the Franklin
Council to fill the vacancy
created by the resignation of
Nicholas Giordano. The
names of these candidates
are:
-Dawn Fantasia
-Richard Knop
-Stephen Skellenger
Sincerely, Virginia N.
Littell, Chairman
Councilman
Gilbert
Socco Snyder nominated
Dawn Fantasia, Councilman
Bob Dabinett seconded,
followed by the rest of the
council unanimously voting
yes. Fantasia was immediately sworn in as the newest
member of the Franklin
Borough Council. The council allowed for a 10-minute
recess so Councilwoman
Fantasia could review the
remainder of the council
agenda.

With the coldest months of

the year upon us, its only a
matter of time until the first
snowfall of the season hits.
Sledding, a seasonal favorite
for children of all ages seeking thrills, is probably high
on kids to-do lists as the
first flakes hit the ground.
Though its one of the most
exciting activities your kids
can enjoy this time of year,
Jennifer Janco, MD, Chief of
Pediatric Medicine at St.
Lukes University Health
Network, also says its a
great idea to keep your head
on straight when it comes to
your childs safety in light of
the fact that 229,000
sledding injuries sent kids to
emergency rooms across the
country between 1997 and
2007.
Additionally, a 2007 study
performed in upstate New
York showed that kids reach
an average speed of 19 miles
per hour when sledding
downhilla pretty quick
clip.
"Those are some serious
figures, so its good to
remember that sledding,
while it can be a great time
for the kids, should also be
done safely, and supervised
by adults, says William S.
Hoff, MD, FACS, Chief of

St. Lukes Trauma and

Acute Care Surgery. Its
also why I strongly recommend children wear helmets
when sledding. Its just as
important as having them
wear a bicycle helmet.
Dr. Hoff says that, while
fitting your son or daughter
with a helmet before
sledding may appear overprotective, you could be
potentially saving them from
very serious injuries that can
occur. Of the 200,000-plus
injuries mentioned above, 34
percent
involved
head
injuries.
Other research, conducted
several years ago at the
University of Michigan also

points to the need for

children to be protected
while sledding. Between
2003 and 2011, 52 children
were admitted to his hospital
with sledding injuries20
of which were head injuries.
More than 70 percent of
them required admittance to
the hospitals intensive care
unit. A full 10 percent
ending in permanent disability for the child, according to
the study.
This research shows that,
sledding accidents can cause
life-changing injuries your
child may never recover
from, Dr. Hoff says. However, the same study showed
that wearing a helmet can

cut life-threatening sledding

injuries in half.
Dr. Hoff notes that there are
a few other tips parents can
follow to reduce head
injuries during sledding:
Use a safe sled, preferably
one that can be steered.
Many tubes and toboggans
can be unsafe because they
travel at very high rates of
speed when going downhill.
Sit face-forward on your
sled, and avoid going down
the hill headfirst. This can
greatly increase the chance
of head injury.
Make sure the hill your
child is sledding on is free of
obstacles
(e.g.
jumps,
ramps) and isnt too icy.
These factors can also
increase chance of head
injury.
Supervise! Actively watch
your kids and make sure
theyre sledding in a safe
and sensible manner.
Make your kids wear
helmets when sledding,
particularly if they're 12 or
younger, asserts Dr. Hoff.
Helmets
designed
for
winter sports work best, but
at least be sure they at least
wear a bike helmet or something similar. You could be
heading off big trouble for
your child.

Volunteers are needed on

Wednesday, January 27th, to
help connect individuals and
families at risk of or facing
homelessness with available
social
service
supports
during the annual Project
Homeless Connect.
United Way of Northern
New Jersey partners with the
Warren County Department
of Human Services to link
the countys most vulnerable
with
information
and
services in the arenas of
housing, emergency assistance,
legal
support,
substance abuse, mental
health and employment.
Project Homeless Connect is
an annual one-day, one-stop
event in one central location
to bring the community
together to help those most in
need.
Volunteers are needed at
Saint Philip and Saint James
Church, Mercy Hall, 430
South Main Street in
Phillipsburg during the hours
of 9am and 3pm for event
set-up and clean-up, assistance with food and clothing
distribution,
and
more.
Advance training may be
required for certain duties.
Spanish interpreters are also
needed.
To volunteer at Project

Homeless Connect, email

Lisa.Galonardo@UnitedWay
NNJ.org, call 973-993-1160
ext. 503 or visit www.
UnitedWayNNJ.org/Become
AVolunteer.
United Way of Northern NJ
is a nonprofit organization
working to improve peoples
lives and strengthen communities by focusing on Education, Income, and Health.
These are the building blocks
for a good life a quality
education that leads to a stable
job; the tools needed to
achieve financial stability;
and good health. United Way
leads caring communities to
create long-lasting changes
that transform peoples lives.
Together, united, we can
inspire hope and create opportunities for a better tomorrow.
United Way of Northern New
Jersey serves Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties as well as portions of
suburban Essex County,
including the Caldwells,
Cedar Grove, Essex Fells,
Fairfield,
Glen
Ridge,
Livingston, Millburn-Short
Hills, Montclair, Roseland,
and Verona.
Give. Advocate. Volunteer.
LIVE UNITED. To learn
more, call 973-993-1160 or
visit UnitedWayNNJ.org.

Ciao Amici,
With the recent passing of
some of my Moms coworkers
from
Connie
Blouse, I am reminded of the
old days when mills ruled

the Slate Belt. The area was

like a beehive of activity
with all the busy bees
coming and going to work in
unison. One co-worker of
my mother noticed her in the
corner where she was working that it was cold, so he
brought in a small heater that
he would have up and
running when she would
arrive. Another would help
her total her tickets at the end
of the day to be sure everything checked out. As the
lunch whistle blew, they
would gather and share
stories of their families,
cooking, sports or whatever
to pass the time before going
back to work. I would have
to say that if you grew up in
the Slate Belt someone in
your family worked in a
blouse mill or had some
connection to them.
One characteristic
I
remember of the workers
back then was how everyone

seemed to want to do a good

job. The quality of the
garment they made was
important. They worked hard
back then and they kept their
noses to the grindstone, not
on the cell phone. I am still
learning; like today I was
talking to a customer and she
told me that my mom
worked with her mother-inlaw in the mill and my mom
knitted her a hat when her
first daughter was born. She
continued to say that a few
years later my mom worked
with her mother and she said
since she knitted a hat for my
oldest daughter she went
ahead and knitted one for the
newest baby.
Now, when I have grandchildren, my customer said,
I will pass the hats to
them.
This is what I am writing
about: the friendships, bonds
and camaraderie of those
days, which is difficult to see

in our area today.

Essere vero per il vostro
lavoro e la vostra parola e il
vostro amico.
Be true to your work, your
word, and your friend.
~Henry David Thoreau
Con cordiali saluti,
Joe
Growing up in the Butcher
Shop, is available at the
shop or on our web page. To
receive menu specials and
our newsletter, join our mailing list at JDeFrancoAnd
Daughters.com, click on
mailing list and enter your
email. Send your Roseto
stories, recipes and comments
to
portipasto@epix.net or call
610-588-6991. J. DeFranco
and Daughters is located at
2173 W. Bangor Rd. in
Bangor, PA. Store hours are
7am to 7pm, seven days a
week, with catering available anytime or by appointment.

Just in time for the start of

tax season on January 19th,
United Way of Northern New
Jersey is providing five
resources, including free tax
preparation, to help ALICE
(Asset Limited, Income
Constrained, Employed) and
poverty-level residents get
the most from their federal
and state tax returns.
We know tax season can
be a financially stressful time
for those already living
paycheck to paycheck, said
United Way Manager Monica
Conover. United Way works
each year to alleviate these
stresses and costs by offering
a free, high-quality tax preparation program.
For ways to save an average
$200 and maximize tax credits, consider the following
resources, which can be
accessed
by
visiting
www.UnitedWayNNJ.org/Fr
eeTaxPrep.
1. Through United Way and
its partners, individuals can
meet in person for day, night
and weekend appointments
with IRS-certified volunteers
who prepare and file both
state and federal returns for
free. Refunds are typically
received within two weeks.
To make an appointment at a
free tax site in Morris, Somerset,
Suburban
Essex,
Sussex and Warren counties,
dial 973-993-1160, ext. 5.
2. Through United Way,
households earning less than
$62,000
can
access
MyFreeTaxes.com, the first
free national online program.
3. Families earning up to
$53,267 can learn if they

qualify for the Earned

Income Tax Credit (EITC) by
meeting with a United Way
tax preparer. New Jersey
recently
increased
the
amount households can
receive. The EITC is considered the countrys most effective pro-work and antipoverty tools, proven to lift
families out of poverty and
boost employment and earnings.
4. Residents can also receive
guidance on qualifications
for health care-related tax
credits and/or payments. A
starting place is the free Tax
Advocate
Service
tools
through the IRS.
5. Workers can check if they
have too much or too little
federal income withheld from
their pay through a free
online calculator provided by
the IRS.
Each year, United Way
partners with the IRS, NORWESCAP, Greater Providence Missionary Baptist
Church and volunteers to
prepare and file free tax
returns for financiallystrapped families. Last year,
this partnership resulted in
5,150 free tax returns filed
across the region. This free
service saved ALICE households an estimated $1 million
in tax preparation fees and
helped put $5.6 million in
refunds back into their
wallets and the region
For more information about
United Ways free tax preparation
program,
email
Monica.Conover@UnitedWa
yNNJ.org or call 973-9931160, ext. 529.

Q: I read that Rob Kardashian was diagnosed with

diabetic ketoacidosis after
being rushed to the hospital. What is diabetic ketoacidosis?
A: Diabetic ketoacidosis is a
serious condition that mainly
affects people with type 1
diabetes. While it can occur
in those with type 2 diabetes,
it is much less common in
this group.
Many people do not understand the difference between
the two main forms of diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune
disease that is usually
diagnosed in children. People
with type 1 do not make any
insulin, a hormone that helps
convert sugar from the food
you eat into energy. That
means they must take insulin
daily throughout their lives.
Sometimes diabetic ketoacidosis is the first sign of type
1diabetes in people who have
not yet been diagnosed. Type
2 diabetes, which is the most
common form, tends to occur
later in life. That is why it is

typically referred to as adultonset diabetes. People with

type 2 make insulin, but their
body is either unable to make
enough of it or to use it properly.
Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs
when your body cannot use
blood glucose as a source of
energy because there is not
enough insulin. Instead, fat in
the body is broken down and
used as an alternative fuel
source. During this process,
however, your body produces
high levels of blood acids
called ketones. When ketones
build up in the blood and
urine, they become toxic. This
is known as ketoacidosis.
Not enough insulin or
skipped doses of medications
are among the main reasons a
person with diabetes develops
diabetic ketoacidosis. It can
also be triggered by an infection or other serious illness
such as pneumonia or even
surgery. Illness and severe
physical stress raise your
bodys need for insulin.
The early symptoms of
diabetic ketoacidosis usually
include excessive thirst, dry
mouth, frequent urination,
high levels of ketones in the
urine and high blood glucose
levels. The next stage of
diabetic ketoacidosis can
include symptoms such as
abdominal pain, vomiting,
trouble breathing, fruity odor
on the breath, confusion and
fatigue. If you develop these
symptoms, you need to take
action quickly. Call your
doctor or go to the emergency

room.
If left untreated, diabetic
ketoacidosis could lead to
coma or even death. The
condition is usually treated in
a hospital with insulin and
intravenous fluids. The aim of
therapy is to treat dehydration
caused by frequent urination,
to lower blood acid levels and
to restore normal sugar and
electrolyte balance.
People with diabetes must
realize that if they get sick, or
their blood glucose is very
high (over 240 mg/dL), they
should test their urine for
ketones with home test strips
every few hours. If ketones
are present at a moderate or
high level, they should call
their doctor.
Diabetes should be taken
seriously. To lower your risk
of developing this disease,
maintain a healthy weight and
stay physically active. If you
have diabetes, regardless of
the form, you can probably
avoid this dangerous complication by taking your medica-

tion as prescribed, monitoring

your blood sugar levels,
eating healthy and exercising
regularly.
Allison Froehlich, M.D.,
specializes in endocrinology.
She is Board certified by the
American Board of Internal
Medicine in Internal Medicine, as well as Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism.
Dr. Froehlich practices at
PMC Physician Associates in
the Bartonsville Healthcare
Center.
Sources: Risk factors for diabetes,
mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/type-2-diabetes/basics/risk-factors/con20031902
American Diabetes Association, www.diabetes.org/livingw i t h - d i a b e t e s /
complications/ketoacidosisdka.html?referrer=https://www.
google.com/
Mayo
Clinic,
www.
m a y o c l i n i c . o rg / d i s e a s e s conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/basics/definition/co
n-20026470.

On January 11th, the PA

House voted on the five nonpreferred appropriation bills
that would fund Penn State,
University of Pittsburgh,
Temple, Lincoln University
and the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.
These pieces of legislation
represented a five percent
increase for each of the
schools, with the exception of
Lincoln University which
would have seen a seven
percent increase.
Unlike other pieces of legislation, these non-preferred
appropriation bills require a
two-thirds vote in both the
House and Senate. Despite a
strong bi-partisan vote in the
Senate, these pieces of legislation did not meet the
required two-thirds threshold.
After the vote Rep. William
Adolph, Jr. (R-Delaware) had
this to say:
I am very disappointed to
see that my colleagues on the
other side of the aisle have

By Jennifer Lively

Alcohol
Myths
and
Misconceptions: Did you
know that impairment is not
reliant upon the type of alcohol consumed, rather the
number of drinks over a
certain period of time.
Despite myths and misconceptions, coffee, a cold
shower, or exercise will not
make a person more sober;
only time will?
Did you know that on average, a drunk driver will

joined Gov. Tom Wolf in

opposing this needed funding
for our state-related universities. Our students should not
be held hostage during this
budget impasse.
This
fivepercent increase was
agreed to by the governor in
November and received a
vote of 48-2 in the Senate.
Let me be very clear -there are available current
year revenues to pay for all
five of these appropriations.
The vote today by House
Democrats was a vote to use
our students as unnecessary
leverage in an effort to raise
taxes.
The governor certified
available revenues for FY
2015-16 at $29.82 billion.
By blue-lining House Bill
1460 to a spend number of
$23.4 billion, the governor
left $6.3 billion of available
funds on the table. The total
cost of all five non-preferred
appropriation bills is approximately $578 million.

drive 80 times under the

influence before their first
arrest?
Did you know that every 53
minutes in America, someone is killed in a drunk
driving crash? That equates
to 27 people every day.
Offer to be the designated
driver to ensure that everybody gets home safe.
Need more information,
visit the friendly staff at a
Clean
Slate
Recovery
Center in Bangor.

(NAPSI)A mattress is
one of the most important
purchases youll ever make,
after all, you spend approximately a third of your life in
bed. In many ways, its like
buying a car: research and
comparison-shopping
are
essential; comfort, safety
and budget are key considerations; and the number of
choices can feel overwhelming. But you dont have to
lose sleep over it. These
seven tips can help you find
the mattress of your dreams:
1. Size matters. If youre
sharing a bed, consider
buying a queen- or king-size
mattress. A healthy person
moves 40 to 60 times a night
and makes lots of full-body
turns. For sound sleep, you
need freedom of motion.
2. Test-drive different
models. Wear comfortable
clothes and shoes you can
easily slip off so you can lie
down, its the only way to
determine what feels right
for you. Compare a variety
of firmness levels and styles
within
your
budget
constraints. Your mattress
and
foundation
should
support your body at all
pressure points (check your

(NAPSI)Many Americans think they need to worry

about skin protection only
when they are outside. However, according to the International Window Film Association (IWFA), the harmful
UV rays that people are

alignment in a good standing posture). Beyond that,

firmness is a personal
choice.
3. Look under the hood.
Ask the salesperson to show
you illustrated or actual
cutaways of the interior of
the different mattresses and
foundations. The mechanics
of innersprings and foams
vary widely, which can
greatly affect comfort.
4. Find a reputable dealer.
Furniture stores, department
stores and sleep specialty
shops all sell mattresses.

concerned
about
while
outdoors can also penetrate
into homes, with the possibility of causing damage.
Typical windows block as
little as 25 percent of UV
rays which, if left unchecked,
can cause extensive damage

Ask friends and family for

referrals. If you dont feel
your salesperson is knowledgeable or helpful, take
your business elsewhere.
5. Go for the best value, not
the lowest price. To ensure
long-term performance, buy
the highest-quality sleep set
you can afford. View it as a
long-term partnership.
6. Get the details. If you
choose the convenience of
buying a mattress online,
you wont have the chance
to try it out, so read the
reviews, carefully check

to the skin, including premature aging, wrinkles and even

skin cancer. Additionally, the
UV rays may accelerate the
fading of furniture, flooring
and other dcor.
Fortunately, professionally
installed window film may

return and shipping policies

and be certain theres
customer support should a
problem arise. Do they
ensure that your satisfaction
is guaranteed without extra
costs and hassles?
7. Be sure it contains certified foam. A growing
number of consumers want
to be assured the polyurethane foam used in their
bedding (and upholstered
furniture, too) are low VOC
(Volatile Organic Compounds) for indoor air quality and made without
PBDEs, TDCPP or TCEP
(Tris) flame retardants,
ozone depleters, formaldehyde, lead, mercury or other
heavy metals and phthalates
regulated by the Consumer
Product Safety Commission.
A new resource for consumers is CertiPUR-US, a notfor-profit
certification
program for flexible polyurethane foam. You can find
a list of companies selling
products containing certified polyurethane foam in
the consumer section of
www.certipur.us.
Then youll be on your way
to getting a better nights
sleep.
act as a powerful defense
against these problems, by
blocking up to 99 percent of
the UV rays.
Installing window film can
also have a positive affect on
energy costs, because it can
help regulate room temperatures, thus lowering energy
bills during warm and, in
some cases, even cold
weather.
Thousands of highlytrained dealers and installers
across the United States
stand ready to help consumers achieve a safer, more
comfortable and energy
efficient home, said Darrell
Smith, Executive Director of
the IWFA. You can learn
more at www.iwfa.com.

Hello, fellow readers!

I've been accused of being a
birch lover and it's true. In
fact, their glorious bark and
see-through leaves have
earned them status as one of
my favorite trees. Last week
we spoke about the trees
tolerant of wet conditions
that The Nature Conservancy planted to help
preserve the Paulinskill
River. The lineup includes
two varieties of Birch:
Yellow
Birch/Betula
alleghaniensis and River
Birch/Betula nigra. Tom
from Andover, NJ loves
Birch trees, too, but wonders
if they're right for our
climate. Hes heard they are
too soft wooded and short
lived.
Birch do have a bad reputation, which I think is unfair.
Its true they have shallow
root systems and therefore
do not handle even short
periods of drought or heated
soil well, but they thrive in
cool, moist soils. So select a
site where soil will remain
shaded by other plants, yet
where the leaves will enjoy
full sun for most of the day.
Betula nigra Heritage, or
Dura Heat River Birch, are
more tolerant of heat and
dryness than other varieties
and are extremely resistant

to bronze birch borer and

leaf spot diseases two
issues that give Birch a bad
rap. With layers of salmon
colored bark peeling back to
reveal creamy white inner
bark, its stunning in our
winter landscape and can be
grown as either a single
trunk or multi-stemmed
tree.
Its true Birch are considered soft wooded, which
some say make them susceptible to winter damage. If
beloved birch is planted in
the right environment and
provided proper cultural care
(translated, enough water)
they will thrive for 40 to 50
years. In fact, its pliable
wood is an advantage in
enduring winds, ice and
snow as its truly designed to
go with the flow. Proof of
performance can be seen in
one of my favored respite
spots - Big Pocono State
Park, which sits on top of
Camelback Mountain Resort
in Tannersville, PA. I believe
its the highest elevation in
the area and have coined it to
be the Top of the World as
you can see parts of eastern
Pennsylvania and portions of
New Jersey and New York
from there. The trails are
populated with native Paper
Birch /Betula papyrifera that
have adapted well to the
windy conditions. As written
in the Tao Te Ching (Chapter
76 translation by Stephen
Mitchell) The hard and stiff
will be broken. The soft and
supple will prevail.
Garden dilemmas?
askmarystone.com

The Northampton County

4-H program is once again
sponsoring the annual fruit
tree sale. This sale benefits
the 4-H youth in the county,
supporting various programs
such as camp, fair, trips,
achievement banquet, and the
clubs in general. The pick up
date for the trees is Saturday,
April 25th, at various pick-up
locations,
including
a
location in Lehigh Cty. Trees
must be ordered by February
1st, to guarantee availability.
The fruit trees being offered
this year are: Honeycrisp
Apple,
Nittany
Apple,
Sunrise Pear, Seckel Pear,
Raritan
Rose
Peach,
Redhaven Peach, Redgold
Nectarine, Arctic Glo Nectarine; Montmorency Cherry,
Hedelfingen
Cherry,
Potomac Pear, and Golden
Russet Bosc Pear.
The deadline for ordering
the trees is February 1st
orders received after that date
will be filled on the availability of trees. The orders may
be picked up, on Saturday,
April 25th, between 9am and
11am, at one of the following
locations: The Northampton
County 4-H Center, 777
Bushkill Center Rd., Nazareth; Ace Hardware in Capital Plaza on Rt. 512, Bangor;
the Neighbors Home and
Garden Center, 38 S. Main
St., Hellertown; The Farm
Bureau, 300 Bushkill St.,
Tatamy; Millers Supply, on
Rte. 329, Northampton; and
in Lehigh Cty. of Union
Evangelical
Lutheran
Church, Rte. 873, Schnecksville. Each of these pick up
points, except the 4-H
Center, will have order forms
available. More order forms
have been distributed around
the county at various
locations. If you are unable
to obtain an order form, you
may access a form at:
www.extension.psu.edu/4h/counties/northampton/fund
raisers/4-h-fruit-tree-sale or
call Deb at 610-509-9431,
leaving a message if necessary. All orders must be

The Blue Mountain Community Library would like to

express its thanks to everyone who came to support the
library on January 15th and
16th by purchasing books
and other items from the
Book Nook. The SemiAnnual Book Nook Sale is an
important fundraiser for the
library in order to meet all its
needs. Besides the purchase
of books, the library must pay
all its financial obligations,
as well as maintain the
upkeep and necessary repairs
to the building.
Beginning January 2nd and
continuing through February
13th, the library will once

prepaid.
The 4-H is also offering a
Tree Seedling Sale. These
orders are due by March 1st.
For more information on this
sale go to: www.extension.
psu.edu/4-h/counties/
northampton/fundraisers/4h-seedling-tree-sale.
The 4-H program is open to
all youths ages six through 18
with a Cloverbud program
for ages five to eight, and
offers over 150 hands-on
projects with an emphasis on
leadership, citizenship and

life skills. The program is

staffed by adult volunteers;
volunteers
are
always
welcome.
Anyone interested in obtaining more
information on the 4-H
program, in general, or wishing to volunteer to help as a
volunteer, is asked to call
Brad Kunsman, Northampton County 4-H Program
Manager, at 610-746-1970.
Penn State is committed to
affirmative action, equal
opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.

again be collecting nonperishable food items for The

St. Elizabeths Food Pantry.
Please bring your donations
to the library and place them
in the bins.
The library offers several
free group activities open to
anyone in the area. On
Fridays, there is a Knitters
Group that meets upstairs at
10:30am. On the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm,
the Book Discussion Group
meets in the back room on the
first floor. The book pick for
January 19th is Circling the
Sun by Paula Mclain, and
February 16th is Orphan No.
8. Both books are available
to borrow for members. Preschool Story Hour meets on
the second floor of the library

every Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30am. All children

accompanied by an adult are
welcome.
Therapy
dog
Quincy will visit on January 20th and 21st. Please
consider joining one or all of
these groups.
The Blue
Mountain
Community
Library is located at 216
South Robinson Avenue in
Pen Argyl.
Hours are
Monday through Saturday,
10am to noon, and Monday
through Thursday, 6pm to
8pm. Membership is free to
all residents of the Pen Argyl
Area School District. Nonresidents may join for a small
yearly fee. Call Lisa at 610863-3029 for information or
visit
the
website
at
www.bmcl.org.

Have you or your loved one

experienced sexual violence?
Dont suffer in silence the
Crime Victims Council is
here to help! Support groups
are forming now for adult
men and adult women survivors of sexual assault. Each
group has a maximum capacity of 10 participants and is
led by a trained sexual assault
counselor. All sessions will
be held at 801 Hamilton
Street, in Allentown, PA, on
the third floor.
Adult Male Survivors of
Sexual Assault will begin on
February 1st, and will meet
every Monday at 5:30pm for
eight to 10 weeks. To join
this group, contact Connor
Moriarty at 610-437-6610
ext, 18 or email cmoriarty
@cvclv.org
Adult Female Survivors of
Sexual Assault will begin
March 1st and meet every
Tuesday at 5:30pm for eight
to 10 weeks. To join this

group, contact Freda Rafes at

610-437-6610 ext. 19 or
email frafes@cvclv.org
Crime Victims Council
(CVC) of the Lehigh Valley is
a non-profit, comprehensive
victim service and rape crisis
center serving Lehigh and
Northampton
counties.
Confidential services are
available to all victims of
crime at no cost, including
private counseling for people
of all ages, a 24/7 hotline,
610-437-6611, crisis intervention, victim rights advocacy, and accompaniment to
police stations, hospitals, and
court. Violence and sexual
assault prevention education
programs for all age groups,
as well as training programs
for professionals, are also
available at no cost. For more
information about CVC
services, please call 610437-6610, visit our web site
cvclv.org, or find us on Facebook.

The Pennsylvania Trauma

Systems Foundation recently
announced that Pocono
Medical Center has received
its re-accreditation as a Level
III Trauma Center, thereby
meeting the strict requirements for quality, patient
outcomes, and education.
The re-accreditation was
granted based on a rigorous
site survey conducted by the
Pennsylvania
Trauma
Systems Foundation. Pocono
Medical Centers Trauma
Center is dedicated to providing excellent, state-of-the-art
trauma care to every patient,
every day. Throughout the
Commonwealth, there are 34
accredited trauma centers and
Pocono Medical Center
continues to proudly remain
the only Level III Trauma
Center in the Commonwealth
as well as the sole Trauma
Center program for all of
Monroe County, its 166,314
residents, and surrounding
communities.
As the only fullyaccredited Level III Trauma
Care Center in the state,
Pocono Medical Center is
unique in that it is equipped to
provide life-saving care
around the clock for all
Monroe County residents and
surrounding communities as
well as offer a continuum of
compassionate care, said
Larissa McNeill, Manager of
the Trauma Program at
Pocono Medical Center.
The responsibilities of the
program include the coordination, monitoring, and
evaluation of the trauma
patient to ensure compliance
with all state and national
standards. The trauma team is
on duty 24 hours a day
providing emergency care to
injured
patients,
which
includes initial evaluation,
resuscitation, surgical care,

management in our Nursing

Units, and preparation to
return each patient to their
previous daily life activities.
Our team is led by trauma
surgeons who coordinate care
with other specialists including orthopedic surgeons,
plastic and reconstructive
surgeons, and any other
specialty
surgeons
and
providers who may be needed
to care for specific injuries.
The specialized care and
comprehensive resources of
the Trauma program at
Pocono Medical Center are
made possible through the
support and commitment of
our highly-qualified staff.
Our recent recognition from
U.S. News and World Report
is not only indicative of our
dedication to quality as an
organization, but of our commitment
to
partnership
including our local EMS
providers whose service
plays a vital role in PMCs
re-accreditation as a Level III
Trauma Center, said Dr.
David Scaff, Medical Director of the Pocono Medical
Center Trauma Center. The

Pocono Medical Center

trauma team also includes
skilled professionals such as
our local EMS partners and
nursing staff along with many
other integral departments
throughout the entire health
system.
Pocono Medical Center
became an accredited Trauma
Center in November 2008
with Lehigh Valley Health
Network serving as the Level
I Trauma partner. In 2015,
Pocono Medical Center and
the Childrens Hospital at
Lehigh
Valley
Hospital
announced a partnership with
the Monroe County Community Safety Program to
educate and provide services
involving child car seat
safety, distracted driving
education
and
accident
prevention.
Pocono Medical Center is
celebrating its 100th anniversary this year in East Stroudsburg. With more than 230
physicians and now over
2,000 staff employees, it is
one of Monroe Countys
largest employers, offering a
full complement of clinical

and acute care services for

Monroe and surrounding
communities. It was recently
recognized as being among
the top 10 percent in Pennsylvania and as a Best Regional
Hospital by U.S. News and
World Report. Pocono Medical Centers ESSA Heart and
Vascular Institute offers the
full breadth and depth of
cardiovascular
services,
including diagnostic cardiac
catheterization,
cardiac
angioplasty,
open-heart
surgery, and minimally invasive heart procedures as well
as vascular surgery and
cardiac
rehabilitation
services. The Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center at
Pocono Medical Center offers
a variety of treatments and
alternatives, including stateof-the-art radiation therapy
equipment. Pocono Medical
Center is a fully accredited
Level III Trauma Center. For
more information or to learn
more, please visit our website
at poconohealthsystem.org,
or visit our Facebook page at
facebook.com/poconomedica
lcenter.