Grant helps Cooperage expand youth programs

HONESDALE, PA — The Cooperage Project has received a $25,000 grant from the PPL Foundation. These funds will support the expansion of the Cooperage Project’s youth programs.

Programming for youth of all ages is a central focus area of the Cooperage Project, a spokesman said. The grant will help the organization acquire a building designated for youth programs; this will increase scheduling capacity, expand the Pop-Up Club (the Cooperage’s after-school program), and assist in the development of new programs. 

New offerings include Girl Wonder, an empowerment and leadership club for middle school girls; the MicroGreens healthy-living workshop for preschool-aged kids and their caregivers; and the Teen Dinner Club for high school students.

In addition to the PPL Foundation grant, funding has come from the John and Helen Villaume Foundation.

For more information about the Cooperage Project, visit thecooperageproject.org. To learn more about the PPL Foundation, visit www.pplweb.com/communities/ppl-foundation/.

The Cooperage Project has received a $25,000 grant from the PPL Foundation. These funds will support the expansion of the Cooperage Project’s youth …

Kids: create art 

NEW YORK STATE — The 37th annual Water Resources Art and Poetry Contest has been launched. Submissions are due by Friday, March 3; see information link below. 

A project of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the contest is open to all New York City and Hudson watershed students in grades two through 12. Students are invited to create original art and compose poetry that reflects an appreciation for New York’s shared water resources. 

Winners will be announced during a celebration in the spring. 

The DEP’s Art and Poetry program helps raise awareness about the importance of clean, high-quality drinking water, and what it takes to maintain New York City’s water supply and wastewater treatment systems. Students can create poems and artwork including paintings, collages, three-dimensional models, photography, animation and videos of dance performances, public service announcements and songs. 

Artworks should explore one of the contest categories: the importance of clean water, the New York City water supply system, the New York City wastewater treatment system, harbor water quality and healthy marine ecosystems, and water stewardship and climate change. 

 Visit www.nyc.gov/site/dep/environment/water-resources-art-poetry-contest.page for the contest guidelines, to submit entries online, to see past winners, and to learn more about New York City water. 

For more information about the DEP, visit nyc.gov/dep, like it on Facebook, or follow it on Twitter.

The DEP’s Art and Poetry program helps raise awareness about the importance of clean, high-quality drinking water, and what it takes to maintain …

WU/RM to meet

NARROWSBURG, NY — The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) will hold its next monthly meeting of its Water Use/Resource Management Committee (WU/RM) on Tuesday, February 21, at 6:30 p.m. in the UDC office, 211 Bridge St., Narrowsburg, NY.

The agenda will include new and old business, updates on ongoing projects, reports of recent meetings, and notices of upcoming events.

All committee meetings are open to the public. For further information, call the UDC office at 845/252-3022 or visit www.upperdelawarecouncil.org.

Heart patients extol rehab program

HONESDALE, PA — Before he had open heart surgery, Keith Larson told the Wayne County Commissioners, “I couldn’t even walk to my neighbor’s next door.” 

Now, after following up with Wayne Memorial Hospital’s cardiac rehabilitation program, Larson said, “I can do up to three and a half miles!”

Larson and three other patients, including Commissioner Brian Smith’s father, Wyman, showed up to hear the commissioners issue a proclamation marking National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week, February 12 to 18.  

Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program to help patients improve health and well-being and change lifestyle habits through exercise training and education.     

Wayne Memorial’s cardiac rehabilitation department manager, Nadine Greco, said cardiac rehab works because “it’s a partnership. Patients have got to want to be proud of themselves and do the work.”

Cardiac rehab works. Pictured, seated, are Keith Larson, left; Tammy Lastarza; Wyman Smith; and Marilu Justice. Standing are Commissioner Jocelyn …

Recalled: Pet food

NATIONWIDE — Nestlé Purina PetCare is voluntarily recalling select lots of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental (PPVD EL) prescription dry dog food due to potentially elevated levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for dogs; however, ingestion of elevated levels can lead to health issues, depending on the level of vitamin D and the length of exposure. Vitamin D toxicity could include vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination and excessive drooling and renal (kidney) dysfunction.

Purina is taking this action after receiving two contacts to date about two separate confirmed cases of a dog exhibiting signs of vitamin D toxicity . Once taken off the diet, both of these dogs recovered.

The affected dry dog food was distributed throughout the United States by prescription only through veterinary clinics, Purina Vet Direct, Purina for Professionals, and other select retailers with the ability to validate a prescription.

For more information, visit bit.ly/3jOTVcF.

School-year meals and options at Fallsburg

FALLSBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, NY— The school district has amended its policy for breakfast and/or lunch for the 2022-23 school year under the National School Lunch Program.

It would allow all children attending Benjamin Cosor Elementary School and Fallsburg Junior-Senior High School to be served meals at no charge.

For more information, call Merrill Rollins, school lunch manager for the Fallsburg Central School District, at 845/434-6800 ext. 2232, or email merrill.rollins@scboces.org.

Go back to school at SUNY Sullivan

LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY — SUNY Sullivan is offering face-to-face and online classes this spring as part of the college’s 11-week express semester, which begins Monday, February 20, and runs through Friday, May 5. Express semester courses offer students the opportunity to earn regular course credits at an accelerated pace. You can get a jump-start on general education requirements, pick up extra credits, retake a class, or explore personal interests.

 SUNY Sullivan’s Spring Express Semester offers an affordable cost per credit, open enrollment (no SAT or ACT and minimal GPA requirements), and free application, a college spokesperson said. Classes are offered online unless otherwise indicated.

 For more information about the spring express semester or to apply, visit sunysullivan.edu/spring-express. Online registration/info sessions are available every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. To schedule a free video consultation or in-person campus tour, email admissions@sunysullivan.edu or call 845/730-3125.

Join the Chamber of the Northern Poconos

WAYNE and PIKE COUNTIES, PA — The Chamber of the Northern Poconos invites businesses and organizations to join and take advantage of the benefits of membership. 

In addition to business and tourism promotion, the chamber focuses on the prosperous growth of Wayne and Pike counties and beyond, and helps to maintain the environmental quality that is so attractive to visitors and residents.

The name of the business will be added to referral lists and interactive websites. You can add hot deals, discounts, special offerings and update or change your listing to keep your info current.

Your business will also be a part of the “Navigate the Northern Poconos” guides printed and distributed throughout the year. The guide also appears on the chamber’s homepage, updated monthly. The deadline to participate in this publication is Wednesday, March 15. 

The chamber sponsors special events, activities and promotions throughout the year including Fourth of July fireworks over Lake Wallenpaupack, the community awards banquet, arts and crafts fairs, the Wally Lake Fest, the dragon boat races on Lake Wallenpaupack and much more.

Competitive health benefits are available; this is a partnership of the Chambers of Commerce and Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield. There are other options too. 

The chamber also offers options for lowering monthly energy bills.  

For more information, call 570/226-3191, email chamber@northernpoconos.org or visit www.northernpoconos.org. 

Training available for farm and food businesses

HONESDALE AND TROY, PA — The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will offer a food-safety training session for agriculture and food-related business owners at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 22 in Honesdale and at 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 23 in Troy. 

The program is titled “The Importance of Food Safety: An Introduction to the Food Safety Modernization Act.” 

Presenters will provide a general overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act. Current food-business challenges, the importance of making a long-term commitment to visible food safety, and building the resiliency needed to pivot when regulatory and marketplace environments change will also be discussed.

Winifred McGee, business consultant with the University of Scranton SBDC and Rick Kralj, senior extension educator for food safety quality with Penn State Extension, will lead both sessions.

The Honesdale session will be held at the Stourbridge Project, 646 Park St., and the Troy session will be held at the Troy Sale Barn at 50 Ballard St.

The session is free, thanks to support from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Pre-registration is required; to register, visit www.scrantonsbdc.com, email sbdc@scranton.edu, or call 570/941-7588.

Learn more about the SBDC at www.scrantonsbdc.com.