Leadership Northeast community projects serve several purposes

Jan. 7—KINGSTON — Jessica Cronauer, Executive Director of Leadership Northeast, this week said the Community Impact Project component of the Leadership Northeast experience is meant to serve several purposes.

"Classmates work together to design and execute a project that fulfills a community need," Cronauer said. "In doing so, participants apply the leadership development skills they learn throughout the year, while making a critical and positive impact on the community."

Cronauer said participants must work through their differences of opinion, behavior, and perspectives and find a common ground.

"Bringing people together to accomplish something extraordinary, despite their differences, is a critical aspect of effective leadership," Cronauer said. "The Class of 2024 is only halfway through their program year, but their projects are already making a positive difference in Northeast Pennsylvania and we are so proud of the work they're doing."

Between the Core, Junior and Impact programs, Leadership Northeast participants complete upwards of 40 projects a year, collaborating with other nonprofits, schools, government and community organizations.

"After 38 years in the business, the ripple effect of these projects is vast, and the lessons learned invaluable," Cronauer said.

2024 Core Community Impact Projects

—Art with a Heart is partnering with St. Joseph's Center Wyoming Valley Campus in Wilkes-Barre. Their mission is to redesign and renovate a dedicated art space and market its availability for the benefit of the under-served community of individuals with intellectual disabilities in Luzerne County. The team believes that art education is not only a means of self-expression for the special needs population but also a powerful tool for empowerment, personal growth, and social inclusion.

Team members: Mollie Boyd, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins; Tim Jones, The Hershey Company; Madison Kaminski, Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce; Katie Martin, Saint Joseph's Center; Julissa Molina, CVS Caremark; John Quattrocchi, Geisinger; Nikens Toussaint, Varian Medical Systems; Zach Watkins, Rosenn, Jenkins, and Greenwald, LLP/Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association.

—Head Start Heroes is collaborating with Luzerne County Head Start to create a sensory room. Located at Head Start's Beekman Street facility, the room will provide a safe, calm experience to help children with relaxation and self-regulation.

Team members: Chelsey Coslett, Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC); Michele Duris, Step by Step, Inc.; Amy Hoyt, Building Blocks Learning Center; AJ Jump, F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts; Chris Mayerski, Wilkes University; Jaclyn Reisser, Mobiniti; Rebecca Thomas, Empower.

—Hearts for Hope is working toward raising awareness of Volunteers of America's Give Hope program and providing our unhoused neighbors in the community with support and essential supplies to ensure their survival.

Team members: Tanya Brown, Tanya Brown Realtor Luxe Homes Real Estate; Penka Farina,Penn State Wilkes-Barre; Tiffany Grenkevich, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield; Liz Lipski, Misericordia University; Kim Lombardo, Navient; Kylie Patterson-Carr, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies; Cindy Sherrill, Step by Step, Inc.

—In This To-Gather is on a mission to create an enriching space that supports and unites our diverse local community. In partnership with Gather Community Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre, the team is assisting in renovating the basement area into a functional, multi-use educational and multimedia space. They are seeking in-kind and monetary donations for needed supplies to complete their project. Gather Community Center plays a vital role in bringing people together by offering free meaningful programming and providing free essential meeting space for various community groups, including providing ESL classes. The ESL classes cost $125 per person with the fee covering cost of books, materials, teachers pay and childcare. There is homework help offered for dependent children while their parents attend the class. Books can be used for two semesters, so returning students receive a discount.

Team members: Meghan Blewitt, FloraCraft; Kristin Boyd, Benco Dental; Jodi Burgit, Building Blocks Learning Center; Ray Crisci, Procter & Gamble; Rachel Linso, Luzerne County Convention & Visitors Bureau; Angelia Petrillo, NEPA Rainbow Alliance; Rob Wright, M&T Bank/Wilmington Trust; Maegan Zielinski, Grassroots Development.

—Let Freedom Ring will be collecting monetary, in-kind material or labor donations for the creation of a new Clay Shooting Range for visitor use at Camp Freedom's property. Camp Freedom is a non-profit organization that offers hope and help to Veterans, First Responders, their family members, and Gold Star Families on a pathway of recovery. They strive to keep families together through peer-to-peer interaction, camaraderie, and outdoor activities situated on a 2,350-acre property in Carbondale, PA.

Team members: Katie Burnett, OneSource Benefits; Mike Casey, Chancellor Financial Group; Lauren Devers, Building Blocks Learning Center; Meg Dolbin, Luzerne/Wyoming County Provider Association/Step by Step, Inc.; Peter Feno, AssuredPartners of New Jersey LLC; Jacky Mizele, Community Bank, N.A.; Bob Remsky, Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

—New Books on the Block in partnership with Dress for Success Luzerne County, which provides life skills workshops for inmates at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, the team plans to assist in establishing a library inside the Correctional Facility comprised of fiction, non-fiction and self-help books.

Team members: Christy Bergen, Bergen Group, Coldwell Banker Town and Country Properties; Mike Darter, FNCB Bank; Justin Edwards, Comcast; Derek Felsman, Pennsylvania State Police; Melissa Janick, Luzerne County Head Start; Carrie Owens, UGI Utilities; Josh Perry, O'Donnell Law Offices; Renee Shrader, Geisinger Health Plan.

—Team Up for Transparency the John Malvizzi Foundation's (JM Foundation) mission is "to provide families and communities with the resources needed to increase mental health awareness and improve their quality of life." The JM Foundation has invited LNE's Core team, "Team Up for Transparency," to support their inaugural Mental Health Awareness Week, tentatively scheduled for the first full week of May.

Team members: Tiffany Burch, Fidelity Bank; Joe Jones, UGI Utilities; Katie Kemmerer, Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Kyle LeValley, InterMetro Industries; Dylan Myslowski, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies; Jessica Piazza, Benco Dental; Sam Stiner, Verdantas, Kendra Vough, United Way of Wyoming Valley.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect the cost of ESL classes at the Gather Community Space in Wilkes-Barre.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.