Latest news with #ScrantonTomorrow
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Students team up with volunteers to give Scranton splash of color
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A group of young students is teaming up with community volunteers to bring a splash of color to downtown Scranton. It's all part of a citywide beautification effort that kicked off this week. Bright smiles and blooming flowers filled Christopher A Doherty Park on Tuesday morning. Volunteers of all ages came together to kick off Scranton City Pride. 'The kids are really enjoying it. We have some that are a little afraid to get dirty. Some that are ready to get dirty, so it's been a fun opportunity for me to just kinda watch them from what they've already learned,' The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children Director Dean Pettinato told 28/22 News. Students and faculty from the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children in South Abington Township spent weeks nurturing plants in preparation for this project. 'We have a program where we collaborate with the Master gardeners, and they'll come and they're teaching our kids about how to develop the flowers from the seeds. They're teaching them about the science of the flowers,' Pettinato explained. New Indian restaurant coming to the Back Mountain On Tuesday, they partnered with Scranton Tomorrow's Safe, Clean and Green team to plant their colorful creations downtown. 'This is a really good example of the power of partnership, where Scranton Tomorrow recruits volunteers for a very specific project tailored for them, really for the benefit of the overall community,' Scranton Tomorrow's Safe, Clean, Green & Design Programs Project Manager Steve Ward stated. Helping hands from the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County guided the young horticulturists as they transformed the pocket park at the corner of Linden Street and Wyoming Avenue into a vibrant urban garden. Now, each student can take this new skill with them for life. With more events planned throughout the next two weeks, organizers say this is just the beginning of a brighter, cleaner Scranton. The community beautification campaign runs through June 7. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City Pride volunteer projects to beautify Scranton
The Garbage Olympics and other cleanups will return in Scranton under the annual City Pride volunteer beautification program May 27 through June 7. A joint program of three nonprofits — Scranton Tomorrow, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania and United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania — the spring spruce-up projects make a big impact, organizers said Monday in announcing this year's edition. Last year, 4,188 volunteers participated, contributing 2,190 hours, completing 57 projects and removing 3,600 pounds of trash from city streets. A new initiative this year will have Scranton Tomorrow partnering with the Lackawanna Blind Association to create a sensory garden on June 3 at 10:30 a.m. outside the association's center at 248 Adams Ave. downtown. A sensory garden's plants are chosen for their unique textures or scents, said Steve Ward, Scranton Tomorrow's project manager of Safe, Clean, Green and Design programs, and who also is a master gardener. The sidewalk area outside the association already has one large planter and four more will be added to create the sensory garden, Ward said. Plants might include mint, basil, lamb's ear and dusty miller, he said. 'It really is an incredible thing to experience nature with your other senses, other than your sight,' Ward said. The smell of victory The third annual Garbage Olympics will take place June 7 at 10:30 a.m. Teams in West Scranton hosted by NeighborWorks and in Pine Brook hosted by UNC will speed clean their respective areas. The team that removes the most trash and debris from city streets and sidewalks in two hours wins. Parties will follow. 'It's a great way for people to come together in the spirit of friendly competition and make a difference in their neighborhood,' UNC Director of Community Revitalization Roger Young said. Since the Garbage Olympics began in 2023, 100 volunteers on Team West Scranton contributed 200 service hours to remove 3,830 pounds of trash. For the first Garbage Olympics, NeighborWorks wasn't sure what kind of community response to expect, but the event has grown into an annual spring tradition in West Scranton, said Alyssa Espinoza, NeighborWorks' Aging in Place project specialist. 'It's inspiring to see people of all ages coming together to make their community a better place to live, and they have fun, too,' Espinoza said. Individuals, families, corporate teams and community groups are encouraged to join Team Pine Brook or Team West Scranton. To learn more and register, see Scranton Tomorrow's website and click on the link for Scranton City Pride. Volunteer opportunities Additional volunteer opportunities include: • Beautification/plantings: Weed, prune, plant flowers and enhance curb appeal. • Cleanups: Remove litter, rake, sweep, and paint over graffiti in parks and green spaces. • Environmental stewardship programs: Participate in storm drain cleanups to protect the Lackawanna River Watershed or help to expand the local pollinator garden network. • Design a project: Scranton City Pride team members will help volunteers develop their own project ideas from concept to completion. Contact Steve Ward at steve@ or 570-963-5901. • Beautify the Downtown Business District: Business owners are encouraged to tidy up sidewalks and storefronts in downtown Scranton. They may also enter creative floral container arrangements in Scranton Tomorrow's Downtown Business Class Category of the Electric City Flower Show. For information on downtown floral displays, email Liz Baldi at lizbaldi@ • Be a good neighbor: Homeowners are encouraged to clean, spruce up or improve their home's exterior or front yard, and take advantage of free educational programs offered during Scranton City Pride. Local experts will offer tips on gardening, home maintenance and more. Learn more at Volunteers can register as individuals or teams representing nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations, businesses or other groups, and will be provided with work gloves and trash bags. For information or to register, see the Scranton Tomorrow website or contact Ward at his email and phone number above. Citywide City Pride Scranton Tomorrow began City Pride in the mid-1990s as an annual week of spring cleanups and plantings throughout the city. Over the years, City Pride grew into a Scranton Tomorrow signature project, annually drawing more than 1,000 volunteers pitching in on over 30 projects in parks, neighborhoods and business districts. Scranton Tomorrow eventually reduced the scope of City Pride to the downtown and the program paused in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It relaunched citywide in 2021. NeighborWorks joined in 2022 and UNC joined in 2023. Scranton City Pride is made possible with support from American Water Charitable Foundation, Pennsylvania American Water, Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scranton Tomorrow urges customers to ‘hop' around downtown
Scranton Tomorrow aims to help local retailers thrive this spring through its Hop Around Downtown initiative. The nonprofit community and economic development organization — which also organizes Deck the Downtown during the Christmas season — hopes shoppers now show similar support to local stores for Easter on April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participating businesses will include the DRIPBaR Scranton, Lavish Scranton, Spice Asian Market and Pilgers' Pastries, all on Adams Avenue; Pigeon Post Art & Books, the LIVE STUDIO @ Amendolaro, Amendolaro, Tom Grudis Optical & The Bare Accessories, Burlap & Bourbon and the Blushing Bridal Boutique, all on Biden Street; Over the Moon, Tachi Hill, Runway Boutique and Little Wild Refillery, all on North Washington Avenue; the Giving Tree, Penn House Boutique and the Daisy Collective, all on Penn Avenue; Scranton Art Haus and 8 Count Dancewear on Lackawanna Avenue; and Noteology on Wyoming Avenue. 'Events like this one remind everyone that we can shop small and make a big difference in our community all year round,' said Liz Baldi, business development director for Scranton Tomorrow. 'We don't have to limit that support to fall and winter. Now that spring is here, come to downtown Scranton for the latest spring fashions and Easter basket gifts. Our boutiques have everything you need — and if you need help, personalized service is their specialty.' As part of the initiative, Noteology founder and CEO Danielle Fleming plans to host an adult Easter egg hunt at her shop on Wyoming Avenue with free product giveaways and discounts April 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store will also feature an Easter cocktail, Fleming said. She praised Scranton Tomorrow officials for always shining a spotlight on downtown retailers — from bigger events like Downtown on Ice to smaller ones. 'It keeps things engaging and exciting,' Fleming said. 'It brings extra marketing and awareness of our brand to people in our community.' Easter items on display at Noteology on Wyoming Avenue in Scranton on Wednesday. (ROBERT TOMKAVAGE/STAFF PHOTO)
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scranton's next mural will commemorate the Lenape indigenous people
Scranton's next mural downtown will have a Lenape theme, the Lackawanna County Commissioners announced Thursday. A joint project by the county and the nonprofit Scranton Tomorrow, the mural aims to raise awareness of the history of the indigenous people who first settled the Lackawanna Valley and to acknowledge and honor their legacy. Titled 'Remembrance and Continuance: The Lenape Story in Scranton,' the mural will be painted on the north side of the Brixx Building, 130 N. Washington Ave., which is owned by Art Russo's ATR Properties. A wall on the north side of the Brixx Building, 130 N. Washington Ave., in downtown Scranton, will get a Lenape-themed mural in summer of 2025. (PHOTO PROVIDED / COURTESY OF LACKAWANNA COUNTY) Commissioners Bill Gaughan, Matt McGloin and Chris Chermak unanimously approved the project Wednesday during their regular meeting, following a presentation by Maureen McGuigan, director of the Department of Arts and Culture. While most of the historical focus on Lackawanna County is on its major role in anthracite mining and the Industrial Revolution, the mural and programs it will foster will offer opportunities to examine the region's deeper past. 'Public art like this not only beautifies our communities but also preserves and celebrates our rich cultural heritage. By recognizing the Lenape, we're acknowledging our past and inspiring a future that values diversity, history, and artistic expression across our county,' McGuigan said in the announcement. Details of the mural project include: Native American artist Ben Scott Miller of Lake Placid, Florida, and Miquel Angel Belinchon Bujes, a Spaniard known as Belin, will partner to create the mural. Miller has been certified by the Heard Museum in Arizona as an official Native American artist and Belin has worked on numerous urban art projects in Europe and the United States since 2001. The artists will be paid $95,000 for the project and its total cost will not exceed $137,000. The county will not bear all of the costs as contributions so far include: $35,000 from the Lackawanna County Convention and Visitors Bureau, an independent agency; $5,000 from The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; and $1,000 from the University of Scranton. Other grant applications are pending with the National Endowment for the Arts, the America 250, a nonpartisan initiative commemorating the nation's 250th anniversary, and several other local foundations. Russo will prepare and resurface the wall for the mural and install lighting to illuminate it. The project will reimburse him up to $20,000. A design of the mural has not yet been approved. The project will take about eight weeks to complete. Scranton Tomorrow's Mural Arts Program Chairwoman Rose Randazzo-Pizzuto said the start date is July 5. The Lenape mural likely might have elements of the river, turtles, a particular flower and matriarchal themes, she said. It likely would be the second largest mural in Scranton in square footage, after 'The Four Seasons of Lackawanna County' murals completed last year by the county on the large retaining walls on both sides of the Biden Expressway, Randazzo-Pizzuto said. That project's leftover paint spawned a smaller mural, titled 'Somnium Orbis,' which is Latin for 'Dream World,' that also was painted last year on a side wall of the 414 Biden St. building of Tequila Mexican Pub. Murals done by Scranton Tomorrow's Mural Arts Program include: • 'The Dream,' a Martin Luther King Jr. mural at 607 Mulberry St. in 2021. • 'Danseur de Corde (Rope Dancer)' Vaudeville-themed mural at 328 Penn Ave. in 2021. • 'The Good of the Hive' bee motif on a rear wall of the Scranton Civic Ballet Company building at 234 Mifflin Ave. in 2022. • 'The Office: The Story of Us' on a side wall of 503 Lackawanna Ave. in 2023. • 'The Big Band,' a 130-feet-long by 30-feet-tall mural on a side wall of 217-219 Wyoming Ave. in 2024. Meanwhile, in 2020, Frank Dubas had a mural of John Lennon painted on the east-facing, blank stucco wall of a building he owns at 518 Lackawanna Ave.
