The Scoop

EDITOR JULIE IMEL DISHES THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

I do. I do.
If you’re among the happily married peeps of northeastern Pennsylvania, then you may want to take a trip to the Poconos on Valentine’s Day for a special event at Mount Airy Casino Resort.
At 4 p.m. on Feb. 14, married couples are invited to renew their vows in a group ceremony performed by a non-denominational ordained minister, Rev. Dr. Catherine Thayer, in Gypsies Nightclub. Recording artist Adriana Pia Stigliano will also perform during the ceremony, and there will be complimentary champagne and wedding cake for all brides and grooms. In addition, each couple will receive two complimentary passes to Mount Airy’s Valentine’s Day Buffet. The event is open to the public and admission is free. If you want to renew your vows, be sure to arrive at the resort by 3:30 p.m.

Heart healthy
Speaking of the heart, in honor of February as American Heart Month, WVIA will dedicate the next new edition of State of Pennsylvania to discussing matters of the heart. You’ll learn how to love your heart and keep it healthy. The program features Peter Berger, M.D., chairman of cardiology for Geisinger Health System and associate chief research officer for the Geisinger Center for Clinical Studies Director; and Alfred Casale, M.D., associate chief medical officer for Geisinger Health System and co-director of the Geisinger Heart Institute.
According to the CDC, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. One in every three American deaths can be linked to heart disease and stroke – equal to 2,200 deaths per day.
State of Pennsylvania airs Thursday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. on WVIA TV. Encore presentations of this episode can be seen Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. The program will also be available on demand at http://on-demand.wvia.org/program/state-pennsylvania/.
If you’d like to join WVIA’s live audience in the Sordoni High Definition Theater at the WVIA studios in Pittston, PA call 602-1150 or visit wvia.org to reserve your free seats.

Giving back
Community volunteers will be the first to tell you – giving back to the community is rewarding and fun, and it’s a great way to network and make new friends. There are countless volunteer opportunities in The 570, including:
Community Conversations: The United Way of Wyoming Valley is looking to engage members of the community to create a shared vision for the future, and set goals for collective action. The organization will be host a number of Community Conversations over the next few months. The conversations will take many forms, and participants will consider a common question: What do you want your community to look like? To learn more about how you may participate, visit www.unitedwaywb.org/communityconversation or call Amy Zawada at 829-6711, extension 222.
Library Auction: The Back Mountain Memorial Library is seeking volunteers for the annual Back Mountain Memorial Library Auction. The auction is a major fundraiser for the library. In addition to books, the event features collectables, plants, jewelry, items created by local artisans and more. If you’d like to help, the library is seeking volunteers. To learn more, visit http://backmountainlibrary.org/.
Voluntary Action Center: If you live in Lackawanna County and you’re interested in volunteer opportunities, a great place to start is the Voluntary Action Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Visit their website at http://www.vacnepa.org/index.asp and explore volunteer opportunities for a wide variety of organizations.