PACT to celebrate, honor birthplace
Phyl T. Macomber is coming back to town to join in, and honor, the 125th anniversary celebration of her birthplace, St. Joseph's Center
Phyl, author of "The Power of T.H.E. P.A.C.T.," will present a program on the teaching framework on April 25 at Marywood University. Portions of the proceeds will be benefit the center.
A retired speech-language pathologist, Phyl completed a fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital's Kennedy-Krieger Institute in 1988. Now an award-winning national speaker, author, developer, curriculum strategist, AT specialist and trainer, she developed the curriculum framework, called T.H.E. P.A.C.T. - Technology Helps Easy and Practical Adapted Curriculum Teaching - which is being successfully used in regular education, special education and related service settings throughout the United States and Canada. It is a four-step, color-coded systematic teaching framework, founded on language-based research and is aligned to the Common Core Standards.
Now a resident of Vermont, Phyl, originally from Old Forge, is the daughter of Leonard and the late Bertha Totaro, who adopted her from St. Joseph's in 1961.
"As a treasured family memory, Phyl holds dear to her heart her mom sharing that the reason they adopted her was to 'make a difference.' This family principle has been the driving force in Phyl's quest to better serve others in life - with the name of her company being Make A Difference Inc., to honor both of her parents," according to a release from the center.
Watching St. Joseph Center's annual telethon during a visit to her dad last summer, "Phyl was amazed to learn that St. Joseph's was now a center for children and adults with special needs - a very full-circle moment in life for Phyl, given her longstanding work with special needs populations," the release says, adding, "Phyl felt compelled to make a contribution to her birthplace and, last fall, visited St. Joseph's for the first time since her adoption to suggest that she donate time by offering one of her seminars on T.H.E. P.A.C.T. to serve as a way to raise money for St. Joseph's Center."
Center President and CEO Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, I.H.M., notes in the release, "Phyl speaks of the responsibility to make a difference. She learned this from her mother and has made it an important part of what motivates her personally and professionally. The research that Phyl has done, combined with her years of experience making a difference in people's lives, will come together as she presents the very informative and useful program, T.H.E. P.A.C.T."
Phyl also is donating 50 percent of the profits of her entire book series on T.H.E. P.A.C.T. to ovarian cancer research in honor of her late mother, who died from the disease in 2007.
"We are honored that Phyl has decided to offer this presentation in our area and to do so in a way that supports the ministry of St. Joseph's Center," Sister Maryalice added.
Star in stripes
Navy Seaman Apprentice Joseph M. Mahoney, son of Jaime K. Hodgdon of Moscow and Mark T. Mahoney, of Kissimmee, Fla., was promoted to his current rank upon graduation from Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. Seaman Apprentice Mahoney received the early promotion for outstanding performance during all phases of the training cycle.
High notes
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania is offering a new program, exclusively for girls ages 6-18, thanks to a generous donation from Ann and David Hawk and Joanne Kuehner. The GALLS program (Giving All Little Ladies Smiles), was designed to give the girls time to feel special, Ann said. "When I met the girls, they were very enthusiastic about the program. They told me that they look forward to participating each week," Ann is quoted as saying in a release from the club, adding, "Girls are given so many negative messages in our culture. It is my hope that this program will help the girls to develop the skills they need to be happy and productive in life." The program is designed to engage girls in interactive and informative activities where they will learn how to strengthen and build self-esteem.