Press Releases: January 20, 2000

For Immediate Release
January 20, 2000 Press Releases

Nextel Launches Three-In-One Wireless Service in PA;
Makes Donations
Harrisburg, PA – Nextel Communications has launched a new three-in-one digital wireless service from Nextel Communications that combines digital cellular, digital two-way radio, and text/numeric paging features, all in one compact phone.

As part of its launch, the company is announcing “Nextel’s Promise,” a five-promise pledge to improve the lives of youth in local communities. Included in “Nextel’s Promise” is a $5,000 donation to local nonprofit America’s Promise — the organization nationally spearheaded by General Colin Powell — which was raised through an outdoor dawn-to-dusk walk-a-thon with Nextel staff held at John Harris High School.

Of that donation, $2,000 will be used to fund a national America’s Promise internship in Colin Powell’s office in Washington, D.C. this summer for former East Pennsboro High School student Tiffany Elliott.

The company is also donating 15 phones and free local service for one year to the Harrisburg City School District and to the School District of Lancaster, to help increase the safety of students, educators, and staff at local schools.

City Expends $4,475,598 on Shelters
Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed has announced that the City of Harrisburg has expended $220,000 in 1999 in support of four shelters, as well as for legal services associated with issues of housing. During the past three years of 1997 through 1999, that makes a total of $2,878,629 expended by the city to provide emergency shelter for homeless and temporarily displaced persons in the city and region.

Reed noted that since 1986, the city’s overall allocations for shelters have been $4,475,798. Harrisburg is the only municipality in the region to expend any funds for shelters, even though the homeless population served in Harrisburg comes largely from throughout the region, state, and nation.

The Mayor said that during 1999, the following was allocated for shelters: $34,410 to Shalom House; $56,000 to Christian Churches United in their operation of the HELP Program; $64,105 for Delta Housing; $40,485 for the Greater Harrisburg Area YWCA; $17,000 for Central Pennsylvania Legal Services; and $8,000 to the city itself for administering the grants and programs.

In addition to funds from the city, the shelters are also supported with monies from the federal and state governments, the United Way, and private contributions.

Allied Arts Fund Announces Campaign Goal
Harrisburg, PA – The Allied Arts Fund Board of Directors and Campaign leadership have unanimously approved a campaign goal of $1,130,000 for the year 2000. This figure represents the Fund’s most ambitious fundraising goal to date.

In regards to the Fund’s goal for the year 2000, Allied Arts Fund Chair, John M. Brinjac, President of Brinjac, Kambic & Associates, Inc., shares, “The goal established for Campaign 2000 will help to ensure the continued growth and development of the arts here in Central Pennsylvania. With the continued support of our generous campaign contributors, dedicated volunteers, and affiliated arts and cultural organizations, we are confident that the $1,130,000 goal set before us is an obtainable one. We look forward to working with all of Central Pennsylvania in making the upcoming united campaign a true success.”

The Allied Arts Fund will mark the start of this year’s united campaign with a public “Campaign Kick-Off” celebration on Wednesday, March 1, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., in the Atrium of Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg. Taking part in the festivities will be representatives from the region’s business and cultural communities, with displays and performances being provided by the Fund’s affiliated arts and cultural organizations. The event is free and open to the public.

In its 14-year history, the Allied Arts Fund has raised over $8.1 million for the arts of Central Pennsylvania. All contributions made to the Fund’s Campaign 2000 are tax-deductible and will benefit 44 of the region’s leading arts and cultural organizations. 100% of all dollars raised during the united campaign stay in Central Pennsylvania.

For additional information on this year’s Allied Arts Fund Campaign and to learn how you can play your part for the arts of Central Pennsylvania in 2000, please call 233-1694.

PinnacleHealth Among 100 Best Orthopedic Hospitals
Harrisburg, PA – PinnacleHealth Hospitals is one of the top 100 U.S. providers of orthopedic care, according to a study by HCIA, a Baltimore-based healthcare information and analysis company.

HCIA evaluated over 2,100 U.S. hospitals, analyzing their performance in orthopedic surgeries and other procedures. The HCIA study found that patients at the top hospitals like PinnacleHealth had a lower mortality rate, fewer complications, and faster recovery.

PinnacleHealth Heart Institute was also named one of the Top 100 cardiac care centers and PinnacleHealth System was recognized as one of the Top 100 health systems in the nation in 1999.

City Receives Top Two National Awards
Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed has announced that the City of Harrisburg has been designated to receive the Nation’s top two financial awards, the Certificate for Achievement of Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

Both awards are conferred by independent judging panels comprised of certified public accountants and other fiscal experts with the Government Finance Officers Association. The organization represents professionals in the public finance business in the U.S. and Canada.

It is the twelfth consecutive year that the City has received the Financial Reporting Award and the eighth consecutive year for the Budget Award. “It represents a continuing commitment to meeting higher government accounting and reporting standards than are normally associated with governmental agencies,” Reed said.

Of over 2,656 municipalities in Pennsylvania, only 4 have received both awards and fewer than two dozen have received either.

The awards recognize high performance in financial reporting, accounting, and budgeting.

Students To Create Interactive Program
Summerdale, PA – Central Penn’s Interactive Multimedia Productions class is taking a social awareness direction this semester by creating an interactive computer program that will educate the public about the homeless. Students will use interviews of the homeless, and incorporate photographs of the people’s faces and spaces in which each sleep and live. The goal of this computer program is to open the eyes of people that ordinarily overlook the lives of the homeless. The Interactive Multimedia Productions class is offered as part of the college’s Multimedia/Internet Production major.

The MIP program integrates theory, hands-on experience, and internship experience in media production. Students master skills in electronic animation, multimedia and Internet authoring, and interactive multimedia production. Students master skills in electronic animation, multimedia and Internet authoring, and interactive multimedia production. Education and training techniques and project management courses give these students additional tools to work effectively in this exciting field.

Central Pennsylvania College, located in Summerdale, Pennsylvania, offers twenty associate degree career programs in the business, legal, and health care fields. Central Penn is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Travel Professionals/American Express Moves To West Shore
Harrisburg, PA – American Express Travel Services is now even more accessible to West Shore residents since Travel Professionals moved its offices from downtown Harrisburg to a larger facility in Lemoyne.

Travel Professionals/American Express (TPI/AmEx) new Cruise and Vacation Store, a 2,500 square-foot storefront located at 1001 Market Street across from the West Shore Farmers’ market, features expanded hours, ample parking, and a Cruise Corner containing videos and other information on the various cruise vacations that are available to clients.

TPI/AmEx specializes in luxury travel, cruises, group tours, and European vacations, especially Ireland and Italy, and incentive travel. The agency was recently recognized with the American Express Representative Excellence award for outstanding sales and service, one of only 37 AmEx travel representatives to receive the honor. The company’s local (233-5641) and toll-free (800-761-533) numbers remain unchanged. The public can also contact Travel Professionals through e-mail (travelpro@pa.net) or through the worldwide web (travelprofs.com).

Legacy Bank Names Opening Staff
Harrisburg, PA – Legacy Bank of Harrisburg, Central Pennsylvania’s first new bank in more than a decade, has opened its doors with a focus on growing Central Pennsylvania businesses. Locally owned and operated, Legacy is a narrowly focused financial services company that concentrates on providing sound businesses, practices, and associations.

George H. Groves, with 25 years of senior banking experience, will serve as chairman and chief executive officer. Lifetime Banker Thomas W. Lennox will lead the loan and customer service operations. Mark J. Stephens, CPA, serves as the treasurer and managing director of finance and administration. Joseph L. Paese serves as managing director of asset management. John Carroll, with 36 years of banking experience serves as director of community banking. Jeffrey W. Myers serves Legacy Bank as director of commercial services, acting as a commercial loan officer, compliance officer, and CRA officer. Robert E. McDonald Serves as director of commercial services. His primary responsibilities are to establish and maintain relationships with small businesses.

Kim Witmer has been named executive assistant to the CEO. Jeff C. Sanders serves as the director of retail lending, responsible for retail and mortgage lending, and new business development. Mandy Cupp, with 25 years of banking experience, serves as the director of deposit services. Pamela S. Hancher has been named director of loan services. Melissa N. McLaughlin has been appointed a personal banking specialist for Legacy. Amy Kaunas serves as a personal banking specialist. She will serve as customer service representative, loan officer and teller to Legacy customers. Barbara L. Sariano serves as director of customer services. Adina A. Henry serves as accountant. She has extensive experience with bank department auditing, internal controls, correction of organizational deficiencies, report analysis, accounting, and auditing.

Legacy Bank was built from the ground up to serve the needs of the business community. Legacy’s easy-to-use business products are designed to meet the depository and cash-cycle management needs of individual businesses. With a market capitalization of $10 million, Legacy is fully chartered by the Pennsylvania Banking Department and is insured by the FDIC.

KePRO Provides Free Publications to Medicare Beneficiaries
Harrisburg, PA – KePro, the Pennsylvania Medicare Peer Review Organization, has free information about Medicare. Some of the information is produced by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), the federal agency that oversees the Medicare programs.

HCFA’s Medicare and You booklet highlights questions and answers that Medicare beneficiaries may have concerning Medicare protection and rights, the Original Medicare Plan and other Medicare Health Plans. Phone numbers of important contacts are also included in Medicare and You. Other HCFA publications provided by KePRO include Your Medicare Benefits, a booklet containing information on medical and hospital health care and Medicare- A Worksheet for Comparing Medicare Health Plans.

Medicare beneficiaries and their families are welcome to call KePRO’s beneficiary hotline at 1-800-322-1914 to receive this free information.

Choreoplan 2000 Brings Fresh Talent To Carlisle
Carlisle, PA – The Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB), known internationally for its exquisite training of classical ballet, is opening its artistic arena to include nurturing the development of new choreographers. CHOEOPLAN 2000, CPYB’s third annual emerging choreographers workshop, will run through January 22, and is intended to provide new choreographers with insight into musical selection, building on a basic theme, and many other elements that are crucial to understanding the art of Choreography. This year’s workshop will be led by CPYB’s Resident Choreographer Alan Hineline. Hineline has just been granted the 1999 Choo-San Goh Award for Choreography from the Choo-San Goh and H. Robert Magee Foundation, an international award given to only four nominees each year.