Over over three dozen agencies will be on hand to aid grandparents raising grandchildren at the conference.
Tony Callaio file photo | For Times Leader
State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, will speak at The Woodlands during the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren conference regarding new information from the state.
Tony Callaio file photo | For Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — With fewer than three-weeks left until the 19th Annual Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) Conference scheduled for Friday, Oct. 24, at the Woodlands Inn, there’s still time to register.
The event, led by longtime GRG of NEPA organizer Howard Grossman, will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
GRG of NEPA merged with GRG Advocacy Council chaired by Frank Mariano in June.
GRG Advocacy Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to offering both information and support to grandparents and other kinship caregivers and their families.
“Frank Mariano and I both believe that the conference is an excellent way to provide ideas for GRG families,” Grossman said. “We believe the awareness of the demographic has been achieved, but we need to era from as many families as possible what their problems are. We encourage as many to be with us as possible including minority groups and the Latino community in the region.”
Slated to speak this year at the conference is state Sen. Patty Kim, Dauphin Co.; Pashinski; Grossman; Mariano; and additional speakers.
According to Grossman, the conference is broken up into morning and afternoon sessions with a hot lunch and snacks between the sessions for GRG families.
Featured speakers will take place during the morning session and legal representatives will be available in the afternoon.
Grossman said there would be new information presented regarding what the Commonwealth can provide.
Dozens of resource tables will be available at the back of the venue.
Mike Bobolowski from the Area Agency on Aging for Luzerne/Wyoming Counties will be taking registrations prior to the event. You can also register when you arrive prior to 9 a.m.
To register for the conference, call or email 570-822-1158, ext. 2386 or email michael.bobrowski@luzernecounty.org.
The cost is $35 for professional social service personnel and general public, but free for grandparents raising grandchildren.
Vendors may register with Julie Mann at ccaging14@ptd.net.
For information on the upcoming GRR conference, go to grgnepa.org or contact Howard Grossman at 570-262-3443.
“We would like to thank Catherine Faraday for her assistance in preparing for the conference,” Grossman said. “Special thanks to Matt Kaplan from Penn State University for continuing support as well as Alex Maasdam from Kin Connector in Harrisburg for his long standing support of our conferences.”
The GRG Advocacy Board is made up of Frank Mariano, president, Support Group Facilitator; Deanna German, vice president, director, Wyoming County Child and Youth Services; Joe Kerestes, Treasurer, CPA; Joan Gower-Retired, Support Group Facilitator; Joanie Salla, Adjunct Professor, Misericordia University; Pashinski; Grossman, retired, conference chair; Tina Doughton, School Psychologist; Sandra Moosic, Office of Social Security.
Founding members are Brenda Saba, John Calamino and Beth O’Boyle.
