Staff and Board News

The Four Rs

The four Rs — Reduce, Re-use, Restore and Recycle — are routinely practiced at EOTC. Click here to read the Green Newsletter compiled by EOTC’s employee team.

Paint for Prevention

EOTC joined with other interested citizens to highlight Child Abuse Prevention Month. Activities included a special presentation for teen parents by Hershey Medical Center’s expert on Shaken Baby Syndrome.  Also, visitors to the Family Center helped to paint a community awareness mural designed by University of Scranton student interns. EOTC offers violence prevention programs throughout the year. We are affiliated with PA Family Support Alliance, the state’s primary child abuse prevention advocacy organization.

Board Members Honored

EOTC presented its first Mighty Oak awards to two long-time board members, Mary Belin Rhodes and J. Randall Palko.  Child advocate  Elizabeth Milder Beh was also honored at the Mighty Oak dinner.  In 1986, Beth Beh founded the Women’s Employment Program, EOTC’s seminal program. She went on to work with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton’s renowned Touchpoints program. In addition to his service to EOTC, Randy Palko has been active with Neighborhood Housing Services, United Way and Kiwanis.

Mary Rhodes works tirelessly to better our community. Among her many awards, Mary received the 2010 Roseann Smith Alperin award for outstanding volunteer service. Mary is a past EOTC board president and co-chairs EOTC’s capital campaign. For 10 years, Mary has been a math tutor for our prison program. With genuine caring, Mary tutors 40-45 incarcerated women each year.

Staff Learning Strengthens EOTC Programs

EOTC staff members regularly pursue courses for quality improvement. Recently, Nina Olmedo completed her M.A. in Forensic Psychology, a specialty that will help in her work with individuals recovering from addictions or offenders and victims in the legal system.  Visit Supervisor Emily McDonald is progressing toward her Master’s in Counseling.

Kristy Ryczak and Jean Tomaine completed the rigorous review process for certification in the Incredible Years program — the first team in Pennsylvania to be certified in this Blueprint-Against-Violence curriculum.  EOTC‘s Incredible Years parent-child program has received accolades from a Penn State evaluation team.

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