The County of Wayne will be participating in the 5th annual C.A.S.U.A.L. day on Thursday, March 27, set aside to raise awareness of the high incidence of colon and rectal cancers in the region. Employees will be encouraged to dress casually that day. Participating businesses and other work sites will also have available pins or T-shirts for purchase by the employees. Proceeds will benefit the work of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute.
Natalie Woronchuk of the Cancer Institute was given a proclamation by the Commissioners designating March 27 as C.A.S.U.A.L. Day in Wayne County, urging residents to participate and to be screened for early detection of colon cancer. According to the Institute, colon and rectal cancers are the most frequently diagnosed cancers in Northeast Pennsylvania where both incidence and mortality rates are about 25 percent higher than the U.S. average. About 75 percent of new cases of colon and rectal cancer occur in patients of average risk. Over 700 new cases are diagnosed and about 260 patients die from colon cancer annually in Wayne, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties combined.
For 17 years the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute has conducted research, education and survivorship programs throughout the region. They have a base office in Scranton. For more information call 1-800-424-6724 or see www.cancernepa.org.
C.A.S.U.A.L. stands for Colon Cancer Awareness Saves Unlimited Adult Lives. The special day was established by the family of Helen Phillips of Dickson City, who valiantly battled colon cancer and died in the summer of 2002.
Caseworkers needed
• Caseworkers are needed for Wayne County Human Services. Administrator Andrea Whyte said that because of a low number of applicants, the Civil Service Commission has agreed to conduct testing in Honesdale, specifically to fill the need in Wayne County. Normally Civil Service tests are taken in Scranton. For more information call Julie Doyle, Wayne County’s Civil Service liaison, at 253-4262. Starting caseworker salaries range from $24,000 to $25,000 a year.
• A contract was approved for Phase 1 of a county-wide storm water management plan, to be done by Borton-Lawson Engineering, inc. The price is $9,768.
Shared Ride Program
• Whyte reported that the Shared Ride Program done now for senior citizens, will be expanded to persons with disabilities. The program, which requires PennDOT approval, will provide transportation service to the disabled, aboard county vans that take them to doctor appointments, banks, shopping and social services. This is not a taxi service; rather, routes are set by a set schedule and pickup must be arranged at least 24 hours in advance. Most of the cost is funded by the state. The service for the disabled will not be in place until approved by the state, which hopefully will be before June 30th, said Whyte. For more information call 253-4280.
• Commissioners OK’d reapplying for the first portion of a state grant to fund handicapped accessible optical scan voting machines. The cost is $165,061.04. This is part of an approximate $293,000 state grant to assist the County to further compliance under the Help America Vote Act.
• Laurie Adams, who previously worked for the County, was hired again as Clerk Typist II in the Area Agency on Aging office. Correctional Officer Ronald Thomas was promoted to sergeant at the Wayne County Prison.
Wayne County Commissioners meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Courthouse.