A piece of American history will forever be located at the Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley.
Wright Center leaders and staff joined community members and local dignitaries at its community health center, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn, for a ceremony on Nov. 12 to dedicate a hand-painted fiberglass Liberty Bell in honor of America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, commonly known as America250PA, is working to place at least one fiberglass bell in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
It’s the fifth Liberty Bell sponsored by the Wright Center in Northeast Pennsylvania. Others are located at Carbondale City Hall, 1 N. Main St.; the Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre, 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave.; Wayne Memorial Hospital, 601 Park St., Honesdale; and Wyoming County Healthcare Center, 5950 U.S. Route 6, Tunkhannock, where the the Wright Center for Community Health Tunkhannock is located.
The Liberty Bell sponsored by the Wright Center for Community Health and placed at Carbondale City Hall. (Courtesy of the Wright Center)
Artwork adorning each bell was researched by Gina Lettieri, the Wright Center’s archivist, and hand-painted by Allison LaRussa, the Wright Center’s associate vice president of health and wellness, to reflect the unique spirit and landmarks of the communities where they are placed.
“Each of our five Liberty Bells embodies the strength of our rich, collective history and our ongoing responsibility and commitment to safeguard the well-being of our communities,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, the Wright Center’s president and CEO. “May this Liberty Bell in Jermyn serve as a bedrock reminder of the innovation, compassion, solidarity, service, and leadership that define both this remarkable, hard-working community and our mission at the Wright Center to improve the health and welfare of our communities through responsive, whole-person health services for all and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.”
For more information about America250PA and to see a full list of Liberty Bells across Pennsylvania, visit america250pa.org/PPE:_Bells_Across_PA.