The Peace and Justice Center

In both her personal and professional life, Rita is motivated by a pursuit of social justice and improving conditions for people and communities facing hardships and poverty. A native of South Wilkes-Barre and current resident of Mountain Top, Rita came from a family of eight siblings, with parents who believed fervently in service to others. She was strongly influenced by the anti-war movement during her days as a political science student at Penn State University.  Arrested during the May Day Anti-War Demonstrations in Washington DC, held overnight in a crowded jail cell, and organizing a student strike on campus were formative experiences in her life. Rita later earned a social work master’s degree, with a concentration in community organizing, while working in former mining camps and impoverished rural communities in Central Appalachia.

She served as policy aide to two San Francisco mayors, a program officer to a philanthropic foundation, co-founded a neighborhood center and managed initiatives to reform services for children and families living in poverty. Here in northeast PA, Rita assisted higher education institutions to engage differently with the communities surrounding their campuses. Rita now specializes in resource development of a different kind. She has authored more than forty-five grant proposals, securing more than $14 million in public and private funds for health and human services, community development, and education.  As a consultant, Rita assists local non-profits with program planning and grant-seeking, and is helping Hazleton organize a community-wide literacy and ESL coalition.

When Rita returned to her birthplace of Wyoming Valley a dozen years ago, she had to rethink her assumptions about social change. Through failures, frustrations, family and friendships, she has learned new ways of perceiving and pursing justice.  As the regional volunteer coordinator for Obama for America in 2008, Rita was the sole elected delegate for Barack Obama in northeast PA.  She currently serves on the Ethics Commission subcommittee of the Home Rule Transition Committee, and last year worked diligently on the Ethics Awareness Initiative of the Ethics Institute of Northeast PA.
 

Sister Nancy is Director of Social Ministries for St. Nicholas Parish in Wilkes-Barre.  A native of Philadelphia, she has been a Sister of Mercy since 1955.  After serving as an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia, Richmond, VA and Williamsburg, VA, Sister Nancy’s ministry expanded beyond the classroom to include work in parish ministry.  She has served in various parish ministry roles since then, the past fourteen years in the Wyoming Valley, based at St. Nicholas Church.

Sister Nancy’s work at St. Nicholas has included coordinating all aspects of the parish’s social ministry, including ministering to those in need through the parish food pantry, St. Vincent de Paul Society, ministry to the home-bound and hospitalized and a multitude of community out-reach initiatives.  Sister Nancy was a supporter of the Faith Speaking community organizing effort, in cooperation with other area worshipping communities.  She has been an active member of the Downtown Ministerium and the Wyoming Valley Interfaith Council as well as the community services of the “People Helping People” projects of CEO. 

Sister Nancy’s efforts go far beyond the religious realm.  In her “spare time’, she serves as a drummer/accompanist for the “Changing Habits” entertainment program.  Local organizations that have benefited from her devoted service include the Wilkes-Barre Free Clinic, Ruth’s Place services for homeless women, Volunteers In Service to Our Neighbors (V.I.S.I.O.N.) program for homeless men, Food and Facts Committee of Penn State Extension and the Wyoming Valley Homeless Coalition.

Serving as an “ex-officio” member of the St. Nicholas Parish Council, Sister Nancy coordinates parishioners’ visits to hospitals, nursing homes and the homebound.  These efforts include seasonal outreach projects with intergenerational participation.  Along the way, she received training as a massage therapist and she continues to exercise this ministry in her religious congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, especially serving sisters during their annual retreat times.
Sister Nancy’s broad range of ecumenical and interfaith involvement has been a mark of her devoted service over the years.  In addition to her academic degrees from Villanova University and St. Joseph’s College (Hartford, CT), she has received training at the California-based Institute for Creation Spirituality and many training workshops to prepare her for service to her fellow human beings.
 

The Shovals’ primary areas of professional involvement are currently financial and commercial real estate investments.  They co-founded GUARD Insurance Group, a property and casualty insurance organization specializing in workers’ compensation insurance. The insurance group was recently sold to a large international corporation.  The Shovals have also had significant interest in three community banks.

Still members of the board of GUARD, the Shovals remain especially proud of the leadership role GUARD has played in the communities of northeastern Pennsylvania.  GUARD was selected as the #2 Best Large Place to Work in Pennsylvania in 2001.  They are quick to credit a caring group of employees with such successes.

The Shovals professional lives have been richly complemented by numerous civic involvements.  Today, Susan serves as a member of the Luzerne County Home Rule Transition Committee, and she periodically hosts a television show geared to community affairs on the public broadcasting station, WVIA. She is serves as a director of Highmark (a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Company), the Earth Conservancy, and The Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development.  Previous major associations include serving with Wilkes University, the Luzerne County Diversity Task Force, Wyoming Seminary, and the United Way of Wyoming Valley.

Judd’s community service contributions include his role as chairman of CityVest, a community development corporation, and of the Kings College Investment Committee.  He has served on the boards of several private, unrelated corporations. Susan and Judd have received a number of leadership, community service, and professional awards, both as co-recipients and separately.

To support their philanthropic and charitable commitments, Susan and Judd formed the Shoval Foundation, and many local nonprofit efforts have benefitted from their generosity.

Born in Austria, Judd was raised in Israel and received a law degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He relocated to the United States in the early 1970s.  Susan graduated in economics from Cornell University and in advanced studies from the College of Insurance in New York City.  The Shovals are the parents of four adult children.  Luzerne County and the Wyoming Valley are fortunate that Susan and Judd chose to make their home here, and, by example, demonstrate the value of community service.

Mr. Stan Chan is a junior at Hanover Area High School who has distinguished himself as an exemplary and invaluable volunteer at Peace Camp for Kids during the past and current season.

Described by many as a “natural leader,” Stan has been involved with many youth groups and activities.  He excels in sports, currently playing Varsity Soccer for Hanover Area, and also practices karate as part of his sports and personal development regimen.  Stan serves his school as the treasurer of Diversity Club, and is a member of the National Honor Society.  A young man of many dimensions, Stan also displays musical talent and participates in the school’s Concert Band.  He lives in Hanover Township with his loving family: parents, Anna Tin and Mr. Kim Chan, and his siblings,  Alex and Sabrina.

Still early in his life, Stan shows a promising future as a peacemaker of distinction.  In addition to volunteering at Peace Camp, Stan also served as a peer leader and peacemaker during the 2010 Diversity Leadership Camp at Misericordia University.  Here Stan was directly responsible for bringing together kids from different schools and different backgrounds.  Of his Diversity Camp experience, Stan wrote: “This camp meant learning things from strangers that helped make those strangers and the world less strange to all of us.  By coming together, we finally were able to learn the truth about different religions, cultures, and people.  Things that should have been taught to us a long, long time ago --- these things we learned at Diversity Camp were invaluable.  We now know that before we decide for ourselves how to judge people, we should first get the facts and give others our facts. Best of all, I met 40 new friends --- give or take a few --- but all are awesome.”