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Clarks Summit residents organize 2009 McGowan Cornerstone Award

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Leo and Ann Moskovitz will receive the 2009 Andrew J. McGowan Cornerstone Award at an award dinner on Friday, Oct. 30, at The University of Scranton.

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Ann and Leo Moskovitz will receive the 2009 Andrew J. McGowan Cornerstone Award at the third annual dinner, which will be held on Friday, Oct. 30, at The University of Scranton. The award recognizes regional community leaders who most reflect the late Monsignor McGowan’s legacy of spirit, leadership and service. Clarks Summit residents James Brady and his wife Susan are serving as honorary co-chairs of the event. “Susan and I are very honored to be a part of this worthwhile event. Msgr. McGowan was a close personal friend, and we feel that he would be extremely pleased knowing that Ann and Leo will receive this award in his memory,” said James Brady. “We hope the entire community, and especially friends of Ann and Leo, will join us in honoring them and in remembering Monsignor.”

The award is presented annually by committee members who represent a broad range of community organizations. Previous recipients include former Pennsylvania Governor William W. Scranton and Harold and Sallyanne Rosenn.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Monsignor McGowan Cornerstone Scholarship Fund. Educational scholarships are awarded annually to students annually who will attend one of the academic institutions the Monsignor supported during his life, which include Keystone College, King’s College, Marywood University, Misericordia University, The University of Scranton and the Allied Services DePaul School, among others. The scholarship is intended to inspire the recipients to continue the Monsignor’s generous service for the improvement of our community.

 This year’s ceremony is the first to be hosted by a university and will feature entertainment provided by University of Scranton students, faculty and staff. Past Cornerstone Scholarship recipients will also speak at the dinner. Leo and Ann Moskovitz of Jermyn have generously supported numerous art and cultural charitable organizations throughout northeastern Pennsylvania for decades.

Leo Moskovitz, who recently celebrated his 104th birthday, served as president of First National Bank of Jermyn before retiring in 1993. In addition to overseeing significant growth in the bank’s assets, he was a pioneer in the promotion of women to administrative positions in the banking industry and was a key figure in establishing the North and South Vocational Technical Schools. Ann Moskovitz, a graduate of Temple University’s School of Pharmacy, enjoyed a 30-year career as a pharmacist before retiring. She serves on boards and committees of numerous educational, health care and cultural organizations, including Mercy Healthcare Foundation Board, Northeast Philharmonic League Board, the United Way of Lackawanna County, Sacred Heart of Mary Church and the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.

For ticket reservation information, contact the Luzerne Foundation at 570-714-1570. The Luzerne Foundation manages the scholarship fund. Organizations supporting this event include Allied Services, EOTC, Erwine Home Health Care, Family to Family, Insalaco Development Company, John Heinz Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Keystone College, King’s College, Marywood University, Mercy Healthcare Foundation, Mercy Health Partners, Misericordia University, Mount St. Mary’s College, MTP Public Relations, Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic, PNC Wealth Management, the Religious Sisters of Mercy, Rosen, Jenkins and Greenwald, L.L.P., the Scranton Family Offices, the Luzerne Foundation, TR Associates, The University of Scranton, Wilkes University and WVIA.