Spirit of Hope Celebration

2022 Presenting Sponsors
All other sponsors are listed below ticket information.
Spirit of Hope Celebration
Friday, November 11, 2022
7:00 to 10:30 p.m.
Mohegan Sun Pocono
$130 per person
The Spirit of Hope Celebration is an event hosted by the Board of Ambassadors. This cocktail party celebration includes an open bar, food stations, live music, and silent and live auctions. It raises money for the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute's Patient Navigation Program, which helps low-income individuals in Northeast Pennsylvania access direct cancer related health-care-services. Since inception, the event has raised $380,000 for the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute.
Sponsorship Information
If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to Amanda at NRCI by email: [email protected].
2022 Tribute to Courage Honoree

Bob Durkin
Bob Durkin is President and CEO of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, overseeing planning, finances, staffing and programing of the Chamber and its affiliates – Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company, Lackawanna Industrial Fund Enterprises, MetroAction, Inc., Leadership Lackawanna, Skills in Scranton, and The Scranton Plan.
Durkin previously served as President of the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute; founding Director of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority; Vice-President of the Chamber; and has worked in various capacities in the non-profit and regional government arenas.
He is a 1981 graduate of Penn State University and undertook advanced studies at the PSU Institute for Public Administration and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organizational Management at the University of Delaware.
Bob serves on numerous professional and community-based organizations including:
- Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Major-Cities Roundtable
- Penn State Scranton Advisory Board – Board Member
- Foundation for Free Enterprise – Board Member
- Institute for Public Policy – Advisory Board Member
- Regional Foundation, LLC - Treasurer
- Lackawanna County Department of Health - Board Member
- ARC of Northeastern Pennsylvania Foundation – Board Member
Bob and his family are active in several special needs related programs, including Challenger Baseball and Special Olympics. He resides in his native Olyphant with his wife Sherry. They are the parents of a daughter (Jessica) and son (Kevin).

The Board of Ambassadors
The Board of Ambassadors consists of individuals and business leaders in Northeast Pennsylvania who come together to raise funds & awareness to fight cancer in the local community through their support and promotion of a gala event. We hope you will join us in support of The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute and its mission of easing the burden of cancer in Northeast Pennsylvania.
BOARD OF AMBASSADORS
CHAIRMAN
Leo P. Vergnetti
Clarence Baltrusaitis
Matt Beynon
Thomas Blaskiewicz
Jim & Susan Brady
Dino Campitelli
Trish & Nicholas Colangelo, Ph.D.
Richard P. Conaboy Jr.
Ed Cosgrove
Thomas P. Cummings, Jr., Esq.
Thomas P. Cummings, III, Esq.
William Davis
Tom DePietro
Julie Eisenman
Mary Erwine
Joseph G. Ferguson, Esq.
Traci Fosnot
Greg & Meghan Gagorik
Nevin Gerber
Marta Gomes
James T. Gorman
Jo Ann Romano Hallesky
John & Jennifer Heil
Kristie Hynoski
Charles C. Jefferson
Robin Long
Linda Marino-Brooks
Joe Mattioli
Paul McGloin
Brian McQuestion
Evie Rafalko McNulty
Philip Medico
Dan Meuser
Chuck Morgan
Dana Morris
David J. Nape
Christopher Peters, M.D.
Vito Pizzo
Billy Rinaldi
John P. Rodgers, Esq.
Vince Scarpetta
P. Richard Scheller
Patrick Sicilio
Eugene D. Sperazza, Esq.
Melissa Stites
Steven J. Szydlowski, Ph.D.
Joseph S. Tomko
Vanessa Vergnetti
Joe Van Wie
Charles Volpe