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In this Update:

• The Salvation Army’s Veterans Meal
• Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Feathered Lane
• Congratulations to Venom Athletics Cheer Squads
• The Hill Impact Program
• Funding Available to Improve High-Speed Internet Access in Rural PA
• You Can Give the Gift of Education
• Look Out for Holiday Charity Scams

The Salvation Army’s Veterans Meal

It was an honor to attend the Salvation Army’s Veterans Meal to honor and recognize the men and women who served our country.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Feathered Lane

My staff attended the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at Feathered Lane in Richland Township, Cambria County. Best of luck to Lori Deffenbaugh and Corey Kaczmarek on their women’s clothing store.

Congratulations to Venom Athletics Cheer Squads

Please join me in congratulating the Cheer squads from Venom Athletics! This past weekend, they traveled to Erie, PA for the Super Regional competition at Champion Cheer Central, Inc, where all of the teams attending, placed in the top 3!!

In addition, the Queen Cobras and Diamondbacks received additional specialty awards and top honors! Both teams have also been invited to attend the All-Star Cheerleading Worlds in the Battle Round which takes place at the end of April, advancement from the Battle Round will put them in the running for a World Championship title.

The Hill Impact Program

The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Education and Training is offering a 15-week program for youth between 15-18 years old who are interested in a career in law enforcement. The Hill Impact Program will give students insight into what it takes to become a PSP Trooper and other aspects of law enforcement! Please visit ra-sprecruiter-acad@pa.gov for more information. The deadline to apply is January 7, 2022.

Funding Available to Improve High-Speed Internet Access in Rural PA

Applications will be accepted until Feb. 22, 2022 for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to help people in rural areas get access to high-speed internet.

Those eligible for the funding, which is being made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program, include state and local governments, corporations, limited liability companies and cooperative organizations.

The funding is available for projects that serve rural areas where at least 90% of the households lack broadband service at speeds of 100/20 Mbps. Priority is given to projects that will serve people in low-density rural areas and areas lacking internet access services at speeds of at least 25/3 Mbps.

You Can Give the Gift of Education

More than 80% of parents would welcome contributions to a 529 college savings plan for their children, but less than half will ask family members and friends for such gifts, according to a survey from the College Savings Foundation.

Anyone can contribute to a child’s PA 529 account with a Ugift code, and gift contributions may be deductible from PA state income taxes. If you already have a PA 529 account for your child, you can share your Ugift code by email with family and friends who wish to contribute to your child’s education savings.

You can learn more about starting to save with PA 529 accounts at pa529.com. There are two plans to help families save, including the PA 529 Investment Plan, with earnings tied to financial markets, and the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan, where earnings are tied to tuition inflation. Families can choose the plan that best meets their savings goals.

Look Out for Holiday Charity Scams

Many people are donating to charitable organizations this time of the year, and scam artists prey on this generosity by masquerading as charities and pocketing the donations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities and Pennsylvania Department of State offer these Red Flags of Charity Scams:

1. Similar Sounding Name — Scammers often use names that sound similar to legitimate charities to intentionally create confusion.

2. High Pressure Solicitation — Fraudsters will try to force a hasty decision by turning up the pressure. They may cold call, identifying you as a previous contributor, and ask for your renewed support or to update your credit card information. These attempts rely on catching consumers off guard to extract financial information.

3. 100% Guarantee — Most people want to ensure that their donations are going toward legitimate program expenses. Every organization has some level of administrative cost. An organization that promises 100% of your funds are going directly to an individual in need might require additional scrutiny.

4. Donation by Wire Transfer or Gift Card — Legitimate charities will not ask you to make payment via money order or wire transfer. If you are being solicited for a donation and are asked to pay by these means, hang up immediately. A charity may ask for donations of gift cards, such as from a grocery store, to supply to someone in need. Never read the information from a gift card over the phone or provide it via email.

You can find more tips on charitable giving here. Anyone can contact the Department of Banking and Securities at 1-800-PA-BANKS (1-800-722-2657) to ask questions or file complaints about financial transactions, companies or products. 

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