Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Blog - Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce

Whitehall Chamber- March 2020 Connections Article

3/23/2020

Dan Quay
Lehigh Valley Health Network
Whitehall Area Chamber Chair

As spring is nearing, we have many great events that you are going to want to participate in here in the Whitehall Area!

First, mark your calendar for Thursday, March 12th as we are featuring our annual State of the Region Luncheon featuring the four municipalities that are under our Chamber: Whitehall Town- ship, Catasauqua, North Catasauqua & Coplay Boroughs. Come out and hear updates from our municipal leaders and learn about upcoming projects! This event has been sponsored by Fellowship Community, America’s Notary, Home Instead Senior Care and Pocono Brewery Company – thank you to all who are making this very important event possible!

Thursday, March 24th is a big day for Whitehall! Starting in the morning, we will be partnering with the Northampton Area Chamber for a Fed-Ex Tour and Luncheon from 11:30 am – 1 pm! Come out and tour the largest FedEx facility in the United States and how one click on the computer turns into some- thing delivered right to your front step!

Also on March 24th the Whitehall Area Chamber and Catasauqua Main Streets will be welcoming one of our newest members at a ribbon cutting! We will be cutting the ribbon at Jupiter Crush (on Race Street, Catasauqua) at 5:45 PM – come out to celebrate Jupiter Crush’s 3-year anniversary and to check out the unique vintage goods, artwork and studio.

As the warmer weather arrives, spring out to our Whitehall Area Restaurant Week from April 19th to the 25th! This is a fantastic week that showcases some of our finest eateries from across Whitehall Township, Coplay, North Catasauqua and Catasauqua. Want to get involved? This is one of our biggest bang-for-your-buck events for both restaurants and sponsors! Sign up now for maximum promotion and exposure.

Lastly, we want to thank all who came out to our joint event with Catasauqua Main Streets at the Suburban North Branch of the Greater Valley YMCA in Catasauqua! Between the delicious hors d’oeuvres and free Zumba class, we all left a little happier and healthier. Your participation made this event simply fantastic!

As always, we want to produce events that add value to your membership! Please reach out if you want to get involved or have an idea for a partnership, event or would like to sponsor.

Western-Lehigh Chamber- March 2020 Connections Article

3/22/2020

Jennifer Alderfer
Zator Law
Western Lehigh Chamber Chair

The Western Lehigh Chamber is very thankful for its Board members and the time and effort they volunteer to serving our mission. Among other things, I will be trying to highlight in these monthly articles our Board members and their businesses because I think it’s important to understand how varied our backgrounds and businesses are and what we have to offer our membership. This article will call out some important happenings and news publications in Upper Macungie Township and South Whitehall Township. Thanks to Kathy Rader, Upper Macungie Township Supervisor, and Christina Tori Morgan, South Whitehall Township Commissioner, our Board keeps abreast of important happenings in those Townships.

Upper Macungie Township (with Upper Mac NEWS) and South Whitehall Township (with Explore South Whitehall) both publish official community news magazines that are informative and may be helpful to you even if you don’t reside in either of the Townships.
The most recent publication of Upper Mac NEWS highlighted, among other things, the problems currently facing volunteer fire companies not just in UMT but across Pennsylvania. One of the ways that the Township is trying to address those problems is by hosting a Junior Emergency Services Academy, which is conducted annually as a free program by the UMT Bureau of Fire in concert with UMT’s three volunteer fire companies, the UMT Police Department and Cetronia Ambulance Corps. The Academy provides children with hands-on lifesaving skills in multiple first response disciplines and early experience for possible future careers in firefighting, law enforcement and EMS. I encourage anyone with kids between the ages of 12 to 16 to check out this important summer program. Enrollment for the 2020 Academy starts in May.

If you’ve driven down Walbert Avenue recently, you are aware that the South Whitehall Township campus renovation project is well under way. The Township is updating and modernizing the exist- ing township building and overall cam- pus with a new public meeting room, additional conference rooms, public restrooms and increased technology. Green design alternatives such as spray irrigation and use of recycled building materials are also included in the plan. A new resident yard waste drop-off site will also be built so if you’re a resident of South Whitehall, remember that during 2020, the yard waste drop-off site will be moved to Wehr Mill Road. As a result of the renovation, South Whitehall Township will be temporarily moving offices to Suite 410 in the Roma Building (1605 North Cedar Crest Blvd). The Parkland Library will also be undergoing a renovation in 2020, but will continue operating out of the existing library until further notice. You can check out renderings of the soon to be new township building at https:// southwhitehall.com/administration/ campus-renovation-project/.

Contact the Township offices if you’re interested in getting copies of the publications. Hope to see you all at our next event on March 18 at Parkland Manor Senior Living to discuss Community Policing!

Southern Lehigh Chamber: March 2020 Connections Article

3/21/2020

Mike Damweber
Penn State Lehigh Valley
Southern Lehigh Chamber Chair

With spring right around the corner, The Southern Lehigh Chamber is planning several exciting events to get you out and about!

The Southern Lehigh Chamber is excited to announce our Restaurant Week is back for the second year! If you are in the mood for some great food and drink, join us at a variety of local eateries, bakeries, breweries and restaurants from April 26 through May 2. Thank you to our Bronze Sponsors QNB Bank and Lehigh County Humane Society! More sponsorship opportunities are still available! For more information about this event, please contact Ashley Lorah at AshleyL@LehighValleyChamber.org.

Sunshine, tunes and good times! Upper Saucon Township and Southern Lehigh Chamber of Commerce are presenting the Music in the Park Summer Concert Series again this year. We have really enhanced this four month event series by moving the concerts to Sunday’s from 6-8 p.m. and let us tell you, we have a great line up!, Grab you smartphone and mark your calendar so you don’t miss out on these events. All concerts will be held at the Community Park, 3231 Preston Lane, Center Valley on the following dates: May 31, June 21, July 19 and August 23. We will have food and dessert options available at each concert too!

Lastly, make sure to ‘Like’ our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on member deals and events happening in our communities!

We look forward to seeing you through- out the year!

Pocono Chamber: March 2020 Connections Article

3/20/2020

Hello again, Time marches on and so do the seasons here in the pristine Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Winter will soon be in the rearview and spring will start to show its vibrant green colors across our region. The rebirth we experience each spring got us thinking about the current rebirth happening across the business sector and even the Poconos tourism industry.
The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau works with a Take One Productions to produce television commercial spots we run in major markets as well as our backyard. Along with my talented co-host Ashley, Pocono Mountains Magazine features fine dining, exciting experiences and truly wonderful businesses that make our region a top-tier destination for more than 30 million guests per year.
Decades ago, the Poconos marketed itself in similar ways. The video may not have been high definition, but it does go to show how seasons change over time along with people’s tastes and preferences. In this new, invigorating season of growth our region is experiencing, we should be reminded that change is the true constant and we’re fortunate to be in a broader community of partners who work together to make it better than we found it.
Someday, someone will come across the current-day footage and feel nostalgic for this season in the Pocono Mountains, one which I’m sure will put us all on an even better footing for future changes to come

Northampton Area Chamber: March 2020 Connections Article

3/19/2020

Mark Haldaman
Embassy Bank
Northampton Area Chamber Chair

Two months of the new decade have flown by and I think we are all ready for a little spring weather. I know I can wait to stroll down main street and stop in a few places to shop or grab a bite to eat. The Northampton Area Chamber has been keeping very busy planning some fantastic events for the year.
We had a great time and fantastic food at Sabz Restaurant for their ribbon cutting. Sabz’s Mediterranean flair is a great addition to our ever-growing food scene! Coming up on March 24th at 11:30 we are taking a tour of the FedEx facility on Willowbrook Road. This event will be a joint event with the Whitehall Area Chamber and will at- tract a large group. It will be a very educational tour an interesting peak inside the largest FedEx facility in the US. We will get a firsthand look at how all those packages end up on our front porches so fast! Make sure to register soon as the number of spots are limited. We are also excited for our Pint for a Purpose event with the YPC on July 21st at The Gin Mill. It is always a great event and a portion of proceeds will go to a good cause. Make sure to keep an look out for this event as we finalize the details.
The Chamber is also working on several products to enhance visibility of our local businesses. We are finishing up our Shop Eat Explore maps which will promote local businesses and spread awareness of the various shopping dining and entertainment choices in town. We are also working on new banners that will promote local business by providing additional advertising on various higher traffic roads in the borough. If you have any interest in these programs please contact our chamber liaisons, Liana or Jessica and they can get you the details on how you can become involved.
It’s an early reminder but remember to save the date for September 12th, 2020 for the 31st annual Uptown Northampton Street Fair. This event has grown significantly over the last few years and venders are lining up already! Let us know early if you would like to be involved. Thanks again to my wonderful board and all the local volunteers who make Northampton the greatest town to call home.

Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber- March 2020 Connections Article

3/18/2020

Ricky Gower
BB&T
now Truist Vice President/Retail Area Leader
Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber Chair

If you’re like me, you don’t want winter to end! We hope you all have had some productive winter months as we are getting closer and closer to the first blossom of Spring. Enjoy the cold and snow while it lasts—you never know what to expect in March! We have a busy April in the Hellertown/Lower Saucon Area so don’t forget to mark some important dates in your calendar. We have an exciting event with our friends from the Young Professionals Council at Black River Farms on Wednesday, April 15th from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. This will be a great evening. Don’t forget, there will be a delicious food truck on site that will be donating 10% of their proceeds back to continue our local initiatives. Come out and enjoy some great networking at a great venue.
On Thursday, April 23rd, we will cut the ribbon for yet another new business on Main Street in Hellertown at House & Land Real Estate—that’s 812 Main Street. Join in on the fun at 5:45 pm when we make it official, then head over to Lost Tavern Brewing for an after party.
I know you may not be thinking of summer yet, but take a few moments, think about summer, and mark down our first Music in the Park Summer Concert Series in Dimmick Park on Sunday, June 7th at 6 pm. It will be a big night as we welcome The Large Flowerheads to kick off our season! This 5 concert series is presented by Steel Club and in partnership with the Borough of Hellertown; partially funded through the County of Northampton’s Hotel Tax Program.
Interested in sponsoring any of our up- coming events? Contact our liaisons for more information on how you can maximize your membership by putting yourself in front of both business and community leaders. Are you coming up on a special milestone anniversary, or would you like to host an upcoming event? Contact us and let’s start planning an event to drive people from all over to your business.
Momentum continues to build in our area so take some time and visit—you’ll be glad you did! Make sure to also ‘Like’ our Face- book page, to stay up to date on all things happening in our area.

Greater Northern Lehigh Chamber- March 2020 Connections Article

3/17/2020

Andrew Gildner
Keystone Technology, LLC
Greater Northern Lehigh Chamber Chair

We continue to grow and innovate in Greater Northern, and February brought two great events to our area!

On February 19, we hosted our first-ever partnered event with the Veterans & Military Council! “Bucks and Bourbon” brought out quite a crowd and helped to raise funds for Camp Freedom – an organization who strives to help Veterans, First Responders and their families through outdoor healing! A huge thank you to Eight Oaks for hosting our group, Mission BBQ for catering with delicious BBQ, and to our gracious sponsors (Zator Law, Krysta Hankee Memorial Fund, The Link Family, Cynthia Miller - SVN / Imperial Realty, Debbie Minnich/Cruise Planners, Blue Mountain Town & Country Gazette, H&R Block of Schnecksville, Home Helpers & Direct Link, and Northern Valley EMS) for helping to raise money and push this event over the top!

During the last week of February, we showcased some of our area restaurants in our Winter Restaurant Week! Our board and our community enjoyed dining out throughout the week and supporting our local restaurants. Thanks again to Curious Goods at the Bake
Oven Inn, 19th Grille at Woodstone Country Club, Mr. Doggy Style Hot Dog Shoppe, Back Home Bagels, Art of Flavors, Legends Valley at the Best Station Hotel, Willow Street Pub and Mama’s Pizza in Slatington for participating! I hope you all were able to join our participants! Our household didn’t cook for the week.

Finally, we are looking ahead to our annual Spirit Award on April 3! This year, we honor Dave Altrichter from Slating- ton, Eight Oaks (in New Tripoli) as our Business of the Year and our three local food pantries (Parkland C.A.R.E.S., Lowhill and Northern Lehigh) as our non-profits of the year! We hope that you can join us to honor these fine folks and institutions. A big thanks to our presenting sponsor, Woodstone Country Club! Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event and tickets are going fast – be sure to reach out to Kylie or Jessica for more information!

Finally, we continue to host office hours at the Slatington Library weekly (hours are posted at the library) and your Chamber Liaisons are available by phone or appointment at any time – do not hesitate to reach out!

Greater Bath Area Chamber- March 2020 Connections Post

3/16/2020

Ann Flood
Lauren’s Hope Foundation
Greater Bath Area Chamber Chair

The Greater Bath Chamber has hit the ground running in 2020! We have so much going on straight through to May. On February 10th, we partnered with the Nazareth Business Council for the highly anticipated and always successful Chocolate and Wine Pairing event at Widow’s Tavern in Stockertown, PA. It was a night of delectable treats offered by Widow’s Tavern and Sweets and Savories of Nazareth. Attendees sipped various wines from Black River Farms beautifully paired with Crème brulee, vanilla ice cream and berry delight, as well as chocolate cherry cheesecake and chocolate silk pie. It is always a must- be-there event and the night did not disappoint. We are so thankful to our sponsors, Widow’s Tavern, Sweets and Savories, Black River Farms, Susan D. Jarvis, and Terraform Engineering. Looking ahead this month, we have our annual Moo’la for Main Streets event, which is our 2020 Main Street Grant catered luncheon, which will be held at The Town and Country Restaurant in Bath on March 25th from 11:30am- 1:00pm. This is another partnered event with the Nazareth Business Council. Listen to the Main Street Lehigh Valley staff talk about the various types of grants that are available and how to apply. It’s a wonderful event to listen and get inspired with ideas of how we can improve our greater Bath area community. This event is being sponsored by ESSA Bank and Town and Country Restaurant. Also, be sure to mark your calendars for our More For The Corps event on Saturday, May 16th to support East Allen Township Volunteer Ambulance Corp. It is a basket and vendor fair that begins at 8:00am until 3:00pm. There will be food, vendors, activities and lots of fun. So, come spend your day with us. Proceeds from this event will benefit East Allen EMS and the Greater Bath Chamber of Commerce. I know August is a ways away, but save the date for the 5th Annual Spuds & Suds Festival on Saturday, August 29, 2020! Help us make the 5th year bigger and better than ever!

Emmaus Main Street Partners- March 2020 Connections Article

3/15/2020

Michael Irwin
Vinyl Press and JABOA Enterprises
Emmaus Main Street Partners Chair

Spring is in the air! Although this wasn’t the worst winter we’ve ever had, if you are like me, you are ready to move into spring. Our first celebration of the vitality to come is Lucky Bucks Bingo with Emmaus Historical Society! On Sunday March 15, both EMSP and EHS will be at St John’s Lutheran Church to play 20 rounds of regular bingo and a few extra special rounds – with cash prizes! There will also be basket raffles and a 50/50 raffle just to spread the winning and wealth around to all. Tickets are $25 and sold at Emmaus Jewel Shop, David’s Electric, and Laura’s Custom Framing. Thank you to our sponsors Chestnut Ridge at Rodale, John “JT” Tsiouvaras with Farmers Insurance in Emmaus, and Burkholder’s Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Bring your bingo blotters and your luck to the St. Johns Lutheran Church at 501 Chestnut St in Emmaus.

I want to remind everyone about our monthly EMSP Roundtable. We are in our second year and attendance is still growing. This is a relaxed format where you can get some facetime with other Emmaus business owners and the great townspeople who support all of us. At these, we include a guest speaker. It occurs the third Thursday of every month
starting at 6 pm at Triple Sun Spirits. Bring your self and bring a friend.

The EMSP Board loves getting outside and supporting local and we encourage you to do the same. The easy walkability in Emmaus makes this better than ever. There are new shops and businesses coming into Emmaus all of the time, so park and walk to your favorite places, but look around and see the new businesses that are calling Emmaus home. And don’t just think of the Triangle; there are just as many treasured local shops on the west end and they love your support also.
I hit on the point of parking and walk- ing locally because there is often a different access mentality with shopping local and going to the mall. At the mall, you oftentimes park further away than if you used any of our plentiful parking areas or street parking in Emmaus. Additionally, there are other benefits such as fewer crowds, personalized service, and the most important part, your dollars stay local.
Thanks for your time and I hope to see you all out in EmmaUs!!

East Penn Chamber- March 2020 Connections Article

3/14/2020

Jeff Mcelhaney
Edward Jones
East Penn Chamber Chair

If you’re reading this at the beginning of the month, East Penn Restaurant Week is upon us! March 1st through 7th, East Penn restaurants have special offers or dishes for you to test out. Support your local restaurant businesses and plan to eat out. Participating venues can be found at www.lehighvalleychamber. org/eastpennrw

Also, check out our East Penn Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.

Yergey Brewing and Triple Sun Spirits hosted us for a Preview Night of all participating dining establishments on Thursday February 27th. Not only did we get to sample great food, but the libations were amazing as always. Thank you team Yergey and team Triple Sun! It was yet another chance to get to know folks in the East Penn area as well.
Once more I want to offer a special thanks to our presenting sponsor, New Tripoli Bank. They’ve been with us since the beginning of this annual event and it wouldn’t happen without their support. Our bronze sponsor is Burkholder’s Heating and Air Conditioning. Our supporting sponsors include QNB Bank, Gross McGinely Attorney’s at Law and McDonald’s of Emmaus. Additionally, thank you to our media sponsors for getting the word out; EBC Printing, Lehigh Valley Press and WFMZ 69 News.

Please join us on March 11th at Park- land Manor Senior Living Care, for our monthly program. The topic will be “Community Policing.” The South Whitehall Township Police Department will share information about their services and duties to our communities. These include, but are not limited to DARE, Project LifeSaver, Finger Printing, ALICE, Car Seat Training, and more! It’s really interesting to get a better understanding of the incredible impact our service people within each of our towns.