NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa (EYT) — With summer’s first two events in the rear view mirror, the Redbank Valley Chamber of Commerce is planning for the season’s next big events.
The Farmer’s Market is up and running on Fridays at Gumtown Park, with the offering growing weekly as the growing season progresses.
The 2016 Redbank Valley Chamber Golf Outing was held on May 19th and was a smaller, but still successful fund-raiser for the Independence Day Fireworks show. Golf Chair Ty Poster reported that he had just received the bill for the catering and would have solid figures by next month’s meeting on the final profit generated by the event. Discussion followed, with some board members wondering if the golf outing had outlived its usefulness and if fund raising for the fireworks might be done differently in future years.
The chamber’s next event of the summer will be Customer Appreciation Day planned for June 23. The grand prize for the “Passport Competition” will again be a two-night stay at Great Wolf Lodge for a family of four. Joining the chamber in sponsoring the “Passport Competition” are Dollar General, Redbank Mills, Joe’s Pizzeria, and Italian Restaurant, and S & T Bank. Laura Neiswonger, Chair of the event reported that as of now there will be 27 crafters in the Municipal Parking Lot and 39 area businesses participating in this year’s event. Rub ‘n’ Tug Barbeque and The Meadows Frozen Custard Company will be offering their wares as well. Mrs. Neiswonger also reported that the posters for Customer Appreciation Day are ready to be distributed. Participation in this event continues to grow, and it brings a significant number of shoppers into New Bethlehem for the day.
A significant amount of the meeting was devoted to the upcoming Peanut Butter Festival. Gordon Barrows reported that the early organizational efforts are progressing. Nearly all committee chairs have been assigned, volunteer forms are online, and event forms are almost ready to go online. Mr. Barrows said that he hopes to have the chair’s tasks and responsibilities lists complete and to the chairs very soon. He also expressed confidence that the necessary elements for upgrading the electricity at the park seem to be coming together. Barrows hopes to speak with West Penn Power and to develop a needs assessment and a plan of work so that the project can be put out to bids. He hopes that the electric upgrade can at be started this season, if not done in entirety. Mr. Barrows said that he hopes to have the next public Peanut Butter Festival meeting within the next two weeks.
The last items of business for the day were a vote on new chamber members and a welcome to several new businesses in town.
Mr. Barrows told exploreClarion.com, “Char-Val Candies was approved along with Saint Charles Bloom in’ Brushes and Body Brink as new members of the chamber. The chamber is excited to see new members, and we’re working towards retaining, strengthening, and growing our membership through the value of our membership benefits and promoting our local businesses.”
Mr. Barrows also said, “The chamber welcomes ‘Scrubgrass MT. Farms’ and ‘Byers Barbershop & Shave Parlor’ as new businesses to the New Bethlehem area and Redbank Valley community. The Redbank Valley Teachers Association is also considering membership with the chamber to support the community through their 90 member potential volunteer pool. The chamber looks forward to inviting these new businesses and organizations to consider becoming chamber members.”
The next meeting of the Redbank Valley Chamber’s Board will be held on July 13.
