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Welcome to The Meadville - Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce
Mission Statement -
The Chamber works collectively to build business and connect community, provide educational programs,
promote our members and empower leaders of tomorrow.
Vision Statement -
Leading our community to prosperity.
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Check out our upcoming events...
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From the Director’s Desk
March is here and this makes me happy for many reasons. My two daughters were born in the beginning of March, so we celebrate them and celebrate my dad’s birthday in late March. It seems everyone is in a good mood mid-March for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations throughout town and we round out the month with our Annual Chili, Chowder & Soup Cookoff. We are getting closer to nice weather, boat season and summer.
Last month approximately 250 people enjoyed a lovely evening at the sweetest event in town, our Annual Chocoholic Frolic at the Italian Civic Club. Not only did we all enjoy decadent sweet treats, but many also won trophies for best in their class and several people won great auction baskets. The proceeds from this event benefit our two educational programs, our Leadership Meadville Program, and our CC K-12 Career Education Alliance. Thanks to the many businesses and people who made this event possible and a huge success. Be sure to look at the recap of the event in this newsletter to see who took home the trophies.
We are now gearing up for the hottest ticket in town, our Annual Chili, Chowder & Soup Cookoff. This event is organized by our current leadership class and proceeds go towards scholarships for future class participants. On March 21st, over 20 restaurants and caterers will vie for the best and most creative recipes, and they all want that coveted People’s Choice Award! Be sure to check out the many sponsorship opportunities for the event, most of which include event tickets.
Shortly after the Cookoff is our Annual Diamond Award Celebration where we get the privilege of recognizing emerging leaders, businesses and nonprofit organizations of the year who are going above and beyond in our local communities. Be sure to nominate anyone that you think is deserving of this honor, even if that includes your own business. We will also collaborate with folks from Allegheny College and the Shafer Law Firm to present this year’s Raymond P. Shafer Award for Distinguished Community Service at this event. Nominations are out, on our website, our social media page, in the Meadville Tribune and at the Chamber office.
We are pleased to announce the newest member of our Chamber team, Stephanie Beach. She is a great asset to our team and is doing a tremendous job already. Be sure to welcome her and introduce yourself at any of our upcoming events or stop by the office to say hello. She is the primary contact for reservations for all events and assisting with membership, communication, and our social media platforms. Welcome Stephanie!
I hope to see you soon at one or more of our upcoming events. If you have not attended one of our member orientations, please call Stephanie to arrange a one-on-one meeting. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Christa
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2023 WOMEN IN BUSINESS EXPO
2023 THUNDER IN THE CITY'SMEADVILLE MASTER THE MIC
Chamber of Commerce Presents 2023 Annual Dinner & Diamond Awards
The Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce recently held their annual Annual Dinner and Diamond Awards at Saegertown's Pampered Palate Catering and Conference Center.
Christa Lundy, executive director of the Chamber says, "The Chamber is delighted to be honoring these deserving individuals, nonprofit organizations and businesses that are doing so much for our community. There are so many wonderful acts happening. That is why we always look forward to recognizing these Chamber members who have been doing remarkable things."
One of the biggest highlights of the evening is the recognition of the prestigious Governor Raymond P. Shafer Award for Distinguished Community Service, presented by the Chamber, Allegheny College and Shafer Law Firm. Jan Van Tuil was honored as this year's recipient based on her decades-long volunteer service in Meadville. Among her contributions, Van Tuil served on the Crawford Central School Board for decades, now serves on the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Meadville, as well as on Greendale Cemetery's Board. She also served the First Christian Church for more than 40 years.
The esteemed Lew and Ellie Davies Award for Outstanding Community Service was bestowed on Kaitlyn Royal, an Allegheny College junior. Royal's work with "4th Graders as Scientists", a cooperative program of Partners in Education and the Crawford Central School District. She is also an active volunteer with His Work, His Way and the First Baptist Church of Linesville and participates in various French Creek Valley Conservancy volunteer projects. On campus, Kaitlyn works as an educator with Creek Connections, an environmental education program. Honorable mention recognition was presented to Autumn Peterson, a senior who was nominated for her service with Juniper Village of Meadville, where she prepares and leads activities for residents. She has also served two years with the Meadville Area Free Clinic and participated in the Health Coach program with the Meadville Medical Center.
The highlight of the evening was the awarding of the 2023 Diamond Awards. And the winners are:
Emerging Leader, Male - Evan Kardosh, City of Meadville
Emerging Leader, Female - Sarah Miller, Women's Services, Inc.
New Business - Cup n' Spoon
Small Business - Chateau Christine
Mid-Sized Business - Hunter's Inn
Small Non-Profit - St. James Haven
Large Non-Profit - Vallonia Industries
The Emerging Leader Award is presented to an individual in the early years of their career who has demonstrated leadership qualities within their businesses and community. The Emerging Leader Award was established to foster young leadership and enhance retention of young professionals in our community. All nominees have demonstrated professional leadership and a commitment to community service.
Both the Small, Mid-Sized and Large Business Awards Small Awards are issued to recognize local businesses that have achieved success and to support initiatives and organizations that enhance the quality of life in the Meadville-Western Crawford County area. All nominated businesses have demonstrated admirable performance, growth, innovation, creativity, and community involvement.
The Small Non-Profit and Large Non-Profit of the Year Awards celebrate local organizations that have achieved success while supporting initiatives and projects that enhance the quality of life in the Meadville-Western Crawford County area.
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UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS:
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MEMBER NEWS RELEASES
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What do you like about living in Crawford County?
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"Today’s Chamber is a vital networking source to help develop my business. I can’t imagine being a business owner in Meadville without being an active member of the local Chamber. "
-Dan Crandall, owner of Fine Print Commercial Printers
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YOUR CHAMBER, YOUR VOICE
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The Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce is the third oldest chamber in the nation and has supported the businesses and communities of Western Crawford County and beyond for over 200 years! We offer several programs, events, and services to help your business and assist in the renaissance of this great region.
The links below will take you to some of these events and services.
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New Business and Business Expansion Tools