Paella and Pollinators

We have all dealt with the nagging dilemma of a great idea that’s ‘not in the budget’ issue. This is a story about Zach Stotter, who is the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Director of Membership and Workforce Development spearheading a delicious event on June 20th known as Paella and Pollinators. His fabulous idea blended fundraising, fellowship, locavore food, member engagement, all with pinch of learning for good measure.

Earlier this spring, Zach partnered with the Cooperative Extension, along with the Master Gardeners to eradicate overgrown invasive and potentially poisonous shrubbery which had overtaken the Chamber’s beautiful, inlaid concrete patio. This patio was dedicated 20 years ago as a sort of ‘Commons Area’ where Chamber members could meet and network in a relaxed setting. The plantings had taken over and the area was seldom used and a bit of an eyesore. His crew replaced and re-landscaped the area with appropriately scaled, pollinator-friendly, very-pleasing native plants.

Costs related to this project had not been anticipated in the Chamber’s budget. Resolute in his conservation commitment, Zach saw this as an opportunity to showcase his culinary skills while involving even more interested and generous Chamber members. Using what was likely the biggest frying pan in all of Snyder County, he prepared a sumptuous chicken and mushroom based meal in Spanish paella fashion, with rice and all the fixins’ for 40 highly impressed guests.

Local wines and brews, as well as salads from our local Bright Farmers (if you haven’t tried Bright Farms salads yet, you’re missing out. Their freshly grown salad mixes are delicious and exported to you from Selinsgrove, PA). All of the goodies, supplied by Chamber members, shared the spotlight at the feast. Even dessert was locally sourced. For dessert, dinner guests were served ice cream made from the milk provided by the cows just down the road and our local Weis Dairy just across the river from the Chamber headquarters in Shamokin Dam. A chutney topped these sundaes made from the fruit of the trees the guests sat under while dining. Hyper-local comes to mind when eating ‘that close to home.’

The evening’s fellowship included a rousing 65th birthday celebration for our Chamber’s (not-retired-yet) President & CEO, Bob Garrett. Happy birthday, Bob!

Congratulations to the LSV Class of 2023! On June 15th they officially concluded their Leadership Susquehanna Valley program year with a graduation ceremony at Susquehanna University’s Stretansky Concert Hall. Help us is in recognizing this amazing group of leaders - the reigning “Best Class Ever!”

Class of 2023 Graduates:

• Nancy Alcantar, National Beef Packing Company LLP

• Emily Artman, Geisinger

• Jonathan Bastian, Evangelical Community Hospital

• Kyle Benson, UPMC

• Stan Cary, UPMC

• Kerry Colville, Hummel Station, LLC

• James Hawke, The Daily Item

• Shawna Heckman, Evangelical Community Hospital

• Heather Herbster, Fulton Bank

• Frankie Hockenbrocht, SEDA-COG

• Bethany Homiak, Geisinger

• Brenda Kline, BJE Poultry

• Trisha Kuenzie, Weis Markets, Inc.

• Misty Leonard, Service 1st Federal Credit Union

• Nicola Manning-Davenport, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit

• Eric Pangelinan, Community Giving Foundation

• Nicole Peterson, Union-Snyder Community Action Agency

• Greg Powell, UGI Utilities, Inc.

• Michelle Reid, M&T Bank

• Todd Robatin, Americans for Prosperity

• Laura Shrawder-Miles, Riverfront Financial Services

• Shayla Snook, Contrast

Thank you to our Graduation Sponsors: Premier Sponsor, UPMC; Ceremony Sponsor, Susquehanna Community Bank; Wine Sponsor, Sabra L. Karr, Villager Realty Inc.