October 2018 Newsletter

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First look at Hollywood Star, Tom Hanks, as Mister Rogers in upcoming film

WHAT’S INSIDE

73rd Annual Dinner Awardees Announced Ligonier Tavern Halloween Ghost Story

Member of the Month: Wigs n’ More Mastectomy Boutique

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Annual Dinner Awardees Announced

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Local BPW Chapter Membership

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Dale Carnegie Greensburg Testimonial

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Ligonier Tavern Ghost Bar Guest

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Member of the Month

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Ribbon Cuttings & Ceremonies

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Around The Neighborhood News

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Upcoming Events

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CHAMBER STAFF Briana Tomack - President

Hannah Kahn - Membership Coordinator

Mike Dudurich - Media Writer

Alexandra Kornides - Intern

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GLLV Board of Directors CHAIR Jerry Supko Commerical Bank and Trust of PA

Jonathan Sarraf Carpenter Technologies

VICE CHAIR Brian Edmiston

Gary Siegel

TSI Titanium

Latrobe Printing and Publishing

Marryann Singley

TREASURER

Excela Health

Maryann White Kelly, Sparber, White and Associates, LLC

Judy Swigart Greater Latrobe School District

SECRETARY

Eric Curry

Madalyn Kalning

Derry Area School District

Gutchess Hardwoods

Todd Weimer Eastern Westmoreland Career and

Melissa Blystone

Technology Center

Valley Dairy Restaurants

Suzanne Ward Eric Huttenlocher

Kattan Ferretti Financial

Lindsay Fennell

Amy Peer

Kennametal Inc.

Latrobe Chevrolet and Ford

Jeff Minkovich Community Options

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73rd Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony hosted at Fred Rogers Center

The Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce will honor four of its members during the 73rd Annual Dinner & Awards Celebration. The event will be hosted on October 22 at The Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College. Briana Tomack, GLLV Chamber President expresses her excitement for the upcoming event.

“I am delighted to celebrate this year of successes with our Chamber family. I am proud to honor our awardees, who really embody the message and achieve the mission of helping others through their service, volunteerism and tireless efforts to make our community a better place to live. The annual dinner is the time we get to say thank you to our members, volunteers and families for giving so much of themselves throughout the year” This year’s ceremony was the first in which the GLLV membership was invited to nominate individuals and businesses for the awards after a committee had chosen them previously. “It’s one more way to have the membership get involved,” said Jerry Supko, GLLV Board Chair. “Membership input could well open the nominations to someone we may have overlooked.”

The Small Business Award is given to a local business that has exemplified exceptional business practices and has gone above and beyond in community involvement. The chosen business has proven itself to be a stable, yet growing presence in the community. This year, the Small Business Award will be given to Rusbosin Furniture which has been a part of the fabric of the Latrobe community for 55 years. It has been family-owned business since it opened its doors in 1963.

The Volunteer of the Year goes to Tim Bates, Business Analyst at the Saint Vincent College Small Business Development Center. Bates has been a business analyst at SVC’s Business Development Center since 2000 and, as Volunteer of the Year, will be recognized as the individual who has contributed in time-donated leadership and community involvement. Bates has been a long-time Chair of the chamber’s Educational Committee.

The Non-Profit award is given to an organization that builds development or servicein the community. This year’s choice, CASA of Westmoreland, provides a much-needed voice in the courts on behalf of abused and neglected children in Westmoreland County.

The Community Service Award this year goes to the law firm of Quatrini Rafferty for their contributions to the area over the years. This award honors an individual or organization that has contributed time, talents, and resources unselfishly to the community without expecting compensation. The laws firm is located in a small town, but with big city resources, which gives the firm a very family oriented and hands on experience.

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The local firm is the latest outstanding addition to a list of 61 Community Service winners in the 73-year existence of the dinner. Past honorees include Arnold Palmer, Fred Rogers, Commissioner Chuck Anderson, Doc Giffin, and “Ice Cream Joe� Greubel, John R. Mazero, the McFeely-Rogers Foundation, the McKenna Foundation, the Timken Foundation, City of Latrobe, James C. McHugh and Gabe Monzo.

Keynote speaker for the evening will be Paul Siefken, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Fred Rogers Productions. Fred Rogers Productions strives to continue the legacy of Fred Rogers, providing the highest quality educational programming to children via broadcast media. Siefken has previously worked with Cartoon Network and PBS before moving to Pittsburgh based Fred Rogers Productions.

Tickets to the dinner and awards celebration individually for $100. Tables can be purchased and sponsorship opportunities are available as well. For more information contact the GLLV Chamber at 724-537-2671 or info@gllv.org.

Community Service Award Recipient, Quatrini Rafferty, 2018.

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Join BPW For Local Professional Development

Did you know there is a place where you can make a difference in your community, build lasting relationships and develop career and leadership skills? By joining Latrobe BPW, you can do that and so much more.

Business and Professional Women PA is a statewide organization comprised of nearly 2,000 women in 62 local clubs in 12 districts throughout Pennsylvania. Organized in 1919, BPW/PA is a leading advocate for working women and works on issues that touch women’s lives in a variety of ways. BPW was one of the first women’s organization to formally endorse the Equal Rights Amendment in 1937 and BPW/PA remains on the front lines of the fight for equality for women in the workplace.

Founded in 1929, Latrobe BPW is the largest local club with more than 100 members. Latrobe BPW’s initiatives include mentoring, scholarships, philanthropy, education, leadership development, networking and community projects in the Latrobe and Derry areas.

So, most of that information you could’ve learned by “googling” us, but what you may not know is you don’t have to own a business, or even work, to be a member. While it is true many members are women in business, none of us are just that. We are mothers, daughters, wives and friends. BPW is a network of women from all walks of life. In fact, one of the things we pride ourselves on is the diversity of our members. We welcome all women because we know every member’s experiences, talents, background, interests and values help make us a stronger organization.

The Latrobe BPW meets once a month on the third Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at Christ, Our Shepherd Center.

So, whether you are just looking to socialize and make some new friends or hoping to network and gain exposure for your business, we welcome you to attend and get to know us.

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Dale Carnegie Program Provides Professionals with Personal Growth Summa Technologies Inc used Dale Carnegie for many years to help their employees reach new levels of success. A “champion” client, they knew what we could do for them and utilized our public programs as often as possible to develop their consultants to gain confidence and deepen relationships with their own clients. When setting goals for the class, almost every single consultant would say the same thing: their clients saw them as an outsider instead of an advocate that they could trust to help them. After many of the consultants graduated from the Dale Carnegie Flagship program, The Dale Carnegie Course: Skills for Success, we suggested there might be a way to customize an inhouse program to provide a bullseye approach to transform every one of their consultants into the team player they longed to be. After some conversation with Summa leadership, this very desire in each of their consultants would actually help the company to achieve a strategic business objective – to double the size of their company. We worked together to develop a customized program and collaboratively rolled out “The Trusted Advisor” program to all of their consultants. “I would like to offer my full recommendation for Dana. I have had a business relationship with Dana for more than two years, and from the outset, Dana took the time to understand our company’s business needs, drivers and challenges. Instead of selling us a particular off -theshelf training course, Dana was able to apply a friendly and consultative approach to help us craft a customized training program that mapped our unique needs to the correct Dale Carnegie offerings. In the end Dana successfully facilitated the development of a 6 week training program that had a positive impact on our employees and business results.” – Dan McDermott, Chief Operating Officer, Summa Technologies

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Spooky Ghost Guest at Ligonier Tavern A local ghost tale in the midst of Halloween season

About 10 years ago a women who Was visiting Ligonier stopped in the Ligonier Tavern to have lunch with a friend. She was very intrigued with the Tavern‘s beauty and charm in the Victorian turn -of -the -century house from the early 1800s. Because it was October and she was photographing the diamond and the fall follage she decided to take a few pictures of the different rooms and unique stained glass windows of the Tavern . Her and her friend went upstairs to the third floor we call the “Ramsey Room“ Or Attic Bar where we hold many private events and and Rehearsal Dinners .....at end of the bar there was a beautiful LED Tree Lamp in brite green, her friend had told her that a gentleman from Canada made these tree lamps and were selling them for $250, which he made in different brite colors to purchase. They went back down stairs to the dinning area to finish thier coffee and dessert and pay the bill she had also phoned her husband to tell him about the beautiful tree lamp , he had told her to take a picture of it before she leaves and on there next visit he may purchase one. She said goodbye to her friend and went back upstairs alone and snapped a picture of the tree on her little Sony camera . A few weeks later the women came into the Tavern and showed our staff and I a photograph of the Attic Bar and there was a figure standing by that LED tree ! She told us there was no one there when she had snapped a picture so we looked at the picture and it looked like a woman with red hair with a blank face with a green dress on leaning over the bar it was really weird and we didn’t even know if we actually believed her not but she was an older woman and I didn’t think she could transpose anything into this photo ...she gave me a copy of the photo and I put it in my drawer in my office. A few years later the bartender at that time called me in my office and said do you have that old photograph of the ghost from the Attic bar ? “There are a few old-timers who used to frequent the bar many many years ago and I was telling them about the ghost they would like to see it” ....I found the picture and I brought it down and started telling them the story of the lady that went upstairs took a picture of the lamp and when she supposedly got it developed there was the blank faced figure of the lady with red hair.... of of a sudden one of the men said with a surprising loud voice “that’s no lady that’s John Ireland “. I remember when I first started at the Ligonier Tavern I had met John .. he was and old Vietnam vet that lived across the street from the Tavern .. he was a very quiet man he wore red beret and he came in every day and had a shot and a beer and smoked a cigar he was a loner never really said to much ... He had died about 4-5 years before that photo was taken .... and when he died he had been leaning over at his kitchen sink ... just like the photo .. rumors say the firemen didn’t find his standing body for 3 days! .....That picture has ended up in 3 different haunted ghost story books written from authors in Westmoreland and allegheny County. We also think the ghost of Jessimine Potts first owner of the Ligonier Tavern roams about the rooms at dark .... but no one has been able to catch her on film yet....maybe someday.

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Member of the Month: Wigs n’ More Mastectomy Boutique Congratulations to Wigs n’ More Mastectomy Boutique for being awarded the GLLV Chamber of the Month in September 2018.

Wigs N’ More offers a caring approach to cancer patients in need of mastectomy products, as well as wigs, and shapewear. We interviewed Kathy Hendrickson, business owner, and learned more about the business that has been in Latrobe for many years.

How many years have you been in Business?

I have been in the business for 30 years.

What is your proudest moment as a business?

Working with women who need help and ultimately making them feel completed.

What is your favorite part about working for Wigs N’ More?

As the owner, my favorite part would be accommodating women from their beauty needs to medically necessary needs.

What is your favorite part about working for Wigs N’ More?

Along with Westmoreland County, we assist patients from all over the United States. We are currently working on the social media aspect of my company to stay connected to the rest of the world.

How has your chamber membership help you succeed?

Being a member of the chamber for 30 years has helped us succeed by participating in events, expand our marketing through social media, and making connections with other companies.Check out the website at wigsnmore.net Thanks for chatting with us Kathy! Where can I find more information?

Check out the website at wigsnmore.net

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Keller Williams, Ridgeview, and Phoenix Rehabilitation Celebrate Ribbon Cuttings & Technimark Celebrates

Phoenix Rehab celebrates 10 years in business.

Carol & Dave’s Roadhouse celebrates 15 years in business.

Technimark celebrates the ground breaking for new construction.

Ridgeview Heating & Cooling celebrates a new location in Derry.

Is your business brand new? Is your business celebrating a milestone anniversary? Are you breaking ground? Reach out to the GLLV Chamber to celebrate your new accomplishment!

Contact us today!

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Welcome To Our

New GLLV Chamber Members Lancashire Sales & Service, Latrobe Hope Center Westmoreland, Latrobe Living Waters Community Church, Latrobe Keller Williams, Greensburg Gray Dog Comics, Latrobe Dale Carnegie Greensburg, Pittsburgh/ Greensburg Cricket Wireless, Gmet Communications, Latrobe Eric Miner Media, Latrobe

October 2018 | 15

Around the Neighborhood News Tom Hanks Steps Into Mister

Rogers’ Sneakers Sony Pictures on Thursday unveiled the first picture of Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers, direct from the set of "You Are My Friend."

The company tweeted the image out with the words, "Tom Hanks is Mister Rogers, coming to a neighborhood near you October 2019."

The movie is currently in production in the Pittsburgh region. The film, directed by Marielle Heller, is based on the true story of a real -life friendship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod (Matthew Rhys). The film also stars Oscar-winner Chris Cooper.

Maybe you’ll run into him again at the local Greensburg Starbucks again!

Adapted from the Tribune Review

Young Professional Group Hosts Annual Kickoff to Giving Dinner The Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Group (YPG) is hosting the 4th annual “Kickoff to Giving Dinner” for the local community on Saturday November 17 at the Holy Family Parish Hall.

The dinner is open to anyone who needs a hot meal. Our hope is that this dinner will bring our community together and ignite a passion for “giving back” throughout the holiday season. We will start serving dinner at 12 PM, and we need your help!

If you’d like to volunteer for the event, we will need people to prep, cook, serve and usher. We are also asking for food donations for the dinner, as well as accepting monetary contributions (made out to GLLV Chamber). For more information, please contact Hannah Kahn at the chamber office at Hannah@gllv.org.

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December -12 Business After Hours at Springhill Suites

EVENTS October -10 Chamber Choice and Kinect Energy

Would your business like to host a 2019 event? Contact Hannah Kahn Winery (Hannah@gllv.org) at the chamber office to -10 Business After Hours at Loyalhanna Care find the month that works for you!

Chamber Open House at Greenhouse

-18 Morning Mingle at Springhill Suites -22 73rd Annual Awards Dinner & Ceremony Chamber Events Calendar Online!

Submit your organization’s activities to be posted on the at Fred Rogers Center -30 Chamber University at WCCC Latrobe

chamber’s even page. The latest events listing is online.

CALENDAR www.latrobelaurelvalley.org/events

-30 Membership Orientation at Visitor’s Center November -17-YPG Kick Off to Giving Dinner at Holy Family -14 Business After Hours at Aroma Italiano -15 Morning Mimosa Mingle at Ramada Ligonier GREATER LATROBE - LAUREL VALLEY REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERECE info@gllv.org PO Box 463 - Latrobe, PA 15650٠724-537-2671٠www.gllv.org

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