Chamber Spotlight
The newsletter of the Coudersport Area Chamber of Commerce

P.O. Box 261, 6 East Second St., Coudersport PA 16915

Phone/fax: 814-274-8165. Email: cacoc@coudersport.org

Vol. II, Edition Five: March 2008

Easter Festival scheduled

A new downtown Coudersport tradition, the Coudersport Easter Festival, returns for its second year on Saturday, March 22. Activities will be centered at the courthouse square.

The festival is sponsored by the Coudersport Area Chamber of Commerce Merchants Group.

It opens with a craft/vendor show starting at 9 am at the St. Eulalia Parish Center, on the corner of South Main and Chestnut streets. Activities at the square start at 11 am. The Easter Bunny (with thanks to volunteer Sheldon Carpenter) will be on hand for photos. There will be food, music, face-painting, games, three Easter gift baskets to be given away at 4 pm and a coloring contest.

A highlight will be an Easter Egg Hunt at 3:30 pm, with three age groups from kindergarten to fifth grade. They’ll line up at the courthouse square, the Potter County Texaco lot across from the county jail, and the Park United Methodist Church lot at Third and North East streets.

Morgan AM&T is providing the candy-filled eggs for the hunt. Several other businesses and individuals have stepped up to make sure this year’s festival build on the success of last year’s debut.

Bridge replacement underway

Downtown Coudersport businesses are coming to grips with the closure of the Specialist Mike Franklin Memorial Bridge, which carries U.S. Rt. 6 over the Allegheny River on East Second Street. All traffic that would normally pass through the business district is now being re-routed on Mill, Maple and Oak streets. PennDOT is replacing the two-span, 98-foot bridge built in 1930 with a one-span, 65-foot concrete bridge. The project also includes abutment work, paving, water line relocation and drainage. Rt. 6 traffic through downtown Coudersport is expected to resume in late August.

Let’s rub shoulders

An After-Hours Social is being planned by the Chamber’s Board of Directors for Thursday, April 10, from 5 pm to 7 pm. It’s a chance to socialize and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages while encouraging others to join the Chamber. More details will be released. Please circle the date on your calendar and plan to bring along a friend or two to learn about the benefits of Chamber of Commerce membership.

Get-Away vacation winner chosen

Ruby and Al Stahl, winners of the Chamber’s Vacation Get-Away Package, were recognized during a recent board of directors meeting. They have their choice of hundreds of destinations and events. The only requirement is that they cover their own transportation. Al said he is partial to NASCAR competition and will be trying to convince Ruby to see things his way.

Saturdays on the Square

Another summer season of Saturdays on the Square is in the works. Plans call for live music and vendor booths at the courthouse square on one Saturday in June, July and August. The Merchants Committee is lining up entertainment and vendor arrangements.

Join our ‘power lunch’!

The Chamber tried something different in February – holding the monthly membership meetings at noon, rather than 8 am. Early reports are favorable, so the lunchtime meeting schedule will continue. A buffet lunch will be available at the Hotel Crittenden for meetings every third Tuesday of the month.

Maple Festival nearing

Maple Festival weekend (May 2-3) is drawing closer. Once again, the Coudersport Area Chamber of Commerce is serving as primary sponsor, working with the Potter-Tioga Maple Producers Association. John Buchanan (right) and Mike Harris are co-chairing the Maple Festival Committee. Once again we will have Maple demonstrations, parade, food and other vendors, live entertainment and our Maple Idol Karaoke Contest. Last year’s 41^st annual Maple Festival drew a record crowd and that trend could continue this time around. Hours are

11 am to 7 pm Friday and 9 am to 7 pm Saturday.

News tidbits

--By a margin of about three-to-one, Chamber members who responded to a recent survey said they are interested in a group plan for health insurance. The Chamber Board of Directors has been investigating an insurance strategy as a membership benefit for some time. Discussions continued at the March meeting.

--Coudersport High School Principal Alanna Huck from the Chamber Board of Directors has agreed to spearhead improvements to the Chamber’s public website.

--A Welcome Committee is in place to introduce newcomers to the Coudersport community to local organizations, businesses and services. If you know of anyone who has recently moved to the area, please contact Carol Jackson, Carol Spaulding or Dolores Gartside.