The Chamber Celebrates Business and Economic Growth at the 2024 Chamber Gala featuring the SAGE Awards

The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce hosted its Chamber Gala on Friday, November 1, where they presented the 2024 SAGE Awards, the Scranton Awards for Growth and Excellence. This year’s event was held at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and was sponsored by Verizon. 

Chamber Board Chair Jerry Musheno opened the ceremony by thanking all finalists, award sponsors, and Gala sponsors for their dedication to the NEPA community. NoWhere Slow provided musical entertainment for the evening. 

The SAGE Awards honor outstanding local businesses for their talent, creativity, and innovation.

The Chamber received nearly 80 SAGE Award applications. A team of nearly 40 volunteers scored the applications. The top three scoring applications were named finalists.

The Chamber congratulates all finalists and winners of the 2024 SAGE Awards. The winners in each category are:

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Mount Airy Casino Resort

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT EXCELLENCE
The Wright Center for Community Health

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE
Geisinger/Geisinger Community Medical Center

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS EXCELLENCE
Market Share Consulting

NEW AND EMERGING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Pelican’s SnoBalls

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR
CHOP Out Hunger

PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Will be sent at 9 PM. Announced at EVENT.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Lynn Sandy’s Bakery

WORKPLACE EXCELLENCE
JHA Companies

In addition, several businesses received Milestone Certificates recognizing their longevity and leadership in our community. They are: 

Black Scranton Project5 years
CHOP Out Hunger5 years
Naked Toffee5 years
SEEDs of Hope5 years
Coal Creative10 years
Sky Zone Pittston10 years
Marley’s Mission15 years
Tri Star Academy20 years
Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA25 years
Gino J. Merli Veterans Center30 years
Bread Basket of NEPA40 years
hc architects 45 years
G.R. Noto Electrical Construction, Inc.55 years
Happenings Magazine55 years
Tuxedo By Sarno85 years
St. Mary’s Villa Campus100 years

Tomorrow’s Events at Mohegan Pennsylvania!

Latitudes tequila bar

• Celebrating the Day of the Dead. Ultimate tequila bar with featured, hand-crafted margaritas. 5:00pm – midnight.

Bean & Vine

• Quiet bar to relax or have a nightcap. 5:00pm – 1:00am

Breakers

• Leighann & Company performing at 8:30pm – 12:30am.

The Hive Taphouse

• Trivia at 7:30pm with Karaoke to follow. Celebrating the Day of the Dead with drink features. Open until 1:00am.

Electric City Trolley Museum to Observe 25th Anniversary

Lackawanna County’s Electric City Trolley Museum, which opened on Oct. 30, 1999, will observe its 25th anniversary with a month-long series of events in November. The museum preserves and celebrates the rich history of trolleys, chronicles the extensive trolley network that once connected wide swaths of Northeast Pennsylvania, and commemorates Scranton’s role as the first U.S. city to have electric trolley service – the genesis of its “Electric City” nickname.

“We are immensely proud to have reached this milestone,” said Commissioner Bill Gaughan. “Our goal has always been to preserve the history of the trolley era and share its importance with the community. This 25th-anniversary celebration is a chance for us to reflect on the past and look forward to the next 25 years of education, preservation, and community engagement.”

Joe Corcoran, who was a county commissioner when the  museum was founded, is chairman of the 25th anniversary committee. He announced that on Nov. 2,  to kick off the celebratory month, admission to the Trolley Museum will be what it was on opening day in 1999 — $3 for adults or $6 with a trolley ride, and $2 for children or $4 with trolley ride.  Special prices will be offered to the following groups on specific weekends.

Nov. 2 and 3 –  General public at anniversary rates, members of Electric City Trolley Museum Association, free.
Nov. 9 and 10 –  Veterans and their families at anniversary rates.
Nov. 16 and  17 –  First Responders and their families, anniversary rates
Nov. 23 and 24 – County employees and their families, anniversary rates.

Reservations, which are required for trolley rides, may be made at 570-963-6590.

To kick off the celebration Nov. 2, there will be a cake cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. at the museum, 300 Cliff St., Scranton, adjacent to the Steamtown National Historic Site. There will be activities for children throughout the day, and limited-edition 25th Anniversary merchandise, commemorative coins and museum-branded apparel will be available at the gift shop.  

Next Weekend! Rhythms & Brews: Live Tributes & Craft Beers

Rhythm and Brews presented by Revello’s Pizza is back at Montage Mountain on Saturday, November 9th with an amazing lineup of great live music! Enjoy tributes to Fleetwood Mac by The Seven Wonders, the Foo Fighters by award winning tribute the Fooz Fighters, and headlining this year’s event…Bon Poison – A Tribute to Bon Jovi and Poison! Don’t forget, included with your ticket, sample all the latest and greatest craft brews, seltzers, and ciders! It all goes down at Montage Mountain from 1pm-7pm, Saturday November 9th, tickets start at just $39, we’ll see ya there!

Village Venu – Real Estate Available for Business Use

Located at 1930 Heartlake Road in Scott Township, chamber member Village Venu, this awesome 3,300 square foot commercial multi-use space has been fully renovated with brand new systems, office space, bar, 2 rest rooms, catering kitchen, on-site well and septic, 3 separate entrances ready to move-in and begin operating your business or divide for sublet.  So many possibilities!  This high traffic location sits on over an acre with huge parking area and just 1 mile from Pa Route 81 Exit 202.  Pulls many locals and year-round tourists to Endless Mountains and Elk Mountain Ski resort (recently purchased by Vail Industries to be expanded with Water Park and Condos).  Owners retiring. 

Possibility of owner partnership for the right business (negotiable).

NEPIRC Receives Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award

IEDC’s annual Excellence Awards honor the economic development organizations, government entities, initiatives and programs that have demonstrated consistent, exemplary performance in the profession.

Communities greatly benefit when talented people with vision, creativity and intelligence stay in the region, which is why it’s important to educate Northern Pennsylvania’s young people about opportunities that enable them to build a successful life close to home. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is providing that valuable information in award-winning fashion through its Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team program that was recently honored.

NEPIRC was presented with a 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) at the IEDC 2024 Annual Conference in Denver that took place in September. The award was bestowed specifically for NEPIRC’s work in the Talent Pipeline Development and Retention category.

NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team initiative increases high school and college student awareness of outstanding careers available within Pennsylvania’s advanced manufacturing field. Dream Team Ambassadors are manufacturing associates who speak enthusiastically to young people and educators about their career journeys through in-school presentations, Career Day booths and Career Fair attendance.

Jenelle Osborne, NEPIRC’s talent stream coordinator, who attended the conference to accept the award, said, “It is an honor for NEPIRC’s Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team program to be recognized internationally for excellence in economic development, reinforcing our commitment to fuel the execution of our program’s objectives. I am incredibly proud of our Dream Team Ambassadors who share their passion and career journeys with students to inspire them to consider rewarding careers in manufacturing, contributing to the success of this initiative.”

Several NEPIRC representatives and Dream Team Ambassadors attended the conference in Denver to accept this prestigious award and had the opportunity to meet with PA Department of Community and Economic Development representatives.

“NEPIRC is setting the standard of excellence for economic development with its Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team program. This award highlights NEPIRC’s commitment to its community and demonstrates the transformative impact of economic development,” said Nathan Ohle, IEDC president and CEO, “It is with great pride that IEDC presents this award to NEPIRC, celebrating their leadership and innovation in the field of economic development.”

The Excellence in Economic Development Awards program consists of 26 unique categories showcasing transformative projects that have profoundly impacted communities, regions and nations. Award winners are recognized in-person at its annual conference and throughout the year via IEDC’s communication channels. All organizations, big or small, in rural, urban or suburban communities, U.S.-based or international, are eligible and encouraged to participate in this competitive program.

Fidelity Bank Presents Wilkes-Barre Volunteers with Grant

Fidelity Bank is pleased to share Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) has won the $10,000 Fidelity Bank IMPACT grant.

VIM competed with two other area nonprofit finalists, all with the goal of securing grant funding to support their ongoing initiatives. Although all the finalists demonstrated their ability to deliver vital services to Wilkes-Barre residents, VIM secured the most community votes, determining them the winner.

Ruth Turkington, EVP, Chief Consumer Banking Officer of Fidelity Bank was on hand at the bank’s Wilkes-Barre branch to present a $10,000 check to VIM. She stated, “On behalf of all of us here at Fidelity Bank, we extend our heartfelt congratulations. Winning this grant clearly indicates that the services Wilkes-Barre Volunteers in Medicine provides closely aligns with our goal of providing support and value to the communities we serve.”

Volunteers in Medicine is a community-based nonprofit organization who offers a wide range of services at no cost, including primary medical care, dental services, diagnostic testing, and counseling. These services are offered to the working, uninsured, and underinsured populations in NEPA. The clinic’s comprehensive care addresses the needs of residents, some of whom are non-English speaking, by providing vital interpretation services. The IMPACT Grant funds will be used to support this interpretation program, which is essential for effective communication and treatment planning. More details and complete rules for the IMPACT grant can be found online at www.bankatfidelity.com/impact.