DECEMBER 2005
RECENT LOAN APPROVALS
Three businesses were approved for loans totaling $141,000 in November. A total of thirty-eight jobs will be impacted.
The Log Cabin Restaurant located in Gaines, Tioga County, received a $25,000 Small Business Loan. The restaurant is located on U.S. Route 6, sixteen miles west of Wellsboro and has been under new ownership for the past year. The funds will be used to purchase new equipment. Four jobs will be impacted.
The Montrose Laundromat, located in Montrose, Susquehanna County, also received a Small Business Loan for $16,000. For seventeen years, this facility has provided a self-service Laundromat to their community. The funds will be used to improve the facility and to purchase new equipment. One job will be impacted.
The Small Business Loan program provides up to $25,000 for small businesses start ups and expansions.
The House of Light Youth Group, located in Canton, Bradford County received a $100,000 Tri-District Revolving Loan. This Christian-based foster home for children will use the funds to help with an expansion project. Twenty three jobs will be retained and eight to ten created.
The Tri-District Revolving Loan Fund provides financial assistance to small business projects in the Northern Tier Region. The loan amount is $100,000 or 50% of the total eligible costs, whichever is less.
Please e-mail Paulette Potter, Loan Program Manager – potter@northerntier.org for more information and for specific guidelines.
ANNOUNCEMENT
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NOVEMBER 2005
THE NORTHERN TIER REPORTER - E-NEWSLETTER
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LOCAL STUDENT RECOGNIZED FOR ESSAY HONORING HEALTHCARE HERO
Contest part of Pennsylvania Health Careers Week celebration
Picture Caption: Left to right - Acting Secretary Zahorchak from the Department of Education; Michelle Gostinski; Rosemarie Greco, Director of the Governor’s Office of Health Care Reform; Heather Gostinski, Essay Winner; Sally Dixon, President and CEO of Memorial Health System Corporation; Fred Dedrick, Executive Director of the State Workforce Investment Board.
HARRISBURG — Heather Gostinski from Mansfield High School was honored as the first place winner in a state-wide essay contest on November 14th in Harrisburg.
Ms. Gostinski read her winning essay about her health care hero; her mother, Michelle Gostinski, during a ceremony at the
Capitol
Building in
Harrisburg. She is employed as a Registered Nurse in the post anesthesia care unit at
St. Joseph’s Hospital. She also worked in obstetrics for eleven years. “When she comes home late from work and speaks about an astonishing experience she had that day, it makes me see the love and determination she has.” She read. “Overall my mother has taught me empathy, reasoning, and a drive to achieve beyond what I ever thought I could.” Ms. Gostinski plans to attend
Scranton
University to train for a career as a Physical Therapist.
Ms. Gostinski first won the local essay contest sponsored by the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission where she won an Apple iPOD. Next she won for the Northeast Region and finally the State and earned $500. In addition to reading her essay at the capitol, she was also honored at a luncheon along with other regional winners. Representative Matt Baker introduced Ms. Gostinski on the House floor where she was awarded a citation by the Speaker of the House.
The contest, “Celebrating Health Care Heroes of Today and Tomorrow,” was sponsored by the
Pennsylvania
Center for Health Careers and encouraged tenth graders to write about an influential health care professional in their lives, and to describe what makes that person a hero. The focus of this contest was to increase youth awareness of the more than 200 health care career options available in the state. “Demand for qualified workers in the health care field is at an all-time high in Pennsylvania, said
Sherry Felten, Workforce Program Manager at Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission. “ But young people may not be aware that health care careers are rewarding, challenging and diverse, and offer tremendous opportunity for advancement. In the Northern Tier Region alone, we employ more than 8,600 people in the health care field.”
In conjunction with the essay contest award ceremony, emceed by Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak, an all-day Career Awareness Expo was held in the Capitol building. The expo was created to educate eighth- through tenth- grade students about careers in health care that are in demand, pay well, and offer significant opportunities for advancement. Exhibitors included current postsecondary students in featured occupations, accompanied by hi-tech, hands-on demonstrations of the work involved in their fields; and health care and youth career specialists from PA CareerLink. Simultaneous kick-off events were held in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and linked via satellite to the
Harrisburg event.
Locally, Health Careers Week 2005 was celebrated at various events, including health career fairs at
Towanda
Junior
Senior High School and
Elk
Lake
High School. Students in 7th-12th grade at
Blue Ridge
High School were visited by area health care professions who spoke about their jobs.
The week of Nov. 14-18 was proclaimed by Governor Edward G. Rendell as Health Careers Week in
Pennsylvania as part of an effort to raise public awareness of rewarding health care careers and the high demand for several occupations within the industry. Those careers include; nursing, direct care, pharmacy, medical imaging, clinical laboratory sciences and respiratory therapy.
Health Careers Week is jointly sponsored by the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board’s Center for Health Careers; the state’s 23 Local Workforce Investment Boards; the Hospital and Health system Association of Pennsylvania; the Pennsylvania Department of Health; numerous health care, education and training providers; organized labor; and the state’s workforce development agencies — the Departments of Aging, Community and Economic Development, Education, Labor & Industry, and Public Welfare.
For more information on Health Careers Week and health careers in demand, visit www.pahealthcareers.org.
ESSAY WINNER HONORED REGIONALLY
Second place essay winner, Janna Heyler with Wayne Crawford, Guidance Counselor at Cowanesque High School on the left and her father, Mr. Heyler on the right.
Janna Heyler from Cowanesque High School won second place honors in the Northern Tier Region for her essay honoring her Health Care Hero, her Aunt Nancy Resseguie. Janna was presented with an Apple iPOD for having the second place winning essay.
Janna chose her Aunt as her Health Care Hero because "When she heard that I was interested in nursing, she set up a time for me to visit Strong Memorial Hospital where I was shown a variety of occupations." Nancy Resseguie, a registered nurse, is a nurse recruiter at Strong Memorial.
LOW INTEREST LOANS AVAILABLE TO HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS Municipalities in need of equipment or new facilities may be eligible for low interest loans through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
The Governor’s Center for Local Government Services provides The Local Government Capital Project Loan Program to local governments that find borrowing at conventional rates to be prohibitive. Loan funds are provided at a 2.0% interest rate to local governments with populations of 12,000 or less to pay for new equipment or the purchase, construction, renovation and rehabilitation of facilities. It can not be used for operating expenses or debt refinancing.
Loans for equipment can not exceed $25,000 for a single piece of equipment or fifty percent of the total cost, whichever is less. Loans for facilities may not exceed $50,000 for a single facility or fifty percent of the total cost for purchasing, construction, renovating, or rehabilitating the facility, whichever is less. The minimum amount of a loan is $1,000 and eligible municipalities may only submit one application per year. The maximum term is ten years or the useful life of the equipment or facility, whichever is less.
Applications for the loan must be submitted on the DCED Single Application form. For additional guidelines and assistance in preparing an application, please contact Tom Schill, Community Development Program Manager with the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission toll free at 888-868-8800 or e-mail schill@northerntier.org.
OCTOBER 2005
NEW AND EXPANDING BUSINESSES CREATE JOBS IN SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY
Several businesses located in Susquehanna County are starting or expanding thanks in part from low-interest business financing provided by the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission. Fifty-two new jobs have been created and five have been retained.
Two businesses each received $25,000 in Small Business Loans. Sea Hag Soaps & Art Mercantile located in Brackney, Susquehanna County will use their loan to help with the continued renovation of the barn used to house their business. Across Country Real Estate is a new business located in Montrose and their loan will be used for start up costs.
Singh Realty, Inc. located in New Milford received a $100,000 Tri-District Revolving Loan to help with the construction of the new Holiday Inn Express is located off the Gibson Exit on Route 81 in Susquehanna County.
Since 1970, NTRPDC has been providing resources to help businesses and entrepreneurs, local governments, and non-profit organizations in Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming Counties. Today, programs include business financing, internet and technology assistance, export counseling, government contract assistance, grant writing, site selection, transportation planning, workforce and economic analysis, and micro-grants for small business training, site development, and website development. For more information, please visit our website at www.northerntier.org. or call toll-free at 888-868-8800
PAST 2005 ARTICLES
The Northern Tier Reporter Volume 1 - Issue 1
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PURE PENNSYLVANIA GALLERY AND GENERAL STORE IS 2004 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
The 2004 Business of the Year, Pure Pennsylvania Gallery and General Store, was honored at the Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission's annual meeting held on April 21st at St. Basil's Hall in Dushore. Kevin Abrams, Executive Director of NTRPDC, presented a plaque and a $2,500 check to owner Jill Aldrich.
Open since 2001, the store promotes products made in Pennsylvania. Locally produced foods such as maple syrup, cheese, fresh eggs, and other gourmet snacks; as well as artwork, pottery, quilts, and books by local authors are all for sale.
In just four years, the business has grown from a small storefront to two locations: one in Great Bend and one in the recently renovated Washington Street Station in Towanda. There is also a website - purepennsylvania.com that allows for secure, on-line shopping.
Owner Jill Aldrich remains dedicated to promoting locally made items. "I can't think of another store you can walk into and buy a jar of Amish Jelly, as well as an original oil painting," Aldrich said. "What is most impressive about Pure Pennsylvania is the cyclical effect it has on other craftsmen with small businesses because now they have a venue to sell their products in a unique setting," said Jill Koski, Program Manager for NTRPDC. "It feels good to be able to go in and buy a gift or a food item and know that it was locally handmade."
Along with providing ambiance and quality products, the stores also provide a place for tourists and locals to learn more about the region. The Great Bend store is located in the Hallstead Plaza just off Route 81 in Susquehanna County. Tourists coming off the Interstate can find travel guides and brochures of the area.
The Washington Street Station is owned by the Bradford County Regional Arts Council and Pure Pennsylvania is a perfect fit. The Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission sponsors the Business of the Year award each spring. The business is selected through a nomination process by the Economic Development Advisory Committee, which is comprised of public officials and business leaders located in Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming Counties. Only businesses located in those counties are eligible. For more information, please call toll-free 888-868-8800.
NTRPDC LEADS TRADE MISSION TO VIETNAM
Vietnam has a rapidly expanding wood products industry, which provides a unique opportunity for Pennsylvania hardwoods companies. Oak Hill Veneer, located in Troy, and Bennett Hardwoods, from Forksville, joined the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission (NTRPDC) on a trade mission to Vietnam in January.
NTRPDC and the North Central Regional Planning and Development Commission organized the mission cooperatively, with a total of five businesses participating. NTRPDC obtained additional grants from the Northern Tier Hardwoods Association, Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council, and U.S. Department of Commerce to help cover expenses.
The mission included two days of factory tours in the region around Ho Chi Minh City, followed by pre-arranged appointments over several days with over 20 potential customers from throughout Vietnam. The USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service staff also provided assistance. "They are an excellent resource for any agriculture-related business interested in the Vietnamese market," said Chad Rimbey, Export Development Program Manager with NTRPDC.
NTRPDC provides regional economic and workforce development assistance to businesses and communities in Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, and Wyoming Counties. Trade missions are regularly organized to help a variety of industries develop their overseas market. For more information, please contact Chad Rimbey, Export Development Program Manager, at 570.265.9103 or by email: rimbey@northerntier.org
