With a plate full of stressful workdays, restless children, and the mundane tasks of adult life, most parents settle into the comfort of a safe and predictable day-to-day routine. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this lifestyle, it unfortunately prevents many adults from daring to pursue dreams which venture far from this comfortable path. Stacy Miller, Wilkes-Barre native and Tunkhannock resident of 16 years, is a woman determined to show that taking the leap may be risky but is always more fulfilling in the end.

Stacy Miller’s journey began at GAR high school in Wilkes-Barre, PA, where she started dating her husband of 19 years. After high school, Stacy pursued higher education at Luzerne County Community College and Misericordia University. She then achieved her doctorate at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. After all of her extensive studies, Stacy is now a forensic nurse practitioner, being just one of around 600 in the country to hold her certification, and teaches nursing courses at Vanderbilt and Scranton University, all while taking care of a full house of four children. Last month, Stacy added a fresh (and large) hunk of meat to her plate: a new wedding dress boutique in Tunkhannock.
Dubbed Lillian Mae Atelier, the boutique is infused with passion and pure glee.
“I was thinking about the happiest moments of my life,” Stacy expresses, “and my children being born and my wedding day are what came to mind.”

After joking about not wanting to endure more years of schooling to become a midwife, Stacy’s eye’s sparkled as she reminisced on the blissfulness of being a bride: planning, dress shopping, actually getting married, and the genuine love present throughout the whole process. It was a no-brainer for Stacy to bottle up all of that wedding joy and unleash it into a storefront; thus, Lillian Mae Atelier was born.
Stacy thought of the idea for the store just a year and a half ago; before she even had her hands on a location though, she was already reaching out to designers, learning about the bridal industry and making connections to hopefully stock their designs someday. She was also busy curating a name for the shop, which she describes as a combination of her two daughters’ names, Lillian and Madelyn (nicknamed “Maddy Mae”). About six months after tossing the idea of Lillian Mae around, Interfaith Friends moved to a new location and their downtown storefront went on the market. While the inside of the store was painted a large assortment of rainbow colors and didn’t quite embody the elegance of a bridal boutique just yet, Stacy had a vision.

With the support of her husband, parents, children, and friends, Stacy’s dream boutique eventually came to fruition, with Stacy herself designing the inside of the shop and her husband completing all of the exterior construction.

“I’m so very blessed because he really goes above and beyond to make my dreams come to life,” Stacy reflects.

Sporting a classy black and white storefront and a white and wooden interior, the dress shop came to be the perfect blend of contemporary boho and chic elegance, creating a warm, welcoming environment for any bride-to-be.

The atmosphere especially compliments the trendy rental and event styling boutique just down the street, Chippy White Table. Along with Monzie’s Floral Design and The Mayflower Florist in town, Tunkhannock is shaping up to be a place where one can source their entire wedding locally! This kind of community spirit is exactly what Stacy is hoping for with Lillian Mae. She desires the dress shop to be a store that other people travel to see, a destination boutique.

“I want other people to love Tunkhannock just as much as I do,” Stacy says.
Even though she is juggling four kids and a full-time job, Stacy Miller found a way to pursue her passion project. Despite the dress shop introducing its own additional hurdles for Stacy, such as navigating social media, she has found that through positive support and determination, anything can be done. When asked to give advice to those who are unsure of taking the leap to start their own business, Stacy encourages, “As long as someone is passionate, there is no failure. Even if the business is not successful, you learn so much through the project about yourself and relationships. Investing in yourself is never a bad thing.”

Written by Ashley Kenia

PACP Announces 2024 Chamber of the Year Award Recipients

The Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Professionals (PACP) recognized their 2024 Chambers of the Year during their Chamber Professionals & Leadership Conference held this week at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square in Lancaster, PA. 

In addition to recognizing organization excellence, the PACP Chamber of the Year Award focuses on acknowledging one or more significant achievements or accomplishments that a chamber has initiated, stimulated, and/or led in its respective service area at some point during the past 18 months.  Organizational excellence is evaluated in the areas of membership, programs, planning, and finance.

The Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce received the prestigious award in the category of chambers with under 700 members.  The Wyoming County Chamber recently formalized a partnership with the Wyoming County Community Alliance, a 501c3 organization dedicated to strengthening the community. This alliance, which promotes innovation, integrity, diversity, and collaboration, allows the Chamber to engage in community initiatives that significantly enhance our residents’ well-being and quality of life. The Alliance and the Chamber secured over $300,000 in the past 3 years through the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program for community planning and projects, economic development, and student engagement. The Neighborhood Assistance Program allows businesses passionate about the proposed projects to receive tax credit for their contributions and keeps these tax dollars in our local community. The Chamber is grateful for Coterra Energy for providing this funding for our projects over the past 2 years.

Gina Suydam says, “This award acknowledges the dedication and commitment of our members to build a thriving and vibrant community.  The Chamber is honored to accept this award for all Wyoming County Chamber members.”

In addition to the Chamber of the Year recognition, Allison Schultz was acknowledged for her 5 years of service to the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce.  Allison began her career as the Chamber’s Marketing & Events Coordinator and now serves as the Director of Chamber Engagement.  Gina Suydam was thanked by PACP for her service as the 2024 President of the PACP Board of Directors.  Suydam

remarked that evening, “We, Lindsay Shepherd, Allison Schultz, and I, are a small but mighty team who love Wyoming County and work hard to create a vibrant county where our businesses thrive.”

Chamber hosts a community hike to summit of Miller Mountain guided by Jeff Mitchell

Residents of Wyoming County have long appreciated the natural beauty of its rolling landscape and plentiful waterways. But what is often termed the “Gateway to the Endless Mountains” has, in recent years, become more of a destination in itself with the support of county and state officials.
“Wyoming County has always been an integral part of the Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR) with its artistic and historic resources, as well as its scenic section of the beautiful Susquehanna River,” says EMHR director Cain Chamberlin. “But, with the recent additions of Wyoming County’s Seneca Park, Vosburg Neck State Park, and the newly opened tract of the Pinchot State Forest on Miller Mountain, Wyoming County now has so much more to boast about in terms of outdoor recreation opportunities and is now on equal footing with our other three counties – Bradford, Sullivan, and Susquehanna – in terms of accessible green space for residents and visitors alike.”
Seneca Park was acquired by the county in 2022 after a group of dedicated citizens and Eaton Township officials cleaned up the former Roadside Rest that had been a popular family destination for decades. Nestled between SR 29 and Bowmans Creek – stocked annually with trout to the delight of regional anglers – the park was historically a meeting place for members of the Seneca Nation into the 1700s. Thanks to the county commissioners and a newly formed County Parks Committee, the park is once again a focal point for family outings and other events.
“We have a great location for family fun,” said Wyoming County Commissioner Ernie King. “Large open fields for games. Many picnic tables and access to the creek. Rest rooms and fire pits are also provided.”
Vosburg Neck State Park (VNSP) was one of three to be designated in Pennsylvania in 2022, putting the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) in charge of 669 acres that were previously known as Howland Preserve and managed by the North Branch Land Trust and Friends of the Howland Preserve. The park features a non-motorized boat ramp and eight miles of well-maintained trails that connect to adjacent and similar-sized Camp Lackawanna.
VNSP environmental educational specialist Amanda MacTarnaghan has the enjoyable task of developing and implementing programs and activities that bring Park visitors and nature as closely together as possible.
“Awareness about park programming is still growing in the community,” she stated. MacTarnaghan started with pop-up programs on weekends to provide visitors, limited on time, a taste of what is to come and to learn about the park’s development. “A lot of people I interact with during these events are not aware that programs are happening at the park but are eager to attend future events when they find out.” Pop-up events will continue through Labor Day, and visitors can find information in the tent next to Riverside Barn. The park is primarily a day-use only facility, but MacTarnaghan has conducted several nighttime hikes that have proven popular. “I’m excited to continue to offer these experiences in the future,” she noted.

Miller Mountain was purchased by the Commonwealth in 2023 to become part of Pinchot State Forest. A 2,216-foot stand-alone peak rising above the Susquehanna River and Tunkhannock, Miller Mountain boasts a 5.9-mile trail loop with elevation changes of 1,607 feet.
In a 2023 press release, DCNR secretary Cindy Dunn stated, “We are excited to finally be able to add state forestland to the region. I can’t wait to view the area from the top of Miller Mountain and take in the beautiful sites from its vistas.” Dunn cited the Conservation Fund for “their tireless work on this project for conservation across the nation.”
Popular with birders and mountain bikers, hikers will find that the challenging route takes an average of three hours and 23 minutes to complete. The vistas from its summits are truly breathtaking and make the climb worth the effort.
“DCNR is extremely proud to add Miller Mountain to Pinchot State Forest and the 2.2 million acres of state forestland around the Commonwealth,” DCNR press secretary Wesley Robinson added. “We are excited to offer increased access to public lands in the northeast part of the state.”
The three large recreational parks and forests are not the only outdoor wonders of Wyoming County. The Susquehanna River, which enters Wyoming County from Bradford County at Braintrim Township and Laceyville and exits into Luzerne County between Falls and Exeter townships, is considered the fifth oldest river in the world at more than 300 million years. The meandering waterway wraps around Vosburg Neck and provides a unique view of the county’s farmlands, steep hills, and villages. The 146-mile segment that runs through Susquehanna, Bradford, and Wyoming counties has been designated by the National Park System as the North Branch Susquehanna River Water Trail and is managed by the EMHR with help from several river outfitters, including Susquehanna Canoe and Kayak Rentals in Falls.
In addition to the aforementioned, Wyoming County is home to numerous smaller municipal parks, preserves and trails that connect people with nature and other outdoor recreationists in the community, as well as State Game Lands 57 near Forkston. A full list of these treasures can be found in the Explore Wyoming County Parks & Trails brochure produced by the Wyoming County Cultural Center, available at locations like the Dietrich Theater and Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau and accessible online at the Dietrich Theater’s website.

• Written by Rick Hiduk

Chamber hosts annual after hours family friendly kayak paddle guided by Art Coolbaugh, Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals – Falls, PA.

Sure, girl scouts sell mouth-watering cookies, wear cute vests, and go camping under starry summer nights. But did you also know they problem-solve, scouring their communities for issues they can tend to? This kind of selfless community service is exactly what the Forkston Girl Scout Troop is all about, and what they are currently up to in Tunkhannock, PA while working towards their Bronze Award.

            In order to obtain the Bronze Award, the Junior girl scouts, ages 9 to 11, must identify areas of improvement within the local community, work together on a project to solve one of the issues, and overall make a positive impact. Before they begin to work towards the award, the girls complete a Journey, earning badges by learning new skills that prepare them for the task of their Bronze Award project.

            After observing the Tunkhannock community for a couple of weeks and brainstorming areas of improvement, Forkston’s Junior Girl Scout Troop settled upon the issue of the Tunkhannock Area Intermediate Center’s playground for their Bronze Award project. The school, grades 3 to 6, has a jungle gym and a gaga pit donated by boy scouts, but no playground equipment like sport balls, jump ropes, or chalk. When the girl scouts noticed this dilemma in their observation of the community, they did a survey with their peers that inquired about their interests in sports and recess activities. Through the survey, they discovered that their classmates desired to throw around footballs, bounce a basketball, or jump rope at recess, among other activities needing equipment. Once receiving this information, the Forkston Girl Scouts knew exactly what they wanted to do for their Bronze Award project: raise funds for a shed at the playground that will house sporting equipment for recess.

            Girl scout Sadie Conrad, a Junior entering fifth grade, expresses her enthusiasm: “I’m really excited about this project because it’s going to be super fun to work on with my troop! I hope it helps make our school a better place by adding things we can all play with at recess. Plus, it’ll be awesome to see everyone happy with the changes!”

            Now, the girls are asking for our help as a community to make their project come to life. So far, the troop held two fundraisers in November 2023—a soup dinner and an overnight camp—to support their ambitious endeavor, but with the hope of completing the project in August/September, more funds are needed to achieve their desired result.

You can Venmo @forkstongirlscouts or call Davina Dunlap at 570-441-3007 to donate. The troop is also welcome to donations of wood for the shed’s platform, shelving, sporting goods, and totes to contain the sporting equipment. The Amazon wish list link below offers a variety of goods the troop is looking for; you can purchase right through the link and the items will be sent to Davina Dunlap.

Amazon.com

            This is a great opportunity to better our community and invest in the activities of our youth!

Article written by: Ashley Kenia, Wyoming County Chamber Summer Intern

Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals to Open Third Location

Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals is expanding to Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Township. They will rent out paddleboards, single and tandem kayaks, pedal boats, canoes, and rowboats (with and without electric motors) for visitors to explore Lake Lackawanna.

Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals now operates three locations across Northeastern Pennsylvania. Their original shop in Falls opened in 2007, providing boat rentals along the Susquehanna River. In 2019, they opened the boat concession at Frances Slocum State Park in Wyoming, Luzerne County.

With the new location, Lackawanna State Park will be the only place in Lackawanna County to offer kayak rentals.

“For me personally, it’s exciting because we serve three counties: Wyoming, Luzerne, and Lackawanna,” said Art Coolbaugh, owner of Susquehanna Kayak & Canoe Rentals. “It’s also great for people from Clarks Summit and Scranton. They don’t have to drive far to rent a kayak and get out on the water. Lackawanna State Park will be right in their backyard.”

The Lackawanna State Park boat rental opens on May 24, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. They will remain open until Labor Day.

The rental stand will also sell supplies like bait and firewood. In the future, Coolbaugh hopes to offer bicycle rentals so visitors can discover the park’s popular mountain biking trails.

The Lackawanna State Park boat rental is located near the pool complex. For more information, call 570-540-1587 or visit kayaktheriver.com for details and online booking.

2024 Annual Chamber Paddle

Join us on July 25, 2024, for a serene journey down the Susquehanna River with the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce. Trusted guide Art Coolbaugh and the Susquehanna Kayak team will lead our annual chamber paddle from The Vosburg Neck State Park to Tunkhannock’s Riverside Park, offering a scenic 4-mile route through the Endless Mountains. Meet us at the Tunkhannock Riverside Park Launch at 4:30 PM to begin our paddle adventure. Afterward, indulge in a sweet treat from the 1961 Ice Cream truck waiting for us at Riverside Park!

Register at https://www.kayaktheriver.com/trips/river-events/

2023 Chamber Kayak Paddle, with special guest paddler WNEP Chelsea Strub.