Future Finance Pros: Students Bring Real-World Value to Tax Season
As Wyoming County businesses search for the next generation of talent, they need look no further than their local high school. Tunkhannock Area High School students are stepping confidently into the workforce, already equipped with professional certifications, real-world experience, and a deep understanding of service. For employers, this emerging talent pool offers a rare combination of technical skill and community-minded dedication—traits that are ready to strengthen local workplaces now and in the future.
TAHS Students Complete Over 40 Tax Returns This Tax Season as VITA Volunteers Tunkhannock Area High School (TAHS) is celebrating the remarkable achievement of its Accounting 2 and 3 students, who have successfully become certified IRS tax preparers and provided invaluable assistance to community members during this tax season.
These dedicated students completed over 40 tax returns, showcasing their skills and commitment to service. The program, facilitated through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) initiative, has provided students with crucial hands-on experience, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real world application. “Students gained essential experience, while directly benefiting the local community,” shared Jason Keown, VITA Coordinator and TAHS Business Teacher.
The success of the program highlights the dedication of TAHS students and the commitment of Tunkhannock High School’s Business Program of Study to fostering community engagement and workforce readiness. Student and Volunteer Tax Preparer, Aaron Blasi noted “Seeing people that really needed the help, get the help they needed, it was amazing. These people pushed us to do better, to take on more clients and I hope this program continues to help our community in the years to come.”
Back in February, our Leadership Wyoming Class of ’25 spent an afternoon volunteering at the Seven Loaves Soup Kitchen in Tunkhannock. What started as a service project turned into something more meaningful—especially for a few local moms who saw an opportunity to get their sons involved. They talked about the growing need to show the next generation how vital it is to give back, help those in need, and play an active role in building a stronger community.
One of those young volunteers, Carter Fisher, shared his honest perspective: “At first, I was confused because we are always so busy, but it was important to find time and help other people.” His words highlight a truth many of us face—our schedules are full, but community doesn’t thrive on convenience. It thrives on intention.
When we engage youth in volunteering, we plant seeds of empathy, leadership, and responsibility. It’s not just about serving food or stocking shelves; it’s about building a sense of connection, showing them that they matter and that their actions can have real impact.
At the beginning of our leadership journey our class was given the book 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, in his book Doug Griffiths writes, “If you want your community to fail, don’t engage youth.” It’s a simple but powerful reminder that the future of our towns depends on the involvement of our young people today. By taking the time to serve together, families strengthen their bonds and help shape a culture of compassion and civic pride. It’s these small acts of service that build a resilient, thriving community—one generation at a time.
Written by, Kathlyn Fisher, Leadership Wyoming Class of 2025
Riverside Park has been garnering a lot of attention recently, and the Chamber is thrilled to see the momentum build as we wrap up our Revitalization Riverside basketball court project. This effort was sparked by 2020 Tunkhannock graduate Jack Chilson and carried out by the Leadership Wyoming Class of 2023. Over the years, the basketball courts at Riverside Park had suffered from neglect due to flooding, age, and lack of use, rendering them unsafe and uninviting for residents. Recognizing the need for improvement, a group of dedicated community members launched the “Revitalize Riverside” initiative to restore the courts and provide a safe, convenient, and beautiful space for locals and visitors. Today, the refurbished basketball courts are a testament to the power of community collaboration and determination. The upgraded facilities enhance Riverside Park’s recreational offerings and serve as a catalyst for community events and activities, fostering a sense of unity and pride among residents. Riverside Park, nestled along the scenic Susquehanna River and the Endless Mountains, is a cherished community space featuring a playground, picnic areas, and a boat launch. The addition of the revitalized basketball courts further enriches the park’s amenities, making it an even more attractive destination for families and visitors seeking outdoor recreation. The successful completion of the basketball court revitalization project underscores the impact of grassroots initiatives and community involvement in enhancing public spaces. As Tunkhannock residents gather to enjoy the new courts, the project is a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together with a shared vision and purpose.
The Wyoming County Chamber is proud to spotlight the Lake Carey Dam Association. On Monday, June 9, 2025, the Association will host its 4th Annual Golf Tournament at Stonehedge Golf Course in Tunkhannock, an event that’s about more than a day on the greens.
4th Annual Golf Tournament June 9, 2025 Registration 8am / Shotgun Start 9am $120/ player, includes t-shirt, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
This annual event brings together community members, businesses, and passionate supporters to raise funds for two powerful missions:
The replacement of the Lake Carey Dam, a vital asset to the Lake Carey residents and community.
The support of Joint Task Force K9’s, a nonprofit that connects service dogs with veterans and law enforcement suffering from PTSD.
These trained service dogs provide more than companionship—they offer hope and healing to those carrying invisible wounds of service. Participating in this tournament, whether as a golfer or sponsor, is a way to directly support their mission and the local community.
Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or just looking for a meaningful day on the green, registration is now open. Sponsorships are also available, offering businesses a unique opportunity to support a great cause while gaining valuable exposure.
At this tournament, you’re not just helping the dam—you’re saving lives, one dog at a time.
For more information on the event, sponsorships, and how to donate, contact Deb Tierney at:
For 46 years, the Endless Mountains Barbershop Chorus has brought music and joy to Tunkhannock. Now, we’re inviting YOU to join the fun!
Whether you’re a seasoned singer or just love to sing, no experience is needed—just a passion for music. Come make friends, create harmony, and be part of something special!
Endless Mountains Barbershop Chorus Celebrates 46 Years of Harmonious Singing and are Inviting New Members to Join the Fun
The Endless Mountains Barbershop Chorus has been part of the Endless Mountains Community of Tunkhannock for 46 years. Our chorus brings together men and women who share a love for music, creating lasting friendships and enriching the local community through the timeless tradition of acapella harmony.
As we reflect on over four decades of musical success, we invite newcomers to join us in the celebration and discover the joy of singing in a barbershop chorus (or quartet?) “Whether you’re an experienced vocalist or simply looking for a new hobby, our group offers a welcoming place for singers of all skill levels. No previous barbershop experience is required–just bring your love for singing and a desire to be a part of something special,” says Don Overdorff, President.
We rehearse and participate in many community performances such as Veteran’s services, Founders’ Day, Christmas In The Hometown, local nursing homes, Wreaths Across America, Triton Carnival, Dietrich Functions/Workshops, Wyoming Co Fair, Bloomsburg Fair, festivals and our annual spring show, in May this year.
We want to offer community service hours to kids in the high school music department we are always looking for singers, choreography for our shows, set design, and set up at the various singing engagements. We ask that you pass this on to your music students.
For more information on how to get involved please contact us at Endless Mountains Barbershop Chorus at 570-392-6722, tunkchorus@gmail.com
In today’s fast paced and evolving workplace environment, employers face numerous challenges in their efforts to remain competitive and successful. One method of establishing an essential edge is through upskilling. Upskilling is a strategy that involves investing in the development of an employee’s skill and knowledge. And upskilling not only benefits employees by enhancing their professional growth but also proves to be an asset for employers by fostering a skilled, engaged, and more productive workforce.
When a company is willing to invest in employee development, it shows genuine interest in growing people and helping them succeed…on the job and in life. By investing in upskilling programs, employers enable their workforce to stay current with industry trends and advancements in technology. As employees acquire new skills and knowledge, they become more adept at their roles and develop the necessary proficiency to handle new tools and cutting-edge systems. This adaptability translates into a more agile and future-proofed organization with increased productivity and efficiency among staff. Upskilling provides a way for employees to handle complex tasks with confidence and competence, leading to higher-quality outputs and better results for the organization.
Upskilling can be a winning strategy, enriching the career prospects for employees while contributing to the long-term success and prosperity of the employer. Embracing upskilling as a fundamental aspect of talent management can position organizations for growth and excellence in today’s dynamic and competitive business environment.
Investing in your employees helps attract and retain quality talent and further shows your employees you are interested in their professional and personal well-being. A competitive employee benefits portfolio is another way to invest in your employees.
The Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce offers its members access to My Benefit Advisor as a solution for employee benefits, including voluntary offerings. For more information about My Benefit Advisor, visit our website at wyccc.mybenefitadvisor.com or contact Rob Higginbotham at (800) 377-3536.
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.”
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.”
On behalf of the Wyoming County Commissioners, I am pleased to inform you that the County has entered into a strategic partnership with Penn’s Northeast.
Penn’s Northeast is the region’s leading economic development agency. Its main goal is to attract quality employers to Northeastern Pennsylvania by acting as an easy one-stop shop for businesses looking to expand or locate in our region. We will collaborate with the County Commissioners and the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce to accomplish this goal. As the first point of contact, Penn’s Northeast promptly provides regional information to potential prospects by identifying buildings or sites, supplying demographic and workforce data, creating connections with economic development groups and workforce partnerships, and organizing site tours in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Therefore, we need your help identifying any properties – land and buildings- that can potentially house a new business. We will work with you and your realtor to market these sites for business attraction at no cost to you. Viable leads are passed on to our local partners, and we will work with you as needed.
Please feel free to visit our website for more information about Penn’s Northeast – www.pennsnortheast.com I look forward to hearing from you and, most importantly, receiving property submissions. Please copy Gina Suydam gina@wyccc.com on any property submission; she is your county partner in economic development. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this partnership in greater detail, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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.
