Edwina Gateley, a poet, artist, writer, international speaker, is a single mother who inspires. She will be giving a conference and retreat in Oil City, PA. The public is invited to attend one or both days: Friday, Oct. 18, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM: Rhoades … READ MORE
We often hear older generations tell youth: “You have to leave Venango County after you graduate,” or “You will never find a job or be successful here.” We certainly encourage young people to experience other places and get a new perspective–whether they go to college, … READ MORE
A series of community conversations around challenges we face in the Venango Area and how we can work together to tackle them. The September topic is “Collaborating Across Communities.” We will discuss how we can collaborate as a region to help the area thrive. Limited seats … READ MORE
Story by Rosemary Fielding, staff writer at The Derrick & The News-Herald Photos by Richard Sayer “Will the kids stick around?” has been a perennial question in homes and gathering places around the region ever since the Rust Belt began its manufacturing decline many years ago and … READ MORE
Written by Jessica Wilson, 2019 Venango Chamber/Be Here Intern What does it mean to Be Here? What kind of opportunities are there for a young professional in Venango County? Before this summer, I would have said there are jobs for engineers in our area but … READ MORE
What kind of community do you want to live in? What does communication look like in this community? These were some of the questions discussed at the second Be Here Quarterly held at the end of June at the Franklin Industrial & Commercial Development Authority … READ MORE
A series of community conversations around challenges we face in the Venango Area and how we can work together to tackle them. The June topic is “Communication.” We will discuss how we can effectively communicate across the region about events, initiatives, and ideas. Limited seats … READ MORE
While we spend a lot of our time promoting the positives of our area through the Be Here initiative, we know there are challenges we face here. Not one person or organization can create change; it takes the whole community coming together. That’s exactly why … READ MORE
Story by Judith O. Etzel, contributing writer at The Derrick & The News-Herald Photos by Richard Sayer It’s one thing to make the pitch that young people should seriously take advice to come back home to live and work. It’s quite another to have up-close … READ MORE
Two years sure flew by! This month, we’re celebrating the second anniversary of the Be Here initiative. As we look back, we are excited for all we’ve accomplished and look forward to making more of a difference in our region. Changing the Narrative While we … READ MORE