Passport to Brownsville Program Announced

Sara Goots
BARC Americorps Participant
work: (724)-785-9331
cell: (216)-272-4611
manager@barcpa.org
www.barcpa.org

PRESS RELEASE

This year's annual Brownsville Light-Up Night is shaping up to be one of the biggest events the town has seen in recent memory.  On November 23, Santa and Mrs. Claus are coming to Nemacolin Castle, after leading a parade from the Hiller Fire Hall,through the Greater Brownsville Area and ending at the castle grounds.  Along with the Chamber of Commerce's time honored event, there will be a new addition this year; local business owner Brianne and Mitch Mitchell are hosting horse-drawn carriage rides, a petting zoo, and carolers at Mitchell's Cafe. Additionally, contests for cookie decorating,gingerbread houses, and hand-decorated ornaments will be judged at Mitchell's Café.

BARC will join in the festivities by keeping the Heritage Center Museum and Gift Shop, as well as the Frank L. Melega Art Museum, open to the public from 5 until 9 PM. On the lower level, an art exhibit at Jeff Jones'Capture, Inc. Gallery will be featuring art from Brownsville Area High School students and three local artists, Bethany Anderson, Joe Materkowski, and Jeff Jones.

In order to bring all these events together and support our community, Mitchell's Cafe has partnered with BARC and several local organizations on our Passport to Brownsville Program. Eight locations that will be open to visitors during Light-Up Night are highlighted and mapped on a "passport."  Visitors will receive a stamp when they visit any of these locations.  Any passport turned in with five or more stamps will enter into a drawing for a gift basket filled with jewelry, gift cards, and other prizes.  Passports will be available at the following locations: Nemacolin Castle, Flatiron Heritage Center, Frank L. Melega Art Museum, Capture Inc., Mitchell's Café, Brownsville Free Public Library, Nonna's Trunk, and the offices of Team Humanity.Passports can be turned in at the Flatiron Building or Mitchell's Café.

Please stop by Brownsville and join us for the festivities! The Light-Up Night celebration will be held from 4-10pm.   Please call the BARC offices at 724-785-9331or Mitchell's Café at 724-364-7001 for any further details.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

2012 Limited Edition Collectible of Nemacolin Castle Debuts

For immediate release:
Nov. 14, 2012

Sue Mattey of Belle Vernon, gift shop manager and board member of Brownsville Historical Society, with the 2012 collectible.

Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce
Debuts 2012 Limited Edition Collectible

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – Showing its support for a milestone celebration, the Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce is honoring the Golden Anniversary of Nemacolin Castle's house and museum on its 2012 limited edition collectible.

The new issue, now available, marks the third time in the fund raiser's history that the National Trust landmark has been selected as the featured property. It also reflects the dedication of the Brownsville Historical Society's role as the caretaker of the 22-room mansion at 136 Front St.

"For decades, the Brownsville Historical Society has started its Christmas candlelight tours on the chamber's Light-Up Night. It's a cherished tradition," says Scott Bowman, the chamber's executive director and owner of Bowman Insurance & Real Estate Agency. "Because it's the 50th year of public tours, the chamber felt that the castle should be honored again." He and Ray Koffler, founder of Tru-Copy Printing Services in Brownsville, co-chair the annual fund raiser, which is now in its 30th year.

Nemacolin Castle was depicted on the chamber's first collectible in 1983 and again in 1989. This year's ornament is a deep wine color with gold lettering in keeping with the Golden Anniversary.

Also in celebration of the 50th year, the chamber will end this year's Light-Up Night parade, which is Nov. 23, at Nemacolin Castle for the first time in 15 years. The caravan of 40 emergency vehicles, decorated for the holidays, will leave Hiller at 5:30 p.m., wind eight miles through Brownsville and surrounding communities and deliver Santa and Mrs. Claus to the castle grounds around 7 p.m. to visit with children and distribute treats.

To show its appreciation for the chamber's dual recognition, the historical society will add a special touch of holiday cheer, offering caroling, storytelling, Colonial and Civil War encampments and seasonal music by Brownsville Area High School Marching Band and professional musician Fred Adams of Mt. Pleasant, Pa.

The 2012 limited edition collectible of Nemacolin Castle will be on sale in its gift shop. They also are available at the chamber office, 325 Market St., and Brownsville Bus Lines Co., 525 National Pike E.

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EDITOR'S NOTE:

Contact Scott Bowman, executive director of the Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce, at 724-785-4160 for additional information or an interview.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh

BARC Launches New Retail Concept to Revitalize Community

New Artists, Crafters Co-Op Launches

Holiday Pop-Up Shop in Brownsville

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – With the holiday shopping season at hand, a retail pop-up shop will open this week in Brownsville, simultaneously test driving the concept in the downtown and gauging consumer support for a permanent or seasonal artists and crafters co-op.

Nonna's Trunk is launching Thursday and will run through Dec. 30 in the Taylor Building, 200 Bank St. To date, shop manager Blanche Booker of East Millsboro has assembled 11 vendors, a well-rounded mix of antiques, collectibles and handmade crafts. The merchandise includes dolls, jewelry, original paintings on china, woodcrafts, stained glass and home-made truffles in addition to an eclectic assortment of vintage treasures.

"It will be welcoming like a gift shop," says Booker, who is volunteering to get the shop off the ground for the building owner, Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. Nonna's Trunk will occupy the entire 1,200-square-foot first floor of the Taylor Building, taking occupancy to 100% for the holiday season.

Nonna's Trunk begins with a soft opening this Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The shop will be closed Thanksgiving Day.

Grand opening weekend will get under way Nov. 25, coinciding with Brownsville's annual Light-Up Night. The shop will maintain its regular hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the grand opening.

Nonna's Trunk has scheduled two special events during its run to stimulate interest in the new shop. Free antique appraisals will be held Nov. 26 from noon to 3 p.m. by John Mikita, a Brownsville native and owner of Mikita Auction Co, who is volunteering his time for the cause.

Dec. 3 will feature quality time with Santa from noon to 5 p.m., including a special children's craft project as a memento of the visit. Old Saint Nick is volunteering too.

Retail pop-up concepts are commonplace at lifestyle centers and regional malls as seasonal attractions for specialty shops. It's also a low-risk avenue for entrepreneurs to test their merchandise in the marketplace and building owners to fill vacant spaces on a temporary basis, often leading to a more permanent arrangement if the shop is successful.

For Booker, it's more personal. "Christmas is a season of giving so it's fitting that I and others are giving our time to launch Nonna's Trunk," she says. "Our holiday wish is it will be successful enough to open on a seasonal or permanent basis and encourage more entrepreneurs to open shops in Brownsville."

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To schedule an interview or photo:

Blanche Booker, 724-785-2541

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Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp. (BARC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to achieve economic development through historic preservation, heritage tourism, outdoor recreation, community stewardship, education, youth advancements and the arts. Contact the BARC office, 724.785.9331, for additional information about programs and upcoming events.

Brownsville Holiday Parade, Light-Up Night Usher in the Season

GREATER BROWNSVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


For immediate release:

Nov. 14, 2011

Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce

Finalizes Plans for Holiday Parade, Light-Up

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – The Greater Brownsville Area Chamber of Commerce has plans in place for its annual Light-Up Night, a longstanding tradition of exemplary community involvement to usher in the holiday season.

The Christmas parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 25, a caravan of holiday-decorated emergency and personal vehicles following an eight-mile route through Brownsville, Hiller, West Brownsville and Brownsville Township. Line-up for the parade is 5 p.m. at Hiller Volunteer Fire Department, 937 First St.

Santa and Mrs. Claus are scheduled to arrive at 7 p.m. at North Side Fire Department, 520 Market St. The chamber is preparing 150 treats to hand out to children at the fire hall, where high school students from the Brownsville Area School District will lead a sing-a-long of Christmas carols.

In the coming days, volunteer firemen from North and South Side departments will be hanging the borough's Christmas lights and checking them twice to make sure all bulbs are working for the Nov. 25 light-up festivities. The chamber-sponsored holiday event also draws volunteers from Brownsville Borough, Interact Club, Rotary Club, Scout troops, Hiller Ladies Auxiliary and Brownsville Area Revitalization Corp.

Several days before the parade, the chamber will distribute nearly 3,000 plastic jugs, filled with sand and candles, for the traditional luminaria – a catalyst for community-wide participation by residents and local organizations that add to the magic of Brownsville's light-up night by making it stretch for miles.

"It's not just one person doing it. It's really wonderful community participation," says Frank Ricco, president of the local chamber.
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To schedule an interview or photo:
Frank Ricco, 724-785-3600

*Editor's Note: Photo credit – Brianne Mitchell