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Pottstown’s Economic Future Brightens with New Microgrant Program for Small Businesses

Issue #228

16 Apr

In this Pottstown Local Scoop Issue…

 📆  Monster List of Events This Week in the Pottstown Area!

 🏥 Dr. Richard McLaughlin Takes Helm as President and CEO of Pottstown and Phoenixville Hospitals

🏛️ Pottstown’s Economic Future Brightens with New Microgrant Program for Small Businesses

💰 Pennsylvania Artists Invited to Design Bells for America250PA's 250th U.S. Anniversary Celebration

☕️ Celebrate Wawa’s 60th Anniversary with Free Coffee and Exclusive Deals Today (Tuesday April 16th)

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Dr. Richard McLaughlin Takes Helm as President and CEO of Pottstown

and Phoenixville Hospitals

Tower Health has announced Dr. Richard McLaughlin as the new president and CEO of Phoenixville Hospital and Pottstown Hospital. Dr. McLaughlin, who has held various leadership positions within the organization, steps up from his previous role as chief medical officer. His career at Tower Health began in 1999 at Pottstown Hospital, where he initially served as an attending emergency medicine physician. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, becoming the chairman and medical director of emergency medicine in 2005. By 2015, Dr. McLaughlin ascended to the role of chief medical officer at Pottstown Hospital, a position he later expanded in 2022 to include Phoenixville Hospital as well.

Pottstown’s Economic Future Brightens with New Microgrant Program
for Small Businesses

In March 2024, Pottstown Area Economic Development (PAED), a 501c3 organization, launched a microgrant initiative to support small businesses within the Borough of Pottstown, PA. This initiative, funded by Univest Bank and Trust Co., targeted businesses such as sole proprietors, partnerships, LLPs, LLCs, or corporations, all employing no more than five individuals. PAED consistently seeks and administers such funding throughout the year, aiming to significantly enhance Pottstown’s economic landscape.

Peggy Lee-Clark, PAED’s Executive Director, emphasized the critical role of small businesses in Pottstown’s economic renewal. She expressed gratitude towards Univest for their financial support, which addresses various challenges faced by these enterprises. Univest Bank and Trust Co. maintains a philanthropic stance, contributing to community and economic development projects. Their collaboration with PAED enabled the sharing of Pottstown’s small business narrative, an essential aspect of the area's post-pandemic recovery and industrial transformation.

Betsy Roush, Vice President of Community Relations at Univest, highlighted the resilience of local business owners amidst recent challenges, praising their perseverance and dedication. The microgrant application process was meticulously designed to ensure fairness, with an independent panel reviewing anonymized submissions. Nine businesses, including DJ Nails, Grumpy’s Sandwiches, and Juan Carlos Mexican Bar & Grill, received $500 each to enhance various aspects of their operations.

At a meet-and-greet event where the grants were awarded, recipients shared their plans for the funding, ranging from buying equipment to boosting marketing efforts. The success stories underscored a common theme of resilience and gratitude towards PAED and Univest for their commitment to supporting small business growth.

PAED remains dedicated to identifying and securing funding opportunities to drive economic growth, support the local tax base, and improve employment prospects in Pottstown. The organization also offers extensive services to businesses looking to invest, expand, or relocate in the area.

Pennsylvania Artists Invited to Design Bells for America250PA's 250th
U.S. Anniversary Celebration

America250PA is inviting Pennsylvania artists to participate in the 'Bells Across PA' art series, a project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. This unique art initiative calls for designs to be applied to three-feet tall fiberglass bell sculptures, which will later be displayed across the state. Each bell will be sponsored by businesses or individuals, ensuring that at least one bell is placed in every one of Pennsylvania's 67 counties as part of the semiquincentennial celebrations.

Artists from Chester County, in particular, are encouraged to submit their designs and be part of this significant cultural exhibit. The project not only aims to celebrate America's historic milestone but also to showcase local artistic talent across Pennsylvania.

For further details on the project and information on how artists can apply, interested individuals can visit America250PA's official website or access the specific artist request for proposal (RFP) document online.

Celebrate Wawa’s 60th Anniversary with Free Coffee and Exclusive Deals Today (Tuesday April 16th)

Today, Wawa celebrates its annual Wawa Day by offering free coffee to customers at all its locations, a tradition that highlights the company's gratitude and community spirit. The convenience store chain is set to give away approximately 1.5 million cups of hot coffee of any size throughout the day. Wawa Day commemorates the opening of its first store in Folsom, Pennsylvania, on April 16, 1964, making this year’s event particularly noteworthy as it coincides with Wawa's 60th anniversary.

To mark the occasion, Wawa stores will feature 1960s-themed decorations, including vintage cups and hoagie wrappers, evoking the era of the first store's inception. Chris Gheysens, Wawa’s CEO, expressed enthusiasm about the celebration, inviting customers to join in honoring the company’s past and looking forward to its future.

In addition to free coffee, the 60th-anniversary celebrations include a variety of special promotions and activities scheduled for Tuesday. These include 60-cent deals on items such as birthday cake doughnuts, teas, juices, and lemonade. Moreover, each Wawa store will honor a standout customer with a "Day Brightener" sash, a special mug, and a week’s supply of free coffee.

Further enhancing the celebratory spirit, Wawa and the Wawa Foundation are set to distribute $1 million in gift cards to various charity partners. These organizations include the Special Olympics, the American Red Cross, Children’s Miracle Network, and the USO, reflecting Wawa's commitment to giving back to the community.

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