May 21st 2026

May 25

Written By ABPA

Attending:
Gabbie Fasciana , Jessica Colvin, Milena DelVecchio, Noreen Thomas, Tara Atkins, Dawn Hansen, Gail Rees, Emelia, Marion & Geri

The association welcomed five new businesses to the ABPA family over the last month.
Reminder, ABPA membership runs on an annual subscription model that automatically renews for all members.
Complete, up to date, member directory can always be accessed on our website.

Artist Commitments: Twelve local artists have officially committed to participating across all scheduled Fourth Friday events. Kara is actively designing the directional artist maps and organizing member data and contact info into internal spreadsheets.
Scheduling: Marion will be curating a monthly calendar specifically for Fourth Friday activities.
Entertainment & Venues: Gabby is coordinating live music booking. She is also working on securing an artist placement specifically for Everything Natural.
Marketing: Posters for the upcoming Fourth Friday are officially out. Members are strongly encouraged to hang posters in their brick-and-mortar locations to maximize town-wide promotion.

Event Details: The celebration is locked in from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.
Street Closure:The Gathering Place will be handling and submitting the required municipal paperwork to close Spring Street for the duration of the event.
Youth Races: Anticipating 20 to 30 young participants.
- The race kicks off at 9:30 AM for children ages 5 and under, followed by the 10:00 AM heat for ages 6–11.
- Gail will organize operational logistics at the track, including the start table, megaphones, and finish line caution tape.
- Jessica is sourcing gift card prizes from Mannings, and Geri is coordinating additional gift card outreach with McDonald's.
- Dawn will create a Google Form for race sign ups, which will tie into a Google Spreadsheet
Pie Eating Contest: A staple of the festival, the contest will require 8 pies total, which Gail has kindly volunteered to procure.
Food & Vendor Logistics: We are exploring bringing back the popular food trucks or donut trucks from past successes. Emelia is contacting Fidelity Bank to request the availability of their community ice cream truck.
Community Highlights: Emelia is working on integration to promote Tiny Tumblers and a local dance studio during the event. Milena will also touch base with the local Yoga studio to coordinate collaborative involvement.

Memorial Day Parade
- The local Memorial Day parade is officially scheduled for 11:00 AM. Dawn will launch dedicated Memorial Day social media features and put out a final reminder across channels on Sunday.
Looking Ahead into Fall 2026 & 2027
- Clarks Summit Goes Pink (August 15, 2026): Plans are underway for our annual breast cancer awareness day. Jodi Price reached out via email requesting volunteer assistance to decorate storefronts and secure a promotional banner across State Street (stretching from Highland to Grove Street). Milena will direct Jodi to connect with Borough Manager Jennifer Basalyga to ensure compliance with Pennsylvania state road banner guidelines. Geri is collaborating on scheduling with South Abington officials who have historically assisted.
- St. Joseph's Event: Milena proposed a target date of Saturday, October 3rd.
- State Street Trick-or-Treat: Block your calendars—the annual downtown Trick-or-Treat event is officially set for October 31st.

Board agreed to stay on the same weekend as the previous year.
2027 Festival of Ice Theme ideas included Alice in Wonderland, Summitstone, Summit Goes to Space, and National Parks.
Milena will connect with new owner of ice company to discuss this year’s planning.

Dawn created a LinkedIn page for the ABPA to increase professional networking outreach.
The board discussed utilizing the Alignable platform to network with local businesses and cross-share events for enhanced regional exposure.
New Member Spotlights: In response to requests from new members to be featured on our social channels, the board will utilize our "Monday Spotlight" slots. Valerie from Woods and Company is scheduled for next Monday's feature. Milena also suggested setting up dedicated email welcoming spotlights to increase exposure, alongside ongoing member event shares.
Monthly Recaps: Tara proposed sending out a comprehensive community digest at the end of each month highlighting immediate recaps and previewing upcoming initiatives for the next month. The board agreed the last Monday of every month is the optimal time for this broadcast.
ABPA Headshots: Tara is looking into coordinating a professional headshot day for members featuring photographer Mike Straub at a future ABPA gathering.

Community Directory: Dawn is compiling an active contact directory to assist members with various municipal and community needs.
Pocket Park & Clock Tower Updates: The landmark clock tower is scheduled for removal from the Decker property to be repurposed. Simultaneously, the Rotary Club of the Abingtons is installing a commemorative memorial bench at the pocket park dedicated to the Defazio family. The borough will also be clearing out the electrical box on the property. All site transitions are slated for completion within the next 90 days.

The board reviewed current association finances:

Grant Funding: ABPA has successfully secured a grant for $3,500.00.

Thursday, June 11, 2026
8:30 AM
Café 27

March 3rd 2026