February 18, 2026
Attendees
Gail Rees, Gabbie Fasciana, Tara Atkins, Kim Pomasan, Jessica Colvin, Milena DelVecchio and Noreen Thomas
Ice Works Invoice & Vendor Review
Milena reported that there has been no response from Ice Works regarding their invoice totaling $15,700.
The Board discussed issuing a payment of $13,600 to reflect the delivery delays and live carving issues experienced during the Ice Festival.
Tara suggested contacting other festival committees to inquire about which ice companies they use for future consideration.
Event Leadership & Promotion
Tara recommended that all ABPA events — large and small — have designated chairpersons moving forward.
She also suggested highlighting ABPA events in Happenings Magazine and reviewed their advertising pricing.
The Board discussed implementing sign-up sheets for events to better coordinate participation and responsibilities.
Milena shared that she spoke with Mike O’Neill, owner of Nyx, regarding the possibility of hosting a future music festival or block party. The Board agreed that businesses interested in town-wide events should actively host or participate in activities.
Upcoming Mixer – Nyx
The next ABPA Mixer will be hosted at Nyx. After reviewing several available dates, the Board selected:
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Plans include:
Business card exchange
Board member–donated basket raffle
Small favors for attendees
Milena will create a Facebook event for the Nyx Mixer. Members may RSVP via Facebook.
Branding & Communications
Milena emphasized the importance of brand recognition and ensuring all platforms consistently reflect ABPA branding.
The Board discussed aligning the organization’s name across platforms and confirmed that ABPAcsummit was the only available domain.
The Board also reviewed current platforms:
ABPA Facebook page (linked to Clarks Summit Festivities)
Instagram page
Email consistency was discussed, including the use of ABPACsummit and ABPA Network moving forward.
ABPANetwork for Instagram
Abington Business and Professional Association for Facebook
Hiring admin
The Board interviewed Dawn Hansen via video call (arranged by Milena) regarding administrative support services.
Dawn’s experience includes:
Junior Achievement bookkeeping and graphic management
Social media management for NEPA Business Network
Canva proficiency
Squarespace familiarity
Bookkeeping (non-tax preparation)
Dawn proposed an hourly rate of $20–$30 per hour and currently tracks hours in her work with Junior Achievement.
Tara made a motion to hire Dawn for bookkeeping and social media management. Gail seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
Milena will:
Provide Dawn access to ABPA QuickBooks (excluding bank account access)
Serve as Dawn’s primary contact
Prioritize onboarding tasks
Jessica recommended prioritizing Dawn’s duties as follows:
Canva
QuickBooks
Squarespace
Social Media
Email Management
The Board hopes Dawn will begin welcoming new members from the Ice Festival.
Spring Equinox Event
Jessica proposed March 20 as a potential Spring Equinox event date. Tara recommended sending promotional emails immediately.
Theme ideas discussed:
“Spring Is in the Air”
“Thaw in Clarks Summit”
Gabbie suggested collaborating with Blooms or local florists for summer promotions.
Financial Update
The Board reviewed Ice Festival financials:
Ice Festival profit: $3,900
Combined bank account balance: $37,867
Estimated balance after Ice Works payment: approximately $22,000
Board & Administrative Matters
Milena shared Ann’s resignation from the Board. The Board expressed their appreciation for her service and extended well wishes to her and The Gathering Place.
The Board discussed the need to file 2025 taxes and begin searching for a new accountant. Dawn offered to share referrals for accountants she works with.
Next Meeting
March 3, 2026
8:00 AM
Café 27
Primary topics:
Spring Equinox Event
Nyx Mixer
