The Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce presented the students with welcome bags containing gifts and information contributed by businesses, organizations and community partners from across the region.
Chamber Executive Director Aimee Dotson organized the initiative, reaching out to local partners and coordinating their contributions.
“I was so excited to have the opportunity to meet the students and personally welcome them to Tamaqua,” Dotson said. “These students are here not only to further their education, but to provide an important service to our community. I wanted them to know from the very beginning that they are welcome here and that we are grateful they chose to become part of Tamaqua.”
Dotson said businesses and organizations enthusiastically responded when asked to participate.
“I cannot thank everyone enough for their generosity,” she said. “It was wonderful to see so many people come together to welcome these students. I wanted them to see right away that Tamaqua is a community that cares, and I think our local businesses really showed that.”
The 18 participating businesses, organizations and community partners were:
- Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce
- Explore Schuylkill
- United Disability Services
- Coolbreeze Imaging
- Dr. Banning
- The Vince Boyle Team — Century 21 Ryon Real Estate
- Tamaqua Area Community Partnership
- Gimbel’s Restaurant
- Perla Gym
- ABC Tamaqua Hi-Rise
- Tamaqua Station Restaurant
- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
- Lehigh Carbon Community College
- State Sen. Dave Argall
- Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce
- The Village at Houser’s Crossing
- St. Luke’s
- Gigi’s Ice Cream
The Chamber hopes the gifts and information will encourage the students to explore downtown Tamaqua and the surrounding region, visit local businesses, attend community events and learn more about Schuylkill County.
“We want these students to know that Tamaqua is more than just where they go to school,” Dotson said. “We hope they explore our downtown, eat at our restaurants, shop locally, enjoy our events and discover everything Schuylkill County has to offer. Most importantly, we hope they feel at home here.”
The Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce plans to continue welcoming students from the Kornberg School of Dentistry and helping them become involved in the community during their time in Tamaqua.
Photo caption: From left are state Sen. Dave Argall; Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce President Jarrod Yuskauskas; two Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry students; Ann Ostergaard, representing the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce and Tamaqua Area Community Partnership; Jessica Brennan, administrative director of the Temple Tamaqua Dental Clinic and Education Center; and state Rep. Jamie Barton.