78 meeting attendees

Dave Aichele welcomed everyone to the meeting, gave a special shout-out to the newcomers, and encouraged them to attend regularly and bring a friend along with them.  These meetings are open to all small business owners and non-profit leaders in the City of Lancaster.  

Dave Aichele expressed gratitude to our Legacy Sponsors for their generous support in enabling these meetings.   

Kathlene Sullivan extended appreciation to our Community Partners: Millersville University at The Ware Center for hosting our meetings, Discover Lancaster for sponsoring the merchant meetings, and Colonial Parking for providing parking in the lot across Prince Street.  

Dave Aichele shared that posters and postcards regarding the “It’s Okay to Say No to Panhandling” campaign are available to take along and post in your business.  A better way to help is by contributing to our partner organizations with outreach programs qualified to help those in need.  A QR code is included on the posters and postcards for donations.

Kathlene Sullivan was excited to announce that Velocity is planned for Thursday, September 18. The proceeds from this annual Lancaster City Alliance fundraiser will go directly towards marketing, promotion, and support for local businesses in the City of Lancaster.  Sponsorships are available here, or you can contact Colleen Wagner at cwagner@teamlanc.org.  Anyone interested in donating or consigning an item to the VeloCity 2025 Silent Auction can find the details here.

Save the Date for the Spring Lancaster City Restaurant Week – March 31 to April 6.  It’s the perfect opportunity to explore new flavors and support local restaurants.  For more details and to discover participating restaurants, visit the LCRW website today.

Introductions

• • • Christine Gable with Vintage Candy Shop & Bakery Café was excited to share they are celebrating their 1-Year Anniversary. She provided cards for a free hot drink at the café.
    • Jon Heinly with Lancaster Public Library shared planning is underway for the Earth Day Extravaganza on April 26, from 10 am to 2 pm. Anyone interested in sponsoring can email Emma Wright at ewright@lancasterpubliclibrary.org for more information.
    • Chandra McCombie with OWL Chiropractic was excited to share they are celebrating their 10^th Anniversary!
    • Lori Johnson with The Candy Factory was excited to share they are expanding to another building near Penn Medicine Park (formerly known as Clipper Magazine Stadium). The new space will offer 24 offices, conference rooms, and parking.  They are planning for a March opening.
    • Sandy Gambone with Water Street Mission announced they are planning for two fundraisers: Top Chefs on Friday, June 6, and Drive Away Hunger on Monday, May 5.  If anyone is interested in sponsoring either event, please get in touch with her at sgambone@wsm.org.

       

Member Spotlight:  Arcarea Adult Day Center

Kathlene Sullivan introduced Aracelis Rittenburg, founder and owner of Arcarea Adult Day Care, located at 425 North Prince Street, Suite 104. 

View the full presentation here.

Special Presentation:  Protect Your Business:  Navigating the HR Minefield

Dave Aichele introduced Leslie Wireback, founder and owner of Wireback Works.  Leslie’s presentation covered practical strategies for building a strong HR foundation, avoiding common pitfalls, and protecting their business from costly setbacks. 

View the full presentation here.

Protect your business and stay compliant by understanding the Federal Labor Laws based on the number of employees.
Leslie’s contact information:  leslie@wirebackworks.com or 717.808.3140.

Presentation:  Commonwealth of PA Act 122 Annual Report Requirements

Dave Aichele welcomed Nic Caputo, Director of the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations at the PA Department of State.  Nic Caputo walked us through the critical details of the new Commonwealth of PA Act 122, which will impact all businesses and non-profits starting this year. 

View the full presentation here.
Annual Report Information (including FAQs) is available here.

File your business or nonprofit Annual Report here.

MIM Committee Report

Kathlene Carroll Sullivan shared the following report:

The MIM committee members have eleven Welcome Packets for new City of Lancaster small businesses delivered or scheduled for January and February.
Committee members have begun planning for a Lancaster City Spring Mixer in April or May. Stay tuned for further details.
• Mark Your Calendars:
–  Dog Sense Ribbon Cutting • 540 S. Water Street – Friday, 2.28.25, 12:00 pm.
– People & Things Ribbon Cutting • 17 North Prince Street – Friday, 3.21.25, 12:30 p.m.
– Milestone Awards Merchant Meeting • Mark Your Calendars for Wednesday, June 11.
 If you would like a “COMING SOON” sign for a City of Lancaster small business, you can request one here.
 If you are interested in a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for your City of Lancaster small business, please complete the request here.

Closing Comments

Dave Aichele thanked everyone for their attendance this morning. He encouraged everyone to mark their calendars for the third Wednesday of each month until November and bring a friend to share in the networking connections.   

Next Merchant Meeting – March 19, 2025 – The Ware Center