Feeding School Kids initiative returns

The Giant Co. announced the return of its annual Feeding School Kids initiative.

Marking its fifth year, customers at Giant, Martin’s and Giant Heirloom Market stores are invited to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, buy a reusable bag or convert their Choice points into a donation for their local public school districts’ food programs now through March 31.

To launch the program, The Giant Co. will donate $100,000. To date, the company and its customers have donated more than $7.6 million through this initiative.

BELLEFONTE

Medical marijuana dispensary to open

Terrapin, an independent grower/processor of medical marijuana, will mark the grand opening of its first Pennsylvania dispensary in Bellefonte on Jan. 9 at 205 Park Place.

The opening comes a year after Gov. Josh Shapiro signed legislation (Act 63) allowing qualified independent Medical Marijuana Operators to open up to three dispensaries. Terrapin, one of the state’s oldest grower/processors, is the first to take advantage of the new law.

The dispensary began serving patients Jan. 6 with a soft launch in advance of the Jan. 9 grand opening event. Terrapin’s Bellefonte store hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Bellefonte is the first of three locations the company plans to open in the coming months. Additional locations are planned for Lewisburg and Lock Haven. Terrapin will hire about 43 employees between the three locations.

UGI Utilities recognized

UGI Utilities Inc. has been recognized by Escalent, a top data analytics and advisory firm with extensive energy, utility and brand experience, as a 2024 Customer Champion for continuing to build engaged customer relationships. The distinction is part of Escalent’s Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement Residential study, which tracks the performance of 142 utilities and is published twice a year.

According to the report, Customer Champions outperform the industry average in several attributes, including: Building goodwill within their local communities, effectively communicating with customers about system improvements and offering effective programs including energy savings.

UGI Utilities is a natural gas and electric utility that serves more than 740,000 customers in certificated portions of 46 counties in Pennsylvania and one county in Maryland.