TYRONE — Within the past year, the Tyrone Area Chamber of Commerce has gone from not having a full board of directors and struggling to have a voting quorum at its meetings to expanding its many offerings to the community through new events like Lights at the Park, a drive-thru display of holiday lights in Reservoir Park.

According to chamber president Diane Irwin, several new businesses have set up shop in Tyrone this year and all of the chamber’s events have been well attended.

Irwin said she thinks the chamber flourished in 2024 because of community members’ involvement with several events, notably the Irish Heritage Festival and Tyrone’s “Yuletyme Christmas” events.

“I think that’s what Tyrone is; it’s more of a community group and everybody working together to achieve things we like to see going on in town,” Irwin said, adding the Tyrone Improvement Group received “very good reviews” for the inaugural Lights at the Park attraction.

According to the group’s Facebook page, more than 1,600 vehicles passed through Reservoir Park during the first three weekends in December to view business-sponsored holiday light displays, raising $8,089 for the nonprofit organizations and fire departments that directed traffic.

During the chamber’s monthly breakfast meeting Dec. 19 at the Bull Pen restaurant, Irwin noted the chamber’s cookie crawl and tree lighting events were also well attended.

At that meeting, chamber officials presented a membership plaque to Sinking Valley resident Shane Fedeli, who joined the chamber as president/owner of Mid-Atlantic Inspections LLC of Tyrone.

Fedeli, whose business exists solely on the internet, said he joined the chamber for stewardship more than benefit, adding he wants to support new business owners and pass along help to anyone in need.

“I have more work than I know what to do with,”

Fedeli said. “It’s kind of looking for that next step. You want to help others come along who might not have the advantages that you had.”

Fedeli said he’s been in business since 1992 and has experienced many ups and downs within his business throughout that time.

“We’ve all had our bad stretches, but they don’t last forever — neither do the good ones,” Fedeli said with a laugh.

The chamber has also persevered through many enduring challenges, according to executive director Rose Black.

When the chamber held its annual meeting in April, it marked the first time the chamber was able to assemble for an annual meeting in five years, Black said at the time. More than 60 chamber members were present at the meeting and enjoyed an evening of networking.

In January, the chamber’s board of directors tabled its discussion of elected officers and assigned committees after six of 14 members showed up for a monthly meeting, eventually nominating Irwin as its new president in February.

The board, which consists of 15 director positions, was not full until Abby Kilgore, one of the chamber’s youngest members, was appointed in June — marking the first time the chamber had a full board in nearly two years, according to Black.

Kilgore, who lives in Huntingdon County, said joining the chamber and being able to give back to the community she works in has been one of the most rewarding decisions she’s made since working at Reclamere along Pennsylvania Ave.

Kilgore is part of the chamber’s new welcoming committee, which plans to give baskets made from business donations to new residents in the community. The committee hopes to start the new venture in early 2025, Kilgore said.

“It’s exciting to be able to greet people, welcome them to town and help them make connections,” Kilgore said, adding she’s met a lot of people through the chamber and enjoys being involved.

Reclamere founder and president Joe Harford, who was the guest speaker of the chamber’s December breakfast meeting, was also the keynote speaker for the chamber’s business and career exposition in October at the Tyrone Area High School — another returning event the chamber held for the first time in five years.

At the breakfast meeting, Harford called Tyrone “a small place with a big heart” that has a strong sense of community.

“We find people that can’t wait to get out of here, and then they can’t wait to get back,” Harford said, adding he loves to travel for business and entertainment purposes, but he has “no desire” to live in a large city.

“When it comes to where I want to live and run my business, it’s little Tyrone, Pennsylvania, for sure,” Harford said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.