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ClearWater’s Art & Chocolate Main Event Returns February 6 with Local Art, Experiences, Artisan Goods & Sweet Treats

Posted on by Jules Slater

3 DOTS DOWNTOWN, STATE COLLEGE, PA — February 6, 2026 — ClearWater Conservancy’s beloved Art & Chocolate fundraiser returns for its 28th year, bringing together conservation supporters, local artists, small businesses, bakers, chocolatiers, and craftspeople for an evening that celebrates creativity, community, and the natural world.

Held at 3 Dots Downtown, this annual event blends an in-person celebration with a robust online auction featuring local artwork, artisan-made items, gift baskets, experiences, handmade cards, jewelry, specialty foods, and plenty of chocolate — including decadent treats generously donated by area chocolatiers and restaurants.

This year’s exhibition is centered around the theme Echoes of the Wild, inviting attendees into a multidisciplinary exploration of nature’s lingering presence in our lives. From sound to movement, sculpture to poetry, the Art & Chocolate collection reflects how nature appears, returns, and resonates through memory, material, motion, and mood.

Dozens of beautiful pieces — all donated by local artists — will be on display and available for bidding. Many works capture Centre County’s forests, waters, and wildlife through landscape painting, photography, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, and abstract interpretations. Alongside the fine art, attendees will find:

  • Unique experiences such as guided outdoor adventures, workshops, and behind-the-scenes opportunities
  • Local artisan goods, including pottery, woodcraft, handmade cards, jewelry, and textiles
  • Gift baskets curated by community businesses and makers
  • Artisanal foods and treats, including specialty chocolates, gourmet goods, and other locally crafted delicacies
  • Donated chocolates and desserts from beloved local restaurants and chefs

Each year, artists may submit a piece for consideration as the event’s featured artwork.
This year’s judges — Lori Fisher and Erica Quinn— selected “Wish I Could Surf” by Jill Cardell.

“It was an honor to judge the Art & Chocolate exhibition and experience the depth of talent among our local artists. Following the theme of ‘Echoes in the Wild,’ each work offered a unique reflection of the natural world and our connection to it,” said Lori Fisher.


“The artwork submitted for consideration demonstrated a remarkable range of creativity and thoughtful responses to the theme.”

“Last winter, I had the opportunity to visit a beach in Florida. I sat on the shore watching the waves and wondered what they looked like from a surfer’s perspective. I remember imagining the beautiful water in all colors green and blue, hovering above me as I sank down from my surfboard,” Cardell said of her winning piece.

Cardell, a Spring Mills–based artist, draws deep inspiration from the natural world. With a background in studio art and botanical illustration, she has evolved her craft into expressive acrylic work that blends realism with abstraction.

“Art & Chocolate is such a celebration of our community,” said Elizabeth Crisfield, ClearWater’s Executive Director. “The artwork, artisan pieces, food, sweets, and experiences donated each year show just how deeply connected our region is — to each other and to our environment.”

Event Details

Art & Chocolate Fundraiser Event
Friday, February 6, 2026
4–8 PM
3 Dots Downtown, State College

The event is free to attend, and guests may pre-purchase a “Super Sweet” ticket (not required), which includes an exclusive box of chocolate and sweet treats crafted by local chefs. Super Sweet tickets go on sale in January, and the online auction opens January 16 until February 7 at noon. Live music will be at the event provided by local band, Porch Party.

All proceeds from the online auction, ticket sales, and generous sponsorships support ClearWater’s land conservation, watershed restoration & protection, and community-based environmental initiatives throughout central Pennsylvania.

More information, including auction previews and ticket links, is available at:
clearwaterconservancy.org/artandchocolate

ABOUT CLEARWATER CONSERVANCY

ClearWater Conservancy is a nationally accredited land trust and locally formed conservation organization nestled in the heart of central Pennsylvania. Since 1980, ClearWater has worked to improve and protect the natural resources of central Pennsylvania for all, through land conservation, water resource protection, and environmental outreach to the community.

Media Inquiries:
Katie Molinengo
Communications Director
ClearWater Conservancy
Office: 814-237-0400
Cell: 708-252-1032
katie@clearwaterconservancy.org

Kish Celebrates Team Promotions, Hires

Posted on by Jules Slater

Kish Bank Promotes Christopher Arnold to Vice President 

Reedsville, PA — January 29, 2026 — Kish Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Christopher Arnold to Vice President. Arnold will continue to serve as the Bank’s Asset & Liability Manager, a role in which he supports Kish’s balance sheet strategy, interest rate risk analytics, and liquidity planning. 

Arnold joined Kish in 2013 as a Deposit Operations Specialist and progressed through roles in business banking and treasury management before joining Kish’s Finance team as a Financial Analyst in 2018. He was appointed Assistant Vice President in 2021 and was promoted to Asset & Liability Manager in 2024. 

Arnold is committed to professional growth and academic achievement. He graduated from the Pennsylvania Bankers Association (PA Bankers) Advanced School of Banking in 2024 and recently earned an associate’s degree in business administration from Penn State University. Arnold is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Finance at Penn State, with expected graduation in summer 2026. 

A Mifflin County resident, Arnold enjoys spending time outdoors and along the Juniata River. 

Dinakar Mylavarapu Joins Kish Bank as VP, Data Analytics & Automation Manager 

Reedsville, PA — January 29, 2026 — Kish Bank is pleased to announce the appointment of Dinakar Mylavarapu as Vice President, Data Analytics & Automation Manager in Kish’s Information Technology group. In his role, Mylavarapu will lead enterprise data strategy, analytics modernization, and intelligent automation initiatives to advance the Bank’s data-driven decision making and operational efficiency. 

Mylavarapu comes from a financial services organization in the housing and mortgage industry, where he supported technology platforms that ensured high volume lending operations were accurate, scalable, and insight driven. Most recently, he served as Data Analytics Lead at Freddie Mac, directing the modernization of enterprise BI into a Snowflake/AWS environment, establishing data governance and quality frameworks, and integrating automation into reporting pipelines. 

Mylavarapu holds a Master of Science degree in Engineering from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Madras University. He holds additional certifications in advanced information technology programming. 

Mylavarapu is active in the community and resides in Port Matilda, Centre County, with his wife and two daughters. 

Kish Benefits Consulting Welcomes Michelle Yetter as Account Executive 

Reedsville, PA – January 29, 2026 – Kish Benefits Consulting, a division of Kish Bank, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Yetter as Account Executive. In this role, Yetter will support area employers and their employees with responsive, relationship-focused benefits solutions. 

Yetter brings a strong background in retail banking and auto finance to her new role. She began her financial services career in retail banking before moving into auto finance, most recently serving as Finance Manager at Bobby Rahal Lewistown. She is also a Pennsylvania Notary. 

“We are pleased to welcome Michelle to our team,” said Collette Croyle, AVP and General Manager of Kish Benefits Consulting. “Her extensive experience in customer satisfaction and her exceptional attention to detail will bring meaningful value to our clients. Michelle’s friendly, professional demeanor makes her a wonderful addition to our organization, and we’re confident our customers will enjoy getting to know her.” 

A resident of Mifflin County, Yetter is passionate about serving others, whether helping clients navigate their benefits or supporting local causes. “I’m especially excited to have more time to volunteer as a Kish employee,” said Yetter. “Raising funds for pancreatic cancer research is close to my heart following my husband’s battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and I’m also drawn to any fundraiser that benefits children or animals.” 

About Kish Bank 

Kish Bank is a $1.9 billion regional community bank that operates 19 locations, serving Centre, Mifflin, Huntingdon, Blair, and Juniata counties in Pennsylvania, as well as northeastern Ohio. Other business units of Kish Bank include Kish Insurance, Kish Financial Solutions, Kish Benefits Consulting, and Kish Travel. Kish Bank is a subsidiary of Kish Bancorp, Inc., trading under the OTCQX stock ticker symbol of KISB. Kish Bank is an Equal Opportunity Lender and Member FDIC. For more information, please visit MyKish.com. 

About Kish Benefits Consulting 

Kish Benefits Consulting, a division of Kish Bank, is an employee benefits consulting practice that provides employee benefits advisory and brokerage services—including healthcare and benefits plan design, employee communication and education, regulatory compliance, wellness planning, and cost containment solutions—to small and mid-size companies across Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic region. For additional information, please visit MyKish.com. 

South Hills School and State College Kiwanis Club Launch “Blessing Box” Program for Neighbors and Students

Posted on by Jules Slater

By Eileen Wise

January 25, 2026

On a frigid day this week, an administrator at South Hills School of Business and Technology is working with her student to fill a large wooden box with supplies. The supplies range from socks, dish towels, toilet paper, and toothbrushes, to pencils, children’s books, and boxes of pasta.

A sign on “The Blessing Box,” states, “Take what you need and leave what you can,” and it is filling a need and creating good will among students and residents in the surrounding community. Created as a joint project between two CBICC members, the State College Kiwanis Club and the South Hills School, the Blessing Box was designed to serve anyone in need in the local community.

Barbara Chadick, Director of Student Services at South Hills School, suggested the idea to the State College Kiwanis President, Bill Frantz, as a project to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of this long-standing service club. Bill and club members enthusiastically agreed, and the club treasurer provided funds for the materials. Kiwanis member, John Everhart, designed and built the box to be large enough to hold sufficient supplies. Kiwanis member, Jeff Seamans, helped to securely install the Blessing Box next to the road on Waupelani Drive.

The Blessing Box is maintained by South Hills School, its student club (Future Business Leaders of America or FBLA), and the State College Kiwanis Club. “It’s all about giving back and helping,” Barb observed. She noted that a resident came up to her one day when she was restocking the Blessing Box and stated, “This has been a big help to me. I don’t know what I would do without it.” Barb also noticed a woman pull her car over to the box, and a child got out and contributed a toy. “So children are learning they can be helpers too,” Barb emphasized.

President Frantz states, “The State College Kiwanis Club welcomes anyone interested in learning more to come to our twice-a-month meeting at South Hills. We meet on the first and third Monday from 6 to 7 pm. We are looking for like-minded people who share our vision of making a positive impact on the world, one child and one community at a time.”

State College Regional Airport Records Highest Enplanement Levels Since COVID

Posted on by Jules Slater

Benner Township, Centre County, PA — State College Regional Airport today announced that it recorded 148,196 passenger enplanements (the number of passengers that boarded aircraft) for 2025, marking the highest level of passenger activity since the COVID-19 pandemic. This milestone also represents the third-highest annual enplanement total in the airport’s history.
The strong rebound underscores growing demand for air travel in Central Pennsylvania and reflects the airport’s continued recovery and long-term resilience following the unprecedented disruption to the aviation industry caused by the pandemic.

“This milestone is a clear signal that our community has returned to flying and continues to value convenient access to air service,” said Chris Groshel, Chair of the Centre County Airport Authority. “Reaching our highest post-COVID passenger levels—and ranking as the
third-highest year overall—is a testament to the strength of our market, the commitment of our airline partners, and the support of our passengers.”

State College Regional Airport is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania State University and the Centre County Airport Authority. They work together with a focus on maintaining safe, efficient, and customer-focused operations while positioning itself for future growth.

“As demand continues to stabilize and grow, we remain focused on enhancing the passenger experience and supporting air service that meets the needs of our region,” Groshel added. “This achievement reinforces the airport’s role as a vital economic and transportation asset for Centre County and the surrounding region.”

About State College Regional Airport
State College Regional Airport provides commercial air service to Chicago, Dulles, and Philadelphia, supporting regional connectivity, economic development, and community mobility. The airport is committed to safe operations, customer service excellence, and
strategic growth

Where Education Meets Opportunity: The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education

Posted on by Jules Slater

The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education (FFEE) is shaping a stronger future for Pennsylvania by equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to thrive. Through immersive and innovative programs, FFEE helps young people build real world skills, explore career pathways, strengthen financial understanding, and discover meaningful opportunities for lifelong success.

Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW) is the cornerstone of this mission and has transformed the lives of over 54,000 high school juniors and seniors since 1979. Students step into executive roles, work in diverse teams, and tackle real business challenges while building leadership, communication, teamwork, time management, critical thinking, and confidence. Many describe the program as life changing, offering clarity, purpose, and a new belief in their potential. This past summer, PFEW added a Reality Fair, an interactive personal finance simulation that teaches students how to navigate budgeting, expenses, saving, and planning. This hands-on experience equips students with essential financial skills for adulthood and will remain a key part of the PFEW experience moving forward.

FFEE also provides year-round programming that strengthens classroom learning and expands student opportunities. The Speaker Series connects middle and high school students with accomplished professionals across every National Career Cluster and provides powerful tools for educators, including a student workbook, a teacher resource guide, and a statewide directory of youth opportunities. These resources help students explore careers, build employability skills, and understand how their interests align with future pathways. The Stock Market Game brings financial literacy and investing concepts alive to students in grades 4-12, offering teachers ready to use curriculum and support while students develop teamwork, decision making, financial planning, and economic understanding through an interactive investment simulation.

None of this would be possible without the incredible partners who make these programs thrive. Each summer, dedicated professionals, community leaders, and alumni volunteer as Company Advisors, Judges, Speakers and Reality Fair mentors at PFEW, providing students with life changing support and encouragement. Many volunteers describe their week at PFEW as one of the most rewarding and inspiring experiences of their year. Support from local businesses, schools, and community organizations ensures that every student can participate in PFEW regardless of financial circumstances.

To support PFEW or learn more about FFEE programs, visit www.pfew.org or contact VP of Marketing and Development Scott Lee at scott@pfew.org or Program Development Manager Alison Shughart at alison@pfew.org. Together, we create a place where education meets opportunity, and every Pennsylvania student can discover their own path to a brighter future.