Chamber Foundation to Celebrate 25th Anniversary

Bedford County, PA — The Bedford County Chamber Foundation is marking a major milestone in 2025: a quarter century of Building Our Leading Community and Cultivating the Workforce of the Future. The Chamber will celebrate the foundation with a special BUSINESS AFTER HOURS and anniversary celebration Thursday, June 26th, 6-8pm at Olde Bedford Brewing Co. Cost to attend the mixer is $15 and includes heavy appetizers by Klavuhn’s Wood Fired including their famous brisket sliders, sides, birthday cake, and more. Cash bar available.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE MIXER

Since its inception in 2000 as the 501-c3 nonprofit, educational arm of the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation has connected the community through leadership and played a pivotal role in preparing students for successful futures through workforce development, literacy, and entrepreneurship initiatives.

At the heart of the Foundation’s work is a commitment to servant leadership. The first program of the Foundation, and impetus to explore forming the non-profit organization, was Leadership Bedford County, which later spawned the similar offering for tenth grade students, Youth Leadership Bedford County. Both are 10-month courses, presented annually, providing its participants with opportunities to develop their leadership skills while exploring every aspect of the region we call home.

“It was a huge endeavor,” said Carol Snyder, former Executive Director of the Chamber, who led the effort to launch the Foundation. “It took a lot of time, a lot of effort, and significant collaboration from many leaders in the Chamber and the community. But there’s so many facets of Bedford County that make people want to work here, live here, raise their kids here, so just making people more aware of all of those facets is huge.”

From government affairs and the judicial system to history and heritage, to education and social services and so much more, the “behind the scenes” view of Bedford County includes connections with hundreds of local stakeholders through the lens of servant leadership, with a focus on volunteerism and civic engagement. These programs not only share principles of how to lead but also why leadership matters — building character, confidence, and a desire to give back to the community.

“I think Leadership Bedford County has broken down some barriers,” said Annette Godissart, graduate of the first class to complete the program in 2001, and long-time chair of the LBC advisory committee. “On an individual basis, companies who send people through the program may sometimes be competitors in the business world, but within the class, they make valuable connections with each other, and show we can work together on big-picture projects for the good of the community.”

“Our mission is to invest in the future of Bedford County by empowering people,” added Kellie Goodman Shaffer, President & CEO of the Bedford County Chamber. “As of this year’s class graduation, 367 professionals will have completed the Leadership Bedford County experience, along with more than 450 students who’ve graduated from our Youth Leadership program. That’s a significant group of people who embody servant leadership, and who continue to make a difference in their communities and our region.”

Among the hundreds of graduates of the Leadership Bedford County program are both of Bedford County’s Court of Common Pleas judges, the Honorable Travis Livengood and Honorable BrandiHershey, who host the LBC and YLBC classes each year for a look at the county’s judicial system. PA Representative Jesse Topper is also a graduate of the program, and guides the adult class through a SWOT analysis to start their year, and hosts the class each fall for a visit to the State Capitol.

“Leadership Bedford County has had a tremendously positive impact on our county, and continues to be one of the most effective leadership programs I’ve participated in over the years,” said Rep. Topper. “It is a privilege to help guide each class through LBC. I am continually inspired by the budding leaders and learn quite a bit from them.”

Over the years, the Foundation and its Leadership programs have adapted and evolved to reflect changes in the business community. The overnight aspect of the two-day team-building retreat has been eliminated, allowing candidates who care for children or aging relatives to apply for the program without committing to being away for two full days. An agriculture session has been added to the original curriculum, showcasing the state’s largest industry; and the classes now enjoy an annual trip to the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg to explore state government and legislative leadership.

“The original program was excellent and most of the key features formed from the beginning are still there,” said Godissart. “Where we’ve gone over the years, some things have changed due to Covid and other factors, but the fact is that it’s still a program of excellence, and people continue to be proud to be part of it, and that keeps it relevant and important.”

Similarly, the Youth Leadership Bedford County program, launched in 2015, continues to offer leadership development to rising leaders, as they explore the county and Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens throughout their sophomore year.

Another impactful aspect of the Foundation’s work is the focus on career exploration and workforce development. Programs under the BASICS umbrella (Businesses And Schools Investing in Cooperative Solutions) have been developed for every grade level in Bedford County, with invitations to every school district, as well as parochial and home school students to participate. Programs include:

Pre-K-thru 3^rd Grades: Community Reading Day Literacy Initiative
3^rd-4^th Grades: Touch a Truck
5^th Grade Career Field Day
6^th-12^th Grades: Business Community & Career Showcase
7^th Grade Agribusiness Career Fair
10^th Grade Youth Leadership Summit
11^th-12^th Grades: Steps to Success

Each program provides interaction with leaders from the business community who not only share details about their companies and careers, but also their pride in living and doing business in Bedford County.

Many of the programs feature hands-on experiences, with the goal of sparking interest in students from a direct exposure to local industries including agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, transportation, logistics, finance, education, and so much more. The programs allow students to explore high-demand career paths and understand the skills and training needed to succeed in today’s competitive job market.

“We know our workforce initiatives are a long game,” explained Goodman Shaffer. “We are planting seeds for the future by connecting classrooms and careers, and helping students discover their passion, purpose, and potential right here in the place we call home.”

In addition, the Foundation actively promotes entrepreneurship and innovation, helping students imagine what it takes to start their own business. In partnership with the Bedford County Chamber, anyone who starts a business under the age of 21 is given a complimentary Chamber membership, and all of its related benefits, including marketing, education, networking, and much more. Principles of entrepreneurship are also woven through all of the BASICS programs as well, encouraging creativity, but also fostering economic development by cultivating the next generation of small business owners.

“We tell students that if the career you want isn’t here, can you create it yourself?” said Goodman Shaffer. We have worked with more than a dozen young entrepreneurs since launching this program in 2022, the youngest being seven years old, and we continue to be impressed and inspired by the way our business community supports these visionary young people.”

Over the past quarter-century, the Foundation has touched thousands of lives and created a lasting legacy of opportunity and empowerment. Its work would not be possible without the support of local businesses, schools, volunteers, and donors who share the vision of a thriving Bedford County.

“Having a non-profit education foundation opened doors to funding from many sources,” explained Snyder. “And while it was wonderful to have the funding, it was also wonderful to have the support from the leadership of the board to invest in the community in this way. I’m really proud of being part of the beginning and to witness its journey. The business growth, personal growth, leadership growth, and leaders in our community we may not have had without Leadership Bedford County.”

“We are so grateful for the visionary leaders who had the foresight to create this Foundation a quarter century ago,” added Goodman Shaffer. “The Chamber team and board at the time and others, did an amazing job putting us on this path to provide these enrichment experiences to adults and students of our region. The impact is immeasurable, and we’re committed to continuing these efforts for generations to come.”

As the Foundation looks to the future, plans are underway to expand its programs and deepen its impact. A new program for sixth graders is being developed with a theme of Civics and Citizenship with the help of local legislators; and the many programs developed over the last few years are constantly reviewed and modified to provide the most value possible.

As the flagship program, Leadership Bedford County, is currently accepting applications for its next class, Goodman Shaffer says a 25th anniversary celebration is scheduled for June 26^th, including a Bedford County Amazing Race and business mixer to also serve as a reunion for two decades of leadership classes, celebrating the many accomplishments that have shaped the organization’s remarkable journey and its long-reaching impact on area businesses and communities.

“I hope we continue LBC for another 125 years, and continue to be successful” said Godissart. “We’ve survived challenges over the years, and I hope businesses continue to understand how these programs can help develop employees. It’s not a management class, but it does help build teams with soft skills, networking, and working together.”

“After 25 years, we’re seeing the seeds sown decades ago by many servant leaders grow into something truly extraordinary,” said, Goodman Shaffer, and this is a chance for us to celebrate and say Thank You!”

For more information about the Bedford County Chamber Foundation and its programs, visit BedfordCountyChamber.com/Foundation.