Music, ‘magic’ highlight Peters Township Chamber of Commerce celebration
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Allison O’Neil performs on viola with the Peters Township High School Orchestra during the Peters Township Chamber of Commerce’s Magtic of the Season Celebration.
Steve McCarron Vice President / Senior Commercial Relationship Officer at Community Bank of PA
Amy Petro, the chamber of commerce's administrative assistant, primarily was responsible for organizing the event.
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From left are guests Electra Janis, Alicia McGhee, Marcy Santel and Emily Garcia.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Peters Township School Board members Rebecca Bowman, left, and Jennifer Grossman attend the celebration.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
In attendance are Anne Davis, left, founder and executive director of Horses With Hope, and Maggie Watson, social media coordinator for the municipality of Bethel Park.
Among the first responders in attendance are Peters Township Fire Chief Michael McLaughlin, left, and Deputy Chief David Caputo.
Brian Schill, Peters Township Chamber of Commerce executive director, serves as master of ceremonies.
In attendance are Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman, left, and Eric Smith, corporate relations manager at Washington City Mission.
State Sen. Deviln Robinson, R-Bridgeville, greets Gary McCullough, left, and Erik Schillo of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.
Photographer Michael Redford takes a turn on the other side of the camera.
The Peters Township Chamber of Commerce celebrated the holidays with plenty of music and a touch of something else.
“As I think about the title of our event today, the ‘Magic of the Season,’ I really focus on the word ‘magic’ because this year, I think, is really a magical year for a lot of us,” said Steve McCarron, vice president of the chamber’s board of directors, during the gathering at Bella Sera in Cecil Township.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Leila Landis and Aiden Filer perform with the Peters Township High School Orchestra during the event.
He is vice president and senior commercial relationship officer for Community Bank, the celebration’s presenting sponsor. Music was provided by upperclassmen members of the Peters Township High School Orchestra and by the high school’s Room 100 a cappella group, sponsored by the Observer-Reporter.
“The last time all of us were together was two years ago,” McCarron told the capacity crowd, referencing the December 2019 celebration at the same location. “If you think about what all of us had to deal with personally – obviously, the pandemic – and then some of us were homeschooling children. And then vaccinations, trying to get together with loved ones: There’s been a lot of personal stress of anxiety.”
For business owners, he observed, a large degree of uncertainly exacerbated the situation.
“Are you going to be in business? Are you not going to be in business? Supply chain issues, inflation: It’s endless, the personal and professional anxieties we’ve all been going through,” he said.
And so to him, the opportunity to congregate with friends, associates and a variety of community members represented a charmed occurrence.
“With this being such a busy holiday season, it’s a great opportunity to take a step back and really cherish each other, and being able to spend time together,” McCarron said.
Some two dozen sponsors made the event possible.
Several of them took care of the tab for first responders, healthcare professionals and members of military, who were given a hearty round of applause for their efforts on behalf of others.
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Director Ryan Perotte introduces Peters Township High School’s Room 100 a cappella group.