Applications are now open for the Leadership Venango Class of 2027! Designed for emerging and established leaders alike, the nine-month program provides participants with the opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills, build meaningful connections, and gain a deeper understanding of the people, organizations, and industries that make Venango County unique. But don’t just take our Read More…
Hepler’s Meat Processing has launched a new morning offering with the opening of Hepler’s Daily Grind, a drive-thru breakfast sandwich service now operating at its Cranberry location. The drive-thru is open Monday through Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m., offering freshly made breakfast sandwiches for customers on the go. Coffee, juice, water, and milk are Read More…
Ashley Zaccari, Be Here Program Manager at the Chamber, attended the recent Discover Franklin Marketing Workshop with Small Town Soul. She says the biggest takeaway was surprisingly simple: make sure people can find accurate information about you online. Visitors often use Google Maps to decide where to eat, shop, stay, and explore. If your Google Read More…
After months of community conversations, surveys, and engagement activities, Venango Heart & Soul has completed its Action Plan. Heart & Soul is a resident-driven initiative that helps communities identify what matters most to the people who live here. The new Action Plan turns those community priorities into projects and opportunities focused on strengthening Venango County. Read More…
Sugar Valley Lodge welcomed community members to its first Open House since the organization’s founding in 1993. Held on May 28, the event invited guests to tour the Sugarcreek facility, enjoy refreshments, and learn more about the Lodge’s mission. The open house was led by new CEO Cullen Flaherty, who guided visitors through the facility Read More…
Be Here Venango partnered with IU6, Eight & 322 Art Collective, and the Franklin Public Library to host An Alphabet Adventure at the Franklin Library, where participants learned photography techniques before heading downtown Franklin with a unique challenge: finding letters hidden in nature and architecture. Suddenly, things we passed every day looked completely different. A Read More…
The landscape of local news is changing, but our community’s access to trusted, reliable reporting remains as important as ever. Strong local journalism is essential to a thriving business community. It promotes transparency, keeps residents informed, and provides the accurate information businesses need to make sound decisions. While The Derrick has recently undergone many changes Read More…
From Carolyn D’Amore Rosen, Venango Chamber Board Member On June 2, I joined Chamber President & CEO Kat Thompson in Harrisburg to attend PA Chamber Day as a member of the Venango Area Chamber Board of Directors. On my first real visit to our capital, I was grateful to have a tour of the Senate Read More…
How often do you find yourself visiting the same restaurants, ordering the same meal, and driving the same routes? Summer is the perfect time to break out of that routine. You don’t have to travel hours away to discover something new. Sometimes the best adventures are found just down the road in a neighboring community. Read More…
Congratulations to the Class of 2026! The VenangoREADY program (and its extension ForestREADY) has worked with local school districts to actively prepare students in developing key workforce skills. Beginning in 2022, the VenangoREADY program graduated 27 students from a single school. Now in its fifth year, the program has graduated 64 students from six different Read More…
The Oil Region Alliance (ORA) is celebrating America250 with the Epic Allegheny Odyssey (EAO), a six-day, 105-mile fully supported kayak sojourn on the Allegheny River from Warren to Emlenton. Participants will be guided on the water, shuttled between stops, and provided meals and lodging for the duration of the trip. Kayakers will also have the Read More…
Wildcat Mansion, the historic 24-acre Franklin estate owned by Jon Bernstein, is gaining recognition as a destination for filmmakers and other creative entrepreneurs. Most recently, Wildcat Mansion earned Best Production Design at the 2026 Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project for its role in A Shot in the Dark, which received First Place for Best Film. Read More…
LIFE Northwestern PA is making comprehensive care for seniors in Venango County easier than ever. The LIFE center in Oil City has been open for more than 2 years, but it was missing a few key components. Participants in the LIFE program had to travel outside of the county to Meadville or Clarion to receive Read More…
Change is rarely easy. It can be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and sometimes even unpopular. But it is also a sign of growth, investment, and a commitment to the future. Few places embody that idea better this summer than the Barrow-Civic Theatre. For more than 30 years, the Barrow has been a cornerstone of the community, bringing Read More…
Check out the July 2026 edition of our VenangoWorks! newsletter, published by the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce. Click here or the image below for a PDF of the full newsletter.(This is a large file & may take a moment to download) Find articles from VenangoWorks! on our blog.
For young professionals, by young professionals. This monthly newsletter is published by Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange (FLEX), the young professionals group of the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce. Click here or the image below for a PDF of the FYI. Find articles from the FLEX FYI on the Chamber’s blog.
Over the past several months, Venango Heart & Soul has been bringing residents together across Franklin, Oil City, and Cranberry Township to talk about what people value most about this community and how to make those things even better. From outdoor recreation and local businesses to arts, culture, and community connections, residents shared ideas focused Read More…
Every summer, interns arrive in Venango County to gain experience, build connections, and explore career opportunities. For many, these internships help shape how they see a community and whether they can imagine building a future there. That is why creating meaningful experiences and strong professional connections matters. This summer, the Venango Chamber is excited to Read More…
The Venango Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome two talented interns to the team this summer, Olivia Plummer and Jordan McCown. Returning for her second summer with the Chamber, Olivia Plummer will serve as the Chamber intern, focusing heavily on planning and promoting the 2026 Oil Heritage Festival. Olivia will assist with festival Read More…
Photographers of all skill levels are encouraged to save the date for the Labor Day Photography Show, hosted by Victorian City Art & Frame. This year’s show will highlight the hardworking people, equipment, and daily operations that drive our region’s industry. Entries are due by August 17, with the top 20 photos professionally printed, framed, Read More…