
Armstrong County Tourism Director Kevin Andrews shows one of 40,000 copies of the 2016 local business and event guides that were received Wednesday just days before this weekend’s HomExpo at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills mall in Tarentum.
by Jonathan Weaver
Local businesses and Tourist Bureau officials will be traveling to Tarentum today for the annual Alle Kiski Strong Chamber HomExpo.
Held Friday through Sunday at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills Mall during mall hours, the event is the first major event for the Tourist Bureau, Tourism Director Kevin Andrews said.
“Usually it’s geared toward the home improvement type of business, but there are some other organizations that set up booths there. We’re one of them, so we’re not necessarily in that, but it’s not that far of a drive to come up to Armstrong County, Andrews said.
“A lot of people were always questioning ‘What’s the tourist bureau doing here – this isn’t Armstrong County’ and our response is ‘We’re not here to promote to the people in Armstrong County; we want you to come up and check us out.’”
Andrews has also walked around and picked up information about different businesses for his own needs.
For the first major event of the year, officials strived to be able to hand out its annual business and event guides.
“It’s a great resource to use if you’re looking to plan your time in Armstrong County,” Andrews said. “You’ll be surprised of things you can find by looking in that.”
40,000 guides arrived Wednesday, and about 1,000 already have been distributed to local businesses and hotspots in the county. Others were shipped to be distributed at statewide welcome centers and travel agencies.
The guide – which features submitted photographs of landscapes and events - is also available digitally on the tourist bureau website.
“Our goal is just to get Armstrong County in front of anybody and everybody we can,” Andrew said.
Local volunteers, as well as Tourist Bureau directors – such as President Jack Bennett and Member Connie Jerich – will distribute the guides and answer any questions.
Jerich – a Board member for more than 10 years and a Leechburg insurance agent for 28 years – likes to hike in the county and hopes to purchase a kayak for along the new water trail. Jerich will be at the HomExpo Saturday afternoon.
“We like to support the county and, obviously any increase in the county population is also a boom for (Jerich Insurance) as well,” Jerich said.
In the past, tourism officials have relied on giveaways or prizes to draw homeowners, but this year, the booth will be situated near an entertainment stage near Dick’s Sporting Goods.
As well as promoting the county, local student entrepreneurs Paige Donahue and Jace Rearick will also show off their businesses after completing the Chamber’s Young Entrepreneur Program.
Donahue – a Lenape Tech student from Freeport– is founder of Sew Homemade and Rearick, a Lenape Tech student from Armstrong School District founder of Rearick’s Custom Woodworking.
Both students had instructors help them along the way and received course help via local business leaders. Both participated via local business tax credit donations.

Lenape Tech Administrative Director Dawn Kocher-Taylor praised students Paige Donahue and Jace Rearick for not only completing a Alle-Kiski Strong Chamber Young Entrepreneur Program, but also turning their hobbies into local businesses that will be among the booths at the HomExpo this weekend.
Lenape Tech Administrative Director Dawn Kocher-Taylor called the pair “great representatives of Lenape (Tech)” and thought both would be successful.
Assistant Director/Principal Karen Brock said both are also hard-working students.
“For them to spend their evenings going through this entrepreneurship program says a lot,” Brock said. “This is not the main career (goal) for either one of them, but in 10 years, you don’t know what it can turn into.
“I’m very impressed.”
Joint Operating Committee Vice-Chairman Dr. John Marty – representing the Freeport Area School District – recommended the student-run businesses be promoted in the school’s magazine.
“Small businesses make communities grow,” Dr. Marty said.
Committee Treasurer Dan Lucovich is aware of other accomplishments Donahue has received in Freeport Area and plans to attend the HomExpo to view the business.
Armstrong Board Representative Linda Walker also found the students’ success “wonderful” and encouraged them to reach for lofty goals.
Last year, a snowstorm interrupted the event, but temperatures are expected to be a Spring-like 50 degrees both weekend days.