More than 75 people attended the Whitehall Area Chamber Foundation Press Conference and Kick-Off of the First March into Restaurant Month Celebration, held on March 4 at Bucca di Beppo Italian Restaurant in Whitehall.

Among the special guests who attended were Whitehall Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr., state Rep. Julie Harhart, R-183rd, and state Rep. Daniel McNeill, D-133rd.

Also attending were Ellen Kern, representing state Sen. Pat Browne, R-16th; Jim Schantz, representing state Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-18th; and Matthew McConnell, representing U.S. Congressman Charlie Dent, R-15th.

Larry Wiersch, Whitehall Area Chamber Foundation president, led the event with a welcome and an introduction of the foundation board members.

The foundation recently received a 501c3 nonprofit designation from the state.

WACC Executive Laura Long told The Press this designation allows the foundation to accept charitable donations that will in turn allow the organization to award grants and scholarships to the community.

Some of the fundraisers available that night were a 50-50 raffle and an opportunity to make a donation to the foundation. For every $10 donated, the individual or business was entered to win a Chamber of Commerce membership. Pure Health and Wellness Center, located in Allentown, won the free membership.

Also at the event, Long presented a check for $2,000 to the foundation from the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce, totaling almost $3,000 raised that evening.

Wiersch has been the foundation's president for about a month and a half. The election of officers took place in January.

"We're up and running," Wiersch said. "My duties are to try to steer the foundation in the right direction, to raise the funds necessary to give back to the community and to promote community redevelopment, education, youth and technology, to really help the Whitehall area grow."

The organization held the foundation news conference at Bucca di Beppo to call attention to its March into Restaurant Month. Participating restaurants are offering special discounts during March. Patrons may pick up a passport at any restaurant and collect stamps to qualify for additional discounts and prizes. A list of the participating restaurants is available at www.waccpa. org.

Wiersch said working with the community to make it better is what the chamber and its member businesses are all about.

"Most everybody loves to come to Whitehall to eat," he said. "They have some great restaurants, some great businesses, and some great people."