Experience Butler County honors businesses and individuals at Toast to Tourism
It has always been Nadine Shingleton’s dream to one day pass her business Playthings Etc. down to her family.
Shingleton did just that this past January, turning over the business to her son-in-law and daughter, Allen and Sarah DiFrischia. On Wednesday, May 6, Shingleton was named Experience Butler County’s Ambassador of the Year during its Toast to Tourism event at the Penn Theater in Butler.
“This was truly an honor,” Shingleton said. “It’s every business owner’s dream to be able to turn the business over to their family, and I had the privilege of doing that. I want to keep working a while, but it was time to turn it over.”
Shingleton said she has been working with Allen DiFrischia since the store opened in October 2005. The business has about 15 full-time and part-time employees, including college and high school students.
“I am most proud of the employees we have,” Shingleton said. “They are just wonderful crew members. That is what I am most proud of, as well as our customers who have supported us over the years. Business is growing by leaps and bounds.”
Experience Butler County, formerly the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, hosts the Toast to Tourism each year to not only award grant funding to its partner agencies that are planning projects, but to recognize the people making them happen.
Amy Pack, president of Experience Butler County, said the agency was awarding $70,000 worth of grants to agencies this year, with $60,000 of that awarded to Experience Butler County partners, which is part of the annual program.
“It really is us investing into our partners,” Pack said. “The projects they come up with enhance the visitor’s experience. It is just our way of giving back and helping to build the tourism industry.”
The partner agencies, municipalities and programs that received grant money are The Birdwatchers Store, Butler Township, Evans City PumpkinFest, Bear Run Campground, Get Fit Families, Slippery Rock University, Brighton Transportation, SurfSUP Adventures, Tokens Arcade, Zelienople Area Business Association, Cranberry Township, Glade Run, The Rodfathers of Butler, Glade Run Lake Conservancy, Musical Theatre Guild of Butler, The Butler Florist, Hilton Garden Inn, Butler County Family YMCA, North Country Trail Association, The Bus Stop Coffee Co., The Sweet Gremlin, Wood Lanes & Co. and Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association.
Partner business The Maridon Museum was also was awarded a grant during the evening. Executive director Roxann Booser said the money will be used toward a marketing campaign for the museum’s Asian embroidering exhibit that will open in early October.
“There will be items such as jackets, hats, clothing, as well as pictures,” Booser said. “We hope to have a lecture as part of the exhibit. The money helps with marketing, which is one of our biggest budget items.”
Along with the partnership grants and new to this year’s event, Experience Butler County distributed $10,000 in grants through the Butler County Tourism Foundation, aimed at preservation and educational projects, which reflect the foundation’s mission, Pack said.
“We have this incredible foundation board with a wealth of knowledge,” Pack said. “They have been on our board of directors for years. We just thought, what is the next step for this foundation? They were promoting some of our educational programs, but we thought this would be the next appropriate step.”
The Butler County Tourism Foundation grant recipients are the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, Saxonburg, Washington’s Trail 1753, SurfSUP Adventures, Quality Gardens, Butler Old Stone House Region AACA, Moraine State Park Regatta, Tokens Arcade, The Harmony Inn, Friends of the Bantam Jeep Association and Slippery Rock University.
Experience Butler County also gave awards to agencies and individuals based on other criteria that did not come with funding.
JJ’s World restaurant earned the Newcomer of the Year Award; Lernerville Speedway earned the Fan Favorite Award; Pullman Recreation Complex in Butler Township won the Catalyst Award; Art King with Harvest Valley Farm won the Legacy Award; the Penn Theater earned the Phoenix Award; Sherry Lynn won the Unique Vision Award; Zelienople won the Destination Development Award; and Pocha By Kye-Won took home the Rising Star Award.
Peggy Fritz, a wedding coordinator with Eisler Farms at The Atrium in Franklin Township, won the Employee of the Year Award, after spending the past 25 years with the business, with no signs of slowing down.
“I have always said it has been the best job ever to be a part of a couple’s special day in their life,” Fritz said. “It has been a fantastic job, and I hate to give it up. I just keep hanging in there.”
Tayler Eusebio with Jellystone Park in Marion Township won Manager of the Year for her efforts in helping grow the park, such as now offering day passes and other initiatives.
“I am super honored because it has been a long time in the coming,” Eusebio said. “This job is something I am so passionate about and to be able to be recognized in the county where I grew up and work is amazing.”
