Febraury 2026

Present:	26 attendees
Next meeting	March 31, 2026

The Public Relations Council of the Shenandoah Valley met Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at Bridgewater Retirement Community. Following lunch, President Bob Grebe welcomed members and called the meeting to order.

No President’s or Treasurer’s Reports were presented and no business was discussed.

Presentation

Vice President Lauren Jefferson introduced a new “hot seat” format for the presentation portion of the meeting and invited George Neighbors to facilitate the exercise.

Through this exercise, members collectively brainstormed and presented solutions to challenges facing other members.

Adjournment

President Bob Grebe adjourned the meeting at 1:24 pm.

In Attendance:

Members:

• Amanda Culp
• Jeremy Douylliez
• Stephanie Duncan
• Savannah Frazier
• Eric Gorton
• Bob Grebe
• Bekka Harsh
• Ashlie Heatwole
• Lauren Jefferson
• Mia Kivlighan
• Preston Knight
• Katie LaPira
• Juliana McGrath
• Arianna Murphy
• George Neighbors
• Jess Nickels
• Olivia Shifflett
• Jordyn Vannes
• Lydia Weaver
• Sarah Wichael
• Jessica Williams

Guests:

Bryn McIntyre Rankin, McIntyre Marketing LLC

January 2026

Meeting canceled due to inclement weather. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 24. 

November 2025

Present:	26 attendees
Next meeting	January 27, 2026

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Following lunch, President Heather Ream welcomed members and guests. 

Treasurer’s Report

At meeting time, we have $1,052 in the bank. After paying for this meeting, we should have between $600-$700 in the account, which is good for this time of year. We have the funds to host a small holiday happy hour, if desired. The board will review potential dates and locations and will send out a survey for feedback.

President’s Report

Heather Ream shared an update to our bylaws, which adds a length of term (two years) for the President, Vice President and Secretary. Due to some of the complexities of the role of Treasurer, no term limit is set.

New Business

Several attendees shared personal announcements and business updates.

Vice president Preston Knight introduced our guest speakers, Mike and Erin Lee from Tall & Small Photography. 

Mike and Erin shared how their business first started through its evolution to today, where they provide corporate, wedding, family and commercial photography. They shared some quick tips and tricks for excelling at photoshoots, including:

1) Creating a relaxed environment and happy customers, 

2) How to maximize lighting in tough areas, including a demo of a great portable LED panel.

President Heather Ream adjourned the meeting at 1:20pm.

Attendees:

Sarah Wichael
Ashlie Heatwole
Rebekah Castle
Eric Gorton
Heather Ream
Jess Nickels
George Neighbors
Crista Cabe
Bob Grebe
Ryan Cornell
Lauren Jefferson
Heather Cole
Preston Knight
Bekka Harsha
Everett Brubaker
Katie LaPira
Ariana Murphy
Zach Germroth
Stephanie Duncan
Speakers Mike and Erin Lee
Guests: Jordyn Vannes (Appeal Productions), Corialise Pence (Interchange), Grayson Preece (Bridgewater College), Mary Winters Blanchard, Lisa Schikel (BRC)

October 2025

Present:	22 attendees
Next meeting	November 18, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Following lunch, President Heather Ream welcomed members and guests. 

Treasurer’s Report

Eric Gorton shared that we have $1,434 in the bank and can hold our November meeting in person. Dues notices for 2026 will be emailed soon with the new $75 membership fee. It is the first dues increase in the history of PRC, which started in 1995. The lunch fee will be $20, up from $16. Members will still have the option of paying for lunches for the year when they pay their dues, but there will not be a discount as in the past. These changes were approved earlier this year to address higher operating costs.

Eric will look into making Zelle or similar application available for payments.

Officer Election

Bekka Harsh of the officer nominating committee announced the candidates for officers for 2026. No new nominations were offered and the vote was unanimous for those nominated: Bob Grebe, president; Lauren Jefferson, vice president; Jeremy Douylliez, secretary and Eric Gorton, treasurer. The new officers will begin their terms January 1, 2026.

Stephanie Duncan volunteered to shadow Eric to learn treasurer duties.

The current board will propose term limits for president, vice president and secretary be added to the bylaws, which will require a vote by the membership. The limits are needed to encourage turnover. Officers should not feel like resigning is the only way to end their service.

Guest speaker

Vice President Preston Knight announced speakers are lined up for November 18, our last meeting of 2025, and for January 2026. He has a list he will share with Lauren Jefferson to help her get started beyond January.

He then introduced Hann Livingston and Steph Jensen to discuss Shenandoah Living Magazine, which launched at the end of 2024.

Hann and Steph discussed their backgrounds, including a similar magazine that Hann ran in Northern Virginia.

The mission of Shenandoah Living Magazine is to highlight local businesses and nonprofits that make communities unique. The focus is on Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

The magazine is published monthly in print and is mailed directly to more than 3,500 households and about 60 businesses in the area. It features one nonprofit story a month and focuses on people and how they are involved in the community. A goal is to inspire readers to get involved in the community.

The magazine is sponsored by advertisers that have a community focus and that align with the magazine’s values.

The magazine pays some for freelance writers.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:

Eric Gorton
Rebekah Castle
George Neighbors
Preston Knight
Jess Nickels
Lauren Jefferson
Stephanie Duncan
Heather Ream
Katie LaPira
Juliana McGrath
Bekka Harsh
Savannah Frazier
Mia Kivlighan
Lydia Weaver
Jeremy Douylliez
Crista Cabe
Bob Grebe
Zack Germroth
Heather Cole
Kristen Pittman (BC – filling a vacancy)
Hann Livingston, speaker
Steph Jenson, speaker

September 2025

Present:	19 attendees
Next meeting	October 28, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Following lunch, President Heather Ream welcomed members and guests. 

Treasurer’s Report

Eric Gorton shared that we have $1,747 in the bank, and should be in a solid position to hold our remaining meetings in person.

New Business

Bekka Harsh with the PRC nominating committee gave an update on PRC officer nominations:

Bob Grebe –  PRC president

Lauren Jefferson – vice president

The floor was opened for nominations for the positions of secretary and treasurer. Jeremy Douylliez offered to serve as secretary. No nominations were made for treasurer. The nominating committee will continue to search until next month.

All nominations will be presented for vote at our October meeting.

Guest Speaker

Preston Knight introduced our guest speaker. This month we welcomed Anne Edgecomb from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Now retired after 25 years, the Augusta county resident has extensive experience in federal government PR as the public affairs specialist.

Anne shared her fascinating public affairs career in the military, and the many lessons learned. 

1. Know your craft
2. Be prepared. It’s what most helps you.
3. Have confidence with your competence
4. Have humility. Know when you’re wrong. 
5. It’s all about relationships.

Anne took a brief Q&A from the audience.

Meeting was adjourned at 1:15p.m.

In attendance:
Sarah Wichael
Katie LaPira
Charley Schillinger
Eric Gorton
Rebekah Castle
Heather Ream
Savannah Frazier
Heather Cole
Preston Knight
Kelsey Gerber (for Lauren Jefferson)
Ashlie Heatwole
Zack Germroth
Jeremy Douylliez
Bekka Harsh
Lydia Weaver
David Pulgar
Juliana McGrath
Bob Grebe
Guest: Anne Edgecomb

August 2025

Present:	20 attendees
Next meeting	September 30, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, August 26.

Following lunch, President Heather Ream welcomed members and guests, including Ian Callahan, guest of speaker and PRC member George Neighbors.

New business

• This time of year we begin the nomination process for the upcoming year’s PRC board members. Heather did a call for volunteers to form a nominating committee to find replacements for all board positions, including president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. Members Lydia Weaver, Jess Nickels and Bekkah Harsh all volunteered to form our nominating committee. Next month (September) they will present a slate of officers for the 2026 year.
• Jess Nickels shared that JMU’s School of Business is looking for a communications manager. Jess will share job link with Sarah Wichael, secretary, so it can be distributed to the entire group.
• Katie LaPira shared that RCPS is hosting a conversation on the future of MTC at Frieden Farms on September 10th, 9am. All are welcome.
• Charley Shillinger passed out flyers promoting an upcoming movie/family night at Natural Chimney’s park.
• Heather announced the upcoming Run the Runway 5K, a race that benefits the Explore More Discovery Museum

Treasurer’s Report

Eric Gorton shared that we have $2,058 in the bank. We still appear to be on track to hold all meetings in person for the remainder of the year.

Presenter

Vice president Preston Knight introduced today’s guest speaker, PRC member George Neighbors from X-Roads Advisory. George shared humorous stories and insight from his previous career in talent relations with Warner Bros. Discovery, highlighting the complexity of managing high-profile talent with the Discovery Channel.

Our meeting was adjourned at 1:20pm by Heather Ream. 

Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Wichael, secretary

In attendance:

Sarah Wichael
George Neighbors
Rebekah Castle
Charley Schillinger
Lydia Weaver
Heather Cole
Preston Knight
Crista Cabe
Jess Nickels
Katie LaPira
Lauren Jefferson
Eric Gorton
Bekka Harsh
Mia Kivlighan
Heather Ream
Savannah Frazier
Bob Grebe
Zack Germroth
Juliana McGrath
Guest: Ian Callahan

July 2025

No meeting.

June 24, 2025

Present:	20 attendees
Next meeting	August 26, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, June 24 with 20 members.

Following lunch, President Heather Ream welcomed members and guests, including Gracie Moyers, who is filling the media relations assistant position at Bridgewater College until the fall. Gracie is looking for full-time work.

Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer Eric Gorton shared that we have $2,356 in the bank and we may be able to hold all our meetings in person this year. He’ll have a better idea after the August meeting. 

Speaker

Vice President Preston Knight introduced the speaker, Jill Malusky, the news and public information manager for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the Green Bank (W.Va.) Observatory. Jill presented via Teams due to a recent illness.

Jill discussed the mission of the NRAO and the Green Bank Observatory, which is about a two hour-drive from the central Shenandoah Valley.

Highlights of Jill’s presentation included:

• Green Bank was chosen in the 1960s for its rural location far away from broadcast signals that would interfere with the radio observatory operations. 
• It was the country’s first radio astronomy observatory
• Some NRAO labs are based in Charlottesville; Greenk Bank headquarters is at UVA. NRAO also has another HQ in New Mexico and has radio telescope arrays across the U.S. and in Chile.
• The Very Large Array in New Mexico has 27 infrared telescopes placed in an area more than 14 miles across.
• A next-generation very large array is under development and could begin operations in the early 2030s, depending on funding.
• The radio antennas are important for helping GPS in the U.S. in addition to learning about the universe.
• The Green Bank Telescope is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope and is taller than the Statue of Liberty; nearly as tall as the Washington Monument.
• The Green Bank observatory consists of a 3,000 acre campus in the National Radio Quiet Zone and has programs for visitors of all ages.
• Jill started at Green Bank in 2019 in the public outreach division, which produces press releases, manages social media, conducts VIP visits, trains staff to work with the media and maintains the website.

The meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Eric Gorton, treasurer

In attendance:
Jess Nickels
Eric Gorton
Mia Kivlighan
Stephanie Duncan
Heather Ream
Savannah Frazier
Everett Brubaker
Lauren Jefferson
Preston Knight
David Pulgar
Ryan Cornell
Charley Schillinger
Abbie Parkhurst
Bekka Harsh
Zack Germroth
Heather Cole
Gracie Moyers
Bob Grebe
Lydia Weaver
George Neighbors

May 27, 2025

Present:	21 attendees
Next meeting	June 24, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, May 27 with 19 members and 2 guests in attendance.

Following lunch, president Heather Ream provided a quick welcome and introduction of guests. 

Old Business
Heather did a quick reminder on the proposed  changes to our membership dues and lunch prices, starting in 2026. Additional copies of the proposed changes were available, if needed. The floor was opened to questions and comments; there were none. A motion was made by Eric Gorton and seconded by Katie LaPira to approve the changes. Vote was unanimous with no discussion.

Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Eric Gorton shared that we have $2773 in the bank. 

Vice President Preston Knight introduced our guest speaker, Bill Huffman, marketing director for Luray Caverns. Bill shared his recent trip to India, traveling with other teammates from Virginia Tourism. He shared that India has close connections to caverns – and Luray Caverns in particular. His trip focused on destination awareness, Virginia awareness, and assisted with contacts and leads for itineraries in the future.

The meeting adjourned at 1:03 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Wichael, secretary

Today’s Guests
Sarah Wichael
Crista Cabe
Jeremy Douylliez
Bob Grebe
Savannah Frazier
Katie LaPira
Heather Cole
Eric Gorton
Bekka Harsh
Ashlie Heatwole
Jess NIckels
George Neighbors
Lauren Jefferson
Emily Coombe
David Pulgar
Preston Knight
Lydia Weaver
Ryan Cornell
Heather Ream
Guest: Olivia Shifflett, Bridgewater College
Guest speaker: Bill Huffman, Luray Caverns

April 29, 2025

Present:	21 attendees
Next meeting	June 24, 2025

PRC met at BRC on Tuesday, April 29 with 21 members and 2 guests in attendance.

Following lunch, president Heather Ream kicked off our meeting with introductions. Treasurer Eric Gorton, along with the rest of the PRC board, led a conversation regarding the current financial challenges PRC is facing, along with a proposed solution. A handout was shared with all present members for review (included).

After a very brief discussion and no points of concern from members, Eric shared that we would vote on the proposed changes, which include an increase in annual dues and lunch fees, at our May meeting. The handout from the meeting will be shared via email to all members.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced our guest speaker, Dennis Lynch from the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival. Dennis shared how they obtain their musical acts each year, as well as promotion for this well-known annual festival.

Meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p. m.

In attendance:

Sarah Wichael
Heather Ream
Eric Gorton
Charley Schillinger
Everett Brubaker
Mia Kivlighan
Bekka Harsh
Arianna Williams
Zack Germroth
John Stone
Savannah Frazier
David Pulgar
Lydia Weaver
Jess Nickels
Lauren Jefferson
Kate Szambecki (filling in for Ryan Cornell)
Preston Knight
Emily Coomb
Katie LaPira
Bob Grebe
Abbie Parkhurst
Amanda Culp, guest
Dennis Lynch, guest speaker

Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Wichael, secretary

Handout recapping financial situation

Situation:

Our current finances have us ending the year in a deficit if we continue at the same rate of expenses. This is due, in part, to never raising membership dues. We also have not made major adjustments to our lunch fees.

Current Price Structure:

• Annual dues: $50/person. Retirees are currently $25 (only impacts one member at this time)
  
• Lunch fee: $16/member. A 20% discount if paid in advance, which comes to $12.80/person
  
• Lunch expenses: BRC charges us $16/person + meals and sales tax. Total cost is closer to $18/person. PRC has been covering the tax for all members, plus the discount for those who pay ahead.

 Proposed Price Structure:

• For 2025, cut one lunch meeting (pivot to virtual) and both of our planned socials (summer and holiday).
  
  For any members who pre-paid their lunches and are concerned by the loss of one lunch, we will prorate your January lunch to $12.80 in 2026. Please notify Treasurer Eric Gorton if you need us to do that.
  
• In 2026, raise annual dues to $75.
  
• In 2026, raise lunch rate to $20/person. No discount for prepaying.
  
• Grandfather in an adjustment to the retiree discount, adjusting it to 20% off the annual dues.

April 17, 2025 Board Meeting

Present:	4 attendees

The board of PRC met via Zoom on Thursday, April 17 at 2 p.m.. In attendance was president Heather Ream, vice president Preston Knight, treasurer Eric Gorton, and secretary Sarah Wichael.

Agenda: Discuss plan to share business proposal at the April 29th PRC meeting.

• Sarah has drafted a handout to share with all PRC members. She’ll bring copies to the meeting.
  
• At the meeting, Eric will review the document and explain the situation and our proposed solution. The board will all be present to help answer any questions or address concerns.
  
• Sarah will also be sending out the RSVP reminder today. She’s adding a note to the messaging about having members let us know if their plans to attend change.
  

Meeting was adjourned at 2:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Sarah Wichael, Secretary 

March 28, 2025 Board Meeting

Present:	4 attendees

The board of PRC met via Zoom on Friday, March 28^th at 10 a.m. In attendance was president Heather Ream, vice president Preston Knight, treasurer Eric Gorton, and secretary Sarah Wichael.

Agenda item: Budget

Treasurer Eric Gorton informed the board members recently about his concerns regarding the budget. In the history of PRC, we have not raised our dues, and we also have not made major increases to our lunch fees. If we continue the year without changes, we will fall short by approximately $500. As we are currently set up, even though we’ve experienced great growth in membership, our current pricing structure causes us to lose money.

• Current annual dues: $50. Retirees are offered 50% off (currently impacts one member)
• Current lunch rate: $16/member or a 20% discount if paid in full, which is $12.80/person.
• Lunch fees: Typically, our lunches at BRC run around $450/month, give-or-take based on attendance.

Proposal:

• For 2025, we need to cut one lunch meeting and our socials. We will suggest pivoting to a virtual meeting. If any member who pre-paid their lunches is concerned by the loss, we will prorate them the $12.80 in 2026.
• Raise annual dues: $75
• Raise lunch rate: $20/person and drop the paid-in-full discount. We’ll also adjust the retirement discount (amount not determined), but we’ll apply this only to new retirees.

The board feels like this increase in dues and lunches is a reasonable jump for 2026 considering we’ve never made changes before. However, going forward, this amount may still need to be adjusted, particularly if we decide to change meeting venues. Currently, BRC does not charge a room fee – something we may incur at other locales. We also have other expenses, including website hosting, domain registration, etc.

Next steps:

• Sarah will draft a handout to share at the April 29 meeting
• Heather will send out another board meeting invite for April 17, 2 p.m., so we can finalize our presentation to the membership at our April 29th  meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Sarah Wichael, secretary

March 25, 2025

Present:	22 attendees
Next meeting	April 29, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, March 25 with 22 members and 2 guests in attendance.

Following lunch, secretary Sarah Wichael kicked off the meeting with quick introductions, including a special welcome for two guests, Mackenzie Leonard and Bill Gentry. Heather Cole from Bridgewater College shared her team is looking for a temporary staff member for the summer months who can assist with some media relations/communications project. 

President Heather Ream read the treasurer’s report on behalf of Eric Gorton, who was unable to attend today. We ended February with $3070 in the bank. Since last month’s meeting, we have received an additional $630 in dues and lunch payments. We have 32 paid members, which is the most we’ve had in a long time. 

Vice President Preston Knight introduced today’s speaker, PRC member Zack Germroth, APR. Zack shared about his time as PIO for Baltimore City’s Department of Housing and Community Development and the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. Zack is also the author of the book “Big City Public Relations.” A brief Q&A followed, and Zack gave away two copies of his book.

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Wichael, secretary

Today’s Guests

Sarah Wichael
Jeremy Douyilliez
Savannah Fraizer
Emily Coombe
Ashlie Heatwole
GUEST: Mackenzie Leonard
Ryan Cornell
Bob Grebe
George Neighbors
Ariana Williams
Preston Knight
Lydia Weaver
Jess Nickels
Lauren Jefferson
Everett Brubaker
Sherry McClanahan
Juliana McGrath
Crista Cabe
Heather Cole
Heather Ream

February 25, 2025

Present:	22 attendees
Next meeting	March 25, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, February 25 with 18 members and 4 guests in attendance.

After lunch, president Heather Ream kicked off the meeting with quick introductions, including a welcome of several guests. Treasurer Eric Gorton shared that our financials are in a good place with over $3,000 in the account. In other announcements, member Ryan Cornell shared that Tacos 4 Life is hosting a meal packing project March 21-22; meals are sent to children in need. If interested in volunteering, please let Ryan know.

Vice president Preston Knight introduced today’s presenter. Sarah Landram is financial wellness program manager at DCCU. She introduced the DCCU Cares Foundation, its mission, vision, and its efforts for community outreach. She shared her passion for helping individuals attain financial wellness – and the creative ways DCCU is engaging with the community to achieve their mission.

Meeting was adjourned around 1:10 p.m.

In attendance:
Sarah Wichael
Charley Schillinger
Heather Ream
Savannah Frazier
Jess Nickels
Zack Germroth
Heather Cole
Eric Gorton
Rebekah Castle
Preston Knight
Bob Grebe
Katie LaPira
Mia Kivlighan
Juliana McGrath
Ryan Cornell
Jen Kulju
Ashlie Heatwole
Stephanie Duncan

Guest speaker: Sarah Landram
Guest: Kristen Printy, Augusta Health
Guest: George Neighbors, X-Roads Consulting
Guest: Lauren Jefferson, Community Foundation

Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Wichael, Secretary

January 28, 2025

Present:	29 attendees
Next meeting	Feb. 25, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, January 28 with 27 members and 2 guests in attendance.

After lunch, president Heather Ream kicked off the meeting with quick introductions, including a special welcome for two of our newest PRC members. Treasurer Eric Gorton shared that our financials are in a good place with over $2,700 in the account. Vice president Preston Knight introduced today’s presenter.

Amanda Culp is director of marketing and communications for Maola Local Dairies. She shared a brief introduction about herself before diving into Maola and the dairy business. 

In her presentation, she gave great insight and detail on the challenges – and opportunities – she has faced during a complete organizational rebrand. Amanda also walked us through other public relations challenges she’s experienced during her tenure, how they were dealt with, and the lessons learned. A brief Q&A followed.

Meeting was adjourned around 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:
Sarah Wichael
Eric Gorton
Heather Cole
Ryan Cornell
Bekka Harsh
Lydia weaver
Ashlie Heatwole
Katie LaPira
Jeremy Douylliez
Bob Grebe
Rebekah Castle
Everett Brubaker
Heather Ream
Arianna williams
Juliana McGrath
Preston Knight
Jess Nickels
Stephanie Duncan
Zack Germroth
Savannah Frazier
Crista Cabe
John Stone
Mia Kivlighan
Charley Schillinger
Emily Coombe
Jen Kulju

Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Wichael, Secretary

October 29, 2024

Present:	18 attendees
Next meeting	Winter social, Dec. 12
Next regular meeting:	January 28, 2025

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, October 29 with 16 members and 2 guests in attendance.

President Heather Ream kicked off the meeting with quick introductions and then turned the meeting over to Lydia Weaver, who led the PRC nominating committee. Lydia presented the nominations for vote of our 2025 officers; it was unanimous that our current board would remain: President – Heather Ream, Vice President – Preston Knight, Treasurer – Eric Gorton, Secretary – Sarah Wichael.

Heather reminded everyone of our social event, scheduled for December 12 at the SHD airport. More details to come. There is no November meeting.

Treasurer Eric Gorton reported that we have over $1000 in the bank, which is on track for the time of year. He also shared that the lunch option would have an increase in 2025 because we are adding in an additional meeting/lunch (November).

Preston Knight introduced our two speakers, Adam Ford and Robbie McCammon from Rockingham Cooperative. Adam and Robbie shared their vision and implementation for a new “adventure” race called the Rocktown Down & Dirty. Proceeds from the race benefited the Rockingham County Fair. 

Adam and Robbie both shared their agriculture roots, and their desire to help support the Rockingham County Fair and the ag kids of this community. In their inaugural race, they said they raised around $10,000 for the fair. They hope to see this grow in future years.

Meeting was adjourned around 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:

Sarah Wichael
Eric Gorton
Heather Ream
Mia Kivlighan
Rebekah Castle
John Stone
Crista Cabe
Arianna Williams
Jess Nickels
Lydia Weaver
Stephanie Duncan
Everett Brubaker
Preston Knight
Bob Grebe
Bekka Harsh
Eil Quay

Respectfully submitted,

Sarah Wichael, secretary

September 24, 2024

Present:	21 attendees
Next meeting:	October 29, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, September 24 with 20 members and 1 guest in attendance.

PRC president Heather Ream opened the meeting with quick introductions and announcements. Katie LaPira with the PRC nominating committee presented the slate of officers for 2025: Heather Ream as president, Preston Knight as vice president, Eric Gorton as treasurer, and Sarah Wichael as secretary. She also invited additional nominations; none were made. An official vote will be held at the October meeting.

Treasurer Eric Gorton reported that he will soon be sending out invoices for membership dues. We currently have 25 full-time members.

Vice president Preston Knight introduced our guest speaker, Randy Jones from Rocktown History (Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society). 

Randy wove together elements of Harrisonburg/Rockingham County history while highlighting the importance of history in our organizations’ PR and branding efforts. Randy followed up his presentation by emailing us the following, which helps further emphasize his message:

“[My goal was to] provide a four-point schema for approaching and thinking about history, especially in the context of the organization you represent. My thought is that the four criteria be used beyond the limits of the National Register Program. As a quick review, those criteria can be summed up as follows:

_ Events or places that contribute to our broad patterns of history (e.g. the advent of the automobile and roadside businesses; battlefields, civil rights; etc)

_ People who have been significant in our past and shaping our world today (e.g. a house of Patsy Cline; the Lincoln Homestead)

_ Buildings (high style and vernacular) that exemplify master work or craft, that possess artistic value or, alternatively, lack individual distinction but represent a form or type of construction (e.g. a Jefferson design or a frontier log cabin)

_ Places that are likely to yield important cultural information (think archaeology; examples include a Native American site or later site of settlement such as a colonial pottery or farmstead).”

Our meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m. Our next meeting will be held Tuesday, October 29.

In attendance:

Sarah Wichael
Lydia Weaver
Katie LaPira
Preston Knight
Eric Gorton
Jess Nickels
Mia Kivlighan
Heather Cole
Heather Ream
Stephanie Duncan
Jen Kulju
Arianna Williams
Zack Germroth
Emily Coombe
Bob Grebe
Eli Quay
Ryan Cornell
Ashlie Heatwole
Crista Cabe
Jeremy Douylliez
Guest: Randy Jones

August 27, 2024

Present:	22 attendees
Next meeting:	September 24, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, August 27 with 19 members and 3 guests in attendance.

PRC president Heather Ream opened the meeting with quick introductions and announcements, including the launch of our nominating committee who are tasked with determining the 2025 PRC slate of officers.

We followed lunch with a financial update. Treasurer Eric Gorton reported that PRC currently has $1,500 in our account, which is on-track for this time of year.

Vice president Preston Knight introduced our guest speaker, Cindy Fellows, Cindy is the owner of  October Grace Media. In addition to owning her own photography business, she also is employed as brand photographer for the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton.

Cindy’s presentation was on brand photography and the purpose it serves. As an employee of ASC, Cindy showed how her photography is helping to bring new audiences (and fans) to the theater. She talked about the purpose of this style of photography, and the benefits of telling an organization’s story. She also walked us through how to best utilize a brand photographer to further extend an organization’s mission, vision and values.

Our meeting was adjourned just after 1 p.m. Our next meeting will be held Tuesday, September 24.

In attendance:
Sarah Wichael
Everett Brubaker
Lydia Weaver
Jess Nickels
Bekka Harsh
Mia Kivlighan
Heather Ream
Emily Coombe
Katie LaPira
Isaac Woo
–          Guest with Issac: Sunny Qin
Preston Knight
Eric Gorton
Ryan Cornell
David Pulgar
Arianna Williams
Crista Cabe
Rebekah Castle
Bob Grebe
Zack Germroth
Speaker: Cindy Fellows, plus guest/coworker Stephanie

July 2024

No meeting.

June 25, 2024

Present:	11 attendees
Next meeting:	August 27, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, June 25 with 11 members and our guest speaker in attendance.

PRC president Heather Ream opened the meeting with quick introductions and announcements, including a thank you to everyone who attended our social event earlier this month. 

Vice President Preston Knight reminded everyone that we do not have a meeting in July, and will regroup in August.

Preston introduced our guest speaker, Calvin Pynn, from Rocktown Now. Rocktown Now is a new online media outlet, www.rocktownnow.com, that is a branch from the WSVA news radio stations/Harrisonburg Radio Group. Calvin explained how the launch for Rocktown Now occurred, who they’re looking to serve, and how they’ll be measuring success. 

Anyone wishing to submit a news story to Rocktown Now can do so by emailing cpynn@rocktownnow.com and also news@harrisonburgradiogroup.com. 

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m. Our next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, August 27.

In attendance:
Sarah Wichael
Jess Nickels
Heather Cole
Lydia Weaver
Preston Knight
Katie LaPira
Zack Germroth
Ryan Cornell
Emily Coombe 
Abbie Parkhurst
Mia Kivlighan
Heather Ream

May 21, 2024

Present:	12 attendees
Next meeting:	June 25, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, May 21 with 12 members, 2 guests and two guest speakers in attendance.

PRC vice president Preston Knight opened the meeting with quick introductions and announcements, including a brief treasurer’s report.

Secretary Sarah Wichael shared a quick thank you to everyone who participated in our survey regarding a summer social event. The leadership team will be meeting soon to finalize our event plans.

Preston introduced our guest speakers, Greg Bilyeu and Cory Swift from the Virginia Department of Forestry. The speakers shared their experience serving as communications and PIO during one of the worst fire seasons in Virginia history. 

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m. Our next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, June 25.

In attendance:
Sarah Wichael
Jeremy Douylliez
Ashlie Heatwole
Jess Nickels
Heather Cole
Arianna Williams
Lydia Weaver
Preston Knight
Katie LaPira
Zack Germroth
Ryan Cornell
Crista Cabe
Guest: Emily Coombe (EMU)
Guest: Josh Knight
Speaker: Greg Bilyeu and Cory Swift

April 30, 2024

Present:	18 attendees
Next meeting:	May 21, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, April 30 with 16 members, one guest and our speaker in attendance.

PRC president Heather Ream opened the meeting with introductions and invited everyone to enjoy the provided lunch.

Following lunch, treasurer Eric Gorton provided brief reports on finances and membership, sharing that we have $2,793 in the bank. 

We currently have funding to do a spring social event. The group briefly discussed locations, with Alpine Goat Brewery, Ridge Room and SHD all mentioned as options. Heather Ream suggested we send out a quick survey to get more input on location, date, and time for a spring social.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced our guest speaker, Jonathan Treese from Surface to Air Media. 

Jonathan shared his journey to start this business and then discussed drone usage: types, how they can benefit your business, social media uses and more. 

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m. Our next meeting is earlier in the month due to the Memorial Day holiday: May 21.

In attendance:
Sarah Wichael
Eric Gorton
Ashlie Heatwole
Jess Nickels
Heather Cole
Arianna Williams
Bob Grebe
Lydia Weaver
John Stone
Bekka Harsh
Preston Knight
Heather Ream
Katie LaPira
Zack Germroth
Ryan Cornell
Abbie Parkhurst 

Guest: Emily Coombe (EMU)

Speaker: Jonathan Treese

March 26, 2024

Present:	17 attendees
Next meeting:	April 30, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, March 26 with 17 people in attendance.

Vice President Preston Knight welcomed members and introduced several of our newest members.

Treasurer Eric Gorton provided brief reports on finances and membership, sharing that we have around $3,000 in the bank, which is great for this time of year, and 24 members.   

Several members shared announcements. 

Preston reviewed our speakers for the upcoming months. He then introduced today’s speaker, Brea Prokop with the Minnesota Twins. Brea is a Bridgewater College grad who now works as the Senior Manager, Social Content and Event Marketing for the Twins.

Brea shared her journey from BC to her current position. She walked us through some of the challenges that come with handling PR and social media for a professional sports team, content creation, events and travel, training for the players, etc.

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:
Ashlie Heatwole
Jeremy Douylliez
Everett Brubaker
Katie LaPira
Lydia Weaver
Preston Knight
Ariana Williams
Crista Cabe
Eric Gorton
Mia Kivilighan
Bekah Castle
Sarah Wichael
Bob Grebe
Abbie Parkhurst
Zack Germorth
Ryan Cornell

Juliana McGrathBy Zoom: guest speaker Brea Prokop

Our next meeting is Tuesday, April 30 at noon.

February 27, 2024

Present:	20 attendees
Next meeting:	March 26, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, Feburary 27 with 17 people in attendance.

President Heather Ream welcomed members and invited them to lunch.

Treasurer Eric Gorton provided brief reports on finances and membership, sharing that we had around $2,300 in the bank with dues rolling in.  

Member Stephanie Duncan shared that Harmony Harvest Farm recently received an award; she may be reaching out to some of us to brainstorm some ideas.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced the guest speaker, Cayce Myers from the Virginia Tech School of Communications, who presented to us via Zoom. Cayce explained the many ethical dilemmas, fun possibilities, and potential challenges of A.I. and public relations.

The meeting adjourned at 1 p.m.

In attendance:
Amanda Shrader
Jeremy Douylliez
Everett Brubaker
Katie LaPira
Lydia Weaver
Jess Nichols
Preston Knight
Stephanie Duncan
Ariana Williams
Crista Cabe
Issac Woo
Eric Gorton
Mia Kivilighan
Bekah Castle
Heather Ream
Sarah Wichael

By zoom: guest speaker Cayce Myers

Guests: Juliana McGrath, Ryan Cornell, Zack Germorth

January 30, 2024

Present:	17 attendees
Next meeting:	February 27, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, Jan. 30 with 17 people in attendance, including our guest speakers.

President Heather Ream welcomed members and guests and invited them to lunch.

Following lunch, Heather invited everyone to introduce themselves.

Eric Gorton gave the treasurer’s report and mentioned 14 members have paid dues for the new year and he is expecting several more. We should have close to 22 paid members again this year. The bank balance is in good shape and we will be in good shape to have a spring social.

Members Stephanie Duncan, Mia Kivlighan and Eric Gorton gave brief announcements.

* Stephanie announced that Harmony Harvest Farms has Virginia-grown tulips available for Valentine’s Day that are available for preorder at hhfshop.com. We are also offering pre-orders at any business (they just need to ask me for a sign-up sheet!) where people can order flowers through their business and we will deliver on 2/14. Lastly, we will be slinging blooms at the Walgreens parking lot in Verona and at the Ace Hardware in Bridgewater on 2/14. With 80% of the flowers in this country imported, we challenge everyone to buy domestic blooms this Valentine’s Day!

* Mia announced Augusta County is running a confidential Comprehensive Plan Survey to hear from citizens about the County’s quality of life, ideas, concerns, and future growth. If you live, work, or visit regularly please take the survey, share the link, and encourage your circle of family, friends, and colleagues in Augusta County to take the survey. The Comprehensive Plan will guide decision making for the next 20 years in areas like future land use, economic growth, housing, community and youth services, development of cultural resources, transportation, and energy – for our current residents and for those who will one day call Augusta County home.

* Eric announced he knows of a JMU student who is seeking a summer communications internship and that his office has an open position. Check with Eric for more information.

Following the announcements, Heather introduced our speakers, Kayla Brooks and Taylor Rizzari of WHSV TV-3, who discussed their roles at the station and the kinds of stories they look for. They also discussed ways area public relations practitioners can work with them.

Attending: Eric Gorton, Preston Knight, Ashlie Heatwole, Mia Kivlighan, Stephanie Duncan, Rebekah Castle, Everett Brubaker, Lydia Weaver, Jeremy Douylliez, David Pulgar, Jessica Nickels, Bekka Harsh, Heather Ream, Bob Grebe, Crista Cabe, Kayla Brooks (guest speaker), Taylor Rizarri (guest speaker)

October 31, 2023

Present:	14 attendees
Next meeting:	Januauary 30, 2024

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, October 31 with 14 people in attendance, including our guest speaker and several guests.

President Crista Cabe welcomed members and invited them to lunch.

Following lunch, Crista invited everyone to introduce themselves. Member Jessica Luck from Bridgewater College announced that this would be her last PRC meeting; she has accepted a new position at Washington and Lee University. We also welcomed two guests: Nadia DaMes and Logan Berry.

After introductions, Crista gave a brief treasurer’s report on behalf of Eric Gorton, who was unable to attend. We currently have $1,611.20 in the account, and are in the process of collecting dues for 2024.

Crista also shared that the October meeting is our final “official” meeting of 2023. On December 6, PRC is hosting a “happy hour” social event at The Ridge Room in Harrisonburg, 3:30-5pm. PRC will provide appetizers and one drink for each attendee. More info to come.

We held a quick election of offers for 2024. Heather Ream was voted in as president, and Preston Knight, Eric Gorton and Sarah Wichael will continue on as vice president, treasurer and secretary, respectively.

Vice President Preston Knight invited members to pass along suggestions for speakers in 2024. He then introduced guest speaker Steve Gilman, president and brand strategist for Gravity Group. 

Gravity Group is a marketing agency located in downtown Harrisonburg. They provide a wide-array of services, including marketing, branding, and production. They also have a podcast, “Brand Story.” 

Steve explained the process behind launching the podcast, “Brand Story,” which is now entering its 4th season. It’s currently in the top 5% of business podcasts on Spotify. Explaining the success (and work) behind his podcast, Steve explained that we should “choose something to talk about because you’re passionate about it or want to GIVE something – not because you want to GET something. I do not promote our agency through our podcast.” Steve shared other interesting information regarding interview style, podcast set-up and management, and promotion.

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

****

In attendance:

Sarah Wichael

Jessica Nickels

David Pulgar

Heather Ream

Katie LaPira

Everett Brubaker

Jessica Luck

Crista Cabe

Preston Knight

Bob Grebe

Lydia Weaver

Guest: Nada Domas

Guest: Logan Berry

Guest Speaker: Steve Gilman

September 26, 2023

Present:	17 attendees
Next meeting:	Oct. 31, 2023

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, September 26 with 17 people in attendance, including our guest speaker.

PRC president Crista Cabe welcomed members and invited them to lunch.

Following lunch, Crista provided some quick updates, including introducing the nominating committee (Heather Ream, Stephanie Duncan and Mia Kivlighan) that will be working to nominate a member for the position of president, which will be vacant as of January 1, 2024.

Treasurer Eric Gorton provided brief reports on finances and membership. Our bank account has dropped some, but that is typical for end-of-year finances. Dues notices will soon be going out to all members, which is around 27 individuals. Eric also shared that Bekka Harsh from Shenandoah Valley Partnership will be joining PRC.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced the guest speaker, Jillian Lynch, managing editor of the Daily News Record. 

Jilian shared her journey from reporter to managing editor, the recent transitions the DNR has experienced, how the stories are assigned and determined each day. Jillian also shared how we can best support reporters who are looking to cover local stories that impact and support our organizations. 

The meeting adjourned at 1:12 p.m.

In attendance:Crista Cabe
Sarah Wichael
Heather Ream
Jessica Luck
Logan Bogert (guest, Bridgewater College)
Eric Gorton
Preston Knight
Jeremy Douylliez
Mia Kivlighan
Bob Grebe
Darin Bowman
Bekka Harsh
Ashlie Heatwole
Stephanie Duncan
Lydia Weaver
Guest speaker: Jillian Lynch

August 29, 2023

President Crista Cabe welcomed members and invited them to lunch.

Treasurer Eric Gorton provided brief reports on finances and membership.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced the guest speaker, Mike Miriello, president and co-founder of The Downtown Creative.

Mike explained the origins of The Downtown Creative, the services they provide our local community, and their approach to marketing and brand management.

He also shared several marketing models, including the PESO (paid, earned, shared, owned) model. The models shared during the meeting can be reviewed here: https://tdcmarketing.com/valley-prc.

The meeting adjourned at 1 p.m.

In attendance:
Crista Cabe
Stephanie Duncan
Abena Foreman-Trice
Guest: Maureen Pearson
Jessica Luck
Katie LaPira
Eric Gorton
Heather Ream
Everett Brubaker
Preston Knight
Jess Nickels
Jeremy Douylliez
Darin Bowman (JMU CoB)
Sarah Wichael
Lydia Weaver
Bob Grebe
Trisha Blosser (Eastern Mennonite School)
Guest: Sabrina Forbes (EMS student intern)
Mia Kivilighan
Guest: Sarah Linn
John Stone
Speaker: Mike Miriello

July 2023

The PRC does not meet in July.

June 27, 2023

Present:	16 attendees
Next meeting:	August 29, 2023

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, June 27 with 16 people in attendance, including our guest speakers. 

Vice President Preston Knight, filling in for President Crista Cabe, welcomed members and invited them to lunch.

Treasurer Eric Gorton provided brief reports on finances and membership.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced the guest speakers, Miriam Burrows, director of educational programs for the Community Foundation, Central Blue Ridge, and two student representatives of the foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Council, Mary McCoy and Santiago Berrizbeitia.

Burrows gave a brief overview of the nonprofit Community Foundation and its mission to improve communities by distributing grants, scholarships and awards to organizations and individuals in Staunton, Waynesboro and the counties of Augusta, Highland and Nelson.

The organization manages 197 funds with $41.9 million. It distributes $1.7 million each year.

The organization also works to instill a sense of caring in youth through its Youth Philanthropy Council. Among the YPC duties is running a $30,000 grant program that involves deciding who gets grants and how much.

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:

Preston Knight
Eric Gorton
Rebekah Castle
Jeremy Douylliez
Abena Foreman-Trice
Bob Grebe
Ashlie Heatwole
Mia Kivlighan
Katie LaPira
John Stone
David Pulgar
Heather Ream
Lydia Weaver
Miriam Burrows (guest speaker)
Mary McCoy (guest speaker)
Santiago Berrizbeitia (guest speaker)

May 23, 2023

Present:	16 attendees
Next meeting:	June 27, 2023

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, May 23 with 16 people in attendance, including our guest speaker. 

President Crista Cabe welcomed members and invited them to lunch.

Treasurer Eric Gorton provided brief reports on finances and membership.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced the guest speaker, Jay Langston, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership.

Langston discussed how SVP, a public/private organization, works on behalf of 12 localities up and down the Shenandoah Valley to grow the region’s economy.

While the Valley is rural, it continues to grow in population and economic prosperity.

SVP’s mission is to improve the quality of life through economic prosperity. It accomplishes its mission by attracting new jobs and investment.

Other points Langston discussed included:

– Basic tenets of economic development
– Location factors
– The SVP strategic plan, which is based on trends
– SVP’s No. 1 focal point is talent retention and attraction
– The region’s 10 colleges and universities produce 9,500 graduates annually. It’s important to market the region’s career opportunities to them.

The meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:
Bob Grebe
Jess Nickels
Crista Cabe
Gail Price
Heather Ream
Isaac Woo
Jeremy Douylliez
Mia Kivlighan
Preston Knight
Eric Gorton
Lydia Weaver
Abena Foreman-Trice
Stephanie Duncan
David Pulgar
Katie LaPira
Guest speaker: Jay Langston

April 25, 2023

Present:	20 attendees
Next meeting:	May 23, 2023

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, April 25 with 20 people in attendance, including our two guest speakers.

President Crista Cabe began the meeting with a welcome and introductions.

Treasurer’s report (Eric Gorton): Organization currently has $3000 in the account. We are in good financial shape if we’d like to do some type of spring event.

Current Business

Crista asked for feedback on our lunch menus. Any input or suggestions are needed within a week.

Vice President Preston Knight introduced our guest speakers: Austin Raines and Mary Snow from Estland marketing agency.

Estland’s presentation to the PRC Council focused on brand identity: when is it needed, when to update and change, how you determine your branding process, and how you effectively roll out your brand to your consumers. Their presentation was followed by several questions from PRC members.

Meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:
Carrie Wood
Everette Brubaker
Heather Ream
Jeremy Douylliez
Mia Kivlighan
Rebekah Castle
June Miller
Sarah Wichael
Eric Gorton
Lydia Weaver
Abena Foreman-Trice
Stephanie Duncan
Ashlie Heatwole
Preston Knight
Crista Cabe
Katie LaPira, guest
Brittany Bowman
Jess Nickels
Mary Snow, Estland
Austin Raines, Estland

March 28, 2023

Present:	18 attendees
Next meeting:	April 25, 2023

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, March 28 with 18 people in attendance, including guest speakers Travis Pence and Chris Baker with the Town of Woodstock Police Department.

Following lunch, Vice President Preston Knight, subbing for President Crista Cabe, opened the meeting and welcomed guests.

Treasurer Eric Gorton gave the treasurer’s report and an update on membership.

Announcements:

• David Pulgar said VCU has a couple of job openings. Descriptions can be found here.
• Everett Brubaker discussed some work by Community Housing Partners and a possible event later in the spring
• Preston gave a brief overview of an upcoming soap box derby event hosted by Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative
• Next month’s speaker will discuss website design and branding.

Presentation: Travis Pence and Chris Baker of the Woodstock Police Department discussed their innovative and successful use of Facebook, and to a lesser extent, Instagram, in maintaining strong community relations.

The department has found Facebook useful for a wide range of initiatives, including:

• Asking the public for help. Often yields quick responses.
• Alerting the public about dangers
• Community Outreach
• Public Service Announcements
• Promoting Initiatives
• Recruiting Positions
• Celebrating Wins

The department tries to keep posts light and enjoys engaging with commenters. Fans of the page actually help police negative commenters. Comments have to abide by the rules.

Some of the department’s posts have been featured by news organizations, including The Washington Post.

Among his most favorite posts, Travis said, was this lip-sync video to a John Mellencamp hit: https://youtu.be/nzdXhV3mQZw.

Meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

Attendees:

Carrie Wood
Jess Nickels
Everett Brubaker
Heather Ream
Isaac Woo
Jeremy Douylliez
Jessica Luck
Mia Kivlighan
Preston Knight
Rebekah Castle
Eric Gorton
Lydia Weaver
Abena Foreman-Trice
David Pulgar
Ashlie Heatwole
Travis Pence
Chris Baker

Feb. 28, 2023

Present:	19 attendees
Next meeting:	March 28, 2023

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, February 28 with 19 people in attendance, including our guest speaker, Jim Sacco, director of development for the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Participants were invited to grab lunch. Treasurer Eric Gorton began the meeting with recognition and general announcements.

Treasurer’s report (Eric Gorton): Organization currently has more than $3000 in the account, with $660 taken in dues since last month. Cost of January’s meeting (meal) was $323.

Current Business: PRC voted on the proposed changes to the bylaws, as presented in January. A motion was made and seconded to approve the changes. Changes were approved with all in favor.

Guest speaker Jim Sacco graciously shared his career story, from how he first fell in love with journalism and his career in the Valley, to his ultimate decision to pivot to a new career. 

Meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

In attendance:
Andrea Wenger
Bob Grebe
Carrie Wood
Everette Brubaker
Heather Ream
Issac Woo
Jeremy Douylliez
Mia Kivlighan
Rebekah Castle
June Miller
Sarah Wichael
Eric Gorton
Lydia Weaver
Abena Foreman-Trice
Stephanie Duncan
David Pulgar
Ashlie Heatwole
Samantha, BRC Intern
Jim Sacco, Guest Speaker

Jan. 31, 2023

Present:	20 attendees
Next meeting:	February 28, 2023

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Bridgewater Retirement Community on Tuesday, January 31 with 20 people in attendance, including our guest speaker, Jim Britt of WSVA.

Participants were invited to grab lunch. President Crista Cabe invited everyone to relax and catch up for a few minutes before officially beginning the meeting.

After introductions of all participants, Crista distributed proposed revisions to the Bylaws.These revisions will be voted on at the next meeting (February 28). Primary changes include:

• Monthly meeting schedule
• Deadlines for dues

Crista will email the Bylaws and proposed changes to the PRC members following the meeting.

Treasurer Eric Gorton gave a quick update on finances. The organization is currently in a strong place with $2706 in the bank.

Guest speaker Jim Britt was welcomed and introduced. He spoke about his career in talk radio. He shared funny stories and anecdotes, and provided tips and guidance for PR professionals on how to submit news releases to the local media. 

Meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

In attendance:
Bob Grebe
Carrie Wood
Jess Nickels
Everette Brubaker
Heather Ream
Issac Woo
Jeremy Douylliez
Jessica Luck
Jeannette Suter, guest
Mia Kivlighan
Preston Knight
Lisa Shickel, guest
Sarah Wichael
Eric Gorton
Crista Cabe
Lydia Weaver
Abena Foreman-Trice
Stephanie Duncan
David Pulgar
Jim Britt, guest speaker

Dec. 12, 2022 – Board meeting

In attendance: Crista Cabe, Eric Gorton, Carrie Wood, Preston Knight, Sarah Wichael

Minutes:

• Reviewed board meeting schedule. Opted to meet on an ad hoc basis.
• Reviewed organization bylaws. Made a few updates, primarily around moving the group from a fiscal year to a standard calendar year.
  • PRC will continue to meet at least 9 times a year, with the opportunity for a holiday social/meeting in November/December.
  • Elections will pivot to a presented slate of candidates in September, voting in October. New officers assume their positions in January.
• Discussed speakers: how often do we have speakers, how do we choose them. One suggestion was to occasionally choose speakers from organizations not in PRC – and then invite them and their teams to join. We decided we do want to try and have speakers most months, and will work with the PRC team on suggestions for both topics and speakers.
• Discussed resuming an annual media appreciation event. We do want to bring this back and will use it as an opportunity to reward/honor a local media organization and/or journalist. Tentatively planned for the fall.
  • A sub-committee will be formed to handle nominations and planning
• Misc:
  • Update bank account to include President and Treasurer
  • New PRC meeting location: Alexander Mack dining area at BRC
  • Eric to move PRC website to a WordPress platform
  • Sarah to look into Green Envelope or other method for events and other organization announcements
  • Continue to review membership and discuss ways to grow

Submitted by Sarah Wichael, PRC secretary

October 25, 2022

The PRC of the Shenandoah Valley met at Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative on Oct. 25 with 14 people, including guests: Eric Gorton, Carrie Wood, Mia Kivlighan, June Miller (Guest – Virginia Mennonite Conference), Crista Cabe, Heather Ream, Jeremy Douylliez, Jessica Luck, Kendall Earhart, Preston Knight, Rebekah Castle, Sarah Wichael, Bob Grebe (Guest – Sentara RMH) and Isaac Woo.

Following lunch and a welcome, President Eric Gorton gave the treasurer’s report, a membership update and announced the January meeting will be at Bridgewater Retirement Community.

Election of officers for 2023: The new officers for 2023 were elected by a unanimous vote and will be:

• President Crista Cabe, Bridgewater Retirement Community
• Vice President Preston Knight, Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative
• Secretary Sarah Wichael, Sentara RMH
• Treasurer Eric Gorton, JMU Communications

Eric thanked Carrie Wood, vice president, and Mia Kivlighan, secretary, for their service for the past program year, which started in 2019 and was interrupted by COVID until this past August.

Following the business meeting:

• Heather Ream discussed the change in carriers at SHD and the events in the airline industry that led to it.
• June Miller introduced herself and her work at the Virginia Mennonite Conference, the supporting agency for more than 60 churches.
• Bob Grebe discussed his transition from tv journalist, most recently at WHSV TV-3, to Sentara communications specialist.
• Discussed potentially having a social in December at a restaurant.
• Discussed a potential media appreciation event next spring at SHD.

The meeting adjourned at 1:10 p.m. The next regular meeting will be January 31, 2023.