Community Suggestions Wanted
Community Suggestions Wanted
The GOACC is Looking for Ideas for the 2024 Christmas Ornament
Photos Courtesy of GOACC
OLEAN – The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce is looking to the community for ideas for its 2024 Santa Claus Lane ornament. Through the ornament sales, holiday lights are funded and can be lit in Olean from November to early January. The ornament will be the THIRTIETH in a series created by artist Kathleen McDonald.
Every year through voting from the Santa Claus Lane Committee, Events Committee, Chamber Board and staff, as well as from the community, a landmark is chosen to be designed on the 3-1/2 inch circular resin ornament. The artist sketches the layout from photos provided by Chamber officials and a prototype is created. Once the prototype is approved, work begins with the process of pouring and hand-painting each piece. The ornaments arrive in Olean, individually boxed, with a brief description of the ornament.
Below is a list of several buildings that have been suggested to be an ornament: Rock City Park; Bartlett Country Club; Christopher Columbus Lodge; Dal Tile Plant; Downtown Deli; Governor Higgins Mansion; Lincoln Diner; Olean House; Sprague’s Maple Farms, Olean Public Library, Paul's Steakhouse; PickUps; Portville’s Pioneer Park; St. Mary's School; Thatcher Plant Factory and Warner's Pizza.
Tricia Henzel, former Events Director at Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and current (but soon to be retiring) physicians recruiter at Olean Medical Group, connected with the Chamber early last year. “The Olean Medical Group celebrated 75 years in 2023 and thought they’d make an excellent ornament choice,” added Meme K. Yanetsko, GOACC COO.
Past ornaments include: (starting in 1999) the Olean Municipal Building, the Fannie E. Bartlett House, St. Mary of the Angels Church, Olean High School, St. Stephen’s Church, St. Bonaventure University, a depiction of Santa Claus Lane, the Olean General Hospital, Olean Post Office, Community Bank, Ivers J. Norton, the Castle Restaurant, St. Francis Hospital, Chuck Wagon Restaurant, Palace Theater, Boardmanville Elementary, Red and Trudys, North Union Street street scape (1st hundred block west side) , Olean Class Cars, Cloud 9 Amusement Park, Bradners Stadium, Henry H. Hill, Archbishop Walsh, Beef ‘n’ Barrel Restaurant, Tasta Pizza, the Olean Public Library, two in 2022 – First Presbyterian Church and Pioneer Park in Portville, and Angee’s Restaurant this past year.
“The committee wants community input on this ornament,” said Yanetsko. “What do you want to see in the ornament?” Please submit ideas to GOACC no later than January 19th by calling 716-372-4433, emailing info@oleanny.com or on facebook at facebook.com/OleanNYChamber. The week of January 22nd-25th, there will be online voting for the top four that come in through the voting into the office.