JC PENNEY: APPEAR TO HEART
Rescue attempts galvanize Coudersport

Tom Lamb, a member of the Renaissance Committee and employee of Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, updated Coudersport Area Chamber of Commerce members on the efforts to persuade JCPenney executives not to close the Coudersport store in February. Lamb conceded that prospects are not bright

Efforts to save the JCPenney store in Coudersport continue. Chamber of Commerce members Tuesday got a preview of the video appeal produced by a local citizens' group in an effort to keep JCPenney open.

The 10-minute video, featuring testimonials and interviews with community leaders, customers and JCPenney employees, will eventually be delivered to senior executives at the company's corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas.

Tom Lamb, a member of the Renaissance Committee that has been working for the longterm betterment of the community, introduced the video and updated Chamber members on the effort to save the local store.

Lamb said earlier plans to hand-deliver the video to Texas have been put on hold. Committee members are instead working to determine which JCPenney leaders should be approached.

The local pitch urges company officials to use the Coudersport affiliate as a "heritage store" where managers could be trained in hands-on customer service and community involvement.

"I'm not so sure that any argument that is based on economics or a business model is going to succeed," Lamb said. "JCPenney seems to be intent on the big-box stores with a much higher square footage than the Coudersport store. But what we can do is appeal to the heart."

He also pointed out that, even if the push to save JCPenney fails, the issue has helped to galvanize the Coudersport community to work together in facing economic challenges.

Both Lamb and Renaissance Committee member Doug Morley invited Chamber members to attend that organization's meetings, held every Wednesday morning at 7:30 in the Potter County Education Council offices.

At this point, the JCPenney store in Coudersport is scheduled to close in February, removing a key attraction to the downtown business district and putting 12 people out of work.

In other business this month, the Chamber bid farewell to outgoing members of the board of directors, Gerry Montgomery, Mike Harris, Dolores Gartside and Jole'e Mack.

New board members Jane Metzger, Carol Jackson, Pam Karhan and Walter Baker will take office in January. They join incumbents Morley, Mark Moore, Alanna Huck, Stan Swank and Paul Heimel.

One of the board's top priorities in 2008 will be the selection of a group health insurance carrier, allowing Chamber affiliates to provide coverage to their employees at a discounted rate.

David Brooks, executive director of the Potter County Visitors Assn., encouraged members to submit items for a calendar of events and to use the PCVA website as a means of informing the public about activities.

Brooks also said PCVA is creating a new Potter County map for visitors and has worked out an arrangement to post current snowmobile riding conditions on its website.