RIDGWAY: A neat campaign is underway in Ridgway to attract new businesses — and the Heritage Council is asking for the public’s help.

Dale Fox, chairman of business recruitment for the Ridgway Heritage Council, reminds local residents that they can play an important role in recruiting new businesses.

“We want to encourage Ridgway citizens to be our ‘scouts’ and help identify businesses who might benefit from a second location,” he said. “We recently developed a business recruitment ‘post card’ highlighting what Ridgway offers, which is available at our Welcome Center. You can help the cause by keeping these in your car, and when you are out shopping and find yourself saying ‘Gee, it would be nice to have a store like this in Ridgway’, introduce yourself and leave the card for the owner.”

We’d bet many communities offer the same sort of deal.

Ridgway’s new Main Street manager, Beth Shuttleworth, shared her views on the many assets the community enjoys.

“Ridgway is fortunate to be located near many great tourism assets that bring people to local stores,” she said. “The Clarion River flows right through town with two canoe liveries on its banks. Allegheny National Forest hiking and cross-country ski sites are just a few miles away. Our beautiful Clarion-Little Toby Rail Trail brings in visitors regularly, and we are not far from the fabulous Elk Country Visitor Center that is packed with thousands of visitors every year. Combine all that with our location and historic architecture and you have the recipe for downtown success!”

It’d be a shame to keep the area’s natural beauty all to ourselves. Be ambassadors of your community! Spread the word on what you love about Pennsylvania!

QUOTE: We like to share funny thoughts we come across with our readers. And here’s a doozy from the late great Groucho Marx.

“All people are born alike — except Democrats and Republicans.”