Keystone Expands Its Footprint

BY: G. DAVID SLOAD

In just two and a half years, the Keystone Chapter expanded from 10 counties to 33 by incorporating the 23 counties of the former Central PA Chapter. By the end of 2024, Keystone was asked to bring Fulton and Franklin counties into its fold following the merger of the former Cumberland Valley Chapter and the West Virginia Chapter. This newly merged chapter is now known as the Appalachia Chapter.

With this expansion, the Keystone Chapter now serves 35 counties across Central PA, stretching from the Maryland border to the New York border. This broader footprint opens new opportunities for the chapter while also offering enhanced access to resources for members in these areas. We plan to introduce additional events and educational programs to these regions to ensure access for all members.

To help prevent confusion about event locations and registrations, we’ve decided to divide our expanded area into three regions: North, Southwest, and Southeast, as shown in the map below. Additionally, we will refer to office locations as a defining factor, rather than regions. The Nittany Valley office will now be called the Howard office, the main office will be known as the Manheim office, and the government affairs office will be designated as the Harrisburg office.

We’ve already held our winter wake-up meetings in each of the three regions, and we have numerous events scheduled throughout the entire area. Members are welcome to attend events in any region, and we encourage everyone to connect with members across the chapter’s footprint. The success of the Keystone Chapter over the past 65 years has been built on strong member engagement, and we believe this new approach will further enhance the experience for all our members.