In a collaborative effort, Audubon Community Nature Center and the Chambers of Commerce in Chautauqua and Warren counties will hold a joint Business After Hours event March 20. Pictured from left are Jenny Phillips, Warren Worx marketing director; Dan Heitzenrater, CHQ Chamber president and CEO; Staunzie Grady, CHQ Chamber director of events; Leigh Rovegno, Audubon Community Nature Center executive director; John Papalia, Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry vice president; Caroline Johnson, administrative assistant for the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry; Bob Lingle, CHQ Chamber director of member development; and Sheila Webster, CHQ Chamber director of marketing, communication and governmental affairs.

Audubon Community Nature Center, located at 1600 Riverside Road, Jamestown, will host the CHQ Chamber and the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry in a collaborative Business After Hours Event, on Thursday, March 20, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

This event will be a preview for Audubon Lights, which kicks off its three-weekend run the following evening. Audubon Lights features a half mile-long trail of lights after sunset including luminaries on the trail edges, illuminated trees, and special light displays at various points along the trail.

“Business doesn’t end at a line on a map, exemplified by Audubon Community Nature Center which serves communities across state lines and draws visitors and volunteers from both Chautauqua and Warren counties,” said Daniel Heitzenrater, CHQ Chamber president and \CEO. “Audubon’s Executive Director Leigh Rovegno introduced John Papalia, the Warren Chamber Vice President, and I last year. A short time later we got our Chamber teams together to share ideas and wanted to collaborate more in the future. We’re very excited to jointly host this unique networking opportunity, previewing Audubon Lights and offering a chance to grow your business circle to our neighbors in Warren, Pa.”

The public is welcome to attend the networking event, which will include complimentary appetizers and beverages, with tip proceeds to benefit the Audubon Community Nature Center’s mission of connecting people to nature. Bring business cards for networking and door prize drawings. CHQ Chamber member organizations can send two people free of charge to all Business After Hours events. Non-members or anyone above the two-person limit will be $10. Registration for CHQ Chamber members is open online now through the Chamber’s web calendar at www.chqchamber.org.

Members of the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry should email Savannah Casey at szimmerman@wccbi.org to register free of charge.

“This collaborative event with the CHQ Chamber demonstrates the power of regional partnerships,” said Savannah Casey, director of operations for the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry. “By joining forces, we’re not only expanding our reach to a larger audience of businesses but also fostering stronger connections within our broader regional economy. This collaboration benefits both our members and the communities we serve.”

Business After Hours at Audubon Community Nature Center is sponsored by Anchor Advisors, DFT Communications, Jamestown Community College, Kinetic Business, Media One Radio Group, Northwest, Observer, The Post-Journal, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Superior Tire & Rubber Corp., United Refining Company, and Whirley DrinkWorks!

The CHQ Chamber provides a “Who’s Who in the Room” list for networking convenience during its Business After Hours events. Advanced registration by March 14 isn’t required but is appreciated for planning purposes.

“Audubon is unique in that it is involved with both Chautauqua and Warren counties due to its location which is directly in between Jamestown and Warren,” said Leigh Rovegno, Audubon executive director. “I often find myself sitting in on meetings and thinking ‘Wow, we are all doing so many incredible things…how can we collaborate across county/state lines to do even more?'”