Just a couple of weeks ago, we announced the volunteers we will be honoring at our annual A Taste of Vineland & Volunteer Recognition Event on Wednesday, October 25 from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Greenview Inn at Eastlyn Golf Course. 4049 Italia Ave., Vineland. Many of Vineland’s finest restaurants will be offering samples of their signature dishes. We’ll also be recognizing some Main Street Vineland volunteers and partners who have contributed greatly to the work of our organization. This week’s column features our Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Future columns will feature Volunteer of the Year, Carl Hemple, and our Community Partner of the Year, the Downtown (Landis Avenue) Public Works crew.
Last year, we chose to posthumously honor Samuel L. Levy with a Lifetime Achievement Award, which we named in his honor. This award is intended to recognize, when appropriate, someone who has gone above and beyond in their support of Main Street Vineland for many years. Our committee and board of directors came to the unanimous decision that a most worthy recipient this year is Sandra (Sandy) Forosisky. Sandy has been supporting Main Street Vineland since its inception. Her tireless efforts and support continue to allow us to carry out the missions and visions of the Vineland Downtown Improvement District.
Sandy started her career in economic development as associate director of the Cumberland Empowerment Zone and later assumed the role of executive director. The Vineland downtown was included within the Empowerment Zone boundaries and she became active in its redevelopment. She was also part of the team applying for Main Street designation for the Vineland downtown. Redevelopment of the downtown became a priority for Vineland in 2006 and Sandy was recruited for the newly created position of director of Redevelopment. In this capacity, she was very involved with the Main Street approach and was a volunteer for all four committees. She was very active in all the downtown festivals and she and her husband still volunteer to start the Holiday Parade each year.
Sandy coordinated and continues to coordinate all the downtown redevelopment initiatives including the Façade Improvement Program, Landis Theater renovations, the creation of the Landis Marketplace, and the development of Landis Senior Housing. She subsequently assumed the position of director of Economic and Industrial Development, which includes Redevelopment, and oversees the Department of Community Development. In her position she also serves as the UEZ coordinator and the executive director of the Vineland Development Corporation. She oversees all UEZ funding for the VDID and marketing. She is currently coordinating the repurposing of the Landis Marketplace into a film studio for Weekly World News and the construction of a new building to house a microbrewery in the downtown in addition to Project Beautify, a new property improvement grant for UEZ businesses.
Sandy received a BA in mathematics and economics from Rutgers University and an MBA from Drexel University concentrating in marketing analysis. She also sits on the board of the South Jersey Economic Development District and the Cumberland County Economic Development Board.
Tickets are now available for sale and additional sponsorship opportunities are available as well as ad space in the event program book. More information at theave.biz/events/taste-of-vineland
