As the new executive director of Venture Lititz, Sam Thrush knows his job is not to introduce new life into Lititz's downtown business district. Thrush has been tasked with the assignment of injecting fresh energy - his energy - into the already vibrant downtown area.

"When you walk around Lititz, there are a couple of unique properties we're looking to assist our partners with," said Thrush. "When you look at Main Street and Broad Street, the buildings are amazing. We want to sustain and strengthen the core of Lititz. The question becomes, 'How do we continue to move it forward?' When you consider all the businesses and the residential homeowners, it's a huge audience that Venture Lititz gets to be a part of every single day."

A sincere extrovert with serious organizational and communication skills, Thrush was officially hired as Venture Lititz's next executive director on Dec. 8. He replaces Emily Allen.

Venture Lititz is an organization that intends to draw people to Lititz, to support the merchants of the downtown and to advocate for the general health of the community overall.

"I'm definitely a people person," said Thrush. "Executive directors have different skill sets. I try to bring everybody together and try to move the ball forward. It's also about developing relationships and helping strengthen everything in the borough."

Before coming to Venture Lititz, Thrush served in a similar role as the president of Downtown Chambersburg Inc. for eight years. In his new role, Thrush's efforts will be supported by administrative assistant Alyssa Diehm and Venture Lititz's 11-member board of directors.

"We had different types of successes, from business recruitment to problem solving," said Thrush of his time in the Chambersburg business community. "During my time there, we did a lot of different things, including events."

"This is a new and fresh opportunity," continued Thrush. "It's about new friendships and continued growth. My wife and I both have extended families living in northern Lancaster County. It's continuing to develop new connections, not only for myself, but also for my wife. I'm looking forward to getting my family connected."

Currently, there are nearly 60 financial ventures doing business in downtown Lititz. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people visit the locale's shopping district each year.

"People come to Lititz to feel the love that shop owners display every single day, through both the products they sell and the customer service they provide," said Thrush. "That's a vibe. That's a great feeling. It's that sense of community pride. The people in downtown Lititz are fighting apathy."

"Everybody I've been interacting with has been smiling," Thrush continued. "Everybody wants what's best for the community and the people. I'm looking forward to continuing the support for the community and sharing my love for this community."

A Main Street America accredited program, Venture Lititz was founded in 2006. The organization draws visitors to the borough through five annual events, including the popular Fire and Ice Festival in the middle of February.

"From a downtown health perspective, Lititz, as a whole, is in great shape," said Thrush. "There are some exciting opportunities coming up in Lititz, and I'm looking forward to assisting the community with those. I'm just stoked to be part of the team. This organization has amazing relationships with many partners, including business owners."

A graduate of Chambersburg High School, Thrush studied geography and land use at Shippensburg University.

"I enjoy meeting new people for the betterment of the community," said Thrush. "Lititz is proud and people care about the community. There are a lot of walkers, there are a lot of shoppers, there's a lot of car traffic. The community is healthy, and there are opportunities for Venture Lititz to be a part of that. We're really looking forward to continuing to strengthen the business district."

For additional information, go to https://lititzpa.com.