Hot Topics Luncheons

HOT TOPICS LUNCHEONS

Our Hot Topics Luncheons provide discussions with a wide range of noteworthy local people about issues affecting our community. The cost of lunch is $18, although you may attend without purchasing lunch. Please pre-register for our luncheons on our events calendar. Note that our Hot Topics Luncheons have a NEW location this year:

Meet us at the Madeline’s Restaurant at 11:30am

1250 Turnstone Drive, Fogelsville, PA

CURRENT SEASON’S HOT TOPICS LUNCHEONS

2022

  • September 12, Mary Hammond Lilley-Thompson (Author and Humarist) will present “Lighten Up and Let Go.”
  • October 10, Matt Tuerk (Mayor of Allentown) will present “The State of the City of Allentown.”
  • November 14, Phillips Armstrong (Lehigh County Executive) will present “The State of the County.”
  • December 12, Chris Borick (Professor at Muhlenberg College) will present “Election Trends.”

2023

  • January 9, Lin Erickson (CEO of the DaVinci Science Center) will present “Building a Community-Based Science Center for the Lehigh Valley.”
  • February 13, Amanda Share (CEO of the Lehigh Valley Zoo) will present “News from the Zoo.”
  • March 13, Darian Colbert (Executive Director of the Cohesion Network) and Yolanda Colbert (Director of Operations of the Cohesion Network) will present “The Amazing Work of the Cohesion Network.”
  • April 10, Rachel Hogan (Executive Director of the Nurture Nature Center) will present “The Environment and the Lehigh Valley – Concerns and Successes.”

PREVIOUS SEASON’S HOT TOPICS LUNCHEONS

2022

  • January 10, Professor Chris Borick (Muhlenberg College) will present “Election Trends.” A recording of the meeting can be viewed here.
  • February 14, Shannon Scoble (Member of the Allentown EMS) and Bill Stauffer (Director of the PA Recovery Organization Alliance Pro-A) will present “Addressing the Drug Issue in the Lehigh Valley” and “What are We Doing Locally and Statewide to Help People Suffering from these Disorders.” A recording of the meeting can be viewed here.
  • March 14, Leah Purdy (Regulatory Specialist for Resource Environmental Solutions) will present “Habitat Creation for Native Beneficial Insects.” A recording of the meeting can be viewed here.
  • April 11, Bob Elbich (Lehigh County Commissioner-At-Large) will present “Massive Shale Gas Transport Through Lehigh County – Public Safety Risks.”

2021

  • September 13, Amanda Owen (Executive Director of the Justice Bell Foundation) presented “The History of the Justice Bell.” Click here for a preview of the Justice Bell documentary.
  • October 11, Dawn Godshall (Executive Director of CACLV) presented “The Extensive Projects of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley.”
  • November 8, Phil Armstrong (Lehigh County Executive) presented “State of the County 2021-2022.”
  • December 13, Catherine Kessack (Executive Director VAST) presented “An Introduction to the Work of the Valley Against Sex Trafficking (VAST) Organization.”

Recordings of the Hot Topics Events listed below are available for viewing on YouTube.

2021

January, “State of the County & Impact of COVID-19,” Phillips Armstrong, Lehigh County Executive

February, “The Street Medicine Program of LVHN,” Nani M. Cuadrado, Program Director
Our organization sent a gift card to Valley Health Partners.  We received a thank you letter.

March, “Climate Change: Opinion and Policy,” Chris Borick, Ph.D. Muhlenberg College

April, “TerraCycle – Eliminating the Idea of Waste®,” Maame Mensah, US Account Director, Brand Partnerships, TerraCycle US, LLC

2020

September, “You’ll Miss Us When We’re Gone,” Bill White, The Morning Call columnist/blogger 

October, “Can We End Gerrymandering – What is Next for Pennsylvania?” Mary Erdman, LWVLC, Vice-President, Programs and Action

November, “The Allentown Health Department – from Environmental Health Services to Covid-19”,
Vicky Kistler, Director of the City of Allentown Health Department

December, “Election Trends,” Chris Borick, Ph.D., Muhlenberg College