HONESDALE, PA — The Wayne Commissioners and the Pocono Mountain Vacation Bureau (PMVB) shelled out more than $35,000 for the tourism promotional work done by the area’s non-profits.

These folks put together concerts and art exhibits, run museums and historical societies and make tour destinations from creative businesses. They help fill the resorts, restaurants, service businesses and other commercial vacation destinations in Wayne and neighboring counties.

A portion of the hotel room tax goes to these groups and agencies annually. Last December, eligible groups were invited to apply for the program. Awards are aimed at groups and programs that can inspire overnight stays. This year, 15 awards of Tourism Project Allocations totaling $35,588 were made on February 14, and several more award announcements are expected in the near future.

So far, the winners, the amounts and the projects to be funded include:

• Cooperage Project, $2,500 for a major event promotion

• Creative Art’s Council, $2,200 for the 2019 summer concert series

• Dorflinger Factory Museum, $2,000 for the 2019 Local History Passport

• Dorflinger Sanctuary, $3,225 for the Wildflower Music Festival

• Equinunk Historical Society, $2,000 for event marketing

• Lacawac Sanctuary, $1,950 for rack cards and guidebooks

• NEPA Maple Producers, $2,500 for the 2019 Maple Tour

• Pleasant Mt. Community Center, $1,500 for July 4 activities

• Rail Trail Council of NEPA, $1,813 for the Trail Head Interpretive Sign

• Ritz Theater – Company Players, $3,000 for event marketing

• Roots & Rhythm, $5,000 for event marketing

SEEDS, $900 for a fall farm tour

• Wayne County Arts Alliance, $2,000 for 2019 artists studio tour

• Wayne County Historical Society, $2,500 for the 2019 Canal Festival

• Women’s Club of Honesdale, $2,500 for the July 2019 Antique Show

In other business at their meeting, the commissioners received $185,113 to assist with funding some of the county’s E911 expenses. Those include $13,000 for maintenance of the direct fiber connection to Pike County, and about $31,000 for the computer aided-dispatch (CAD) system maintenance.

Further, they approved a letter of support for the Wayne County Historical Society’s PA Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) grant at the Lock 31 House Park.