Write a commentA former member of the Greater Oswego-Fulton Chamber of Commerce has now joined the Integrated Community Planning’s (ICP) Tobacco-Free Network of CNY as a tobacco-free community specialist.
Jacqueline Thorpe, who was the membership services associate at the chamber for over 3 years, is now committed to helping teens and adults adapt a tobacco-free life.
“I will be focusing on reducing the impact of retail tobacco marketing on youth, establishing tobacco-free community norms through tobacco-free outdoor air policies, and reducing second hand smoke exposure through smoke free housing policies; among other things,” Thorpe said in an email interview. “One project in particular I am thrilled to be involved with is Smoke Free for My Baby & Me, which empowers and supports pregnant and postpartum women through the process of smoking cessation.”
Although Thorpe is now thrilled to work for ICP’s Tobacco-Free Network, she faced challenges and hurdles throughout her career at the chamber which allowed her to truly appreciate the journey.
“One of the issues the chamber faces and will continue to face is the ever-changing needs of businesses today,” Thorpe said. “The chamber is a vital component to the success of the economy and surrounding communities. During my time at the chamber, I focused heavily on the member relationship. I like to think that being involved in the community and being willing to have those conversations assisted the chamber in being successful. If we cannot talk about it, we cannot fix it. I will always be grateful for my experience at the chamber. ”
A small town girl from Palmyra, N.Y., Thorpe is very familiar with the importance of communicating with members of the community. After moving to Oswego in 2003 to pursue a degree at SUNY Oswego, Thorpe fell in love with Oswego.
And thus, began her love for community building.
“I was quite awe struck by the city,” she said. “In fact, I recall feeling quite proud of myself when I drove through the city for the first time and properly navigated the forks in the road.”
Thorpe lived in Oswego for four years and graduated from SUNY Oswego in 2007. After graduation, Thorpe worked at an HSBC Bank in Baldwinsville as its customer service representative; she continued to work throughout the Syracuse area for the next 4 years.
She then found her way back to Oswego to work for the chamber. In the same year, she married her husband Arron Thorpe, whom she met in college, and started a family of her own.
“As of late I am a relatively new mother,” she said. “My daughter, Lillian is 14 months old now and she is such a blessing to me. My husband also has two older children, Bella (13) and Alex (12). My greatest accomplishments thus far are being a wife and a mother. I cannot imagine my life without my family.”
Now, Thorpe is gracefully dedicating her time at ICP’s Tobacco-Free Network to help better the community.
“Our communities are our own, we as the members have to put in the hard work and the infrastructure to shape them into the beautiful works they have the potential to be,” she said. “I look forward to being a part of this process.”
