It is bittersweet news to share that our most faithful good steward of Market, Valerie Moul, Chair of the Central Market Trust, will be retiring at the close of this month. Valerie, your good stewardship of Market has been nothing short of awe-inspiring; thank you. Market friends, please take a moment to read Valerie’s final letter to the Market community!
Brenda Buescher first stepped foot in Market five years ago. Hailing from New England, her husband was interviewing for a position in Lancaster, and luckily, their recruiter brought them to visit Market as part of their tour.
She remembers thinking, “I just thought this was the best thing.”
With a background in public health and a passion for healthful living, it came with little surprise when Brenda continued to share, “It was actually one of the things that sold me on coming here.” Her passion extends, as well, to her professional life as the Coordinator for Lighten Up Lancaster, a County-wide coalition dedicated to advocating for physical activity and healthy eating.
After settling into a new life in Lancaster, she quickly became a Market regular, shopping multiple times each week, getting to know Standholders, and basking in the variety that Market had to offer.
“I really just love food a lot,” she chuckled. “Here at Market, I love that you can come and get pretty much everything you need. I do focus on fresh, whole foods, which can be challenging, but here, for the most part, it makes it pretty easy to stick to what my plan is.”
And in addition to her appreciation for having access to a nice farmers market, she grasped a unique aspect of Market when she said, “I also just like the vibe of it. It is literally and figuratively the center of town, right where the four corners meet.”
The intersection of fresh, local foods and the community-centric nature of Market made the Central Market Trust a natural fit for a Lighten Up Lancaster representative, a role Brenda initially inherited from her Lighten Up Lancaster predecessor, and was pleased to fill. As time went on, she transitioned into the role of Vice Chair, and now continues to grow into the role of Chair of the Trust.
“It’s a good group of people to lead,” she shared enthusiastically, yet humbly, of the Trust.
Leading that good group of people will include the development of a new strategic plan, with a keen eye on continuing the leaps-and-bounds momentum for Market that the Trust has established – and proudly continues to facilitate – since its inception under its most recent leadership.
Of her favorite Market moment, Brenda fondly recalled the initial slate signings that took place in 2016 to raise funds for the new roof atop the Market House, “Just having people signing slates with the stories they had to tell, people think of Market as a place that is part of their memories of living here.”
Whether that place for you is purely for fresh food, a community space that sits in the heart of the Lancaster, or something uniquely in between, we are confident that Brenda will lead the Trust in a way that continues to help facilitate the Market stories of everyone.
