Miss Faberge aka Carol A. Zielinski, owner and operator of Faberge Follies Dance ’n' Tumble has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce Athena Award, sponsored by Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton.

 

Miss Faberge opened the doors to her studio located in downtown Hazleton 33 years ago. Her love of dance from a young age quickly translated to opening and operating the studio. She has been nationally published in Dance Teacher magazine and also expanded into a retail boutique, The Diva Dancewear Boutique which was opened for the ease of area creatives to find all that they needed locally. Always an innovator with a heart to match her skills, she is now working on an online presence “ The Faberge Way” to share her 33 years as a business owner, performer, and dancer with so many others.

 

Community service is a key component of the Athena Award. Miss Faberge's core philosophy is “ never to say no when asked” and she has generously shared her talents and special brand of enthusiasm with so many organizations in the Greater Hazleton area. Her studio has been front and center for Santa and Easter Bunny events, the Chamber annual meeting, Drums fall festival, American Cancer Society Ball, Valley Day, working with scouts on badge requirements, and the Philharmonic Sounds of the Season holiday show. She launched and coordinated “The Make Someone Happy” tour of all the senior centers and nursing homes. This tour welcomes not only dance students but anyone wanting to share their talents for the benefit of seniors in our area. Her spirit, creative passion and talents make each and every occurrence better for having her touch.

 

 

An internationally recognized award, The ATHENA FOUNDATION and the awardees are invested in the work of mentoring the next generation of leaders. Miss Faberge has always stated that “my students are my credentials.” She immerses her students in a culture that expects excellence, accountability, self-reliance and consistency and the success follows. Her application included many testimonials about her impact on students lives, well outside of the sphere of dance, to become the best version of themselves. Miss Faberge is currently teaching the second generation of students whose parents want to ensure that their children are exposed to such an extraordinary mentor. Miss Faberge's understanding of these important life skills expands well beyond the walls of the studio by sharing skills at Hazleton Integration Project, local schools and local Girl Scout troops.

 

 

Miss Faberge is a proud West Hazleton native, graduating top 10 in her high school class while also attending the prestigious Governors School for the Arts. She then earned a marketing degree from King's College. After a brief time sharing her talents in other parts of the United States, she came home to NEPA in 1989. She has been laser focused on her business and the mission to develop not only the dancer but the person in a complete package.

 

The Athena Award, presented each year to a Hazleton area businesswoman for "outstanding professional achievement," will be presented at the 130^th Annual Meeting and Business Expo of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, May 19^th at Capriotti's starting at 5 pm. We are happy to have Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton as a sponsor of this year’s award. Terry Purcell, President, noted, “The hospital is proud to sponsor the Hazleton Chamber award and continue the recognition of female leaders making a difference in their profession and the Greater Hazleton area.”

 

Purcell also appreciates mentorship being that a key component of the award criteria is mentorship. “Building the next generation of leaders in our area is critical for success,” he noted. “Miss Faberge's impact has grown and expanded to the second generation of Miss Faberge Girls and helps so many in our area.”

 

Miss Faberge joins a long list of distinguished women who have won the Athena Award in its 34-year history. Past winners include: Lillian Paternoster (1986); Lorraine Piehota (1987); Donna Jean Yannuzzi (1988); Mary Bollman (1989); Patricia Werner-Savage (1990); Theresa Raffety (1991); Martha Herron (1992); Jo-Ann Yannuzzi (1994); Ruth Wimsat (1996); Molly Blasko (1997); Bettie Sitoski (1998); Linda Schreiber (1999); Cathy Gallagher (2000);Mary Jane Saras (2001); Attorney Sharon Evans (2002); Dr. Geraldine Shepperson (2003); Mary R. Malone (2004); Attorney Elizabeth Maguschak (2005); Jennifer Sloot (2006);Paula Sagan Hahn (2007); Lonnie Polli (2008); Terry Moran Bauder (2009), Dr. Deb Carr (2010); Nancy Stasko (2011); Jeannine Lesante Mazurkiwecz (2012); Kathleen Benyo (2013); Donna Palermo (2014); Elaine Judd (2015); Jane Danish (2016); Carla M. Thaller (2017), 2018 Krista L. Schneider (2018); Donna M. Barna (for 2019) Representative Tarah Toohil (2020) and Kelly King (2021) There were no recipients chosen in 1993 and 1995.

 

The award will be presented during the program portion of the 130^th Annual Meeting and Business Expo, the Chamber’s largest event of the year. There are opportunities to take part in the Business Expo as well as the opportunity to attend the premiere business event of the year. If you are interested, please connect with Leann Fallabel, Chamber Vice President of Marketing, at or by calling the Chamber office at 570-455-1509.

 

CAPTION: Miss Faberge Carol A. Zielinski, center, is the recipient of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce's 2022 Athena Award. Also pictured are, from left, Jane Danish and Terry Purcell of Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton, which sponsors the award.