In 2000, the Women's Rural Entrepreneurial Network (WREN) relocated to Bethlehem, purchasing property and developing a facility that now serves as a community, cultural and economic hub for the region. Within this facility WREN created a public access Technology Center and launched Ovation!, a WREN-owned retail store featuring products from more than 15,025 members and The Gallery at WREN, a showcase and selling point for regional artists.

These market access points have generated $512,000 in sales with 60 percent going directly to 150 members. WREN has also provided resources and leadership for a number of revitalization initiatives that have energized Bethlehem's economic development and has initiated a number of locally focused projects, including a series of community-wide meetings of business owners, civic leaders and residents to envision Bethlehem's revival; creating and distributing a Bethlehem marketing CD and print brochure; and an innovative, original art street banner project driven by artists and volunteers.

WREN's work and model-success in creating a rural economic development strategy based on entrepreneurship as well as efforts to build and "brand" Bethlehem's creative economy-have drawn considerable interest. WREN regularly shares "lessons learned" with other rural economic development practitioners across the country through conference presentations and consulting.

For more information, visit www.wrencommunity.org.