Weekly Chamber Update as heard on WNEG AM 630 every Thursday at 6:45am, 12:45pm and 5:45pm. 

Thursday 4-26-12

Hello this is Wendi Bailey your Toccoa Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President with your Weekly Chamber Update! 

Today is the Annual Drugs Don’t Work conference with speaker Adam Raulerson, of Laurelwood at the NEGA Health System.  This conference satisfies the training requirement for businesses to maintain their drug free certification.  It also serves to recruit more businesses - to become certified drug free - and realize the 7.5% savings on the Worker’s Compensation premiums.  If you would like to learn more on how your business can become a certified drug free workplace please call the Chamber today!

I have a few announcements for you:

NEXT WEDNESDAY is the North Georgia Credit Union, Chamber Challenge Golf Tournament! There's probably no better place in the world to conduct business than on the golf course.  The tournament is all filled up but there is still time to promote your business with a hole sign on the tee box. It’s a great way to market your business to both Franklin and Stephens Counties! Don’t miss it! Call 706-886-2132 today!

NEXT THURSDAY May 3^rd is a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Reynold’s Pool & Spa at 10am at their new location on Big A Road next to Mike’s Pizza. Come meet Rich, Aida and Heather Reynolds and hear all about their new business operation.     

Finally, the Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony with Key Note Speaker, the State Attorney General, Sam Olens is Tuesday May 8^th.  This is an opportunity to celebrate the Chamber’s successes, recognize our outstanding board members, Ambassadors and businesses, and install our new slate of officers including our new Chairman Lee Ellen Fields of Johnson and Fields, CPA’s.   

The chamber is the leading, private business association in our community.  The Welcome Center distributes maps and information to over 15,000 visitors each year.  Don’t miss the opportunity to advertise in the latest edition of county the map – 5,000 maps will be ordered this spring.  It is an excellent way to promote your business and to promote Buying Local!

That’s your weekly Update. I’m Wendi Bailey your Toccoa Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President. 

GOLDEN DAMIVERSITY CELEBRATION

LAKE HARTWELL MARKETING ALLIANCE

CONTACT:  Larry Torrence, 706-436-0166

                  

Lake Hartwell’s 50^th Anniversary Traveling History Exhibit to Open April 27

Hartwell, Ga. - Stunning images, historical photos and a remarkable look at Lake Hartwell’s last 50 years will be on display at the history exhibit – “Once Upon A Dam: A Golden Retrospective.”  The one-of-a-kind exhibit will open April 27 and run through May 28 at the Hart County Arts Center.

The traveling exhibit will visit all six counties that border Lake Hartwell (Anderson, Oconee, Pickens Counties in South Carolina and Franklin, Hart, Stephens Counties in Georgia).  Each county will stage and the historical exhibit for four to five weeks.

The organizing group known as the Hartwell 50^th Anniversary Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance Traveling Exhibit Committee has been working for months with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and local area residents to select images of high quality that tell a complete story of Lake Hartwell’s dynamic growth, impact and emotion.  Committee organizer James Payne, the supervisory power project manager for the corps at the Hartwell Project power plant said, “There were so many we like; we had to stop somewhere. The traveling tour will be a remarkable history lesson for many and an emotional memory experience for others.  There’s never been anything quite like this in the six county Lake Hartwell area.”

All exhibits will be at sites that are open to the public and each county will also add local images to the already large display.  All exhibits are free admission.

Larry Torrence, executive director of the Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance, said that this series of exhibits is an outstanding example of a multi-county community outreach program.  “This event is a product of hard work by so many helpful volunteers.  It represents a powerful visual of Lake Hartwell’s impact on all of us.”

Hart Electric Membership Cooperative donated $8,600 to develop the exhibit and other private supporters include Hartwell-based Docks South.

“Once Upon A Dam: A Golden Retrospective” is a part of a series of special Lake Hartwell 50^th Anniversary celebration events called “The Golden Damiversity” and is presented in association with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance.

“Once Upon A Dam: A Golden Retrospective” traveling history tour will include the following dates and locations:

            April 27 – May 28       Hart County Arts Center        Hartwell, GA.

            June 7 – July 4            Anderson County Museum     Anderson, SC

            July 5 – August 6        Pickens Courthouse                Pickens, SC

August 10 – September 8       Bowers House             Cannon, GA

October 1 – November 5        The Cornerstone Restaurant Toccoa, GA      

November 6 – December 7     Oconee County (Location TBD)

NOTE:  Lake Hartwell outdoor adventure visitor destination is marketed by the non-profit Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance (LHMA).  LHMA consists of 200 board members that represent all surrounding counties, an executive committee and an executive director sharing a common mission:  Create economic development by uniting, marketing and promoting Lake Hartwell as a premier tourism destination.  LHMA will generate responsible marketing communications through the assistance of public and private funding.

WNEG AM 630 Weekly Chamber Update

Hello this is Wendi Bailey your Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President with your Weekly Chamber Update.

You are invited to visit with Senator John Wilkinson and Representative Michael Harden this Friday April 20^th at 8am in the Mitchell Allen meeting room, at the train depot, downtown Toccoa.

The Senator and Representative will provide updates on the top issues, challenges, concerns and successes during the session and they will take questions and comments from the audience.

The event will be moderated by the Chamber Government Affairs Committee and is sponsored in part by AT&T. The Government Affairs Committee includes Lee Hicks, MC Stowe, Jack Webb, Brain Akin and Michelle Grafton. Coffee by Perk Up and pastries by Heavenly Desserts will be served. Please RSVP by calling the Chamber at 706-886-2132.

I have a few announcements for you:

FIRST – the Annual Drugs Don’t Work conference is Thursday April 26^th with speaker Adam Raulerson, of Laurelwood. This conference satisfies the training requirement for businesses to maintain their drug free certification. It also serves to recruit more businesses - to become certified drug free - and realize the 7.5% savings on the Worker’s Compensation premiums. Call the Chamber today to learn more.

SECOND - There's probably no better place in the world to conduct business - than on the golf course. And if you’re not a golfer you can still promote your business with a hole sign on the tee box. The NGCU Chamber Challenge is Wednesday May 2^nd at the Currahee Club. Don’t miss it!

THIRD - The Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony with Attorney General, Sam Olens is Tuesday May 8^th. The deadline for award nominations is this Friday. Call or come by to submit your nomination today.

Finally – There is a Business After Hours, for Currahee Vineyards, at 5pm at the Cornerstone Restaurant. Come meet Ashley and Marvin Dunson and hear all about their operation. Their Ribbon Cutting will be this Friday at 3pm at their location on Cawthon Rd.

The chamber is the leading, private business association. The Welcome Center distributes maps and information to over 15,000 visitors each year. Don’t miss the opportunity to advertise in the latest edition of county the map - an excellent way to promote Buying Local!

That’s your weekly Update. I’m Wendi Bailey your Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President.