Weekly Chamber Update

Weekly Chamber Update

April 10, 2013

Hello this is Wendi Bailey, your T-SC CoC President with your Weekly Chamber Update.

Please save the date for the Post Legislative Session Coffee on April 19^th, sponsored by Patterson Pump.  Senator John Wilkinson and Representative Dan Gasaway will share first hand information from the 2013 legislative session on Friday morning, April 19^th from 8am to 9:30am in the Mitchell Allen Room.

Please support your community and legislators by - coming out to hear - what took place in the 2013 session - that will affect all of us. This is just another way the Chamber helps you get involved, engaged and have a “voice” in developing our community.   

You will enjoy coffee and Finnegan’s baked goods while participating in a question and answer session with our legislators. Please RSVP by calling 706-886-2132.

I have a few announcements for you today:

Today at 5pm is a Business-After-Hours with Rebekah Harris and Spa & Salon Anastasia at her location on Doyle street in Downtown Toccoa. The Jack Pot drawing is at 5:30 and it’s up to $100. You must be present to win. 

Next Thursday at 11am is the Ribbon Cutting for Rose Lane Bowling. That afternoon at 4:30 is a Ribbon Cutting and Building Dedication for the William and Patricia Timms Hall at Toccoa Falls College.

Also, next Thursday the Chamber’s Education Committee is hosting the Annual Stephens Scholars Reception sponsored by the Toccoa Clinic. Congratulations go out to the Stephens County high school seniors with outstanding test scores on the SAT, ACT and ASSET tests.  Each student will receive a Certificate of Achievement Award, a Resolution from the Georgia Senate and a Resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives. Congratulations again to the 2013 Stephens Scholars and their families. 

Finally, the Keep Toccoa Stephens County Beautiful - Clean Community Competition is going strong!  This is a community wide movement and mind shift. There are 21 cleaning teams competing to clean up every inch of our community. Call us and we’ll organize a team to pick up  trash, tires and even junk cars.    

Your Chamber celebrates all Community Progress by posting positive stories on the web site at www.toccoagachamber.com under the “Good News” tab.  So when you need to be uplifted just visit the web site and take a look at all our community has accomplished. 

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

Weekly Chamber Update April 4, 2013

Weekly Chamber Update

Hello this is Wendi Bailey, your T-SC CoC President with your Weekly Chamber Update.

Your Chamber helps businesses save money by encouraging them to become certified drug free workplaces. Businesses who are certified drug free get 7.5% savings on Workers Compensation premiums.  

The Chamber is inviting local human resource managers and businesses to a conference to learn more about being,-  or becoming certified Drug Free. This year’s Drugs Don’t Work conference is Wednesday April 10^th, from 11am to 1pm at the North Georgia Technical College Currahee Campus. The fee is $10 for chamber members and $20 from non members and includes lunch and the program.

Major Andy Myers, the Chief Deputy of the Stephens County Sheriff’s office is our speaker. Participants will learn about how to identify drug use in the workplace, hear updates on drug use in our area and about the different agencies and operations working together to address the issues; learn about the local drug testing facilities and local employee assistance programs. This conference will satisfy the training requirements for Drugs Don’t Work re-certification.

Please call the Chamber to reserve your spot at 706-886-2132.

I have a few announcements for you today:

Today at 10am is a Ribbon Cutting celebration for Rebekah Harris and Spa & Salon Anastasia at her location on Doyle street in Downtown Toccoa.

After work Today from 5pm to 6:30pm is the Business After Hours & Business Plan Competition EXPO for the 4 entrepreneurs in the challenge. The event will be held in the newly remodeled Development Authority offices on Doyle street.

Each will have a booth to showcase their business ideas:  The LAN - is the home of the fast, friendly and affordable resolution of your computer problems. The Dance Studio - provides the finest in dance education with a professional faculty and atmosphere - which encourages growth and development of skill, poise and self confidence. Currahee Outdoors – is a full service archery and firearms dealer that can perform any type of maintenance or tuning your hunting or target bow. Expert gunsmithing is also available. And Steph’s Photography - gets the best images – everything from humanitarian and senior portraitures to location shots and photo tours - Steph's Photography does it all!

Finally, the Keep Toccoa Stephens County Beautiful - Clean Community Competition is going strong!  This is a community wide movement. There are 21 cleaning teams competing to clean up every inch of our community. Call us and we’ll organize a team to pick up your trash, tires and junk cars.        

Your Chamber celebrates all Community Progress by posting GOOD NEWS stories on the web site at www.toccoagachamber.com under the “Accomplishments” tab.  So when you need to be uplifted just visit the web site and take a look at all our community has accomplished. 

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

Weekly Chamber Update, March 28, 2013

Hello this is Wendi Bailey, your T-SC CoC President with your Weekly Chamber Update.

Your Chamber helps businesses save money by assisting them to become certified drug free workplaces. Businesses who are certified drug free get 7.5% savings on Workers Compensation premiums.  

Every year the Chamber invites all local businesses, (those already certified drug free and those wanting to become certified drug free) to a Drugs Don’t Work conference. We invite the local Human Resource Managers to attend the conference as their regular monthly meeting. You are all invited to participate and learn more. 

This year’s Drugs Don’t Work conference is set for Wednesday April 10^th, from 11am to 1pm at the NGTC Currahee Campus. The fee is $10 for chamber members and $20 from non members and includes lunch and the program.

Our speaker is Major Andy Myers, the Chief Deputy of the Stephens County Sheriff’s office. Participants will learn about how to identify drug use in the workplace, hear updates about drug use in our area and the different agencies and operations to diminish it; learn about the local drug testing facilities and local employee assistance programs. This conference will also satisfy the training requirements for Drugs Don’t Work recertification. For more information and to RSVP please call your chamber at 706-886-2132.

I have a few announcements for you today:

Next Thursday April 4^th at 10am is a Ribbon Cutting celebration for Rebekah Harris and Spa & Salon Anastasia at her location on Doyle street in Downtown Toccoa.

Finally, the Keep Toccoa Stephens County Beautiful Clean Community Competition is well underway. The Chamber has a team and invites you join us and help us pick up trash and tires and even junk cars. Other spring cleaning activities that get points include painting and yard work. Call the Chamber and join our team.       

Your Chamber celebrates all Community Progress by posting GOOD News stories on the web site at www.toccoagachamber.com under the “Accomplishments” tab.  So when you need to be uplifted just visit the web site and take a look at all our community has accomplished. 

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

WNEG AM 630 Weekly Chamber Update

Hello this is Wendi Bailey, your T-SC CoC President with your Weekly Chamber Update.

Back in September the Toccoa-Stephens County Tomorrow Visioning Committee conducted a “Community Input” meeting where participants ranked the top ten community issues, in the order of which issue should be addressed first. The results were #1. Economic Development; #2. Land Use and #3. Leadership.

Congratulations goes out to the Land Use Regulation Committee for their hard work in moving our community forward, and further than we've ever been before.  We support them and believe a Land Use Regulation Plan will enhance local economic development and protect our community from another undesirable business locating in Stephens County. 

Please plan to attend the County Commission meeting next Tuesday the 26^th at 5:30pm the historic court house. Get involved and encourage our County Commissioners to lead us forward with a Land Use Regulation plan, similar to Franklin and Madison County, with the use of professional assistance, and the Land Use Regulation Committee staying an active committee, throughout the adoption of this plan.  

I have a few announcements for you today:

Today is Chamber Member Appreciation Day at Belk. The Belk store is saying a big THANK YOU to the Chamber of Commerce family in appreciation of the Chamber’s many efforts. Belk presented us with an All Day Member-to-Member savings coupon that was emailed to all Chamber members. We look forward to the incredible savings just in time for Easter!   

Next Tuesday is the Pastor Appreciation Breakfast. We have almost 40 churches represented and each will receive breakfast and a “thank you” gift.  It will be held at the Georgia Baptist Dining Hall, overlooking Lake Louise at 7:30am as the sun rises during Easter week. Our speaker is Dr. Bob Myers the President of Toccoa Falls College. Everyone else is welcome for the cost of breakfast, which is five dollars. RSVP today at 706-886-2132.

Next Wednesday is the Chamber Member luncheon at 12pm at BJ’s Restaurant. Come eat family style in the private back room. Bring your business cards, plan to tell us about yourself, hear updates on calendar events and programs and enter to win a door prize.

Finally, the Keep Toccoa Stephens County Beautiful Clean Community Competition is well underway. The Chamber has a team and invites you join us and commit to picking up trash and tires and even junk cars. Other spring cleaning activities that get points include painting and yard work. Call the Chamber and join our team.       

Your Chamber celebrates all Community Progress by posting GOOD News stories on the web site at www.toccoagachamber.com under the “Accomplishments” tab.  So when you need to be uplifted just visit the web site and take a look at all our community has accomplished. 

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

WNEG AM 630 Weekly Chamber Update

February 28, 2013

The new Chamber Ambassador Team kicked off a Challenge this month. The Chair is Stephens Federal Bank’s Tammy Riddle, and the Captains are County Clerk, Beth Rider; Advertising Unlimited Owner, Mariesa Pavliscsak and Georgia Baptist Conference Center’s Event Coordinator, Ann Ash.

Each Ambassador has a group of members to look after and a list of potential members to encourage to “get on board” and join the Chamber. Today the Chamber is 450 members strong. We want to be stronger with 500 members! The more members we have the stronger the Chamber’s voice is.

Members get “Weekly Updates” to keep them in the loop on community progress, they get a free web page with photos and business icon, they get a membership sticker for their window and all sorts of support and encouragement to grow and prosper.  

Our Ambassador Team bios and member lists are posed on the Chamber’s web site at www.toccoagachamber.com . Please visit the web or call 706-886-2132 for more information.  

Few announcements for you today:

Congratulations to the 2013 Business Plan Competitors. Currahee Outdoors – Matt Adams, The Dance Studio – Marlee Joiner, The Lan – Keith Ord and Photography – Stephanie Maley. Their initial business plans are due this Friday, March 1. After that, they’ll be paired with the Business students at Toccoa Falls College under Dr. Hunnicut. They are required to meet with professionals from the UGA SBDC and NGTC Business Resource Center. There will be a special Business EXPO in April and the winner will be announced at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting. The participants are competing for a prize package valued at over $1,200.   

After Work TODAY is the Joint Business After Hours the Amedisys Hospice at the Simmons Bond Inn Bed & Breakfast on Tugaloo Street. Join Linda Scofield of Amedisys Hospice and Joy Cusato of Simmons Bond Inn at 5pm today. The Jack Pot Drawing is at 5:30pm.   

Toccoa-Stephens County Pastors are invited to the Annual Pastor Appreciation Breakfast on Tuesday, March 26 at 7:30 am in the dining room of the Georgia Baptist Conference Center. Breakfast and a special gift are provided for no cost for one pastor per church. Everyone is welcome to attend! Breakfast is $5 per person. Invite your Pastor this Sunday and RSVP on Monday at 706.886.2132 or wendi@toccoagachamber.com.

Your Chamber celebrates all Community Progress by posting GOOD News stories on the web site at www.toccoagachamber.com under the “Accomplishments” tab.  So when you need to be uplifted just visit the web site and take a look of all we as a community have accomplished. 

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