Chamber News & Media
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December 22, 2011 January ChamberLink
JANUARY 2012 CHAMBER LINK
EMS & Fire Department Volunteer Thanks!
~Community Supported Event
Earlier this year, members of the Board of Directors of the Yates County Chamber of Commerce discussed the tragedy filled year of 2011 and the strain that it put on our emergency service volunteers. Board members felt that some sort of quiet recognition and thanks was due to every EMS volunteer in the County.
Several ideas were shared and in the end, the Chamber embarked on a fundraising campaign. Nearly one-hundred businesses and individuals made contributions to the fund and all did so with the spirit of “thanks” in mind.
In mid-December a $10.00 gift certificate was delivered to every volunteer member of the EMS organizations in the County. These certificates can be used at any LOCAL business. There are 461 volunteers making the total donation $4,610!!!
The Chamber and all of the contributors recognize the positive and significant impact that the EMS volunteers have on our way of life. This is the community’s way to let them know that they are appreciated, especially at this magical time of year.
Merry Christmas!!
Business After Hours
~ Workforce Development
The December edition of BAH was held at the Keuka Restaurant and WOW what a crowd we had. Big thanks to Josh Trombley and the crew at the Keuka for hosting a most memorable event. Lots of “business deals” happened and everyone learned a little bit about some of the happenings in and around Yates County. Thanks also to Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars for offering a great tasting. The folks from Red Tail Ridge were not in attendance and as luck would have it, we drew their name in the cash prize drawing!
January takes us to the offices of Workforce Development on the second floor of the County office building. The County building is located on Liberty Street in the Village of Penn Yan. The event will take place on January 11th at 5PM.
The Yates County Department of Workforce Development One-Stop Center is a cooperative effort with partners in the Finger Lakes Works Workforce Development System in the four-county Finger Lakes region of Yates, Ontario, Seneca and Wayne counties. They serve both job seekers and employers in programs supported by Title I of the Workforce Investment Act. The department also contracts with the Yates County Department of Social Services to operate their employment programs.
Please plan to join us - this is a great way for you to stretch your business contacts and have a little mid-winter fun at the same time!! Liquid refreshment and hors d’oeuvres will be offered and the cash prize drawing will be $350.00.
As always, feel free to bring along a co-worker, friend or business associate!!
Annual Dinner Dance
~Dresden Hotel – January 28th!!
The Board of the Chamber is excited to announce that the Annual Dinner Dance and Silent Auction will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at the Dresden Hotel. Plans call for a Mardi Gras theme and everyone is encouraged to put aside the usual business attire and dress for the occasion!! The evening begins at 6PM with cocktails and dinner service begins at 7PM. Important event reminders are noted below!
Corporate Sponsor – it’s exciting to announce that Lyons National Bank (LNB) will be the title sponsor for this year’s event. Financial support for this event is extremely important to the overall operation of the Chamber and we appreciate the support of Sue Andersen and the entire team at LNB.
Reservations – invitations will be in the mail shortly. We are limited to around 240 seats and the event fills quickly. You can beat the crowd and call in your reservations today at 315.536.3111.
The Menu – this year you will have a choice of Gulf Shrimp Creole or Tournedos of Beef with Marchal Du Vin Sauce.. Of course the dinners include salad, starch, vegetable and dessert. Ticket price is $55.00 and includes your dinner, entertainment, Finger Lakes wine at each table and a souvenir wine glass.
Silent Auction – as always, we will be conducting the annual silent auction, which is a major fund-raiser for the Chamber. If you’d like to have your business highlighted by donating an item to the auction, call the Chamber today at 315.536.3111.
Event Planning – we need some folks to help us with a theme and decorations for the evening. If you’d like to pitch in, give us a buzz and we’ll put you to work.
Awards – we will be presenting the Snow Spirit Award, the Seager Pride Award and the Maxwell Award (see details later in this edition). If you have nominees for these awards, let us know!
For now, mark the date on your calendar and get set for an action packed evening!!
Annual Awards
~Nominations Now Accepted
The Yates County Chamber of Commerce announced today that it is accepting nominations for the annual Norman Snow Memorial Spirit Award and the Emily Seager Memorial Pride Award. These awards are given annually to an organization or individual in Yates County that demonstrates tremendous community spirit and pride.
The Snow award was established years ago as a tribute to Norman Snow, Jr. who served as a Chamber Director and Chair of the Chamber’s Tourism Committee at the time of his death. Norm exemplified community spirit in his service to the Chamber and in his day to day contributions to the community and his family business.
The Seager award was created in 2009 to honor former Chamber Director Emily Seager who had such pride for her community and for the organizations that she was involved with, including the Chamber.
The award will be presented at the Chamber’s Dinner Dance, on January 28th, at the Dresden Hotel. Nominations for the award are being accepted by the Chamber until Friday, January 13th 2012. Nominations should be typewritten and should include the nominee’s name and a brief description of the spirit and/or pride that the person or organization demonstrates.
For more information on the award, contact Chamber staff at 315.536.3111.
U.S. Savings Bonds
~Changes Ahead
Planning to buy a savings bond?
Paper savings bonds will no longer be sold at financial institutions after December 31, 2011. But – they aren’t going away….electronic savings bonds can be purchased on-line through TreasuryDirect. You can open a free TreasuryDirect account today at www.treasurydirect.gov.
Already have paper savings bonds??
Existing paper bonds are still valid and will earn interest for 30 years from the issue date or until redeemed. You can continue to cash your savings bonds at your financial institution.
EZ Pass On the Go
~Available at Chamber Offices
Just a reminder that the Chamber is an authorized EZ Pass retailer, allowing us to offer EZ Pass tags, right here at the Chamber office. As you know, EZ Pass is the system used on the New York State Thruway and other toll roads in the Northeastern United States. This system allows you to move quickly though the toll plazas without having to stop to get a ticket or pay a toll. Tolls are automatically deducted from a prepaid account that you establish with EZ Pass. EZ Pass On the Go allows you to purchase a tag from us and then, within 48 hours of its first use, you establish your account, either on-line or via their toll free line. Tags are just $25.00.
Yates County Business Briefs
Defensive Driving Course – the Yates County Chamber of Commerce is currently taking advance registration for it's Defensive Driving Course being offered during the month of January. The class will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, January 18th and 19th from 6PM – 9PM each evening. The six-hour course is held at the Chamber office located at 2375 Route 14A just south of the Village of Penn Yan. Successful completion of the course affords drivers a ten-percent reduction in their liability and collision insurance premiums as well as a four-point reduction on their DMV record. The cost of the six-hour course is $35. Advance registration is mandatory, as class size is limited. To register for the class, just call the Chamber at 315-536-3111 or stop by their offices at 2375 Route 14A in Penn Yan.
Chamber Talk – be “in the know” and “ahead of the game” by listening to the only radio program in the County devoted to business issues. Chamber Talk can be heard on WFLR Radio (96.9FM, 101.9FM and 1570AM) the first Thursday of each month at 8:35AM. The program looks at current trends in the business community and gives listeners an inside look at Chamber programming. Tune in!!
Digital Edition – don’t forget that you can subscribe to the digital edition of ChamberLink by sending an email to mike@yatesny.com. The digital edition is delivered via an e-mail link to our website and guarantees that you will get the “hot news” 3-5 business days before the printed edition arrives in the mail!
Chamber Nametags - have you noticed the gold nametags that Chamber staff and Board members have been wearing to BAH and other Chamber events?? We think they really help folks to stand out in a crowd and they are great at other community events to demonstrate support for the Chamber. These nametags carry a charge of $10.00 All you have to do is e-mail or call Jody (315.536.3111 – jody@yatesny.com) and give her the names and business associations that you would like engraved in gold and we’ll do the rest of the work. Get yours today – this is a limited time offer!!
Unclaimed Funds?? – just a reminder that you might want to stop by the Chamber office and have us check with the NYS Comptrollers office. You might have a secret stash of cash hidden somewhere in the Comptrollers office. So far we have uncovered funds for several local folks, and we don’t charge a penny to do it!!!
Free Events Publicity – here’s the best deal going. If you have a special event that you would like the world to know about – all you have to do is let us know. We will include it on our website – free of charge. The event listings on the website are used by a variety of media outlets around the Empire State so your listing on there will get you tons of exposure. All you have to do is FAX us the information, 315.536.3791 or e-mail jody@yatesny.com.
Folding Paper – do you produce your own brochures on a copier or do you do mailings that require a bunch of folding and stuffing?? The Chamber has a great new folding and stuffing machine from Pitney Bowes and we’ll let our members use it for free. Just give us a buzz for the details!
Internet, Internet, Internet – we keep reminding you and will do so until we have EVERY member listing on www.yatesny.com perfect. Log on today and search for your business, then search for your competition. Think about what keywords we could add to your listing to assist customers in finding you. This is one of the many benefits of membership and unlike other Chambers, we have never charged you a dime!!
SCORE – don’t forget that another great Chamber service is SCORE, small business counseling. Offered by the US Small Business Administration, SCORE matches retired business leaders with emerging entrepreneurs. The retirees offer their years of knowledge and expertise to help support the new businesses. The service is free, confidential and VERY effective. Call the office today to learn more!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January
5 Chamber Talk – WFLR – 8:35AM
11 BAH – Workforce Development – 5:00PM
12 Board Meeting – Chamber Office – 7:45AM
28 Annual Dinner Dance – Dresden Hotel – 6:00PM
Thought of the month
No act of kindness,
no matter how small,
is ever wasted.