Okemo Valley Chamber June Newsletter

Welcome to Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce

On Saturday, June 4, from 9am-12n, Ludlow Insurance is sponsoring a Shred Event. Bring up to 10 bankers boxes of old records and watch them be shredded by a SecurShred truck. Food & Raffle - 150 Main Street, Ludlow, behind Berkshire Bank and DJ's Restaurant. Rain or shine.

Please join Representative Leigh Dakin for a health care roundtable discussion on VT's Universal Health Care Bill.
Date/Time: Thursday, June 9 from 6pm-8pm
Place: Chester Town Hall, 2nd Floor.
Panelists: Representative Mark Larson, Chair of Health Care Committee; Senator Kevin Mullin, Member of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee; Dr. Deb Richter, Vermont Health Care for All; Paul Millman, President, Chroma Techology Corp; and others.
Share your concerns, ask the important questions, learn more about the path the Legislature is taking to provide affordable health care to all Vermonters. Leigh Dakin, 875-3456 or ldakin@leg.state.vt.us
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We are hosting free continental breakfasts in each town, to share with the community what the Chamber is doing, and how we might be able to help in each community that we serve.

Our first breakfast in Cavendish was well attended and businesses that can't attend an evening mixer, really enjoyed being part of our Chamber community.

Please join us at 8am. Feel free to invite a guest.

June 20 - Mount Holly Community Center
Belmont

July 12 - Fullerton Inn - Chester

August 15 - Java Baba - Ludlow

September 15 - Wilder House Restaurant at President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth

October 24 - Bryant House - Weston
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Scenic Route 100 Byway update:
We had one week to submit our grant proposal to the State of Vermont. There are 10 regions going for grants. The State ranks us before sending our grant proposals in to the Federal Program. We are seeking to receive interpretive information funding for our newly designated Scenic Route 100 Byway to include trail signs, a brochure with map, website and mobile application. As soon as we receive the grant, we will put out an rfp with project specifics. The 2010 grant recipients were just awarded 4 weeks ago. This could be a long process.
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June 25 we will have a booth at the Fair Haven welcome center. You may come to display your products/services or get your brochures to Danielle to take with her. This is free.
NEED BROCHURES IN OUR OFFICE BY June 23!
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In July we have a display case in the Guilford Welcome Center for Chester businesses. If you are a Chester business and want your product displayed, please drop your item to the Chamber office by June 27th.
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Our economic development video is almost completed. Watch for it on our website.
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Our new Summer/Fall Regional Guidebooks are out and we thank Chamber member Stephanie Stouffer of Belmont for her beautiful cover artwork. We also thank Spring River Marketing for producing an outstanding publication for us.
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Congratulations to Inn at Weathersfield for becoming a Green Restaurant in the Green Mountain State. This program is a sector program of the Vermont Business Environmental Partnership (VBEP).
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FYI...The Chester Info Booth is under renovations and will be opened asap. In the meantime, information is available at Misty Valley Books, The Hugging Bear Inn and Inn Victoria.
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Call to action:
August 10 - 3rd Annual Okemo Valley Business Expo at Green Mountain Banquet & Conference Center in Chester from 5:30-7:30pm. Call the chamber to reserve your booth asap. The expo will highlight dining, shopping, services, health and wellness and green technologies. This will be a retail event where people can "Shop the Valley" under one roof. Booths are $99 and can be shared. Call now to reserve your spot and you will be promoted on the poster and in our ads. Thank you Adam Rosenberg for providing the music.
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Chamber Golf Tournament is Thursday, September 15 at Okemo Valley Golf Club. Please call Mary Knight of Knight Tubs to help on the committee and/or to sign up your foursome. 228-2260. All are welcomed.
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We will need your $200 deposit for the China trip scheduled for March 26, 2012 by the end of August to hold your seat. The balance of $2,000 is due in December.
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Chamber Mixers
Join us for our monthly Chamber Mixers on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Bring a door prize if you can.

All Mixers are from 5:30-7:30pm
2011 MIXER LINE UP

June 8- Canvasworks Floorcloths - Weathersfield

July 13 - Fletcher Farm School for the Arts & Crafts - Ludlow

August 10- 3rd Annual Okemo Valley Business Expo at Green Mountain Banquet and Conference Center - Chester
Music by Adam Rosenberg. Call now to secure your table.

September 14- The Village Green Gallery - Weston

October 12- Berkshire Bank - Ludlow

November 9- Jackson Gore Inn - Ludlow

December 14- Annual Meeting at Stone Hearth Inn & Tavern - Chester

Membership Committee News
The membership committee met on May 25. Please contact Laura Williams if you want to join our committee.

Have you signed up for these member benefits yet?

1. LaValley Building Supply invites Chamber members to become an Okemo Valley/LaValley Retail Member. Show your M2M card and fill out a LaValley/Middleton member form. Currently this program is to provide a standard 5% discount, however, if you also sign up for the e-member program, you will receive additional savings and the latest specials on products and services. Yard items are not included in this program. Call Ron Godfrey for details 228-4665 or stop in today!!

2. Staples invites Chamber members to join our group discount. We have a master account offering a core list of product savings. Every member will have the opportunity to customize their products for their specific business needs. To sign up for this 25% savings program, you must call AnnMarie Conklin at 877-482-8027 or email annmarie.conklin@staples.com

3. HB Fuels - Call Tom so he can explain the program to you. 885-2300.

Be sure to check all Member Benefits on our website. Please call or email Deanna to add or update your M2M Benefit. Let's all do business with each other at a discount. Keep it local and support one another.

Free coupon offer on www.yourplaceinvermont.com
Call 228-7664 Spring River Marketing to get set up. One time $20 set up fee. We can add your coupon to our app as well as website.

Welcome New Members
The Chamber welcomes the following new members:

Work Smart Administrative Assistance - Ludlow

Marketing Committee News
The marketing committee met May 24 at Java Babas. We reviewed our website, stats, google rankings and have seen that we have come a long way since we launched our site in May 2008!

Please make sure you email Danielle with your specials and coupons. She will add them to our website and our mobile app for you.

Did you know....We are having an online contest for our mobile app. People that download our app are put in a monthly drawing to win prizes from the Okemo Valley.

Can you offer us gift certificates and/or prizes that we can send to our monthly winners? Congratulations to our May winner, Bruce Parks! He won a gift certificate for a 2-day canoe and kayak rental at Hawk Inn and Mountain Resort in Plymouth. His comment "great app".

It's not too late to get on our app. Take advantage of the special pricing ($100/year) and the opportunity to communicate directly with your customers. Restaurants, be sure to list your menus. Click here to sign up. www.invictusmm.com/members
Upcoming Events:

Please submit your events to us 2 weeks in advance.
If you don't see your event in the calendar, please call us.

www.YourPlaceInVermont.com
News from our Neighbors

The Circus is coming! August 14 & 15th 2011 at Pico Resort

SHOW TIMES
Sunday, August 14 at 1 pm & 6 pm
Monday, August 15 at 1 pm & 6 pm

In its 23rd year Circus Smirkus brings a show full of talent and spectacular, aerials, acrobatics, trapeze, clowning, music and so much more to spectators under the Big Top. This summer the traveling youth circus will perform 70 shows throughout New England, 30 teen stars ages 12-18 bring their skills to life! This is the only Central Vermont show, so we want to make sure everyone has the "NEWS". As a Okemo Valley Chamber member discounted tickets are available to you. Tickets $15.90 Ages 2-12 $19.08 Ages 12 and up (prices includes tax) (a savings of $4.00 per ticket) There are also advertising and sponsorship opportunities for area businesses to highlight themselves if so desired. If you are interested in purchasing tickets or have further questions please email Erin L. Shimp (Sponsorship and Group Sales Coordinator) at echoridgevt@gmail.com or call 802-345-3913 for more information.
About Our Organization

Our Chamber provides the following member benefits:
*Health Insurance provided by Cigna,
*Dental Insurance provided by Delta Dental,
*Free listing on our website with web link,
*Free listing in our regional guidebook,
*Free listing on our mobile app,
*Free placement of your business brochures in our welcome centers in Ludlow and Chester,
*Free monthly chamber mixers,
*Free educational programs,
*Member to member discounts,
*Referrals,
*Co-op advertising opportunities
*Marketing and Promotion
*Events publicized,
*And much, much more!!!