Chamber Office Closed for Memorial Day
Ball-Drop Winners Announced
The Park at Morrisons Cove to Host Business After Hours
Final Session is Friday for Leadership Blair County Class
Business Excellence Dinner to Honor Fred Imler, Sr.
"Dairy Day" is June 8th in Hollidaysburg
Phil Kulp to Speak at Next Chamber Breakfast Club
Have You Visited the "Buy Here. Live Here." Website Yet?
Business Hall of Fame Nomination Deadline is Next Monday
STEM Conference will Feature High Quality Speakers
Register Your Cell Phone for "Alert Blair County" Today
Congratulations...
Blue Card Discounts 

Chamber Office Closed for Memorial Day
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce Office, located at 3900 Industrial Park Drive in Altoona, will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. The office will reopen on Tuesday, May 29th at 8:30 a.m.  For information on The Chamber while the office is closed or to register for a program or event visit the Chamber Website.

Ball-Drop Winners Announced
The Chamber’s Golf Committee was finally able to find appropriate weather to do the “ball-drop” that was postponed on May 14th. And the number of winners dramatically increased through the generosity of Iron Masters Country Club where the event was held. Cassandra Keagy was the first place recipient ($250), Chris Kirwin was second ($100) and Steve Lewis was third ($50). But Iron Masters decided to award a free round of golf to each of the 167 contestants whose ball landed within the circle after having been dropped from the helicopter. “A great gesture,” according to The Chamber’s Stacy Hoover. “It will make a lot of golfers happy.” Hoover expressed thanks, on behalf of The Chamber, to those who purchased golf balls for the drop and to Dan Lipko of Pine Bottom Aviation who provided the helicopter. “It’s really a neat event that I’m sure we’ll want to consider for the future.”  To watch the ball-drop, click here.

The Park at Morrisons Cove to Host Business After Hours
The next Chamber “Business After Hours” will be held this Thursday, May 31st, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Park at Morrisons Cove.  This event is not just for business people but rather for the entire family.  Among the special features will be free bowling, roller skating, swimming and access to the Acorn Cove playground as well as food, Ritchey’s ice cream and door prizes.  The cost is just $6.00-per-person for Chamber Members and $12.00 for non-members.  Kids 10-and-under are free!  Call The Chamber today at 943-8151 to register or register online.

Final Session is Friday for Leadership Blair County Class
The 2012 Class of The Chamber’s Leadership Blair County Adult program will have its final session on Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in Altoona. The session will include an Issues Analysis, “Prouds and Sorries,” the role of service clubs and a presentation on servant leadership. The Class will officially graduate on June 7th. The deadline for applications for the 2013 Class is June 30th. For more information on Leadership Blair County, visit The Chamber website.

Business Excellence Dinner to Honor Fred Imler, Sr.
Reservations can be made at The Chamber Office for the 2012 Business Excellence Dinner which will be held on Monday, June 11th at the Jaffa Shrine. The event honors Fred Imler, Sr. of Imler’s Poultry with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Business Excellence. A reception will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. with dinner following at 6:45. The keynote speaker for the event will be Imperial Sir Raoul Frevel of Baltimore, Maryland, a member of the Board of Trustees at Shriners Hospital for Children and a former Imperial Potentate of Shriners International. Dean McKnight, a retired banker with M&T Bank, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Providing testimonial comments on the life and career of Fred Imler, Sr. will be G. William Ward, Chairman of Ward Transport and Logistics Corporation and a former Business Excellence honoree; Allan Hancock, President of the Hancock Group who also serves as President of the Central PA Community Foundation; and Richard Bice, Chairman of the Homewood at Martinsburg Board of Directors. Al Holsinger of Grace United Church of Christ will provide the invocation. The cost to attend the Business Excellence Dinner is $65/person. To attend the dinner and the cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception is $90 per person. To make reservations, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Attendance at this event is not limited to Chamber Members only.

Dairy Day is June 8th in Hollidaysburg
In celebration of Dairy Month in Pennsylvania, the Blair County Chamber’s Farm-City Committee will hold a Dairy Day promotion beginning at noon and lasting until the ice-cream is gone on Friday, June 8th in front of the Blair County Courthouse.  The committee will be making free ice cream sundaes using Ritchey’s Ice Cream.  Ritchey’s Dairy is one of the co-sponsors of the event.  For further information on Dairy Day, contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151 or email her at shoover@blairchamber.com.

Phil Kulp to Speak at Next Chamber Breakfast Club
One of the region’s most prominent dairy farmers will share his insight with members of the Blair County Chamber on June 21st as Phil Kulp of Kulp Family Dairy, LLC will be the guest speaker at the next Chamber Breakfast Club.  Kulp will talk about the impact that the dairy industry has on the Blair County economy and the many challenges that local dairy farmers have in maintaining that economic status in the community.  The Breakfast Club will begin at 7:45 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park.  The cost to attend is $16 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members.  A buffet breakfast is included.  To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.

Have You Visited the "Buy Here. Live Here" Website Yet?
The official web-location of The Chamber’s “Buy Here. Live Here.” program can be accessed at buyherelivehere.com.  It features articles on local businesses that are making an effort to buy local products and services, special promotions and discounts, opportunities to win prizes for taking the BHLH Pledge to direct at least 10% more of your spending to local businesses and much, much more.  Visit the site often.  You’ll save dollars and learn which businesses are helping your community to grow.  You can also reach the site by going through The Chamber Website.

Business Hall of Fame Nomination Deadline is Next Monday
If you know of a business that deserves acclaim for having done something significant in the business community during the past year – even if that business is yours – it’s time to nominate that business for the Blair County Business Hall of Fame or for one of the General Business Awards of Distinction. The nomination process is underway and all nominated businesses must complete an application form and return it to The Chamber by noon on June 11th.  So don’t delay!  Nomination forms can be secured by calling The Chamber Office at 943-8151 or you can obtain a form online at http://www.blairchamber.com/.  Besides the Hall of Fame and its Heritage component, the business categories to be honored are: Safety Excellence, Sustainability, Technology, Community Service, Young Emerging Business and Excellence in Small Business.

STEM Conference will Feature High Quality Speakers
The Central PA STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Conference will be held on June 14th at Milton Area High School.  The conference is strongly endorsed by The Chamber’s BASICS Committee which is working with local colleges to increase STEM awareness.  Among the keynote speakers at the conference are Ioannis Miaoulis, President and Director of the Museum of Science in Boston and Frederick Hess, a well-known educator, political scientist and author.  For more information on the conference, go to www.regonline.com/stemconference.   

Register Your Cell Phone for “Alert Blair County” Today
The Chamber has partnered with the Blair County Local Emergency Planning Committee to alert Blair County residents and their families of important local level emergencies.  In all probability, your residential and business telephones are already on the contact list.  But your cellular telephones and smart phones are not.  To register them, log on to www.blairco.org and click on the “ALERT BLAIR COUNTY” icon.  Persons without Internet access can contact EMA Administrative Assistant Cris Stacey at 940-5901 for assistance.

Congratulations . . .
. . . to Bovard Heating and Cooling which recently received the 2012 President’s Award from Carrier for its quality, leadership and excellence in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry.  Bovard was honored at a ceremony held in Orlando, Florida.

Blue Card Discounts
Here are a few of the discounts you can receive with your Chamber Blue Card. Click here to see the full list of Blue Card Discounts. To have an offer listed contact Stacy Hoover at The Chamber at 943-8151.

Ramada Altoona Conference Center	Present your Blue Card to receive 20% off in any of the Ramada's restaurants - The Cosmopolitan, The Renaissance or the Tropical Courtyard AND receive 10% off of sleeping rooms (based on availability) or 10 percent off on any banquet room or meeting room.
Sam's Club	Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive a $25 gift card when you join or renew as an Advantage Plus or Business Plus Member. Receive a $10 gift card when you join or renew as an Advantage or Business Member.
ServiceMaster Professional Cleaning	Present your Blue Card to receive 10 percent off all commercial and residential cleaning services.
Shear Perfections	Present your blue card and receive 50% off any service for first time customers. You then receive 10% off every service thereafter.
Smith Furniture - House of Fashion	Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive a 5% discount on your entire purchase. (Offer excludes sales tax or services.)