Chamber Office Closes at Noon Today, Closed Tomorrow
One Week Left to Nominate for Annual Chamber Awards
Kate Shaffer Appointed to Chamber Board of Directors
Six Businesses Welcomed as New Chamber Members
Chamber Foundation Email Newsletter Set to Debut
County Commissioners to Speak at January “Breakfast Club”
Chamber Television Programs Continue Throughout January
Non-Profit Organizations to Meet With State Legislators
Chamber, ABCD Partnering on Natural Gas Event
Blue Card Offers: 42,000 Reasons to Consider One
Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts
Chamber Office Closes at Noon Today, Closed Tomorrow
The Blair County Chamber Office will close at noon today and remain closed on New Year’s Day. The office will re-open on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. For information on upcoming Chamber events or to register for an event, visit The Chamber Website.
One Week Left to Nominate for Annual Chamber Awards
The Chamber will hold its 2013 Annual Meeting & Awards Presentation on Monday, February 1st at The Casino at Lakemont Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. and concluding by 9:30. One of the highlights of the event is the presentation of a number of awards to people who accomplished significant things during 2012. Awards to be presented are the Agricultural Community Excellence (ACE) Award, the George Award, the GRYP Impact Award, the Joseph P. Rosenhamer Chamber Spirit Award, the Donna D. Gority Servant Leadership Award, the Chamber Loyalty Award and the Small Business Person of the Year. Nomination forms are available for Chamber Members to nominate candidates for several of these awards (the ACE honoree has already been selected and the Loyalty Award recognizes longevity). To access a form, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or visit the Chamber Website. To register for the Annual Meeting – at $20-per-person – call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Kate Shaffer Appointed to Chamber Board of Directors
Kate Shaffer, Executive Director of the Blair County Arts Foundation, has been appointed to the Chamber Board of Directors to serve a one-year term. Shaffer was appointed by incoming Board Chair Doug Mingle. “The influence of our non-profit businesses and organizations on our county makes it essential that we have representation from that group,” Mingle pointed out. “Kate will more than provide that representation.”
Six Businesses Welcomed as New Chamber Members
The Blair County Chamber Board of Directors approved the following new members at the December 19th Board meeting: Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate – Sandra Kurtz of Altoona; Gonsman Group, Legal Nurse Consulting of Altoona; Mighells Brothers Excavating of Altoona; Northwest Savings Bank of Altoona; PleasantValleyMaintenance of Altoona; and US Renal Care of Altoona.
Chamber Foundation Email Newsletter Set to Debut
The Blair County Chamber Foundation plays a major role in helping to fund various Chamber initiatives involving young people. To better inform people about those initiatives, the Foundation has created a newsletter, “Your Foundation” that will be emailed once a month beginning January 9th to Chamber Members and others in the community interested in supporting philanthropic efforts. For more information on the Blair County Chamber Foundation, contact Cindy Cessna at 943-8151 or email her.
County Commissioners to Speak at January “Breakfast Club”
The Blair County Commissioners will be the featured speakers at the January 10th Chamber Breakfast Club. As in the past, the presentation will be a Q&A format with questions submitted in advance from the Chamber Membership. If you’d like to submit a question, please email it to Joe Hurd by this Friday. Commissioners Terry Tomassetti, Diane Meling and Ted Beam have all confirmed their attendance. The Breakfast Club is held at The Casino at Lakemont Park beginning at 7:45 a.m. The cost to attend is $16 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Corporate sponsor for the January Breakfast Club is Saint Joseph Institute.
Chamber Television Programs Continue Throughout January
Manufacturing and insurance are the industry sectors on which the Blair County Chamber focused its two most recent television programs. The programs – officially entitled “Blair County: It’s Our Business” – use a panel discussion format to educate and inform the viewing public on the challenges and opportunities that confront various sectors of the local economy. The programs are broadcast on the Altoona Public Access Channel (14) and are thirty minutes each in duration. The manufacturing panel consisted of Harry Benjamin of Edgemate in Roaring Spring, Dave Grazier of Kunzler & Company in Tyrone, Doug Irvin of Fine Line Cabinets in Hollidaysburg and Mike Sweitzer of Chicago Rivet in Tyrone. Comprising the insurance panel were Barry D’Andrea of Saleme Insurance Services of Altoona, Mark Gingrich of Warren A. Gingrich Agency in Altoona, Heidi Kennedy of The Baltimore Life Companies in Duncansville and Gary Shetter of Shetter Insurance Agency in Altoona. Carolyn Donaldson of WTAJ Your News Leader moderated both programs. The manufacturing program will be aired each Monday at 6:00 p.m. and each Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. (This was a time change from 11:00 a.m.), concluding January 29th. The insurance program will run on those same dates only thirty minutes later. Sponsors for the two “Blair County: It’s Our Business” programs are: Altoona Mirror, Blair Companies, Shirley’s Cookie Company and WPS. Complete Insurance Services sponsored only the insurance program.
Non-Profit Organizations to Meet With State Legislators
The Chamber’s Community Benefit Coalition of Non-Profits has scheduled a breakfast meeting on January 18th to dialogue with state elected officials on proposed legislation that could threaten the tax status of Pennsylvania’s non-profit businesses and organizations. The meeting will begin at 8:00 a.m. at The Arc of Blair County. State Senator John Eichelberger and State Representatives Jerry Stern, John McGinnis and Mike Fleck have all indicated that they plan to attend the event which is expected to last approximately ninety minutes. Any non-profit business or organization is invited to attend as well. The cost is $13.00 for Chamber Members and $25 for non-members. A full buffet breakfast is included. Pre-registration is required and non-members must pay in advance. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Chamber, ABCD Partnering on Natural Gas Event
The Blair County Chamber and the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation are partnering on an event that is designed to assist companies in our region to benefit from the opportunities available through the Marcellus and Utica Shale Plays. The event is scheduled for January 22nd from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Blair County Convention Center and features an impressive array of speakers from the oil and gas industry. The cost to attend is $85 for Chamber Members and non-members. Attendance is limited to the first 125 people who register. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Non-members must pay in advance; Chamber Members can be billed.
Blue Card Offers: 42,000 Reasons to Consider One
Do you realize that the Blair County Chamber currently has 42,000 membership cards in local circulation? These “Blue Cards” not only validate someone’s membership in The Chamber but also provide them access to the many offers on discounted products and services posted by other Chamber Members. If you are not one of those members, you are undoubtedly missing-out on a customer base that could be yours. There is no charge to place an offer – it just needs to be an offer that customers are not eligible for anywhere else. To place an offer, contact Jessica Meck at 943-8151 or email her.
Congratulations . . .
. . . to Dr. William Miller, Superintendent of the Tyrone Area School District, who was named Pennsylvania’s 2012 “Superintendent of the Year” by the American Association of School Administrators.
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.
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Peterman's Flower Shop
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Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive a 10% discount on any product or service...including weddings!
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Phoenicia Mediterranean Restaurant
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Present your Blue Card to receive 10% off your bill. Discount excludes alcohol purchases.
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Press Box Printing
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Present your Blue Card to a FREE set of Business Cards wil purchases over $200.00. (Offer is good for one time only.)
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Raphael's
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Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive 10% off your bill (except alcohol). Closed Sundays.
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Reiki Center for Body & Mind, Inc.
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Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive 20% off your first Reiki Session or Massage Therapy Session.
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For more information, visit the website
To subscribe or unsubscribe please email us.
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December 31, 2012
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Upcoming Events
Register online
Breakfast Club
Thursday, January 10, 2013
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
GRYP Blood Drive
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Devorris Center for Business Development
Non-Profit Breakfast
Friday, January 18, 2013
8:00 a.m.
The ARC of Blair County
Register Here
Natural Gas Business Development Seminar
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
7:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Blair County Convention Center
Register Here
Business After Hours
Thursday, January 31, 2013
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Sheetz Center for SHWELLNESS
Claysburg
Register Here
Annual Meeting
Friday, February 1, 2013
7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Upcoming
Committee Meetings
Week of 12/31/2012
Legislative Action Committee
Thursday, January 3, 8:00 a.m.
Devorris Center
BASICS Subcommittee on Early Childhood Ed.
Thursday, January 3, 9:30 a.m.
Devorris Center
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on Facebook
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