ARC to Host First “Buy Here. Live Here. Day”
Governor Corbett to Speak at March “Breakfast Club”
Two New Presidents’ Forum Groups Kickoff This Week
Non-Profit Coalition to Host Elected Officials at Breakfast
Return to Work is Focus of Safety Program
Missed the Low-Cost Healthcare Meeting?  Get the Details
Missed the Tuscany Meeting Too?  We Can Catch You Up!
GRYP to Hold Paintball Event
Save the Date: Chamber Golf Classic Set for May 12th
Knickerbocker to Host Next GRYP Networking Event
Date Changed for Dale Carnegie “Skills for Success” Course
Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts

ARC to Host First “Buy Here. Live Here. Day”
The first official “Buy Here. Live Here. Day” will be held today, March 3rd at both locations of ARC Federal Credit Union in Altoona. ARC’s hours that day are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The newly-introduced promotional event gives businesses, organizations and school districts the opportunity to decorate their customer and work areas with signs, balloons, streamers – whatever it takes to create an atmosphere for local buying – based on The Chamber’s Buy Here. Live Here. program. ARC customers who visit the business that day and who sign a BHLH pledge card will be eligible to win a prize basket.   If your business is willing to host a Buy Here. Live Here. Day, contact The Chamber at 943-8151.

Governor Corbett to Speak at March “Breakfast Club”
Governor Tom Corbett will be the keynote speaker at the March 13th Chamber “Breakfast Club” to be held at The Casino at Lakemont Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. The Breakfast Club will once again be a collaborative event between The Chamber and Operation Our Town. The Governor will speak on the impact that Operation Our Town has had in addressing drug-related issues in Blair County during the past seven years. The event will also include the presentation of the 2014 Community Partnership Award and several Law Enforcement Awards. The cost to attend the Breakfast Club is $16 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 register online. 
 
Two New Presidents’ Forum Groups Kickoff This Week
The Chamber’s very successful Presidents’ Forum program will welcome two new Forum Groups this week. Each Group will have a full day of orientation conducted by Andrea Wooten, a Young Presidents Organization (YPO) trainer from Maryland. For more information on the Presidents’ Forum, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him.
  
Non-Profit Coalition to Host Elected Officials at Breakfast
For the second consecutive year, The Chamber’s Community Benefit Coalition of Non-Profits will host a breakfast meeting in which they will discuss key legislative issues with elected officials at the state level. The meeting will be held this Friday, March 7th beginning at 8:00 a.m. at The Arc of Blair County. The cost to attend is $18-per-person. To register, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
 
Return to Work is Focus of Safety Program
While accident prevention is the best route that employers can take when prioritizing safety concerns, equal priority should be given to effectively returning employees to work after an injury occurs. To help meet that objective, the Blair County Chamber’s Safety Committee will be offering a workshop entitled, “How to Develop an Effective Return to Work Program.”  The workshop will be held on Friday, March 21st from 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. at the Hampton Inn Altoona. The presenters will be Sarah Tayts, AIC, ARM, Return to Wellness Specialist for Eastern Alliance Insurance Group; Barbara Hoover, AIC, Workers Compensation Specialist at Teeter Group; Stephanie McFarland, Account Manager at PGW/Tipton; and Don Imler, Director of HR Administration at Hoss’s Steak & Sea House. Among the topics covered by the presenters will be: Reasons to offer Return to Work, direct cost versus indirect cost of work injuries, elements of a strong Return to Work program, roles and responsibilities of an insurance carrier, preparing a cost-benefit analysis, common challenges and real-life scenarios. The cost to attend the Safety Workshop is $15 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. A continental breakfast will be included. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
 
Missed the Low-Cost Healthcare Meeting?  Get the Details
The Blair County Chamber and Empower3 Center for Health held two informational meetings last week to discuss a low-cost healthcare option. The Chamber has partnered with Empower3 to offer Chamber-member employers an affordable community-based health plan for their employees. The plan features level group rates, no deductibles, no pre-existing condition exclusions, substantial prescription drug coverage with co-pays of $10 or less and the opportunity to add dental and vision coverage. If you missed those meetings, there’s no reason to panic. Simply call Maureen Frucella to catch up on what you missed. Her number is (814) 317-5063.
 
Missed the Tuscany Meeting Too?  We Can Catch You Up!
The Blair County Chamber, in cooperation with Classic Travel and Chamber Discoveries, has scheduled a trip to Tuscany from October 20 to 28. An informational meeting took place on February 18th. A large number of people attended and we expect to have a large contingent of travelers. If you’d like to be one of them, call The Chamber at 943-8151 for a brochure. We’re hoping to have another informational meeting next month so keep in touch.  This is a great trip at a terrific price!

GRYP to Hold Paintball Event
The Chamber’s Growth and Relationships of Young Professionals (GRYP) will hold a paintball event this Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Urban Warzone, located at 3519 Route 764 in Duncansville. The cost will be $20-per-person based on twenty people to be paid at the time of the event.  The cost includes use of a paintball gun, mask, 200 paintballs and unlimited CO2 refills. It is highly recommended that participants wear padded clothing. Reservations are required. Call The Chamber at 943-8151.

Save the Date: Chamber Golf Classic Set for May 12th
The Annual Chamber Golf Classic will be held on Monday, May 12th at Iron Masters Country Club in Ore Hill. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield will once again be the main sponsor for this popular event which routinely sells-out several weeks prior. The Chamber’s Golf Committee is still finalizing plans for a couple special features to this year’s Classic. Registration for sponsors and golfers, however, is already underway. For more information or to register, contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151 or email her.
 
Knickerbocker to Host Next GRYP Networking Event
The Chamber’s Growth and Relationships of Young Professionals (GRYP) will hold its next networking event on March 20th at The Knickerbocker Tavern, 3957 Sixth Avenue in Altoona. The evening will feature appetizers, a cash bar, and many opportunities to get to know other young professionals. The event is free for GRYP members and $5.00 for non-members. For more information or to make reservations, contact the Blair County Chamber of Commerce at 943-8151 or register online.

Date Changed for Dale Carnegie “Skills for Success” Course
The Dale Carnegie “Skills for Success” course, which had been scheduled to begin this week, has been postponed until March 13th at the Comfort Inn in Duncansville. The course is being offered in cooperation with the Blair County Chamber. For more information or to register for the course, call Jeff Davis at (814) 931-1963 or call The Chamber at (814) 943-8151.

Congratulations . . .
. . . to Larry Coco, who has been named Dean of Continuing Education at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.
. . . to Matthew Stever, who has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
. . . to Jamie Miller, general manager of Advantage Resource Group, who was recently elected to the board of the National Independent Staffing Association.
. . . to Vienna Rice, activities coordinator of Colonial Courtyard of Tyrone, who has been named a finalist for the 2014 Assisted Living Federation of America Hero Awards.

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 The Chamber at 943-8151.    

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