Chamber Recognizes “All-Stars” for October
Early Childhood Summit to Feature Brain Development Expert
Farm-City Dinner Set for Thursday in Martinsburg
“Issues” Program on Higher Education Tapes This Week
“Role Models” Program to Feature Kruger, Port
Senator Eichelberger to Speak at November “Breakfast Club”
Chamber Continues 2016 China Trip Registration
Informational Meeting on Germany Trip is Wednesday
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Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts
Chamber Recognizes “All-Stars” for October
The Blair County Chamber’s ability to offer quality programming, events, recognition and advocacy efforts depends largely on the willingness of sponsors to step up to help underwrite the costs associated those efforts. So at the end of each month, we publish a list of businesses or individuals who sponsored anything Chamber-related during the month. They have helped us to make a difference in the business community. For October our All-Stars are: AgChoice Farm Credit, Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries, Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation, Altoona Mirror, American Eagle Paper Mills, ARC Federal Credit Union, Blair Companies, C&G Savings Bank, CBIZ Insurance Services, CONTACT Altoona, DelGrosso Foods, Dry Creek Farm, First Commonwealth Bank, First National Bank, FirstEnergy, Hampton Inn Altoona, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Holland Brothers, Honeybaked Ham & Café, John and Dede Kazmaier, Keller Engineers, Leonard S. Fiore, Inc., LYTLE – Services for Workplace Solutions, M&T Bank, McLanahan Corporation, National Property Inspections, New Enterprise Stone & Lime Company, NPC, Inc., Penn State Altoona, PSECU, Reliance Bank, Ritchey’s Dairy, Roaring Spring Water / Spring Cove Container, Roberts Oxygen, S&T Bank, Saint Francis University, Seltzer Financial Strategies, Sheetz, Inc., The Hancock Group, The Meadows, UPMC Altoona, Value Drug Company, Ward Transport & Logistics, White Deer Run / Cove Forge / Bowling Green, Wolf Furniture, WPS Office Solutions, and Young Oakes, Brown & Company.
Early Childhood Summit to Feature Brain Development Expert
Brain Development in young children plays a key role in how those children learn and how likely it is that they will succeed academically and be future contributors to society. For that reason, the BASICS Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education will hold a Summit this Tuesday, November 3rd at The Casino at Lakemont Park that will focus attention on the importance of quality early learning at the critical times in a young person’s life. The Summit will begin with registration and a buffet breakfast beginning at 7:00 a.m. and will conclude at 9:30 a.m. The keynote speaker at the event will be Dr. Judy Cameron, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. Her address will also speak to the long-term benefits as they pertain to school functioning, achievement in life and the effects on health. The Early Childhood Summit will also consist of a panel discussion dealing with ways that Blair County can better serve the needs of its youngest citizens. Sponsor for the Summit are: Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries, Home Nursing Agency, Jim Oswalt, Keller Engineers, Kids First Family Services and Pediatric Center, Kids First / Lily Pond Child Development Centers, and Roaring Spring Water. The cost to attend the Early Childhood Summit is $16/person. To register, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Farm-City Dinner Set for Thursday in Martinsburg
The Chamber’s Farm-City Dinner will take place this year on November 5th at The Park at Morrisons Cove beginning with a milk-punch reception at 6:30 and dinner at 7:00. Since the Park no longer has a catering staff, this year’s dinner will be catered by Stony Point Catering which will not only offer a family style turkey dinner but will include roast beef as well. The cost for the dinner remains at $20/person. Guest speaker for the Farm-City Dinner will be Chris Hoffman, Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. Hoffman owns and operates Lazy Hog Farms in Juniata County and Lazy Chick Farms which raises 250,000 chickens annually. He has been the Farms Bureau’s VP since 2014. As always, the highlight of the Farm-City Dinner is the presentation of the Agricultural Community Excellence (ACE) Award. This year’s ACE recipient is Burket Falls Farm near Claysburg. For tickets, contact The Chamber at 943-8151.
“Issues” Program on Higher Education Tapes This Week
On November 4th, the Blair County Chamber will tape its next “Issues” program that will be shown on Altoona Public Access Channel. The program is entitled, “The Role of Higher Education in Regional Development.” The one hour program will be moderated by Carolyn Donaldson of WTAJ-TV. The panel will consist of Dr. Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry, Chancellor of Penn State Altoona, Dr. Thomas Foley, President of Mount Aloysius College, Father Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., President of Saint Francis University, Dr. James Troha, President of Juniata College and Dr. Walter Asonevich, President of Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.
“Role Models” Program to Feature Kruger, Port
The next Blair County Chamber “Role Models” program will be held on November 12th from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Blair County Convention Center. Ed Kruger of the Altoona Mirror and EZ To Use.Com and Neil Port of Neil Port & Associates, LLC will be the featured Role Models. Kruger began his career in a management training program with Ogden Newspapers 50 years ago. He became the publisher of several newspapers in West Virginia and Iowa before becoming publisher of the Altoona Mirror in 1998. He also started and is the general manager of EZ To Use.Com since 1990. That business, headquartered in Altoona, has grown to 67 directories in eight states with approximately 250 employees, making it one of the largest independent directories in the U.S. Port has had a distinguished business career, most notably with Sky Brothers and Delta Health Systems. He is a coach and consultant to CEO’s through Neil Port & Associates and is a partner in P&J Productions that produces musicals. In the area of management development, at least ten managers who worked under Port’s direction have gone on to be presidents, vice-presidents or COO’s of divisions of publicly traded companies. The cost to attend Role Models is $25 for Chamber members and $30 for non-members. Lunch is included. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Senator Eichelberger to Speak at November “Breakfast Club”
State Senator John Eichelberger will be the featured speaker at the next Chamber “Breakfast Club” on November 12th. The event begins at 7:45 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park. As with other elected officials, the format for Breakfast Club will be Q&A with questions being submitted to The Chamber by Chamber Members. Richard Fiore, Jr., chair of the Legislative Action Committee, will ask the questions to the Senator. To submit a question, email Joe Hurd at jhurd@blairchamber.com. The cost to attend Breakfast Club is $18 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Chamber Continues 2016 China Trip Registration
Registration continues for the 2016 Chamber Trip to China. The nine-day excursion will take place from April 7-16, 2016 and will once again be conducted through Citslinc. The price remains incredible at $2199 (including flights, meals and all accommodations at 5-star hotels.) The only significant change from the three previous Chamber trips is that the flight originates at Dulles Airport instead of JFK – a real plus to local travelers. Travel to Dulles from Altoona and back is included as part of the trip. For more information, call The Chamber at (814) 943-8151.
Informational Meeting on Germany Trip is Wednesday
If an April trip to China doesn’t satisfy your travel needs, have we got a deal for you! From September 18-29, the Blair County Chamber and Classic Travel will offer a 12-day, fully escorted trip to Germany. The trip covers Germany’s most famous cities, includes a day cruise on the Rhine River and also takes place during Oktoberfest. Care to learn more? An informational meeting will be held this Wednesday, November 4th at 6:00 p.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. No cost or obligation to attend but we do ask that you call The Chamber at 943-8151 to let us know you’re coming!
Is Your Information Still Accurate?
As The Chamber begins the process of compiling information for the 2016 Membership Directory, it’s important that members visit the Member Information section of the Chamber Website to make sure that all of their information is accurate. The Chamber Website is at www.blairchamber.com.
Congratulations . . .
. . . to the members of the Blair County Chamber who were recently named “Foremost Under 40” by PA Business Central magazine. Those honorees are: Drew Wetzel of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Heidi Kennedy of The Baltimore Life Companies, Melissa Weakland of Blair Senior Services and Robert Okonak of Okonak Ciocca & Lechner, PC.
Blue Card Discounts
To see a complete listing of the Blue Card discounts available, please click here. To have an offer listed, contact The Chamber at 943-8151. There is no fee to offer and have a discount listed.
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November 2, 2015
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Upcoming Events
Register online
Early Childhood Summit
Tuesday, November 3
7:00 - 9:30 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Farm-City Dinner
Thursday, November 5
6:30 - Reception
7:00 - Dinner/program
The Park at Morrisons Cove
Register Here
Breakfast Club
Thursday, November 12
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Role Models
Thursday, November 12
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Blair County Convention Center
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Business BEFORE Hours
Thursday, November 13
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
The Arc of Blair County
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Business After Hours
Thursday, November 19
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Mountain Research
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Safety Workshop
Friday, November 20
7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Hoss's Duncansville
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Breakfast Club
Thursday, December 10
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Business After Hours
Thursday, December 17
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
SouthernCare, Inc.
Register Here
Upcoming Committee Meetings
Week of 11/2/2015
LBC Adult Committee
Wednesday, November 4, 3:30 p.m.
Devorris Center
Legislative Action Committee
Thursday, November 5, 8:00 a.m.
Devorris Center
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