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Home & Garden Show Opens Friday at Jaffa Shrine
March "Breakfast Club" Will Launch Exciting Program
Foundation Board Encouraging LBC Youth Sponsorships
Nomination Deadline Wednesday for Business Excellence Award
Congratulations...
Blue Card Discounts

Home & Garden Show Opens Friday at Jaffa Shrine
The 42nd edition of the Blair County Home & Garden Show kicks-off with a Board Cutting on Friday at 12:30 p.m. at the Jaffa Shrine. The show itself opens at 1:00 p.m. and will stay open until 9:00 p.m.; will re-open on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and finishes-up Sunday from Noon until 5:00 p.m. More than 130 exhibitors will be on hand. New features of the show will be a Home Treasures Boutique, a Kids Craft Corner and a Kids Treasure Hunt. All attendees will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a $5,000 Exhibitor Gift Certificate. The cost to attend the show is $3.00 for adults and children under-12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Tickets will be sold at the door. There is also free parking and hourly door prizes. The Blair County Home & Garden Show is a collaborative venture of the Blair County Chamber and the Blair Bedford Builders Association. Show sponsors are: CCS Custom Building & Remodeling, Furniture Unfinished, Re-Bath, Superior Walls by Advanced Concrete Systems, The Home Depot and Wolf Furniture. For further information, call The Chamber at 943-8151.

March "Breakfast Club" Will Launch Exciting Feature
By now, most people in Blair County have at least heard the name “Buy Here. Live Here.” The details surrounding that name will be the focus of the next Chamber Breakfast Club, set for March 8th beginning at 7:45 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park. A special presentation to include footage of upcoming video advertising, a quiz on local buying with exciting prizes for those who answer questions correctly, door prizes and a testimonial from a noted business leader will highlight the morning event. “Unlike most Breakfast Club programs, this one will be more of a celebration,” explained Linda Stotler, The Chamber’s Vice-President of Communication & Marketing. “Buy Here. Live Here. will have such a dramatic impact on our local economy that it will give rise to more efforts aimed at community revitalization. This is an event that all Chamber Members should make a special effort to attend. It’s about our businesses and the people who live here.” The cost to attend Breakfast Club is $16 for Chamber Members as well as for non-members. Non-members must pay in advance. To register, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.

Foundation Board Encouraging LBC Youth Sponsorships
The Chamber’s Leadership Blair County Youth program has been funded for several years by monies donated to the Blair County Chamber Foundation through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. Future funding through that program is unknown and the Foundation has begun to sell scholarship packages at either $250 or $500 to defray the cost of LBC Youth, should the EITC funds be reduced or eliminated. To obtain information on the scholarship program, email Cindy Cessna.

Nomination Deadline Wednesday for Business Excellence Award
Even though The Chamber’s Business Excellence Dinner won’t be held until June, the process has begun to determine the honoree for the Lifetime Achievement Award for Business Excellence, the highlight of the event. Nomination forms are online or can be obtained at The Chamber Office, located in the Devorris Center for Business Development. The deadline to nominate someone for the award is Noon this Wednesday.

Congratulations...
. . . to Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate which was recently named a “Premier Office,” the highest honor given to Coldwell Banker offices. This is the 16th year that the office has received this designation.
. . . to Robert F. Pennington of Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate who received the Office Manager’s Award for Excellence. The award recognizes managers who attain a positive sales base of 50% or more, a positive list base of 50% or more and a closed unit-per-person production of 1.5 transactions monthly per-sales agent.
. . . to Stuckey Subaru which was named a recipient of the Subaru Stellar Care Award by Subaru of America, Inc. The award is given to top-ranking Subaru dealers who deliver an exceptional ownership experience to customers.
. . to the Comfort Inn of Duncansville which was recently named as a recipient of a 2012 Platinum Hospitality Award from Choice Hotels International, Inc. The award is based on an examination of guest satisfaction and dedication to providing superior service.

Blue Card Discount offers
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.

Gold Shield Investigation

Present your Blue Card to receive a $100 credit on your first assignment.

Harry K. Sickler Associates

Receive 10% discount for any first-time tax preparation and a free consultation with an accountant with your Blue Card.

HH Brown Shoe Co., Inc.

Present your Blue Card to receive 10% off any purchase from the Cove Shoe Outlet Store.

Holiday Bowl, Inc.

Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive Free Shoe Rental for up to 2 people with any paid game purchase.

Imler's Poultry

A 5% discount on all purchases at the Route 764 Outlet Store. Please present your card at checkout to receive your discount.

February 27, 2012

Upcoming Events

Register online

Blair County Home & Garden Show

March 2, 2012 - 1:00 - 9:00 p.m.
March 3, 2012 - 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
March 4, 2012 - Noon - 5 p.m.

Jaffa Shrine

Register Here

Upcoming Committee Meetings
Week of 2/27/12

GRYP Steering Committee
Tuesday, February 28, 8:30 a.m.
The Dream

Coalition on Sustainability
Tuesday, February 28, 11:00 a.m.
Devorris Center

Home & Garden Show Committee
Wednesday, February 29, Noon
Jaffa Shrine

Legislative Action Committee
Thursday, March 1, 8:00 a.m.
Devorris Center

BASICS Subcommittee on Early
Childhood Development
Thursday, March 1, 9:30 a.m.
The Chamber

Partners in Small Business
Thursday, March 1, 11:00 a.m.
Devorris Center

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