Backbone Bash is This Friday at Park Hills Golf Club
Best Practices Forum for Non-Profits Will Feature Local Media
Salon Professional Academy Hosting “Business Before Hours”
Chamber Board of Directors Meets Thursday
Chamber Seeking Fall Interns
Young Professionals Invited to Join Contact List
Leadership Alumni Kickoff “Basket of Hope” Project
Instructions Provided for Posting Events on Community Calendar
Community Needs Assessment Survey Deadline is This Week
Safety Committee Seeking Additional Members
Informational Meeting on China Trip is August 25th
Nomination Period Open for “Women Making a Difference”
Still Time to Register for Chamber’s “Five Rivers” Cruise
Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts
Backbone Bash is This Friday at Park Hills Golf Club
The next Chamber “Backbone Bash” will have a new location in 2015. The popular event, labeled “a laid-back celebration for small businesses,” will take place at Tavern 27, located in Park Hills Golf Club. The date is this Friday, August 21st from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. The cost to attend is just $10/person and includes a casual cookout, beverages, a putting contest, karaoke, a photo booth, backyard games, great music and plenty of door prizes. The event will conclude with a firework display courtesy of EPIC Pyrotechnics LLC. Any Chamber Member whose business employs less than 50 people is eligible to attend. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Best Practices Forum for Non-Profits Will Feature Local Media
The Blair County Chamber’s Committee of Non-Profit Businesses will host a special Best Practices Forum this Friday, August 21st from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. The program will focus on ways to make better connections between local non-profits and the local news media. At this Forum, Ray Eckenrode of the Altoona Mirror, Phil Dubrow of WTAJ Your News Leader and Dave Davies of Forever Broadcasting will be part of a panel discussion with attendees. Best Practices Forums are limited to employees of non-profits that are members of the Blair County Chamber. There is no cost to attend a Forum but space is limited. To register, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Salon Professional Academy Hosting “Business Before Hours”
The next Blair County Chamber “Business Before Hours” will be held this Wednesday, August 19th from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at Salon Professional Academy’s new location at 415 Orchard Avenue in Altoona. The Academy features high-end appointment and furnishings similar to elite salons in New York City. According to co-owner and director Kim Hofer, “our focus is to provide the best education and skills training possible so that our graduates are truly prepared for success in the industry.” The Business Before Hours will feature tours of the new facility and a light breakfast. There is no cost to attend but registration is encouraged. To register for the event, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Chamber Board of Directors Meets Thursday
Following a two-month hiatus, the Blair County Chamber’s Board of Directors will meet Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. Among the agenda items will be a look at a new strategy related to the Buy Here. Live Here. initiative that will assess that program’s effectiveness. The Board will also be updated on The Chamber’s website overhaul and will consider additional options to membership recruitment. Any member wishing to address the Board should contact Joe Hurd by noon tomorrow at (814) 943-8151.
Chamber Seeking Fall Interns
The Blair County Chamber is accepting resumes for Fall internships from any college student majoring in Business Administration, Journalism, Marketing or Communications. Internships can be done for credit or non-credit. Send resume to Linda Stotler, lstotler@blairchamber.com.
Young Professionals Invited to Join Contact List
Now that the Young Professionals of Blair County has put together a Steering Committee to guide its fortunes for the immediate future, it is now hoping to assemble a list of 21-35 year olds to be part of the YP program. A list will be compiled of interested young professionals so that information about upcoming programs and events can be promoted. Anyone interested in joining that list should send contact information to Joe Hurd at jhurd@blairchamber.com. Information can also be accessed on Facebook at Facebook.com/YoungProfessionalsBlairCounty.
Leadership Alumni Kickoff “Basket of Hope” Project
For the past four years, the Leadership Blair County Alumni have championed a cause to help women and families in Blair County to get a fresh start through the Family Services’ Family Shelter and Domestic Abuse Project. “Basket of Hope” will continue again in 2015. Last year’s goal of collecting 200 baskets was exceeded when 222 baskets were collected and a total of $1,797.07 in monetary donations was realized. Since the program’s inception, 666 baskets and $5,613.27 have been donated. There are many ways that items can be donated; as an individual or an office, with a group of neighbors or with a faith group. Donate just one item or fill an entire laundry basket. Items can be new or gently used. A list of items, most of which can be found at any Dollar Store, is posted on the Chamber Website at www.blairchamber,com. All Basket of Hope donations can be brought to the Blair County Chamber of Commerce on August 26-28 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Instructions Provided for Posting Events on Community Calendar
The recent partnership between the Blair County Chamber and WTAJ Your News Leader to promote the station’s Community Calendar as a preferred destination for those organizations planning programs and events is now in place and ready for use. “We’re hoping that we can avoid a lot of the scheduling conflicts that create problems for everyone involved,” noted Chamber President Joe Hurd. “We’re happy to be able to post our own events and programs on that calendar and we encourage others to do so as well. It’s convenient and it’s free. That’s a tough combination to beat.” To access the instructions on how to post an event or program, click here.
Community Needs Assessment Survey Deadline is This Week
Healthy Blair County Coalition, in partnership with the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation, is conducting a community economic needs assessment. Surveys are being sent to a variety of groups asking for help in completing the Community Economic Needs Assessment Survey to learn more about the strengths and issues that impact business. Please go to the link below and complete the survey through the internet on survey monkey no later than August 21, 2015. The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and the questions ask for specific responses that will be compiled into a database for purposes of ascertaining volume and trends. Individual responses will be kept confidential. This information will not be used to solicit businesses or to encourage participation in projects or programs undertaken by any of the participating organizations. The survey can be accessed by clicking on https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6NNXR32.
Safety Committee Seeking Additional Members
The Blair County Chamber’s Safety Committee is looking to expand its ranks as it gears-up for a new season of educational programming. The committee has been effective for many years in helping businesses to look at issues of safety and security. “There are a number of important safety-related things that will challenge both large and small businesses within the next several months and we’d like to get some additional people involved to allow us to better address those things,” explained Barbara Hoover of Teeter Group, who chairs the committee. Anyone interested in joining the committee should contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151 or email her at shoover@blairchamber.com.
Informational Meeting on China Trip is August 25th
Back by popular demand is the Blair County Chamber’s 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 our travelers. Travel to Dulles from Altoona and back are included as part of the trip. The Chamber will hold an informational meeting on Tuesday, August 25th at 6:00 p.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. To register for that meeting, call The Chamber at (814) 943-8151.
Nomination Period Open for “Women Making a Difference”
Do you know a successful woman making a difference in her workplace or community? Once again this year, The Pennsylvania and Marcellus Business Central, together with St. Francis University, is proud to announce that nominations are now open for the fifth annual “Women Making a Difference” publication scheduled to appear in the September 18th edition of the publication. Last year, 37 finalists were chosen out of almost 60 nominations, making it the biggest year yet! They hope to make this year even bigger, but we need help to make that happen. As a leader of your business community, we hope that you will take this opportunity to honor a woman that you think deserves the spotlight by sending us a nomination. Nominations can be obtained under the "Women Making a Difference" tab on the PBC website. Nomination forms can be e-mailed to editor@pabusinesscentral.com, faxed to (814) 278-1303, or submitted verbally by calling (814) 278-1321 or (814) 278-1323. Once collected, nominations will be presented to a third party independent committee spearheaded by St. Francis University’s school of business. The selection committee chooses the finalists, whose success stories will be published in The Pennsylvania Business Central on September 18th. The deadline for nominations is August 28th.
Still Time to Register for Chamber’s “Five Rivers” Cruise
The Blair County Chamber is heading to Europe in late Fall for its first-ever river cruise. The cruise is being done in cooperation with Heritage Travel. The special wine-themed “5-River European Cruise” will depart from the Chamber Office in the Devorris Center for Business Development on November 3rd, will fly from Dulles International Airport for an overnight flight to Prague and will return on November 13th from Paris. The trip will include one-night sightseeing stays at 5-star hotels in both Prague and Paris with the river cruise in-between. The Chamber trip will feature excursions on the Vistava, Main, Rhine, Moselle and Seine rivers via Avalon Waterways “Visionary,” considered the finest river vessel in Europe. The Visionary accommodates just 128 guests. Brochures on the 5-River European Cruise are available at the Chamber Office and at Heritage Travel. Call (814) 946-1600 for more information.
Congratulations . . .
. . . to Tyrone Hospital, which recently received a five-star rating on the current Centers for Medicine and Medicaid Services Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey. Tyrone Hospital’s ratings well exceed the average rate for Pennsylvania hospitals.
. . . to UPMC Altoona which received the Lifeline Bronze Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.
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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August 17, 2015
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Upcoming Events
Register online
Business BEFORE Hours
Wednesday, August 19
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
The Salon Professional Academy
Register Here
Non-Profit Best Practices Forum
Friday, August 21
8:15 - 9:30 a.m.
Devorris Center
Register Here
Backbone Bash
Friday, August 21
5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
Tavern 27 at Park Hills Country Club
Register Here
Business After Hours
Thursday, August 27
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
PC Works Plus
Register Here
Joint Celebration Pinecroft Medical Center
Wednesday, September 9
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Pinecroft Medical Center
Register Here
Breakfast Club
Thursday, September 10
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Upcoming Committee Meetings
Week of 8/17/2015
BASICS Steering Committee
Monday, August 17, 8:00 a.m.
GACTC
Non-Profit Marketing Subcommittee
Tuesday, August 18, 8:30 a.m.
Home Nursing Agency
BASICS Career Development Subcommittee
Wednesday, August 19, 1:00 p.m.
Devorris Center
LBC Youth Committee
Wednesday, August 19, 3:30 p.m.
Devorris Center
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