Chamber Office closed on Labor Day
Transportation resolution passes; Moves-on to Board
Sen. Eichelberger to answer questions from Chamber Members
Economic Outlook, Job Expo attracting considerable attention
Financial empowerment topic of WE-LEaD Lunch 'n' Learn
Home & Garden discount ends next week
Free marketing workshop targets trade shows
Drugs in the Workplace is September safety program
Want to learn more about how to run a business?
Farm-City Dinner sponsorships, advertising available
Congratulations. . .

Chamber Office closed on Labor Day 
The offices of the Blair County Chamber of Commerce will be closed Monday in commemoration of Labor Day. The offices will re-open Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. For information about The Chamber or to register for Chamber programs and events, visit The Chamber website.  

Transportation resolution passes; Moves on to Board  
The Chamber’s Transportation Committee has passed a resolution calling for a $3.5 billion increase in taxes and fees to fund the state’s transportation highway and infrastructure system. The resolution, which passed by a 18-0 vote, will now be sent to The Chamber’s Board of Directors for organizational approval. The Board meets Sept. 16. “While controversial, this issue is one that Pennsylvania can no longer afford to ignore,” explained Eric Wolf of AMTRAN, who chairs the Transportation Committee. “In Blair County alone, we are looking at a 63 percent reduction in transportation funding for 2011. That will impact business, travel and tourism – practically everything that makes our economy viable. Groups like The Chamber need to take the lead. I applaud our committee for making it a priority.” (For more information on the Transportation Resolution, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151.)

Sen. Eichelberger to answer questions from Chamber Members 

State Sen. John Eichelberger, Jr. will answer questions posed by Chamber Members at the next Breakfast Club meeting, set for this Thursday, Sept. 9 at 7:45 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park.  Clark Stapelfeld, chair of The Chamber’s Legislative Action Committee, will moderate the Q&A session. If time permits, the Senator will take questions from the audience. The cost to attend Breakfast Club 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 September Breakfast Club is Mount Aloysius College.  

Economic Outlook, Job Expo attracting considerable attention 
Almost as soon as the calendar turned-over from August to September, so too, did the interest in the 2010 Blair County Economic Outlook & Job Expo, set for Monday, Sept. 20 at the Blair County Convention Center. “Vacations are essentially over and people can redirect their attention to the realities of work,” explained Chamber President Joe Hurd. “They understand that our economy is still in flux and they’re interested in knowing what is likely to happen next. And our event will provide a lot of that insight.” The Economic Outlook will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a buffet breakfast followed by a presentation on Blair County economic data by David Passmore and Rose Baker of Penn State University. Rich Overmoyer from GSP Consulting in Pittsburgh will analyze the data and speculate on future opportunities for Blair County. A video presentation will follow and the event will conclude with a keynote address by Congressman Bill Shuster. At 10 a.m., the Job Expo will open and will stay open until 1 p.m. It will re-open at 4 p.m. for an additional three hours. The cost to attend the Economic Outlook is just $25 per person. The cost to be an exhibitor at the Job Expo is $125 and includes one registration for the Economic Outlook. To register for the Outlook or to obtain a booth at the Job Expo, contact The Chamber at 943-8151.  

Financial Empowerment topic of WE-LEaD Lunch 'n' Learn 

Women need to take control of their financial futures if they hope to achieve financial independence. How? That question and much more will be answered at the next “WE-LEaD” Lunch ’n’ Learn program, scheduled for Sept. 22 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at The Blairmont Club.  Barbara Kooman, financial advisor at Kooman & Associates, will present, “The Female Factor – Financial Empowerment Part II.”  The cost to attend is $22 for Chamber Members, $17 if three or more from the same Chamber-Member business attend and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Space is limited. Register today!   

Home & Garden Show discount ends next week 
The 41st Annual Blair County Home & Garden Show will be held on March 4,5 and 6, 2011, at the Jaffa Shrine. One immediate advantage for anyone completing an exhibitor application and submitting a deposit by Sept. 14 is a 5 percent discount off the booth price. As far as booth locations, past exhibitors will have until Sept. 30 to retain their previous spots. After that, new exhibitors can select where they’d like to be. To receive an application or for more information, contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151 or visit the website.

"Drugs in the Workplace" is September safety program

The Chamber’s Safety Committee will open its 2010-11 workshop series on Sept. 24 with a half-day event at the Ramada Altoona Conference Center. The program, entitled “Drugs in the Workplace,” will begin with registration and a buffet breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by the program which runs until 11:30 a.m. Speakers for the workshop include: Tom Churbock, Safety Coordinator at Appleton; Bobbie Miller, President/Owner of Advantage Resource Group; and Keynote Speaker Randy Feathers, Narcotics Agent in the Office of Attorney General. The cost to attend is $25 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.  

Want to learn more about how to run a business?

The Chamber recognizes that many businesses, particularly small businesses, have a difficult time in things like hiring, regulatory compliance and recordkeeping. For that reason, the organization has purchased several publications that it is willing to lend to interested Chamber Members. The publications are: Principles of Payroll Administration, Pennsylvania Human Resources Manual, Model Policies and Forms for Pennsylvania Employers, An Employer’s Guide to Employee Benefits, Guide to FMLA and ADA , Employment Verification and Employer’s Guide to Wage and Hour. To borrow a publication, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151.  

Farm-City Dinner sponsorships, advertising available 
The 2010 Farm-City Dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 26 at The Park at Morrisons Cove. The event features a homestyle family turkey dinner with all the fixings. The highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Agricultural Community Excellence (ACE) Award, which this year will be presented to David and Janet Hileman of Hilecrest Farm. To place a congratulatory ad in the evening program book or to inquire about an event sponsorship, please contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151. To attend the event, register online or call The Chamber. 

Congratulations . . .
. . . to Saint Francis University, Mount Aloysius College and Juniata College -- three Chamber Members -- who were recently named top military-friendly colleges for 2011 by G.I. Jobs magazine. The magazine honors the top 15 percent of colleges and universities nationwide that are doing the most to embrace American veterans as students.

. . . to Home Nursing Agency who was recently named one of the Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania for the seventh consecutive year.

For more information, visit the website 

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