 | Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce Weekly Update
Mission statement: The Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce promotes economic and community development by addressing issues important to business.
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Volume 4, Issue 3 Friday, September 2, 2005 This Week's Sponsors
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(Your ad here for just $30 per edition. Email us by clicking here.) What's happening in Ross County this weekend, this month, this year? Click here. Chamber Calendar Tuesday, September 6: Networking Committee, 11:30 a.m., Horizon Chillicothe Telephone, East Main Street. Thursday, September 8: Ross County Safety Council picnic lunch, 11:30 a.m., Lions Shelter in Yoctangee Park, Safety Council registration Wednesday, September 14: Finance Committee, 4 p.m., chamber Thursday, September 15: Executive Committee, 8 a.m., chamber Wednesday, September 21: Business After Business, Atwood House Bed and Breakfast, 68 S. Paint St., co-sponsored by Caldwell Ott & Co., CPAs; 5-7 p.m. BAB registration Thursday, September 22: Annual chamber golf outing at Valley Vista Golf Course near Bainbridge, 9 a.m. shotgun start, $300 per team and $75 for individuals, sponsorships also sought, for more information: 2005 Golf Outing registration You are receiving this newsletter as a benefit of your membership in the chamber. If you wish not to receive it, please reply to mjones@chillicotheohio.com and write "Unsubscribe" in the subject. |  BUSINESSES TO THE RESCUE: Chamber members are a generous lot and, from all indications, several have sprung into action to become part of the aid package to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the South. Herrnstein Chrysler is matching dollar for dollar the donations made by its employees to the American Red Cross as one example. If your organization has an organized effort, please drop us an email with details so that others can benefit from your ideas. In the meantime, donations are being accepted by the local Red Cross chapter. To contribute: call 1-800-435-7669 or go online at www.redcross.org or stop by the local office at 155 W. Main St. or call 772-2014. DONATIONS GREATLY APPRECIATED: And speaking of donations, the 20 boxes of everyday items shipped to soldiers in Iraq hit the spot. Capt. H.R. Grimm emailed from Tikrit: "Thank you to The Gift Post and my hometown for this generous support." The store at Brownell and Main streets already is gearing up to make the holidays more pleasant for the troops by conducting "Operation: Adopt a Hero." The kickoff is Sunday, Sept. 11 at the store and is in conjunction with the second anniversary of the business in which prizes will be awarded Sept. 9 and 10. Items sought for the soldiers include hand and feet warmer packs, dental floss and crossword puzzle books. Call 773-7368 for a complete list. The deadline: Oct. 15. SAFETY COUNCIL BACK AT IT: Following a summer break, the Ross County Safety Council -- some 75 members strong -- begins the new season with a picnic lunch Thursday at the Lions Shelter in Yoctangee Park near the bridge. Brats and burgers are on the menu with the usual side dishes, all compliments of the council. Chillicothe Fire and Security will have hands-on demonstrations of fire extinguishers and NewPage will have some of its rescue equipment on display. Attendance at the picnic will count toward one of the eight sessions council members must attend to be eligible to receive a 4 percent discount on their workers' compensation premiums, double last year's incentive. To become a member and/or to register for the picnic, call the chamber at 702-2722 or click here: Ross County Safety Council
CHILD CENTER GROUNDBREAKING SET: All chamber members are invited to attend the Thursday, Sept. 15 ceremony to mark construction of the new Child Development Family Service Center on the Ohio University-Chillicothe campus. Refreshments are at 2:30 and the ceremony at 3 near the Pohlman Road entrance. The center is a joint effort of OU-C, Ross County MRDD and the Ross County Board of Commissioners. If you plan to attend, call 774-7222. The center's $350,000 campaign recently received a $10,000 pledge from RLS Recycling's Charles Stevens. "This is a wonderful opportunity for the growth of Chillicothe as well as for the well-being of the children," Stevens said. Also, you might want to reserve Saturday, Oct. 8 to attend a special boxing exhibition being sponsored by the local Police Athletic League chapter which will include an appearance by former heavyweight champ Buster Douglas of Columbus. It is a fund-raiser for the child center. STORE MOVES THIS WEEK: A ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Friday (Sept. 2) for the new Kitchen Collection store in the Chillicothe Mall (near JCPenney) makes the move official. Going from Water Street to North Bridge Street means a more convenient location with more shopping hours, according to officials. Giveaways and other activities are planned through the weekend to celebrate. The corporate offices will remain on Water Street and for now, there are no definite plans for the vacated space. Kitchen Collection, which started here in 1983 in the former WearEver plant, now has almost 200 stores in more than 40 states which are served by a state-of-the-art distribution center on Redd Street. NACCO is its publicly traded parent company. And, you can shop online: www.kitchencollection.com
U.S. 35 WIDENING PUSHED TO THE EAST: About $87 million is included in the recently approved federal highway bill that would lead to the construction of a four-lane U.S. 35 in West Virginia. the last stretch of two-lane road from Dayton to Charleston, WV. Sen. Jay Rockefeller was quoted as saying "The Route 35 project is as important, if not more, than any road project in the state." Still, more funding will be needed to convert the 31 miles from Point Pleasant to Interstate 64, but Rep. Shelley Moore Capito said, "We're just going to keep the heat on. Sometimes if you can raise your voice, you can cause others to listen." DIRECTORY, DUES GO HAND IN HAND: To be listed in the 2006 chamber directory of members that comes out in early January, members must have their dues current by the end of this month. Delinquent accounts risk not being listed in the guide that is distributed to newcomers, businesses looking to do business with other members, community visitors and those seeking relocation packages. And, if you haven't secured your ad in the directory, give Connie Smart of Panther Publishing a call at 772-2165. The chamber receives a percentage of the ad sales to help keep dues investments lower.
AFTER CYCLISTS, MORE GUESTS: After the Easyriders leave town early next week, there are a couple weeks of calm before two more groups hold conventions and conferences here. About 200 are expected for the Travel Supreme Owners convention Oct. 3-7 at the fairgrounds that is for those who have recreational vehicles valued at not less than $200,000. On Oct. 4-6, law enforcement, healthcare providers and others will be here for the state's Triad Conference that concentrates on crimes against the elderly, such as identity theft. Attorney General Jim Petro will be the keynote speaker in which about 150 are expected at the Christopher Conference Center. For more information about these and other groups coming to town, get in touch with Kyrsten Vogel of the Ross-Chillicothe Convention and Visitors Bureau at 702-7677. A RECORD MONTH: The chamber's website had record traffic in August with 15,965 visits from 7,681 visitors who viewed 38,292 pages, according to our third-party counter. After the homepage and the weekly newsletters, the top pages viewed were Job Bank, tourism and the directory search. An unabashed plug: Could your business benefit by having a presence on any of these pages? Drop us a line to get details. RAFFLE YIELDS SCHOLARSHIPS: The OSU Alumni Club of Ross County was able to hand out nine scholarships this year from the proceeds of its annual raffle of a season football ticket. Fred Herrnstein was the winner. ANOTHER DISCOUNT NOW AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS: If your vehicle runs into some bad luck, Perfection One Collision Center now has "Accidental Rewards" that might help ease some of the pain. See all the details on the Member-to-Member Discounts page. AUTHORIZED CENTER: Preston's Auto Detailing at 1999 Western Ave. is now an authorized FedEx Shipping Center. Shipments can be either ground or express. VENDORS LICENSES: Here's who's received licenses recently from the Ross County Auditor:
NETWORKING TIP NO. 12: The Cling On Factor: On occasion, someone may want to monopolize your time at an event. If you get stuck, here's how to get unstuck: Politely take that person to meet a new group. The wider circle of conversation will allow you to graciously excuse yourself while helpfully introducing that person to others. www.workthepond.com
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For previous editions, click here Copyright 2005 Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
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ACQUISITION CELEBRATED: Executive General Manager Jason McFarlane (with scissors) and Ford Manager Ed Bressler cut the ribbon last weekend on the Nourse dealership it recently re-acquired from Ricart. The Ford and Lincoln-Mercury lineups in Shawnee Square join the Nourse Family of Dealerships across North Bridge Street.
A GRAND BAB IN THE WORKS: Sangria, wine, tapas (Spanish minisnacks) and other interesting hors d'oeurves will be served while a piano player will provide music inside and a cornhole contest will be going on outside at the next Business After Business Wednesday, Sept. 21 at the Atwood House on South Paint Street. Caldwell, Ott and Co. is co-sponsoring the BAB that also will include a door prize of a night's stay at the bed and breakfast. And you can register now to attend: 