Weekly Update 

For the week of Juy 7, 2008

 
In This Issue
Save the Date
Leadership Weatherford
Community Coffee
Wellness Expo
Prosperity Project
Watch Your Mail Box!
School Time!
Chambers Count
Design Alliance Grant
Make It Your Business
Over and Above
Platinum Investors
Gold Investors
Silver Investors
Bronze Investors
Subscribe to Our Email!
Greetings!

Congratulations to everyone involved with the 4th of July celebration at Radar Park!  The "bubbles/suds" booth had to be the biggest hit of the night!  Kids of all ages could be seen in various stages of "bubble dress."  What fun!!
 
Don't forget to return your sponsorship forms for the Wellness Expo and Retail Trades Holiday Promotion.  Both events are open to all Chamber members.  Letters have been sent to last year's participants.
 
Thanks again to everyone who supports the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce.  You are what makes everything possible.
Contact Us
P O Box 857
Weatherford, Oklahoma 73096
580-772-7744
What's Happening!
All events are subject to change! For complete details go to www.weatherfordchamber.com
 
 

Monday, July 07, 2008

  • Executive Committee Meeting - 12:00 PM - Chamber Office

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

  • Retail Trades Committee - 8:00 AM - Chamber of Commerce
  • Kiwanis Club - 12:00 PM - The Mark Restaurant

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

  • Weatherford Economic Development Foundation - 7:00 AM - First National Bank
  • Weatherford Rotary Club Meeting - 12:00 PM - Mark Restaurant
  • Health Education Committee Meeting - 5:15 PM - Chamber of Commerce 

Thursday, July 10, 2008

  • Community Coffee @ SWOSU - 9:30 AM - Bulldog Beanery
  • Education Committee Meeting - 12:15 PM - Chamber of Commerce Office
  • Board of Directors Meeting - 4:00 PM - Chamber Office


**Membership Investment
Chamber members have received their 2008 membership investment invoices.  Thank you to all those who supported the Chamber in 2007 and we ask for your support again in 2008.  Your statement offered you the opportunity to increase your investment in the Chamber.  Please take the opportunity to review your invoice and consider increasing your investment. 
 
 
If you have a question concerning your membership investment, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Save the Date
and make plans to participate and/or attend
  • SWOSU's 48th Annual Picnic - August 18 - Memorial Circle, south lawn
  • Welcome Reception for SWOSU, Western Technology Center, and Weatherford Public Schools - August 19 - First National Bank
  • Chamber of Commerce Wellness Expo - September 20 - SWOSU Wellness Center
  • Chamber Banquet - January 22, 2009

Additional information will be provided about these events.

Leadership Weatherford
 LWford Back
 
Community Coffee
SWOSU's Bulldog Beanery
Memorial Student Center 
100 Campus Drive
Weatherford, Oklahoma 73096
  
 July 10, 2008 
 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  
Wellness Expo
Health Expo Logo September 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the SWOSU Wellness Center is the date, time, and location for the 2008 Wellness Expo.  Chamber members who participated in the 2007 Health Expon will soon be receiving the details about how they can participate in the 2008 Health Expo.  
 
The event is open to any Chamber member.  Corporate Sponsorship is $100.  A sponsor at this level receives an 8' x 10' booth, their logo in print and electronic media advertising, and a sign to display in their business.  Booth Fee Participants is $40.  As a participant the business receives an 8' x 10' booth and a sign to display in their business.   
 
Contact the Chamber at 772-7744 or welcome@weatherfordchamber.com to sign up!
 
It's About Jobs
Prosperity ProjectNearly every Oklahoma voter has a job, wants a job, or is retired from a job.  Each of us has a vested interest in how the issues discussed during the 2008 elections affect Oklahoma's economy - and your company's bottom-line.
 
This year, more than 1,200 employers representing 450,000 employees are using the Oklahoma Prosperity Project's free, nonpartisan easy-to-use materials - breakroom posters, payroll stuffers, and other useful tools -- to encourage their employees to register to vote and go to the polls informed on economic issues before they go to the polls. 
 
The Prosperity Project, a program of the The State Chamber, is a free, nonpartisan election education program.  It does not endorse candidates.  It does not tell people how to vote. 
To learn more about how your business can take advantage of this free program, click on the above link.
Watch Your Mail Box!
By now last year's participants should have received information about the 2008 "Home for the Holidays with Friends and Families", the 2008 Retail Trades Christmas Promotion.  Take a few minutes now and return that participation form!
 Family and Friends
The promotion is open to any chamber member.  If you were unable to participate last year and would like to receive information, just call the Chamber and we'll get you the information.
 
The goal, to get Weatherford area residents to shop Weatherford this holiday season and to share the experience with friends and family.  Each week a winner will be drawn to receive that week's $1,000 Chamber Buck giveaway.  When contacted, the winner will then be asked to name two people, either a family member or a friend, to receive $500 each in Chamber Bucks! 
 
In addition to being listed as a sponsor on the Chamber's Web site, sponsors receive: 
Santa (Corporate) - $750 - Logo in print and electronic media advertising. Banner and sign to display in business; an entry box at your location.
Reindeer (Participating) - $250 - Name in print and electronic media advertising. Sign to display in business; an entry box at your location.
Elf (General) - $200 - Name in print and electronic media. Sponsor identification at kickoff & scheduled events.
School Personnel Welcome
 School HouseCircle the date now and make plans to attend the Welcome Reception for education personnel new the Weatherford education community.  The reception gives the Weatherford Business Community a chance to welcome the new education personnel.
 
The Welcome Reception is presented by First National Bank on August 19, at 12:30 p.m.
 
The Education Committee is looking for drawing sponsors.  Sponsors are being asked to provide $100 to be drawn for during the reception. This is a great way to promote your business to more than 100 education personnel.  If you have any questions, please contact the Chamber at 772-7744.
Chambers Count 
With the nation in its current economic recession, the Schapiro Study underscores how it is now more important than ever for small businesses to invest in chamber of commerce memberships. "The chamber is the one organization promoting the collective well being of the business community and the community as a whole. It's like a hub," states Marie Hanza, Executive Director. "The chamber is a resource and education tool for promoting growth."   Hanza comments were made following the release of a the American Chamber of Commerce (ACCE) recent survey "The Real Value of Joining a Local Chamber of Commerce." 

"The intent of the survey was to determine what the impact of chamber memberships are for small businesses," said Cathy Lada, vice president of community advancement for the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). "With the economy the way it is right now, it's important to have (a) resource for small businesses."

ACCE hired the Atlanta-based firm The Schapiro Group to conduct the national survey, which included about 2,000 adults nationwide.

The study found 59 percent of consumers think being active in a local chamber is an effective business strategy overall, and it is 29 percent more effective for communicating to consumers that a company uses good business practices.

The survey also shows consumers think a company's products hold up better against competition because the company is highly involved in its local chamber and is involved in the community as an industry leader.  When consumers know a small business is a member of the chamber, they are 44 percent more likely to think favorably of it and 63 percent more likely to patronize it, according to the survey.

Design Alliance Grant Awarded
Congratulations to Russell-Murray Hospice, the first Weatherford business to receive a "Design Alliance Grant."  Russell-Murray will use the funds for a new sign at their new location.
 
Program Overview

The facade improvement program is designed to assist owners or responsible tenants with improvements to their commercial properties and businesses in the City of Weatherford.  Across the city, improvements to storefronts are making businesses and districts more attractive and inviting and, in turn, attracting new customers and businesses.  Business owners often see an increase in sales.  Storefront improvements also help landlords rent their vacant or difficult-to-rent properties.

Eligible improvements for the Facade Improvement Program may include, but are not necessarily limited to: 

  • Restoration of exterior finishes/material
  • Repair or replacement of storefront windows and/or doors
  • New/Repair Signage
  • Building and Sign Lighting
  • Installation/Removal/Replacement/Repair of Awnings
  • Landscaping
  • Painting

Most capital improvements such as side walks, curbs, and parking lot resurfacing are ineligible. All improvements must conform to the City's building codes.

 

Following your project's approval, the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce-Weatherford Design Alliance and the City of Weatherford will prepare documents for the Applicant's signature, including a Grant Agreement and a Facade Program Agreement.

 

In consideration of the above agreements, the City will contribute funds to the applicant of half the costs for improvements as approved by the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce-Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce-Weatherford Design Alliance up to a maximum of $1000.00 per property or actual amount of grant, whichever is less.  The applicant is responsible for providing to the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce-Weatherford Design Alliance adequate documentation of the project's expenses prior to reimbursement.

 

The Applicant needs to provide the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce-Weatherford Design Alliance the following in order to begin the application process, prior to the approval of the project and the Applicant commencing improvement work:

  • Copy of Facade  Improvement Program Application
  • Check payable to the Weatherford Chamber of Commerce for $250
  • Contractor's estimate of project
  • Drawing or rendering of project.

Upon receipt of the above, the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce-Weatherford Design Alliance will then submit application to the City of Weatherford, if applicable for review.  A copy of schedule of meeting dates will be given upon request and unless specifically asked to do so, your attendance at the meetings is voluntary.  Once the final reward determinations have been made and approved by the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce-Weatherford Design Alliance /City of Weatherford, you will be notified in writing and be given further instructions.

 
Make It Your Business
Hello, my name is Megan Coit, and I'm the Community Coordinator for the Western OK Tobacco Control Program (WOTCP) based out of Elk City.  The goal of the WOTCP is to decrease the prevalence of tobacco use in our four county coalition area (Beckham, Custer, Roger Mills and Washita).    One of the ways we hope to accomplish this goal is through the Make It Your Business initiative.  Make It Your Business provides employers with strategies for a tobacco free workforce.
 

Everyone knows that tobacco is harmful to people's health, but few business owners realize the financial cost of employing tobacco users.  For example, smokers, on average, miss 6.16 days of work annually due to sickness, compared to non-smokers, who miss 3.86 days of work per year.  Smoking costs businesses an estimated $3,734 per smoker per year.  That cost is comprised of $1,791 in direct medical expenditures (i.e. greater health care costs) and $1,943 in lost productivity (i.e. work time spent on smoking breaks).
 

A healthy workforce begins with three key tobacco-free initiatives: 
1)  Use your company's health plan to help employees and their families quit tobacco use.
 
2)  Actively support and promote the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, 1-800-QUIT NOW.
 
3)  Implement and maintain tobacco-free workplace policies and other initiatives.
 
At the WOTCP, we can help you develop a strategy that is based on the understanding that tobacco is an addiction and that tobacco users should not be stigmatized.  In addition to having healthier, tobacco free employees, as an employer, you will see reduced healthcare and maintenance costs if you make tobacco your business!  For more information on Make It Your Business or to find out how to become an Oklahoma Certified Healthy Business please contact Megan Coit at 580.225.6247 or
coitm@elkcity.com
Over and Above
The Chamber wishes to  recognize  the businesses and individuals listed in the areas below.  These members have agreed to increase their financial support to their Chamber this year.  Take a few minutes now to review the list and make it a point to say "thanks" the next time you see one of these members.  Every effort is being made to make sure this list is complete.  If you have increased your membership to a level to be included in one of the areas listed and do not see your name, please contact the office.  We'll make the change and get your recognized in the next "Weekly Agenda."  
 
Minimum investments for each are
Platinum - $1,000
Gold - $750
Silver - $500
Bronze $350
Thanks and appreciation goes out to all members who have renewed their membership for the 2008 year!     
Platinum Investors

Advanced Home Care Services, Inc. 

AEP/Public Service Company of Oklahoma 

BancFirst 

Bank of Western Oklahoma 

City of Weatherford 

Economy Storage 

Ed Berrong Real Estate & Insurance Agency

First National Bank & Trust Company of Weatherford 

FPL Energy Cowboy Wind, LLC

John M. Huser, Jr, MD 

MidFirst Bank 

More Than Medicine
Rick Koch Oil Company 

Southwest National Bank 

Southwestern Oklahoma State University 

Southwestern Oklahoma State University Foundation

Stafford Air & Space Museum 

Tautfest, Inc. 

United Supermarkets 

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. #392 

Weatherford Daily News 

Wright Wradio 

Gold Investors

American Insurance Group - Brown, Mike 

Cummins, Pontiac- GMC, Inc

Edward Jones, Jim Horsburgh 

Hart & Merchant, CPA's

IBC Bank

Nita's Ice House 

York Ford, Lincoln-Mercury, Inc.

Silver Investors

AT& T 

Britton, Kuykendall, & Miller, CPA's

Caulkin Conoco
CellularOne
Chesapeake Energy
Diesel Works Plus Inc.
Doc's Longhorn Trading Post 
 Joe E. & Glenna Johns

Imation Enterprises 

Kelley Jewelers 

Lockstone Funeral Home, Inc.

Mario's Grill

Magill Insurance & Real Estate Agency 
Oklahoma West Physicians Group 

Ratcliffe's, Inc. 

State Farm Insurance - Debbie Shepherd 

Weatherford Press

Weatherford Regional Hospital

Bronze Investors
Albert's Truck Service 

Alfredo's Mexican Café 

C.J.'s Southwest Tire & Accessory, Inc. 

Cells U More 

CenterPoint Energy 

Dr Pepper Bottling Company 

Eagle Supply & Rental, Inc 

Eastman Kodak Company 

Farmers Cooperative Exchange 

Hankins,  Dr. Marvin & Connie

Hart Sell Real Estate 
The Kloset

Legacy Bank 

Nabors Shoe Center 

PDC (Phone Directories Company) 

Premier Chevrolet-Cadillac, Inc. 

Sides Screen Printing 

Sudden Link Communications 

Weatherwood Assisted Living 

Western Equipment, LLC 

Share this email with your co-workers! 
 
Sincerely,
 
Marie Hanza
Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce