News from The Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce

This week's meeting marks the midway point in the Community Wide Strategic Planning process. Haven't attended a meeting? Doesn't matter! ! Great ideas and plans for how to shape Weatherford's future are being discussed and developed. Don't miss your chance to be involved! Thanks to everyone who has taken the opportunity to participate in the community wide strategic planning process.

"Custer Washita County Days" was a great success! Representatives from Weatherford, Clinton, Cordell, and Thomas met with our local elected officials. Personal contact was made with each House and Senate member.Special thanks is extended to AEP/Public Service Company and Wright Wradio for their support.

The Heartland Cruise and Car Show Committee continues to work on plans for the June 19 and 20 event. Thanks goes out to the businesses who have already stepped up to show their support. The committee will begin making follow-up contacts this week.

The Chamber Board and past presidents have scheduled an April 3 meeting to discuss how to move the Weatherford Chamber forward. The Board wants to tap into the expertise and knowledge of these past presidents.

Chamber members recently received their 2009 Chamber Membership Investment Statements and the response has been excellent. Membership Investments are the lifeblood of any Chamber. Thank you for your past and future support!

What's Happening!

All events are subject to change! For complete details go to www.weatherfordchamber.com

Tuesday, March 24

R/C Safe House for East Elementary - 9:30 AM - 702 East Proctor

Tuesday, March 24

R/C for East Elementary Safe Room - 9:30 AM - Corner of Huber and Kansas

Tuesday, March 24

Health Education Committee - 5:15 PM - Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, March 24

Community Awareness - 6:00 PM - Good Neighbor Care of Weatherford

Thursday, March 26

R/C Action Sports - 10:00 AM - 104 West Main

Thursday, March 26

Education Committee - 12:00 PM - Chamber Office

Thursday, March 26

Ambassador Meeting - 4:00 PM - Chamber of Commerce

Thursday, March 26

Building on the 2020 Vision - 5:30 PM - Pioneer Center

Friday, March 27

Weatherford Design Alliance - 9:00 AM - The Cup

Saturday, March 28

2nd Annual Tough Enough 5K Run/Walk - 9:00 AM - SWOSU Memorial Student Center

Contacting Customers

Looking for a great way to electronically stay in touch with clients or customers? Then take a look at "Constant Contact", the online program used by the Weatherford Area Chamber to stay in touch with its members. Chamber members receive an increased pre-payment discount. A 6 month pre-payment is 20% and 12 month pre-payments receive a 25% discount.

Franklin Covey Workshop

Bendure & Associates, and The Weatherford C of C
Invite you to attend the one-half day
FranklinCovey Leadership Workshop:
The 4 Imperatives of Great Leaders
Facilitator: Bill Bendure
8:30-12:00 - April 15, 2009
WTC- Weatherford Campus
Contact the Chamber to register

The Workshop will present a new leadership paradigm and give you a skill set and tool set to lead the knowledge age worker. It addresses the 4 chronic problems of organizations:

Low trust
Fuzzy and unclear purpose
Wasted talent and potential of staff
Bureaucracy, rules that are not aligned with purpose

Each participant will complete the 360� Leadership Inventory prior to the workshop, and receive a personalized report-you will use this in the workshop to create your own plan of action to improve in four areas. (Register by April 8 so that you can complete the leadership inventory via computer. You will be sent instructions by email as soon as you register).

This workshop's regular cost is $195/person. The Weatherford Chamber of Commerce has arranged the special rate for Chamber Leadership participants or graduates of $100 per person. Contact the Chamber to register, 772-7744. Make checks payable to Weatherford C of C.

Don't Be Left Out

Don't miss your opportunity to advertise on the only Weatherford map distritbuted by the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce! Your chamber is working with Brent Reed, owner of Weatherford Press, to develop and distribute the map. Reed is handling all the advertising sales for the map. Contact Reed at 772-5300 to secure you space. Advertising prices and sizes are listed below.

Business Card Size - $350 Full Panel - $1,000

Publicity for Your Business or Event

The 2009 State Travel Guide and Events Guide have just been released, but work is already underway for the 2010 publications. If your business is tourism related or your part of an organization which sponsors a project or activity which the traveling public would like to attend, contact the Chamber about how your event can be included in these publication.

Building on the Vision

Next meeting for Weatherford's

community wide strategic planning process is March 26. All meetings will be held at the Pioneer Center and start at 5:30 p.m. with a meal, before the planning process begins at 6:00 p.m. Remaining dates are

April 9th

April 23rd

The meetings will build upon the information gained from the community wide survey and each meeting. It does not matter if you miss the first meetings to be able to attend future meetings.

Goodie Bag Items

2008 Calendar October 20th and 21^st, Weatherford will host approximately 80 OSU Extension Office Secretaries from across the SW District . Radonna Sawatzky is aksing interested businesses to provide coupons and other promotional items to be included in the goodie bags. Don't miss this opportunity to get your name in front of these visitors. They'll have plenty of free time to take advantage your offers. Deliver your items to the Chamber.