| Welcome to Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Greetings!
We wish you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!
We have reached our 2009 goals: We developed our 3-5 year Strategic Plan and we established OVRCC policies and procedures.
New this past year:
1. Business Showcase at Echo Lake Inn.
2. RSN 12/20 television program "Your Place In Vermont" with those videos added to your enhanced listings on our website.
3. Free web links added to your basic listings on our website. (we listened to you).
4. New vendor, Spring River Enterprises, produced our Regional Guidebook, New Regional Map and New Passport to $avings coupon books.
5. Men of Okemo Valley 2010 Calendar.
6. Scavenger Hunt throughout the Valley.
7. Displays at Guilford and Fair Haven Welcome Centers.
8. TravelHost Magazine having an Okemo Valley section - first time!
9. Monthly LPC-tv Chamber program called "Okemo Valley, Your Place in Vermont" highlighting new businesses and upcoming events.
10. Online lodging booking engine on our website.
11. Monthly newspaper column called "Chamber Corner."
12. Blog added to website next to Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Merchants Circle. Please connect and link with us.
13. Three "Let's Make A Deal" mixers.
14. Big E with new chamber "Your Place In Vermont" dvd.
Goals for 2010:
1. To implement our Strategic Plan.
2. Create new member welcome packets.
3. Evaluate and improve our website.
4. Increase membership by 50.
5. Attend the New York Times Travel Show February 26-28, 2010.
If you missed our annual meeting with Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, you can watch it online at lpctv.org. Be sure to also watch our monthly program Okemo Valley, Your Place in Vermont. Click on the calendar men to watch my interview with Pam Nelligan and new chamber members Jason Marcheaux of East Coast Collision & Restoration and Shelley Sas of Waterwheel House Quilt Shop.
We would like to introduce you to our new 2010 Board Members. Jessica Alberty of Hawk Inn & Mountain Resort; Michael Alon of DaVallia-Arts & Accents; Liz Crowley of CZ Construction Management; Brian Halligan of Okemo Mountain Resort; and Mark Verespy of The Killarney.
They join our returning directors, Tesha Buss of Good Commons; Bill Dakin of Dakin & Benelli, Annie Fujii of The Village Green Gallery; Sheldon Ghetler of Stone Hearth Inn & Tavern; Barbara Lemire of Chittenden Bank; Laurie Marechaux of Fletcher Farm School for the Arts & Crafts; Lynne Reed of Misty Valley Books; Maria Tomaselli of Bovine Bookkeeping; Laura Tuttle of Calm Moments Spa Services; and Jim Kubec of The Governor's Inn, who is now our past-president.
We would like to thank the following retiring board members for their years of service; Linda Aldrich of The Inn at Weston; Stephanie Karner of The Traveling Hoe Gardening, Ken Saccardo of Spring River Enterprises; Jack Smart of Giggs Antiques and John McAveeney from Sunshine Acres Garden Center (Past President);
Our advertising has been targeting out of state visitors with the Vermont Vacation Guides (inside front and inside back covers), Connecticut Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Vermont Life Magazine, Okemo Magazine, Vermont Magazine; and in-state visitors with TravelHost Magazine, our Okemo Valley Regional Guidebooks, Regional Map, RSN-TV and LPC-TV.
Now, the Chamber is introducing a new program this year called Chamber Mail which targets new residents to help our business-to-consumer members reach new customers. This is a great advertising vehicle for our service member companies. Here's how it works: Every month new residents in our Okemo Valley area will receive a warm welcome letter from me with a digitally printed, full color direct-mail piece with your ad, promotion or offer. Prices start at $199. You can reserve your ad by calling the Chamber office or online at www.okemo.chambermail.us
The second new program is called "Travel with the Chamber". We have teamed up with Collette Tours to bring you great trips. Our first trip is scheduled for November 4-13, 2010 to TUSCANY!!! $2699 includes bus to and from Boston, round trip airfare, taxes, transfers, meals and tours for 10 days. Includes 13 meals: 8 Breakfasts * 5 Dinners. Brochures are available at the Chamber office.
Our May 12th mixer will kick off our Tuscany trip which will be held at Bella Luna. Collette Tours will be giving us the inside scoop on the trip. Need not be a chamber member to participate.
We had a great December. All events were well attended; Christmas in Weston, Overture to Christmas in Chester and the Ludlow, Stone Village, and Chester scavenger hunt.
It's not too late to purchase more 2010 Men of Okemo Valley calendars! The men will be happy to autograph their month. We hope to have checks ready for the Food Banks by January 11th.
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Upcoming Events:
1/5 Board of Director meeting at Newsbank Conference Center, in Chester, Room 2
1:30pm
1/13 Chamber mixer at Newsbank Conference Center in Chester Topic: Delivering a Branded Customer Experience.
5:30pm
1/16 Fireworks at Okemo Clock Tower 7:30pm
www.okemo.com
1/16 The Little Prince presented at the Weston Playhouse 7:30pm www.westonplayhouse.org
1/17 The Little Prince presented at the Weston Playhouse 2:00pm
1/19 Membership committee meeting at Java Babas
3:30pm
1/21 Chamber Legislative Day in Montpelier
8:30am
1/30 Vermont Properties and Development present the 8th Annual Comedy Night featuring Johnny Joyce and Steve Sweeney in the Great Room of the Okemo Clock Tower Base Lodge. Doors open at 7pm. Show begins at 8pm. Over 21 only. $23 advanced/$28 at the door
1/30 New Voices 2010: A Series presented by Misty Valley Books at Stone Church in Chester. 2pm
www.mvbooks.com
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Membership Committee News
The membership committee will meet January 19th at 3:30pm at Java Babas.
We're looking for more committee members. Please call Chair, Laura Tuttle-Williams 802-738-5556.
Look for your new 2010 Member Packets in the mail.
Included is the 2010 M2M Benefit card with a sheet of participating businesses. Be sure to show your card and take advantage of the savings. We believe in 'shopping locally.'
Also included is your 2010 Chamber member window cling which goes ON THE INSIDE of your door.
To round off your packet is our Vision, Mission, Member Benefits and Chamber Committee information.
Please call the Chamber office if you would like to join one of our committees. What you get out of your Chamber membership is the effort you put into it.
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Marketing Committee News
The marketing committee will be meeting in January after the new Board Member meeting on January 5th. Please let us know if you would like to be on this committee.
Advertising in place for 2010:
Jan/Feb Half page brand ad in Vermont Magazine 65,000 subscribers
May-August Co-op ad in Yankee Magazine 2.4 million readers. Includes 4 months of print, one year online and direct response reader cards. Only 2 spots left. Deadline January 4th.
May-June Co-op ad in TravelHost Magazine.
May Half page brand ad in Connecticut Magazine
Summer Co-op Inside front and inside back covers of the Vermont Vacation Guide 200,000 subscribers
Winter Co-op Inside front and inside back covers of the Vermont Vacation Guide 100,000 subscribers
Now accepting ads for next winter - $370 each.
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Chamber Mixers
Join us for our monthly Chamber Mixers on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Please mark your calendars NOW!
All mixer times are from 5:30pm-7:30pm
January 13 - Newsbank Conference Center mixer. Topic: Delivering a branded customer experience.
RSVP: Chamber office 228-5830.
January 21 - Legislative Day at the State House
RSVP: Chamber office for breakfast count
February 10 - Let's Make A Deal mixer at the Green Mountain Banquet & Conference Center in Chester. Please bring packages on rack cards, or create new
packages at this mixer that I can hand out at the NY Times Travel Show
on February 26-28. I would like packages on rack cards that I can
slip into the Regional Guidebook. We will also put rack cards in the
Chester and Ludlow Chamber Visitor Centers.
March 10 - Constant Contact training at the Hawk Inn and Mountain Resort in Plymouth.
April 14 - Mixer at William Austin Antiques in Chester
May 12 - Bella Luna mixer with Collette Tours
June 9th - Efficiency Vermont - location tbd
July 14 - Let's Make A Deal mixer at Good Commons
August 11 - does anyone want to host this month?
September 8 - Bryant House in Weston
September 22 - Business Showcase at Fletcher Farm School for the Arts & Crafts. Call the Chamber office to reserve your booth space.
October 13 - does anyone want to host this month?
November 10 - Okemo Mountain Resort - date not confirmed yet
December 8 - Annual Meeting at The Fullerton Inn in Chester.
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Welcome New Members
East Hill Events - Ludlow
Lost Treasures Antiques - Ludlow
Green Mountain Outlook - Bellows Falls
Four Seasons Chiropractic - Proctorsville
Eagle Forest Improvements, Inc. - Chester
Green Mountain Banquet & Conference Center - Chester
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NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS:
The Inn at Weathersfield is very excited to forward this clip of The Emeril Green Show to you. If you like what you see...tune in to Discovery Channel 'Planet Green' on Monday January 11 at 8:00 to watch the whole show! Congratulations Jane, David & Jason.
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/videos/emeril-green-vermonts-finest-organic-food.html
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Billings Farm & Museum is offering free admission to all VT & NH Army and Air National Guard personnel and their families
www.billingsfarm.org
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Congratulations to the Golden Stage Inn, The Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern and Slopeside Okemo Condominium Rentals for getting their winter packages on the State website. www.vermontvacation.com/snowsavers
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The Inn at Weston is offering Culinary Weekends Jan. 8-9 and Jan. 29-30.www.innweston.com
Learn how to prepare a variety of delicious winter comfort foods during a special Culinary Weekend lodging package.
Chef Jennifer Cayer will guide guests through a hands-on approach to prepare pulled pork shoulder, pot roast, French onion soup, and winter vegetables and grains.
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Congratulations to Cathy Bagwell Marsh. She has been named the new Director of Community Services at the Weston Playhouse.
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Congratulations to Shon & Alex Racicot of The Boot Pro for receiving the honor of being one of only 6 shops in Vermont to be certified by Americas Best Bootfitters.
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Legislative Update:
We wanted to make you aware of a bill introduced by Congressman Welch that deals with Unemployment.
As you may know, the State of Vermont 's Unemployment Fund is expected to be bankrupt by the beginning of 2010. The Legislature is expected to make changes to the program, including raising unemployment taxes, during their 2010 session. Vermont will need to borrow funds from the Federal Unemployment Trust Fund in order to continue to pay benefits to the state's unemployed workers. Congress has already suspended interest on borrowing for two years. Following a discussion between Chamber members and his staff, Congressman Peter Welch has introduced HR 4282.
The bill extends states' interest waivers until 2012. A copy of the complete bill is below.
HR 4282
To amend title XII of the Social Security Act to extend the provision waiving certain interest payments on advances made to States from the Federal unemployment account in the Unemployment Trust Fund.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF PROVISION GRANTING TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR STATES WITH ADVANCES.
Section 1202(b)(10) of the Social Security Act (427 U.S.C. 1322(b)(10)), as added by section 2004 of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families
·HR 4282 IH
1 Act (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 443), is amended in subparagraph (A) by striking ''December 31, 2010'' and inserting ''December 31, 2012''.obinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with BILLS
Please join us in Montpelier on January 21st for our Chamber Legislative Day. We begin with breakfast at the State House with our local legislators. Then we listen in on sessions. Next, we have lunch at Capitol Plaza Hotel and have meetings in the afternoon. If you've never been to Montpelier to see your Legislators at work, this is a great informative day. It's also a way to intimately speak your mind and voice your concerns.
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About Our Organization
Our Chamber provides the following member benefits:
*Health Insurance provided by Cigna,
*Dental Insurance provided by Delta Dental,
*Free listing on our website with web link,
*Free listing in our regional guidebook,
*Free placement of your business brochures in our welcome centers in Ludlow and Chester,
*Free monthly chamber mixers,
*Member to member discounts,
*Referrals,
*Co-op advertising,
*Marketing,
*Events publicized,
*And much, much more!!!
Our Vision Statement:
The Okemo Valley region, consisting of the Towns of Andover, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Mount Holly, Plymouth and Weston, is recognized as a four-season sustainable Vermont destination to be enjoyed by all.
The Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce is recognized as an organization providing leadership, support and services vital to the health and future growth of the member businesses in the communities that we serve.
Chamber members are ambassadors for the Okemo Valley region, promoting the area as a vibrant place to live and to visit.
Our Mission Statement:
The
Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit,
member-driven organization. It is the voice of its members and the
business communities in the Towns of Andover, Cavendish, Chester,
Ludlow, Mount Holly, Plymouth and Weston, Vermont. It provides
advocacy, support and unified regional marketing to promote and enhance
our regional businesses and four-season economy.
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Volume 2, Issue 6
www.YourPlaceInVermont.com
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Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Executive Director
Marji Graf
mgraf@yourplaceinvermont.com
Staff
Sandy Gregg, Office Manager
sgregg@yourplaceinvermont.com
Executive Board:
William Dakin
Dakin & Benelli
Lynne Reed
Misty Valley Books
Maria Tomaselli
Bovine Bookeeping
Board Members
Jessica Alberty
Hawk Inn & Mountain Resort
Michael Alon
DaVallia Art & Accents
Tesha Buss
Good Commons
Liz Crowley
CZ Construction Management
Annie Fuji'i
The Village Green Gallery
Sheldon Ghetler
Stone Heath Inn & Tavern
Brian Halligan
Okemo Mountain Resort
Barbara Lemire
Chitenden Bank
Laurie Marechaux
Fletcher Farm School
Laura Tuttle-Williams
Calm Moments Spa Services
Mark Verespy
The Killarney
Past President
Jim Kubec
The Governor's Inn
Your Chamber at work for you!
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