We had a very busy September in the Okemo Valley!  The Chamber wants to thank Tom Bradder and staff at the Bryant House in Weston for hosting our Chamber mixer on September 8^th. 

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September 11 & 12 the Okemo Valley saw the "invasion" of the mini coopers as they went on a scavenger hunt throughout our towns.  The event ended with a course set up on Sunday at the Fletcher Farm field where the drivers were blindfolded and their passengers were giving them directions from the back seat.  You can view the video on our Okemo Valley facebook page - it was so funny!    We're doing it again next year, September 10 & 11.  Tell all your mini cooper friends!  The State will be highlighting car and motorcycle rallies in Vermont for the 2011 Vermont Vacation Guide and our event will be in there for next year!

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On September 15 we had 16 teams playing at our annual Chamber golf outing at the Okemo Valley Golf Club.   It was a beautiful day and everyone said they would be back next year!  Thanks goes out to Mary Knight of Knight Tubs for chairing the golf committee, along with Mark Verespy of The Killarney, Brian Halligan and Bill Graf of the Jackson Gore Inn.  The Chamber would like to thank you for your hard work and a great day!  We would also like to thank all the businesses for their donations.

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Our 2^nd Annual Business Showcase was on Wednesday, September 22 from 5:30-7:30p at the Fletcher Farm School for the Arts in Crafts in Ludlow.  We had 36 vendors showcasing their food, products and services.  Thank you to all our vendors for the very generous silent auction prizes.  We look forward to our 3^rd annual Okemo Valley Open House next August 10, 2011 at the Green Mountain Banquet & Conference Center in Chester.  Our events are free and open to the public.

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Next, it was on to the Big E representing the Okemo Valley.  Chamber member companies joined me in the Vermont building on September 23 & 24^th.    Attendance was 64,290 on the 23rd and 77,434 on the 24th.  Saturday was 151,417 in 90 degree weather.  We handed out 25 cases of Okemo Valley guidebooks and coupon books.

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Be sure to watch our guests on lpctv.org this month. I interviewed Dan  & Penny Cote of Inn Victoria in Chester.  I also caught up with Barre Pinske regarding his upcoming event on September 27 - October 3 called the Big Buzz Chainsaw Carving Festival in Chester.  In case you haven't seen it, check out Kids Play in the Okemo Valley on lpctv.org.

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Upcoming Programs:

Our next Chamber mixer is October 13 at the Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern in Chester from 5:30-7:30pm.  You must be a Chamber member to attend this particular mixer.  It's our "Let's Make A Deal" where member companies partner with each other and create packages that I can market at the NY Times Travel Show and the Boston Globe Travel Show in February.

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Attn Chester businesses:  We have a special program scheduled for October 21st from 8:30am-12:30pm at the Newsbank Conference Center in Chester.  Debra Boudreau, the Area Business Advisor for the Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC) will be leading a planning session designed to help you look at where your business is now and where you want it to be in 3 years.  The session is jam-packed with tools, ideas and interaction.  This is a great way to step outside of your business and give it some attention.  TD Banknorth in Chester is sponsoring this event and providing a light lunch.  RSVP The Chamber if you would like to attend.

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Attn Ludlow businesses:  As part of the e-vermont grant, we are bringing a program to you on October 21st from 8:30am-10am at the Fletcher Memorial Library called "Getting Your Business Online" sponsored by VtSBDC.  Patrick Ripley, VtSBDC Broadband Business Advisor for e-vermont will host an interactive training and information seminar where business owners looking to establish a website are prepared for the website development process.  Business owners are informed of potential costs, benefits, expectations and processes involved with establishing an online presence.  They are taken through the design process and given exercises on how to speed up the development process, as well as to assist them in establishing how they want their website to function and appear.  This seminar does not require participants to be stationed at computers, but does require broadband and/or internet access.

November 10^th is our mixer at Okemo's Jackson Gore Inn at 5:30-730pm.

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November 15^th Mary-Rite Batesole of Northern Benefits will talk to us about Health Care Reform.  8:30am conference room at The Pointe.    RSVP the Chamber.

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December 8 is our Annual meeting at The Fullerton Inn in Chester.

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As we prepare for the "leaf peepers" arrival during the next few weeks,  let's keep in mind that our hospitality is what keeps them coming back, year after year, to our Okemo Valley!

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