Welcome to Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Greetings! Our 2012 Okemo Valley Summer/Fall Regional Guidebook will be going to the printer on May 7th. It will be distributed before Memorial Day weekend. We will now be working on our new and improved website and calendar contest.
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Please join us at Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts in Chester on Saturday, May 5 at 5:30pm for an Open House and ribbon cutting with Commissioner Megan Smith, VT Department of Tourism and Marketing; Patricia Moulton Powden, Deputy Secretary and Economic Development Director of VT Agency of Commerce and Community Development, and Executive Director Alex Aldrich, from the Vermont Arts Council. Let's celebrate the Arts in Chester!!!
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May 8 E-Vermont conference at Champlain College about Vermont's digital future. Sign up at evermontconference.org
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Our Home, Energy & Business Expo is coming up on Saturday, May 12 from 10am-3pm at Jackson Gore Inn, brought to you by the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission and our Chamber.
Platinum sponsors include:
Efficiency Vermont and HB Energy Solutions;
Diamond Sponsors include Net Zero, Cota & Cota and Same Sun of VT plus over 40 business exhibitors. We will have restaurant tastings, educational speakers and we have been promoting the event in print, radio and online and will have a live radio remote the day of the event! Please mark your calendars now.
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On July 27-29 the Okemo Valley will be hosting the Windsor Connecticut Chamber for our first Historic Chamber-to-Chamber Tourism Exchange.
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On August 17 & 18 the VT Challenge will be in Ludlow.(www.vtchallenge.com). The Vermont Challenge is the only bicycle Challenge that circumvents Southern and Central Vermont over 3 or 4 days and draws upon the creative energy of local businesses and people of Vermont, key ski resorts, restaurants and farms in each local community that they visit. Would you like a table at their event? Contact Janet Bumstead, jbumstead@vtchallenge.com 914-420-8805.
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Our golf tournament has been changed to September 12th.
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The Okemo Valley has two days at the Big E this year: Thursday, September 20 and Friday September 21. Last year we were telling people that "We were open for business" after Storm Irene. Let me know what days/shifts you would like to attend. Either 9a-3p or 3p-11p both days.
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Our next Travel with the Chamber program will be going to the National Parks from November 6-13, 2012. All inclusive for $1500. Boston to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon National Park, Monument Valley, Page, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park and back to Las Vegas to Boston. Open to the public.
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Watch our show on lpctv.org. This month we interviewed Mike Martin of HB Energy Solutions about the things we'll learn at our upcoming Home, Energy & Business Expo and what types of equipment they'll be bringing to the show. We also interviewed chamber members about the benefits they receive from their membership.
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Changes to our schedule: Good Commons mixer has been changed to Tues, May, 8. Our golf tournament has been changed to September 12th. Heritage Mixer has been changed to September 19th. ### |
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Chamber Mixers
Join us for our monthly Chamber Mixers on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. Bring a door prize if you can.
2012 MIXER LINE UP
All Mixers are from 5:30-7:30pm
May 8 - Good Commons - Plymouth (Changed to Tuesday)
May 12 - Home, Energy & Business Expo - Jackson Gore Inn
10am - 3pm.
June 6 - 8:30 Educational breakfast at Newsbank Conference Center in Chester. Learn how to use our mobile app efficiently and effectively. Plus, disaster preparedness talk by the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission.
June 13 - WestonVT & VT Country Store, Weston
July 11 - WaterMusicArt and Hugging Bear Inn-Chester
August 8 - Stone Hearth Inn - Chester
September 12 - OVRCC Golf Tournament - Ludlow
September 19 - Heritage Family Credit Union - Ludlow
October 10 - The Richards Group - Ludlow
November 14 - Jackson Gore Inn - Ludlow
December 12 - Annual Meeting & Holiday Party at Echo Lake Inn - Plymouth. Tentative speaker Lt. Governor Phil Scott.
Only 5 2013 mixer dates available. Call soon.
January 9 -
February 13 - Country Girl Diner - Chester
March 13 -
April 10 - Outback Pizza - Ludlow
May 8 -
June 12 - President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site
July 10 - Route 103 Auto Repair - Chester
August 14 - Inn Victoria - Chester
September 11 -
October 9 -
November 13- Jackson Gore Inn - Ludlow
December 11 - Annual Meeting tbd
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Membership Committee News
The membership committee met on April 27 at 1pm at Javas. We welcomed 12 new members into our chamber.
It's time to send us your summer/fall brochures and menus for our Ludlow and Chamber Info Centers.
We're excited to have produced 2 :30 second videos for a contest re: "My Chamber of Commerce is not only Valuable, It's Essential." The videos were sent to ACCE for a contest to win the chamber a free ipad, as well as being placed on facebook and our chamber site under membership.
The committee also discussed the upcoming Home, Energy and Business Expo on May 12. We have 40 companies exhibiting. On our lpctv show this month we interviewed Mike Martin of HB Energy Solutions, our Diamond Sponsor, about what you can expect to learn from the Expo.
* The next chamber mixer is May 8 at Good Commons in Plymouth. Our next membership committee meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 18th at 1pm at Java Babas.
Please take advantage of the Chamber benefits you receive as part of your membership:
All members receive a FREE listing in our Regional Guidebook twice/year with a distribution of 25,000; Next year we will producing one guidebook from May to May; a FREE listing on our mobile application; a FREE listing on our website; SAVINGS using your M2M Benefit card, FREE educational programs, FREE "Just Between Us" deals, FREE and fun mixers, referrals and being part of a bigger community. |
Welcome New Members
The Chamber welcomes the following 12 new members in April:
Massage By Patrice - 3 Lamere Square Ludlow 802-236-4168 massagebypatrice.vpweb.com-SpringfieldCommercial, Industrial, Residential, Equestrian Chain Link, Wood, PVC, Aluminum, Custom Iron
Globas Family of BrandsWorld's largest & most trusted tour operator. A family owned business for over 80 years. We travel to over 400 different destinations and 60 countries annually.
Target Marketing and Advertising Service - 518-584-3102 ted@targetmarketingadvertising.comProduces InRoomDirectory
New England Adventure Bicycle Tours - Saratoga Springs NYJuly 8-12 Lake Champlain Bikeways Summer Tour
September 30-October 4 Lake Champlain Bikeways Fall Foliage
Anytime - Private Custom and Corporate Bike Tours
John C. Stewart & Sons, Inc. - CuttingsvilleSales & Service of Ford Vehicles. Family owned & operated since 1915.
Gnarly Roots - South Londonderry - 802-375-5109jmcobb4os@gmail.comCreative, edible, landscapes, tree pruning, perennial beds
GM Tree Tech - East Wallingford - 259-8733GMTreeTech@hotmail.comTree Removal, tree care and landscaping
Sweet Earth Farm - Mount Holly - 802-414-0040sweetearthfarm@yahoo.comFamily farm offering organic eggs, milk, meat and produce. Farm educational opportunities. Summer farm day camps ages 5-10 June 25-29 9am-4pm; July 16-20 9am-4pm and August 13-17 9am-4pm. Call or email for a registration form.Whirlwind Wiring - Chester - 802-579-8603jasinskibrett@yahoo.com
Specializes in telephone and cable installation services in new and preexisting homes.Route 7 Collection - Manchester - route7antiques@vermontel.netRoute 7a Manchester
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Marketing Committee News:
The marketing committee met on April 26 at Java Babas in Ludlow. Check us out on pinterest. Gabrielle has been uploading pictures from the Okemo Valley. If you have any great pictures from our area, please send them to Gabrielle.
We listened to you. After input from our members and discussion in both the Marketing and Membership committees, our Board has discussed creating one 4-season guidebook for 2013 (from May-May). We are finishing off our contract for this Summer and Winter guidebooks and propose to move forward with 1 guidebook for next year.
We changed the date for our Golf Tournament from the 19th to the 12th of September.
The History Exchange with Windsor, CT has been moved to late July 27-29.
The Chamber has renewed its inside Front/Back cover ad space in the Vermont Vacation Guide. Winter 2013 deadline is May 8th. $370.
We have a half page in this May's Yankee Magazine,
"Best of New England" issue. You'll also notice the Okemo Valley is well represented in an article about Inn to Inn Walking Tours. Thanks to Dan Cote for making this happen.
Okemo Valley Mobile app year in review
This year we have seen approximately 2000 user downloads of the mobile app, this continual gain of new users tells us that people are increasingly relying on their smartphones to give them current and relevant local information. Remember these are people who actively went to a mobile app marketplace and downloaded our Okemo Valley Mobile App.
NEW THIS MAY: We now have the ability to offer special offers and coupons to users in exchange for their contact (email) information; this update has been submitted to the app store and should be available mid May. You can track these offers to know which customers have come in to redeem them. And, this tracking system will also ensure that these offers are single use and are only redeemed one time per user. In the future, you will also be able to offer subsequent offers to only the individuals who have redeemed the first offer; keeps your customers coming back! Overall we believe this will create a more engaging experience for our mobile app users and allow Okemo Valley Chamber members to participate in emerging trends with mobile technology.
Now is the time to upgrade your basic listing to a premium one. For just $249 per year you will have a featured listing for your business that includes a slide show with up to 5 images, links to your website, facebook, or u-tube and 3 pages to describe your business, feature what you sell and list events and/or specials. Your business will also get a pin on the GPS enabled map within the app that will guide customers right to your door.
The next committee meeting is set for May 17 at 3:30 at Javas. Please send your comments and ideas to Marji before then to be included in the agenda.
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Deadlines for Advertising:
May 9 deadline for inside front or inside back cover of the Winter 2013 Vermont Vacation Guide. Distribution is 100,000 and ad cost is $370. We fill inside front cover first, so first come, first served. |
Celebrations:
 Congratulations Crown Point Builders! Celebrating 20 years in business!
Please let us know of your 1, 5 or 10 year celebrations. (or increments of 5). We would like to promote that for you!!
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News From our Members
Congratulations Route 103 Auto on their 2nd year Anniversary.
Join them to celebrate on Saturday, June 16 from 10am-3pm.
BQue and ipad giveaway.
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Congratulations - Okemo Mountain Resort for winning ABOUT.COM 2012 Readers' choice award for Best New England Ski Resort.
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Congratulations to Farm & Wilderness for being named one of the "Best Places to Work.
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Upcoming Events:
Do you have an event that would qualify for Vermont's Top 10 Summer or Winter Event? Let us know so we can nominate your event.
Please submit your events to us 2 weeks in advance.
If you don't see your event in the calendar, please call us. www.YourPlaceInVermont.com
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Welcome Back China Travelers!  Feedback from our Travel with the Chamber trip to China, March 2012 "Hi, my dream come true. Beijing was my favorite of course and was so beautiful. The views were fantastic, the tour guides great! So kind and informative and FUN! Thank you for this trip and yes of course I would recommend this to other. Please let me know of other trips you are planning.
Jeanne"
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"Hi Marji:
It was a wonderful trip. I would definitely recommend this trip to all. Our tour guides were very good and the bus drivers were outstanding. Thanks again for a wonderful trip, I will recommend it to my friends. Jacqueline
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It was truly a wonderful opportunity. When folks ask me how my trip went, my response for the last two days has been that "the first day there I stood on the Great Wall of China and I still can't believe it". I can't wrap my mind around that I was actually there seeing pagodas, gardens, 64 foot buddhas, etc. The factories, especially the silk and tea plantation were very informative.
Thanks for putting it all together. Minga
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We had a blast. It was great, exciting, exhausting, fun, informative, at times grueling. I am so glad I went. I would definitely recommend it to others. After going, I can't understand why more people don't go??? What a bargain. The hotels were great, the food wonderful, the attractions were frankly unbelievable. THANKS SUE PS - does the Chamber sponsor trips to other exotic places?????
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Yes, we can offer two different trips for next year. Spring 2013 back to China Terra-Cotta Warriors visit to Xi-an or Thailand in the Fall of 2013.
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About Our Organization
Our Chamber provides the following member benefits:
*Health Insurance provided by Blue Cross/Blue Shield *Dental Insurance provided by Delta Dental, *Free listing on our website with web link, *Free listing in our (twice/year) regional guidebook, *Free listing on our mobile app, *Free placement of your business brochures in our welcome centers in Ludlow and Chester, *Free monthly chamber mixers, *Free educational programs, *Member to member discounts, *Referrals, *Co-op advertising opportunities *Marketing and Promotion *Events publicized, *Google adword campaigns
*Facebook ads *Story ideas submitted to news outlets *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.
We are not affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. |
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OKEMO VALLEY REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Marji Graf
CEO
mgraf@yourplaceinvermont.com
Staff
Gabrielle Macklin
Marketing Assistant
gmacklin@yourplaceinvermont.com
Donna Thomas
Membership Assistant
dthomas@yourplaceinvermont.com
2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Board:
President
Mark Verespy
The Killarney
Vice-President
Dan Cote
Inn Victoria
Treasurer
Barbara LeMire
People's United Bank
Secretary
Jim Szabo
The Vermont Counry Store
Regular Board:
Tesha Buss
Good Commons
Patrick Ciriello
Hawks Mountain Consulting
Liz Crowley
CZ Construction Management
Donald Dill
Images by Donald Dill
Sheldon Ghetler
Stone Hearth Inn & Tavern
Brian Halligan
Okemo Mountain Resort
Mary Knight
Knight Tubs, Pools & Spas
Ken Saccardo
Spring River Marketing
Laura Williams
Calm Moments Spa
Past President
William Dakin
Dakin & Benelli
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