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Welcome to Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce e-newsletter!
Greetings!
We welcomed 2 new members to our Board, Julie Bowyer of Bowyer Marketing and CTM Media, and Teresa Dinapoli
of Vermont Country Properties/Sotheby's International. They are filling out the remainder of Ken Saccardo and Patrick Ciriello terms.
New look & New Website!
This week we are launching Your new Chamber website!
New features include:
- An improved calendar
- Ability for you to enter your own events
- An integrated blog
- Improved search capabilities
- Much improved banner advertising opportunities
- An improved design that will help us promote the area as a four-season destination
- Search Engine Optimization
- New sections like Member Spotlight and many, many more!
Be sure to come to our next mixer on Wednesday, August 8th at Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern in Chester from 5:30-7:30pm to learn about the features/benefits that are now offered to you.
Please note: We have a known issue with Internet Explorer 8 at the present time. If you are an IE user, please consider upgrading your browser to IE 9 until it is resolved.
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August 17 & 18 the VT Challenge will be in Ludlow.( www.vtchallenge.com). August 19 they have a break stop at the Chamber office in Ludlow before passing through Chester. It would be nice if you could put out signs welcoming the VT Challenge to our area.
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Our next Education Series is scheduled for Tuesday morning, August 21st from 8am-10am at Newsbank Conference Center in Chester. We will be having a panel discussion with bank business lenders. Meet the lenders and learn what they look for when reviewing business loan applications. Bill Dakin will be moderator.
Our golf tournament is September 12th. Call Mary Knight to register your Team 228-2260.
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The Okemo Valley has two days at the Big E this year: Thursday, September 20 and Friday September 21. Let me know what days/shifts you would like to attend. Either 9a-3p or 3p-11p or both days.
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Be sure to read your email tomorrow for your "Just Between Us" deals for August!
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Upcoming deadline: August 10 for your ad to appear in next Summer/Fall 2013 Vermont Vacation Guide covers!!!! Call to reserve your space today - payment can be deferred.
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GREAT NEWS! Next August 22-25, 2013, the Okemo Valley is THE Vermont location for the 5-State Harley Owner Group tour. Better known as HOG. They have signed with Jackson Gore Inn to be their host location. We expect 1200+ and will be filling lodging and dining throughout our Okemo Valley. I need you to email me lodging and dining rates specifically for this group that I can give them. We will also be putting together a 4-town scavenger hunt (Ludlow-Weston-Chester-Plymouth) and would like to hear from you if you want to participate and what gifts could you offer for the goody bags. We are also looking for vendors throughout the weekend at various events. Your space will be free with a retail donation valued at $100. If you don't want to be a vendor, gift certificates and other donations are also welcomed for their chinese auction. This is great opportunity for you to get your business name in front of 1200+ participants!!!
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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 5:30-7:30 pm
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 two 2013 mixer dates left. Call soon.
January 9 -
February 13 - Country Girl Diner - Chester
March 13 - Chasse Fine Art Gallery - Chester
April 10 - Outback Pizza - Ludlow
May 8 - Sunshine Acres Garden Center - Chester
June 12 - President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site
July 10 - Route 103 Auto Repair - Chester
August 14 - Inn Victoria - Chester
September 11 -
October 9 - Vermont Institute of Contemporary Art-Chester
November 13- Jackson Gore Inn - Ludlow
December 11 - Annual Meeting tbd
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Membership Committee News
The membership committee met July 20th at 9am at Java Babas in Ludlow.
- We welcomed Lucy Columb of Heritage Family Credit Union to our committee.
- We welcomed 6 new members last month(see below).
- We discussed if we should continue "Just Between Us" monthly B2B deals and would like feedback.
- We discussed if we should continue having our 'circle' time at mixers and will try something new at our September mixer. Please let us know what you think. We are open to suggestions. These mixers are for you.
- We discussed starting a leads group once a week from 7:30am-8:30m at The Hatchery in Ludlow. This would be category exclusivity. Call Marji if you're interested. We already have one insurance person, one credit card processing person. This group would be responsible for sharing weekly leads with one another. It will be modeled after Rutland Referral Group.
- Our next meeting is August 17 at 9am at Javas. Feel free to join this committee.
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Welcome New Members
The Chamber welcomed the following 6 new members in July:
Computer Repair
Ludlow
Computer repair, electronic recycling and basic computer lessons. Consulting, custom computer building, computer education, IT consulting, management information systems, Mobile Devices & Gadgets, Technical support, web design, virus and malware/spyware removal. Tune up your computer, make it run faster and smoother.
Pond Hill Ranch
Castleton
Pond Hill Ranch is a 2000 acre working ranch nestled in the beautiful Green Mt. of Vermont. Guided Horseback Trail rides are given daily. With picturesque scenery, and trails that give you the feeling of being in the west, along with knowledgeable instructional guides.
Professional Rodeo's are every Saturday night from July through Labor Day @ 8:00 pm. Bull Riding, Bronc Riding, roping events, barrel racing and much more family fun!!! With the arena facing the sunsets in the western skies you will love to come to the ranch and enjoy your summer time Saturday Nights! 1-802-468-2449
Located just 30 miles from Okemo in Castleton, VT
Springfield's Variety WCFR
106.5 FM, 1480 AM
Cost effective radio advertising that works! Call for special 2 or 3 month packages. 802-885-1480
Bill Tucker Builder
Ludlow
802-228-8979. Custom out buildings featuring the finest storage sheds, chicken coops, wood sheds, small barns, camps and more.
Route 802
Williston
802-448-0802 Connecting Vermont communities through our family of mobile apps. We are moving our Okemo Valley app platform to Route 802 with exciting news coming!!!
Southern Vermont Hydroponics
Mount Holly 877-774-5163
Keep your garden beautiful and lush year-round with the supplies you need from Southern Vermont Hydroponics. Our garden supply store in Mount Holly, Vermont, offers indoor garden supplies, soil, fertilizer, and hydroponic systems. We provide a great selection of all the latest equipment and supplies needed for your garden.
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Marketing Committee News:
The marketing committee met on July 19 at Cool Moose Cafe in Ludlow.
This week is the launch of your newly designed website.
Please check your listings and categories for accuracy. Let us know if you want to upgrade to a standard listing with pictures and text and/or if you want to be listed in additional categories. Banner ads are also available with links to your website.
Our new website includes sophisticated search engine optimization, a regional calendar of events in both calendar and listing form, ability to leverage the latest in social media, additional advertising opportunities, a blog on the site, a customized weather widget, a managed area for contests like the photo contest and much, much, more.
At our next mixer on Wednesday August 8 at Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern in Chester, Kasia from Green Mountain Marketing and Advertising will be reviewing all the features/benefits so you can learn how to leverage this for your business.
During the past two months, CTM has distributed 13,770 Okemo Valley Summer/Fall Regional Guidebooks. We only have 150 boxes left. (not including the Welcome Centers). If you need guidebooks before their weekly distribution, contact Mac at 802-505-7745 and he'll see that you're replenished as soon as possible.
August 10 is the deadline to be on the inside front or inside back cover of the 2013 Summer Vermont Vacation Guide. (I know, these dates are ridiculous), but the State wants to promote the summer when the winter guests are here. So please, call Marji asap to reserve your spot TODAY!!
Coming up next, we will be sending out information for our last Winter Okemo Valley Regional Guidebook. Next year we will have one guidebook that will go from May 2013 - May 2014! This will save us both time and money and will mirror our newly designed website.
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News from our Members
The Green Mountain Festival Series Board of Directors has announced "it is time to steer our course in a single direction towards the Arts in our local community and thank everyone for the time and and treasure you shared with us".
Over the years the Festival Series has donated close to $500,000 in support of artists in the classrooms via mini-grants to teachers, school-wide residencies, dance with Karen Amirault that the students will never forget, district-wide performances such as the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Early Stages program at the Weston Playhouse for elementary students, and the GMUHS musical in the spring. What better way to enrich the lives of future musicians, dancers, artists and art enthusiasts than enhancing their appreciation of the artistic world. They will continue to do this.
Thank you Green Mountain Festival Series.
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August 18th the Gill Odd Fellows Home will be hosting a BBQ chicken (cooked by John Murphy) and Tag Sale fundraiser at Veterans Memorial Park in Ludlow from 9am-2pm. Tables are $10.00. If you would like to rent a space, please contact Joanne Specht @ 228-6858 or Theresa Southworth @ 228-6863
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Ribbon Cutting for Cape Air
Cape Air, the airline that serves Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport will be adding a fourth daily round-trip flight to Boston-Logan International Airport. The decision to add a fourth flight comes after a record number of passengers used Cape Air in 2011. Last year, Cape Air carried over 11,600 passengers in and out of the Rutland Airport. That is a 21% increase over Cape Air's first full year of service in 2008.
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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 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
Kimberly Grenier
Membership Assistant
kgrenier@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
Tesha Buss
Good Commons
Julie Bowyer
Bowyer Marketing
Liz Crowley
CZ Construction Management
Donald Dill
Images by Donald Dill
Teresa Dinapoli
Vermont Country Properties/Sotheby's Intl
Sheldon Ghetler
Stone Hearth Inn & Tavern
Brian Halligan
Okemo Mountain Resort
Mary Knight
Knight Tubs, Pools & Spas
Laura Williams
Calm Moments Spa
Past President
William Dakin
Dakin & Benelli
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