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| Register now for the Chamber Annual Awards Dinner |
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Save the date and be thinking about your nominations for the Chamber Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet to be held on Thursday, January 26 at the Best Western Hotel and Convention Center. Cocktail hour and networking begins at 6pm with dinner and awards to follow at 7pm. The cost is $35 per person and includes appetizers, dinner, dessert, a ticket for the door prize drawing and of course endless networking.
Here is a list of nomination categories with respective abbreviated criteria: Business Excellence Award for a Chamber member business in existence for at least three years that has overcome adversity, grown, remodeled, demonstrated support in the Chamber or community; Rising Business Star Award, for businesses in existence for at least one year but less than five years that have started strong and exhibit potential for continued growth; Community Service Award recognizing member businesses and or individuals that have made an outstanding contribution in service or leadership; and the Educator Commitment Award recognizing an educator within the Portage School District who has demonstrated great skills in their educational field.
Register now for this event and get a business nomination form by clicking here. |
| Register now for the Greater Community Expo |
 The Greater Community Expo will be held at the Portage High School Commons on February 4 from 9am to 1pm. Register now for this great opportunity to represent your business or organization at the event. Expand your business by meeting potential customers face-to-face.
Show off you business to the community. Register now to receive the special early-bird discount!
We are scheduling demonstrators/speakers and more for this event. Click here for a registration form. Stay tuned to the newsletter for event updates. |
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Cash for Cookies winner announced |
 Thank you to all those who participated in the Cookie Walk and the Cash for Cookies promotion. Over 90 cookie boxes were sold on that Saturday morning and we took in receipts amounting to more than $2,834.47 as part of the Cash for Cookies contest. Those dollars were spent right here in the Portage community. Congratulations to Annemarie Rouge, the prize winner of $100 in Portage Green Gift Certificates.
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| Youth Leadership manufactures learning at Cardinal FG |
 The Youth Leadership students gathered at Cardinal FG for the December session to learn about manufactuing and the dynamics of working as a team to accomplish a goal. As part of the session, the students worked in small groups to construct a tower using only brittle uncooked spaghetti and mini marshmallows. The goal was to compete with other groups in a race to build the tallest structure.
Cardinal FG has been a valuable partner in the Youth Leadership program. We appreciate their generosity in allowing students to not only see firsthand how glass is made, but giving students the opportunity to explore a possible future career path in the manufacturing sector.
The next Youth Leadership session is January 11 at 8:30am and meets at the Courthouse. The students will learn about public service and elected office. For more information about Youth Leadership, call the Chamber at 608-742-6242. |
| Give Portage Green Gift Certificates! |
Portage Green Gift Certificates make an excellent gift. Used just like cash, the certificates can be purchased from the Portage Chamber in $5 and $10 increments. Recipients of the Portage Green may redeem them at these participating Chamber member businesses. By buying Portage Green Gift Certificates, you are helping to boost local business by keeping thousands of dollars right here in Portage. Don't get worked up over figuring out what to get someone; make it easy on yourself and give them Portage Green Gift Certificates! For more information, call the Chamber at 608-742-6242. |
| Upcoming Business After 5's |
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January 10, Portage Theatres
February 14, Edward Jones - Klay Vehring Office
March 13, Comfort Suites
April 10, (available)
May 8, General Engineering
June 13, Chamber Fundraising Golf Outing
July 10, Riley's Bar & Grill
August 14, (available)
Sept 11, Bindl Family Chiropractic
Call the Portage Chamber if you are
interested in hosting a Business After 5. |
| Anytime Fitness Biggest Sale of the Year |
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Anytime Fitness, 2800 New Pinery Road, is having their Biggest Sale of the Year, a 12-hour sale on January 3, 2012 from 9am to 9pm. Join for only $1. This is also your last chance to lock into 2011 rates. Anytime Fitness offers free group fitness classes, free access to anytimehealth.com, a complimentary health assessment, discounted tannning and more. Call 745-0250 for more information. |
| Historical Society Annual Meeting |
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 Portage Historical Society annual meeting will be held on Monday, January 9 at Trails' Lounge. The meeting will feature Terese Allen, author of The Flavor of Wisconsin. Social hour begins at 5:30pm, dinner at 6:30pm, speaker program at 7:30pm. Call Peg at 608-429-9214 or Joan at 608-745-0308 for dinner details and reservations. Reservations are necessary for this event.
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The Friendly Tavern
223 Oneida St.
Portage, WI 53901
Jon Krueger at 608-745-3355
'Friendly' neighborhood bar and grill offering daily lunch and drink specials. |
| Enjoy New Year's Eve, Rose Bowl at The Friendly Tavern |
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 Celebrate New Year's Eve at The Friendly Tavern where they roll in the new year with live music, food and drink specials, free champagne at midnight, party favors and door prizes! Then, come back and root for Big Red in the Rose Bowl on January 2. The Friendly Tavern, 223 Oneida St., is offering Double Bubble, dollar fries and free Jell-O shots for all scores during the game. Call 608-745-3355 for more information.
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| Become a Business Profile in this newsletter |
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We are always on the lookout for businesses or organizations to be featured in our Business Spotlight, a great way for Chamber members to find out about the story and the people behind the goods and services you provide. Each month a business is profiled in this newsletter, usually accompanied by a photo or logo. All you have to do is provide us with 3 or 4 paragraphs about your business (Not much of a writer or don't have the time? We have a list of questions to help get you started or we will be happy to write it for you!).
Make 2012 all about your business. The first step might be a business profile in this newsletter. Call our office at 608-742-6242 to reserve a month. |
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Community Events
www.portagewi.com |
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| January Chamber Meeting & Event Dates |
2nd: Chamber office closed for New Year's holiday
4th: Ambassador Meeting at Community Bank 8am
4th: Ground Breaking for Pizza Ranch at 9am
10th: Business After 5 at Portage Theatres 5pm-7pm
11th: Youth Leadership Day - Government 8:30am
18th: Business Luncheon 11:30am
24th: Golf Outing Meeting at Chamber Office 8am
26th: Chamber Meeting & Awards Dinner at Best Western 6pm |
 A ribbon cutting was held at Larry's Smokehouse, 123 E. Cook St. to welcome this new business to Portage. We offer a variety of smoked foods at very reasonable prices and have a wide range of music while you dine in. We appreciate the opportunity to serve Portage and look forward to sticking around and becoming a staple to the community. Call 608-742-7147 for more information. |
The Portage Area Chamber of Commerce is providing leadership for
building a healthy economy and a high quality of life in the Portage Area. |
NEWS BREAK is a monthly publication of the Portage Area Chamber of Commerce. Please contact the Chamber if you have news about your business that you would like to include in the next issue.
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