Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce e-Connect

OMCCC e-Connect July 18, 2011

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The Chamber Directory is here! Click here to view it online.

Welcome New Chamber Members!

FUNERAL HOMES/FUNERAL SERVICES
Neptune Society
Marcella Nadoing
17350 SE 109th Terrace Road
Summerfield, FL 34491
Phone: (352) 245-2034
marcella.nadoing@neptunesociety.com

www.neptunesociety.com

HOUSEWARES & HOME DÉCOR
ProCloset Designs
Randy Keuntjes
1921 SW 15th Avenue
Ocala, FL 34471
Phone: (352) 694-9900
info@proclosetdesigns.com

www.proclosetdesigns.com

The Retired Professionals & Executives Group invites you to this wonderful 9/11 tribute!

Click the logo to learn more.

CHAMBER EVENTS:

July 19: Power Series Workshop, 11:30 AM - Top 10 HR Issues & Protecting Your Business From Discrimination Lawsuits. Presented by Paychex & Tripp Green (Blanchard, Merriam, Adel & Kirkland, P.A.). Please call the Chamber to RSVP (352-629-8051).

July 20: The Overview Experience. 1 - 5 PM at the Marion Theater, 500 Magnolia Avenue.

lease accept this personal invitation as the Chamber's guest to this game changing event for our community. Join us as Astronaut Story Musgrave, futurist Charlie Smith, Neal Mahoney and Frank White, author of The Overview Effect. By working together we can create the future we all desire...this is our start. To register yourself and your team, please contact Pat Smith at pat@ocalacc.com or 629-8051. Click here to learn more about The Overview Experience

July 21: University of Florida & the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Series. Please join us and other community leaders at 12 PM at the Magnolia Room, 212 S. Magnolia Avenue. Program includes Dr. Win Phillips, UF Vice President for Research, 'UF Research: A Catalyst for Innovation Statewide." Cost is $20. Please RSVP to Pat at the O/MCCC, 352-629-8051 or pat@ocalacc.com.

July 21: Business After Hours - 5 - 7 PM at Trinity Healthcare Medical Center. 2437 SE Ft. King Street, Ocala.

July 26: Chamber 101: New and Prospective Member Orientation. 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
310 SE 3rd Street, in the Chamber's upstairs boardroom.

July 26: ELO Lunch & Learn, 11:30 AM at Ocala Golf Club. Guest speakers Jack White and Chris Challis of White Challis Redevelopment. Sponsored by My Son's Catering. Please call 352-629-8051 for more information.

July 28: Ribbon Cutting, Gentiva Health Services. 5 PM, 311 SE 17th Place, Ocala.

July 29: Ribbon Cutting, Alpha Barbers. 1524 N Magnolia Avenue, Ocala.

August 1: 12 at 12 Luncheon with Leadership in the Chamber upstairs boadroom. *SEATING LIMITED TO 12 - PLEASE CALL THE CHAMBER FOR AVAILABILITY*

August 1: Ribbon Cutting, Webster University, 5PM. 4414 SW College Road, Suite 942, Ocala (Market Street at HeathBrook).

CHAMBER NEWS:

Last week, your Chamber submitted a Redistricting Resolution from the Board of Directors at a public meeting in Gainesville. Redistricting is the redrawing of Florida's political boundary lines, which occurs every ten years. The goal of redistricting is to reflect changes in population found through the Census process. Everyone lives in districts-congressional, legislative, etc. These districts tell the story of our communities. Currently Marion County is divided by four congressional districts, four state senate districts and five state house districts. To find out more about the redistricting process, please visit:

http://www.floridaredistricting.org/

Please CLICK HERE to see the Board of Directors' Resolution on Redistricting.

THEY'RE GOING FAST....the Buy Local Fall Expo is back & bigger than ever! Business to business opportunities abound, and general public exposure ensures your business will be visited by thousands. September 24 at the Paddock Mall, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. 126 Booths, 1 Day, Unlimited Possibilities!! Call Felecia Prather at 352-629-8051 ext. 106 or email felecia@ocalacc.com for registration forms and additional information. (Booths awarded on first-come, first-received basis of registration & payment.) Click here for more information.

Save the date! The 38th Annual Chamber Golf Classic. Friday, October 28th at Golden Hills Country Club. Get your team together now and watch for more information coming soon!

O/MCCC is blogging! Check out our new site: www.ocalacc.wordpress.com. Want to be featured on our blog? Click here to give your Chamber testimonial for a chance to be featured on our site.

The Chamber's Retired Professionals and Executives Group (RPEG) to host 9/11 Anniversary Event Sponsored by Hospice of Marion County: "A Decade of Remembrance Honoring 9/11 - Today and Always" will be held on September 6, 2011 at On Top of The World Circle Square Cultural Center. Click here for more information.

ProudMember

From the Membership Desk:

Embrace your unique opportunity for professional relationship building! This week, I urge you to consider the distinctiveness that building your brand through your Chamber of Commerce represents. In particular, an article in Chamber Executive magazine entitled "Seize The Day" remarked that "The very fabric of chamber of commerce culture is stitched together by the human connections that are made." Let's contemplate this statement a bit further in terms of recruiting and retaining your customer base. . . Isn't it true that people like to do business with people they know? Isn't it also true that a solid business relationship, reinforced by frequent communication and frequent interaction at events (like Business After Hours or a Chamber committee meeting), can keep you top of mind with your clients, vendors and colleagues in the business community? To share a success story on this subject, or to refer a colleague, please contact Jillienne Allgauer, VP of Membership Development, at 352-629-8051 ext. 105 or via email at Jillienne@ocalacc.com.

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Member News:

The Refuge Foundation is now sponsoring scholarships to the citizens of our local community for admission into The Refuge Transitions Intensive Outpatient Program. Click here to read more.

Florida Cattlemen's Association awards Circle Square Ranch with Environmental Stewardship Award. Click here to read more.

HeritageBank of the South Names New Market President for Ocala - Lori Boring will lead Bank's local team. Click here to read more.

Cox Communications introduces a new package of Internet service in its Gainesville/Ocala markets this week, making Cox the fastest Internet provider in town. Click here to read more.

Inner-City Harvest Int'l Ministries Needs your Help! Help support domestic and foreign missions by donating slighly used professional/business dress clothing for men and women looking to meet the dress code requirement for a job interview. For more information call 352-897-6969.

JULY EVENTS:

July 21: Memories of Missing Smiles (M.O.M.S.) Children's Memorial Park and Reflection Pond needs your help! M.O.M.S is looking for community support to get the park to a point where it is ready for the Grand Opening. There will be a park update gathering from 5 - 7 PM on the property at Jervey Gantt Park (2200 SE 36th Ave). The immediate need is to let the business community know about the gathering and promote their involvement in the parks progress. If this project sounds like something that touches your heart visit www.memoriesofmissingsmiles.org.

July 22: Highland Memorial Park, Ocala's Premier Memorial Park, is hosting a charity picnic to benefit PACE Center for Girls on from 11:30 to 1:00 pm. The address for the park is 1515 NE Third Street in Ocala (2 blocks behind the Cascades Office Complex). Lunch will be served on a donation basis with 100% of the proceeds benefitingPACE Center for Girls. Relax in the shade or take your lunch "to go"... it's up to you. This event is a come-and-go as you please casual type atmosphere. For more information, please contact Beverly Brown, Community Care Director at 369.1020.

July 26: Join the Ocala Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association as they host their annual Toolkit for Success Seminar, "PoweR on! Stay 'Current'" on Tuesday, July 26th from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm at the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce Boardroom. This year's program includes speaker Ken Knorr, CEO of THAT! Company, an ethics roundtable discussion, and speaker Mike Griffin, VP of Communications for Disney. The registration is $50 ($45 for non profits) and includes breakfast, lunch, and a Media Contact CD. For additional information and to register go to http://www.fpraocala.org. Hurry...space is limited and it is expected to fill up fast!

July 26: DON'T BE A VICTIM...METRO CRIME PREVENTION OF FLORIDA will be in our area conducting a FREE Crime Prevention Seminar, at 11:00 AM at Christ's Church of Marion County, 6768 SW 80th Street, Ocala. This program is both INFORMATIVE and INTERESTING. Learn how to protect yourself against IDENTITY THEFT, PURSE SNATCHING, FRAUD & SCAMS and much, much more. You don't want to miss this FREE program. Let METRO CRIME PREVENTION help you achieve a heightened awareness of the current criminal threats that faces everyone today. Contact the church office at 861-6182 or email at info@ccomc.org before July 21st to register.

July 30: REGISTRATION FEE REDUCED! The BMW dealership in Ocala will host the BMW Golf Cup 2011 at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club on Saturday, July 30, with a shotgun start at 8:30 AM. All proceeds benefit the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. The format is Individual Stroke Play, 18 holes low gross and low net (80% of your handicap). All players must have a verifiable USGA Handicap (no exceptions). The entry fee HAS BEEN REDUCED TO $95 per player. For more information visit http://www.bmw-golfsport.com/.

Until August 19: The Marion County YMCA's summer camp. Available for school-aged kids until August 19th. The theme of the camp is Game On!, and the Y has worked to provide positive, fun activities that build athletic, social and interpersonal skills. Every day, we keep campers happy and moving with swimming, field trips, arts and crafts and sports and games. The cost is $110 per week for members and $160 per week for non-members. Camp activity hours are from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and our extended hours are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. To register, call the YMCA at 352-368-9622 or e-mail jcooke@cfymca.org.

Click here for a full list of July/August Events.

Want to add an event or news item to the e-Connect? Email brittany@ocalacc.com

In This Issue:

Welcome New Chamber Members!

Chamber News & Events

Member News

July Events

Chamber Links & Resources