Join fellow Chamber members on Aug. 30 at J. Liu for networking and an informative luncheon presentation on "Supporting Ohio Small Businesses." The event begins with check-in at 11:30 a.m. and concludes at 1:15 p.m.  CME Federal Credit Union is a luncheon sponsor. 

Meet Jen Thrasher, Central Ohio regional director, and Kate Hanson, director of consumer education, from the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.

How do consumer laws affect you as a business owner and a consum

The Ohio Attorney General's Office enforces more than 25 consumer laws regarding advertising and business sales practices. To help businesses better understand these laws, a representative from the Consumer Protection Section of the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine will present "Supporting Ohio Small Businesses," a workshop that helps attendees understand Ohio consumer law and avoid scams targeting small businesses. Topics will include advertising guidelines, cancellation rights of consumers, door-to-door sales, gift card requirements and refund policies.

About the presenter: Kate Hanson is director of consumer education in the Consumer Protection Section of the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. In this role, Kate coordinates the office's efforts to teach Ohioans about their rights as consumers and about how to avoid scams. These efforts help to advance the mission of the Consumer Protection Section, which educates consumers and businesses and offers a dispute resolution process to assist consumers, small businesses and nonprofits.

Pre-registration is required.

Use the "REGISTER NOW" link

or call the Chamber office at 888-3040.

Calling all golfers ...

The Chamber's annual Golf Outing is recognized as one of the best outings of its kind in central Ohio. The event is a great way to build relationships with a customer or client, reward a dedicated employee, or treat yourself to a day of golf while networking with other Chamber members. 

The number of golfers is limited to 130 players. Participants may register as singles, in pairs or as foursomes. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishing teams, and golfers will have a chance to win additional prizes through a door prize drawing and skill holes on the course. Hole-in-one contests will offer some exciting prizes, to be announced.

Check-in for players at the scramble-type event will begin at 10 a.m., and a shotgun start will kick off the event at 11 a.m. The registration fee includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, picnic dinner and assorted beverages.

Several levels of sponsorship opportunities are available. You also may donate an item or gift certificate for the event raffle and other prizes to make the event even more enjoyable for participants. Click on the REGISTER NOW link to review the benefits of each sponsor level, or call the Chamber Office at 888-3040 for information.

The golf outing is planned by a committee of Chamber volunteers chaired by Bill Alsnauer, State Farm, and Mike Althoff, Capitol Office Supply.

Worthington's downtown streets will bustle with activity on Sept. 24 as the Chamber presents Old Worthington Market Day - Worthington's largest day-long festival - from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event takes place, rain or shine, on the streets of Downtown Worthington - primarily along High Street (SR 23), from SR 161 south to South Street, and on the Village Green. 

Market Day features a colorful display of artisan-crafted goods from jewelry, pottery and ceramics to beautiful paintings, decorative clothing and unique wood products. More than 200 exhibitors are expected to display their wares this year. Numerous community and school groups also participate, selling food items or handcrafted goods.

Downtown merchants and community organizations also offer activities for many interests. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., businesses in the Old Worthington Quarter will stage a fundraising event to benefit the Worthington Food Pantry, as they present the third annual Old Worthington Quarter Beer Festival in the parking lot at East New England Avenue and High Street.  Hungry and thirsty Market Day shoppers can enjoy more than a dozen American craft beers and seasonal foods for a $5 donation benefiting the pantry -- and pop into Rivage Atlantique to cool off and check sports scores on the large screen TVs.

Other attractions on Market Day include the Friends of the Library book sale at Old Worthington Library, Worthington Historical Society's flea market, farmers' market vendors, children's activities and performing groups.

Free shuttle buses are provided to the festival area from the parking lots at Thomas Worthington High School. There is no charge to attend.

For more information, check the Calendar of Events at www.worthingtonchamber.org. Click on Sept. 24, 2011, to view event and vendor registration details.

Note: Want to reach more than 20,000 visitors? Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are still available for Market Day, but deadlines are approaching rapidly. Call the Chamber office today if your business is interested in a sponsor booth and related advertising and promotional opportunities. Vendor applications are still being accepted for arts and crafts booths, community groups, downtown merchants who would like a booth in front of their stores, and food vendors. ThisWeek Community Newspapers also has Market Day advertising supplement opportunities available. Call 888-3040 for more information all of these opportunities. 

Jeff Zaye

The Chamber's SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) Group will explore document retention at its monthly meeting on Thursday, Aug. 25, from 11:30 to 1 p.m.

How long should your home office or small business keep documents on file?  Presenter Jeff Zaye will offer expert advice.

Jeff Zaye, CPA, is the audit manager of Whalen & Company, CPAs, a Gold Sustaining Member of the Chamber. He has been with the firm for four years.  Jeff has 15 years of experience in providing assurance services to health care, construction, real estate, manufacturing, higher education, retirement plans and not-for-profit entities. He has been in the accounting field for more than 20 years.

The event is a brown-bag lunch format. Bring your own lunch; beverages will be available.

Whalen & Company CPAs and Consultants will host the event at their offices at 250 W. Old Wilson Bridge Road, Suite 300, Worthington 43085.  

If you work in a home office or "wear all the hats" at a small office with five or fewer employees, the Chamber's new Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) subgroup is for you.  At each monthly "brown bag lunch" style meeting, members exchange best practices and business leads and learn from experts about topics that affect small business owners and home-based businesses, including legal, tax, organizational, IT and marketing/promotion issues.

Business and Associate Members of the Chamber are eligible to join SOHO. SOHO members pay a subgroup participation fee of $30 per year, in addition to their regular Chamber dues. A prospective SOHO member may attend the meeting free of charge for a one-month period and then may choose sign up for the group with the $30 annual fee. Pre-registration is required.

Register at this website link

or call 888-3040.