• Make your copies explode with color during July specials at Minuteman Press Westerville 

• ECDI can help your family apply for no-cost health insurance

• Support your local heroes at Guns and Hoses Blood Drive July 19 

Where's YOUR E-sert? Contact the Chamber at 888-3040 to schedule the "E-sertion" of your promotional flier in PDF format.

SUSTAINING MEMBERS

Gold Sustaining Members  

Join 13 local chambers of commerce, including the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce, on Friday, July 27, for "Survive and Thrive: Leveraging Trends to Grow Your Business," from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road, near The Ohio State University campus in Columbus.

Check-in is from 8:30 to 9 a.m.  The program follows from 9 a.m. to noon.

• The 100 trends impacting your business, both locally and globally
• How your business can take advantage of these trends
• Using trends to be relevant to your clients and stay competitive
• Ways to strengthen your business for growth in years to come

Cathi Hight, a Kaizen consultant and president of Hight Performance Group, has more than 20 years of experience in performance improvement and is well known for helping others "work smarter, not harder."  She has a diverse background, including leadership roles at the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Dole and Dean Foods, and the Kauffman Foundation. She is also a renowned author, as well as a national instructor for organizational management.

• Clintonville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce
• Dublin Chamber of Commerce
• Gahanna Area Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Powell Area Chamber of Commerce
• Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce
• New Albany Chamber of Commerce
• Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce
• Southeast Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
• Sunbury/Big Walnut Area Chamber of Commerce
• Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce
• Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce 

Great tastes and family fun await at A Taste of Worthington, the Chamber's annual food sampling festival, on Friday, July 20, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., in the parking area of OfficeScape Corporate Center, 350 W. Wilson Bridge Road. 

Event guests, who pay only $2 for admission (children 6 and under are FREE) enjoy affordably priced appetizers, entrées and desserts from area restaurants in a festive block party atmosphere, with live music and family activities.  

Thanks to our sponsors

WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone and Worthington Jewelers are presenting sponsors for the event. Among the corporate sponsors and community partners are Anthony Lordo, D.D.S., LLC; City of Worthington; Friendship Village of Columbus; Insight Bank; Keller Williams Capital Partners/LaBuda Advantage Real Estate Team and Mid-American Mortgage Solutions; Magic Cruises; Paradigm Properties of Ohio, LLC; Sam's Club; Sunpics Productions;  Telhio Credit Union; ThisWeek Community Newspapers; Tilton's Automotive Service; and Worthington Schools.    

Promotional Opportunities for Food Vendors

Area restaurants can show off tastes of their best as they vie for honors in the "People's Choice" competition for the crowd's favorite foods.     

Participating food vendors are charged a booth fee that includes the Columbus Health Department's licensing fee and processing by the Chamber. Food vendors set their own food prices (typically $1 - $6) and keep all of the proceeds from their food booths.

The Chamber provides 10-by-10-foot booth spaces and two 8-foot tables; waste cans; security; electricity (by advance request); seating and tables for patrons (2011 attendance was more than 3,500); beverage sales (soft drinks, beer, water, wine); application forms and processing for the Health Department certificate; pre-event publicity and promotion during the event; and entertainment for all ages.   

Among the participating food vendors committed to date are: 

• Bravo! Cucina Italiana
• Bridgewater Banquet & Conference Center
• Cameron's American Bistro
• Champps Americana
• Cheryl's
• Dairy Queen
• Friendship Village of Columbus
• Gallo's Pit BBQ
• Graeter's
• Greek Express and Acropolis
• J. Gilbert's Wood-Fired Steaks & Seafood
• J. Liu Restaurant & Bar
• The Laurels of Worthington and The Laurels of Norworth
• Mojo Tago, LLC
• Old Bag of Nails Pub
• Pastimes Pub & Grill
• Rivage Atlantique
• Willow Brook Christian Home
• Wurst und Bier  

To register your restaurant, caterer or food service facility as a participant, call Kevin at 888-3040; click here to download the event brochure and application; or register online at http://tiny.cc/Taste2012.  

Volunteer Opportunities

A committee of volunteers plans the food festival and is responsible for determining fundraising goals, vendor fees and event activities; and recruiting restaurants, sponsors and volunteers.  

Volunteers deliver promotional materials to area restaurants and community sites; post temporary event signage during the week of the event; set up temporary fencing on the evening prior to the event; and set up tables, chairs, tents and additional event signage at the event.  

At the event, volunteers collect entrance fees; staff the Chamber's beverage stations and information booth; and assist in clean up following the event. Volunteers work in two- to three-hour shifts throughout the day of the event, starting about 10 a.m. and ending at 11 p.m. Each volunteer is provided free beverages and an event T-shirt, as well as a comfortable spot to rest in the Coach Quarters "Volunteer Lounge" luxury coach. 

If you are interested in being a sponsor, food vendor or volunteer for the event (or the event planning committee), please contact the Chamber at 888-3040.