News from Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce

Greetings!

Welcome to the Eastern Madera County Area News brought to you by the
Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce. We are pleased to present news from our members and the communities of Eastern Madera County.

Chamber Event Raises $ for Local Non-Profits and Gives Us a New Honorary Mayor

Passing of the scissors to the 2010 Honorary Mayor

We would like to thank the Honorary Mayor
Candidates for a job well done!

Candidates for 2010 were:
·   Melanie Barker for Manna House
·   John Burton for EMC SPCA

They did a fabulous job and together raised
over $52,000.00 the two organizations.

We would also like to thank:
·   The New Community United Methodist Church for hosting
      the event
·   Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino for being a major
      sponsor of the Chamber
·   Susan Madden, Chamber President, for
      emceeing the event

And a very heartfelt thank you to our past mayor,
Brian Gearhart for the great job they did as the
2009 - 2010 Honorary Mayor.

AND THE NEW MAYOR IS .......Having raised
$37,181.76 for the Eastern Madera County SPCA - John Burton!

Congratulations to our new Honorary Mayor, John!!!

Chamber Co-Sponsors Major Beautification Project

Many volunteers will be needed to plant 350 in Eastern Madera County on October 23rd. We are one of the major recipients of a grant, and as such we are participating in bringing life to our communities with the help of United Voices. Please mark your calendar now and help us spread the word. This will be a wonderful way for families, friend, clubs, and businesses to come together for a cause, have fun and do something that we can all be proud of. To see the list of where the tree will be planted visit: http://www.unitedvoices.org/Volunteers.asp.

Meet New People - Join the Chamber Ambassadors

Would you like to build your business contacts? Would you like to help welcome others? Become an Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador.
Come see what being an Ambassadors all about, join us at the next Ambassadors meeting: Tuesday, July 13th 12pm (location TBA)

The Oakhurst Community Center Board of Directors and Oakhurst Area Ambassadors join together for a ribbon cutting for the newly remodeled pavilion
Community Center Pavilion Ribbon Cutting

Chamber Sponsors FREE E-Mail Marketing Classes

Constant Contact is offering two small business workshops - "Best Practices in Email Marketing" and "Getting Started with Constant Contact".
August 19, 2010
"Best Practices in Email Marketing" 10am - 12pm
"Getting Started with Constant Contact" 1pm - 3pm
Sign ups are required. Feel free to sign up for one or both.
To RSVP email jelizalde@oakhurstchamber.com

One hour lunch break between classes

*Jolene at the Chamber is offering her services to small businesses who can make the first class but not the second. She will come to your place of business and help you set up your Constant Contact account.

State Community College in Oakhurst to Benefit from $3 Million Grant

A federal grant of nearly $3 million is on its way to State Center Community College District to help train people for jobs in the health-care field.

The district, which includes Fresno City College, Reedley College and college centers in north Fresno, Clovis, Madera and Oakhurst, is one of 41 organizations nationwide to receive a share of about $125 million from the U.S. Department of Labor's Community-Based Job Training Grant program.

Hire Act Benefits

We are currently halfway through 2010 and in the midst of massive tax legislation which will impact individual and business taxpayers. Many of these provisions will phase in over the next eight years. One provision effective this year will impact business taxpayers.

The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (HIRE) will provide tax credits to encourage hiring and retaining new workers. The credits apply to workers hired after February 2, 2010 and before January 1, 2011. However, the credit applies only to wages from March 19, 2010.

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Smokey The Bear Coloring Contest

Co-Sponsored by Sierra Telephone and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Color the picture and write a fire safety message from Smokey.
Bring it to a Sierra Telephone Business Office by Tuesday, July 20th.

Entry forms are available at Sierra Telephone and at Cal Fire.
They can also be downloaded at www.sierratelephone.com

Defend Your Business On All Fronts

Besides the traditional competitive landscape small businesses retailers manage every day, many also feel pressure from two other fronts they don't know as much about:

1) The Big Boxes, anchored around the corner
2) Cyber competitors, untethered in the Internet.

Here are a few ideas on how Main Street business can compete against these two:

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CalChamber-Backed Initiative to Stop Hidden Taxes Qualifies for November Ballot

The California Chamber of Commerce-supported measure to stop hidden taxes will appear on the November ballot, the Secretary of State recently announced.

The campaign co-chaired by the CalChamber and California Taxpayers' Association submitted more than 1.1 million voter signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot.

The initiative seeks to stop legislators and local officials from imposing hidden taxes mislabeled as fees on California taxpayers.

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Celebrate the First-Ever Collector Car Appreciation Day

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 513 designating Friday, July 9, 2010, as Collector Car Appreciation Day. This effort was undertaken by your SEMA Action Network (SAN) friends in Washington, D.C., as a means to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. Collector Car Appreciation Day will also provide an opportunity for enthusiasts, like you, to gather at events nationwide to celebrate this special day and raise awareness of the importance of our great American hobby.

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Oakhurst Office Equipment Offers Discount To Chamber Members

Now thru 7/31/2010, Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce members take an additional 10% off our Premium Compatible Ink & Toner.
Please download our 2010 Catalog for pricing on your specific cartridge or call Dave at 559 683-2229.

www.oakhurstofficeequipment.com

Park Slated to Hold Ceremony and Opportunity for Visitors to Obtain Uncirculated Quarters

Yosemite National Park will launch a new quarter, featuring El Capitan and the Merced River, as part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program.
A quarter exchange will be held at the event and this will be the first opportunity to purchase new, uncirculated quarters featuring Yosemite.

Minimum: One (1) roll with 40 quarters for $10.

Read More>>

What's the difference between Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups?

Question: What's the difference between Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups? At first glance, they seem quite similar.

Answer: While Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups do have some overlapping features, they were created to serve different purposes. Here are descriptions of each:

Facebook Banner Download Graphics to View Pages allow entities such as public figures, brands, and businesses to broadcast information to their fans. Pages can be thought of in much the same way as personal Facebook profiles, since Pages can also have friends, add pictures, and allow fans to post messages on walls.