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.
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Mandatory California Labor Law Poster
 Mandatory New Poster Required by: 10/08/10
The new 2011 California Labor Law poster includes the California Workers' Compensation poster which has been revised with wide-ranging changes due to the recently amended Medical Provider Network (MPN) and employee information regulations.
Employers are required to post this update "Notice to Employees" by October 8th, 2010 to comply with the amended regulations. Failure to post the notice by the October deadline can result in fines up to $7,000 in civil penalties.
To Order Mandatory Posters and Read More>>
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The Sun is Coming Back and So is the Chocolate and Wine Festival
 This Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 9 - 10 in the Oakhurst Community Park from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is only $2.00 for adults, Children 12 years old and younger are admitted free.
Tasting tickets are only $1 and can be used in any of the food or wine tasting areas. Taste tidbits from the Branding Iron Steakhouse, Blue Heron Restaurant, Sugar Pine Take and Bake Restaurant,and the Lions Club Chocolate Fountain. Taste wines from Idle Hour Winery, Birdstone Winery, Butterfly Creek Winery, Moody Press, Green Eyes, Milla Vineyards, and Yosemite View by CRU Winery. Tickets can be purchased in the chamber store at the entrance to the event and in the food and wine tasting booth.
Still a few more days to Save money by purchasing Pre-sale VIP Tickets for $30.00 which include: 2 Adult Admissions, 2 Souvenier Wine Glasses and 20 Tasting Tickets good for wine, food and chocolate tasting. These tickets are a $40.00 value and are only available as an advanced purchase. They are NOT available at the show, so be sure to order your tickets now and save 25% off the price at the event. To purchase tickets online click here.
Shop from the many wonderful vendors and craftsmen. You can get a jump on your holiday gift giving. You will delight in the vast array of homemade crafts, beautiful art, food, home and garden décor and wine accessories.
Besides all of the food, wine, chocolate and unique shopping, we have added "Sports Cars in the Park" show presented by Kitahara Buick GMC. The car show will include a variety of high performance cars; Corvettes, Vipers, Ferraris, Mercedes, Mustangs, Camaros and more so be sure to stop by and say welcome.
Join us Saturday evening for a special performance of an American Comedy; "Greater Tuna" at the Golden Chain Theatre. Dinner and the show is only $20.00 and, yes, we will have Chocolate for dessert!
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The Chamber Has Lots Of Ways To Help Grow Your Business
 FREE Membership Benefit Class
The Chamber has over 50 pages in our benefit hand guide!
We will show you how to use the benefits that grow your business, save you money, save you time, provide advertising, and provide benefits to your employees.
Seating is Limited so please RSVP
Call our office at 683-7766
or email us at: chamber@oakhurstchamber.com
Pack a brown bag lunch and join us
Tuesday, Oct. 19 from
12:00 to 1:00
Yosemite Gateway Restaurant
(next to Best Western on Highway 41.)
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October Chamber Mixers
 Chamber Mixers are FREE and open to the public
~Meet and Greet
~Hors D'oeuvres
~Free Raffle
~No Host Bar
Thursday, Oct 21
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Mid Cal Escrow Services, Inc.
40034 Hwy 49 Ste A7, Oakhurst
(In the Vons Shopping Center below Round Table Pizza)
Wednesday, Oct 27
5:30 - 7:00 pm
Macaulay Associates
49774 Rd 426, Oakhurst
(Above Firesign)
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Women In Business Luncheon
 Thursday October 28, 2010
12pm - 1pm
Old Mexico Taqueria
40083 Hwy 41, Oakhurst
"Learn How To Add Color To Your Holidays"
Demonstration by Christina Bilby of Sweet Pickins Florist
Meal Choice: Chicken Taco Salad, Shrimp Scampi or Steak Fajita
Make your reservation today, visit Women In Business online
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Chamber Ambassadors - Welcoming New Businesses to Our Community
 | A Bit Of Everything Ribbon Cutting
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 | 47th Place Carpet One Ribbon Cutting for their new location
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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 Ambassador is all about, join us at the next Ambassadors meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 13th 12pm at The Grind.
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Trunk -N-Treat Halloween Night
The Oakhurst Area Chamber and the Oakhurst Community College Center, are looking for "Trunkers" (volunteers to act as treat givers). "Trunkers" are asked to arrive by 5:30 p.m. and provide and hand out treats to the children from 6:00-8:00 p.m. from the trunk of their cars. We hope you enjoy the camaraderie of the event by providing children with a safe, enjoyable and memorable celebration. "Trunkers" decorate yourselves and your cars (no masks or gore please). Be prepared for a couple of hundred "Treaters" and a hauntingly good time!
Read More>>
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Member Appreciation Dinner
November begins the season that reminds us to count our blessings. This year, the Chamber would like to do something very special for our annual Membership meeting. We would like to show our appreciation to our community, our leaders, our public service workers, and to our extraordinary businesses. During these current economically trying times, our members have stayed true to our shop locally tradition, and we continue to enjoy many big city services in our beautiful rural community. We praise all of our members, however on this special evening we will also be acknowledging several specific businesses for their longevity and their commitment.
Read More>>
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Town Hall Meeting
 Thursday, October 14
6pm - 8pm
Oakhurst Community Center
39800 Road 425B, Oakhurst
Discussion Topics:
Oakhurst Area Chamber Update
Oakhurst Library Remodel Update
Animal Services Presentation
General Discussion on District 5 Issues
Hosted by:
Supervisor Tom Wheeler, District 5
Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce
For further information contact Supervisor Tom Wheeler at 559-662-6050
or Oakhurst Area Chamber at 559-683-7766
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Serving customers online is not an option,
it's an imperative
by Jim Blasingame
 Continuing the series on small business responses to poll questions on our e-newsletter and website, recently we asked this question about e-commerce (aka online sales, aka Internet sales): How much of your small business' annual revenue comes from online sales? Here is what our respondents said:
ˇ Five percent said all revenue came from e-commerce.
ˇ Fourteen percent said more than half of their sales came from the Internet.
ˇ A little more than half said e-commerce represented less than 50% of total sales.
Read More>>
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.TB Our Mountain Area Residents
 The Pines Resort is rich with history and almost everyone in the mountain
area has some story about Ducey's on the Lake. Be it the old Ducey's that
burned down or the Ducey's that today sits on the shores of Bass Lake,
which is celebrating its 20th anniversary next April.
Over the years staff and management have provided you with lodging, food and entertainment, which reflected the owner's ideas and vision. If in the past, we failed to meet your expectations or disappointed you in any way, we are truly sorry.
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The Redwoods in Yosemite Fall Specials
 Rent a vacation home in Yosemite for as low as $180 per night!
Discounts valid October 24 - November 20, 2010
Not valid with any other discount or offer.
Availability is limited, CALL NOW!
Mention, "I heard about this special from the Oakhurst Area Chamber"
Ask about our discounted group rates!
1-888-225-6666
www.redwoodsinyosemite.com
Visit us on  and enter to win a FREE weekend vacation!
(facebook drawings on October 31, 2010, November 30, 2010 and December 31, 2010)
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Tips From Healthy CommuniTree Worker
 With water becoming ever more exspenive or hard to get, isn't it too costly to water trees? Research has shown that watering trees is not that exspenive.
Costs and needs depend upon many variables watering newly planted trees 2 inches in caliper and planted in a sandy loam soil required only 3 gallons per watering. Using local water costs this came to 2 cents per irrigation. Once a tree's roots are established watering becomes necessary only in a radius around the tree determined as 1.5 feet for every inch of tree diameter measured at 4.5 feet above ground,and to the depth of 8 to 10 inches water will reach the trees roots. For example a tree at 10 inch diameter it took 412 gallons to bring the soil to wilting point (from no water) to field capacity (the most water the soil will hold). Soaker hose or drip system on two days for trees will do the job. Repeat watering after soil f dried up around tree, this depends on time of year, heat or rain storms, but usually 3 to 4 day periods.
Remember watering REGULARLY is usually only necessary for newly planted trees once trees are estabilshed, watering during drought and extreme disease control would be recommended.
by: Anna Walther; Arborist working with Oakhurst Area Chamber
Sewingyosemite@yahoo.com, (209) 966-6830
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Deadline Extended Spend St. Patrick's Day in Ireland
 Since so many of you are still wanting to sign up, we begged and pleaded and got one more extension! Prices will not be going up until October 31st. So you still have time to get your deposit in at this great price.
Discover & Explore Scenic Ireland for only $1849 pp!
March 15 - 23, 2011
Perched on the northwest tip of Europe, this is the one place in the world where even time getting lost will be worthwhile... With ancient myths and legends to uncover, amazing landscapes to explore and locals who will be more than happy to reveal our hidden gems, just go where the island of Ireland takes you. Guaranteed, you'll return home with memories that will last a lifetime.
Read More>>
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| | Business of the Week |
Body Centre Wellness Spa
40120 Hwy 41 Ste I
Oakhurst, CA 93644
Phone: 559-658-6868 |
| | New Members | Please join us in welcoming the following businesses to the Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce
 | | Heaven Scent Organics |
- Coarsegold Dental
- OakhurstSierra.com/ Basslake.com
- Singleton Company
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| Renewing Members
| Congratulations to the following businesses. They benefit from
all of the many services the
Oakhurst Area Chamber
provides.
- Century 21 Ditton - Bortz
- Cottonwood Court Senior Living
- Donaghy Sales
- Jamba Juice
- Linn & Blate, Attorneys at Law
- Madera County Dept. of Soc. Srv
- Moulin, Kirk
- Sierra Asset Management
- Stavast Studio/Gallery
- Yosemite Pines RV Resort
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September Stats
| The Oakhurst Area Chamber is one of the most frequently dialed number in the area. Our website generates well over three million hits per year!
We provide a FREE place for our members to display their business cards and brochures in our busy lobby.
View stats to see just how busy we were in September:
Home Page Hits: 343,750
Business Member Referrals from Website: 13,051
# Emails Answered: 442
# Relocation Requests: 3
# Phone Calls Rcv'd: 877
# Visitors: 217
# Pieces of Mail Sent: 534
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| Get Involved
Serve as a voice of the Chamber
Ambassadors
Welcome new businesses to our community.
Meetings are: 2nd Tuesday of the month, - 12pm
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Economic Development
Improving the economic conditions for business in our communities.
Meeting are: 3rd Friday of the month - 2pm
Strategic Planning
Planning for the financial heath and well being of the Chamber.
Meeting are: 3rd Wednesday of the month, Central Valley Community Bank - 3pm
Emergency Preparedness
Planning for our safety should dangerous conditions occur.
Meeting are: 2nd Thursday of the month, Sierra Ambulance - 7:30am
For more information Contact the Chamber office
559-683-7766
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| Did You Know?
| Members can get a discounted ad rate in the Sierra Star
The Chamber has a section of the Sierra Star called "Chamber pages", which is printed in the last issue of every month. These pages include advertising options for chamber members at substantial discounts. For further information and rates contact the Sierra Star: 559-683- 4464.
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Proud Sponsors of the Oakhurst Area Chamber
Gold Sponsors:  Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino
Silver Sponsors:
P.G.& E.
Donaghy Sales
Corporate Sponsors:
United Security Bank |
 | Looking for hotels, restaurants, entertainment and more?
Look no further. Click on the image above.
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