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In This Issue
Chili Cookoff highlights September's "First Thursday"
Rural/Metro Ambulance, Leadership on agenda for Lunch Exchange
"Taste of Simply Sumter" an Evening of Food and Scholarships
Sumter Cookbook "Recipes and Reminiscences" Now Available

Time is Running Out for Discounted Ad Space in the 2012 Visitors Guide/ Business Directory

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Save 10% before August 31!
The Sumter County Chamber's 2012 Visitors Guide and Business Directory reaches thousands of residents and visitors to our area. Your business can reach potential new customers through distribution to new and current residents and vacationers seeking local information, as well as to local businesses. Read More Here>>
Ribbon Cuttings
ribbon cutting 

Monday, August 29, 11am

The Mattress Station

2588 W CR 48, Bushnell (next to Beef O'Brady's)

 Please come welcome owner Rudolph Gage to the Chamber and business community.

 

Tues., September 27, 10am
Country Pride Restaurant
556 E SR 44, Wildwood (attached to the TA Travel Center right next to I-75)
Come to the grand reopening after their total store remodel and see their new 57-seat meeting space! Stick around for your chance to dip a store manager in the dunk tank! 

Leads Groups Grow Your Client Base

Handshake 

LEADS LUNCH
every Monday (except holidays) at noon 

Beef O'Brady's, 2586 W. CR48, Bushnell
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LEADS SUNRISE
every Tuesday at 7:30AM
Wildwood Country Resort,
5604 Heritage Blvd., Wildwood
These groups are active networking and referral groups of local business people, providing a variety of products and services. You are invited to attend a meeting. Bring business cards, brochures, etc. For details call the Chamber office at 352-793-3099. 

Did You Know?
Advertise Here Traffic on the chamber's website (www.sumterchamber.org) has jumped 400% in the past year. This makes advertising on the site an even greater marketing tool for your business.

 

The chamber has new advertising opportunities available on the website, and on this newsletter. Ad prices fit any business' budget. Contact Andy Cripps at the chamber at 

352-793-3099  

or 

via e-mail.

Beef
  Read the Exciting Plans Here>>

Click here to visit our website calendar and add your events

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Sumter County Chamber E-News

Monday, August 29, 2011

Chili Cookoff highlights September's First Thursday networking event 
chili cookoff2 Do your friends and family rave about your chili? Make a batch and enter it in the second annual Sumter County Chamber of Commerce Chili Cook-Off on Thursday, September 1, 5:30-7pm, at Thomas E. Langley Medical Center for a chance to win a fabulous prize!

langleyThomas E. Langley Medical Center is located at 1425 S. US Hwy 301 in Sumterville. No RSVP is required and admission is free to chamber members.

For information about submitting your chili, call the chamber at 352-793-3099, or e-mail us at sumter-coc@sumterchamber.org.
Rural/Metro Ambulance, Leadership on agenda for Lunch Exchange
Rural/Metro
The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce's September Lunch Exchange will feature an introduction of Rural/Metro Ambulance, the new EMS service serving Sumter County beginning October 1, as well as a presentation from 2011 Leadership Sumter participants. The chamber will also announce the exciting details of its first "Beef and Boogie Festival," scheduled for November 4-5 at the Farmers Market in Webster. Read More Here>>

 

"A Taste of Simply Sumter" to showcase distinctive restaurants and shops; raise funds for scholarships
Simply Sumter

"A Taste of Simply Sumter," Thursday, October 6, 5:30-8pm at Continental Country Club, 50 Continental Blvd. in Wildwood, is an evening of food, music and boutique shopping that celebrates the businesses that make Sumter County a wonderful place to live work and play.

 

Sample the variety of unique restaurants and retail shops in our county, and help raise funds for education.

 

Restaurants from across Sumter County will serve samples of their signature dishes, and distinctive shops and boutiques will display their products. There will also be live entertainment, and silent auctions with valuable prizes. 


Funds raised from ticket sales and the silent auction will go for 2012 scholarships to seniors at South Sumter High School, Wildwood Middle-High School and The Villages Charter High School.      

Sponsorship opportunities are available.
Read More Here>>  
  

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Contact the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce at 352-793-3099 or e-mail us at info@sumterchamber.org for more information. 

Member News

Events and information from your fellow chamber members.

 

Michelle Metheny, Pampered Chef Independent Consultant invites you to a Recipe Night tonight (Monday August 29), 6:30-8PM, at Legacy Church in Lake Square Mall, (near JC Penney's) in Leesburg. To RSVP phone (352) 217-9958. Read More Here>>

  

Sparr Building & Farm Supply in Wildwood will have its Annual Truckload Sale during the month of October, with a month-long sale on selected Purina animal feeds. These feeds are bagged in pink bags with proceeds of each sale going to breast cancer research. The owners of Sparr Building and Farm Supply are going one step further and donating $0.25 from the sale of each bag to a local charity supporting breast cancer research.

 

Kids Central, Inc. presents the 5th annual "One Childhood, One Chance" Kinship Care Conference on September 30.  Read more here>>


United Way of Lake and Sumter Counties will hold an e-Recycle fundraising event on Saturday November 5, 8am-1pm at the Sumter County Sheriff's Office, 1010 N. Main St., Bushnell, FL. Read More Here>>

 

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is seeking potential mentors for a new program at the Federal Correctional Center at Coleman. They are looking for people and or organizations that would be willing to donate one to two hours every other week, or as much as possible. Read More Here>>

 

The Lake-Sumter Community College Foundation, Inc. has announced the development of its new Alumni Association. Read more here>>

 

The Humane Society/SPCA of Sumter County welcomes JUMP! The Ultimate Dog Show, a non-stop, action packed canine thrill show on Saturday, November 19. This dynamic event showcases amazing dogs performing to upbeat music from different eras. Read more here>>

 

Lake-Sumter Community College's Computer Institute offers computer classes in Leesburg and South Lake. Through the month of September, students can learn the 2010 versions of Access, Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Read more here>>

Sumter Cookbook "Recipes and Reminiscences" Now Available
CookbookCover

Recipes and Reminiscences is the first Sumter County cookbook produced by the Sumter Chamber. The beautifully bound hardback cookbook includes recipes from local restaurants like Cotillion Southern Café, Senator Alan Hays, longtime South Sumter High School principal C.L. Brooks and many more. 

 

In the south you can never have a good meal without a good story and Recipes and Reminiscences gives you both. Read rumors about what started the fire in the original county courthouse, find out about a famous Baseball Hall of Famer who called Sumter County home, and many more from the residents who lived it. Letters, photos, and infamous headlines decorate the pages of what is sure to become a favorite in your home. 

 

The first run of Recipes and Reminiscences sold out in two months, but IT'S BACK. Contact the chamber office at 352-793-3099 to reserve your copy for only $13.00 (including sales tax) today.

Remember, our chamber of commerce is here to serve you and your business. If you have a suggestion for how we can help, please call us at 352-793-3099 or e-mail us at sumter-coc@sumterchamber.org.
  
Sincerely,

 Andrew Cripps

Andrew Cripps, Executive Director

Sumter County Chamber of Commerce  

 

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